What's your fuel scooping method?

[Suul Vellumcore]

When fuel scoops were first introduced, I copped onto the method being most talked about at the time. I'd put the star to the top of the canopy and begin an orbit at around 30km/s. I'd previously judged my best % fuel intake rate for speed/heat, depending on the grade fuel scoop. So I needed to fly that orbit, contantly making corrections to keep the best rate without overheating. It was an up and down affair to say the least, never able to hold the best rate very well. It was pretty much a grind, and with a crappy grade fuel scoop, it was quite a pita.
Now I use a different, much easier method. I simply head straight at the star or just below it's horizon - slowly... drop-outs from imminent impact are way costly in an Asp. As soon as the fuel scoop engages, I slowly accelerate until the best % fuel rate is reached, then zero the throttle.
Then I sit back and sip some tea until it's done, efficiently and effortlessly. I have an A3 scoop now, and I get 172% rate at 100-115 heat. One of my most adored modules!
What's your method?

 

[Lestat]

Buy the best fuel scoop that you can afford. So it don't take long to fill up.

 

[ElleShaped]

Once I get far enough from populated space that there aren't pirates drifting around, I just fly straight toward the star until I get to the point where my heat is stable at around 98 - 104%, and then just throttle down to 30km/s and wait for the tank to fill.

 

[MARPATdroid]

park and pray.

Get to a star and figure out where my 98% heat is on the scoop, then throttle down when I get there and wait.

 

[VRMan]

Once I get far enough from populated space that there aren't pirates drifting around, I just fly straight toward the star until I get to the point where my heat is stable at around 98 - 104%, and then just throttle down to 30km/s and wait for the tank to fill.

Same here. More expensive scoops fill the tank faster.
I've gotten toasted a few times by getting up around 120%, which got me 65 on my B scoop. Normally it is in the 50-55 range at 95-100%.

 

[Dortmunder]

Depends on what I'm doing. Sometimes I'll just scoop a bit while moving at 25% throttle until I line up with my destination.

If I'm really low and need to fuel up fully, I just work myself close enough so I'm around 100% heat while idling at 30 km/s.

People have said you scoop more fuel while flying around the star at 25% speed, but I found this to be false. I get the same moving as I do sitting there doing nothing

 

[Suul Vellumcore]

You guys seemed to have figured it out pretty quick. The sad thing is how many weeks it took me to realize I was doing it the hard way

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Depends on what I'm doing. Sometimes I'll just scoop a bit while moving at 25% throttle until I line up with my destination.

If I'm really low and need to fuel up fully, I just work myself close enough so I'm around 100% heat while idling at 30 km/s.

People have said you scoop more fuel while flying around the star at 25% speed, but I found this to be false. I get the same moving as I do sitting there doing nothing

Yeah... it's all in the rate. 172% at zero throttle or a 30km/s, it's all the same intake.

 

[simon terlecki]

Today I flew with a C4 scoop, 245/s OMG what fun, heat never even got to get to over 100 more than once or twice on a 200LY journey, scooping at every scoopable star "just in case".

Just fly towards the star at 20-40% speed until heat gets to around 90, turn throttle to 0 and wait. if heat gets around the mid 130s start bailing out before it reaches 150 and you fry equipment.
bigger scoop just makes the process faster.

 

[Suul Vellumcore]

Today I flew with a C4 scoop, 245/s OMG what fun, heat never even got to get to over 100 more than once or twice on a 200LY journey, scooping at every scoopable star "just in case".

Just fly towards the star at 20-40% speed until heat gets to around 90, turn throttle to 0 and wait. if heat gets around the mid 130s start bailing out before it reaches 150 and you fry equipment.
bigger scoop just makes the process faster.

245/s... sweet! C4 really makes a difference. In fact, the fuel scoop modules, for every progression you make in grade, give you a nice bang for your buck, something that you can readily see and experience, and the credits spent for these particular modules make a significant impact on the game play. I dig that. And when you start getting into rares trading distances, fuel scoop upgrades are definitely worth the price.

 

[simon terlecki]

The way I see the fuel scoop strengths, bigger module = larger nozzle and higher rating = bigger vacuum cleaner sucking in the gas

 

[Susimetsa]

I just dive in until the intake is good, then throttle down and head for just above the horizon, Alt-Tab to my browser and browse the net until I hear that the tank is full. Or read a book on my Kindle...

 

[Suul Vellumcore]

I just dive in until the intake is good, then throttle down and head for just above the horizon, Alt-Tab to my browser and browse the net until I hear that the tank is full. Or read a book on my Kindle...

Ha ha... my God, Man, your ship is crying for a fuel scoop upgrade! [note to self: immediately interdict a certain Cmdr Susimetsa found scooping at a star... he'll be busy reading 'Little Women', easy prey!] Oops... forgot, I only play solo. Nevermind...

 

[Dissentient]

I approach the star until the heat stabilizes around 100-120%, hit 0 throttle and alt-tab to do something else for a few minutes.

 

[Suul Vellumcore]

Jez... the way it was being talked about early on, I thought everybody was doing the orbit method. I thought maybe this thread might help others to switch to the better method, but you guys are way ahead of me on this one. Me - a little slow on the uptake

 

[Joey Krypton]

Wow I was orbiting too. Until I sold the scoop for a refinery, that is.

But next time I'll buy the biggest module I can find and use the park and wait method. So easy!

 

[ElleShaped]

The only weakness of park-and-wait is that you are way easy to interdict, which is why I only do it when I'm alert, or when I've gone past the threshold of NPC pirates showing up.

 

[thewzdoc]

I point at the star and fly towards it until my fuel scoop is pulling at about 60 and I pull zero throttle (30 KM/s). This puts the heat at about 110 and it stays there till full. Then I fly off...not dramatic or flashy but effective.

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The only weakness of park-and-wait is that you are way easy to interdict, which is why I only do it when I'm alert, or when I've gone past the threshold of NPC pirates showing up.

I hope to get interdicted....

 

[Suul Vellumcore]

Wow I was orbiting too. Until I sold the scoop for a refinery, that is.

But next time I'll buy the biggest module I can find and use the park and wait method. So easy!

Cool! You're gonna dig it. Don't know what you're flying, but the bigger ships'll kill you on the fuel bills. I find the fuel scoop a necessity for anything Cobra or above. Then again, I'm pretty much a miser, a real cheapskate, and forking out cr for those exhorbitant fuel prices does damage to my soul

 

[VRMan]

The only weakness of park-and-wait is that you are way easy to interdict, which is why I only do it when I'm alert, or when I've gone past the threshold of NPC pirates showing up.

You know, I have seen these NPCs do flybys of me and they head down towards the star surface, but surprisingly, I never see them go boom. Somehow, they are able to pull out with nary a scorch mark. Makes me chuckle though thinking of them going "oooohhh sssshiiiiiiiiittttt!!"

 

[Cargobane]

I always use the orbit method because it's more fun. I will tilt my head up until the fuel gauge is the at bottom of the screen, then fly inverted pulling up until I get to stable 98% heat, and orbit from there at 100% trottle, with the star above me.