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First impressions


tup61

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Just did the tutorial flight with the Airbus X. Well, er... let me rephrase that: just tried the tutorial flight... :P

First of all I'd like to say performance is absolutely incredible! It runs so sweet on my rig!!! Awesome! It's as if I am flying the Ultralight! (Talking about fps and performance here, not the systems...!)

Second: the graphics. What can I say. Stunning. Specially combined with the smooth performance!

Third: the sounds! I love the sounds!

Fourth: the manual is GREAT. As I said, I did (tried to do) the tutorial flight and I like how it's presented: with every step you can see where you have to look in the VC and what you have to do, which really helps a lot! I also like it that the mandatory steps are green. Still, since I binded my printed manual, there was a LOT of page turning involved...!!! I constantly had to go back and forth to figure out where I was and what I had to do. Tomorrow I will make some more prints and NOT bind them... :P Still, let me repeat, the tutorial is done very well.

Now about my actual experience flying the Airbus... I didn't make it far... I THINK (I really do) that I did every step I had to do, but boy... What a mess! I wrote down the things I couldn't get done, but I stopped after a while...

First thing that went wrong was that I couldn't turn off the APU when I had to. Then I couldn't turn off the Packs 1 and 2. All the buttons that had something to do with it, just did nothing. I also noticed the tutorial didn't mention turning off the external power on the MCDU, but maybe that's not mandatory.

I took of nonetheless, but well, obviously things didn't go well. The ECAM said ENG 1+2 BLEED LO TEMP (in amber), the ECAM was stuck to HYD (after clicking all buttons I found out I had to press CLR or something: I think the HYD page was stuck because there was a problem with the bleeds...?). Then I was flying at SPEED and not CLB...?!? (I can't remember having to set the speed or anything related with it at all...) After that I got A.FLOOR. Every now and then an alarm would sound and after spending one and a half hour on getting the plane where it was, I pulled the plug and quit FSX. ^_^

MIND YOU: I am not complaining!!! I am actually having a great time! (And I didn't post this all to get answers to what I did wrong: I'll find that out the next time. I hope.) This Airbus is a lot more complicated than I expected. ;) I am sure that after a few tries I will have a lot less problems with finding all the knobs etc. which will also prevent me from skipping certain things (which I obviously must have done). It clearly takes time to get this one going and that's what I like! Although I do have to say I expected things to be a bit easier, since this was a so called basic versions for the regular flyer... I did fly the MD-11 and a few other 'serious addons' before, but this one surely is serious enough for me right now... B)

All in all a great purchase and worth every cent. The graphics are great, performance too, the sounds, everything, I love it. I am sure I will be able to make that flight from A to Z in the end. But it takes more time than I thought...! (I am used to flying short GA-flights only, lately, so I have to get used to spending hours behind FSX...! ^_^ )

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Thanks for your report! I can relate easy to that mix of frustration and excitement. I had it the first time I was flying this bus with full systems. And just this afternoon I did an autoland while getting a 'caution 'and an 'inhibit'. I still got no idea what I did wrong. Autoland went smooth though.

Keep in mind we are here for any question.

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Nice comments, I am downloading mine right now (H)

If I recall correctly, you downloaded and printed the Dutch translation of the manual right? Since I had nobody check the manual for major mistakes and you seem to go through it rather thorough ;), if you wish you may always let me know by pm or sth if you find something in the translated manuals that is really messed up; so that I can make adjustments if necessary.

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Nice comments, I am downloading mine right now (H)

If I recall correctly, you downloaded and printed the Dutch translation of the manual right? Since I had nobody check the manual for major mistakes and you seem to go through it rather thorough ;), if you wish you may always let me know by pm or sth if you find something in the translated manuals that is really messed up; so that I can make adjustments if necessary.

Ok, will do.

I just did the tutorial again from start to er... take off :P and here are again some things I came across:

1. 4.1 Step 1. Is it correct the BATs are already on when you load the D&C cockpit? Step 1 seems to imply you have to turn them on but they are on already. So it seems to me.

2. 4.1 Step 3.1 and 3.2. This time there were no warnings so I didn't have to push MA. WARN and MA. CAUT. Is that alright?

3. 4.3 Step 24. Nothing worrying or special but I noticed that when I pressed ZFWCG/ZFW that some blue parts of numbers appeared next to BLOCK. Pressing BLOCK worked fine though. Just something I noticed.

4. 4.5 Step 51. I had the impression I had to push the EXT PWR button on the overhead, but that does nothing. I had to disable EXT PWR using the MCDU. Is that right? I did have to use the button on the overhead to turn EXT PWR on.

5. 4.7. Step 68. And here is where things go wrong for me. Again pressing the button does nothing and there is no way to turn the APU off... pressing the other two buttons (START and BLEED) does nothing either. Am I missing something obvious?

6. 4.9. Step 80. A minor thing, but it's very hard to see where the button is at. Again, nothing serious.

7. 4.9. Step 85. The problems continue: I can't turn off the packs, no matter what...

I decided to take off anyway, but didn't really make a note of what the PFD said (which modes I was in etc.): there is so much you have to pay attention too! -_- This time however I didn't even get airborne, because as soon as I set throttle to FLEX my plane turn hard left and kept driving in a circle. Only if I pulled my joystick hard left, I was sometimes able to steer right ahead, but usually not. This didn't happen the first time.

Well, it didn't take me as long to get this far as the first time: by now I already know where the knobs are. ;) I would like to get help though with turning off the APU and PACKS because this is the second time I can't get that done, and I do presume this will eventually give me problems if I DO get into the air!

BTW I'm still amazed at how good the Airbus X looks and how well it performs! :) Absolutely great!

EDIT

O, shoot, sorry, you wanted me to PM me those little things...! Will do so now! (I removed them from this post!)

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See my comments below, may help you with some things I have found after flying the A320 all evening!

Ok, will do.

I just did the tutorial again from start to er... take off tongue.gif and here are again some things I came across:

1. 4.1 Step 1. Is it correct the BATs are already on when you load the D&C cockpit? Step 1 seems to imply you have to turn them on but they are on already. So it seems to me.

>>A: NO, THE BATTERIES NEED TO BE TURNED ON, THE VOLTAGE DOES SHOW HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THE BATTERIES OFF. WHEN YOU CLICK ONE OF THE BATTERY BUTTONS THE OPPOSITE ONE SHOWS 'OFF', THIS IS CORRECT! MAKE SURE YOU TURN THEM BOTH ON (NO 'OFF' ANNUNCIATION)<<

2. 4.1 Step 3.1 and 3.2. This time there were no warnings so I didn't have to push MA. WARN and MA. CAUT. Is that alright?

>>A: PROBABLY SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE BATTERIES BEING OFF, BUT DUNNO!<<

3. 4.3 Step 24. Nothing worrying or special but I noticed that when I pressed ZFWCG/ZFW that some blue parts of numbers appeared next to BLOCK. Pressing BLOCK worked fine though. Just something I noticed.

>>A: YEP I NOTICED THAT TOO!<<

4. 4.5 Step 51. I had the impression I had to push the EXT PWR button on the overhead, but that does nothing. I had to disable EXT PWR using the MCDU. Is that right? I did have to use the button on the overhead to turn EXT PWR on.

>>A: IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO REALISE THAT TO TURN OFF SOMETHING LIKE THE EXT. POWER EXT YOU HAVE TO RIGHT CLICK IT, SO LEFT CLICK TO TURN ON AND RIGHT CLICK TO TURN OFF!!<<

5. 4.7. Step 68. And here is where things go wrong for me. Again pressing the button does nothing and there is no way to turn the APU off... pressing the other two buttons (START and BLEED) does nothing either. Am I missing something obvious?

>>A: SEE ABOVE!<<

6. 4.9. Step 80. A minor thing, but it's very hard to see where the button is at. Again, nothing serious.

7. 4.9. Step 85. The problems continue: I can't turn off the packs, no matter what...

>>A: DONT NEED TO TURN OFF PACKS IN AN AIRBUS, ITS ALL AUTOMATIC, HOWEVER YOU CAN PROBABLY RIGHT CLICK TO TURN OFF, AS ABOVE<<

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See my comments below, may help you with some things I have found after flying the A320 all evening!

Thanks!!! I can't check it all right now (I am at work ;) and it will be another 8 hours or so before I can fly this beauty again) but I do have to say I had to LOL when I read the left-click / right-click solution...!!! How stupid can one be! I DID read that in the manual, but somehow it didn't land completely. :P I did use that method for the lights and switches like that and also for knobs you can turn but it just didn't occur to me you (obviously) also had to do this for those on and off click knobs...! Maybe because I have never seen this method of on and off before...? Anyway, this is it indeed, LOL. Thanks! It probably explains a lot of other things that went wrong... ;)

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Hi guys!

I loaded the airbus very quickly to see how it looked and I really like it!

The exterior textures look amazing!!!Better than textures of a lot of more know aircraft developpers.

Of course I have a lot of reading to do before attempting a flight,I tried hdg and vs modes and they work nice.

I'm happy that finally someone recreated the Airbus in fsx and hope you will continue to improve it and make this a serious addon for the hardcore simmer like me.

I can't wait to get my hands on the manual and test it.I will let you know the results for future pacth release.

The sounds are very nice as well!

Thanks for this addon,

David Di Domizio

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Thanks for your report! I can relate easy to that mix of frustration and excitement. I had it the first time I was flying this bus with full systems. And just this afternoon I did an autoland while getting a 'caution 'and an 'inhibit'. I still got no idea what I did wrong. Autoland went smooth though.

Keep in mind we are here for any question.

If I remember correctly from FCOMs and from my testing for another A320 product some time back, the inhibit message is some system message block to stop unimportant messages from displaying during critical phases of flight (TO/LD...)

I believe the inhibit message should always be there during these critical phases...

But only going on memory here, from the FCOM...

Andrew

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Correct

During take off and intial climb as well as during landing certain warnings and cautions will not be triggered - indicated by the Inhibit message.

This is because the pilots needs full attention on busy tatsks during these phases of flight.

The messages inhibeted are mostly items that can be dealed with later.

Finn

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Okay, I just gave it another try. Right-clicking the various knobs did help LOL Still don't understand why I missed that while I DID read it! Everything went rather well until I was airborne (yes, I made it that far!). First problem was the BAT's were both off, I really don't know why. So I turned them on but by that time something went wrong with the speed. To make a long story short: I crashed to the ground.

Because I didn't want to redo everything once again, I loaded the state before take off. Easy. And after that I did manage to take off and fly the route. So I probably must have done something wrong with the preperation from cold and dark... I don't know what, though: I followed every step and even checked the not-green ones. After loading the take-off state everything looked the same to me as after I had set it up myself...

Anyway, the flight went well. I just never made it to FL310. The same thrust problem everyone is having, I guess. I also never saw a TOC or TOD on the PFD.

Then things went wrong again. Descending went fine (with heavy use of the spoilers and making sure I started the descent in time!) but then the tutorial told me to enter the Vapp speed. So I did. And so I got A.FLOOR again... I was going WAY too slow...!!! According to the tutorial it wasn't time yet for flaps and whatever, but when I noticed things went wrong I added them anyway. (Still have to figure out what all the signs on the speed tape mean btw... I still can't make sense if yellow = signs, magenta triangles and S and various dots...). I got as far as entering the ILS freq and enabling LOC and then APPR but then I sank to the ground... Maybe setting the Vapp has to be done later in the tutorial...?

I saved my flight before setting Vapp, so I want to reload and go from there (don't feel like doing it all over again!), but afaik the flightplan won't be loaded. So I will have to use the direct-to option to select the waypoint where I am at...?

Still having fun btw: learning everything is often the greatest part... ;)

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