Atomic Systems

Well hello Here's a Forum I've not been in before

I have bought MS Flight Sim 2004, (only 4 days ago). Its not as easy as driving a train is it

Are there any bugs I should know about, & any good tips.

BTW I have also got a basic (Saitek ST90) joysitck (no rude comments about joysticks either ). Flying with the keyboard just isn't on

I have swayed & bumped my way through the first set of flying lessons...I can not help but think of women drivers at my driving...oops sorry, my flying antics. (sorry to any competent female drivers). This instructor is a patient fellow



Bob

delticbob wrote:Flying with the keyboard just isn't on

Damn right!

I don't use FS2004 (my computer would die ), so can't really help.

Remember http://www.avsim.com - the flight simmers bible.

Certainly haven't been any patches or updates officially. I don't think MS has released such a fix since FS2000, but that's not to say it couldn't do with some tinkering.

If you do intend to use the default aircraft, particularly the commercial jets, you may want to replace the airfiles (.air) as those supplied are quite poor, bordering on ..

You'll discover this for yourself if you attempt the ATP licence. If you can't complete the check-ride you're not alone .

I am getting more and more into FS2004, very much addicted to large passenger jets though I agree the default MS ones are a bit ersatz compared to some of the third party ones. There are some cracking add ons to (like the one which allows you to make in flight announcements to the punters). I've just ordered the JF 727 add on which looks quite cool and I see there is a 707 add on due out later in the year, which will be a must have.

Bugs, early reports indicated there were problems with bridges over rivers displaying oddly and I have had occasional trouble with "heavies" pitching up and stalling at altitude. I'm not aware of any MS patches so these were presumably not regarded as major issues.

The workload is different to MSTS with a lot to do during take off and landing though the en route sections can get boring (as on a real flight). What I enjoy in FS2004 as opposed to earlier incarnations is the ability to reproduce the complete experience from pushback at the gate to taxi-ing to the terminal at your destination. The ATC is a tremendous boon too. Will be interesting to see where MS go with the next version (FS2006???) personally I would hope the emphasis is on more recent aircraft and jets than some of the older planes they put in this version.

bigvern wrote:I've just ordered the JF 727 add on which looks quite cool and I see there is a 707 add on due out later in the year, which will be a must have.

The Captain-Sim 727/727 Pro is very work load intensive. I've found both it and DC9-30 Pro a little overwhelming at times .

As for the 707 if it comes out in a boxed edition through Just LFight then I'll certainly buy it.
Unfortunately someone at Just Flight highlighted that Captain-Sim were looking at their distribution process. After their C-130 add-on it sounds as if they'll either take it in-house or possibly not even publish a version hard copy.

I badly want PMDG's 747-400: Queen of the Skies when it is released. Me being on dial-up at present will make it a no no though unless the split it up. I managed to get the -800/-900 add-on to the PMDG 737NG, adding that to a boxed edition, and their B1900D, but I doubt I could get some of these big add-ons in download guise alone .

bigvern wrote:I am getting more and more into FS2004, very much addicted to large passenger jets

Considered joining a VA?

I find it really gives FS a sense of purpose. I'd probably just flight helos, light aircraft, twins and military hardware if it wasn't for being a member of a VA.
Has taken up a hell of a lot more time than I originally planned though.
2,250 hours plus in 3 years. Not healthy.

I've thought about joining a VA from time to time, but given the time I've been spending up to now on train sim stuff I've fought shy of it. I'm not sure exactly how it works but I assume you have to carry out your assignment in a given time - if there's one lesson I've learned from MSTS is that it's unhealthy to devote all your time to just one activity.

I may take a look and give it a whirl (so to speak).

I've got 105ish hrs in 10 months and about a week

Can't say I'm a fan of the 'glass' cockpit.

I have been into [real] vintage (prop & jet) aircraft for some time, & have been to Bruntingthorpe & seen the Comet 4C 'Canopus' running, so was VERY pleased to find I can have my cake & eat it too - I must pass these lessons eventually, then I can move on.

Bob

Well the first check seems to be Vatsim and the Pilot Resource Centre. Trying to register for one sends me across to the other and vice versa. Er, help?!

Forget that, got it now - d'oh.

Who wants to fly with Captain Clueless then!!!

bigvern wrote:Who wants to fly with Captain Clueless then!!!

He he he, and here's me thinking the American's had him as president

Bob

bigvern wrote:I assume you have to carry out your assignment in a given time

With BAV you can take up the optional assigned flights system, but even that does't have to be adhered to. If you don't think you can complete them you just deselect the assigned flights system.
Other than that you can fly the schedules available pretty much as you please, providing your rank permits you to fly the designated airframe, and even this is fairly open.
I've been flying the FFX-SGA DC-10 in lieu of A320s and 321s recently, and A330s and 340s in place of triple 7s and 744s.

Its all quite relaxed. There used to be a check-ride in it's first guise but I don't think there is such a requirement now.
Only requirement is that you submit a PIREP once a month, and you get something like 90 or 100 days "leave" per annum for holidays or periods where you can't make the minimum requirement.

One thing that I couldn't quite work out from the site, is can you save and resume a flight later? A "local" flight from Heathrow to Glasgow or Manchester isn't a problem but an 11 hour red eye from KSFO...

Although the BAV site shows there are vacancies, I received an email this morning advising I'm 147th in the queue, so guess I will have a little wait to join!

Making a flight resumable is a bit of a pain the the @r$e with a complex payware package, particularly if you hvae them setup to start in Cold & Dark mode. You basically have a dive from whatever altitude you were at to get the cockpit up and running. Quite a task from cold and dark with complex procedures and/or an FMC/FMGC to configure.
Its easy enough with a simple panel though.

You press pause, and whileI'm not sure about flying online and resuming flights, with the the offline OSP you just close the Flight Monitor window.
It saves it's state and next time you load the Flight Monitor it asks whether you'd like to load the previous state. Having saved your flight in FS you just load that up and on you continue.

I never bother with the resume option though. Get up early and/or stay up late .

There's only one patch that would really bring FS2004 up to scratch...
Hello Microsoft..... pay attention now....

STALLS & SPINS!

Please... I'm begging.... what's the point of a flight sim where aircraft don't fly like the real thing? And whether Microsofts business partners like it or not, stalls & spins are very definitely part of flying.