davjones

May God bless both of you for the contributions you've made to this great hobby and for the decisions you have made. Apparently, He already has... :smile: ...Dave Dave Jones Fort McCoy, Florida

I just happened on to this thread and am responding only because when I first got the gist of it, one, -- and only one -- title came to mind: the Wilco/FeelThere 737 PIC! Sorry simulation indeed (IMO), very disappointing. So Ian and I are on the same frequency. The Wilco/Feelthere CRJ is also quite incomplete (again, IMO), but has some redeeming qualities. Aside from not completing their work, these people also disappoint by dropping customer support after a short period as they move on to the next project. Didn't give FSX even the first thought because I do not use it.But think of all the really GOOD software we have......DaveDave JonesFort McCoy, Florida USA

Steffen and others interested -I found some documentation on the HJG DC-9 panels. Go to the HJG site, forums, Douglas Support, and the first item there is a long post on using the panels. Or you can try this:My linkIt starts off slow, general info on the DC-9, the models they offer, then all of the various aircraft/panel combinations, after awhile coming to installation, but if you drill down you'll get to the real meat.Hope this helps. There's a lot to be discovered in there that isn't apparent on the surface. Wonderful job those guys did....Dave

With every new post this gets more interesting. When I brought it up I wondered if there was any good DC-9 for FS9, and now it's turned to a question of which of three great choices is the best -- or does the "best" lie in a combination (merge) of two of them?First to quickly comment on Steffen on his 727 experiences, mine are identical. I too have the HJG 7-2 (well, it's old and at the time it was the FFX/SGA model merged with the Richard Probst panel.) It was great but in the end I bought the Dreamfleet 2000 model and consider it to be one of the best FS models I've ever seen. Has the HJG model/panel been upgraded since it went to their collection? Might be worth a look. I'm nuts on the 727!And for Mike, I see that you and I have been over the same ground on creating wing views for the HJG DC-9. Thanks for offering to share them with me, but I think I'm ok. I may call on you for a bit of help if I decide to go the Jet City - HJG panel merge route though. Total agreement on the delayed spin up time of the engines - this thing has all the marks of a big-time winner IMO. Further, Mike, if you want to report on A/P localizer capture when you get a chance to try it, that would be great.For all this excitement, I have to confess to not having had it off the ground yet. The panel is so good that I decided to take the time to add transparent panel click areas to quickly switch between panels. Never mind -- I already posted that bit!Only three things left:1) Does anybody know of any docs for the HJG panel? Maybe I just missed it. Probably is a question for the HJG board, but since their model is already under discussion here....2) How similar are the FFX and SGA models? At a glance it appears that the repaints will not interchange?3) Can anyone comment on the alleged handing difficulties of the Sky Simulations model?Thanks again for all the info that has come to the surface in this thread....Dave

I came here just to post the outcome of yesterday's doubt about being able to add wingviews to the HJG model. There's no problem -- I rigged them up and all works just fine. The HJG site says that it's not their policy to support wing views, but know that it can be done.The panel is so good that I'm taking the time to add large, invisible click areas for very fast & easy switching between panels. A lesser panel wouldn't be worth the time and effort.Now I see that Mike has brought up another discussion point or two. First, the Jet City DC-9 which I had completely forgotten about. Is that payware or freeware? Not to challenge you in any way, I'm just wondering what it is about that model that made you want to merge the HJG panel with it instead of just sticking with the HJG package or merging it with the FFX/SGA model for that matter. The two apparently share the same origin, but are not now the same animal. May you know something that I need to know.... :( Further, you said that you've found the Sky Simulation model to be nice to fly. But I read quite a bit about handling and autopilot troubles, especially with the A/P trying to capture the localizer. Granted, I think some of those posts were from before SP1 (and there is no SP2 for FS9), but other posts referred to the patched version. I was left with the impression, right or wrong, that they had worked the problem, but only to a degree. If it's really fixed, I'm still interested. If there's anything better than a DC-9, it's two of them...I'm glad I brought this subject up -- most educational. If we keep this going it could become the definitive thread on selecting the best DC-9. :( ...Dave

Hi David,Thanks for your suggestion. Yes, I am sort of acquainted with CalClassic, and in fact have provided a small measure of sideline help on a couple of their AI projects.It's probably not a good place to look for something as "new" as a DC-9 :( -- unless there's something hiding there that I just haven't found yet... ...Dave

After a bit of a hiatus from FS9 to work on some AI projects and more recently to work on an airline history site (www.60sairlineantiques.net), I'm coming back and find that myself wanting a really nice DC-9.Here are the possibilities that I know of: 1) The old Iron Knuckles DC-9 with the FS9 patch. It's OK, but some of the systems are not modeled very realistically and the panel isn't the greatest. 2) The FFX/SGA model using the Stellan Hilmerby panel. That panel is good and is a great place to start but could benefit by transplanting some gauges from the Coolsky/Flight1 MD80 and some other mods. The sound file that I have now isn't the best either but I can fix that pretty easily. This is probably my first choice, as I see things right now. As an aside, does anyone have or know where I can get the manual for the Hilmerby panel? The docs refer you do a defunct site for it. 3) The Sky Simulations model is tantalizing based on superb visuals both inside and out, but I read of serious handling difficulties in trying to fly it. No good! There is a temptation to try to use its panel with the FFX/SGA model, or even possibly trying to substitute another FDE file to come out with a decent DC-9. Has anyone tried anything like this with any success or am I just chasing rainbows?Just to give you an idea of what I'm trying to get, I like good systems modeling, has to fly well, 3D cockpit would be nice but isn't essential, but wing views are. The exterior model needs to look good, and I think all three that I've mentioned do. If I had just a series 30, that would be enough, but a -50 would be good to have.I hope this generates good discussion about the different ways you can go. Is there another possibility I'm not thinking about???Many thanks for all comments....DaveDave JonesFort McCoy, Florida USA

Hi Peter,Yes, I agree with you, and actually I posted it there before I posted it here. I'm sure others will trip over this problem in the future. That's what's so good about these forums -- everybody can help everybody else and we all end up better off......Dave

Peter (and anyone else whom this may help later):I've been taking some time to dig further into the problem, continuing to feel that some setting had been upset.What I finally came to is in the BIOS, under Power Management Setup, there's an option to set ACPI suspend type. Changing it from S1 to S3 eliminated the problem. I almost knew I had it when the fan turned off on going into standby, as it used to with my old PC, but continued running since all this started.The various suspend types specify how much stuff gets turned off during standby mode.I love happy endings......Dave

Peter-Your memory must be good - that's exactly how you get to direct mode in CHCM. Will see what I can find out about that USB 1.0/2.0 error.Thanks for all your help. It's guys like you that really makes this a great resource....Dave

Hi Peter,Just want to say thanks for your advice, and I did take the problem to CH. Bob Church gave a detailed reply as you suggested he might. The problem may end up not having a solution.One thing I noticed is that when the PC come back from standby, there's a USB symbol on my bar. Naturally curious about it, I clicked the thing and it brought up a message saying that there was a problem because a "High-Speed USB device is connected to a non-High-Speed USB port". It is followed by a lengthy list of mostly non-existent ports to which I should connect the device. Yet all of my USB ports are 2.0, which so far as I know is high-speed (I think!) AH, Windows... :( Still gets me though because everything is the same, with the possible exceptions of the USB drivers and maybe some BIOS settings. Can't find much about the "selective suspend" or how to control it. I DID check the box that prohibits Windows from killing the port to save power, as you suggested. Finally, can you tell me where in the CH Manager I fo to change the direct/mapped mode? I don't see that one.Thanks again for your help!...Dave

This is not entirely an FS problem, but manifests itself with FS hardware, so I hope it'll be okay to post it here. Besides, I'm pretty sure some people here know the answer to it.I just replaced the motherboard in my PC, and kept all of my old stuff. The "old stuff" means the power supply, CPU, memory, hard disks, etc., and I got lucky -- since the new MB uses the same Nvidia chipset as before, Win XP came up happy and did not require a reinstall -- it came up pretty much as though nothing had been touched. I did just recall that the video card was changed out at the same time. Used to be an Nvidia 7300 and is now a 9800GT with 2 monitors. At one time that same 9800 was working in the old PC though -- and standby mode worked normally.The ONE problem I do have now is that when I put the PC in standby mode, if I touch the CH yoke or rudder pedals, when the system comes back up, windows detects "new" hardware and insists that I install the drivers for it. The remedy is to reboot the PC and everything goes back to normal.My sense is that this has to do with a power management setting in the BIOS (Phoenix Award V6, I believe). Does this ring any bells with anyone here? One more clue: when the PC is in standby, the fan continues to run, instead of being put fully to "sleep" as it used to. Failing that, can someone post their Phoenix BIOS power mgmt. settings for me?Maybe I'm heading up the wrong trail, but the BIOS is one of the few things that HAS changed.Thanks for any help!...DaveDave JonesFort McCoy, Florida USA

Yes, I see that HDE 2010 looks great and is also under my serious consideration. Don't want to get too many things going at one time though, lest they begin to collide with one another.I just read a review of GE Pro that PC Pilot printed a few years ago and it raised a couple questions. First, it mentions that it has its own sky textures. Seems rather in conflict with FE, but aside from that, does that mean that I should install GE before any sky enhancements so that its own sky textures don't overwrite HDE or FS Elemental or REX or whatever I end up with?It also shows a screenshot of the GE Pro user interface on which you select your departure and destination airports. Too small to make out the details, but does that mean you need to set GE up before every flight so the right ground textures get loaded? Or does that only apply to its built-in real time weather facility? Seems like a bit of a nuisance, but would be worth it anyway because the textures look so good. Thanks again!...Dave

Wow! This turned into some thread. Thanks for all the advice!I never heard of Pablo Diaz's HDE v2 either until it came up here. I had a look and have to say I'm impressed with the screenshots and your reports about it. I think the prudent thing to do is install HDE and then consider my level of satisfaction with it over a period of a couple months before deciding thumbs up or down on REX. REX does have some neat bells and whistles (like the weather engine) and is probably more complete. But how much difference will that make in everyday use? Maybe not much but I don't know yet.... I really like the FS Elemental screenshots, but don't know if I'm up to the job of resizing all those textures. Anybody know how many there are? Then, I think I do recall something about seeing a batch texture converter -- somewhere. If I don't need something at the time I read about it the info just doesn't stick. :( I do have Active Sky and AS Graphics installed. Its weather engine is great if you want real world weather (sometimes I do & sometimes I don't) but I'm not entirely happy with the ASG sky textures. I won't deny, however, that it is a worthwhile improvement over FS9.Another important point was brought up by altstiff (hope I got it right) who says he's not entirely happy with REX/FS9 water. I've seen the screenshots and I'm not either. I don't care for garish water textures and never have. I took a peek at Zinertek and really like what I saw. Good price too!Thanks again for all the suggestions and comments!...Dave

Thanks for those comments -- I hope others will speak up too.I never heard of FS Elemental until this post by Chock, and naturally I eagerly checked it out. The screen shots look great! But in digging a little farther I see that it uses 1024x1024 textures, which I think will require more than my PC can readily give, and downsizing them sounds like more of a project than I really need. Still the fact that "sky textures include soft horizons to get rid of the visibility issue inherent within FS2004" isn't easy to overlook!Any reports on how REX manages the problem -- if at all? Any reports of glowing bright white clouds as viewed from above? Any other reports on FS Elemental? If not will try it as a new thread.Thanks again. This upgrade sounds really promising, no matter what direction I go on the sky enhancement....Dave

I've known for some time that my FS9 needs a makeover. I think I'm sold on Ground Environment Pro for the ground, but I'm undecided about the sky.Between REX and FE, most posters come down on the side of REX. Fine so far. But I have a couple of special considerations that could lead me the other way. First, (IMO) brilliant, glowing white cumulus clouds seen from above are one of the most prettiest sights in aviation, and I'd love to see that in FS9. The default FS9 hasn't shown me anything at all. Another of FS9's shortcomings is its display of a sharp division between ground and sky when up in the flight levels -- pretty unrealistic unless the visibility is > 500 miles or whatever. FSUIPC kind of tries to address the problem, but can't really. Do either of these two help with that problem?Another consideration is frame rates. I know FE just replaces the default textures so in theory shouldn't have any effect at all. How about REX? And is REX okay with weather downloaded by Active Sky?I got involved in some AI projects (available here at AVSIM) about a year ago and am looking forward to some real flying for a change. :( Thanks for any specific (or general!) comments on the subject...Blue skies to all......DaveDave JonesFort McCoy, Florida USA

Thanks for all of this advice. Looks like the most-mentioned favorites are Real Environment Professional, Airland1 and FSGenesis mesh. So I shall proceed in that direction......Dave

I love FS9 and at this time do not intend to move to FSX. But there certainly are times when the FS9 world seems to lack a little, and there are several makeover packages, both freeware and payware, that attempt to improve that situation.At the moment I can think of Environment Indigo on the freeware side and ASG, Ground/Flight Environment update, Ceilosim and FS-eXcell for payware. I know there are others, maybe many others.Is there any consensus as to which of these is best in terms of visual improvement, ease on frame rates, and amount of disk space used? In the same way, I've been using Airport Environment Upgrade (excellent, IMO!), but also see that airland1 is supposed to be very good and don't know whether I should think about switching over.I'm looking forward to upgrading to something to make my world look better and will appreciate any comments, advice, or opinions.Long live FS9!...DaveDave JonesFort McCoy, Florida USA

Sure appreciate your help, Peter. That's just what I needed....Dave

Just wondering if anyone knows where the EvolveAI DC-10-30 with CF6s (file ID evdc103c.zip) can be found these days. The Evolve AI web site is shut down and the zip file which was here at AVSIM appears to have been withdrawn. I also need the series 10, but don't know the exact name of the file.If unavailable, would someone who has it be willing to send me a copy?Many thanks for any leads! ...DaveDave JonesFort McCoy, Florida USA

One thing I should have added to my last post is that I don't have any other add-ons running while this is going on. I really like Active Sky, but have discontinued its use until I get to the bottom of this -- it only serves to complicate things by throwing in one more variable.Dave Jones

Thanks for this input!To address what's been mentioned so far:I never use VC, other than entering it momentarily by mistake once in awhile.This is only FS9.I only use the simicons to change 2d panel views, not Shift/whatever.I'll continue to mess with it and if I come up with the answer, I surely let y'all know what it was. Meanwhile, if anyone has any other thoughts...Dave

I've scoured this site's forum and the LDS forum for this problem but it doesn't seem to be affecting anyone else. So help might be tough to get. I'm a big fan of both Radar Contact and the Level D 767, but I'm having a *lot* of trouble using them together. I know it's possible because many people have talked about great results in these forums, and I've had occasional success myself.OK, here goes. Most of the time, but not always, when I take off in the 767 using RCV4, the FMS will not update position. The first place this is seen is on the NAV display in map mode, but it also affects the distances shown on the progress page and presumably every place else where distance or position is shown. On the NAV display, the map DOES rotate as you turn, but no forward -- or lateral -- progress is indicated. The display just pivots about a point. Very wierd.But.... If you pause FS9, the FMC instantly updates to the correct position and adjusts the NAV display accordingly. Until.... you press P again to unpause and resume flying, at which time the position again locks until the next time you pause. Only thing you can do is fly VOR to VOR as the NAV radios are not affected by this problem.Now, a clue. If the F/O does not call out speeds on the takeoff roll, the problem is in effect. Otherwise, as soon as I hear him call out 80 knots, I know I'm on my way for a great flight.This is probably obvious, but I know this relates to the 767 panel and not the 767 itself because I did couple of merges of the panel with the POSKY 757 and 767-200 and the problem followed along to them.If I terminate Radar Contact mid-flight, everything returns to normal.I have not seen this problem with any of the other aircraft I fly.My sense is that it has to do with some circumstance that exists at the time when the panel is loaded or when RCV4 is started, but for the life of me I can't figure out what it is.Any ideas? Maybe I'm just overlooking something very basic? Don't know, but I know I'll appreciate any help!Thanks!Dave Jones

I put my vote under Payware/with FMC, but I also enjoy very much the Greatest Airliners/Dreamfleet 727 and fly it quite often. I also fly the Flight1 MD80 from time to time.I have also merged the LDS 767 panel with the (freeware) POSKY 767-200 and 757-200 with good results and also want to create a 737-400 by merging the FFX/SGA model with the superb DreamFleet panel from FS2002, having finally abandoned the Wilco 737-300/400 offering, judging it to be inferior and not worth any more of my time.The point of all this is that it's not easy to choose just one category. I thank you for soliciting user input!Dave JonesFort McCoy, Florida USA

Paul -MANY THANKS for your detailed, informative and clearly-written reply. The examples you included are especially welcome. I think you've given me most or maybe all the information I need.Just two quick questions: By "decabbing" the simicons, do you mean to just unzip them to the correct folder? It may be easier for me to steal & modify other simicons that are already working in other panels, but I'll have to sort that out myself. What's the difference between the 640 and 1024 icons? Just a difference in size for different screen resolutions?Looks like most of my work will be in getting the simicons just to work; the process of making them transparent seems to be just a matter of making them black. I would think that at that point I'd be free to make them as big as I want to, so the "icon" could actually be an area of the screen, for example the whole area above the windscreen could be the area to open the overhead (as long as no other gauges are in that area.)And I guess I'd be able to add another icon to the top of panels opened in this fashion that would close them -- by substituting the word 'close' for 'toggle'. Very convenient if I can do it!The implications are huge if I can figure out how to do this stuff -- I can improve the ease of use of almost ALL of my panels -- not just the CRJ....DaveThanks again, Paul.