Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) - We're really sorry about Microsoft Flight

[Rock8man]

That second screenshot is so gorgeous. I wish I could play this game so that it ran smoothly. But a new CPU is not in the cards just yet.

[Matt_W]

There is definitely something wrong with the G36, or maybe I’m flying it wrong. The plane is totally gutless and the prop overspeeds constantly, but I find if you back off the prop speed, adjust the throttle to full, then put the prop speed back at 99% (not 100%), you can get the rated power out of it. Harder to do without a throttle quad. I’ll have to see if prop speed is mapped to anything.

[Skipper]

I felt the same way flying it. According to the MSFS forums, it is indeed a mis-match of in-game performance versus real-life performance. Thus the various mods out there that adjust it. The problem is, there are a ton of variables and most folks don’t know everything involved. I’m hesitant to patch it just for that. I wasn’t sure I could even climb to 5K with 3 on board (plus me) the other day.

A QT3 PIREP:

My orders have come in. I landed a gig flying some guitars and wannabes from KBNA out of Nashville. So I loaded up a couple of suitcases to live out of for a while, grabbed my coffee and water and got an Uber to the airport to take the Baron on a solo flight from Charlotte to Nashville. Nothing like a fun Friday!

The weather was given as no rain, partly cloudy. It looked a bit intimidating on the runway outbound:

But a quick ascent up and over the first cloud layer open things up to amazingly clear views:

I did see some weather coming up a bit lower down so I went even further up to avoid things, just in case:

Ten thousand feet altitude can feel like a lot at times but when above the Blue Ridge Mountains, not really that far above ground level (about 4-5K.) You see just how tectonic plates can wield their power to move earth in absolutely crazy ways, and a billion years later, we get hillbillies. Some may not know but the range runs from Georgia all the way to Pennsylvania, over 600 miles. Also not well known, they are named for the hydrocarbons released by the spruce and fir trees in the range, giving distant cloud cover a light blue haze. It made for some cool scenery. I piped some Foggy Mountain Breakdown in to get in the mood:

After the mountains, things flattened out quite a bit. Tennessee isn’t boring to fly over, it’s got plenty of beautiful hills, rivers and streams. It is a distinctively LONG state, however, with Nashville and surrounding areas taking up roughly the middle of the state. Not far into Tennessee I started a long and slow descent, even though Nashville was another 60 miles out. To have some fun I pushed her a little hard while descending to see if I could break the 200kts barrier. Self-achievement, unlocked:

The approach to KBNA was wide open, and nice and easy too. Just out of frame is a beautiful lake, making the approach pattern very scenic:

And after a hellaciously long taxi, I parked her beside some loftier neighbors to feel a bit better about my ride. She did well. Time to sip on some whiskey and listen to some country here in the Buckle of the Bible Belt, Music City.

[Spock]

Beautiful PIREP, @Skipper!

[Skipper]

[Enidigm]

I took off from ABQ and couldn’t even fly over the top of the mountains next to it even after making a climbing turn in the opposite direction.

[Skipper]

I saw this on reddit and thought of @ChiTownBluesFan. This simmer is excited that PDMG’s 737 is coming to MSFS soon and has a rig built out already.

[Skipper]

Finally dug out my old TrackIR, found my clip, loaded and updated games on the software and took a couple of test flights already. Should have done this day one, this is awesome!

[Spock]

TrackIR is good stuff! I grumbled about setting mine up again, but now I’m glad I did.

Today I had an Onair job to fly from Anchorage to Gulkana. It’s over mountains, so my flight plan called for 10,000 in altitude, with cloud layers below that. The 172 has a ceiling of 13,000 feet or so, but I was worried about the clouds. Departure was pleasant enough:

But I ran into a wall of clouds, and IFR or not, the 172 could not climb above 8000 feet in them, and it iced up. Here’s a view out my windshield.

At that altitude, there was danger of hitting something, so I had to give up and turn around. For that flight, I’ll have to rent a more robust aircraft, or hire someone to do it. But first, I think I’m going to create Logical Airlines on the middle-difficulty “Stratus” server. :)

[vyshka]

Nice shot. It is such a beautiful game.

[Matt_W]

I started up Saga Air on the Stratus server. You start with $10k in your pocket and no aircraft. Then you have to wait for an hour for your pilot to drive to an airport with an aircraft you can rent. :)

Doesn’t the C172 have de-icing heaters?

[Spock]

@Matt_W

Doesn’t the C172 have de-icing heaters?

Maybe? I turned on the Pitot heat, but I couldn’t find any other de-icing controls. I’ve found sources that speak of cabin heat and an alternate static source, but I couldn’t find these things. No prop, windshield or tail/wing protection, as far as I know.

I’ll look again next time I’m in the cockpit. I was admittedly a bit flustered, flying blind with a frozen windshield, 40 knot winds, turbulence, etc. Sure was fun though!

@Matt_W

I started up Saga Air on the Stratus server.

Excellent! I’m about to take Logical Airlines first flight, out of Honolulu. Seemed like a good complement to Alaska. :)

[Matt_W]

So if you try OnAir in Survival mode, make sure to choose a major airport for your pilot’s home base. Smaller airports simply don’t have enough aircraft for rent and you have to transport your pilot around via public transport (in real time) before they can fly. You can relocate their home base, but it takes at least 2 real-time days for them to pack up and move everything. They give you one free instant aircraft transfer. Would be nice if they gave one free relocation too.

[Spock]

Thanks for the tip, @Matt_W. I started at size 5 airports, so I’m good. Right now Anchorage, Honolulu, Hong Kong. :)

I did a nice OnAir job in a C152 from Oahu to Lanai. Departure over Waikiki Beach, with Diamond Head in the background.

With no GPS, I made myself fly with VORs, no peeking at the in-game moving map. I was thinking I was so cool – except I dialed in the wrong OBS course and wasted fuel wandering around the Pacific. Here I am, back on course, heading toward Lanai.

But then the engine died! I didn’t load enough fuel, and I burned through my reserves while off course. I glided in and somehow managed a power-less landing on a road near the airfield. Er, I didn’t remember to photograph that embarrassment. Here’s the last shot I took:

[Matt_W]

Some FSE flying in Malaysia:

[Spock]

Beautiful shots, and a cool angle on the last one. Malaysia is as pretty from the sky as it is on the ground.

[Matt_W]

Landing in Thailand was a leeeetle hairy. There’s a VOR located slightly away from this airport that I could localize to, but no ILS system, so I was relying on altimeter and ground radar to tell me where the ground was. Came in too high and had to bring it down pretty fast; couldn’t actually see the runway until about 100’.

[Skipper]

Excellent shots from both of you. I have to say, man that TBM is a sexy beast. It looks like a long nosed big cat with the exhaust coming out right to the side like that. Like a throwback to a WWII fighter or something.

Plus, flying the thing it is FAST and moves quickly up and out of the hole when climbing out.

We’re watching movies tonight or I’d be simming.

@spock am I to understand you’re flying from Alaska to Oahu in a damn Cessna? No wonder you ran out of gas. :)

Ballsy move, but fortune favors the brave.

[Skipper]

They are knocking the park out of the visuals on the ads…

Microsoft Flight Simulator – Africa – Around the World Tour

[Spock]

Well, that’s a really nice ad. Makes me wish I’d started an OnAir company in Africa! Also, now I know what the “fauna” setting is for. How does one get the “flyby” view, like when the aircraft whizzes by the giraffes and the camera stays still?

@Matt_W

Landing in Thailand was a leeeetle hairy.

Glad you posted that picture! The rain looks great.

@Skipper

am I to understand you’re flying from Alaska to Oahu in a damn Cessna? No wonder you ran out of gas. :)

lol, no. That was from Honolulu to Lanai, about 60 miles or so. But it felt like I was coming from Alaska, because I got turned around and wandered into the open ocean for half an hour. In a cute but slow C152. I’m gonna start renting faster planes…