Tutorial Aerobrake MFD

NASA1024

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Hi Its me again with another question. Can anyone show me how I can use the Aerobrake MFD. I read the instructions and I downloaded the MFD, I just don't how I can use the MFD properly to land the space shuttle. I really want to transition from AutoFCS to manual control. Thanks a lot.

P.S. A step by step checklist would be nice. Also I don't want to be offensive to the person who made this MFD. It really is a useful MFD. I just don't know to use it.
 

Tommy

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I'm away from home at the moment, so I may be getting the buttons wrong - but here goes the condensed version.

Open AerobrakeMFD, press TGT. Type "cape canaveral" (without the quotation marks) into the dialog box. Press the MOD button once (or until Graph/Map mode is displayed - look in upper left). Press PRJ until the map is shown (looks very much like MapMFD).

Once you are below 200k altitude, Aerobrake will begin calculating your course - assuming you hold the same AoA and bank. It has autopilots that will assist you in maintaining either or both. This course is displayed on the map by a green line.

You can re-enter on target by adjusting your pitch and bank until the line ends on canaveral, then locking in the APs and just ride it out (note: you may bounce up a bit this way, but you'll end up where the line ends - more or less)

If you want to do an authentic style re-entry, use bank to control descent rate, and use Aerobrake to help time the turns and descent rate. It's harder this way, but a bit of practice and you'll get it right.

Done successfully, you should be making the transition to normal flight (not high AoA re-entry) at about 20k alt, and around 800 m/s positioned for a HAC turn.

Just above the map in Aerobrake is a small cross hair which helps fine tune the approach, and the distance from the end-of-line and the base is displayed at the bottom. Use these to offset your approach - I usually like to cross the runway about 25k from Canaveral at a right angle, then use the HAC to bleed off the last of the excess airspeed and align.
 
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