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I think it would be great to be able to also integrate the ISG Simavionics with the FS9/FSX GPS system. So that the EHSI will show a map plan of the currently active FS9 flightplan.
Right now I have the EFS50 EADI and EHSI installed on my Flight1 PC-12. I have also installed the SimFlyer SeriesX KLN90B and KMD550 gauges in the aircraft to replace the default Flight1 KLN90B and non-functional MFD.
I create a flightplan in FS9, and load it up for ATC tracking. The flightplan shows up on the KLN90B and also the KMD550. But I don't get any map view or flightplan on my EHSI. For that I have to load the fs9 .pln file into the GNS-XLS FMC I installed in the PC12 too. Then I get the map on the EHSI.
The problem is that while you can set it up so that it "looks" right for most of the flight, in reality there are 2 naviagtional systems operating independently of each other on the airplane. The FS9 GPS system which runs the KLN90B and KMD550 (and what FS9 ATC tracks from), and the ISG FMC system which runs the EHSI.
Things aren't that bad until you consider approaches. I can program approaches into the EHSI/FMC, and shoot them fine. But the FS9 ATC won't know about them, and the FMC-loaded approaches do not show up on the KLN90B or KMD550. That means when I reach the approach phase of the flight I basically have to ignore whatever the KLN90B and KMD550 are showing me.
If I select approaches from the KLN90B I will get them to show on the KMD550, and ATC will track me properly on flying them. But they won't show up on the EHSI, which means I have to ignore the EHSI until the later stages of the approach when I can change it to NAV mode and tune a VOR or ILS.
So I recommend that maybe you can add an additional "NAV mode" to the EHSI, which will just read whatever the FS9 GPS system is using. So you can click "NAV" on the EHSI controller and cycle between VOR, FMS, and GPS. I understand that there will be some usability penalty in that I don't get the ability to load SIDs or STARs, or do enroute modifications to the flightplan, but it would make all the navigational displays within the aircraft more consistent, and also link up much better with the FS9 ATC system. This IMO would make for an overall more realistic experience because at least everything will be integrated together, and all the navigational aids in the aircraft will display consistently with respect to each other. And ATC will be properly aware of your navigation at all times.
I am not a programmer but I think that this should not be too complicated to implement? Since the ISG gauge system can already read and load FS9 .pln files, so it shouldn' be that hard for them to simply read the FS9 GPS data which is essentially the .pln files anyways? So the EHSI becomes more passive and just shows the map display of the FS9 GPS flightplan, instead of the plan loaded by the FMS.
I believe that all these arguments apply to FSX as well, as the GPS flightplan system didn't really change between FS9 and FSX.
Does that make sense?
P.S., I'm also adding my vote for the inclusion of a working inclinometer in the next update. For the PC-12 at least, the EADI features the physical inclinometer (tube and ball) integrated into the frame of the EADI display, and also a digital version that displays at the bottom center of the EADI display. You can see it on the default Flight1 PC-12 EADI, as well as on pictures of real PC-12 EADI units. As it is now with the ISG gauges installed on my PC12 I have no inclinometer, and am pretty much guessing at how coordinated my turns are.
Other than these 2 suggestions, I love the ISG gauges! They are great stuff. I had been pondering buying them for along time because they replicated the real EADI and EHSI units found on the PC12 (my favorite aircraft), and am really glad when I finally decided to make the purhcase.
Norman
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