Landing the JF Chipmonk and instrument lights

[Rudyjo]

First, thanks to JF for the update.
Is the Chipmunk supposed to have such a soft landing?
No matter how hard I land, there is no feedback such as tire noise or suspension noise, it always feels like I have landed on a field of pillows.
I have A2A's accu-feel with tire screech all the way up.
Is there something in the aircraft cfg. file that might be changed to give the landings some feedback? Maybe something in the contact points?

Also, Is there a way to make the instruments lights work at a time other than night? I do a lot of flying at dusk and dawn, unless the sun is just right, the instruments can be hard to see.
They work great at night, but any other time, they don't work. I have noticed that this is a common problem with a lot of flight simulator planes.
I asked both of these questions at the JF forums before the update was released. Hopefully there is a simple answer that can be fixed in the aircraft cfg. file
Thanks for any ideas.

 

[bazzar]

I don't quite understand what you are saying about the lights.
Here's a pic of them operating at dusk.

Are you using the correct instrument panel switch on the left cockpit wall?

We have tyre screech and touchdown and ground roll in the sound CFG.

If you are not hearing them and still have lighting probs then I suspect it may have something to do with another add-on or extra device you have installed in your sim where the settings are clashing.

We always build to the lowest common denominator which is usually stock.

 

[Rudyjo]

Thank you for the reply and for the excellent update.
After reading your reply, I started the default C-172 at Dusk with the panel lights on, then switched to the Chipmunk. The lights are now working.
I then turned off accu-feel and I now have the tire screech. I have always had good luck with accu-feel, this is the first time it has caused something to not work.
Everything is working now and a good plane is even better, Thanks again.

 

[doublecool]

While following the above directions I found that my airfile for the FSX Cessna 172 was missing...
how on earth I haven't a clue.

Any chance I could get someone to forward a copy
I also what to fix the stance of the 172... front tire looks a little low
I did a folder with all kind of goodie and fixes but lost it when hard drive crash

[contact_points]
point.0 = 1, 0.90, 0.00, -4.09, 1500, 0, 0.5, 22.0, 0.25,2.5, 0.7, 0.0, 0.0, 0
point.1 = 1, -4.70, -4.50, -4.01, 3500, 1, 0.5, 0.0, 0.3, 2.5, 0.7, 0.0, 0.0, 2
point.2 = 1, -4.70, 4.50, -4.01, 3500, 2, 0.5, 0.0, 0.3, 2.5, 0.7, 0.0, 0.0, 3
point.3 = 2, -3.90, -18.0, 3.00, 1800, 0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 5
point.4 = 2, -3.90 18.0, 3.00, 1800, 0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 6
point.5= 2,-20.23, 0.0, 0.30, 1800, 0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 9
point.6= 2, 1.48, 0.0, -2.17, 1800, 0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 4
point.7= 2,-22.80, 0.0, 5.83, 1800, 0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 7
point.8= 2, -4.90, 0.0, -2.00, 1800, 0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 8


Thanks for the help

 

[Paul J]

[contact_points]

//0 Class <0=none,1=wheel, 2=scrape, 3=skid>
//1 Longitudinal Position (feet)
//2 Lateral Position (feet)
//3 Vertical Position (feet)
//4 Impact Damage Threshold (Feet Per Minute)
//5 Brake Map (0=None, 1=Left, 2=Right)
//6 Wheel Radius (feet)
//7 Steer Angle (degrees)
//8 Static Compression (feet) (0 if rigid)
//9 Max/Static Compression Ratio
//10 Damping Ratio (0=Undamped, 1=Critically Damped)
//11 Extension Time (seconds)
//12 Retraction Time (seconds)
//13 Sound Type
//14 Airspeed limit for retraction (KIAS)
//15 Airspeed that gear gets damage at (KIAS)

//---Gear Points


............... 0 .........1...........2.... ......3......4.....5.....6........7.....8.......9......10......11....12...13..14..15
//point.0 = 1, -18.963, 0.000, -1.829, 1600, 0, 0.270, 60, 0.074, 2.00, 1.000, 0.00, 0.00, 0, 0, 0 // Tail or nose wheel (This is tailwheel -18.963 feet))


//point.1 = 1, -6.073, -2.480, -4.263, 1600, 1, 0.580, 0.00, 0.068, 1.25, 1.000, 0.00, 0.00, 2, 0, 0 // Left wheel (class=1)


//point.2 = 1, -6.073, 2.480, -4.263, 1600, 2, 0.580, 0.00, 0.068, 1.25, 1.000, 0.00, 0.00, 3, 0, 0 //Right wheel (class=1)


... So... point0 =1, which is a wheel, column 2 is lateral position = 0.00, so it's on the centerline of the aircraft. Column 1 = Longitudinal position - how far back. A low number (Cessna 172 is 0.90) means it's at the front, so it's a nosewheel. The e.g. above, at -18.963 feet, has to be a tailwheel. Column 3 - Vertical Position = -1.829 feet below the datum line. The number for the C172 is -4.09, and this is the number you need to play with.

Here's the three wheel points for the stock C172, as it appears in the cfg:

point.0 = 1, 0.90, 0.00, -4.09, 1500, 0, 0.5, 22.0, 0.25,2.5, 0.7, 0.0, 0.0, 0
point.1 = 1, -4.70, -4.50, -4.01, 3500, 1, 0.5, 0.0, 0.3, 2.5, 0.7, 0.0, 0.0, 2
point.2 = 1, -4.70, 4.50, -4.01, 3500, 2, 0.5, 0.0, 0.3, 2.5, 0.7, 0.0, 0.0, 3

OK!

pj

 

[Rudyjo]

For an update on the lights and landing situation:
The instrument lights work at Dusk with no problem, at Dawn they work or don't work depending on what time it is. I guess that FSX assumes that once the sun is coming up, then it is daylight and the instrument lights shut off. I have this problem in a lot of planes, so it is something in the way FSX works and not something with the Chipmunk.

I recovered all the landing and tire noise once I turned off Accu-feel. Yesterday I tried turning Accu-feel back on and everything now works. With some of the sliders all the way over, it really makes a nice difference in the feel of the plane, not quite like an Accu-sim plane, but close.
This has turned out to be a really nice plane, I recommend it.

 

[Javis]

For an update on the lights and landing situation:
The instrument lights work at Dusk with no problem, at Dawn they work or don't work depending on what time it is. I guess that FSX assumes that once the sun is coming up, then it is daylight and the instrument lights shut off. I have this problem in a lot of planes, so it is something in the way FSX works and not something with the Chipmunk.

Well, actually it is.. It's because Barry used custom panel/gauge lighting instead of just default VC lighting ( lovely Chippie, Barry ! ). Of course custom lighting is much nicer than default lighting.

If you mean the problem that, during the day your panel/gauges turn very dark while flying into the sun and become difficult to read, there's an easy fix for it : add a default VC light in the [LIGHTS] section of the aircraft.cfg.

The downside is that, because it's just an entry in the aircraft.cfg, it will stay on together with the custom lighting.

Personally i don't think it is much of a problem in the Chippie because of its large gauges, even when the cockpit turns dark during the day or even before dusk they remain easy readable. But like you say it can be quite a problem in VC's that sport much more and smaller gauges. ( quite a few VC's feature various lighting that will work during the day as well )

But since this thread is about the Chippie, if you like to try it, add this line to the [LIGHTS] section of the aircraft.cfg :

light.3 = 4, -0.76, 0.0, -1.9, fx_vclight

Turn your Chippie into the sun so that the panel turns a bit dark and hit the cockpit light switch. See if that's what you was looking for. (make a backup of your aircraft.cfg first, if you don't like it just remove the line again)

If you like it you can tweak it by changing the placement or even use a custom VC light which you might find present in your Effects folder.

cheers,
jan

 

[doublecool]

Paul,

that did the trick with contact points... and saved the data for future Thank you

Please, to the persons out there whom had the sudden file missing from FSX
I still need the original airfile for the C172... i wonder if the missing airfile in default plane would be the reason for resent odd behavor on accufeel?

Thanks Gents at the outhouse

 

[Rudyjo]

Well, actually it is.. It's because Barry used custom panel/gauge lighting instead of just default VC lighting ( lovely Chippie, Barry ! ). Of course custom lighting is much nicer than default lighting.

If you mean the problem that, during the day your panel/gauges turn very dark while flying into the sun and become difficult to read, there's an easy fix for it : add a default VC light in the [LIGHTS] section of the aircraft.cfg.

The downside is that, because it's just an entry in the aircraft.cfg, it will stay on together with the custom lighting.

Personally i don't think it is much of a problem in the Chippie because of its large gauges, even when the cockpit turns dark during the day or even before dusk they remain easy readable. But like you say it can be quite a problem in VC's that sport much more and smaller gauges. ( quite a few VC's feature various lighting that will work during the day as well )

But since this thread is about the Chippie, if you like to try it, add this line to the [LIGHTS] section of the aircraft.cfg :

light.3 = 4, -0.76, 0.0, -1.9, fx_vclight


Turn your Chippie into the sun so that the panel turns a bit dark and hit the cockpit light switch. See if that's what you was looking for. (make a backup of your aircraft.cfg first, if you don't like it just remove the line again)

If you like it you can tweak it by changing the placement or even use a custom VC light which you might find present in your Effects folder.

cheers,
jan

Thank you Javis, I will add the change to the aircraft cfg. file for the lights.
Being able to turn the instrument lights on at a time other than Dusk, night, and dawn can be helpful under very cloudy skies with low visability. I find that dawn and dusk provide the nicest screen shots.

 

[Paul J]

The JF Chip has it's own airfiile(s), DoubleCool, and a missing C172 airfile will have no impact on it.

Q. If the airfile is missing - how do you know that the nosewheel is low?

pj

 

[doublecool]

The JF Chip has it's own airfiile(s), DoubleCool, and a missing C172 airfile will have no impact on it.

Q. If the airfile is missing - how do you know that the nosewheel is low?

pj

Since you can put any airfile from any plane in the C172 folder... it just will not fly correctly. I end up putting a fs9 realair for the time being.

Is it out of line for my request for a copy of the original c172 air file... Sorry for the request... I will reload FSX on my LT and get it that way..

and by the way the possible impact might be my default aircraft, the FSX C172 which opens with FSX... that being said, sometimes opening and closing down that aircraft in certain circumstances is required to have other aircraft work correctly.