Bell P-39D Airacobra

A new project is posted at the Hangar - a P-39D.  This was originally a model made by Akemi Misoguchi for CFS2.

Tailwheel lock

I'm in the process of adding tailwheel locks to all the tail draggers.  I'm using "Ctrl-L" to toggle the lock.  By default the lock will be on at startup for all tail draggers.  After landing be sure to release the lock before taxiing.  Models uploaded today are the :  P-26A, A-1H and AD-6.

Sound updates

Some sound files are being brought up-to-date.  Some of the configuration items, like and were wrong.  Also, I've added a new channel to the ADC which models a 3-gear squat switch with a two second delay.  This should solve once and for all the problems I've had getting the "tire squeal" sound to play at the right time.  

Edit:  The sound problem is solved on runways, but not on the carrier.  The problem is that airplanes using the JSBSim FDM no longer initialize properly on the carrier.

Density Altitude

It's been a long time since density altitude appeared in JSBSim, so I've replaced it with a system called "ADC", which stands for Air Data Computer.  So far all the ADC does is take air density (rho) as an input and looks up a corresponding altitude, resulting in a density altitude figure.  This value is then used by the turbine engine thrust lookup tables.  This allows the turbine engine output to be effected by non-standard air temperature.

Airplanes modified so far are the F-105, A-3D, A-7E and F-4C.

New Afterburner Effect

Thanks to FG dev Thorsten we now have great looking afterburner plumes in FG.  I've added this to the newest DavePack, version 5.2.  I also uploaded to the hangar one model that has been modified to use it, the F-4C version 1.0.  Here's an earlier test with the F-105 (not uploaded yet).

The DavePack version is a one-size-fits-all plume, using a new 12 sided bounding cylinder to keep the plume within the nozzle.  The plume is added to the model in the usual way, in the model's XML wrapper file.  You just specify the XYZ locations and any tilt (i.e. pitch-deg).

I'm running this in FG 3.5.  I don't know if will run in earlier versions.  I hope it doesn't crash earlier versions.  If it doesn't work for you just comment out the new afterburners in the XML file and uncomment the old ones.

UPDATE:  Added two other plumes, a smaller one for smaller engines, and a new full sized plume with a different shape to make it easier to fit it into the nozzle hole.  DavePack updated to version 5.3.

UPDATE, PART DEUX:  Since this effect is so new I've added code that will use the old-style burners on FlightGear 3.4.x or earlier.  You'll need 3.5.x or newer to see the new burners.  DavePack updated to version 5.4.  So far only the F-4N has the conditional burner code.

UPDATE, PART TROIS:  The F-4C, F-4D, and F-4E now have the conditional burners.

Some JSBSim Updates

I've added some new things to JSBSim.  The first is a new FDM configuration item called pitot-angle that goes in the metrics section.  This will make a slight change in indicated airspeed, as the speed is now calculated using a pitot coordinate frame rather than the body frame.  In most airplanes the pitot frame will be rotated nose-low by a few degrees from the body frame.  About -4 degrees is a good estimate.

The second change is the air refueling onload rate is now configurable.  It used to be a hard-coded 6000 lbs/min, which is OK for cargo/bomber type aircraft but too much for fighter types, which onload in the 1000-2000 lbs/min range.

AC3D/FlightGear Coordinates

Here's a graphic you can use to convert from AC3D coordinates to FlightGear animation coordinates.  Email me if you'd like a copy of the higher res version.

F-4C Project

A FlightGear user told me his father flew the F-4 in TAC in the early 1960's, so I've started an F-4C project for that era.  It's in gray with early 60's insignia.  More work needs to be done on the livery, but it's flyable now.

Flightgear 3.2 updates

Three of my models, the prop-driven, carrier capable airplanes (Sea Fury, AD-4 and AD-6) were broken in Flightgear 3.2 because the holdback systems were using a property name that no longer exists.  These are fixed now. 

I will also be going over all my airplanes and checking for FG 3.2 compatibility.  I don't expect any more issues.

Also, note that the CC license is now at version 4.0, so the link to Creative Commons has been edited to reflect this.

F-4E is "Bombable" ready (I think)

I've modified the F-4E to be "Bombable-ready", which is just a matter of making a few edits to the submodels and *-set XML files.  Assuming I did it right, the cannon and 6 bombs should work properly in "Bombable" scenarios.  For more information on this FlightGear add-on, see


http://wiki.flightgear.org/Bombable
http://wiki.flightgear.org/Howto:Adding ... r_Aircraft

I haven't tried the add-on myself, so the F-4E hasn't been tested.

edit:  Just tested it, and the bombs appear to work in the AI scenario.