New Pilot Hopeing to use P3D

[Keith Smith]

Ronny, they're text files, so you can open them with Notepad.

Ultimately, make sure that every aircraft listed in the SMS or SMX file (ignore SM9 files, those are only read by PE if you're using FS9) exists in your P3D installation.

[SmallJet]

Are you referring to the visual representation of aircraft that I would see sharing the same airspace that I happen to be using at any one particular time? Or, are you referring to the visual representation of AI aircraft operating in the PilotEdge system?

Keith is referring to the models available to display to the external environment, i.e., what you see out the window when you're close enough to see another airplane that is also flying in the shared PE flight environment.

Thank you for responding, Mark. I appreciate the help.

[SmallJet]

SmallJet, you have nothing to worry about. You needn't worry about this being a 'game'. There's a company with a $6MM sim who will be flying on PilotEdge starting midway through next month. Rest assured, he doesn't consider it a game...he considers it a system which will revolutionize flight training. You're drawing potential conclusions based on pieces that you're not yet familiar with. I'd encourage you to not sweat it just yet, especially if you haven't yet selected a sim platform for your training.

Are you referring to me, or someone else?

My questions were:

1) Would I be able to use the aircraft model of my choosing with PE, given your statement that PE has to "create an aircraft." This question was answered by Mark. H.

2) When would PilotEdge would be compatible with P3D, without changes to the file system that you informed Ronny, he had to make in order to get it working properly.

I didn't ask questions related to whether or not PE was a "game," and I did not make any conclusions about "pieces" I'm "not familiar with." For the record, I'm also a former software systems engineer with a formal education in aerodynamics. So, my questions were about PE usage. I had not drawn any conclusions about whether or not I would use the service, or recommend its use to anyone at this time.

As far as the sim platform selection that you mentioned is concern, I am now also considering a RedBird MCX, or MX2, given what I've learned over the past several weeks about FSX, P3D and X-Plane, coupled to my need for a longer-term currency solution.

[Keith Smith]

SmallJet,

You said:

If this is true, it might defeat the purpose of my using PE, because I would not be using PilotEdge as a "game." I'd be using it as a preliminary training environment for instrument procedures and ATC comms. Please clarify, when you get a chance.

That's what I was referring to...and that was in reference to an apparent misunderstanding about how PE instantiates aircraft within the simulator. So, yes, I was of the opinion that you were you heading towards a conclusion regarding the applicability of the service without having a full understanding of how it works, without having experienced the service, and without having operated a flight simulator.

If you're heading towards the AATD world (a $50k-$200k expense), I would look closely at Paradigm, PFC & Redbird (listed in alphabetical order). Test fly them all to really put them through the ringer...they all have different strengths and weaknesses. I would include Frasca in that list, but they don't support PE out of the box. They will do it as a customization, though.