FlightGear Newsletter April 2011: Difference between revisions
| Line 103: | Line 103: | ||
As always, there is always some that goes wrong or fails, for me, that was this; | As always, there is always some that goes wrong or fails, for me, that was this; | ||
<gallery> | |||
[[File:Citation x error.png]] | [[File:Citation x error.png]] | ||
</gallery> | |||
If anyone can help me out, send me a message through the FlightGear Wiki. | If anyone can help me out, send me a message through the FlightGear Wiki. | ||
Revision as of 10:32, 14 April 2011
|
We would like to emphasize that the monthly newsletter can not live without the contributions of FlightGear users and developers. Everyone with a wiki account (free to register) can edit the newsletter and every contribution is welcome. So if you know about any FlightGear related projects such as for example updated scenery or aircraft, please do feel invited to add such news to the newsletter.
Development news
Nasal for newbies
New software tools and projects
FlightGear addons and mods
In the hangar
New instruments
The Boeing 777-200ER's chronometer has been moved to the generic instruments directory (Aircraft/Instruments-3d/chronometer). This allows aircraft developers to easily implement this clock in their aircraft. All related Nasal code was included in the model xml file, so there's really just one file to be linked to! Some aircraft already make use of this clock, including the Boeing 747-400 and 757-200.
There are several advantages in moving instruments to the generic directoy, some of which are:
- Easy to be re-used in other aircraft, all you need to do is link to (and position) the model and on some instruments link to a Nasal file.
- If someone extents the functionality of a generic instrument, it will be automatically extended in all the aircraft that use it.
New aircraft
Updated aircraft
Liveries
A SriLankan Airlines Livery has been created by Vinura.
For the A320:
For the Boeing 767:
For the A340:
The A340 Livery has yet to be uploaded to the FlightGear Livery Database. Also, because the A340 is only slightly flyable, the livery might not be of any use. But the A340 SriLankan Airlines Livery still looks spectacular and is probably the best of all the 3 liveries.
Scenery corner
New scenery
New third-party scenery for the USA's Pacific Northwest (Seattle and Portland, OR) and Rio de Janeiro is now available for download at http://www.stattosoftware.com/flightgear
New Buildings
Once again, there are new Eastern Asian buildings !
- Saigon Center - Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam
- Mode Gakuen Coccoon Tower - Tokyo - Japan
- Trade Tower - Seoul - South Korea
- The Center - Hong Kong - China
Airports
The generic Concourse C at KDEN was recently replaced with a much better, realistic working model featuring animated jetways. Please enjoy.
Aircraft of the month
Airport of the month
Screenshot of the month
SriLankan Airlines Livery on an Airbus A320 taken at Dusk.
Spectacular Screenshot...
Your eyes will be amazed!
Suggested flights
Departing from Brisbane International Airport and heading towards Sydney International Airport at a heading of about 203, you will come across some beautiful scenery;
In the above picture, you can see a road or rails or something. Imagine if a Bus or a train was going along those rails. That would be magnificent! :D
Aircraft reviews
The Good old Cessna Citation X
This is by far one of my favourite little planes! Its reaction time is quite quick. The rudder control is very responsive, even the slightest move of your rudder pedals or the mouse and the rudder on the plane moves.
The acceleration and the animations for the Cessna Citation X is very good. It accelerates quite fast down the runway, building up momentum and then, you lift your joystick up slightly and the nose lifts up just like you want it to.
Regarding the animations, they are extraordinary, they function quite well like for example the flaps or the Wind Brakes or the Landing Gears. The Cockpit is quite well designed and has a lot of instruments just like a real Citation should. This was the first jet plane that I could actually land properly in.
It has a tutorial system built in for people wanting to fly one. It also has several good built-in camera views including views from the passenger seats.
The Citation X included in the latest FlightGear 2.2 Devlopement Snapshot release is probably the best.
As always, there is always some that goes wrong or fails, for me, that was this;
If anyone can help me out, send me a message through the FlightGear Wiki.
Click here to send me a message regarding this error.
On the top of this page, you will see some tabs named " page ", " discussion " and so on, click on the plus icon to start a new section and send me a message.
Nevertheless, with all the errors aside, this has to be one of the best planes that I have ever used in FlightGear!
Wiki updates
New articles
<DynamicArticleList>
type=new count=10
</DynamicArticleList>
New aircraft articles
<DynamicArticleList>
type=new count=10 categoryRoot=Aircraft
</DynamicArticleList>
Most popular newsletters
<DynamicArticleList>
type=hot count=5 categoryRoot=FlightGear Newsletter
</DynamicArticleList>
Community news
FlightGear on youtube
New tutorials and screencasts
How to use and implement animated jetways!
NOTE: IS IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REFER TO SKYOP'S TUTORIAL ON HOW TO USE ANIMATED JETWAYS FIRST. Howto: Animated jetways
Only use this tutorial of you are completely stuck!
Yes, I know it is long but it is very helpful.
ENJOY!
Part 1:
Part 2:
Forum news
Multiplayer
Virtual airlines
FlightGear events
FlyingClub Mayday 1
The FGFC "Mayday 1: Manitoba Rescue" operation was held April 2nd, 2011 at CYAV, Winnipeg/St.Andrews, with seven pilots participating. The scenario stated two of Manitoba's major rivers were flooding, and people were stranded along both, so STOL and helicopter pilots were mustered at CYAV, received assignments from ATC, planned their flights, and notified ATC when they were ready to proceed. A total of twenty missions were assigned, sixteen of which were successfully completed in the space of three hours.
The scenario was based around the idea that pilots should have basic skills in addition to merely flying with an autopilot, and was designed to test both their actual flying ability by not having airports at their destinations, and providing no actual navigational data beyond a map or two. They were required to map their routes in territory unknown to them, then fly those routes in their chosen aircraft, land, report in, then return to CYAV to complete a "cycle." Points were awarded for cycle completion, and points deducted for aircraft crashes. FG Seg faults were not penalized.
Comments back about the operation from pilots have so far been positive. Watch the Multiplayer Forums for the next one; there will be one, but at this writing, it has not yet been decided.
Useful links
And finally ...
Contributing
One of the regular thoughts expressed on the FlightGear forums is "I'd like to contribute but I don't know how to program, and I don't have the time". Unfortunately, there is a common mis-conception that contributing requires programming and lots of free time. In fact, there are a huge range of ways to contribute to the project without needing to write code or spending days working on something.
For ideas on starting to contribute to FlightGear, you may want to check out: Volunteer.
Call for volunteers
- The OpenRadar project is looking for a new maintainer.
- The FGFSPM (FlightGear Package Manager) is looking for a new maintainer.
Did you know
...That you can fly backwards in a UFO? While holding the brake button down on your joystick, increase engine throttle and you should start to fly backwards...