Just Flight 146 Professional?

[kaha 205]

4 hours ago, puppi said:

past generation aircraft.

85usd is a joke

 

It really depends on what you like to fly. It's a personal preference.

Karl

Edited December 26, 2020 by kaha

[emko 15]

Exactly. I spent USD70 for PMDG DC-6 which is even older aircraft, can't be happier with it. The price is for the effort of the creator of the addon.

[Tube and Rag 3]

I bought this airplane as a Christmas present for myself; very much looking forward to it as I really enjoyed the original JF 146.  Since then, I've spent too much time flying it, and offer the following observations:

• I've been trying to learn to use the TMS, and find it useful on takeoff.  Otherwise, it seems to cause the throttle inputs from the keyboard to sometimes get wonky (sorry, I don't have a better description of the problem).  Making lots of throttle changes in sync mode has twice caused the master engine to get waaay out of sync!
• The FMS is as useful as a bucket of warm spit.  I'd rather the airplane either had no FMS at all, or one that actually had more realistic functionality (and an EFIS to go with it).
• If there's one thing that really needs fixing, I submit the autopilot.  Here are its known faults: 

         From level flight in altitude hold, with the GS armed, the AP will often make a short climb to join the GS.

         When climbing or descending at lower rates, example 700 fpm, toward a selected altitude, the capture logic will change to a 1500 fpm rate with about 500' to go. 

         No direct way to get from altitude hold to pitch mode.

         IAS and VS modes are sketchy at best, generally sloppy enough to be useless.

 

That's enough for now.  More reports as I progress....

         

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Tube and Rag
Forgot something!

[mikealpha 266]

On 12/30/2020 at 10:47 PM, Tube and Rag said:

If there's one thing that really needs fixing, I submit the autopilot. 

Don't forget they modeled the original Smiths SEP10 Autopilot (roughly 40 years old), which was rudimentary at best. It can be quite a shock when coming from an A320 😁.

In the meantime I can really operate it smoothly without sudden changes. VS and IAS work well, with IAS it holds speed +/- 5kt, which seems acceptable giving that old AP type. Make sure to handover to IAS in a well trimmed state. I also often make use of the  AP Sync Mode e.g. for IAS Speed Changes.

I'd agree though regarding GS Intercept, it can really be quite hazardous.

Besides the nasty SID/STAR Selection bug, the FMS works OK for me. It does a nice job with RNAV, that's all I'd ask from it.

Correct, yes, TMS works well for takeoff, but that's all about it. For climb it can't be used at all. Sync/TGT won't work, because the EGT values are way off. Hopefully that will be fixed in a future update.

Mike

 

[jon b 2,050]

I was wondering, does anyone have any more thoughts about this aircraft now it’s been out a while?

I’ve always liked the 146 since I sat on the jump seat on a Loganair flight from Guernsey to Manchester as a young private pilot. 

I also enjoy steam dialled airliners so may have to treat myself.

[Daytona125 225]

21 hours ago, jon b said:

I was wondering, does anyone have any more thoughts about this aircraft now it’s been out a while?

I’ve always liked the 146 since I sat on the jump seat on a Loganair flight from Guernsey to Manchester as a young private pilot. 

I also enjoy steam dialled airliners so may have to treat myself.

Well I've had it since it came out and it has been updated a little since but we haven't seen an update for quite some time. I can back up what others are saying about the autopilot problems and the FMC is really basic so far, there looks to be things on the fmc that JustFlight may get working in future updates(certain thing don't work when you click on the button, but they are there). Although there are 2 FMC's the second one is just a mirror copy of the first one, operate the left one and the right one does the exact same as the left. As it is I think it is a little over priced at US$84.99 with the limited FMC and quirky autopilot. On a positive, all the switches and systems do work and it is a really immersive plane that will keep you busy. I wonder if  the developer just bit off a little more than they could chew at this time. Seems they kinda rushed this a little because they are trying to get an X-Plane version going too, they should really get things right with one before they dive into another project(X-Plane version). I am pretty happy with the plane because I've always wanted a 146 and, like I wrote, everything works, its just some things could work better.

Hoping for an update.

[jon b 2,050]

Thanks for the reply Daytona, I'm still sitting on the fence as I share your thoughts about the price. I'm also wondering if I should wait for the XP version as just flight have thrown that across to Thranda design for XP conversion and they always seem to improve on the original. The just flight PA38 in XP being an example of that.

One of my pet dislikes is a mirrored FMC as you describe, though for the sort of sim flying I tend to do, flying around in the local area, shooting approaches and visual circuits I could probably ignore the FMC completely. It's the cockpit immersion and flight modelling I'm most interested in.

I think P3D developers are between a rock and a hard place at the moment with a large portion of the market being dazzled by the MS2020 sim and not buying P3D add ons developers need to get projects they've been working on out ASAP before the market dries up completely, which is a shame as P3D remains the go to sim for airliners and wll remain so for a while I think.

A year ago I would have jumped on this straight away, but in the worlds current situation I'm getting extremely cautious about buying anything.   

 

[Daytona125 225]

1 hour ago, jon b said:

Thanks for the reply Daytona, I'm still sitting on the fence as I share your thoughts about the price. I'm also wondering if I should wait for the XP version as just flight have thrown that across to Thranda design for XP conversion and they always seem to improve on the original. The just flight PA38 in XP being an example of that.

One of my pet dislikes is a mirrored FMC as you describe, though for the sort of sim flying I tend to do, flying around in the local area, shooting approaches and visual circuits I could probably ignore the FMC completely. It's the cockpit immersion and flight modelling I'm most interested in.

I think P3D developers are between a rock and a hard place at the moment with a large portion of the market being dazzled by the MS2020 sim and not buying P3D add ons developers need to get projects they've been working on out ASAP before the market dries up completely, which is a shame as P3D remains the go to sim for airliners and wll remain so for a while I think.

A year ago I would have jumped on this straight away, but in the worlds current situation I'm getting extremely cautious about buying anything.   

 

Very well put jon b, I totally agree. I'm really having a hard time buying anything right now for P3d and X-plane knowing that better planes are on the horizon(hopefully soon)for MSFS. Really wanted the Pilot's B314 but just couldn't bring myself to spend the $122.00 Canadian for it. Sometimes it's just hard to wait though....

[jon b 2,050]

Whoops, I was just perusing the 146 on the justflight website again and my hand slipped and I accidently clicked on purchase !

I have to say I've only done a very quick flight , VFR without the autopilot followed by an ILS into BAe Woodford ( now sadly a housing estate in real life) and wow, yes I really like this aircraft. It's sounds and round dial cockpit feel in VR are truly stunning, I can almost smell the instant coffee served in a plastic cup while sat on the flightdeck.

Such a refreshing change from fly by wire, MFDs and HUDs.

For ages I've been on the look out for a transport category jet with quality, smooth analog instruments to fly old fashioned IFR practice, looks like I've finally found it. The large smooth ADI and HSI are worth the admission price alone to me.

[JPFLIGHT 4]

4 hours ago, jon b said:

Whoops, I was just perusing the 146 on the justflight website again and my hand slipped and I accidently clicked on purchase !

I have to say I've only done a very quick flight , VFR without the autopilot followed by an ILS into BAe Woodford ( now sadly a housing estate in real life) and wow, yes I really like this aircraft. It's sounds and round dial cockpit feel in VR are truly stunning, I can almost smell the instant coffee served in a plastic cup while sat on the flightdeck.

Such a refreshing change from fly by wire, MFDs and HUDs.

For ages I've been on the look out for a transport category jet with quality, smooth analog instruments to fly old fashioned IFR practice, looks like I've finally found it. The large smooth ADI and HSI are worth the admission price alone to me.

Purchased myself at the weekend, after much looking at it, feel the same way! Whilst some have said its not worth the £60 I'd disagree, yes its not PMDG level of depth, I'd say its not lacking in it either! And its an immersive experince to fly and look at, i've even been won round by the effects on the wings and engines now its in my sim rather then a video. Throughly recommended,

[jon b 2,050]

On 12/1/2020 at 11:11 PM, SAS443 said:

She seem very nose-up during approaches? IIRC most BAe146 had a very shallow deck angle on approach due to lack of slats

@JPFLIGHT Yes , I’ve no regrets at all with the £60 purchase it’s the best analog airliner I’ve used  in P3D. The ADI and HSI are super smooth and great for traditional  instrument flying, which is just what I was after. I particularly like looking over my shoulder in VR and seeing that stubby wing and the little turbines hanging there. 

My only issue as that which SAS443 mentioned above, the JF 146 is coming in more nose up than a 747 which just isn’t right, it should be at a negative pitch angle.

I recall the JF Cessna 152 also had this inappropriate positive  deck angle in P3D however the Thranda design XP conversion Had the correct nose down pitch.

Edited February 9, 2021 by jon b

[JPFLIGHT 4]

@jon b Yes, i'm now looking at TrackIR et al to see about having a 'free roam' head view to enjoy!

I too noted that tendency but I can't help but think that it's a result of the simulator physics that the air brake is using a variable that cause that force around a moment on the aircraft, and not having the C152 to compare I'll take your word for it!

[Christopher Low 5,354]

I would be interested in hearing what JustFlight have to say about that. I agree that the real world 146 has a distinctive "nose down" attitude when on final approach, and that really should be simulated.

[Mace 1,927]

On 2/10/2021 at 4:01 AM, Christopher Low said:

I would be interested in hearing what JustFlight have to say about that. I agree that the real world 146 has a distinctive "nose down" attitude when on final approach, and that really should be simulated.

Doesn't London City Airport have steep approaches?   I think it does, and if so, I bet the 146's are REALLY nose down for that.

[Paul Golding 92]

Looking at YouTube videos, it's obvious the approach is at the very best flat and in most cockpit videos (and not just for LCY) the ADI certainly shows a nose down attitude.  As Christopher says, JF's thoughts about this apparent lack of a distinctive characteristic would be interesting, especially as it's easy to fix.