CH-53A Sea Stallion for FSX/FS2004

The model of the Virtavia CH-53 is not the newest. In fact model and panel are made in 2007. But is that package out of date? No, definitly not! I have tested it in P3dV3 without any problems. Installing to P3d, and I am sure also to FSX will set the model to native FSX format with seperate interior. The installation was quickly done and very easy. The exterior model is nicly detailed and comes with a number of pretty and different textures, including Bump textures. (not sure by head, 5 or 6?). The paints are for US and Germany in unicolor or beautyful camouflage. The shiny glass is excellent, mirroring even the ground you are flying above. The animations provide a tailgate with ramp, doors and windows. Interesting is the tail which can be swiveled for 160 degrees to reduce length in a hanger. And only in FS2004 the winsch can be operated but I could not test that feature. The cargoroom looks good in exterior views but there is non in the virtual view and that's a pity. My advice to Virtavia and to all users: Configure 2 aircraft cameras with the X-coordinates at 0, one at the aft looking forward and the second at the front looking aft. Bingo! The virtual cockpit looks very good and I am happy that there is also a fully matching 2D panel included. But the users should know that the VC does not provide many switchable knobs and switches; there are only few. The engine start procedure is very easy and can be done with the custom key commands. The flight handling is easy. Even beginners can do landings in relativ narrow areas. I had only problems for the final toauch on ground, the heli want keeping hovering, but it might be caused by my zero position of my throttle. Conclusion: Very pretty and detailed helicopter. Very recommendable for beginners. Freaks who prefers realistic operation by switching all switches in the cockpit as in the real world has to consider about.

The Sea Stallion is a helicopter I have had the pleasure of coming across numerous times in a professional capacity and therefore it was nice to be able to finally be able to have the chance to maybe try a realistic version of it out in a flight simulator. Not only did this make life much easier in general but it made it much simpler to pick up something truly epic, ensuring I would have no problems at all with getting to grips with the rather quirky nature of this aircraft whilst also letting me really feel the power that It carries.

The main idea of me trying this out was to give me a real idea of how something like this would feel so I could get aviation from the perspective of the flight experts out there, and this done everything I needed to really convince me how hard it must be hard to fly in a military environment. With the help of the crew figures, the checklists, the cockpit, the animations and the sounds I was able to feel as if I had a personal and professional understanding of this aircraft in no time at all, removing the challenges that I thought would be associated with flying something which is so incredibly powerful.

The extra additions of self-shadowing and other graphical add-ons just made it look even better to me, creating a really enjoyable flight experience I'd be happy to re-live over and over again in the future.

Thanks no doubt to the late developer Rory Kelly who first took on the serious challenge of replicating helio flight. I had my first contact in with the CH53 in early 73, and spent the next few years eating propwash as it was a mainstay in our daily operations, as well as the then new Cobra and the Harrier, both being tested at Parris Island. And Cherry Point. This is a sincere reproduction of what I consider to best the most valuable heavy lift aerodynamic acrobatic capable chopper Ive ever witnessed. Good to YouTube check ot the 53s and examples of how landing gear malfunctions and what a driver has to do to hold it steady in the wind while a crew is underneath attempting to dislodge the gear. Fast, Efficient and always quieter than a Huey!

For FS9: Excellent chopper with very true dynamics in the scope of the posibilities of FS9. Instrumentation are natural. Behaves true in (heavy) wind Try it if you want to fly a heavy chopper.

I love this old girl, without a doubt the best CH-53A I have found!