Ghostrider
October 30th, 2010, 14:58
This is probably old news for a lot of you, but I am having a blast with the following new (to me) items::wiggle:
FS Metar:
http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/fsmetar/ (Freeware, need FSUIPC)
22577
Real-world weather depiction for CFS2. Runs silently in the background, depicts the actual weather wherever you go, updating as time passes, and as you move to new areas. I think weather, wind, turbulence, precipitation, etc. add tremendously to the flying experience. It's so much more convincing than flying in the perfectly calm, "severe clear" default weather. I used to spend a lot of time setting up weather conditions, now I'm spending my time flying in them. They are constantly changing, and a surprise, just like the real weather. I got into some 50-knot headwinds flying a B-29 at 30,000 feet over Japan. I switched from knots indicated to actual airspeed, flew a couple of 360s at that altitude, and watched my speed increase and decrease going upwind and downwind. I understand the jet stream could be a lot worse.
CH Products Throttle Quadrant: ($105)
http://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-Throttle-Quadrant-300-133/dp/B0002A59Z4
22573
6 axes and 12 buttons. Easy to set up your choice of throttle, prop, and mixture axes for singles, twins, or heavies. For example, now I'm using the middle 4 axes for throttles, all prop on the far left, all mix on the far right. It's easy to change to throttle, mix and prop for engines 1 and 2 on a twin engine plane (shown), and of course single engines are easy. You can actually change the red, black and blue caps on the sliders to match your setup exactly. Very cool. Very solidly built, clamps to your desktop so it won't move.
CH Products Pro Pedals: ($110)
http://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-Pedals-Simulator-300-111/dp/B0000512IE/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_image_1
22572
OK, so I've been flying flight sims for 20 years with no rudder pedals. Been a "stick twister" for about the last 10 years. Let me just tell you, flying with rudder pedals is so much more fun, realistic, and immersive than flying without them. You've also got toe brakes like a real aircraft. If you're not using pedals, you have no idea what you're missing. I was reading how B-29 drivers on takeoff would "steer with the brakes until you got up enough speed for that big rudder to have some authority". This is duplicated perfectly in CFS2. The CH pedals seem to be very solid and robust, and up for years of kicking around. Rudder pedals and the throttle quadrant will make your flying much better, more precise, and more realistic. So stop twistin' your stick, and get some!
And of course, Morton's shiny new Superfortresses kick a$$! :ernae: Thanks Morton!
22576
FS Metar:
http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/fsmetar/ (Freeware, need FSUIPC)
22577
Real-world weather depiction for CFS2. Runs silently in the background, depicts the actual weather wherever you go, updating as time passes, and as you move to new areas. I think weather, wind, turbulence, precipitation, etc. add tremendously to the flying experience. It's so much more convincing than flying in the perfectly calm, "severe clear" default weather. I used to spend a lot of time setting up weather conditions, now I'm spending my time flying in them. They are constantly changing, and a surprise, just like the real weather. I got into some 50-knot headwinds flying a B-29 at 30,000 feet over Japan. I switched from knots indicated to actual airspeed, flew a couple of 360s at that altitude, and watched my speed increase and decrease going upwind and downwind. I understand the jet stream could be a lot worse.
CH Products Throttle Quadrant: ($105)
http://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-Throttle-Quadrant-300-133/dp/B0002A59Z4
22573
6 axes and 12 buttons. Easy to set up your choice of throttle, prop, and mixture axes for singles, twins, or heavies. For example, now I'm using the middle 4 axes for throttles, all prop on the far left, all mix on the far right. It's easy to change to throttle, mix and prop for engines 1 and 2 on a twin engine plane (shown), and of course single engines are easy. You can actually change the red, black and blue caps on the sliders to match your setup exactly. Very cool. Very solidly built, clamps to your desktop so it won't move.
CH Products Pro Pedals: ($110)
http://www.amazon.com/CH-Products-Pedals-Simulator-300-111/dp/B0000512IE/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_image_1
22572
OK, so I've been flying flight sims for 20 years with no rudder pedals. Been a "stick twister" for about the last 10 years. Let me just tell you, flying with rudder pedals is so much more fun, realistic, and immersive than flying without them. You've also got toe brakes like a real aircraft. If you're not using pedals, you have no idea what you're missing. I was reading how B-29 drivers on takeoff would "steer with the brakes until you got up enough speed for that big rudder to have some authority". This is duplicated perfectly in CFS2. The CH pedals seem to be very solid and robust, and up for years of kicking around. Rudder pedals and the throttle quadrant will make your flying much better, more precise, and more realistic. So stop twistin' your stick, and get some!
And of course, Morton's shiny new Superfortresses kick a$$! :ernae: Thanks Morton!
22576