Project Airbus – Talk

wulfbindewald wrote:enclosed one example to demonstrate the new A320_CFM panel 1.50 beta capabilities e.g. predictive gradient and TOD definition. The shown altitude and speed graphs are derived from the monitoring data in the .csv file, included in the FD_FMC/_Blackbox folder.

Thanks to Francois for his great program work.

Note: KELP and KPHX airport data base are still in progress.

The320Pilot wrote:

AirbusA343 wrote:I already downloaded this but I have a problem:
I did everything in the pre-start checklist except for two things: I cannot turn on the engine 1 and engine 2 bleed switches.

You need to first move the BLEED knob from APU to AUTO.

The320Pilot wrote: I took off from SKBO rwy 13R (so, choose SID SILEG6A.13R) with a FLX TEMP of 64°C. Everything was normal until I set the A/P for managed climb. In that moment, the A/THR moved the throttles back. I wanted to see how the A/P and A/THR would behave, and the throttles ended up in the IDLE position and the aircraft stalled. At that moment, I disconnected the A/P and A/THR and recovered from the stall.

wulfbindewald wrote:

The320Pilot wrote: I took off from SKBO rwy 13R (so, choose SID SILEG6A.13R) with a FLX TEMP of 64°C. Everything was normal until I set the A/P for managed climb. In that moment, the A/THR moved the throttles back. I wanted to see how the A/P and A/THR would behave, and the throttles ended up in the IDLE position and the aircraft stalled. At that moment, I disconnected the A/P and A/THR and recovered from the stall.

I could not duplicate this issue in SKBO SID SILEG6A.13R on my end. If You have a joystick-throttle then I guess it has to do with the joystick position during departure and it should be set to ~90%, not to idle.

Jakub wrote:Hi Francois,

I know I am little off topic, but... My hobby is HTML and PHP coding and so I had an idea to develop small web application for flight preparing (suited for your aircraft). It should contain an payload calculator (loadsheet) and fuel planner. First I would like to start with A320. Then, if this application will find its users, I could add calculator for other aircrafts of A320 family. Now I would like to ask you for some help. I was studying aircraft.cfg file (weight and balance section) and that is what I do not understand. When I get together passengers of all cabin sectors, there is weight of 138 passengers only. Where are those 12 who remain to full capacity of 150 pax? And what about 180 seats version? Thank you for your answer. And I am sorry if I disturb you with this (maybe) useless thing!

Jakub

The320Pilot wrote:Francois, I had a problem with the A320 on my last flight. I was performing a short flight from SKBO to SKPE with the following flightplan:

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SILE7A SILEG W42 IBG W2 EPO EPO3F

(A note on this: in the files, there is no SILEG7A, look for SILEG6A instead. It has the same waypoints, just a different name, that's all. Also, there is no data for SKPE.)

I took off from SKBO rwy 13R (so, choose SID SILEG6A.13R) with a FLX TEMP of 64°C. Everything was normal until I set the A/P for managed climb. In that moment, the A/THR moved the throttles back. I wanted to see how the A/P and A/THR would behave, and the throttles ended up in the IDLE position and the aircraft stalled. At that moment, I disconnected the A/P and A/THR and recovered from the stall.

So, I don't know why this is happened. In fact, it is not the first time it happens. Every time I take off from SKBO with the last A320 FD-FMC update this happens. It didn't happened with previous versions of the aircraft. I don't have this issue with any other airport. Is it maybe because SKBO is a high airport (elevation of 8360 ft)?

Could you please try to recreate the flight for yourself and try to see what happens? I could make a video showing it if you want, but it may take a while.

Thank you.

The320Pilot wrote:
P.S.: I think I have a suggestion for you guys: I recommend you choose expedite thrust in the take-off page of the FMC for the initial climb-out when operating at high-altitude airports. To me, it looks that the A320 struggles to climb with ECON CLB at high-elevation airports, but it climbs wonderfully with expedite thrust.

fdd_fr wrote:
Maybe a issue with your thorttle joystick..... With my A/THR, Throttles stay active, so if there are noise in throttles potentiometer, that can explain this bug.
So, I will check SKBO files to see if there is not a wrong speed constraint issue....

Bjoern wrote:Salut François and team,

since you are more active here than on FSDev, I might just post anything related to the A32x FMC here.

I've just taken beta 1.50 of the A320 from EDDT to LSZH. The climb performance now seems much more in line of what one may expect of an A320 compared to 1.20.1 and the PID controller for holding airspeed also works better than ever. Well done, guys!

Like others, I also ran into the "unvoluntary atitude hold" issue when trying to descend in unmanaged mode (i.e. manually). This could only be worked around by toggling the autopilot on and off. When trying to switch from "HDG" to "LOC" mode to prepare for landing, the autopilot got stuck in "HDG" mode, but the PFD showed a flickering "NAV" indication. The NAV/GPS selector also jumped back to GPS mode. I had to switch off the FMC to be able to properly control the autopilot again.
Note that I did not use the FMC's descent and approach modes since there is no data for LSZH (yet). But - barring any usage errors - this behaviour looks like a problem with the handoff between managed and unmanaged modes, as if the FMC is trying to retain control. Maybe try to look at the FMC -> autopilot interactions to find the cause for the problem?

QNH handling is still much too strict. I basically have to keep my finger on the "B" key to keep the QNH status message in the green.

When in "terrain" mode, the MFD sometimes "flickers" between the zoom level set by the pilot and a zoom level showing the destination.


One feature that's still on my wishlist is a nav display mode showing neither terrain nor other traffic.


Hope this feedback is useful. Keep up the good work.



For a small introductory gift, here's a gauge enabling better keyboard control for the spoilers. Copy and paste the code below into a text file and save it as "0_Keycontrol.xml". Then create a folder named "SpoilerKeys" inside of the A320's "panel" folder and put the XML file into it.

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Gauge Name="Control Spoilers By Key" Version="1.0">
  <Keys>
    <On Key="374">
    <!-- Shift + F7 = extend by increment of 5 -->
    (A:SPOILERS ARMED,bool)
    if{ (>K:SPOILERS_ARM_TOGGLE) }
    (A:SPOILERS HANDLE POSITION,percent) 30 <
    if{ 35 163.83 * (>K:SPOILERS_SET) }
    els{ (A:SPOILERS HANDLE POSITION,percent) 5 + 100 min 163.83 * (>K:SPOILERS_SET) }
    </On>
    <On Key="373">
    <!-- Shift + F6 = retract spoiler in increment of 5 -->
    (A:SPOILERS ARMED,bool)
    if{ (>K:SPOILERS_ARM_TOGGLE) }
    (A:SPOILERS HANDLE POSITION,percent) 30 <
    if{ 0 163.83 * (>K:SPOILERS_SET) }
    els{ (A:SPOILERS HANDLE POSITION,percent) 5 - 0 max 163.83 * (>K:SPOILERS_SET) }
    </On>
    <On Key="372">
    <!-- Shift + F5 = fully retract spoilers -->
    (A:SPOILERS ARMED,bool)
    if{ (>K:SPOILERS_ARM_TOGGLE) }
    0 (>K:SPOILERS_SET)
    </On>
    <On Key="375">
    <!-- Shift + F8 = arm spoilers -->
    (>K:SPOILERS_ARM_TOGGLE)
    </On>
    <!-- Shift + F10 = reload panels
    <On Key="889">
      (>K:RELOAD_PANELS)
    </On -->
  </Keys>
</Gauge>

The panel.cfg line for the gauge has to be added to the [VCockpit01] section. Make sure that "gauge40=" is actually greater than any previous entry. if not, alter the number accordingly.

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gauge40=SpoilerKeys!0_Keycontrol, 1,1,1,1 

You now may use Shift+F5/6/7/8 to control the spoilers.

Shift+F5 = Retract spoilers
Shift+F6 = Retract spoilers by 5%
Shift+F7 = Extend spoilers by 5%
Shift+F8 = Arm spoilers

A long as I'm credited for it, the gauge may be included in any future panel updates.

Cheers!

The320Pilot wrote: 1. There is data available for LSZH. Go to freenavdbgroup.com/?page_id=832 to download everything related to airport data (included the AIRAC necessary for the FD-FMC.

2.I have never had any problems with the 1.50 version with regards to altitude management. Just once I had an issue with the V/S button, but it has been fixed.

3. Sometimes it happens that the ND data flickers if I change from managed to selected mode (or is when I begin my descent? I honestly don't remember right now). To fix that, I right-click and then left-click (or vice-versa) the HDG button and the flickering is gone.

4. I agree with the too-strict QNH issue; I don't quite like it either. François, maybe you can add some tolerance (like +/- 0.5hPa, maybe a little less, should do the trick) to the QNH setting message on the EICAS?

6. I would also like to see other TCAS traffic on the ND (especially useful for IVAO), but I can live without it. IVAO already has a traffic display.

Bjoern wrote:
I think the strict QNH matching also affects the autoland capability. In the FD-FMC thread at FSDev, I've suggested to switch to radio altitude at decision height or thereabouts.

fdd_fr wrote:The only explanation that I see is that it depend of the XML parser used (windows version ???). So, I did many test, check, and finally, I removed some comments in my code and it seems that the problem was here. I have no problem since 2 days, with the last version of the gauge. I am doing final test and I think that I will post tomorrow the update to fix definitively this bug.

About the Nav or HDG switching mode issue, I am working on, but no find the solution yet....work in progress...In some case, after switching mode, NAV mode flashing, but in this case, by press again on HDG knob stop the bug.....but my last weeks was for to solve the descnet issue, so now, I willbe able to give more time to improve the AP mode management.

QNH update issue is now solved ! (a good news ). I agree that previous version was too strict (QNH evaluated without rounding). I added to system to solve this issue :
- now, QNH is evaluated as an integer :less sensitive
- During approach, you can activate an automatic QNH refresh (button in FMC approach page)

MFD Terrain flickering comes from my code to refresh the map; In fact, Microsoft GPS map, used to display terrain in ND, doesn't refresh itself the relief when aircraft changes of altitude; So, to get a useful TAWS, I must force a map refresh, and the only way to do that is to change map zoom level. To avoid this feature visible, I hide the map during 5 gauges cycle, necessary time to GPS to redraw refreshed map, and display the new updated map; That occurs a small flash.

Many thanks for your Spoiler gauge . I am adding the gauge to the panel ! thanks

Bjoern wrote:

The320Pilot wrote:

2.I have never had any problems with the 1.50 version with regards to altitude management. Just once I had an issue with the V/S button, but it has been fixed.

No issues with initiating an unmanaged descent?

Bjoern wrote: Umm...I don't want to see any traffic or terrain on the ND.

fdd_fr wrote:Many thanks for your Spoiler gauge . I am adding the gauge to the panel ! thanks

fdd_fr wrote:Many thanks for your Spoiler gauge . I am adding the gauge to the panel ! thanks

No, I have no issues when initiating an unmanaged descent.

You shouldn't see traffic nor terrain if you don't activate them to show on the ND. Sometimes I like to see the terrain when flying on mountainous terrain.

What files (or lines in the code) do I have to remove to avoid the gauge functioning? It may interfere with my keyboard shorcuts, as I use them for some IVAO stuff.

I prefer not to re-arrange any keyboard shortcuts, because several are already in use for other commands. A guide "how to install" spoiler function is appreciated.

gaugenn=SpoilerKeys!0_Keycontrol, 1,1,1,1 

wulfbindewald wrote:Hi Bjoern,
Here it might be usefull to ask the users for further ideas to improve the VC model for all A318 to A321 versions too.....

Wulf

The320Pilot wrote:The new cockpit with enlarged displays.

Bjoern wrote:What click sounds do you mean?

Bjoern wrote:By "frequency toggles", do you mean the buttons for swapping frequencies?

wulfbindewald wrote:Strobe on/off toggle.

Please see pic below.

Prosdocimo wrote:Among these, I would like suggest to make clickable the TERR ON ND button that is close to ND display to make terrain visible on that. Now we just hit a spot on the display corner.

wulfbindewald wrote:In the meantime one pic for the sim enthusiasts: New alternative HD texture set for the FSX default A321 VC and for the Project Airbus A320 VC too, available in flightsim.com, file name "fsx_defaulta321_vc_textures.zip".

wulfbindewald wrote:In the meantime one pic for the sim enthusiasts: New alternative HD texture set for the FSX default A321 VC and for the Project Airbus A320 VC too, available in flightsim.com, file name "fsx_defaulta321_vc_textures.zip".

Prosdocimo wrote:Hi, Bjoern
It's true! I can see it because it's drawn in the following HD textures (two pages before):

...

The320Pilot wrote:Could you make the CSTR, WPT, VOR, NDB and ARPT look like the rest of the buttons in the A/P panel? If you watch closely, you can see they are slightly different.

fdd_fr wrote:I thought that it was impossible to add clickspot or new display area in an existing VC; But if you know how to do that, this is fantastic.

- solve the issue of the unmirrored displays between left and right seat (at the right place, PFD should be inverted with ND).

- Use the pedestal FMC display to display FMC status

- Cancel the AP course Konb that doesn't exist on an Airbus

- Have on the AP the VS/FPA switch

About all extra sound that I use, they are located in the FSX sound folder "\FSX\Sound\Callout_FD\". I use the Doug Dawson gauge to plays these sounds, and we can add as many sounds as you want.

But I understand that Is not easy. All this job requires many many times ! i know about ! I work since 4 years now, and regrettably, I do not have enough time as I want...

wulfbindewald wrote:The FSX default A321 VC does not contain this button. This button is only shown in the HD texture. So any new implemented function in the VC will require this HD texture set. This should be highlighted.

Bjoern wrote:

Prosdocimo wrote:Hi, Bjoern
It's true! I can see it because it's drawn in the following HD textures (two pages before):

...

In that case, I'm going to implement the button.