FS2004 ILYUSHIN IL-18 FOR AI TRFFIC - NEW FDEs
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These files will update the flight dynamics if the Ilyushin IL-18 for AI traffic available from the California Classic web site. The original can be found on the AI Aircraft page in AI file 1 (ai2k41.zip) or 2 (ai2k42.zip).

Observations showed that the aircraft did not perform well in FS2004, invariably hitting the runway so hard upon landing that Flight Simulator caused it to vanish on the basis that it had crashed.

These new FDEs address this issue and have made the aircraft perform more accurately in many respects. Not only does it land as gently as a butterfly, but it now takes off in a realistic distance and climbs and cruises at an appropriate rate. The only feature I have not managed to control is the aircraft's excessive desire to raise the nose after landing and during take-off.

These files are being released concurrently with a set of repaints by Billy Rutherford. Until now, only "retro" liveries were available for this aircraft, and the airspace in Asia and other parts of the world lacked the presence of this beautiful machine which is still flying in moderate numbers. Billy's repaints have initially concentrated on the various airlines with IL-18s serving that haven for aircraft enthusiasts, Sharjah. No doubt many other repaints will appear over time.

As with these FDEs, Billy's repaints will be available at AVSIM  and FLIGHTSIM.COM and hopefully AVSIM.RU too.

INSTALLATION
Installation falls into two different categories - retro traffic and present-day traffic. Back up any files you are about to change, just in case . . .

Retro Traffic
If you haven't already installed Tom Gibson's AI aircraft, download them from the California Classic site. Install them as instructed. Make the changes below using a text editor rather than a word-processer.

Copy the file IL18AI.air into the main folder of the aircraft.

Open the new file aircraft.cfg contained in the zip file. Copy all text below the heading [General]. Paste it into the aircraft.cfg file over the similar text.

Above this data is the details of the various IL-18 aircraft installed on your system. Change the entry for each and every one from:
sim=Boeing737-400
to
sim=IL18AI

Your aircraft should now fly correctly.

If you wish to be able to see the aircraft in the FS2004 Select Aircraft section, IL18AI.air file with the one in the 'visible' folder of this zip file.

Present-day traffic
You do not need to download any files from the California Classic site.

Create a folder within your aircraft folder named 'AI IL-18' or whatever suits your needs.

Copy the IL18AI.air and aircraft.cfg files into this folder.

Create another folder, inside this one, named 'model' and copy the files model.cfg and IL-18.mdl files into it.

For each repaint you download, create a folder in the AI IL-18 folder named 'texture.blablabla' . Well, of course, you don't want to call them blablabla, so replace them with something relevant like 'texture.aeroflot'. Copy the textures of the repaint into this folder.

Open the aircraft.cfg file in a text editor. For the first livery, amend the items under the heading [fltsim.0] as appropriate. Look for the words blablabla as a clue to what you need to change. It is important that the title is different from any other aircraft on your system, so make it relevant.

Your aircraft is now installed. Repeat the process for additional aircraft but add a new section named [fltsim.1], [fltsim.2] for each one. These must be sequentially numbered to work.

If you wish to be able to see the aircraft in the FS2004 Select Aircraft section, IL18AI.air file with the one in the 'visible' folder of this zip file.

CREDITS
A lot of people have contibuted to various parts of this project:
Pavel Hvatkin created the original (and beautiful), flyable IL-18, but this project is now managed by Alex Novik, who has kindly given permission for this AI project. Tom Gibson created his AI package a little while back, although it isn't well known as it is only available at his web site as part of a large download. Billy Rutherford has created a magnificent selection of liveries for airlines still flying this magnificant aircraft.

USEFUL LINKS:
CALIFORNIA CLASSIC - http://www.calclassic.com
AVSIM library - http://library.avsim.net/index.php
Flightsim.com - http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds/main/menuchoo.htm
AVSIM.RU - http://www.avsim.ru/
FS2004 IL-18 (Alex Novik): http://il18.fluo.net/ (in Russian)

PROBLEMS?
If you have any direct problems with these files, please feel welcome to contact me. However, I cannot provide support for general installation issues etc., and such problems should be researched using the many available web sites and forums on the internet.

NEVER FORGET . . .
Flight Simulator is just that - a simulation. The ATC system deployed is not entirely accurate and in the real world things can appear quite different. But it is better than nothing. Anyway, hopefully these aircraft will help bring your skies to life. Have fun!


John Hinson, London, UK, 18/7/04
Email: [email protected]
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