whamil77

The only difference will probably be that using the electric trim may not disengage the autopilot, which happens almost universally in the RW. The trim function and autopilot disconnect will likely work fine.

Ed, There probably should also be an audio alert. It usually chimes-in about 1000 feet prior to level-off. I remember thinking about that at some point and then getting distracted by something else. I will add that to the list. Bill

Ed, I think I put the wrong autopilot folder in the mod. I am not hearing about it from most folks because they already have the KFC 300 autopilot from the Cheyenne II. I'm guessing you don't. If that's the case, there is no autopilot to pop-up. I will add this to the list of updates required. Thanks for the feedback. Regards, Bill

Welp......Bad news. This will simply not work with FSX. All development and testing was done with P3Dv4.4. The resulting models are beyond the scope of FSX. I tried to re-compile them using the FSX SDK to no avail. I tried to convert the FSX version to include the details in the mod. Still no luck. I think there is some dividing line between the 64 bit and 32 bit versions that can't be crossed. Anyway....very sorry. If you are an FSX user and discarded v5.0 please send me a PM and I will re-post v5.0 to Dropbox for you to download.

Dave, I had forgotten where I got that one. It is the one I use the most. Hope you don't mind that I included it. It is really a good paint. I'll check out the pressurization code when I can. Bill

What exactly did the switch do? Did it move at all to another position?

For those of you having a problem with the GNS.LITE model, I transposed a couple of letters in the interior model file. 1. Open the folder "model.GNS_LITE". 2. Rename the interior model currently entitled "A690_interior_GSN_LITE.mdl" to "A690_interior_GNS_LITE.mdl" That should clear up the problem with the loading of the model file. Regards, Bill

I am getting the same bug from a couple of folks. I will check it tonight.

OK...on its way for sure.

Well........there seems to be a problem with my email service. The mod didn't go out last night. I'll try and get it corrected as soon as possible. 😞

Mod in the air! Check your email inboxes.

Automatic for those already in my address book. I’m pretty sure you’re in it.

Some simulator hardware controllers "wander" a bit. I have a very high end PFC rig and it is very difficult to perfectly match power and condition levers. Because they must be calibrated separately it is almost impossible to get both levers to command the same position. If the power levers are very close together, the algorithm overrides the calibration and matches them. The left is the master and the right is the slave, much like prop sync. The matching algorithm has nothing to do with limits. It only matches levers when they are already very close together.

It is very easily adjustable right down to zero. I'm a old PT6 guy and I know they will slam on the brakes if you pull them to idle. If the 331 acts differently perhaps we can get some opinions during testing from some 331 pilots. I'll make the adjustment accordingly. The next will probably be the Conquest. But it will be a while before I can get to it.

This updates my earlier mod of the 690B to make it compatible with Prepar3D v4.4. But, there is much more to it than just that. It is my most extensive mod to date and brings many of the aircraft’s systems into compliance with the Pilot Operating Handbook. The limitations of the simulator and some limitations to the add-on I couldn’t overcome prevented perfection and I will attempt to highlight those shortcomings as I go. Corrections and additions. 1. Compatible with P3Dv4.4. 2. Modeled prop drag or “disk drag” at very low inflight power settings. Pulling the power levers to idle will result in significant deceleration and could result in hard landings or worse. 3. Modeled the electrical system to include battery state and external power availability. 4. Corrected RPM and EGT. 5. Start locks actually work. Fail to engage the start locks on shutdown will result in feathered propellers. Attempting to start an engine with feathered propellers will result in bad things happening. Unfeathering procedure in accordance with the POH, including appropriate battery depletion if not using external power. 6. Corrected deice boots switch to a 3-position switch. Momentary single cycle position returns to center and regulated bleed pressure drops accordingly. 7. Corrected cabin and panel light switches. They are now independent. 8. Corrected Propeller and Generator inlet ammeter. 9. Extensively overhauled the AP-106 autopilot. It now works properly both in the VC and in the pop-up and the altitude preselect/alert now works properly. 10. The optional KFC-300 autopilot is also included. 11. Corrected the Hydraulic Pressure gauge. 12. Corrected the Annunciator Test button. 13. Added touchdown effect that has tire “chirp” at touchdown. 14. Corrected the backwards rudder trim indicator. 15. Added an optional power and condition lever matching algorithm. 16. Added an optional automatic pressurization controller that works from altitude entered in the autopilot. 17. Added a new Start Window that includes a Cold and Dark button, a Step-by-step start button that can be used as a tutorial until you become comfortable with the airplane systems. Be warned….you can not just jump in and start flying this airplane without complying with the Pilot Operating Handbook. The Start Window also has a quick start button. 18. Pilot Operating Handbooks included for the 690B and the 980. Carenado modeled a Rockwell 690B Turbo Commander that had been modified with TPE331-10 engines and uses EGT gauges instead of ITT gauges. The 690B POH includes systems and procedures information. The 980 POH is the place to find performance and -10 engine limitations. 19. As usual, I included repercussions for not following procedures. You will likely want to have the engine fire procedures memorized. 20. Models included for GTN and GNS. 21. Normal and LITE versions merged into a single folder. Things not corrected: 1. P3D still uses a free turbine turboprop engine model. I have made every effort to emulate the direct drive TPE331 but you will see some minor surging issues. 2. There is a conflict in the model between the Left Generator Inlet Heat switch and the R Pitot Heat switch. To turn the Left Generator Inlet Heat switch to OFF, the Right Pilot Heat switch must first be turned OFF. Once the Inlet Heat switch is OFF, the Pitot Heat can be turned to ON. The mod requires the installation of XMLTools appropriate to the simulator and can be downloaded here: http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/resources/authors/taguilo.1802/ The mod also requires FSUIPC for proper autopilot operation. As usual, this mod should be considered Beta. Please post problems you find in the AVSIM Carenado 690B forum so that others can verify and provide help in addition to my own. I hope to be ready for distribution by the weekend. If you are on the mailing list your copy will arrive via email. If you are not on the list and would like to give the mod a try, send me a PM here with your email address. Here are some "teasers".... Regards, Bill

It absolutely shouldn't take that long. I don't know what may be going on but I just started mine and it took about 15 seconds to get the amperage down to 50% with the running engine at 70%. Of course, ensure that all other loads are off (radios, lights other than the beacon, etc..). But I can't imagine what would take so long. Nothing in my coding does that to my knowledge. As for the sequencing...it goes like this. 1. Start the first engine with the battery. The battery will then be too depleted to start the second engine. 2. Set the condition lever on the running engine to HIGH IDLE (about 70%). 3. Turn the generator on on the running engine so it can begin to recharge the depleted battery. The battery is recharged enough (though not fully) to start the second engine with the operating generator's help when the generator has decreased to 50% output. The amperage decreases as the battery is charged because the potential (voltage) in the battery begins to increase as it is charged therefore making the potential difference (difference in battery voltage and generator voltage) decrease. If the battery were to reach 28 volts it would accept no charge at all. It can't because it's a 24 volt battery, but you get the picture. 4. This step has changed back and forth over the years and varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. The peak amperage is drawn by an electric device, in this case a starter/generator, when it is first engaged then quickly decreases. For that reason the current limiter for the operating generator (essentially a fuse) is most vulnerable when the second starter is initially selected. Depending on the ruggedness of the current limiter some procedures have you just leave the operating generator running while the second start is initiated and some have you secure the operating generator prior to the second start so as not to blow the current limiter (fuse). FSX/P3D does not model this current peak therefore it really doesn't matter in the sim. The procedure for the B200 tells you to turn off the operating generator until the engine being started reaches 12%. Then the operating generator can be reengaged. A battery is a storage device but it is also electricity's version of a shock absorber. In this case, the battery accepted the "shock" of the initial selection of the second starter. By the time the second engine reaches 12% that shock has subsided and the generator can then be reengaged without danger of blowing the current limiter. Again, FSX/P3D doesn't model the current peak so simply leaving the operating generator running will also work in the sim. Hope this answers some of your questions. Regards, Bill

The hot starts come as a result of insufficient battery power available to accelerate the engine through the start cycle. The battery is partially depleted from the first start and must be recharged prior to the second start. Per the checklist, please ensure the generator load on the first engine started has decreased to below 50% before attempting to start the second engine. You should be good to go. There were changes to P3Dv4.4 that affected engine starting in all of my turboprop mods. Just in case you didn't get it, I have PM'd you the engine update for the B200 in P3Dv4.4. Regards, Bill

With P3Dv4.4 it probably still isn't satisfactory. Engine starting and idle settings were significantly changed in 4.4 and I'm working through my mods to correct the issue, but it will take some time. I don't know why the thrust and fuel flow numbers during start and idle changed so drastically. Maybe it was the result of the variable fuel flow gain introduced in 4.4, but in any case, it's been a pain.

The engine driven pumps aren't designed to draw fuel from the tanks, but only to pressurize the fuel nozzles. The boost pumps provide pressurized fuel to the engine driven pumps. There are two for each engine for redundancy. If one fails, the other is available. Some operators use #1 on odd days and #2 on even days. Some use one to failure and keep the second in reserve, while checking operation of the second occasionally.

Yes, but it's supposed to be more than a thump, especially with Accu-Feel. Before I could turn that thing up to max and a Cessna 150 would sound like a 747 touching down. Most of the touchdown sounds (bmtouch, cmtouch, etc.) have a squeal component. But all I'm getting now it the thump.

Upon further review....all of my tire sounds are gone in P3Dv4.4 for all aircraft I have tested. Hmmmmm....

I think it's a "combination" problem. While researching the touch-down sounds absence last night I ended up in the same situation. I was switching back and forth between airplanes and all of a sudden I had this terrible wind noise background in the Baron, even when cold and dark. I simply restarted the sim and it cleared. I think some things can get carried forward from airplane to airplane if you are doing any switching during the session. There was a serious problem with the Carenado Navajo and the Alabeo Cheiftain where both aircraft used the same fuel selector variable but the variable was not accessible in the Chieftain. If you flew the Navajo first, turned a fuel selector off, then switched to the Chieftain....there was nothing you could do to get that engine started on the Chieftain. You had to go back to the Navajo, turn the fuel selector back on, then go back to the Chieftain and start the engine. And this one carried over from session to session. Restarting the sim didn't even clear it up. Very frustrating and hours to figure it out. Anyway....for the noise problem, restarting the sim cleared it up for me.

I looked at it for a couple of hours last night.........to no avail. I see the same thing in the Cessna 340 and some of the other older Carenado titles. I think it's model related somehow because I use Accu-Feel and its tire squeal doesn't work in these aircraft either. Something is not signalling touch-down to trigger these sounds. I don't know where that signal is provided (presumably somewhere in the model), but it doesn't work. Interesting in that the airplane knows it's on the ground because the tires spin-up. If we could figure out what the trigger is, it can probably be fixed. Without knowing the trigger, there is no way to do testing.

T, I need to know which panel.cfg you are referring to or if it pertains to all of them. I'll just make some assumptions. Either you don't have the WXAdvantage RADAR or it's out of date. If you have it, simply update it. If you don't have it you can re-enable the default RADAR in the panel.cfg as follows. Change the panel.cfg: From this---------------------------------------- [Vcockpit04] Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=512,512 visible=0 pixel_size=512,512 texture=$Panel_4 gauge00=MV_WX!WX, 90,35,335,245 //gauge00=WX_Gauge_3D_PA42III!WXGauge, 9,9,492,309 gauge03=TOGGLES!ToggleWxAdvantage, 0,48,513,450 ----------------------------------------------------- To this--------------------------------------------- [Vcockpit04] Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=512,512 visible=0 pixel_size=512,512 texture=$Panel_4 //gauge00=MV_WX!WX, 90,35,335,245 gauge00=WX_Gauge_3D_PA42III!WXGauge, 9,9,492,309 //gauge03=TOGGLES!ToggleWxAdvantage, 0,48,513,450 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have come to the conclusion that the Cheyenne III xml sound file is somehow corrupted. I have never been able to get it to work. I substituted the Cheyenne II file and it seems to work OK. I forgot to do that in the CarGNS panel. Open the panel.cfg in the CarGNS panel and made the following change: From this---------------------------- [Vcockpit02] Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=512,512 visible=1 pixel_size=512,512 texture=$Panel_2 gauge00=;Radio_PA42!RadioAudio, 14, 4,484, 94 gauge01=GAUGE_PA42!Radio_KR87_ADF_2D, 13, 396,485, 100 gauge02=DIGTTRANS_PA42!transponder, 0, 242, 512,130 gauge03=GAUGE_PA42!Radio_KN62A_DME, 13, 113,485, 100 gauge04=GAUGE_PA42!Gauge_DME_HSI, 0, 4,447, 100 gauge05=CARSound_PA42III!CarSound, 0, 0, 1, 1 gauge06=PA42_GPSWX!GPS_WX, 0,0,1,1 gauge07=GAUGE_PA42!TOGA, 500, 396, 15, 100 ---------------------------------------------------------------- To this------------------------------------------------------- [Vcockpit02] Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=512,512 visible=1 pixel_size=512,512 texture=$Panel_2 gauge00=;Radio_PA42!RadioAudio, 14, 4,484, 94 gauge01=GAUGE_PA42!Radio_KR87_ADF_2D, 13, 396,485, 100 gauge02=DIGTTRANS_PA42!transponder, 0, 242, 512,130 gauge03=GAUGE_PA42!Radio_KN62A_DME, 13, 113,485, 100 gauge04=GAUGE_PA42!Gauge_DME_HSI, 0, 4,447, 100 gauge05=CARSound_PA31T!CarSound, 0, 0, 1, 1 gauge06=PA42_GPSWX!GPS_WX, 0,0,1,1 gauge07=GAUGE_PA42!TOGA, 500, 396, 15, 100 ----------------------------------------------------------- If you don't have the PA31T, and therefore don't have the "Carsound_PA31T.dll" in your gauges folder you may be out of luck. Carenado won't allow me to redistribute it in unmodified form. The modules are standard FSUIPC macros for electric trim and autopilot that have been used in several mods. I will put together a tutorial later and send it out. Hope this helps and hope it gets other folks to report problems. Effective beta testing requires more eyes than I have. Regards, Bill

Dick, The keyboard "L" for lights is a "global turn on and off all the lights the developer connected to it" switch if you are using it through P3D. It is typically not used because it controls all the lights, not just the ones you want to use. So....if you want to control the lights by clicking the switches in the overhead panel, the setup above is the one to use. If you want to control the lights using a hardware switch or a keyboard command through FSUIPC, make it look like this: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- <!-- For default VC landing light operation --> <!-- (L:ASD_690B_SWITCH_LANDING_LIGHT_RIGHT,number) 0 == (L:ASD_690B_SWITCH_LANDING_LIGHT_LEFT,number) 0 == and if{ (A:LIGHT LANDING,bool) 0 != if{ 1 (&gt;K:LANDING_LIGHTS_TOGGLE) } } els{ (A:LIGHT LANDING,bool) 0 == if{ 1 (&gt;K:LANDING_LIGHTS_TOGGLE) } } --> <!-- For assigning landing lights to FSUIPC landing lights switch --> (A:LIGHT LANDING,bool) 0 != if{ 1 (>L:ASD_690B_EXTEND) 1 (>L:ASD_690B_SWITCH_LANDING_LIGHT_RIGHT,number) 1 (>L:ASD_690B_SWITCH_LANDING_LIGHT_LEFT,number) (>K:LANDING_LIGHTS_ON) } (A:LIGHT LANDING,bool) 0 == if{ 0 (>L:ASD_690B_EXTEND) 0 (>L:ASD_690B_SWITCH_LANDING_LIGHT_RIGHT,number) 0 (>L:ASD_690B_SWITCH_LANDING_LIGHT_LEFT,number) (>K:LANDING_LIGHTS_OFF) } ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can then assign a keyboard stroke in FSUIPC to toggle landing lights. You can use the keyboard "L" if you like, but first remove it from the controls in P3D so it doesn't conflict.