confused about default flight parameters

[PhillyPennPilot]

Sorry in advance for the newbie question, but I just purchased & fired up IF10 today so I'm still confused on how some things work (despite looking at the manual of course).

I'm running FSX more of less out of the box with (for the moment) only the default airplanes. When I go to the Aircraft Selection page and select a plane, it looks like IF10 is basically pulling info straight from the /FSX/SimObjects/Airplanes install folder. But when I go to hit "Flight Parameters" the numbers are all ... I dunno, wacky. In general they are way more conservative, with aprox ranges, max cruising altitudes, and runway minimums a lot lower than the actual specs for the plane according to FSX.

Am I missing something about how this screen should function? IF10 isn't actually going to limit the flight to performance standards far under the actual of what the aircraft can handle, right?

Hope that makes sense. Thanks!

[Steve Waite]

Yes you are correct the general starting settings are taken from the aircraft.cfg and the range is set conservatively so you don't run out of gas on the first flight.

Part of the fun of things is getting into the performance of the aircraft. So it is left up to you to make a complete flight, at the climb, cruise, and descent parameters chosen. After the flight inspect the range shown in the assessment (de-brief), and use that value in the Range parameter box. This is the exact range for the flight you just did, and so similarly those values can be computed into the next flight. So long as you follow the same climb descent and cruise speeds, the fuel will be more or less exact.

In the flight gen page put your reserve [and holding time; non >augmented] in the reserve box, and taxi is halved if you start on the runway.

The fuel is monitored throughout the flight, at any time use the IF: Fuel Report menu item in the sim. Go back over values after the flight in the log (popup menu).

Once you've completed a few flights you'll be getting the hang of it.

[Steve Waite]

You assume the settings are Wacky too early.


The Max altitude is not the max attainable by the aircraft.

When you check it out you will find that you want to set a max altitude for the planner to associate with your regular flights in the craft, but the planner chooses the altitude by a set of international flying rules.

[PhillyPennPilot]

Yes you are correct the general starting settings are taken from the aircraft.cfg and the range is set conservatively so you don't run out of gas on the first flight.

Part of the fun of things is getting into the performance of the aircraft. So it is left up to you to make a complete flight, at the climb, cruise, and descent parameters chosen. After the flight inspect the range shown in the assessment (de-brief), and use that value in the Range parameter box. This is the exact range for the flight you just did, and so similarly those values can be computed into the next flight. So long as you follow the same climb descent and cruise speeds, the fuel will be more or less exact.

Aaaah. I think I get it. (I think.) Like I said, I just got IF10 so I wasn't sure if these parameters here were limits that the software putting on the actual aircraft, or limits the user puts on the IF10 for planning purposes. Seem like it's the latter. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. Gonna take my first few flights with it tonight so hopefully I won't be as green with any followup questions.

The Max altitude is not the max attainable by the aircraft.

When you check it out you will find that you want to set a max altitude for the planner to associate with your regular flights in the craft, but the planner chooses the altitude by a set of international flying rules.

Right, this make more sense. I was assuming this feature was doing something rather different. Thanks, Steve!

[Steve Waite]

No worries. I'm here most of the time come right back with any questions as and when you like.