Flight1 Complex Aircraft PreFlight (Getting Started)

The following page is to help new pilots make sure their Flight1 Aircraft experience starts off on the right pedal as you get in and start flying this beautiful aircraft. Below is a brief preflight checklist to go through before starting your first flight with your aircraft.

Getting Your Hangar (FSX) In Order


- Turn off User Account Control (Vista / Windows 7)

Vista Users: Go to User Accounts. You can do this from the Start button in your taskbar. Click Start/Settings/Control Panel/User Accounts and Family Safety/User Accounts.

Select Turn User Account Control on or Off. Uncheck the box to turn User Account Control off and select OK. You will have to restart your computer.

Window 7 Users: Open User Account Control Settings, type UAC in the Start Search box, and then click Change User Account Control settings in the Control Panel window.

Move the slider to a desired notification setting (Never Notify is Off), and then click OK.

- Disable Overpowering Firewalls (Vista / Windows 7)

The default Vista or 7 firewall is entirely sufficient. We do not recommend any 3rd party firewall software of any kind. The hardware firewall in your router and cable box is fine also! This can be used alongside your Vista or 7 firewall with no problems. 3rd party firewall software is notoriously known to "break" Windows. "Break" means that it has an affect on Windows in instances where you expect its behavior to be different. A prime example is the 3rd party firewall causing program interference, even if the firewall is disabled. This is quite common based on our past experience.

- Disable Windows Defender / Spyware / Virus Scanners (Vista / Windows 7)

If you have trouble installing software, it is always recommended that you disable any security software on your system (as long as you trust the source of the software you are installing). This includes virus scanners, spyware scanners, and Windows Defender. Sometimes an over zealous virus scanner will remove files during a security scan. Make sure you set your virus scanner to not scan and remove files from your FSX and other product folders to minimize the effect of a virus scanner "breaking" your addon within FSX.

- Properly Set Data Execution Protection (Vista / Windows 7)

Data Execution Protection can be set to a setting that prevents your software from running. If it is set to a setting that is too high, you may notice programs that do not start up (they show nothing when you execute the application), and in some cases, you may notice the program simply closing with no message or warning. It just seems to close (or dissapear from the screen), when a certain action takes place. If DEP is causing you trouble, you should make sure it is set to "...essential Windows programs and services only." To do this, right click the "Computer" icon on your desktop and select Properties. Then select Advanced, and then select the Performance Options button. You will see a Data Execution Protection tab there. Make sure it is set to "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only." After you change this, reboot your system. Do not set DEP to the "...all programs and services" option unless you want to experience program shutdowns or programs that do not run.

- Install FSX and Addons as Administrator (Vista / Windows 7)

For safe practice, we recommend that users install FSX and any addon as an administrator. Users will face many errors with FSX and our addons if this practice is not done with each new product install, including the B200. To install as an administrator, you just need to right click on your 'Setup.exe' or program exe and select install as administrator. Doing so should minimize error messages while running FSX and its addons.

- Install FSX in its own folder (Vista / Windows 7)

Installing FSX under the default Program Files is not recommended. By using the default, Vista and Windows 7 love to control what runs under the Program Files folder. To minimize issues and errors, we recommend installing FSX as an administrator under its own folder (i.e. C:\FSX)

- Install Acceleration Addon or SP1/SP2 Service Packs

Most all of our aircraft addons require that the user has either the Acceleration addon installed or the SP1 and SP2 service packs. If you don't own the Acceleration addon, follow the following steps to install SP1 and SP2 service packs:

    1. Install SP1, boot FSX once to the default airport, and then reboot
    2. Install SP2, boot FSX once to the default airport, and then reboot

Remember to install each Service Pack as an administrator to keep system issues to a minimum.

- Make Sure Direct X and C++ Libraries are up to date

Just after installing FSX with the patches, install the POST SP1 C++ Library 2005 Update

Click here: http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/KB961894/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=2067

A few lines down the list. You want to download and install: ENU (vcredist_x86.exe) runtime binary, 2682K, uploaded Jan 13 2009 NOTE: Or the one which is right for your OS language ENU= ENGLISH

Alternate Link

This is a direct download link to the correct 32bit ENGLISH version: http://gex.flight1.net/forumimages/KB961894_VC++_Post_2005_SP1.zip

The C++ Library update is needed for aircraft support and is installed with FSX/Acceleration. The link above is to the update which did not ship with Acceleration.

You want the 32bit version (x86) not the 64 bit version even if you use a 64bit OS. FSX is a 32bit application and requires the 32bit version of the C++ Library update.


IMPORTANT NOTE: After you have applied the Post SP1 2005 C++ Library patch Windows Update will locate the version and update it automatically and correctly. The original update that shipped with FSX/Acceleration has a error in it that the patch above corrects and from there Windows Update under the 'OPTIONAL' updates will offer a update version (VC++ 2010) which is required for many different planes. The more advanced Flight1 aircraft with G1000 use the VC++2010 Library update. When you run Windows Update (as outlined LATER in this outline) be sure to review the OPTIONAL updates and install the ones that are not Microsoft Bloatware such as BING Desktop or toolbars. Many of those optional Windows Updates are very important.


Putting your Flight1 Aircraft in The Hangar


- Install Your New Aircraft in FSX

Now that you have your hangar in order, you are ready accept delivery of your Flight1 Aircraft to your hangar. As you did with the previous updates and patches, you must install the Flight1 aircraft as an administrator. To do so, right-click on the .exe that you downloaded (the program with the red plane icon) and select 'Install as An Adminstrator'

- Reboot Your Machine

It is always important when installing new addons or making any significant changes to FSX that you always reboot your system before running the product.

- Read the Manual (RTFM)

Under the Start Menu, in the Flight One Software Program Group, under the installed aircraft folder (i.e. King Air B200), you will find the aircraft operating manual or guide. This pilot's guide is an essential read to get the most out of your recent aircraft purchase.

- Use and Set Your Default Flight for Complex Aircraft

When you start up FSX to start flying the B200 it is best to load up a flight that was setup up by our development team to make sure all systems will start up correctly when selecting and flying the B200. You can get this startup flight by go to the following forum thread, Important Startup Flight for Complex Aircraft. After you have installed this flight, go to your FSX menu and select Flights, then Load. There you will find a screen that looks like this below.

Select the FSX Startup for Complex Aircraft under My Saved Flights and be sure to check the box labeled 'Make this the default flight' at the bottom. This will automatically load this flight everytime you startup FSX so you can be sure you are setting up the right FSX settings for your Flight1 Complex Aircraft. You can change the location and weather if you choose, but do not change anything else. Once the flight has been loaded, you can then go in and select your aircraft via the aircraft menu to load.

- Start Flying Your Flight1 Complex Aircraft

Now that you have gone through all these steps, you should be able to start using your Flight1 Complex Aircraft without issues. Always refer to the Pilot's Manual for more in-depth discussion on how to operate all of the features and options available with this beautiful airplane.

Looking For Help On Issues (Troubleshooting)


- Register your product to use the licensed forum

To register for the forum, please go to http://www.simforums.com/forumreg.htm

- Forum Search is your best copilot

More then likely your issue has already been addressed by one of our excellent staff or Flight1 certified professionals in the forum. Use the search function to see if it has been addressed to save you time on getting airborne.

- Can't find your issue, then Post It

If you can't find your particular issue after doing a search in the forum area, the post your issue on the forum. Be sure to include as much information as possible such as your operating system, video card, system specs, etc. The more information our support people have about your system, the better we can provide a solution for your issues.

- Help with Software Keys, Activation, Accounts, or Email Changes

If you need help with these items, contact our Flight1 Support using the following link: http://www.flight1.com/ticket.asp

Help with Boosting FSX Performance

Our resident FSX mechanic and guru, Nick Needham, has created a great document on how to setting up FSX performance and how to tune it. If you are wanting to optimize FSX to the fullest, we highly recommend that you look at what Nick has recommended for settings and setup. You can find his guide here: http://www.simforums.com/forums/the-fsx-computer-system-the-bible-by-nickn_topic46211.html

 

~ Happy Flying ~