clements

The PMDG 737-900 for FS9 does not include wingtips in its model. Thus, there is no way to add wingtips.Bob

I gotta say that I agree that Beta 640 has been great. I've flown more than a half-dozen flights with this build. I have noticed significantly smoother weather translation and much more realistic cloud coverage than with 582. Great job, guys. Keep up the good work.Bob

BTW, I have bought ASE and am very happy with it. I bought it because it worked with FS9 and FSX but beyond that I was very skeptical that you could really improve the weather engine. Don't I feel foolish now! I'm amazed at how much improved ASE is over AS6.5! I'm not talking about the bells and whistles of the user interface but the weather generation in the Flight Simulator. I'll give FSX some credit for this, but overall, I'm amazed at how realistic the weather generation is. When I bought AS6, it transformed my flying experience. It added a sense of realism that I didn't think was possible before. Now, ASE does it again to the FSX flying experience. Great job, guys.Bob

For what it's worth, I'm experiencing this problem, too. I just bought the J41 today and got the flickering on loading the AC for the first time. It seems, based on the thread, the problem isn't based on overloading but on the rain effect. I'm running an i7 870 and Radeon 5770 HD with 8 GB of RAM. The system has a fresh install of FSX with FS Genesis terrain mesh, a few add-on aircraft, and UT2. Bob Clements

I've seen the comparison table. I guess my question is "why would anybody choose ASX over ASE?" Also, how does ASE integrate with any of the add on texture programs such as FEX or REX, or is there any integration at all? One of the things I don't particularly like about AS6 and Flight Envionment is that I have to manually update the graphic environment. I like the integrated ASG solution although I think the textures are weaker. I was hoping that a such a trade-off would not exist in FSX.Bob

I've been using ActiveSky 6.x for years with FS9. Recently, I upgraded my computer and can now run FSX effectively. Because I've only been focused on FS9 and have been satisfied with AS6.x, I haven't paid much attention to the developments at HiFi Simulations. So, when I did arrive to see what the latest weather engine they had to offer for FSX, I was confused to see two product: Active Sky X and Active Sky: Evolution. My basic question is: which one should I buy? I will still fly FS9. So, ASE seems to have more appeal. But I'm confused as to why ActiveSky offers ASX at all? Also, given the fact that ActiveSky is focused on being a weather engine, what is the best texture package to go with which ever ActiveSky product I decide to buy? REX? FEX? I'm curious about people's experiences and thoughts.Bob

Adding mesh won't solve the problem. Mesh simply gives shape and structure to the world. It makes mountains look more like mountains than lumps or bumps. With that said, I love the FS Genesis mesh and have used it for years. For me, it is a critical part of creating a credible flight environment.As for the problem: Were you getting blurries before you installed UTE and/or GE Pro, or were you hoping these utilities would solve the problem?My advice would be to look at your sliders. In all likelihood, having all your sliders "maxed out" is causing the problem. My advice, although somewhat painful, is to go through a trial-and-error exercise by adjusting some sliders up/down to see if they impact or affect the results. Bob

>My apologies for going off on a tangent, but who in their>right mind charges people for each piece of a package? Between>CaptainSim and Ariane (Ariane being FAR worse) I think CaptainSim figured it out since they've stopped. Yes, if you purchased previous blocks you still need to buy Block F to get the FMS but if you're a new customers, there is only one product "Pro Line" which includes everything. I bought the 757 for FS9 about two weeks ago. I few about 15 hours in it. It had/has a few issues but all were manageable, in my opinion. I just installed 2.1 and haven't had a chance to give it a good test.Bob

Does anyone know what gates the service armada works with the SimFlyers Las Vegas scenery? I can't find it in the documentation. Any help is appreciated.Bob

I started to fill out your print magazine survey but stopped. You're asking the wrong questions. You ask if I subscribe, or not, and if not, do I borrow a copy from a friend. I do neither. I buy virtually every issue of both PC Pilot and Computer Pilot from the newstands. Also, you give me a radio button asking which publication I read. This is not a binary answer. I read both magazines regularly. Your survey doesn't capture this concept, and I suspect many people are like me. Bob

>Not to change the subject, but I am buying FSgenesis mesh and>Ultimate Terrain for all of North America. Which is better to>install first; or does it matter?>It does not matter unless you are also installing the FSGenesis landclass. If you are installing the landclass, UT offers a fix that allows you to sandwich the FSG landclass with UT landclass to give you the best of both worlds.Bob

>My interest is the Eric Cantu EMB-120. Not OSS.OSS and Eric Cantu are the same thing. Well, not legally, but for the purposes of the model and the configuration files they are. :)With that said, I agree with the sentiment expressed here: It would be great to get some side views to make the cockpit feel a bit more complete.Bob

>Radar Contact v.4 for realistic and immersive ATC.You took the words from my mouth. I understand that JD and team are close to having a patch that works with FSX. I forgot how bad the default ATC and how good RC4 is until I started playing with FSX. >The words 'Chocolate Teapot' come to mind.Now, that is a great expression. I never heard it before but I'll remember it.Bob

I've noticed this too, especially with labels. For example, when flying the C172, the labels for the toggle switches (i.e., fuel pump, lights, etc.) are unreadable. Any ideas on how to fix that?Bob

I need a little help or insight. I finally started diving into FSX this morning. To get started, I decided to record a flight video so that I could play with various display settings. The video was simple: take-off, fly over a densely populated area, and fly back to the airport for a landing. Trying to execute on that plan was difficult. I ran into to problems.In the first attempt, the flight went really well; however, when I watched the playback, my C172 started sliding sideways on the tarmack and eventually flipped over. Any idea what could cause this problem?Given that the first video was unusable, I tried it again. In the second attempt, the video played back well; however, when I looked at an external view, the camera shook violently. It bounced up and down and forward and back. I am running a nVideo 6600GT with up-to-date drivers. I have not experienced this problem during normal (non-video) flight and did not notice it in Tower or VC mode. Is anybody else having this problem? Any ideas how to solve it?Thanks for any insight in advance.Bob

My best guess is that your flight plan doesn't match up with your expected route of flight. For example, it sounds like you have a VOR-to-VOR flight plan loaded into RC4. Have you loaded the flight plan into the GPS or looked at it in FS9 or some other flight plan viewer to see what the stated flight plan is?While RC4 is telling you to resume your own navigation, you do not have the freedom to fly anywhere in they skies you'd like. You're still expected to fly what has been filed.Bob

David, thanks for a great response.Bob

Fair enough. I guess my question is broader than just FS. Go to http://www.naco.faa.gov/digital_tpp.asp?ve...&end=05-11-2006. This is the government website. Search on PHJR. No result. Search on KJRF and you get John Rodgers. According to the government, there are no PHxx airports in Hawaii. What's the disconnect?Bob

So, I decided to have some fun with MSFS and take my Bonanza A36 down to Hawaii for a while. I had just downloaded FSGenesis' 9.6m Hawaii Mesh and Landclass and thought it might be fun to do some island hopping. Unfortunately, the airport codes for the Hawaii have thrown me off. Depending upon the program I'm using the airports in the area seem to have many different For example, Kalaeloa field (also known as John Rogers Field) might be listed as with the FAA as JRF or a variety of ICAO codes. For example, FSBuild knows this airport as PHNA, my RealityXP Garamin 430 knows it as PHJR, and MSFS seesm to know it as KJRF. Now, Kalaeloa seems to be particularly funky but as I poke around, it seems like most Hawaiian airports have both a Kxxx designation as well as a PHxx designation. Can anyone shed some light on why this is? And how I can safely build flight plans that work across a variety of add-ons? Thanks.Bob

I'll start by saying that if I should be asking about this someplace else, please let me know. I'm asking here because I only use AdvDisplay for RC4...Since switching to FSUIPC AdvDisplay, the AdvDisplay is showing up in all views (VC, Spot, Tower, etc.). When I used AdvDisplay previously, the display would only appear in the 2D Cockpit view. Any ideas as to how I can prevent FSUIPC AdvDisplay from showing up in every view?Bob

Off-topic but I've gotta say...Georgous shots, man. Really nice.Bob

>Whats funny is I can go an entire 9 hour flight but the minute I click >of the AP and take her manually for landing..the girlfriend rings on >the telephone. This should be a named syndrome. Every time I'm getting ready to do anything manual, it seems like something happens: kids wake up from nap, wife needs help with something downstairs, etc. Doesn't matter if its short or long haul and it doesn't matter how much "down-time" I've had before I decide to do whatever it is I'm going to do manually.Bob

While I have plenty of bad customer service experiences, I have never really had a scary experience - where I was physically afraid - on a commercial flight. This is pretty amazing because I have flown almost a million miles in the last 11 years or so. Sure, I've had a few bumps here and there but nothing really bad. In terms of heart-pumping flights, the one that I remember most was more a result of time and place than anything else.I flew to Phoenix from Chicago O'Hare the second or third day the US airports re-opened after 9/11. Everybody was a little jittery and after we pushed back, taxi'd towards the runway, past the runway to a pad. We sat and sat and sat...eventually the pilot came on to tell us that a jet on approach to O'Hare had lost communication, that the airport was closed, and that fighters were being scrambled to intercept the silent aircraft. In the end, it turned out that the aircraft had simply lost its radio, fighters escorted the aircraft to O'Hare and the airport re-opened about 45 minutes later. Still, given what everybody had just gone through with 9/11, we all thought the worst and being stuck on an airplane then was very hard.I have had more "scary" flying experiences as a private pilot. The one that got my heart racing happened on approach to KPWK (Palwaukee Airport in Wheeling, Illinois). I was IFR and had just been vectored around O'Hare approaching the airport from the west. The ceilings were ~4000 overcast. I had just come under the layer and it was raining. I was descending to 2400, preparing for my approach. ATC did not warn me of traffic but I caught sight of a Mooney coming off of Runway 16, turn and climb directly towards me. When you go through pilot training, you're told that you should be worried about a mid-air if the traffic you're looking at does not appear to be moving. Very quickly, I realized that the Mooney did not appear to be moving, just getting larger. I do not think the Mooney sees me. I am IFR. I am radar contact. ATC is not telling me anything about this Mooney and this is happening too fast for me to ask ATC for advice. So, I jam in the throttle and start climbing. The Mooney flies under me with only a hundred feet or so of separation. They were close enough that I could see the two people in the front seat were not looking at me but were leaning over, looking at something on the ground. While I am still trying to get my heart out of my throat, ATC asks me to "expedite my descent"! Needless to say, I gave him an earful. It turns out that he didn't see the Mooney. Either the pilot had not turned on his Mode C or it was broken. Bob

According to the PMDG manual (I don't have FS9 on the computer I am sitting at or I would check the planes themselves), the 737NG can hold 46,063 lbs of fuel (See Limitations p.4-4). Given that, the -600 should be able to fly ~4100nm, the -700 should be able to fly ~4000nm, the -800 should be able to fly ~4000nm, and the -900 should be able to fly 3400nm. These estimates are based the charts provided in the Cruise manual.Bob

I have looked at FSPassengers and "Airliner Pilot" from Just Flight. I understand that Airliner Pilot is all about the flying career. FSPassengers is about the flight. From reading the Just Flight forums, it seems like a lot of people use both products to improve their experience with both products. Airliner Pilot gives them continuity from flight to flight while FSPassengers makes the flights more realistic. Now, FSPassengers has an add-on called "Career Pilot" which appears to compete with Airliner Pilot. The question is: Who has used both Airliner Pilot and the Career Pilot add-on for FSPassengers and which one is better?Bob