Rendezvous with moving carriers

[Amigo]

Sludge;
I appreciate your effort. Thank you, Amigo

[Amigo]

Sludge;
Thanks for your link and for your instructions. I did send you a PM already.
I should be able to handle your instructions, but your webpage is not available anymore. At least that's what the ERROR-page told me numerous times.
Do you have any other link for the Test Bird? Regards, Amigo

[Sludge]

Amigo...

I just re-downloaded from sludgehornet.com, so if you would, try to download and lemme know what happens. It let me download the whole Sludge TestBird 2.ZIP file, with no problems.

Later
Sludge

[Amigo]

Sludge,
I realized again that people who are able to read have an advantage. I was not one of them. Sorry for the inconvenience. I used the underlined part of your link only; not including the 2.zip. With the correct link it downloaded without problem yesterday.
Now, I hope my brain recovered and I can handle the installation. Am I excited about the test flight? Sure am.
Thanks for your patience, Amigo

[Amigo]

Sludge,
After a few test rides with the Sludge Hornet it became my FSX default bird. I'm as much impressed about your creation as I was about Jimi 08's FSXBA. I am very grateful for these two contributions.
Although, I found flight characteristics of both birds at different speed ranges and maneuvers pretty similar, I feel very comportable with the Sludge Hornet's on-screen trim indication during carrier landings. Had I only one feature to choose I go for the on-screen trim indication, although, I surely enjoy auto trim at high level missions. Of course it would be nice having some kind of engine indication on-screen and I appreciate to see weight and fuel. But this is just flight simulator talk where at times scrolling up and down cockpit view can be very inconvenient and unrealistic. Some features may just look unrealistically but they help to ease off pilots work. Same is true for IFLOLS. "Flying formation" with the IFLOLS on final is not too pretty or realistic, but it helps to confirm final position a little earlier; no matter what kind of graphic card the computer is running on. May be some time a talented guy can improve the system native to the carrier. Why not making the carrier IFLOLS a little bigger? It may be unrealistically looking in size but very affective on visual contact.
I have given you guys an extra "Bravo" for the landing analysis. This is really an outstanding achievement and helps my statistics on 3 wire (or other) traps.
Johan got me a link for your KC-135 but I couldn't find it there. What link would you recommend to check? May be for Javier's Nimitz too.
Thank you for the pleasure of having a Sludge Hornet,Amigo

[Sludge]

Amigo...

Thanks for the good words. Yeah, for the last year or so, JIMI and I have worked together modding and developing, even tho we took different paths on things (ie. Sludge vs FSXBA weight balance/flight dynamics/XML usage). I figure it just gives people more variety and something else to choose, depending on their flying style or whatever they end up liking... thats why I put it out there on its own thread. Our two birds really show the reason this board is successful (IMO), because FSX simmers get to have inputs and have those weighed against reality (real world Hornet drivers), NATOPS, and FSX limitations (4.0 glideslope, default F-18 non-collimated HUD). Somethings get included, some dont.

The best part is, the more you get into either the Sludge or FSXBA Hornet, the more you realize you can CHANGE the particulars (2D HUD brightness, INIT file settings) to your own liking. Pull up my profile, go back to my earliest posts in '09 and have a good few laughs at HOW LITTLE I knew about modding/tweaking and FSX in general. Then you'll see how much you can learn and accomplish IF you really want to put the time and effort to learn how FSX and the Hornet tick. Plus, we have such good SUPPORT here from alot of good people, namely Jivko Rusev (JR, who remade the Scott Printz HUD to what we use in today); Serge (FSXNAVYPILOT), who made the many SludgeHornet gauges (Blackbox, IFLOLS, AoA Indicator and outside lights) as well as the growing vLSO program; Ray Gagnon, who did several of the repaints; MikeB54, who's son Chris got us some actual F/A-18C sim time out at MCAS Miramar; and the many others that have contributed in some way to helping us get a better Hornet out there. Its just a great forum and community here that wants to improve the product.

There have been posts that the new Enterprise will use a 3.5 glideslope on an ALTERNATE FLOLS version they have built. Interested to see how that works out. BTW, I can get pictures, but if you have REX2, the CARRIER FLOLS is now visible out to around TWO MILES TCN from the ship. Not sure why that works as it does but just some FYI.

You should be able download the tanker from Flightsim.com site. Just go there and Search Files, then type in KC-135 Navy Drogue, and the version adapted for FSX should come up. If you dont have a membership there, you might have to get one, but other than that, its simple and free.

Thanks again...

Later
Sludge

[Amigo]

Sludge,
Thanks a lot for your interesting thoughts. I have taken the time studying your posts and discussions in 2009 as you suggested. The dialogs are very informative and interesting and show the root of the Sludge Hornet as well as the director of the puzzle. Although, I don't understand anything about creating folders and files like ball.bmp or aircraft.cfg, I can imagine the amound of time, the wotk and enthusiasm being invested to come up with a project like the Sludge Hornet. Yes, I agree, your achievement increases the range of variety which makes FSX unique.
Today, you grab a 737 for visual approaches at Paro VQPR, the next day you are the Airbus-Captain challenging your vertigo on an IMC day to Jackson Hole; and now, the Sludge Hornet allows me to focus on qualifying as a Navy pilot. Although, my actual and only experience with aircraft carriers is limited to a private visit aboard the Kitty Hawk in San Diego, a new found carrier should help me to reach my goal now.
Early on I was visiting our Virtuali's website and came across the X-Plane 10 Flight Simulator and therefore I found "my" carrier. Wow, what a highly sophisticated and wonderful simulator. 80GB loading space (versus 17 on FSX) speaks for brilliant graphics, tons of settings of views and uncountable operational options. The aircraft collection is sparse but their default good looking Navy F-4 is making up for it.Top attraction of course is the carrier (I guess Nimitz type). So here is another piece for even more variety. Grab the F-4, land on deck at Frisco Bay and take a screen shot. The pic looks like real!!! A bunch of Hornets are parked on deck waiting of being upgraded to the Sludge Hornet.
Thank you for the enjoyment with your jet in FSX and thank you for the KC-135 link.
I'll work on it, Amigo