It's Your Plane - Newsletter September 14, 2008 Edition

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IYP + PMDG 737-600/700

FS9 (2004)

The latest release of It's Your Plane now includes an interface for the PMDG 737-600/700 aircraft for FS9 (2004). This will soon be followed by a release of IYP that will interface the PMDG 737-800/900.

Here's a brief overview:

Launching It's Your Plane ("IYP")
PMDG suggests that the best way to initialise the PMDG aircraft, is to load a Cessna C172, shut everything off, then load the PMDG aircraft. It is CRITCALLY IMPORTANT that you only launch the IYP application AFTER the PMDG-737-600/700 is fully loaded and sitting at a gate/ramp.

Understanding the Limitations of the PMDG "Open-Loop" Design
The PMDG Boeing 737 aircraft was designed in a manner that makes it EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to create effective Add-On programmes, because of its "Open-Loop" conceptual approach.

What is an "Open-Loop" Design?
In simple terms, it means that about 95% of the aircraft's functions CANNOT BE DETERMINED by an external programme like IYP. This manifests itself by prohibiting an Add-On designer to determine the disposition of the aircraft at any given time. Therefore, for example, if an ON/OFF switch is in the ON position, and you say, "Turn it ON", it will turn it OFF. Failing to recognise the shortcoming of "Open-Loop" designs, can become particularly precarious when executing a CHECKLIST sequence with your IYP Co-Pilot... Michelle or Mike.

For example, if during a checklist procedure, your Co-Pilot calls for, "Standby Power ON", and the switch is already in the ON position, you need to say, "Confirmed", "Checked", "Affirmative", "Yes it is", etc. Do NOT say, "Standby Power ON", if it is already ON, because the IYP application will switch it to the OFF position. Why? Because the PMDG design provides no mechanism for the IYP application to "READ" the current position of the switch. By contrast, if the switch is in the OFF position, then you will say, "Standby Power ON" to cause IYP to flip the switch. This takes some getting used to, but before long, you'll get the heck of it.

My First Encounter with the PMDG 737-600
I remember the first time I jumped into the Captain's chair of a PMDG-737-600. Wow! I had absolutely no idea where to start. After flying the default Microsoft jetliners for a few years, to say that the PMDG 737 was intimidating, would be a huge understatement. Nonetheless, fearlessly I start messing around with things to see what this beautiful aircraft was all about. After spending about 4 or 5 hours playing around (and getting nowhere fast), that old, all-too-familiar expression rattled around in my head..."When all else fails... read the manual." And so I did. And, with a substantial amount of help from other PMDG experts, I finally got the aircraft in the air.

Then Came It's Your Plane!
After I developed the IYP programme, and had added most of the Microsoft default aircraft, along with some planes from Carenado, etc., I received numerous requests to interface IYP to the PMDG aircraft. Not fully understanding the magnitude of the undertaking, I started down a long and arduous road to have Michelle or Mike sitting in the right seat.

Are You a PMDG Newbee?
As I was implementing the checklists of the PMDG aircraft, I quickly realized that I couldn't be the only Newbee who got intimidated by the PMDG. With that in mind, I decided that I would not only provide facilities for my First Officer (Co-Pilot) to help me by running through all of the checklists, I decided to incorporate NewBee Help to the basic design as well.

Take a look at this Video Presentation for a better understanding of NewBee Help!

Simulating Mouse Clicks
PMDG did not provide third-party vendors with "hooks" to the numerous buttons on their various panels. Therefore, in order to perfect an interface, the It's Your Plane ("IYP") application needed to employ a design that would SuperClass their system in order to simulate mouse clicks. One of the major drawbacks of this approach is that the panel being controlled, needs to be in view. Meaning, if your flying in the Spot View Mode, and Michelle needs to turn on the Seat Belts sign in flight, the system will switch to the Overhead panel... a tad disconcerting, to say the least!

NEWS FLASH!
After I had completed the design of the IYP PMDG-737 interface, Pete Dowson has expanded his FSUIPC DLL that, amongst other things, provides for interfacing the PMDG panel WITHOUT having to SubClass the PMDG windows. Therefore, thanks to Pete's efforts, I will be re-writing the IYP code in the near future to utilise these new facilities. Once this is deployed, it will be unnecessary to have a window in view in order to "click" a switch. Stay tuned... News a 11.

Setting Up The PMDG Keyboard Assignments
Regrettably, there are a number of inconsistencies that exist between the various releases of the PMDG 737 series aircraft. One of the most noticable, is the difference between the declarations in Panel Switcher documentation (737kbd.ini), and what actually works in the released versions. For example, to select the Main Panel via the keyboard on one system, may call for the depression of CTRL+SHIFT+TAB+1, whereas, on another system, PMDG calls for SHIFT+TAB+3, etc.

Therefore, since different releases have different undocumented settings, the Keybord Commands MAY need to be changed in order to work with IYP.

Here's how to accomplish this task:

Bring up the PMDG 737 aricraft and click on the main menu item PMDG, then General, then Keyboard Commands.
Scroll down the list until you get to the Command Panel Switch Press M.

If these commands in your Key Assignment window do not match the settings in the image above, then please ensure that the ALL Key Assignments are set as specified below:

Num	Command	Key Combination
3	MCP Press APDISCON	Z
4	MCP Press AT	Shft+R
5	MCP Press N1	Ctrl+Shft+N
6	MCP Press SPD	Ctrl+M
7	MCP Press CO	Shft+1
8	MCP Press LVLCHG	Ctrl+1
9	MCP Press VNAV	Ctrl+V
10	MCP Press LNAV	Ctrl+N
11	MCP Press VORLOC	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +L
12	MCP Press APP	Ctrl+A
13	MCP Press HDGSEL	Ctrl+H
14	MCP Press ALTHLD	Ctrl+Z
15	MCP Press VS	Ctrl+P
23	MCP Press CMD L	A
24	MCP Press CMD R	Shft+F4
25	MCP Press CWS L	Ctrl+Shft+F4
26	MCP Press CWS R	Ctrl+Tab +S
27	MCP Press FD L	Ctrl+F
28	MCP Press FD R	Ctrl+Shft+F3
29	MCP Increase Bank Limiter	Ctrl+Shft+L
30	MCP Decrease Bank Limiter	Ctrl+F11
31	MCP Increase Course	Shft+F3
32	MCP Decrease Course	Ctrl+F5
33	MCP Increase Altitude	Ctrl+Shft+Z
34	MCP Decrease Altitude	Ctrl+Tab +Z
35	MCP Increase Speed	Ctrl+Shft+V
36	MCP Decrease Speed	Shft+F11
37	MCP Increase Heading	Ctrl+Shft+H
38	MCP Decrease Heading	Ctrl+F8
39	MCP Increase VS	Ctrl+Shft+P
40	MCP Decrease VS	Ctrl+Shft+F11
41	MCP Increase Course Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +F3
42	MCP Decrease Course Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +F5
43	MCP Increase Altitude Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +Num 8
44	MCP Decrease Altitude Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +Num 2
45	MCP Increase Speed Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +Num 6
46	MCP Decrease Speed Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +Num 4
47	MCP Increase Hdg Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +H
48	MCP Decrease Hdg Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +F8
49	MCP Increase VS Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +Num 9
50	MCP Decrease VS Fast	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +Num 3
51	MCP Set TOGA	Ctrl+Shft+G
52	MCP Reset TOGA	Ctrl+Tab +G
53	EFIS Press Mins	Shft+Tab +M
54	EFIS Increase Mins	Ctrl+Shft+M
55	EFIS Decrease Mins	Shft+F12
56	LEAVE EMPTY	LEAVE EMPTY
57	EFIS Reset Mins	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +M
58	EFIS Press Baro	Shft+Tab +B
59	EFIS Increase Baro	Ctrl+Shft+B
60	EFIS Decrease Baro	Shft+B
61	LEAVE EMPTY	LEAVE EMPTY
62	EFIS Press Baro STD	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +B
63	EFIS Press FPV	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +V
64	EFIS Press MTRS	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +R
65	EFIS Increase NavL	Ctrl+Shft+1
66	EFIS Decrease NavL	Ctrl+Tab +1
67	LEAVE EMPTY	LEAVE EMPTY
68	EFIS Increase NavR	Ctrl+Shft+2
69	EFIS Decrease NavR	Ctrl+Tab +2
70	LEAVE EMPTY	LEAVE EMPTY
71	EFIS Increase ND Mode	Ctrl+Tab +F12
72	EFIS Decrease ND Mode	Shft+Tab +F12
73	EFIS Press ND Mode CTR	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +F12
74	EFIS Increase ND Range	Ctrl+Tab +F11
75	EFIS Decrease ND Range	Shft+Tab +F11
76	EFIS Press ND Range TFC	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +F11
77	EFIS Press WXR	Shft+Tab +F1
78	EFIS Press STA	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +S
79	EFIS Press WPT	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +W
80	EFIS Press ARPT	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +A
81	EFIS Press DATA	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +D
82	EFIS Press POS	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +P
83	EFIS Press TERR	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +T
84	Panel Switcher Press M	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +1
85	Panel Switcher Press Z	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +2
86	Panel Switcher Press A	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +3
87	Panel Switcher Press L	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +4
88	Panel Switcher Press F	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +5
89	Panel Switcher Press O	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +6
90	Panel Switcher Press T	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +7
91	Panel Switcher Press R	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +8
92	Panel Switcher Press I	Ctrl+Shft+Tab +9
93	Autobrakes Increase Pos	Ctrl+Tab +W
94	Autobrakes Decrease Pos	Shft+Tab +W

After ensuring that the Key Assignments are correct, you should be able to launch the It's Your Plane application and say,

"Display Main Panel"
"Display Zoom Panel"
"Display Approach Panel"
"Display Landing Panel"
"Display Overhead Panel"
"Display FMC", or "Display CDU"
"Lose the FMC", or "Lose the CDU"
"Display Throttle Quadrant"
"Lose the Throttle Quadrant"
"Display Radio Stack"
"Lose the Radio Stack"

These commands MUST work as described, else NOTHING will work properly.

Typically, the PMDG 737-600/700 aircraft comes up with the following default settings:

Airspeed = 100
Course=0
Heading=0
Altitude=10000

Because of the aforemention "OPEN-LOOP" PMDG design restrictions, if during the flight, you manually change a setting on the panel, (e.g., you change the Airspeed from 250 to 280) then it is necessary that you execute an AIRSPEED CALIBRATION so that the IYP application can remain SYNCHRONIZED. Using the above scenario, since you changed the Airspeed "manually", instead of simply saying, "Airspeed 280" and letting Michelle/Mike do it, the IYP application believes the Airspeed remains set at 250. Therefore, you need to say, "Airspeed calibration 280", to tell the IYP application that you "manually" changed the setting. The same scenario exists with the other settings set forth below.

Airspeed calibration 'nnn'
Course calibration 'nnn'
Heading calibration 'nnn'
Altitude calibration 'nnnnn' or Flight Level calibration 'nnn'

The operational GENERAL commands are:
Display Main Panel
Display Zoom Panel
Display Approach Panel
Display Landing Panel
Display Approach Panel
Display (Throttle) Quadrant/Lose (Throttle) Quadrant
Display Radio Stack/Lose Radio Stack
Display FMC/Lose FMC
Display PFD/Lose PFD
Display ND/Lose ND
Display EICAS/Lose EICAS
Display E-Cass/Lose E-Cass

-------------------------------------------------------------------
The operational MAIN PANEL commands are:
Reset Master Caution
Reset Fire Warning (Alarm)
Reset Auto Pilot Caution
Reset Auto Throttle Alert
Reset FMC Alert
Airspeed Calibration 'nnn'
Course Calibration 'nnn'
Heading Calibration 'nnn'
Altitude Calibration 'nnnnn' or Flight Level Calibration 'nnn'
Execute Fire Warning System Test
Make the Course 067
Course Calibration 067 Synchronize Panel Gauge with IYP
Airspeed Calibration 250
Airspeed 250 (Synchronize Panel Gauge with IYP)
Make the Heading 150/Turn LEFT/RIGHT Heading 150
Heading Calibration 150 (Synchronize Panel Gauge with IYP)
Climb and Maintain 7,000
Climb and Maintain Flight Level 260
Descend and Maintain 7,000
Descend and Maintain Flight Level 260
Altitude Calibration 7,000 (Synchronize Panel Gauge with IYP)
Flight Level Calibration 260 (Synchronize Panel Gauge with IYP)
Auto-Throttle ON/OFF
Flight Director ON/OFF
N1 (Selector) ON/OFF
Speed (Selector) ON/OFF
Level Change (Selector) ON/OFF
Heading (Selector) ON/OFF
Approach (Selector) ON/OFF
VS (Selector) ON/OFF/Vertical Speed Selector ON/OFF
L NAV (Selector) ON/OFF
V NAV (Selector) ON/OFF
Auto-Pilot ON/OFF
C M D A (Selector) ON/OFF (same as above)
C M D B (Selector) ON/OFF
C W S A (Selector) ON/OFF
C W S A (Selector) ON/OFF
Set (the) Auto Brakes to RTO
Set (the) Auto Brakes to OFF
Set (the) Auto Brakes to Postion1
Set (the) Auto Brakes to Position2
Set (the) Auto Brakes to Position3
Set (the) Auto Brakes to Maximum
Parking Brakes ON/OFF
Landing Gear UP/DOWN
Reset Minimums
Set Minimums to (e.g. 300) / Make Minimums (e.g. 300)
Press CTR / Press Center
Press FPV / Press Flight Path Vector
Press Metres
Select Pressure
Mode Selector to Approach
Mode Selector to VOR
Mode Selector to Map
Mode Selector to Plan
Make the Range 5
Make the Range 10
Make the Range 20
Make the Range 40
Make the Range 80
Make the Range 160
Make the Range 320
Make the Range 640
VOR 1 OFF/ON
VOR 2 OFF/ON
ADF1 ON
Speed Intervention ON/OFF
Altitude Intervention ON/OFF
N1 on 2/1/AUTO/BOTH
Speed Ref on AUTO/V1/VR/WT/V Ref/Set
Fuel Flow Reset/Rate/Used
Display Weather ON/OFF
Display Stations ON/OFF
Display Airports ON/OFF
Display Data ON/OFF
Display Positions ON/OFF
Standby Attitude OFF/on Approach/on BackCourse
Landing Gear UP/DOWN

-------------------------------------------------------------------
The operational OVERHEAD PANEL commands are:
Ground Power ON/OFF
Standby Power ON/OFF
Battery Master Switch ON/OFF
No Smoking ON/OFF/On AUTO
Seat Belts ON/OFF/On AUTO
Start (the) APU
Shut Down (the) APU
APU Bleed ON/OFF
Left Engine Bleed ON/OFF, or Number 1 Bleed ON/OFF
Right Engine Bleed ON/OFF, or Number 2 Bleed ON/OFF
Number 1 Center Fuel Pump ON/OFF
Number 2 Center Fuel Pump ON/OFF
Number 1 Aft Fuel Pump ON/OFF
Number 1 Forward Fuel Pump ON/OFF
Number 2 Aft Fuel Pump ON/OFF
Number 2 Forward Fuel Pump ON/OFF
Number 1 Electric Hydraulic Pump ON/OFF
Number 2 Electric Hydraulic Pump ON/OFF
Number 1 Hydraulic Pump ON/OFF
Number 2 Hydraulic Pump ON/OFF
Number 1 Generator ON/OFF
Number 2 Generator ON/OFF
Number 1 APU Generator ON/OFF
Number 2 APU Generator ON/OFF
Number 1 Ground Ignition
Number 1 Ignition OFF
Number 1 Continuous Ignition
Number 1 Flight Ignition
Number 2 Ground Ignition
Number 2 Ignition OFF
Number 2 Continuous Ignition
Number 2 Flight Ignition
Galley Power ON/OFF, or Cab Util Power ON/OFF
(Passenger) In Flight Entertainment ON/OFF
Window Heat Switches ON/OFF
Window Heat Test
Select Left Ignition Switch
Select Right Ignition Switch
Yaw Damper ON/OFF
Emergency Exit Lights ON/OFF
Probe Heat Switches ON/OFF
Isolation Valve Open/Closed/On Auto
Equipment Cooling Supply Normal
Equipment Cooling Supply Alternate
Equipment Cooling Exhaust Normal
Equipment Cooling Exhaust Alternate
Left Pack OFF/On Auto/On High
Right Pack OFF/On Auto/On High
Cycle Fuel Crossfeed
Number 1 Air Conditioning on Very Cool
Number 1 Air Conditioning on Cool
Number 1 Air Conditioning on Auto
Number 1 Air Conditioning on Warm
Number 1 Air Conditioning on Very Warm
Number 2 Air Conditioning on Very Cool
Number 2 Air Conditioning on Cool
Number 2 Air Conditioning on Auto
Number 2 Air Conditioning on Warm
Number 2 Air Conditioning on Very Warm
Wing Anti Ice ON/OFF
Number 1 Anti Ice ON/OFF
Number 2 Anti Ice ON/OFF
Left Wiper on PARK/INTERMITTENT/LOW/HIGH
Right Wiper on PARK/INTERMITTENT/LOW/HIGH

-------------------------------------------------------------------
The operational THROTTLE QUADRANT commands are:
Number 1 Fuel ON/OFF
Number 2 Fuel ON/OFF
Start Number 1
Start Number 2
Parking Brakes ON/OFF
Auto Spolier ON/OFF
Retracted Spoilers
Spoiler 25 percent
Spoiler 50 percent
Spoiler 75 percent
Spoiler to the Maximum
Flaps 1
Flaps 2
Flaps 5
Flaps 10
Flaps 15
Flaps 25
Flaps 30
Flaps 40

-------------------------------------------------------------------
The operational FMC commands are:

FUNCTIONAL VOICE COMMANDS:
Finished Programming the F M C - Exits from the FMC mode during checklists and continues...

DATA ENTRY VOICE COMMANDS:
Period, Point
Zero
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Plus, Minus
Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
X-Ray
Yankee
Zulu
Space
Slash
Delete
Clear Entry
Erase All Data

LSK SELECTION VOICE COMMANDS:
LSK One Left
LSK Two Left
LSK Three Left
LSK Four Left
LSK Five Left
LSK Six Left
LSK One Right
LSK Two Right
LSK Three Right
LSK Four Right
LSK Five Right
LSK Six Right

MENU SLECTION VOICE COMMANDS:
Select Init Ref
Select Route
Select Climb
Select Cruise
Select Descend
Select Menu
Select Legs
Select Departures and Arrivals
Select Hold
Select Progress
Select Execute
Select N One Limit
Select Fix
Select Previous Page
Select Next Page
Select Keyboard

Have fun!

Robert Cezar
Your IYP Developer.

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