Newcomer / Intro Direct vs Overshoot

[JoeDavidson456]

Hi,

In the random info department...

I was wondering which was the faster approach to a station: fly direct, or overshoot
zooming past, pulling a 180, and coming around.

In my totally unscientific sample (1 try each) I got:

Sol to Abe Linc, overshooting, 1' 47"

Sol to Abe Linc, direct, slightly pulse throttle on the way, then
stay at "ETA" 07 seconds (you can actually do 06 if you really
pay attention). Once my speed is in the blue, accelerate:
2' 00"

So apparently overshooting is quite a bit faster....

Fly safe!

--JoeD

 

[Maenden]

I've got a key bound to 75% power.
As you approach a station on full power wait until the time hits 8 seconds then press the 75% power key - the arrival time drops to 6 seconds and stays there.
As you get better you can wait until 7 seconds and then 6 before you hit the 75%

If you've missed it slightly and you're down to 5 seconds you might be able to recover by yawing left and right to increase the travel distance. (or up and down - as you prefer).

 

[Para Handy]

Overshooting is slower than using the 75% throttle at 0:06. Tho OP's "slightly pulse throttle on the way, then stay at "ETA" 07 seconds" is even slower.

A further method is to use the gravity well on arrival. This "gravity breaking" that some people espouse always felt longer to me, it just feels horrible to deliberately go full-tilt into a gravity well. Maybe if I tried to master it then I could change my mind but honestly it just doesn't seem worth the effort.

 

[Azreh Helas]

Overshooting is slower than using the 75% throttle at 0:06. Tho OP's "slightly pulse throttle on the way, then stay at "ETA" 07 seconds" is even slower.

A further method is to use the gravity well on arrival. This "gravity breaking" that some people espouse always felt longer to me, it just feels horrible to deliberately go full-tilt into a gravity well. Maybe if I tried to master it then I could change my mind but honestly it just doesn't seem worth the effort.

the only time ive been able to do anything like that is with gas giants, that works pretty well.

Anyway by this time in the game getting there on a direct approach is thing of pride for me hehe.

 

[Morbad]

Avoid mass shadows until the last minute, then use the nearest one or two to break on the way in, and deselect the destination for a moment, if you are still going too fast.

[video=youtube;X3VVz8dJHi8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3VVz8dJHi8[/video]

 

[jnTracks]

Avoid mass shadows until the last minute, then use the nearest one or two to break on the way in, and deselect the destination for a moment, if you are still going too fast.

This is interesting.

I've gotten stuck trying to break with a gas giant and going too close so I lose too much speed.

So this deselecting the station thing; that drops your speed faster? Why would that be?

 

[Morbad]

I've gotten stuck trying to break with a gas giant and going too close so I lose too much speed.

Takes a bit of practice to use mass shadows effectively, especially around larger planets, or ones that are landable.

So this deselecting the station thing; that drops your speed faster? Why would that be?

It's an oddity with how the navigation system works. Your target lock in SC significantly influences the max speed possible. Normally this helps you slow down, but if you are near larger object, it seems to help overcome that body's mass interference, so when you de select your target, you can use it to break faster instead.

 

[Lightspeed]

A loop can be quicker in the long run if it aligns you on the best side of the station, rather than faffing around trying to find the slot from the wrong side .... unless you are using a docking computer

 

[znôrt]

So apparently overshooting is quite a bit faster....

that totally depends on circumstances and execution. the only sure thing is that direct approach feels like forever. planet braking ftw!

 

[The Chairmaker]

The Helix of Death

 

[Ian Skippy]

The '7sec' rule is great for beginning pilots, but it doesn't capture the true nature of supercruise flight. Where you should be on the timer is dependent on distant and mass of planets you are flying close to. For example, if you fly towards a station that is orbiting a gas giant closely, you can typically go much faster than you'd think because the gas giant's mass will interfere with your FSD and act as a massive brake. Just be careful you dont overdo it and 'stall', which is when the clock increases as you break too much and you cant accelerate sufficiently due to the gravity well.

 

[JoeDavidson456]

Just revisited this post. Now of course using SC Assist, full throttle until 5 seconds, then throttle to blue (activating SC Assist) is very fast.

 

[Chris Simon]

Just revisited this post. Now of course using SC Assist, full throttle until 5 seconds, then throttle to blue (activating SC Assist) is very fast.

Also note that once your speed falls into the blue (the approach bars on bottom left side of the HUD), you can go back to full throttle for the rest of the approach, which still lets you exit the SC safely but is significantly quicker than continually shedding speed.
And IMO anybody who cares about the speed of approach shouldn't use SC assist in the first place.

 

[Para Handy]

Just revisited this post. Now of course using SC Assist, full throttle until 5 seconds, then throttle to blue (activating SC Assist) is very fast.

Necro of your own 2 year old thread....

 

[gorankar]

Nice Necro.

If my destination is more than 4-5 hundred Ls from my location, I curve over or under the meridian to get myself away from mass shadows, then head towards my destination and get it down to 6 seconds for the last little bit. There are faster ways of doing it, but that method is easy, reliable and almost always faster than just straight heading towards my destination.

 

[Sapyx]

Of course, the speed of the "overshoot" method does depend on how fast your ship can turn - which in turn depends directly on which ship you are flying. I suspect the overshoot method is considerably slower in the Lakon FlyingBrick class ships.

 

[Chris Simon]

Of course, the speed of the "overshoot" method does depend on how fast your ship can turn - which in turn depends directly on which ship you are flying. I suspect the overshoot method is considerably slower in the Lakon FlyingBrick class ships.

They are much better at gravity braking, though!
...albeit they slow down the planet, rather than themselves.

 

[Esteban]

Nice Necro.

If my destination is more than 4-5 hundred Ls from my location, I curve over or under the meridian to get myself away from mass shadows, then head towards my destination and get it down to 6 seconds for the last little bit. There are faster ways of doing it, but that method is easy, reliable and almost always faster than just straight heading towards my destination.

...and the trick of veering off course until speed begins to drop can be used effectively too. I find myself refining that technique a lot. Perhaps it's just more interesting than the (admittedly) reliable technique that I'm sure countless CMDRs often employ, including me. Other than perhaps messing up a perfectly-aligned drop from SC, it's not difficult and doesn't cost much in terms of lost time if not done perfectly (what ever that might be).

I'm often more upset if I drop un-aligned with the mail slot than I am if it took me a bit longer - that's me.

 

[gorankar]

Mail slot alignment skills, and the ability to land quickly, are important if you are wanted, or smuggling.

 

[JoeDavidson456]

Also note that once your speed falls into the blue (the approach bars on bottom left side of the HUD), you can go back to full throttle for the rest of the approach, which still lets you exit the SC safely but is significantly quicker than continually shedding speed.
And IMO anybody who cares about the speed of approach shouldn't use SC assist in the first place.

Hi -- true what you say about being in the blue, and --- sounds like you haven't tried the SC Assist method I'm pointing at -- if you do it right, you get an emergency drop, speeding like a bat out of h*ll towards the station, USS, or what have you. It's really cool and very very fast! Almost as fast as navlock on a wing mate.