flight illusion installation

[ivar hestnes]

Can anyone give a description of how to configure the overhead gauges? Have searched lots of forums now, but cant find proper information of how to get the instruments installed and configured.

What I have done so far is installing the instruments and the GS-control software. All gauges are found in the program. Dont know how to get them to work though.

I have the gauges and software installed on one computer and PMsystems installed on a other computer.

[rt72]

Do they do anything? (e.g. Light up when you push the light button in the control program)...etc?

[ivar hestnes]

Installed instruments on the same computer as PMsystems now. But it didnt help.

In the FI software I can turn on the gauge lights. All instruments are found when searching for them.

But there are no plates to assign the instruments to, when calibrating. And then I cant even save the calibrated gauge.:???:

Maybe I do this in the wrong order?

So for starter I am interested in info about calibrating one of the overhead instruments and attach a plate and save the file so it can be recognized py PMsystems.

The FI manual does not describe this operation for overhead gauges with a single word:(

[rt72]

Which gauges do you have?

[ivar hestnes]

I have installed the 6 instruments for FWD overhead:)

[rt72]

So is the software assigning a specific instrument like this, or is it blank?

[ivar hestnes]

Yes, the program shows the 6 instruments there:) And when I click on one of the listed gauges, I can turn ON/OFF the backlighting.

And I can calibrate the selected instrument. But there is no plate to assign for the instrument. I can choose "external" and then project magenta. And then there is no plate for the corresponding instrument. It seems that I have to insert values for the instruments manually in the calibrating menu. But I dont know what values to enter for each instrument.

In the PMsystems.ini file I have entered the flight illusion com port number and I have set the flight illusion "instrument detector" to 1.


By the way, I have flap gauge and brake pressure gauge installed on a other GSA-55 card, and those work perfect.

:)

[Michael Carter]

It seems that I have to insert values for the instruments manually in the calibrating menu. But I dont know what values to enter for each instrument.

If I had no direction or other options Ivar, I would start with the values you have used for the instruments you have working now and go from there.

[rt72]

I don't interface any of my gauges with PM, but is there a specific config file you're supposed to use, maybe???

Anybody out there have a config file for the FI overhead gauges Ivar could use? This might save you the work of inputting numbers manually.

[ivar hestnes]

It seems that I have to insert values for the instruments manually in the calibrating menu. But I dont know what values to enter for each instrument.

If I had no direction or other options Ivar, I would start with the values you have used for the instruments you have working now and go from there.

I cant do that Michael. Because the working instruments are connected to FS. (flap gauge and brake pressure). It is a little different approach to get the overhead gauges working;)


@ rt72. Yep, thats what could help me out. If anyone have these values, it would help me alot. Or a config file for each instrument;-)

Not even sure if I am thinking right here. But I hope I am on the right track. Thank you very much for helping me:smile:

[Melnato]

Ivar, I did the same thing a few months ago:roll:

You DONT add/calibrate the OH gauges to your FI software.
Just connect them to interface(separate one to your Flaps), and power them up.
When you run PMSystems, it will detect the gauges(takes about 5 min) and thats it...
Have fun

Nat
PS thanks for your side wall dimensions , I'm going to start them soon.

[ivar hestnes]

Thank you very much Nat:)

I will give it a go. Will report back the result:)

Good luck with your sidewalls.

[ivar hestnes]

Thanks very much Nat. The gauges are now working. (At least they are lighted and move the needles, but some tweaking is needed for realistic functionality, hehe).

:)

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c380/vrinsk/DSC00439.jpg

[ivar hestnes]

So now it is time to describe the progress for this.



1: Install GSA-55 with the USB-driver found on FI web-page.

2: Install Flight illusion software. ( only needed for reference if you need to the "number" of each of the instruments.

But the numbers are probably like this: 180 EGT, 181 Cabin climb, 182(needle nr 1) Diff press, 182(needle nr 2) Cabin ALT, 183 (also here needle one and 2) Duct press L and R, 184 Fuel temp, 185 cabin temp, 186 oxy press.

3: Go to your computers device manager, and locate which com-port are used for the GSA-55. In my place it is com-3.

4: Open PMsystems.ini and locate at the bottom the two lines regarding flight illusion. The first line you change 0 to the number of your com-port. (3 in my place. The next line you change 0 to 1. That enables pmsystems to scan for the instruments on com-3.

5: Run PMsystems and let it run for some minutes. It will locate the instruments automatically, and that take some time. Go and have breakfast meanwhile;)

6: open Meny and click on flight illusion. Then you can change the txt-file for the instruments. (I had to enter text there manually). It is actually self explaining what you have to do. But here you need the numbers for reference as described in post number 2 above.

On the top of the text file it is written what you have to insert below for each instrument. Text and numbers.

7. Close the textbox, and quit PMsystems.

8. Open PMsystems.ini, and set the "flight illusion instrument scanner" from 1 to 0. That prevent that PM scan through all the instruments every time PM is launched.

Now fire up everything and check it out. The backlighting is triggered via the "wing light" in my setup.

Pleas post if anyone have comments to this. Thanks:)

[Melnato]

Nice explanation Ivar...thats what i meant...(in a hurry)8-)

Are you seeing any movement in the Diff. Pressure and Cabin Climb gauge?

Nat

[ivar hestnes]

Well this is how the instruments work now:

Fuel temp works
Egt works
Cabin temp works ( temperatur always stable on 18, blankets needed;) )
Duct press works I think ( more testing/flying must be done:))
Cabin climb Always on 0
Diff press Always on 10
Cabin alt Always on 0

[Michael Carter]

A good check of your duct pressure is before start with the packs off and bleeds open for APU start. Not sure what the reading is supposed to be for the CFM engines for succesful start, but if they do, you're good to go!

I don't think differential pressure is supposed to exceed 9.7 psi. I guess 10.0 is close enough unless you're flying Aloha Airlines.

[jfuenmay]

This is a rather dramatic title for a post.. but after spending not a shy
amount of money and getting the gauges head aches started.

I sort of figured out that there is no guide whatsoever for installations
either from PM or Flight Illusion. The gauges are nice but...
they basically move and some of them don't.

Has any one of you figured out any decent settings for the FI config file
in pmSytems?.

The new software detects all gauges except the second needle in the
183 gauge, only detects needle one. EGT barely moves and does not reflect the movment on pmSystems, so does the duct pressures and the cabin climb and the fuel temp....

Any of you guys have come out with a decent solution?

I have seen that in every forum I have visited looking for answers the threads have stopped long ago.

Anyhow, here are my settings. Fell free to criticize at will ;)

//Examples:
//180, 1, apuegt, 0.72, 4000
//181, 1, cabinclimb, 1, 1000
//182, 1, cabinalt, 1, 500
//182, 2, diffpress, max 1000, 500
//183, 1, bleedpsi1, max 80, 500
//183, 2, bleedpsi2, max 80, 500
//184, 1, fueltemp, 120, 4000
//185, 1, cabintemp, 0.66, 2000 //TODO
//186, 1, oxypress, 0.66, 2000 //TODO
//187, 1, flaps, 1, 2000
//
180, 1, apuegt, 0.72, 1600
181, 1, cabinclimb, 1, 1000
182, 1, cabinalt, 1, 500
182, 2, diffpress, 0.7, 500
183, 1, bleedpsi1, max 80, 500
184, 1, fueltemp, 120, 4500

[Michael Carter]

Wonderful to produce a product with no after-the-sale-support. :roll:

Isn't PM required to operate these gauges? You'd think the right hand would know what the left hand is doing in a case like this.

What is the normal before-start duct pressure required for the engines? Is the guage indicating below normal and you are still getting N2 rotation up to light-off speed?