I have tested FS Realistic, and I have crashed the Fenix Airbus on purpose (probably for the first and last time) just to see what FS Realistic does when doing so.
Just as planned, the pilot was yelling “holy shii…” as his last words. Almost what I would say in his shoes. This crash was absolute worth it, even when reloading to go back to the departure airfield took ten minutes as usual.
While doing so I have also noticed how realistic the RAT behaves, and how many systems lights and LCD screens go out when only the two batteries and nothing else is left.
I was testing some smooth and rough and fast touch and go landings for FS Realistic to hear if the passengers clap their hands, tested some overspeed and stalling, camera shakes. I was testing Maxed out autobrakes until the brakes overheated (this Airbus is truly a masterpiece of technology, everything is fully automated and fly by wire, the brake fans come to life on their own when the brakes overheat and the gear get´s retracted too soon with still very hot brakes from the touch and go).
By the way there is one not done yet enhancement for FS Realistic, and this is modifying the cockpit camera inertia when flying turns ot ascending or sinking.
The more the cockpit moves the more immersive flying gets!
Continuing my flight around the border of the US (sorry, just starting this post halfway through, started in South Florida, doing around 200 mile flights in a C172). Today’s takeoff was from D63 (Westhope Municipal) in northwest North Dakota, crossing the state border into Montana. Landed at 9S2 (Scobey).
I’ve found northern North Dakota to be very beautiful geography wise, and rather unique in it’s shapes and colors.
When did you start your border journey? I’m doing a west to east trip across Canada, through the US (missed Florida though) to Oshkosh and then back to Vancouver.
How do you pick your destinations? What’s been your favourite part so far?
Its great to see another flyer taking the scenic route!
I started probably about 2-3 weeks ago. I try to get at least one flight in a day, normally a 90-120 minute flight.
I basically use NeoFly to pick my destinations, whatever airport I landed at, I just put in my filters, and then hit refresh until I see an airport on my route along the border and then I take that flight. This gives a bit of “purpose” to my flying, as well as randomizing where I fly, and the distances (I’ve had a couple 3 hour flights, and a couple 1 hour flights).
My favorite part so far was when I got my new Honeycomb Alpha/Bravo yoke/throttle along with Logitech rudders in the middle of this journey, and the first time I tried to land with them. I had been using a Thrustmaster 3D Pro up to that point, so actually using a real yoke and throttle and rudders and brakes, let’s just say I realized how very very very different it was. I thankfully did not crash, but it was a strong crosswind and I had basically no muscle memory, so felt almost like I was landing a real plane for the first time because it was pretty intense.
I’m thinking after I go all the way around and end back up in Florida, I might do a trip up the Canadian west coast. Start in Seattle and fly up to Alaska. That will probably be my next trip. It’s what I love about FS, I have so many options, and I definitely am interested in learning the big jets too. Or doing search and rescue missions like I’ve been doing with a Discord group I joined recently. Or doing group flights. Or doing VOR flights. Or turning on failures in Neofly and having my rudder jam to the right at take off and just flying it and having to land it at an angle. And on and on…
P.S. I will say my flight this morning, which was around 7 AM EST on a Saturday from North Dakota to Montana right along the US/Canada border, was the “loneliest” flight I’ve been on. Never saw one other real traffic plane, and even crazier, never saw another single multiplayer flight. Normally I see quite a few at least on the horizon, I guess no one was flying anywhere in the central north of the US at 7 AM on a Saturday morning lol
I caved and bought the IndiaFoxTecho F-35 pack. I have…mixed feelings on it. I’ll do a write up here in a few minutes.
To supplement, I also bought LVFR’s Aircraft Carriers pack. Haven’t really gotten a chance to check it out because I spent the better part of 45 minutes trying to correctly do the C&D start on the Lightning. Ran out of daylight.
Landing was pretty smooth. Unfortunately, take off was not so nice. I took other side for taking off, but the surface was not smooth. I have to check gear before next flight.
The 8 I programmed as course for take-off and land at the same runway looks not so good, but I simply don´t know when choosing SIDS and STARS and waypoints where they are located and if it will look good or not. They are simple letters and/or numbers. MWAG34 or UTEG or whatever, you know what I mean… When choosing these you have not the slightest idea how the finished flight plan will look like until looking at the PFD.
The angle to rotate on the glidepath is maybe a bit sharp, but no problem for the Airbus because we now how steep it is banking! The violet coloured line is the glidepath to the runway.
The settings are not all correct because I simply don´t know how to fully correct handle an Airbus as a non-pilot and I am still learning, but it was working fine. For unknown reasons it could not receive the localizer, and it was impossible to press the localizer button on the autopilot panel.
Next step for the coming week: Fully perfectionize these FLS landings, and learn the ILS too, and learn how to make ILS CATIII landings.
Only a few days left until I can create and fully fly my first Airbus flight including ILS landing through the nightly thunderstorms.
By the way, is the weather radar already functional?
And has Fenix ever mentioned that they would also bring the Airbus A310 freighter and an Airbus A320 NEO? I would absolute love to buy more Fenix stuff because this is true to the Avionics IBM-eighties-core quality!
(it´s cool retro IBM stuff what is inside the avionics bay inside an A320 CEO from 1989, isn´t it?)
Nice! Im fast realizing what a great educational tool this game is. The other day I was flying A230neo in Indonesia and saw a massive volcano off the left wing.
LittleNavMap has a Google Map option so I knew its name right away and then Googled it to read more. We all come away having learnt something after our virtual flights!
So, took a quick turn around DC to see how Asobo and DRZ get along. Capitol Hill and the White House have conflicts - not enough to cause a CTD - so I’ll wait for a DRZ update before I go back. The images here are some of the places, including the Asobo USMC memorial. Enjoy.
