Let's have some engine management

[ezrust]

It doesn't even have to be overly complex.  You can't keep the thing at full throttle from take off to landing.  The engine should begin to overheat when at full throttle for x amount of time and then, if it's not retarded a little, engine damage will occur eventually resulting in total failure.


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RUST
 
JG2 "Richthofen"

[This message has been edited by ezrust (edited 04-24-2000).]

[Sunchaser]

YES Please.

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When did they put this thing in here and WTF is it for?

[Citabria]

my bigest problem with current engine modelling is I see only minute advantage to throttling back, the advantage should be greater.

I'm a big fan of the autorich/autolean idea, gas milage sucks bad in AH  


[This message has been edited by Citabria (edited 04-25-2000).]

[Vermillion]

Really Citabria?

I haven't done any testing but I seem to notice a difference when I use the max cruise settings on the P-51 from my pilots manual.

Remember guys, its not just decreasing manifold pressure, but you typically need to adjust RPM's as well.

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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure
Carpe Jugulum
"Real Men fly Radials, Nancy Boys fly Spitfires"

[juzz]

It is a bit silly that these planes can run at what is usually only a 30 minutes throttle setting forever, but the 5 minute setting has an auto-off switch to stop dummies from killing their engine.

My preference regarding WEP is to set the WEP button to work only if a plane actually has some sort of mechanical restriction on WEP usage, Ie: A wired gate on the throttle, a button for injecting MW 50 etc.

Otherwise let the pilot run the engine at full RPM/MAP and suffer the consequences if they don't watch the temperature guage.

Btw: "Cruise" settings affecting fuel consumption has been in the game since Version 1.00 Patch 1.
 

Began working on correct manifold pressure, rpm, and fuel consumption
under cruise conditions.  This will not be finished until the next
full version.

[Citabria]

P-38 is my fuel test subject  

on low fuel when I throttle back I only  run out of gaas further from where I'm going and it goes away just as fast.


it seems turning off 1 engine does not decrease fuel flow by half either  

but I am probably wrong, there is probably a minute advantage which has eluded me.

[-lynx-]

verm - weren't those supposed to be constant speed props? Up to a point, of course, but still - within the working range rpm should remain constant?

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-lynx-
13 Sqn RAF

[Vermillion]

Lynx, I am far from the expert here so someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Its a constant speed prop, in regards that if you set the prop speed to 3,000 rpm, it will maintain that prop speed if your in level flight at 250 IAS or a steep dive at 500 IAS.

But you could adjust the desired prop speed in the cockpit.

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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure
Carpe Jugulum
"Real Men fly Radials, Nancy Boys fly Spitfires"

[-lynx-]

Uh-oh... OK Let's adjust rpm... Maybe even pitch?

BTW, I like what Juzz is saying - if you want to kill your engine - it hosuld be your decision. Especiall, if one takes into account that ASh82FN had no WEP restrictions according to Gordon/Khazanov's book...

It's amazing though how they describe the differences between the prototypes/production planes and how lots of things affected plane's performance - eg opening radiator shutters increased drag hence drop in max attainable speed etc.

They also quote multiple accounts when La5FNs were catching A4s at AGL in level flight (albeit slowly) and had advantages over both 190/109 in vertical manoeuvrability below 10,000 feet.. but that's a different thread .

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-lynx-
13 Sqn RAF

[Vermillion]

Lynx... Ummm we can already  

Try hitting the + or - key on the keypad, that adjusts your RPM's in AH


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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure
Carpe Jugulum
"Real Men fly Radials, Nancy Boys fly Spitfires"

[funked]

Lynx, Verm is right.  You set the RPM with the +/- control (lever or knob in real plane), and the prop speed regulator (hydraulic or electric device) varies the pitch to maintain your speed setting.

[715]

I know I'll be flamed out of existance for this, but I would like to cast my vote for NOT adding these details to AH.  It's already a bother to constantly retrim everything on these planes every few seconds and now you want me to constantly monitor the prop pitch, fuel stoichiometry (look it up, its a word), egt, cylinder head temp, manifold pressure, etc etc?  Sounds like bothersome work.. this is a game right?  How would it improve game play by having some people going down in flames due to engine mismanagement long before they even get in sight of enemy?  That certainly doesn't benefit him and it doesn't benefit the people that CAN manage their powerplant as the guy who can't never even gets close enough for them to shoot him down.

715A  

[ezrust]

Well, 715, I guess we shouldn't get into the differences between a game and a simulation but I don't think having to watch engine temp is too complicated.  If it gets hot, throttle back.  When you hit full throttle or WEP remember you've only got it for a short time.
I love flying a complicated, technical machine.  Part of the challenge of Aces High is contending with the acurate flight model and limitations of the various planes.  I would prefer this to be as technically acurate as possible.  The market is flooded with games that sacrifice realism for a smaller learning curve.  I just think Aces High should fill the empty niche of the hard core sim market
In any event, you could introduce it in stages.  European Air War has engines overheating if kept at full throttle and people seem to dig that game.

[This message has been edited by ezrust (edited 04-29-2000).]

[715]

Sure- the auto WEP turn off should be removed.  Warbirds or maybe even early incarnations of AH had this already- use WEP too long and you porked your engine.  But do you really want to be messing with, say, mixture ratio?  I don't want to have to go to the local FBO for flight lessons to keep my virtual Spit in the air.  

[Citabria]

"The key to extracting range from the P-38 was very much in flying technique, using low RPM and high boost (eg: P-38H 2,300/34 for 215 kt at 146 USG/hr for 600+ NM radius), and until 1944 this was the art of individual units and pilots."
 http://home.att.net/~ww2aviation/P-38.html