The 2024 Australian Air Rally - The FBO

[MAD1]

Tnx VP2 and jgf. Yes, have experienced that frustration in previous years, and need to remind myself to regularly 'Save the Flight' manually, as a sequence 1, 2, 3 etc. manually (until I get those gadgets set up for autosave), that indeed would be a bummer, especially for flights approaching an hour plus. Will be awhile before I have RW time to go play with it all. Little steps ...!

[Bossspecops]

7 hours ago, jgf said:

 

There is an autosave module you can install and it will save your flight at whatever interval you select (5min, 10min, etc.);  so in case of a crash, aircraft or computer, you just reload the last good save and continue.

 

 

Been there, done THAT a few times too! 

 

But I can't find an equivalent to Autosave for FSX, is there one?

[Bossspecops]

10 hours ago, Melo965 said:

 

Actually the same file is here at Flightsim.com.

 

 

Yes, but it looks like they're AI models and not full-on flyable ones. Or maybe I've got it all wrong.......

[Bossspecops]

10 minutes ago, Bossspecops said:

 

 

Been there, done THAT a few times too! 

 

But I can't find an equivalent to Autosave for FSX, is there one?

 

 To clarify that, I mean I can't find one that will install properly.

 

I have fsxsave104.zip but it won't install as it says it needs SP2 installed and it thinks I don't have it. But I have FSX PLUS Accel and that includes SP2!!!!!

 

Now I need the 'head banging' emoticon again................

[ScottishMike]

Bossspecops:

The two Mk2s German target tug and RAF B Mk2 are by Bill Holker. Textures: Andy Nott.

Documentation

This is the third model in the Canberra series. New textures by Andy Nott (andrew.nott@gmail.com), applied to a modification of the original GAF Canberra, designed using FSDS 2 by Bill Holker.

I realise there are errors with this model but not too obvious I hope. I completed the original GAF Canberra project to satisfy a need I had for a functional model of the Canberra as it was configured when I worked on these A/C in the RAAF. Searching the net for a suitable model did not reveal any that met my full expectations in either configuration or flying qualities. I must thank the many people who assisted with this project with a special mention to Warwick Carter for the assistance with learning the basics of FSDS and helping with the animations, Dave Friswell for all his work on the Air file which I believe is darn good, Charles Kranenburg for the original documentation for the Canberra and also for his beta testing and arranging for an Ex RAAF Canberra pilot to test fly this model. Also a heap of others who assisted along the way. Thanks all.

The model was modified to allow the new textures to be applied to a more realistic version of the Canberra, as the RAF aircraft differ slightly from those used by the RAAF

 

The PR9 are also by Bill Holker XH131 and XH134 (The Kemble photo came with this):

Documentation

This is the second aircraft release in my Canberra series. Designed using FSDS 2. I undertook this project upon a request from the members of Royal Armed Forces Virtual (RAFv: www.rafvirtual.org ) to procure a model of the PR9 photo recon. Canberra. I must thank the many people who assisted with this project with a special mention to Jon Watkins, RAFv A&AEE test pilot, who proofed the A/C and set up the flight characteristics, Tim Grahame for the original research assistance during the project, Warwick Carter for further assistance with learning the many new tricks in using FSDS and helping with the animations, Dave Friswell for all his work on the original Air file which I believe is darn good and all of the great guys at RAFv who gave the encouragement and assistance with this model. This model has been test flow and given the seal of approval by the test crew at RAFv. Thanks to all who assisted with this project.

 

English Electric MK2 is by Kazunori Ito:

 

English Electric Mk9 also by Kazuori or Kazunori Ito:

Documentation

FS2004/FS2002/CFS2 Canberra B2 Repaints.
A series of repaints for the superb English Electric Canberra Canberra B2/PR9 model by Kazunori Ito. Includes five schemes for RAF and one for Argentine Air Force aircraft. Requires original model (EE_CANB.ZIP) by Kazunori Ito to use these skins.

You will need to install these by inserting information for each repaint in the aircraft.cfg file of the Canberra. The variations include:

* B.62, Olivia City, Argentina, B-102
* PR9: RAF Wyton, No.1 PRU, XH174
* B.2: RAF Honnington, 10 Sqn, WH667
* PR7: RAF Wyton, 100 Sqn, WH972
* B.2: RAF Upwood, 35 Sqn, WK133
* B.6: RAF Bomber Command 1 scheme, WK163

Textures by Steven Beeny (Nazca Studios).
steve@nazcastudios.com

NOTE: These repaints were once available for free downloand on the now-defunct web page for Canberra repaints: http://www.nazcastudios.com/gaming.htm and have been uploaded here on FlightSim to preserve the archive.

 

Canberra TT. 18 Royal Aircraft Establishment & RNAS Yeovilton

This is all I have from the aircraft.cfg file:

“performance=+ Empty Weight: 26646 lbs\n+ Power: 7500 lbs thrust\n+ Maneuver speed: 208 mph @ 5.0 g\n+ Max speed: 605 mph @ 15000 ft\n+ Max speed at sea-level: 638 mph\n+ Climb rate: 5400 ft\/min @ 638 mph\n+ Vmca = 120kts IAS\n+ Stall = 80kts IAS Clean,\n+ Stall = 60kts IAS Gear\/Flaps Down\nFlight Dynamics By: David Friswell\nAussim\nFD Build 35 - 05\/01\/05 03:57 PM\nFlight Dynamics Workbook V2.84.65”

 

The Martin B-57B is from ALPHASIM:

Documentation

These files are freeware. Please amend/distribute as you see fit.

They are unsupported, so please do not e-mail us if you have problems.

Under no circumstances may these files be sold or uploaded to a payware site.
All rights reserved - AlphaSim 2008
WWW.ALPHASIM.CO.UK

alphasim1@alphasim.co.uk

[Bossspecops]

Magic, thanks. It looks like Andy Knott's incorporated my 'Last Canberra Flight' textures into his PR9 package as well. 

[Bossspecops]

I flew into Darwin a couple of days back, and it's a pretty boring flight from Alice Springs. Miles and miles of orange coloured nothing, for much of the flight anyway............... 

 

Getting off from Alice wasn't much a problem, it's a nice long paved runway and with nothing to hit once you're airborne. The tower got a great pic of 'Austral Rose's landing gear coming up as I climbed out. 

 

 

 

Turning over the town I got a good view of The Gap again, over G-AUST's fin in this pic.

 

 

But soon the 'scenery' reverted to this, for a LONG way.

 

 

It was enlivened only by turning over Tenant Creek, which amazingly was at the end of the northerly SID out of Alice, and that was over 250 nms away!

 

 

Further north it got a bit more tropical and there was more greenery to see below.

 

 

And even a river! But no ox bow lakes on this one, the Daly River apparently, which leads into the Timor Sea off the north west coast of Oz.

 

 

Approaching Darwin it started to cloud over and I asked for an ILS approach which worked out pretty well and got me exactly on the correct line.

 

 

And before long I was parked up and signed in.

 

 

This was going to be my last night in Australia, and I wanted to make it special so took a cab into the town itself, just a short distance away from the airport, which was rather good. But the next leg will be across the notorious Timor Sea, not known for its calmness at all, so it could be a rough flight..................

 

[Rupert]

Nice flight Kit!  Though I agree, there doesn't seem to be much detail in the landscape.  I guess they didn't think there would be a lot of traffic using it there.

 

Michael

[ScottishMike]

Long distance flights in FS9

Let's take a flight from JFK to Dublin, in this case a 777-300 of Air Lingus (in FS9):

Departure time is important because it will determine arrival time, and I find taxing around a large airport in the likes of a 777 in the dark in FS9 will almost inevitably lead to crashes of one sort or another. The other two options are

1. switch off crash detection for taxiing on departure and arrival (the downside is remembering to activate crash detection for take-off, landing and flight.)

2. Switch time to dusk or dawn for taxiing (Is this a cheat?)

Once I have the correct fuel and load I set the flight plan. These days I choose a direct GPS plan:

This will give you a direct GPS routing that the GPS can slave to the AP (Auto Pilot)

It also gives IFR options from ATC and IFR taxi and take off clearance:

at this point I usually set speed, altitude and VS in the AP. We can't set heading till we know what rwy we will be directed to.

We can now request IFR taxi

Once IFR taxi clearance is given we can push back

and follow the pink line (unless you know JFK by hart as a good pilot should ;-))

During the taxi out I set flaps and trim. Now holding for take-off clearance and setting AP with rwy heading and switching from Taxi lights to landing lights:

Howling at the moon on take-off:

Now lots of things have to be done all at once: Turn off top view, activate GPS, set headings to intercept the red line, adjust speed, VS, flaps and switch off landing lights:

Just before intercepting the GPS course (red line) I usually cancel IFR:

Then switch AP from HDG to NAV and switch from NAV to GPS as I want to see the aircraft turn automatically onto the GPS course so I know everything is working properly:

Now happy we are on the GPS course and above 10,000' I switch the GPS to 500nm zoom and go to 4X speed.

At 4X speed it is important to check KIAS and VS if VS is set too high you can get in a stall very quickly

Once at cruise height and all is OK I turn FS Global Real Weather off and go to 16X speed and sometimes switch from SPD to MCH on the AP:

Cruising at 16X the GPS is my friend it tells me distance to run, bearing, GS, ETE, ETA:

Cruising at 38,000' 16X SPEED:

Messed up one of my first rules of long distance flights; checking departure time it's turning to night:

I also forgot to load my Irish scenery. I'll save the flight, exit FS9 and load Irish scenery and deactivate all other scenery.

I used to have the same problems JGF mentioned when going to X16 speed, but since using a scenery management program and upgrading to a faster computer I can see clouds and on occasion the northern lights at 16x speed. FS Global Weather will still work as well, but as I cross over any meteorological station it writes data to FS9, this can take up to 2 minutes and in this flight for example I will be crossing more than 20 stations (FS9 stops during writing) so as much as 40 minutes with FS9 frozen.

Dublin showing on GPS 482 nm. to go:

200 nm. to go starting descent. Going back to 4X speed. The delay when going from 16X back to 4X is only a fraction of a second:

Only 50nm. To go, so am returning to normal speed

From here on all else is a normal speed approach and landing.

Hope the above helps, the total journey took less than two hours real time.

[Bossspecops]

That's VERY interesting, so many different ways of doing things in this hobby. It's a LONG time since I did a flight like that with FS ATC running, back then I worked with IVAO and their ATC could be anything from extremely good to diabolical! That was always assuming there was any ATC where I was flying of course............. 

[Bossspecops]

Y'day I flew northerly out of Darwin on my way home, and it was my first time away from the usually lovely Australian Orbx/OZx scenery for over a couple of months, and it was a bit of a shock!

 

Lining up on the Darwin runway it was good to see road traffic as I suspect it will be while before I see any more!

 

 

Even with full tanks, 340 gallons, I was surprised how quickly G-AUST got off, but the wind was directly toward me for a change.

 

 

Heading straight out over the Timor Sea I was a little sad to leave Australia, I had a really good time flying there and hope I can get back again before too long.

 

 

The flight to Andi Djemma (WAWM) in Borneo's Sulawesi province should have taken me around 4.8 hrs, but things conspired to prevent that happening, see later. Much of the flight was over the ocean so the scenery looked like this....

 

 

But what I hadn't taken note of, and Active Sky didn't actually mention, was that it was the monsoon season in these parts, and soon it was raining, and RAINING!

 

 

In fact it never stopped, the whole way to WAWM, and I was dodging in and out of clouds much of the way.

 

I crossed over East Timor after a couple of hours, and then over the much smaller Wetar Island before reaching Sulwawesi itself and then started a pre-planned climb to 7500 ft as there's a couple of 6000 + ft hills there.

 

 

There was a handy VOR at Kendari (KDI) that reminded me I needed to be at that height by then, but 'Austral Rose' had no problems getting up there.

 

 

All this while she was tossing and turning in the wind gusts and it just NEVER stopped raining the entire time.

Crossing the hills to the east of WAWM I was in IMC conditions totally and had just started my descent when FSX crashed to desktop! That's the 2nd time it's done that in a week. 

 

 

Luckily I knew exactly where I was at the time of the CTD, relative to my start of descent, and I'd checked my fuel state only a few minutes before, so was able to re-construct the situation reasonably well, but my timing and real fuel state were long gone of course.

 

Soon I could turn onto the approach path for WAWM and found that the glide slope there was pretty well parallel to the terrain! I was flying in BETWEEN some tall trees at one stage, only about 25 ft above ground, but still 1/2 mile from the threshold! 

 

 

Closer in there were the usual 'items' on the centre line, but this time not just a tree but a whole FOREST!

 

 

My landing was OK, but Andi Djemma was somewhat less busy than I anticipated, it being the airport for the local capital. There was nothing there at all, just the runway! I'm sorely tempted to do an add-on scenery for the place, just because it's available to see from Google Earth!

 

So it wasn't a case of taking the taxiways to the ramp as there weren't any, I just turned onto the grass and stopped about where the RW terminal building is.

 

 

Note that it's STILL raining..............

 

I'm headed off to the Philipines next, pretty close to due north from here, but there are some SERIOUS hills before I reach the ocean and it could be a bit difficult. Off to find the town now, if there is one in FSX's version of Borneo. 

[Melo965]

RAF Akrotiri (LCRA) in Cyprus to Tain Airfield (EGQA) in Scotland, UK

 

I missed snapping a picture before engine start.  In a hurry to get this leg of the flight done.  So much so that this flight will be a speed run. I have arranged for a RAAF tanker to meet me half way and top off my tanks for the remainder of the flight.

 

Long taxi out to Runway 28 for takeoff.

 

Takeoff on Runway 28.

 

Climbing out.  The guys at RAF Akrotiri took very good care of me and the Canberra while I was there.

 

At cruise altitude of 20,000 ft after 3 minutes.

 

Spotted a Learjet crossing right to left in front and below me.

 

1 hour into the flight.  Still solid overcast below.

 

Finally seeing something other than clouds below.

 

90 minutes elapsed time.  Beautiful Romanian mountains below.

 

Hungry for fuel over Hungary.    

Met up with the tanker right on time at 1 hour and 52 minutes into the flight.

 

2 hours elapsed time.  Glad to have my tanks topped off.  Saw a few contrails from high flying aircraft behind me.

 

2 and a half hours.  Leaving most of the weather behind.

 

The clearer view ahead.

 

Leaving Europe and now flying over the North Sea.

 

Approaching Scotland.  Weather does not look very good ahead.

 

3 and a half hours elapsed time.  Carefully descending through 2,100 ft to get under the clouds.

 

Just under 2,200 ft.

 

Cockpit view.  Can just see the shore ahead.

 

Going feet dry at just under 2,000 ft.

 

Just under 1,600 ft.  Scottish countryside below.

 

Runway 26 in sight ahead.  I should have swung around to the West and landed on Runway 14 based on the wind direction, but decided to land on Runway 26 with a crosswind component.  Not a decision I would have ever made on a RW flight.  (Was in a hurry to get there, because I had a family zoom meeting to attend in about 5 minutes.)

 

Consequently  a high and fast final for Runway 26.

 

Finally stopped with no damage, but not a landing I am proud of.

 

Parked at Tain in the Special Operations Area of the airport.  Now to find one of Kit's mates to hand over the keys to this classy Canberra.

Next aircraft is the CMC Leopard G-KITS for the relatively short hop down to Dean Forest Regional (EGDF).

 

After this quick but intense flight, getting a good rest so I can fly again tomorrow.  The guys here have invited me for a hearty dinner and a comfortable billet overnight.

 

I landed with 70.6 gallons of fuel on board or 1.6% fuel remaining.

 

The flight plan distance was 2,038 nautical miles.  I flew 2,348 miles in 3 hours and 44 minutes which works out to an average speed of 628.9 miles per hour.  This PR9 Canberra sure is a sweet ride! 

 

[Bossspecops]

26 is the preferred active at Tain Melo, even with adverse winds as it's longer than the others and the approach is nicely along the Moray Firth. If you line up with the lighthouse on the end of the spit out to the east it that puts you directly on the centre line. 

 

An AVERAGE of 628 mph? Those Avons will be needing a re-bore I think! 

[Airbasil_1]

Just curiouse, as the Race had allready ended about a month ago (as stated in the rulez) who won the race finally? 

[PhrogPhlyer]

5 hours ago, Airbasil_1 said:

who won the race

“This just in: Club Chachapoya’s 2024 Great Australian Air Gaggle is officially over! It has now passed midnight in the UK, and since the last remaining racers were from there, we can now release the final results:

 

 

“On the third step of the podium for the Eastern Route are the PhrogPhlyers with a -20. They win $6,250. On the second step is ViperPilot2, finishing on the 25th with a +2. He wins $12,500. And on the top step, winning the Eastern overall, is Melo965, finishing on the 23rd with a -2. He takes home $25,000, which added to his first-place winnings from the 1976 Australian Air Race gives him a total of $50,000 for the Gaggle.

 

“Now for the Combined, winning the Silver is ViperPilot2, with a +3. He takes home $25,000 for second place – since there was no third-place finisher, the $10,000 prize for the Bronze is split evenly between the other two finishers. And the PhrogPhlyers take home the Gold with their perfect CV set on the 23rd, and $45,000.

 

“The total winnings for the Gaggle, then, are:

 

“The PhrogPhlyers in first place with $51,250.

 

“Melo965 in second with $50,000.

 

“ViperPilot2, the only team to earn podium finishes in all three events, in third with $43,750.

 

“Bossspecops and JSMR share fourth place with $6,250 each.

 

“And I am so proud to present the Spirit of the Race Award to Bossspecops!

[jgf]

6 hours ago, Airbasil_1 said:

Just curiouse, as the Race had allready ended about a month ago (as stated in the rulez) who won the race finally? 

 

I was the first back to Jandakot.

[Bossspecops]

1 hour ago, jgf said:

 

I was the first back to Jandakot.

 

Oh! Were we meant to head back there? 

 

It's a bit late now, I've just landed near (it was a water landing....) Okinawa.................. 

[Melo965]

9 hours ago, Bossspecops said:

26 is the preferred active at Tain Melo

 

Those Avons will be needing a re-bore I think!

 

Thanks, I will keep that in mind about 26.

 

Just send me the bill for the Avons, got it covered.

 

[Melo965]

54 minutes ago, Bossspecops said:

2 hours ago, jgf said:

I was the first back to Jandakot.

 

Oh! Were we meant to head back there?

 

I flew Darwin to Darwin, surely that counts as a circumnavigation of Australia?  

 

[Sirrus]

So,whilst others have been making their way back home from Australia, at home in Amsterdam, I have been recovering from my second total hip replacement. Major surgery indeed, as one has to learn to walk again!

 

However, with the passage of time, and a very pretty physio, I am able to walk, drive and fly again, so I took on the delivery of two refurbished EC120s to be delivered to Nice from Paris. It so happened that there was also a major cycle race happening at the same time so our route nearly planned itself.
 
The route was:-
Day 1    Le Bourget to Chavenay 
Day 2    Chavenay to Montargis and then on to Auxerre
Day 3 Auxerre to Chalon (after watching the team time trial!)
Day 4 Chalon to Valence via Mont Broiully
Day 5    Valence to Sisteron (a gliding paradise)
Day 6 Sisteron to Nice and hand over our EC120s.

 

Our ride from Amsterdam to Le Bourget was one of our “hack” aircraft, which is also available for lease or rent.

At Le Bourget we picked up our Colibris and a Diamond DA42 which would act as mother ship should anything untoward happen on our way South.

"Our" Diamond DA42 with Sean Beckett and I flying.

Somewhere South of Chalon, the weather deteriorates into rain, not at all what we were expecting. At least, we had no snowfalls as we wound our way through the Alpes Maritime.

The first EC120 with Lottie Vincent at the controls

The second EC120 with Joe Grimley in charge. He hated the colour scheme which will be altered when its new owners take it over.

 

Finally, we made Nice. One of my favourite cities, I learned how to “prune” a large yukka tree here from one of the City's Parks Department employees (with a chainsaw!).

This is in a pot, but in the ground they can grow up to 30 FEET TALL!!!! Hence the chainsaw. It starts to grow back within a year.

 

We hand over the EC120s 

and spend a couple of days in a cold and wet Nice (to watch the finish of the race) before all climbing back into the DA42

and returning it to Le Bourget and taking our Cessna Titan back to Amsterdam.

With the Cycling World Tours now coming thick and fast, I shall have to see if there are any more jobs that take me near to a race:-)

 

As an aside, my business partner in Florida sent me a picture of a heli he has just bought. He doesn't think it was ex HMX-1, the Presidential Flight, but a special scheme as adopted by some aircraft of HMMT-164. He'll know more when he gets it in the hangar.

Hmmmm...

[ViperPilot2]

1 hour ago, Sirrus said:

So,whilst others have been making their way back home from Australia, at home in Amsterdam, I have been recovering from my second total hip replacement. Major surgery indeed, as one has to learn to walk again!

 

However, with the passage of time, and a very pretty physio, I am able to walk, drive and fly again, so I took on the delivery of two refurbished EC120s to be delivered to Nice from Paris. It so happened that there was also a major cycle race happening at the same time so our route nearly planned itself.
 
The route was:-
Day 1    Le Bourget to Chavenay 
Day 2    Chavenay to Montargis and then on to Auxerre
Day 3 Auxerre to Chalon (after watching the team time trial!)
Day 4 Chalon to Valence via Mont Broiully
Day 5    Valence to Sisteron (a gliding paradise)
Day 6 Sisteron to Nice and hand over our EC120s.

 

Our ride from Amsterdam to Le Bourget was one of our “hack” aircraft, which is also available for lease or rent.

At Le Bourget we picked up our Colibris and a Diamond DA42 which would act as mother ship should anything untoward happen on our way South.

"Our" Diamond DA42 with Sean Beckett and I flying.

Somewhere South of Chalon, the weather deteriorates into rain, not at all what we were expecting. At least, we had no snowfalls as we wound our way through the Alpes Maritime.

The first EC120 with Lottie Vincent at the controls

The second EC120 with Joe Grimley in charge. He hated the colour scheme which will be altered when its new owners take it over.

 

Finally, we made Nice. One of my favourite cities, I learned how to “prune” a large yukka tree here from one of the City's Parks Department employees (with a chainsaw!).

This is in a pot, but in the ground they can grow up to 30 FEET TALL!!!! Hence the chainsaw. It starts to grow back within a year.

 

We hand over the EC120s 

and spend a couple of days in a cold and wet Nice (to watch the finish of the race) before all climbing back into the DA42

and returning it to Le Bourget and taking our Cessna Titan back to Amsterdam.

With the Cycling World Tours now coming thick and fast, I shall have to see if there are any more jobs that take me near to a race:-)

 

As an aside, my business partner in Florida sent me a picture of a heli he has just bought. He doesn't think it was ex HMX-1, the Presidential Flight, but a special scheme as adopted by some aircraft of HMMT-164. He'll know more when he gets it in the hangar.

Hmmmm...

From May on the Grand Tours are all the rage, but right now it's Spring Classics time. Paris-Nice, Tour of Lombardy, the Tour of Flanders... all culminating in The Queen of The Classics, L' Enfer Du Nord or Paris-Roubaix.

[Sirrus]

28 minutes ago, ViperPilot2 said:

Paris-Roubaix

A real race that separates the committed from those who should be committed!

 

You must be a cyclist, sir. That's how you knew about Bianci bicycles...

 

These days I ride a Pashley tricycle, but I used to be a 14 mile a day guy, 6' tall and 75 kilos/170 lbs on a lightweight Claude Butler road bicycle.

[Bossspecops]

I'm one too, but I ride Moultons, the ones with tiny 17" wheels.  

 

Hm, I tried to post a pic, but it said failed, error code -200, whatever that is. 

 

[ViperPilot2]

1 hour ago, Sirrus said:

A real race that separates the committed from those who should be committed!

 

You must be a cyclist, sir. That's how you knew about Bianci bicycles...

 

These days I ride a Pashley tricycle, but I used to be a 14 mile a day guy, 6' tall and 75 kilos/170 lbs on a lightweight Claude Butler road bicycle.

 

They rant, rave and whine every year, and they keep coming back again and again.

 

Yes, I was a Cyclist, and also worked in the biz for 16 years. I guess I still am; I ride to the Grocery store, and I also own a bike with 16" wheels, an old Raleigh 3 speed folder from the late 70's. One of four bikes I still have in the quiver.

[PhrogPhlyer]

3 hours ago, Sirrus said:

Sirrus, having thought I had every available CH-46 in FSX, this paint scheme is a new one to me. Who's is it?