Simviation Forums

I have spent a lot of time trying to workout how to complete the "Austrian Alpine Soaring Course" in FSX Deluxe but always ground out on my way to turn point 9. I suspect I'm just not flying the glider properly but I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.


For starters I've never really understood what speed I should be cruising at. The briefing seems to say that 80 and 110 knots are the optimal climb and distance speeds but this post seems to suggest they're more like 67 and 55. Can anyone confirm what speeds I should be traveling at?

Also, how is one meant to use the flaps? I know you go to full flaps for landing but how should the other flap settings be used?


Thanks for any help,
Slarti.

Slartibartfast wrote:I have spent a lot of time trying to workout how to complete the "Austrian Alpine Soaring Course" in FSX Deluxe but always ground out on my way to turn point 9. I suspect I'm just not flying the glider properly but I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.


For starters I've never really understood what speed I should be cruising at. The briefing seems to say that 80 and 110 knots are the optimal climb and distance speeds but this post seems to suggest they're more like 67 and 55. Can anyone confirm what speeds I should be traveling at?

Also, how is one meant to use the flaps? I know you go to full flaps for landing but how should the other flap settings be used?


Thanks for any help,
Slarti.

For starters I have not flown any of the gliders in FSX or FS9 but I do know that you need to make sure that your thermals are activated in FSX otherwise you will never make it.
As for flaps I know that you do not use them like you would in a powered aircraft. So as a rule of thumb you do not deploy them until you are on short final which will give you that extra lift but it will also slow you down which is why you do not use them until the last minute.
Like any aircraft you need to know the stall speeds for the glider. The other thing is always aim to overshoot the thresh hold by a good bit and hit the spoilers as soon as you touch the ground.
By using Google you should be able to find out about the gliders you wish to use.
And remember one key thing You do not have a engine so always come in a little on the fast side. The biggest mistake people make is to try to come in as slow as you can but this is not advisable, as you will almost always wind up short of the runway.
So DO NOT worry about the proper speed as you want to be able to maintain lift and without speed you can not do this.

Thanks.
I know generally how to fly a glider (in fact I have about 10 hours or so flying real gliders -though I never went solo).

I more trying to workout the specifics of how to fly this particular glider in FSX and how on earth one is meant to make it to turn point 9.

I quite enjoy a spot of Sim Glider flying now and again in Cal Central Valley....

So what I do is download and install one of the FS 2002/FS 2004; "Soaring Scenery" files (any one!).
....They also work in FSX!

http://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1 ... ry&x=0&y=0

This installs a set of special "clouds" to obtain automatic "lift" when flying under them!

(They appear wherever you decide to locate yourself in the Sim!).

I also fit an audio "Variometer" instrument gauge in all my gliders, to indicate whether I am rising or falling!

Good practice for learning how to correctly fly an aircraft!

Paul.... ...!

...they also add a bit of extra excitement when flying other powered aircraft types near them!... ....!

There is 1 true statement for gliding, and that is altitude = distance.
If your problem is not being able to reach a certain destination, then the obviouse cure is to gain more altitude.

Hi

on finals aim to use half spoiler, the reason for that if you are landing short you can close the spoiler and if long you can increase the amount of spoiler, at any case do not increase spoiler when close to ths ground and if you do touch down without spoilers do not touch the spoilers at all, if you bounce as you deploy spoilers it will result in a very heavy landing, I once touched down on a rut where a water pipe had been installed. The result was 4g's indicated on the gauge and my feet came off the pedals and my shins slammed in the instrument panel.

use flaps in between thermals, from memory the ideal cruise speed is indicated on the knots gauge. You need to get between thermals with minimum height loss and with a racing glider that can only be done with speed. If you fly too slow you are loosing more height for distance flown forward.
Just practice, please don't give up, it's one of the most satisfying challenges on Fsx
regards

Steve.
solo on four types of glider, 300+ flights, shortest about 30 secs (cable break test before solo) longest 3.5 hrs with height of 7500ft. Height gain 6000ft.
Had to stop after spine injury - couldn't afford to go.

Ps
take note of peggers post, if next thermal is near by then sure, come out of thermal early but in the height loss case in sink betwen thermals height is your friend and is your only source of energy for speed needed.

This website has good basic information on flying at appropriate speeds for the existing conditions. Proper speed helps you stay in the air longer or get from A to B faster, depending on which is more important, given the winds and lift strength.

http://www.5c1.net/Glider%20Performance%20Airspeeds.htm

Hi,
My HD failed a few months ago so this gives me an excuse to do it again if I can make time away from 737NG lessons, I can't remember any particular problem with the course.
Also look at ridge lift, can't remember for certain if it's included in that flight, maybe getting mixed up with 'sailors of the sky'

regards

Steve

[quote="EVVFCX"]I once touched down on a rut where a water pipe had been installed. The result was 4g's indicated on the gauge and my feet came off the pedals and my shins slammed in the instrument panel.[quote="EVVFCX"]

I saw that and thought "Damn what sim is he flying?! before I saw that you do this IRL.

Tutorial 7 states that the best glide speed (the altitude at which you will get the most distance) is at about 80 knots. You'll need to fly with a little bit of a nose-down attitude to maintain this speed. Don't be fooled by the whining sound from the variometer; due to your increased forward ground speed, you actually get a better glide ratio than flying with the nose level at a lower speed.

I also find it helpful to turn on schematic thermal visualization in the Weather settings. This creates markings in the sky that show you roughly where the cells of vertically-moving air are located. Towards the outside of the cell, the air moves down. Closer to the center, the air rises. Circle close to the center, using full rudder to minimize the required bank angle. Don't worry about making coordinated turns here. Just make tight circles, maintain full rudder, keep the nose level or slightly up, and watch your VSI max out.

This might be of help