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The Staff of SOH
J
J van E
Guest
Here I am again with a few questions. 
1. The Approach tutorial says that just before intercepting the ILS you have to disengage AP ALT en press the APR button two or three times until the display shows APR and GS together. Now first of all, whenever I press APR I get APR and GS together: there seems to be no other possibility. But more important: whenever I disengage ALT before going to APR, it seems the GS isn't intercepted well. However, when I leave ALT on and press APR, I get APR and GS together with ALT (NAV goes off) and as soon as the GS is intercepted, ALT goes off automatically and the GS is followed all the way down.
So there is no real problem here, all is working fine now, but not really as described in the tutorial, which was of course a bit confusing at first.
2. I just finished my first night flight (glad I know now how to intercept the ILS ) and I noticed the Cabin light knob does nothing: is that correct? The instrument panel works but a bit weird depending on the time of day. Sometimes it seems to do nothing but sometimes it does, but turning it off usually gives a weird effect (way too much contrast). The overhead (dome or whatever you call it) knob works fine, but it seems to depend on the Instrument panel knob: when I turn the latter off, it gets way too dark, as if the overhead knob doesn't work well. As long as I do not touch the instrument light knob, all is fine, but the thing is that I can only get no light at all or too much light (at least too much to my liking): I would like to see the instruments lit themselves in the middle of night. All in all it doesn't seem to be working as it should, really...
Still having BIG FUN with the plane, though! It's my default aircraft! Specially now I've got perfectly working mouse wheel knobs all over the VC thanks to Bert!
:salute: I love the power if this bird: awesome. It can get you up and high in no time and at a good speed and cruise is perfect too: exactly what I've been looking for for a few years really...! It's got the perfect specs and speed for my use! Other planes were always too slow or too fast or had low wings, but this plane has it ALL!!! 
1. The Approach tutorial says that just before intercepting the ILS you have to disengage AP ALT en press the APR button two or three times until the display shows APR and GS together. Now first of all, whenever I press APR I get APR and GS together: there seems to be no other possibility. But more important: whenever I disengage ALT before going to APR, it seems the GS isn't intercepted well. However, when I leave ALT on and press APR, I get APR and GS together with ALT (NAV goes off) and as soon as the GS is intercepted, ALT goes off automatically and the GS is followed all the way down.
So there is no real problem here, all is working fine now, but not really as described in the tutorial, which was of course a bit confusing at first.
2. I just finished my first night flight (glad I know now how to intercept the ILS
) and I noticed the Cabin light knob does nothing: is that correct? The instrument panel works but a bit weird depending on the time of day. Sometimes it seems to do nothing but sometimes it does, but turning it off usually gives a weird effect (way too much contrast). The overhead (dome or whatever you call it) knob works fine, but it seems to depend on the Instrument panel knob: when I turn the latter off, it gets way too dark, as if the overhead knob doesn't work well. As long as I do not touch the instrument light knob, all is fine, but the thing is that I can only get no light at all or too much light (at least too much to my liking): I would like to see the instruments lit themselves in the middle of night. All in all it doesn't seem to be working as it should, really...Still having BIG FUN with the plane, though! It's my default aircraft! Specially now I've got perfectly working mouse wheel knobs all over the VC thanks to Bert!
:salute: I love the power if this bird: awesome. It can get you up and high in no time and at a good speed and cruise is perfect too: exactly what I've been looking for for a few years really...! It's got the perfect specs and speed for my use! Other planes were always too slow or too fast or had low wings, but this plane has it ALL!!! Hey J van E,
We (Dwight that is) retuned the approach settings several times and in the end had it set up so nice that the place would actually autoland in good conditions. The controls system 'changed' during this evolution of the ILS system so I am sure you were reading the old version. I need to update that. Sorry for the confusion.
Concerning lights; here is the breakdown.
Panel lights.............Gauges themselves, illuminated from behind
Dome Light.............Bright overhead light that illuminates interior brightly
Note; Front cabin area dome light, and rear cabin area dome light are two different controls
In my models, I have whats called 'soft cabin glow' for when 'instruments only' illumination is on. What this does is create a very finite glow in the cabin making things barely visible, which they would be with the instrument panel gauges illuminated, as they would shed a soft glow within the cabin.
When you turn off the instrument lights (panel lights), you are also turning off the soft glow in the cabin. So then it goes completely dark.
My crazy way of making planes... :d
Bill
We (Dwight that is) retuned the approach settings several times and in the end had it set up so nice that the place would actually autoland in good conditions. The controls system 'changed' during this evolution of the ILS system so I am sure you were reading the old version. I need to update that. Sorry for the confusion.
Concerning lights; here is the breakdown.
Panel lights.............Gauges themselves, illuminated from behind
Dome Light.............Bright overhead light that illuminates interior brightly
Note; Front cabin area dome light, and rear cabin area dome light are two different controls
In my models, I have whats called 'soft cabin glow' for when 'instruments only' illumination is on. What this does is create a very finite glow in the cabin making things barely visible, which they would be with the instrument panel gauges illuminated, as they would shed a soft glow within the cabin.
When you turn off the instrument lights (panel lights), you are also turning off the soft glow in the cabin. So then it goes completely dark.
My crazy way of making planes... :d
Bill
Unfortunately, what you have described is a limitation of FSX. The absolute worst time for any gauge backlighting is during the hours of dawn and dusk. Worse still, in FSX the option for "pilot controls lighting" is broken...
...since FSX will always turn on the "panel lights" automatically, irrespective of how one has set the option, which in turn forces the system to display the xxx_night.bmp alternate graphics set of all gauges...
...which in turn causes the truly awful effects you've described, where brightness and contrast of gauge graphics are vastly "out of balance" with the rest of the scene.
Without intending to sound immodest, I am probably one of the most knowledgable people on the planet with respect to the FS lighting "system," and I will claim without hesitation that "lighting" is one of the most difficult tasks any modeler faces these days.
As it happens, I used Bill's Kodiak as the platform model in my MS/ACES white paper on FSX Emissive Lighting:
FSX Emissive Textures
And How they Relate to Virtual Cockpit Lighting
by Bill Leaming
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/esp/cc788741.aspx
...since FSX will always turn on the "panel lights" automatically, irrespective of how one has set the option, which in turn forces the system to display the xxx_night.bmp alternate graphics set of all gauges...
...which in turn causes the truly awful effects you've described, where brightness and contrast of gauge graphics are vastly "out of balance" with the rest of the scene.
Without intending to sound immodest, I am probably one of the most knowledgable people on the planet with respect to the FS lighting "system," and I will claim without hesitation that "lighting" is one of the most difficult tasks any modeler faces these days.
As it happens, I used Bill's Kodiak as the platform model in my MS/ACES white paper on FSX Emissive Lighting:
FSX Emissive Textures
And How they Relate to Virtual Cockpit Lighting
by Bill Leaming
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/esp/cc788741.aspx
J
J van E
Guest
I understand Lionheart's explanation, but that's not what I am seeing (no instrument illumination from behind at all!), but thanks to n4gix I understand also this is a known limitation. I will see what happens in the middle of night, because I was indeed flying during dusk!
If you follow the link to my white paper, you'll see what the lighting should look like at night... :ernae:
Unfortunately, what you have described is a limitation of FSX. The absolute worst time for any gauge backlighting is during the hours of dawn and dusk. Worse still, in FSX the option for "pilot controls lighting" is broken...
...since FSX will always turn on the "panel lights" automatically, irrespective of how one has set the option, which in turn forces the system to display the xxx_night.bmp alternate graphics set of all gauges...
...which in turn causes the truly awful effects you've described, where brightness and contrast of gauge graphics are vastly "out of balance" with the rest of the scene.
Without intending to sound immodest, I am probably one of the most knowledgable people on the planet with respect to the FS lighting "system," and I will claim without hesitation that "lighting" is one of the most difficult tasks any modeler faces these days.
As it happens, I used Bill's Kodiak as the platform model in my MS/ACES white paper on FSX Emissive Lighting:
FSX Emissive Textures
And How they Relate to Virtual Cockpit Lighting
by Bill Leaming
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/esp/cc788741.aspx
Thanks Bill for that info.
I failed to realise he was flying at dusk.
It would be nice if we could have instruments lighting during the day time, but we cant. If there is a sliver of sunlight in FSX or FS2004, you will have 'no' gauge lighting.
Bill
Well, in FSX we can have instrument backlighting during the daytime with a tiny bit of effort, but this isn't really the forum to discuss that... :salute:
J
J van E
Guest
You failed nothing: I said at first I was flying at night, while it was actually dusk... but it looked kinda dark already...
So I just wasn't really clear...Lights...
Did no one notice the dimmable lights in the Bushhawk from Aerosoft?
Light switching is possible - and "cold and dark" is the real way to start a flight. Notice how developers are working that way these days? Lookit the A2A Cub too (OK, lights are lacking per se, but the cold and dark is really wonderful)
Even the Aerosoft Dornier 27 portover works well in X with its "By the book" operations. Look at the aerosoft Glider and the technology that is available there.
These things that people appear to be missing ARE possible in FSX. OK, I will agree that it is often difficult, and more often than necessary you developers have to invent workarounds.
I am really afraid that I don't have any for your X-Ware Bill, but that is not for lack of you trying. You just don't do "my kind of planes". Oh, the Bugatti was fun, But I went X very shortly after. Now do something like a Super Chipmunk or a new Dornier 27 or a PZL Wilga or a Ju52/87/88/188/288/388...
Did no one notice the dimmable lights in the Bushhawk from Aerosoft?
Light switching is possible - and "cold and dark" is the real way to start a flight. Notice how developers are working that way these days? Lookit the A2A Cub too (OK, lights are lacking per se, but the cold and dark is really wonderful)
Even the Aerosoft Dornier 27 portover works well in X with its "By the book" operations. Look at the aerosoft Glider and the technology that is available there.
These things that people appear to be missing ARE possible in FSX. OK, I will agree that it is often difficult, and more often than necessary you developers have to invent workarounds.
I am really afraid that I don't have any for your X-Ware Bill, but that is not for lack of you trying. You just don't do "my kind of planes". Oh, the Bugatti was fun, But I went X very shortly after. Now do something like a Super Chipmunk or a new Dornier 27 or a PZL Wilga or a Ju52/87/88/188/288/388...