Model Documentation: [P-38L-5-LO] [Cockpit and Operations]
P-38L-5 OPERATING PROCEDURES
__________________________________
BEFORE STARTING ENGINE
[ ] Brakes -- TEST and SET
[ ] Electrical Equipment -- OFF
[ ] Landing Gear Lever -- DOWN
[ ] Close Canopy -- Shift + E
[ ] Check/Set fuel level as desired
[ ] Set AC realism to auto-mixture (Until cruise)
__________________________________
ENGINE START
Press Ctrl+E to initiate engine auto-start, or,
From the main menu, select Views / Instrument Panel / Start to show the Start panel.
LEFT ENGINE
[ ] Propeller -- HIGH rpm
[ ] Mixture -- RICH
[ ] Propeller Area -- CLEAR
[ ] Master Battery Switch -- ON
[ ] Ignition -- BOTH
[ ] Hold Engine Start Switch -- ON until it catches
Then:
[ ] Throttle -- 1,000 rpm
[ ] Oil Pressure -- CHECK
RIGHT ENGINE
[ ] Propeller -- HIGH rpm
[ ] Mixture -- RICH
[ ] Propeller Area -- CLEAR
[ ] Master Battery Switch -- ON
[ ] Ignition -- BOTH
[ ] Hold Engine Start Switch -- ON until it catches
Then:
[ ] Throttle -- 1,000 rpm
[ ] Oil Pressure -- CHECK
___________________________________
BEFORE TAKEOFF
[ ] Brakes -- SET
[ ] Flight Controls -- FREE and CORRECT
[ ] Flight Instruments -- CHECK and SET including clock and alt.
[ ] Mixture -- AUTO MIXTURE (Set levers rich, idle cutoff is active)
[ ] Fuel Quantity -- CHECK
[ ] Elevator Trim -- SET for takeoff at 1/2 up
[ ] Rudder Trim -- SET for takeoff at neutral
LEFT ENGINE
[ ] Throttle -- 2,300 rpm
[ ] Magnetos -- CHECK
[ ] Propeller -- CYCLE high rpm/
low rpm/high rpm
[ ] Engine Instruments -- CHECK
[ ] Throttle -- 800-1,000 rpm
RIGHT ENGINE
[ ] Throttle -- 2,300 rpm
[ ] Magnetos -- CHECK
[ ] Propeller -- CYCLE high rpm/
low rpm/high rpm
[ ] Engine Instruments -- CHECK
[ ] Throttle -- 800-1,000 rpm
___________________________________
TAXIING
The airplane taxis easily and forward visibility is good. Use differential
throttle to save the brakes. There is no danger of nose over or ground loop should
it become necessary to turn sharply or to apply full brakes.
___________________________________
TAKEOFF
Once lined up on the runway, taxi a few feet straight so that the nose wheel will be in
line when take-off power is applied. Maximum performance take-offs require holding
the airplane with brakes at the end of the runway until engine power reaches desired
setting. Because of the tricycle landing gear, there is no tendency for the airplane
to take-off by itself, and no feeling of lightness as take-off speed is reached.
Start to ease the control column back at about 70 mph, then at 90 or 100 lift the airplane
into the air.
[ ] Flaps -- As desired up to 1/3 for short take-off distance
[ ] Dive Flaps -- UP
[ ] Throttles -- 46 in. Hg. (if short field use 54 in.)
[ ] Mixtures -- RICH (may be leaned above 3000' if automixture turned off)
[ ] Propellers -- FULL FORWARD
[ ] Brakes -- RELEASE
[ ] Elevator Control -- LIFT NOSE WHEEL at 70-80 mph
[ ] Climb Speed -- 160 mph
[ ] Brakes -- APPLY momentarily when airborne to stop wheels from turning
[ ] Landing Gear -- UP
[ ] Flaps -- RETRACT
___________________________________
CLIMB
NORMAL CLIMB
[ ] Airspeed -- 160 mph
[ ] Throttle -- 46 in. Hg.
[ ] Propeller -- 2,600 rpm
[ ] Fuel Selector Valve -- BOTH (do not touch)
[ ] Mixture -- AUTO-MIXTURE (may be leaned above 3,000' if auto mixture off)
MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE CLIMB
[ ] Airspeed -- 200 mph
[ ] Throttle -- FULL (54 in. Hg.)
[ ] Propeller -- 2,900 rpm
[ ] Mixture -- AUTO-MIXTURE
___________________________________
MAXIMUM CRUISE
[ ] Throttles -- 43 in. Hg.
[ ] Propellers -- 2,600 rpm
[ ] Mixtures -- MAY Remain in Auto-Mixture
[ ] Elevator Trim -- ADJUST
[ ] Rudder Trim -- ADJUST
Max. normal engine speed 2,600 rpm
___________________________________
LONG RANGE CRUISE
[ ] Throttles -- 22 in. Hg.
[ ] Propellers -- 2,000 rpm
[ ] Elevator Trim -- ADJUST
[ ] Rudder Trim -- ADJUST
[ ] Mixtures -- LEAN as required: turn off auto-mixture and press CTRL+SHIFT+F2 several
times until engine loses power, then press CTRL+SHIFT+F3 once for full power.
See Reference Tab for more cruise settings
___________________________________
DIVING
[ ] Canopy -- CLOSED
[ ] Landing Gear -- UP
[ ] Wing Flaps -- UP
[ ] Propellers -- 2400 rpm or less
[ ] Mixtures -- AUTO MIXTURE
[ ] Throttles -- SLIGHTLY OPEN
[ ] Airspeed -- Max. mph
410 @ 10,000 ft
360 @ 20,000 ft
290 @ 30,000 FT
Manifold pressure must be kept above 20 in. Hg. during dive
Engine speed must not exceed 3,120 rpm
Dive Recovery Flaps -- The P-38L is equipped with dive recovery flaps to improve the
dive recovery characteristics of the airplane. A P-38 without these flaps becomes
very nose heavy and starts to buffet above placard dive speeds. This condition is
caused by a high speed stall and a consequent decrease in lift in the wing producing the
nose heaving condition. The dive recovery flaps which are installed under the wings
between the booms and the ailerons, restore the lift to this portion of the wing and thus
cause the uncontrollable nose heaviness to occur at a higher speed. The flaps also
add some drag to the airplane, which in conjunction with the higher allowable dive speed,
permits safe dives at much steeper diving angles. The dive recovery flaps should be
extended before starting the dive or immediately after the dive has started before a
buffeting speed is reached. If the airplane is buffeting before dive recovery flaps
are extended, the buffeting will momentarily increase and then diminish.
___________________________________
SINGLE ENGINE OPERATIONS
[ ] Throttle -- 45 in. Hg.
[ ] Propeller -- 3,000 rpm
[ ] Airspeed -- 165 mph
[ ] Mixture -- AUTO MIXTURE
Do not use full power on the live engine below 120 mph
___________________________________
DESCENT
[ ] Throttle -- AS DESIRED
[ ] Propeller -- AS DESIRED
[ ] Mixture -- SET TO AUTO-MIXTURE
Carburetor heat is automatically provided by
superchargers
[ ] Flaps -- AS DESIRED WITHIN PLACARD LIMITS -- (See Below)
___________________________________
BEFORE LANDING
[ ] Airspeed -- 120 mph
[ ] Landing Gear -- DOWN
(below 175 mph)
[ ] Flaps -- Up to 1/3 down (below 175 mph)
[ ] Mixtures -- AUTO-MIXTURE, OR RICH
[ ] Propellers -- 2800 rpm
[ ] Carburetor Heat -- in extremely cold conditions Lower flaps to 1/3 and increase power
boldly.
[ ] Trim -- ADJUST TO NEUTRAL
___________________________________
LANDING
[ ] Landing Lights -- As needed
[ ] Flaps -- 2/3 or FULL DOWN (below 150 mph)
[ ] Airspeed -- 105-110 mph (flaps DOWN)
[ ] Flare to make contact at about 70-80 mph
[ ] Touchdown -- MAIN WHEELS FIRST
[ ] Landing Roll -- LOWER NOSE WHEEL GENTLY
[ ] Braking -- MINIMUM REQUIRED
___________________________________
AFTER LANDING
[ ] Flaps -- UP
___________________________________
BELLY LANDINGS and
WATER LANDINGS (DITCHING)
[ ] Landing Gear -- UP
[ ] Landing Flaps -- DOWN
[ ] Shoulder Harness -- LOCKED
[ ] Canopy -- OPEN (shift + E)
PRIOR TO CONTACT WITH GROUND OR WATER
[ ] Switches -- OFF
[ ] Fuel Selector OFF
___________________________________
BAILING OUT
[ ] Airspeed -- REDUCE as much as possible
[ ] Canopy -- OPEN
[ ] Abandon airplane
CAUTION: Before bailing out at altitude,
inhale as much oxygen as possible.
___________________________________
SECURING AIRPLANE
[ ] Brakes -- SET
Right Engine
[ ] Throttle -- IDLE
[ ] Propeller -- HIGH rpm
[ ] Mixture -- IDLE CUT-OFF
[ ] Ignition Switch -- OFF
Left Engine
[ ] Throttle -- IDLE
[ ] Propeller -- HIGH rpm
[ ] Mixture -- IDLE CUTOFF
[ ] Ignition Switch -- OFF
[ ] Master Battery Switch -- OFF
Snap rolls and intentional spins are prohibited with this airplane; such maneuvers as Immelmans, loops, and rolls are permitted with the exercise of extreme care. Continuous inverted flight is prohibited.