L-1049G, the lesser of the Connies here?

[jsaus]

Not in reality, just as one of the models here. Just curious, since it has the least documentation than the 049, 749 and 1649. I’m guessing real life documentation was a little hard to come by?

Although it flies ok. I’ve done a couple 5-6 hour flights in the Qantas livery. Very enjoyable either way. 

[mrcapitalism]

I have at least 3 different manuals inside my 1049G folder. An HTML one, a PDF one, and multiple JPG images concerning performance planning, engine operation, and fuel tank management. It also has complete handling notes.
There are a lot of versions of this aircraft released over the years. I don't know exactly what version you're flying, but there are probably some updates out there you might want to look out for.

[chris_c]

I have four different L-1049G variant folders and all come with extensive references so while I cannot speak for your versions, mine have very complete and useful documentation included in each variant. The differences are primarily related to the presence or absence of prop spinners and wing-tip tanks.

Chris

[connieguy]

It is one of the finest propliners available for FS9, and I would say the finest except that I have never really used the Starliner. There is plenty of information available, as has been said above, but if you really want evidence of the accuracy of the flight model compare it with the real world (and available) manual for the C-121C and G. These were complex aircraft to fly, far more so than jets, and capable of much subtlety and variation. You can have all these things, if you get to grips with it properly. If you read the Connie Team manual you will see that information was not hard to come by, because they include pages from real world manuals on engine performance and managing the fuel system; that is also, of course, why the flight model is so accurate.

[jsaus]

Sorry guys, not saying it isn't good, as its fantastic. I was just comparing to say the 749 manual, with a little more options for power settings. Max, High, Normal, Long Range etc.

The 1049 has the chart for Max Cruise I think? Along with the kneepad manual containing Long Range cruise settings. I was just comparing looking at the different options for power settings. It seems a little more extensive with the other models. I just assumed (never assume) there may have been more charts available for the extra power settings. Or being different engines, less settings were used in general? And maybe there isn't other options? The Engine Power Schedule Table seems to be the Max Power option? Was there a 'Normal Cruise used'?

Yes there is the 'Composite Cruise Control Chart'. Not totally sure how to read that one though. But maybe that might be the one to get the various BMEP/RPM combinations?

[connieguy]

What you say may be true of available FS9 documentation. It is not true more broadly.The USAF knew all about these aircraft and there were many different cruise options and settings for BMEP and RPM. There was also the matter of leaning the mixture in cruise, something the model allows you to do accurately. What you really need is the manual at the link below and then you can compare the engine settings with the way the Jahn-Connie Team aircraft performs. The result may be that you won't really want to fly anything else. I know this manual is expensive, but worth every penny (cent or whatever).

www.eflightmanuals.com/ITEM_EFM/SDETAIL_EFM.asp?mID=200

[Defender]

Hi,

If you've got the FDE update zip I mentioned in the startup smoke thread, you'll have a pdf Update Manual with a number of power setting tables, including max cruise and long range cruise. I agree it doesn't include normal cruise settings and a commonly used normal power setting for everyday operation of these engines would have been 1800 BHP at high weights then 1700 BHP once about 10,000lbs below max TO weight, and for the remainder of the cruise. The status panel will show you the possible RPM and BMEP combinations for any BHP level. Usual combination would be 2400 RPM and 177 BMEP for 1800 BHP, then either 2400/167 or 2350/170 respectively for 1700 BHP. Fuel flow about 745 PPH at 1800, 705 PPH at 1700. Aim to lean the mixture to get an f/a ratio of 0.064 on the status panel.

Yes, the Composite Cruise Control Chart is of limited help. There is no low blower version and the IAS readings in FS9 are inaccurate. It works on the basis that you select a target IAS for the aircraft's weight then read up to the required engine settings and down to the resulting fuel flow. I believe the USAF did in fact use a constant IAS cruise technique which probably civil operators never did. However if you just ignore the weight/IAS section it will still show you the target fuel flow for any RPM/BMEP/altitude combination.

Bill

[Defender]

Ken,

I don't think that C-121C/G manual has cruise TAS v. weight for constant power settings because the USAF didn't operate that way?

Bill

[connieguy]

Bill,
        I no longer have the L-1049 download files as a result of accidentally wiping the hard drive that had them on. The aircraft are fully installed and backed up, so I do not need to replace them. However, I did print out much of the original manual 'Flying the Lockheed L-10149G/H Super Constellation in Flight Simulator 9', which includes real world documentation. This includes 'Fuel System Management C-121G', 'Fuel System Management - Tip Tanks On, Adapted from EC-121 Manual', 'Composite Cruise Control Chart' (again from a C-121G manual), and R3350-93A Engine Power Schedule Table, from a manual for the EC-121/C121-G.
        Subsequently I bought the manual linked above, which of course has a great many performance tables because it is the real thing. Two are the R3350-93 Engine Power Schedule Tables for Auto-Rich and 10% Lean Mixture, and the latter is very useful while, of course, being very similar to the one the Connie Team supplied. The other tables I use are the Long Range Cruise Operating Tables, which are based on the assumption that power will be reduced as the weight of the aircraft drops, and start at the overload weight of 144,500 lbs - not a weight used by commercial airlines. There are four pages of these and a fifth on High Blower Overlap. The Connie Team FDE Update Manual I have just consulted by downloading it again and I see that it has an abbreviated version of such pages which starts at the civilian upper weight limit of 130,000 lbs. I have just realised that I applied the update without apparently ever looking at this manual.
       The C-121C and G manual (Appendix Part 5- Cruise, pages A5-9-11) speaks of the 'main types of cruise control procedure now in use' and lists them as: a. Maximum Range Cruise; b. Long Range Cruise; c.Modified Long Range Cruise; d. Constant Power Cruise; e. Constant Airspeed Cruise; f. High Speed Cruise; and g. Holding Speed Cruise, or Maximum Endurance.

       Of 'a' it is said to be 'very seldom used in actual practice'; 'b' clearly was used and there is a long description of it and the tables mentioned above. They were aware, of course, that it prolonged engine life.  'C' also seems to have been fairly minor but 'd' is 'the easiest and simplest method of cruise control'. 'E' Constant Airspeed Cruise 'is a method whereby power is reduced as gross weight is reduced to maintain constant airspeed' and 'The composite cruise charts can be used to advantage in predicting necessary power settings.' However, it will normally be more expensive in terms of fuel than Long Range Cruise. 'G' High Speed Cruise 'utilizes the maximum cruising power available in 10% lean mixture. It results in the shortest flight time per trip.'

    On Constant Power Cruise it states that 'Constant power cruise performance data can be obtained from the composite cruise charts (figures A5-2 through A5-8)'. I am not sure whether this is an answer to the question you asked.

     
Ken

[mrcapitalism]

Aug 19, 2021 15:26:12 GMT -5 Defender said:

There is no low blower version

Hi Bill,
My install has a Low Blower CCCC.
The image is titled "CCCC LB.jpg"

[Defender]

It's not important so don't waste time on it but do you happen to know where your CCCC LB file came from? I actually found a copy in my WV-2 version folder but it's not in the download zip, nor any of the other Super Connie release zips as far as I can see.

It would perhaps be useful to folks for finding settings for constant power as Ken suggests, despite lacking any guidance as to what BHP or IAS to use in different situations.

Bill

[jsaus]

Thanks for the info guys. Very insightful.

[thomas]

Hi
I just came across this topic and I have a pdf titled "Lockheed Super Constellation Model 1049 Series Crew Operating Manual - Report No. 8758", dated June 1, 1953. It's for the 1049C, not for the G model and it says on the contents page that "cruise control, performance information, weight and balance data, and maintenance instructions are not included in this manual". It refers you to various other Lockheed Report Nos for those items.

It's a large file of some 236MB but If you're interested I can WeTransfer it to you, or anyone else?
cheers, Thomas