CajunRon

I've got a related question (though it may not apply to VATSIM...I use ProATC). ProATC always gives me a shortcut in the STAR/Final Approach and it doesn't have the capability for me to ask for the full approach. The problem I often encounter is that the FMC is following the VNAV profile of the full STAR/Final Approach. So when I comply with the vectoring shortcut, I find myself sometimes thousands of feet above the FMC profile and have to work like hell (early gear down, full spoilers almost to the runway, vertical speed control mode) to try to get the 737 down and slow. Is this real life?

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes I've clicked on the Update button in both Modes. The NOAA server is working fine right now. PFPX is getting current METAR data, ProATC is getting current METAR data and the spy window of OPUS does show that the METAR data is loading when I update the weather. LWA Maps is showing the weather station "balloons" and WX Maps is showing the weather station "balloons. But the WX Locator Map is just showing a Google map with no weather station balloons or any other thing flight simulator related. When I press the Update button it reports "0 Met Stns, 0 Matching Criteria" in locator mode and "0 Met Stns" in overview mode. As much as I hate to, it looks like an uninstall/reinstall might be may only alternative.

I've got the latest version of OPUS 4.66.5. Everything seems to work okay but if I try to use the Live Weather Locator map it shows 0 Met Stns. I've Rebuilt the Station Data in the Configure dialog window but still no Met Stns being reported or shown on the Locator map. The Wx Map and the LWA Map show the Met Stns fine. How can I fix this problem.

Never mind, I think I've found stumbled by trial and error on how to do this. A step-by-step startup procedure with a reference to where to begin in the sequence for a "short startup" state would be helpful but I haven't been able to find such. (I can't read 1000 pages of manuals (my old brain would forget what I read yesterday)...and I find it very difficult to find stuff in them. I've done keyword searches in all of the manuals for "startup" or "start-up" and haven't found any thing like this....perhaps I'm spoiled by my work in the chemical industry where we had precise, numbered, step-by-step startup and shutdown procedures)

This may have been the key to my problem. I was getting the winds uploaded message but was erroneously assuming that winds were being entered into the FMC automatically I found a YouTube tutorial that showed the correct procedure, starting using it and haven't had any problems since. The FMC accepts my TO and CLM settings and no longer shows insufficient fuel. Thanks for the help.

Sorry for the omissions Here's my work flow Set fuel amount through FMC FS ACTIONS (use PFPX estimated fuel) Setup OPUS weather and initiate weather update, reset Utilimate Traffic 2 to have AI use best runway based on OPUS weather. Start ProATC/X flight, ask for clearance then load flight plan into FMC. Press DEP/APR and select takeoff runway, SID and transition given in PFPX flight plan (sometimes have to change later if ProATC gives a different SID) Activate and Exec Go to PERF INIT screen. It is pre-populated with all values (I'm not sure the source). I accept defaults but then revise ZFW to agree with PFPX and set a lower Reserve Fuel so as not to get a insufficient fuel message) Then go to the THRUST LIM page which is showing the default of TO and CLB I press LSK 3L to select TO 1. The FMC screen momentarily blinks (fraction of a second) to show TO 1 and a reduced N1 value but then resorts back to TO and N1 =100.7 I enter assumed temperature in scratch pad and press LSK 1L. Again, the FMC screen momentarily blinks (fraction of a second), shows CLB 1 (or maybe CLB2) and then resorts back to CLB Again, it doesn't always do this. I will try to reproduce again and if possible try to do a screen video capture Thanks Ronnie Pertuit

I'm not sure what I am doing wrong but sometimes when I try to enter the TOPCAT recommended thrust limits the FMC briefly blinks the selection but then quickly resorts back to full thrust. Trying to enter an assumed temperature to reduce the climb thrust does the same thing. The V1, VR and V2 fields are populated but can't be set. The TO N1 field is set at 100.7. I don't get any error messages. Other times, when trying to initiate the same flight it works fine. Has anyone seen this before?

FlightAware's flight analyzer shows the most frequently used route between PAJN and KSEA. GLAZZ1 SNETT MICZI YYJ MARNR5 It's showing numerous recent flights (including today) using that route. But I can't find any listing or information for a GLAZZ1 SID. It is not listed on the official FAA website's list of terminal procedures for PAJN or on other sources of terminal procedures that I use. Anyone know why this is?

Exactly. I'm 66 years old and still learning to fly that 737. Been a student for 25 years or so...good thing I'm not doing this for entertainment otherwise wouldn't have qualified for the student edition.

For that matter I don't need a flight simulator....oops, I almost forgot, I do need a flight simulator since I'm a "student pilot" and not doing this for "entertainment".

All interesting responses but this is a very simple consumer decision. Don't get my wrong, I am not bashing these businesses. They are well within their rights to charge whatever they wish for their products. I have repeatedly been flying a scenario in FSX and then flying the same scenario on Prepar3d and each time asking myself, are the benefits, the improved graphics, increase in stability (but lower frame rates) worth the eventual $400 I would have to pay to get back to where I am in FSX. I'm sure some here will answer with a resounding yes. Personally, I don't think so. I don't see the additional $400 in value but if these vendors can convince enough people that the value is there...more power to them.

After researching the benefits of Prepar3d I decided to purchase and convert. In the research I did do, there were discussions about how well add-ons performed etc and most indications were that the add-ons performed well but for whatever reason, in all of the reviews I read, I never caught the point that for a growing number of add-ons the publishers are making the business decision to require a complete repurchase of their product to use in Prepar3d. Here's the breakdown for the products I use the most: PMDG NXG 737 - $89.99 PMDG 777 - $134.99 A2A Cessna 182 Skylane - $49.99 Flight 1 FTN 750 $ 64.95 Real Air Turbine Duke - $0.00 (no need to repurchase for use in Prepar3d) Prepar3D - $59.95 So the total cost for me to convert and retain the same capabilities as I currently have in FSX is $399.87. I really like Prepar3D but now that I am retired and on a fixed income budget this is much to rich for my blood so I will not be converting after all. To their credit, Lockheed Martin has a 60 day refund policy and I am in the process of requesting a refund on my purchased Prepar3D. I think this is a critical consideration that has been lost in many of the conversations and discussions about converting to Prepar3D so I offer it here for those considering converting.

After researching the benefits of Prepar3d I decided to purchase and convert. In the research I did do, there were discussions about how well add-ons performed etc and most indications were that the add-ons performed well but for whatever reason, in all of the reviews I read, I never caught the point that for a growing number of add-ons the publishers are making the business decision to require a complete repurchase of their product to use in Prepar3d. Here's the breakdown for the products I use the most: PMDG NXG 737 - $89.99 PMDG 777 - $134.99 A2A Cessna 182 Skylane - $49.99 Flight 1 FTN 750 $ 64.95 Real Air Turbine Duke - $0.00 (no need to repurchase for use in Prepar3d) Prepar3D - $59.95 So the total cost for me to convert and retain the same capabilities as I currently have in FSX is $399.87. I really like Prepar3D but now that I am retired and on a fixed income budget this is much to rich for my blood so I will not be converting after all. To their credit, Lockheed Martin has a 60 day refund policy and I am in the process of requesting a refund on my purchased Prepar3D. I think this is a critical consideration that has been lost in many of the conversations and discussions about converting to Prepar3D so I offer it here for those considering converting.

Setting thrust lever override to NEVER did not help. I'm actually loading a saved "mid-air" flight where it is transitioning from the STAR to the approach. So the FMC is not starting from the very beginning (takeoff, climb etc). It's starting from where it was when I saved the flight. I didn't use the SAVE STATE in the CDU but only FSX's SAVE. I now suspect this to be the source of the problem. I'll experiment some more. I'll post any findings. Thanks.

Thanks. I will give that a try. I actually followed the instructions in the tutorial that says that once the PFD shows the throttle to be in IDLE mode, to move my physical throttle to idle also...which I did. (I thought it said that this was "real life" ...i.e. moving the physical throttle to idle when the flight computer put the autothrottle to idle)

On final approach onto RW35L at DFW. I am trying to do a "by the book" landing based on the information in Tutorial 1. After VNAV slows me down to 210 (flaps 1 extended) I pressed the speed knob to get into speed intervention mode. I have SPD, LOC and G/S activated (in green) on the PFD. I lower the gear and I dial in 172 knots and extend flaps 5. The plane begins to slow but before reaching 172 the speed jumps irratically and won't slow any more. I extend speed breaks, dial in 154 and begin extending flaps to produce as much drag as I can. I extend all the way to flaps 30., The plane is accelerating, the autothrottle is calling for more power with N1 climbing past 57 I checked to see if I accidentally hit the TO/GA button. The PFD is still displaying G/S mode, not TO/GA. I'm sure this is pilot error but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I'm using REX Essential Plus for my weather and the weather at DFW is thundershowers with winds at 350 deg at 9 kts (yes I know, I'm landing with the wind but my FMC was already programmed for 35L and I wouldn't think 9 kts tailwind would be a big problem...certainly not one that would cause autothrottle to throttle up while I'm calling for a slower speed thru speed intervention) Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? I checked the "bug file" and didn't see anything indicating any bug in this area.

I think I've solved my problem. On the PMDG site there was reference to a similar situation by a customer with the B 747. The response was that it might be controller (joystick, throttle etc) noise. I don't remember the technical reasoning but anyone interested can go to their site.. I removed a USB hub that all of my controllers were connected through and connected all of them directly to the USB ports on the PC. I also, recalibrated all devices. I've now made one fully successful flight and I'm in the middle of another this no problems of any kind. Seems like this was the fix. Thanks

I'm not sure what you mean by "weather engine" but I did not have ANY weather programs running and, as per the Tutorial 1 instructions, I had stock FSX clear skies with no wind. This morning I loaded a route that I had created in NGX FMC. It flew fine from KSEA to KSFO, again with clear skies and no wind, until somewhere on the STAR at which point the autopilot and autothrottle stopped tracking the FMC . Even a simple hold heading, hold altitude and hold speed would not work with the autopilot/throttle. In this case I was able to turn off the autopilot/throttle and it's warning alarm and was able to manually land. I'm running on a new system I just built running Windows 7 64 bit, Hazwell i7-4770k overclocked to 4.4 GHz, ASUS Maximus VI HERO motherboard with ASUS GTX 780 graphics card and 8 Gigs of ram.

It went nuts on me too. I was flying Tutorial 1 through FMC control. First it started to veer off course when I tried to correct it went into a steep dive. I would get it stable, put it back on autopilot, again a steep dive. I fought it for 10 minutes or so and then gave up. Is there anyway to shut off the autopilot / autothrottle alarm. I acknowledge with the master alarm button but this wouldn't shut if off. I would always have to put it back on autopilot/autothrottle to shut the alarm after which it would go nuts again. There was no way I could tell to fly it manually without the alarm driving me nuts. For the most expensive add-on I've ever purchased...it's really, really disappointing.

I use REX Essential Plus for my weather. Since reinstalling my entire FSX softwware/add-ons to a new SSD drive I have the same problem. On final at maybe 1000 feet (not sure), the GA plane violently lurches both vertically and laterally. I can usually recover but it ruins the emersion. I don't recall having this problem in my previous install. Probably should have listened to the old adage...if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I've given up on the FeelThere ERJ. I've purchased many a third party product. This is the first one I've truely regret having spent money on. Besides the little nuisances like the TOC continuously diplaying, several of us have problems with loosing the window "focus". In the middle of a flight we loose the ability to click on any button or knob in the virtual cockpit. We posted requests for assistance on the support forum but all we got were some condescending and terse replies about how we weren't using the forum correctly. Some how I've solved the problem with loosing the window "focus" (not sure how) but still the control points appears to be so small that I can't keep the cursor on them to rotate knobs for example. It is total frustration and not a joy to fly like PMDG, Flight1 or Real Air products (all of which I've purchased and enthusiastically endorse). Sorry I couldn't help with your problem and I do wish you the best with the product but I did want to give those considering the ERJ at least one persons negative views on the product and on the company.

Does the forum rules allow consumers to posts problems they are having with software publishers are is this taboo since it will most likely result in negative comments?

I would like to suggest that the demise of FSX and Flight is primarily the fault of us, the consumer and that the solution rest with us as well. Consider the situation with FSX. There appears to be tens of thousands of third party add-ons and products on sale to the flight sim community none of which would be possible if it were not for the base program, Microsoft FSX. A great many of these third party add-ons sell for more than what Microsoft FSX itself sold far and the industry seems to be successful. Microsoft is a public company. This means that the true owners of Microsoft are not the employees, management or the CEO. The true owners are the shareholders. And shareholders buy a company’s stock (i.e. the company itself) for one reason and one reason alone, to make money. This is NOT an evil thing. It is the reality of capitalism. So the owners see a piddling revenue stream coming from their FSX product while this product supports a vast industry of third party-add ons. The revenue stream from the product that makes all of this even possible has essentially dried up and is likely not sufficient to pay for the personnel required for continuing development and improvement. I know what I would do as an owner of Microsoft. I would expect that the people that I hired to run the company (the CEO on down) do something about this and to do it NOW. This is what happened to FSX. The people hired to run the company did then try to do something about this via a closed product, Flight. But they missed the mark and it failed. Now imagine if the owners of Microsoft could see a revenue stream coming in from all of the third party add-ons, perhaps in the way of a modest royalty fee paid by the third party developers and passed on to the consumer…say just a few more dollars per product sale. Wouldn’t that make sense. Wouldn’t it make sense that the industry created by the existence of the base product should help support the base product. Seems like a great solution to me. Perhaps as AVSIM, as a community of the very people that really make it all happen (by buying the products) we could promote this idea. Microsoft could see a continuing revenue stream coming into the company that could support continuing development of FSX. Is this too far fetched?

Rob, thank you for the explanation. I do agree with the other posts that this is a beautifully modelled GA plane and one of the most impressive one's I've purchased. I had never encountered an autopilot such as the KFC225. It was so different from what I was accustomed and for someone like me, the documentation provided, though helpful, was just not sufficient. So what should have been an enjoyable experience turned into a bit of frustration on the lack of instruction. I'm going to guess that inclusion of a link to the Honeywell manual in your documents is probably not a viable option but that manual is helping me understand and feel more confident that I'm using the device correctly. In case other's might find this helpful, here's the link https://www.bendixking.com/servlet/com.honeywell.aes.utility.PDFDownLoadServlet?FileName=/TechPubs/repository/006-18035-0000_1.pdf

PMDG's FMC User's manual is 60 pages in length and has a detailed description of every phase of use (granted it is a lot more complicated than the KFC 225). The real life Honeywells KFC 225 Pilot's Guide is 42 pages in length with a full detailed description of use (I just downloaded it due to the lack of instruction in the RealAir product). RealAir's illustrated autopilot guide is only two pages in length. It labels each button and gives a brief two or three sentence description of each but with essentially no actual instruction on how to use the device. The Turbine Duke/Duke B60 Flying Guides (yes I bought both products) does not provide any instruction on the KFC 225. In my opinion, a two page document which only labels and describes the buttons on such a complex piece of equipment is terribly lacking. I am not a pilot, I've never even sat in a real cockpit. Nor am I a highly experienced FSX hobbiest so I don't have much of any experience to fall back onto in trying to figure these things out on my own. I do know that in EVERY other FSX plane that I've purchased and flown including PMDG's 737, 747 and Aerosofts Beaver and Otter and others as well as countless freeware I can have the autopilot hold altitude while I fly manually. If these are all unrealistic, then I guess I've learned something new again (and I'm a little disappointed with FSX and the other products if this is the case). I'm fine if this is real life. But I've struggle with this for a week searching the internet, trying to fine a user forum etc etc. Better documentation would have helped tremendously. The Honeywell manual will probably help but I'm sure there are elements of the real thing that aren't modeled (like the pitch (PIT) attitude hold mode) that I'll just have to discover by trial and error. .