No graphics cards, no downloads, no bashing the freeware people, just good ol' flying questions.Hi all, hope you can answer some questions that have been bugging me since I got FS9 a couple of weeks ago. Some are just out of curiousity, others are a bit more problematic.All planes referred to are the MS default types.Here goes:1/ Why has the sim rate adjuster been removed from the cockpit?2/ Can I change the distance AI planes come into view (without mucking around with the innards of the game/computer programmes)?3/ I get approach vectors from ATC anywhere from 19 to 31nms from my destination. Why the variance?4/ Why has the LVL button gone from the 737, but not the 777? Is it not on the 737 in real-life?.....Yum, nice cigarette. Now, for the icky ones, probably all related to de-icing.5/ 747 - turned on de-icing at start-up, got to FL360 and engines revved to maximum and airspeed indicator went to 000. If this due to frozen pitot tube? If the de-icing was turned on, how and why??6/ 777 - turned on de-icing at start-up. Got to FL210, and the same thing happened. Interestingly, the EPR indicator showed 0.55 (as low as it gets with engines actually on?), N1 was OK at 68.91 and EGT again looked normal at about halfway (384.2). The TAT was -20c.The plane wouldn't climb any further, the airspeed indicator went to lunch and showed all zeros, but the de-icing was on all the time, and EAI showed as green on the EICAS. (I assume green means good!!??).7/ Is there a stage that the de-icing can be turned off? If so, what indicates this?.................................................................The last three questions are causing me considerable grief, so I'm hoping for some help with these. Is there a separate button for pitot tube de-icing, and if so where is it? I've looked in the 'Help' database but can't find anything useful there either.Thanks in advance for any assistance you can give.CheersTim

I know at least some of the answers:>1/ Why has the sim rate adjuster been removed from the>cockpit?Not sure. I personally use the keyboard commands on this one, so it doesn't bother me as much as it does other people. Still, I agree that it seems odd that MS would decrease functionality in a gauge.>2/ Can I change the distance AI planes come into view (without>mucking around with the innards of the game/computer>programmes)?No. The visibility is controlled by the model (.mdl file) of the particular aircraft. The designer controls at what distance individual parts come into view, as well as when particular level-of-detail models come into view.>3/ I get approach vectors from ATC anywhere from 19 to 31nms>from my destination. Why the variance?Not sure, but I think it has to do with the direction you approach the airport from.>4/ Why has the LVL button gone from the 737, but not the 777?>Is it not on the 737 in real-life?Not sure.>5/ 747 - turned on de-icing at start-up, got to FL360 and>engines revved to maximum and airspeed indicator went to 000.>If this due to frozen pitot tube? If the de-icing was turned>on, how and why??I don't think it is due to deicing, because I never use it, but I have never had my airspeed indicator fail like that. I had always thought that deicing didn't work, since I had never seen any proof of anythin happening. However, I may be wrong on this one.>6/ 777 - turned on de-icing at start-up. Got to FL210, and the>same thing happened. Interestingly, the EPR indicator showed>0.55 (as low as it gets with engines actually on?), N1 was OK>at 68.91 and EGT again looked normal at about halfway (384.2).>The TAT was -20c.Same.>7/ Is there a stage that the de-icing can be turned off? If>so, what indicates this?Again, I never bothered to use deicing, with no consequences, so this may be due to another problem. I'm sure that someone will pop in here to tell me that I am wrong, but you menioned that you had deicing on the whole time, so that probably isn't the problem. Are these all default aircraft you are using?- Martin

>1/ Why has the sim rate adjuster been removed from the>cockpit?Don't know>>2/ Can I change the distance AI planes come into view (without>mucking around with the innards of the game/computer>programmes)?No>>3/ I get approach vectors from ATC anywhere from 19 to 31nms>from my destination. Why the variance?Hadn't noticed this little charmer>>4/ Why has the LVL button gone from the 737, but not the 777?>Is it not on the 737 in real-life?Don't know>>.....Yum, nice cigarette.Yuk - they will kill you.>>5/ 747 - turned on de-icing at start-up, got to FL360 and>engines revved to maximum and airspeed indicator went to 000.>If this due to frozen pitot tube? If the de-icing was turned>on, how and why??>>6/ 777 - turned on de-icing at start-up. Got to FL210, and the>same thing happened. Interestingly, the EPR indicator showed>0.55 (as low as it gets with engines actually on?), N1 was OK>at 68.91 and EGT again looked normal at about halfway (384.2).>The TAT was -20c.>>The plane wouldn't climb any further, the airspeed indicator>went to lunch and showed all zeros, but the de-icing was on>all the time, and EAI showed as green on the EICAS. (I assume>green means good!!??).>>7/ Is there a stage that the de-icing can be turned off? If>so, what indicates this?This should deal with all of the above i.e. 5 to 7. I think there is a bug in FS. Whilst 'green is good' try using the key combination of Shift+H. Works for me.>RegardsAndy b

Thanks Martin. If it ain't de-icing, and it may not be, I'm even MORE curious now to find out what the go is.Cheers

Thanks Andy, if it's a 'bug' then I'm off to find an exterminator!This isn't good. Cheers

This may be way off because I don't fly the big iron. In many of the GA planes there are two switches, one for deicing that does nothing as far as I know and the Pitot heat switch which has always cured the failed airspeed indicator for me. The shift-h keyboard command that was suggested above turns on the pitot heat. http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg------------SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS------------ Dell Pentium 4 at 3.2GHz with 800MHz FSB 1GB Dual Channel DDR SDRAM at 400MHz 128MB DDR ATI RADEON 9800 Pro 21 inch P1130 FD Trinitron CRT Monitor 120GB Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive Sound Blaster Audigy 2 with DVD Audio WindowsXP Home Edition with Microsoft Plus!

Hi Tim,>4/ Why has the LVL button gone from the 737, but not the 777?Is it not on the 737 in real-life?http://www.hifisim.com/images/as2betateam.jpg

There is a pitot heat switch separate from the wing and engine deice switches

Where do I find this on the 777 and 747?I know there's a separate one for the 737, but the others??Tim