Today's flight is for Qantas Airlines, QFA#702, YMML (Melbourne) to YBCS (Cairns), a 1'200nm plus flight in the PMDG 747-400.
Gate 11 YMML
Departure weather at YMML was wind 178/16kts and clouds 3'200 few with 6'00 broken with a warm 17C. Using the COORS6 departure off runway 16 that takes you south out over Port Philip Bay, turning back north and a great view of the city off to your left.
Positive Rate, Gear up.....
We headed our way north after flying around the down town core of Melbourne and quickly climbed to FL380. Encountering strong winds from the west of over 70kts at times due to Cyclone Carlos on the NW side of the country, remember that storms rotate clockwise south of the equator!
Cruise was as boring as ever as I watched some cartoons and twiddled my thumbs. FSX is even more drab and blurry at FL380 than FS9!
Crusie at FL380 over Queensland
As we headed over Queensland and started our way down I tuned the ATIS at YBCS with reported winds 012/11kts, clouds 3'000 few and a very warm 31C. YBCS noise abatement rules specify that most traffic are to land and take off from runway 15, today was no exception.
I put the BIB1A arrival into the box and planned on hand flying the last 1'000ft or so into the nice and long runway 15 at YBCS.
Approach to YBCS over the Coral Sea
The view on the way down over the STAR takes you over Baron George National Park just west of Cairns. It is nothing short of spectacular as you skim the hill tops surrounding the airport as you turn right on your base leg and then you come out over the Coral Sea for your 15 mile final. This is where the Orbx crew really gives you that immersion factor that makes you rub your eyes. FSX can really shine down low....wow is all I could say.
Final for runway 15 YBCS
At the 1'500ft call out I took over from the computer and started bringing her in. The cross wind was giving me fits and it was a much more difficult landing than I expected. I floated it a bit but the 10'000ft plus runway was more than forgiving and once down it was a quick taxi to the gate. 3 hours and 9 minutes on the log.
Spotters shot of the landing at YBCS
No need to discuss the frame rate heavy FSX, even on my I7 CPU that is O/C to 3.8Ghz and banging away with dual 1GB 460GTX video cards in SLI mode.
At the gate YBCS
When you toss in a complex plane like PMDG 747 and a wonderful add on airport like the Orbx guys did, we are talking mid to high teens on taxi, take off and approach. Too "light" for my liking, call me greedy, I want at least 25FPS!
Not to mention I had to turn the AI down (and FSX AI is just as simple minded as the FS9 AI).
This rig of mine can clobber FSDT KJFK with 100% AI in CATII conditions and still hold it's head above water. Take that FSX!
I hope to do a leg series in FS9 with Thai Airlines tomorrow as it's a holiday here in the Great White North.......
4 comments:
Maybe it's just me but I can't justify the transition to FSX...
To be honest, the FSX visuals aren't that great. I'd definitely prefer performance and heavy AI traffic. Add dense autogen to that too.
I can't tell whether it's due to ORBX quality or FSX but those final approach shots are amazing.
Btw, your gear lever is still in the up position at cruise altitude! Hehe
I try not to mess with the gear lever in flight, switching it to "off" sometimes brings them down!!
The visuals are all Orbx FTX man....FSX on it's own BLOWS! Notice too the landing lights reflection on the spotters shot, and of course the higer res livery's.
Great shots of the trip, Al, although it does seem that FSX just isn't the best choice for heavy-iron flying. Your new rig's performance makes me want to upgrade, as I'd love to get above 20 fps at complex airports with clouds in FS9. Not seeing that too often with my E8500-equipped box.
Yeah my I7 rig is proving to be an awesome platform for FS9 hands down. I can throw anything at it in FS9 and it never runs slow, nothing beats that I tell you. You sacrafice nothing in FS9, you get it all!
I do not think I will ever abandon FS9 for big iron flying. It just has so much to offer still. And with the quality stuff guys are still making for FS9 now why would we?
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