Air intake
An air intake (or simply an “intake”) is a part which supplies intake air, a resource required by jet engines. To do so they must be in their “Open” state and inside an oxygenated atmosphere.
Usage
Intakes induce more drag while open, but can be toggled closed or opened; this can be done manually but action groups is recommended to avoid asymmetric drag.
Intake air collected varies proportionally with speed and inversely with altitude. Optimal performance requires minimizing drag by closing intakes while leaving open the minimum number required at the given speed and altitude to supply the active jet engines and avoid asymmetric flame-outs. Also, when an aircraft is using only rocket engines, all intakes should be closed to reduce drag to the minimum.
Seaplanes and boats have also been made with unorthodox use specifically of the XM-G50 Radial Air Intake.
List of air intakes
Image | Part | Radial size | Cost () |
Mass (t) |
Max. Temp. (K) |
Tolerance (m/s) |
Tolerance (g) |
Intake Air () (Initial/Max) |
Intake Area (m2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Small Circular Intake | Tiny | 250 | 0.007 | 1 200 | 7 | 50 | 0.5 / 0.5 | 0.10 | |
Circular Intake | Small | 680 | 0.04 | 1 900 | 7 | 50 | 2.0 / 2.0 | 0.60 | |
Adjustable Ramp Intake | Small | 2 680 | 0.06 | 2 400 | 7 | 50 | 2.0 / 2.0 | 0.74 | |
Shock Cone Intake | Small | 3 050 | 0.12 | 2 400 | 7 | 50 | 2.0 / 2.0 | 0.75 | |
Mk1 Diverterless Supersonic Intake | Small | 720 (560) |
1.17 (0.17) |
2 000 | 10 | 50 | 2.0 / 2.0 | 0.61 | |
Engine Nacelle[Note 1] | Small | 600 (480) |
0.90 (0.15) |
2 000 | 10 | 50 | 5.0 / 5.0 | 0.50 | |
Engine Pre-cooler[Note 1] | Small | 1 650 (1 618) |
0.35 (0.15) |
2 000 | 10 | 50 | 5.0 / 5.0 | 0.50 | |
XM-G50 Radial Air Intake | Radial mounted | 250 | 0.02 | 2 000 | 10 | 50 | 2.0 / 2.0 | 0.31 | |
Adjustable Ramp Intake (Radial) | Radial mounted | 900 | 0.01 | 2 400 | 7 | 50 | 0.5 / 0.5 | 0.10 |
The values of masses in the table don't consist the mass of the intake air (5 kg/), as you can see in the SPH/VAB.