mnmon

I've only had RC for a week now and can never see going back to the old FS ATC. It's not that the voices themselves are bad, it's the way the phrasing and words are linked together. JD has indicated that they will work on the issue. In the meantime I read a hint that worked well for me: In DirectX turn down the hardware acceleration a notch on the sound page. Worked for me as the timing of the speech seems to flow a bit better now. Now, I just have to figure out why that fellow with a British accent keeps getting hired at all the mid-America centers instead of more of those ladies with the great Southern accent. :D Mike

Yes, but I'm trying to cut down on what RC4 does, unchecking would not affect that would it? Mike

I never use the African or Asian scenery, would there be any problems in just deleting those folders? I do put in new AFCADs on a regular basis and now I have to wait a long time for RC4 to update it's files which includes areas I never fly in. Mike

I actually got rid of all my crossing runway AFCADS. While it really smoothed out the traffic, it got a bit weird when they all were landing from every direction and the wind was 270@30kts; especially strange in Denver. I have found that in places like Denver with parallel runways a solution is to close one set of runways to landing. That way, landing aircraft use one runway(s) and takeoff(s) on another. much more realistic. The ultimate answer, of course, is for FS to improve its internal AI protocols. Mike

John, 1) I always use ASV and it is the first thing up and running before even starting FS. I have the 'refresh AI' option checked, but I'll try again by doing it manually. Just saw that FSUIPC 3.51 had an issue with wind vectors, could this have messed up RC? I'm getting 3.52 now. 2) Don't know what to say about the near miss. I received the 'taxi and hold' command just as I was nearing the runway and still rolling. I had done my pre-takeoff check while taxiing so I just continued onto the runway. I guess it pays to use your eyes and not just your ears :-) But, thought you would still want to know about the situation for future reference. Denver has always been a issue for me in terms of AI, large amount of traffic and many runways. I don't have a crossing runways AFCAD in case you're wondering. Mike

Just tried another flight and had a good improvement with views by keeping Advdisp undocked, and the voices much better by reducing the acceleration in DX.Two strange things: leaving Denver, RC had all the traffic taking off and landing on north bound runways with the wind at 190@10 kts. Second, I was ordered to taxi into position and hold, just as I did, an ERJ swooped over the top and landed ahead of me on the runway.How does RC handle multiple runways and does it get overwhelmed at large airports?? Mike

I've been hinting about how I need to get rid of my old analog CH yoke and pedals and get a USB version, and now you want me to tell my wife I need another monitor also?? :-eek I really don't have a death wish! Wish there was a good solution to this issue; it's really the only disappointment with RC for me. Mike

No problems with RC per se; really good in terms of an actual ATC! However there were video problems: I discovered with my first RC flight last night (PMDG 737) that when I went to start the engines I usually have the throttle quadrant open with the main panel so I can see when to open the fuel levers. I moved the throttle quad around for re-positioning and the whole panel display went distorted for about 4 seconds with AdvDis open. Looking at side views is ok, but I do get some flashing when I do that. Finally, when I went to shut down FS I got a blank screen. Hitting CTRL-ALT-Del to bring up the task manager restored everything. ADvdisp definitely seems to be doing some strange things video-wise. Nvidia 256 MB card with drivers about 6 months old. Mike

Other than getting RC4, which I just tried last night and is a breath of fresh air in terms of ATC, try this: when it's obvious that the FS ATC is doing weird things just go ahead and fly the published approach. Eventually I've found the ATC will catch up with you when it discovers you are on the proper approach and will suddenly clear you to intercept the localizer and contact tower. The down side is you have to ignore all those annoying "please expedite your turn...." calls. Mike

Thanks, that helps! I tend to do more Caribbean destinations as winter settles in the northeast. Wishful thinking! ;-) Mike

I was setting up a flight from Miami to Kingston, Jamaica and suddenly was hit with a dilemma: Are US airlines allowed overflight of Cuba? I didn't think so, but was not sure. It makes about a 200 nm difference on that particular trip. Mike

I can confirm that this is *NOT* a PMDG problem! I have this effect in EVERY aircraft at various times. I always fly with ASV loaded with the latest weather and always make sure the pitots are heated. The problem shows up when through clouds, or near certain thunderstorms, I get the airpeed indcator going to zero until I pass through the conditions. I haven't figured out what FS9 is doing in terms of circumstances that trigger this. But, it just happened yesterday with the Flight1 MD80. I have an unregistered FSUIPC so I don't know if it has a fix, but I've just assumed it's a bug within FS9, and have lived with it. Mike

I don't have any comment on the Lago, but I've had the Flight 1 MD80 for about 2 weeks now. It's growing on me :-) There is some issues, as was mentioned. However, I expect a service release soon, and I believe when that is done then the CD version will be available. I would say wait until the next release then go grab it. Mike

Just from another user's perspective, that's one issue that never even came to my attention. The reverse thrust from a purely subjective viewpoint seems fine to me. When something bothers me about an aspect of an aircraft's performance I usually get a "gut" feeling first, then check it out more closely by the numbers. I haven't been 'motivated' to do such with regard to reverse thrust on the 727. BTW, the brakes groaning is a *really* nice extra on this plane! Mike

I, too, have been waiting eagerly for RC 4 for over a year. I just looked at the demo videos a day ago and was immediately put off by the voices. There is no doubt at all that it detracts from the overall experience. However, after watching all three videos I soon found myself comparing how well RC handles all the ATC aspects, especially compared to the absolutely awful default FS. I'm going to order RC today. I would suggest to the makers of RC that for v4.1 they find some of those talented people out there who can truly edit sound files. I can understand that the developer's first priority is to deliver a viable ATC environment. Next, they can clean up the wav file meshing. Mike

I'm really confused as to what the issue here is:1) Is it that when turning and viewing the plane from spot view that the nose wheel doesn't actually turn on the model?OR2) That while in the cockpit and taxiing, the 747 actually doesn't make a turn when the control inputs should make it turn? I have the 747 and have found that the 747 seems to taxi very nicely as long as one remembers that the nose wheel is a significant distance behind you on the plane. i.e. you have to "lead" the plane in a turn where sometimes the cockpit is extending beyond the taxiway but the nosewheel is still on the tarmac. If it's the animation issue, I haven't noticed it, but that's because I don't usually watch my turns from spot view. If the nosewheel is not rotating, then it's a bug; and to me a very minor one in terms of performance, but I can understand those who would be upset from an aesthetic standpoint. Mike

This whole discussion reminds of the thread that came up earlier this week about the visual approach to Rwy 13R at JFK. There was even an article about it in the latest issue of Flying magazine by an ATP. It's a totally hand flown affair into one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. I'm not a real world pilot (currently), though many years ago I did fly C150's and C172's. I also deal with computers and complex machinery in my professional life (experimental physics). From both experiences I can say that always relying on techonology will surely bite you in the a**; usually at the most inopportune times. My old CFI would always tell me to spend the cruise portion of the flight thinking about how to handle different scenarios when things start breaking in the plane. In my current real life I have to continually deal with students who claim that because the "computer gave them a number, it must be right". I wouldn't want any of them to be in the left seat of a flight I'm on. Mike

Talk about synchronicity. Just this morning I was looking through the latest issue of Flying where there's an article about exactly this approach. The author was amused by the fact that a 747 crew spends 8 hours flying via FMC, LNAV and VNAV, then spends the last 10 minutes of the flight on this approach entirely with yoke, rudder and throttle at 800 ft before final. Mike

I completely understand F1's concern with pirating and their lock out makes more sense to me now. In fact, I had a heated discussion with my 19 yr old nephew this past holiday about his pirating of software. He was of the opinion that he wasn't hurting anybody, and "that they made enough money anyway". An unfortunate view held by many nowadays. I just finished by telling him that he will eventually be on the other side looking in, and then we will find out if his opinion had changed. I'll keep a close eye here at avsim on the MD80 reports, and make my decision based on those. Mike

I just discovered this lock out of the tech support for the MD80 this afternoon. I've been waiting a looooong :9 time for an MD80 and am very excited about this release. In fact, I was about 98% ready to pull out the ol' credit card when I discovered the "lock out". Woah, baby! I don't ever recall this happening before from other payware aircraft, so my only thought was, "What have they got to hide?" I've now put back the credit card until I see some more user reports. Their policy may have lost a sale; at least for the time being. Most reports in this thread have been positive, but...... Mike

That's good to hear. Did you hand fly an approach? That's where I've found most of the flight model issues show up, from bad lift vector numbers to CG configuration issues. If it sways like a drunken pirate with too much rum on final I know something is amiss. I wouldn't expect it to fly like a 737; and would be disappointed if it did. But I do expect, especially with payware, a flight model that conforms to the basic physics of flight. Been burned too many times before with payware not to be cautious. Mike

Everyone has been commenting on graphics and sounds, etc. What about the flight model??? I can live with minor graphics flaws, etc. but the one thing that has deleted more payware from my hard drive is the flight model. Anyone done a few stalls, steep turns, and *hand* flown an ILS approach??? Inquiring minds want to know :-) Mike

Always. I turn off the A/T after reaching about 10,000 ft, but let the AP handle the altitude until establishing the localizer and gear flaps set, then I take over. I actually let the AP do one approach until 200 ft AGL after having a go-around due to a very gusty and tough crosswind. but that's one time out of at least a hundred approaches. Mike

Yes, Feelthere has a 145 out. I have it and it's ok. It does the systems fairly well, but there something very odd about the flight model. At approach speeds it tends to yaw a lot unles you have the AP engaged until about 200 feet. I read from a developer that such action is an indication of a problem with the moments of inertia being set wrong in the air file. It's a decent plane if all you care about is letting the AP fly the entire flight for you. More on-topic: a PMDG regional jet would be great, and yes, I would also pay for a service update on the 737. Mike

I think this is the crux of the issue; without the add-ons MSFS is nothing more than another game. It's the outside development that makes it into a simulation. I was just in a store the other day and saw the xbox; the graphics are stunning! Having that power in the flight sim would be fantastic. But, without my PMDG737, ASV, etc, I can't see going to xbox being worth the enhanced graphics ability. Mike