Can´t land the BF-109 (Frustrated!)

heloguy · #1 08-03-2008, 08:26 AM

One thing that helps me: Once you get below about 280-300 kph, turn off the auto-prop pitch feature, and simultaneously reduce the throttle to 0. Run the prop pitch all the way up to 100%, then adjust the throttle as necessary to maintain 170-190 kph until touchdown. Keep in mind, it's pretty much like putting a car in 1st gear, so it's real easy to overrev the engine. If you need to do a go around, unless you're experienced with adjusting the prop pitch manually, you'll want to re-engage the auto-prop pitch feature.

Just a method of mine, take it or leave it.

123-Wulf-123 · #2 08-03-2008, 10:47 AM

Never, Ever, take prop pitch off auto in a 109 you WILL fry the engine

Kaptein_Damli · #3 08-03-2008, 01:00 PM

Thanx for all suggestion folks! I just couldn´t understand why I couldn´t land the damn thing while I has been flying this sim for nearly 2 years! (I also plays a lot of Lock On and some MSF X so I am very familiar with flying on the comp!). So, today I watched a replay of a track. I came in on an almost perfect glidepath and touched the ground with my plane almost perfectly and suddenly once I touched the runway with the wheels, I flipped over. This can´t be right I thinked....something is very wrong! Yep! Something was indeed very wrong. I have bought a new mouse with a PS2 connection to free up USB connections. And guess what, my Saitek Quadrant suddenly had wrong ID on the prop pitch. I discovered my proppitch was brake! And the leveler was on max! I did not discovered this in the 109 because I can´t use proppitch in this aircraft because it´s on auto!

So, I just attaced the brake to rudderpedals and sat proppitch correctly to the Saitek Quadrant and perfect landings! I am so happy!

I thought I had just lost it, but now I know 2 years practise plays off!

Richie · #4 08-04-2008, 12:05 AM

Just don't slow down too much. I think I land at about 200 - 180 or so kms..I dont even look anymore. Once youre down there's really nothing else to worry about. It's very tail heavy so you can really jam on the brakes when the tail is down

robtek · #5 08-04-2008, 01:59 PM

my method to land the 109 is to fly the final at 170 km/h flaps full down, gear down with 30 - 35 % throttle, proppitch of course auto. Speed corrections are done with the elevator and glide path corrections with the throttle. When i reach the threshhold at 3 to 5 m altitude i chop the throttle and hold the nose high to hold the altitude. At 120 to 140 km/h the plane has lost enough lift to settle in a nice 3-point landing. Brakes may be applied right away but the tail might still try to lift.

WWTaco · #6 08-04-2008, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 123-Wulf-123

Never, Ever, take prop pitch off auto in a 109 you WILL fry the engine

I beg to differ there are situations when you can take it off, you just have to reduce the settings right away so the prop doesn't run away with you...

I take it off all the time when landing especially if I need to bleed speed on a quick straight in. As long as you don't pop it off while at 100% throttle and you are ready to reduce the prop % it can be done without engine harm..

Never say never..

S!

Taco

heloguy · #7 08-04-2008, 07:20 PM

Yeah, what he said.

No really, it's actually no big deal to control the prop manually in a 109. You just have to know what you're doing. I'm sure it would be harder without a control setup that gives you an axis for prop pitch, but I didn't even discover you could turn off auto-prop on the 109 and 190 until well after I'd bought a stick with that ability.

Can't believe that was five years ago already.

BadAim · #8 08-04-2008, 09:09 PM

Funny thing Kaptein, I usually fly 109's and have trouble landing spits. These planes are all have very different personalities, and they often bite their masters.

123-Wulf-123 · #9 08-04-2008, 10:28 PM

Have to agree to disagree with you, there is NO point in flying manual pitch on the 109. Certainly dont need it to land.

unreasonable · #10 08-05-2008, 05:35 AM

100% prop pitch is equivalent to 12.30 on the prop pitch instrument (pitchometer?). 12.00 is 90%. When you land with prop on auto with a normal low power setting of 1,500 to 1,800 rpm the pitchometer settles at 12.00 and stays there throughout the whole landing sequence. So you land with prop pitch at 90%.

The 109G manual says, if I remember right, land with prop on automatic or if you must use manual control (eg if the automatic control is non fuctional) set the prop to 11.30, which is between 80 and 85%.

(Anyone at all interested in this aeroplane should download a copy of the translation from one of the 109 sites.)

I have tried manual at 100% and do not like it - it needs much higher engine rpms to maintain a given glide path and is less responsive to throttle changes to adjust rate of descent. I suppose that is because the prop is not at peak efficiency. Also not needed to slow down when all you have to do is trim the a/c to the right AoA.

Manual at 80% is better than 100% - more control - but auto is optimum for me, and the manufacturers. Clever fellows, these germans.

BTW the time when manual prop is recommended in the manual is when you are adjusting boost and rpm to achieve the recommended cruise settings, but since the autosettings do a pretty good job of this anyway at normal IL2 heights I do not bother.