If someone is curious as to what I've been upto lately in gauge development: check out the video of a Harrier that performs true vertical (zero airspeed) landings/takeoffs and hovering. And more ....The same solution could also be applied to other VTOL-capable aircraft like a JSF or V22-Osprey.File: rcbhh-10.zip (.wmf format, 10 Mb)Available only on flightsim.com (avsim doesnot allow video files to be uploaded).Cheers, Rob Barendregt

hi Rob,It's looking great. A teaser indeed. Can't wait to see this implemented in a good Harrier!Rob "Holland&Holland" de Vries http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Flying.gif"To go up, pull the stick back. To go down, pull the stick back harder"

Looking good Rob .... love your work m8! :-beerchug

regardsEd

http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/132837.gifAMD Athlon 64 3500+, 1024Mb PC3200 DDR, 300Gb HD 128Mb DDR Nvidia 6600GT PCI Express, Audigy 2 ZSCH Products Yoke, Pedals and Throttle Quadrant

<< Can't wait to see this implemented in a good Harrier!Hi Rob,Yes, I do know better Harriers then the freeware Harrier I used in the video.But I hope nobody will blame me for NOT buying a commercial product (like the DSB or Alphasim Harrier) solely for the purpose of creating/distributing a freeware addon :-)Cheers, Rob

Nice work Rob. Dunno how you do it but keep it up!-Jeremy BurchThe Ozark Dogfighter http://forums.avsim.net/images/wedge.gifHappy Flying!A pilot pulled out a .38 revolver and placed it on top of the instrument panel, then told the navigator "I use this on navigators who get me lost!"The navigator pulled out a .45 and placed it on his chart table. The pilot asked, "What's that for?""To be honest sir," the navigator replied, "I'll know we're lost before you will."

Looks good!When you've sorted the hovering flight dynamics how about trying the intake momentum drag effects? ;)For other who may be interested the effects are described in:http://www.harrier.org.uk/history/history_farley.htm

Hello,That's sound really great ! Congratulations. However I would have two questions : I can't find this video file in the library, can I download it another way ? then, I'm trying to design a Lockheed XFV1, maybe it reminds you something ? Do you think that I could transpose the flight dynamic model ?Thank you very muchRemy

Hi Remy,As stated in first post, this video is only available on flightsim.com, NOT avsim.com (since this doesn't allow video's in the library).However, I have already made various versions of this gauge, available here at avsim. Do a search (AVSIM library - Extended Search) for files RCBHC* and you will see them.Note. Ignore file rcbhc-15.zip, it's old :-)Whether you want to use my gauge or not, depends a bit on what you want: near-VTOL (which usually can be solved in the normal flight model, or true-VTOL (using my gauge-based solution).The latter however isn't perfect as well :-); depending on your settings and system, at very low altitude the outside scenery may look a bit "slew-ish".This VTOL solution can, in principle, be adapted ("tweaked") to any jet aircraft, but it's rather tricky if you don't know what to tweak.If you have further questions, you can contact me via EMail (see address in my READMEs)Rob Barendregt

I may consider trying the gauge with a Yak-38 Forger.I have the Kaz Ito's flight model tweaked to the point where it does near VTOL. Mr. Ito had it close but I've made changes that improve it further...but as you well know, that's using wacky flap.0 settings and so forth. 30-40 kts on takeoff and landing isn't VTOL. :)I have not yet gone the hover gauge route with it.Rhett

Ok Mace, I'm going to try this.Thank you

Rob,I've been wondering if the same technique could in theory be used to create fully custom flight dynamics? If I understand correctly, you're doing your own computations to figure out what the behaviour of the Harrier should be, then moving it into the correct position and orientation?Implementing a fully custom flight model would of course be a major undertaking, but it would be a way to break out of the MSFS FDE limitations... or have I got this completely wrong?Martin

Hi Martin,Unfortunately it's a bit more complicated then that; apart from the hugh amount of work it would to even come close to the MS flight engine if you look at ALL aspects.As far as I know, there's no way to switch off the FS engine; at best (and that's what my solution is based on) you can overwrite FS-calcualted values in some stages of flight (like for the hover, carrier traps/launches and alike).But even then it doesn't work perfect, since the FS "flight engine" will always try to work against you :-)So as a general solution to implement your own flightmodel: no, not feasible IMO ....Chers, Rob

Rob,> apart from the hugh amount of work it would to even come close to the MS flight engine if you look at ALL aspects.That's understood... just wanted to know if it would work in principle...> As far as I know, there's no way to switch off the FS engine; at best (and that's what my solution is based on) you can overwrite FS-calcualted values in some stages of flight (like for the hover, carrier traps/launches and alike). But even then it doesn't work perfect, since the FS "flight engine" will always try to work against you :-)Hm, OK... I was kind of hoping that if you updated the aircraft's position often enough, the FS flight model wouldn't have a chance to override what you did... apparently not, though...Shame MS / ACES didn't make the code modular enough that you could plug in your own model if you wanted... along the lines of a callback that FS would call to update the position and orientation of the aircraft...Thanks anyway for the info!Martin