FlightSim.Com FS98 FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Can't find what you're looking for in the FAQ? Then try asking the experts in our FS98 message forum.

1. SCENERY

1.1 How do you install third party scenery?
1.2 Can you install FS95 scenery in FS98?
1.3 How can I create a VOR to simulate a TACAN?
1.4 Why don't I see lights at night with a Monster 3d card?
1.5 How do I get Navaids working?
1.6 How do I eliminate double runways and navaids?
1.7 Why does the scenery sometimes rise up under the aircraft?
1.8 How do I create scenery?
1.9 I get a page fault error with the Seychelles scenery.
1.10 How do you get snow in FS98?
1.11 How do I organize scenery in directories?
1.12 What software tools are the best for scenery and aircraft design?
1.13 Why do I need to designate add-on scenery as local?
1.14 Why do I get low frame rates with 3rd party scenery?
1.15 What's the secret to creating scenery with good frame rates?
1.16 What is an acceptable frame rate for scenery design?
1.17 Should I have 1183 texture files, or 1181, in the Tahiti scenery?
1.18 Can anybody help me with the Abucus ASD scenery designer?
1.19 Where is Martha's Lake?
1.20 How does FS98 use 3rd party scenery?
1.21 I can't get the Toronto VOR to work in FS98!
1.22 Why do my scenery add-ons have double runways and misplaced areas?
1.23 Why do taxiways disappear and then reappear as you align?
1.24 How real should the graphics in FS98 be?
1.25 Does anyone know the longitude and latitude of the Great Pyramids?
1.26 Why do 3d objects in Airport show up as monochrome polygons?
1.27 Why is the moon in a square box in 3d?
1.28 I'm getting the message "performed illegal function" on the scenery search.
1.29 Fltsim98 caused a stack fault in module Kernel32.dll. Huh?
1.30 I did not do a full install of FS98 scenery. How do I install more now?
1.31 Why does FS98 lock up when you try to search for a European navaid?
1.32 How do I install 3rd party add-on scenery?

2. AIRCRAFT

2.1 How can I delete aircraft in FS98?
2.2 What do I do with the "Old Aircraft" subdirectory?
2.3 How do I convert and install downloaded aircraft?
2.4 Is the fuel usage realitic in FS98 aircraft?
2.5 What is the Microsoft Converter? Do I need it to install new aircraft?
2.6 Why don't my downloaded aircraft show up in my aircraft list?
2.7 My downloaded and installed aircraft are missing!
2.8 Why don't propellers in 3rd party aircraft spin?
2.9 Other people see spinning props in FS98 but I don't.
2.10 I used the FS98 converter to install aircraft, but can't find them.
2.11 More missing aircraft!
2.12 The spot view distorts the planes. Can this be remedied?
2.13 I get "performed illegal function" when selecting 3rd party aircraft.
2.14 I keep getting the error message "can't display visual model".
2.15 How do other FS98 users organize their panel and aircraft folders?
2.16 What causes page fault MSVCRT.Dll after installing aircraft?
2.17 Any tipes for taking off with the Extra?
2.18 Practical tips on downloading and organizing aircraft.
2.19 How does FS98 determine whether an aircraft is jet or prop powered?
2.20 What can I do in ADE98 to give a plane more rudder power?
2.21 Is there an easy way to fix nose bouncing when applying the brakes?
2.22 What factors in ADE do you change to get aircraft to sit firmly on the ground?
2.23 How can I stop an aircraft from bouncing up and down at the nose?
2.24 A few tips on bouncing on landing.
2.25 Please help with ideas/suggestions for ground steering with taildraggers!
2.26 How do I add my flight shop aircraft to FS98?
2.27 How can I use ADE to make my aircraft stop pulling to the right?
2.28 The downloaded planes I try to convert give me a "Bad Model 6.0" error.
2.29 Many of my add-on piston aircraft veer off the runway - is this reality?
2.30 When I download the converter it's saved on my system as a .XYE or .2HC file.
2.31 How do I get accurate fuel burn rates in FS98 aircraft models?
2.32 More on "missing" FS98 aircraft!
2.33 Why don't aircraft show up on the drop down list?
2.34 How can I get better visual cues for landing?

3. PANELS

3.1 How do I install panels?
3.2 How do I assign different panels to different aircraft?
3.3 I'm having problems unzipping downloaded panels.
3.4 I downloaded and installed a panel but gauges are missing.
3.5 Why do my gauge needles go gray after flying IFG for a while?
3.6 Why don't I see any instruments on my downloaded panels?
3.7 How do I increase the size of the front window view in FS98?
3.8 Why do I get an MSCVRTD error when testing a new panel?
3.9 Why does the EGT gauge seem to wrong on almost all FS98 planes?
3.10 What are the ADF and VOR used for?
3.11 What does the MSCVRT.DLL error mean?
3.12 How do I create new panels for FS98?
3.13 I can't see any gauges in the virtual cockpit view!
3.14 Can you take a panel from one aircraft and put it in another?
3.15 How do I work with FS98 panel file colors in PSP?
3.16 How do I restore a missing gyro compass on my HSI gauge?
3.17 FS98 tries to access the floppy drive when I tried to use a new panel.
3.18 Why is the forward view windown greyed out?
3.19 How do I get gauge files to unzip from downloaded files?
3.20 Why do the planes I download and install always get one of the default panels?
3.21 Any more tips on making downloaded panels work with FS98?
3.22 How can I paint around the panel edges to make them transparent?
3.23 I am unable to see out the windshield of most of my aircraft.
3.24 If you use the wrong unzip utility your downloaded panels or gauges may not appear!
3.25 How do I install a third party gauge into a panel?
3.26 What are the meanings of the first few lines in the panel.cfg file?
3.27 Why is the autopilot IAS/Mach Hold feature disabled in some panels?
3.28 How do I install new gauges on a panel?

4. SOUNDS

4.1 How do I install some new sounds I just downloaded?
4.2 I can't get the engine sounds to work for the ATR72TCA.
4.3 How do I create a sound.cfg file?
4.4 Why don't converted adventure files contain ATC sounds?
4.5 How do I fix "grainy" sound?
4.6 How can I set up turboprop sounds that will work with both jets and props?
4.7 How do sounds work for turboprops in FS98?
4.8 Will FS95 or 5.1 sounds work in FS98?
4.9 Tip for activating airliner wind noise.

5. FLYING

5.1 How do you land without bouncing the plane?
5.2 Why does my Cessna swerve to the right on takeoff?
5.3 I'm having trouble flying one of the Lear adventures.
5.4 Why, when I request landing, does FS98 always clear me?
5.5 Are Flight Shop adventures compatible with FS98?
5.6 The view out the front of the 737 seems to be too centered.
5.7 Why do FS98 planes seem to climb so fast?
5.8 How do I land the Lear using the autopilot?
5.9 Can anyone give me some advice on flying the Bell Jetranger?
5.10 Need help with the Concorde or VTOL aircraft?
5.11 Any ideas on controlling taildraggers on the ground?
5.12 Please help me learn how to navigate and read the HSI!
5.13 How do I do a spin in FS98 and then recover from it?
5.14 What's the warning sound in the Cessna when power is reduced?
5.15 How do you control the taildraggers, and how well does FS98 handle it?
5.16 How do I land the plane once I am on final?
5.17 What is the best tool to learn VOR navigation?
5.18 How can I tell how far I am from the VOR?
5.19 What's the difference between the autopilot VOR and the GPS2.01 auto feature?
5.20 Should I flare a jumbo jet when I am landing?
5.21 Can any give some hints on moving up from the Cessna to the Lear?
5.22 Are both of the autopilots like the Lear?
5.23 I have a difficult time maintaining a high mach number during a climb.
5.24 What is the limit for how fast an airplane can go?
5.25 Please help with the arrows on the Lear HSI!
5.26 I need help following instructions in a converted Flight Shop adventure!
5.27 What is the function of "x-feed" (cross feed) in FS98?
5.28 How and when do you use the spoilers?
5.29 How do I use the VOR and the DME indicators in FS98?
5.30 Any more hints for flying helicopters in FS98?
5.31 Can someone give me some hints on how to land a plane properly?
5.32 Does the auto coordination feature in FS98 actually work?
5.33 Is there a way to land 747 without autopilot?
5.34 How do I get a float plane on the water?
5.35 How do I shut down and start the engines of a turbojet in FS98?
5.36 How do you read and use the VOR gauges in FS98?
5.37 Why does the autopilot seem to "hunt"?
5.38 Why is the Acton VOR near Dallas missing from FS98?
5.39 Why is the "lock to ILS/LOC for landing approach" always grayed out?
5.40 How do you use the auto throttle?
5.41 All planes crash where they did not in FS95.
5.42 How do I line up with the runway at the destination airport?
5.43 What is the switch on the VOR and ADR radios used for in FS98?
5.44 A tip for setting out on each leg of a trip touring new scenery.
5.45 My 737 starts running out of thrust while climbing to FL200 - FL320.
5.46 The rudder doesn't seem to work in FS98.
5.47 How do you use the FS98 auto throttle?
5.48 How do other sim pilots control reverse thrust?
5.49 Does anyone else experience poor Nav aid range in FS98?
5.50 If I turn on the APR will my plane land by itself?
5.51 What's the best way to get better visibility over the panel when landing?
5.52 Why does the Hong Kong ILS land you at 90 degrees to the runway?
5.53 How does the Nav 2 (VOR) gauge work on the Learjet?

6. SOFTWARE ADD-ONS

6.1 NavDash does not install in English, how do I get it to work in English?
6.2 Does NavDash work with FS98 in full screen?
6.3 How do I load coordinates in NavDash?
6.4 I can't get text files to be converted automatically by APLC.
6.5 What is EFIS?
6.6 Can I run add-on programs with FS in full screen mode?
6.7 I do I use LLAD?
6.8 Why do I have occasional system freezes when using NAV1.8?
6.9 What does RealATC do for me?
6.10 Are there any maps available for FS98?
6.11 How to measure distances and read TAS in Nav 1.8?
6.12 How can I load only a small area in Nav 1.8?
6.13 How do you design taxiways and tarmacs in Airport 2.02?
6.14 How do I install the FS97 converter so I can use ADE on planes in FS95 format?
6.15 How do I download and use METAR weather data for Real Weather?
6.16 How do I add new items to Nav 1.8?
6.17 Can anyone offer alternative sites for weather info for Real Weather?
6.18 How do I set the autopilot to fly a course with Nav 1.8?
6.19 How does LLADD.exe work?
6.20 How do I make a flightplan in Nav 1.8?

7. VIDEO

7.1 Windows reads my Cyrix CPU as a 486 and my video is affected.
7.2 What is the best graphic card?
7.3 What is the benefit of a 3d card other than better frame rates?
7.4 What is the best 2d card to use with a Monster?
7.5 What is the best - the Diamond Viper V330 or the Diamond Monster?
7.6 What's the difference between 3d and 2d?
7.7 Why am I getting poor frame rates with my 3d card?
7.8 How do I make my Monster video card work with FS98?
7.9 Why do I have a blue line on the horizon with my Mystique video card?
7.10 How do I enable 3dfx with the Intense 3D Voodoo Rush?
7.11 How do I install the newest Monster 3d drivers?
7.12 Does the STB Velocity 128 run through my Matrox card?
7.13 How do you change the refresh rate of the Monster?
7.14 Does the Monster card require an IRQ?
7.15 Is the 2d frame rate of the Viper 330 an improvement over other cards?
7.16 How do I get my Monster 3d working with FS98?
7.17 Is the STB Volocity 128 a 3d card? How do I make it work with FS98?
7.18 I'm having lockups with the Diamond Viper 300.
7.19 The Matrox m3d seems to slow FS98 instead of speeding it up.
7.20 Any ideas on how to get rid of black skies?
7.21 Should video bios shadowing PCI/VGA palette snoop be enabled or disabled?
7.22 How do I activate 3d in FS98?

8. BOOKS/CHARTS/MAGAZINES

8.1 Errors in the FS98 handbook.
8.2 Where can I find charts to use with Flightsim?
8.3 Does anyone have any comments on Flight Sim magazines?
8.4 What's Technet?
8.5 What is a good book on understanding the mechanics of flying?
8.6 What is a good flightsim related aviation magazine?
8.7 Where can I get free sectional charts for flightsimming?
8.8 What is the book "Stick & Rudder" about and where can I purchase it?
8.9 What additional books would forum members recommend?

9. COMMANDS

9.1 How do I display my frame rate in FS98?
9.2 Is it a pain for anyone else not having a save and replace for flights?
9.3 Why is the panel visible in the left, right and rear views?
9.4 Is it possible to look out the side and see the flaps deploy?
9.5 How does one set the scenery complexity permanently?
9.6 How do I use the multiplayer function under AOL?
9.7 How do I turn on radio communications?
9.8 How do I use the on line help system in FS98 to find keyboard commands?
9.9 How do I find my IP address for FS98 multiplayer?
9.10 How do I print out the logbook in FS98?
9.11 Is there any place other than "The Zone" to find people for multiplayer?
9.12 How do I access autopilot settings from the keyboard?
9.13 Is there a utility which allows a chat scrolling bar in full screen mode?

10. CONTROLS

10.1 How do I use Virtual Pilot Pro and standard pedals with FS98?
10.2 How do I program the base buttons on the Sidewinder Pro joystick?
10.3 How do make my rudder pedals work with FS98?
10.4 How do I connect and configure the Sidewinder Pro with pedals?
10.5 How do I save the setup on the Flight Stick and all the other setups?
10.6 Help with the Advance ALS100 sound card and the SW 3d Pro Joystick!
10.7 Is it possible to adapt racing pedals to use with FS98?
10.8 Why does my throttle always stay at about half force?
10.9 Why does the throttle on the Cessna jump up and down by itself?
10.10 Where can I buy an inexpensive flight yoke?
10.11 Why won't my Sidewinder 3d Pro work with FS98?
10.12 How do I make the Logitech Digital Extreme joystick throttle work with FS98?
10.13 How do I make the Microsoft Precision Pro joystick register on the rudder?
10.14 Please help with customizing keyboard assignments for FS98.
10.15 How does the twist-rudder function work with the Force Feedback Pro and FS98?

11. SYSTEM

11.1 I can't install FS98!
11.2 Should I install FS98 on top of FS95?
11.3 How do I stop long pauses in FS98?
11.4 What can I do to eliminate stuttering and hesitation?
11.5 How can I quickly start FS98 with my "choice of the day" flight?
11.6 How can I make FS98 run in the background while I do other things?
11.7 Is there a screen capture function in FS98?
11.8 How do I capture images images from scenery in FS98?
11.9 How do I stop the opening movie in FS98?
11.10 An "illegal operation" warning tells me I'm missing Simsui.dll.
11.11 Are there any recommendations for Autoexec.bat and Config.sys for FS98?
11.12 I can't restore FS98 to operatin after using the help function.
11.13 What does "invalid page fault in module MINICTLS.DLL" mean?
11.14 Why does my PC always tell me it was not shut off properly?
11.15 With a right click, what's the difference between "open" and "open with"?
11.16 Nothing under the World menu is working.
11.17 When I download the converter it showed up as FSCONV98.XLU - how do I open it?
11.18 How much free space is needed on the hard drive in Windows 95?
11.19 How can I rebuild Fltsim98.cfg?
11.20 How do I record real ATC transmissions from the internet to use with FS98?
11.21 FS98 crashes - hardware or software?
11.22 Some ideas on dealing with "general protection faults" in FS98:
11.23 How do I solve the "g3d.dll" error?

12. VIRTUAL AIRLINES

12.1 How do virtual airlines work?
12.2 Can anyone recommend a virtual airline for me to join?
12.3 I noticed a virtual airline named Lone Star - isn't that a real airline?

13. HARDWARE

13.1 Can you get a chip faster than 180 mhz, and what is overclocking?
13.2 How do I do a CPU upgrade?
13.3 How do I clean a CD ROM?
13.4 How do I hook up a 5.25" floppy drive on my system?

14. REAL AVIATION

14.1 What does FS98 mean to real aviation?
14.2 Is sim time approved by the FAA?
14.3 Does fly by wire compensate for crosswinds by applying rudder?
14.4 What is the difference between "indicated" (IAS) and "true" (TAS) airspeed?
14.5 Is there some sort of equation to figure out true airspeed (TAS)?
14.6 Is there a value that I can use to convert deg/min/sec to decimal format?
14.7 Do minutes and seconds in longitute and latitude relate to a constant mileage?
14.8 Is there a formula for calculation the direction and distance to a waypoint?
14.9 What are OAT and RAT?
14.10 What are the "flaps" on the leading edge of 747 wings?
14.11 Is runway width generally enough for a 180 deg turn?
14.12 Can anyone tell me what a procedure turn is?
14.13 How did pilots navigate over the ocean before GPS?
14.14 When ATC gives a vector do they want us to fly a compass heading?
14.15 Is there a "rule of thumb" as to when to turn the base leg?
14.16 How do I recover from a spin?
14.17 What are some reasons for hard landings?
14.18 Here's a suggestion for landing reciprocal engine aircraft.
14.19 How do the stick and the throttle control airspeed and altitude?
14.20 What does pitot heat do?
14.21 What does the "AOA" (angle of attack) instrument indicate?
14.22 What is the function of the "yaw damper" on the autopilot?
14.23 I need help with landing procedures!
14.24 What is the N1% with full throttle on a real 757, 747, etc?
14.25 Is there a way to determine the "lead point" for turning onto a radial?
14.26 Can anybody tell me about propeller/mixture settings?
14.27 What does "J168" mean - and what's a GPS?
14.28 What does "KNOTS" mean on the HSI (right upper corner)?
14.29 What's the proper way to lose speed in an approach and landing?
14.30 When both NDB's and VOR's are available, is one preferable over the other?
14.31 I need help landing the 747 in a crosswind!
14.32 What are STARS and SIDS?
14.33 Is there a proper way to calculate when to slow down and start the descent?
14.34 What are the average and maximum glideslope for a 737 OR 777?
14.35 How far from the airport must I turn from base to final in a Cessna 180?
14.36 What airspeed do I need to hold in a pattern and when should I deploy flaps?
14.37 How soon (distance) after take-off can you start making a turn to your heading?
14.38 When using an approach plate, how do you fly an "arc D15"?

15. USING FLIGHTSIM.COM

15.1 I can't find a file that everyone keeps talking about!
15.2 Where on the web can I find add-ons for FS98?
15.3 I logged out while downloading a large file - did this cause a problem?
15.4 Why does FlightSim.Com require a sign on?
15.5 How do you kill old messages that you are embarrassed about?
15.6 Why does the message counter skip numbers?
15.7 How long has FlightSim.Com been on the internet?

16. OTHER

16.1 What is the current state of Microsoft flight simming?

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