martinlest2

Yes, thanks for the reminder. I know that, but would probably have forgotten!! :-) It's a hell of a lot of work if you want to 'doctor' all the airports you regularly fly to though... Oncourse (who produced PF3) are very open to incorporating user requests into their software updates (I must say that the customer service for Oncourse is probably the best I have experienced - for just about anything!!!), if there's a demand for it - and it's 'do-able' of course. They already, as I say, provide the facility to choose a parking place/gate for any airport you choose, and ATC will always send you there. I have asked if they would be able to provide three (for small, medium and large planes): if they do that, then all you have to do is specify a gate for each a/c type at each airport and it's remembered for all future flights. That would be pretty neat!

Some have a parking code, some don't. Many repainters leave that blank (or get it wrong). I am not sure how effective that is, but I could have a 'blitz' on my aircraft.cfg files in that respect, AFCAD2 has a database of parking codes... Yes, I can spot check wing span against gates, but I am usually flying something relatively modest, like an a320 - I am not expecting most airports automatically to accommodate an a380! :smile: Thanks.

Thanks very much for the link. The problem is that that operates on a plane-by-plane/airport-by-airport basis: it would take SO much time to set this up across the board, airport-wise, as it were. To be honest, PF3 (the ATC software I use, and which I highly recommend to everyone) has a feature that will set this up automatically, again on an airport by airport basis, but with just a couple of mouse clicks. I think that that is my best bet, at least for the airports I visit most often. Otherwise there is a feature in PF3 to disable all a/c being sent to GA parking. The only problem is that you are just told to 'taxi to terminal' with no gate ascribed. At AES airports that's not ideal, but is probably the best all-round option..

I have been monitoring hundreds of flights now over the past year (if not for the 15 years I have had FS98/2000/2004/X) and I can say that, upon arrival at an airport (in a large jet), ATC seems to choose a GA parking or a cargo spot (usually as far away as possible form the main passenger terminals!) in preference to a passenger gate when instructing taxi to terminal. This is at any of the thousands (probably) of airports I fly into. I have on many occasions checked the gates at the airport (mostly empty) and the AFCAD (no isolated taxiways or other reason for FS not to use) with no problems showing. So why I are 747s/A330s so consistently sent to remote GA parking when so many passenger gates, with or without jetways, are empty? As the parking spots are usually way too small for these large planes I am not sure why I am being sent there in the first place... Is there any way to tweak this, other than spend hours adjusting every airport individually? I'd be quite happy to disable all GA parking if it were easy (I already have GA traffic turned off in FS9 options, but that doesn't affect ATC's parking instructions of course), so long as I could turn them back on for my occasional VFR trips in a Cessna! (95% of my flying in FS9 is in jets and turboprops between city airports - I tend to use FSX for scenic, VFR flights). I usually just ignore the instruction, but as I use a 3rd. party ATC programme (PF3) you get nagged if you go the 'wrong' way! I expect there is no way to fix this, but worth asking anyway! Thanks

It's only a couple of things that start up ready and lit up, so it's no big deal, it's just that it would be good, from a satisfaction point of view, to be able to 'fix' it!

I didn't post the whole file, just an extract to show the code: I should have said, sorry!

.. the code above is for the keyboard shortcuts, I can see now. Still can't find where the cold/dark info is stored - may be hard coded.

Funny how these companies 'no longer support' products that they continue to sell even so. It wasn't that long ago that I bought the scenery... Oh well, no big deal. I can always close off the area for taxiing with some changes to the AFCAD. Thanks.

Just wondered if this airport is supposed to look like this here (just south of threshold to Rwy32L), or do I have some textures (or an update) missing? There are taxiways through here, so it's a bit odd taxiing through such a 'blur', with no proper taxiways marked. On the other hand, it looks as if it was meant to be like that, it's not obviously a texture error. Building work?? Maybe I need an AFCAD update to avoid taxiing through that part of the airport. (I have AF2_KORD.bgl dated 23/11/11). Appreciate it if anyone with this airport could check it out for me. Thanks. Martin

Does anyone know if there is a way to set which switches in the overhead panel are on or off in the Cold & Dark setup? I still have one or two miscellaneous switches that are on and I would rather they were off when I choose a cold and dark cockpit - Isolation Bleed Switch for example. I did set things up via a saved flight with all the parameters as I want them, and that certainly works, but loading the PSS 757 via a saved flight always (as far as my experiments have shown) knobbles the COM1 radio - unless you load the default Cessna first, turn on Battery and Avionics, then load whichever 757 you are flying directly from the FS9 menu, the COM1 radio dial is stuck and the radios cannot be tuned. Loading any kind of saved flight for the PSS 757 (*.flt) kills the COM1 radio, as far as I can tell. Seems I can either have the radio working or accept a few switches lit up and on at start-up. If I could somehow define the Cold & Dark start directly, without using a saved flight to load the long list of PSS panel parameters, that might well do it, but how? There's a PanelConfig.dat file in the FS9/PSS/757 folder, but I don't understand the terminology there (like this), Control44VKey=0 Control44Modifiers=0 Control45VKey=0 Control45Modifiers=0 Control46VKey=72 Control46Modifiers=2 Control47VKey=0 Control47Modifiers=0 Control48VKey=0 Control48Modifiers=0 so I haven't touched it! Thanks.

Yes, I think a 3rd. party tool like that is a very good idea! As I say, I am basically OK tinkering with aircraft & panel cfg files, but sound and effect files are quite a mystery to me, so it'd be trial and error... I assume (I'll check) that FSSound Studio is payware though - not sure it'd be worth the outlay given the limited use I would doubtless make of it. I bought FS Panel Studio years ago and have rarely used it. Thanks.. Edit: Yes, $19.99. Not outrageous but I don't really have any spare 'FS' cash right now, especially for something I know I'd hardly ever use

Unlike the aircraft and panel cfg files, which I basically know and can manipulate without too much problem, the sound.cfg file is still rather a closed book to me. Could ask I ask one or two questions (which may or may not be sensible!): First, is there a part of the file which governs parameters for sounds in the cockpit and another part for spot view sounds? How are the two differentiated? Second, how would I reduce the volume of the engine sounds (as a one off for one aircraft) in spot view without changing anything as heard in the cockpit? I see that the 'vparam' settings would do this, but I have no idea which I need to change. Clearly those that relate to the sound files that play in spot view, but as I said above, I may be able to locate the likely wav file by listening and comparing FS9 with the same played back in a media player (is there a more precise method?), but how do I determine which ones are playing in spot view and in cockpit view, and so with parameters to alter? Here's part of the sound file I am looking at for example: [JET_WHINE.2.02] filename=SAPBR715_INT_1 flags=0 viewpoint=1 panning=0 rparams=0.102000,0.910000,1.000000,1.819000 vparams=0.000000,0.000000,0.029365,11.355932,0.103076,30.084745,0.263000,34.467930,0.435000,31.021379,0.532000,27.574827,0.607000,21.542759,0.861000,0.000000 link=JET_WHINE.2.03 [JET_WHINE.2.03] filename=SAPBR715_INT_2 flags=0 viewpoint=1 panning=0 rparams=0.102000,0.702000,1.000000,2.043000 vparams=0.311000,0.000000,0.333000,0.000000,0.393000,3.829500,0.459000,6.702300,0.528000,8.653500,0.592000,7.659900,0.653000,5.192100,0.804000,0.000000 link=JET_WHINE.2.04 [JET_WHINE.2.04] filename=SAPBR715_INT_3 flags=0 viewpoint=1 rparams=0.128000,0.000000,1.000000,1.340425 vparams=0.514000,0.000000,0.562914,5.319149,0.600731,12.371134,0.622517,19.148935,0.666667,26.595745,0.743929,32.978722,0.819740,28.596804,1.000000,4.255000 link=JET_WHINE.2.05 [JET_WHINE.2.05] filename=SAPBR715_INT_4 flags=0 viewpoint=1 rparams=0.200000,0.310000,1.000000,1.085000 vparams=0.740000,0.000000,0.780000,1.000000,0.800000,5.000000,0.820000,20.000000,0.830000,70.000000,0.850000,88.000000,0.910000,95.000000,1.000000,97.000000 link=JET_WHINE.2.06 [JET_WHINE.2.06] filename=7171A flags=0 viewpoint=1 panning=0 rparams=0.001000,0.670000,0.800000,1.383000 vparams=0.006000,0.000000,0.057000,5.721300,0.120000,32.860802,0.390000,32.783398,0.614000,10.845900,0.807000,0.000000,0.927000,0.000000,0.997000,0.000000 link=JET_WHINE.2.07 [JET_WHINE.2.07] filename=x7171 flags=0 viewpoint=2 rparams=0.000000,0.500000,1.000000,1.551000 vparams=0.005000,0.000000,0.127000,3.200000,0.197000,16.799999,0.238000,76.800003,0.336000,78.400002,0.405000,18.400000,0.590000,0.000000,0.630000,0.000000 link=JET_WHINE.2.09 [JET_WHINE.2.09] filename=x7172 flags=0 viewpoint=2 rparams=0.014000,0.667000,0.898000,1.260000 vparams=0.000000,0.000000,0.123000,0.000000,0.125000,0.000000,0.301000,14.400000,0.387000,76.800003,0.498000,79.199997,0.602000,18.400000,0.734000,0.000000 link=JET_WHINE.2.10 [JET_WHINE.2.10] filename=x7173 flags=0 viewpoint=2 rparams=0.000000,1.035000,1.000000,1.721000 vparams=0.000000,0.000000,0.333000,0.000000,0.366000,2.400000,0.505000,16.799999,0.583000,78.400002,0.775000,80.800003,0.833000,22.400000,0.961000,0.000000 link=JET_WHINE.2.11 [JET_WHINE.2.11] filename=x7174 flags=0 viewpoint=2 rparams=0.012000,0.891000,1.000000,1.533000 vparams=0.613000,0.000000,0.771000,21.600000,0.861000,82.400002,0.998000,90.400002,1.000000,90.400002,1.000000,90.400002,1.000000,90.400002,1.000000,90.400002 Does the 'INT' in the file name probably relate to internal sounds (just a guess)?? Needless to say, the sound.cfg file is backed up before any changes! Thanks.

Thanks again. All useful :smile:

OK, that's clear ... Thanks for the replies.

:smile: I was just trying to prevent this thread going the way of some others I was looking at recently, but please do comment LOL Quite, but I was asking when is that clearance given.

I am doing a bit of low-key beta testing for PF3 (ATC software) and to clear up one issue, I wonder if any real-world ILS rated pilots who 'can't get enough' of their job and read the AVSIM forums could say exactly what the procedure is for turns onto final approach, at airports with ILS. Presumably, as a/c get near to the localiser, the autopilot is already armed to intercept the runway heading. Does the pilot have to wait until ATC instructs him/her to make the turn, or is it taken for granted, as it were, that when the localiser is intercepted and the needle starts moving to the centre, the aircraft will turn to the runway heading without further permission from ATC? I am not of course talking about permission to land here, but the earlier permission to change course to the runway heading, weather manually or with the A/P. How exactly does that work - at what stage does ATC tell the pilots they are OK to the turn to runway heading? Could I kindly ask, BTW, that only people who know about this from real-world ILS flying experience answer this question, rather than people (like me) who think they know, but just from books, or from the internet, or from FSX/FS9 and so on, as too many of these threads thereby seem to end in misinformation, then arguments and finally insults! :smile: Thanks a lot. Martin

I think the theory of it all is OK for me... but if I compare this a/c with the PMDG B1900D, there is a noticeable difference in the pitch during descent, and I guess they can't both be right. I'll check the flap settings in the aircraft.cfg file, I don't think I ever changed them though, so they should be the same as you posted. I only use flaps late on in the final approach, not during normal descent anyway. Maybe too my speed is a little on the high side - I'll double-check that as well. M

Just wondered if there should be a 2D panel for the very nice Boeing Stearman: bull_stearman.zip in AVSIM library All the windows come up, but on a 'blank' screen, as there's no 2D base cockpit. Is there a bitmap anywhere for the 2D cockpit? Thanks!

I'd have thought that Mike Stone's a/c would be pretty spot on, but I find that in descent the attitude of his B1900D is very much nose down. I am, I think, at about the right speed with correct flaps, but the nose-down attitude during descend is enough to look very strange. I thought I knew how to tweak the aircraft.cfg file or air file to make the a/c a little nose higher, but when I come to do it - well, seems I don't! I know that any such tweak may possibly adversely affect some other setting (?), but maybe even so, someone could remind me how it would be done? (I searched the forums BTW but didn't find the answer - though I am sure it is there somewhere!). Thanks

I have come back to this thread as it seems to me that I can hear no reverser sounds at all at airports these days. I have tried installing sounds and effects from new_ai-snd.zip in the library, but still nothing. That file has not too far short of 8000 downloads, so I assume it must work - unless there are almost 8000 disappointed people out there. Is there a trick to setting this up? The wav file is in my main sound folder and the aircraft.cfg files have the necessary tweaks. I have set 'Environment' in the FS9 options/sounds menu to 75%. How do I get the 'screaming reversers' the developer boasts of? Anyone hear it? How I mourn the sad 'demise' of FSHotSFX (for anyone who moved on from Windows XP, that is)!!!

I hardly ever fly 'legacy aircraft', ones that are no longer in the skies (Concorde being a notable exception) but I should probably take a look at this plane. Though I am not really up for any steep learning curves right now! Where's the download link please?

:smile: .. I haven't seen that: I'll have a look and post back with anything worthwhile. Yes, I use that too - oddly satisfying, isn't it!?

Ok, thanks.

I notice that a lot (hundreds) of entries under [Effects] in the aircraft.cfg file have this: contrail=fx_contrail_l.fx But normally the .fx extension is not used - why would it be there? Is it a mistake, or does it just make no difference? Thanks.

Hi. Thanks - I already have fs9 configurator, Ai Separation and 'AiSmooth in fact: have used the last two for years. I tend not to load them now as I use a 3rd. party programme for ATC, Oncourse Software's PF3, which is pretty impressive - I found that those two programmes did not really help anything when PF3 is running. PF3 is pretty complex, and actually taking off without permission can lead to problems later. (I recommend PF3 by the way. The support is the best I have ever had - for anything!). In any case, it's not my user aircraft that is the problem - as I say, it is the other AI traffic that is queued up for take off in front of me, and which seems not to enter the runway unless it has at least five minutes clear. That's an FS9 issue - PF3 does not control the traffic, but the ATC.