Only about 1/2 the airplanes I add show in the sim

Gang,

I've been downloading the excellent aircraft in the file library to use with FS X SE. Half of them, roughly, work just fine on the first try. I have a shortcut on my desktop named "Airplanes" and I copy the files there. I have another shortcut called "FS X" in case I need to copy files to other folders. But very often the new aircraft simply does not show up when I go to select it while in "Free Flight". The latest one not to show is the F-111 Aardvark, file name: fsx_f111.zip Although there is another one I did not see when I was downloading that looks good, as well: fsx_shrs_f-111_aircraft_110712.zip The second one states that it requires "at least the unregistered version of FSUIPC". Actually, it might be the one I downloaded, because I remember installing FSUIPC.

Does anyone have ideas about why so many a/c I install don't show in the sim?

Thanks,

Sean

Are you sure the little check-box in the lower right corner of the Aircraft Selection screen marked "Show All Variations" is checked?

Do you check the Aircraft.cfg file additions for the correct entries? Namely, do you ensure you number each entry sequentially, and do you ensure the sim= line reads exactly the same as the original plane's?

IE, do you ensure that the [fltsim.X] entry gets changed to the correct number sequential to the previous one? Like, if the last entry in the original plane's aircraft.cfg file is [fltsim.1] do you ensure that the next entry is [fltsim.2]. If they're not correctly sequential, you won't see the additions.

Do you make certain the line SIM=111 matches the .air file name? Like in the F-111, the .air file is 111.air. The line SIM=111 must always match that exactly.

Do you ensure there are no duplicated lines like TITLE=F-111G A8-135 "BUCKSHOT" PAVE ? If there are any duplicates, they must be changed somehow. Even just adding a 1 at the end of the line will do it.

Do you ensure the line MODEL=PAVE matches a Model.XXXXX folder name exactly? Like the lne I used for an example, MODEL=PAVE must match a folder that reads MODEL.PAVE . If not, it won't show up.

Do you ensure that the line TEXTURE=35BUCKSHOT35 matches a Texture.XXXX folder exactly? Like for my example, TEXTURE=35BUCKSHOT35 , there must be a folder named TEXTURE.35BUCKSHOT35 . Even a single character difference will make the addition not show.

All these sound like little nit-noid details, but they all matter.

I hope something in all this rambling is helpful...

Pat☺

Pat,

I'd like to nominate this message to become a Sticky. I have not checked any of these things, but I will, and I expect the changes I will make will cause about a billion dollars worth of aircraft to appear in my simulator.

Thanks,

Sean

Are you sure the little check-box in the lower right corner of the Aircraft Selection screen marked "Show All Variations" is checked?

 

Do you check the Aircraft.cfg file additions for the correct entries? Namely, do you ensure you number each entry sequentially, and do you ensure the sim= line reads exactly the same as the original plane's?

 

IE, do you ensure that the [fltsim.X] entry gets changed to the correct number sequential to the previous one? Like, if the last entry in the original plane's aircraft.cfg file is [fltsim.1] do you ensure that the next entry is [fltsim.2]. If they're not correctly sequential, you won't see the additions.

 

Do you make certain the line SIM=111 matches the .air file name? Like in the F-111, the .air file is 111.air. The line SIM=111 must always match that exactly.

 

Do you ensure there are no duplicated lines like TITLE=F-111G A8-135 "BUCKSHOT" PAVE ? If there are any duplicates, they must be changed somehow. Even just adding a 1 at the end of the line will do it.

 

Do you ensure the line MODEL=PAVE matches a Model.XXXXX folder name exactly? Like the lne I used for an example, MODEL=PAVE must match a folder that reads MODEL.PAVE . If not, it won't show up.

 

Do you ensure that the line TEXTURE=35BUCKSHOT35 matches a Texture.XXXX folder exactly? Like for my example, TEXTURE=35BUCKSHOT35 , there must be a folder named TEXTURE.35BUCKSHOT35 . Even a single character difference will make the addition not show.

 

All these sound like little nit-noid details, but they all matter.

 

I hope something in all this rambling is helpful...

Pat☺

This AC seems to function normally in FSX and P3dv2.5 but I ALWAYS install to a dummy folder and read the included txt files and look at contents before placing it in my sims manually. If an installer won't allow me to install to a dummy folder, I give it an empty FSX/P3D folder - computers are not AI....

Actually, I always read the .txt files before I install a new a/c in case there are special instructions. But I think Pat is on to something.

Also in the flight plan there is a part that says 1% or 50% and so on, is your traffic slider set too low?

Col.

Seeing Aardvark. Is this an ai aircraft? Those do not show up in the list. Because they do not have a panel folder.

They are only to be used as AI. Often the readme says they are not allowed to be used as user aircraft.

So they do not have a panel folder and the list does not get too cluttered.

Oh, and every thing you download contains a readme.txt text file. That has the install instructions. Often things need to be installed in other folders then ../aircraft folder.

After unzipping, first open the resulting folder. View all files and folders that are in the download, and also read the readme.txt file carefully.

And when moving stuff to a folder after unzipping, open the folder it needs to go in to, then copy it to there.

If you would just drop everything on a shortcut you loose sight of what you are actually doing.

Also in the flight plan there is a part that says 1% or 50% and so on, is your traffic slider set too low?

 

Col.

My "General Aviation" is set to 100% and Commercial aviation is set to zero. One thing I like about FS X is that not every other plane is a Grand Caravan.

I only paste to the shortcut if the readme gives no special instructions. When I read it, I click on the end of each line, or at least right before the last word I can see in the window, and insert a carriage return, so I can read the whole thing over again without needing to scroll horizontally.

That is how Windows got it's name: "windows into files." A metaphor.

and insert a carriage return

You must be an old typewriter mechanic. I speak from experience! ;)

one of the bigger problems is an aliased Panel - often to a default FSX-SE plane, sometimes not. Does the panel exist in a folder?

I found that the C-141 Starlifter has no files inside the "Panel" folder. The F-111 is a mystery. There is a folder with files in it, but it appears that I cut and pasted the ones that make the plane somewhere else, that I can't find, or the originals. Perhaps I should download it again.

You must be an old typewriter mechanic. I speak from experience! ;)

No, I just have a soft spot in my heart for business machines.

Seeing Aardvark. Is this an ai aircraft? Those do not show up in the list. Because they do not have a panel folder.

 

They are only to be used as AI. Often the readme says they are not allowed to be used as user aircraft.

So they do not have a panel folder and the list does not get too cluttered.

I search for aircraft in the files section using Advanced Search, and I always try to remember to check the box that says "Complete aircraft with model, panel, sound". Sometimes I forget - I have downloaded repaints thinking that they were whole a/c.

So are you talking about AI aircraft or flyable ones?

If you are meaning AI type then a couple of things why they won't show in the menu, one is some air files make them not show because they are meant for AI use not flyable, there is way to make them show by editing the air file, but let us sort this out first.

other things they might not show is check the spelling in the aircraft cfg, does the name of the air file match, I've had some where the air file is in capital letters but in the cfg it is in lower case.

Is the aircraft meant for FSX, if it is a FS9 then remove the panel and sound folders, you can add FSX panel and sound later.

Or are talking about not seeing the aircraft in the sim, for example if you go to a busy airport and the aircraft are not there?

Col.

I realize this is kinda slaunch-wise from the main discussion, but: A much better Aardvark is THIS ONE. It's in the library here at Flightsim.

Not only has it a fantastically modeled FDE, but the cockpit is phenominal. The plane is very realistic from the outside. Granted, the SHRS F-111 has a more accurate cockpit to the real one, but the Pig Hud project plane allows you much more capability. If you want to do it in an Aardvark, it can do it.

I've flown at somewhere close to Mach through New York at about 200' AGL. I've even participated in a race across Viet Nam, pretty high up this time. Almost 600' AGL the whole way, fast as the bird would go.

It's a blast, pun intended, with Chris Sykes' weapons4.zip package. Great effects, although the weapons don't actually "destroy" things. Looks very real, however. The bomb drop gauge, with the ability to drop a single weapon at a time, or ripple off several in rapid sequence, is a real joy to use. It can be coupled to the AP, to drop a sequence of bombs on a designated target, or you can practise different manual delivery methods. Toss bombing, low level runs with retarded bombs, you name it.

The PAVE TAC gauge and other radar displays are amazing, as well. Not to mention really easy and fun to use.

If you like F-111's, this is your baby, no question.

Sorry, all. Back to the main discussion...

Pat☺

I looked at the file descriptions. They are not AI.

(Sorry, my bad. I only knew aardvark as making planes used as AI traffic.)

Aardvark is the aircraft's nomenclature, not the developer's name, il.

Like the F-4 is the Phantom, the P-47 is known as the "Jug", the F-4U is the Corsair, etc etc.

Of course, in this list MUST be included the ever famous "Warthog" :D

Have fun all!

Pat☺

When I read it, I click on the end of each line, or at least right before the last word I can see in the window, and insert a carriage return, so I can read the whole thing over again without needing to scroll horizontally.

In Notepad???

Why not click on Format and check Word Wrap?

peace,

the Bean