Canadair CL-215T and Canso PBY-5A

[lagaffe 203]

Thanks for yours answers 😀 but this work isn't finished ... a long travel has to be done before the final release but I am hopeful to finish what I had planned to do when I had start this project ... January 2010 😉

One who is very happy is Olivier FAIVRE (http://hydroz.net/fr/aircrafts) who develop this aircraft for XPlane 9 and who trusted me by allowing me to port it to FS9, then FSX/Prepar3D ( it's planned also) and MSFS.

Theses next days, I will finish one or two fire-fighting missions around CYMX Mirabel and CTH3 - Les Grandes Bergeronnes (scenery which are downloadable also on French-VFR)

Edited February 22, 2022 by lagaffe

[lagaffe 203]

Some news on the next v0.7.7: my attention is focused on the cockpit and the instruments.

A number of them are functional (75%), there is still some work to do to finish theses parts (animation and coding).

The next steps will be dedicated to the graphic aspect and the improvement of the textures.

[lagaffe 203]

Hi,

The version 0.7.7 is almost ready, still some small checks (my eyes are always bigger than my stomach and I add more each time, which always takes me a little more time).
Nevertheless, here are the various versions that will be available in this release (they are not finished, there is still some work to do...).

The first three repaints are three of the various liveries that C-FCRR or N9767 successively sported during its "career.
An Air France version of the model with blister:

The " Princess of the Stars", from the blistered model:

The version used for the Okavango operation with the blister model:

In water bomber, a SAGQ aircraft : n°712

Lastly, the water bomber version of the Buffalo-Airways for our friends of SAVETHECANSO (a canadian association http://www.savethecanso.com 😞

On the blistered model, which is more of a collector's aircraft used for discovery flights, the owners have converted it to carry a few passengers.
It was last based at Melun-Villaroche. Here is a view of the interior layout: the volumes are rough, I would like to add a lot more details later.
This already allows you to see the 5 compartments from the back to the front:
 - the blister lounge with two sofas, accessed from the outside by a retractable staircase "Caravelle style" (it will be animated and controllable),
 - the passenger lounge,
 - the technical part where the ballast tanks were on the water-bomber,
 - the navigation part which is often used to store luggage or technical elements,
 - the cockpit.

With the arrow keys on the keyboard, I have fun moving around the whole aft section during flights or using the programmed views.

Edited April 3, 2022 by lagaffe

[bigifooti 156]

Lovely work!

[Waldo Pepper 1,953]

Beautiful!  It will be a joyous day in MSFS history when I can hop into "the Flying Calypso",  and set out in search of Henrik's Calypso.   I used to find it between TNCM and TFFJ.

Edit:  Just realized that the Calypso from Henrik's mod is one of your models!

Edited April 4, 2022 by Waldo Pepper

[lagaffe 203]

Hi,

Yes Waldo, Calypso and FREMMs (Aquitaine and Maroc) are 3D models of mine. I have also make for Henrik's addon the first wake models in September 2021.

I have also a repaint of the "Flying Calypso" but for a good addon it is necessary to adapt the fuselage exterior model and the rudder which are differents: upper rudder and fuselage nose different.

I have collationed a lot of pictures on this aircraft and when I was young I've done a lot of scuba diving (for at least 15 years) so anything related to Captain Cousteau or Calypso means a lot to me.
Calypso as a pilotable model in MSFS is ready as well as the two frigates (I actually worked on these two boats during my last ten years of work before I retired). I would have to find some time to publish them on my site.

For the "Flying Calypso", the aircraft model isn't a PBY-5A but a PBY-6A with some modifications but I have some things in mind which can be done .... to follow ... 😉

Edited April 5, 2022 by lagaffe

[lagaffe 203]

Have a good day,

=> V0.7.7 version with the C-FCRR model in addition and 3 repaints more, is available on French-VFR (see english version of my site: http://frenchvfr.free.fr/download.php?lng=en&dirdnl=no&tconfig=0&id=2)

[Puddin 70]

4 hours ago, lagaffe said:

Have a good day,

=> V0.7.7 version with the C-FCRR model in addition and 3 repaints more, is available on French-VFR (see english version of my site: http://frenchvfr.free.fr/download.php?lng=en&dirdnl=no&tconfig=0&id=2)

Merci Didier,

 I have been looking forward to trying this beauty for a while now, multiple attempts at downloading and failing.

 I was typing the user/password in English!  at last I have now read carefully and now preparing the PBY for its first flight.

Thanks again.

[lagaffe 203]

And yet I have written it several times: this is not the first time 😇

Regarding v0.7.8 it has been initialized with a new 3D model for the PBY-6A ... to illustrate the "Flying Calypso" for Waldo.
Regarding the Calypso (the boat) I also have a Schweizer S300 in progress but alfter the Flying Calypso.

[Puddin 70]

I can imagine!

English eh!! So excited  to try this I forgot to read the manual.

It sounds fabulous already, ready for take off.

[lagaffe 203]

It is just a WIP so a lot of things should be improved:

 - Attitude Indicator isn't horizontal when you fly at the same altitude (1° or 2° to improved)

- Reflections and transparency of the windshields are perfect (to improved)

- The FM should be also improved but with Asobo Team ... it is a pain 😇

Currently, Il fly in auto pilot withe the Canso between CHT3 and CYMX (two scenes from those I created for MSFS)

[Puddin 70]

21 minutes ago, lagaffe said:

It is just a WIP so a lot of things should be improved:

 - Attitude Indicator isn't horizontal when you fly at the same altitude (1° or 2° to improved)

- Reflections and transparency of the windshields are perfect (to improved)

- The FM should be also improved but with Asobo Team ... it is a pain 😇

Currently, Il fly in auto pilot withe the Canso between CHT3 and CYMX (two scenes from those I created for MSFS)

You have done a lot of work in this project already, a masterpiece in the making I would say!

I thought it flew well, no autopilot to be used for this baby from me 😁.

The view from the blisters is an added bonus along with the sounds internally and externally . I have had the pleasure of seeing a PBY in the UK some years ago and this sounds real.

Though I have found a bug which causes the sim to hang / crash in VR using the forward quick view (to look at the instruments clearer).

Looking forward to the updates.

[Waldo Pepper 1,953]

4 hours ago, lagaffe said:

And yet I have written it several times: this is not the first time 😇

Regarding v0.7.8 it has been initialized with a new 3D model for the PBY-6A ... to illustrate the "Flying Calypso" for Waldo.
Regarding the Calypso (the boat) I also have a Schweizer S300 in progress but alfter the Flying Calypso.

I am so grateful,  and beyond thrilled!    I would have been happy with a simple repaint,  and I truly appreciate your efforts.   There are few things in life like the flight sim community,   and I'm grateful for MSFS for bringing more users into the fold so they can experience the wealth of beauty offered by creators such as yourself.   It's a great time in flight sim history to me.

I've discussed it with Henrik,  but I too have a special regard for Cousteau,  the crew, and their machines.   I recently started bing re-watching all of the old Undersea World episodes.   Then as now,  I'm still amazed and moved by them.   Even more so now as an adult,  because I realize how they pushed the boundaries of engineering.   

I don't think people understand how Cousteau and Emile Gagnon invented the Aqualung.   I mean,  in many ways the Ocean depths are an environment more hostile than outer space.    Yet there they were,  diving to 300 feet in gear that they made.    The underwater cameras,  they made.   The underwater scooters,  they made.   They buoyancy compensating vest,  they made.  Subs,  they made.    The list goes on and on.     To me,   they might as well have been Astronauts.   They were entering environments that no man had ever seen,  and showing us.

Backstory post:   Jacques son, Philippe Cousteau,  was a pilot.  He regularly flew the foundation's aircraft.  Phillippe lost his life during the crash of their PBY Catalina.

Quote

Phillipe Cousteau died in 1979, aged 38, when his PBY Catalina flying boat crashed in the Tagus river near Lisbon. The investigation of the accident was not thorough, and competing theories exist to the present day. One theory is that the aircraft simply touched down on the river too fast, causing it to flip on the water;^[9] another is that the aircraft nosed over during a high-speed taxi run undertaken to check the hull for leakage and the left wing broke free, sending its engine toward the cockpit and killing Cousteau instantly. Still another theory is that the aircraft, an amphibian with fully retractable landing gear, landed on the river with the landing gear extended. All others on board survived.^[10] His son Philippe Cousteau Jr. was born six months later.

For the hell of it,

Cessna TU206G Turbo Stationair 6 II

Edited April 5, 2022 by Waldo Pepper

[skully 1,045]

Didier, merci beaucoup, monsieur!

Enthousiasmé par le Flying Calypso!

[Waldo Pepper 1,953]

This thing will be an absolute beast in NeoFly.    Range,  payload,  and Amphibian.   Just have to look up a Passenger capacity,  because the NF data extractor didn't find it.

As far as I can tell,  the military flew a crew of 10 (pilot, co-pilot, bow turret gunner, flight engineer, radio operator, navigator, radar operator, two waist gunners and ventral gunner)

According to another site, it has 14 in airliner configuration – up to 28 charter  (http://pbycatalina.com/specifications/)

 

Quote

MSFS Aircraft Data Extractor for NeoFly v1.1.0
--- Connected to MSFS
Current aircraft:
- Name:

C-FPQK
- Type: Prop
- Engine(s): 2 (Piston, Piston)
- Category: B
- Cruise speed (kt): 137
- Range (NM): 2540
- Empty weight (lbs): 17837
- Max fuel (lbs): 10500
- Max payload (lbs): 17583
- Max takeoff weight (lbs): 35420
- Pax: 0
Current aircraft:
- Name: Canso PBY-5A C-FNJE
- Type: Prop
- Engine(s): 2 (Piston, Piston)
- Category: B
- Cruise speed (kt): 137
- Range (NM): 2540
- Empty weight (lbs): 17837
- Max fuel (lbs): 10500
- Max payload (lbs): 17583
- Max takeoff weight (lbs): 35420
- Pax: 0
Current aircraft:
- Name: Canso PBY-5A Okavanga
- Type: Prop
- Engine(s): 2 (Piston, Piston)
- Category: B
- Cruise speed (kt): 137
- Range (NM): 2540
- Empty weight (lbs): 17837
- Max fuel (lbs): 10500
- Max payload (lbs): 17583
- Max takeoff weight (lbs): 35420
- Pax: 0
Current aircraft:
- Name: Canso PBY-5A N9767
- Type: Prop
- Engine(s): 2 (Piston, Piston)
- Category: B
- Cruise speed (kt): 137
- Range (NM): 2540
- Empty weight (lbs): 17837
- Max fuel (lbs): 10500
- Max payload (lbs): 17583
- Max takeoff weight (lbs): 35420
- Pax: 0
Current aircraft:
- Name: Canso PBY-5A C-FCRR
- Type: Prop
- Engine(s): 2 (Piston, Piston)
- Category: B
- Cruise speed (kt): 137
- Range (NM): 2540
- Empty weight (lbs): 17837
- Max fuel (lbs): 10500
- Max payload (lbs): 17583
- Max takeoff weight (lbs): 35420
- Pax: 0
Current aircraft:
- Name: Canso PBY-5A C-FNJE
- Type: Prop
- Engine(s): 2 (Piston, Piston)
- Category: B
- Cruise speed (kt): 137
- Range (NM): 2540
- Empty weight (lbs): 17837
- Max fuel (lbs): 10500
- Max payload (lbs): 17583
- Max takeoff weight (lbs): 35420
- Pax: 0