Realistic takeoffs

[Fielder]

Old news for longtime CFS3 users, but for newcomers to this particular sim there are methods for doing these.

To keep from having to once again call over mechanic Emile (with his E key) to lean in the cockpit set the switches for you before contact:

1 Ignition switched ON (current) CTL b
2 Magnetos fully ON (spark spark) CTL m CTL m
3 Enrich Mixture (choke) CTL =
And now you may tell him to crank it: CTL s

To avoid summoning Merlin to wave the wand and make the cockpit invisible, you can instead lean your head out the window.

Eyepoint_Left CTL SHIFT BACKSPACE
Eyepoint_Right CTL SHIFT ENTER

 

[gimpyguy]

Some Aircraft of the 30's Featured an actual crank on the side, I believe some of the WWII Navy Fighters also used the hand crank for starting, but this is 1917. I defy anyone to find the command to manualy turn the propellor, PS there isn't one. That Control +s = Starter ( toggle-all)
There ain't no starter to toggle

Another little point that only registered in my head after we exchanged posts.
RicketyCrate: if you landed outside the army base, letting the Army take out the DR1, very clever. But how did you restart your engine to leave, hey I didn't make this crap up. 'E' simulates your mechanic, plain and simple, in 1917 you couldn't start up your own engine

 

[Fielder]

Control-s manually cranks all the engines.

And the plane will then start without the E key.

I do it all the time that way in OFF. Also did in CFS3 for years now.

But CTL s only cranks if the master battery switch (CTL b) is turned on.

And that cranking will be in vain unless the magnetos are on and mixture is choked.

And in CFS3 takeoffs still won't happen unless you have the prop pitch set to minimum (for maximum torque, or at least enough to get off the ground).

The cheat key E will of course do all this for you.

 

[Fielder]

A good way to see all this visually is to open CFS3 and fly the jug in freeflight, starting on the ground.

Hit Scroll lock to use pan views.

Pan down with the hat to see the cockpit levers and gauges while you start up.

CTL b will show the master BATT switch flipping up to ON (without that, CTL s does nothing).

Now CTL s will crank, but in vain. Exactly as in OFF.

Hit CTL m a couple times to watch the magnetos switch rotate counterclockwise to 'both'.

CTL s still will crank uselessly.

Hit CTL = and hold it until the red mixture lever advances forward all the way.

Now CTL s will crank and also startup the jug. Exactly like OFF planes.

Hit CTL = and hold it long enough for black lever to move all the way to decrease the pitch (increase RPM) enough that the fighter has enough power to lift off, otherwise it won't.

I think I got the keystrokes correct there because I have them mapped to a CH quad, so I don't have to remember the actual keys.

 

[77Scout]

Thanks for the procedure Fielder.

The eyepoint left/right commands are great too. I used them all the time (before TrackIR) and had them mapped to a couple of joystick buttons. Highly recommended to tose without Track IR. Just say 'No' to invisible cockpit (shudder).

Hey Gimpy, surely 'starter' can be imagined to be a person...doesn't have to mean an electric starter necessarily.