Navion first flight

[Quickmarch 488]

I ran out of patience and didn't wait to get home and use a joystick - flew the new bird using the keyboard (jolly difficult if you're not used to it).

 

Departed Friday Harbor, KFHR, and landed at Victoria, CYYJ, to clear customs. After a short stop I got airborne for Nanaimo, CYCD, my home base.

 

Here's the new Navion cruising past Active Pass in the Gulf Islands, BC, Canada. Stock scenery.

 

 

 

Here's the turn onto the approach.

 

 

My keyboard skills being what they are, this was an autopilot approach to minimums. As is evident from the photo, as soon as I disconnected the autopilot, I got a bit out of line and a tad high. Full flaps sure slow this baby down and rescued what could have turned into a missed approach.

 

 

Safely down, on the rollout.

 

 

 

[rosariomanzo 545]

Nice shots and great skill with the keyboard. There was a time when I was used to it. I don't know it today I would be able to fly this way.

[Quickmarch 488]

I think I'll consider this the last time I try it, too. The aircraft was so twitchy it was a huge stain just to get it airborne. Took me three tries, thank the stars for FSUIPC. Once off the ground (on the third attempt), I connected the autopilot and flew it pretty much with heading bug. The last few hundred feet were a challenge. The pic I posted of the short final is the best shot I could get. The others were way too crossed up. As soon as I disconnected the autopilot the Navion rolled 45 degrees right and ballooned a hundred feet. There was some fast finger-work needed to get it on the ground.

 

Lesson learned.

 

Once I get the proper controls in my hands, I think this baby is going to be a joy to fly.

[brett 2,283]

Well done March.   I wouldn't even try to land with the keyboard, I have flown using it a few times to check out a scenery area during testing but I end up all over the place because it does not center the yoke.

[Quickmarch 488]

I found that out the hard way. You have to keep at it with the right/left arrow keys, so up/down takes a back seat. I struggled to get it off the ground because I'd forgotten to set FSX up with a linked rudder (the first time). Also, I had no idea where to set the trim and got that a bit skinny. Result was an off runway excursion, using the ailerons to try to correct for P-Factor. Of course, as soon as it lifted off the grass it rolled inverted and crashed. Nuts!

 

So I reloaded the flight with FSUIPC after making changes to the "settings" to give myself a linked rudder. Then I carefully set up the autopilot for height and direction. I lost it off the end of the runway when I tried to engage the autopilot too low. Rolled it in again.

 

The third time was sweet. I hung in, letting the trim and throttle deal with the VNAV half and madly keyed the aileron keys until I had over 500 feet, then went for the gear. 500 feet later, I had enough stability to turn on the autopilot and select HDG and ALT. After that it was a piece of cake (actually it was a slice of cake because a piece is what you get when you have pie). I landed at Victoria by flying it right down to the button on autopilot and throttle.

 

I got cocky and darn near bought it on the landing in Nanaimo when I decided I had it aced and dis-connected the autopilot at 500 feet. Yikes! Judicious use of the P key gave me enough breathing space to take a couple of screenshots, clean out my shorts, and get ready to make a few corrections.

 

Are we having fun, yet? 

[brett 2,283]

I remember reading a forum thread where the guy wrote in asking if was worth getting a joystick. He had been flying in FSX, around two or three times a week, for two years using a keyboard and was thinking of ways to improve his enjoyment. His first thoughts were about scenery and a few other addons, his question about the joystick was at the end. Amazing.  

[hifly 925]

Ashamed to admit that I flew on a keyboard for a couple of months before I got a cheap  joystick. Then I picked up  a Thrustmaster Hotas X and FSX acceleration for £15 at a car boot sale. I asked the guy why was he selling it, he said he couldn't get on with the game. GAME this isn't a game, it does annoy me when people call it a game. 

 

Anyway, John my heart goes out to you flying on a keyboard but it must give you a whiff of nostalga. 

[Quickmarch 488]

I recall the very first MFS software that I bought. I think it was version 1.1 or something along those lines. You got to fly a WWI biplane around Chicago. It was also flown in a very early version of Windows, complete with .PIF files and the other strange things that we thought were pretty cool at the time. 

 

It was strictly a keyboard-operated sim as far as my memory goes. This would be in (let's say) the late eighties or early nineties. I was flying in the RW at that time and the simulator was pretty hokey compared to the real thing, so the software languished on a shelf until I donated the library prior to going offshore. Maybe it was the simple aircraft that we were flying, but I do not recall that it was difficult to keep the aircraft on an even keel.

 

It would be interesting to try that again.

[jankees 917]

wow, flying AND landing with keyboard only? I've never managed that...

 

btw, my Navion paints are now on OZx

[Quickmarch 488]

Thanks for that, Jan Kees,

I'll go there as soon as I get home. I really like the bare metal treatment that you've done.

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

I got this plane last night and ended up staying up till 4am playing with it.

Note to self...d/l new planes in the morning, not right before bedtime.

The cats were Not amused by the late breakfast.

 

Gorgeous model outside And in, and Amazing sound through headphones.

Kudos to you folks that design these things and actually put them out there for us for free.

 

I <3 FS community.

[dolf8857 640]

Nice shots, great freebie plane I love it too!