but how does it fly?
She flies well, but right now it uses a conventional controls while they iron out the bugs in their FBW system. So, you have to trim it out. The Bravo is the most interesting model because of the VTOL/STOVL system (so much easier than the Harrier’s system…you may as well be flying a quadcopter drone)… it’s also a favorite of mine to fly in VR.
3 Likes
Finally got around to flying around Spain and Portugal after this update. I probably didn’t go to any areas that actually got updated, but anyhoo. I like flying around the Iberian Peninsula.
First shot is Zaragoza, Spain and the others are around Lago, Portugal.
7 Likes
Here are a few screens I took while showing my kids the world.
Devil’s Tower, Wyoming, USA.
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt.
Uluru (aka Ayers Rock), Northern Territory, Australia.
6 Likes
Back from my week-long trip, I wasted no time in picking up the Wing42 Boeing 247D
I’m still learning the ropes. My first flight with it ended up with me deadsticking back into Boeing Field…
This was a more successful flight from San Diego up the coast to Carlsbad (a regular haunt of mine).
Loading up on the Signature ramp at KSAN…
The cockpit isn’t as complex as something like the DC6 or Connie, but this airplane harks back to a time when there was little thought put into placing instruments in a logical location…a standard 6-pack scan isn’t going to help you much here.
Climbing out…there is certainly some B17 DNA to be seen here…
Downwind for Runway 24 at KCRQ
Final…
Parked next to a Challenger on the Atlantic Aviation ramp. Looks like a Citation II in the corner there as well.
I’m looking forward to diving into the Radio Range navigation system that comes with this aircraft. 
7 Likes
From what I’ve seen on Youtube/streams, there seems to be a lot of deadstick landings 
1 Like
No kidding…she’s a temperamental beast. Just getting the engines started requires some finesse. It’s a long way from Run Switch - ON.
3 Likes
Maybe it’s that hound dog nose, but there is something that I find endearing about that aircraft.
She flies like a Cadillac, but surely, I find myself hunting all over that cockpit to find ANY gauge I’m interested in! 
There was an aircraft abandoned on Bowman Field in Louisville, that I always wanted to restore. I had remembered it as the 247, but closer inspection revealed it to be a Ventura.
(not my pics)
2 Likes
Flaming engines aside, docile flying characteristics seem believable; it basically looks like a twin engine B-17.
1 Like
I haven’t managed to torch an engine yet, what all is everyone doing? I have had my share of in flight shutdowns by throttling back too far when trying to go to idle however.
That Ventura looks to be in pretty decent condition. Hopefully someone will pour some money into it.
1 Like
Well, for me it was a case of letting the oil pressure drop below 60 psi. I wasn’t getting the oil hot enough I guess. Once I figured that out I had no problem.
Today I flew from Pittsburgh, PA to Columbus OH using the Radio Range navigation system. I figured this would be a bit of a nightmare, but after a few minutes to get my head around it, it wasn’t so bad. As always with an IFR flight, a little preflight planning goes a long way.
Using the documentation included with the aircaft, I took a screenshot of the area I was interested in and highlighted the route. It is a simple route, utilizing two radio range stations (Pittsburgh and Columbus)
Another document gives us handy information about the radio station frequencies, available courses and which side of course line is the ‘A’ side. The other side is the ‘N’ side. After this I don’t think I will ever forget that A = ‘Dit-Dah’ and N = ‘Dah-Dit’
Info on the Pittsburgh station (and Pueblo)
and Columbus (along with Corpus Christi).
With that information, I’m ready to go…
Taxiing out at KAGC Allegheny County Airport. I had dialed in the Pittsburgh radio station while still on the ramp. It was just a few miles off the end of the runway, and I was receiving the morse signal loud and clear.
Rain shower off to my right. I juggled getting the airplane set up for cruise flight while staying somewhat on course. Aviate, Navigate and Communicate…in that order. With no autopilot, there was plenty to keep me busy.
Coming up on the Ohio river. By this time I had already tuned to the Columbus station, which was coming in faintly, but the ‘dit-dah’ (A) was easily to make out…I was to the right of the course line. I turned about 10 degrees further to the left and held my course. That is the Wheeling airport that we can see on the east side of the river. I have flown in there a few times in a C172 (a long time ago now)…
The weather made an abrupt turn for the worse as I crossed the river…
Fortunately I was soon out of it. That is Interstate 70 below me. I could follow that all the way to Columbus, but I stuck with my radio navigation…it’s kind of fun.
Coming up on Cambridge, Ohio…
After Cambridge, we approach Zanesville, which is where I started my flying career. You can see the Zanesville Municipal airport (KZZV) which is where I flew the King Air for several years.
To my surprise, I flew right over my old house while on the course centerline…it’s the small house nestled in the woods just aft of the right wing trailing edge.
Past my house, we come to Zanesville itself…
Once again the weather started to deteriorate. The steady tone, indicating I was right on course was reassuring as I pressed on.
Getting close to Columbus visibility really dropped. As you get closer to the station, the ‘beam’ narrows, so it gets a little harder to stay on the course line…
Eventually I was flying purely on instruments…no easy task with this panel. Finally, the volume of the signal dropped as I entered the ‘cone of silence’, which indicated I was pretty much overhead the radio station. Knowing the location of the station in relation to the airport, I started a descending left hand turn to the east. which would put me on a downwind leg. I headed east of a couple of minutes, leveling off at 2000ft, and then made another left turn back to the west. The range signal was useful as I knew I needed to cross the course line and run parallel to find the airport. So, once I had a steady “Dit-Dah” I rolled out …
and the airport appeared out of the murk… 
This shows the route flown as I approached the station and then turned back to set up for the landing. Not the tidy instrument flying we get with GPS or even VOR, but it got me to the airport.
Down safe…both engines still purring. I’ll take it.
Parked and shut down.
The route flown… There was some weaving back and forth, seeking the course line, but the signal guided me to the destination. It was definitely a challenging, and enjoyable flight. I would have been happy to buy this airplane at 3 times the price…there is so much to it.
11 Likes
Epic! That was fun as Hell to read.
I’d have loved to have flown in those days…probably would have wrapped myself around a tree in the first five minutes of my “career”!
1 Like
Sometimes I think I was born about 50-60 years too late. The golden age of aviation would have been an amazing time to fly…the airplanes were exciting, progress was fast and it was still very much an adventure. Of course, you had to be sharp, and in possession of a large bag of luck… otherwise Darwin would weed you out. Fate is the Hunter as Ernest Gann taught us.
3 Likes
that 247 looks really good, didnt get yet to buying it
edit: I meant not yet 
1 Like
Yes, thus my earlier comment vis-a-vis my likely dual hatting as an aviator and freelance lumberjack. 
1 Like
Ah gotcha. For once I RTFM’d and seemed to avoid any major misteps. Getting the engines going the first few times gave me some trouble.
Here’s the track from my flight (ignore the tracks heading out from KAUS, they’re from previous testing and I’m not quite sure how to get rid of them in little navmap):
The route was planned with the San Antonio (59) chart as part of a longer cross country going up to Dallas and back. Didn’t have time to fly the whole thing.
@PaulRix Paul did a good job breaking down the minutia, so I won’t repeat it. Fundamentally it’s not much different than flying radials of a VOR, except you are listening for the beacon versus waiting for a needle to line up on the dial.
I am curious to experiment with it in areas that I am A) not familiar with, and B) have terrain that is not conducive to getting below the weather and barn storming. Basically, forcing myself to work through the process in the Appalachians or the Rockies.
3 Likes
Strange things happen during sales. Today two planes hopped into my shopping cart.
The Caproni C-22J by Noriega Designs. The cockpit textures could be a bit more high res, but for 6 bucks I really cannot complain. A lovely little plane but its engine sounds sadly give me a splitting headache. Now I know what those T-37 pilots meant when they said that the small jet engines whistle loudly and high pitched.
The Fiat G-91 by Sim Skunk Works.
…I admit that I am a bit disappointed. I guess DCS and the MSFS addons I got so far just set the bar very high. Just barely OK because I bought it in a sale. Still might get that TF-104.
3 Likes
I have had fun flying the Gina about… If you are going to buy one of the Sim Skunkworks Starfighters make sure you pick the one you are most interested in (the single seater or the trainer). There really doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of difference between the two except for the 3D model.
2 Likes
really interested in your thoughts. thought that for 9.9 gold you couldnt go wrong with this one…