FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't FSHotSeat recognize
my flight plan? I can see it's loaded in the GPS.
FSHS requires you to start each new
flight from the FS Create a Flight screen. Loading a flight plan from the FS menu will not work.
If you are loading from the Create a
Flight screen, check the Diag Code (in parens() next to Invalid Flight FSHS upper status
area.) Look up the code in the FSHS help file for specific instructions.
Why won't FSHotSeat recognize
my aircraft?
Most aircraft recognition errors are
caused by missing values noted on the Aircraft Specs MFD. There are six values that must
be present for your aircraft to be recognized.
After the values are entered, you
must load a different aircraft and then reload the target aircraft for changes to
take effect. This is a limitation of FS.
How do I fix an
"AltHigh" error on flight plan load?
FSHS calculates your flight plan
based on aircraft speed, climb rate, cruise altitude and distance. Your aircraft must be
capable of reaching cruise altitude before it's time to descend. If any of these values
are incorrect you'll get an "AltHigh" error.
Lowering your cruise altitude is the
simple solution if the other values are correct.
Check the Base Vertical Speed
on the Aircraft Specs MFD. FSHS uses this value to calculate climb rate. Sometimes it's
too low and FSHS believes you cannot reach cruise altitude (in relation to speed) before
it's time to descend. Base vertical speed is almost never lower than 500 FPM or greater
than 3,000 FPM. Check the Web for proper values or use a value from a similar aircraft.
Check Speed Cruise on the Aircraft
Specs MFD, make sure it's appropriate for your aircraft.
How come some of my hotkeys
don't work?
Certain add-on applications and .dlls
may intercept and block FSHotSeat hotkeys. Sometimes, this can be avoided by loading
FSHS after FS is fully loaded. If problem persists, check your FS/modules
directory and remove add-on .dlls until problem clears up.
In Windows 98, the shifted keys
(Shift, Control, TAB) may not be properly recognized. Remap the keys to un-shifted keys.
Do I have to load the
"cold panel" for each flight?
No, not if you start FS with a
"cold panel" as default and successfully complete the secure checklist.
After the secure checklist, you will be fulfilling all the requirements of a "cold
panel" (all systems shut off, AC on ground and stopped.) Just select FS menu
options Flight, End Flight. You can then fly a new
flight or change parameters and start a different one.
Do I have to start in the
Beech Baron Demo AC at Meigs?
In the Demo Mode, yes. Once you
register you can start with any aircraft in any location but you must still use a
"cold panel". Load the FSHS "cold panel" and change the AC to
your choice and/or location of your choice. Then save the flight with the FS menu
options Flight, Save Flight under a different name
being sure to check "Make this the default Flight." Now this combo will
be your default when you start FS.
Remember, the aircraft, weather, time
and location can still be changed when you Create a Flight.
Why am I having trouble with
the In-Flight Menu selection?
The In-Flight Menu is probably timing
out before you're making your selection. You can give yourself more time by increasing the
Menu Delay Setting on the PLT 2 - Settings 1 MFD. Also, your menu
selection key should be easily accessible. In rare instances, the selection you have
made is no longer valid due to real-time changes in the environment.
Where's the flight
attendants?
The flight attendants are not
available in the demo since the Beech Baron is small cabin class. In the registered
version, any aircraft that is commercial (has airline and flight number assigned) and
is >6,000 Lbs. empty weight and is carrying passengers will have a flight
attendant.
Why do the voices suck?
Suck is a relative term. Actually,
text-to-speech (TTS) voices sound much better than they did year or two ago and
now easily support multiple simultaneous voices. There are some TTS voices available
that sound better (as good as Microsoft ATC) but each voice costs more than FSHotSeat
itself. We expect that will change in the future. Some day soon, pasting
together voice clips to describe ever expanding environments will be passe. TTS
voices will get better with time.
We chose to use a TTS engine since it
offers virtually unlimited dialog possibilities. It's a trade-off of some quality
for the ability verbalize the entire FS world and lots more--anything in fact. We've
added some background radio noise for more realism, even distorting the copilots voice a
bit when the engines are running.
Remember, you can tweak the voices to
get a more pleasing sound. You can also assign a random voice to a character if you
like. Just create a couple extra characters and assign *RANDOM* as the copilot's
voice. You'll never know who you'll be flying with. You can do this with any
character; just be sure you have a few extra characters not assigned to other duties.
TIPS
Keeping the engine running.
When the CP does the startup, the levers will be
advanced but your yoke or stick will still be retarded. As soon as you touch your levers your
settings take effect. So, in the case of the mixture, wait until the CP is done with them
and then quickly move them forward. Otherwise your engine may rudely die if you
bump them.
Same with the throttles on CP takeoff. Once the CP
has advanced the throttles to full, advance them on your yoke.
Track the CP's movements after they're
completed.
Want the copilot to be a bit
more formal in passenger announcements?
Assign the aircraft an airline and a
flight number. This will make it a more formal commercial flight. This also
works for the Demo.
Want to leave you machine for
a while and let the copilot fly without your flight plan being cancelled by ATC or
over-flying your destination?
Wait until ATC hands you off to another controller.
Acknowledge the command and then don't contact the next controller. Put the
copilot in the Cpfly mode and the Setstop
mode. The copilot will keep flying until you get near your descent point and then
pause FS. When you return, unpause FS and re-establish contact with a
controller. Make sure you're well rested since you'll probably a lot to do in a
short time. |
