I've just received the 800-900 series and am only beginning to explore it. The VC is most impressive!!Now don't think I'm complaining already(:-(), but I can't get the red beacon lights, top and bottom to function correctly on the 800-900 planes.On the 600-700 series, they are perfect, as far as I am concerned. There you get a burst of red light, accompanied by reflections from the top of the fuselage, and off the wing roots.On the 800-900 series, the beacon glows a dull red, with no reflections from the top of the fuselage, although the wing reflections appear to be the same as on the smaller aircraft. Occasionally, it seems to work correctly for a couple of seconds(that is, the light flashes), but then settles back to that dull glow.Many will probably think this a small issue, but it bothers me, as I know it can be so much better. I've checked the settings in the aircraft config file, but I cannot see any differences. Also, all planes seem to use the same light effects file for the beacon.Has anyone else noticed this, and is there any way I can address this problem, please?I do love this plane!I would appreciate any help you can offer.Thanks and best regards,Frank

Frank,sorry you're having problems with the 800/900. I just check my 900 and the beacon lights flash correctly with reflections displayed top and bottom. Can you try the PMDG uninstall tool and reinstall the 800/900 product? Let me know if this helps.

Hi Pete,Thanks for such a prompt response!Just to clarify - do you mean for me to uninstall the 800-900 only,or the base product as well? I installed the 800-900 series just this evening!By the way, can you remind me, do I have to download the PMDG Uninstaller, or does it come with the product?Appreciate your interest.Best wishes,Frank

Frank,For the installer, go to our web site and download the PMDG Removal Tool from the miscellaneous files section.Just uninstall the 800-900 product and try reinstalling that.Let me know ;-)

Hi Pete,Well, I think I've got myself into a bit of trouble now :-(.I downloaded the installer and performed the uninstallation. However, the uninstaller uninstalls everything(it says this on the introductory screen), so 600-900 series all gone!Never mind, I said, and reinstalled the 600-700 series from the CD, which seemed to go fine. However, when I tried to launch FS9, it complained it could not find one of the free PMDG liveries I had installed - Aircraft Initialization Failure: B737-700 Ryanair w stairs. Result: FS9 cannot be launched!Now I don't know how to get around this, except by deleting the FS9 config file, but I think that means I will lose my setup completely? Will I have to re-install FS9? If so, that will mean re-installation of FS9, followed by Ultimate Traffic, then the PMDG 600-700, then the 800-900 series. Gee!!! Bit of a nightmare scenario! :-(.It's late in Ireland now, so cannot face going through all this tonight. I'll do whatever has to be done after work tomorrow.Best regards,Frank

Aircraft Initialization>Failure: B737-700 Ryanair w stairs. Result: FS9 cannot be>launched!>>Now I don't know how to get around this, except by deleting>the FS9 config file, but I think that means I will lose my>setup completely? Will I have to re-install FS9? If so, that>will mean re-installation of FS9, followed by Ultimate>Traffic, then the PMDG 600-700, then the 800-900 series.>Gee!!! Bit of a nightmare scenario! :-(.>Make a backup copy of your FS9.cfg file, then delete it. FS should now start normally. Save a new situation file as "ohcrap". I recommend you use one of the default aircraft for this situation.Then, restore your FS9.cfg file, and edit it. Look for the line that starts out:SITUATION= (some long path and file name here)and edit the last part of the file name to be "ohcrap".Then you should be able to restart FS9 and get all your preferences back and the mode you'd saved.In the future, you know you can always get a "known good" FS9 start by editing the SITUATION parameter to "ohcrap"

Frank,Reinstalling the Ryanair 737 will fix the initialization error. Following the advice as outlined by Timothy Metzinger will help avoid having to reinstall all of your FS9 addons.Sorry for my confusion about the uninstaller.

Hi Tim,Thanks very much for your advice! That sure is a relief! I'll follow those steps as soon as I log off here.BR,Frank

No worries, Pete, you were only helping me :-).I didn't save the liveries as I didn't expect them to be deleted, but it isn't a problem to fetch them again from the PMDG site.Here's hoping that when everything is done it will solve the original problem!Thanks,Frank

Hi Pete,Well, I recovered my FS9 setup(thanks Tim!!!).I've now re-installed all 737NG models, but unfortunately, I see the same problem with the anti-collision lights. Not sure what to do now I guess it's something in my particular setup(?). What puzzles me, though, is that there does not seem to be any difference in the Lights section of the air files for the different planes, yet I am seeing this different lighting effect? Just so I can be sure it is my setup is causing the problem(and when time permits), could you load one of the base planes(600-700) at night, turn on the beacons, and observe the effect? Then, do the same for the 800-900, and see if you notice any difference at all? When I do this, the difference is very obvious. Because the PMDG planes are so well modelled, I was able to enlarge the top beacon until I could see the way the light sequence operated. In the 600-700 there appears to be a closely sequenced bright double flash, whereas in the 800-900, there is a single, not very bright flash(on such a big plane, it looks quite weak!). The wash on the wings is the same, but not on the top of the fuselage, because the light isn't bright enough to create a reflection.Well, Pete, I think that's enough obsessive detail for now! If any thoughts occur on sorting this out, let me know, please.Thanks for helping,BR,Frank

Frank,will do. I'm not at my FS9 computer right now so won't be able to check for several hours. Once I run this test I'll return with my results.Regards.

Cheers, Pete.Thanks for maintaining your interest:-)BR,Frank

Frank,I just checked under the conditions you outlined and there is a SLIGHT difference that I can see between the 600-700 and the 800-900 with certain liveries at night. I'm in discussion with our modeller to see if there are any user level adjustments that can be made to enhance the reflections on the top of the fuse. I'll let you know what we come up with.Regards.

Great, Pete! Thank you very much!Lest I be thought to be nit-picking, can I say how happy I am after upgrading to the 800-900 series? Particular thanks for the facility to retrofit the 600-700 series with the enhancements to the larger aircraft. Last night, I sat in the VC playing with all the controls and was astonished at the available functionality(for goodness sake, even the wipers work, and the windows are reflective! :-)). I've never experienced this level of immersion in a flight sim aircraft before. Besides, the exterior detail of the aircraft is, for me, not just eye candy, but really contributes to the feeling of having a large and beautiful jet aircraft to fly. Congratulations to everyone involved!BR,Frank