Is the Q400 a good choice for casual Simmers?

[PDX Flyer 111]

I am a casual simmer, who mostly enjoys flying GA aircraft in Orbx areas, mainly the Pacific Northwest. I have been setting up flight plans within FSX, and just have learned how to do ILS landings. That said, is the Q400 a good choice for me? Can I set up the flight plan within FSX and have the Q400 recognize it?

 

I know the Q400 is a very realistic simulation, but can it be flown in a more simple mode by us non flyers in the real world.

 

I do love the looks of this plane.

[ktoons 0]

Just follow the tutorial and you shouldn't have a problem. Recommend a yoke, throttle, and rudders though. Good luck.

[Kaboki 437]

You will have to learn how to start it manually, but its not that hard(figured it out without reading the manual, and I consider myself a casual simmer). And with the pilot version you don't have to worry about failures so you can fly this plane without to much trouble. But you can also go complex and program the FMC, do the checklists and do things the right way.(I haven't figured out yet howto import a flight plan to the FMC, was completely different than in the NGX so right now I just fly with normal FSX flightplans and getting vectored by ATC (I will eventually learn this FMC but haven't had time yet to figure it out))

The best things so far I think with this plane is the superb performance even with it's complexity so you can fly with a lot more eyecandy settings than e.g the PMDG NGX or J41. 

The downside is, there no turbulence yet, and no SDK, so you cant get FS2Crew yet and GSX doesn't work to good with it either. These are things they're working on and I think eventually it will be solved.

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

 Can I set up the flight plan within FSX and have the Q400 recognize it?

 

 

As best I know, the Q400 does not recognize an FSX flightplan.

 

You will have to enter it into the FMS, if you want the aircraft to follow it.

[doorstep 46]

I would advise you away from this as a casual simmer.  The Q400 is definitely hardcore simming, believe me.

 

It's not the sort of aircraft that you would enjoy until you have delved into what makes it tick, If you know what I mean,

 

I advise this with the greatest respect, of course.

[Capt. Farhadi 5]

Hi PDX Flyer

first we have to know how much familiar are you with FMS systems on some aircrafts like new gen boeings and airbuses.if youre cofortable with FMS,Q400 is a good experience.but if youre not,you have to study some few hours to get familiar with general physiology of AFS systems(Auto Flight Systems.

If you have only flown some propellers like bonanza F33A or C172,its better for you to start with a Baron 58 or Piper PA34,when you felt that youre ready and comfortable with twin engine props(and faliures like eng faliure,working with rudder trim and so on),youre good to go to Q400.

Hope my words help you

Regards

MohamadReza Farhadi

[Kaboki 437]

I would advise you away from this as a casual simmer. The Q400 is definitely hardcore simming, believe me.

 

 

 

It's not the sort of aircraft that you would enjoy until you have delved into what makes it tick, If you know what I mean,

 

 

 

I advise this with the greatest respect, of course.

 

I wouldn't say that, I dare to say It can be flown almost as easy as any other FSX plane as long as you get it started first wich isn't that hard really, If you can live without the FMC and just let ATC vector you on course you will get this bird from A to B without any trouble+ You'll get a nice plane and excellent turboprop simulation with excellent physics and amazing sounds and nice VC graphics and who knows maybe someday you'll advance and start getting interested in the FMC and get it up and running and do all the checklist etc(Also whats the alternative if he wanna fly the Dash 8?). This is how I got started flying complex planes and all the complexness just came naturally as I evolved, when I first bought the NGX I didn't even know what an FMC was  but I still could get the plane up in the air and go from A to B without to much problems.

 

Don't be scared, just dive into it! It gets more and more rewarding when time passes and you learn more correct ways to fly these complex birds B)

When I come to think about it I have never read the NGX manual, I have just used FS2Crew to aid me in pushing the right buttons...

[doorstep 46]

I wouldn't say that, I dare to say It can be flown almost as easy as any other FSX plane as long as you get it started first wich isn't that hard really, If you can live without the FMC and just let ATC vector you on course you will get this bird from A to B without any trouble+ You'll get a nice plane and excellent turboprop simulation with excellent physics and amazing sounds and nice VC graphics and who knows maybe someday you'll advance and start getting interested in the FMC and get it up and running and do all the checklist etc(Also whats the alternative if he wanna fly the Dash 8?). This is how I got started flying complex planes and all the complexness just came naturally as I evolved, when I first bought the NGX I didn't even know what an FMC was  but I still could get the plane up in the air and go from A to B without to much problems.

 

Don't be scared, just dive into it! It gets more and more rewarding when time passes and you learn more correct ways to fly these complex birds B)

When I come to think about it I have never read the NGX manual, I have just used FS2Crew to aid me in pushing the right buttons...

Kaboki, he described himself as a Casual Simmer (meaning he doesn't have the time to study any aircraft. He is like many, they just want to take off and fly).

[Kaboki 437]

Kaboki, he described himself as a Casual Simmer (meaning he doesn't have the time to study any aircraft. He is like many, they just want to take off and fly).

 

Ok maybe I am more than casual then... I considered myself a casual simmer, still hasn't learned how to use the FMC in the Dash 8. But I enjoy flying it very much and I didn't even have to read the manual to get it started(it's very easy getting the engines running, basictly just turn on the power and ignition switches and apu and press start and open up the condition levers, there are more procedures to but as a casual simmer he don't need to worry about that, the plane will fly:)), he could also just watch a 2 minute start tutorial on youtube to get it running. Not that much time consuming, from then on It's just go fly and he don't have to do all the checklists because the plane doesn't punish you if not activated all systems(atleast in the Pilot version).. How hard can that be? You do not need to be a rocket scientist to make that happen...So then he could fly it just like any other 'FSX plane but the physics would be way cooler and the sounds just awesome hence the experience would be good even if he's a noob...

 

 

 

I have been setting up flight plans within FSX, and just have learned how to do ILS landings.

 And he's progressing, he learned that(maybe he's more than casual but just don't understand that yet), so I cant see why he cant learn howto fly the dash 8. Who knows maybe he turn hardcore when times go, that's what happend to me. A year back I never dreamed that I would learn howto fly an airliner using checklist program FMC etc and wasn't interested to learn all those things either, It just happened gradually. And I dont' have all the time in the world  but this hobby kinda drags you down deeper and deeper in a good way B)

[PDX Flyer 111]

Thanks to everyone who responded. have been flying the Carenado Baron 58 and the B200, and the RealAir Duke B60. I know that they aren't as complex as some other vendors. I am getting familiar with their systems and fairly recently learned how to create a flight plan in FSX (which these planes recognize) and using the autopilot to fly the flight plan. Also, as I mentioned in my initial post, I have learned how to successfully land using ILS.

 

I am not familiar with Flight Management Systems, but am not afraid to invest a lot of time reading the manual. Also, I haven't yet used ATC or getting vectored, but that was on my radar screen to learn next.

 

I think of myself as a reasonably smart and am not afraid to invest time (or a lot of time) in reading the manuals.

I do have several questions. Can this plane be flown without using pedals? Also, how good are the manuals and can I download them before I buy the plane. I think looking at the manuals will go a long way to helping my buy or no buy decision.

 

Once again, thanks for all of your responses.

[devgrp 1,233]

The plane is not that hard to fly. Its actually easier than the PMDG, its just not as automated as the PMDG. I just started using FSX about 2 months ago and I started off with the PMDG 747 and then moved up to the 737.

I tried flying the stock jets and found them lacking, now I have way more fun with the PMDG planes and programming the FMC with SIDS and STARS.

 

If you want to get proficent with the Dash8, you have to keep flying it. When I started flying the pmdg 737 I hated it, just because there was so much to do before you could start flying, but now I wouldnt have it any other way. The Dash8 is the same way. Learning it was a lot of trial and error, and I'm still learning but it is fun.

 

I would say go ahead and get it and just watch a couple videos on youtube to familiarize yourself with it

[Kaboki 437]

I think of myself as a reasonably smart and am not afraid to invest time (or a lot of time) in reading the manuals.

I do have several questions. Can this plane be flown without using pedals? Also, how good are the manuals and can I download them before I buy the plane. I think looking at the manuals will go a long way to helping my buy or no buy decision.

 

Hmm, im sure it can be flown without pedals but I would recommend having them, unless you have twist joystick that can be used as rudders. Not sure if you can download manuals, but I recommend watching a youtube tutorial such as this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl7mMDBamvw, It will give you some indication on how too start up and stuff and what you're getting into. You don't have to do all the procidedures and click all the buttons to get it flying, what I did first was focusing on just how to start it (basicly turn batteries and power switches on, ignition switches on, start APU and then click on the start switches and then open up the fuel by open the condition levers)

The other things just comes naturally when you want to learn them by doing the checklists etc when you're ready to go deeper. It's learning the FMC that is a real challenge, haven't gotten there yet myself as this one is so different than the NGX one and I never programmed the NGX one manually, have always just imported ready to use flightplans directly into the FMC. But I cant seem to find where in the FMC I do this with the Dash 8, guess i'll have to dig into the manual something I rarely do(Im the kinda guy that likes to try and learning by error, and when I get into trouble, I'll start reading manuals or watch tutorials on youtube).

[devgrp 1,233]

Hmm, im sure it can be flown without pedals but I would recommend having them, unless you have twist joystick that can be used as rudders. Not sure if you can download manuals, but I recommend watching a youtube tutorial such as this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl7mMDBamvw, It will give you some indication on how too start up and stuff and what you're getting into. You don't have to do all the procidedures and click all the buttons to get it flying, what I did first was focusing on just how to start it (basicly turn batteries and power switches on, ignition switches on, start APU and then click on the start switches and then open up the fuel by open the condition levers)

The other things just comes naturally when you want to learn them by doing the checklists etc when you're ready to go deeper. It's learning the FMC that is a real challenge, haven't gotten there yet myself as this one is so different than the NGX one and I never programmed the NGX one manually, have always just imported ready to use flightplans directly into the FMC. But I cant seem to find where in the FMC I do this with the Dash 8, guess i'll have to dig into the manual something I rarely do(Im the kinda guy that likes to try and learning by error, and when I get into trouble, I'll start reading manuals or watch tutorials on youtube).

I dont think you can import flight plans into the fmc for the dash8 but I may be wrong. I have search all through the fmc and there is no sign of an import feature, but then again the one for the ngx dont really jump out at you either lol.

[Kaboki 437]

I dont think you can import flight plans into the fmc for the dash8 but I may be wrong. I have search all through the fmc and there is no sign of an import feature, but then again the one for the ngx dont really jump out at you either lol.

 

brb :Nail Biting:  Hope your wrong, doing that manually every flight I think would be to much work for me and boring. Do the pilots do that in real life with every flight? I was under the impression that they just downloaded flight data from a chip given to them by the airline...Am I wrong?

[devgrp 1,233]

brb :Nail Biting:  Hope your wrong, doing that manually every flight I think would be to much work for me and boring. Do the pilots do that in real life with every flight? I was under the impression that they just downloaded flight data from a chip given to them by the airline...Am I wrong?

lol I dont know how it is for the real pilots but its not really that much work. What I do is find a flight using route finder on the EFB and that gives me the waypts. Then I type those in the fmc. The good thing about the D8 is that you can enter almost everything into the fmc without typing too much using the list button.

 

Hit  flp->list and the airport you are at will be the first one on the list. From that, the fmc can chain together the different waypts, airways and vors based on a single waypoint. I think its acutally easier than how its done on the ngx.

 

I actually enjoy doing it that way vs just importing a flight plan but thats just me :lol: