INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FTIME GAUGE

The FTime gauge measures and displays elapsed flight time from the instant the wheels lift off the runway until they again contact the runway. The time is desplayed in decimal minutes to the nearest 1/100th. When on the ground it will display whatever time was last measured or 0.00 if just installed. When the aircraft lifts off it will show counting minutes. (At six seconds it should show 0.10.) After the plane lands, it will show the total elapsed time for the flight. It will continue to show that until you take off again. Then it will begin counting time from 0 for the new flight.

To install this gauge, first copy the Gauges Folder into your main folder for FS2004. The content of this Gauges folder will be merged with the existing content in your Gauges folder.

Then put the gauge on the panel of one of your aircraft by inserting a line similar to the one shown below in the panel.cfg file (in the Panel Folder) for the selected aircraft.

gauge59=Digital!FTime, 72, 380

This line works with typical DC-3 panels as shown in the accompanying .jpg file. Make sure the gauge number is greater than any existing gauge number. That shows the panel in my Convair 240 about 1 minute after takeoff. (The panel started life in a DC-3 so some elements may look familiar.)

For other panels you will have to adjust the X, y coordinates until it is in a position you like.

It will work properly only if you begin each flight with the aircraft on the ground. If you "pop" into the aircraft while it is flying, you must land it and then take off before the timer will begin working properly. 

This version actually measures the time the aircraft is moving faster than 35 KIAS. This way it will work with DC-3's that bounce on landings!

~~~~~~~~~~NOTE ON V4 VERSION 1/25/10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This version was made today to fix a bug that was resetting the timer to zero when landing in gusty winds and rolling out. This version measures the time from 35 KIAS on takeoff to 35 KIAS on landing but if you slow below 35 KIAS but remain above 25 KIAS, a gust will simply extend the time. Only after slowing below 25 KIAS will the timer reset to zero the next time 35 KIAS is exceeded. It is advisable to pause the flight after you slow below 35 KIAS and to write down the time on a note pad before proceding.

Note that the only way to distinguish the two gauge files is by the date. That way when you download FTimeV4.zip and copy the files into your FS9 folder (where they will automatically go into Gauges\Digital, gauges on your aircraft will be the revised version. You don't need to re-install any gauges. 

I tested this gauge in several aircraft and several landing situations, including the one at YCRG in GAAR 2010 where the original version reset after I landed. 

This was developed for use in races.

Have fun,

Tom Goodrick
CEO of Tango Golf Aeronautics

