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The keyboard definition screen. Check out the Extras directory on CD 1 for keyboard templates
Things in the air are getting tough on the ground. What with all the fiddly details, flying a simulator is getting as complicated as flying a real plane. But then, that's the point, isn't it? With the continuing advancement of flight simulators, making available more aircraft systems and simulating to a greater extent the different effects and forces acting on the aircraft, the goal has been for new entrants to the field to offer something different or better. Better in the field of flight simulators has always been more realistic, and this leaves desktop pilots no option but to crash or learn as the new simulators demand greater skills and are less tolerant of error. Fly! is an excellent example of the challenges that realism can present. Hopefully this list of tips and techniques will get you up into the air and make it less frustrating for you. While Fly! offers choice of five aircraft, this article will focus primarily on the Cessna 172 R and the Piper Malibu Mirage.

This is the first page of a typical 172 checklist. The numbers correspond to the location on the panels
Achieving a workable set-up for playing the game is the first issue. Not all the commands for Fly! are defined in the keyboard reference and the time you spend setting up your controls will prove a useful investment. Begin with the trim keys. These were added in the latest patch and so are not already defined. Since you need the trim keys to fly, defining them at the outset makes sense. It is a lot easier than the alternative that involves looking at the down view and then using the mouse to adjust the trim. Another important key if you are flying the multi-engine aircraft is the "next engine" key. Again, this is not defined but, if you have only one throttle, you will require the key to allow you to switch which engine you control.

If this is all just a bit too much work, look out on CD One for a directory called Extras (not mentioned in the manual or readme). There you will find key templates based on Flight Simulator 98, ProPilot 99, and Flight Unlimited II. These can be loaded into Fly!, enabling you to use a familiar simulator set-up rather than having to learn the Fly! keyboard layout. By the way, the Extras directory also contains a tutorial on Air Traffic Control and procedures. This is worthwhile reading if you are unfamiliar with ATC procedures.

Engine management
Having achieved the set-up you want it is time to look at engine management (you know, that thing at the front of the plane that makes the large bladed thing turn). The first step is to turn it on, no simple feat in this game (unless of course you "cheat: and use the auto startup procedure). Let's pull out a real 172 checklist, and compare it with the screen shots of the Fly! cockpit. Each action is numbered and the instrument it relates to has the same number. This is the only simulator that has a cockpit detailed enough to use real checklists on. Use the pre-start portion of the checklist, turn the magnetos to start and you should be humming (well, the engine should, at least). You may continue through the checklist if you wish to simulate the real thing; those aspects of the aircraft pre-flight affecting performance and attitude are particularly worthwhile.

The second page of the Cessna 172 checklist
By now you have the engine running and are on the end of the runway, ready for take off. As you advance the throttle you will notice the plane will start to yaw to the right. Put in a bit of right boot (right rudder) to keep the plane traveling straight. At 55 knots you can rotate the aircraft and at about 60 knots you lift off. Maintain pressure on the right rudder as this will stop the torque-in-propeller effect in this aircraft and keep the aircraft aligned with the runway as you climb. For takeoffs below 3000ft always use full throttle and mixture rich. Above this height, lean the engine. Do this by putting on the park brakes, running the engine up to 2300 — 2400 RPM and then leaning the mixture to get your highest EGT. When the peak has been reached, adjust the mixture to bring the EGT back two divisions. Cut the throttle back to 1000 RPM, release the brakes, then smoothly apply throttle to take off. With Fly! using the mixture is over emphasized in the Cessna 172 and you will need to lean the engine about 25 0.000000or every 3000 feet in height as you climb. The following table is a guide to this.

Height
Mixture

0
100 0.000000ull Rich

3000
75%

6000
55%

9000
30%

12000
15%

Table 1
The main cockpit panel for the Cessna 172. The numbers refer to checklist items
Once you have reached the desired altitude leave the throttle at maximum until the aircraft speed picks up. A problem with this simulator is the amount of yaw generated even while the aircraft is flying at a reasonable speed. In the real Cessna 172, at a speed over 85 knots the plane will remain wings level on maximum throttle, but in Fly! the aircraft continues to yaw to the right. Use some aileron trim to counter this. Though the Cessna 172 doesn't have aileron trim most joysticks and yokes do.

Following are the power settings for the Cessna 172.

RPM
Speed

Take off: MAX
(Normal) Rotate at 55 knots

Climb MAX
for Best Angle of climb 60 knots For Best rate of climb 78-79 knots Cruise Climb 90 - 100 knots

Cruise 2200 - 2500
110 - 120 knots Depending on height adjust the lean the mixture

Descent - Cruise 1900 - Approach 1500
100 knots, 80 - 60 knots

Table 2
Keep in mind that all these settings are approximate and will alter as the aircraft changes attitude. If you set 1500 RPM when cruising at 110 knots and then slow to 80 knots, the RPM will drop correspondingly to, say, 1400 or 1300.

Going to Malibu
This is the middle and floor console for the Cessna 172
Let's change now to the Malibu. This aircraft has a much higher performance than the Cessna but the basics hold true. Admittedly the Malibu has retractable undercarriage, constant speed propeller, pressurization and icing, but really it is just more levers and buttons to play with. The undercarriage is reasonably simple to use. You retract the undercarriage when you have insufficient runway left to land on, in the event of an engine failure after take off.. When you are coming in to land and you are on the downwind part of the circuit you perform your BUMFH checks. This is:

B: Brakes, Park brake is off and Pedals are pressurized.
U: Undercarriage is down.
M: Mixture Rich., Magnetos both, Master switch on.
F: Fuel — On both tanks and sufficient.
H: Harnesses secure.

Now for that constant speed propeller. At it's most basic it can be thought of in this way: to increase power first increase the propeller, then increase the throttle; to decrease power, decrease the throttle first, then decrease the propeller. When landing, at the point at which you are established on short final, you need to move the propeller to full fine (Max RPM) and full rich mixture, so all you need to do is increase the throttle for a go around. One of the points to watch with this aircraft is how easy it is to get over speed. When you are at altitude it is important to bring the RPM down to the cruise settings. The following table covers engine settings for different flight attitudes.

Throttle/Manifold
RPM
Mixture / Fuel Flow
Speed

Takeoff
Max (42 inHg)
Max (2500)
Full Rich * / 42 gph
80 knots Rotate

Climb – Best Angle
42 inHg – 39inHg
2500
Full Rich *
91 knots

- Best Rate
42 inHg – 35 inHg
2500
Full Rich *
125 knots

- Cruise
35 inHg
2500
Full Rich */ 32gph
125 knots

Level Flight –Normal
30 inHg
2400
Lean using TIT / 18gph
170 knots

Descent- cruise
24 inHg
2000
Lean using TIT/
160 – 150 knots

- Approach
24 inHg
1500
Full Rich*
90 knots

The note about full rich applies to aircraft taking off from sea level. Like the Cessna, you will have to lean the engine for take off heights above sea level. You can use the Turbine Inlet Temperature (TIT) in the same fashion as the EGT gauge in the Cessna.

Table 3
A point on the operation of the pressurization system: unless you apply Beta patch 1.01.77 or higher then the labeling of the dump switch is reversed.

This is the Piper Malibu Mirage coming in to land at Dallas-Ft Worth
Fuel usage in the Malibu is different from the Cessna as you can only feed from one tank at a time. Typically you would start the plane and take off on the right tank, then after 30 minutes of flying change to the left tank. Fly on this for an hour and then swap back again. This will balance the fuel usage in both tanks while flying. Fortunately the Malibu comes with rudder trim as you will need to use this to help adjust balance, allowing for the differing fuel in each tank. However, due to a bug in the game, if you fail to switch to the left tank first, then back to the right tank Fly! will draw fuel at the same rate from both tanks. This effectively doubles your fuel consumption!

This article covers the single engine aircraft for Fly! Both of these aircraft are challenging and fun to play. Make a point of getting the latest patch as this fixes a lot of problems with the game. While the navigation parts for this game are similar to other flight simulators, the speeds and aircraft settings in this article are for Fly! and are not to be used in real aircraft. Please consult your aircraft handbook for real aircraft details.

mmorphon00@yahoo.com

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Page Updated Mon Feb 28, 2000 8:25pm EST