Area51 Sims U-2

[SeanTK]

NZFF members,

I've been thinking about getting Area51 simulations Lockheed U-2.
I've seen mixed reviews, so for those here that have it, what do you think?
I would use it in FSX.

What's the addon like in terms of:

Systems (I know it's basic overall, but is there anything major that's missing and probably shouldn't be, even for a basic systems aircraft? How interactive is the VC?)
Appearances inside and out
Flight model
Sound
Anything else...

Also, in terms of systems and navigation, is it fully capable of IFR flight? Able to track a GPS, VOR, and NDB signals, etc etc?

Finally, is it possibly to apply the black paint to the NASA model, thus having an Air Force U-2 without the radome on top?


Thanks for any info you can provide.

[Ian Warren]

I showed a little interest with the model since one NASA variant visited CHCH early 1990s measuring Concorde jet emissions during the ozone hole panic - a ER1 , this had the original cockpit and not the glass , still expensive for what you get i think .

[Adrian Brausch]

I have it,..havnt flown it for a while but i'l load her up , take some pics and give you something to go by ...

edit : remembered now why I dont fly it now,..it is not Area 51's best works ( I have C-5 and C-17 both which I love),..the U-2 is msolid on the outside but the VC is not great, most of the switches dont work , the FDE is not great, and VC modelling is pretty jaggy. It is not worth the $US29.95,..more like $10-15 IMO. Their site is excellent and they have good screenshots for each model so I won't bother with doing my own screens for ye !

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (Adrian Brausch @ Jan 16 2013,11:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have it,..havnt flown it for a while but i'l load her up , take some pics and give you something to go by ...

edit : remembered now why I dont fly it now,..it is not Area 51's best works ( I have C-5 and C-17 both which I love),..the U-2 is msolid on the outside but the VC is not great, most of the switches dont work , the FDE is not great, and VC modelling is pretty jaggy. It is not worth the $US29.95,..more like $10-15 IMO. Their site is excellent and they have good screenshots for each model so I won't bother with doing my own screens for ye !

I was looking to add it to my hanger , but your review just saved me some coin .... cheers AB .

[SeanTK]

I actually decided to risk it, despite the questionable reviews here and elsewhere.
Note: I have Area51's AH-1 Cobra (not the Marine Venom later model) and the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior, so I had a decent idea of what to expect, and was familiar with the need to map a few extra basic functions on the joystick.
Overall, after I tweaked some things, I am in fact enjoying it.

What I tweaked:

Beacon lights...classified the top two as beacon designation rather than nav so they come on with the beacon switch...instead of the nav lights switch....quick, easy adjustment.
Swapped out the bright white VC lighting with the red lighting of the Lotus L-39. Relatively easy fix...just fiddling with the numbers.
Downloaded "AirEd" (an .air file editor) from Avsim, and this is where the real tinkering began. I have the aircraft flyable up to 60,000 feet, though I could probably push it to 70,000 if I'm a little more patient during my flights. (I know I could at least hit 65.)
I'm personally happy with 60k...that's as far as I need to go to get the "high altitude" look in FSX, as that altitude is when you see the stars in the sky even during midday.

The systems are obviously incredibly basic, and incredibly automated, but in this case for me, it's more about the flying experience, which I am happy with at this point. As of late I have enjoyed a bit of tweaking and tinkering here and there, so this wasn't as big of a deal to me since I had an interest in the aircraft in the first place.

Overall, while I'm happy with it due to my adjustments, I would not recommend the aircraft to the "average" flight simulation user that is not ready for a bit of a project.

Area51's aircraft look good, but are basic to the extent that they often do not even have functional buttons for basic systems functionality, instead requiring key mappings. With that being said, if you are ok in a HOTAS environment with some extra key mappings, some of the aircraft can be quite fun. Again, the U-2 is enjoyable for me, and I also continually enjoy the OH-58.