Profile image

High Altitude Flight.

29.6k Sakorsky  2.1 years ago

In SimplePlanes, high altitude flights are difficult and when your plane gets to a certain altitude, the plane becomes difficult to control and would sometimes result in loss of control.

Questions are: why? Why is it like that? And how? How do I make high altitude flights possible without my plane being difficult to control?

  • Log in to leave a comment
  • Profile image
    29.6k Sakorsky

    Thanks everyone for your comments or your future comments!

    Pinned 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    Its likely that you are flying too slow, Air density is lower at higher altitudes leading to less airflow over the wings which reduces their performance and effectiveness of their control surfaces.
    You may either need to Increase engine power, reduce drag or even reduce weight.


    Using IAS(Indicated Air Speed) essentially tells you how fast air is moving over your wings, TAS is your speed relative to the air you're flying through and GS is your speed relative to the ground.

    Pinned 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    29.6k Sakorsky

    Sorry is this sounds like a stupid question, I want to make a high altitude reconnaissance plane.

    Pinned 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    Reducing weight won't change anything, but you can either add lift (bigger wings and stabs) or increase speed, because more speed = more lift.
    For example two very high flying planes :
    -The Mig 31, doesn't have wings that big, but goes very fast so at high altitude it generates enough lift.
    -The U2, doesn't fly that fast, but has long ass wings that generate a lot of lift.

    As the others said, this is due to the air being thinner the more you go UP.

    So SP physics are actually pretty good, understanding how things work make it easier to admit.

    +2 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    29.6k Sakorsky

    @StugnaATGM if only I could make it work bruh

    +1 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    Using Thrust vectoring should work

    +2 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    4,381 Stanmich

    IAS is your calling card for controllability. IAS stands for Indicated Air Speed, but its very good at standardizing the rate of control ingame. 200kts IAS at 2000ft is equal in controlling to 200kts IAS at 10000ft.

    +1 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image

    To increase high-altitude maneuverability, your aircraft either needs to travel faster or have less weight. This has worked in my experience.
    Greater wingspan is also helpful if the aircraft doesn't need to go very fast.

    +1 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    17.7k FlirBlitz

    As Bryan5 said, the air gets thinner, thus reducing drag. You need drag for ailerons and flaps to work.

    +1 2.1 years ago
  • Profile image
    26.7k Bryan5

    This is because there is less air at high altitude, resulting in less drag and that's why the plane because harder to control.

    +1 2.1 years ago