Advanced Throttle

[Major Biggles]

i was just wondering if perhaps TC or some of the more experienced pilot here might be able to shed a little more light on throttle. in 2 years i've come a long way, but never learned to use throttle properly, i just duelled at wep all the time and used ACMs and energy tactics to win my fights. i do ok with that, but in my duels with airsys (geez that guy changes his name more than his underwear!) it was clear that throttle was one thing i still need to learn.

so i was just wondering what the theory behind throttle work is, when i should be cutting, how i should use it, you know, things like that. thanks so much

[Bruv119]

Poo working the throttle like everything else comes with experience.

The main factors with working the throttle is to get your plane at the preferred speed to maintain best rate of turn.

Too not overshoot.  Many defensive moves that can be done can be un - done by an experienced pilot using the throttle wisely.  

You have done the right thing by learning E and ACMS these things are far more important in staying alive.  Playing with the throttle should only really be done in a 1vs1 because obviously if you get in a 2 on 1 against skilled pilots your going to need as much E as possible.

I personally hate throttle choppers they can be hard to shake if they know what they are doing  ie  patrolling high gliding in on your six and if your in a plane that cant turn for watermelon your buggered.   Thankfully there arent that many players in AH that can do this very well  


Bruv
~S~

[Schutt]

I try to use the throttle to get a tighter turn out of a dive (the lower halve of a looping). Some planes that pick up speed fast take verry long to get the nose up again out of a dive.

Also when on the top of a "hill" type filght path i reduce throttle to avoid stalling when i need the nose to stay high a little longer, when with full throttle the Wing that getts loaded to counter the torque would stall i fell i can hold the plane better reducing the throttle.

When in a vertical dive with a bogy on my 6 i try to reduce throttle to either be able to pull out tighter than him or to make him overshoot. When you pull out of the dive while being slower and he tries to pull out with higher speed from behind you he does a larger turn around you and ends up in front of your guns. BUT if you closed throttle to much he has a lot more energy and can rope you.

cu in air !

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Major Biggles
i was just wondering if perhaps TC or some of the more experienced pilot here might be able to shed a little more light on throttle. in 2 years i've come a long way, but never learned to use throttle properly, i just duelled at wep all the time and used ACMs and energy tactics to win my fights. i do ok with that, but in my duels with airsys (geez that guy changes his name more than his underwear!) it was clear that throttle was one thing i still need to learn.

so i was just wondering what the theory behind throttle work is, when i should be cutting, how i should use it, you know, things like that. thanks so much

Well, airsys (aka airvent, baitbug, bighorn, etc) is one of the better 1v1 pilots in the game. He's a handful for anyone. So, don't be discouraged as he'll beat 99.9 % of the players in this game. We duel often, usually in dissimilar aircraft.

When in a real tight dogfight, my throttle is going up, down, in WEP and out of WEP. My hand is on the throttle constantly. I watch the enemy carefully, because he's going to get desperate and chop throttle. When he does, you have to be fast at doing several things at once: Throttle to idle, rudder one way, stick to the opposite (sideslip) and dumping flaps. Practice this enough and it becomes almost automatic.

If the fight is against a speed-demon, then I tend to simply firewall the throttle, engage WEP and leave it there until the fight slows down from maneuvering. Throttle management is a key factor in winning the reverse off of a merge.

Throttle management is a big element. There are times when I'll ease off power to tighten a maneuver. I'll back off power to limit speed for a merge. For me, the throttle is a control that is in constant use, like the joystick and rudder pedals.

That's the beauty of a good HOTAS set-up. Hands never need to leave the stick and throttle, except perhaps, to scratch one's bum...

Next time you see me in the TA, come aboard and we'll go find a fight. You can watch and listen to throttle usage.

My regards,

Widewing

[Lye-El]

Originally posted by Widewing
Well, airsys (aka airvent, baitbug, bighorn, etc) is one of the better 1v1 pilots in the game. He's a handful for anyone. So, don't be discouraged as he'll beat 99.9 % of the players in this game. We duel often, usually in dissimilar aircraft.

 

Well, that explains that.  I fought airsys in the TA a couple of nights ago. I was in a Corsair and he was in a 109. He flew me into the ground several times.

Airvent I've flown against before but I had never heard of this airsys fella. I wondered who he was as I had never heard of him before. They were fun engagements. Now if I could just figure out how he flies like that.

[Murdr]

Those frequenting around A1 in the TA have likely heard me commentating my throttle usage on range channel while working with someone.  The key is predicting ahead of time when you need to shed some E.  

When in trail on an opponent I've sometimes explained it as if there is an imaginary rubber band between my opponent and I.  As soon as I see that the rubber band is getting slack (separation is closing up), Ill do what I can to put some tention on it again.  If I see it streching out too much, I try to relieve the tention.

When you get into a fight near stall speeds, with a vertical component, it's another situation for throttle management.  You have to pay attention to whether gravity is resisting, or assisting your thrust vector, and that of your opponents.  In other words if you are going down at full throttle while they are going up at full throttle, you are a canidate for a possible overshoot in some situations.