Welcome

[garrettm30]

But I also just had another issue, kind of like I had with the Corvalis: Sudden drops down to a slideshow. Contrary to the Corvalis, with the Sundowner it did recover after a few moments. Well, actually it recovered too late to make a good approach. Don't know why that happens, as there are no "initial suspects" like Gizmo or else involved with this plane. It happened again after I parked on the taxiway.

I think I have a good guess as to what the problem was, and it was bounding across your runway. By that, I mean deer. The second picture shows the first of presumably several deer just entering your screen's field of vision. I have on several occasions noticed frame rates tank when deer or birds are drawn onscreen. I just keep that option turned off.

[Goran_M]

After much thinking, I think I'll buy it

It's not the best looking airframe, but I'll spend 99% of my time inside anyway, so the pretty and accurate cockpit is more important. On the other hand, some extravagant colours could spice it up. Any chances on a paint kit?

One aircraft equals like 13-14 beers for me, in terms of economy, but in the end more planes and less beer will be better for me, I suppose ^^

Also probably I should support creators of high quality aircraft, given the current state of X-Plane addon market.

But what finally convinced me, was this quote from Goran: "The Sundowner is kind of a unique aircraft and may take a bit of getting used to." I like aircraft like that!

There will be a paintkit made available very soon.

Just don't drink and fly.

[woweezowee]

But I also just had another issue, kind of like I had with the Corvalis: Sudden drops down to a slideshow. Contrary to the Corvalis, with the Sundowner it did recover after a few moments. Well, actually it recovered too late to make a good approach. Don't know why that happens, as there are no "initial suspects" like Gizmo or else involved with this plane. It happened again after I parked on the taxiway.

I think I have a good guess as to what the problem was, and it was bounding across your runway. By that, I mean deer. The second picture shows the first of presumably several deer just entering your screen's field of vision. I have on several occasions noticed frame rates tank when deer or birds are drawn onscreen. I just keep that option turned off.

yeah, I knew someone would mentiond the deer . No, it already was down to 19 before I decided to make screenshots without deer, and when it recovered, I took the second screenshot. That thread at the ORG Cameron linked to indicates that it is a problem with xplane 9.5 itself, and only that version. For me, it just happened to occur for the first time while flying the Sundowner. coincidence.

[woweezowee]

Ok, I've been going over some of the issues mentioned in the forums here.

We're going over these things in the package and in the process of fixing them.

Here's what has been fixed so far.

-Viewpoint adjusted

-MORE accurate engine specs (SFC)

-Circuit breaker textures

-Manual amendment

What is being worked on

-Clearer gauge displays (apologies for this one as I have a 24" monitor and could see them)

-Flaps power (I MIGHT make an electrically powered flap system with flap indicator.)

-DG power

-More repaints

-POSSIBLY adding an aileron trim

One more thing, but again, it is possible it affects only me, because I use a Goflight RP48 and its button usually to operate the standard autopilots in xplane. Note: But I did not touch it while flying the sundwoner.

I had the impression, that after I activated the autopilot, then HDG sync, that the plane also from that moment on tried to maintain altitude - although the ALT button was NOT illuminated (I double-checked that and kept fighting to climb further). But: Looking at my Goflight setup I saw that ALT hold seemed to be active.

Long story short: Do the autopilot modes work independetely for everybody else? So I'd know it's my Goflight setup that interferes.

[Goran_M]

The way the autopilot was modelled at first was with an alt select button.  I didn't want to have that much functionality in an autopilot for a GA.  So I told Theo to map only an alt hold function.  I saw the panel regions and it is definitely the alt hold switch being used.  There is absolutely no alt select function.  After testing it now, it still works only as an alt hold function, however, I do not have any of the flight controls that others have so that may be your issue.

[woweezowee]

you might have understood me wrong: I wasn't looking for v/s-sync or ALT select. What I meant is like:

Still on climb out, like 700fpm or anything else, I turn on the autopilot. Without doing anything else, of course nothing happens. So I push the HDG sync to align to my course. I'd expect this to be the only function turned on now, so my plane would keep climbing with the 700fpm. Instead, as soon as HDG is pushed, the plane also captures the current (!) altitude - like if had also pushed the ALT button.

[Goran_M]

you might have understood me wrong: I wasn't looking for v/s-sync or ALT select. What I meant is like:

Still on climb out, like 700fpm or anything else, I turn on the autopilot. Without doing anything else, of course nothing happens. So I push the HDG sync to align to my course. I'd expect this to be the only function turned on now, so my plane would keep climbing with the 700fpm. Instead, as soon as HDG is pushed, the plane also captures the current (!) altitude - like if had also pushed the ALT button.

That's definitely something on your end.  I have flown the Sundowner today in order to make my tutorial and after taking off and reaching about 1000 feet, I hit hdg hold with the aircraft trimmed and it turned to capture the heading but continued the climb.  Once I hit my desired altitude (6500 feet), I pressed the alt hold button (yes, without trimming for straight and level flight  :-[ ) and it pitched down to capture the altitude.

Can I ask what version of x plane you are using?

Any plug ins that may be conflicting with the Sundowner?

Did you change anything in the acf file in Planemaker?

[woweezowee]

ok thanks. I'm sure it is my Goflight settings then. no changes / Xp9.5

[StormyPilot]

First of all I just want to say that I absolutely love the Sundowner, it's replace my previous prefered VFR aircraft (besides the C152 as it's one of my RL training aircraft), flying it really delivers that real feeling of being in an aircraft flying.

You mentioned possibly adding the aileron trim to the aircraft even though not present on the real thing. It would probably be nice, particularly for those longer flights, as currently I need to constantly apply pressure on the stick to the right to roll against the torque of the propellar, and I prefer not flying with the autopilot as it takes much of the fun out of it.    And that's at just around 2000 RPM, anything over that the airplane rolls quite hastily. That at least gives us the option to trim, one could always ignore the aileron trims if wanting to fly it like the vanilla version of the C23.

Does the real thing roll this much as well? If so it must get really tiring to fly it for long journeys having to constantly apply pressure on the stick. Also are there variations of the C23 that do have aileron trims?

Thanks for a great aircraft, StormyPilot.

[gthomas]

Ok, I feel like a dolt, but for the life of me I can not get the instrument and cabin lights to work!

[Cameron]

Ok, I feel like a dolt, but for the life of me I can not get the instrument and cabin lights to work!

Hi, Gene,

Are you grabbing the knobs and moving the mouse left to right or vice versa while still having the knob grabbed? These use manipulators, and are not click spots.

Just starting at the bare basics first.

[gthomas]

Are you grabbing the knobs and moving the mouse left to right or vice versa while still having the knob grabbed? These use manipulators, and are not click spots.

Restarted XP and it's working now

[gthomas]

Are you grabbing the knobs and moving the mouse left to right or vice versa while still having the knob grabbed? These use manipulators, and are not click spots.

Restarted XP and it's working now

I, apparently, was fooling myself. Still no lights.

[StormyPilot]

Are you grabbing the knobs and moving the mouse left to right or vice versa while still having the knob grabbed? These use manipulators, and are not click spots.

Restarted XP and it's working now

I, apparently, was fooling myself. Still no lights.

Have you tried moving the mouse up and down as well, sometimes the lights seem to be a tad iffy to work and they only kick in after a few tries moving the mouse in directions you wouldn't have expected.

[-TheoGregory]

Try tying 2 of your keys to X-Plane's Panel Brightness Up and Down commands respectively.

What happens when you do that.

[gthomas]

Have you tried moving the mouse up and down as well, sometimes the lights seem to be a tad iffy to work and they only kick in after a few tries moving the mouse in directions you wouldn't have expected.

Worked: Up/Down for Cabin; 45 Degree Diagonal (down/left and up/right) for for Instruments

Thanks

[gthomas]

Try tying 2 of your keys to X-Plane's Panel Brightness Up and Down commands respectively.

What happens when you do that.

Neither panel_bright_up nor instrument_bright_up have any effect whatsoever. However, I did finally get the mouse action to work.

FYI: this is the most VRAM hungry aircraft I've yet encountered. I would say that if someone is going to use any add-on scenery: 256 MB minimum 512 MB recommend

[steven winslow]

I have a similar issue with the cabin lighting knobs.  I have tried mouse up, down, sideways and the cabin knob does not move.  When I click the battery switch on, the lights come on full, but when I click on the knob to try to adjust the light, the light level drops significantly and will not adjust up or down from that point.  2D or 3D panel...doesn't matter.  Same results.

I love, love, love this aircraft!  Can't wait to get all the kinks worked out!  I've personalized my plane with a new tail number and a slightly modified paint job.  Thank you for an awesome aircraft!

[-TheoGregory]

What versions of X-Plane are you running. If not the latest, Update to the latest and see if it works. Also make sure you have the option "Start with engines running" ticked under the "Operations and Warnings" drop-down menu.

What happens then? Do they work.

Neither panel_bright_up nor instrument_bright_up have any effect whatsoever. However' date=' I did finally get the mouse action to work.

[/quote']

In that case, there's almost definitely something wrong on your end. Try deleting all your X-Plane preferences in X-Plane 9 -> Output -> preferences

FYI: this is the most VRAM hungry aircraft I've yet encountered. I would say that if someone is going to use any add-on scenery: 256 MB minimum 512 MB recommend

What system are you using. It is no more hungry than the Mu-2 or Javelin (from memory)

We build planes presuming you have atleast a 256mb card.

Im running a 7600GS nVidia and my frame rates aren't that bad.

Sorry for the trouble your having with this plane. We hope to have these issues your having, resolved soon. 

Cheers, Theo

[Goran_M]

I have a similar issue with the cabin lighting knobs.  I have tried mouse up, down, sideways and the cabin knob does not move.  When I click the battery switch on, the lights come on full, but when I click on the knob to try to adjust the light, the light level drops significantly and will not adjust up or down from that point.  2D or 3D panel...doesn't matter.  Same results.

I love, love, love this aircraft!  Can't wait to get all the kinks worked out!  I've personalized my plane with a new tail number and a slightly modified paint job.  Thank you for an awesome aircraft!

Hi Steve

Very unusual problems you are having.

I cannot replicate these problems you are having.  Theo, Cameron and I have all gone through these manipulators and made sure they work properly.  We did have more for the gauges but there were problems with them that we couldn't iron out so we left them as click spots.  Those manipulators that do work, were left in.

We'll go through them again and see if we can find the same problem with the lighting.

[gthomas]

XP 9.5 RC3 check

Start with engines running" check

Deleted Preferences Folder and cabin lights keys work instrument light keys--same in other aircraft

Regarding the VRAM, I was not attacking your work, just thought you might want to let folks know the VRAM load up front.

I can, and will, make adjustments to my settings and destinations (because of additional VRAM load.) It just means I won't use the C23 nearly as often as I otherwise would have--I only have 256MB VRAM.

I don't have either of the aircraft you mentioned, but here are some comparisons (the 747 came with XP the others are pay-ware):

Heavy Scenery Load

C400 293MB/34fps

C23 344MB/19fps (actually less)

747 213MB/41fps

172 217MB/39fps

PA22 218MB/32fps

Middle of the ocean, in the clouds (stratus)

C400 225MB/83fps

C23 276MB/19fps

747 144MB/130fps

172 148MB/128fps

PA22 150MB/62fps

What versions of X-Plane are you running. If not the latest, Update to the latest and see if it works. Also make sure you have the option "Start with engines running" ticked under the "Operations and Warnings" drop-down menu.

What happens then? Do they work.

Neither panel_bright_up nor instrument_bright_up have any effect whatsoever. However' date=' I did finally get the mouse action to work.

[/quote']

In that case, there's almost definitely something wrong on your end. Try deleting all your X-Plane preferences in X-Plane 9 -> Output -> preferences

FYI: this is the most VRAM hungry aircraft I've yet encountered. I would say that if someone is going to use any add-on scenery: 256 MB minimum 512 MB recommend

What system are you using. It is no more hungry than the Mu-2 or Javelin (from memory)

We build planes presuming you have atleast a 256mb card.

Im running a 7600GS nVidia and my frame rates aren't that bad.

Sorry for the trouble your having with this plane. We hope to have these issues your having' date=' resolved soon. 

Cheers, Theo

[/quote']

[-TheoGregory]

Im guessing you cant fit all the textures onto your card. But you only just can't. So I in the next update will downsize a few of the 2048's to the 1024's. You should be able to run it a little better on your and others lower end systems.

You can get GFX cards with 512mb VRAM for about 50 to 70 dollars. Unless your using a mac, in which i feel your pain. And they cost more like 500 - 700 dollars.  :-\

Whats your full system spec?

[steven winslow]

I'm flying X-Plane 9.50rc3 on a 15" MacBook Pro with 4gb ram and 512mb vram.  Did some more painting on my "personalized" Sundowner.  By "presonalized" I mean a slight repaint and change of tail number.  I'll post an image when I get her completely done.  Nothing major.  Can't wait for a paint kit to be available!  Might make it a little easier.

[-TheoGregory]

Ok i'll see if i can get the Paintkit up before the end of the week. We were planning on releasing it on our site but we'll upload it too X-Pilot so you can download it here soon. Stay tuned! 

[Goran_M]

Another few days for the updates.

What I have done so far:

Aileron trim added (due to popular demand)

Some technical specs added and tweaked in the flight model

Completely re worked a section of the interior

Fixed the texture problem with the circuit breakers

What we have yet to do:

Paint kit

Tutorial

Texture the new section of the interior that I have modelled

Fix 1 or 2 panel region issues

Clearer gauges

I do apologize for not addressing these things before we made the Sundowner available.  However, we plan on making this the 2nd and final update to the Sundowner.