Somebody closed that thread where we were discussing the TVC capabilities of the Su -30 MKI.
I feel this is the right place to close the issue rahter than open a new thread on it or tick it in some irrelevant thread
CW you said it was 2D and you qouted some para from this link, but look again carefully:
I think this is what you quoted:
Al-31FP builds on the Al-37FU with the capability to vector in 2 planes i.e. thrust can be directed side-ways also. The nozzles of the MKI are
capable of deflecting 32 degrees in the horizontal plane and 15 degrees in the vertical plane. This is done by angling them inwards by 15 degrees
inwards, which produces a cork-screw effect and thus enhancing the turning capability of the aircraft.
This clearly indidcates that the Al-31FP can vector in 2 planes. That IMHO IS 3 dimensional TVC in TWO planes as the planes are mutually
perpendicular to each other, while the AL-31FU gives 2D TVC in 1 plane.
Consider a normal 3 axis cartesian system with the Y axis extending from the origin towards your right, the Z axis extending upwards and the X axis
protruding right out of your monitor from the origin towards you.
For reference:
Cartesian System
Now as per the above quoted section, the AL-31FP provides 15 degrees angular vectoring capability in the vertical plane, i.e. in this case the X-Z
plane.
It also provides 32 degrees angular vectoring in the horizontal plane,which is the X-Y plane here.
Although from the pics on this site I think its the other way around:
32 Degrees in the vertical X-Z plane and 15 degrees in the horizontal X-Y plane, because vertical vectoring(that's what the F-22 has) is
visibly/logically simpler to engineer than hort. vectoring.
Whatever be the correct figures, the point is that the each nozzle of the AL-31FP can thus swathe a solid elliptical conic(of above mentioned angular
dimensions) independant of the other nozzle.
Although I am still unable to envision the 'corkscrew effect' they were talking about..
Now since thats settled, lets talk about the the rumored TVC on the J-10..
[edit on 19-3-2006 by Daedalus3]