When this aircraft is released it will in my opinion be the best aircraft created for X-Plane to date bar none. I know your thinking that's a bold statement to make considering the planes that are available already. Remember I said "my Opinion!
The Comet 4 is being produced by Guy Guy Montagu-Pollock,he has a great web site at http://www.dh-aircraft.co.uk here you will find all the information you could possible need about the project, plus some very interesting articles on the real aircraft.
I have put a link to screen shots at the end,all screen shots are from X-Plane10
I'm not really into the FMC electronic push button aircraft, they don't seem have any personality, most people don't even look into the sky to watch them pass, you take off push some buttons read a book, paint the kitchen,whatever, until your close to the arrival airport, then push some more buttons and land. Even the pilots walking through the airports don't get a second glance anymore,I noticed this flying between Canada and the UK a few times.
Back in the early days of jets there was the glamour of the stewardess's the noise and the black smoke trails as they took off, Pilots were looked upon with admiration and respect. The Aircraft were all different had there own personality's, they were identifiable by there individual shapes and engine positions.
In today's world unless you know your aircraft they all look pretty much the same, like many of us I don't have the skills or knowledge to create my own aircraft, I rely on the talented people who do, and hope that one might produce an aircraft that really peaks my interest. Guy's Comet4 is a perfect example of this, it comes complete with beautifully rendered exterior with period textured livery's for the air carriers of the day, the same detail is in all the moving parts flaps,wheels, undercarriage, tail fin and elevators, the rotating beacons are a joy to watch.
There is also an RAF livery as a separate ACF, it has different antenna on the outside of the aircraft, to the passenger version. Inside it has a fully rendered passenger cabin complete with washrooms and galley. In the cockpit facing forward on the right we have the Flight Engineers panel, with all the switch's and dials you would expect, to keep you busy, on the left we have the Navigators position, with the Com's and nav' radios. You FMC Electric jet users out there,might want to brush up on your VOR, NDB, Dead reckoning skills, with no fancy equipment to fly you to your destination, just VOR NDB maps and a watch. Much more fun!
The Pilot and co-pilot positions are also rendered beautifully like the rest of the plane, I don't know how Guy did it but he has captured the cockpit ambiance perfectly as well as the lighting within the cockpit which helps during the long night flights.
So how does it fly? Well... I have some notes:
Weights power settings, flap settings,climb cruise descent profiles etc. The aircraft does have autopilot but no auto throttle. It is capable of doing fully coupled approach so long as you pay attention to the weight, flap and power settings.
The Comet does exactly what its says in the manual and I mean to the numbers. I have an old map and information by Dave Maltby (he made some great aircraft of this period for FS2004) its covers how to do circuits at Brize Norton in his VC10.
I always use this information to practice takeoffs and landings with any new aircraft addition. It allows me to get familiar with each plane, in a familiar environment and judge how different planes fly by hand. The comet has a period Autopilot, its very good once you get the hang of it however unless your into the cruise portion of the flight its a real sin to use it.
The Comet is a joy to fly completely by hand just fly by the numbers and you will have a very satisfying time. I don't have a top of the line PC to run X-plane the Comet causes no FPS issues at all I have deleted planes that don't look or fly this good, because of low FPS.
If you have never purchased payware aircraft, don't miss this one! I'm confident that this aircraft will be a step up in the X-Plane world of aircraft.
Wayne Roberts
Follow these link's for more Pictures
http://imageshack.us.../dh1064c37.png/
http://imageshack.us.../dh1064c14.jpg/