Knife Edge Spin in FSX LIC Christen Eagle

[paulman92]

Nice video. Ive been trying to figure out how to do one of these for a long time...and this video finally helped me to do it. One question, do you mean 80 mph or 80 knots as indicated by the airspeed indicator?

[snowbird552]

just purchased the IRIS Christen Eagle, not too bad, any plans on updating the airfile for that aircraft?

[robertoroba]

my grandfather designed this airplane

[THkaas]

where can i get that airplane for fsx?

[SZPkid]

and how do you mod the the airplane? do i need a special program?

[BrettVisionSLR]

I used a freeware program called AirEd

[BrettVisionSLR]

Oh and I flew out of SZP for quite a few years, still do when I'm visiting my mom in Ojai.

It seems that you've gotten off to a much better start than I did - I was only flying sims and R/C at your age!

[stefanorso]

Not bad at all!

Does FSX have anything more than FS2004 when it comes to spins?

Thank you for posting.

[BrettVisionSLR]

Not really - the native flight physics of either sim are really pretty poor for stalls, slips, skids, spins, knife edge etc. This plane is freeware and was made for FS2004, and will work (99%) in FSX. I did modify the flight model a little bit as I said in the info, but the stock one is quite good as well.

[3dd4dd]

any ground shots to show us?

[Fl4kers]

The Dark-Angel texture for this plane looks better ;]

any clue how to do the knife edge high alpha pass?

[BrettVisionSLR]

You'll need a bit more power than the stock eagle has, and moving the CG aft and adding a bit more rudder area helps. Do that and it's only a simple matter of rolling to about 45 to 60 degrees of bank (not total KE) and then modulating the power and rudder inputs to keep the nose high, and the speed low. . .but not so nose high, or so slow as to get into the funny stuff MSFS does. It doesn't stabilize, so you'll be working with it the whole time to keep it looking constant.

Have fun!

[theendcredits]

Do You Use Track-Ir? i want it so bad so i can look around the VC.. check out my LIC aerobatics vids! just got a geforce9600 and 4 gigs ram so tell me what you think! Once again, love your vids! BTW, are you turning the pitch aileron and yaw sensitivity up? those 6-point rolls are really crisp so i was wondering if the sensitivity did that, or was it a mod to the aircraft!?

[BrettVisionSLR]

Thanks! Yes, I have TrackIR 3Pro with the Vector expansion for 6DOF. This aircraft is modified to increase the size and travel of all surfaces to approximate an airshow modified Pitts. I made minimal changes to inertia, instead I use the counter input technique that is needed in the real aircraft. (ie very fast inputs opposite the direction of the roll to add crispness to the points).

[theendcredits]

i love this vid you must have a monster rig cuz the settings are high and the video capture loses no fps! Great flying! i have a couple of aerobatics vids.. nothing spectacular but check out my Christen Eagle video and tell me whatcha think! i was freestyling and just did some snap rolls and flat spins.. torque rolls.. a 4 point roll and a few othera! tell me whatcha think if you get bored! :] love your vids man!

[dmelv]

What flight simulator is being used?

[BrettVisionSLR]

Microsoft Flight Simulator X

AKA: FSX

[Rickenbacker69]

Also known as a "death spiral" in the RC Helicopter community :). Looks like it'd be incredibly uncomfortable in real life.

[BrettVisionSLR]

Yeah, they are pretty uncomfortable!

[Klabautair]

Could you tell which values you edited? I´m trying to improve some things on the FS2004 version (like stopping rolls more on the point, or get a better snapping behaviour, of e.g. your knife edge capability...)

Or is it really just the better flight dynamics in FSX?

[BrettVisionSLR]

Well, the edits are a work in progress that are generally what you might expect of an airshow modified Pitts S-2S. Aft CG, larger surfaces, more power, and I've worked at trying to reduce the roll inertia (the default Extra REALLY needs this). I have the original as well, I'll try it in FS2004.

[Klabautair]

Thank you! If you are successfull with the FS2004-Version, tell me! Maybe you can send me the FD files? ;)

[BrettVisionSLR]

The stock LIC Eagle II in FS2004 can KE spin, but it's not quite as tight as it should be, it doesn't have enough rudder authority to drive the nose those last few degrees that really tighten the spin. The aircraft is still flying though the spins, rather than pivoting closer to the CG. The main values to edit to improve this would be to bring the CG aft a little, and to increase both rudder and elevator surfaces a little.

[BrettVisionSLR]

If you make those edits and still can't get it going, be certain that you are slowly feeding in full top rudder (left rudder when right wing low) a little after the forward stick (you have to be careful of the MSFS tumble departure). Don't be too fast with the controls during the incipient phase of the spin or it will want to snap out of the spin.

[Klabautair]

Okay, thanks for the hints! Sounds quite reasonable. I will try and "pimp my .cfg" :D

You can view how i tried that spin in my 4-Minute Freestyle Programm (see my only Video), but, as you said, it´s not getting tight enough. Nevertheless, still looks wicked...

[theendcredits]

kinda like a knife edge snap roll lol.. i think we just invented a new aerobatics move! haha jk

[theendcredits]

IM TRYING TO DECREASE ROLL INERTIA IN MY CHRISTEN EAGLE.. how do i go about doing that? if you could help its greatly appreciated!! :] thanks again!

[BrettVisionSLR]

Look for the roll MOI entry, and make only small adjustments to it.

[NINETWENTYEIGHT]

Nice flying. The graphics on your FSX seem awesome. What is the specs on your comp?

[BrettVisionSLR]

Intel Core2Duo E6600, 2Gigs of PC8000, nVidia 8800GTS

[squeekyV]

do you overclock your processor?

[BrettVisionSLR]

Yeah,though it will run well enough on the stock clocks in the lower scenery density areas. I use a small OC of 2.5 GHz as my default "un-overclocked" setting, and up to 3.5 GHz for times when I want to fly a detailed aircraft into a dense city etc. The youTube video quality is quite poor, but I run with high-ish settings and have good performance and quality.

[BrettVisionSLR]

FSX really can use all the CPU power you throw at it though, so you WILL see improvement with an OC. Quad core CPUs don't give you any benefit over a dual as FSX doesn't know how to use multiple cores, so get a strong C2D, like the 6600 or 6850 instead of a Q6600 etc.

[robster904]

Dang how do you do that? I can do regular flat spins and spin but i could never get the plane to stay on its wingtip i usually nose over after the vertical :(

[BrettVisionSLR]

Hi,

Well the first thing is to have the right aircraft. The Default Extra, and most others are not very nice, and not very accurate flight models. Get this Eagle. . .it's simply one of the absolute best aircraft for FS2004/FSX. Now, I did modify the flight model of the stock Eagle some (I have the original and my mod installed). My model has a little more control authority, but the stock Eagle should do these, just not quite as tight.

[BrettVisionSLR]

As for the technique, set it up as if you are doing a hammerhead, but stop the pivot with opposite rudder when the nose nears the horizon, and simultaneously start feeding in forward stick, and whatever aileron it takes to keep it where you want it. Leave the power in. You will need to hold a fair amount of left aileron when left wing low (and right when right wing low), and full forward stick.

[BrettVisionSLR]

This model will also do the monoplane style KE spins, which are more graceful, and showy but the real Pitts/Eagle doesn't do really like them. To do these, enter via a hammerhead to the left but kick early (~80 mph), and keep holding left rudder as you pass through the vertical downline. As the yaw rate decreases, prepare to add full forward stick (and you will be holding right aileron).

[robster904]

Hey thanks! This is great! The ground really comes up fast! Still needs some practise but I got it, thanks for your help :)

[snak5]

wow well flown but it seemed that you were almost about to pancake on the ground

[BrettVisionSLR]

Don't worry folks. . .all part of the show. . .

[robster904]

Wow thats awesome!! Your great pilot.