Rudder control

[BlacleyCole]

Can you fly the f-16 without rudder control?

[Dee-Jay]

Hi!

Can you fly the f-16 without rudder control?

Once airborne, yes.

Regards.

[Harker]

Yes, I read that the rudder is rarely used in flight, if ever. It's mostly used for takeoff and landing.

[regards]

Without rudder control, your nose wheel will also be frozen and that will most probably result in unsuccesful take-off, landing en taxi procedures.

 

Why on earth would you operate an ( or any) aircraft without rudder control? :-)

[26-J39]

Why on earth would you operate an ( or any) aircraft without rudder control? :-)

 

 

Because we sit in-front of a PC and simulate flight. ;)

 

 

I gather OP is asking because of flight controller limitations eg lack of rudder pedals or an axis for rudder input.

[BuzzU]

You need it to taxi but you could do that with the keyboard.

[Lace]

Unlike some other aircraft where the rudder can be used quite effectively in low-speed high-alpha flight regimes, the Viper (or HAL) doesn't seem to respond as well to this type of handling.

 

 

So no, not essential unless on the ground.

 

 

 

Incidentally, X-plane links the rudder to the yoke when using VR controls. I guess if it didn't you'd be constantly reaching down into the cockpit to 'virtually' grab and manipulate them. Does DCS have an 'auto-coordination' option? Although this would prevent proper aileron deflection when taxying in high winds. Granted that's not such an issue in jets.