Takeoff in the hornet

How to i make a smooth takeoff in the hornet(from airfield)? I have flaps half and stab at 12 degrees. I start adding back pressure at around 120 knots, but i dont always get a nice liftoff, she kind off skipping off the runway. It just feels wrong, am i trying to get her to fly to early? I know rotation speed is dependent on weight and i check my takeoffweight before every takeoff(its in the checklist ddi page) and try to adjust my rotation speed accordingly but still not perfect. And when i have liftoff i climb 7 degrees and manually take in the flap and get a aggressive pitch up movement. Should i let the flaps automaticly retract at 250 knots or manually retract them when positive rate of climb is achieved?

Sorry for long post, its been bugging me i wanna do clean crisp takeoffs :)

How to i make a smooth takeoff in the hornet(from airfield)? I have flaps half and stab at 12 degrees. I start adding back pressure at around 120 knots, but i dont always get a nice liftoff, she kind off skipping off the runway. It just feels wrong, am i trying to get her to fly to early? I know rotation speed is dependent on weight and i check my takeoffweight before every takeoff(its in the checklist ddi page) and try to adjust my rotation speed accordingly but still not perfect. And when i have liftoff i climb 7 degrees and manually take in the flap and get a aggressive pitch up movement. Should i let the flaps automaticly retract at 250 knots or manually retract them when positive rate of climb is achieved?

 

Sorry for long post, its been bugging me i wanna do clean crisp takeoffs :)

When i am flying clean, i let the nose start to rotate up on its own. about 130kts then add a little pull on the stick. The gears will lift off and I will bring them up along with the flaps. As soon as I retract the flaps, I start pushing on the stick to counter the pitch up. after a few seconds she will settle out.

If you are loaded, you may not be able to rotate and lift off until like 150-170kts

per military common practices:

In the hornet PCL, and contrary to some other aircraft flight manuals, the hornet uses what is called a "nose wheel lift off speed". typically around 120-130 kts.

Once the nose starts to "lift off", pull and hold optimum AOA (on speed/vv centered in E bracket). Confirm that you have not settled and are in fact climbing away, 2 "positive rates" meaning both the altimeter and the VVI are indicating a climb, gear flaps up.

Hope it helps :)

per military common practices:

 

 

In the hornet PCL, and contrary to some other aircraft flight manuals, the hornet uses what is called a "nose wheel lift off speed". typically around 120-130 kts.

 

 

 

Once the nose starts to "lift off", pull and hold optimum AOA (on speed/vv centered in E bracket). Confirm that you have not settled and are in fact climbing away, 2 "positive rates" meaning both the altimeter and the VVI are indicating a climb, gear flaps up.

 

Hope it helps :)

You act like you have done this before IRL or something. :music_whistling::P

You act like you have done this before IRL or something. :music_whistling::P

I'd say... ;) Thanks Lex! :thumbup:

OP-- just as an experiment, take off sometime without touching the stick at all. It'll take off by itself (eventually) and fly away. I think that's the feeling you're going for, letting the jet fly when it's ready (pursuant to the above advice) rather than trying to peel it off the deck.

Thx for the tips guys will try this after work :)

Regarding the engine rpm during climb, I read on the manual two profiles: the "350 kts" until appropiate mach number and "climb schedule speed", but what engine rpm shoud be mantained during climb? Military? Max? Or there are an intermediate N2 rpm (90%, 95%...) at pilot discretion in order the vertical speed he wants to obtain?

Thanks.

Antonio.

OP-- just as an experiment, take off sometime without touching the stick at all. It'll take off by itself (eventually) and fly away. I think that's the feeling you're going for, letting the jet fly when it's ready (pursuant to the above advice) rather than trying to peel it off the deck.

+1

it's not only an experiment, it's my standard takeoff from ground practice with the Hornet.

Just don't do anything with the stick until nose is up and you have smooth lift off.

The FCS will automatically set the flight controls to best climb attitude.

Once you have positive climb take back ontrol of the stick.

It's the same practice as with takeoff from carrier. You give full throttle and let go the stick until positive climb.

With e.g. FW190 Dora any takeoff is by far more complicated and critical.

Regarding the engine rpm during climb, I read on the manual two profiles: the "350 kts" until appropiate mach number and "climb schedule speed", but what engine rpm shoud be mantained during climb? Military? Max? Or there are an intermediate N2 rpm (90%, 95%...) at pilot discretion in order the vertical speed he wants to obtain?

 

Thanks.

 

Antonio.

Climbs should be flown at Mil (max dry thrust) and you should pitch for 350kts or 0.80 mach whichever is higher. You don't want to climb slowly because the whole point is to get up to your optimum cruising altitude as quickly as practical where from then on the jet will use less gas. Climbing at a lower power setting just makes that whole process longer so you end up using more fuel.

How do i find my optimum crusing altitude?

How do i find my optimum crusing altitude?

FPAS page on the support DDI

FPAS page on the support DDI

Ty

per military common practices:

 

 

In the hornet PCL, and contrary to some other aircraft flight manuals, the hornet uses what is called a "nose wheel lift off speed". typically around 120-130 kts.

 

 

 

Once the nose starts to "lift off", pull and hold optimum AOA (on speed/vv centered in E bracket). Confirm that you have not settled and are in fact climbing away, 2 "positive rates" meaning both the altimeter and the VVI are indicating a climb, gear flaps up.

 

Hope it helps :)

Gold . As always . Thanks Lex .

How to i make a smooth takeoff in the hornet(from airfield)? I have flaps half and stab at 12 degrees. I start adding back pressure at around 120 knots, but i dont always get a nice liftoff, she kind off skipping off the runway. It just feels wrong, am i trying to get her to fly to early? I know rotation speed is dependent on weight and i check my takeoffweight before every takeoff(its in the checklist ddi page) and try to adjust my rotation speed accordingly but still not perfect. And when i have liftoff i climb 7 degrees and manually take in the flap and get a aggressive pitch up movement. Should i let the flaps automaticly retract at 250 knots or manually retract them when positive rate of climb is achieved?

 

Sorry for long post, its been bugging me i wanna do clean crisp takeoffs :)

As mentioned, the jet should fly it self. Assume you have held T/O trim button. I am sure its not by the book, but once I get off the ground fully, probably no more than 1 to 1.5 seconds I am pulling in landing gear. At take off, all it does is slow you down and delay optimal airflow and lift.

I had the same issue....t/o trim puts the elevators at 12 but if the jet is heavier it won’t lift the nose up by itself....

But if you use the trim and put 16 or higher (depending on the stores loaded) you can have the same effect as on a carrier.

Don’t know if this is procedurally correct anyway but works for me.

You guys are all wrong; I saw a very credible member of the DCS FB group state that he rotates at 250 knots because that is when the Flight Computer automatically pulls up.

Sigh.. I know..

You guys are all wrong; I saw a very credible member of the DCS FB group state that he rotates at 250 knots because that is when the Flight Computer automatically pulls up.

 

Sigh.. I know..

:doh:

Out of curiosity, is there any requirement for military aircraft to also stay below 250 knots when below 10K when you're in the states?

No, just about all airbases have corridors that allow the jets to climb at 300-something knots... sometimes more:D and there is plenty of special use airspace from sea level to whatever...

Out of curiosity, is there any requirement for military aircraft to also stay below 250 knots when below 10K when you're in the states?

In the U.S., Yes. Exceptions are found in MOAs and IR/VR routs.

But 10k is a drop in the bucket for most of us so it is a bit of a moot point. It is getting above FL290 without RVSM that si the real kicker.

to really nerd out: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentid/1031968

The FAA waivers the 250 below 10K rule for aircraft in formation and fighter aircraft that need to fly faster for safety & performance issues.