In the process of continuously improving its ERJ Family, X-Crafts has released a major update bringing it to version 1.2.0. Most of the changes concern the flight management system. One major improvement is the addition of a Vertical Path Indicator for better VNAV descent tracking. Pilots who sometime get away from desktop during cruise will be happy to know that a new pause near top of descent feature has been added. Many others functions have also been added, edited or reworked, such as recalculation of the vertical profile after manually editing one waypoint. The ERJ family now also integrates the AviTab utility. You will find the full changelog below.
In addition, X-Crafts has released two new tutorial videos for the VPI and the AviTab integration, that you can also find below.
The update has to be done through the SkunkCrafts auto-updater. The X-Crafts ERJ Family is available on the X-Plane store for $89.95 USD.
Using Vertical Path Indicator
AviTab integration
Complete Changelog
ERJ functions / Tekton FMS enhancements
- VPI (Vertical Path Indicator) capability has been added to the PFD. This acts similar to a glide slope indicator, only it shows deviation from the programmed flight path once you reach TOD. Appears one minute’s flight time pre-TOD just like the real thing. It uses the same 250′ per dot precision as GS, except for the final approach leg if GS is not being used, where the precision ramps up to 75′ per dot. Again, just like the real thing. A “VPI Helper” for vertical speed mental math is also provided to make challenging descents a bit easier.
- Added AviTab support. AviTablet frame can be hidden, stowed and dynamically moved around by the user.
- Added “Pause near TOD” as a temporary ERJ setting – not saved from flight to flight. The pause occurs 3 minutes before TOD so that pilots can “get back in the groove” before commencing descent if they’ve been away from the computer.
- Nearest airport will automatically load in the FMS when initialized or reset (similar to the FMZ2000).
- FLT PLAN page completely revised. Waypoint numbers and type removed, added leg distances, altitude predictions and updated color coding.
- Single waypoint ROUTE’s are now possible. SID and STAR can be edited down to a single waypoint if desired.
- Ripple edit of altitude and airspeed now possible. Edit one waypoint and the rest of the waypoints of the ROUTE are automatically updated to match. Permits easy entry of step climbs, ATC cleared enroute altitude and speed revisions, etc.
- Cruise altitude data entry moved to the INIT page to make flight planning flow more fluid. Loading a flight plan that has waypoint altitude data will automatically enter cruise altitudes in most cases.
- Changing the units on PERF 3 now persists from session to session as a setting, but does not appear in the ERJ Settings menu (this is intentional).
- FMS warnings for incorrect or missing cruise altitudes added.
- Added capability that saves a Current_Waypoints.txt file for better customer support and flight plan analysis. Created by custom command as well as automatically with EXEC.
- Added the ability to reset the FMS on the INIT page in addition to the INDEX.
- Pilots’ visibility changed in external views. If the batteries are off, no pilots will be drawn in the cockpit. If the batteries are on and the main external door is open, only the FO is drawn. Simulates CA doing a walk around.
- A “resize icon” has been added so that when your mouse cursor is over the resizing hot zone for any of the popup features or the FMS.
- Speed brakes will now auto-retract if the groundspeed falls below 25 knots
ERJ Functions / FMS Bug Fixes:
- Fixed AP function so that when “turned off,” it disconnects the servos but does not turn the Flight Director off. The FDIR bars will now continue to provide guidance for manual flight even if the AP is “off.”
- TOD calculations completely revised, along with SID and STAR altitude predictions. TOD should remain correct, even after editing the FLT PLAN.
ACF Fixes:
- Corrected a display discrepancy in the hydraulics indications by revising their systems configuration in the ACF files.
