Rise of Flight - Iron Cross Edition
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13. Tips for Piloting
Flying a WWI era aircraft was not easy and was not for the weak hearted. Going up
in an aircraft made primarily of wood and canvas was a brave choice. Courage and
most of all skill was needed to master these birds. There was little room for error
and mistakes in flight or combat were usually a one way ticket to an early grave.
Luckily, you have a chance to fly these wonderfully difficult aircraft from the
comfort of your computer and you can always walk away from a crash or after
being shot down. However, no one likes to be shot down or crash, even on a
computer, so we have some tips that will help you stay in the air longer and enjoy
ROF even more.
13.1 Engine
To start the engine - do not forget, to maximally enrich the fuel mixture (press and
hold the keys “Right Shift - +” until the mixture adjustment lever stops). To run the
engine you should press the “E” key one time. There is no need to press it more
than once as it works as a toggle switch.
During a flight, the engine will require your constant attention because it’s the
most complex part of an aircraft and an aircraft’s engine is its heart! The aircraft
only stays alive while the engine is running and if the engine stops you become
helpless. It is important to keep the right operating temperature of the engine.
Open or close the radiator shutters when necessary to prevent its overheating or
overcooling. If you see steam coming from the radiator you should open the
radiator. If you fly at a high altitude, where the air temperature is low or if you are
descending for a long time with low RPM, close the radiator shutters to keep the
temperature of the engine within normal range.
Do not forget to lean the fuel mixture by pressing keys “Right Shift- -“ while
ascending and enrich the fuel mixture by pressing keys: “Right Shift - +” while
descending.
While in a dive it is better to decrease the throttle, otherwise the air flow can over
wind the propeller and the engine will exceed its maximal RPM. If you exceed the
maximum RPM of an engine it will become damaged.
If the engine becomes damaged, you will notice additional distinctive sounds and
irregularities in engine operation. Such ominous signs such as the trembling of
the tachometer or the color of the exhaust will become darker. In this case try not
to fly with full throttle. Lowering the engine workload may help the damaged
engine last longer. Don’t turn off the damaged engine while airborne, you won’t
be able to get it started again.