Due to Windows and the size of Prepar3D, you need at least 4GB of RAM to use this panel with Windows 7 and Prepar3D.
NEW LANDING WINDOW
A new "head up" landing window very useful when approaching and landing.
LARGE WINDOWS PFD, MFD and MCP
Just click on each window to enlarge/reduce it.
MULTISCREEN
Due to the preceding, windows are separate so the panel can be used with in a multiscreen environment.
MOVING YOKE
The yoke is now turning right/left and is moving back and forth to simulate the pull up/push down.
TAXI SPEED
You can control a specified speed when taxiing in an airport.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: THE COMPLETE TCAS WITH SOUNDS.
The traffic is now displayed in the MFD according to the zoom of the map and parameters in the TCAS Page in the FMC. Sounds are played according to TA or RA situations: for example: "Climb, Climb!" or "Increase Climb" etc....
Plus a lot of enhancements.
This package is an add-on PANEL for the standard Prepar3D Boeing 747-400, corresponding to the announcement made by the Boeing Company in October, 2005. It contains the panel itself, all the necessary gauges AND the aircraft.cfg. Using this panel, the 747-400 has the characteristics of a 747-8: heavier and more powerful.
1 - GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
DOCUMENTATION: The documentation included in the kneeboard "CHECKLISTS" is also readable while flying.
OPERATION: Please note that this software has been designed to be used ONLY with a Minimum Screen Resolution of 1024x768x32 AND in Prepar3D Full Screen Mode. It will probably work with other lower settings but the display will almost certainly be impaired.
2 - AUDIO ENHANCEMENT
All the noisy switches have sounds attached to them and you will hear the clicks, clacks, crunches whenever you move them. The devices with sounds attached also are sounded, such as for example the APU. The COPILOT reports the maneuvering of devices, for example FLAPS, GEAR, etc... and tells CHECKLISTS. The PUSHBACK function has also sounds of the conversation between co-pilot and ground service. It displays all the TCAS sounds according to TA and RA situations. Absolutely NO extra other addon is necessary to play sounds.
All the switches are moving, even those which are not yet operational in Prepar3D. The brightness of all the windows is adjustable. The FMC contains all the functions and a fully AUTOMATIC AUTOLAND is included in the autopilot.
3 - THE PANEL VIEWS
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Landing view
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Large PFD, MFD EICAS windows views
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TCAS in the MFD
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First officer view
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Co-pilot view
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Complete panel view
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Overhead panel view
All the switches are moving. Main functions of the OVERHEAD PANEL: APU and EXTERNAL POWER switches.
GENERATOR switches. There is one for each engine, allowing each generator to be disconnected separately.
FUEL VALVE switches. These four switches are operational and control the flow of fuel into the engines.
FUEL CONTROL switches. Each switch can select one or more fuel tanks. It is possible to select the CENTER, CENTER2 or CENTER3 tank separately or lateral tanks. Plus a FUEL EMERGENCY switch.
START Knobs. Between 3 and 4 a hidden switch activates AUTOSTART
PRESSURIZATION switches. These are just for fun.
AIR CONDITIONING switch. This is just for fun and completeness.
ECS BLEED AIR. The switches must be correctly positioned for starting the engines.
Remark: The EICAS LOWER WINDOWS report and display the positions of overhead switches.
4 - The FLIGHT MANAGEMENT COMPUTER
It contains many powerful features. It will:
a) follow a loaded flight plan, created by Prepar3D (or by other software and imported into Prepar3D), both horizontally and vertically and in accordance with defined speeds;
b) flight plan change while flying;
c) manage the TAKE-OFF thrusts and the climb thrust TOGA, MAX THRUST, CRUISE and AUTOMATIC according to the economic index and weather parameters;
d) calculate optimum V1, VR, V2 and cruise speed according to the cruise altitude;
e) control the VNAV (Vertical Navigation) functions when climbing, cruising and descending, taking into account economic speeds and altitudes, user-modified speeds and altitudes and TRANSIT and RESTRICTED speeds and altitudes;
f) manage the function cruise "economic climb" when the aircraft loses weight due to fuel having been burned, in accordance with either the ICAO standard or a user-defined value;
g) manage the HOLD function at an actual position or programmed altitude or at a waypoint with adjusted time or distance and manage the FIX function,
h) display all necessary information relating to:
ATC - flight number, aircraft identification, etc...,
VNAV - speeds and altitudes,
LEGS - giving for each the waypoint, heading, distance and altitude,
PROGRESS - the actual position, the previous and next waypoints and the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at the destination airport,
APPROACH SPEED - useful information on the flap settings and corresponding speed limits required during an approach,
NAV - radios, active and standby, OBS and radials,
COMM - radios, active and standby, transponder and ADF,
POSITION - the current position of the aircraft at the departure airport and (for fun) the three positions of the three IRSs (Inertial Reference Systems);
i) allow direct data entry of all data into all function pages, retrieve VOR ILS COMM radio codes;
j) follow the APPROACH and TRANSITION retrieved as described above,
k) allow the brightness of the display to be adjusted for night flights, on both the FMC and the renewed PFD (Primary Flight Display) and EICAS Upper & Lower;
l) allow the aircraft to be flown manually (providing the ROUTE has not been activated),
m) Retrieve an ALTERNATE AIRPORT depending on runway length and airport distance,
n) fully automatic autoland , from the ILS capture to the full stop on the runway.
However it will NOT create and/or directly modify flight plans. (However Flight Simulator itself and other good quality software packages available on the Net do it so well.). However the FS flight plan can be changed during flight using FS procedure.)
5 - The WINDOWS
The Primary Flight Display: PFD
This displays all necessary information about speed, altitude, attitude and autopilot. For example:
V1, VR and V2 Speeds are calculated by the FMC.
Flaps Retraction Speeds indicates the flap retraction speeds for both current and previous flap positions.
Minimum Maneuvering Speed shows the margin of maneuver before a stall may occur
The MDA (Minimum Descent Altitude) is displayed in green just below the artificial horizon. It can be adjusted by the upper left button on the EFIS panel. The brightness can be adjusted.
The Multi Functions Display: MFD
It displays all the information about TRAFFIC, FLIGHTPLAN, MAP, COMMs, TERRAIN and NAV RADIOS and for fun, clouds and various information, either 180 display or full 360 degrees.
It displays the NAVs, NDBs, ILSs, airports, ALTERNATE AIRPORT, and, of course, the flight plan and waypoints. Just for the fun, it displays the clouds and 3 IRS's position. The brightness is adjustable.
TCAS IN THIS NEW PANEL VERSION
TCAS: the TCAS is complete and simulates the actual TCAS. There are several TCAS systems, such as Honeywell or Garmin or some others, and each of them has his own characteristics depending on the current standards and aircraft type. The distances and speeds are different for a low aircraft such as the CESSNA 172 and a big jet such as the BOEING 747.
OPERATION:
For easier understanding, in the following, your aircraft is named "your aircraft" and other aircraft which is flying dangerously in front of you is named "intruder".
The TCAS is operational when "In air aircraft" is selected in the FMC TCAS page 3 (See FMC TCAS PAGES hereafter) and the TCAS is switched ON.
The MFD displays the 5 first aircraft which have the following characteristics in an area of 43 miles around the aircraft. This distance may be modified in the FMC but is limited to 50 by Prepar3D.
1 - At a distance less than 21 miles,
2 - At an altitude less than 9900 feet beneath or above,
3 - In front of the aircraft from 45 degrees from the left to 45 degrees to the right.
A complete list of all the aircraft flying around your aircraft is given in the FMC page 2.
At 450 knots , the distance of 21 miles represents a time of 168 seconds (2 mn 48 s) and a distance of 10 miles represents a time of 80 seconds (1 mn 20 s).
2 situations may happen:
1 - TRAFFIC ADVISORY (TA): an aircraft is in the area from 10 to 21 miles and at an altitude from 2500 to 9900 feet beneath or above. A yellow message "Traffic" is displayed in the MFD. The aircraft is marked with a yellow circle, a sound "Traffic" is played ounce:
2 - RESOLUTION ADVISORY (RA): this means you MUST ABSOLUTELY react. An aircraft is at a distance less than 10 miles and at an altitude less than 2500 feet beneath or above, in front of your aircraft in an angle of -90° left to 90 degrees right. A red message: "Traffic! Traffic!" is displayed in the MFD. The intruder is marked with a full red square.
When the intruder is in an angle from 45 degrees left to 45 degrees right and flying against your aircraft heading = your heading +180 degrees +/- 20 degrees a sound is played every 5 seconds " Descend! Descend !" or " Climb! Climb !" depending on the altitude of the aircraft.
When the intruder is at a distance less than 5 nm, a sound is played " Increase Descend " or " Increase Climb ". When intruder is out of the danger area, behind your aircraft for example, a sound is played " Clear of conflict ".
TCAS FUNCTIONS: horizontal control of the traffic.
TCAS FUNCTIONS: vertical control of the traffic.
The EICAS's UPPER AND LOWER
Moving YOKE and PEDALS
YOKE and PEDALS move. They are connected to your manual yoke when the Autopilot is OFF (ailerons, pitch trim and rudder). When it is ON, YOKE is connected to the Ailerons and PEDALS are connected to the Spoilers and they both move as the aircraft itself moves. The Yoke turns from -90 degrees to +90 degrees and moves BACK and FORTH.
The clip on the yoke is moving UP and DOWN to keep in sight FLAPS and GEAR positions during take-off and landing phases. You can adjust it with the mouse by clicking directly on the desired position or pulling it up or down.
The THROTTLE
Contains, of course, all the 4 engines commands, plus some more functions: pitch adjust, rudder and spoilers, SEAT BELT and NO SMOKING switches with sounds:
The MAINTENANCE PANEL
This is for the fun only, the switches are not moving.
The RADIO SCREENS
CONTENT OF THE DELIVERED PACKAGE
The delivered package contains the following software and materials:
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The complete software itself to run the panel within Prepar3D,
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The documentation, in ENGLISH html format, easy to read and equivalent to more than 100 pages including pictures!
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Miscellaneous documents:
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jpeg pictures showing each switch function,
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calculation sheets to compute easily load, fuel load and speeds.
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