Twin Otter X: open issues

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

Mathijs,

I've been out for a few days and just getting back to get caught up on all the information on these forums so if my question has been asked and answered already I apologize in advance.

Here goes -

There are 2 Com radios but no audio panel to choose which one you are listening to.

Same goes with Nav radios, how do you use the input from the #2 Nav? The #1 Nav displays on the HSI but I don't see any way to get #2 Nav information displayed.

Thanks again for your time and Aerosoft's great support of this product.

Ron

Basically you need two radios, even if there is no audio panel, and with two radios you get two nav radios these days, even if you don't need or use the second one. You could edit the panel.cfg and remove one of the radios of course, we just like to have two. I normally use the bottom one as a VOR indicator (set to show the radial I am on)

[flyfalcon 1]

I can give you a detailed guide how to convert yourself though.

Would be great , thanks : )

[squadros 0]

If you use the advanced panel you will have 3 stopwachtes I believe and it also offer DME options.

Sorry, Mathjis, could not find a DME in the advanced panel. It has a GPS, and of course it can be used as a DME but it`d be very awkward and won`t have the same flexibility. I was looking for a plain vanilla DME, one you can easily switch between two sources during complicated non-precision approaches without messing with GPS waypoints and the like.

I can add one as a 2D panel, but it would be nice to have it on the VC. This one is hard to edit (to my knowledge), because the coordinates are hardcoded on the .cab files.

Anyway, thanks again for this fantastic bird. I am using a simple stopwatch, making those difficult approaches even harder! (I think I`ll hit a mountain pretty soon, by simple miscalculation of my current ground speed... )

Cheers,

Sergio

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

Sorry, Mathjis, could not find a DME in the advanced panel. It has a GPS, and of course it can be used as a DME but it`d be very awkward and won`t have the same flexibility. I was looking for a plain vanilla DME, one you can easily switch between two sources during complicated non-precision approaches without messing with GPS waypoints and the like.

I can add one as a 2D panel, but it would be nice to have it on the VC. This one is hard to edit (to my knowledge), because the coordinates are hardcoded on the .cab files.

Anyway, thanks again for this fantastic bird. I am using a simple stopwatch, making those difficult approaches even harder! (I think I`ll hit a mountain pretty soon, by simple miscalculation of my current ground speed... )

Cheers,

Sergio

We'll do a DME, probably next week.

Can I also advise you to take a look at our Flight Calculator? I got it almost always loaded when I fly the Twotter and it really is a steal at 12.95. In fact, I got it always loaded on my laptop when I fly for real (not that we advise it, but my old Jeppesen calculator's screen has faded so much it is real hard to use these days.

In the mean time, check out the image below, 4 VOR's loaded, 4 radials shown and 2 DME's (although one is to the next waypoint that happens to be a VOR). Even I can't get lost that way.

[squadros 0]

Wow, heavy artillery here! I'm beaten, fair and square!

I already have your Flight Calculator, thanks, and use it a lot on my second computer, networked (where I run FSMap and gazillions of other things ). In fact, I have tons of Aerosoft products, always the best in quality and development speed (a MAJOR factor when FSX is considered: you always have something new for us happy FSX simmers! The others will have to catch up some day, or will have to stick to FSX when we go for FSXI...)

Anyway, thanks a lot for considering the DME. I know that I have options (and you've made your point ), but I still love to have it the old way. I have plenty of more advanced planes with lots of blips and blops, and learned to operate them pretty well, but the fun of old fashion bush flying is unbeatable.

Best regards,

Sergio

PS: I also have a Project Magenta GA panel, which I can run on my second rig, with the DME and lots of other stuff, so I think I'm a helpless whiner...

[daytonite_andy 0]

Loving the Twin Otter....well done to all involved.

On the issue of Marker Beacon Indicator positions, (and don't delay any development on my behalf) but I was browsing my Twin Otter Manual and found this.....

To be honest I've seen so many cockpit configurations and avionics there seems to be no 'standard' cockpit defined in photographic or written form. Time has had an impact on most of these lovely planes.

No biggie for me as I'm hoping for a hardware solution for my cockpit

Still can't believe the optonal chemical toilet is not modelled........ :shock:

[Zemke 1]

Mathijs,

When I read the various opinions about what should or not stand on a Twin Otter panel, I am back to the conclusion I made a few month back:

We should have what I would call an OPEN PANEL just having the engine gauges (and the pylons lights) as "built in" in such a way that any customer could "taylor" his panel to his tastes and be happy with it.(using the excellent FS panel studio)

When you take a while to go throught Twotters panel pictures, you discover that you can find anything ranging between very crude things (to say the least) to highly sophisticated full glass cockpit on those planes (as already mentionned by real life Twotter pilots kind enought to show up on this forum).

I personnaly was on board a recently refurbished wheeled model 300 last year in Gabon that had a full set of Sandell 3308 and 3400, a weather radar and a pair of Garmin 430 and a ... Bendix King auto pilot.

This particular aircraft was mainly used by oil companies to ferry workers on various oil fields and these companies are very demanding on all safety concerns, this is probably why this aircraft was so well equiped. (this is just one example but from the testimonies we already got on this forum, it's obviously not one of a kind)

One of the advantage of FSX being that it allows for different VC models to be associated with the same aircraft model, I believe this simple trick would make everybody happy in making the particular Twotter he is looking for.

[Ken Stallings 1]

Zemke,

Excellent photo! I was so surprised when Mathis made the comment that no Twin Otters had an STC approval for any Bendix-King autopilot that I did some online research and to my surprise noticed that neither the KAP-250 nor the KAP-350 had an STC for the Twin Otters! Mathis was proven correct. I could not find STC lists for Bendix-King's other autopilot units.

In that photo with the Garmin units, I do not see the autopilot. It appears to be a DME unit below the Garmin 530. Just curious, what BK autopilot is listed for that awesome looking panel photo?

Cheers,

Ken

[Shane 4]

Some issues I noticed:

1. (All Models) When viewed outside and inside, the windshield wiper's movements are quite a bit different from eachother. Shouldn't they operate the same way on both sides?

2. (All Models) The head animations for the pilot's seem to be moving around quite a bit too fast.

[MatthewS 32]

We should have what I would call an OPEN PANEL just having the engine gauges (and the pylons lights) as "built in" in such a way that any customer could "taylor" his panel to his tastes and be happy with it.(using the excellent FS panel studio)

That sounds like a good idea.

[Private-Cowboy 3]

Some issues I noticed:

1. (All Models) When viewed outside and inside, the windshield wiper's movements are quite a bit different from eachother. Shouldn't they operate the same way on both sides?

2. (All Models) The head animations for the pilot's seem to be moving around quite a bit too fast.

I noticed the wiper too. Besides the wiper on the pilot site does not stretch as far as the one on the copilot side. That may very well be intentional though. I've not been inside a Twotter cockpit in real life.

[pbearsailor 9]

The wipers on the real Otter take on a life of their own as soon as you turn them on. :shock: The slow speed is really fast, fast is scary, they make lots of noise, and don't at all move together.

Usually after a couple of passes you can't stand them anymore and tell the co pilot to turn them off.

cheers,

steve

[Private-Cowboy 3]

Hehe, nice. So its only realistic here ;-)

[YoYo 49]

Could You add data of Limiatation and Performance of DHC-6 to Manual ? I didnt see this

[Private-Cowboy 3]

Its in the kneeboards but I think I read it will be added to the manual too.

[Zemke 1]

What about a nice set of tundra tyres?

They seem to be quite popular up north.

[Private-Cowboy 3]

May I ask one thing. Does the prop lever is functional here? No matter what I set it to, it does not seem to have any effect. I know the functionality well from my C-130X but here I'm having a hard time spotting any effect at all. I can even start with props fully feathered. Is that lever eyecandy only or does it do something? If I'm doeing something wrong, forgive me, but I'm a bit confused right now.

[Zemke 1]

Hi,

Looking from the outside of the AC (I don't do it too often, althought the model is great), I dicovered that the pilots are wearing nice officers caps.

I am no so sure this is very realistic, they should definitely wear their radio headsets. These aircraft are VERY noisy inside and it is simply impossible to safely communicate without headsets while in flight.

Thanks for giving them what they need.

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

Zemke,

Excellent photo! I was so surprised when Mathis made the comment that no Twin Otters had an STC approval for any Bendix-King autopilot that I did some online research and to my surprise noticed that neither the KAP-250 nor the KAP-350 had an STC for the Twin Otters! Mathis was proven correct. I could not find STC lists for Bendix-King's other autopilot units.

In that photo with the Garmin units, I do not see the autopilot. It appears to be a DME unit below the Garmin 530. Just curious, what BK autopilot is listed for that awesome looking panel photo?

Cheers,

Ken

We now have some more information... around 30% of Twin Otters are equipped with AP's and the only factory approved model is the original one. Doesn't mean others are not used of course.

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

That sounds like a good idea.

A good idea for some customers for sure. But that fast majority of our customers just will not do things like this (keep in mind only about 4% of our customers are seen on these forums, the people what write here are not our average customers). But the gauges are now int he MDL files and they will stay there because it is one of the most efficient ways to keep framerates up.

Perhaps we'll do a clean panel later (removing all gauges) so you can add your own gauges. But this will not happen before the first complete boxed release has sold.

[Zemke 1]

Hi Mathijs,

That is a very good news and fair enought if you wait for the final boxed version (this is not an "emmergency case")

I am surprised you are not answering about the tundra tyres.

I believe (but I may be wrong) that this is a very simple mod to add one more model picturing these aircrafts operating in very remote areas far north.

By the way, I was in such a rush with my messsages that I totally forgot to congratulate you and your team for the overall excellent job you've done with the Twin Otter. I am certain that with a few little improvements already in the work or to come shortly, you will get another best seller at Aerosoft.

Another idea I am throwing in, in the Lukla style, will it be possible to create some playing grounds fot the twin otter up north, in the south american jungle or in Africa.

Congrats again for your excellent work

[guenseli 76]

First thanks for this phantastic Addon.

Second sorry for my maybe not so brilliant english.

I've readed just the half of this thread, so excuse me if some bugs beeing already discussed. Here is al list of bugs after the first little update:

1) Instrumentpanle lightning is always on. The overheadpanels an other parts of the Cockpits working normal, but the Main Instrument Panel is always lighted.

2) As you can see in the Screenshot theres a bug with false lightning outside on this small spoiler(?) of the aircraft. The flaps will be lighted, too

3) Bendix GPS has many bugs... to much to write all down. But i've readed you will work on it.

4) ADF too, mainly the mouseklick ability. Please implement a separate Gauge via Shift+# for the ADF!!!!

Thanks for support!

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

First thanks for this phantastic Addon.

Second sorry for my maybe not so brilliant english.

I've readed just the half of this thread, so excuse me if some bugs beeing already discussed. Here is al list of bugs after the first little update:

1) Instrumentpanle lightning is always on. The overheadpanels an other parts of the Cockpits working normal, but the Main Instrument Panel is always lighted.

2) As you can see in the Screenshot theres a bug with false lightning outside on this small spoiler(?) of the aircraft. The flaps will be lighted, too

3) Bendix GPS has many bugs... to much to write all down. But i've readed you will work on it.

4) ADF too, mainly the mouseklick ability. Please implement a separate Gauge via Shift+# for the ADF!!!!

Thanks for support!

The overhead panels are not lit by panel lights but by ambient lights, and as FSX has (still archhh) several issues with lights we decided to have the panel lights always on. This makes other lights less whacky. And as you would not normally not have them off at night it was a defendable decision. We decided in this model not to add additional light functions (as would be possible) as this makes using the model harder to use with some hardware cockpits.

We know about the external light issues bit are not sure what causes them, all materials seem to be fine.

We are not working on the GPS, it's a gauge we bought in from a separate source and has been sold for a few years. If you send us some comments to info@aerosoft-shop.com we'll send it on to the developer. Please make sure that it are indeed bugs, not things that are different on the actual instrument, we know the real instrument works a bit different and it is not designed to be a 100% copy.

We do not plan changes to the ADF, using the mouse wheel seems pretty easy from the engine view. We done (as always) usability tests and this was never shown to be a issue.

[guenseli 76]

thanks for your fast answer...

ok, i understand your light and bendix troubles. no matter

but i checked the ADF again and i'm not able to use it with the mouse.

everything i can do is to switch between ADF1 or ADF1 (the lower middle knob)

I cannot klick anything on the upper ADF knob, also i cannot tune in any stations. The mouse is getting a hand by mouseover over the stationknobs but it is impossible tu tune...

This is in any View.

I can know use the ADF with my MDF of the X52Pro, but i can't use it "like real" with the mouse.

Is this a bug or is the bug in front of my monitor?

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

thanks for your fast answer...

ok, i understand your light and bendix troubles. no matter

but i checked the ADF again and i'm not able to use it with the mouse.

everything i can do is to switch between ADF1 or ADF1 (the lower middle knob)

I cannot klick anything on the upper ADF knob, also i cannot tune in any stations. The mouse is getting a hand by mouseover over the stationknobs but it is impossible tu tune...

This is in any View.

I can know use the ADF with my MDF of the X52Pro, but i can't use it "like real" with the mouse.

Is this a bug or is the bug in front of my monitor?

You do realize it uses the mouse wheel and not mouse clicks do you? We prefer that because is it faster and more natural.