VTOL and other flying tips for Libardo Guzmans's Thunderbird-2  (FS9 ONLY !!)
=============================================================================

V1.1, By Rob Barendregt

Please, read the following closely; it will save you a lot of questions and frustration why
some features do not appear to work :-)


History
-------
Since true VTOL operation isn't possible in MSFS, other then for Helicopter FDE's, I created a
gauge-based solution which, in certain stages of flight, overwrites the FS-calculated values
for things like speed, pitch, V/S, etc. with values calculated in the gauge.
This is a variant of that gauge, specially tweaked for this Thunderbird, and includes some other
stuff like smoke effect control, Exit control, groundhandling control, etc.


How to taxi ....
----------------
- Make sure the engines are started.
- Release the ParkingBrakes.
- With your Elevator control (stick forward/backward) you control groundspeed (forward and backward).
- With your Rudder control (or Aileron control if you have the FS'AutoRudder function enabled) you
  control turns (forward only).


How to do a vertical take-off and hover
---------------------------------------
- Set the Parking Brakes.
- Set flaps DOWN (default key: F8 )
- With the stick centered, apply throttle.
- At N1> 70% the aircraft will lift of vertically.
- With the stick (Elevator/Ailerons) you control pitch and bank attitude, and therewith fore/aft and
  lateral speed.
- With Rudder (pedals or keyboard commands), you control heading.
- To hover, reduce throttle a bit. With stick/rudder centered, and N1 around 70%, the aircraft will be
  in a stable, zero airspeed hover (at zero wind).
- To transition to normal flight, simply set flaps UP (default key: F4). The aircraft will accelerate,
  and at 200 Knots IAS the gauge control switches off.


How to do a Launch
------------------
- Taxi your aircraft to a position where it has a pitch-up attitude; e.g. just below the top 
  of a small hill.
- Set the Parking Brakes.
- Set flaps UP, and apply full throttle.
- When the engines are spooled up, the aircraft will launch (same as when you change
  from VTOL/hover to normal flight).


How to do a vertical landing
----------------------------
- From a cruise flight, reduce throttle and around 200-300 Knots, set flaps DOWN.
- Then hover to the landing spot, using stick, rudder and throttle.
- DON'T try a normal landing; you will almost certainly crash the aircraft :-)
- Note: the Thunderbird2 has no retractable gear.


Other special things to watch
-----------------------------
- At sufficient throttle, you'll see smoke/fire effects coming from the 4 nozzles (Flaps DOWN) or
  rear exhausts (Flaps UP)
- Sonic Boom sound and effect when going through Mach-1.
- When parked on the ground, you can open the bay with ToggleExit (default key: Shift-E), and the
  moll will drive out.
- When the moll has stopped: start drilling with ToggleTailhook (default key: Shift-T)
- To Extend/Retract the LandingLights: use WaterRudder (default key: Shift-W)


*** VERY IMPORTANT NOTES ***
============================
To prevent unexpected behaviour (like spontaneous takeoff with bay opened, or opening the bay in
the air, the gauge has some protections built in:
- On the ground, with ParkingBrakes Off, the throttles are forced to Idle.
- The ParkingBrakes are auto-released after liftoff (VTOL-mode) and after engine spoolup (Launch-mode).
- In the air, the ParkingBrakes, Exit (bay) and Tailhook are forced Off.
- On the ground, the Exit can only be opened when the ParkingBrakes are set.
- When the Exit is not fully closed, the ParkingBrakes are forced On.
- The Tailhook (moll drilling) can only be extended if the Exit is fully opened.
- The Exit can only be closed if Tailhook is fully retracted.
- A Launch on a flat runway will not work; in general, if the aircraft reaches 200 Knots while still
  on the ground, the Launch is aborted and the aircraft will stop.
- When you are in VTOL/Launch mode, the Autopilot is forced Off.
- Lastly: when you load the aircraft in a flight where the ParkingBrakes are Off, make sure that
  your joystick/yoke is centered; otherwise the TB2 will start to roll after loading.
  To prevent this, immediately set the ParkingBrakes after loading (if not set allready).  


Enjoy .....

Rob Barendregt
rc.barendregt@planet.nl








