Mac6737

Only in Australia and NZ: Orbx AU and NZ AI traffic.

I seem to have no AI traffic at all: nothing in the sky, no planes waiting at the gates. I believe this situation crept up on me gradually. Traffic had been normal for a long time, but then began to diminish late last year. Now there are no AI planes at all! I have done nothing relating to AI traffic, and my sliders are up there. Any ideas? Thanks all, Mac6737

Zip, No, no and no. However, I have solved half of the problem. There are five steps required to engage the AP. I was only doing the first four. However, the ALT function won't lock unless you have already achieved stable flight, which is close to impossible. Mac6737

I recently purchased the JustFlight Avro Vulcan -- on sale, but still about $40. It's a beautifully-rendered plane, BUT: I cannot get the autopilot to lock on either the current altitude (ALT) or speed (IAS). It will, however, track the selected heading, so it seems clear that the AP is on and (at least partially) functioning. I have had numerous exchanges with JustFlight tech support. They claim I am the ONLY customer ever to have had this complaint, and they have no ideas about what to do. Hard to believe I am that unusual. Anybody else had this issue? (This plane is compatible with FSX and P3D. I have both on my PC, and have installed it in both: same result!) Thanks all, Mac6737

I have long doubted whether FSX (and now P3D) accurately reflects the distance at which the tower becomes available to give pattern entry instructions. Sometimes you have to get about 10 miles away before your destination appears in the "Nearest Airports" list -- even when you are flying a big jet to a major airport. And on a few recent occasions, I was unable to raise the tower at all! The other day, I approached KORD in a 747, and the airport NEVER showed up. I don't think it likely IRL that a major hub would let a 747 just wing it. A related Q: FSX (and P3D) gives us the frequencies for contacting towers. But what's the point of tuning the tower if you can't initiate communication? Is there something I don't know about getting the tower's attention? Thanks all, Mac6737 PS -- I have pretty much switched over to the miracle of 64 bits and P3D v. 4, but I believe the architecture is the same, and I've had the question for years before P3D. I experience the problem in both sims.

Jorgen, OK, I followed the link, and discover a fiendishly complex world almost none of which relates to my normal sim experience. I see that AIFP is an application, and I have found the section dealing with what it calls "bulk conversion." I am very hesitant to mess with my P3D files, since I really don't know what I am doing. Hence, before going further, I'm going to provide a bit more acquired info to see if it's consistent with your diagnosis: 1. Now, even in Australia, there is almost no AI traffic, notwithstanding I have installed Orbx's AU traffic add-on. (Recall it was excessive before.) 2. I installed P3D less than a year ago. I don't believe I have installed any scenery that might have contained FS9 files. ALL my scenery is in the Orbx suite. 3. There is at least some AI traffic; it's just that it's much sparser than it was a month or so ago. I recently landed at O'Hare late Sunday afternoon, and saw ONE AI airplane, a 747. Are you convinced the solution to my problem lies in AIFP? Thanks again, Mac6737

Jorgen, Thank you. What is "AIFP," and how do you "convert" files to FSX? In any case, I've had normal AI traffic for a full year, since installing P3D. Is there any reason to think I have FS9 files in here? Mac6737

All of a sudden, there are very few AI planes (if that's the term) in my sim. From the outset (almost a year ago) on P3D, air traffic has been completely normal. Then, suddenly, it has become almost non-existent. The only thing I have changed that comes to mind is the installation of an Orbx Air Traffic package for Australia -- where there's too damned much traffic now! ("go around," "go around.") And I can't swear that the absence of traffic was temporally related to that install. There must be some traffic outside of Australia, because I have seen ONE AI plane recently. But I recently entered the pattern with ATC at a major airport (Salt Lake City) in daytime, and saw not one single AI plane. My traffic sliders are right up there. Any ideas? Thanks all, Mac6737

Actually, after my last post, I discovered that my P3D scenario list includes the Default Scenario (at Eglin AFB). My current default (KDCA) does not have the AP engaged. I always use Notepad to enter and edit a .cfg file, because Word just displays computer techie gibberish symbols. Thanks again. Mac6737

Pat: You must have a rare skill. All I had to do was THINK about the bugs you suggested, booted up P3D, went to the F-16 -- and voila! Complete controls in all models. (Go figure). More seriously: I don't even recall the sim default flight. The joystick calibration (I say) could not have been the problem consistently with my post, since my other planes work fine. Haven't yet found the gauges you mention, but I'll keep looking. I hadn't thought of the AP possibility, but I've had that problem before -- but never on the first boot of a particular aircraft, as here. Thanks much for your input. Mac6737

I recently tried out the Lockheed F-16, and was surprised to find that all variations open with the elevator surfaces awry -- that is, one sharply up, and one sharply down. So I can't take off. Try as I might, I can't find anything to restore the controls to a centered position, or to move the ailerons. I don't have this problem in any other plane, including the F-22. Not a big deal, But I would like to know what I am missing here. Thanks all, Mac6737

Update: I recopied it. It works AOK again! Mac6737

Well, it's been flying AOK for a year! But I guess I did copy it in from FSX -- which does not explain why some of the folders are not the same. You've persuaded me (almost) that I should recopy it; and if that doesn't work, forget about it and move on. Thanks for your time, Mac6737

Wim, see my reply to mrzippy. It only made matters worse, but I'm thinking it indictaes there's something amiss in the panel or model folder. But what? No, don't know how it got lost, if it did. But I recently had a partial meltdown after a power outage and also a Win10 update: soon thereafter, I discovered I could not access airspace or airports in the Pacific time zone and the central Pacific Ocean, from NZ east. This was apparently resolved by running the repair function in the three P3D exe files. Can't say this problem was related to the Lear, but if it was, you'd think the repair should have fixed the Lear, too. I haven't found any problem with any other plane. Yet. Mac6737

Way ahead of you, Zip. I tried that, and the result was retromingent: Not only was there no VC, but the 2D cockpit lacked gauges! Mac

Ooh, we may be on to something. It's there, but it does not look "like this." Rather, it looks like THIS: [models] normal=lear45 In other words, that "interior=Lear45_interior" line is not there. Mac6737

Wim: Yep, the Lear45_interior.mdl file is right there where you say it should be. See post from CRJ above, and my answer. As I understand your post, we are barking up the wrong tree in looking at the panel.cfg.

Right click brings up the menu, including "Cockpit," but the submenu including "VC Cockpit" is greyed out. I couldn't post my panel.cfg as a Word doc ("invalid file," it said), so here it is copied directly: // Panel Configuration file // Lear 45 // Copyright © 1999-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. [Window Titles] Window00=Main Panel Window02=GPS Window03=Throttle Quadrant Window04=Trim Window05=Fuel Window06=APU Window07=Electrical Window08=Mini Panel VIEW_FORWARD_DIR=-1.000, 0.000, 0.000 //-------------------------------------------------------- [Window00] file=Forward_1024.bmp file_1024_night=Forward_1024_night.bmp no_luminous=1 size_mm=1024 position=7 visible=1 ident=MAIN_PANEL gauge00=Lear_45_XML!angle_of_attack, 16,662 gauge01=Lear_45_XML!Clock, 34,542 gauge02=Lear_45_XML!Compass, 829, 1 gauge03=Lear_45_XML!PFD, 141,390 gauge04=Lear_45_XML!yaw_indicator, 251,390 gauge05=Lear_45_XML!EICAS, 413,391 gauge06=Lear_45_XML!Radio, 686,563 gauge07=Lear_45_XML!Asi, 691,393 gauge08=Lear_45_XML!Attitude, 799,391 gauge09=Lear_45_XML!Altimeter, 911,393 gauge10=Lear_45_XML!annunciator_panel, 683,497 gauge11=Lear_45_XML!autopilot, 507,294 gauge12=Lear_45_XML!gear, 866,561 gauge13=Lear_45_XML!pfd_mfd_swap_panel, 177,325 gauge14=Lear_45_XML!source_select_panel, 300,294 gauge15=SimIcons1024!ATC Icon, 108,423 gauge16=SimIcons1024!GPS Icon, 86,445 gauge17=SimIcons1024!Kneeboard Icon, 108,445 gauge18=SimIcons1024!ECU Icon, 86,467 gauge19=SimIcons1024!Map Icon, 108,467 gauge20=SimIcons1024!Electrical Panel Icon, 86,489 gauge21=SimIcons1024!Fuel Icon, 108,489 gauge22=SimIcons1024!Engines Icon, 86,511 // APU gauge23=SimIcons1024!Other Controls Icon, 108,511 // Trim gauge24=n_number_plaque!n_number_plaque, 245,730,57,17 //-------------------------------------------------------- [Window01] //-------------------------------------------------------- [Window02] Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=456,378 position=8 visible=0 ident=GPS_PANEL window_size= 0.300 no_luminous=1 type=special gauge00=fs9gps!gps_500, 0,0 //-------------------------------------------------------- [Window03] size_mm=339,499 position=0 visible=0 ident=THROTTLE_PANEL no_luminous=1 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!ECU, 0,0 //-- TRIM -------------------------------------------------- [Window04] size_mm=230,86 position=1 visible=0 ident=MISC_POPUP_1 no_luminous=1 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!popup_trim, 0,0 //--FUEL -------------------------------------------------- [Window05] size_mm=278,113 position=2 visible=0 ident=FUEL_PANEL no_luminous=1 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!popup_fuel, 0,0 //-- APU ------------------------------------------------- [Window06] size_mm=231,85 position=7 visible=0 ident=200 no_luminous=1 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!popup_apu, 0,0 //-- Elec ------------------------------------------------- [Window07] size_mm=376,125 position=6 visible=0 ident=125 no_luminous=1 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!popup_electrical, 0,0 //-------------------------------------------------------- [Window08] Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=1024,374 position=6 visible=1 ident=MINIPANEL no_luminous=1 child_3d=1 alpha_blend=0.65 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!PFD, 0,0 gauge01=Lear_45_XML!eicas, 757,0 //-------------------------------------------------------- [Vcockpit01] file=Lear_Gray.bmp Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=512,512 visible=1 pixel_size=512,512 texture=$Lear_45 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!EICAS, 2,2,266,373 gauge01=Lear_45_XML!popup_electrical, 2,377,376,125 gauge02=Lear_45_XML!source_select_panel, 270,2,203,85 gauge03=Lear_45_XML!Attitude, 270,90,108,107 gauge04=Lear_45_XML!Altimeter, 270,199,102,102 gauge05=Lear_45_XML!angle_of_attack, 381,90,98,98 gauge06=Lear_45_XML!Asi, 381,191,102,102 //-------------------------------------------------------- [Vcockpit02] file=Lear_Gray.bmp Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=512,512 visible=1 pixel_size=512,512 texture=$Lear_45_2 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!PFD, 2,2,265,374 gauge01=Lear_45_XML!annunciator_panel, 2,378,335,63 gauge02=Lear_45_XML!Compass, 2,444,83,66 gauge03=Lear_45_XML!pfd_mfd_swap_panel, 88,444,122,56 gauge04=Lear_45_XML!Radio, 269,2,169,198 gauge05=Lear_45_XML!popup_trim, 269,202,230,86 gauge06=Lear_45_XML!popup_apu, 269,291,231,85 gauge07=Lear_45_XML!Clock, 339,378,102,103 gauge08=Lear_45_XML!popup_apu, 269,291,231,85 gauge09=Lear_45_XML!yaw_indicator, 443,378,44,17 //-------------------------------------------------------- [Vcockpit03] file=Lear_Gray.bmp Background_color=0,0,0 size_mm=512,512 visible=1 pixel_size=512,512 texture=$Lear_45_3 gauge00=Lear_45_XML!gear, 1,2,148,200 gauge01=Lear_45_XML!autopilot, 1,204,511,85 gauge02=Lear_45_XML!popup_fuel, 152,2,278,113 Day=255,255,255 Night=223,255,255 Luminous=246,115,119 [Default View] X=0 Y=0 SIZE_X=8192 SIZE_Y=3200 Thanks for your time, Mac6737

Everything was super cool, until I lost my VC in both Learjets. Not in midflight, but I recently opened up the Lear, and had only the 2D cockpit. Rebooting, of course, makes no diff. (OK, so my Lears are in P3D, but the architecture is the same, and there are a lot more folks over in this forum.) Everything else on these 2 planes works just fine. I looked at the panel.cfg, and compared it with that on the Lears in FSX (which I still have on my PC). They look very similar, if not identical; apparently the VC is the "Window 00." I am not looking for trouble, and will therefore not do a reinstall of P3d. I am hoping someone else has experienced this, and has a quick fix. Thanks all in advance, Mac6737

Brian, Thank you. So you are saying that after these files are deleted or stashed somewhere else, there will still be a P3D icon on which I can double-click, right? But my first question was of greater importance. The links from Mallcott don't tell you HOW to do a repair, and the first one deals with problems I don't have . . . yet. Since my post, I discovered that there is a "repair" option when you right-click on the P3D app in Windows Control Panel. But I fear using it, because I don't know what it is supposed to do, or what it will do. At the moment, P3D is performing flawlessly beyond the affected areas of the planet. Why, oh why, Does Lockheed not publish a User's Manual? As it happens, I live within walking distance of their corporate HQ here in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Maybe I should handcuff myself to the reception desk until they help me. Mac6737

OK, but neither link tells someone HOW to do a base repair. It says you do it "through the Control Panel." OK, but what control panel, and how do I access it? (It can't possibly be the Windows 10 CP, right?) The second link is easier to understand, especially the advice from Ms. Dixon of P3D, but she seems to require that I delete all P3D files from the 4 locations, and says that these will be "regenerated" when I "run P3D." Maybe I'm sort over my head here, but it seems to me that if you delete all the P3D files, you can't very well "run" it. I appreciate your patience. Mac6737

Mallcott, I was smart enough to have done your #2 already. There was a lot of downloading, updating and replacing, so I'm hopeful. We shall see. I am not smart enough for your #1. How does one "repair" an installation? Mac6737

Thank you both for your hopeful suggestions. CRJ: I fear that many of your suggestions are far, far above my pay grade to implement. I was a liberal arts major and am a retired international lawyer. As it happens, I also experienced a power outage on August 6, after which I rebooted and P3D behaved normally . . . BUT I did not fly in areas that now seem inaccessible. So we don’t know exactly when or how some of my files may have been corrupted. P3D is much like FSX, since it is supported by Lockheed-Martin under a license from MS. The keystrokes are all the same. I couldn’t agree with you more about Windows 10. Adding insult to injury, it eliminated FreeCell and Minesweeper! Top Gun: Sure, there are many scenery files where you say, but I have no way of knowing whether any files are missing or corrupted. I do know that all items in my recycle bin since 8/6/19 are recognizable, and are not scenery files. That said, both of you confirm my instinct that I have a scenery file problem. I am hoping the problem is in Orbx scenery files, because I’ve bought them and believe I can always reinstall from Orbx central. Please don’t be offended if I repeat my request on another forum. Mac6737

I can’t believe this! All of a sudden, as of Tuesday, August 6, I can’t access airports or airspace in the western US, including Alaska and Hawaii. Can’t seem to load anything west of Denver. Before that, everything was as close to perfect as I have experienced in 30 years of Flight Simming. After my PC crashed one year ago, I replaced my entire rig, was forced into Win 10, upgraded from FSX to P3D and reinstalled Rex SkyForce 3D and most Orbx scenery. As I say, all was humming along perfectly. Last Tuesday night, I paused P3D, minimized it and put my PC in sleep mode (as I usually do). On Wednesday morning, P3D had closed itself. I did not think much of this, as it could be explained by something like a Windows update. But since then, I have been unable to access airspace in western US. I have no problems (that I’ve discovered, anyway) in Europe, South America or Australia. When I say I can’t access, I mean: loading an airport: CTD! Loading a scenario: CTD! Loading a playback: CTD? I even tried flying from KDEN to KLAS in real time, but when I slewed westward -- CTD! The only other info of any possible relevance, is that Alaska airports won't even load -- they hang the sim. Other airports or scenarios load 100%, then the screen goes black, and -- CTD! Intuition suggests this is a scenery problem, but I am at a loss. My specs are below, although I don’t think this new problem has much to do with PC power. Thanks all, Mac 6737 Core i7-8700K, 3.7 GHz GeForce GTX 1070 Ti AORUS Z370 5LGA motherboard 16 GB 2 x 8GB DDR4-2400 Monitor: MSI 27” LED gaming

After 30 years of FS (starting with and Apple IIc in the late 80s), and 14 years since FSX came out, I well understand the question. My answer (which may not be original): Orbx. This scenery is amazing, and has transfigured my entire FS experience. I prefer flying to places I've been to in the real world, and Orbx makes it like revisiting them. Even the basic global pack (that is, without the finer levels of payware detail, including regions and airports within them) makes an enormous difference. Disclaimer: I have absolutely no connection, commercial or social, with Orbx or any of its employees.