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Post by jalexb88 on Oct 9, 2021 20:11:26 GMT
Here is a picture of the panel I put together. I made a background image for it by merging together some of the images posted on this forum, along with other 747-200 panel graphics... I hope you don't mind, it will never leave my hard-drive  All the instruments were from this forum unmodified, just sized and positioned appropriately. I am using 2 screens, the main panel on a 2560x1600 display and the right accessories on a smaller 1920x1080 display.  I have done a few full flights so far and it works very well! Instruments that I can suggest as a priority (ie. used often in-flight or taxiing): 1. Thrust computer panel 2. ADF panels 3. Aircraft light switches 4. Body-gear steering switch 5. Ignition switches 6. Nacelle & wing anti-ice switches 7. Autobrakes |
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Post by BW901 on Oct 10, 2021 11:09:39 GMT
Hi jalexb88,
Thanks for the post. Nice to see the AM gauges in action on another system, and pleased (relieved) to hear everything's running as it should! No problem with using images as you have, in fact one of the jobs I'll tackle at some stage soon is to provide panel imagery and gauges as panel packages, which may help you.
Thanks also for the list of panels you would find useful to have, that will help me focus priority - I tend to "drift" around the cockpit just doing different bits at random until eventually there's an almost complete panel. The F/E panel's a bit intimidating, but I'll probably start with APU and pressurization panels and go from there - I suppose fuel management would be one part of the panel which would be regularly scanned. Because I'm mostly testing gauges or scenery I cheat and just have my 742 set and ready to fly, and I can do 3 hour trips without ever looking at the F/E panel. Not realistic, but it does what I need. Once I get things more complete though I'd like to switch to using proper procedures, and hopefully find some folks to run shared cockpit with.
I have opened a new thread with download links for overhead panels, and the anti-skid/body-gear steering and auto-brake panels are uploaded already.
I completed the imagery for the ADF and COM control heads this morning, and actually already have most of the ADF code logic written, so I will try and get that finished ASAP, and will upload, together with the WX Radar and Transponder panels which are already complete. The Autothrottle control panel is one which is used several times in flight, so I'll get that done quickly as well.
Cheers
Jon
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Post by jalexb88 on Oct 10, 2021 16:26:37 GMT
Thanks for the quick additions for the overhead  I have just added them in. Yeah, the F/E panels do look like quite the undertaking, I have a similar procedure for now to set it up once before flight (all pumps on & crossfeeds open) and "forget it" so to speak... I guess the idea being to focus only on the pilot duties but still not quite realistic. |
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Post by jalexb88 on Oct 13, 2021 17:38:16 GMT
I've been coding an Air Manager instrument called "742 Auto Flight Engineer". Its a simple panel with buttons to transition through different phases of flight from takeoff to landing (pre-flight/engine start/shutdown/post-flight F/E ops not yet supported) What it means is once the engines are running you can operate the entire flight without once looking at the F/E panel. Fuel pump switches, cross-feed valves, tank-to engine config, air conditioning, pressurization etc. are all managed according to the different phases of flight. You just have to "tell" it when you are, like in climb mode or cruise mode etc.  Its almost ready to go, maybe I can post a .siff file somewhere. |
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Post by BW901 on Oct 13, 2021 19:18:03 GMT
That sounds interesting. Definitely one for folks who just want to be pilot and not worry about being an F/E as well. Can you dial in specifics like cruise altitude so the pressurisation system is set accordingly?
I'd love to see it when you're ready and I'd be happy to host it here if you like?
I've got 5 of your 7 panel requests uploaded, will do the lights and antice systems next.
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Post by jalexb88 on Oct 13, 2021 19:35:11 GMT
Its pretty much done for now, www.dropbox.com/s/pwcznzei8jxs9l5/742alex%20-%20Auto%20Flight%20Engineer.siff?dl=0 let me know what you think! I have also submitted it to sim innovations for free download... we'll see if they put it up. For pressurization in climb/cruise I have it read the current value of the MCP altitude + 1000, if the MCP altitude is above 31500. For descent its a bit trickier...no way to predict the landing elevation other then adding a control on the panel for it... for now it just resets to an averaged altitude. Thanks for the great work! |
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Post by BW901 on Oct 13, 2021 20:16:28 GMT
Thanks, I've downloaded it and it loads up fine. Not sure if it puts weight and fuel into the totalizer on the FE panel, that would be helpful. Also my suggestion would be to make it into a panel with buttons that can fit in a spare slot on the pedestal?
Nice work, it's a great concept which'll make life a lot easier flying this thing.
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Post by jalexb88 on Oct 13, 2021 21:45:08 GMT
I think the gross weight on the totalizer is updated every time you change it in the tablet, if I am not mistaken. Yeah I can definitely work on something like that for the visual display, the current texture is more of a placeholder just good enough just to get it up and running.
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Post by BW901 on Oct 15, 2021 9:03:26 GMT
Hi jalexb88,
It looks like you're running into the same issue as I am, the 742 does not like writing to FLOAT arrays. (INT arrays are fine). Specific issue here is with the Air Conditioning Pack rotary valves, which cannot be moved. Watching the FE panel as I run through your AFE buttons only the pack3 switch is affected and that's intermittent.
Could you please check and confirm, or if you have a fix that would be brilliant - I've wasted a few hours trying to fix similar elsewhere! Same thing also affects for example the sliders on the audio selector panels - which is the one part of the pedestal I can't bring to Air Manager as a result. Also the Decision Height selector, which in the end Felis added a command for, but the command does not give as precise control as the dataref would.
Thanks
Jon
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Post by jalexb88 on Oct 15, 2021 13:41:28 GMT
I believe in my tests, all three packs were turning on and off, but maybe I just got lucky as you said intermittent. I am on the road right now away from my PC until Sunday evening, but once I’m back I’ll test ASAP
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Post by BW901 on Oct 15, 2021 15:06:56 GMT
I've traced the issue. Looks like I wasn't using the latest Air Manager plugin, and writing to float arrays was apparently a known issue which was fixed with the current version back in February/March. I started work on the 742 in April, my bad for not checking regularly for updates.
Enjoy your weekend and safe trip!
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All the instruments were from this forum unmodified, just sized and positioned appropriately. I am using 2 screens, the main panel on a 2560x1600 display and the right accessories on a smaller 1920x1080 display.
I have just added them in. Yeah, the F/E panels do look like quite the undertaking, I have a similar procedure for now to set it up once before flight (all pumps on & crossfeeds open) and "forget it" so to speak... I guess the idea being to focus only on the pilot duties but still not quite realistic.