FS2004 Large Jet AI replacement sounds V1.0!
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Please turn on Wordwrap!!
ALOHA SIMMERS!!
This is my first addon project since the switch over to FS2004, I hope you like it!
This is a fantastic sound package for your FS2004 large jet AI aircraft, which covers everything from the smallest regional jets to the largest airliners under FS2004.
BEFORE WE BEGIN:
Please note that, although these AI sounds seem very very loud while playing them outside of FS2004, they really are not all that loud within the sim itself. FS2004 lowers the volume of AI sounds, hence I had to make the source file louder by itself. These sounds are NOT ear-piercingly loud in the sim, but are at a comfortable, realistic level. Just make sure your FS2004 sounds are at default levels and everything should be fine.
First and foremost, I have to thank "Andy B" for releasing a document about how to change the AI sounds for FS2004. Without that guide, this package would not have been possible.
Second, to Project Airbus for creating the A320 CFM soundset, which contained in it what sounds like a recording of a large aircraft landing at an airport. Using this long, and very loud sound file, I was able to cut it down to a usable size, edit it, and create what I think is the most realistic sound file to date for your FS airport environment.
WHAT THIS PACKAGE DOES:
If you've ever spent time around the perimeter of an airport...particularly under the approach path, you will know just how loud real airports actually are. The default jet sounds that Microsoft provided for FS2004 are very quiet and almost inaudible from a distance. Not to mention being at a constant idle setting. This is not realistic, and the goal of this package is to make your airport environment about as loud as in real life, but not TOO loud...as making it too loud could end up making the airport experience more annoying than pleasant. I did my best to reflect what I've heard while spotting at SLC airport. They come really close.
By installing these sounds, here's what you'll get:
A medium-thrust AI jet sound that will make airliner takeoffs and landings sound incredibly realistic.
A low-thrust AI interior jet sound, heard from within your aircraft, that will bring new realism to the way the airport environment around you sounds as you taxi out for takeoff or in for parking. Note: This interior sound is what the AI outside your plane will sound like within your own aircraft cabin. It is not a loud sound, in most cases, you will barely hear it unless you turn your volume up, but it is there.
KNOWN ISSUES:
The AI interior sound is not loud. This is set by FS2004 itself, you'll find that the actual WAV sound is loud but within the sim it is not.
The AI exterior sound is somewhat loud, but only when AI are close to you. When they are far away from you, they will not be as loud, just like in real life. A limitation of FS is that you will only hear AI sounds if they are within 1nm of your location. This cannot be changed.
The exterior AI sound is NOT meant to realistically reflect low-thrust sounds of AI during slow taxi.
The problem with FS is that it only uses ONE sound file for all large jet AI sounds. It does not use a low-volume sound on taxi and a high-volume one on takeoff...everything uses the exact same sound file. That's why I decided to keep the exterior sound at a medium-volume level, so that it wouldn't be too loud on taxi, but not too quiet on takeoff. So basically, the most realistic sounds you'll get will be when AI are taking off and landing, but not necessarily while AI are on the taxiway.
You might ask...well then why did MS include two other exterior AI large jet sounds with the sim? Good question! Let me know if you ever find out! :D As far as I can tell, FS only uses the one exterior sound file for all large jets: xai_lgjet01.wav.
The interior AI sound is meant to more accurately reflect low-thrust taxi sounds. This is because the only time you should be able to hear AI from within your aircraft is while taxiing on the ground. If an AI is close enough to you that it can be heard inside the airplane at 35,000 feet, you've got a problem! :D
So hopefully this will be the perfect balance between loud takeoff and landing sounds heard outside the plane, and quieter taxi sounds heard within the plane.
INSTALLATION:
This is really quite easy.
First things first!!! Go to your MAIN FS2004/SOUND directory and back-up the following files!!
ai_lgjet01.wav
xai_lgjet01.wav
Rename them, move them, change their file extention, whatever, just make sure you back these up first in case you don't like my sounds and want to go back to the originals.
NOW:
Open up ai_lgjet.zip, and extract these two files to your MAIN FS2004/Sound directory:
ai_lgjet01.wav
xai_lgjet01.wav
Click YES to overwrite!
Now, load up the sim, and go to a busy airport to check out your new AI sounds. I recommend ATL, LAX, ORD, etc. Find the active landing runway and sit under the approach path with your engine off, and turn your volume up just slightly above normal level. When AI airliners begin to land, you should experience a fantastic flyby that sounds very much like what you'd hear at the real airport!
Another thing you can do is find the active takeoff runway, sit your plane just to the side of the runway, halfway down, and listen to jets take off right beside you. A great way to do virtual plane spotting in FS2004!
If you like these files and would like to leave a comment, or run into trouble and have a question, you can contact me at this address:
alohacooldude@yahoo.com
Please note that I only check my email about once a day, so it may take a couple hours for me to get back to you.
Other recommended addons:
Project AI: http://www.projectai.com
For the best way to add excellent AI to your FS world!
AI-Aardvark: http://www.ai-aardvark.com
For AI aircraft models and repaints
And for other great AI traffic sounds, download Aaron Swindle's EXCELLENT "aisnz.zip" freeware addon for FS2004! Note, his package also contains a large AI jet traffic sound. If you download his package, it is up to you whether you have my AI Large Jet sounds installed, or his. Both are great. Aaron's is a little quieter than mine and is at idle thrust, so it depends on what kind of jet AI sound you'd like at the airport.
FOR FS2002 USERS:
These files WILL work in FS2002. Just follow the same installation instructions above, and all will work fine. These sounds are untested in FS2002 but there should be no reason for them not to work.
I hope this package makes your FS2004 airport environment more realistic for you. Thanks for downloading!
