NEWS
9th July
Oh dear, did I say last week! Well a small change of plan..........the project is to be released as the MD-87 and will include new flight dynamics and two MD-87 repaints in the colours of Austrian and Surinam.
Why the MD-87? Well, that, the -88 and -90 all share a common cockpit (albeit that the -90 has a slightly different engine N2 display) makes it an option and the fact that I can't find a recent model for the panel to be partnered with.
We all know that the MD-80 series is a stretched development of the DC-9, with slightly longer wings. In time the series also had a slightly taller tail and different tail cone added too. However, during it's evolvement, MD took a backward step and released a shortened version - the MD-87 - and at this time introduced the EFIS cockpit. So? Well, the MD-87 is almost identical in size to the DC-9-51 - slightly longer wings and slightly short fuselage, thereby giving the possibility of using Project Freeware's model for this project.
Also, as both use basically the same engine, the DC-9 sound file by Mike Hambly, will be altered slightly for use with this package.
Jens Dorhn agreed to repaint the model in the colours used for the MD-87 used by Austrian and Surinam and the FS2K air file was adapted for a MD-87. OK, for some die hards out there, yes it's true, not a 100% accurate - but as nobody seems to want to make an up to date model of the plane - this is a pretty close impression.
For those that want to use the panel with Esa's remake of the old PF MD-90, a up to date air file will be included for that too.
2nd July
Finally, the MD-90 panel is to be released this week.
Other projects; the BAC 1-11, Airbus A300-600/A310 and the 707 are all but finished and the 707 now includes a partial overhead too. As for release dates, the 1-11 is awaiting the completion of Project Freeware's aircraft model - this is a really nice piece of work and I'll try and get a preview pic posted. The A310 is hoping for a new ND and engine gauge and the 707 needs some doc's I suppose.
3rd June
Oh well, so much for regular updates. The good news is I think I've worked out this web page frames stuff so it'll now be very easy for me to update. More in a day or two.
9th January
Oooops!! So much for the updates.
The MD-90 is progressing, though it slowed down whilst I was waiting to see how the Project Freeware aircraft was developing.
So the bad news, the plane will not be ready in the next month or two by the look of things.
The good news is, I'm releasing the panel anyway..........together with a new FS2K MD-90 air file that PF's Ron Freimuth has been developing. At the moment there are still a couple of new gauges needed for the main panel that Chuck Dome has kindly offered to do for me, then it's just a case of changing a few things in the overhead panel. Oh, and doing the nightlighting of course.
Other news, I'm still looking at whether or not the BAC 1-11 (un-released) that I was doing last year needs anything doing to it - well of course it does, it's just whether or not I want to do anything else with it.
The 707, mmmmmm very slow progress but I'm sure it'll suddenly surge ahead - just a case of when.
29th December
The MD-90 is now progressing to completion and I am currently experimenting with the flight model. To be honest, this is more of a dabble than anything and I will have to get Project Freeware's Ron Freimuth to finish what I've done.
It would really be useful if w could find a real MD-90 pilot or First Officer that could give us some feedback at this stage..............anyone??
9th December
An update to version 2b is now available.
I'll let you watch how various autopilot modes are annunciated in this gauge, but briefly, the section on the left relates to autothrottle modes and when in use shows the a/t mode i.e. SPD or MCH with the selected speed below - and yes the mach speed is supposed to appear as it does i.e. .61 in the AP may appear as 613 in the FMA.
The next section appears in orange as an "armed" mode i.e. on ILS, ILS will appear here in orange the next 2 sections will show LOC TRK and G/S TRK once ILS signal is received. The orange "ILS" will only extingish when BOTH the TRK displays are on LOC - this will happen when you are tight on the ILS
There's lots more info displayed and I'm sure most of it won't be hard to figure out.
Oh, and the automatic switch between A/T speed and mach modes has been
removed.
This update also moves the warnings and indicators test light switch on to the overhead panel.
Lastly, you may notice a change in the outside forward view, this has been moved down a little more to give a better impression of the forward vision from the left seat, let me know what you think as some people seem to think it should be even further down!
6th December
More news on the FMA. It turned out that there wasn't a problem with the FMA after all, Geir just forgot to tell me that it will automatically set the A/T speed hold, depending on altitude. Once the aircraft reaches 27,000 ft, speed hold reverts to mach hold during climb, and then back to speed hold during descent.
Here are some pic's showing a few of the modes that are displayed in the FMA.
I expect to have this ready to make available in the next few days.
4th December
FAQ page has been updated and an alternative panel.cfg file is on the MD-80 Downloads page for the few people that are having problems with the start gauges.
Following an incident over the weekend, can I remind all panel developers to read the Copyright page.
On a more pleasant note, I received an email over the weekend from a well know programmer - Geir Olsen - asking if I would like to take a look at a Flight Mode Annunciator that he had done. Knowing that the one included with the panel was not exactly accurate, I obviously accepted his offer. Having had a couple of quick flights with it, I now why I received a few emails from people that know what the real thing looks like!
Although there are a few things Geir would like to improve, I'm happy for it to be released in the next few days - subject to sorting out an issue using A/T mach mode.
The TRP (EPR limiter/Thrust Management Computer thingy)? Asked for by many of you I know, well the good news is that Geir is also looking at this as well so maybe we'll have something soon.
24th November
A patch is now available to upgrade the panel to version 2a. As well as the items mentioned below, it also reduces the volume of the wipers.
22nd November
A patch will be available in a day or two fixing the following:
HUD heading indication
Slat position gauge now displays "DISAGREE" correctly at night
Fuel flow gauge reset buttons now have their mouseclick
Corrected the problem of missing checklists
In addition, I've noticed a few posts on various forums suggesting that the HUD, whilst looking good, is not that useful as it should really be aligned between the pilot and the runway. Given the constraints of FS, this is not practical, though I have changed the shape and position of the HUD so that is now very close to where it could be called "useful"
If anyone is having problems with the panel, please post a message on one of the forums like Project Freeware, FPDA or AVSIM.
21st November
Amazing, in the first 24 hours the MD-80 panel has been downloaded 4132 times! Thanks to everyone that has sent email and sorry I don't have time to answer it all.
Fortunately, I have had less than a handful of error problems and I'm sure a few of these will be fixed by installing up to date sound card drivers.
A few problems have come to light; the htm document doesn't show the pictures (no big loss though - I assure you), the HUD heading is to true and not magnetic, fuel flow reset mouseclicks are in the wrong place...........a fix will be available in the next day or so. I'll wait and see if anything comes to light before posting anything.
20th November
Finally!!!!
Yes it's available for download at last.....and yes for those still wondering, it is the 2 speed wiper that was the gauge being speculated about :-)
Support - I will try and deal with queries through the Project Freeware and FPDA forums, as well as adding to the FAQ page here. However, it is unlikely that I will deal with problems relating to starting the engines or anything else covered in the readme.htm installed with the panel.
Furthermore, the panel is designed as an enhancement to the PF DC-9 so I can't comment on any problems you encounter using it with other aircraft...sorry.
Lastly, the MD-88/90 seems to be wanted (judging by the mail), a beta version could be out very soon - without any overhead start-up procedures.
13th November
Ok, so I got it wrong, predicting when a project gets released will not be done again!
In the last couple of weeks the ADI has been improved and now features FS2K style Flight Director bars. Also added are a Flight Director switch and a slats position indicator. The main bitmap has been changed with more shading added and a bit of a gauge shuffle to get things in.........but basically it's now finished apart from having to do the night bitmaps again to reflect the changes on the main panel.
1 November
The MD-80 page now has what will probably be the last couple of pictures of the panel before release.
I'll give 3 visitors that can successfully spot the new gauge and tell me what it does, a preview of the working gauge. You will be chosen at random.
30 October
So far I have had no adverse reports about the functionality of the HUD, so it looks like that's OK.
To answer a couple of common questions I've had on this; yes the HUD is switchable and yes it does have ILS function.
I can now also reveal that this panel will include a feature that has been asked for many times before. This will be a first in Flight Simulator panels of any type, from any sort, at any price. More to be announced shortly.
20 October
Today, I've made a few changes to the website that will make it easier for me to regularly update it, so more will be added on a weekly basis at the very least. The MD-80 preview page now has pic's of the revised MD-80 and some of the cockpit views.
I'm aiming to get this revised version uploaded during next week, so if there any problems with the current version, or any parts of the panel that are totally wrong, maybe an email from you over the weekend will give me time to get it fixed in the new version.
16 October
As you may know if you visit the Project Freeware Forum, the MD-88 panel has taken a bit of a step backwards. Although it was virtually complete, it was using engine gauges derived from the FS98 737. That was OK until I found out that all future PF releases will include a FS2K air file. So quite a bit needs to be changed, however, Andi Jaros has almost completed programming the new engine gauge. Hopefully Chris Koegler will be doing the new overhead and I've also had an offer of help from Hans Hartman, who is currently doing new spoiler and flap levers for use in both the -80 and -88.
15 October
The revised MD-80 bitmap is now finished.
The FMA has been changed and although still not entirely accurate in the way it works, it certainly looks more like it should.
I've also finished the HUD, thanks to gauges from Chuck Dome. This was being done for the MD-88 panel but as a number of people have told me that some airlines use it on the MD-81 and 82, I will include it in the next release.
12 October
The cockpit views to go with the MD-80 panel are now finished so I'll post some pictures in a few days. Thank you Kerry Gipe for sending me the pictures.
Although I was just going to release the views as another update, other things have been going on with the panel that may make a new version easier to do.
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