homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation DCS World DCS: MiG-21Bis Disconnect drag chute after landing?

How do you disconnect the drag chute? I've tried with both the cockpit button and the keyboard shortcut, but no luck...
Thanks!

Raise the switch cover over the button before pressing it. The cover inhibits all actuation of the switch, click or keyboard. I raise the cover prior to final approach so it's one less step to disconnect.

Ideally jett the chute as you are turning off onto the taxiway which is where the ground crew is that runs onto the highway to collect your discarded clothing. Sporty fellows.

Good idea to raise the cover during landing preparations. Thanks for the tip Frederd!
I downloaded the latest install (MIG-21BIS_1.2.14) and it works fine now. Perhaps it was a bug?

Now the landing gear seems incredibly weak, but that's another story I guess...

The entire landing gear is rather WIP at the moment, so it might change in the future.

Hmmm, I have not managed to break my landing gear for a while. Maybe you put her down too hard? Leatherneck are still tweaking everything but with the correct procedures there shouldn't be problems with the landing gear.

My procedure is as follows:

Descent to 600m, gear down and landing lights on at 600km/h. Flaps down at 500km/h, reduce speed to 340km/h-360km/h IAS. Start approach at 10km distance, 600m AGL, 340km/h-360km/h IAS, 80%-90% Engine RPM, 5m/s descent. Fly her all the way down to the runway and keep the speed at or above 340km/h but under 360km/h (at higher speeds the BLC System will disengage and your aircraft will drop 20m-30m)
320km/h-340km/h over the threshold. Reduce descent to 1m/s-2m/s and slow down, never reduce throttle below 60%RPM before touchdown - I usually leave it around 80% until my main landing gear is on the ground. Touchdown at 270km/h-300km/h (depending on weight), throttle to idle, air brakes out, flaps up, keep the nose up for aero-braking.
If you hit the numbers you won't even need the chute on most runways but always use it when you have rocket pods under the wings.

That's a good guide. I recall that almost 5m/s decent rate was possible at landing when the Fishbed was new, but since then I've reverted to ensuring it's only 1m/s. One of the keys is definitely a high RPM, I recall having it as high as 93% on one of my better landings.

That's an awesome guide Derby! Thanks a lot!
1m/s!! My landings were probably on the 3m/s so I guess I have some homework to do...

If "m" is "mile" than I'm probably coming in at 1m/s.



The Jedi Master

LOL

I think I'm getting the hang of this. You have to land it like a Glider: Come high and fast!

Landing the Fishbed is super difficult. The proper touchdown at 280 kmph is not something I have confidence in. I know it helps a lot to be at the exact right fuel and external weight. The maximum landing weights in the real manual are intense, there's a slim margin between max landing and emergency fuel levels. With all the drag devices, gear and flaps you simply cannot climb so planning ahead is super important. Throttle is very high for approach 80-90% and not that much lower for touchdown, maybe 60%.

80%+ Throttle for high wing-loaded turbojet fighters with swept wings during landings is rather typical. The induced drag near stall speed is quite high, but is right where you want to be so you can land at the lowest possible speed. Pure deltas with no canard or elevator can't use landing flaps and therefore have it even worse.

You have enough fuel for one or two go arounds with the restrictions from the manual. With the 500l restriction for a landing with rocket pods you get no more than two attempts at landing but it can get really close. If you need to abort only use AB if you really need to and stay between 340km/h-360km/h for the go around to keep the BLC System active - if it disengages your AoA will increase a lot and you'll need more power and consume more fuel.

Important for the go around:
Either go faster than 360km/h right after the abort or stay at or below 360km/h during the go around to avoid the BLCS from disengaging. I think it disengages around 380-400km/h but I haven't actually watched out for it. The 360km/h number is from the manual so imagine there are safety margins.
I like to stay at or below 360km/h for the go around. Just remember to add additional power during turns and take your time.

~280km/h is a very comfortable speed for touchdown. Just make sure you follow the procedure. My best landings are always below 290km/h at touchdown, even with rocket pods. It's the speed at which the aircraft will stay on the ground once you reduce throttle to idle and you can easily keep the nose up for aero-braking without worrying about scraping the tail or taking off again.

With a light aircraft, say ~500l with a clean config, ~270km/h feels best. Any faster and the aircraft wants to take off again.

Great reference Derby, I am right along with you. Many of the shorter runway's like Glen and Novo I MUST use my chute but Vody Mozdok Suckumi Sochi they are all long enough I aero it and air break it to get it below 250km then start breaking easy... the rollout is a little long but its smooth.

Hey fellas, I liked reading this post. I want to share an experience I had last night. I messed up the landing(trying to rush it) and pranged my right main gear. Luckily I could go round. I used the emergency gear out key and came back in and put her down very gently. I popped the chute soon as she touched and then got on the brakes. She swerved off the runway with one wheel semi retracted but no body scraping or nothing. Again I got lucky that nothing was in the way. I bounced a few times but came to a halt with a very healthy Mig on the grass. I will be sure to keep that key handy as it saved my virtual life.
So to be on subject, I wait until I am nearly stopped to disconnect the chute. I use X-55. Brake lever is Brakes, Brake lever plus Ctrl deploys chute and Brake lever plus Shift disconnects it. I have ctrl and shift on my Hotas so hands never leave the joy and throttle while landing.

Super Big Thanks Derby. This is good stuff. You sound like you eat, and breathe Mig-21

Happy Days,

Does anyone know if the real Mig 21 pops the speed brakes after landing? Common on F15 and F16 landings but didn't see it mentioned in the manual.

Update: Just watched the available landing videos (real) on YouTube. Only saw one approach with the speed brakes extended, hard to tell what they do after touchdown.

I have not seen this on video. However as the Speed brakes button is so handy, I pop them soon as I pop the chute. So its... It down pop chute, pop brakes, wheel brakes....pray.. When Im slow release chute.

This one keeps us busy!