General Notes for the Installation of Airplanes in FS (FS2002/FS2004):
The folder' s construction at the FS has the following appearance (example ASK21):
        FS2002
           GAUGES
           AIRCRAFT
                ASK21
                    MODEL
                    PANEL
                    SOUND
                    TEXTURE
The folder 'GAUGES' includes the instrument files of all installed airplanes. You can recognize these by the file ending '.GAU'. If these *.GAU files were not copied during the installation into this folder, no instruments in the instrument panel would be shown. The folder of the airplane (in this example 'ASK21') includes the files 'aircraft.cfg' and 'ask21.air'. These files contain information about the airplane' s name, handling characteristics and flight performances (flight dynamics) and so on. Furthermore you can find here texts, documents, picture documents etc. The aircraft.cfg can be edited and modified by editors, for the *.air file, however you need special programs. The folder 'MODEL' includes the construction file 'ask21.mdl' and a file named 'model.cfg' The folder 'PANEL' includes the file 'panel.cfg' where you can find the positions and names of the instruments. Futhermore you find in this folder one ore several image files for the panel. The panel.cfg can be edited and modified. There are also special programs, more comfortable for editing and modifying the panel. The folder 'SOUND' includes the sound files or the reference to it. The folder 'TEXTURES' contains all image files which determine the coloration and painting of the airplane. If one of these foders is missing or the contents don' t correspond to the FS rules, possibly the aircraft doesn' t appear in the selection menu and you cannot load it.

I cannot find my airplane (Ka-XY of Schleicher) in the FS2002/2004 selection menu :
The following helps here: Edit the aircraft.cfg and write 2 lines under the [fltsim.0]
    [fltsim.0]
     ...
     ...
     ...

    ui_manufacturer=Schleicher
    ui_type=Ka-XY
Now the airplane appears under the manufacturer name 'Schleicher' as 'Ka-XY' in the FS2002/2004 selection menu.
Adjusting the horizon:
You can move up and down the horizon height with the button combination SHIFT+RETURN (up) and SHIFT+BACKSPACE (down). However, this attitude is lost again after loading another airplane ... You can make the following: Write the following 2 lines into the panel.cfg of the aircraft :
        [VIEWS]
        VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=6.0, 0.0, 0.0
The horizon is remaining now durable in this position. (6.0 means that the horizon is moved up by 6 degrees).
How can I prevent the 'Flight Simulator 2004 has detected third party software that may not be compatible with this version of Flight Simulator' message appearing when FS2004 starts? (e.g. mr-fs9-caiset.gau)
1.) Open the FS9.cfg and add an entry like this :
    [OLDMODULES]
    SOARRec.dll = 1
    FSSound.dll = 1
The location of this FS9.cfg file will vary depending on your Windows version, so it might be best to do a search for it using the finder. For Windows XP/2000 users this file is located in C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\FS9\ 2.) In the \MODULES folder of the FS there must be the following files
     SOARRec.dll,
     FSSound.dll,
     a n d (very important)
     FSUIPC.dll version 3.75 for FS98-FS2004
If you don't have these files there then get the files from Peter Dowson's site: The Official Peter Dowson Page.
FS shuts down when I switch on the GPS Unit
In the main FS folder the file gps-nav.dat is missing. This file includes a number of way points which you can choose is in the GPS instrument. This file you can edit and change therefore everybody can arrange his own way points in this file. The format of the file gps-nav.dat looks as follows:
    1,46:34.950N,009:50.250E,2312M,S,Albula     1,Passhoehe
    2,46:34.433N,009:56.133E,1708M,S,Chamues Ch 2,K/Friedhof
    3,46:27.283N,009:48.867E,1867M,S,Corvatsch  3,SeilbhnTlstt
    4,46:30.467N,009:49.133E,2486M,S,Corviglia  4,Bergstation
    5,46:30.983N,009:49.483E,2270M,S,Marguns    5,SeilbhnBrgst
    6,46:27.033N,009:56.433E,1896M,S,Morteratsch6,Bahnhof
    7,46:31.300N,009:54.117E,2453M,S,MuottasMrgl7,Bergstation
and so on. Max Roodveldt's page doesn't exist any more - therefore I have taken some of his files to my page Download Max Roodveldt's Caiset Instruments Manual (275 KB) Download Max Roodveldt's FSZwever Viewer Program which records your flights (375 KB) Download Max Roodveldt's FSZwever Viewer Manual (45 KB)
Can you tell me how to hear the vario sound ?
At the L-NAV Unit there you find a little knob upper left. Click on it, then you can switch on/off and regulate the vario sound.
Can you tell me what the green light does on your panels?
This green light is a gauge, only for FS gliders. If you click on this light, ailerons and rudder of the glider now work together (auto coordination). If you click again, then you can stear rudder and ailerons separately.
Flight Dynamics :
Some handling characteristics and performances of the gliders can be manipulated by changing parameters in the aircraft.cfg. This is possible at several points. Have a look at the aircraft.cfg of the Schweizer Glider (FS-Standard Glider). Here you find many explanations of parameters. One place is e.g. the point [flight_tuning]:
    [flight_tuning]
    cruise_lift_scalar         = 1.0 //influences the flight performance
    parasite_drag_scalar       = 1.0 //influences the flight performance
    induced_drag_scalar        = 1.0 //influences the flight performance
    elevator_effectiveness     = 1.0 //influences the elevator effectiveness
    aileron_effectiveness      = 1.0 //influences the aileron  effectiveness
    rudder_effectiveness       = 1.0 //influences the rudder effectiveness
    pitch_stability            = 1.0 //influences the stability around the trav.axis
    roll_stability             = 1.0 //influences the stability around the long.axis
    yaw_stability              = 1.0 //influences the stability around the high axis
    elevator_trim_effectiveness= 1.0 //influences the trimming area of the elevator
    aileron_trim_effectiveness = 1.0 //influences the trimming area of the aileron
    rudder_trim_effectiveness  = 1.0 //influences the trimming area of the rudder
If changes are made here, the corresponding parameters deposited in the *.air file are ignored. This also means: If parameters have the value 1.0, then this corresponds to the parameters in the *.airfile
Fitting out the gliders with VET Technology (winch start):
Changes of the *.air file are required. All of this topic is available on Miros Koch's Site . Furthermore you have to make some changes in the aircraft.cfg . You can influence the glider speed during the winch start by increasing or reducing the parameters for static_thrust. This must be tried out because the values are dependent of the glider's weight. The following example works well at a heavier two seat glider:
    [TurbineEngineData]
    fuel_flow_gain= 0.002
    inlet_area= 1.000
    rated_N2_rpm= 29920.000
    static_thrust= 1000.000
    afterburner_available= 0
    reverser_available= 0.000
Because this isn' t everyone' s thing I made Files prepared for VET for several of my gliders.
Where I can get thermal programs ?
On Soar Utilities Page, see LINKs .

Version 2008/01/27