FSNavigator/P!an G question

Hello All

I have used FSNav for years now(an essential part of my Sim flying).

I have been reading up on Plan G. I have to admit that Plan G is attracting my attention because it looks so pretty.

Would there be any benefit in me using it?,is there something it would give me that FSNav does not ,apart from the beautiness of it.

I like beautiness even in Sim programs

Cheers Andy

I guess the best way would be for you to d/l it and give it a spin. After all, it's free!! And only you can be the judge of whether it could be a replacement for FSNav.

I did have it a long time ago and found it to be good and very easy to use. However, as I don't have two monitors I found that I had to keep Alt-Tabbing between the sim and Plan G which got to be a PITA. The only advantage to me was that I could look at Plan G and see what town or city I was passing. Nowadays, I use FlightSim Commander for flight planning - nothing like as pretty as Plan G but I think it is much more functional.

Dijvid

I guess the best way would be for you to d/l it and give it a spin. After all, it's free!! And only you can be the judge of whether it could be a replacement for FSNav.

 

I did have it a long time ago and found it to be good and very easy to use. However, as I don't have two monitors I found that I had to keep Alt-Tabbing between the sim and Plan G which got to be a PITA. The only advantage to me was that I could look at Plan G and see what town or city I was passing. Now7adays, I use FlightSim Commander for flight planning - nothing like as pretty as Plan G but I think it is much more functional.

 

Dijvid

I would say the same about FSNav .Not pretty but very useful.

And of course FSNav page opens in the Sim.

Will probably hang on to Plan G, as experimenting with X at the moment .Fsn does not work in X, but don't want to spend money on FsCommander or any other software while iam still deciding whether FSX is for me.

PS Actually flying my first airliner flight in X as I write this, and because I have no FSNav ,am having to use ATC for the first time in ages.

Cheers Andy

If we were only allowed to have one addon for FS9 ... I would choose FSNav.

I would choose it over any other utility, aircraft, or scenery .... over anything.

Too bad it won't run in FSX .... might the strongest point (one of many ... separate discussion) for me to stick with FS9.

If you have been running FSNav in FS9 and do decide to go to FSX you will surely miss it, but it can be (almost) replaced with Plan-G ... that would be my choice.

Lots of pros .... price, pretty, etc. ... and only two cons.

You won't find the ol' FP button that will let you slave your aircraft to the flight plan you have put together and Plan-G is a processor hog.

I would suggest picking up a cheap old laptop or PC (unless you have one laying around) and running Plan-G on it while networked to the sim machine.

Other programs can networked to the sim machine as well (ie Active Sky) saving the sim machines processor for the sim which is a processor hog on it's own.

I have been reading up on Plan G. I have to admit that Plan G is attracting my attention because it looks so pretty.

Here lies the bane of the flightsim community. It appears that MANY are more interested in "pretty" rather than function.

From not enough/too much wing flex, rivets in wrong place, contrails not coming out of exact centerline of engines, grass not right tint, etc.

Don't take this personally, Andy. This covers a HUGE range of posts in the last year or so from MANY personages. Flight Simulator has become more and more a Sight Simulator. In truth, you see VERY little from the cockpit of an actual aircraft .... and you DON'T want to get out to sight-see during flight! Trust me, you have my word on it.

Yes, you (corporate "you") have the right to enjoy this game anyway you want to .... but I must reject your reality and substitute my own in this case.

gwillmot

Chairman: Put the Flight Back in the Simulator Committee

This commentary does not necessarily reflect the opinion of this station, it's owners, nor the National Football League. Tax, fees and license are extra.

P.S.

The outlook of "total reality", prima donna virtual pilots who look down on us just wanting to have fun are just as ______.

There .... I feel good enough to go to my therapy group now .....

BTW - FSNav forever! ..... and FS2004! ...... and Windows XP!

Andy,

Plan G is free.

Plan G is a multi-functional utility.

Plan G will can be used both with your FS2004 and FSX set-ups.

Plan G is not a resource hog on any computer that can run FSX.

Don't give in to everything you read on the internet. Please use your ol' noggin and give things a try. If it were up to some we would still be living in the stone age.

If we were only allowed to have one addon for FS9 ... I would choose FSNav.

 

I would choose it over any other utility, aircraft, or scenery .... over anything.

 

Too bad it won't run in FSX .... might the strongest point (one of many ... separate discussion) for me to stick with FS9.

 

 

 

 

If you have been running FSNav in FS9 and do decide to go to FSX you will surely miss it, but it can be (almost) replaced with Plan-G ... that would be my choice.

 

Lots of pros .... price, pretty, etc. ... and only two cons.

 

You won't find the ol' FP button that will let you slave your aircraft to the flight plan you have put together and Plan-G is a processor hog.

 

I would suggest picking up a cheap old laptop or PC (unless you have one laying around) and running Plan-G on it while networked to the sim machine.

 

Other programs can networked to the sim machine as well (ie Active Sky) saving the sim machines processor for the sim which is a processor hog on it's own.

Thanks for your reply.

I did notice that plan G even running on its own without the Sim running does feel a little laggy.

I would imagine trying to run it on my pc with FSX would equal slugulant performance.

Anyways the real reason for tinkering with Plan G is one of weather, another crappy Saturday of non stop rain has meant being trapped indoors ,I usually head out for bike rides on at the weekend ,but there is no escape today.

So its tinker time mode.

Anyway Iam not going to spend any money on hardware or soft until I see if X is going to be a viable performer for me.

PS I am so used to flying 9 with FsNav, that when trying X I keep hitting the joystick button assigned to opening FSNav and am momentarily taken aback when nowt happens (I think iam lowering the gear or flaps in X.)

Cheers Andy

I have used FSNav in FS9, and like it, for what it does. I am not a big flight plan kinda guy. I get all set, find an airport, and go to it, fast or slow, high or low, or any combination. My biggest flight plan is using the GPS. Sometimes.

Yes, I have planG, but haven't really used it much. I am sure I will for the DCA World Rally, but that's probably it. We will see...

Totally unhelpful, I know. Sorry...

PS: Feel better, gwillmot? We all need to vent sometimes... :D

Pat☺

I have used FSNav in FS9, and like it, for what it does. I am not a big flight plan kinda guy. I get all set, find an airport, and go to it, fast or slow, high or low, or any combination. My biggest flight plan is using the GPS. Sometimes.

Yes, I have planG, but haven't really used it much. I am sure I will for the DCA World Rally, but that's probably it. We will see...

Totally unhelpful, I know. Sorry...

 

PS: Feel better, gwillmot? We all need to vent sometimes... :D

Pat☺

No worries Pat

All thoughts,views,replies welcome.

Cheers Andy

Ok, I'll throw my 2 cents in here too, although there have been so many good points made already. I also use FSNav for FS9. By far the best there is in terms of features, usability, easy on system resources, etc. Now, it gets a bit uglier using the FSNav equivalent for FSX. It is called FSTramp but is lacking somewhat. Not having it myself, I have read plenty about it and many say the flight planning is not there. Also, it does NOT work in full screen mode.

I do use plan G for my FSX and I love it. I have it running on a laptop that is networked to my FSX pc using FSUIPC. I do this to not have the main flight sim pc having the load of plan G. Yes, some users of plan G do say it can be a little slow to respond. But plan G uses Open Streets map and of course that is a more complex map than what FSNav (or FSTramp) uses. And all that on one pc with FSX running may be a bit much for some systems.

All that said, plan G is a great program, easy to use with a bit of practice and does have a very good, well written, detailed manual with it. Yes it is free. FSTramp is not free but does have a 20 use trial period.

I downloaded Plan G after reading this thread, I too have FS Nav and I love it, I like to fly a lot of AI and follow and using FS Nav allows me to see where we are of course.

I was hoping Plan G would do the same but I may be missing something but when I click on view other traffic nothing shows and I have plenty of AI flying.

The reason I wanted to try Plan G was for a more detailed map, I just wish one could be integrated in FS Nav.

Col,

Go to Options/Traffic and make sure Show Moving and/or Show Parked is checked On.

Ha Ha, it was me sorry. I wasn't connected duh! I found the options and the connection settings, changed those then it all fired up.

Wow! It is working great, lots of detail which is what I wanted, thanks JSkorna.

One thing I've always had trouble with when following AI aircraft is the speed indication.

Just to put you in the picture I modified Traffic View Board and incorporated a panel, this gives the illusion of actually flying the AI aircraft you are following, it works well and most of the gauges work except the speed indicator.

I've tried all sorts but can never get one to work, I know I can see the speed with Shift+Z or see it on TVB but would like the gauge on the panel to work.

I was hoping the PFD screen on Plan-G would work, well part of it does but not the speed section, even the bar at the bottom of the Plan-G screen shows Altitude and Height but again the speed reads 0 Kts.