FS Labs Concorde 32-bit - the long goodbye.

[Nuno Pinto 1,460]

28 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

The work on the 64-bit P3D version started before MSFS was announced. It’s been that long. You don’t throw away all that work.

A MSFS version is in the pipeline - release date unknown.

Fair enough. IF only PMDG did the same with their 767... 🙂

MSFS version in the pipeline sounds great, i guess i had read that somewhere already, might be then that i finally learn all the techniques for flying it.

[MrNuke 59]

1 hour ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

The work on the 64-bit P3D version started before MSFS was announced. It’s been that long. You don’t throw away all that work.

I disagree with your last sentence. They could've and arguably should've walked away. There was an opportunity cost to continuing this.

[Ray Proudfoot 9,074]

1 minute ago, MrNuke said:

I disagree with your last sentence. They could've and arguably should've walked away. There was an opportunity cost to continuing this.

Have you met Andrew Wilson and Lefteris Kalamaras? I have and can assure you they’re both great fans of Concorde. They both want to see it in its full 64-bit glory.

The virtual cockpit in the 32-bit version is heavily compromised to keep VAS as low as possible. Remember VAS? 😉

And back in 2010 Concorde was their startup project.

 

[Ray Proudfoot 9,074]

54 minutes ago, Nuno Pinto said:

MSFS version in the pipeline sounds great, i guess i had read that somewhere already, might be then that i finally learn all the techniques for flying it.

Search the MSFS forum for DC Designs Concorde. I gave a fair bit of info on how Concorde should be flown in that topic.

[level7 177]

where is this Q1 announcement? what did we miss?
it's a bit silly for FSL to prevent visitors to their general forums ... i can understand for the tech and support forums

I'm interested in the Concorde but very worried about the time commitment to learn. How many hours of tutorials and mulling over the cockpit will it take someone who has only flown Airbus and Boeings with FMCs?

[Ray Proudfoot 9,074]

1 hour ago, level7 said:

where is this Q1 announcement? what did we miss?

https://forums.flightsimlabs.com/topic/32322-previews/?do=findComment&comment=256361
 

1 hour ago, level7 said:

I'm interested in the Concorde but very worried about the time commitment to learn. How many hours of tutorials and mulling over the cockpit will it take someone who has only flown Airbus and Boeings with FMCs?

The tutorial Flight in FSX was broken down into segments with the option to save at each point. The primary target when flying Concorde is pitch. After takeoff you pitch to maintain 250kts. That can be very high until reheats are cancelled.

As you climb more power is applied so it’s a balance between climb rate and speed. At Mach 0.95 / FL280 you stabilise until the accel point is reached. Then full power, autothrottles off, reheats on and pitch up to maintain Vmo. The AFCS (autopilot) can handle this via MAX CLIMB / MAX CRUISE. Reheats off at M1.7.

There is only lateral navigation via the three INSs, no VNAV. As fuel is burnt off the aircraft drifts upwards but the priority is to maintain Mach 2 so it may descend slightly. Air temperature is critical to engine performance. It’s something you need to keep an eye on.

At the other end it decelerates to 350Kts before starting the descent procedure. As engine power is reduced the descent rate increases to 6000-8000fpm. Perfectly normal. It stayed as high and fast as possible for as long as possible until descending very quickly.

At 10,000ft visor and nose down, 250kts and same procedures as subsonic bar the approach and landing speeds. Generally 190kts to 4DME then touchdown at 160kts.

Manchester to Lisbon subsonic is 2.5hrs. In Concorde it’s 1h 25m. 😁

[Daube 374]

18 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

The work on the 64-bit P3D version started before MSFS was announced. It’s been that long. You don’t throw away all that work.

A MSFS version is in the pipeline - release date unknown.

Maybe when P3Dv6 appears, FSLabs will start to produce a new version of their P3D Concorde that should hopefully be ready when P3Dv7 or P3Dv8 is released 🙂 

[level7 177]

On 2/21/2023 at 4:59 PM, Ray Proudfoot said:

The tutorial Flight in FSX was broken down into segments with the option to save at each point.

Thanks Ray, but you didn't quite answer my question ... how many hours will it take for someone with airline familiarity to learn this? It's not going to be 2.5 hrs 😅

[Ray Proudfoot 9,074]

54 minutes ago, level7 said:

Thanks Ray, but you didn't quite answer my question ... how many hours will it take for someone with airline familiarity to learn this? It's not going to be 2.5 hrs 😅

How long is a piece of string? I have no idea. The systems are totally different to other aircraft as are the flying procedures.

I would guess at 20 hours relying on the VFE for the fuel etc.

[Ray Proudfoot 9,074]

If you don't have a lot of free time but still want to achieve Mach 2 then Lisbon (LPPT) to London Gatwick (EGKK) is ideal.

I loaded 96 pax and 38T of fuel for the 945nm flight. With a FTM4A departure off 02 the Atlantic coast was reached 13 minutes later at FL280 / Mach 0.95.

At that point the reheats were applied and with a light fuel load the climb rate was impressive. Mach 2 was achieved 22 mins after departure.

The maximum altitude reached was FL580 at LIZAD. The decel stage had already started 38nm before LIZAD to ensure I was subsonic 60nm before the Isle of Wight.

With easterly winds the approach into Gatwick was for Rwy 08R. I landed 1h 17m after leaving Lisbon. Nice and quick with all the joys of supersonic flight. Ideal if time is short. Here's my flight log. The landing rate was actually 220fpm.

[MachTwo 386]

They only flew LIS LGW once in Aug 88 - but Lisbon saw a lot of Concorde action over the years. It played a major role in the early Barbados routes with British Airways and the Caracas routes with Air France. Even after the route between LHR and BGI starting flying direct, LIS was often used for a tech stop on occasions where they couldn't make it back to London from Barbados. 

[Ray Proudfoot 9,074]

@MachTwo, in that case it can be classed as a real world route. 😁 Lisbon, being near the coast is ideally placed for Concorde ops.

I have Caracas airport in v5 as well as a lot of others around the world. My routes are severely limited in v3 especially since Concorde no longer plays nice with the FSDreamTeam airports so LAX, SFO and Honolulu are currently out of bounds.

Hopefully that won’t be a problem in v5. If you have LAX or SFO perhaps you could check please. Thanks Andrew. 👍

[SimeonWilbury 223]

I flew the Concorde X Quite a bit prior to moving to P3D v4 (and subsequently v5), I sadly haven't have the privilage of flying it for the past few years but I credit it as the aircraft that got me interested in study-level aircraft simulations. A unique flying experience for sure.

I've taken something of a break from flight simulation the past few months, partly because my need to leave my computer be has increased since Pandemic restrictions eased! But I'm definitely looking forward to sitting down and getting the grips of Concorde again when release comes.

Edited February 24, 2023 by SimeonWilbury

[Ray Proudfoot 9,074]

1 hour ago, SimeonWilbury said:

But I'm definitely looking forward to sitting down and getting the grips of Concorde again when release comes.

Sounds like you’ll need a short refresher course to get those skills back. Hopefully it will be available in Q1 as indicated.

One of the most satisfying elements of flying her is getting the decel and descent calculations right.

I use Aivlasoft EFB which has a feature allowing you to draw a circle around any prescribed point. I draw one of 60nm radius centred on the nearest point of land directly in my flight path. I need to be subsonic at that point.

For example, approaching Tenerife from the north I need to be at FL360 / Mach 0.95 at BRICK. A short subsonic cruise at that altitude is maintained for a further 30nm before the descent and approach.

Unlike Boeings and Airbuses there is no VNAV to assist. You have to work things out yourself from the data provided. It’s what makes flying Concorde so interesting.

And managing the fuel of course. No such thing as a boring Concorde flight! 😁

[brucewtb 252]

Doubt that I will ever acquire the Concorde myself but FSL deserves kudos for bringing this piece of aviation history to the the flight simming world (both P3D and MSFS2020).  I wish them well.

Bruce