A2A Development Update 4/8/18

[AKar]

There is this amazing association here that keeps up this DC-3, consisting for a big part of professional or retired aviation folks. Anyone can join the association for a cost of mere 30 €/year for full membership, and is then eligible to join the flights they arrange for a price of the cost share of a single flight, in turn depending on the flight in question (a quick 20 min sightseeing flight around Helsinki sets one back only 60 €).

I would be more than happy to see more of this kind of associations preserving the way of travel of bygone days, while keeping it accessible to anyone. A great experience even for someone who thinks his cup is full of (modern) aviation - and best of all, it doesn't have to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing as long as they keep up.

-Esa

Was it this one, by any chance?

Agree that's a great system for funding the aircraft and keeping it accessible at the same time - would love to see it adopted elsewhere.

Yes, that would be it. Search "DC-Ry" in Finland, and you'll find their page.

I wonder what other similar associations there are in Europe, preserving and flying historical airplanes. I wish these kind of upkeeps would be brought up while the legacies of the flag carriers are still up, to keep up the knowledge, experience etc.

-Esa

[Alan_A]

I suppose the Dutch Dakota Association is the closest match.

In the US there are some foundation-based civilian aircraft - for example, Flagship Detroit. But for the most part they're not on regular flight schedules, so community support and accessibility aren't the same.

I agree the major carriers should be playing a role, though they're probably not willing to take on the cost. Branson tried Vintage Airways as a sort of personal project but it wasn't a commercial success.

Our railroads do a much better job of preserving heritage and, not surprisingly, generating goodwill.

[cessna lover]

@cessna lover,

‚dead right‘!
Volker

lol exactly just ask Germany they know all to well about ticking off the P-51 Mustang. that and a B-17. didn't mean to hijack the thread. but I think we got into one of those which is better type deals here? the Mustang or an Me109. I would pick the mustang any day of the week and twice on Sunday. lol

[addman]

Man that is a tough one to decide between a nice cold beer and a flight in a DC3 (not) Great picture Esa and I have to say I envy you a little since I never got to fly/ride in a DC3. I hope it was a great experience. Did you get any cockpit/stick time?

Why do you think a nice cold beer and a flight in a DC-3 would exclude each other? They have their designated pilots, but I take the beer as a luxury of being a passenger. When I have a chance to participate a longer time I might hang around behind the cockpit a bit.

There is this amazing association here that keeps up this DC-3, consisting for a big part of professional or retired aviation folks. Anyone can join the association for a cost of mere 30 €/year for full membership, and is then eligible to join the flights they arrange for a price of the cost share of a single flight, in turn depending on the flight in question (a quick 20 min sightseeing flight around Helsinki sets one back only 60 €).

I would be more than happy to see more of this kind of associations preserving the way of travel of bygone days, while keeping it accessible to anyone. A great experience even for someone who thinks his cup is full of (modern) aviation - and best of all, it doesn't have to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing as long as they keep up.

-Esa

Lovely plane, it was soaring above Vaasa a couple of weeks ago on a daily basis. Unfortunately I didn't find the opportunity to go for a ride. We have very little air traffic here though so you could easily hear the plane every time it was in the air, love those engine sounds.

Cheers!/Andreas

[Kilstorm]

Thank you very much for this new MX Hangar option and next level of realism. Something I know I've personally asked for in the GA line. I feel in addition to that, if we could have a note of the last annual and oil change, that too would be a great feature. Off the top of my head I know brake wear is modeled but not sure about tire wear. If so, if that could be part of the walk around to detect tire wear and not the MX hangar, that too would be another welcome feature.

[vtracy]

@cessna lover,
it is just a way to pass the time...
The only ‚comparison‘ that I can support is the one which A2A airplane is better.
And: both in sim and in real life, in the end, it is the pilot who decides the combo of man and machine.
As you can see, I am a lover of the old war machines, their sound, their quirks, their challenges for the pilot.

Another way to pass the time: upgrade the existing hard and software of the sim-pc.
I think I have found out (for my rig) that significant improvements can come through a faster cpu. So, I replaced a 3.5 GHz 6-core cpu by a 4.2 GHz 4-core one. I‘ll try to overclock the processor to 4.5 or thereabouts hoping that it will provide enough power - in the form of fps - to the 3+1 LCDs that give me a ‚surround‘ impression of the world and the plane. That and the necessary new installation of Win 10, P3D, aircraft, and sceneries will hopefully carry me over to the moment when A2A releases their new Spit, 109, Mustang.
Motto: Hobby = Work-in-Progress!
Volker

[Piper_EEWL]

Why do you think a nice cold beer and a flight in a DC-3 would exclude each other? They have their designated pilots, but I take the beer as a luxury of being a passenger. When I have a chance to participate a longer time I might hang around behind the cockpit a bit.

There is this amazing association here that keeps up this DC-3, consisting for a big part of professional or retired aviation folks. Anyone can join the association for a cost of mere 30 €/year for full membership, and is then eligible to join the flights they arrange for a price of the cost share of a single flight, in turn depending on the flight in question (a quick 20 min sightseeing flight around Helsinki sets one back only 60 €).

I would be more than happy to see more of this kind of associations preserving the way of travel of bygone days, while keeping it accessible to anyone. A great experience even for someone who thinks his cup is full of (modern) aviation - and best of all, it doesn't have to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing as long as they keep up.

Yes you’re right. A beer and a nice flight don’t necessarily exclude each other. But if your PIC you might want to watch the order

Man that association sounds like a great thing. I would join if I’d have more access to it. 30€/year and 60€ for a twenty minute flight are not expensive for experiencing a DC-3 in my opinion. If you look at what renting a C172 at most places in Europe costs today you don’t get that price! Yes I know that might be shocking to our friends in the states but Avgas runs at morgen then 10$/gallon here.

Doesn’t the Swiss Constellation operate on a similar modell? I think you also have to become a member to be able to fly with them. I don’t know anything about the costs though.

Thanks for sharing that it sure looks like a great fun!

[AKar]

Doesn’t the Swiss Constellation operate on a similar modell? I think you also have to become a member to be able to fly with them. I don’t know anything about the costs though.

It appears to have ran into technical difficulties, at least the last year's flying season was cancelled and 2018 will start late to them. I hope they get their Super Constellation up and running again. In comparison, DC-3 is certainly a thankful airframe to keep up, as it is quite simple and rugged, and spares availability is still quite fine. I'm afraid that the biggest enemy of historical aviation will turn out to be legislation. Luckily so far, local authorities have been very supportive on the issue, this membership thing has to do with that you can fly people without holding an AOC, the "passenger" in effect not being a member of general public but a member of association, thereby supervising the operations. I wish the supportive attitude prevails in ever more complex world of European aviation. By their poor rule-making, EASA almost managed to make general aviation impossible in Europe already. I don't believe many results of their regulation come out of intent, but out of mere ignorance, and lack of comprehension of what all the aviation is when seen in full spectrum, not merely from that of commercial air transport.

-Esa

[guillaume78150]

One of the two remaining airworthy B17 in Europe, the french Pink Lady, was grouded some years ago for costs reasons. The Boeing is in perfect mechanical conditions but today, both insurance premiums and legislation make historical aircraft ownership difficult to run for a local private association. The aircraft has landed on a local private airport near Paris and is now hangared and part of a museum.

[cessna lover]

Thank you very much for this new MX Hangar option and next level of realism. Something I know I've personally asked for in the GA line. I feel in addition to that, if we could have a note of the last annual and oil change, that too would be a great feature. Off the top of my head I know brake wear is modeled but not sure about tire wear. If so, if that could be part of the walk around to detect tire wear and not the MX hangar, that too would be another welcome feature.

i think tire wear maybe modeled. because if you do a pivot turn with the B-17 you get yelled at about it.

@vtracy I know it's ok I like the warbirds to. just the other day I seen a P-51 playing around the skies here out side my house. I could tell it was and old plane just by the sound. there was also a for tri-motor flying over once to. I have pictures of it as well.

[Alan_A]

Doesn’t the Swiss Constellation operate on a similar modell? I think you also have to become a member to be able to fly with them. I don’t know anything about the costs though.

It appears to have ran into technical difficulties, at least the last year's flying season was cancelled and 2018 will start late to them.

In addition to their technical issues, the Super Constellation Flyers Association also has to deal with the end of Breitling's sponsorship.

The association model will help them to some extent but I'm guessing they could use a new corporate sponsor.

[vtracy]

@cessna lover,
there is an old Ju-52 trimotor still flying over Munich & environs. The sound is very distinctive and seldom heard in these days of jet sounds...

On the - hopefully soon appearing - A2A birds: I hope that P3D support for VR gets better; I am very much looking forward to ‚sitting in‘ all the new cockpits flying my favourite area, from Salzburg to Innsbruck. Flitting through the mountain passes and down the Inn river at 200 feet, then doing a fighter approach/landing... (I may have to pick the other branch from the bottom of the fuselage... can that be done in the hangar?)
Volker

[Piper_EEWL]

Doesn’t the Swiss Constellation operate on a similar modell? I think you also have to become a member to be able to fly with them. I don’t know anything about the costs though.

It appears to have ran into technical difficulties, at least the last year's flying season was cancelled and 2018 will start late to them.

In addition to their technical issues, the Super Constellation Flyers Association also has to deal with the end of Breitling's sponsorship.

The association model will help them to some extent but I'm guessing they could use a new corporate sponsor.

Oh boy. I knew that they had technical issues (I think the brakes caught fire during a taxi/engine test) which caused some damage and cancelled the complete last season but I didn’t know that Breitling quit as the sponsor. This must be a major blow financially. I hope they find a way to recover especially with the Lufthansa SuperStar project seemingly cancelled which is a shame and I don’t understand this after so much money and so many years of hard work. It would be a shame to loose the last flying Constellation in Europe! Let’s hope for the best.

Happy flying

[Tomas Linnet]

I suppose the Dutch Dakota Association is the closest match.

In the US there are some foundation-based civilian aircraft - for example, Flagship Detroit. But for the most part they're not on regular flight schedules, so community support and accessibility aren't the same.

I agree the major carriers should be playing a role, though they're probably not willing to take on the cost. Branson tried Vintage Airways as a sort of personal project but it wasn't a commercial success.

Our railroads do a much better job of preserving heritage and, not surprisingly, generating goodwill.

I’m a proud member of The Danish Dakota Friends: http://www.dc3vennerne.dk/
I’m planning on taking my son on another flight at the Danish Airshow later this year, we had a flight a few years back, but I think we need another this year

[cessna lover]

@cessna lover,
there is an old Ju-52 trimotor still flying over Munich & environs. The sound is very distinctive and seldom heard in these days of jet sounds...

On the - hopefully soon appearing - A2A birds: I hope that P3D support for VR gets better; I am very much looking forward to ‚sitting in‘ all the new cockpits flying my favourite area, from Salzburg to Innsbruck. Flitting through the mountain passes and down the Inn river at 200 feet, then doing a fighter approach/landing... (I may have to pick the other branch from the bottom of the fuselage... can that be done in the hangar?)
Volker

I have read about the Ju-52 trimotor. and thought it was a take off of the ford tri motor but they look different. did we copy the idea from Germany or did the copy it from us? cause the Russians captured a B-29 from us and back engineered it. is that what the ju-52 is?