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SU15 A320, FBW, or Default A320?? Which to keep?

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12 minutes ago, jcomm said:

This opinion is actually shared with some RW professional Airbus pilots (portuguese) I know and use the Fenix, the FBW, the "new" Inibuilds v2 and also the FSLabs CEOs in P3D... They're almost all unanimous in their critics regarding the "flight dynamics" of the Fenix.

 

The two guys i know (one now on the 330s, so no contact with the 320s lately) don't even touch the FBW, they call it a "toy". The Fenix on the other hand, they claim it is the one which feels more like the real thing and they really nailed the landing with this last iteration.

I guess each pilot will have their own opinion on this.

CASE: Fractal Terra Silver CPU: AMD R5 7800X3D 5.0Ghz RAM: 32GB DDR5 6000 GPU: nVidia RTX 4070 Ti SUPER · SSDs: Samsung 990 PRO 2TB M.2 PCIe · PNY XLR8 CS3040 2TB M.2 PCIe · VIDEO: LG-32GK650F QHD 32" 144Hz FREE/G-SYNC · MISC: Thrustmaster TCA Airbus Joystick + Throttle Quadrant · MSFS2024 · Windows 11

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  • Just today flew the same quick flight (KSAN to KLAS) with the default V2 IniBuilds A320, the FBW, and the Fenix.  First, before giving my quick opinion, I think it's amazing we're living in a flight s

  • BWBriscoe
    BWBriscoe

    The FBW A320neo is miles ahead of the iniBuilds version. Stick to that

  • Fenix

1 hour ago, romaf12008 said:

 The only problem I have with the new ini is that on the run it almost abruptly leaves the runaway

the Ini Flex Temp thing is quite optimistic, try a TOGA or another Flex Temp calculator to verify your TO.

Missing the PMDG DC6 in MSFS 2024 (she's here, but...).

  

41 minutes ago, Nuno Pinto said:

That depends on the point of view. To me, it's half-baked

Nope. They did the job they were asked to do. 

This isn't a point of view, it's fact. It's not half-baked.

You may not like it, but that doesn't make it half-baked.

Edited by Tuskin38

11 minutes ago, Nuno Pinto said:

The two guys i know (one now on the 330s, so no contact with the 320s lately) don't even touch the FBW, they call it a "toy". The Fenix on the other hand, they claim it is the one which feels more like the real thing and they really nailed the landing with this last iteration.

I guess each pilot will have their own opinion on this.

Yep, you're probably right ... As a glider pilot I am yet to find a decent glider simulation... and these are the only aircraft types I fly IRL. IMO MSFS and XP are not good at all...reproducing glider flying and yet some of my colleagues like XP... Condor is more unanimous among the RW glider pilots, but GA and it's specifics is soooo difficult to model in a desktop flight simulator anyway....

Flying gliders since 1980

Flightsimming since 1992

AMD Ryzen 5600x, 32GB RAM, GPU Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB, 1 TB and 500 GB nvme2 SSD drives, HP 27" 60Hz LED monitor @ 1920x1080, T16000, Hotas from old X52 Pro, Saitek Combat Rudder Pro (2010 model)

58 minutes ago, Nuno Pinto said:

The two guys i know (one now on the 330s, so no contact with the 320s lately) don't even touch the FBW, they call it a "toy". The Fenix on the other hand, they claim it is the one which feels more like the real thing and they really nailed the landing with this last iteration.

I guess each pilot will have their own opinion on this.


Yes indeed, can add another IRL A320 captain (and experienced user of multiple sims and A320 products) V1-Simulations to the list of IRL pilots who've lauded the Fenix V2 Block2 flight model, especially hand flying. Others like 320 Sim Pilot, Blackbox711, and even A330 Driver (who was not a fan of Fenix pre V2) have also complimented its flying dynamics. Here are some of their quotes (copied from previous posts) re: the Fenix's FM:

V1-Simulations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFuEutQpCyU&t=6113s
asked about how it feels vs Toliss: "handling in flight I gotta say, it's right there, that felt very realistic all the way around compared to the real airplane"
"felt very much the same as when I do single engine training in the Level D sims, almost exactly the same honestly"
"the hand flying on this is awesome"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFuEutQpCyU&t=4394s
"single engine performance and climb was just fine, yaw simulation during in-flight reverse unlock, that was crazy"
"engine failure and full right trim on rudder, love it"


320 Sim Pilot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zd_A1smtHs&t=2482s
"it feels absolutely beautiful as I'd hope for an a320, i thought it was not bad before, but this is still another step up on that"
"feels absolutely great, way it rolls, weight of it, very nice indeed
"

Blackbox711: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzwaiAd9T1I&t=16891s
"definitely have been clear improvements re: pitch and power, for me that was definitely missing before"
"behaviour at various flap settings all correct"


As for FBW vs iniBuilds, I say use both.. both are absolutely great for their price of $0 🙂 , and the ini A320 (like the A310) is unprecedented for its level of fidelity being in the sim's default fleet.
 

Edited by lwt1971

Len
1980s: Sublogic FS II on C64 ---> 1990s: Flight Unlimited I/II, MSFS 95/98 ---> 2000s/2010s: FS/X, P3D, XP ---> 2020+: MSFS
Current system: i9 13900K, RTX 4090, 64GB DDR5 4800 RAM, 4TB NVMe SSD

39 minutes ago, Tuskin38 said:

  

Nope. They did the job they were asked to do. 

This isn't a point of view, it's fact. It's not half-baked.

You may not like it, but that doesn't make it half-baked.

Thanks for agreeing with me. You just said what i said: Point of view. Anyway, way off topic already.

39 minutes ago, jcomm said:

Yep, you're probably right ... As a glider pilot I am yet to find a decent glider simulation... and these are the only aircraft types I fly IRL. IMO MSFS and XP are not good at all...reproducing glider flying and yet some of my colleagues like XP... Condor is more unanimous among the RW glider pilots, but GA and it's specifics is soooo difficult to model in a desktop flight simulator anyway....

I am way past the "infinite search for a perfect simulation" anyway. I try to enjoy the most i can from the addons i can get, and i have the advantage of not being an actual pilot, so my enjoyment is probably better than their own, knowing exactly how the real thing operates - They spend more time in car simulators than with flight simulators anyway lol.

CASE: Fractal Terra Silver CPU: AMD R5 7800X3D 5.0Ghz RAM: 32GB DDR5 6000 GPU: nVidia RTX 4070 Ti SUPER · SSDs: Samsung 990 PRO 2TB M.2 PCIe · PNY XLR8 CS3040 2TB M.2 PCIe · VIDEO: LG-32GK650F QHD 32" 144Hz FREE/G-SYNC · MISC: Thrustmaster TCA Airbus Joystick + Throttle Quadrant · MSFS2024 · Windows 11

3 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:


As for FBW vs iniBuilds, I say use both.. both are absolutely great for their price of $0 🙂 , and the ini A320 (like the A310) is unprecedented for its level of fidelity being in the sim's default fleet.
 

All in all this is what is more important. We have unprecedented quality in our default & $0 addons nowadays. Back in FS9 it was CTRL-E and push the word not allowed thing into the sky. Great time to be alive!

CASE: Fractal Terra Silver CPU: AMD R5 7800X3D 5.0Ghz RAM: 32GB DDR5 6000 GPU: nVidia RTX 4070 Ti SUPER · SSDs: Samsung 990 PRO 2TB M.2 PCIe · PNY XLR8 CS3040 2TB M.2 PCIe · VIDEO: LG-32GK650F QHD 32" 144Hz FREE/G-SYNC · MISC: Thrustmaster TCA Airbus Joystick + Throttle Quadrant · MSFS2024 · Windows 11

Is anyone from FlightSimLabs reading this thread?  😀. Are you going to release your A320 for MSFS soon?  I’m waiting to throw more money to you if you do.  But it seems like there’s a lot of the market that already has a lot of choices for A320’s.  None are perfect (yet).  

rgds, JB

9800x3d, ASUS TUF x870, 64GB G.Skill DDR5, MSI Ventus 4080, HP Reverb G2 VR, FlyVirtual.net, Private Pilot SEL rating, subLogic FlightSim 1983 & every release since

 

  • Commercial Member
1 hour ago, jcomm said:

inconsistencies like the poor modelling of engine-out sitiuations

This is quite an old complaint and since V2 pilot feedback on this is quite positive on my side at least - from our telemetry it also appears to be flying right by the book in OEI situations. If you have any specific or current feedback here I would be happy to take a look.

Edited by Aamir

Aamir Thacker

46 minutes ago, Aamir said:

This is quite an old complaint and since V2 pilot feedback on this is quite positive on my side at least - from our telemetry it also appears to be flying right by the book in OEI situations. If you have any specific or current feedback here I would be happy to take a look.

I've just finished a flight in SU15 - my first in SU15 final with the Fenix.

Nothing to complain about.

Nice landing - I guess...

Will try engine out when possible and report back.

 

Flying gliders since 1980

Flightsimming since 1992

AMD Ryzen 5600x, 32GB RAM, GPU Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB, 1 TB and 500 GB nvme2 SSD drives, HP 27" 60Hz LED monitor @ 1920x1080, T16000, Hotas from old X52 Pro, Saitek Combat Rudder Pro (2010 model)

  • Commercial Member
4 minutes ago, jcomm said:

I've just finished a flight in SU15 - my first in SU15 final with the Fenix.

Nothing to complain about.

Nice landing - I guess...

Will try engine out when possible and report back.

 

To clarify - SU15 has no effect on this. Just V2 of the Fenix which added the external engine model. OEI ops are influenced by this, not SU15. 

Aamir Thacker

Reinforcing, the current platform, FS2020, has fulfilled and continues to update everything announced since its launch, the developers also follow, we are privileged at this time.

Boeing777_Banner_Pilot.jpg

First test - ENG1 FAIL 2 sec after V1 

LPPT 261830Z 33018KT 300V360 9999 FEW 030 18/09 Q1020

ZFW / ZFWCG : 63.7 / 31.4

GW / CG : 72.6 / 29.1

V1: 157

VR: 158

V2: 162

FLAPS / THS : 2/DN0.1

TOGA TO

Tell me if you can keep the airplane flying, even after retracting gear sooner than you probably would...

I could keep it flying, following the correct procedures... Now trying to lose fuel to reach MLW and try to land...

EDIT:  Still in time to edit this post and complete it with the results of a successful and rather convincing approach and landing, a bit over MLW, after 2 hrs in hold to waste fuel...

CONCLUSION: The FENIX 320 B2, does indeed manage a takeoff with eng failure at or above V1, as well as a landing near MLW, and it appeared to behave rather convincingly at least in my tests.

Edited by jcomm

Flying gliders since 1980

Flightsimming since 1992

AMD Ryzen 5600x, 32GB RAM, GPU Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB, 1 TB and 500 GB nvme2 SSD drives, HP 27" 60Hz LED monitor @ 1920x1080, T16000, Hotas from old X52 Pro, Saitek Combat Rudder Pro (2010 model)

Just today flew the same quick flight (KSAN to KLAS) with the default V2 IniBuilds A320, the FBW, and the Fenix.  First, before giving my quick opinion, I think it's amazing we're living in a flight sim age where three such terrific planes are available to users, and including the FBW's ecosystem of the LVFR A319/A321 and Headwind A330 even more such planes.  And to think that for someone just buying a sim for the first time and, with no add-ons, having this V2 A320, the A310, and the CJ4 as default and, for a bit more, the Citation Longitude and the 787?  Just terrific.

So my opinion as a casual simmer flying all three back-to-back-to-back? 

  • The Fenix is just amazing and is the clear pick of the bunch, as it should be.  After these last few updates, what doesn't the Fenix do well at this point?  Does it have any weaknesses at all?
  • The default V2 is far better than I thought it was going to be overall and flew the flight perfectly
    • I thought someone online was exaggerating when they said the V2 gave him a 15 FPS hit.  On my system (considered, I guess, mid-range these days for this forum, with a 4 year old i9-10900 and Nvidia 3080) at the gate at BMWorld's KSAN (with FSLTL) I took a solid 12 FPS hit vs the FBW and 14 FPS hit vs the Fenix (27 FPS vs 39 with the FBW and 41 with the Fenix).  This was probably even worse, as AutoFPS turned down my TLOD a bit with the V2 vs the other two planes to keep the V2 between 27-30 FPS on takeoff.  This performance hit alone will probably prevent me from using it that much.
    • The sounds are - not great.  I didn't get any clicking with switches at all, or at least not very audible.  The engine is - fine...  The wind noise was very good.  Unlike many planes, speed differences have clearly audible wind sounds.   
    • Great EFB
    • I did notice as some YouTube reviewers said that it doesn't seem to dip the nose at 30 ft when landing
    • A "pause at TOD" function would be nice...
    • Overall, the V2 feels like it's an optimization update (oh, that IniBuilds....) and a good sound pack away from being truly excellent.
  • The FBW is enjoyable as always.  For me as a casual simmer, I still would like a performance calculator in the EFB that can copy over to the MCDU and, especially compared to the excellent V2 model and the sublime Fenix model, the old default model is looking a bit goofy...

But still, all of this is an embarrassment of flight sim riches all around.  Great time to be alive as a simmer...

Flying the Ini now very impressed with it. Not getting any FPS hits at all (running O/C i5 13600k @ 5.2 with 4070ti). Flies very smooth only issue I found atm is take off rotation needs a lot of stick pull back.

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