FlightGear Newsletter March 2011

2011-03-19T22:51:33Z

Sim: /* FlightGear on youtube */

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''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.''

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

The [[TerraGear GUI]] project is looking for programmers to help create a GUI frontend for [[TerraGear]] [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7485#p102005].

The [[FGFSPM]] (FlightGear Package Manager) is looking for a new maintainer.

== Development news ==

=== Local Weather v1.0 ===

After more than a year of development work, the Local Weather package has reached its full design functionality as described in [[A local weather system]] and is available for download as [http://www.phy.duke.edu/~trenk/files/local_weather_fgfsGITv1.0.tgz version 1.0]. The package works with Flightgear 2.0.0 and higher, though some extensions (marked with [GIT]) require a more recent binary.

Version 1.0 offers the following features:

* numerous types of clouds from Cirrus to Cumulonimbus, arranged in realistic patterns and size distributions, visible up to 80 km distance
* weather phenomena tied to location: rain only underneath clouds, dense clouds obscure sunlight [GIT], convective clouds develop according to terrain
* spatial interpolation of weather parameters like pressure, temperature, visibility, wind
* effect volumes controlling short-range turbulence, rain, snow, visibility and shadow [GIT]
* terrain-dependent modelling of boundary layer winds, gusts and turbulence
* complete offline weather system involving different airmass types and weather fronts
* integration of online METAR data [GIT]
* full support for soaring [GIT], thermals are automatically generated by the convective system
* optional dynamics: clouds drift in the wind, convective clouds are generated and decay, properties of thermals evolve in time
* backward compatibility to Flightgear 2.0.0

A feature gallery:
<gallery>
Image:local_weather_1.00_05.jpg| Realistic skies with multiple cloud types
Image:local_weather_1.00_06.jpg| Various different types of weather and clouds
Image:local_weather_1.00_11.jpg| Soaring beneath Cumulus clouds
Image:local_weather_1.00_12.jpg| Use both thermal and ridge lift
Image:local_weather_1.00_01.jpg| Stratocumulus layers
Image:local_weather_1.00_03.jpg| Cirrocumulus sheets
Image:local_weather_1.00_02.jpg| Altostratus layers
Image:local_weather_1.00_04.jpg| Dense Stratus obscuring the sunlight
Image:local_weather_1.00_07.jpg| Evening light...
Image:local_weather_1.00_09.jpg| ... and morning light
Image:local_weather_1.00_10.jpg| Multiple 3d cloud layers
Image:local_weather_1.00_08.jpg| Heavy rain
</gallery>

Fun facts:

* lines of Nasal code: 10135
* estimated coffee consumption during coding: 120 l
* estimated time spent watching and photographing the sky: 50 h

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

=== Modeling a UAV with FlightGear and YASim ===
[[File:Blender-res.png|thumb]]
FlightGear can be a great tool for aerospace engineering. Here is an example of using the [[YASim]] physics engine in FlightGear to model a real world UAV based on the actual mass and geometry and performance of the airframe. There is a [[Blender]] plugin that can be used to visualize and validate the geometric data of the model. Once the simulation model is tuned and flying well, FlightGear can be used to do do simple design variation tests and predict how those changes will affect the stability of the design.

For more information: [http://www.flightgear.org/blogs/curt/uas/resolution/simulation-modelling/ Using FlightGear + YASim to model and test real world UAV]

== FlightGear addons and mods ==
== In the hangar ==
=== New aircraft ===

==== DG-101G ====
A new glider, the [[Glaser-Dirks_DG-101G|DG-101G]] from Glaser-Dirks, has been added to GIT. It utilizes a [[JSBSim]] FDM, tuned with data calcuated with XFLR5. This modell features winch start, aerotowing, a drag robot, water ballast and [[Livery_over_MP]].

=== Updated aircraft ===
=== Livery database reaches 400 ===
This month the [http://liveries.flightgear.org/ FlightGear livery database] welcomed its 400th livery! A big thank you to all those artists that contributed over the past two years. A special thank you is justified for [http://liveries.flightgear.org/authors.php?id=4 gooneybird], who saw his 150th livery commited this month, making him by far the top-contributer!

If you'd like to help us reach the 500 milestone, please see [[Howto: Edit a livery]] and/or the dedicated [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=13 section of our forum].

== Scenery corner ==
=== Sceneries ===
One of most famous landmark, the Taj Mahal, in India, is now on the official database.

==== Eastern Asia ====
A bunch of new Asian buildings is added, including:
* Two International Finance Centre - Hong Kong - China
* International Commerce Center - Hong Kong - China
* Shanghai World Finance Center - Shanghai - China
* Jin Mao Tower - Shanghai - China
* Tuntex Sky Tower - Kaohsiung - Taïwan
* Northeast Asia Trade Tower - Incheon - South Korea
* 63 Building - Seoul - South Korea
* N Seoul Tower - Seoul - South Korea

=== Airports ===

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

== Suggested flights ==
== Aircraft reviews ==

== Wiki updates ==
=== New articles ===
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=== New aircraft articles ===
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=== Most popular newsletters ===
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== Community news ==
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lab-5tZOf-o

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

== Useful links ==
== And finally ... ==
=== Contributing ===
One of the regular thoughts expressed on the FlightGear forums is "I'd like to contribute but I don't know how to program, and I don't have the time". Unfortunately, there is a common mis-conception that contributing requires programming and lots of free time. In fact, there are a huge range of ways to contribute to the project without needing to write code or spending days working on something.

For ideas on starting to contribute to FlightGear, you may want to check out: [[Volunteer]].

=== Reminder: Google's Summer of Code 2011 ===
We would like to remind all readers that the FlightGear project is planning to participate in [[GSoC]] 2011. However, doing that really requires a fair amount of work, planning and organizing. This is not something that can be done by a single person. It really needs a coordinated team effort, or otherwise FlightGear won't be able to apply/participate at all.

So all users are invited to help us progress further with our preparations for GSoC 2011. If you have any questions or other feedback, please use the forum to [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=38 get in touch].

=== Did you know ===

[[Category:FlightGear Newsletter|2011 03]]

FlightGear wiki - User contributions [en]

FlightGear Newsletter March 2011