Thought I'd give you an update.

The new panel has the following features:

18 Annunciator warning lights - all authenticly modelled and with brand new bitmaps (No more crappy red backgrounds that I personally hated).

Electronic Park Brake switch - Bitmap matching the other Baron switches.

Updated bitmaps for the main panel and the overhead.

New yoke simicon

Taxi Speed gauge - Courtesy of Rob Barendregt.

New GPS/Nav switch - The new parking brake switch occupies the position of the old one.

Microsoft Gauge fixes:

The Start annunciator light now works with both engines - previously only illuminated with the left engine.

Prop De-Ice - No longer a dummy! I worked out how to enable it's function in FS2002.

Personal Gauge amendments:

I re-wrote the Ice warning light gauge - it now only illuminates at temperatures of 0 degrees C and under. All 3rd party versions I've ever found illuminate at around 5 degrees C. This is possibly useful as an early warning and may even be true to life, but I always found it annoying.



The Boot de-ice switch which is a dummy by default, has no true function to perform in FS2002. However, Structural de-icing is modelled and I'm re-writing the switch to do that. As there was no visual effect attached to the Boot de-ice, it's no loss.
I doubt the Baron has structural de-icing in real life, but from my point of view, I'd sooner have a switch that actually has an effect in FS2002 than the dummy.

Once I've finished with the 2D panel, I'll start work on the Virtual cockpit which will reflect the 2D as closely as  I can get it. The overhead won't be on it though as that would require an amendment to the .mdl file as far as I can tell.

I'll also be releasing an FS2002 standard version for use as a generic Twin Prop panel as the Baron isn't in Standard.

I've yet to assess how long the Virtual cockpit will take, but I'm hoping to release the panel in the next 7 to 10 days. No screenshots till it's finished this time.  

That's great news, can't wait!

Tipster,

You might want to recommend use of bbsndrv1.zip replacement sounds from AvSim.  I tried them and they're great.  No more lawn mower!

I don't know how you can improve on the last Baron panel.  I finally got a chance to just fly around for a couple of hours and check of the cockpit.

For performance I particularly liked the multifunction fuel consumption computer and for design the great looking radios with the on/off "click" and the way the popup gps fits perfectly over the radio panel.  Radio tuning was a little tricky at first but after using the mouse wheel it becomes intuitive.

If you think you can improve on this more power to you.  I anxiouly await the results.

sounds good

The main improvements to the panel lie in the annunciator gauges and switches.

I've re-done ALL the annunciator warning lights with new bitmaps, added a load (18 in total now - all useful and credible in the Baron I hope) and made the boot de-ice and prop de-ice switches functional (they were dummies in the deafult). I've also made the Start warning light work with both engines not just the left one.

As I've finished the 2D element, here's a pic:



It may not look fundamentally different but a lot of hours have gone into improving the bitmap, particularly for the TCAS gauge.

The other thing I managed to do was to get the (ever on by default) panel bulbs (look under the annunciators on the default or my V1 panel) turn off when the panel light isn't on.

The unilluminated annunciator light is the "Gear up" warning light which only illuminates in flight with full flaps and low throttle to warn you to low the gear.

Note the Electronic park switch where the GPS/Nav switch used to be with it's own (illuminated when the panel light is off) warning light.

I've also included Rob Barendregt's new Taxi speed gauge in the overhead. I didn't put the pushback elelment in as it seemed a little unrealistic in the Baron.

Looks really good tipster!

that is impressive, has about every good gauge i can think of and still looks amazingly good!