Reality XP & Friendly Panels

[RogerPotie 0]

I am examining the Reality XP gauges and the Friendly Panels.It seems to me that Reality XP designed a Garmin that is more complete than what Friendly Panels offers.But it also seems that Friendly Panels offers more gauges and panels and the flight plan is loaded from FSX.Should I consider that these products are complementory or competitors ? What are your experience and opinion about them.

[rhodges 6]

Hello Roger:Another Roger here.I have both the RXP-GNS530-32 GPS and the Friendly Panels FMC. To me personally, they are two different animals. I use the RXP GPS in most of my GA aircraft. I did use the Friendly Panels FMC in business Jets and commercial aircraft that had no default FMC. That being said, I have nothing against the Friendly Panels but have migrated to the ISG group for FMC control. It is a bit more realistic to me personally and you might want to take a peek at their offering. The Friendly Panels FMC is less expensive and seems to me to be a bit easier to set up.Good luck:RTH

[RogerPotie 0]

Roger,Thank you for the info. I am looking now into the Integrated Simavionics Group products. Just doing my homework before making a decision.

[Bert Pieke 7,586]

I am examining the Reality XP gauges and the Friendly Panels.It seems to me that Reality XP designed a Garmin that is more complete than what Friendly Panels offers.But it also seems that Friendly Panels offers more gauges and panels and the flight plan is loaded from FSX.Should I consider that these products are complementory or competitors ? What are your experience and opinion about them.

Having used both, I would say that the RXP gauges are designed to work exactly like theirreal world counterparts. Their Garmin GNS can be used with the real world Garmin Pilot's guide.In addition, the graphics are crisp and a big step above the FSX Garmin simulation.The friendly panels panels are "friendly" and offer some benefits over the FSX defaults,but are nowhere near "professional grade" IMHO.

[Guest jshyluk]

I'm with you guys here. This is a classic example of "you get what you pay for". Friendly Panels is less expensive, but you get fewer "realistic" options. On the other hand, Friendly Panels lets you run right away with flight plans from FSX. It's FMC-"lite", as they say. I would also suggest that Friendly Panels is geared more towards the 2D panel user over the VC user. Jeff ShylukAssistant Managing EditorSenior Staff ReviewerAVSIM

[bkeske 0]

I'm with you guys here. This is a classic example of "you get what you pay for". Friendly Panels is less expensive, but you get fewer "realistic" options. On the other hand, Friendly Panels lets you run right away with flight plans from FSX. It's FMC-"lite", as they say. I would also suggest that Friendly Panels is geared more towards the 2D panel user over the VC user. Jeff ShylukAssistant Managing EditorSenior Staff ReviewerAVSIM

It depends on what you want, or are looking for. I use both RXP GNS units, and also RXP '6 pack' gauge sets, and they are incredible.I also use Friendly Panel 'gauges' as their radio sets (NAV/COM, ADF, transponders, DME, etc.), and find them much better than anyone else's units, and am also a big fan.They all work great in the VC.In some of my GA aircraft, I will use the RXP 430 in the #1 slot, and the FP NAV/COM for the #2 slot, which is a great combo with the display options available with the FP NAV/COM radio units. In other aircraft, I will use the RXP 430/530 as the #1, and use FP's Garmin units as the #2. This works great for getting an approach to be dispalyed in aircraft as the Eaglseoft Cirrus's MFD units simply by using the FP #2 unit and selecting the approach which uses the MSFS data.Bottom line, I am a big big fan of both, and both are highly recommended by myself.

[JMR 2]

In other aircraft, I will use the RXP 430/530 as the #1, and use FP's Garmin units as the #2. This works great for getting an approach to be dispalyed in aircraft as the Eaglseoft Cirrus's MFD units simply by using the FP #2 unit and selecting the approach which uses the MSFS data.

Couldn't you just use another RXP 430 unit in the #2 slot?

[bkeske 0]

Couldn't you just use another RXP 430 unit in the #2 slot?

The new WAAS versions do not have the available 'Pro pack' as the earlier RXP versions, so if you change the 530, it changes the 430 also. You can do it, I just have decided not to, plus, as I said, the FP #2 in aircrfat like the Cirrus works great as they use the standard FS SDK, thus approaches, as example, will show up on the MFD. The new RXP units do not in FSX.

[Geofa 108]

I also use both.The Reality Xp is just the closest copy of a real working gps you can get-period. I don't own a 430 but I fly with a friend who does. I know more about how it works than he does-but easy to understand-he only gets to use it occasionally while under a high workload, I use it all the time in the flight sim.However, the Friendly Panels do a few things no one else does. They have a kln94 which is the gps I have in my plane.It is not close to 100% functional like the Reality Xp unit-but does have a quite a few of the functions built in.Therefore my fs plane has both the Reality xp gps and the Friendly Panel gps. The Reality xp unit is imagination on my part-but it works like a real gps which I want practice with , and the Friendly panel matches my real gps but doesn't have all the true functions.Like all things in flight simming, one must compromise..

[WarpD 824]

Everyone should thank Garmin profusely... it's their trainer that's making the RealityXP GPS so accurate in functionality.They're attractive (visually), well programmed (by Garmin)... don't always play nice with other addons.The Friendly Panels are mostly the default FS GPS with a new 'wrapper'.Integrated SimAvionics... custom made gauges from the ground up.