What's the easiest way to "switch" features between planes?

To clarify what I mean, with some airplanes I have various versions published from different companies. And often I have some freeware versions of a particular plane.

With some versions however I might be fully satisfied with the graphics and sound, yet find the flight model disappointing. Or alternatively I might be satisfied with the flight model, yet prefer the cockpit graphics of some other versions.

So is there a relatively easy way to swap features between airplane versions? If I like the graphics of a plane yet don't like the flight model will I have to laboriously copy and paste the flight model from the aircraft cfg file from another plane?

If I like the graphics of a plane yet don't like the flight model will I have to laboriously copy and paste the flight model from the aircraft cfg file from another plane?

Yes, and you have to be careful of which aircraft.cfg sections you edit. Although I'd like if someone proves me wrong.

Yes, it's possible to swap flight dynamics, with a few caveats. First, if the CG and/or reference point are in different locations it is still theoretically possible, but a real pain (dozens of lines would need to be edited).

So if the CG and reference points are in the same place - they are in the Weight and Balance section:

reference_datum_position = 0, 0, 0 // (feet) distance from FlightSim Reference position: (1/4 chord, centerline, waterline)

empty_weight_CG_position = 0, 0, 0 // (feet) longitudinal, lateral, vertical distance from specified datum

Most are both set at 0,0,0.

then we can proceed.

1. Back up the plane's folder to another location for safekeeping.

2. Rename the aircraft.cfg file to aircraft_old.cfg

3. Copy the AIR file and the aircraft.cfg file of the plane that flies properly into the plane's folder.

4. Open both the copied aircraft.cfg file and the aircraft_old.cfg file using Notepad or Wordpad.

5. Copy the top sections of the aircraft_old.cfg file (headed by fltsim.0, fltsim.1, etc.) and overwrite the same part of the aircraft.cfg file.

6. Copy the following sections from the aircraft_old.cfg file and paste them over the same sections in the aircraft.cfg file, replacing them:

a. Contact Points

b. Lights

c. Views

d. Effects (if desired)

e. General (if desired)

7. Copy the sim= line from the aircraft.cfg file *of the plane that flies properly* and paste into all the sim= lines of the new aircraft.cfg file.

8. Save the new aircraft.cfg file. Restart FS.

Now that aircraft should fly like the other plane.

Hope this helps,

Tom,

DON'T (ever!) use Wordpad to edit aircraft cfg. It adds formating (hidden symbols) and will trash your cfg.

Chuck B

Napamule