New to X-Plane, need help

[Mick Hill]

Hi folks, I am new to X-Plane ( less than a week ) however I flew FSX for a number of years before my new computer, Windows 7, stopped it functioning correctly. So I have bought X-Plane Europe Edition. I will not go into the complete lack of modled Airports or the lack of Tutorials . My immediate problem is with the FMC's. The MD 11 I have given up on and am trying to get the FMC in the B747-400 United to work. I have found a site XP Flight Planner where basic plans can be set up and transferred to the FMC's in X- Plane. However that is as far as it goes. There appears to be no access to Sids and Stars and the flightpath track is missing from the primary displays. The waypoints are present but there is no indication as to whether you are flying towards them.This is frustrating as I am well used to setting up FMC's and flying to the destination with them. Could it be that the stock aircraft in the programme are a tadge " Micky Mouse"? Do I need to dip into my pocket and buy the quality of aircraft used to demonstrate X-Plane on YouTube etc. before I am able to fly as I used too with FSX? 

My latest attempt was with the 747-400 United out of Schipol to Manchester. By the time I was at the second waypoint at 32K Ft. I was over the coast of the UK, Norfolk area.. I know there were at least 7 waypoints left and very few miles of the flight left. This leads me to think the waypoints were wrong or I was flying direct " Due West " and had missed all the waypoints because the Auto Pilot was not locked on to the FMC route.

 

I unfortunately lost the flight when I changed the weather and hit the wrong Key on the setup page.

 

As you can see I need help from someone who knows the Sim 

 

Mick.

[ohsirus]

I'll just do a quick chime in and say Stock is Stock, no different than FSX. There is a free FMC X-FMC, but if you are attempting to recreate the complexity of a payware FSX Aircraft then you are going to need to invest in a Payware XPX plane. The default GPS is garbage.

[tkyler]

Mick,

 

Default x-plane, like FSX, comes with marginal complexity.  The GPS system is currently not very featured BUT is going to get a pretty sizable update in the very near future.  Now that being said, you will not be getting FMS style functionality out of the box..  Only the 3rd party add-ons, again like FSX, will have FMS functionality with SID/STAR and route mapping abilities.  There are only 3 aircraft currently that have this, the CRJ200, 777 and 757...all using the same code base by the same author so they will all  have a similar feel.  There are other 3rd party aircraft in the works with that will also have FMS functionality and I'm sure more will make their way into x-plane in the future.

 

Folks are so used to acquiring add-ons for FSX, they routinely  'think' of their addons as default after a while.  When folks move over to x-plane, they forget how much money they spent on FSX add-ons to get all that goodness...but that's just the way it is.  X-Plane has some catching up to do and it will get there.  It has been built from the ground up with stronger and more accessible "legs" than FSX and I believe we will see x-plane carry flight simming where FSX has not.

 

TomK

Edited January 10, 2014 by tkyler

[hobofat]

Folks are so used to acquiring add-ons for FSX, they routinely  'think' of their addons as default after a while. 

 

Yup. Just do a vanilla re-install of FSX and try it out, most people will be shocked.  I was getting frustrated with the default X-Plane GPS, but I just tried out the default FSX one and it is no better.  The only advantage is keyboard input. Only my memory of it was better, no doubt caused by only using payware add-ons!

 

I'm studying programming so I can finally do some things I want in flight sim (and other areas too of course!), but probably years away from tackling anything like a realistic GPS.

[Mick Hill]

Thanks guys. You are right of course. I have a boatload of FSX add on aircraft which are now rotting' in a box. Not to mention the PMDG aircraft I downloaded. All at a cost. Currently I am retrying the Schipol-Manchester flight but I am having to fly the course waypoints manually. The LNav will not activate.I doubt I will land it. Regarding FMC capability I will look at the aircraft suggested.Namely  the CRJ200, 777 and 757..

 

Thanks again particularly as I posted in the wrong place.

 

Mick.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Mick Hill

[scubajuan_new]

There is a freeware FMC that works pretty well with most aircraft, and a payware stand alone FMC that can be configured for most aircraft too, you can even use it on a C172. Both of this have SID/STAR and airway inputs so, you don't have to enter every way point manually. The payware version is called UFMC by Javier Cortes and the freeware, i believe is called XFMC (i do not know by who) but google is your friend

[Mick Hill]

Going from bad to worse. I have just bought the CRJ200. and it is cold and dark on a gate at EGNM. So I open the Tutorial and proceed. Turn on the Battery switch. Easy......no not so easy ....I does not work. £30+ spent on something that does not work.  What Now?  Note almost all of the switches do not respond other than clicking. Nothing happens. The plane is grounded.

 

Mick.............Glum

 

As you were folks. In my haste to install I missed the drop down facility which I needed to install into X-Plane 10. I installed X P 9 version instead and ....It doesn't work in 10. 

 

Mick ..... embarassed but not Glum...

Edited January 10, 2014 by Mick Hill

[hobofat]

I does not work. £30+ spent on something that does not work.  What Now?

 

I see you resolved the issue but ... for future reference ... If you purchased from x-aviation.com, you can submit a support ticket on their website, and you'll get a reasonably quick response. I have never had a support ticket ignored with them. If you bought from the Org store I'm not sure how you go about getting support. There is also a support forum on this website if you search.