Couple of DC-3 questions

[Guest Ruahrc]

HelloWas thinking of picking up your great DC-3 package based on some reviews and recommendations. Had a couple of questions, however:1) FSX. From reading the other posts in this forum, it seems like you are committed to making the DC-3 product compatible with FSX. Will there be an additional charge associated with this upgrade? Since FSX's release is so close it would not make much sense to get it now only to have to pay for it again come FSX. I'm assuming that the FSX upgrade will be mainly for compatibility only? And that perhaps later on a built-for-FSX DC-3 product (taking advantage of new FSX features) may or may not come out (which would probably be a separate purchase).2) VC Gauges. The VC looks great, and this would definitely be one of those birds I would want to fly VC in. The question I have about the gauges though is their refresh rate. How is the refresh rate of the gauges in the VC? Many a great VC has been left unused on my system because of slow updating gauges, making it difficult to fly precisely in challenging conditions (i.e. IMC where you have no reference to the outside other than your 5fps Attitude indicator). As a guide, the gauges in the default FS9 DC-3 seem to update smoothy. Do the gauges in the MAAM-SIM DC-3 update like that? I had a look at the videos on the website (great vids! Except the United Air Lines one cuts off short..?) but could not get a good feel for VC gauge update rate from them.3) VC functionality. The model I am most interested in is actually the DC-3 cargo versions. Looking at the "free stuff' website, it looks like you have a number of updates available, including one called: C-47 "All Theaters" upgrade with VC upgrade for FS2004. Does this upgrade only enhance the VCs for the military versions of the plane? How about the civilian DC-3 cargo? Does it get the upgrades too or does it not need them (already being fully functional)4) Mixture. (not so much a technical question but more of an operations question) I have a CH Products throttle quadrant and will set it up so that I have full control over the 6 levers in the pedestal. I see there is some kind of automixture gauge available for the DC-3. Was this a real function in the real aircraft, or a gauge included to aid users who may not have the ability to manually control the mixtures easily? Is it still possible (or realistic) to manually control mixture in the DC-3? Part of the fun I envision with this package is nursing the engines and coaxing them over mountain ranges, or babying them for max fuel economy, etc. (In fact one of the main reasons I am considering the MAAM-Sim DC-3 is that the default FS9 DC-3 doesn't seem to have any gauges on the panel which will allow me to correctly lean the airplane?)Lastly- I don't see that there is any repaint available for the Buffalo Airways DC-3. One of the very last (if not THE very last) passenger DC-3 operating in North America- making runs between Hay River and Yellowknife in Canada. Anybody up to painting that one :)Thanks!Ruahrc

[rambow 0]

Hi RuahrcFirst of all, welcome to the forum and, hopefully, to the MAAM-SIM family.1. Yes, we will indeed release a FSX upgrade patch for both the DC-3 and B-25 packages and these will be free. We have no plans to produce a new FSX version of these planes but rather we will continue with our policy of free add-ons and updates to take advantage of those new features. New products, including the TBM Avenger we are working on now, will be designed for FSX from the start, with backward compatibility to FS2004, as well.2. The R4D VC is a much more complex model than the default and I would say that our guage refresh rate is just slightly less smooth, but there is no way we would have gotten all those 5-star reviews and awards if our VC gauge performance was substandard. I invite our users to chime in on this as they have no particular ax to grind. At any rate, this is an issue that will probably be further improved, and once again at no additional cost, as we move ahead. 3. The All Theaters pack does not upgrade the VC's of other models. But the good news is that another free upgrade is near release that will bring the new features to the civilian side. In fact, if Jan hadn't recently suffered a catastrophic computer meltdown, we might already be announcing its release. He's rebuilding now and trying to maintain his sanity in the process.4. The best answer is in the Readme of the dcamaam6.zip add-on: "This gauge may also be used by those pilots who like to fly without checking the "Enable automixture" function in the "Aircraft/Realism Settings" pull-down menu, but want more DC-3 realism than can be achieved with FS2004's simulation of manual mixture control. Its purpose is to replicate the correct auto-rich and auto-lean settings on the mixture controls. Its calibrated range of operation is from 2,000 to 17,000ft. density altitude. In the auto-rich position, it approximates the "Enable automixture" setting on the "Aircraft/Realism Settings" menu. In the auto-lean position, the mixture is leaned to increase the exhaust gas temperature about 30 degrees K. from auto-rich, and will increase achieved miles per gallon. It defaults to the off position, and is enabled in either auto-rich or auto-lean by clicking on the labeled signal light. It will position the MAAM-SIM DC-3 mixture levers in the proper position. Note that the levers do not necessarily line up with the labels on the Throttle Quadrant. Also note that you must extinguish both lights to regain manual control of the mixture. This gauge is added to the Pilot's Instrument Panel, the ECU gauge on the Throttles Panel and is also clickable in the Virtual Cockpit below the Engine Instruments."I'll leave your final query for the legion of talented repainters to answer, but if you come up with some good photos of the livery, I would not be surprised if one of them would accomodate you.I encourage you to take the plunge. I am confident you will be glad you did. In all our history we have never had a customer come back and tell us he felt he did not get his money's worth or ask for a refund. Besides, that money all goes to a very good cause - keeping our Mid-Atlantic Air Museum collection flying, and resurrecting some more priceless aircraft, like our P-61 Black Widow.Bill RambowMAAM-SIMhttp://www.fssupport.com/maam/hgrsm_blkani.gif

[Guest TonyFenton]

"But the good news is that another free upgrade is near release that will bring the new features to the civilian side"Excellent news! Ruahrc-It's not only a good cause, it's a fantastic plane, and it just keeps getting better. MAAM-Sim's history of free add-on's and updates really does put it in a different class than many of the companies out there. Not to knock the other developers, some of them are great, but these guys are just something different.I really don't believe you can get a better plane for your buck.

[Guest Ruahrc]

Thanks for answering my questions. Very impressed to hear about the continuing (and free) commitment to develop further for FSX!I went ahead and placed an order just now for the DC-3, looks like I am to be "part of the family" now too (although I have been on the avsim forums for a while now, most of my activity is in the Bush Flying Unlimited section). I think you're right in that I will not be dissapointed. Interested to find out about the VC gauge refresh rates for myself.Looking forward to hauling cargo around Alaska and Canada now! Maybe even some of the self loading kind although I typically use more contemporary planes for that. Will make for some fun flying especially as I intend to run some ops way up north where it will be dark all winter :)Ruahrc

[Guest dakotapaul]

" But the good news is that another free upgrade is near release that will bring the new features to the civilian side. " --------First to be said: I love the expansion pack! The Dak is looking better and better all the time. Also the tail wheel lock in the VC is a great feature. Great job done by all involved! Second: (see also quote above) I like to fly the "modern day" instrument-style full IFR-equipped Cargo / Pax Daks. That's why I am using Mark Beaumont's "DC-3 Airways panel mods with the modern Bendix radio's, VOR, HSI, RMI, DME, etc... for some years now.Now the expension pack is time-warping me back to the Fourties/Fifties... ;-( Question: is there a plan to upgrade the upgraded 2D-panel and VC with Mark's Bendix-equipment ? Could it be in the announced civilian udate? Greet to all. Paul van den BergDutch Dakota Association

[Dark Moment 0]

>Question: is there a plan to upgrade the upgraded 2D-panel and>VC with Mark's Bendix-equipment ? Could it be in the>announced civilian udate? Hi PaulMy panel was an unofficial add-on, in that it's somewhat unrealistic (fuel gauge on the wrong side, etc.) but was developed simply to give hardworking simmers with no copilot an easier time!Thus it could not be part of an official upgrade, although we have looked at developing a separate civilian panel for the product, in addition to the military style R4D panel we use now. That's still a way off, though. I will look, however, at what needs to be done to update my panel as an add-on for FSX.First, we need to roll the official birds out of the modification hangar! Bill will announce more on that presently.MarkMark "Dark Moment" BeaumontVP Fleet, DC-3 AirwaysTeam Member, MAAM-SIM[a href=http://www.swiremariners.com/cathayhk.html" target="_blank]http://www.paxship.com/avsimlogo.jpg[/a]

[Guest dakotapaul]

Understood, Mark. I will keep both versions in the hangar then and have to get current on that old-style COM/NAV stuff. Meanwhile: I'll wait and see what the future may bring !! Take care ,Paul