Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 4:54 amAll,
To those of you who showed up for the NZFF group flight in early August, THANK YOU!
We invaded the airports on our trip with up to eight DC-3s during the flight, and it certainly proved to be a fun and challenging event.
I'd like to discuss a few factors for the next flight, which will hopefully occur sometime within the next couple of months:
I'm acutely aware of the fact that using the method of connecting (to Ian) directly through FSX leaves out our FS2004 and P3D users. This can be mitigated through the use of FSHost.
With that being said, there are a couple of drawbacks I can think of immediately to using FSHost, but if people are willing to put up with it, maybe we can use the service for the next flight:
Drawback 1: Choppy/laggy aircraft movements. As a result of how FSHost operates and enables the capability of FS2004 and P3D users (I think X-Plane too) to connect to an FSX session, the movements of other aircraft which you observe during the flight will be very erratic.
This effectively prohibits practical formation flight. There's an explanation in the FAQ of why this problem is present in FSHost, but not in the built-in FSX multiplayer:
http://www.chocolatesoftware.com/fshost/
Drawback 2: No shared cockpit, and no support for some other visual features like viewing others aircraft lights, and some animations.
Based on if we use FSHost or not for the next flight, the scenarios could be wide-ranging. I will present one or two scenarios I was thinking of (for FSX-direct connections). Let me know what you think, and feel free to post your ideas:
1. Shared cockpit IFR flight. This would require some coordination regarding who wants to fly with each other, and in what, but I'm picturing it as follows.
If we get enough people, we can maybe have three or four shared aircraft (two people each) on a flight in IFR conditions. An additional person (or two, or three, etc) could provide ATC services via the FSX ATC multiplayer system in the program.
I've heard that all of the default aircraft support shared cockpit, as well as any aircraft that doesn't employ extensive custom code for their gauges. I've been advised that most Carenado aircraft work, and I'd personally be interested in using the B200 King Air.
I know a few here have used the Lotus Simulations L-39 in the past as well.
2. Fast jet formation flying. We had a few Virtavia A-4 Skyhawks in the air for the flight a month or two ago and it worked beautifully. Doing this again could be enjoyable.
This could also involve an aircraft carrier as well, as Ian has told me (correct me if the following is wrong) that one person can drive a carrier around, and others are able to land on it.
Let me know what you think,
Sean
To those of you who showed up for the NZFF group flight in early August, THANK YOU!
We invaded the airports on our trip with up to eight DC-3s during the flight, and it certainly proved to be a fun and challenging event.
I'd like to discuss a few factors for the next flight, which will hopefully occur sometime within the next couple of months:
I'm acutely aware of the fact that using the method of connecting (to Ian) directly through FSX leaves out our FS2004 and P3D users. This can be mitigated through the use of FSHost.
With that being said, there are a couple of drawbacks I can think of immediately to using FSHost, but if people are willing to put up with it, maybe we can use the service for the next flight:
Drawback 1: Choppy/laggy aircraft movements. As a result of how FSHost operates and enables the capability of FS2004 and P3D users (I think X-Plane too) to connect to an FSX session, the movements of other aircraft which you observe during the flight will be very erratic.
This effectively prohibits practical formation flight. There's an explanation in the FAQ of why this problem is present in FSHost, but not in the built-in FSX multiplayer:
http://www.chocolatesoftware.com/fshost/
Drawback 2: No shared cockpit, and no support for some other visual features like viewing others aircraft lights, and some animations.
Based on if we use FSHost or not for the next flight, the scenarios could be wide-ranging. I will present one or two scenarios I was thinking of (for FSX-direct connections). Let me know what you think, and feel free to post your ideas:
1. Shared cockpit IFR flight. This would require some coordination regarding who wants to fly with each other, and in what, but I'm picturing it as follows.
If we get enough people, we can maybe have three or four shared aircraft (two people each) on a flight in IFR conditions. An additional person (or two, or three, etc) could provide ATC services via the FSX ATC multiplayer system in the program.
I've heard that all of the default aircraft support shared cockpit, as well as any aircraft that doesn't employ extensive custom code for their gauges. I've been advised that most Carenado aircraft work, and I'd personally be interested in using the B200 King Air.
I know a few here have used the Lotus Simulations L-39 in the past as well.
2. Fast jet formation flying. We had a few Virtavia A-4 Skyhawks in the air for the flight a month or two ago and it worked beautifully. Doing this again could be enjoyable.
This could also involve an aircraft carrier as well, as Ian has told me (correct me if the following is wrong) that one person can drive a carrier around, and others are able to land on it.
Let me know what you think,
Sean
Now to get others interested ! 
...!
...!
....!
.. bloody weather .. say its going to STORM up and next turns Tropical !