FS2Crew - why should I buy it?

[blaunarwal 433]

Hi guys

Recently in a thread here, some people pointed out that FS2Crew products make it easier to fly a complex plane like PMDG 737 or 747. I have lots of airliners and wonder, if I'd like the FS2Crew complete package or not. What makes me unsure is the lack of ratings at Simmarket. A few specific products like the MAJESTIC DASH 8 Q400 SPECIAL BUNDLE PACK FSX P3D have one five star review, but the writer is just praises the Majestic Q400 aircraft. If this products are that immersive and fantastic, shoudn't there be more ratings?

The other point is, I still like easier planes like Captainsim 737 Classic or Justflights F-27 to fly rather than the PMDG 737 NGXu, where I have to plan the flight much more serious and program the FMC. Will FS2Crew give me even more things to do or will it make things easier, having a crew doing things for me?

How is it affecting performance of the sim?

Thanks for your responses.

Dan

[SimeonWilbury 220]

So personally I've purchased the P3D all access pack and think it's pretty good value for money for the price I got it at (at a very heavy discount for about 30 Euros I think)

FS2Crew offloads a lot of the workload by making operations a lot closer to how they are done in the real aircraft, so the F/O does most of the systems management for you, though you still control what goes into the FMC and have responsibility for the overall flight as PIC.

The downside is you interact a lot less with the aircraft systems - you don't do much of the systems setup so there's less button pushing, not doing a lot of it yourself takes a little getting used to. The interfaces differ by aircraft and some are a bit more limited than others, for example I prefer the interface that comes with the 737/ 747 than the one that comes with the MD80. The aircraft is easier to fly and if you're into managing the systems you don't get much of that. Some of P3D's limitations also means some of the callouts aren't that accurate (on the 747 for example the glideslope/ localiser callouts are always wrong, though thankfully you can turn them off).

The upside is that the experience is very dynamic, particularly if you set up voice control, you still feel very much in control even if you're not manipulating stuff yourself. Ordering your F/O around has the added benefit of that they'll handle stuff for you that previously (I found at least) distracted from flying the aircraft in more dynamic phases, particularly the aircraft external lights which I always found a bit of a distraction. The checklists also mean you're doing everything by the book and you're less likely to forget steps (which I'm quite prone to, particularly on the MD80).

So while it makes the aircraft 'easier' from one perspective, you get the dynamic of a flight-crew which adds its own dynamic. For the really heavy systems management I'm holding out for the FS-Labs Concorde and (maybe one day) the JF 747 Classic as three-crew aircraft with lots to do systems-wise for a rewarding single-crew experience.

Ultimate Ground Crew X also makes a nice addition, as you can talk to your ground crew over the intercom, which I quite like for pushback.

Performance is fine, I do find with the 747 that sometimes when you pull into your gate when parking the sim will freeze for a few seconds when you come to a stop, however it hasn't made any meaningfull difference to my performance that I can tell.

Edited July 8, 2022 by SimeonWilbury

[C2615 322]

I have FS2C for NGX and Xu, but hardly use them anyway.

Few things I don't like it:

1. My company's SOP is slightly different from it's provided 3 set, kinda bother me.

2. In most condition, modern airliner fly with 1 crew in sim actually quite well, more close to IRL SOP. As long as AP is engaged,even deal with some failure is not that hard. (2 crew airplane must be able to fly safely by 1 person anyway)

3.Airbus changed it's SOP last year, and FS2C not even follow it up in MSFS lineup, let along P3D, Boeing did the same back to 2000s, and as I remember, their LD767 module still use old one that's why I didn't bought that back then.

4. I have physical landing gear and flaps level, FS2C can't move them, although I could leave it differ in game, but kinda annoying....

The only time I like FS2C is when manually flying and could call FO to set my SPD/HDG/ALT on MCP and read the checklist. but that's rather overkill...

 

I do use UGCX however, pushing back and Marshal guide in is quite good, but follow me car is broken...

Edited July 8, 2022 by C2615

[IanHarrison 525]

1 hour ago, SimeonWilbury said:

glideslope/ localiser callouts are always wrong

A bit more detail please. In what respect? The only calls I have on my PMDG 747 are that the Localiser and glideslope are live, which is spot on, always.

[ailchim 214]

1 hour ago, IanHarrison said:

A bit more detail please. In what respect? The only calls I have on my PMDG 747 are that the Localiser and glideslope are live, which is spot on, always.

I think the problem arises when you tune and then capture a VOR as a part of the approach as opposed to the ILS itself.  As "he" or "she" knows you are descending to the destination,  so it's assumed to be the localiser.

Personally, I find FS2Crew with voice control far more immersive than having to do everything yourself - and as noted above, it's actually far more realistic than what amounts to single pilot operation of a large aircraft.  As "we" go through the checklists, I check what the FO has done anyway so it's not as if you are twiddling your thumbs.   Personally, I'd think very seriously before I bought a study level airliner without FS2Crew.  

On the point of the Follow Me vehicle, I strongly suspect it's the airports and the nest of taxiway points that lie below the surface.  The GSX follow-me is all over the shop too.

 

 

[vidha 91]

I have all FS2Crew products for all the PMDG aircraft I own. Previously I never flew without it and loved the immersion of the virtual copilot. But now, I don't have it installed any longer. That's because I grew a little tired of the lack of variation. Every flight was the same, voices was the same every time. In the beginning it was immersive, but over time I grew tired of it. Had there been more variation, I might still use it.

[IanHarrison 525]

1 hour ago, vhaaland said:

I have all FS2Crew products for all the PMDG aircraft I own. Previously I never flew without it and loved the immersion of the virtual copilot. But now, I don't have it installed any longer. That's because I grew a little tired of the lack of variation. Every flight was the same, voices was the same every time. In the beginning it was immersive, but over time I grew tired of it. Had there been more variation, I might still use it.

You have at least 6 different sets of voices and a couple of SOPs. So I don't see why you say there is no variation.

[SimeonWilbury 220]

4 hours ago, IanHarrison said:

A bit more detail please. In what respect? The only calls I have on my PMDG 747 are that the Localiser and glideslope are live, which is spot on, always.

It's always inaccurate for me. The callouts should be made when the indicators for the localiser and glideslope become alive, i.e. when they show up on the pfd as the ils comes within range. The callouts in my case nearly always happen too early, i.e. before either have become alive.

This is also noted in the official manual:

Quote

Depending on your selected call out options, the PM will call “LOCALIZER ALIVE” and “GLIDESLOPE
ALIVE”. Speak “CHECKED”. Note: Due to limits in reading data out of FS, the Localizer and
Glideslope alive calls may not always be accurate. You can disable these calls if desired

It may be that for you it tends to be more accurate, but in my experience it's always been way out.

Edited July 8, 2022 by SimeonWilbury

[blaunarwal 433]

Thank you all for your detailled feedback. That´s giving me even more to think but maybe I gonna try. I still don´t know. I could have another plane or 3 airports for the money. 

Dan

[IanHarrison 525]

4 hours ago, SimeonWilbury said:

It's always inaccurate for me. The callouts should be made when the indicators for the localiser and glideslope become alive, i.e. when they show up on the pfd as the ils comes within range. The callouts in my case nearly always happen too early, i.e. before either have become alive.

This is also noted in the official manual:

It may be that for you it tends to be more accurate, but in my experience it's always been way out.

I note that you seem to be using voice commands, maybe that is something to do with it? I use buttons and as I said, it is accurate . I use the FO announcement as my cue to engage APP.

Anyway,  nothing to argue about, just an observation.                                                                       

[Patco Lch 1,479]

I use it for all my study level aircraft that it is available for. It is a bit redundant but my understanding is that’s what real airline procedures strive for. Bit of a phraseology learning curve but definitely voice over button.

[SimeonWilbury 220]

On 7/8/2022 at 8:09 PM, IanHarrison said:

I note that you seem to be using voice commands, maybe that is something to do with it? I use buttons and as I said, it is accurate . I use the FO announcement as my cue to engage APP.

Anyway,  nothing to argue about, just an observation.                                                                       

That would make sense, I have never used button control, so I don't know if that changes things at all.

[IanHarrison 525]

2 hours ago, SimeonWilbury said:

That would make sense, I have never used button control, so I don't know if that changes things at all.

When you don't live on your own and are flying in an open plan small house, then voice control and a TV playing, is NOT an option.

[jon b 2,054]

I use it for hand flying in VR, it adds to the realism and makes life easier to call for gear, flap and MCP selections.

One thing that winds me up though at least with the uk voice set is if you call an item wrong on a checklist, for example to FO calls Anti ice? And you respond “on” when it is in fact off, the FO responds “are you sure?” 

That response in the real world be  both bad CRM and really very annoying, we call it point scoring.

A better response would be  something like “no, it looks like its actually still selected off”

At least this program then allows me to reply to the point scoring FO how I’d sometimes love to in the real world, which is something along the lines of … ”look, you arrogant little ****””

[OzWhitey 3,353]

21 hours ago, jon b said:

I use it for hand flying in VR, it adds to the realism and makes life easier to call for gear, flap and MCP selections.

One thing that winds me up though at least with the uk voice set is if you call an item wrong on a checklist, for example to FO calls Anti ice? And you respond “on” when it is in fact off, the FO responds “are you sure?” 

That response in the real world be  both bad CRM and really very annoying, we call it point scoring.

A better response would be  something like “no, it looks like its actually still selected off”

At least this program then allows me to reply to the point scoring FO how I’d sometimes love to in the real world, which is something along the lines of … ”look, you arrogant little ****””

I use FS2Crew with most of the airliners I fly.

You’re obviously upset with your FO’s passive aggression. Maybe the response should have more variations, for example “Oh, really?”, and “Lol, did you even look at the overhead?”

I also think the stews should be a bit more pleasant when I ask them for a coffee. Like, they’ll bring me one, but they don’t exactly sound excited about it. 

Passive aggressive FO’s and disinterested stews, maybe it’s time for me to change virtual airlines.