FSCaptain

[Zeljko Budovic]

I have a demo version FSCaptain -

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It seems to be more interesting, realistic and useful than FsPassengers, and has an option to send reports in FsPassenger format. I tried with FsPassengers configuration file and it works. Can we use FSCaptain to send reports?

 

[Peter Schindler]

I'm very glad you brought this up, Zeljko. I had heard of FsCaptain before (Norbert had told me about), but I admit I never really looked for more info. I have now downloaded and installed (not bought, yet) and will read through the manual, asap.

As far as reporting goes it seems to work, with one exception: flight time reporting. Look at the Pireps of our fellow pilot David Kernow (ACH0493). I always wondered why his FsPax flight times are kind of messed up, as well as the flight critique which is strange, sometimes. Reading in the FSC forums I found a post by David saying that he uses FSC. So we have proof that it (almost) works with our FSPax scripts.

If you can still report your flights through FlightKeeper, I'd suggest you don't use FSC at the moment (because of the time problem). I will make some tests, try to fix the few problems and report back. I will also contact the developer in the near future, for further cooperation. He seems very interested in improving the VA functions.

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

I am happy to hear that Peter, I like very much their FCOM device that brings more realism. Maybe this can help about new financial system too, you can configure new VA with all financial parameters. I want to try just once to use FSCaptain and to see if there are problems with flight time if I use FS Real time. I'll delete the report after that, I'm just curious if that solves the problem :?

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

I tried, the problem with flight times persist :lol: It's in local times, but real problem is time format: Take-Off: 10:7 h(instead of 10:07); And this strange format:
Flight Time: 1:7:0 h / (0:0:0 h night flight)
Time on Ground: 0:5:0 h

I'm sure this will be resolved, besides this - it's excelent addon!

 

[Peter Schindler]

real problem is time format: Take-Off: 10:7 h(instead of 10:07); And this strange format:
Flight Time: 1:7:0 h / (0:0:0 h night flight)
Time on Ground: 0:5:0 h

Yes, that's what I meant
Zeljko, in case you remember: was your flight time 01:07 hrs or 1.7 hrs ? Same for ground time - 5 minutes, or more like 30 minutes (0.5 hrs) or 50 minutes (not very likely) ?

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

Yes, that's what I meant
Zeljko, in case you remember: was your flight time 01:07 hrs or 1.7 hrs ? Same for ground time - 5 minutes, or more like 30 minutes (0.5 hrs) or 50 minutes (not very likely) ?

Well, it's realy strange, I accessed flight from FCOM gauge, flight time: 17:07z - 18:19z; can't be neither 01:07 nor 1.7 hrs... :lol:
No data about taxi time, but it was about 5min. Should I delete that report?

 

[Peter Schindler]

Should I delete that report?

If possible, leave it there. I'll try to use it as a reference.
Did you run Flightkeeper at the same time? Would be great to see that report, as well.

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

Unfortunately I did not, I thought that will affect fps to much. My CPU is at 2.53GHz only, I planed to change it with i7 next year.
But i can do one short flight right now with both, FSCaptain and FSFK.

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

Should I delete that report?

If possible, leave it there. I'll try to use it as a reference.
Did you run Flightkeeper at the same time? Would be great to see that report, as well.

this will be interesting, I did it! But I can't send the FSFK report because it has already sent using FSCaptain. ACH7528 is the flight, I'll send you FSFK report somehow

 

[Cedric Bandelier]

Hi Zeljko,

I recently bought FSCaptain, I want to use it with the new NGX 738 only for the "career" mode and "sounds".....
English is not my mother language......
I have some problem understanding how to configure the airplane: do I need to create a new aircraft in the Administrator tool ? Or can I just launch FSX, choose the NGX 738, start FSCOMM ?

Also: is there a way to import all the ACH 738 scheduled flights and creating a new AirChild company in FSCaptain ?

Thanks for your help:

Cedric:

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

Hi Zeljko,

I recently bought FSCaptain, I want to use it with the new NGX 738 only for the "career" mode and "sounds".....
English is not my mother language......
I have some problem understanding how to configure the airplane: do I need to create a new aircraft in the Administrator tool ? Or can I just launch FSX, choose the NGX 738, start FSCOMM ?

Also: is there a way to import all the ACH 738 scheduled flights and creating a new AirChild company in FSCaptain ?

Thanks for your help:

Cedric:

Hi Cedric,
I use FSCaptain and NGX too, but for now I have unregistered version and still studying it. I like it very much, he has a lot of potential. I'll try to help you with what I know so far, here's how I managed to use it for airchild flights:
-install FCOM to NGX panel through FCOM installer
-start Administrator tool, go to "options for all airlines" and pres "rebuild Airport database"
-Then you start your's career(i don't remember this part very well, but i know it's on the first page of Administrator tool and you are seeking for a job or something like that, is not so complicated)
I chosed a pre-defined "world airline" to start my career and saved that configuration(pres "apply" and "ok"). You can set a new airline "air-child", I'll do that soon.
-go to administrator tool and set weather options so you can recive to receive accurate weather information from dispatch(trough FCOM) - discrabed in user manual for most of weather engines, I use ASE
then on each flight:
1.start FSX and load the flight and aircraft(on the gate, engines not running).
2.the most important thing: configure through Administrator tool load map(just click "load maps", then "import" and select PMDG 737NGX and click "ok"). I noticed that after this NGX is loaded correctly
3.start FCOM gauge, f1 for log in, and then search for the flight(select mission)
4.set payload to zero through NGX FMC(pasengers=0, fw cargo=0, aft cargo=0), and load at least amount of fuel required - described in FCOM for this flight(you can load some extra fuel)
5.Start boarding trough FCOM
6.when boarding is completed:
-set NGX FMC performance page(only after boarding is completed pres twice zfw on performance page so NGX will calculate this)
-change FSX to windowed mode(alt+enter)
-go to airchild and book yor flight If you didn't(create a charter flight if you not found it in airchild scheduled flights)
-start FS Flight keeper or FS ACARS, connect to fsx and start flight as usual
-return to full screen(alt+enter again)
7.on FCOM press "start flight" and enjoy FSCaptain
8.When finish your flight, use FS Flight keeper or FS ACARS to report to airchild
You can report with FSCaptain to FSCaptain experimenal VA, just to compare
For now, we can't use FSCaptain for reporting to airchild becouse it's not configured properly, flight times and other things not appear properly
You will notice that amount of fuel differ just a little bit, I'll try to fix it. For now it's important we can use FSCaptain for flying for airchild
There is options to configure VA, including flightplans, but i don't know how yet.
I hope that was helpful.
Peter is working on this, I will try to help - will inform you about everything I discover related to FSCaptain

cheers!

 

[Cedric Bandelier]

Thanks a lot Zeljko for this very prompt reply !

- so if I understand you...except for the loadmap there is no need to configure the aircraft in the FSCaptain Administrator Panel ? I mean the speeds, fuel burning etc....

- so if I decided not to use the loading capabilities of FSCaptain and manage it myself using the PMDG FMC payload and fuel pages it's ok ?

- you create / choose your flight using the FSCOMM, not the Administrator panel, right ?

- oh and last question.....to start the boarding....you just need to open the doors, right ?

I'll give it a try this evening.

Again thanks for the time you take anwsering to my questions !

Cedric

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

- so if I understand you...except for the loadmap there is no need to configure the aircraft in the FSCaptain Administrator Panel ? I mean the speeds, fuel burning etc....

loadmap is must important, but be careful to select "import" option and then select ngx from the list. Do not use "load" buton - there's are predefined aircrafts
I will try to set other parameters, but i'm trying to find how to do this. We don't know yet what passengers weights is used by PMDG for example, and many other things that do not match. I will trying to look for some informations in PMDG forums about NGX, and in FSCaptain forums about how to configure FSCaptain, but this will take some time, unfortunately i will be too busy until Sunday with my job

- so if I decided not to use the loading capabilities of FSCaptain and manage it myself using the PMDG FMC payload and fuel pages it's ok ?

That's right, but you will lose some realy good part of realism and fun, and FSCaptain will load NGX decently, excepting the fuel

- you create / choose your flight using the FSCOMM, not the Administrator panel, right ?

I tried both options, the only difference is - when you choose your flight from Administrator panel, it's remain there if you close FSX before you finish the flight. Once selected, you must to finish the flight, even if you must start FSX over and over again.
That's mean, if you fly 11 hours, and just before landing your PC is turned off from some reason( you experienced CTD, power failure, earthquake, tsunami, etc.) - when you start again FSCaptain - the same flight will waiting for you to start it from the beginning

- oh and last question.....to start the boarding....you just need to open the doors, right ?

No, you will see option "start boarding" in FCOM gauge
Try to look into FCOM during the flight, you will see a lot of information there, and you must to communicate with flight crew and your passengers during the flight. Just try to play with FCOM gauge, you will find all the options.

I am here If you have further questions after tonight's flight, maybe i find something new until then!

clear skies!

:fly:

 

[Peter Schindler]

Also: is there a way to import all the ACH 738 scheduled flights and creating a new AirChild company in FSCaptain ?

I did not find the time yet to test FSC myself but I read in their forum that this is a feature planned for future release. So I think it's not possible yet. Would be great, though :yes:

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

Also: is there a way to import all the ACH 738 scheduled flights and creating a new AirChild company in FSCaptain ?

I did not find the time yet to test FSC myself but I read in their forum that this is a feature planned for future release. So I think it's not possible yet. Would be great, though :yes:

Peter, it's not posibble direct from Administrator tool, but you can go to FSX/FSCaptain/Airlines and configure new airline - copy one of predefined airline and rename it in "air-child.cfg", then modify parameters inside cfg file(pay/hour, rules etc). Then make a copy of "pacifica_schedule.txt" for example and rename it to "air-child_schedule.txt". You can modify routes then. I tried, it works. But I need all airchild routes to put them in schedule.txt. Only departing and ariving airports, without airways and intersections. I'll try, but probably next week when I'll have more time. After years of fsx tweaking, i think i can do this, with little effort uch:

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

I find it, you can configure airline schedule from administrator tool under "airline definition" is "schedule buton". You can configure routes from there, flightplans, create and import flightplans, create hubs, you can print everything, etc!!!
I feel so good now! :champ:

who is working on updating airchild routes?

 

[Peter Schindler]

make a copy of "pacifica_schedule.txt" for example and rename it to "air-child_schedule.txt". You can modify routes then. I tried, it works. But I need all airchild routes to put them in schedule.txt

Yep, I just checked one of the "...schedule.txt" files. It's pretty straight forward, so I will provide a script where you can compile a schedule.txt from our database. What I'm not sure about are the "hub" lines that seem to group flights by aircraft size (medium, heavy...) and route direction (western/eastern). Are these lines mandatory or can they be left out?

Is it also possible to import routes? We could generate these lists as well.

 

[Zeljko Budovic]

Yep, I just checked one of the "...schedule.txt" files. It's pretty straight forward, so I will provide a script where you can compile a schedule.txt from our database. What I'm not sure about are the "hub" lines that seem to group flights by aircraft size (medium, heavy...) and route direction (western/eastern). Are these lines mandatory or can they be left out?

I don't know that yet, i'll try to find out tomorow when i have time - this will probably be on late Afternoon/evening. I'll keep you informed about this. But i found another way to create VA, create aircraft database for the fleet, and create / import flightplans database. You can import flighs too.

You can set rules for each VA, I think we can set rules for pilot careers, it's very interesting, to set mandatory position reports for profesional level for example

Is it also possible to import routes? We could generate these lists as well.

I'll try that tomorrow, i think is possible trough administrator tool :yes:

 

[Peter Schindler]

Got a little further, yesterday: I made a script to generate the ACH schedule in FSC format. Works fine, but I still need to add the aircraft size (0 to 4), required by FSC. Not a problem - needs just some more time to join data from fleet database.
At the moment the schedule we generate is to replace the "company_schedule.txt" file in the FSC folder. For schedule import we'd need a file in Traffic Tools format (the files used for AI aircraft schedules). I'll check how difficult or not this would be

For flight plans, the default FS plan format can be imported. For most schedule flights we already provide the FS flight plans. In the future we will create them dynamically, so that it will be possible for charters, too - provided you fill in a valid route.

 

[Andrew Williams]

Talk to me about FsCaptain (only very breifly looked at website)

Is it basically fspassengers + air hauler rolled into one? or completely different
What is the limit of the demo version?
Does it have to be left running on screen during flight, or do you close it down after setup?
Is it all run within flightsim, or is there a standalone program?


Cheers