Considering the Connie

[crippy]

Yep, I've been watching and watching the A2A videos as well as looking at screenshots and it is really starting to grow on me. I was originally thinking Majestic Q400/Dash-8 but I started seeing lower quality textures, and things that kinda let me down.

I have a few questions:
Compared to the accusim aircraft (Specifically C182, Comanche, Cherokee) How are the interior / exterior textures? The main panel seems somewhat 'Flat' and the gauges look a bit different from the usual accusim gauges. {Obviously not hating on A2A quality but I honestly don't really understand the differences between the Accusim fleet and the COS fleet.}

How is the night lighting inside the flight deck? I'm a huge night pilot, are the interior lights dimmable?

If you own the Connie, how often do you fly it compared to the other accusim aircraft??


Interested to hear your comments!

[Skycat]

I think it is important to point out that the Constellation is an AccuSim aircraft. COTS provides a unique career aspect for the big passenger aircraft. COTS was originally developed as an additional add-on for the Stratocruiser, which itself was the very first AccuSim aircraft.

I don't have either the Connie or the Stratocruiser -- heavies just aren't "my thing" -- but I do have the B-17G and enjoy it. I see a lot of similarities between these three A2A Accusim aircraft in videos and screenshots I've viewed. If you like big, multi-engine classic prop liners I don't think you will be disappointed by the Connie. And of course you can download the full manual for the A2A Connie here: https://a2asimulations.com/store/index. ... ucts_id=88

[alan CXA651]

Hi.
I got hold of the connie when she was first released , every flight i have done , has been a different experience , no two flights are exactly the same , fly her correctly and you will be rewarded , fly her badly , and get jailed , you will not be disapointed , in cold high alt airports , you will struggle to get the engines started , and climb out is hard , but very rewarding when you succeed .
I have flown in career mode on vatsim with the VA i fly for over 44 times , and had a few emergencys along the way , that ment diversions, i can highly recommend this aircraft .
regards alan.

[Mickel]

No, the lights aren't dimmable. Nor were those in a real one.

The rest is down to taste. There is a lot more going on in a COTS cockpit than a GA one. I fly it a lot (relative to most others) as the legs are shorter than most of those of the Strat (which, now that it doesn't scare me, is one of my favourite sim planes).

I'm going to go fly it now...

[bobsk8]

I own all the P3D A2A aircraft. The Connie, is the best by far in my opinion.

[n421nj]

If you are comparing it the the magestic q400 you may as well compare apples to oranges. Both are top notch but two very different philosophies of flying. Putting side that- both are study level simulations. I believe the Connie beats out the q400 in two major areas. 1 it comes with a virtual crew that will help with the systems and 2 because it comes with a fspassenger like career mode which tracks your flights and allows for unexpected things to happen like a sick or injured passenger, pressurization problems, engine fires, etc. bringing back the philosophies the Connie is meant to be flown like it's the 1950s. No fancy autopilots, no advanced avionics, gentle descent rates, smoking encouraged on all flights lol

[sloppysmusic]

Yep, I've been watching and watching the A2A videos as well as looking at screenshots and it is really starting to grow on me. I was originally thinking Majestic Q400/Dash-8 but I started seeing lower quality textures, and things that kinda let me down.

I have a few questions:
Compared to the accusim aircraft (Specifically C182, Comanche, Cherokee) How are the interior / exterior textures? The main panel seems somewhat 'Flat' and the gauges look a bit different from the usual accusim gauges. {Obviously not hating on A2A quality but I honestly don't really understand the differences between the Accusim fleet and the COS fleet.}

How is the night lighting inside the flight deck? I'm a huge night pilot, are the interior lights dimmable?

If you own the Connie, how often do you fly it compared to the other accusim aircraft??


Interested to hear your comments!

Re textures I run everything 4k these days so if something doesn't scale properly it looks ugly. I have no problems at all with the Connie. If you zoom in a lot inside there is some blurring but not on gauges only misc text on airframe. Absolutely nothing that would detract from the immersion of sitting inside a real one.

It's definitely AccuSim!

Night lighting is bright and not dimmable, like you I night fly too. However it's not too distracting and there is a panel light configured which although also bright white (no red option like the Cherokees for realism) doesn't make it too hard to see through windscreen. Sometimes I turn all the lights off on final after I'm fully configured, but that's not out of necessity I just like the great view of the approaching add on airport and runway doing that! There is also a compass light but due to my own ignorance possibly I cant's see what it lights up so far...(maybe the large ball compass center of overhead but I havent really looked for the light so far tbh)

I own the Connie as well as Cherokee/Comanche/T6 and Mustang Civvy. Owned it around a fortnight and havent flown anything else at all since purchase. I love those other planes I'm just touring all my OrbX airfields in the new bird first. Plus it's kinda addictive learning all the new systems, especially the engineer's work. If you put career mode ON and do the Engineer panel work too you will have your hands fairly full, no time to get bored on those long hauls! FE work is mainly cowl flaps (gang panels up and down keep temp circa 200 degrees - simple really) / fuel systems (checklist items and vital in emergency) /passenger cabin temp management and importantly cabin pressure management (if as Captain you keep your ascents and descents well managed and gentle this part is easy - if not you will have crying babies and annoyed passengers!). Prop management is also there but I can do that easy from the cockpit myself.
Despite being a powerful 4 engine beast it actually flies like a heavy twin in my sim-pilot opinion. It's NOT a handful to maneuver once you have your hardware set up.
If you DO get it I personally recommend dialing all the default Sperry autopilot dials from their default 3.0 down to 1.0. A/P flies smoothly and gently then making your career less stressful. If you dont use career mode you can leave these at 3.0 and enjoy banking and diving like a warbird!

FANTASTIC plane, really, and I'm not one given to hyperbole or fanboy-ism. For $60 I think it's a real bargain for what you get.

Oh finally, I fly ALL my planes these days in FO seat as my controls at home are to the left of yoke. Connie looks great from here and I can access light switches on Captain's side without lowering my head!

[bobsk8]

Yep, I've been watching and watching the A2A videos as well as looking at screenshots and it is really starting to grow on me. I was originally thinking Majestic Q400/Dash-8 but I started seeing lower quality textures, and things that kinda let me down.

I have a few questions:
Compared to the accusim aircraft (Specifically C182, Comanche, Cherokee) How are the interior / exterior textures? The main panel seems somewhat 'Flat' and the gauges look a bit different from the usual accusim gauges. {Obviously not hating on A2A quality but I honestly don't really understand the differences between the Accusim fleet and the COS fleet.}

How is the night lighting inside the flight deck? I'm a huge night pilot, are the interior lights dimmable?

If you own the Connie, how often do you fly it compared to the other accusim aircraft??


Interested to hear your comments!

.
If you DO get it I personally recommend dialing all the default Sperry autopilot dials from their default 3.0 down to 1.0. A/P flies smoothly and gently then making your career less stressful. If you dont use career mode you can leave these at 3.0 and enjoy banking and diving like a warbird!

FANTASTIC plane, really, and I'm not one given to hyperbole or fanboy-ism. For $60 I think it's a real bargain for what you get.

Oh finally, I fly ALL my planes these days in FO seat as my controls at home are to the left of yoke. Connie looks great from here and I can access light switches on Captain's side without lowering my head!

That' strange, I have all my AP settings set on the default 3. and i find that it flies pretty realistically that way.

[sloppysmusic]

"That' strange, I have all my AP settings set on the default 3. and i find that it flies pretty realistically that way."

Ahh I'm not saying it's not realistic on default, just that dialing values down makes the ride MUCH smoother for the passengers in career mode.
Using 3 for elevator setting for example has led to 1000 feet dives or climbs sometimes even with it trimmed the moment I turn AP on.
Also using 1 for rudder setting keeps that ball central-ish during turns. On 3.0 doing a 90 degree turn I get 30 degree banks and the ball is way out of center.
If none of this matters please let me know I'm trying to rock my cabin slowly to sleep as gentle as possible!

[sloppysmusic]

Phew..get my breath back!
Wow..exhilarating stuff..
anyway...I want to comment further on the night lighting having just completed a tense night diversion into a safer airport after conditions worsened.
It's BRILLIANT! Best in any sim plane I have ever flown.
That compass light does in fact light the backup compass fine. More importantly, the panel lights are configured to perfection. Well done guys!
There are 2 settings, UV and Fluorescent. The UV lights the instruments in green which looks very cool and is eerily trippy...if you activate this option be prepared to fumble in the dark
to choose the other option Fluorescent ..which is PERFECT. You dont need the bright cabin lights at all until after you land. Absolute bloody perfection. had to be said.
This plane should come with a disclaimer: "We cant be held responsible for a) the loss of your normal lifestyle and b) no refunds will be offered for our other great planes you may have
purchased that you no longer have time to fly."

To the OP, just get it already. You won't regret it!

[Warbirds]

The best of the best and in VR it is as real as it gets.