So few float planes...

[Guest etheberge]

I think he meant the FS9 freeware Maule available here. I believe it comes with a float version.-Erik T.

[GaryGB 10]

>The Maule is a flyable aircraft only in the DeLuxe version of>FSX. >>Jeff Shyluk>Senior Staff Reviewer, AvsimHi Jeff:I was unaware of any limitation of legacy aircraft features when loaded in the Standard FSX version versus the Deluxe FSX version.Could you tell me some more about that? :-roll I recommend this aircraft a lot, and although I do personally use FSX Deluxe, I would want to know if there actually is a disclaimer or work around that I might wish to include with my recommendations for downloading the excellent Maule M-7-260 freeware (7 models!) by Mikko Maliniemi.I edited my Maule M-7-260 freeware sound.cfg to use the sounds for the default FSX Maule and it works wonderfully.The complete set of files (with updates) is at:http://files.fsnordic.net/cgi-bin/file/sea...eyword&bool=andHappy Flying! :-)GaryGB

[Guest jshyluk]

I honestly don't know much about importing legacy aircraft into FSX. I think of it as a "grey area" in terms of copyright, and so on the side of caution, I don't import them into FSX. As far as the FSX Maule is concerned, there is a Maule Orion that is native to the program. In the Standard version, it's an AI plane only, and it appears to haul your glider into the air. In the DeLuxe version, the Maule is fully flyable. Jeff ShylukSenior Staff Reviewer, Avsim

[GaryGB 10]

Hi Jeff:Thanks for taking a moment to reply.I believe a majority of FS2kX legacy aircraft can be used in FSX; the Maule is an excellent example of a freeware model (7 actually!) that was designed and built so well for FS9 that it seems to have no problems in FSX even with propeller visibility.The Sound.cfg file can be "aliased" from one aircraft's original sound files (many freeware and even payware aircraft do not have their own sound files!) so that it uses those of another aircraft's files... without violating copyright.And one can also open in NotePad, the Sound.cfg file for the FSX default Maule side-by-side with the Sound.cfg file for the freeware Maule, and edit the freeware sound file names so that they use the surround-encoded ones from the default FSX Maule.Copying those default FSX Maule files over into the Sound folders under the freeware Maule so that they can be run "locally" under the folder chain of the freeware aircraft is essentially no different than "aliasing" sounds, in that one is normally only able to fly "1" aircraft at a time in FS using those sound files.One would NOT, of course, expect to be allowed by Microsoft to make a copy of the default FSX Maule sound files (or any other default FS file for that matter) for use on an entirely separate computer (say... a friend who does NOT own FSX?) so that they can enjoy a surround encoded freeware Maule flight (the FSX sound files do work in FS9!).Certainly this is not further intended as a tutorial to illustrate for example, that if one owns the excellent RealAir Simulations Scout Amphibian package for FSX, one could also back up the freeware "Maule.air" file inside the Maule M7-260 Amphibian folder, then substitute instead the "RASScout2007_Amph.air" from the Air Scout 2007 Amphibian under the name "Maule.air" for a remarkably different flying experience in "1 active instance" of FSX on one's own computer with the software one has purchased! :-halo Those legacy aircraft that work acceptably in FSX will do so if their folder chain is placed in the {FSX install path}SimObjectsAirplanes folder along with their pertinent gauges, sounds, and effects (with any associated effect textures) in the appropriate matching FSX folders. Any required (but FSX compatible) modules must also be transferred over to a {FSX install path}Modules folder too (create that folder as needed!).To allow an image to display in the FSX aircraft pick list, a "Thumbnail.jpg" must be prepared and placed in each associated texture folder in the nested folder chain of each aircraft model; however these are not required for the aircraft to be detected and listed by FSX when it loads.In the case of some payware aircraft, they would likely all be intended for use only on one computer. I doubt, however that anyone can run more than 1 simultaneous instance of FS on their system at a time, and if they did they would not get acceptable performance in either instance of FS!So, if the aircraft is used interchangeably (1 FS session at a time) in EITHER FS9 or FSX but ONLY on 1 computer system belonging to the registered owner of that payware aircraft, I believe it would be irrelevant to the purchaser or the payware author (unless the author actually does make BOTH an FS9 and a FSX version that they want to sell for use in each instance of FS on their customer's computer).And of course, some payware uses special installation configurations that allow aircraft to work only when run from specific folder locations; in some cases they additionally check which version of FS is attempting to use them.But if an author does NOT make more than 1 version of an aircraft, and they know that the purchaser cannot run more than 1 instance of FS on their computer at the same time, I doubt they would anticipate having or even asking their customer to buy another copy of an aircraft just to use in FSX.One might also, IMHO, NOT reasonably expect a user to refrain from clicking on "Add an Area" in the FSX Scenery Library user interface to utilize a previously purchased FS9 add-on scenery package from the original FS9 install location for use in their "1 active instance of FS" (in this case... FSX) running on their computer while flying! Components installed by such a scenery package somewhere outside its own folder chain into {FS9 install path}Addon SceneryScenery, and {FS9 install path}Addon SceneryTexture etc. would of course, also have to copied over to a matching location in FSX in order for the scenery to work properly.Of course, opinions may vary in such scenarios!Although I have read that Microsoft expects users of Microsoft Virtual PC to purchase another copy of their OS to use inside the Virtual PC, this is only because IMHO it presumably is running concurrent with the original OS copy.Hmmm... one might reasonably wonder if computer manufacturers are paying Microsoft for 2 licenses when they create a system restore "image" file on a hidden partition, or if they simply exercising a perceived right to do that (on behalf of their purchaser?) under the U.S. Copyright laws which allow owners (read: end purchaser) to make 1 archival backup of something (regardless of obfuscation imparted by boilerplate wording in EULAs!).And what about the licensing on the "pre-install environment OS" on the computer's reinstall/restore image which some manufacturers also provide to the purchaser on removable CD or DVD media?If they are not the purchaser and they are not paying Microsoft for another OS license, perhaps they are not being pursued by Microsoft because they realize only 1 instance of the OS can be used at a time?Certainly less fun to spend time pondering these issues instead of having fun flying in our purchased "single active instance" of FS using our single active instance of a purchased aircraft or scenery package, or... one of the many excellent freeware creations out there! :-lol Happy Flying! :-) GaryGB

[Guest hefy_jefy]

Hi all,I read this entire post with some interest. I would really like an FSX version of the Noordyun Norseman on floats, I just tried the famous Brian Gladden version. It loaded up with multiple warnings about various guages not being compatible but eventually it seemed to work, at least in the air...On the water however it sank until it was almost submerged.Is there a way to correct this problem? I never messed around with any flight model files.Geoff

[Guest dpc]

A high quality Lake Renegade would be sweet!