QuantumLeap... works in MSFS too!

[Luis Hernandez 570]

Back in 2013, @Bob Scott released an utility for FSX named Quantum Leap, that allows "an aircraft at cruise to be repositioned in place and time"... and to allow you to skip the boring cruise part (similar to the Jump Ahead feature in the FSX/P3D QW 787 and the FSL A32x). Several people (including Bob himself) confirmed that it worked in P3D... but I couldn't find any reports about this working in MSFS.

So I tried it with the Fenix A320, and guess what? IT WORKS!! IT WORKS!!! I no longer have to miss the lack of higher simrates in MSFS 😁

QuantumLeap can be found here: https://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=179703. A thread about its release back in the FSX days can be found here: 

Spoiler

 

 

You need to have PMDG navdata installed for any sim (at least FSX or later). Not necessarily the 737 for MSFS; any other PMDG navdata can work. I'm using the navdata I have for my P3D birds.

So, after 9 years, thank you @Bob Scott for releasing this utility!

 

[fakeflyer737 992]

Does it take into account the fuel you have burned if you didnt skip? 

[Luis Hernandez 570]

Negative. This is a limitation of the utility, no matter the sim. However, you can check the expected fuel at the destination waypoint and, after being established there, adjust fuel load to that value.

[Twenty6 693]

2 hours ago, Luis Hernandez said:

Back in 2013, @Bob Scott released an utility for FSX named Quantum Leap, that allows "an aircraft at cruise to be repositioned in place and time"... and to allow you to skip the boring cruise

Isn't this built into MSFS2020? As long as you have a flight plan loaded. Never used it cuz I build the flightplan sitting at the gate/parking, but I've seen it on the upper menu.

[Luis Hernandez 570]

8 hours ago, Twenty6 said:

Isn't this built into MSFS2020?

Gotta check. Since I use PF3 for ATC, I never bothered loading a FP in MSFS. Does it handle the fuel consumption and time correction correctly, or should I still do it manually?

[kt069 569]

11 hours ago, Luis Hernandez said:

 

 

Good to hear for an additional tool.

For your information; https://flightsim.to/file/3181/fspm-vfr-map is also used to skip boring cruise with a map re-positioning. (without timing)

Edited July 29, 2022 by kt069

[109Sqn 1,560]

On 7/29/2022 at 3:58 AM, Twenty6 said:

Isn't this built into MSFS2020? As long as you have a flight plan loaded. ... but I've seen it on the upper menu.

 

On 7/29/2022 at 12:31 PM, Luis Hernandez said:

Gotta check. 

It certainly is. I don't know how it compares to QuantumnLeap as I never had that, but you can skip to each part of the flight up to Final. You can't select a certain distance , the sim does that for you.

[timers15 11]

On 8/1/2022 at 1:17 PM, 109Sqn said:

 

It certainly is. I don't know how it compares to QuantumnLeap as I never had that, but you can skip to each part of the flight up to Final. You can't select a certain distance , the sim does that for you.

I've found only the Maddog does it right.  The PMDG 737 and Fenix A320 end off on the ground after a "Travel To".  Hmmm, 737 update, I should test again.

[Steve Dra 7,588]

I've been testing PMDG's Auto Cruise for some time.  Set to 4x, its 100% stable, turns a 2 hour flight into a 30 min one and and allowed me to test many medium to long range flights that I'd never have time to sit thru at 1x.  Invaluable for the beta test team. (we do long flights at 1x as well, but not nearly as many, as you can imagine....time is time in the real world, hehe...no compressing it)

For those unfamiliar with the feature (that has been on all PMDG since before I can remember), its on the FMC FS ACTIONS page.  When engaged, it will speed up the flight 4x (recommended setting) on straight legs of several miles or more.  Once it gets to a waypoint, it drops out of 4x to 1x to make the turn, then resumes 4x once its flying level again.  I usually engage it when I leave the last waypoint of the departure, and for the flight I just completed KDFW>KTPA, it took about 30 mins and I got to test/validate many phases of the flight plan in that quick 30.  She hit vertical limits and nailed turns as if glued to the magenta line, even for a very heavy 737. 🙂 

All the fuel calculations, weather, time, etc all all preserved as in normal flight, whereas a "jump ahead" feature would typically break one or all of these time-sensitive parameters.

All those who want to do a 4 hour flight but only have an hour's worth of free time in this hectic world, should really check out and use this handy feature.

I think the coolest part is that if you're sitting there and cooking along at 4x, and see an interesting sight below, you can just come out of Auto Cruise, back to 1x, and admire the scenery....then when you're past it, re-engage it. 😉  

You can also set up the chrono button to turn the Auto Cruise on and off.  Page 5 on the Simulation Menu on the FMC. 😉 

 

[JSmith2112 317]

I've used the PMDG737's auto cruise a number of times. It can go up to 16x but can get a little off course.

[Luis Hernandez 570]

2 hours ago, Steve Dra said:

All the fuel calculations, weather, time, etc all all preserved as in normal flight, whereas a "jump ahead" feature would typically break one or all of these time-sensitive parameters.

Thanks Steve! The PMDG birds are one of the few exceptions that allow using higher simrates. After being used to 16x in FS9, I settled for 8x in FSX and P3D (including the PMDG birds I have there). Actually, the AutoCruise feature is something I look for in an addon (after being spoiled in FSX/P3D), and the standard I use for judging the behavior at higher simrates. But instead, several other developers took the opposite route (hard-limiting simrate) 🙄

A properly done "jump ahead" feature (such as the ones QW and FSL have) would take care of all these variables. That would be the next best thing. I've just requested Fenix to consider this feature for the next update. No promise from them, but I can manage with QuantumLeap for the time being.

Every other method mentioned here (QuantumLeap, FSPM VFR Map or even the MSFS flight planner) would require adjusting manually time and fuel load at least.

After I found about QL, I've flown the Fenix and other MSFS airliners more and more. The only plane I've found fails to behave properly is the Salty 748 (which refuses to unpause after jumping, but that's for another topic).

On 8/1/2022 at 2:17 PM, 109Sqn said:

It certainly is. I don't know how it compares to QuantumnLeap as I never had that, but you can skip to each part of the flight up to Final. You can't select a certain distance , the sim does that for you.

I tried loading a Simbrief FP in MSFS. However, as soon as I move the departure point to a gate (from a runway), MSFS changes the FP. Thus, I've never been able to test this MSFS function 😞

Edited August 3, 2022 by Luis Hernandez

[jrw4 624]

5 hours ago, Steve Dra said:

All those who want to do a 4 hour flight but only have an hour's worth of free time in this hectic world, should really check out and use this handy feature.

Thanks for reminding me that this even exists. I had forgotten. Tried it a couple of hours ago and everything worked like a charm.