Just did a flight tonight on this thing and let me tell ya... It's amazing! I never really got into it before, because I didn't want to go through the hassle of learning how to fly without an FMC and fancy glass displays.. But boy, it was worth the learning! It feels so nice to fly a classic bird from VOR to VOR, managing the throttle by yourself, (the autothrottle is useless.. Even in the real thing I'm told) and just flying the old fashioned way! It definitely makes you pay attention the entire flight! If anybody was having thoughts on buying this aircraft, do it. It's well worth the money. It even has amazing visuals, although you might lose some FPS.. About the same as the NGX or so, on my system at least. I know I probably won't be flying anything other than this for awhile. I love it!

She's flies great indeed. :rolleyes:

Next up, plot out your route (SID, Enroute Waypoints, and STAR) and fly them off radio navigation instead of bouncing from VOR to VOR. It's a lot of work, but really fun! Weather based and other course corrections, neat stuff. Plus it keeps you on the airways.

 

I recently flew the LSH Maddog Pro in a full analog, DC-9 type configuration. Have to say that I too, prefer the EFIS, but it was different and enjoyable!

 

 

Dave

I am really enjoying DC-9 myself. Pretty to look at inside and out, she also flies beautifully with just about every system modeled and working. By the way, the autothrottle isn't useless...it's meant to be used to hold approach speeds, which it does very well. Just set the landing speed bugs, begin your approach, drop your airspeed to at least near the proper approach speed, hit the speed control button, and engage the autothrottle...the DC-9 flies that approach wonderfully.

A really useful site for nav planning these non rnav aircraft is skyvector.com, it covers the world with low and high altitude charts, and will let you plot out a route using ground based navaids , or an intersection along a bearing from a ground based aid, giving you tracks/distances/freqs/times etc. I get the basic route from vroute (or any other planner of choice) then modify it a bit using skyvector to ensure it can be flown non rnav. Unfortunately you can't print it out from skyvector, but if you really want to, pop the route into simroutes for a paper copy. But I just keep skyvector minimised and bring it up when needed, and find a chart is better for situational awareness than a nav log, so don't find it a problem.

Didn't know about the approach speed function, thanks Wayne!

Eugene

Yup, amazing aircraft and all steam powered! Now that all the kinks are worked out, it's one of my favourites. Love the night lighting, realism of systems, and the flight model is outstanding. It's one of the few aircraft in fsx that captures the sense of rotation so well, very immersive.

 

All those and more reasons why it's an Avsim Gold winner.

 

Alex Malek

"DC-9 auto throttle system was designed for use during the approach phase only. Basically, when you are flying down the ILS or descending on a non-precision approach, that’s when you can use the auto throttle system. When engaged, the auto throttle system will maintain the computed approach reference speed (V_REF), which is based on aircraft weight and flap setting. You don’t get to select the speed at which the auto throttle system will control the aircraft, the computer does. You do not use this auto throttle system for climbout, cruise or any other phase of flight."

 

The best handflyer for FSX IMHO, my favorite IFR procedural trainer:) Totally rewarding aircraft.

Thanks for all the info and tips everyone! My pops flew the 9, and he told me he never touched the autothrottle, so I was just going off what he said . I'm going to try and plot a "realistic" flight plan now. Wish me luck!

Next up, plot out your route (SID, Enroute Waypoints, and STAR) and fly them off radio navigation instead of bouncing from VOR to VOR. It's a lot of work, but really fun! Weather based and other course corrections, neat stuff. Plus it keeps you on the airways.

 

I recently flew the LSH Maddog Pro in a full analog, DC-9 type configuration. Have to say that I too, prefer the EFIS, but it was different and enjoyable!

 

 

Dave

 

What do you mean here about "radio navigation"? This sounds interesting. Are you talking about an INS system or DME? How would you fly to a waypoint, when all that you have is VOR or RMI? I have been flying using VOR/DME and also really enjoying it, but I find it hard to believe that the old airliners always just used VORs.

 

I found this site on it that I am going to read over:

http://www.pilotfriend.com/training/flight_training/nav/rad_nav_overview.htm

 

The DC9 from Coolskys is an awesome aircraft. I also been using A2A's Boeing 377 with VORs and, of course Captain Sim's 707.

Sadly I never got this aircraft working, no even with tech help, one of them things, a shame as I think it was/would have been right up there.

The workload sounds really high for just one pilot. Is there a virtual first officer? Also have they released the paintkit yet?

I believe that the folks behind MultiCrew Experience will be providing a virtual first officer soon, I hope. That said, the aircraft comes with a nice set of FO call outs.

 

There is a paint kit available now.

The workload sounds really high for just one pilot. Is there a virtual first officer? Also have they released the paintkit yet?

 

It is high workload, but enjoyable once you get used to it. I am preferring it to sitting in front of my pc watching a simulation of a pc do all the flying. LOL.

 

As for virtual first officer, I read that MCE will release a support module for it, hopefully as soon as they finish the support for the QualityWings 146. That should make a difference!

Does anyone know if they'll be coming out with a -40 and -50 model in the future?

I like it very much, after the CS727 this is the top of Iron bird to fly.

I use it, with PlanG to create my Flightplan, I can even set aircraft performance to meet time and climb.

I think is the best combination, there are also nice challenge to plan with PlanG.

An example: (even if it's not an RNAV aircraft) I normally set a SID and Star in PlanG then I calculate the heding and distance with all the fixes with the help of VOR DME and NDB, I plan ahaed all the flight.

Then I check if I follow correctly the path and it's really fun as wind is a major component of deviation.

 

Does anyone know if they'll be coming out with a -40 and -50 model in the future?

No intention as they already jump on another projecct the Fokker 50, they state that even a cargo version will not see the light, too bad as this old aircraft sooner or later finish to serve on transporting goods, look to the 707 727 747 DC8 DC3 DC4 and where they use them now.