Yet we all interpret life around us differently, including how an airplane feels to each pilot. It is up to us, at A2A, to not just create an airplane that objectively performs in line with the actual airplane, but to capture that human feel and interaction with the real airplane. We have to somehow magically capture that experience that applies to all pilots. And Accu-Sim technology allows us to achieve this better than anything we’ve used before.

Beyond modeling a specific airplane, the Bonanza history is surrounded with tales and stories developed over many decades, some are true and some not. Probably the most common nick name the Bonanza V-tail is known for is being the “doctor killer.” When the Bonanza was first introduced, it was unlike anything anyone has ever seen in the general aviation market. And for the decade following it’s release, successful businessmen and professionals were buying the Bonanza in great numbers. Many of these pilots had primary careers that demanded a great deal of their time, not leaving much room for flying. And like many “weekend warriors” today who spend the whole week sitting behind a desk then go out and play a sport on the weekend, injuries erupt. The same holds true for the busy professional working all week who then decides to occasionally fly a high performance airplane like the Beechcraft Bonanza V-tail.

The V-tail Bonanza was built from World War II fighter technology, which was designed for highly trained professional pilots. And like most Warbirds, the Bonanza want so fly fast, all the time. Unlike general aviation aircraft that were  developed in later years to have benign flight characteristics, the Bonanza inherently has all of the challenging qualities of the World War II fighter. From my point of view, flying a Bonanza is just like flying a Warbird. It rumbles, shakes, rattles, is heavy and can bite the low time pilot in a heart beat. Therefore it’s this writer’s opinion that the new pilot should approach flying a V-tail Bonanza exactly the same as approaching an aircraft like a P-51 Mustang. The V-tail Bonanza, like the Warbird, is designed for experienced pilots who take the time to study and fly and operate such an aircraft with organization, patients, and preparedness.

For those pilots who do approach the V-tail Bonanza with the respect it deserves, it will reward the pilot with an experience unlike any other aircraft in the general aviation fleet today. It is for this reason the V-tail Bonanza still stands alone today, as it did on the first day it was introduced to the public.

We hope our work on this aircraft meets and exceeds all of our customers expectations, and also hope this aircraft delivers not weeks or months, but years of excitement, wonder, surprise, and the most complete simulated aviation experience to date. Thank you to all of our customers for allowing us to pursue our dreams, and hopefully help pass our dreams onto you too.

However, what all of these pilots who flew these aeroplanes, all of the celebrated aces and all of those who flew with them have in common is one aeroplane, one which is not nearly as well-known or popularly celebrated — the North American (NAA) T-6, or AT-6 as it was called in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), SNJ in the U.S. Navy (USN) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), and “Harvard” in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Virtually every one of the pilots who flew against the Nazi and Imperial Japanese air forces, learned the art and craft of combat flying and honed their aeronautic skills to a diamond- sharp tip in the AT-6 before they were given leave to go into harm’s way in Mustangs, Hellcats and Spitfires.

Compared to those mighty and oft-heralded fighter aircraft, the relatively obscure AT-6/SNJ is the common bond that ties all of these pilots together and which enabled them to “go forth and vanquish the foe” so successfully. Many thousands of young, eager pilots owe their very survival in the mad swirl of aerial combat and the rest of their lives thereafter to the lessons they learned whilst in the cockpit of an AT-6, so successfully and profoundly did this humble aeroplane perform its role and do its duty.

A2A Simulations 3D LightsTM REDUX cast realistic light out into 3D space, creating stunning visuals and a more immersive flying experience. FEATURES Over 40 new lighting effects including strobes, beacons, navigation, and runway lights Fully-realized 3D landing lights actually cast light into space Microsoft Acceleration Expansion pack supported Vintage, halogen, and modern xenon lights included Installs into all Twenty-four Microsoft FSX aircraft Entire new effects suite results in stunningly realistic night time environment.

The Boeing Stratocruiser is a double-deck, pressurised, four-engine, medium to long range, high altitude, high speed, commercial transport plane. The aircraft is designed for a normal gross weight of 147,000 pounds, a high speed of approximately 350 mph, a service ceiling of 34,000 feet, and a maximum range of approximately 4,000 miles. To its passengers, it flew them in first class comfort higher, faster, and farther than anything before.

The 377 paved Boeing’s entry into the airline business, and you can still see this technology in use today. The Stratocruiser and its massive Pratt & Whitney R4360 engines, represents the highest step in the evolution of aircraft piston-engine technology. These engines were so powerful, that this huge Stratocruiser set the transcontinental speed record from Seattle to D.C.; beating both the Lockheed Constellation and the North American P51 Mustang. Even by today’s standards this aircraft has amazing performance. There is also a Pregnant Guppy variant that was custom-made to transport rocket components for the Saturn V to NASA. You have to see it fly to believe it.

A2A Simulations has crafted and pioneered many new technologies for this aircraft which has become the flagship of the Wings of Silver line for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Never before has the team worked so diligently to produce what we feel, and you may agree, is the most accurate representation of a true “classic” airliner.

What is Captain of the Ship?
Real pilots will tell you that no two aircraft are the same. Even taking the same aircraft up from the same airport to the same location will result in a different experience. For example, you may notice one day an engine is running a bit hotter than usual and you might just open your cowl flaps a bit more and be on your way, or maybe this is a sign of something more serious developing under the hood. Regardless, you expect these things to occur in a simulation just as they do in real life. This is Accu-sim – it puts the gauge back in the game.

Realism does not mean having a difficult time with your flying. While Captain of the Ship is created by pilots, it is built for everyone. This means everything from having a professional crew there to help you manage the systems, to an intuitive layout, or just the ability to turn the system on or off with a single switch. However, if damage is enabled and the needles are in the red, there will be consequences. It is no longer just an aircraft, it’s a simulation.

A2A Simulations 3D LightsTM REDUX cast realistic light out into 3D space, creating stunning visuals and a more immersive flying experience. FEATURES Over 40 new lighting effects including strobes, beacons, navigation, and runway lights Fully-realized 3D landing lights actually cast light into space Microsoft Acceleration Expansion pack supported Vintage, halogen, and modern xenon lights included Installs into all Twenty-four Microsoft FSX aircraft Entire new effects suite results in stunningly realistic night time environment.

Even if you have never actually seen a Cub in the flesh (and this is getting harder to do every year), if airplanes are your game, you have a good idea of what a Cub is all about. Virtually every pilot has flown or knows someone who has flown a Cub.

If you throw a baseball, a paper airplane, and a stick into the air, each would behave differently based on it’s weight, density, and shape. Each will interact with the air and ultimately the ground very differently, just as we would expect. But what if you dropped a tennis ball on a hard surface, and instead of bouncing, it just hit the ground with a loud ‘clunk’ and stopped? We are physical beings that live in a world that has certain truths we take for granted, that is until they are gone. However, in a simulated world, nothing can be taken for granted. In fact, if the physics in a simulated world are not specifically created by someone, they simply do not exist. With Accu-Sim, we have built-in to this simulation many of the physical rules that we know to be true and which we expect to exist in the real physical world.

For example, if you start a simple engine that is cold, you expect that it will run rougher and less reliably than when it is warmed up. If one morning you start your cold engine and something seems different, if it does not behave as you expect it to, you will notice this and your senses will tell you, “something is not right.” This is because you have become accustomed and comfortable with how your aircraft responds at all times, not just in the behavior of a single gauge, but in subtle ways — the way the engine sounds and responds to the throttle, the way the body squeaks, or even in the way the air sounds as it passes by your airframe at different airspeeds. More obviously, if you taxi on the grass, you expect your aircraft to buck and dip as it moves over bumps and depressions in the ground. Similarly, you would also expect to sway and rock if sitting on unsettled water in floats. All of this, and much more, will be experienced and brought to you more accurately and realistically by Accu-Sim. Now it’s an entirely new and more real world. It’s a world that makes you believe you literally have a physical piece of equipment stuffed inside your computer monitor because all of these little physical truths which cause actions and reactions, and which you notice when they are there or not there, have been created in Accu-Sim. It is all of these little clues which we experience and observe, and which we take for granted in our real world, which make things seem real to us. When they are missing or portrayed inaccurately, things just don’t seem right. You know it; you sense it, and so do we.

Perhaps the most important thing this little airplane will bring to you is honest, true-to-life stick-and-rudder flying, something pilots often forget after flying large, heavy, fast, complex aircraft for a while. You will be actively engaged in flying this Cub almost all of the time. After just flying it for a very short while you will start to feel like a better pilot, and you will be.

This little Cub represents the most complete and accurately flying aircraft which we have created to date. With it, A2A proudly delivers to you the “Total Flying Experience”.

The Spitfire was designed by R. J. Mitchell, an aeronautical engineer of stellar talent who had previously designed such aircraft as the Supermarine S6B, which won the Schneider Trophy in 1931. Borrowing from the developments of others, including the low-wing, monocoque design which came from the United States, Mitchell crafted a superb basic design which stands to this day as one of the greatest piston fighters in aviation history. Mitchell envisioned a light, maneuverable craft with low drag, elliptical wings, and a broad performance envelope. The result was the Spitfire, a capable, lethal, yet forgiving aircraft that ultimately proved more than equal to anything the Germans could throw at it, including the vaunted Focke-Wulf 190.

The Spitfire had a number of design characteristics which set it apart from other contemporary fighter aircraft. The Merlin engine, the elliptical wing, the well-harmonized controls, and the versatile wing platform all worked together to create a package that was perhaps unmatched in terms of its immediate effectiveness and its potential to be developed further. Unlike the Japanese Zero, which was obsolete by 1943, the Spitfire was just coming to its prime. Chief among the features that set the Spit apart from other aircraft was its wing, which served multiple purposes. The elliptical planform and relatively broad root chord allowed a thinner airfoil section, reducing drag while preserving lift, which led to a very low wing loading. This increased top speed, preserved a low stalling speed, increased the service ceiling, and provided excellent low-speed agility. But the broad wing chord also allowed the convenient fitting of formidable armament such as multiple 20mm cannon and heavy machine guns.

The Spitfire last saw combat in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli war, where Spitfires from both sides were pitted against one another. But the honor which will always distinguish this singular aircraft is its superb service during the Battle of Britain, where it — along with the Hawker Hurricane — helped to fend off German designs for invasion of Great Britain. For that, it will always be remembered.

What is the philosophy behind Accu-Sim?
Pilots will tell you that no two aircraft are the same. Even taking the same aircraft up from the same airport to the same location will result in a different experience. For example, you may notice one day your engine is running a bit hotter than usual and you might just open your cowl flaps a bit more and be on your way, or maybe this is a sign of something more serious developing under the hood. Regardless, you expect these things to occur in a simulation just as they do in life. This is Accu-Sim, where no two flights are ever the same.

Realism does not mean having a difficult time with your flying. While Accu-Sim is created by pilots, it is built for everyone. This means everything from having a professional crew there to help you manage the systems, to an intuitive layout, or just the ability to turn the system on or off with a single switch. However, if Accu-Sim is enabled and the needles are in the red, there will be consequences. It is no longer just an aircraft, it’s a simulation.

Actions Lead to Consequences
Your A2A Simulations Spitfire is a complete aircraft with full system modeling. However, flying an aircraft as large and complex as the A2A Spitfire requires constant attention to the systems. The infinite changing conditions around you and your aircraft have impact on these systems. As systems operate both inside and outside their limitations, they behave differently. For example, the temperature of the air that enters your carburetor has a direct impact on the power your engine can produce. Pushing an engine too hard may produce just slight damage that you, as a pilot, may see as it just not running quite as good as it was on a previous flight. You may run an engine so hot, that it catches fire. However, it may not catch fire; it may just quit, or may not run smoothly. This is Accu-Sim – it’s both the realism of all of these systems working in harmony, and all the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, unpredictability of it all. The end result is when flying in an Accu-Sim powered aircraft, it just feels real enough that you can almost smell the avgas.

Your Aircraft Talks
We have gone to great lengths to bring the internal physics of the airframe, engine, and systems to life. Now, when the engine coughs, you can hear it and see a puff of smoke. If you push the engine too hard, you can also hear signs that this is happening. Just like an actual pilot, you will get to know the sounds of your aircraft, from the tires scrubbing on landing to the stresses of the airframe to the canopy that is cracked opened.

Be Prepared – Stay Out of Trouble
The key to successfully operating your Spitfire, or any high performance aircraft for that matter, is to stay ahead of the curve and on top of things. Aircraft are not like automobiles, in the sense that weight plays a key role in the creation of every component. So, almost every system on your aircraft is created to be just strong enough to give you, the pilot, enough margin of error to operate safely, but these margins are smaller than those you find in an automobile. So, piloting an aircraft requires both precision and respect of the machine you are managing.

It is important that you always keep an eye on your oil pressure and engine temperature gauges. On cold engine starts, the oil is thick and until it reaches a proper operating temperature, this thick oil results in much higher than normal oil temperatures. In extreme cold, once the engine is started, watch that oil pressure gauge and idle the engine as low as possible, keeping the oil pressure under 120psi.

The oil and coolant temperature gauges are critical throughout your flight. Idling too long on the pavement will overheat this Spitfire because it’s cooling radiator is inadequate. Plan to be off the ground in under ten minutes. Don’t let your engine exceed 100 degrees Celsius before your takeoff roll.

Once airborne, you will want to avoid steep climbs, especially in hot weather, to keep good airflow to your radiator. You will also want to keep your radiator opened at all times during flight, adjusting it to maintain temperatures around 100 degrees if possible, never more than 120 degrees. High engine power increases both water and oil temperatures, but oil is also heated up quite a bit by engine friction (RPM). So if you are running hot oil temperatures, you may wish to also decrease your engine RPM.

Equipped with a large, powerful radial engine, it looked as tough as it was. However, when British pilots first saw the P-47, it was often mocked due to its size. The light, maneuverable Spitfire’s could get on a P-47’s tail with ease in test trials. What they didn’t know at that time was the P-47 was different type of fighter and the battles were to be fought at higher altitude where the air is thin, using high-energy tactics. Both the British and the Germans soon found out, in the right hands, the P-47 was lethal.

Real pilots will tell you that no two aircraft are the same.  Even taking the same aircraft up from the same airport to the same location will result in a different experience.  For example, you may notice one day an engine is running a bit hotter than usual and you might just open your cowl flaps a bit more and be on your way, or maybe this is a sign of something more serious developing under the hood.  Regardless, you expect these things to occur in a simulation just as they do in real life.  And under the hood, you expect your aircraft systems to respond accordingly.  This means no more one minute engine warm-ups. This is Accu-Sim – it puts the gauge back in the game.

While Accu-Sim is created by pilots, it is built for everyone.  Realism does not mean you have have to have a difficult time with your flying.  In fact, realism can mean an easier time with your flying as things react as you would expect in real life.   Common sense thinking applies with Accu-Sim.  For example, if you are exceeding your maximum allowed speed with your flaps down, there will likely be warnings.  You may hear and odd rumbling telling you, the pilot, “hmm, something is not right”.

We are proud to launch our all new “Accu-Sound” sound system with over 200 recorded sounds for the P47 Razorback alone.  This new sound system brings Accu-Sim to an entirely new level.  While hearing is a critical sense when flying, it is even more important for a simulation, as you are deprived of the sense of feel we have in a real aircraft.  We have loaded the P47 with smart, intuitive sounds.  You will not believe how much audio can immerse you into an authentic flying experience.  We hope you enjoy this as much as we did creating it.

Part of the secret of the P-40 was in it’s rugged Allison engine and its high dive speeds. Some squadrons pushed it’s capabilities well beyond it’s official limits in combat. This high power matched with an airframe that held onto energy better than the Japanese counterparts, meant an experienced pilot could command the fight. He could decide when to engage and when to escape. When we read about Middle East and Australian squadrons over-boosting their Allison engines, we couldn’t wait to Accu-Sim this bird and experience it ourselves. This resulted in us digging even deeper into not just the function of this engine at such high power levels, but the sound. Additionally, other systems like the P-40’s unique hydraulics required us to take our Accu-Sim to yet another level of detail. You may notice when a fighter raises it’s gear, the gear sometimes comes up at different times. Instead of us simply and without condition, telling the aircraft to raise the gear one leg at a time, we decided to dig deeper and create the entire underlying system, allowing whatever behaviours be the result of actual systems at work. In fact, this is the philosophy behind Accu-Sim from the start. Build it right, and enjoy the experience. When looking to the construction, the newest modelling and advanced material-making techniques results in an aircraft that you can just spend not just minutes but hours admiring the beauty of the shape and look of the aircraft. Together, with professionally recorded sounds and physics, the end result is the sense of having a complete, real, majestic, raw, flying machine stuffed inside your computer. We hope you enjoy your new beautiful bird, and hope you learn to fly and treat her well.

The biggest challenge we now faced was the demand for more Accu-Sim aircraft. The problem is, it was simply not possible to quickly deliver aircraft on this level of detail, however, our rate of delivery / quality of product is unsurpassed in the industry. This is a large reason why Accu-Sim has been so successful. Over the years, we released a P-47 Thunderbolt with a complete cockpit sound set, a Piper J3 Cub where you hand-start the engine, and the new core series of Accu-Sim birds (Supermarine Spitfire, P-40 Warhawk, and P-51 Mustang). We also released a later Captain of the Ship add-on to our flagship, Stratocruiser. Still, customers demanded more.They asked “Can you Accu-Sim FSX?” and our answer was always “this is just not possible.” Well, over the years and now with all this technology behind us, we found a way to get, what we call “A touch of Accu-Sim” to FSX. In early 2012 we released this new concept, and called it “Accu-Feel.”The name Accu-Feel was chosen because this best described what this product does. We managed to hook into the lower core of FSX using our Accu-Sim technology, and were able to make things happen without touching a single file in the FSX directory. This was critical because the program had to work in a way without interfering or altering 3rd party content. Our goal was to allow Accu-Feel to intelligently set itself up for any aircraft, yet also allow the customer the final say on everything by way of an easy-to-use in-game user interface.Accu-Feel launched out of the gates unlike anything we have ever released before. It rocketed to #1 in online stores and just sat there for months. Today, almost one year later, it remains in the top ten. The reason is simple – customers / pilots were having fun with an all-new, powerful sound system and how it translated physics back to them. They also appreciated a program that worked hard for them, so they could just fly. And technically, Accu-Feel was solid and reliable. We had a winner.Now we have the next generation of Accu-Feel, version 2, Air, Land and Sea. A quick read of this manual will show a lot of new and exciting features that we hope you come to love as much as we did in making it..

The “Connie,” as it was universally and affectionately called (much to the dismay of Eddie Rickenbacker of WWI fame who, as the owner of Eastern Airlines, thought the name to be too effeminate) was a spectacular and singular aeronautical design from the first rude sketch of “Excalibur” to the last L-1649 “Starliner.” Gathering many firsts and breaking many records in its almost five decades-long useful lifetime, Constellation consistently stands out from her sister airliners both visually and functionally. Sadly, the many luminous stars embodying this “Constellation” were ultimately eclipsed when at their brightest by the urgent, inexorable force of progress which saw the end of the age of the long-distance piston engine airliners and the birth of the big, jet-powered transports. This new era of air-transportation in the U.S. Began on 26 October 1958 when Pan American Airlines (Pan Am) flew a Boeing 707 with 111 passengers from New York to London. Soon, the jet-powered Douglas DC-8, Convair 880 and Sud Aviation “Caravelle” joined the 707 and long-range piston airliners were through.

Even so, there are many, this writer among them, who posit that even whilst swifter, no kerosene burning aluminum tube has ever come close to matching Connie’s superb grace and poise. Her story is full of ironies and surprises, of Geniuses, Presidents and Pioneers. You see, there once was this fabulously wealthy, incandescently brilliant, eccentric movie mogul, aviator and airline owner who had an idea for an airplane… – Excerpt from Constellation manual history by Mitchell Glicksman © 2016

The flight model was very carefully researched and we used the actual P-51H pilot’s training manual and technical orders to ensure our procedures and performance matched the real thing as closely as possible.

The P-51H differs from the P-51D primarily in performance. The procedures are identical in many cases to the P-51D, and aircraft handling is very similar, with the “H” model having greater agility and a higher roll rate due to its substantially lighter weight and larger ailerons. The fuel capacity is lower on the “H” model because the fuselage tank was made smaller to reduce the negative impact on weight and balance from the excess weight being so far aft from the centre of gravity. However, the “H” model has a range similar to the “D” model because its airframe has slightly less drag, and the aircraft weighs considerably less than the “D” model. The P-51H was conceived and manufactured during WWII and would have seen combat had the war not ended in September, 1945. It was developed on a time line that was roughly concurrent with that of the Focke-Wulf Ta 152, and its performance was similar to the German aircraft. However, the P-51H, with its top speed of 487 mph at 25,000 feet, was substantially faster than either the Ta 152C or H models, by at least 15 mph. In addition, the P-51H incorporated many of the automatic features common to late-war German aircraft. It used a Simmonds control unit to maintain a constant manifold pressure relative to throttle position, eliminating the need for the pilot to “chase” the throttle lever to maintain manifold pressure as the aircraft gained altitude. The supercharger switch from low to high speed was fully automatic, as were many of the controls related to the water injection and war emergency power.

Perhaps the greatest advantage the P-51H would have had over the Ta 152 is the fact that the Mustang remained a superlative dog-fighter despite achieving parity of power and speed with the Ta 152. If anything, the P-51H was a nimbler, better-handling aircraft than the P-51D, and its lighter weight would have allowed a tighter turning radius at high altitude than the German plane. In a dive or level flight, the P-51H was as fast or faster than any single-engine, propeller-driven Axis fighter ever built. The P-51H, although not well-known, was probably the finest piston-engined fighter to emerge from WWII in every respect and was likely the fastest propeller-driven aircraft in the world at the close of WWII.

The He 219 was a superb and lethal gun platform and the later versions packed as many as eight cannon, including the potent 30mm “Schrage Musik” which fired upward into a bomber’s belly at an oblique angle.  These accompanied as many as six forward-firing cannon.  The “Uhu” was absolutely devastating to any aircraft that came into range of its guns.  This was accomplished through the use of radar, a new technology.  Ground-based stations would direct the night fighter to the bomber stream, and when in range, the Uhu’s radar operator would then take over and guide the pilot to within 100 meters of the target.  The bristling antennae were ugly and added a lot of drag, reducing the aircraft’s ultimate top speed substantially.  But without the radar the plane would have been useless at night, and since the Uhu was still about 150 mph faster than the Allied four-engine bombers, this was really not a handicap.  Some of the latest versions were used to track, hunt down, and kill the Mosquito bombers, which were a much more challenging quarry than the lumbering four-engine craft comprising most of the night fighter’s prey.

In the end, the He 219 fell victim to bad decision-making and was too little, too late.  But it was the most advanced aircraft for its time, signaling the shape of things to come.

The F4U was born and bred to be a killer and she excelled at this endeavor, laying claim to an astonishing eleven to one kill ratio by the end of WWII. That doesn’t include the unfortunate Ensigns who had so many problems trying to land the long-nosed bird on a carrier that the Navy finally gave up. They assigned the F4U to the Marines who quickly learned to love her for her superior fighting ways.

In her final form, which was the F4U-4, she was certainly in the running for the “Best Fighter of WWII”. The F4U-4 could out climb the P-51 Mustang by almost 800 feet per minute and had exceptional speed at low and mid altitudes.

The F4U Corsair launches the Aircraft Factory, which is a new line of products from A2A Simulations for those who want a solid quality aircraft but price is very important. With the Aircraft Factory, we stay true to stock Microsoft FSX SDK standards, which streamlines the development process and delivers an aircraft that you can just throw the throttle forward and fly away.

The F4U Corsair is truly a unique aircraft with it’s bent wings, long nose, and powerful engine. We have had a lot of fun flying her and believe you will as well.

The Avro Anson, also known as Faithful Annie to its crews was built to Air Ministry Specification 18/35, which called for a twin-engined coastal reconnaissance landplane. Being first flown on 24th March 1935 it was the first RAF monoplane with retractable undercarriage. When the Second World War began there were 26 RAF squadrons operating the Anson MK1, 10 with Coastal Command and 16 with Bomber Command. By this time however the Anson was obsolete in the bombing and coastal patrol roles and was being replaced by the Armstrong Withworth Whitley and Lockheed Hudson.

Instead of being scrapped like most other obsolete aircraft, the Avro Anson was found to be perfectly suited to aircrew training. Becoming on of the main aircraft in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme), it was used to train pilots for multi-engine bombers of the time. It was also used to train the other members of a bomber crew, such as navigators, wireless operators, bomb aimers and air gunners.

After WW2 the Anson carried on in the training and light transport roles. The last Ansons were withdrawn from RAF service in June 1968. By the time production ended in 1952, around 11.000. Avro Ansons had been built, spanning over 9 versions.

First flown in 1913, the Avro 504K was to become one of the most famous aircraft of all time. It started its long career in 1914, when 3 504As, of the Royal Naval Air Service, bombed the German Zeppelin sheds in the first planned raid in aerial warfare. The Avro 504K was one of the first aeroplane types used to strafe troops on the ground. It also had the unenviable distinction of being the first Entente aeroplane to be downed by enemy anti-aircraft fire.

In the winter of 1917–18, converted 504Js and 504Ks were given to Home Defence squadrons of the RFC to replace the ageing B.E.2cs. These aircraft were modified as single-seaters, armed with a Lewis gun above the wing on a Foster mounting, and powered by 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome or 110 hp (80 kW), with around 226 still being used as fighters at the end of World War I

Though it was soon obsolete as a front-line aircraft, it came into its own as a trainer, with thousands being built during the war, the major production types being the 504J and the mass produced 504K. Around 8,000 Avro 504s had been produced by the end of the war in 1918.

Whilst the aircraft stayed in RAF service after the war, large numbers of surplus aircraft were available for sale, both for civil and military use. More than 300 504Ks were placed on the civil register in Britain. Used for training, pleasure flying, banner towing and even barnstorming exhibitions. Civil 504s continued flying in large numbers until well into the 1930s when aircraft like the DH Tiger moth replaced it.

The 504N, which had a radial engine and a redesigned undercarriage, was produced in 1925 and was chosen by the RAF to replace the 504K. Used to equip the RAF’s five training schools, a total or 592 504Ns were produced between 1925 and 1932. The 504N was also used by the armed forces of Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Greece, Thailand and South Africa, with licensed production taking place in Denmark, Belgium, Canada and Japan. The Soviet Union produced a copy of Avro 504K under the designation U-1.

The Avro 504 was finally replaced in 1933 by the Avro Tutor, ending the career of this truly remarkable aircraft.

]]> https://a2asimulations.com/product/fsx-aircraft-factory-avro-504k/feed/ 2 https://a2asimulations.com/product/fsx-aircraft-factory-albatros-d-iii-oef/ https://a2asimulations.com/product/fsx-aircraft-factory-albatros-d-iii-oef/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2017 10:49:01 +0000 http://217.199.187.194/robertchittockdevelopment.co.uk/a2a/?post_type=product&p=319 Brief History

The history of the Albatros  begins in Spring 1916 when the German Air Force  (Luftstreitkräfte) HQ ordered several factories to design a new single seater biplane capable to compete with the new Entente scouts such as Nieuport 11.c1, Nieuport 17.c1 and the D.H.2. The new Allied designs combined with the new tactics managed to completely wipe from the air the monoplane-type Fokker E.III and to create air superiority over the Western Front. New planes were desperately needed and the Fokker, Halberstadt and Albatros soon presented new scout planes such as Fokker D.II, Halberstadt D.II and Albatros D.I. The last one was especially well designed. Powered by the 160HP Mercedes D.III inline engine and heavily armed with the twin Spandau machine guns, the Albatros quickly earned the reputation of a very good scout. The HQ quickly ordered a series of 50 D.I’s which were pushed into newly created Jastas (Jagdstaffelns) in September 1916. The Albatros Werke soon released another version, the Albatros D.II which had a smaller gap between the upper and lower wing and few other improvements. This version gave  the German Air Force some breathing room and their squadrons started to become very effective.

The successful Albatros D.II was quickly noted in the allied Austro-Hungary. In the Fall of 1916, Austrian company Österreichische Flugzeugfabrik AG (Oeffag) in Wiener Neustadt purchased a license from the Albatros Werke and managed to introduce the own version in January 1917. The prototype, marked 50.01, differed from the original design. First of all, it was powered by the more powerful, 185HP Austro-Daimler Dm 185 inline engine. The cylinders were covered and the wing chord was enlarged from 1,60 meter to 1,70 meter. The armament was also different. Apart from the twin 7,92mm Spandau machine guns, one 8mm Schwarzlose machine gun was mounted inside of the fuselage, much lower than in the German Albatros. It improved forward visibility, but made reloading the gun problematic.

The Austro-Hungarian Army ordered 50 Oeffag D.II’s, but after completing 15 planes (numbers from 53.02 to 53.16), the factory cancelled production and switched to the new design, marked as D.III. This version was inspired by the new design from the German Albatros Werke – the Albatros D.III which was introduced in December 1916 and became a deadly adversary to the Entente planes in the Spring 1917. The plane received a  completely new wing, inspired by the French Nieuport 17.c1 sesquiplane design. This improved the climb and turn ratio over the older D.I and D.II versions.

The licensed-built Albatros D.III prototype, marked as 53.20, was constructed in February 1917. Again, the design differed from the original model from the Albatros Werke. The engine was covered, and the fin under the fuselage was enlarged. The gravity tank was fitted into the upper  wing along with the radiator which was in the center position, while the tank was moved to the left. The armament was redesigned, too. A second 8mm Schwarzlose machine gun was installed, which gave the plane much better firepower. The upper wing could be regulated and the incidence could be adjusted.

The Oeffag D.II’s and D.III’s appeared on the Italian Front in June 1917 after being certified by the Fliegerarsenal a month before. At the beginning, they served in the general – purpose Fliegerkompanie (Flik) units which were responsible for various tasks. But very soon the new scout units, marked as Flik/J, were introduced because the front needed specialized fighter units. The Oeffag scouts received a good input from their pilots. The planes were easy to fly, well armed and durable. There were no accidents of losing a lower wing, just like in the German Albatros D.III, because the Oeffag engineers strengthened the construction by using thicker wing spars and wing ribs. The root wing was mounted to the fuselage using an additional metal brace.

While German engineers at Albatros Werke wanted to decrease the weight of their next scout, their Austrian colleagues at Oeffag did the opposite thing. Their next designs known as Bauart 153 and 253 (series 153 and 253) were heavier and powered by the stronger engines. The production of the 153 series was launched in July 1917. Apart from the new 200HP Austro-Daimler Dm 200 six-cylinder inline engine, the upper wing was slightly moved forward. The planes after 153.111 had redesigned forward fuselage, because the propeller cowling was removed. The Austro-Hungarian Army ordered 280 Oeffag 153’s. The model had much better parameters than the earlier Oeffag series, and the new German Albatros D.V which had appeared on the Western Front in the late Spring 1917.

After the new Austro-Daimler Dm 225 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the engineers at Oeffag started to adjust the existing design to the new engine. The new version, known as Bauart 253 (Series 253) was introduced in May 1918. There were 230 planes ordered, but only 201 were delivered until the Armistice. The production was however continued after World War I.

The Oeffag Ba.253 was the final version of the successful series. It was said to be the best Austro-Hungarian fighter plane, which possessed reasonable level speed close to 200 kph (120mph) and a very good climb ratio. The plane could reach 5000 meters in 20 minutes, while the 153 series did the same in 13 minutes more. Because of the more powerful (and heavier) engine, the construction was again strengthened. The fuselage and outer wings received additional plywood bracing. The wing’s trailing edge was made of wire rather than a steel tubes. Some planes (253.31, 253.64, 253.116-120) had machine guns moved up, so the pilot had full access to them.

The Oeffag scouts were popular among the Austro-Hungarian Aces, including Godwin Brumowski, Frank Linke-Crawford, Benno Fiala or Franz Rudorfer.

After the war the Oeffag planes were used by the Air forces of Poland and Czechoslovakia. One was used in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes as a trainer. Some were used in civil aviation. Sadly, no Oeffag-built Albatros survived to the present times, however two Oeffag Ba.253 replicas have been constructed by Mr. Koloman Mayrhofer, one of which is on display in the Aviaticum Museum in Wiener Neustadt near Vienna, Austria. Both planes use many original parts, such as gauges and Austro-Daimler engines.

No airplane personifies the epithet “Dynamic Elegance” more aptly than does the Piper Comanche 250.

The unique conjoining of many superlative aeronautic and aesthetic qualities marks this very special aeroplane. It has been said that if an aeroplane looks right, it will fly right. In this it is supposed that the eye’s natural ability to sense the pleasing proportion and intrinsic efficiency of a design is a reliable predictor of similarly excellent aeronautic performance. The Comanche 250 proves that this adage may be relied upon and bears validity. The Piper Comanche takes its well-deserved place on an illustrious list of aeroplanes which are both so very pleasing to the eyes and which are equally capable of superior performance.

There are many including this writer the most beautiful of all General Aviation (GA) aircraft, if not the most beautiful. From any angle the Comanche treats the eyes. This is what provides its elegance. Its superlative performance is a matter of record and this provides its dynamism. These two great and rare qualities, beauty and performance would be enough in and of themselves to place the Comanche at the pinnacle of GA aircraft, but the Comanche possesses an additional quality, one which, after all, may be its most endearing. Of all of the high performance GA aircraft the Comanche is arguably the least demanding of the relatively low- time pilot. That this is so is not an accident or a fortuitous circumstance – William Piper specifically intended that it should be so. The Comanche’s forgiving flight characteristics and its refusal to turn and bite an unwary pilot without plenty of warning, its relatively gentle stall, easy handling at low airspeeds and its overall delightful handling at all airspeeds are confidence boosters for its fortunate pilots.

The Comanche is also particularly exceptional in that it does not achieve its excellent aerodynamic performance at the expense of interior room and comfort; it is among the roomiest and most comfortable of “high performance” aeroplanes. Neither does the Comanche sacrifice useful load nor its generous weight and balance envelope at the altar of high airspeed. It is a highly capable heavy load hauler and its capacious useful load as well as its ability to safely carry baggage and substantial rear seat passengers without straining its aft load limits is far better than its closest competitors of equal horsepower – including and specifically the V-tail Beechcraft Bonanza. Perhaps most importantly, the Comanche does not achieve its performance by the intrinsic design features which compromise stable flying characteristics. Its light airframe weight and its generous, high aspect-ratio, laminar flow wing provides the Comanche with high efficiency as well as a low wing loading.

Accordingly, Comanche pilots and owners are particularly loyal and satisfied, and for good reason; the Comanche delivers extraordinarily dynamic performance while embodying the highest degree of aeronautic elegance.

So, how is it that all of these superlative qualities came together in this aeroplane? Well, therein lays the Comanche’s tale, one redolent of aeronautic expertise, prescience, confidence and also of a fierce competitive spirit. As it happens, it all began a little more than ten years before the first Comanche ever flew.

Once upon a time…

LICENSE:
This software is for entertainment purposes only.
Click to View

Lycoming 540 engine
Most A&P mechanics refer to the Lycoming 540 as being “bulletproof.”  Consider that a Chevrolet big block in an early ‘70’s Corvette is 454 cubic inches, a Skyhawk’s engine is either 320 or 360 cubic inches (like small automobile V-8).  The Skylane engine is 541.5 cubic inches, which is bigger than the previously mentioned Chevy big block.   I have the same engine in my Comanche, and you feel this 50% bigger engine under the hood, just rumbling and rattling, waiting to be opened up on takeoff.  We expanded Accu-Sim to capture the more aggressive nature of operating such a nice and powerful GA engine.

Constant speed prop – propeller physics
We upgraded the propeller physics for the Skylane in several areas.  This was necessary to deliver the best experience when operating this new system.  For example, many people don’t realize that a 2-blade propeller will generally cruise faster than a 3-blade at all but the very highest altitudes (and I’m talking where oxygen is required).  The Skylane manual is based on the 3-blade, so you can squeeze out even more speed by using a 2-blade.   The high cruise is just around 167 mph with a 3-blade, and around 170 mph with a 2-blade (keep in mind every plane will have slightly different cruise speeds, which speaks to the uniqueness of each airframe, engine, and prop).  However, the 3-blade propeller will, in general, pull harder off the line and perform better in steep climbs.  We also improved the modeling and sound of the propeller when it both flattens out and cuts into the air, which is most noticeable during prop checks on the ground.

Cruise management – beyond the book
This was an unexpected, but pleasant discovery when making the Skylane:  Our cruise performance accuracy actually exceeds the pilot’s manual.  Yes, we’re actually better than “by the book.”  This is because some figures in the POH are calculated / estimated.  For example, in Accu-Sim, you can realize the benefits of flying at lower RPM’s with higher manifold pressure, or “over square” (higher manifold pressure X 100 than RPM).  Some pilot’s are still being told today that running a modern GA engine over square is bad, which is a technique recommended on some older, larger radial engines of the past.  The fact is that most engines run better and more efficient at lower RPM and higher manifold pressure, rather than high RPM and low manifold pressure (just make sure you follow the guidelines in the pilot’s handbook for the airplane).  Accu-Sim models this efficiency, and we confirmed this on our actual flight tests.  So, you will be experiencing the same differences from the POH with Accu-Sim than with the actual airplane.  You will also find yourself thinking hard about your mixture, how it affects your cruise performance, temperatures, economy, etc., just like in the real aircraft.  Just make sure, any real world pilots out there reading this that you follow the recommended cruise settings for your airplane because there is a limit to how much manifold pressure you are able to use at certain a RPM.  Also, some engines require you to avoid certain power settings / RPM ranges due to vibration and balance issues.  There is no one size fits all approach, but this Accu-Sim Skylane will certainly help both pilots and sim enthusiasts learn better flying skills and engine management practices.

Cowl flaps and advanced combustion physics
We further researched and developed engine temperatures, both cylinder head and exhaust gas temps.  We also re-formulated the impact of mixture on the process and temperatures.

Expanded physical sound
The starter physics, engine starts, shutdowns, and in flight physics are pushed even further.  Try playing with the throttle, or kicking the rudder at speed or doing a prop check.  It’s a world of wonderful physics that drives our sound engine.

Hand towing
We added a new feature, turning your flight stick or yoke into a tow bar.  It really gives the feel you are moving a large plane around, and you can put it exactly where you want it, however you wish.  Our own Captain Jake said the other day “This towing is fun!”  That’s a good sign coming from a 14 year old.

LICENSE:
This software is for entertainment purposes only.
Click to View

The entire PA-28 Cherokee line from the humble two- seat 150 h.p. PA-28-140 to the swift, retractable undercarriage PA-28R-200 Arrow, to the powerful, heavy load-carrying 235 h.p. PA-28-235 Dakota, is respected as being one of the most popular, commercially successful series of aircraft containing within some of the most pilot-friendly aeroplanes ever built. Each member of the Cherokee family fills its particular niche at least as well as, and often better than other aircraft of similar type. However, of all of the many Cherokees the Cherokee 180, sitting as it does right in the middle of the pack has proven itself to be most popular and justifiably so. Introduced to the public in 1961, the first Cherokee, the 150 hp PA-28-150 was immediately well-received setting the pace for its later siblings who went on to provide pilots of all levels of experience with honest, dependable and well-performing aircraft which are fun and satisfying to fly, reliable, safe and economical to own and operate. However, getting to this place took some time and some very astute business and aeronautical skills and sense.

LICENSE:
This software is for entertainment purposes only.
Click to View

If any aeroplane ever deserved to be called “classic”, then the venerable and ubiquitous Cessna 172 in all of its many variations surely deserves that title. It is a time-tested benchmark of aircraft efficiency, utility and excellence; it is one of the most recognizable aeroplanes (although sometimes mistaken for its larger and more powerful brother, the Cessna 182/Skylane and vice versa); its value has been and continues to be well-established and constant. The Cessna 172 has endured going- on six decades, and is an undisputedly traditional design. Classic? Q.E.D..

LICENSE:
This software is for entertainment purposes only.
Click to View