The A2A Simulations Community

Well, I've reached a milestone, and some, with this all time favorite! I'll continue to put more hours on her and the Guppy.

A2A has really delivered a great package with this aircraft and not a single other aircraft has more than a 100 + hours and most have less.
Your vision of the Accusim module, I believe, is what has kept me in this ol' girl. She has the looks, the range, and the stamina for a long haul. I've learned a lot from your dedication to and perfection of this undisputed Queen of my virtual skies.
All of the guys just stare at her when we arrive... but she is with me fellas !

I went out on my inaugural flight with her July 29, 2008 and have been with her for 618 days, so if I've done the math correctly, that's about 1.64 hr./day.
Yea, " get a life" some would say, but this has been wonderful. I go back to my very early youth every time I fly her. My father took my brother and I to our local airport to pick up our older sister and Aunt as they returned from vacation in NYC. They were coming down the steps of a large four engined propliner, could it have been a "Strat", I have know way of being sure, but those spinning props and loud engines sure made me cry. My father held me close to his right leg as I held on for my dear life.

Thanks for letting me share and here are some unedited pics :




















Now below, I'm back in the "office" and climbing through 13,000 ft. with a full load of paying customers and profit making freight and it looks like ol' # 3 has crapped out again.

Congrats on your loooong service with the B377 !

Bought this last year, and flew for sometime, and got "distracted" by the P47, Cub, and now B-17 !!

Hoping to get back into the B377 again, for all its beauty and elegance. But I remember the challenges of trying to juggle the different roles all at the same time, especially during the busy phases of takeoff/climb and descent/landing. Almost gave me a split personality !

How do you manage all these jugglings? Would love to learn some tips from you.

Well, I was thinking the same, but restarted to fly her lately, not so busy if you operate accordingly. When you know the checklists, there a lot of "check" items only, which you can pass pretty faster when you know those.

Other than that, reducing the manifold and rpm on climbing right after take off let you plenty of time to operate all the systems, and when you enter in approach, be prepared. Actually, these tips are already on the checklist tab on F-10, in game.

But if you are interested, my tips are:
1. know the checklists(doing them properly many times... many )
2. use keys on the joystick to switch between views
3. use autopilot when you have to switch, now I prefer to trim properly the plane, but if there's tuburlence it can be a problem. Autopilot is safe.

TrackIR definately helps me, but I understand that not everyone has it.

Good luck
Ben.

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Thanks for the tips, Ben. Will sure try out.

The B-17's much easier with the co-pilot, but the B377 has sheer elegance !

Now which shall I spend more time with ........

Just as Benitto says,

I usually take off at maximum takeoff weight. I've been known to go a little over the limit...boooo, hissss.

As soon as I have wheels up I immediately engage the auto pilot and began trimming her out to about a 500ft./min. climb.
I then jump back to "my office" and start managing the inter-cooler, cowl flaps, adjusting the RPM and the MP levels.
I then jump back up front to show those [2] clowns how to navigate to the next VOR radial. I show them how to bank the aircraft, fly a heading correctly, bring up the flaps on schedule, and do a little more trimming of the ol' girl.
I jump back to the office and do a little more systems management and yes keep my good eye on those [2] clowns that are up front, pffftt... they'll tear up my aircraft if I don't watch 'em !
When I reach my usual flight level of 25,000 ft depending on "winds aloft", I settle in to properly setting RPM, fuel mixture, MP settings..etc; then I start pumping in more oil to the engines to replace what we burned off during our climb. I then readjust the inter-cooler, cowl flap settings and the ram air inlets if need be.
I check that navigator's calculations also.
About the only thing I let that right seat yahoo touch is the turbos from time to time.
Looking at my flight engineer's panel up above I do everything I can to keep those engines cool. I had the #2 cowl flaps at about 6 1/2 inches. Man o man we were about to jam those babies but it looks like my IAS was prolly just a little under 150 kts. indicated. ( hard to see )
She has been an absolute dream to be with, however, I saw another [4] engined babe going by just the other day and man o man she looks like she's got some experience and fine curvy lines to boot!

Some gorgeous flying you have there ...

Do you use real world weather download, or Activesky, etc.?

In FS, the OAT seems always to be 15 degrees everywhere. Does it actually varies through various seasons and airport altitudes?

I have Activesky, but found it too much work setting up, as well as hogging up PC resources.

Still, I would like flying i more realistic weather systems.

Just did a complete flight after a loooong absence. Sure missed out a good number of check items, though still managed to start from cold/dark till landing.

The descent / approach phase was a real mess ... just so overwhelmed trying to do 3 persons' jobs !!

By the way, is there a readout for the hydraulic fliud, which I see there is no option for refilling ?

Also, anyway to assign the engine start BOOST button to a hot key? Can't see the gauges when I have to keep pressing on the BOOST switch.

You don't need to hold the Boost Button down. There's a small trick to prevent that. After pressing the start button wait a few seconds then switch the magnetoes on and press the Boost Button. While HOLDING the mouse button PRESSED slide away with the mouse pointer and - voilà - the Boost Button remains pressed So you can switch to any panel you like and once the engine fires up both the Start and Boost Button will be released automatically.

Oskar

Sweet, Oskar !

1000+ hours!!!

I am amazed at that amount of usage.

For whatever reasons I don't think I spent more than 30 minutes in it.

Russ

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Many may fly and some are rewarded
handsomely, but the wings of gold of a
United States Naval Aviator mean more
than flying. It is dearly bought, requires
sacrifice to keep and represents a way of life.

Great story and great screenies

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hi,

I am impressed. It is a fantastic achievement.
The B377 is addictive. I enjoy it very much.

I have trick for managing both the captain's tasks and the FE's tasks. I have a Saitek Yoke. I programmed the two left upper red buttons, one for zooming in , the other one for zooming out. As soon as the FE calls for something to do, I turn around and zoom in in order to take the approriate action then I turn around again and zoom out.
Not realistic but so handy....

Give it a try. Not sure you will give it up afterwards

Avio,
...

I always fly with default FSX weather as I have no add-on weather packages, DirectX 10, light bloom "on". I've flown from the default South Pole Station (NZSP) before and the Jeppson weather data base sever has indicated 59* F... talk about Al Gore and global warming !. Today however it was 13 *F at South Pole Station and at McMurdo Station (NZIR) it was 53* F.
All screenies are default except for resizing and a little zooming, no light bloom mod, just what the photographers call that "golden hour"... the last hour before sunset or the first hour after sunrise.The 3rd. & 7th. pics down from the top are custom [CameraDefinition.XX]'s that I created. I have no Track IR and just an old humble and rumble MS Force-Feedback II joystick.

Had been thinking about getting the 377 but I can't imagine not flying the now released B-17. Another amazing Boeing airplane. It is what I have always dreamed of flying and the accusim is just icing on the cake. I fear I will not get the 377 for some time. I would love to put the hours into her as you have on the 377. I am only at 60 but have gone from PNW to Australia and now I am on my way back. I will wave if I fly past Flameout.

Andrew

Please do Andrew. I've also put down my B-377 for a while. I've been flying the B-17 also. Another great product from A2A.