Blackouts?

[texasfighter]

Ok, so I tend to blackout a lot. Comes from having poor ACM skills and trying to b&z with too much smash.

So for the umpteenth time I have zoomed back up with a P-51 or F6F at 475+ and blackout. What are my options while I am waiting for my vision to come back? Does AH recognize input from stick and keyboard while the screen is black? Normally I let go of the stick and pull throttle back. Can I do anything else? I've tried hitting the "x" key but I don't think autopilot will engage when your plane is doing an uncontrolled Immelmann.

Yes, I know ... don't pull back so hard. My squad leader loves to tell me that. I'm actually getting better at it and it doesn't happen as often.

As always, thanks for the help!

[ImADot]

Try doing all that before you completely blackout.  I'm pretty sure no input from you is "seen" while you're in the blackout. When I get a pilot wound and start to blackout, I engage the level-flight autopilot.

[Sunka]

When you are in black out your controls freeze from the last input point.Best way to avoid this is stay in the "best" energy and turning speed ,around  450 to 430 to enter any turn and ending it around 350 or so.Minimize your black out time or G's and you wont stay in (said) black out.
 

[RTHolmes]

and ... turn your stall-limiter off!



(just a guess)

[Sunka]

and ... turn your stall-limiter off!



(just a guess)

Stall limit on = no Blackout,as it would increase your turn radius.If he is blacking out so much I'm guessing its already off.

[RTHolmes]

if you're fast surely you can pull more than blackout Gs without the wing stalling?

point is if you have the limiter on you get used to yanking the stick with no consequences. I'm pretty sure most of the guys that say "my wings just came off!11!!1!" have it turned on ...

[TequilaChaser]

Hello  texasfighter ,

a short simplified write-up regarding turning /fighting at high speed can be found at the below link

http://trainers.hitechcreations.com/blackoutturn/blackoutturn.htm   this is from the Aces High Trainers Website: http://trainers.hitechcreations.com/

now to answer some of your questions you have asked

What are my options while I am waiting for my vision to come back?

if you are in a prolonged blackout, about the only option is to back off your throttle ( unless you remember which direction your nose was pointing in relation to the horizon!!! if your nose is pointed in an upward direction say like 45 degrees up above the horizon or higher like nose up... then I would say leave your throttle wide open, gravity will slow you down speed & G  wise to let you come out of the blackout )...

Does AH recognize input from stick and keyboard while the screen is black?

No Sir, it does not..... the blackout in Aces high is just like as if you were in a plane in reallife and you blacked out / became unconcious......
to add to this, the more you keep going / pulling excessive G's and fading into "BlackOut" the longer it will take before you regain conciousness,  example: you plull excessive G's and quickly blackout, but you push forward on the stick to react to / try to stop the black out quickly you will be ok for the most part... but if you pull into blackout and hold for like 1 or 2 seconds, the blackout time will progress, then if you do it again, the blackout time increases and it will continue to increase the more you do this or the longer you hold the excessive G's.......... this usually ends up with one coming to, in the tower looking at the text buffer showing you either got shotdown by someone or you crashed

Normally I let go of the stick and pull throttle back. Can I do anything else?

if you enter a blackout, letting go of the stick is ok, kind of........ if someone is on your tail you probably will end up being shot down, same thing with backing off the throttle......

I suggest if you enter a blackout, to gently but quickly push your stick forward to offset the excessive + G's with - G input ....... but not completely full forward stick !!

I've tried hitting the "x" key but I don't think autopilot will engage when your plane is doing an uncontrolled Immelmann.

you are correct, no inputs to the auto flight command functions work if you are blacked out

ImADot is correct in advising to use the X or Shift X  commands right before the screen goes total black.........

best advice I can suggest is #1 - learn your plane's flight envelope  #2 - learn to ride the tunnel ( is explained in the above linked page )  #3 - also learn your plane's best "Combat Flight/fight performance" envelope

with regard to #3 - you might find that you are flying to fast for the type of manuevering you want to accomplish

NOTE - this subject gets into a very indepth discussion and the opinions regarding how to fly are like the population of the world...... everyone has a different theory

I hope this helps - Good Luck and keep practicing

<S>

TC

[Sunka]

if you're fast surely you can pull more than blackout Gs without the wing stalling?

point is if you have the limiter on you get used to yanking the stick with no consequences. I'm pretty sure most of the guys that say "my wings just came off!11!!1!" have it turned on ...

Well you right about that,i still don't think that is the problem he is having.Looks like a trainer showed up so its all in hand.  

[Rodent57]

Texas,

RE:  "Yes, I know ... don't pull back so hard. My squad leader loves to tell me that. I'm actually getting better at it and it doesn't happen as often." ... [/quote]

Have you gone in and set up "Scaling" for stick?   (It is essentially the same as programming a stick force transducer in a modern Jet -- allows for a nonlinear control input profile).  Meaning you can have less flight control input for a given amount of stick deflection (Pull) -- or more.

If not, try it ... it will take a bit of time to find the exact slope/curve you like best, but might very well help with your Rapid-G onset.

Also, do you see a fair amount of nose bounce when you are trying to fly steady and shoot?

...

LASTLY, Since I get shot in the spleen a lot in the game, I've learned over the last 5+ years to be able to press "ALT+X" nearly instantaneously without looking down at the keyboard -- "WHY would you do that Rodent?" you ask .... because it puts me into a programed "auto climb" as I begin to fade into unconsciousness.  {Yes its sad that I've developed this skill :-)}

Let us know if these tips don't solve your puzzle.

-Rodent57

[texasfighter]

To clarify:

Ok, so I tend to blackout a lot. Comes from having poor ACM skills and trying to b&z with too much smash.

I AM talking about the steep dive and sharp pulllout to blackout. I don't think I ever blackout while in a turn. I've learned not to do that ... automatic death unless at high alt while going after a bomber. But even then dangerous and rules out a second pass. I just ride the tunnel even when being shot at.

Morf and I talked about it in the TA. He had some interesting things to say about how G works and the effect on both dive and climbout. Hopefully I will remember that the next time I am diving on that low alt con.

Since I have new CH equipment and am relearning everything with it, it will be a good time to revisit the stick scaling. I have it enabled for ailerons and elevator on the standard scale. Questions to follow I am sure. I have "Combat Trim" checked but not "Enable Stall Limiter". I understand that limits your turning ability so I do not want to do that.
Thanks again for all the replies!

[coombz]

I AM talking about the steep dive and sharp pulllout to blackout.

Cut your throttle when going into a steep dive

Kick the rudder to add some drag and slow down a bit more if absolutely necessary

Don't do a sharp pullout!  If you're trying to BnZ you want to keep everything as smooth as possible.