PilotEdge Forums

Hi everyone, I heard about this service via some youtube videos I stumbled across that mentioned it, figured I would give it a shot, seems like a good way to work on IFR proficiency, and it is! Flew IFR from KMYF to KWJF about an hour ago and this is pretty close to real life from what I saw. I was flying as the Piper P32R N5TC if anyone who reads this was talking to that airplane. Sorry about the erratic takeoff and the one busted heading, technical probs! That brings me to my question...

Can anyone recommend a X-Plane 10 high performance single, preferably with a 430W, AP with preselect, and a fully working Aspen panel (or 2)? I'm running on a Mac with on-board video so limited to 1280x720(ish) to get a decent framerate, if that makes any difference. Some airplanes I've tried seem to require higher resolutions than others for the panel. The airplane I flew tonight (Saratoga found on the X-Plane forums) is pretty close to my real airplane in capability but unfortunately the 430W in the panel is deceptive. No sooner than I took off, I found that it had no flight plan functionality. The Aspen panel it had works for basic instrumentation but nothing on it is configurable except for the heading bug and the HSI/RMI clutter. Not very useful.

If you're trying to replicate your panel as closely as possible, I would say that buying a TouchTrainer is your best bet. Otherwise, if you want to build your own sim, I would buy SimAvio from FlyThis Sim which will provide you with a great 430W, the Aspen PFD and an approach database that is updated every month. It won't be cheap, but it'll give you what you're looking for.

FWIW, I fly r/w IFR on a regular basis and am of the opinion that it is not necessary to replicate your panel and your avionics. IFR is more about course interception and tracking, energy management, the ability to multitask and stay ahead of the airplane. I fly MU-2's, Barons, King Airs and all manner of planes in the sim, then when I jump into the Lancair in real life (a plane I don't even have in my sim), I'm just as sharp as I would've been had I been using a Lancair in the sim.

So, if you're willing to compromise, you can get it done for a lot less money. Otherwise, if you need to have a Saratoga with a similar avionics suite, a TouchTrainer (or a home-built version of it using SimAVIO) is your best bet. If you'd like to be able to work the 430 with ease, I would add a PFC 430 head unit into the mix as well so that you have hardware buttons and knobs to work the 430.

Btw, the stock 430 was recently updated in X-Plane and does have flight plan capability as well as myriad enhancements compared to what you're probably using right now (which sounds like the previous 430). Try opening the stock Baron in X-Plane and you'll see the new 430.

If you'd like more thoughts on how to use sims to stay sharp for IFR, here's a workshop that was recorded on this very topic: http://www.pilotedge.net/workshops/flig ... t-training

Yeah, I don't have room around my desk for a large sim setup, but rather than drive to the airport and rent the sim and pay a CFI 50 bucks an hour to be a controller, this seems like an all around better deal. Tonight I just flew with an old Logitech 3d pro joystick using it to takeoff, land, and taxi, and doing the rest with the autopilot. Hence the demand for pre-select.

I actually have a turbo Commander 114 in real life so the Saratoga is comparable to it in terms of speed and complexity. I didn't go looking for a Commander for the sim, figured it would be a needle in a haystack.

That was going to be another question, database currency.

I'm with you on not needing to replicate my real airplane perfectly, but there has to be a means of sorting out who has what in terms of current procedures, right? Or does PilotEdge assume the procedures that came with X-Plane 10? Do I need database updates? I requested the only non-GPS approach for my destination on the first flight tonight in the flight plan comments but didn't get it and as of that point I was having a screwy issue with the rudder on this crappy joystick affecting the trim so I gladly took the visual clearance rather than keep fighting with it, heh.

Another point in favor of SimAVIO is that, on a touch screen monitor, it's a more natural way of interacting with the panel. I've never liked using mouse and keyboard on sims, and I never have to with my setup. I'm not too interested in matching a specific panel either, but SimAVIO makes it pretty easy to have a variety of setups to practice on. They recently updated the program so you get the same software as in the TouchTrainer. It's a lot more expensive, but it looks like a much better product too. I'll probably pick that up eventually. That said I still like the immersion of a 3D cockpit for VFR flights.

RyanK wrote:Another point in favor of SimAVIO is that, on a touch screen monitor, it's a more natural way of interacting with the panel. I've never liked using mouse and keyboard on sims...

Indeed that was the first thing I noticed. Using a mouse the workload is actually higher on X-Plane than it is in real life. If you're quick with a 430W you can zip through things in no time in a real airplane, clicking a mouse to do it is a test of your time management, that's for sure.

I don't keep the SimAVIO database current. A lot of non-GPS approaches are missing from it, but I don't remember currency ever causing an issue. I don't do GPS approaches often in the sim though, so your mileage may vary.

RyanK wrote:I don't keep the SimAVIO database current. A lot of non-GPS approaches are missing from it, but I don't remember currency ever causing an issue. I don't do GPS approaches often in the sim though, so your mileage may vary.

Yeah but what are the controllers going to assume if I file /G, that I have current plates and can fly a current GPS approach? Or should I not file /G if I don't because I have the default X-Plane plates?

Yeah but what are the controllers going to assume if I file /G, that I have current plates and can fly a current GPS approach? Or should I not file /G if I don't because I have the default X-Plane plates?

In the real world you are correct that /G means approach capable.

Here on PE we know that database concerns are a big problem. As a result we generally will not assign a GPS approach unless you ask for one.

I'm pretty sure the default GPS doesn't update either. I'll still fly an approach in the sim if it looks about the same. Obviously that's NOT how I'd operate in the real world. I just don't think it's worth paying for regular updates for sim flying necessarily.

Peter Grey wrote:

Yeah but what are the controllers going to assume if I file /G, that I have current plates and can fly a current GPS approach? Or should I not file /G if I don't because I have the default X-Plane plates?

In the real world you are correct that /G means approach capable.

Here on PE we know that database concerns are a big problem. As a result we generally will not assign a GPS approach unless you ask for one.

Gotcha, thanks.

Are the controllers capable of looking after me if I request an older one that's in the X-Plane database(s)?