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pdplot

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Due to medical reasons, I can't fly any more, so for $59.95 I downloaded XPlane 11 beta and XPlane 10. Bad move for this old-time ex-Cherokee pilot. Not only is the program a steep learning curve with little or no guidance but the forum they have is nothing like this one. Ask a simple question and you get ignored - big time. They don't want to bother with a novice apparently. I can't understand the language on most of the posts - arcane, incomprehensible nerdish computer jargon.The only reason I got XPlane was because my new computer with Win 10 doesn't recognize what I used to fly with - FS 2004 - and won't run it. XPlane is a potentially a lot better - if you can figure it out. except for the basics, the manual is useless - like most of them. Ever try to fly a King Air or Cirrus jet with no instruction? I did fly a King Air with FS 2004 and even knew how to work the autopilot Flight Director so I could make cross-country hops without crashing. That's all I want from XPlane. Anyone else here use XPlane or know anything about it?
 
I know all about that manual. Been through it about 167 times.
Unless I'm going blind, show me where it tells you how to fly a twin, or 747, synchronize throttles (when I try to fly the Beechcraft Baron -advance the throttles and it just sits on the runway and goes around in circles due to asymmetrical thrust - or deal with complex systems. Or even where to go to get that information. You can jump into practically any car on earth and drive it away after you check out the controls. Not so an airplane. That's why you have to be type-rated in a complex aircraft. Today, most of the work is done before the plane leaves the ground. Data is punched in, the pilot takes off and does very little after that except to talk to ATC and push some buttons. That's why they don't make nearly as much money as the stick and rudder men of yesteryear. Read Fate is the Hunter by Ernest K. Gann. Professional pilots today are systems managers - mostly. Except when things go haywire. If the electrical system goes dead on a Cirrus, I wonder how many doctors could find their way home especially at night or in deteriorating weather.
 
I've got thousands of hours under my belt in the real things and the real flight simulators but there's not one of those PC flight programs that I don't crash and burn every time. Ok I guess if your good at computer games, but I've tried them and decided not to waist my time, (or money). :hopelessness: PJ
 
Fate is the Hunter by Ernest K. Gann was a great book but I felt it had to be made up from a lot of pilots experiences or he was one Very lucky guy. Been a long time since I read it.

David


 
747 pdf website didn't load. But at least I know there is one. Thanks for the research. XPlane assumes (a) you already know how to operate these planes, or (b) that you're willing to spend hours searching the Net for a POH for that particular plane. As for crashing, that's SOP for me with anything other than the basic Cessna since the engines keep running and the brakes don't work. XPlane also has an annoying (and much criticized) feature of being able to run right through buildings without damage. Except for a taildragger in a crosswind, a real plane is much easier to fly and land as Paul 161 pointed out.
 
pdplot said:
Due to medical reasons, I can't fly any more, so for $59.95 I downloaded XPlane 11 beta and XPlane 10. Bad move for this old-time ex-Cherokee pilot. Not only is the program a steep learning curve with little or no guidance but the forum they have is nothing like this one. Ask a simple question and you get ignored - big time. They don't want to bother with a novice apparently. I can't understand the language on most of the posts - arcane, incomprehensible nerdish computer jargon.The only reason I got XPlane was because my new computer with Win 10 doesn't recognize what I used to fly with - FS 2004 - and won't run it. XPlane is a potentially a lot better - if you can figure it out. except for the basics, the manual is useless - like most of them. Ever try to fly a King Air or Cirrus jet with no instruction? I did fly a King Air with FS 2004 and even knew how to work the autopilot Flight Director so I could make cross-country hops without crashing. That's all I want from XPlane. Anyone else here use XPlane or know anything about it?
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Attention******
Cirrus has delivered two SF50 'S !!!!!

Fun party customers love them
goal now is to get son to come visit with one for a ride!
That is all..
 
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