PANEL GUIDE:

TO GET THE MOST ENJOYMENTOUT OF THE FEATURES IN THIS PANEL SET, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING PILOT'S NOTES

A. DESCRIPTION
B. CONTROLLING INDIVIDUAL PANEL ELEMENTS
C. PURPOSE OF INDIVIDUAL PANELS
D. REMOVING THE PANELS AND MAXIMISING VIEW
E. GENERAL




A. DESCRIPTION:

This is a set of Panels based on the Cockpit display for the F8 Meteor at the Midlands Air Museum, photographed and converted for CFS2 by Mike Eustace


B. CONTROLLING INDIVIDUAL PANEL ELEMENTS

The Cockpit is split into several separate panel elements in order to increase the colour palette, and to make use of some interesting features in the Simulation. There are two main ways of accessing the panel elements:

1. ASSIGNED KEYS METHOD:

The Panel elements can be individually accessed, providing you have set up your keyboard assignments in the CFS2 SETTINGS/ CONTROLLER ASSIGNMENTS screen to control the appropriate commands.
I have completely configured my own keys, and my suggested settings are set out below, along with the default CFS2 and CFS1/FS assignments for comparison. YOU MAY ASSIGN WHATEVER KEYS YOU WISH.


				RECOMMENDED		CFS2 		CFS1/FS		 

DISPLAY/HIDE PANEL WINDOW 1	assign key 1		F7		SHIFT+1
DISPLAY/HIDE ECU   	      	assign key 2		F5		SHIFT+2
DISPLAY/HIDE PANEL WINDOW 3   	assign key 3		F9		none
DISPLAY/HIDE PANEL WINDOW 4   	assign key 4		none		SHIFT+4
DISPLAY/HIDE PANEL WINDOW 5   	assign key 5		none		none


Keys 1-4 (along the top of the keyboard, NOT KEYPAD) normally control engine power settings, but who flies without a proper throttle these days?

2. MENU BAR METHOD:

The Individual Panel Elements can also be accessed by using the Menu bar:
1. Hit the ALT Key to bring up the Menu bar.
2. Mouse click on "Views", and select "Instrument Panel"
3. Click on an individual item from the Panel list to either Select ON (Tick) or select OFF (No Tick).


C. PURPOSE OF INDIVIDUAL PANELS

The Panel windows for the Meteor, and their initial status are as follows:

1. Canopy - ON
2. Main - ON
3. Gunsight - ON
4. Low-OFF
5. HUD-OFF


Panels 1 to 3 are permanently ON, in order to create the main Cockpit view. 

Panel 4 is the lookdown instrument view which appears as a split-screen beneath the gunsight, allowing you to fly and read instruments at the same time. It is normally OFF, but can be switched on when needed with key 4,or your equivalent.

It also contains the AIRFIELD DIRECTION FINDER, which I have placed where the Meteor's Oxygen Regulator should be. The ADF is based on Chuck Dome's GPS 100, and programmed by me to show Korean airfields and Carrier tracks only for the purposes of our Korean war Project. Click the ON switch to activate. Then click on the back and forward arrows to cycle through the available airfields to obtain distance and direction.
With Carrier tracks, we have set a start and end co-ordinate. To find the Carrier, fly the needle to the nearest co-ordinate, then switch to the furthest co-ordinate. Now fly the needle towards this co-ordinate, and somewhere along the line you will find the Carrier.

Panel 5 is a HUD overlay, which will make it easier for Pilots to assimilate important flight information during combat without having to switch between the main and low instrument panels.  Reading clockwise from left, it contains displays for airspeed, airbrake, heading, altitude and radar altitude. The display is normally OFF, but can be switched ON with key 5 or your equivalent. If you feel it is too modern for you, then don't use it.

D. REMOVING THE PANELS AND MAXIMISING VIEW

If you wish to remove the Cockpit Panels during Combat in order to maximise your view, it is recommended that you use the key combination Shift + [ (Instrument Panels On/Off).

Alternatively, you may wish to use the Panel cycle key "W" which removes the panels in favour of the M$ HUD


E.GENERAL

WARNING:

The Panel Set has been tested for use at 1024 x 768 resolution in CFS2 only. Because some gauges are native CFS2, it will not work in CFS1. 


Mike Eustace
IndioBlack@aol.com