Dang X-Plane 10 Sim is just like my instructor...

Hobobiker

Hobobiker

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Just got my sim setup so I can practice approaches, holds, etc. Flying into Johnstown, hitting my headings and altitudes, and the sim decides to do a random engine-out on me. Plane wouldn't hold rpm, altitude dropping, then the alternator light comes on. Yikes! I text my CFI and tell him my sim is acting just like him, failing my engine when I'm concentrating on something else. LOL!!

All kidding aside, the flight sim technology has come a long way and looks like it will be very helpful with my instrument scan, understanding holds/entries, etc. It's easy to setup specific scenarios and practice them over and over - weather, winds, bases and ceilings, etc.
 
jordane93 said:
:needpics:!!
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LOL! No great sim setup to take pics of if that's what you mean. I built a "gaming" style PC with a decent graphics card, memory, cpu, 24" monitor and a cheap joystick with x-plane 10. Really only built it for IFR training so no yoke, pedals, etc. Very realistic with winds/weather/430 and IFR stuff though...
 
The more you practice on your flight training device the better. Much cheaper to practice on the ground than in the airplane.
 
Hobobiker said:
LOL! No great sim setup to take pics of if that's what you mean. I built a "gaming" style PC with a decent graphics card, memory, cpu, 24" monitor and a cheap joystick with x-plane 10. Really only built it for IFR training so no yoke, pedals, etc. Very realistic with winds/weather/430 and IFR stuff though...
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I've tried x-plane a couple of times (bought two different versions). And the plane is near impossible for me to control. :mad2: I'm sure there's something not set-up right but that screen of presets is just too daunting!
 
Once on X-Plane, I was in the soup practicing instrument, and I kept having to add power and kept losing altitude. Finally just before impact, I looked at the OAT and realized it had dropped to 30 and I was accumulating ice.
 
I haven't used x-plane in 5 yearsor so. Have they updated it much the last few years?
 
Hobobiker said:
LOL! No great sim setup to take pics of if that's what you mean. I built a "gaming" style PC with a decent graphics card, memory, cpu, 24" monitor and a cheap joystick with x-plane 10. Really only built it for IFR training so no yoke, pedals, etc. Very realistic with winds/weather/430 and IFR stuff though...
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:confused: How can you practice IFR without pedals? 80% of my input is through the pedals.
 
Henning...the joystick twists for the rudder/yaw input. Doesn't mimic the Cherokee, but works for the IFR stuff as I practice balancing my radio work, entries, 5 Ts, reading the plates, etc. I fly an approach on the sim then we go up and do it for real...
 
Wade, you can turn off the random failures. You might also want to consider adding an online ATC solution. It'll bring the sim a whole lot closer to reality for your IFR training.
 
Henning said:
:confused: How can you practice IFR without pedals? 80% of my input is through the pedals.
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I use my sim to practice setting up for various kinds of approaches and coordinating setting up radios. While I have rudder pedals, a yoke, and a Cessna TPM quadrant with switches, it isn't really necessary for most of the uses to which I put it.

coma24 said:
Wade, you can turn off the random failures. You might also want to consider adding an online ATC solution. It'll bring the sim a whole lot closer to reality for your IFR training.
Click to expand...

I use http://www.pilotedge.net/
 
coma24 said:
Wade, you can turn off the random failures. You might also want to consider adding an online ATC solution. It'll bring the sim a whole lot closer to reality for your IFR training.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I found the setting, but I think I'm leaving them on. If nothing else, it might help me learn to recognize certain failures sooner or more accurately. I might also plan a vacuum pump failure for some of my IFR flights to understand what it might be like to have no DG or AI.

Once I get more familiar with using the sim I might look into Pilotedge. Seems to add a lot more to the experience...

Wade
 
Have you hit hail yet? That is bizarre, having a smashed windscreen.
 
SkyHog said:
Have you hit hail yet? That is bizarre, having a smashed windscreen.
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Not yet Nick...only had the sim operational for about a week and still figuring things out. Sounds like a "puckering" moment though...
 
Also an excellent way to familiarize yourself with all of the features of WingX Pro (shown here with P3D) or Foreflight. Both are compatable with X-Plane 10, FSX and P3D via wifi. Nice feature!:yesnod:
 

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SkyHog said:
Have you hit hail yet? That is bizarre, having a smashed windscreen.
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Hail yeah,lol.

I love X-Plane and it's failure modes.
Heck I think it was version 6 or 7 that I first experienced the screen going dark due to hypoxia.

Not to mention trying to land helicopters on rooftops in Manhattan! Having never flown a real one before, I'd never heard of 'Vortex Ring State':yikes:
 
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Bought X-plane recently and I have to say, not impressed with flight models. I can turn on a dime and the controls are incredibly twitchy and offputting. Not sure what the problem is.
 
overdrive148 said:
Bought X-plane recently and I have to say, not impressed with flight models. I can turn on a dime and the controls are incredibly twitchy and offputting. Not sure what the problem is.
Click to expand...
Adjust them in the settings.
 
Hobobiker said:
Just got my sim setup so I can practice approaches, holds, etc. Flying into Johnstown, hitting my headings and altitudes, and the sim decides to do a random engine-out on me. Plane wouldn't hold rpm, altitude dropping, then the alternator light comes on. Yikes! I text my CFI and tell him my sim is acting just like him, failing my engine when I'm concentrating on something else. LOL!!

All kidding aside, the flight sim technology has come a long way and looks like it will be very helpful with my instrument scan, understanding holds/entries, etc. It's easy to setup specific scenarios and practice them over and over - weather, winds, bases and ceilings, etc.
Click to expand...

While I like the idea that a sim can pull engine-outs on you, is it possible to set it so that it won't do so? I'd like to be able to fully focus on doing approaches without something like that distracting me.
 
coma24 said:
Wade, you can turn off the random failures. You might also want to consider adding an online ATC solution. It'll bring the sim a whole lot closer to reality for your IFR training.
Click to expand...

Never mind, I'm guilty of only reading the 1st post before asking a question. :nono:
 
DMD3. said:
While I like the idea that a sim can pull engine-outs on you, is it possible to set it so that it won't do so? I'd like to be able to fully focus on doing approaches without something like that distracting me.
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The default is 100% reliability. You can go in and mark systems as "unreliable" and then they will fail at some point.

Even more fun is set up two copies with an Instructor Station...and the instructor can fail anything he likes when he likes....Oh, you're about the intercept the glideslope, eh? How about we make that a bit tougher...
 
I'm a Prepar3D fan... but that aside. Learning how to use my GTN 650 as well as WingX on my flight sim is much more cost effective then doing it in the air.
 
I'm just about the pull the trigger on Plane X to help me start prepping for IR training... but how do you incorporate the GTN into it? My Tiger has a GTN 650 and an Aspen Evolution, it would be really great if I could set the sim up like my real world panel.

Any help appreciated, I'm a complete sim newbie.
 
Allison, I don't know of any GTN650 implementations for X-Plane yet. FWIW, I have never had my sim panel and r/w aircraft in sync. While it's nice to have (particularly if you're wanting to practice your GTN650 proficiency), you can still use the sim to focus on IFR concepts while using another panel.

Your best bet would be to use SimAVIO (runs alongside X-Plane) from http://flythissim.com, which does have the Aspen, and probably fallback to a Garmin 430 in the sim. Even though the interface will be different, the capabilities should be very similar, and you'll still be able to improve your IFR proficiency.
 
Thank you for the link, it looks like they have a Aspen/Piper version, which would be close enough for government work, LOL! That was exactly the kind of info I needed, I really appreciate it!

BTW- yoke and ruder, yoke alone or joystick? I think yoke, since that's my RL controller,but not sure if rudder pedals are really needed.

Your thoughts?
 
Hobobiker said:
Just got my sim setup so I can practice approaches, holds, etc. Flying into Johnstown, hitting my headings and altitudes, and the sim decides to do a random engine-out on me. Plane wouldn't hold rpm, altitude dropping, then the alternator light comes on. Yikes! I text my CFI and tell him my sim is acting just like him, failing my engine when I'm concentrating on something else. LOL!!

All kidding aside, the flight sim technology has come a long way and looks like it will be very helpful with my instrument scan, understanding holds/entries, etc. It's easy to setup specific scenarios and practice them over and over - weather, winds, bases and ceilings, etc.
Click to expand...

I'm using FSX and just downloaded a GTN650. Me likes :D
 
Sam D said:
I've tried x-plane a couple of times (bought two different versions). And the plane is near impossible for me to control. :mad2: I'm sure there's something not set-up right but that screen of presets is just too daunting!
Click to expand...

Same here. I can control the yaw and roll just fine but for some reason the pitch just doesn't work correctly, and I've futzed around with the settings for hours. In the end I just use the A/P and manually steer. On an approach I'll just keep lowering the target altitude on the A/P.
 
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