DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 I recently got my Flight Simulator set up and got Air Hauler and god I'm addicted to it. I'm now at a point where I have 1 Default C208, a Super Cargomaster, Mooney Bravo G1000, Pilatus PC-12 (which you can imagine I love) and a Beechcraft Bonanza A36 but I've kinda ran into a brick wall when it comes to capacity. The next step up would be a DC-3 which has no autopilot (which I really need). Can anybody recommend any payware/freeware planes to fit this criteria? Sorry if this is posted in the wrong section I only joined 30 minutes ago All the best Dalton Air Haulage EIME Casement AB Dublin Link to post Share on other sites
hifly 925 Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Hi Matt and to the hanger, great that you are enjoying this fantastic hobby. Just Flight do a DC3 that has a basic autopilot, also their DC6, check them out. Happy Hauling! Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Hi Matt. Welcome to Mutley's and Airhauler...both are great fun. I really like your Company Logo...nice job. 2000+ lb cargo capacity is a Huge swatch of aircraft if you Lease rather than Buy...which is highly recommended as you essentially Rent-to-own in AH, owning the plane outright after your 18th payment (iirc). Sounds like your are ready to progress beyond the Caravan stage....so many options. If you wish to explore them yourself, there are many freeware sites to search. Use Wikipedia to search stats on anything that looks interesting...Specifications usualy list cruise and max speeds, empty and max weights...all very useful to know for AH. Some of my personal favorites in freeware that were a bump up from the C208... in no particular order were: CASA-295, C-123 Shorts 360 Skyway B-25 Martin (btw...Military planes are a great value in AH calculations. You might have to create a cargo station for some of them...very easy to do in the aircraft.cfg file, but they can often carry large cargos for far le$$ lease/buy cost than civil planes of the same cargo size). Payware: Aerosoft Beaver BN2 Islander - Flight One Software Virtavia Caribou (Best STOL in my hangar except for helicopters. I can land it on a carrier deck without a hook, back up using prop feathering, turn around and take back off again...amazing airplane and it hauls like 12,000 lbs with a light fuel load.) Virtavia Ru-16 Albatross (Great amphibian) (I really like Virtavia's plane's in AH, they look good and have very friendly UI features; Autopilots, Instruments, GPS units, etc.) But my favorite planes to fly end up being sub-2000 lb cargo GA aircraft, as most of y/our flying is to generate Rep points rather than $$$ (the AI's do all that for you once you get a few or more busy on your payrolls), so fly fun stuff like:Carenado PA-46T Malibu turbo...fast, gorgeous, fun fun, hauls about 1200 lbs. Carenado Skymaster 337 (erm...all the Carenado stuff is gorgeous, just pick something that looks awesome to you, and it Will be, you can't go wrong with a Carenado (my only regret was their Piper Saratoga, it was Way overshadowed by the Malibu once I picked that up) And of course my new passion is helicopters in AH. There are some nice freeware stuff, search for ALPHA + Virtavia in google and you should find a site that has some free expayware Virtavia planes and helis...some very nice payware quality free stuff that is brilliant in AH. Sikorsky S-55 Super Cobra Favorite AH Helicopter is Virtavia's CH-47 Chinook, which after a bit of messing with the .cfg I managed to tweak to carry 35,000 lbs (Wiki says it should carry around 45,000lbs...but I'll take 35,000) thanks to FSX Acceleration letting it use 2 engines. But it is slow at that weight, around 100 knots, empty it will overspeed past 200 kts....sweet chopper. The sky is literally the limit in your choices, which is half the fun...plonking about in new aircraft and finding out what you like to fly most. Have fun, Cpt Matt. Link to post Share on other sites
Corsaire31 419 Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 The Flight one BN2 Islander only takes 1458 lbs although I love using it for islands deliveries and short strips). The Twotter is over 2000 and the Aerosoft Extended Twin Otter is great ! Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Wow! Thank you guys! Wasn't expecting so many replies! Anyways time to spend some time on the oul Google to look for these planes! Thanks a million guys and thanks for the warm welcome Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Hello Matt, welcome to Mutley's. If you would like a panel (2D) for the FSX Stock DC3 with the Bendix King Autopilot and the Bendix King radio stack in front of the right seat, let me know and I'll email you the code. Warning: you must be competent to modify your configuration files to use this. Modifying the config files really only needs a text editor, so it's not difficult - just dangerous if you don't back up the originals. Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 I don't mind I'll go for it! Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 does anyone know how to edit the aircraft.cfg to increase cargo capacity? I've tried it with the PMDG 1900D but I cant get it past 1986 lbs Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 There are a couple ways to alter the .cfg file: Until you are comfortable altering the .cfg, I'd advise always making a backup of the original before modifying an copy...I rename the original file aircraft_orig.cfg and keep it in the same folder as aircraft.cfg. However, hiding original values behind double slash marks will preserve original values in the aircraft.cfg copy that you are currently using/modifying...for reference, also you can save changes and notations that way for reference. Change weight method 1. "Remove seats and misc weight by reducing the aircraft's empty_weight:... for example here is the W&B section from a Carenado Mooney 201 that I have altered...note the use of the double slash mark to "Hide" comments and previous values. [weight_and_balance]max_gross_weight = 2740empty_weight =1500 //1580 this is the original value, I assigned 40lbs per seat and removed 80lbs from the empty weight...fsx can't see these comments behind the double slash marks.reference_datum_position = 3.6, 0, 0empty_weight_CG_position = -3.6, 0, 0empty_weight_pitch_MOI = 2706empty_weight_roll_MOI = 2131empty_weight_yaw_MOI = 3932empty_weight_coupled_MOI = 0max_number_of_stations = 5station_load.0 = 170, -2.93, -0.74, 0station_load.1 = 0, -2.93, 0.74, 0station_load.2 = 0, -5.3, -0.74, 0station_load.3 = 0, -5.3, 0.74, 0station_load.4 = 0, -7.3, 0, 0station_name.0 = "Pilot"station_name.1 = "Rt Seat"station_name.2 = "Lt Px"station_name.3 = "Rt Px"station_name.4 = "Baggage" Method #2... reduce the amount of fuel your aircraft carries as follows: [fuel]//Longitudinal (feet), Lateral (feet), Vertical (feet), Usable(gallons), Unusable (gallons)fuel_type = 1number_of_tank_selectors = 1LeftMain = -4.1, -2, 0, 20.00, 1.25 //33.25 I reduced the total tankage from 66.5 gallons to 40 gallons, plenty of range still, but AI's can load that fuel weight as cargo nowRightMain = -4.1, 2, 0, 20.00, 1.25 //33.25electric_pump=1 However, f you ONLY plan to fly the plane yourself, leave the tankage alone, as YOU don't need to load the tanks with a full fuel load, but your stupid AI's will load full tanks before each flight and only carry the "MTOW-Empty weight-fuel weight=Cargo load." Cheers. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thanks a million matt! Happy hauling! Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 You are very welcome. There are other things you can do with the aircraft.cfg file too...such as modifying Maximum speed and Flap/Gear damage values...something I tend to do with High Performance aircraft that like to over speed shortly after takeoff, but are not so quick to slow back down when you wish to land You can alter default autopilot values...like changing it's default VS setting higher if the plane can easily handle say...1200 fpm instead of a preset value of 700 fpm...to save yourself having to bump it up in cockpit on each and every flight. ofc, you compromise/alter "Reality and Simulation" aspects by altering RW aircraft performance specs...but...Airhauler/FSX isn't Real World. Have fun and happy hauling and .cfg mucking about....just save your work. Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 After a few days of downloading various A/C, the casa 295 was a big hit with me. I loved everything about it.....except the price tag Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 After a few days of downloading various A/C, the casa 295 was a big hit with me. I loved everything about it.....except the price tag haha. At the moment (at least temporarily) my option is the DC-3. I just couldn't find any other planes close to that €3 million mark that had similar or +/- 1000 cargo capacity. If there's any other payware or freeware planes that you guys know about drop the names in a comment Happy hauling from all at Dalton Air Haulage Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted July 23, 2014 Report Share Posted July 23, 2014 Are you Buying or Leasing aircraft? Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2014 Buying, I won't make enough profit in a month to cover a lease and I'd rather just own them out right Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted July 24, 2014 Report Share Posted July 24, 2014 Ouch...and you are incorrect about not being able to afford the lease...once you have an AI pilot or two...they can be qued up with a full day's worth of jobs per plane...or more if you are a mean boss and earn the lease amount back in a day or less. Link to post Share on other sites
Corsaire31 419 Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 I have my AI pilots fly usually one job per day (rarely two) and on Friday they are back to base for a good week end of rest, and I easily pay for the leasings and make some money. Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 I want you for my boss. Link to post Share on other sites
Corsaire31 419 Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 My goal in AH is to stay reasonably small, have a few AI pilots to pay for the bills and fly myself as often as possible. I think my two active companies have reached their desired size, and rather than making them bigger I would rather open a new one in another nice part of the world ( I'm thinking about the southern tip of Argentina from Punta Arenas or the Chile Pacific coast , or alternatively Norway/Sweden in Europe which could be fun operating in winter ) The weekend rest for the pilots is also because I have a general "no fly on week ends" agreement with my own lady boss. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 It's not that I don't want to lease planes, it's just that I "part-own" the company (with my dad) and he'd rather buy the planes outright. We've decided to just go with the DC-3 with the silver metal paint scheme. Will this unlock bigger jobs for us? Matt CEO of Dalton Air Haulage Link to post Share on other sites
Gunner 69 Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 Yes, as you buy/ lease bigger cargo cap, jobs are getting bigger too. Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Added a second DC-3 to the fleet. Purchased for €2.89 million earlier today. They are work horses without a doubt I may build up a fleet of them for European ops before I begin expansion into Asia or Africa (I'll transfer the Cessna 208's there when that happens). I'm sure by then I'll have some bigger jets to operate in Asia Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Grats on your expansion. FYI (not to keep harping on it) Leasing is Rent-to-Own...after the 18th payment (if you keep it that long) you will own the aircraft outright. Leasing is a great tool for expanding rapidly, lets you spread your capital out over far more income generating planes and pilots. cheers. Link to post Share on other sites
DublinPilatus 5 Posted July 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Oh I never realised that. May discuss it with the father and see where it goes from there I'll keep you posted in the meantime! Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted August 1, 2014 Report Share Posted August 1, 2014 Holy Moley git thee to the JustFlight site and grab their DC3 Legends of Flight while it is on deep sale. An awesome payware at any price. Link to post Share on other sites
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