Engine Management and squeezing that little bit more out of your ride...

[Adogg]

Ok I finally figured out that you can adjust the prop pitch to help manage fuel consumption - now i just need to learn how. But there's another issue i need answered first. When you're chasing someon at co-alt what pitch/throttle settings will put you at your maximum true air speed?

For example I ride an La7 at the moment, i like it's handling characteristics, its speed and its ability to get me out of trouble...but i don't know if i'm managing the engine properly.

Any help much appreciated.

[Engine]

I refuse to be 'managed'.

[Soulyss]

If you're trying to go fast you want the highest manifold pressure your engine will give you, full military, or emergency (wep) power, and high rpms.  

If you're trying to save fuel, it's a little more fuzzy, I've heard two things but haven't tested either myself.  Both are concerning RPM management.  One school of thought says that reducing RPM's will help you cruise and save fuel.  The other school says the manifold pressure, or throttle settings are the only things that effect fuel consumption.  And it's up the individual planes which throttle setting will give you the best fuel economy anyway.  One thing that reducing RPMS will help with is the gliding characteristics, so if you're deadstick and trying to get that last few yards to make it to the field, reduce you're rpms and you can stay in the air a little longer.  

Engine management in this game is pretty simple really.

[Adogg]

Originally posted by Engine
I refuse to be 'managed'.

I should be more clear. Appologies. I need to know how to manage the thing that cranks the propeller, that drinks gas like a drunken sailor and goes bang about 4000 times a minute.

by "the engine" i did not mean "The Engine" your worship.

[gofaster]

Originally posted by Engine
I refuse to be 'managed'.

I'll be sure to note that in your annual performance appraisal.  Now get those TPS reports on my desk, pronto, mmkay?

[Soda]

Adogg,
  I don't know that anyone has tested the different combinations of manifold/rpms on more than a couple of aircraft.  It would probably take a bunch of testing offline to get the correct combinations for the MA.  I know I have tested the Typhoon and D-Hog though and there appears to be no consistent "guideline" for maximizing range.  I know on the Typhoon it was best to run at full power (and even WEP) to get max range.  On the D-Hog, you could more than double your range by running lower power settings.

Email me and I'll send you what information I have, though it is limited.

Soda@hitechcreations.com

[RTR]

Hmmmm...The Engines sounds like it's backfiring a bit there.

Maybe his plug is dirty.

LOL

RTR

[YUCCA]

i know excellent settings to get about twice as much range out of jug if need be.

[Adogg]

YUCCA care to share?
Pretty Please?

[YUCCA]

Well since you asked so nicely..... 21 rpm 32 manifold

[MOSQ]

Cruise settings in the flight model are porked. Some planes benefit, notably the P-47, others do not. HTC even lists the max cruise settings in the Help pages for the original AH planeset, but they seem to make no difference.

For example I flight tested the FW-190 A5 using the listed cruise steeings on the AH plane page. I then flew the identical route/altitude/ except at WEP. The plane flew the exact same distence. The difference being that on WEP I covered the same distance MUCH faster.  So now if I RTB in an A-5, I always use WEP; cutting throttle will do no good other than to make you more vulnerable.

Hopefully this will be fixed in AH2. It adds an important feature to be able to cruise for longer distances.

[_Schadenfreude_]

Having just got back into IL2 FB I wish AH had complex engine management like fuel mixture, radiator settings  and prop pitch - can make a huge diff to yr ride and it fun once you know what you're doing.