Stephen Posted June 20, 2022 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 Aircraft Update : Airbus A340-600 v1.1 by ToLiSS One of the most successful releases of 2021 was the Airbus A340-600 from TolIss. Users love the deep Airbus systems and clever intergrated features. Since that initial release back in October 2021, there have already been some significant updates to the aircraft (the A346 was already nicely fully formed on release) and here is the fourth, and quite a significant update to v1.1 it is. First off the base is that A346 v1.1 is now compatible with the coming X-Plane12 version, so you will be able to fly the ToLiSS A346 straight out of the box, which is a very nice premise indeed (although expect an update to switch on the X-Plane12 features). ToLiSS has also put out their pricing with the conversion to X-Plane12. And first is that the earlier A319 and A321 will have an add-on upgrade cost of US$10.99 each, however if you have the ToLiSS A321 + NEO addon and/or this A346, then the upgrade to X-Plane12 is free. Which is a very fair deal. As we know with the release of the Airbus A346. ToLiSS took control of it's modeling side of the project. The released A346 was certainly a far better design, but not actually perfect (but a very good effort for a first attempt). So to bring the modeling more into it's quality/price, here is already a rework of the original. The focus is on the rear section which has been totally remodeled along with new textures for all of the aircraft. Visually the change includes the upward sweep of the rear most windows on the fuselage... .... it is harder to achieve than it looks, because internally you just don't have the up sweep of the window line, but also the curve of the rear cabin going inwards and also upwards into the tail. ToLiSS has done a really nice job here. Because of these cosmetic changes the older liveries now don't work with the new customised tail? (hence the house livery here). The painkit has been adjusted to v.1.1, so expect the livery changes to come quickly. But it is all in the aim of authenticity. The A330 rear is very much the same configuration. The cockpit/instrument panel textures have been overhauled as well, with more wear around the knobs and switchgear and more to the blue/grey Airbus colour (cabin stays the same with no changes). While we are here, the knobs and switches have also been given improved switch geometry, so they work better from your seating angles. The flightdeck forward windows now also open... nice! Pull the handle and the window will track rearwards to reveal an open window (something I love on arrival to let fresh air into the cockpit). Notable is when you do this the air-pressure will change on the COND (Air-Conditioning) lower ECAM Screen. The air-pressure and temperature in the adjacent zone will also change if you open the any of the passenger doors. To close the side window(s), there is a little stick buffer in the lower window frame that has to be switched to do so. Don't you love arriving in the cockpit ready for a flight! Well one of the nice things to do is getting into your seat and adjusting it. In v1.1 you can now move the seats rearwards and to the side to insert yourself into the seat, when done you can then move the seat into position of to the position of where you want it to be. The seat is moved forwards and backwards via the correct switch on the lower side of the chair (arrowed), here also the armrests are in the stored position, again you can also rise or lower the armrests as well. The seat is positioned well forward here, so there is a lot of adjustment to your taste. The folding retracting armrests are perfectly done. ACARS/Simbrief All major commercial aircraft have ACARS or "Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System". Which is a digital datalink system for transmission of short messages between aircraft and ground stations via airband radio or satellite, it is a sort of airborne text system. In v1.1 the ACARS system has been implemented in two areas. One is with the excellent Navigraph SimBrief and secondly with the aircraft's TISCS menu system. First to use the ACARS system here you will need to have SimBrief and an account. It is still free, but I recommend it with your Navigraph account. To use then set up a route and generate a Flight (Sim)Brief. Like in a real aircraft you activate ACARS by tuning into VHF3 and it's "Data" uplink. If the link is active, then the "SEL" light is on. To access SimBrief you have to authorise it in the TISCS menu, under your SimBrief account settings, and use your Pilot ID (second row). And in the TISCS menu on the SOUND/ADDON ACCOUNTS tab in "ACCOUNT IDS", it will take a minute, then two options come up with... ... "Ignore AIRAC/AC Type mismatch", If this option is OFF, the flight plan download will fail if the active AIRAC cycle in the FMGS does not match the AIRAC cycle used by Simbrief for planning. In other words your AIRAC cycles (data) on the X-Plane/Aircraft and Simbrief have to match. "Set Payload + Fuel to Simbrief", If you select this option, the cargo, payload and fuel on board in the ISCS will be set immediately to the Simbrief values. This ensures that the data on the INIT B page match the actual weights, but removes one step from flight preparation, which of course you can still get from the TISCS. Loading the Data into the MCDU Looking at your INIT page on the MCDU. There is now a "INIT REQUEST", press RK2 (Right Key 2) and it will send a request for data for you, then if acquired the data is returned via "F-PLN DATALINK IN PROG" note in the scratchpad, and when done (transferring the data) it shows PERF DATA UPLINK to show the link is still open. And "wah, Wah"... all the data is filled in from the (Sim)Brief, including the Flightplan all fuel, weights, FL No., PAX, CRZ Altitude... even the Flight Number. Fuel Prediction is also ready on both INIT PRED and FUEL PRED. Notable is that the data does not include (insert) the Departure and Arrival details, so the RWY/SID/VIA and RWY/STAR/VIA approach details still have to be added in, or any approach editing can still be adjusted as normal. If you want to go to the core and load in the data directly this can also be done. You access the data by pressing the "DATA" key, and then ACARS/PRINT... FUNCTION RK6. All the data is stored here including the F-PLN INIT data, TO (TakeOff) DATA and WIND DATA. WIND REQUEST however only works with the INIT Request active and that X-Plane is set to real weather conditions (which will be very interesting with X-Plane12). Takeoff Performance Data You can fill in the PERF/TAKE OFF data by pressing the TO DATA LK6 button, and this action brings up the "REQUEST" on the RK6. Then the "TAKE OFF DATA UPLINK", will fill in your Performance TakeOff data, again very, very cool. It will however not fill in the FLEX TO TEMP category, which you still have to get from the TISCS menu (set runway), here it is F69. So much time is saved here in transferring the data, and totally brilliant at getting the aircraft quickly ready for flight. The two CPDLCs - Controller Pilot Data Link Communications are also part of the ACARS system are still not active, but next on the to-do list. Debatable is the fact do you like to do the full aircraft data set up, and could this (as really good as it is) be a sort of cheat sheet? Sometimes you really just want to fly and not go through the full setup rigmarole. In this case it is quite brilliant. Interactive Audio Control Panel The TISCS menu is big, and a few users have complained as it can't be scaled either. So ToLiSS has come up with the "Interactive Audio Control Panel" or ACP panels. These are two pop-up menu panels set out on the "Intercom" and "Cabin Communication" buttons. There are five page selections under "Intercom"; Services, Pushback, Refuel/Defuel, Cargo Handling, and Ground De-Ice • Services: Enable/disable external power, LP or HP air connections and chocks • Pushback: Request pushback • Refuel/Defuel: Change the amount of fuel on board. When using this feature, the fuelling/defueling will take time according to the refuel/defuel rate listed in the FCOM. • Cargo handling: Open and close cargo doors/change amount of cargo in the hold • Ground deice: A simple feature to prevent ice accumulation on the wings while on ground, as the wing anti ice does not work for more than 30s on ground. There are two page selections under "Cabin Communication" in Doors, and Passengers (PAX) ToLiSS notes that "For the future, we plan to include a TO calculator, a landing distance calculator and a weight and balance sheet in the EFB in order to eliminate completely the need to interact with the TISCS during a normal flight." New failure modes On the OHP (OverHead Panel), not only are the in-cockpit RESET switches (Airbus long range equivalent to in-cockpit circuit breakers) are now working, but they are also active in “recoverable computer failures” from the "Fault Scenarios". ToLISS explains how this works, "Two failure modes CPC 1 and CPC 2 are or can be permanent failures, whereas CPC 1 (R) and CPC 2 (R) are modes that can be recovered by resetting the computer. This is particularly interesting with random failures where you do not know beforehand if a reset will work or not. To reset the computers, you can use the reset switches in the Overhead panel". With the addition of these new new failure modes there is now a total of 249 different failure modes. Including also these new engine failure modes; "recoverable flame out", "engine failure with damage" and "hot start". ____________________ I did my A346 test route of EGKK (Gatwick) to LLBG (Ben Gurion) which is a 4h 4m flight. Although the A346 simulation per se is deep in flying and systems wise with ToLiSS aircraft. But because it is done so well the simulations from these aircraft can be quite easy to use. It is not only in the setting up of the aircraft (more so now in v1.1 because of the auto Simbrief data loading in route and performance). But because also the aircraft is quite sweet to fly, as is the Airbus way if you know the smaller intricate European philosophy. I have grown in X-Plane with the Airbus QPAC and now ToLiSS designed aircraft, so to me it is second nature, but that is not to say you can't learn and fly these aircraft more easily in simulation than say a Boeing, it is the difference between driving an automatic to a manual setup car. But I will emphasize again the deep existence in the systems and fault/failure detail you have here, that aspect the aircraft is extraordinary. In reality you have the best of both worlds. Now the passenger and fuel are loaded and we are ready to go. Open window is great to check everyone has boarded. Climbout of EGKK, shows the A340-600 is a big aircraft, the last of the four-engined generation as well. In v1.1 the engine model has been adjusted for more realistic thrust and fuel flow values (to follow the SimBrief numbers more accurately) and you feel the difference... ... Climb, climb, climb, it is a long way up to 35,000ft (FL350) then a step to cruising altitude of 37,000ft (FL370). Speed is per SimBrief at m.83, sky is clear and the flying is breathtaking. The significant changes of the textures and in areas of the modeling really shows. The engines and around the main inlet cowls are now also more smoother and cleaner with refined grids, internally in the pods you can now see through the High-Bypass fans. Internally in the office we are in long-haul cruise mode, and a very nice place to be it is (always a good thing on Long-Hauls)... I particularly like the animated armrests, a small thing but you can access the radios and pedestal much more easier, it feels more authentic as well... ... You can now put on the oxygen mask by removing it from its container and database holds are now also available. ProCam views! Cockpit detail and textures look far better, a small change, but a very worthy one. Arrival at LLBG (Ben Gurion) is on time and on numbers, very nice... I like to hit the numbers almost perfectly. It is a quick in landing on RWY 12 at 10,210ft (3112m) long, but the A346 copes well with the shorter runway... easy peasy. There is now a sound option to over-ride or adjust the default X-Plane sounds called "OVRD XP INT/EXT VOL" from the TISCS/SOUND/ADDON ACCOUNTS tab, this gives you more control over the Master Volume, Internal and External Sounds. Like here I want to hear those fantastic Rolls-Royce Trent 556s in reverser mode sounds louder. How good is simulation today! So this is all round a very good update for the lovers of ToLiSS A346, as noted what was really good before is now even better. As a note I redid the SimBrief briefing to go on to Barcelona, and I was re-setup (turned around) within twenty minutes and ready to fly again. So that shows the ACARS system is a very worthy addition! And oh yes, I opened the side window to let in the hot Middle-Eastern air. Comprehensive release review of the ToLiSS A340-600 is here: Aircraft Review : Airbus A340-600 by ToLiSS _______________ Summary This is the fourth update to the ToLiSS Airbus A340-600 since it's release in the Q3 2021, and the biggest and most significant update yet. v1.1 covers the intergration of ACARS or "Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System" into the MCDU. Which is a digital datalink system. It connects direct data transfers from Simbrief (Navigraph, but free) and from the data (PERF) on the TISCS menu. Also new are the Interactive Audio Control Panels, that are really short cut panels to "Ground Operations" and "Cabin Comm" or doors and passenger loading. Failure modes (Fault Scenarios) have been increased with the now working "Reset" (Circuit Breakers/OHP) and different failure modes. On the aircraft there has some nice visual changes, most up the rear with a new upward window belt-line, and matching curved rear cabin, engine inlet and internal Hi-Bypass fan changes are also highly noticeable. Internally the forward cockpit windows now open and the pilots chairs are now animated in forwards and rear movement and the armrests can now be folded away. All external and internal textures have been redone and look more realistic and work style authentic (new liveries are however are required to be updated to v1.1). All in all there are a lot of changes and fixes here, and most importantly the aircraft is now also ready for X-Plane12 (A small update for the new features will be released at the same time as the new X-Plane12 Simulator). Extremely popular, the ToLiSS Airbus A340-600 is one of the very best Airbus Simulations in the X-Plane Simulator, even exceptional. And they haven't finished yet. Now also X-Plane12 ready is a big step forward, and to be flying in X-Plane12 from day one is certainly a great attraction, and also a great current investment in that the changeover for the aircraft to X-Plane12 will be free to all current purchasers. "Highly Recommended!" _______________________________ Yes! the Airbus A340-600 v1.1 by ToLiSS is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : Airbus A340-600 by ToLiSS Price is US$89.99 Most accurate system functionality for any A340 aircraft in the flight simulation world Requirements X-Plane only - not available for MSFS Support for X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 when available Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.2 GB Current version: 1.1 (June 20th 2022) Changelog v1.1 A340-600_changelog.txt Full changelog details are here _____________________ Update Review by Stephen Dutton 22nd June 2022 Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows -S1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.55 Plugins: Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99 Scenery or Aircraft - EGKK - London Gatwick Airport v2 by Pilot+Plus (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$21.00 - LLBG - Airport Ben Gurion XP by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$24.99 - Full review availble here: Scenery Review : LLBG - Airport Ben Gurion XP by Aerosoft (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved Busair and ilankrt1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medellinexpat Posted June 22, 2022 Report Share Posted June 22, 2022 Good that Toliss came out with their upgrade strategy for XP12. Maybe I am a bit dense but trying to understand what is free and what isn’t to me isn’t clear. The A340 upgrade is free. The A321 Neo is free. The A319 has a fee. The A321 is only free if you have the Neo, or has a fee whatever? On updating through SkunkCrafts there’s a note from Toliss on the Xplane forum about two .acf files that while running in XP11 need deleting after the update as they are for XP12 For the revised liveries - always an issue - Toliss seem to have engaged the livery painters pretty early allowing them to start work on the needed changes Lastly good to see a developer making full use of Simbrief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leandro Manducci Posted June 23, 2022 Report Share Posted June 23, 2022 it would really be interesting to see an upgrade like this on the a319 and a321… even a nice discrepancy in the cockpits, the a340 is much better… I hope toliss hasn't forgotten about the 321 and 319 models Bernard Marc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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