V1.2 Update: Honest Review - A Complete Disaster for IFR and Online Operations

[jvtbalds]

Just a quick follow-up to my previous reports.

For testing purposes, I just completed another flight to further evaluate the holding and FMS behavior, this time flying from SBCT (Curitiba) to SBFL (Florianópolis).

Here is a breakdown of what I found:

Routing & Setup: I departed from SBCT RWY 15 via the PONLU1A SID. After PONLU, I flew direct to MATSA to join the VOR Y RWY 32 approach at SBFL. I intentionally skipped the DME arc and went straight for MATSA just to test the F100's behavior on the published hold (inbound course 322, right turns).

Speed Management: I manually inserted the hold data into the FMS based on the charts. The FMS correctly calculated a best hold speed of 178kts, and the aircraft maintained this speed perfectly during the procedure.

VNAV Calculation: Because I didn't insert a STAR for SBFL (I just flew DCT MATSA after the SID), the FMS completely failed to calculate a vertical descent profile. No T/D (Top of Descent) appeared on the MFD, and no vertical navigation calculations were available in the FMS. It's not a huge deal in practice since I can just apply the standard 3:1 rule and do the mental math for the descent, but it clearly points to a flaw in the FMS VNAV logic when a STAR isn't present.

Holding Execution: Even though the FMS correctly processed the hold data and accurately determined it needed a parallel entry based on my heading, the actual flight execution was quite... strange. I stayed in the hold for 5 full circuits, and all of them were unsatisfactory. The aircraft flew erratically, couldn't maintain constant turn rates, completely lost the standard oval shape, and drifted laterally off the desired profile.

Missed Approach Hold Missing: Looking at the missed approach profile for the VOR Y RWY32, I encountered the exact same bug I reported in my earlier flights. The FMS only inserts the missed approach fix as a simple FLY OVER waypoint and completely ignores the published hold. I had to manually insert the hold into the FMS to execute it. Based on the real-world Fokker 100 manuals, this contradicts the actual aircraft logic, where the published missed approach hold should be automatically populated.

To expand on the autopilot disconnect issue: the pitch-down tendency remains entirely unresolved in this version. This flaw immediately forces the aircraft into a destabilized state right at the most critical phase of flight. Operationally speaking, this becomes particularly severe during non-precision approaches, where maintaining a strict, continuous vertical descent angle manually down to the minimums is absolutely necessary.

I just wanted to add these findings to my open ticket/thread to give you guys more data points on how the VNAV, FMS sequencing, and holding logic are currently behaving. Hope this helps narrow down the issues for v1.3!

[Prattpt6]

The approach phase after latest update seems to be broken. On approach the autothrottle will always goto TOGA even though the bug is set for final approach causing the plane to overspeed, also GS doesnt capture. I never had this issue with previous version. So every approach Ive had to hand fly, no AP. I also find sometime AP will randomly disconnect on final as well..

[Martyn]

As per my reply on the MS forum, we’re not aware of those issues and didn’t account them during our extensive v1.2 testing. Please submit a support ticket so we can investigate - https://support.justflight.com/support/tickets/new

[Martyn]

Thanks for the additional feedback, João. We are busy investigating now.

We believe that both the LOC intercept and flight plan wiping issues are fixed.

[jvtbalds]

@Martyn

Hi everyone,

Just a quick heads-up regarding the new V1.2a patch released today. Unfortunately, the ILS localizer capture bug, where the aircraft banks in the opposite direction of the course, has not been resolved.

I tested this update on the exact same flight and approach where I originally reported the issue (the ILS W for RWY 33 at SBCT). The aircraft exhibited the exact same erratic behavior and turned the wrong way upon capturing the localizer.

To help the development team reproduce and investigate this persistent issue, I will be submitting a full support ticket shortly. I will include my flight logs, screenshots, and the complete SimBrief flight plan so the team can replicate the exact conditions.

Best,
João

[Manrucavia]

Hey all, I can confirm that ILS capture is still a bit odd. Just made my second flight now with 1.2a.
Also to comment on the AT behavior: I consistently see the speed drop quite a lot when lowering gear on final. AT reacts way too late and then shoots speed up way too much. In this last case ref speed was 130, AT accelerated to 165 knots before it came down again. Many thanks for the otherwise wonderful plane and efforts to improve, kind regards !

[CaptBmcKay]

Wanted to report the same issue as the above. When my landing gear is deployed, speed drops significantly. It ignores the ATS speed and drops well into the stall regime.

[Martyn]

@jvtbalds said in V1.2 Update: Honest Review - A Complete Disaster for IFR and Online Operations:

@Martyn

Hi everyone,

Just a quick heads-up regarding the new V1.2a patch released today. Unfortunately, the ILS localizer capture bug, where the aircraft banks in the opposite direction of the course, has not been resolved.

I tested this update on the exact same flight and approach where I originally reported the issue (the ILS W for RWY 33 at SBCT). The aircraft exhibited the exact same erratic behavior and turned the wrong way upon capturing the localizer.

To help the development team reproduce and investigate this persistent issue, I will be submitting a full support ticket shortly. I will include my flight logs, screenshots, and the complete SimBrief flight plan so the team can replicate the exact conditions.

Best,
João

Thanks for the continued feedback. We believe that we have now addressed the remaining ILS localiser capture issues.

[OELVA]

@Martyn thanks for your continued effort to bring the Fokkers to a quality level where most people expected this addon to be.

[PeterT]

@OELVA

Saucer of milk?