How can I achieve VSTOL bows?

[GKOver]

The are several videos available in the internet showing harriers bowing while VSTOL and without moving at the same time.

 

 

But... how is that possible? I have an idea (with nozzle at maximum) but it is not working for me.

[kengou]

I imagine nozzles from 82 to 90 or so and pitch down, but probably takes a lot of practice to get it right.

[Mars Exulte]

Yep. Nozzles can swing past 82' obviously. It's just a matter of balancing everything.

[AndyJWest]

without moving at the same time...

 

I think the answer is that they are actually moving. Just not enough to be obvious. If you start in a stationary hover, and 'bow down' significantly, you are going to move forward, even if you swing the nozzles to the 99° position as you do so. Moving the nozzles maybe a second or so earlier will start you moving backwards though, so by the time you've finished your 'bow' you won't have gained so much forward momentum. That seemed to work for me, though I didn't put much effort into doing it with any precision - I'm still working on the more fundamental aspects of hovering, and was happy enough to convince myself it could be done.

 

It's probably worth looking at your attempts in replay, from an external view. Even looking at it side on, where fore-aft movement will be most apparent, unless you are really close to the ground (not a good idea for this manoeuvre) any such movement probably won't seem as pronounced as it is in-cockpit. Which goes for hovering in general, really - it almost always looks worse in cockpit than it does from outside.

[tea_cypher]

I rember hearing, that IRL they would start moving backwards a little befor doing it.

[AndyJWest]

I rember hearing, that IRL they would start moving backwards a little befor doing it.

 

Yup. I had another go yesterday, and a little rearward movement at the start seemed to make it work better. The other thing you need to do is add power as you start to go nose-down - if you don't, you'll lose height.

 

From what I can remember, pilot's demonstrating this seem generally not to try to return into a level hover. Instead, they pull up beyond horizontal, and climb away forwards (presumably with nozzles moved to less than the 82-degree level hover position). Probably easier than reestablishing a flat hover, and more impressive looking.