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twharrell

Has anyone purchased yet?

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Thanks for the feedback guys.

 

It's very hard to pitch a product like this. There are all manner of different customers to cater for of all different abilities and you just have to stick the fork somewhere in the sausage, so to speak. We do assume you have a basic working knowledge of how to fly - in 10 hours we can't teach you to fly, but we can teach you to 'operate' the Q400.

 

I think one thing the films teaches us simmers is that the role of a modern line pilot is more of 'managing' the flight and the operation on the ground than any heroic stick and rudder stuff.

 

There is a vast amount of information being portrayed and indeed I'd fully expect most people to have to watch it at least twice to take it all in and rewind/pause at times. We took the decision not to stop the action but do the flights in real time to convey the sense of pressure every crew is under. There's no P button in Josh's aircraft :).

 

The IOM-BHX flight was rushed but it's the same in the real one as it's a very short sector. Things calmed down a bit in the longer sector to Guernsey. We tried to keep the sector length under an hour to keep the interest up.

 

I take your point about streaming but that's out of our control. A lot of industry people told us that the product was too big and that people would complain about download times and their HDD drive space etc but we dug our heels in as we wanted this to be an HD product. In reality in 2014, 12GB down a decent broadband connection can be done while you're having dinner and we have had no reported problems at all. Unlike scenery or aircraft you can delete it once you've watched it, safe in the knowledge you can download it again at any point from Vimeo, Simmarket or Just Flight.

 

We've taken on board the feedback about speed of the speech and the on screen graphics etc and our F/O product for the Q400 will incorporate all that we've learnt since this one was produced.

 

Thanks guys.

 

Ben.

Thanks Ben. Also, thank you for taking this all in...taking our input and trying to improve on what is close to perfect already...and for replying back so quickly in these forums. Excellent support to an already excellent product!! And it will only get better!! In my opinion, this is really a perfect approach!! I love the format and will not hesitate to purchase the F/O series once released!!

 

My only wish now is Can you guys do this for all the medium level to in depth study sim aircraft out there(ngx, 777, aerosoft 320, etc.)? :)

 

(I know an airbus version will be coming...looking forward to that too!!).

 

Thanks again!!


Regards,

 

Kevin LaMal

"Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings" - Shapiro2024

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No problem! You guys are the only 'boss' we care about.

 

Airbus is next after the Q400, that's for sure. Which aircraft we use is TBC but we've got an EasyJet Captain lined up to teach it who in fact used to be my flying instructor and is known to be a bit of a joker, so he won't be afraid to give me a bit of not so gentle mocking when I get it all wrong.

 

After that, I can't say because I don't know yet. We're looking at military stuff with RAF pilots, along with a potential X-Plane product later this year. There are a ton of interesting aircraft in the pipeline or already out that are advanced enough to do this sort of training with. I downloaded the Metroliner last week and was very impressed indeed, although the lack of an autopilot (and the button marked LNAV) scares me :-)


airline2sim_pilot_logo_360x.png?v=160882| Ben Weston www.airline2sim.com 

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I must say I am very impressed with the quality of video and instruction so far. I purchased the Q400 cadet training a few days ago and have watched the first couple videos. I am very grateful that you made the videos available for download in HD because I enjoy watching videos in HD however the internet service in my barracks is horrendous so streaming isn't much of an option for me. I plan on re-watching the videos when I get my desktop back so that I can follow along in my sim. I definitely plan on purchasing the next installments of the Q400 training when they come out.

 

Military aircraft would be awesome and definitely a unique product that, to my knowledge, no one else has done. I am not sure if you have any experience with Milviz but they offer excellent products and their aircraft are a real joy to fly (I mostly fly the F-15E and B55 Baron). They are also coming out with a 350i King Air which should be excellent.

 

I have a question about the Boeing training because I am very interested in those when they are available. Which Boeing(s) do you plan to train on? I noticed on the website it said you have someone who is a 737/757/767 pilot. Does that mean the training will cover all three of those aircraft or just a particular one? My assumption is that you will cover the 737 since, unfortunately, there aren't any quality 757/767 addons that offer really in depth systems like the addons you have been covering so far.


Samuel Scully

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I must say I am very impressed with the quality of video and instruction so far. I purchased the Q400 cadet training a few days ago and have watched the first couple videos. I am very grateful that you made the videos available for download in HD because I enjoy watching videos in HD however the internet service in my barracks is horrendous so streaming isn't much of an option for me. I plan on re-watching the videos when I get my desktop back so that I can follow along in my sim. I definitely plan on purchasing the next installments of the Q400 training when they come out.

 

Military aircraft would be awesome and definitely a unique product that, to my knowledge, no one else has done. I am not sure if you have any experience with Milviz but they offer excellent products and their aircraft are a real joy to fly (I mostly fly the F-15E and B55 Baron). They are also coming out with a 350i King Air which should be excellent.

 

I have a question about the Boeing training because I am very interested in those when they are available. Which Boeing(s) do you plan to train on? I noticed on the website it said you have someone who is a 737/757/767 pilot. Does that mean the training will cover all three of those aircraft or just a particular one? My assumption is that you will cover the 737 since, unfortunately, there aren't any quality 757/767 addons that offer really in depth systems like the addons you have been covering so far.

Very kind comments - thank you!

 

Our 'Boeing' training page is non specific simply to allow us some flexibility in our plans. The pilot mentioned in there - Al - flies the 737 NG, but also until fairly recently flew the 75/76 and before that the Dash 8 200/300/400, so plenty of scope there. We also have a 777 and a 737-300 guy. As I said, where we go depends on a lot of factors but rest assured it'll be just as in depth as our Q400 product.


airline2sim_pilot_logo_360x.png?v=160882| Ben Weston www.airline2sim.com 

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I made it all the way through the first line flight and am about to start video 9. Ben, you and the A2S team should really be proud of this product. The videos are both very informative and entertaining. I find myself pushing pause and rewinding quite a bit to pick up bits and pieces of good information. You and Josh obviously had a good time making these videos.

 

Question: did you record these videos using the Pro version because I swear I could see the HUGS in one video. Plus, it appears your using the shared cockpit function. If you are using shared cockpit, tell Josh that a good FO is supposed to make your work easier, and that he's not just along for the ride (tongue in cheek) ;).

 

I recommend this series very highly to anyone who wants to learn the Q400. Use the pause and rewind functions often because there are great nuggets of information to be learned. Just ignore the "cheeky" captain. ;b

 

Hey, Ben, what hardware did you use (yoke, throttles, etc)? And could you share how they were setup to give you the best Q400 "feel"?

 

Cheers,

 

Todd

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Todd, we did use the Pro Beta which has the HUD fitted, but at the moment the display on the glass inside it is blank as it's still being worked on. To be honest, I prefer the non-HUD version as you can see the overhead better and in Europe at least I don't think anyone uses the HUD. Josh tells me it's much the same in the sim he uses for the real one - the HUD is just there to bang your head on! We didn't use the shared cockpit - Josh occasionally grabbed the mouse to press stuff if I was a bit overloaded but in the main it was him talking and me flying. 

 

Hardware wise, we're running:

 

- Core i7 3970X @3.5GHz, o/clocked to 4.9GHz

- 32 GB RAM

- 6GB Nvidia Titan GPU

- FSX running on its own SSD

 

Yoke is a CH products (soon to be replaced by a Saitek - I find the CH too 'loose'), rudders are Saitek pedals screwed to the stiffest setting, Saitek throttle quandrant (one lever for both throttles, one each for the condition levers), flying controls are setup through the control panel as it came installed, except I've mapped the spoiler axis to the pedals so I can steer with my feet which I find much more natural than the yoke (plus it frees up your hands!), and I have the throttle calibrated so that at the lowest setting it's just into disc. Max rev is a big no no on the Q400 as it'll stop on a dime and therefore churns up crap into the props, frightens the pax etc. 


airline2sim_pilot_logo_360x.png?v=160882| Ben Weston www.airline2sim.com 

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Mapping the spoiler axis to the rudder pedals is a slick idea. I didn't think about that. I've tried using one of my mixture levers for nose wheel steering but that didn't work out too well. Currently I'm using my yoke but that just isn't right. At least the rudder pedals seem more natural.

 

Todd

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Wait until the Airbus course - our EasyJet skipper is Welsh!  :lol:

 

I have a very strong idea, I know exactly who he is - in fact, I flew with him last week. I had a sneaking suspicion he was up to something.

 

Let me know if I can be of any help (based in the same airport as your "Welsh Skipper")

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Finished watching all 10 vids over a couple of evenings and overall I'm very satisfied with this purchase.  I enjoyed theinteraction between the guys and liked the fact that you kept the little bobbles and mistakes in.  All in all you did a great job and kept it pretty entertaining while still informative. I'm sure I'll watch the whole series at least once more to catch bits I missed first time around. The most helpful bits to me concerned tips on the FMC.  I hope it is covered more in-depth in future offerings.......and yes, as others mentioned , you might want to speak a bit more slowly (or maybe I should listen faster). 

 

Steve


Steve Corzine

 

Banner_FS2Crew_Emergency.png

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Finished watching all 10 vids over a couple of evenings and overall I'm very satisfied with this purchase. I enjoyed theinteraction between the guys and liked the fact that you kept the little bobbles and mistakes in. All in all you did a great job and kept it pretty entertaining while still informative. I'm sure I'll watch the whole series at least once more to catch bits I missed first time around. The most helpful bits to me concerned tips on the FMC. I hope it is covered more in-depth in future offerings.......and yes, as others mentioned , you might want to speak a bit more slowly (or maybe I should listen faster).

 

Steve

Thanks Steve. Yes the F/O training will delve deeper into the systems and more challenging flying scenarios. If you've anything more specific you'd like to see, feel free to add it to the 'requests for FO content' sticky at the top of the forum as we are putting together the filming schedule over the next week or two.

airline2sim_pilot_logo_360x.png?v=160882| Ben Weston www.airline2sim.com 

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I just finished 9 of the 10. Very informative and helpful. It encouraged me that I was on the right track but helped me understand a lot better of why I do somethings! With the new FS2Crew and these videos it has enhanced my simming immensely. I am from Canada and had no trouble with the speed and thoroughly enjoyed the speed and banter. I know that if I missed anything I can always go back and watch again (which I will because so much good stuff).

 

Thanks for this, I give it a 10/10

 

Darcy

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Nice one Darcy, glad we've helped you. Certainly a big part of Airline2Sim's philosophy is to demystify those things we do in the sim but don't quite know why...


airline2sim_pilot_logo_360x.png?v=160882| Ben Weston www.airline2sim.com 

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Very good videos that cover the Q400's features in fine detail. Just what I needed as the other training sources out there left my head buzzing with questions!

Josh's fast, accented English was like a new language, but like all new languages, it can be mastered with a little study :lol:

 

Keep up the great work

 

Best

 

Lucky

 

//////////

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Just finished looking the first sector flight to Brum. Visiting the East Midlands at least once a year (Great Central Railway in Loughborough) it felt ferry pleasant in my ears.

 

One thing I would like to see in future releases is when pilot tips come along the buttons pushed are highlighted in the video. You were doing something with the Touch and Go video at EMA that would show you the centreline of the runway on your instruments (Handy if something on the ILS went wrong)   I struggled a bit to understand that as I didn't quite know what to look for.  And pilot tips could be displayed a little longer as the text goes away a tat to quickly I think.

 

Froogle learned me how to fly his thing (with his excellent video's on Youtube for the Q400)

You guys teach me how to operate it better.

 

Some thing are still a bit unclear to me like VOR/DME and how to read charts properly (perhaps a good thing for a new product in explaining that in a similar "funny" manner ) so I missed out some stuff.

 

But all in all I would highly recommend this product to anyone flying the Dash.


Maarten Otto

 

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