FlightGear Newsletter July 2010: Difference between revisions

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==Development news==
==Development news==


=== New documentation for the MKVIII (ground proximity warning system) available ===
=== New documentation for the MK-VIII (ground proximity warning system) available ===
[[User:ThorstenB]] has created extensive documentation for the MKVIII GPWS in FlightGear!
[[User:ThorstenB]] has created extensive documentation for the MK-VIII GPWS in FlightGear!


The MKVIII is currently the most complex and most accurate simulation of a real avionics systems in FlightGear which is entirely implemented in C++, and for a long time most people did not know how to properly use it and integrate it with other aircraft, because the documentation was lacking and proper integration required in depth familiarity with the system and the C++ source code.  
The MK-VIII is currently the most complex and most accurate simulation of a real avionics systems in FlightGear which is entirely implemented in C++, and for a long time most people did not know how to properly use it and integrate it with other aircraft, because the documentation was lacking and proper integration required in depth familiarity with the system and the C++ source code.  


To learn more about what a GPWS does, check out the wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_proximity_warning_system
To learn more about what a GPWS does, check out [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_proximity_warning_system this Wikipedia article].


To implement this system for your own aircraft, please check out the new documentation and see [[Ground proximity warning system]].
To implement this system for your own aircraft, please check out the new documentation and see [[Ground proximity warning system]].
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===Local weather system update===
===Local weather system update===


The local weather system is moving towards dynamical weather. Currently, an experimental version v0.73 is released which demonstrates the cloud drift in the wind (see more information [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7358 here]). The upcoming release v0.8 which is currently in the final stages of being prepared will include
The local weather system is moving towards dynamical weather. Version v0.8 is released (see more information [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7358 here])and includes:


* Drift of clouds, thermals and other weather effects in the wind, enabling for example a realistic soaring experience in strong winds.
* Drift of clouds, thermals and other weather effects in the wind, enabling for example a realistic soaring experience in strong winds.
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The planned extensions beyond v0.8 include making the generation and decay of convective clouds and thermals a dynamical process, migrating to high-resolution cloud textures and shifting some low-level functionality to the C++ core for better performance.
The planned extensions beyond v0.8 include making the generation and decay of convective clouds and thermals a dynamical process, migrating to high-resolution cloud textures and shifting some low-level functionality to the C++ core for better performance.


Did you know?
'''''Did you know?'''''


The local weather package has an inbuilt METAR interface which generates weather based on a parsed METAR string. However, it can't be used with <i>--real-weather-fetch</i> because currently FlightGear automatically executes fetched and parsed METAR, thus preventing the local weather package from working. Some help from C++ programmers needed here!
The local weather package has an inbuilt METAR interface which generates weather based on a parsed METAR string. However, it can't be used with <i>--real-weather-fetch</i> because currently FlightGear automatically executes fetched and parsed METAR, thus preventing the local weather package from working. Some help from C++ programmers needed here!
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