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Ben Cap

CaptainSim 777?

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Hi,

 

For training purposes on learning the T7, I am considering buying the CaptainSim T7.

I would like to get an idea of how to operate the plane so I will be ready once the PMDG T7 arrives into the market. Is it worth it? I just want to get an idea of all the switches, FMC, and MCP. Is the aircraft somewhat flyable?

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Right now, in it's current state I would say no, many systems and displays do not function well. with it's systems in debug mode there is also a significant performance hit, although I don't think you'll have an issue with it with your specs. I'm sure as more things get fixed over time, she'll serve your purpose, but unless your willing to basically Beta test her (Like I chose to do), I would hold off for a while. Remember though to get the development discount you'll need to purchase before the 1.0 release.


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Tom

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Im also in the same boat as you. Want to buy to practice ready for its much more complex 'female' twin is released.

 

Ive read that it is flyable in the AA livery and from KSEA, Im sure the thing will get a patch at least every fornight.

 

By the time the PMDG is released, the CS T7 should be a pretty well rounded off product.

 

I look at it this way, There is competition between CS and PMDG for the T7, Both companies will push each others boundaries because of the competition, If there wasnt any competition vying for everyones hard earned cash, the quality of models being released by both wouldnt be near as good.

 

CS make some great aircraft and although they dont have the fidelity of PMDG, what they lack in complexity they make up in eye candy.

 

I say, buy both, support both as fantastic addon creators for FSX. Yours/mine/everyones, cash is what makes them continue feeding our need for ever better looking and better system implemenation.


Jack Cannon

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I say, buy both, support both as fantastic addon creators for FSX. Yours/mine/everyones, cash is what makes them continue feeding our need for ever better looking and better system implemenation.

 

That is a great way to put it. I think I will be purchasing her right now. I am eager to see how it comes along over the next few patches!

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And dont forget that buy spending your hard earned cash on something clearly marked as beta, Gives you the right to go nuts about what does and doesnt work :-D


Jack Cannon

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It's a bit ropey at the moment, as one would expect with something that is quite openly admitted to be 'experimental' on the product page (i.e. a beta).

 

You can do some flying in it, but I've found that it is currently a bit hit and miss in many areas - one time it will load up and the autopilot will work okay, next time it might not, and in either case, it very often will refuse to follow LNAV or autothrottle when there is a plan fully loaded and set up in the FMC and the IRS is supposedly aligned (which is another thing that is a bit hit and miss). Climb performance up high is miserable, I could barely get it to make it up to 36,000 feet with half tanks last night, and when it did make it up there, the autopilot would not accurately hold it there, either with VNAV or the alt hold function. Also note that many systems are not available on it at the moment, including pretty much all of the EFIS functions.

 

I'm sure all this will be sorted out, so this is not really a complaint, but rather to make you aware that this is what they mean you will have to put up with when they say 'experimental'. To be honest, the patch they put out yesterday seemed to make some of this worse than it was before from what I could determine, but like they said, it is at an experimental stage.

 

Al


Alan Bradbury

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Thanks for the help Alan. I went ahead and bought it. - I want to 'learn' the 777 on this bird so when the PMDG version comes out, I won't be overwhelmed by the extensive systems fidelity.

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Thanks for the help Alan. I went ahead and bought it. - I want to 'learn' the 777 on this bird so when the PMDG version comes out, I won't be overwhelmed by the extensive systems fidelity.

 

One thing you need to know to avoid frustration, is in addition to the regular Hydraulic switches on the overhead, there are 6 other switches way in the back on the overhead past the circuit breakers on the left hand side and they are guarded, there is a warning annunciation though when off. Sometimes (Actually most times) these are defaulted to the off position. When this happens, you'll have no flight controls. You need to switch these on, which is not the easiest thing to do. I find it easiest from the FO view position. There are also 3 other switches on the right side also guarded for the APU Maintenace switch and the L and R EEC switch. These 2 also need to be on. The other big problem right now is the fuel system. Right now the engines don't feed equally from the tanks, even though both pumps are on. Initially fuel is used from the left tank only. This will eventually cause an imbalance an the plane will become unstable, especially in autopilot. What needs to be done to avoid this, until it's fixed, is in the aircraft.cfg file in the fuel section, for the 2 wing tanks set the lateral coord to 0 from 38 and -38.


Thanks

Tom

My Youtube Videos!

http://www.youtube.com/user/tf51d

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Well, if nothing else it can be used as a 'procedural trainer' for pre-flighting etc, since even if the buttons don't do much, you can get used to their locations and what order you press them in, but to do that, you need to know the procedures, so...

 

I would also recommend taking a look at Smart Cockpit ( ttp://www.smartcockpit.com/plane/boeing/B777/ , which has a lot of stuff on there about the Cripple Seven, including a number of quizzes on the systems, which are fairly in depth (look at me, I'm a nerdy swot LOL):

 

1-56.jpg

 

Al

 

The other big problem right now is the fuel system. Right now the engines don't feed equally from the tanks,

 

They do if you leave the crossfeed switch off.

 

Al


Alan Bradbury

Check out my youtube flight sim videos: Here

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Well, if nothing else it can be used as a 'procedural trainer' for pre-flighting etc, since even if the buttons don't do much, you can get used to their locations and what order you press them in, but to do that, you need to know the procedures, so...

 

I would also recommend taking a look at Smart Cockpit ( ttp://www.smartcockpit.com/plane/boeing/B777/ , which has a lot of stuff on there about the Cripple Seven, including a number of quizzes on the systems, which are fairly in depth (look at me, I'm a nerdy swot LOL):

 

1-56.jpg

 

Al

 

 

 

They do if you leave the crossfeed switch off.

 

Al

 

Not on mine, I do have crossfeed off. In fact the only way I can get fuel out of the right tank is with the left pump off and the right tank on crossfeed. Even with the left pump off and crossfeed off the engines continue to take fuel from the left side only. Others on the CS forum are reporting the same thing. (Mark Fletcher)


Thanks

Tom

My Youtube Videos!

http://www.youtube.com/user/tf51d

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My issue is that the main displays wont even turn on LOL. Also, my control surfaces are acting quite bizarre.

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I guess that only serves to highlight the mixed results people are experiencing. I knocked crossfeed off last night after the thing had been drinking from one side, and bob's yer uncle, equal drainage from both tanks. It was still flying like a pig, but it was doing it with juice from both wings LOL

 

Re: bizarre control surfaces, just make sure you have the guarded hydraulic switches up on the rear overhead all on (lights out). Easiest way to get to them is using Control+Enter and Control+Delete to move the view back and forth and then look straight up. Also load up the provided KSEA flight, then go where you like from there and align the IRS - to do that, you will need to switch off the ADIRU on the overhead, leave it off for at least 30 seconds, then sling it back on and on the FMC on the POS INIT page, copy your present airport coordinates into the scratchpad (enter the ICAO code and gate location to get those), then paste them into the empty coordinate slot (might take a few goes at pasting it to get it to work, but it should do it eventually)

 

Also note that your PFD screens might be dimmed, see the switches on the left side of the cockpit.

 

Al


Alan Bradbury

Check out my youtube flight sim videos: Here

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I guess that only serves to highlight the mixed results people are experiencing. I knocked crossfeed off last night after the thing had been drinking from one side, and bob's yer uncle, equal drainage from both tanks. It was still flying like a pig, but it was doing it with juice from both wings LOL

 

Al

 

Well, I would appreciate it if CaptainSim would provide an update that would at least turn ON the DUs. :LMAO:

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Welcome to the world of paid betas. Makes sure you have only just cranked up FS (i.e. not already been making flights with other stuff) and then just choose to load the KSEA flight, don't bother selecting the CS 777, it will load with that flight.

 

Just remember, even DCS A-10 was a pile of crap when it was a paid beta - it wouldn't even load properly at that time, but look how well it turned out. If you have any issues, make them known on the CS site, although I suspect they are looking at Avsim threads, because they corrected the typos on the yoke, and I was the one who highlighted that here, rather than on the CS forums, although I did later mention it over there too.

 

Al


Alan Bradbury

Check out my youtube flight sim videos: Here

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Well, I would appreciate it if CaptainSim would provide an update that would at least turn ON the DUs. :LMAO:

 

You need to switch the DU position using the knob right below the ND 1 or 2 positions. It defaults to PFD blank, and ND with the EICAS. I think the difference is the first position you just get the ND in the second position you can switch to the different displays using the panel on the FO side.


Thanks

Tom

My Youtube Videos!

http://www.youtube.com/user/tf51d

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