Jet recommendations for IFR (good FMS)?

[Nik_LSZH 4]

I have to admit my thing is IFR, always has been. I spent hundreds of hours in PMDG's 737 in FS9/X/P3D and Level-D's 767 back in FS9. Printed check-list on my desk, charts for the airports, starting my flight cold&dark, you get the idea 🙂

While I wait for add-on planes, what are your recommendations on stock planes for IFR with good FMS integration? I gave the 787 a try, while it's a big improvement for a stock plane, it doesn't compare to the level of detail I am used to. I guess the A320neo is similar: not bad, but lacks of detail (and manuals, for me as Boing-guy ;).

What is your take on the Business Jets? I noticed the clock is stuck in the CJ4, so I spent a little time in the new Cessna Citation Longitude with the G5000 - might fill in nicely. How well is it simulated in your experience? Any good intros available for the G5000?

[Der Zeitgeist 1,575]

When I tried out the Citation Longitude, at first glance, the systems and autopilots seemed to work quite well.

The biggest problem currently is fuel burn and engine power.

[Nik_LSZH 4]

Just did a hop. Yes, systems are ok-ish (or I am operating them not correctly). What was suboptimal
- with VNAV active ceilings are not respected and the AP climbs through them. To my understanding it should respect any set ALT and only climb higher if I reset ALT accordingly.
- Autothrottle didn't engange. but otherwise worked
- FLC didn't work the way I expected, again, could be my little knowledge on the G5000
- when using VS (with mouse), I suddenly got a both negative climb and descend rate!! I assume I hit a bug..

And agree, fuel burn is heavy and the engine seems to be a rocket.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Nik_LSZH

[canuk_22 24]

On 8/20/2020 at 4:33 AM, Nik_LSZH said:

I have to admit my thing is IFR, always has been. I spent hundreds of hours in PMDG's 737 in FS9/X/P3D and Level-D's 767 back in FS9. Printed check-list on my desk, charts for the airports, starting my flight cold&dark, you get the idea 🙂

While I wait for add-on planes, what are your recommendations on stock planes for IFR with good FMS integration? I gave the 787 a try, while it's a big improvement for a stock plane, it doesn't compare to the level of detail I am used to. I guess the A320neo is similar: not bad, but lacks of detail (and manuals, for me as Boing-guy ;).

What is your take on the Business Jets? I noticed the clock is stuck in the CJ4, so I spent a little time in the new Cessna Citation Longitude with the G5000 - might fill in nicely. How well is it simulated in your experience? Any good intros available for the G5000?

I'm like you did all that and enjoyed it a lot, in FS2020, yikes never know what to expect.  For eye candy it's FS2020 but otherwise P3Dv5 and my Majestic Q400.

[Chock 17,769]

Check out the community mods for the default A320, which make it vastly more realistic, including expanding the FMC's capabilities considerably. That's probably your best bet at the moment and actually it's pretty good, they've done a lot of cool stuff with it.

[KenG 492]

IFR - MSFS surely you jest with us. 

[sd_flyer 6,038]

On 8/20/2020 at 1:33 AM, Nik_LSZH said:

I have to admit my thing is IFR, always has been. I spent hundreds of hours in PMDG's 737 in FS9/X/P3D and Level-D's 767 back in FS9. Printed check-list on my desk, charts for the airports, starting my flight cold&dark, you get the idea

So what is wrong  flying instruments with 6 pack and without GPS or FMC? 🙂

[JRBarrett 3,070]

1 hour ago, KenG said:

IFR - MSFS surely you jest with us. 

It is perfectly possible to fly IFR in MSFS, I’ve been doing it in a daily basis since release, especially in the TBM, which has a bug-free autopilot and lacks only VNAV. The only proviso is that I don’t try to modify my FP enroute, but that is a limitation that I am willing to accept for the time being.

No question that many of the default aircraft currently have limited systems functionality, particularly the FMS systems on the airliners. Modifying flight plans and doing direct-to is buggy, but none of those features are absolutely necessary. The folks doing the Airbus mod project have already made some improvements in the default FMS for that aircraft. VNAV is limited in the airliners, and not yet implemented on the GA aircraft, but VNAV is not an absolute requirement in r/w IFR either There are hundreds of regional airliners flying every day (ERJ/CRJ) that either have no VNAV at all, or limited “advisory only” VNAV. 

I obtained my r/w instrument rating, and logged several dozen hours of actual instrument time in a C172 that had the same avionics suite as the default MSFS C152. Just a basic 6 pack of analog instruments, dual nav/coms and an ADF. That’s it... no DME, no GPS, and no autopilot. I very much enjoy hand-flying vs. autopilot, and there is (for me) great satisfaction in doing a full simulated IFR flight using nothing more than “old school” VOR-to-VOR navigation using charts, a stop watch and an E6B.

I know that the default ATC in MSFS is limited and buggy, but that is absolutely no surprise, and no different than any preceding flight simulator. I had zero expectations prior to the launch of MSFS that the default ATC would be worth the powder to blow it to he**, and indeed it’s not. ATC emulation has never been something that flight sim developers have ever been any good at. 

In 20+ years of flying in various flight simulators I have never used the built-in ATC in FSX, XP or P3D one single time, and have no intention of ever using it in MSFS. For “automated” ATC, I have used Radar Contact in the past, and that worked very well with a few limitations for SIDS and STARS, but if I want to make use of ATC, I much prefer Vatsim or Pilot Edge, staffed by real human beings. I haven’t used either in MSFS yet only because of the simconnect-induced stutter bug, which hopefully will be fixed with this week’s patch.

Even in r/w aviation there are few approach procedures that cannot be flown without any ATC guidance at all. Radio communications can fail in r/w operations, and are not always available for other reasons. At the local airport where I work, the control tower and approach/departure control currently closes down at 6:00 PM due to limited airline activity post-COVID. Any ILS approaches done after that time are flown using using the full published procedure, involving flying direct to the LOM from the VOR and performing a procedure turn. NY Center will give the approach clearance, but after that, aircraft are expected to perform the approach on their own, while self-announcing their position on the CTAF.

So yes, if one's idea of “flying IFR” is engaging the autopilot at 500 feet AGL, and leaving it engaged throughout the flight until arriving at decision height on approach, while the FMS and autopilot do all the actual work, then MSFS (at the moment) is not an ideal IFR simulator. But if you consider that “IFR” simply means flying an aircraft using instruments only, without visual references, it is perfectly possible to do that in MSFS with all but a few of the most basic GA aircraft (I.e. the Savage Cub).

Edited September 2, 2020 by JRBarrett

[Nik_LSZH 4]

18 hours ago, Chock said:

Check out the community mods for the default A320, which make it vastly more realistic, including expanding the FMC's capabilities considerably. That's probably your best bet at the moment and actually it's pretty good, they've done a lot of cool stuff with it.

Thanks! That looks very promising for the time beeing.

 

[cwburnett 1,809]

Keep your eyes out for a community upgrade of the CJ4, per the G1000 mod thread yesterday, we're working on the FMS and PFD. Making progress already. 👍 Give it a  week or so and we should have something early to release in addition to the existing performance mod.