Within the online environment we, an online ATO, use the FSX default C172 as a basic trainer. We have discovered an anomaly with the fuel cut-off switch.

In the virtual cockpit the switch works in the reverse sense - it has to be pulled OUT to switch to ON/OPEN, and pushed in to switch OFF/CLOSED. The anomaly is that when using the 2D panel the switch works in the correct sense (and in accord with the decal).

Does anyone know a fix so that the virtual cockpit presentation also works in the correct sense?

Those reading the FS2004(FS9) forum will see that I have been able to 'fix' a similar incorrectly working switch by opening a texture file and re-naming the  two switch .bmp picture files. I have looked in the FSX default C172 texture files and cannot find similar files.

As always, any help will be much appreciated as it will remove an item of unecessary confusion in student minds.

Very interesting anomaly! And one I've never looked at before.  It is kind of weird that the VC panel shows a similar looking red knob in the same position as in the 2D panel, but nonoperational.  Then scanning down to find the actual cutoff knob and labeled incorrectly.

To look at the textures you will need a program called DXTbmp which is available for free.  Just do a Google search for it.  I did a quick look in the Texture folder of the C172 at the C172_Interior_T.dds file and it showed the area of the VC switch but no lettering.

There may be a .xml file hidden somewhere that may be able to change how the VC knob works but may be difficult to locate.

I was doing a little more looking through the different .dds textures for the C-172.  The wording on the console panel is in the Texture folder and is C172_InteriorT.dds.  This is what it looks like using DXTBMP. The red arrow is my attempt to point it out! Keep in mind the picture is upside-down and backwards.

Actually there are two red knobs - the upper one is 'alternate static air', the lower one is the fuel cut-off valve. On mine the alt static air does move as required, but don't know if it actually functions.

The C172_interior_T.dds file shows the black square background. A friend has made a temporary fix by adding a label to that file so that it indicates the function. It's not ideal but there is no mistaking which way the push/pull switch works.

I've been told that the problem lies within the source code of the model, which means MS have it. So unless someone has access to that code it can't be changed  :(

Edited March 6, 20188 yr by John Pettit