Questions about VTB Solo Maneuvers :)

"How To" by our Pilot Staff
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Vindicator
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:32 pm
Location: Miami Florida

Questions about VTB Solo Maneuvers :)

Post by Vindicator » Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:13 pm

Hello Everyone :)

I have a few questions about the Solo pilots and there maneuvers. I have been practicing alot of the solo stuff the past few weeks, would love to practice formation flying more also, but have no one to practice with right now, well execpt for the computer. But he does not make a very good partener hehe. Anyway I will get to the point :) My questions are really about the Trim ( when to use it )and Speed.

1. Hi Speed Inverted - I heard somewhere that the speed for this was supposed to be around 430, Is that right? Because when I try it I seem to be more stable at even higher speeds than that. Also do you use trim on this one? and if so how much?

2. 4-point roll - Again I'd like to know what speed this is best done, and if there is trim involved. Also, I was having abit of trouble sometimes with this on the stock cougar, I seem to have alittle to much *bounce* in the stick when I try and stop on a dime. I think I might try and pick up a FSSB R1 with my next paycheck. That mod is really starting to get my attention.

3. Knife Edge - Trim or no trim? and what speed? Faster seems to be better every time I try this move.

4. HUD question - about the HUD, most times I don't have a problem with it. But in the standard zoom camera, its very hard to read. I can make out the speed after awhile now. The part I'm having trouble with is when I'm doing a fast vertical climb and need to pitch up to 90 degrees really fast. I have trouble reading the numbers as they go by. If I zoom in I can read them ok, but then I'm zoomed in to far for my liking. Is there anything I can do about this, to sharpen up the HUD?

5. And last just a few questions about the throttle. Do you guys use no assistance with the throttle? just all feel and experience?
Also was wondering if you guys have your throttle modded in anyway? Have read a few things on forums about people modding the cougar throttle to make it alittle smoother.

Thanks in Advance :) Hope to meet up with you guys some day, And keep up the great work !
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Lawndart
Virtual Thunderbird
Posts: 9290
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:36 am
Location: Mooresville, NC

Post by Lawndart » Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:17 pm

This will be a quick reply:
  1. 450 CAL. Faster will mess up the show timing and slower doesn't give you enough "umph". A lot faster will also make it unstable to maintain exact altitude. Negative trim, as in no trim at all!
  2. Again, no trim. (In fact we use no trim for all Solo maneuvers, period!) Flown at 450 GND.
  3. Trim... same as previsouly answered. 550 CAL.
  4. Set the parameters, then fly the airplane (visually). Do not rely solely on the HUD!!! A climb straight up is best achieved by looking 90 degrees over your shoulder and then back front to verify once you're unloaded. Inside-Outside... inside-outside... (Visual-HUD... Visual-instruments... etc). Once you start rolling, take note of where the sun is in relation to the HUD and you'll be able to exit the Vertical Rolls without ever having to look anywhere but straight up and still roll out with the back of the airplane to any heading desired by doing some quick mental notes and SA based on the position of the sun and your HUD. Again, not looking "at" the HUD, but visually! To sharpen the graphic settings, go to your video card settings (control panel), select nVidia or ATI setup and turn on AA. If this is set to "application controlled", it will not be sharp, since LOMAC doesn't control AA at all and you'll see a lot of jagged edges on the graphics.
  5. Not sure what you meant by assistance on the throttle? We don't use anything but the stock throttle, no software or hardware tweaks on the throw arm. In other words, the same as you already have and 100% hands on control! Some other users may have Hall Sensors and most of us have the metal speedbrake and dogfight switch casings by Ian J, but as far as the control input - totally unmodified! Use Radioshack lube to grease it once in a while.
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