Updated model files for British Airways

[Hardy Heinlin]

Good morning,

Stephen Bell has kindly updated all BA models for PSX (for version 10.0.8 or higher).

Download the current BA fleet (2017).

Installation: Unzip the zipped folder and copy the included model files to Aerowinx/Models.

The folder also contains a text file.

Thank you, Steve!


Cheers,

|-|ardy


Edit: Link updated, 3 May 2017.

[Hardy Heinlin]

(Does BA really have no Peaks Mode for the EGPWS terrain display?)

[G-CIVA]

(Does BA really have no Peaks Mode for the EGPWS terrain display?)

They don't - according to the reference data I have - cross checked with reference data from those that do.

You have e-mail.

Steve

[Britjet]

If I understand it correctly, that is the two little numbers on lower left of the ND showing highest terrain elevation ?
If so, yes they do.

Peter

[G-CIVA]

Peter,

Thanks for the input,  Hardy has a new set with Peaks Mode enabled, I expect he will replace as soon as he can.

Steve

[Joe Corrigan]

Do they have CRTs or LCDs?  I can never remember. 

[Hardy Heinlin]

If I understand it correctly, that is the two little numbers on lower left of the ND showing highest terrain elevation ?
If so, yes they do.

Peter

"Peaks mode" also provides a special map display (with an additional, solid green color level) that shows terrain even when no alert is present. There are further details in the Aerowinx manual on page 544.

Optionally, the "peaks mode" can also display the sea level (in cyan).

I see on your sample page, Peter, that BA has the "peaks mode" indeed -- including sea level. Sorry, Steve ...

Is the EGPWS option programming the same on all BA aircraft? If so, I can make the changes also, if you like.


Cheers,

|-|ardy

[cavaricooper]

Thank-you Steve Bell.  Much appreciated.

C

[Britjet]

BA peaks mode doesn't show sea level in cyan.
I'm not sure what you mean by the EGPWS programming option - If you mean the red/amber/green colour changes on the ND? Yes it does.
I don't think it shows green throughout on the ND for a sea-level situation. It is just black, as far as I recall, but not sure..Will check..

Peter

[Markus Vitzethum]

> I don't think it shows green throughout on the ND for a sea-level situation.
> It is just black, as far as I recall, but not sure..Will check..

Is there any case (PSX or real life) where that happens?

It is my understanding that for a sea-level situation, the EGPWS with peaks mode enabled will show an all-black screen. (*) The original patent filed by Honeywell describes a parameter within the EGPWS algorithm which recognizes flat terrain - or sea level - and does not show (solid green) peaks in that case.

Markus





(*) Not true for certain installations with LCDs e.g. on A380s which will show cyan sea level.

[cavaricooper]

Markus-

Are you certain you are referencing EGPWS, I was just about to ask a question re. the constant RADAR return that is solid green....?  There does not seem to be a filter that eliminates the ground clutter, or perhaps AUTO does not tilt up enough on the ground....?

Best- C

PS- this is re. 10.0.8 NOT these files which are absolutely superb!

[Hardy Heinlin]

I saw "cyan sea level" mentioned on several pages of the BA FCOM:

Page 15.10.15 - Oct 2013 - Revision 56 - Quote: "Water is displayed in cyan".

Page 15.10.17 - Oct 2013 - Revision 56 - At the bottom of figure 3

As far as I recall, sea level is displayed only when a coastline is on the map. When there is no object on the map, it makes no sense to replace the all-black area by all-cyan or all-green. It would be against the "clean cockpit" philosophy: Blank everything that is irrelevant.

So if you see no cyan over the ocean, it doesn't necessarily mean the cyan option is disabled.

Does the real BA fleet disagree with the BA FCOM?

Peter, by "EGPWS option programming" I mean all EGPWS related checkboxes on Instructor > Model > Programming in the center column under the title "EGPWS". On the real EGPWS box these options are set by pin programming.


Cheers,

|-|ardy


Carl: Markus is talking about EGPWS, not radar.

[Britjet]

Hi Hardy

Re cyan - so it does! I've never noticed it before! Sorry about that..I  must fly near the seaside more often...:-)
What Markus says about the black screen sounds correct..

Peter

[Hardy Heinlin]

If the BA FCOM is correct :-) (re cyan)

Re black: Yes, correct, in older EGPWS versions the black level started 400 ft above the target runway elevation. Now in the later versions it's at ca. 90 ft, i.e. more terrain is shown near the airport. I have changed this parameter in PSX as well, in one of the updates last year.


|-|ardy

[torrence]

The above thread leaves me somewhat confused re 'cyan sea level in TERR mode' for BA - do the BA models/real world have this enabled in the Model files or does it need to be enabled at the user discretion?
Cheers,
Torrence

[Lashrathius]

Just to clear confusion -
To my current knowledge - if you see the 2 elevation numbers displayed under the "TERR" text on the ND, it must be peaks mode.

Taken directly from the Mk_VI_VII EGPWS manual:

"Peaks" function is a TAD supplemental feature providing
additional terrain display features for enhanced situational
awareness, independent of the altitude of the aircraft. This
includes digital elevations for the highest and lowest displayed
terrain, additional elevation (color) bands, and a
unique representation of sea level (0 feet MSL). This feature
is an option, enabled by system configuration selection during
installation for compatible display systems.

If you see those, the aircraft must have Peaks Mode. They are correlated with the enhanced terrain map Hardy mentioned with the added solid green colour and optional cyan.

As for cyan - this is a customer option. They are configured on the box pins at installation so it's not something an airline could change easily like how the Instructor Station has it. To my current understanding, Boeing does not activate the cyan display by default - they must be special ordered or modified by the Maintenance crew. Airbus, on the other hand, makes cyan a default option. So does Bombardier. But not Boeing.
(Torrence, I hope this ^ answers your question)

[Markus Vitzethum]

Hi Hardy,

> As far as I recall, sea level is displayed only when a coastline is on the map. When there is
> no object on the map, it makes no sense to replace the all-black area by all-cyan or all-green.
> It would be against the "clean cockpit" philosophy: Blank everything that is irrelevant.

I agree on the philosophy, but as far as I "know" (better read: am aware of), sea level display in cyan does not depend on coast lines. But I am talking about Airbuses here (A320, etc...) which seem to be outfitted by Thales (as one of multiple TAWS/EGPWS suppliers) (Boeings are supplied by Honeywell.)

See here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26436024@N06/15830575652/in/photostream/lightbox/
This A320 images clearly (to me) has no coastlines, yet shows 100% cyan over the sea.

More from the same pilot here:
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/26436024@N06/tags/nd/

More comments:
I still haven't seen any picture at all which has cyan enabled in the Boeing world. In any case, cyan is available on LCD screens only.
Does BA have any 744s with LCDs?

Markus
[/quote]

[Lashrathius]

More comments:
I still haven't seen any picture at all which has cyan enabled in the Boeing world. In any case, cyan is available on LCD screens only.
Markus

Markus, I think you are actually right about the cyans only on LCDs. I did not notice that until today, when I dug an old video of a CRT airbus doing an EGPWS test. There were no cyan. But on the newer LCD models, it displayed in the top right corner.

Thanks for bringing my attention to this little (but important) detail!

As for Boeings with cyan, I think 99.9% of operators don't have cyan turned on - it has to be configured on the box pins during EGPWS installation and from all the videos / cockpit visits / Instagram pictures I've seen of the ND, I haven't seen a single Boeing with cyan. Perhaps a private BBJ would have it?

Cheers,
Henry

[Hardy Heinlin]

I believe you guys. I'm just wondering: Why is the cyan sea level generally disabled on CRTs? CRTs can display multiple cyan levels, e.g. in PFD mode you have a medium cyan for the attitude sky, and another brighter cyan for the outer marker "OM" letters on top of the sky layer.

If this is all true, and the same as on the Airbus, shouldn't BA correct their 744 FCOMs?

...

I just learned that the BA model files should also include:

+ "Bank Angle" callout
+ "C" chord
+ MCP Mach display with 2 digits


Cheers,

|-|ardy

[Lashrathius]

Hi Hardy,

I guess I'm wrong - it's not a CRT-only factor, it's a customer factor.

While I was digging around, I suddenly came across this video of an a320 with CRTs displaying cyan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaIKy58HM2Y&feature=youtu.be

So I'm wrong about it being a CRT limitation. I guess it's really up to the customer. Maybe ask a BA pilot whether or not he/shes sees blue on the ND when flying into airports surrounded by ocean with the EGPWS on?