Basic Maneuvering Problems

[Breserk 0]

Hello, everybody!

Recently I've acquired Falcon 4: AF so as to prepare to my military service starting January in the Air Force Academy (I know I'm ahead of myself here, but I always loved simulators and thought of getting Falcon 4: AF, this was just a final 'push'). I've predictably started with the training missions, and have encountered a problem with the first turning mission: I find it physically impossible to complete under all parameters handed to me.

 

The manual states I have to perform a 360 degrees turn (starting at 20,000 feet) and stay between 330-440 knots, as that speed provides the optimal conditions for the tightest turns with an F-16, and that I should perform it in about 20 seconds without losing or gaining more than 2,000 feet. It is written in the manual that I should be around 7g at all times during the turn and that the turn radius should always be between 3500-4500 feet.

 

Here's what happens: I start making the turn (my roll is about 80-90 degrees), pull the joystick backwards until I reach 7g, and my speed drops dramatically. It drops so quickly that it's below 330k very quickly and I'm out of the turn corner before I've even managed half a turn. The only solution I see to that is to make a downward spiral and to exchange height into speed, so that I can maintain the turn corner velocity while performing a 7g turn. Doing that I cannot possibly lose less than 2,000 feet in height as suggested. What I do eventually is just maintain the same height (I usually lose or gain around 100 feet) and start from 440 knots, turning as hard as possible until I reach 330 knots, and then just turn less sharply so that I stay at that speed. Doing so provides me with a huge turning radius of around 20,000 feet and the turn takes nearly a minute to complete.

What am I doing wrong? (note that the thrusters are fully open and that all the settings are at their mission beginning's defaults)

[FastCargo 412]

First, congrats on getting accepted to the Academy (though I wonder, don't cadets usually start in the summer)?

 

Second, it's been a while since I've played with F4:AF...but I'm pretty sure to sustain that amount of G within the parameters you specified, the aircraft has to be 'clean'. Is there any ordinance hanging (other than the wingtip Sidewinders) when you're trying to do this?

 

FastCargo

[JediMaster 451]

Another thing to consider is the speed with which you initiate the turn. Pull it back too abruptly and the rapid onset creates a huge amount of drag. A more measured pull back will keep the speed from bleeding off as fast.

[Preacher 0]

Don't be afraid to nose down 5-10degrees to 'help' you maintain your energy.

 

For now, pass it by and continue your training, as you become more and more familar with the plane and systems you'll start to find it alot easier and you'll understand under what conditions you can turn, and you'll start to adjust and tweak your stick/controls/plane.

 

Don't get too hung up on it, you need a few hours flying/dogfighting/sam evasion to really learn how the plane handles.

 

Or, get someone to teach you lol

 

Preach

[estmil 0]

Heh, over 3 years have passed from the time this topic was created.

Anyway, same problem here. Can't maintain corner velocity throughout the manouver. Is it another manual bug? At 20k FT it's impossible to pull max G-s and stay in 330-440 kts. However on lower altitudes, 5000-10 000 it can be done.

[MigBuster 2,887]

Probably not a bug - its just physics - When you were at 20kft were you at 440 Indicated AS or 440 True AS? You will probably find it will do it at over 500kTAS at a guess - but its not the same - you get less thrust and less lift at 20kft.

Edited November 29, 2010 by MigBuster

[estmil 0]

Shouldn't the speed printed on the HUD be TAS by default?

 

I wonder why the developers built the mission that way, they should've put the plane at the 10k FT in the training mission.

But lets say enemy AC was encountered at 20k FT. How should one act up there?

[MigBuster 2,887]

by default yes its IAS unless you change it or load in pit settings.

 

Get to 500kts IAS, dip the nose down 30 degrees or so then see what return you get in a slice - dont assume you have to stay at 20k.

 

If an enemy jet is at 20k, find out about it at least 20 miles away and use AIM-120s

 

The only situations I might turn like that at that altitude is in dogfight mode guns only or if I see a SAM coming up - but depends on the situation really.