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#4222353 - 01/28/16 01:41 AM Prevailing Westerlies  
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ARUP Offline
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Does the 'prevailing westerly wind' actually prevail in WOFF? I have not received the 'benefit' that I can tell as a German pilot would expect! salute My apologies if this has been addressed elsewhere. I looked a little... biggrin

#4222355 - 01/28/16 01:51 AM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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That is an excellent question!
Of course the wind is represented in the game (though I have it turned down) but a prevailing wind that makes getting back to Allied lines more time consuming and slower? Wind speed is given in the mission briefing but I don't remember about direction. And does this wind effect aircraft speed? Knowing OBD's commitment if it was possible it will be there.
I await an answer also.

#4222369 - 01/28/16 02:29 AM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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There is indeed a VERY strong westerly that blew me so far east I went right off the map!
Was gone for months, but made my way back with some awesome Russian rudder pedals. cheers

Just posted a VKB rudder binding fix in FAQ's & References.


Over-poured, over-clocked, under-planed, and over here!
#4222437 - 01/28/16 07:24 AM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: DukeIronHand]  
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Originally Posted By: DukeIronHand
That is an excellent question!
Of course the wind is represented in the game (though I have it turned down) but a prevailing wind that makes getting back to Allied lines more time consuming and slower? Wind speed is given in the mission briefing but I don't remember about direction. And does this wind effect aircraft speed? Knowing OBD's commitment if it was possible it will be there.
I await an answer also.


+1

#4222443 - 01/28/16 08:26 AM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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My view is a bit OT, but along the same lines as I believe that weather was a big part of WW1 aviation. It is interesting that WW1 aircraft did not have the kind of instruments needed for flying in bad weather with low or no visibility situations as the more modern planes. A paraphrased excerpt from the aerodrome forum:

The way rain affects an aircraft's performance is they reduce it noticeably. The reasons are:

1) Rain comes during low pressure events and nice weather comes during high pressure events. Low pressure means that wings get less lift.

2) Moisture in the air including high humidity makes the air less dense which again results in less lift for the wings than you would get in low humidity situations.

3) Water on the aircraft itself - wet wings, fuselage, empenage, struts, wires, etc. adds weight to the aircraft which reduces its performance.



Also, I believe that WW1 aircraft generally avoided flying through clouds especially during thunderstorms or heavy rains.

So, I don't know how much limitation there is with the CFS3 engine, but mimicking this could be possible. For example, if there is rain or snow during a mission, then the WOFF manager can automatically "adjust" the aircraft's weight (depending on aircraft type - lighter or less powered) by increasing it slightly or more depending on the amount of rain which should reflect poor performance during that type of weather. Also, the WOFF manager can automatically keep the entire flight (for lighter or less powered ones) at low altitudes during heavy cloud missions as I don't think it would be possible to make the AI fly around clouds.

Just my two cents to add more immersion.

#4222444 - 01/28/16 08:27 AM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: LeadSled]  
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Originally Posted By: LeadSled
There is indeed a VERY strong westerly that blew me so far east I went right off the map!
Was gone for months, but made my way back with some awesome Russian rudder pedals. cheers

Just posted a VKB rudder binding fix in FAQ's & References.


Well well look who is here. I thought you were kidnapped by space aliens.
Welcome back sir!

#4222498 - 01/28/16 02:07 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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Temperature, humidity and pressure also affect engine performance, so if you are going to model, for instance, that the airplanes have a longer takeoff roll during a hot and humid day, then this should be reflected in lower engine power output as well. Perhaps even carb ice. But the sim would have to have variable temps, dew points, and pressures in the first place.

Respectfully, that quoted bit about water on the plane adding weight that affects performance "noticeably" is an exaggeration (I'm referring to the quoted info, not you, OldHat.) I've flown in rain and I never noticed the planes handling any differently (although, no, I've never flown any WW1 airplanes, mostly Beech, Cessna, Piper). Plus, how much water is on an airplane flying 100mph? It's all blowing off. If you accumulated all the water on a plane sitting on the ramp, it'd be far less than one gallon. Okay, let's just say it would be one gallon. One gallon of water weighs a little more than 8 pounds. An airplane weighing roughly 2000 lbs (Alb) is not going to handle noticeably different if it weighs 2008 lbs. And with the Mercedes D.IIIa's fuel burn rate of ca. 14 gal/hr, with fuel weighing 6 lbs/gal, you'd burn off those extra 8 lbs in some six minutes. For the sake of discussion, even if you doubled that for a large fudge factor it's still only 12 minutes. You wouldn't have even climbed to altitude yet. IMO, not worth bothering with in the sim. More beneficial than that would be cockpit/propeller/tire combat damage. Maybe they can incorporate such features as part of their pending "non-WW1" project. Assuming (hoping) it's a flight sim, of course.

#4222572 - 01/28/16 04:04 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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I appreciate this info coming from a real pilot, so thanks for clarifying that JFM. cheers


I rely on theaerodrome forums for information since I have very little knowledge about aviation in general.

I still think that planes shouldn't fly through clouds in thunderstorms or similar conditions in WOFF.
confused

#4222589 - 01/28/16 05:10 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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OldHat, I've read in several memoirs that the pilots avoided flying through clouds, but it was probably more because the clouds would disorient them than anything else.


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#4222596 - 01/28/16 05:42 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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This comes from very limited experience in small planes. Flying through cloud is OK. I'm talking about the puffy broken stuff. Flying through a thunderhead is a no no. A real pilot (JFM) can correct me if I am wrong or just got lucky!


Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from either end.
BOC Member since....I can't remember!
#4222671 - 01/28/16 09:13 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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Methinks the big thing with flying through clouds (except, or course, thunderheads) is the orientation issue. As long as you know no one else is nearby (tough when in formation!) a modern aircraft with an artificial horizon should be ok as long as the pilot goes by that. But WWI planes had rudimentary, at best, guidance that way - bubble levels and the like, as I recall.


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#4222884 - 01/29/16 12:02 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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Flying through those big clouds in a light aircraft, and in particular one with little in the way of cockpit aids, is what we who have flown refer to as "a bad idea".

.


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_________________________________________________________________________

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#4223035 - 01/29/16 04:56 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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Indeed!


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#4223155 - 01/29/16 09:43 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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Slow down, Lou. I'm taking notes. wink


SALUTE TO ALL!
#4223283 - 01/30/16 06:45 AM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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However, I still miss the reply to original question - did westerly winds prevail? IMHO, I think, it is not simulated yet. Maybe in WOFF Gold?

#4223660 - 01/31/16 02:31 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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JJJ65, I agree. I have noticed no significant difference in flight times heading east or west over the same distance, and I've checked it on many occasions. What is odd though is that it appears you can be pushed off course by the wind, though it may simply be that any particular aeroplane at any given time might not be trimmed properly, or I am giving slight rudder input and not realizing it. In any event, I have drifted off course on occasion, much as this thread has done.

.


[Linked Image]

Three RFC Brass Hats were strolling down a street in London. Two walked into a bar, the third one ducked.
_________________________________________________________________________

Former Cold War Warrior, USAF Security Service 1974-1978, E-4, Morse Systems Intercept, England, Europe, and points above.
"pippy-pahpah-pippy pah-pip-pah"

#4223663 - 01/31/16 02:33 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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I notice drifting when strafing.

#4223668 - 01/31/16 02:53 PM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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ARUP Offline
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Lanoe Hawker met his demise trying to get back to 'his' side of the lines. Other pilots mention it, too. Sometimes their ground speed was low enough to cause concern! If it ever gets added then Prevailing Westerlies would be an awesome addition! Like I've said before... I ain't complainin'! It's okay by me if the thread drifts off course... those dang prevailing hot airs!

#4223922 - 02/01/16 02:46 AM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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LeadSled Offline
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Here's a real scary thought: imagine being in a B.E.2 on a blustery day, winds aloft say 25 kts.
Going over, groundspeed 100kts.
Going home, groundspeed 50kts. :0


Over-poured, over-clocked, under-planed, and over here!
#4223970 - 02/01/16 05:57 AM Re: Prevailing Westerlies [Re: ARUP]  
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Oops, gotta amend my previous post.
Just noticed that the top speed of the B.E.2c is 72mph.
So, ground speed over, 85kts.
Ground speed home, 35kts.


Over-poured, over-clocked, under-planed, and over here!
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