MADE FOR GAAR

[Quickmarch 488]

I mis-spent a few hours this afternoon messing about with 2D panels for the DC-3. I went looking for a suitable DC-3 for the 2014 GAAR and couldn't find anything I really liked. I like the stock DC-3 the best but it is woefully inadequate in the instrumentation department. I'm not one to suffer for the sake of nostalgia. Heck, there isn't a DC-3 flying today with the original panel in place.

 

All of the panels include the GAAR timer in the right hand side of the panel. They all have a pop-up Garmin 500 except as noted below. ADF's are tuned with the stock radio pop-up. VOR's can be tuned either with the stock pop-up or on the NavComm(s) on the panel. There is a tiny little button on the left hand side of the panel to choose between GPS or Nav (no annunciator).

 

Note that this is not all my work. Others have contributed some of the ideas, some code, some instruments, etc. All has been lifted from the public domain, however, if I've stepped on someones toes, I'll be the first to apologize.

 

Number 1 - pretty much stock but with a radio stack on the panel

 

Number 2 - Same as above but with dual ADF

 

Number 3 - Slight variation with single ADF and VOR/ILS - note there is only a single NavComm on the panel because I put an ADF tuning head in place of the second NavComm. this panel and the rest of them have the Cessna Stopwatch/clock incorporated into the left hand panel.

 

Number 4 - Getting a bit more sophisticated with HSI and second VOR, an ADF and a Garmin 295 in the panel. There is also a pop-up 295 that makes it easier to manipulate.

 

Then there's number 5 - with all the bells and whistles. HSI, second VOR, dual ADF's, Garmin 295. 

 

There you have it. If anyone is interested let me know and I'll arrange to get the code to you.

[ddavid 149]

Number 4 looks good - Thanks for doing the homework, John.

If it's not too much trouble, a download would be great!

Cheers -Dai.

[brett 2,283]

Nice work John,   too bad the designers never leave open areas in the VC panel for us tinkerers.   

[Quickmarch 488]

@Brett,

 

Easy enough to make space by removing what is not needed. I haven't tried it yet, but if you were to make up a re-scaled (larger) bitmap image it would likely load and give you more space.

 

Right now, I'd just like to learn a bit more about the effects applied to the existing gauges. Night lighting, etc. Also, the Garmin 295 seems to have a long-life battery built in. There's no way to turn it off and it is not tied to the avionics power switch. Far more study is needed in the use of FS Panel Studio.

 

If there are any experts in panel design out there, I'd like to talk to them.

 

@Dai,

 

PM'd the text file to you earlier.

[brett 2,283]

Never got far into the VC by creating my own panel bitmap image, I always thought that was modeled into the aircraft. It would be great if all you had to do is but a black circle in the panel. Really don't know enough about it.

 

I have replaced gauges into them with some success and failing that I usually just create a popup that includes everything in one box.  

 

Glad we do not have to replace the batteries on the 295 with the price of them being what they are.  The only thing I have done to the default GPS's are the 3D view and traffic mod.

[Quickmarch 488]

 The only thing I have done to the default GPS's are the 3D view and traffic mod.

 

Do tell. What's the 'traffic Mod"?

 

The VC = problematic. Have no idea how to edit that.

 

But the 2D cockpit is pretty simple graphics. Don't see any reason why you can't produce your own bitmap. Use the basic panel as a model and stretch things a bit. I'll give it a try if I can find a bit of time to play (another late night shaping up).

 

You don't even need black circles. In the panels, above, the gauges are placed wherever convenient without bothering to create any black holes. Of course, if there's a hole there, it's easy to plug it with a different gauge. The GAAR timer is simply placed on top of the background bitmap - no hole. As well, the fuel tank selector and fuel gauge, moved to the right hand side of the panel to make room for the GPS, don't have openings behind them. My biggest problem was filling in the holes where they overlapped and showed beside the radios. I just messed with the background bitmap in Paint.Net. If you look to the upper right of the GPS, you can see what remains of the opening for the original autopilot. I didn't get far enough into it to edit the bitmap to erase this.

[brett 2,283]

 

 The only thing I have done to the default GPS's are the 3D view and traffic mod.

 

Do tell. What's the 'traffic Mod"?

 

The VC = problematic. Have no idea how to edit that.

 

 

The VC gauges can only be edited, in the panel.cfg file VC sections, as long as the replacement gauge is switched out, in the same position and size, where the existing ones are. Works great. I have also pasted a non working image of a radio stack onto the VC dds's so they match the added one that works on the 2D panel, this way they look alike. 

 

The mod for manually adding 3D Terrain and Radar Traffic to your Default FSX 295 & 500 GPS can be found in these the links. If you are not comfortable making edits, PM me if you would like a copy of my modified .CAB files, I will email them too you.

 

It's a pretty cool improvement on the original and has been around for awhile and was created or improved by Bill Lemming. Looks like this;

 

  

 

 

[Quickmarch 488]

Wow! The traffic is cool, but look at the terrain representation. It's gotta be 500% better than anything I see on my (stock scenery) GPS's. The difference between Terrain and no Terrain is usually light-brown or black - take your pick. I'll do some homework on the sites you've posted. 

 

Thanks Brett,