by  Nicholette Ruenour - (a grownup)    © Nicholette Ruenour 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Special thanks go to the freeware Carrier and aircraft developers who put such long hours and hard work to produce outstanding results.

Asked about updating tutorial - Undecided I may rewrite this for the new Microsoft or X-Plane whichever asks me first I guess.

STEAM an update for Steam users

Nikki's hand-holding guide for a Quick Start to Multiplayer Carrier Flying

Note This will allow quick multiplay on a carrier with catapult and arrestor operation (cat and trap).

Basically we are going to go to an agreed multiplayer sim area then place a stationary Nimitz at an agreed waypoint in the sea. Stationary because if not it would start moving from the time individual players dropped it at the agreed waypoint.so each player see it at a different position.

1 Download and use the self-installer of the freeware carrier set featuring The USS Nimitz also USS Eisenhower made by  Lamont Clark.  The File name is:-

uss_nimitz_uss_eisenhower_v2

Install as administrator select ‘Steam’. You will have a new item under ‘Add-ons > AI Ships’

2 Agree with other players on a suitable Waypoint for the area you are flying in. Use the GPS to find one beforehand if in doubt. Or the Waypoint may be given on the multiplay sim.

3 IMPORTANT – Open and close the GPS unit at least once at the start of each FSX carrier session before proceeding. Sounds odd, if not done then you will not see the waypoints in the AI Ships menu which are needed to coordinate the carrier position for all players.

4 Select ‘Add-ons > AI Ships’ > ‘Show Hide menu’

From Page 1 - Select item 9 - USS Nimitz (CVN68) (Empty)

From Page 2 – Select item 6 – Facility Waypoint

From Page 3 - Select Waypoint – (Choose the agreed Waypoint for area sim is in now flying in from the list. The waypoints will change for each different area you choose to fly in.

Automatic exit to FSX screen – Go find the carrier at the waypoint and try to land on it.

Suggested Waypoint Carrier Placement for San Francisco - SEPDY

Suggested Waypoint Carrier Placement for Solent UK - BEGTO

Remember

Hook down (shift+q) Approach slow use full flaps

Arm Catapult (shift+i) You must position nose wheel near the catapult shuttle

Launch Catapult (shift+spacebar) Before launch have full power on one notch min flaps

Fold Wings - This is not set by default in most aircraft. You have to set up the keypress sequence yourself. To do this first go to settings then buttons. Wing fold is found at the bottom of the list.. You will note the entry is blank. Under keyboard column enter (control+sift+q) as this seems conflict free.

Stop here the following is the start of the old tutorial for FS & FSX

Prerequisites are FSX with Acceleration (which has SP1 and SP2  included), installed and running.

Doing more work, sometimes really busy so replies may be longer Also I am looking at a new sim platform to migrate to so keep checking back.

With the demise of 'GameSpy' the points I make here about using this method of carrier flying are even more relevant as you do not want to have carriers using precious 'server' resources. The steps I explain here DO NOT load the host server, your computer keeps track of the carrier position and rendering.

I will re-write this when I have time to focus a little more  on multi player use now that the 'easy connect' option of 'GameSpy' has been dumped by Microsoft. I wonder just how many would be future pilots will now never just get interested enough to turn a hobby into a career by Microsoft pulling the plug. Hey don't give up though, I am going to to try to add an easy route to server multi player carrier flying at an entry level. These will start with a stationary carrier. It is [possible to have the carrier under-way only the course and start time must be agreed with all players before hitting the 'carrier under-way' button or you will find your and others carriers are out of synch. Just a thought the start carrier button could be pressed by all at an agreed time marker.

If you read my pages here then you prolly guessed that I ♥ the Fairey Gannet, a girl called Shannon Hendricks owns a real one, how unfair is that? I want one too. See it on TV channel 5 here http://www.channel5.com/shows/monster-move...s/episode-4-304 and check my comments page.  just had a nice mail from Shannon, her Gannet is coming back to the UK and still has the dual controls.

I have written this tutorial (see Tutorial tab above), as I found it very time consuming and difficult to actually get a QUICK working multi-user or off-line carrier set-up in FSX so you do not just see aircraft sat on  the sea when your friends are flying with aircraft carriers. This set-up uses the 'freeware' option purely because it is more prevalent in FSX 'multi-player'. If you find any errors or omitted credits then let me know.  Yes I know it is pretty verbose, some ppl need that, not everyone is a computer expert, this is aimed at ppl who need to know the actual 'file names' to download and what to do with them, also how to get rid of everything if they find carriers are not for them.

My sim Gannet on Nimitz, this will have to do until my real one is delivered, yes I know Ark Royal would be the right choice only the larger deck of the Nimitz is easier while learning to land. Lift actually works too. Take pics by pressing the 'V' key - then you will find all the pics you have taken in Windows 7 here:-

C:\Users\ (your computer name goes here) \Pictures\My Pictures\Flight Simulator X Files.

Crucial to being able to put a carrier or any AI ship anywhere in FSX is

and how it uses nearby

To determine the actual spot where it will 'drop' your chosen carrier. This Program adds a new menu - <Add-ons> <AI Ships> within the working FSX environment and is accessed from your flying screen by pressing the <ALT> key to display your top command line or select <Full Screen> to clear it and go back to flying. It will also DELETE the carrier so you can redo the 'drop'.

Picture of the new Add-ons menu option in action. The new window is always the same size, more pages are added as you add more ai ships that you would like to use Mr Lamont Clark's program to place within your FSX world. Finding the ship or ship configuration and you friends want to use cannot be referenced by either the page number or the item numbers on the left. This is because they depend on the number of ships you have installed on your particular computer. The only way to make sure all player use the same ship and deck configuration is the check the actual NAME TITLE after the numbers. ie you CANNOT say "second page ship 4" , that will not work for everyone in the sim.

I suggest using one of the following two WAYPOINTS dependant on where the majority of your group is flying. It makes things easier than trying to agree a WAYPOINT online.

Remember you cannot place a carrier at a WAYPOINT until you have displayed your GPS at least once within your aircraft to initialise the WAYPOINT feature.

The carriers start by default as being stationary, heading NORTH 360 degrees. They can be rotated from the menu, only lets just work with the defaults at the moment. They can also 'get under way'  by selecting the movement menu from either the menu or by pressing + . Only don’t try that at home just yet, remember if all players do not start at exactly the same time, then each person will be looking at a slightly different carrier position as all the math is being done by your computer not the server.

Maybe at a later date I can add a new option to position a given carrier at a given WAYPOINT already underway (navy speak for moving), at a given speed. Making these variables selectable is a bit more of a task.

Gannet parked near the Island on HMS Ark Royal with the Battle Honours panel to the left

HMS Ark Royal one of the great ships and aircraft from:hip- http://www.flyingstations.com/

This is an example,  just choose WAYPOINTS in your favourite flying area, these are in the UK. It just helps a lot if all session users know the WAYPOINT before reading it in the session info window.

I will add a  table or a page listing regular sim sessions with their normal carrier WAYPOINT or WAYPOINTS locations when I get the time. Or if you run a sim mail me the usual SESSION NAME the CARRIER to use and of course the WAYPOINT so people can get ready before joining. The table would look something like this below started with some sims sessions I have seen or use a carrier in.

Session Name       Near Airport             Carrier                                                                    WAYPOINT 

 nikkiaircarrier         Lee-on-Solent        Nimitz single empty deck                                        BEGTO

UK Dedicated         Southend                  Nimitz single empty deck                                       MEDWY                 

                                   Manston                                                                                                        MEDWY

                                   Bournemouth                                                                                               BEGTO

                                   Cardiff                                                                                                             D138H

                                   Bristol                                                                                                             D138H

By Default all carriers are place with the front (bow) heading 360 (North). You always land from the back (the stern),  slightly to the right, (the starboard) to line up with the 'angled deck', not directly in line with the carrier hull.

The carrier bow direction is north, 360 degrees and the landing heading, because it is an angled deck is 5 degrees less than that which is 355 degrees

For sims based in the CARDIFF or BRISTOL AREA

Use this WAYPOINT at sea off of Cardiff & Bristol in the Bristol Channel.

D138H

For sims based in the BOURNEMOUTH - SOUTHAMPTON - ISLE OF WIGHT AREA

Use this WAYPOINT at sea in the Solent just to the north east of the Isle of Wight

BEGTO

Tip - approach from over the Isle of Wight, cross the coast at about 700 feet with your hook down, you landing gear and flaps deployed, with a speed of between 90 and 130 knots depending on your aircraft, sink rate needs to be less than the first white mark (500 feet per minute), or your going to get wet feet.

After taking off from Bembridge Isle of Wight look for Wotton creek to mark the right turn from base leg to long finals for a landing on the carrier placed at WAYPOINT BEGTO on the north east (top right) of the Isle of Wight.

Just a note here - In reality the USN carriers when visiting Portsmouth are too big to enter the harbour so they anchor a few miles north and east of  WAYPOINT BEGTO, with their bow heading east off a place called 'Stokes Bay', Gosport.  I will look at moving and turning the Nimitz later when I get the time, so that selection of some unused land based WAYPOINT can drop the Nimitz in exactly the right place.

A T-45 within the UK Dedicated FSX multiplayer server  Flying from Bournemouth (EGHH south coast UK) has landed on Nimitz at WAYPOINT BEGTO WOW that was harder -it got dark.

UK Dedicated link  (they don't seem to mind my carrier) www.FlyUK.ucoz.co.uk

While it may be a bit complicated for Nimitz I am pretty sure I can do it quicker for the Ark Royal, so may attempt that one first, adding it to the 'nicholette.cfg'  So that there would be a new option like

'Ark Royal (Stokes Bay Anchorage)'. I have just Googled a Sea Chart for the Stokes Bay anchorage area so have an accurate position now.

This area is prolly unique in that it is the location of our oldest Flying Boat seaport. It is also the place where the Schneider Air Races were held. Home of the last British Airport ex Fleet Air Arm  base called Daedalus at Lee-on-Solent (shortly to be built on). It is not only an airport but also a seaplane base having gates and a slipway across the main road to the sea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh7aiT1J1lAhttp://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/daedalus/index.html

Another note. Once you get to know the AICarrier menu you can place a carrier or complete fleet wherever you want relative to your aircraft's present position. Not very accurate, but there are options for 5 and 10 miles ahead - not much good if you want others to take part because as said it is placed relative to just your aircraft's current position.

Hello I am Nikki

Who are you? Say Hi via my web form so I know who you are... lol here is a lil bio about me don't read if easily bored:-

A passion for flight, , I started by cleaning aircraft for a flying club now closed, then when old enough, started to fly their shiny real aircraft. In days before they had  GPS or LCD screens or smart phones. I did all my navigating and first qualified using a map a compass ADF and a watch. I remember I felt quite smug when I heard a guy on the radio asking for radar to locate him, then half an hour later being in English weather making that radar call myself. You just dont know how far things have progressed with  smart phones and GPS. I did have lessons from a very old very patient ex-WW2 pilot who was extreeeemly calm with a line for any occasion  - When I said I will never learn - "Don't worry Nikki... I could teach a monkey to fly". When I flew too low and fast over the sea -  "There are old pilots and bold pilots Nikki, but there are no old bold pilots".  When I was lost in cloud, he just leaned back, closed his eyes saying "The old white-out blindness is back, I have to rest my eyes, take us back",  then calmly added, "Remember, don't run out of Airspeed, Altitude and Ideas all at the same time Nikki".

One of my little claims to fame is that I soloed in (...wait a min gone to look (I moved it)) less than 5 hours on the first page of my first logbook. You get to fill that in, in RED ink BTW.

I later got a job in corporate then gave it up for a little while before taking on something really exciting.

I used to run a carrier based sim on a lazy weekends in the Solent area near Portsmouth on the south coast of England. These days I just do not have enough time, so will just pop into who ever has a carrier if I do or add the one here as is does not use the sim resources or slow it down. The carrier is held on your computer  and makes use of pre-existing WAYPOINTS data to locate it in the multiplayer sim session. That is why if you use it,  then it is important that you all agree on the same starting WAYPOINT and the 'ship or fleet' to use, just to make sure you all see the same carrier at the same place.

PPS claim to fame number two:-

I used to get called CAPTAIN when I landed at a military bases... hahaha how kewl is that?

Now here is a puzzle, I thought of a 'Claim to Fame' number three. If anyone can tell me where I did this then I will be totally shocked and surprised. Ok here is the puzzle:-

I am probably one of the few civilian pilots who have had to read back this message passed by a controller, prior to landing.

"You are cleared to land at your  own discretion  - CAUTION the ARRESTOR WIRES ! ".

Yes, so I have actually approached and landed seeing what arrestor wires look like close up during finals. Not a lot civilian pilots have had the chance to try that for real. I better add here that it was NOT a simulator. It was real life with a real aircraft and real military controller, so, have a guess, how on earth did  that happened? Or maybe, just maybe you were there at the time or know about it.

 An F1 racing driver once asked me if, 'the pilot' could show him the aircraft. So just to bring you up to speed, as well as being a pilot, I am a grown up, I have been to university - TWICE. Life took an unexpected turn.  Maybe I will add a proper bio page when I get time. Meanwhile this is a pic of me being a 'grown up'.

Hey - Still have my plaits though.

Quotes from an EX Boy Friend -       " I could Identify your body after a terrible crash from that little mark.".

and

"How do you know if there is a pilot in the room - Don't worry they will tell you.".

I have also found a couple of old mobile phone pics of me in the pink flying suit haha that hair band. The other is of my first MFS set up with my brand new yoke. Maybe I will also get some rudder pedals one day which should make landing a lot easier. Side slipping looses a lot of height very quickly.

PPPS I only chat flying also I do not 'game play missions'  or do pseudo atc interaction - soz just not my thing but hey go for it. I teach anyone who is interested , if they have the same setup as described here.

 I may have to leave quick either because I have lots to do or prolly late and need sleep.

PPPPS If you want to ADD me then please mail me first, tell me where to know me from, as I will normally close requests that just open from nowhere. NOT because  I am being nasty but because FSX chat windows STOPS FSX SIM DEAD and I may have just spent ages lining up and be totally immersed only to have a few chat windows open on my screen and I can do nothing until I close them - Thank you :).

PPPPPS If I join your sim, please be a bit patient before you kick me as I run the Photoreal Paywear. I also run everything high setting so can take a while to load, I should de-frag more.

Remember that we only see the moving pictures because zillions of single still frames are being 'painted  - rendered'  on our screens at a rate of about 24 times a second (that's 24 htz that's 24 hertz).

Another word about your vision. your eyes are precious, if you do not want headaches then do not over work them into the night, always go for  the best display you can. I do not mean a 46" TV even if it has a pc input - I mean a high quality monitor, preferably with an HDMI input. What is important is it's contrast ratio and how many time a second it refreshes it's screen and it's response time. I used to make do, only now use LED (Light Emitting Diode) monitors with this spec 24"  16:9 1920X1080 resolution 2 mili seconds response time 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The difference in eye comfort is amazing. Although, never have the brightness or contrast set  high, (mine is half the delivered setting). Never work and  or play in the evening without (ambient) light on. Always attend to your chores, homework,  car brakes, put up shelves before starting FSX.