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Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby NicQ » Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:07 pm

Doh !! I hadn't looked at the joystick config file yet, as I thought it was using a Nasal function, like the Throttle.
But indeed, you are right, it's direct binding of properties, so no wonder it was only affecting two engines :)

By curiosity, do you have the data or a link to it you use for various cruising speed/altitude, as well as maximum level flight speed ?
Just to have the same basis as you do for my own tweaking and tuning :)
Of course, if I get good results, I'll pass them on to you.
Thanks and cheers !!
Nic

Yakko wrote:I forgot to address the joystick throttle/mixture thing:

Check the XML file for your stick - it may only have the throtttle and mixture levers mapped to engine[0] and engine[1] - I actually keep several versions of my joystick XML laying around because I have dual throttle levers, so I have versions that map engine[0] to left and engine[1] to right (for twin engine flying), a mapping with engine[0]+engine[1] on left and engine[2]+engine[3] on right (for 4 engine flying) and even a mapping with 0-1-2 on left and 3-4-5 on right for 6 engine flying.

I only have 1 mixture lever, so I have engines 0-7 all mapped to it, so it works no matter what I'm flying....

If you only have 1 throttle lever I'd just map engines 0-7 to it and that way you are covered no matter what you fly, do same for the mixtures also.
If it ain't broke, break it. How else are you going to figure out how it works ?
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby redneck » Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:41 pm

Hey, I just managed a flight from TJSJ to TNCM via TUPJ. I wasn't expecting to find that the needle would point directly to the VOR station, even though I did read the documentation. I expected to be able to fly on the radial I specified. I'm using whatever version was before the most recent update. I couldn't seem to find the DME. It was mentioned in the documentation, but I can't seem to find it anywhere on the instrument panel, so I had to also use the mp map. My landing at TNCM was a little wobbily and a little off-center, probably due to my bad VFR approach (used to using CATIII GPS approach), but I managed not to crash, so for my first one hour or so flight with the 1049H, I think I did okay. Thanks for an awesome a/c! I'll have to check out those uppdates sometime too.
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby Yakko » Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:05 pm

DME is mentioned because some stations transmit DME information, but it is noted that the 1049h does not have a DME receiver - so it wasn't there TO find :)

Yes the VOR needle points directly to the VOR station - that is how radials work - if you fly along (for example) a 270 radial at 270 degrees (assuming no wind) you will pass over the VOR station - if you deviate to 265 degrees you will drift off to the left of the radial and pass to the left of the VOR station. If ILS approach is available at an airport, it is always preferable to use that over a VOR signal for improve accuracy. Of course that doesn't help at TNCM where there is no ILS approach available.

The way to plan approaches without DME is to use 2 receivers and plot the intersection of the lines - determine where on the chart you want to begin your descent and from there plot the line to 2 different VOR or ADF stations - you will know you are at the correct point on the chart when the bearing to each station matches what you plotted. This is old-school navigation, not unlike taking visual bearings and ranges to known landmarks on a sea vessel. And its how ships and planes navigated across oceans (some pictures of the older Lockheed 749 show a glass navigator's dome in the cockpit for taking sextant readings!). If nothing else the 1049h model gives a great history lesson and shows how far we have progressed with things like GPS in such a short time.
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby Tuxklok » Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:17 pm

Yakko, so the 1049h did not have dme in real life? I was curious about that one myself...

@redneck - You prob figured this out already...but you just need to steer left or right of the vor until the needle points to your radial, then turn to it.
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby Yakko » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:21 pm

I suspect that some of the last ones to be taken out of service had been retrofitted with more up to date avionics (Eastern Airlines used Constellations for short-haul shuttle runs along the East Coast into the early 1970's from what I have been able to find, and many continued on for a while as cargo carriers and other special-purpose aircraft beyond then). Initally DME was a military-only thing right after WWII ( much like GPS was initially), I have not been able to pinpoint exactly when it started becoming available for civil aviation use. The 1049's heyday as a long haul passenger airliner was post WWII to the 1960's, then the Boeing 707 rolled out.

We have not been able to find any kind of evidence of a civil aviation DME receiver existing in the 1950's or early 1960's, and none of the photos of 1049 cockpits we have been able to find show one, which is why it was not modelled in on the 1049h....DME is present inside FG in the properties tree but it doesn't appear to be appropriate to this model.
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby MyName » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:45 pm

If you want one, you can add one yourself, just like in RL. The copy that's in your computer is yours, so you can install everything you want on it, like a DME, GPS, even a new engine! :mrgreen: I actually did it myself a number of times, added a missing ADF radio, an autopilot (Bendix/King KAP 140, my autopilot of choice :wink: ) and a DME in the Robin DR 400. They actually work perfectly and look great. Also I did some extensive instrumentation mods in the Twin Otter, but that's another story. :mrgreen:
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby Buckaroo » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:49 pm

In the mid-50's DME was just getting off the ground. I believe it was first deployed in Australia in 1953, but someone may correct me on that. According to the 1049 maintenance manual, it wasn't listed among the standard instruments for the 1049G/H models. But this model is intended to be rather generic, typical of something flying in the 60's perhaps, and I've always intended that the 1049H's instruments should be reasonably customizable. I have photos of a few 1049's with DME equipment, though most appear to be adhoc installations as Yakko said in his post. I intended at some point to have a DME instrument option, it just wasn't a priority and I wanted to begin with what was common in the mid to late 50's as my interest is the earlier instrumentation.

Overhead navigation windows can be seen in some C-121's, the military variant of the Constellation. The Breitling Connie (a C-121C, sometimes refered to as a 1049F) features a dorsal fitted navigator's window, though it is flush with the fuselage and not a dome like early 749 models Yakko mentions. It's located in the navigator's compartement, just aft of the cockpit and forward of the passenger/cargo cabin. I don't know if any 1049H's were fitted with this feature-- I have no evidence either way, though given that the C-121's were very similar (same cargo doors, etc.) it seems possible. I had thought to model it as a curiosity when I get around to those cabin sections.
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby Tuxklok » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:19 pm

Thanks guys, I was just curious. Fixes and stop watches it is then! ;)

Other one I was curious about is the zero reader. In the guide it says it may show vor bearings in the future. Is that how the zero reader functioned, or did it only do LOC/GS like now?

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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby Buckaroo » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:46 pm

When I first started modeling the Sperry Zero Reader, I was under the impression that it was simply used in the Loc/GS capacity. But I later found information that indicated it was a very cool gadget that did much more. It had attitude indicator functionality (rolling and pitching with the aircraft), could be set to follow a bearing, and (I think) set to indicate an altitude to maintain. There was a secondary instrument that was often fitted to the arch console that controlled the ZR's functions via switches and settings. I have a few poor resolution photos of it. One of the reasons I paused development on the ZR was that details are really sketchy and I have not been able to obtain an operations manual. What I really need is to find a pilot who used the ZR and is willing to describe its functions. Course the biggest reason was that there was so dang much else to work on first. ;)
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby MyName » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:57 pm

Another excellent product by Sperry 8) They did the 737-200Adv's autopilot/flight director, which I personally think it's awesome for that time :wink:
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby MD-Terp » Wed Jul 08, 2009 4:52 am

Yakko wrote:{...} determine where on the chart you want to begin your descent {...}

A good approximation of a 3-degree glideslope is 400 feet of altitude for every nm from the threshold. So on a five mile final you should be at around 2000 feet. By 4 nm, 1600 feet; 3 nm, 1200 feet; etcetera. If you don't have DME, but you know where that 5-mile point is, that can help you get set up for a proper approach. (In fact, isn't this where the Outer Marker usually is set?)

That can also help you find the correct descent rate on final, as well. If you are going 120kts, that's 2 nm per minute, meaning a descent rate of 800 ft/min.
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby bisutti » Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:46 pm

Hi

I have a problem with this aircraft, the same problem before, I can´t fly over 9000ft because the engines turn off, I have full mixture and full fuel, what should I do?
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby Yakko » Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:22 pm

bisutti wrote:
> I have a problem with this aircraft, the same problem before, I can´t fly over 9000ft because the engines turn
> off, I have full mixture and full fuel, what should I do?

The full mixture is the problem. You're choking out because the air gets thinner as you go up, but you are still using the same mixture setting that you use at sea level, so you are way too rich and it chokes out.

Lean out as you ascend, richen up as you descend. Flights at 25000 feet are perfectly doable with this model, but you HAVE to adjust the mixtures or you won't get very high (as you have experienced).
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby bisutti » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:33 pm

Oh.. I though it was by the other way... thanks.
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Re: Lockheed 1049H Constellation (Beta Release)

Postby Tuxklok » Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:45 am

Hey Buck, I just noticed in CVS that except for the totalizer, all fuel gauges read zero. Appears the property name changes strike again...just thought I'd give you a heads up.

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