Classic British Flight Sim

Hey guys

I recently bought Wilco's A400M from Just Flight - who sell it for slightly less than the makers, at £19.99

This is one of those "FS2004 and FSX" releases which always start alarms ringing in my mind - often such 'works in both' are, of course, FS9 models with a couple of tweaks to the graphics files and a thumbnail added.
Despite this, some of these 'conversions' have been pretty good - and I think this one is probably among them. The only slight disappointment is that to me it really looks like an FS9, or even FS8 model. That could be easily sorted with a more detailed skin, though, so hopefully at some stage some repaints will appear. However, from some angles, it does look quite convincing. It's a large turbopropped cargo plane - like a C-17 with props. It's touted to be a replacement for the Hercules, but I'm not convinced it could take over all the rolls that the Herc fulfills.

It was a bit of a risk in another way - as I am a virtual pilot who loves his analogue dials and meters - but this aircraft, being essentially a propped Airbus for the military, has an almost completely digital dash. It has, thankfully, turned out to be very interesting, though - with mulit-display MFDs in addition to the standard navigation, engine or attitude displays. The little MFDs in the lower panel are quite fun to play around with, showing a variety of useful information - such as the comm and nav radio frequencies, flightplans, beacons - even information on the 'software' used to run the MFD itself.
There is also a HUD that can be displayed on the windscreen canopy.

It will also provide you with checklists for whichever stage of flight you are in - with different colour text denoting whether a list condition has been met or not.

There is a small booklet in the box that includes all the details on the digital VC and also goes step-by-step through procedures such as start-up from cold and dark and shut down. It's a very interesting package.

As the largest aircraft I've ever flown is a Chippie, I'm not in a good position to say whether the flight dynamics are realistic or not, but they certainly do feel like they are right. You definitely get the sense of steering a mighty leviathan through the sky. The 8 bladed props certainly sound convincing to me - though I saw a video of the real aircrafts' engine testing and it was almost silent. Perhaps this is the case when the engine is tested independently from the aircraft?

Anyway - time for some pics.

This is the RAF grey scheme:



There is also a green one:



Here is the 2D panel - with those amazing little mini-PC MFDs in the lower panel and the HUD:



This is the VC (I don't like the virtual co-pilot, though):



Another of the panel, with the radio screen up on the MFD:



Although the aircraft is a STOL type, I had some difficulty getting it off the ground in the space available at Cardiff - mind you, it was my first take-off with it:



Really not convinced by those undercarriage doors.

So there it is. Despite my initial doubts, I'm pleased I bought it and I'm sure it'll give me hours of enjoyment.

I bought this a short while ago, and also had mixed feelings about it. Overall though I thought it was pretty good, combine it with Flight 1's utility where you can scroll back using the mouse into the cargo area and it gets pretty exiting looking out over the door watching the trees whizzing past. But I still prefer the captainsim C-130.

I don't think there is any beating the Capt Sim C-130. ;-)

Especially since JF released the FSX update.

In fact - just yesterday I made my first successful landing with it at Brize Norton.

I've had it for months - but only flown a few times when I had FS9 - but I always had a problem touching down too hard. Can't put into words how chuffed I was when I got it right yesterday :dance:

I can now make a minor correction to what Wilco say about the A400M - it is, in fact, not meant as a replacement for the Hercules (did we ever doubt it?) but to fill the needs in the gap between the Hercules and the C-17.

A400M introduction at Farnborough 2002

J0hn wrote:I can now make a minor correction to what Wilco say about the A400M - it is, in fact, not meant as a replacement for the Hercules (did we ever doubt it?) but to fill the needs in the gap between the Hercules and the C-17.

A400M introduction at Farnborough 2002

I believe that is why only 25 of the C-130's were updated to "J" standard, the older "K" models will be replaced as the 25 A400M's enter service.

Just out of interest........he real aircraft should be flying soon

It was rolled out in June and estimates of it's delayed first flight range form Sept/Oct 2008 to early 2009

Generally it does not seem to be making the news unles it is serached for

Garry

Must admit I'm not a big fan of these FS models which are released befor the real thing has even had a test flight, kind of makes the FS model pointless in my opinion.

Indeed ben

It can't be realistic for one no matter how hard they try

Garry

Exactly Garry. I just don't see the point in paying money for something that is someones "Best Guess" about how something may fly / look etc. Seems bizzare to me.

It's a bit like how Airfix used to try and be first with a new type and ended up with a model that was at best first flight prototype

Sometimes it was even changed before that leaving a model that was not like the type ended up.

In FS this is a bit silly in freeware and as you say Ben pointless in payware.

Why not make some real well flown types still not covered

Garry