by jimski » Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:23 am
The hampden is at the sim outhouse as sc-hamdentb1.zip (note the spelling "hamden" in the zip but "hampden" is more correct) under British csf2 aircraft add-ons. A nice model but it flew very loose and I changed that.
You can tune up the flying by getting the aircraft.cfg file for your airplane up in notepad. Most of the time you will see a paragraph in there that looks like this:
[flight_tuning]
cruise_lift_scalar = 1.0
parasite_drag_scalar = 1.0
induced_drag_scalar = 1.0
elevator_effectiveness = 1.0
aileron_effectiveness = 0.75
rudder_effectiveness = 1.0
pitch_stability = 1.0
roll_stability = 1.0
yaw_stability = 1.0
elevator_trim_effectiveness = 1.0
aileron_trim_effectiveness = 1.0
rudder_trim_effectiveness = 1.0
[piston_engine]
power_scalar = 1.4
[propeller]
thrust_scalar = 1.1
If it isn't there you can just cut and paste the above into the .cfg file but you might return all the scalars to 1.0 first. Then you fiddle with the scalars until you get what you think she would fly like. Change, test fly, change, test fly.
Usually I start with take off and climb performance which is mostly a play of power/weight. Assuming weight is correct then change the power scalar until take off and climb performance is about correct. Then test fly to check max. speed which is usually a play of power/parasite drag. If the take off is now correct you might fiddle with the drag to get the top speed to spec. That done check to see if she slows properly when power is off on approach. If she doesn't you might want to increase induced drag. I've noticed several of the new models that were converts from fs2004 need the cruise lift increased or they won't lift off until say 130 knots.
In the case of the Hampden I increased the stability scalars until it flew steady like a bomber. I've also found that changing the trim effectiveness scalars will fix a plane that won't fly right under auto pilot. Also it will sometimes fix AI aircraft that won't fly at all.
Flight tuning is great fun. If you bump the power to a factor of 10 it's off you go into the wild blue yonder!
Jimski