FlightGear Newsletter October 2010: Difference between revisions

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==Newsletter mailing list==
==Newsletter mailing list==
To fullfill some requests, we now have a special newsletter [[mailing list]], thanks to Curt! Please [https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-newsletter register yourself]. Emails will be sent when a newsletter is released,  
To fulfill some requests, we now have a special newsletter [[mailing list]], thanks to Curt! Please [https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-newsletter register yourself]. Emails will be sent when a newsletter is released, and possibly also a week in advance of the release, in order to remind anyone that their help is welcome.
and possibly also a week in advance of the release, in order to remind anyone that their help is welcome.


== FlightGear events ==
==FlightGear events===
== Call for volunteers ==
==Call for volunteers==
The [[OpenRadar]] project is looking for a new maintainer.
The [[OpenRadar]] project is looking for a new maintainer.


== Development news ==
==Development news==
== Nasal for newbies ==
==Nasal for newbies==
== New software tools and projects ==
==New software tools and projects==


== FlightGear addons and mods ==
==FlightGear addons and mods==
Zakharov has been working on his glass cockpit and has improved the zkv1000 instrument a lot. This is a pale replica of well known Garmin Primus 1000. All interface and features are based from User's Manual for Garmin Primus 1000 embedded in DA40/DA40F aircraft.
''Zakharov'' is working on a new glass cockpit and is improving the ZKV1000 instrument, turning it into a replica of the Garmin Primus 1000. The interface is based on a Garmin Primus 1000 user manual found in a DA40 aircraft. It is designed for simple integration in an aircraft panel, and in the future it will be possible to configure the graphic interface and automatic behavior for specific aircraft (i.e. speed warnings).
It is designed for very simple integration in aircraft panel, and it is possible (wip) to configure many parts of graphic interface and automatic behaviour for specific aircraft (e.g. airspeed ruler and speed warnings).
A very detailed user's manual would be released near the instrument inclusion in official repo. For now it features:
* PFD and MFD (including revisionnary mode)
* Altitude and Indicated Airspeed rulers
* ASI, TAS, VS
* HSI including VOR1, VOR2, GPS and ADF
* full menu interface
* full radio stack
* full autopilot indications
* integration with default autopilot (plus more as "Flight Level Change")
* radio-to-radio flightplan creation "on the fly"
* 10 nearest airports choice for direct-to flying or COMM freq adjustement
* Artificial Horizon including a Flight Director
* default integrated autopilot if none is specified
* external perl script for MFD's maps creation from Atlas' map utility (work in *NIX and Windows environnment).
* other stuff...
There are still many to do before a release could be done, but it may take a month or less before first inclusion on official Git repo. For impatient guys [http://seb.marque.free.fr/fichiers/flightgear/zkv1000.tgz there is a in-progress archive available].


More pictures can be found [http://seb.marque.free.fr/fichiers/flightgear/snapshots/index.php?/category/5 here].
A user manual will be released when the instrument is completed.  For now, it features:
* PFD and MFD (including revisionary mode)
* Altimeter, speedometer, TAS, and VSI
* Artificial horizon with flight director
* HSI with two VOR radios, GPS, and ADF
* Full menu interface
* Full radio stack
* Integration with the [[autopilot]]
* Flight plan creation "on the fly"
* External perl script for MFD map creation using the [[Atlas|Atlas mapping utility]] (works under Linux/UNIX and Windows only at the moment)
 
A release is still a few weeks off, but a [http://seb.marque.free.fr/fichiers/flightgear/zkv1000.tgz development snapshot] is available. Screenshots can be found [http://seb.marque.free.fr/fichiers/flightgear/snapshots/index.php?/category/5 here].


[[File:Zkv1000.jpg|thumb|250px|The zkv 1000 glass cockpit project]]
[[File:Zkv1000.jpg|thumb|250px|The zkv 1000 glass cockpit project]]
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== In the hangar ==
== In the hangar ==
===Boeing 747-400===
===Boeing 747-400===
The [[Boeing 747-400]] has seen some extensive developments going on over the past month. Some of the latest developments include:
The [[Boeing 747-400]] has seen some extensive developments going on over the past month. Some of these include:
* EICAS pages
* EICAS pages
* Eletrical system
* Electrical system
* Sounds, recorded in reallife situations from a real 747
* Sounds, recorded in from a real 747


===Lockheed L-1011-500 Tristar===
===Lockheed L-1011-500 Tristar===
This now-historic jetliner will be getting a cockpit in the near future, hopefully making it a more enjoyable plane to fly!
A new cockpit is being developed for the historic [[Lockheed L-1011-500|L-1011-500]] airliner by [[User:Armchair_Ace|Armchair Ace]] and ''statto'', hopefully making it an enjoyable aircraft to fly!


===Sikorsky S92 "Helibus"===
===Sikorsky S92 "Helibus"===
This Aircraft is currently in a production state, Features currently included are:
The S92 is currently under development by [[User:Arthur_Maiden|Arthur Maiden]].  So far, the following are completed:
* very Basic Fuselage and Rotor assembly
* Basic fuselage and rotor assembly
* very Basic FDM
* Basic [[YASim]] FDM
* Clickable Cargo door in the stern
* Openable cargo and crew doors
* Clickable Crew door towards the left side of the main cabin
* Basic animations
* Basic Animations
 
ToDo list:
Still on the to-do list:
* Animate tail rotor
* Animate tail rotor
* Add glass to the windows
* Add glass to windows
* Finer Details to the Fuselage, smothing here and there, antennas
* Add further detail to fuselage, smooth out the model, add antennas


=== Liveries ===
===Liveries===


== Scenery corner ==
==Scenery corner==
=== Airports ===
===Airports===


== Aircraft of the month ==
==Aircraft of the month==
== Airport of the month ==
==Airport of the month==
== Screenshot of the month ==
==Screenshot of the month==


== Suggested flights ==
==Suggested flights==
=== Gulf of Finland sightseeing tour ===
===Gulf of Finland sightseeing tour===
Take a VFR sightseeing tour over the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki to Tallinn! Estonia's landmarks are all recent additions, while Helsinki was one of the first cities to have original models in the scenery model database.
Take a VFR sightseeing tour over the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki to Tallinn! Estonia's landmarks are all recent additions, while Helsinki was one of the first cities to have original models in the scenery model database.


Take off from the smaller EFHF airfield in Helsinki, or try your luck fighting the virtual traffic at Vantaa, but head toward the port of Helsinki, looking for the Hartwall Arena, the Pasila tower, the railway station and the Olympic Stadium along the way. Make your way out over the Gulf flying just west of south - a heading of 190 should set you up nicely for a sightseeing tour of Tallinn. Try to come in from the west and do a sweeping left turn over the capital of Estonia, looking out for the Swissotel, Olympic Hotel, the Television tower, and other important landmarks in the capital city of Estonia. Make sure you look out for St. Olaf's Church, the tallest building in the capital city. Make your way over the Ulemiste Jarv (lake) to land on runway 09 at Tallinn's main airport.
Take off from the smaller EFHF airfield in Helsinki, or try your luck fighting the virtual traffic at Vantaa, and head toward the port of Helsink. Look for the Hartwall Arena, the Pasila tower, the railway station and the Olympic Stadium along the way. Make your way out over the Gulf flying just west of south - a heading of 190 should set you up nicely for a sightseeing tour of Tallinn. Try to come in from the west and do a sweeping left turn over the capital of Estonia, looking out for the Swissotel, Olympic Hotel, the Television tower, and other important landmarks in the capital city of Estonia. Make sure you look out for St. Olaf's Church, the tallest building in the capital city. Make your way over the Ulemiste Jarv (lake) to land on runway 09 at Tallinn's main airport.


If you desire, you can do a touch-and-go at Tallinn and set your course southeastward, landing at Tartu Airport, which is also modeled in FlightGear.
If you desire, you can do a touch-and-go at Tallinn and set your course southeastward, landing at Tartu Airport, which is also modeled in FlightGear.
Line 80: Line 73:
The distance between Helsinki and Tallinn is about 50 miles or 80 kilometres, while Tartu is twice the distance from Tallinn at 100 miles/160 kilometres. Fly a heading of 135 to get to Tartu from Tallinn.
The distance between Helsinki and Tallinn is about 50 miles or 80 kilometres, while Tartu is twice the distance from Tallinn at 100 miles/160 kilometres. Fly a heading of 135 to get to Tartu from Tallinn.


== Aircraft reviews ==
==Aircraft reviews==


== Wiki updates ==
==Wiki updates==


== Community news ==
==Community news==
=== FlightGear on youtube ===
===FlightGear on YouTube===
* FlightGear user planetacancun uploaded an [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB0N7MvQDkk excellent video] showing the equally excellent [[MiG-15]].
* FlightGear user ''planetacancun'' uploaded an [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB0N7MvQDkk excellent video] showing the equally excellent [[MiG-15]].
* Two videos ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMEfzPGfXRU] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OXplTr96S4]) featuring the photo-scenery at [[Brest]], were uploaded by Dawid. Pictures used are CC-BY-SA Brest Métropole Océane. http://www.brest.fr/territoire-competences/brest-metropole-oceane/bmo-vue-du-ciel.html
* Two videos ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMEfzPGfXRU] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OXplTr96S4]) featuring the photo-scenery at [[Brest]], were uploaded by ''Dawid''. Pictures used are CC-BY-SA Brest Métropole Océane. http://www.brest.fr/territoire-competences/brest-metropole-oceane/bmo-vue-du-ciel.html
* A [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd_WEpRKStc nice example] of some [[Howto: Multiplayer|multiplayer]] fun (chasing the [[An-225]] in a [[F-16]]) is uploaded by SweetChinMusic1133.
* A [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd_WEpRKStc nice example] of some [[Howto: Multiplayer|multiplayer]] fun (chasing the [[An-225]] in a [[F-16]]) is uploaded by SweetChinMusic1133.
* A [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2BSUOMyiIg video tutorial] showing how to add objects with the UFO uploaded by draoi99.  
* A [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2BSUOMyiIg video tutorial] showing how to add objects with the UFO uploaded by ''draoi99''.  


[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkeApfVUnVk&feature=PlayList&p=3B31CCD15245D0AA&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1 Watch the FlightGear PlayList] for a collection of all (somewhat) quality FlightGear videos ever uploaded to YouTube.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkeApfVUnVk&feature=PlayList&p=3B31CCD15245D0AA&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1 Watch the FlightGear PlayList] for a collection of all (somewhat) quality FlightGear videos ever uploaded to YouTube.


=== New tutorials and screencasts ===
===New tutorials and screencasts===
=== Forum news ===
===Forum news===
=== Multiplayer ===
===Multiplayer===
=== Virtual airlines ===
===Virtual airlines===


== Useful links ==
==Useful links==
== And finally ... ==
==And finally...==
===FAA adopts "line-up and wait"===
===FAA adopts "line-up and wait"===
The US based aviation agency FAA adopted the ICAO standard for [[ATC]] clearances to enter the runway. The command "(taxi into) position and hold" is replaced with "line-up and wait" now - which was already used at most non-US airports. FlightGear pilots and controllers are requested to bring this change in practice.
The American Federal Aviation Administration adopted the ICAO standard for [[ATC]] clearance to enter the runway. The command "[taxi into] position and hold" has been replaced with "line-up and wait" now, already in use at most non-US airports. FlightGear pilots and controllers are requested to bring this change in practice.


Read the official announcements at the [http://www.faa.gov/airports/runway_safety/news/current_events/lauw/ FAA website].
Read the official announcement at the [http://www.faa.gov/airports/runway_safety/news/current_events/lauw/ FAA website].


=== Did you know ===
===Did you know===


[[Category:FlightGear Newsletter|2010 10]]
[[Category:FlightGear Newsletter|2010 10]]

Revision as of 00:07, 10 October 2010

Magagazine.png
Welcome to the FlightGear Newsletter!
Please help us write the next edition!
Enjoy reading the latest edition!


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.

Newsletter mailing list

To fulfill some requests, we now have a special newsletter mailing list, thanks to Curt! Please register yourself. Emails will be sent when a newsletter is released, and possibly also a week in advance of the release, in order to remind anyone that their help is welcome.

FlightGear events=

Call for volunteers

The OpenRadar project is looking for a new maintainer.

Development news

Nasal for newbies

New software tools and projects

FlightGear addons and mods

Zakharov is working on a new glass cockpit and is improving the ZKV1000 instrument, turning it into a replica of the Garmin Primus 1000. The interface is based on a Garmin Primus 1000 user manual found in a DA40 aircraft. It is designed for simple integration in an aircraft panel, and in the future it will be possible to configure the graphic interface and automatic behavior for specific aircraft (i.e. speed warnings).

A user manual will be released when the instrument is completed. For now, it features:

  • PFD and MFD (including revisionary mode)
  • Altimeter, speedometer, TAS, and VSI
  • Artificial horizon with flight director
  • HSI with two VOR radios, GPS, and ADF
  • Full menu interface
  • Full radio stack
  • Integration with the autopilot
  • Flight plan creation "on the fly"
  • External perl script for MFD map creation using the Atlas mapping utility (works under Linux/UNIX and Windows only at the moment)

A release is still a few weeks off, but a development snapshot is available. Screenshots can be found here.

The zkv 1000 glass cockpit project

In the hangar

Boeing 747-400

The Boeing 747-400 has seen some extensive developments going on over the past month. Some of these include:

  • EICAS pages
  • Electrical system
  • Sounds, recorded in from a real 747

Lockheed L-1011-500 Tristar

A new cockpit is being developed for the historic L-1011-500 airliner by Armchair Ace and statto, hopefully making it an enjoyable aircraft to fly!

Sikorsky S92 "Helibus"

The S92 is currently under development by Arthur Maiden. So far, the following are completed:

  • Basic fuselage and rotor assembly
  • Basic YASim FDM
  • Openable cargo and crew doors
  • Basic animations

Still on the to-do list:

  • Animate tail rotor
  • Add glass to windows
  • Add further detail to fuselage, smooth out the model, add antennas

Liveries

Scenery corner

Airports

Aircraft of the month

Airport of the month

Screenshot of the month

Suggested flights

Gulf of Finland sightseeing tour

Take a VFR sightseeing tour over the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki to Tallinn! Estonia's landmarks are all recent additions, while Helsinki was one of the first cities to have original models in the scenery model database.

Take off from the smaller EFHF airfield in Helsinki, or try your luck fighting the virtual traffic at Vantaa, and head toward the port of Helsink. Look for the Hartwall Arena, the Pasila tower, the railway station and the Olympic Stadium along the way. Make your way out over the Gulf flying just west of south - a heading of 190 should set you up nicely for a sightseeing tour of Tallinn. Try to come in from the west and do a sweeping left turn over the capital of Estonia, looking out for the Swissotel, Olympic Hotel, the Television tower, and other important landmarks in the capital city of Estonia. Make sure you look out for St. Olaf's Church, the tallest building in the capital city. Make your way over the Ulemiste Jarv (lake) to land on runway 09 at Tallinn's main airport.

If you desire, you can do a touch-and-go at Tallinn and set your course southeastward, landing at Tartu Airport, which is also modeled in FlightGear.

The distance between Helsinki and Tallinn is about 50 miles or 80 kilometres, while Tartu is twice the distance from Tallinn at 100 miles/160 kilometres. Fly a heading of 135 to get to Tartu from Tallinn.

Aircraft reviews

Wiki updates

Community news

FlightGear on YouTube

Watch the FlightGear PlayList for a collection of all (somewhat) quality FlightGear videos ever uploaded to YouTube.

New tutorials and screencasts

Forum news

Multiplayer

Virtual airlines

Useful links

And finally...

FAA adopts "line-up and wait"

The American Federal Aviation Administration adopted the ICAO standard for ATC clearance to enter the runway. The command "[taxi into] position and hold" has been replaced with "line-up and wait" now, already in use at most non-US airports. FlightGear pilots and controllers are requested to bring this change in practice.

Read the official announcement at the FAA website.

Did you know