FSX-SE A flight in the DC8 - (from/to) my two new Airports...

[P_7878 6,605]

I took out the Aerosoft DC-8 on a flight with a desire to connect (and test) the two new airports that I'd purchased a week or so ago...((i) Orbx Ketchikan, Alaska, (PAKT) and (ii) LatinVFR San Juan, Puerto Rico, (TJSJ)). I've been meaning to fly this DC-8 ever since I'd last done (only) one previous flight with it long while ago. The chosen color, here, is Atlas Air Cargo, beautifully and expertly repainted by "thibodba" from around here. It happened to catch my attention in the Library while looking for a suitable livery to match this excellent SIM, for this intended flight (Cargo and long distance...both a bit unusual for me....🙂...)...

Atlas Air (with its likeable logo of the mythological Titan, the golden man carrying a golden world) is a well-respected Cargo Airline, with worldwide operations. In 2011, Atlas Air was the first North American carrier to take delivery of the B747-8 Freighter. With about fifty variants of B747 aircraft in its fleet, in recent years, Atlas is the world's largest operator of this type. It also has a history of operating the Douglas DC-8s.

This flight, here, is still a test-the-waters exercise for me with this aircraft (need to fly this more often!). For navigation, I've manually entered five (almost) equally spaced LAT/LON waypoints (excluding DEPT/DEST) into the on-board INS system. This route, which I had to break with an intermediate stop, (roughly) mimics the (actual/default) route output from the SimBrief flight-planner (see screenshot of complete route). BTW, for a more realistic simulation, I noted that both Alaska and United Airlines operate RL (~13hr) flights between KTN and SJU, with 2 stop-overs (Seattle and Newark).

These 2 scenic airports (Ketchikan and San Juan), here, I plan to explore, later, more closely, in the SIM. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the sample images, below, from my trip, with this remarkable Douglas jet.

[And, best of the holidays!]

[BadKarmaPT 48]

Great shots!

[Phantom88 3,287]

Love It!!!

[P_7878 6,605]

Hugo, Patrick, and folks:

Many thanks!

[Doug47 574]

Very good pics! 
Did you use the INS to navigate?

[P_7878 6,605]

Doug: Thank you. Yes, INS Navigation is used for the most part. In fact, that was one of the things I wished to learn/check in this flight (before, hopefully, embarking on additional (SIM) flights, with this, in future...).

In that banking wing-view shot, above, is where the INS Flightplan is getting activated (probably I did it a bit too soon, with those mountains nearby...🙂...), and the plane is already turning to align itself with the route track. This happens as soon as the the selector is moved to the AUX/NAV setting (please also see the Autopilot shot just before)....everything works well here...(Appreciated your interest and Have fun)...!

[vc10man 732]

If you have the time to spare, I'd like some help on using that INS which is one of the reasons I passed on the Aerosoft DC-8 package, or may have already bought it, not too sure, 🤣and it's hangared,

[P_7878 6,605]

Hmm...Rick...so, you mean, likely, you've not even opened the only 56 page INS manual yet...I hope you know where it's located, at least...🙂...

Seriously, there are lots of Forum hints and videos available, that I found very helpful here, but do give the manual a try. It's quite well-written, and you need to first focus on a few key pages to start with, to get going...there is one caveat for getting this INS to align a bit more quickly (that you may like to take note of)...Also, more learning if you manually enter data than upload flight-plans...I'll send you a PM with some (practical) notes...good-luck...

[edetroit 933]

How nice to see some DC-8 action! The -62 is my personal favourite.😎

.....only eng gen 2 active?

[P_7878 6,605]

Appreciated the note, Ed!

First, yes, love the Super 60 (and 70) series...I think nobody did “stretching” better than Douglas...

And, about that Gen 2, I need to surely follow up...this was a “vanilla” start-up, no cold & dark, as was my original intention...(ran out of time due to a trip)...unsure what happened here...

Far away from my PC now...but, this visit to San Antonio city with its riverwalk in Christmas lights and heavily loaded history is enchanting (and to my liking)...🙂...Got to see the statue of Saint Anthony of Padua, the river and the city, Gift of Portugal, it says...Small statue, but more meaningful than the tallest skyscrapers...!

(Best for the New Year)...

 

[Steve Dra 7,588]

Beautiful set and great selection for the aircraft...I loved the old "Diesel Eights" and I'm actually old enough to have flown on at least one that I can remember (2 actually if you count a Delta eight with the big engines, hehe).

The paint is from Brian Thibodeaux it looks like....all-around good guy (for a pilot), and the resident expert on Atlas (since he flies 747s for them).

We've collaborated on a few paints and his painting skills are top-notch.

@thibodba57 Nice job on the old girl....I really like this Atlas Livery...the gold around the lettering makes it look nice....probably dropped in the current livery because it'd cost more to paint, eh? 😉

 (I know...don't get you started, hehe)

 

[HighBypass 2,339]

Lovely rendition of the old Douglas. Great shots too.

I've flown on two back in 1982 to the States and back, courtesy of Arrow Air - my first continental holiday & my first airliner flights. IIRC the outbound DC-8 had the older engines whereas the homebound one had the newer larger engines.. (I think)

[Steve Dra 7,588]

11 minutes ago, HighBypass said:

courtesy of Arrow Air

Wow...talk about coincidence....My flight on the old Eight was on Arrow Air as well....military charter back in 75 taking me back stateside (to KPHL) from Rota, Spain where my Dad was stationed.  Wouldn't it be freaky if it were the same plane? 🙂

 

[thibodba57 462]

1 hour ago, Steve Dra said:

 

@thibodba57 Nice job on the old girl....I really like this Atlas Livery...the gold around the lettering makes it look nice....probably dropped in the current livery because it'd cost more to paint, eh? 😉

 (I know...don't get you started, hehe)

 

More simple than that. Old plane old livery 🙂

[HaraldG 559]

A trip out of the northern coldness to the warm south... in a classic plane. Something which one should follow, particularly after watching these pictures!