Is PFPX too much for a slightly more than casual simmer? What else would I use?

[flyinion 280]

If you're talking about the in-game ATC, I have no interest in that.

 

 

 

Oh I understand that.  I was just saying that I was using it for my world tour because I didn't want to try to learn both Vatsim and how to fly procedures properly outside the US at the same time with all the extra transitions and rules that I've heard can be in effect especially in crowded areas like Europe.  I'm definitely going to try out Vatsim soon, probably this weekend if things work out, by going through some of the stuff over at http://pilotcerts.laartcc.org/page/Home that I've seen recommended a lot.

Even if you want simplicity PFPX is great, I can plan a typical transatlantic hop in about 10 minutes or less. 

 

Yeah it's looking more & more like I'm going to end up with this.  I've noticed routefinder giving me some odd stuff lately.  Planned a flight from RJTT to RJCC last night and in the middle of the route the airway routing it used (AZUMI V31 MAGGY) caused simroutes route parser to shoot me out over the ocean and back in probably about an extra 50 miles just to catch the beginning of an airway or something.  Routefinder's waypoint listing showed NAEBA GTC AWASI, and simroutes added in a GTC40 point next to the GTC one that was way off course.  Maybe that's just a normal quirk of using planners but it seemed odd to me and I ended up manually correcting it.

[Brazen 5]

Sounds like a plan to me, and have fun using VATSIM!

[Boeing or not going 578]

FSBuild has worked for me for many years. Constant updates and support, cant ask for anything more

[zmak 331]

Thanks for this. exporting to the pmdg makes this an awesome piece of free software

[WebMaximus 372]

For help with picking up a suitable SID/STAR but also lots of other great features and especially when you're planning to start flying online (which is a decision you won't regret) I would really look into EFB from Aivlasoft.

 

I've been using it for years now and I wouldn't fly without it!

[zmak 331]

For help with picking up a suitable SID/STAR but also lots of other great features and especially when you're planning to start flying online (which is a decision you won't regret) I would really look into EFB from Aivlasoft.

 

I've been using it for years now and I wouldn't fly without it!

bought it a month back. its expensive but worth every penny and as you say it makes taxiing and sid/star selection a breeze.

 

The only downside is it doesn't use the same nav data base as the pmdg, is that correct?

[WebMaximus 372]

Yeah, good thing you also mention how easy it will be to taxi with EFB installed since it will show you airport charts for all airports installed in FSX with the names of the taxi ways etc and also the gate numbers. Very convenient when ATC tell you to go to a specific gate via taxiway x y z. Also you will be able to see online traffic on the charts (both on the ground and in the air) making it very easy to see gates already occupied etc.

 

Another great thing is the moving map that will show you pretty much all info you could ask for and EFB also works with weather programs such as Active Sky and it also has a built-in connection to NOAA.

 

Sounds like I'm working for Aivlasoft which I don't, I just really like this addon and I consider it probably the single best addon I ever bought for FSX at least in it's category!

 

Regarding Nav data it used the same as PMDG...Navigraph. So if you have a Navigraph FMS subscription you will automatically also have access to the same Nav data for EFB as you use for your PMDG products.

 

Here's a link to the product page where you will be able to read more about all it's features and also see some screenshots etc -> http://www.aivlasoft.com/products/efb/index.html

[cva1077 68]

 

 

Thanks for this. exporting to the pmdg makes this an awesome piece of free software

 

Basically I need something that can export to Qualitywings & PMDG and preferably to FSX as well

 

Just in case you missed the update, SimBrief added support to export QualityWings, AAX, LVLD 767 and IVAO a couple of days ago.

 

Despite what you have said above regarding chosing SIDs & STARs, if I were you I would still give SimBrief a shot. I have been using it as my exclusive planner for the past couple of months, I have never had an issue with it.

[flyinion 280]

Just in case you missed the update, SimBrief added support to export QualityWings, AAX, LVLD 767 and IVAO a couple of days ago.

 

Despite what you have said above regarding chosing SIDs & STARs, if I were you I would still give SimBrief a shot. I have been using it as my exclusive planner for the past couple of months, I have never had an issue with it.

 

Thanks, yeah I've used it for 3 flights now and it's been pretty good.  The only thing really off that I noticed is I got all excited when I saw it planned your descent winds for you and had nice tables of winds at various waypoints.  Problem is it didn't match up at all with what REX was showing me in its own nav log.  As an example, between RJCC and UHPP yesterday simbrief was claiming about an average of 230 degrees and about 115 knots of wind at FL370.  REX was claiming about 315/65.  I know PFPX can interface with and use REX's weather so that's definitely something that might push me to that.  Would be nice to not have to manually average stuff and figure out what figures to put in the PMDG 737's descent forecast page.

[pete_auau 1,153]

Another thing about  pfpx is  that its  shows your position on the map  to your flight plan and other  aircraft  that are flying on vatsim etc

[flyinion 280]

Finally picked up PFPX last night after some frustration trying to plan a weird (not something that would normally be flown) flight from KGRB to CYYZ (part of my world tour).  I actually managed to figure out how to get something somewhat planned without really going through the manuals yet so that's good.  

 

I'm not sure though but I think I'm choosing the wrong stuff for setting up the PMDG 737-900 with winglets.  I've tried two different PMDG 737 profiles in PFPX listed as for the 900 (though one also then says something about a -800 in the info which is weird).  Neither of them matches passenger/cargo weights or max pax or empty weights etc.  Guess I'm going to have to figure out where to modify that stuff.  I know I can just go in and put in a ZFW figure and it will use that instead so I might just do that for simplicity for now.  

 

Definitely nice to see it use REX weather, I haven't compared REX to whatever online weather PFPX uses.  Whatever Simbrief used was always wayyyyyyyyyy off.

[pete_auau 1,153]

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/423917-do-i-need-pfpx/page-3

 

 

post 52  has 2  links  that are worth watching

[flyinion 280]

Thanks, watched that and also found a post that talked about adding all the different PMDG NGX variants to PFPX and TOPCAT and modifying for mixed vs. single class and proper pax weights.  So I've got the weights fixed including the ones PMDG used for dry weight, MTOW, etc.  Now I just need to figure out routing.  I'm going to test with something like KSMF to KLAX or something tonight, but when I was trying to create a route between KGRB and CYYZ it was giving me weird flight levels.  Either a max of FL170 or initial climb to FL170 and a step to FL270.  Not sure what that's about since I should be well into the 300's and even worse was when I chose no step it routed the whole thing at FL170 even though I chose upper airways in the flightplan editor.

[DAL1850 51]

For help with picking up a suitable SID/STAR but also lots of other great features and especially when you're planning to start flying online (which is a decision you won't regret) I would really look into EFB from Aivlasoft.

 

I've been using it for years now and I wouldn't fly without it!

 

This looks like a pretty slick planner. I had not even heard of it until you mentioned it. I use PFPX predominantly - mostly for long oceanic flights - and am quite happy with it but the approach charts in EFB have me salivating. Seems like a great option for domestic and hops in smaller aircraft. Are these plates dynamically generated from AIRAC procedures and FS data?! Checklists too. That is exceedingly cool.

 

I will definitely be checking out the demo.

 

Thanks for pointing this little gem out.

[WebMaximus 372]

You won't regret it and yes, all plates are dynamically created from FSX/AIRAC data.