Artificial Intelligence or Artificial Idiots

[vololiberista]

You remember me of myself sometime ago.

Until, that is, I began using pedals to control the rudder. Been a while now that I've been landing the plane I fly on only by hand (unless weather boycotts me and have to use ILS or go on the alternate if ILS is not available). From the C140 to the A346, there's just another feel, another kind of satisfaction, in succeeding to land in tight spots, stick in hand only.

Once I avoided complex situations too. Now I get bored if the landing is any less than Kai Tak, or LICR, or Madeira, but with traffic that nips at my heels and less than perfect weather (but not so unpleasant to make me deviate on alternate).

Have you tried Genova Sestri? Ok it's only a 1 1/2 degree offset ILS. But that's difficult to fly accurately by hand (as it is offset for a reason!!!!) If you let the a/c fly the ILS then you must cancel it at exactly the right moment in order to make the centreline!!!
Vololiberista

[ashaman]

Ah, Genova was THE airport I flew in FS98 (I can't remember if it was stock or add-on at the moment) and 2002 (until at least I began using LIRN and LIRI). It was even more bare than today, but it had that feel of "the italian Meigs" that I really... still like, from time to time to frequent.

...been a while though... hmmm... deserves fro me to go there on my spanking new SF260 to renew the old days.

The slight offset in Genova is there in real life to make so that a landing plane would not land face-first on the dock elevators quite a while before reaching the airport proper, a little like Naples LIRN has a 3 degrees offset still not operational ILS on runway 6. To lessen the disturb given to people on the Vomero and Camaldoli, avoiding the overflight (in reality it could be perfectly aligned, but the rich snots in said city blocks have petitioned the major... with all the sh*t that follows).

Ah... there's little that the italian airports have to still reveal to me, like LIPB Bolzano and its murderous circuit, never to try unless with at least 5 miles visibility. The already named LICR Reggio Calabria, also known as the "italian Kai Tak" (needs a decent mesh, or you could simply go for a VERY unrealistic straight in approach). The same LIRN, shooting the VOR/DME for runway 6 in bad weather, with the thrill (in the simulator) of the risk of collision with the Camaldoli hill (with a decent mesh, the stock sim has the Camaldoli completely flat and at sea level). Or some of the lesser add-on non default landing strips, only to be used with a GA plane...

[vololiberista]

LIMZ "International Airport" so-called because there's a flight to Bucharest!  In real life the ILS is a headache as one has to first contact Levaldigi to establish, then Torino and then back to Levaldigi for short finals.  The airspace above is a nightmare. The two authorities don't get on. The default LIMZ is **** BTW
The rwy is only 7000ft a piece of cake in a VC10 but tight for a 737!!
If take-off is to the SW then remember to flap your wings with some vigour in order to get above the mountains.
Vololiberista

[ashaman]

Never tried Cuneo before, I must admit, but seen the runway's peculiarities, I'd never go there on a 737.

Better a climber plane, like a MD80, with its near vertical angles of attack and rates, or if the 80 is not in hangar, then a light a319 or a318, both of which are not so bad in climbing out of hell ASAP.

I would try perhaps LIRQ, that is a national airport as much as the driveway alley in front of my house can be defined a high speed highway. The same LIRQ where even the light loaded A319's have to be VERY wary and if it's a little too hot can't take off at all. The very same airport that can give the Bae146 and ATR 42/72 splitting headaches (and said planes do not even have heads), with the right weather. The very same airport with another offset ILS and and one of the very few airports in Italy where a missed approach on runway 5 can be sometime worse than a bad landing if (to take an expression from you) you don't flap you wings well and bank right with decision.

[vololiberista]

I'll try that in the VC10. The only thing that is it's acchilles heel is crosswind handling. Even with all the washing hanging out the wings are so slippery that it is very difficult to control above a 30knt crosswind!
Vololiberista

[ashaman]

O_o

You wanna try LIRQ in a VC10? Are you completely out of your mind?

No, please, no, don't so do this. Life is beautiful, why do you want to...

...ah... you meant on the simulator. For a moment you had me going.



Do this only at home, boys, girls, men, women, halfways, old men, old women and old halfways. Do this only at home. Landing on or taking off from an airport with a plane that, no matter how good it is, is not the right kind of plane for that kind of airport, is a thing only to do at home, on a simulator.

[vololiberista]

O_o

You wanna try LIRQ in a VC10? Are you completely out of your mind?

No, please, no, don't so do this. Life is beautiful, why do you want to...

...ah... you meant on the simulator. For a moment you had me going.



Do this only at home, boys, girls, men, women, halfways, old men, old women and old halfways. Do this only at home. Landing on or taking off from an airport with a plane that, no matter how good it is, is not the right kind of plane for that kind of airport, is a thing only to do at home, on a simulator.

Your rwy is 5000ft oodles of space for a VC10 to land and take off!!
On take off a fully laden VC10 would reach V1 in under 2000ft. I'm absolutely certain that if a VC10 arrived you would phone in sick and take the day off to go and drool over one of the finest a/c to grace the skies of this Earth!

I can hear the crackle of those four Conway engines now Aaaahhhhh!!!!  ;D

Vololiberista

[vololiberista]

LIRQ Non c'

[simonmd]

[quote]I'm absolutely certain that if a VC10 arrived you would phone in sick and take the day off to go and drool over one of the finest a/c to grace the skies of this Earth!

I can hear the crackle of those four Conway engines now Aaaahhhhh!!!!

[vololiberista]

Couldn't aggree more, hence why I chose the VC10 as my subject in this months SS comp'.

The VC10 was designed to be able to opperate from very short runways, in the days before 'heavy' jets were the norm. The VC10 could fly to many places that the B707 couldn't.

It can still beat 737 performance!!!!!!!
Vololiberista

[ashaman]

It can still beat 737 performance!!!!!!!
Vololiberista

Very few planes can't beat a 737.

The 737 is a good plane alright, but does not excel at anything.

And so the VC10 can loiter in LIRQ, huh?

After all, it's a modern days narrow-body (at its times it was considered a widebody, then again, those were the times when the 707 was considered a widebody too) with a lot of humph for its size and a clean wing. Comparable to a slightly overweight MD80...

I'm here with my head covered with ashes. I should have known.

Fact is, I never flew this bird because its panel was far from intuitive and lacked (and still lacks) the time to learn it.

I guess one of these days I have to find a hour or so to dedicate to learn how to fly it.

[vololiberista]

Fact is, I never flew this bird because its panel was far from intuitive and lacked (and still lacks) the time to learn it.

I guess one of these days I have to find a hour or so to dedicate to learn how to fly it.

The VC10 panel was regarded as the "first" intuitive panel!!!!! It is/was a real hit with pilots.  Having sat in the jump seat and in no.2 I can vouch for that. And as you can see Firenze is just a plaything for this bird!!!
Vololiberista

[ashaman]

Intuitive perhaps for the times, intuitive perhaps in the real thing. Been a while I tried it out, but remember it was not so intuitive for me.

Anyway, as good your loved plane is, and I'm not going to dispute it, it too had to make way to newer planes. I say this with no little gloom, as the plane I like the most, the DC9, is about to disappear as well. The latest models (MD80 to 87 and 90) are dwindling and seen the typology of planes they won't find easy employment in cargo service.