Generic Minipanel Six-Pack

Tom Clayton

Tom Clayton

Administrator
Staff member
If you're anything like me (I feel sorry for you if you are), then maybe you like using the minipanel for landing so that you have maximum visibility. And maybe you don't like the generic set of six gauges on planes that don't already have a custom minipanel because they don't give any indication of where you are in relation to the localizer/glideslope. So I replaced the generic artificial horizon and heading indicator with the Attitude and HSI gauges from the C208. They give exactly the same info as the generic pair, plus the HSI gives info for VOR radial lock, and localizer/GS info during your approach.

Open the Flight Simulator 9\Aircraft\default\panel folder and, first, make a backup copy of the panel.cfg in there. Then open the original and replace the [MiniPanel00] with this code:

[MiniPanel00]
position=7
size_mm=600,100
window_size=0.9,0.20
child_3d=1
background_color=0,0,0
ident=MINIPANEL
gauge00=MiniPanel!Airspeed,0,0,100,100
gauge01=MiniPanel!Turn Coordinator, 100,0,100,100
//gauge02=MiniPanel!Attitude,200 0,100,100
//gauge03=MiniPanel!Heading Indicator,300,0,100,100
gauge02=Cessna208!Attitude,200,0,100,100
gauge03=Cessna208!Horizontal-Indicator,300,0,100,100
gauge04=MiniPanel!Altimeter, 400, 0, 100, 100
gauge05=MiniPanel!Vertical Speed, 500, 0, 100, 100
 
Hi Tom, there are any number of variations you can put in a minipanel,
for example I use the one from the excellent freeware F-8 Crusader
in/on all my carrier birds; I 've just tweeked the one in Vit's L39 to feature some
Russian style instruments ala IRIS Mig 29; I'll post up the config next time I'm back home.

ttfn

Pete
 
That's a nice setup Tom. No more than what is needed to shoot some ILS.

Is there a way to reduce their size a little? If so which part in the cfg values enables such a change? I would like to reduce their size by about a sixth.

Sometimes I use the mini panel view in VFR flight which is why I'd like to make them a little smaller for visibility reasons but still easy to read for the purpose apparently you designed this for.

Thanks for this uncluttered mini panel!
 
Original:
window_size=0.9,0.20

Mine in the shot above:
window_size=0.675,0.20

It seems that the vertical isn't really needed, so drop the 20% and just use the horizontal scalar. I just tested it like this:
window_size=0.5

This line is a scalar in relation to screen width. "1.0" would put the gauges edge to edge. With 50%, this is what I'm getting:
 
Thanks for that instruction Tom.

Several weeks ago I downloaded a mini panel off of Flightsim that had throttle, gear selector, outside air, spoilers, etc It was handy but a bit too busy for the eye. Most of it could be operated by keyboard strokes so really most of it didn't really need to be cluttering the bottom of the screen. Your setup is simple and sweet. Appreciate it very much!
 
Eugene Heyart has very concise minipanels in several of his glass-paneled planes. Essentially, they're a single flat glass instrument with just about everything you need without being too "busy." Too bad they're taylored for their specific planes, because they really would be nice on others.
 
I fly almost exclusively from the minipanel view, so I have heavily modded my minipanel.....some may find it too much, but I like it...

minipanel-1.jpg
 
I have heavily modded my minipanel
Click to expand...

Now that is cool. I normally disdain using a mini panel as it seems I am cheating or losing immersion. However, as a student pilot, at 6' tall I never have a problem seeing over the panel of my Piper Warrior and I get so fed up with the ridiculous low fixed eyepoint in FS 2D panels. Planes, particularly GA and commercial jets approach at a fairly nose up attitude and pressing Shift- whatever in 2D view just changes the angle - not the height (which you can change in a VC) - so that when you level and flare you can't 'nuthin right either!

This set up would be just the ticket. Any chance of posting or just your panel.cfg and gauge references?
 
Here you go if you want something to use on Vit's L39C; you'll need the freeware
IRIS Mig 29's gauges

Code: 
[Window02]
position=1
window_pos=0.0,0.0
size_mm=1024,768
window_size=1.000,1.000
child_3d=1
background_color=0,0,0
render_3d_window=1
update_rate = 1
ident=MINIPANEL
 
gauge00=IRIS_Fulcrum!HUD,  320,166,388,388
gauge01=29_Altimeter,  622,655,100
gauge02=29_RPM,  277,655,100
gauge03=29_VSI,  726,655,100
gauge04=29_ASI!KUS_1200,  171,655,100
gauge05=29_ADI,  388,650,100
gauge06=29_HSI,  497,655,120



View attachment 19545


ttfn

Pete
 
expat said:
Now that is cool. I normally disdain using a mini panel as it seems I am cheating or losing immersion. However, as a student pilot, at 6' tall I never have a problem seeing over the panel of my Piper Warrior and I get so fed up with the ridiculous low fixed eyepoint in FS 2D panels. Planes, particularly GA and commercial jets approach at a fairly nose up attitude and pressing Shift- whatever in 2D view just changes the angle - not the height (which you can change in a VC) - so that when you level and flare you can't 'nuthin right either!

This set up would be just the ticket. Any chance of posting or just your panel.cfg and gauge references?
Click to expand...

Check your pm's.
 
Mine doesn't have the five push on buttons across the top
The taxi speed
it's cut off but some orange block in the upper right
the nav gps buttons.

I fly only single engine ga aircraft so I'm not sure what a couple of the guages are for, they don't seem to do anything.
The five buttons that start with plan....
The two gauges under "plan"
 
Sounds like I might have uploaded an older version before I put on the lights buttons. The orange block can be removed, sorry about that. The plan buttons are for FSNavigator, and the two buttons under it are pitot heat and de-ice buttons. I will upload a fix shortly, with the lights buttons, sorry about that.
 
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