Simviation Forums

Greetings, one and all.  New to the forum/discussion group scene - this is my first post.  It's sort of long, but I would appreciate any insight.  Anyway, I downloaded the Cessna CitationII de la Armada Espanola for FS9 (currently on Simviation page 90 of 2004 Civil Jets).  It looks to be a pretty good model but I cannot for the life of me get it to install properly.  I have been pretty successful at installing other 3rd-party aircraft and panels, so I have a basic idea how the whole thing works.  I am stumped with this Citation - it has a panel.zip file called lscc2_9.zip which appears to contain duplicate files and folders as well as two different panel.cfg files.  I copied the unzipped gauges to the main FS9/Gauges folder, yadda yadda, and followed the installation instructions in the readme as close as I could.  I got so far as being able to actually select the aircraft when 'creating a flight', but when I try to "Fly Now", the program hangs when "loading scenery" and then generates a lengthy error report (not the Windows critical stop type; rather, the "Microsoft Flight Simulator encountered an error and must be restarted" message.  But this only happens every time I try to select the Citation.  FS9 works just fine using any of the other aircraft.  Perhaps I was losing something in the translation as far as the installation instructions.  Thanks, folks...Statusplayer

Hi Statusplayer, welcome to SimV!
Okay installation is sometimes odd and varies from designer to designer, the best thing to do is follow this nice easy step-by-step tutorial by our own webmaster Pete http://www.simviation.com/acinstall.htm
That should see everything working just fine

Thanks for the hint, oz.  I re-read the complete tutorial and still no go.  I am convinced (though obviously wrong) that I have done everything right, taking into account the tutorial by Pete as well as the readme in the panel zip file, but something is still terribly amiss.  Again, the aircraft DOES show up in the menu and I can even select it, but FS9 just hangs when I select "Fly Now".  Perhaps someone out there has either successfully installed the aircraft and accompanying panel zip file, or they would be willing to download it, try it, and explain step by step how they did it.  Anyway, I'll keep checking for replies...

Heya Statusplayer,

Welcome to SimV!

Just to let you know--It's not your fault!!  Taking your suggestion I downloaded and installed this aircraft myself.  My experience in Flight Simulator started even before Microsoft bought out the title (Yes, I'm an old coot!)

I read through the install instructions and discovered that it was pretty much straightforward.  The author even supplied all of the necessary modules files.

The big problem is that there are a couple of *.xml and gauge files which are either corrupted or improperly compiled (the most notable being the ILH_TCAS.gau file).  It seems that these gauge files cause a fatal exception error which drops your FS 2004 to the desktop when you select this aircraft.

The way I see it there are four ways around this issue:

  1.) You can check here or on other websites to see if the author has come out with a better panel

  2.) You may try and remove the offending gauges, replacing them with default gauges

  3.) You can delete the lscc2_9 Panel and Copy/Paste another panel in its place (i.e. Lear 45 panel)

  4.) You may check around SimV or other websites for a better panel

Personally I favor suggestion #3 myself.  It's the easiest by far.  Now if you want a panel that has some interior views, I recommend this file:

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/syb.cgi?section=jets&file=ce550.zip

Just download this file, unzip it, and Copy/Paste the panel into the Citation II folder.

Voila!  Problem resolved.

I believe there was a patch that fixed that panel

Graycat - thanks for helping me realize I am not a blithering idiot.  I simply followed your suggestion by installing a different panel and the plane works fine now.  The model is quite nice, considering it is freeware.  I would still like to find a more realistic freeware panel if there is one available.  Better yet, I would like to get the original one working.  I searched Simviation for the patch that Esselbach suggested may exist for it, but could not find it.  I will look a bit more on the internet and/or possibly e-mail the designer.  If anyone knows where this patch is, however, please don't keep it a secret.  Thanks for the replies, guys...

I couldn't find a patch for the panel, but I personally like that panel and fly the citation with that panel all the time.

Find the offending gauge and disable it

After doing a little searching, I finally found what I was looking for.  It appears that the author of the lscc2_9 panel (Leon Seale) has, in fact, updated the entire file.  I found it on fsdome and it is available via the following link:

http://www.fsdome.com/panels_2.htm

It is about the 3rd panel from the bottom.  The file isn't a patch; rather, it is the entire lscc2_9.zip updated and fixed.  I installed it without a hitch and it is a very nice panel - it provides a fairly realistic experience.  I especially like the tape gauges (nice job, Leon).

BTW, I have never visited fsdome before, but it appears that visiting the site and/or downloading the 'freeware' may also install PUPs (potentially unwanted programs), specifically adware which I had to remove with my virus scanner.  Just a heads up.

Thanks again -

'till the next topic...

Heya Statusplayer,

I'm glad that you got everything worked out.  If you want interior views for that panel, IM me here at SimV and I'll be happy to "dress it up" for you.  

As for Esselbach, thanks a lot for that tip about the updated lscc2_9 panel.

I agree with you Statusplayer that the visual model of this Citation is very good.  I don't fly many light jets but if I do, I usually fly the default Learjet or the Stratojet Excalibur.

I also agree with you Statusplayer about the FS Dome website.  I avoid it like the plague.  Unclean!!  Unclean!!