Majestic Q8400 2 questions.

Lots of people fly it so I expect someone will be able to help.

I already had some experience with it which is incomplete/lacking and want to get to know it in full. I looked thru the manuals, it is written in a format I have difficulty understanding, I learned the start up and flight plan programming by watching tutorials on utube.

 

I wasn't able to find the following bits of info:

 

1. I don't see where to input the crz altitude, it isn't mentioned by the tutorial and I myself wasn't able to figure out where it is in the FMS. The altitudes are displayed as dashes (except for those of SID waypoints). I have no VNAV flying as we speak.

 

2. I don't see where to input the STAR and transition, there's no "arrival" page, at least I don't see it. I had updated the nav data and had no problem with sid.

 

3. Where do you get the take off speeds from? The PMDG J-41 has a nice booklet by the center pedestal, nice and easy to use. The dash 8 I have no idea.

 

if anyone knows some vids with these things shown and explained, please post a link.

1. You don't. The Dash does not have the same VNAV capabilities as a Boeing, it is practically only used for descent. Chapter 16.10.8 in Systems description pdf.

 

2. FPL -> MENU. Chapter 16.10.6

 

3. Speed cards can be downloaded from the Majestic website.

 

Best videos I've ever seen on matters sim: Airline2Sim. http://www.airline2sim.com/home/

To add...

 

1. You can only dial up on control panel, make sure click ALT SEL.

 

3. Airline2Sim offer aurasim which is a really nice speeds calculator. Costs a few $$$. Alternatively, search for a LUA script that calculates and enters automatically - it is on the other forum and requires the full FSUIPC.

 

B.

 

Sent from my SM-P605 using Tapatalk

Thanks, we figures all three. I got VNAV to work, the speed cards I will download from majestic website, I assume the 3rd party calculators won't work too well. I missed on the TCAS function but will figure it out next flight. Gotta like this plane, the only minus is the air (physics) file that makes it a bit hard to hand fly but nothing horrible. Good stuff. Another year and I could be ready for vatsim. I've heard it doesn't accept the FSNav "fantasy" algorithmic flightplans, I'll have to learn how to download the real ones but we will not be going there at this time. I gotta have some more fun with these before going level up.

 

>make sure click ALT SEL.

 

yes I know, we have been successfully flying PMDG J41 and QW BAe which have similar autopilots and the same FMCs. But those have flight level alt entries so the altitudes are presented for both climb and descend. The 8-400 has the altitudes for some waypoints of the star/transition so the information is sufficient for the descend and landing, with auto-vnav doing the good job.

From what I've seen, there are a number of V-Speed gauges that calculate your plane's V-Speeds as you go. You can either add them into the panel or use them as pop-up windows. Is there one specific to this particular aircraft? Not a clue. I'm more into the military birds, and not the trash-haulers (no offense to the cargo guys intended. I've flown in a number of cargo birds over the years, as cargo :D ).

 

As to the TCAS: What did you need to know? There is an add-on gauge, ARS-4, that rocks...It's a "Radar" (or if you spell it backwards, "radaR" :D ) but it shows aircraft, ships, both, etc etc. Pretty good, IMO. Easy to install as a pop-up window too.

And FSDT has a "Ground mapping radar" for $5.00. Not TCAS, but nice for night or total IFR (no horizon, no ground, no nothing due to weather) navigation.

 

How accurate are the gauges? The one I used in an AC-130 seemed pretty accurate with the information I DL'd off the net...

Pat☺

Gotta like this plane, the only minus is the air (physics) file that makes it a bit hard to hand fly but nothing horrible.

 

The Q400 has an external FDE, independent from FSX and is practically slewed around all the time. It is supposed to be superior to anything FSX native.

I hesitate to go with these vnav calculators, most airplanes have their own speed cards. I tried 2 v-one gauges for CS 1011 and 737, the 1011 works fine but the 737 does not, it's miscalibrated and by several knots off (it's obvious to me because you can neither take off nor approach and land at those speeds, and I do make sure it corresponds to my gross weight), and these are made specifically for the planes mentioned. Now what will happen if I get a totally 3rd party one? So for the Q400 I'd rather download their own specific. And for the 737, I will continue looking for the right one. There are several released making this business very confusing.