Tanks empty after save

Hi,

Always something new.

I got all my aircraft saved with fuel load (usually about 30%) and lately when I start FS and open the saved flight (which I save as default) the tanks are empty. No big deal, I can top the tanks up each time, but I do not think it was happening before? In the past the aircraft always opened with fuel in tanks - the way I saved it.

PS it is not just one aircraft. Connie does it and also A319/320/321.

Any clue what I might have done to cause this?

Thank you

Peter

You've got three choices, that I can see right off.

1) Locate the saved .FLT file for the new default flight you made. It should be in the folder C:\Users\\Documents\Flight Simulator Files . Look down through it for the heading [Fuel.0]. All the entries should be 100, except for one, which will be 98.something. If not, try setting them to what you want. You said 30%, so make every entry 30.

Save it off, and load FS9. Start your flight, and check the fuel loads.

2) Go back to the default default flight. The C172 in Seattle, I think. Easy way to do that is to ensure FS9 is closed, and open the FS9.cfg file. It may be found in the folder C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FS9. Search down through it for the heading [uSERINTERFACE], and under it the line Situation = . Delete anything after the equals sign (=). Save, close, start up FS9. Once it's loaded in, go to the free flight page, and select your saved flight, and see if the fuel saved off the way you want.

3) Check the plane's aircraft.cfg and check, under the heading [fuel], that the 4th number following the = in each line is correct for that plane. The gallons each tank should contain.

Hope one of these helps a little...

Pat☺

Thanks Pat,

MANY thanks for your response.

I checked your 3. configuration file is OK, shows fuel. I also did your 2, loaded default Cessna and deleted situation in the user interface.

I did not do 1 - I am familiar with Flight Sim Files in Documents but did no see there [Fuel.0]. The files only show .FLT, .WX and IFR.PLN files.

The situation at present is still the same, after saving the fight as a default, with fuel and when starting FS again the tanks are empty. No big deal I can fuel before each flight. But must say that I am bit curious what causes this since for decades I am flying FS, the saved flight always opened with the fuel I saved.

P.

Peter - Could you save another aircraft and flight as default, and see if it acts up the same? You should not have to load fuel everytime you want to fly that aircraft, that would "get old fast!"

Just a thought? - Rick

Sorry, Peter, I just re-read again from the start and you say it is all aircraft!

Peter - Many of my jetliners that I have downloaded have fuel loaded to the hilt, sometimes going outside the "weight and balance" envelope! I have gone into the aircraft.cfg and set my fuel capacities to 60%, save, and then recheck weight and balance and all is good! I have never had to do the "actual", the loading of fuel, but I also have my realism settings "checked" for unlimited fuel! The sim takes care of the loading of fuel and that fuel loaded will only go to the corresponding amount (or % of) what I chose in the aircraft.cfg file. Are you controlling the actual at 30% or are you setting your cfg at 30%?

Just another question out of curiousity! - Rick

Peter - Many of my jetliners that I have downloaded have fuel loaded to the hilt, sometimes going outside the "weight and balance" envelope! I have gone into the aircraft.cfg and set my fuel capacities to 60%, save, and then recheck weight and balance and all is good! I have never had to do the "actual", the loading of fuel, but I also have my realism settings "checked" for unlimited fuel! The sim takes care of the loading of fuel and that fuel loaded will only go to the corresponding amount (or % of) what I chose in the aircraft.cfg file. Are you controlling the actual at 30% or are you setting your cfg at 30%?

What normally happens is that all aircraft take the fuel settings of the default flight on load. The only time they don't is when they have tanks with names not in the aircraft of the default flight - those specific tanks will load at 100%.

So I think the problem does lie with the settings default flight, although I am not really sure why. Possibly problems editing the files - e.g. read only, administrator access, installation to default directory?

Perhaps one trick to try first - edit the default flight to your needs, saveit under another name and tick the box to use as default.

John

Hi Gents,

I really appreciate all your responses. The fact remains that in spite of checking cfg, saving-loading-reloading, saving different flights, going back to default Cessna and so on, the saved flight with fuel (AB319) after restarting FS opens with zero in the tanks. Strangely in some cases it reduces to minimal load (saved it with 35% and after restarting FS it opened with less than 5%). Trying another aircraft (Embraer 135) it seems to be OK and shows the correct saved load after restarting FS. So it is probably aircraft specific. I still have some more checking to do. As mentioned this is not a problem just a challenge to find out what could be causing this as in the past all my saved flights reopened with the saved load.

Thanks again

Peter

I am familiar with Flight Sim Files in Documents but did no see there [Fuel.0]. The files only show .FLT, .WX and IFR.PLN files.

Hi,

You are not looking for the correct thing. The [Fuel.0] will be INSIDE the relevant .FLT flight file. That file will have a same name as the Flight you are trying to load. Open the .FLT file with Wordpad or Notepad, and then look for the [Fuel.0] section inside that. If they are not set to 30, edit these values and save the file.

Hi Tom, thanks, did not realize the FLT flight in Documents can open, never had opportunity to do so. Below is the culprit for my AB319:

[Fuel.0]

TankSelector=All

TankSelector1=All

Center=29.962553198017471

LeftMain=29.979808909640198

RightMain=29.979808909640198

LeftAux=100

RightAux=100

LeftTip=100

RightTip=100

Center 2=100

Center 3=100

External 1=100

External 2=100

Have it set at 30% in FS so this seems correct. In spite it goes down to zero when I reopen the flight.

Strange there are only 3 tanks in cfg (below) yet the Aux and Tip are showing in FLT (above):

[fuel]

//Longitudinal (feet), Lateral (feet), Vertical (feet), Usable(gallons), Unusable (gallons)

fuel_type = 2

number_of_tank_selectors = 2

Center1 = 0.000, 0.000, -4.110, 2180.000, 0.000

LeftMain = -4.000, -19.010, -0.820, 2062.000, 0.000

RightMain = -4.000, 19.010, -0.820, 2062.000, 0.000

electric_pump=1

Cheers

Peter

Peter - Do me favor, whenever, you get a chance. Open Flight sim like you were going to fly, chose your A319, and when the plane starts to spin, on the left you will see a selection for Fuel and Payload, click on that and see what pulls up. You have one screen for overall Fuel and Payload, one screen for Change Fuel and another for Change Payload. See what yours shows for Change Fuel. I am just curious to see how that compares to what you pulled up, in the above post.

And, the other 8 entries for 100 ea. Do they happen to print out as //100 on each entry? I am thinking that these might have been optional fuel configurations, but can't say for certain!

You say, "Have it set at 30% in FS so this seems correct." Just thinking out loud here! I have to figure mine out on a calculator, then enter the figures in the aircraft config file! Then the program automatically loads the same amount of fuel each and everytime! Something's different the way you are loading %'S. Does it automatically load 30% each and every time?

I don't know, just confusing as you know what!

Rick

Hi Rick, this is the full sequence:

1/ Open the default saved flight (which had 30% fuel load in each tank when previously saved as a default) and for reason unknown it shows zero fuel.

2/ Go to aircraft/fuel and pay-load. In fuel tanks C/L/R enter 30% to each tank. Save.

3/ Save flight with this fuel load as a default - default check mark in save.

4/ Shut down FS.

5/ Start FS which opens to above saved default flight. Start the flights and!!!! the fuel tanks are empty.

6/ Look at aircraft/fuel and pay-load. The fuel in each tank C/L/R is zero.

5/ Shut down FS. And back to 1 above. The circle continues, the saved flight with the 30% fuel load opens with no fuel.

Surprisingly,

after both 4 and 5 shut downs the fuel in my default saved A-A319.FLT folder shows as 30%:

[Fuel.0]

TankSelector=All

TankSelector1=All

Center=29.967095824132151

LeftMain=29.98461149205048

RightMain=29.965212849955421

But it always opens with 0 fuel.

P.

Peter - I can sense your frustration this has caused, so I'm not asking anymore questions of you! Just let me tell you the way I manage fuel levels for my aircraft, and it is a little different than the way you configure yours. I will use your fuel level figures for you:

Center 1 = 2180 gals X .30 = 654.00 gals

Left Main= 2062 gals X .30 = 618.60 gals

Right Main= 2062 gals X .30 = 618.60 gals

I use 60%, you use 30%, but that's okay! I replace the original fuel level values with the above values 654, 618.60, 618.60 in the fuel section of the aircraft config files. I then go into realism settings and make sure the Unlimited Fuel box is checked. From then on the system loads the fuel as it is used, and I never have to worry about it, unless of course, I run out of fuel! As far as the Fuel and Payload section goes, I don't enter anything there, I just make sure that my changes I made to the aircraft config.file were carried over to that section. You can try that, see if that will work. The only difference in our approaches in doing this, you use %'s, I use the actual gal figures!

Only one opinion I might have, with the 30% fuel level, you have only allowed yourself 1926.60 gals of fuel. The A319 will burn 882.99 gals/hour (5916 lbs/hr) which will give you just over 2 hours flying time. That is fine if you are making short hops, but, if those are the levels you are happy with, then so be it! I drop my fuel levels back to 60%, only to give me better takeoff performance, but still allows me fuel for longer flights! In most cases, these developers are loading these aircraft to the hilt and it's not really needed. I know I am not going to be flying any great distances that I need that much fuel!

Anyway partner, I wish you well, hope you can come to some sort of resolve. I just went thru some computer problems here recently, took me several weeks/months to get it stabilized. One person saying the computer is infected, another saying it is a registry problem, someone else saying Windows needs to be re-installed, another saying you might have a hardrive going bad. When you try each suggestion only to have the hopes of fixing it once and for all, and NOT happening, it is really the pits and very frustrating! I found a fix, only by trying to see what was common with multiple suggestions, and it worked! You will find a fix, I am sure!

If you want to try this, fine, if not I will understand. I just wanted to let you know there is another way of managing fuel. From here on, I will let you be, but I will be occasionally checking on your progress with the hopes you find the fix!

Have a nice day! Keep your fingers crossed! - Rick :cool:

Peter, if this A319 is payware there could be a payload manager program included with it, which willl overwrite any other settings. It'll be in the Start menu under the A319 title.

Some freeware aircraft have similar managers included in the form of ini files. With any luck you might find something like A319_fuel.ini in the A319 folder, it's Panel folder or the main Gauges folder.

Sent from my 5044Y using Tapatalk

Many Thanks Rick an Tim,

your views and help are much appreciated. I will probably put this fuel issue on back burner and enjoy this GREAT FS as is. It offers so much (real flying) after all fueling aircraft before departure is a routine function anyway. I will experiment, using your suggestions and if I find a resolution will let all know.

Many thanks again

Peter

Interesting thought Tom,

I first noticed it with Connie. Airbuses followed. Embraer and all other aircraft (classic included) open OK with the saved fuel. More I think about it, it has to do with the panel and gauges. A got all A319/320/321 with the same panel and all open empty. A380, I got with a different panel opens OK (with the saved fuel load). Your DC4,6,7s open OK. It looks like just the Connie and twin engine Airbuses open empty. All my fleet (about 50 flyable aircraft) are freeware, with add-on panels for particular types. Classics are the best with very detailed panels (Connie in particular MANY THANKS).

As mentioned this is not a big deal, I can fuel before each flight. Got this ball rolling just because of the curiosity, since this never happened to me before. But as mentioned more I think about it, it appears it is gauge related.

Best Regards,

Peter

Hi Gents,

have readdressed this issue again after getting tired of fueling before each flight. Found out that deactivating the gauge 51 in my Airbus panel:

gauge50=dsd_xml_config!config, 69,542,20,20,.\Gauges\ab320km_config.ini

///gauge51=dsd_fuel_dump!fuel_dump_transparent, 89,542,20,20,.\Gauges\ab320km_fuel_dump.ini

gauge52=dsd_xml_sound2!dsd_xml_sound2, 109,542,20,20,.\Gauges\ab320km_sound.ini

eliminated this problem.

The flights saved with the fuel load now open with the fuel load.

Interesting is that I had this panel with gauge 51 active before and the problem did not exist, so apparently some other aircraft I downloaded and replaced the ab320km_sound.ini gauge into my gauge folder changed it?

Mysteries of FS! but all is well now.

Cheers

Peter

Hello

I seem to remember having a fuel loading (unloading)problem like this myself .In my case it was because I had inadvertantly parked and saved a flight in one of those refuelling areas ( the !ittle yellow box with a fuel pump within it) moving the aircraft from this area solved the problem.

Thanks Andrew