Senior Citizen help please

Paladin · January 15, 2016

Folks, I am a 72 year old who has recently [Xmas] been gifted a new VRInsight Airbus Panel. All I am trying to do, initially, is to set up this hardware to be used with, say, the FSX Cessna 172. I also have some Saitek Panels, including the "Autopilot" one and the Multi Switch panel. Now, setting up the VRInsight panel to work with default FSX aircraft and using SPAD Next to drive the Saitek Panels, I expected to be able to, for example, push the AP and Alt buttons on the Saitek panel and see which FCU buttons were invoked. Nothing happened. I have Googled until I am blue in the face for a "Total Idiot" guide to setting up the FCU, but failed. I have both the latest Linda Manual and Brian747's beginners guide, but have had no success at all. Could some kind soul offer assistance - a link would be very welcome. I would like to throw away the Saitek Panels and use the VRInsight FCU instead. Thanks for reading this plea for help and thanks in advance for any assistance given. Regards to all.

M.

ps My main sim is P3D V3.1, but if I can get FSX working then readacross to P3D should be easy

ScotFlieger · January 15, 2016

Hi Paladin

The VRi Airbus FCU panel is great add-on to P3Dv3.1 or FSX.

You may find this installation guide I put together useful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrH6ZWrGNsU as you say you have read the manual. The release notes which come with the LINDA 2.6.7 should also be read. I think we should start by getting LINDA working with your new FCU panel. Unless you have the A2A C172, I suggest you try the default Moony Bravo or Beech Baron 58 in P3D.

Before you can start using LINDA you need the latest full paid P3Dv3 version of FSUIPC4.

LINDA handles the Airbus FCU, Saitek Panels and Joysticks are separate devices. The Airbus FCU needs the VRi drivers installed but you do not need to run VRiSim.exe. Have you got LINDA talking to the FCU panel? Make sure you config the correct COM port select Airbus FCU and save. Then restart LINDA. With the default Cessna 172, the FCU panel should display FSX Default as the aircraft type. Sometimes when initially setting up a new aircraft you may need to restart P3D and LINDA to get things working together.

I won't cover the Saitek panels yet only to say that you cannot have SPAD and LINDA working together.

To enable me to diagnose where any problems you are please follow this link and send me the LINDA console readout as described.

Good luck.

Paladin · January 16, 2016

ScotFlieger, many thanks for your response and the offer of help. Whilst I do have the A2A C172, it is currently not installed, I will correct that this morning. FSUIPC paid version is installed at the latest current version from Pete Dowson's site. I believe that everything is working correctly, as all the LINDA text entries are in "green". The FCU correctly loads the FSX Default Module OK and I can hover the mouse over the diagrams and see what the corresponding buttons are programmed to do. I also have the Aerosoft Airbus and, when this Aircraft is selected, the FCU correctly loads that LINDA Module. I will remove the SPAD Next software and then load up the A2A C172, with its LINDA module installed and post the console output. I think that everything is working correctly and that it is my [mis]understanding of how to do what is necessary to correctly invoke the required action. eg engage the autopilot to get me from A to B on a "simple" aircraft..

The OS is Windows 10, fully updated, if that makes any difference.

I suspect that it's a little cool up there with you this morning, as it is still sitting at 0 degrees in South Somerset just now.

My son lives in Tayport [Dundee] and has, December, given up flying for Logan Air up there and is currently in the Netherlands training to be a First Officer on 737's - lucky man.

OK then ScotFlieger, I will away to town with the other half and sort out what is needed on our return. Thanks again for your offer on this great piece of software. Best Regards.

M.

EDIT: I have not even put the button captions on just yet as I have been unable to find a decent "picture" of what might be best :(

Paladin · January 16, 2016

ScotFlieger, per your request, this is the console output from a newly installed A2A Cessna 172. I am able to adjust Altitude etc on the FCU and I am confident that you will discover that all is well. Without rudder pedals setup yet, I am unable to fly it until I discover where to set autorudder etc. I hope this helps. Best Regards,

M.

************************** START *************************

LUA.1: [sTART] Loading...

LUA.1: [sTART] VRInsight MCP Set = mcp2a

LUA.1: [sTART] New Aircraft Selected - restarting...

LUA.1: [sTART] Aircraft: C172R default

LUA.1: [sTART] Air file: C:\Prepar3D v3\SimObjects\Airplanes\A2A_C172\C172.air

LUA.1: [sTART] Aircraft module detected: A2A Cessna 172R

LUA.0: [iNIT] Starting Initialisation...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-aivlasoft

LUA.0: [LIB] AivlaSoft library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-ATC

LUA.0: [LIB] ATC library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-fallback

LUA.0: [LIB] FSX standard library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-FS2Crew

LUA.0: [LIB] FS2Crew library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-fsx

LUA.0: [LIB] FSX Functions loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-IVAO

LUA.0: [LIB] IVAO library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-realityxp

LUA.0: [LIB] RealityXP library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-saitek

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-user

LUA.0: [LIB] User Library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-VATSIM

LUA.0: [LIB] VATSIM library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-vrinsight

LUA.0: [LIB] VRInsight Function Library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-weather

LUA.0: [LIB] Weather library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] loading optional library: linda/libs/lib-a2amap

LUA.0: [LIB] A2A MAP library loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] Initializing Common Variables...

LUA.0: [iNIT] User GLOBAL config loaded...

LUA.0: [uSER] User's modifications script is loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] User FUNCTIONS loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] VRI MCP config loaded...

LUA.0: [iNIT] Finalising Initialisation...

LUA.0: [iNIT] Initialising HID devices...

LUA.0: [iNIT] Loading A2A Cessna 172R joysticks config...

LUA.0: [COMM] Checking VRI

LUA.0: [COMM] Enabling VRI

LUA.0: [COMM] ConnectMCP - Connecting to MCP Panel...

LUA.0: [COMM] ConnectMCP completed - 265283772

LUA.0: [COMM] InitMCP - Initialising MCP...

LUA.0: [COMM] Initializing MCP2a (Airbus) - Default...

LUA.0: [COMM] RADIOS : Empty command for :: COM1 Select

LUA.0: [COMM] InitMCP - completed

LUA.0: [COMM] MCP Started...

LUA.0: [COMM] Starting Saitek Panels ..

LUA.0: [iNIT] Module: A2A Cessna 172R Started...

LUA.0: [iNIT] Initiating Autosave true

LUA.0: [iNIT] Ready to go, Captain!