Simviation Forum - Flight Tales 1

Dec 22^nd, 2007 at 3:02pm

retrovertigo Offline
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I hope this is the right section to post this in. Anyway, I'm playing Flight Tales 1 and am stuck on "Peruvian Rain". You are supposed to make cargo drops using a DC3.

The trouble is that no matter what I try, I can't take off. I have tried no flaps, full flaps, everything. But I barely reach take off speed by the end of the very long runway. And from there the ground rises steadily and getting the plane to climb seems impossible.

I have been quite accomplished at doing missions so far and yet suddenly this one seems way beyond my reach. Does anyone have any tips at all? Many thanks.

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Reply #1 - Dec 22^nd, 2007 at 5:02pm

dave3cu Offline
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I don't have those missions, but as it is in Peru I'd guess your starting at high elevation?

If that's the case you have to lean the mixture prior to TO to get max TO performance.

I don't know if this is strictly by the book, but, set your brakes and then advance the throttle to 2000 rpm (may have to use lower rpm if thebrakes don't hold). Slowly LEAN the mixture till you get max rpm (you normally watch EGT but it's not available in the default DC3). Then ENRICH the mixture 'till you see a slight drop in rpm and you should be good to go.

Dave

At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation. Igor Sikorsky

I intend to live forever....so far, so good. Steven Wright

You know....you can just rip up a to-do list.

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Reply #2 - Dec 23^rd, 2007 at 5:07pm

retrovertigo Offline
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I have tried your suggestion and am off the ground and airborne. But only by the skin of my teeth!

Oh and yes starting at high altitude - over 9000feet. The tutorial says something about setting the mixture to full, but I had tried leaning off a little anyway.

I leaned off the mixture, had to set flaps to full and trim to full. It's the only way I could scrape 90 knots to take off.

The biggest problem is that each end of the runway, the ground rises up quicker than the plane will climb. I have saved the mission with me barely able to keep a mix of slow climb plus just scraping 65knots. If I reduce flaps of reduce trim I start to fall out of teh air sharpish.

I am not an expert pilot in anyway shape or form, but I'm beginning to think there is a bug wit this mission rather than me not being very good. Isn't 65-70 knots, with a take off speed of 90 knots max a bit slow for something large-ish like a DC3?

Thank you for your initial reply by the way.

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Reply #3 - Dec 23^rd, 2007 at 9:19pm

fighter25 Offline
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Do you have enough room to circle around the airport to get some altitude?

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Reply #4 - Dec 23^rd, 2007 at 11:10pm

dave3cu Offline
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Again, I'm no expert, but I think you're 'dragging' yourself down with the flaps and trim. Here is a short blog (not mine) that kind of supports the high altitude TO proceedures that I've aquired in bits and pieces, from others and trial and error. Though it targets smaller ga aircraft, I find the principle hold fairly true for the DC3.

Try this: Mixture optimized, 0 flaps, 0 elevator trim. Hold brakes and trottle up to 100%, release brakes. Keep neutral elevator except for any up elevator required to keep tailwheel pinned until 40 kts to counter any cross wind. With neutral elevator the tail should lift at 60 kts. Maintain that level atitude as long as you can, with main gear on or just off the runway to stay in the 'ground effect'. In this attitude you should accelerate quite rapidly. At 95-100 kts. ease back on the yoke and start climb. Raise the gear on positive vs. You should be able to maintain an 800-1000 vs at 95+ kts. The whole idea is to not 'force' her to fly, but rather to minimize the drag so she 'wants' to fly.

Out of curiosity, what airport does the mission fly out of?

Dave

At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation. Igor Sikorsky

I intend to live forever....so far, so good. Steven Wright

You know....you can just rip up a to-do list.

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Reply #5 - Dec 24^th, 2007 at 11:21am

retrovertigo Offline
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Once I had cleared the nearby mountains I reduced flaps and adjusted trim and after descending slightly, managed to pick up speed which I maintained.

Sadly I messed up a latter part of the mission but have saved at a good spot. I also forgot to note the airport you take off from. Will do that later.

My main problem was that the plane was taking forever to reach 90 knots. and then struggled to climb if I didn't use any flaps. But of course the flaps then slow the plane down. But I got there in the end

It's strange because near the drop zone I am heading for I can climb and descend quite easilly now. But it is at a lower altitude which must help.

Thank you both.

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Reply #6 - Dec 25^th, 2007 at 9:33am

MattNW Offline
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At 9000 ft with the mixture full rich I'm amazed you even got the engines started. Grin

In Memory of John Consterdine (FS Tipster)1962-2003

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Reply #7 - Dec 26^th, 2007 at 6:28am

retrovertigo Offline
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MattNW wrote on Dec 25^th, 2007 at 9:33am:

At 9000 ft with the mixture full rich I'm amazed you even got the engines started. Grin

You know it's really odd. The mission asks you to set full mixture but I missed hearing why. And if you alter the mixture, and close the throttle and open it again, it keeps setting the mixture back to full, which is a nuisance to be honest.

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