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Post by Allan Lowson on Feb 7, 2021 15:00:45 GMT
The 2021 GAAR is now available for test flight and pilot registration with flights scheduled for March.
Piston-engined and turboprop aircraft first flown between 1903 and 1996 are eligible.
Further updates of files will follow.
Airfield, routes and flights for FS9, FSX, P3D and XPlane will be available from mid of February.
Test flight information is available. FS9, FSX P3D and X-Plane files are available to download to simplify setting up the test flights.
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Post by dnunes on Feb 23, 2021 12:46:22 GMT
Hello!
I have tested the 1st leg on P3Dv4 but I have a doubt: is the weather file loaded? The aircraft is correctly placed at the starting point but it seems I only have "fair weather". Is this so? I remember that, in some past rallies (possibly still running FSX) for times we had really lousy weather... So I am not sure whether the weather files are really loaded together with the PLN file.
Regards,
Domingos
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Post by Allan Lowson on Feb 23, 2021 13:33:23 GMT
Hi Domingos,
You should have.wx files in the P3D downloads that reflect the cloud and wind from the flight details. Having said that I used weather data for each day and airport from March 2020.
It was not particularly wild during March along our route, in fact I added a bit cloud for most days as the weather was even less interesting. Apologies for that, for once as real as it gets was pretty boring.
Next year I will add a Tropical Cyclone Domingos or two to liven up the mix!
Cheers,
Allan
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Post by dnunes on Feb 23, 2021 14:36:30 GMT
Thanks Allan for your reply.
So may I assume that, when I direct P3D to load a flight (pln), both the wx and fxml are loaded? I do not remember what happened in my last rallies, but as I said sometimes the weather was harsh...
Regards,
Domingos
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Post by Allan Lowson on Feb 23, 2021 21:55:14 GMT
Hi Domingos,
In P3D flights are referred to as scenarios. That's Lockheed for you. Just loading the plan would not include the weather or set the time and date.
I have noticed while testing the FSX flights on different installations that the weather will not always look the same if you have different settings in the general display settings.
Cheers,
Allan
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Post by dnunes on Feb 24, 2021 12:19:39 GMT
Hello Allan!
I do not see any way to load weather in P3D, unless it is automatically loaded when I direct it to load the FP. I am using Active Sky (not for these flights) and it is possible to load weather from a file, but it does not recognize either wx or fxml.
Today I will test the second flight and see what happens in what concerns weather.
Regards,
Domingos
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Post by skmcconnell on Feb 25, 2021 0:54:18 GMT
@dunses, If you load the situation then P3D will load the weather file with the same name. If you want to use Active Sky then set Active Sky to Historical weather and forced to time and date in the sim, then have P3D set to March 2020. at the starting point, the local time is 06:00, and GMT or Zulu time is 20:30 the evening before.
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Post by dnunes on Feb 25, 2021 12:24:36 GMT
Hello!
Thanks for your information. When I load the FP on P3D I get it pointing to GR21-02 Mount Gambier... while the weather files are named GAAR2021... Do you think P3D will consider this as the weather files. Yesterday I have flown the 2nd flight using only the input GR21-02.... Today I will take the same flight using Active Sky with Historical Weather.
Thanks for your help
Domingos
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Post by dnunes on Feb 25, 2021 16:34:58 GMT
I have now flown again the 2nd leg with the following settings: P3D time set to March 4, 06H00. Active Sky loaded with the same flight plan and set to Historical Weather, with time forced to sim time. It was quite a difference from my previous flight!
Thanks for the help!
Domingos
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Post by edziura on Feb 27, 2021 22:35:06 GMT
True or False:
The Target Times referred to in the Rules section are posted for each participant and each leg on the Roster page listed as Est. Time (I don't see a Target Time link anywhere)
Thank you
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Post by Allan Lowson on Feb 28, 2021 14:53:39 GMT
Correct, the target time for each leg for each pilot is headed Est. Time on the Roster. It has been since 2015 but it makes more sense to clarify it! I will change it at the next update today.
Cheers,
Allan
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Post by Pacflyer57 on Mar 5, 2021 18:59:34 GMT
How does everyone get so close to their Est. times? I'm flying each leg at the same Ground Speed (GS) as I did during my Test Flight but I've been arriving really early on every leg so far. And not just a couple minutes, but from 6 to 25 minutes early. I have been enjoying this Air Rally so far...it's my first time. And I really enjoy reading the posts and all the screenshots.
Thanks and Cheers!
Gary---
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Post by roggeberg22 on Mar 5, 2021 20:36:22 GMT
Hello Pacflyer57,
That is a very good question. And it took me quite some time to find the answer, that is, my answer. Because the longer I flightsim, the more I understand and appreciate all the differences in the ways we enjoy our hobby.
Let me try to explain my view.
First of all, every flight is divided in a part which you fly at your target speed as per your testflight and a part which is meant for the procedures you need for your take-off, your landing and your touch and go's. Each combination of a take-off and landing is rated at 12 minutes. This means: - If you have a flight with just one take-off and landing an extra 12 minutes is added to the taget time. - If you have a flight with one touch and go than 24 minutes is added to the target time. Etcetera. - If you look closely at the roster, you will see that each leg is divided into sectors. And each sector means one take-off and one landing. - So each sector means an extra 12 minutes. And one sector is the minimum of course.
These procedures link to the old ways of flying where you would fly to a known beacon close to the airport or on the airport. That is your fix. From that point you would fly a procedure, normally a circuit. I fly my arrival procedures with a stopwatch roughly as follows: - 30 sec perpendicular to the runway I want to land on - 30 sec 90 degree turn to downwind - 2 minutes on downwind - 30 sec 90 degree turn to base
- 15 sec on base
- 30 sec 90 degree turn to final In the mean time I slow down from 110 to 120 KIAS to 80 to 90 KIAS. In total this procedure takes some 7 minutes. That means that you have 5 minutes for your departure procedure.
Furthermore I use, what I call, speed checks. I divide the total distance between the airports in equal part of between 25 and 35 NM. For each of these speed checks I calculate at what time on the Timer I should be there. If I am early I calculate how much slowerI should fly, and if I am late I calculate how much faster. A negative of this way of flying is the fact that you have to pause the sim to make these calculations. On the other hand, to make the screenshots, you have to pause as well. And in RW you would never fly a rally like this without a second pilot / navigator.
Hope this helps a little bit, kind regards, Luuk Bakkum DCA2315
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Post by skmcconnell on Mar 6, 2021 0:32:57 GMT
Hello PacFlyer57 on top of what roggeberg22 said, fly the route several times then pick the one that is closest to your target time also are you doing the intermediate touch and goes? if you are off by 25 minutes makes me wonder. If it is closer to six minutes then all you need to do is to back off the power just a bit.
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Post by Pacflyer57 on Mar 6, 2021 17:36:42 GMT
Thank you roggeberg22 and skmcconnell for taking the time to providing answers and suggestions to my question/dilemma. I have been flying my descents at the same ground speed (GS) as my enroute cruise speed, which is normal procedure for enroute descents. Once I reach pattern altitude I then slow to initial approach speed. However, all of my approaches, so far, have been direct to the runway that aligns closest to the enroute course. I have not been flying the VFR pattern of each airport, i.e., Downwind, Base & Final. The same thing goes for departure. This could be the mistake I'm making.
I am doing the intermediate T&G's. However, I'm not actually touching down, but instead doing a slow (at final speed) fly by. The reason is I'm multi-tasking these flights. I'm flying on smartCARS so I can log flight time and miles for the Virtual Airline, Mirage Executive Charter, I currently fly for.
Thanks again mates, I really appreciate this valuable information and assistance you provided. I will apply it to the next leg and see how it goes. Just FYI, I'm down from San Diego, California, USA. The next time I'll bring down a couple cases of our finest India Pale Ales (IPA) to share. That's if Australia customs will allow it because I'm reading how much problem jazzthom is having just getting his motorbike into the country.
Cheers and good flying.
Gary---
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