Ludwig

Get a ride in a T-6 or Stearman...for about $250 - $350 just as good. When I was flying them we could not get people to give us $50 for gas much less the prices they get today.

didn't work for me either, tried searching under the subject but found nothing

Loudest #$%#$ing airplane in the world. Flew one from MSP to SFO for Doolittle's birthday... he was 90 I think... way back when. Every guy that ever flew one has one thing in common, they all left part of their hearing in the cockpit when they left.

…. I just LOVE that mouse......

This must be harder to accomplish than it appears. I don't know why... but I can tell you that from the driving/racing aspect it makes a tremendous difference. Inside the cockpit of a plane, not so much.... not as thrilling.... but definitely a sensory perception that belongs. I have long complained about the over-rev scenarios in flight sims because believe me... when you have an engine turning that fast YOU KNOW IT. The sound of the engine is well ingrained into your head from hundreds of hours of listening to it. You can feel it in your ass, and if it misses ONE stroke you are going to know it and that times 10x if you are out over the water. Driving sims have taken the exact engines to the tracks and recorded them and they can be masterfully replicated. I have told the story dozens of times when GPL came out in the late 90's I was staying with my girlfriend in New Baltimore, Michigan on Lake St.Claire. Her father was living there at the same time and he was in charge of a test cell running the Packard Merlin engines built under license and he advanced to the level where he was working on the original Cosworth engine. When I played GPL I had installed the MOD pack for the correct engine sounds.... and he was oblivious to it.... the Ferrari, BRM, Brabham, Cooper... nothing made a difference... but when I ran the Lotus 49 with the original Cosworth V-8... I can still here him stumping across the wooden floor and stammered to me...wha wha where did you get that old 8 stacker? That was his child... he knew the sound of that engine in a heartbeat. It is extremely immersive... but make no mistake, the sound in cockpit is mundane... but outside, it is a symphony.

Looks like Red Baron to me....the pitch and font of the text and the color of the box is pretty well etched in my brain. Also, it would previously say something about shooting down a plane, and I remembered that when it included the name of the person I was really impressed... MAN... *that* was technology.

The D-9 is a gorgeous airplane....

Luft +1 on the speeds and vibration, a little vibration over a period of time is more damaging than a single incident of exceedance. Also something I have disliked in RoF and CLOD is that if you push a motor that hard... YOU KNOW It because you can HEAR it and FEEL it....and the phrase... "it sounded like the engine was going to come apart" is not without reason. Typically, this is said by someone that had an engine in the process of failing. Typically when they fail, they go BANG and that is the end of that... but when you abuse one, and run it hard and long It will complain. I have seen guys flying freight that would run over the redline (and not pay attention to it) and the engine ran and ran and ran... because they set the Redline low so that if you exceeded it, you were still in the safe range, and if you exceeded THAT... you were damaging the engine, but it might go for weeks or months that way before finally complaining enough that someone does pay attention to it... but again... it just didn't QUIT. Were the engine manufacturers of the early 20th century so well inclined and specific in their designs? No of course not... they were grateful to make the thing run. The Wright brothers engine was a "1-off" that was made by a dude... he sand cast the block and made his own pistons and rings to fit each cylinder. Why? Because there were no engine manufacturers that could produce the HP/weight ratio the brothers needed.. I think the engine weighed 200 lbs and produced 8 HP. WOW ! Think what they could have done with a Briggs & Stratton lawnmower. There is the paradox... you can windmill the engine fast enough in a dive with the engine shut down to destroy it due to high vibration experienced in excessive RPM, but you can't dive it fast enough to restart. Those engines were started by someone "flipping" them over. I have done it... most guys that worked on the line for a period of time have "propped off" small GA planes. I flipped a C-310, one of the old ones with a 2-blade and was over 200 horse and it had a kick like a mule... but it started. I could not possibly achieve the rotation speed that you would have in a dive. Any time the engine turns through the firing stroke the engine can fire, and one cough is enough to keep it going while the pilot tried to adjust the mixture to make it happy. RoF had NO CLUE about drag modelling... and probably with good reason... it is in a constant state of flux until you reach "hull speed" as we called it and it just stopped. If you push a shape through a fluid you eventually create a "bow wave" and it is the path of least resistance that the fluid will take and if the compression wave in front of the object is large enough the fluid is reacting to this rather than the shape of surface of the object. It just won't go any more. Period. They never modelled this and it is why the R.e 8 could accelerate in a descent. That thing (string bag) had so much drag a jet engine could not make it go any faster. Period. Drag increases with the square of the speed, the worse it gets... the worse it gets. This applies to the drag on the prop and engine as well. The failure of the aircraft structurally is total smoke and mirrors, and in my honest opinion is just another one of those factors to balance (or IMbalance) game play which is so critical in a commercial game. If the game is not balanced, most people will not play it, and those that do will prefer to take the easy way or the hard way and stick with it. Some like easy kills, some like the challenge. A historical game is not always a lot of fun, that is why you don't see any games about the Alamo... easy to figure that one out. The Fokker D.VII *should* absolutely RULE the sky... because it DID, but that would not go well with play balance. When ailerons and other structural failures occurred, it was not without warning... they didn't just suddenly fly off, they would flutter, vibrate and give the pilot an indication of imminent failure... THEN they would suddenly depart the airplane. The Albatross was a BEAUTIFUL airplane in a dive...and was very successful in attack and escape doing so, the problem with the lower wing existed but you had to push the hell out of it before that was going to happen, but happen it would. If you nosed over and exceeded the Vne you would recognize this and either gamble it or not, it was not a random event. Secondly... the concept that you spin an engine fast enough and it will be destroyed is fundamentally flawed. The "red line" does not indicate the failure point of the engine.... exceed it and the engine will fail.... it indicates the maximum SAFE rpm at which continuous operation will NOT damage the engine. You can operate at MAX THRUST (or RPM) INDEFINITELY, when you exceed that point you increase the WEAR on the engine and this is a LONG LONG way off from structural failure. Indy car engines are good for 1-2 qualifying sessions, different engine 1 race hopefully... NHRA engines are good for about 5-6 seconds... do they explode and quit? Sometimes... other times they survive but are always so badly worn that they are no longer competitive and replaced (OUCH!) 1 pass...1 engine...... but they STILL RUN and that after having been HORRIBLY abused from a manufacturers viewpoint. Then too, another "play balance" issue is the amount of time a damaged engine continues to produce thrust and the amount of that thrust.... this is a value that is totally arbitrary. We still restart engines inflight either with starter assist or "windmilling" I teach it on Day 4 in the sim, the client shuts down the engine (or I do heh heh… from the back) and then restarts it. No big deal, and you have to spin a jet a lot faster and longer than you would one of these lawnmowers with wings.

I thought it felt EXACTLY correct the first time I grabbed onto it... I have absolutely NO complaints. If they want to take it to the next level then I guess it would be force-feedback but I don't see that much demand for it.... more of hand candy than anything else... but it would be interesting.

I think that TRACK INFORMATION or something such as that as one of the options and it will show you the name of each corner. It is on the list on the right if you have those loaded along with all the other apps.

Can you have parked airplanes on the field??? that are targets? I always thought that was the most fun mission in RB was strafing the enemy Aerodrome and shooting up sheds and airplanes. I thought it was pre-requisite to a WW I flight sim to have that mission among the list, but RoF limitations ended that.

Troll Troll Troll my boat.... hah hah.... well it DID make it down here... you will be happy to know that it got down to 38°... I had to wear my toque from the car to the building today.... and it is going to hang around we won't be back in the 70's again until next week. FREE AIR CONDITIONING ! YAY!

.... and here my air-conditioner is running.... heh heh.... no kidding.... I am glad it stayed a little cool... only 76° today. It was in the 80's last weekend. Darn Winter is over already.... it never lasts.

PArticularly the first one....

Why does he have his nose pressed up against it???

Well... I still appreciate your input and you do put so much of yourself and your time in those things... I remember how many times (many) that you helped me back in the old BH days that allowed me to keep going with RoF when nothing was working at all. I do look forward to getting back to the WW I flight sim when things calm down here... I have my 4th check ride coming up Thursday and GOD WILLING I make it through that one... I can finally get off the front burner for a while. SURE WOULD BE NICE.... I told one of the guys the other day I feel like a lab rat... they put me in a cage and keep poking me. I still want to see a mass Gotha raid take out the entire enemy map in one sweep. Also now that I have a good stick, you might find me more of a challenge....never can tell..... It does remind me of my dad though... I was about 6.... Christmas time.... Pop was a GERMAN Engineer (that is NOT the same as an ordinary engineer... if you know about Germans or Engineers, then you understand right away) and I got a toy tractor for Christmas... vollgespurteskraftfahrzeug….. and Pop put the batteries in it switched it on... and.... nothing. He took the batteries out... got the *(analog) VOM and checked the batteries, ohmed out the motor, ohmed out the switch and circuit... broke the connections and resoldered them.... and sat there thinking.... Mom walked up... took out one of the batteries and flipped it around and put it back in..., and the tractor took off across the floor... little Lothar was thrilled... Mom could not have cared less and Pop went and fixed a drink. HO HO HO..... we never mentioned the subject again.....

When I select a PTT button in TEAM SPEAK it does confirm what button I pushed. MOUSE BUTTON 3 which is also the <page back> function so when ever I say something with Gordon and we are doing something it backs up one page on my screen which is highly annoying.... so I reach over and push the button on my joystick and it says BUTTON 4 which if I go look on the map display is the button I used in TS so it does recognize the button. HAH! you laughed plenty loud... something about WElll…. Leave it to you to just start pushing buttons (out there Gordon is shaking his head in agreement) and don't read the "Read Me" file (Gordon shaking again) I DO read the Read Me files... THEN I start pushing buttons... and if it doesn't work right I call Gordon and Mike and complain what a piece of crap it is.

YOW... I mapped a button to team speak on my joystick and it worked first time.... never thought twice about it.

Hey Butzell, I still have some of those Profile Publications on my shelf.

Vonrd…. WEll praise GOD you do good work.... and all the pilots out there that don't appreciate what that is worth... I thank you.... I *HAD* to read this before I went to bed. perfect.... I can't count the number of engine failures or inflight emergencies I have had because of poor maintenance. I remember the big ones, double engine shut down in a Metroliner (Sa-226) because the control rod ends were not safety wired and one fell off and the other vibrated full forward uncommanded as I was coming into DAL at 04:30 on a Mx test hop for the pressurization. I had a mech with me in the right seat and we had to pry his hands off the chair to get him out of the cockpit he was so scared.... totally locked up. The guy that screwed it up was last heard from running down Lemmon Ave screaming as the guy that was chasing him (guess who) was intent on doing him serious damage. He was fired on the spot and was so scared he didn't come back for his tool box... sent his wife the next day to collect his things. Just careless.... I lost #2 on take off out of ELP in AUGUST... MGWTO of course right at V1... flying freight for Airborne Ex. We went between the tail of the FedEx 727 and the hangar as the Vmc roll took us to the right. My partner was making the takeoff and about to take his Captain checkride so I left him with it and he did a good job. That one was shown to me by the GARRETT mechs that came out and tore down the engine... he showed me a piece of paper about 1 sq cm. It was filter paper, and the mech had been too lazy to get an oil filter wrench so he stabbed the oil filter with a screw driver and torqued off the filter. 1 in a million... it poked the little scrap of paper that bunched on the tip of the screwdriver and went into an oil metering hole, which then went into the line and scrogged the oil system and caged the engine. I left freight in 1989, and never EVER had another problem. A light here and there and you have to land... those things happen.. but there was nothing more dangerous than doing a test flight after maintenance.

yeah, can't even say this one out loud.... she would still be laughing come Christmas

YEah... I thought about the PS-2 thing also.... but I have it setup and working so.... never wake a sleeping baby right? I am heading home tomorrow (YAY!) have to fly one trip in the morning but back and out by 14:00 and then home for the holiday. I will be able to work on some parts to modify my setup here... I have been writing down dimensions and drawing plans all afternoon... I want to get with you after that and see if we can do some comparisons and see what we learn. I am using the T-50 base and the total length of the "tube" is 16" the grip sitting on top of that brings the height to 30" from the floor to the top of the grip (highest point.) Travel from center is really quite equal and about 7" from Top dead center to the furthest point of travel. That is just exactly correct IMHO because it goes right out to my leg and barely touches it. The crosswind pedals are a bit narrow for most airplanes. should be 4-6 inches wider but I can understand that they were balancing realisim versus how much space do you have under the desk and allow some room for the doggie. I still remember your picture and quote.... "... and I wouldn't have it any other way" every time my terrier gets under the desk.

Hey Mike, (Ritter) Yes... I got two (2) complete sets of the extension tubes... they come in 3 piece sets (I know you know... but for those that don't) they come in 50mm 75mm and 100mm which is a little more expensive than getting the 100mm x2 + something else... ($60 x 2 versus $25 x 3) since I didn't know exactly that I wanted, I figured I could mix and match to get the height I wanted. The only complaint there is that they don't make a single wire with any length... you get the length of wire that matches your pieces... so... 6 pieces... 6 wires which is a LOT of connectors to maintain as you assemble it. I wrote to them and asked if they would make available a single wire as that would make it SO much easier. Also... the standard fittings that they buy commercially and repackage to sell to us... has a flange on it that won't fit through the tube, so you have to be careful as you attach them and thread (one direction only) the connector to the base from the grip. As to speed or delay in moving the stick and aircraft response, we will have to get together and try it out once you are set up and see if there is a difference... I don't believe there is and I also believe that the precision on the longer stick makes the aiming you are describing easier still. I don't even have a quality setup here in the apartment... I hope that maybe if I can get home next week for the holiday I can make something better than what I have now. Then I have to figure out what to do with the throttle... right now the Saitek substitute has been sitting on a folding chair next to me... not exactly a professional installation..... wak…. I have been shopping for a dedicated chair as I got with my driving setup... but nothing has leaped out at me. I am just grateful that I don't have to sit on the damn parachute... hard as a rock.

I missed most of that... I was thinking about and reading about which one to get and finally decided on the Virpil.... that was when they announced that they were moving their shop so they could access other shipping (DHL and primarily FedEx) which would result in better access, rates etc. Shipping costs have gone around the moon and headed for Pluto. When I started my model business I was paying $40 to ship the largest parts (masts) and now that is costing $250 DOMESTIC... after Sept. 11 there was a moratorium on anything over 1m going International US Mail and the big squeeze when DHL bought ABX FedEx and UPS filed a lawsuit against them because you can't fly point-to-point in the USA because we can't fly that way in Europe... hence no more domestic delivery for DHL in the USA. It is almost cheaper for me to ship to Mexico or Canada and have it re-shipped into the USA because DHL is that much less expensive. Anyway... yeah... $60 beans... because I could not get the throttle at the same time in the same box. I got the cams also, but I am really pleased with the original setup so not changing anything. I read somewhere... after the October 15 blog that they were getting so good about getting that done each month and had so much news... that they were considering going to a bi-weekly blog.... well... hah hah… it has not been updated since I read that. The adjustable grip rest is wonderful... when doing the really long sorties in airplanes that don't have trim, and you keep a hand on the stick, I usually end up with my arm on my knee holding the shaft (old habits from slow airplanes) but otherwise the rest is really appreciated. The communications and shipping/tracking for me were actually quite excellent... but this is after the move to the new facility and they are using FedEx now.... although there is no FedEx where they are located... it is being handled by local agents that feed into the system once within the USA but I got updates showing the package going through Amsterdam which is funny because one of my buddies that was going through training with me is going to be working in the Amsterdam center and he was home visiting when that happened, I was wishing that he could grab it and bring it back with him... but it got here in reasonable time, I had no complaints.

NOW IS YOUR CHANCE! I just ordered my Throttle... after writing the above, I went and checked and they IN STOCK.... probably only for a few hours.