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Description
SUEPRSONIC ORBITER EXPRESS MANUAL
- PREAMBLE + DESIGN INFORMATION
- CONTROLS AND ACTION GROUPS
- FLIGHT PROFILE
- MODS AND SETUP
- PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS
- TAKE-OFF
LANDING
0. PREAMBLE + DESIGN INFORMATION + COMPETITION SUBMISSION DETAILS
Design Objectives
Supersonic > Mach 2
Circumnavigate ~ 4000000m range (4k km)
Medium(60 passengers)
Landing Mode
+ High AOA
+ Low Speed
+ Control
+ Powered
Precise Engineering Example, of what is possible using Precise Editor and Kerbal Wind Tunnel to perfectly create an optimal wing design, by the numbers.
Boarding on Row K September 2020 Kerbal Planes Subreddit
This is an entry for the Boarding on Row K September 2020 Kerbal Planes subreddit competition.
As far as competition goes, aircraft is in following categories :
Medium Aircraft(60 passengers)
Supersonic
Long Haul > 240ms, > 3000km range
Very Short Take-Off capability
1. CONTROLS AND ACTION GROUPS
AG1: Afterrburner Toggle
Axis Custom1: Vertical Trim
Axis Custom2: Flaps
Use of the vertical trim and flaps are an important part of this aircraft’s control and must be assigned and available for use.
2. FLIGHT PROFILE
Aircraft will handle well. Deviations from the manual will be tolerated well. Wing shape and angle has been precisely calibrated to ensure maximum fuel efficiency for this aircraft.
Notes on Wings
Wing angle is set at 4.7 degrees and has a surface area of .
Fuel efficiency was calculated systematically through various wing angles, with optimal being between 4 and 5 degrees. Actual perfect optimal value is between 4.6 and 4.7 degrees. 4.7 degrees was chosen because it allows a nice round number of 15000 and slightly higher flight has thermal advantages. Precise Editor tool is necessary to be used to set angles to values with accuracy in the arcminute range.
Wings are variable geometry with several small elevons being used as flaps which change level flight AOA, especially useful for landing as high AOA flight is necessary. It is part of design objective of this(and any) well-designed atmospheric aircraft to have a slow-speed flight mode that allows controlled, powered, high AOA flight for safe controlled landings.
Wing angle and surface area has been precisely engineered for maximum fuel efficiency at supersonic speeds and with the Panther
Engine. Placing higher performing engines on the aircraft example Rapier will allow the aircraft to travel and cruise at hypersonic speeds, with about 3x fuel efficiency. I may if someone asks release a hypersonic version of this craft. Sustained cruise of Mach 5.5 is possible.
2. MODS AND SETUP
Strongly Recommended : Kermax Autopilot
NavHud or Kerbal Flight Indicators to show AOA
3. PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS
Ensure SAS is disengaged
Ensure Flaps are at Full
Ensure Manual trim is at Full
4. TAKE-OFF
Regular Take-Off
Ensure Engine is in Dry Mode(no afterburner)
Engage Engine by Staging(if not already active)
Engage Throttle to Full Power
Aircraft will take off Runway without Pitch Input
At 100m retract landing gear
At 100m retract flaps(Custom2)
Stabilise flight with Vertical Trim(Custom1)
Short Take-Off
Ensure Engine Throttle is at Zero
Activate Afterburner
Engage Brakes
Observe Engine Power Output by right-clicking on Engine
Engage Engine by Staging(if not already active)
Engage Throttle to Full Power
Disengage Brakes When Engine Reaches full Power
Begin Roll when at 45ms on runway
At 100m retract landing gear
At 100m retract flaps(Custom2)
Stabilise flight with Vertical Trim(Custom1)
5. LANDING
Reduce Speed to Under 200ms
Put Aircraft into Landing Mode
Ensure Afterburners are Off
Set Throttle to 100%
Engage Flaps to Full
Engage Manual Trip to Full
Engage Landing Gear
Use Airbrakes to Control Speed. Keep speed under 100ms.
*** Read Notes on Airbrakes and Yaw Control in Flight Info ***
Controlled, powered, low-speed, high AOA flight is possible with this configuration. It is possible to maintain or increase height in this flight configuration as it is fully powered.
6. FLIGHT
Manual Trim
Use Manual Trim to Stabilise flight, and trim out unwanted pitch. Do not use pitch input to stabilise craft. This is true at all phases of flight.
Manual Trim is on Axis Custom1
Transfer to Cruise
After Take-Off and stable flight has been achieved :
Activate Afterburner(AG1)
Use Manual Trim to zero pitch input throughout manouver
Hold 10 degree pitch to 6400m
Accelerate past 335ms until 400ms and cruising hump is achieved
Fly to Cruising Height and Speed
Transfer to the Cruise hump is at 6400m and 335ms
Cruising Heights
Optimal cruising height depends on weight, with the aircraft having a higher optimal cruising height as fuel is consumed. For distance record attempts of theoretical maximum range calculations. It is sufficient in practice to set the autopilot to a tiny ~ +0.01 deg pitch, adjusting as required. Table below, shows remaining fuel, in % and as units. Then optimal cruising height in m. Then drain as will be seen in instrumentation in units/second. Then cruising speed at which that efficiency is attained. Note that the wings are variable geometry and it may be possible with manual tweeks to push the aircraft slightly beyond these top speeds. Finally there is fuel efficiency in kg/km. These values were calculated or derived from Kerbal Wind Tunnel.
Fuel(%,units) Height Drain Speed Efficiency(kg/km)
100% 5600 15000 0.93 819 5.7
90% 5040 15100 0.92 819 5.6
80% 4480 15300 0.88 819 5.4
70% 3920 15500 0.85 819 5.2
60% 3360 15800 0.80 820 4.9
50% 2800 16000 0.77 820 4.7
40% 2240 16200 0.74 820 4.5
30% 1680 16400 0.72 820 4.4
20% 1120 16700 0.67 821 4.1
10% 560 17000 0.64 821 3.9
Optimal Manual Trim is 10 Degrees
Optimal Flaps are 4 Degrees
Very Low Speed Cruise Mode
Afterburners Off
Invert Flaps to full Reverse Flaps. This maximises lift. Flaps are normally used in this aircraft to lower lift. Note flaps are REVERSED here, the opposite as they are set on landing/take-off or high-speed cruise.
Set Engines to 100%
Set Vertical Trim to Appropriate Level.
Stay Under 4000m(exact figure tbd)
Low Speed(100ms), zero AOA cruising is possible in this configuration.
Notes on Airbrakes and Yaw Control
IMPORTANT: When the tail airbrakes are active, YAW IS REVERSED.
Left yaw input will yaw the aircraft RIGHT
Right yaw input will yaw the aircraft LEFT
This is ONLY when Airbrakes are active.
One day and the future Hopefully SQUAD will allow us more sophisticated use of KALs etc when we can make more sophisticated avionics packages that we can have a IF THEN flow control and make this kind of control seamless. Until then the pilot needs to manually compensate for this.
Details
- Type: SPH
- Class: aircraft
- Part Count: 155
- Pure Stock
- KSP: 1.10.1
