Project FMC simplified for Project Airbus

[fdd_fr]

I don't see many difference; You think about the V/S number the right of the PFD, it seems to be in green color and on the V/S gray scale area ?

This is waht you means , get a petter picture and trace on the thing that you want I change.


Website update :

3 New airports and 1 update :

- ENVA - TRONDHEIM – VAERNES – NORWAY by Guillaume Massé
- LFSB - Euroairport BALE-MULHOUSE – FRANCE/SWITZERLAND par Michel Rapp (provided with an updated AFCAD for ILS RWY 34. read "Install file")
- RCTP – TAPEI Taoyuan Intl (old name used in FSX : Chiang Kai-shek) - TAIWAN by François Doré


Updated airports :
- SPZO - CUZCO (v4.01) I added the waypoint which has a altitude constraint during RWY 28 appraoch. Thanks Wulf ! Can you try it ?


New AIRAC : 03212015.
This AIRAC include a missing VOR-DME (TNN Shikang) at Taiwan.


Good flight

I stop for 2 weeks airport creation, because I am working on a update of the Airport creation manual, and I do the final check of the Panel code and I try to add the A320pilot features (give more precision about V/S request on PFD);

I am waiting the english translation of the manual; No new from Sean Kneppers, but I hope that he is close to the end. I want publish the aircraft.

François


Edit :
A small bonus; Like I have decided to create my own photos website (photography is my other passion), I recovered this pictures, on my HDD, that I taken 5 years ago at LFPG - Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle :

[The320Pilot]

Amazing!

[fdd_fr]

Thanks !

My photowebsite is here : http://francois-dore.fr/, but it under construction. only 6 pictures for the moment. I will work on it tomorrow.

[The320Pilot]

This is how the FSX A320 V/S display looks like.


And this is how it should, with the green numbers moving up and down with the pointer.


I've shown in the red rectangles what I'm talking about.

[fdd_fr]

arf !

no simple to code the movement of the digit. You give me hard job for the end !

[The320Pilot]

arf !

no simple to code the movement of the digit. You give me hard job for the end !

Oops.

[wulfbindewald]

Updated airports :
- SPZO - CUZCO (v4.01) I added the waypoint which has a altitude constraint during RWY 28 appraoch. Thanks Wulf ! Can you try it ?

Hi Francois,

thanks for the update. Just made one spot check and the altitude steps down including the adjusted speeds work well and balanced

One further RWY28 approach path improvement could be to add an artificial waypoint before MURKY to reduce the acute angel at MURKY. There is such a waypoint D9.0 URC on older approach maps, which ensures a proper turn, pls. see my approach map section one page before. But again, no bug, only improvement

Wulf

[Prosdocimo]

Hi, I'd like change a little bit the eyepoint position in A320. To me it's too much advanced on the windshield and I cannot monitor displays and see outside the runway approaching. Maybe I could also change zoom factor.
In aircraft.cfg file the eyepoint is at 49.22074, -1.73061, 4.355627

Which of these parameters should I change to backwards my eyepoint?
Thanks!

Views eyepoint=49.22074, -1.73061, 4.355627 //Longitudinal, Lateral, Vertical (feet).
So You have to change the first paramater and reduce the eyepoint value to go backward.

Wulf

Thanks. I changed only 49.22074 to 48.22074 and now it's better to me. Francois could change it in the final version if he think it's better

[Prosdocimo]

Francois, I found that the radio panel button in VC is hard to change the first digits frequency. If you put the pointer on the button, it only changes the decimals and not the values before the decimal. I tried to move the pointer around, but only one time I was able to change it properly. So maybe it could be possible to enlarge the "active area". Othervise doesn't matter, I can change the frequency on the 2D panel.

[wulfbindewald]

Francois, I found that the radio panel button in VC is hard to change the first digits frequency. If you put the pointer on the button, it only changes the decimals and not the values before the decimal. I tried to move the pointer around, but only one time I was able to change it properly. So maybe it could be possible to enlarge the "active area". Othervise doesn't matter, I can change the frequency on the 2D panel.

This a known issue which has been answered by Francois on 9.Feb.2014 as follows: ".....I cannot do anything for these problem, because it is an error in code of the MDL file of the Miscrosoft VC. There is no solution ; I am sorry. We cannot change anything in a MDL file 'because the file size change and after it was unsuable........About the radio tune knob, this is the mouse areas that aren't coded in the MDL file. I can't repair......"

[Prosdocimo]

Thank you Wulf. I noticed other stuf that I would point out to Francois' attention about his fantastic job:
- A/P panel knobs in VC are able to turn only clockwise by mouse wheel. Is it possible make them also turnig on the other way (counterclockwise)?
- When I fly without A/P engaged (I know I shoudn't on a Airbus), I can see an annoying countinuous pitching by fly-by-wire trimming. Is it possible reduce the amplitude of this pitching keeping the system working properly?

Thanks! I'm really looking forward the final release

[fdd_fr]

Thank you Wulf. I noticed other stuf that I would point out to Francois' attention about his fantastic job:
- A/P panel knobs in VC are able to turn only clockwise by mouse wheel. Is it possible make them also turnig on the other way (counterclockwise)?
- When I fly without A/P engaged (I know I shoudn't on a Airbus), I can see an annoying countinuous pitching by fly-by-wire trimming. Is it possible reduce the amplitude of this pitching keeping the system working properly?

Thanks! I'm really looking forward the final release

I am very surprising ! On my computer, all AP knobs can turn in the 2 direction with the wheel mouse. If you inverse the wheel mouse rotation, you decrease the value ! Which panel you use ? you talk about the FD-FMC version ?



To the A320pilot, I have past 4 hours to change the code of the FCU V/S digits. The Microsoft XML parser has many bugs and when you want have leading zero and "+" symbol. So I had to find a complex way to arrive to the result :

I hope that it was what you want :



I have chage also for the SPD and HDG display, where I added the leading "0".


Just a litle bug with my solution. When V/S = 0 , there is the "+" sign



no change with the FPA mode except the "+ "sign that I added when Path angle is positive:



here is the code only for the V/S knob displaying :

before :

<Element id="VS Readout">
<FloatPosition>265.000,16.000</FloatPosition>
<Visibility>(L:VS_Mode,bool) 0 == (L:FMCrun,bool) 0 == or (A:Electrical Master Battery, bool) 1 == and (L:FPA_mode,bool) 0 == and</Visibility>
<GaugeText id="VS Readout Readout">
<Bold>True</Bold>
<Bright>True</Bright>
<FontFace>Quartz</FontFace>
<FontColor>Orange</FontColor>
<FontHeight>17</FontHeight>
<GaugeString>%((A:AUTOPILOT VERTICAL HOLD VAR, feet per minute))%!04d!</GaugeString>
<HorizontalAlign>CENTER</HorizontalAlign>
<Size>50,18</Size>
<Transparent>True</Transparent>
</GaugeText>
</Element>

after :

<Element id="VS Readout">
<FloatPosition>270.000,16.000</FloatPosition>
<Visibility>(L:VS_Mode,bool) 0 == (L:FMCrun,bool) 0 == or (A:Electrical Master Battery,bool) 1 == and (L:FPA_mode,bool) 0 == and</Visibility>
<GaugeText id="VS Readout Readout">
<Bold>True</Bold>
<Bright>True</Bright>
<FontFace>Quartz</FontFace>
<FontColor>Orange</FontColor>
<FontHeight>17</FontHeight>
<GaugeString>
%((A:AUTOPILOT VERTICAL HOLD VAR,feet per minute) abs s0 (A:AUTOPILOT VERTICAL HOLD VAR,feet per minute) 0 < (A:AUTOPILOT VERTICAL HOLD VAR,feet per minute) -1000 > and )%{if}%-0%(l0 100 /)%!1d!%{else}%((A:AUTOPILOT VERTICAL HOLD VAR,feet per minute) 100 / s1 0 9 l1 rng)%{if}%+0%(l1)%!1d!%{else}%(l1)%!+d!%{end}%{end}\{fnt1}%OO%
</GaugeString>
<HorizontalAlign>LEFT</HorizontalAlign>
<Size>50,18</Size>
<Transparent>True</Transparent>
<AlternateFont id="AlternateFont">
<Bold>True</Bold>
<FontFace>Quartz</FontFace>
<FontHeight>14</FontHeight>
</AlternateFont>
</GaugeText>
</Element>

Many thanks to Microsoft for its MSXML Parser bugs !!!!! All these new code to display 2 little "0" and a "+" symbol, because the orginal MSXML instruction cannot accept the 2 instructions at the same time !


You can download the updated autopilot gauge if you want test : http://freenavdbgroup.com/download/dive ... opilot.zip


I am working now on your VS digits on the PFD screen as you suggest....

[fdd_fr]

- When I fly without A/P engaged (I know I shoudn't on a Airbus), I can see an annoying countinuous pitching by fly-by-wire trimming. Is it possible reduce the amplitude of this pitching keeping the system working properly?

Thanks! I'm really looking forward the final release

If you have a countinuous pitching trimming, there are 2 ways to knows your problem;

If the problem is only to see the trim wheel move, but aircraft flies without ondulations, all is ok; The FSX autopilot control pitch aircraft by the trim;

If you have ytour aircraft that do a yo-yo (no cruise stability), that's means that you have a wrong gravity center, or a to high altitude according your weight, or windshear or wind gusts (check your weather engine).

Think that when the aircraft if close to full load, don't climb above FL300 or FL320 max.

Weights and FL cruise must be logical. If you have this phenomenon, when your are in cruise mode, pull your ALT knob, select a lower altitude and push it. The new lower selected altitude will become the new cruise level and the TOD will be calculated again. And later, when aircraft will be lighter, you will can increase your cruise level.

[wulfbindewald]

fdd_fr: You can download the updated autopilot gauge if you want test : http://freenavdbgroup.com/download/dive ... opilot.zip

Hi Francois, please keep in mind that the latest panel delivery A320 panel 0,8 included a .CAB file only, so test is more difficult and might lead to unforeseen mistakes. I´ll wait up to a final test version to check the visual and propable framerate(!) impact.

Wulf

[The320Pilot]

Thank you Wulf. I noticed other stuf that I would point out to Francois' attention about his fantastic job:
- A/P panel knobs in VC are able to turn only clockwise by mouse wheel. Is it possible make them also turnig on the other way (counterclockwise)?

That's really weird. When I use the A320, I can turn the FCU knobs in both directions, and I can pull and push them with left or right click.

I have chage also for the SPD and HDG display, where I added the leading "0".

I hadn't noticed that the real Airbus have leading zeros!

The small V/S zeros you have created still look somewhat different from the real ones, but you can leave that way. Oh, by the way, I found a picture in which when the V/S is 0, there is a + sign.

no change with the FPA mode except the "+ "sign that I added when Path angle is positive:

How do you change from V/S to FPA?

[fdd_fr]

I can decrease the 2 "0" digits size. and try to find a font more close but I think that this font is the closest available on FSX.

Is it ok for you ?

To engage the FPA mode, click on the FCU Display, where there is "V/S reading :

Sorry for the unrealistic command, but there isn't FPA button available on the A321 VC, so this is the only solution that I found
V/S reading becomes FPA reading; and pull the V/S knob to select your path angle betwwen -8° to +8°. This is the best way for RNAV or visual approaches. Standard landing path angle is -3°.

FPA mode works only when A/THR is activated and in SPEED mode. It doesn't work in MACH mode, or THR CLB or THR IDLE, because is basic selected mode.

If you click again on FPA reading, you toggle in V/S mode.

FPA mode allows to aircraft to descend on a regular angle: It calculates the V/S according the ground speed, to maintain an path angle. I had must read my old mathematical books to remember tangente function !!

When you engage FPA mode by pulling the V/S button, you activate the AIRBUS reversion mode (lateral and verticale mode toggle in selected), but I decide to allow to re-engage the SPD and NAV managed mode after toggle in FPA mode. This is not like a real Airbus, (on real AIRBUS, you can't have managed lateral and vertical mode in FPA mode) but I think that is very big help to land with RNAV or visual approaches, with PAPI.

[The320Pilot]

I can decrease the 2 "0" digits size. and try to find a font more close but I think that this font is the closest available on FSX.

Is it ok for you ?

I think the small V/S digits should look like two lowercase o's. If there's nothing else to do, well, then leave it that way. I'll try the FPA mode as I've never used it.

[Prosdocimo]

Hi, about the knobs. Yes it's wierd. It happens also in default A321, and only in VC (in 2D panel it works). I don't know! Anyway, only the two mode/zoom knobs are affected, the rest of A/C buttons work nice.
About oscillations, yes of course you was rigth. I was too much high and very weighty.

[fdd_fr]

I can decrease the 2 "0" digits size. and try to find a font more close but I think that this font is the closest available on FSX.

Is it ok for you ?

I think the small V/S digits should look like two lowercase o's. If there's nothing else to do, well, then leave it that way. I'll try the FPA mode as I've never used it.

FPA mode is a great features !!! Try it quickly ! essential to land without ILS (with LOC-RNAV-VISUAL) !

Hi, about the knobs. Yes it's wierd. It happens also in default A321, and only in VC (in 2D panel it works). I don't know! Anyway, only the two mode/zoom knobs are affected, the rest of A/C buttons work nice.
About oscillations, yes of course you was rigth. I was too much high and very weighty.

If you use the A321 default panel, knob are controled by area click and not wheel mouse. Tell me which panel you talk ?

I changed all FCU mouse controls in the FD-FMC panel.

[Prosdocimo]

Hi, I'm talking about "version Beta 0.80 January,18 2015" as pasted from .txt file in your panel folder.
Then I made tests in other aircrafts panels reporting what I did in the other posts

[The320Pilot]

Francois, how do you read the ICAO.txt on the FD-FMC A318/A320?

Do I have to add the new A32x_autopilot.xml to the .cab file in order to test it?

[fdd_fr]

Hi, I'm talking about "version Beta 0.80 January,18 2015" as pasted from .txt file in your panel folder.
Then I made tests in other aircrafts panels reporting what I did in the other posts

I don't understand. You are the first who have this problem ! I don't see the solution ! A file corrupted.... try to donwload again the panel ....

Francois, how do you read the ICAO.txt on the FD-FMC A318/A320?

Do I have to add the new A32x_autopilot.xml to the .cab file in order to test it?

You can unzip the cab file. That will create a folder, with the same name of the .Cab file. After, you can delete the cab file and copy the new A32x_autopilot.xml file in the folder.
CAB file is just a container. It has the same function as a folder.

For the second question, I am sorry, only the fench user manual is ready : you can download it here : http://freenavdbgroup.com/download/Pack ... %201.0.PDF

I have sent today an Email to Sean Kneppers, who realize the english translation, because, this is the only missing thing to publish the Aicraft on AVSIM, but I havn't received an answer of Sean. I don't know when he will be completed the job.


To reas the ICAO.txt file in the FMC, click on the Derpature or Arrival page, then click on the name of the airport on the upper of the window :


You get this information window :


Click on the button "read more information about airport" and you get the window which read the ICAO.txt file :


Scroll the text with the wheel mouse. You have the same procedure for the arrival airport, by the Arrival page. This information page is very important, because some STAR or Approaches require that you hold at a waypoint, for example. In this case, informations are in this text file.
You cannot land on many airports without read this file !!!!


Think that you have other function, like the TAW (radar terrain) by clicking on the bottom right of the ND :


it works in PLN, ARC, and NAV mode of the ND :



You have also a FMC Status page, on the lower ECAM, by clicking on the bottom of the ECAM, or on the Checklist button of the Popup window :



You can create your own SID, STAR or Approach, with the FMC, when you use an airport that is not in the database ; here Rotterdam :





All will be in the user manual. I am waiting the english translation....

[The320Pilot]

Merci beaucoup.

[wulfbindewald]

Hi Francois,

for Your attention: The new A32x_autopilot .xml does not work properly. Only part of the instruments and gauges are displayed. I recognized, that the old xml file from panel 0,8 (51Kb) is larger than the new one (48Kb), although the new one has got add. programming lines .

Wulf

[fdd_fr]

You are right wulf,

this not the file tha doesn't work, this is because I have changed all the panel organization, to get somthing more easy to the future adaptation to other aircraft.
All the gauge are linked, and I have moved some parts of code from one gauge to another gauge, because some XML file will be common to all aircraft, and other will be dedicated to an aircraft

So, I must most the complete panel, but I would not do that, before the final edition, because people will be lost and I am afraid to give confusion.

So, forget this file for the moment, and please, wait the final edition and the final manual.

Francois

[wulfbindewald]

Thanks for clarification, Francois.
I am open to test the new configured panel. Maybe it makes sence to let us test again before final delivery to avoid unintended new bugs in the final version.

Cheers,
Wulf

[The320Pilot]

Bad news: the new A32x_autopilot.xml file does not work properly.

Old file.


New file


_____________________
Bonus:

A320-111
G-BUSC

[fdd_fr]

I know. Like I explained, panel organization has changed. Be patient, and I will post next weekend, a total update of the panel, with, I hope, the moving V/S digits on the VSI of the PFD.

I am sorry to posted this file. It cannot works without all the new panel files.

This change is not to cause problem, but it is for me, to have a logical organization of the panel files, to the futur adaptation.

I have grouped the gauges that will be common to all aircraft with FD-FMC, and separate the files which must be adapted for each aircraft. THis is a manner to simplify my future work on other aircrafts.

Be patient.

Francois

[The320Pilot]

I am sorry to posted this file. It cannot works without all the new panel files.

This change is not to cause problem, but it is for me, to have a logical organization of the panel files, to the futur adaptation.

I have grouped the gauges that will be common to all aircraft with FD-FMC, and separate the files which must be adapted for each aircraft. THis is a manner to simplify my future work on other aircrafts.

Be patient.

Francois

That's all right, François; we'll wait.

P.S.: Do you guys like the A320-111 with British Airways Landor colours?

[wulfbindewald]

I have grouped the gauges that will be common to all aircraft with FD-FMC, and separate the files which must be adapted for each aircraft. THis is a manner to simplify my future work on other aircrafts.
Be patient.

Francois

This sounds fine, Francois. No prob at all as we can already use the A320 with full performance .

[fdd_fr]

Thanks Wulf.

I will post an updated panel this weekend, to be sure than the new code is compatible with all Microsoft XML Parser;


Carlos, I have coded the newx VSI digits readings as you suggest; I hope that it is ok for you;

You can check on this video (select HD1080p) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbyUNJL ... e=youtu.be

Is ot Ok for you ? I may be increase the font size of the VS moving digits.....

Thanks for you report, because I have past 10 hours to encode this feature.

Francois

[The320Pilot]

Francois, I need to say this must definitely be the best freeware FSX aircraft!

The V/S digits in the PFD look very nice, although not perfectly smooth, but I can't complain about the amazing job you've done.

I can hear the spooling up of the engines of the final FD-FMC A320! Yes!

[Prosdocimo]

Hi It's absolutely fantastic. I would suggest to increase a little bit the font as normally I don't use PFD enlargment feature and I'm afraid it could be difficult to see it in VC. But I don't know, maybe is okay, I cannot judge the font readability from a video of course!

[fdd_fr]

I will do it !

And I think that i have my idea to improve the slip smoothly.

You will have the Panel update this weekend.

Francois

[fdd_fr]

That's Ok;

I have upsized the font of one step, and now, the slip is totally smoothly.

VSI readout is completed.

[wulfbindewald]

Very impressing and an excellent job done, Francois. Now waiting for ...... patiently the final A320 panel update.

Wulf

[fdd_fr]

2 days

[wulfbindewald]

I can hear the spooling up of the engines of the final FD-FMC A320! Yes!

For Info: The new engine sounds "sound.CFM.zip" and "sound.IAE.zip" are available in the freenavdbgroup.com in the download section.

[fdd_fr]

Hi,

I will post in 2 ou 3 hours the last complete Panel update, with many new features. I am doing the final tests....

[Prosdocimo]

Here LIML, ready to take off!

[fdd_fr]

Hi,

Sorry for the delay, but the last features, the FLEX/MCT or TOGA mode in THR CLB CLB/OP CLB mode given to me many works, but that's works fine now.

New beta panel for the A320

You can now access to FLEX and TOGA notches during the climb, with FMC running. Throttles notches works now like a real AIRBUS.
Be carreful with this new feature, when you load a saved flight, of an aircraft airborne while it climb, because the time to FSX to react with the engines thrust, induce a loss of speed, and if FSX toggles engines in FLEX or TOGA mode, this is to you to set throttles on CLIMB position when aircraft have reached its right speed !

All new V/S readings (on FCU and PFD VSI) according Carlos suggetions are include in this update.

ATTENTION : New file and panel folder organization (this is the final organization to allow a easy work to me to adapt FD-FMC on other aircrafts); Delete your old panel folder and read the readme file, and use the Panel.cfg files provided in the pack.

New settings in the aircraft.cfg file also.

All information are on the website, and the link to download new panel :

http://freenavdbgroup.com/?p=618

Thank you for your feedback

François

[wulfbindewald]

Thanks for the panel beta 0,90 update, Francois.

Spot Check A320CFM : One issue found that AP knobs and gauges are not displayed. Anything to be specifically to be condidered?

Wulf

[Prosdocimo]

Thanks for the update! I have the same issue here, also in IAE version

[fdd_fr]

Have you rename in the Aircraft.cfg the panel line : "panel=A320CFM" and "panel=A320IAE" ? Have you delete the old panel ?

Have used the panel.cfg provided with the 0.90 pack ?

If yes, that's means that your XLM parser has not the same version of mine.

[fdd_fr]

Can you check you version of XML parser ? here is the Microsoft official list of MSXML.dll version : http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/269238

[fdd_fr]

Try to put this previous version of the Autopilot gauge : http://freenavdbgroup.com/Temp/A32x_autopilot.zip

[fdd_fr]

I need to know if the autopilot works for someone, and in this case his configuration (Operating system , 32 or 64b, FS or P3D)

If it not works, I need the same information !

At home, that's work perfectly with my two computers, under Window XP SP3 32bit, tweaked version, FSX SP2 acceleration pack.


IMPORTANT : As many code is new, don't load a saved flight. Launch your FSX with another aircraft, to reset the panel or delete the file "Logbook.BIN", located in "your Documents\Flight Simulator X files\", because It keep previous flight data and code.

Please, help me to find this mysterious !

[Prosdocimo]

Hi thanks. The previous A/P file works fine.
My PC specifications are:
Win 8.1 64bit
FSX SP2 (no acc. pack)

I don't know where look to see the XML and MSXL versions. Where are stored these files? thanks

[fdd_fr]

In \Windows\System32\ directory.

name file is MSXML.dll. Right click and look at properties....

It seems that this is the code to display the 2 little "0" that occurs problems. I will search tomorrow a solution. But I would like to know of the new file works for a member, because I don't understand why I havn't bug on my computer.

...........I think that I am a wise boy to keep my XP turbo boost

Edit : you can use the old autopilot file. Only the V/S reading is different; All other functions of the panel 0.90 must be work !

[Prosdocimo]

I have
MSXML3.dll 8.110.9600.17415
MSXML3r.dll 8.110.9600.16384
MSXML6.dll 6.30.9600.17415
MSXML6r.dll 6.30.9600.16384

I don't have MSXML.dll, at least in system32 folder