How to reenter on Aeris 4A (Stock)?

[ReLicTroSs]

I've tried many times, but result is burning everytime...
I am making a 65k orbit, then trying to aerobrake at 10-30 degree angle. Velosity doesn't reduce and I am blowing at ~40k altitude.
What to do?

[blodsub]

get a better plane

[ReLicTroSs]

Originally posted by Jebediah Kerman:

get a better plane

Ye, but I want to understand the basics of SSTO and then proceed to build my own (possible better) ship ))
So my goal is to land that Aeris 4A

[ReLicTroSs]

Originally posted by RoofCatA:

plane landings are a bit tricky and this one has one problem - there is a reaction wheel behind cockpit, which can't soak up heat. Bad design since v1.2. Also since v1.2 sharp nosed planes have even less drag. Such a good aerodynamics, they don't like to slow down at all.
So try this:
1. Check if your tanks aren't too full and heavy. Burn most of them retrograde or whatever helps.
2. Keep nose around +5..10° at all times. At some point close to 40km your plane should start to glide really well with almost no descent (it may even go back up a bit). Watch vertical speed clock on top of the screen. It should reach -5..-10m/s eventually.
On slow descent plane has more time to cool.
3. If that doesn't help you could try braking harder with 90° angle somewhere around 50km. Which is risky, because it will make descent steeper and thus you may reach really dense atmosphere below 20km too quick, but in some cases it actually helps. You may need to pump all fuel as far back as possible for a while to achieve such angle or it may not be possible at all.
4. You could try to activate Deploy function on elevons. If they make your nose dive, click invert. Not sure, but that could help to slow a bit. Even more so if you increase limit to 150%. Except you won't be able to steer with deployed elevons much. Reaction wheel may burn too much electricity and still fail.

Wow thanks a lot! Really helpful! I will try all the things ;)

[Raincloud Man]

If that doesn't work there's always the massive exploit you can use since Kerbals are immune to the effects of gravity that would turn a human into a blood sausage.

That is to say, if all else fails you can just intentionally lose control of the plane, let it go into a flatspin or whatever it decides to do, and then hopefully regain control using engine power once it's bled off enough velocity to not turn into hot shrapnel... =p

[ReLicTroSs]

Originally posted by Zagreus:

If that doesn't work there's always the massive exploit you can use since Kerbals are immune to the effects of gravity that would turn a human into a blood sausage.

That is to say, if all else fails you can just intentionally lose control of the plane, let it go into a flatspin or whatever it decides to do, and then hopefully regain control using engine power once it's bled off enough velocity to not turn into hot shrapnel... =p

Yup, chaotic spinning really works, but I wanted more realistic reetry;)
I also tried to burn prograde to slow down and it works too (but costs a lot of fuel)

Originally posted by RoofCatA:

when you build your own planes (or rebuild stock ones) just place a fuel tank right behind the cockpit. It is really good for cooling.
Check Center of Mass vs Center of Lift though if you rearrange existing plane as it is very likely to shift CoM. How much exactly - depends.

Thanks for the tips, I didn't know about that cooling feature :)

[ReLicTroSs]

I've made a modified version of Aeris 4A (with the main fuel tank attached to the cabin, and clamp-o-tron moved to the back), then I docked the stock and the modified ships at the same orbit, and tried to land them in almost equal conditions (very smooth descending, 10-20 degree angle, ~2110 m/s surface speed at 55k altitude)... And the stock one heated much more, then modified. So I've landed modified ship without any problems and the stock one with emergency retrograde burning and chaotic spinning :D (it's survived, luckily).
Thanks to all for the answers!