I'm sure that most flightsim fans have already upgraded the default Cessna 172 with the excellent (freeware) flight model from RealAir Simulations.www.realairsimulations.comAnother major improvement can be had by upgrading the main gauges with the new (payware) FLT gauges from Reality XP, www.reality-xp.comHere are some pictures from my system, having upgraded both the C172 and the Carenado C182 :-)The Garmin VOR indicators come with the Reality XP Garmin GPS packages. If you do not have them, you can keep the default VOR indicators as in the VC picture.The new gauges not only look good... they are unbelievably smooth, especially in a framerate friendly airplane like the default C172.I've uploaded the C172 modifications to the Reality XP User Files page.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/135493.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/135494.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/135495.jpg

Bert,Excellent shots! The only "issue" I see with using the R-XP gauges on the default panel is the loss of the rivets around the gauges. I'm sure some ambitious individual out there is willing to make a modification to the 2-D bitmap to fix that. ;)Owen

Not "rivets", Owen, "screws"! ;-)Now, don't give J-L any ideas, as he'll kill more time making a "screw / no screw" option for the gauges, and also allow one to change the color of the screws! :-lolWe need "Captain Picard" doing other things. Right, J-L? ;-)Regards,http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...R_FORUM_LOU.jpg

Owen I posted similar mods for both aircraft to the RXP site. I do have a bitmap with the gauge screws added, though its separate. If you want it, email me ejoiner2 AT Bellsouth.netWhats also nice is that the gauges pop up.http://www.planeprofiles.com/pics/msc172_1.jpgEric

Hahaha - screws, rivets - they all look the same to a modeller! :) Nah - I don't think that J-L should go and create them - placement would be awful to get right. Best,Owen

Actually Lou, the screw/no screw thing is significant. There are a number of payware planes, including Carenado's C206 and C210 that have the screws built into the default gauges with shadows painted directly on the panel bitmaps. (same as the default C172.) This can be overcome etc by direct editing of the panel bitmap at the user level. However to keep you payware guys copyrights in tact, those obviously cant be distributed without special dispensation and usually an exe installer to verify legit purchase. (I did do some significant panel mods on Carenado's T-34 a while back and they were cool about it as I asked first and they did the installer thingie.) Would be alot easier if the screw/ no screw thing were in the RXP gauges as has been done in the past with the RXP JL2 gauges etc.On you guys fabulous A36 Bonanza at least the screws are painted fully on the bitmap and this then becomes a non-issue. Of course refits are always customized.Eric

That is a very valid point and actually worth to be considered in the next Flight Line T version, along with octogonal bezels like in the Caravan gauges!As for modified bitmap, in my opinion there is a very simple way: use a patch maker like the freeware version found here:www.clickteam.comThe advantage is obvious:1) you don't distribute the original, or the modified bitmap. You just distribute the delta-differences between the original and the modified bitmap. That is, the information you are giving away does not fully contain either bitmap2) the patch will only run if you have the original bitmap already on your hard drive, which at best, means you have purchase the product.Using patch maker is like sending an email to someone telling: change pixel 0,0 with color red and change pixel 10,30 with color blue. Nothing more, nothing less, except it is fully automated.In any case, it is always a good and courteous habit to first ask vendors for permission. At least, the patch maker solution is interesting since it still protects the intellectual property of the vendor (the bitmap), from being spreaded out in the wild: the patch maker requires the original on the disk, and only contains modification/delta differences between the original and the modified!Last but not least: a patch is way smaller to distribute than a full bitmap as well!Hope this helps!

Can I have just Pop up guages (Reality T gugages) and not change the panel of my aircrafts?Manny

Sure. If you buy the RXP gauges, the refits are available. You may keep the same panel of course.