long flight, over the mountains or around?

[My Fing ID]

Hi. I'm making a mission where the objective is to move from one airfield to another (deployment in a different airfield). The fields are about 250km apart separated by a mountain range. Would it be more realistic to go over that range, following the ravines (gets up to 2000m) or would it be more realistic to fly around it. Currently I'm using 4 external fuel tanks, which I plan to cut down to 2. Should I even be using external fuel tanks? I'm not quiet sure what the range is for the helicopter in cruise conditions. I was planning to fly at between 200km/h and 250km/h, it's at least an hour long mission. Is that speed too fast for a movement mission?

 

Any advice would be helpful. I don't know how military aviation works. I was infantry so I have some idea how the ground works, but I think the air is pretty different. Anyone able to confirm or deny?

[EtherealN]

Impossible to say what route would be most realistic without knowing where this is taking place. 2km isn't really all that high though, so that's not a problem. As for fuel tanks - fly the test the mission and then decide what your margins were like. Remember that pilots ALWAYS fly with margins.

 

200km/h is a fairly sane speed, though the higher you get the more you're likely to drift to 130km/h IAS (for best lift). Again, test-fly and decide if it works. There's no magic bullet to designing realistic missions - you just do it and then when you fly it you decide if it feels about right. Then you can gradually, over several missions, build more knowledge of the particulars.

[zdXu]

Hi. I'm making a mission where the objective is to move from one airfield to another (deployment in a different airfield). The fields are about 250km apart separated by a mountain range. Would it be more realistic to go over that range, following the ravines (gets up to 2000m) or would it be more realistic to fly around it. Currently I'm using 4 external fuel tanks, which I plan to cut down to 2. Should I even be using external fuel tanks? I'm not quiet sure what the range is for the helicopter in cruise conditions. I was planning to fly at between 200km/h and 250km/h, it's at least an hour long mission. Is that speed too fast for a movement mission?

 

Any advice would be helpful. I don't know how military aviation works. I was infantry so I have some idea how the ground works, but I think the air is pretty different. Anyone able to confirm or deny?

 

- Max range with 4 fueltanks is 1100km at 180 km/h.

 

- Official cruising speed is 255 Km/h. With full load (2 external fueltanks + load at outer pylons) i prefer a cruising speed less than 250km/h. But 250 is absolut doable. At 270km/h ( with 2 external tanks + payload at outer pylons.) there will be the overspeed-warning.

 

- To climb with 2 external fueltanks + load at outer pylons over 2000m moutains is critical. It depends on the temperature, on the speed though. But you can of course jettison the fuel-tanks if the climb-rate will be to low. The max climb-altitude of the KA-50 with no load is 5500 m, so 2000 m is not a problem.

 

-I think a real heli-pilot would take the route around the moutains. Safety is everything at flying. But i could be wrong.

[My Fing ID]

I did a test flight yesterday. Funny, I never really thought it would be fun to play for 1 1/2 hours without shooting anything but it was. I used 4 tanks and had to correct the AP route a few times (almost slammed into hills). I also had to max out the collective a few times which I don't like doing, but it all went over pretty well. I had a ton of fuel left so I'll try with 2 tanks. I'm guessing the fuel gauge won't drop while the external tanks have fuel. If I remember correctly the externals feed the internal tank which is the only one measured. Not 100% on that. Anyways thank you for the information.

[AlphaOneSix]

I'm guessing the fuel gauge won't drop while the external tanks have fuel. If I remember correctly the externals feed the internal tank which is the only one measured. Not 100% on that. Anyways thank you for the information.

 

Correct. The external fuel tanks do not have level sensors, only your internal tanks have them. As long as the pumps are on for your external tanks, and your external tanks are not empty, your internal tanks will remain full, so your fuel gauge will not move. Once you fuel gauge starts moving, you know your tanks are empty, plus the fact that the external tank pump lights will go out.

[My Fing ID]

Cool. OK, looks like I'm keeping over the mountain, speed probably 250 (hour flight, not that bad), and 2 tanks rather than 4. That should be plenty of fuel. Thanks for the input.