After reading Tom A's fascinating tale of a flight in this a/c from Anchorage I just had to give it a try.I've just been Broadbanded (ouch!) and managed to get my machine and my wife's networked yesterday. So, the d/l of this superb looking a/c at 20+MB was quite painless. I applied for BB over a year ago but the situation of our house was marginally under the 5.5km radius limit so, sadly, no go. Now, BT have upped the radius to 6.0km and, at last, I can enjoy what the rest of you guys have been enjoying for what seems like aeons :)Anyway, back to my problem. How the heck do I start this twin up and keep the engines running? I did manage, after much effort, to get them both running eventually only to have each fail on me 50-100 feet above the r/w during takeoff. Very embarrassing, to say the least, but fortunately there was enough tarmac left at Stevens Anchorage Intl. for me to land straight in safely - phew!I've enabled the battery switch in FSUIPC but still no joy. The only thing that seems to work is to load another twin like the Baron first, fire up the powerplants and then switch a/c. I would prefer a more realistic approach, however.Can someone help, please? Perhaps Tom, if he has wiped the tears from his eyes having read this pitiful account?ThanksMike

First let me say that this is one of my favorite aircraft for MSFS, and in my opinion one of the best of all time.However, you must operate the engines in strict accordance with the information provided with the download. If you overtemp the engines they will fail shortly after liftoff.If memory serves the power settings for takeoff are 15000 RPM with a TGT of 860 deg Centigrade for a wet (using water methanol) takeoff, and 15000 RPM with a TGT of 820 deg Centigrade for a dry takeoff.Try using those power settings, they should get you into the air and allow you to appreciate this wonderful aircraft.

Mike,Not sure how sophisticated the a/c is you're talking about, but alot of aircraft 9especially payware) require the user to load the aircraft with the 2-d panel showing. Anotherwords, do not save a situation with this a/c in the 3-d (virtual) cockpit or sport view, etc. This is just a shot in the dark, but wanted to be sure you were loading that way.

Mike, what Douglas said. His is the answer to your question grasshopper. :) Believe me. I had the same "challenge" and getting the temps right took care of the issue. I really do hate landing in the apple orchard 300 feet between the departure zone. :-lol

Right, I'm off to try, for once, to do it properly. I really must curb my impatience to get up in the air and get out of this CTRL+E habit. Yes, I do agree, this is one super aircraft and the sound of those engines - while they are turning over, that is - is truly atmospheric.Thanks for your help guys, timely as ever :)I must admit that in my rush to get airborne I broke my cardinal rule: "Always read the readme.txt file first before doing anything else!" I didn't, as you have deduced :(Linking to the manual now. I did make one interesting observation. Despite not having installed the gauge cab file in the main Gauges folder (did not read the readme!), all the gauges appeared to be present on loading the a/c!? This file was originally installed in the panel folder by the automatic installer. Is this odd behaviour or does FS look in the a/c's panel folder if it can't find a gauge in the main Gauges folder?Mike

Rather the other way - FS looks first in the aircraft folder for the gauges, then and only then in the main gauges folder. So a little-known benefit of FS2004 is that you can put all an aircrafts files into one folder and if you do come to delete it, out go the redundant gauges as well. Trouble is this could also mean doubling, trebling or even quadrupling up on some gauges, perhaps having different versions of the gauges in different folders so should be used with care.As Tom and the others have said, this aircraft requires handling EXACTLY according to the manual, or it bites. Old Darts do not like any kind of throttle abuse and need to be opened s-l-o-w-l-y, not slammed, to 15,000 rpm (and no more), with the early stages especially important to avoid auto-shutdowns and feathering caused by opening the throttle too fast against the oil pressure. You may also need to adjust the mixture in this turboprop! (Yes, really, although the AFG implementation isn't yet quite right, it's a major step forward in realistic operation of Dart engines).Allcott

hehe, I had the same problem. I normally taxi out to the end of the runway, gently move the throttle up to full, and away I go. You can't use FULL throttle on takeoff, you have to watch the RPM and temp. It's near full throttle, but not quite. Otherwise you overheat and engine and it feather on you. Adds an element of realism for sure...billg

I increase the fuel trim just before take off and thats keeps the temps low with full throttle. Then during cruise decrease the fuel trim for fuel econmy. see pic......http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/53243.jpg

Yes, that's how AFG programmed it, thinking it was adjusted like mixture adjustment in piston props. In reality, the adjustment is reversed compared with the results in the current version, and the adjustment is only ever made on the gound, based on relative temperatures and pressures against a detailed chart in the manual.AFG know about this and will no doubt evolve the next version of the panel to incorporate this even better than now. Until then it remains by far the most accurate flight model ever made for a twin turboprop Dart engined aircraft (and possibly beyond, but that Antonov still captivates me!)Allcott

Hi,Any idea if the next YS-11 VC will be a true 3D one as opposed to the bitmap that is being used now?Cheers and thanks to AFG for a brilliant aircraft. Just love the TP sound.Chris Porter:-outtaPerthWestern AustraliaMy "Around the World 4" flight pagehttp://members.iinet.net.au/~portercbp/fly...e%20World_4.htm

Can you please post a link to this fascinating tale..Thanks Rod

Hi Rod,http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...d=165766&page=1Mike

>After reading Tom A's fascinating tale of a flight in this>a/c from Anchorage I just had to give it a try.>I'd love to read that tale too. Where can I find it?thanksBlairCYOW

Hi Mike,Though most everyone else has covered it, the easiest way I've found to fly it (with a bit of cheating :D) is to increase the mixture to the "2" position on both engines, then start. As soon as they're done starting, I increase the mixture all the way to max. Then I turn off the "autofeather" with the switch on the main panel.Taxi into position, apply brakes, throttle up until the RPM is around 14.8K and 15K, release the brakes and takeoff.Once in the air and finished with the climb, adust for the cruise RPM as necessary. Be sure to increase the mixture back to max for landing incase of a GA.It's not quite as true-to-life as it could be, but it makes it a bit more simple.

Hi Ian,Simple is what I like ;)You're a godsend :-jumpyMany thanks,Mike