MobiFlight Community Support

Hi. Reading the tutorials I think it should be easy to cause an LED to light when the gear is down.

However I want to go a step further. I want an LED to flash when the gear is traveling and to stay on when the gear is down.

Is this possible?

Hi J.G.,

it is not possible with Mobiflight to let a LED flash. In one of the next version Sebastian planned to implement this feature.
What you can do until this feature is implemented is to control a timer (i.e. NE555) as a multivibrator from Mobiflight and with the output of the timer you can flash the LED when the gear is in transit. If the Gear is down you can control another LED with a Mobiflight output. Normally you have for both conditions a separate output.
If you intend to do it at least with one LED, take a duo-LED. But they have the disadvantage that they are not so bright.

Just to complete this situation....

As Stephan said it is not possible with current version ( Mobiflight just know ON or OFF and not inlcude a blinking logic). In the future this will become a new tool i hope.

BUT

Additional to the Hardware solution from Stephan you can solve this problem already today with a software solution, too.

For Example you can write a little Lua Script if you have some experince there (sorry i can´t programm so i can´t help you)
Basic logic is simple....
1. Read Status of Gear
2. If Condition:
If Gear is UP ( Value 0 ) Then set VariableX to 0
Elseif Gear is DOWN ( Value e.g.16383 ) Then set VariableX to 1
Else (So the transit when gear is not 0 or not 16383) Start Loop.... Set VaribaleX to 1 wait 0,5 sec Set VariableX to 0 .
Loop it until Gear is 0 or 16383
3. WRITE Variable X to a free Offset like 66C0
Finaly Mobiflight read 66C0 for your LED ( Instead the original Gear Offset .... And the Blinking or the Status is simply done by your script.

ALTERNATE
You can also work with a second Microcontroller ( For example a UNO or a LEO, Micro etc) Here you use the Output Lines from Mobiflight as a INPUT Indicator.... And you wire the used LED as a output. then you write a simple Arduino sketch like " If Input is HIGH then Output should Blink.

Summary... I would wait for that feature ( whatever it will take maby some month or longer)

You can use self flashing LEDs like this
https://www.amazon.com/Round-parte-superior-intermitente-Bright/dp/B017TRE5A2/ref=sr_1_40?__mk_es_US=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&keywords=led+flashing&qid=1566350264&s=gateway&sr=8-40

Hi all, great information here. I was wondering if this feature is now available in a current version of MobiFlight as mentioned above now that it is a few years later? My goal is to have the red gear light blink while the gear is moving instead of staying on the whole time. Is there an easy way to do this now?

Hi all, great information here. I was wondering if this feature is now available in a current version of MobiFlight as mentioned above now that it is a few years later? My goal is to have the red gear light blink while the gear is moving instead of staying on the whole time. Is there an easy way to do this now?

Hi, take a look here

https://www.mobiflight.com/forum/message/21188.html

I was wondering if this feature is now available in a current version of MobiFlight as mentioned above now that it is a few years later?

No... Baldy not yet.

Maybe this is in case Sebastian not need this himself... So his motivation to implement is verry poor.
Whatever he not fully disagree with it and it is still in the Official ToDo List for future elements.

I ask him multiple times in the last Team-Meetings. And he always say he love this idea and think it´s a usefull tool. But he not have a good Idea till now how he can implement it in the current GUI.

Hi all, great information here. I was wondering if this feature is now available in a current version of MobiFlight as mentioned above now that it is a few years later? My goal is to have the red gear light blink while the gear is moving instead of staying on the whole time. Is there an easy way to do this now?

Hi, take a look here

https://www.mobiflight.com/forum/message/21188.html

Thanks for the suggestion but this thread looks to only address the normal lights always on instead of flashing while in transit. unless i missed something in there...

I was wondering if this feature is now available in a current version of MobiFlight as mentioned above now that it is a few years later?

No... Baldy not yet.

Maybe this is in case Sebastian not need this himself... So his motivation to implement is verry poor.
Whatever he not fully disagree with it and it is still in the Official ToDo List for future elements.

I ask him multiple times in the last Team-Meetings. And he always say he love this idea and think it´s a usefull tool. But he not have a good Idea till now how he can implement it in the current GUI.

Sounds good. If you could, definitely push him to get this in sooner than later
or at least give some coding suggestions of how to get it to happen manually.

Hi all, great information here. I was wondering if this feature is now available in a current version of MobiFlight as mentioned above now that it is a few years later? My goal is to have the red gear light blink while the gear is moving instead of staying on the whole time. Is there an easy way to do this now?

Hi, take a look here

https://www.mobiflight.com/forum/message/21188.html

Thanks for the suggestion but this thread looks to only address the normal lights always on instead of flashing while in transit. unless i missed something in there...

No flashing light there's in A320.
I light on UNLK led (red) while landing gear is moving.
All Light off when retracted, green arrow light on when extracted.

Sorry if i don't understand your goal.

I built a panel for a TBM and in the TBM, there is only 1 red light for gear transition and it blinks on and off while the gear is moving. I'm trying to simulate that instead of a solid red light during gear movement. Hope that makes sense.

@ Maggit.

As i said.... A New tool in MF would be grat here.
BUT
In your case also a "electrical solution" is possible !

Hopefully STEPHAN will awnser here...... His knowledge is much more like mine in electrical questions !

If we need for a Output THREE Status.... OFF, Remaining ON, and Blinking we would need a Software Solution in Mobiflight.
I we need just a 2 Way Solution .... OFF or Blinking then we can solve this by a electrical part.

Means MObiflight send "1" if LED should be ON (blinking or light.... MF not care about) . And now you use a little controller that create the blinking.
I don´t know if those parts can be bought in Ebay or so.... Or if you need to build them. In theory you can also use a other Controller ( a little Arduino Micro with own code)
Result is easy.... If there is a INput Signal High (1) then the Output should be 1,0,1,0,1,0 in a sepcial timed sequence.

NOTE: This only workes if the LED only should blink..... If it also must remain lighted this will not be possible.