EE Lightning?

***hschuit*** · March 27th, 2011, 05:30

Chris, brilliant work fixing the startup procedure :salute: , very happy with this!

With your new gauges, I encountered an issue with the startup smoke puffs staying on forever. Then I found out I do not need the XML gauges and the [lights] channels anymore to control the startup effect. All you need is this line in the [EFFECTS] section:

startup= fx_EELightning_engstrt

About the sound: I think the soundset causes problems. I have several issues, some of those I already had in FS9:

1. After spooling down, the engine sounds do not go quiet even when both engines are at zero RPM.

2. The sound transition from idle power to shutdown is not fluent, the volume settings of the WAV's does not seem to match very well.

3. With the updated gauges when I cut the engines, a weird stuttering noise is heard for a few secs. This same noise occurred before the fix when I pushed a start button (and then everything got stuck).

The good news is when I alias the sounds to a proper soundset, everything is fine

Until I find some time to try fix the original soundset, I use the Canberra sounds from Steven Beeny's recent Flying stations Canberra packs.

**Chris Keane** · March 27th, 2011, 05:49

Originally Posted by hschuit

All you need is this line in the [EFFECTS] section:

startup= fx_EELightning_engstrt

That's great, thanks. I hadn't even noticed that.

Originally Posted by hschuit

About the sound: I think the soundset causes problems. I have several issues, some of those I already had in FS9:

1. After spooling down, the engine sounds do not go quiet even when both engines are at zero RPM.

2. The sound transition from idle power to shutdown is not fluent, the volume settings of the WAV's does not seem to match very well.

3. With the updated gauges when I cut the engines, a weird stuttering noise is heard for a few secs. This same noise occurred before the fix when I pushed a start button (and then everything got stuck).

The good news is when I alias the sounds to a proper soundset, everything is fine

Until I find some time to try fix the original soundset, I use the Canberra sounds from Steven Beeny's recent Flying stations Canberra packs.

I'm working on the sound now ....
Yes, I had it linked to the 737-800 whilst I was trying to understand how sound works in FSX.

**Chris Keane** · March 27th, 2011, 10:17

Playing with the F3 I find Pump2 switch permanently on.
I then remembered that I'd changed this in the F6 some time back;

[fuel]
.
.
number_of_tank_selectors = 2

**Prowler1111** · March 27th, 2011, 11:05

Guys, where can i find the 2 seats version? or it was never released as freeware? (i bought one package back in the day, but it all got lost in time)
Best regards

Prowler

**Chris Keane** · March 27th, 2011, 11:20

Originally Posted by Prowler1111

Guys, where can i find the 2 seats version? or it was never released as freeware? (i bought one package back in the day, but it all got lost in time)
Best regards

Prowler

None of the versions was released as freeware. You can still get them from Virtavia.

**Chris Keane** · March 27th, 2011, 11:21

I don't know if you've noticed, but the Fuel Cutoff Switches and the Fuel Pump Switches are the wrong way round. I've changed them as below for the F2A/F3/F6.

For the F3/F6;
[Vcockpit20]
.
.
gauge00=EELightning(2)!Eng1_FuelCutoff, 0,229,55,55
gauge01=EELightning(2)!Eng2_FuelCutoff, 78,229,55,55
gauge02=EELightning(2)!Eng1_Fuel, 0,126,55,55
gauge03=EELightning(2)!Eng2_Fuel, 74,124,55,55
.

For the F2A;
[Vcockpit07]
.
.
gauge15=EELightning(2)!Eng1_Fuel, 17,584,40,40
gauge16=EELightning(2)!Eng2_Fuel, 70,584,40,40
gauge17=EELightning(2)!Eng1_FuelCutoff, 32,507,40,40
gauge18=EELightning(2)!Eng2_FuelCutoff, 97,507,40,40
.

The stuttering on shutdown is caused by the starter not disengaging until below 25% as per Starter_Cutoutn.xml, I'm still thinking about this...

**Chris Keane** · March 28th, 2011, 04:40

This fixes the stuttering, however, you can only shut down by switching off the fuel pumps, the fuel valve won't work - and I've no idea why not. Who invented xml? B*****d.

Attachment 34069

More thinking required ...

***hschuit*** · March 28th, 2011, 06:52

Chris, thank you for the updated shutdown XML :salute:, it works perfect for me. About the fuel gauges: It eludes me what these gauges exactly do, in the CAB file there are several versions all related to fuel tanks, mixture, pumps and valves:

These 2 are used in the F.6 [Vcockpit20] start panel (engine 1):
Eng1_Fuel.xml tank selector (in panel as "FUEL1", does not respond)
Eng1_FuelCutoff.xml mixture lever (in panel as "PUMP1")

These are not used in the F.6:
Eng1_FuelPump.xml
Eng1_FuelValve.xml

(a similar set is also available for engine 2 of course)

**Chris Keane** · March 28th, 2011, 07:40

Originally Posted by hschuit

Chris, thank you for the updated shutdown XML :salute:, it works perfect for me. About the fuel gauges: It eludes me what these gauges exactly do, in the CAB file there are several versions all related to fuel tanks, mixture, pumps and valves:

These 2 are used in the F.6 [Vcockpit20] start panel (engine 1):
Eng1_Fuel.xml tank selector (in panel as "FUEL1", does not respond)

Mine does. Have you changed this yet, and swapped the Fuel/Pump positions as per post #131?

[FUEL]
number_of_tank_selectors = 2

Originally Posted by hschuit

Eng1_FuelCutoff.xml mixture lever (in panel as "PUMP1")

These are not used in the F.6:
Eng1_FuelPump.xml
Eng1_FuelValve.xml

(a similar set is also available for engine 2 of course)

You're right, not in the F2A or F3 either.

Eng1_FuelValve.xml is used in the F1/F1A/F2 (which uses EElightning.cab, which does tell us that when EELightning(2).cab was being done, they started with EElightning.cab)

I can't find "Eng1_FuelPump.xml" anywhere, maybe it was left in from the days when it was being worked on before release.

Eng1_Fuel.xml actually selects the fuel tank but mimics the fuel shutoff valve.
Eng1_FuelCutoff.xml sets mixture rich or lean but mimics the fuel pump.
It's possible that in FS9, what we would think of as the obvious "GENERAL ENG FUEL PUMP ON:index" for use didn't exist, I know zero about the SDK in FS9 (and not much more in FSX).
But since all the sim variables in the model are fixed, there's not a lot we can do about it.

***hschuit*** · March 28th, 2011, 08:35

Chris, thank you for explaining it! And yes, I did swap the switches as per your advise yesterday so this is what I use now:

Attachment 34077

The AWP "PUMP1" and "PUMP2" lights confirm this is the right setup. Anyway, the non reponding "FUEL1" / "FUEL2" switches are not a big deal, I can crank up those engines with this so I am happy

**Chris Keane** · March 28th, 2011, 09:30

Attachment 34081Do you mean you can't do this?

***hschuit*** · March 28th, 2011, 10:00

Nope, FUEL1 / 2 are stuck in upward position LOL

**Chris Keane** · March 28th, 2011, 10:55

That's strange, the only way I can simulate your problem is by having

number_of_tank_selectors = 3 or above

if number_of_tank_selectors = 1 or 0 (or the line is remarked out) then Fuel 2 is permanently on but Fuel 1 is ok.

Are you sure you've got number_of_tank_selectors = 2 ?

***hschuit*** · March 28th, 2011, 11:40

Chris you won't believe this, guess it was OK all along but I misjudged the clickzones...:redf: They have to be clicked different than the PUMP switches, in order to switch them off you really need to put the cursor in the lower part of the switch.

**Chris Keane** · March 28th, 2011, 13:12

That's good news - I thought there was another problem to add to the list

Whilst I was zoomed in taking those screen shots above I noticed the state of the Pitot Heat & De-Ice lamps - not good.

Apply this and it won't look like it's been in the hanger to change the lamp and the sparkys didn't have the correct part.

Attachment 34088

**peter12213** · March 28th, 2011, 15:44

Forgot to say Henk and Chris thanks chaps, been away training this past few days so just caught up, many thanks for these especially the T models! Paul can't wait for your updates too mate!! :salute:

**peter12213** · March 28th, 2011, 15:45

ONe thing I'm working on is a modified Ejection seat texture, I know its not improtant but I hate that flat green look, so expect that, just need some good photo's and I should have them up soon!

**Chris Keane** · March 29th, 2011, 05:11

Just some cosmetic changes for the 2D panel (F2A/F3/F6) to match the VC;

Attachment 34134

**Chris Keane** · March 29th, 2011, 16:18

AP Panel.
At last!
I feel like running through the snow, naked and screaming... luckily there's no snow.
I have found that the window size needs to be an exact multiple of the numbers bitmap size and I overlooked an error in the panel.cfg in the F3 & F6 packages.

Download this and gaze in wonder at the numerical clarity of the AP panel;

Attachment 34187

Just the shutdown problem now I think (for the F2A/F3/F6) but as it's 0120 in the morning, that's for later.

**Chris Keane** · March 30th, 2011, 03:46

I noticed in the F2A (whilst I was farkling down the left side) that the config panel is also suffering from the light flashing problem, this fixes that;

Attachment 34199

I know it isn't perfect but the same switch is used in the F3/F6 so I don't want to screw with it.

It's gone quiet in here - I hope you guys haven't got a life - that would be terrible.

***hschuit*** · March 30th, 2011, 06:03

Originally Posted by Chris Keane

... It's gone quiet in here - I hope you guys haven't got a life - that would be terrible.

Chris, don't worry, I hang out on SOH so obviously I got no life

. I am trying to do some hopefully nice things in silence LOL. Highest priority for me is trying to get the manual startup working for pack1. I try to understand why the starter does not cut after the engine spools up. Sofar it seems to me that the answer partly lies in the sequence of switching fuel, ignition and starter. Watching what the autostart is doing leads me to think this is the proper sequence:

1. Open fuel valve/pump
2. Keep ignition (mixture) closed
3. Activate starter
4. When reaching 20% RPM, activate ignition
5. When reaching 30% RPM, close starter manually (there should be a way to properly automate that)

Besides that I made a list of every change/fix done sofar. To be continued...

**Chris Keane** · March 30th, 2011, 08:51

Originally Posted by hschuit

... trying to get the manual startup working for pack1.

You've re-written all the gauges in the .gau files!?! or have you done what thunder100 (post #6) has done and substituted other aircraft gauges? I'd be happy with that method if it used the base FSX package aircraft, but I don't have most of the aircraft that thunder100 has.

Without seeing what's happening on the panel I can't even start looking at any starter problems.

***hschuit*** · March 30th, 2011, 09:23

Chris, I replaced the *gau files with XML ones from EELightning(2).cab and EELightning(3).cab. Attached a quick & dirty portover pack to get the F1/F1A basics working. There are still some issues to solve:

1) F1/F1A/F1TFF VCplaneRHside1.bmp area extends through the right side fuselage wall when a light is switched on. Nasty MDL issue.

2) Engine start procedure not finished yet (to ensure proper shutdown you need to click the starter buttons "out" after the engine has spooled up)

Attachment 34210
Attachment 34211
Attachment 34212
Attachment 34213

**Chris Keane** · March 30th, 2011, 10:44

Originally Posted by hschuit

I must admit though I never used it till you made me curious so I had to try it and it works as advertized. The only comment I have is that when you change the AP heading she banks cautiously and slow like an old lady but she gets there in the end.

I agree, try;

[autopilot]
max_bank= 60

now she banks like a breakdancer on crack

**Chris Keane** · March 30th, 2011, 12:45

Originally Posted by hschuit

Chris, I replaced the *gau files with XML ones from EELightning(2).cab and EELightning(3).cab. Attached a quick & dirty portover pack to get the F1/F1A basics working. There are still some issues to solve:

1) F1/F1A/F1TFF VCplaneRHside1.bmp area extends through the right side fuselage wall when a light is switched on. Nasty MDL issue.

2) Engine start procedure not finished yet (to ensure proper shutdown you need to click the starter buttons "out" after the engine has spooled up)

Nice work, you have been busy. I'll have a closer look tomorrow.