On a posted recommendation, I just downloaded the iFly 747-400 (with the new service pack 1, repaints, carpet etc.).If like me you have overlooked this download, I would respectfully suggest that you take a peek. I am in the first stages of examination and expermentation myself, but so far I am amazed! This looks like it just might be a new benchmark for freeware if it turns out to be all that it appears to be. I don't know just what works and what doesn't work yet, but if any percentage of what seems to be is functional, this offering is something else.Respectfully:RTH1585368CFI

So Far So Good!One question to those that have already mastered this package: Is there a forum anywhere specific to iFly?I quickly scanned the manual and cranked up a flight:I am presently flying from KJFK to KATL implementing the CDU (or FMS if you are old school like me) and she flies beautifully. I am impressed.The only problem I have run into was to enter my gross or zero fuel weight into the CDU setup. If I use the data as listed under FS9 aircraft fuel and payload, under perf init it will not accept it and says it is an invalid entry. I can enter fictious data well below this, and she works (i.e. imaginary 388.8 for 740.0 gross weight listed in the FS9 aircraft fuel and weight display). It almost looks like the gross weight line is really zero fuel weight. Is the data to be entered into the CDU possibly another format rather than pounds?I still haven't figured out how to save my CDU flight plan, or import the samples originated with the installation, but I haven't really studied the manual carefully yet either. (Would be nice if FS9 plans could be imported, but haven't seen that yet either).This panel along with its provisions looks a whole lot like the old 747-400 PSS panel to me which I had implemented on MelJet and Posky 747's. Although stability in flight was always off just a bit with my merge it was useable, but the iFly model is as steady as a rock. About the only thing missing is a loadit program, and this bird looks like it gives just about all of the functions most of the other FMC/CDU contributions offered, AND THIS ONE IS FREEWARE unless I have missed something and it is fixing to quit on me. A bit of editing on aircraft.cfg and/or air files may even allow use of the old loadit capability, but this certainly is not a biggy.I highly recommend that if you are not already into an expensive payware model of this bird that has all of the bells and whistles, and have not looked at this package that you give it a try.THANK YOU iFly!RTH1585368CFI

Perhaps it is in kg?You know, why can't the rest of the world do the right thing and use in, ft and lbs like us?Thomas[a href=http://www.flyingscool.com] http://www.flyingscool.com/images/Signature.jpg [/a]I like using VC's :-)

Because "us" are the ones who are backward... not the rest of the world... metric is base10... you know... the numbering system we all use? Imperial is based on the whim of sombody who measured his nose and called it a foot. Heck even a gallon, quart and pint aren't the same in Britain and the US. Time to move out of the middle ages...

Err...thanks for the heads up on the 747 btw... I meant to post that but got distracted.CheersShad

All indications are that you are correct. KG's do fall into a workable envelope.No biggy at all. Simply multiply your poundage by 0.4536 and you will be in the game.RTH

Metric might be base 10, but all measuring systems are arbitrary, if you think about it. Who determined how much weight is a kilogram? Who determined the length of a meter? And so on...Rhett

This might answer your question on wherethe metric system came from.http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/origin.html

Come on folks:The weight conversion observation was just a side note. Everybody has an opinion as to whether conversion by we yanks should be to the metric system, not to convert, or total indifference. Me, I concede as an old Engineer that it is a more logical system, but this old man sure would hate to jump through the hoops in order to adapt. Maybe a future generation.....(Yea, I love to procrastinate).WHAT IS YOUR OPINION of the iFly 747-400? (didn't mean to holler, just emphesis) If you haven't downloaded and taken a peek you are missing something IMHO. The manual is in the FS9 root directory under the iFly directory, not in the aircraft folder.Happy flying and best to everybody.RTH

>Metric might be base 10, but all measuring systems are>arbitrary, if you think about it. Something that gave me a laugh from someone else:There are 10 kinds of people in this world: Those who understand binary and those who don't.Metric was great in the days of slide rules. Maybe we should redefine kilogram to be 1024 grams?scott s..

iFly has been on the top download list for quite a while, so I'm not sure it's unknown. Unfortunately, whenever I try to engage autopilot in a pitch mode (alt hold, v/s, lvl chg) it proceeds to fly into the ground. Seems like I'm the only one with this problem. I wsa hoping the update would change this, but it didn't :(scott s..

Oh, you're not, but I was informed in another thread we were not actually allowed to have problems with freeware models as they are all perfect and beyond reproach because of the hugeness of the hearts of freeware developers. ;)Sure is one heck of a lot of buttons modeled. Extraordinary. Have really only had limited time to use it, but alas it ctd'ed with a problem similar to the one described a few theads lower by another fellow (only my G7800GT didn't recover where his ATI9800 did).CheersShad

Lol, you got a point there.Can't argue with that.

"Oh, you're not, but I was informed in another thread we were not actually allowed to have problems with freeware models as they are all perfect and beyond reproach because of the hugeness of the hearts of freeware developers."Geeeeeesh..... You had the last word in that thread, what else do you friggin' want?

>iFly has been on the top download list for quite a while, so>I'm not sure it's unknown. Unfortunately, whenever I try to>engage autopilot in a pitch mode (alt hold, v/s, lvl chg) it>proceeds to fly into the ground. Seems like I'm the only one>with this problem. I wsa hoping the update would change this,>but it didn't :(>>scott s.>.>I believe I just read in a recent thread here that you have to have the Flight Director switched off. And that does work for me. Jim