this is pretty helpful too.  

https://chucksguides.com/aircraft/fsx/fslabs-a320/

1 hour ago, micstatic said:

this is pretty helpful too.  

Thank you

3 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

I agree with you, why Airbus can't design a more logical way of programming the MCDU, like Boeing has, I still can't understand.  I have hundreds and hundreds of hours flying both Airbus and Boeing, in the sim, and the Boeing is just faster and easier to program the MCDU. 

I have to agree here. Doing basic daily stuff like direct tos and entering constraints / speeds in the FMC is just so much quicker in the Boeing. This makes a (small) difference in regards to workload during busy phases of the flight.
That said the Airbus MCDU also has some very nice features like constant mach, equal time point.

From the 777 I absolutely love the offpath descent rings. Saves so much time and energy not having to constantly calculate the 3 degree descent path in your head.

On 12/15/2024 at 7:22 AM, Ray Proudfoot said:

Have you considered Mike Ray's excellent series of books? Easy to follow and very well written.

https://www.utem.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=104

An excellent book. I bought this a couple of years ago when I started flying the Fenix. I had actually met the Author at an Avsim convention in San Diego many years ago, and purchased a 737 book from him which he autographed for me. I just started flying the Airbus a day or two ago, got the Airbus book out, and realized that I had forgotten a ton of information on this aircraft. It is well worth the money. 

I bought the unbound version which is less expensive and you can get it on Amazon. 

https://www.amazon.com/Airbus-A320-pilot-handbook-techniques/dp/146095551X/ref=asc_df_146095551X?mcid=cad621239c6335809cd5fa3214fa8334&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693656043032&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4708269832087779463&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1015431&hvtargid=pla-466588340383&psc=1

Edited December 16, 20241 yr by Bobsk8

1 hour ago, Bobsk8 said:

An excellent book. I bought this a couple of years ago when I started flying the Fenix.

And the beauty of a real book it can be read away from the sim. Lying on the beach with a beer in hand! 👍😁

Some pros and cons of using Fenix airbus:

Pros:

- Great looking plane and superb sound.

- Very intelligent automated system. Fenix did a great job replicating this thing. Take this with a grain of salt as I am not Airbus pilot.

- I love the aerodynamics. The planes handles great.

Cons:

- Impractical MCDU system (not user friendly). But I am getting better. 

- Too much automation, feels like you are always arguing with the plane if you diviate from what’s already in the MCDU.

- Fenix A320 brought my computer to its knees. Landing into Washington DC, it became a powerpoint and I was forced to lower settings by about 30% in order to land. 

- My honeycomb Bravo controller autopilot does not work. I believe there is a website that offers an option to configure it (payware)

In conclusion, this plane is fun.  I do plan to fly it, but it will have to be away from demanding locations because of the toll it take on your FPS.

While PMDG will remain my go to plane, Fenix will be next in line.

 

Happy flying to all!!!

Glad you're liking it.  I think the MCDU issues are probably just because you're new to the Airbus stuff.  I flew the A32NX from FBW a ton before the PMDG 737-700 came out.  Last time I flew the 737 before that was in 2016 when I finished a world tour in FSX (never updated to P3D etc).  Back then I really didn't understand the FMS programming as well and SIDS/STARS because I didn't have access to charts etc.  So I really learned all that stuff once MSFS2020 came out and I found videos from 320 Sim Pilot.  Then when the 737-700 came out it was quite foreign, and I was always triple checking that I didn't miss filling out a page in it. 

 

The last 6 months I spent most of my time back in the 737 and the 777 though. So, when 2024 dropped and I went to fly the included A320 along with a Fenix flight I was in that same situation of double checking I didn't miss something but this time on the Airbus side.  At least with airbus I can remember the DIFSRIP thing (except the A380, doesn't really work on that one), but I don't think Boeing has something similar

52 minutes ago, flyinion said:

Then when the 737-700 came out it was quite foreign,

That's what the A320 feels like for me, foreign. I can program the PMDG 737 in minutes. I think at one point I changed routes and arrival runway in mid-air and it was easy. With the Airbus, not so fast.

 it’ll come down to is reading, asking questions and watching videos. Getting better!

Two major issues discourage me about the Fenix, my controller doesn't work, and ny FPS are north of bad. My computers is not bad but Fenix brings it to its knees.

16 minutes ago, Huascar said:

my controller doesn't work,

Which controller, and in what way?

17 minutes ago, Huascar said:

That's what the A320 feels like for me, foreign. I can program the PMDG 737 in minutes. I think at one point I changed routes and arrival runway in mid-air and it was easy. With the Airbus, not so fast.

 it’ll come down to is reading, asking questions and watching videos. Getting better!

Two major issues discourage me about the Fenix, my controller doesn't work, and ny FPS are north of bad. My computers is not bad but Fenix brings it to its knees.

Yeah that's the problem with things like the Bravo, works with default airplanes, but the 3rd party stuff like Fenix, PMDG, etc all use special variables for interacting with the autopilot functions and the sim doesn't expose those in the keybindings screens.  I picked up one of the airbus FCU products for autopilot control and with Mobiflight I can use it across a variety of aircraft from Airbus to the 737, 777, 787, etc using profiles that people have created.  I'm sure there are some for the Bravo using some of the other controller apps like SPAD etc.  My Bravo works just fine for everything else in the Fenix.  Throttles/reverse, flaps and speedbrake, switch for the parking brake, gear, switches for the engine start/crank/etc switch (the rotary knob) and the two engine fuel/start switches.  

12 minutes ago, BrammyH said:

Which controller, and in what way?

The autopilot on my Honeycomb Bravo does not work.  I have to use the moss. The only two things that work are the speed brake and the yoke. 

28 minutes ago, Huascar said:

The only two things that work are the speed brake and the yoke

The Bravo doesn't have a yoke. Do the throttles and flaps work?

I will look up how to assign the AP buttons.

EDIT: 

Just to clear one thing, you will want to have separate profiles for the Fenix in MSFS>

For the Autopilot there are two things you'll need to do.

- In the Bravo controls, search for Autopilot ON. Press the magnifying glass to search for in input, and press the AP button on the Bravo (Should be JOYSTICK BUTTON 8 )

Now, the challenge with the Airbus is if you just set that to toggle AP you will will get the galloping chime and need to hit the AP again to cancel it. What I have is on my joystick (or your throttle) I have a button bound to AUTOPILOT Off.

 

Edited December 16, 20241 yr by BrammyH

Speaking about the Fenix, on the A 320 are switches like seat belt, no smoking etc, supposed to make a sound or chime when switched? Mine are totally silent. 

1 minute ago, Bobsk8 said:

Speaking about the Fenix, on the A 320 are switches like seat belt, no smoking etc, supposed to make a sound or chime when switched? Mine are totally silent. 

If you mean anything else apart from the clicking sound the switch itself makes, no.

The chime is a Boeing thing.

57 minutes ago, Huascar said:

The autopilot on my Honeycomb Bravo does not work.  I have to use the moss. The only two things that work are the speed brake and the yoke. 

The throttles and flaps don't work?  If that's the case that means you didn't calibrate the controller axes in the MCDU.  Mostly 3rd party airbus planes require at least a throttle calibration to set the CLB/Flex/TOGA gates but the Fenix also requires the flap axis range to be calibrated.

Edited December 16, 20241 yr by flyinion