Christopher S Horler writes: > Stopping distances - I wondered if we were modelling these > correctly on any aircraft - specifically on the larger ones such as > the b52 and > 747.
For the big aircraft, a lot of that has to do with reverse thrust, spoilers, and so on, not to mention a very precise approach speed control. > Is the dc3 realistic - I know the tail wheel is locked on takeoff, but I > have to keep it glued to the runway before I gain suitable speed for t/o > and just nudge the stick fwd and then the plane leaps into the air. > I've not yet been on a dc3 when flying (although they seem to come for > as little $12000 now - RAeS Journal ex hijacked) but I can't imagine a > plane as successful as that is so lacking in stability even if it is a > tail dragger. How do you do manage with the J3 Cub? I also find the DC-3 a little harder to control on takeoff, and am considering increasing the rudder effectivity a bit, but as far as I know, *all* taildraggers are naturally unstable on the ground when the tailwheel pops up (i.e. any turn automatically increases unless corrected) -- that's what makes them so much fun. I don't have any real tailwheel experience, but with a bit of practice, I can now keep the FlightGear J3 right on the centreline as long as I want up on two wheels, and I can keep the DC-3 on two wheels with a little swerving left and right of centre. You just have to keep working at it. On a related note, Canada doesn't have a formal tailwheel endorsement like the U.S., but I might go and do 5-10 hours of tailwheel training in a few months just for fun, when I've had time to enjoy my instrument rating a bit, especially since I'd get to do it in a genuine DHC-1 Chipmunk (used as a trainer for Spitfire pilots right after WW II): http://www.entrix.co.uk/pionair/chiprri.html The DHC-1 Chipmunk was the first of the famous DeHavilland Canada flying mammals designed and built in Toronto (before Montreal-based Bombardier bought out DeHavilland Canada). It was followed by the DHC-2 Beaver, the DHC-3 Otter, the DHC-4 Caribou, the DHC-5 Buffalo, and the DHC-6 Twin Otter. After that, they just started using the boring DASH-7 and DASH-8 names. One of my goals is to get all eight of those planes into FlightGear. All the best, David -- David Megginson, [EMAIL PROTECTED], http://www.megginson.com/ _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.flightgear.org/mailman/listinfo/flightgear-devel
