PMDG 737 - flight planning not great, otherwise seems good

[MDFlier 2,031]

3 hours ago, honanhal said:

I'm going to call it right now: this is going to be the next frontier for non-GA flightsim. A developer that can do this well (i.e. not like the X-Plane addon I've seen that has an animated copilot that looks RIDICULOUS), will have set the bar to meet.

This is the innovation piece, raising the bar, that has so far (all due respect to PMDG and others who are putting out good work) been rather notable for its absence when it comes to airliner addons for MSFS.

I believe that this is on its way.  I'm going out on a limb based on something I read from a certain developer that hangs around here. Nothing was said directly but there was an allusion to a big change.  It got me thinking... 🤔 

[honanhal 1,420]

6 minutes ago, MDFlier said:

I believe that this is on its way.  I'm going out on a limb based on something I read from a certain developer that hangs around here. Nothing was said directly but there was an allusion to a big change.  It got me thinking... 🤔 

I have a strong suspicion of the same thing (and I think we're talking about the same developer). Fingers crossed.

[MDFlier 2,031]

Let's hope.  He's a really good guy. 

[Oldschool61 38]

On 5/10/2022 at 4:47 PM, Nyxx said:

Its not "wise" to use the MSFS, its wise to use simbrief.

Watch this and learn to see who is wise to use simbrief for an aircraft like the PMDG 737.

 

Your opinion thanks.  I prefer less complicated means if I can.

[Oldschool61 38]

On 5/11/2022 at 8:27 AM, ErichB said:

Please tell me that PMDG have not ignored Simbrief integration.  Its a fairly basic development essential for an airliner.

EDIT:  They haven't. It works

 

If they ignore the FS20 flight planner its only fair they ignore the others.

[Nyxx 6,993]

😂

[Oldschool61 38]

On 5/10/2022 at 11:29 PM, CaptainNick said:

Having an “easy” method of importing from simbrief would be nice and hopefully coming from PMDG when they get the new EFB going.

For those complaining it takes a little bit to get it to upload into the FMC, or complaining about the time to manually put the waypoints in…you should be spending time going waypoint by waypoint anyways to double check it is right vs blindly trusting in what simbrief dumped in your lap.

At the end of the day it’s a desire not a need. As Rob Young said, it does everything an airliner needs to do in the game pretty darn well so far. The rest of these little complaints are just quality of life features that should come in time.
 

Until then I have more important stuff in my life to complain about like my wife not having dinner ready, or the neighborhood kids walking on my lawn again. How about the price of gas? At least my beloved stogies are at the same price from the cigar shop as they always have been.

The flight plans from the world map are real world flight plans, no need to use simbrief.   

[Oldschool61 38]

On 5/10/2022 at 5:35 AM, JRBarrett said:

It will, but like weather radar, the ability to directly download Simbrief flight plans or Navigraph charts will depend on Asobo. At the present time WASM aircraft cannot use the internet to contact external web sites. 

If your into realism you need to manually enter each data point by hand into the FMC.

[MDFlier 2,031]

19 minutes ago, Oldschool61 said:

The flight plans from the world map are real world flight plans, no need to use simbrief.   

I have never had a MSFS flight planner generate a valid route as flown by an actual airline. Yes, it will draw a line between two points that you can fly to get from airport one to airport two. It does not, however generate flight plans that would be used in the real world.

I use Simbrief because it, in conjunction with Flightaware, make finding,  planning, and importing real flight plans quick and easy. I'm not sure what is complicated.  Literally press 'Generate OFP' on Simbrief, click "OK" on the pop-up that tells me the two files were copied to the PMDG directory (optional.  I like it). Once in the airplane, type the route name, which is 8 characters consisting of both airport identifiers (Ex: KBOSKORD for Boston to Chicago) and press a button, then press a 2nd button to activate it, and one more to execute it (and that one even has a big bright white light on it to remind you to press it). Done. Flight plan loaded. Where is the complicated part?

[eslader 1,778]

On 5/10/2022 at 11:29 PM, CaptainNick said:

Having an “easy” method of importing from simbrief would be nice and hopefully coming from PMDG when they get the new EFB going.

How much easier do you need it to be? You grab the flight plan from the FMS. It's literally one step.

 

 

You do know you can set Simbrief to auto-download flightplans and toss them into any folder(s) you want, right?

 

[Stearmandriver 2,230]

5 hours ago, Oldschool61 said:

If your into realism you need to manually enter each data point by hand into the FMC.

I can't remember the last time I had to hand jam the entire route in the real aircraft.  I mean it's not tough, but it's definitely not the norm - most airlines do use a datalink utility to populate the route. This isn't just for convenience; it statistically reduces the number of lateral deviations due to FMC route programming errors.

[CaptainNick 575]

7 hours ago, eslader said:

How much easier do you need it to be? You grab the flight plan from the FMS. It's literally one step.

 

 

You do know you can set Simbrief to auto-download flightplans and toss them into any folder(s) you want, right?

 

Hence the easy is in quotes. You missed the whole tone of my post. You must be a hoot at parties.

[rob0203 686]

I don't understand why lots of people need to bash PMDG, love flying their 737!

Also instant buy of Fenyx A320 for me!

Great to have them both!

Edited May 19, 2022 by rob0203

[grandfred29 180]

The only thing who is boring with flight plan and simbrief is you must import fp and wx before loading the aircraft or maybe start fs.

 

[Treetops45 1,081]

14 hours ago, MDFlier said:

I have never had a MSFS flight planner generate a valid route as flown by an actual airline. Yes, it will draw a line between two points that you can fly to get from airport one to airport two. It does not, however generate flight plans that would be used in the real world.

I use Simbrief because it, in conjunction with Flightaware, make finding,  planning, and importing real flight plans quick and easy. I'm not sure what is complicated.  Literally press 'Generate OFP' on Simbrief, click "OK" on the pop-up that tells me the two files were copied to the PMDG directory (optional.  I like it). Once in the airplane, type the route name, which is 8 characters consisting of both airport identifiers (Ex: KBOSKORD for Boston to Chicago) and press a button, then press a 2nd button to activate it, and one more to execute it (and that one even has a big bright white light on it to remind you to press it). Done. Flight plan loaded. Where is the complicated part?

Where I get stuck using Simbrief is on the MSFS Scenario side of things.

Say I want a short IFR flight from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Dept EGPF Rwy 05 & arrive ILS into EGPH Rwy 06.

I set that up in Simbrief & export it to my PC's FP Directory.

Do I set up the same flight in MSFS Scenario as a Low Level Airways ILS flight, which will generate the waypoints, & then hit Fly?

Or just enter it as a VFR from Edinburgh to Glasgow?

Then I load the aircraft & go to the FMC & drag in the Simbrief 737-700 .rte flight plan.

If it differs from the MSFS Scenario set up FP, does it ignore the former, or overwrite it?

I am finding that when I start flying & hit the AP its as if the aircraft is trying to follow 2 flight plans & then doesn't follow either.

Meanders off track.

T45