schmeeling

Cheers from another appreciative customer as well. Very nicely done!

What a tremendous piece of work this is. A bit advanced for me at this point (which was exactly the point!). Thanks very much.

I've set up a flight from CYVR to CYYC: CYVR-HUH-J534-IWACK-J503-YDC-J504-OPALE . Offline, no Radar Contact.Leaving YVR, all of the available SID's end in "Vectors" (which shows up as "MANUAL" in the FMC). Solved easy enough by a direct to HUH.On the approach however, the OPALE7 STAR itself is discontinuous. For example the approach to RWY16 has a turn to the north after MOGOT, followed by "vectors" (controlling the flight north and the 180deg turn back toward RW160). Within the FMC and on the ND this shows up as a gap in the flightplan.Any suggestions on how "best" to handle this?Would also appreciate any feedback on Radar Contact, given I typically simulate about 1.5 hour flights?Thanks,

...just awesome. Thanks.Looking forward to tutorial no. 2.I've been through the manuals but don't find any info to support flight planning (fuel, reduced thrust). Any thoughts?

Another satisfied customer here!A few more comments:- I've a P4-2.6 with 1GB and a 6600GT (i.e. nothing fancy these days). Frames are 20+, and numbers aside, are perfectly acceptable to my eyes- Cockpit "clickology" is outstanding. Startup tests etc. etc. are fantastic. I would say a definite step up on the LDS (I don't own the PMDG747 so can't comment)- In cockpit visuals are outstanding. Exterior visuals seem great to me, but I don't spend much time out there so...- I love the Coolsky MD, but this is materially better in my view- FMC implementation does not "seem" as polished as the LDS, and requires a bit more fussing with files, but it's plenty well developed and implemented and the necessary utilities are included and work well. There are currently some slightly flaky bits with VNAV DESC, which are under discussion with the developer, but they are not material (in my opinion) to current enjoyment.- The config/load manager is tops, and includes an integrated fuel planner, route planner, livery and config selector etc. It seems you have to start fresh from the desktop each time, and there's a poorly described trick about a "default flight" that you need to use (or there's a different poorly described trick I haven't found yet!), but it works great and is more a case of it being "different" than I'm used to, not "bad" in any way.- I understand there's an issue with FSUICP and calibrating throttle axis' only. I don't have a CH Quadrant thingy (just a single axis throttle) so unchecking a box was all it took for me. This *may* vary for others. - well implemented interaction with flight crew and ground crew, incl. passenger boarding announcements, takeoff announcements, well implemented push-back, etc. Very immersive.- very detailed tutorial.- I make 1-2 hour flights typically. The MD is the "right" size for this (always seemed "wrong" to me to buy the Queen just to hop about).I like having a VC too, but it doesn't come with one. This is very clear to all pre-purchase. I do not understand why folks who do not want to buy a product without a VC are so bent out of shape, and need to keep reminding everyone how bent they are. If a complex add-on that costs $XX is too expensive if FOR YOU it doesn't include a VC then.... don't... buy.... it.... and go spend some time in a thread about an add-on you actually care about! In summary:- what they say is included is included, and is fantastic, and worth the money.- what they say is not included, is not included.My advice: if the described features suit your taste, buy it for those features and enjoy (like me!). If the promised VC comes along later (or sooner)... super. Bonus. Yippee. I paid almost this much for cab fare, a beer and a stale sandwich on my last real flight, all for the privilege of being uncomfortable for 5 hours after a 3 hour delay. I'll have enjoyed my money's worth in 2D long before the VC does (or doesn't) materialize.

Another vote for a separate forum. I, for one, don't intend on jumping ship to FSX right away anyway.

I tried the FS2Crew add-on, but for me it actually lessens my immersion as I spend more thought on managing the sequence of the FS2 and don't find myself as immersed in the flying (too little to do...)This is not a dig at FS2Crew, which seems to be universally enjoyed and is clearly a great piece of work. Just not the thing for me I guess.

Thanks for the early comments. To clarify my request:I own the 767 and the 727 (amongst a bunch of other stuff), and am about ready to cave in to another. Among the 747F, Super80, SSTSIM and perhaps the herc, which would you advise as the "best next" (not next best!) purchase, and why? Thanks

I'm a happy owner of both the LDS and the DF727. I'm thinking about one of the PMDG747F and the Super80 or SSTSIM (for different reasons). It seems clear all of the above are fantastic, so what I'm wondering is, given reasonable limits on FS-time, and given the learning commitments etc., is it "worth" adding another similar complex add-on and spending the time learning it properly?- For those that own the 747 and 767, is there anything about the 747 you enjoy significantly enough over the 767 that you'd advise the purchase? i.e. any particular reason you often choose to fly one over the other?- For those that own the 727, Super 80 and/or SSTSIM, same question? Anything in particular that has you flying the SSTSIM or Super80 as a first choice?- Should I just get the Herc instead?Personally, I'm not too concerned about esoteric system "x". I typically fly offline, but following realistic flight plans, departures, approaches, checklists etc. as closely as possible. With the LDS I get the satisfaction of "being" a virtual pilot using current technology. With the DF727, there's just so much to DO (a good thing) and I'll typically fly 1-2 hr hops, so there's "Never a dull moment".Finally, I'm not planning to flip to FSX in the immediate term so dropping another $50 on FS9 isn't a major concern.Thanks in advance.

I don't mean the following to dispute the enjoyment that FS2Crew brings lots of people. It is a very well written program, works great, and works exactly as advertised. Fantastic manual and tutorial too. I don't dispute any of the comments below.I'm pretty "hard-core": I do flight and fuel planning, fly real routes, follow SIDs, STARs and approaches, etc.However I personally found that in a weird way it actually reduced my experience of "realism". Operating the add-on, especially with the need to maintain the proper button sequencing etc., I found myself following a script and thinking more about the add-on itself, rather than getting deeply immersed in the sim itself.Put another way, I found that the "accuracy" was very high, but the reduction in virtual workload made everything a bit too easy. Without FS2Crew, the need to manage all the work of multiple folks, flip all the switches, program the FMC, and stay ahead of everything during the whole flight is probably less accurate, but for me it keeps the intensity up and keeps my head "in" the sim more.Super product, but not necessarily for everyone (or every "hard-core") perhaps.

Avsim did a great review which finally got me on board: http://www.avsim.com/pages/0106/3scene/3scene.htm The review is educational and spot on in its recommendations.I purchased the LOD8 (153m mesh) for all of North America (link: http://www.fsgenesis.com/Merchant2/merchan...gory_Code=153m), and the LOD10 mesh for the Canadian Cordillera (the rockies and west) (link: http://www.fsgenesis.com/Merchant2/merchan...gory_Code=38DEM ) where I live and do my virtual flying.The difference is astounding and although I've not measured the framerate hit (if any) I've certainly not noticed any. It is certainly nothing like the hit sometimes undergone using addon scenery (airports, etc.).Actually I'm currently using FSG, UT and BEV. My rig is a P4-2600 w/ 1MB and a nVidia 6800GT, locked at 25fps. My vastly improved "terrain" does not appear to have noticeably affected my performance.Cheap too, relatively speaking.

I'm going to try to build a sheet as well, but need to find some time to get the table data inputted.In the meantime, I do the following using the QRH (Quick Reference Handbook) charts (charts quoted are for the -200). It's a fair bit of work, but I think the DF727's appeal is the "workload simulation" it offers. And I fly the same route alot, so I don't do this every flight! Warning: I'm not a pilot or a precision fanatic, so don't be using anything I write below in your REAL 727. I've also got to do a few more hauls to tune this up a bit. That said, I'm happy for any comments/advice.Setup1. Using flight planner of choice choose a flight distance and cruise altitude2. Use the 727 Configuration Manager to determine Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW)3. Estimate total fuel using 1000#/25nm ave. (Fuel = dist*1000/25). Add to ZFW to get estimated Take-off Gross Weight (TOGW). Cruise Fuel4. Use "5.6 Enroute Climb" to calc fuel burned and dist in climb.5. Use "5.11 Descent" to calc fuel burned and dist in descent.6. Cruise distance = Total - Climb - Descent. Use "5.8 Max Cruise 0.78" to calc. fuel in cruise (Cruise Dist / Specific Range)Additions7. Alternate: allow Dist/200*1208. APU: allow 20min each end @ 4.8#/min = 200#9. Taxi: allow 10min each end @ 60#/min = 1200#Total10. Sum it all up and add 10% to get total. Add to ZFW to get actual TOGWSpeeds etc. 11. Use "5.1 V-speeds" to get speeds. 12. Use "5.3 TO Power" to get TO EPR . 13. Use "5.5 Climb EPR" to get climb EPR at various altitudes.14. Use "5.15 Manouver Speeds" to get Flap Retraction SpeedsI'd be happy to post an example if anyone's interested.

Well I went and got both.FS2-LDS is an amazing piece of work, but doesn't do it for me. But this post is not meant as a comparison between two great products but as an opportunity to give a huge thumbs up to the DF727. In fact I own everything else I mention below, use them regularly, and wouldn't want to have to rank them in order of preference.The DF727 flies great, and is a switch-flicker's dream! Amazing to see how much effort is now saved by technology. I find that flying it has that great "can't put my finger on it" feel that other top addons pull off somehow (LDS767, B200, ATR) - it's simultaneously fast, slippery and heavy (or something).The workload is huge (in a good way): the radios don't even have standby frequencies, so even crossing a VOR takes a fair bit of thinking. Combine that with trying to stay on top of a Flight Director which does not necessarily match the AP.... A repeated theme in many manuals is "stay ahead of the aircraft" - certainly more true here than anything else I own.I'm babbling, but perhaps can sum up as follows: the immersion, entertainment and feeling that "I've really got a lot to learn before anybody should let me sit in the front seat" is as strong with this as anything else I've owned to date.Any "serious" simmer who finds themselves a bit bored once and a while with how "easy" the more modern machines appear to be to get from place to place REALLY ought to grab this one now. I of course mean no disrespect to the people who fly the real birds!

Actually I've owned the LDS for a while and think it's outstanding. Love taking it fom cold and dark to the air. The flight itself is a bit dull will all the technology helping, so I often hand fly at least the climb out and approach (not that the autoland isn't totally cool!) and try to keep to reasonable length routes.So is it a more complete and authentic 767 experience I want, or a authentic hand-flown (navigated anyway) jet experience? Both of course!From everything I've read, both are outstanding. Time limits me to one or the other for a while anyway...Appreciate any further thoughts.

... can't decide... don't have time to learn both...A choice between more clickology and more realism......doh...I've d/l'd both F1 wrappers, now which to click?

Thanks for the great responses, and a great question regarding "feel".I would respond as follows: From cold-and-dark to parked-and-shutdown I find the Aeroworx B200 feels different than the ATR, which feels different than the 767. I own and enjoy all, and don't really compare between them, and I select my flight-du-jour based on...???Effectively each add-on models (very well) a class of aircraft which feels different to me the desktop pilot. In the real world the 767 is a different class than the 737, but I'm wondering if there's a tangible difference to how it feels (that word again) to fly the virtual models.Seems a bit woo-woo as I read my comments, but I think feel is what separates the PMDG/LDS/ATR/B200/(your choice here) from the others. Rather than a list of features, I would list items of importance (to me) as:- start-up and set-up complexity and accuracy (more=better)- the "feel" of hand-flying a take-off and transitioning to AP-LNAV- the "feel" of flying an approach, slowing down, adding flaps etc. both with and w/o AP- the "work flow" of moving from sub-panel to sub-panel during these efforts (I'm mostly a 2D guy)If the 737 handles just like the 767, with similar functionality, then maybe something else. If it "feels" noticeably different, then Westjet here I come!

I certainly mean no disrespect to any developer, and apologize if this wasn't an appropriate spot to pose the question. I was hoping that those frequenting this forum would be "users" and I wouldn't be inciting any "Curly's better than Moe" controversies.It's clear from all of the reviews I've read that the NG is universally enjoyed and respected. I suppose my comparison was meant to be less a PMDG/LDS comparison, as a question of whether a well developed 737NG "feels" much different than a well developed 767.Thanks for your response.

Hi all.I'm a happy user of several complex add-ons, incl. the ATR and the LDS767. I really enjoy the 767, but given time real-world time constraints, I tend to fly shorter routes more appropriate for a 737. (I also fly Westjet alot in the real world, so...). To be honest, after reading the forums and reviews it was a coin toss as to which I bought first.I owned the PMDG757 way back in FLY!, and am familiar with their outstanding quality and service. My point then? I'm just trying to decide whether/what to drop my next $60+ FS dollars on, and I'm wondering if there's much difference in how it "feels" (at home in front of the computer) to operate and fly the 737NG vs. the LDS, or whether in practice I'd be better off spending on something altogether different (maybe Vancouver+, or an ERJ-145 say (???)).Can anybody who owns and flies both weigh in? Perhaps asked another way, for those that fly the 737NG more often, why do you load it rather than the LDS or something else.Secondly, any comment on "how much" better the full 800/900 package is than the 600/700? If you own both and somebody took the 800/900 away from you, how upset would you be?Thanks,Chris

Great topic.For me: When I'm on Vatsim, or flying offline with ASV in bad weather, I mostly fly the Aeroworx B200. A great balance of reasonably complex systems, realistic (?) flight dynamics, sounds, etc., but not so "clicky" that... how to say it? Flying an approach online in the B200 most resembles the level of complexity I can imagine actually ever managing in the real world (one day?). That, and my typical "executive" flight from CYYJ to CYPK (or CYPK to CYVR) is about "right" for a KingAir and lets me fit a true cold+dark to cold+dark flight into the time I can pry free from the RW. I really like the little bit of lag in the throttle too. I think the B200 does a great job of simulating (or causing me to simulate) the care one would take in operating a pair of those turbines.In a dead heat is the LDS767, esp. when derated to TO-2/CLB-2. Take-off is "just" busy enough, and it seems to "feel" most like what actually riding in one does (and what I imagine flying one does). How they achieve that is too subtle an art for me to describe. In fact, as alluded to above, the biggest disapointment for me with the LDS is I don't usually have 4hrs to do a "real" flight (and don't know that I'd spend the time if I had it) so I end up doing half a flight or using time comp. which breaks the immersion some.Thanks for such a great discussion!

So why the redundant keyboards (i.e. one directly in front of the pilot plus one on the FMC itself).Perhaps the one in front of the pilot is temporary or something? Used just on the ground or during cruise for planning??? Just guessing.Interesting to note the "handedness" of the flightsticks.a) I'm a lefty who's been using my right hand to fly. Maybe I've been destined for the left seat of a 380 all along!:( wonder how long it takes to get used to things after switching seats?c) flightstick, not yoke! Guess my home setup isn't so unrealistic after all. Now if they just build the pedals into a twist grip instead...Any idea what the "female appendage" below the FMC is?

Just flew a VATSIM approach into CYVR in terrible conditions.The effect ASVE had on the experience is indescribable! I'm totally blown away. Punching through foggy rainy Vancouver soup well after I was on the GS, just making out the r/w lights in distance... incredible.Congrats on a fantastic acheivement, and thanks. Worth every penny.

Peter,I thought your point was very well made. My posting was not really meant as a response. Rather, your post twigged something I had been noodling about: that is how to provide a better "road map" to the evolving formerly-casual user as to what possibilities are out there. Acquiring a new aircraft is reasonably obvious (I think). But understanding what some of the other goodies are and why one would want them is another story.I just flew a VATSIM flight in the LDS767 into CYVR in SERIOUSLY IFR conditions using ActiveSky.I am totally blown away by the whole thing. Controller giving me vectors, setting up the Autobrake and spoilers, rain on the windscreen, not picking up the r/w until well after I was on the GS - the experience today is so far beyond the "out of the box" version it's amazing.Any of these addons is gold. Taken together...

Peter S. started a very intersting thread below related to MS providing direction re add-ons. It got me thinking about the opportunity to do it here. I have used these forums as my #1 resource for advice/reviews/etc. since I got back into FS this summer. I'm sure everyone has seen the "monthly" favorite/best/recommended add-ons threads as well.I find that for myself it's easy to find info on something I'm looking for, but that I keep tripping over new "classes" of add-ons. On one hand I guess this is the thrill of a growing hobby (obsession?), and it does keep the spending at an even (if continuous!) level. On the other hand, I find I eventually get around to something which makes a profound jump in my enjoyment (like, for me: UT, the ATR, the LDS767, ActiveSky, VATSIM).Perhaps a pinned thread which more thoroughly describes the CLASSES or TYPES of add-ons available to an enthusiast, as opposed to the details of the products themselves, would be helpful to newer or increasingly enthusiastic users. I'm happy to draft a start if the idea has any traction. I'm thinking something like:--- draft outline follows ---MSFS Add-on Software GuideSo you're ready to increase the detail or realism of MSFS, but not sure where to start given the plethora of add-ons available. Follow this handy guide to the types of add-ons you might consider:Discuss Free-ware vs. Pay-wareAircraft- discuss high-complexity vs low-complexity add-ons- small GA [e.g DF-A36]- mid-size t-props [e.g. AW-B200, F1-ATR]- large airliners [PMDG, LDS, PSS]- specialty [e.g. concorde, Herc]Scenery- terrain [e.g. UT]- mesh [e.g. BEV, FScene]- airports etc. [e.g. Rhode Island]Online Flying- clients [e.g. VATSIM/SB3]- utilities [e.g. SERVINFO]Weather [e.g. ActiveSky, FSMeteo]Flight Planning / Moving Map [e.g. FSNAV, FSBuild]Utilities [e.g. Active Camera]ATC [e.g. RadarContact] ------- end outline -------Clearly one possibly sticky bit is appearing to recommend particular products over others. That said, I'd suggest including some examples by name, as a start point for new folks. I personally think the front page of Avsim does a great job of describing new alternatives as they appear on the market.Comments?

As I said offline: Thanks.Your reputation for support is obviously well deserved!

Hi, just purchased ASVE. I have received the d/l link, but I can't seem to actually complete the d/l.Server problems? Or something on my end. Don't usually have problems.Thanks,Chris Mealing