Messages

16

THE LOUNGE / Re: Speaking of Trans Texas Airlines -- ya gotta read this --

« on: September 10, 2020, 10:13:23 AM »

I imagine the Captain wanted to avoid the "hassle" of dealing with ATC when trying to change headings and altitudes to get through the storm front. It was night but apparently mostly VFR.

A foolish decision, and of course in those days the co-pilot was cowered into doing what the Captain wanted.

The Captain was obviously aware that this would violate company policy so he did not inform the dispatcher of his intentions.

17

THE LOUNGE / Speaking of Trans Texas Airlines -- ya gotta read this --

« on: September 07, 2020, 02:54:45 AM »

As I was researching some Trans Texas stuff on the web to find good pictures of their DC9-14's, I stumbled across an accident they had with one of their CONVAIR 600's. The 600 was a CV-580 but with RR vice Allison turboshaft engines essentially.

These links include the The NTSB accident report, a written transcript of the CVR around the time of the accident, and an actual copy of the CVR sound file.

This was a horrific instance of lost "situational awareness" and the old non-CRM mentality that existed at the time.

I believe the "Page VOR" the Captain refers to is now the RICH MOUNTAIN VOR (PGO), which either replaced it or is in roughly the same area.

Take your time to review all of this - you will hardly believe this could happen, but it did. I will say that flying in the Gulf states area is tough, especially at lower altitudes because of the constant, always changing thunderstorm activity. I lived with it for two tours as a jet instructor at Beeville, Texas,and you really had to have some backup plans in your pocket all the time.

Local area tactical training was not a big issue, but instrument training flights usually included out-and-in flights/practice instrument approaches at various military bases within a 500 nm radius, and things could change in a hurry.

 Luckily a jet gives a lot of options in getting around many of them, but the downside is always !!FUEL!! vs alternate destination options.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TrPR4e9Dr0   ------------  (sound)

https://www.tailstrike.com/270973.htm  ----------------------- narrative and CVR transcript

https://www.baaa-acro.com/sites/default/files/2019-01/N94230.pdf ------ NTSB report, inclues a map of flight track (poor quality)

18

GALLERY / Re: TWA DC9-51 Repaint

« on: September 06, 2020, 05:33:44 PM »

The P3D pack is excellent all around but:

1.The file structure (number of folders and alias references) is cumbersome until you study it a little. You can just hop in and fly though. I do a lot of file editing of the panel cfg file and some repaints so it took some time to study how various files and folders relate. $35 is a very reasonable cost for such a good airplane set.

2. The original autopilot is time period capability; no modern type of altitude preselect, speed/ VSI hold combination. Not a big deal, but it would not hold "0" VSI - best was +100 / -100 fpm. A guy did a considerable improvement for the FSX version and the mod Autopilot works perfectly in the P3D version. Some of his other whistles and bells did not work in P3D4 so I didn't use them (auto V speed ASI in particular). You can get his FSX upgrade at https://sites.google.com/site/fsxstuffbybk/aircraft-modifications/sky-simulations-d

3. The two F versions (-10 and -30) are a joke; nothing but a painted up pax version, no cargo door, windows built in so you can't get rid of them in the -10.

4. Very good paint kit except the annoying tail air stair. I spent a day figuring out how to get a paint design across it - once found, very easy fix.

5. SkySim site has numerous repaints. I have one for an OZARK -30, TWA and Eastern  -10 and worked on a few of my own including the -10 I flew on with Trans Texas in late 1966. Turns out they only had one at the time, and believe it or not, it was the original DC9 prototype that Douglas refurbished as a DC9-14 for TTA, the very 1st they bought. See screenshot --

19

GALLERY / Re: TWA DC9-51 Repaint

« on: August 28, 2020, 07:15:54 AM »

Speaking of DC-9s, my first flight was in 1966 on a Trans Texas -10 (I believe) from Corpus to somewhere, then on an Eastern Electra to KDCA to get married. My bride to be was from Fairfax, Va. I was in advanced jet flight training in Kingsville at the time.

In the 70's the Navy wound up getting 26 C-9Bs over a period of time, some new special made, some converted to a sort of DC9-33F standard with higher weights and fuel capacity. They were flown by Reserve VR squadrons and were terrific.

Most people do not think of the logistics effort needed to take an air wing to Fallon, Nevada, Eglin AFB etc for exercises prior to a Carrier deployment. All the troops, tools, GSE needed to set up such a detachment for about a two week period.

Thinking of recent events - hurricane evacuations of Naval Air Stations, many of which lie in the typical path: Oceana, Norfolk, Jax, the entire Training Command in Florida and Texas. Pilots flew the planes out to Fallon, China Lake, Edwards  -wherever, to get them out of the area. The C-9Bs took the troops and junior pilots/students out too, so they could continue some training and readiness until things calmed down.

20

GALLERY / Re: TWA DC9-51 Repaint

« on: August 27, 2020, 01:34:08 PM »

Ah, yes - Crystal City. What a place in it's day - the Underground, JP1, JP2 etc.

My Navy contemporaries that retired in the DC area tell me it is a virtual ghost town now.

NAVAIR, NAVSEA, etc moved out after the 1993 BRAC.

21

GALLERY / TWA DC9-51 Repaint

« on: August 26, 2020, 03:25:08 PM »

Attached are two shots of my SkySim DC9-51 for P3D4. They are at the "Stash" area at the north end of KDCA. The Pentagon (my "home" at one time for a few years, both on active duty and later as a civilian) in the background and the Crystal City area off to the west.

This payware is a pretty good bundle, but the original autopilot was a travesty. A freeware improvement was developed which makes it pretty satisfactory.

This airplane, N415EA, obviously once belonged to Eastern. It seems TWA had a very eclectic collection of  DC-9s including some -40s, which were pretty rare.

22

THE LOUNGE / KACARS problems popping up again - Thur 23 July

« on: July 23, 2020, 02:42:48 PM »

At least Tom Burrill and I are having problems. I get an error saying administrator of a switch error, "switch = verify" when I try to log in.

Anyone else?

23

THE LOUNGE / Re: FS9 and FSX issues

« on: June 17, 2020, 01:52:50 AM »

Does it just not start up, try to start and just dump, get to an initial screen, or what?

24

THE LOUNGE / Re: FS9 and FSX issues

« on: June 15, 2020, 02:23:57 AM »

OK Brian - keep the faith. Persistence will pay off.

Do you have a boxed or downloaded version of FSX? Is FSX original FSX, or FSX Steam?

25

GALLERY / Re: Built Ford Tough! ( it has to be with my flying )

« on: May 24, 2020, 03:47:47 AM »

Ditto!

26

GALLERY / Re: POST YOUR Extreme Challenge Flight PICS here

« on: May 18, 2020, 12:54:29 AM »

Nice -

You using Photo Shop?

Keep truckin'; it is amazing how much you can learn though initial failure, frustration and asking / web tutorials, etc

27

GALLERY / Another repaint: PMDG 737-800 for P3D4

« on: March 21, 2020, 12:54:12 PM »

This payware is pretty pricey, but an outstanding airplane. An FMC with very accurate performance data, and VNAV / LNAV that is virtually flawless.

I repainted using Photoshop, and our hangar freeware version as an example. Not a great photo of it, it is much brighter and crisp but I cannot get a good way to capture it.

I unwittingly stumbled on a freeware font for the Boeing script often used on their aircraft - see under the registration number.

28

THE LOUNGE / Re: Help I'm Drooling and I Can't Get Up

« on: March 05, 2020, 02:11:47 AM »

Seems like some of it will be cloud-based to cut down on disc space; still, hardware may be an issue for sure.

29

GALLERY / Re: TWA B747-400F: Paint for PMDG QOTS II

« on: February 18, 2020, 07:28:17 AM »

I use Photoshop, the cc cloud 2019 subscription edition. I never used it until about a year ago, but learning is relatively quick.

The text for Trans World was cut out of the bmp texture sheet from the hangar download I used as a general concept. I cut it out using MS Paint, pasted into Photoshop, as a layer used the "magic wand" to eliminate the white background, then smoothed up a few rough edges. Resized for an appropriate dimension for the overall airplane.

Copy/flip for a new layer used on the right side.

The "Cargo" is an actual text used by Photoshop, "Book Antiqua" Bold/Italic for some noticeable style.

Also, DXTbmp is indespensible in making bmp or dds texture files - a great piece of freeware.

30

GALLERY / TWA B747-400F: Paint for PMDG QOTS II

« on: February 13, 2020, 01:40:36 PM »

I am gradually getting better at repaints.

I am lucky enough t own the P3D version of PMDG's 747-400 and F series models; put a hole in my wallet, but I don't play golf, have no children at home, etc.

Anyway, it is a magnificent piece of payware.

I used one of our hangar download textures as an example for this repaint, done with a very involved paint kit.

The ground shot is at KILN in Ohio, a major DHL trans point with long runways. I have some scattered stretch-8 AI airplanes coming and going, which I also painted and programmed.

The air shot is passing near the Kennebunk (ENE) VOR just abeam Portland Maine, enroute from Halifax to KILN at FL340. The airfield below is the former NAS Brunswick, now closed, but a major P-2/P-3 ASW base in its day.

For a long time I kept away from VC cockpits and FMS type airplanes, preferring steam gauge vintage stuff. However, the quality of newer payware makes VC quite realistic, and learning how to use all the modern technology involved with an FMS-driven plane is very interesting and enlightening.