Noob Question - CEM and Prop

[Verhängnis]

1) Sets the amount of fuel added to the intake airflow. At higher altitudes the air pressure (and therefore the oxygen level) declines so the fuel volume must also be reduced to give the correct air/fuel mixture. This process is known as "leaning". Too much fuel and your engine can overheat, produce less horsepower and possibly explode. Methane for instance must have a proper fuel air mixture or it won't combust - in an aero engine it has to combust efficiently to produce the most power and not damage the engine. Basically your cordial - water ratio.

2) Radiator allows cold air to cool the fluids (Coolant) in the engine to maintain optimal temperature. Too little heat to start your engine - close the radiator, too hot, open it up or your engine will overheat, boil and you will have oil all over your canopy.

3) Propellor pitch ofcourse affects thrust output being how much air is 'caught' by the blades. More prop pitch, more air is caught = higher RPM, lower pitch = less air caught = lower RPM.
In diving or high speed engagements you will need to lower the prop pitch in order to avoid exceeding the engine RPM limits, if your engine 'over-revs' then it will damage the gears and shafts and you will destroy the shaft.

Atleast this is how I would describe these things.

[Charly_Owl]

Great! That pretty much explains it all. Thanks Verhängnis!

[Kodoss]

@Verhängnis:

Too much fuel and your engine can overheat, produce less horsepower and possibly explode.

This statement is wrong. Actually it's the opposite. Less fuel and your temp gets higher until it's decline again because it's get to lean. You can also use a little bit more fuel to cool down the cylinder walls, but you lose power by rising fuel consumption.

[louisv]

Think you are drving a bicycle, propeller pitch is like your speeds on a bike...

If you are climbing, go to easy speed...fine pitch

If you are going straight and level, you will gain speed by going to harder speeds...coarse pitch.

There are 3 types of props (and the 2 pitch on the hurricane), fixed, variable and CSP (constant speed prop). The CSP automatically keeps the same RPM all the time, so its like an automatic transmission, no need to change it as often (ex: spit IIa)...generally not during a digfight. With the variable (non-CSP), there is more work to do (ex: Bf-109)

[AdamB]

Originally Posted by louisv

Think you are drving a bicycle, propeller pitch is like your speeds on a bike...

If you are climbing, go to easy speed...fine pitch

If you are going straight and level, you will gain speed by going to harder speeds...coarse pitch.

There are 3 types of props (and the 2 pitch on the hurricane), fixed, variable and CSP (constant speed prop). The CSP automatically keeps the same RPM all the time, so its like an automatic transmission, no need to change it as often (ex: spit IIa)...generally not during a digfight. With the variable (non-CSP), there is more work to do (ex: Bf-109)

Basically a higher prop pitch increases the displacement of the air in front of the propellor towards that rear of the prop. It does this by spinning through the air at a greater angle (in relation to the prop and the direction of the air flowing through the prop) However increasing the prop pitch cause more drag because more airflow will be rebounding off the trailing edge of the prop thus you should only use a high prop pitch when ascending because youll have a lower airspeed so you need more pulling force from the prop to maintain the climb and because of the lower speeds the effect of drag is limited because the force of the air hitting the greater surface area of the prop is less because of thhe lack of speed. >>> the opposite occurs when decending.

Hope this answers it for you, im not sure this is a gr8 explination but then again us physics lot are never good at explaining. Just take my word.

Adam

[Ataros]

Fine prop pitch (low) is indicated as 100% (highest RPM) in game info window.
Coarse (high) as 0% (lowest RPM).

[DoolittleRaider]

Originally Posted by Ataros

Fine prop pitch (low) is indicated as 100% (highest RPM) in game info window.
Coarse (high) as 0% (lowest RPM).

Okay. With a Spit, I move the pitch lever fully forward (with cockpit mouse control). Fully forward shows in info window as 100%. I can take off...etc. After MUCH trial and error, I have finally set a key command (#2 in my case) which in Controls is "Increase Pitch".Using that I can move the lever forward variably to 100%, decreasing pitch, for takeoff or at any time in flight when I need to go to Fine prop pitch..climbing, landing, etc.

So, moving to Fine Pitch, one is actually Decreasing the Pitch, but to make the Spit lever work correctly and to actually Decrease the Pitch to FINE, I have to use a "key" tagged as "Increase Pitch??? wtf I won't even ask why lowest , finest pitch is identified in info window as 100%? double wtf!

I am obviously missing something here.

It gets worse...or maybe better:
With the 109, I can use the mouse to move the Pitch lever upward [identified as "DECREASE Pitch], until the prop pitch gauge gets to 12:00...Which is Fine (low) Prop pitch. [The Info window gives no reading as to Percentage!] I can take off. VERY LOGICAL.

Also, in the case of the 109, the key I assigned (#1 in this case) to DECREASE prop pitch (to go to Fine) actually WORKS correctly. [In the Spit, that 'Decrease Pitch' key results in Increasing the pitch to Coarse!!!!!]

After many hours trying to sort this out, it appears therefore, that the Spit Controls assignment is Porked...Reversed for the Spit. To DECREASE Prop Pitch, one actually has to use the key assigned for INCREASE Prop Pitch. wtf

Does any of this make sense? help!