"Classic Piedmont Airports" BETA for FSX available

[dutch]

I'm happy to have got to the end of the 28 airports I've backdated to cover the Piedmont Airlines stations around 1959/60!

The work is available for you to test and enjoy, here: Classic Piedmont Airports Download

I had originally intended this to be compatible with FS9, but it turns out I've used too many FSX-only objects. I plan on an FS9 version later. For now, this is FSX and 32-bit Prepar3d. These extensively used CalClassic objects and as of now they aren't Prepar3d 4 compatible - although, if you upgrade your CalClassic object libraries most of them may work as they use existing objects by reference to the classic object libraries.

I developed these and have only tested them in FSX Acceleration.

They work well with the CalClassic AI.

Dutch

(PS. To have a complete set of Piedmont stations (if you care) also download KDCA, KCLT, KROA, and KCVG from here and install them too.)

PPS. Piedmont schedules are a great way to fly in the classic era.  Lots of short hops with a few longer flights.  You tour lots of classic airports.
Trying to keep to the schedules with their fast turnarounds is a challenge, as is flying with real weather over and into the mountains as Piedmont did regularly.

Here's a timetable for 1960.

[oftenconfused]

WOW! Just gave your beta a try. Beautiful job and something I had very much been wanting. Can't thank you enough for doing this. I've only gone to a handful of the 28 airports in your package, and will let you know of any issues I encounter, but this is great.

[dutch]

Here are seven of the 28 back-dated airports included. Basically chosen randomly.

Louisville-Staniford KY (KSDF):



Richmond VA (KRIC):



Raleigh-Durham NC (KRDU):



Charlottesville VA (KCHO):



Wilmington NC (KILM):



Asheville NC (KAVL):



Port Columbus OH (KCMH):

[deltalima]

Just discovered these.

Simply awesome, Dutch. While much of the FS9 Calclassic works acceptably well in FSX, it's a real - and rare - treat to have a great number of FSX native sceneries to add.

I've been to a few airports, and the FPS, details, etc. are wonderful.

thanks so very much!

DL

[awralls]

Dutch, did you ever post the FSC files to support a Piedmont career? I have a hazy memory of them on the FSC forum when you had a downloads section. I'd be interested in giving a Piedmont career a go and it would be a bonus not to have to create the schedule file. No worries of you don't.

Cheers,

Andy

[dutch]

Here is the Piedmont airline definition file set I use:

Piedmont Airlines 1953-74 for FSCaptain

The included schedule is a "consolidated" one containing actual flights from Piedmont timetables from 1953 to 1974, covering everything from the DC-3 era to the 737-200 era.

Flights 1-99: Boeing 737-200;
Flights 100-199: Martin 4-0-4;
Flights 200-299: Fairchild F-27;
Flights 300-399: Douglas DC-3;
Flights 400-499: Martin 4-0-4
Flights 600-699: Boeing 727-100
Flights 700-899: Martin 4-0-4
Flights 900-999: NAMC YS-11

(These flight numbers are the actual flight numbers from the real timetables, Piedmont always grouped the flight numbers by aircraft type.)

I'm currently pay grade level 8 with 607 logged hours with 143 more hours to go until I get to level 9!

The aircraft I use are:

Milviz 737-200
Calclassic Martin 4-0-4 (converted to FSX native)
Just Flight F-27
Manfred Jahn Freeware DC-3
Captain Sim 727-100
Aerosim YS-11

May 19, 2019 6:18:16 GMT -5 awralls said:

Dutch, did you ever post the FSC files to support a Piedmont career? I have a hazy memory of them on the FSC forum when you had a downloads section. I'd be interested in giving a Piedmont career a go and it would be a bonus not to have to create the schedule file. No worries of you don't.

Cheers,

Andy

[awralls]

Thanks!

Andy

[oftenconfused]

Still working my way through all 28 airports, but everyone I've been to is wonderful (I'm sure they all are); no glitches yet although I had my system shut down the first time I flew into KRDU: I suspect this was due to the aircraft (the Piper Apache) and other factors, as I haven't had issues since. Just mention this in case you get other reports of issues. One quick question I keep meaning to ask: where did you get the Piedmont liveries I see in your photos, and are those liveries for CalClassic planes? Thanks again for this terrific set of airports.

[Tom/CalClassic]

The only flyable livery I see in the photos above is the Piedmont 404. The rest appear to be from the 1962 Classic AI package?

[oftenconfused]

Another FSX scenery issue? I added the Texas airports 1962 package, and while the airports look beautiful, I have no traffic (even traffic I've tried adding with AIFP2). I've tried the scenery both with and without the LC file checked. Wonder if anyone knows what I might be doing wrong? I've tried converting FS9 traffic files to FSX in AIFP2, but there don't seem to be any FS9 traffic files?

[oftenconfused]

True to my moniker of OftenConfused, I think I figured it out: AIFP2 had identified some airports that it wouldn't validate/convert because of missing aircraft or other issues. I mistook this to mean the airports were ok. I hadn't downloaded the military AI traffic files as they were listed as optional. Perhaps that was the issue? In any case, after deleting BGLs and scenery files for Bergstrom and other AFBs/NASs, the traffic I added now appears. Did the Texas package come with it's own traffic too (other than military)? And could I just delete the Bergstrom etc. traffic files, and leave the scenery files? Sorry to ask basic questions, but I appreciate the help (and it's a relief knowing I can pose questions on this forum).

[dutch]

Correct. Since I'm flying the 4-0-4 and enjoying it, I turned off the 1959 traffic and activated the 1962 traffic since Piedmont didn't fly any 4-0-4's in 1959 but by 1962 they were common (management was eager to get rid of the DC-3's which were seen as old-fashioned.)

Also, most of the airport layouts are from the early 1960s, so in fact I am flying in an early 60s environment. Might as well have traffic to match.

May 20, 2019 10:13:40 GMT -5 Tom/CalClassic said:

The only flyable livery I see in the photos above is the Piedmont 404. The rest appear to be from the 1962 Classic AI package?

[dutch]

Yes, I'm using the 1962 CalClassic AI traffic which has a full representative set of Piedmont DC-3, F-27, and 4-0-4 traffic from 1962.

I fly in and out of KRDU all the time in the 4-0-4 and F-27 and haven't had any issues, let me know if it happens again.

May 20, 2019 9:29:52 GMT -5 oftenconfused said:

Still working my way through all 28 airports, but everyone I've been to is wonderful (I'm sure they all are); no glitches yet although I had my system shut down the first time I flew into KRDU: I suspect this was due to the aircraft (the Piper Apache) and other factors, as I haven't had issues since. Just mention this in case you get other reports of issues. One quick question I keep meaning to ask: where did you get the Piedmont liveries I see in your photos, and are those liveries for CalClassic planes? Thanks again for this terrific set of airports.

[oftenconfused]

Thanks Dutch. Will do.