apollothethird

There's a big learning curb. It feels very different initially. FSX has features where you can fly almost immediately without having real skills or a lot of understanding about the dynamics. With X-Plane, you have to actually study and learn lots of dynamics and theory to get the action and be able to have a smooth flight. I'm still learning. I enjoy the journey. Don't fly as much as I used to, but might in the future. After my purchase of X-Plane, I didn't fly FSX any more. I put myself into a mindset of how it was initially with Flight Simulator as a beginner. It took me a little while to get the feel. So I decided to do the same thing with X-Plane. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Thanks. My experience in the Sim community has mostly been with FS9 and FSX. The only planes I used with the two sims were the C172 and the Boeing 737. I dropped Microsoft Flight Sim when Microsoft Dropped it. I always keep up with updates and upgrades, but didn't feel comfortably with something that appeared to have a bleak future. I believe both MS9 and FSX were featured and solid enough to last many years without updates. But again, it was my opinion to look into something that I could grow with. That is why eventually, about a year ago, I purchased X-Plane. Now, after a year, I'm starting to feel more conformable with X-Plane. With this comfort, I'm looking to have more of my past experience by bringing a 737 (with virtual cockpit) to my "new" environment. I'm sure I'll eventually start venturing out with other planes. I'm looking at the M80 that was posted on this site a few days ago. I had gotten pretty deficient in handling (taking off, landing, cruising) of the FS9 and FSX 737. I'm looking for the learning curb for X-Plane. That's why I was so specific with the 737. I experiment with the FMC, but only with the vasFMC programs. I mainly flew visual. I'm finding that X-Plane is requirement much more time, experience, and training, so this is a very different domain for me. I'll see where things takes me, and look into the 757. I appreciate the advice and input. And I am looking into keeping up with what is more modern. I'll also be looking at what is more common at the real airports. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Thanks, Fr. Bill. Confusing is an understatement. But I have lots of gaps, but they are slowly being filled in. So from your comment, it sounds (unless I'm misunderstanding) that I'm on pretty good track with the FlyJSim 732 TwinJet. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

I'm getting ready to purchase my first payware plane for X-Plane. I'm looking to get a 737 with a 3D Cockpit. It would be nice if it also had built in shared cockpit functionality. I understand the latter is unlikely for X-Plane because I haven't heard of it. Anyway I'm hoping to have recommendations from other experienced users of which ones to look at and why. So far I'm looking at http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/x-planestore/Detail?no=556 . I guess it's not exactly a 737, but it looks like one and the description says it's modeled off the 737. I"m very impressed with the looks of the 3D Cockpit. Thanks in advance for any input. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Sound now works in the replay mode. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Check out the fsd server software that VATSIM and IVAO is based on: You'll find it on the download section of http://flightsim.apollo3.com -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Yea. I probably should have mentioned that I'm coming from Microsoft Flight Simulator. I used it for years. I learn to fly all the planes in MSFS within a months time. I was easily flying the C172 in a couple of days. But X-Plane appears to require a real flight school. I've been working with it for about a year and can finally take off without problems. But still have problems with simple things, as you can see, like starting the engine. I didn't disable the feature of having the engine on when starting. I recently turned it off while until I was ready to start my flight. It was then that I realized that I couldn't start the engine and started this quest. I'm sure I can eventually get the mixture and everything up to par, but I was hoping to at least have an autostart feature like in MSFS so that I could compare what I stumble into through trial and error with the proper settings. I'm sure I'll eventually learn. And thanks for the help. Since the feature appears not to be in X-plane, I can move on and stop spending so much time trying to find it. Your input has saved me valuable time. Even though I'm practicing the details, I was still spending a lot of time trying to find the short cut. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

I like the M80. I haven't purchased a payware plane yet either. But looking at the Vitrual Cockpit, I'm sure this will be my first. Thanks for the heads up! I'll follow this thread and hope for an update when it's available for purchase. I'll update the thread myself if I catch the purchase availability first. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Thanks, James. That's a start. I'm excited about the prospect of being able to start X-Plane from a point of no engine running,. I see options for going thought a complex startup method of which I'll explore in the future. But at present I'm basically trying to just get in the air. Having the engine running before actually staring my session causes me to either be out of fuel when I start, or the plane drift from the desired starting position. Anyway, the C172 only has one engine. Of course the CTRL 2 doesn't do anything and the CTRL 1 will turn the engine, but it will only turn while you hold the CTRL 1 down. When you release it, the engine stops turning. Thanks for the input. With the topic live hopefully someone else will chime in. I'm still experimenting with the controls, and if I get it figured out I'll update the topic. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Can someone tell me the keyboard shortcut to start the C172 Engine? I thought it was control-E, but that changes the view. Thanks in advance for any input. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

I having tried to install the Windows version, but the 64 bit version for Windows, Linux and Mac are provided on the IVAO site. I downloaded the Linux version and had no problem installing, running, and connecting to IVAO with it. The Linux readme says put the contents of the for_plugins_folder into the Resources/plugins folder. That was all I did initially and like you, I didn't get the addon's menu. I exited X-Plane and added the libfmodex64.so file to the Resources/plugins folder and restarted X-Plane. This gave me success. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Hi, Gizmosellsbunnys. I didn't understand it before this thread. However, I believe I understand it now. Over the years I've seen a number of difference computers come and go. Some are the Radioshack Color computer, Radioshack's Tandy, Comodore, Attari, Apple, IBM, etc. There were always online resources for the variuos computers. So if someone when on line on the Atari sites and tried to discuss the great qualities of the IBM or Comodore, you'd get the same reaction that you describe. You can still get it now if you try to push IBM on an avid Mac site. If you invested your money and time to start a FSX site to discuss all things FSX (development, addons, etc.) you'd probably be distracted by someone string to start discussions of the merit and features of X-Plane. If you logged into VATSIM and tried to get support for using a different network or the builtin ATC of your flight simulator application, the group would like you know quickly that their site if for live ATC with the VATSIM controllers. There might be complaints about the way they are run, but I believe what you described should be expected. I would hardly expect to connect to X-Plane.org to discuss FSX. Someone already eloquently gave an analogy of taking a McDonald's burger into a Burger King's restaurant and possibly speaking about how good it taste. It's unlikely that they would be welcome. I would hope that they would have tolerance if you were speaking of a PMDG plane for X-Plane. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] ww.apollo3.com/~ljames

Thanks. I found the option. I'm sure that was the culprit. As I mentioned above, I'd come back and update after it was addressed. I didn't know it would be so simple. I expressed the problem and have it resolved. I hope other fans of .org appreciate that if I hadn't expressed it, I'd still have the messages. Thanks! I'm sure the messages are very much invited by most X-Plane diehards. They want to see all the latest that is available. There's a chance that I might develop into a deeper diehard and crave the the latest also. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Hi, pyoski. I expressed my appreciation in that thread for the support that is provided. I also expressed my appreciation in this thread for the support that they provide. I also understand work and attention that goes into software development and appreciate what Barbarossa does for the community. In this case, I was trying to get support for X-Plane the way it is in the box so that I could understand it. I do expect to eventually expand on hardware and software. But I tried to explain that I was looking to learn the bare dynamics of the X-Plane package. I felt very uncomfortable going further when I was given the software resolution. Barbarossa said to the group that I had ignored him. I hadn't. I had downloaded the software, and was comparing it to the virgin X-Plane. I was trying to have a learning experience with X-Plane. Andy is very helpful also. However, he said, "Don't feel bad - I suspect you're not alone." I was new. I thought I was talking to LR. I had to resolve to explore more of the details on my own. I figured out what I was looking for. No one in that thread was trying to market off me. I believe you thought, that was what I was saying. But it wasn't. My reference to marketing is the spam that I receive. Again, I used FSX in an after-school program teaching children to fly. I'm looking to do the same with X-Plane... the after school program, my friends and their families, as well as my Nieces and Nephews. So some of my questions are not die hard about getting the most advanced addons, hardware and software. I try to, for some degree, figure out how to use X-Plane in such a way that I can get others started. I was new, and suggested to get foot pedals as the least expensive way to go. Again, I thought it was LR telling me that I needed all that. I know now that a third party place might not be as devoted in delving as deep into the actually application as the developers themselves. X-Plane would be a component, then there would be the best, aircraft, the best scenery, and so forth. There are excellent tutorial on .org. I appreciate all the contributions and believe it's great. But again, I was taken abase when going over the tutorial it started out by suggesting to download (freeware) a different plane from the X-Plane's default C-172. I didn't understand why they didn't just put the components into the X-Plane distribution. This was my confusing because I thought I was on the developer's site. In this message I was responding to the need of LR to provide an official forum themselves so that the users could more easily get support for X-Plane itself without giving the impressing that they are brushing off the users who are suggesting workarounds. Because I was giving the impressing that I was brushing off the gracious people who were offering help, I didn't feel comfortable to ask questions about the built-in ATC, which I'm very interested in. I was about to ask questions, but I always research first. All the threads I found with buitin-ATC questions were brush off to the user, not to bother with it. Again, I as confused because I didn't understand why LR was telling their users not to bother with the features they were trying to provide to their customers. Again, no vendor tried to sell me anything on the forum. I'm bombarded with sells in email that is coming from the site. My reference to the forum itself had a lot to do with suggesting alternatives outside of X-Plane, and the people giving the suggestion showing (appearing to me to be showing) brushed off impressing if the suggestions weren't heed. By the way, I reread my message here, and I can see how it may have appeared more callous and ungrateful than intended. I appreciate your patience to give some benefit of doubt, as your reference, "As I read anyway". My message was an AMEN to the one I replied, as a suggestion and why LR should get a support forum. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Can someone tell me how to scroll the MOTD text you get when you connect XPlane to a server? Thanks. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

I couldn't agree more. I will reiterate what I touched on before, that I was totally baffled when posting on x-plane.org that almost all my questions resulted into suggestions to buy something. I was trying to figure out how to taxii and was scolded harshly for not accepting the fact that you couldn't taxii without buying expensive equipment. I didn't believe it and tried to get some clarification. No one posting in the thread acknowledged that it was possible out of the box. At least one user gave me a link to download his software resolution, then scolded me for continuing with my question when he had told me to download his software. I since discovered on my own that I could taxii with the equipment that I have. I have also learned that you can configure the mouse for it. I even explained that I was trying to recommend X-Plane to my friends and their children who wouldn't be ready to spend hundreds of dollars on hardware just to explore/checkout the hobby. If I could use it without expensive equipment (of which I might buy in the future) I could show them how to. Also, I get lots of spam from x-plane.org trying to sell me things. I never got around to it but I was going to call Laminar Research to tell them to stop sending me those ad's. I was only interested in X-Plane for now. But again, this thread has educated me that it's not LR that is spamming me. I now have renewed respect for them. They could save their customers a lot of problems by having an official website that they could control and would be about X-Plane, and not a campaign to piggyback money from the customer. I'm not saying (as I mentioned in my previous post) that X-Plane.org is wrong to be all about money. But it's a serious problem when an LR customer gets caught up with thinking they are required to buy all that expensive gear just to explore their product. I believe this is a very important message and thread that LR needs to monitor. If they think I'm wrong about the spam I get, let them test a concept as a new user and log in to what they think is an official support form for LR and watch their bombardment of spam, even before they post their first message after signing up. Then after posting, they will see a huge increase of spam (from X-Plane.org). When I register a product, purchase something, register to a site, or put my email address on anything, I am always careful to decline product sells and suggestions. When I signed up for X-Plane.org, if they gave me that option, they either ignored my choice or it wasn't there. I have never in my 10 years of being a registered user of Avsim, received a single email from them selling me anything. I have since studied my profile looking for a option to get off the store list and to only receive topic notices and forum announcements... I can't find it. I will take this up with X-Plane.org. I'll continue my activity there, but make it clear that I'm not trying to buy something, just trying to participate and contribute to the X-Plane community, by learning and being available to help other users when I can. Again, before reading this thread, I thought I had to appear as if I were going to buy something to get input from my forum/X-Plane support messages. I was given cold shoulders when I tried to keep my topics on the support of X-Plane itself and not addon hardware and software. By the way, after communicating with .org about the spam, if it's resolved, I'll post a update to this post that is became resolved. I'll even post an apology if there was an obvious way to be excluded from the spam... but again, I can't find it. I understand that X-Plane.org doesn't have any control over users sending each other spam. For me, that doesn't happen. The message headers shows very clearly that the spam is coming from constantcontact.com (who had been blocked by my spam filters of which I had to unblock to receive .org forum notices). I don't mean to bash the company for their choice to have a market rather than form to support X-Plane. It's LR that I'm hoping will look to an X-Plane support forum. In the meantime, I'm very pleased to learn there is a place that hopefully others will discover (avsim) that can actually provide X-Plane support without shoving their store down the users' throat. The store is available, but not make to appear as a requirement for participating on the forum. If someone tries to sell me something, I'm glad to feel at ease to say I'm not looking to buy at this time, but to learn what's in the X-Plane package itself. Then I hope to be able to go a step further to feel free to discuss feature request if X-Plane is lacking the ability... in this case the ability to taxii without purchasing an expensive yoke. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

My sentiment exact. But I believe it's one good thing this thread is showing, there is lots of diversity in use humans, and it's tolerated when we can be civil. Some of the of the overboard remarks are pointed out by our fellow users and we have a chance to think about what we are saying and reaccess if needed. I get the impression from this thread that if I asked a newuser question there would be tolerance. If one or two users responded RTFM one or two others would probably point out some friendly coaching. The newuser should soon realize the diversity in tones is the same way it was when he was in kindergarten... the same way it was when he was in elementary school, like it was when he was in middle school, high school, college, on the job. I'm glad to see we are checking each other when it comes to personal attacks. In a perfect world we might be able to have discussions and leave that out. But I'm glad for the overall theme that that is representative of this thread, that we can speak our opinion. As far as x-plane.org, it might be the same way. I don't know. I'm new to that board. I'll continue to use both avsim.net and x-plane.org. I might never have discovered x-plane.org had I thought it was the official forum of x-plane. I was going there under a false impression that I was getting support for a product I thought I had bought from them. It appears that the OP has cleared that up. I'm very glad that I see I can get support from here as I have in the past for Microsoft Simulator. By the way, I usually stay up with the latest product of the things I like (OS, Applications, Flight Simulator application), so I started loosing interest with FSX when Microsoft announced dropping it. My interest became rekindled when I discovered X-Plane. It's not as easy to start using as FSX, so I thought I was going to X-Plane's official site for support. I have found the support on x-plane.org lack diversity in scope. As a forum, this is the whim of the administrators. I totally respect that. I was taken abase because I thought it was x-plane that was discouraging feature request and discussion. It's totally their prerogative not to want the xplane developers to hear about features they are against, and to squash those type of conversations. Personally I'm very sure that Laminar Research is interested in the user's opinion about the views on the screens and other features they are providing such as the record feature. By the way, I have spoken to Laminar Research a few times on the phone. They have always been very friendly and cordially receptive of my questions, opinions and suggestions. I don't know if my feature requests falls on deaf ear from receptions who haven't a clue, but I have always been treated very well. I thought my post were followups to avoid taking up their precious time on the phone. I hope the X-Plane community can learn that they can come here as well as some of their other favorite forum hangouts and get cooperative support for their niche of the hobby. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Interesting. I'm one who thought they were the official X-Plane site. I noticed a difference the manuals and linked in X-Plane pointed to a .com, but I thought they were the same... like microsoft.com and microsoft.org using both to protect their name. By the way, the tone of the .org administrators sounds as if they are officially speaking for X-Plane from the perspective of how they allocate their development time and resources. Thanks for the valuable information. I believe the forum providers provide a great resource to the community. But again, it's nice to know they are not officially speaking for X-Plane the various feature requests might not be as bleak as being as being presented. -- L. James -- L. D. James [email protected] www.apollo3.com/~ljames