pilotwannabe

I was under the impression that hardware (other than joystick and TQ) could not be coupled with the Fenix A320 due to license restrictions from ProSim. Has that changed? If so, can hardware for other manufacturers also be made compatible with the Fenix A320?

Preston, Kyle, Thanks for your responses. I did submit a ticket and received a prompt response that it is being looked into. Rushad E.

Start with the A/T engaged (say in the SPD mode) with the speed window blank, and the A/P and/or FD engaged, Now if you disconnect BOTH the A/P and FD, the speed window opens with the speed that was last displayed before the window blanked, and not to the current aircraft speed or the target speed. Let me illustrate with an example: Starting at takeoff, the MCP speed window is set to V2, say158kts,with LNAV and VNAV armed. After takeoff when VNAV engages, the speed window blanks - note that 158kts was the last speed displayed in the window. Using the standard autoflight procedures, you get to the stable cruise state, with a cruise speed of, say 310kts. At this stage, the A/T is in the SPD mode with the window still blank and the pink speed cursor at the FMC speed of 310kts. Now disconnect BOTH the A/P and the FD, but leave the A/T untouched (you are now hand-flying the plane with no pitch or roll guidance). The MCP speed window opens (as it should), but to 158kts, and not the aircraft actual or target speeds. Further, it appears as if the A/T is still trying to maintain 310kts and not the displayed 158kts. This problem only occurs when the speed window opens because there is no active pitch mode (because the AP and FD have been disconnected). Opening the speed window by pushing the speed knob works as advertised. Hope this post gets noticed by PMDG and added to the bug list. Rushad E.

During a short flight, I failed the Main Bus 1, got the EICAS messages and performed the non-normal checklists ( 2 of them - one for the bus itself and one for the L DEM PUMP). Set up for the ILS with the A/P flying and got LAND 3 annunciated in green. At 1,000 ft AGL, disconnected the A/P and hand flew the rest of the approach to touchdown. On touchdown, the autobrakes engaged, but once all wheels were on the ground, a slew of EICAS messages popped up, including NO LAND 3, AUTOBRAKE (and the autobrakes disconnected), ALTITUDE CALLOUTS, FUEL PRESSURE ENG L, HEAT PITOT L, etc. Associated amber lights were also illuminated on the overhead panel (these were not on in the air). Why did all these pop up only when the aircraft was on the ground? At first I figured that some messages may have been inhibited in the air, but things like NO LAND 3 did not make sense, particularly when I had a green LAND 3 annunciated on approach. Also, not getting and AUTOBRAKE message in the air but having it pop up on touchdown and the autobrakes disconnecting could catch the pilots unaware. I'm having a hard time believing that this is prototypical. Rushad E.

During a short flight, I failed the Main Bus 1, got the EICAS messages and performed the non-normal checklists ( 2 of them - one for the bus itself and one for the L DEM PUMP). Set up for the ILS with the A/P flying and got LAND 3 annunciated in green. At 1,000 ft AGL, disconnected the A/P and hand flew the rest of the approach to touchdown. On touchdown, the autobrakes engaged, but once all wheels were on the ground, a slew of EICAS messages popped up, including NO LAND 3, AUTOBRAKE (and the autobrakes disconnected), ALTITUDE CALLOUTS, FUEL PRESSURE ENG L, HEAT PITOT L, etc. Associated amber lights were also illuminated on the overhead panel (these were not on in the air). Why did all these pop up only when the aircraft was on the ground? At first I figured that some messages may have been inhibited in the air, but things like NO LAND 3 did not make sense, particularly when I had a green LAND 3 annunciated on approach. Also, not getting and AUTOBRAKE message in the air but having it pop up on touchdown and the autobrakes disconnecting could catch the pilots unaware. I'm having a hard time believing that this is prototypical. Rushad E.

Tom, If VNAV is the ARMED mode (in white on the PFD), then a second push of the VNAV button disarms VNAV. However, if VNAV is the ENGAGED mode (in green on the PFD), a second push will not disengage VNAV. Rushad E.

Trevor, not starting a contest here. Just stating a possible discrepancy so that if real, PMDG can make an outstanding product even more accurate (in a FUTURE release). FYI, the 777 does not have an annunciated ALT ACQ mode, with a transition to ALT HLD, like the 737NG does. The 777 has only one ALT mode (not counting VNAV ALT, which is not relevant in this case). Rushad

In Nick's (AoA) informative video on YouTube, after takeoff, the pitch model changes from TOGA to ALT at 1,300 ft, with the MCP altitude set at 3,000 ft. the ALT annunciation has a green box around it, as it should (1:04:05 in the video). Then, when the aircraft actually captures the 3,000 ft altitude, the ALT annunciation gets another green box around it, even though there is no change in the displayed mode (1:05:04 in video). My understanding is that the green box only appears when there is a change in the mode. Since the box appeared without a change in the mode, I was wondering if this was perhaps a minor bug. Rushad E. Accidental double post. Sorry. Rushad E.

In Nick's (AoA) informative video on YouTube, after takeoff, the pitch model changes from TOGA to ALT at 1,300 ft, with the MCP altitude set at 3,000 ft. the ALT annunciation has a green box around it, as it should (1:04:05 in the video). Then, when the aircraft actually captures the 3,000 ft altitude, the ALT annunciation gets another green box around it, even though there is no change in the displayed mode (1:05:04 in video). My understanding is that the green box only appears when there is a change in the mode. Since the box appeared without a change in the mode, I was wondering if this was perhaps a minor bug. Rushad E.

I have had this happen if I zoom out too much. Try zooming in and see if that solves the problem. Rushad E.

Fair enough, Kyle, appreciate the prompt response. If, as a beta tester, you feel there is enough here to warrant some review by the developers/technical experts, it may be worthwhile bringing it to their attention. Thanks! Rushad E.

Kyle, Thanks for another great video! Had a bunch of questions about the FD roll bar deflection: 1) What is the full-scale deflection of the roll bar (all the way over to the 'wing' on the PFD?)? At he start of the flight, you had a course change of about 30 deg - fairly substantial - but the roll bar was still very close to the center square. How much of a heading change results in a full-scale deflection? 2) In making that heading change, the roll bar barely moved to command a roll out on approaching the selected heading. When the selected heading was overshot by about 7-8 deg, the roll bar barely moved to correct that. 3) In another beta video (don't recall which one or made by whom), the roll bar barely seemed to move with localizer deviation. If the aircraft was being hand flown based solely on FD cues (not saying this is how it should be flown or anything), these small movements would not be enough to accurately fly the airplane. Is this above behavior prototypical? I know the FD on the NGX also behaves in a similar 'lethargic' fashion - I had started a thread on the subject (in 11/2011), but did not get any feedback from PMDG or any RW experts at that time. While I have no RW expertise, a RW pilot who was flying NGXs at the time did comment that the FD behavior did not seem right. Any thoughts welcome. Rushad E.

James, thanks for the information. Hopefully one of the testers will tell us if it is modeled or not. Rushad E.

Hi Luke, Great screenshots with the EGPWS, as always. I had a question on the EGPWS, and was wondering if you could shed some light on it (I had posed this question in one of the other threads, but it may have got lost in the chatter). On the 737 NG, the EGPWS Terrain display on the ND is updated via a left <--> right sweep, similar to a radar sweep. This can be seen in action in the link below: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=W5-cNkqBi-E (this is not the radar, but the EGPWS system) This left <--> right sweep has not been modeled in the PMDG NGX. Does the real 777 have a similar EGPWS Terrain display system? If yes, is the display sweep specifically modeled? Thanks! Rushad E

All, thank you very much for your replies. I am better informed now. Ron, I was basically clueless in thinking that since 610 >> 280, that the GT 610 would have at least the same, if not improved performance compared to the 280. Thanks for the information. The card I ended up with is the GTX660 (OC). On my old system, would I find that much difference with the GTX660 Ti compared to the 660? The price differential is about USD100. R.E.

Thanks Rod, very useful information! Earlier today I got and installed an EVGA GTX 660, which seems to work fine - can't tell if it is better than the old GTX 280 or not, but I'd like to believe it is :smile: . R.E.

I have a 5 year old Dell XPS 730 with a liquid cooled QX9650 processor overclocked to 3.67 GHz and a GTX 280 1 Gb video card. Recently the video card went flakey on me and needed replacement, I figured that most cards available today would be better than my old GTX 280, and I replaced it with a GT 610 2 Gb card. I also updated with the latest available drivers for the card. After all this this, the performance in FSX has now decreased significantly, as also the performance in Rail Simulator 2013. So, is this new card inferior to my old GTX 280, or did something else get messed up in the switch? If the new GT 610 card is indeed inferior to my old one, which new card should I get that will give me performance at least equivalent to my old one? Hoping someone can help me out here. Thanks! Rushad E.

In all of the great takeoff videos posted by the beta testers, the wind speed and direction gets displayed on the ND during the takeoff roll at around 90 kts with all wheels still on the ground. The displayed direction at this time has both a head/tail wind component as well as a crosswind component. This remains mostly unchanged as the aircraft takes to the air. In similar real world videos, if the wind speed and direction is displayed during the takeoff roll with all wheels still on the ground, it only has a tail/head wind component. The crosswind component is only displayed once the aircraft takes to the air. In my layman's opinion, this does make sense, as on the ground, the HDG = TRK, and so the aircraft does not have all the information needed to calculate the crosswind component (it can still get the head/tail wind component though). Once it does take to the air, the HDG diverges from TRK in the presence of a crosswind component, and that component can then be calculated and displayed. Either way, it is probably inconsequential, and I only bring it up to feed PMDG's much appreciated obsession with perfection (no detail too small to be ignored). Rushad E.

Beta Testers, First off, thank you very much for the continuous stream of information, screen shots and videos. On the 737 NG, the EGPWS Terrain display on the ND is updated via a left <--> right sweep, similar to a radar sweep. This can be seen in action in the link below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5-cNkqBi-E (this is not the radar, but the EGPWS system) This left <--> right sweep has not been modeled in the PMDG NGX. Does the real 777 have a similar EGPWS Terrain display system? If yes, is the display sweep specifically modeled? Thanks! Rushad E

Thanks Jay. This seems to convert a *.pln FSX file into the PMDG format - I'm looking to go the other way. AivalaSoft themselves have a converter that outputs a route in the PMDG format, that you can then load into the FMC, but I have not been able to find any info on loading a PMDG file into EFB. Rushad E.

Thanks for the reply, Pete. Do you just copy the PMDG file (*.rte or *.rt2) over into the FSX folder and rename it as *.pln? I'm not sure I follow what exactly you are doing. Rushad E.

Upon loading a saved 737 NG situation, is it possible to import the PMDG loaded route into the EFB? In the Select Route tab in EFB, it shows only the FSX *.pln, but none of the PMDG route formats, and I'm wondering if these PMDG files can be directly read in. Thanks! Rushad E.

On the FUEL or PAYLOAD page (under FS ACTIONS), the MTOW displayed is 174.7 klbs for both the -800 and the -900 variants. According to the manuals, the 174.7 klbs corresponds to the -900, while the -800 should have a MTOW weight of 155.5 klbs. Do others see this as well or is my file corrupted and needs a reinstall? I am seeing this with the default PMDG livery as well as others. Thanks. Rushad E.

Ryan has provided directions on setting up winds/weather for Tutorial #2 using AS. I only have REX v2, and so far have just used it in a limited way to provide the eye candy HD clouds. I'm hoping someone would be kind enough to post directions on how to set up the winds and weather for this tutorial using REX.Thanks!Rushad E.

I had a similar issue much earlier (prior to SP1c), that happened only with one livery. Problem was resolved by reinstalling the livery.Rushad E.