Liking The Discus

[Lep 0]

Okay, I have put in some good number of hours since buying this Discus a few days ago, and I must say it has opened up a brand new flying world for me!!

Over the past many years, I have always used good quality add-ons, but always anything except glider. Well, this one is indeed one such good one.

My only issue is that of getting used to flying with no power drive. Searching for thermals and ridge lifts still remain a challenge. For example, I have done some gliding in Switzerland, even setting winds of up to 15 knots, roughly at an angle to the ridges, and yet there are times when I thought I would catch a lift by flying towards such ridges, but only to find there is no lift! And cumulus clouds were few around, if any at all (even though I set weather to 4/8 scattered).

Can someone please advise, what is the best way to identify good ridge lift regions? I'm getting quite frustrated with not finding them when I thought they should be there (example, where winds blow more or less perpendicularly towards those ridges). Instead, sometime I encounter a sudden sink instead, as well as loud "banging" sounds like being punched, and being swung around quite violently when near to mountain slopes. Very strange.

2 more questions -- when is a good time for releasing all the water ballast? How to prevent overspeed / overstress when performing aerobatics? The Discus seems to reach Vne way too easily.

Really a newbie to gliding. Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

Lep

[binky9 0]

Lep,

FSX doesn't have good thermals. Get CumulusX! It will open that new world even wider.

binky9

Okay, I have put in some good number of hours since buying this Discus a few days ago, and I must say it has opened up a brand new flying world for me!!

Over the past many years, I have always used good quality add-ons, but always anything except glider. Well, this one is indeed one such good one.

My only issue is that of getting used to flying with no power drive. Searching for thermals and ridge lifts still remain a challenge. For example, I have done some gliding in Switzerland, even setting winds of up to 15 knots, roughly at an angle to the ridges, and yet there are times when I thought I would catch a lift by flying towards such ridges, but only to find there is no lift! And cumulus clouds were few around, if any at all (even though I set weather to 4/8 scattered).

Can someone please advise, what is the best way to identify good ridge lift regions? I'm getting quite frustrated with not finding them when I thought they should be there (example, where winds blow more or less perpendicularly towards those ridges). Instead, sometime I encounter a sudden sink instead, as well as loud "banging" sounds like being punched, and being swung around quite violently when near to mountain slopes. Very strange.

2 more questions -- when is a good time for releasing all the water ballast? How to prevent overspeed / overstress when performing aerobatics? The Discus seems to reach Vne way too easily.

Really a newbie to gliding. Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

Lep

[J.Schweigler 203]

He got cumulusx already.

First the flying thing.

The Discus seems to reach Vne way too easily.

Well, this is a glider. An aerodynamical extremely clean airplane. So, you CAN reach VNE easyly. It is even faster with water ballast. This is only normal.

A general good time for releasing water is short before the landing on the final glide. Or if the weather becomes too weak for the heavier plane. It is your decision. But always release all the water before an outlanding.

Regarding The region, Try mifflin. It is a small airfield directly at a free small ridge, where you can practise long ridge flights.

And set ONE windlayer in FSX and drag it high enough!

16 kts should work well.

Of course cumulusx must be on.

Cheers Joachim

[Lep 0]

Thanks, folks.

On aerobatics, I've seen on Youtube real world glider doing all types of aerobatics and it seems it never come anywhere close to Vne. Is this possible in the Discus here?

And just discovered 2 more issues :-

1) I cannot get the BT engine to start -- the red starter switch cannot be clicked, and when using Shift-Q (fuel valve Open), the prop turns only a while then stop.

2) In the BM model, I can start the prop okay, but when trying to stop by closing fuel valve, the prop still turns slowly, and will only stop if I click to retract.

3) Cannot turn on the CX! "Script Thermal" (shows red box)

Hope to clarify these. Thanks.

Lep

[J.Schweigler 203]

On aerobatics, I've seen on Youtube real world glider doing all types of aerobatics and it seems it never come anywhere close to Vne. Is this possible in the Discus here?

Of course it is.

Look at this. Some of the maneuvers are also possible with the normal Discus, without touching Vne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ToENBozaaQ

And just discovered 2 more issues :-

1) I cannot get the BT engine to start -- the red starter switch cannot be clicked, and when using Shift-Q (fuel valve Open), the prop turns only a while then stop.

Read the manual. "Red starter button" indicates that you didn't. BT has no starter.

2) In the BM model, I can start the prop okay, but when trying to stop by closing fuel valve, the prop still turns slowly, and will only stop if I click to retract.

The same. The manual describes how to use the engines

3) Cannot turn on the CX! "Script Thermal" (shows red box)

You don't need script thermals. Auto thermals and ridge is much better.

Cheers Joachim

[Lep 0]

Okay thanks, will check it out.

I also see that the BM tail fin has only one tube attached that is bent facing down, without the second straight tube that is present in the BT and B model. It still function the same without the second tube?

Sorry to have so many questions, but I don't seem to fully understand from the manuals.

Lep

[J.Schweigler 203]

I also see that the BM tail fin has only one tube attached that is bent facing down, without the second straight tube that is present in the BT and B model. It still function the same without the second tube?

The straight tube is the pitot tube, wich can be somewhere else also. For example hidden in the hole where the front tow hook is in. The BT pitot in the rear is fake also. The real pitot is in the front. (Only one pressure switch). But it depends. Every single plane is a bit different. The other one is the static tube wich feeds the variometer. It is a TE tube. In engine mode this tube is dead, and the nozzles below the wings are used. You can't see them. These are only tiny 1mm diameter holes.

Sorry to have so many questions, but I don't seem to fully understand from the manuals.

Sorry, your last questions were fully explained in the manuals. If you have questions regarding soaring or aerodynamics or something regarding sailplanes in general wich is not directly described in the aerosoft manual, I am very glad to help, but not things like. "how can I start up the engine".

Best regards Joachim