I have been a professional aviator for over 15 years and my family is heavily invested in aviation. I have been flying aerobatics for over 5 years learning basic acro in an Acrosport II, followed by a Pitts S1, and now the Christen Eagle II. I teamed up with Magnitude 3 this pass summer to assist in fine tuning the FM and the 3d model by taking videos along with pictures for direct simulation into DCS. Since then the Eagle’s FM has… Read More...Read more...

Once she was put back together, radio tested, and bathed it was time to truly put Eagle to the ultimate test in comparison and make sure what we had been working so hard on these passed few months was worth it. The point at which I knew that we had achieved an amazing recreation for sim was when I did my first torque roll. Yes, everything else was spot on in loops, rolls and all your typical “gentlemen” acro maneuvers. But when I went into vertical to start the torque roll, I was saying to myself, “ok this looks like it did in DCS this is good come on keep going.” Then when the roll came on with the rate and speed, I literally screamed in excitement because the sim was EXACTLY IDENTICAL! This was one of the greatest moments that I’ll remember in my aviation career. After landing I realized that I now have almost a 1:1 simulation in my basement. It is literally improving aerobatic abilities exponentially.

My lines are more straight while snaps and 4 point rolls more crisp. Avalanches more solid and round. All of this is greatly in part to Magnitude 3’s Christen Eagle. Yes there are a few things that need tweaked here and there but it’s being worked on. As of now this recreation is nearly spot on but one thing that you must understand when flying this airplane on your computer is that you’ll be missing one key component that is essential when flying aerobatics and that is the feeling of G’s. G forces are a huge component when throwing these airplanes around in RL. It lets you know how the airplane is performing and how much energy you’re wiping off while your head is pinned outside trying to line up your routines. This can never be fully re-created in a sim unless you have rumble seat pad or you can create a fully enclosed motion sim that can somewhat simulate the feeling of G’s. But if I was to give someone who had zero experience in a CE2 a pair VR goggles and told them to put them on and start learning how to truly fly the Eagle and put it through all of the motions, I could then take that same person and put them in the front seat, with me in the back, and most likely have them flying solo within a few hours if that.