I thought it was just a game...

[Lear Wanna Be]

FS2004 is pretty cool. You can also download all kinds of aircraft to have fun with at simviation.com. In addition they have additional scenery files and other add ons. Pretty cool. I downloaded an F/A-18F and aircraft carriers. Kind of fun to shoot approaches to the boat with 200 and a half mile. Although I have landed gear up a couple times (no gear horn or lights) and now I have a recurring dream that I landed gear up for real.

 

[mhcasey]

A general MS2004 question that hopefully isn't too late in the thread to receive a response...

How can I get a few that just displays the instruments? I've gotten to a few that is mostly instruments, but can still see out the windows a bit. Of course I can always just make it cloudy...

Also, I can't figure out how to display my radios! The goofy ATC box just comes up whenever I need to talk to ATC, but I can't navigate or switch to local comm. frequencies, ATIS, etc.

Thanks

 

[gkrangers]

A general MS2004 question that hopefully isn't too late in the thread to receive a response...

How can I get a few that just displays the instruments? I've gotten to a few that is mostly instruments, but can still see out the windows a bit. Of course I can always just make it cloudy...

Also, I can't figure out how to display my radios! The goofy ATC box just comes up whenever I need to talk to ATC, but I can't navigate or switch to local comm. frequencies, ATIS, etc.

Thanks

The ~ key brings up the ATC window (you can tune ATIS and CTAF through it).

Also, Shift 2 usually brings up the radio stack. Shift 3 the GPS, and so on...

 

[unreal]

Since its been brought up, would anyone say it's acceptable to make straight-in approaches at uncontolled airports if you anounce you possition on the CTAF about 10 miles out, and again as you get closer in??? Of course, if there's no unicom, you should probably overfly the field to check the wind dirrection....

Even if there is a CTAF, you shouldn't fly a straight-in to an uncontrolled field. Who's to say there isn't an airplane up there without a radio? It's perfectly legal for them to do so. Be safe, and fly the standard entry.

As far as flightsim goes, it's a great way to practice instrument procedures. I saved a ton of money on my instrument rating by spending a lot of time on flightsim and PCATDs I had available to me.

Flightsim has even kept my skills sharp. I haven't really flown much in the past year (only 4 times in the past 12 months), but I went to a pretty challenging interview at ERAU a bit over a week ago and showed them a great ILS because I'd practiced on my computer beforehand. I think that's one of the things that got me the job. Don't be too quick to brush PC simulations off as games.

 

[gkrangers]

Even if there is a CTAF, you shouldn't fly a straight-in to an uncontrolled field. Who's to say there isn't an airplane up there without a radio? It's perfectly legal for them to do so. Be safe, and fly the standard entry.

As far as flightsim goes, it's a great way to practice instrument procedures. I saved a ton of money on my instrument rating by spending a lot of time on flightsim and PCATDs I had available to me.

Flightsim has even kept my skills sharp. I haven't really flown much in the past year (only 4 times in the past 12 months), but I went to a pretty challenging interview at ERAU a bit over a week ago and showed them a great ILS because I'd practiced on my computer beforehand. I think that's one of the things that got me the job. Don't be too quick to brush PC simulations off as games.

Beach or Desert?

 

[unreal]

Beach or Desert?

Desert.

 

[Bjammin]

I've downloaded a true 747-400 cockpit onto FS2004. It's called PMDG and EVERY single button on the overhead works, all the EFIS and EICAS work and display EXACTLY what the real airplane does, and you can program the FMC just like the real thing. Truly amazing. I have no idea what someone without a type rating or some serious books would do with the thing. It cost some money, but I use it to study for line checks and emergency procedure sims.

here's a link: www.precisionmanuals.com/html/747400F.htm

Can't wait for FSX

 

[time builder]

Anyone interested:
If you want the FS2004 king air to perform like an AMF BE99, make sure your conditon levers are at low idle, and divide AMF's torque settings by 20:
Takeoff: 1700-85%
Climb: 1400-70%
Cruise: 1100-55%

 

[Salukipilot4590]

This is definately not a game! I've been using flightsim for the past 8 years now and I would say that it has been almost as good as flight time in that it helps with flow checks, IFR operations and X-country flight techniques. Hell if you have the right airplane and if you set the settings up right you can even go out and do some flight maneuvers.

Just to show you a little somethin' somethin' I went ahead and flew from my home airport, KMDH and did some maneuvers and came back in for a crosswind landing.

Here we go

This is Carenado's 182RGII. It's a spitting image of the one owned by the SIU flight department so I used this model extensively during my commercial course.

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/3045/headingbacktocarbondale6bu.jpg

I started off with some steep power turns at 3,000 feet.

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/3045/headingbacktocarbondale6bu.jpg

Then went into a power on stall. I configured the airplane with the gear down and the flaps up to simulate a departure stall.

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/7995/preparingforapwronst6fm.jpg

Then the power comes in, gear comes up, and the pitch goes up to well above our departure pitch attitude.

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/639/pwronstallreco8ty.jpg

Here's the stall break....I didnt have enough rudder...

http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/8746/poweronstallbreak9eo.jp

Now its back to Carbondale. Right now im picking up the ATIS and lining myself up with runway 18R.

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/2764/pickinupthenumbers6jg.jpg

I'm coming in with a crosswind to runway 18R.

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/2249/shortfinalxwind9wd.jpg

After landing checklist complete, off on Echo.

http://img173.imageshack.us/img173/4001/offonecho2oo.jpg

I dont even consider FS9 a game and I cant wait for the improvements that have been hinted for FSX.

Thanks!

 

[unreal]

That looks pretty slick. Not a big fan of it for VFR maneuvers though. You can't feel the plane out, and it's too easy to get caught up looking inside (among other things).