FS2004: Showing more information about AI planes

[chris]

Here is a little trick I never knew about until recently, hidden away in MS Flight Simulator 2004. You can have it display further information about AI planes than it would normally show. There are some extra settings hidden away in the FS9.CFG file found in the Microsoft FS9 area of your documents and settings folder (under Application Data).

You open FS9.CFG, and look for the follow section:

[AContain]

Under it, there are various options, and you should change them to look as follows:


ShowLabels=1
ShowUserLabel=0
ShowLabelManufacturer=1
ShowLabelModel=1
ShowLabelTailNumber=1
ShowLabelDistance=1
ShowLabelAltitude=1
ShowLabelAirline=1
ShowLabelAirlineAndFlightNumber=1
ShowLabelFlightPlan=1
ShowLabelContainerId=0
ShowLabelAirspeed=1
ShowLabelHeading=1
LabelDelay=1000
LabelColor=FFE8E811

You can disregard changing the LabelColor if you wish. Now you'll see info on AI aircraft such as it's type, speed, callsign, direction, and it's departure and destination airport.

You can cycle between views of AI aircraft with the CTRL+W key shortcut.

[Frank N. O.]

Cool! This is news to me too, thanks :cool: :up:

Frank

[chris]

Definately a neat improvement. And something to make me happy after trying 50 minutes worth of touch and goes at Kai-tak in the default 777, and not having any successful touch-downs at all. I had to do go-arounds on each one.

I swear that 777 is like a sherman tank! :( And her "Approach" mode isn't too trustworthy either. She takes ages to acquire the IGS on 88, even despite flying at it from a course of 50. Always turns too late, and overshoots then she must correct the course again. &(

I'm also surprised that it won't acquire the glide-slope with ALT-HOLD on. I'd expected it to keep at 6000ft with the ALT-HOLD on until intercepting the glide slope, and then the Approach mode would take over, like it will from HDG HOLD.

If you tune your NAV1 into the ILS, and set the course on the autopilot to the ILS course, and then fly to the ILS on a particular heading with HDG hold on, you can also press APP button to "prime" the approach mode. Then when it nears the ILS beam, it'll automatically activate the approach mode, and disengage the HDG hold.