Dangerousdave26

I also had to convert the images before I could post them. I used Gimp with the Bimp plug in. It can batch convert and rename the files in a snap.

I spent a lot of time on the runway prepping the flight and waiting for a little more daylight. Pretty much displeasing the AI aircraft making them wait so long they disappeared.

Weather wasn't real bad but there was a low level fog.

That probably worked out in my favor as it kept some of the AI traffic on the ground.

It wasn't long before I was climbing above the clouds.

Although some of the clouds masked the tops of the mountains. We still climbed over it with ease.

More to come tomorrow. I ran out of time today.

Then you missed all the excitement when I landed on runway 6 and runway 24 was the active runway.

A Boeing 737 was kind of Peeved off at me. It was a classic head on almost crash. Wish I would have had ATC open to listen to the chatter.

I was a little too busy trying to get it stopped to grab a screenshot at that moment. Rather disappointing it was. The view of the aircraft from underneath was rather cool.

2 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

 

Awesome flight, Dave! For the Record, which Time do you want to use as your Official Time? 

That is up to you but the Baton time fit more the spirit of the event.

Down and safe

Details on the flight to follow

Details from the Duenna text file.

Summary:
  Baton Auto Pickup :        NO
  Autopilot Disabled :       NO
  Direct Distance :          1,780.0 nm
  Flight Distance :          1,785.2 nm
  Flight Time :              05:34:05
  Baton Time :               05:37:49 (INTERNET)

I manually grabbed the Baton and then powered up to take off.

I parked the airplane (maybe in it an actual spot) and then stopped the Duenna.

Flight time 5 hrs 34 minutes 5 seconds

Take off to park 5 hrs 37 minutes  49 seconds.

Max Groundspeed :          375.1 kts
Max IAS :                  257.2 kts

Max Altitude :             25,552.1 ft

Avg Groundspeed :          317.7 kts

Well the check list forgot to close the cowl flaps once I got in cruise mode so I lost about an hour of a tab bit more speed.

713 nm out

2 hrs ETE

Currently 350 on the GS.

ETE of around 5hrs but since we are not halfway there that could go up or down.

Its like downloading a large file. You can ignore the early numbers.

In level flight @ 25,000 and cruising.

Note this plain has mixture levers, my sim has mixture levers but the engines are setup to use auto mixture which is historically correct. Gnoopy was pretty good at achieving accuracy. 

I have a range of 2211 nm and 1649 to go.

Plenty for a go around. LOL

No pictures until I land. i have to convert the PNG to JPG for the forum software. 

It is time to start the early morning run.

LIned up on the runway - Check

Weather set to real world weather - Check

Visibility crappy - Check

AI traffic delayed by sitting on runway making forum post - Check

Duenna set and slightly confused - Check

Flaps down - Check

GPS set - Check

Fuel - 60% - Check

Cargo limted to 4 Crew members and 12 Ham Samiches, and 180 lbs of coffee - Check

Powering up and taking off.

That final test was good.

60% fuel and no bombs you can get off the ground heading the right way without an issue.

Now to get time to run the race.

25 minutes ago, ViperPilot2 said:

About your Superfortress... I clicked on the Link you provided for the Repaint you're using, and was sent straight to the SOH main Search page! No biggie; I can look through their File Library. My question is regarding the Model itself; is this the Tom Kohler Superfortress, part of his "Superfortress Mania" Package? I have it installed, but I'm not sure it's 'complete'. Do I have to combine several pieces of his other Models to get a 'complete' Superfortress?

 

 

It is indeed the Superfortress Mania but it has been so long since I installed it I can't remember how to do it. His installs tended to alias panels etc to other like models there by saving disc space. Textures were often times in a "texture.common" folder. For this one you need

_GY_B-29B

_GY_B-29-SP

Those are the aircraft folder name once installed.

The link for the paint should have sent you to the Warbirds library and let you search for my name. This is the actual link to the package.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=195&id=2892

That pack should have the paint I am using.

I have one more test I am going to do. I want to see if I can get this thing off the ground heading the other way. So far I have been going out to the pacific because of the steep drop off after the runway. That way takes longer to get turned on course. Time to see if we can trim some buildings.

I also am declaring I am changing my weather theme. I am going again, hard core. I just spent a number of hours working on getting FSMetars 1.55Beta up and running with Real World weather from "Alternate VATSIM" It is data I download from https://www.aviationweather.gov

https://www.aviationweather.gov/adds/dataserver_current/current/metars.cache.csv

It took me awhile to figure it out but I got there. I came up with an automated process to download the file every 10 minutes. FSMetars pulls the data I downloaded every 15 minutes and updates FS9 every 30.

It is working good. I say that having run it from on the ground for the last 5hrs. Actually flying... Well I will test that come race time.

For time keeping I am pretty bad at clicking the stopwatch so I am going to run the last version of Duenna. It will give me a better flight log I can refer to as my time. I will do a manual start and shutdown. As well I will make a post here on the forums letting you know I am flying my leg.

Close to ready

10 hours ago, ViperPilot2 said:

I think this is the time to ask everyone a question... How does everyone feel right now about the Event as a whole? Everyone comfortable with the Format, and the 'Rules'? Is there anything we should add or alter to make the deal easier, smoother... harder, perhaps?

 

So far, my read is to continue with the 'Test Flights' for a little bit just in case you want to change Airplanes, etc., then when everyone's comfortable we can go ahead and start the Competition in earnest.

 

Chime in, everyone! I'd like to hear your thoughts...

 

Could you sum up all of the rules in one post. Just want to make sure I didn't miss anything.

I did another test flight today and I can drop to about 65% fuel and still get way past Cleveland.

I took a hole saw and file to the panel and installed a drift meter as well as my favorite fuel consumption gauge. Ok I will not need the fuel gauge but it fit.

CTD is indeed takes 2 failed starts to run and works on the 3rd time. Not worth trying to fix.

2 hours ago, taoftedal said:

 

How did altitude effect fuel flow?  Noticed that at the same power setting there was a gain of 7kts (GS) from 15,000 to 17,500.  I'll do some testing and see what I discover.  Thanks!

To my memory it didn't. The reason it didn't is a what I consider a mistake in the airfile. To make an aircraft as fast at sea level as it is at altitude you have to play with the drag at altitude table. You basically make have less drag at lower altitudes to get the performance you need or want. It may have been an accident on this aircraft as you will not normally see that.

Anyway test it out and see what you get.

CTD problem went away without the reboot. Go figure.

I have trouble with MSFS 2020 CTD on the first time it starts up. Then there after it works fine. FS9 must just take 2 restarts before it will run.

I also need to do my take off run test again but I think I am in good shape. I took off on the first test without managing the payload section. Turns out it loads up 17,000 lbs over weight. Tom did this because so you had to manage your fuel and payload before a flight. Everything loads up with the maximum allowable weight.

My entry is going to be a little off the beaten path. I am flying in the Heavy Iron class.

Tom Kohler's (Gnoopy) Boeing B-29 in Morton's Hellon Wings repaint

Model available at AVSIM.net search the library for Tom Kohler in the username in the Extended Search mode.

For the repaint search for my username at the Sim-Outhouse.com

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links_search.php?action=search&tabid=446

I did a test flight (take off only) and found I can get it off the ground at KSMO just barely. You shoot off the end of the cliff heading for the Pacific Ocean with no climb rate. Once you are clear the ground the gear comes up and start raising the flaps to increase the speed before you climb. If there were any obstacles at the end of the runway you would never clear them. 

The intent was to start the flight this morning and try to run it all in one flight KMSO to KCLE. FS9 has other ideas. I started it this morning and it CTD every time. Looks like I have to do the

shutdown /s

trick to see if I need to take out the trash.  For me that usually fixes weird program issues.

I can't do the reboot trick until my MSFS 2020 update finishes downloading and installing which will be a few hours. That kills the flight for today.

Note I don't have a Real World Weather engine for FS9 so I will use the default weather theme Building Cold Fronts.

I know the original race started at noon but I will start at the crack of dawn to fly as much in day light as I can.

On 9/27/2023 at 1:49 PM, taoftedal said:

  (It appears the additional altitude coupled with the shorter distance may have actually cost me a minute or two).

 

 

 

 

A number of years ago I did extensive testing of the Sea Fury for the Around the World Race. What we found was the model was as fast at tree top level as it is at Critical Altitude. With that in mind there really isn't a need to go any higher than clearing obstacles. Try that in your flight tests and see how it fairs. It saves the climb to altitude.