Buy, buy ,buy...... as someone who flies the freeware Project Tupolev TU-154M without the manual and from memory . (Not speaking Russian has nothing to do with learning to fly this incredible aircraft IMHO....just practice)

True, true. With the PT Tu-154M - practice, practice...... and you will become fluent - she's a joy and a challenge to hand fly.Not knowing Russian doesn't really stop people from being able to learn how to start and fly this plane (shouldn't be put off just because of that) - there is a very detailed English manual after all. If you want to learn the PT Tu-154 - you can, even if you don't speak a word of Russian.

I found the hardest aircraft to keep up in the air was a freeware Yak-18T.....so much so I re-wrote all the gauges without failures! :( If you want a cute GA that punishes you if you do not look after her...his one has been out for years.

The Yak-18T wasn't easy, another great FS9 freeware.

Alain Capts MD11 Panel

Andy, thanks a lot for bringing back my memories! :( That was the first 'complex' MFS aircraft (the whole pack) I was learning to master, still in the times of FS98.It was so challenging at that time and few things later gave me this amount of satisfation and fun.By the way I wonder why only one person aside from me has mentioned the Fokker 70/100 from Digital Aviation.It is such a wonderful addon and also really complex. Don't people like it very much or few bought it (maybe because it's a 2D panel only addon)?And yes, learning to fly the Tu-154M does not require a knowledge of Russian.I havn't flown the Yak-40 yet, but Gavin praised it so many times I may give it a go one day.

It does not so much require knowledge of the Russian language, but you'll probably fail to understand what you are doing if you don't understand the terminology. I'm sure you can just look at the pictures and move the right switches that way, but to me that seems hardly gratifying. I'm sure I would not be able to fly that plane if I wouldn't know what all the words in that cockpit stand for and have some basic knowledge of the apparatus in that plane. But, everybody has his own methods.I furthermore agree that the VRS F?A-18 is a very complex plane, but I don't think it's complex to fly. Much like the PMDG 747, the systems are complex to put toegther, but to fly the plane with them is significantly easier. It's the steam gauge planes that can be a nightmare because the crew has to do it all and monitor it all. Which brings me back to the PT Tu-154: All the Russian terminology does not help to understand what you are doing. Looking at the overhead, I see many switches, I see many words, and without knowing the Russian I will definitely not remember what all the switches do. Not for long, anyway...

It does not so much require knowledge of the Russian language, but you'll probably fail to understand what you are doing if you don't understand the terminology. I'm sure you can just look at the pictures and move the right switches that way, but to me that seems hardly gratifying. I'm sure I would not be able to fly that plane if I wouldn't know what all the words in that cockpit stand for and have some basic knowledge of the apparatus in that plane. But, everybody has his own methods............. Which brings me back to the PT Tu-154: All the Russian terminology does not help to understand what you are doing. Looking at the overhead, I see many switches, I see many words, and without knowing the Russian I will definitely not remember what all the switches do. Not for long, anyway...

Read the PT Tu-154M English manual. You've already printed it out - keep it handy when operating all the switches and refer back to it for what each one is and what it does. All the systems are explained and there is a tutorial as well. After that you'll have a decent understanding and you'll get used to the Russian cockpit. After reading about all the systems start with the tutorial and focus on starting the aircraft. Also you have to make sure to set up your joystick controls properly and switch off FS defaults with 'Ctrl + K'.Take it one step at a time, don't dive in to all the complex systems at the same time. Start with switching on the APU (ВСУ in Russian) and connecting it. Once familiar with that process, work your way up from there to the air conditioning system, then fuel systems, then bleed air, then the engines, generators, hydraulic systems (you can even switch on all the hydraulics before engine start but then make sure not to move the control column until after staring engines, otherwise hydraulic pressure will go down and you'll have to charge it again), pressurization and all the avionics. After that you can familiarize yourself with the navigation systems, etc... Then take her for a spin and enjoy the great flight dynamics. The English manual explains all this pretty well.

I havn't flown the Yak-40 yet, but Gavin praised it so many times I may give it a go one day.

If you do there's a nice repaint of one of the Government ones on the SD web-site and I've got a nice LOT one (not on SD site) I can send you.

the Government ones

Maybe soooome time later... :( Thanks, anyway...

If you do there's a nice repaint of one of the Government ones on the SD web-site and I've got a nice LOT one (not on SD site) I can send you.

Is there a good BALKAN one anywhere?

Is there a good BALKAN one anywhere?

Never seen one. :(

Read the PT Tu-154M English manual. You've already printed it out - keep it handy when operating all the switches and refer back to it for what each one is and what it does. All the systems are explained and there is a tutorial as well. After that you'll have a decent understanding and you'll get used to the Russian cockpit. After reading about all the systems start with the tutorial and focus on starting the aircraft. Also you have to make sure to set up your joystick controls properly and switch off FS defaults with 'Ctrl + K'.Take it one step at a time, don't dive in to all the complex systems at the same time. Start with switching on the APU (ВСУ in Russian) and connecting it. Once familiar with that process, work your way up from there to the air conditioning system, then fuel systems, then bleed air, then the engines, generators, hydraulic systems (you can even switch on all the hydraulics before engine start but then make sure not to move the control column until after staring engines, otherwise hydraulic pressure will go down and you'll have to charge it again), pressurization and all the avionics. After that you can familiarize yourself with the navigation systems, etc... Then take her for a spin and enjoy the great flight dynamics. The English manual explains all this pretty well.

Well yes, but perhaps I misunderstood the points made in this thread about not needing Russian. What I was pointing at, was the fact that the cockpit is in Russian. So, to understand what its all about, you need to know Russian - or a translation. So, sure, you don't need to know Russian to know the plane, but then you need some able translations. That was mainly my point. For the rest, I agree with your posy :(I will first learn the Yak-40 by Suprunov Design, however. Seems easier, and the English integration is built into the cockpit, so it seems like a good starting aircraft for those that want some old, Russian heavy metal.

:I will first learn the Yak-40 by Suprunov Design, however. Seems easier, and the English integration is built into the cockpit, so it seems like a good starting aircraft for those that want some old, Russian heavy metal.

That's a good way to start.

The SD Yak has a really excellent manual. Interestingly, it is laid out in a side-by-side fashion, with the English and Russian on the same page, so is fairly educational with regard to picking up a bit of Russian too, which might prove slightly useful for other aircraft if you don't know any of the language basics.Apart from that, if you like very well made, challenging and complex aircraft in FS2004, then the SD Yak is a must-have, as it probably is one of the most thorough treatments of an aircraft there is. It has things such as all three different voltage electrical systems simulated and flaps that are incremental rather than in set stages. If they produced one for FSX, I'd buy it in a heartbeat; it is as good as many PMDG aircraft. Not to mention the fact that it is great fun to be able to operate a jet from rough small grass airfields.Al

As mention too many times in this tread the Maddog 2008 Pro is not forgiving. It is the only plane I cannot walk away from my desk longer than 10 minutes and comeback to see the sim has reset and not from aircraft collision. This plane has to be monitored at all times. I only fly her when I have devoted time to fly without any interruptions. I DO NOT put this plane on pause or accelerate the sim. I own and have 80% of all the planes mention before. I just recently turn on the failure generator because the normal operation was hard enough. Carl Perry 7+ year sim pilot

This is interesting because once one get's past the learning curve the MD80 is quite easy to handle/fly. You have to take care with things like I mentioned earlier so you don't loose brakes or blow an engine but with that in mind this bird is not that complicated (nothing like the detailed three cockpit seaters meaning Dreamfleet's 727 and Ready For Pushback's 742 with steam gauges). Ready For Pushback's 742 is so complicated you step away from it for too long in order to fly other aircraft you all but have to read the manual to refresh yourself on how to fly it again. We're talking things like manually setting the dual autopilots in order to do a proper ILS landings and remembering how to move fuel through the tanks as you fly to your destination. SSTSim's Concord had the fuel move feature as well which they later automated for ease of use for simmers. Those are aircraft you can't walk away from on a long haul flight and complex to fly concerning basic operation. By contrast once I get the Maddog to cruising altitude I can accelerate time to 16x with little issue and click back to normal for my initial decent. All my other complex add-ons can run at 8x like the PMDG 744, Level-D 767, and Captainsim 757 or example with no need to worry about moving fuel as I fly to my destination, everything is automated. I for one don't have the time to fly heavies 8 full hours in one sitting. Again the Maddog shouldn't be that complicated once you get it. If that's the case stay away from the more complex steam gauge offerings like I mentioned here (don't even think about the Russian Airliners mentioned in this thread).

Well yes, but perhaps I misunderstood the points made in this thread about not needing Russian. What I was pointing at, was the fact that the cockpit is in Russian. So, to understand what its all about, you need to know Russian - or a translation. So, sure, you don't need to know Russian to know the plane, but then you need some able translations. That was mainly my point. For the rest, I agree with your posy :(

Translations and explanations are in the English manual. There are FS9 users who don't speak a word of Russian, but have become fluent with the PT Tu-154s and with a good understanding of all their systems (Heh.... there was even an 'American Airlines' repaint for the Tu-154s a while back). As you seem interested in the aircraft I'm sure if you have the time, you'd be able to achieve this as well.

Never seen one. :(

I haven't either. Its too bad, there really should be one, and for 'Hemus Air' too. Maybe if I finally purchase the SD Yak-40 I'll make some myself.

The SD Yak has a really excellent manual. Interestingly, it is laid out in a side-by-side fashion, with the English and Russian on the same page, so is fairly educational with regard to picking up a bit of Russian too, which might prove slightly useful for other aircraft if you don't know any of the language basics.Apart from that, if you like very well made, challenging and complex aircraft in FS2004, then the SD Yak is a must-have, as it probably is one of the most thorough treatments of an aircraft there is. It has things such as all three different voltage electrical systems simulated and flaps that are incremental rather than in set stages. If they produced one for FSX, I'd buy it in a heartbeat; it is as good as many PMDG aircraft. Not to mention the fact that it is great fun to be able to operate a jet from rough small grass airfields.Al

Too bad there's not much for videos of this bird in action on YouTube (I'm speaking decent FS9 videos).

The SD Yak has a really excellent manual. Interestingly, it is laid out in a side-by-side fashion, with the English and Russian on the same page, so is fairly educational with regard to picking up a bit of Russian too, which might prove slightly useful for other aircraft if you don't know any of the language basics.Apart from that, if you like very well made, challenging and complex aircraft in FS2004, then the SD Yak is a must-have, as it probably is one of the most thorough treatments of an aircraft there is. It has things such as all three different voltage electrical systems simulated and flaps that are incremental rather than in set stages. If they produced one for FSX, I'd buy it in a heartbeat; it is as good as many PMDG aircraft. Not to mention the fact that it is great fun to be able to operate a jet from rough small grass airfields.Al

Good news for you Al: A while back I wrote Igor an email to ask what the plans are, he said the following:- The SD Yak-40 is being ported over to FSX as we speak. I forgot whether he would upgrade the simulation to a "level 3" simulation, as the current one is still "level 2" (meaning it's not as realistic as you can get. I personally disagree, but oh well).- The next plane will be an AN-24 for FS9 and FSX. That's great, there is no quality AN-24 for FSX. For FS9 there always is the Samdim one which is absolutely great, but I'm sure Igor will be able to do an even better job.momtchill: indeed, if I have the time -.- I decided to first learn my payware aircraft and finish the aircraft I have to do reviews about. The Tu-154 is reserved for the summer vacation, however.