I need a good mid-size commercial passenger plane/jet for P3D V3.x?

[qqwertz 798]

 I did not 2nd guess the fuel load from FSCaptain on a flight from KOGD to KRNO, and ran out of fuel 28 miles out 

 

 

So the question really might be, for someone who only does direct flights and follows P3D's ATC guidance (versus flying more authentic approaches), is it possible to use do ILS landings as I do in my other birds?  I'm guessing of course, but what is the most straightforward approach then w/ the specific avionics involved in the Dash 8?  Also, it does't appear the simulation reads the ILS frequencies, so I had to look that up using the simple moving map in P3D. I entered the values into the FMS>NAV>Runway 16R in this case.

Hi Noel,

 

you should pose your FSCaptain question in the support forum there. That shouldn't happen.

 

About ILS: yes, you can fly direct and then fly an ILS approach. ILS has nothing to do with the FMC at all, you just need to set the frequency on NAV1 and set the heading of your ILS using the course knob on the glareshield. While you are in LNAV mode (GPS) you will not be able to do so, so change the NAV source to NAV 1 before using the course knob.

 

For the ILS approach I switch to NAV 1 and use HDG mode shortly before establishing the localizer.

 

Peter

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

Yes sir.  The Majestic Dash 8 is one of the most realistic aircraft you'll find for FSX/P3D.  All the system work as they do in the real world aircraft.

 

This aircraft is modeled so accurately that it will even fly a spot on RNAV Radius to Fix Approach.  One of the airports I tested this during development was Boeing field (I believe it's Runway 13).  Watching a coupled autopilot fly this approach is really something, and the coding behind that is a real mathematical feat!  One of the least known, amazing features of the Majestic Dash 8.  Oleksiy Frolov (the owner of Majestic and the sole programmer) is a genius - I'm not complementing him per se, he really is a genius).

 

Best wishes!

 

EDIT:  Try using SimBrief for calculating your fuel.  Also, remember that how you fly the descent will effect your fuel consumption on any aircraft.  You descend early, you'll produce a lot more hydrocarbons!

Edited January 11, 2017 by DaveCT2003

[Noel 4,563]

ILS has nothing to do with the FMC at all

 

Actually from the video I watched you can enter the ILS frequency into the FMS and it will port over to the ARCDU so I did that.  But I forgot about changing the Nav source to Nav1 so thanks for that Peter.  I will try one more flight and see what's up with the fuel issue.  Likely, it was operator error on my part!  Thanks!

 

BTW, for some reason it's hard to steer the Dash 8 during takeoff.  It will veer off to the left and I changed an .ini setting to negate some of the prop effects or whatever they are called.  But as I say, steering hardly works using the ailerons as I don't have rudder pedals.  I discovered the aileron trim toggle and it was set at NEUTRAL.  It's not pulling hard but it does steadily pull and this is after centering my yoke which was actually already calibrated adequately.   In the Control panel I have it set to mouse & ailerons or something like that, and it steers very easily w/ the ailerons while taxiing.  Any ideas where to look for this issue?

[qqwertz 798]

Are you using rudder pedals? Depending on the crosswind you have to use them quite a bit. Make sure the Q400 is properly aligned with the runway before accelerating because the rudder is not very effective at low speed.

 

Peter

 

Edit: I just checked the FSCaptain configuration file for the Q400 and noticed that it is quite outdated. I will post a new one on the support forum.

[Noel 4,563]

No as I mentioned I don't have rudder pedals I'm using ailerons only (so auto rudder as w/ every other plane for me).  

 

What I find is that a very low speeds the front wheel steers the Q400 just great and it's quite sensitive, but once you get up to speed at all, you really can't steer this thing!    It's apparently as you say you had better make sure you are full aligned before you advance the power lever to RATING.    Something's amiss with this I have to think because why ever would you design a plane that can't be turned if headed off of the runway?!   I will search/post on the Majestic forum and see what they say.

 

Thanks!

[qqwertz 798]

Hi Noel,

 

auto-rudder is a huge problem in general and highly unrealistic. As long as you are in the air it is OK and even helps to keep the turn rate in sync with the angle of the plane. However, during takeoff and especially during landing you will always be in trouble except when there is no wind or you are following an ILS approach. 

 

Imagine you fly a visual approach with significant crosswind (say, 15 Kts). To compensate for the wind you will have to turn the nose a little into the wind, but with auto-rudder you will also start to turn. I remember that I was never able to do a proper landing with auto-rudder and crosswind.

 

If you don't want to invest in a rudder pedal, consider a joystick with 3 axes. I remember I had a (inexpensive) Logitech joystick that could not only be moved forward and sideways, but it could also be twisted around its own axis. I mapped the rudder to this twisting motion. It wasn't perfect, but it was a huge step forward compared to my previous joystick.

 

Peter

[Noel 4,563]

auto-rudder is a huge problem in general and highly unrealistic. As long as you are in the air it is OK and even helps to keep the turn rate in sync with the angle of the plane. However, during takeoff and especially during landing you will always be in trouble except when there is no wind or you are following an ILS approach. 

 

Makes sense, except I've been flying every single plane for the past 20 years using auto rudder. I'm not ever going to be a real pilot, and I have no interest in buying and starting to use rudder pedals even though it's much more authentic.   Maybe my bad for buying the most realistic simulation out there.

 

I guess it's linked to limiting its turn to 8 degrees w/ the ailerons according to the documentation.   Maybe there is setting or something in the aircraft.cfg file, let's hope.  I know I was able to land the plane successfully the first time up and obvious could take off with it.  Anyway, thanks for these insights.  I will post another question here and once I get into the Majestic forum see if anyone else has ideas on how to fly this with ailerons & mouse only.   I see no mention in the documentation that you can't fly this plane w/o a separate rudder, but maybe I missed it.

[Flying Penguin 44]

You should, as a general rule, take off with a little bit of right rudder trim.  That is true to real operations and will make it easier.

 

Edit: You could also bind rudders to the side motion of a hat switch if you still struggle and your joystick doesn't have twist function.

[qqwertz 798]

I did not 2nd guess the fuel load from FSCaptain on a flight from KOGD to KRNO, and ran out of fuel 28 miles out

Hi Noel,

 

a better configuration file is now available in your thread on the FSCaptain forum.

 

Peter

[Noel 4,563]

Thanks all, really an incredible plane, especially after the bizarre disabled auto-rudder was changed ;o)

 

It's getting quite easy to get around in already.   My only two questions remaining today:

 

1.  Why the heck don't other devs utilize this method to put the flight model into another thread?  For as complex as it is and it is, graphically and otherwise, it performs like the default planes.

2.  Is there no way to access P3D/FSX's stored ILS frequencies within the Dash 8 implemtation?  As I am flying the PMDG birds or the RA Duke w/the default GPS I am used to doing the ILS lookup w/o the need to for example open up the moving map, try to find the destination airport, then click on it to see the ILS frequencies, or look at 3rd party airport charts etc.

 

Thanks--it's awesome and 'just right' for my regional, though the CRJ's coming fast behind we hope!

[Flying Penguin 44]

1. It's hard, and most devs just aren't that good so it's not cost effective to do so.

2. No, the real machine has it as an airline option, but it's modelled as an aircraft without that, if you click on the "Data" button on the FMC you would find it under the "Pilot Data" option, but all you will see is an inactive link, as you would if on an aircraft without that option.  Charts it is.

[Noel 4,563]

1. It's hard, and most devs just aren't that good so it's not cost effective to do so.

2. No, the real machine has it as an airline option, but it's modelled as an aircraft without that, if you click on the "Data" button on the FMC you would find it under the "Pilot Data" option, but all you will see is an inactive link, as you would if on an aircraft without that option.  Charts it is.

 

Many thanks ;o)

[Mephic 129]

@Noel, when you refer to verifying frequency in PMDG - what do you mean about that? Frequency you have in your FMC is coming from Navdata you have in your FMC (AIRAC), not from navdata in sim. If you want to make sure in-sim one is correct, you still have to open moving map, unless you have your in-sim AIRAC updated.

 

As for a mid-size jet, for short hops I'm still using 737 NGX, but I'm sure new Aerosoft bird will change it! Never forced myself to go DASH way, as it seems I'm more into jets. :-)  

[Noel 4,563]

@Noel, when you refer to verifying frequency in PMDG - what do you mean about that? Frequency you have in your FMC is coming from Navdata you have in your FMC (AIRAC), not from navdata in sim. If you want to make sure in-sim one is correct, you still have to open moving map, unless you have your in-sim AIRAC updated.

 

With the Duke you're just using the sim's nav data thru the default GPS it uses and ILS frequencies are in it, but for PMDG yes using AIRAC data.  I was just lamenting there is no way to get to it w/ the Dash 8 and not one to use charts, it's a disappointment.  I wouldn't know what to do w/ a chart if I had one :o)

[Mephic 129]

Charts are actually easy and they make things much easier to understand. Watch some youtube trainings on this subject.