Satchmo

Yes, you are right, cockpit flood lights used to be kind of reddish and EF's HUD and cockpit lights are solid green in a very bright and shiny way. I wonder why designers have not thought (at least) of a day-night switch like the FSX default F-18 hornet has. So we might have to change jobs and fly PMDG 737 NGX instead. It has such a perfect dim system almost for each instrument induvidually. I wish you further luck for your work and I wish I could be of any help, Satchmo

OE_LAT; Thank you, this is great work you are doing. Yes, it may be a bit dark but it's hard to tell on the screenshot. I rather have your dark cockpit than Aerosoft's mega brightness. Unfortunately, keeping my fingers crossed for you to be able to adjust it a little more is the only thing I can do to help. Keeping up the faith, Satchmo

OE-LAT; Copy that. Thanks for your thoughts and I think you're right about the bug report. I'm very glad to wait a month or any other time you need. Rom wasn't build in one day! In case something positive comes up at my side, I'll let you know on this page. Thanks for your help, Satchmo

OE-LAT (Flo); I really appreciate your effort for coming back to my initial cry for help with Eurofighter's bright cockpit and HUD lights. Since then I have given up hope for a solution and was scheduling my night flights with other birds. Yes, that would be fantastic if the problem could be handled through the files. But.... I'm afraid there will be a second problem. I may know a little about flying but I don't know anything about computers. I guess in case of a file correction, you had to walk (talk) me through the edits. I just went through my FSX files on add-on Eurofighter and there is nothing indicating a night feature. Eurofighter shows 13 Texture folders: .au/.ge31/.ge73/.ge74/.gegsp/.it/.pr/.rf3/.rf11/.rf17/.rf29/.sa/.sp and all of them have in total hundreds of Bitmap images only. I wonder if it would help submitting a bug-report to AFS-Design. I have done so to Aerosoft about their X-Plane 10 default F-4 flaw (of the missing DME indication); but never got a reply. I will hang on about the Eurofighter and I will appreciate any further thoughts of yours. Fly safe, Satchmo

Curiosity made me download PMDG's PDFs just to see what the real deal is. Aerosoft's 95 pages handbook which came with the DVD box covers the same titles, the same screen shots in the same sequence as PMDG's Tutorial # 1. Yes, there is a big difference; it's the logo which changed on every single page from PMDG to Aerosoft. This, and the fact where Aerosoft indicates on page 16 (vs. PMDG's page 0.00.12) "We've added....", made me believe the whole thing was created by Aerosoft. Sorry for my greenhorn thoughts and I thank you and GeorgeLKMT for sharing your sharp senses with me. Fly safe, Satchmo

Thank you for your clarifying thoughts. I haven't seen the PDFs of the PMDG download version yet, but I think you might be correct. My Aerosoft handbook of 95 pages is just a tutorial for a short flight from Gatwick to Schiphol and concentrates on how to setup the FMC CDU for that particular routing only. Thanks. Nice bird you are flying. Fly safe, Satchmo

Sure, PMDG and Aerosoft are two different companies. But my DVD with the PMDG 737 NGX version is made and sold by Aerosoft. Aerosoft's PMDG 737 NGX handbook mentions PMDG as the developer but all 95 pages show the logo of Aerosoft as well as the company name: Aerosoft GmbH. On page 16 you can read that some changes relative to the real 737 have been done by Aerosoft. So it is a PMDG 737 NGX version made by Aerosoft and it is perfect. In the meanwhile I checked out the FSX default C 172 you put in comparison with Eurofighter made by AFS-Design, just to see for myself how good your joke was. At least not funny to me. Yes, the C 172 looks good and has a neat instrument panel but I have to question if you ever have heard the story about apples and bananas. I am not able to tell the difference of HUDs or CDUs functionalities just by looking at a screen shot. I had been testing quite a few fighters and I came across a HUD with multible modes and remarkable integrated electronic features on Eurofighter made by AFS-Design which suits me very much during specific tactical missions. So I do very much appreciate the brilliant work of the AFS-Design team. The default FSX Hornet has the least developed HUD I have tested, while the Sludge Hornet (made by Sludge) and the FSXAB Hornet (made by Blue Angels team) are further developed and excellent HUDs. I have already expressed my appreciation to both designers at their flight sim club. Fly safe, Satchmo

GeogeLKMT; Thank you for boosting up my education on launch bar and bridle hook. I did not know. Thanks for the explaining pic. Sorry to hear of your opinion about AFS-Design's Eurofighter. I have not come across yet any fighter with a better HUD or FMC and I rate my add-ons against the best realistically equipped bird, the PMDG 737 NGX from Aerosoft. I wish the same bird would be available for X-Plane 10 simulator. I think its fair to say that the PMDG 737 NGX from Aerosoft is "as good as it gets". However, I may check into your suggested Default C 172; just to see their standards. I liked your screenshot flickr with a few well known birds. Thanks. Manny; Talking about add-ons; I have been shopping for some add-ons yesterday in about five different Media Mega stores in town and I got a no splash for your wanted French Rafale. In addition, they checked all available supplier lists and came up with a "nothing". Sorry. Fly safe, Satchmo

OE-LAT; talking about launch bars I forgot to mention that the X-Plane 10 simulator doesn't use launch bars for carrier launches. They use a different catapult system which launches their good looking default Navy F-4 without launch bar engagement. Overall it is a brilliant simulator with tons of options and settings and crystal clear graphics. Take their default F-4, make a wire 3 landing on their default moving carrier and take a screen shot. The pic will look real!! It looks like, X-Plane 10 is moving into another level of professionalism in the future simulator world. Fly safe, Satchmo

Misunderstanding?? I did not say Eurofighter has carrier operation capability! I said the hook allows trap landings on the carrier and the strong engines get you off again. Obviously, without launch bar no launch; but short field take offs are a piece of cake for this bird. It's just a little bit of a challenge for me to trap this beauty onto a moving carrier correctly. My concern about the gear struts was minimal. My default aircraft on FSX is the "F-18 Sludge Hornet Test Bird", and now the Eurofighter impressed me with its outstanding HUD and its sim-friendly cockpit arrangement. Thank you Flo (OE-LAT) for your statement about the HUD lights and I am afraid you could be right. In case you are, I feel very sorry about cause and affect of this otherwise remarkable aircraft. My version seems to be somewhat newer than yours because its recommanded for Windows 7 and I bought it a few weeks ago. May be someone else has tested the bird too and comes up with a more positive conclusion. Thank you and fly safe, Satchmo

Hi all; I just got me the Eurofighter add-on made by AFS-Design and I'm most impressed. I guess the superb HUD and cockpit layout must have been designed by a pilot. Aircraft handling and flight dynamics are perfect and the auto pilot modes have the capability of an airliner, including flight data calculations like range, fuel, time remaining etc. The hook allows trap landings on carriers while the powerful engines get you off without catapult. This aircraft is a must for me!!! However, the only bother are the bright HUD and cockpit lights at night and I can't find the dim knob. May be someone has found it already? If so, please let me know. Fly safe, Satchmo

Is there anybody who knows how to dim the HUD and the cockpit lights of the Eurofighter (FSX add-on by Halycon). Your help will be highly appreciated, Satchmo