Aerosoft's Airbus Holiday Destinations
By Bill Smith (13 December 2006)
Why The Airbus?
irbus fans are a breed
apart from regular flightsim fanatics. Let's face it, it's because we
are computer operators and not "real flyers" that we love the idea of
a "fly-by-wire" airliner which automatically responds to the data
that's programmed into on-board computers. The current generations of
Airbus aircraft operate at maximum efficiency when flying in "managed
mode" via the autopilot and FMC.We love the clean uncluttered cockpit layout that is common to the A320/321/330 family. With a small side stick instead of big yoke, the pilots' working environment looks more like a state of the art jet fighter than an airliner. But the Airbus is not an aircraft that's designed to be flown by the seat of one's pants.
In my experience, the current crop of freeware Airbus aircraft available to us from the internet do not accurately represent the essential aspects that differentiate Airbus operations from that of its main competitors from Boeing. (And why should they? They're free!) Ever since the release of Microsoft's FS98, we have come to learn a simplified form of 737 flying. When we install freeware Airbus models into FS2004, we get a different visual model and panel but an aircraft that operates pretty much the same way as the default 737-400. If you're satisfied with that then 'Good for you!' but if you want something more then you are going to have to go shopping. But which Airbus package should you buy? After a more than a month's extensive testing I am happy to recommend "Airbus Holiday Destinations", by Aerosoft.
What Do You Get For Your Money?
More than just aircraft and scenery enhancements, there are even Jeppesen charts included in this Aerosoft package.But before I go on to detail everything that's in the purchase price, I should just take a moment to explain what drove me to look for a commercially available Airbus add-on in the first place. My main priority was simply to acquire an Airbus with a working virtual cockpit. That's all!
And the reason for that is it was only comparatively recently that I upgraded my computer hardware with a good video card. So for the first time I was able to properly fly my default aircraft in 3D cockpit mode. Prior to the upgrade, I could not read the gauges in "virtual cockpit" mode. With the new video card, I can fly my default Boeings all the way down the glideslope to the runway, and I can even see the cockpit yoke responding to the movements of my joystick. It feels much more "real" to me this way, and I wanted a 3D Airbus panel that I could fly in the same manner.
"Airbus Holiday Destinations" offers a 3D cockpit mode for all three aircraft types: A320/A321/A330. They also boast of two dozen different liveries across the model range and a significant scenery upgrade for the airports at three separate European holiday destinations (hence the title of the package). More than that, they have printed several pages of Jeppesen Sim charts for the aforementioned airports.
But what really got my attention was the statement that "The cockpit and especially the FMC have been programmed for all users who don't want to spend hours of studying manuals before flying these aircraft." Well that's me all right! They go on to explain the secret to the simplicity of programming the FMC. And that is that it directly imports the standard flight plans of the Flight Simulator. Great! But I wondered whether it was possible to program the route into the FMC and still comply with the instructions from Air Traffic Control when flying IFR? I had to buy it and try it to find out for myself.
First Impresssions
Installation instructions are included in the 59 page printed manual that accompanies the CD. Let me admit right now that, when it comes to installing software I am the "lowest common denominator". I had no difficulty at all installing the program, so it's safe to assume that neither will anybody else. Just insert the CD and follow the prompts. Then open FS2004 and select an aircraft under the listing "AIRBUS BY AEROSOFT".
You select the aircraft model and livery you want and, when loaded,
your first impression is of a panel that is beautifully crisp and
clear. You just have to click on some icons to check out, in turn,
the overhead panel, the pedestal and the lower panel. With the
pedestal (throttle) panel selected, the first thing I had to do was
to turn off the engine starter switches because, due to technical
limitations of the FS program, these switches cannot be saved to the
"off" position. Then, a quick inspection of the overhead panel
revealed the APU switch, which I turned on. I don't think it actually
does anything because when left alone, in time, the CRT screens go
blank as a result of flat batteries.
To my dismay, I quickly discovered that the Airbus FMC replaces the Garmin GPS that has been, for me, an essential part of FS2004 operations for the past two years. In all other aircraft, the "nearest airports" page of the GPS provides me with all the information about the airport at which I am due to land. What's really handy about the Garmin GPS is that ATIS information, ILS frequencies and elevation are all just a few mouse clicks away. By contrast, with the Aerosoft Airbus, it's necessary to get all the information about my destination, prior to takeoff. (You can find this by clicking on the map in the "find route" section of the FS2004 flight planner.) So that means a little more preparatory work prior to departure. It also means that it is not possible to hook the autopilot into any of the published arrival patterns that are included in the FS2004 program. Flying the Airbus in IFR conditions requires strict adherence only to the approach vectors prescribed by ATC. (Again, I have since discovered that there are positive aspects of FMC operations that outweigh this inconvenience.)
I could not immediately locate the COM and NAV radio switches, so I decided to move on and check out the 3D panel. This was a real disappointment. Perhaps the fuzzy look of the screens and gauges is a result of a limitation of the video card on my computer. But panning around the cockpit, I saw that the seats in particular look too "squared off" and not realistic at all. I think that some of the FS2004 default aircraft have better looking 3D cockpits than this. So the very thing that I was looking for in a payware aircraft turned out to be a real letdown. (Fortunately I was later to discover many more great things about the aircraft that more than compensated for this disappointment).
The next disappointment came with the outside view. The liveries looked good; really good! But just spinning around the aircraft around in "spot" view produced some comparatively low frame rates. Surprisingly, the exterior model of the aircraft was actually taking a toll on frame rates. . (About 6 FPS slower than a default aircraft).
Getting Started
So back in 2D cockpit mode I was keen to take the A320 out for a test flight, just to compare the flight modeling with that of the default jets. But how was I going to navigate if I could not set the NAV radios to the appropriate VOR frequencies? I was left with no option but to read the entire manual first. Which was just as well, because I would not have gotten very far without first familiarizing myself with some of the idiosyncrasies of Airbus operations.The manual details the function of every icon, every gauge and every knob and although you may think you are already familiar with all of these, it is worth reading each one carefully. My tip is: Don't be tempted to skip over these because there are some left/right mouse click peculiarities that might trip you up later. For example, the engine start procedure (which is quite simple) begins on page 34 and I failed to notice the note on page 35 about what to do if the engines fail to fire up. Days later this was to cause me much frustration.
The COM and NAV radio settings on the pedestal are very fiddly. But by page 38 when the operation of the Flight Management Computer (FMC) is described, you soon discover a much simpler way to tune radios. (By first typing frequencies in the "scratch pad" area of the FMC and then assigning them to the radio via a line select key (LSK) in the FMC.) This might sound complicated, but if you read the manual step-by step it all makes sense.
The operation of the FMGC is really at the heart of Airbus
operations. This one has been modified for simple buggers like me to
understand quite quickly. There are only five pages devoted to the
FMGC and it's worth reading over and over. The FMGC not only keeps
the aircraft on track (which is imported directly from the Flight
Planner with the touch of one button) but controls speed as well when
the plane is flying in "managed mode". If you've only flown default
jets in FS2004 up to now, then I'll explain the concept of "managed
mode".
Managed Mode
Even if you have only flown default jets then you already know that you can keep your aircraft on the IFR track prescribed in the flight planner just by selecting "Nav hold" in the autopilot control panel. (You must remember to have "Gps" selected on the Nav/Gps selector). But how do you keep your aircraft's speed under the legal limit of 250 knots when flying below 10,000 feet? Well, you can initially select a speed hold of 250 knots, and then above 10,000 feet you can reduce your rate of climb, de-select the speed hold, power up and re-set a climb speed of 290 knots.Well in the Airbus FMC, you can pre-select the speed constraint by typing the value of 10000/250 into the Alt/Spd constraint line on the "performance" page of the FMC. As soon as you climb above 10,000 feet you will see the speed select bug move up to the climb speed of 290 knots (or whatever value you have pre-selected for the cruise speed). But you'll have to be sensible in selecting a vertical speed above 10,000 feet. The flight modeling of the Airbus is far more realistic than any default aircraft, so you cannot expect it to rocket all the way up to FL310 at 3000 ft/min. In fact, at anywhere near its maximum takeoff weight, all the Airbuses (even the 330) struggle to climb. Live with it!
This speed constraint works in the same way during your descent. Let's say that you're descending through 15,000 feet at 2000 ft/min towards 8000 feet. You might have the cruise speed set at 280 knots and the constraint speed pre-set at 220 knots. As you come close to passing through 10,000 feet, you can re-set you vertical speed to 1500 feet and at precisely 10,000 feet the engines will power down to idle speed as the aircraft tries to capture the new constraint speed. I get a real buzz out of this experience! (But then, I don't get out much.)
Introductory Flight
Having read all of the first 45 pages of the manual, the best way to understand how all of these things work is to try the introductory flight, which loads up the A321 on a parking position in Faro, Portugal. For this "tutorial flight" the flight plan to Malaga, Spain is automatically loaded for you.At this "enhanced scenery" airport you will see moving airport vehicles, active gate signs, even palm trees that move in the breeze. But you'll need a good video card to enjoy all this and still be able to taxi out to the active with the FPS in double figures.
Anyway, the whole flight process, from pre-flight, to start up and shut down is very detailed and you really do need to follow all the procedural steps if you are to get the A321 airborne. Don't worry about the start procedure, it's quite simple so you can push back and get going in no time at all. The Airbus has plenty of built-in prompts on the panel and it will warn you if you are not properly configured for takeoff.
One peculiarity of the Airbus operations is the requirement for the A/T (autothrottle) to be switched off during the takeoff roll. After takeoff, when you power back from "Flex" to "CL" setting, the A/T will come on automatically. I should now mention that one of the outstanding features of this package is the sound of the engines. Almost inaudible at idle, the bellow of the engines at takeoff power is wonderful. It sounds exactly as it does on the Airbus cockpit videos I have watched, and the sound varies from the A320 to the A330.
You don't have to memorise all the flap speed limits, as there is a
red line displayed in the PFD and an orange "Config" warning with
audible alarm if you exceed the flap limits. Even though it was my
first attempt at flying an Airbus in "managed mode" I still managed
to successfully land at Malaga in one piece. The biggest problem I
encountered in this exercise was trying to re-set the required
altitude on the FCU (flight control unit.) I was trying to set it as
I would in a default Boeing jet, i.e., just change the value from
13,000 feet to FL 210 and away it goes. I subsequently learned that it
is necessary to de-select the altitude hold, then change the altitude
setting, then re-select the knob. This was not explained in the
manual and I had to find out for myself how it worked through trial
and error.
Although the cruise altitude is pre-set in the "performance" page of the FMGC prior to takeoff, the plane climbs according to the altitude that you set on the FCU. So you can still step climb according to ATC instructions during IFR flights. At some point during your descent, you can switch the heading from managed mode (following the prescribed track) to a selected heading in order to comply with instructions from ATC. You need to learn about the various display modes on the navigation display and how to use them (especially during approach and landing). It takes a little practice but I promise that you will grow to love them.
Be Warned...This Really Is A Computer Controlled Plane!
Why's it doing that? What's it doing now? You may remember reading about all the teething problems with the operation of the first "fly-by-wire" aircraft. Perhaps you have even seen video footage of a spectacular airshow crash of an A320 in the hands of a test pilot? Well don't be too alarmed if you discover your Aerosoft Airbus taking over control of your plane when you least expect it. I'm telling you this because it is not mentioned anywhere in the Aerosoft operators manual. Let me explain...I already stated that I successfully landed the Airbus at the end of the tutorial flight. Well the truth is, that was a complete fluke. On subsequent test flights I encountered all kinds of problems while attempting to land and I crashed a couple of times. On one such occasion I forgot to engage "approach mode" and so failed to capture the glide slope. I switched off the autopilot and autothrottles and attempted a steep approach onto the runway. Crossing the threshold at too high an altitude I closed the throttles in an effort to "thump" the plane down onto the runway. (As I have done many times in the Boeing 737). Moments before touchdown, the engines went straight to "takeoff power". This surprised me to say the least. I killed the power and sank down towards the runway, only to have the same thing happen. Instead of going around, I fought the aircraft all the way down the runway to crash site. (It was inevitable).
My first thought was that "there must be something wrong with this stupid plane". But somewhere in the dark recesses of my memory was something I'd read about the Airbus's computers monitoring the way the plane is being flown, and taking over control in order to save itself from ham-fisted pilots. (Like me.) Hadn't I also read somewhere that you cannot stall an A320/330?
I experimented with attempted stalls (at a safe altitude) and found that, even with A/T and A/P switched off, the plane dramatically powered up completely automatically as soon as the stall warning came on. So if your sink rate is too fast when flaring to land, or if you allow the airspeed to drop too low before touchdown, your services as pilot-in-command will be dispensed with and the Airbus will take over control as an act of self-preservation.
Which means that the only way you can land any of these Airbus planes is to do it as gently as a real world Airbus pilot. That takes a lot of practice but when you finally "nail it" it's tremendously satisfying.
Summary
I love this package so much that I really don't want to fly any other aircraft for a while. It's as though the FMGC was designed specifically with me in mind. If you can work the FS2004 flight planner, then you can operate the FMGC. Similarly, the start procedure is practically automatic, so you don't have to waste the first 15 minutes of your precious flightsim time just getting the aircraft started. The flight dynamics of the A320 differ from the A330 and they both feel and sound far more realistic than any default FS2004 aircraft.At first I didn't care about the enhanced scenery at:
