User:Gordon/notes

On this page, I will be sharing notes and observations I made while playing FlightGear, as I find them. These may include flaws that have already been fixed, since some of the notes I found are from several years ago, and I am admittedly somewhat hesitant to update due to the risk of something that worked well so far being broken, which is an experience I frequently had with other software like web browsers.

• A water aircraft does not block sunlight. The sun's reflection is still visible on the water surface in the shadow area of the aircraft. Tested with Dornier Do X.
• Perhaps the map should show coordinates at the mouse pointer's position.
• It could be useful if the flight data was recorded locally in real-time (like a real FDR), so that if the simulation crashes, the flight path is not lost.
• The instruments of some planes like the Boeing 707 used raster graphics last time I checked. With vector graphics (if technically possible), they would appear sharper on high-resolution displays and while zoomed in.
• The Boeing 707 is unable to glide for long distances after engine failure due to the stall as a result of the wings being frozen from the cold temperatures at high altitudes. May or may not be intentional.

Features that could be useful

These are not essential to simulation, but could add some convenience and fun:

• Ability to search for properties
• Ability to log console commands to a text file.
• YSflight has a "wingman" feature where other computer-controlled aircraft fly in formation. Something similar has been implemented with the Boeing 707-TT.
• The ability to lock the camera in place (like in YSflight and Super Mario 64)
• The ability to see multiple perspectives simultaneously in separate windows, like cockpit view and cabin view simultaneously.
• Realistic cabin view models, like this Comet 4C and Convair B-36 (360-degree view, link dead as of 2022).