Hello All! got a brain teaser here! I'm running Prepar3d v 1.4 with PMDG MD-11 for FSX, no other addons are added - I used FSX2Prepar3d to install the aircraft. Everything works fine except the runway heading vs navigaion display and auto pilot are off. The aircraft dows not follow the localizer on ILS approach and seems to be selecting a different runway approach heading. I've read all there is to read on the subject available on the internet. The standard answer is to use the Flight 1 registry tool which I have in every concivable manner. I realize the aircraft uses the registry to steer its guages to the magdev.bgl file in the simulator (I have replaced this file). All I really need is to see the actual registry entries for some one who does not have this issue and is running the MD in Prepared. Since the flight 1 registry repair tool is kind of a black box I need to know what its output actually is in the registry and what excatly the MD is looking for in the registry (ie. EXE Path, SetupPath, etc.) Photos below show the MD in FS9 on the same KDFW rwy and station dec for VOR TTT at 6E. The other pic shows the MD in Prepar3d on the same rwy the ND display shows the rwy hdg offset of 5 deg (and TTT Stat. Dec at 00 - Im running windows 7 64 BIT so registry entries are in a different location. I appreciate any advice.

The "older" PMDG birds seem to have this issue in both FSX and P3D, particularly with stock airports. For FSX, the Flight 1 Registry tool fixes it, but for P3D I dont believe there is a fix for it.

 

If you fly to any payware airports, there is no issue, but fly to any stock airport, and you have a 10 degree offset, so flying ILS is almost out of the question, but RNAV approaches work fine.

Prepar3d is not a supported simulator.

scandanavian13 thanks for the enlightenment, not sure why you chose to even waste your time writing that response - my question was not "Is Prepard3d a supported simulator". Good news! If it was your answer would be the solution I was looking for. Till then, stop wasting bandwidth and my .3 sec to read your repsonse.

WR269 I hope its not as bleak as that! Does anyone know what exactley the Flight1 registry fix writes in the registry? even the FSX example could lead to a conclusion on P3D.

scandanavian13 thanks for the enlightenment

 

You're welcome for the support!

 

not sure why you chose to even waste your time writing that response - my question was not "Is Prepard3d a supported simulator". Good news! If it was your answer would be the solution I was looking for. Till then, stop wasting bandwidth and my .3 sec to read your repsonse.

 

...because based on your question, you didn't know. Had you known, you probably wouldn't have asked. My Cessna isn't supported as a submarine. I'm not going to go to Cessna's forums and expect support.

 

It really did answer your question, however. The MD-11 was never intended to work in Prepar3d, so the fact that it's not working 100% correctly should be of no surprise to you (as my Cessna as a leaky submarine would be no surprise to me).

 

 

So, from the king of sarcasm and razor responses, I suggest you take your snark elsewhere when it comes to interacting with me. I simply stated a fact because it seemed you did not know. I'll remember how you like to be helped in the future.

 

Good luck in your endeavors ^_^

 

(oh, and sign your name, since it seems as if you neglected to spend your bandwidth and 0.3 sec of your time to educate yourself on that useful bit of information as well)

The MD-11 was never intended to work in Prepar3d,

 

Works fine for me?

Works fine for me?

 

It works, sure, but it wasn't intended for it, so it's not going to work perfectly. That's all I'm trying to say.

The Flight1 registry tool sets the FSX root path in the String Value "AppPath" located in this registry key:

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\10.0

 

If you don't have FSX loaded on the same PC, you could create a dummy FSX directory and place the magdec.bgl in a \scenery\BASE\Scenery\ subfolder in the dummy directory, and then manually set the registry string to point to the dummy FSX directory. In theory, that should allow the panel code for the FSX MD-11 to find the magdec.bgl file where it expects.

 

If that doesn't do it, you may want to try running SysInternal's (freeware)ProcMon utility to look for the path that the panel code is using when it attempts a file read on magdec.bgl.

The reason is quite simple -- but a continual solution for FSX/P3D is far more complex.

 

(1) You have airports that are (mostly) laid out correctly, with their runways orientated correctly with respect to TRUE North.

 

(2) You have a Sim, with Magnetic Variations, that have changed significantly over the past 5-10-15 years, with the sim still having a magnetic variation database that is significantly out of date.

 

(3) You have Nav Data, charts and approach plates from years going back from the Present, to the original ones that match the Sim, when it was released.

 

It really is no wonder that the the Charts indicate a Magnetic heading that could well be significantly those experienced in the simulator !!

 

Typically, Runways do not change their TRUE Heading (unless they are re-located).

 

But if the Charts have Runway Magnetic Headings that are assuming a given year's changing magnetic Variation, but the sim is running on a table with different year's magnetic variation, then the are going to be differences.

 

Even in the REAL world, you will find example where the CURRENT charts have not been updated to correct the Runways Magnetic heading, based on the magentic variation present at the time the chart was released.

 

For Example, ILS Runway 36 at KOSH (Oshkosh). Current Charts are still indicating a Runaway Heading of 359 deg Magnetic, which is based on the Mag-Var from back in the 80's !!

Currently Runway 36 at Kosh has an actual Magnetc heading of about 4.5 deg.

WR269 I hope its not as bleak as that! Does anyone know what exactley the Flight1 registry fix writes in the registry? even the FSX example could lead to a conclusion on P3D.

 

I am not exactly sure what the Registry tool does.this to just the old PMDG heavies...the NGX I believe works fine without the Registry fix, but the MD-11 and 747 do not, so there is something about the way these older birds read the data.

 

The Flight1 registry tool sets the FSX root path in the String Value "AppPath" located in this registry key:

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\10.0

 

If you don't have FSX loaded on the same PC, you could create a dummy FSX directory and place the magdec.bgl in a \scenery\BASE\Scenery\ subfolder in the dummy directory, and then manually set the registry string to point to the dummy FSX directory. In theory, that should allow the panel code for the FSX MD-11 to find the magdec.bgl file where it expects.

 

If that doesn't do it, you may want to try running SysInternal's (freeware)ProcMon utility to look for the path that the panel code is using when it attempts a file read on magdec.bgl.

 

Wonderful suggestion Colonel, many thanks!!

WR269 you solve the problem? How?

Is anyone producing and distributing updated version of magdec.bgl ?

It doesn't really make a difference. I read people fixed this issue by using the Estonia migrator and running P3D in legacy mode.

Is anyone producing and distributing updated version of magdec.bgl ?

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/336155-magnetic-variation-updates-for-fs9-and-fsx/

 

Current MAGDEC is 2010 vintage...in conjunction with the Flight One Reg Repair Tool it will solve the issue.

 

Also easy to install/remove & the NAVAID updates also available from the same place bring FS9/FSX up to date....all provided free of charge to the FS community.