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FAQ - 'Briefing Time' Frequently Asked Questions

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Q-16 How do you move from one virtual section to the next in the b-25j? the manual shows picture's but it only refers you to the knee board (f10)I've tried eveything no go. I'm running in the full mode (from the cd) and have tried this on both fs2002 and fs2004. every thing else works great gears windows hatch,etc.the virtual cockpit is great ,just no nose section or topgun section in vc

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Guest IanP

Hello,You can move around in the virtual cockpit by using ctrl-backspace, ctrl-enter, shift-enter, shift-backspace, shift-ctrl-enter and shift-ctrl-backspace.I can't remember immediately what each command does, but have a play and you will find that they all move you in one direction or another!An alternative is to use AntiCyclone's Active Camera module - this is a commercial product for FS2004 but has previously been freeware for FS2002. It allows you to move around the virtual cockpit using the mouse and arrow keys, in addition to many other features.Hope that answers your question!Ian P.:-halo

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As new subjects for this FAQ become apparent, we'll add to this posting. If you have a subject you think should be covered, please respond to this thread.MOST issues you will run into have already been covered in the 'Briefing Time' for FS2002 User's Manual. This extensively illustrated html document is included on the CD version of the B-25 'BT' package, and may be downloaded from the AVSIM File Library: "btmanual.zip". Unless you like being told to RTFM, ;-) please check it out before posting questions in the forum. I have tried to make it entertaining, informative, and easy to use. There are numerous bookmark links throughout, including the comprehensive Table of Contents, to make things easy to find.We'll cover a few things already addressed here in the MAAM-SIM Support Forum, to save people reading it all to find their particular issue...................................................Q - 1: What's the difference between the CD version and the Download Version of the 'Briefing Time' package, other than the obvious?A: The CD contains the same aircraft package as the download, but there are several extras on the CD. These include a 170-page, 1945 Pilot Training Manual, the 'BT' Users Manual, illustrated with 190 pictures and diagrams; a 20-minute, B&W WW2 B-25 Training Film; and eleven instructional videos featuring the real 'BT' and it's pilot, MAAM President Russ Strine, explaining and demonsrating how to start, shut-down, brake, takeoff, land, etc. The other major difference, from the standpoint of the museum, is that we get 100% of the proceeds of CD sales, and 65% of download sales. The CD sells for $29,95, including delivery anywhere in the world, or $25 if you walk in and buy it at the Museum Store. The DL sells for $24.95 at the AVSIM Store.................................................Q - 2: How long will it take my CD to arrive?A: This depends on the vagaries of the weather and the efficiency of the postal system, here, and in your country. CD orders are processed immediately and the volunteers at the museum will address and ship your order as soon as possible. All CD's are shipped First Class Mail, which will be Air Mail if going overseas. Initially, because of a variety of factors, including a very heavy and gratifying initial demand, and an order link that went active a few days beofre the official release date, we got bogged down. But we are now caught up and I have built up a stock of CD's at the museum, so there should be no more supply delays. Most buyers receive their CD's within a week, all factors being ideal. Longer than two weeks is practically unheard of, even on the other side of the world from Reading, PA. Considering the shipping charge is only $4.95, regardless of where you are, I think this is a pretty good deal.................................................Q - 3: I thought there would be THREE complexity versions installed, but I can only find 2: low and medium. The heavy version is AWOL. It's in the folder alright, but not in the FS menu of planes. Is it because I did not remove the trial version first?A: Yes, you must delete the Trial Version of 'BT' before installing the full version. Do this by opening FS2002/Aircraft and deleting the "B-25J Briefing Time Trial" folder. There is no need to delete the gauge or other files, though, as these will be overwritten by the full installation................................................. Q - 4: I have the CD version of 'BT'. Why is my manual missing a lot of the pictures?A: Due to a program error in the first bunch of CD's burned, some of the picture names were truncated. The easiest fix is to simply download a new copy of the manual from the File Library - "btmanual.zip". If you like to do things the hard way, or don't want to dl the 17MB manual, see the post on this forum - "Help please, no pictures in manual..." for instructions on renaming the affected picture titles to their original names, so they will show up.................................................Q - 5: Is there an easy way to read all of the files in the Pilot Training Manual folder? I tried and all I can view is one page at a time.A: If you access the PTM with Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, or a number of other viewing programs - I like ACDSee Classic - you can bring up the first page, then hit the forward arrow to go through the pages as you would a book. Even better, though, is get yourself a scrolling mouse and using ACDSee and other programs, just rolling the wheel forward and backwards will take you through the pages, quickly or slowly, as you prefer. I will never use a non-scrolling, non-optical mouse again. They are not too pricey, either. Check it out.................................................Q - 6: How do I get the bomb bay doors open? I can't get the family tent and other gear up through the crew hatch in the belly!A: The "/" key (or whatever you have spoilers set to...) opens the b.b. doors - the little light on the panel glows at you as well, to remind you that the tent is likely to fall out again when you take off. Only problem is that you'll probably have to take the bombs out to get the tent in! (Ian P.)................................................Q - 7: Why does the ASI indicate something less than 10 MPH (or other value) after complete stop?A: Because the ASI has no dead zone and is sensitive, you will sometimes see an indication of the wind. You will also see fluctuations in the indication when the wind is gusty. This is not unique to BT - you'll see the same sort of thing in the Extra 300, for instance.................................................Q - 8: I can't find the parking brake in the cockpit, where is it?A: You can't find the brake handle because I did not put it in. There was no room on the radio stack, where it actually is located, without making the radios smaller and less legible. One of those FS trade-offs a panel designer must live with.................................................Q - 9: I do not hear the flap movement .wav sound, but they function ok and the Copilot's voice is audible.A: The very reason we went with the flap call-outs - and gear call-outs, for that matter - is that their operation is totally silent. If you can hear hydraulic flaps operating over the sound of two Double-Cyclones a few feet away, you have a serious problem with your hydraulic pumps! ;-)................................................Q - 10: Has anybody managed to get off of the carrier deck using the recommended settings? After taking a dozen or so swims, I finally tried full flaps instead of 1/2 flaps and got off on the first try. The briefing also says to keep the nose higher than normal on the roll but I also can never get the nose to raise at all before rolling off the edge of the deck. The elevators simply aren't effective until you gain some more speed. I'm only making about 50-60 mph as I leave the deck.A: Check your weather settings If you do not have a 50 knot headwind from 345 degrees, which is exactly the headwind the Doolittle Raiders had, you will never get off the deck safely - and neither would they have! If you are flying with real weather or something else has altered the weather from the wx file that came with the flight, you are doomed to failure. That 50 knots was a combination of the Hornet's headway, and a brisk wind. If your ASI isn't registering 57 mph with the brakes set, that's a dead give-away that the wind is not there. If you have the headwind, though, and follow the briefing techniques exactly, you should lose no more than 30 feet, with no further adjustments.................................................Q - 11: For some reason I cannot play the videos. I can get anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute on all of them then the computer locks up and I get a "WMPLAYER caused an invalid page fault in module QUARTZ.DLL and also in module WMPUI.DLL. I downloaded version 9 of Windows Media Player and the same thing happens. Also in Real Player Does anyone know what I can do?A: This is a problem with Windows Media Player that some people encounter. Our beta team had mixed results, but most experienced some problems with WMP. Quoting the manual, "We strongly recommend you use either the Quicktime Player or Real Player program to view these videos. You can download free versions of these programs at their websites." The links and more information on the videos can be found in the manual.................................................Q - 12: After one look at the videos, I have one question: How can I get a ride on the real 'Briefing Time'? A: Boy do we have a deal for you! We will be drawing the names of three lucky attendees at the 2003 AVSIM Flight Simulation Convention and Exhibition at MAAM on September 27. The three winners will join the winner of the AVSIM Fly-Off BT landing contest as crewmembers on a special flight of Briefing Time around the Berks County countryside. All you have to do to be eligible is become a MAAM member and attend the convention. See the BT Low Level Lottery announcement for all the details: http://www.avsim.com/lottery/_lottery.htm................................................Q - 13: I can't get the gear to come up! "G" on the keyboard will raise the gear handle inside the flight deck, but a spot view from the outside shows the mains and nose gears not moving at all.A: Turn on your battery switches. Not only will your gear fail to operate unless the batteries are on, but so will a lot of other gauges and controls. Incidentally, the real B-25 gear retraction and extension is not dependent on electrical power, being hydraulically operated, but in FS programming, it's tied up with the gear indicator lights and the gear and flap indicator gauge. No batteries, no work!................................................Q - 14: I'm having trouble starting the left engine. According to the checklist, I start the right one first, then the left. The right starts with no problem. But I prime the left side and press the mesh switch nothing happens. I do have the mags set to both.A: Note that the Prime, Energize, and Mesh switches are three-position toggles. As the labels on the panel indicate, they must be pushed UP for the left engine, and DOWN for the right. There is a diagram in the Starter and Switch Panel section of the user's manual that shows all of the mouse points.................................................Q - 15: Is Briefing Time compatible with FS2004, Century of Flight?A: As I write this, on August 4, BT needs a patch which we are currently testing, but works wonderfully in FS9 with just a couple tiny work-arounds: First, after installing BT to FS2004, ignore the warning that will appear the next time you run FS2004 about the file FSSound.dll possibly causing problems if loaded. It will NOT. In fact, you MUST load it or BT's panels and gauges will not load.Second, hit the W key to make the panel appear after BT is selected from the aircraft menu, or you will find yourself with no 2D panels.There is a small glitch in the hydraulic system you may not notice, but Fred did, as it was one he struggled to fix in FS2002.All of these will be addressed in the patch. Once the patch (our first, ever) is ready, we'll upload it to the file library here at AVSIM, and elsewhere. I'll also stick a link in here to download it directly from our FTP site. But don't wait to try it - BT works and looks better than ever in FS2004, subject to the above.:-jumpy :-jumpy :-jumpy :-jumpy :-jumpy :-jumpy


Bill Rambow

MAAM-SIM

www.maam.org

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