Hi all. I love my DC-3 and the wonderful panel - I just miss the overhead panel at the top of the screen - remember the Roy days? I sometimes find it's a bit of overload activating the pop-up window for the overhead panel while I'm working hard. It was nice with the earlier R4D models to have all the buttons and radio's right there at the top. I was wondering whether anyone has put together a 2-D cockpit with the overhead panel built in? I have pieced one together, but it actually involves a FS2K/2K2 version combined with the latest panel, it works, but as you can imagine, is not optimal...Anyone done this - any assistance available?Regards, Ian

I do remember those days, but I am trying my best to forget them! ;-)My old panel, the original R4D panel (which even predated that person's involvment) featured a completely fictional overhead electrical panel that had no real resemblance to the actual R4D, or any other DC-3's OEP. When we at MAAM-SIM decided to completly redesign the R4D from scratch using Gmax, the decision was taken to go with a realistic OEP. The problem was it would not fit in the main view, just as those on the modern jet sims will not. A pop-up sub-panel was the only solution. It has been very well received overall, but then you can't satisfy everyone.If the main problem you are having is working the radios you may want to try Mark Beaumont's IFR Panel Mod of our panel for DC-3 Airways. Among other mods, radios and an AP are placed on the pilot's panel. You can get it on our "Free Stuff" page here.. http://www.maam.org/flightsim/enhance/enhance.htmPersonally, I have several switches on my CH Products Throttle Quadrant programmed to open and close the various sub-panels and find it works well. Another apporach I have used, if your video card allows it, is to set up a second monitor for all the pop-ups. That way they can stay up and accessible without blocking your view or calling for that onerous extra key command or mouse click.There have been plenty of other DC-3 panels done, some with OEP's included in the main panel bitmap. None of them resemble real ones, and besieds, surely you don't expect me to recommend someone else's panel on the MAAM-SIM Support Forum, do you? ;-)Bill Rambow MAAM-SIM - Rambow, Visser, Banting, Young, Womack, Sodja & Beaumonthttp://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/maamsim_logo2.gif

Hi Bill - well, no need to mention it here, but I can provide my email address to you.... :). I appreciate your aim for perfect realism, and the overhead panel is perfect. Don't worry too much, I have patched a solution together myself and it works with some little flaws, but I find it much easier to control the overhead now. Next for the flaps and gear - what fun it is to open the lever pop-up to drop flaps, then quickly locate the trim wheel as the nose shoots up - and if you don't remember to first reposition the lever window...and you experience this all over again for 3 settings of flaps. I suppose in the end this is a pretty realistic example of pilot workload (or overload) that we non-flyers read about, and it's actually a nice challenge. I imagine that with a co-pilot, this would become much easier, and much more realistic, with the pilot left free to fly the plane smoothly while the co-pilot does all of this?How do others feel about these challenges in flightsim, and how do you deal with them? As you can gather, I just try to make things easier for myself - if it means sacrificing some reaslism. I must say, programmable buttons could make things a lot easier, but I prefer to stick to using all the controls available on the main panel, I don't even use my trim buttons on my CH unit - see, I am trying to stick to reality....Well, thats all for now, looking forward to another attempt at a perfect approach on runway 21R at FAJS tonight.Regards, Ian

Hi Bill. As an afterthought - it might be an idea to try opening my pop-ups with buttons to reduce workload. How do you do it - I have my trim and brakes buttons to spare. Are there window assignments in the options-settings-assignments menu?Regards, Ian

As Bill says, give my IFR panel a go, Ian. I have configured it in two versions - one with Sperry, one without - and all pop up windows are "clickable" from both 2D panel and VC. Plus more: you'll find ATC and Roger Wilco control panels, timers and other goodies. Moreover, all simicons are on a separate panel, pulled up by a single icon click; so you don't have to fly along looking at FS "unrealism". One more click, yes, to pull up the icon menu, but those long flights get boring ...Mark "Dark Moment" Beaumonthttp://www.swiremariners.com/newlogo.jpg

Hi Ian,Sure thing. Just look for Panel Window 4 Hide/Display for the OEP. Each panel switch is a toggle so you only need one button per window.Bill Rambow MAAM-SIM - Rambow, Visser, Banting, Young, Womack, Sodja & Beaumonthttp://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/maamsim_logo2.gif