FS2004 Newbieish

blah

Hi,
I just reinstalled FS2004 which I got 2 years ago but I haven't played it since. I've never gotten past the "flying a 747 under the golden gate bridge" stage, mostly I've just been messing around. I'd like to take it seriously, try out adding a few new liveries, planes and scenery and following the instruction course. I liked reading about bandit's around the world trip
Does anyone have any recommendations about what I should try first, I looked at avsim but I don't really know what to search for in terms of downloads. Well I'll take a look at the getting started sticky and see how I get on.

blah

Any recommended freeware planes I can download? I downloaded a "Kittyhawk Productions" 738 last night.

TheHoban

Give AVsim.com a try, theres some great scenery there.

projectopensky.com are good for Boeing aircraft while pairbus.com is amazing for airbus.

Cheers,
Adam.

Skyknight

Hey Blah,
I'm assuming that you are looking more toward flying airliners than flying military types. There are a number of groups/ individuals producing high quality aircraft, each of which is outstanding in its own right, most of which can be found on either Avsim, as well as Flightsim.com ,Simviation.com, and the many of the other sites around the net. The following is a really short list of addresses for groups, at which I hope you might be able to find something that you might like:

ProjectOpensky http://www.projectopensky.com/ :
Boeings for the most part also do a great Airbus A330/A340 as well as Embraer ERJ-135/140/145/Legacy 600.

Historic Jetgroup http://www.simviation.com/hjg/
Boeings 707(KC-135's , Douglas DC-8's, BAE-146

Project Airbus (http://www.avsim.com/projectairbus/)
A320/A321. most of these can actually be found by searching for Project Airbus in the search parameters on Avsim or another FS file repositories.

Tinmouse 737-200
Very neat 737 classic aircraft. I have a great fondness for the 737-200(classic) for many reasons(none of which I will bore you with). Great as far as systems simulation is concerned. Visual Model is very nice as well. I think there is a way of using the Tinmouse panel with other 737-200 models( by Mike Stone and the equally great models by [SIZE=-1]Erick Cantu / Kittyhawk).[/SIZE]

Ready For PushBack 747-200/200SF/-200F
I really have to mention this.. This is a former payware aircraft which was originally released for FS2002, and was updated for fs2004. It went freeware in August 07. It's a real systems aircraft, in the the same vein as the PMDG 747-400, although lacking in the automation of the -400.It has a nice detailed Virtual cockpit. Really requires a good read of the manuals and 5-15 minutes to prep for flight(it all by the book). Learning curve can be a bit steep initially, but it is one for to have in your hanger. You will find support over at the avsim forums. I think it can be downloaded in a number of different parts. You might want to out for the tutorials for this bird over at avsim as well.

AFG(Allied FS Group)(http://www.alliedfsgroup.com)
These guys produce some real beauties. Currently working of a bae 146, Avro RJ, they have produced some really high quality aircraft including a quality Caravell, YS-11, and a beach kingair 300.

California Classics(http://www.calclassic.com/)
This group are devoted to propliners flying in California from the DC-3 to the mid-early 70's. Connies, DC-6, Boeing 997(Stratocrusiers) and Viscounts.

DM Flight Sim (http://www.dmflightsim.co.uk/)
David Maltby has made a great selection of classic British jet aircraft, from the DH109 Comet, through the VC-10(airliner and Tanker available) and HS 121 Trident, to the BAC 1-11(not in necessarily in that order).All of which are excellent.

Ricks Paintshop (http://www.btinternet.com/~rick.piper/index.htm)
Rick models Classic British turboprop aircraft such as the viscount, Herald, Chipmonk, HS748, Argosy, Vangard, Viking, in addition to Jet Provost and Meteor to name a few.

These are just a few examples of some of the wide range of freeware aircraft available. With regard to scenery you might be interested in the folowing page, as it lists all the/most of the freeware scenery available not only for FS9, but also FS10

http://walhalla.mine.nu/fs2004.php

if you are intending to improve the environmental appearance of FS9 you might want to try something like Real Environmental Professional or the like. Just remember to backup Items such as original textures, saved flights and other settings located here: C:\Documents and Settings\****User Name here****\Application Data\Microsoft\FS9 before making alterations.
You might also find other sources for Sceneries and aircraft in development on the forums at avsim, flightsim.com simivation.com or at fs2004.com to name but a few
Hope these couple of pointers are help to you. If there is any more info you might need and that I might be able to provide just ask.


Cheers,
Skyknight

Skyknight

Sorry Blah,
Just a couple of things I forgot to mention the that there are also a large selection of Russian Aircraft also available which are pretty impressive as well. Aircraft such as the Tu-154M, IL-62 and the TU-144. The first two are available from the [FONT=verdana, ms sans serif, sans serif] Project Tupolev site [/FONT]from either the Project Tupolev site ((http://www.protu-154.com/scr_e.html) or at least that's where they have screen shots)or http://www.fs-proteam.com/ The Tu-144 can be found in either Avsim library or in the Flightsim, or at any big resource FS depository on the net. you will also find a IL-86 at the fore mentioned locations as well.
I also thought I might mention 9 Dragons Kai Tak scenery, its pretty awesome.

Just my extra five cents,

Mark
Skyknight

bandit197

Howya Blah, I cant really add much to Skynights list there as it includes all the sites I use to find aircraft.
There are some great tutorials, and some not so great on youtube on ATC, using the GPS, navigation, ILS when approaching airports etc.
Glad to hear you liked the 'round the world trip'.

highlydebased

Have to say skynights list for freeware sums it up, tinmouse 732 is excellent

If you have a few bob to spend, have a look at the PMDG MD11 or 747, or also the Maddog MD80 (Forget who did it) is good fun

They are all full realism but well worth it

blah

Thanks for all the links guys, I'll look this up over the weekend.

Skyknight wrote: »

Tinmouse 737-200
Very neat 737 classic aircraft. I have a great fondness for the 737-200(classic) for many reasons(none of which I will bore you with).

Please do bore me, I'm always reading wikipedia about commercial jets.

blah

Neon-Circles wrote: »

If you have a few bob to spend, have a look at the PMDG MD11 or 747, or also the Maddog MD80 (Forget who did it) is good fun

They are all full realism but well worth it

Just looked at the PMDG site, they look pretty pricey for 1 plane. Not that I'm expecting that I should be able to get anything I want for nothing. For now I'll stick with the freeware. I have been messing around with the big jets, but I think I'll have to go back to the cessna and take a few more lessons.

Skyknight

Blah,
Just thought of it this evening, I forgot to mention the Great White Bird..Concorde. As far as I am aware, and I am sure someone wil be so good as to correct me, there are only a couple of really good Concorde models for FS9. Two of these are freeware, one, by [FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Libardo Guzmán García,[/FONT] can be found in the Avsim library,and there is one by FS France (who produced some amazing quality freeware aircraft and scenery), Concorde,it can be found at http://www.bluesteelfs.com/planes1.html. Both are worth having, but that is just my five cents

On the subject of the 737-200, the main reason I have a great fondness for this aircraft is I guess more Nostalgia than anything else, or maybe something in the design, but the classic 'Pig' has a appeal to it which I have always been fond of. I just love someone would be so kind to do a freeware version with a good virtual Cockpit, but for now I am happy with the Tinmouse.

Later,

Mark
Skyknight

highlydebased

SSTSIM did probably one of the best concordes, its payware, I dont have a clue how to fly it

Also, look at the Carenado series of GA aircraft. Absolutely amazing, the Mentor is amazing. Not too expensive either

blah

Thanks guys, I got the tinmouse, very nice. One thing that I can't figure out, I'm looking at the map as I fly, and even though I'm heading north, it doesn't look like that on the map? (ie A straight line north) Same for 18/36 runways.

Skyknight

Blah,
Bare with me on this one as I am not sure about this, but I am going out on a limb and I'll be the sole turkey in a turkey shoot if I'm wrong:). As far as I understand it the map/GPS in FS9 is orientated toward true north, while the aircraft compass is tracking magnetic North. In reality, Magnetic North varies/wonders slightly, its position on the Earths surface changing by a fraction of a second in both latitude and longitude every year. Since VOR's and other Radio navigation equipment are aligned to Magnetic North, it is a requirement to have them checked and updated at least twice a year, thus ensuring that they remain orientated toward Magnetic North. Although the movement of magnetic poles is not modeled in FS, the aircraft's Radio Navigation equipment such is aliened with the simulated Magnetic North. The last figure for magnetic/true north declination I remember reading (which was a few years ago) for this part of the world was about 11.5 degrees. The variation in the runway headings is the same thing again, as they should/are aligned to the Magnetic heading and not the True heading. I think it is possible to get the true north heading in FS, firstly select slew mode, then press the space bar and the aircraft should align itself with True North. To be honest, I have never tried it, but I vaguely remember something coming up on one of the forums a couple of years ago.
I 'm not sure if any of the above made any sense(I'm not sure it did to myself), but I hope that it helps in some little way. Just out of interest you are aware (and you probably are) that the FS9 world is not based on a sphere, but on a cylinder, thus making trans-polar flights impossible.

Neon-Circles, couldn't agree you more SSTSIM is the best of the Concorde's available. I was wondering if the problem you are having flying, it is because of the offset Center of Gravity?

Later,

Mark
Skyknight

highlydebased

Skyknight wrote: »

Neon-Circles, couldn't agree you more SSTSIM is the best of the Concorde's available. I was wondering if the problem you are having flying, it is because of the offset Center of Gravity?

Later,

Mark
Skyknight

No- just dont know alot about concorde flying in general! If I sat myself down and learned how to fly it properly I probably would be able to, just dont have the patience to learn how to fly old school analogue! Too used to flying the pmdg etc

Skyknight

Neon-Circles wrote: »

No- just dont know alot about concorde flying in general! If I sat myself down and learned how to fly it properly I probably would be able to, just dont have the patience to learn how to fly old school analogue! Too used to flying the pmdg etc

Neon-circles,
I can appreciate that:). Sorry if my earlier post sounded in any way condescending or derogatory, it was in no way meant too be.

Mark
Skyknight