Long Flight Engine Power Loss

[IIIThanatosIII]

Anyone notice after long flights that engine loses power for VTOL? I know about the requirements to keep engine from being damaged and fly 250 miles out to sea at around 450 degrees Celsius and well under 100% RPM. I have 2 drop tanks for the flight out, air refuel once, and then drop tanks when it is time to land but the plane has absolutely no power. I crash every time....Is it a bug, or is it me?

[EinsteinEP]

What is your total weight when you're trying to land vertically? The Harrier cannot land or takeoff fully fueled, even if all stores are jettisoned, even with water.

 

As a rule of thumb, 21,000 pounds is the max wet vertical lift capability (19,000 pounds dry), although this changes with altimeter setting and temperature.

 

Try landing again, but after burning/dumping fuel so that you only have 5,000 pounds left.

[MustanGrande]

I'm also of the mind that it's probably a weight issue.

 

That said, it's also been mentioned that extended time within the RPM or Jet Temperature danger zones can degrade engine performance and reduce its ability to maintain a hover.

 

So, if you're spending a lot of time rocketing around while that "R" or "J" flashes in the bottom left corner of the hud, that could be a contributing factor.

[deephack]

Use the fuel dump switches. They will bring you down to 2800 lbs of fuel or your bingo setting whichever is higher. 2800 is plenty for a vertical landing and should ensure you are within weight limits no matter what stores you are carrying.

[Zarma]

I came once with no weapon and 2700 fuel but wasnt able to hover and dived in the sea. Was a pretty long mission so maybe there is an issue.

[Whirley]

Could wind be involved?

 

Online, I once had to abort a landing on the Tarawa when it was turning and moving with the wind.

 

As far as I know in the real life Harrier the air exits the nozzles and is reflected off the ground outward and also upward in the center, improving lift. If wind shifts the upward column of air away from the aircraft, you will need more power to maintain a hover.

 

Also if the wind comes from the rear during the approach the lift of the wings will be reduced.

[Buzzles]

Also if the wind comes from the rear during the approach the lift of the wings will be reduced.

 

Harriers always land facing the wind if doing VTOL irl. Always.

[Druid_]

If you have drop tanks fitted in the mission editor they will be attached FULL.

 

Also as your speed decreases below 60 kts you will lose a lot of lift from the wings and you need a lot of progressive power to maintain a controlled rate of descent. Watch the vertical speed indicator on your HUD. If you start to sink at a high rate then its possible that the engines will not have enough thrust to overcome it. Especially if you are at low level.

 

If heavy, always use the water to boost performance. Also one method is to approach the boat at 200ft and progressively move the nozzles towards 82 degrees. As your IAS decreases if you cannot maintain level flight then execute a go-around by moving the nozzles back slowly (accepting a loss of altitude) to increase speed and lift over the wings and transition back to wing-borne flight. Reduce weight by dumping fuel or do a Short roll on landing.

 

Also its essential to set 82 degrees on the nozzles for vertical hover, any more or less and you are not producing the maximum vertical thrust.

 

Wind affects JPT and not reflected lift so much. If you have a slight headwind hot exhaust gases move back towards the inlets increasing the Jet Pipe Temp. If you are JPT limited then the aircraft will reduce thrust as a result. This however is not modelled in my testing. In fact wind effects are not nearly as dramatic as in the real aircraft.

[Druid_]

Harriers always land facing the wind if doing VTOL irl. Always.

 

Not always. Confined space FOB's and FOD ingestion problems don't always permit it. They certainly try to however whenever possible. There are limitations and procedures in place for x-wind Vertical take-offs and landings though.

[Nealius]

I came once with no weapon and 2700 fuel but wasnt able to hover and dived in the sea.

 

That does sound odd. I frequently do vertical landings with no weapons and 3400lbs of fuel with no problems.

 

Also its essential to set 82 degrees on the nozzles for vertical hover, any more or less and you are not producing the maximum vertical thrust.

 

In the sim's current state, 84 degrees, no? 82 gives me too much forward movement.

[Soundwave197]

After long flights i noticed the engine wont go over 70% thrust on the ENG page but you can get full thrust again if you turn JPTL to off. But after that you will need a new engine. Also the CMBT button beneath the H²O switch will give you 3-5% more thrust.

[Druid_]

That does sound odd. I frequently do vertical landings with no weapons and 3400lbs of fuel with no problems.

 

 

 

In the sim's current state, 84 degrees, no? 82 gives me too much forward movement.

 

Depends on your C of G. Also if your landing on a ship you want to be moving forward.

[MustanGrande]

Have you tried aerial refueling in this particular mission? There is currently a bug in which trying to refuel drop tanks will result in "ghost weight" that isn't reflected on the fuel indicator, and can neither be burned nor dumped. That bug sent me into the drink a couple times before I recognized it.