FlightGear Newsletter January 2011: Difference between revisions

I've created a local experimental branch for allowing Terragear to texture map roads, streams, and coastlines. It is in the very early stages, but is starting to show promise. While the Terragear team's priorities are to optimize and import highly detailed land-class imagery, I thought it would be a good idea to enhance existing polygons as well.

 

 

Thomas Kreitler created a rotor model in JSBSim, so its now possible to model helicopters in that FDM, too.  His first experimental helicopter is the AH-1S.  This model isn't in FlightGear's GIT, yet, but you can find it in [http://gitorious.org/jsbsim/jsbsim JSBSim stand-alone] if you'd like to experiment with it.

===JSBSim: Cooling Support for Piston Engine Model===

JSBSim's piston engine model took another step forward in realism by exposing properties to control engine cooling.

 

Syd and Torsten implemented a mouse acceleration feature. This allows aircraft developers to make their levers/switches controllable by the click&drag principle. Extremely useful for thrust levers for example, where one can click on the lever and drag the mouse forward in order to advance thrust. Allowing for the most realistic simulations with a simple mouse. Amongst example aircraft that currently make use of this new feature are the [[SenecaII]] and [[Boeing 777-200ER]]

[[File:SpifireVb-snapshot_001.jpg|thumb]]A new version of the Spitfire has been added to the hanger. The Spitfire V, although a stopgap version, became the second most numerous variant to be produced. It was widely exported to foreign airforces both during and after WWII. The version modeled here is the B version with 2 20mm cannon and 4 .303 machine guns. The cannon ammunition was carried in drums, limiting the supply to 60 rounds per gun, and necessitating blisters on top and underneath the wing. The particular aircraft depicted is preserved, and is still flying today. You can see a walkround here: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEOab7KiDlc]

[[File:PAK-FA.png|thumb]]Ummon and pjedvaj have started the PAK-FA project. The PAK FA, also known as the T-50, is a fifth generation jet fighter prototype developed by Sukhoi OKB in Russia. It is scheduled to enter service by 2014. The FlightGear version features a new high-poly model and set of animations, along with three liveries. The FDM has been redone in JSBSim and features thrust vectoring control and fly by wire stability augmentation. Cockpit instruments are not modeled yet.