elprim

So how is it like to make an aircraft on xplane platform from a developer point of view? Is it generally easier than FSX/P3D? Do you have more options? Do you still have to apply many programming tricks to bypass limitations or does it work better out of the box? Is it more satisfying and rewarding to program for x-plane? Being a developer myself (not FS) I would like to hear some comparison and verdict from PMDG programmers. Daniel Sagner

Just build a config with Haswell I7-4770k on Asus Z87-C motherboard. What's driving me crazy is the CPU cooler Thermaltake CL-P0607 NIC C4 4in1. Both fans are running full speed all the time. The noise is like in a real plane :( . I changed bios settings on „silent“ or „manual“ but it does not respond at all. Tried also with Asus Fan Xpert. The connector has three pins while mobo has four, so I guess there's no help. Does anyone have some suggestion? One would expect this class of coolers to have better controls. CPU temperature is about 28C(80F) while running Xplane (in a cold room), so that is not the issue. (With such low temperatures I am tempted to remove both fans and leave it just to passive cooling at least before summer comes.) Thank you Daniel

Yeah, weather, seasons, torque bug are on my top list too. Everybody wants ATC&AI but I think there would be too much effort needed to make a satisfying intelligent voice communication with pilot, taking into account AI, weather, SIDs, STARs etc. Projects like this are called Expert systems for human-computer interaction and are quite complex and to me it seems it still lies in the future. (Then again, I never tried VOX-ATC and the like; maybe the future is closer than I think) Daniel

Is Nvidia also preferred choice for Xplane (like for FSX) or is Radeon fine too?

If you have FSX nicely set up and spent much money on many add-ons, it's logical if you hesitate to even think about Xplane. It would have to be significantly better in all aspect to make the shift, and right now it doesn't seem so much better. But what would you recommend to someone brand new in FS world trying to decide about the platform, and didn't yet spend on anything except good hardware? Would Xplane be the natural choice instead of so much tweaking, modifications, and limitations when going down the FSX/P3D route? Daniel

I was flying on this route in real life few years ago (as a passenger of course) and I can tell you first hand it looks very realistic. Dan

Thank you, I have a much clearer perspective now. Looks really promissing. Downloading demo... Daniel

Thank you all. One more question before downloading demo: What is the quality of the planes, both default and payware? On the scale 1-10 if you give a 10 to top fsx planes (PMDG, Majestic), how would you rate best x-planes? Somewhere around 5-6 or even more? I would be satisfied with one decent GA and one Heavy. I'am not one of those having 30 birds in hangar and hardly ever flying most of them. I like to go deeper into the systems and flying techniques (if I bite into this I have a feeling I will sorely miss NGX and similar quality planes - or am I wrong?).

Hi I am one of long-time FSX users who is close to become a convert. Five months ago I installed Win 8 on a new SSD and reinstalled all my software except – FSX. I simply can't find time and energy for one-week adventure of installing, tweaking, testing etc. I have been away for enough time that I can't even figure out how to use search on this forum so I will take the liberty to ask few simple questions even if they have been answered before: Are Saitek Pro Flight yoke/pedals supported? Does it suffer from the dreadful disappearing joystick bug in Win8 like FSX? Please open Specs of my PC on the left. :blush2: Yes, I know, it sucks, it's 4 years old. Do you think however the performance and scenery details would show at least on the level of default FSX? Demo: is it always current or do I have to upgrade after installing? Thank you. I’ll soon dive deeper in this forum and avoid recurring questions. Daniel S.

For taxiing i use the combination of charts (printed, or on the laptop or tablet if you can afford it) and top-down view (some combination of S and A keys, I'm sure you know it). Sometimes I stick my nose in the screen trying to see the taxiway names :-) For planning: Besides popular FSBuild there is Real-World Flightplan Database (http://www.edi-gla.co.uk/fpl/login.php?go=/fpl/index.php) but I use mostly Vroute. The free version gives you route, waypoints, METAR, and the payware adds winds, fuel, export to FMC etc. DS

Not that I'm complaining, Avsim is a free service after all, but as a DB professional, may I suggest you revise your backup policy. For whatever reason the forum system becomes unusable, loosing four days of many interesting messages/threads is disappointing to many users. Thank you for you efforts...

I have been trying hard to get used to it, but still fly mostly without it. I don't mind wearing a hat, and have no technical problem. What annoys me is the angle of vision. I can't move my head to see the whole overhead panel and then move it to see the whole pedestal (in heavies). So I jump on my seat, tilting my head in all directions, probably looking very funny, but no luck. I could increase the angle in the driver, but then it is way too sensitive. I agree it's much better suited for g/a.

I also got ransomware recently. After fighting with Kaspersky Rescue, Spyhunter, MS Defender for couple of hours, I suddenly got revelation and did a System Restore to a day before. Hope it can help you too.

And here's one more vote for vroute premium. Bought it last week, got 20% off (18 Euros). Huge database of flight plans, decent fuel calculator, METAR, winds enroute predictions, fuel burn, export to most add-ons, map, info about real-world flights on a selected route, automatic Vatsim booking, info about charts, sceneries and ATC bookings etc. Very useful if one does not predominantly fly in the areas covered with Flightaware. As most here, I am too in a row for pfpx to be out in some 2-3 months. Let's see... Daniel

Make sure that there is a tick in the Reverse box for both brake axes.

Thanks Jerry, that will hopefully be just what I am looking for.Probably before Christmas 2011, they say. Great.

HiAlmost every other day there is a post about flight planning, so I'll take my turn to complain a bit. There are many sources of more or less accurate plans on the Web, but what I would like to see is good flight preparation software. I am talking here about airliners, not VFR.First I visit edi-gla.co.uk for a plan. Vroute is also a great source and can also export and print nice log.Then I copy/paste the plan in simroutes.com. It also generates a log, but what I love is the map at the bottom. I can zoom it and see every town and village I will be flying over, and I just love to have this „spatial awareness“, knowing exactly where I fly at any moment.Next I make a fuel plan at fuel.aerotexas.com, unfortunately lacking the option to adjust the weight, pax+cgo.Finally it's time for the excellent TopCat, to determine runways with headwind, check the fuel, and calculate speeds (though FMS onboard does this anyway.)Each program has some excellent feature not seen in other ones. Wouldn’t it be nice to have just one good software for flight planning and preparation? It does not have to include charts; it would be too complicated and chart resources are all over the web. The only input would maybe be reading the aircraft.cfg data (one-time), and output the FMC file for a few popular birds.Vroute premium comes somewhat close, and Fsbuild can do some nice job though it's somewhat oldish. FS Commander is nice, the map reminds me of the forgotten FSNav, but lacks many features.Now I read in a forum there is something in development. There was even a web-page. I forgot what it was but hopefully some clever boy will come up with something that would save us some time and make flight preparation simpler.Am i complicating things too much? Anyone has a better solution or advice?Daniel

Mine was PMDG 737NG in 2005. Before I was a hard core GA fan. I thought airliners simulations were unrealistic and meant for kids to play captains.Then one day, on a FS newsgroup I was following, a regular contributor, real world 737 captain, did not make a post for two weeks and everybody asked him where he went. He said he did not have time to post because he was immersed in flying this new 737NG. So I thought, well if rw pilot is so enthusiastic about it then it must be something, and I did my first purchase and my fs world changed.Now I rarely go out of my MD and NGX any more.Daniel

I am probably the only one left that did not say a big thank you to PMDG (shame on me), so I am saying it now. I got it on Aug-17 I think it has Hotfix 3 built in, and I load it with everything I have, airports, ASE, FSRecorder, TrackIR, switched in- and out-views, went to FS menu repeatedly, and no CTD, no freezes, simply rock solid on my very modest system. To be honest I am afraid of SP1 :) Daniel

>> "what programs etc; I require to fly on-line with Vatsim." SquakBox or FSInn (but you probably know that already?) >> "I meant reactivating my membership " Open a ticket at http://membership.vatsim.net/user/ Hope it helps

I calibrated it in FSX only - no Saitek drivers, no fsuipc - and I don't notice any tendency to roll left or right. The review does not mention any of the problems reported on various forums: too stiff yoke springs, many problems, even CTDs with drivers, cheap potentiometers that wear off too soon etc. I have ProFlight for 5 months now and basically I am happy with it, but also somewhat worried that, according to other users experiences, it won't last very long. I also do not like those plastic screws that hold the yoke/quadrant to the table. I already kicked them hard with my knees and if (when) they break, how am I gonna replace them? I wish they were metal.

Thanks Paul, anything that helps us learn more is appreciated. Daniel

So, you think this RouteFinder program is sufficient? I know that for flying it's the same - the actual or invented route: doesn't really matter if one waypoint is 10 miles east or west. But It's the immersion factor ("I fly exactly the route a real world airline does"). For me it's the same with liveries: you don't really need them to enjoy flying & learning, but the child in us likes to have the "real" feeling. Anyway I wish to thank you all for flight plans and suggested links. Now I have some food for FMC. Daniel

For U.S. it's easy: go to FlightAware. But I would like to fly over Europe and since here are some RW pilots on the forum, I would be obliged if someone posts a few plans. (The FP forum down bellow seems not very active). I am interested in some recent Ryanair flights, since their routes are great to practice flying NGX: not longer than 3 to 3.5 hrs, cover all Europe, the only thing is if you fly on AVSIM you can't hope for much ATC on Ryanair's small obscure airports (with exception EGSS and a few others). AirBerlin and TuiFly plans are also very much welcome. Thanks Daniel S.

I would also like to know about that Algerian scenery. Tamanrasset was a test airfield for ngx and funny coincidence is that I have flown there (with Air Algerie of course) back in the eighties. It was a former Foreign Legion outpost. I spent almost two years there.Daniel