Jump to content

My first thoughts about v 1.0.2.0


Recommended Posts

Dear all,

 

I wanted to buy the CRJ right upon it's release but decided to wait and see how it performes. After reading about all the issues I think it was a wise decision. Several fixes came out since then (thank you Aerosoft) and with the Daily Deal on 29.11, I finally went for it and purchased v 1.0.2.0. Was it the right decision???

 

Installation went smooth with no issues at all (yes, I disabled AV and run the installer as Admin) and I loaded the "Tutorial flight" and started to work along the documentation.

***
At this point I must say I have newer spent so much time in searching for fixes, bug reports, forums, etc. to start an ACFT.....

***
Here what I encountered (some of these points are "wants", some might be "bugs", the most of them could be "user related ;)").
1. DAVE: Loading C&D (and some other states) infotext does not quit nor saying that it has finished configuring the panels. You have to load "Before Taxi" state, wait for it to complete, then load "C and D" again.
2. DAVE should have some visual and/or accoustic feedback for the buttons that are pressed (it feels like clicking on a plain image...)
3. Flip switches: "Left click" should always flip the switch down, "right click" should always flip it up.  Unfortunately some switches work "normal" whilst others are inverted (so you end up flipping them in the wrong position).
4. APU press buttons (same as above). The PWR FUEL works with normal left click, the START STOP with right click (I almost destroyed my mouse trying to left click the APU Start button)
5. HYD 3A - Documentation says it has 2 positions (OFF or ON) and that you should switch it to ON. Well....forget it...it will only switch to OFF or AUTO.
6. OMG Beeping IDENT sounds (found the remedy in the forum). Have to ask myself how can this happen since a fix is there and if I remember correctly it was already implemeted in a prior release....well, with v 1.0.2.0 it is back again...
7. Some simulated buttons have no haptic nor accoustic feedback (same as DAVE). You click on a rendered image of a button...

 

I ended up here since I already spent more then 2 hours in troubleshooting the CRJ to power up.

 

At this point I'm very dissapointed since these issues are minor ones. It feels that the product is far from finished and I haven't even gotten the bird airborne....and test the FMGS...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is my 2nd attempt with the CRJ...

 

First of all I need to correct above point 5! The HYD 3A has indeed the correct ON/OFF positions (I just missread which position relates to which switch).

Following the tutorial I had other issues and I will continue to enumerate them:

8. ICE DET TEST SW (p 2-1-25): it won't stay pressed while holding left click. After the first press it will no longer be animated.

9. After the test and ECS message, the button will remain illuminated (documentation says it has to extinguish)

10. PITCH and ROLL DISC handles (p 2-1-31): positions inverted compared to the manual...(minor thing)

11. FMGS LEGS page: how to scroll through the WP. The up down arrows do seem to work since the ND centers the WP when in PLAN mode. Nothing happens on the FMGS though...

12. 2-1-59 point 5 TRANSPONDER/TCAS: could not find how to activate transponder 1 by turning the ATC selector to "1"...

 

At last a maybe noob question: at several steps in the tutorial handbook you are requiered to enter a CRS. Well...how to dial in the CRS when the FD is in FMS1 mode???

 

Would be glad to get some advice from the already experienced ones. Thank you.

 

Best regards,

Gerald

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GEK, it is great your are diving into this and when encountering issues you are investingating.  

 

Good catch on your 2nd post that the Hydraulic 3A pump which is an electrically driven hydraulic pump (in which auto is not relevant) unlike 1A and 2A that are engine driven (and don’t have a switch on the hydraulic panel but can be shut off various other ways (fire switch lights, and hydraulic SOV on the left section of overhead panel).     Aerosoft has done an amzing job to model the hydraulic system and and others.   

 

Perfection is always something to strive for and it is worth it  but for users of this aircrtaft, as a saying goes, “don’t [necessarily] miss the forest for the trees”.    Not being sarcastic at all I’m very appreciative of those who like to investigate a simmulation and and dig out issues so they can be prioritized and corrected.   It has yielded good fixes for the updated verson although I was using the first verson extensively.   

 

To start, simmulation is by deffinition, a very mental thing as many aspects of simmulating have to be filled in with creative immagination.    Part of the enjoyment can be trouble shooting programs.   For those who want to do other aspects of simmulation I have the following suggestion:

 

A suggestion to some for what it is worth.  Treat minor “imperfections - real or lack of knowedge” that could exist as sort of an “MEL” item.  Make a note  of it and when having to deal with that imperfection, handle it as sort of an MEL instruction would have you do it (for example a switch behavior... in my case the DC switch being on on load up or the ice light not going off ...   Yes, not a real MEL but it allows for enjoyment of an exceptional aircraft.   Like an MEL, we hope it eventually gets fixed withing [for simmulation taking into consideration limmiations that exist (time, hardware, money).    Of coarse if the simmulator crashes or the issue with the aircraft causes loss of control that is a no go but I can report that that has been very far from the case with the CRJ [with my very standard install with FTX, ASI ]  while simmulating well great depth.  

 

Back to relating to RW on the above, if the airline industry got too hung up every time the coffee maker aboard was out, things would grind to a halt..  You would think they would have coffee making tecknology down sollid by now :).    In Canada they make a great aircraft but as was commonly parethesized in RW training was the logic “they” use is a little different in some things so you may find some of the strange behavior in some switches/system as the way it is.   Keep learning.    

 

One of them to point out is the switches for example: the engine start.    I was amazed to find out that in real life, like the simmulator, you have to “push and hold a bit” a switch to activate and a quick click does not do the job.   Just an example.

 

Good simmming!   

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for you much appreciated comments @wwittkoff.

 

There are several ways you can learn to fly a new ACTF: Handbooks, Videos, Tutorial flights... . Since there are not a lot of comprehensive videos out there yet (I saw Froogle's and TheFlightsimGuy and some others) but none of them exactly covering the documented tutorial flight (so skipping some of the checks) I started to follow the tutorial by the letter.

I didn't want to actually start a "bug" or "want" list, but after a lot of time spending in the CRJ cockpit, I started to get frustrated about some of the things. You see, I ask myself what did the Beta testers test prior of releasing the product?

 

The tutorials are the first thing a new user should follow to get acquainted with the ACFT and I see it as closed test environment (no weather, no traffic, no problems with the FPLN...) and IMHO it is quite bad (and highly annoing) if the user discovers so many problems by following it. I know some of the things encountered by me are minor things but if these minor things exist, what about other complex functions of the ACFT?

 

It makes me wonder: Did no one discover that some of the flip switches have "strange logic"? Now that I know that for example the HYD switches react inverted and the APU START button needs a right-click and..., I see how all the reviewers struggle with the plane. They flip the switches into the wrong position, they can't figure out how to start or test something so they cut the video or jump over some of the items if they know there's a problem,...I mean it's so obvious that we all are struggling...  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi there Mr Reaper.

 

I was a beta tester for the MCE integration of the CRJ. I began with V1 of the CRJ and flew one of the tutorial flights with MCE still in beta.

 

I continued to help develop the MCE integration with the updated CRJ, to ensure complete first officer compatibility. 

 

I am a committed believer in flying with a first officer, especially in commercial aircraft simulators. These are not flown single crewed in real life, so it's my belief they should not be flown single crewed in a simulation, that is if you want to fly a simulation and not a "game".

 

The CRJ follows the real life flows and checklists as closely as my skills knowledge and experience are aware, when flown with Multi Crew Experience. There is only one system switch on the CRJ flight deck that is not supported by MCE....If anyone can find it, I doff my cap to them!;)

 

Just one point you make about the EFB (or Dave), since he is a touch screen I surmise the crew haven't enabled any touch click sound, so like the tablet I am typing on, it's silent!

 

I did a series of six videos, each exploring further functions of the CRJ integration and eventually extending the range of commands the first officer could perform. The result is a simulation of a "pilots aircraft" a definition I use for this very pleasing simulation. 

 

As no simulation can run exactly the same on everyone's PC, no one can experience a perfect flight each time. A strange analogy to real life, wherein we frequently experience "failures" and MEL issues. The variety of which are numerous.

 

For the "doubters" of suspending disbelief, which is what we strive to achieve in Flight Simulators, I would say fly this CRJ with MCE and follow the flows and checklists closely, you will experience a fine piece of work. The first officer has no concerns with any switches that appear to some to be difficult to select.

 

I will link the very first video in the series, the tutorial flights from KLAX  to Monterey.

 

Best regards.

 

David.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear David (@herky20),

 

thank you for the links, I will surely have a look and realy appreciate your help!

Unfortunately your response is mainly based towards MCE and I can't realy tell if it fits the issues I described above. I haven't tried yet MCE with this ACFT but I'm sure it is (or will be) as great as in other AS products.

 

The DAVE touch thingy with a "click" OR "a visual" feedback (you forgot the "visual" part) is a minor thing which I included in a "nice to have" drawer. I'm sure your tablet can make click sounds, and if you disabled them, you will still have some sort of animated button or direct response of the function you just touched. DAVE could simply shortly change the color of the touched button...would make it much nicer (IMHO).

 

I will continue my list of findings hoping to help Hans (an others) to consolidate the CRJ.

 

BR,

Gerald

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So guys,

meanwhile I spent day 3 and 4 with the CRJ and I'm back to continue the list of findings...

 

Corrections to the points and Q from my prior post:

12. I found the transponder.... wouid be nice to insert a picture in the Vol3 Doc showing where the switch is

Q: How to enter CRS while in FMS1 or 2 mode? Well the manual is a bit confusing here because you are advised to fly with FMS source and not with NAV. Having FMS (and cockpit tips off) you will not be able to tune your desiered CRS. You will have to either turn on cockpit tips in P3D and thus see the info when you turn the knob, or switch to NAV source and select the CRS

 

New issues:

13: FUEL FEED CHECK VALVE TEST: Can't be performed since I can't turn off the pumps after engine start.

 

In general: I flew the CRJ on 3 shorter hops. I encountered only 1 big issue mentioned already in other posts: If you have to change a SID/STAR, the FMGS "get's all confused" about the FPLN. While is was able to delete the "broken" waypoints one by one, it was imposible to select the new STAR or RWY.

Another thing was that the CRJ kind of struggled to stay on the GS after capturing it. Somethimes it followed it, somethimes it just flew straight and level.

 

Final thoughts: I did not have any CTD nor other crashes. The CRJ flyes nicely once you get a grip of the functionality of the AP with missing A/T. I hope Hans will find the time to fix some of the flip switch logic and of corse consolidate the FMGS (which is a prio 1).

 

 

Best regards,

Gerald

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, GEK_the_Reaper said:

Q: How to enter CRS while in FMS1 or 2 mode? Well the manual is a bit confusing here because you are advised to fly with FMS source and not with NAV. Having FMS (and cockpit tips off) you will not be able to tune your desiered CRS. You will have to either turn on cockpit tips in P3D and thus see the info when you turn the knob, or switch to NAV source and select the CRS

 

Hello Gerald.

 

You have no way to tune the course when FMS1 or FMS2 is the navigation source. That information is pre programmed in the FMC..Is it not? 

 

Only in Nav source VOR/Loc1 or 2 can you tune the course, since its only relevant in that mode.

 

The Navigation source is clearly depicted on the PFD and the MCDU, in green letters for VOR1, Yellow text for VOR2 and white letters for FMC1 and FMC2. So no need for tool tips. Also you can cross switch the Nav source sides between first officer and PF. The first officer then shows in blue text on the PF MFD. The centre button on the Nav source "Push X-Side" does the job.

 

Are you deleting the previous star or are you setting up a new STAR in the SEC flight plan and then making the SEC flight plan active? That is the usual procedure for an altered runway/STAR.

 

Regards

David

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

vor 3 Stunden , herky20 sagte:

 

Hello Gerald.

 

You have no way to tune the course when FMS1 or FMS2 is the navigation source. That information is pre programmed in the FMC..Is it not? 

 

Only in Nav source VOR/Loc1 or 2 can you tune the course, since its only relevant in that mode.

 

The Navigation source is clearly depicted on the PFD and the MCDU, in green letters for VOR1, Yellow text for VOR2 and white letters for FMC1 and FMC2. So no need for tool tips. Also you can cross switch the Nav source sides between first officer and PF. The first officer then shows in blue text on the PF MFD. The centre button on the Nav source "Push X-Side" does the job.

 

Are you deleting the previous star or are you setting up a new STAR in the SEC flight plan and then making the SEC flight plan active? That is the usual procedure for an altered runway/STAR.

 

Regards

David

 

 

 

Dear David,

 

thank you for your comprehensive response. I stated above (as a reply to my own question) that I figured out how setting a new  CRS works (which is also what you explained).

For further clarification I again point out the reason for this topic: The reason was to show that any new user which tries to follow the Vol3 Tutorial Flight Documentation will encounter some issues and therefore become desperate in finding solutions.

 

For example the setting of a new CRS thing: Page 2-1-28 §23 EFIS Control panels, underpoint "b" tells you to set the Air data reference to FMS1. Further down the checklist on page 2-1-50 §6 Radios and Nav aids you are requiered to enter 2 new CRS (for Nav1 and Nav2). Any new user will not be able to enter a new CRS because it is impossible if the source is FMS1. This is not a bug but will take from user to user less or more time to figure out the missing step (or to turn on the P3D setting for the Cockpit Tips.

 

If someone from the DEV Documentation Team gets this hint and ads the missing explanations in the documentation, we (and many others) will have no issues going through it.

 

Dear @Mathijs Kok, I'm new to the CRJ and I first want to be sure that I operate the Jet correctly prior to opening new topics. If I'm allowed I will answer short to David and if my problem persists, I will search the forum for answers and eventualy open a new topic. Thank you.

 

@herky20 I press DEP/ARR on the FMGC, deselect the green SID or STAR and RWY by clicking the LSK's and afterwards select a new RWY and a new SID or STAR and press EXEC. This procedure did not go well neither time I tried. As I said above I'm still a newbie regarding the CRJ OP and try things out...

Please PM me if you would like to talk more about the issue prior to clutter this thread which was meant to discuss the turorial flight.

 

Thank you.

BR

Gerald 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy & Terms of Use