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August 2014

3.2 Released

Development news
FGCamera 1.0 Released

Scenery corner
Yongphulla Domestic Airport - VQ10
Other

In the hangar
Beechcraft B1900D template
Multiplayer events

3.2 Released

The FlightGear development team is delighted to announce that the long awaited v3.2 release of FlightGear, the free, open-source flight simulator has been released on INSERT FINAL RELEASE DATE HERE. This new version contains many exciting new features, enhancements and bugfixes. Highlights in this release include ...

Founded in 1997, FlightGear is developed by a worldwide group of volunteers, brought together by a shared ambition to create the most realistic flight simulator possible that is free to use, modify and distribute. FlightGear is used all over the world by desktop flight simulator enthusiasts, for research in universities and for interactive exhibits in museums.

FlightGear features more than 400 aircraft, a worldwide scenery database, a multi-player environment, detailed sky modelling, a flexible and open aircraft modelling system, varied networking options, multiple display support, a powerful scripting language and an open architecture. Best of all, being open-source, the simulator is owned by the community and everyone is encouraged to contribute.

Download FlightGear v3.2 for free from FlightGear.org

FlightGear - Fly Free! Read more at: Version 3.2 Changelog

Development news

FGCamera 1.0 Released

FGCamera v1.0 in action

FGCamera v1.0 is available to download. Features of current version:

  • 4 camera types:
    • Virtual cockpit,
    • Aircraft (look-at),
    • Aircraft (look-from),
    • World (look-from);
  • Arbitrary number of preset views;
  • Smooth/discrete transition between the views of the same camera type.

v1.0 has graphical user interface to create and manage camera views:

Read more at updated FGCamera wiki article.

Scenery corner

Yongphulla Domestic Airport - VQ10

High mountains, deep valleys, strong winds and sometimes the rain may appear as something like snow. You are at the bhutanese Yongphula Domestic Airport (VQ10) at a height of 2573 metres. After Paro, also this airport has been improved. Besides the Terminal and Apron, shared models and other little things have now been added. TerraSync has it all! Have a nice flight in the Kingdom of Bhutan.

In the Hangar

Beechcraft B1900D template

A new template for the B1900D is available in the Paintkits section of the flightgear liveries database website. The template comes in svg format (best used with inkscape) features:

  • full rivets, panel lines and stencils details in vector format
  • ambient occlusion layer
  • dirt layer

Some B1900d liveries made with this template are available to download in the flightgear liveries database website

Eurofighter EF2000

A brief in-cockpit demo of the EF2000's FCS

A big milestone has been achieved in the ongoing development of the EF2000, which FGUK's Algernon has been project managing since branching from the Eurofighter Typhoon project some years back: finally, a completely computerised Flight Control System which can simulate its real-life counterpart, with surface control fully autonomous and with an autopilot-based processor interpreting pilot input and commanding the system to fly its maximum performance envelope to obey, but not exceed safety or design limits. While a lot of these features are not yet implemented, we have established a working practice for the core system which allows extra elements to be introduced simply and effectively.

I have heard it said that FG is incapable of simluating such systems - I hope here we have proved otherwise, and indeed that maybe this will be the first truly fly-by-wire aircraft in FlightGear!

Particular thanks for this milestone go to StuartC, who designed the basis of the FDM, and Tomaskom, whose help in fields where I am not much of a master (like mathematics) has been invaluable. Many updates are planned for the EF2000, including a whole new custom paintjob with many liveries, and it is hoped a final, V2.0 release may be available in the later part of the year. You can also get hold of a pre-release copy if you visit the FGUK Forum and register your interest, for testing purposes - your feedback will be appreciated. Pre-releases will probably not be available until at least September 2014.