CAP Talk

Operations => Aerospace Education => Topic started by: hotoppb on August 17, 2012, 06:22:32 AM

Title: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: hotoppb on August 17, 2012, 06:22:32 AM
has anyone used the Civil Air Patrol add on for flight simulator x? how does it compare to real life?
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: hotoppb on August 17, 2012, 06:24:45 AM
i mean flight simulator 2004
sorry :(
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: Al Sayre on August 17, 2012, 02:16:10 PM
I have it and have used it, but not sure what you mean by real life.  The mission assignments are pretty standard, fly a grid, creeping line, electronic search etc.  The graphics and controls modeling are only as good as your sim computer & FS2004, and the panels are representative, your aircraft equipment may vary.   I'd say it's generally a good practice tool for a new mission pilot trying to get the hang of the different flight patterns...
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: Shotgun on August 17, 2012, 02:28:04 PM
I bought it for use with MS Flight Simulator X mainly for the G1000 cockpit and the CAP airplane models.

I flew a couple of virtual missions with it and found it to be a good for "buttonology" and programming the G1000.

I remember getting a CAP discount when I purchased it. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I purchased it or how I got the discount.
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: Al Sayre on August 17, 2012, 04:40:51 PM
Purchase it from Abacus Software directly.  For a 25% discount put your CAPID in the comments section.
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: Robborsari on August 17, 2012, 11:20:08 PM
We have used it for a tabletop.  We set up seperate monitors for each of the 3 crew and had them in another room with an ISR to be the cap radio.  Went through the whole sortie.  I got a lot of good feedback from the crew and the staff.  Its not terribly realistic but its better than nothing.
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: NIN on August 18, 2012, 12:30:02 AM
Sadly, I just threw that out the other day...
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: a2capt on August 18, 2012, 01:26:54 AM
Kinda surprised you didn't offer it on here .. even for just shipping..
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: NIN on August 18, 2012, 11:41:48 AM
Quote from: a2capt on August 18, 2012, 01:26:54 AM
Kinda surprised you didn't offer it on here .. even for just shipping..

I was in a fit of cleaning.  Wild hair and all that. Moving tends to do that to you :)

Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: hotoppb on August 18, 2012, 12:30:38 PM
Since my SQ. can't do sorties overseas we wanted to prepare the cadets a little bit for when they return stateside. we almost have a fully functioning FS and i thought if the CAP add on for flight simulator 2004 was somewhat close to a real sortie that it would be an effective teaching tool for us.
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: jeders on August 18, 2012, 01:44:17 PM
Quote from: Robborsari on August 17, 2012, 11:20:08 PM
We have used it for a tabletop.  We set up seperate monitors for each of the 3 crew and had them in another room with an ISR to be the cap radio.  Went through the whole sortie.  I got a lot of good feedback from the crew and the staff.  Its not terribly realistic but its better than nothing.

At LESA they do something very similar where they set up a simulator with multiple monitors for the pilot and observer. They fly through an entire sortie in the evening, and then the next day they fly the same sortie in the real world. There have been a lot of good reviews on it, and the tech is getting a little better each time.
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: hotoppb on September 23, 2012, 04:20:37 AM
Thanks for the help guys. really appreciate all the input
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: flyboy53 on September 28, 2012, 12:33:12 PM
I've found the flight simulator itself a better tool for cadets than the CAP add-on, especially the tutorials for flight instruction.

Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: BFreemanMA on November 08, 2012, 01:54:08 AM
I'm pretty active in the Flight Sim world and using the free utility "Airport Designer X" lets you create a fake "airport" that could just consist of a downed plane and some coordinates. Having a cadet "go up" and fly a search pattern for a real objective could be neat. I haven't tried the FS9 add-on, but, from what I've read, I can't imagine there is anything in it that you couldn't get alone without on a budget.
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: a2capt on December 17, 2012, 09:37:20 AM
Setting this up with a multiple monitor system, with the G1000 visible to a scanner/observer like is possible in the actual aircraft, and doing a table top mission even with headsets and intercom, with some cabling fun you can put the "base" in a separate room, behind a partition, etc.

Then you can simulate a lot of procedural stuff.  With the simulator being "real time" it goes to show about how long you've got to work while enroute, what each crew position needs to do, etc.

All the typical mission paperwork can be filled out and get a good idea of how long this stuff actually takes. Then realize that the "real world" takes even longer most of the time.

Things like other planes involved.. and pesky air traffic controllers. ;)
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: West MI-CAP-Ret on December 23, 2012, 03:00:33 AM
Could someone give me a list of software and hardware I would need to set up a flight simulator on my computer?

Thanks, Dave 8)
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: Flyboy-F22 on March 13, 2013, 02:36:40 AM
Also, without add ons they have a plane (Cessna 172 Idaho CAP).
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: West MI-CAP-Ret on March 17, 2013, 07:48:44 PM
Besides software, what are some hardware I'll need to make this software work, e.g. rudder peddles and flight steering wheel (yoke/control column)?


Dave
Title: Re: Flight Simulator x and CAP add on
Post by: BFreemanMA on March 18, 2013, 12:23:35 PM
Demon,

     For the hardware end of things, you don't need anything, but if you're trying to make the experience as realistic as possible, there are a bunch of controllers and such you could buy for this purpose. There's a "super package" of flight control surfaces available here http://www.bing.com/shopping/saitek-pro-flight-ultimate-flight-sim-bundle/p/56C8E01C6BD28DAB5020?q=saitek+yoke+and+pedals&lpf=0&lppc=16&lpq=saitek%2byoke%2band%2bpedals&FORM=CMOPEE, (http://www.bing.com/shopping/saitek-pro-flight-ultimate-flight-sim-bundle/p/56C8E01C6BD28DAB5020?q=saitek+yoke+and+pedals&lpf=0&lppc=16&lpq=saitek%2byoke%2band%2bpedals&FORM=CMOPEE,) but it's likely too much money for most squadrons to handle without grants.

For my at-home setup, I have the yoke, TPM, rudder pedals, and the radio panel. You could do without the radio panel (I fly a lot online with VATSIM, so being able to change frequencies like the real guys do is handy), which would line you up for a product like this http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/search/find.asp?init=y&search=saitek (http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/search/find.asp?init=y&search=saitek) with the yoke, throttle, and rudder pedals.

There are other companies in the game and you can certainly buy used or buy individual parts to the extent of your budget. I've only ever used Saitek products, so I can't comment on the quality of an other company's gear, but I've been using Saitek for 5 years now and haven't had an issue.

Also, for FS2004, this isn't a huge problem, but make sure youre computer is able to run FSX well. She was, unfortunately, very poorly programmed by some accounts and you need an excellent computer to run FSX smoothly.