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What's a good free FMC for FSX?


Matt Whitenack 1052524
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Matt Whitenack 1052524
Posted
Posted

Hey all, I was just wondering what, if any, FMC software people like for FSX. I'm pretty new to VATSIM and hate trying to use the default GPS in FSX to fly approaches, but also it's a pain in the butt to change the flightplan if I have to. Unfortunately, I'm currently job-seeking and can't justify spending money on a payware FMC, so I'm hoping somebody will have some ideas or some tips to make life a little easier with the default FSX tools.

 

Thanks in advance.

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Steve Jones 971079
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http://vas-project.org/

Only freeware FMC that I am aware of other than the one that comes with the I-Fly 747.

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Matt Whitenack 1052524
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Thanks Steve, I wasn't sure if vasFMC was compatible with FSX or not. I've looked at it on their website, but was afraid to try out something without asking questions first.

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  • 11 months later...
Micheal Kosiba 1086633
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i am looking for a fmc also and i already no vas doesn't work

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Norman Blackburn
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i am looking for a fmc also and i already no vas doesn't work

 

Hi Michael,

 

What issue are you having with VAS FMC with FSX? Their forum says it works fine - http://forum.vas-project.org/viewtopic.php?id=164

Norman

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Micheal Kosiba 1086633
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well when i hit ap couple it seem to not couple wiht my ap and it has no sids and stars plus doesn't have all the waypoints

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Charan Kumar
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Hi Michael,

 

I am using vasFMC and it works extremely well with all acft both FS9 and FSX. I have had absolutely no problems. As for sids/stars and waypoints, you have to understand this is a freeware. But you can get the latest sids/stars from navigraph, though not for free. You don't have to buy it every release, but once in while should do the job.

 

Moreover, before I bought the navigraph updates, I still flew all stars with absolutely no problem. All charts contain the NXX.XX.XX/WXx.XX.XX for their waypoints and you can key them in very easily. If you were flying long distances, simroutes will help you export to vasFMC format which you can just load and only add the SID/STAR waypoints which again can be done using the NX../W..format. yes, it is a little pain but that's as much as you can get for free.

 

Payware acft do not necessarily couple with vasFMC directly. There might be some workarounds that may be needed. For eg. my PSS concorde should be set to INS external for it to couple. And for freeware acft, you have to set "AP Couple" in vasFMC and engage your heading hold with A/P on in the acft that will get it flying correctly. Just make sure you start vasFMC after you start your FS..thought it's not a problem, using two versions, I always find that a better idea.

 

Let me also add that on the only occ[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ion where vasFMC crashed on me due to system overload, I was able to restart it, load the flt plan again, set it to the next waypoint and continue merily after w/o having to disconnect from VATSIM. It's just a marvellous tool. Just give it it's due and I am sure you will be more than satisfied. And with vasFMC promising VNAV in the future, it is going to become a must have pretty soon.

 

Blue Skies!!

When is your next Flight||VATSIM HitSquad Member, ZOA/ZAK/GANDER/P1

 

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  • 1 year later...
Anthony Carbott
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Is there an addon FMC that takes Navigraph updates to ensure all waypoints, sids and stars are up to date?

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Ernesto Alvarez 818262
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freeware? VasFMC

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Anthony Carbott
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Not necessarily free. A while ago, I bought the 'Itegrated Sim Avionics' FMC pack, it has sids and stars, but isn't updatable via Navigraph updates, hence any apprehension to use it whilst flying with vatsim, as if I'm issued a departure or entry, I need to know my FMC has the latest nav database that Vatsim controllers are also using.

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Ernesto Alvarez 818262
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the ISG gauges airac are updated by Navigraph.

 

http://www.navigraph.com/www/fmsdata.asp

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Anthony Carbott
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That's interesting, as when I bought it and explored it, at the time, there was no way to update it via Navigraph, I even asked on the ISG forums at the time.

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David Sybiak
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I think that the Navigraph updates for the ISG gear has only been out for 1-2 cycles... its really new to be able to update it that way. Before that there would be periodic updates off the ISG site from Ernie.

 

Cheers,

 

-Dave

Dave Sybiak - GA/Bush Pilot

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tony moseley 1088954
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i use vas fmc original version on a second monitor with airac updates and it works like a dream and is as user friendly as it gets. i prefer the simple layout of the original version wheras vas fmc 2.0 appears as a proper fmc.

 

i think vas fmc is a free must have for newbies.

.

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Anthony Carbott
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Thanks for the replies, I'm glad I hung in there, now the ISG is perfect in every way. It's always been an extremely good FMC, very good indeed and Navigraph updates were the only thing missing.

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  • 2 months later...
Kaleb Depestel 1163784
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mine always says the files are corrupted when i try to run the installer i need help

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...
Alexander Schmack 1197282
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I downloaded VasFMC but im still not sure how to use it, I downloaded the standalone version but it turns out that it doesn´t integrate with the default panel! so i downloaded the gauge version but i don´t know how to use it and install it in the default 737.

Can someone please help me?!?!?

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  • 3 months later...
Alexander Schmack 1197282
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guys i have another question, can i download vasFMC and use it as a gauge in the defauld 737 panel, and not use another one outside of FSX?

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Randy Tyndall 1087023
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Alexander,

 

In a nutshell...no, unless you alias the B737 to use the A320 panel that comes with the gauge version of vasFMC. Then you will lose all the Boeing "look" of the interior of the aircraft. However...there's always one of those "howevers" isn't there. If you know anything about panel design it is possible to modify a B737 panel to accept vasFMC. There will be a major hurdle, though. You have to be able to get the all the vasFMC components MCDU, CDU, PFD, and ND especially to integrate into the 737 panel of your choice. You cannot...lot's of stress on that word "cannot"...use just the MCDU alone. It will look for and use controls from/to the CDU, PFD, and ND when in command of the aircraft. If it doesn't find them the most probable result will be a CTD.

 

I have successfully installed vasFMC in a CRJ and B757 panel and had it function, but there were a lot of things I had to do inside the panel.cfg to get it to work. It was time consuming and what works for one panel will not necessarily work with another. I found it a lot simpler to save up, bite the bullet, and buy Ernie Alston's ISG1 fully functional and updateable FMC. Glad I did and never looked back. Since the vasFMC project has closed down I have completely uninstalled everything vasFMC related and placed them in a compressed file in "storage" in case I ever want to dig it back out...I never throw anything away.

 

There may be panels available in the various download sites like AVSIM and Flightsim, etc, that incorporate vasFMC into them...or so they claim. I know specifically of a Malev Dash 8 that is available on AVSIM with vasFMC already "built-in". There are probably others. The vasFMC website had a pretty good tutorial on how to integrate the components into a panel, but not sure if the website even functions anymore. Like I said, I bailed and got ISG1 for $25.00

 

Randy

Randy Tyndall - KBOI

ZLA I-11/vACC Portugal P4

“A ship is always safe in the harbor. But that’s not why they build ships” --Michael Bevington ID 814931, Former VATSIM Board of Governors Vice President of Pilot Training

1087023

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Alexander Schmack 1197282
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thanks so much for the advice, i am considering getting a 738 payware with integreated fmc, i really need one for the SID and STARS so if you know about any 738 with fmc i would appreciate it

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Charan Kumar
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thanks so much for the advice, i am considering getting a 738 payware with integreated fmc, i really need one for the SID and STARS so if you know about any 738 with fmc i would appreciate it
You are in luck, there are actually two options atleast, pmdg and iFly 737 that are very popular and two more, which are not so popular, nevertheless there. The first two have FMC integration and as a PMDG user myself, I can tell you it's FMC works absolutely brilliantly for SIDs and STARs. By the way, both require some, if not a lot of, reading manuals before you can be up in the air and flying SIDs/STARs comfortably.

When is your next Flight||VATSIM HitSquad Member, ZOA/ZAK/GANDER/P1

 

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