I am merely trying to find out why the users with Acceleration and registered FSUIPC can't open the cowling doors. Thanks, regards, Bob.

Because Microsoft changes something in the tailhook code for Acceleration.

 

There are 4 versions of FSX.

 

RTM, SP1, SP2 and Acceleration.

 

I tested all 3 models of the PA28-140 in all 4 versions of FSX.

 

The tailhook command opens the cowling in all versions except Acceleration.

 

I also tried the Acceleration F/A-18 in all 4 versions and the tailhook only works in Acceleration.

 

The only way we can have working cowls in Acceleration is for the developer to compile the model using the Acceleration version of the SDK.

 

Until he does, I can live without it.

 

Again, FSUIPC has nothing to do with this.

 

regards,

Joe

Hi Joe. OK. Thanks. I appreciate your tests. You just confirmed what we found out too. We don't have any versions anymore other than Acceleration to test it with. I have looked for any info on why SP2 and Acceleration are different with tailhook commands and so far have not found anything. Best regards, Bob

As it turns out I am making an aircraft with a tailhook at the moment and I am using SP2. After reading about the problems with the Piper I got worried so I tested this aircraft on Acceleration (I have this installed on another computer) and fortunately the tailhook on my plane (not the Piper being discussed here) worked just fine in both FSX SP2 and Acceleration.

 

One thing I noticed is the F-18 doesn't seem to have a [Tailhook] section in the aircraft.cfg

 

Does this Piper have a [Tailhook] section in it's aircraft.cfg?

 

If not try something like this in the aircraft.cfg

 

[TailHook]
tailhook_length=7.2
tailhook_position = -16.85,0,-0.55
cable_force_adjust = 1
 

tailhook_length and position are listed in the SDK (under the aircraft.cfg section) as acceleration only parameters although I have seen these parameters with FS9 aircraft and they work in FSX SP2 too (they affect how much the tailhook will extend). Oh! hang on, just had a thought. As the tailhook length and position affect how much tailhook will extend make sure these parameters are well above the plane otherwise it may be the tailhook is hitting the ground and therefore not moving. Remember that the location of the tailhook within the model is irrelevant. It is the tailhook length and position that FSX uses to calculate where the tailhook is.

Ant, I thought you had it.

 

Adding a [Tailhook] section to the F/A-18 fixes it so the tailhook works in SP2.

 

Yes, the Piper has a [Tailhook] section. Commenting out the lines in that section causes the cowling hatches to not work in SP2.

 

This led me to hope that SP2 requires a [Tailhook] section and Acceleration requires no [Tailhook] section.

 

Alas, commenting out the lines in that section for the Piper did not fix the cowling hatches, still no joy.

 

This just gets stranger and stranger.

 

regards,

Joe

Thanks all. I sure hope one of you experts can figure out why the engine doors don't work with Acceleration. All of my tailhook equipped planes work with ACC using Shift-Q. Bob.

Hi Joe

 

Yes, I found the same with the Accel F-18 in SP2. Adding the tailhook section fixes the tailhook for the F18 in SP2.

 

It is strange indeed that the Piper isn't working.

 

I'm downloading the simmarket version now so will have a look at it when I have a free hour or two and see what I can see.

HOORAY.  A solution after a bit of testing and debugging.

 

Edit the aircraft.cfg.

 

There are two [hydraulic_system] entries in the Piper's aircraft.cfg so you need to delete one of them and edit the other so it looks like this: 

 

[hydraulic_system]

normal_pressure = 1000

electric_pumps = 1

engine_map = 1

 

The electric pumps line is important otherwise you never achieve a full 100% hydraulic system integrity. Without the full 100% integrity the doors take a loooooong time to open.

 

The pressure is needed to run the tailhook. This is different from the tailhook behaviour in FSX SP2 version. If you activate the tailhook in SP2 without hydraulic pressure the tailhook will drop but it will not rise. I guess in acceleration you need hydraulic pressure to move the tailhook at all.

Hi Anthony. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really do appreciate your help as well as all the others that answered the thread.

 

They work fine now. Would you mind if I make a post at the DK Forum to give your solution and give you credit. The plane is freeware.

 

One question is that if a user makes these changes and has SP2 will the doors still operate? Otherwise the SP2 only users should leave things alone. If they won't he will have to make note of the changes only for users.

 

Best regards and MANY MANY THANKS, Bob.

Way to go Anthony!!

 

I am a bit surprised that FSX contains this kind of systems dependencies.

 

Now if we can get the tach fixed and I can figure out how to start the thing without using Ctrl+E I might be tempted to use this one a bit.

 

Thanks again Anthony for fixing this for us.

 

And thanks Bob for bringing this addon to our attention.

 

regards,

Joe

Hi Joe. My tach works OK as far as I can see. I cannot start it either per the checklist except with Ctrl-E. I never noted it before and I usually start with the engine running. If the RPM drops below 1,000 the engine will die. I have had this problem on other prop planes. It has something to do with the min throttle limit or the idle rpm scaling factor or the friction. I don't remember exactly which.

 

Overall it's not bad for a freeware plane.

 

Bob.

It is nicely modeled for a freeware.

 

Yeah, it dies if you pull the throttle to idle.

 

Full throttle pegs my tach at 3700+ RPM and I have to pull it back to about half to get under redline. I doubt the real plane revs like that.

 

There are a few other bugs that make it kinda feel like a plane that maybe wasn't maintained all that well.

 

BTW, Ant's tweaks work fine in SP2.

 

regards,

Joe

My tach peaks at 3,350. Still too high. When it reads 1,000 it is right on the verge of the engine stalling which matches the recommended min. idle speed in the checklist.The gauges are in the model so we can't check the scaling.The aircraft.cfg says max. rated rpm is 2,700.

 

You are right it looks like it was not well maintained! I understand that this was a payware plane at some time in th past and was upgraded to FSX.

Feel free to distribute the fix to anyone Bob. No need for a credit even  

 

The tweaks shouldn't make any difference in SP2. Just make sure to delete the duplicate [hydraulic_pressure] entry in the aircraft.cfg. There can be no harm in having two entries but I'm not sure which one FSX reads, the first one or the last one. Better to just avoid confusion and only have one [hydraulic_pressure]

 

This example highlights why it takes so long to develop for FSX. This kind of behaviour just isn't documented anywhere in the SDK and it really is something one has to figure out as you go along (and then hope you remember it next time you need to make a plane). Fortunately I had just made a tailhook for my own plane so I knew that tailhooks in the real world require hydraulic power so I thought that may be one possible solution to the Piper's problem. Fortunately that was the first thing I tried so it didn't take too long to find the fix.

 

One thing I still don't understand though is how come the F-18 in Acceleration doesn't need a Tailhook section in the aircraft.cfg? Now that is strange! And what is even stranger is that the example in the SDK docs describing tailhooks in the aircraft.cfg does show an example of a tailhook entry for the F-18.

 

PS I couldn't start the plane either so I did my usual trick of slewing about a couple of thousand feet and unslewing. That usually gets things started.

Hi Anthony. Thanks. I posted your solution over at the DK Forum and gave you all the credit. We all thank you! Best regards, Bob.

If this is a portover, perhaps you need to keep clicking on the "starter" until it does start...