When and What Role is best for Turning Flight Assist off?

[the100thmonkey]

@ the100thmonkey - Try it with ship with much more mass, T9/Cutter. You can also do a test in any ship, leave rotational correction on and hover above the pad with FA-OFF, the ship will appear to drift towards the pad due to thrusters mimicking the centripetal force.

It does that with both RC-on and off, as it should with centripetal force - when the docking clamps are released, the ship should try to continue along a tangent from that point. RC-on should attempt to dampen the rotation, but it just doesn't, or doesn't seem to at least.

switch correction off and the ship will remain in place, the station rotates around it.

I don't have a bigger ship than the FdL right now. I'm not much of a trader and I like my ships manoeuvrable.

Regardless, that wouldn't be RC off - if you turn rotational correction off the ship shouldn't stop, as FA is also off. The effect is very pronounced with FA-on though, surprisingly so.

I'll record a video

Please do! I'm either being obtuse (not deliberately!) or we're talking past each other somewhere. I'll do one myself and we can compare. For me, the main reason I think that turning RC off with FA off does nothing is because if you set your rotation manually (as you must) outside the station on the way in and leave it with RC on, your ship will continue to rotate even inside the station at the same RPM.

Anywy, this is an empirical question, so I'll record and upload tonight, and we can compare vids!

 

[SMcA]

I recognize there is likely a fair bit of opinion in regard to this question but I am quite curious. I have been doing some trading and exploration with flight assist on. At this stage, I am wondering when to pivot and start turning it off.

· Is it more beneficial to any particular role(s)? Seems like combat and trading benefit at least.

It is very useful when landing on high gravity planets/moons.
On high G planets do not use downward thrust as it is too easy to let your speed increase to the point where you cannot recover. FA Off allows better control.
Incidentally I have FA Off bound to two switches on my X52 Pro throttle. One button that I can press and release quickly the other is a slider. That acts like a toggle so I do not need to keep holding the button.

 

[Krezan]

Best is when you get into a fight. Is essential then, so get as much practice (due to the wobble) as possible. Just try and not shoot me from behind. Cheers, thanks, ta.

 

[777Driver]

It does that with both RC-on and off, as it should with centripetal force - when the docking clamps are released, the ship should try to continue along a tangent from that point. RC-on should attempt to dampen the rotation, but it just doesn't, or doesn't seem to at least.I don't have a bigger ship than the FdL right now. I'm not much of a trader and I like my ships manoeuvrable.

Regardless, that wouldn't be RC off - if you turn rotational correction off the ship shouldn't stop, as FA is also off. The effect is very pronounced with FA-on though, surprisingly so.
Please do! I'm either being obtuse (not deliberately!) or we're talking past each other somewhere. I'll do one myself and we can compare. For me, the main reason I think that turning RC off with FA off does nothing is because if you set your rotation manually (as you must) outside the station on the way in and leave it with RC on, your ship will continue to rotate even inside the station at the same RPM.

Anywy, this is an empirical question, so I'll record and upload tonight, and we can compare vids!

You are right about the drift on launch, tried it again and it was minimal, tested it a week ago in the FA-OFF thread and the ship heavily drifted on launch.

Anyway the video demonstrates the difference between hovering with correction on & off. When hovering I am am only providing lateral thrust correction through my pedals. You can see what happens when I switch correction back on, the thrusters begin to mimic the stations rotation (despite FA OFF) The result is the ship want's to drift downwards.

Sorry about the rubbish recording quality! I also overshot the pad whilst dodging the Python

So you are correct, the effects are minimal, even on launch.

Edit - Doh! Just realised I forgot to disable rotational correction on launch :/ Still I have a feeling you are correct, the sideways drift will happen no matter what

[video=youtube;wuMjAz94sGg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuMjAz94sGg[/video]

 

[the100thmonkey]

I'll get on this in about half an hour - I have been commanded by His Imperial Highness James (my 4 year-old) that it is bedtime and it is therefore time for a book and cuddles.