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cavaricooper

CLX 701, KTPA-EDDM Beta Flight

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Heute sind wir gebunden München!

 

I woke up this morning to find a new beta build in my inbox. The house was quiet, and I thought why not?  I went through the process of deleting my old build, installing the new one and updating my liveries. Then I was happily sat on the FedEx apron at Drew Park cargo in Tampa. It was still early and the mall and traffic to my right was quiet.  The fans and recircs were humming and I tweaked the FD temp ever so slightly- it would be a good morning.

 

Being a huge fan of Orbx, FlyTampa and Taxi2Gate, and I having not flown into Munich for quite some time, I thought why not?  The nice thing about flying toasters, is that it's completely plausible and acceptable to go wherever and whenever you want. Munchen it would be, today.

 

After getting the latest weather I decided on the BAYPO7 departure, DUNKN transition out of runway 1L at Tampa.  I went through the familiar flows encased in a cocoon of sound and visual delight. Despite my love affair with the 744, I have yet to sit on her flight deck. Cranebank remains on the Bucket List.  Thanks to PMDG when it finally happens, it will be a familiar experience.

 

Pushing back (thankfully, we finally fired the last tug operator) we turned immediately right on Juliet and after exercising the strobes to cross 01R we taxied past the gawking firefighters, washing down their trucks, all the way down to Whiskey 1.  At a take off weight of 369T we were in that sweet spot.  She flies like smile when she's heavy (and like a ballerina when she's light).

 

Noise%20Abatement_zps6axnnd98.png

How many times before had I seen the Noise Abatement sign from the cabin window of a 738 lining up for departure?  Not today- this time it would be me.

 

As we entered and lined up with the centerline I experienced an epiphany. For YEARS I have been seeking out maximum frame rates in search of smoothness.  Today, having been fortunate enough to spend some time conversing with Steve Waite, the brilliant software engineer at CodeLegend, I was locked at 20FPS and maxed out in P3D.  The trundling trollybus was butter smooth, despite the multiple layers of wisps that AS16 + ASCA was doing a faboulous job of mimicking. Thanks Steve (and yes Dan, I finally drank your CoolAid)!

 

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As we inched forward, I took one last glance across the panel, one momentary pause to ensure all is right with the world and then it was time to fly!  Advancing throttles after hacking the clock, stabilizing the glorious RB211s into their working song, and then pressing TOGA we began the long trip with the promise of excellent beer at the other end. The new call outs add greatly to the immersion factor. With air speed alive, 80 kts, V1 and Rotate.... I was able to concentrate on my outside view, and not have to worry about peeking in for speeds. A side benefit of course, is that my trolley dolly will have one less thing she can present the physician with- in her effort to advocate Thorazine therapy.

 

The view out the window was amazing.  The early morning still, with water a visible presence in the ether, and layer upon layer to bust through in a cacophony of scintillating sound- brilliant.  At Vr I began the long slow pull backwards and I could feel her weight.  The nose was off, but yet she rolled forward for another moment, an earth bound creature.  Then the transition began, and her oleos began their extension.  Her beautiful wings, which droop so heart-achingly when she is full of fuel and standing still, reached ever upwards and almost with a sigh, she clawed herself into the sky.

 

Cleaning%20Up_zpsrl5bjr7q.png

 

I like to fly manually through the flap retraction and SID, and this becomes a busy time.  At 369T the packs were off for departure, and 1000 agl I reached up and turned Pack One on.  Meanwhile I was making the speed checks and retracting flap on schedule, reaching way, way over for the gear lever at Flap 5.  Today, with the clouds all around, and you the reader on my mind, and after I got all the packs on, I selected the L AP and with CMD green I went outside to grab a screenie. 

 

Munchen%20Bound_zpsaezkunlj.png

 

Wing flex has always been well done, but this time PMDG has knocked it for a six!  Do you remember seeing the YT video of a BA -436 on final with the winds kicking up?  Today, there was a bit of convective activity starting, and -VCV was mimicking what I saw in that video- exactly.  There's the fuselage, solid and heavy, rising and falling ever so slightly in that bulky ship sort of swell, and then there's the wings moving much more.  The stunning bit is the lag betwixt the two, so that the end result is that I spent WAY more time looking at the outside of the aeroplane than I normally do- simply stunning!

 

More in a bit... navigation and fuel cross checks must interrupt.....

 

Ok, take a moment to look at this next enroute photo- having just stepped to F310 I had a moment.  Take a look at the light on the fuselage... the way it reflects off the composite radome, and then the aluminum fuselage.  The way dirt seeps ever downward from door sills, the way fluids wick across metal leaving their mark, the way the beacon reflects on the inside of engine nacelle 3.  She isn't new, but her Maintrol knows what she needs, and the fuselage reflects her bulk, her usage and the marks that skilled hands have given her, while tending to her needs.  The dirt is more prevalent in the area forward of the wing root, where rain only streams, not pelts.  The gleam in her nacelle rings against the flat of aviation aluminum is fantastic.  She flies wonderfully, and looks the part....

 

1st%20Step_zps7dateszd.png

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Carl Avari-Cooper

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More please, brother Carl, it's like release foreplay...


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Very nice read and pictures!

 

Heute sind wir gebunden München!

 

I hope this was not supposed to mean "Today we are bound for Munich!"  :rolleyes:

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I hope this was not supposed to mean "Today we are bound for Munich!" 

 

That's what I'd assumed it to mean. I wouldn't be surprised if a translation site offered that up as valid.

  • Upvote 1

Kyle Rodgers

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Guest BeaverDriver

Wow Carl, I hope PMDG is getting you to write the promo for this airplane :smile: ! Talk about inspiration - nice work. The screenshots aren't loading for me yet (Avsim is tied up I guess) but I'm sure they will only be further enhanced by your prose.

 

Thanks for this!

 

Glenn Davy

 

PS - Sadly after a half hour of trying to load, the pics just aren't showing up for me. Hopefully later :sad:

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Carl,

 

what a wonderful report.

 

May I suggest the title "Heute fliegen wir nach München!"

 

Cheers,

Michael


Michael Thesen

MSFS, HP Reverb G2, Gigabyte B760 32Gb, Samsung 970 EVO, Geforce RTX 4070-TI, Win11, i7-14700KF, Thrustmaster T16000M, Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals

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Glad you're enjoying the flight.... I certainly am.  Michael and Bogdan.... I tried to change the line, however, I am too late.  Alas, my German is limited to ordering beer and Google Translate :sad:

 

For those following, I am "on top" through Moncton and Gander and having received my Oceanic Clearance, established on NAT R.....

 

on%20top_zpsiynno60r.png

 

I just can't get enough of this stuff!  P3D has forever changed my sim world, and the light and reflections off airborne objects of desire captivates me.  Perhaps it's my two decade plus obsession with my fat girl, or perhaps it's the incredible modeling on this one, or perhaps it's a bit of both... but she forces me to look :)

 

Aluminum in all its variants and glory, in the morning Atlantic light- a glorious sight to behold indeed..... she cometh soon....

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Carl Avari-Cooper

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Fly to ellx (no scenery available for p3d) and when approaching you'll fly above my house.


Tom Link

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Crossing the pond was a series of fix drawings, fuel calculations (predicted vs. actual usage and remaining) and coffee. Shanwick and MALOT arrived as expected, and we were soon overflying the Emerald Isle and inbound a very familiar Compton. Slipping over the Channel we headed for Kosky, and then the familiar litany of Ferdi, Bupal, Remba and Sprimont. ATIS had us planning the ANORA 2A via ROKIL and a DM421 transition to 08L. It would be a very long taxi to Apron 9, but I am such a fan of Taxi2Gate, that I carried extra kerosene just for the purpose ;).

 

We were letting down over a very cold winter Germany, and the Alps were asserting themselves on the horizon.

 

 

0eY2s8O.jpg

 

 

VNAV did a splendid job of making the gates, only needing the lightest touch on the boards. The transition was set at 5000 and the Baro at 1670. Weather was well within CAT1 limits and this was the published Cat 1 height. The astute amongst you will realize it is still far too bright in the photos, but that is my literary license... the piccies are better this way.

 

Following Teutonic procedural adherence, there was a very rigid arrival flow with a horse shoe upwind to downwind vector that went active at height, and I knew there was a photo opportunity ahead. Sure enough my fat girl did not disappoint.... there was beer waiting...

 

FUekppP.jpg

 

We slipped down, the Rollers just whispering as I went FL CH to shorten the outbound leg. As soon as I saw were were comfortable I started reducing and extending flap on speed schedule, opting for Flap 20 with the gear still up, in a low drag, low noise configuration.... the neighbors I'm sure, appreciated my thoughtfulness.

 

kfYNw6S.png

 

I turned inbound and with a bit of VS manipulation, intercepted and followed the GS manually, until LOC green. Then dropping the gear and after confirming SPD BRK armed and Gear Down, I selected Flap 25 and Vref + 5.

 

Clicking off the AT and then the AP at 2000 I began the fun bit of long haul.... hand flying this delight to the threshold....

 

eNMJmL1.jpg

 

Using only idle reverse, and AB 3 we turned vacated at A10 and in the straight bit I began tidying up.... but then I remembered, she's lovely in moonlight, and Taxi2Gate is superb as well.... oughtn't I go take a peek?

 

Sure enough, there was the Big M.....

 

gdpVIB8.jpg

 

We made our way via Entry 1 and all the way down to Cargo Apron 9...... shutting down #3 after hacking 60 seconds of full idle....

 

0EprdwR.jpg

 

Right before the final turn into the brightly lit Apron I started the APU and dowsed the lights. It was bright enough to work and we pulled on stand and after establishing electrics (1 only for now) I shut down the remaining Rollers. The soundscape as they whine down, and the fans assert themselves in the sudden silence is shockingly brilliant....

 

Requesting the support vehicles, i tidied up the cockpit for the next crew, and leaving for the hotel turned for one last look....

 

lc0RZbi.png

 

She is lovely, but there's beer waiting.... gotta run!

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Carl Avari-Cooper

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Carl,

 

"...after hacking the clock..."

 

You did WHAT to our clock?  :Shame On You:

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Robert S. Randazzo coolcap.gif

PLEASE NOTE THAT PMDG HAS DEPARTED AVSIM

You can find us at:  http://forum.pmdg.com

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great story can't wait to take the queen out for a ride.


sfo_a320.png

 

C. W. ,Ryzen 9 5950X @H2O , 32 GB RAM DDR4 3600 Mhz CL15 , Corsair MP600 Pro Watercooled 2 TB for P3D, Samsung SSD980 1 TB for Addons and Crucial MMX500,  Red Devil Ultimate 6900 XT

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Carl,

 

"...after hacking the clock..."

 

You did WHAT to our clock?  :Shame On You:

:LMAO:

 

Regards

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