DASSAULT MERCURE 100 Upgrade

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

This forum may be quiet at the moment as the northern hemisphere approaches its summer season, but, that tranquility belies the amount of development work actually going on within HJG at this time.

Among a number of forthcoming panel edits in progress at the moment is this new and fully functional Weather Radar unit for Mario NORIEGA's DASSAULT MERCURE simulations .... a nice piece of programming by our very own George CARTY .... "thanks George"

Here a quick look at it ....




This new WX Radar is located at the top of the CP sub panel ....



In keeping with the technological standard of these aircraft during the very early 1970's a monochrome display is presented .... and features a number of selectable modes ranging from "STANDBY" ....



.... to "TEST" ....



.... and then "NORM" (normal) mode ....





Each of the Mode selection options are enabled per tabs located at left of the circular WX Radar screen.

Using the large "TILT" knob .... located at the right of the Model Selector quadrant of the WX Radar .... the scanner may be manipulated up/down slightly in order to reflect weather detections within the vicinity of ones intended virtual flight path.

The WX Radar may be cycled through ranges of 30, 100, and 300 miles .... and "will" paint a reasonably accurate representation of FS generated weather cells.



In order for this WX radar to function it "is" essential to have Pete DOWSON's FSUIPC installed (as is the case with the WX Radar units within each of HJG 's own panels among those we've also imported and modified for use with our own simulations) .... in either non-registered (with "NORMAL DEFAULTS" only option selected) or fully registered versions .... both options work.

George may like to add a few more details not covered by me .... if he wishes.

And if he wishes to also .... Mario might like to discuss other edits he's currently applying to what will soon become "V2.0" of his MERCURE simulations for FS2004 and FSX .... hosted by HJG.

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[George Carty - HJG]

I'm not aware of any TILT knob – the controls I implemented were:

• Mode select: – OFF, STANDBY, NORM, TEST
• Gain control: AUTO (default), plus 4 manual gain settings
• Anterior Tilt: 14 degrees up to 14 degrees down
• Range Selector: 30, 100 or 300 nautical miles
• Intensity Control: the round knob which moves on an curved track under the radar screen

George

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Anterior Tilt:

That's the feature I was meaning

I guess I've become so accustomed now to the "TILT" function within the new DC-10 and L-1011 WX Radars .... hence my calling it a "TITLT KNOB"

Mark C
AKL/NZ

[George Carty - HJG]

In all cases though it tilts the antenna up and down though, not left or right. (Some real-world WX radars can tilt their antennae left or right, but not the one I programmed...)

George

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

Before the year's out .... and thanks to the efforts of Mario NORIEGA (assisted by our own development team also) .... we expect to release quite a major update for the MERCURE 100.

Along with the above previewd WX Radar .... created by our very own George CARTY and which is new to the panel of this simulation .... the MERCURE will benefit from each the following new features and edits ....


NEW FEATURES:

1. Weather Radar (by George Carty, HJG).

2. New Autoland system. Much more precise during crosswinds.

3. Flight Director: no longer requiring AP ON to operate.

4. HUD pointer is now a flight director. Works both on AP or FD.

5. External navigation support: turn ON the little switch to the left of the LH ENG FIRE HANDLE and use AP PSH Mode. Turn the switch back OFF to give back control to PSH heading bug.

6. CTRL+E now triggers "ON" mode when on ground.

7. The dynamic checklist now displays the recommended pitch trim setting for take-off.

8. Fuel temperature rate of change readjusted


BUG FIXES:

1. DECRAB Autoland: several bugs fixed. Now accounts correctly for magnetic variation and responds correctly at all runway angles.

2. Autopilot in FS-X Steam now behaving correctly.

3. Oil gauges do not indicate zero if failures are turned off.

4. In FS-X, FLARE light no longer flashes YELLOW/GREEN during flaring manoeuvre.

5. NAV/VOR mode oscillates less.

6. IAS mode oscillates less.

7. In FS-X, the default fuel pump sound has been silenced.

8. Ground contact detection improved.

9. It is now possible to install the aircraft in a custom SimObjects folder (no more absolute paths to config files).


This update will rerquire complete replacement of the current MERCURE simulation .... in the case of both FS29004 and FSX (separate files for each remember).

In the case of "FS2004 ONLY" though .... each of the original textures will also need to be replaced as the model (for this FS version) has been further updated too ....



FSX )only) users "WILL NOT" need to replace their original textures.

Thanks Mario ..... for this great simulation .... and for your constant efforts to yet further improve it.

Mark C
AKL/NZ