I like the fact you could give IF a general direction and time you had alloted and it would give a route+ destination. So instead of doing my normal routes I got to see alot of lil airports I normally would pass by. Then the next day I would just pick up from where I parked.

To provide some balance, I have an alternate view of IF10. While one person categorized the product as "the best addon I've ever bought," I am struggling to find a use for it. Specifically, while IF10 does a number of tasks, it does not perform said task more efficiently than other add-ons, especially when utilized with high fidelity aircraft equipped with an FMC. Below is a list of IF10 primary features:

 

"The Leading Autoplanner" - I dispute this, FSbuild and/or FSC9 are far more capable/flexible planners. Especially when "plugging" your route information in via Flightaware, etc....What could be simpler than pasting your route into a dialog box?

"Global Weather Simulation" - If you own AS2012/REX there's NO need for this?

"Thermal and Ridge Lift" - Included in AS2012

"Precise ETA and Fuel" - In my experience, FSBuild is far more accurate, as it bases it's calculations on Alt, Wt, and Temp.

"FSX Automated" - Interesting enough, you still have to select options withing IF10 prior to launching FSX. So, you're really not saving a heck of a lot time here. Plus, the user interface is hardly intuitive.

 

If you own FSBuild/FSC9 and AS2012/REX, this product will be of little use to you. Especially when coupled with an Aircraft that employs an FMC. However, having said that, I do use IF when flying a GA (w/ native GPS) within the Air Hauler environment.

To provide some balance, I have an alternate view of IF10. While one person categorized the product as "the best addon I've ever bought," I am struggling to find a use for it. Specifically, while IF10 does a number of tasks, it does not perform said task more efficiently than other add-ons, especially when utilized with high fidelity aircraft equipped with an FMC. Below is a list of IF10 primary features:

 

"The Leading Autoplanner" - I dispute this, FSbuild and/or FSC9 are far more capable/flexible planners. Especially when "plugging" your route information in via Flightaware, etc....What could be simpler than pasting your route into a dialog box?

There's a crucial difference here that you're ignoring, IF can give you a flight between two airports you've never even heard of before. Doing it your way with programs like FSbuild etc. YOU have to know where you're flying first. Obviously this is fine and normal if you're the type of sim pilot who wants to fly real world routes only, but there are other people out there who enjoy flying to new and interesting places. IF a destination for you, and it's all calculated automatically based on the data you enter plus data about your selected aircraft. For example if you have 45 minutes for a flight, and you have selected a Citation Mustang that really hauls &@($*, IF will randomly select you a destination that is roughly 45 minutes of flight time in your Mustang. You can even have IF specify only airports with ILS, only airports with parking or fuel parking, and so on. IF also weeds out destinations with runways too short for your aircraft, so you won't waste an hour flying to a new airport only to find it has a 1800ft long runway for your MD-80. On top of all that, if you REALLY want to explore something new and unknown to you, you don't even need to know the airport you want to take off from. You can click anywhere on the map of the globe and IF will select the nearest airport to your click, and you can even have it use the ILS/parking/etc filters so you can have whatever you need/want. You want to fly somewhere in Japan but you have NO idea what to search for except Tokyo? Fine, just click on Japan and IF will give you an airport you can use, then you can generate a flight to a new destination. In other words there is HUGE functionality here that no other software (that I'm aware of) can give you.

 

"Global Weather Simulation" - If you own AS2012/REX there's NO need for this?

 

Only if you want real-world weather. If you want something different, IF will generate that for you on the fly. If you have your heart set on route X, but the weather is sunny and clear and you want IFR conditions, you can set IF to give you more severe/IFR type conditions, you can change the wind, etc. In other words YOU get to decide what weather you want, IF you want it. Otherwise yes, if you ONLY want to use real world weather data, you can use any other WX program for FSX. In addition however, Steve W. has said he's working on an addition to IF that will inject real world weather data so you can have it both ways, without an additional WX program.

 

"Thermal and Ridge Lift" - Included in AS2012

 

I'm not familiar with AS2012's thermal and ridge lift, so I can't comment there, but the included system in IF works very well.

 

"Precise ETA and Fuel" - In my experience, FSBuild is far more accurate, as it bases it's calculations on Alt, Wt, and Temp.

 

I personally am not that into super precise fuel calculations so can't comment there.

 

"FSX Automated" - Interesting enough, you still have to select options withing IF10 prior to launching FSX. So, you're really not saving a heck of a lot time here. Plus, the user interface is hardly intuitive.

 

Again, going back to my first response, IF does automate just about everything if you don't already know exactly what route, departure/arrival plan, etc. etc. that you want to do. I save a TON of time using IF for the flying I do. I literally just select a plane, choose where I want to depart from, and without knowing *anything* else, I have a flight laid out in front of me with a FULL briefing including weather forecasts for all stages of the flight, every piece of navigation aid information relevant to the flight, aircraft reference data, you name it. IF even gives you dynamically generated maps of the route and airports, with relevant radio frequencies, ILS info, etc. etc. It does all this on its own, if you are a user who doesn't enjoy spending 60 minutes just compiling all the information for a flight before you even hop "in the cockpit", this is perfect for that. If you enjoy sifting through charts and so on, there's nothing stopping you from doing that too.

 

If you own FSBuild/FSC9 and AS2012/REX, this product will be of little use to you. Especially when coupled with an Aircraft that employs an FMC. However, having said that, I do use IF when flying a GA (w/ native GPS) within the Air Hauler environment.

 

I don't see how an aircraft with FMC is of little use in IF? You can still plug in waypoints IF generates for a flight and you can plug in your SIDS/STARS in your FMC, but that's just one way to do it. For example I fly the PMDG MD-11 and I can take the flight IF gives me and load it directly into the FMC. I don't even have FSBuild or FSCommander installed, I don't need them.

 

There are still other features IF has I haven't mentioned like evaluation of your flight performance (it keeps track of all that for your perusal later), random failures, lots of stuff.

 

I know I'm coming off sounding like I'm hailing it as the greatest creation I've ever witnessed or something, I'm just trying to clarify some things because you didn't describe it accurately in my opinion.

Support is amazing!

 

 

"you can drag and drop any existing FSX Flight Plans on top of the Ideal Flight desktop icon, and it will auto start and set it's self up ready to fly that plan, with correct fuel, weather set, FP loaded, etc, etc.."

 

this really does work, Steve needs to emphasise these hidden features but thats the problem it has so many great features, where to start?.

Support is amazing!

 

 

"you can drag and drop any existing FSX Flight Plans on top of the Ideal Flight desktop icon, and it will auto start and set it's self up ready to fly that plan, with correct fuel, weather set, FP loaded, etc, etc.."

 

this really does work, Steve needs to emphasise these hidden features but thats the problem it has so many great features, where to start?.

 

Holy smokes, I was not aware of that!

"The Leading Autoplanner"

 

That's quite right "Autoplanner" )

kingm56, I'll try and answer a few more of your points

 

"Thermal and Ridge Lift" - Included in AS2012

Set up a 25 knot wind and soar along a mountain ridge in IF, now do that in AS.

 

"Global Weather Simulation" - If you own AS2012/REX there's NO need for this?"

AS and REX produce random weather or real weather, IF weather is not random and is easy to setup.

 

"Precise ETA and Fuel" - In my experience, FSBuild is far more accurate, as it bases it's calculations on Alt, Wt, and Temp.

IF works out fuel to the teaspoon based on your current aircraft performance exactly and also includes for weather alt temp you name it - FSBuild is a guess in comparison.

 

"FSX Automated" Interesting enough, you still have to select options withing IF10 prior to launching FSX. So, you're really not saving a heck of a lot time here.

Dave at Flight1 says he's logged more flight hours since getting IF than he did in his entiire flight sim "career".

 

"Plus, the user interface is hardly intuitive."

Plane Icon takes you to the planes etc. I've got a hundred emails says it's the best interface for hiding a great deal you don't often need but allows you to get at it.

 

If you own FSBuild/FSC9 and AS2012/REX, this product will be of little use to you.

I've got all those and they don't provide the experience of "being there" like IF, and they don't get me in the cabin quickly, and they don't set me up on a route quickly etc.

 

IF does not prevent your need for manual planning I use FSC.

IF does not prevent your need for Real World Weather, I use REX.

 

The upconing IF update [sf] improves weather, thermals, and a load of other new stuff is provided, more info nearer the release date (soon).

 

Thanks to eveyone supporting the IF project.

 

Steve

For some reason when I launch a flight using IF I keep getting "TRAFFIC" alerts in the NGX, it also happened in the CX as well. Funny since there is no other traffic in the sky, if I do the same flight without IF no problems !!

 

Also, if you drag and drop a flightplan in I can't see a way to manually change your loading - which has to be done with certain a/c (thinking F1 Mustang) .. .. ..

 

G

In your IF 'weather control settings', you probably have activated your thermals.

 

The manual states, "Ideal Flight positions an object to gather information about the surroundings. This is an object with no mass or dimensions. Unfortunately some traffic collision avoidance systems (TCAS) may misjudge it as something that can be collided with."

 

Cheers,

 

Brent

duplicate post...

Ok, will try that next time - I thought it would not have caused the problem as IF weather was disabled !!

 

G

Molleh,

 

"There's a crucial difference here that you're ignoring, IF can give you a flight between two airports you've never even heard of before. Doing it your way with programs like FSbuild etc. YOU have to know where you're flying first."

 

I wasn't ignoring that option, Molleh. I simply have no use it. I think there's a vast difference between you and I in-terms of how we enjoy our hobby. I prefer maximum realism, which means I fly a route as prescribed by my virtual airline. I use the "correct" amount of fuel and load my plane accordingly (i.e. not loading fuel equally across all tanks). I fill my virtual environment utilizing real weather. However, if I can't "decide" where I want to fly, I simply use the random airport generator option via my virtual airline. Most VAs have this feature, and if they don't, you can simply download a freeware version. Heck, if you have a LITTLE .net experience you could write your own application in an hour.

 

"Only if you want real-world weather. If you want something different, IF will generate that for you on the fly. If you have your heart set on route X, but the weather is sunny and clear and you want IFR conditions, you can set IF to give you more severe/IFR type conditions, you can change the wind, etc. In other words YOU get to decide what weather you want, IF you want it"

 

You mean like FS default weather generator? Again, IMO, this option is useless as it already exist internally within FS.

 

"You can still plug in waypoints IF generates for a flight and you can plug in your SIDS/STARS in your FMC, but that's just one way to do it. For example I fly the PMDG MD-11 and I can take the flight IF gives me and load it directly into the FMC. I don't even have FSBuild or FSCommander installed, I don't need them"

 

I can also plug in the waypoints generated by the default FS flight planner too, so why do I need IF? Programs like FSBuild or FSCommander give you the ability to paste real-world route info on scratch pad and within 1 second spit-out a flight plan with corresponding NAVLOG. Plus, those programs generate/output the route information in the correct format/location. So, there's no need to upload it to fsx just to import it into the FMC. I prefer FSBuild because it reads winds aloft data from AS2012 to assist with precise fuel calculations. I know you're not concerned with that feature, but I suspect many are. Finally, and most importantly, FSBuild and FSC9 are supported by Navigraph!

-------------------------

 

Zoran,

 

"Support is amazing!"

 

Agreed, second to none IMO...Plus, the product works as advertised.

 

------------------------

Steve W,

 

"Set up a 25 knot wind and soar along a mountain ridge in IF, now do that in AS."

- I could not detect a noticeable difference. Plus, AS thermals do not generate random TCAS readings from third-party add-ons. I had to disable IF thermal feature because of it....

 

"AS and REX produce random weather or real weather, IF weather is not random and is easy to setup."

- Again, this option is available via Flight Simulator, simply select the desired radio button...Plus, AS provides this option as well. Specifically, AS does allow you to select a desired weather environment for your flight by simply drag the available conditions (e.g. clear, IFR conditions or blizzard) onto the map. You’re suggesting that IF has some advantages over REX /AS. Good luck trying to convince those of us who own both products. There's simply no comparison IMO. Besides, why should there be? REX/AS are dedicated weather programs while IF offers this as a secondary feature.

 

"Plus, the user interface is hardly intuitive."

Plane Icon takes you to the planes etc. I've got a hundred emails says it's the best interface for hiding a great deal you don't often need but allows you to get at it.

Sir, I have no problems with the interface itself, especially after the redesign. However, the program is far from intuitive. You're kind enough to offer a demo so potential customers can see for themselves.

 

"Precise ETA and Fuel"

"IF works out fuel to the teaspoon based on your current aircraft performance exactly and also includes for weather alt temp you name it - FSBuild is a guess in comparison."

 

Can you provide the page number in the manual that describes how IF10 calculates fuel consumption? Again, I find your comments to be disingenuous. IF10 does not directly incorporate aircraft weight, altitude and winds aloft into its fuel computations. You stated this yourself: “Fuel is based on the fuel used during the last flight.” However, the characteristics listed above could have drastically changed since the last flight, which dramatically impacts the fuel consumed. While your method works perfectly for the default aircraft, it does not work well with aircraft models that incorporate such environmental, and/or physical characteristics into their fuel burn profiles.

"I've got all those and they don't provide the experience of "being there" like IF"

It does? How so? IF10 is an addon that runs outside of FSX...so how does it enhance the cockpit experience? Are you suggesting that the briefing adds to the experience? Maybe it’s the flight scoring that adds to ambiance. However, I tried this program more than 20 times and never experienced that feeling of “being there.”

 

Again, I think this program would benefit those of you who don’t care about absolute realism…I think Molleh fits into that category. It also may benefit those who are looking for a single product that offers a lot of individual benefits (e.g. flight planning, weather generator, and log book. However, I could not find a use for this program as I prefer maximum realism. Thus, I removed it from my hard drive several months ago and haven’t missed it for a second…To be fair, that’s because I already own a lot of third-party add-ons that fill my needs more precisely than IF10. I did enjoy the “front-end” aspect of IF, but was able to replace it with a freeware version, which I actually like better:

 

 

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fsxutil&DLID=172983

Can you provide the page number in the manual that describes how IF10 calculates fuel consumption?

http://www.codelegend.com/idealflight/help/flight.htm

IF works out fuel based on the fuel your aircraft uses when you fly it. But do you add 25 galls when a full tank holds 30? No. Fuel is recorded and planned for, not guessed. If you actually tried the fuel calculation you would discover you can use that or spend lots of quality time with a "more accurate" fuel calculator, IF does not stop you. It does not stop you using AS, many IF users have AS, IF does not stop you manually planning, if you want to

 

kingm56 Actually I've got absolute proof that molleh desires absolute realism and regularly offers input to the IF project.

Again, I think this program would benefit those of you who don’t care about absolute realism…I think Molleh fits into that category.

 

You make a lot of judgements and cast a lot of fixed opinions, which often seem quite far from reality.

 

IF really improve realism. Example: Loading a flight and having information such as the current destination airport's active runway sitting in your kneeboard. Most real world pilots will know their destination active before leaving (even though it may change), FSX cannot tell you this within a loaded flight while you're sitting on the ground at your origin airport- and not a single one of the "better" addons you talk of can do it either.

 

This is the 2nd example of a unique feature in IF, that we have given you. But your mind is fixed about this addon. You are of course entitled to your opinion, but why are you spending so much time talking negatively about this add-on here?

 

Is your apathy and negativity about IF not simply a case that you made a bad choice and bought a product that is not in any way suited to you, your requirements or your preferences ?

kingm56 Actually I've got absolute proof that molleh desires absolute realism and regularly offers input to the IF project.

 

No worries Steve and kingm56, sometimes it all comes down to "different strokes for different folks." If you are happy as can be with the way you already flightsim, more power to you!

 

edit: I do have to add one thing though. Comparing Ideal Flight's weather generator the 6 or 7 radio buttons in FSX's default weather themes is quite frankly, ridiculous.