FSX had the ability to print out flight plans, which was very handy when flying long IFR flights. Could this functionality be added too.
Additionally, being able to print out the default keyboard/mouse/joystick/yoke etc button assignments, so if I want to make changes or modify them to something else, I have a printed list to start from instead of having to bounce all over the listing to find duplicates. Yes, it tells me, “this is a duplicate assignment for button x”, but, I have to stop the current assignment plan, and figure out how to fix the one I am overwriting with another. In FSX, you had a screen that showed Keyboard - Mouse - Joystick or FC product. As you scrolled down the list, you got to see all of them for each setting, and if you wanted the JS to do something like a “G” in the keyboard, all you had to do was assign button to the same thing. Simple, way less work than we got now. In fact, because of the frustration level in figuring out the current button assignment versus what I want it to do, quit for the evening. If flying tonight, FSX here I come.
We should be able to do the following easy:
- Print out our logbook
- Edit our logbook, deleting flights that did not complete, or crashes that were the simulators fault, not my flying
- Print out our flight plans, either VFR/IFR so we can make notes on them for frequencies we may have to put in manually, etc. And the MSFS Nav Log never lists any frequencies for COMM/navigation even though we are lo or hi level airways, it also does not list the Nav freq for the ILS we have chosen nor show heading we need to be flying into. The computer can fail, and then what do we do. I have the approach plate (PDF form) open and minimized (windowed screen) so I have a reference, because nav log does not show any of it. But you say, it’s in the computer, so what, I want to see it.
- Print out all keyboard/mouse/joystick/yoke, etc. button and switch assignments so we can first have a record of default, and second what changes we made from default and why, personal choice yes.
- Documentation on how the planes work, the navigation systems, basic VOR and IFR processes, not as in depth as a NATOPS (Navy Aviation Training and Operations Manuas-F-18F for instance), but some kind of stuff we can read and print out so we can study it, while playing with airplane either in air or on the ground. Real world pilots have so many manuals they need a small suitcase to haul them around. Everything is NOT an electronic device today.
Since we are wishing here, detailed, in depth Navigation training, not only on the correct process to follow, but how the individual systems work, this button does that, and if you click it, this will happen, or you can do this button and it will do the same thing, but using the airspeed instead of you controlling the throttle. Then tests on what the manuals say, because then thinking about what we read, has application which would cement into my brain.
But my biggest issues is this, I have THOUSANDS of hours in FS-98 through FSX flying C-17, 747, 737, Cessna, but all that is naught, because this Simulator does everything different, and half of the stuff we need to get going is not working correctly or is not active yet. If you look at the Quality Wings 787 video on YT for cold and dark setup by “Aviation Pro” every single button, and switch works, all the integrated computers work and talk to each other. That is a real plane, not the sort of plane we got in MSFS. Ok off my soap box. Seriously thinking of putting this back in the box, because it is causing me more anguish than necessary, for crying out loud, this is a game. But this "game so far this year has cost me close to 3000 USD, because I bought a top of the line gaming laptop to use to play it on, and other little devices to make it work better, the 249 dollar throttle quadrant on order, possibly the control yoke/switch panel, but going to stop because, going back to FSX and not have frustrations. Sorry to all for the long rant. I will monitor forum, but believe done with MSFS-2020 for now.
4 Likes
All - Going to reply to my own post. I flew the below in FSX, yes it has some limitations as I will note.
I planed a flight from KCHS-AFB to KOFF-AFB flying Virtavia C-17GIII aircraft. Now the FMC’s don’t work. I used the flight planner in the FSX Sim. I flew at 31,500’ AGL, and used Hi-Level Airways. I sped up the game because the total flight distance is 982.7 miles. I did not want to be up late. I experienced absolutely ZERO problems. The model plane flew perfect, the AP/GPS route executed perfectly. The AP responded right on the money for all Flight Level, course, speed changes. The plane is not as advanced as some in MSFS, you have to actually enter the course heading and the ILS frequency so it knows what to look for, and you have to wait for the FD/AP to move the ILS Glide Slop bug before you push the APP button, and once you do, it flies right down the glide slope just like it’s supposed to. I always take over the actual landing about 2 miles out, and it’s like landing a feather, sweet, smooth, and graceful. I’m sure you can arm the speed brakes in MSFS, but for the life of me, don’t know how. I have only made one successful ILS approach in MSFS in the 787, all the other times it failed to execute the glide slope, never go the ILS or some system or other failed. But, FSX worked perfectly, you also can pause the game, and everything stops, and if you got to make a pit stop, or eat dinner, you can minimize the game, and all the added CPU and GPU power is stopped and allowed to cool down. FSX is over 16 years old, and it works better than MSFS with about 2 months under it’s belt. I deleted the icon off my taskbar for MSFS, and also the store, since I refuse to use it until better, and that may be a year. So if you are really frustrated like I was, just go back to what ever simulator you were using, because this one is really broke. If anyone would like my flight plan, I was able to print it out as I keep all my flights as a record of places I have flown. It’s got 13 intersections in the plan, and I het every one of them right on the money. The GPS ties into the AP just fine, and the plane flies the route like a hunting dog on a scent.
I’d love to see printing support instead of taking a picture of my screen then printing that lol, wasting TONS of ink … lets go ASOBO … we like printing stuff 
3 Likes
Adding this feature would make it more like a sim…they clearly want it to be as much like a game as possible.
I sometimes print my Simbrief OFP. I use Simbrief for anything it has an aircraft profile for, and I use LNM for everything else. I’m actually not sure if LNM can print anything. I never used the flight planner in the sim. It’s always felt too arcade like to me.
2 Likes
All - The previous comment sort of for me hits the nail on the head, if it was a real sim, printing out the flight plan would be one of the first things we should be able to do. I should not have to purchase additional things to get updated charts and have the nav database be updated.
I purchased X-Plane 11 for the C-17 plane available in it. Then had several days of research and trial and error fixing that plane in Plane Maker. Long Story short, then subscribed to Navigraph for the Navigation Updates to database to charts, etc. I can export those flight planes into every sim under the sun using their software, I know there is a way to print the plan, but I have not found it yet. So, I am still writing them down. It must be an age thing.
UPDATE-We moved, internet here is 3MBPS, too slow for MSFS, but XP works well. Did figure out how to print the plan from the Navigraph site, but canceled service as we were moving. Now, going to wait for XP12 before subscribing again, to see what changes occurred and what new stuff I need to learn first. Skyvector also allows sort of printing out the plan, and do not do it enough to remember exactly process, and I fight myself in doing that. However, if I print them out, I keep them, as you get departing airport diagram, and arriving airport runway ILS printout and the airport diagram of the arriving airport as well. A wealth of data for free. Navagraph plan I think was more in depth, and having the FMS updated all the time was nice. The exporting plan options to XP might not be available due to file type, so I just enter it in FMS manually.
i regret getting msfs2020 on xbox, its a waste of time, it reminds me of when they released an xbox with no hard drive & no ability to save, thats what fs2020 feels like on the xbox. all it has got is payware, you cant even load any third party anything, its horrible .i would love to be able to get nav logs & maybe an overview route map that i could print out so that i could bloody join in like everyone else can on pc. there is no community folder on xbox. the whole experience on xbox is just bad , it crashes a lot but its this not being able to save or download anything at all whatsoever that is making me want to get rid of it
id really appreciate if they just let xbox users download flight plans because its so limited without being able to use any external add ons to even do a bush trip or anything , ive searched for hours now online trying to find flight plans with a nav log so i can follow it but oh nooo cant do that because its eiher a pln or the other & you have to download it to see it . i wish we could just join in with someof his stuff its really irritating im thinking of getting rid of my xbox
I agree, and although I’m still not sure how to plot out an entire flight, I would love to just have a simple print out, I can manually fly after time and heading before adjusting heading via autopilot or manually 
1 Like
FSX and before had the ability to print out the FP, some of that changed, but I could copy the text into word and then print from their. In MSFS no way to print it out. So that is why went to simbrief to create one, it can be downloaded into sim, and printout of a PDF is possible. You can end up with 30 pages of print outs, most of which is not needed by me. I do not worry about WX and currently have ATC off as they just run me around the horn 90% of the time. Simbrief is really good, and worth the subscription to me.