hi all,i feel that there are a few things missing in this package, which i am sure are in the real 737.1. No Zulu time on the cockpit only local time, Zulu is in the FMC but noone where else.2. I was at approximately 11000 feet and it told me the outside temperature was 21C while at KLAX it was 20C.3. No Traffic visible on the display when i press the "TFC" button, this was included in the PSS777 / 747 for FS2002, so i don't know why its not included here.4. No sounds when passing or reaching a waypoint, again this was included in the PSS products, and must be in real life.5. My 737 NO VC aircraft seems to not idle, as it is around 21% N1 when my joystick is all the way on idle.6. Just coming into KLAX from KOAK my frame rates were horrible at around 5fps, took off an hour earlier at around 14 fps. Any idea? i have SP1.1 installed.7. Why is there no IAF for the landing runway, the way it is designed you seem to make your turn and have no distance to intercept, once again PSS offered an IAF (initial approach fix) approx 10NM out of the runway to straighten up and stablise for the approach, why is this not here and how can i may an IAP so i have time to stablise the ac.

I'll reserve comment except that there is currently no TCAS but will be in a future update... [h4]Best Wishes,Randy J. Smithhttp://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/196432/winglets_lg.jpg [h3] AMD XP 2200 |MUNCHKIN 512 DDR RAM |ECS[/b ][i] K7S5A MB[/i] |GF2 MX 32 MEG and still runs GOOD!|WIN XP PRO |MITSUBISHI DIAMOND PLUS 91 19"[/h3]

1. No Zulu time on the cockpit only local time, Zulu is in the FMC but noone where else.This can be configured using the clock's switches on the Approach panel.2. I was at approximately 11000 feet and it told me the outside temperature was 21C while at KLAX it was 20C.And? I'm 99% certain that your beloved PSS 777/747 would be the same.3. No Traffic visible on the display when i press the "TFC" button, this was included in the PSS777 / 747 for FS2002, so i don't know why its not included here.It's been clearly stated that there is no TCAS at present. The PSS tcas is disgusting, too simple and not functional anyway.4. No sounds when passing or reaching a waypoint, again this was included in the PSS products, and must be in real life.You saying everything in the PSS products is in real life? Gimme a break, the PSS products are dumbed down. Most switches dont even work.I suggest you get a 777 AOM or 747 for that matter-you'll see how accurate PSS is then.5. My 737 NO VC aircraft seems to not idle, as it is around 21% N1 when my joystick is all the way on idle.Have you checked what the idle rate of N1 is for the 737? Mine seems to idle around the same at 21%. Who's to say it is a bug?6. Just coming into KLAX from KOAK my frame rates were horrible at around 5fps, took off an hour earlier at around 14 fps. Any idea? i have SP1.1 installed.A lot of people have noticed this and it has been linked to the FS9 autogen. Try renaming the file called "default.xml" in the FS9/Autogen folder to "default.xml.bak".7. Why is there no IAF for the landing runway, the way it is designed you seem to make your turn and have no distance to intercept, once again PSS offered an IAF (initial approach fix) approx 10NM out of the runway to straighten up and stablise for the approach, why is this not here and how can i may an IAP so i have time to stablise the ac.After selecting what runway I'm using, I'm given the option of how long a final I would like. If I want 15-I get 15. I presume this is what you mean? This isnt the IAF, just a feature which makes it easier.Overall this package is excellent. You come into the forum preaching about how good PSS is at replicating reality while it couldn't be further from the truth.It is also as clear as day that you didn't READ THE MANUAL.After doing that-Fly the plane and then come back and give your initial impressions... again ;)JohnP 2.53 GHZ512 RAMWINXPGFORCE 4 128MB Ti4600http://homepage.eircom.net/~eamonnmca/images/logo_ba.JPGwww.bavirtual.co.uk Senior Captain Simflight.com Staff Reviewerhttp://vatsim.pilotmedia.fi/statusindicato...tor=OD1&a=a.jpg

"i feel that there are a few things missing in this package, which i am sure are in the real 737."G'day, Glayton.... Are these feelings based on your real life flying experiences or your experiences with Microsoft flight simulators? I don't really think you should believe everything you see/hear in the sim world ;-)"1. No Zulu time on the cockpit only local time, Zulu is in the FMC but noone where else."Are you referring to the real aircraft... or PMDG's aircraft? I can see Zulu time in the FMC and on the Chrono in my version of PMDG(1.1). Is it displayed anywhere else? On the real aircraft, the FMC time and the Chrono time should match up as the information comes from the ultra-accurate GPS system (The GPS receivers will most likely be found in the NG's Multi-Mode Receivers). When the GPS fails, you can manually set the clock in the real world. BTW, try clicking on some of the switches on your PMDG clock... It may help ;-)"2. I was at approximately 11000 feet and it told me the outside temperature was 21C while at KLAX it was 20C."Were you looking at Static Air Temperature (SAT), Outside Air Temperature (OAT) or Total Air Temperature (TAT)? Depending on how fast you were flying, the temperature displayed on the Engine Display (usually TAT) on the real aircraft varies. On your average Boeing, at cruise speeds, the TAT can be more than 30degreesC above the temperature measured in still air. If you are flying the Concorde, then obviously you're going to get very large temperature variations. I don't have my conversion tables handy at the moment, but I'm pretty sure 21degrees would be fairly normal."4. No sounds when passing or reaching a waypoint, again this was included in the PSS products, and must be in real life."I must say, I have never heard of this in real life. I think the pilots would go crazy if their aircraft ding-ed every time a waypoint was passed. I hear enough complaints from pilots who don't like the dings the door bell makes on their new, high security (anti-hijack), cockpit door system.I don't know who PSS are, but maybe they have the Mr Whippy version of the FMC? :-lol"5. My 737 NO VC aircraft seems to not idle, as it is around 21% N1 when my joystick is all the way on idle."What stage of flight are we talking about here? Are we talking about Ground Idle, Approach Idle or Flight Idle? The engine management system is more concerned about N2 when it comes to idle (N1 is basically irrelevant). Anyway, 20% is normal according to the Boeing 737NG Maintenance Manual for a standard day on the ground (Are you concerned that there is a 1% variation???). Don't forget that the NG's engine digital management system varies engine idle speed without altering the position of your thrust levers."7. Why is there no IAF for the landing runway, the way it is designed you seem to make your turn and have no distance to intercept, once again PSS offered an IAF (initial approach fix) approx 10NM out of the runway to straighten up and stablise for the approach, why is this not here and how can i may an IAP so i have time to stablise the ac."Are you referring to the real-world runway extension function? The runway extension function appears to be working normally in PMDG. Perhaps you are pressing the wrong buttons? When you select the runway on the DEPARR pages, are there no selections for runway extensions? If the PSS sim is automatically generating the IAF, then they must have based their sim on aircraft with different software... or perhaps on a different aircraft. Have you read Bill Bulfer's FMC Users Guide for the NG? It tells you exactly what the real NG FMC does or doesn't do.In all honesty, Clayton, I really think you should consult real world aircraft engineers or pilots if you want to know how the real aircraft behaves. PMDG is aiming for realism... and is probably not greatly concerned about what other Microsoft Flight simulators do or don't do ...just to keep customers entertained.BTW, have you posed your questions on a real pilot website? (e.g. PPRuNe?). They have a special section where novices can ask questions about airplanes.Cheers.Ian.

Hi,If you want an initial approach fix (IAF) then just select a radial and distance from the navaid in the legs page and line select it.For eg:You are landing on rwy 27 (ILS) at ADCD airport. The navaid is XYZ (VOR) located at the airport. Say you want to be at 13 DME 3000' AGL and tracking to intercept the localiser. Write XYZ090/13 into scratch pad and line select it at the appropriate place. Where: XYZ is the facility, 090 is the radial as you are landing on RWY27 and 13 is the distance from XYZ VOR. Dont forget to add the slash between radial and distance. You will now get a waypoint XYZ001. As a side note put in a ALT/SPEED Constraint. I recommend 200/3000 as this will bring you in smoothly in VNAV PATH at 200 knots which is invariably the manouevering speed for flaps UP and at 3000 feet AGL at 13 DME which will set you up for a smooth intercept on the ILS. Use this psuedo point and "tie" it into your approach.I hope this gives you a general idea on how to make waypoints in the legs page and tying it into the final approach and landing.Keep in mind:Plan ahead before you begin your descent and think ahead. Assuming you fly without ATC it is a wonderful feeling to tie in your descent and approach in VNAV at idle all the way till you need power once the gear is down and flaps set to fifteen established on the ILS.Cheers and happy flying,Dinshaw.

hi thanks for your responses guys,where can find Bill Bulfer's FMC Users Guide for the NG, also i have that .xml file out of my directory and i have replaced it with .bak, so i still don't think its the auto gen slowing things down.Also that N1 i am talking about is sitting at idle on the taxiway, i have to F1 for the plane to stop moving.

"Also that N1 i am talking about is sitting at idle on the taxiway, i have to F1 for the plane to stop moving."It's always best to set the parking brake when sitting on the taxyway, Clayton, awaiting takeoff instructions. If your average Boeing aircraft is light, although it shouldn't have a tendency to roll away (if the tarmac is level), it's still best set the brake anyway.Once you have got the (light) aircraft rolling (it will take a short burst of thrust to do this to overcome the initial resistance from the wheels and tyres), it may be necessary to hit the brakes every now and then to stop the aircraft either continuing to roll or actually accelerating. The sticky runways in FS are not realistic. PMDG have overridden these, but, I hear, at the expense of realistic fuel flow indications on the ground. IMHO, it's not ideal, but it is a realtively good tradeoff.Cheers.Ian.

yes, my plane is empty, no passengers and no cargo, don't want them in my test flights :-lol

As you might have seen from Anthony's beta screenshot post earlier - full approach support on the DEP/ARR page is coming, runway extensions shouldn't be necessary anymore unless you're landing on a runway that has no published approach (you'd be doing a visual at that point anyway, which would negate the need for it)Ryan

gotta love Ian...the mans decorum and integrity is an example to us all in both the virtual and the real world

>gotta love Ian...>>the mans decorum and integrity is an example to us all in both>the virtual and the real worldSo true!