Swapping AIR files

[jb2_86_uk]

Hey there simmers!

I have been painting rob versluy's b7e7 like crazy here and have got some really nice paint schemes now. I released a bunch a while back on simV, anyhow... The default characteristics for this aircraft are not ideal, the default climb rate is 300fpm and the aircraft struggles to crusing altitude if this is changed, quite annoying when the default ms planes do 1800!!! is it possible to just copy the .air file from say the b777 into the b7e7 and everything will still work ok? Im a newbie at the whole customising business apart from painting!!! I hope that all made sense!

Regards
John

[papa-metro]

I frequently change  .air files in order to improve performance of planes I like the looks of that fail in that respect. you may have to try a few to suit, and you have to change the file name (ie p2v.air) so it matches the original. If you want to, you can retain the original in the aircraft file by just adding an x or something to it (p2v.airx) If you ever have to go back just erase the x.
papa-metro usaf 1953-57

[JerryH]

Hi John,

The default climb rate is just a starting point.  If you don't like the 300 fpm value in the B7E7, simply edit the aircraft.cfg file and change it to a value that you like better.

When in flight, use your mouse to change the value in the autopilot VSI. None of these aircraft should climb all the way to cruise altitude at a fixed climb rate.

At sea level, for example, a jet may climb easily at 3,500 fpm. As it gains altitude, the VSI will have to be gradually reduced in order to maintain airspeed. Nearing cruise altitude, the VSI may be down to a rate of 1000 fpm or less.

The goal is to maintain the proper airspeed during climb. The FS autopilot doesn't do this for you.

Give it a try.

Regards,
JerryH

[jb2_86_uk]

Hi Jerry. Thanks for the help. I know that it is possible to change the climb rate in autopilot, its just the aircraft just doesnt seem to have the power to cope with 1800fpm at a fixed speed of 250knts (ie below fl100), now the default 777 obviously doesnt have this problem so i would assume swapping the .air file would make the aircraft have identical performance (with respect to engines) as the 777.

John

[JerryH]

John,

I'm using Bob Versluy's B7E7 with FS2002.  The only thing I did to the aircraft.cfg file was to jigger the weights a little to get the max takeoff weight down to about 452,500 pounds.  The station_load was reduced from 55,000 to 46,200 pounds and the Center fuel tank was reduced from 9,700 gallons to a max of 8,030 gallons.  The max takeoff weight of 452,500 comes from Bob's Readme file.

With those weights, the aircraft initially climbs at 3,500 fpm.  Above 10,000 ft, I accelerate gradually from 250 KIAS to 340 KIAS.  Then maintain 340 KIAS until reaching Mach 0.82, then hold 0.82 until reaching cruise altitude.  This climb schedule gets the aircraft to about 41,000 ft while still barely maintaining 1,000 fpm.

I have no idea what the right answer is for cruise ceiling, but this works for me and is very satisfactory.

As far as swapping .air files:  Some values in the .cfg file will supercede the values in the .air file.  If I were to swap, I would swap both the .air and the .cfg.  Then what you'll have is a B777 that looks like a B7E7.

Let us know what works the best for you.

Regards,
JerryH