Aerosoft DC-8 Lighting Fix & Classic Jets in General

[Tim_Capps 474]

I've been flying the very nice Aerosoft DC-8-50 and finally got tired of the anemic night lighting. (Worse than I remember; but I had not updated my drivers in a year or more--not been doing this much lately.) I used FSLSpotlights to start fixing each individual dial, etc. and was pleased. But when I started messing with a dome light, I discovered that it brought all the dials to life at night without even having to make the cockpit very bright. So, the easy fix is to use one FSLSpotlilght cockpit light and the dials somehow pop without a glary look. FSLSpotlights is not really hard to configure; it just requires some patience. (If I can do it, it can't be hard.) So, that's one pretty easy fix if you're still flying this classic jet and displeased with the night lighting.

I went ahead and made a fairly elaborate complete setup to include separate source lighting for panel, overhead and engineer's station, plus landing and taxi lights. I also kept the captain's side individual dials and added some variations to a few gauges to give a bit of "older" ambience (at least at night) that the textures unfortunately lack. I don't know who else is still using this airplane, but thought I'd mention it.

While in a different category, the JustFlight DC-8 series is still fun, and I have a different mod that improves the night lighting (an actual texture mod, not FSLSpotlights) and some other problems with the original. It's not mine, and I don't know if it ever got made generally available. It's still a decent airplane and looks better, in my opinion, plus you get more models. The over-complicated DC-8 fuel system does work btw, even without the mod--just not like the real thing (or the way the JF manual explains it).

One of the reason's I'm still with P3D is the access to a nice selection of classic jets. Besides the DC-8s, there are Coolsky's great DC-9 series (complete with an ONS version!) and Captain Sim's L1011 (JF has a decent 500) and 737-200 (with an extensive mod available). Also JF's VC10. That last seems to pose a dilemma: the later version gives you a working INS, but the startup sequence is unworkable; the earlier one, if you can find it, starts according to the manual but lacks a working INS. Oh, and David Maltby's BAC-111 series is wonderful--better than JF's version, which is plagued by the usual JF eccentricities.

Finally, while not a jet, thought I'd mention Hauke Keitel's crazy-good freeware Fw 200 Condor. I had given it a pass due to its complexity and German documentation, but got things translated well enough to get it into the air. Worth a look if you haven't checked it out.

[seamaster55 75]

Presumably your using a 32 bit version of p3d, one of the earlier versions, as fsx models bits & pieces fail to appear in p3d v5.4?😒

[Blasb 47]

1 hour ago, seamaster55 said:

Presumably your using a 32 bit version of p3d, one of the earlier versions, as fsx models bits & pieces fail to appear in p3d v5.4?😒

He doesn't have to be though, Aerosoft DC-8, Just flight DC-8, the Coolsky DC-9, Just Flight VC10 (not professional version), the Captain Sim Tristar as well as the Boeing 737-200 all work in P3Dv5 (and apart from this I also have e.g. the HJG Mercure working as well). P3D definitely has some great old aircraft for us to enjoy! 🙂

[Tim_Capps 474]

This is 5.2 and these are all P3D airplanes. The Aerosoft DC-8 required a registry trick to work. The VC10 Pro (weirdly) did actually work, except as noted. I prefer the non-Pro version, though, in P3D 5.2. The rest work just fine without any bother, although the mods help a lot.

[jkeye 152]

On 10/30/2023 at 7:42 PM, Tim_Capps said:

I've been flying the very nice Aerosoft DC-8-50 and finally got tired of the anemic night lighting. (Worse than I remember; but I had not updated my drivers in a year or more--not been doing this much lately.) I used FSLSpotlights to start fixing each individual dial, etc. and was pleased. But when I started messing with a dome light, I discovered that it brought all the dials to life at night without even having to make the cockpit very bright. So, the easy fix is to use one FSLSpotlilght cockpit light and the dials somehow pop without a glary look. FSLSpotlights is not really hard to configure; it just requires some patience. (If I can do it, it can't be hard.) So, that's one pretty easy fix if you're still flying this classic jet and displeased with the night lighting.

I went ahead and made a fairly elaborate complete setup to include separate source lighting for panel, overhead and engineer's station, plus landing and taxi lights. I also kept the captain's side individual dials and added some variations to a few gauges to give a bit of "older" ambience (at least at night) that the textures unfortunately lack. I don't know who else is still using this airplane, but thought I'd mention it.

While in a different category, the JustFlight DC-8 series is still fun, and I have a different mod that improves the night lighting (an actual texture mod, not FSLSpotlights) and some other problems with the original. It's not mine, and I don't know if it ever got made generally available. It's still a decent airplane and looks better, in my opinion, plus you get more models. The over-complicated DC-8 fuel system does work btw, even without the mod--just not like the real thing (or the way the JF manual explains it).

One of the reason's I'm still with P3D is the access to a nice selection of classic jets. Besides the DC-8s, there are Coolsky's great DC-9 series (complete with an ONS version!) and Captain Sim's L1011 (JF has a decent 500) and 737-200 (with an extensive mod available). Also JF's VC10. That last seems to pose a dilemma: the later version gives you a working INS, but the startup sequence is unworkable; the earlier one, if you can find it, starts according to the manual but lacks a working INS. Oh, and David Maltby's BAC-111 series is wonderful--better than JF's version, which is plagued by the usual JF eccentricities.

Finally, while not a jet, thought I'd mention Hauke Keitel's crazy-good freeware Fw 200 Condor. I had given it a pass due to its complexity and German documentation, but got things translated well enough to get it into the air. Worth a look if you haven't checked it out.

Hi

I don't have the DC8 but would like your help with the Vc10.

I tried it in P3D v6 but it refuses to climb to high altitudes and falls out of the sky making it unusable for me. 

Do you have any suggestions as I love the plane otherwise

Thanks

Jay

[Tim_Capps 474]

54 minutes ago, jkeye said:

I tried it in P3D v6

Sorry, but I don't have v6. Usually, if it will load, it will fly. I never had any trouble like you've described in v5.2. If you've worked through the tutorial flight and it's nothing procedural, I don't know--might be specific to v6. Yeah, it's a fun airplane with a fascinating, if relatively less-than-successful, history.

[jkeye 152]

2 hours ago, Tim_Capps said:

Sorry, but I don't have v6. Usually, if it will load, it will fly. I never had any trouble like you've described in v5.2. If you've worked through the tutorial flight and it's nothing procedural, I don't know--might be specific to v6. Yeah, it's a fun airplane with a fascinating, if relatively less-than-successful, history.

OK thanks for the info

[seamaster55 75]

On 10/30/2023 at 11:03 PM, Blasb said:

He doesn't have to be though, Aerosoft DC-8, Just flight DC-8, the Coolsky DC-9, Just Flight VC10 (not professional version), the Captain Sim Tristar as well as the Boeing 737-200 all work in P3Dv5 (and apart from this I also have e.g. the HJG Mercure working as well). P3D definitely has some great old aircraft for us to enjoy! 🙂

Hmm, interesting, thought someone might reply who are using the DC-8 in later versions of p3d. Thanks.

Just bought the Virtavia B-29, that works in p3d 5.4, but had to change a graphics setting so the cockpit windows wouldn't shine through the lower fuselage, also leans over to starboard a little while in nav or heading mode, wing leveler button fixes that, but also switches off nav or heading mode, just can't win can you?