Please help me get my massive Anaconda into that tiny slot

DR Smith

D
I've been playing ED for about a year and I thought I was a good pilot, at least with small and medium craft - but I recently bought an Anaconda and it's such a beast!!!
I keep getting stuck in the slot.
I've lost two of them by being shot up in a station just trying to leave and it's getting expensive with insurance around 19M a time.
OK Stop laughing now! [mad]. I'm OK flying in to a station but leaving it seems to be a different story. Even with the landing gear up, the ship only just fits through.
Using the external cams help - but I still make a mess of it 80% of the time.
I've left a station around 40 times and experience doesn't seem to be improving my performance. I must be doing something basically wrong.
Please give me some tips (people who post comments like "learn to fly" are not clever).
 

DaMorgs

DaMorgs
As a rule, the cockpit needs to be almost scraping the top of the mailslot. It goes without saying that slow and steady is the best approach.

The nose has a small 'pole' sticking up from it, keep then as central as possible as you fly towards the mail slot.

It takes a bit of practice, I remember having the same issues.

Wait until you get a Cutter lol
 

ITZC0ATL

ITZC0ATL
Yep, almost scrape the top. Another trick I found, as a recent learner to fitting my Anaconda through the mail slot, is that it's also quite important to make sure the ship is lined up straight with the slot. It drifts a bit so you can scrape it if you try to make adjustments while going through.

So yeah, straight as you can, cockpit very close to the top, steady speed.
 

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead
As stated, aim high.
The Anaconda has a fat belly, and you're seated at the very top of the ship. So aim to skim the top of the docking slot. :)

Gear up might help, but watch your speed.

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead
 

Daniel Cloudsifter

Daniel Cloudsifter
Yes, as several have already stated, aim high - just short of scraping your ceiling on the top of the slot.

Also, you might want to put a docking computer in temporarily. Watch how the computer fits your ship through the dock. Once you've seen it done enough times, turn the computer off, and try it yourself. When you can do it proficiently, remove the computer. :)
 

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead
Daniel Cloudsifter said:
Yes, as several have already stated, aim high - just short of scraping your ceiling on the top of the slot.

Also, you might want to put a docking computer in temporarily. Watch how the computer fits your ship through the dock. Once you've seen it done enough times, turn the computer off, and try it yourself. When you can do it proficiently, remove the computer. :)
Click to expand...

I always thought the docking computer was a live tutorial of how not to dock...
Based on the forum rage from DC users.

:p
 

DR Smith

D
@Daniel I thought of that - but that's only for entering a station - which strangely I have no problem with. I just need help with getting back out.:)
 

Commander_Brucitor

Commander_Brucitor
You'll get used to it, I had the same problem at first. I actually aim low and try to get as low to the bottom of the slot as possible. Because it's hard to gauge where the roof of your ship is at, at first. Also what I did is as I already going through the slot I point the nose up and thrusters down so imagine doing a wheely with the anaconda as you're going through lol. Got me through the slot okay and remember to pull your landing gear in.
 

Tono Kopec

Tono Kopec
I find it easiest to only use vertical and horizontal thrusters + rotating to line up (avoiding pitching and yawing) and as mentioned above, cockpit at the top of the slot when exiting.
 

Noctover

Noctover
Aim high. Uncomfortably high. As in, it looks like your going to scrape your hair off on the toaster rack high. Do that, and you'll be fine. Honestly i can boost my Annie in now its no issue :).
 

Dad Rock

Dad Rock
DaMorgs said:
As a rule, the cockpit needs to be almost scraping the top of the mailslot. It goes without saying that slow and steady is the best approach.

The nose has a small 'pole' sticking up from it, keep then as central as possible as you fly towards the mail slot.

It takes a bit of practice, I remember having the same issues.

Wait until you get a Cutter lol
Click to expand...

Yep, pretty much what this Commander said.
 

DukeIronHand

D
Are you using a TrackIR?
When I first got the Conda I scraped paint more then I would have liked. And the TrackIR compounds the issue as you never know exactly what is "straight ahead" when flying.

Solution: Go to your options and turn on the "mouse cursor" (I think that's what it's called or something similar) and it puts a nice yellow dot in the exact center of your screen. When entering the slot put the dot about 75% of the way up from the bottom (or a 1/4 of the way from the top of the slot) - just where the "force field" graphic starts to fade and cruise in with no problems.

Ain't had a paint scratch since.
 

Noctover

Noctover
[video=youtube_share;SIbPLo69iEQ]https://youtu.be/SIbPLo69iEQ?t=19s[/video]

Sorry this video wasnt made as a mailbox tutorial but it gives you an idea of how high i mean.
 

dognosh

dognosh
As others said, aim high. Regards to lateral position, you have plenty of room and don't need to be in the centre.
 

Gully Foyle

Gully Foyle
DR Smith said:
I've been playing ED for about a year and I thought I was a good pilot, at least with small and medium craft - but I recently bought an Anaconda and it's such a beast!!!
I keep getting stuck in the slot.
I've lost two of them by being shot up in a station just trying to leave and it's getting expensive with insurance around 19M a time.
OK Stop laughing now! [mad]. I'm OK flying in to a station but leaving it seems to be a different story. Even with the landing gear up, the ship only just fits through.
Using the external cams help - but I still make a mess of it 80% of the time.
I've left a station around 40 times and experience doesn't seem to be improving my performance. I must be doing something basically wrong.
Please give me some tips (people who post comments like "learn to fly" are not clever).
Click to expand...

More foreplay needed.

Or get a DC like I have on my Condo Mondo
 
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