Vanguard help please

[adysmith]

OK I have the Rick Piper FS9 VC9 package, looking very nice but I am going to need some serious help just to fly this bird before I apply for TR training.

Managed to get it started, and airborne, although quite a few of the items on the pop up checks defeated me (like where is the elevator trim indicator) but getting the autopilot to work??? I managed to power on the AP, and engage it, but what it was trying to "maintain" at the time I have no idea.

I have had a read through the cockpit manual but a more detailed tutorial, or some serious on line assistance would be needed

Here's hoping one of you can guide me through it.

Cheers

Ady

[DaveB]

Hi Ady

The Vanguard AP is pretty much a standard fit to British aircraft of the day mate. If memory serves me correct, it will hold HEIGHT or AIRSPEED (the switch is 2 position on the model.. on the real thing, it's also push/pull) and HDG. Speed wasn't really used on the real thing and I can't recall ever using it on the model. HDG is controlled by the knob below the instrument and also by the switch on the AP for turning left or right. Pitch can also be controlled on the AP unit.
Surprised you're having difficulty with it being a Concorde man
ATB
DaveB

[adysmith]

Just a case of finding things and getting used to it.

Found the pitch trim indicator (it was hiding under the checklist) and slowly getting the hang of the autopilot.

Got it airborne later last l #night, levelled at 3,000', climbed to 4,000', flew around, back down top 3,000 and flew an ILS.

What is recommended elevator trim setting for take off, seems nearly full nose up needed?

Having to get used to manually controlling speed, not a big issue on a DC3 and Concorde is throttles to the wall 95% of the time

[Garry Russell]

Can't say about the trim, but in real life the Vanguard was very nose down on approach. This says to me that on flap she pitched strongly nose down so would need a fair amount of trim to pitch her nose up for take off. if that's what you are finding I would not be surprised because of this.

Years ago when I flew the model I don't remember anything odd so I guess I was happy with that side of things...Bit vague I know, but can't give any specific data.

[DaveB]

It's been too long since I've flown the Vanguard model but I don't remember having to use what I'd call excess trim. A couple of dabs is usually enough. Wind the engines up to takeoff power (15,250LPrpm) and let it rip! When safely established in the climb.. throttle back to 13,500 and leave it there for the remainder of the climb and cruise. I never touched the throttles again until top of drop
As for cruise altitudes.. you can please yourself really but like most aircraft, you may not want to go to it's maximum cruise alt unless you're going a LONG way as you use more fuel getting there and the overall flight times can be negligible. The highest bits of rock around Europe are the Alps (I'm talking Swiss which you have to fly over for the Italian destinations) which have a safety height of 18,300ft so this is generally the highest I flew. You know that at that height.. you're not going to run into anything As I said though.. you can fly higher if you wish but for the majority of the Vanguards European routes.. I found it counter-productive. If you fly with VATSIM.. they may dictate your cruise alts but you're in charge!
Fuel should not be an issue. I always had the model setup to be approx. 3/4 MTOW and it returns around 2500kgh +/- which is in the ball park for the real aircraft

One thing to note regarding fuel flying on the VA. Unless you fuel the aircraft yourself (eg.. you don't select the 'Easy' option).. FSA will fuel the inner tanks and engines 1 and 4 will cut as soon as you've fuelled. To avoid this, close the boost pumps on engines 1 and 4 and open the inter-engine cock (probably the other way round but you hear where I'm coming from). By doing this, all engines will run from the inner tanks (1+2 from tank 2.. 3+4 from tank 3). Do this before taking fuel For subsequent flights.. it doesn't matter but on the first one, it will unless you manually fill the tanks at FSA It's no big deal of you don't do this but it means you wasting time after fuelling having to relight 1 and 4. On the real aircraft.. all tanks would be filled equally unless the route required more fuel than the outers could take when additional fuel would be added to the inners. You can play it as real as you wish

ATB
DaveB

[adysmith]

It is so long since I worked in ATC at Glasgow (and even longer since the Merchantman flew between there and LHR each night) that I cannot remember what level they filed.

I will probably go for 200/210 route dependant (Class C airspace) and see how we go.

Let's go for it, TR on Vanguard please

[DaveB]

200/210 doesn't sound unreasonable and Rgr the TR mate

ATB
DaveB

[adysmith]

Tried to do the first VC9 TR route three times this morning. First time got all the way to Edinburgh, taxied in, and just as I got to the parking gate FS9 CTD before I could get the park brakes on !!!
Second try CTD approaching MARGO!.
Third attempt I got all the way there, landed and parked. Forgot to start FSA!

Still at least I am getting the hang of flying it, just need to work out how to keep the speed up to 160 level at 3,000 on base leg and still slow it down once it starts down the glide path. Needed a whole load of power to level off, then down G/P the speed ran up to 180 and wouldn't slow down at idle power!

[DaveB]

Hi Ady,

Frustrating isn't it

Fraser did work some invisible airbrakes in to simulate the props going fine when you throttle back for descent and they worked fine for me until I upgraded XP to SP3. I'm sure SP3 had nothing to do with it but they never worked the same again. Not flown it in Win7.

Never had it cause a CTD in over 400 flights so not sure what to say about that
ATB
DaveB

[adysmith]

Getting used to it now, but there is some strange behaviour on start up.

I have read the manual so I know the model is not supposed to turn the props until very late in the sequence, engines 3 and 4 do that as published.

1 & 2 on the other hand, when I engage the starter revs increase to about 400 then instantly back to zero, Start cycle and ignite lamps go out. If I then open the HP cock the engine springs to life and the prop rotates. HP cock is still at minimum fuel rate and Start Fuel Levers are still at Start.

Any clues?

Ady