Could one of you kind VATSIMmers answer a couple of questions regarding flying the NG with VATSIM?1) What True Airspeed assumption do you file?2) What's a good rule of thumb for fuel available (timewise)?3) I could use my Activesky for weather .... is this a good plan or should I use the default weather? I'm thinking particularly about minimising frame rate loss? On the other hand, the deafault SB weather doesn't give me enroute or destination wx. Any advice?Thanks in advance

>Could one of you kind VATSIMmers answer a couple of questions>regarding flying the NG with VATSIM?>>1) What True Airspeed assumption do you file?>2) What's a good rule of thumb for fuel available (timewise)?>3) I could use my Activesky for weather .... is this a good>plan or should I use the default weather? I'm thinking>particularly about minimising frame rate loss? On the other>hand, the deafault SB weather doesn't give me enroute or>destination wx. Any advice?>>Thanks in advance1) I usually file for 440 KTAS.2) I usually keep 4000 (45 min) pounds as "captain's fuel", and another 4000 lbs for holding (although it's rare to hold on VATSIM unless you're part of a fly-in event). So I file for the flight time plus 90 minutes.3) I use ActiveSky, (and disable weather in SB3). SB3 doesn't really drag down performance (again, unless you're in a fly-in with LOTS of other airplanes). But note that you can get the destination weather in SB3 anytime by typing .metar .

>1) What True Airspeed assumption do you file?This really depends on what the cruise altitude is as well as the temp. If you are looking for an estimate (not calculating it), for altitudes over FL270 450 knots is a good round number.>2) What's a good rule of thumb for fuel available (time wise)?I am not sure there is any easy rule of thumb on this one. To many factors such as weight, temp, cruise altitude, cost index, etc. Take a look at the NG documentation. There is lots of information concerning this topic. Also I believe there is a freeware fuel utilization planner available in the library.>3) I could use my Activesky for weather.... is this a good plan or should I use the default weather? I'm thinking particularly about minimizing frame rate loss? On the other hand, the default SB weather doesn't give me enroute or destination wx. Any advice?I use AS2004 every time I fly on-line. It works great. Don't notice any frame loss. If there is, it is to small for me to notice. I like AS much better than the default FS engine or getting updates from VATSIM. I have found that entering the route into AS improves weather simulation along the route.Georgehttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/betaimg.jpg

Thanks - very helpful. With a bit of luck attempt first IFR flight this evening! There's a whole heap of questions in my head but I think I've got the jist of what's happening.There's so much stuff to read and digest - I think the time has come to lep in!Thanks for your help.

Heheh at least you can get VATSIM to work. My days there are over since the new version came out. FS crashes when connecting to the server :-(However I am definately writing this stuff down if I get it to work someday.

LOOOTS of info in the Squawkbox web site (FAQ too).First suspect: uPnP - DISABLE that (most people report best results when it's disabled).For the rest, go read! :-)www.squawkbox.caBest,

... flight superb. Is that challenging or what??!?!?!!!!:)

You might also want to give FSInn a go. www.mcdu.comRegardsRussell Jourdain (NZL007/ZK-RHJ)

HI !!!Well, the speed that you should put into your flight plan changes, it depends which Flight level you are going to use. Now I will send you the RVSM flight levels whith it