FSDreamteam Ground Services X (GSX) for FSX 1080p 24fps HD

[Robert McDonald 167]

Hi Howard,Definitely no need to apologize. I'm always interested in new things, whether I get it or not, and EFB was something new. BTW, have you seen this new ATC4Real package being developed - http://bajasim.com/f...ic.php?f=6&t=34? I guess it's a standalone package but you get to vector in traffic in live ATC settings. I personally have no desire to playing 'ATC Controller' but thought maybe you might have an interest.Best regards,Jim

Hi Jim!How very thoughtful! This looks interesting - but honestly, if I decide to 'try' ATC- I will 'give back' by becoming a controller for VATSIM. In that way I can perhaps "be online" during the weeknight hours when controllers are very sparse. Being in California, this would help some of the folks in the Eastern USA - because if I am on 10pm my time, then they are getting realtime ATC 1am their time... when almost NO controllers are available...I don't think my skills are 'good enough' to be ATC just yet, but perhaps in future, I might try to learn!Thank you for your thoughtful suggestion!PS: Even with 3 pars, I shot 101 today :( ! David Feherty indeed! ("Embrace the 102!")What does he know?Robert McDonald

[Kosta 122]

Nice video, nice representation of GSX, but really really bad landing! Why aren't you using the circle and following it guiding you to the landing?

[Robert McDonald 167]

Nice video, nice representation of GSX, but really really bad landing! Why aren't you using the circle and following it guiding you to the landing?

Which circle are you referring to? Do you mean in the HUGS display? My landings are very much a work in progress. Sometimes I'm in a hurry to build a demo video (as I was on this one) and don't do the best job on the touchdown descent rate. I have had a few issues with throttle controls and sometimes I'm going a little too slow and come up short... other times a little too fast... it's like golf... always searching for 'just right'. I don't use the Cat III landing even though I know how to do it... because I'm trying to learn and get a 'feel' for the PMDG NGX. Since the new SP1c came out, landings are MUCH improved, these demos were shot using SP1b. The idle thrust throttle seems to work better in SP1c but that's just my .02 cents!How is that flight yoke? Did the replacement show up yet??Take care!

[Kosta 122]

I don't know Robert, but the landing I saw in the first video is really bad. You flared over the threshold for a long long time, and then you just crashed it on the runway basically.In the HGS, you have the two little circles. Keep them both aligned, the whole time. When you come down to 50ft, pull the throttles back and pull the stick/yoke a bit. Not too much, otherwise you are gonna peel off.Nothing changed with SP1C concerning throttle.

[Robert McDonald 167]

I don't know Robert, but the landing I saw in the first video is really bad. You flared over the threshold for a long long time, and then you just crashed it on the runway basically.In the HGS, you have the two little circles. Keep them both aligned, the whole time. When you come down to 50ft, pull the throttles back and pull the stick/yoke a bit. Not too much, otherwise you are gonna peel off.Nothing changed with SP1C concerning throttle.

Thanks for the tip about the HGS. I'll give it a try tonight :DRobert.

[Kosta 122]

I think you should do both tutorial flights on NGX though :(

[Robert McDonald 167]

I think you should do both tutorial flights on NGX though :(

Hey, that's a great idea, Word Not Allowed! I will make that a priority on my to-fly list :D Thanks for the great suggestion! Learn by doing!Robert.

[Turbine777 13]

Very cool, Robert. I have it but haven't had all that much time to play with it yet. On the review side of the fence, I'm one that prefers user reviews over anything else. I have a User Review forum and tons of tools to make your review look better than the average web review. We're always looking for a nice thorough review so if you're ever up to it, come by and write one up. I also have a hidden forum for review and tutorial writers that's available upon request. That way they're free to do a little at a time, rather than all at once. That way also they're free to try several methods before posting and ask questions on anything they may want to know.

[Robert McDonald 167]

Very cool, Robert. I have it but haven't had all that much time to play with it yet. On the review side of the fence, I'm one that prefers user reviews over anything else. I have a User Review forum and tons of tools to make your review look better than the average web review. We're always looking for a nice thorough review so if you're ever up to it, come by and write one up. I also have a hidden forum for review and tutorial writers that's available upon request. That way they're free to do a little at a time, rather than all at once. That way also they're free to try several methods before posting and ask questions on anything they may want to know.

Flightdream's GSX is pretty good - but 'not exactly perfect' . The marshaller has a bad habit of mis-aligning the airplane when he guides you to your parking spot. That's really my only issue. What makes GSX appealing (versus it's competitor) is it works on ALL FSX Airports (to my knowledge), not just payware ones, and you buy it ONCE and DONE. The competitor product makes you buy 'credits' for each airport... not consumer-friendly!! Also, the follow-me vehicle in GSX is a bit uncoordinated at times, stopping short when it shouldn't and making me brake and accelerate the airplane needlessly. That's super-irritating and NEEDS TO BE FIXED in an update/service pack.I -do- like the fact that you can summon a follow-me vehicle to lead you to your gate, but since a fellow Avsim member pointed me towards Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) by AivlaSoft, I am finding I don't use the GSX much except to guide me to my parking spot. I use the moving map in EFB to show my position on the taxiways, which works WONDERFULLY. How wonderful? You can now see the gate numbers on a moving airport map, so if ATC assigns you to park at a specific gate, you can easily navigate to it via the moving map which shows your aircraft's progress to/from the gate to/from the runways - even has "VECTOR ARROWS" upon departure to point your general path towards each of the available runways! Amazing!Recently, I discovered I can switch radio channels directly from within EFB by clicking on the frequency band across the top of the EFB program window, and easily move from Tower to departure to center as I depart on my flight, and reverse same when arriving at my destination. This alone makes EFB a wonderful addition for those who fly VATSIM (I think it may also work with IVAO but I'm not sure).Also, EFB has a grid map which shows which VATSIM airspace you're actually in, as you are departing one airspace you are able to contact the next airspace controller. If you are crossing into uncontrolled space, EFB shows the grid as all-white and Unicom 122.8 as your frequency in uncontrolled areas.AMAZING software. Not inexpensive. In my view, a "must-have" item, and they're still on version 1 (with version 2.0 under development). Other than Linda and FSUIPC and Squawkbox, it's something I use heavily EVERY flight.As you become more and more familiar with EFB, you can modify it by changing the online flight tools that are integrated into it. IF you fly in Europe, you may be completely happy with their default online flight planners... I modified mine to use FlightAware and SimRoutes because 99.9% of my flights are in the USA or Canada.Using FlightAware, I simply enter the two airports I want, and find a commercial flight and then cut and paste the actual commercial flight route into EFB. I can then use REX to determine favored runways based on current winds...(also can use FSX weather if you don't own REX) so usually I'm pretty close to what ATC would be choosing for me before I get the METAR or ATIS from Vatsim. This is particularly useful for uncontrolled (offline) airports (when Vatsim controllers are at work or asleep).Has a 30-day free trial 100% unlocked. I purchased it after only 1 week. No doubt I was going to use this program a ton- and I do! Would not fly without it! I run it on my side PC so it doesn't take up screenspace on main monitor. The moving maps while you're in an airport make you look good to the controllers... no more 'missing a turn' or getting lost on your way to a runway in unfamiliar airports. Pays for itself because you don't have to buy the airport maps for every new airport from Navigraph just to find your way around and not look stupid to the ATC.At some point, I hope to make a short video demonstrating the many features and benefits I've discovered in EFB. If I sound like a huge fan, I'm guilty as charged. I think it's about $73 USD.Robert McDonald