An assortment of ideas to improve 0.90

[wizzlebippi]

1. Add approach guidance for the runway. Why not a Visual Approach Slope Indicator next to the runway. Maybe ILS guidance on the nav ball like mechjeb, I don't care. No autopilot needed, just something to show if you're on the glideslope. Most any absurdly long runway would have this.

2. Give Kerbals the ability to track a survey target when on foot. Maybe a close up of a handheld tracker in the corner like a minimap, something unlocked by a facility or tech upgrade.

3. If a survey target happens to be on the other side of the planet, the target needs to be visible without pointing the aircraft at the ground. Or if you're flying a VTOL to get a survey point in-between two mountains, that target needs to be visible at all times. For in atmosphere flying, we need a Horizontal Situation Indicator with targets listed on their true heading. Maybe apply this to rovers too.

4. Drag devices for spaceplanes so they can actually slow down. Even if just the landing gear get a deployed drag value, that would be a vast improvement. Speedbrakes and flaps would help greatly.

That is all.

[vexx32]

With #4, you could use parachutes for that purpose -- drogue chutes might be the best bet.

[Zakhep]

For #4 landing gear have breaks, you just have to hold B to activate them. Parachutes work as well though.

[eddiew]

#1 not a bad idea - I quite often have to pop the emergency chutes while actually above the runway because I realise I'm descending just a wee bit too fast, or a tad too high

#2 this mod will solve your woes! http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/105295-Modding-Mondays-In-Flight-Waypoints

#3 yeah, a ghost indicator at the edge of the navball would be nice actually

#4 it may be FAR at work, but control surfaces in my SPH have the option to set them up as spoilers / air brakes. (If you're trying to build spaceplanes without FAR, that's just a recipe for pain ) I've also successfully used chutes mounted near the engines for an after-touchdown brake.

[Alshain]

1. While stock would certainly be nice, there are 2 mods for this. One is called NavUtilities which adds a PAPI as a GUI. The other is called Runway PAPI Array but hasn't been updated so no idea if it still works.

2. In flight waypoints as mentioned above.

3. Yep, agree.

4. Without real aerodynamics, spoilers and flaps have no purpose. Wait until the next release and see what is coming. (or use FAR) The RealChute mod can be used to create actual Drag Chutes that deploy properly behind the plane and slow you down on the runway (not to be confused with drogue chutes which slow you down in the mid atmosphere, RealChutes does that too though). B9 has airbrakes that might work in stock aerodynamics.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Alshain

[SmashBrown]

For #3 I'd have it so you had to have a certain piece of hardware on a satellite in orbit of Kerbin to enable this. Like a gps module of some sort. Satellites with a function!

[wizzlebippi]

There's a few mods I didn't know about. In-flight waypoints is just about exactly what I was needing. The HSI in navutilities is a little strange though.

For #4, A parachute isn't the answer I'm looking for. I need something that will allow me to slow down, and be retracted to allow me to speed up again. Rinse and repeat. I've tried FAR in the past, but I'm just not a fan. It just feels wrong.