A2A Simulations Sale? I demand one!

[KingGhidorah]

The biggest thing to complain about for me on the A2A Cherokee is that the brunette female pilot/passenger has some shading on the sides of her head around her ears and jawbone that resembles sideburns! I'm serious, that's the biggest thing I can find wrong with the Cherokee, and the aesthetics of it bothered me enough that I finally went in and cleaned her up with Photoshop. Most planes I have dozens of complaints about, but not this one. I do hear, however, what has been said about bunny hopping and overdoing it while flaring. Most of this is because of coming in too fast, but on the other hand, I do wonder if they left just a little too much authority in the elevator down near stall speed. I think the plane definitely has a more pleasant feel to it at full load and a more aft CG. Two people up front, nothing in the back, and it is quite easy to get into that pilot induced oscillation thing. I've wheelbarrowed it more than a few times. In that loading situation, I try to cross the threshold at no more than 65 mph, and even then, the plane still seems to have a lot of climb left in it. Maybe it should be just a bit more mushy when the speed gets down there, but I find it hard to tell if it's an issue of perception caused by the pull of a Saitek yoke, or whether it's the actual physics.

[vc10man]

 

 

don't get quite the same "increase power slightly and suddenly you're careering down the taxiway"

Exactly how I too observed it. This plane actually allows one to gently roll up to the deprture point, instead of racing away like other low-end GA aircraft did in FSX and still do in P3D, e.g, Milviz's 310R, etec,etc.

I couldn't read any further after "I started the engine using the "E" key"!

 

Good little review with which I concur.

I too was so tempted trying that shortcut when I got a bit over-frustrated instead of being patient and learning the 'ropes. Eventually, following the Pilots' Handbook, I got there in the end. It was a pleasure to do it as per the book.

[KingGhidorah]

Come on now, vc10man, you make it sound like you were starting a Concorde!

[Ron Attwood]

What I particularly like about the latest AccuSim is the fact that engines don't always fire up immediately. Even when you've gone through the proper procedure there is sometimes the 'cough' that causes doubt in your mind whether it will start. :unsure:

[Christopher Low]

I guess it doesn't take too long to fire up the Piper Cherokee 180? As for the approach and landing, I just need to be more gentle with the joystick when I pull back for the flare, and also let it get a bit closer to the runway surface! By the way, apologies once again for using a joystick to fly the Piper Cherokee. A proper flight yoke and throttle would be nice, but I have a Logitech G27 racing wheel and gear shifter clamped to the front of my desk, so there isn't a lot of room for anything else!

[Alan_A]

 

 

I guess it doesn't take too long to fire up the Piper Cherokee 180?

 

Not in spring or summer.  But wait for the next deep freeze!

 

Last winter here in the mid-Atlantic US, using real-world weather, it was nothing for me to spend 15 or 20 minutes trying to get my A2A engines to catch.

[Guest]

 

Even when you've gone through the proper procedure there is sometimes the 'cough' that causes doubt in your mind whether it will start.

 

You described my morning.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[Poppet]

 

 

So, was that good enough for a mini review, Elaine? I have barely scratched the surface, but I am already keen to take the Cherokee out for another spin....and also learn how to start it properly

 

Yes very good post Christopher and well done you  :rolleyes:       Smashing little plane 

 

 

I couldn't read any further after "I started the engine using the "E" key"!

 

Good little review with which I concur.

Lol  me too 

 

 

What I particularly like about the latest AccuSim is the fact that engines don't always fire up immediately. Even when you've gone through the proper procedure there is sometimes the 'cough' that causes doubt in your mind whether it will start.

Well that's it Ron,  Its the pre checks and start up that put it ahead of the rest.   I spent ages doing all my checks before i left Sumburg Scotland heading across the sea,  zipping along nicely about 7 thousand feet up when i lost all throttle power,  for the next couple of miles i glided whilst trying to figure out what went wrong,  my fuel was good,  oil was good,  as far as i could see i done everything correct. It was only when i "landed" in the sea and went about researching it,  i realized I failed to keep an eye on outside temperature and my fuel lines froze and didn't manage my heat correctly.   Ah well you live and learn  

This tutorial on the AP really helped me learn about it,  very well done 

 

[Ebs]

i realized I failed to keep an eye on outside temperature

 

Half way through reading that, I automatically thought "carb heat". I've read a *lot* of real life incidents where failing to switch on the carb heat caused an accident (fatal in some cases)

 

That autopilot video is very good too. The PDF available from A2A is also great. (it's the real life S-TEC manual) http://sharepoint.s-tec.com/Documentation/Shared%20Documents/Pilot%20Operating%20Handbooks%20(POH)/System%20Twenty_Thirty_%20Thirty%20ALT.pdf

 

I bought the Cherokee during the "Poppet Sale" and jumped straight in without reading anything. The first thing that caught me was the elevator trim. I started to trim up and down on the HOTAS and instinctively looked down by my right knee to see the wheel moving...only to see nothing. I looked *everywhere* it took me longer than I care to admit to figure out that the trim is controlled via a handle up on the ceiling of the cockpit! The next thing that threw me was the autopilot. It disappointed me at first, but after reading the manual I understand it much better. It's definitely a refreshing change from the regular "Cessna" autopilot.

 

One thing that video doesn't really cover though is the LO/HI modes. LO is for tracking a VOR, it's not as super sensitive so the autopilot won't constantly attempt to track the signal which keeps your plane much more stable. HI is for tracking a Localizer and it does it's best to track as accurately as possible. Just remember that in general "LO" for navigation, "HI" for approach and you'll be fine.

 

[Ron Attwood]

I got to "when I lost all throttle power" and said 'Carb heat!'. It wont happen to you again Elaine, the lesson has been learned. The great trouble with A2A planes is that the vast amount of one's collection become obsolete.

[vc10man]

Wow, Neil. Between you and Elaine, you two should be given A2A shares for increasing their sales.

 

Elaine, for kick-starting our purchases with her Sale request...........oo'er was it a demand...........,and you Neil for your excellent research on that link.

 

My first flight was a bit akin to yours too, Neil, till. Elaine put me right.

[gpbarth]

I've got the Cub, 172, both P-51s and the B377 ( a very good friend of mine flew the 377 trans-Pacific many times for the old Air Force MATS). Probably picking up the 182 soon! But know what I'd like? A beautiful Cessna 310! I have had the actual pleasure of flying one some time ago (got about 80 hours in it), and it always felt more like a small fighter than a GA twin. Now there's a neat project for A2A!

[gpbarth]

You don't fool us Cal, we know you do this just to keep up with all the real world GA planes you've bought ... just waiting for you to integrate the GTN 750 into Hawker 850XP -- then we know LCR Honda have really stepped up your paycheck.  You get to see Coventry much these days? 

 

As far as A2A, would love to pay full price to see an A2A Lockheed Constellation for P3D v2.x.

 

Cheers, Rob.

Rob, don't know if you know of this Connie, but I had the pleasure of seeing it fly from Sanford enroute to Kermit's Fantasy of Flight. Just thought I'd drop this on ya:

Kermit Weeks Produced Video of Starliner N974R Final Flight – February 12, 2015

 

I was surfing the internet the other day and found a very interesting YouTube video about the ferry flight of Starliner N974R from Sanford, Florida to Fantasy of Flight on October 19, 2001 that was produced by Kermit Weeks. The 10 minute 39 second video starts out with a short history of the Lockheed Constellation followed by video of flight preparations, the takeoff from Sanford International Airport, air-to-air footage and finally the landing on Fantasy of Flight’s 5,000 foot turf runway. I was at Sanford for the departure and it was quite a thrill to see the old girl take to the air one last time. I also remember Kermit's folks taking alot of video and, up until now, wondered if any of it ever got published. I'm glad to see that some of it did.

[pilottj]

One thing I love about the Cherokee for its simplistic autopilot, it forces you to actually fly the airplane a lot more, which is something you should be doing in a training airplane.  The AP is really only good for giving your arm a break during cruise, and even then you still have to keep an eye on it. 

 

There is no reason not to fly approaches by hand with such a plane that handles so nicely.  IMHO the Cherokee is one of the best addon platforms to brush up on old school instrument flying.

 

Remember this too, if A2A does a Comanche based on the real life example that A2A owns, it will have the same AP as the Cherokee, as it would be appropriate be for a 1960s airplane.  Trust me, the Comanche is an absolute joy to fly by hand as well. 

 

Cheers

TJ

[Christopher Low]

Er......I seem to have done something that has left the aircraft somewhat "dead". I wanted to learn how to start the plane the proper way, and I thought that the "Starting" paragraph on page 84 was the place to go. However, after trying to get the engine started, the propellor turned for so long, and then stopped. Unfortunately, I do not appear to be able to do anything now! I can't even leave P3D and load the plane from the Vehicles Menu, because it seems to be in the same condition as the one that I have in a "Saved Flight" configuration, and even pressing the dreaded "E" key doesn't work!!

 

How do I get the plane started from this state? :huh:

 

On a side note, is there a FULL startup tutorial for the plane? The one on page 84 mentions "opening the throttle", but I haven't even started the engine!!