TSR2 Again

[DaveB]

trying to get it "right" can be very addictive

.. and often impossible to achieve

ATB
DaveB

[hobby]

Thanks for all the suggestions, they are much appreciated.

I now have the fin and tailplane acting as "all flying" control services and I have been testing the aircraft in ccts and bumps with different values for the wing angle of incidence attempting to make the aircraft leave the ground using less runway than "as issued" by Virtavia. I have found that the Autopilot is not so good for ILS approaches, the latter I find easier to fly by hand. Just before logging onto this topic I completed a series of ccts at different fuel weights, my max fuel in the centre tanks really does make a difference to the speed at which the acft is will to take to the air.

During that series of ccts I have managed to "arrive" in reasonable order at between 150-140kts on touchdown on half fuel load. I deliberately made my last cct in 2nm visibility at Seattle. I do not like the four function HSI/VOR/ADF/DI instrument and I would like to see a clearer VSI on the panel.

You are quite right about modifications being addictive and although I believe that first an aircraft should be able to be flown in a controlled circuit as close to the performance of the real aircraft an acft like the TSR2 must also be capable of flying at high level in a controlled manner without stalling out. Any way my immediate aim is now to go the old "round Great Britain" circuit at about 30,000ft before trying the same exercise at 50,000ft.

To help in flying I have added a digital trim gauge to my panel and this is a great guide when moving the wing apex forwards or backwards. Also once one has the acft flying straight and level at a chosen altitude on autopilot the number shown in the trim gauge is helpful in gauging whether the wings and tailplane/elevator are in a reasonable relationship to one another.

My modifications are not helped because I do not have any three view drawings of the real TSR2. I summon up images on "Google" and apply proportional measurements to my FS9 acft. Not the best of arrangements!

Can any tell me of a program to edit the AIR file please? I don't have the means to do that at present.

[AndyG]

Can any tell me of a program to edit the AIR file please? I don't have the means to do that at present.

Two programs that I know of; the freebie version, AirEd (do a search at Simviation), or the payware version, AirWrench (http://www.mudpond.org/AirWrench_main.htm).

Another useful tool was Aircraft Container Manager, and if you can get hold of a copy (it was payware, but the developer gave up FS and issued a code to allow general use) it is invaluable. What OS do you use?

[DaveB]

I find AirEd a bit daunting unless you know what all the lines mean. AirWrench seems to do it's own thing. ACM is a complete blinder. Darned shame an FSX version was never forthcoming (although it looked to be on the cards).

ATB
DaveB

[AndyG]

I find AirEd a bit daunting unless you know what all the lines mean. AirWrench seems to do it's own thing. ACM is a complete blinder. Darned shame an FSX version was never forthcoming (although it looked to be on the cards).

ATB
DaveB

Yeah, you really have to know your stuff with AirEd, lots of homework needed. AirWrench just needs a little perseverance; in theory it is WYSIWYG but, again, you need to understand the mechanics behind the Air and Config files to get the best from it - I've had some decent results with it.

But you're right, ACM is the best tool. The lack of an FSX version never worried me, as I'm still mainly an FS9er; but I nearly had a heart attack when I switched to Windows 7 as it stopped working. Luckily I found a way of getting it up and running again, which has been a godsend.

[Dev One]

I use both AirEd as well as Aircraft Airfile Manager, this & a lot of others are available from www.aero.sors.fr

The advantage of AAM is that it gives graphical representation of some of the tables in AirED so its easier to visualise - prop data for example. I do not however allow AAM to update the .air file, & I pick & choose what values to change manually using AirED. Air ED has some .ini updates to V2.2, but I prefer the .ini 1.57 version descriptions of the variables.
I do also use Jerry Beckwiths freeware FDWB (Flight Dynamics Workbook - not sure if its still available) but that also has its problems if you allow it to update the .air file, so again I pick & choose what data to manually change things.
As for trimming level flight etc, the table/graph of Cm vs AoA usually has a very steep portion either side of zero AoA, I find it a lot better to flatten that part of the curve so that speed does not require so much trim change - most people note that the Cm graph is the moment for the whole aircraft, not just the normal aerodynamics handbook notation of the wing only moment coefficient. One can also change the vertical position of that part of the curve & move the same part of the curve in the Cl vs AoA to the left & right to get the a/c to trim better.
Here endeth my version of fiddling the books.......
HTH
Keith

[hobby]

For Andy G: I use Windows 7

[Dev One]

Ditto - I use W7 & have had no problems (crosses fingers!)
Keith

[hobby]

I managed to fly my modified FS9 TSR2 from a home made RAF Upwood via St Mawgan north to land at Stornoway before returning for a landing at RAF Upwood. Flight was carried out in today's weather as supplied by REX Extreme.

I need to improve the amount of lift from the wing and/or the flaps but the aircraft seemed quite happy climbing to 30,000ft using afterburner and flew quite steadily, one or two bumpy areas of weather. I have also learned how to use the main navigational instrument but am stuck on how to get the ADF instrument to function. Managed to land twice, at Stornoway the approach was partially obscure by cloud, with touchdown speeds of 145 kts.

Very encouraging flight.

[hobby]

Andy G please see your PMs.