Tag: virtual aircraft

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Flight Simulation

Flight simulation : St.Barths (TFFJ) with the Aerosoft Twin Otter in FSX

Well, let’s start with a real life video showing that there is no margin for error when landing in St.Barths :

In that video, you can clearly see that the speed on the approach seemed excessive and the aircraft floated precious seconds over the runway. Very soon, there wasn’t enough runway left to stop the aircraft safely. So the trick is to use a reasonable approach speed and be ready to do a missed approach if the wheels do not touch early on the runway.

40014 Runway in sight at St Barths TFFJ on the left and in the middle of the island (FSX)
40014 Runway in sight at St Barths TFFJ on the left and in the middle of the island (FSX)
40015 A Solomons Twin Otter is on final for runway 10 at St Barths TFFJ (FSX)
40015 A Solomons Twin Otter is on final for runway 10 at St Barths TFFJ (FSX)

An approach with a  virtual aircraft of your choice can be done in St.Barths (TFFJ) since FlyTampa St Maarten scenery includes that airport. I tried a circuit with the Aerosoft Twin Otter, under FSX, and it went very well, since this aircraft can fly at a very low speed and can break on a dime. It might have been a different story with the same aircraft that pilot was flying in the video…

Cessna 208B N208SG landing at Saint Barthelemy Airport, Guadeloupe (on aviation postcard)
Cessna 208B N208SG landing at Saint Barthelemy Airport, Guadeloupe (on aviation postcard)
40016 The Twin Otter is now on short final for runway 10 in St Barths TFFJ (FSX)
40016 The Twin Otter is now on short final for runway 10 in St Barths TFFJ (FSX)
40017 The Twin Otter lands on the threshold of runway 10 at St Barths TFFJ (FSX)
40017 The Twin Otter lands on the threshold of runway 10 at St Barths TFFJ (FSX)

For your information, the St.Barths 10-28 runway is 2133 ft long. For the landing, the winds where blowing from 031/10G20, which provides for a good crosswind. The biggest aircraft to have landed in St Barthélémy is a Canadian built de Havilland DHC-7.

40021 A bit of sand is blown on tourists in St Barths TFFJ (FSX)
40021 A bit of sand is blown on tourists in St Barths TFFJ (FSX)
40022 A Solomons Twin Otter leaves the runway at St Barths TFFJ (FSX)
40022 A Solomons Twin Otter leaves the runway at St Barths TFFJ (FSX)

Good luck and have fun trying out that virtual flight!

There are other challenging virtual flights in my website.

For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation

Categories
Flight Simulation

Flight simulation : Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, the shortest commercial runway in the world (FSX)

One nice challenging virtual flight in FSX is to operate from the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, the shortest commercial runway in the world.

The runway is 1299 ft long (396m) and 60 ft (18m) above sea level. The IATA code is SAB, and the ICAO code TNCS.

30314 A Twin Otter aircraft is on long final for Saba (FSX)
30314 A Twin Otter aircraft is on long final for Saba (FSX)
30315 A Twin Otter aircraft is on short final for Saba (FSX)
30315 A Twin Otter aircraft is on short final for Saba (FSX)

The ideal virtual aircraft for that runway is the Twin Otter (DHC-6) or the Britten Islander (BN-2). If you want something bigger, the De Havilland DHC-7 is going to be your perfect choice. Forget about jet aircrafts, the runway is too short.

30316 A last correction for the wind in Saba (FSX)
30316 A last correction for the wind in Saba (FSX)

To add to the pleasure, use runway 30 and add a strong crosswind component, with gusts. In the screen captures below, I set the winds to 030 degrees at 10G20. For the flight, I also used Cumulus X and  PrecipitFX to improve the visual effects.

30317 A Twin Otter aircraft is arriving in Saba (FSX)
30317 A Twin Otter aircraft is arriving in Saba (FSX)
30320 A Royal Tongan Twin Otter aircraft is leaving the runway in Saba (FSX)
30320 A Royal Tongan Twin Otter aircraft is leaving the runway in Saba (FSX)

For an even more realistic experience, I suggest you get the FlyTampa St.Maarten scenery, which will offer you three airports, which are all very well designed and present real challenging approaches : the Juancho E. Yrausquin airport, on Saba Island,the spectacular St.Barths airport and the Princess Juliana international airport in St.Maarten.

In the « challenging virtual flights » section of my website, I have already included an approach to Princess Juliana airport in St.Maarten, with the MD-11. The approach to St.Barths (TFFJ) will soon be included.

You will enjoy every minute trying to make perfect landings at those three airports. For other challenging virtual flights, visit the flight simulation page of my website.

Have fun!

For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation

Categories
Screen captures

Intercepted!

Harrier intercepting a twin turboprop
Harrier intercepting a twin turboprop

The screen capture that you can see here has really not been planned. It is about the interception of a light twin engine aircraft by a Harrier military jet. After subscribing to an English virtual flying magazine, I received, as a welcome gift, this virtual military jet. As I was “in flight” familiarizing myself with the jet, I saw a little white dot moving in the distance. It was one of the numerous virtual aircrafts generated by the Microsoft Flight Simulator (FSX) program. The idea to simulate an interception and fly in formation with an unknown aircraft was just too good to resist. In few minutes, both aircrafts were in sight of each other. It was now a matter of adjusting the speed of the Harrier exactly with the other aircraft’s speed and progressively get closer. The picture represents the end result of this little meeting. The countryside under the planes is an ORBX creation.