PFE Deluxe v2.5 vs. Radar Contact v4.3

[Chuck_B 2]

Another thread here finally got me to investigating Pro Flight Emulator Deluxe while I await the release of Radar Contact v5, and what I read makes PFE actually look pretty cool, especially if one goes for the optional extra voice pack. Anything I need to be aware of before I press the "Buy Now" button on this product? Anybody whose used PFE, or switched from RC4 to PFE and has any guidance for me it would be greatly appreciated.I've been using RC v4 for a long time and frankly I never fly without it. I'll definitely buy v5 when it comes out next year, but the voices are a little robotic, and I think there are only 10 or 12 of them, so it just gets a little weird sometimes (especially when a pilot answers himself from the tower). I thought PFE Deluxe might be a good alternative every other flight or so.I'm not a real world pilot nor do I fly VATSIM much any more so I'm not all that hung up on letter perfect procedures and SID/STARS but I do want to feel as though I have a competent controller on the line with me. Do you feel PFE provides that feeling?

[Les Parson 99]

IMHO, PFE offers a great deal more and is better suited for international ops than RC. RC has a very loyal following, however I believe it is somewhat overrated. There will be many that disagree with this opinion, but having spent several years with ATC in the real world, I believe PFE is the superior product; especiallly for ATC ops beyond the US.

[Chuck_B 2]

Then it is "full blown" ATC, spoken in the English language? How's the learning curve? I picked up Radar Contact pretty quickly, and learned the tough stuff easily enough as I went along. It's tough to tell for sure because all of the available documentation refers back to PFE 2000 and I haven't been simming that long.I assume you can use PFE along with their other (IMO) extremely underrated product FDC Live Cockpit?

[Les Parson 99]

Yes, it is full blown and once you've used it a few times it becomes second nature. The biggest plus is all the varied accents that are at times, very difficult to understand. Now that's real world!PFE integrates will most or all other add-ons without issue that I am aware of.

[Chuck_B 2]

Thank you LDP1949. That's really all I wanted to know!

[Guest Nealoc187]

Does PFED so any VFR ATC or is it all IFR ops? Does it give any taxi instruction or just generic instructions like RC4.3 does?For IFR arrivals does PFED start vectoring you when you're closer to the airport than RC does? One thing that sometimes bothers me about RC is that many times it will start vectoring me much further out than would happen in real life, so I don't get to fly much of my STAR. Realistic arrivals and approaches is one of the things I most look forward to in FS and when I get vectored on to final 35 miles out and they started vectoring me 120 miles out, it gets annoying some times.I like RC4.3 but if there is a better product out there I'll make the switch.

[EngineRoom 205]

I recently started using PFE with the expanded voice pack after using RC4 for the last few years, and so far I am very impressed.Here's a few points/opinions/observations regarding PFE vs RC4: - ATC phraseology is more appropriate for those of use who fly extensively outside of the US. - The many varied accents add a lot to the immersion, not only will you hear accents appropriate to the region you are flying in, but you will also hear accents appropriate to the airline. - PFE doesn't interact with AI aircraft like RC4 does, it instead monitors the AI activity around you and generates its own AI chatter. For example if KLM1234 is given takeoff clearance by the FS ATC PFE will also generate the relevant speech, albeit with a slight delay, so you may see KLM1234 thundering down the runway before you hear PFE's ATC give him clearance to takeoff :) - You can fly SIDs and STARs with PFE in much the same way as RC4. However, PFE allows you to assign a 5 character alpha-numeric name to the procedure for each runway at a given airport. You will then hear ATC actually tell you you are cleared for that specific procedure. - PFE has a very cool "Taxi Guidance System" which is basically an invisible gauge you can add to any of your panels. The ground controller will give you specific taxi instructions, and your co-pilot will actually direct you along the correct taxiways and tell you which way to turn. Very cool indeed. - Like RC4 the quality of the voices varies a lot. Some sound robotic, some sound much more natural. What you do get in PFE is many more voices (especially with the expansion pack). - The expansion pack adds lots of new callsigns, giving you a wider range than RC4, but bear in mind the NEW callsigns are only available with the voices from the expansion pack. - The process of actually generating your flight is simpler and easier in RC4, you simply create your flightplan, open it in RC4 and then connect to FS. In PFE you must create the flightplan, then convert it for use in PFE, and then process it with ProFlight 2000, and then finally open the created ADV file with PFE and connect it to FS.As someone who likes to fly IFR in airliners I am VERY impressed with PFE. I hope the developers continue to add new features. I am also looking forward to RC5 which I will almost certainly purchase as realistic ATC is a hugely important feature for me that I think has been neglected for too long and I want to support the developers who bring us better ATC.

[Chuck_B 2]

Thank you all. I have purchased PFE AND the expansion pack. I'm getting very excited about this program.Unfortunately, Comcast is in the midst of an artificial bandwidth bottleneck, slowing my download speeds to less than 70 kb per second so I won't be able to use PFE today. Comcast has been doing this for over a week now.On Tuesday morning I will be calling both Verizon and the FCC.Thanks again for your help.

[Guest Jeffhew]

>Thank you all. I have purchased PFE AND the expansion pack. >I'm getting very excited about this program.>>Unfortunately, Comcast is in the midst of an artificial>bandwidth bottleneck, slowing my download speeds to less than>70 kb per second so I won't be able to use PFE today. Comcast>has been doing this for over a week now.>>On Tuesday morning I will be calling both Verizon and the>FCC.>>Thanks again for your help.Chuck, is this Comcast's DSL? Just curious because I'm downloading a 1.4GB program right now. I'm fluctuating between 850KB and 1MB/sec. I'd be pretty PO'd with 70KB/sec too. I read some time ago that some providers were talking about doing this and that the NY/NJ area may be a testbed. I hope you'll keep us up to date on what happens going forward.Best Regards,Jeff

[Chuck_B 2]

Yes, Comcast C-A-B-L-E internet. I just upgraded to their "BURST" service last week. 90 bucks a month -- for dial up speeds. I am EXTREMEMLY ###### -- I've got screen shots galore and I'm definitely filing a complaint.More to come, but I'll probably have to post the topic in the Hangar Chat forum.

[Guest Jeffhew]

I'll keep a lookout there then. Thanks for the heads up Chuck. For your reference, in Denver, my Comcast DSL costs me $45/mo for the speeds I previously mentioned. I downloaded that 1.4GB file in less than 28 minutesGo get 'em kid!Regards,Jeff

[phmcr 93]

Chuck, looking forward to your experience with PFE.Your thread caught my eye the other day as I too have problems with RC4 in Europe. Menno

[iainsmith 9]

> - PFE doesn't interact with AI aircraft like RC4 does, it>instead monitors the AI activity around you and generates its>own AI chatter. For example if KLM1234 is given takeoff>clearance by the FS ATC PFE will also generate the relevant>speech, albeit with a slight delay, That is also exactly what RC4 does! ;-)Iain Smith

[Guest rwrea]

I got PFE, too and I prefer Radar Contact. I just like it better!Dick Rea

[rhodges 6]

Yes, you can file VFR flight plans in PFE and have the applicable communication with ATC.It does also give taxi instructions. For Gate to departure runway instruction it is a life saver and worth the price for this alone in my book. I confess I still don't have a complete handle on Landing to parking, but the problem is me, not the program as it guides me sometimes, and doesn't at others (after landing only). Parking space designations are the problem I think and I just don't fully understand the fomat yet. Some of the time it simply tells me to taxi to the gate. At others it guides me all the way to a parking spot. In taxing for takeoff, it guides me all the way 100% of the time (Thank Goodness).The only other problem I have had is that occasionally, communication between AI Traffic and ATC will be repeated more than once, but that is certainly no biggie. Communication between my aircraft and ATC is flawless. Dave is aware of this and is working on a solution. I have used PF2000 back to FS2000 and FS2002 days. I was thrilled to death when Dave originated PFE and gave it new birth for FS2004 and FSX. On top of that, Dave March has improved the program significantly and gives terrific and immediate support help for any questions. I virtually use it for all of my flights. It continues to be a work in progress with periodic revisions by Dave with another improvement or added function.I highly recommend it. It is right at the top of my list of favorite addons.Respectfully:RTH