Vacuum issue C172

[Lewis - A2A]

Hello,

did you restart after the installations?

You mention all the simconnect, there is only one FSX Sp2 version, installing all of them could be part of the issue too.

How are you loading the flight?

What has changed on your system between things working and then suddenly not, new hardware, or software, new mods to the sim?

thanks,
Lewis - A2A

[svaughn01]

I restarted everything except my computer after the install, I installed the Simconnect in the "LegacyInterfaces" folder and also the one in the "lib" within the "Simconnect SDK" folder. I load the flight in the free flight screen. The 172 is not already chosen, I have to choose it, then airport, time, then load. Nothing changed in my system that I can think of, I havent flown in quite a while, when I came back to fly this is when the problem occured. Everything worked fine before. Also note that this exact same problem occures in the 182 also.

[Lewis - A2A]

Hello,

for simconnect its the FSX SP2/XPack one that is needed only.

Can you let us know what the default flight is set too?

Can you let me know what other third party software you also have running on the sim?

When you run the updater does it up correctly?

thanks,
Lewis - A2A

[svaughn01]

I deleted all of my saved flights so the default is the one that is default for FSX with the trike at Friday Harbor. I also have REX Skyforce which ive just installed, PlanG, FSE, some Orbx, thats about it, but ive had all of these installed long before I had this problem except for REX Skyforce which I just installed not long ago but I had this problem before I installed it. The updater seems to update like its supposed too. Oh yeah, and FSUIPC paid version. Thats about it.

[Lewis - A2A]

Hello,

just to check, can you try it without the add-ons running so they are not loading into sim to rule them out of the equation.

Have you installed just the required simconnect and then restarted the system for the next load?

thanks,
Lewis - A2A

[svaughn01]

Yes I installed the correct simconnect, restarted sim, same result. I will try without the addons and let you know.

[svaughn01]

I disabled my Orbx scenery, started FSXSE with nothing else running, no REX, loaded sim, same result, vaccum failure, no Gyro.

[Hook]

One thing that might work is to load the sim, load the plane, get it running, shut it down, set it to cold and dark, then save the flight with the 172. Shut down the sim, give it time to unload everything (takes maybe 20 seconds after it shuts down), then load the sim and the saved flight with the 172 as you normally do and try to start it using the checklist.

If it doesn't start by doing that, get the plane running, shut it down and set cold and dark. This is to make sure any files outside the sim are set to the proper state. Set that saved flight as the default and load the sim again. This should start by going through the checklist.

If that one doesn't work, someone's probably gonna have to dig in the code. I'd be looking for exactly what variable causes a vacuum failure and how it is initialized.

I don't have problems setting the default flight to one of my A2A aircraft by editing the sim config file. This is how I load every aircraft. If you are loading the sim by going through the startup screens rather than into a flight, something may not be getting initialized properly that the 172 needs.

Gotta love interesting problems.

Hook

[Oracle427]

Is it possible that the FSX failure system is causing the problem here?

Can you check in the FSX failure menu or whatever it is called, sorry I'm not near a computer, and ensure that a failure has not been set?

[svaughn01]

One thing that might work is to load the sim, load the plane, get it running, shut it down, set it to cold and dark, then save the flight with the 172. Shut down the sim, give it time to unload everything (takes maybe 20 seconds after it shuts down), then load the sim and the saved flight with the 172 as you normally do and try to start it using the checklist.

If it doesn't start by doing that, get the plane running, shut it down and set cold and dark. This is to make sure any files outside the sim are set to the proper state. Set that saved flight as the default and load the sim again. This should start by going through the checklist.

If that one doesn't work, someone's probably gonna have to dig in the code. I'd be looking for exactly what variable causes a vacuum failure and how it is initialized.

I don't have problems setting the default flight to one of my A2A aircraft by editing the sim config file. This is how I load every aircraft. If you are loading the sim by going through the startup screens rather than into a flight, something may not be getting initialized properly that the 172 needs.

Gotta love interesting problems.

Hook

Good idea, tried it, no luck, same result, vaccum failure, no Gyro. I think im gonna have to do a clean reinstall of fsxse and the A2A planes. Thanks for the help.

[Nick - A2A]

Before you resort to anything too drastic svaughn01, it might be worth backing up and deleting the contents of the "Documents\A2A\FSX\Cessna172" folder. This is where the log.dat files which record the aircraft state are stored.

If this .dat file has become corrupted, maybe that could explain the issue. When you next launch the 172 in the sim, a fresh one will be generated.

Thanks,
Nick

[Hook]

OK, you tried it, it didn't work, and Hook stared at the code for a while.

Only two conditions will cause the Vac annunciator to light: vacuum pump problems with the plane or low suction pressure. If the vac pump was bad it would show in the maintenance hangar. So you are getting low suction pressure. We need to figure out why.

There is a vacuum system failure in the game failures menu. If you start the plane through the checklists and get the vacuum problem, go into the failures menu in the game and see if vacuum system has triggered. See if you can clear it. Even if it doesn't show just clear all failures. I don't know where this failure might be triggered, whether from A2A or something in the way you load the sim.

You can set up a key command to toggle an electric vacuum pump, but I doubt this will be useful. If there is a separate vacuum switch in the C172 code I was unable to find evidence of it. It is possible that A2A has included a vacuum system failure not related to the vacuum pumps and not showing in the maintenance hangar. If that is the case clearing system failures probably won't affect it.

I am assuming you are shutting down the aircraft using the checklists rather than a key command or button in a 2D menu. Autostart will turn on whatever switches are needed and it is possible that an autoshutdown would turn them off again. Using the A2A autostart button calls the normal autostart (control-E) system processing plus sets a few variables.

If none of this helps then post the exact sequence of steps needed to reproduce the problem, starting with sitting down at your computer. How do you launch the sim, what screen shows up at the beginning, what do you do... that sort of thing. If we can reproduce the problem we can figure out what is causing it.

Hook

[Oracle427]

Actually, I have a more specific question about the failure. What gyro instrument(s) in particular are not working?

[svaughn01]

I unisnstalled FSXSE, all of the A2A planes, reinstalled everything, it looks like it is fixed. I cant get any of the orbx scenery to work now but at least the plane works now. Thanks for the help.

[Hook]

I suspect if he's getting a vacuum failure (both Vac annunciator lights lit) then none of the vacuum powered gauges work.

Good catch on a possible instrument failure.

He's mentioned both "static failure" and "vacuum failure". If a vacuum failure can be caused by a static port being blocked, then the walkaround should catch that, and it might be mentioned in the maintenance hangar. Try alternate static source just in case to see if that fixes it (before unblocking the possibly blocked static port).

Hook