Aircraft editing: configuring fuel consumption

I'm using the EFA mod 2.0 Basic.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=52783

I noticed that Harrier has very little fuel, and consequently, endurance. I looked in Scripts\Database\planes\BAE_Harrier.lua and noticed the fuel parameter (in kg) is:

MaxFuelWeight = "4853"

This is the correct value according to published sources.

In the mission editor I set the maximum fuel level as 100% but get around 800 kg in-game. When I fly the Harrier it also uses around 2 kg (4 lb)/second so the flight time is very short and range is terrible.

Making a calculation as to the reasonableness of the fuel consumption rate: The AV-8B's combat radius is quoted as 556 km, so double that is 1112 km. Max speed is 1070 at sea level which means if we guess at a cruise speed of 80% (for max range) then the flight time should be 1112/(1070*0.8) = 1.3 hours [4676 seconds] and fuel burn rate is 4853 kg / 4676 s = 1.04 kg/ second which is half the rate I was seeing.

So I have two questions related to this, and three unrelated questions. I'm grateful for help anyone can give:

1) Any idea why the mission editor doesn't use the MaxFuelWeight parameter? Possibly it could be that the name "BAE_Harrier" is used in some files and "AV-8B" is used elsewhere it could be a simple mismatch that wasn't picked up (since the slack Lua compiler can't help!). Maybe not, has anyone else seen this problem as well?

2) Which parameter controls the fuel consumption rate?

3) What is Rate parameter in the aircraft file? Is this fuel burn rate? is it ground turning radius? what are the units?

4) Is there any documentation on the aircraft parameters in the Scripts\Database\planes\*.lua files ? (and any of the related files ?).

5) I would like to put the harrier on the CVN-70 Carl Vinson carrier for a mission on the stallturn server. The Harrier refuses to be started (Takeoff from ramp) on the carrier and instead wants the closest airfield. Does anyone know how to change this? I'd also like Ka-50 to start on the carrier as well but they don't seem to be able to either (although the S-3 etc can start from the carrier - perhaps I'll dig into their files).

Thanks for your help.

Sorry to reply to my own post. I have an answer to question 5 at least.

Looking at the file for the E-2C I see extra values to set the allowed landing and takeoff runways:

LandRWCategories =

{

[1] =

{

CLSID = "{05708AED-329E-41c3-9C51-9CCE4AA09380}",

Name = "Carrier",

}, -- end of [1]

}, -- end of LandRWCategories

TakeOffRWCategories =

{

[1] =

{

CLSID = "{A899CB38-FECC-46ef-9F85-165779669F56}",

Name = "AircraftCarrier With Catapult",

}, -- end of [1]

}, -- end of TakeOffRWCategories

I think all carrier-capable aircraft should be modified to be able to land and takeoff on either the Kuznetsov, or Carl Vinson. Plus, all helicopters can land on carriers, and many of the ships, and oil rigs.

Edit: Harrier already has this setting. Will try and track down the fault.

I noticed that Harrier has very little fuel, and consequently, endurance. I looked in Scripts\Database\planes\BAE_Harrier.lua and noticed the fuel parameter (in kg) is:

MaxFuelWeight = "4853"

 

This is the correct value according to published sources.

 

In the mission editor I set the maximum fuel level as 100% but get around 800 kg in-game. When I fly the Harrier it also uses around 2 kg (4 lb)/second so the flight time is very short and range is terrible.

 

Making a calculation as to the reasonableness of the fuel consumption rate: The AV-8B's combat radius is quoted as 556 km, so double that is 1112 km. Max speed is 1070 at sea level which means if we guess at a cruise speed of 80% (for max range) then the flight time should be 1112/(1070*0.8) = 1.3 hours [4676 seconds] and fuel burn rate is 4853 kg / 4676 s = 1.04 kg/ second which is half the rate I was seeing.

 

So I have two questions related to this, and three unrelated questions. I'm grateful for help anyone can give:

 

1) Any idea why the mission editor doesn't use the MaxFuelWeight parameter? Possibly it could be that the name "BAE_Harrier" is used in some files and "AV-8B" is used elsewhere it could be a simple mismatch that wasn't picked up (since the slack Lua compiler can't help!). Maybe not, has anyone else seen this problem as well?

Well Moa in reguards to 1, this is the same problem we have with our VNAO hornet being limited to 5kg internal fuel, actually 4930kg. You can set the MaxFuelWeight value to what ever you want in the plane.lua file and all it really affects is what is dispalyed in the ME, if you set it higher then 4930kg, when you first load in the game, it will be at the set value, but as soon as you unpause, it drops down to a set value. You can set it lower then 4930 in the plane.lua and limit the fuel but I have been unable to find a way to be able to increase it. This value is hard coded somewhere, and is a value that we can not edit. Almost all of the AI planes when set to human flyable have this limitation if they have a max fuel level above a certian value.

The EmptyWeight value is another thing that is hard coded, editing this value has 0 effect on the FM in game.

As far as #2, the values that I have found to affect fuel consumption are located in the sfm_engine.lua file, these are dpdh_f and dpdh_m values, sadly to be able to edit just these 2 values, you have to write/modify a complete engine set up for the AI plane you are trying to do. Also in editing these values, you affect the engines power curve at varrious flight levels, so you may get the fuel consumption that you want, but are unable to fly above 5k feet, etc.

#3, the rate is a value that I has plagued me since FC1. There are only 4 different values used in the plane.lua files for all the planes, 30, 50, 70 and 100, these values seem relate to plane size somehow. By editing this value I have noticed nothing in game change, this may be a reminent of the old flanker code base?

#4 no documentation.

#5 looks like you already figured out how to set planes to take off/land from a carrier, if you still have problems with this, it may be another hard coded thing.

I think all carrier-capable aircraft should be modified to be able to land and takeoff on either the Kuznetsov, or Carl Vinson.

Gotta be careful Moa if you are trying to replicate real life.

I would say that you should not allow the US carrier aircraft to use the Admiral K. Landing OK I guess, but takeoff? The K has no catapult, only the ski ramp.

Equally the Su-33 has no way of connecting to a US carriers catapult so again I would say it cannot takeoff from a US carrier.

Helo's - OK. Harrier - OK.

I seem to recall that the MEINit on v1.02 differentiated between the three types of helo/aircraft carrying ships. I guess FC and FC2 files do something similar as well? I haven't looked at such things for years since I worked out how to get helo's to takeoff and land on the Neustrashimy (odd that it was missed out) and also the carriers.

One was "helicoptercarrier" I think that was destroyers/frigates. One was "aircraftcarrier with catapult" and the final one (and the reason I remember it) was something amusing like "aircraftcarrier with tramplin"? I guess the Devs meant trampoline / ski jump?

Thanks for your comments guys.

Wraith: yeah I peeked at sfm_engine.lua and was tempted to put reasonable values in. Looks like it'd be pushing manure uphill though - which is a shame. From a developer point of view I hate seeing mathematical quantities used instead of real names (dpdm_f could be either be something like SpecificThrust or FuelRateOfChange for example rather than the less meaningful symbolic derivative).

Brit_Radar_Dude: Just because something hasn't been tried doesn't mean it is impossible if an aircraft has a light load. I mean, who would think a C-130 could land on a carrier - although I take the counter-point you could make that just because it isn't impossible doesn't mean it would actually be done.

Thanks for the "helicoptercarrier" tip.