I’m thinking of shelling out for this for VR, but I don’t want to use the FMC - it’s something I have never been interested in, as is autopilot etc - I like to hand fly 95% of the time and only use the AP for straight & level flying if the trim isn’t up to it and I need to take my concentration away for a minute.
So can I hand fly this model - or fly it visually, if you like, without having to use the FMC - does it have independent navigational instruments, for example? Am I going to have constant alarms and warnings going off if I don’t use the FMC?
The thing is, I want to use it for Neofly and maybe Air Hauler, so I need to be able to navigate with it - does it have options for that other than FMC and de’d reckoning?
You won’t be able to use this aircraft without learning how to program the FMC. It doesn’t even use the default MSFS Nav database and supplies its own (though that’s expected to change in a few months). So even if you use the MSFS flight planner, you will NOT have the route programmed in the aircraft when you load it - you HAVE to do it yourself via the FMC. This is probably not for you.
I would honestly suggest that you dont buy this plane if you do not intend to fly it as it is supposed be flown. These kinds of planes are not for hand flying the entire route. Also as someone else has pointed out, it wont load an MSFS Flight Plan.
You are paying for the systems and the modelling of the auto flight systems and all the automation, not using any of that makes 90% of the plane redundant and seems like the money could be better spent. Just my opinion.
They ARE in FUNCTION, but the backlighting on the button is wrong. Aerosoft said they missed that one and will correct it. You can BARELY see it, so I didn’t even notice it at first.
I have a throttle quadrant. The quadrant has a click position at the bottom that acts like a key or button. I mapped those to “decrease throttle 1” and “decrease throttle 2”. Once you are at idle if you decrease the reversers engage.
I think that will work for you as it worked for me, the trick is to map “decreate throttle 1” and “decrease throttle 2”.
Also remember to arm the reversers in the pedestal on your final approach or they won’t work.
Now why would you need to “arm” reversers is something that evades me, I guess the Bombardier guys thought it was prone to accidental in flight reverse activations.
I did a little digging on VNAV and coupled VNAV and found this. It relates to the P3D version, but nonetheless I’m assumig the explanation of how coupled VNAV works is correct. Remember this plane has no autothrottle.
There are many reasons to buy a plane, personal to the particular user. I don’t take what he said to mean he won’t ever use any of the other features, but even if he didn’t, it’s not exactly a bank-breaking purchase. I will use some of the advanced features from time to time (or maybe all the time someday), but even if not, it is a somewhat iconic and fun plane to have and fly (if you want it).
Best,
Mark
I was referring to the explicit comment that the FMC does not interest them. I am not telling them what to do, buy a Bentley and drive into a swimming a pool if you like, but it is still very much redundant if those features are not used, that’s all I am saying, you can hand fly the defaults.
You say its not bank breaking, maybe for you it is not, but given the reaction to the price it seems like other’s do not agree. As a fellow simmer I am just offering up advice, it is clearly obvious that are many reasons why someone may wish to buy something and only use 10% of it, but that does not mean others can not point that out in a bid to help others.
I don’t need to have the flight plan in the FMC for me to get to another airport - just the instruments to allow me to set a beacon of any kind.
Don’t think that because I don’t want to bother with FMC or suchlike that it’s because I can’t - it’s because I don’t want to. I dislike all sim aircraft that require me to fly the aircraft by computer - there is absolutely no fun in that for me whatsoever - and if I don’t find it fun, it’s pretty pointless.
I’ve flown everything from a BAe146 (which is actually my one and only favourite jet passenger aircraft) to the Boeing 777 and Tristar “by the book”, and boy was it tedious. I’ve also flown them by hand - visually and with de’d reckoning - even for cross-atlantic freight flights - or by GPS navigation and that could be lots of fun sometimes. Even INS is more enjoyable than FMC and MCP.
I just don’t want to be forced to do it because there is no other option. I don’t care how realistic it is to nav that way - it’s fun, and games are to provide fun - nothing else. So if I can’t have fun with it, I won’t buy it - and now I know the Twotter is coming, I’m even less likely to, anyway.
edit - btw thanks for your input, people, I’ll make my mind up after watching some vids and reading some more reviews.
I’m having trouble getting the autopilot to capture altitude. Even though the FD goes into ALTS CAP, it will more often than not climb/descend thorough the altitude on the altitude selector. It may slow down, but does not stop. I also am having FMS issues. I have on some flights loaded a plan, only to find it disappeared when I tried to enable NAV after takeoff. PERF INIT also tends to vanish after it is entered and executed. Having flown the Aerosoft CRJ in FSX and found it bulletproof, this is disappointing to see.
I have not noticed any of these issues but I’ve only flown a handful of times. Regarding the altitude capture, are you managing throttle at that point? If you leave it at climb power or reduce throttle too much it will have trouble.
With the exception of the known ILS issue, the plane is rock solid
I have have used all the plates, and been at the correct altitudes for the ILS intercept, along with RNAV. This plane, has issues.. the altitude issues on keeping its altitude also comes to play.
I am not alone with this problem, And I know how to fly, and fly IRL.
