Its in the folder I posted at the end of my last post. If you dont have it you will have to ask on the official forum as I have no idea why it wouldn't be there otherwise.

HI Andy,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

I have checked the folder and it isn't in there so I will ask on the forum.

 

One final question-I think I read somewhere that the programme should be run as administrator.If this is the case then where do I make the file adjustment?

 

Many thanks.

 

Michael

If you are using windows7 and UAC is switched off and you haven't run FSX or anything else as administrator then its not required to do that.

 

You should never run some programs with admin rights and some not as security features built into W7 and Vista wont allow programs using different rights levels to talk to one another via shared memory access and thats how FSX's simconnect and FSUIPC etc communicate with external programs like PFE.

 

Running a program as admin is very simple, simply right click on its shortcut or directly on the exe itself and select "run as admin" from the context menu.

I will have to give PFE another try tonight. Got frustrated with the constant problems with wrong frequencies, duplicate frequencies, and 000.00 frequencies and the atc constantly forgetting about me while approaching an airport.

PFE is a funny one. I use it most of the time now and my success rate is high, although there will be the odd flight where it just throws an utter brain fart. Support is good (in that you always get a reply) but often it'll be a one line response that doesn't entirely solve your problem. It's soooo much better than RC4 in many ways, the accents matched to airlines and ATC centres and the fact that it'll give you proper taxy instructions and speeds as well as vectors to final. It does take much more setting up than RC4 however and is arguably a bit more temperamental.

 

I'd forget about the TGS. In the real world, you get the taxy instructions and you need to read the chart. If you're using add-on airports then these will correspond to the chart and you'll be able to find your way to the end of runway without much difficulty unless you're somewhere mental like CDG. You've also got your virtual co-pilot giving you guidance so that should be sufficient. Also don't worry about the PFE displayer. I don't know anyone that seems to have got it to work!

 

My method for a good flight in PFE -

 

Get the route through vRoute Premium and use the fuel planner page to build a vertical profile of your route. Export the route into PFE.

Once your route has gone through PF2000 and it's in PFE then enter the altitudes from the vertical profile in Vroute alongside the corresponding waypoints in PFE.

Work out which runways you're going to use. TOPCAT and Active Sky are good for this.

If you're using a SID, make sure 'SIDs active' is ticked on the SIDS STARS page for your selected airport. Enter an altitude to complete the SID. Even if you haven't finished the SID PFE will clear you to 'own navigation' beyond this altitude, which is fine - just go direct to your first waypoint. If you've a fast climbing aircraft then set the SID completion altitude higher so that you complete more of the SID, or you can set a waypoint as the end of a SID. I find it easier to do it the first method as in real life you often don't fly the whole SID.

Put an X against the runways that you're not using. PFE uses wind direction for runway use unless you specify one, not the direction of all the ai so it might vector you into the face of traffic taking off towards you. I prevent this by also closing the runways I don't want using an AFCAD editor.

I don't bother using STARS as I like getting vectors from the last waypoint as it's more fun. It's worth swotting up on the right STAR for the approach anyway, so you get an idea of the altitudes and fixes for the final approach, even though you won't be following them.

When you first fire up FSX and PFE, put your VCP to 'off', so that you tune the frequencies yourself.

Once you've pushed back, set VCP to 'VCP handles all comms' BEFORE you tune for taxi clearance, as the TGS prevents you from changing the VCP mode.

The VCP will now do everything, including calling the tower when ready for departure as you reach the end of the runway. If he doesn't (and some add-on airports have dodgy holding points that don't register with PFE) then you tune it yourself and press '6'. That's it. Everything else will be automated - you simply follow the ATC instructions all the way to the destination. While in the cruise press '2' to load ACARS for your destination. In FS9 (can't speak for FSX) it loads up in the kneeboard. Amongst other things, it'll give you the runway in use for arrival, so you can get your approach set up.

After landing, it only seems to assign a gate about 5% of the time so best assign a gate for yourself at each airport in the set up, too.

 

I love PFE as it's the best ATC program by far, but it's needlessly fiddly to get the best out of. My method above is usually pretty foolproof though.

Ugh, well I tried again using all the new suggestions, had my sids and stars all setup. Everything went great till I was told to contact departure, which sadly was a totally different freq than clearance told me and different from what the adventure briefing had listed. Tried contacting it, nothing, tried contacting what should have been the departure freq, nothing. Program closed, RC4 loaded up.

 

RC4 ain't perfect but at least it only takes a couple seconds to setup and never fails mid flight.

Ugh, well I tried again using all the new suggestions, had my sids and stars all setup. Everything went great till I was told to contact departure, which sadly was a totally different freq than clearance told me and different from what the adventure briefing had listed. Tried contacting it, nothing, tried contacting what should have been the departure freq, nothing. Program closed, RC4 loaded up.

 

RC4 ain't perfect but at least it only takes a couple seconds to setup and never fails mid flight.

 

Happened to me more than once.

 

Dirk.

The biggest frustration for me about PFE is that I cannot get TGS to work and that includes no audio taxing support.

 

I installed version 1.84 from Areosoft and this did not include TGS so I then installed the cumulative updates which included the TGS guage but although the guage is in the flight panel it remains black and nothing happens.

 

I have been on to PFE support and yes they do reply but it is usually a one liner and it never seems to solve the problem.

 

I don't know whether anyone else experienced this problem and found a solution.

 

Any feedback would be really appreciated because apart from this problem I think it is a great add on and works really well otherwise.

 

MIchael

Did you ask about the standalone TGS system at the official forum or not? Did you copy the gauge to the gauges folder in FS?

I have raised the stand alone guage on the PFE forum and I am waiting for a response.

 

The stand alone guage is not in my folder.

 

Will report back.

What about my other question, there should be a file in that same folder ending with the extension .gau you are supposed to copy that to the FSX Gauges folder if it isn't there already. Thats probably why you are just seeing a black box.

In my FSX Guage folder at the bottom I have the' tgs' file and when I hover the mouse of it gau file comes up.

 

Within my PFE folder I do not have any exe file.

 

Further help would be appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

First of all lets get you seeing what the proper file names are, you sound like you are using Windows 7, so press the Start button and type "folder options" then press return.

 

Next click on the "view" tab and scroll down the list till you see "hide extensions for known file type" and make sure the box is unticked, then click on OK.

 

Now go back to the PFE and FSX folders and see if you can see the files mentioned previously, you should now see the real names of the files rather than the crap Microsoft would rather you see by default.

 

Also what version does PFE say it is when you first launch it? The version number is just below the Oncourse Software banner in the top left.

Hi ,

 

Again thanks for your reply.

 

I have followed your instructions and now 'hide extensions for know file type' is now unticked and yes I am on Windows 7.

 

I have gone back into my PFE folder and have found the PF_Emulator.exe file and hovered the mouse over it and it gives me 2.14.0.0 version created 19.06.

 

What would you like me to do now?

 

Again many thanks for your help-maybe we are on the way to cracking this problem!!

 

Michael

Hi again Andy,

 

Since my last reply to you a few minutes ago I have gone back into FSX transferred the flight plan to PFE etc,then gone back into FSX having asked to be contacted back to FSX and when I went back into the flight panel the TGS guage lit up momentarily with a green arrow and some green dotted lines down each side but then it went and vanished as soon as it appeared.I then went through the push back procedure must there was no more life from the guage nor any audio instructions.I tried this twice and the same thing happened.

 

At least I have seen some life from the guage but it was short lived-slight progress!!

 

I trust this piece of information might assist you.

 

MIchael