When Reality Attacks

[TMac3000]

Now, I'm sure that anyone who has attempted manual reentry with a DG-IV has discovered that you must not take your hands off the stick (or keyboard) during the critical phase (40-60 km, hull temp about 1600 or so), not even to pause the simulation. I have learned this lesson enough times, always in a disasterous way, that it has finally sunk in.

So, today, I was putting the finishing touches on what would have been my first completely successful all-manual check ride in the DG-IV. I was at Max-Q around 50 km, and finally starting to cool off, when the phone rang. Knowing what would happen, but also that I could not avoid it, I hissed, cussed, pitched a fit, paused the sim, and answered what turned out to be a telemarketing call.

I hung up on said imp, unpaused, and sure enough tumbled out of control and got pimp-slapped by a couple hundred cubic meters of nitrogen

 

[SiberianTiger]

Your next rite of passage will be reentering from a hypebolic speed with just manual controls... And, heh, you won't be able to use the DG-IV's autopilot anyway, because it simple doesn't allow reentering inverted!

 

[Andy44]

This is what voicemail and answering machines are for.

Remember: Orbiter comes first! Girlfriends and telephones are for the pathetic 2-Dimensionals.

 

[TMac3000]

Heh Heh, had it been my girlfriend, I wouldn't have posted this ranty little thread. She's more than worth a toasted Glider (What's that? Ah, I hear the ghosts of my toasted crew vociferously disagreeing).

 

[RisingFury]

Reduce time to 0.1 before you take the hands off the stick to pause. That'll give you enough time, believe me.

 

[TMac3000]

Reduce time to 0.1 before you take the hands off the stick to pause. That'll give you enough time, believe me.

I'll take that advice next time.

In other news, today I finally did it A completely manual check ride, from APU pre-start to reentry to touchdown at the Cape. One more like that and I will be satisfied with myself!

 

[PaulG]

During reentry...I'm a Ctrl-S freak. I know there is an add-on to autosave...

 

[Ghostrider]

When reality attacks the only thing to do is to fight back, hard. Seriously, man: if you ever let reality take over your life, you'll never be able to get rid of it.

 

[Andy44]

When reality attacks the only thing to do is to fight back, hard. Seriously, man: if you ever let reality take over your life, you'll never be able to get rid of it.

That almost sounds like something Jeff Spicolli would say, if he weren't too stoned to put the thought together.

 

[Ark]

When reality attacks the only thing to do is to fight back, hard. Seriously, man: if you ever let reality take over your life, you'll never be able to get rid of it.

Words to live by.

 

[orionexplorer]

Reduce time to 0.1 before you take the hands off the stick to pause. That'll give you enough time, believe me.

I wish I would have thought of that along time ago. :lol: