2wheelsup, did you get better at starting by now?
Since yesterday I actuall manage to get her going on the first try, but it took me about a dozen attempts to get there.
- I use the VC views that show me the right/left engines, together with the engine panel (Shift-3) so I don't have to hunt around for switches all the time
- Prepare airplane, following the checklist: parking brakes set, turn on battery, set throttles to 10%, Mixtures to Auto Rich (about 82%), Props full forward, strobes on
- Right engine first: check any related systems off (ignition, fuel pump, carb heat, primer, starter, generator) - now the following steps should be done in quick succession because waiting too long with the fuel pump running will flood your carburator *
1. switch fuel pump on
2. prime for five seconds (might be optional, but didn't hurt so far)
3. press starter button, count nine blades turning through (three engine revolutions) **
4. set ignition to both
5. with luck, engine might start to fire - if not hit the starter again until it does
6. prime it for a couple of seconds, until the RPM is safely rising through 600 or so
7. turn on generator
8. in a small plane you would now turn off the boost pump, to make sure the mechanical one is working properly - the boost pump gets turned on again after runup, for takeoff. Don't know about the C-47 though, have to read a real PoH yet
- Repeat same for left engine
(*) If that happens, turn pump off and open the throttle for that engine for a handful of seconds, then start over. If you move the mouse over the starter field in the Shift-3 dialog, the mouseover gives you a hint of the state of affairs...
(**) It should be noted here that I changed the starter torque in the aircraft.cfg to 1.50 from the original 2.00, so that it turns the engine a little slower, looking more realistic (not that I've seen a real C-47) and making it easier to count the prop blades as they get turned through.
I have two more general questions:
- Is there a way to get a 2D popup panel of the Garmins? Or could this be added?
- I installed the VC repaints that are available in the add-ons section, and the definitively improve the somewhat sterile look of the original - but would it be possible to get higher-resolution panels? Especially the overhead ones are a bit rough..
Having said that: This plane is astonishing! Thanks to all involved for making this available, it is a lot of fun to fly, although if I were you I'd bundle it with the TW sound package from the start - the default sounds just suck in comparison
Now, another Buffalo Airways livery (
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6258813921_d1f5dbe183.jpg), and maybe a civilian DC-3 version, and I would be ecstatic

In the meantime, here are two nice shots of the C-47: