Thank you for your interest in ASA's On Top Version 9.5 Proficiency Simulator. This demonstration version of the software will function as the retail version with the exception of the following: 1.) The airspace is limited to a 75NM radius of Helen, MT. The startup position is on Runway 5. 2.) FlightPrep approach plates are not included. 3.) No Airspace Editor is included. The retail version includes a worldwide navigational database, approach plates for the the US, and an airspace editor. For more detailed description of the simulator, please see the operating manual. There is a link to the manual in the 'ASA Interactive\On Top 9.5 Demo' program group. NOTE: The file is in .pdf format*** ---------------------- We at ASA want to do everything possible to ensure many hours of enjoyment and valuable instrument flying practice with this program. This Readme file contains a thumbnail of the new features available in this version as well as a Getting Started guide for experienced users. Should you require additional information, please see the On Top Manual. As always, our team is available to help serve your needs at 1-800-ASA2FLY or www.asa2fly.com. What is New in On Top? 1. One of our most exciting changes includes the Garmin GNS430 Reality XP** simulator running seamlessly within the program environment. The Reality XP GNS430 is available in the Cessna 172, Mooney, Bonanza and Baron aircraft. 2. We have also introduced a Cessna 182 with a Glass Cockpit-like functionality and appearance, consistent with many of today's Technically Advanced Aircraft designs. The unit is based on the Primary Flight Display (PFD) of the Garmin 1000**, but incorporates features from the Multi-function Display (MFD), so you may view critical flight information on one computer screen. 3. Also supported in this version is Windows Extended Desktop allowing the setup menus to be displayed on a 2nd monitor, commonly called "Instructor Station". When selected, the simulation on the 1st monitor will stop while the user/instructor configures the simulator with the 2nd monitor. If you are using Windows Extended Desktop, use the "On Top 9.5 - IS" shortcuts to start the program with this feature active. 4. FlightPrep has provided their PlateView program, which includes instrument approach plates for US airports. A much-requested item, US pilots will now have the approach information at their fingertips. 5. The aircraft panel graphics have been re-mastered and are now displayed in a 1024 x 768 format, which permits all instruments to fit on one screen without the need to toggle radios and flight instruments. 6. OnTop has enhanced Windows functionality, including screen resizing, moving and minimizing features to seamlessly work within the operating system environment. 7. OnTop features a new, more robust menu system, in keeping with the enhanced Windows functionality. 8. Flight controller sensitivity has been added. You can now adjust both pitch and roll sensitivity to either 'Low', 'Mediuum', and 'High' settings. Getting Started: For Users Familiar with On Top If you are familiar with the program and want to get started as quickly as possible, the following will assist you to get up and running. 1. Ensure that the flight controls you plan to use with the program are attached to the computer and the up-to-date drivers from the manufacturer are installed. (If your flight controls in the present configuration worked with On Top Version 8, they should work with On Top 9.5.) 2. Install OT 9.5. You may install On Top in a subdirectory of your own choosing. The default location is "C:\Program Files\ASA\OnTop 9.5 Demo". The ‘Standard’ routine will install On Top 9.5; there are no installation options other than specifying an alternate target directory. Total space required for installation is 110MB. 3. Double click the On Top icon and, for the first use, you must calibrate the flight controls. 4. Once in the main Calibration screen, you will have the opportunity to perform a "quick calibration." Select the FLIGHT CONTROLS button. In the Flight Controls menu, you should see your controls on the list. Choose the flight controls you wish to activate by pressing the left of the two boxes on the right side of the screen until an asterisk appears in the box. Selecting the box in the right-hand column adjacent to your flight controller will give access to the new sensitivity settings for USB flight controls. 5. Once you have selected the flight controls to be used with the program, press the LIMITS button and perform a quick calibration by fully articulating the pitch, roll and yaw axes as well as throttle, propeller, mixture, and rudder, as installed. Please note that the first controls you actuate will be the controls calibrated. For example, if you have a throttle on the yoke, as well as a throttle quadrant, the first throttle selected will be the one that is calibrated. Should you choose incorrectly, you may reset the limits and start again. If the controls are not calibrating properly, an advanced calibration is required. The Advanced Mode calibration is far more powerful, and therefore more complex to use. Should the Advanced Mode be necessary, the On Top Manual contains detailed information. 6. When finished with the limits, press the box marked BUTTONS. Press and hold the flight control button (e.g., the trim up) while simultaneously clicking the left mouse button with the mouse cursor pointing to the on-screen "up trim" triangle. Once activated, the mouse arrow will turn into a "hand." When correctly assigned, the triangle will turn green when the trim button is depressed. 7. Your may now press the DONE button and enjoy flying the On Top simulator. Quick Start Guide Using the New Features Based on Garmin's** full featured simulator, the Reality XP GNS430 is used exactly like the real thing. If you already own an airplane with this fine unit, you may proceed to use OnTop's 430 just as you would your own. If you are not familiar with the unit, ASA offers GPS Trainer, a program that teaches you all the intricacies of this, and other, GPS units. The glass cockpit in the Cessna 182 is a custom designed device. The unit presents attitude and navigation information so the pilot has, on one screen, the tools needed to fly instrument approaches. The layout of the "basic six" flight instruments mimics the visual presentation in use since the genesis of the early EFIS units. The buttons and knobs on the faceplate bezel actuate the working functions of the glass cockpit. Quick Tour of Buttons - Press INSET button, inset will appear. Press DCLTR (de-clutter) and cycle through feature cleanup, press OFF to remove inset, Press, BACK. - Press PFD, press DME, DME window appears. Press BRG1, single-needle bearing and window appear. 360 HSI/ARC HSI show two views of HSI. Press BRG2, double-needle bearing and window appear. Press BACK. - Press CDI, cycle through VOR1/VOR2/GPS on the HSI. Press DME, window opens, use FMS arrows to select DME head. Press DME again, to deselect window. - Press XPDR, select status (STBY, ON, ALT). Press CODE, select SQAWK, Press BACK. - Press ADVISORY, for message when MSG is flashing. Bezel Knobs and Switches - Power, press ON/OFF. - Double-arrow toggle, flip-flops active/standby frequency. - NAV knob tunes hundreds (outer) and tenths (inner) standby frequency. Push (click) knob flip-flops between NAV1 and NAV2. - HDG, arrows move heading left and right. Press button, heading centers. - ALT, outer arrows for thousands, inner arrows for hundreds. - COM frequencies are tuned in the same manner as NAV frequencies. - CRS/BAR knob, outer arrows select barometric setting, inner arrows course selection. NOTE: When GPS has waypoint selected, the GPS needle will automatically point to the desired track. - Range, inner arrows increase/decrease range on inset. Press button for pan cursor, when cursor appears, use outer arrows to move around inset. NOTE: If arrows function as FMS keys, pan cursor did not actuate. Go to FMS keys and select correct page to return to inset map view. - The remaining keys on the bottom right simulate the GPS "Direct To," menu, flight plan, IFR approach procedure, clear and enter functions. The FMS knobs are used for turning pages, tuning entries in the same manner as the GNS430. The OnTop glass panel 182 is not a replacement for glass panel training or a G1000 Trainer. To ensure safety, the pilot needs make and model specific training for all TAA. (ASA's G1000 Trainer is an excellent program for learning the intricacies of the G1000 PFD and MFD units.) However, this glass cockpit-like representation in OT 9 will help you transition from round dials to TAA, and gain a basic understanding of flying "tapes" versus "dials." PlateView The approach plates are launched by a menu selection within the program (View/Approach Plate). NOTE: The ‘Standard’ installation includes 3 navigation databases representing areas in the mid-west and east coast. If you wish to use other databases, use the included PlateView DVD to copy/paste the desired databases into On Top 9.5’s directory. You can also remove any undesired databases by simply deleting them. See the Pilot's Operating Handbook for more information. Windows Menu Selection OnTop 9 has a new menu system. The menu keys at the bottom of previous versions of OnTop routed the user to the map, calibration and setup screens. In the present version, the user moves the mouse cursor to the top of the screen and the menu appears. Desktop Simulators 101 If you are an old pro at instrument flying, but relatively new to "flying" simulators, get ready for an extraordinary experience. While not exactly like flying the real thing, simulators afford the opportunity to tax your flying skills at a low "per flight hour" cost without safety concerns. To get the most out of OnTop, we recommend you practice flying your favorite airplane until you feel comfortable with how the simulator "handles." This is analogous to transitioning to a complex aircraft or establishing the instrument configuration numbers for your aircraft. In the same manner, we suggest a flight "around the patch" to get the feel of the OnTop aircraft. Take off from the initial starting point of Boeing Field (BFI) and climb to 2000 feet. Fly the ADF indicator to the outer marker, which is already tuned, and after passing the marker, make a left turn to 270. After rolling out of the turn, start the panel timer and head out for one minute. After the time elapses, make a smooth right turn to 90 degrees and transition to approach level (about 2000 RPM and 90 KIAS in the 172). You will now be on an inbound heading to intercept the final approach course for BFI ILS Runway 13. Select the MAP from the menu bar and check it out. The radios are all tuned and ready for you to slide down the glide slope. We at ASA hope the new features in On Top add to one of the most economical ways in which you might maintain and improve your IFR proficiency. Thank you for purchasing the On Top IFR Proficiency Simulator from ASA. **Inclusion of Garmin copyrighted material in this presentation does not imply any endorsement by Garmin Ltd or its affiliates of the flight training material provided by Reality-XP and ASA. ***The following is a list of updates to the operating manual. Information here supercedes what is stated in the manual: Dual Monitor Support for the Instructor’s Station On Top 9.5 now includes support for a second monitor to display the Instructor’s Station. After installation, there will be two new icons on your desktop. For those that have a dual monitor setup with Windows Extended Desktop enabled, the “On Top 9.5 IS” icon will start the program with the Instructor’s Station enabled. The IS feature has been part of the ‘training’ versions of On Top for several versions. The IS will display a real-time moving map of your flight and can enhance the pilot’s ability to maximize their IFR training experience. With the IS it is possible to simultaneously review the aircraft’s flight path, vectoring and holding patterns and experience the immediate impact of instrument or system failures. At the push of a button variable ceilings can be configured to make more realistic, circle-to-land approaches and missed approach procedures. If you have dual monitors already setup, it might be interesting to check it out. Please note, if you only have a single desktop monitor on your system, the ‘IS’ icon will not work correctly and should be deleted to avoid any confusion. Windows Compatibility The 32bit versions of Vista have been added to the list of supported operating systems for On Top 9.5. Windows 2000 and Windows XP (32bit) are also supported. All 64bit Windows operating systems are not supported for any On Top version with a Garmin GPS. The computer requirements for Vista based computers include a Windows compatible processor (AMD or Intel), 1.0 GHz or faster with a minimum 512 MB system RAM. To see the complete list of computer system requirements see the “Minimum System Requirements” section on page 9 in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook. Verifying DirectX Vista users can disregard any listed system requirements for DirectX 9.0c. Vista comes with its own version, DirectX 10. Garmin GPS Database Selection For those that wish to fly a GPS approach outside of North and South America, it is now much simpler to toggle between the International GPS database and the Americas database with a selection in the “Tools” menu. In the top toolbar in On Top’s cockpit you will find a new item in the ‘Tools’ menu. With the mouse, point to GPS and select the database you wish to use. Calibrating Your Flight Controls A new feature in this version is the ability to adjust the program’s response to yoke/joystick inputs. The default setting for USB type yokes and joysticks will be a ‘High’ sensitivity setting. If you find this level of response too sensitive, you can adjust the setting to either Medium or Low in the calibration of your controls. To adjust this setting, select the Flight Controls Required button and put an asterisk in the right column box on the end of the line that designates your USB flight control. A small window will open allowing you to change the setting for Pitch and Roll sensitivity. If there is an asterisk already in the left column box, remove it before putting the asterisk in the right column box. The Pitch and Roll axes of your flight controls must now be calibrated or the sim portion of the program will not start. A message box is displayed that indicates what the problem is and reminds you to select, and then calibrate your controller. See the section called “Calibrating Your Flight Controls” on page 20 in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook for complete details on how to calibrate your flight controls for use with On Top. Full Screen Mode This version of On Top does not support the Full screen mode. We may see it make a return in some future version, but for now, those that want to fill their monitor with the cockpit view will have to resize the display window by either dragging the lower right corner of the window with the mouse or by clicking the ‘maximize’ button in the upper right corner of the window. Any discrepancy between the information in this document and the POH, the information here takes precedence.