Com-Central.net

Alright Fellas...
All this chatter and these screen shots of FS-2004 has sparked an interest, so I've gone ahead and ordered a copy. Should be in by Friday.

I've been rooting around the forums & web sites and have found tons of downloads, information, new craft, textures, maps, white caps, river color changes, trees and all sorts of variables to play. If possible, could you guys direct me to the bare essentials to get me started flying the friendly sty's with you? I'm sure it will take me a while to acclimate myself to flying civilian skies...(as I've developed a nervous tick and keep checking my 6 for mouthy Brazilians with unlimited ammo!!) Anyhow...I'm looking forward to learning the finer points of flight so any advice, guidance, and direction will be greatly appreciated. Till then, I'll be in CFS-3 most evenings from around 5:30 till 7 or so eastern. Thanks again guys...thus far it's been a pleasure stinking up the skies with you all!

Catch you soon~
JG300-Chili W. -->5-C

I understand your problem...I live with a mouthy Brasilian, but keep my ammo locked up so I'm relatively safe as long as I sleep with one eye open and I keep track of where all the knives are.

Plenty o' advice on FS2004 shenanigans right here in the FS2004 threads...and in our own download section. Stoopy has a thread or two on the good stuff.

Are you checked out on helicopters? It really expands your opportunities, especially with some of "our" sceneries.

You mean Whirly-Birds!?
...No Sir, not checked out "yet"...will learn quick or start bonfires trying!. If I can snap roll an FW-190 at 100 ft off the deck or (eventually) taxi a 109 with any sty'le...I can lift a chopper. Any recommendations on a good training copter? Otherwise I'll hop right into a gunship of some variety!

I'll check the threads and such asap and begin my homework.

In the meanwhile...you keep that Brazilian of yours happy...she sounds dangerous!! And I suggest plastic cuttlery...

Welcome to the darkside Chili !

When you get your copy of fs2004, PM me and get yourself setup on TS and we will have you up and running in a jiffie !


fled

- JG300-Chili

Any recommendations on a good training copter? Otherwise I'll hop right into a gunship of some variety!

We've got both.

Your trainer. Civy HI-skids, Civy lo-skids & the Army vers of the OH6 Cayuse.

www.com-central.net/in...amp;id=206

www.com-central.net/in...amp;id=209

www.com-central.net/in...amp;id=207

Your gunship.

www.rotorwash.net/down...0UH-1C.zip

Gunship update.

www.rotorwash.net/down...ffects.zip

- JG300-fr8ycat

- JG300-Chili

Any recommendations on a good training copter? Otherwise I'll hop right into a gunship of some variety!

We've got both.

Your trainer.

www.com-central.net/in...amp;id=206

Your gunship.

www.rotorwash.net/down...0UH-1C.zip

Gunship update.

www.rotorwash.net/down...ffects.zip

Awesome...That's what I needed. Thanks Spike, or Butch, Killer? Can't wait to use these. Catch you soon...Cw~

Chili, re-read my post I was editing it during your reply. Gave the 3 versions of the OH6 (in order).

The UH1C is still a fun bird to fly though it's a bit old and shows in the VC. Also found a huey sound file that I like better, has more of the thump that I'll try and find a link to.

...and somewhere in there (post trainer) should be Deane Baunton's UH-1 Huey 1969. And the Bell Longranger and the stock Bell 206 is a good trainer, but set realism to like, 90%.

We'll get ya' hooked up. For many, like myself, a larger 'copter is a littler easier to learn on than a smaller one...and the R-22 is definitely not a good "learner" in the sim....too "darty". Big ones are more stable. When you are learning, almost anything you do tends to be "too much" at first. Be real gentle on inputs or things get out of hand right quick.

Ya, Deane Baunton's UH-1D huey is a work of art and a must have to round out the NAM era birds.

64.34.169.161/cgi-bin/...153&tt=zip

Roger that fellas. I was thinking a Nam' era Huey would be a perfect start.
I've flown one in "BattleField Vietnam"...but I seriously question the authenticity of the flight dynamics.
Thanks for the advice. I'll start with these!

Also:
Don't suppose anyone knows where I could get my hands on a B-24 Liberator ey?! I've found and downloaded a B-17 for CFS3...(pleasure to fly but over rated and stole ALL of the Libby's glory) It's that damn Memphis Belle I tell ya!! The Lib's out performed the 17's in almost every category.
Anyhow...if anyone ever happens across one...shoot me the link! Been itching to fly that bird every since I met a right waist gnnr a few years back. Guy had a remarkable story...I even followed up and located the M.A.C.R. from the Gov't archives. Even included the German accounts and statements!

Gotta take time out from laughing at the hilarious first post ("mouthy Brazilians with unlimited ammo"....LMFAO) to say....

WOW! I think this is a new record for adopting FS9 as a second platform...far out, Chili!

Now you're finding the true meaning of the "come to the dark side" thingy in our old banner....wallowing in the mud with a buncha stinky axis CFS3 pilots is only the beginning....there's the even darker dark side of non-combat flight simming via FS9 and all the temptations it offers - any kind of flying you can think of in any weather at any time of day in any part of the world with all the add-on sceneries and aircraft you can eat or imagine....you'll dig it.

And Ascout and Fr8ycat'll waste no time at all to corrupt you even further into that ink-black darkest of all dark sides, rotary-wing flight. Well worth it. Just be aware there's so many options and capabilities, don't let it intimidate you.

If you was to ask me, the first things I'd do is take some time with some of the built-in lessons and get the feel of the sim, and some of the basic stuff like the navigation and instrument systems, which are actually easy to learn (and you'll need 'em eventually). At the same time you'll need to do some basic configuring to get your graphics and display options set where you want them. Whatever video card you have, see if you can enable Anti-Aliasing and Anisotropic Filtering in the driver settings (usually some utility in your WIndows desktop) for good display quality. FS9 is a very visual experience in addition to being an excellent simulator, and those things make a difference since FS9 doesn't activate these features on the vid card very well despite the fact that it has controls inside the display menu that say otherwise. Leave Anti-Aiasing and Anisotropic Filtering OFF inside the sim and turn 'em on with your vid card software for best results (trust me - I went years without realizing what it COULD look like before trying this and seeing a humongous difference just very recently).

You can go absoutely NUTS with add-ons and there are many excellent aircraft out there for free. Also, there are a few turkeys....and it's easy to end up downloading many megabytes of free add-ons that you might only use once. Everyone here will be happy to give you their favorite addons.

For starters, what I'd consider a "must" are the following:

- JG300 Pigsty scenery by Ascout (in download section here)
- JG300 "Mountain Brewery" and also the "Com Central Wilderness Camp" sceneries also by Ascout and in the download section. All of these are within an easy flight's distance of each other up in the NW Seattle/Vancouver area and pretty fun to cruise around to.
- JG300 Bf109 package (in download section here...and it lands and taxies easier than CFS3 )
- Fr8ycat's OH-6A Loach (again, in download section here) in 3 different versions - but it's true this is a sweet-flying helo but one of the smaller ones and a bit challenging to learnt eh basics in. You'll like it once you get the hang of helo's in general tho.
- Pretty much ALL the aircraft collections by Milton Shupe in the download section here. EXCELLENT STUFF. Has it's own sub-section section in the FS2004 download area...drill down to "Milton's Hanger CC".

Those are probably great starters. If you have your TeamSpeak setup installed and working, and have Sunday afternoons free, joining the Com-Central crowd on a Sunday Flight is an excellent way to chat and learn a LOT of very good tips & tidbits.

As for the rest, it's really up to you and where your interests lie. Antiques, Military, Helos, Modern General Aviation, Commercial Jets, Air Racing, just outright weird stuff, whatever....it's there. Personally I'm into light aerobatic aircraft and bush flying as well as the helo's and other fun stuff. There'll be no end of recommendations, all in good time...it's a journey with an almost endless amount of potential to it.



P.S. - oh yeah - besides Hovercontrol for helos, you WANT to head over to Avsim.com and make an account (free). EXCELLENT download section and I would bet you a whole wheelbarrow full o'strawberries they have a B-24, and several additonal repaints!

Yeah...here you go.....

AVSIM FREE B-24

Note that the link may not take you to it until you have an account there. I believe you have to be logged in to see their downlaod section - I get auto-logged in when I follow links to them.

That's one made for FS2002, the previous version, but will probably work fine. Looks decent (click the image JPG links to see a few preview shots). I believe I've seen Ascout zippin' around in a B-24 somewhere's, sure he may have some leads too.

- JG300-Stoopy

Now you're finding the true meaning of the "come to the dark side" thingy in our old banner....wallowing in the mud with a buncha stinky axis CFS3 pilots is only the beginning....there's the even darker dark side of non-combat flight simming via FS9 and all the temptations it offers - any kind of flying you can think of in any weather at any time of day in any part of the world with all the add-on sceneries and aircraft you can eat or imagine....you'll dig it.And Ascout and Fr8ycat'll waste no time at all to corrupt you even further into that ink-black darkest of all dark sides, rotary-wing flight. Well worth it. Just be aware there's so many options and capabilities, don't let it intimidate you.

Stoopy and I have wasted many an hour wandering about the Pacific NW in inclement weather without NavAids at night (!) in the mountains(!!!) in helicopters and fixed wing just looking for the mountain brewery and a safe (and small!!!!!!!) place to land safely. Think combat will pucker you up?....try that!...in a storm! In multiplay. Mucho fun.

Oh...and while you're in the downloads section here...pick up "Phu Bai Redux"...heck, it's free, so why not?


Should we even tell him about "Anomaly Airways"?

Jeezus Fellas...You sure know how to offer up the support don't cha!?! Many thanks!
Sorry to put you through so much typing there Stoop! Hope you're still able fly straight with the carpel tunnel!! I think I got a brain bubble from reading too much~!

This is all excellent stuff! I should have just run to the store and picked up a copy...Now I have to wait 3-5 days on shipping! I'll use all this you've jotted down as soon as it comes in! I've told the girlfriend to make other plans so I should be able to log a fair amount of flight time. But for right now...I smell Brazillians! (Not your wife Ascout)
See you in the air Gents!

Another quick tip to get you started, grab a copy of CC's Environment Upgrade and the addendum to it (both files) here in the downloads section under Scenery. GREAT addons done by none other than our own Fled! These are the basis of some amazing screen shots.

As you begin navigating the earth, be sure to grab "Mesh" and "Landclass" files for those areas, adds to the experience! www.AVSIM.com is a GREAT place to get started. I have grabbed about 50gigs+ of extras for this sim - very addictive! I think I have most the world covered down on!

Sunday flight is a great time to get online and chat with folks. All ComC guys who have been doing this awhile. I learn something new every weekend I am on! There is a download in the aircraft section as well for our new and improved JG300 109.

So much to recommend, so little time. But you will pick it up quickly as I had to! As you think of questions, fire away!

Welcome to the dark side my friend!