Optimal speed for turning (corner velocity)?

[sgibson]

Does anyone know what the optimal speed is for turning in the A-10?

[sgibson]

Shame on me ... this topic has been discussed earlier:

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=17949

 

According to the posted pic https://www.lockon.ru/img/devjournal/A10vsSu25@200m.gif the optimal corner velocity seems to be around ~280.

[Ironhand]

Shame on me ... this topic has been discussed earlier:

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=17949

 

According to the posted pic https://www.lockon.ru/img/devjournal/A10vsSu25@200m.gif the optimal corner velocity seems to be around ~280.

According to that chart, the A-10 corner velocity is roughly 420 kph (227 knots) TAS.

 

 

Rich

Edited November 9, 2012 by Ironhand

[PFunk1606688187]

How does Instantaneous and Sustained Turn relate to Corner Speed?

 

I've forgotten how all these different things interrelate.

[Ironhand]

Corner Speed: The minimum airspeed at which the maximum allowable Gs can be generated.

 

Sustained Turn Rate: The maximum turn rate you can achieve while sustaining energy. It'll always be lower than your fastest instantaneous rate and your airspeed will be faster than your corner speed.

 

Instantaneous Turn Rate: The maximum turn rate you can achieve while depleting energy. Your corner speed will provide you with your highest instantaneous turn rate--for those few seconds until the maneuver drains enough energy for those Gs to bleed off.

 

For anyone interested, there's a video presentationn of this on my website (just click my sig) called: BFM 101: Understanding Corner Speed. It's on the A2A Tutorials page. Some of you might find it helpful, especially with FC3 now providing us fighters to fly in DCS World.

 

 

Rich

Edited November 10, 2012 by Ironhand
Edited to clarify

[PFunk1606688187]

Will definitely check your site out. I discovered it some time ago but haven't gotten around to really digging through yet.

 

Have you seen the A-10A manual, including the extended one with all the performance charts?

 

I was looking through it after I saw this question and I could not figure out how to determine corner speed based on all that data, as in I had no idea what I was looking for even knowing the definition.

 

I think with your explanation I can find what the official docs say, but we'll see. :P

[Ironhand]

I only have the manual that comes with the A-10. Haven't downloaded anything additional. I've never worried about the A-10's corner speed, anyway, since I don't normally get into a turning fight with it. I prefer to run away. :)

 

In the BFM 101 tutorial, though, I show you how to figure out what it is in any sim. It's pretty straight forward with no reliance on formulas, charts, etc. Real world charts only help you check the accuracy of the simulation. They won't tell you what the simulated A-10's corner speed is. And it's more fun to discover it for yourself in different aircraft configurations.

 

My site is set up for FC1.5 but a lot there is still valid. Some is timeless, since it isn't sim specific. Some differences are just keyboard changes, etc. A few have no application to FC3 whatsoever. Now that FC3 is out, I should probably go through, check the sim, check the tutorials, and make note on my site as to what's still appropriate and what's not and why.

 

 

Rich

Edited November 11, 2012 by Ironhand

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Sustained Turn Rate: The maximum turn rate you can achieve while sustaining energy. It'll always be lower than your fastest instantaneous rate and your airspeed will be faster than your corner speed.

 

I'm assuming you meant sustained turn rate speed will be slower than corner speed, not faster?

[Ironhand]

I'm assuming you meant sustained turn rate speed will be slower than corner speed, not faster?

No. I meant what I said, though in reality I'd be wrong. When you look at doghouse plots, the sustained turn rate is flown at an airspeed that is in the same neighborhood but slower than corner. In my sim experience, flying slightly above corner was usually best. I shouldn't confuse the two.

 

 

Rich

[scutxd]

On 11/10/2012 at 2:17 AM, Ironhand said:

According to that chart, the A-10 corner velocity is roughly 420 kph (227 knots) TAS.

 

 

Rich

 

Could you pls tell what is the mean of the thick lines and the thin lines? I'm confused. And why is it different from this doghouse plots?

[Ironhand]

15 hours ago, scutxd said:

Could you pls tell what is the mean of the thick lines and the thin lines?

 

Thin line: Instantaneous turn rate

Thick line: Sustained turn rate

 

As for the rest of your question, I'm not sure what you're referring to.

[ASAP]

I'd go with what the thick line says. Best turn rate is at 320 ish knots. turn radius is pretty consistent through most of the flight envelope around.