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Plugin Review : WebFMC Pro by Green Arc Studios


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WebFMC Header.jpg

 

Plugin Review : WebFMC Pro by Green Arc Studios

 

One of the great features on FlightFactor aircraft is the ability to use the aircraft's FMC (Flight Management Computer) on an external screen via a web browser. In my case with my iPad, in that shows up the FMC panel on the iPad display and you could then easily input in all the performance and navigation data.

 

WebFMC FF1.jpgWebFMC FF2.jpg

 

This is available for the FlightFactor Boeing 757/767/777 and the A320U. It is an exceptional system and one that I use all the time and it looks good when flying as well as a visual readout of the FMC in flight. So why isn't this visual tool available for the other X-Plane aircraft? Well it wasn't until now.

 

WebFMC by Green Arc Studios

Green Arc Studios has taken the same idea and set up a plugin so it can be used on other X-Plane aircraft and it comes currently in two versions. The first version is a free plugin that you can use with the Zibo Boeing 737-800 Mod and the associated 737-900ER Ultimate. That version is available here on the X-Plane.Org:

 

WebFMC 1.0.2

 

The second version is WebFMC Pro and this plugin is a payware version and currently works with a selection of aircraft including the:

 

●  737-300 by IXEG

●  A319 by ToLiss

●  A320 by Jar Design

●  737-800 Zibo Mod

●  737-900ER Ultimate

 

Certainly the list will quickly grow and as the JarDesign A320 is on the list then the JarDesign A330 shouldn't be far behind and many others should be also available soon. Noted and as this list can change at any notice, then here are the aircraft planned for future updates and they include: EADT x737, X-Crafts E-Jets, SSG E-Jets, SSG 748, JD330, FF A320 Ultimate and A350, FF Boeing 757, 767, 777, JRollon CRJ-200, Rotate MD-80 and hopefully their coming DC11 (we’re are touch with Rotate on this one).

 

Installing WebFMC

It is easy to install, just download the plugin and unzip it into the X-Plane Resources/Plugin's folder. A note on those who think that the free version will work with the other aircraft is just wishful thinking...  the Pro version looks the same but it is completely different internally.

 

WebFMC Setup 1.jpgWebFMC Setup 2.jpg

 

For the Pro version to work you also have to install a authorisation key (arrow right) in the WebFMC folder that is provided when you purchase the plugin, this activation is noted when you first startup the plugin in the web browser.

 

Select and load the aircraft you are flying and select a browser on your choice of another computer or device (iPad, Tablet). The browser recommended is Chrome, but I found WebFMC still worked fine on Safari and Firefox via your WiFi.

 

The hard part is setting up and sending the data to the device and its browser. The required browser address is http://localhost:9090 or http://10.0.0.2:9090 where as "localhost" is your computer (the one running X-Plane). This is found on the Network menu on the middle left of your screen under This Machine's IP Addresses (arrowed). There are several other options to connect up WebFMC say via a network that are covered extensively in the manual. Computer firewalls can also be an issue, but If set up correctly then the WebFMC should instantly appear in the browser window.

 

WebFMC Setup 3.jpgWebFMC iPad Home Screen 2.jpgWebFMC iPad Home Screen.jpg

 

The presentation on the iPad is excellent, although it does depend on the quality of the original FMC layout and fonts, but otherwise what you get in the aircraft is what is shown on the device. It is a great idea to save the address page as a "Home Screen Button" (above right) for an easy startup, and that setting works instantly. So any portable device in say a Samsung Tablet or Windows Surface that can run a browser is ideal.

 

WebFMC iPad AB 1.jpgWebFMC iPad Boeing 1.jpg

 

On my Mac the WebFMC looks great as well

 

WebFMC Layout 1.jpgWebFMC Layout 2.jpg

 

The obvious question then is why do I need a floating window FMC on my computer when I already have the pop-up FMC in X-Plane? There are several reasons. One is you don't clutter up your X-Plane cockpit space with the popup FMC but you will still have access to it and that makes it very useful on monitoring the aircraft's progress, Second is that you get direct keyboard access that will speed up the data entry enormously, like here (below right) with transferring navigation data from SimBrief, all arrow keys and and Page Up/Down keys to CDU arrows and PrevPage/NextPage keys do work on your keyboard to save you input time.

I always found that on a lot of aircraft I have had to put my screen angle oddly to see both the navigation display (set on PLAN) and with the FMC panel in sight together, so here it can be more adjusted visually directly on the Navigation display to check the route data as the FMC is now on another screen. The FMC can also be scaled as per using the browser, but the size of the panel here (below left) is as small as you can go.

 

WebFMC Layout 3.jpgWebFMC Simbrief.jpg

 

WebFMC works on the iPhone (Safari), but I found on the iPhone 7 - 375 x 559 px (mine below) it is a very, very tight squeeze and the keys can be really too small to use with your fingers but I was able to actually programme with it, otherwise you would need a pointer or something to input the data. It also tends to flip easily around the screen if you get it wrong and also zooms in close to an area in trying to help you by making it larger, so you are always resetting it back to the correct size. The iPhone Plus 414 x 628 px size screen or larger maybe far better, but mostly I wouldn't usually use my iPhone 7 as the input tool.

 

WebFMC iPhone.jpg

 

Currently there are three different types of panels to be seen, ToLiSS319 (left), Zibo B738 Mod (centre) and IXEG B733 (right)...

 

WebFMC Mac Facia 1.jpg      WebFMC Mac Facia 2.jpg       WebFMC IXEG Facia 1.jpg

 

But any new aircraft added and the panel will instantly change to represent the same panel style as in the aircraft. These panel facias are all dirty, but there is the option to have a clean look as well.

 

Menu

The menu can be shown by pressing the upper right area on the facia...

 

WebFMC Menu 1.jpg        WebFMC Menu 2.jpg

 

There are six menu options that covers:

 

  • Automatically checks for updates
  • Shows the latest update automatically on loading
  • Button sounds Yes/No
  • Dirty or Clean LCD Screen
  • Dirty or Clean Buttons

 

Two panel screens note the current state of the plugin. One is when there is no connection to X-plane (below left), and the second is when you are changing the aircraft, reloading elements or that X-Plane is live but not in a running state (below right).

 

Connect.jpg        Waiting.jpg

 

FlightFactor

One question you might ask about is why include FlightFactor aircraft when they already have the same FMC web linked set up? And that question is very good one. If you have an up to date device or iPad then the current B757/767/777 and A320U do work, but my iPad is an older series 3, and I can't update my browser apps or even load the chrome browser on to the device? Currently the B757/767/777 application does still work, but the newer A320 Ultimate doesn't (neither does the EFB) and my guess is that the B757/767/777 app version will change to the same in the future as well. So if I want access to the A320 Ultimate FMC then WebFMC would certainly be my current and only choice if it was available. Another point on in why not just go and update your old iPad, then that point is certainly in the future and I will do so (or will have to), but in my thinking is that a lot of the cockpit builders will probably use these older tablets or old IPad-Mini's in their home built cockpit setups on a cost basis, and for that setup then WebFMC would be the only plugin to use to get around the same older and out of date browser situation.

 

WebFMC Final.jpg

 

Summary

The problem with most of your essential tools is that you didn't think you needed it or would use it until you actually had it. I use the FlightFactor feature like this a lot for inputting in the Performance and Navigational Data, you just need it, but this plugin has far more versatility than the the Flightfactor FMC and that version was very good.

 

But having the FMC and being able to interact with it on another screen or even more than one for cockpit builders is a big bonus for simulation flyers. Time spent now inputting aircraft data can be very time consuming, and prodding buttons can be a slow process even if realistic, so the addition of a keyboard input then certainly speeds up the process, the visual aspect of having the progress page running while you are flying is also a great feature, I sometimes take my iPad somewhere else in the house if I have to leave my desk-bound set up and I can then still monitor the progress from afar (i.e. get back to the aircraft for when it is time to descend from altitude).

 

Yes any web based network can be tricky to set up? but all the bases have been covered here, from networks to firewalls which are all noted in the manual. WebFMC is very light and very responsive to inputs and the system has no drag or wait time from screen to screen and that is even on my old iPad 3 which is a slow device.

 

Ultimately WebFMC depends on how many FMC panels are incorporated into the plugin, certainly the more there is then the more versatile the plugin will be, but there is a definite feature advantage for any developer to advertise that their aircraft as "WebFMC" ready and make use of the tool for their product, it also helps in programming for difficult setups like with Rotate's MD88, so WebFMC would be a definite advantage in situations like that and working with older style browsers, plus there is the quick switch from aircraft to aircraft and it's custom FMC panel if you change aircraft in X-Plane, and from that aspect i works and works very cleanly as well.

 

So WebFMC, overall works and it is an excellent tool, try the free version, but the WebFMC Pro is really required if you have most of the major payware aircraft and above all else it will save you a lot of time when inputting data and is giving you more time to fly, and that alone can't be a bad thing...  Highly Recommended.

 

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X-Plane Store logo sm.jpg

 

Yes! WebFMC Pro by Green Arc Studios is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :


WebFMC Pro

 

Price is US$19.99

 

Features:

Quick and easy access to the FMC
Get easy access to the FMC: quickly edit the flightplan, monitor flight progress, set up your approach and do all the typical work of the pilot without having to move around in the cockpit, even if the plane doesn’t support FMC as a popup natively - on the same PC, or different monitor, tablet or phone - in fact you can use multiple displays at the same time!
 
Make pilot tasks easy and comfortable
Enjoy external views during cruise while monitoring flight progress on separate screen or take a quick look at your phone to verify calculated landing speed with just a glimpse of an eye during busy time on approach. Make flying complex SIDs / STARs easy as you can focus on the important flight parameters while having overview of the constraints all the time. Take your mobile to the kitchen as you cook a dinner during a long haul and never miss T/D again!
 
Convenient to use
Use physical keyboards on PC and Mac with extra keys such as Prev/Next page mapped to keyboard keys for easy access. WebFMC scales dynamically to fit any display or window size and can look as native app on mobiles by using browser's "Add to home screen" feature.
 
Aircraft support
WebFMC Pro supports growing number of 3rd party aircraft starting with 
  • ToLiss 319
  • JarDesign 320
  • IXEG 737-300
  • Zibo Mod 737-800
  • 737-900 Ultimate
Immersion
Mimics real CDU with optional wear and smudge effects for better immersion. Uses CDU textures and keyboard layouts specific to the aircraft type in use - so it looks completely different in Boeings, Airbuses etc.
 
Simple installation
Just drop WebFMC into X-Plane plugins folder. No need to install any software on the devices, no hassle - all you need is a web browser.
 
Requirements:
Plugin
The WebFMC plugin requires X-Plane 11 running on a 64-bit Windows 7 operating system or newer. The plugin doesn't require any extra CPU/memory on the system.
 
Web Client
The CDU can be displayed on any modern and up-to-date web browser with JavaScript support.
We recommend the latest versions of Google Chrome on PC or Android and Safari on iOS. 
 
No internet connection required, remote device needs to be on the same local network as X-Plane PC. 
Documentaion:
Manual... (17 pages)
 
  • WebFMC manual.pdf

______________________________________________________________________

 

Plugin Review by Stephen Dutton

19th May 2018

Copyright©2018 : X-Plane Reviews

  

(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)

 

Review System Specifications:

Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD 

Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.20

Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini

Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro v1.07 US$69.90 : XPRealistic Pro v1.0.9  effects US$19.95 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95

Scenery or Aircraft

- Boeing 757 Pro Series- FlightFactor/VMAX (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$64.95
- ToLiSS319 (A319) by ToLiSS (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$69.00
- Airbus A320neo by JarDesign (Xplane-.OrgStore) - US$59.95
- Boeing 737-800X  X-Plane default aircraft with ZIBO MOD installed - Free
- Boeing 737-900ER Ultimate Project - Free
 

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I have looked at the aircraft, but in my estimation it was not developed sufficiently for a review, Pre-release aircraft will not be reviewed unless they are sufficient enough to warrant their purchase price no matter what the developer promises.

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On 3/24/2020 at 7:32 AM, Stephen said:

I have looked at the aircraft, but in my estimation it was not developed sufficiently for a review, Pre-release aircraft will not be reviewed unless they are sufficient enough to warrant their purchase price no matter what the developer promises.

ok. it does look kinda 'meh', especially the cockpit...

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  • 7 months later...

Hi Mike, I think you miss the idea of the WebFMC Pro...  it is a mirror to the FMC installed the aircraft, if the Aircraft has that function, then yes the WebFMC Pro will have that function as well, or set the Vspeeds, but you don't say which aircraft you fly here in the simulator, if the default B738 then I would say no, if it is the Zibo mod version, then the answer is maybe yes.

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