Rocky

EasyFMC, the successful universal FMC, is now available for Prepar3D v2. This add-on lets you plan your flight in a simple and easy way, using the simulator internal database (no need of a specific navigation database). It is fully compliant with the integrated GPS for route display and supports all the VOR, NDB, airports, intersections for route creation. Tested with Prepar3D v2.4 and 2.5. For more information: http://emarciano.free.fr/EZFMC

Good news Guys, it finally appears that it should be doable. The 2 most difficult things were the ability to detect AI aircraft activity (possibly without requiring FSUIPC) and the ability to play 3D sounds according to the relative positions of the aircrafts. The first one is almost solved, and it should soon be the same for the second. It doesn't mean the project is finished, but it is doable. I will keep you posted soon, after my summer vacations. Eric

Hello everyone, I come back to this discussion because I have no pending project at this time and I could spend a little time thinking about this project. I thought I was able to develop a similar software, but sound is not my expertise and it appears it is not as easy as I thought, especially to simulate the direction the sound comes from (playing with the left/right volume), I don't know how to do this. What I mean here is that it is not only a problem of "business" and potential market, it is also a problem of technical expertise. Eric

Everything that was written here is correct, but there is a situation where getting rid of the window borders is difficult. If you have several monitors and want to have a separate gauge on a second monitor, you have to undock it and the window frame appears. This is what fs9 Toolbox fetaure was designed for. But if you fly on a single monitor, this feature is most probably useless. Eric

If you fly fs9, you should try fs9 Toolbox v2, it has a specific feature for this need. It works even in windowed mode (useful if you have several monitors) but works for fs9 only. If you want to have a look: http://emarciano.free.fr/fs9tbx2 Eric

No, the automatic installer works for the payware version only. Eric

Ian, Your story is amazing and your enthusiasm always enjoyable but the ones who read your stories. I also like the AlphaSim/Virtavia aircrafts, including the F-111. You should have a look at the SimScape F-16 (www.simscape.fr). It is based on the geat freeware F-16 by Kirk Olsson but it bring a nice HUD that can go full screen using the mini-panel mode. It also provides a great flying experience at low level with very good FPS. It works for both fs9 and FSX. I like it much Eric

I know my Radar Gauge version 2.0 for fs9 has been released 5 years ago but still, I wanted to let you all know that an automatic installer is now available for free. This utility automatically updates the panel.cfg for you, it is perfect for virtual pilots who are pilots and not experts in modifying a configuration file... For more information, see my website: http://emarciano.free.fr Eric

I know my Radar Gauge version 2.0 has been released 5 years ago but still, I wanted to let you all know that an automatic installer is now available for free. This utility automatically updates the panel.cfg for you, it is perfect for virtual pilots who are pilots and not experts in modifying a configuration file... For more information, see my website: http://emarciano.free.fr Eric

Thank you for your nice words, I'm so happy you enjoyed my freeware work, this is my best reward. I found a YouTube video of Masquerade, it reminds me so good souvenirs... Here it is: Eric

I can't believe we can have this kind of discussion on AVSIM, I am so happy to see people who played the same games as me when I was young If you liked Dark Crystal on Apple II (I mean, Apple ][), you certainly the remember the one that I still remember as being the best: MASQUERADE. Unfortunately, I don't have an Apple II emulator so I can't provide screenshots or videos, but it was a great game !! BTW, how do you run old PC games? Do they run on XP or do you use DOSBox? Eric

I had the same question as yours and I found the answer: Thrustmaster T1600. It appears it is almost the only joystick that can be configured for left or right hand (very easily). In addition, it is a very good stick, its hall effect brings a very good feeling, the closest from the real thing. I had the luck to fly Level-D A320 and A340 sims so I can tell how the real stick feels. Last good news, it is quite cheap :) The only detail I don't like is the base green lighting when the stick moves, annoying when flying at night with low light. Eric

Check that you still have the TrafficInfo.dll in your modules folder.

Unfortunately, I must say that I agree. The flight dynamics are much better in Vol2 than in Vol1, which is why the managed descent works much better with the A330 than with the A320. I wasn't in charge of this part... Eric

To be honest, I almost never used this feature, so even though it is supposed to be tested, there might be a bug here. I mean the feature exists, and I will test it ASAP with north and south latitudes to make sure it works fine. Eric

As some of you may know, I am the developer of the Wilco Airbus aircrafts, but I am also a "basic" user like you all. For my personal use, I fly the Airbus Evolution (I like the HUD in full-screen mode) and I merged the Volume 2 with the beautiful CLS aircrafts, including the VC merge. It is not perfect, but it is enough for me as I almost fly in 2D mode. I must also say that I enjoy flying these aircrafts because I have some hardware that work with them: CockpitSonic MCDU and Radio & CPFlight FCU. This definitely improves the flying experience. I never tried the Airsimmer A320. I have been told it is good but has no vertical navigation. Is that right? Anyway I am sure it is the best alternative to the Wilco Airbus. Someone said here you can't enter a waypoint using lat/lon coordinates, this is wrong. The MCDU can handle waypoints entered with their name, their lat/lon position, place/bearing/distance or place/breaing/place/bearing. This lets you enter the waypoints that are sometimes missing is SID/STARs. Anyway, I would be more than happy to see a "perfect" A320 for fs9, but I am almost sure it will never happen. Most developers tend to forget fs9 and there will be no exception here. FlightSim Labs will certainly release a very good A320, but the FS2004 fans that we are will have to forget it. Too bad... Eric

Maybe you should have a look at the version 2 of fs9 Toolbox that I have just released: http://emarciano.free.fr/fs9tbx2 and its Multi-Monitor feature. If you are flying FSX, I may be able to make the same, but I need to know if you are interested first. Eric

I am not 100% sure, but as far as I remember, this works in fs9 but not in FSX. To do the same in FSX, I think you need to edit the camera definitions.

Sans être un pilote professionnel, voici la réponse que je peux apporter :D’après ce qu’un pilote de ligne m’a dit, on ne décolle jamais sans un plan de vol complet dans le FMS, incluant la procédure et la piste d’arrivée. On essaie donc de deviner la piste en service à l’arrivée en fonction de la direction du vent à la destination, mais… 1) s’il y a plusieurs pistes parallèle (comme à Roissy), on ne sait pas forcément celle qui sera utilisée pour l’atterrissage et 2) le vent peut changer avant qu’on arrive à destination. Donc on essaie de deviner, on entre ce qui semble être bon, et si ça change, on met à jour le plan de vol pendant le vol, en anticipant au maximum. Certains avions (et pas l’A320 Wilco) offrent la possibilité d’entrer un plan de vol secondaire. On peut l’utiliser pour entrer une approche sur une piste alternative, et switcher sur le plan de vol secondaire en vol s’il s’avère que c’est la bonne piste. C’est pratique.Mais quoi qu’il arrive, modifier le plan de vol en vol pour s’adapter au contrôle aérien ne devrait pas être un problème.Eric

Hello Ben,I thank you for your guide, but I'm afraid it doesn't help, or I missed something...I think the Saitek throttle quadrant is not the same as the one you have because the detent used for the reverse (when you pull the lever to the very end) is seen as a joystick button. In my specific situation, I would like to assign 2 events to 1 button. For the left engines, I would like to assign the 'Reduce throttle #1' and 'Reduce throttle #2' to the same joystick button, I am not talking about axis here. I'm not sure it can be done...Eric

Thanks for your help, it works perfect. I didn't know several actions could be assigned to the same axis, now I know. I have assigned this to the A340 only, so it works perfect for this aircraft and works also for all the others, with standard configuration.But now I have another problem and I couldn't find a solution again...I would like to use the reverse feature available on the Saitek throttle quadrant. Again, it works perfect for the twin-engine aircrafts, but not for the A340. I would also like to assign engine 1 & 2 reverses to the reverse on my left lever, and engine 3 & 4 reverses to the reverse on the right lever (seen as a joystick button). I searched into the FSUIPC button configuration, but as far as I understood, a button can be associated to 1 event only.So how can I do?Thanks for any help,Eric

I don’t have a full-size A320 cockpit at home, but I have built a mini-pedestal that includes the MCDU, the radio, the engine starter, the ECAM Control Panel and a Saitek throttle quadrant, very convenient. On the Saitek throttle, 2 levers are used for engines and the third is for speed brakes.The problem is that I have only 2 levers configured to control 2 engines, so I can’t fly the A340 or A380 with this as they have 4 engines. I would like to be able to control the 2 left engines with the left lever and the 2 right engines, but I don’t know how to do this. The axis configuration dialog in fs9 does not allow the control of 2 engines with the same throttle axis. In addition, I wouldn’t like to change the controls configuration each time I fly a 4-engine aircraft. Do you know a possible solution to this problem?Do you know if this can be done with FSUIPC? (I didn’t find how to do it)Thanks,Eric

Hello Guys,There is nothing new here and this is something you can do with fs9 or FSX, it has been done already. The idea that has been done by a pilot training school here in France consists in using only the visual of FSX. It means the flight dynamics is managed by their own simulator, which sends X,Y,Z position and P,B,H angles to FSX through FSUIPC. FSX then positions the aircraft correctly and displays the visual accordingly. FSX is used here but the flight dynamics are managed outside of FSX, without any FS limitation.Eric

As you said, this should depend on the way the AI works. From my personal experience as a private pilot, I can tell you the behavior you see in FSX is realistic for vacuum AI. In the Cessna 152 and 172 I used to fly, the AI used to fall down and left when the engine was turned off.Eric

Hey, you're right, I should check it. Each time I compile a gauge, it is considered by FSX as a new one, so the list is certainly very, very long.The idea of managing security is good, but MS should have implemented a way to disable it for the C/C++ gauge developers.