Ships Beluga Tail-fin Anxiety

[Aeionyx]

Having recently acquired the Beluga I'm finding the the tail-fins to be a pain in the butt when docking; literally and figuratively, as they're prone to snagging in the mail-slot. Until recently I'd been out of the game for quite a while so can't say my docking ability is the sharpest but I've had no problems with my Anaconda & Type-9.

I've recently started passenger rescue missions from damaged stations (a game mechanic I've not played before) and the fins are causing me grief - on one occasion I got stuck and was unable to free myself, resulting in gaining fines and becoming wanted before being destroyed, following which I respawned on a penal colony around 750ly away. Lovely.

Does anyone have a tried and tested technique for manually docking the Beluga without snagging? Please note in advance that "git gud" isn't a helpful answer!

Thanks

o7

 

[GeoJase]

Use the Auto Docking Computer (obviously not at the damaged station) and go into external camera. Observe how the ADC places the ship.

You can also lower your landing gear, which folds your tail fin down at the same time.

 

[Aeionyx]

Use the Auto Docking Computer (obviously not at the damaged station) and go into external camera. Observe how the ADC places the ship.

You can also lower your landing gear, which folds your tail fin down at the same time.

Good suggestion re: watching auto dock - I'll give that a go.

I have tried with the landing gear down but that seemed to make it worse, although I've basically been trying to scrape the bottom of the mail-slot everytime so perhaps I need to try to line up slightly higher but with the gear down. At least worth a try.

 

[Factabulous]

Lots of passenger missions with criminals, lots of station rescues - now I don't bash the slot. Sadly the advice is basically 'git gud', no alternative to practice and seeing what works better.

(And yes, I lost by first Beluga on my first undock, jammed in the slot - it does get better )

 

[Aeionyx]

Lots of passenger missions with criminals, lots of station rescues - now I don't bash the slot. Sadly the advice is basically 'git gud', no alternative to practice and seeing what works better.

(And yes, I lost by first Beluga on my first undock, jammed in the slot - it does get better )

Yeah, I get that - I was perhaps hoping in vain that there would be an easily repeatable trick to it! Think I'm getting the hang of it now though - still just the one ship lost, and less snagging now.

 

[Cpt Shadow Wolfe]

when coming into the dock, you have to have the nose close to the bottom of the entry, if you tried to center into the chute, then you are to high, and you have to keep on in a straight line until you are inside, don't go up or down, or even turn. I use my maneuvering thrusters, and I tried to keep my speed around a 100 or better, if I go too slow, I tend to always get stuck. But, then I'm used to ferrying illegal passengers so try to get in quick before anyone can scan me, so I always do fast dockings. Once inside I cut throttle to zero and let the auto dock finish the rest of the maneuvering.

If I get stuck, and it happens sometimes, I use the maneuvering thrusters up and down, left and right till I figure out which will get me free. But usually don't get stuck if I keep my speed up thru the chute.

 

[Nadreck]

Most Beluga mailslot issues can be solved by toggling Flight Assist Off as you pass through the slot.

When you get "stuck", what generally happens is that you've become pinned to something by your own thrusters: the station is moving, and your thrusters are trying and failing to counter that. Fa-Off and bounce off.

 

[leeG]

I’ve found it best with a Beluga to be just slightly lower than the center of the slot. Nose too low and you get snagged on the bottom. The Beluga is the reason I have an advanced docking computer. With the latest HCS Voice packs I just tell Verity to “Take us out” or to “Take us in” and she handles everything.

For rescues at burning stations I use my Python fitted with economy class cabins and multiple heat sinks.