Revisiting neglected planes - Duke B60

[tttocs 301]

I've been revisiting the back of the hangar lately, mostly to remind myself why planes have ended up there.  I buy pretty carefully, so there really aren't too many planes back there, but one in particular...

 

I bought the RealAir Duke package intending to fly the B60 and maybe play with the turbine Duke a bit.  For reasons that are obvious to anyone who owns it, a short time later the turbine Duke captured my imagination and became one of my most flown airplanes.  What's not obvious is why the B60 got relegated to the back.  I guess whenever I felt like a Duke, the turbine seemed the obvious choice.  Thing is, I'm really a piston GA guy, so...

 

Bottom line, I've been flying the heck out of the B60 since, well, rediscovering it.  What a great piston twin it is!

 

So, what's hidden in the back of your hangar that really doesn't deserve to be there?  Go take a look - you might rediscover a gem.

 

Scott

 

 

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

I found out what wasn't there...not a single decent bush plane.  So I bought the RealAir Scout.

[RudiJG1 172]

Funny you should bring this topic up, Scott. Just last night (and now again this evening), I was poking through my own collection and decided to dust off the Lotus L-39C. What a sweet little jet that is...pure stick and rudder sans autopilot and, yes folks...wait for it... perfect Reality XP 430 integration for those more challenging navigation exercises. The icing on the cake tonight was a stiff crosswind at KHQM (Orbx scenery) which made the landing there all the more satisfying, despite a bit of float. A very sweet gem indeed.

 

Nice topic.

[Wendall 50]

The Katana...It's a lovely plane that is in a class of its own when it comes to maintenance and the like, but I just don't ever fly it. It's either the A2A Cub, or the Carenado 206. But never ever the lovely little Katana.

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

The Flight1 Pilatus PC-12.

 

Great airplane - and just does not get flown as much as it should.. B)

[1st fltsimguy 466]

It is funny that you brought this question up...I have bought plenty over the years and have such a large hanger that I forget I even have certain planes. 

 

A couple of days ago, inbetween doing all my outdoor takes and washing cars and the like I started going through my planes with the idea of turfing stuff that just doesn't cut it anymore.  I ended up flying planes I forgot were there and enjoying them greatly.  Getting rid of stuff is hard to do.

 

AND to make it worse I bought some more nice GA stuff....CR1 Ford Trimotor, CR1 Beech18, Flysimware Fairchild PT-26 Cornell.

[ryanbatc 12,770]

I think the BE60 piston Duke is mine as well...

 

The shiny pocket rocket turbine version came out and the little recip went back into the hangar lol....  The turbine is superior in every way I can think of.... maybe except for handling.. you need to be on your toes with the power management hehe.

[Q_flyer 766]

Funny as for me, I bought the Turbine B60 first, and then bought the B60 piston (less than 1 week later).

Now, in that class and size of aircraft, I vastly preferred the piston Duke, and have put about 300-400 hours on the piston Duke.

So my criminally neglected aircraft in the hangar, is actually the Turbine Duke. :smile: (It has about 3 hours on the Hobbs meter!)

I also re-discovered the AS Katana 4X lately and had forgotten how beautiful that was.

[beoxx 6]

I had the piston Duke first and it was my favorite airplane for a very long time. But after the turbine came out I have not really flown her. I took her out of the hangar and started a flight sometimes but never finished because I always realized that the turbine is just better in every aspect and feels just more realistic because of many small details somehow.

 

Planes I found again in the back of my hangar:

 

The DA Cheyenne.

Just an awesome plane. Looks outdated, but it is just one of this planes that has that "certain feel". To be honest, it feels way more like a turbine than the T-Duke to me. It is way harder to fly for what I do because it needs lots of runway (small airstrips in the ORBX areas). I think about the Cheyenne as a clumsy turbine but I think about the T-Duke as the "Beast"  (making everything almost too easy, but still one of my most flown aircrafts).

 

Aerosoft Catalina.

Well done addon. No other plane gives me that feeling of adventures ahead like this one. Start in a major city...next stop some lake near the amazonas to meet up with Indiana Jones. And...that engine sound alone is just worth buying it ... ^_^

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

As always, Scott, you have me thinking.  I opened my hangar today and took another look around. 

 

Realair Citabria, Decathlon, Scout - just purchased, mostly for bush flying.

Flight1 Mustang - love it.  Took me a long time to get to like it but, these days, flying the paint off of it.

Realair Duke Turbine - still fly this quite a bit.

Realair Duke - Love it...haven't flown it in some months because I'm still flying the Turbine at the moment.  I'll be back.

PMDG J41 - fly it off and on for a VA.

Carenado C182Q - still fly it online in the world famous BCPC.

 

The 'Hangar'

 

Milviz C310 - might take it up soon.  took it up a few times but, really, haven't gotten to know it.

Realair Lancair Legacy - flew it 3 times.  Love the model but I'd never get in one real world soooo...

PMDG B737NGX - Got it to see if I would like big iron.  Flew it a few times but...dunno...no connection with me. 

Milviz B55 - never flew it

Carenado - C208B Grand Caravan and Super Cargomaster, PA46, T182T, C337 - all hangared.  Though I do like the C337 a lot, I can't fly it online due to 'flooding' and software compatiblity.  I also returned the C210 and the B200.

[PDX Flyer 111]

The RealAir B60 has always been one of my favorite planes. And I think it will continue to be into the future. Thank you RealAir!

[robert young 2,897]

The RealAir B60 has always been one of my favorite planes. And I think it will continue to be into the future. Thank you RealAir!

We will be soon be updating the Piston Duke to RealAir Legacy sound and visual effects standards, and a slightly revised flight model that enhances what is already there. Then we will work on the Duke Turbine in a similar manner. Our aircraft are made for the long term.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Rob - RealAir

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

 

 

We will be soon be updating the Piston Duke to RealAir Legacy sound and visual effects standards, and a slightly revised flight model that enhances what is already there. Then we will work on the Duke Turbine in a similar manner. Our aircraft are made for the long term.

Best Wishes,

Rob - RealAir

 

Woh.  Could they get better?

[dcgator29 37]

Ooo. What's the eta on those updates? How's the 172 coming?

[tttocs 301]

 

 

We will be soon be updating the Piston Duke to RealAir Legacy sound and visual effects standards, and a slightly revised flight model that enhances what is already there. Then we will work on the Duke Turbine in a similar manner. Our aircraft are made for the long term.

 

Rob, I'm stunned.  I was just thinking last night (on a flight from Grand Canyon airport to Las Vegas) of how even more amazing the B60 would be with just a few of the Legacy's features - in particular engine starts (I love that the Legacy doesn't always just catch and fire right up no matter what I do - real piston engines like these can be finicky) and the more complex sound sets.  I feel like you've just read my mind!  This is awesome news!

 

Thanks as well for all of the other comments.  Gregg, like you I need to address the lack of a good bush plane and expand my flying horizons a bit.  And I also have the Catalina sitting there at the back of the hangar, and really need to give that a fairer shake than I have.

 

Glad the topic resonated with others.

 

Scott