Ian "B21" Lewis and MADSolo Simulations have just released the Jonker JS-3 Rapture competition sailplane for MSFS.  It's an 18m class with full span flaps.

Both developers are members of the team who built the AS33-ME for msfs.

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General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Length: 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 18 m (59 ft 1 in)
• Height: 1.22 m (4 ft 0 in)
• Aspect ratio: 32.8
• Empty weight: 280 kg (617 lb) without engine, 297 kg (655 lb) with engine
• Gross weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 430 kg (948 lb) without water ballast

Performance

• Maximum glide ratio: 55:1 at 120 km/h (75 mph; 65 kn) at MAUW
• Best glide speed at 450 kg (992 lb): 105 km/h (65 mph; 57 kn)
• Rate of sink: 0.49 m/s (96 ft/min) 1.43 m/s (5 ft/s) at 200 km/h (120 mph; 110 kn) at MAUW
• Wing loading: 37.0 kg/m² (7.6 lb/sq ft) minimum, 60.36 kg/m² (12 lb/sq ft) maximum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonker_JS-3_Rapture

https://flightsim.to/file/56083/jonker-js3-rapture

MADolo posted this tip in the FS.TO comments section,

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Thanks Maverick. In working on the flight model the main difference I could notice from the AS33 was the additional wing loading as the JS3 has exceptionally high-aspect wings (it's only 10m^2 for an 18m!) and carries a lot of ballast. There's quite a lot of work gone into the flight model so flap 1 is best glide only from 90 knots plus (90 = 49:1 wet), after that you have to step back through the flaps to get the best performance (flap 2 is best for 80, flap 3/4 for 70, 4/5 below that). The behaviour near the stall is a balance for what the MSFS flight model will simulate between fully ballasted and dry - that's not a range MSFS is particularly designed for but I eventually got it ok in the JS3. Thanks for the supportive comments.

 

In his video,   Ian mentioned today's Sim Soaring Saturday event,  the "SSC I got lost in the Alps 254".

Unfortunately I missed today's event,  but I have zipped the Alps 254 pln and wpr,  as well as a .tsk file for XCsoar users,  and posted them here on my google drive.   

Invite link to the SSC discord group,   https://discord.gg/KthhKrUD

 

 

😮

I'm downloading that now! Up to now I've  mostly flown the Got Gravel Discus. Or is that Got Friends?

I wonder will MSFS ever have realistic Thermals though. 🙄

Microsoft has listened to a certain extent,  so I'm confident they'll eventually get it right.    (and want to)

I primarily fly the Touching Cloud DG-808S with Captain Jack's LXN nav mod.      DG-808S POH

I do own the premium version of the Discus because I want to support GotFriends and msfs gliders,   but honestly I don't really fly it much because it doesn't have flaps.

The DG 808s has 7 flap positions and speed brakes.   So does the AS33,  and JS3.  Flaps just add an entire new dimension to a sailplane. 

https://github.com/JackBilbo/lxn-discus

https://github.com/JackBilbo/lxn-dg1001

https://github.com/JackBilbo/lxn-ingamepanel   (for gliders without nav)

I forgot to mention that users can examine existing soaring tasks or create their own with Ian's task planner.   You can use it to view the PLN I posted.

B21 Task Planner   B21 Task Planner instructions

 

 

Edited June 4, 20233 yr by Waldo Pepper

I tested it.

Just as with all gliders in MFS, it feels really detached from reality for me to use it "as a glider".

Same regarding soaring weather in MFS. One aspect that really kills the immersion, specially for someone used to fly them IRL, is that "mastering" soaring flight in MFS will make you think you really know what's it all about when indeed you have been able to learn the less then realistic way of reproducing thermal lift, and even some aspects of orographic lift.

Anyway, MFS is still good to train tasks if you can forget about the poor flight dynamics and soaring weather.

I became accustomed to it, specially now that I decided to further invest and profit from the many positive aspects of MFS as a general purpose simulator, specially when I use the PMDG 737 or the Fenix A320.