Problem Aerobrake MFD Save opition

[Brad]

Reading the AEROBRAKE MFD documentation it states that you can save the aerodynamic features of your specific craft by pressing the SH (SHIFT) and S key. It also states the file will be written into the same directory that the *.dll is located in.

I have been trying this with using both the left or right MFD slots with no luck. Anyone have any idea on how to do this or if this features works?

 

[Tommy]

Are you sure it hasn't saved? This should create a .ld file in the orbiter\Modules\Plugin directory. Also, note that Aerobrake doesn't take the atmosphere into consideration until you are below 200k altitude. Trying to save a .ld before the vessel has entered the atmosphere (giving Aerobrake a chance to gather the data needed to create a lift/drag profile for that vessel) won't prouce any usable result.

Use the shift key on the same side as the MFD. In otherwords, if Aerobrake is in the right MFD, use the right side shift key. It will not work if Aerobrake is in a "center" or "extra" MFD, or an external MFD.

 

[Brad]

Thank you, as a point of clarification is this done AFTER or BEFORE reentry?

 

[Peskie]

Thank you, as a point of clarification is this done AFTER or BEFORE reentry?

In my experience it saves the recorded lift+drag data for each 1 degree of AOA observed. Therefore you want to put your craft into it's typical entry config (e.g. typically the airbrake is not deployed, the numbers will be different if it is) and once you've entered thick enough atmosphere you want to run the craft through all the angle of attacks. Go to the "Lift and Drag" page and check that the graph is reasonably smooth before saving.

One way of easily doing this without damaging your craft (assuming it has wing stress or heating damage) is to use the scenario editor to place your vessel ~50km up at a slow enough speed that it won't be stressed and with a level horizon slowly run through possitive and negative angles of attack. If you are using a vessel that can launch/take-off and then get into landing config (e.g. you're not using a capsule reentry vessel that launches from a booster) you can just take off, build up some speed and altitude, shut off the engines and enter reentry config and run through all the angles of attack and save the data.

If you want to use AeroBrake's autopilot and find that it doesn't controll your vessel smoothly you can tweak the last lines of the generated *.ld file to adjust it's PID algorithm.

 

[Brad]

Hummm, I must be doing something wrong here...no matter what I do, I can not get a *.ld file to save. It is like the SHIFT S does not work. I have done this with autopilot and without autopilot and run through all AoA's with no corresponding *.ld file. I have pressed the SHIFT S before, during, and after each scenario, nothing....