Microsoft Flight Sim X

[boofhead]

Maybe not the right forum but...

The Medallion Foundation in Alaska uses PCATDs to enable training in CFIT and instrument flying. They are nice bits of kit and can simulate a lot of airplanes and scenarios. They use Elite, Microsoft Flight Sim X and Xplane.
One of the scenarios requires MSFSX and I am having trouble setting up the weather for a CFIT problem.
I want to set weather for several airports and have an overall weather for the area as well. My aim is to have a real-world situation so that the pilot will experience different conditions as she flies on a LOFT, and will experience logical changes in the weather depending on the choices made. When I do this, it does not appear correct, in that even though I set cloud as stratus below 20,000, when I release the airplane it shows a horizon, even when the airplane is flying at 7000 feet. Mostly, it is the cloud settings that do not follow my selections.
I also remember, but cannot find, a selection for telling the individual airport weather to extend out to, say, 10 miles.
MSFSX does not have a way to change weather on the fly, so it has to be pre-programmed and this is what is giving me headaches. I am sure there are knowledgeable people out there who can help??
The Medallion Foundation just got a nice PA18 motion simulator, which is a great tool. It uses X Plane, and that program does have an ability to change weather without stopping the display, but it will not drive a three-panel display without having three computers, while MSFSX will. One of my tasks is to convert all the PCATDs to the three panel display (actually four panel since it is set up to have the instrument panel on a small display and three bigger monitors to give the outside view). Very nice indeed for CFIT training.

[AussieNick]

actually FSX can change weather on the fly, you just need to set the rate of change to high in the weather settings. Another way is to look into a program called FSHOST. the program is mainly used to linking FS2002, 2004 and X into 1 multiplayer server, BUT, it does allow the owner/admin to change the weather whilst the game is running. So, you'd start a MP session, have the student connect in FSX to said server. Then, with the instructor in the Remote Access webpage (internet required) you can change the weather patterns to what ever you want and send it to the server which causes the connect players sim to update immediatly with the new weather.

just google FSHOST.

[Peter Fanelli]

I'm not even sure it's the right website.

Typical, never a moderator around when you need one! :E

[Torqueman]

Nah, I like where it's going. :ok:

[boardpig]

I think this may be in the wrong forum area but here goes....

X-plane does a much better job of weather than FSX can. (in my opinion) Not sure about version 8 (don't use it although there are many still around) but v9 has many options for setting multiple cloud heights, type, dew point etc. You can also set the rate of change ie deteriorating, improving rapidly or slowly. The visuals for this are quite realistic and probably account somewhat for the FAA certification it carries. (for IR training I would say it is the only software you would find anywhere near realistic).
You can also use a device called a matrox triple head to go to allow any display (FSX or X-plane) to use three screens for the outside view and (if your graphics card has a second output) a forth screen for instrumentation. I've set most of this up myself and it works very nicely. PM me if you need more info.

BP.

[boofhead]

Thanks for the info. I will try it. The setup with Medallion is without internet access though, so it all has to be in the computer. I am trying to make a 4 screen display operate and MSFS is the only one that can do that with one computer. X Plane is used on the new PA18 sim but it has three computers to run the three screens. X Plane has weather that can be set on the fly. But I am stuck with MSFSX.
Is there a forum where the this stuff is discussed? Most school kids know more about it than I could ever hope to learn and maybe they have a place on line where they talk about it?

[boofhead]

We had a Matrox box working, but something went wrong with it and it is out of the system at present. I will try to find out why it was removed. I think it was limited to just three screens and we need four (one for the instrument panel display).

[FSXFan]

Hi boofhead, some places where FSX is discussed that might be of help to you:

Virtual Flying - boards.ie (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1070)
Flight Simulator X Forums - Powered by vBulletin (http://www.fsx.co.za/)
The AVSIM Forums - Viewing topics in MS FSX Forum (http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=121)

I use Flight Environment X (Flight Environment X (http://www.flightenvironment.com)) as a plug-in for FSX which gives very realistic clouds and water effects. They are also working on a weather tool which is coming out shortly. Definitely worth checking out.

[mattyj]

Rather than set the clouds up, just set it for clear sky, visibility 3 miles. You get clear on top at about 8000' but you can't see the airport until late on the approach..thats from FS2004 but it should still work?

[Coffin Corner]

boofhead

The program you want to compliment FSX is Active Sky, it's a payware program that allows you to change the weather at any "weatehr station" i.e. airport. You can create a wx template then apply this as required.

This works great and is better than anything on the market so far

Click here (http://www.hifisim.com/products.html) for more details but please be happy that it'll do what you want it to before buying it on my say so.

Here's a picture of the wx configurator, but please note this is ASV for FS2004, so the FSX version should be more advanced. You can set the distance from the weather station you wish the weather to go to as you can see.


http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i48/Deano777/ASVX.jpg

CC

[boardpig]

The matrox box does do three screens. If your graphics card can support two monitors (ie two screen plug in points on the card rather than one), you can use the second interface to run the forth screen. If you really want to go to town you can plug a second matrox box into the second interface and have a total of 6 screens!! ;-) but 4 is enough I think.

The FSX weather addon mentioned above, works very well and should be just the ticket.

BP.