Flying Supersonic. Tu-144 'Charger' v3.5

[vl82m]

@vl82m,

Hard to explain where the interest originates but some of the following factors are involved at least for me:

1. General interest in Soviet-era aviation.

2. It's a unique, infamous airliner with major attributes that are unseen in almost all other civil aircraft.

3. I enjoy the quality of the addon. It's a systems simulation of something from decades past, and that alone interests me. It's Soviet origins and associated systems, which differ significantly (in some ways) from standard Boeing and Airbus types are interesting to me.

4. Even though I'll never understand everything about this addon (and it looks like many in the Russian community have difficulty as well), knowing that I can at least figure it out enough to operate it in reasonably safe and competent manner (I realize that's subjective) is rewarding to me. There seem to be very few in the flightsim community, and even fewer "foreigners" as you put it, who have attempted to learn to use this aircraft.

So, part of it is in my general historical interests, part is in my enjoyment of complex addons, and part is in the exclusivity of being able to operate this specific addon within the flightsim community.

Fair enough, the Soviet Navigation at least comes with it's benefits, keeps brain working and flying to the badly equipped airports with just one to two NDBs for approach while coming from a navigation system that might have drifted a bit is a challenge, but with some corrections all landings are safe in the end. All it needs, is practice. Like with the Tu-154, and the even more problematic Tu-134 with less accurate systems and more workload.

Aside from the bugs, I guess you have managed to flown the v2.0 version (not 3.0) with the INS system and made perfect flights? Not operated in a safe manner obviously, but without fuel shifting wrongly and causing the flight to spiral out of control which is typical for most people.

About parachuting, military aircraft still use them. Last civil maybe was Tu-154, I heard it used them while still in developement and testing but can be mostly rumors.

[RyanJZ]

vl82m, thanks for the heads up on the INS. I have some free time today to study the manuals that Sean provided, so I'll let you know how it goes. Also on an interesting side note, when you mentioned not understanding foreigners wanting to fly the Tu-144, it reminded me: I have a friend from Moscow, and he isn't as into aviation as I am, but we both are car guys too, and I was telling him that one of my favorite sports cars is the Marussia B1, and he kept asking me why I liked it so much. Apparently he didn't think it was that good of a sports car :P I just thought it was a really unique car.

[RyanJZ]

Sean, in the files you uploaded, there are 2 checklists with 2 (slightly) different start up procedures. Which one should I follow?
Just looked at the third manual in there, which also has a start up procedure....

[SeanTK]

Sean, in the files you uploaded, there are 2 checklists with 2 (slightly) different start up procedures. Which one should I follow?
Just looked at the third manual in there, which also has a start up procedure....

Use "manualtest.pdf" as the primary, with the other ones for reference (though the other two seem like duplicates, with one having text and the other just having pictures). Use these in conjunction with the information posted towards the beginning of this thread.

I'm still unfamiliar with the new INS in version 3.5, so I'm afraid I can't help you there.

[RyanJZ]

Sean, I can figure out most of the axes, but which one do I set the throttle to? I know it cant be x,y, or z :P

[vl82m]

Sean, I can figure out most of the axes, but which one do I set the throttle to? I know it cant be x,y, or z :P

I posted screenshot on which axis to engines? Check back a bit on the thread.

About cars, it's not too bad, I prefer the old Ladas (Ваз) as it's cheap to mantain. It doesn't impress a girl I can admit , but I just like the lada 1200s for nostalgia feel (and I'm not even old)...

I will check into the real flight computer of Tu-144 after I'm finished with Tu-134... should be interesting.

[RyanJZ]

вы только говорите по-английски? пожалуйста читать руководство и РЛЭ!

EDIT: confused forums, but point still valid, Please read manual and RLE! Here is procedure engines but you won't get far unless you take time to learn, this is not a concorde.

Isn't z axis the rudder? Or am I just getting confused because its in Cyrillic?

[RyanJZ]

Also vl82m, what part of Russia are you in? Have you been to MAKS?

[vl82m]

Isn't z axis the rudder? Or am I just getting confused because its in Cyrillic?

On mine axis "rudder" is at RZ and throttle at axis Z. Might differ from joystick to joystick. Just rotate that big black button to "Z", move your throttle and see if the ampermeter moves, if it does, then it's the rudder, if not, set the dial to any other value, move the throttles and see on which ones make action. If the ampemeter moves, then go to "Step 2", the black button to the left to "Управление двиг." which is the engines, just rotate that button left to it until "Управление двигатели" comes up and hit save with the button at step 4. If its inverted, then flip the "invert" switch on step 3.

Also note, joystick have to be disable in FSX menu settings to avoise "noise" disrupting the controls of the Tu-144. Reason this apparently hated by everybody joystick configurator exists is because fsx default sensitivities and trim are not realistic enough. For Russians, they have no problems with utilities like this as they speak the language hence it's simple.

The real problems become when we have to talk about fuel shifting during flight...

I lived in Minsk, the capital of Belarus which isn't Russia but Russian is the national language. I've not been to MAKS, but would like to with all the new aircraft coming out never seen before. And now since Russia has to keep up yet again with the west I believe it will be even more interesting technology soon...

[RyanJZ]

On mine axis "rudder" is at RZ and throttle at axis Z. Might differ from joystick to joystick. Just rotate that big black button to "Z", move your throttle and see if the ampermeter moves, if it does, then it's the rudder, if not, set the dial to any other value, move the throttles and see on which ones make action. If the ampemeter moves, then go to "Step 2", the black button to the left to "Управление двиг." which is the engines, just rotate that button left to it until "Управление двигатели" comes up and hit save with the button at step 4. If its inverted, then flip the "invert" switch on step 3.

Also note, joystick have to be disable in FSX menu settings to avoise "noise" disrupting the controls of the Tu-144. Reason this apparently hated by everybody joystick configurator exists is because fsx default sensitivities and trim are not realistic enough. For Russians, they have no problems with utilities like this as they speak the language hence it's simple.

The real problems become when we have to talk about fuel shifting during flight...

I lived in Minsk, the capital of Belarus which isn't Russia but Russian is the national language. I've not been to MAKS, but would like to with all the new aircraft coming out never seen before. And now since Russia has to keep up yet again with the west I believe it will be even more interesting technology soon...

Ah okay thanks VL

[RyanJZ]

I'm having a hard time getting the engines started. I'm following the checklists, and I'm getting the same "hang start" that was described towards the beginning of this thread. So I posted a picture of my engineer panel so hopefully someone can help me figure out whats wrong

[vl82m]

I'm having a hard time getting the engines started. I'm following the checklists, and I'm getting the same "hang start" that was described towards the beginning of this thread. So I posted a picture of my engineer panel so hopefully someone can help me figure out whats wrong

You forgot to connect the bleed air to cabin ventilation and engine start systems

[RyanJZ]

You forgot to connect the bleed air to cabin ventilation and engine start systems

Oh well that explains it! Thanks!

[RyanJZ]

Having a hard time finding that switch in the manuals. Which switch is it?

[SeanTK]

Having a hard time finding that switch in the manuals. Which switch is it?

The switch directly to the left of the white circle/button near your APU controls. It's a three position switch that springs back to neutral. Hold up until the one of the green advisory lights goes out.

[RyanJZ]

Okay thanks! I have to go now. Should have more time later tonight to try again

[vl82m]

SeanTK mentioned the correct step. However I have to add... Don't push all those fuel start lever valves before an engine is actually started. This in the real aircraft is very dangerous and has led to fires due to poor fuel systems maintenance. However most likely not simulated.

[RyanJZ]

Sean, earlier you said you're not familiar with the new INS. When you fly the Tu-144D, how do you navigate?
Also are there any repaints available? I love the current Aeroflot livery!

[SeanTK]

Sean, earlier you said you're not familiar with the new INS. When you fly the Tu-144D, how do you navigate?
Also are there any repaints available? I love the current Aeroflot livery!

I use the autoalign function with the flight computer using the pop-up menu (I think I detailed it earlier in this thread) and generally fly VOR to VOR (or NDB). It's basic, but I haven't found intelligible (for English speakers) guidance for this flight computer yet.

[RyanJZ]

Thanks for the advice Sean. This thread seems to be getting a lot of attention too. Hopefully a lot more people will try out this amazing add on on and figure out all the systems and post some nice manuals in English

[RyanJZ]

I finally got the engines started! Only now the problem was that I couldn't get the nose cone to lower or the canards to extend. And how do I turn on the hydraulics for nose steering? Where is the landing gear lever? And finally, where's the parachute control?

[RyanJZ]

Just to clarify, I have been able to lower the nose and canards before, I know where the controls are, but when I started the engines I couldn't get them to work.

[RyanJZ]

One last thing: Because I got the engines started, even though I couldn't get the nose down or the canards to deploy, I still decided to do a take off, but when I maxed the throttle, I got a warning horn. Is it because of the nose and canards? Or something else?

[vl82m]

One last thing: Because I got the engines started, even though I couldn't get the nose down or the canards to deploy, I still decided to do a take off, but when I maxed the throttle, I got a warning horn. Is it because of the nose and canards? Or something else?

There's not enough manuals and information in Russian and only an RLE is nothing... It doesn't teach you exactly the logic and what switch does what, just the procedures... So I have low confidence anything will be translated into english anytime soon. Also making guesses of findngs and writing manual for supersonic aircraft will never be the same as there will always be huge errors and should end up fatally.

What is canards? The nose is lowered from the pedestal, press down once to get it to middle, press down once again to the lower position.



Flaps work a bit differently too, to explain simple, when lowered, your aircraft looks like a dog. The siren that comes on is normal on Tupolev aircraft and it means your aircraft is not properly configured for takeoff, just check the indicator lights and make sure you haven't really forgotten something. As an alternative you could try model 2.5, it's easier for the beginner and has navigation system everyone can use. In Russia flying VOR to VOR with NDBs is not something I would do since the Russian system was different from american and used different non-radio based navigation capatabilities.

Did you follow the whole manual from start to takeoff and still got the siren?

[ce_zeta]

The canard switch is in the overhead panel. You will see it, The canard switch have a big cover.
Read carefully the documentation provided...AS an advice...I usually fly this monster with the documentation in a tablet/phone....