Best carrier catapult/cable program

S

SSI01

Charter Member
Well, the breakup of the massive FS9 installation on E drive continues, slow but sure. I was going to install RCBCO20 in the new copies of FS9 but found out (if I'm reading the announcement right) it's been discontinued as stand-alone freeware but included with another program.

What is the best program to install in FS9 to simulate carrier cat shots/traps?
 
Both Arrestor Cables and the RCBCO-20 gauge package are still available for download at FlightSim.com. I use Arrestor Cables (ArrCab) because you don't need to add gauges to your preferred carrier aircraft. Adding cable catch and catapult zones to FS9 carriers can be tedious but after you do a couple it gets easier. In fairness to the RCBCO package I guess you could also say the panel adjustments get easier after doing a couple planes. ArrCab will trap any aircraft with a tailhook but the catapult feature only works with tricycle landing gear planes (i.e. jets) so you're limited to deck-launching your WWII and earlier prop aircraft. Just go into custom weather and put 25-30 knots of wind down the flight deck and you should be able to deck-launch OK.
 
I agree with Tarpsbird and for the same reason - it's much easier to just add an ArrCab cable catch zone to each of the relatively few carriers than to add the Carrier Ops gauges to scores of carrier aircraft.

I use the Carrier Ops gauges to launch float planes from battleship and cruiser catapults and hang gliders from cliff launch sites; situations where I have only a few aircraft to modify and where landing back aboard or back on top isn't a factor.
 
Mick, that's good info on FSX, and since I'm running it also I'll implement what you say - that is, as soon as I get this FS9 stuff sorted out.

Tarpsbird, I tried installing ArrCab last night. I'm transferring aircraft over from the old FS9 install that have the "meatball" gauge already installed in their panel config. Last night's example was an A-3. I can get the cat shot, with sound, without a problem. The issue arises upon return to the ship, since the "Carriers 2004" install I have placed a CV, for example, near the N/S Korea border, in the Sea of Japan. On the way back to the boat I cycle through the available carriers using the "+" and "-" keys on the meatball but have only three choices and the rest of the boats don't show up all - including the one I just left from.

I remember from doing several installs in the old copies of the sim there is a file somewhere in one of the folders where you add the new cat and trap zones for all the other carriers, but I can't remember the name of the file, or where it is.
 
Under FS9/ArrCabv25Ab there is a file called ArrestorCables.dat. All cable catch zones are listed there with new ones being added in numerical sequence. It's been awhile but I recall cutting and pasting them from the Excel worksheet provided by the program.
 
I think I hit on the answer to this problem. The clue lies in the gauges that are enclosed with the RCBCO.20.zip download. If you open that file you will find two files called "dsd_catapult_zones.ini" and "dsd_arrester_zones.ini." That caused a few synapses to fire in sequence for once and I recalled those were the files one had to open and manually add the necessary zones from the "Carriers 2004" or "Carriers 2006" downloads to. I've gone to the original FS9 programs that already have this file installed and working. I've found both files in the master "Gauges" folder for those old FS9 programs, and I've transplanted them to the new Gauges file for the FS 1970s program I'm doing the new install in. Will report progress after I start the new program and see if I can cycle through more than three arrester zones.

EDIT: Cut-and-pasting those new "dsd" files from the old to the new sims did the trick. This is one thing you can place in a cross-over installation without having to install from scratch via the web.
 
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Hi! I personnally use arrestor cables which is in my opinion the best in terms of easiness of installation.

I would also have a couple questions regarding 3-wire. How easy is it to install? and Does it have other functionnalities that arrestor cables doesn't have?

Sam
 
i did try the bocbo one and couldnt figure out show to get it done but i just downloaded the 3 wire setup and hope it works
 
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