A2A Aerostar flights

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Hobart Escin

Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Hobart Escin »

Scott, if you ever put a headliner in the Comanche, you're going to have to get a kneeboard. #atticstoragespace :wink:

Dogsbody55
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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Dogsbody55 »

This is looking SO good, though I suspect it's up to a year away from release. Please keep the video's coming, Scott. They're great to watch and always informative.


Thanks,
Mike
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Neon
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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Neon »

Scott - A2A wrote: 06 Dec 2020, 10:47
Neon wrote: 06 Dec 2020, 10:20 You got it Scott!

Question: Will you be simulating the unique issues with the Landing gear of the Aerostar ie lowing them wings level? Any chance of
getting a 700 variant? <wishful thinking> :)
Yes we will but I need to research this more to see exactly where the failure point is.

As for doing a 700, I'm not sure about that. I flew a 601p and have to say that it was not as responsive as my straight 600. It seemed to require a lot more manifold pressure to hit the same cruise speeds, that likely speaks to the inefficiency of turbocharged engines when low. I'm also not a big fan of turbocharging combustion engines with the higher risk of fire and failure at high altitudes (try to imagine an engine fire at 25,000 ft). If I want to fly high, I like Piper's approach to the Comanche 400 (cubic inches over turbo) or just get a turboprop and do it right, so to speak.

I will be visiting a friend soon who owns a 601p and we will be doing specific tests. After we have that data we will decide if there will be a 601p or 700 variant.

Scott
Reading the above article Scott, it suggests the problem with the landing gear not extending fully, when lowered during a turn because gravity doesn't
have it's full effect (not being perpendicular). Another interesting known problem was when setting the fuel selector to crossfeed and having
an electrical failure meant that you'd be left with what was remaining in the centre tank, and would not be able to use the wing tanks. Both these
are discussed in the magazing article above.

I would really love to see the 700, as A2A hasn't done any really high performance GA planes that are capable of 300mph. I really hope
you consider it, because it'd be my absolute favourite plane. I've been watching heaps of videos on the Aerostar from the Aerostar Association and it
seems like an amazing plane. Odd, because when I was flying, there was one on the ramp, and I never thought much of it. lol

Any idea on a time line of when it'll be available? I doubt you'll answer that LOL

Really hope to see you do a full flight in the Aerostar with the ceiling cam. Love that view.

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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Scott - A2A »

Neon wrote: 06 Dec 2020, 22:43 Any idea on a time line of when it'll be available? I doubt you'll answer that LOL
We are not able to bring the current version of Accu-Sim into MSFS2020 until Asobo / Microsoft make it possible. We expect this will happen soon. We may develop it primarily for P3Dv5, so at least we can work without any roadblocks then whenever Asobo / Microsoft make it possible for MSFS2020, we would then move it in.

I don't want to predict timelines as it's still not even alpha and progress can change rapidly, but it's definitely not this year.

As for the crossfeeds being electrically driven, this is another reason I never fly in dual crossfeed.

As for the 700 it's very unlikely we would make this airplane, at least not at initial release.

Scott
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AKar
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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by AKar »

Scott - A2A wrote: 06 Dec 2020, 10:15
Medtner wrote: 06 Dec 2020, 09:29 "Free" supercharging. I'm simply wondering how it affects the combustion when the air is warmed by coming through the cowling. It might not have an effect, but maybe it does? (I'm sure, and I hope, that Esa will have also some thoughts on this)
If the aircraft is idling with a very slow trickle of air coming through, then it will be heated as some of the heat in the cylinders and engine will dissipate upwards into the incoming air stream. However in flight, the straight shot of air is so fast and air is coming in and down through the cylinders, that the air isn't heated at all. I believe our B-17 includes a simulation of this.

If the engine intake were BELOW the engine cylinders, this is entirely different as you would now be ingesting air after it has passed through the hot cylinder cooling fans.
Yeah, in these engines the cooling airflow rams into the space between the top cowling and the cylinder rows, and is forced downwards from between the cylinders, exciting the engine compartment from below.

Usually, the air filter box is at the front (for easy access if for nothing else), however, in the Aerostar it is at the back of the engine compartment, apparently attached to the firewall.

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-Esa

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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by avduarri »

Keep going with these videos Scott.
Just the pilots, a camera and the aircraft. No music, not too much editing. It just feels like real aviation.
I can almost feel like I'm there with you.

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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Scott - A2A »

avduarri wrote: 07 Dec 2020, 16:44 Keep going with these videos Scott.
Just the pilots, a camera and the aircraft. No music, not too much editing. It just feels like real aviation.
I can almost feel like I'm there with you.
Thanks. I've been enjoying making these videos. After every one I send it to the team and ask "is this boring?" So far they say "no" and I hope this is something people like. Most of my life in aviation has been alone / solo. 95%+ of my flight time is alone and when I see really cool things I always think "I wish I could show this to everyone."

I'm working on a nice camera system for the Aerostar to capture a load of flights around the US. I have no idea what will be in them, but that is the fun.

Akar,
Thank you for posting those diagrams so people can see. What I love about this design is, the ram air takes advantage of the pressurization of the cowling along with a direct stream of air. I will measure this again (have it on video somewhere) but I think it's about 1.5" increase in manifold pressure.

Scott
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Paughco
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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Paughco »

I was sort of expecting an A2A Aerostar for Christmas. I really enjoyed those videos; I’ll watch no. 3 tonight. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it looks like you are still way in the early stages of the Accu-sim process with the Aerostar. Don’t rush it. Take whatever time you need. Please keep posting those videos.

Thank you
ATB
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Neon
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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Neon »

@Scott,

Thanks for that info. I was hoping for this year, but understandable. Be great if the 700 can come out at some point, but I fully
understand not for the first release. It's a good idea, cause you get to sell the same plane twice :D I'd buy it twice. :D

As for your videos, love them. Not a fan of hand hold cameras in aviation vids as usually you end up looking up the guys nose lol.
In the Aerostar; I can't think of anything better than camera ceiling mounted, behind pilots in 1440p so you can read the instruments,
and a full flight with Scott talking about the plane! Bread n butter there. :D

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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by MarcE »

I watched a couple of Aerostar videos on YT... how does that nose wheel steering work?? There is this switch on the left side of the panel ceiling and apparently it turns the nose wheel as long as you hold the switch down and holds it in position when you release the switch. To get back to straight taxi you need to turn it back with that switch. But you actually don‘t know whether the nose wheel is aligned when you‘re on the runway except you taxi a bit. Will the rudder steer it too to a few degrees like it does in a Boeing or Airbus and „capture“ the NWS when it‘s within this limit? Or how does it work??

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AKar
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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by AKar »

MarcE wrote: 11 Dec 2020, 03:17 I watched a couple of Aerostar videos on YT... how does that nose wheel steering work?? There is this switch on the left side of the panel ceiling and apparently it turns the nose wheel as long as you hold the switch down and holds it in position when you release the switch. To get back to straight taxi you need to turn it back with that switch. But you actually don‘t know whether the nose wheel is aligned when you‘re on the runway except you taxi a bit. Will the rudder steer it too to a few degrees like it does in a Boeing or Airbus and „capture“ the NWS when it‘s within this limit? Or how does it work??
Somebody else needs to tell how it is in practice, but there is no connection from the pedals to the nose wheel steering. I'd might guess there perhaps is enough internal leakage in the hydraulic steering system so that the nose wheel very gradually more or less self-centers when taxiing and also allows for small steering effort via differential braking or (aerodynamically) the rudder.

Edit: A small residual "offset" in the nose wheel steering is not uncommon in the big plane world either. As you mention Airbus, they have guidelines on how much of rudder trim (acting on the NWS via the rudder control system) is allowed to keep the aircraft taxiing straight before it is considered an issue. In later production, they went on to introduce proportional biases into the system to nullify certain kinds of steady state offsets. This, by design, also acts on assisting in any crosswind.

-Esa

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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Swagger897 »

AKar wrote: 11 Dec 2020, 08:28
MarcE wrote: 11 Dec 2020, 03:17 I watched a couple of Aerostar videos on YT... how does that nose wheel steering work?? There is this switch on the left side of the panel ceiling and apparently it turns the nose wheel as long as you hold the switch down and holds it in position when you release the switch. To get back to straight taxi you need to turn it back with that switch. But you actually don‘t know whether the nose wheel is aligned when you‘re on the runway except you taxi a bit. Will the rudder steer it too to a few degrees like it does in a Boeing or Airbus and „capture“ the NWS when it‘s within this limit? Or how does it work??
Somebody else needs to tell how it is in practice, but there is no connection from the pedals to the nose wheel steering. I'd might guess there perhaps is enough internal leakage in the hydraulic steering system so that the nose wheel very gradually more or less self-centers when taxiing and also allows for small steering effort via differential braking or (aerodynamically) the rudder.
You are correct in your guess. One of the hangar owners that owns a 602P said this one time about his and how he also wanted to relocate the switch elsewhere. It's to the same effect essentially as a car or motorcycle, the wheel naturally wants to travel straight and will return to it's naturally balanced state.
A&P

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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Scott - A2A »

There is a switch on the middle left of the console, right next to the front side of the pilot's seat. You simply push the button right or left to move the nose wheel. It moves very slowly so you need to anticipate when you wish to resume a straight path otherwise you will overturn. The first time I used this I was all over the place like a drunk driver but after a little bit of time it becomes natural. However it's never nearly as quick as a direct rudder pedal connection.

It doesn't self straighten really. If you jack the plane up and turn the nose wheel, then grab the wheel and twist it hard, it will slowly move but with a lot of hydraulic resistance.

This steering is only used for sharp turns, like getting on or off a runway or parking. You don't need it to stay straight when taxing straight or slight turns as differential braking is used and feels pretty normal.

Since all Aerostars have a backup electric hydraulic pump, if you were to push the plane you can turn the wheel completely with just battery power.

Scott
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Tomas Linnet
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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Tomas Linnet »

hmmmm, after seeing these vidoes of the Aerostar, I really wish that we hat the Seminole as a basic twin trainer, jumping in the Aerostar is like going straight from the car park to flying solo in the P-51.
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Re: A2A Aerostar flights

Post by Dogsbody55 »

Stumbled across this recent video taken at Northam airport, about 100kms from Perth, Western Australia. It's a fairly small airport, but obviously big enough for an Aerostar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcLeJvefoLk

Enjoy,
Mike
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