• Airbus A380 • Introduction •

All A380 Models come with 2D and 3D Cockpit installed!

PA A380 distinguished with

(Editor's Tipp)

FlightXPress GOLD Award

in direct comparison to add-ons for FSX!

The plugin controlled A380 is widely independent from XP limitations, enabling authentic flight simulation at a new level, during manual and auto flight. You need to forget how the AP and A/THR worked in the Airbus models you know without the plugin. This A380 now provides one of the most realistic simulations of the Airbus auto flight system available below the Multi Million Dollar tag, if not the best. A complex tutorial, consisting of several sample flights, with each step and action explained and illustrated.

After extensive flight tests the Lufthansa's A380 full motion flight simulator, roll response and rotation mode have been revised, so we now achieve - within tiny tolerances - extremely realistic flight characteristics and performance. I believe, with the right hardware installed, this A380 could possibly pass a certification for manual flight training. However, real pilots should not rely on that, since it is NOT a certified flight model, and we do not take any responsibility or liability in any aspect.

Click on image to see more!

This model of the A380 comes with a highly detailed and animated exterior 3-D model. The panel has more than 2.200 objects, and more than 3.000 working hours went into it, although some systems from the A340 could be used. For this reason the hardware requirements are pretty high. You should have at least a Duo-Core processor, 2 GB RAM and 256 MB V-RAM, and this will possibly not prevent that the Rendering Options need to be turned down. But hardware gets better by the time...

The panel has Airbus like thrust levers, which trigger the thrust modes and their indicators by detends. For this reason the do not move while A/THR is active. It is indispensable that you have a hardware throttle to make this system work. Certainly you can fly the plane without, but several systems and indications will be dead then.

Auto Flight

The Airbus autoflight system, including FCU, FMA and A/THR, is authentically simulated, with only a few modes not supported, as are TRK-V/S and VOR approach. P-RNAV (GPS) approaches and departures can be flown down to RNP 0.1.

FMGS

This model simulates FMGC, FAC, and two large scale MCDUs, to be displayed in a pop-up panel. The MCDU the flight plan aspects a lot more detailed and sophisticated, than XP does. You can:

o   Enter, modify, insert and delete waypoints, also during flight.

o   Define altitude constraints with respective flags (xxx+, xxx-, fly at).

o   Define OVERFLY and FAF waypoints for P-RNAV terminal routes.

o   Select an approach type (not yet a runway).

The Flight Management and Guidance System (FMGS) still deals with the FMS flight plan format, and for the moment it lacks of the entire prediction part (time, fuel, T/C, T/D etc.). However, once a flight plan is entered, extremely realistic flight procedures can be performed, from “Cold & Dark” to “Securing the Aircraft”. – Development will continue to close the remaining gaps one day. An improved FMS (MCDU) with SID/STAR selection is under development.

The model should be compatible with UFMC and with XFMC. It might be recommendable to deactivate UFMC before take off, since it seems to interfere with our built in FMGS, but I need to verify this point with Javier Cortes. The XFMC seems to reliably retain from such interference during flight. Both add-ons do a great job and are really recommendable, though they do not perfectly meet Airbus like procedures and functions.


Important to know: A388 Package!

The A380-800 comes in several variants, each of which represents one distinct aircraft with the technical specifications and paint sceme as operated by it's owner, which in general is an airline. The panel has the authentic instrument configuration and registration plate (if installed). These versions do NOT just different liveries, but also ACF file, graphics in the cockpit folder and the 3D model files may differ. • scroll down •


Here two of countless comments by customers who allowed me to quote them:
...I just spent all night flying the plane. I am absolutely amazed by the difference between flying your bird vs. some of the fine freeware planes out there. There is no comparison. Fortunately, I have a beefy system, so I’m able to fly it with extreme detail on and I just couldn’t get over how nice the textures are, the layout of the panel, and just how enjoyable it was to shoot approaches all night.
 
I hope you’ve been inundated with praise for your work on this project. It is certainly deserved. The few who complain about the price, truly don’t appreciate the professional work done on these planes...
 

...Again, I hope you are tired of all the emails you are getting, thanking you for your great work. I look forward to the updates to the project.
 
Sincerely,
Tom Harker

Hi Peter,
...I have to say I am very impressed. It is beyond my expectations! It looks amazing as well as flies amazing. I also like (as you always do) make it as realistic as possible in every way from the look to the different systems. I also wanted to let you know it has not affected my frame rate that bad! I have a dual core processor, 4 GB of RAM and 256mb of V-RAM on my Mac OSX version 10.5.8. I do have a couple of questions though...

...over all I am extremely happy with your plane and wish to congratulate you for this amazing plane. I can only assume over time with updates it will get better and better! I look forward to your reply.

Kind regards
Peter Grouse


The low pressure fan certainly is animated, as are thrust reversers and countless other parts. - Click on images to enlarge!

Rolls Royce Trent 970 Engine Alliance GP7200

The rear pairs of the body landing gear steer at low speed. - Click on image to enlarge!

See an Auto Land Test at 30kn Crosswind!

Video with kind permission by Lukas Staub.

Just a few features:

Multi Function Display with FMS1 INIT page, ENGINE page, and FMS2 NAV AID page.

Performance T.O page (left) and F-PLN progress page, with flags for altitude constraint and OVERFLY (right).

The custom AP flies P-RNAV approaches at arcs and constant glide path angle, with RNP 0.1. Below the Final Approach to Queenstown, NZ, followed by practising a missed approach.

ILS Approach Active (Above).

PFD and ND indications for FLS Approach Armed (left), FLS Approach Active (Right).

PFD during P-RNAV approach. The FPA indicator is not yet realized.

The plug-in enables flight control deflections, which X-Plane® does not support, like the new A380 feature, where the Ailerons join the Ground Spoilers in cutting lift.

Work in PlaneMaker started by mounting the rough 3D object onto an A340-600, to faciliate building the XP geometry for the flightmodel. Although the A340-600 is slightly longer, these surprising screenshots demonstrate the difference in size in an impressive manner.