Pilot's performance evaluation tool, just an idea...

[teopereira 25]

I'd like to see a PMDG tool that could rate pilot's performance and notify whether any aircraft component was damaged or stressed during the flight or whether passengers suffered any distress because of pilot's actions... Just an addon idea for PMDG...

[Chock 17,769]

There are already quite a few add-ons which do that and similar things (both payware and freeware, including - FS Passengers, Air Hauler, FS Economy, FS Captain, Cargo Pilot etc). Whilst it is true that no market is so saturated that it cannot support the arrival of a new and truly innovative product, such a product would have to be genuinely innovative to make it worth spending the time and effort of doing so by virtue of the fact that there are so many around which already do that kind of thing and more. And so creating yet another one which was not significantly different from what is already available; that's a chancy business proposition if ever there was one.

 

Strictly speaking in programming terms, it isn't be desperately hard to do it, all you essentially need is what you might call the 'black box' readings of FS parameters sticking into a spreadsheet type of program to determine whether anything exceeds certain levels, but there is a far more potential in a product which is capable of doing that for all your FS aircraft and doing something with that info to make it more of a game or simulation of business, so one which was exclusive to PMDG birds would have limited appeal. Sure, I see people on the Air Hauler radar screen flying PMDG aircraft sometimes, and I do myself, but I'd definitely say I see more people flying stuff from other developers on that screen, in particular a lot of smaller GA single and twin aeroplanes.

[teopereira 25]

The problem is that these programs have very limited reading of the aircraft parameters, just G forces, passenger pressurization and air conditioning... That's all... But a PMDG aircraft has many more parameters which could be exceeded... Like for example, you can damage the APU if a "dual bleed" sign is ignored, you can damage the structure if you exceed the speed for a certain flap position or in case of a hard landing or in case of a "tail strike", you can damage the aircraft pressurization and air conditioning system if you ignore a duct overheat warning, you can damage an engine if you don't deal with fire emergencies corretly etc... 

[mcbellette 145]

The problem is that these programs have very limited reading of the aircraft parameters, just G forces, passenger pressurization and air conditioning... That's all... But a PMDG aircraft has many more parameters which could be exceeded... Like for example, you can damage the APU if a "dual bleed" sign is ignored, you can damage the structure if you exceed the speed for a certain flap position or in case of a hard landing or in case of a "tail strike", you can damage the aircraft pressurization and air conditioning system if you ignore a duct overheat warning, you can damage an engine if you don't deal with fire emergencies corretly etc... 

 

Not only that, but for a program like FSPassengers, I don't think its developers use English as their first, second or probably even third language.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

We already have a failures model, down to the point where abuse will cause issues.

 

The rest of it? Performance evaluation is too subjective, in my opinion, to code into an app. I know VAs, and other people in the hobby like to assign random stuff to "this makes a good pilot," but to me, a good pilot is about handling the grey area properly.

 

You turned the strobes off at 5000':

• You're a PRO Pilot App: -100 points for turning the strobes off in the air
• Me: Mental high five for turning the strobes off as they were distracting you in the thick fog

You were going 263 indicated at 5000' and climbing:

• You're a PRO Pilot App: -500 points for going above 250 under 10000
• Me: Mental high five for knowing the proper application of FAR 91.117d

You were descending at -3000 fpm:

• You're a PRO Pilot App: -500 points for scaring the passengers
• Me: Mental high five for meeting your crossing restrictions (knowing that people feel acceleration and not speed)

Landing:

• You're a PRO Pilot App: Displays -97 fpm landing rate
• Me: Plane's still usable. Nothing out of the ordinary. "How do you think you did?" And as a follow up comment: "the wind is a gusty cross today - why were you trying to grease it on?"

 

 

 

I get that it's cool to have a breakdown of things, but so much of flying is handling the unscripted areas well, but many of the people making these tools don't have the in-depth knowledge of flying and the regs required to make them (and that's not a slight: my knowledge is limited to FAA stuff, and even that is complex enough that I'm continuing to learn more of it as I go; I can't imagine trying to make something for a worldwide scope). Moreover, the scary thought that most of us kinda shut out is that the airplane may be hiding abuse/damage caused by other crews that you may not know about, and there's really no way to know about it until it goes in for its next check. Some have signs - wrinkles in the skin, and so on - but most don't.

 

Just my personal thoughts...

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

And those very same apps will never penalize for

• not switching off both flight directors with the autopilot being disengaged (Asiana 214)
• flying a resolution advisory on autopilot ("Children of the Magenta")
• using insane takeoff and climb thrust settings at low takeoff weights (look up the legacy B744 tutorials published by PMDG for a better way to handle those)
• etc.

I concur with Kyle, authentic system behaviour and aircraft performance (and enabled failure simulation) can improve your skills and knowledge further than any fancy tool.
 

[teopereira 25]

I was thinking it could be like a "virtual examiner", whick could tell you whether you handled emergencies correctly and didn't exceed the aircraft or procedures parameters... I think it could be an educational and a "training" tool for enthusiasts... Anyway, I think it wouldn't be an easy software to be done... maybe if PMDG continues its "PRO" projects...

[77west 139]

 

Me: Mental high five for knowing the proper application of FAR 91.117d

I got harassed on Vatsim about this the other day by another pilot. Warned me in a PM that ATC was gonna tell me off. I linked them to http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgFAR.nsf/0/2FABBD7F6B819E9A852566CF00614F49?OpenDocument

 

MTOW in a 744ERF, min clean speed was up around 260-270kt

 

From my understanding, you don't need to ask permission from ATC to exeed due to min speed requirements.

[downscc 1,327]

 

 

From my understanding, you don't need to ask permission from ATC to exeed due to min speed requirements.

 

Experienced controllers know what a B744 climbs at very well.

[garrett_frank 150]

The sheer optimism expressed here regarding the possibility that flightsimmers would read FAA regs--when they don't even read the aircraft manual(s)--is admirable.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

From my understanding, you don't need to ask permission from ATC to exeed due to min speed requirements.

 

Correct.

 

If a VATSIMer gives you a hard time, you can also ref 7110.65 5-7-2 Note 1 (more for the controller crowd):

A pilot operating at or above 10,000 feet MSL on an assigned speed adjustment greater than 250 knots is expected to comply with 14 CFR Section 91.117(a) when cleared below 10,000 feet MSL, within domestic airspace, without notifying ATC. Pilots are expected to comply with the other provisions of 14 CFR Section 91.117 without notification.

 

If you were to notify them out of precaution, their only response should be "roger" or "speed your discretion." Note, while this video is also related to an emergency, note the controller's response to the pilot requesting higher speed. They don't have the authority to approve that under 91.117a ("nless otherwise authorized by the Administrator"). 

 

5-7-1 a 3 d also notes that controllers should allow aircraft to operate clean as long as circumstance permit (primarily on the inbound - outbound, a controller wants you up and out ASAP anyway).

 

 

 

I had an approach controller get on me for my speed a while back. I had to explain the concept of tailwind related to ground speed (I was doing 240, but he noted I was going 280).

[garrett_frank 150]

 

 

I had to explain the concept of tailwind related to ground speed (I was doing 240, but he noted I was going 280)

 

No joke I used that excuse when I got pulled over once. It didn't work.

[TheDanger 182]

I'd like to see a PMDG tool that could rate pilot's performance and notify whether any aircraft component was damaged or stressed during the flight or whether passengers suffered any distress because of pilot's actions... Just an addon idea for PMDG...

 

I'm working on something on and off at the moment. Look at my website.

I enjoy the sim side of things and wrote a utility to give me a sense of responsibility when flying. I'm going to add more things to it once I have ironed out the little annoyances and bugs that are present.

I wrote it purely for myself but if others may want to use it when I upload it then go ahead.

 

I'm not a real life pilot, have no real life experience with aviation and am not remotely interested in being a real life pilot. This is for fun and is not intended for training or assessment for real life flying! Not a chance. :smile:

[Datalink 26]

No joke I used that excuse when I got pulled over once. It didn't work.

lol wins the internet today

[bpcw001 22]

I'd like to see a PMDG tool that could rate pilot's performance and notify whether any aircraft component was damaged or stressed during the flight or whether passengers suffered any distress because of pilot's actions... Just an addon idea for PMDG...

 

Objection from my side. There are enough third party addons that can do this. 

PMDG should concentrate their efforts on what they do best: develop first class airplane simulations.