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Post by BW901 on Oct 15, 2021 15:25:10 GMT
Right now I'm ecstatic, I've traced the one problem I've had since I started working on the 742 panels in April. I've so far been unable to write values to arrays with floating (decimal) values, despite everything I've been doing and the code looking right. I could only presume it was an issue with the relevant Felis custom datarefs not being writeable, but it turns out that this was an issue known about by the developers of Air Manager, and they'd corrected it with an updated version of the X-Plane plug-in back in February/March. So lesson learned the hard way, I should keep an eye on software updates regularly.  Anyhow the good news is I'll now get the 2 radalt versions updated and working 100% [edit: updated standard circular radalt and tape-style radalt are now available for download] , I'll get going on the audio selector panels and might simplify some code elsewhere. Every cloud has a silver lining! |
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Post by BW901 on Oct 21, 2021 18:54:07 GMT
A week ago member jalexb88 posted a great little file called 742 Auto Flight Engineer which handled fuel and pressurization during flight. You can find jalex's file hereI thought that was a really neat idea, and wondered if the principle could be expanded upon to provide a "real-time" automated or semi-automated Flight Engineer from a cold and dark cockpit through to leaving the aircraft after arrival at destination. Most of us will be "flying" Felis' creation on our own and offloading many of the tasks required to operate a 747-200 so I could concentrate on pilot things was appealing. I looked at all the functions that the F/E would take care of - on the 747 Classic that includes setting the cockpit up pre-flight ready for the pilots - and set out to programme the F/E's actions in sequence so that sitting in the cockpit you'd see switches moving, or test alarms sounding, as your virtual cockpit companion moves invisibly around the panels following SOPs. The result is the rather unimaginatively titled "Virtual Flight Engineer".  I broke the flight into distinct segments or phases. That wasn't my initial choice but I ran into limitations on the number of delays I could incorporate into individual loops. Click on the relevant flight phase and it'll turn orange as the virtual F/E runs through their tasks, with the graphic changing to green once everything is complete. If you want to skip a phase, and carry out the F/E tasks yourself, that's fine. I incorporated an automated engine start procedure. Whilst it's not an F/E-only task I thought that automating the whole process could be interesting. As with the rest of the file it's up to you as the user. Start the aircraft yourself, or push the Engine Start button, the choice is yours. This is still a big WIP. It works, but there are holes, and several secondary tasks which are not yet included. To test the theory I based procedures on the excellent Felis 747-200 Full Tutorial series of Youtube videos by Reflected Reality Simulations. I've then started to review against British Airways checklists and that airline's extended Normal Procedures. It'll take me a while to completely mirror BAW's paperwork, and hopefully there may be folks out there who could take this and modify it to follow other specific airline policy. Right now there are a few limitations: - Setting/removing Chocks, connecting/disconnecting the GPU and chosing the Felis "Quick Align" function for the INS can only be done via the EFB/tablet in cockpit. Hopefully writable datarefs will become available. - Destination airport altitude and QNH need to be set directly into the FE panel in X-Plane. I'll change that soon so it can be done in Air Manager, same as can be done with Cruise Altitude. - Gross Weight has to be set directly in the FE panel in X-Plane, that's a limitation of a non-available dataref. - This works (or at least it hasn't yet caused me to crash the 747-200), but there's a way to go to 100% replicate the BAW procedures. I will get there! You can find the Virtual Flight Engineer here. You don't need any other Air Manager gauges to run this, it's completely stand-alone. My recommendation would be to create a panel which contains only this one gauge. |
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Post by BW901 on Oct 22, 2021 19:41:56 GMT
The pedestal's coming together nicely now, Here's a Work in Progress picture.
The Rudder Trim panel is missing, as is the VHF3 box, which I need to look at as a non-standard unit for dataref reasons.
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Post by BW901 on Oct 23, 2021 8:38:51 GMT
With the Virtual Flight Engineer working satisfactorily (still needs revision to fully match BAW procedures, but it works) I'll put the Flight Engineer panel on the long finger to concentrate on scenery and actually flying/enjoying the Felis 747-200. Most of the overhead panel real estate still needs to be modelled in Air Manager. Fortunately it's mostly switches, so should be "quick" to do. Here's an overview (Felis screenshot), showing which panels have been completed so far. Let's see how rapidly I can get the others done.....  |
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Post by BW901 on Oct 31, 2021 17:47:12 GMT
One week later......... Almost there! There are just a handful of functions to be added, but everything on the Overhead that you'll use/need in the course of standard operation as a 747 Classic pilot is working in Air Manager. I need to optimise image sizes and get the individual panel instruments packaged and then I'll get the rest of the MIP and Pedestal completed.  |
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Post by BW901 on Nov 1, 2021 19:34:57 GMT
The pedestal aft of the throttle quadrant is done, at least for this initial phase of Air Manager development. I haven't bothered with a COM3 box, I'm not sure any simmers would actually have a need for one? Everything else functions, and I've added some extra coding to blank out digital displays when power isn't available, as well as adding drag functionality and visual feedback to the Autopilot climb knobs. I'll get these panels packed and uploaded over the next week or so.  |
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Post by BW901 on Nov 2, 2021 9:59:58 GMT
So I came out to my office to do a bit more work on the Virtual Flight Engineer. Should I start coding, or go search for that pot of gold? I guess finishing the Air Manager instruments is more achievable .......  |
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Post by BW901 on Nov 23, 2021 13:19:05 GMT
Slight delay in posts, as I've been working on another year of timetables for a while, but all the Centre pedestal panels are now uploaded and available for download - Centre Pedestal InstrumentsI am still working on optimising overall size for the overhead instruments. |
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Post by BW901 on Feb 15, 2022 21:43:41 GMT
I've just uploaded all the modules for the overhead panel. Fire Handles are currently dummy, but when failure modes are introduced to the Felis model I'll add them. The switch guard on the Window Heat panel also needs a bit of fine tuning, but the panel itself is functional so I figure there's no reason not to make it available. You can find all the overhead modules here 747-200 Overhead PanelI will upload an updated version of the Virtual Flight Engineer, which has more functionality, but essentially that's the 1st phase of work complete on the 747-200 panels. Next up will be visual enhancements - I would like to introduce night effects, and if there's anyone out there who's a texture artist and would like to improve these please let me know, my skill level doesn't match my dreams for texture enhancements! |
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Post by BW901 on Feb 19, 2022 11:47:02 GMT
Before I start night and lighting effects (I have a plan, but don't know yet if the plan will work  ) I've cleaned up a few instruments and repacked everything by panel. Most changes are cosmetic, but given all the changes it's probably worth downloading the new combined files if it's a while since you last downloaded any individual instruments. The main download pages are also being revised.  |
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Post by BW901 on Feb 20, 2022 20:17:49 GMT
After a couple of days the night lighting is working. It needs some tweaking but the principle is OK. Overall light level is automatically tied now to cockpit ambient light in the sim, and gauge lighting and backlight levels are controllable with the appropriate in-cockpit knobs.  |
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Post by BW901 on Jun 9, 2022 7:33:21 GMT
OK, it seems like not a lot has been going on .... and yes as far as this forum is concerned it has been quiet! I've been doing a lot of work on panels for the FlyJSim 727 and 737 aircraft and am very close to releasing new panels. If you're interested in other classic jets for X-Plane you can check them out here XP-ClassicjetsI've learned a few new techniques and code improvements, which I will port over to the 747-200. Also I better get prepared for new navigation options which are currently WIP by Felis.  |
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Post by BW901 on Jun 10, 2022 15:02:50 GMT
Northwest and TWA (and probably a few others) had ADIs with V-Bar Flight Directors, so I thought I'd better take a look. Try as I might I cannot find any decent photographs. Looks like a Collins unit, but I haven't found the specific model number. Anyhow I put some rough image elements together and I'll get the programming done shortly so it's a working unit, albeit one which could do with some graphics improvements.  |
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Post by BW901 on Jun 10, 2022 20:12:44 GMT
Search hard enough, and you'll find anything on the internet! I have now cobbled together some new graphics and then I've got to get the thing coded. I'm running a test panel with the 2 ADI styles side-by-side which hopefully will make life a little easier!  |
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Post by BW901 on Jun 13, 2022 14:40:59 GMT
After completing the new ADI, which is working great, I think I'm going to build a revised set of gauges and panels with better graphics. The Centre MIP was easiest to start with, here are day and night shots of the new and improved updated panel. Dual INS panels next...  |
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) I've cleaned up a few instruments and repacked everything by panel. Most changes are cosmetic, but given all the changes it's probably worth downloading the new combined files if it's a while since you last downloaded any individual instruments. The main download pages are also being revised.