F-18 Hornet: 2 questions

I've not paid much attention to the F-18 in FSX, but tried it out again recently and even read the materials in the Learning Center. I have 2 questions:

 

1. There are 3 large black spaces on the VC panel (including that in the Tutorial Mission), so there are missing gauges. Has this always been true? I don't find any gauges in the airplane folder, or in the FSX/Gauges folder. Surely there are gauges somewhere. If so, how do you get them? (Perhaps related is the fact that I see no way to set the parameters of the autopilot; just the on/off switch.)

 

2. I recently had a total PC crash, followed by a new PC and hard drive, conversion to Windows 10 and reinstall of FSX, SP1 and Acceleration (don't ask!). Both before and after this rebirth, the F-18 has displayed an odd feature: At exactly 60-second intervals, a female voice says "Chin-gotchula." I've listened dozens of times, and that's the best transliteration I can do. Who the heck is this lady? Where is she transmitting from? And, of course, what does "chin-gotchula mean"? Finally, can I get rid of her?

 

Thanks all in advance,

 

Mac6737

 

PS -- I'll be away for a few weeks starting Thursday, so please be patient if I do not gratefully acknowledge any replies.

I don't have the FA-18. Can you post a screenshot of your panel? Sp1 is not needed when installing Acceleration.....hope that didn't muck up your situation. Could the "chin-gotchula" be coming from another addon?? ATC female voice saying China gotcha?

 

Does your panel look like this without the main info screens not lit up? I don't have the FA-18 .cab file so it won't work for me.

 

 

Mine does have a female voice....sounds Hawaiian...says something like "comonawannalaya"?? Must be a city on the main island?;)

FIRST, those "black squares" are called the MFD's, or Multi-Function Displays. Is your electrical system on? The Battery and generator switches over on the right side panel, near the front, right under the warning lights panel. With the APU and/or engines running, of course. Also, are the displays themselves on? There is a knob that says OFF-BRT on the outside, upper right corner, I believe. Might be one of the bottom corners. I never touch the Acceleration Hornet, so I'm not certain about it's precise layout. Make sure that knob isn't pointed to the OFF position.

It sounds like your default flight starts out in a "cold-n-dark" configuration. If so, try going back to the original default flight the sim came with. The trike over Friday Harbour. You can do this very simply in the FSX.CFG file, or just find that flight in the Saved Flights, and check the little box at the bottom that says Make Default.

Second, the female voice you hear is called Bitchin' Betty. It gives verbal warnings of important failures. Like "Fire, Left" for fire in the left engine, and so on. Also used for CFIT warnings. Like "Pull UP, PULL UP" if you're heading for the dirt too fast. It's an integral part of the instrumentation systems. It's unintelligable at the moment possibly because the plane's power is off, or you didn't install Acceleration correctly.

Third, all the gauges are either in the plane's Panel folder, or in various folders in the sim's Gauges folder. The most important one is F-18.DLL. THAT should be in the sim's gauges folder. If not, you didn't completely, or properly, install Acceleration. It comes with the F-18 included, along with all it's gauges and so on. It must also have HORNET_FCS.DLL, also either in the plane's Panel folder, or in the Sim's Gauges folder. You can see where any single gauge is located by simply looking at the plane's Panel.CFG file inside the plane's Panel folder. If you don't have one of those two .DLL files, or both, you need to un-install and then re-install Acceleration.

 

Finally, ignore the F-18 that comes with Acceleration. It's junk, now. The team that created it has made a HUGE improvements in the Hornet. A totally new and much better version is out now. It's freeware.

It's called the FS Dream Team FSX Blue Angels F/A-18C v18.4 . They are a demo team that puts on aerial demos and air shows, much like the real Angels. They also improve the plane. The FSX BA's plane bears little resemblance to the Acceleration Hornet, other than it's outside shape.

You can down load it Right HERE. Look down through that page to find the correct version for your sim. FSX and/or P3D below V4, and P3D V4 and above. It comes with an auto-installer. Make sure you allow it to install the .NET Framework file correctly, and if it asks to over-write any files answer YES.

If you haven't already done so, you will also need to properly install the 3 Simconnect files included with FSX into their proper Windows folders, and the latest FSUIPC.DLL file in the sim's Modules folder. If that folder doesn't exist, and it may well not after a fresh install, create it, and then install the FSUIPC.DLL file into it.

 

Does this help at all?

Pat☺

I almost never leave anything alone so I can't guarantee that my FA-18 is totally default - with both a panel folder and a panel.1 folder, I'm pretty sure it's not original default...

 

Nevertheless, you will need to have a FA-18.DLL in your gauge folder or the aircraft panel folder. Since other military jets also use these MFD's, it should be in the guage folder so all can access it. I tried to see if I could kill my 3 panels with an avionics master and a battery master switch but neither had any effect. What I did notice is that all three have a functional off/brightness rotary knob so I could turn each off individually. The knob is in the upper center of the top panels and in the lower right corner of the low center panel (behind the stick). If you have the dll, you might try those off/brightness knobs. Since my F-18 loads and initializes with these MFD's turned on, I'd be surprised if that's the problem. Strangely enough, I had an F-22 that stayed off for months until I one time tried that battery or avionics power thing and they've been on ever since. Go figure...

 

Loyd

Both before and after this rebirth, the F-18 has displayed an odd feature: At exactly 60-second intervals, a female voice says "Chin-gotchula." I've listened dozens of times, and that's the best transliteration I can do. Who the heck is this lady? Where is she transmitting from? And, of course, what does "chin-gotchula mean"? Finally, can I get rid of her?

 

Thanks all in advance,

 

Mac6737

 

PS -- I'll be away for a few weeks starting Thursday, so please be patient if I do not gratefully acknowledge any replies.

 

That would be Betty. She likes to play Bingo and she doesn't like how you fly her plane. :p

You might think you're in control, but Betty will always be there to tell you that you're wrong.

You're too fast, you're too slow, you're too close to the ground, you might be too close to the ground next week.

It never ends. :rolleyes:

And, she's always there. With you in the cockpit. :eek:

Its like she lives in the plane's electronics, somewhere. Always complaining and griping about something. :p

She earned a nickname over the years but I can't recall what it is. ;)

To restore the original default flight:

close fsx,

find fsx.cfg file,

open it,

change

situation=[whatever it says]

to:

situation=

close and save fsx.cfg file,

start fsx.

Looking at my FA-18 Hornet folder I saw that Betty .wav files hid out in the panel folder(s).

That would be Betty. She likes to play Bingo and she doesn't like how you fly her plane. :p

You might think you're in control, but Betty will always be there to tell you that you're wrong.

You're too fast, you're too slow, you're too close to the ground, you might be too close to the ground next week.

It never ends. :rolleyes:

And, she's always there. With you in the cockpit. :eek:

Its like she lives in the plane's electronics, somewhere. Always complaining and griping about something. :p

She earned a nickname over the years but I can't recall what it is. ;)

 

What you're describing sounds a whole lot like my ex wife. The only thing missing is Betty trying to spend all your money as fast as she can...

 

And yes she DID get a nickname. Several, really. The nicest one I can print here is "Stupid Cow".

 

I really wish this was all a joke. Sadly, none of it is.

:p :( :eek:

Have fun all!

Pat☺

Thanks everybody!

 

I won't mess with this any more for now, since I am leaving in the morning for a couple weeks.

But here's some further info or questions based on what you folks have said:

 

-- Not sure why I want to make the Trike my default or what it has to do with my issue. My actual default does not start cold & dark, and neither does the FA-18.

 

-- MrZippy: Yes, my panels looks sort of like your screenshot, except that in the space for the MFD on the left you can see supporting metal framework (but not in the tutorial's FA-18 panel).

 

-- I did find F-18.dll in the Gauges folder. But there is no HORNET_FCS.DLL anywhere.

 

-- Don't think I will uninstall and reinstall Acceleration. I have learned to leave the well enough alone. I have other jets.

 

-- Anyway, PhantomTweak says there's a better FA-18, and it's freeware. Sounds pretty good to me. However, I can find NO "Modules" folder in FSX. You say create one? OK, but I don't have FSUIPC.DLL. I infer that I can download one. Maybe after I come back.

 

Out.

Because the default flight is error free.

FIRST, those "black squares" are called the MFD's, or Multi-Function Displays. Is your electrical system on? The Battery and generator switches over on the right side panel, near the front, right under the warning lights panel. With the APU and/or engines running, of course. Also, are the displays themselves on? There is a knob that says OFF-BRT on the outside, upper right corner, I believe. Might be one of the bottom corners. I never touch the Acceleration Hornet, so I'm not certain about it's precise layout. Make sure that knob isn't pointed to the OFF position.

It sounds like your default flight starts out in a "cold-n-dark" configuration. If so, try going back to the original default flight the sim came with. The trike over Friday Harbour. You can do this very simply in the FSX.CFG file, or just find that flight in the Saved Flights, and check the little box at the bottom that says Make Default.

Second, the female voice you hear is called Bitchin' Betty. It gives verbal warnings of important failures. Like "Fire, Left" for fire in the left engine, and so on. Also used for CFIT warnings. Like "Pull UP, PULL UP" if you're heading for the dirt too fast. It's an integral part of the instrumentation systems. It's unintelligable at the moment possibly because the plane's power is off, or you didn't install Acceleration correctly.

Third, all the gauges are either in the plane's Panel folder, or in various folders in the sim's Gauges folder. The most important one is F-18.DLL. THAT should be in the sim's gauges folder. If not, you didn't completely, or properly, install Acceleration. It comes with the F-18 included, along with all it's gauges and so on. It must also have HORNET_FCS.DLL, also either in the plane's Panel folder, or in the Sim's Gauges folder. You can see where any single gauge is located by simply looking at the plane's Panel.CFG file inside the plane's Panel folder. If you don't have one of those two .DLL files, or both, you need to un-install and then re-install Acceleration.

 

Finally, ignore the F-18 that comes with Acceleration. It's junk, now. The team that created it has made a HUGE improvements in the Hornet. A totally new and much better version is out now. It's freeware.

It's called the FS Dream Team FSX Blue Angels F/A-18C v18.4 . They are a demo team that puts on aerial demos and air shows, much like the real Angels. They also improve the plane. The FSX BA's plane bears little resemblance to the Acceleration Hornet, other than it's outside shape.

You can down load it Right HERE. Look down through that page to find the correct version for your sim. FSX and/or P3D below V4, and P3D V4 and above. It comes with an auto-installer. Make sure you allow it to install the .NET Framework file correctly, and if it asks to over-write any files answer YES.

If you haven't already done so, you will also need to properly install the 3 Simconnect files included with FSX into their proper Windows folders, and the latest FSUIPC.DLL file in the sim's Modules folder. If that folder doesn't exist, and it may well not after a fresh install, create it, and then install the FSUIPC.DLL file into it.

 

Does this help at all?

Pat☺

 

I don't know if I have gone stupid or what but I am having a hard time getting the Installation files for the new F-18 you refer to in your post. I have click on the "RIGHT HERE" link and have found the latest file link for the FSX version. But I am not getting a proper zip file and I have not seen an installation file. When I try to download the zip file I get an HTML link. What am I doing wrong. Maybe it's too late at night or something. Can you please walk me through the download, unzip and install process? Thank for your help. This F-18 looks like what I have been looking for.

Can you please walk me through the download, unzip and install process? Thank for your help. This F-18 looks like what I have been looking for.

No trouble at all.

When you LEFT click on the link I provided, you get a window open up, or a new tab if you are already on a web page someplace. The title, in big, block, letters should read 2018 FSX BLUE ANGELS F/A-18C HORNET.

Look down that page until you come across the line with the title LATEST FSX VERSION DOWNLOAD LINK:

FSXBA F/A-18C Hornet ver. 18.3 link (as of 5 MAY 2018):.

Following the colon ( : ) there is a link to the zip file. LEFT click on the link in blue lettering. When you Left click it, you will be redirected to where you can download the file from. It will be a large square in the middle of the page. Click the little BLUE box in it with the word DOWNLOAD. It will say it can't check the file for viruses on the page that opens up. Ignore it, and click on DOWNLOAD ANYWAY.

 

Once the zip file has finished downloading, place it into a folder you create. Call it Temp, or INSTALL, or heck, call it Bill Fredericks if you like. Just so long as it's an empty folder you create some place.

Go to that folder and unzip the zip file. Or, as it's called, extract the file in the zip file to your previously created folder. Windows comes with WinZip, which should work ok, but a better choice is a program called 7Zip. It's a freeware program for creating, unzipping, and so on, zip files. The auto-installer is contained within a zip file created with 7Zip, so that's the best choice to unzip it with. Just Google 7ZIP, and there will be several links on where to download it from. I suggest using it for ALL your zip file needs.

So now, you should have 2 files in your new folder. One, the zip file, you are done with for the moment. The other is an EXE file. That is the auto-installer. Double left-click on it. You will go through several pages, like a EULA you need to agree to, and so on. Eventually, you will come to a page asking you where your simulator is located. Click the BROWSE box, and direct it to where your main FSX folder is located. Like C:\FSX, or D:\Microsoft Games\FSX. Wherever you keep it.

 

Now tell the auto-installer to install. It will begin extracting all the files the plane needs to the right places in your FSX folder. When the main part if the installer is done, it will begin installing the .NET Framework file to your Windows folder on your C:\ drive. Just leave it run. It may take some time to complete it's work. I've seen it take 15-20 min to finish. It may also SEEM to stop, or lock up. IT'S NOT STOPPED. Just leave it alone and let it run until it's completed it's task. Go get a sandwich, or a cup of coffee, but let it run until finished.

Once the auto-installer has completed it's entire installation, it will ask if you want to view the Readme file. This is up to you, but I suggest you read it.

 

Another good file to read is the plane's NATOPS manual. You can download it from THIS PAGE. The file you want is titled NATOPS FLIGHT MANUAL NAVY MODEL F/A-18A/B/C/D 161353 AND UP AIRCRAFT. It's located a little down the page my link points to. The actual file you need to download is over to the right of the title line. It's the word DOWNLOAD, in blue letters.

The NATOPS manual has everything you need to know to fly the F/A-18C aircraft, and the FSX Blue Angels plane is designed off of it, so it's as close to the real plane as it is possible to make it in the simulator environment. There are instructions on every aspect of the plane, and checklists to follow. Including Emergency procedures and checklists. It's called the pilot's Bible. Read it, know it, live it :D

 

-- Not sure why I want to make the Trike my default or what it has to do with my issue. My actual default does not start cold & dark, and neither does the FA-18

You don't necessarily need just the trike itself. You need to have sim's original default flight. This is the Trike over Friday Harbour. Once it loads up, and you're on the FreeFlight page, it will have preset all the different variables in the sim correctly for the ALL planes. See below, however for why your f-18 isn't functioning correctly. It's just a very good idea to have the sim's original default flight as your default flight.

 

-- I did find F-18.dll in the Gauges folder. But there is no HORNET_FCS.DLL anywhere

And that's the problem you're having with the default F-18. Without that file, most of the plane doesn't work properly. This is the fault of your Acceleration not installing properly. Lucky for you, the FSX Blue Angels plane comes with it's own copy of the Hornet_FCS.DLL file. Once you install this plane, it should work correctly.

 

OK, but I don't have FSUIPC.DLL. I infer that I can download one. Maybe after I come back.

You can download FSUIPC from THIS PAGE.

Look for the word FSUIPC4.4.971, and click it. Not here, on the page I linked you to in the first sentence. It will download the auto-installer for FSUIPC. It will install to the MODULES folder you created for you.

 

Does this answer your questions and needs?

Pat☺

PhantomTweak,

Thanks for those detailed instructions. As it turns out my "big square in the center of the page" did not have a "blue download button". I finally found a download button but it was not in the square and was not blue. So, anyway I got it downloaded. And the rest should be easy.

I am having such a hard time acquiring this F-18 Hornet. I got the download done and have the zip file. I unzipped it with 7zip, which I already had, but there is no exe file in it. There are a whole lot of texture folders and a bunch of other folders but none of them have an exe file in them.

I am having such a hard time acquiring this F-18 Hornet. I got the download done and have the zip file. I unzipped it with 7zip, which I already had, but there is no exe file in it. There are a whole lot of texture folders and a bunch of other folders but none of them have an exe file in them.

 

There is no auto installer with this download. I'm fairly sure it's all done manually. The .zip file is 881 MB in size and the extracted folder is almost 2.8GB in size.

 

 

I ended up downloading and installing the Prototype version, it had the exe file. I will test it this evening.

My apologies!

I thought for sure Jimi had packed it all into an installer. There I go thinking again. :p

 

Ok, no sweat. Easy peasy now.

When it unzipped, then, in the folder you created, and then unzipped the download into, you should have it all in a folder that is labeled FA-18C_FSXBA_BA_18.3.00. All the texture folders and other stuff should be in there. Just cut-n-paste the FA-18C_FSXBA_BA_18.3.00 folder into your FSX\Simobjects\Airplanes folder. Simple, no?

 

NOW it gets a little complicated. First, go into your FA-18C_FSXBA_BA_18.3.00 folder in the Airplanes folder. There will be a folder titled FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes\BAXX\FA-18C_FSXBA_BA_18.3.00\Extras. Inside that is a folder titled Effects. Copy the entire folder Effects to your Sims Effects folder. Answer YES if it asks to over-write, or if it asks if you want to merge folders, which it will for the Textures folder under Effects.

 

I will trust that you have downloaded and installed the FSUIPC.DLL and so on as I mentioned in my last post, yes?

 

So far so good, yeah? Now, the hard part. The various different ancillary files you need.

Go to THIS PAGE, and click on the red box that says DOWNLOAD. It will go to another page that has a note "that if the download doesn't start in 30 seconds, click HERE." Obviously, if it doesn't start in 30 seconds, click the link. It can be a little stubborn. I usually just go back to the first page and try again, until it works. It will eventually.

If it just won't download, try THIS ONE. It has a big green box to click.

Or search the net for .NET Framework v4 on your own, and download the one that works best for you. There are a ton of links to the download, all over the net. Just watch out for other things that will try to install under the guise of the file you want. Make sure the download is the actual .NET Framework's .msi file, not an imposter.

 

Once you get the .NET Framework downloaded, it should just be an .MSI file. Just double left-click on it, and wait. Get some coffee, whatever. It can be a little slow. I KNOW that will automatically install the .NET Framework file to the right location.

 

Now comes the REALLY hard part. Go to your FSX\SDK folder. Under that find the FSX\SDK\Core Utilities Kit\SimConnect SDK\LegacyInterfaces folder. Inside that are 3 sub-folders, all titled FSX-. Like FSX-RTM, or whatever. Inside each is a file that reads SimConnect.msi. Double left-click on each one, one in each folder. Like one in FSX-RTM, one in FSX-SP1, etc. You should, eventually, wind up with 3 SimConnect versions installed.

 

So far, so good?

 

Start the sim, and, on the aircraft Select screen, pull down the Manufacturer tab up at the top. The one in the middle of the three pull down menus.

Scan down through it for FSX BLUE ANGELS. Select that, and you will get a screen with all 90 textures shown. At the moment, don't select one of the actual Blue Angels paints. Select one of the other squadrons. I like the VF-27 CAG paint myself, but there are 90 to choose from. Just leave the Blue Angels 2 and so on alone for now. Let's make sure you got everything right for the basic, general, plane.

Make sure you accept any and all files that ask to be trusted, just like any other plane you install would have.

 

Now, the plane SHOULD load up and fly properly. There are a lot of little details you need to know, like pressing the pitch trim button and setting 1/2 flaps for take-off, how to configure for landing properly, how to use the UFC, and so on. That's why I suggested going through the Readme file. There are also checklists, like a take-off checklist, in the "kneepad" that pops up when you hit SHFT+F10.

There are also abbreviated checklists on the CHKLIST page on the MFDs. Just click MENU down at the bottom, center to call up the various pages. Take some time to learn the various MFD pages, the sub-pages under them, and the various soft-buttons on each page, if any. Same for the UFC. Take a little time to learn how to use the UFC correctly. Same for various switches and controls you might need about the cockpit. This isn't a plane like the default C-172, where you can just load, hit full throttle, and fly. It's a hair more complex :D

If you need help, feel free to let us know :D

 

I hope this gets you going correctly!

Pat☺

One thing I forgot to mention:

Don't forget to go to THIS PAGE, and download the Visual C++ Redistributable 2015, then install it as usuall. It should, IIRC, download as an .msi file. Just double left-click on it and let it run!

 

Sorry I missed this.

Pat☺

So, I got the Blue Angels F-18 Prototype version and tried it out today. I like the look of the airplane and all the features it has. However, I am having some problems with my Saitek X52 Flight System. For instance, when I raise the landing gear with the main button on the throttle it also turns on the weather forecast and I can't turn it off. When I raise or lower the flaps with one of the toggle switches it also switches to an outside view. I have reprogrammed my joystick and it works just fine with the other aircraft I fly but still does these weird things with the F-18. Also I made a perfect landing but when I went to taxi off the runway the plane would not move so I looked at it from an outside view and it was sitting flat on the runway with no landing gear even thought I did lower them and the status gauge said the were down. When I switched back to the virtual cockpit view it started moving. So I went outside again and now the gear were down. I need to resolve these issues before I will be able to fully enjoy this airplane.

For instance, when I raise the landing gear with the main button on the throttle it also turns on the weather forecast and I can't turn it off.

This tells me your button assignment turns on the COM radio and sets it to an ATIS someplace, or whatever you've got for a weather forecast.

It all sounds like the Saitek gear's button assignments are all mixed up. If I were you, which I'm not, but if I were, I would reset all the button assignments.

Do you have them assigned through Saitek software of some kind, or with the regular Controls page in the sim's Settings menu? Or through FSUIPC?

Since you said you just installed FSX, I'm thinking your buttons are assigned with Saitek software of some sort. If it were me, I'd set everything as though the buttons weren't assigned by the software at all. Remove ALL the button assignments in the Saitek Software. I am not a Saitek user, so I don't know if you can use the Saitek thingy without the software. If you can, though, I'd give it a try. Make it so it's all just as though the sim were just installed, and you grabbed a normal stick from someplace. G key to raise and lower the gear, F6 and F7 to raise and lower the flaps, F2 and F3 keys for the throttle, and so on. All default sim keys, no buttons on the Saitek gear in use at all. See how that works for you. Then, if you like, assign buttons with the Sim, not the Saitek Software.

 

It sounds like the Saitek software is conflicting with the sim, rather than working WITH it, if you see what I mean. Eliminate the Saitek software as a possible cause, and see if the troubles persist. The Hornet is a pretty complex plane, and throwing too much at it too fast will always give troubles.

 

Hope this helps a little...

Pat☺

I think I have all my joystick flight system problems sorted out. I created a blank profile using the joystick software, and cleared out everything I had in FSUIPC except the variable brakes I have set up for the slider. I put all my joystick setting in the FSX Option controls. I haven't yet noticed any of the problems I was having before. Thanks for the tip.

I'm glad you got it working :D

 

Now, go fly and enjoy the bird! :pilot:

 

Glad I could be a little help...

Pat☺

Can some kind person point out what I am doing wrong with the installation of this aircraft please.

As you can see from the attached screenshot I have no instruments or cab.

I think you need to switch to virtual cockpit view.

Yes. IF all your sim's key assignments are still default, just hit F9.

It SHOULD load into the world in the VC, but if you have the sim set to start planes in the 2D cockpit, you will need to manually switch it.

Also, if your default flight loads into the world in the 2D cockpit, you should change it back to the default flight that came with FSX. The trike over Friday Harbour. A quick, simple change to the FSX.CFG can do that for you. I believe il88pp showed you how previously in this thread someplace. Maybe page one, but I could be wrong.

 

Finally, if you insist on using the 2D cockpit, all you're going to have available is an expanded size HUD display. Hit SHFT+1 to call it up. Shft+9 will close the test data displayed in white in your screenshot. SHFT+2 will close the HUD Control Panel in your screenshot. To close the little black square at the bottom, RClick it, and select Close Window from the menu that appears.

 

Good luck!

Pat☺