Hello flightsim friends,I am nearing completion of the visual model for an American Aircraft Falcon XP. This was an experimental two seat tandem canard design sold from 1984 to 1989 by American Aircraft in New Mexico. I built number 218 (N218ZG) which was featured in the March 1988 issue of Sport Pilot which is the basis for this model. While I no longer own this aircraft I still keep in touch with its current owner so have his help in completing a very accurate visual and flying model. Here is a sneak preview and I did post additional shots in flightsims screenshot forum here: http://www.flightsimnetwork.com/dcforum/DC...mID8/44918.htmlEnjoy and your comments are welcome.Zane

Very cool.Will most of the wing ribs be removed for final? Just wondering, since I assume they won't be visible.And of course, I'm assuming, and thinking how it might work if there were a transparent skinning material that actually made the wings or fuselage look semi-transparent.That would be a great visual "trick" in real aircraft...

The main wings, winglets and canard are covered with Tedlar on the real airplane. This is a see through, heat shrink plastic used in industry for packing heavy, large objects for shipping and storage. The sim version have this same look with see through wings, winglets and canard, it actually looks kind of like a frosted glass, but certainly gave the original a very unique appearance on the ground as well as in the air.Zane

Hello all,Here is a link to more recent screenshots showing an almost completed visual model: http://www.flightsimnetwork.com/dcforum/DC...mID8/45298.htmlNext comes texturing. The flight model will be verified with some Falcon pilots I know and myself since I originally built her.Enjoy,Zane

Looking forward to this aircraft... Wasn't the company also called American Aerolights? I used to live in Napa back in the 80's, and I recall a shop owner there had the Falcon hanging from the ceiling of his shop. I don't know if he ever flew it, however, but it was the only Falcon I'd ever seen "up close and personal".I don't know if you're using FSDS 2 or GMAX--if you're using the former and need any help with the visual model, let me know. I just finished an update of Dave Eckert's FSDS 2 Eclipse...-John

Just a follow up to my original post...I saw the discussion about smoothing groups which answered my question about which design tool you're using. I think I can be of huge help there--if you want a good example, look for Byron Warwick's original Jabiru then the update I did to it (under "John Cillis"). With smoothing you can "have your cake and eat it too" without having to resort to smoothing groups. You hit upon the answer partially in your thread at flightsimnetwork that the order of points makes a difference. There's even more to it then that--the angle two adjoining polys makes can really cause issues with smoothing. Smoothing groups have always been an answer, but that wasn't the dirextion I took working with Byron's Jabiru, because it would have created a "seam" of sorts in certain visible parts, such as the leading edge of the wing. Anyway, my solution involves breaking adjoining polys by giving them unique shared edge points. A good example of that is the trailing edge of a wing. I can take a wing and smooth it from the trailing edge to the leading edge and back with one smoothing group. The trick is to have a duplicate set of trailing edge points, so the polys at the trailing edge don't "join" (even though they still look like they do). Anyway, if you think I can help, send me a private message here. I doubt I'm looking at more than twenty-thirty minutes of work, and you really want smoothing squared away before you start applying textures.Regards,John

Hello John,I tried about three times to answer your post from my office computer and the forum/my firewall/some alien wouldn't let me :-mad Anyway, in the early 1980's Romuald Drlik's canard designs (the Eagle and Falcon) were marketed by American Aerolites, later in the 80's American Aircraft took over the Falcon line. There is a wealth of information on the Falcon line of aircraft on Mike Fithian's website www.aerofalcon.comI'll send a pm regarding help on smoothing cause yes it is at those points where right angles meet that this thing just wants to have shadow effects where they don't belong.Thank you,Zane