DaveCT2003

The Freeware AI Shipping we used in P3D was EXCELLENT!

Thanks for pointing that out, I am too. Good on him, need more of them! I've already sent a friend request to him. There is so much terrific information in the manuals, and they're even searchable!

I agree with Antonine. You will need the cable unless you have Wifi 6 or better, and even then you're still probably better off with the cable. You can get the cable for about $25 on Amazon rather than spending $75+. You can get a "comfort" type band on TEMU for $13.50 instead of paying $40. The band if fully adjustable and well worth it. There is a lightweight silicone band you can get for about $3, it makes all the difference in comfort as well and it helps to save the Quest 3 material it covers. The jury is likely still out on which size memory to get... as VR and MR progresses, memory might become an issue (although not likely in flight sim), so I went with the 512GB Ram. Best wishes.

So, will you guys forgive me if I write a little more about the Maddog? I've been a bit long winded, so I'll make this short (you don't REALLY believe that, do you?). First, the VC Mod on FlightSim.TO is certainly an improvement. Tonight I tested with and without in VR and Virtual Cockpit (VC), and I do prefer the mod. Thanks to the Addon Linker (Awesome), it's easy to implement! Obviously I love the Maddog, I'm sure I don't have to explain any of that to you fine guys as you likely feel the same. But there is one major thing I've never liked about flying her at night in the sim. I'm betting some of you can guess what it is... the lighting of the Overhead Panel! Way back before Virtual Cockpits we had one front view and we had to open 2D Panels for the rest... and that put everything at easy reach. But after Virtual Cockpits came out, most of us stuck to them and there had to be a major reason for us to degrade our sim experience by opening a 2D panel, even if it existed. Present day. In the Virtual Cockpit (FSX, P3D, MSFS), the Panel and Flood knobs for the Overhead are located at the very top of the overhead. That is of course where they are in real life, but in the Virtual Cockpit (the "VC") they are impossible to see, let along get to, without a well calibrated TriackIR or VR Headset. So anyway, when booting into the Dog (she's no lady... lol), the knobs for the Overhead Panel and Flood are turned all the way off just as they'd likely be in real life when the last crew secured the aircraft. But it's a major pain for those in flight sim who only use a VC without benefit of a something akin to a TrackIR or VR Headset, and boot in at night Cold and Dark (I've not checked the other panel states). Back in FSX and P3D we could easily create our own replacement panel states, but I don't think this is so easy to do in MSFS. So what do you guys think about this? Should we leave it like it is, or change the state file to have the knobs turned enough that you can see what you're doing after the flightdeck door is closed? For those who don't know, the light from the cabin provides enough ambient lighting to see the overhead panel when the cabin lights are on and the flightdeck door is open. Love to hear your thoughts on this.

I hear you man, I really do. I understand sales, especially in the flight sim world (I've worked for enough devs and stores). The owner of Leonardo is actually a genius. Well, that's not accurate. He's a what geniuses call a genius. I'm not kidding. I believe every one of the team has an IQ of 140 or better. and Davide makes us all look dumb just by getting up in the morning. Google "Davide Marras CERN". Then spend some time reading the papers he's written... you'll likely feel as humbled like the rest of us! Then there's Stephano, the Leonardo Administrator, he too is just an awesome guy! None of us including me see the sales numbers or expenses, I'm just a lowly tester with and happy to be that with such a group! I will of course be happy to pass the message along, but I'm confident that Davide and Stefano knows what they're doing. By the way, they are both incredibly nice, humble guys. Davide created the Maddog because of his love of the aircraft, flight sim, and flight simmers, he's really one of us! Anyway, there's a little insight to things. For my part, I just love talking about and reporting on the Maddog. That VR Cockpit, MAN! Anyway, thanks to all of you. You guys be well! Dave

Ah guys, just passing this along. The Maddog comes ALIVE in VR! I really don't know exactly how to explain it, and I won't mention other payware names, but it's the most real I've ever experienced in VR!!! As soon as I'm able to record it, I will post a video. Man, it blows me away!

Many thanks my friend! WILCO

People talk about the graphics, but having been on quite a few MD-88 flight decks, I have to say that they really capture the true feel. I haven 't checker her flight deck with VR Goggles (doing that tonight), that my change my opinion or may cement it. We'll see! The Maddog is just one of those incredible aircraft for those who love aviation. You can accurately interact with just about every system on the aircraft, and working through failures on a long trip is just, well, AWESOME. The old Learn The Maddog videos and manuals are priceless, as are some of the newer videos. Learning this incredible aircraft is just a labor of love for aviation, and you'll never, ever get bored with her. Now, I've been on the Leonardo team since the FSX days, and I'm recently back after a 4 year break from flight sim due to some rather serious health related issues (and 4 weeks after being back... BOOM, emergency surgery to remove my galbladder... just a huge underwhelming "wow"... LOL). Anyway, being away from the Dog gives me a chance to re-learn her, and I'm having the time of my life. I get the price thing, I'll mention it, but given the detail to which this gal has been modeled and the ongoing work on her, I dunno what type of traction it will get. Best wishes to all my fellow Maddog lovers... we are as special a bunch as the aircraft is! Dave

Check Amazon, search for flight, flying and especially flight simulation. Also, don't forget there are excellent educational sites put up by flight simmers and also flight simulation does a pretty good job of mirroring real world aviaiton, so those sites will help you too. We've been at this for 40 years now, so there is a LOT of GREAT information out there, including free web based ILS simulators, etc. etc. etc.

While I too prefer PMDG, the iFly isn't bad at all. Something perhaps more important.... Later this year PMDG will be releasing the 747-800, which is far more modern and has many new features. So if money is an issue, then I'd wait for the 800 to drop on us! Best wishes.

Please take a look at THIS POST. Regarding the issue with XPACK... Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\redist\Interface\FSX-SP2-XPACK\retail\lib and run the SimConnect Installer. Is that what you're having a problem with? Best wishes!

You cab obtain all three FSX versions of SimConnect HERE. I also see that you have P3D... if you'll look in your main P3D folder, you'll find the "redist" sub-folder, which also contains all three version of FSX SimConnect as well as the ESP version. To round this info up (for people who might search for and view this thread), FSX Steam (FSX:SE) users can find all three versions of SimConnect in their main FSX folder (default location: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX\SDK\Core Utilities Kit\SimConnect SDK\LegacyInterfaces. The three FSX rekated versions are: and they are: FSX-RTM FSX-SP1 FSX-XPACK Best wishes.

Friends, I can't really say anything about this yet, but you might want to take a look at THIS THREAD. It's something REALLY special! Oh... and just a little plug... if you haven't heard about the upcoming Live Flight Sim Web Conference on September 24th, please take a look HERE, it's a special event produced for the community. Best wishes to everyone for Happy Flights!

Yet another current developer providing a new product as freeware... though it's for X-PLane, Icarus Simulations has a new Avanti P180 (with FMS) coming out as Freeware. I have only seen screen shots and last night I spoke with the developer for about an hour about this and his other projects. Anyway, I suppose the point is that it really does happen.

ISIS is one, they've released a number of pay ware aircraft as freeware. There are other developers who have also done this, be it making products freeware at release or later down the road.