Litjan

Boy, you are late to the party, aren´t you?

Boeing likes it...the pilots don´t always. There are times when VNAV is great, other times when VNAV isn´t. Nowadays it is about the OPTIMUM use of automation, not the MAXIMUM use (anymore...). Jan

This is not a discussion forum for other add-ons, as great as they may be . Jan

We are in favor of adding pilots to see from the external view (at a later time). It´s not so up close and personal, so you can get away with guys (or gals) that just sit there. Thanks for the offer, we might pick you up on that! Jan

Not a silly question at all. I would say that every hardware that you can get working with X-Plane in the "primary" flightcontrols will work. Anything that tries to access other stuff, like assigning an axis to the speedbrake or the flaps, will likely not work, or only with limitations. Same goes for the engine start levers. We provide many controls that can be mapped to buttons, so if the hardware supports that, then it might work. Again, nothing tested beyond the primary flightcontrols and the thrustlever (just a single one, not dual ones) for V1.0 Jan

The trick is to dial in the new altitude on the MCP ALT window and punch FL CHG! No one really uses VNAV, we just put it in for the flight-simulator crowd. Jan

Alright, looks like I will have to look into using X-Camera myself, then! After we get this plane done... Thanks for everyone´s input, Jan

Well, you will get the "TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC" warning sound when in proximity, so I guess you can´t say it´s missing 100% . Jan

Try this: B733/M-SDIPRWY/S RVR/200 RMK/TCAS Jan

Hi ixam, We are not modeling the old MCP with the paddles. One reason is that we´d also have to model the annyong "click" every time you move your yoke from neutral (the solenoid-lock-out for the autopilot engage paddles). While this would be easy to do, I don´t think most people would care for that,even thoughI do miss that...in a way. We will also most likely not do the ALT and SPD INTV buttons and function, not even later on and not even as an option. There are many 737s out there without them, and they are probably the least ever used buttons in the whole aircraft. I would be willing to bet that over 90% of all active Classic-pilots could not tell you what these buttons do exactly. I have (out of curiosity) pushed them once in over ten years... They clear out the next limiting altitude or speed restriction, something that can also be done fairly easy on the LEGS page. I am not familiar with the option to switch nav source to ANS L/R, and I fear the unknown! So most likely no . Cheers, Jan

I have no idea. I have never used X-Camera, nor have I ever felt the need for an extra camera plugin. I think that the X-Plane view system leaves nothing to be desired, but of course that might be due to me never having tried something else. Cheers, Jan

It´s really not about who is making the most sales on the first day. I can assure you that even if you take one year to learn and fly all these planes to your hearts content, we will still be there when you are ready for a new experience. (Maybe even with wing-flex then! ) These are happy times for X-Planers, and I am happy for every high-quality plane that is available for our platform. Competition yes, but in an invigorating and welcome way. You know you have to have them "ALL" eventually . Jan

And those modes are not what you see when you do a go-around, and much less so when doing an automatic go-around from a dual-channel approach. Especially not the speed trim system with autopilots engaged... But this will be a lesson for another time. Jan

I would think that Southwest does not care much about EASA, they are rarely seen here in Europe. The big difference for the 0.1RNP is that you have to have a physical receiver in the aircraft to get the correction signal to the GPS, without that it´s not going to work, and someone has to pay for those and install them. So unless that is done, an aircraft will be unable to fly it, even though other aircraft of the same type would be able to (after the modification).

This is a discrepancy that is easily explained. When Boeing initially rolled out the 737 to customers, some female testpilot where offended and felt threatened by the very virile angle of the gear-lever in the up position. Therefore they made it a customer option, and only the most machoist airlines opted for the "steep" angle, while the more politically correct airlines opted for the more docile version. We might make it an option (or change the angle!) Jan

...AND it is a user preference that you can totally disable. Jan

I would certainly encourage everyone to also get the new 767. It looks to be an amazing piece of work, and why restrict yourself to just one aircraft (other than monetary reasons?). Remember, the one who dies with the most aircraft in his virtual hangar, wins! Jan

There are also different processors in use in real life - we got an upgrade in hardware once, and it was like night and day. Then I transferred to the 747, they had the old processors and it was like a trip to the past! Jan

That is correct. We also have a few in Europe (I know of some in EDDF and I think also LSZH). No way of knowing if those will get more numerous (remember the MLS disaster?). It requires the airlines to invest money, something that they REALLY don´t like... Jan

It is. These are "normal" standalone GPS/GNSS approaches, down to a non-precision descision altitude and RVR. This is an example for that type of approach: https://skyvector.com/files/tpp/1513/pdf/00237RRZ6L.PDF The GBAS approaches are to CAT I and better minima, they are precision approaches. Jan

Well, I know what RNP is, but it´s a requirement for navigational accuracy (Required Navigational Performance) and not per se any aircraft equipment. The aircraft equipment on the other hand determines the ANP (Actual Navigational Performance). This in turn determines if an aircraft is certified to be satisfiying certain RNP´s. The 737´s I flew (and the one we model), satisfy RNP 1 for terminal procedures (P-RNAV), and also the RNP for GPS standalone non-precision approaches. It can not fly the new RNP AR approaches with GBAS (comparable to CAT II/III approaches), because it only has a single FMS and a single GPS receiver. It would also require an onboard receiver for GPS correction data, and an upgrade to the FMS. I don´t really want to add this to the list, though, because it is not something we ever set out to model - this technology is now just slowly starting to get into service, and I doubt that many Classics will receive the necessary upgrades to be able to fly those (if it´s even possible at all). Jan

What is RNP equipment?

We are not going to rush it. It will be done when we feel that we can release it without being ashamed. We are not going to release without our internal minimum feature set. We have never promised that it would be before Christmas, 2015, or even this century, if you read all the statements we have made precisely. No one is entitled to a release at or before a certain time, and if the release date does not fit your schedule, you are more than welcome to pass on this product. . The team has - over the development timeframe - faced many unforeseen events and unplanned obstacles. Several babies were born, family members have been severely sick or even died, jobs have been lost, the team has had personal changes, development goals have changed... I know that everyone is excited to see this plane out, and so are we! Please realize that we are not taking this long to piss anyone off. I know many of you say "just release it, I don´t care if stuff is missing!" But please take a look into the support forums of recently released planes - people are NOT content with the "just release it". They will say so, but then bitch about every rivet or seam that is not exactly like they saw on airliners.net. In conclusion: We will release when ready. It might even take another 5 years, if WE feel that we need the time. Oh, and don´t cancel your skiing vacation to play the 737 just yet. No amount of moaning will change that, except maybe for the worse, as our motivation to finish it suffers. I know it´s hard to stand the wait, but even if you throw yourself on the floor and thrash about with arms and legs, this will not go any faster...(though maybe it will releave the frustration, so maybe give it a try!) Cheers, Jan

That is correct. We are making a simulation. If operating a 737 realistically (within the confines of a PC simulation) is too tedious, there are always youtube videos of real flights one can watch .

I was in contact recently with a Captain from Aloha Air Cargo, they got some of Lufthansa´s old 737-300s. So I guess there IS still life in those old ladies... . Cut a big hole into them, though! Jan