BBS A330 about to release

[FLEX1978 373]

Installing now Ronan, should report back shortly

[ZKOKQ 984]

My mouse is hovering over the buy now button, will wait for feedback.

[Boeing or not going 578]

This is really cool, not only the A330-200, but the -300 AND the freighter variant! Can someone point me in a direction of a tutorial either written or video that explains all the basic procedures? I have never flown an Airbus.

 

Sorry but I don't understand.

If they haven't finished their A320 yet, and the A330 is largely based on it.....why are they even pushing for another release without finishing the other?

 

They sound like Captainsim.

Except Captain Sim ignores the bugs and moves on to a new product, ignoring their past ones. Blackbox has stated they need help financially because they are a small team, but will develop both side by side with updates. I have no problems with this since they have made a claim, and so far released a lot of updates for the A320. Comparing CS to them isn't fair.

[vc10man 732]

My mouse is hovering over the buy now button, will wait for feedback.

+++1 ditto. Need a strong will like that last drink you know you must NOT have.

[Epikk 63]

A330 has the exact same flight deck as the A320, only differance is centre console MCDU, and a few things on the overhead like extra elec hydraulic pumps, fuel system, and PRIMS instead of ELACS.

 

VC quality has never been stunning however I would take that anyday over something that looks good but has inaccurate system logic.

Not really.

Not saying they're not alike but I see LOTS of differences : the overhead and the main panel especially. So you have to model these differences if you want to model it properly. 

[A330-300 88]

Yeah, the comparisons to CS are really uncalled for. Sure they use the same business model but that doesn't mean they are the same company. So far they have been very good with updates and customer feedback.

 

Regarding the A330, there seem to be a few bugs in regard to the APU lights not working in VC as well as strobe lights. They work fine in 2D panel though.

[ZKOKQ 984]

+++1 ditto. Need a strong will like that last drink you know you must NOT have.

I hear you Rick. I have the mouse taped down with gaffer tape.

[FLEX1978 373]

Not really.

Not saying they're not alike but I see LOTS of differences : the overhead and the main panel especially. So you have to model these differences if you want to model it properly.

 

My point being that apart from the different systems the VC will look the same as BBS A320, my reply was in regards to the post about lack of screenshots.

[Airbus Commander 563]

Installing now Ronan, should report back shortly

Great to here, let me know how you find it. You'll be a good judge to go by.

 

Not really.

Not saying they're not alike but I see LOTS of differences : the overhead and the main panel especially. So you have to model these differences if you want to model it properly. 

Agreed, two very different birds. Similar on the face, but very different beneath it all. Then again, it depends to what depth this aims to go as to whether some of those differences matter.

 

Regards,

Ró.

 

Edit: Rob beat me to it.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Rónán O Cadhain

[Nuno Pinto 1,397]

Well, the overhead seems quite a lot better texture wise than the previous A320. There are clickspots out of place yet (autobrake, some light switches, etc) and the APU cannot be started from the VC. I mean, it can if you guess what's it doing because no lights come up yet. There are differences in the cockpit, it seems to have been worked on, but looks like a "slightly different" A320. The engine sounds are very good and sound like a heavy aircraft but the fan animation is poor like on the A320.

 

Navigation wise, it's a PAIN to steer it (it feels heavy, a LOT) and in the air, turns are abrupt. I'm not a native english speaker so it's hard to come up with a word, but it feels brute when turning, it's not smooth. It struggled a bit on takeoff to get the climb rate correct and did something i hate, which is descend a bit to gain speed, but nothing serious. Reaching the top of climb it stopped climbing smoothly and the flight was uneventful.

 

Descending, i decided to use managed mode, so i dialed 3000 which is the descent altitude for the approach i was performing (gave up on Madeira, too far away and i need sleep) and pulled the altitude knob for the descent a few miles before TOD. The aircraft decelerated a bit, and started a mix of idle/speed SMOOTH descent until it captured the descent path. Very good!

 

The rest of the descent was uneventful and LOC/Glideslope capture were perfect. Didn't perform an autoland (i never do) and i can say i'm perfectly happy with first contact. Very good.

 

On a sidenote, i would like to see the exterior model with less pronounced lines where the panels meet. I know those are there, but they don't look too good in the sim.

[Epikk 63]

My point being that apart from the different systems the VC will look the same as BBS A320, my reply was in regards to the post about lack of screenshots.

Ah ok, I see what you mean now.

[Phillip Gallagher 101]

Nuno.  That's the first user review Ive read and you seem a bit underwhelmed to say the least.  Is this seriously worth the money at this point? (please say no and save me some dough) 

[FLEX1978 373]

This is really just aimed at Ro since I am sure it is not a big deal to many.

 

Just ended the preflight and engine start and decided to pause since I have a feeling I know where this is going. before I say anything else I should point out that BBS have made it very clear that this is a work in progress, they are actively working on it and from the systems interrogation I have done so far this is the best A320/330 available for FSX if you are looking for accurate systems logic.

 

However... There is a huge amount missing, just to give you some random examples.

 

NO PRIMS, SECS, FAC, in fact the overhead says ELACS!!

 

I only have knowledge of the A320 FADEC however I noticed no decrease in oil quantity during engine start, no FADEC EGT limit during start, no N1 or EPR increase with wing/engine anti ice or associated ECAM msg, in fact from what I can tell most ECAM memo's don't exist.

 

NO GPS primary, or monitor page, and whole bunch of stuff. Personally I don't think it's for you.

 

However, what they have simulated has been done very well, Hydraulics,fuel etc.

 

It's the best A330 out there so far, I think people new to the bus or wanting to switch from the other A330 will be very very happy.

 

Unfortunately for me it wasn't exactly what I hoped.

[HighTowers 1,434]

The 320 is at 0.7 but this todays download for A330 is still on 0.6? I thought they were being developed together. 

Unless the page I read wasnt updated. 

[Nuno Pinto 1,397]

Errr i don't want to take that responsibility :D

 

If you are a serious simmer and want a PROPER A330, i'd say hold on a while longer. It flies, it's not perfect, but it flies quite good, it just has some flaws that might make more demanding simmers a bit annoyed. It's not CS777 not even close, but it's not an excellent product yet.

 

I took the plunge because i waited for a 330 a LOT and this one will definitely replace my Wilcos.

 

Now, is it worth the money? As i said, it depends on how demanding you are. 45 euros is not cheap and RIGHT NOW i'd say it's a bit expensive...