It seems this might be a great timesaver for practicing approaches in the iFly 737. I watched a demo video and it looks like you can be on approach, fully configured within a minute or two. What’s your thoughts on this app? Anyone here use it?

ps. If there’s some freeware out there that does something similar, please let me know

Edited August 7, 2025Aug 7 by Virtual-Chris

Personally, I love it.  I think whether it's worth it to an individual comes down to how they mostly use the sim.  I know that there are a lot of folks who mostly use it to "roleplay" pilot;  these are the folks who rarely start anywhere but on a parking stand, would never consider using time acceleration, etc.  For a person like that, zapping themselves around doesn't really fit into how they use the sim so other than the scenarios, they might not consider it worthwhile. 

But if you're using the sim like an actual simulator is intended to be used, to learn about the aircraft and then drill procedures, FSIPanel is invaluable and worth every penny of what it's sold for. 

I just wish they'd finally add a takeoff practice scenario that includes random failures at any speed, to drill reject vs continue decisions.  It's existed for a while for the PMDG but for some reason every time I've asked the FSIPanel folks if it's coming for the iFly (and I've asked several times), the question has been ignored.  It's kind of weird. 

But for general approach and maneuvering practice and to drill procedures and failures, it's fantastic.

1 hour ago, Virtual-Chris said:

It seems this might be a great timesaver for practicing approaches in the iFly 737. I watched a demo video and it looks like you can be on approach, fully configured within a minute or two. What’s your thoughts on this app? Anyone here use it?

ps. If there’s some freeware out there that does something similar, please let me know

I've been using FsiPanel since forever, the support and updates from the Dev J-P is really good when needed, and yes you can be on short final, long final, vectored approach, start of a STAR, any pint along the STAR all within a few minutes.
Lately I've been using a new function in it for the PMDG 777 which allows me to skip the whole of the cruise section of a transatlantic flight. I set up and take off as normal form say EGLL I get to cruise and then get FsiPanel to skip me to the TOD in my Flight plan, it adjusts fuel quantity and time of day in the sim as well so when you arrive everything is as it should be.

I should add I don't have the iFly so not sure about compatability but other than that I think it's a must have. 

Edited August 7, 2025Aug 7 by BrianT

I bought it over the weekend as I was really struggling to get consistently good landings in the A320 after the Fenix BFU. When I mentioned it in the discord I was met with the "why don't you just fly circuits". Well yes, this is an option, but even that takes a good few minutes of prep plus then the 5-10 minutes round the circuit before you get to the bit you want to practice.

FSiPanel makes it super easy to just pick an airport, plonk the aircraft on short final (or base leg, or wherever you like really), and it does all the cockpit prep and configuration for you. It give you an analysis of your landing afterwards and then you can just click Move again and fly the whole thing all over again. You can fly 5 landings in the space of time it would take to fly a circuit.

It's not a pretty user interface it has to be said. It's functional. And arguably it's an addon that just adds something that should really be in the base sim - the ability to easily and quickly reposition yourself without going through the aggro of being in the wrong configuration. But I've found it useful, if anything just as a time-saver when I want to practice something specific but only have 20 minutes or so at my disposal.

 

I never had any issue in getting smooth landings in a sim, or in reallife for that matter, until I purchased the Fenix A 320. I fly in a VA, and they post landing rates for completed flights on their website, and you could always pick out the Fenix A 320, because the landing rates compared to all the other aircraft, were terrible. 

I decided to buy FSI Panel, so I could practice landing the Fenix, and I finally got it to where the landings were acceptable after a hundred or so, practice landings with FSI Panel.  That is the only aircraft I have had to use FSi Panel for. Now that I rarely fly the Fenix, FSi Panel sits unused. 

Edited August 7, 2025Aug 7 by Bobsk8

Got it during the last sale and I've got to say I should have bought it much sooner.
It is so easy to repeatedly practice landings and get used to the feel of the airplane - used it with the iFly Max and the Fenix BFU. No problems at all!

6 hours ago, Tom Wright said:

It's not a pretty user interface it has to be said. It's functional.

The intent of the UI design is to emulate the instructor panel of a level D simulator.  It's certainly not one for one but there are aspects that are familiar if you've operated those simulators, which is kind of nice.

A must have software for practice.  I sometimes have small issues with the programming itself to the FMC/MCDU but its so good. And I even doesnt use the scenarios.

I even got an option to use it in MSFS2024 but havent tried it yet.

Michael Moe 

Edited August 7, 2025Aug 7 by Michael Moe

4 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

I never had any issue in getting smooth landings in a sim, or in reallife for that matter, until I purchased the Fenix A 320. I fly in a VA, and they post landing rates for completed flights on their website, and you could always pick out the Fenix A 320, because the landing rates compared to all the other aircraft, were terrible. 

I decided to buy FSI Panel, so I could practice landing the Fenix, and I finally got it to where the landings were acceptable after a hundred or so, practice landings with FSI Panel.  That is the only aircraft I have had to use FSi Panel for. Now that I rarely fly the Fenix, FSi Panel sits unused. 

When you say skip to TOD how do you do that? I love FSIPanel. Thanks

I found a video tutorial, and it says the Advanced Version of FSiPanel is required for the iFly... that seems like a cash grab to me. Not going to buy it after all. Maybe if he made it work with the Standard Edition, I would buy. Ah well. 

Can you use the built-in replay tool in MSFS 2024 to do something similar and load your plane at a previously saved approach?

Edited August 7, 2025Aug 7 by Virtual-Chris

54 minutes ago, Virtual-Chris said:

Can you use the built-in replay tool in MSFS 2024 to do something similar and load your plane at a previously saved approach

Might this tip from @Fielder work for you?
 

I hope FSIPanel will include the difficult to land Learjet 25D (small wings) from Xtreme Prototypes (Latest | Xtreme Prototypes) scheduled for release next month in September.

9 hours ago, bofhlusr said:

Might this tip from @Fielder work for you?
 

I hope FSIPanel will include the difficult to land Learjet 25D (small wings) from Xtreme Prototypes (Latest | Xtreme Prototypes) scheduled for release next month in September.

Thanks. I might try that at some point.

I was able to use the replay tool for practicing decent, approach, and landing. The built in recorder is actually extremely good. I don't think MSFS 2020 has anything like it... at least it didn't when I was using it a couple of years ago.  I recorded my first flight from T/D down to the ground. Then was able to go back to the start of the recording and take control of the plane or advance the recording to any point along the path and take control from there. So I did one more decent and approach,  and then a couple of landings starting from 1200 feet above the runway to practice my hand flying and flare. I was also able to review my first landing from any camera angle. It was great and it's built in!

Anyway, FSiPanel is clearly a good tool, but I don't think it's right that he's decided to bundle the iFly 737 into the top tier license. I'll make do without.

Edited August 8, 2025Aug 8 by Virtual-Chris

1 hour ago, Virtual-Chris said:

Anyway, FSiPanel is clearly a good tool, but I don't think it's right that he's decided to bundle the iFly 737 into the top tier license. I'll make do without.

Hi,

Started to use FSIPANEL a few months ago on PMDG 737 and recently on Fenix A320.

It has been a game changer for me.

On MSFS 2024 you need the advanced edition not only for the iFly but for all 3rd party aircraft, Fenix, FSLabs, etc. As I fly 777 and 320, the price seems correct for me.

I tried the slew method but was unsuccessful with MCDU setup, did you manage to get your FMC programmed on the iFly when using the reposition tool? How?

Charles

LFMN

 

12 minutes ago, Charles737 said:

Hi,

Started to use FSIPANEL a few months ago on PMDG 737 and recently on Fenix A320.

It has been a game changer for me.

On MSFS 2024 you need the advanced edition not only for the iFly but for all 3rd party aircraft, Fenix, FSLabs, etc. As I fly 777 and 320, the price seems correct for me.

I tried the slew method but was unsuccessful with MCDU setup, did you manage to get your FMC programmed on the iFly when using the reposition tool? How?

Charles

LFMN

 

$50 is too much in my opinion. I don't see using this kind of tool often enough to justify that.

Just to be clear, the built-in replay recorder is not using slew mode. But the recorder will not fully configure your plane exactly the same as it was as it doesn't know custom third party FCU settings etc, so after loading the recording for playback, I paused the sim, and imported the flight plan back into the FMC, along with a few other key values for the approach, and landing performance. It doesn't need everything (especially any take off performance info). Then unpaused the sim and flew as before. Then when you land, you can rewind the recording again back to any point you want and fly it again without having to re-program anything. I only reprogrammed the FCU partially the once time, and reflew the approach a few times.

It's certainly good enough to practice with a few times to get the hang of some things. I will probably use it to record every landing I do, just to replay it to see how my flare and touchdown was, and then refly it if I really want to try it again without going through the whole flight.

1 hour ago, Virtual-Chris said:

$50 is too much in my opinion

At least for this price you get access to all the aircraft and the future ones.

FS2Crew is charging a product per aircraft, this is too much in my opinion, i do not feel like flying the same aircraft for ever.

FSIPANEL has also the checklist feature where it could act as your first officer, not as advanced as FS2Crew but more than enough for me.

50 is quite expensive i agree, too bad they do not have a demo version to try it first and see if the price is justified or not.