sideburn

Thanks for the info everyone, I've just been hooked on flight simming for the last month or so.. But Ive been digging all over the net and reading everything I can to learn the ropes. So I started out on the cessna and learned about VOR navigation etc etc.. Now I have the Boeing 777 and have a pretty good understanding of a lot of it now but I there is still plenty more to learn.

Thanks, Yes I have been looking at the charts and trying to calculate the descend rate. I also wanted to confirm that there is no way to have the autopilot ONLY handle the LNAV portion with LOC on while having the V/S disengaged so I would only be manual on the altitude. I guess that isnt possible though...

Hey guys, I have a quick question that I havent been able to find the answer to in a search. When I do a localizer only (not ILS) approach with autopilot on and LOC selected, What is the best way to maintain the correct descend rate. Currently I am using the altitude setting on the MCP along with V/S FPA and then monitoring it on the MFD until I get a couple hundred feet or so from the runway and then I turn off the autopilot and throttle down and land. I am wondering if there is a better way, for example can I keep the localizer enabled so I can stay on a more precise track to the runway and manually controll my throttle and pitch. It seems like if you want to have the localizer enabled then you also have to have the altitude / VS controlled by the autopilot as well. In the real world do pilots turn off everything and go manual when they are near the aiport? And if so how soon is it common to do this? Thanks, Tavis

Ahh I like the lights over the parking structures Ya way too blue at night. Other than that everything looks great. I have hdr off

I've been figuring out how to use the FMS, Multifunction display, and HSI on the Avanti. So "fix" waypoints are for GPS only right? I don't see any other way these could work since it is LAT/LONG points not he map. So when you program in a flight plan it is using a combination of the GPS and Radio and using the waypoints AND VORs?

Actually it seems ok now. Something else must have been bogging it down. Maybe it was the texture memory.

Right, I was just about to reply to your post...I think my confusion was that maybe the avanti doesn't have a GPS.. If you look at the pic I posted, I thought the keypad thing (I hate not know the right terminology...getting there..) on the bottom where you punch in the airport code was everything, the radios for VOR etc. which tell the display above it (the display with the green/blue arrows etc) where your radial is.. But I thought the display in the center of the cockpit (where one of my red lines is pointing too) was the waypoints/gps info. So far I haven't been able to find the tracking number to set my bearing too.. On the garmin in the cessna, you get everything shown on this ones keypad display in addition to the tracking for your bearing, as you can see this one is showing the DIS, ETE, but no TRK. this attachment is larger if you click on it:

Well I kindof jumped the gun and bout the FlyJSim 727 not thinking it through that it is a 1960's plane with older instrumentation. And it is so detail that my computer can't handle it and my framerate drops down to less that 8fps. I'm after the newer computer controlled / GPS aircraft and learning how to use those instruments. This is a cool plane though and they did a great job. Same plane my grandpa flew. But unfortunately I can't use it with my system. I hate to keep throwing money at this until I get what will work for me..

Thanks I think I ran across that, or maybe another like it. I am also looking for some good 'Heavy Metal' aircraft. the stock Boeing 747 has a pretty bad cockpit compared to this one. And you can't get the Yoke out of the way to see the insturments. And what's up with the B777-200 in the extra aircraft section? theres no 3D cockpit and it gets all whacked out when you rotate your view around.

Maybe if someone can tell me what the devices are called or their model names I can search for the manuals and figure out how to operate them that way. Here is a snapshot of the 3 I am having trouble with. The main issue I am having now is if I click the Direct To button and enter an airport, I cannot find the heading value so I can set my bearing right and either fly in that direction manually or have the autopilot take me in the right direction. I have figured out how to work the autopilot already and I can set my bearing and tell the autopilot to follow the heading. I just can't get the gps to give me the value :

Thanks, I'll review. I understand most of the navigation stuff that your first links about. I just don't understand the new school equipment.

Hey guys, sorry if I am posting this in the wrong forum, still kind of a newb to this stuff. I've been pretty much exclusively flying the cessna 172 and have learned about most of everything on that planes instrument panel and how to get around when flying it form airport to airport so I have decided to take the next step and move up to a more modern plane and chose the Piaggio P.180 Avanti that is also included as one of the included planes in x-plane 10. But I am struggling with figuring out how the navigational instruments work on it. I did figure out how to control the autopilot and I can also click the "direct to" on the gps panel (or whatever it is) but I can't figure out how to read anything in regards to the heading so it is basically useless to me at the moment.. I have been using google to try and find some kind of tutorials on understanding newer modern instruments but have not had much luck. I have found a lot on the basic older style instruments and the basic garmin that is in the cessna but thats about it. This is a link that shows the type of instruments I am talking about that are in the avanti: http://asn-xp.aerosoft.com/?page_id=2481 Could someone point me in the right direction? I really want to understand this plane inside and out and I think it is a good one to learn first before moving onto the heavy metal planes that are full of all kinds of instruments. Thanks, Tavis

I am getting a lot of blue casts over buildings after 6PM. I think it might have somehting to do with being near water (KSAN, KSFO, etc) but it seems a little too much.. it lingers all night but gradually gets less and less until AM So I am also assuming it is related to the moon. Is this to be considered normall or did I install something wrong or have some settings that need tweaking? snapshot attached

Which scenery is this? It looks great. It doesn't look like the one I have by Ted Davis found here http://theosdavis.com/xpfiles/downloads_v10.html I'd like to get this one if I can.

Ahh. I see now. Thanks!

Hey guys, I keep seeing videos of scenery where the freeways have more details like the green freeway offramp signs and lights etc.. But I have not found any areas that have that. I am usually flying around souther california, KLAX to KSAN for example and the 5 freeway/405 are just plain roads. I have downloaded some scenery but it only has airports and nearby buildings. Does any of the included areas of northern california have freeways with this much detail? How can I find some? Thanks. -Tavis

I see, it works similar to x-mapper. Looks like it also shows your GS, alt, hdg. I'll try it out. I do like how x-mapper lets you control those remotely but it's doesn't show your current GS,alt,hdg, etc. both would be perfect.

Ahh yeah, saw that one too, was going to try it. You need an external app on the box running plane right?

Thanks I saw that one too.. The thing that held me back on it is it doesn't look like it has a satellite / hybrid type view. I was hoping to see actual terrain. I got this one https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/x-mapper-pro-for-x-plane/id490618924?mt=8 And it is pretty good but it doesn't show altitude, groundspeed, etc.. One thing cool that it does do is let you control the plane and the autopilot from the iPhone.

A good one for mac (other than smcfancontrol) is Fan Control. It lets you set a fan speed curve based on temperature so it will slow down when the laptop cools down automatically. https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23137/fan-control Thanks I will give that a try

Hello, Does anyone know if a good app like fore flight that I can use for moving maps that does not require a subscription? I am only using it with x-plane so I don't really feel like spending $75.00 a year for it. I have found a couple that aren't bad but they are only the map and I like how foreflight shows you airports, groundspeed, ETA, Altitude etc.. iOS, OSX, android platforms will work for me. I don't mind paying a flat one time fee, just trying to avoid having to pay a subscription. If I was a REAL pilot I wouldn't have a problem at all paying a subscription but I just won't be getting that much use out of it to make it worth it.

Ah ok, I don't know much about PC's.. Mostly mac bough I bought this mainly for software development but now it has turned into a flightsim box So if I crank up the fans I will get a boost in frame rate? Do you know of a fan control I could download? I am averaging around 25-49fps normally, just when I land in KSFO or KSAN it gets choppy on the approach because of all the buildings and the airport etc..

It's pretty much the default settings except for number of objects is down a notch but I have tried a lot of settings. I can get it to be good but i have to sacrifice a lot. I am just surprised I can't run with the default settings and be good to go on a brand new laptop like this one with plenty of vram and 2.4ghz cpu speed. settings attached:

Thanks, Yeah since then I have been obsessed with all things flight and have learned a lot. I now know about VOR's Plates, Airways, waypoints, radio frequencies, etc.. I ended up buying x-plane and a logitech flight stick! Cool new stuff to nerd out on. I've even looked into the cost for a real plane and a hangar! haha.. I can dream..

Hi all, I'm curious about the performance I am getting with my setup. I have a new laptop. It is a Toshiba Satellite P75-A7200. The specs are located here: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Toshiba-Satellite-P75-A7200-Notebook.103741.0.html :: Processor Intel Core i7-4700MQ 2.4 GHz (Intel Core i7) :: Mainboard Intel HM86 (Lynx Point) :: Memory 8192 MB, DDR3-1600 MHz :: Graphics adapter Intel HD Graphics 4600, Core: 400 - 1150 MHz, 9.18.10.3107 1792MB available graphics memory (in system settings) :: Display 17.3 inch 16:9, 1920x1080 pixel, AUO209D, TN LED, glossy: yes :: Harddisk HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541075A9E680, 750 GB 5400 rpm It seems based on these specs I would have a good consistent high frame rate but when I am landing at an airport, my framerate drops down to 10fps or below with the default rendering options. I have dropped the number of objects and roads down to "a lot" and it still gets pretty jerky when landing. any ideas or tips on how to improve this? overall it isn't too bad but I would like it better of course if I could keep my framerate above 20 all the time if possible (without having to sacrifice much).. Thanks, -Tavis