Power for Pitch

One thing I learned as a pilot back in the day, was to control your pitch with power while on final. As a pilot of 20 years, that's still typically true, except with the L-39. In all other aircraft, and real world, when adding power the nose should rise. The opposite is true when reducing power, the nose should drop. In the L-39 though, it seems to be reversed, which makes the approach a little wonky. When adding power the nose drops, whereas when reducing power the nose rises. Is this a mix up in the flight dynamics?

^

thanks for the reply Yo-Yo. I was on a straight in approach, on speed, but with all aircraft, some power adjustments need to be made. As I was trimmed (and can fly aircraft ;) ), I had no problem with the approach. I only found it strange that when applying throttle adjustments, the nose would rise or fall opposite from what I'm used to in the multitude of aircraft I have flown. Again, I've never flown an L-39, but the principle should carry over, as it deals with power and aerodynamics.

It depends on two factors: the first is how thrust changes affect trim due to decentering or inlet effects, the second is flightpath bending due to energy balance change.

Our L-39 pilots do not see anyting strange... :)

The only explanation anyone really needs. :thumbup:

I for one haven't had many problems on approach and landing with the L39, maybe because I always do it kind of by feel (a force feedback stick really helps here) which is probably (even definitely) not how you are supposed to do it. Not one crash yet. Which is probably a record for me in DCS.

P.S. Full disclosure: I have a tendency to come in too fast, still land the plane safely but then tend to overshoot the runway. My own fault for forgetting to activate the airbrake and reducing my airspeed on approach. Very embarrassing, but at least not lethal. :doh:

I do not own the L-39 module yet ( trying to save for the Spitfire.... ), but looking at pictures of the real and modeled aircraft I see the turbines high on the rear fuselage, and most probably a thrust vector above the CoG, and hence, the pitching moments will be reversed...

When you add power your thrust vector "increases", and being behind and above the c.m, it'll create a pitching down moment. The opposed when you reduce thrust.

Looks ok to me :)

Interesting info sources:

http://www.warbirdalley.com/articles/l39pr.htm

http://code7700.com/unusual_attitudes.html