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Well well, I have often thought, where is this fine hobby of ours going next? Guess who should bring out an object that has the potential of taking your breath away. Saitek's multi-functional Pro Flight Instrument Panel that has the ability to show six primary functions to provide real time read outs... And the amazing Pro Flight Radio Panel!
I must stress at this stage, the term instrument panel is a little misleading. It covers six primary instruments, but it is actually one unit, which you can, by pressing a button, call up an instrument of your choice. However, you can, if you desire, and have the budget, buy six individual units showing each instrument! Get ready to dig deep...
I have seen this investment with all six mounted on the Pro-Flight Yoke System. For this review I will be using just the one unit.
But before we move on, one more incredible offerings to highlight, the Pro Flight Radio Panel. Now this has always been my dream to have, a pro-active and real time system that allows the user to adjust the coms. Well this does it, a lot more to boot, a real winner; a bit more detail later...
You know, my hat goes off to Saitek for the introduction of such a potential innovative product. It would be so easy to stick with the incredible X52 Pro System (I love mine!) and the yoke system, and of course the throttle quadrants, and stand alone panel. But now, the 'boffins' have all got together around darkened smoke filled rooms to come up with these beauties. Well done guys! Let's hope it delivers to my expectations...
Waiting expectantly for the post man to arrive with a box in hand...And he did, not a big box, but it was obvious this was it, the new addition to enhance my flight experience... I hope?
Almost ripping the covering off the new delivery presented another box, showing the product clearly on the front, lovely use of spot UV varnish on the pictures that add a real gloss to the product's pictures; actually the package feels of real quality, similar to one of those expensive mobile telephones, or cell phones, etc.
Opening the box, there is a large inner container with an expanded black dense foam holder, and with the instrument sitting snugly in it. You will find a small CD-ROM (drivers) a great Users Guide and the obligatory USB connecting cable. A lovely touch, I feel, you will also find a light blue cleaning cloth, to give the screen a clean, get rid of those grubby finger marks.
The unit itself exudes quality, and you realise this is a fine high tech piece of equipment. It has a protective plastic film on the screen which you remove before use.
Down the left hand side there are six function buttons, a 5" color LCD screen on the base, and two rotary knobs along the base of the unit. And two further buttons between the two rotary knobs.
I do not have a yoke, so I am looking at the free standing option. I noticed there is a metal bar you can pull out from the base, at the rear of the unit, it locks in position so it can be stand alone. I tried this, and it collapses, this is not up to the job, and frankly a waste of time, especially as you will be pressing various buttons when in use. No, not a good feature as far as I am concerned.
In the box comes a plastic frame that is designed to be affixed to the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke. You see the knurled headed screws to fix the unit to this base, and base to the yoke unit if you have one.
The plastic frame allows for a raked back view, which actually is excellent, so it can still be used as a standalone item, and as luck would have it sits under my primary monitor.
Take note here guys, you must install the drivers first, before connecting up the unit! There is a very handy red paper flag on the USB cable to remind you of this process before using. So my brethren, you have been warned!
Well, this new range of goodies, arrived in a similar superb manner. The packaging is stunningly good. The Radio Panel is physically quite large, but still, when opening the box, the same superb dense black foam keeping your investment very safe in transit, and a CD-ROM with all the drivers you will require.
As with the Instrument Panel, the unit arrives with a plastic casing unit. Using the knurled screws for the four corners provides a raked back angle for ease of use.
Actually, I connected both new acquisitions together resulting in a pretty 'natty' set-up, highly functional, and, OK... Looks the part (see product pictures).
These are 'modular' units and will attach to the Saitek Yoke if you have one. My ensemble was fixed via some double sided Velcro tape (also provided) to the underside of the 'unit' and affixed to my desk under the monitor, and let me tell you it is a perfect fit.
At fear of repeating myself, but...take note here guys, you must install the drivers first, before connecting up the unit!
The mini CD-ROM installed perfectly, before connecting the unit for the Instruments and a standard CD-ROM for the Instrument Panel. The process was pretty straight forward.
After installing the software, I plugged the cables into spare USB ports, fired up FSX, and waited. I have noticed in fact when I switch on my computer the unit activates with a 'what else you can buy' message as a rolling advert. OK, I can understand why, but...me no like...I am quite capable of seeking out products I may be interested in. At least you know the unit is active I suppose. A quick push on the top button on the unit renders the 'advert' off.
You will note some red numbers also flash on the Radio Panel, to let you know it is also active, and ready for use.
Instrument Panel: So, I hit the FSX icon, and waited... FSX is seen so is the altimeter, all the buttons illuminate in a 'ratty' red, as well as the two buttons at the base of the unit, showing two up/down arrows.
The altimeter gauge is shown as a white image, of the highest standard, and down the left hand side of the screen indicate what each button will call-up, from the top, map main panel, radios, GPS, panel 4 and panel 5.
Buttons (2) at the base, will call up one of the six instruments on offer. All are quite superb, crisp highly defined images.
Radio Panel: On to the radio panel, which I must say, looks fabulous, you will note on the left, two rotary switches, both mirror images, but allow you to select, COM1 COM2 NAV1 NAV2 ADF DME XPDR. In the middle, four separate very large LED screens, showing ACTIVE and STANDBY. To the right, again mirrored, two frequency adjusting knobs (you can adjust two sets of numbers) then the wonderful ACT/STBY buttons (Active/Standby), very useful in flight.
As the FSX programme has (eventually) 'whizzed' into action, your jaw will drop as the Instrument Panel and the Radio Panel, come alive, both are EXCELLENT, and work faultlessly. So, to test the new additions, I used the standard FSX ATC, as I positioned myself at an airport the frequency automatically adjusted to a default setting, but as the ATC is selected, the range of available frequencies appeared, I selected one via the mouse, double clicked, and there is was in pace in the active window... Fabulous. The squawk was defaulted to 7000 VFR.
I used the mouse to select the active frequencies and experienced NO issues at all.
The instruments, well you have all six to select from! Some perhaps more useful than others, the airspeed indicator, and radio compass to be incredibly useful in flight, obviously, you can see all the primaries, but a larger version. Well the two above proved excellent. I must say, without the use of the wonderful rolling maps we all used in FS2004, the default GPS is very handy; button 4 on the left of the instrument screen calls up an excellent sized GPS to assist you on your way.
I still have some aviation maps, and 'computers' from years ago. I have dusted these off, and actually used them! So I guess, in FSX the GA pilot will have to smarten up his/her nav skills!!
As you make some adjustments to the instruments, to some of the six instruments on the Radio Panel, you will notice the corresponding adjustments happening in the cockpit, within FSX. Very nice indeed.
All the images are crisp clean and easy to see.
Wow, I LOVE them, I just thank Saitek for bringing out such innovative products dedicated to us, the flight simming enthusiasts. The instruments are depicted in crisp clean graphics, which look and perform in a stunning way, OK, I may say the artificial horizon, lags behind the instrument in the cockpit, but not to any alarming rate. OK, if your computer does not have fairly meaty hardware, the performance may suffer, updating the graphics in the instruments.
Onto my little baby, the Radio Panel. It has performed superbly well. I tried it out in Squawkbox, (real-time air traffic control, real voiced/manned for the FS2004/FSX) and boy, that is where the panel 'shone'. When you look on the chart, you can pre-populate the standby with the next frequency, when you get the request to change, hew presto, just like the real thing, a quick hit of the ACT/STBY button, and talk to the next controller. Incredible!
If I was going to make any observations, and I agree this is a very pedantic one, the knurled screws attaching the flat panels (Instrument Panel / Radio Panel) to the plastic angled frame, are different colors. The Instrument Panel are black, and Radio Panel dark silver.
On the Radio Panel, the two rotary selection switches (on left of front panel) are very stiff, indeed, way too stiff actually, but of course functions perfectly. The frequency knob adjustment is very smooth and easy to use. But I did on a few occasions find it a tad awkward to get some very fine adjustment accurate. This is probably down to over enthusiasm, a lighter touch is called for! But if I experienced this from a new unit, one would hope this trait does not increase, only time/use will tell.
Oh yes, with all these extra USB ports required (one for each of the above) I had to buy a USB hub. Please buy the best you can afford, you need stability and reliability. OK all a much of mushiness, but I have the Belkin USB hub, which is powered, also helping stability, and it seem to be working very well.
If you have life savings, a stash put aside for a rainy day, got bonds, gold under the bed, cash 'em in. Get your money out and buy this ensemble, Instrument and Radio Panel. It really has put a kick in my step. It's getting ever more realistic guys!
OK, these are not cheap by any standards, but who ever said quality comes cheap!
What next?
Tested for approximately 6 hours using FSX.
System used:
Microsoft Vista Ultimate
AMD Phenom 9950 Quad Core
2.60 GHz
2GB Ram
Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX
G-Force 9500GT
Onwards and Upwards,
Nigel C. Martin
n.c.martin@btinternet.com
Learn More Here:
Saitek Pro Flight Radio Panel
Saitek Pro Flight Instrument Panel
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