FS2Crew? Do I need it?

[bobterri 13]

I've seen a lot of pilots using FS2Crew. I went to their website and to their forum on AVSIM to try to understand exactly what the program does but it is not really all that detailed. It's rather ambiguous to me. Maybe I'm not getting it.  My wife would understand that!!! She's used to it.

 

So, I have three questions.

 

1. What does it do above that which the Pilot, First Officer and crew already do in Aerosoft's Airbus when you use the "checklist" option in MCDU2?

 

2. Does FS2Crew make the changes in the background, dials and switches, flaps and settings, etc. like Aerosoft's so the pilot can fly the plane?

 

3. Though I have a pretty good idea, what is the difference between the "button" and "voice" versions? 

[vc10man 732]

Bryan York from FS2Cew is the best person to answer this. If he spots this post, he will put your mind at rest.

[carlito777 712]

1. The checklists in the Airbus are just that, checklists. So either you do all items on your own and then run the checklists or you enable to PNF and then he will do all the items. This is completely different to FS2Crew where there is a flow for the Pilot Flying and a seperate flow for the Pilot Non Flying. So basically two people in the cockpit do a part of the entire flow required to fly the plane. In addition, you can tell the PNF by voice what he should do. E.g. raise the gear, change settings on the MCP and so on. This all is based on real world SOPs which makes it very realistic and immersive. Much much more immersive than the checklist feature in the Airbus.

 

2. The Pilot Non Flying does what a Pilot Non Flying is supposed to do. Some things he will do on his own (e.g. turn off the landing lights at 10K feet) and some things he will only do if you tell him (e.g. setting the flaps). Exactly how it works in real life.

 

3. With the voice version you command the PNF with your voice (so you need a microphone). In the button version you press buttons to "tell" him what to do.

 

Hope this helps. Even though quite expensive if you buy FS2Crew for multiple aircraft, it's absolutely worth it! It greatly enhances the immersion. Flying a tubeliner alone is something that is completely unrealistic (even forbidden by law). FS2Crew gives you a first officer to assist you.

[bobterri 13]

Very helpful. Thanks.