Can anyone explain to me when to use propeller pitch?

[SYN_Luftwaffles]

I'm a bit wet behind the ears on complex engine management outside of RoF. I've read about propeller pitch, what it does, etc., but I'm still confused on when do I use it, and why?

 

Thank you in advance!
 

[DD_bongodriver]

http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/4954-need-some-clarification-how-use-advanced-engine-controls/

 

Someone else was looking for similar help so here is the thread.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

The short answer, though it's not modeled yet, is; any time you want to accelerate or decelerate. This includes climbing, diving, take offs, landings, level accel and decel's, and taxiing. Once it's modeled you will use it more than the throttle in flight. I never used it in the original series but in that, "other one," it was the only way to get any performance out of the aircraft and I got pretty good at it. Stick the E model at 2450 and maintain the RPM's with the pitch throughout your maneuvers. Later models will have linked pitch and throttle such as the 190's Kommandgerat. The true mystery to me will be multi-stage superchargers of which I have no real or sim world experience.

 

I'm sure I got something wrong here and will be corrected

(and welcome the input)

[SOLIDKREATE]

Think of it like a glorified transmission.

[Uriah]

It is not modeled yet?

 

Luftwaffles, off line start up a Lagg and fly about.  When well off the runway turn on the auto pilot and see how the auto pilot uses the prop pitch and throttle.  It does not use it right in my opinion but it will be very instructive.

[Requiem]

Pretty much what Murrf wrote covers it. Fine pitch for taxi, takeoffs, climbs, landings (times you need good acceleration). Coarse pitch is better for cruise and top speeds. 

 

How you control the pitch directly differs between aircraft. Sometimes it can be controlled in all degrees of blade angle - fine through coarse- but other times you can control it (directly) in a step wise fashion where the propeller pitch increases/decrease in definite increments. This is as if you have multiple fixed pitch propellers to select from that are either fine, coarse, or degrees inbetween depending on what flight condition you should use them in (like the car gear transmission Spektre was referring to). Once a prop pitch position is set the propeller then functions as a fixed pitch propeller, meaning engine RPM becomes a function of throttle position and airspeed.

 

It is not modeled yet?

 

Luftwaffles, off line start up a Lagg and fly about.  When well off the runway turn on the auto pilot and see how the auto pilot uses the prop pitch and throttle.  It does not use it right in my opinion but it will be very instructive.

The LaGG uses a constant speed propeller (CSP), which has a device called a governor to automatically adjust pitch (via oil pressure and other complicated stuff) and maintain the RPM you set. You don't control pitch directly using a CSP, only RPM.

 

Long story short Waffles, you don't have to worry about it right now. No plane has it modeled, but I don't know if the systems of any of the BoS planeset will even require it. Maybe the F-4? I don't think so though, but honestly I'm not much of an expert on these aircraft.

 

Apologies in advance if I got any of this wrong, I confuse myself with this stuff sometimes 

Edited April 11, 2014 by SYN_Requiem

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Only the 109 E series was manual as far as I know. From the F series on it was automatic but can be disabled if you want to control the prop manually.

[Uriah]

Don't be confused with the term automated.  You can constantly change the setting for what you want and the automated part it the plane system then automatically works to give you that.  I will bow to those who know this game far more than I on issue about the auto prop pitch is working or not.  In the Lagg 3 you do have a animated lever for prop pitch.  I just assumed that if it was automated that the game had the prop pitch modeled.  I will now have to go into the game and see for myself.  Regardless, I put much more confidence in what Requiem writes than my confusion.

[=IRFC=SmokinHole]

Someone stated that you will use this more than throttle. If that's true you might want to rethink your engine management. This is another of those areas in aviation which can be overblown when really it is quite simple. The first and most important rule is...

 

DON'T exceed MAX RPM ever and...

DON'T exceed the HIGH or TO RPM time limits for engines that have them.

 

Use the prop lever just a couple of times a flight to meet that above basic requirements and you will fly your mission and return home safely with no risk of damage to the engine. But if you want to save gas and get the max performance out of the engine without hurting it then you will need to refine your technique as taught by Requiem and others above.

 

In a fight flying one of the rare types with a variable pitch prop but WITHOUT a governor does increase the workload in a fight. But you will be handling the throttle far more than the prop.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

I was talking about aircraft with no govenor when i made that statement. Also, later I talked about governed engines. Sorry, if I was not clear.

Edited April 12, 2014 by A1FltTrn=HerrMurf

[FuriousMeow]

Well the I-16 is supposed to be anticipated for development by the team, and that one has a variable-pitch prop - so I'm sure prop pitch will be here sooner than later.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

He stayed on topic. High fives and Guinness all around.

[Venturi]

Changing the propellor pitch varies the "bite" the propellor takes of air through its spin arc. This is fine vs coarse pitch:

 

(courtesy http://www.pilotfriend.com/training/flight_training/fxd_wing/props.htm)

 

 

The optimal pitch depends on the power applied from the engine, speed of the aircraft, engine load, A/C altitude, and desired behavior of the aircraft. Suffice it to say, it is like a manual gearbox on a car. You can floor the car in 5th gear while you are moving 5mph, but you won't go faster. You can also floor the car in 1st gear while it is moving 70mph, and you also won't go faster. In both cases, your engine may blow up.

 

Propellor pitch on a variable pitch propellored, non-automatically governed aircraft is as or more important than the throttle control, just like the gear selection on a manual transmission automobile. On an A/C with a constant-speed governor, one can set the engine RPM desired and the system varies the pitch as needed to maintain that engine RPM. One may still need to adjust the desired engine RPM during flight. On an A/C with a variable-speed governor, the pitch may be automatically changed by systems such as on the 109 (F onwards) or 190, and the character of this automation will depend upon the system involved. Or, it may be manually controlled, vis-a-vis the 109E, etc.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Venturi