Load Manager and Setup Reference Guide

MSFS 2020 edition

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INTRODUCTION
Congratulations!
You have purchased one of the most sophisticated and complex add-ons ever developed for Microsoft
Flight Simulator 2020.

Fly the Maddog X features advanced, study level aircraft systems that cannot be matched by any other
add-on aircraft; it can be flown by following the operations manual of the real aircraft. We even
encourage you to use such documentation to experience the level of detail that has been accomplished
with this aircraft. Fly the Maddog X also features the undocumented intriguing details that real pilots
experience when flying the real airplane!

The documentation is divided in three parts:

• User Manual (this document): describes the load manager and setup of the aircraft, built in route
and fuel planner, failures management.
• Operations Manual: the O.M. is structured as the real MD-82 Operations Manual and it is divided
in two volumes: Volume 1 describes the aircraft cockpit and systems; Volume 2 illustrates the
normal and emergency procedures, aircraft performances and checklists.
• Quick Guide: describes interaction with the virtual cockpit and the other 2D windows, special
commands, tip and tricks for an easy and smooth transition to this marvelous add-on.

Online source of information:

Our website: https://www.flythemaddogx.com

Our support forum: https://www.flythemaddog.com/forum/
Support ticket system: https://www.flythemaddog.com/hesk/index.php?a=add
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeonardoSoftHouse
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8GD2GjajlotIFDoKmu7Qg

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

I5 CPU or equivalent, 8Gb RAM, 8Gb GPU, Windows 10 64bit.

SIMULATOR SELECTION
If you also own Fly the Maddog X for Prepar3D v4.5 and v5, the Load Manager will present you a drop-
down selection menu to choose which version you want to operate. Select MSFS 2020 for the purpose
of this manual.
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GENERAL

From this page you are shown the current installed version.

Select the unit of measurement from the dropdown menu: Kgs or Lbs. This will only affect weights and
fuel units used by the load manager and the route/fuel planner.

Panel state let you select how the cockpit will be configured when the Maddog X is loaded in MSFS:
- DO NOT CHANGE. When synching, cockpit state is not changed (only new settings and
fuel/W&B are updated).
- Cold and dark (closed). Cockpit is fully off, doors and stairway closed.
- Cold and dark (open). Cockpit is fully off, front and rear main doors/stairway
open/extended.
- Ready at gate. Aircraft is powered from external GPU, APU on but providing only air to
the air conditioning system. Front and rear main doors/stairway open/extended.
- Ready for Takeoff. Aircraft fully configured for immediate takeoff, engines ON.

The current selected panel state is shown just below the Panel state entry.

NOTE: If a flight is started on a runway, regardless of the selection made here, the aircraft
will be initialized as ready for takeoff.

CM1/CM2 Avatar let you select the avatars for the pilot and copilot, and optionally if they are visible in
the virtual cockpit.
For a realistic experience, both pilots should be visible in the VC. In case of interference with the actual
point of view, they will auto-hide.

NOTE: If you change any avatar, you need to restart MSFS to have the correct avatar visible in the sim.
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LIVERIES MANAGER
The Liveries Manager button gives you access to the built-in automatic liveries’ management tool.

You can find additional liveries in our forums: download the .zip file and move it inside your
%Documents%\Maddog X Files\MSFS 2020\Liveries folder, then run the liveries manager. Do not edit the
file name or extract the *.zip file.
To install a new livery, click on it on the left panel, press the “>” button and then click “Apply”. If you want
to remove an installed livery, select it from the right panel and click “<” then click on “Apply”.

You can still add repaints manually, copying the package file into your MSFS community folder. The load
manager will create all needed files for the airframe options automatically, after a restart.

NOTE: Changing the aircraft registration from within MSFS should be avoided,
because this will prevent the Load Manager to correctly set the airline options for the
selected aircraft.
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LOAD MANAGER

The Load Manager and the Fuel/Route Planner are the perfect tools to prepare your flight.

The program will automatically calculate the aircraft C.G. (as percentage of mean root chord value) which
is used in the TAKE OFF CONDITION COMPUTER to calculate the takeoff trim setting, and check if the
aircraft fuel, weight, and C.G. are within operating limits.

If any of the above values inserted or calculated is outside operating limit the takeoff C.G. value will be
displayed in RED, together with the field which causes the problem.

Cabin and cargo areas are divided into sections, indicated with A/FWD, and with B/AFT.

PAX & BAGGAGES

Insert here the number of passengers for area A and B.
The buttons ▲ and▼ can be used to transfer passengers from the A area to the B area, or vice versa.
Baggage weight is calculated automatically and included in the AFT cargo. The total passenger number is
directly read by GSX Level 2 to set its boarding simulation and display the correct number of passengers.

CARGO
Insert here any extra cargo items that are carried on this flight.
The buttons ▲ and ▼ can be used to transfer cargo loads from the FWD to the AFT compartments and
vice versa.
The calculated balance chart could lead to invalid C.G. or weight values above maximum ZFW or TOW.
When this happen, the load parameters must be edited manually.
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FUEL
Insert here the fuel quantity divided between wing (left and right) and center tank.
The text is displayed in dark blue when the LIMITED WING SCHEDULE is used.
The buttons ▲ and▼ can be used to transfer fuel from the center to the wing tanks.
Every time a value is inserted or modified the program will recalculate ZFW and TOW weights as well as
aircraft balance.

WEIGHTS
This box displays the weights used for C.G. calculation.
• DOW. Dry Operational Weight.
• ZFW. Zero fuel weight.
• TOW. Takeoff weight.

INDEX & CG
An INDEX value will be calculated for any of the above weight. The INDEX is used to evaluate the C.G.
from the chart.
• DOI. Dry Operational Index.
• ZFI. Zero Fuel Index (the corresponding ZFW C.G. is indicated by a blue dot in the chart).
• TOI. Takeoff Index, the corresponding takeoff C.G. is indicated by a green dot in the chart.
• C.G. The calculated takeoff C.G. which must be inserted in the takeoff condition computer.

RANDOM LOADING
Pressing this button will randomize all values.

IMPORT OFP
Pressing this button an explorer window allows to select and import an OFP file where all flight data/
fuel/pax/weights is stored from PFPX/Simbrief planning. The function is available when the ‘Use
PFPX/Simbrief for Fuel/Route planning’ option in ‘Setup’ – ‘Simulator Option’ is enabled.

If any of the values inserted or calculated is outside operating limit the takeoff C.G. values will be
displayed in RED, together with the field which causes the problem.

When everything is correct the cyan dot in the chart indicates the zero-fuel weight C.G. value, while the
magenta dot indicates the takeoff C.G. value.

Press the button to print the load sheet.

Press the button to save the current balance data and sync the simulator.

Press the button to save the current balance data and setup to the simulator, and quit the
Load Manager. If MSFS is running, all weight is synced automatically.

Press the button to exit without saving.

NOTE: If you load the OFP from Simbrief/PFPF you can manage weight & balance
directly from the EFB app (see EFB manual for more details).
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FUEL/ROUTE PLANNER

The Fuel/Route Planner page is used to create a flight plan with fuel calculation and weather information;
it is also possible to import flight plans in the P3D.pln format. This page is hidden when the “Use
PFPX/Simbrief for Fuel/Route planning” in Setup - Simulator Options is enabled.

The flight plan must be saved to be used in the Maddog X FMS as a COROUTE (FMS ROUTE PAGE).

ROUTE
Departure (ICAO): Insert the ICAO code of the departure airport.
Arrival (ICAO): Insert the ICAO code of the arrival airport.
Alternate (ICAO): Insert the ICAO code of the alternate airport.
Distance to dest.: Calculated distance along the route from the departure airport to the arrival airport.
ETE: Estimated Enroute Time.

Use the ADD and DELETE buttons to add and remove waypoints or airways from the route. To insert a
direct to waypoint the ‘VIA’ field should be left empty.
The route is inserted in the same way as in the ROUTE PAGE of the FMS.
Select LOAD or SAVE to load and save the route. The routes for the FMS must be saved in the folder
%Documents%\Maddog X Files\Routes, to be later loaded in the FMS as COROUTEs.

FLIGHT
Date: Data of flight.
STD: Scheduled Time of Departure.
ATS c/s: the ATC flight callsign used, ICAO code (i.e., ISS264).
Flight No: flight number, as scheduled, IATA code (i.e., IG264).
Cruise FL: Insert here the estimated cruise level for the flight in hundreds of feet.
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IAS/M: Insert the IAS or the MACH speed for the flight. A MACH value can be input as decimal number
or a number (i.e., 0.760 or 760).
Cruise wind: Insert the average cruise wind direction and speed.
T/C OAT: Insert the average outside temperature at the top of climb.
CI: Insert the cost index planned for the flight.
Captain: Captain’s name.

FUEL
Trip: Calculated fuel for the route inserted.
Contingency: Default 750kg, can be modified if necessary.
Alternate: Calculated fuel from destination to the alternate airport.
Final Reserve: Desired reserve fuel.
PLN takeoff: Calculated fuel at takeoff.
Extra: Extra fuel to take into accounts delays, holdings, or other situations during the flight.
Taxi: Fuel for taxiing (default 300kg, normally burned before takeoff).
Block fuel: Fuel amount to load in the aircraft.

METARs / TAFs
Press the Download button to download from internet METARs and TAFs of the departure, arrival, and
alternate airports (a connection to internet must be active).

TECHNICAL LOG

The Technical Log page shows the current maintenance status of your installed aircrafts and if
maintenance actions are required.
You can manually add deferred system/components to the MEL by clicking the ‘Add’ button on the
bottom left corner, even if the maintenance module or failures are disabled.
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This section will list the deferred inoperative systems added automatically (if a failure occurs) or manually
added using the Add button for the selected airframe. Even with any of the system inoperative the aircraft
can fly, but with the limitations listed in the corresponding MEL (see Operation Manual, Volume II,
chapter 7). MEL category set the maximum time that a system can stay inoperative before being
grounded for compulsory maintenance, and after this period it will be automatically ‘fixed’:

CAT A: maximum time according to MEL

CAT B: 3 days
CAT C: 10 days
CAT D: 120 days

The inoperative systems compatible with MEL implemented in Maddog are:

Category System
C AUTOMATIC RESERVE THRUST (ART)
C LEFT/RIGHT FWD/AFT FUEL PUMP
A CENTER FWD/AFT FUEL PUMP
C AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU)
C APU GENERATOR SYSTEM
C APU PNEUMATIC AIR
C LEFT/RIGHT/BOTH AIR CONDITIONING PACK
B DUAL CABIN AUTOMATIC PRESSURE SYSTEM
B RIGHT HYDRAULIC ENGINE PUMP
B LEFT/RIGHT ENGINE GENERATOR SYSTEM
A GROUND PROXIMITY WARNING SYSTEM
C RADIO RACK COOLING FAN PRIMARY AND STANDBY
C LEFT/RIGHT ENGINE FIRE DETECTOR LOOP A/B
C APU FIRE DETECTOR LOOP A/B

Use the Reset button to delete the selected item from the list (system failure fixed).
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AIRLINE OPTIONS

The Airline Options tab shows all the customizable options of the panel for the selected airframe.

• Tail style. Select the exterior model tail style, between “Flat” screwdriver tail and “Cone” tail.
• Cockpit units. Sets the panel’s weight/baro units, “kgs/mbar” or “Lbs/InHg”. If the simulator is
running, the units change will be executed “on the fly”.
• PFD/ND style. Select “FD cross bar” to display the flight director cross bar and the glide slope
indicator on the right. Select “FD single cue” to display the flight director as single cue with the
glide slope indicator on the left. In addition, the ND position symbol can be set as “ND Triangle”
or “ND Airplane” for each of the two PFD styles.
• FMS. Select the FMS type between the “Honeywell” (LNAV+RNAV unit) or the Canadian/PMS
(split LNAV and VNAV units). This setting will also add/replace some warning lights and change
the EFIS panel style.
• RMI type. Select the RMI type: “DME/VOR/ADF”, “VOR only” or “VOR/ADF”.
• No TAS/SAT indicator. Select this option to remove the instrument from the FO panel.
• Head up Flight Display System (HFDS). HUD display, for more information check the AOM
Volume 2, Operational Bullettins
• Gear warning inhibit above 1500 RA. Inhibits the gear warning above 1500 of radio altimeter.
• PFD wired to opposite NAV. Set this option to visualize the G/S scale of the opposite NAV (NAV2
for PFD1 and NAV1 for PFD2).
• Show armed altitude as flight level. Select this option to show the armed altitude in the FMA
with the flight level instead of the text ALT.
• Auto arm altitude. Check this option to enable the guidance to automatically arm the altitude
selected with the alt knob.
• Always play aural when autopilot disconnects. If disabled, aural is played only when AP
disconnects during an autoland.
• Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). Select this option to add the Electronic Flight Book to the cockpit (for
more information check the EFB Manual).
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• Show rising runway. Select this option to display the rising runway on PFD during ILS approach.
• Show ground speed on PFD. Show/hides GS indication on PFD display.
• Autobrake system. Select this option to enable the system and corresponding controls.
• Single knob Altimeter. Select this option to enable this alternate version of altimeter.
• TRP with EPR SEL option. Check this to have the TRP with the additional capability to set EPR in
EPR SEL mode.
• HDG UP in MAP mode. Select this to display MAP mode on ND in reference to the current
aircraft’s heading instead of the standard TRACK UP setting.
• Show wind data in ND. Shows/hides the wind vector indicator on the ND.

• Crew audio files set. Select from the menu the audio set to be used for F/O calls and flight
assistant messages. To add a file set, copy the audio files in a subfolder of <your
documents>\Maddog X Files\Crew. Every audio file must have the correct file name.
Please refer to the files present in the Maddog folder for the exact file names. For each set the
volume can be adjusted individually.
• Background music. Optionally browse to select a song which is played during boarding and
deboarding. Select the appropriate volume using the slider.

All options can be changed while the sim is running except the crew audio file set. Also the desired airline
must be selected in the LM before starting MSFS in order to have the correct crew audio file set available
in the simulator.
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SETUP

This tab shows all the simulator general options.

SIMULATOR OPTIONS
• Realistic mode. This option enables the failures system and the maintenance actions, and adds
random weight figures variation in the final loadsheet from the original OFP weights.
• Autopilot disconnects when flight controls are moved manually. This option should be left
checked for better realism, however if the AP disconnects without apparent reason the cause
could be a noisy joystick; in this case disabling this check may solve the problem.
• Automatic update aircraft weight and CG and flight number. Select this option to let the load
manager automatically update ZFW, takeoff C.G and FLID in the transponder S mode, on aircraft
loading. If this option is disabled, TO C.G. and ZFW must be manually set in the fuel quantity gauge
and takeoff condition computer, as well as the flight number (FLID) in the transponder S mode.
• Refueled aircraft. Enable this option to let the load manager automatically load the fuel in the
aircraft at startup. If you want to use GSX Level 2 refueling, keep this option disabled.
• Enable PNF calls. Select this option to enable first officer’s calls.
• Enable mouse wheel acceleration. By default, the acceleration function for the mouse wheel is
activated only when the middle button or the TAB key are pressed; check this option to have the
acceleration function always available.
• Synchronize CM1/CM2 settings. When this option is selected, manually changing the BARO
setting on one of the two altimeters will also change it on the other one, as well as the IAS speed
bugs and panel lighting settings.
• Synchronize services with GSX Pro. Enables GSX Pro service synchronization with our boarding
simulation, allowing automatic doors/stairs triggering and refueling according with GSX services
status. If enabled, services must be launched by GSX interface only and doors will be opened
automatically.
• Use PFPX/SimBrief for Fuel/Route planning. Enable this option to use PFPX or Simbrief for the
fuel/route planning, and for loading the calculated fuel/pax/cargo weights directly (by importing
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the OFP ACARS data source) in the Load Manager page. Enabling this option hides the integrated
Fuel/Route planner page.
• Turnaround mode. Enables saving the panel state for the current aircraft upon closing the
simulator, provided that the engines are off and the parking brakes are set.
• ACARS auto-print and auto-read. Enable this option to send all received ACARS messages to the
selected printer automatically and set them as “read” in RCVD MSGS page.
• Filter CLAMP mode during takeoff. If enabled the throttle axis will respond only when power is
set to idle thrust (rejected takeoff):
• ACARS printer. Type in the name of the physical print or select Pushover app (see additional
options). If “none” is selected, the *PRINT entry in the MCDU will not be displayed. You can find
the name of the print from Windows Control Panel ➤ Hardware and Sound ➤ Device and
Printers ➤ Printers.
• Data client. Select the provider (either IVAO or VATSIM) for ACARS METAR/ATIS and CPDLC.

COCKPIT LIGHTNING TUNING

Tune the cockpit lights to best suite your taste using the corresponding slider for each type of light.
Settings for flood, instruments, annunciator, CRT displays, LED displays, LCD displays, and Engine displays
are provided.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

SIMBRIEF
Pilot ID: set your SimBrief’s Pilot ID (check on the DISPATCH->Account Settings->SIMBRIEF DATA in
SimBrief website. Pilot ID is NOT your SimBrief username). If EFB is enabled, when loading the aircraft
or pressing the Import OFP button in EFB’s W&B or EFF apps, your latest SimBrief flight will be
automatically downloaded from SimBrief and made available for the EFB and ACARS system. For further
information please check the EFB Manual.
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PUSHOVER
Set here the “API Token/Key”, “User Key” and “Device” (optional) for your Pushover account.

HOPPIE ACARS
Set here the “Logon Code” for your Hoppie account. The “Enable Hoppie for CPDLC and ACARS” option
must be enabled if you want to use the IVAO/VATSIM CPDLC feature. The “Use auto white list” option is
a security feature that you can enable to make you “invisible” to other Hoppie users unless you have sent
them a message first.

AXES CALIBRATION

This dialog allows to calibrate the control axes. To disable internal calibration, all sliders should be set
fully to the right, except the throttle slider which should be set in the middle position. Note that setting
the Scale parameter to 0% will effectively disable the axis.
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FAILURES

From this page you can set the minimum time between failures for light, serious and dangerous events.
The failures system is deactivated when the “realistic mode” in simulator option is turned off. Choose to
get text notification inside the simulator when a random failure is triggered, or maintenance actions are
required.