In "stock" KSP, breaking the sound barrier is just a matter of throttle. In FAR, it is an event. As you approach , drag spikes exponentially due to wave drag . Designing for this requires "Area Ruling"—shaping your fuselage to ensure the cross-sectional area changes smoothly—or your plane may simply refuse to go any faster, no matter how many engines you bolt on. 3. Stability is Earned, Not Given
[1.3.1] Ferram Aerospace Research: v0.15.9.1 "Liepmann" 4/2/18 ferram aerospace research
Predicts how your craft will behave during complex maneuvers like rolls or high-speed turns. In "stock" KSP, breaking the sound barrier is
If you pull a 15G turn in a heavy fighter, your wings won't just bend—they will snap off , leaving your cockpit to tumble helplessly toward the Kerbin soil. 4. The Reward If you pull a 15G turn in a
Tells you if your plane will naturally flip over the moment you let go of the stick.
So why use it? Because when you finally design a plane that passes all the tests—a sleek SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit) or a nimble dogfighter—it flies with a that the base game cannot match. You aren't just playing a game anymore; you’re conducting flight research. Ready to start building?
With FAR, the game stops seeing your ship as a collection of parts and starts seeing it as a . Through a process called voxelization , FAR calculates how air actually flows over your vessel. A sleek, needle-thin rocket will slice through the atmosphere with minimal resistance, while a wide, flat payload will find the air as solid as a wall. 2. The Transonic Wall