The EFB would be handy for ground taxing at unfamiliar airports, and to use the built in takeoff calculator. Or for approach briefings you can zoom in and select the approach while double checking the fmc. Obviously if you have a laptop or tablet you can do this outside the sim much easier, but it would be a nice option.

 

That might be something I could look into creating when I get some time. My SimChecklist product is an 'outside' application. I could look into creating another application, an 'outside of FSX' EFB application that can display airport diagrams and show, in real time, where your aircraft is as you move around the airport. I would have to 'hook' into the FSX APIs to see if the lat/long data was available to grab and pull into my app. I already have the FSX SDK installed on my PC when I started designing my SimChecklist app. If the lat/long data is available via the API, then I could figure out how to translate those coordinates into the airport diagram in real time.

 

That's a good idea...wish I had more free time to dig into this but I'm working full time on several flight sim projects as it is...I need about 12 more hours in a day lol.

I can see why PMDG hasn't put an EFB, but doesn't the CS T7 have one? How does it work?

I can see why PMDG hasn't put an EFB, but doesn't the CS T7 have one? How does it work?

 

Yes, the CS 777 has one. I just installed CS 777 this week.

 

Here is what it looks like: http://www.simchecklist.net/EFB.jpg

 

The graphics work of the panel is very nicely done. As is the CDU, which is very detailed and impressive (the way it looks) and second to none. I have the PMDG 737NGX so I know what their CDU looks like and while I don't have their 777 yet, I've seen some highly detailed images of their CDU. I feel safe in saying the graphics of the CS 777 CDU and EFB are second to none in quality.

 

I can't say that with some of their other instrument displays but their EFB and CDU are impressive indeed.

 

I have not had a good opportunity yet to do a deep dive on the EFB unit but from what I could see with my initial look:

 

1. All the buttons are functional around the edges. The Camera button just shows a static image so I don't think there are any real outside cameras feeding into the EFB but I am not 100% sure on that.

 

2. CaptainSim has provided what they call 'educational' and 'learning' content. This means while there are SIDs and STARs, etc. it is limited data. But the data that is there is fully functional in zoom and paging, etc. I have read you can load in all of your data you wish but I have not learned how to do that yet.

 

I have not been able to dig any deeper than this, but I'm guessing there is no ability to 'hook' any chart subscriptions into it...but maybe someone with more time on this machine can better expand on that issue.

Just an update: I have finished the third and final phase of my Generic Electronic Flight Bag within my SimChecklist application. This is ver 4.3. I now use it all the time in flight to manage my IFR plates, SIDS and STARS, etc.

 

It will work in any cockpit and is modeled after the 777 EFB but I have designed in more capability. You can, for example, launch a third party application such as a moving map app, and pull it into the EFB screen and run it inside the EFB itself.

 

I built an editor inside the EFB so you can create great looking documents (in RTF format) and display them in the EFB. I've created some ILS and Missed Approach notes in RTF format that I keep in my EFB for quick access.

 

My latest 737NGX training videos cover the LNAV switch on the MCP and in that flight demo I fully utilize the EFB so if you watch that LNAV video (4 videos total on the LNAV switch) series you'll see how I use it in flight.

 

I am currently working on finally finishing the Dash8 Q400 Fuel Planning window. Once I finish that, I will start work on integrating FSUIPC and WideFS into SCL so SCL can be run and controlled on a second PC from your main PC (customer request).

"My EFB is my Windows taskbar.  I have charts and FCOM open in Adobe Reader along side PFPX and Google is always close.  I also like to use Wikipedia to read about places I overfly when travelling to new parts of the world."

 

Excellent and practical idea Major

Have just watched some Just Planes T7 DVDs and the pilots seem to be constantly tapping on their in-cockpit EFB displays for this that and the other thing.  Very impressed by the functionality of the real thing and I feel it would add greatly to the immersion factor if a working EFB could be added to the spot in the PMDG T7 VC where it is in the real plane.

 

Bruceb