When you first start up the airplane, the panel will have the engine instruments zoomed. This was done this way so that when you decide to open up the GPS, it will not be covered up by the zoomed instruments.
This first picture shows you the click area where you can toggle back to the default panel view. Simply click anywhere in the highlighted area and the zoomed instruments will dissapear.
Due to a bug in my gauge (haven't been able to fix it yet), the Magneto switches start in the "down" or "off" position. Simply click these two switches and set them to the "up" or "on" position if you wish to later do a complete shutdown and/or startup. Them starting in the off position doesn't seem to affect the operation of the aircraft, and if you're simply going to fly without shutting down the aircraft later, then you don't need to do this step.
The panel is not complex, but very complete. Before explaining some aspects of it, I have created a picture with every element of the panel labeled. This should be enough for those who don't like to read the manual to learn how to operate it fully, if you've seen or used some of the gauges before. If not, please read the rest of this document, as I will completely ignore any e-mails asking questions which are answered in this manual. I spent good time writing it so I wouldn't have to answer questions!
There are two hidden hot-spots for toggling the zoomed engine gauges and the FS2002 GPS. If you click anywhere on the Engine Instruments Zoom Click Area surrounding the engine gauges, these will zoom to a bigger size (like the startup view). Simply click on the zoomed engine gauges to return back to the main panel view.
The area above the autopilot is where you click to hide and show the FS2002 GPS. It will pop up over the entire central section of the panel, giving you a very big view of it. It is fully resizable and moveable, so you can resize it to any size you wish, and move it anywhere you want. The click area will still toggle the GPS no matter where you move it.
All the switches work! You can do a full start up with the magnetos, fuel pumps, boosters etc. There is also an autostart switch inbetween the two starters. All the switches have pop up ID's, if you get confused.
Start up procedure goes like this. From a fully shutdown plane:
To shutdown the plane, reverse the process! (NOTE: If you will be shutting/starting the plane, make sure you toggle the Magneto switches first when the panel first shows, as described at the beginning of this manual.)
The Light Switches function just like any other light switches in FS2002. However, there is one detail which is a bit different. The Panel Lights switch turns on both the panel nightlighting (not visible during the day) AND the exterior NAV lights. All lights on the DC-3 are FS2002 lights. Landing lights are not visible on the ground from either the panel or spot views. This is a limitation of the model itself, and cannot be overcome. The lights are visible on the plane itself however.
The fuel status gauge has it's very own documentation. This documentation explains all of it's functions and is by the original author himself.
The radio stack included in this panel is meant to resemble some "old style" radios. They have no standby frequencies, so what you tune is what you get. There is NAV1, NAV2, COM1, TRANSPONDER, ADF and DME. Note that there is no COM2. You can only have the COM1 frequency tuned at any given time.
The NAV1, NAV2 and ADF radios have their own IDENT toggle switches which override the Audio Control Panel switches. I think this may be a glitch in the original gauge programming, but you need to be aware that if you want to hear the morse code IDENT signals for these radios you must turn them on in both the Audio Control Panel, and the individual units themselves. (Gives you more stuff to click - Yay!)
The hundreds digit on the DME unit does not display. So if you are 120 miles from a DME station, you will only see "20" on the unit. When you get below "100" miles to the station, it will begin reading "99-98-97" etc. This is an annoying limitation of the gauge, but you'll quickly get used to it.
The digits on the radios are tuned with the knobs on the units themselves. Your cursor will switch to a "hand" icon when you are in a clickable area. The units also have and "ON-OFF" switch. Make sure the units are turned "ON" before trying to use them!
The Audio Control Panel has some switches on it that will do nothing in this panel. The COM2 switch is completely non-functional, as there is no COM2 radio. Since some of the radio units themselves have IDENT switches which override the Audio Control Panel, the only switches which are essential on the Audio Control Panel are the MRK, DME1 and DME2 switches. I felt it was better to include an Audio Panel so you could turn on the IDENT for these than to not include an Audio Control Panel at all. Just be aware of this "different than normal" operation/interaction between the Audio Control Panel and the Radio Stack.
The autopilot has a different way of functioning than a normal FS2002 autopilot. When you select altitude hold on the autopilot, your CURRENT altitude will be set as the altitude to hold, no matter what you had previously set the altitude to be in the unit. Once the altitude hold is engaged, you can then adjust the altitude setting by clicking on the numbers to go up or down.
The heading hold works in exactly the same way. When you engage the heading hold of the autopilot, your CURRENT heading will be set as the heading to hold. Once heading hold is engaged, you adjust the heading bug by clicking on the knob which is under the "Turn" lettering on the unit. The selected Heading can be seen in the Magnetic Compass/Heading Bug Indicator Gauge in the main instrument quadrant. Please note that the gauge bezel does not rotate. The solid arrow indicates your current heading, and the double arrow is your heading bug adjust marker. As you adjust the Heading Bug knob on the autopilot, you will see the double arrow move.
The rest of the autopilot switches work in the same way as a traditional FS2002 autopilot. That includes NAV hold, APR approach mode/ILS intercept, and BC backcourse intercept. The Autopilot annunciator light to the left of the Autopilot will turn green when the autopilot is active. This is a good visual indicator, and I added it because it is sometimes difficult to tell by just looking at the switch on the autopilot itself.
Due to the fact that some of the gauges are not FS2002 native, certain things will be noticed by the "purists". The avionics switch is not linked to the Radio Stack, you have to turn off the Battery Master for the radios to go offline. *sigh*.
The remainder of the gauges on the panel need no real individual explanations. The screenshot at the beginning of this document clearly identifies all of the gauges in case you have any questions as to what they do or what they are. Just for good measure, let's see that screenshot again! :-)
This panel is not really meant to be an "exact" replica of a DC-3 panel. It is intended to capture the spirit of flying in an old bird, yet still have many of the conveniences that FS2002 allows. So while the main quadrant of instruments and the radios/autopilot are very "old style", the fuel status gauge, autostart gauge and the FS2002 GPS are not. This is a funtional decision I made because I like having these gauges around. They make flying in FS2002 much more pleasant.
While this panel doesn't have the "photo-real" quality or faithful reproduction of instruments like the R4D panel does, for example. It is still very easy on the eyes, very functional, and easy to learn. I think it strikes a good balance between "feel" and "functionality". I hope you agree and happy flying!