Ilyushin IL-96M Panel Version 1.0 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 98 by Matthias Lieberecht Lieberecht@cw-net.de October 21, 1998 Thank you for download this panel. I designed it with a photo of the IL96-300 and some display paintings of the IL-96M (please see also the credit section below). The IL-96M has completely western avionics. Rockwell-Collins builds most of the instruments. Two of the four displays have different functions. You can easy switch between those displays without using the menu (see instructions below). There is a comfortable and programmable GPS included, but it is very important that you install all files correct. Note: I couldn't test the panel with the monster 3D-card. So I don't know if it works correct with it. Sorry :-( Installation: You need to have installed Flight Simulator FS98 Converter. Unzip the gauges.zip to your Flightsim main Gauges directory. If you already have some of the gauges you don't need to delete them. They should be the same. Unzip the Panel.zip and replace the panel.cfg file to the panel folder of your favourite aircraft. For more reality use an Ilyushin IL-96M, IL-96T or IL96-300. Unzip acs-gps.dat to your main Flightsim folder. This is the folder where your Flightsim Program (fltsim98.exe) is. This is very important. Otherwise the GPS will not work!!! Some of the required gauge files are shipped with FS98. If you renamed or deleted one of these original files you could send me an Email with a short description, which instrument not correct work. I will send you another config and gauge file. Instructions: Display 1 (EFIS-1 PFD) This display shows the Attitude as it used in this aircraft. Above the ADI is an Autopilot annunciator, which shows the actual autopilot status. Above the VSI is a digital readout for the vertical speed. The number will be cyan if climbing and red if sinking. Below the ADI are the readouts for the windspeed, direction and the above ground level. Display 2 (EFIS-2 HSI) The display shows a standard HSI. With the left two buttons at the lower side of the display you can switch on or off the Checklist (EFIS-3) and GPS (EFIS-4). Display 3 (EFIS-3 Checklist) If you switch on the Checklist display you can see the numbers 1 to 5 on the lower side. By pressing this numbers you switch on the different checklists for this aircraft. Checklist 3 shows the fuel quantity and the range. So there is no other fuel readout. Display 4 (EFIS-4 GPS) For programming and using the GPS please read the extract from Alain Capt's help file below. Display 5 (EFIS-5 EICAS) On this display you can see standard engine instruments. With the left two buttons at the lower side of the display you can switch on or off the Radios (EFIS-6) and the Weather Radar (EFIS-7). Display 6 (EFIS-6 Radios) Here you can find the standard Radios. Display 7 (EFIS-7 Weather Radar) This display shows a Weather Radar fake with moving clouds by Guntram Strasser. Display 8 This display shows important Gauges for FS98. On the lower side are the throttle and the flaps position. Above the flaps is a digital trim readout. By a mouse click on the digital numbers you can set trim to zero. Above the throttle are the gear lights and the spoiler. Left from the spoiler is the pitch, roll and yaw gauge. You cannot switch off this display. Display 2 and 5 (3,4,5,6 and 7) could switched off completely in the menu. Then you can use one of them i.e. for a moving map. Programing and using the GPS: (Extract from Alain Capt's help file) The first line is the title. It is also the hidden button to let you reload data file. When the gauge is loaded by FS98 and if a valid ACS-GPS.dat is found, data will be already loaded. If the file was not found or contain syntax error, the gauge will be in data error mode. This mean all data fields will be invalid and the GPS cannot be activated. the id: field will indicate "ERROR" and the following line, which normally contain the name of leg destination, will indicate the error. For syntax errors, "item number" and "line number" of item will be indicated followed by an "error number" (see here after syntax error description). Then we have a first group of information, between two lines. In this first block are grouped destination legs information's. You can see "id:" of leg, followed by a full line to indicate the "name" of leg. "Leg:" indicate which leg is now active (displayed). You can toggle between "Tour" mode and "Single-Destination" mode by clicking on "Leg:". You will know which mode is selected by looking on how leg is indicated. If indicated with the format "01/08" THIS INDICATE TOUR MODE and will also tell you that you are on first leg of 8 legs in all. If the format is "03-SD", you will know YOU ARE IN "SINGLE-DESTINATION" MODE with the third item of the data file. Under the name of leg, two last lines of this group, labeled "Long:" and "Lat:" indicate coordinates of leg. "Long:" and "Lat:" text's are also hidden button to navigate back and forward into GPS memory of legs. Following, is the central group indicating the heading to leg destination and the ETA (Estimated Time to Arrival). In the next group, we have first the distance to leg ("Dist to leg:"), followed by the actual plane position. You can use the hidden button over text "Long:" and "Lat:" of this group, to toggle the display mode of coordinate between "Standard" or "FS98" formats. The last group let you switch GPS between "STANDBY" and "ACTIVE" by clicking on label "GPS status:". When GPS is in "standby", it is simply not connected to FS98 autopilot. When switched to "active", GPS will take the control on autopilot. Therefore you will not be able to change heading on autopilot nor to deactivate autopilot heading. You can still switch off autopilot. In this case, GPS will automatically be set in standby mode. When you switch GPS back to standby, using hidden "GPS status:" button of GPS, autopilot WILL NOT BE SWITCHED OFF. All remain "in the state" except that now, GPS is not anymore connected on autopilot. At least, on the right down corner, you will found the indicator of "destination behavior". "Of" indicate "Off mode" where the GPS will be simply returned automatically to "standby" when destination reached. "Ps" behavior will also put GPS in "standby" but also activate FS98 "Pause". "Ci" behavior will let the plane circle over destination. To switch between those different modes, simply click on the indicator. DATA FILE FORMAT, SYNTAX AND ERROR MESSAGES ------------------------------------------- Data file is a simple text file. It must be named "ACS-GPS.dat" and placed into installation directory of FS98 (alternatively also C:\ root). The file can contain a maximum of 32 records, each records is composed of four items for leg parameters (one per line), followed by a "blank" line (separator line). Here is the record description: IDENT leg identification (max 5 char, will be truncated if longer) NAME leg name (max 20 char, will be truncated if longer) LONG Longitude of leg into FS98 format (see syntax here after) LAT Latitude of leg into FS98 format (see syntax here after) SEP A maybe blank separation line (line is ignored) Syntax for LONG and LAT: - First character must be "E" or "W" for longitude "N" or "S" for latitude (must be capital). - All further non numeric characters are then skipped. - First numeric character to next non numeric character taken as degree, must be under or equal to 180, for longitude and under or equal to 90, for latitude. - Then skip again to next numeric char. - All next numeric char taken. - Then, if a "." char is found it will also be taken and almost one numeric char must, in this case, follow the point. Further more numeric characters taken, until first non numeric char (if any). This second numeric value is taken as "minutes.decimal" (FS98 format). Must be zero if previously specified degrees was 180 for longitude, or 90 for latitude. - Rest of the line will be ignored (if any). Every line of file must be not longer than 255 characters. this syntax mean that all following examples are legal: E0 0 W115* 12.123456 Minutes // high precision South latitude: 23 degree 34.28 minutes-decimal N 46* 23.45 W118*3.8 etc... Here are the meaning of error messages that might be returned: ER_LineIsTooLong 100 Encounter a line over 255 char ER_InvalidOri 101 First char of longitude different of "W" or "E" or different of "N" or "S" for latitude. ER_PrematureEndOfLine 102 A longitude or latitude line ended before all needed data found. ER_DegLongInvalid 103 Invalid degree for longitude. ER_DegLatInvalid 104 Invalid degree for latitude. ER_MinInvalid 105 Invalid minute. ER_DegNotFound 106 On longitude or latitude line, no numeric char found for degree. ER_MinNotFound 107 On longitude or latitude line, no numeric char found for minutes. ER_NotNumAfterPoint 108 point is followed by non numeric. ER_TooMuchRecords 109 32 records limit overpassed. ER_PrematureEndOfFile 110 File end encountered inside a record. ER_SystemIO 999 System read file error occur. Credits: I would like to thank: Andrei Pechenkin for his IL96-300 and IL-96M photos and paintings. Harald Geier and Helmut Busch for some of the used gauges. Guntram Strasser for his Weather Radar Gauge and Alain Capt for his GPS. Feel free to send feedback or comments. I'm looking forward to your Mails to know in which part of the world this panel is used. Matthias Lieberecht Lieberecht@cw-net.de