I'm considering buying the Aerosoft A318/9 as an entry into flying somewhat heavier aircraft (I've been a GA man since the very earliest of days with FS and have recently really enjoyed the slightly heavier offerings from Carenado).

 

I've watched some YouTube videos and one thing is very clear: I'll have to hit the books to understand this aircraft. I get that the flight computer has to be fed a range of parameters in order for the aircraft to fly (happily). I also gather that AS has integrated quick modes (Ready for taxi/Ready for take-off etc). 

 

My questions is this: if I were to climb in, start up (or select ready for TO) and simply fly around the circuit (*not realistic I know, but to get a feel for the aircraft) then how would one go about doing so (I assume the MCDU has to be programmed ... or not?)?

 

Thanks in advance.

You should be able to use the "flybywire" to manually fly it, but the airbus has restrictions which should prevent you doing silly things by entering a stall (for instance). Letting the joystick go back to it's neutral position, should let the aircraft self-stabalize (at least in the real a/c).

Buy it. The Aerosoft A319 us my favorite passenger aircraft. Super easy to fly and learn. Comes with built in checklists and automated co pilot. If you start in turn-around status, all you really need to do is run the checklist and co pilot and sit back while they set everything up for you. You just need to set the trim, push back, do a controls check, start the engines and taxi. As you get more comfortable you can take more of the work.

 

Once you can fly one, you can fly all the A318-321.

 

There are plenty of videos on youtube you teach you how to program the flight computer. Once you learn the basis it is pretty easy as long as you have the route waypoints to key in.

 

Finally there are tons of great repaints on the Aerosoft forum for all the airbuses.

Make you do the page for loading the fuel and passengers. There is an instant load button on that page also. If you forget this the auto checklist won't continue past the close doors prompt.

Make you do the page for loading the fuel and passengers. There is an instant load button on that page also. If you forget this the auto checklist won't continue past the close doors prompt.

Good call. I did a flight from London to Paris yesterday. Thought I added the fuel, but when I landed in Paris and exited the runway, I had 60kg of fuel left onboard.

 

 

I were to climb in, start up (or select ready for TO) and simply fly around the circuit (*not realistic I know, but to get a feel for the aircraft) then how would one go about doing so (I assume the MCDU has to be programmed ... or not?)?

 

At the very least you really need to fill out INIT A (departure and arrival, flight number, cruise level) select the runway for departure and arrival on the F-PLN page (no need to select a procedure), weights and V-speeds on the PERF page (can be auto-calculated) and ideally fill out the PERF APPR page (QNH/temp/wind) as this will let the aeroplane calculate the appropriate characteristic speeds for you.

 

So if you were doing circuits at Chateauroux, for example, you would just enter LFLX/LFLX in the dep/arr fields, bung in a flight number and a cruise level of, say, 2000ft, then go to F-PLN, select the departure runway, go back to F-PLN and select the same runway for arrival. Leave the discontinuities in, then go to the PERF page, put in a flap setting and let it auto-calculate the V speeds and flex temperature. Finally you can page across to the PERF APPR page and enter the current QNH, temperature and surface wind.

 

Looks a lot written down but in reality only really takes a few seconds!

Excellent, thank you for your feedback everyone. Sounds like good advice skelsey, thanks for that.