AOA clarifications please

[JEFX]

Can someone clarify the possible discrepancy about US planes AOA indexer and SU-33 AOA indexer?

 

When landing with the A-10, the lower arrow (pointing up) says 'augment you angle of attack' which would translate by: reduce throttle and point your nose up some more, right?

 

When landing with the SU-33 on an airfield the indexer does not work?

When landing on the carrier, the indexer seems to be reverse? When going really slow and the nose way up (with an imppossible 20 degrees of AOA on the dial) the lower arrow (red) is flashing! Which seems to indicate the contrary: put MORE throttle to REDUCE your AOA ???

 

And what does mean a solid arrow and a flashing arrow?

 

Along time ago, I used to be pretty good at F4 and landing was all about keeping a good AOA but in LOMAC I am not sure it is modeled propery enough to use it as a main tool to land?

 

thanks

 

JEFX

[britgliderpilot]

Landing an F16 is an art - the computers actually complicate matters with respect to controlling your angle of attack and forward speed.

 

Lomac models angles of attack fairly well, but you may have misunderstood them . . . . .

 

 

Confirm the red light in the Su33 means your angle of attack is too high - more throttle, nose down. Don't fly the A10 so can't comment.

 

The indexer on the '33 only works on the carrier - don't know if that's realistic - but that's where it's most critical.

 

Don't be surprised if the American and Russian ways of doing things are different - they didn't exactly share information and common systems much while they were developing these aircraft, so several key things regarding presentation of information to the pilot work differently . . . . just look at the horizon indicators on the HUD for one.

 

 

A flashing arrow just means that the need to correct your angle of attack is more urgent than a solid arrow ;)

 

 

Angle of attack while landing . . . . in a conventional aircraft, controlling that helps you control the attitude at which you come into contact with the ground as well as controlling your speed and rate of descent. On a carrier the attitude is especially important given that you need to fly the hook into the cable, preferably at the same time as the wheels hit the deck . . . . .

 

The F16's computers make things a bit more complicated than in a normal aircraft. In that aircraft, maintaining the angle of attack is vital to controlling your speed/rate of descent.

 

 

. . . . . I know the answer to why, but I'll have to think about it when my brain's working a bit faster :P

 

In the meantime, sure someone else can supply a good reason :)

[nscode]

becouse computers are bad for you?

[britgliderpilot]

Possibly :P

 

 

Further note - why do you think 20 degrees AoA is impossible?

IIRC the American aircraft measure AoA in units . . . . which aren't degrees.

[JEFX]

Thanks for your reply Britgliderpilot

 

I read you.

But one must admit that the Docs in lomac dont state that difference between aircrafts... If one reads the 1.1 manual (page 205) it clearly says (in a chapter called ground school, not related to an AC in particular):

 

'The landing approach is performed at a defined angle-of-attack. Your current AoA can be viewed on the AoA indicator in the cockpit. If the aircraft is equipped with an AoA indexer, you can perform landing approaches while keeping an eye on this indexer. If the upper index is lit it means that the aircraft is flying at too high of an AoA or the airspeed is too low. If the lower index is lit it means that the aircraft is flying at too low an AoA or the flight speed is too high. If the middle indicator is lit it means that all landing approach parameters are met'.

 

That seems to be true of the A-10 (and is true of the F-16), but the SU-33 is the contrary... What is the apropriate landing AOA? it seems to be around 10 degrees in the SU-33?

 

JEFX