Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler - Fleet Library Updates

Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations | Fleet Library Updates

DVA043
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP

Joined on June 10 2001
Event Half Century Club
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Everett 1500 Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Four Million Mile Club

"Col. Panic"
Marietta, GA

2,347 legs, 9,466.0 hours
240 legs, 553.9 hours online
2,005 legs, 8,259.1 hours ACARS
75 legs, 196.3 hours event
2,383 legs, 9,600.9 hours total
91 legs dispatched, 66.4 hours

Posted onPost created on February 23 2004 18:55 ET by Luke Kolin

Enough comments have been raised about some of the aircraft in the Fleet Library to cause me to take a peek through all the installers and ensure that we continue to meet the goals I have set for our Fleet: to be simple to install, reliable, and adequately reflect the performance of the aircraft in question. No sim will ever be perfect, nor do I want to go so far down the road of realism that the average pilot cannot enjoy our aircraft. However, from time to time weaknesses are noticed and need to be recitified. There have also been some updates that for whatever reason got lost in the shuffle, and never made it past my hard drive. To ensure we're all in sync, I'm going to update everything.

Right now, I'm going to be updating the 767-300 to provide slightly better performance. The 763 is no rocketship, but I think a few percentage points more power or less drag might make it flyable. You're still not going to get a rocket. If you want one, look at the 757 - and the 764 is quite nice too.

Some folks way back when suggested a good MD-8x panel. I have forgotten what it was, so let me know if you want it considered for the new installers.

From my own perspective, one of my greatest problems as a pilot online has been workload. It's tricky flying online because it seems like at the two most critical times of flight, I seem to be spending more time swapping between controllers and frequencies and charts than I do flying. I hate that. To make my life easier, I'm going to be retrofitting our panels with some gauges that will make your lives as pilots much, much easier. Unlike the real world, we don't have someone in the right seat handling comm and charts while we fly. Here's the changes I'm making. If you have comments or additions, please tell me.

RWYINFO - This handy gauge lists ILS and VOR frequencies for a lot of aiports. Even better, the data is in text file format so eventually we can load it into a database and maintain it ourselves. The CRJ installer currently has this, but it's currently broken for FS9. I've got it working in FS9, and used it on the event yesterday in the 737-200. It makes life so much easier.

SERVINFO - Those of you who use servinfo, the standalone utility, may not realize that it has a gauge included that allows your panel to get ATC frequencies and data and switch you quickly and easily.

ALT CALLOUTS - You can have a virtual first officer calling out your descent as you reach the last few hundred feet. The nice thing is it's a "Boeing" gauge, unlike the Airbus recorded voice that calls you a retard when you flare.

Is there anything else that you believe would be of value to add to the panels?

Cheers!

Luke

Luke Kolin

Senior Captain, MD-11

DVA018
Senior Captain, MD-11
E-MAIL

Joined on June 15 2001
Six Century Club

"Keep yer wheels off the ground"
Spokane, WA USA

984 legs, 1,958.5 hours
20 legs, 35.1 hours online
227 legs, 397.6 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on February 23 2004 22:40 ET by Larry Hart

Luke, so far I've downloaded and installed 3 of our DVA installer a/c, the MD-11, CRJ, and 777. I think you are on the right track, as noted maybe not perfect, but definitely good stuff, some of the best you will find anywhere, especially the MD-11 panel by Alain Capt, a panel that has no competition anywhere. I have been meaning to thank you for putting these in the installer.

Larry Hart (DVA018)

DVA613
Senior Captain, B727-200
OLP, VFRADV

Joined on June 17 2002
50 State Club
Events Century Club
Million Mile Club
US Coastal Club
US Mountaineer Club
Commuter Conquest
Globetrotter
Everett Millennium Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Online Twenty Century
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary

"Beware of the Green Baron!"
Charlotte, NC USA

2,509 legs, 4,025.8 hours
2,328 legs, 3,644.8 hours online
2,142 legs, 3,186.8 hours ACARS
130 legs, 238.7 hours event
165 legs dispatched, 103.9 hours

Posted onPost created on February 24 2004 01:28 ET by David Keech

LOL I thought it was just me it was calling a retard....hehehehe.

David Keech (DVA613)

DVA1006
Senior Captain, B737-800

Joined on December 17 2002
Century Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Everett Century Club

Northeastern United States

177 legs, 384.6 hours
82 legs, 179.0 hours online
57 legs, 112.4 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on February 24 2004 09:17 ET by Tim Abbott

For what it's worth there's a new CRJ panel just released on Avsim today...I haven't tested it yet, but I thought I'd give you the heads up. The pics of it look pretty nice. Other than that, I like your ideas!

Tim

Tim Abbott (DVA1006)

DVA509
Captain, B737-800

Joined on June 01 2002
50 State Club
Everett 500 Club
Millennium Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary

Marietta, GA

1,180 legs, 2,339.0 hours
673 legs, 1,418.4 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on February 24 2004 12:03 ET by Dell Claborn

For what it's worth, the new version of Paul Golding's MD-87 by Chuck Latkoff is absolutely the best MD-8* panel I have seen. It includes extremely realistic night lighting. The only drawbacks are the side views, etc., but that can be modified by the user. The panel is available at Avsim in captain's and FO views.

Dell Claborn

Captain, B737-800

Posted onPost created on February 24 2004 12:56 ET by Luke Kolin

The Latkoff panel looks excellent. I am downloading it now.

Cheers!

Luke

Luke Kolin

Senior Captain, MD-11

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