I just checked out Bill's new vesion of his wonderful ERJ panel. I love the new sounds he has included! I'm using it with Mike Stones GMAX ERJ-145 and I cannot seem to get the strobe lights to operate independently with this updated panel. I cannot turn them off using the switch on the overhead and hitting 'O' does not work either. I'm sure there is something that can be added to either the Aircraft or Panel .cfg that will correct this. Thanks for any help!Eric

Eric,I too checked out the new version of this panel and the only problem I seem to have with it is the sound. It's as though the APU noise is drowning out everything else. I can't even here the engines spool up when starting. Have I done something wrong? Overall the engines just seem way too quiet, even during flight. I thought the older sound package was better in that respect. (Sorry, I don't have answer concerning the light problem). Thanks!Mike

Mike-The sound is actually pretty realistic. You can't really hear the engines inside the cockpit on the actual airplane. The cockpit in the EMB-145 is known to be pretty noisy as far as the wind sound goes.I know what you mean though.... it's nice to have the engine sounds cranked up on the sim sometimes!

>something wrong? Overall the engines just seem way too >quiet, even during flight. Kevin Au who flies ERJ-145 every day claims that this is how it is in reality - you barely hear engines sounds from the cabin. And he means - barely.Michael J.

But with the new sound package it's very quiet even in spot view.Also, I had some problems with the TCAS: At first, when parked on the ground, some targets showed up, but then I didn't see any for the whole flight. Any ideas? (The flight was KEWR-KIAD, and there was lots of traffic around.)Martin767 fetishistIt's a lot like life and that's what's appealing

Lights. That is not a panel issue. Your problem with the strobe lights lies within the aircraft.cfg file. On many of Stone's aircraft, the type field for the various lights are incorrect. Strobes being classed as beacons, etc. Therefore, a strobe switch on a panel or keystroke will not have the proper effect. You will need to edit the lights section in the aircraft.cfg for proper function. I had posted instructions on merging and correcting the Mike Stone Gmax ERJ for use with our panel over in FSNordic back when his ERJ first came out. You can do a search for that over at that site's forums.Sounds. My suggestion for the outside volume would be to adjust the volume knob on your speaker to levels which you feel is appropriate when in spot view. I honestly have no clue how the real one sounds like while floating next to it in flight. I do know that when standing next to one with engines running up on the ground, it is loud enough that no pc speaker can emulate. I also know that when one flies by in flight, it is one of the quietest jets I have ever heard. As for the interior sounds, the APU is actually quite loud on the ERJs, louder than an engine at idle. Loud enough that OSHA made an issue of it once. Even the muffler equipped aircraft are only slightly better. While on the ground sitting at the gate or taxiing around, your only impression of noise in the cockpit should be that of the APU and the sound of the air conditioning. Once airborne and the APU is shutdown, you will have the wind noise to keep you company. The wind file was taking from a cockpit recording and the hollow rasping sound it makes is quite accurate. It sounded to me like the same sound file they play for us in the Level D sim.TCAS. Only idea as to why you are not seeing all the aircraft that you think you ought to see is that when one aircraft has penetrated close enough to be a TA or RA, the TCAS will only showing that threat, hiding all other traffic around you.

Ahhh. I damn LOVE that TCAS!!! :-hah Finally with aural warnings! (8-|

I too have the same problem, if indeed it is a problem. Having no experience with the sounds of the ERJ-145, I have no reference point. But to have them barely audible, inside and out of the aircraft does not seem acceptable, even if realistic. Why should we have to adjust our volume to blasting to hear these sounds? It renders the sound settings and adjustments somewhat irrelevant if decibals are not of a sufficient level in the first place to adjust. They may be realistic according to some posts here, but I sure would like to be able to hear and enjoy them properly with this wonderful panel.Grant

I love this panel to. But I have a differant problem is there a trick to get the autothrottle to work? I can get all the other auto pilot functions to work. I read the doc's even had them up on the second monitor while flying. I checked the aircraft.cfg and it is listed there.:-zhelp thanks Keith:-beerchug

>TCAS. Only idea as to why you are not seeing all the >aircraft that you think you ought to see is that when one >aircraft has penetrated close enough to be a TA or RA, the >TCAS will only showing that threat, hiding all other traffic >around you.This was not the case though. But I only did one flight - I will try another and see if I have any problems.Martin767 fetishistIt's a lot like life and that's what's appealing

Hey,I don't think the ERJ has an autothrottle as Boeing aircraft do. The SPD selection on the autopilot refers to a climb mode (the autopilot modifies pitch to maintain the set airspeed). You need to control the throttle manually. On the ERJ-135, I find a setting of a little over 77% N1 gives a good cruise speed at FL310. Pay attention to the N1 settings for given phases of flight, and you'll soon get the hang of it.Man, I love this plane and panel. It's really a pleasure to fly.Okay, now I'll add a question of my own: when you're descending and you're given a new altitude, you set the new altitude, and then you have to cycle the VS (if that's the mode you're descending in) in order for the autopilot to register the new altitude -- otherwise it levels off at the previously set altitude. On the old version, this was no problem. Just click VS twice, and the aircraft continues at its current vertical speed. On the new version, however, VS reverts back to -600 fpm, even if you cycle the VS when you're descending at -2000 fpm. So you have to quickly set the VS from -600 back to -2000, causing a big baloon in your descent rate. Anybody know the correct way to enter a new target altitude?Thanks!Greghttp://www3.sympatico.ca/gregory.moffatt/Bell_Dusk.jpg

Hmmm...that might be something to look at regarding that 600fpm thing. I'll have to get back to you on that.

Looked everywhere on FSNordic and still cannot find instructions for merging Bill's panel to Mike Stones model, all I can find is a reference to it.Wondered if you could repost the instructions here please,Phil

>TCAS. Only idea as to why you are not seeing all the >aircraft that you think you ought to see is that when one >aircraft has penetrated close enough to be a TA or RA, the >TCAS will only showing that threat, hiding all other traffic >around you. I haven't got around to trying out the TCAS yet -- but does it work when flying online ?Barry

Barry,Try AIBridge for online TCAS.BillGo Virgin Blue! Love it.