Simviation Forums

oaky, I am lazy and unpatient when it comes to FSX. I downloaded the Nasa Valkyrie and I use it to go to space. I get to a certain point and if you move the camera to spot view, you can see a blue "film". I keep going, but with no clue how high I am cuz my altimeter reset button doesn't work, and my altimeter stops at 99999. I keep going for about five minutes, but by then I tilt up, stall, and go "crashing" to the ground, sent spiralng out of control(i don't quite fall, kinda bounce around). So I quit. How do I know when I am in space, with no gravity? Is there a visual way, or do I need to fix my altimeter and go to xxxxxxx height?

Space "starts" at 100 km (~328,000 ft), where the atmospheric pressure is almost zero.  The Valkyrie has conventional jet engines (and semi-conventional ramjet engines) and uses airflow over the wings to generate lift.  So, once you get high enough, there is not enough air to generate the lift and thrust you need to fly, which is why you stall.  So, to get to "space", you need something that doesn't use air for combustion in the engines and doesn't use air to generate lift.  Unfortunately, FSX doesn't support any aircraft or spacecraft like this (at this point), so the only way to get to space is to slew or go into the map view (alt key ->world->map then set your altitude).  

Also, to get zero G, you have to go faster than the escape velocity, and if you want to learn more about that I would look at: ESCAPE VELOCITY.  

Without going into all that, you need to go faster than ~17,500 mph (at 100 km altitude) to get the zero G condition, but FSX doesn't let you go that fast either, so it's really not possible to go into space like you want in FSX.

[quote]
to get to "space", you need something that doesn't use air for combustion in the engines and doesn't use air to generate lift.

"Slew" allows you to change altitude and "X" "Y" possition.  Check the "Settings" then "controls", and then "Buttons/keys" for what does what.

As far as space, check out the miscl add-on sections.  It has Battlestar Galactics space craft, Star Trek space craft, and a few others from other science fiction sources.  

to get to "space", you need something that doesn't use air for combustion in the engines and doesn't use air to generate lift.  Unfortunately, FSX doesn't support any aircraft or spacecraft like this (at this point), so the only way to get to space is to slew or go into the map view (alt key ->world->map then set your altitude).  

Okay, I have done a key combination once, and i think it was y,f4,y. I looked it up and it was slew. What exactly is slew? does it just jut you into the air? And tell me more about map view. Can I plot a course with it?

You can't do too much with map view.  All it is is a view of your position, altitude, heading, and airspeed on a map with airports, intersections, and other useful things.  If you want to plot a course, check out the "Learning Center" from the main menu and look at the "Navigation" section.  From there, you can read about how to use the flight planner and how to use the GPS, as well as the map.  If you read those and have more questions about flight planning, ask any questions you have down in the "Flight School" forum.

[quote]"Slew" allows you to change altitude and "X" "Y" possition.

Ouch!  The Force was not with me!  There's a pretty good X-Wing for FX9, IIRC, not to forgst the Naboo fighter or the Mellenium Falcan..

If you want to fly in space check out the below link for a freeware space simulator.  I have never tried this since I already have enough things to do and FSX plus surfing the net keeps me busy enough with my computer time, but if you check this out let us know what you think of it.  

http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/

It really looks pretty cool, I just do not want to take the time to learn another simulator and then have something else to spend time on.


Regards,

Rod