Fsbuild-2 Flight Planner

Me again... I just did a test flight today with the Grabowski ERJ panel retrofited with the Proline 4 MFD (NB version) and GNSXL FMS. I did a short 20 minute flight from KDEN to KCOS. I entered the flight plan and activated and it showed up on the MFD. I also pushed the LNAV button, I set the PFD (Grabowski default) to FMS and the CDI didn't do anything. In fact, the course was 180 degrees opposite from what it should have been. It's almost like the FMS and the HSI on the PFD aren't even linked. Any ideas?

Todd

Here's my panel.cfg file. I'll try to post a screenshot of the problem soon:


; Panel Configuration file for FS2004
; Embraer ERJ-145/135/140
; by Bill Grabowski
; Medina, WA
; March 22. 2004

[Window Titles]
window00=Main Panel
window01=MFD
window02=Yoke Panel
window03=Overhead Panel
window04=Thrust Rating
window05=ISG1 GNSXLS
window06=ISG1 Proline4 MFD CNTR

[Views]
VIEW_FORWARD_ZOOM=1.0
VIEW_FORWARD_WINDOWS=MAIN_PANEL,50
VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=1.5, 0.0, 0.0

VIEW_FORWARD_RIGHT_WINDOWS=30
VIEW_FORWARD_RIGHT_DIR=0, 0.0, 45.0

VIEW_RIGHT_WINDOWS=31
VIEW_RIGHT_DIR=0, 0.0, 90.0

VIEW_REAR_RIGHT_ZOOM=1.0
VIEW_REAR_RIGHT_WINDOWS=38
VIEW_RIGHT_DIR=0, 0.0, 135.0

VIEW_REAR_ZOOM=1.0
VIEW_REAR_WINDOWS=33
VIEW_REAR_DIR=0.0, 0.0, -150.0

VIEW_REAR_LEFT_ZOOM=1.0
VIEW_REAR_LEFT_WINDOWS=34
VIEW_REAR_LEFT_DIR=5, 0.0, -120.0

VIEW_LEFT_WINDOWS=35
VIEW_LEFT_DIR=5, 0.0, -90.0

VIEW_FORWARD_LEFT_WINDOWS=36
VIEW_FORWARD_LEFT_DIR=5, 0.0, -45.0

VIEW_UP_WINDOWS=37
VIEW_UP_DIR=-15.0, 0.0, 0.0

[Default View]
X=0
Y=0
SIZE_X=8191
SIZE_Y=2390

[window00]
file=ERJ_FORWARD_1024.bmp
size_mm=1024,768
windowsize_ratio=1.0
position=0
visible=1
update_rate=6
ident=Main_Panel

gauge00=ERJ!Compass, 919, 81, 35, 20
gauge01=ERJ!Glareshield_lights,0,287,1024
gauge02=ERJ!Overhead_toggle,867,137,90,150
gauge03=ERJ!Sound,0,0
gauge04=ERJ!Rudder_pedal_left,2,749,119 ;105x18
gauge05=ERJ!Rudder_pedal_right,595,749,119
gauge06=isg1!FMS_OPEN, 348,295,22,22
gauge07=isg1!P1000_MFD_CNTR_OPEN, 348,320,22,22
gauge08=isg1!LNAV, 577,295,22,22
gauge09=isg1!VNAV, 577,320,22,22


[Window01]
file=ERJ_MFD.bmp
size_mm=1024,768
windowsize_ratio=1.0
position=0
VISIBLE=1
update_rate=6
ident=15

gauge00=ERJ!Clock,8,415,75
gauge01=ERJ!PFD,105,394,223,249
gauge02=isg1!Proline4_MFD_NB, 377,394,218,247,OSERJ145LR
gauge03=ERJ!Radios,614,530,158,181
gauge04=ERJ!EICAS,789,390,220,259
gauge05=ERJ!SB_Attitude,613,367,78
gauge06=ERJ!Airspeed,619,447,65
//gauge07=SimIcons!Kneeboard Icon, 580, 304,19,19
gauge07=jr_osERJ_Grab!door_switch, 20,662



[window02]
file=ERJ_layer2.bmp
size_mm=746,980
windowsize_ratio=1.0
position=0
visible=1
update_rate=6
ident=11

gauge00=ERJ!Yoke,0,0,746
gauge01=isg1!Proline4_AUX_CTRL, 356,654,257,59


[window03]
file=ERJgrab_overhead_panel.bmp
size_mm=1024
windowsize_ratio=1.0
position=0
visible=0
update_rate=6
ident=12

gauge00=ERJ!Overhead, 0,0,1024
gauge01=jr_osERJ_Grab!Panel Lights, 719,70,21,31

[window04]
file=ERJ_thrust_rating.bmp
size_mm=224,54
windowsize_ratio=1.0
position=8
visible=0
ident=13

gauge00=ERJ!Thrust_rating, 0,0,179


[window05]
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=449,387
window_size_ratio=0.400
position=5
visible=0
ident=4004
window_size= 0.400,0.400
//window_pos= 0.000, 0.000

gauge00=ISG1!GNSXLS, 0,0,449,387,WN

[window06]
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=150,60
window_size_ratio=1.000
postion=1
visible=0
ident=4003
window_size= 0.300, 0.150
window_pos= 0.700, 0.000

gauge00=isg1!Proline4_MFD_CTRL, 0,0,150,60,WN



//--------------------------------------------------------
[Vcockpit01]
file=$vc_01.bmp
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=1024,1024
visible=0
pixel_size=1024,1024
texture=$vc_01

gauge00=ERJ!Clock, 405,670,347,322
gauge01=isg1!Proline4_MFD_NB, 538,38,463,571,VC
gauge02=ERJ!PFD, 25,10,463,571
gauge03=Boeing777-300!Backup_Attitude, 710,687,306,318


//--------------------------------------------------------
[Vcockpit02]
file=$vc_02.bmp
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=1024,1024
visible=0
pixel_size=1024,1024
texture=$vc_02

gauge00=ERJ!Clock, 405,669,342,319
gauge01=isg1!Proline4_MFD_NB, 535,46,463,571,VC2
gauge02=ERJ!PFD, 26,9,463,571


//--------------------------------------------------------
[Vcockpit03]
file=$vc_03.bmp
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=1024,1024
visible=0
pixel_size=1024,1024
texture=$vc_03

gauge00=ERJ!EICAS, 24,8,463,571
gauge01=ERJ!Radios, 476,45,483,501
gauge02=ERJ!Compass, 73,733,225,122
gauge03=ERJ!Radios, 475,533,483,501


[Color]
Day=255,255,255
Night=160,160,160
Luminous=0,0,0

That's what I thought. Not a big deal since LNAV worked fine anyway.

One thing I tried last night was to replace the ERJ PFD with your B777 PFD NB (which I realize isn't realistic for the erj but it looks awesome anyway). When I press HDG select button and AP buttons on the erj FCU, the indicator lights show up on the PFD. However when I try to select my target altitude using the ALT select knob, the blue digital altitude readout above the altitude tape doesn't change. The same occurs with the speed indicator above the speed tape.

Is this a limitation of the panel I am using? I believe it uses the default FS9 autopilot. Or is the target altitude on the B777 PFD set based on what's programmed in the FMS? If that's the case how can I select my initial assigned altitude given by ATC?

Todd

My mistake, Ernie. I did mean then magenta readouts. When I try to select the altitude or heading on the default FCU the magenta numbers above the speed and altitude tapes don't change.

Did you say you don't have the same problem? If not, then that's just strange because on my panel the numbers on the B777 PFD_NB just stay at zero when I try to adjust the speed or heading. I'll try again, however. Maybe it was a fluke. If it was, I'll report back!

Todd

I want to post some screen shots to show the issue I am having in getting the altitude and speed readouts to reflect my adjusting the altitude and speed knobs on the FCU. It doesn't make sense because when I use the FCU heading knob the heading bugs work fine on both the PFD and ND.

(At the same time, you can see how nice the Grabowski ERJ panel looks with the ISG B777PFD, B737ND and the Smith FMS. Now if I can get the altitude and speed select to work...)


OK, here's the panel with the B777PFD and B737ND and the Smith FMS. Sweet! However, not the magenta altitude and speed readouts on the PFD - both are at zero and this is after I was trying to select altitude and speed on the FCU.





Here's a picture showing that the ALT, SPD, and HDG are selcted on the FCU. When I pushed those buttons, the altitude readout on the PFD changed to 37,000. I'm stumped.





In this image I tuned the SPD and HDG off but left ALT on and the Speed readout on the PFD changed to 240. Again, when I tried to adjust the speed and altitude readouts on the PFD by using the knobs on the FCU, nothing happened.





In this picture I have almost all the buttons activated on the FCU and the altitude readout shows 29,600 and the speed readout shows 240. That's without me doing anything else on the FCU (i.e. those numbers just popped up when I punched the buttons on the FCU).





Now let me also add that no flight plan had yet been entered into the FMS when these images were taken. Not that that is necessary but I just wanted you to know. I think this will be a great panel if I can the PFD to work but right now I am at a loss. Now another thing I should note is the Grabowski panel is multi-layered (i.e. takes 3 separate windows in the panel.cfg file to construct the main panel). The FCU is on the "main panel" BMP file used in window 1, and the new ISG PFD and ND gauges are on the MFD BMP file used in window 2. This BMP file is just the CRT screens on which the PFD and ND are displayed. Is it possible that I need to install the PFD and ND in the same window as the FCU for it all to work?

Todd

It doesn't work with Bill's ERJ autopilot, his customization of its does not reflect the MCP window directly to
the default autopilot. That is why you are sometimes seeing zero's in the PFD.

See the ISG retrofit page example where we replaced the ERJ autopilot with the Lear45's, so that it would work properly.

http://www.isgsim.com/?page=panel_libra ... sky_erj145



Regards.
Ernie.

Thanks for clarifying the issue, Ernie. I was afraid that the Grabowski autopilot wouldn't work with your gauges. I did see the example of the ERJ panel on your website, but that must be an older version of his panel because my panel (v4.02) looks different (i.e. different throttle quadrant console and EICAS screen). In my panel.cfg file (and I can post it later), the FCU must be built into the main panel BMP file because it I don't see it in the list of gauges in the main panel window. I'm not sure how I can replace the Grabowski FCU with the Lear45 FCU. Altering BMP files is beyond my level of skill, I'm afraid. If you or anyone else knows of an easy way to do this I am all ears and willing to learn. I realize, however, that may be beyond the scope of this forum. Either way, I appreciate your support, Ernie.

Todd

Actually, on the most current Grabowski panel (v4.02), there is no separate autopilot gauge listed in any of the [window] sections (see my panel.cfg file above). Not a big deal, however. I discovered that I could create a completely separate window for just the Lear45 autopilot and place it on top of the default unit. So far, it has the same effect as replacing the default autopilot and, like you said, integrates with your gauges well. Thanks for all your help and input. I'll be sure to report after I do some flying!

Todd

FYI, didn't mean to delete the pictures above. I was cleaning out my photobucket albums and was a little overzealous. Here's a pic of my current panel with the autopilot window added. I might do the same with the ND control panel so it's placed to the left of the FCU, on top of the default PFD control unit (which has no use in the modified panel).