VTOL is the way: Breaking Ground DLC?

[Sticky Wicket]

Been playing this for only about week and still so much to learn about KSP

Since planes are InSAneLY difficult to land, I have started designing VTOL aircraft to make landings easier, but one thing I am looking for is a way to rotate engines 45 degrees (like on the Harrier ~ and several other Gerry Anderson models).

I noticed the Breaking Ground DLC has rotors and other robotic parts, so my question is; would buying that DLC give me access to the things I need to make better VTOL aircraft?

[Grand Forks]

short answer is yes, You can make a plane that is more like the osprey where the rotors turn down. Best answer is your crafting your planes a bit harder than it should be. T shape wings and aileron with back or front winglets and a double tail stabilizer are quite good and easy to fly. its all about how you set it to use your yaw, pitch and roll.

winglets = both pitch, roll
winglets stabilizers = yaw mainly used in landing, or lining up on a spot to land or specific direction.
flaps = only one direction and full down should be inside the ailerons if you have them

pitch and roll = winglets front lower how much they turn in degrees so they should be like 15% not 45,
engines = small engines slower the plan the larger/longer the wings

center of balance = watch this vid and he will help out.

scott manley @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-TFRnVyjso

lot of his videos are great to watch.

[internetrules]

Originally posted by Sticky Wicket:

I noticed the Breaking Ground DLC has rotors and other robotic parts, so my question is; would buying that DLC give me access to the things I need to make better VTOL aircraft?

there should be mods which have rotors and robotic parts. the one i know offhand is Infernal Robotics. idk if its still updated for the most recent version of KSP. if its not updated there ought to be some other mod with rotors you could find.

regarding your problems with landing: have you tried landing big, slow, low manoeuvrability planes? those seem like they would be the easiest to practice landing with. also, capslock is bound to something that should dampen your controls so that your plane maneuvers less.

[GunsForBucks]

Yeah the DLC hinges work fine with rotors.

When learning to land I used to land in water, I found it more forgiving.
After 3000 hrs I still don't try to land on the runway ha ha

From the roof of the VAB
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2576142883

[Grand Forks]

Originally posted by GunsForBucks:

Yeah the DLC hinges work fine with rotors.

When learning to land I used to land in water, I found it more forgiving.
After 3000 hrs I still don't try to land on the runway ha ha

hahah nice, you have a good point but its better to try to land on the grass near the runway. less explosions than water and you can taxi to the runway for 100% return. =) most of my abort landings are on the grass =). specially with the speed (500 - 600 m/s) jet for kerbal KO's its very unstable.

[Sticky Wicket]

Thanks for all the answers.

It is a fun challenge to find solutions to these problems.

I have managed to successfully land planes so far using elaborate parachute combinations, and a combination of lateral and vertical engines, but they always feel a bit clunky.

I like the idea of having aircraft rockets on a swivel so that I can use them to take off conventionally and rotate them slowly to a vertical position for landing; I just need parts that will allow that. As said before I love all those old Gerry Anderson models from Joe 90, Captain Scarlet, Thunderbirds etc.

Breaking Ground DLC then looks like something I need to get.

[Chibbity]

Landing is easy, just keep your prograde marker on or just above the white horizon line as you come in, keep slowing down carefully and losing altitude by slowing the throttle and/or using airbrakes/flaps, being careful not to let your nose drop, add a little more throttle if your prograde marker starts to drop below the horizon line. Your average small plane should be somewhere in the 40-60 m/s range when landing. (You basically want to go as slow as you can without stalling, you'll know you're stalling if the prograde marker starts to drop.)

Making everything a VTOL is going to complicate your eventual space plane designs and add unneeded weight, I'd recommend learning to land. Quick save as you approach the landing strip and practice a bit until you can do it reliably. You'll be doing it with your eyes closed once you get the hang of it.

[GunsForBucks]

Originally posted by Grand Forks:

Originally posted by GunsForBucks:

Yeah the DLC hinges work fine with rotors.

When learning to land I used to land in water, I found it more forgiving.
After 3000 hrs I still don't try to land on the runway ha ha

hahah nice, you have a good point but its better to try to land on the grass near the runway. less explosions than water and you can taxi to the runway for 100% return. =) most of my abort landings are on the grass =). specially with the speed (500 - 600 m/s) jet for kerbal KO's its very unstable.

Ha ha I wouldn't try landing anywhere going 500 m/s. Yeah I mostly land on the grass next to the runway now.

Most of the time I will just shut the engine down once I am on a good glide path, not even trying to be precise enough to land on the runway though.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2376820073

[funkynutz]

Landing takes a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it it's easy (assuming you've also got a well built plane). If you're still struggling, add a couple of chutes near the COM and use them to slow you down/land. I tend to use airbrakes instead these days.