I posted "landing? simplified" a while back and saw a post from xtinct concerning "gliding and landing without the crashing part" so I thought I'd touch on getting home when you've overstayed your welcome at an enemy field and you're almost on empty.
To start with let me be the first to say I HAVE hung around at a field dogfighting and havin a grand old time only to notice that 1/8 tank of gas just isn't gonna get me home unless I can come up with miracle. Well, miracles can happen. Here's how.
Disclaimer: Im not gonna go into the intricate details of l/d, etc but I am going to give you what folks in the flying industry call a "gouge".
A gouge can be anything from a fuel flow rate (to maintain a given airspeed) to glide ratios (ah, the point of this post).
Ok, lets begin with the MAP (clipboard). Everyone knows each sector (square) is 25 X 25 miles. Armed with that knowledge the first gouge is you can make a quick determination of just how far "home" is. Right? Half way across the sector from where you are now is "home". Ok, that's easy! Im about 12 miles from home!!!
So let's use that 12 miles as a known distance home. Now let's talk about the planes. Pick one. it doesn't matter. Hopefully, it's one you like flying alot! Perhaps it's one that you think glides like a brick. Are you sure? Anyone ever see "12 oclock high" or maybe the "Memphis Belle" movies? You notice when they lose an engine they "feather the prop"? What they are doing is turn the blades so they align with the wind instead of produce alot of drag. It's the same as you riding in the car when you were young. You'd stick your hand out of the window and feel the wind over it. If you went "knife edge" it cut through the wind. If you turned your palm into the wind you would feel it hitting and pushing against your hand. Right? Well, that's exactly the same effect that a propeller has in the air. Ok, so far we know if we feather the prop it reduces drag. Reduced drag? Kewl!!! If you have less drag you extend you glide!!! Simple, huh? Well, just like the B-17's of WW2 you can feather your prop. All you do is hit your - (minus) key and you will see your RPM's drop. Why? The wind hitting your prop is causing it to windmill or turn. This windmill increases drag considerably. Higher drag = lousy glide ratio.
Ok, we know we can increase our glide by hitting the minus key until the rpms drop. That's great but how do I know I can get home even if I can glide a little farther? Well, it's very simple and you can use the following as a gouge to get your home.
To review:
we're 12 miles from home.
We can increase our glide.
But how do we know how far we can glide? It's simple!!!
You can "plan" on gliding most AH fighters a distance of 1 mile for every thousand feet of altitude you have in a clean (feathered prop) configuration. Simple, right?
Lessee, 12 miles from home, got an 1/8 tank of gas left. I'm currently at 6k alt. I really need to do a couple of things, FAST!!!
1) turn for home (every mile you fly towards home makes the glide alt lower)
2) Grab like crazy, you need 12k to go 12 miles, but you only need 11k to go 11 miles. You are flying toward home, right?
3) As soon as you hit the magic alt hit x key and go level. Yes, you can use the auto pilot features to help you fly. In fact, many major airlines want you to use autopilot for most of the flight.
4) Ok, you hit x, now cut the engine. Don't waste any more gas while in the glide.
5) Hit MINUS key til rpm's drop as far as they will go.
6) As the speed decays to about 120 mph, go off autopilot level and let the nose drop to 1000 feet
descent rate. Once you hit 1000 feet per minute (FPM) hit shift x and go to auto pilot "angle". Guess what? The autopilot will hold your plane in that 1k fpm down angle. Simple, huh?
7) Kick back, grab a drink, use the head,look for
enemy fighters trying to hit you, whatever.
8) As you near the field you can adjust your rate of descent (decay? ) by unfeathering the prop a little. Hit the plus (+) key as needed to shorten your glider for landing. Remember, you can add or take away drag at anytime. Simple, right?
9) As you come over the numbers, hit flaps then gear and just feather the prop a little and your plane will extend its glide along the runway. This will act like ground effect and slow its descent to the runway. Add a little back pressure and she will settle on the runway in a three point landing (if you're flying a tail dragger). Simple.
Or, just turn on the engine and use it to land. Remember, you may still have some gas left?
Alright, here's the gouge listed.
1) Determine your distance to home and turn for it.
2) Grab to glide alt
3) Hit X and cut engine (e key)
4) Feather the prop (- key)
5) Let the plane slow then nose over to 1k fpm down and hit auto angle (shift x)
6) Kick back for the glide
7) Feather and unfeather (- and + keys) as needed once at field to get her down to a landing (don't land short)
8) Over the numbers use flaps and gear as a brake.
Remember them?
9) Alternatively, restart the engine and land
Simple!!!
Ren