Aerosoft DHC-2 Beaver

[Flying Trucker]

Good afternoon all...

Had a little time so decided to do some ski flying with the Aerosoft DeHavilland Beaver...DHC-2

Tried to keep in mind the pointers given to me by Daube, not sure how I did...he may want two bottles of wine and two pounds of cheese...

Here is a Link to some excellent shots...from all over the world with the Beaver including an interesting Royal Air Force shot...

http://www.dhc-2.com/VISTAS_CANADA.html

FSX and Windows 7
HDE Clouds
3D Lights
FS Water Configurator set to Steve's Favourite Settings
Aircraft:

[Fozzer]

Wonderful shots, Doug!

"They say pictures should tell a story...not sure if I accomplished that..."

That often prevents me from posting some of my screen shots.
The "frozen" picture never quite reproduces the sight, sound, and feeling, of the live flight sim experience at the time!

Paul.

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks Paul...very much appreciated...

I noticed in your last two postings showing aircraft and Fixed Base Operators how wonderful the scenery was for FS2004.

I never seemed to get that with FS2004 which is why I went to FSX.

I almost thought you were using Payware Scenery until I looked at the Forum you posted in.

That C150 of yours is awesome...you must wash and polish it everyday... ...your pictures showed it very well...

[Fozzer]

.......

That C150 of yours is awesome...you must wash and polish it everyday... ...your pictures showed it very well...

Yep, Doug... ...

I also do the same for my Cessna 150... ... ... ....!

I am always amazed at my trusty FS 2004, with all its various (mostly free) add-on bits and bobs over the years,
During each daily flight I wish that FSX Users could see how marvellous it is, with all its magnificent, often realistic, VFR scenery, and how smooth it runs at maximum settings, with all my lowly hardware!
I sometimes/often think that if the newcomers to the Sim would try out FS 2004 first, they would not be quite so disappointed with the Flight Sim!

If your FSX is giving you a serious headache...try FS 2004 first/instead!....there are a lot of us out there!
It can be made to look as good...and often better than FSX!

I design my own scenery at various airfields and strips in FS 2002/FS 2004, by placing various objects there by hand.

Paul....FS 2004... ....!

P.S. (I also have FSX, since it was first released, as well as FS '98, FS 2000, and FS 2002...CFS 2/3).

[CHUCK79]

Great shots, Doug................your sky and clouds look awesome and the colors of the plane really stand out 8-) 8-)

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks Chuck...much appreciated...

[Daube]

Hi Doug,

Finally home, looking at your shots, I see quite an improvement in your screenshooting technique :)

That second shot is really great, look at those colors ! The third one is pretty neat as well, and you know how I love VC shots like the forth one, right ? ;)

Concerning the advises to make them better, here they come:

Shot #1
The place is nice, but the angle of view could be better.
It's hard for me to make any suggestion though... probably I would have put the camera on the ground, somewhere under the wing, looking towars the engine, showing the various objects (cars, trees and buildings) in the background.. something like that.
The goal would be to avoid that empty space below your plane. It's not that bad in this shot really, but there is a little lack of detail here. Since the Aerosoft Beaver is quite nicely detailled, you can get the camera quite close to it without problem, so use that as an advantage, just like you did in the third shot.

Shot #2
Not much to say here, you did well. Perhaps, the plane is a little bit too much at the bottom, but honnestly the shot is already good as it is :)

Shot #3
Here as well, almost nothing to say, it's a nice shot. The background scenery is not so interesting, and that might be the one and only "not so good" thing in it. I love that view angle, and the plane looks good too. The lake is clearly visible. I think it would not be easier to do any better than that anyway ;)

Shot #4
VC shot, "see what I saw", I like this. Not to be used too much, but one or two in every sequence is always nice :) Nothing to say in the composition here, you did all well :)

Shot #5
Hard to criticize... I like the angle of view, we can see you landed at the beginning of the lake, we can also see some of the obstacles behind you, that's neat. *Perhaps* you could have done the same shot from a bit closer.... don't be afraid to cut the wings, sometimes you can get a great shot even with an incomplete aircraft :) The main fuselage, a piece of the lake, the snow smoke effect and the trees in the background are what you want to show. But yes, this one is really not easy to get right.

Shot #6 and #7
Get closer to the plane, show the detail in the pit from outside.... put the camera a bit closer to the wheels of the plane, but not too close ! But again, they look good like that. Only thing is the similare angle of view in both shots => repetitive !

Hope it helps

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks Stephane "Daube"...your comments are always constructive, helpful and most appreciated...

Here is what I thought after I posted the shots and had a good look at them...

Shot #1
I tried to hard to show traffic and the other aircraft.
Far too much ground (empty space) showing and I knew you would pick that out...
But, you are right.
It is odd, I did try some angles from shooting down at the aircraft but they did not look right even though I could capture the other three aircraft.

Do you think I was trying to put to much detail into that shot?

Shot #2
I wanted to show the blowing snow as the aircraft picked up speed and again did try several angles from the front pointing down but the side shot is the one I chose.

Shot #3
I thought you might like the view angle and I was trying to show how an approach to a touch down point which was the upper lake should be started well in advance even with a STOL aircraft.  Of course we are talking peace time flying and not military operations.
In real life flying I would have done a Precautionary Approach to the lake and then set up my extended final approach but knowing that aircraft do not fall through the ice in Microsoft FSX and FS2004 I knew the ice was thick enough...

Shot #4
I knew you would like this one also Stephane.
Now.
Quick Question:
I can not seem to find the command where the picture can be taken from the right seat and I am wondering if this is just the way the Payware Program is designed.

Any comment on that would be most appreciated.

Shot #5
I think this was my hardest shot to take.
I was trying to get the touchdown just right and not stand the aircraft on it's nose or bounce it...that would have been disastrous...
I will keep in mind the fact that you can get a great shot even with an incomplete aircraft...never gave that much thought until now...thanks...


Shot #6
Again I think I was trying to put too much into the shot.

It should have been an easy shot I think because the aircraft is shut down and not moving.

I try to take the shots when I am flying the simulator and this makes things more difficult as you well know.

Your comment makes sense...move in closer but using the same angle.

Shot #7
I knew you would say Shot #6 and Shot #7 would look repetitive and you are absolutely right.  Never noticed that until after I posted the shots.
Again move the camera in closer like you said and I could have tried to get an angle farther towards the back and under the wing or near the wheel just like you said.

Again thanks Stephane...

[Daube]

Hi Doug,

Concerning your questions:
Shot #1:
No I don't think you tried to show "too much" details. That background scenery is quite rich. Sure, trying to show everything is hard and dangerous, but by simply playing around with the camera position and the zoom, I think you can capture your aircraft and a good portion of the background details as well. Then it's up to you to avoid the dangerous zoom values (too small leads to fisheye, too big leads to blurries)

Shot #4:
Normally, you circle through the sub-views for a given view category with the 'A' key. If you don't get a right seat view, then probably it was not included with the plane. You can define it yourself though, it works exactely like the external cameras that you can paste from an aircraft.cfg to another, you just need to be carefull with the coordinates. Yes it's a bit tricky. However, a simpler solution is to pause the game, then move your eyepoint using the various commands CTRL+ENTER/BACKSPACE, CRTL+SHIFT+ENTER/BACKSPACE and SHIFT+ENTER/BACKSPACE. You take te shot then go back to your seat to resume the flight

Shot #7:
One advise: you wanted to emphasize the "departure time", with that starting engine. I think it might have been a good idea to take a shot that would focus on that starting engine, perhaps a bottom-up view zoomed on the smoking engine, with the sky in background.... yes, that would have been nice, what do you think ? Surely you would have to use one of those special view, like the one in the second shot, then move the camera next to the engine, close to the ground, then look up at the engine.... on the side, or slightly behind it.... you have to test

One last advise: be carefull with flashy red planes. The JPEG compression hates the red color for some reason, and when you have to compress the shot to match the forum rules, usually the JPEG compression harms the visual quality of the red parts.

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks Stephane...

Yes will try those suggestions for the cockpit shots and the departure shot or Shot #7.

I like that idea for Shot #7 and I think two shots of an engine start without being repetitive is possible and would tell more of a story.

It is great to be able to talk/type these ideas over with other folks inputs and opinions...

I for one am very grateful for the Simviation Forums, am sure other's learn by my mistakes, the advice given to me for everyone else to use and benefit is a plus, constructive and most welcome I am sure by all ...