Prepar3d PIPREP?

genna

genna

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Has anyone used this?

http://www.prepar3d.com

This is a Lockheed Martin interpretation of MS Flight SIM for scenario based training.

"Prepar3D can be used for a wide range of learning scenarios including vehicle procedures training, cockpit familiarization, flight planning, air traffic controller training and emergency response preparation. As a commercial-off-the-shelf product, Prepar3D provides a cost effective training platform that evolves with technology. Take your training to the next level with Prepar3D!"

I just happen to have a license(it's legit) to Pro+ version and I am curious if it's worth the trouble installing. May need some hardware.
 
Yes. It's a repacked version of FSX that is actively supported.

Install it. See you if you find it useful or not. I find PC simulators useful.
 
X-Plane is a great tool! P3D is certainly better than FSX, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra cost.
 
Here is the thing. I already had FSX Steam. I think it was about $30. Pretty useful for C172 Instrument procedures and such.

Now I just installed the P3D, which costs $2300(I got it for free). I'm still trying to see any serious difference. It does not have C172 :)

This is all just on a laptop for the time being
 
If someone wanted to build a useful system with this, what would you use for your sim hardware? I'm not an anti PC sim person, and I have seen some very elaborate sims built off of these PC platforms, full motion sit in a cockpit, surround view, with accurate physical controls/knobs....

How far do you think it takes to make a sim "useful"? I'm not totally convinced that full motion is necessary, a full Class D sim will still make you 'feel' the motion in your mind even when the hydraulics are turned off, I've experienced that first hand. But I do think that accurate physical cockpits are important to the learning process, and you should be pushing buttons and turning knobs in the correct positions, rather than using GUE interfaces, keyboard commands, or "gamer control" sticks with irrelevant controls. Personally I think that 'aviation interface' with the sim is an important part of making it 'useful' in training regimes.
 
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I just used a standard issue copy of MSFX, which I got for nearly nothing, plus a $70 sateik yoke and pedals off Craigslist, worked great to prep for my ATP.

Sims really are great for procedures/IFR ops, don't blow money on fancy graphics and whiz bang features.

If you have a computer built within the last 7 years, just buy MSFX and a yoke/pedal combo, should be all in for under $100.
 
Henning said:
If someone wanted to build a useful system with this, what would you use for your sim hardware? I'm not an anti PC sim person, and I have seen some very elaborate sims built off of these PC platforms, full motion sit in a cockpit, surround view, with accurate physical controls/knobs....

How far do you think it takes to make a sim "useful"? I'm not totally convinced that full motion is necessary, a full Class D sim will still make you 'feel' the motion in your mind even when the hydraulics are turned off, I've experienced that first hand. But I do think that accurate physical cockpits are important to the learning process, and you should be pushing buttons and turning knobs in the correct positions, rather than using GUE interfaces, keyboard commands, or "gamer control" sticks with irrelevant controls. Personally I think that 'aviation interface' with the sim is an important part of making it 'useful' in training regimes.
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Like I've stated before a thousand times, the only practical use for a PC sim is to utilize it for instrument flying with the autopilot. It gets you in that particular frame of mind. It keeps your mental skills sharp. It's a positive transfer of training to the airplane.

You learn how to prioritize.
You learn how to think ahead.
You learn how to efficiently setup your radios.
You learn how to reference and cross-check.
You learn how to fly profiles.
You become more efficient at reading charts and plates.
And on and on and on...

The homemade cockpits and whiz-bang setups with fancy knobs and buttons are overkill. They detract from the important tasks at hand and make someone feel like a "real" pilot.
 
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Cpt_Kirk said:
The homemade cockpits and whiz-bang setups with fancy knobs and buttons are overkill. They detract from the important tasks at hand and make someone feel like a "real" pilot.
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Sim is a hobby just like real flying. I find some of them quite cool even if it's not real flying. You just have to remember that it's hobby simulation.
 
mkosmo said:
Sim is a hobby just like real flying. I find some of them quite cool even if it's not real flying. You just have to remember that it's hobby simulation.
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One I used in Oz was a guy developing it for the F-18 for the RAAF. This thing was rockin realistic, and it was based on MSFS software.
 
Henning said:
One I used in Oz was a guy developing it for the F-18 for the RAAF. This thing was rockin realistic, and it was based on MSFS software.
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Systems testing or what? We have groups that use x-plane and msfs for avionics software testing virtually.
 
mkosmo said:
Systems testing or what? We have groups that use x-plane and msfs for avionics software testing virtually.
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Not exactly sure of the program, just met him one afternoon, he had 2 of them built, one you could see was an earlier prototype, but the second one was something you would expect to see training an F-18 pilot. I was amazed that he could build it off the MSFS platform.
 
Henning said:
Not exactly sure of the program, just met him one afternoon, he had 2 of them built, one you could see was an earlier prototype, but the second one was something you would expect to see training an F-18 pilot. I was amazed that he could build it off the MSFS platform.
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It truly is a powerful platform to extend it you're willing to deal with the sacrifices in the flight model. Even that you can work around, though, like A2A did with their FSX aircraft. The API is there, even if a pain. If you can't handle that pain, FSUIPC is an option for interop.
 
genna said:
Here is the thing. I already had FSX Steam. I think it was about $30. Pretty useful for C172 Instrument procedures and such.

Now I just installed the P3D, which costs $2300(I got it for free). I'm still trying to see any serious difference. It does not have C172 :)

This is all just on a laptop for the time being
Click to expand...

A. FSX Steam is just an overpriced FSX, period. I got a legal copy of FSX from Half-Price Books for $5. :) But you can always download FSX for free since it is a dead product anyway.
B. P3D has a student license that is around $30 (IIRC). No need to pay thousands of dollars anymore. Yay! P3D is also a fixed-up FSX that LM bought (good move, btw).
C. Laptop should be sufficient since there is no need to run full-blown scenery if you are just training IFR procedures "in the soup".
D. Good HW makes a big difference, if you really want to use this to train for real-life flights. A radio stack, A/P panel, throttles and maybe the switch panel will alleviate the whole mouse problem. You should be able to do away with any typical PC input devices and fly in the virtual cockpit. Of course flight controls are at your discretion.

Just my $0.02.
 
BigBadLou said:
A. FSX Steam is just an overpriced FSX, period. I got a legal copy of FSX from Half-Price Books for $5. :) But you can always download FSX for free since it is a dead product anyway.
B. P3D has a student license that is around $30 (IIRC). No need to pay thousands of dollars anymore. Yay! P3D is also a fixed-up FSX that LM bought (good move, btw).
C. Laptop should be sufficient since there is no need to run full-blown scenery if you are just training IFR procedures "in the soup".
D. Good HW makes a big difference, if you really want to use this to train for real-life flights. A radio stack, A/P panel, throttles and maybe the switch panel will alleviate the whole mouse problem. You should be able to do away with any typical PC input devices and fly in the virtual cockpit. Of course flight controls are at your discretion.

Just my $0.02.
Click to expand...

I never have put together my own sim, but I have enjoyed others. I agree that the "PC interface" is a big detraction, and that even the not so expensive panels of real switches and dials makes it a much better experience. Unfortunately this makes so I'm unlikely to get into it at this point, because I live pretty much nomadicly and having all the stuff to make it enjoyable rather than frustrating doesn't really work out.
 
Henning said:
I never have put together my own sim, but I have enjoyed others. I agree that the "PC interface" is a big detraction, and that even the not so expensive panels of real switches and dials makes it a much better experience. Unfortunately this makes so I'm unlikely to get into it at this point, because I live pretty much nomadicly and having all the stuff to make it enjoyable rather than frustrating doesn't really work out.
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Find a sim friend nearby, you would be surprised how friendly they can be.
 
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