Unable to Access Additional Liveries and Operate Canopy on F-35A Lightning II in X-Plane 11 (Steam Version)

Hi Hans,

Welcome to the forum! It's fantastic to have fellow enthusiasts from Denmark join in.

I understand you're having issues with the F-35A Lightning II in X-Plane 11 on Steam. Specifically, you're unable to select different liveries, including the Royal Danish Air Force livery. Additionally, the canopy doesn't open, even when using the cockpit switch or assigned joystick buttons.

Let's tackle these issues step by step.

1. Unable to Select Different Liveries

This issue often arises due to the file structure or placement of livery folders. Here's how you can fix it:

• Verify the Installation Path:
  Make sure the aircraft is installed in the correct directory. For the Steam version, the typical path is:
  C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\X-Plane 11\Aircraft\Extra Aircraft\F-35A Lightning II

• Check the Liveries Folder:
  Within the F-35A Lightning II aircraft folder, there should be a subfolder named "liveries":

  ...\F-35A Lightning II\liveries

• Confirm Livery Files Are Present:
  Inside the "liveries" folder, there should be separate folders for each livery, including the "Royal Danish Air Force" livery:

  ...\liveries\Royal Danish Air Force

• Ensure Proper File Structure:
  Each livery folder should contain an "objects" folder, which holds the texture files:

  ...\Royal Danish Air Force\objects

• Refresh X-Plane's Aircraft Menu:
  Sometimes, X-Plane needs to refresh its aircraft list. After verifying the files, restart X-Plane.

• Select the Livery in X-Plane:
  When selecting the F-35A Lightning II in X-Plane, click on the "Customize" button before starting the flight. You should see a list of available liveries. Choose the "Royal Danish Air Force" livery from the list.

• Run X-Plane as Administrator:
  Running X-Plane with administrative privileges can resolve permission issues that prevent liveries from loading.

• Check for Duplicate Aircraft Folders:
  Ensure that you don't have multiple instances of the F-35A installed in different folders. This can confuse X-Plane.

• Reinstall the Aircraft:
  If the problem persists, consider re-downloading and reinstalling the aircraft. Corrupted files during download or extraction can cause such issues.

• Avoid Special Characters in File Paths:
  Sometimes, non-English characters in file paths can cause issues. Ensure that the folder names use standard English characters.

2. Canopy Will Not Open

The canopy operation might be affected by plugin issues or improper command assignments. Let's troubleshoot this:

• Check for Required Plugins:
  Some aircraft rely on plugins like SASL for advanced features. Make sure all included plugins are correctly installed. The plugins should be located in:

  ...\F-35A Lightning II\plugins

• Verify Plugin Activation:
  X-Plane may block plugins from unknown sources. Upon loading the aircraft, X-Plane might prompt you to allow the plugin. Ensure you allow it.

• Check for Security Warnings:
  Windows Defender or antivirus software may block or quarantine plugin files. Add exceptions for your X-Plane folder.

• Update Visual C++ Redistributables:
  Some plugins require the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Packages. Ensure these are up to date.

• Assign the Correct Commands:
  In X-Plane, go to Settings > Keyboard or Joystick. Search for "canopy" commands. Assign a key or button to "Canopy toggle" or "Canopy open/close".

• Use the On-Screen Manipulator:
  In the cockpit, hover your mouse over the canopy handle or switch. If the cursor changes to a hand or arrow, click or scroll to operate it.

• Check Aircraft Documentation:
  Some aircraft have custom procedures for operating features. Consult the manual included with the aircraft for specific instructions.

• Test Without Other Plugins:
  Conflicts with other plugins can cause issues. Temporarily remove other plugins from:

  ...\X-Plane 11\Resources\plugins

  Restart X-Plane and see if the canopy works.

• Review the Log File:
  After attempting to open the canopy, exit X-Plane. Open the "Log.txt" file in your X-Plane root folder. Search for any errors related to the F-35A or plugins.

• Check for Updates:
  Visit the store page where you purchased the aircraft. Check if there are any updates or patches available.

• Contact the Developer:
  If none of the above steps resolve the issue, consider reaching out to the aircraft developer for support.

Additional Tips

• Compatibility with X-Plane 11.50:
  Ensure that the aircraft is compatible with your version of X-Plane. Some aircraft designed for earlier versions may have issues in 11.50.

• Reinstall Visual C++ Libraries:
  Download and install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable Packages from Microsoft's official website.

• Steam Integrity Check:
  Verify the integrity of your X-Plane installation through Steam. Right-click X-Plane 11 in your Steam library, select "Properties", go to the "Local Files" tab, and click "Verify Integrity of Game Files".

• Run X-Plane in Vulkan or OpenGL Mode:
  Try switching between Vulkan and OpenGL rendering options in X-Plane's graphics settings. Some aircraft function differently between these modes.

• Ensure Proper Extraction of Files:
  Use reliable software like 7-Zip to extract the downloaded aircraft files to prevent corruption.

Conclusion

I hope these steps help you get the F-35A Lightning II fully operational with all its liveries and canopy function. Flying with your national livery is a great way to enhance your simulation experience.

If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to ask. We're here to help!

Happy flying!