Author Topic: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...  (Read 5274 times)

Offline Badboy

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Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« on: April 18, 2008, 01:20:33 PM »
Guys

I notice recently there have been a number of threads and requests for AHII aircraft performance data such as the corner velocity etc. So I recently tested all 57 prop fighters for their sustained turn radius and rate, their stall speed and corner velocity, as well as the turn rate and radius at corner velocity.

I don't think that range of information has been made available before so I thought it would be of interest to the community. However, I've had second thoughts, and taken another approach. Instead of just releasing the output I’ve spent some time preparing a tool that can be used by anyone so that you can produce your own results. 

A problem I've noticed with just publishing data, is that no matter what configuration you use, someone will always be interested in something different. For example, I always test at 25% fuel, sea level and in a clean configuration. I do that for two reasons, firstly because I like to get the best possible performance for the aircraft, and secondly because I don't have to re-test for heavier internal fuel, the tools I use give me additional weight scenarios with ease. The problem is that many pilots prefer to see data for more probable combat situations, more fuel and different weapons etc.       

In order to give everyone what they wanted it would be necessary to do a lot more testing... But the simple answer would be to make it possible for everyone to collect the same information, with as little effort as possible. If only you could get the sustained rate and radius, the stall speed, the corner velocity, and the rate and radius at the aircraft’s corner velocity from one simple flight test for each aircraft. 

Introducing Badboy's BootStrap approach

I've written a small spread sheet (The BootStrap Calculator) that will accept two measurements, the speed and time from a sustained level turn test. From that it provides us with the usual sustained turn information that we are familiar with seeing posted on the boards, (MOSQ and Kweassa spring to mind) but it also provides the stall speed, the corner velocity and the turn rate and turn radius at corner. All that information from just one flight test.

Here it is, with a document that explains how to do the flight testing:

Download Badboy's BootStrap Calculator

You can do the tests yourself, or use data from other posters, or pool information and share data, and so on. Either way, I think my BootStrap method represents the greatest amount of information, for the least amount of flight testing possible.

If anyone needs any help interpreting the results, just ask.

I hope this will be useful.

Badboy
The Damned (est. 1988)
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Offline Halo46

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2008, 03:29:22 PM »
Tango Mike
Used to fly as Halo46, GRHalo, Hobo and Punk at the end.

Offline Widewing

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2008, 04:40:35 PM »
To use Badboy's calculator spread sheet you will need to have MS Excel installed on your machine.

If you do not have MS Office or Excel, that will not be a problem. Go to http://www.openoffice.org/ and download their free software suite. Their spread sheet program, "Calc", is completely compatible with Excel (as is all of the suite, which is compatible with MS Office).

My regards,

Widewing
« Last Edit: April 18, 2008, 04:42:23 PM by Widewing »
My regards,

Widewing

YGBSM. Retired Member of Aces High Trainer Corps, Past President of the DFC, retired from flying as Tredlite.

Offline zorstorer

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2008, 07:35:35 PM »
Where do we input data????  D14 says this..."Read the maximum i"???  Just wondering where to put in the data ;)

Offline Badboy

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2008, 09:55:13 PM »
Where do we input data?

Sorry, I must have moved the cells after writing the instructions. I've corrected that now. Meanwhile, just replace the blue text in the columns labeled "Measured Speed" and "Measured Time" with your own test data. as shown below.



I just put 100mph and 20.00 seconds in for each aircraft as example data, and I just left the aircraft names in to save you typing them again.

The original download contains the updated calculator, but you can get it in a smaller download here:Updated Calculator

Hope that gets you up and running.

Badboy
« Last Edit: April 18, 2008, 10:02:17 PM by Badboy »
The Damned (est. 1988)
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Offline FTJR

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2008, 12:26:46 AM »
Thank you for that Badboy
Bring the Beaufighter to Aces High
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Offline zorstorer

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2008, 01:13:30 AM »
Thanks much Badboy :)  Felt silly after I opened it again and started playing around in it, but only after I couldn't edit the post :D

Offline Allen Rune

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2008, 10:15:47 AM »
Sorry, but how exactly do I work this? I don't think I've ever used Microsoft Excel before.
The Screwed One


"And so it begins, may it never end."

Offline MOSQ

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2008, 09:30:15 PM »
Badboy, can you modify the protection feature to allow additional rows to be inserted? For instance I have multiple configurations for each plane and need to have multiple occurrances of F6F ect. I have 290 rows in my own spreadsheet now!

And I'd like to add columns for flap settings results ( 1 flap, 2 flap, full flap ect.)

I'd also like to add additional columns for acceleration and top speed results.

Is this possible?

Offline Badboy

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2008, 05:33:54 AM »
Is this possible?

Anything is possible, in view of the amount of hard work you put into testing, I feel inclined to make you a custom version to your own specifications, let's take it to PM or email.

Badboy
The Damned (est. 1988)
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  • Air Warrior Trainer - Retired

Offline Engine

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2008, 07:13:05 AM »
He said he wanted to add the rows, not test them! That's your job! ;)

Thanks very much for this, Badboy. It's a fantastic asset.

Offline Oldman731

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2008, 07:58:38 AM »
Thanks very much for this, Badboy. It's a fantastic asset.

Agreed.  Thank you very much.

- oldman

Offline SmokinLoon

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2008, 09:29:29 AM »
Very nice work.  Thanks!


Mossi?  Oh where oh where is the Mossi?   :cry


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Proud grandson of the late Lt. Col. Darrell M. "Bud" Gray, USAF (ret.), B24D pilot, 5th BG/72nd BS. 28 combat missions within the "slot", PTO.

Offline Easyscor

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #13 on: September 16, 2008, 01:34:53 PM »
Thanks Badboy, I look forward to trying this out.
Easy in-game again.
Since Tour 19 - 2001

Offline 442w30

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Re: Badboy's BootStrap Calculator...
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2008, 09:15:07 AM »
Badboy, as someone who has spent hundreds of hours programming excel macros, I can appreciate the time and effort you have put into this.  Big  :salute and hearty thanks.
Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time

"The plural of anecdote is no data."- statistician's axiom