Aero Commander AC50A(HC)

**Milton Shupe** · April 25th, 2017, 07:27

The FSX conversion has gone well on this unit and will spend today testing and tweaking as required.

Decided to keep the interior original more like the production unit and to remain compatible with all the original liveries that have been produced for this aircraft.

I should have it out by the weekend.

The AC560A(HC) was a nice upgrade from the AC520, more powerful, faster, geared prop, and high compression engine.
One of the liveries included is from Jim Metzer's aircraft who was on the development team as a resource. I have pictures of his aircraft, a shining example of a basic 560A.

I am gonna ask Bendyflyer to check this one over since he had time in the Aero Commander series in the RW.

**ryapad** · April 25th, 2017, 09:18

Hey Milton, this might be a dumb question, but what are the advantages of converting an FS9 model to FSX native? I always here about how some FSX aircraft are native, but I don't really know what that means.

Thanks

**Milton Shupe** · April 25th, 2017, 09:56

Originally Posted by ryapad

Hey Milton, this might be a dumb question, but what are the advantages of converting an FS9 model to FSX native? I always here about how some FSX aircraft are native, but I don't really know what that means.

Thanks

The biggest exterior visual advantage is the FSX material capabilities for rendering textures of any kind in almost countless different ways. Glass, paint, and prop mesh do not have the visual issues of course that an FS9 port over will experience. FSX materials have a multitude of capabilities even beyond bump and specular maps.

I have taken advantage of but a few as I am not involving painters in the transitioning but I am making bump and spec magic available for anyone to take advantage of in this series.

Of course there are other capabilities available that can be incorporated for high quality modeling, lighting effects, special flight modeling features, sound development, and effects.

So, these conversions only make the aircraft more compliant with FSX and P3D to eliminate rendering issues.

***ToniJH*** · April 25th, 2017, 10:38

Thanks Milton, looking good

I have spend my time with 520 few days now flying around the Florida.

**expat** · April 25th, 2017, 12:09

Milton, I have also been flying around your new 520. I found another native FSX version of your 520 (folder dated 2015) in my hangar (not sure did that conversion on that) but your latest and greatest is a jewel. Thanks so much. One small request for any further work: if you can, make the nav lights pin point small so you almost can't see them at all by day. This it what Hiroshi did with the POSKY/TDS Boeing models and they actually look realistic by day but especially by night, rather than the default "fireballs." Now, back to flying the best freeware hand flyer around . .

***Roger*** · April 25th, 2017, 14:36

Excuse my FsX bias, Milton but these native models are great to see, coming from the master, original designer

**Milton Shupe** · April 25th, 2017, 18:51

Originally Posted by expat

Milton, I have also been flying around your new 520. I found another native FSX version of your 520 (folder dated 2015) in my hangar (not sure did that conversion on that) but your latest and greatest is a jewel. Thanks so much. One small request for any further work: if you can, make the nav lights pin point small so you almost can't see them at all by day. This it what Hiroshi did with the POSKY/TDS Boeing models and they actually look realistic by day but especially by night, rather than the default "fireballs." Now, back to flying the best freeware hand flyer around . .

Hi Expat, the other AC520 conversion was done by euroastar350. TheFS9 version had a separate VC model that was at least partially overlooked and left the VC with some visual issues. As far as I know, he never got around to correcting that as he has been so busy with his projects.

The FSX native models use the default nav light effects so I assume they copied and altered those effects to make them smaller, or simply scrapped the the modeled lights but not sure how that would be different as the model calls the same effects that the cfg effects use. Have not done any testing of the comparison to see if the modeled anomalies exist with FSX cfg effects.

**Milton Shupe** · April 25th, 2017, 19:01

Originally Posted by Roger

Excuse my FsX bias, Milton but these native models are great to see, coming from the master, original designer

Thank you Roger. There is nothing wrong with an FSX, P3D, or FS9 bias; whatever works best for one's hardware and past investment I reckon. :-)

The conversions are definitely busy work of a different kind since everything exists. It's like heads-down data entry, ranks of tedium and yet overwhelming lists of things to change and check. They are good "filler" projects and I have many to do. :-)

**Milton Shupe** · April 26th, 2017, 18:49

Just a heads-up: I have completed the AC560A(HC) FSX Native conversion and it is now available for download.

Thanks to BendyFlyer for his testing and insight.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...HC)-FSX-Native

**RobH** · April 26th, 2017, 19:23

Thank you Milton! Looking forward to taking her up!

***ToniJH*** · April 26th, 2017, 19:51

Thank you very much Milton

**BendyFlyer** · April 26th, 2017, 22:18

A very nice release and pretty well the genuine article. Well done Milton.

A small request if any one is up for it is to paint the 560 in the US Air Force Colours as per President Eisehowers personal transport (Air Force One). I know it was later changed for the 680 model but the initial Aero Commander used was the 560.

Heres a good picture:

**PeteHam** · April 26th, 2017, 23:44

Thank you Milton, and others who have helped.

These Aero Commanders have always been favorites and must haves.

Pete.

**Milton Shupe** · April 27th, 2017, 15:47

I have just uploaded a minor correction to the package and noted it in the description.

If you have already downloaded it, you can simply install the attached model folder.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

The fix was for one prop blade animation that did not feather on the port engine.

See attached for the fix. Unzip and copy the new model folder to your ac560fsx folder replacing the existing.

The original archive was updated just prior to this post time.

**delta_lima** · April 27th, 2017, 17:57

Looks great Milton - can't wait to download when I'm back at home.

In all of these Commanders, is the NASA 801 70s era painted 500 model available? I really liked it FS9, and hope to enjoy it in FSX.

Either way, huge thanks!

DL

**Milton Shupe** · April 27th, 2017, 18:07

Originally Posted by delta_lima

Looks great Milton - can't wait to download when I'm back at home.

In all of these Commanders, is the NASA 801 70s era painted 500 model available? I really liked it FS9, and hope to enjoy it in FSX.

Either way, huge thanks!

DL

DL, thank you, actually, I am working on that very aircraft for FSX native.

**delta_lima** · April 27th, 2017, 20:14

Great - thanks!

DL

**Chuck68** · April 27th, 2017, 23:10

Milton,
Thank you very much for all you have done for the hobby. I have been flying your commanders ever since you released the first one. At the age of 73, I still remember reading the adds for the commanders back in the mid 50's. Although I have been lucky to have friends with small airplanes, I never got to ride in a commander. You have brought them to life for me.

I have one question about the AC560A you just posted. When looking to the rear from the front seats the headliner seems to be hanging down as if it has come loose from the ceiling.
Is this just my copy, or something that needs to be looked at?
Thanks again,
Chuck68

**BendyFlyer** · April 28th, 2017, 01:16

Milton - thanks a lot for this version of the Aero Commander.

I was curious I am sure at some point I saw a screenshot of an FSX installation which showed a variety of your AeroCommanders in the select aircraft list and I may be wrong but I thought one was in US Air Force colours ala Air Force One as used by Eisenhower. Any ideas who might have done one? I have not found one on the www there are some others that may port across once I adjust the 2004 textures to work in FSX. Otherwise I guess I will have to have a go at repainting this myself, bugger, my one least favourite sim activity.

**expat** · April 28th, 2017, 02:01

Really enjoying this new model. Darkened the glass a bit. Thanks so much!

image free hosting certificity.com

***ToniJH*** · April 28th, 2017, 04:31

If you want to make door sounds work in both Aero Commanders, go and open Aero sound folder sound.cfg and find these door text lines, remove all other text from door sound lines, and leave these lines into door sound lines:

[EXIT_OPEN]
filename=door_small_open

[EXIT_CLOSE]
filename=door_small_close

And i found issue, the luggage door not work, only i can hear the opening and closing sounds.

**Milton Shupe** · April 28th, 2017, 04:43

Originally Posted by Chuck68

Milton,
Thank you very much for all you have done for the hobby. I have been flying your commanders ever since you released the first one. At the age of 73, I still remember reading the adds for the commanders back in the mid 50's. Although I have been lucky to have friends with small airplanes, I never got to ride in a commander. You have brought them to life for me.

I have one question about the AC560A you just posted. When looking to the rear from the front seats the headliner seems to be hanging down as if it has come loose from the ceiling.
Is this just my copy, or something that needs to be looked at?
Thanks again,
Chuck68

Chuck, that drop covers the wing spars. :-)

**Milton Shupe** · April 28th, 2017, 04:46

Originally Posted by BendyFlyer

Milton - thanks a lot for this version of the Aero Commander.

I was curious I am sure at some point I saw a screenshot of an FSX installation which showed a variety of your AeroCommanders in the select aircraft list and I may be wrong but I thought one was in US Air Force colours ala Air Force One as used by Eisenhower. Any ideas who might have done one? I have not found one on the www there are some others that may port across once I adjust the 2004 textures to work in FSX. Otherwise I guess I will have to have a go at repainting this myself, bugger, my one least favourite sim activity.

The Air Force One (Eisenhower's aircraft) we did was the AC680S. It is next in line for conversion.

All the original paint schemes (for the original FS2002/2004 releases) will work on these conversions. There are over 100 of them on various sites. Com-Central has a large collection on their site but Simviation, Flightsim, and Avsim have many.

**Milton Shupe** · April 28th, 2017, 04:51

Originally Posted by ToniJH

If you want to make door sounds work in both Aero Commanders, go and open Aero sound folder sound.cfg and find these door text lines, remove all other text from door sound lines, and leave these lines into door sound lines:

[EXIT_OPEN]
filename=door_small_open

[EXIT_CLOSE]
filename=door_small_close

And i found issue, the luggage door not work, only i can hear the opening and closing sounds.

I removed the animation and deleted the luggage compartment from the 520 and 560. Something about the luggage area was causing gmax to crash and I could not find the source of the issue. However, in the current AC500 version, the luggage door and compartment is back working fine.