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  • Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.

    Post 16 Update

    Post 17 Warning

Dino's Cat is out!!

I think this is the DLC, or direct lift control system. Basically, the spoilerons are used to augment the elevators for more responsive glideslope control. when the DLC system is active, it lifts the spoilers up about 1/3 of the way for the entire approach. If the pilot pushes forward on the stick, the elevator goes down as well as the spoilers lift up higher, dumping more lift. When the pilot pulls back on the stick, the elevator goes up and the spoilers retract. This enhances the sensitivity of the controls for the Tomcat.

The AOA indexer comes in many derivations, but its used for approach and landing, not turning flight. The indexer is different from the AOA indicator - it has the three lights, two chevrons and a circle - is basically set for an optimum approach AOA. When you're 'on speed,' (the amber center circle is lit up) this means the indicated airspeed will yield the optimum approach AOA, which is largely based on current aircraft weight. Higher the weight, obviously, the higher the required airspeed to reach this proper AOA and vise versa. IF the upper chevron (usually a green light) is lit up, this indicates indicates a slow airspeed (too high an AOA). If the lower chevron is lit (usually a red light) this means you're flying too high an airspeed (relating to too low an AOA).

Thank You, well said by my opinion. I think I understand better.
 
No problem wilycoyote4!

Also, on the slow speed handling:

Yes, Dino's model is far too responsive in pitch and roll, but the stall characteristics are pretty close. The giant pancake area between the two engines accounted for up to 40% of the lift produced at slow speeds (Newtonian lift - the action/reaction, not Bernoulli). At super slow speeds, the wings would stall and a stall would be indicated, obviously, but the plane wouldnt 'break' forward conventionally. It did have wing drop stall breaks from what I understand, though. As for pitch control, it would just get increasingly 'mushy' and the sink rate would increase. So although Dino's flight model is exaggerated, its closer to reality at slow speeds than some others. For carrier landings - at around 55,000 lbs weight (close to max carrier landing weight) and full flaps, the plane should fly around 125 kias to fly the proper glidepath to the deck. Dinos does it around 115-120...so its close. Not bad at all! :applause: However, once you slow below about 110 or so (at that weight), stall horn should go off (the only thing that causes a stall is exceeding the critical AOA - at any speed) and decent rate should increase dramatically till around 90-100 kias when the plane departs controlled flight. But, it wouldnt indicate much stall 'break'. The loss of controllablility at slow speeds is what accounted for Vmc issues. IF an engine flamed out (which they did due to compressor stalls in the "A" model frequently) during the approach at this slow speed, the asymmetric thrust from the other engine would exceed the rudder authority (actually, the original design for the F-14 was with only one vertical stab, not two! The Grumman engineers determined in wind tunnel tests that it needed two ;)) and the plane would depart controlled flight, usually resulting in a flat spin. So all in all, the dynamics arent that bad.
 
Kinda a cool video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsQIaDSBaP8

You see the speedbrake deployed on some of the landings because the spool up time of the TF30's engines (the A model F-14s) took a long time at low power settings, so they'd deploy the speedbrake (to require a higher thrust setting) so the engines were more responsive to better make little adjustments on the approach.
 
Looks like the AIBoats bgl for San Diego with carrier not moving, it's a great bgl.

I'm on the Nimitz, still in San Diego harbor, as placed by the .bgl in the Nimitz thread. The other carrier in the background is a default, and static.
 
Great little details! I seeing the HUD on the lens as well as on the reflector. Very C:mixedsmi::mixedsmi:L. Between this and the incredible Nimitz, I'm having more fun in FSX than ever before (and I'm usually a bush pilot).
 
F14v4.jpg




F14v5.jpg
 
Great little details! I seeing the HUD on the lens as well as on the reflector. Very C:mixedsmi::mixedsmi:L. Between this and the incredible Nimitz, I'm having more fun in FSX than ever before (and I'm usually a bush pilot).


Thats what ya call DOUBLEC:mixedsmi::mixedsmi:L

I like what ya did with that killbilly :applause:
 
After this fantastic model I have a new appreciation for the Tomcat drivers as the forward view is somewhat cluttered campared to the Hornet.
 
Thanks for your appreciation

All,
thanks for your appreciation and comments.
I see (most) of you are enjoying

I am releasing a (second) hotfix right now which will address a couple of blatant mistakes, like the reversed taileron and the missing formation light. Version number will be 0.92

By the way it is kind of amazing how often the "reverse control" issue happens to several designers...which puts the designers in the position of aviation illiterates...shame on me as I had a PPL and an engineering degree :-(

Apart from that, well...there is no offence in saying the IRIS Tomcat is better. They are professionals (and by the way I think they make some nice models). To me it is not a problem...I did the Tomcat for the fun of doing it and honoring one of the most beautiful flying machines ever made - and it is not meant to compete with anything. Constructive (and even destructive) criticism is always welcome :)

P.S. The MFD inop button issues are known and have been puzzling me from several weeks. The associated code seems correct, adn is 100% identical to the Goshawk. Still...they do not work. And it is not the "scale" issue... I hope it is not a major problem: functions not accessible from the center MFD should be accessible on the side one and vice versa.
 
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