Just now, Alan_A said:

It's funny, I just did a long stretch in the T6 - figured I'd try to get my fundamentals back in shape.  Am now managing to land it consistently - it helped when I gave up on wheel landings and decided to three-point it all the time.

As promised, here's a link to the most up-to-date version of Manfred's C-47.  Actually it's a link to a link - click on the Dropbox link in Manfred's post (#5, should be right at the top) and you'll have everything you need.

The C-47 is my main ride at the moment - never did the virtual airline thing before, but I've got DC-3 Airways hours to build... 😎

Thanks Alan ! Last C-47 I flew was the MAAM's in FS2K2 then in FS9, I may be a little rusty 😏.  I don't know whether we'll ever see an OpenLC Asia but I suppose flying the Hump with the mesh and nice textures available today is already much more enjoyable than it was then. Here is a link to the story of the first flight over the Hump that I dug out from my FS archives.

 http://www.cnac.org/hump01.htm 

About the 6, keeping her straight on line after touchdown is an art when there is a little crosswind . The A2A Texan is a masterpiece. 

And once again none of the A2A planes interest me. So depressing for Carenado to be the only company releasing the popular airplanes people fly in real life.

9 hours ago, domkle said:

Last C-47 I flew was the MAAM's in FS2K2 then in FS9

Manfred's C-47 is a natural successor to the MAAM sim version - some of the MAAM team members, Jan Visser for example, are involved in Manfred's project.

It flies like a dream thanks to Alexander Metzger's FDE.  It's a piece of cake to land compared to the T-6 - just carry about 15 inches down to the runway and fly it on - wheel landings are the norm.  A very happy experience.

The T-6 is most definitely a masterpiece - agree completely.

1 hour ago, Boeing or not going said:

So depressing for Carenado to be the only company releasing the popular airplanes people fly in real life.

It looks like the Aeroplane Heaven Cessna 140 was just released - I haven't confirmed this but there's a "buy now" button on the product page.  If it holds up, that'll be a nice, accessible, affordable real-world aircraft to add to the hangar.  I'll be standing by for reviews and reports, though.

Edited May 14, 20197 yr by Alan_A

7 minutes ago, Alan_A said:

It looks like the Aeroplane Heaven Cessna 140 was just released - I haven't confirmed this but there's a "buy now" button on the product page.  If it holds up, that'll be a nice, accessible, affordable real-world aircraft to add to the hangar.  I'll be standing by for reviews and reports, though.

But my original point is there are a lot of low and slow airplanes but missing the popular props I would like to fly a C210, C208 and PC-12. A2A will only model an aircraft they can buy or have access to must be the reason.

@Boeing or not going - ah, got it, sorry, I'd missed your point.  Yes, agreed - that's an underserved category.  Not sure how much you like twins but the Milviz B58 and C310 both have a following.  But I'd go for a good sim version of any of the aircraft you mention.  

Maybe the A2A Aerostar will fit the bill, if and when it arrives.  Translation - it's not just access, it's also systems modeling and flight testing, which is a multi-year commitment.  I wouldn't bet on an Aerostar this year and maybe not next year either.

1 hour ago, Boeing or not going said:

And once again none of the A2A planes interest me. So depressing for Carenado to be the only company releasing the popular airplanes people fly in real life.

I’d rather have from them a Supercub than a new iteration of the Cub or a Pilatus /Kodiak than a Texan 2. But a strange  thing happens with A2A. I was not very interested by the idea of flying the T-6 at first. But gave her a try anyway after a while. And she became a favorite ride.  Same with Comanche. Their aircraft are interesting to fly. 

On 5/11/2019 at 11:21 PM, Alan_A said:

PILOTS just announced that their Boeing 314 B Clipper is moving forward and due for a July release - with an Alexander Metzger FDE, no less.

Hello Alan

This little snippet interests me no end... I had pretty much given up on the idea of ever seeing this until I saw your post here! Still, on the PILOTs website it looks like the same information that's been there for ages. Do you have a link to this new information at all? From the screenshots I've seen, the modelling of this aircraft looks impeccable.

Cheers

Stu

5 hours ago, stufer said:

Do you have a link to this new information at all?

There was this article on FSElite... which linked to this Facebook post (public, no login required).  And there's a discussion in progress on Sim Outhouse - it started a long time ago but you can pick up the latest starting here.  Good news all around.  

2 minutes ago, Alan_A said:

There was this article on FSElite... which linked to this Facebook post (public, no login required).  And there's a discussion in progress on Sim Outhouse - it started a long time ago but you can pick up the latest starting here.  Good news all around.  

Oh wow, I'll have a look through this tonight... Thanks very much Alan, much appreciated. New pictures too! OK I'm very excited about this.

I am quite sure the USAF projects will be brought to our hobby at some time in the future.  The best news to gather from that is the USAF is essentially paying for Accusim's growth, instead of just the FS hobbist.  The lessons they learned from the T-6 II and T-38 projects they can certainly apply to other things.  I would bet there are a few other aircraft on the stove as well not mentioned in the report that will benefit greatly from these USAF contracts.  Think about this....our (US citizen) tax dollars are helping A2A bring us better addons...finally a positive use for tax dollars LOL

The Aerostar is fantastic news, can't ask for a better high performance twin to scare yourselves in.  It is kind of like a Mustang, MU-2, or any other serious HP airplane, it requires a very proficient pilot or it will bite you hard.  I hope A2A has a setting to have engine failures after takeoff, so you guys can see just how scary that phase of flight in a twin can be and knowing A2A's attention to detail on flight dynamics, their Aerostar or whatever other twin they do in the meantime, you will know why the FAA requires twin pilots memorize the 11 Vmc factors for a MEL checkride.

Good stuff ahead!

Cheers

TJ
 

4 hours ago, pilottj said:

I am quite sure the USAF projects will be brought to our hobby at some time in the future. 

And yet in the Facebook comments, A2A said...

Quote

we promise not to release stuff all at the same time and that T-6 might not make it to a consumer product.

...and...
 

Quote

Lets hope we can get a consumer product out of it, it will require quite a lot of extra work to make a product for the T-6 II.

...and...

Quote

The T-6 might not make a consumer release

So... I admire your faith, but they don't seem to share it.

Now, granted, to your larger point, they did go on to say...

Quote

but for sure we now have a Turbo Prop modelled in Accu-sim ready to be unleashed. And not only that but one of the most popular Turbo prop engines.

So there could be a "peace dividend" down the line... but no telling when.

And other things in the announcement - like the Spitfires - are clearly institutional projects that don't have a consumer track.

I agree it's all very exciting if you're a fan of the company... but the excitement isn't as consumer-focused as some had hoped, and some patience is going to be needed.

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by Alan_A

Bummer that these are not in the immediate consumer pipeline, but a big congratulations to A2A for the Air Force contract. That has to be a reliable source of revenue and  for A2A as a company...and money in the bank sure makes it easier to get things done. It is really remarkable to see how much momentum PC based flight simulation has picked up within the aviation training space in the past couple of years.

Scott said in the forums their plan is to bring the T6 out to the public

"Sorry it wasn't clear but we plan and expect to release the T-6 Texan II to the public but there's a lot of work to do between now and then"

3 hours ago, ryanbatcund said:

Scott said in the forums their plan is to bring the T6 out to the public

"Sorry it wasn't clear but we plan and expect to release the T-6 Texan II to the public but there's a lot of work to do between now and then"

Thanks, hadn't seen that - a helpful clarification, or maybe, given what they'd said on Facebook, a policy change.  Should be a fun aircraft when it comes along.

6 hours ago, snglecoil said:

It is really remarkable to see how much momentum PC based flight simulation has picked up within the aviation training space in the past couple of years.

Agree.  Showing my age here, but I remember trying to talk about PC-based simulation on CompuServe's AVSig (Aviation Special Interest Group) thirty years ago and being shouted down.  Great forum - one of the best I've ever been a part of - but that was pretty much a banned topic.

Worth noting that A2A isn't the only USAF contractor out there - per this Sim Outhouse post and a few that follow it, Milviz developed their T-38C for the Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) program, which is more traditional and more established than Pilot Training Next (PTN), which is where A2A has been focused.  Really a lot of professional training action going on.