MSFS2020 747-8i

Here are some shots showing various aspects of the initial climb portion of a flight in an Atlas Air Cargo MSFS2020 747-8i from Seattle SeaTac Airport (KSEA) to London Heathrow (EGLL).

 

In this shot we see the MSFS generated flight plan showing 3 alternate IFR routings. The program has picked the shortest routing with an en route time of 8 hours 46 minutes taking us over northwest and northern Canada, across Greenland, passing just south of Iceland and then on into Heathrow. If we wanted to we could pick one of the other routes or mod this one. FS2020 automatically loads the plan in the FMC so flight planning for a trip this length is no muss no fuss. Makes worldwide flying quite easy. The 4182 mile trip distance is well within the 747-8i's max range of 8000 nm.

 

 

Lined up ready for takeoff on KSEA Runway 16L. This shot is kind of cluttered up with an airport label and ATC insert but you can turn all of that stuff off. AI was handling the radio comm for me. It was a little late to be copying the clearance but since I started the flight on the runway it's all good. Note the airport diagram on the ND.

 

 

Some cockpit and wing shots after takeoff climbing thru FL 210 on course over the Cascade Range northeast of KSEA heading for the Canadian border. What these shots don't show is the airplane bouncing around all over the sky with the wing flexing and engines moving on their pylons. I thought it was an FS2020 autopilot "porpoise" problem - which there's been a lot of forum complaints about - but it wasn't. The next shot shows why.

 

 

 

For this flight I used the FS2020 import real world weather feature. So just for kicks I jumped out of the sim and checked the NOAA turbulence forecast for the U.S. Lo and behold the forecast for the NW showed moderate turbulence (the orange curved band in the shot below) in the area and at the altitude the aircraft was at. The wing flex and engine motion was what you would expect to see looking out the window in that level of turbulence. Things eventually smoothed out as the airplane climbed. Pretty dang cool!

 

 

In these shots we're now in Canadian airspace. As you can see from the map insert and on the panel ND we're coming up on Kelowna International Airport (CYLW) and then you can visually see the airport from our 31,000 foot altitude off the right side of the aircraft above the #4 engine in the exterior shot and under the right wing from the passenger view.

 

 

 

 

Flying above a solid cloud layer in smooth air we continue the climb up to our cruising altitude of FL430 and settle in for the remaining 8+ hours of our flight.

 

Edited October 22, 2020 by BillD22

I really like the way you are doing these. It helps give insight how to work the new sim and how the features are integrated. Fantastic screen shots. The airport diagram in the ND is a great add in this simulator. :pilot:

I really like the way you are doing these. It helps give insight how to work the new sim and how the features are integrated. Fantastic screen shots. The airport diagram in the ND is a great add in this simulator. :pilot:

 

Thanks David. Hoping it helps folks who haven't made the jump over to MSFS2020 and may be curious about the features. The sim has lots and lots of glitches that need fixing but has pretty good basic functionality now and great future potential once 3rd party complex airplanes start showing up.

Edited October 22, 2020 by BillD22

Nice job Bill!

 

And I agree " FS2020 automatically loads the plan in the FMC so flight planning for a trip this length is no muss no fuss. Makes worldwide flying quite easy." is a great fixture!!

 

Michael

I really like the way you are doing these. It helps give insight how to work the new sim and how the features are integrated. Fantastic screen shots. The airport diagram in the ND is a great add in this simulator. :pilot:

 

I'll second this!

An interesting and very realistic flight Bill. :cool: :)

Beautiful set of the 747-8i!

Does the cargo version of the 747 have a large cargo external door that is animated, or slated for animation ability when MSFS SDK is upgraded?