Now available from JSGPanels is version X04 of the Universal Flight Management Computer (FMC) for FSX®. This new version can be purchased or updated at the FS Pilot Shop. (Previous customers can simply login and download the update from their account.) An equivalent version is also available for FS2004 ®. For details, read this announcement.
For new users an unrestricted licence to use this new version of the FMC can be obtained from JSGPanels for just $14.99 (USD) at www.fspilotshop.com. Further developments are on the way and will, of course, be completely free of charge to all licensed users.
PROGRAM NAME
The name of the FMC gauge has not been changed so, if you are an
existing user, you do not have to make any change to your panel.cfg
files. HOWEVER we strongly recommend that you MAKE A BACKUP copy of
your present FMC gauge files before installing this new update.
Folder JSG-FMCGen in the .../Gauges folder is the relevant one
here.
NIGHT ILLUMINATION
The new FMC has been designed to blend in better by using the
standard lighting supplied with the FSX ® aircraft. This works
perfectly when the panel being used belongs to the aircraft being
used. However, if it does not, some differences may appear in the
colors displayed. In these cases we have tried to get the most
realistic colors we can.
CRUISE ALTITUDE
The correct use of this parameter is VERY IMPORTANT as it is used to
generate the ECON CRUISE SPEED.
AIRCRAFT RECOGNITION
1 - The FMC identifies the aircraft being used by reading the "ATC
MODEL" parameter in the aircraft.cfg file. However some designers use
non-standard names for this, for example "B747-MyAircraft" or "B744
for the Boeing 747" and in these cases the FMC cannot recognise the
aircraft type. To get round this simply enter the aircraft type (for
example "747") in the "IDENT" parameter of the FMC.
2 - As mentioned above, some packages use a panel which does not belong to the aircraft, for example a 737 panel with a 727 aircraft. In these cases the FMC is displayed with colors which may be different to the ones supplied with the panel.
Note that version x04 only recognises those types of aircraft which we think are likely to be used with it but, if requested, more aircraft will be added to future versions. Any remarks and/or suggestions you may have about this will be welcome.
FUEL WEIGHT AND LOAD
For heavy aircraft the fuel weight and fuel load used are the ones in
the aircraft.cfg files. However, depending on the designer, these
can be different. The "fuel consumption", MDTF and MFT in the
"PROGRESS" page are average ones. The MDTF depends on the current
speed, altitude etc. and so cannot be exactly precise.
SLOW AIRCRAFT
For jets the usual ECON climb and DESCENT speeds are 280 knots and
300 knots respectively. However these are clearly not appropriate for
use with small aircraft such as the CESSNA 172. So, when using the
FMC with aircraft of this type, either enter the appropriate speeds
in the FMC yourself or do not use VNAV.
The same applies in the case of ALTITUDE. The usual VERTICAL SPEED of 1000 or 1500 feet a minute is not appropriate so, in this case, do not use the VNAV function of the FMC but enter the ALTITUDE and VERTICAL SPEED directly into your autopilot panel.
The standard LNAV and other functions can however be used and so no special action is required there.
COST INDEX
This is used only by jets and has no relevance when using the FMC
with a small aircraft.
SPEED HANDLING WITH LARGE AND SMALL AIRCRAFT
The FMC handles speeds differently when it is used with a large
aircraft, such as the B747, and a small one, such as the Cessna 172.
Thus it computes the ECON CRUISE SPEED, V1, VR and V2 for large
aircraft in accordance with the cruise altitude and COST INDEX and
load but uses fixed values with small aircraft.
FMC WINDOW SIZE ADJUSTMENT
The FMC window size depends on the way the panel is initially
defined. However, if you find this too large or too small, you can
adjust it quite simply by modifying the panel.cfg file. The relevant
section is:
//****** FMC WINDOW ********* [Window15] size_mm=315,385 windowsize_ratio=1.000 position=7 window_size=315,385 VISIBLE=1 ident=999 gauge00=JSGx03SoundGen!GLX03SoundGen,0,0 JSGPanels gauge01=JSG-FMCGen!glx03-FMCGEN,0,0,315,385 JSGPanels
and the relevant line is:
windowsize_ratio=1.000
Changing the value supplied here will proportionately change the FMC window size. For example, changing the value from 1.000 to 0.500 will halve its size and changing it to 1.500 will increase its size by 50%.
AIRCRAFT SUPPORTED
Several additional aircraft are supported in version x04. The full
list of aircraft now supported is:
CONCORDE
BOEING 707, 727, 737, 757, 767, 777, 747 and B52
AIRBUS A321, A340 and A380
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD80, MD83 and MD11
BOMBARDIER CRJ700, Lear 45 and Lear 60
DOUGLAS DC3 and DC10
LOCKHEED C130 and C135
EXTRA 300
GRUMMAN GOOSE G21A
DE HAVILLAND DHC2 and DH88 Comet
MAULE M7
CESSNA 172, 182 and 208
MOONEY M20T
PIPER J3
BEECHCRAFT Baron 58 and King Air 350.
PUSHBACK TRUCK
A new parameter has been added in the panel.cfg file to enable the
pushback truck to be displayed:
// TRUCK DISPLAY Optional ********************* gauge98=JSG-FMCGen!glx04-Truck,449,190 JSGPanels
You can adjust the position on the screen by changing the values 449 and/or 190.
Have nice landings!
JSGPANELS
Learn More Here