J41 major issue

[tonyc 0]

Whilst I agree this sim is an excellent rendition of the real thing I have one major issue that I have spent over a day trying to solve regarding the cockpit condition on sim loading.

 

If I close my PC and start FSX from scratch then load the J41 tutorial flight I get a cockpit that is truly cold and dark which responds to the instructions of the tutorial. However if I try to move the aircraft to a different location or change the aircraft to a liveried type all kinds of weird things happen! Most importantly switches like the battery masters and GPU show me they are ON when I hover my mouse over them but they never light up! The avionics masters show as on but don't switch on the HSI or cockpit screens. As a result if you try to continue with FMC programming it dies on you half way through programming presumably because the battery dies as there is no power (even though it shows you there is on the overhead when hovering the mouse).

 

I have read various threads where people have had the same problem and suggestions such as loading the Cessna 172 first cold and dark, etc have been suggested. I have tried every workaround I know but its no use.

 

The other very odd thing is even when I close down FSX and load the tutorial flight again it loads in the same "corrupt" way rather than in its proper cold and dark format. Weird!!!

 

I should add that my FSX is loaded with the default Trike flight at Friday Harbour just as the PMDG guide to such problems suggests.

 

It is something I have never in 20 years of simming come up against and I have to say that despite all the great things that are said about PMDG I am less than impressed with what should be the most basic of sim needs, loading an aircraft in a state I can use. As my flying is for VAs I need to load this aircraft with engines off and then be able to programme it like any other. Thus far I am not impressed.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Thus far I am not impressed.

 

Honestly, statements like that usually make me shy away from offering help because it puts off the impression that the user thinks it's all the developer's fault, when in this case, I'm 99% sure it's user error.

 

First - this is less the case with the JS4100, but any complex aircraft should not be loaded on top of itself (load a JS4100 in one livery and then switch directly to the JS4100 in another livery).

 

Second - this plane does not come with set panel states like the rest of the PMDG planes.  So, you can either load a saved flight (like the tutorial), or you can load the C172, shut it down, and load the JS41, taking care to clean things up yourself; or you can download the JS41 LUA script that's out there (I don't do this, so that's all I can say about it - I'm sure the LUA download offers instructions that are sufficient).  FS2Crew can also do this for you.

 

 

 

The procedure I use for getting yourself set up with the JS4100 is as follows:

1. Load FSX.
2. Load the C172 wherever I intend to load the JS4100.
3. Shut the C172 down completely.
4. Load the JS4100 (and I hold the F2 key when you hear the engine noise as it loads, just for good measure)
5. Turn the BATTs OFF (you'll know the batts are on when you hear the *DING DING DING* of the CAP), and ensure the GENs are OFF.
6. [if you're interested, run through the checklist to clean up the switches into their right positions - without doing this, you're reasonably fine, though.]
7. SHIFT+2 to open the Ramp Manager - click on the GPU icon.
8. Go back into the plane, turn the BATTs ON, and then select the GPU.

The plane will sit in this state forever if you want it to.  Preflight like normal.

 

PROFIT.

[tonyc 0]

Hi Kyle

 

Firstly my thanks for answering so promptly and also for the "workaround" which indeed has worked well.

 

However my comments regarding being less than impressed has to be valid for any payware simulation that very clearly has purchasers pulling out their hair due a "peculiarity" which, judging from the posts I have read, has been commented about since the aircraft was published some years ago!

 

I would fairly have expected any simulator publisher (let alone PMDG with their reputation) to have got the developer to update the sim or its config manager to simplify this procedure. I certainly don't know of any comparable sim that requires loading via another aircraft.

 

Anyway Kyle I thank you very much for your time and am truly grateful for your help. In fact do you not think that your answer to me was so good it should be a sticky to save anymore individuals going through the same trauma?

 

Tony

[ckyliu 1,749]

I think it would require a lot of extra code from PMDG to get load/save panel states in the J41, since there's no code at all for saving or setting individual switch states. Whilst such a function would be very nice to have (principally for reloading flights when FSX crashes!) I don't consider it a deal breaker since I can shut the aircraft down myself in under a minute.

 

At any rate, PMDG ruled out any further J41 development years ago, although we may get a few extra features if they chose to do a P3D version.

[qqwertz 781]

If you own the registered version of FSUIPC: there is a Lua script that shuts down the JS4100 nicely.

 

As for "peculiarities" with payware airplanes: almost all of mine have one issue or the other on my system. The JS41 doesn't want to be reloaded, the Razbam Metroliner needs to be reloaded. The map view on the PMDG 777 can only be accessed when you click on the FCDU, not when you use the keyboard to open it. The Majestic Dash 8 makes a mess when used with FSCaptain, and and and

 

However, if I find at least one way to get a product working on my system then I am satisfied. All of the planes mentioned above are amongst my favorites and they are a joy to fly.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[tonyc 0]

 

 

At any rate, PMDG ruled out any further J41 development years ago, although we may get a few extra features if they chose to do a P3D version.

 

 

Well that explains it. Though it doesn't excuse what should have happened.

 

If you own the registered version of FSUIPC: there is a Lua script that shuts down the JS4100 nicely.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

Sorry Peter I have no idea what a Lua script is and yes I have a registered version of FSUIPC.

 

Again thanks all for your kind assistance perhaps what I am alluding to is payware aircraft should be under constant development where improvements can be made. To be honest I have the Majestic Q400 and it is "challenging" but excellent to fly! I don't use FS Captain with it but this is a seperate add on and I would perhaps expect issues where they are related to addons of my choice. Just not to the original basic aircraft. I don't have the PMDG 777 so I can't comment but again it sounds like something the developer could and should correct in an update.

 

Anyway thanks again guys I really appreciate the help and chat even if we don't all have the same view.

 

Tony

[WotanUK 289]

 

 

payware aircraft should be under constant development

 

What, forever?  Seriously?  The J41 is 5 years old, only 2 years younger than FSX itself.  FSX is no longer under development by Microsoft, that would be the cause of many of the issues you have alluded to above.  Should Microsoft still be actively developing FS1.0??

 

 

 

(let alone PMDG with their reputation) to have got the developer to update the sim

 

So you also expect PMDG to order Microsoft to fix issues with the sim they abandoned, i can sure see that working out well.

 

 

The Majestic Dash 8 makes a mess when used with FSCaptain

 

It can be used, with some caveats.  Simulate the load, turn off the detect failures option, mark Lights and Anti-Ice as INOP.

[qqwertz 781]

@Tonyc:

As you own a registered FSUIPC I suggest to read a bit about Lua scripts in the documentation. The possibilities are amazing and you don't have to do any programming to use existing scripts. The JS4100 script can be found at http://forum.avsim.net/topic/276481-js41-cold-and-dark-lua-script/

 

It is fairly easy to set up. essentially you have to set up a keyboard shortcut in FSUIPC to start the script.

[pete_auau 1,158]

The best way is  to get fs2 crew  for the js4100 and it will set everything  to a cold  and dark state for ya, and  the best part is  that you have  a co pilot next to you

[ailchim 206]

You've come 5 years late to the JS41 and so have probably overlooked the fact that it was developed by PMDG partly to test new development tools they've (presumably) used  since on the NGX and 777.  It was made clear at the time that it wouldn't get the same level of development as a full-blown PMDG product.  

 

You'll note that it sells for $45 compared to $80 for the MD11 that went before it and $70 for the NGX which came after it.  I suspect that the development effort in the JS41, considering it's a turboprop with unusual engines, was disproportionate to the income they got for it.

[tonyc 0]

You've come 5 years late to the JS41 and so have probably overlooked the fact that it was developed by PMDG partly to test new development tools they've (presumably) used  since on the NGX and 777.  It was made clear at the time that it wouldn't get the same level of development as a full-blown PMDG product.  

 

You'll note that it sells for $45 compared to $80 for the MD11 that went before it and $70 for the NGX which came after it.  I suspect that the development effort in the JS41, considering it's a turboprop with unusual engines, was disproportionate to the income they got for it.

 

Of all the answers re my expectations this is by far the most sensible.

 

I understand where you are coming from its simply that whether it is selling for $45 or $85 all I am suggesting is that at the very least any new buyers are warned of its shortcomings BEFORE they buy it (assuming they are not expecting to spend hours online reseaching if it is good because they naturally assume if it is PMDG it will be) and certainly a simple addendum to the manual is added with a workaround as Kyle kindly provided. This would take no development work, cost practically nothing, stop the necessity for new buyers having to spend hours trying to get the thing to work and the heated debates on forums such as this. Oh and yes of course would do no harm in helping to retain the PMDG image which for me, though I have the 747 and MD11, has been dented but certainly not beyond repair!