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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

Atmospheric scattering shader

Zan has been working very hard on an experimental atmospheric scattering shader. The shaders makes use of Sean O'Neil's algorithm. Altough there are some issues with the shader, it looks like it will have a promising future!

Doctor Who Fans

 
Doctor Who TARDIS

Vinura has started work on developing a Doctor Who TARDIS for FlightGear. The exterior model is almost complete in SketchUp.

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

 
Airbus A320
 
Boeing 767

Some SriLankan Airlines liveries have been made by Vinura for the Boeing 767 and Airbus A320.

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
  • Koryo Hotel - Pyongyang - North Korea
  • The Center - Hong Kong - China
  • Central Plaza - 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.

 

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.

Aircraft reviews

The Good old Cessna Citation X

I hope to do a monthly review of a specific aircraft. I can't guarantee that I will get to do it every month though because I do have other stuff to attend to.

The Cessna Citation X 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 aircraft's rudder moves. 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, spoilers or the landing gear. The cockpit is quite well designed and has a lot of instruments, just like a real Citation would.

It has a tutorial system built in for people wanting to fly one. This was the first jet plane that I could actually land properly in. It also has several nice camera views, including views from the passenger seats.

Recommendation:

I would recommend this plane to people who have already flown planes like the Cessna C172P or the Piper J3 Cub and want to progress into Jet aviation. This is a GREAT little starter plane to get you going.

This has to be one of the best planes that I have ever used in FlightGear!

Thanks for reading! :D

Review By: Vinura

Wiki updates

New articles

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New aircraft articles

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Most popular newsletters

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Community news

FlightGear on youtube

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 misconception 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 or keyboard, increase engine throttle and you should start to fly backwards. A video is to be seen at [1]