FSX-P3D Cessna 188 installs very well in FS2004

[Jean Loup]

Lately I find new (to my eyes only) aircraft that interest me, only they are for FSX & Co. Most wont work in FS2004 or simply shut´s it down the moment I select it for a spin. I noted that if in the model folders there are interior & exterior separate models, it fouls my FS2004 installation without any goodbye´s when selected. But if the Model folder has a simple MDL file with a CFG file, then I can install it & pilot it without any further anoyances. So SiMViATiON exposed interesting Cessna 188's:



After downloading & before installing them, I noted this warning in the README file BUT the model file was simple (not double MDL files for FSX only). Since there is more time than life, I gave it a try anyway:



Strangely, the Republic of China Coast Guard version I could not find at the Aircraft Model menu, not even looking for UNSPECiFiED section that some times has drived me crazy. Well, the manufacturer in the CFG file was listed as CESSNA 188!! Just below the standard Cessna manufacturer. By the way, do they have many forest fires in the Republic of China? Why do they need a fumigator for the Coast Guard? Anyway, I corrected the CFG & all Cessnas are together now & I choose the canadian CNK4 as my base of operations (in my standard FS2004 configuration):





It´s a SUPERB MODEL, with lots of animations & controls to play with. BUT the SHiFT+E would not work! Most aircraft that come from FS2000 or FS2002 have this inconvenient when tweaked for FS2004. That & no VC or 2D me no like!! Any way, I read the EXTREMELY DETAiLED PDF pilot's operating handbook, and there was a warning about SHiFT+E does not operate doors in this aircraft: has to be operated from the VERY DETAiLED cockpit controls. Plus many other features:



After taking off cones, tie downs, wheel blocks, engine & cockpit covers, I could board my AG Wagon & close doors before starting the engine:



Ready for take-off!





Very steady run, easy to keep straight & raises tail in a jiffy (& I have all control sliders set to the right=realistic):





I must be doing something not right when wanting to dump water, or spray from wing valves: I'm unable to raise presure for this operations to perform! But my main operation is flying Low & Slow, enjoying the morning mist: no fires this morning to dump water over them.

[garymbuska]

The major difference between FS2004 and FSX is in the textures and graphics something to do with channels and bit maps
Just like putting FS2002 aircraft in FS2004 they would not have engines in the nacelle and some other minor issues when the aircraft was displayed
Myself I do not mess with anything that is not meant for FSX I will just put it in my Fs2004 if I like it.
But if one knows what he is doing you might be able to get some aircraft to work but you can not change the model file as this is made at the time the aircraft is created. Now you can substitute a different model file but I would not count on it working 100%
The Shift E is just one example other things probably do not work as well.