Aircraft Carrier

[RobDob]

Morning all

Wasn't sure where to post this, so please move if required!

My son has recently started dabbling in the FSX world and has asked about a working Aircraft Carrier add-on. I haven't used any such add-on since I used FS9 some years ago.

Can anyone recommend software with working cats & traps with which to use suitably equipped aircraft? It would be nice if easy to install/setup too.......I'm a little rusty with these things!

Many thanks for any help

Rob

[DaveB]

Hiya Rob

If your son has either the FSX ACC addon or FSX Gold.. the default carrier that comes with it is already cat/trap enabled along with the default FA-18. If he doesn't have FSX Acc or Gold Edition.. he's in a rather grey area. I'd strongly advise against buying programs that would enable him to do carrier ops (the Flight Deck series springs to mind) as the models that come with it are 'not fit for purpose' nor is the carrier which is a frame hog.

Let us know what he has and we'll take it from there
ATB
DaveB

[DaveG]

FSX-SE (Steam edition) is also carrier ready.

[DaveB]

Ah.. forgot about SE. Tks Dave

ATB
DaveB

[RobDob]

We've got FSX SP2 & Accel.

So with the default carrier, can you use other aircraft on that or only the default F18?

Cheers

[emfrat]

Hello Rob -
There is a lot of great stuff on the RFN website, which is in residence at Restauravia for the moment: http://royalefrenchnavy.restauravia.fr/
My ancient skool French is enough to understand the instructions, but for emergencies there is a translate button (a flag icon at the top left)

Landing tutorials, carrier models of different eras, with planes to match, other recommended planes, with the cfg info needed to get the catapult and the hook 'attached' in the right places. Well worth a read - I learned a lot from it, and of course it applies to other carriers as well.

ATB
MikeW

[Vancouver]

Interesting addon here - free - worthy of investigation

http://vlso.blogspot.ca/

[DaveB]

We've got FSX SP2 & Accel.

So with the default carrier, can you use other aircraft on that or only the default F18?

Cheers

Hi Rob..

You have all that's needed

Any 'carrier equipped' model can trap and cat on the default carrier and likewise.. the default F18 can trap and cat on any (most of) the freeware carriers available.

Check out Flying Stations .. http://www.flyingstations.com/ for Brit carriers (Ark Royal IV and Victorious) and look for Nimitz and Eisenhower v2 .. available from the main sites.

You might also check out Rob Richardson's site.. http://www.robertjamesrichardson.co.uk/index.html where you'll find some good classic carrier models (Sea Hawk, Scimitar, Gannet)

One problem with the carriers is that many do not have traffic files so you need software to get them to show 'in sim'. AICarriers is the favourite tool to achieve this. It's free and comes in two flavours.. the original Java based version and the newer .net based version. The Java version is available at the main sites (aicar2r2.zip) and the .net version is available from FSDevelopers forums. I'll give you a link if you want that version.

There's a whole new world out there mate
ATB
DaveB

[RobDob]

Thanks for all the help Gents! Great info, as ever.

I'll take a look at all those links. Hopefully I can get something working, particularly British Carriers, otherwise I'll face the wrath of a 12 year old!

Cheers

[DaveB]

Found a link to AIC.net..

https://github.com/ollyau/AICarriers/releases

Have fun out there and don't incur his wrath The Brit carriers by their design are MUCH smaller than the American carriers so get him happy with the American ones first. There's nothing more frustrating than not being able to trap so give him the best fighting chance possible. Also.. there are better.. easier models to trap with than the FA-18. As a starter.. I'd look for something like Rob Richardsons Gannet AEW3 (this is the best version of all his Gannets). It's not a jet but it has a good turn of speed and good low speed characteristics
ATB
DaveB