IXEG 737 Classic Plus, Version 1.5

Welcome back all IXEG veterans, and hello to the new Captains!

We are very happy to finally release this X-Plane 12 compatible version of the IXEG 737. It has been a long road catching up to the changes and improvements made in X-Plane 12 and a few words about this release are appropriate up front.

This release is mostly a compatibility patch that gets the Classic out of the maintenance hangar and allows the IXEG 737 to run in X-Plane 12. No new flight operation features have been added for this patch; however, this release does add a few new visible items and also takes advantage of many of X-Plane 12´s new features, including XPs wonderful lighting model, rain/ice window effects and wing flex. That's the PLUS part of the product name. Truly the IXEG has never looked better in sim!

We want to say that this is not simply a band-aid patch, but a rework at a foundational level behind the scenes with an eye on the future, and setting a stage for more improvements to come. We expect to evolve and extend the IXEG's service for many more years! We very much appreciate you, our customers, and especially your patience. We sincerely hope that the IXEG 737 will continue to bring you enjoyment in the future.

Changes / Additions for Version 1.5

New GUI Interface

A revamped GUI interface has been provided, combining the previously separate windows into one. Menu Buttons on the left can be used to navigate the various panels. The same button options in this nav panel are also available from the bump-out main menu. We endeavored to keep the layouts similar to the V11 windows for this version. The IXEG 737 CLASSIC window -> Preferences panel is shown below. Some of the checkbox preferences have tooltips provided, but not all.

A few new/relocated preferences were added to this panel:

  • Added checkbox Preference for IRU fast alignement. This shortens the IRU alignement time to ~ 1 minute.

  • Added checkbox Preference for Open Doors on Turn-around Mode. When enabled and starting the simulation using the Turn-Around option (START STATE Panel), then the cabin doors will be open, ready for ground services.

A bump-out main menu on the left side is enabled by default and through this GUI you can access all the other IXEG GUIs. Move your mouse cursor to the left side of the screen to have this menu fly out for access. Note that a Field of View (FOV / Zoom) slider has been added to this bump out. We find quick adjustments to the FOV/Zoom to be a handy thing to have during flight and this makes it quick and easy to tweak the view as you fly.

For folks with multi-screen setups however, or VR users, the bump-out menu can be problematic. For this reason, you can disable the bump-out main menu on the IXEG preferences panel. When the bump-out menu is disabled, then you can access the the IXEG GUI menus by either using the following command: 

    >   ixeg/733/show_settings_window

OR

  • through X-Plane's own menu hierarchy as shown below, by navigating the menus: Plugins > Gizmo64 > Windows >:

In the CABIN CREW panel, we added some checkbox controls to manage the lighting and cabin doors. This allows you to turn the cabin lighting on/off without having to move the XP camera into the galleys all the time! Great for opening the doors and working the lights when the XP camera is in an external view.

Other changes to the GUI system are listed below.

  • Removed the Views Popout Menu in the lower left corner. X-Plane has supported customized views via keystrokes for some time making this feature unnecessary and redundant.

  • Removed the Ground Handling GUI Window, previously used to set fuel. We anticipate developing a replacement interface in the future. For now, set up your load and fuel in the default X-Plane Flight Setup GUI.

New 3D Cabin / Lighting

A new 3D cabin has been put in with working lighting. Cabin lighting may be controlled by using the attendant's control panel switches in the forward galley, OR by using the Cabin Crew GUI window checkboxes.

Note that, when starting the simulation via the COLD & DARK start state option, the cabin lights will not operate without a ground power source. This is a typical scenario when personnel need cabin lighting for maintenance, cleaning, or whatever and the aircraft is unpowered. The procedure to operate the cabin lights then is:

  • Connect a GPU via the GROUND SERVICES GUI panel. This makes power available to the ground service bus which powers the cabin lighting.
  • Turn on the GROUND SERVICE toggle switch on the attendant panel (upper right switch shown below) This will actually connect the ground power source TO the ground service bus.
  • NOW you can operate the cabin lights.

Working Cabin Doors

Cabin doors are now working. The cabin doors affect (and are affected by) pressurization. Before pressurizing the cabin, you can check the door open overhead annunciators in the cockpit. The annunciators are illuminated when their corresponding doors are not fully closed.

Also, the doors won't open if the cabin is pressurized even the slightest amount, which is typical of the Turn-around and Engines-running start modes. If the doors won't open, then check the DIFF PRESS gauge on the overhead. The doors won't open above 4-5 DIFF PRESS.

Cabin doors may be operated by either using the Cabin Crew GUI checkboxes, or by manipulating the door controls directly as shown below.

Other Changes

Not quite as visible, but no less significant changes also made are given below.

  • Hide yoke using default X-Plane command (normally 'Y' key)

  • Engine bleed configuration now correctly influences Takeoff N1

  • FMS PERF page resets to blank entries after landing and slowing < 60kts.

  • Updated aicraft to use XP12 loading stations feature. You can now assign weights to certain seatrows and cargo holds and the effect on the aircraft will be physically correct and influence the radii of gyration and the center of gravity.

  • Added wingflex - The real 737´s wing is comparatively short and sturdy so the wing does not flex much - it does flex a bit, though, and that is what we finally show in the 3D model.

  • Cockpit windows changed to XP12 tech - This enables the default XP12 rain and ice effects to show on our cockpit windows (and get wiped by the wipers).

  • Tweaked Exterior Lighting for new V12 Photometric lighting experience.

  • Aerodynamics and engine tuning to take advantage of better XP12 modeling.

Roadmap Going Forward

  • Convert sounds to FMOD engine
  • Switch to XP11 nav data set
  • Evolve the FMS. Implement Holds, refine the VNAV and perf pages.
  • New 3D exterior model, high rez.
  • Refine the GUI interface, evolve for more interactivity for fueling / pax / failures, etc.
  • Look into variants