Conventional Takeoff in the Harrier

This is more of a question of the normality of taking off conventionally in the harrier.

As you near 170 Rotation speed as per guide indicates, the aircraft appears to really fight you at the controls. Shaking along the runway (anti skid is on) trying to pull back gently doesn't really induce a nice clean AoA & you also smack your empennage on the runway unless you rotate your nozzles to around 25 degrees.

I have read multiple guides on conventional takeoff, but none really explain it that well. I guess it is just trial and error.

So I ask, how do you rotate off the ground nicely in the harrier?

With any aircraft, you should pull hard on the stick before takeoff speed, as you continue to build speed the nose will begin to raise. Be prepared for it and only let the nose raise a few degrees then hold it there until you are airborne.

Flaps should be at auto. Angling the nozzles down slightly is fine. The issue with overresponsiveness in aircraft is usually when you're really light, so you need to keep a light hand on the stick and not get too aggressive. The wobbling is because you're going too fast and still on the ground.

MiG-15 also has minimal tail clearance, you just have to allow for that. Make sure NWS is off.

Basically what zhukov said but make sure your nozzles are set at 10 degrees, as they should be set for all taxi and conventional takeoffs because it disrupts airflow over the wing/flaps.

Don't forget to trim 2 degrees nose down.

Edit: For clarity you can use more nozzle than 10 degrees during taxi but you should use no less than 10 degrees nozzle with flaps at 25 degrees.

I was just thinking about this the other day when I tried a CTO. The VMAT-203 training manuals say to use 10° nozzles, AUTO flaps, and rotate at 120kts.

Trying this in DCS, with a light load of 2xLAU-68 and the GAU-12, the aircraft doesn't rotate until about 150-160kts. With neutral pitch trim the nose just does not want to come off the runway even with full aft stick. Once the nose gets off the runway you have to fight to keep from porpoising. When the landing gear is only rated to 180kts it makes me wonder what the point of CTO even is....

But it's not just CTO. Other takeoff methods have gotten strange with recent updates. STO and RVTO are supposed to use 2° ND trim according to the training manual. This used to work in previous updates, and would keep the nose from climbing away from you after you rotated the nozzles. Now if you follow real-world manual instructions the nose wants to stay down. I have to throw the trimming procedures out the window in DCS.

RVTO: Nozzles 35°, STO flaps, rotate nozzles 70° at 110%. This used to net an actual RVTO. Now this results in just a shorter STO as the aircraft refuses to get airborne after rotating the nozzles.

STO: Nozzles 50°/55° based on GW, STO flaps, NRS based on GW. I calculated NRS using NFM charts, and they used to be very close in DCS. Now the aircraft won't get airborne until 10-15kts (maybe more) higher than calculated NRS.

The 2° ND trim isn't to keep the nose from climbing away or it wanting to stay down. The ND trim is strictly to keep the nose RCS vents closed on the go so that FOD doesn't get inadvertently kicked up into the intakes.

Once airborne the aircraft (CG dependent) requires a lot of mixing paint to keep a porper attitude and sideslip until you're in stable wingborne flight and can trim appropriately.

But the 2° ND trim previously did not have such an obvious affect on handling during takeoffs. Currently it keeps the rubber on the pavement longer than it used to. This is especially evident with a combat load utilizing the full length of the Tarawa deck. With standard ND trim I have to fight to keep the plane from nose-diving into the ocean.

Nozzles should be set to 10° on the takeoff roll. Once you reach your NRAS (Nozzle Rotation Airspeed) you set your nozzles to 1 of 3 settings; 50, 55 or 60. Your NRAS can be no higher than 160 knots IAS.

You have to do some maths to figure out which setting you use but first some definitions;

Hover Weight - maximum weight the engine can lift, limited by ambient temp and JPT.

Gross Weight - the total weight of the aircraft with you in it

You put these two together to get a ratio; Gross Weight : Hover Weight

If the ratio is less than 1.32 - Nozzles to 60°

If the ratio is between 1.32 and 1.48 - Nozzles to 55°

If the ratio is more than 1.48 - Nozzles to 50°

Some charts to go with this info;

Which hasn't been reflecting accurately in the current iteration of the Harrier. Previously, using those charts, I was able to hit the numbers perfectly. Now the aircraft sticks to the ground longer than it used to under the same settings.

But the 2° ND trim previously did not have such an obvious affect on handling during takeoffs. Currently it keeps the rubber on the pavement longer than it used to. This is especially evident with a combat load utilizing the full length of the Tarawa deck. With standard ND trim I have to fight to keep the plane from nose-diving into the ocean.

I hold back stick as I'm taking off vertically since you want to bring the witches hat to the horizon line anyway. Once you have some altitude just easing off the back stick starts the forward transition.

Also when doing a STO from the tarawa you wan't to bring the witches hat to 14 degrees which is where the pitch caret marks are. This increases your AOA to produce maximum lift. This is why on the british ships with the ski jumps they use a 30 degree fixed nozzle takeoff. The ski jump put's the witches hat exactly on the 14 degree pitch caret marks.

Just fly and feel that baby.

Use the vrest page sto, it will tell you the nozzle rotation and apees for your current loadout