Question RE: control of visibility layer in FS2004

[Guest]

Hello Pete,

I'm considering purchase of FSUIPC for FS2004 and would like to clarify how your module can control the visibility layer for FS2004. Specificallly, I would like to be able to extend the top of the visibility layer to a very high altitude permanently in order to do away with the mist and fog effect when flying above the visibility layer. I would still like to be able to impose visibility limits in rainy/clear/overcast conditions, however. I would be using FSUIPC exclusively with an external weather program. (Activesky 2004).

If, for instance, I had the visibility layer set with FSUPIC to be a maximum of 3 statute miles under rainy conditions below an overcast, along with the visibility layer being set to a very high altitude through FSUPIC , would I be able to have restricted visibility below the rain conditions then be able to climb out above the cloud layers into clear skies with the visibility gradually increasing to the preset clear conditions maxima? In other words, can FSUIPC recognize my aircraft as being above the cloud layer and extend the visibility under this condition (being above the cloud layer) and extending visibility to the maxima? Ideally I would now be cruising above an overcast layer well within the preset (very high) visibility layer while experiencing the maxima settings and yet would still be able to decend back down into the overcast/rainy conditions and get restricted 3 mile visibility again once I am again into rainy conditions.

I'm not sure if I'm being lucid enough in describing the visibility effect I'm looking for but basically I hate the effect of having a shallow visibility layer and want to be a able to do away with it altogether, yet still have the visibility restrictions whilst under cloudly/clear/rainy conditions within this theorectical high altitude restricted visibility layer.

Basically, I want to be able to experience visibility control on the same order as with FS2002 and FSUIPC. I can't stand the new visibility layer scheme with FS2004 and want everything to be like in FS2002 with external weather. Can I achieve this with FS2004 and FSUIPC?

Thank you.

[Pete Dowson]

Sorry for the delay in replying -- I've been on holiday with no Internet access. I'm just trying to catch up with an enormous backlog now!

I'm considering purchase of FSUIPC for FS2004 and would like to clarify how your module can control the visibility layer for FS2004.

...

Why not download the ZIP and study the documentation I supply? I cannot really explain it more here.

In other words, can FSUIPC recognize my aircraft as being above the cloud layer and extend the visibility under this condition (being above the cloud layer) and extending visibility to the maxima?

No, visibility and clouds are separate things and do not interact in FSUIPC.

Basically, I want to be able to experience visibility control on the same order as with FS2002 and FSUIPC. I can't stand the new visibility layer scheme with FS2004 and want everything to be like in FS2002 with external weather. Can I achieve this with FS2004 and FSUIPC?

Not exactly, no. You have the opposite opinion of FS2002's visibility than I -- I thought it was absolutely dreadful, much worse than FS2000. Fs2004's effects are far superior. But this is only my opinion of course. Fs2002 was so bad it made me want to stay with FS2000 -- excepting the other improvements were so worthwhile.

Regards,

Pete