Improved Failures system

One thing that I really like about XPlane that I would love to have in MSFS is a more robust failure system. I can see a handfull of potential failures with some timer options today but I find them a tad unrealistic and predefined.

Preparing for a flight means testing the systems, engine, etc, is a big part of being a pilot. I expect to read how the plane reacts and behave and based on that analysis I usually decide if the plane (and myself) is fit for flying. Today I still perform those checks in the sim but I internally know that everything will react as expected, this somehow relaxes the procedures and in some way harms my ability to detect issues when I do it in real planes.

The current model assumes that I will “pre-set” a failure, that means that I know that it will happen and I know how I would probably solve it. This may appear now during my tests or observations which misses the big point of the procedure. Also, not all the failures are as critical as “engine failure”, some times a bit of low oil pressure, dirt on the magnetos or a simple instrument fault is what we deal with and we have a way to solve it or find a workaround, thats a critical part of our flying training from the basic engine run check or FREDAI checks.

What I would like to have if is possible is the inclusion of two key features:

  1. WEAR AND TEAR failures: Put is as optional, if a pilot wants to be exposed to this. This one is not very difficult, you can measure flying time either per aircraft or as a whole if you want and trigger some failures based on a time frame beyond a single flight, this could be random or more sofisticated as chained ones (ie low oil pressure may lead into a rough running engine into an engine failure), but at least some option that could trigger this without me knowing that it will happen during this flight.
  2. ROADMAP FOR MORE FAILURES: As I explained, an expanding list of smaller failures will make our airshipman skills much better, and move from a game to a simulator.

I found some apps that will try to simulate this but I find them too simple, as they are bounded by a timer and the limted failure list that the sim has available.

If any of you found a better experience on this matter please do let me know.

1 Like

Should probably move this to the Wishlist subforum.

I agree would love to have more realistic failures and have them happen without being planned for.

1 Like

Would very much like this as an option. To set failures (and more diverse ones at that) of a specific type and at a specific time but also, I would like the option to set totally random failures without a specific time frame - completely random events, ultimately linked to wear and tear, style of flying, weather, and other factors. Basically, we do not know, irl, what may lie ahead for the flight - there is never a guarantee of an eventless flight, no matter how rare the occurrence, so this would be an interesting option to have in the sim. To be able to set such completely random failures, linked to behavior, maintenance, and simple luck, would add an element of the unknown to simming, where the outcome of every flight was no longer known before starting up the plane, would be both a tool to sharpen troubleshooting skills as well as adding a bit of consequence (if not potential drama) to every trip.

2 Likes

Failures in a car are annoying and expensive. But advanced failure simulation in an airplane is exciting and something to look forward too!

Would love to see this instead of the pre-defined failures we have today. But it should be more than just random failures, there should be guided instructions and checklists on how to diagnose each failure, and an easy way to deactivate the failures (for the brave novices).

A large part of piloting is knowing that things can go wrong and what to do when they do. This sense of having to expect the unexpected is currently missing from MSFS today.

I want to have to do pre-flight walk-around to see if a gear door is jammed, or have to return to the gate after pushback because the rudder doesn’t go full right during the flight control surfaces check, or experience a bird strike during takeoff. Because things don’t always go to plan in reality, and a simulator should reflect that.

I hope Asobo/Microsoft dedicates one of these sim updates to completely redefine failures in MSFS.

1 Like

I just cannot see the point of the failures within the flight sim, some work and that is a good thing while others like an engine fire do not work . I ask what is the point of showing this within failures as when used nothing happens.