You can by the way.
You set-up MEC in full-real controls, then swap back to mouse aim.
The controls will “disappear” (become hidden) but still persist.
As for prop pitch -
the idea is that you are controlling your engine RPM, not your propeller blades directly.
To understand what is “coarse” vs “fine” pitch is to think of a screw.
A fine-pitch setting makes your propellers look like the threads on a fine-threaded screw:
And conversely, coarse looks like a coarse thread.
At 100% prop pitch, you set your propellers to maximize your RPM which leads to FINE propeller blade setting.
Learning this analogy is the only way I could comprehend why “fine” pitch increases drag.
Nota bene, you can’t perfectly maximize prop fineness with most aircraft because it is tied to your throttle position as well (constant speed). Only german style “variable pitch” aircraft can extract maximum potential.
This is why Bf 109s and Fw 190s will DIE if you mismanage prop pitch. There’s nothing preventing you from over-revving the engine while on a P-51 or spitfire the RPM governor makes the propellers turn more and more coarse as you pick up speed. Germans have implemented mechanical computers that govern pitch with the throttle position to avoid this, but make it possible to use manual overrides.
This is the basis of the infamous “german airbrake” (while on the defensive with a Bf 109, enter rolling scissors, cut throttle and set maximum propeller fineness then disable the automatic propeller pitch control. Suddenly you lose ALL your speed and force an overshoot.)
On topic of jet groundbrakes.
During the Nuclear thunder event I had zero issues with brakes on the F4E and Mig-23MLD and the Su-24.
What did I do?
- I flew full throttle towards the airfield at 100 meters
- I cut throttle just before crossing the treshold, deployed airbrakes
- I floated until the end of the runway and climbed to 300 meter altitude
- I turned HARD-left
- I maintained level flight (0m/s sink) parallel to the runway
- After aligning the end of the runway with my tailplane, I removed airbrakes, deployed flaps then proceeded to gently turn left
- Once aligned with the runway, I allowed myself to sink using flaps and airbrake to reduce my airspeed to 350 to 300 km/h IAS. My goal is to “land” in front of the runway.
- I pulled up hard after under 20 meters.
- I floated until touching down in the typical “touchdown zone” on modern runways
Key is to like touchdown at a speed where you literally cannot maintain level flight even at maximum safe AoA.
Key 2 is to NOT USE THRUST unless even at maximum AoA, you are losing altitude too fast. Thrust/throttle is to reduce your sink rate, not airspeed. If your airspeed gets too low and you risk stalling, pitch down.
(Unfortunately I dont have a screenshot with the SU-24 that gives a good perspective of how early I stop)
You can see with the F4E that I still have like a kilometer of runway to go.
