Simviation Forums

I have a few odd Qs about FS4 (fs9, CoF or what ever you call it)

Why is it that no mater what airport I fly into, the ATC says the altimeter is set to 2992?

Why all of a suden is my landing gear not lowering upon aproach (fixed wing or helos)?

Why can't I turn off the text oprtion of the ATC and just listen until I need to respond then toggle it back on for my response? And that does not mean constantly hitting the `key during aproach into a big city.

Why, after buying FS 4 and complaing so much about it (to myself mostly, I have a list a yard long of pety gripes) will I run out and buy the next version knowing good and well that I will have as many yet diffrent bugs?

Happy flying...

Kevin 'Gods I need a better graphic card' McGlothlin
Denver

I will answer questions 1 and 4 for you:

1.  If you use "real world weather" option in settings the pressure will be real world, provided you have an internet connection, which you obviously have

4.  Because you have been hypnotized by Microsoft, just like the rest of us

The ATC thing bugs me too.  You think they could have done that easly enough.  Some programmer must want you to see how savy his is by makeing you look at that text all the time.  IMO

In all fairness I must say that I am pretty new to flight simming.  I have bought many sims (Janes USAF, Ef200((I used to think it was so AWSOME, so I reloaded it recently.  It sucks)) Janes f-18, Flight unlimited, Janes WW11 fighters, Janes ATF, janes Longbow, on and on and on)but I havnt really learned how to fly them untill ACOF.  I used to spend all that money so I could look at eye candy and then would get tired of them before really learning to use them.  I have them all in a box and mabey someday when I have time (when I retire 30 years from now) I will get them back out.  However as I noted when re-installing Ef2000, old games dont work that great on new computers.  I guess I will have to save all my old computers in a box too..

Anyway sorry about all that rambling....

  GO broncos...........

Joe D.

[quote]4.

1. Change your weather setting to anything but "Clear".

3. Some A/C have a safety system that won't allow the gear to lower above a safe speed.  If you're coming in to hot then the gear won't drop.

OK, about the barametric pressuer thing. I am not a pilot so what affect does that have on a landing? Air densety? O2 content?

I understand about the speed too. But I have a Bell 222 that won't do it in a hover. I have to pump them manualy to get them to drop. I may be damaging them the firts time.  I'll look into that.

Thanks,

GO COWBOYS!!!!!


[quote]1. Change your weather setting to anything but "Clear".

3. Some A/C have a safety system that won't allow the gear to lower above a safe speed.

 Scotch
The reason your landing gear probaly wont lower is you have checked a box in the realism settings on allow stress to damage air craft. And you are coming in to fast. Most pepole are not aware of the air speed limitations in the real world of not over 250 below 10,000 feet. But even that is to fast for most if not all aircraft. I usually slow down to 230 or lower depending on fuel remaining and cargo and passengers on board. With the stress box unchecked you will hear a warning if you are going to fast when you drop flaps or gear. This means you need to slow down.

  The only way you can get the altimeter to change is either use real weather or make or set a weather condition. You can do this by clicking on the world tab and thaen the weather tab, you can then select real world weather(need to be on line) or select a theme or make your own weather by clicking on the advanced weather option and select the station you want the weather to be at choose cloud cover and type and your set.

Hmmmm

We see postings like this quite often but I don't understand it meself

I've never had any problems as such with any of the MS sims I've used in recent years (98, 2002, 2004) but I've always taken great care installing (in locations of my choice, not MS's) and maintaining them. Also making sure aircraft and panels I use are compat with each sim, clearing out clag which I don't use, and preferably not getting it on in the first place by keeping copies of folders that I install into so I can revert back if what I install is rubbish (which quite often it is). Also using sensible kit ie proven graphics cards and such and not just the latest bit of fashionable tin and string that, as is life, often promises so much and delivers so little for quite a few of your hard-earned

OK, about the barametric pressure thing. I am not a pilot so what affect does that have on a landing? Air density? O2 content?

It is dependant on both, but not as much on water content. As I recall (as a real pilot I should remember but I don't right now), it increases the stall speed.

Sunday, December 28, 2003, Lambeau Field: GB:31,

OK, about the barametric pressuer thing. I am not a pilot so what affect does that have on a landing? Air densety? O2 content?

It is simply air pressure. The higher up you go the thinner the air gets so there is less pressure. The lower you go the more air there is, so more pressure. 2992 is the airpressure at sea level at any given time. As altimeters work on air pressure they need to know what it is at sea level in order to tell the correct altitude. The air pressure changes according to the weather. Hot weather means low pressure and cold weather means high pressure. O2 content plays no part in it as it is simply air pressure. ATC gives you the airpressure so that you can reconfigure your altimeter to give the correct altitude while on your decent. As the airpressure will undoubtably change with your location, and when your landing you'll want an altimeter that gives you the correct height.

As for water content, that is humidity and something completely different.

As a "real" pilot Icedfoxtrotter, you should have known this.

as you probably know an aircraft has a pitot tube for airspeed.  there is also a static line that is usaully but not always part of the pitot tube assembly.  the static line is connected to the airspeed, altimeter, and vsi.  the air pressure is picked up through the static line.  that is what the alt. bases the altitude off from.  like woodlouse said the higher you go the lower the pressure is.  when the pressure gets lower the alt reads a higher altitude.  normally the air pressure is 2992.  you'll want to set the altimeter to 2992 for it to read the alitude correctly.  if there is a change in the air pressure then your alt reading will be off.  if you set your weather to something other than fair then you might see changes in the air pressure.

Think of if it like air in a cube.  The more humidity in the air, the less dense the air is so less air would be in the cube.   If you didn't set your altimeter before a flight then you could potentially slam into the ground, or stall way above the runway if you're flying in IFR conditions.  Both would result in a very bad day.  The air pressure is only always 2992 at 18k, or when it's a "Standard Day" defined by 15 degrees Celsius at sea level.  Another reason ATC gives you the altimeter setting is so that you can both have consistent altitude readings and avoid those pesky midair collisions.

Louse, go away. It does contribute in a small way to changes in pressure. If I cared enough to get into yet another argument with you, I would type up what my Jepp' I/C manual says, but I am trying to quit getting involved in arguments here, so...... ::)

Anyway if you want to be sure you have your altimeter pressure set correctly, just press 'b' once in a while.

Atmospheric pressure is always changing.. how and why is a book unto itself. If the air-pressure remains constant (It does, as in doesn't change so fast as to render altimeters useless) an altimeter is simply a barometer.. scaled in feet.. for the known reduction in pressure as altitude increases.

If your altimeter is set perfectly when you land.. it will read the field's elevation, exactly. When you return the next day..  the pressure will no doubt be different and the altimeter will be reading incorrectly (that's why you're constantly checking and changing it.. especially as you fly from one type of weather into another).

As the altitude increases.. the air thins to the point that changes in pressure become less significant (air can only get so thin)..  Some genius (or group of geniuses) decided 18,000 was as good a place as any to make EVERYBODY fly the same altimeter setting (29.92). In theory.. that can make for some pretty interesting altitude transitions, in a crowded sky (they also figured crowding isn't so much a problem as 18,000 is also the ceiling (or near it) for a bunch of planes).

I'm figuring that altimeters will be going the way of VORs, soon enough. GPS can locate itself in three dimensions (that includes altitude) and doesn't care what weather system is passing through. I don't think affordable, high-altitude "radio-altimeters" (use a reflected radio signal to measure distance to the ground) are a thing we're likely to see.

http://www.tpub.com/content/aviation/14 ... 030_44.htm
I think this explains the altimeter issue

Ozzy