Help With Air Hauler and FSX

[Bucksnort 27]

Hello Everyone!

 

After blowing stuff up for 30 years in combat flight simulators an article caught my eye several months ago about an add-on for FSX/FS9 called Air Hauler.  The article mentioned being able to start an air freight company in the 1930's.  So I purchased Air Hauler and both FSX Gold and FS9(2004) last week after being confused by several different articles on other forums arguing over whether FSX or FS9 was better for Air Hauler.  I installed Air Hauler in FSX and then quickly realized I couldn't just choose the time period in the 1930's.  After playing with FSX I also realized the airports are modern...so sounds like a modding project. 

 

I am currently running two heavily modded installations of IL-2 1946 and five heavily modded installations of CFS3, so I am familiar with managing file structures and editing config files, etc with notepad.  But I am entirely new to the world of the Microsoft Flight Simulator as having owned FS3 25 years ago doesn't count...lol

 

I'm hoping some of you folks can give me some high level help in getting started with Air Hauler in vintage mode, as I'd like to start learning FSX/FS9/Air Hauler in a vintage rather than a modern setting.

 

1.  Could you please offer some advice on the fastest way to get up and running.  I can see that there is a huge world of mods for the FS series, and half the fun in these sims is modding them up, so over time I'll certainly be doing that.  But in the short run I need some advice on how best to start flying vintage Air Hauler.

 

2.  I have no prejudice between FS9 and FSX.  Obviously FSX is newer, but if one or the other is better suited for running vintage air cargo companies in Air Hauler, then that's the one I'll start with.  Please advise.

 

3.  So I guess I'm looking for stand alone mods, or the big hitters first that will help me get started the quickest.  It doesn't have to be all from one source, but maybe the first 6 or 8 things you would suggest I do.  I'm looking for advice on the best vintage air traffic and vintage airport mods and other stuff I might not know about.  I've found CalClassic.com but it only goes back to 1959.  Also for air traffic I've found MyTraffic but not sure how far it goes back although it did mention vintage as an option.

 

4.  I don't mind payware.  Either free or payware is fine, or a mix of both.

 

5.  I'm not steadfast stuck on starting in the 1930's or 1940's.  If there is a hugely immersive way to start in say 1959 with the CalClassic mods and not much out there for the 1930's or 1940's then I would go with the 1959 CalClassic mods.  But I would be curious how you guys fly the earlier periods than that...what's your setup?

 

6.  Also, how do I set this up in Air Hauler. I've scanned the instructions and can't find anything about earlier time periods. When you start it up it offers you 3 or 4 company options starting with different modern aircraft. Again if you can point to an article on how to do it once I install the vintage air traffic and airports that would be great

 

7.  Finally, any ideas you have for your favorite vintage aircraft to start out my company with in Air Hauler would be appreciated, including where I can download the models.  If you're starting out in 1959, what planes are you using?  I will always favor earlier models.

 

Thanks for any help you can give to help me get started.  I'm not asking you to write a book for me, but rather give me some high level direction and please feel free to share your opinion as I'm sure experieced players who enjoy the vintage years will get me started off just fine!  I have absolutely no idea where to start at this point due to the huge body of mods out there for the MFS series, which in the long run is a wonderful problem to have!

 

Thank you! :smile:

[Mickel 42]

I would start with a Cal Classic'd FS9. It's probably as old as you'll get without doing it yourself. Naturally, you'll have a bunch more airports than there were in the '40s.

 

You can't start with a vintage company per se. You'd have to have the plane you start with on whatever level you start at until you have enough pesos to sell that plane and buy/lease your vintage mount of choice.

 

Sounds like an interesting project. I was sort of headed down than path in FS9, having gone from the 172 to the 182 to try to get to a Convair CV-XXX, but got side-tracked by other things.

 

Good luck.

 

Mike

[Portia911 9]

Have a poke around here - http://mainescenery.proboards.com/

 

- given your aims, I suspect you'll get better mileage out of using FS9.

[Bucksnort 27]

Thanks Mike and Portia!

 

I'm off to the races.  Golden Wings 3 is a full mod pack for the 1930's.  I'm going to go with two installs of FS9, one for Golden Wings 3 and the other for CalClassic 1959.  Will probably be back with more questions, but this was enough to put me in motion.  Will also leave my install of FSX on my hard drive for modern times but will focus on the other two for now.

 

Cheers!

[Portia911 9]

Glad you're on to it, Bucksnort!

 

On the 'vintage' company start up, you can set up your company (suggest choosing a modest low-cost base, and 'few' jobs initially); install the vintage planes you wish to utilise; then sell the Caravan or 172 or whatever AH gives you to start out BEFORE you accept your first job; buy the vintage plane you want to start with (but make sure you have a small cheap option available - eg. Curtiss Robin, Stinson Jnr, Fairchild 24 - and wait for AH to generate new jobs to suit your new plane. You should then be good to go - period appropriate equipment ready for your first (hopefully) paying flight!

[Mickel 42]

Wow. Didn't know about the Golden Wing site. That looks really good. Will have to investigate more. Thanks.

 

Mike