Selkan

Hi mrt60, very strange indeed. Really can't see why you would see planes taking off, but not landing. Sorry I can't offer advice here.

Not quite sure I understand the question. I have Aerosofts Madeira Airport. Do you mean do AI Aircraft land there? If that is your question, I am not sure, I use My Traffic X, and then the answer is yes; lots of planes taking off and landing.

Just a foot note here - still learning how to do certain things. Try copying and Pasting the following in your address bar. Think it will work? Had no idea that would come up, thought I had just written in 'the address' for the clip. So, there you go!

This is really for the benefit of Clayton4115. You asked me if I could Post some pictures of my Sim., and I explained you would need some fancy wide angle lens etc etc. Last Christmas I had a could of young friends over to fly; gave them a treat; one did the take-off and the other did the landing. Both 11 year old lads were pretty happy to be aloud to do this as you might imagine. Anyway, I had someone doing some videoing for me, not wonderful stuff, but does give you an idea of my set-up. I have loaded a 6 minute clip on YouTube. It's the first video I have ever uploaded, and don't seem to have a direct link for you. However, I have tried the following which did work. Go to YouTube, and in the search box write 'young visitors to my 737-800 flight deck' That should bring it up; it's a sany0004 clip by Selkan10. For you information we were on a flight from Bristol to Edinburgh, and are in the decent phase of the flight.

Hi DickB, just do a search for D-Box, and you should find it O.K. They are based in Canada; I am here in the U.K. and RC Simulations in Bristol are the importers. Having said all that they are very expensive! When I bought mine they were about £4,000, and I believe now have gone up to around £5,000!!!!! I guess this has simply to be compared to lets say a 'real' simulator. Cost, anyones guess, but lets say one million (bucks or pounds - dosn't really matter!) So to get somewhere near that level of realism at £5,000 (for the feeling)might seem quite cheap!

Hi DickB, with regard to the D-Box. At first I thought this might be a problem, and at first had considered placing the whole Sim on the platform. At the time I contacted D-Box, because the weight of the Sim was too much for the actuators used for a seat. They were going to help with larger Actuators, but the cost really went sky high, so I decided to return to the seat option only. In answer to your question though, no it's not a problem. Just imagine you were sitting in a real plane in front of all those instruments etc. If you were in rough weather, you would not be able to keep a steady fix on what was in front of you, and you would adjust accordingly. I have given an extreme example above, but even in light weather, the result is much the same. You tend to forget that the Sim is a fixed item, and the effect in ones brain is really very good indeed. The seat also vibrates, and this general vibration is felt across the whole sim. I should add that the sim is built on a metal tubular frame, which makes the vibration felt possible.

Hi Clayton, sorry no pics to post. It's actually very difficult to get decent pictures from within my Sim because you are going to need some very fancy wide angle lenses to show it off properly. Rather like the problems you are having I think. So, just for interest (and not bragging), thought you and others might like a little more info. Firstly as said before I have three short throw projectors; these sit on the floor infront off Sim in and 'arc', coupled to a Triple Head to Go Unit, which if you are not sure what that is, it plugs directly to my Graphics Card, and gives the normal central picture, plus the right and left picture all at one time. My three screens are made with MDF board, then plaster board, then professionally plaster skimmed. These were then painted with a special screen paint, which helps with the reflection of the picture. I use seven PC's!, one is my main Server running FSX, the other six run items like Project Magenta Software, Pilots, Co-Pilots and Engine Instrumentation, FMC etc etc. I use PFC Hardware for Yoke, Pedals, Avionics, MCP and FMC. I built my own over head panel; loads of dials, LEDs, switches etc, but dosn't actually work. Everything is controlled from the central avionics unit. I also have a D-Box motion platform for my Pilots seat. I started building this in 2004, but we wont tell my other half what it has all cost, otherwise I'll be in the dog house. Suffice to say it didn't grow on a tree; had to work very hard to aquire it all! Just as a foot note, and back on topic really, I did once try a curved screen using the three projectors. The problem with this is that one requires some special software to get rid of the distortion you get on a curved screen. This worked quite well, but I had all sorts of problems getting each picture to properly aline with the next, so gave up on that and went back to three flat screens set at an angle to each other to form an arc. There is a small line where the pictures join, but really isn't that noticeable. Sorry about the lack of pics, but hope you have found this informative.

Hate to make anyone green here, but I use three NEC WT610's with a triple head to go unit. Projectors sit on floor 30 inches from my wrap around screens giving a picture size of 19'6" X 5'6". I have my own 737-800 cockpit, and from inside can't see upper or lower edge of screen. Lots of pennies yes, but can't get much better for a home set-up? Unless anyone can tell me otherwise?

Using My Traffic X. Wish I knew how to correct this. Guessing therefore it must be a bug in FSX. I was taxing out today in Trondheim (Norway) to Runway 9, and the following AI plane was told to stop/start about ten times because of me keeping a steady 12 mph in front of him; really annoying. Wish there was an answer?

You might like top have a look at D-Box; their based in Canada. They actually produce software drivers for FSX which are updated every so often. I use one, with actuators fitted to my own base, with my pilots seat fitted on top of that. Works very well, but have to admit it is very pricey. I have been using mine for about four years now with no problems. Not sure where you are based, but I bought mine from R C Simulations based in Bristol, U.K.

You might like to do a search for 'FrostySoftWare Texture Load Manager' This is a little freebie that will keep your T.L.Max set to 4096 what ever you do in your settings.

Jim, many thanks for response; most informative. Will explore what you suggest.

Not sure where to write this one, as it is not FSX directly related. In my home built 737-800 I have a small screen (4" X 4") set into my overhead panel. I use this to run ProjectMagenta 'QuickMap'running off one of my Client PC's (using XP Home/Wideclient etc) My problem is once the program starts up and links to FSX, I still have a mouse and hour glass in center of screen flashing quickly from one to the other. These items are of course very small, but what ever I try in Control Panel/mouse, I can't get it to stop. I don't think this is a software issue, but something in the P.C. causing the problem. Just wondered if anyone might have an idea how to stop this? Thanks

Don't think you will have any joy. I used to always ask, and the answer was always yes years ago. I some times even managed to stay put on the jump seat for landing. I think since 911 it is really a total No No. Such a shame; it's always the few who spoil everything for the many!

I once did a round the World trip, landing and taking off from the same Airport in my home built 737-800. Just for fun worked out the following. I fly most days, lets say 300 flights per year. Each flight I average about 300 miles. Had the Sim now eight years. That's 72000 miles of flying. I'll let you do the maths! Correction above, that's 720,000 miles!! Thought it didn't look right.

Might depend on where you are, i.e, if your flying from Maderia down to Tennerife, you only get a couple of views along the way. I think this is simply because you are out of range of a tower view etc. As soon as I get within about 50 miles or so of Tennerife all views return. This may not of course be your problem, but just a thought.

Well tongue in cheek, yes. My own 737-800 cockpit, and friends (Co-Pilots) when they want to come fly!!

Thanks guys; all food for thought!

I'm pretty sure the answer to this one is you 'can't'. Does anyone know of a way to Hold in FSX using default ATC? I have my own 737-800 cockpit, and my FMC would allow me to program a holding pattern, say on approach at the last VOR in my flight plan. The problem is of course that as soon as I enter a holding pattern, ATC will tell me to turn back to my original heading, and if I don't do so will cancel my IFR flight plan. Just wondered if anyone knows of a way around this? I know I could just cancel my flight plan, and make my own approach, but don't really want to do that, as I like to be under ATC control. It would be nice if ATC could just be 'paused' in some way, and unpaused when I have completed a couple of laps in my holding pattern! Any thoughts?

Thanks for trying to offer help; as you say I am hoping 'ricardo_r' spots this and is able to help again!

I fully understand the Path to El Hierro, what I don't understand is you say replace original with a BGL file. What BGL file? The only new BGL file I have is for MaderiaX. Are you saying this same file should fix El Hierro?

Hi NyxxUK, sorry but don't quite understand. El Hierro has a self installer, so I am not sure what you mean by replacing original with new one - original what? When Ricardo_r came up with a new BGL file for Maderia it meant placing that in a new scenery folder, then into a folder I called MaderiaX GSX, then activating in scenery libray, placing above MaderiaX. Sorry if I'm being dim; can you spell it out further please?

I've Posted this over at the GSX forum, but thought I would place here, as many more might see it. I've recently purchased El Hierro from Aerosoft, and the problem is that GSX items are running around under the Apron/Taxiways. There was a similar problem with Aerosoft Maderia, and a chap called ' ricardo_r' produced a new BGL file that corrected the problem. I appreciate this is not a GSX problem, but is to do with elevation, and GSX is reading the 'ground level' to be below the actual scenery level. I don't have a clue how to change such things; anyone else?

No FPS drop herewith Shockwave. If your looking for interesting street lighting,have a look at ExperienceX. Some say they have a FPS drop with it, but no issues for me.

Don't know if the following will be useful? I have three NEC WT610 short throw Projectors. My screen size (actual picture) is 19'6" X 5'6" on three flat screens. I once built a curved screen with very expensive software, and couldn't get on with at all, so went back to using flat screens. Luckily I was able to obtain a refund on the software. I am not familiar with the Projectors you mention, but the WT610 sits on the floor only 30 inches from screens, and uses a number of mirrors to project the picture. One thing to bear in mind is that the outer two Projects require a small adjustment to the picture as the mirrors warm up to line up with center picture. I find this has to be done at start up, and a couple of times during flight. I think even using curved screen software would present this particular problem. From my sitting position within my 737-800, I can't see top or bottom of picture, but out of side windows could see edge of picture. I got around this by building some flat 'screens' with large perspex mirrors glued on. These 'screens' are on castor wheels, and can therefore be easily wheeled into position, and the angles altered as require. I now in effect have complete wrap around vision, and the fact that the side mirrors are giving a reverse reflected image really isn't that noticable in ones proliferal vision.