Gliding home from long range missions

[Dirty Rotten Flieger]

I'm sure you guys have heard of the Sabre pilots running out of fuel on the return flight from Mig alley. I thought I might give that a try and made a long mission up the coast to fight migs in which I have to break off the fight to run home before I run out of fuel. I had to climb to altitude for the glid home to Batumi.

 

Interestingly the utility hydraulic system seems to only have enough pressure to drop the landing gear and open the air breaks once. If I try to close the air breaks they stop about two thirds closed as the pressure in the utility system drops right off.

 

The main and alternate hydraulics however continue to work and if I move the ailerons or elevators and watch the pressure go down it recovers once I stop using them.

 

I am wondering if the main and alternate pressure is supposed to recover with the engine off.

I checked the RPM it was only 20% well below the 45% needed to generate power. Also before I put the gear down I was checking that the engine can be used like an impeller to generate power. It can, but only at high speed. Once I have gear and breaks down there is no power except from the battery.

 

I was expecting to have to land without hydraulic power to control surfaces but maybe my expectation was wrong?

 

Also which system powers the flaps? Flaps dont seem to effect any of the hydraulic systems, unless I missed it.

 

Still alota fun to try it. You obviously only get one attempt at landing and no go around. I nearly ran out of runway and ending up skidding 180 degrees spin to a halt right at the very edge of the runway. whew !

Edited September 4, 2014 by Dirty Rotten Flieger

[jocko417]

If I recall, they didn't glide to a landing, they shut the engine down to save gas during the glide home, then relit the engine for a powered approach and landing.

 

Flaps are electric.

Edited September 4, 2014 by jocko417