PFPX Usage...

[blueskydriver]

Hey Everyone,

Well, got PFPX going and at first it seems technically hard, but it gets easier as you use it. Try to see it as a full dispatch program and if you use TopCat, it'll give you every detail. Also, it comes with VATSIM and IVAO interactions with export formats for VATSIM, SquawkBox, Project Magenta, PMDG737NGX, ProSim737, AvilaSoft EFB and many other programs.

You'll want Navigraph Data, so spring the money on a subscription with them and update every month or cycle. Additionally, PFPX allows you to setup a regular schedule of an airline, so for a Virtual Airline (VA) operators or pilots it'll setup the aircraft for repeating flights, but you only add the changing flight plans and loadouts.

If you haven't already, download the manual prior to your purchase to understand what PFPX really is. Right now there are no real training tutorials/videos on it, but surely they'll be out soon enough. If anything, you'll learn it rather quickly just by using it...

John

Note: I am not an employee or advertiser for PFPX, just a user sharing my tidbits about the program.

[Kennair]

Have been using it also leading up to Worldflight.  It's a very intuitive tool but has some complex functions in the background.  There are tutorials available on their website HERE.  You can easily get a simple plan underway but there's much more available to you depending on how far you want to go.  Still getting to know it but I'm blessed to have a colleague who's been part of the Beta team for PFPX from the beginning, he's given us tutorials on its more complex usage.

Ken.

[blueskydriver]

Hey Ken,

Thanks for the links...

John

[sluyt050]

I have the AOA B737 NG video training and they also demonstrate how to work with PFPX far before it came on the market actually.
ref.: http://www.flyaoamedia.com/

[blueskydriver]

Update: I did some more flying using PFPX; especially, now that they updated to version 1.11, which added more exports to outside programs...like sky vector maps. Here: www.skyvector.com

What I also notice is things are getting fixed; here is the readme.txt changelog:
http://www.flightsimsoft.com/downloads/ReadMe.txt

Still, I see a problem with payloads and maybe others can confirm this for me; assuming, you have an addon model from ProSim737, PM, PMDG737NGX or other. What I see is this:

1. You go through the entire process of setting up a flight, and then send the data for takeoff and landing to TopCat, which you would export that data via TopCat over to your FSX computer (if not on the same computer as TopCat).

2. Now, if you only added passengers and fuel in PFPX, which exports to TopCat, then to FSX, the CG% will match both PFPX and TopCat within the CDU. In other words, you must make sure what you send to FSX is what you wanted in the first place.

3. In 2 above it all works fine, but if you were to add cargo weight in PFPX, next to the passenger weight box, and then proceed to export TopCat, then to FSX, you'd find out that what is sent is not what you were supposed get. In other words, if you add cargo, the CG% will come out wrong. Thus, I believe the cargo placements in the model via TopCat or PFPX are wrong.

I will send an email to PFPX about this and check their forum, but I am just wondering if anyone here has experienced this yet? Also, if you haven't checked out skyvector maps, you should. If you use that program (free) along with VatMap (free), I really doubt you need to buy an EFB program or a charts program. You still need NaviGraph though, as that is not just a charts program...

John

[Trevor Hale]

For Worldflight next year I am going to try to see if we can make all the flight plans in pfpx. We hope to be using this inconjunction with ACARS in the cockpit and we will be exporting right to the company routes so that the pilots can just load the flight from the cdu and they will be good to go.

My biggest fear... Forgetting how to use the cdu until I get back to SAMs. Lol.

It's very easy to use I just am worried I will forget again.

What an amazing product pfpx is

[blueskydriver]

Hi Trevor,

I do know one other WF team from England did just that with PFPX, and one of the members of that team was a two year beta tester for PFPX, and he confirmed that is exactly how they used it during WF (as you described).

I highly recommend PFPX, but TopCat is a must as well, if you want the takeoff and landing performace data.

I should make some videos on how I do things...okay, I will, but what is the program to use for on-screen recording with voice-over?

Let me know and I'll get started on it...

John

[Trevor Hale]

I think it is called SNAG-IT or something like that

[Sam Llorca]

Hi all, all my flight legs where done with PFPX and TopCat my dispatcher was a 15year old kid that jointed the team here in Sarasota, his name is Logan, he is also a traffic controller for Vatsim, congratulations Logan.!!! Great cook too!!!

[Trevor Hale]

Logan should sign up here, so we can keep him informed next year.  I am wondering if we can convince his teachers to let him cut some school next year so we can put him on the schedule LOL