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Reducing open canopy drag

L

Landman

Charter Member
Sometimes I like to fly older prop planes with the canopy open as they often did in WWII. The problem is that some of the models I fly seem to have unrealistically high drag when the canopy is open. One in particular loses a full 50 KIAS when I open the canopy. Is there a line I can add to the aircraft cfg file or what value in the air file should I adjust to lessen the open canopy drag? Decreasing the parasite drag in the aircraft cfg file will help but that reduces all parasite drag across the board. I don't want to reduce it too much and get into too unrealistic flight characteristics. Is there such a lines as "Canopy_drag_scalar=0.7" that can be added to the .cfg file and if so under what heading?
 
I used the ctrl-f search feature to find every instance of the word drag in the instructions on that webpage and found nothing about open canopy drag. I did a ctrl-f on canopy and there was nothing. ARRRG! Maybe it's in a gauge file?
 
What planes are affected anyway?
If they're excessively modeled payware planes, it could very well be that the designer incorporated a gauge to simulate canopy drag.
 
What key do you use to open the canopy? The SPOILER ('/') key? Now you know .. the rest of the story.
Chuck B
 
The WoP3 P-47D has this in spades. With an open canopy you can't get above 150mph, period. Well, you can in a 45° dive from 10,000', but as soon as you level off you lose the speed incredibly fast.
 
Okay, I found it in a gauge file in a couple of the planes. What it does is fool fsx into thinking the spoiler is deployed if the canopy is open so fsx factors in the spoiler drag. I went into the airfile and reduced the spoiler drag to half of what it was.
 
What the value is for 'spoiler drag' in the air file also influences how 'effective' the drag (in the aircraft cfg (airplane geometry)) will be. Usually drag in air is something like 400. And drag in cfg is 59.989. You could make the drag in air 100 (ie: 1/4 effective) without changing the ac cfg value (if it's 59.989). I am happy you got it adjusted. Your way, my way, or any way. It's the results that count.
Chuck B
Edit: On re-reading your post I see that that is what you did (adjust air file value). Sorry.
 
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