Airbus or Boeing ?

[YukonPete 603]

Sorry - that's not correct.  Airbus has built-in multi crew, access MCDU from a web browser, automated checklists, and more.  

 If you think the Aerosoft Airbus is a superior product over PMDG's 737 & 777 then keep fooling yourself! 

[Matt Webb 171]

 If you think the Aerosoft Airbus is a superior product over PMDG's 737 & 777 then keep fooling yourself! 

 

I didn't say that.  All I'm pointing out is that PMDG's 737 & 777 is not superior in (quote) "every possible way".

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

i got the Aerosoft bundle on sale but cannot get the autopilot to work..what is the trick?

 

 

Paul,

 

there are vast differences between the complex systems of Boeing and Airbus. So Rafal's suggestion does make a lot of sense.

Even if someone tried to provide the solution to your problem 'in a nutshell', this would be virtually impossible with the amount of information you provided on your problem.

 

There are also official video tutorials published by Aerosoft available on YouTube.

[Jarkko 59]

Tried that and found I might not live that long. I asked a simple question and really hoped for a civil answer instead of the stock RTFM routine. 

 

I usually do not use use RTFM, but in the case of Airbus, I have to. Flying an Airbus is all about entering all the required data and then monitoring as it goes through the motions of  getting you from A to B (can be flown "normally", but you would miss the "Airbus experience").

 

The tutorial flight in the manual is a must to execute and understans (if you are planning to use the aircraft for more than two or three test flights). The reason is that an Airbus must be in a correct mode (takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, approach) in order for the autopilot to work correctly.

 

To get the aircraft into the correct mode, you must have the correct data entered into the systems and you must press correct autopilot buttons at the right time.

 

Having said all of that, if you want to fly it the old fashion way, then "pull" the speed, heading and altitude knobs (pulling with a right click means that you are taking over the control of speed/heading and pushing the knob with left click, means you are giving back the control to the aircraft's automation). Then you enable the auto thrust and push the throttles one notch past climb detent. Once airborne, click the autopilot 1 button.

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

I'll say this much... you can use the Aerosoft Airbus in FSX or P3D without having to pay Aerosoft again (well over a $100 for PMDG).

 

Caveat:  I test the Airbus for Aerosoft and provide other services for them, so I'll not compare the systems as i might be accused of bias.  But I can say that this die hard Boeing guy really likes the Airbus, and it's fully (and natively) Shared Cockpit capable!

 

Happy flights!

[warbirds 555]

Ok, ok, ok, no I am not going to read an entire manual to learn the autopilot. I always was told by my flying buddies to learn the autopilot first before getting into the complexities of the computer. 

 

As for the 777,,,140 bucks and then more if you want the cargo version? In that context I am happy as hell with the 50  buck Airbus package I just bought. Beautiful plane, great vc, loads of complexities to last me,,,oh, well maybe until the next one comes out.

 

But to the guy that said early on in this thread that the Airbus has auto throttle, well yes and no. In the Boeing I can set auto throttle and it will go to that number no matter where I start in the throttle range and I can see the throttle levers move.

 

On this (insert your favorite blank word here) Airbus I have to set the auto throttle and then move the throttle lever myself to an exact point to make the auto throttle happy and then it will keep speed in range of what I set. But each time I change speed I have to move the levers to that perfect spot that the so called auto throttle likes for that speed. 

 

I do love it and will get it but I learn by doing and  reading and watching  and so far I now know how to set the auto pilot knobby thingies and make them work but that auto throttle is a bugger and really stupid.

 

Thanks very much to the poster that told me to pull  for my setting and push for the computer setting - or wait, was it pull for the----.

 

And then the checklist - this is the greatest thing ever,  the gal and guy even retract the flaps and gear for me - but - I had the checklist guy and gal doing great until it came to the next check after reaching cruise altitude. I pulled that baby up to 25000 feet and the little blinking text said I needed to reach cruising alititude...yeah. 

Thanks,

paul

[Pe11e 812]

From main experience, the main difference between Airbus and Boeing, in my case Aerosoft Airbus and PMDG 737 NGX, is that you must listen the Airbus, and the Boeing will listen to you. Translated - Aerosoft's Airbus feels scripted too much, airplane computers are unforgiving if you don't follow the EXACT procedure, and in PMDG 737 NGX you have freedom to do whatever you want, doesn't feel scripted, it feels much more natural and forgiving. You guessed, my vote goes to 737 NGX since I didn't flown 777.

[Guest]

I'd recommend the PMDG 737 NGX myself ... but that's because I have never been able to figure out how to manually fly the PMDG 777 ... there always seems to be some system that kicks in regardless of how much I disable and tell it to "leave me alone I know what I'm doing".

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

EDIT: I like the Airbus also, it's a little easier to fly but has less systems implementation than PMDG.  You might want to wait for Majestic Q 400 Pro edition and/or Aerosoft's CRJ.

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

Regarding the Aerosoft Airbus, one can turn off the AI Copilot who reads the procedures for you, or also can turn off the automated checklist (one should try to do that right anyway) and simply print and use the procedures that come with the aircraft. 

Of course the aircraft comes with various per-programmed states (Cold and Dark, Turn Around, Ready for Taxi and Ready for Takeoff) so one can skip all of the procedures if they so chose.  I'll say that the group I fly with are sort of realism lovers, so we use the non-automated checklist with a human co-pilot (shared cockpit).

 

Anyway, the automated checklist or automated checklist read by the copilot can easily be disabled and are not needed, though I must say those functions really came in handy when I was converting from being a long time Boeing only guy to the Airbus.

 

I hope people find this information helpful.

 

Happy flights!

[ivo09 23]

The PMDG 777 is much better but is priced more aggressively. Worth it though.

[Jarkko 59]

On this (insert your favorite blank word here) Airbus I have to set the auto throttle and then move the throttle lever myself to an exact point to make the auto throttle happy and then it will keep speed in range of what I set. But each time I change speed I have to move the levers to that perfect spot that the so called auto throttle likes for that speed. 

 

That's not the way the auto thrust works in an Airbus...

 

The thrust levers have to be in one of the gates (TOGA, FLEX or CL) for it to maintain speed for you (you will hear a noticeable click, when the thrust levers enter or exit one of these gates).

 

 

On takeoff, you push the thrust levers either into the TOGA detent/gate or the FLEX detent (also verify that the auto thrust has engaged). After thrust reduction altitude, the aircraft will ask you to place the levers in the CL detent where the levers will stay for the rest of the flight (right until the the aircraft starts to call you a retard, retard, retard). In the above picture, you can see the levers in the CL detent/gate.

 

If the thrust levers are not in one of the detents/gates, you are basically telling the aircraft: "I will control the thrust for now, and will give the control back to automation once I place the levers in one of the gates".

 

Notice that I didn't use the word throttles, as the thrust levers in an Airbus do not work the same way as conventional throttles. When in the correct gates, the levers do not move at all even though the aircraft is managing the speed/thrust.

 

You are in for a world of hurt if you try to fly an Airbus in a traditional way. Please do the tutorial flight over and over again until you understand each steps and why is it needed.

 

FWIW: I'm again re-learning to fly the NGX after flying A320 for couple f years. After flying the Airbus for so long, the NGX it's like you've been put back in time. The aircraft feels like it was designed to have a flight engineer, but at the last minute, the designers realised, that there isn't a room enough for a third pilot on the flight deck

 

I'm willing to say, that in the NGX I have to press twice as many buttons/switches than in the Airbus in order to complete the same task. But... The reason I'm going back to NGX is that PMDG feel like they have been very well tested and made, while the Aerosoft's Airbus has multiple bugs (some even causing FSX to crash).

Edited October 10, 2015 by Jarkko

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

The Aerosoft bus requires hardware throttles (physical throttle levers, or at least one of them) in order to work properly, as per AS' system requirements. This could be a factor in the A/T problems you are describing.

 

As for the cruise flight level message, this message is tied to the cruise FL in the FMGS - you will need to set up the MCDU properly (it's about entering "your" CRZ FL here), for these messages to work properly.

[warbirds 555]

Thanks again. you have explained if perfectly and I now understand about the thrust lever detents  and how they affect the autopilot. 

 

As to which plane is better I would say the 777 or the NX -  but as to which plane is the better deal I would say the Airbus. I am sure the 777 or NX would be more detailed but for me I think the Airbus is enough of  a challenge to last me quite awhile. Also if I want to still fly a Boeing I can fire up X-PLane and fly the best Boeing made for that sim, the FF 757.

 

I guess I should change my signature graphic now

Also thanks for the reply about using the MCDU and I figured the flashing cruise level message was connected to setting it up in the computer. 

 

Next challenge will be learning the computer and finding out how to import routes into it from the online route services. 

[Samaritano 306]

"leave me alone I know what I'm doing".

.

Hey Rob that's something Kimi Räikkönen would say. :-D

 

To the OP remember that programming the MCDU is different from a Boeing. You need to enter your origin and destination separated by a / and there is no "next" page. You need to press arrow up for the page to go up so you can scroll down the page. It's a little confusing but you'll get the hang of it.

 

If you use Simbrief it does exports plans to the Airbus as well as other addons, including FSX format.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Ed

[warbirds 555]

Thanks, I use SimBrief for my X-Plane 757 that accepts Airbus routes so that will work out perfectly for this Airbus in PD3 V3. 

 

They say getting there  is half the fun and I admit that I am having fun even though I may grumble a bit now and then. 

I'd recommend the PMDG 737 NGX myself ... but that's because I have never been able to figure out how to manually fly the PMDG 777 ... there always seems to be some system that kicks in regardless of how much I disable and tell it to "leave me alone I know what I'm doing".

 

Cheers, Rob.

 

EDIT: I like the Airbus also, it's a little easier to fly but has less systems implementation than PMDG.  You might want to wait for Majestic Q 400 Pro edition and/or Aerosoft's CRJ.

 

 

Hi Rob,,your the guy I that I wished I lived next door to. I am a new PD3 V3 user and a new Airbus user and I would for sure be over every day with a ton of stupid questions.

 

As for this Airbus I find that it sometimes does have a mind of it's own. If I have everything in the autopilot set just right but accidently bump something or disturb something the plane goes nuts and even if I shut off the FM and the Autopilot it still does what it wants.