******************************************************************** *** ACS MD-11 PANEL FOR FS2004 *** VERSION 2.52 / February 2005 *** ******************************************************************** Alain Capt / acapt@worldcom.ch / Switzerland URL: http://www.acsoft.ch ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PRELIMINARY REMARKS ------------------- ATTENTION !!! This panel require the Microsoft FS DLL's "GPS_export.dll". and "GPS.dll", version 9.0.0.30612 (9.1.0.40901 if FS2004 is with patch). These DLL's are an official part of FS2004 system, which are installed when you install FS2004. But if you have installed in FS2004, other add-on's (E. Martiano A320 panel is one of them), developed for previous versions of FS, these original FS2004 DLL's may have been replaced by older and non compatible versions. If it is the case, you must re-install the FS2004 original version, if you want that all functions of the "map vector graphic" gauge, are working properly. This panel DO NOT REQUIRE the installation of FSUIPC module. However, if you want to have the TCAS and the WX Radar functions, you must have installed a version greater or equal to 3.060 of this module. YOU DON'T NEED TO PAY THE LICENCE OR TO MANUALLY REGISTER, the panel will automatically register. This upgrade package will upgrade ANY installation of previous versions of "ACS MD-11 panel for FS2004". INSTALLATION ------------ THIS PACKAGE REQUIRE THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY INSTALLED ANY PREVIOUS VERSION OF THIS PANEL. PLEASE RESPECT THESE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER !!! THIS IS NOT A STANDARD PANEL AND THEREFORE, YOU MAY ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS IF YOU TRY TO INSTALL THIS UPGRADE MANUALLY FROM A TEMPORARY "UNZIP" DIRECTORY. 1) Unzip into the installation root directory of your FS2004, with option "Use folder name" activated (IMPORTANT !!!) File: ACSMD11panel_U_xxx.zip. REMARK: "Use folder name" is an option ANY "unzip" tools has. When activated, this option will allow the "unzip" tool to build the destination path for all unzipped file(s) with the initial "unzip" path you specify (in our case: FS2004 Dir) PLUS the path specified for each file into the archive (in our case: all locations where should our files go, like "Aircraft", "Gauges, "Sound", etc...). For your information, Windows XP embedded "ZIP" tool is set this way by default. To access it, select the "ZIP" archive from within your file Manager "Explorer". Right click and select the option "unpack into..." (or equivalent). With the wizard tool, select the main FS2004 directory and unpack. 2) To fully apply the upgrade, you MUST use program "install.exe", located into "Aircaft\ACS MD-11 panel" directory, to uninstall the panel and then, install it again, on ALL your MD-11 aircraft(s). Please refer to the chapter "INSTALLATION" of the main "readme.txt" file for detailed informations about the usage of the tool "install.exe". REMARKS: You really MUST do this "re-install" operation, otherwise, YOU WONT HAVE APPLIED ALL VERSION CHANGES, which might even lead to abnormal behaviors of the panel and aircraft. VERY IMPORTANT !!! If you want to upgrade your iFDG MD-11 with any service pack, you must do this operation AFTER having uninstalled my panel and BEFORE to reinstall it. NEVER DO IT with my panel installed. 3) Check you have still original FS2004 "GPS.dll" and "GPS_export.dll" installed. See the notice about this very important point into the previous chapter "PRELIMINARY REMARKS". 4) If you plan to use the TCAS and the WX radar functions of the "map vector graphic" gauge, check that you have installed FSUIPC module, by Pete Dowson, version 3.060 or over. 5) If you wish to cleanup your installation, you may trash the following directory: "Gauges\iFDGxml", which is not anymore used. Same with the following file: "ACS MD-11 panel\tuning_res\ACSMD11c.air". IMPORTANT !!! This upgrade do NOT invalidate your "Flight" file(s) saved previously for iFDG aircraft's. IT WILL INVALIDATE FLIGHT FILES SAVED FOR MIKE STONE AIRCRAFTS, ONLY IF THEY WERE CREATED WITH A VERSION LOWER THAN 2.42. ATTENTION !!! Version 2.50 had a tuning of the main panel view window size. IF YOU LOAD THE MD-11 WITH A "FLIGHT" FILE CREATED WITH A LOWER VERSION THAN 2.50, THIS TUNING WILL NOT BE USED, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T RELOAD THE AIRCRAFT, JUST AFTER YOU HAVE LOADED THE SAVED "FLIGHT" FILE. After you reload the aircraft, you may save the "flight" file over the the old one. I recommend you do that for all your saved flights created before version 2.50, or you will risk to save newer files with the obsolete window size. Please read chapter "TECHNICAL INFORMATIONS" in main "readme.txt" file, for more details on these matters. WHAT'S NEW IN VERSION 2.52 -------------------------- the main purpose of this upgrade is to introduce the beautiful new true MD-11 lateral views bitmaps, made by Michael Kalinowsky, especially for this panel. Big warm thanks to Michael for this gift !!! With these new beautiful lateral views, I also spend time to revisit the tuning of the angles of view for all of them and especially for the forward view. Michael was also precious for this. He has the chance to see that for real, with his own eyes !!! Again thanks to Michael !!! On users request, I have introduced the possibility to totally disconnect the TCAS function, with a red warning label "TCAS OFF" on CRT #2. Now, initially, the TCAS function will be OFF, with the warning label visible on the screen. A first mouse click on the spot to switch ON the traffic display on the screen, will now switch ON the TCAS function, but not already the traffic display. The red warning label "TCAS OFF" will disappear, but the traffic display label "TRFC", on the mouse spot, will still not appear yet. At this stage, we are exactly like in the previous versions initial state, where the TCAS alarm system is activated, but no traffic are displayed on the map screen. A second mouse click will activate the traffic display and lit "TRFC" label. At this stage all remain the same as before. Nothing change for the TCAS display mode selection. Finally, a third click will return the TCAS function to the new full OFF state, with red warning label "TCAS OFF" again visibe, not only on the MAP gauge but also on the E-HSI gauge. Contact points tunings are reworked for all three compatible models. Overland model contact points are now based on the original model definitions and not anymore on iFDG contact points. All three models use only one contact point per leg, instead of two before, as designed originally in iFDG model. This design was made probably with the mind to have one tire trace per wheel lateral positions. But looking carefully to the traces generated on the runway, I have remarked that each contact point generate already two parallel traces as required. Even if for iFDG and Overland models, these two traces are unfortunately too close together, I think it is better this way, rather than to have twelve traces generated !!! Vortex smoke trails tunings are reworked for iFDG model (better placement of trails origin). I also added this feature for Overland and Mike Stone models. For Overland model I had just to set the placement of trails origin and to add the missing vortex XML gauge). For the Mike Stone model, because of a Microsoft bug in smoke system, I had to create 2 new FX files (fx_RB_MD11MS_flap.fx & fx_RB_MD11MS_wingtip.fx), to make this possible. An unfortunate font definition change, made into MAP gauge for a test purpose and left behind, has affected the display of some texts on this gauge for some display resolutions. Original definition is now restored. WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.51 ---------------------------- Purpose of this release is to let you benefit of the new enhanced panel bitmap I have painfully done (I am not a painter) thanks to the precious help of Sam Needs. So, not many new features, just a little Christmas gift !!! Correction of a bug which, on some PC configurations, let play the auto- landing bad alignement alarm sound (file: "redalert.wav" into general FS "Sound" directory) all the time, as soon as some auto-pilot settings are activated. Update of documentation, in particular I have added a new chapter into the readme.txt: "HOW TO BUILD A FLIGHT FILE WITH A SAFE DARK COCKPIT". WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.50 ---------------------------- This version is made compatible with the optional engine sound package I publish in the same time. This mean that my tool "install.exe" will see if the sound package is installed and allow you, in this case, to install the panel with these engine sounds. Panel now include an auto-throttle takeoff mode (TOGA). For all details about this new feature, read the new chapter "AUTO-THROTTLE TAKEOFF MODE" in the "readme.txt" file. Thanks to new information's I get about some deep technical aspects of flight dynamic tuning, I was able to improve the flight model even more. It was, for example, necessary to improve as much as I can the auto-throttle behaviors, in the background of the auto-throttle takeoff mode. The good surprise was it had also improved almost every other flight profiles under full auto-throttle & auto-pilot control. I also work around several drag factors. Auto-landing was improved by introducing feedback's on the Primary Flight Display and a permanent check of the necessary conditions for a good auto-landing. In case conditions come out of limits, an alarm sound occur. For all details about this new feature, read the new chapter "AUTO-PILOT AUTO-LANDING MODE" in the "readme.txt" file. TCAS can now run with four different modes, wich allow to filter the traffic. You can see all traffics like before, or only those which are over you. With third mode, you see only those under you and finally, the "THREAT" mode which is the most restrictive filter. It show only traffic which may potentially become a real threat. Setting logic of barometric pressure was corrected to be conform to the real aircraft. Pressing the "baro" button now preserve the setting and set aircraft instruments with "STD" pressure. When you exit "STD" mode, you will recover the previous setting. When the selected mode is not appropriate, regarding the actual flight level, color will be yellow, otherwise it will be green (standard altitude is set to 18000 feets). You can also now toggle the barometric pressure unit in HG or MBAR, by using the real aircaft button, just over the button to set the pressure. Active auto-throttle and auto-pilot settings for speed and altitude, displayed on the Primary Flight Display are in yellow color as long as the aircraft do not match these orders and when it is the case, the color will turn to green. In the same way, slats/flaps indicator will turn to green only when demanded position is reached. when you have activated the auto-pilot "flight level change" mode the active speed displayed on the Primary Flight Display (CRT #1) will now remain lit, so you can verify which speed reference use the mode. The N1 power reference you catch when you engage this mode for a climb will now be also displayed on the engines gauge (CRT #3). The total fuel indication on CRT #4 will now turn to yellow color when remaining fuel reach 8 ton's limit and red under 4 ton's. An user discover a weakness of the logic control of the auto-brake, which resulted in an abnormal RTO activation after a landing. This is corrected now. I reworked my personnal engine sound package to get more realistic inside cockpit sound ambiance and suppressed the parasite noise triggered by my APU simulation, with an engine start sound #1 modification. Thanks to the authorization of the author of the sounds I mostly used to build this engine sounds set, I am able now to publish this recommended optional sound package that you can found on my site. Don't miss either the new additional cabin crew sound set pack, made by a former flight attendant of the British Airways. A new version of the ACS-GPS Data Manager (ACSGPSda.dll) is included. It has some modifications, with the hope it may solve problems some user seem to have, when opening the Manager from the GPS gauge. WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.49 ---------------------------- The main purpose of this upgrade is to make the tuning 100% compatible with versions 1.0 and 1.5 of iFDG MD-11 models. For iFDG MD-11, my tool "install.exe" will now automatically recognize both supported versions and will apply the appropriate tunings. For version 1.5, new commands SHIFT-F (Wings fold/unfold) and SHIFT-T (Tail hook up/down), to open doors are supported. Wings navigation and strobe lights will be automatically implemented as they should. But notice that for lights of FX type (lights which are not defined into the model but in the section [lights], into the file "aircraft.cfg"), it is my own tuning which will be applied, with much more precise lamps positions than in the original iFDG definitions. If an iFDG MD-11 is identified but the model version is unknow, my tool "install.exe" will prompt the user to set manually the tunings options for the wings navigation and strobe lights and the additional commands to open doors. Of course, in this case, panel implementation cannot be certified to be 100% accurate. Unknown model modifications may induce imprecisions or even malfunctions. The new tuning also include reworked contact points, which solve the problem of abnormal second tire smoke event on main landing gear and the incorrect longitudinal main gear contact location, due to the fact all four wheels groups are not articulated on legs. Auto-landing control of front landing gear was also adapted for this new aircraft balance. The new tuning correct lateral positions of main and aux fuel tanks which were crossed by error (a correction made for consistency, which have probably no effect at all on aircraft behaviors). Internal logic of Tool "install.exe" has been also improved. For example, if the program detect a problem, you won't receive anymore the general error message "Illegal "Aicraft.cfg" configuration", but a detailed message which tell you exactly the anomaly detected. The "Tilt" setting of the WX radar was extended to +/- 50 instead of +/- 30, to enlarge the vertical range where the radar "slice" of weather detection can be set. With a right click on both "Tilt" mouse spots, you can also now reset the tilt to zero. For more detail, read "WX RADAR" chapter in the readme.txt file. Configuration screen on CRT#4, display flaps on the aircraft drawing only if they are deployed. Finally, panel has now improved bitmaps with a better 3d look. This was a gift of Staffan Ahlberg, a long time ago, which was forgotten into my MD-11 archives. WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.48 ---------------------------- The main purpose of this upgrade, is to allow the usage of the TCAS and the WX radar functions, WITHOUT THE NEED TO PAY A LICENCE FOR THE FSUIPC MODULE, NOR TO MANUALLY REGISTER. This became possible, because an user obtained from Mr Dowson a freeware key and it send it to me. I made that both TCAS and WX radar functions cannot be switched ON if FSUIPC module is not found or the version is obsolete, to avoid any confusion. I changed the fake function of "runway turnoff lights" buttons to a more appropriate behavior. WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.47 ---------------------------- This version mainly introduce a new "Weather Radar" function on the display of "map vector graphic" gauge, with a real time beaming simulation. This is announced in few words, but this was a tremendous and very complex work to do !!! For more details, please read chapters "WX RADAR" in the "readme" file. Other Improvements for the "map vector graphic" gauge: - Include now an operational ARC heading graduation. - Auto-pilot heading bug is displayed on arc. - Auto-pilot heading preset is displayed on arc, when you use preset, in a form of a radial (useful to estimate heading to avoid thunderstorm). - Auto-pilot heading bug support now the "GPS driving NAV1" navigation mode. This mean that you can see now the actions of GPS control over the auto-pilot at any time. - Current active way point with distance to it, is displayed now in the right upper corner. - Gauge can work in either "HDG-MAG" mode or "HDG-TRK" mode. (toggle mouse spot on this label). Very useful for manual navigation with heavy lateral wind (see chapter "HDG-TRK mode in the "readme" for more details). Improvement for the Primary flight display gauge: - Will show the "GPS driving NAV1" navigation mode with the lit of indication "GPS" over label "NAV". - Auto-pilot heading bug support now the GPS driving NAV1 navigation mode. This mean you can see now the actions of GPS control over the auto-pilot at any time. Improvement for the Enhanced HSI gauge: - Auto-pilot heading bug support now the GPS driving NAV1 navigation mode. This mean you can see now the actions of GPS control over the auto-pilot at any time. - Auto-pilot heading preset is always displayed on rose heading, with a small "v" (useful to more easily estimate the best ILS interception heading). You probably all know the problem of panel functionality's staying idle, because you are not anymore into cockpit view. If we can live with this problem for pushback, etc..., I started to be really bored by the fact I loose power when going outside the cockpit for a too long time, when the aircraft is supposed to be powered by my APU simulation. So I have written a new XML gauge which do the job. Thanks to the fact XML gauges are never idle, the APU will be now functional all the time it is switched on. FS internal variable "Battery" was failing to synchronize with my own "Battery" variable on panel loading. The consequence was that if FS internal battery was ON and the user didn't switched ON the battery on the panel for a long time after panel loading, power was found lost when he tried to switch it ON later. This is corrected now. WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.46 ---------------------------- This version support now the FS2004 MD-11 model by Overland URL: http://www.overland.co.jp/public/free/fs2004_md11.zip. This version mainly introduce a new "map vector graphic" gauge and a TCAS function. Panel include now a map vector graphic gauge, which display the flight plan loaded into MS Garmin GPS. This map gauge will also display traffic, thanks to the TCAS function also implemented. For more details, please read chapters "MAP VECTOR GAUGE" and "TCAS FUNCTION") in the "readme" file. The introduction of this new map gauge required to reorganize some functions on the buttons located on the left of the auto-pilot. Here are these new affectations: TR = ms Garmin GPS DR = MS Knee board PT = Flight director MP = Map VR (over AP) = EHSI PL = ACS-GPS Buttons not mentioned of this panel area, remain the same. Thanks to two new mouse spots, located on the full right of the auto-pilot, on buttons "MP" and "PL", you can now change the simulation time ratio, without the need to switch CRT#2 display to ACS-GPS display mode or to use keyboard commands. Please consult also the new "See-mee_FS2K4.gif" to see more clearly all these changes. I manage now more FS internal variables in relation with electrical power, during the panel initialization. I hope this time, that the problem of lost of electrical power, depending on the FS situation before the panel loading, is definitively solved. As far as Crew feature sound categories have multiple sound sets, the previous random selection will be excluded into the next random generation. This enhancement introduce a bit more variety into crew generation. Two new functions are added to the "Crew feature". You can now hear a sample of each randomly selected sounds (function "Crew Test") and you can restart the random selector to build a new crew. See chapter CREW FUNCTION in the "readme" for more details. I forget to link the panel enlightenment to "power" function, this is now corrected. If you loose power while having panel light activated, you will loose the panel enlightenment too. A pushback "reset" done outside the time the aircraft is effectively pushed was activating an unwanted push. This bug is now corrected. Technical information's concerning "Install.exe" are now regrouped into a new separate chapter "INSTALL.EXE TECHNICAL INFORMATIONS". This chapter give also a method on how to fool "Install.exe" and make it to accept to install the panel with a specific tuning, on any unrecognized MD-11 models. WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.45 ---------------------------- I discovered that auto-pilot vertical navigation was not working properly in the case FSUIPC module was not installed. The auto-pilot was refusing to apply default vertical speed or to use selected VS and was always using plus or minus 700 VS (internal FS auto-pilot remain locked in the final altitude change regulation stage). This problem is now corrected, including the following auto-pilot small logic changes: Changing active auto-pilot altitude setting will automatically activate the auto-pilot "ALT" mode, in case it was not already activated. During altitude changes, if you decide to invert your vertical direction by changing active auto-pilot altitude setting, the vertical speed will be reset to the default VS for the new direction, instead of staying unchanged. WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.44 ---------------------------- The reintroduction of my custom FDI in previous version has unfortunately introduced a bug in FDI. The horizontal FDI bar was not anymore displayed during normal operation. This bug is now removed. Following advises of some MD-11 specialists, maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of all different MD-11 models has been modified the following way: - Any models with General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines: 612500 lbs (277885 kg) - Any models with Pratt & Whitney PW4462 engines: 630500 lbs (286051 kg) Instead of 612500 lbs for PAX & COMBI models and 630500 lbs for CARGO models, without engines type consideration, as it was before. Correction of a bug in custom program "install.exe". Because of this bug, some particular installations with multiple aircraft definitions were not recognized properly (error: Illegal "aircraft.cfg" configuration !!!), when attempting to uninstall them. Revised documentation: for example, file "Tutorial.txt" give more details on some important points, "readme.txt" explain better the new auto-pilot interface with a new dedicated chapter "AUTO-PILOT NEW INTERFACE". WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.43 ---------------------------- For iFDG aircraft's only, the program "install.exe" accept now the usage of several different "model", in a single aircraft directory with multiple aircraft definitions (multiple [fltsim.x] sections in "aircraft.cfg"), as long as all models are mutually compatible. This mean a same motorization and same aircraft type (practically 7 first letters of the model filename must be identical). Implementation of a "Flight Level Change" vertical navigation mode into the auto-pilot. See new chapter "AUTO-PILOT FLIGHT LEVEL CHANGE MODE" in "readme.txt" for more details. Auto-landing improvements: While flying myself in other regions than my "developing test" airport, Geneva Cointrin, I had the bad surprise to discover that the auto-landing could react really badly when landing on other airports, even with exactly the same aircraft configuration as for the tests in Geneva. With this new version, auto-landing should be OK, almost on all airport where I discover it was not the case before and hopefully everywhere !!! Auto-brake / auto-retro improvements: In previous versions these functions were built with mostly timers. For example, engine retro where activated 4 sec after touchdown and for 15 seconds. This has been all changed. Now the engine retro will be activated when aircraft pitch is under 2 degrees (close to front wheel landing) and the auto-brake not before the front wheel landed. Engine retro will stop when speed is lower than 60 knots. In the same way, air-brakes closing and flaps/slats retraction, do not rely anymore on timers. Air-brakes will close when speed is lower than 50 knots and flaps/slats retraction when speed is lower than 35 knots. Auto-pilot user interface is also redesigned: speeds, heading and altitude settings are fully changed. The new interface use only buttons, with realistic commands. This mean you can now turn buttons, in both directions, with two increment ratios depending if you use left or right mouse button, including the repeat function if you press continuously. Finish the nightmare of the increment ratio changing suddenly during repeated commands. Like in the reality auto-pilot display now for these parameters a preset value and not anymore the actual active value. A new mouse spot in the middle of the button allow to activate the preset value or set the preset display to the actual active value. Because the old ACS custom Flight Director remain much more accurate for the following of an ILS approach path, the ILS mode of this old FDI is re- implemented as a supplementary and optional "EFDI" (enhanced FDI) mode. Learn all about this "return" in chapter "FDI: HOW IT WORK". WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.42 ---------------------------- The ACS tuning of iFDG flight dynamic is now applied also to Mike Stone models. So both iFDG and Mike Stone aircraft's, will behave exactly the same. Apparently ADF still had some problems, so I change again the setting mode. Now ADF can be incremented by 100 Hz steps. I also changed that unity and decimal are now incremented separately. So, to set ADF, you simply click on any digits, like with MS panels (777-300 for example). New computation of all speeds parameters take now in account TRUE aircraft weight. ZFW (Zero Fuel Weight) parameter, given by ACS LoadEdit payload editor, can be set with a new page "Weight setup" of left #1 computer. This way, PFD gauge is now compatible with any aircraft payload and fuel weights configurations. "install.exe" support now all different type of iFDG MD-11 aircraft: MD-11, MD-11C "Combi" and MD-11F "Cargo", either with "GE" or "PW" motorization. A different tuning is applied for each configuration (iFDG aircraft only). Improved auto-landing code featuring now a fine control of the front gear landing phase. 4/7 flaps position set to 22 degrees instead of 25, as it should be (dixit a true MD-11 pilot !!!). Improved tunings for fuel consumption and other flight dynamic data's. Thanks to the comparisons with real worlds data's, made by Michael Ackermann after many hours of flights, flight dynamic tunings is now close to reality to a point it never has before !!! Tuning of thrust acceleration. Now, from throttle idle to 116% N1, after you put full throttle, will take only 10 second as it should. Tuning of brake power. If you consider that it is not possible with the joystick trigger to modulate brake power, this power is set far much to high. "install.exe" will allow you to choose an option "realistic brakes", where the maximum brake power you will obtain with a permanent push on the joystick trigger, will not correspond to the theoretical absolute maximum braking power, but instead, to the maximum computer assisted deceleration you can obtain in the case of an emergency braking. Individual fuel tank capacity revised, to get equal fuel load repartition after AUX tanks are empty, even when aircraft was loaded with 100% fuel (obviously in this case, user has no repartition choice !!!). Improved "automatic weight balance" trick made with fuel tank longitudinal positions (more on that in readme.txt). Now, pitch trim variation range is reduced. Revised parameters of ACS LoadEdit configurations. Now, the maximum possible Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW) for each aircraft type is accurate. More solid panel "init phase" trying to avoid abnormal panel behaviors linked with unexpected FS configurations or FS usage. A lot of documentation updates. Therefore, please, read it again. A gift from Michael Ackermann (thanks Mike !!!), his documented test flight, including the appropriate ACS-GPS flight plan. WHAT WAS NEW IN VERSION 2.41 ---------------------------- iFDG aircraft tuning use now my own gauge "ACS.vortex.xml", in replacement of the buggy "iFDG_vortex.xml" gauge, which flooded the internal "key events manager" with "smoke" commands. This was the reason why it was not possible to open the cargo door (SHIFT-E + 2). This correction also gain almost 1 frame rate unit. I have also improved the functionality of this gauge in a way vortex's are not always visible during landing and takeoff. See chapter "VORTEX GAUGE" in the main "readme.txt" file for more details. ADF setting for the "5 digits / 500 Hz" inc mode is now possible with the mouse. If you click on the "unity" digit, the whole frequency (not only "unity" and "decimal" digits) will increment by 500 Hz. You call still increment "tenth" and "hundred" digits alone. Gauge remain compatible to the restricted old "3 digits / 1000 Hz" inc mode, even if FS2004 seem to have abandoned this simulator option setting. The NAV light button, on upper panel, is now placed on the true aircraft location. Lever button previously used for "NAV" become "Taxi lights". Upper panel also implement now true "Beacon lights", "Recognition light" and all three engines "Anti-ice" buttons. Tail and wing de-ice functions remain a "fake" function as before (tried to implement MS "Structural de-ice" on it, but wasn't able to make it working). Modified the computation curve of Vr (rotate) speed, to better fit with the actual flight dynamic model (lower Vr on light weight conditions). Instead of the iFDG version of touchdown smoke effect, tuning use now the equivalent Microsoft effect which produce much less smoke quantity. Upper left/right & forward/rear lateral views are now implemented with corresponding "wing" views (Thanks Goran Ivaz !!!). For Microsoft flight plan format, ACS-GPS Data Manager import now correctly Ident's (all 5 ident's characters, instead of a space character, followed by first 4 ident's characters). Added to "LoadEdit" resources, the version "PAX 2 classes", based on data found on Internet about KLM MD-11. made program "install.exe" compatible with new configuration of "LoadEdit" resources. Some more flight model tunings to increase a little bit the aircraft thrust power and also the drag factor of flaps and landing gears. Added the documentation of ACS-GPS version 2.00, for those who don't have installed ACS-GPS. Several documentation updates. Therefore, please, read it again. You will found in particular, several new interesting flight data's at the end of the Tutorial file. COPYRIGHTS ---------- THIS PACKAGE IS FREEWARE AND NO MONEY SHOULD EVER BE MADE WITH IT !!! WRITTEN PERMISSION OF AUTHOR'S IS NEEDED TO COPY THIS PACKAGE OR PART(S) OF IT, ON EVERY MEDIA LIKE CD-ROM, DISKETTE, BBS, INTERNET SITES ETC..., IN THE CASE USERS MUST PAY TO ACCESS THIS MEDIA OR HAVE TO BUY IT. NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT, WITHOUT PRIOR AUTHOR WRITTEN PERMISSION, TO USE ANY PART OF THIS PRODUCTION, IN ITS ORIGINAL STATE, OR MODIFIED WITH UTILITY SOFTWARES, INTO ANY OTHER APPLICATIONS INTENDED TO BE PUBLISHED, EVEN IF PUBLICATION WILL BE A FREEWARE. THIS DO NOT APPLY TO "ACS.CtrlSurfDisp-MD11.gau" GAUGE, WHICH IS A RENAMED BUT UNMODIFIED ORIGINAL MICROSOFT GAUGE. ANY REQUEST CAN BE ADRESSED TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: Alain Capt 35 ch. des Passiaux CH-1008 PRILLY SWITZERLAND Tel + Fax: 41-21/ 648 38 37 E-Mail: acapt@worldcom.ch URL: http://www.acsoft.ch Have nice flights with this MD11 panel !!!