NZFF

This blew in to Wellington.
Getting to know it in the sim is likely to take a year - as of now I figured out the airstair, but can't yet flush the toilet.



See, in real life, if you have one of these, you don't need to know all that stuff (OK toilet flushing maybe).
I think I want one of these in real life.
They're not much more than a Gulfstream, really.

what aircraft is it (posky PMDG?)

Kelburn wrote:

QUOTE(Kelburn @ Aug 27 2007, 06:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what aircraft is it (posky PMDG?)

It's made by Ariane.
It has some interesting appointments:



And it has many, many, fat operating manuals

It has taken me a while to realise that your first image is actually a screenshot Charl- I was convinced it was a photo earlier!

That BBJ sure has a tall tail- it looks really out of proportion to the length of the fuselage eh? Is the modeling correct? I've never heard of the Ariane company- are they new to the FS scene? Is the aircraft worth its $?

By the way Kelburn, POSKY have a free download version available here. One of our members, Hinch, has done a brilliant repaint for it also, available here.

Charl - what is the Ariane model like from a 2d panel (does it have one?), VC, FDE and sound point of view? It is also rather expensive!

I have read a lot of negative things about this model but maybe some people on some fourms have an axe to grind with Ariane

Trolly wrote:

QUOTE(Trolly @ Aug 27 2007, 11:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It has taken me a while to realise that your first image is actually a screenshot Charl- I was convinced it was a photo earlier!
That BBJ sure has a tall tail- it looks really out of proportion to the length of the fuselage eh? Is the modeling correct? I've never heard of the Ariane company- are they new to the FS scene? Is the aircraft worth its $?

Trolly the shot was foreshortened by "long lens" effect so exaggerated the tail.
But remember it's a -700 so fuselage is quite short
The visual model is probably as good as you will be able to find.
There are several liveries available, here's a one-on-one comparison for the Netjets one:



The 737 nose is often mis-modelled but this one is right on the money


See Ian Woodcock's reference shot.

Irritatingly, it looks even better in FSX:



Even has the right number of blade antennae.

Naki wrote:

QUOTE(Naki @ Aug 28 2007, 09:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Charl - what is the Ariane model like from a 2d panel (does it have one?), VC, FDE and sound point of view? It is also rather expensive!
I have read a lot of negative things about this model but maybe some people on some fourms have an axe to grind with Ariane

Well at fifty pounds you'd expect something special!
Conversely, your expectation is quite likely to be too high as a result.
They have unique approaches to many aspects of the model - there is no 2d panel as such.
Ariane has a rather unique business approach too; the download is in 7 large parts, and I experienced 4 link failures on my first attempt.
They close off the download site after your first attempt, it turns out.
When I contacted them with a view to complete the download, I managed to elicit, after 2 weeks, an accusation that I was trying to pirate their software!
It got quite threatening on both sides before they relented.

But that is now history, it is a very interesting model.
I'll post stuff here as I explore more of it.

the guy that owns Ariane is a controversial figure, he's tried a few well documented scams.

Since I can't remember the guys name, this is the best thread I could find covering the matter:

http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...1&mode=full

Ariane was, indeed, a PT creation. I think they're, finally, out of business. No one in their right mind would get involved taking over anything to do with The Evil One. If Ariane shows up alive again be very, very wary - especially with your credit card.

hinch wrote:

QUOTE(hinch @ Aug 30 2007, 03:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the guy that owns Ariane is a controversial figure, he's tried a few well documented scams.
Since I can't remember the guys name, this is the best thread I could find covering the matter:
http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...1&mode=full

Ooh Darkness and Intrigue!
I have met with and faced down the Evil One...
Thanks for the pointer, Hinch.
Think the most accurate comment from your link is:

I will agree with Uwe the Ariane 737 is still by far the best 737-300 on the market (aircraft model) and I still fly her almost every day ....
I do not agree with Mr. Tishma's business practices I do believe that the 737-300 was produced by some very good designers who were conned into Mr. Tishma's business tactics.

I shall keep a careful eye on the credit card in the next few months!

I had my credit card out ready to buy this BBj as well, but thankfully did a few google searches for opinions on the plane before I decided to buy. Glad I didn't now thanks to this info. She looks a great plane though, and from what I've seen the modelling and systems modelling is second to none. The sounds I've heard aren't so good though, and a few of the 'opinions' I read at places like avsim note a few other things missing from the simulation that shouldn't have been missed for such an expensive piece of kit. But, I'm sure you'll get many hours of enjoyment from it Charl. I look over these screenshots and it still tempts me.

Charl is that 3rd shot down with the BBJ approaching the runway - is that a screenshot or the real thing? First time I have really been stumped on whether is the real thing or FS model - scenery looks real but the model is FS? - is it photoshopped?

It does look like a good simulation and perhaps Mr Tishma has turned over a new leaf... then again, a quick search shows you were one of the lucky ones Charl!

Official Avsim article: http://www.avsim.com/pages/0902/pt_again.html

hinch wrote:

QUOTE(hinch @ Aug 30 2007, 01:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It does look like a good simulation and perhaps Mr Tishma has turned over a new leaf... then again, a quick search shows you were one of the lucky ones Charl!Official Avsim article: http://www.avsim.com/pages/0902/pt_again.html

Something I have noticed, the older posts bleat about the Evil One as well as the model. Recent ones are more complimentary about the product, and with good reason as I'll explain later. I got results from the commercial side only after we had a reasonably serious discussion about money and business practice, but especially about money.

Naki wrote:

QUOTE(Naki @ Aug 30 2007, 01:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Charl is that 3rd shot down with the BBJ approaching the runway - is that a screenshot or the real thing? First time I have really been stumped on whether is the real thing or FS model - scenery looks real but the model is FS? - is it photoshopped?

I cropped the FS model and sky onto Ian Woodcock's shot. I did mention that the external model is exceptional. Sorry, my link doesn't seem to work, search airliner.net for "BBJ Ian Woodcock" and you'll see the original Netjets plane.

OK I spent 2 days trying to find the interior light switch, because the usual "L" key doesn't do anything.
In the end I phoned up a 73 pilot who said "Look behind the yoke" and sure enough, there were the switches.
I also drew some inferences from the manuals, and a pretty show it is indeed.

Each external light is individually modelled, and the retracting ones do just that.
Might not be clear in the shot but the pilots' faces reflect the instrument light, nice touch.
I've brightened this a little so you can see better:



They seem to cast light individually too:



Inside, you can do stuff to the lighting
(Top to Bottom)
Dome light on, glare shield, instruments only (and you can dim these individually!!)



And you can separately alter the mood lighting in the main cabin, erm, lounge.



I'm impressed with the lighting all round, it is especially evident in the cockpit, the way switches light up 3D.
Next we'll try a little ground crew stuff.

Wow, looks really nice Charl.

Alex

The aircraft comes with a tug.
You can switch between the VC and the tug driver's view.
You can both push, and pull, so you can position the aircraft while on a sight-seeing tour of an airport.
Here's a quick clip of this, as well as taxi and rolloff.
I'm not sure what the GE engines should sound like, but this seemed good enough.
The segment showing the wing view if you look carefully, shows the tremor at the tip which I find very convincing
http://www.simtube.com/view_video.php?view...7a2044908a42fdc

Very impressive - the sound is very realistic - I am not a tube flyer but I think if I do make the transition I'm for a Biz Jet of some sort (BBJ, Citation X (Eaglesoft), Legacy (Wilco))

I didnt know Ariane had FMCs in there Aircraft? Or is it not functional?

Have to say, it looks bloody good. Very tempting.

benwynn wrote:

QUOTE(benwynn @ Sep 2 2007, 01:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didnt know Ariane had FMCs in there Aircraft? Or is it not functional?

Very much so - there is a manual devoted to it.

The model has flaws, like anything else.
One of them is that the labels in the VC are extremely hard to decypher because the resolution is so poor.
There will no doubt be others, I will ramble on a bit more when time permits.