ILS approach and other panels

I was wondering, as a novice with a fair understanding of flight, if it has a noticeable effect if you use, for example, a Boeing 737 panel with a Caravelle. I'm using freeware aircraft in FSX (not SE), mainly the 707, Caravelle, DC-8, Trident 1E, Comet 4C, VC10 and Il-62 and Tu-154.

I ask because I have been trying to create a series of about forty landings with different aircraft for a short film I'm working on using FSX and I found it a lot easier to just copy the same panel (737-400) into each aircraft as time is somewhat of a constraint.

The main thing I've noticed is that ILS approach seems very much hit or miss and I'm thinking that this might be the cause. I know how to use ILS so I start the approach about two minutes before intercepting the glide slope from slightly below but sometimes the aircraft will just nose dive or climb as if the signal wasn't there. Speed is not the issue as I've done my homework there,usually about 145 to 165 kts depending on the manuals. Weight is also well within limits with about 20% of remaining fuel, flaps on full and gear down.

I've also noticed that certain switches such as the auto throttle or F/D are often non responsive in certain aircraft.

I guess many will say, it's an aircraft, learn to use each correct panel and that's fair enough but I'm approaching this whole project from the film making angle and don't really have the time to get too in depth. For many of the aircraft, I've managed to land on the centreline of the runway which is all I'm trying to achieve.

So, basically, how crucial is the panel to the aircraft if it comes from another source?

Thank you for reading. Any advice is much appreciated as I'm running out of time for this project.

Chris

I'm not entirely sure why the panel would misbehave in the different plane other than perhaps an incompatibility with the plane's air file and/or aircraft.cfg file.

All the gauges should work since the panel.cfg pulls the gauges from the gauge folder and is universal between all planes that use the panel.

As a test to see if I'm right about the air file and aircraft.cfg file, first copy and paste the two files you have in that plane to the desktop as a backup. Now replace them with the air and aircraft.cfg files from the 737 in your 707 or what ever. Both planes are relatively similar to each other so there should be little if no effect on the models used. Just make sure that when you're done you replace the air and aircraft.cfg files back to normal.

Come to think of it. Start with just the air file replacement. The aircraft.cfg will mess up the lights position and you would have to hand edit the correct coordinates back into the aircraft.cfg replacement. Not too hard, but do note that will be the case.

Thank you CRJ, I will have a look at that this evening and then get back to you.

Learn the functionality of .AIR and .CFG first.

Your panels have no - ZERO - NADA - effect on flight characteristics....

Your panels have no - ZERO - NADA - effect on flight characteristics....

It's actually the other way round. The panel gauges are set up according to the flight characteristics.

For example: the default 737 panel gauge has 7 extension positions, other aircraft may only have 4 or 5. Therefore the 737 panel flaps will only appear to be half-extended when the actual aircraft's flaps are fully extended. Other gauges will also be giving incorrect readings, resulting in the "hit or miss" ILS approaches the OP is experiencing.

Thanks for all your advice, I've had a long look at the .cfg files and will have to learn to understand what it all means. That I will do so I can proceed the way I need to.

The .air files...I need to get the utility that will open up the data.

It sounds pretty daunting but I'll have a go; nothing ventured, as they say!

You wouldn't want to be a passenger on my plane....

Look here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526949.aspx#mozTocId38401

I think the small program to edit an air file is called Aired. You may not need to mess with it though, Just drop it into the 707, etc. Just make sure you have backups.