I do like the FBW pushback option that lets me do it with stick and rudder pedals. I wish Fenix would do that. The FBW EFB is a bit simpler and cleaner. Otherwise both are great and you really can't go wrong with either. 

44 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

The only problem I find with that is that its subjective, and opinions can and do vary wildly from person to person.

Even ones choice of input device can affect that judgement.

I’d normally agree with that (and still do) but when you drop the gear, flaps, spoilers, and kill the engines it descends way too gradually. It just lacks a feeling of weight to it. 

1 hour ago, Hatch76 said:

If flight dynamics are important for you, then go Fenix. FBW feels way too light and like a glider. 

Yes, the Fenix flies like a real aircraft.

 

The Fenix is still my favourite aeroplane.
I even managed a smooth landing! (Though I couldn't manage to park properly it seems) 😅

2 hours ago, Hatch76 said:

I’d normally agree with that (and still do) but when you drop the gear, flaps, spoilers, and kill the engines it descends way too gradually. It just lacks a feeling of weight to it. 

Flight performance, including with flaps and spoilers extended, gear down, engines at idle match the real airplane very well. 

https://flybywiresim.com/notams/a32nx-flight-model/

Oh, and engine - out performance is modeled as well, so you can practice your V1 cuts. 

Edited February 17, 20233 yr by Donstim

1 hour ago, Donstim said:

Flight performance, including with flaps and spoilers extended, gear down, engines at idle match the real airplane very well. 

https://flybywiresim.com/notams/a32nx-flight-model/

Oh, and engine - out performance is modeled as well, so you can practice your V1 cuts. 

I still have to respectfully disagree. It glides better than any aircraft I have ever flown in real life, GA or commercial. There’s no way it gently glides at a slow decent rate when fully dirty and fuel cutoff. 

33 minutes ago, Hatch76 said:

I still have to respectfully disagree. It glides better than any aircraft I have ever flown in real life, GA or commercial. There’s no way it gently glides at a slow decent rate when fully dirty and fuel cutoff. 

Yeah, that doesn't sound right. I assume your airplane is up-to-date? Just want to also note that spoiler deployment is inhibited in CONF FULL and only about 1/2 extended in other configs with autopilot on. Was the airplane fully configured before cutting fuel to to the engines? What speed were you trying to maintain? 

If neither engine is producing thrust, then it isn't a matter of weight, only L/D. I will be glad to give this a check as it is well outside the normal envelope and not covered by the available data, but I'm out of town until Sunday. 

Edited February 17, 20233 yr by Donstim

1 hour ago, Donstim said:

Yeah, that doesn't sound right. I assume your airplane is up-to-date? Just want to also note that spoiler deployment is inhibited in CONF FULL and only about 1/2 extended in other configs with autopilot on. Was the airplane fully configured before cutting fuel to to the engines? What speed were you trying to maintain? 

If neither engine is producing thrust, then it isn't a matter of weight, only L/D. I will be glad to give this a check as it is well outside the normal envelope and not covered by the available data, but I'm out of town until Sunday. 

It’s been a few months since I flew it. So maybe it’s been updated since. 

11 hours ago, El Diablito said:

I've put in around 800 hours in the FBW but I've been told by several users that the Fenix is the way to go and was wondering why that is?

Is there a massive difference in immersion? Better systems/work load? What is it that makes it stand out more than the FBW version?

I know the EFB seems to have more functions but is this option really worth dropping 50 bucks for?

I'm so grateful to FBW and all they have done with this freeware and I feel some loyalty towards them so if there isn't drastic differences then I wouldn't see the point in the investment.

I have both. One thing I found that’s better (for me) with the Fenix is its FMGC seems to have correct SID/STARS. With the FBW it often seems to have some procedures missing. I’m right up to date with Navigraph data on both busses… eg in my case SKBO no RWY13R SIDS in the FBW, but all present in the Fenix. FBW is really nice - when its autothrottle works. Fenix is pretty rock solid for me, but you do lose a few frames compared to both FBW and PMDG ( I have the 736).

One thing I noticed about the Fenix though is it may not be ideal if you do a lot of flying in and out of high altitude airports. I believe the older A320 required engine mods for high altitudes and very hot conditions, both situations where the air is less dense. Obviously with FBW you just get the standard engines. So at say ZULS (11400ft) it will struggle to take off and climb even from a 2 mile runway, whereas the FBW with LEAP engines and the PMDG 600 do not to have that problem (better power to weight ratio, or smaller size?)

Good luck with whatever you choose. 

Edited February 17, 20233 yr by rayharris108

11 hours ago, El Diablito said:

I've put in around 800 hours in the FBW but I've been told by several users that the Fenix is the way to go and was wondering why that is?

Is there a massive difference in immersion? Better systems/work load? What is it that makes it stand out more than the FBW version?

I know the EFB seems to have more functions but is this option really worth dropping 50 bucks for?

I'm so grateful to FBW and all they have done with this freeware and I feel some loyalty towards them so if there isn't drastic differences then I wouldn't see the point in the investment.

If you would enjoy the Fenix more than the FBW, you will only ever know if you try it yourself.

To me the Fenix is much more immersive.

When handflying it feels much more like flying a real airliner than the FBW.

Overall I would say the FBW feels more "sterile" compared to the Fenix.

With the Fenix I can be sure that every "what's it doing now? - moment" is because of a feature of the real aircraft, whereas with the FBW I always thought: "Never mind, that obviously isn't implemented correctly yet" - which breaks the immersion for me.

Of course all this is very subjective.

Regarding the MCDUs the most striking difference is that the FBW has only one (which is mirrored to the other side). I am used to have the FPLN page on the left and the PROG page on the right MCDU - impossible with the FBW.

Performancewise on my system the Fenix has only about 5-10 percent less FPS than the FBW.

 

If trying the Fenix is worth 50$ for you, only you can decide.

If you accumulate 500 hours in the Fenix it will be 10 cents per hour. To put that into perspective you have to fly to an addon airport a hundred times to get the same value for money. And the electricity your PC uses probably costs more than that per hour. 

 

Thanks for all the input here, guys. I guess I was looking for more differences than seem to be available in terms of cockpit functions etc or at least I was expecting more based on the comments I've heard online and in other areas, I was given the impression that the differences were stark. Most of the differences in terms of how "it feels" etc seem to be subjective which is fine.

I bet if I was new to the sim I would probably go with the Fenix based on the above posts but since I've flown the FBW so much it doesn't seem like the investment would be worth it.

48 minutes ago, El Diablito said:

I bet if I was new to the sim I would probably go with the Fenix based on the above posts but since I've flown the FBW so much it doesn't seem like the investment would be worth it.

I can relate to that--I'm sure Fenix would be much happier if FBW didn't exist as clearly it has taken a lot of potential users away and the reason for that is pretty obvious:  the FBW is just too good to ignore, despite it's less than fully complete development or areas where it deviates from maximum authenticity.  Plus, clearly FBW has put a huge amount of thought and effort into many elements of plane.

Strange enough that there is still no takeoff performance calculator in the FBW EFB.

 

Edit: How did Luis express the same thought at the same time? 🙂

Edited February 17, 20233 yr by crimplene

I prefer Fenix, but maybe it's because I feel it more complete. At least I can't find a takeoff performance calculator for the FBW.

1 hour ago, crimplene said:

Strange enough that there is still no takeoff performance calculator in the FBW EFB.

There just isn't any available performance calculator to base a model on. Best case scenario: someone with access would have to dump the app from an actual EFB tablet and try to reverse engineer the binaries? But that's leaving the usual legal grey area when it comes to documents procurement.