absolute beginner needs help

[Anon052]

Hello,

 

I am a new player and I am trying to learn the absolute basics of flying. I tried to get it right myself through watching and reading a lot of tutorials. But I found that all those I have seen (Requiem, Sheriff's Sim Shack, etc) start at a higher level than I am at the moment and questions I have were not answered. Problem is that english is not my first language and Requiem in particular is sometime hard for me to follow. And I did not find a basic tutorial for an absolute beginner that knows nothing.

I try to fly the BF 109 F4 (so all my questions are specifically for this plane) so that I can learn it well before I try changing planes. I can taxi and I can takeoff with it. Not well but it works most of the time. But I never got a landing right and I am totaly overwhelmed when trying it. Even when I touch the ground and do not crash, the propeller gets twisted and destroyed.

Questions I have:

 

1. How do you turn (a simple basic turn) normaly? Do you use the rudder or the ailerons? Or if you use both: In what situations do you use the different turning methods.

 

2. Engine/speed management and throttle control. I read in Chucks Il-2 Stalingrad guide the recomended settings for the F4 (page 139). I try to follow them with automated prop pitch control. But I can't get them right often. I just get either manifold pressure or the RPM right. One of those is often not at the recommended setting. And I don't know how to control the plane to get the settings right. This is especially bad when I try to land. I have no idea on what setting I have to put the throttle (in %). I don't know how to slow down the plane correctly without putting the throttle to 0%. Speed management seems totaly impossible to me.

   How do I slow down the plane? Is there a way without turning down the throttle? Is this what the flaps are used for?

   What is a good throttle setting for basic simple level flight? 50% or slower?

 

I am just talking basic flight. No combat. This is way above me at the moment.

 

Bye

[9./JG27golani79]

You may wanna give Requiems tutorials a shot - he has quite a nice library of video tutorials covering a lot of stuff.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/RequiemBoS

[[PFR]Sarpalaxan]

Ok let me try to help you.

 

1.    For the start you will need the rudder only when your Plane is on the ground. Ounce in the Air you turn by tilting you’re your Plane with the Ailerons and pulling the stick back (just a bit)

2.    Engine management: for the start you don't really need to optimize everything. On German Planes I only found The Hs 129 to really require to turn of the auto prop pitch. On the Russian side you will also have to adjust your coolers. Turn them open to a 100% (except for the la-5 outlet shutter) and you will be fine. Try to keep an eye open for the technocrat messages. It will tell you if an engine is starting to overheat. It also tells you if you are in Emergency, combat or traveling mode. My advice would be to go for a yak. They are basically built to be flown drunk.

3.    Landing. Why are you avoiding pushing your throttle down to 0? Maybe there are some Real live consequences that I don't know of but in game there is nothing that I know of that keeps you from doing it. Flaps will slow you down but their main purpose is to lower the minimum speed the plane is able to fly at. That's why they also help with starting but only heavy bombers really need that. It will probably take a few attempts to get a feeling for it but basically you land as followed. Turn down power, put down the landing gear, put down flaps, Glide low over the landing strip. At some point the plane will "fall" down automatically as it goes to slow to sustain flight. When it's doing this try to keep your nose up. It's not an easy thing and there probably will be a few crashes. But what's the worth of success without the possibility of failure.

So Have fun, go out there and wreck some motors and landing gears. See you in the Skies.

[montag]

6 hours ago, Sarpalaxan said:

Ok let me try to help you.

 

1.    For the start you will need the rudder only when your Plane is on the ground. Ounce in the Air you turn by tilting you’re your Plane with the Ailerons and pulling the stick back (just a bit)

 

 

You need rudder for proper turns... Sure you can kind of get away with not using them, but its terrible advice to say you only need rudder on the ground.

 

For a proper level turn, you bank with ailerons, apply back pressure on the elevator to keep from losing altitude and apply rudder in the direction of the turn to prevent from slipping due to adverse yaw.

 

If I were you I would watch YouTube videos in your language about actual flight instruction. Looking for simulator specific videos is not necessary to learn the basics of flight and a lot of the simulator videos get a lot of stuff wrong. Requiem is quite good though as he is a professional pilot. Sheriff's Sim Shack is great for beginners of simulator specific combat flying, but I would just get basic flying down first.

 

The order I would watch or read about stuff is: some basic theory about the forces of flight, then flight controls. Then look at maneuvers: straight and level, turns, climbs, descents, slow flight. If you can do all of that then try landings.

 

For English this is a great resource for learning about the basics of flying https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/airplane_handbook/ You don't need to read all of it as it can be dry reading for some, but if there is something you don't understand and are confused something like that would be a great place to get all of the facts. Correct facts. There is most likely something similar in your first language. I would look into a similar handbook by the governing body of aviation in your country.

@Anon052

[Requiem]

What @TheKillerSloth has written is perfect for what you need initially @Anon052. I would also also throw in some ground reference maneuvers to build the understanding of wind and how it affects groundspeed and your flightpath.  I've taught students from zero flight time to become private/commercial/instrument pilots themselves (plus as the examiner to give students those certificates...or not if they failed the checkride) and it's really important to understand some theory before getting into the plane. Those who don't spend the time learning the theory take much longer to progress than those who do.

 

9 hours ago, Anon052 said:

1. How do you turn (a simple basic turn) normaly? Do you use the rudder or the ailerons? Or if you use both: In what situations do you use the different turning methods.

1. Roll into the turn to your desired bank angle and pull back on the stick to maintain altitude. Use rudder as needed to keep the ball centered in the turn coordinator throughout the process by "stepping on the ball" if it moves away from the center. The steeper the bank the more back pressure on the stick you need to keep altitude.

 

9 hours ago, Anon052 said:

/Engine/speed management and throttle control. I read in Chucks Il-2 Stalingrad guide the recomended settings for the F4 (page 139). I try to follow them with automated prop pitch control. But I can't get them right often. I just get either manifold pressure or the RPM right. One of those is often not at the recommended setting. And I don't know how to control the plane to get the settings right. This is especially bad when I try to land. I have no idea on what setting I have to put the throttle (in %). I don't know how to slow down the plane correctly without putting the throttle to 0%. Speed management seems totaly impossible to me.

2. How do I slow down the plane? Is there a way without turning down the throttle? Is this what the flaps are used for?

   What is a good throttle setting for basic simple level flight? 50% or slower?

2. Because the RPM is controlled automatically in the 109 (unless you turn that feature off) you don't worry about RPM for the most part, while airspeed is going to be controlled mainly by your throttle setting. Throttle up, go faster, throttle down, go slower. The value you see corresponding to this throttle movement is on the manifold pressure gauge (the one with the "ata" written on it). This is all assuming you are staying straight and level. If you kept throttle constant and change altitudes then airspeed will go up in a descent and down in a climb. This relationship is something you will come to understand better with some reading of what Sloth linked to. Honestly, to begin with I would avoid using the idea of % for throttle, RPM, flaps, etc. as well. Learning to fly by using the actual values in the airplane are what you should do.

 

Realistically you wouldn't be doing landings straight away, at least not without any instructor feedback, so don't even worry about that yet. You need to first understand why the airplane flies and then use those principles to understand how you get the plane to do what you want. Spending a couple of hours practicing what Sloth mentioned first and then attempt landings once you're comfortable. With landings as long as you maintain your aiming point with airspeed control and good landing technique you will have decent results (easier said than done). Once you're ready for landings though I have a video that teaches landings the same way I taught my students.

 

The problem with learning how to fly in only a sim is you don't get direct feedback from an instructor who sits with you telling you in real time what to do and when plus how to recognise what's going wrong. That could change with the Po-2 though, which would be an excellent basic airplane for you to learn on before moving on to the extra workload a Bf 109 brings. I know that myself and I'm sure others out there would be happy to teach people the basics of learning how to fly using the Po-2 in MP by sitting in the back if they wanted. It's looking to be a good candidate for some semi-interactive training missions I've been working on.

 

[montag]

Figured I would plug my friends Youtube as well. The tutorials are in IL-2 by a bush pilot, jet pilot, and former flight instructor. This playlist is dedicated to basic flight. It is in English though. I hope you can find some good resources in your language as well @Anon052.

Awesome @Agathos_Deimon, I am going to check out your Channel. I like reviewing the basics and seeing how different people present things.

 

 

Edited December 20, 2018 by TheKillerSloth

[Anon052]

Hello,

 

I have to say thank you for all the feedback here. There is a lot of helpful stuff in your posts. At the moment I am over at the family for the christmas holidays so I can't play. But I will watch the videos and read to try to understand.

 

For those guys that produce the tutorial videos: a video that shows the most important stuff for the first basic flight. What is important to know, how you do a basic maneuver like turning. Stuff like that for guys with zero knowledge. I searched but I did not find one. I did find some basics but not in one package. I did find stuff about maneuvers but all those act on the assumption that you know you basic stuff like turning. ?

 

SO thanks a lot. I will keep you posted.

[Ehret]

The major and overlooked function of a rudder is keeping your plane coordinated. It has many benefits such like higher level speed, better energy retention, more precise gunnery.

[Seb71]

You did not mention what's your control setup. That can play a big role.

[=RS=Stix_09]

On 12/20/2018 at 1:29 PM, SYN_Requiem said:

...@TheKillerSloth@Anon052and it's really important to understand some theory before getting into the plane. Those who don't spend the time learning the theory take much longer to progress than those who do....

 

As requiem said I strongly advise you take this advice and learn the basics of plane controls and some theory 1st on plane flight, BEFORE you start flying in the sim. You will learn far better in the long run if you understand how a plane flies (basic physics and how it relates to plane controls flight controls). It will help a great deal in your understanding of flying the plane if you understand the basic physics of making a plane fly and why you are doing what in the plane. Things like lift, drag, stall, etc.

Just the basics of flight (don''t need to go overboard to start with).

 Some of the stuff a actual pilot would learn are not needed in IL-2, (its over the top for this game/sim), ie  https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/airplane_handbook/

has a lot of stuff you really don't need to know to fly a plane well in IL-2 GB, tho some of it is useful , its not ideal for this game

this may help (rough and dirty guide)

http://www.aviastar.org/theory/basics_of_flight/flight.html

and this (in particular chapters 4->6) (more detailed and accurate information)
4)Principles of Flight

5)Aerodynamics of Flight

6)Flight Controls

also useful 7)Aircraft Systems and 8)Flight Instruments

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/media/pilot_handbook.pdf

(though the  handbook is more detailed than u need)

 

If you understand the basic theory the flight videos will also make a lot more sense, and will make a good reference when required.

 

Otherwise its a bit like trying to learn to use windows 10 , without basics of knowing how to use a computer mouse first.

Edited December 23, 2018 by =RS=Stix_09