Dornier Do-27 approach

[Guest]

I just finished my very first flight with the awesome DA Do-27! Incredible! This is a beautifull plane! Really EVERYTHING works and this is as real as it gets!!! It's quite complicated here and there, specially since not all knobs and switches have the same name as in the manual, which talks about turning on Gyros and Generator and Strobe (for instance), which I can't find anywhere: I guess the Gyros is the CB for ailerons and so on and the Alternator is the Generator...? And there is no Strobe, only Beacon and Nav lights... Also I can't really see when some switches/levers are on or off, like the Carb Heat (is pushed in on or off). Problem is I don't have a print of the manual, which makes it a bit hard... Switching to the pdf screws up FSX on my system.Anyway, I managed to finish a flight from Cold and Dark to Cold and Dark (Pro level of course), so I guess I did find the right buttons. ;)It's a pity though that I can't really turn the com-radio knob from the left-seat, not even with Track IR. I have to switch to another view or open the radiostack, which I do not like.I've got one problem though, and that's with the approach. The checklist says to put the prop on 3000 RPM and the throttle above 0,5. Well, when I do that I never get below 100 kt, which means I can't use flaps... My speed stays too high unless I completely pull back the throttle, which I am not supposed to do afaik... Any ideas on this?Also during cruise I have a bit of a problem knowing how to set the prop and throttle. It seems like I can leave throttle full open and set everything as desired just with the prop: I can't find anything right now about how to set the throttle (apart from 'as required', which isn't very helpfull...) I suppose it's not meant to sat full open all the time.Even though I've got some getting-used-to-problems I have to say this plane is absolutely AWESOME!!! This is really as real as it gets. Also having to take great care of everything to prevent things from going wrong is very nice! And the fact that you can do EVERYTHING in the VC is great too: you even have to lock and unlock the controls! And EVERY know works! And the way the plane shakes and all is great too! It seems a minor thing but it's not! I like it that the VC has everything the real plane has too: I'd just bought the SF260 which is awesome in it's own right, but I think I like this rugged, worn panel more: the SF260 panel also misses a lot compared to the real thing (knobs and switches and stuff). As said, it's great in it's own right but the Do-27 is as real as it gets! (Almost regret I didn't know about the D0-27 earlier...)O yes, one more thing: taxi sucks big time. I don't have rudder pedals and since you can ONLY taxi with the rudder (as real as it gets!) I have to use the keyboard. But the plane reacts very sluggish. When I center the rudder it takes ages before the plane reacts: it just keeps on moving into the wrong direction for a while. If slewing wasn't so bad on my system, I'd almost use that for taxi... Also taking off and landing is quite hard due to this. Anyone has any advice on this...?

[Guest allcott]

There is no reference to strobe in any of the Dornier 27 manuals I have. Are you reading the right one?Gyro is obviously GYROcompass - nothing to do with flight controls but the Directional Indicator - and the C/B is on the C/B panel.Check Manual 4.15 for pre-landing checklist. You are using figures from the Descent checklist.The manual also has detailed flight operating procedures for the aircraft. You don NOT fly it with full throttle all the time - within five minuters you will blow the engine. READ the manual. The READ the manual some more. And in between times READING the MANUAL might help your confusion.Taxiing this aircraft requires differential braking as there is no steerable tailwheel on this model. If you don't have rudder pedals, then use the keyboard commands for left and right brake, as necessary. You can also pick the tail up with a burst of power and some down elevator.Ultimately, you cannot talk to realism when you don't have rudder pedals. Consider getting some.Allcott

[maxter 0]

Yes the tailwheel mimics a castoring tailwheel very well... In respect of not being able to get your speed down, hold the nose up while pulling the throttle and prop to decent levels and the speed will bleed off to the required flap extension speed. You have to be ahead of this bird to fly it by the numbers.It is why I have been singing the praises of this product since I bought it a week ago. It's too easy to fudge the procedures with the standard bunch of FS aircraft, but as Alcotts says, read the manual and all will be good, but you have to do it properly or it will fail. That is the exciting bit.It is for me anyway, truely the best sim aircraft I have EVER had the pleasure of using to date. I sure hope DA brings out many more like it.Cheers and thanks again for the opportunity to sing the praises of this amazing product.Chris Porter:-outtaPerthWestern AustraliaCheck out my 5th Around the World flight with MS FSX at http://members.iinet.com.au/~portercbp/fly...W_05/index.html

[Guest]

Well, my second flight went better. ;) During the first flight I used ATC to get me in the right direction, but they left me too high near the airfield. (What a surprise...! ;) ) The second flight was purely VFR and everything went well.BTW I did read the manual from A to Z (I just love manuals!!!!) but there is a LOT of information in it! And I can't search the pdf's for some strange reason (I get no or weird results). And as I said, switching between FSX and the pdf is problematic. But still, I made it and I made it well: started the engine without problems and landed without anything getting broken. ;) It's an awesome plane and it sets a standard that will he hard to beat!BTW I also like the things you can do when on the ground: like the thing with which you can cover the pitot thingie: it's really moves in the wind! Great! And you can even remove the pilot! And you have to open the locks before you can open the doors! And so forth. ;) The guys who made this plane really loved it! ;) And so do I!

[Orlaam 306]

Your best bet to slowing down in any plane is to level out enough to drop some airspeed. I've always been under the impression that props will lose their airspeed pretty fast when you need them to by dropping the throttle way back, however, some of these add ons don't always do this. Perhaps it's a sim limitation or I'm wrong about all props.Anyhow, the Do-27 is a great plane and I think it handles like a dream. I just don't remember if the speed was hard to bleed off. Regardless, just make sure you have enough space to level out so you can slow down and drop the flaps, since using flaps to slow is a no-no. I do remember the Dornier taking some getting used to, especially how to operate the repair feature and use the kneeboard. It's much different than say the Aeroworx B200, which just repairs the plane as soon as you click the box in the configuration utility.

[LAdamson 240]

>Your best bet to slowing down in any plane is to level out>enough to drop some airspeed. I've always been under the>impression that props will lose their airspeed pretty fast>when you need them to by dropping the throttle way back,>however, some of these add ons don't always do this. Perhaps>it's a sim limitation or I'm wrong about all props.>A constant speed prop can do a decent job as an air brake when pushing the knob forward to low/fine pitch. This is quite noticeable when flying the same type of aircraft with fixed or C/S. While the C/S might be able to high tail it to the pattern, the fixed pitch model might need to begin slowing a few miles back. Of course this has to do with airframe drag too. If there's a bunch of struts and wires, such as with a bi-plane, it'll just slow down anyway.And yes, IMO, there is a sim limitation in regards to slowing down with a C/S prop. L.Adamson

[maxter 0]

Larry,Do you have the DO-27, and if so I am interested in hearing your opinion of it.Also do you believe there is a future for this higher realism type of product or do you believe there just isn't a market in this instant gratification world of our where most of the punters (especially the new ones) just want to get into the aircraft and fly?For myself, I guess there is a place for both whereby the developer can provide a switch to dumb down the reality aspect for those who do not enjoy working through the aircraft and it's peculiarities in the first place.Cheers,Chris Porter:-outtaPerthWestern AustraliaIntel Core 2 Duo E6700ASUS P5N32-E SLI Deluxe Motherboard4GB Corsair VS DDR2 667Mhz RAMInno3D 8800 GTX 768MB GDDR3 590MHz VideoASUS MW221u 21" Wide Screen LCD2 x 320Gb WD SATA DrivesCreative X-Fi Platinum Sound Lian Li PC-B20B Aluminium Black CaseMS Vista Ultimate OEMCH FlightSim Yoke USBCH Pro Pedals USBTrackIR 4 Pro and Track ClipMSFS FSX Deluxe Edition Full install at 1400x960x32Check out my 5th Around the World flight with MS FSX at http://members.iinet.com.au/~portercbp/fly...W_05/index.html

[LAdamson 240]

>Larry,>>Do you have the DO-27, and if so I am interested in hearing>your opinion of it.>>Also do you believe there is a future for this higher realism>type of product or do you believe there just isn't a market in>this instant gratification world of our where most of the>punters (especially the new ones) just want to get into the>aircraft and fly?>>For myself, I guess there is a place for both whereby the>developer can provide a switch to dumb down the reality aspect>for those who do not enjoy working through the aircraft and>it's peculiarities in the first place.>Chris,I have the FS2004 version of the D0-27. Bought it along with FlightScenery's FS9 Portland, after seeing a "convincing" video of the two addons together. :D But..........I have not explored all it's possibilities. I've seen that it's programmed to mimic ground handling much better than the default aircraft, because now you can raise it's tail with prop blast, in addition to having to use some differential braking for turns until the rudder is effective enough to take over. And it certainly has the "feel" of a STOL airplane!Since these effects are simulated, I must spend more time and see the effects of "prop pitch", seeing how it has the option of realistic & simple.I must admit, that I sometimes in the "lazy" group, when it comes to simulated aircraft & full start up procedures; and sometimes take the simpler route. Unlike a real panel/cockpit, I don't have a natural flow of right hand, left hand, use of switches & knobs, thanks to the limitations of using a mouse & just so many switches & knobs on my joystick.Having the option of easy and Pro, as well as options in between, like the developers have done, is certainly a good idea. I'm somewhere in the middle, as I seldom have the patience for cold and dark startups. With me, It's just get this thing in the air, and see what it we'll do! :-hah L.Adamson

[Guest]

>For myself, I guess there is a place for both whereby the>developer can provide a switch to dumb down the reality aspect>for those who do not enjoy working through the aircraft and>it's peculiarities in the first place.I've yet to see an addon which has NO option to do it the simple way. You'd be a bit crazy as a dev to make a plane 'hardcore-simmer' only, because that would limit your pool of customers considerably.I usually like to do things the hard and realistic way and I'm very happy that the Do-27 enables me to do so to the extreme. I am ALSO very happy they provided an EXCELLENT manual which helps me to do so! To me starting everything up from cold and dark with this realism is a big part of the fun of playing FSX! I just hate it when a button does nothing in a VC... and I also don't really like it when a cockpit is simplified. I recently bought the SF260 also, which I do like for it's smooth gauges, but it was only after buying it that I noticed the real SF260 had much more 'crowded' panel... unlike the Do-27, which looks just lke the real thing, and that's exactly what I like! I also like the worn look of everything.For the moment however I've stopped taxiing with the plane (I start and stop at the runway), which is a pity, but it's too hard to do with the keyboard... But well, you can't have it all...! ;) (I will have to try to use my wheel pedals as a rudder: in that case it will be easier to control rudder AND apply differential brakes when necessary.)

[Guest]

Hm, pity, the pedals of my wheel aren't recognized...