phreddy

Have used Thrustmaster, logitech, and many other controllers over the past 30 odd yrs. Almost 2yrs ago I purchased a VKB Gladiator Premium joystick, & WinWing Orion Throttle quadrant. Without any doubt the VKB stick has proven itself to be among the highest quality, robust, and ultimately configurable joysticks I've ever owned. Everything else seems like a toy by comparison. I mainly use both devices in DCS World. But both equally at home with MSFS as well. Microsofts upgrades in FS2020 make life programming any throttles, tough - the design of MS controller settings is, in my view diabiolically frustrating to say the least. They should take a leaf out of the DCS products (could do a lot worse). The software that goes with the VKB stick is highly complex, but it makes the stick highly customisable in a huge number of ways. The fact that it has a 131page manual for its settings say a lot - its complex - and that may well be its only bad point, it confused the heck out of me! But then I'm no programmer (even though I work in ICT). But if you keep your requirements fairly simple it works very well. The WinWing Orion I've also purchased has since been superceded by the Orion II (with paddle-like finger-lifts at the front). Its a great piece of kit. I had no issues whatsoever with buying online from China. Its a little more clunky than the VKB product, but it works. Mostly all-metal construction with good quality plastic in parts. The software isn't too bad either. Takes a bit to get things calibrated. But a lot, and I mean a LOT of buttons, controllers and switches that you will spend hours configuring. Highly recommend both - the word not allowed over most of the competition. The only serious condenders to this would be Virpil - but they're much more expensive as well.

Having seen the RAAF Caribou in real life (Ex Navy) and encountered it many times. Its engines in real life are like music to my ears. Not so impressed with the sound reproduction on this model... its passable, but certainly not the music I'm used to! Cockpit modelling looks ok so far (although... where's the airspeed indicator? wasn't showing up on my model) This flight model? its barely ok in my view. Flight model needs a lot of tweaking. Landing gear needs to model the shock absorbtion struts a lot better - it sort of thuds onto the ground with no indication of shock absorbtion at all. My biggest gripe is the thrust reverser - couldn't get it to work properly using my WinWing Orion throttle. It would activate (throttles depress and slide rearwards) but the engines wouldn't throttle up in reverse at all. So if anyone can make it work let me know?

I'm just WISHING MS would please, please, PLEASE include a detailed airport and city environment for Perth (YPPH) Western Australia. One of the most isolated capital cities in the world. It would also be nice if they did W.A. scenery some justice. It'd be nice if the beta stuff could confirm what level of detail Australia in general gets - not a big ask surely!?

I just wish, hope and plead with Micro$oft to please, please give us some decent scenery for Western Australia, especially our airports! Perth, Jandakot, Albany, Busselton, Broome, Port Hedland etc. We've waited too long.

Hi All, Been using the PMDG a/c on and off for several yrs. Had the B737NGX installed on my WIndows 7 PC for about 4-5 yrs now. Recently upgraded to Windows10 - doesn't work perfectly but good enough. When I started up my FSX for the first time in ages after the upgrade and tried running the PMDG 737NGX (had all the patches up to about a year ago) it keeps asking for my activation code (which I put in and it was happy with), after which I could never get the engines started (not sure if it was me, but I followed the proceedures I knew worked in the past - nothing just keeps spooling up but adding in the fuel flow it refused to spool up). But if I close down FSX and restart it after adding in my activation code (which it accepts) it then asks for it again - every time. Any ideas? Thanks, David

Well, Being an Aussie and FS(x) flier for past 20 odd yrs this would be a very nice addition to the hangar. Mind you I'm also waiting on Orbx to release scenery for Perth (but would suspect pigs might fly before that happens and PMDG would release a Wedgie by then!) Cheers, David

Someone in an earlier post said Australia was covered. Sorry but; Australia is NOT fully covered. Considering this mob started out with Australia, to leave out one of Australia's major capital cities like PERTH is unforgivable in my book. We've been waiting YEARS for ORBX to do Perth. They keep telling us it's going to be a long time coming but give NO Bl**dy reason for it. Come on ORBX, you're taking the micky out of us Sandgropers mate! Extract the digits and get on with it will ya! Thanks Cheers, David

its been seconded.Now passed!C17 it is Cannot think of an aircraft that combines all of the above requests (long range, complex systems, multi-engined et. al.) and then some... plus the ability to taxi backwards under its own steam! I mean how cool is that thing?The P8 Anti-sub hunter is my next wish list plane - I guess its coming sooner though through the -800.Cheers,David

Oh well,Just have to wait and see if the next version of M$'s simulator (Flight) offers anything better? (Pigs do fly i believe). I too forked out for the EFB in the hope it could teach me more about navigation and assist with navigating airports and surrounds easier. I am struggling with opening the EFB on a separate monitor with FSX and the NGX running side-by-side... cant run FSX full screen it seems. All very frustrating. The PMDG product is unquestionably a work of art. The EFB while not perfect is a very handy utility to have running. I really hope 'someone' from either Aivlasot or PMDG can assist with some form of fix. It would be nice. Cheers,David.

Ryan and Corey,Thanks heaps for your responses. Didnt see them till today, just the answers I've been seeking these past months. For me your posts represent the definitive answer on what works best with FSX.The only difference for me is that I'll be buying the Corsair Graphite Case - just cos it looks good. Thanks heaps, David

Thanks Rob,I remember asking if the P8 was going to be done a few months ago, only to have others on the forum give it the thumbs down for a chance it'll happen!So, there you go. Brilliant - I'll buy it.Cheers, David

Hi Matt,Thats excellent news.I've got the new Samsung Galaxy S2 which is a whopper of a phone and currently outselling iphones! So if you can port the application over to Android the market will lurrrve you! :im Not Worthy:Certainly liked the look of the version for Windows 7 phones. Good that its being kept fairly simple - no need to overload the phones. Qualtiy graphics over content would win most people over in my view. Cheers, David

Robert,I'd be interested to know what the minimum spec PC you and Yr development team have been running, yet still have the NGX with a few add-ons like ORBX/REX running and have reasonable frame rates.its just that I've been given an older 1156 motherboard to build a PC with and am wondering if a 3Ghz i7 would be good enough? Or does one really need to overclock and get closer to 4ghz for decent frame rates with sliders more to the right?Just curious is all.Thanks,Cheers,David

No, THANK YOU Sir, Releasing the P8 and Wedgtail variants! Fan-bloody-tastic Mate!I'm in... as soon as my PC gets upgraded it'll be paid for and downloaded, you can bet-yr-bottom dollar on that!Great job - great pricing - great service, professionalism and excellent coding guys. You've all moved the bar far, far higher for quality precision flight sim products for the entire flight sim community.Cheers,David

+1 on this.Or the standard milk run YMML - YSSY. (1 Hr)Longer flights? YSSY - YPPH - YSSY. (6 - 7 hrs Rtn). Just wish ORBX would hurry up with YPPH scenery. Taking ages and would love to fly the NGX outa Perth.Cheers,David