2020 LTS Keflavik archived news post drafts

This page contains the drafts of news posts about 2020 LTS for the homepage which have been already been posted on the homepage. See the 2020 LTS Keflavik news post drafts page to contribute material to posts for the homepage.

Archived draft material

2020 LTS Release post

Volcanic plume and Alouette III screenshot by Thorsten

Intro:

[ Mention there is 2 years worth of improvements and updates which are too many for any one post? Mention lots updates over the last 2 years since the last LTS? Mention the person who normally does the updates got busy and a lot of progress missed receiving updates? Add sentence at end mentioning there will/may be upcoming dedicated posts about individual aircraft/features? ]

[ Intro screenshot: Screenshot of shuttle cockpit ]

Welcome to Keflavik and Iceland

See our tour of Keflavík, Iceland, and how to re-create the Icelandic setting in Flightgear 2020.3

Flightgear's 2020.3 LTS will move to the world's newest country, geologically speaking, Iceland

Screenshot of Earthview over Iceland

Keflavík International Airport (BIKF) is the featured airport for the LTS. Buildings, roads, and objects such as pylons are available as a separate download [and will/may be added to Terrasync later?].

[Screenshot of shuttle landing here e.g. this, preferably with current keep and showing new airport]

[ Screenshot of Keflavik: e.g. this ]

A land of fire, smoke, and ice Flightgear models several volcanoes with multiple levels of activity: Eyjafjallajökull which disrupted aviation in 2010, Surtsey, and the brooding, powerful, Katla.

Volcanic activity at various locations in Flightgear:

[ [Screenshot of volcanic activity, predating the Iceland ones slightly though ]

There are new regional definitions for Iceland - try turning on overlays to see very high resolution ground detail.

[ Screenshot of terrain detail with overlays enabled ]

There is a lot to discover. You can try the C172p, J3Cub (with G1000), or Twin Otter which include float variants to explore the fjords of the north west, ski variants to land on one of the many ice caps in the south west, or bush tire variants in your adventures.

Few highlights here

Few highlights for which there are really nice screenshots:

[e.g. C172p, list craft with FG1000, new A320 as the glass cockpit airliner in FGAddon with the most detailed systems, Space Shuttle, is the compositor appropriate or is it too low profile right now?, carrier and supersonic jet improvements - Mention new or improved JSBSim aircraft with CFD or windtunnel data]

Flightgear now simulates tides covering and uncovering shallow areas (littoral areas), like tidal flats (mudflats). Tides are caused by the gravitational force from the moon and sun varying from one side of the Earth to another.

Small image of tides, just enough to make out the diagram. Source: wikipedia The /difference/ in the pull of the moon or sun is effectively a force, the tidal force. Water is free to move, so it causes two bulges along the line between the center of the Earth and moon.

When the centers of the moon and sun line up with the Earth during a 'full' or 'new' moon, then the tide effects add - and there are larger tidal forces causing 'spring tides'. The actual peak in tides can be delayed. [ Small screenshot image, just enough to make out the diagram. Source: wikipedia ]

You can see tides as the day progresses - most often you'll see two highs and two lows per day. Change the date, and tide pattern will change. [The sun and moon position for calculating tides is from Flightgear's accurate celestial simulation (ephemeris) which gives the exact positions of planets and stars for the simulated time and date.]

Tidal flats at low tide

Screenshot of Morecambe Bay at low tide

Water covers the tidal flats at high tide - only the environmental clock is changed. The clouds are the same, as the weather simulation is run by the physics clock - you can see how the light is scattered by various types of clouds and hazes depending on sun angle.

Screenshot of Morecambe Bay at high tide

Possible screenshots to accompany highlights:

• C172p: 1 or, 2 without the labels
• Helicopters:

1st screenshot: 1 - EC135 now supports ALS rotor wash on grass where individual grass blades sway in the local windfield. EC135 has FDM and stiction improvements as well ref. The FGAddon R-44 also got updated. The EC130's updates haven't been integrated yet it seems.

2nd screenshot if needed: 2 - also covers mention of turbulence near active volcanoes. Alternatively 3, or 3.1 - without label referring to Bell-412 to reduce support requests wondering where it is.

• Carrier, and supersonic fighter improvements: f14
• A320: 1 - could use newer cockpit screenshot?
• If there's a need to mention FG's range of craft from ground effect vehicles, to lighter than air/parachutes/skydivers/human powered aircraft (DASH also FG is used to train operators), to flapping wing, etc. : Pterosaur JSBSim FDM based on papers: 1 or 2.
• WiP Compositor if we aren't trying to keep it low profile: 1
• [ See high settings screenshots category ]
• [See tour post below with an into to Kevlavik and Iceland for more Keflavik/Iceland screenshots]

Closing line and screenshot(s): For example: Say LTS "is launching..." with

this screenshot

and say "...and coming in hot to your [platform?]" with

this screenshot]

GinGin suggests doing two screenshots.

Longer tour section post: Keflavik, Iceland intro, FG settings for Iceland

LTS default airport announcement, introduction to Iceland, configuring FG settings for Iceland