Nick M

Just a little note to let everyone know that we've just released the v1.2 update for the Comanche. 🙂 To install version 1.2, please click the "Comanche Check For Updates MSFS" shortcut in the "A2A Simulations" folder in the Windows start menu. Thanks Nick - A2A Simulations

Yes, just to confirm that we are aware of a bug where a sudden, huge spike in engine torque can, very, very, very occasionally flip the entire plane the plane in the air when using the starter or when towing (the prop is actually rotated a bit when you attach the tow bar, so it doesn't make contact with it). This has resulted in one or two funny moments on livestreams, and we would like to particularly apologise to any VR simmers who have been traumatized as a result. 😁 It's been hard to reproduce, but should be fixed with the first Comanche update which we'll get out as soon as we can. Thanks, Nick - A2A Simulations

If I click the link in iTunes, it just takes me back to the "iTunes Preview" browser page with the "this app is only available on the App Store for iOS devices" message. I guess it knows I'm trying to download it on a PC or Mac which won't run the software. Perhaps the app store download restrictions have changed recently? Nick

Are you accessing iTunes via an iPad Jean-Luc? I can't seem to download the app using iTunes on Windows or even on my MacBook. Nick

Hmm! "This app is only available on the App Store for iOS devices." How very - Appley! Nick

Thanks Jean-Luc, I'll give that suggestion a try. Bert - thanks for your post too! Regards, Nick

I understand from this topic that one of the advantages of the RXP GNS products is that the aviation database ("worldwide.bin" file) can be updated with the corresponding file from the Garmin GTN trainer (which will just need to be renamed). However, a recent change to the GTN trainer means that these files are no longer compatible (i.e. they can't simply be interchanged any more) and I'm unable to find any download links for previous versions of the GTN trainer. Therefore, I was just wondering if anyone still has a copy of the most recent version of the GTN trainer which does include a compatible aviation database? If so, would it be possible to share just the relevant *.bin file (something similar to "006-d0170-00.bin"), to avoid hosting a large download? Thanks, Nick P.S. I have already updated the GNS "bmap.bin" file with the corresponding file from the current GTN trainer.

Thomas, I can recommend Scan (though I haven't specifically bought Saitek stuff from them). They do the ProFlight rudder pedals for around 90 quid at the moment, and the yoke for about £116. However, looks like no stock until next month. Delivery would be about a tenner by the looks of it. Nick

Pe11e - just wanted to make you aware that leaving "high-resolution 3-D virtual cockpit" un-ticked will cause visual artefacts (enlarged LCD digits) on the radio stacks in the A2A Skyhawk, Cherokee and Skylane. It will also tend to cause some issues with cockpit lighting. Cheers, Nick

Just a brief note to add that there's currently a small glitch with the control panel installation with v1.014 (missing bitmaps). A fix can be downloaded from the link in this post on the Majestic forums and I gather the installer will be updated within a week or so. Cheers, Nick

Hi Keven, Thanks for the reply. Hope the touchdown smoke does make it into a future product: I'll certainly keep my eye out... Cheers, Nick

Hello Guys! Have to confess I'm not a PrecipitFX customer (yet) but I'm certainly interested for the modest price. I have a quick question though... Does the package enhance the existing FSX touchdown tire smoke effects? As far as I can tell from the website and video, it doesn't. If this is indeed the case, is there any chance that this is something that would be considered for a future update? Maybe I'm a bit of a narcissist, but I tend to watch my landings using the replay function from time-to-time. Typically I fly GA stuff, and I've always noticed that the default FSX "fx_tchdwn_s.fx" effect is a bit odd. Specifically, the puff of smoke generated on tyre contact with paved runways seem to rise vertically whilst actually keeping pace with the aircraft (i.e. matching its forward speed) which is a bit disconcerting. Any technical insight from the FSFX experts would be very welcome. Do you guys also see the effect rendered in this way? I'm also not terribly keen on the touchdown smoke effects for larger aircraft either as they seem a bit overdone; a general overhaul of the three paved runway touchdown effects in FSX would be very welcome! :wink: Thanks, Nick

Christopher, It's not a video, but I can recommend the website Flight Simulator Navigation by Charles Wood as an accessible and entertaining way to get to grips with the subject. The Duke v2 may be great, but it'll be a testing platform as a basic instrument/navigation trainer. Something with a little less performance would make your life easier. Cheers, Nick

Yikes indeed! Actually, I'm not sure whether A2A's simulation of carb heat itself takes into account EGT. Maybe it's a question I should raise over on their forum. From what I've seen, applying full carb heat in the Cherokee is a rather quick and effective remedy, so probably not. Cheers, Nick

I hardly think one can accuse RealAir of "using the simming community as cash cows". In fact I wish more developers would take a leaf out of their book and offer older products at a substantial discount. For example, the RealAir Legacy currently represents the best value pay-ware that can be had in my opinion. That being said, I've yet to go for the updated turbine Duke. That's largely due to the fact that I'm trying to improve my instrument flying skills is lower performance aircraft - I really don't need any more distractions! I always preferred the piston Duke as well for some reason... Cheers, Nick

No - I'm with Great Ozzie on this one. The symptoms described by Elaine sound most like carburettor icing. I must admit I didn't know much about this phenomenon until flying the A2A Cherokee, but I learned a great deal from this thread on A2A's forums. As well as the temperature 'danger zone' for carb icing (well illustrated by the graph in this post by 'ft') one other thing I learned from the discussion was that carb heat should be either fully on or off. Partial carb heat application can actually make carb icing more dangerous! I'll confess I've been deliberately flying the A2A Cherokee in conditions conducive to severe carb icing (e.g. temp and dew point of around 5 to 6°C) to experience some of the simulated 'Accu-Sim' effects. For example, carb icing with high (cruise) RPM as Elaine describes is certainly possible, and it can start of as quite a subtle and insidious power loss. On the other hand, selecting full power after a descent at idle can result in... Well absolutely nothing - no power at all - until carb heat is applied. Of course, improper leaning on the ground can foul the spark plugs, but this will generally be cleared up by running at reasonably high RPM for a while. In other words, if you survive the take-off and climb out with fouled plugs, you'll probably be okay. I couldn't agree more! :smile: Cheers, Nick

I'd love to think so! However, I recently reinstalled my copy of FSX and the frame-rate drop with complex add-on aircraft was apparent from the outset. While my system is not that recent ([email protected], EVGA GTX570) it's generally pretty adequate for running FSX, and I have't got a host of other add-ons. I think it's likely that the increasing complexity of internal MDL files is the culprit. Perhaps the way that click-spot functionality and animations are encoded into the MDL file? However, some of the add-ons that I use seem to suffer the problem more disproportionately than others. I've noticed the frame-rate drop is more noticeable when the sim is being worked hard, and I wonder if the explains the OP's post? i.e. If Glenn's PC is now having to work harder (perhaps due to an additional add-on), the mouse cursor effect could be the 'final straw' that's pushing his FPS below the locked value. Cheers, Nick

Yes, although oddly it's still seems to rather poorly understood and documented. I say 'oddly' because on my system it's very easy to reproduce and I'll typically lose around a quarter to a third of my FPS due to this 'bug' in the more complex add-ons. I don't think it is a rendering issue as such Martin. Instead, I reckon the FPS drop is caused by the fact that the simulator is performing calculation based upon where the cursor is and how the it interacts with switches and buttons in the VC. I'm basing this idea on some observations in this thread in the A2A forums. It's generally noted that if the cursor is visible but it's superimposed over either a 2D window or the FSX title bar, FPS are unaffected. I've also noticed that if you view the VC in 'cockpit' mode rather than 'virtual cockpit' view (I have to glance to the side to actually see the VC in this mode) FPS are unaffected whether-or-not the cursor is visible. Crucially, in both of these cases, the cursor is visible in the VC but without the click spots being 'enabled' and (on my system anyway) FPS are unaffected. This seems to suggest that it's a 'VC clickspot interactivity issue' which is causing the FPS hit. I'd certainly welcome any more input on this topic - particularly from add-on developers. It does seem to be one of the last great FSX mysteries! :huh: Cheers, Nick

Yes - that's very true as well! I'm no purist and will quite often exit the sim with the Cherokee parked-up with the engine running, flaps set and so on. When I next load the aircraft, everything is remembered, so I can basically just carry on where I left off. Accu-Sim certainly isn't all about damage, wear-and-tear and pesky maintenance. For me anyway, it's more to do with convincing behaviour of the instruments (instruments which are actually worth bothering to monitor), immersive sounds and the feeling that the aeroplane has a bit of unique character. Cheers, Nick

Hey Craig - glad you've seen the light! :smile: The A2A Cherokee certainly wins the award in my opinion and I try not to miss any opportunity to evangelise about it! It's such a charming little aeroplane which is perfect for a cross-country adventure or just a few circuits at the local aerodrome. Beautiful three-dimensional visuals, bewitching sounds, fantastic custom avionics/gauges and the overall Accu-Sim immersiveness that you describe. I could go on, but I sense eyes glazing over... :wink: The Majestic Q400 takes a close second place for me and is perhaps the winner of the 'finest technical achievement' category. I still find its performance in the sim absolutely staggering... My vote for 'best value add-on' would have to go to the RealAir Lancair Legacy: I love it and I wish more developers would discount slightly older products in this way (even though I bought it a full price). Nice thread - don't we simmers just love to vote for things! Cheers, Nick

I don't have any complaints about pitch control in the C182. Actually, the recent A2A offerings have a setting (a custom slider) to allow the user to tune pitch control. Effectively you can reduce elevator authority at higher airspeeds to make hand-flying in cruise flight less sensitive to pitch inputs. Nick

Gregg - I reckon that's really the crux of it... Both simulations are first rate so it's really down to the real world aeroplanes. Are you a low wing or high wing person? Old or new? Piper or Cessna? Lycoming or, er, Lycoming? I'm hoping that A2A's next GA release gives us the best of both worlds... A complex, low wing single with retractable gear and 'retro charm'! For example that Bonanza that TJ had me convinced was on the horizon, or the much-awaited A2A Comanche... Actually, that's not the 'best of both worlds' at all, but hopefully y'all know what I'm getting at... Character and complexity! (Just like a good single malt! :wink: ) Cheers! Nick

Speaking of the Cherokee's 'character', I though I'd borrow this screenshot which is one of my favourites posted on A2A's forums. It's taken by community member 'Papa-Lima' (hope he won't mind me respositing it here) and I think it does an beautiful job of showing the wonderful contoured panel. Prior to the Cherokee I always had a taste for newer GA interiors, but this add-on changed all that... Agree with all that Gareth, except the bit about the turbo engine! A2A modelled the normally-aspirated C182T (though I think a few people are hoping for a T182T as well!) :wink: Cheers, Nick

A2A Cherokee or Skylane? Definitely a tricky question… The Cherokee really reinvigorated my interest in FSX. As some other posters have noted, it’s got a lot of character and the 1960’s interior has a beautiful three-dimensional feel (In fact, it really feels like you can reach out and touch it, which is probably why my monitor's so sticky). Visibility in the circuit is excellent and it seems to model the characteristics of the constant-chord ‘Hershey Bar’ wing very well. Moreover, the Cherokee really does seem to feel more than the sum of its parts. So much so, that I made this rather gushy post about it! However, the C182 is also a real contender. With a constant-speed propeller simulation which seems very realistic, the Skylane also benefits from some nice refinements in terms of avionics and gauges. The CAP 140 autopilot is very capable and this time A2A have modelled the servos moving the yoke during operation which is rather cool. The C182 also features an excellent rendition of the Bendix King KI525A HSI (with a beautifully smooth CDI animation) and enhancements like this make it an excellent IFR cruiser. The ‘custom’ interior trim doesn’t feel quite as authentic as that in the Cherokee (or C172) but in spite of this minor grumble, I’m enjoying it a lot. In fact, I’m determined to become a better (and more handsome) instrument pilot because of it! I realise I haven't actually answered. Hope this helps a bit, though I really have to go with Mauricio’s initial response: get both... :smile: Cheers, Nick I betcha' don't Mr Attwood! :wink:

I think the fuel selector in the Cherokee catches out a lot of people who are used to flying Cessnas and other GA types with a 'both' position. It's easy to overlook switching tanks periodically and I've certainly ended up with a heavy wing on one side and a light one on the other! Hi Ryan - actually I still use use FSX although I did try P3D for a month with the temporary 'developer licence' a few months ago. I'm sure I'll revisit it again at some point. I've also been considering an add-on GPS but haven't bit the bullet with that one yet either... Cheers, Nick