Captain Sim C-130 Hercules
Airplane Background
Manufactured by Lockheed, the C-130 Hercules is a four engined turboprop, and had it's first flight in 1954.
The airplane has a maximum speed of 329 knots, a range of 2,050 nm, and a service ceiling of 33,000 ft.
Captain Sim Package
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules package is an add-on for Microsoft FSX.
Included in the package are 26 different C-130 variations (17 types), with liveries such as the Blue Angels, Coastguard, RAF, Marine Corp, and USAF.
There's also an excellent aircraft configuation editor where you can select payload, and other variables.
Documentation is provided in four pdf's that cover checklists, manuever profiles, limitations, and airplane systems. The pdf's can be downloaded from the website.
Flight Test
For this flight we positioned a Coastguard C-130 at Miami International Airport.
Lined up on runway 30, we're ready for departure, let's go fly.
The takeoff distance was quite short, the airplane lifted off at just over 100 knots, and climbed steeply.
Shortly after liftoff we banked to the right and headed out east to the coastline.
Some features of the airplane are immediately obvious, the complexity of the flightdeck, and the excellent visibility from the wraparound windows.
The overhead panel for instance is a mass of switches and dials, this certainly isn't a glass cockpit airplane, and will take some homework to operate properly.
The flightdeck has a multitude of instruments, even looking closely at the instruments the detail is extremely high.
Everywhere you can see worn paint, this airplane has been flown before !
While it's a complex flightdeck, it is an add-on where you can jump in and fly, and yet offers the depth of systems for the simmer who likes to learn and use them.
There's several different positions selectable and therefore views of the flightdeck, such as the Captain, First Officer, Second Officer, and Navigator.
There's also a cargo deck view, which allows a fantastic view with the rear cargo door open.
We've climbed to 7,500 ft. and take a look at the external textures.
Wow, with the sun shining on the right side of the airplane, this could easily be considered photographic quality.
The placards are all replicated, and the Coastguard elbum.
There's just something about the noise of turbo-props, and the sound quality in this package is incredible, it's espicially noticable when using an external view.
The airplane is very responsive, owing to the visibility I found myself wanting to do steep turns, it's a joy to fly.
Spotting a small airport we descend down for landing, the airport is Ocean Reef Club (07FA), it's 4500 ft. long and looks short.
We circle around, lowering the flaps and gear - the gear warning horn sounds if you misconfigure.
Coming over the trees we touch down and put the propellor's into reverse, the airplane stops almost immediately.
This is an airplane that can operate into airfields that others won't stop in.
We takeoff again and head back towards Miami.
Nearing Homestead ARB (KHST) we fail an engine. The prop stopped showing the attention to detail of the assembly.
The airplane continued to handle perfectly on the remaining three engines.
Again, with the short field performance of this airplane, we kept the pattern close to the airport, and descended steeply as we turned base to final.
We landed without any problems, completing our first sortie.
Summary
This is an excellent add-on, not only does it handle great, but it also offers the complexity to provide countless hours of systems to learn about.
As a choice of airplane it provides a lot of visibility, performance, and yet short field capabilities which enables you to land at airfields you might otherwise not be able to go to.
Highly recommended, this is one airplane you'll want to hand fly.
Available from Captain Sim web site (www.captainsim.com).
