What am I missing without the GTN mod?

[raymar 969]

I think the two big, more like huge, improvements to the base FMS CJ2 from Carenado is the GTN installed in the VC in the MFD frame and the new FLT INFO box from Janek. This FLT INFO box will eventually find its way into many other flight sim aircraft and will end up being a community supported product with Checklists, Performance Tables, Active Flight Plan progress info, Fuel Management, and things that I haven't even considered.

 

All of the community added clickspot and unique xml code is largely a result of flight sim pilots (and us real world pilots) that see the opportunity to basically redesign the view and actions from the pilot's seat and fly the CJ2 as a single pilot.

 

When I was flying Citations and we only used Flight Safety for training, I was always carrying the flag and writing letters to Cessna and FSI that their Citation designs had too much head down time. I always based my letters as a Safety Issue, to make sure someone actually read them.

 

At one time the FMS was so far back from the panel that a passenger could update it better than a pilot flying. It eventually moved forward, inch by inch, until the XLS+ has dual FMS on the base of the panel and slanted to the pilots eye like the Environmental panel on our CJ2.

 

Also, the standard Citation placement of the CRS, ALT, HDG knobs make a lot more sense in a real cockpit where you are looking at the results on the PFD and using feel and shape of the knobs to know that you are adjusting the correct one. In the flight sim it is just the opposite. Tying to use a mouse pointer to adjust anything on the center console is not realistic by any stretch.

 

So for all these flight simmers that prefer the FMS because it is more airliner real type flying - go ride in the right seat of a citation and try to find the mouse or Ezdok for clicking that FMS.

 

 

Regards,

Ray

[vonmar 121]

Ray,

 

When you mentioned:

"The final point if you are comparing Carenado products is that if you use the FMS that Carenado designed you cannot fly VATSIM or Pilotedge due to not having a Direct To feature whereas it works perfectly in the GTN."

 

I thought you were flying on-line or Pilot Edge.

 

"I'm not your guy to address all these questions. I don't fly Vatsim, PilotEdge, or with the Carenado FMS. Sorry."

 

 

Ok, maybe a pilot currently flying on-line or with Pilot Edge could give some background information on my previous questions .. Can Carenado aircraft fly on-line or Pilot Edge?

[raymar 969]

Hi Ray,

 

Other than the lack of Direct To with the Carenado FMS,  what navigation or approach deficiencies are there with the FMS?  Also, since I don't have the GTN750 and probably will not purchase for the foreseeable future, could I use my Reality XP GNS 530 WAAS to overcome the navigation and approach deficiencies?

 

Finally, is there anything in the Non-GTN mod that makes the default FMS more usable?

 

Regards, Gerry

Let's start off by comparing the FMS to the GTN by saying the FMS is a manual typewriter and the GTN is a Touch Screen iPad Air. Now the Reality XP 530 is going to fall somewhere between these two, but will not work at all in P3D. There is also not a community support group for adding the 530 to the VC panel so it would be a popup.

 

I have the Reality XP units with cross-fill but they are not installed because I use P3D so much so I can't really tell you how they would work for you.

 

Sorry.

 

Regards,

Ray

Can Carenado aircraft fly on-line or Pilot Edge?

Not if you expect to be able to execute ATC instructions. Wandering around the sky, 10 - 15 miles off course will get you a "Citation Blah Blah Romeo Mike, are you experiencing navigational difficulties, please return to your assigned course, immediately".

 

What then, I ask?

 

duh, you could try for a temporary equipment failure and request a radar vector and then depend on your HDG selections to keep you close enough to the assigned course to get you to that next waypoint. ATC usually does not give you the option of refusing an instruction because of lack of effective navigational devices on board.

 

Regards,

Ray

[vonmar 121]

"Not if you expect to be able to execute ATC instructions. Wandering around the sky, 10 - 15 miles off course will get you a "Citation Blah Blah Romeo Mike, are you experiencing navigational difficulties, please return to your assigned course, immediately".

What then, I ask?
 

I thought that entering the DTO waypoint twice in the CJ2 CDU (or any real world CDU) would get you direct to the fix?

If not perfect .. possibly good enough for on-line (flight sim) or Pilot Edge flights ... maybe someone will reply to my previous ATC DTO questions (listed again below) for the answer.

 

****

Not being able to fly on-line / Pilot Edge would apply to .. possibly to many Carenado (and other developer's) aircraft ?

Been a long time (years) since I flew on line ... lack of controllers for my routes and time of day ... anyway...

 

When flying on line or Pilot Edge ... with Carenado CJ2 or other aircraft .. couple questions.

When issued a direct to .. if the controllers initial instructions do not include initial vectors to on-course to the fix:
Is it possible to ask the controller for on course vectors to the fix?

Or, knowing the current equipment is not doing DTO 100% (various Carenado aircraft), to include a note/remark/message with the filed flight plan about DTO current limitation?

Or, downgrade the current aircraft equipment code when you file the plan with ATC? Like to make it a steaam  gauge flight (Twin baron or Real air duke ATC gauges/Equip Type)?

Or, enter the DTO fix twice in the CDU (Carenado CJ2 or any aircraft with FMS/CDU DTO capable FMS) to establish on course?

 

BTW, I do have the GTN750 but prefer to fly the CJ2 V1.1 in the default configuration.

[raymar 969]

Hi Ray,

 

 

Finally, is there anything in the Non-GTN mod that makes the default FMS more usable?

 

Regards, Gerry

Frist, the Non GTN mod is not completed so we are talking about something that don't exist except for a couple of beta tests.

 

All the clickspots that do get carried over from the GTN version will be a huge boost to helping with single pilot flight sim type flying. Lots of new clickspot identifiers on the PFD frame along with active tooltips and speed and rate adjustments. New conveniently placed and identified popup hotspots like for the AP and ALT knob on the VC. How about a popup Annun Panel to enlarge it for old tired eyes?

 

If I did fly with the FMS, you can bet I would only be using it in the Popup 2d mode.

 

The addition of Janek's new FLT INFO box might be the largest boost for the FMS user version. The active Flght Info screen, Checklist, Safety Speeds, REF speeds, Climb Charts, etc will be like getting your first Teddy Bear for Christmas or your first bicycle or whatever. It is really that good.

 

The community mod does absolutely nothing to the FMS when used as an FMS. I am using the top half of the box for a temporary test of the next update of the FLT INFO Box (FIB) with the LSK buttons being used to call up 12 screens of available info.

So, yea. big improvement, when available. and FREEEEEEEE for the asking.

 

Regards,

 

Ray

[raymar 969]

Gerry and the FMS gang.

 

If I knew that I was never going to have a GTN unit for whatever reason and I also knew that I had to depend on the FMS for all my flight plans and navigation, then I would be begging Janek or someone like him to explore putting the FMS in the MFD frame as an active unit and put the Flight Info box in its place on the console. (Or adding that old Reality XP blank plate to cover up where it used to be).

 

That might not make the 'simulated Airliner Pilots happy' because they have never seen one in a photo or advertisement, but it would sure the heck make flying the Carenado CJ2 a lot more fun and enjoyable. But, then again, that is just me and I am busy flying my CJ2 and enjoying it more every day.

 

My logic is that in this earliest of the Proline 21 installations there is not much info on the MFD that you can't duplicate on the bottom of the PFD, except the Engine and Fuel status info. This could be put up dead center just under the glareshield like we did with the GTN mod. The Annunciator panel and Engiine and Fuel panel are cycled with a single mouse click. We can also zoom up either or both so while on the ground and getting ready to go you could zoom up the Annun panel and slide it up and away from the engine instruments. Might make a good panel if one was more interested in having a practical easy to fly single pilot CJ2 with only FMS. Naw, the Airliner types are too set in their ways to go for something like this.

 

For those that actually use the FMS on the console in the VC without ever using the popup feature (cause that is the way my Daddy did it) then surely it would be easier to read and use the FMS in the VC MFD location (even if you also never used the popup feature).

 

Best Regards,

 

Ray

 

But, it might look something like this.

[RW1 615]

We had a Citation Ultra where I used to work that had an ancient KLN90a. The pilots never even touched the Universal FMS

Cessna have dropped the FMS completely now in favor of the G5000 suite, which coincidentally looks amazingly like the GTN regarding the flight-planning unit... amazing how bizjets seem to lead the way with total glass cockpits in the aviation world.

[raymar 969]

Cessna have dropped the FMS completely now in favor of the G5000 suite, which coincidentally looks amazingly like the GTN regarding the flight-planning unit... amazing how bizjets seem to lead the way with total glass cockpits in the aviation world.

I got a tour of a new Phenom 300 about 2 months ago with the two small touch screens - it is instantly obvious they came out of the GTN shop. The interesting thing is how much data is in those things. They must be 5 or 6 levels deep but you don't get lost because things stay in context to what you are doing or calculating. Most everything that is done manually with the FMS is automated and handed to you on a plate with those touch screens. They are tied to the larger panels, of course, so it even makes using our GTN750 old fashioned.

 

Regards,

 

Ray

[aerostar 42]

...  love all the work you guys (The MOD Squad) are doing to improve this plane. 

If Carenado put even half this effort into fixing the DTO problem then everybody would be so much happier... the GTN users would be able to switch between both variants from their hangar and the non GTN ers would have a more capable aircraft for online ATC flying with the added ease of the extra clickspots and info pages...  

 

Come on Carenado ,  listen to what your customers want and pull your finger...

[rjmcgill 15]

     I think it is safe to say, that all the aircraft that they have put out fall way short in avionics. I myself have a hanger full of them now. Every time I have bought one, with "Pro line" it doesn't even come close. The Autopilot fails, to perform as it should. I don't know if it is lack of knowledge or they plain just don't care. I have made it a policy to not buy, it doesn't matter how good they look. If it will not fly, what is the point.

     With all of the aircraft they are pushing out they should do like any of the other developers, and Hire someone that knows how to program. We have all been plagued with the buggy airplanes since they have been doing them. I thought it would be nice to a few Slowtations in the hanger. That is were they are. Collecting dust.  I am waiting on the Shrike to come out and see how it fairs. With steam gauges, they shouldn't be able to mess it up too bad. The bottom line is if you want true to form avionics, go over to eaglesoft and pick up the Citation X. It is spot on and deserves props for getting it right. The graphic are a little dated, but she flies true to form. By the numbers is what most die hard simmers are looking for these days. If we continue to buy the junk, they will continue to push it out. I guess this is my rant for the year. It makes me mad to have to mod an aircraft that should be able to fly on its on accord form the developer. Otherwise why charge for it. I think the last good plane I bought was the AZTEC. Steam gauges and it does pretty good in my book. Nuff said, Cpt, Out.

[raymar 969]

I think the last good plane I bought was the AZTEC. Steam gauges and it does pretty good in my book. Nuff said, Cpt, Out.

Was that the Alabeo Aztec F?

 

Regards,

 

Ray

[N400QW 205]

Ray, this quote " When Eaglesoft completes their XLs+ I would expect to see a community mod for adding the GTN750 within a week of release. I have no idea what the developer reaction is going to be, but I hope I am flying one of those with the GTN option." is out of line and is self serving and sets unrealistic expectations for our product. Keep your Carenado bias to yourself and do not include us or our products in these discussions.

This now reported...

[raymar 969]

Ray, this quote " When Eaglesoft completes their XLs+ I would expect to see ....

All reference to your XLS has been removed. Sorry.

 

Regards,

 

Ray

[N400QW 205]

For the record, folks inform us when our name or products are posted in Avsim forums.

 

Implying a need for a GTN mod in our XLS+ is absurd.

We do not deliver products requiring GTN or community mods to work properly and the implication is unacceptable.

[raymar 969]

Well folks it is just a matter of time before we get locked down here. It happens every time this guy shows up.

 

I am not even going to try to correct the stretched truth above as it will only end up with one of those 'mine is bigger than yours' deals. The actual statement that I made is captured somewhere above, although I immediately deleted any reference to the XLS along with an apology when Ron also sent me a PM. duh.

 

Regards,

 

Ray