A319/320 for FS9

[Gavin 99]

Hi allWith the disappointment of Airliner XP and Airsimmer what's the general consensus for a reasonable A319/320 simulation for FS9?I've heard more negatives than positives about the Wilco version so am a little reluctant to purchase that model. The PA models look great, but there are no 'systems' thereIs there any way of putting together something that comes up to at least, say, QualityWings 757 intermediate level?Advice appreciated.

[out 769]

Hey Bro,I'm afraid you know the answer.WIlco/FeelThere might be the best compromise there, but IMHO it is really nothing more than this.I know your FS taste, being similar to mine, and I'd say 'don't expect too much'.As you are still (I'm not since I got iFly) the 2D panel flyer, at least you can have the outside model improved.You can, as you mentioned above, merge it with Project Airbus A319, A320 and (recently added) A321. There are some posts around on how to do it.Not being a real life Airbus pilot I cannot tell you why but I don't like the way Wilco buses fly. I never did. Even when I bought them a long time ago.You realise neither WIlco nor Airsimmer have simulated all systems, so it is not and will not be a maddog-like fun. Not what the tigers like best.As for the 2D panels, they look quite good (much better than the terrible VC they are offering all the time, even in the so called 'evolution' version).But I guss you might, like most people I guess, have switched to a 16:9 or 16:10 ratio monitor or you soon will. Wilco 2D panels are still available only in the 4:3 version.I have seen widescreen modifications for many addon aircraft panels, but none for the WIlco buses. Take it into consideration too (Airsimmer does come with the widescreen option).Visual aspects have never been most important to me but, hey, we have 2011 and let us admit it does not look fine.Flying in the VC environment now I must tell you I installed and... immediately uninstalled my Wilco buses some weeks ago, as soon as I entered the VC.I am probably spoiled by iFly now, as I can hardly stand flying anything else (but that is another story to tell - see here if you like: http://ifly.flight1....world-tour-2011 ).Airsimmer? Well, I have tried it and used the F1 refund option the only time in my FS career. Now it has been patched but looks like it is still far from being finished.However I regularly visit Airsimmer forums (stupid hope, I know) and see some people are quite happy flying it. Strange, but inspiring at the same time, isn't it?Including Rob, who is an FS veteran and knows things well. He is working as an unofficial support now (due to the irresponsible behaviour of the actual AS team).The Airsimmer bus definitely looks excellent (both inside and outside), has a state-of-the-art virtual cockpit, incredible sounds and a smart tablet application.It is also said to follow the (so essential for Airbus) fly-by-wire simulation, within the reported bugs of course.But the bugs are there. People tell different stories about them. I am mysellf considering a repurchase all the time but cannot make up my mind.If it weren't the only airbus option left, I would not bother (I remember being angry when I decided to return the product). Since you did not try, why not doing it now? The great thing is the Flight1 30-day refund policy (I wish every addon manufacturer or reseller offered such an option), so you do not risk a single euro.I think I am suffering the same frustration as you. Being a huge airbus fan I fly boeings all the time.Of course I enjoy it (thank you iFly!), as I simply love all airliners, but I also dream to drive an airbus like nothing else.Let me know what your decisions are. I am quite emotional about it.Trzymaj sie!

[Dillon 2,197]

DO NOT GET THE WILCO AIRBUS 'EVOLUTION' PACKAGE (VOL1 OR VOL2).Get the original Airbus Vol1/2 package as that's the original option that most people are telling you about. The 'Evolution' package it a rip off and nothing more than a hack job of the original package. Many things have been broken that worked in the original package. Stay away from the 'Evolution' option at all cost...

[MeneMene 1]

The new freeware release of vasFMC has features like v-speed calculation, fuel prediction, flex settings, and a basic fly-by-wire control setup, and has profiles for use with every type of airbus, from a318-a388. If you go to the vasFMC website you can download the project airbus a318-a320 and the a380, all preconfigured with the vasFMC panel. I have additionally taken the POSKY A330,A340 and the overland A345 and A346 and merged them with vasFMC as well. Many people are having some CTD's with it when using the fuel prediction feature since it's a new release, but I'm very confident that will be fixed soon.Using the preconfigured panels mentioned above you don't get advanced hydraulics, fuel pumps, etc, but you do get a rock-solid FMC with realistic performance and descent calculations and hold patterns for free, which is more than can be said for the wilco bus. I'm no expert at the airbus fly-by-wire system, but when being hand-flown the aircraft accurately maintains pitch and bank, has a type of FLOOR protection, and simply feels right. The profiles you can load contain accurate weight and thrust information, letting you use it for anything from a a332 to an a346.I've been hunting for an airbus for a long time as well. I never bought the airsimmer and can't comment on that, for good or for ill. In my opinion, the only thing the PSS airbus lacks is anything close to a FBW system, and the basic one used by wilco is the only advantage it has over the competition. I think that if it were possible to get some more advanced systems like hydraulics and fuel settings into a panel using vasFMC it would be the best airbus simulation to date.All that said, it's a real shame that over the 7/8 years fs2004 has been out, no developer has made a complete airbus package.

[out 769]

andqui,Can vasFMC panels be used in the full screen mode?Can they be integrated as gauges into thrid party panels?Asking as I simply don't know and have doubts about that.

[MeneMene 1]

Not sure what you mean by full screen mode- vasFMC comes as either a stand-alone program that connects to FS, or as a gauge within FS. I'm using it in the latter sense, and run FS just as I normally would.If you know how to edit panels, you can assign the vasFMC gauges into any panel you like. However, the ECAM only features two engine dials, as it was originally made for the A32X, but I think a four-engine one is in the works. The pre-configured panel that comes with the project airbus downloads at the site are built around Ken Mitchell's panels- a 3rd party panel with the vasFMC gauges swapped in. I have copied that and replaced the pedestal section with a four-engine one from Ken Mitchell's A340 panel to let me use it on the A380 and A340.Apart from the Fuel INIT CTD's it works like a charm, and there's a support thread going on now at the vasFMC forums about that.

[out 769]

Not sure what you mean by full screen mode

Sorry for not being claer. I meant using vasFMC panels in the flightsim working in the full screen mode, which I always use, as opposed to the windowed mode.In the meantime, being a bit inspired, I went to the vasFMC forum to check and it looks like it can only be used in the widowed mode. Like I thought it is.

[MeneMene 1]

Not sure where you're getting that...I always run full screen.

[out 769]

OK, so it looks like I have really no idea how vasFMC works.I am feeling very excited about it now and will go to their forums, read the f... manuals and any tutorials.I hope I will come back to the topic not making an idiot of myself again. :(

[A320driver 17]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but while it's being discussed, has anyone found a way to get the Wilco busses to work with an external throttle unit? I have a Goflight TQ6 and have never been able to get it to work with any of the Airbus models from Wilco. Have done quite a bit of searching but have come up empty. For this reason the Wilco busses have been parked in my hanger for quite some time.

[out 769]

has anyone found a way to get the Wilco busses to work with an external throttle unit?

Have you tried assigning the levers via FSUIPC or directly in the FS?

[Gavin 99]

Thanks everyone for your comments.That vasFMC option sounds interesting, will have to check it out.

[Luis Hernandez 566]

The latest version of vasFMC is very good... if you have a hardware throttle lever. If not, there are two options: or not to use Airbus throttle mode (no, thanks) or to enable it and get N1 stuck at 50%. Currently, vasFMC is not an option for me... until I can use my gyro gamepad (or F2/F3) in Airbus mode with no problem at all. In this moment I'm flying a merge of the Project Airbus model and FDE with the PSS panel. I had to modify the FDE so that I could enable TOGA in PSS (removing the 89% cap in the A320, the A318 and A319 have higher caps). If someone knows a solution for this (or at least, an idea I can use for solving this), let me know. But, if you have a hardware throttle lever, try the vasFMC plane, you have nothing to lose. Reboot after install.Best regards from Colombia,Luis MiguelPS: the latest version of vasFMC is good for quads also.

[bo 1]

I find the PSS panel merged with project airbus still the best compromise. I have several hours in my company's Airbus A-320 simulator so have something to compare. Auto trim works with the project airbus but not with the IFDG airbus. Also the project airbus flying characteristics feel quite accurate. I had a few years of the airbus in FS2002 and FS9 before ever getting in the real sim,which made the transition less intimidating. Also sitting there for the first time in the sim everything felt quite familiar. I have a close friend who flies the 319,320 and 321, and have had him simming with me many times. He has been flying commercially for over thirty years and has said he wished there was a program like this available when he went from an old school 737-200 to the bus several years ago. We will never have the real aircraft at home with us but what we have ain't bad. Until airbus will collaborate with an fs developer things such as all the fbw control laws won't be there so hopefully some day they will agree to collaborate. Cheers

[Guest Zvonimir]

PSS is not that bad avionics and dynamics-wise. But that panel is just horrible, its kinda fs2000 graphics. I still prefer the wilco, bad, i know, but the best out there.