SR-71 won't hold altitude

[WebbPA]

I just installed the David Bushell/Vanessa Leightower SR-71 (an FS2000 model) and it refuses to hold the set altitude in autopilot.

The autopilot section of aircraft.cfg appears normal and I tried a different autopilot gauge - still no good.  It just ignores the set altitude and climbs like a bat out of hell.  Every other part of the autopilot works - speed, heading, etc.

Has anyone else experienced and overcome this problem?

[ozzy72]

Nope. But I use the FS2k2 SR model myself. I would imagine its not just the gauge that is the problem, but something fundamental in the cfg file. This is not an unheard of problem.

Ozzy

[WebbPA]

Which one is the 2002 version?  My first choice would have been Rick Barker's but when I unzipped it the entire aircraft.cfg file reads:

"[fltsim.0]
title=Lockheed-Martin SR-71a 'BLACKBIRD'
sim=Lockheed-Martin SR-71a 'BLACKBIRD'
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=
checklists="

Can't really fly that.  Is there another one?

[ozzy72]

Weird, I've been using Ricks for about a year now! Hmm Jim drop me an IM and I'll help you sort this.

Mark

[RIC_BARKER]

Hi Jim,

The .cfg file looks like that because it's a fs2000 cfg file. The important data is stored in the .air file. The first time you load it into fs2002, it will automatically 'fill-out' the .cfg file by itself.

Hope that helps.

Ric B.

[WebbPA]

That helped immensely.

[RIC_BARKER]

Hi.

Yeah, you can edit it to include whatever you want. If you want the coordinates of any specific parts to add your effects, let me know and I'll post them up here.

[WebbPA]

Lights, and

I haven't seen what's built in yet, but flankerburners on the engines would be nice.  I usually key these to the strobe light so there's space left for another one on the smokesystem.

[WebbPA]

WOW, nice ride.  Too bad MS didn't program the dark atmosphere at high altitude.

I see that contrails and flankerburners are built in so if you have the coordinates for the lights I'd like to add those.

Does anyone have any tips for sustaining high attitude high speed flight?  My airspeed started dropping pretty quickly after about FL600 and since I need to get back to work and stop playing games I didn't have time to figure out all the nuances.

[RIC_BARKER]

Jim I'm really sorry about this, but it looks like I've lost the source file for the SR. I recently did a 'tidy up' of all my old CD's and I can't find it anywhere!  :(

It's 10:30pm here now, so I'll have a proper look for it tomorrow, and keep you posted.

Ric B.

[Lethal.Ambition]

Hey does the plane TRY to hold the altitude. The planes might be completely different but my JS-41 didn't hold altitude either, and even though JohnP helped me i found that the problem was not within the air file, it was with my speed. The airplane can do 250 knots, but it didn't hold altitude there. Not at 210 or 190, i reduce the throttle perfectly to 200 knots and i got no prblem. Try the same ( not 200 knots though )

[ozzy72]

Jim I've emailed you the file.

Mark

[WebbPA]

Thanks for all the help.  It looks like everything is under control now.

I didn't need Ozzy's .cfg because, as Rick mentioned, it created itself (thanks anyway).

I never got the AP working in the other model and it didn't even try to keep up with it.  Didn't trim very well manually, either.

I can probably get the lights myself.  I still have the other model so I'll just have to cut & paste and make a few changes to that one.  If anyone wants it I'll post it.

I also found the NASA repaint and I should be done tweaking the panel in a couple of days (I stuck with the Vanessa Leightower panel).