Lukit52

Hi Edward, Yeah I did some testing last night with the information you provided me and my results were pretty similar to yours. The N1 in the FMC and TOPCAT were out by about 5-10%. However the V-Speeds calculated in both were still pretty close regardless. I don't see how the airport could really cause this behavior but it does seem to be contributing. There must be something in the config files that's off... Have you seen this happen at any other airports?

Thanks Art, glad to hear your getting good numbers! Your original config was a big help when I was working out my calculations. So thanks to you too! Hi Edward, Not sure why your getting different numbers, obviously there will be some discrepancies, the math in my config files isn't perfect, but your results are out by a fair bit. Are you sure your aircraft setup in FSX matches the configuration file in TOPCAT (same model/cabin layout)? Did you enter your payload manually into the FMC or export it from within TOPCAT? Are you sure all your weights match up across each station according to TOPCATs payload distribution? (Including the Fwd and Aft cargo stations) I wouldn't mind doing some testing with your flight. If you can export the Loadsheet as a txt file and PM it too me along with your aircraft details that would be great.

Hey everyone, It's been brought to my attention that the total pax load I've noted on my 737-800 Two class configuration is incorrect. It reads 30450 lbs, but should be 28350 lbs (8400 + 10500 + 9450). I accidentally copied the single class pax load value into my notes. Just thought I'd let you all know in case it was confusing your own calculations. Remember that the value is just a notation in the config file and wouldn't have been effecting TOPCATs actual calculations at all. Regards,

Hi Edward, Although the two class NGX models have a two 'classes' to load in the FMC (first class and coach class), the actual aircraft configuration within FSX itself has three passenger 'stations' that it distributes the load between. This is why I included a '% of station load is first class' notation on my two class config files, it will help you determine how many of the station.0 pax you need to load into first class from the FMC, (see red notation below): PASSENGER_STATIONS] station.0=48;16.1;Fwd Cabin;1 // 8400 / 29.63% (25% of station load is First Class) You may wan't to read over my previous reply to Dave if you haven't done so already, I've tried my best to explain it there. Regarding your figure of 30 pax though, not sure why TOPCAT is only allowing you to only load 30 in the first station as the max pax load for that station in the 738 two class config is definitely 48pax. Just make sure you're definitely selecting the NGX738 Two Class configuration when creating the aircraft in TOPCAT, and that you haven't changed any of the default values in that menu. Thanks for pointing that out John! I've updated that config file now and re-archived the zip folder. Let me know if the download link has broken since doing so... https://dl.dropbox.com/u/59841802/TOPCAT_Configs_PMDG_NGX.zip

Hi Dave, The only sections you'll need to convert for my config files to work in KG's are the [CONFIGURATION] section, the [CARGO_STATIONS] section and the first value in each of the [MAC_LIMITS...] sections. To be honest you could probably just have TOPCAT convert the values for you by selecting Metric as the units of measurement when creating the Aircraft in TOPCAT, this would probably be sufficient enough. But if your OCD like me then you'll probably wan't to do it all yourself manually - as I probably will at some point too! Also regarding my numbers in the [MAC_LIMITS_...] sections, I just took these from Art's (props to him!) previous post as they seemed to work fine and I haven't really had a chance to delve into all those calculations (not sure I will even bother until PFPX comes out). However you are correct, the first value in these sections is the weight, and I'm guessing the following values are the CG offsets?? I could be wrong though. For PAX payload calculations TOPCAT uses the number of PAX per station multiplied by your PAX weight value in the options menu - this is why I noted initially to set your PAX weight to 175lbs and only load adults, as all NGX passengers weigh the same. Here's a bit of a visual explanation of the PAX value lines from the 738 Two Class config I posted earlier in text: (note that anything following // on a line is not seen by TOPCAT) PASSENGER_STATIONS] station.0=48;16.1;Fwd Cabin;1 // 8400 / 29.63% (25% of station load is First Class) station.1=60;-5.9;Mid Cabin;2 // 10500 / 37.04% station.2=54;-28.1;Aft Cabin;3 // 9450 / 33.33% // 30450 (total pax load) Here the values in red are what TOPCAT is reading - i.e. max load in station.0 is 48 PAX - the value following the // in blue is how much a full station load of PAX weighs - i.e. 48pax = 8400lbs - and the percentage after that is how much of the total PAX payload - not including cargo load - that station can hold. I've also included a percentage for the two class configurations so you can determine how much of the first station you need to load into the first class cabin within the aircraft itself - i.e. in the case of a full station.0 load of 48pax, 25% of them will be in first class = 12pax in first class. If there were 40pax in station.0 you would load 25% of 40pax = 10pax in first class. You can determine how TOPCAT is distributing the passengers by clicking the Payload Distribution button in the W&B page. Hope this helps, If you have any other questions let me know! Hi Edward, Yep just drop all the .txt files into your TOPCAT\Configurations directory with all the others and the next time you load TOPCAT it will process them when initially loading. As per my previous post when selecting the Aircraft model in TOPCAT - choose type Boeing 737-700 for the -600 and -700 configurations, and Boeing 737-800 for the -800 and -900 configurations. They will appear in the aircraft configuration dropdown as NGX73# Single/Two Class -------------- Hope I haven't overly bored anyone with my excessive ranting!

Thanks for letting me know Julian, I've re-archived the ZIP file and updated the link in my original post. Can you try it now and let me know if there's still an issue? It appears to be working fine from my end. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/59841802/TOPCAT_Configs_PMDG_NGX.zip

Hi Everyone, I've been following this topic for some time and making my own calculations and changes to the config files as new information has been brought to light. I've been able to create what I think are some pretty accurate TOPCAT config files for all the NGX models for both the Single and Two class cabin layouts. If you wanted to give them a try you can download the ZIP folder containing my configs from my dropbox link below (I don't post too often so let me know if this isn't working): https://dl.dropbox.com/u/59841802/TOPCAT_Configs_PMDG_NGX.zip Things to note: All weights are in LBS, also - set your passenger weights in TOPCAT to 175lbs (this is how much an NGX passenger weighs) and only load ADULTS. No kids or infants. I've done a lot of comparing between the FMC weights and what actually appears in the FSX payload screens, as well as the aircraft.cfg files for each model. There seems to be some discrepancies in certain places, but I've tried best to determine which values work best in the config files. Also, I've added some notations within the config files themselves to give an idea of how much load each station can take, and each stations percentage of the total load. Lastly, I think I've done pretty well to get the MAC readings and V-speed predictions accurate. If you load up the aircraft and set an empty payload (no fuel either) you'll notice the CG reported by the FMC and from TOPCAT will be the exact same for all models. You can confirm this by checking the config file and seeing that I haven't needed to set a MAC_Shift value either. Defintely the last thing to note. when selecting the Aircraft model in TOPCAT - choose Boeing 737-700 for the -600 and -700 configurations, and select Boeing 737-800 for the -800 and -900 configurations. I'd be happy to see if anyone is able to improve on these configurations even more! For those who just wan't a quick glance, here's my config file for the -800 with a two class cabin layout:

You're most welcome! I have been looking forward to an awesome FSDT sale like this for a while also! The wait was well worth it. I have fallen in love with absolutely everything released by FSDT, they are definitely one of my top FSX addon developers! Keep up the great work Virtuali!

Just got this email! Think I'll be buying almost every airport I don't own! Plus there usual 15% discount for multiple purchases still applies! YOU CAN'T SAY NO TO THIS SALE!! http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=6859.0 http://www.fsdreamteam.com/ Sale on until July 4th guys. Get on there now! Regards.

Thanks for the kind words guys! Unfortunately I don't tend to have much for FSX these days. However I'll do my best to keep contributing.

My first contributions to this forum. Shots taken on an early morning flight from KLAX to KLAS. Enjoy!

Yes I was experiencing that issue with EZDOK also. It forces the VC cockpit view as soon as load into the sim. However since doing the reinstall of EZDOK it has seemed to fix all the issues I was having with FS2Crew. Since then I have been able to start the sim in 3D mode and run through full flights with FS2crew no problem. I no longer need to load the sim in 2D mode first for it to work.

I had this problem too, turned out to be EZDOK camera. After I completely uninstalled it and deleted all the EZCA folder in AppData etc, I ran a test of FS2Crew in 2D view and was able to get past the engine start. I then reinstalled EZDOK and tested again in the VC and it worked fine. A good way to determine if the FO is ready for the Engine start procedure is to see if he's actually set the pressurization panel to the altitude you set in the FMC. I found that every time I had this error he had skipped that step, even though I had correctly configured my CDU for preflight. However if your not using EZDOK, I am not sure what could be causing the problem for you.

I'd also like to know this, for all I know I could be using the very first ones!

On all aircraft in GSX, the fuel truck simply drives up to the plane and opens up the FSX refueling window. At this point you have the option to enter a fuel amount and 'load the fuel', or you can simply press CANCEL on the refueling window, and it will close (making no changes to the current fuel loads). With complex aircraft like the NGX, this is what i've been doing with GSX. Although the fuel truck isn't 'theoretically' loading any fuel onto it, you still get to see the fancy GSX fuel truck drive up to your NGX and position itself to load the fuel. When GSX opens the refueling window and you select CANCEL, the truck sits there for about 2 seconds before driving off, so in that short time you could enter the fuel load into the NGX CDU to simulate the fuel loading while the truck is there. It's better than nothing, and adds a small amount of realism i suppose.

I would like to see this too, a very interesting topic indeed.P.S. I've been watching your NGX videos from the start and enjoy them immensely! Very clear and great quality. Thanks for the hard work!

haha i was thinking the same thing!

Thanks for the words Terrence, it means a lot to hear from the main man himself. Believe me I've seen all the screenshots for these new NGX liveries, which is exactly why I came a knocking here to ask about availability! I'm an Aussie, and when I first laid eyes on that Yananyi Dreaming livery I almost... I won't say. Chances are I will end up buying a couple of the packs for the NGX when they are available, and I too look forward to seeing the freebies you guys have ready for us! Cheers,

Cheers for the help guys,It seems to me that they haven't actually been released yet even though they're displayed on the website. I'll do as you say Paul and give the AA livery a whirl once that's out, and see how it looks in sim compared to some of the stock pmdg ones.Thanks again,

Perhaps my wording was a bit exaggerated. I'll try to elaborate.I didn't come here to complain about having to pay for liveries, I came here because I am curious to know if anyone has purchased these, can give me an idea of how much they cost, and from their decide whether to buy them myself or not. I wasn't trying to be disrespectful when I gave my opinion of the studio charging for liveries, it was more just a vocal expression of how to date, I have not been able to justify paying for them - seeing as they are the only painters I know of who charge for liveries.I'm not saying the amount of work they put in is not worth a profit, but I'm sure these guys have other jobs besides livery repaints. Perhaps it's more the pricing of their products that bother me. I mean take their MD-11 repaints for example. I was eyeing them out for quite a while, but in the end I could not justify spending 11-13 euros for a set of liveries when the aircraft itself is $80, and as you say Andrew, their are a ton of excellent painters within the community who keep it as a hobby and offer their art for free.So i shall ask again, hoping not to rub anyone else the wrong way.Has anyone been able to make contact with the studio in regards to these liveries? And if so, how are they? Are they as great as the comparison shots make them out to be? Are they worth the money (of which I am assuming will be around the same as their previous sets)?Cheers,

http://www.mcphatstudios.net/pmdg/ngx.phpHey guys, just curious...It is unclear from the website as to whether these liveries are available or not. There is no price or buy now button (I still think its outrageous that they charge for liveries), but from what I see in the comparison shots they might be worth it! I requested a price for them but have not heard back...Anyone got these yet?Cheers,

Although I could go on a big rant in regards to the rate at which the NGX training is being released... I won't. All I will say is that it is incredibly slow (about one a month / maybe one every 3 weeks at most). But the quality is AMAZING. The training is more in depth than anyone would have imagined, I'm willing to bet the AOA team themselves didn't realize the extent of the project when they undertook it - hence the slow release of videos. But to answer some of your questions:The videos that have been released to date are around 15 - 30 mins in length, depending on the section of training.Yes you can download the videos. So far they have been between 200 - 400MB in size and may get larger as the bigger sections are released.The support documentation you get is very cool. Expect things like training guides, cockpit schematics, aircraft specifications etc. They are really detailed too.Although $50 may seem like a lot of money, you won't miss it. That price is ridiculously cheap for the quality and scope of training you are paying for. It's definitely a steal. Just don't expect to see your money's worth right away. I don't think I'll be completely satisfied with my purchase until groundwork is complete. But nevertheless, I don't regret buying it. If your strapped for cash and don't want to spend money on something you won't get straight away, my advice would be to hold off a few months for a few more releases and save a bit. Then go for the Captain's Package, that way you will get the Groundwork, Flightwork and Linework - It's cheaper in the long run.Hope that gives you some guidance.----On another note. The AOA team is aware things aren't progressing fast enough and they are doing their best to speed things up. So hopefully in time the training videos will start to release with shorter intervals.---P.S. It appears I did end up ranting on a bit doesn't it. Hehe.

What you need to do is increase the wave animation timescale in the WaterConstants.xml that is installed as per the Shader3Mod (it should be in your FSX root directory).You can open it with notepad. Look for any entries that have <fTimeScale2>#.###</fTimeScale2> (# being the current value). The default entries in my XML were <fTimeScale2>0.050</fTimeScale2>, you don't need to increase it too much to see a big difference either. Start at around 0.150 and see how that looks, if you find it's still a little too slow, increase it slightly again. I noticed a big difference straight away.Also make sure to comb through the XML file pretty well, from what I remember there are 2 or maybe 3 different <fTimeScale2> entries scattered through it. One for day, one for night etc etc.Hope that helps.

The blue wheel is painted on purpose as per the PMDG livery. It is so the wheels match the colour of the belly when the gear is raised.However the transparency that the OP is showing is definitely a bug.

hey man you might want to check this "fix/mod" out http://fsxtimes.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/113-a-quick-fix-to-shade-darkness/ what he's basically suggesting here is to shift dawn one set earlier and dusk one set later making them a bit "lighter", and in turn extending the total time for noon. i would suggest making a backup of the original Mark's Final preset first however.