ASA On Top 9?

I realise it's only been released for a few days, but as I'm in the
market for a non-MS sim, and as I have an older version that works just
fine but needs updating so it can do real GPS, etc., does anyone have
anything to say one way or another about ASA's new On Top 9?

Thanks,

Hamish

I have Release 7, so can't directly tell you what you want to know.
There are 3 things I would like to see in a new release before
upgrading:
1. A Garmin-like gps: the gps in R7 is as primitive as they get.
2. A better power model for the Arrow. The existing power model is
way off (have to use 33" mp for cruise).
3. An option to better utilize the real estate on my 16:9 monitor by
moving the radio stack to the side so I don't have to call it up.

Apart from that, I like the system and use it regularly for IFR
practice.

On 12 Feb 2007 07:07:03 -0800, "paul kgyy"
wrote:

I have Release 7, so can't directly tell you what you want to know.
There are 3 things I would like to see in a new release before
upgrading:
1. A Garmin-like gps: the gps in R7 is as primitive as they get.

According to ASA's site they now have the RealityXP GNS430 and a 182
with G1000 option in v9. Course, since Windows Vista breaks the
RealityXP gauges (at least it does with FS9 - Microsoft has completely
munged IPC for 16bit applications) this is another package which will
break if one upgrades Windows. It'll be interesting to see if they
manage to make their stuff work with Vista. Looks like a lot of
rewriting is coming.

Peter Clark wrote:
]

According to ASA's site they now have the RealityXP GNS430 and a 182
with G1000 option in v9. Course, since Windows Vista breaks the
RealityXP gauges (at least it does with FS9 - Microsoft has completely
munged IPC for 16bit applications) this is another package which will
break if one upgrades Windows. It'll be interesting to see if they
manage to make their stuff work with Vista. Looks like a lot of
rewriting is coming.

Don't hold your breath. They never got Version 7 to work reliably
on the direct X (or anything else on a NT or later OS). Customer
support is non-existant. My full price purchase of OnTop and IPTrainer
was the biggest collosal waste of money I have ever spent in aviation.
(Don't even get me started on the crap PREPWARE they sold me at the
same time, at least that was only $75 not the close to $500 I blew
on the rest of their crap). ASA has never responded (other than
with lies) to my complaints. I wouldn't go near them. Perhaps the
later versions are better, but they never offered them to me (nor
a refund) to the fact that the stuff they sold me never had a prayer
of working (and they knew that at the time, but the stooges they
had manning the booth at Oshkosh were all too happy, to lie and
say it would work).

In article ,
Ron Natalie wrote:

Peter Clark wrote:
]

According to ASA's site they now have the RealityXP GNS430 and a 182
with G1000 option in v9. Course, since Windows Vista breaks the
RealityXP gauges (at least it does with FS9 - Microsoft has completely
munged IPC for 16bit applications) this is another package which will
break if one upgrades Windows. It'll be interesting to see if they
manage to make their stuff work with Vista. Looks like a lot of
rewriting is coming.

Don't hold your breath. They never got Version 7 to work reliably
on the direct X (or anything else on a NT or later OS). Customer
support is non-existant. My full price purchase of OnTop and IPTrainer
was the biggest collosal waste of money I have ever spent in aviation.
(Don't even get me started on the crap PREPWARE they sold me at the
same time, at least that was only $75 not the close to $500 I blew
on the rest of their crap). ASA has never responded (other than
with lies) to my complaints. I wouldn't go near them. Perhaps the
later versions are better, but they never offered them to me (nor
a refund) to the fact that the stuff they sold me never had a prayer
of working (and they knew that at the time, but the stooges they
had manning the booth at Oshkosh were all too happy, to lie and
say it would work).

On Top7 always worked flawlessly for me, and it was a great help for me
while getting my instrument rating, but then what would I know...

Hamish

Ron has had spectacularly bad luck with ASA products. Apparently no one else
has.

Bob Gardner

"Hamish Reid" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Ron Natalie wrote:

Peter Clark wrote:
]

According to ASA's site they now have the RealityXP GNS430 and a 182
with G1000 option in v9. Course, since Windows Vista breaks the
RealityXP gauges (at least it does with FS9 - Microsoft has completely
munged IPC for 16bit applications) this is another package which will
break if one upgrades Windows. It'll be interesting to see if they
manage to make their stuff work with Vista. Looks like a lot of
rewriting is coming.

Don't hold your breath. They never got Version 7 to work reliably
on the direct X (or anything else on a NT or later OS). Customer
support is non-existant. My full price purchase of OnTop and IPTrainer
was the biggest collosal waste of money I have ever spent in aviation.
(Don't even get me started on the crap PREPWARE they sold me at the
same time, at least that was only $75 not the close to $500 I blew
on the rest of their crap). ASA has never responded (other than
with lies) to my complaints. I wouldn't go near them. Perhaps the
later versions are better, but they never offered them to me (nor
a refund) to the fact that the stuff they sold me never had a prayer
of working (and they knew that at the time, but the stooges they
had manning the booth at Oshkosh were all too happy, to lie and
say it would work).

On Top7 always worked flawlessly for me, and it was a great help for me
while getting my instrument rating, but then what would I know...

Hamish

On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:43:56 -0800, Hamish Reid
wrote:

In article ,
Ron Natalie wrote:

Peter Clark wrote:
]

According to ASA's site they now have the RealityXP GNS430 and a 182
with G1000 option in v9. Course, since Windows Vista breaks the
RealityXP gauges (at least it does with FS9 - Microsoft has completely
munged IPC for 16bit applications) this is another package which will
break if one upgrades Windows. It'll be interesting to see if they
manage to make their stuff work with Vista. Looks like a lot of
rewriting is coming.

Don't hold your breath. They never got Version 7 to work reliably
on the direct X (or anything else on a NT or later OS). Customer
support is non-existant. My full price purchase of OnTop and IPTrainer

I had some minor problems, talked to a tech and had them fixed in
minutes. The guy stayed on the phone and talked me through the steps
even though I was familiar with the process.

Currently using OnTop 8

was the biggest collosal waste of money I have ever spent in aviation.
(Don't even get me started on the crap PREPWARE they sold me at the
same time, at least that was only $75 not the close to $500 I blew
on the rest of their crap). ASA has never responded (other than
with lies) to my complaints. I wouldn't go near them. Perhaps the
later versions are better, but they never offered them to me (nor
a refund) to the fact that the stuff they sold me never had a prayer
of working (and they knew that at the time, but the stooges they
had manning the booth at Oshkosh were all too happy, to lie and
say it would work).

On Top7 always worked flawlessly for me, and it was a great help for me
while getting my instrument rating, but then what would I know...

Hamish
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

In article . com,
"paul kgyy" wrote:

I have Release 7, so can't directly tell you what you want to know.
There are 3 things I would like to see in a new release before
upgrading:
1. A Garmin-like gps: the gps in R7 is as primitive as they get.
2. A better power model for the Arrow. The existing power model is
way off (have to use 33" mp for cruise).
3. An option to better utilize the real estate on my 16:9 monitor by
moving the radio stack to the side so I don't have to call it up.

I've got 7 as well, and was looking for much the same things you are.
Their web site claims a G1000-like PFD (in the 182), and GPS 430 stuff
in the others, which would make it worthwhile for me. I don't know about
the radio stack though -- that always felt clunky, but there's no sign
they've changed it...

Apart from that, I like the system and use it regularly for IFR
practice.

Yeah, me too...

Thanks,

Hamish

On Sun, 11 Feb 2007 12:59:54 -0800, Hamish Reid
wrote:

I realise it's only been released for a few days, but as I'm in the
market for a non-MS sim, and as I have an older version that works just
fine but needs updating so it can do real GPS, etc., does anyone have
anything to say one way or another about ASA's new On Top 9?

That does bring to mind the question as to what is the best PC based
IFR training sim. I have the rating so it does not have to be
certified unless of course we get lucky and all the FAA decides to let
us some that time for currency.

Currently I need more than currency. It's been so long since I flew
IFR It's a proficiency issue. I need to get out there in real life
and get proficient again, then take an IPC.


Thanks,

Hamish
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com