AUSTER AOP-11 Available

Here's how to really light 'er up. I know she never had strobes, but I like strobes:icon_lol: Ya can always hash "//" them out.

Aircraft.cfg Entries:

[lights]
//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landing
light.0 = 10, 0.24, 0.00, 1.45, fx_shockwave_vclight,
light.1 = 3, 1.15, -17.9, 2.5, fx_shockwave_navred_nl,
light.2 = 3, 1.15, 17.8, 2.5, fx_shockwave_navgre_nl,
light.3 = 5, 2.65, -17.5, 2.5, fx_shockwave_landing_light_tail_old,
light.4 = 6, 2.65, 17.5, 2.5, fx_shockwave_landing_light_tail_old,
light.5 = 3, -5.96, 0.69, -1.55, fx_shockwave_navwhi_nl,
light.6 = 2, 1.15, -17.9, 2.5, fx_shockwave_strobe_l_nl,
light.7 = 2, 1.15, 17.8, 2.5, fx_shockwave_strobe_l_nl_3,

//-------------- Exhaust Bits -------------------
light.8 = 3 0.30, 1.90, -2.40, fx_V12_IDLE_starb,
light.9 = 3, 0.30, 1.90, -2.40, fx_V12_MAX_starb,
light.10 = 3, 0.30, 1.90, -2.40, fx_V12_Exhaust,
light.11 = 3 0.30, -1.90, -2.40, fx_V12_IDLE_starb,
light.12= 3, 0.30, -1.90, -2.40, fx_V12_MAX_starb,
light.13= 3, 0.30, -1.90, -2.40, fx_V12_Exhaust,
 
I think I said it before...and I am still somewhat ashamed to admit it. Until the FS Austers started appearing I had heard the name once or twice but never really seen an Auster.
Now, thanks to this dedicated team, I have a whole hangar full of those airplanes and find I fly them as often as I fly my Connies.

So thanks to the team for yet another airplane to add to my collection.

Cheers
Stefan
 
Sunny9850 said:
I think I said it before...and I am still somewhat ashamed to admit it. Until the FS Austers started appearing I had heard the name once or twice but never really seen an Auster.
Now, thanks to this dedicated team, I have a whole hangar full of those airplanes and find I fly them as often as I fly my Connies.

So thanks to the team for yet another airplane to add to my collection.

Cheers
Stefan
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for the kind words, so much appreciated by all involved, not just the three of us Messrs Molyneaux, Horsey and Pengelly, but to Gary Jones' lovely sound files, Peter Watkin's repaints and our wonderful and resourceful beta team, and never ever forgetting the late Leif Harding, who guided us through thick and thin not just to build this aeroplane, but all the others that have emerged from Britsim. This Auster is dedicated to his wonderful service and memory.

The AOP.11 was a modified AOP.9 airframe and was fitted with a 260 hp Continental 6-cylinder horizontally opposed engine - which of course was more powerful than the 180 hp Bombardier of the earlier marque. The installation of this engine, raised the maximum speed to 142 mph (228 km/h) and the empty weight to 1,806 lb (816 kg).

Apart from the engine, the AOP.11 was almost identical to its predecessor. Early in its career, the undercarriage had spats, though these were later removed. Only one was produced, making its first flight on 18 August 1961 with serial XP254. A year later it was registered to Beagle aircraft, that had taken over Auster in 1960, as G-ASCC where it was known as the Beagle Mk 11, the E.3 or as the A.115. It was sold into private hands in 1971 and is still airworthy today.

The AOP.11 came that little too late for the British Army as the Skeeter and Sioux helicopters were entering service and therefore the role of the fixed wing was becoming rather diminished. Although it was demonstrated to other Air Forces (Switzerland was interested at one stage), sadly only the prototype exists. This was something of an ongoing issue for Auster as throughout their designs and models, they concentrated on steel tubed airframes that almost all of which cept a notable few (Agricola, AOP9) were developed from the same basic model. By changing the wing, the fuselage or the engine - another Auster was created as you have seen here on FS2004. What with the quick introduction of the more modern Cessnas and Pipers into the UK, less and less were sold (all but the Autocrat made a financial loss) and so the Auster soon became unloved with the majority becoming Hangar Queens. Now, its very much the opposite and they are well loved by their owners and represent a somewhat forgotten part of the British Aircraft Industry. With the models produced by us and the Owners Club we hope we have helped to elevate the interest recently in the marque. Long live Auster!!!

Now........this is to be our last Auster design. Hurrah, some of you might say, but its truly been a labour of love for the three of us and we now feel its time to move on and create something as Monty Python say 'completely different'. We have a few projects in hand, with one soon to be created, but we are sticking to the classic British designs, although all you will have never seen any of these before in the simulator. That makes it all that bit more interesting.

We have a lot of people to thank you in creating the 22 Auster aircraft modelled in FS2004. Not just the people at Britsim, but the various owners who have helped us along the way. We have always strived to created as close as possible to the real thing, a simulator model which replicates in both looks and flying characteristics, a model which within the confines of the software a true replica. This has been supported from past owners and pilots who learnt to fly or owned Austers who have given us very positive feedback. We never just had a sheet of performance figures to work from and in all instances, had use of the aeroplanes themselves, the flight and technical manuals (went through two scanners!!), over 200 photos of each aeroplane - carefully cataloging each part of course and then wonderful, wonderful assistance at all times from the owners.

Every part modelled is very close to the real thing in both appearance and operation. The software of course is meant to be a simulator and that is what we have always worked towards - creating a model that is worthy of the real thing. We have never added a feature that was not in the original airframe as we have liked to get things almost 100% accurate and its never been our intentions to build 'what ifs'. There were a few shall we say 'interesting' unbuilt projects, but this was outside our remit and so, as said before we worked in building 'replicas' of the flown designs. As can be seen in the 22 modelled, the company was rather diverse in what it did build!!

Hopefully not forgetting anyone - Richard Webber (Mk.3, Autocrat, Alpine, Aiglet Trainer, AOP.9), Jeff Houlgrave (AOP.9), Bryn Andrews (Terrier 2), Roger Benson (Autocar), Roy Ingram (Mk.5), Alan Beale (Arrow), Charles Sunter (Alpha) and Dan O'Gorman (Husky). Thank you gentlemen!!

I've flown in the majority of them myself and can say that they are the closest you will get to the real thing (biased moi?!), but without the help of others, the icing on the cake would sadly be missed. If it was a project airframe i.e. the A2/45, the B4 Ambulance or the glider, we had superb assistance from the Auster Company Archives that are held in Leicester under the watchful eye of Peter Stoddart.

I, too hope that all of you have enjoyed the Austers over the last two years or so and that they give you as much pleasure in the simulator, as it took for them to be built. And well, just watch this space for what emerges in the future........

Happy Landings (without that Auster bounce!),

Martin Pengelly
 
Thank you Martin and the team for your valiant efforts. I'm sure it is much appreciated, espec those of us who have had the opportunity to fly in one of these machines (in my case, hanging out the door with a camera taking pics of a mates Moth Minor...)

Now...if you could just capture the unique smell.....

We look forward to the next creations from you talented band of creators....
 
SPman said:
Thank you Martin and the team for your valiant efforts. I'm sure it is much appreciated, espec those of us who have had the opportunity to fly in one of these machines (in my case, hanging out the door with a camera taking pics of a mates Moth Minor...)

Now...if you could just capture the unique smell.....

We look forward to the next creations from you talented band of creators....
Click to expand...

Thank you for your thoughts, as always so nice to hear from someone that appreciates what we do. As I believe with most downloads, it is very rare that we hear what people think of our efforts, but hearing this makes it all so worthwhile. Here's to the next project!!

Ummm that smell, I know what you mean, a mixture of old leather, oil, fuel and who knows what else. If it could be bottled, I would buy it!! Perhaps car companies need to bring out 'old aeroplane' instead of 'new car' air fresheners for all us propeller heads!!! Its not just Austers of course that give off this 'odour' its the majority of vintage machines, with the larger the type the more atmospheric the smell :)

Perhaps 'scratch and sniff' packets could be included in payware boxed sets. Off to the patents office now!

Best wishes,

Martin
 
Martin,

what ever your "something completely different" turns out to be I am quite positive it will be spectacular and will find a home in my hangar. I am actually quite glad you said you are going after something most of us will have never seen.
Three cheers for that. To me that is, aside from procedure training to keep my real world IFR skills sharp when I can't afford the 100LL, the one thing the Flightsimulator can do best. Introduce and hand over the "keys" to an aircraft we otherwise
would never or almost never be able to try our own hands on.
As long as the aircraft in question is a meticulously researched and built as your Auster series one can truly walk away from the PC and feel like having experienced something new. That does of course take an immense amount of work and dedication
and to the casual sim pilot might even be wasted effort. You know the type....they want the look of a DC6 or L-749 but have it fly and work in the Sim like a default C-172. Forget about reading a manual.

Just know that there are those of us around who do fully appreciate your efforts and enjoy the sense of discovery that comes with flying your creations. So go ahead create "something completely different".
As a community we can never thank you and your team enough for all the wonderful airplanes and discoveries.

Cheers
Stefan
 
A massive thanks to everybody involved with the Auster project, they have been magnificent! :applause: :icon29::icon29::icon29:

My mind has been busily running through all the possibilities as to what could be coming next, the neighbours are complaining about me jumping up & down with excitement!! :jump: As Stefan said, I'm sure what comes next will be equally spectacular, we'll just have to be patient - however difficult that becomes.
 
AndyG43 said:
A massive thanks to everybody involved with the Auster project, they have been magnificent! :applause: :icon29::icon29::icon29:

My mind has been busily running through all the possibilities as to what could be coming next, the neighbours are complaining about me jumping up & down with excitement!! :jump: As Stefan said, I'm sure what comes next will be equally spectacular, we'll just have to be patient - however difficult that becomes.
Click to expand...

Thanks Andy,

But don't go giving yourself an injury. It will be a couple of months before the next project emerges from the hangar. Its not just Dave's wonderfully accurate modelling and Brian's superb FDEs, the part I play - manuals, plans, finding past and present owners, photos, flying - takes a lot of time too. And when we are satisfied with the end result and its been through our all detecting beta team, then it will be released. So, please try and stay out of trouble before that day!! :)

Happy Landings,

Martin
 
Bit of a thread hijack. I asked Peter Watkins if it was possible to do a couple of extra repaints for the AOP9, for 653 Squadron based in Aden during the 1960's - well, it took him about 12hours, and then they were up at Britsim, so go get 'em.

Peter, you are a gentleman, a scholar and an artist. Thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top