Taxi and take-off
Moving on the ground, the take-off run, rotation, and how far the Su-27 needs at Kashmir's high airfields.
Where you start
- Offline, every flight starts at Srinagar (VISR), lined up on runway 13, 150 m past the threshold. Runway 13 is 3,632 m (11,917 ft) long and climbs gently, 21 m from end to end.
- Online, you start on the runway at Srinagar, Leh or Skardu, depending on your slot, lined up in pairs. At Skardu the slots are on the short runway, 14L: 1,982 m (6,500 ft). Use the afterburner there.
The engines are at idle, the gear is down, the flaps up and the canopy closed and locked. The airfields have runways only: there are no taxiways or parking areas.
Moving on the ground
| Steer | Q and E turn the nose wheel: sharply at walking pace, only 4° at 144 km/h (78 kt) |
| Brakes | Hold Space. Both main wheels together; there is no parking brake |
| Get moving | A touch of throttle, about 5%, starts the jet rolling |
- At idle the jet does not creep from a standstill, but once rolling it coasts a long way: use the brakes to slow down.
- The brakes hold the jet up to about two-thirds throttle. At MIL power or in afterburner it slides forward with the brakes on.
- You can leave the runway and drive over flat ground, but it's bumpy.
- In a crosswind the jet turns its nose into the wind as it speeds up. Hold it straight with Q and E.
The take-off
- Line up on the centreline. Check the canopy is closed and locked (no amber CANOPY lamp): an open canopy is torn off above 250 km/h (136 kt).
- Flaps (F): down for a shorter run, recommended at the high airfields.
- Power: hold Shift. Full afterburner (MAX) gives the shortest run. MIL (85%, no afterburner) works on long runways near sea level.
- Steer with Q and E. Small inputs: the steering gets gentler as you speed up.
- Rotate at about 280 km/h (152 kt): pull back gently and raise the nose to about 10° on the pitch ladder. The jet flies off by itself at about 300 to 350 km/h (160 to 190 kt).
- Gear up (G) once you're climbing, and keep below 500 km/h (270 kt) until it is up.
- Flaps up (F) and ease the throttle back below 85% to leave the afterburner.
How much runway you need
Measured in FlightOut with the starting jet (about 24,800 kg, default missiles), no wind, rotating at 280 km/h to 10°:
| Airfield height | Power | Flaps | Lift-off speed | Ground run | To 15 m (50 ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea level | MAX | down | 320 km/h (173 kt) | 420 m | 700 m |
| Sea level | MIL | down | 308 km/h (166 kt) | 610 m | 940 m |
| Srinagar, 1,660 m (5,450 ft) | MAX | down | 314 km/h (170 kt) | 550 m | 870 m |
| Srinagar | MAX | up | 343 km/h (185 kt) | 650 m | 1,040 m |
| Srinagar | MIL | down | 303 km/h (164 kt) | 830 m | 1,210 m |
| Srinagar | MIL | up | 328 km/h (177 kt) | 960 m | 1,470 m |
| Leh, 3,265 m (10,710 ft) | MAX | down | 309 km/h (167 kt) | 740 m | 1,100 m |
| Leh | MIL | down | 299 km/h (161 kt) | 1,140 m | 1,580 m |
- Thin air costs runway. At Leh the same take-off needs nearly twice the run it does at sea level.
- Flaps cut the run by about 15% and lift-off comes about 25 to 30 km/h slower.
- Full afterburner cuts the run by about a third compared with MIL.
- A heavier jet (full fuel) needs more; a headwind needs less.
After take-off
Climb away and choose your heading. For the jet's speeds and limits in the air, see Speeds and limits. To let the jet fly itself, see Autopilot.
Checked against FlightOut 0.5.2.