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X-Plane11 & ACARS

Started by Graham Woodley, Mar 18, 2018 19:09

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Graham Woodley (1054)

I will soon be getting XP11 on my new computer when it arrives and I'm wondering how to go with using ACARS for submitting flight logs?

I gather Majestic show little interest in a XP11 version of the Q400 but there is a passable version of that type available for XP.

So if I'm on XP11 how do I submit flight log for ICX?

Chris Liu (1001)

XUIPC is required but ACARS should work although we've never tested it so if you get any problems, let us know and we'll get you working on Xplane  :)

Graham Woodley (1054)

Hi Chris, thanks for the quick response - well there's nothing on the telly Sunday evening :)

I'm expecting the new rig next week and will be keeping the old one for FSX for the time being.

I'll be a couple of weeks before I get XP installed and running and try a Dash 8 ICX flight so I'll let you know.

Cheers!

Graham Woodley (1054)

Hi Chris,

Just had my first go in the FlyJSim Dash 8-Q400 in X-Plane 11 (not a patch on the Majestic in FSX but quite functional and a challenge to fly hands-on.)

So ACARS connected to the sim through XUIPC.

It didn't detect engine start or brakes off, Status remained inactive throughout the flight, Flight Info displayed a message ' Please ensure you are in an Intercity Airways aircraft.'

Airspeed and Alt were tracked correctly and the progress bar filled.

Heading remained at 0 throughout and there was no detection of  Dep / Arr time, flight duration or Landing rate.

I never showed on the LiveACARS map.

Unless Majestic are going to jump onto XP the FlyJSim is all we've got at the moment.

cheers,

Graham
1054


Chris Liu (1001)

#4
Thanks for the feedback Graham. I think we'll need to see about sending you a special test version of ACARS so we can see what ACARS is seeing from Xplane. What about the JarDesign and FlightFactor A320s?

Graham Woodley (1054)

Sure Chris, I'll help you test it - in fairly slow time though, I don't get a lot of the time during the week.

One difference from the Majestic is that the condition levers go to start/feather before engine start so a trigger might need to be engine start, fuel flow, TGT etc.

I haven't got a 320 in XP yet but will be getting the FF soon - I'll let you know.

Cheers

Graham Woodley (1054)

#6
Hello, sorry, I fell asleep  :P

I'll try the FlightFactor A320 in XP11 with the latest ACARS today or tomorrow if I can.

The Q400 is on hold at the moment until FlyJSim update it for XP11.

Graham Woodley (1054)

OK, had a go with the FlightFactor A320 in XP11, the only thing is no heading information was displayed and flight phase was 'cruise' when climbing.

Other than that, all good :)



Chris Liu (1001)

Thanks for the feedback Graham, that's great news. Guess I'll have to get my paint brush out at some point!

Graham Woodley (1054)

Well it depends on if the value justifies your effort.

Do you know how many XP11 users you have? And how many of them fly the FF A320?

I'm not terribly fussed about having the correct repaint, we can wet lease from BA for me :) and after all, I spent my time inside looking out :) But those who take screenies would be more demanding.

Thanks to you and Chris for all the continuing hard work you put into this - I really must support you and fly more - no reason not to now, at least in the A320 :)

Chris Liu (1001)

Thanks Graham  :) I'd like us to become a truly multiplatform virtual airline as there aren't many about and Xplane would open us up to a whole new group of users. The main issue that neither me nor Chris are Xplane users so have to rely on others like yourself to test, and painting something you can't see for yourself is very difficult! But with FF, Jsbsim and FlyJSim we have quality third party addons we could support. And potentially we could look at the LES or Carenado Saab 340 too.

Chris Hulme (1003)

Glad to see it works, if you come across any bugs let me know, although I can only test myself with the Xplane Demo!
Ill look into the heading info, but the variables should be the same as it uses XUIPC which supposedly should extract the data to the same variables!

Graham Woodley (1054)

Just in case anyone in Management sees my T/D rates as reported in ACARS and wonders why I'm landing with rates of -300 f/m and worse, ACARS reporting of them is wildly inaccurate :)

I have verified this with a LUA plugin in XP11 which reports a variety of parameters at T/D - my latest effort at LIPE was reported as -339 by ACARS but as -47 by the plugin, which sounds more right as I greased it in  :P