Col Ninny's: "How to Fly" tutorials, for New and Advanced Players

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

Hi Guys,                 READ ME  

 

I have developed this "How to Fly" series to help new players get started so they get the fundamentals right. I aim to present the lessons in an interesting and practical way to give you a solid foundation so that you can practice the exercises and progress to the next level to build on the skills of the previous lesson. Seasoned players will enjoy the advanced topics, but may find a review of the basics helpful as well. Remember that this is a simulation and as such I have tailored the theory and practice to reflect this environment to make it as simple and easy as possible for a new player to get "operational" ASAP. Professional pilots may question some of my statements because some things do not ring true in the real world, but they work well here.

 

As an ex-military, Bush Pilot, Corporate Jet Pilot, and former Chief flying Instructor with 4000 hrs on more than 20 different aircraft I understand how difficult it is for new pilots to step into a high performance aircraft, and even more so in this awesome simulation environment. There's an old fighter pilot credo known as the principle of the 5 P's:  "Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance"  and when the pilot is unable to think ahead due to poor planning he/she is merely playing catch-up. This is known as "flying behind the aircraft."   One needs continually to mentally "get ahead" of the aircraft and plan for all eventualities. To do this you need to learn how to have the aircraft fly itself while you get on with the thinking. And that's what this series will help you do.

 

What real student pilots are learning to do is to think as they fly at slower speeds, and then learn to think faster as they transition to higher performance aircraft. When one considers learning to fly a circuit in a Cessna 152 with its 100 hp engine and 100 mph airspeed things move fast enough for a new pilot. But let's put you in a BF 109 with over 10 times the horsepower and in no-time you are flying along downwind at 400  kph and have lost sight of the airfield!  Woah!!! One step at a time...

 

Ideally, in WW2 real pilots would have had  a minimum of 200 hours before stepping into these incredible machines, and then it would take a couple of hundred hours for them to feel really comfortable at the controls. Many new pilots were shot down before they had a chance to gain that experience. And the poor Russian pilots, due to huge losses in Barbarossa and after,  were often sent into battle with little more skills than the fact they knew how to get the machine airborne. Difficult to think ahead when you are flying along reading the pilot manual!

 

In my experience, many pilots on the IL-2 servers are exceptionally skilled and as PC flight simulations become more and more realistic and challenging, the gap between newbie and expert will widen greatly. The aim of these tutorials is to give you the skills to practice so you can learn to stand toe-to-toe with these deadly "professionals". 

 

After learning to Taxi the aircraft on the ground there are 6 flying lessons to learn. Thereafter I have many other tutorials referenced that will teach you basic map reading and visual scan techniques and a host of other useful stuff. Start here:

 

How to Taxi on the Ground- without screwing it up! -    If you cannot get to the runway, you cannot fly!

 

Lesson 1            Speed and Altitude Control- how pitch controls speed and power controls altitude (right, not the other way around)  (Understanding PITCH and Power)

 

Lesson 2            Level, Climbing, and Descending Turns- Maintain one airspeed during these manoeuvres (Understanding ROLL)

 

Lesson 3            Trim Control - More serious than you think! -  Elevator Trim is the poor man's autopilot. An essential, yet hardly used tool.  (Understanding TRIM )

 

Lesson 4             Yaw Control and Turns - Applying rudder to coordinate flight :   "ball control"  - adding finesse and precision (Understanding YAW)

 

Lesson 5             Take-off Sequence and Checklist - every takeoff is basically the same. Applies Pitch, Power, Roll, Trim, and Yaw Introduces the use of a checklist.

 

Lesson 6             Landings, Approaches, and Circuits - focuses mainly on the Approach from which a good landing may be made

 

Lesson 7             Sideslips and non-standard approaches - more skills to prep for landing

 

Lesson 8            Crosswind Landings and Takeoffs - the ultimate skill test! Sideslips, Forwardslips, and crabbing techniques.

 

                                                                                                                     and there will be more videos to follow....

 

Have fun, thoroughly learn the basics, and practice, practice, practice...   and please share and subscribe and all the usual requests that help support the community.

 

                                                                                 My channel:    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrawg1oXJ5xs0mQCsEeXkAA

 

 

Here's the first step............................                                                                 Cheers, Col Ninny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2018 by colninny
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[TP_Jacko]

I am probably what you call seasoned ? and have found several good points that I should have learned long ago.  Thanks for taking the time to share your knowkedge. In thd old Il2 1946 i was happy just to land anyway that kept me alive even with bent u/c and prop. Now I take pride in landing a damaged aircraft safely and taxi off.

Edited March 3, 2018 by TP_Jacko

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

Good to hear that, Jacko.  I started out with Red Baron in 1990 when the graphics looked like this...  which was apectacular at the time!

[beavisCZ]

Thank you very much for learning videos. I'm newbie and have big problems to get into game so I will check them all.

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

Good idea, Beavis. Check also Der Sheriff and Requim for great advice.

[Trooper117]

Good stuff!

[Luger1969]

Thank you colninny. 

[388thVoorlok]

Thank you for the tutorials, Sir! Feels like being back at flight school

 

As a private pilot, I've only flown constant pitch pistons (simple Cessnas and Pipers). While those skills help me bring the virtual warbird back in one piece (on most occasions) during training flights (combat is a whole different story), I struggle with the complex engine management, featured in constant-speed prop aircraft. Some of it is pure magic for the uninitiated - coarse vs fine pitch, RPM vs manifold pressure, climb power vs higher speed... And I don't mean the theoretical concepts (I especially hate the misleading ones comparing prop pitch management to shifting gears in land vehicles... argh!), but the practical implications on performance and the operating procedures: How do I optimize fuel burn? How do I achieve maximum speed? How do I get the best climb? Dive? 

So, I guess, my humble request for one of the future lessons, if possible, is... Engine Management

 

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

Hi Voorlok. Glad you enjoy the vids. I usually fly without complex engine management. This is the best advice to succeed at the combat fighter level. Keeps your eyes outside the cockpit where the danger is. I have found Requiem's air combat tutorials very helpful, and for engine management Der sherriff and Bismarck and checksix have several excellent vids on it. I like the 109 because it is so simple and yes I could tweek some performance out of it by messing with the mixture and pitch but I get better performance all round by flying with LESS fuel. See my fuel burn vs Performance vid. Most flights I will take 120 l max and just plan things to get home with enough reserve. Check the community server - you're no alone with these questions.

[JG27*Kornezov]

I think people are overcomplicating everything. The russians have constant speed propellers, just run between 90 and 100%. climb and acceleration 100, in a level and dive 90. full mixture on deck. start to lean when you go above 3000. nothing complicateded here. radiators depend on the weather. you have ingame messages. 

for the germans it cannot be any simpler. 82 trottle in combat.50-60 while cruising. everything on auto.

you need to rely more on in  game messages than the indications of the gauges. 

Edited April 8, 2018 by JG27_Kornezov

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

Short and simple is the way to go, for sure.

[Adger]

Thank you Colninny just subscribed to your channel,I'm loving your guides..as a newbie to this sim ( I've flown others) I wanted to say thanks. Il make sure I check out Requims too. 

[FNRennier]

excelente
Muito obrigado por compartilhar seu conhecimento.

Edited April 15, 2018 by FNRennier

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

 

obrigado meu amigo !

[Redwulf__68]

In IL2 1946, I could taxi anything just using rudder, power & occasional brake. In this game, the brakes are mapped to 'b'' & 'n' but it's still not simple. I prefer the 190 series but it just doesn't react to even minimal braking or rudder under 80kmh. Mapping brakes to rudder controls does not help either unless perhaps I adjust dead zone somewhat but still it is too fierce control. 

What do you use to map to brakes? 

 

I am really frustrated now after 3 years of this game not to be able to control aircraft on the ground! 

 

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

Hi Redwulf- Deep breathe - help is at hand!!!

On my 10 year old logitech wingman pro I use the bottom left buttons for L/R brakes and use my thumb to control power. Also see tailwheel lock button.

Best advice I can give is to use very small power changes and make small gentle turns. Once in the general direction lock your tailwheel until you need to turn again.

Let me know how that works for you!

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

I hope this new video sheds some light on a very simple, and proven, way to set up your controls: 

 

[Chief_Mouser]

On ‎7‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 10:20 PM, Redwulf__68 said:

In IL2 1946, I could taxi anything just using rudder, power & occasional brake. In this game, the brakes are mapped to 'b'' & 'n' but it's still not simple. I prefer the 190 series but it just doesn't react to even minimal braking or rudder under 80kmh. Mapping brakes to rudder controls does not help either unless perhaps I adjust dead zone somewhat but still it is too fierce control. 

What do you use to map to brakes? 

 

I am really frustrated now after 3 years of this game not to be able to control aircraft on the ground! 

 

 

Toe brakes on my pedals for those aircraft with individual wheel brakes, one button on the stick for the rest (can be used as a general brake even for those planes with toe brakes), and a better joystick than the one in the video. To get the best plane control out of BoX you really do need a HOTAS and rudder pedals.

[Jorge_S]

28 minutes ago, 216th_Cat said:

 

Toe brakes on my pedals for those aircraft with individual wheel brakes, one button on the stick for the rest (can be used as a general brake even for those planes with toe brakes), and a better joystick than the one in the video. To get the best plane control out of BoX you really do need a HOTAS and rudder pedals.

 

Also, FW-190 activates its tail wheel lock when you pull the stick, and takeoff with tail wheel locked is not too difficult; easy compares to Ju-88

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

Good comments, Jorge. The 109 is not easy on the ground. The 110 seems the simplest.

Cat I map the brakes as in the photo above.  middle and forefinger and control pwr with thumb

[Luger1969]

Col as always thanks for your videos. Just watched  the latest 1- FW190/109 VS MIG/RATA and enjoyed it.

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

Thanks Luger, I'm hoping to create one quality video a week moving forward...

[=OPFR=ColNinny]

I continue to create these training vids, though not as often as I would like - life gets in the way!!!

 

Be sure to see my "In remembrance - the value of friendship" #col_ninny  - a non-IL-2 tribute.

Cheers.

[Delta_Niner]

What an excellent piece of work!

 

Thank you so much. 

 

[356thFS_Melonfish]

If you haven't watched Ninny's vids get em lined up, a great resource and fun too!

Pete

 

[LoupVert]

Dear ColNinny,

have you yet been able to upload the other parts of the How to fly at Night series?

Your videos are an awesome learning resource to me, thanks a lot of putting them out there.

Cheers

[Chief_Mouser]

Another necro thread. What's going on?

[Dragon1-1]

Someone got told that using Google is a good way of finding answers to questions, and that's what we get as a result. 

[ST_Catchov]

Yes, if only they had used the forum search function this wouldn't happen.

[LoupVert]

Well, it's only now that I'm getting to know ColNinny videos, thus the "necro". And such content ages well so coming back at it after a few years ain't an issue. 

 

As for your advices on using the search features here and there, maybe you guys may take mine to actually read the question asked ?

ie. There are no "How to fly at Night" episodes, by ColNinny, beyond the part 1of 3 on Youtube, nor elsewhere.

And if you know something I don't, then share it.

 

Cheers

Edited January 18, 2023 by ClaudeJ

[Chief_Mouser]

Well, using the forum search function, you will see that apart from January 12th just gone he has not posted here since last March. And he does like to announce what he's doing/done so the answer to your question would appear to be no, he hasn't made the tutorials that you are looking for. Personally, until last week I thought that he'd given up on here; quite a few have over the last nine months.

Your best bet is to PM him.

Cheers.

[Wardog5711]

Hang tight folks.

We have something in the works with Col Ninny. 

Links to all of his videos can now be found here:

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/forum/163-col-ninnys-how-to-fly-tutorials-for-new-and-advanced-players/