F-18 Range

[Flork]

I haven't seen much about the range of the Hornet in cross-country flight.  I'm trying to prep this beautiful bird for some work in the upcoming round-the-world race. Anybody have input about best altitude/power settings for maximum range/speed with full tanks?

For example I took her up last light and flew 955 miles at 32000 ft, cruise power was the first afterburner setting (FF 1800 I believe). Was making 460 kts IAS. I'd like to try to get 1300 miles out of her though....

[virtuali]

You can use the FPAS page on the DDI, to help you optimizing your range. Try different altitude and power settings, and see how the projected endurance changes.

[Flork]

Thanks, I'm actually pretty good at flying the FPAS and am in the process of tweaking my performance sheet on this aircraft-just wondering if anyone else has done the work already.

I have learned that you don't want to come down from altitude too soon-becomes a gas hog real fast.  I'm thinking fly high and slower than the posted cruise (580 KIAS), and dive sharply with speedbrakes to the destination airport for max range.

[Great Ozzie]

Hey Flork,

If you come up with Altitudes/Power Settings you like... would you mind posting them here?

I was trying to do something similiar with the F-18.  I flew (or was trying to) from Reykjavík (BIRK) to Alert, Canada (CYLT) via Nerlerit Inaat Airport (BGCO) at 35,000 (no AB whatsoever) but I ran out of fuel about about 30NM from Alert.

So... for now I have gone back to the Lear45 because of it's great speed and long legs.  Fwiw, in the Lear I fly at 43,000 or 44,000ft at .79M.  On max range flights, I do the same re: descent.  I wait as long as possible for just the reason you said... fuel efficiency up high.

Rob O.

[Flork]

Rob, took a test flight today. My primary setting has been the first afterburner setting.  If you just barely hit the afterburner you will see the fuel flow actually drop.  In AB there seem to be three different flow settings. The first setting is very fuel efficient.

Departing with 10639 gals of fuel:

Climb 5 degrees up in 1st AB setting (620 KIAS at 6000 ft, FF=3500)
to 40000 ft, FF at same setting drops to 1300, 380 KIAS

Cruise at 380 KIAS (no tailwind GS was approx 700 knts)
Total climb used 750 gals of fuel
Range at FF 1300 Alt 40000 380 KIAS = 2230 miles to bingo!

Was able to make a 1350 nautical mile flight (Denver to Philly) with 4500 gals of fuel remaining.

I believe that by tweaking my descent profile (seems to be where the most fuel is burned) and finding the optimum cruise altitude will allow me to make a 2000 mile flight and remain 600 knots+ groundspeed.

Will run some trials this week and post results.

Anyone want to take the challenge? Who can get the greatest range out of the Hornet?

Flork

[SUBS17]

The most you should really get is about 1546Nm if you're clean the Hornet has quite a short range and its funny the afterburners in stage 1 would be economical but at high altitude it probably does make a difference. One thing you can do is make a late descent into the airfield such as a tactical approach(only without the corkscrew) in that way you burn less fuel and through out the descent you're idling just about. A good range to start descent is about 35Nm from 30+  that might help you get a little further. I use it sometimes if I've used too much afterburner in a dogfight(or avoiding SAMs) in Falcon on rtb. While the rest of the guys descend about 40Nm out sometimes I've been known to overtake them doing that.

[Flork]

Thanks, good advice SUBS. Yeah, I think I might have discovered a bug.  In that 1st AB setting with some tweaking I'm now getting 3000 miles to 0 lbs at altitude. As we speak I'm doing a coast to coast flight.  I've looked up the ferry distance myself and you're right on-about 1500 miles is all that should be possible.  I've got a buddy who is a RL Hornet pilot, will pick his brain about this next time he's on leave.

[Great Ozzie]

Ahahahahahaha

Ok Flork I really appreciate knowing that.  Man yes I "think" that is a "bug"... or maybe is just an "enhanced" engine setting for FSX.  Man that was a terrific catch!  This just goes to show how important it is to pay attention to the aircraft one is flying; what it is actually doing, instead of what one expects it to be doing.  You ever think about becoming a test pilot? hehe

I mean going from 1.1M w/FF=14,900lbs/eng to 1.2M in AB w/FF=6400lbs/eng (this was Clear Skies theme @ 1000'MSL)... yes some darn fine fuel efficiency there! And just by dumping it into the tailpipe!  "Burner cans!  We don't need no stinkin' burner cans!"

Btw I got FF down to 700lbs/hr/eng by going a "little" higher over Hawaii (at lighter weights)... Man what a trip!  Dang I would have never crashed short of Alert and could have even gone Direct from Reykjavík!

I tried to figure out a good descent profile, using idle/~68% N2/your enhanced engine setting and combinations of those... nothing I am terribly excited about.  I was getting anywhere from 50NM with just 200lbs burned to about 125NM with ~500lbs.

Btw, Christchurch Intl (NZCH) to McMurdo Station (NZPG) is a walk in the park with that 1st Stage AB setting (about 2100NM).  I was trying Barnstable Mun. (KHYA on Cape Cod) to Le Bourget (LFPB) but am at a deficit upon reaching cruise altitude and don't know if the burned fuel enroute (weight reduction) and the descent can compensate (it's about 3000NM).  HAHA

(Btw shhh don't tell the developer!)

Rob O.

[SUBS17]

Reminds of another sim I use where in one version you could fly to the 4 corners of the map on full afterburner without running out of fuel. In the other mod of that sim afterburner only allows a couple of minutes and then you're a flying brick. The reality of the Hornet is it has quite a short range so requires inflight refuelling for big trips. Maybe thats what you guys need is a tanker.

[WilliamCall]

Not sure if you guys are aware of this, but you can add additional fuel to the Hornet by updating the [fuel] section in the aircraft.cfg file.  I've added an additional fuel tank, simulating carrying an external centerline tank.  Of course the visual model isn't correct, but the flight model recognizes the additional fuel.  The total fuel on the integrated engine fuel gauge shows the increased fuel as well as the total fuel on the fuel page of the MFD.  Unfortunately, the bar graphs at the bottom of the MFD fuel page do not work (indicating the amount of external fuel).  Listed below is what I have in the [fuel] section:


[fuel]
//----------Fwd/Aft------L-R------Vert----Capacity---Unusable---
LeftAux   =  -24.5000,  0.0000,  2.5000, 418,0000, 0.0000   ;Tank 1   
LeftMain  =  -27.0000,  0.0000,  2.5000, 263.0000, 0.0000   ;Tank 2   
RightMain =  -32.0000,  0.0000,  2.5000, 206.0000, 0.0000   ;Tank 3   
RightAux  =  -36.5000,  0.0000,  2.0000, 532.0000, 0.0000   ;Tank 4   
LeftTip   =  -35.3000, -5.5000,  1.0000,  85.0000, 0.0000   ;Lt Wing 
RightTip  =  -35.3000,  5.5000,  1.0000,  85.0000, 0.0000   ;Rt Wing 
Center1   =  -35.3000,  0.0000, -1.0000, 330.0000, 0.0000   ;Ext CL 
//Center2   =  -35.3000,  3.5000, -1.0000, 150.0000, 0.0000   ;Rt Wing 
//Center3   =  -35.3000, -3.5000, -1.0000, 200.0000, 0.0000   ;Lt Wing 
//External1 =  -35.3000,  7.0000, -1.0000, 250.0000, 0.0000   ;Rt Wing 
//External2 =  -35.3000, -7.0000, -1.0000, 300.0000, 0.0000   ;Lt Wing 




The X, Y, Z locations of the external tanks are only approximations.  I need to do more research t get better coordinates.

[tutmeister]

Although I am using the XLOAD F/A-18 with extended range tanks as above, there is not much difference in the two, I've been told - so I recently flew from KNKX (Miramar MCAS) to HKJK (Nairobi, Kenya). I went via Goose Bay, Lajes, Algiers and onwards and managed to get a mach 0.87/500 KIAS cruise at FL400 at 78% N1. So that's just below first stage afterburner and I managed just over 2000 miles each leg by researching the real world winds at altitude and making sure I used them to my advantage. With a 100kts tailwind, things become a lot more manageable! So FL400 is not necessarily the one to go for, but ground speed increases with a tailwind and generally wind increases with height, so I'd try and get as high as you can (as long as you check the weather first ).

[fael097]

xload ftw!

[SUBS17]

Not sure if you guys are aware of this, but you can add additional fuel to the Hornet by updating the [fuel] section in the aircraft.cfg file.  I've added an additional fuel tank, simulating carrying an external centerline tank.  Of course the visual model isn't correct, but the flight model recognizes the additional fuel.  The total fuel on the integrated engine fuel gauge shows the increased fuel as well as the total fuel on the fuel page of the MFD.  Unfortunately, the bar graphs at the bottom of the MFD fuel page do not work (indicating the amount of external fuel).  Listed below is what I have in the [fuel] section:


[fuel]
//----------Fwd/Aft------L-R------Vert----Capacity---Unusable---
LeftAux   =  -24.5000,  0.0000,  2.5000, 418,0000, 0.0000   ;Tank 1   
LeftMain  =  -27.0000,  0.0000,  2.5000, 263.0000, 0.0000   ;Tank 2   
RightMain =  -32.0000,  0.0000,  2.5000, 206.0000, 0.0000   ;Tank 3   
RightAux  =  -36.5000,  0.0000,  2.0000, 532.0000, 0.0000   ;Tank 4   
LeftTip   =  -35.3000, -5.5000,  1.0000,  85.0000, 0.0000   ;Lt Wing 
RightTip  =  -35.3000,  5.5000,  1.0000,  85.0000, 0.0000   ;Rt Wing 
Center1   =  -35.3000,  0.0000, -1.0000, 330.0000, 0.0000   ;Ext CL 
//Center2   =  -35.3000,  3.5000, -1.0000, 150.0000, 0.0000   ;Rt Wing 
//Center3   =  -35.3000, -3.5000, -1.0000, 200.0000, 0.0000   ;Lt Wing 
//External1 =  -35.3000,  7.0000, -1.0000, 250.0000, 0.0000   ;Rt Wing 
//External2 =  -35.3000, -7.0000, -1.0000, 300.0000, 0.0000   ;Lt Wing 




The X, Y, Z locations of the external tanks are only approximations.  I need to do more research t get better coordinates.

Only problem is it won't take into account the extra drag.

[Flork]

That's funny, with the extra tank maybe I can get around the world once!  I've taken SUBS advice and get 25-30 miles out, cut throttle and DIVE at the airport, using speed brake as necessary.  Gets me in for a nice, low fuel approach.  Went from San Diego to North Carolina on one tank of gas. Think I've found my sweet spot. I basically hit the 1st AB settiing and set altitude for whatever range I need on the FPAS.  Shorter flights get lower altitude and faster airspeeds. 

[SUBS17]

Yeah a mission profile Hi/Low/Hi is basically cruise to the tgt area at high altitude, drop down to low level for last 60miles bomb the tgt then fly back 60 miles and climb back to cruising height. distance maybe further depending on SAM/AAA sites etc.