Getting back into IFR without payware aircraft

[Philip McNiel 1282687]

Hi! I'm getting back into IFR flying, and I'm not in a financial position to justify buying payware products. It appears that unlike the USA, Europe has basically done away with non-RNAV SIDs and STARs (and airways, but that's a bit less of a problem--just have to add a ton of waypoints into the flight plan manually). Is there a convenient way to fly IFR in Europe without the payware aircraft that have FMC's? (I know about VasFMC, but I don't have a dual-monitor setup, and I don't want to keep minimizing or small-sizing the sim to see it).

[Ernesto Alvarez 818262]

as far as im aware you can still fly by GPS in europe. the default nav data in FS9 and FSX can be updated. rest comes with how proficient you are using it

[Philip McNiel 1282687]

To clarify, one thing I'm concerned about is the fact that you can be [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned a STAR while in midair, and I don't want to have to pause the sim to go into the flight planner and add all those GPS waypoints.

[Don Desfosse]

No need to pause. Using vRoute, you can choose your departure, destination, route and STAR, save to your computer, turn off NAV (or use HDG mode), load the new flight plan that includes the STAR, select the proper leg in yor GPS, and return to NAV mode all in about 2-3 minutes (after you've done it about 3 times to get the procedure/flow down.

 

Ref also: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=71316

[Bradley Grafelman]

Could also pretend your OBS button is stuck down (or just broken after entering SUSP mode) and just use direct-to's to navigate between each point on an RNAV STAR. I'd recommend briefing the approach beforehand, though, because you'll be a bit busier than usual.

[Dace Nicmane]

It appears that unlike the USA, Europe has basically done away with non-RNAV SIDs and STARs

Not quite. Try Southern Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Albania etc.), also UK. They still use non-RNAV a lot.

[Philip McNiel 1282687]

Thanks a LOT LOT LOT for your replies!! Especially the one about vRoute and the one about the countries that still have non-RNAV procedures--I'm going to use vRoute from now on I think (I'd used it before, but not to export as I didn't realize it had that feature or the features with the ATC % and stuff like that), and I will seek out airports with non-RNAV procedures just because I enjoy them a lot.

[Sean Harrison]

Philip,

 

A couple of options that do incur cost, but can be used on all aircraft in your hanger;

 

FlightSim Commander FSC9 if you have FSX/FS9 (runs beside FS, but you don't have to pause)

FSNav (older but can be run within FS9, not FSX compatible)

 

ISGsim is a payware FMC that can be added to any AC panel.

 

Would be more, but these are the ones I'm aware of. Ernie' ISG fmc is great, I've used it on freeware acft for years.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

EasyFMC is also a fairly inexpensive and simple method to become able to edit your default GPS route on-the-fly.

[Randy Tyndall 1087023]

Philip,

 

I also have Ernie Alston's ISG1 from Integrated Simavionics as well and like Sean, use it on a great many freeware aircraft panels.

 

It integrates seamlessly with almost every panel and his website has pre-configured panels for most aircraft that you can download or you can build your own. To help with building my own I also purchased Panel Studio, but it is certainly not required.

 

The ISG1 gives you an "in cockpit" set of gauges including an FMC/MCDU that is updateable through a Navigraph subscription. Makes all my freeware into payware.

 

Randy

[Philip McNiel 1282687]

I'd just like to add that I've now discovered FD-FMC, and I'm learning how to use it. I know it's not the most realistic FMC around in terms of looks and interface, but it looks like it will allow me to fly SIDs and STARs. I'm planning on trying it in VATSIM for the first time during the LOWW_APP test tomorrow!

[Jim Hurst 1353723]

Hi Phillip,

 

Please p[Mod - Happy Thoughts] on feedback from your testing. I too fly with default stuff, filing /A, and I've been mulling the idea of biting the bullet and getting into the 21st century (albeit, reluctantly) with map updates, and an FMC. There are enough choices out there, some free, some $, that I've been dragging my feet on it.

I'd be curious to know how your FD-FMC experience turns out.

 

 

Regards,

Jim