this might help as well...
ADJUSTING AIRCRAFT HEIGHT ON RUNWAY
You'll find it's the contact points in the aircraft.cfg file.
If you go into the cfg file and the [contact points] section the first three points (0,1,2) are the undercarriage contact points.
Within each set of numbers the first three are the points at which the undercarriage touch the ground.
Point.0 will either be a tail wheel (with a tail dragger) or a nose wheel (if like a P38 etc etc).
Point.1 is the port or left hand uc info
Point.2 is the starboard or right hand uc.
The number classifications are: (see below)
//0 Class
//1 Longitudinal Position (feet)
//2 Lateral Position (feet)
//3 Vertical Position (feet)
//4 Impact Damage Threshold (Feet Per Minute)
//5 Brake Map (0=None, 1=Left, 2=Right)
//6 Wheel Radius (feet)
//7 Steer Angle (degrees)
//8 Static Compression (feet) (0 if rigid)
//9 Max/Static Compression Ratio
//10 Damping Ratio (0=Undamped, 1=Critically Damped)
//11 Extension Time (seconds)
//12 Retraction Time (seconds)
//13 Sound Type
point.0=1.0, -33, 0.0, (-6.2), 2000.0, 0.0, 0.60, 45.96, 0.51, 2.5, 0.5, 5.0, 5.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0
point.1=1.0, 5.2, -8.58, (-8.7), 2000.0, 1.0, 1.60, 0.0, 0.84, 2.5, 0.80, 7.0, 13.0, 2.0, 0.0, 0.0
point.2=1.0, 5.2, 8.58, (-8.7), 2000.0, 2.0, 1.60, 0.0, 0.84, 2.5, 0.80, 5.0, 9.0, 3.0, 0.0, 0.0
So, above you would need to change the figures in the fourth set ie -6.2, -8.7 and -8.7 to change the wheel contact points. All these figures are points below the central datum point, in feet.
So you would have to reduce them to bring the ac closer to the ground (if ac sits too high)
- OR-
you need to increase them (equal amounts on each) to take the contact point further away and raise the ac up.
If you save a copy of your ac.cfg file(s) and then try modding each up or down as neccessary, save and re-load the ac you should be able to get rid of their 'bad habits'.
If not these then it may be the additional 'scrape points' which come into play when you crash land/land without uc. If the above does not work then we'll take a look at the other contact points.
Shessi
Bearcat sez...
The main culprit in this "dropping" experience is the static height. If your aircraft drops and sits just right on the surface, the actual contact points are OK, but the static height is too high. The model is actually dropping down to the correct contact point values:
static_pitch = 0
static_cg_height = 4.21
Lower this in tenths incrementally until the aircraft loads flush with the surface and stops dropping.
The best way is to load the aircraft in FF and pause it immediately as soon as the screen opens from blank black to 2D panel view -- don't wait one second longer or the plane will drop.
This will pause the aircraft in its floating position so you can externally see the amount of height to correct.
Then minimize the screen and make adjustments in the cfg.
Now maximize the screen again, hit 'Alt+A+A+Enter' and reload the aircraft again and keep it "paused".
Every time you follow these steps the aircraft will reload frozen in pause and show the changes in height.
Do this until there's no more distance between the wheels and the surface.
But if you go too far and the wheels are too "dug-in", the model will now began to "bounce" up to the contact points values.
When you do this correctly, then you can fine tune the contact points as Shessi suggests if the tires have the look of being almost "deflated" as the model sits on the surface.
BTW, a bit off-topic, but for those new to dp editing, the procedure i showed above for managing the screen view and making positional changes in the cfg is the same method i use for making positional changes in the dp. In dp work, this method only works for adjusting locations of weapons and gunflashes. For changing weapon types and effects like exhaust flames, you'll need to exit the sim completely and reload before using the new mods.
Blue Devil sez...
static_pitch = 2.6
static_cg_height = 4.21
Don,t neglect "static_pitch" either, ...
This sets the initial ground angle.
When loaded, ...The A/C should settle from round tires touching the ground, ...down to squished tires (1/3 to 1/2 sidewall height) w/o any pitching.