Installing FS2004 aircraft on FSX

It's built for FS9 not FSX, don't expect it to work.
We'll have to wait for a new generation of downloads or fixes for the old ones.
Gauges are the biggest problem.

I think this is one area where MS screwed up (intentionally or not). They made it possible to display aircraft testures (with a performance hit) and panels from, but not the gauges. In order to fly with some kind of instrumentation, copy the entire panel folder of most similar FSX aircraft and place it int the FS9 a/c's folder (replacing the FS9 panel folder).

It isn't perfect, but if working instruments are all that prevent you from flying an old favorite, it is the only way to go.

The same approach can be used with the sound folder.

I think they are cab files, I think it is just set up completely different than previous releases. i think it is possible, but I will be the first to admit that I dont know what I am doing here. The plane obviously works, if the gauges can be replaced with ones from FSX it should work fine.

That is a big undertaking. You can alias the gauges to an FSX equivalent and then adjust each one for size.

There is an addon for FS9 that makes the job easy, but it won't work with the FSX .cab files. 😞

I was able to copy and paste gauges from FSX into the aircraft folder and to change their reference in the congif file, but since FSX uses the CAB files that just wont work. I also tried copying and renaming the C172 cab file to the DA20 filename, that didnt work either. If I knew what I was doing here I really think this can be done, the gauge files are there, I just dont know how to build a new CAB file with all the right bits and pieces.

Unfortunately the only book on the market about FSX, treats it like a game, and provides no useful information about its internals or configuration.

CrashGordon wrote:

Unfortunately the only book on the market about FSX, treats it like a game, and provides no useful information about its internals or configuration.

It seems to me that a lot of work that has already been done for addons for previous versions can continue to be useful if someone were to figure this out. I agree this had been put out as a "game". I am sitting at home wishing I could be practicing instrument procedures in an aircraft that I am current in on this crappy weather day. But it beats paying $119 an hour, plus instructor to get current in the C172S

I copy and pasted the sound folder from the C172, it works. There has to be a way to copy the other gauges.

Now I have the C172S dash working in the DA20 with sound, just had to sort out which folders went where.

When I have a minute, I will explore one of the .cab files and see how the new gauges differ. Maybe there is a way of fooling FSX.

bdhill1979 wrote:

...but when you select it the error:

This gauge was created for Flight Sim 98' or earlier; it is no longer supported: then lists the gauge file name

It repeats this for all of the 40 or so gauge files then you can hit fly, and everything on the plane works except the gauges and the sound; the plane flies fine and from external views it looks perfect.
What can I do to get this to work right?

Why complicate matters and waste time on tweaks that won't work?

Has it been established yet that this is indeed not a code issue as has been claimed by those who have been and are involved in gauges development?

Even before FSX hit the shelves we were informed that new code was being used which would render older gauges based on the FS98 standard useless.

Seems we'll have to decide whether we'll try to make pigs fly or learn to live with it. 🙂)

I think if I knew more abou what I was doing It would be pretty easy, I have the C172 dash working with gauges and sound. It seems to me that if I paste in the DA20 dash and make some changes in the CFG file it will work fine.

bdhill1979 wrote:

I think if I knew more abou what I was doing It would be pretty easy, I have the C172 dash working with gauges and sound. It seems to me that if I paste in the DA20 dash and make some changes in the CFG file it will work fine.

Except that the size and position of all the gauges would have to be edited.

RadarMan wrote:

It's built for FS9 not FSX, don't expect it to work.
We'll have to wait for a new generation of downloads or fixes for the old ones.
Gauges are the biggest problem.

LoL im tired of waiting.....just waiting for FS9 d/loads was hard enough!

CrashGordon wrote:

Except that the size and position of all the gauges would have to be edited.

Exactly, i can see where to edit it in the CFG file, the size and position are programmed there. Flying with the C172 dash is OK with me for now, I would rather fly it than spend days dicking with it.