Asobo, Don't forget that in normal moderate weather conditions waves typically only appear on the downwind side of a lake and the waves are quite perpendicular to the directions of the wind. A very useful phenomenon for determining wind direction and to the experienced eye wind strength at ground level. Now doubt we will see this in the sim if water bodies interact with atmosphere in a similar way as it interacts with the terrain. If there are any videos of screen shots of this phenomenon in the sim please post them here. 😁

Edited April 6, 20206 yr by Quasimodo

So far it is hard to tell if the waves are perpendicular to the wind.  But I do hope they cover that.  I also hope they make different sized waves based on the size of the body of water.

"Five factors influence the formation of the flow structures in wind waves:[5]

Wind speed or strength relative to wave speed—the wind must be moving faster than the wave crest for energy transfer
The uninterrupted distance of open water over which the wind blows without significant change in direction (called the fetch)
Width of area affected by fetch (at right angle to the distance)
Wind duration — the time for which the wind has blown over the water.
Water depth"

I don't think they need to know or calculate all of these.  For example water depth can be approximated from water horizontal dimensions, and I don't think we need to see the wave build up over time.

Mmmmm very very roughly, and more than likely rarely. As Torch lake is 285 feet at 2 miles wide, lake Erie is 210 feet at 57 miles wide 

2 hours ago, Casualcas said:

Mmmmm very very roughly, and more than likely rarely. As Torch lake is 285 feet at 2 miles wide, lake Erie is 210 feet at 57 miles wide 

Your right! I should have specified that I was taking relatively small bodies of water like puddles. I guess we could call them puddles that can be seen from about 2000' AGL. Although my real soaring days are over, when I was gliding I saw them with my own two big fat eye's almost every time I put my bum in the cockpit. Maybe only glider pilots really pay attention to it since the vast majority of farmers fields don't have their own wind sock.😁

Edited April 7, 20206 yr by Quasimodo

8 hours ago, Casualcas said:

Mmmmm very very roughly,

Certainly depth does not conform to width.  But seeing a 10 foot wave on a pond that is 20 feet wide, would look weird.  So I figure bigger waves on bigger bodies of water, would look better.  Do you think there is a better way to do it?  I certainly don't think big waves in small ponds look OK.

Yeah I do. Go down to 1d2 and rent a plane. 

IMO, there are more important things to focus on than waves.

So natural or man made phenomena that indicate wind direction and speed at ground level are not important? As a friend of mine who flies 737's once told me, "You are a pilot! I am just a systems operator." 😁

I agree! Also note that in Europe there is moss growing mostly on the southwestern side of the trees! This helps tremendously to find back to the airport if your compass fails! This must be included!

Of course - if the user sets the wind and rain to be mostly from the north, I expect the moss to be on the northern side...over the course of a few weeks. They promised to make it right, so this will be my benchmark if they are true to their word!

Jan

 

To each, their own (waves).

Waves are a minor detail when you fly  from airport to airport.     

There are not a minor detail when you fly aircraft without a GTN  (to give you the wind) in the wilderness  to strips  close to water bodies which don' have even a windsock  and more so if the bird has two large floaters instead of wheels and you want to land on the said water body. This is the kind of details that a lot of us has been expecting for years.  

With an unexpected landing in the middle of nowhere, you don't have the airport or wind socks to tell you the direction of the wind.  So you look for vegetation bending in the wind.  Maybe dirt and garbage moving in the wind.  And of course waves on water.

And when I used to hang glide in some parts of San Diego area, I would carry a smoke bomb.  Before landing you drop it to find the wind direction.  I only had to use it once, but that is another story.

And here is a bit about landing a seaplane.  "If there are no strong tides or water currents, boats lying at anchor will weathervane and automatically point into the wind. It is also true that sea gulls and other water fowl usually land facing the wind. Smoke, flags, and the set of sails on sailboats also provide the pilot with a fair approximation of the wind direction. If there is an appreciable wind velocity, streaks parallel to the wind are formed on the water. During strong winds, these streaks form distinct white lines. However, wind direction cannot always be determined from the streaks alone. If there are white caps or foam on top of the waves, the foam appears to move into the wind. This illusion is caused by the waves moving under the foam."  http://www.pilotfriend.com/training/flight_training/seaplanes/landings.htm

 

7 hours ago, Janov said:

Also note that in Europe there is moss growing mostly on the southwestern side of the trees!

Southwestern side in the northern hemisphere?  Usually it is northern side.  But even that rule is very shady.  https://www.popsci.com/can-i-use-moss-to-navigate/