Milk Run from Gudauta - DCS Mi-8MTV-2 Beta

Whatever we are asked to do by our Russian allies during the next weeks, we have done it for years: being a torn in the left flank of Georgia. Not long ago, our entire Abkhazian Air Force could have been parked in the premises of a county fair. Not so now. Russian material has poured plenty into our country, and we mean to use it.

This is a transport flight by a Mi-8 of the Abkhazian Air Force. The context of this uneventful flight is in line with two previous blog entries on an imminent second Georgian War. This single player, custom scenario is nothing more than an excuse to fly the newly released DCS Mi-8MTV2 Beta.

The permanent Rusian garrison stationed near the Gudauta airbase is really busy. New material and troops arrive by air, land and sea. The seemingly chaotic activity is the prelude to war. I am flying from Gudauta to Sukhumi with three mechanics and five tank torsion bars in the guts of my Mi-8.

Hover check. Although we are not heavily loaded, it takes a significant amount of power to get airborne. 

Right break after taking off from Gudauta. It's a wonderful day to fly, with slight winds coming from the sea.

The 11 tons of Mi-8 laboring its way out of the Gudauta airbase (background).

Adjusting course around one massive hill near the shores of Abkhazia. Visible in this image, the left and right instrument panels and part of the center console.

We reached a top speed of 250 km/h IAS. In my hands, the aircraft becomes a tad shaky above those air speeds.

Cruising above Abkhazia.

The left instrument panel in front of the pilot's seat. Besides the usual airspeed, attitude indicator and barometric altimeter, extra amenities include radar altitude, low airspeed control indicator and (my favorite) a rotor pitch angle indicator.

The center console includes the controls for the autopilot and stability augmentation systems. Note the green light turned for the operation of the latter.

The overhead console is a massive piece of switchery. That's why you have a co-pilot, I guess.

Approaching the Sukhumi airbase. The exceptional stability and sheer power of the engines allowed me a high angle approach.

After an uneventful landing, the cargo was downloaded.

The DCS Mi-8MTV2 is a pleasure to fly. It's rock solid stable in flight, forgiving at low speeds and with enough power to take you out of most of your pilotage-induced hazards. Although the beta is very beta yet (no manual in English, for example), I can see this one as another winner in the DCS series.

Cheers,