Tropical Solomon Islands 2

an MV Challenge for FS2002 Pro

freeware by Michael Vone

 

Installation and background information

© Copyright 2001

Michael Vone

 


CONTENTS

 

 

Installation:

    Included files

    Installation instructions

    Aircraft

 

Background information:

    About the Solomon Islands

    Routes flown

    Weather

    Disclaimer

    Credits

    Copyright and Distribution

    General information about MV Challenges

 

Flight descriptions:

    Go to flight descriptions

 

 


INCLUDED FILES

 

This package includes the following files.

 

Documentation:

·    TropSolomons-FlightDescriptions.html (and associated subfolder); 

·    TropSolomons-InstallationAndInfo.html (and associated subfolder) ;

·    MVChallenges-FS2002-GeneralInformation.html. 

 

Flight and weather files:

·    TropSolomons-[flight_label]-[DepAirport]-[ArrAirport]-Caravan.FLT and *.WX.

 

Miscellaneous:

·    install.txt (installation instructions); 

·    M2trpsol.txt and file_id.diz (summary description for web sites); 

·    desc.txt (summary description for FS2002); 

·    M2trpsol.gif (thumbnail for web sites).

 

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INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

 

Suggestion: 

·    Use this page on-line (on-screen), while you install the Challenge (and any add-ons) into FS2002, and while you read the background information about the region, routes and weather. 

·    Print out the page with Flight descriptions, for use during your flights.

 

In general, I recommend installing FSUIPC (get the latest version from any major flight sim web site as file fsuipc.zip;  or find it at http://www.schiratti.com under the name Pete Dowson), if you have not done so yet:  this add-on software improves various aspects of running FS2002 (for example, it allows smooth weather transitions, and makes the visibility decrease gradually with altitude, rather than abruptly);  I will assume only FSUIPC's default settings.  You can fly this Challenge without FSUIPC.

 

Unzip all included files to the FS2002 folder, USING PATH NAMES.  This will automatically create a new subfolder of the FS2002 FLIGHTS folder, named "Challenge - Tropical Solomon Islands 2", containing all the files of this package.  That is all that you need to do.

 

If you wish to install replacement aircraft, follow their author's installation instructions (they remain valid in FS2002), except for some changes described below. 

 

For those flights that in reality use a Twin Otter, I recommend the Solomon Airlines Twin Otter for FS2000 by Premier Aircraft Design:  file dhc6ie2k.zip (download directly from Avsim).  A panel and sounds for FS2002 Pro by the same authors are available (files propnl22.zip from Avsim, prosnd-1.zip from Avsim, and prosnd-2.zip from Avsim).  (All these files are also available from FlightSim, after logging in). 

 

For the flights that in reality use an Islander, I recommend the Air Seychelles Britten-Norman Islander, which includes a simple panel, by Mike Stone and Jean-Jacques Parel (file britas.zip from Avsim or FlightSim), and optionally the corresponding sounds by Marcel Kuhnt (file bnsounds.zip from FlightSim).  (There is also a version of the Islander available in Italian Wings colors for FS2000 Pro, by Mike Stone and Marcello Lugari, with a more detailed panel, and fix, but this panel does not work in FS2002:  the files are bnislander.zip and islndrp.zip or islanderpnl.zip, in case you know how to convert a panel.)

 

For add-on aircraft designed for FS2000 or earlier, you need to make some changes.  You may use the Aircraft Editor (FSedit) supplied with FS2002 Pro.  Otherwise you could check the How To and FAQ sections at FlightSim, when they have information for FS2002.  With the Aircraft Editor, set, for example:

 

Title

DHC6-300S Twin Otter Solomon Airlines (2K)

Manufacturer

DeHavilland

Type

DHC6 Twin Otter

Variation

Solomon Airlines

Airline

Solomon Airlines

ATC Type

TWINOTTER

Model

DHC6-300

Flight

120

ID

H4-SIB

 

Title

Britten-Norman Islander Air Seychelles (2K)

Manufacturer

Britten-Norman

Type

Islander

Variation

Air Seychelles

Airline

Air Seychelles

ATC Type

BRITTENNORMAN

Model

BN2B20

Flight

276

ID

S7-AAA

 

ATC will not be able to pronounce these airline names, so ATC will only call you by your flight number or ID.  The flight number can be changed for each flight:  to do so, before flying, press Alt, then A, then A again, then select Change… under ATC Name, then enter the desired Flight number, and finally press OK twice.  If your aircraft does not have a flight number, ATC will use its "Tail number", called ID in the Aircraft Editor.

 

The ATC Type and Model should be typed as shown.  The ID is the registration number painted on the recommended aircraft.

 

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AIRCRAFT

 

Solomon Airlines has a fleet of two De Havilland DHC6-300S Twin Otters and three Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders (they also have one B737-300 leased from Qantas for international flights). 

 

 

The default FS2002 Pro Cessna Grand Caravan is suitable as substitute for both.  In cruise it is comparable in speed to the Twin Otter, and somewhat faster than the Islander.

 

If you wish, use a Twin Otter with Solomon Airlines livery, or an Islander with Air Seychelles livery (the Seychelles are nowhere near the Solomon Islands, but are equally tropical!):  see under Installation instructions.

 

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ABOUT THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

 

The Solomon Islands lie east of Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean.

 

According the Solomon Airlines' web site (from which the photographs shown here were taken), the Solomon Islands are "a western style democracy within the British Commonwealth, independent since 1978.  Nearly one thousand islands covering about 80,000 square kilometres make the Solomon Islands the third largest archipelago in the South Pacific, stretching between 5 and 12 degrees south of the equator. Its average temperature is 29C (84F)."

 

 

"Of its population of 320,000, only 104,000 live and work in an urban environment, while most remain within a subsistence economy.  The capital Honiara has about 35,000 inhabitants [its harbor is shown below], and one of only two other towns of any size is Gizo, with a population of about 2,000. The majority of its citizens are Solomon Islanders, with some Polynesians and Gilbertese among them."

 

 

For more information about the Solomon Islands, visit "The official web site".  There you will read, for example:  "Guadalcanal witnessed some of the worst naval battles of WWII and it was here that the tide was turned in the Pacific campaign.  As such, "Iron Bottom Sound", near Honiara, is strewn with many wrecks.  The wrecks, having created artificial reefs, attract masses of fish and an incredible variety of coral life." 

 

 

"A tourist spot for those with a sense of history is Kennedy Island [shown below].  In August 1943, a future US President, John F. Kennedy, swam to shore here after his patrol boat PT-109 was rammed by a Japanese destroyer."

 

 

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ROUTES FLOWN

 

Solomon Airlines has an extensive network centered on Honiara's Henderson Airport, as shown on their route map. 

 

 

The following topographical map (assembled from http://www.calle.com/world/ courtesy of Carl Rosenberg) shows all the airports present in FS2002, with runway information.  Note that only Honiara has an asphalt runway:  all other runways are made of dirt or coral!  And note the scarcity of navaids.  (You can print this map by itself by looking for it in the TropSolomons-InstallationAndInfo_files folder of this Challenge;  it should be called image011.gif.)

 

 

In this Challenge, you will simulate several of these routes, following the airline's own schedule (valid 2001/11/10 - 2002/03/31).  The weather will be quite variable.  You will find that it can be difficult to respect the schedule!

 

Cruising levels:  The Solomon Islands use the "quadrantal system" to determine IFR cruising levels.  I suggest you use them also in VFR flights:  the appropriate flight levels are listed for each flight.  The quadrantal system assigns the following flight levels depending on flight direction:

 

Bearing (magnetic)

Cruising levels

0-89°

1000, 3000, 5000, …, 29000, 31000, …

90-179°

1500, 3500, 5500, …, 29500, 31500, …

180-269°

2000, 4000, 6000, …, 30000, 32000, …

270-359°

2500, 4500, 6500, …, 30500, 32500, …

 

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WEATHER

 

The weather is preset for our flights.  It will change from flight to flight and from one area to another.

 

Nomenclature for wind direction/speed:  120/06g10 means a wind blowing from 120° (true, not magnetic), at 6 knots, gusting to 10 knots.

 

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DISCLAIMER

 

I am not a real pilot or a professional in aviation.  These challenges are based only on experience gained during flight simming, and should not be taken to suggest the best procedures to use in practice!

 

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CREDITS

 

I thank Premier Aircraft Design for their Solomon Airlines Twin Otter, Mike Stone and Jean-Jacques Parel for their Britten-Norman Islander (in Air Seychelles livery) and Marcel Kuhnt for its sounds. 

 

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COPYRIGHT AND DISTRIBUTION

 

This package is released as Freeware.  © Michael Vone.  As freeware you are permitted to distribute this archive subject to the following conditions:

 

·    The archive must be distributed without modification to the contents of the archive.  Redistributing this archive with any files added, removed or modified is prohibited.

 

·    The inclusion of any individual file from this archive in another archive without the prior permission of the author is prohibited.

 

·    No charge may be made for this archive other than that to cover the cost of its distribution.  If a fee is charged it must be made clear to the purchaser that the archive is freeware and that the fee is to cover the distributor's costs of providing the archive.

 

·    The author's rights and wishes concerning this archive must be respected.

 

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