here is my video Microsoft Flight simulator 2020 Featuring: The Globe Swift GC–1A by Aeroplane Heaven - YouTube
1 Like
Knots and MPH are the other way around. 120 knots = 140 mph .
Do you modify both ctrl-# and set alt-# views?
actually it’s the other way round so 140kt is more like 160 mph.
the whole thing with the description is a big mixup. It’s designated as a GC-1A which had 85hp, but it seems to have far more power, and is faster than the 125hp GC-1B should be.
Actually I never use the keyboard shortcuts and assign them to the joystick. The ones I modify are the Cockpit Quickviews accessed via Right CTRL + Numberpad or Q (cycle), and the Instrument views CTRL + 1-0 or A (cycle)
1 Like
Oops, brain farht with mixing the units around like that. Cheers for the correction. So the plane is even more powerful than I thought I did email them about a few things like the engine and sensitivity. Here was the response about the engine:
Most currently flying GC1-a swifts are modified in some way to meet the GC-1B plane. We are still getting people say it is too slow for example. The pilots we had on board for the test both increased their engines for an example. When we made it the correct amount the plane was not enjoyable to fly and we are more about smiles per hour than miles per hour. We’ll look at it but we dont want to tweak too many things now that is on the market.
So apparently it’s an A with a B model engine? And also beefed up because people said it was too slow? Not too keen on that. I had a peek inside the engine.cfg file to see if I can understand what’s going on in there. I don’t really understand much of it really but it does specify a 4 cylinder engine, which is what the 95 HP A models had and not a 6 cylinder like the 125HP engines the B’s have. It also lists a max hp of 180, although there is some RPM mechanical efficiency scaler thing of 0.875. Have no idea what that means, is it the max HP divided by that scaler? There’s all sorts of tables and other things in here I don’t understand which I guess also modifies the power of the engine but it does seem pretty clear it’s a fair bit overpowered and that’s apparently the way the dev intend it to be. I’d tweak it myself if I knew what I was doing. They did say they’d update the manual to say something about knots/mph though.
I also mentioned the twitchyness of the plane but they told me the real thing is apparently quite twitchy as well and real life pilots said the flight model checked out.
I’ve heard of Swifts being modded with other powerplants up to a 210hp Continental.
I’m pretty sure there aren’t any stock GC-1a’s left, and they’ve all been up-engined in one form or another to at least 125 hp. I can’t say I understand why they started with the GC-1a to begin with, and didn’t go straight to the GC-1b.
I don’t have an objection to them modeling a Swift that’s been up-engined, but I do think they should probably document that better instead of portraying it as a stock GC-1A if that’s what they’ve done.
“Well, we thought people would find it more fun if it was faster” is kind of a slippery slope, and is kind of a bummer for people who buy the plane expecting and wanting the real-world performance, even if they’re a minority.
2 Likes
or worse: I almost wouldn’t have bought it at all because it was a GC-1A (too slow and boring) until I saw a video depicting the performance of a GC-1B
Yeah if you scroll up towards the top of the thread I think I said a couple of times I wished it was the 1B for a little more pep because I already have several planes in the 1A’s performance envelope… that looks a little funny now.
1 Like
so did I 
Yeah a bit like a post-WWII vintage MG-TC.
The few with the original underpowered and somewhat unreliable WWII era engines are probably in museums or are a concourse car. Despite being iconic, most TC that are actually used on the road have the original engine safely mothballed somewhere for prosperity and run something else (often a TD or TF engine) for more reliable every day use.
1 Like
the last thing I would ever want to do is fly an underpowered airplane…I’m ok with AH uprating this one the way they did. I’m not looking under the hood. Just want to climb out at closer to 500 fpm than 100 without redlining the motor the entire time.
1 Like
Sorry, I should have answered this as well,… multiplied by the scalar, not divided.
So everyone, I’m thinking of picking this up… What’s the verdict (especially compared to the BRSimDesigns Ercoupe, I’m looking at that, too, but am willing to pick up both), is it fun? How’s it look in VR (I fly both).
The BRSim Ercoupe isn’t even an accurate visual model.
It’s fun! Sounds are good and change depending on the windows being open. Handling is very nice especially on the ground. It’s got simple avionics and no gps. Flies reasonably fast, it has some sort of updated engine though I’m not sure what. If you want a swift, pick it up!
1 Like
Yeah it’s a good one. Well above average. Can’t really fault it. It’s got character and definitely feels “nice” to fly. I keep going back to it from time to time. Not often but when I do I’m never bored or disappointed.
2 Likes
It is a nice little “occasional flyer” if you have the itch to do a few circuits, bit of a trip or sight see in something a bit different, it is a closed cockpit low wing retractable gear tail dragger with a period cockpit. Like the AH c140 it does not suffer from the MSFS typical taildragger ground issues and behaves quite well in take-off and landing.
Aeroplane Heaven addons can be a bit hit and miss, the DC3 and c140 are both pretty good but the Electra … not so much. However the Globe Swift is one of their good ones.
It is unlikely to become your main “go to” plane in your hangar that you fly every single day, but at the price is worth picking up just to have something a bit different to take-up when your in the mood, especially if you like flying tail draggers.
3 Likes