The free Aerofly Dash 8 Q400 is er... majestic

1st Official Post

    I just finished a flight in the free Aerofly FS 2 Dash 8 Q400. It was my first flight in it after flying nothing but the Majestic Dash 8 Q400 in Prepar3D v4 for a few months in a row. After reinstalling AFS2 to do some low and slow GA flights (because I found out I can't stand the popping and morphing of the scenery in P3D during low and slow flights: something you don't notice when flying high) I decided to give the Aerofly Q400 another try. I did fly it when it was released but forgot what it could and couldn't do. I also never flew it in VR because I needed the manual and checklist on my lap at that time (which can't be done in VR).

    Well, as the subject of this topic says: the free Aerofly Dash 8 Q400 really is majestic. Pun intended. Apart from the FMS it can do almost everything the Majestic Q400 can do during a regular flight. Obviously the FMS is a major part of the experience and it is really missed in Aerofly but other than that I was really surprised how good it is. Well, okay, the sounds of the Majestic Q400 also are superior. But anyway, I think the Aerofly FS 2 really is the BEST 'default' (or at least free) plane of ANY sim out there. I really expected the experience to be a lot less deep but I was pleasantly surprised!

    And even in VR, with its too low resolution, which I constantly moan about, the Q400, with its little texts and all the screens, was quite enjoyable. Although it obsiously helped I know the Q400 by heart by now and can do everything without reading the texts. ;)

    Of course the Majestic version has more depth system wise: in the Aerofly version a lot of knobs do work and lights go on and off but there isn't much going on 'behind it' all but as I said, for 'regular use' the experience you get is almost just as good. And how it performs in VR is a nice bonus. Considering that this Q400 is totally free that is a major accomplishment!:thumbup:

    EDIT Forgot to say that when it comes to graphics the Aerofly FS 2 version is even better thanks to the superior graphics engine of AFS2! I really don't like how all the highlights etc. in the VC of the Majestic Q400 are simply painted onto all parts: no matter how you look at things, the highlights are stuck where they are. Sun or no sun, the light always shines on the exact same parts. Looks very odd (although you get used to it). While in AFS2 every hightlight is real and moving all the time depending on how the light falls on it. That's really awesome and a big plus! I can spend minutes just looking (in VR) at how the sunlight falls on for instance the leather-like material in the cockpit from various angles... really nice! This makes everything look so more real than in P3D!

    Edited once, last by J van E (January 21, 2018 at 4:34 PM).

    I also agree it's an excellent model. I would ask if the programmers would want to make a more complete or full version of the Q400, simulating cold & dark start-up, props shutdown, FMS and the like?. It could be a good choice for payware, of course.

    Cheers, Ed

    • Official Post
    Quote from edpatino

    I also agree it's an excellent model. I would ask if the programmers would want to make a more complete or full version of the Q400, simulating cold & dark start-up, props shutdown, FMS and the like?. It could be a good choice for payware, of course.

    Cheers, Ed

    Well engine shut down and start up is already modeled, sure I'd like to add electrics and FMSes to the Q400 one day. At the moment I'm busy with other things but we haven't forgotten the Q400! To fully model the electrics we just need to program a few more physics objects like the APU first.

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    Well engine shut down and start up is already modeled, sure I'd like to add electrics and FMSes to the Q400 one day. At the moment I'm busy with other things but we haven't forgotten the Q400! To fully model the electrics we just need to program a few more physics objects like the APU first.

    Yes, it's the first thing I did during my flight: shutting down the engines to start from cold and dark as far as possible (you can't shut everything down entirely). I don't know if starting the APU was actually needed to start engines but at least it LOOKED like it worked ;) and I could do the checklist as I was used to. Maybe it is possible for users to edit a file to turn a few options off by default to make the plane cold and dark from the start...? I have to add though that usually I use the boarding state with the Majestic Q400 which is more realistic: you get that more often than a cold and dark state in real life afaik. The current state is a ready for take off state and making it a bit more of a turn around/boarding state would be nice.

    EDIT
    I forgot that I loaded the plane on the runway: if I load it on a parking spot the state will probably be less 'take off' and more 'boarding'. ;) I will give that a try later today.

    Edited once, last by J van E (January 21, 2018 at 7:32 PM).

    • Official Post
    Quote from J van E

    Yes, it's the first thing I did during my flight: shutting down the engines to start from cold and dark as far as possible (you can't shut everything down entirely). I don't know if starting the APU was actually needed to start engines but at least it LOOKED like it worked ;) and I could do the checklist as I was used to. Maybe it is possible for users to edit a file to turn a few options off by default to make the plane cold and dark from the start...? I have to add though that usually I use the boarding state with the Majestic Q400 which is more realistic: you get that more often than a cold and dark state in real life afaik. The current state is a ready for take off state and making it a bit more of a turn around/boarding state would be nice.

    EDIT
    I forgot that I loaded the plane on the runway: if I load it on a parking spot the state will probably be less 'take off' and more 'boarding'. ;) I will give that a try later today.

    I'm not 100% sure right now but I think you can start the engines without the APU running. I know the Learjet has electrical starters so it definitely can :)

    About this "load in a colder state": we have might add an option for this later, would be nice to have that.

    And Ed, yes we consider adding fuel consumption and weight and balance but not just for the Q400 but for at least the majority of aircraft. (one could argue the F18 shouldn't have fuel consumption or otherwise the fun would be over in 15 minutes.)

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    I'm not 100% sure right now but I think you can start the engines without the APU running. I know the Learjet has electrical starters so it definitely can :)

    About this "load in a colder state": we have might add an option for this later, would be nice to have that.

    And Ed, yes we consider adding fuel consumption and weight and balance but not just for the Q400 but for at least the majority of aircraft. (one could argue the F18 shouldn't have fuel consumption or otherwise the fun would be over in 15 minutes.)

    The Q400 can actually start its engines without both the APU and GPU (although battery starts are rare in actual operations because of the battery drain). I'm looking forward to doing start ups with the upcoming VR hands.

    The reasons I subject myself to the "other" Q400 sim are, more in depth systems, the HGS which they have beautifully modeled. Would be fantastic to have this technology in the AFS2, and local airport terrain. Unfortunately by the time I get it (the underlying simulation) running I often am at the point where i want to throw my pc out the window.

    What I really love about AFS2 is I turn it on and it works. I do not have to spend hours trying to just make it run.

    There are 500+ Q400's out in the real world, and thousands of Q pilots to fly them. There is a market out there for a more in depth version of AFS2's Q400. Personally, I would be happy to pay for a more in depth version of the AFS2 Q.

    Just say'in. ;)

    You guys keep up the awesome work! :thumbup:

    Jan,

    Would it be possible to add a few more cockpit/panel views for the Q400 so we can zoom in on the PFD and Gauge displays while flying in VR? One of the forum members said he had done just that and he uses a couple of joystick buttons to zoom in and get closer looks when needed. I think this would be great addition and we could do something similar for the Lear.

    Regards,

    Ray

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    I'm not 100% sure right now but I think you can start the engines without the APU running. I know the Learjet has electrical starters so it definitely can :)

    About this "load in a colder state": we have might add an option for this later, would be nice to have that.

    And Ed, yes we consider adding fuel consumption and weight and balance but not just for the Q400 but for at least the majority of aircraft. (one could argue the F18 shouldn't have fuel consumption or otherwise the fun would be over in 15 minutes.)

    I hope the Learjet 45 in on that list for fuel consumption . . . .

    Regards,

    Ray

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    About this "load in a colder state": we have might add an option for this later, would be nice to have that.

    Nice!

    I am thinking about checking out some files anyway because also the state you get on a parking spot (which looks like a ready for taxi state) has a few options not as they should be (recirc off (should be on), bleeds off (usually on for taxi afaik), spoilers at flight (should be taxi), a/col on white (should be red), etc.). A boarding state would be the nicest compromise: you still have to start the engines but you don't have to start from scratch.

    And as posted already you usually don't start the Q400 on batteries. Luckily at least the APU 'animation' works so I can use that anyway so things look more realistic, even if nothing is going on in the background. ;)

    • Official Post
    Quote from Jetjockey10

    Jan,

    Would it be possible to add a few more cockpit/panel views for the Q400 so we can zoom in on the PFD and Gauge displays while flying in VR? One of the forum members said he had done just that and he uses a couple of joystick buttons to zoom in and get closer looks when needed. I think this would be great addition and we could do something similar for the Lear.

    Regards,

    Ray

    But you're in VR, you can move your head closer to the panel right? Wouldn't it be annoying to constantly switch cameras in VR?

    More views are not really an option with the current view system, gets too confusing I find. But it's on the list :)

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    But you're in VR, you can move your head closer to the panel right? Wouldn't it be annoying to constantly switch cameras in VR?

    More views are not really an option with the current view system, gets too confusing I find. But it's on the list :)

    No, that is not the case. I would be in VR but have an xbox controller to switch views for the close ups. That seems to be the number one disappointment with the current resolution of the VR - the gauges are hard to read. This might give some relief until the next gen units come out.

    Regards,

    Ray

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    But you're in VR, you can move your head closer to the panel right? Wouldn't it be annoying to constantly switch cameras in VR?

    More views are not really an option with the current view system, gets too confusing I find. But it's on the list :)

    I think it is a bit of personal preference. For some people it breaks the immersion, I just find it more convenient to be able to snap in closer to the instrument cluster and back again with a button.

    Btw, a small immersion breaker for me in the Q400 using VR, is that you can see the ground through a gap near where the pedals are attached. Perhaps it can be covered over in a future update?

    Cheers.

    • Official Post
    Quote from coffeecup1978

    Btw, a small immersion breaker for me in the Q400 using VR, is that you can see the ground through a gap near where the pedals are attached. Perhaps it can be covered over in a future update?

    Can you please post a screenshot of which gap you mean or describe exactly where to find it. Thanks

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    Can you please post a screenshot of which gap you mean or describe exactly where to find it. Thanks

    Jet-Pack (IPACS) ,

    I've attached a picture that shows it at certain angles a bit of the ground is visible where the bar for the pedals are attached, on both sides. Hard to see in 2d, but I keep noticing it in VR.

    Thanks btw for fixing up the storm light switch affecting the autopilot button issues, much better now at night! It may be a personal preference, but I think the storm lights should be default should be off by default. I guess there is perhaps somewhere in the tdm file I can change it if I want?

    -coffeecup

    Quote from coffeecup1978

    I think the storm lights should be default should be off by default. I guess there is perhaps somewhere in the tdm file I can change it if I want?

    Agreed. I also would like a lot of other settings to be different so I will be digging into those files this week to see what can be done. Since the Q400 can't be set to cold and dark completely I'd like to create a boarding state but a taxi state would be nice already. The current ready for taxi state still needs a lot of work every single time before it is as it should be.

    • Official Post

    That is probably because the current taxi state doesn't really exist as a definition. We have the default state which is loaded on the ground or when the aircraft is reloaded per short-cut, there is the takeoff, clean and landing config which are loaded on the runway, in the air or in the approach respectively.

    You can adjust the default tmd file so that the aircraft is more or less in a turn around state, but then you'd have to edit the other configuration files to set the switches back to on.

    Our default state is also the state shown in the preview, it should have gear down, flaps up, engines running, all switches in the cockpit to the flight position (e.g. landing lights, taxi lights off) etc. This is a convention used for multiple reasons, of course you can deviate from this and I want to encourage you to experiment with the tmd file but I'd recommend just wait for us to do this turn around or taxi state for you using a proper new flight configuration like the takeoff or landing config. There are significant changes ahead of us, so all your changes to the tmd files will eventually be overwritten. (so make lots of backups)