Finally learned to use the default FMC [X-Plane 430] in X-Plane 10. This comes after a lot of reading, Youtube videos and much trial & error. I claim full credit because I did not find any single source that tied everything together. The X-Plane 430 is a close representation of the Garmin 430, enough so that much of that info applies. It seems like most if not all the the FMC vids are about the more advanced FMC which being more advanced is much easier and more intuitive than the default 430 GPS. I would expect a more sophisticated FMC to be easier to setup and use but that doesn’t help us beginners much. Sometimes, but usually not, a simple plane is used in a vid but the planes console has been so customized that it hardly resembles what I have. I have seen comments that say the 430 doesn’t work…but after a lot of trial and error I find it works well enough to get me from point A to point B flying with beautiful precise precision. Part of the success may be do to the version of X-Plane I’m running…10.51. I have to give some credit to the YouTube video “Garmin GNS430 IFR Flight Plan”, which is not a X-Plane video, by Ray Preston after minute 6 was very helpful to putting much of this together. I really enjoy the huge amount of Aviation knowledge that is required to experience this sim to it’s fullest. But sometimes, perhaps because there is so much to learn, things can become frustrating, sometimes taking the fun out of learning. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a beginner or because my old joystick is not tight, perhaps a combination of the two, but I had a hard time flying straight and steady. No sooner do I correct from drifting off course than I find I’m off course again. It seems I’m always fighting the controls, to maintain horizontal and vertical stediness. Even after applying what I learned bout trimming the plane. Figuring this out brought back a lot of joy.