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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

T-38A Is OUT!

I have no problem keeping tight traffic patterns at or below 250kias and staying largely out of buffet. As long as I maintain the AoA Doughnut Green and keep the power where it needs to be(Pitch Controls Airspeed, Power Controls Sinkrate) , all is good. I keep the power spooled up all the way down with very slight flare.

Some old T-Bird T-38 footage:




FYI, the second video shows the late Colonel D.L. Smith(Commander Leader) and Brigadier General Jim Latham(Then Captain) who was a Vietnam POW.
 
Finally got back to some flying late lastnight, shame that work keeps getting in the way. I flew my T-38 around the Seattle area doing touch n go at various airports. Seems to fly smoothly at 400kt and still have not crashed it, amazing for me. I fly by feel and not so much looking at AoA gauges(probably wrong). If the rumbles start I am too slow or I am doing something perhaps that can be done better? Exception, in the pattern. Turning base and final are noisy but seem better with full flap. All my turns were very wide as JimJam reports, but, my feel is improving and the turns much tighter now that I don't fear the rumbles. I definitely need more understanding of AoA. Probably why I suck at carrier landing too.

One aspect that I have no problem with at all from the beginning is takeoff. Only time I am actually watching a gauge!!! Climb as wheels leave the ground can get away from me but keeping that under control has improved greatly.

Thank you so much to you guys who have commented and given such cool insight. You and this thread are what this forum is all about. I think it shows what a great addon the Milviz T-38A is. SWEEEEEEEET!!

Keeping both feet on the floor,

Jim
 
JAllen said:
I fly by feel and not so much looking at AoA gauges(probably wrong). If the rumbles start I am too slow or I am doing something perhaps that can be done better?

Jim
Click to expand...

The challenge comes from doing it by the numbers. Of course, you can fly an approach to landing without ever looking at guages or the AoA indexer and do just fine, but you're most likely flying too fast approach speeds...which is totally OK since this is all just for fun. This model is actually EASY to fly the overhead break and sweeping turn to final approach at higher speeds than what the book calls for.

The main thing is enjoyment, no matter how you derive it from this model...fast or on speed.
 
I hope nobody takes my comments as negative against the T-38. I LOVE a challenging aircraft to fly but sometimes you are wondering if a particular characteristic is on purpose ,a bug or somthing you are doing wrong. One of my favs was the Cloud 9 F-104. Now that was a handfull and there were things that of you did not do, like maintain the engine% with flaps the plane did not buffet but you were losing the plane and ejecting. Period.
This fm is challenging and makes you fly the plane. However I know its a thin line betreen representing a aircrafts challenging quirks and being just not fun to fly and a aggrevation. There was a Lear 25 released recently that they tried to demonstrate the aircrafts pitch instability. IMO instead of being a challenge it was a terrible flight model. I have tweeked that plane to death trying to make it semi enjoyable but have given up.
Ok, I am getting long winded again. Flew more last night and the only things I would like to see done are, a speed brake indication. Yeah I know the sound is there but sound is a poor way to verify. Particularily dangerous on take off. And the gps/autopilot screen I would like to see as 2 separate popups as not to take up so much of the screen when opened.
 
@JAllen: You're doing it right - using a normal crosscheck and feel - the AOA indexer is more or less a backup instrument, depending on what you're doing.

edit - for a smoother takeoff, try 'cutting pitch picture in half'. Note the distance between the top of the dash and horizon on the takeoff roll, then rotate just enough to halve that space. It will make for a pretty shallow but realistic takeoff attitude - hold that pitch through cleanup, pull out of burner at 240, accel to 300 in mil.
 
JIMJAM said:
There was a Lear 25 released recently that they tried to demonstrate the aircrafts pitch instability. IMO instead of being a challenge it was a terrible flight model.
Click to expand...

R U talking about the x-prototype Lear? The FDs aren't great but I don't experience any pitch instability. As you seem to have the same problem with the T-38 it's sounds even more possible now that it has something to do with your joystick setup.
 
Thanks Barfly, I will try that. I assume use the takeoff trim preset? Is it released as part of cleanup? The manual spells out setting it but I missed releasing it. Takeoff attitude was nicer when I forgot to set it. Noticed the manual doesn't mention trimming the aircraft. Is the elevator trim on the stick or does it have some magic to eliminate the need for one? LOL I have a Warthog stick and the trim switch works just fine for me.

OK Bone, I intend to learn to fly by the numbers too. Learning to keep up with the aircraft. Sure is fun!

Jim
 
JAllen said:
Thanks Barfly, I will try that. I assume use the takeoff trim preset? Is it released as part of cleanup? The manual spells out setting it but I missed releasing it. Takeoff attitude was nicer when I forgot to set it. Noticed the manual doesn't mention trimming the aircraft. Is the elevator trim on the stick or does it have some magic to eliminate the need for one? LOL I have a Warthog stick and the trim switch works just fine for me.
Click to expand...

No problem. The takeoff trim button and associated green light are only used for initial takeoff; after that you just use the standard thumb switch on the stick. Even with takeoff trim in the green, you really need a large initial aft stick movement to get the proper takeoff pitch set - that is normal. In fact the only times you should normally use a large aft stick movement are on takeoff, setting tkof attitude, and after landing during 'aerobrake'. For every other maneuver you do, no more than a few inches of stick travel are necessary.
 
no repaints yet? Well here's a suggestion for the box....

15204e2dccimg335_1.jpg
 
We will be doing the T-38C in the near future. It will be offered at a lower rate for those who bought the A. Coming soon.... (no specific date offered) It will, however, have a GPS and an AP....

Have fun and keep those feet on the floor!
 
JIMJAM said:
...and the only things I would like to see done are, a speed brake indication. Yeah I know the sound is there but sound is a poor way to verify.
Click to expand...

Well, there is a visual check for speedbrake extension, but it is very subtle...

...look on the side of the right power lever and note the switch position. If it's rotated "back" then the speedbrakes are extended.
 
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