How do you keep FSX interesting?

[NikeHerk67]

Hi folks,

 

What do you do on FSX to keep things interesting? Fun addons? try different planes? practice non-normal procedures? do ATW trips? VatSim? FSPassenger? Missions? etc

 

I'm just trying to get ideas to keep FSX fresh.

 

Interesting, this thread was started 3/ 1/2 years ago and the original poster has never responded.

 

Getting back to the subject on hand on what might interest the readers here, I though I'd add my non-cents worth.

 

I have to admit, before posting here I went through and read most and scanned all of the posts, and found it to be extremely interesting reading what others interests are in flight simulation.

The reason I went through it first was that I didn't want to be redundant and post something that's already been covered.

 

There are literally as many things to keep your interest in FS as the imagination can come up with. Everyone is different. My experience was as follows.

 

1. When I started flying FS 2000 I went through all the adventures and took all the lessons. That kept me busy for a number of years. Then FS2002 came out and repeated what I'd done in FS2K.

 

2. As the years went by I enjoyed flying everything large, heavy, and as high tech as possible. I wanted to be as accurate as possible....as real as it could get as they say. I probably haven't spent more than $100 dollars all told on add-on, but did purchase some programs like RADAR CONTACT, FSCaptain, and FSFlying School, which I found somewhat interesting.

 

3 Eventually I've found recreating historical flights, flying vintage aircraft, and the various means of navigation from just following Road Atlas maps flying to early airmail routes, including flying the the beacons.

 

I just completed a flight recently by following the Union Pacific Railroad from Chicago to Portland, OR using only default scenery. That was not as easy as it sounds. There are so many spurs that are dead ends, which went to coal mining towns especially from Denver, to Salt Lake City and on to Cheyenne, WY where it got very confusing at times. It's quite interesting flying through the Rocky Mountains there as well. I know that country well. I was raised in SW Wyoming and went to the UW in Laramie.

 

When I was young I delivered the Denver Post, which would come in every morning on the old milk train. We called it that as it stopped at every whistle stop along the way....well mostly. :) There were times however when they didn't have any (important reason) to stop, that they'd just toss my newspaper bundles out of the baggage car while the train was still rolling. If the bundle wires came loose or broken I could be picking up papers strung for as far as 50 yards along the station's asphalt apron.:mad: You can imagine, on Sundays when I'd have maybe 10 or 12 bundles including the stuffer adds...approximately 300 newspapers. I was the only game in town. The other big paper was the Salt Lake Tribune sold by my competitor.:( Of course I might since I'm on the subject that when I was very young 8-12 I started out delivering the local weekly newspaper, which we affectionately called the weekly wipe. :)

 

Also, If you decide to fly it, the old beacon Airmail route goes through the mountains east of Cheyenne as well. Flying it at night in a DH-4 is a real challenge. You have to really appreciate those pilots during those days. My son, who just a couple of years ago was driving out through that country in a U-Haul pulling their car, had to turn around on I80 and go back to Laramie and spend the night. They got caught in one of those heavy mountain prairie wind storms. They said 18 wheelers were turnover on their sides and that was enough for them. Can you imagine flying an airplane that you could push across the tarmac by yourself and by hand in that type of environment? :pilot:

 

Lastly, I've noticed no one so far has mentioned flying using sextant navigation. The sextant for FSX is available and I just recently got it loaded up in the DC-3 in FSX. I plan on spending a good amount of hours flying it as well. I spent a long time flying the Amelia Earhart routes, including her original flight from Oakland to Honolulu, which ended up as disaster after she destroyed her Electra when she blew a tire and ground looped it in Honolulu.

 

The actual flight from Oakland to Honolulu is available to the public at the Purdue University as part of the George Putnam papers, who was also Amelia's husband. Although Fred Noonan was her navigator the flight was actually planned and drawn up by Clarence S. Williams. You can still see Fred's notes that he wrote on the plan during the actual flight.

http://earchives.lib.purdue.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/earhart/id/3714

 

I've noticed many here like to recreate historic flights...these are some you can spend many hours recreating and flying.

 

My latest addition to FSX.

[Rupert]

Excellent Post Sir! Thanks so much! I'll certainly try some of your suggestions.

 

Michael

[PhantomTweak]

No, he had an industrial engineer's degree from Michigan.

As we used to say: College education to break 'em, high-school education to fix 'em! Sounds like he's definately in the "break 'em" category :D

 

My son, who just a couple of years ago was driving out through that country in a U-Haul pulling their car, had to turn around on I80 and go back to Laramie and spend the night.

I am glad he was OK, but I do sincerely hope to heck he didn't run into my Ex, nor 3 of my 4 kids who live there! Although one is in prison for a long time to come...

One daughter turned out as a decent human...Former Marine, time in Iraq, all the goodies.

Anywho, you have some great ideas! I need to work on those...AFTER this year's RTWR, of course.

 

Have fun, whatever it is you do in the Sim!

Pat☺

[a.danhamidu]

I sometimes like to try landing in puddles in people's back yards-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-puddle1.gif

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-puddle2.gif

Love the aircraft's reflection in the water.

 

Sent from my GT-I8262 using Tapatalk

[Rupert]

Hey Scatterbrain. That's a great couple of shots! What scenery? Where?

 

I know with all your royals, dukes, etc, over there in Blighty you have some pretty nice "puddles in people's back yards-" However I don't recognize those puddles.

[ScatterbrainKid]

Hey Scatterbrain. That's a great couple of shots! What scenery? Where?..

 

It's the default FSX scenery in Florida a few miles SW of Palm Beach Airport (KLNA), there are swampy lakes everywhere, here's another shot, that's the lights of KLNA in the background-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-puddles-SW-of_KLNA-Palm-B-Flo_zpsblogwwjc.jpg~original

[ScatterbrainKid]

CONQUERORS OF THE PACIFIC

Maybe FSX flyers would like to have a crack at it with this Southern Cross download, the first aircraft to fly the Pacific (in 3 legs)

(I haven't yet tried it myself)-

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?searchid=43870003

 

The FSX download in action-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-kingsford3_zps00sgqw1e.jpg~original

 

Kingsford Smith and Ulm were Australians; Warner and Lyon were Americans.

They did it mostly by dead reckoning, sextant and intermittent star fixes.

They briefly used two beacons, the Oakland one only had a 400-mile range, and the Honolulu one only 176 miles.

They were also lucky enough to be told their position by two ships they overflew in the night on the leg to Hawaii.

Weather, winds and cloud cover were generally good for the whole trip, except for 3 violent storms causing severe turbulence.

They encountered headwinds of 35 mph in the later stages of the final run-in to Australia.

Average ground speed over the whole trip averaged around 88 mph.

Incidentally if one of the 3 engines had failed while the fuel load was still heavy, they couldn't have maintained height.

They didn't take a dinghy to save weight, but estimated the 'Cross would float for a while with its thick wooden wing.

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/CMSF001/Southern-Cross-crew_zpszkusqfen.jpg~original

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/kingsford-smith-pacific_zpsazfvqwah.jpg~original

 

 

Landing at Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane after crossing the Pacific-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-kingsford6-Southern-C-Eagle-Fm-Brisb-aft-Pac-flt_zpsjwrjfr2k.jpg~original

 

 

At Essendon, Melbourne on tour later that year-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/CMSF001/SC-Essendon-Melbourne-jun-1928_zpson1bqybn.jpg~original

 

 

Over Sydney c1933-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/CMSF001/Southern-Cross-sydney-1932-1934_zpsryh74vrx.jpg~original

 

 

The Pacific flight 1928

8:54 a.m. May 31st- They took off from Oakland on "fine misty morning", used the Oakland beacon for 400 miles for direction to Hawaii-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-kingsford4_zps7ep1f8xt.jpg~original

 

 

Night- they spotted two ships and contacted them by radio which gave them a fix indicating they were 1600 miles from Oakland.

Dawn- picked up tailwind 400 miles from Hawaii.

Got bearing from Honolulu beacon 176 miles out.

Landed Wheeler Field (circled on right below) around noon.

After resting up for a day or so, they flew to Barking Sands (left) to take on a full fuel load, as it gave a longer takeoff run than Wheeler, but even so they aborted 3 takeoff attempts and only managed to lift off on the fourth.

June 3rd- they took off for Fiji at dawn-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-kingsford5_zps1trksnc8.jpg~original

[ScatterbrainKid]

They flew through a storm in afternoon, then hit another storm at dusk which tested Smithy's blind-flying skills to the limit in the violent turbulence.

11:30 p.m. crossed equator.

Dawn- hit 35mph headwinds, fuel worries.

1:10 p.m. sighted Fiji and landed at Suva (Nausori) 3 p.m. June 5th (circled left below) making it the longest non-stop over water flight on record (3150 miles compared to Lindbergh's 1900 miles Newfoundland to Ireland)-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-kingsford2_zpshiiefyiz.jpg~original

 

 

They hopped across to Naselai Beach (right) to take on full fuel load and get a longer takeoff run.

Took off from Naselai Beach 10:15 a.m. June 8th under "brilliant blue tropical sky".

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-kingsford7_zpslzuvmw5n.jpg~original

 

 

They flew through the severe turbulence of another storm from 7 p.m. to after midnight.

Batteries too low to pick up Brisbane beacon, hit Australian coast at Ballina 100 miles south at 8 a.m. and landed at Eagle Farm Airport,Brisbane at 10:15 a.m on June 9th (below)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-kingsford1_zpsdgkorcv8.jpg~original

[NikeHerk67]

Excellent Post Sir! Thanks so much! I'll certainly try some of your suggestions.

 

Michael

 

Thanks Michael

 

 

Busy afternoon today! I've been "storm chasing" that huge storm that's traveling from South Texas into New Hampshire via Kentucky, etc. It's already dropped over 2.2" of rain here.

 

This looks like it's not going anywhere far for at least another 24 hours. Heavy winds from the south and the north have it locked into a pretty set path.

 

I like your idea of storm chasing! I could get into flying typhoons, hurricanes and cyclones and even weather fronts as you've described here.

 

CONQUERORS OF THE PACIFIC

Maybe FSX flyers would like to have a crack at it with this Southern Cross download, the first aircraft to fly the Pacific (in 3 legs)

(I haven't yet tried it myself)-

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?searchid=43870003

 

Excellent idea and documentation!

 

The Ford Trimotor is a great aircraft and would be perfect equipped with the sextant!

 

Now that flight would take some time...My record, way back in the day, was a real time re-enactment Of Amelia Earhart's last attempted flight from Lae to Howland Island...it took about 24 hours...back in my FS2K days.

[ScatterbrainKid]

The Ford Trimotor is a great aircraft and would be perfect equipped with the sextant!

Now that flight would take some time...My record, way back in the day, was a real time re-enactment Of Amelia Earhart's last attempted flight from Lae to Howland Island...it took about 24 hours...back in my FS2K days.

 

Yes the Ford does look like the Southern Cross, but the 'Cross was a Fokker F.VIIb/3m.

 

PS- There are 3 other interesting flights in this thread-

page 5: Amelia Earhart's last flight

page 8: the tragic Dole Air Race

page 25: the loss of Flight.19

[ScatterbrainKid]

STOL OPERATIONS

With some light aircraft you can land on small fields, here's my freeware FSX Storch in action in default FSX (no scenery or weather addons).

I've got my eye on that soccer field just in front of the nose in NY's Central Park-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-storchA_zpscab49c19.jpg~original

 

 

Looking good...

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-storchB_zps96e572a4.jpg~original

 

 

Piece o' cake..;)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-storchC_zpsdbb164dd.jpg~original

 

 

And for my next trick, a rooftop landing..

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-storchD_zps4829d1a5.jpg~original

 

 

Standing on the brakes helps, and so does a stiff headwind..:)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-storchE_zpsddc50dbf.jpg~original

[Rupert]

Yes!! Scatterbrain that's a Manly Manly landing!! I hope the guy who said FSX wasn't competitive like a game is, sees this link.!

[ScatterbrainKid]

INDEX update of this thread showing members main posts.

(Note the page numbers are with the Default forum setting which gives 10 posts per page)

 

p1- Swampy puddles (also pp33/34)

 

p2- Photoreal cross-country.

Interesting Airfields and Flights.

Bell X-1.

 

p3- Glider assault.

 

p4- Thermals (also p5).

Map printout and bad weather flying.

 

p5- Earhart's last flight.

Livery art.

Hang glider.

Thermals (also p4 and 8).

 

p6- Glider tow.

Carrier (also on p7,18 and 35).

Multiplayer.

 

p7- Carrier (also p6, 18 and 35).

 

p8- Dole air race.

 

p14- Terrain mods.

 

p15- Aspen approach in snow.

 

p16- Default NY.

 

p17- Boeing 737.

 

p18- Helipads.

Iris Texan with FTX and XOPI.

Carrier (also p6,7 and 35).

 

p19- Turbo Duke avionics.

 

p20- Intercepting AI aircraft (also p22).

 

p22- Following roads.

 

p25- Photothread link.

Flight 19 final flight route.

 

p26- Leadville high-altitude takeoffs.

 

p27- Parachute jumper.

Jurassic flight.

 

p28- Archaeology.

Yosemite.

 

p29- Landing into Eagle, Colorado.

 

p30- Trike ultralight.

 

p31/32- Chopper roofpad landing.

Hiller H-23 heli writeup.

 

p33- Overheated engine blows.(also p42)

Sextant navigation.

Swampy puddles (also pp1/34).

 

p34- Swampy puddles (also p1/p33).

Kingsford Smith trans-Pacific flight.

STOL operations.

 

p35- Eyepoints and seat raise.

Carrier (also p6,7 and 18).

Dials HUD-style.

DME flying.

 

p37- Zoom and viewpoints examples

 

p38- juggling Fuel and Payload weights to affect handling

 

p42- Hot stuff: engine fire (also p33)

 

p46- Pacific atoll navigation

[Rupert]

Index update of this thread showing main posts

(Note the page numbers are with the Default forum setting which gives 10 posts per page)

p1- Swampy puddles (also pp33/34)

p2- Photoreal cross-country/ Interesting Airfields and Flights/ Bell X-1

p3- Glider assault

p4- Thermals (also p5 and p8)/ Map printout and bad weather flying

p5- Earhart's last flight/ Livery art/ Hang glider/ Thermals (also p4 and 8)

p6- Glider tow/ Carrier (also on p7 and 18)/ Multiplayer

p7- Carrier (also p6 and p18)

p8- Dole air race/ Thermals (also p3 and p5)

p14- Terrain mods

p15- Aspen approach in snow

p16- Default NY

p17- Boeing 737

p18- Helipads/ Iris Texan with FTX and XOPI

p19- Turbo Duke avionics

p20- Intercepting AI aircraft (also p22)

p22- Following roads

p25- Photothread link/ Flight 19 final flight

p26- Leadville takeoffs

p27- Parachute jumper/ Jurassic flight

p28- Archaeology/ Yosemite

p29- Landing into Eagle, Colorado

p30- Trike ultralight

p31/32- Heli roofpad landing/ Hiller H-23 heli writeup

p33- Overheated engine blows/ Sextant navigation/ Swampy puddles (also pp1/34)

p34- Swampy puddles (also p1)/ Kingsford Smith trans-Pacific flight/ STOL operations

 

WOW!! I'm impressed! I'm just an old fixed wing and chopper driver who hopes to keep his hand in a sim. I can't imagine anyone would put that much time and effort into a sim submission!!! YOU GO GUY!! YOU'RE WAY OUT OF MY Level of expertise!

[alverthein]

After being on this site for many years and listening to "smart simmers here" I have come to realize that Me. Ole Al Verthein, does not keep FSX interesting.......FSX KEEPS ME INTERESTED and it will be here much longer than I will and new products are out for it like the new release by ORBX Meigs....and I gotta come up with about $50 bucks to make Flight Simming like it used to be. al v

[Rupert]

After being on this site for many years and listening to "smart simmers here" I have come to realize that Me. Ole Al Verthein, does not keep FSX interesting.......FSX KEEPS ME INTERESTED and it will be here much longer than I will and new products are out for it like the new release by ORBX Meigs....and I gotta come up with about $50 bucks to make Flight Simming like it used to be. al v

 

Well said!!

 

Meigs? I RW flew there in the '60s. I can't believe they shut it down! However, we all need to adjust to the world as it is today!! I won't sim fly into Meigs again because it isn't there anymore.

 

However I will fly into several places that are here today and weren't there when I was RW flying! I believe whether we're RW or sim flying, we have to adapt to the world that exists today!

[ScatterbrainKid]

Newcomers to FSX often ask how to change the viewpoint in the Virtual Cockpit, here's how, it's called "moving your eyepoint"-

 

DEFAULT KEYS VC COCKPIT (F9) EYEPOINT MOVEMENT

(Note: use in conjunction with the zoom keys '-' and '=' to get it looking how you like it)

In the VC cockpit, hold the keys down to slide your eyeballs.

In the 2D cockpit it doesn't work for front view, but works for the other views, push your joystick hat to the view you want and hold it there while adjusting your eyepoint.

SHIFT Enter= Up

SHIFT Backspace=Down

SHIFT CTRL Enter= RIGHT

SHIFT CTRL Backspace= LEFT

CTRL Backspace= Forward

CTRL Enter= Back

Hold CTRL and hit SPACE= Reset

 

Below: VC example using the default FSX Maule near Salisbury Cathedral (England) with Horizon GenX photoscenery, plus Revolution X to add trees and other buildings-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint1_zps4opgkvwg.jpg~original

 

 

Typical VC view with the eyepoint raised a bit to see over the nose--

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint2_zpsdttalvsl.jpg~original

 

 

 

And with the eyepoint slid backwards a bit-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint3_zpstiqjzyur.jpg~original

 

 

And slid even further back-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint4_zpsh60gqfzt.jpg~original

 

 

 

Of course, you can pan around 360 degrees for an immersive experience-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepointa_zpsivkq7sv2.jpg~original

[ScatterbrainKid]

You can even slide your VC eyepoint outside the aircraft to simulate cranking your neck over the side of open cockpit machines to see what's ahead.

Tiger Moth normal view-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyep1_zpsgqtaudrm.jpg~original

 

 

And cranked-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyep2_zpszp5pf2a5.jpg~original

 

 

 

In planes with passenger cabins you can slide your eyepoint all the way back (and even fly from this position for fun), this is a Junkers 52-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint-ju52_zpspwivtfhg.jpg~original

 

 

And pan to look out the window-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint-ju52-2_zpshyos2uqe.jpg~original

[ScatterbrainKid]

However, the 2D COCKPIT (F10) is completely different from the VC because you can only move your view up and down by raising/lowering the seat. Press and hold the default keys-

CTRL Q= Up

CTRL SHIFT Q= Down

 

Maule 2D cockpit standard view-

(Incidentally the dials are squashed like this in some planes instead of being circular, I don't know why that is, maybe there's a fix but I can live with it)-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-Maule-2D-seat1_zpsisuhqlln.jpg~original

 

 

And with the seat raised to peer over the nose-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-Maule-2D-seat2_zpsojnqgwxf.jpg~original

 

(Note- the zoom keys won't make the 2D panel bigger or smaller, they only affect the landscape outside. And in 2D you can't smoothly pan around, the view "jumps" to whatever point of the compass you want)

[ScatterbrainKid]

FSX DEFAULT MOVING CARRIER

 

"Where do we get such men? They leave this ship and they do their job. Then they must find this speck lost somewhere on the sea. When they find it, they have to land on its pitching deck. Where do we get such men?"- Rear Admiral George Tarrant: The Bridges at Toko-Ri

 

Apart from a static carrier in the Pacific a few miles outside the Golden Gate Bridge, there's also a moving one steaming up the California coast, here's how to find it-

Set the time to 11 o'clock on any Wednesday morning in July in summer-

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-carr01.gif

 

 

 

..and at least 91% ships/ferries-

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-carr07.gif

 

 

 

..and if we takeoff from Point Magu NAS (KNTD) there's the carrier out in the Pacific right on cue..:) I'll take this freeware Skyraider out to it-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-carr03.gif

 

 

 

The carrier is steaming about 280 degrees so I've set the wind at 15 kts from 280.

The 'meatball' lights on the carrier are reading green so I must be on the glideslope-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-carr04.gif

 

 

 

The carrier doesn't show on the map but if your plane is near it a glance at the plane icon on the map shows where it is. (red circle is Los Angeles for reference)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-carr02.gif

 

 

 

Ugh, I grunt as I dump the Skyraider untidily into the wires, the secret is not to try to flare but to fly straight into the wires and trust that naval aircraft landing gear is built to take the shock,

I don't know if it's a rumour but I hear that naval aviator cadets have it drummed into them that "Any pilot who flares will be court-martialled!"-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-carr05.gif

 

 

 

Bingo, the kite stops within about 25 yards, we don't see any graphic of the hook picking up the wires, it's abstracted. (After a few seconds the hook automatically abstractly disengages from the wires and you can take off again, or if you're a jet you can taxi to the catapult.)

The carrier moves at around 25 kts (fixed, you can't change the speed as far as I know). Tip- set a strong headwind to make landing easier.

The carrier automatically changes course slightly every so often to follow the coast-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-carr06.gif

 

 

Here's the moving carrier's route and schedule, the red times are it's northward route, and the blues are its southward route afer it turns near San Francisco to come back. The yellow stars are its course corrections-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-carrier-calif_zpsbkkno3wg.jpg~original

[ScatterbrainKid]

CATAPULT

 

Press ALT to bring up the menu bar at the top of the screen, then go to Options> Settings> Controls> Buttons/keys> Systems and scroll down to check that your key assignments are there. If they're not, assign them yourself.

This pic shows two of the ones you want. The other one is 'Launch bar (extend/retract)', scroll up a bit to get it.

And for good measure check your Tail hook SHIFT-Q is there too because you might need it for landing..;)-

 

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-carrier-launch_zpsn1si5jnj.jpg~original

 

Here are the official instructions from the Carrier Tutorial-

Taxi to catapult at bow.

Lower launch bar SHIFT-U.

When the nose gear and launch bar are over the red and white striped square at the near end of the catapult, press SHIFT-I to attach to the catapult shuttle.

Throttle up, then Launch with SHIFT-Space

 

Let's go downtown! I took these pics of my default FSX Hornet on the default moving carrier off Los Angeles-

 

1- hit SHIFT-U to drop the launch bar anywhere on the deck (it pivots down from the nosegear leg)-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-carrier1_zpsu6sy8som.jpg~original

 

 

2- taxi to put your nosewheel in the red square (doesn't have to be exactly in the middle) and hit SHIFT-I to lock into the end of the catapult-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-carrier2_zpsyqdirisf.jpg~original

 

 

 

3- Add some flaps, slam open the throttle to maximum (the afterburners should come on), then hit SHIFT-Spacebar and you're away..:)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-carrier3_zpso4gggbmx.jpg~original

[Rupert]

Scatterbrain,

 

Nice info on screens for new pilots. However I'm fond of using the 2D and pushing W which often gives me almost a HUD. Such as this shot of EGLC.

 

[Jim Robinson]

Fly a DME arc!

 

I recently wondered how on earth a pilot could manually fly a consistent radius around a VOR. Sure the GPS can do it but DME arcs have been around since before GPS was a gleam in Garmin's eye, so how would you do it if you had only a VOR receiver, DME, and a directional gyro? I figured there must be a technique that doesn't require rocket science so I googled it and sure enough, there is!

 

The gist of it is this: If you constantly fly a course that's perpendicular to the VOR radial you're crossing you'll theoretically fly a perfect circle maintaining a constant distance from the VOR.

 

That of course would mean you'd need to make 360 heading changes in rapid succession to complete the circle. That's a little ridiculous so what you do is divide the circle up into 10° pie segments and fly a 36-segmented circle, adjusting your course every 10°. You want to fly an "average" perpendicular course between every 10° segment.

 

Say you're flying counter clockwise between the 20° radial and the 10° radial, 15° would be right down the middle (or "average") so you'd subtract 90° from 15 [to get 'perpendicular'] and fly a course of 285° for that 10° segment of the circle.

 

Continuing counter-clockwise to the 10° - 0° segment, your "average radial" is 5° so subtract 90 and you get 275° - you turn 10° to the left in other words as you cross the 10° radial. You'll know when to make your turn because you've dialed in 10° on the VOR indicator's OBS knob, when the needle centers you're on the 10° radial and it's time to turn. Once the heading change is established you dial back another 10° on the OBS (aka CRS) knob and wait for the needle to center again. It's just a matter of repetition, reducing your heading 10° and changing the CRS value 10° every "tens" radial you cross.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Here's a practical application for your new skill. You're flying from KLAM, Los Alamos, NM to KABQ, Albuquerque in instrument conditions and ATC has given you the ILS 03 approach. You don't have a GPS so you look at the chart and choose the NODME transition. NODME is an intersection defined as 10nm DME from ABQ VOR on the 023° radial. Without GPS the only way of navigating to the NODME intersection is to track inbound on the reciprocal radial 203° until your DME shows 10 nm and then turn right where you'll start your DME arc.

 

 

Here's an overview of the flight, you depart KLAM and fly directly towards SAF Santa Fe VOR. You intercept and fly the 203° radial of ABQ VOR as you cross it.

 

http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/atchmnts/kalm_kabq_ovrview.jpg

 

 

Here's the chart:

 

http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/atchmnts/chart_kabq_ILS3.jpg

 

 

Here are your segments, radials, and headings. You continue around this arc until you cross the 164° radial at 10nm DME, at that point you're on the localizer for runway 03 and a turn to the ILS heading of 034° should put you on the approach path. You'll have the ILS freq. tuned in the STBY channel of your NAV 1 radio so all you need to do is swap the freq and ride the ILS onto the runway.

 

http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/atchmnts/00012IL3.jpg

 

 

Here's your reward for the effort, don't forget to check out your track in the flight analysis or the map after you land!

 

http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/atchmnts/kabq_ILS03_dme_arc.jpg

 

 

Some tips:

 

-try it your first time with the clear skies weather theme, it'll be a lot easier if you don't have to deal with wind corrections

 

-use the autopilot for altitude and heading, press "D" frequently to sync the directional gyro with the compass.

 

-things happen quickly, each 10° pie segment of a 10nm DME arc is less than a nautical mile. Fly something slow like the Skyhawk so you can keep up.

 

-it's a long ways around a 10nm DME arc! You'll cover 31.4 nm if you fly the full circle. Plan on being up there a while!

 

-Have fun! :)

[dspaulding]

I find fly arcs with an RMI a whole lot easier. Just keep the bearing pointer at your 3 or 9 o'clock when on the arc (depending on direction of turn) and monitor the DME read out. If you start slipping inside stop or ease the turn and watch the pointer to move aft. When reaching correct DME then turn back so pointer goes back to 3 or 9 o'clock. If you slip outside the arc, turn until pointer is slightly ahead of 3 or 9 o'clock, monitor DME, and take correction out until when back on arc. Another benefit is you get a constant read out of where you are on the arc instead of turning course knobs. Yes it's most likely in a faster plane then a Skyhawk, but you can slow it down to Skyhawk cruise speeds. Mooney is a good choice, Baron is getting fast but doable for an amateur. Jet I wouldn't recommend until you can fly an arc in your sleep.

 

-----------------------

 

True story. When I was an FO, I flew to Mexico from time to time out of DFW. I was flying with a goober captain, I didn't really like him for several reasons, probably didn't like me either.

 

Anyways, after having a surprise GPS alert while flying an arc over mountainous terrain, I've made it a personal rule to not rely on the GPS in Mexico for approaches. Especially on the arcs.

So I guess the captain sees me about to track the arc off the VOR on my display and he quickly pushes me back into GPS data which is quite rude. I asked what he was doing, and he explained the GPS can track arcs. Duh? "I know that.... Why can't I just fly it like I was taught when I got my tickets?" He sits there and says okay in a not so confident way. I go back to reading the VOR and fly it beautifully.

 

We land, park the aircraft, then I explain my myself. He didn't even say, 'oh okay', or 'sorry'. He says, next time tell me when you're going to do that, or something to that line. I looked at him and said, didn't you hear me brief the approach?

 

 

Goober.

[Rupert]

dspaulging,

 

We had a bunch of them in the Marine Corps too. Typically they were desk jockeys & bean counters who only flew their four hours a month to get their flight pay. Or to move Bob Hope and his girls from place to place.

 

We on the line were flying at least six or more hours seven days every week. But when they arrived in their spotless flight suits with their fancy painted hard hats, we were moved to the left seat (choppers) and could do nothing to suit them.

 

I had one C.O. who "flew" maybe ten hours a month. He sat in the right seat with his hog leg .44 handy. Anytime we flew into or out of a hot zone he'd stick his arm & .44 out the side window and shoot like he was Roy Rodgers or someone. Whoever was unfortunate enough to be in the left seat had to do the landing and takeoff without any backup!