>On Behalf Of GWMobile > > Slow speed manuverability is useful in multiple enemies > fights where you can't always keep the best attitude and > airspeed for each enemy. > > If you have lost all e you can still bring guns or missiles > to bear even if they other guys is high above you in the top > of a loop or in a circling turn.
If all your opponents are directly or near-directly above you, sure, you might be able to pick off one of the multiple enemies before the others pick you off. Seriously, speed and altitude are your friend. You're kidding yourself if you think that many of these airshow maneuvers would be useful in a dogfight (outside of Hollywood), or even be able to be performed by just any pilot, with a combat load, during the chaos of a dogfight. Most of the maneuvering seen in the videos is dynamic. That is, the aircraft is not holding just any attitude. It can hover when pointed vertically or nearly so (with no external stores). It cannot hold a non-vertical attitude without eventually losing altitude. It *passes*through* all sorts of strange attitudes. But, it's only holding a vertical attitude for any appreciable time, while slowing down due to drag. And what's the likelihood of a dogfight taking place? As is often said nowadays, if you can see an enemy fighter, you're already dead. With that said, the features inherent in the aircraft gives it other actually useful capabilities. Several come to mind: the ability to use thrust vectoring to effect a change in attitude, eliminating the need to use aerosurfaces, resulting in less drag. Also, if an aerosurface is damaged, the FCS may be able to compensate using TVC. Using differential thrust vectoring might allow a very much faster roll. Etc. The videos demonstrate overall maneuverability and capability in a performance routine meant for public and business purposes. But is it stealthy? Jon ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share your opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys - and earn cash http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV _______________________________________________ Flightgear-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-users
