FSX Carriers

FSX has an Aircraft Carrier in "Missions".

Are there anymore Carriers to be seen and how do you find them ?

Can the Carriers be used with other aircraft loaded to FSX, e.g. The Justflight Corsair ?

http://www.simtours.net/defaultaircraftcarrier.php

I think any of them are capable of supporting any aircraft that can fly onto a carrier.

Download a copy of AICarriers - it allows you 'insert' a carrier group almost anywhere with in the FSX world.

There are 2 version available for FSX - AirCarriers2 and AICarriers.NET. The .NET version is an updated of the original AirCarriers2 package - see this webpage for details of the changes and to download it http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=11293.0 - I have used both versions and find that the .NET version to be the better more stable version of the two.

Once you have installed it you will have an entry in the drop-down Add-on Menu listing that will allow you to 'insert' the carrier group near your current location as per the option selected via the menu list.

Also do a search of the file library as there are many different AI ship models available, included modern and WW2 era carriers, many of which have been configured to allow landing/takeoff.

Holy cats!

Brian's as bad as I am about AICarriers.NET :D :D

You're 100% right though, Brian. The .NET version IS a faster, more stable version, and in many cases, the only one that works, or works correctly, with FSX:SE.

There are a TON of AI ships AICarriers can work with, and not only for planes, but there are many that are Helicopter capable. Destroyers, cruisers, and so on.

If you want carriers, Javier's Nimitz/Ike v2 package is a great starting point. It may be found HERE in the Flightsim library.

For a plane to fly onto them, may I very, VERY strongly recommend the FSDT FSX BA F/A-18C v16.1. It is a super accurate plane, as far as the FDE and FCS goes. The systems are very well reproduced too. It's the only fast-mover I'll fly any more, not counting the new version in Beta at the moment :D I didn't think the plane could get any better, but I am being proved wrong again. You can download it HERE . It has a thread on the FSDT forums, located HERE. It's up to 94 pages now, so you might want to start in about page 89 or so :) If you want to post questions or comments, you need to register on the FSDT forum, but it's free and easy to do.

To help improve the "realism" and "immersion factor", I also recommend vLSO. It, like AICarriers, is a small add-on program, and both may be started automatically when you start the sim. It may be downloaded HERE . Be aware, Paddles, the author, is making numerous and rapid upgrades to vLSO lately, so you might want to check on it occaisionally. It also has a thread on the FSDT forums, located HERE, where you can post comments, questions, complaints, and so on.

Be aware. too, that those AI LSO's are some MEAN SOB's. :D :D They hate me, I know that! I think Paddles has it in for me LOL!

There is also a program, that enhances the boat's pitch and roll to make it match bad weather you may encounter if you choose. I can't seem to find it any longer, but I'll keep looking. It's a another great little program from Orion, who did AICarriers.NET as well. I'll keep looking.

Anyway, have fun with it!

Pat☺

It's hard to figure out the 'Local' versus 'GMT' for the FSX carriers. Here is one I use. You have to set ships to 51%. Then set time to August 12, 2017 (a Saturday) and time to 17:30:00 Local / 00:30:00 GMT. You can't spawn on carrier but you can go to Half Moon Bay (KHAF) runway 30. Fly straight out. Look at your GPS to get idea of location (see pic). You can't miss it if you fly (or slew) straight out from KHAF. This gives you 30 minutes or more to practice your landings.

Chuck B

Napamule

..........Brian's as bad as I am about AICarriers.NET..........

Hi Pat,

Credit where its due.....I only go to know about the .NET version after reading a post by you in another thread.....

And a +1 on your other suggestions.....have them all and can endorse your recommendations.....

And a +1 on your other suggestions.....have them all and can endorse your recommendations.....

Thanks for the endorsement :)

On a side note, if I may be so bold. Assuming, and I know about that word indeed, that one is using the FSDT plane, or that one has downloaded and installed the Javier Rusev HUD, all you need do to find either a default carrier, or an add-on, is punch the correct frequency into the NAV1 radio, and the HUD will indicate the direction to the ship if it's within about 150 NMi. And allow the use of the ILS needles to land, of course.

Of course, if one has placed a carrier with AICarriers, it's right in front of your plane, at whatever distance you chose when placing it. 1, 5, or 10 NMi. . I always use 10 miles to give myself a few seconds, at 350 or 400 KIAS, to get set on the correct heading and position relative to the boat. I always have the correct frequency in the NAV1 radio ahead of time for the boat I plan on using, and the HUD Control Panel settings I want.

All that so I can set up for traps, of course :)

Have good traps!

Pat☺

Pat, and other contributors to this excellent thread, my heartfelt thanks for all this valuable information and suggestions.

I consider myself an FSX 'veteran,' having experienced just about every type of flying there is over the years and growing proficient with many of them.

Sure I've done a few casual traps over the years on the default FSX carriers and moved on to something else after that fix wore off. Although I've indeed heard of AI carriers, etc., never did I explore their potential and entertainment value. Man was I ever missing out.

I've taken each and every suggestion identified in this thread and implemented them successfully, to my great satisfaction. Even bought Aerosoft's F-14 package last night due to the enormous fun I'm experiencing with the more serious carrier ops and my new desire to augment this. I already have many carrier capable aircraft including the magnificent FSDT F18, Dino's great freeware offerings and Ant's unbelievable T28's...to name a few.

Really looking forward to going through this new (to me) chapter in my FSX experience and just wanted to let you all know that your input directly influenced my fresh interest with this fantastic element of FSX.

I am glad you have found an highly enjoyable way to have fun with MSFS!

If I may, some stuff that will enhance further your experience: https://publicintelligence.net/u-s-navy-f-18-natops-flight-manuals/

This site has the NATOPS manuals for many current and past Navy aircraft. As I'm sure you're aware, the NATOPS is the "bible" for any given aircraft, with stats, facts, figures, procedures, etc. Anything you ever wanted to know about the plane. AND how to fly it to the best of it's abilities, including carrier and land based landing procedures. Every Naval Aviator (Nasal Radiator, we enlisted called them :D ) spends much of their free time reading and learning the NATOPS, both for their plane, but for the carrier, etc, etc. Even higher ranking officers, if they want to keep their quals, keep up, reading their plane's NATOPS at every opportunity.

In any event, you might want to spend some time with the various books available on the site I linked. They are free to download, and you don't even need to register. Over on the right side of the page, are the different categories and so on, where you can find tons of good info, not just on planes, but all sorts of "stuff".

Have fun with it!

Pat☺

Many thanks Pat, a massive and incredibly informative resource; I'll be spending some time there for sure.

I've put most of my aircraft through many paces with various carrier ops and the Aerosoft F14 is quickly rising

to the top of the favorites list. The FDE is extremely well done and captures the Tomcat's inherent low speed full flap

instability quite believably, making for some thoroughly entertaining white-knuckled traps particularly in poor

weather and visibility. The engine spool up timing is also very well done, requiring some skill in predicting glide

path and AOA reaction to throttle control. All in all, a very well done aircraft requiring precision...highly recommended.

Another I might recommend to those interested is Ant's T28C Trojan. Having way more fun performing carrier ops with that fine bird, well beyond what I expected.