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[nogoodnames]

I keep trying to build aircraft with B9 and i can never seem to get off the ground. I think I need more power...

One helpful tip I found to get planes off the ground was to make the back landing gear slightly shorter than the front gear so you get a high angle of attack. You also want the back gear to be fairly close to the centre of mass so it acts as a pivot point, which makes it easier to pitch up from the ground.

Edit: Actually, you probably want to do one or the other but not both

[Aseaheru]

I think I just needed more power.

[Rez]

They all seem to become too unstable at ~15000m, or start diving. The only success I have had was with a passenger jet-looking thing with the engines mounted below the centre of mass, which kept the nose pointed up.

I have the same issue.  For some reason, as soon as I cut my air-breathing motors, I lose all control and flip all about.  That's the confusing thing, is it's not when they flare-out.  Even if I cut them and turn on the (gimbaled) rocket motors, it still freaks out.  Upper atmosphere kraken?

[Sean Mirrsen]

They all seem to become too unstable at ~15000m, or start diving. The only success I have had was with a passenger jet-looking thing with the engines mounted below the centre of mass, which kept the nose pointed up.

I have the same issue.  For some reason, as soon as I cut my air-breathing motors, I lose all control and flip all about.  That's the confusing thing, is it's not when they flare-out.  Even if I cut them and turn on the (gimbaled) rocket motors, it still freaks out.  Upper atmosphere kraken?

Do you close the intakes as well? All of them? There is usually just enough drag in the upper atmosphere to make even a single missed intake a major problem.

Also, two other things. First, make sure that the rocket engines are actually centered against the plane's mass. Second, make sure that you either activate rockets with staging, or have the action group set up to toggle their gimbals as well - simply activating unstaged rocket motors with an action group tends to leave their gimbals inactive.

[Rez]

All intakes stayed open, but everything else you mentioned was being done.  I'll try changing that.

Edit:  Yep, that helped a ton.  Now I just need to get enough and balance my rocket thrusters such that they don't throw the SSTO into a wild somersault.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Rose]

It took a while, but I finally did it.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[forsaken1111]

Excellent! I'm eagerly awaiting the promised resource system they're currently developing but Kethane is a decent substitute and good practice.

[Girlinhat]

Feeling bored and expendable, anyone care to name a target and what to orbit around it?

[Rose]

Bop.

Holy hell is that thing a pain to get to.

[Girlinhat]

Feeling bored and expendable, anyone care to name a target and what to orbit around it? (With Mechjeb)

Fixed.

Bop will be the target!  Now what do I do with Bop?

[Rose]

Up to you. I've gone and landed a massive rover onto it...

AND THERE'S NO FUEL LINE BETWEEN THE KETHANE CONVERTER AND THE ROCKET FUEL TANKS!!!!!

[Neonivek]

Feeling bored and expendable, anyone care to name a target and what to orbit around it?

Polaris, anything.

[Girlinhat]

Feeling bored and expendable, anyone care to name a target and what to orbit around it?

Polaris, anything.

Google didn't reveal anything Polaris...

[Rose]

Wait... when did 0.20.2 come out? And why do I not have it yet?

[BigFatStupidHead]

Feeling bored and expendable, anyone care to name a target and what to orbit around it? (With Mechjeb)

Fixed.

Bop will be the target!  Now what do I do with Bop?

Asteroids.
http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/33713-20-Asteroids-!!!!

At least three, connected together to form a space station.