KLM DC-9-32 ********************************************************************************************** IMPORTANT NOTES: This version is for FS5.1 only. You may convert the airplane for use with FlightSim for Windows 95 and FlightSim 98 using Microsoft's converters. If you do not have the converter you may get the one you need at Microsoft's game site at: http://www.microsoft.com/games/fsim/downloads.htm You must have the converter installed in order to see cockpit instruments. For FS5.1, copy the .air file to your PILOTS directory, and all .*af files to your TEXTURE Directory under the parent FlightSim 5.1 directory --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original AFX by Doe&Joe Reworked by Rob Bennis Artwork by Rob Bennis History --------- In November 1918, revolution broke out in Germany. Anthony Fokker, builder of the famous Fokker fighters and father of the 'Fokker scourge' in World War I was arrested by the revolutionary forces in his aircraft factory in Schwerin. Weeks later he succeeded to flee into his home country, the Netherlands. After the revolution broke down, he returned, but aircraft production in Germany was forbidden by the Versailles Treaty of 1919. Fokker built a new factory, the Nederlandse Vliegtuigenfabriek Fokker near Amsterdam, and managed to smuggle the remains of his Schwerin factory from Germany to the Netherlands. Aircraft parts and machines were transported in six large freight trains under the eyes of the Allies. From those parts, the first Fokker F.I passenger transports were built, soon to be followed by the famous F.II. The single-engined F.II stood at the beginning of a very successful series of Fokker airliners, culminating in the Fokker F.VII. The first five F.VII built in 1924 were a disappointment. The performance of the single-engined plane with its typical high cantilever wing was good, but the engine was not powerful enough and the passenger capacity (6) was too small to be of commercial interest. The improved F.VIIA, with Gnome-Rhone, Bristol, or Packard engines of 400 to 450 hp, enlarged passenger capacity and a smaller wing became a phenomenal success. In 1924 the Dutch airline KLM was looking for a plane that was able to continue its flight even when one engine failed. Fokkers answer was to put two additional engines to the F.VII in separate engine nacelles below the high wing, creating the F.VII-3m. And this type made aircraft history. F.VII-3m flew in nearly every country, in nearly every larger airline of the world and even some air forces, including the US. It was the most famous plane of its era, comparable to the Super Constellation a quarter of a century later, or to the B747 fifty years later. It was the plane which opened the first really long-distance routes to air traffic. In 1925 a Fokker V.II won with ease the Ford reliability contest. Henry and Edsel Ford were so impressed, that they acquired the winning plane for Commander Richard E. Byrd's north polar expedition. Years later Ford itself produced a very similar looking aircraft, based on the Fokker F.VII design - the Ford Trimotor. Flying the Fokker F.VII ------------------------ Give the Fokker enough runway to take off. Push the stick a bit forward at 50 kts to lift the tail off the ground. Then release gradually and the Fokker will be in the air at 70 kts. Watch your speed during climb. The stalling speed is about 60 kts. Max. speed is about 110 kts. Don't try aerobatics with her. In turns the Fokker tends to loose much height. On final approach, cut back the throttle and come in not too high and fast, she has no flaps. Best approach speed is 70 kts. Try to touch down with 65 kts. If you bring her in with this speed, this will be a almost perfect 3-point landing due to the high angle of attack. Treat her good, and she will be a fine old lady. ************************************************************************** Now the legal stuff: ENJOY, AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS. I INTEND ON OFFERING MANY LIVERIES OF THIS AIRCRAFT. AFX/PCX FILES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE AUTHOR. THIS AIRPLANE IS THE PROPERTY OF THE AUTHOR, AND CANNOT BE RE-SOLD OR PACKAGED WITH ANY PRODUCT FOR SALE, WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHORS. THIS IS FREEWARE!! YOU MAY UPLOAD THIS PLANE TO ANY OTHER SERVER THAT HAS A FREE DISTRIBUTION POLICY. IF THIS PLANE IS UPLOADED TO RESTRICTED SERVERS (I.E. COMPUSERVE FSFORUM)(NOT THE AUTHOR'S INTENTION), IT MAY BE DOWNLOADED AND UPLOADED TO OTHER SERVERS. THIS NOTICE CONSTITUTES THE AUTHOR'S PERMISSION TO DO THIS. THIS ENTIRE TEXT FILE MUST BE INCLUDED IN ANY DISTRIBUTION. THE AUTHORS ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY LIABILITIES THAT YOU MIGHT INCUR AS A RESULT OF USING THESE PRODUCTS. YOU ASSUME THE RISK OF USE. April, 1998 Rob Bennis Amstelveen Netherlands RobBennis@Compuserve.com (Feedback is welcome!)