PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Okay, I think I need some help here, fellas. I'm currently playing with my RealFlight 7 (RF7), and aside from the fact that attempting to update it to 7.5 blows the program to smithereens on my XP-based comuter, I'm dealing with another issue.

They don't provide a Giant Super Sportster model with the RF7, just a smaller Super Sportster model. I haven't had much luck modifying models in RF7, except doing small things like CG adjustment. I can't seem to upsize the smaller SS model to use as a GSS, and I can't find any instructions for doubling the size of a model. If anybody has either a GSS model that works with RF7, or a set of instructions that can help me to modify the existing RF7's SS to be used as a GSS, I would be most grateful. I'd also like to find a large Gee Bee R2 model, if anyone has one. The RF7 has a great Pitts model, and I'm really enjoying flying it. I've tweaked it to closely resemble my RC Guys Pitts. I'd like to do the same with my GSS.

~ Jim ~

Joystick TX

Jim,

Thanks and good luck on your move.

I thought you may be busy cranking out another book. I really liked T.I.T.O.R.

I managed to get my plane out two times lately. Was too weak to lift it out of the van by myself, how far I have fallen, but luckily we have some helpful club members here.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Steve,
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. I'm part of the way through the next one, but there have been lots of interruptions with all this transitioning going on.

Don't worry about not having the strength to get your GSS out of the van. Sometimes we have to go through losing some strength to get to the point where we get it back. Three years ago today, my arms were paralyzed, and I was learning how to write using the Dragon program to write just using my speech. I didn't quit, and I expect you shouldn't quit either. After much hard work, I've got about 85% of my strength back now, and though I may never see the other 15% again, I'm not going to let it stop me(though at times it slows me down). I also finished that book you liked, and it won't be my last!

And don't forget, that's why we have friends; to help us when we're not feeling 100%. They'll make sure you get to fly.

~ Jim ~

Kostas1

Hey there!

It's been a while since I flew my GSS with my Saito FA-150S,
but I recently flew it with my GoPro Hero3+ Black mounted on the rudder and pointing
to the nouse......Stay tuned!!!

Joystick TX

Jim,

This cancer is tough, but it is not the worst thing I've been through. I was in immense pain for over 12 years and paralyzed for a while due to 4 crushed disks in my back because of a helicopter accident. Had to learn to walk again and still have trouble bending or lifting. I've used up about 12 cat lives over the years.

This hobby has been great for rehab. And people are so helpful, even at the competition level.

It is nice to have forums like this to get worldwide help.

I was just thinking, you may need to change your TexasSkyPilot name after you move out west. Maybe to FormerTexasSkyPilot, or ExTexasSkyPilot. Or you can come back to visit once a quarter.

Muttdog

Make sure when using your GoPro that you turn WiFi off. There have been a lot of reports of crashes with the WifI turned on and 2.4 radios

Super08

My Feedback: (2)

Steve good luck with the cancer. I can relate to the crushed disk issue. My left arm was paralyzed in 2012 when I had a disk burst at C4-C5. It was like having a truck parked on me. The pain is intense and never ending, even Percocet had little effect. They got me in for spinal fusion within two months. I later regained use of my arm but it was a long slow process waiting for the nerves to heal. It will never be the same but it works well enough that no one would ever be able to tell. I feel very fortunate.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Talk about timing. I didn't even know what a GoPro was until last night when I was watching an episode of North Woods Law. Kostas, glad to see you're still enjoying your GSS. We'll stay tuned!

Steve,
I have already inquired about changing my name to "PacificNWSkyPilot" - I haven't heard back from the good folks here at RCU yet. I did want to know if changing my name would cost me the 3800+ posts I've accrued. I suppose it's not that important; still, I'd like to keep them if I can.

~ Jim ~

Super08

My Feedback: (2)

I have had my name changed on another forum and never lost any posts so it shouldn't be a problem.

Joystick TX

Jim,

I'm sure that RCU would let you keep your posting number for a nominal fee, like $1.00 per post.

Super08,

I was told I would never walk again. I beat the odds and became a Bronze Level Ballroom Dancer.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Funny, Steve. Very funny. A dollar a post. Why, that would costs me DOZENS of dollars!

speed37

I know there was a GSS made for RF4. Here's that file. http://www.knifeedge.com/forums/down...=7955&act=down this should work with RF4 and newer.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

speed37,

BINGO! I imported it using the import feature under File, and it showed up when I went into the program! I was even able to do some editing to make its flying characteristics more closely resemble my GSS's flight characteristics. I couldn't change the colors, but that's no big deal.

Many thanks!

Now, does anyone have a large GeeBee R2? (I know; I know; I'm really pushing it. . . )

~ Jim ~

Joystick TX

Jim,

Looks like your name change went through okay. Glad to know your RF file worked.

I bought the first RF when it first came out and also all the add-ons. I spent countless hours fine-tuning my six simulated models to fly exactly like the real ones, it was great and I was happy. When I upgraded to the next version of RF, all that work was lost because RF said they did not make the new version to be compatible with ANY of the previous models and that I would need to start all over. I also asked them WHY they didn't make it clear that the new version would not accept any of the modified models from the first version and they said that if they did that, it would hurt sales of the new version, also they said the new version was so great that it would be worth the effort for me to redo all my work. That hacked me off so bad I never bought another RF system again. As a long-time computer person (1965) and system engineer I felt that was a major mistake, for them to not have a requirement to allow the previous models that people had modified to transfer to the new version, and I decided that I would never be stuck like that again. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. I learned to live without it. Much like the Jane Fonda exercise videos.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Steve,

I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm pretty hacked off at them. I lost all the planes I had tuned up, and the field I had spent many hours tuning to my own specs, because I clicked on the YES button when they said they had an upgrade. BOOM, all of it blown away, and I didn't even have the program to use anymore, because it seems that the new upgrade to RF 7.5 does not work in an XP environment! It wouldn't let me go online and host a field without the upgrade, so I said, yeah, go ahead. It took me several days to remove all traces of the RF 7.5 from my computer, and then I reinstalled my RF7, and went to work building my field and, as you see right now, I've started replacing my favorite planes with some planes that will suit me. I don't think I've had the RF7 for two years yet, and I'm disgusted that they've gone and obsoleted it. I can see obsoleting it in another year or two, but windows support for the XP system itself has only just ended.

Even though I'll probably have my Windows 8.1 computer worked into my play and work area by the time I want to change up, I'm seriously considering going to another flight sim just on principle, since they've proven that they're willing to put their wants above our needs. To tell the truth, I've found the program to be very limited in some ways. Modifying a plane to make it larger is a major undertaking with RF7. The other simulators I had before offered the ability to increase or decrease the size of a plane by simply typing in a percentage, and then you could fine tune it by weight, CG, and color. With the RF7, I can't even FIND anything that allows you to change colors, unless that particular model has several color themes. The Pitts offered a detailed color-change option (which I gleefully used to duplicate my RC Guys Pitts), but I haven't been able to access it again to use on anything else.

I didn't have to give up Jane Fonda. My wife exercises to her DVDs.

Joystick TX

Jim,

Wow, sounds like you got hit even harder than I did. Now I'm really glad I didn't redo all my planes to the new RF. Sounds like I would need to do it over and over and over again.

That type of thing bothers me more than the normal person because I know from a hardware and software standpoint it is really EASY to do that at the design stage of the new software, but you do have to make it a priority. The old aircraft files, that people spent hours developing, can be uploaded to the new program even though some of the old features may be lost, or some of the new features may not work on the old files. It is inexcusable to make people do all that work over again from scratch. I don't care if they go from DOS to Win 8.1, the aircraft files are not that different, the operating system yes, the aircraft files NO. I have upgraded files from 4 bit "bit-slice" processors to 512 bit "array" processors with no problems. The cost to do it is minimal, the "real" problem, no pun intended, maybe, is that they just do not care.

Fortunately, being here in Texas now, I can fly a lot, so the simulator is not as handy as it was in Happy Valley, Labrador where our flying season was measured in hours per year instead of months.

For the monitors. I may get a chance to fly my GSS either tomorrow or Friday since the weather looks like it will warm up a little. I gave myself a present of a new radio with more channels because I wanted to add a bomb drop (not a real one, so don't report me to the Dept of Homeland Security) and paratrooper drop (not real ones, so don't report me to the Dept of Immigration). Later this year I also plan to get an electric Piper Cub to take with me when I travel, so I wanted the Bind-N-Fly capability of the Spectrum radio.

ddewey

Just got off my RF 7.5 upgrade and went exploring for files. Found out that they are offering reworked Add-Ons Volumes 1-5 for free for users of RF G4 and higher. Some classic no longer offered planes are found there I'm sure.

Joystick TX

Glad to hear that, they should do that for all versions. They still will not get any more of my money, too little, too late. Maybe they will learn someday.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

I sold all five CDs with all of my Add-Ons, because they wouldn't work in RF7 either. That was another disappointment.

~ Jim ~

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

It's still rainy season here in Tacoma, so I'm not going out flying yet. This is the time I use my RF7 most, to keep flying. I crank up the wind, turn on the malfunctions, and let 'er rip. It's my first year here, so I don't know how long the rainy season here lasts.

Joystick TX

I don't know exactly how long the rainy season lasts, but I made several trips to the area at various times of the year. I got wet a lot. I think it lasts from Jan 1 to Dec 31. No wait, that was Seatle, your rainy season there may be a bit shorter. Maybe you should invest in one of those hats with the built-in umbrella.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

I know that the summer is gorgeous here. We made two vacation trips a year here, and the summer and early fall are awesome. We're from Maine originally, anyway, so we got similar types of weather in each season. The only difference was that all the days of rain we see here would be days of snow in Maine, piling up and up. So far, I haven't found the need to shovel any of this rain, so you'll understand when I say that I feel like I'm cheating or getting away with something here!

Texas was just WAY too hot, and the sun was vicious. Rain really doesn't bother me at all, and when the sun shines here the scenery is breathtaking in every direction.

I actually DO have a hat with a built-in umbrella. It's my military floppy-hat. Nothing better in the rain!

Kostas, Tell us what you've been doing there! Any footage yet?

~ Jim ~

DLEVETT

My Feedback: (13)

Nice build you have going there Speed37.
I am in the midst of modifying my GSS with a topside hatch for access reasons and just realized that
my engine of choice (Evolution 45GX2, 3blade 20x10 Mej prop) isn't going to fit inside the cowling as the pitts muffler is just slightly
too wide at the front end.
I'm kinda bummed, so my next thought was to pick up a DA 35 and mount it.
Having said that I was pleased to see that's your engine of choice as well.
Are you planning on using a pitts muffler and if so will it fit within the cowl without having to have out the side?

thx
Dave
p.s. where did you get the carbon rod setup for the pushrod? they look like a nice clean install as well.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Hi DVEVETT,

I use Central Hobbies dot com for my carbon-fiber linkage supplies. Not cheap, but the products are absolutely top-notch. They're also a great source for gas fittings, when you need something unusual.

Sorry I took so long to respond to your question; my computer was acting up, not letting me get in here using my Firefox browser.

That DA 35 will power your GSS nicely. I have a Syssa 30CC, and I have to throttle it back to fly nice. It's great to have that extra ooomph when you want to fly more aggressively, though! Also, I'll bet the weight of the 35 will be just right for it.

Jim

Joystick TX

My two cents. I used the Syssa 30cc in mine for the first couple of years. Wore out two of them. I'm now on my second DLE 35, with rear exhaust and stock muffler. It all fits in the cowl with no problems, the stingers on the stock Pitts-style muffler exit at the rear of the cowl with enough length to keep the plane really clean. Have over 3,300 flights on the plane so far. I don't know about the DA 35, but the DLE 35 is an absolutely perfect fit for this plane. It has plenty of power and there are no problems getting the plane to balance without using extra weight. More details on mods, etc. are in my Gallery.