Orbx FREEWARE Rugen to Barth in an old friend

[cavaricooper]

Having read with interest the thread re. the RealAir Turbine Duke working without issue in Prepar3D v4, I remembered I had an old friend tucked away somewhere. You see, in another lifetime (a very long time ago) I spent a few years of my life in love with a 1946 Aeronca Champ. I still miss her, and so I pulled out my RealAir Citabria, Decathalon, Scout package, crossed my fingers, and ran the executable. Well, to my pleasant surprise, I was sitting in a very familiar VC (albeit with a few extra bells and whistles from what I was used to). Where to go? With Orbx airports still a WIP, I took a look at what was available for Prepar3d v4... and was surprised to find several stellar freeware offerings. A couple of minutes and I had installed Rugen and Barth. Allest gut!

http://i.imgur.com/YbMaXaD.jpg

So, here we are at the "base of the tower" at Rugen... significant to me because instead of a red and white 7AC, it's a red and white Scout; and instead of the base of the tower at Lakeland Linder, it's a cute tower somewhere in Germany. I parked at "the base of the tower" at Lakeland, to go in and eat a very large breakfast, more times than I care to admit....

Still, this stuff is very much Orbx quality, very detailed, and very beautiful, completely capturing the essence of what it means to be sat at the base of Rugen's control tower, with what I hope is a restaurant that serves great kartofellkuchen (apologies for the butchering that will no doubt ensue). The VW bus is an added bonus!

http://i.imgur.com/s9yKGoi.jpg

One last look back, and then it was time to tap, tap, tap down the long taxiway. This old girl needs aileron into the wind and as we were taxying downwind the stick was full right as the legs danced.

http://i.imgur.com/v4W5b5b.jpg

Someone in a very pretty 177 was gassing up as we went by, and the Baron on the ramp looked Teutonically tidy as well....

http://i.imgur.com/fIKSyVg.jpg

Here we are, after the run-up, lined up and ready to go.... will I remember to push the stick forward to pin the nose, whilst I do my nervous foot tapping? Remembering that there are only two types of taildragger pilots, those that have ground looped, and those that will, I determined to stay in the latter group today.....

[cavaricooper]

I managed to track the centerline (sort of) and smiling as I felt that momentary rush reminding me I had better get busy with the business of flying, I was off and climbing. This girl has a little more than a 65 Continental (without flap) pulling her skyward, and we were heaven bound....

http://i.imgur.com/qgjewpa.jpg

The more time I spend in the Orbx World, the more I appreciate what they have wrought.....

So, here we are- fat, dumb and happy at 2,000 feet +/- a bit, and pointing our nose at where my best guess that Barth ought to turn up is.....

http://i.imgur.com/VQggymV.jpg

I was to soon learn that the smoke stacks, are very reminiscent of the stacks at LAL where you call a position report into the tower, approaching Runway 9. They were a great marker for Barth, and I decided I would turn crosswind overhead, just before....

Here's our first peek at what I would find a very delightful airport, and one that I will no doubt revisit soon...

http://i.imgur.com/Rpu2OXi.jpg

This next picture is what inspired this post..... I'm flying crosswind, and the earth is sliding sideways.... the very secure disconnect from terra firma is making itself known, I am concentrating on cancelling drift, planning on turning downwind at 1000 agl while actioning the first notch of flap, and for a few brief moments, I am not sitting in my study, but rather walking in the hallowed halls, and almost able to reach out and touch the face of God.... perfect!

http://i.imgur.com/ex8FRs4.jpg

[cavaricooper]

http://i.imgur.com/CQmdFrh.jpg

Two reds and two whites, it was going to be all right.... I had purposely left her a bit high to feel the burble off the wing, and this photo shows us just regaining path, after a steep side-slip descent. A touch of power, a kick of rudder and we were sitting as pretty as a fraulein holding an Edelweiss spray....

http://i.imgur.com/61YdTEG.jpg

Barth, very trim and with the first turn off still ahead..... can you believe this stuff is FREEWARE?

http://i.imgur.com/tmIVcyp.jpg

With the promise of a good cup of kaffe and some strudel.... I was thrilled to see cars close to the apron in this part of the world too... every small airport in America has owners cars strewn about and it was nice to see this repeated elsewhere....

http://i.imgur.com/tfqvOqc.jpg

And here we are, at the base of another tower. Thank-you Orbx, and thank you Rob and Sean.... your legacy (no, not that one yet) lives on... and I wish you all nothing but health and peace.

Best- C

[rvn817j]

C - Great narrative. Like you I'm anxiously waiting for the FTX / Orbx P3D v4 updates. I've a couple questions: (a) Is you base Orbx scenery the "global stuff" or do you have some specific European scenery installed (besides the freeware)? (b) I installed the RealAir Duke and Legacy, but lack certain sounds with the Legacy (known issue)...how are the Citabria / Decathelon sounds? (I may try installing the SF260.)

Thanks.

[cavaricooper]

RV8- Global and Europe LC + Freeware Airports atm....

Sounds were supposed to now be fixed in the TD. The sounds in the Citabria/Decathlon/Scout series are fabulous. The SF260 was one of my favorites way back... I shall have to find that one!

HTH- Carl

PS- Flew one of Van's RV-8s at Sun & Fun years ago- what a FANTASTIC a/c!

[rvn817j]

PS- Flew one of Van's RV-8s at Sun & Fun years ago- what a FANTASTIC a/c!

I can't disagree with you on that! Built my -8 over a 5 year period and got my certificate of airworthiness 10/99. Almost 18 years of flawless performance and excitement. 2017 annual starting in 2 days. Did some beta testing for Deano a number of years ago and Bruce (I believe) did my aircraft skin (see my avatar). I guess I should try installing that in P3D v4. I've read the F9F works fine.

[Bjoern]

From Barth, go west along the coast. I'm curious to see what Rostock and Wismar look like with Orbx.


P.S: Barth had scheduled Interflug traffic (An-24) until 1975. Imagine that!

[cavaricooper]

Here's Rostock...... keep in mind I have uninstalled Vector at the moment, waiting for the proper config tool (to read .xmls) It will soon be even better...

http://i.imgur.com/NUpILIp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/mvhrslm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/rEgAe4O.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/JlOu1A2.jpg

[cavaricooper]

... and here's Wismar....

http://i.imgur.com/23NVcd6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AoCs5eo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Fb76SHl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Aj0lD9u.jpg

For me, at least, there's no going back to a non-Orbx World.

Best- C

[cavaricooper]

.... and there was just a new FTX Global update.... installing... so it's probably even better now :)

C

[Bjoern]

Ah, the lack of vector data really kills any resemblance. Without knowing where I was, I'd have a really hard time orienting myself.

But thanks anyway. Where'd you end up?
If in Lübeck, you could go on a historical tour down the former Iron Curtain. I've got a scenery for it to guide you along.

[cavaricooper]

I preparation for a Barth revisit (with Vector this time) I was tinkering with Orbx and whilst doing so went outside for a peek....

http://i.imgur.com/2fXJJ1T.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hcsuAG1.jpg

Something about this a/c and color scheme keeps me coming back. Perhaps it's because I used to fly a red and white 7AC.... perhaps it's the N number ending in AC... perhaps it's because I miss Sean & Rob, perhaps it's the superb flight model.... perhaps, it's a bit of it all... a sort of ruminative goulash.... but it feeds me none the less.

Barth WITH VECTOR coming up Bjoern.....

C

[cavaricooper]

Here we go.... the mandatory Barth flyover.... headed WEST....

http://i.imgur.com/04Er3fD.jpg

Rostock..... (I had to close AS14/ASCA as the beautifully depicted Wx did not leave any room for screenshots)....

http://i.imgur.com/Nq4Yszp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5Nok9Nz.jpg

[cavaricooper]

Here's Wismar... (gotta delete the .txt and re-update the Libs to fix the wave issue)....

http://i.imgur.com/8Een91I.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/yJhHKxn.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SUgF4oQ.jpg

[cavaricooper]

.... and here's Lubeck.... we might even pay Yo-Yo a visit soon....

http://i.imgur.com/VfggZxT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SMkkSjA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EjIFV4c.jpg

... and here's where we will spend the night.... Blankensee...

http://i.imgur.com/bWQuFvv.jpg

Best- C

[Bjoern]

Instantly recognized the harbor(s) and bodies of water. Much better!


Near Blankensee was the northern end of the former border, by the way. You had to do a fairly sharp turn when taking off to the east to avoid international incidents.

(For the experience: https://sites.google.com/site/fsxstuffbybk/sceneries/inner-german-border )

[cavaricooper]

Just for you Bjoern.... glad you popped by...

I realized this bit was locked behind the Iron Curtain after reading your post.... thanks! Will spend some time in these parts.... heretofore unknown (to me).

C

[Bjoern]

One method for discovery that works for me is a moving map application (such as Plan-G or LittleNavMap) on a second monitor or device and regular pauses and visits to Wikipedia.

[Penzoil3]

BTW the CR1 Aeronca Champ works perfectly in P3D 4.
http://cr1-software.com/addons/aeronca-champ/
Sue

[cavaricooper]

One method for discovery that works for me is a moving map application (such as Plan-G or LittleNavMap) on a second monitor or device and regular pauses and visits to Wikipedia.

This is what I have used since early FSX adoption.....

http://www.juergentreml.de/programming/fsx-google-earth-tracker

Works flawlessly with Prepar3D v4, and runs on one of my support machines. That way I can browse to my hearts content, discovering all the wonderful places I'm overflying. VFR, Sectional and Upper and Lower Enroutes all overlay on Google Earth Pro with a click.

C