cubpilot Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 1. Is there a way to plan a flight with EFB that begins at a designated gate or ramp location? If so then please point me in the right direction. 2. I sometimes use Flight Sim Commander v8.xx for planning. It generates a .PLN file that works with Radar Contact and FSX but EFB always reports that the file is not valid. Is there a way to fix this? THE GOOD STUFF: After several months of use I still rate EFB as one of the best FSX software packages I have ever bought. Regards to all Neal H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG_Flyer Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Neal, Again, thank you for your kind words and your custom. In reverse order here are my answers: 2 - Are you trying to load your FS Commander plans into EFB as FSX plans or FS9 plans? If you haven't tried loading into EFB as an FS9 plan, give that a try. If that doesn't work, then post an FS Commander plan file here and I'll take a look. 1 - Not with version 1 at any rate. This took a while before I became used to it, as before I became an EFB user, I was accustomed to generating my plan with a tool (and specifying Gate so-and-so or Ramp so-and-so) and then loading my plan at the Free Flight screen in FSX. But the EFB philosophy is that even though you might fly the same route every day, you won't necessarily fly from the same gate or ramp position. So the EFB software originally was designed to be used like a real-world EFB - after you get into the cockpit. So the way I make all of my flights now is to either load a pre-existing flight or more typically to choose my aircraft, then my airport and starting postion, and finally my time all from the Free Flight screen. When I'm in the cockpit and everything's powered up, I start my EFB and activate my route. That's not to say that a future version of EFB won't allow a "starting position" - after all, the customers are always correct and if it's what the customers want (and if it is possible certainly - which this would be ) then it should be in the cards. But (and here is where I must talk in quiet tones so not everyone will hear) Urs has started initial development on EFB 2. So with exceptions of fixes for version 1, his time is best left looking forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard McDonald Woods Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I agree that gates/ramps should not be a part of EFB flight plans. It's just not real-world! Cheers, R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubpilot Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 I agree that gates/ramps should not be a part of EFB flight plans. It's just not real-world!Cheers, R Well, I've done a lot of flying in the "real world" and I don't recall ever cranking up while sitting in #1 takeoff position on the active runway. All I want is some location on the ramp, in a gate, at a hangar, or wherever,... that is not in the way of other "virtual" flight activities. Your point is well-taken R and it is reasonable to keep things as uncomplicated as possible. However, starting a flight from the active is about as unrealistic as it can get. When using other flight planners I make it a habit to begin every flight at either a fueling station or ramp parking xx. VATSIM takes a particularly dim view of anyone who logs in while on a taxiway or runway. Having said that, I still prefer EFB as a flight planner even if I must move my plane once the "Fly Now" button is pressed. Anyhow, it is no world shaking concern. Regards Neal H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydigital Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I choose my flight starting location in the FSX create flight menu, what's that got to do with EFB. I'm always loaded up in the cockpit cold and dark at the Gate before I even start EFB up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubpilot Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Thank you Andy!! It never crossed my mind to use FSX just to get to a starting point and THEN do the flight planning with EFB. Parts of my brain must have leaked out. Anyhow, it worked perfectly today and is much easier than any of the other planning methods I have used. EFB works just great this way so there really is no need to "fix" it for parking/ramp/etc. Regards to all Neal H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts