Com-Central.net

Yes it's ALSO true for FSX.......

Lurking in the background beyond the fame and lights of the Spartan, and Howard, and Beech 18, the Aero Commander series has always gone about it's business diligently, shuffling cargo to Tipella and points beyond, flying highlymassivelyimportant business executives to important meetings with far-flung clientele, or simply getting people the heck out of Dodge for some drinks and $300 hamburgers (after the cost of fuel, insurance, and tie-down fees is considered).

But now, this majestic yet somewhat-overlooked aircraft, which represents a true heritage of both real and simulated aircraft development, and previously available only in seperate downloads throughout it's rich history, with a few updates and repaints sprinkled here and there for good measure, is now going to be available in ONE (somewhat BIG) download, thanks entirely to the magnanimous gesture of one Mr, Shupe! So, you can now enjoy this aircraft in your pursuits (and, hopefully, some Com-Central Sunday Flights!) without downloading each variant seperately, plus updates, plus those way-cool repaints.

Indeed, it is a time to say, quite loudly, "THANK YOU MILTON AND "TEAM COMMANDER!"

Here's just a small sampling of what she's like when slung all together at once:

You got your Cargo versions......



With cargo, of course.....



...replete with burns and "schmutz" on the panel....



..all the way up to your shiny Executive Transports....



...and your fancy-dancy wood panel versions (extra repaints added to new wood-panel AC500 version)....




...the steady and reliable AC520 series (and a "Texas" version you'll STILL just love in FSX, 1Bullet).....



...plus your AC560(HC) version......



...your even more slick AC680 Super version.....



...heck you can even race 'em with 5 different race liveries!



...and last but not least, the Rockwell Aero AC500S "Shrike" pointy-nose version, just perfect for throwing some fun into those longer flights!




FSX Extras:

New pre-defined VC Camera views (Press "A" to cycle through them)

Overhead left:



Throttle Quadrant and GPS:



Overhead right:



CoPilot view:



"GIB" (Guy In Back) view (to keep the cargo and/or sheep company)
(see cargo shot above)

And external Camera views such as:

Tail view:



..the ever-cool Landing Gear Cam...



..and a few others....

All told, there are 50 different liveries and aircraft in all:







That's the upside!

Is there a downside?? Well......this wasn't exxactly a small effort I'd be the first to tell ya......and the result is, all that (and more) comes at a price of....a 90MB download. Yup, it's true, but actually in line with how the some of the repaint-only collections go for.


Oh......and did I forget to mention we need some BETA testers? The self-installer "EZ" files are uploading now, so, PM me if interested!

(notes for BETA testers:)
Known minor issues with FSX:

- The landng gear textures on the AC560(HC) version are black..this was addressed in the AC680S FSX model & texture update that Milton made available, and the 560(HC) model may need some similar attention, but this is a very small thing IMHO. Textures are fine in all other variants.

- The "gear_wnd" gauge also isn't FSX compatable and was removed from the collection to keep FSX from giving constant pop-ups about it. I've got lots of hours in this plane now and haven't missed that gauge yet, though.

- The strobe light blinking shows up in the cockpit like it does with many other imported FS9 aircraft.

- (not really an issue but something you may notice).....the VC gauges for the AC680 Super and AC560 will be fuzzier than the other versions. This simply reflects the rich development history behind this airplane, and it's interesting perspective to see how the later 520/500 versions came along, the VC development improved beyond what many thought possible.

Super Frigging Tastic job Stoopy !!



you know where to find me

Count me in!!!!! Getting them installed asap!!!!!!! Great Job Herr Stoopy!!

Stoopy,
I'm new to the CC forum and I was wondering where one can download the this collection as I can't seem to find it anywhere?
Cheers,
Stuart

Howdy Stuart!

Whoaaa there....first, as you're new, you gotta let everyone buy ya drinks...first one's on me....



Welcome to Com-C!

As far as downloading this, it isn't in our Com-C downloads section just yet, as the whole "packaging" goes through a (hopefully) brief testing period so we can QC it prior to consumption by our users. Hence the call for BETA testers at the end of the post.

I envision that, if all goes well (we have one question we're looking at right now which may or may not be system-specific) it will be in the download section here by this weekend or end of this weekend.

Unless, of course, you wanna engage in testing it with us?? We do need another FSX guinea pig just to answer one question about the preview window.....here, have another drink and think it over.....

Thanks for the warm welcome. I would be happy to do some testing in FSX, however my time is a little strapped at present, with only really an hour or 2 at the weekend when I can find time to fly. I am also, as are most other people, in the process of tweaking FSX to get the most out of my limited hardware, and eagerly awaiting ACES purported patch - hopefully in Feb.

I used to like the Commanders in FS9 and as am planning a round the world flight (using various aircraft) in FSX, news of the Commanders for FSX was heartwarming. I shall keep a close watch on the fourm and this post for news - perhaps over the weekend.

Meanwhile,


Cheers,
Stuart

'Tis uploaded and ready to rock in the download section, and would like to THANK the Com-C-Staff, and BETA testers for their efforts, patience, and assistance - as well as Milton and TEAM COMMANDER for these planes and the permission to host 'em - now go have fun flyin' em!!!!

Click click clickclickclickclick HERE!

Hi Stoopy,

Got d/l numero 1 !

Super job well done !!

Just to make shure, all the credits on this one, go to you !


fled

Stoopy,

it's an incredible job this one that you made, and I'm downloading both the packages right now.

The only thing I need to know is that the two versions (FS9 and FSX) have the same stock of liveries included. There are so many - and I'm so lazy - that I can't check that myself, but as I plan to use this AC for our Sunday flights since next February, and I'd like it to be used jointly by FS9 and FSX pilots, I wonder if all the texture sets can be seen by both.

Like you say, I think too that once again it's time to thank Milton and his staff for the endless pleasure he gave us with an outstanding hangar of priceless aircraft models; the fact we can move the whole stock to the new simulator, and so revamp the joy of flying them, will never be underlined enough!


And, of course, one more hurray for Stoopy!

Marco

Great job Stoopy!!!! !!

Yes Marco, both packages are the same for both games...

Thanks Marco! And as Bushy says, yep the liveries, exact order and names are identical in both packages.....I made sure that the only difference between the two were limited to the FSX-specific thumbnail definitions and camera view assignments.

Good to go!!!

Very nice plane At first I only had the Shrikes models; Tonight I decided to download the whole package.
I don't understand I still get the FPDA_Gear-Wind pop up CLOSE message when loading these planes, wasn't it supposed to have been removed???

The locked light for the left landing gear on the aero design AC50 doesn't light, I'm sure is a minor fault and you only did this to scare my pants off just before I land, hugh?

And I not an expert on the Aero design AC500 but I must ask did it have diffenrential brakes, being a nosed wheeled aircraft I don't see what the problem with steering could be, in the last resort I'd use the engines to steer, But get out of the way Very nice plane Milton!

Hi Bernardo,

just as a matter of interrest, did you remove all previously installed Aero Commanders before installing the pack ??
Judging by your question you didn't, so goto your aircraft folder or SimObjects/Aircraft and DELETE all the Aero Commander folders there, then re-install the package.

it should be fine now.


fled

Howdy berlopez,

The Collection pack I made doesn't include the offending gauge in question that causes the pop-up in FSX, or at least it shouldn't, because I went to specific pains to make sure it wasn't included for that very reason. But, I note you were trying to get the AC680S (and maybe some other Aero Commanders) working prior to that package being ready, and a likely scenario is that the gauge is left over from that effort (the installer doesn't include it, but also can't delete it if it's already there, because an installer that deletes stuff is.....a bad nasty thing).

Easy enough to fix, though. Go to your FSX Gauges folder and look for the file called "fpda_gear_wind.gau". You can delete it, or, to be even safer, just rename it and add "_orig" to the end of the filename. That will render it suitably "invisible" for FSX and the error should go away.

I didn't try the landing lights at night only because it's really difficult to "lose" a light anyway. When using FS9 planes in FSX, there are some known issues and I've read quite a bit about issues with landing lights not showing - this may be the issue, and it's common to many converted planes. Basically, I don't know how to go look for a landing light because it's part of the model and the aircraft.cfg "lights" section - neither of which were modified for this effort.

Funny thing you should mention the steering......the Aero Comanders had an unusual nosewheel steering arrangement that, VERY coincidentally enough, was the topic of an article in this month's "Flying" magazine!

I just happened to read it myself two weeks ago while on the way home on my last trip out of town, and it's funny it should come up here (although I'm not sure it was the intent of Milton & Co. to replicate this).....but we can at least maybe say the aircraft is attempting to simulate an idiosyncarcy of the full-size version, if you want to play along with that idea?....here's the article:

FLYING magazine Training article

Yep! Harry and Stoopy, I did delete the aero commander before the new install. No I didn't do it right, other wise the FPDA_Gear_Wind gauge wouldn't be there and I had to erase it.

Stoopy I will follow your advice as regards the gauge, thanks...And no tthe light I mean is not landing light, is the light in the panel that lights to show that the gear is locked and in place, the green lights, the left one doesn't work

I have just reinstalled after erassing/deleting the Ac's and Rockwells and everything seems to be in working order now, Thanks to the both of you, GRACIAS!