FS2002 - Spasatel Lun Class Rescue Ekranoplan
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Installation:
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1) Unzip spstl2k2.zip into a temporary folder and copy or move the "Spasatel" Folder into your FS2002 Aircraft directory.
2) Sounds: Default B737-400 jet sounds.
3) Gauges.zip:
Copy the three gauges from here into FS2002 Gauges directory.
4) Special Water and Wake effects by Claudio Mussner:
These enhanced wake and water effects have been specially created for the KM by Claudio Mussner.
Copy the fx_KM_wave.fx and kx_KM_wake.fx files into the FS2002\Effects folder, and copy the fx_KM_wave.bmp and fx_KM_wake.bmp bitmap files into the FS2002\Effects\Texture folder.
General
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This is an extremely unusual plane, which glides effortlessly in ground effect, just above the surface of the sea.
With the Korabl´ Maket Ekranoplan, the KM-4, it was the first time that a ground-effect craft was published for FS98, offering a realistic simulation in this kind of flight. For flight-simmers until then, knowledge about Ekranoplans was mostly only available from reports.
This second ekranoplan publication, the Spasatel, has the peculiarity of also being capable of normal flight, even though it behaves more like a heavy cargo jet.
With the Spasatel simulation, simmers will have the unique opportunity of comparing the different power requirements for ground-effect and normal flight!
This model is ideal for a high-school physics class, to demonstrate the characteristics of ground-effect flight!
With FS2002, it has been possible to emmulate the Spasatel´s flight characteristics both in ground-effect and normal flight very realistically, except for the need that Ekranoplans have, to use reverse-thrust to slow down for touch-down (FS20002 requires the aircraft to be in contact with the ground - not even water - to activate reverse thrust). This has been substituted in the virtual model by enabling spoilers which do not cause loss of lift.
Acknowledgements:
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Textures:
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Udo Entenmann has been very successful indeed in creating these fine and detailed textures.
Specifications
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Capacity: 500 passangers
Holds 6 Rescue rafts for 85 people each.
Span: 144 ft
Length: 240 ft
Height: 65 ft
MTOW: 400 Tons
Power: 8 x 28660 ft/lbs Turbofans
Flight in Ground Effect:
Cruising Speeds: 243-270 Kts
Cruising Heights: 12-25 ft
Range: 2000 Km
Normal Flight:
Top Speed: 297 Kts
Search height: 1,640 ft.
Ceiling: 24,600 ft.
Historical notes:
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This unusual Air-Sea Rescue Ekranoplan was derived from the "Lun" ("Dove") missile-launching attack-ekranoplan, developed from 140-ton Orlyonok ("Eaglet", 1970), and the original, gargantuan 540-ton Korabl´Maket ("Model Ship"), the Caspian Sea Monster, 1964.
The Spasatel was built by the Central Hydrofoil Design Bureau under Rostislav Alexeyev, pioneer in hydrofoil and hovercraft design, but when the Soviet Union desintegrated it was only 95% finished, and lack of financing halted this project in 1989. At present it is still awaiting funds for completion.
Ample technical and historical information is available on the Internet, to be found by entering "Ekranoplan", "Lun", "Spasatel" "Ground Effect", "The WIG Page", into a search engine.
Ekranoplans create a cushion of air below them as they move along. This is known "WIG" - Wing In Groud effect. Pilots notice it on all aircraft just as they are about to touch down, as the accummulated air below the aircraft has more difficulty in being pushed away, creating an extra lift. Drag, however, does not increase, and pilots have to throttle back considerably to overcome this effect, especially on low-wing aircraft.
Ekranoplan wings have an aspect ratio of 1 or 2, being shorter and wider than a normal aircraft wings, thus maximizing the advantages of ground-effect. Further development has provided ekranoplans such as the "Spasatel" with longer wings that enable normal flight as well.
The Spasatel has 8x28,660 ft/lbs thrust turbofan engines mounted on stub wings behind the cockpit, fitted with exhaust deflectors that direct airflow downwards, under the wings, increasing lift at low speeds so as to reduce take-off time. Once cruising speed is reached, the engines are throttled back to 60% or even 40%, depending on the required speed, reducing fuel consumption enourmously.
The reasons for an ekranoplan´s existence are its low operating costs, high payload and high speed. It is faster than a ship, train, hydrofoil or hovercraft. It is cheaper to build and operate than an aeroplane, can carry larger loads and has a greater range.
Normal aircraft need a minimum of 60% power to maintain level flight, whereas only 40% is necessary in ground-effect (taker-off power being 100%). The most effective height for ground-effect flying for the Spasatel is between 12 and 25 ft.
Ekranoplans use reverse-thrust to slow down for touch-down, otherwise it would take them 15 minutes to be able to land! However, FS2002 allows neither reverse-thrust before touchdown, nor reverse thrust on water, so I have had to substitute this by enabling spoilers (with no negative lift effect). After touchdown, brakes have been left in as well, to emmulate the surface-crew in the tug that will tow the Spasatel to the pier.
Legal stuff:
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This aircraft is freeware, produced solely for the enjoyment of the flight-simming community. No responsibility is taken for any loss or damage incurred directly or indirectly from its use. The original unaltered files may be freely distributed, uploaded, downloaded and shared. Please maintain proper credit, of course, and make no financial gain whatsoever.
The Spasatel is a very unusual craft, and rare in FS2002. I hope you will enjoy flying it.
Stephan Scholz October 2003
scholzrittermann@SoftHome.net
