PSS Dash 8 FSX Compatibility

[Houghton11 12]

Just thought i'd let you know about some tinkering ive done since I purchased FSX last week.I've had pretty good success with importing the Dash 8 into FSX:- I installed normally (pointed to FSX directory) with the PSS installer...aircraft.cfgs seem to have built sucessfully- Now the PSS installer places the aircraft in the FSX/Aircraft folder...not the new SimObjects/Airplanes folder...in order to avoid problems, i added the original aircraft folder to the FSX.cfg under the SimObjects lines...So upon the starting of FSX...I found two entries, the 300 and the -Q300...The -300 loads and starts up normally. An error initially appears when loading the DASH8.gau, asking if you want to trust this 'software'...select yes and no more messages after that...Unfourtunately, I had little luck with the Q300...after showing the same error above and selecting yes...a memory exception error pops up that ultimatley crashes FSX...this only happens once you have selected the A/C and FS begins loading the panel files...the model and textures display correctly in the preview window...hopefully this is something either the PSS team or someone with experience can tinker with the cfgs or .gau file and solve relativley easily. The fact that the normal 300 loads allright I hope means it is an easy fix...I miss my Honeywells!Flying wise...the -300 flies fine...if not on autopilot...the FMC and guages work correctly...Now to the autopilot. The autopilot quickly developes violent oscilations in lateral modes and appears to not work in the vertical modes...Now I believe this can actually be attributed to the vintage 3.xx version of FSUPIC i am using in FSX (a version 4 has not been released yet)...The FSUIPC forums talk of it feeding rather crazy and erroneous values to FSUIPC logs...so hopefully with an updated FSUPIC...the autopilot will be able to correctly interpret the data...Now I understand that the Dash-8 is an old release...but it is still the most acessable 8 sim out there for the majority...the cost of the payware fanda makes it prohibitive and my mind....So, im hoping that the PSS team or some dedicated individual will be able to produce a quick fix or a set of instructions for getting these wonderful aircraft up and running...the minor problems I am experiencing make me hopefuls that these 'bugs' can be solved easily...Cheers,

[Guest NormanB]

>- I installed normally (pointed to FSX directory) with the PSS>installer...aircraft.cfgs seem to have built sucessfully>- Now the PSS installer places the aircraft in the>FSX/Aircraft folder...not the new SimObjects/Airplanes>folder...in order to avoid problems, i added the original>aircraft folder to the FSX.cfg under the SimObjects lines...This is the *only* way to do it.>The -300 loads and starts up normally. An error initially>appears when loading the DASH8.gau, asking if you want to>trust this 'software'...select yes and no more messages after>that...That is the case for *all* gauges.>Unfourtunately, I had little luck with the Q300...after>showing the same error above and selecting yes...a memory>exception error pops up that ultimatley crashes FSX...this>only happens once you have selected the A/C and FS begins>loading the panel files...the model and textures display>correctly in the preview window...hopefully this is something>either the PSS team or someone with experience can tinker with>the cfgs or .gau file and solve relativley easily. The fact>that the normal 300 loads allright I hope means it is an easy>fix...I miss my Honeywells!Nope - its not. >Now to the autopilot. The autopilot quickly developes violent>oscilations in lateral modes and appears to not work in the>vertical modes...Now I believe this can actually be attributed>to the vintage 3.xx version of FSUPIC i am using in FSX (a>version 4 has not been released yet)...Actually it has - check simmarket :) Placing a copy of FSUIPC v3 in your modules folder will have zero effect - it simply wont load. You require FSUIPC version 4.

[Houghton11 12]

Well...I think the Q300 and -300 use the same gauge file? Why would the Q300 not load and the 300 does? I think the problem isnt in the code...but in FS's support of the vector graphics or somthing alone those lines....FSX does seem support he older glass gauges though, 'cause my ABPro's work relativley well..with some flight dynamic and autothrottle performance issues (that can probably be attributed to FSUIPC not loaded)...a iFDG merged seemed to have fixed them though...What i'm getting at is that the Dash-8 and Airbuses are the same 'generation' PSS aircraft (correct me if i'm wrong), so I assume similar methods and techniques were utilized in their development (specifically the .guages)...So if the 320's work...it shouldnt be difficult to give the Dash-8 a look...Now I could be completly wrong on the above...and that's fine...its just a little dishearting to see the devs simply dismiss the probablity of getting it to work when we've been told the majority of the team still doesnt even have FSX...Even my FS2002 B777 works!

[Guest NormanB]

>dismiss the probablity of getting it to work when we've been>told the majority of the team still doesnt even have FSX...Pretty much all of the team have had the beta versions of FSX so have tried these things over time. Not a lot changed in the sim (for our purposes) between the last beta and the release version.

[Houghton11 12]

Just an update....Install of FSUPIC seems to have solved most issues. Q300 still inoperative...but not a biggy (it is an old product i suppose :()...Merge with Dreamwings 100 works excellent (actually, I just aliased the PSS panel to it).There's obviously been some change in the autopilot code of FSX, so the autopilot respondes quite slowly..once I look into the autopilot parts of the aircraft cfg and see what I can doI plan on making an unofficial guide to installing the 8 in FSX some time later in the next few days....Patrick