Just rcvd my CD today & have it installed ready to fly. Have been going thru the manual & videos & have been unable to start the plane.I have been trying to follow the starting procedure as shown in the manual & video. The engines will turn over but I cannot get them to fire. Apparently I am doing something wrong but I don't know what it is. Just can't seem to get the engines to start. Could you review for me the correct starting procedure so I can get this beauty running. Am anxious to hear the sounds of those engines & to get it into the air.Thanks,Bob Anderson

Bob,From the AC panel, open the overhead and the throttle quadrant.On the throttle quadrant, check fuel is ON and advance mixture levers to full rich (all the way up)On the overhead, click the battery switch far left, then the prime switch for whichever engine you weant to start (best to start no 2. first). The click the start switch for no. 2, then finally click the Vib switch for Number 2. Repeat for other engine.THAT will start the engines.For strict accuracy you should also have the cowl flaps open and the fuel pumps on, the beacon/strobe on and the parking brakes applied, but the above WILL start the engines in a `barebones` manner.Or use Ctrl-E and watch the switches.Allcott

Thanks Allcott,After my post, I was finally able to get the engines started. I think my problem was that either it wasn't correctly primed or I didn't have the fuel turned on. Anyway, problem is solved & I apprec iate your reply.What a neat plane this is. Everyone at MAAM should feal real proud.Bob

I spend half my time with this plane just starting and stopping the engines. I can really fly across the keyboard, screen and mouse after all that practice, giving more time for runups and pre-takeoff checks, things I never normally bother with outside the real world of aviation.With FSForce controlling the Force feedback on the joystick there are a couple of wonderful features including feeling the pulsating of the engines when they are out of phase, `heavy` elevators when stationary (they weren't mass-balanced or power assisted) And I've also noticed a rocking couple visible at the wingtips in spot view when at idle. It is just fascinating to watch.Shame those 1830's don't drip oil though! :) Allcott

Sure beats the heavy iron for me but MAAM is going to have to work on the oil thing. Could be an update.

Sounds like a challenge for our effects guru, Jan Rosenberg. I would not be surprised if he pulls it off.:-)Bill Rambow MAAM-SIM - Rambow, Visser, Banting, Young, Womack, and Sodjahttp://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/maamsim_logo.gif

Greetings Happy DC-3 flyers,And yes, I happily accept the challenge....Thus my DC-3 drips oil any time I want :)http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/81417.jpgThe drip pattern is different for each occurance,and is controlled with the "I" key by the user as desired.It drips for 10 to 12 seconds, then lasts 60 seconds on thetarmac, or longer depending on feedback...Once the MAAM team finds out about it, I bet you all can getspotted with oil too....Regards,JR

WOW! Going to have to watch these tongue in cheek remarks. See what you started Allcott. With this feature, it going to be important to watch where you park. Good job Jan!Bob

:-lolAnother item to add to the checklist - "clean up spilled oil"I think I may have a awakened a monster. :DAllcott

Greetings,Thanks Bob!Here it is:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/81457.zipJust check the read-me file for install info....Feedback welcome!JR

I think you have. Now we have one more duty before we can go home after a flight. Clean up the oil & put a pan underneath.Bob

Thanks Jan for the oil leak file. It really works. I don't have first hand knowledge from being around DC-3s as to oil leak info but to answer your 3 questions --1. It looks to me to be the right locations for the 2 engines.2. The amount of oil also looks about right.3. When I first tried it, the plane was sitting over the dark color of the runway & it was difficult to see the oil. I could see the accumulation puiddle but not the individual drops showing up on the tarmac. When I moved the plane over the white striping at the first part of the runway, the oil could be very plainly seen dripping & accumulating. I don't know if you can make the oil color any darker which would help it to be seen easier. My runways may be darker then default because I have added some general airport updates that may have changed the appearance of the runways but I am not positive if it also changed the color. Anyway, you have done a heck of a job quite fast in response to the kidding around about all that is needed now is to have the "1830s" leaking oil & then Bill Rambow saying he had a geru that could probably do it.I am impressed!Bob

Jan,After further oil leak checking on other runways & tarmacs, it appears that your oil leak color is about right in appearance & color. Visually it looks good. The first runway I checked it on was unusually dark so it didn't show as good on that particular surface.You have done good.

Hi there,Just got my CD the other day. AWESOME. I added the oil leak fx file and I'd like to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge.I am a flight crew member on board a Curtiss C-46F Commando. We run a pair of P&W R-2800-51M1 engines. So I am somewhat used to oil leaks. ;-)In our aircraft, the most frequent place to see oil leaks is from the oil cooler shroud, which makes up the bottom of the engine cowl. Most often it is residual oil that has leaked from somewhere during the flight. Not usually from the oil cooler. Also, with a DC-3 I am sure there would be some leaking coming from down around the cowl flaps. So a more spread out pattern would be nice. :-)The color of the oil looks good (deep deep brown to black is normal for oil that's been run through the engine). The oil would appear black unless it was a "thinner" layer. Like the stuff that spreads back onto the nice clean wings that you spent many hours washing and polishing. lol ;-)To me the quantity of oil leaking is a little bit much. I wouldn't want to see a puddle that big forming that fast. For the oil to be coming out of the engine cowl on to the ground that quickly, there's a fair amount of oil feeding those little drops. In our aircraft, we'd be calling maintenance if our engine leaked that badly. :-) This is usually indicative of a problem somewhere. Usually if we get a fairly bad oil leak(s) it takes a good 10-15 minutes to amass a "stain" of that magnitude on the ramp.Please don't misunderstand me. I like the oil leak effect. I think it adds that little extra bit of realism to already quite possibly the MOST realistic representation of an aircraft from that era.If you have any more questions about this or anything else related to our aircraft or a DC-3 (I have attended a groundschool on the aircraft and narrowly missed a checkout not too long ago) I will do my best to answer them for you.Thanks again and take care.Brendon"FILL THE OIL, CHECK THE GAS" RADIALS RULE!!! :-D

Greetings to all,Thanks for the helpful feedback and compliments :)Now,let's see.... where did I put that kitty litter.......?JR