Kit's Screenshots Thread

[kit]

Figured I would begin keeping a thread of screenshots from various missions I undertake in Orbiter, with a bit of analysis and occasional bits of story-telling thrown in as well to please the creative writing side of me.

As I'm still far from getting to grips with this simulator and am currently going through the JPL 'Space Flight Basics' thread so that I know at least a bit of what I'm doing, my first flight is pretty humble. After going through the JPL articles, I'll be playing through the scenarios listed from the 'Go Play in Space' document to get a grips on what I'm doing. Until then, I present my first flight in Orbiter - Taking a Cessna 170 around the traffic pattern at the KSC runway. Daring, I know, but I figured getting a handle on how the simulator operates in the atmosphere to begin with seemed like an idea.

(Click on thumbnails for larger images)

So:


- Sitting on the tarmac in a Cessna 170 on a sunny day at KSC, a quick preflight check is followed by a verbal acknowledgement from ATC that the traffic pattern is clear. Throttles forward and brakes clear, the 170 rolls out down the runway before roaring into the air and climbing on the outward leg of the pattern.


- Climbing on the outward leg, setting trim and throttle settings holds an altitude of about 1km and 100 m/s. Looking back, the tarmac gleams in the sunlight as the Cessna climbs away for a while before rolling out onto the crosswind leg and following the pattern.


- On the crosswind leg of the pattern, glancing out of the left-hand window of the cockpit shows the general surroundings of KSC and the surrounding spaceport. A brief flight around the area also allows a useful examination of the area around which I'm sure I will be flying much more in the future as I aim for the stars and beyond.


- Turning onto finals, Air Traffic Control announces the runway clear of traffic and authorises my landing. Throttling back and resetting trim, the Cessna begins its descent to the tarmac it left only shortly before.


- With a thump and rumble of tyres, the Cessna bounces once on the tarmac before rolling out along the runway. Easing the brakes gently, the aircraft begins to slow before coming to a halt on the runway. A breath sigh of relief and acknowledgement to ATC, and the flight is over.

...so that's it. Probably the least exciting flight description you've ever read on these forums, but I figured I'd start from the very beginning if I'm intending to keep a record on here of the various missions I undertake. More exciting ones to come in the future.

 

[Linguofreak]

You know, there is a screenshot thread for the whole forum...

 

[kit]

Fair enough, I will use that for all future shots. Just seemed to me like people were making threads for individual flights from some of the threads below, but no worries.

 

[TSPenguin]

There is indeed the stickied screenshot thread, but that is mostly meant for random screenshots.
If you make real flights, especially those with a storyline, please post them here!
Better to find and subsequent discussions are kept together.

Your analysis of this subforum was entirely correct.

Happy Orbiting

 

[kit]

Many thanks for the clarification TSPenguin. Expect further shots in the near future.

 

[george7378]

Looks like a nice aircraft - do you use FSX too?

 

[Linguofreak]

There is indeed the stickied screenshot thread, but that is mostly meant for random screenshots.
If you make real flights, especially those with a storyline, please post them here!
Better to find and subsequent discussions are kept together.

Your analysis of this subforum was entirely correct.

Happy Orbiting

And I just linked to the thread from the Latest Posts box on the main page, and wasn't aware that this subforum even existed. Oops... Sorry for any confusion, kit...

 

[kit]

And I just linked to the thread from the Latest Posts box on the main page, and wasn't aware that this subforum even existed. Oops... Sorry for any confusion, kit...

No worries, I'm greatful for input wherever so as to make sure I use the forums correctly.

Looks like a nice aircraft - do you use FSX too?

I used to do a little, I've dabbled in flight simulators since FS2004, but never really had the time to commit to it due to high-end system requirements and moving about a lot relegating me to ownership of a laptop. The beautiful thing about Orbiter (among others) is that it runs fine on my laptop, meaning I can take it with me wherever I go - for example, I'm wandering out to Canada for a year, flying out on the 28th.

Will get another flight in shortly with something a bit more high-powered to start getting used to high speed flights.

 

[kit]

And onto the second flight report of my humble Orbiter career, this time in something a little more high-powered. To get used to increased speeds and altitudes, I step up from the venerable Cessna to a T-38A Talon to get a grip on jet engine aircraft. A short little jaunt out 150 kilometres from KSC and back testing the altitude limits of the Talon.

- On the tarmac at Cape Canaveral, a run through the preflight checks show everything good to go. A rumble shakes through the aircraft as the engine ignites and spools up to idle. Air Traffic Control acknowledges with a takeoff clearance and a brief check for traffic later has me pushing the throttle levers forward to full power.

- The Talon roars forward along the runway, the difference in power quickly evident from the little Cessna. The aircraft coaxes itself into the sky as I adjust trim to climb out at roughly ten degrees pitch, noting the Talon requires a lot of upward trim to maintain attitude even at full throttle.

- I gain altitude quickly after leaving the runway, the aircraft trimmed for climbing and all engine indicators showing green. I throttle back a little and readjust to conserve fuel and let the aircraft climb a little while longer before turning roughly to the south and head for the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico.

- After cruising away to about a seventy-five kilometre distance from KSC, I begin climb tests. Spooling up to full power once again, I pitch back and allow the aircraft to reach for the sky. The altitude counter winds rapidly higher as the Talon roars upwards, and a small shape in the right-hand corner of my window catches my eye. The moon becomes more visible as the air thins, and I turn the Talon towards it in a symbolic gesture of a major accomplishment I aim to achieve.

- Eventually, the Talon reaches its limits for the climb, and I push the aircraft to its limit before it begins to fall back towards the Earth. The moon sits high in my window as I finally push the joystick over with partial reluctance and let the Talon pitch forward to find a stable altitude. I descend to few kilometres before going onto the next part of the test - a ballistic climb. I spool up to full power once again and let the aircraft jump forward to 400 m/s before pulling back on the joystick once more and going vertical. The Talon leaps upwards as I watch the air get even thinner around me and the airspeed indicator begin to unwind faster as the altitude increases.

- Eventually, the Talon finds its limit again, but not before managing to put three kilometres on its height over the previous climb. The aircraft begins to drop backwards towards the Earth with its nose pointed high into the air, and I push the joystick over urgently as the stall warnings blare on my cockpit dashboard. A heart-wrenching plummet towards the ground finds me finally levelling out at less than ten kilometres altitude, having lost an equal amount of height in less than thirty seconds. After a couple of deep breaths, I turn back for KSC.

- An uneventful flight back to KSC finds me on finals to Runway 33 with a new respect for jet aircraft and the speeds they can obtain. As the Talon touches down and rolls to a halt on the runway, I can only marvel at the speeds I will be accomplishing in the vessels I have yet to fly on my journey into space.

 

[Fabri91]

Great thread! Relly like the way you're progressing from slower to more powerful air/spacecraft

May I ask what's the next plane/spaceship you're going to take for a spin?