PBE Distance Mode videos?

[Tony H 21]

Hi.  I'd ignored PBE because I wanted a pushback solution that would let you define the pushback before it starts and then not need to worry whilst the pushback is happening.

Distance mode looks interesting.  Anyone know of any youtube videos of someone using distance mode?

Thanks.

 

[byork 2,258]

1 hour ago, Tony Holmes said:

Hi.  I'd ignored PBE because I wanted a pushback solution that would let you define the pushback before it starts and then not need to worry whilst the pushback is happening.

Distance mode looks interesting.  Anyone know of any youtube videos of someone using distance mode?

Thanks.

 

Hi Tony,

You could search YouTube, but the thing is PBE changes almost every week, so anything you see would likely be out of date.

Last public beta now has this... it helps getting the plane back to the taxiway line easier because you can visually place the marshaller model on the taxi line and use him as a visual marker to judge distance.

However, we're still updating PBE, and this will be improved as well in future builds.

Our goal is to automate the aircraft turn point offset value, but that's easier said than done given MSFS limits (hint: a lot of critical data is encrypted)

 

Edited November 27, 2021 by byork

[Tony H 21]

Thanks for the reply Bryan.  I did search youtube, I tried phrases like "msfs pushback express distance mode" or "pushback express msfs beta".  I'd seen the comments in the release notes about how scenery and aircraft are encrypted and how simconnect has limitations.  That does answer the question I'd always wondered about "why doesn't someone just make a copy of xplane's Better Pushback?".  I was just hoping to see someone using PBE.

So, in the above example, Distance moves the marshaller  and represents the total distance of the pushback.  Offset is how far from marshaller the aircraft will start turning and final heading's meaning is obvious.  It does look like a pretty good solution within the limitations, thanks.

One small suggestion, it might be worth adding the aircraft's starting heading for information on that screen.  Obviously you can see it in the cockpit but it might be handy.

Thanks.

[byork 2,258]

Hi Tony,

"Distance Mode" pushback is evolving in the direction of X-plane's Better pushback.

We're shortly going to be changing the marshaller model without a large custom graphic to make it easier for users to place the aircraft and (hopefully) we can automate the aircraft offset value, but given encryption issues in markeplace aircraft it maybe a problematic.

The marshaller does actually turn to show show final selected heading, but we appreciate you have to zoom in on him to really notice it.

So we'll have a big arrow.

We're up against some pretty stiff limits with MSFS, but we're overcoming them.

 

 

 

 

[AndyCYXU 25]

 

any updates, explanation on how to use the distance push back? I have recently came back to this add-on but it seems it does not work very well, after setting up pushback arrow the only thing that was correct was heading of the aircraft, however distance was way off.. way way too short.

Where should I put this arrow to make it make sense?

btw the distance was 85m heading was 175 "it did get this right" but it started turning almost instantly after starting push back, turning point offset was 0.

https://ibb.co/nDHT0Tj

YELLOW is taxi line, Green line is what I was hoping for, RED was what actually happened. ??? and the ARROW is where i put the arrow in the sim.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by AndyCYXU

[byork 2,258]

Hi Andy,

Set the "Distance / Shortening offset" to 0.

Just place the pin on the taxiway line, twist the pin to match the taxiway line heading.

Also make sure you're using the latest version:

https://fs2crew.com/downloads/

 

I think you're entering a distance in the offset value field, and that's throwing it off.

Just leave it at 0.

Pushback Express has changed a lot over the last month or so, especially the Distance Pushback system.

A lot of videos you may see on YouTube are now out of date.

[AndyCYXU 25]

Ok so I was able to play with it a little bit more and this program is EXTREMELY finicky !

YOU MUST DO EVERYTHING STEP BY STEP IN EXACT CORRECT SEQUENCE.

For example if I say

"flight deck to ground"

"go ahead captain"

"we are ready for pushback and engine start" <--well that is it, you are not getting a push back even though they say they will etc.. but yeah you are screwed MUST say  "we will be ready in a moment"

One can try to restart the whole thing again but yeah its not pretty. Seriously you could add some leeway where either request will be accepted regardless of sequence.

Bottom line I was able to get it to work as it suppose to, even playing with other camera view at the time of push back made it go wacky and the tug guy took me on a crazy ride inside the terminal LOL.

I am only referring here to the pushback part of it, that is all I really care about, for a push back so I can plan it and let it be executed without me steering the aircraft and i can take care of engine start. 

 

 

[Manuel82 147]

27 minutes ago, AndyCYXU said:

Ok so I was able to play with it a little bit more and this program is EXTREMELY finicky !

YOU MUST DO EVERYTHING STEP BY STEP IN EXACT CORRECT SEQUENCE.

For example if I say

"flight deck to ground"

"go ahead captain"

"we are ready for pushback and engine start" <--well that is it, you are not getting a push back even though they say they will etc.. but yeah you are screwed MUST say  "we will be ready in a moment"

One can try to restart the whole thing again but yeah its not pretty. Seriously you could add some leeway where either request will be accepted regardless of sequence.

Bottom line I was able to get it to work as it suppose to, even playing with other camera view at the time of push back made it go wacky and the tug guy took me on a crazy ride inside the terminal LOL.

I am only referring here to the pushback part of it, that is all I really care about, for a push back so I can plan it and let it be executed without me steering the aircraft and i can take care of engine start. 

 

 

Yeah, We know this method isn't perfect, actually if you are using large body aircrafts like B747 or any other this will be a little tricky. The next step is to implement a preplanned mode to allow user to draw the route in sim, then assign the route to the tug. This indeed will be more accurate. We will be working on it, we have the tools to make it, but at the moment we are a little busy with getting the CRJ edition out for MSFS.

Cheers,

Manuel

[byork 2,258]

I strongly recommend (if using Voice Control mode) to keep "Voice Command Assist" open.

It tells you exactly what to say.

It makes it simple so you don't miss anything.

 

[Flyinggok 55]

On 2/7/2022 at 1:50 PM, byork said:

Hi Andy,

Set the "Distance / Shortening offset" to 0.

Just place the pin on the taxiway line, twist the pin to match the taxiway line heading.

Also make sure you're using the latest version:

https://fs2crew.com/downloads/

 

I think you're entering a distance in the offset value field, and that's throwing it off.

Just leave it at 0.

Pushback Express has changed a lot over the last month or so, especially the Distance Pushback system.

A lot of videos you may see on YouTube are now out of date.

Is that still valid?

I leave the offset to 0 but the push was also wrong 😄 and "off the taxi line". even if the arrows are correctly seen.

Cheers

[byork 2,258]

4 hours ago, Flyinggok said:

Is that still valid?

I leave the offset to 0 but the push was also wrong 😄 and "off the taxi line". even if the arrows are correctly seen.

Cheers

We're working on a video now showing Pushback Express and the Fenix working together...

Give us a day or so.