Pausing FS - before or after landing?

[EHM-1994 Michelle]

Today I did quite a long ProPilot flight, Sydney (YSSY) to Athens (LGAV) with the B772. Everything went okay, I just had to pause the game at the time I was close to landing. I decided to land first, and then pause the game (while on the runway). When I came back, 24 minutes later, I unpaused, taxied to the gate and shut down the plane. And now I can't submit the flight as: "Difference between Landing time and Engine Shut-down time is greater than 25 minutes". I submitted a PIREP manually, but still am not very happy of losing this flight with zero penalties. Would it have been better when I paused FS before landing?

[EHM-1821 Javier]

Hi Michelle,

since you were paused for 24mins, Flight Logger will minus away that amount of time, however, it dosen't seem to know when you paused so it would just think that you took 25mins to taxi to the gate by subtracting the landing time from the engine shutdown time.

and my conclusion is, pause before you land;)

[EHM-1994 Michelle]

Thanks, it doesn't make me feel any better about it (seeing an almost 18 hour ProPilot flight with zero penalties end up in the dustbin isn't that nice :@), but well in the future I will pause before landing.

[EHM-0250 Magnus]

I made a short flight and paused before takeoff. I got...hmmm....upset....when I couldn't submit it. So I learned the hard way too: When pause, pause in flight!

[EHM-1994 Michelle]

But well tried Sydney to London today, paused at the top of descent to finish after work. Continued it now, started descent. After two minutes (at FL310) more drag was required, so I deployed the spoilers. On retracting them again , with A/P still engaged and not changing anything, the plane descents to sea level in 10 seconds ... so that was another failed attempt. Guess I'll try something else.

[EHM-2089 Vincent]

This thread generated a lot of interest in me to try and pause FS during flight, but not on the taxi-way as I did not want to loose hours with an expirment anyways!!!

I did pause the flight mid air when on approach to land, as I wanted to go out for a cup of tea, and yes, pro-pilot just deducted the amount of time I paused from my flight time. Am happy not to loose anything like those mentioned above.... Cool feature but will be required to pause only during landing or tight procedures, the rest of the time, the plane runs on its own ... on AUTOPILOT!!:> unless I am in some mood for adventure with my plane!!

[EHM-1838 Andrew]

Michelle
May i suggest you try shorter flights,sort out what works and what doesn't and then when you do your monster long hauls you wont be disappointed.
cheers Andy
PS admire your tenacity:D

[EHM-1001 Robert]

I once heard, that if you pause your flight before engine startup (for any reason) FL will start its timer, and will substract that amount from your block time, even though you have not started the flight really.

Take care with pausing.

[EHM-2089 Vincent]

Hmmm yes, this topic is indeed interesting, but infact the in ability to fly without pausing is one of the reasons, i take time out and commit and play on PP just like how any other airline pilot would be doing. As far as possible I try and stick to flying. Pausing should be used only if you are in a situation wherein you cannot play at all for that block time, otherwise, its best to leave the plane on autopilot with course selected and you can come back after that block time and do the flying. If necessary slow down your approach too as required.
Ofcourse on online flight like Vatsim, I dont think you can pause at all, because it could cause problems to others around and the ATC himself as he may be keeping distance between two of us flying online etc and then suddenly one plane will be doing a hovering in the same location!!!

[EHM-2089 Vincent]

Hi guys I have an update to the pausing issue. I was doing a 90 min odd flight using PP and I couldn't continue to play the game further due to a power cut. Then I realized that I was on the taxi mode for take off and realized the above problem where it would cut hours thinking why I took more than some time for taxi and take off.

So I proceeded to take off with my UPS on and once around 2000ft in the air, did the following.
1. Paused FS 2. Checked whether PP showed paused.

Now I noted the system clock time and wrote it down and hibernated the PC. When lights came back around 2 hours later, I thought I shoudl continue. When the PC started I made sure that the system time is set to the time I paused it on - and 5 minutes ahead to compensate for any pause timings due to shut down etc. When the PC came up it showed up that I paused for around 6 mins and I could continue my flight ahead.

I am not sure whether I did the best thing, but I did not want to start the flight again, and I did this process more than 3 times because the flight was marred by a lot of power cuts in my area !!! Thankfully for landing I had good power at home, otherwise i would have probably lost my hours like Michelle. But lucky for me, I did it mid-air and not on the ground and manipulated the system time, to make up for the difference!!!!

Your comments !!!!:P