claviermichel

This may be what you are looking for: http://www.topcatsim.com/?page=download in the middle of the page you will find a section called user guide. Ju8st go there and download.Cheers

This is very true. As an example: PSX from Aerowinx may not be expected to be released before 2012 or 2013. This is the price to pay if you want to get a professional simulation. The Topcat new flight planner has been in development for ages and may finally be available during the summer/autumn of this year. The list could go on and on for those add-ons which needs thousands of code lines to be up to the expectations of the new brand of armchair pilots. However there is a drawback in this constant search for more sophisticated add-ons which is the learning curve and the time one will have to spend to master them half-way. There may be a day in the non too distant future where you will get two different markets with each its own selection of add-ons. The first one will satisfy those who do not want to invest time in learning / mastering highly sophisticated software or have substantial aeronautic background and a second one which will be the "fire and go" market with much less accurate replicas of the professional softwares for the average simmers.Just my two cents.Cheers

Hi,PFPX will be a flight planner no less no more. If you are looking at take off / landing loading sheets you will still need TOPCAT, if you need weather datas injected into MSFS you will still need ASE or REX or similar, if you need charts and moving maps you will need Aivlasoft EFB or FSC. What I am trying to say is that there is no software which will be an all in one solution. Having said that one must recognize that putting too many different functions under one hood rarely give the perfect tool you dream of. In my opinion the guys at TOPCAT are really good at what they are currently doing so are the guys at HIFI and Aivlasoft, so let them continue to be specialists in their own field rather than demanding a mix of expertize in one software. The important issue is that these above average softwares must interact with each other either directly or through MSFS.Cheers

Hi,Topcat is not a flight planner as such but a solid and serious help for take off and landing performance calculation a look at their website will show you what I mean: http://www.topcatsim.com/. The word is out that sometime this year the authors of Topcat will release a flight planner software which is said to be reasonably professional. I even read comments saying that there are similitudes with the LIDO software used by several airlines here is the link: http://www.pfpx.com/. In the meantime there are few alternatives. One is FSBuild which "does the job" for the average simulation user (fuel calculation with wind components integration, export to a lot of flightplan formats etc...) webpage here: http://www.fsbuild.com but it lacks professional features. FOC (Flight operation Centre) from Danur is antique but very professional more here: http://www.danur.com/frontpage/index.htm. Warning learning curve is steep. So if I were you I would wait a few months for the flight planner from the Tocat authors.now if you are geographically bound in your flights ie. you mostly fly within Europe or the US there for both continents specific flight planning softwares available which are not that bad. I am not at home right now so I can't give more specifics but I am sure someone will. Just remember for Europe the name is FlightPlanPro.Cheers

Sorry I should have said TOPCAT is not in its current state a flight planner.

This looks almost identical to the Flight Operation Center dispatch briefing. Be aware the learning curve of FOC is very steep but the results are worth the efforts. If you are going to invest in this software subscribe to the weather data updates but do not subscribe to all airac cycles (much too expensive) quarterly or semi-annually updates are fully sufficient.FYI TOPCAT is neither a flight planner nor a complete dispatcher it is merely a take-off and landing dispatch help.Cheers

Not really difficult as such indeed but it needs a good understanding of the chart and to accurately follow the procedure especially DME and ALT.

Hi,Here is a link to an incident report at Chambery, France which happened on February 7, 2010 http://avherald.com/h?article=4345e4bd&opt=0Although the aircraft involved was a B737-300 the approach can be simulated with a B-737 NG. I hope serious simmers will educate themselves with this type of approach which in itself is not very difficult but necessitate a precise reading of the chart. The report includes the AIP chart and FDR report graphs. Interesting reading anyway.Cheers

Hi Benjamin,Have you ever tried BlackBox FlightLogger at http://www.utr-online.com/Software.asp?page=4In my opinion much better than GE. Works on windows 7. In the payware section FSFlight Keeper is certainly the best available at the moment.Cheers

A new version called PSX is in the making and may be on the market around the end of the year. The ACARS services you guys are talking about were developed for the B744 but could be used with any aircraft. However, some of the information available may not be relevant to the MD11. Setup is not easy but it is an experience in itself if you want to understand how ACARS works in real life.Cheers

Hi Bill.EFBFSX is a very useful application which goes well beyond showing charts. You will need Adobe reader to be installed on your PC to be able to run EFBFSX. It is highly recommended to install EFBFSX on a second computer and to use it exclusively form the remote PC if you want to avoid problems with the PMDG aircrafts due to the limited amount of unused "windows" in the panel.cfg of the MD11. My advise is go for it you will not regret your purchase. Have a look at the FSwidgets site: http://www.fswidgets.com for more information and their dedicated forum.Cheers

Thanks for the info and links

I highly recommend FOC. Looks like an antic but it does a great job at planning, dispatching and weather integration. Fuel flow calculations are very accurate. Steep learning curve however. Don't bother subscribing to airac updates they are too expensive.If you want to go the cheap way. Get the fuel flows for climb, cruise and descent on the net. Get a few simple math formulas also on the net. Buy yourself a couple of pens and a ram of paper and do the fuel calculation by yourself. After a couple of tries you will get it right and achieve a high precision. with the satisfaction of having achieved a professional dispatcher exercise. There is also a profesional dispatcher for all PMDG products which was created by Karl-Heinz Wichmann. It is an excel based semi automated workbook which gives you fuel consumption for the MD11, B747 and B737 with an accuracy of +/- 0.2% on all routes exceeding 250nm. Shorter routes can show inacurracy of up to 1.2%. If you need Karl-Heinz's email let me know by pm and I will contact him.Cheers

Hi Keith,An easy way to check where the problem is:1. Download sqawkbox (it is free)2. Uninstall FSInn3 Install squawkbox4. Re-do one of the flight where you encountered a voice problem After this check you will be able to ascertain which software creates the problem.Cheers

Hi,Guess you are referring to the Ulrich Tebin documents. As far as I know the origin of these documents is somewhat dubious and has never been proven free of copyright constrains. Believe me if Boeing had given permission to PMDG to disclose all data / tables for the MD11 for sure PMDG would have included these tables in their documentation.

Hi Noel,As far as I know home cockpit builders are using project magenta software for their purpose. I found a solution which consists of virtual desktops on the main frame the one running FSX whereby I undock sub panels on the virtual desktops and I installed a remote computer manager program to visualize the virtual desktops on the other PCs. Work just fine. Now I have FSX running on PC1 overhead panel on PC2 and FMC as well as other sub panels on PC3. Exactly what I wanted.Cheers

Hi,I searched for a "multi computer setup" thread but could not find anything of use for me. Here is the idea:I have 3 computers networked working without problemsComputer 1 runs FSXhow to undock a sub panel - for example overhead - to computer 2 and undock the FMC to computer 3?Which kind of software should I use to achieve this?Important is that any input made on computer 2 and/or 3 should immediately and automatically be read and worked out bycomputer 1 (FSX) equally important is the update of any event on the FSX computer should appear on computer 2 and/or 3. For example the FMC progress page should update on time as the flight proresses.All suggestions and comments are most welcome.Thanks

Hi,For those of you interested I found this article which can be used as a complement to the official PMDG tutorial. http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Concourse/.../gestation.htmlHave fun.Cheers,

Yes blackbox works with FS2004 too.Cheers

Hi,Alternatively you can try this free software at: http://www.utr-online.com/blackbox. It does the same graphical representation but it may have useful additional details.Cheers

Hi,You will not get anything like a tutorial or official help here on this issue for the very simple reason that from PMDG has always been against any modification of their panel config files. I remember three or four years ago a forum member was nuked for posting a modified panel config file for the 737-700 & RXPWX integration. If I remember correctly his post was promptly deleted by the PMDG MODS. Having said that the net is an immense source of information for who wants to spend time searching...Cheers,PS.: a friendly advice before you get a red card from the authorities: sign your posts on this forum. It has been made mandatory a while back by the PMDG brasses.

James, Your topic refers to the tragic incident which occured less than 24 hours ago in the Indian ocean in a final approach to Moroni. This incident involved an Airbus A310-300 from Yemena (Yemeni Airways) IY626 originated in Saana Yemen with final destination Moroni Comore Islands. I leave it to the readers to judge whether it was appropriate in such circumstances to create a thread about a "challenging approach - Moroni" without any reference to the incident.One should also mention that Moroni is considered a "difficult airport". Most airlines impose a special training for both captain and fisrt officer for these airports. As to Moroni specifically, major airlines have a day light only landing rule for Moroni. Approaches to Moroni can be made from 02 or 20 only. There are two obstacles surrounding the airport one with an elevation of 1356 feet the other with and elevation of 3556 feet both very close to fiinal. Only 02 is equipped with ILS, GS, PAPI.Weather is important but not exceptionally dangerous there. what is extremely tricky is the windshear factor created by the two obstacles surrounding the airport.Approaching from the north: here I quote a fellow pilot who has made numerous landing a morony: it would be done by flying HAI VOR maintaining a safe altitude following a southbound course for about 10 NM, then a teardrop turn and return for approach 02, break off to the left for right downwind 20.The approach into runway 20 is anything but a straight in approach. There is no such thing as a 10 mile or even 5 mile straight in approach because of the hills to your left. You are doing a visual approach from right base and constantly turning to align yourself with the runway and only the last mile or so are you actually completely aligned with the runway.As you see, what you described as "challenging approach" is in fact considered as one of the 10 most difficult airport in the world with airlines imposing strict rules when flying there (special training, no night landing etc.).

Hi,If you are a half serious sim pilot there are plenty of things to to in the cockpit during a long flight. Here are some of them:1.- Assuming you have a good flight preparation work done, you should have a number of data to look at either in printed form or on a second PC by keeping the applications opened. - Detailed flight plan FSBuild, FOC produced - TOPCAT documents for take-off and landing - Weather data from ASX / ASA - Manuals of the aircraft you fly - Charts for all phases of the flight including enroute charts. These documents whether printed or digital should be periodically looked at during the flight.2.- Monitor state of aircraft on continuous basis including EICAS messages, Fuel flow, Weather effects on speed, altitude and heading.3.- Follow progress of step climbs and accurately follow procedures.4.- Check charts for diversion airports along the route as scheduled during your planning.5.- Follow progress on moving map (FSC or any other).6.- use FSFlightkeeper as your big brother and mentor (it has a lot of interesting options which can be used during a flight).7.- Fly online with your virtual airline or solo on IVAO or VATSIM - stay in touch with controllers in controlled areas - check position of your aircraft and other online pilots on any application you want similar to dolomynum or servinfo. Here you can learn a lot about flying habits of other members - contact nearby aircrafts on UNICOM8.- stay aware of weather changes as your weather engine updates its data along the route and make appropriate flight decisions.9.- use an ACARS system and weather radar. I know PMDG staff does not like this idea but as it has been said recently in another thread some weather radars (RXP and CaptainSIM) are not as bad as they are often depicted here. As to ACARS some virtual airlines are using some sort of ACARS to monitor their members and broadcast NOTAMS. A free ACARS can be found on the AEROWINX site for those of you flying the B744.10.- For digital reading of charts, weather charts, and moving map I could recommend the excellent EFBFSX of fswidgets. This are only a few items which could keep you busy during a long flight the list is by no means exhaustive. Cheers,

Harry, what I suggested is a more generic coefficient which would apply to let's say all flightplans below 500 nm or so. Karl's workbook is more oriented towards long-hauls. In fact when I did some test for Karl I never worked on a flightplan shorter than 1,500 nm. I do realize that there are some short hauls out there for the MD11 which should be taken into account. Cheers,

Hi,Karl Heinz, I'll send you a table for low altitude tomorow. I think I have something which could help you. My guess is that you will have to squeeze a coefficient for short distances some where on the worksheet.From the above short trip what would be interesting to know is what were the fuel burns from 1500 feet until touch down as calculated by the PMDG MD11. WE may see the same problem as we had for the B744. did you guys make a note of the fuel burns?Cheers,