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Howto:Make an aircraft: Difference between revisions
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Creating a completely new aircraft consists of the following tasks: | Creating a completely new aircraft consists of the following tasks: | ||
* Creating the 3D-model(s). This is the artwork, this is what you see on your screen. An aircraft is made of one to | * Creating the 3D-model(s). This is the 3d modeling artwork, this is what you see on your screen. An aircraft is made of one to hundreds of 3D models. The fuselage, wings, doors, gear, interior, instruments, flight-controls - everything you want to see on your screen is a 3D object (creation of the exterior and interior models is usually separated) | ||
* In addition, most 3D models will require textures (images that are put in specific locations on the 3D model), such as for example liveries. | |||
* Creating the flight dynamics model (FDM). This is the hard work. Define the dimensions, mass-and-balance data. Tell FlightGear which part of your aircraft and where it may hit the ground. Where the gear is, if and how it travels. How it is propelled and how it flies if you move the controls. This is, what a flight simulator is all about. | * Creating the flight dynamics model (FDM). This is the hard work. Define the dimensions, mass-and-balance data. Tell FlightGear which part of your aircraft and where it may hit the ground. Where the gear is, if and how it travels. How it is propelled and how it flies if you move the controls. This is, what a flight simulator is all about. | ||
* Create the animations. This gives visual feedback from your FDM. Move the aileron of your 3D model when the aileron control is moved. Same for the other aero surfaces, the gear. Than go ahead with the instruments, animate the needles, the digital readouts. Define hot spots and pick animations, so you can click in your 3D cockpit. | * Create the animations. This gives visual feedback from your FDM. Move the aileron of your 3D model when the aileron control is moved. Same for the other aero surfaces, the gear. Than go ahead with the instruments, animate the needles, the digital readouts. Define hot spots and pick animations, so you can click in your 3D cockpit. | ||
* Implement Systems. This is the tricky part. Everything that can't be done with simple animations or as a FDM-system has to be done in nasal code. | * Implement Systems. This is the tricky part. Everything that can't be done with simple animations or as a FDM-system has to be done in nasal code. | ||
Everything doesn't need to be complete. Only a workable FDM model should suffice. So without further ado, let's move on. | Everything doesn't need to be complete. Only a workable FDM model should suffice. So without further ado, let's move on. | ||
* Implement audio effects (e.g. engine noise, cockpit sounds etc) (optional) | |||
* Implement a custom XML driven autopilot configuration (optional) | |||
An aircraft in FlightGear has two main development areas: | An aircraft in FlightGear has two main development areas: | ||
# The '''[[Flight Dynamics Model|Flight Dynamics Model]] (FDM)''': This tells the computer how your aircraft reacts to various conditions. The FDM is composed of two main models most people use, either [[JSBSim]] or [[YASim]]. Or the lesser used model [[UIUC]]. They specify how the aircraft reacts based on aerodynamic data and facts such as wind, terrain and control inputs. You need to supply and specify these parameters in order to model your aircrafts flight characteristics as close to reality as possible, the more parameters the better. A subarea of the FDM are integral systems like the [[autopilot]] and fuel systems. | # The '''[[Flight Dynamics Model|Flight Dynamics Model]] (FDM)''': This tells the computer how your aircraft reacts to various conditions. The FDM is composed of two main models most people use, either [[JSBSim]] or [[YASim]]. Or the lesser used model [[UIUC]]. They specify how the aircraft reacts based on aerodynamic data and facts such as wind, terrain and control inputs. You need to supply and specify these parameters in order to model your aircrafts flight characteristics as close to reality as possible, the more parameters the better. A subarea of the FDM are integral systems like the [[autopilot]] and fuel systems. | ||