FSX Default B747-400 Nav Lights Switch On & Off with Landing Lights

I did a search on this and found a 2007 thread where several folks discussed this, without any resolution at all, then someone came along and posted a "I'm having this problem too" response and was promptly chided by two senior members for having the temerity to post in a 4-year-old thread, followed by a moderator locking the thread- despite the fact that the issue had not been resolved, or even addressed. :confused:

 

So to avoid being chastised for still having an 8-year-old problem and/or posting in an old thread, I'm starting a new thread. Does anyone know of a fix for the problem described in the title above other than purchasing a PMDG or other aftermarket publisher's 747?

 

Thanks.

Maybe try the upgraded cockpit by Alejandro Lucena?

 

http://simviation.com//fsnd/Downloads.htm

Another cockpit wont help. The landing and nav lights are connected in the model. You can add another line to the lights section, to add nav's you can switch on when the landing lights are off. (lights section in aircraft.cfg file). Difficulty is wingflex...

Maybe try a 3rd party freeware aircraft instead of the default 747-400. I highly recommend this one. It's in the Library.

 

fsx_b748i_delta-northwest-1.zip

despite the fact that the issue had not been resolved, or even addressed.

 

It's a fault of the model, and not something you or I can modify. The default Grumman Goose has similar problems with lighting, and other default aircraft have their own idiosyncrasies. As Zippy says, you'll need to choose a 3rd party version, if you wish to eliminate that problem.

Maybe try a 3rd party freeware aircraft instead of the default 747-400. I highly recommend this one. It's in the Library.

 

fsx_b748i_delta-northwest-1.zip

 

Thank you, sirrah! I shall hie me forthwith to the library and partake of yon download. Any barmaids there, perchance?

 

Dine O. Soar

Thank you, sirrah! I shall hie me forthwith to the library and partake of yon download. Any barmaids there, perchance?

 

Dine O. Soar

 

Don't I wish!;) No Serving Wenches that I can find!

I think I found a way I can fix that. If I use the nav lights that are used on the

default 737, they will stay on when you turn the landing lights off. I added them

to the cfg, and it seems to work. What I have to do now is perfectly set the locations

so they can sit on the same exact spots as the default model nav lights.

I think it might work.. But give me a bit of time to locate them properly. It will take

a while, as it's a lot of trial and error.. Right now, they are off to the sides, way off

the airplane at the moment.. lol.. Let me diddle with it a bit and see if I can get it

to work.. I'll let you know how it works out when I get through.

Wouldn't really work, and I think I see now why they had to make them part of the

model file. Wing flex.. I can get them looking good on the ground, but once the wing

flexes in flight they are hanging low.. So ain't gonna work.

Oh well, another day, another $2.31.. You will need to find a different 747 if you

want nav lights when the landing lights are off. I don't think it can be done on the

default plane due to the wing flex issue.

Maybe try a 3rd party freeware aircraft instead of the default 747-400. I highly recommend this one. It's in the Library.

 

fsx_b748i_delta-northwest-1.zip

 

OK, I test-flew this Delta-Northwest 747, and had the following issues, which I'm sure someone can help me straighten out in a trice, or at worst, a trice and a half: :p

 

1. Nosewheel steering using the rudder pedals is mostly ineffectual, even though I am taxiing slowly- the behemoth just plows ahead with nosewheel cocked and eventually veers a little bit in the desired direction, but WAAY past the point where it should have turned. I noticed that the rear bogies are also being steered (in the opposite direction) by the rudder pedals, which I didn't think was a feature of 747 landing gear. Using differential braking to help turn the beast doesn't work well enough to solve the problem. Also, the rudder does NOT always deflect when using rudder pedals to steer on the ground. In my brief taxi test, it flipped rapidly hard right but then returned to center even though I was still holding full right rudder to try to turn onto a taxiway... while the nosewheel was visibly hard over to starboard and the rear bogies were (unexpectedly) hard over to port. Recalibration of my controllers did not remedy the problem, and I briefly taxied another AC just to make sure my rudder inputs were still OK, and they are.

 

2. The wingtip strobes extinguished themselves at some point during rotation/initial climbout... possibly with gear retraction. My view was inside the cockpit at rotation and initial climb, so I didn't see the *exact* moment they turned themselves off. Unlike the default 747-400, there are no tailcone or fin-top strobes, so once the wingtip strobes go out, the airplane is unacceptably strobe-free. So I turned them back on, and found them hanging 2-3 feet under the wingtips, in thin air, due to wing flex :mad: - which is probably why the designer of this model chose to turn them off at takeoff. Unfortunately, I can't in good conscience fly a modern airliner with NO strobes, or with strobes dangling below the wingtips in thin air. My OCD just won't allow such a large suspension of disbelief. :rolleyes:

 

Are both of these problems just "features" of this particular model, or is there something I can do to remedy them? If there's nothing I can do to remedy both of these situations, does anyone know of a 747 model that

a. Doesn't have wingtip nav lights connected to landing light switches; and

b. Has wingtip strobes and red/green nav lights that either follow the wing-flex OR the model doesn't bother showing wing flex at all; and

c. Is steerable on the ground.

 

As info, I am using the Steam Edition of FSX- my original boxed-set MSFSX-Deluxe installation was wiped out in a HDD crash, and the new Steam Edition cropped up at just the right time for me, since it included what was formerly known as Acceleration. I have no other FSX installation.

Sorry that it's not really up to snuff. I don't use rudder pedals and my joystick doesn't have a twist for rudder so I use autorudder and the steering is fine for taxi. I've screwed around with the Nav lights and have given up. I stopped looking at them.

 

I just completed the Miami-Julianna flight in mine sticking a perfect landing. ;):pilot:

I think I found a way I can fix that. If I use the nav lights that are used on the

default 737, they will stay on when you turn the landing lights off. I added them

to the cfg, and it seems to work. What I have to do now is perfectly set the locations

so they can sit on the same exact spots as the default model nav lights.

 

Firstly, thank you very much for trying to help with this. I actually did much the same thing before I even came here for help, except I used Shockwave Lights (Redux).

 

Sadly, just as you discovered using the 737 lights, wing flex completely destroys any pretense of verisimilitude by dangling the lights several feet under the wingtips during flight. :(

I don't use rudder pedals and my joystick doesn't have a twist for rudder so I use autorudder and the steering is fine for taxi.

 

Ah, that explains why you haven't encountered the ground steering issue then. I'm using a Saitek X45 Throttle/Stick combo, with a left-right rocker bar under the throttle grip for rudder inputs, and the standard FSX key assignments (NumPad * and -) for differential braking.

 

I've screwed around with the Nav lights and have given up. I stopped looking at them.

 

AAAAAAaaaarrrrrrrgh! I just can't bring myself not to look at my airplane in flight. If I can't find a suitably realistic 747 to fly, I'll just skip 747s altogether and fly 777s instead. I just d/l a new one that I haven't tried yet.

 

I just completed the Miami-Julianna flight in mine

 

 

I'm game-saved over South Caicos with that flight, in a KLM repaint of the default 747, and since my own OCD or whatever is preventing me from switching to the Delta-NWA version, I guess I'll bite the bullet and finish the flight.

 

sticking a perfect landing. ;):pilot:

 

Just when I was starting to like you... :p

Not bad, actually, given that there is no ILS there... I'll try to follow in your footsteps. Go to the beach and hang onto the fence there in about 56 minutes... I plan to land 300 feet short.... :D

Be very careful about the 777s that you download. You may find gauges that don't work. If you encounter that situation give a yell! I have the solution for it. Also some of them have a taxi problem because of wheel contact points. Heap big clouds of smoke coming out of the tires.

Be very careful about the 777s that you download. You may find gauges that don't work. If you encounter that situation give a yell! I have the solution for it. Also some of them have a taxi problem because of wheel contact points. Heap big clouds of smoke coming out of the tires.

 

*yells at MrZippy and then realizes he meant a metaphorical shout using the forum*

 

OK, you must be psychic. I installed the B777-323ER American Airlines file from the library here. Taxiing is fine, and steering is good on the ground. However, the AP is almost entirely dysfunctional. For example, right after gear up, I enabled Autothrottles with 250KIAS selected, Heading Hold with 250M selected and Alt Hold with 10000 feet selected then enabled the AP... but the aircraft began nosing DOWN and throttling back :confused: instead of climbing to 10k as specified. The only way I could force the AP to climb the AC was to disable Alt Hold, enable VS and set +2000 into it. Then, ATC told me to turn left to 170, so I spun the heading knob to 170 and the autopilot... did absolutely nothing. We continued to plod along on the runway heading of 250 or so.

 

So yeah, this one's pretty much a throw-it-back airplane, as is the 757 I d/l earlier which causes my sim to beep strangely a couple of times and then lock up solid. :(

 

My frustration level trying to find an authentic, modern airliner to fly is beginning to reach "to hell with it" proportions. So far, the default 747 is the best of the lot despite its glaring flaws. I thought about biting the bullet and paying for the PMDG 747, but I see from the AvSim forums that despite its high price, it has lighting and other issues, plus the PMDG folks do not seem even slightly amenable to helping folks install the stupendous Shockwave lights, emanating "if we didn't invent it, it's bad" attitudes on the forums.

 

Also, I just tried to reload my default 747's ongoing flight from Miami to Juliana, and all 6 of the saves I made of that flight return "error initializing 747 aircraft" and load to a torn, bizarre screen. So I guess I have to start over with that as well. :mad:

 

Please do share any info you might have on fixing the AA 777-328ER "gauges" which I assume includes the AP. If not, I'll just delete it along with the 757 and either give up the quest or continue looking for an airliner bigger than a commuter 737 to fly.

 

Thanks.

The gauge fix I was referring to was blacked out panel screens and such. I'll look at your 777 download to see what's up. Maybe a good idea to give me the exact filename of your download.

 

The only 777-323 American Airlines is a FS2004 model. It may or may not work well.

Maybe a good idea to give me the exact filename of your download. The only 777-323 American Airlines is a FS2004 model. It may or may not work well.

 

File name is "777-323ER_American_Airlines_FSX.zip" and the readme description is entitled "Boeing 777-300 ER American Airlines N727AN with Virtual Cockpit and working FMC for FSX." Both would seem to indicate suitability for FSX, although I suppose, not necessarily the Steam Edition.

 

Also, it's possible that I got it from Simviation or another freeware distributor.

Firstly, thank you very much for trying to help with this. I actually did much the same thing before I even came here for help, except I used Shockwave Lights (Redux).

 

Sadly, just as you discovered using the 737 lights, wing flex completely destroys any pretense of verisimilitude by dangling the lights several feet under the wingtips during flight. :(

 

I thought it would be an easy fix at first, but then I started noticing that when I

reloaded the plane after each cfg tweak, the plane would bounce a bit flexing the wings,

and I could see light drift coming off the wings.. Dang.. I went ahead and got them

lined up anyway, and actually ended up using triple lights because the 737 nav lights

were weaker than the 747, and I need to tightly bunch three up to appx match the

brightness of the default lights. On the ground it was lookin good. But being I had seen

the flex issue when reloading, I then ran the plane down the runway and into the air to

check, and sure nuff, no bueno. :( So I hung er up..

I fly the 737 on the sim a lot.. PMDG. I just can't use the default planes anymore..

The systems and autopilot are just too micky mouse, and nothing like the real deal.

Since I've been running the NGX, I can't stand to fly any of the default or even the

freeware 3rd party planes.. Too spoiled on the quite accurate PMDG plane.

 

If you really want a good 777, I'd go with theirs, and they do have the new revised

747 cooking in the oven, and it will be out before too long.

Sure, not exactly cheap, but like they say, you get what you pay for..

I've been running FSX Gold for quite some time, but I also grabbed Steam when it was

going cheap. They will have the 737NGX out for steam before too long, and I will give

that a try. Being as steam seems to handle memory a tad better, I might be able to run

a bit denser scenery than I can with FSX. I have to limit it on FSX on my mediocre

puter, or I'll OOM.. I want to eventually go to P3D, but I need a new video card for that,

and also it'll cost me a good chunk of $$$ for the pro version of P3D, and then having

to buy new PMDG planes, and whatever else for P3D. So I'm not in a huge rush to switch.

File name is "777-323ER_American_Airlines_FSX.zip" and the readme description is entitled "Boeing 777-300 ER American Airlines N727AN with Virtual Cockpit and working FMC for FSX." Both would seem to indicate suitability for FSX, although I suppose, not necessarily the Steam Edition.

 

Also, it's possible that I got it from Simviation or another freeware distributor.

 

It was Simviation. I'm downloading now to test. It's Always a good idea, when having problems with a downloaded thingy, to give the exact Thingy's filename so we can look at it like you're looking at it.

Otherwise it's all by guess and by golly!

 

 

UPDATE I've tried this one before! I hate SkySpirit aircraft. This type of autopilot does not react like most others and requires to much fiddling around with for my liking.

UPDATE I've tried this one before! I hate SkySpirit aircraft. This type of autopilot does not react like most others and requires to much fiddling around with for my liking.

 

Thanks. Uninstalled. Now downloading iFly 747 from FlyawaySimulation.com. Exact file name is fly74711.zip. Outcome questionable, but who knows?

Thanks. Uninstalled. Now downloading iFly 747 from FlyawaySimulation.com. Exact file name is fly74711.zip. Outcome questionable, but who knows?

 

I would always check our File Library before going to an outside site!

 

FSX - FSX Jetliners

FSX iFly Boeing 747-400

[ Download | View | Video ]

 

Name: fly74711.zip

Size: 50,650,794 Date: 08-20-2007 Downloads: 26,508

 

FSX iFly Boeing 747-400 v1.1.0.0. Features extremely detailed cockpit with fully simulated FMC, complete TCAS simulation with audio and visual TA and RA system. Also fully simulated Inertial Reference System. 90% of 3D fully operational buttons in VC mode. Three model configuration for better performance. Includes with seven liveries. By iFly Developer Team.

I would always check our File Library before going to an outside site!

 

The problem is, the File Search function here seems to have been designed by Amazon... you know, you enter "Samsung Galaxy S4" and up pops a list of every smartphone Amazon sells, including tablets, iPhones, Motorolas, etc. plus chargers, cases, batteries, blah-dee-blah-blah-blah ad nauseam. It is impossible to force Amazon to restrict itself to what I actually asked for, and the same is apparently true here. Feel free to school me if it's possible to construct a search here that would result in showing me ONLY actual 747 aircraft, no repaints, no AI packages, no VC enhancements...

 

Just now, for example, armed with the foreknowledge that there is at least ONE 747 on offer here, I used Advanced Search, category FSX: Jetliners, with search text 747. I am now looking at 423 hits, most of which are NOT aircraft, but repaints, AI packages, etc., including many that are not about 747s at all- the first one of those is a 777 Braniff repaint that merely REFERENCES an older 747 "Fat Albert" paint scheme as the inspiration for the 777 repaint... and on and on. The ifly file doesn't even appear at all on the first page of hits.

 

When selecting "FSX: Jetliners" I would expect that the search engine would return ONLY FSX JETLINERS and not everything on the planet even remotely PERTAINING to FSX Jetliners.... and I can't find any way to tell it to just show me what I actually asked for.

 

So for that reason, I tend to use external Google searches instead, and the first one that came up for "FSX Freeware 747" was a page that listed the FlyAwaySimulation one as one of the best FSX addon aircraft. Now that I know the file exists here, I will search for it BY FILE NAME which I certainly couldn't do before someone (you) told me of its existence.

 

Why yes. Yes, ambiguous, non-specific, overly-broad search engines that ignore user inputs and disobey their own category specifications ARE a hot button issue for me... what was your first clue? :D

 

Anyway, thanks for the tip and I'll go get the file from here now.

at the bottom of advanced search, select "complete aircraft, with model, panel and sound"

Learn how to use the Advanced Search function.

 

It is quite powerful.

 

peace,

the Bean

at the bottom of advanced search, select "complete aircraft, with model, panel and sound"

 

Haven't found that yet, but I'll keep looking. Thanks.

 

EDIT: Found it. Despite clicking Advanced Search, I had been going to the non-advanced search page all along. Checking "complete aircraft...." shows search results still polluted by a few repaint-only files, but I'm now seeing only a fraction of the hits I was getting before. Thank you.