Took my favourite heli, JRX' Bo-105, around downtown NYC today. This time, I did not forget the deicing and managed to actually land surprisingly softly at my destination instead of full of ice at terminal velocity on a random spot.

For a helicopter, it's a joy to hand fly and although the trim and autopilot feel like cheating, they very much help on the stretches with less interesting scenery.

Gotta say that the right door and windshield frame is fairly unfortunately blocking a good bit of visbility to the right though, necessitating a lot of left turns to take in as much of the scenery as possible.

All I find myself doing with the 105 is flying idly across the northeastern US. No planned flights, no missions, just hop in and go. I'm even hand flying for quite a bit because with a small xlua script to decrease trim sensitivity, it's an almost a hands-off affair (the autopilot still gets a workout though).

It's all honestly the most genuine fun I've had flying in XP for quite a while because of the cosntant challenge in keeping things under control. And helicopters offer some nice, novel experiences. One of my last flights was night VFR and I found myself simply following the traffic on major roads a few hundred feet above the ground. With the fairly unobstructed cockpit view, it was borderline hypnotic and magical.

With some actual support for helicopters by XP12 ATC, the sim experience would be nearly perfect.

 

Anayway, this is a very late winter afternoon over the Susquehanna river valley (a flight on which I really wished for a proper sunglasses function in XP12):

Edited February 6, 20242 yr by Bjoern

XP12 blew me away today with its atmospheric realism - crisp textures, skies and weather - you watched the shadows of the trees dance on the lawn with the trees slight waving in the breeze, the windsock pickup and wander about - put your right at a small country airport in country Australia - in this case Moree - cotton country. 

The Manky Dash 8-100 on about its 8th version has really been well taken to payware quality - simply superb. 

No complaints, no criticism just sheer unadorned functional operation - and this is going to get better?

 

Back to a little old fashioned heavy metal. The Boeing 707, in this case the Shensee B720 in disquise. Luanda in Angola to Beiria in Mozambique ala TAP. A pleasant run and nice to see both night, dawn and day. Interestingly timing was spot on for lighting etc and forecast or planned BOD for Beiria was 3.20am local and that was spot about 2/3rds of the way across what is a 1200 nm run. 

Welcome onboard (Nice cabin and lighting in the Shensee)

Dawn on time and weather is fine

Nothing wrong with out the window look

And inbound for visual RWY 11 Beiria

Done and dusted

All done with default everything, simple ground services provides the necessary. The Shensee 707 is a delight and a great effort and captures the 707 well down to the slow dutch roll in cruise. 

If your wondering about the front end where it all works all the lighting is ajustable, dimmable and can be set to suit your tastes this was pre-departure:

Edited March 13, 20242 yr by coastaldriver

@coastaldriver 🤩🤩🤩🤩

I.need that 707 when I return home Next week!!!!

Once again, guys!  It doesn't matter what your topic title is!  Posting screenshots and commenting on them is done here in the
screenshot forum and NOT is the Xplane general discussion forum.  Screenshots in the discussion forums are for showing a problem
and seeking a solution.  Limit 2 or 3.

I'll give a hint......it will be the topic starter that will pay the price the next time!