Aero L-39 Albatros

[ryanbatc]

I'm still in the market for this bird (still trying to convince my better half that it's safe to spend 46 bucks on this thing lol) and I'd like to point out your awesome tutorial vids:

http://www.youtube.com/LotusSimulations#play/all/uploads-all/0/dtpBTi7O0Ic

If only we were so lucky with other developers

 

[Lotus]

Thanks Ryan. I'm glad you like the vids. I find them quite difficult to make actually, I'm more into the razzle dazzle side of FSX video stuff, but if they're informative (and don't put you entirely to sleep) then that's all that counts!

I will be adding several more over the coming weeks, after I catch up on my sleep for a couple of days and become human again.

Cheers,

-Mike

 

[centuryseries]

I know of no other addon for FSX that has landing lights that light up the rain, nor any other aircraft that has VC rain effects on the windshield.

Come to think of it, there's so many features in this aircraft that I'll be busy for ages plus hardly any impact on FPS!!

Absolutely awesome work, all that time very well spent!

I'm gobsmacked at the detail :isadizzy:

David.

 

[flyindave]

Wow

I was really looking forward to this and I really! wanted it but 54.00 dollars is out of my range for a sim plane I'll just have to drool over the screen shots, beautiful job Lotus

 

[Warrant]

Very nice plane!
Very realistic as well. I have a hard time to land her properly.
The flaps are as good as useless (unless for take off). Normally in an aircraft you decrease throttle and then apply flaps according to the air speed while on approach. This baby is a bit different. If you bleed speed and apply flaps on approach...you crash. Firm throttle settings combined with air brakes are the only solution for me to get this baby on the ground safe, with the risk of a nose-wheel failure.

This means...a lot of practice.

Very realistic bird indeed!
(Strong advise for new L-39 drivers; read the manual! You'll need it!)

 

[yago9]

Any ideea why the engine cuts off while flying inverted for a longer time ?
No need for oxigen mask for the pilots ?
General FSX question ,aircraft self shadowing works only with DX10 ?

 

[Lotus]

Thanks Warrant. I'm a bit curious about your experience with the flaps though, as I find them quite effective. You do have to be flying slower than 300 kph though to deploy them or they will automatically retract if you try. It's a self protection feature of the real aircraft.

Glad you're enjoying it otherwise!

-Mike

 

[jankees]

For the landing lights, it just needs to be darker:

very nice!

 

[Lotus]

Yago, that's bloody gorgeous... well done.

Engine cutout after 20 seconds of inverted flight is realistic. The L-39 uses gravity feed for its tank pressure, and the engine draws its fuel from a very small auxiliary tank connected under the main centre tanks. When you go into negative G a valve closes on this small tank to prevent the fuel flowing back up into the main. Once that happens you have about 20 seconds worth of fuel. As soon as you get positive G it refills quickly.

Oxygen masks I left out simply because of some skinned mesh animation concerns. Getting good idle animations on the pilots combined with response to control inputs and momentum at the same time was turning the hoses into a nightmare. I did give it a shot. I may mess with that again in time and if I can get results that I like I would update the plane. If FSX supported inverse kinematics for stuff other than airport jetways, they would have them for sure. Unfortunately I had to compromise.

The aircraft external self shadowing should work fine in DX9. Works for me anyway, and I have seen it working for others, in fact your previous pic of your paint seems to have them on? Myself I don't really like them, I always find them a bit harsh and out of place, but they should work. I've also noticed that ground shadows become very faint if your weather is set to low visibility distances, the self shadows may respond the same way. I'll try that out.

Cheers,

-Mike

 

[yago9]

Ok..gravity feed ,got it. No biggy about the oxigen mask,i,ll stop looking for those now..lol

 

[wilycoyote4]

I was really looking forward to this and I really! wanted it but 54.00 dollars is out of my range for a sim plane I'll just have to drool over the screen shots, beautiful job Lotus

I think it is less without VAT?

Marvelous tutorial videos, thanks.

 

[Lotus]

For the landing lights, it just needs to be darker:

very nice!

Thanks Jankees. Glad you got them working. Also you will get much better (stronger) results if you use lighter runway and taxiway textures.

Cheers,

-Mike

 

[spotlope]

I was really looking forward to this and I really! wanted it but 54.00 dollars is out of my range for a sim plane I'll just have to drool over the screen shots, beautiful job Lotus

Without VAT, it pencils out to more like $46. Just in case that extra $8 makes a difference.

 

[gajit]

If you guys don't buy this, you're $#&*$@# insane. I don't know any other way to put it.

Sell lemonade for a week, sell your wife, sell your dog, maybe even don't eat. Just buy it.

You will be speechless before you even start taxiing. (there is no emoticon here that describes this thing)

Kiwikat - I bought it on a recommendation from you and you were 100% correct - this is fantastic in every respect - and Im not even that interested in the real aircraft!!!

Well done Lotus :ernae:

 

[yago9]

I was really looking forward to this and I really! wanted it but 54.00 dollars is out of my range for a sim plane I'll just have to drool over the screen shots, beautiful job Lotus

It,s US $45.52 on simmarket. If you live in US so you dont pay that VAT tax.
Even so, it,s worth every penny.

 

[robcap]

Hi,

Higly realistic indeed. First time landing resulted in a crash, but then I'm usually a prop driver, not a jet jock. The engine spool up time is very challenging. Oh, and don't open the canopy in flight. Check out the crew when in a buffet stall.
I'm all over this plane for the near future. Great stuff. I'll check out the rain on the canpy later, but I already love the "scratches reflecting of the canopy in the light " effect.

Bye, Rob

 

[Chris Sykes]

I have to say i looked foward to comin home today!!! Just took a quick flight around North West Russia and im deeply impressed at what you have managed to put into such a small aircraft for your knowledge! This is brill for wizzin around at extreame low level at just shy of 400 knots!!! :ernae: Have a well earned Beer!

 

[Kiwikat]

I was really looking forward to this and I really! wanted it but 54.00 dollars is out of my range for a sim plane I'll just have to drool over the screen shots, beautiful job Lotus

Got a dog?

Got craigslist?

You won't regret it.
:ernae:

 

[Ferry_vO]

I hestitated to buy this at first because of the price, but last night I downloaded and read the entire manual which is an excellent read, and after that I did decide to buy it. The Albatros was high on my 'want' list, after spending a lot of time in Piglet's good old L-29 and the L-159 Alca that is already available. The L-39 is a regular at airshows here, and I'm really happy I now have the chance to try it for myself!

Framerates are excellent for me, even though my computer is just below recommended specs! If you stay with the aircraft limitations it's not that hard to fly, and so far both my landings went very well. Just keep in mind to start final approach a bit frther from ther field than usual to get hte speed right.

The second cockpit with the in-build failure features is a great idea, and something I hope to see in more aircraft in the future.

I'd say that after the first hour or so of flight testing this aircraft is well worth the money (And I am one of those unlucky ones that does have to pay the extra VAT!) and I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a jet to fly in FsX; It knocked the Aerosoft F-16 from its top spot on my list!

Some obligatory screenshots; it's really getting hard to tell the difference between FsX and photos now!

 

[Lotus]

I was really looking forward to this and I really! wanted it but 54.00 dollars is out of my range for a sim plane I'll just have to drool over the screen shots, beautiful job Lotus

Hi, sorry to intrude on this, but just to clarify it's $45 US at FSpilotshop, and $32 EUR at Simmarket, which is the same amount at today's rates. US customers don't pay European VAT tax.

Thanks.

-Mike