Flight Question Can you use AUTO HOVER in DGIV for land on Earth? And other Qs about DGIV

[769270865]

I finally did a renter today!
Here I have some Qs. when i desent to 10KM I turn on Atomspher fly AP.When see runway I turn on the landing SPD HOLD when i try to swich it i have to CLR the progarm first and than write spd hold in to computer.By that point my ship almost lost contorl! Is there are shout cut key? Can I land use Auto hover on Earth? What is different between Autopilot Automatic Reentry and Autopilot Manual Reentry?

 

[sorindafabico]

Well, my answer is not what you want, but you can do a unpowered landing on the runway, like the STS.

I'm not sure about autoland, you can hover on Earth with the DGIV, but you have to be careful, or you will run out of fuel!

By pressing "D + 8" keys, you can see the list of shortcuts. There is a list of autopilots on the lower screen too.

The last question I'll let for the others. I never used the Autopilot Automatic Reentry.

 

[Ripley]

...By pressing "D + 8" keys, you can see the list of shortcuts...

It's D7 and then 2 (or 1).

 

[sorindafabico]

It's D7 and then 2 (or 1).

My bad. D8 is the calculator.

 

[Tommy]

There isn't a "shortcut", but you can use the keyboard to control the computer - check the DGIV manual for specifics (the p key will enter "Pro" for instance). The best way to deal with it is to "cheat" a little by using the r key to lower the time accell to 0.1x while you fiddle with setting the AP.

The hover AP can be used on Earth - but it doesn't work well at any significant airspeed. It doesn't help much for runway landings, but can be used for vertical landings. It will also interfere with control making it hard to align with a runway (you can over-ride the level control using the keypad or joystick temporarily, but it will return to "horizon level" as soon as the controls are released). Runway landings are probably the hardest task in Orbiter - especially if you don't have a joystick.

The Auto Reentry AP (Pro 105) will maintain zero bank and adjust the AoA to maintain a constant Vertical Speed (-80 ms). The manual reentry AP will maintain a user selected bank and AoA. Bank starts at zero, and can be adjusted in 5 degree increments using the numpad 4 and 6 keys. AoA starts at whatever you set using the Spec command, and can be adjusted in 5 degree increments using the numpad 2 and 8 keys (increase AoA and decrease AoA respectively). It is up to you to adjust the AoA to maintain a safe hull temp (keep the VS at around -80 ms to be safe). The advantage to the manual reentry AP is that you can bank to make up crossrange, and adjust the range so that you can manage your energy properly so that you don't even need the engines at all after the de-orbit burn. It does take some practice, but "deadstick" landings are possible (and more realistic than a powered landing).

 

[Ripley]

There isn't a "shortcut", but you can use the keyboard to control the computer...

Extract from original documentation file
\Scenarios\DeltaGliderIV\(Tutorial Learn DGIV - Whats cool)\Description.html:


The DGIV allows you to program 9 keyboard shortcuts to launch the autopilots you want. Instead of entering the autopilot PRO###SPEC## and execute commmand you can simply press ALT+1 to ALT+9 to automatically load and execute one.

Example to test this feature:
Press shortcut key ALT+1, automatically the "HOLD SPEED TAXI" autopilot will launch and maintain a speed of 10 m/s, usefull to taxi. Press key ALT+2 the "HOLD SPEED TAKEOFF" pilot will launch.

View programmed shortcut:
Simply press key "D" then "7" and follow on screen instructions.

Change programmed shortcut:
Press key "D" then "7" and follow instruction on screen to change shortcuts. Once in edit mode either you type with your real keyboard the program to use with this shortcut, e.g.: "P 4 0 0 S 0 1" or you click with the mouse on the lower panel's computer keyboard. Once done you click on EXE, STOP or CLR to save and exit, clear, or cancel and exit. You can also type on your real keyboard to do the same, recall STOP="space" EXE="E" CLR="C".
The change will apply immediattely for all DeltaGliderIVs in game and will apply forever until you change it.