FlightGear

[n2ize]

I have been playing around with the 2.10 Linux version of FlightGear ... the open source flight simulator. So far so good. It seems to have improved a lot and has some nice features. Some features still need some improvement. The navigational features, i.e. GPS, maps, etc. seem to be quite good. The simulation and aircraft dynamics seem good. Some features, such as the panels for add-on aircraft can stand some improvement. The auto terrain download/rendering/update (terrasync) features work good. Graphics are decent considering I don;t have a high end graphics card. I just did a Yukon flight in a DC3 from Dawson City airport to Whitehorse International. My landing at Whitehorse was somewhat rough, I wound up off the runway halfway under a pine tree but I didn't crash, not bad considering I have no flight yoke and I was just using the mouse and keyboard to direct control of the aircraft. The majority of the flight was guided by autopilot / GPS. exceot for takeoff and landing. All in all not a bad sim. Can stand some improvement but not bad. In fact I was impressed and I enjoyed the flight. Next task, to do the same flight in the Constellation and then the DC6. And to use the old fashioned navigation.

[ad4mg]

I have FlightGear installed here. Similar impressions with regards to graphics, filght realism, etc, but configuration of my joystick was troublesome. I have an old MS Sidewinder joystick (no force feedback), and it was a bear to get the sensitivities right.

I also have the Deluxe version of MSFS-X, and have been playing with FS since the DOS 6.0 days. I am totally familiar with all of the shortcut key functions and configuration of FS-X, and finally have the hardware to run it with all the sliders to the right.

One day, when I have time to tackle the learning curve of FlightGear, I'll revisit that effort. It is, without any doubt, a sophisticated flight simulator model that certainly deserves attention. I don't recall if there is a helicopter available for FG. That's my 'thing' in FS, and many models, both civilian and military rotary wing airframes, are available all over the internet.

[n2ize]

Yes, there are helicopters available for FG. In fact I just added a Bell UH-1 Iroquois to my aircrafts. The underlying simulation model used in FG is supposed to be extremely robust in its ability to model all types of aircraft including helicopters quite accurately and is also used in some professional pilot training sims. My primary interest in flight simulators is to be able to fly old airliners, like the DC3, DC6,. Lockheed Constellation, Lockheed Electra, Ford Trimotor, etc. in routes between various airports across both remote and populated regions. So far I have had good luck with the DC3. In fact my only complaint about the DC3 is that the panel needs to have more authenticity added.to it. Otherwise it's external views are beautiful. The scenery across the snow covered mountainous landscape was breathtaking and quite realistic. The real weather METAR updates work well. For example I have flown into snow squalls and the other day when it was pouring outside I visited my local airport on the simulator and was greeted by the same low visibility and heavy rain on my computer screen. Also, the automatic terrain update seems to be working well even though the feature is still under development. I won't even attempt to fly a helicopter until I get hold of a control stick to provide me with responsive cyclic control. Thus far I have been flying planes with only the keyboard, mouse and autopilot. It seems to run well on my machine, for example I can set the GPS autopilot on a long flight and let the sim run in a background window while running my other apps ithout any degradation in performance. So far so good. I like it and it will be interesting to see how things improve as new features are added and old features are updated.

It seems that FG has fewer aircraft models available than FS but I am sure the database of available FG aircraft will be growing over time.

I was also a fan of MSFS starting from back in the old DOS days. In fact I remember running my first time running MSFS on an old IBM XT machine with a monochrome monitor. In those days I didn;t have any Internet but I do remember downloading add-on aircraft from a few local dialup BBS'es. yes, the good ol' days...LOL.

[n2ize]

Just had an interesting emergency flight situation. I deceided to fly a Piper Seneca from Dawson City YT to Whtehorse Intl.. About 1/4 way into the trip my engine quits abruptly at 9000 feet with nothing but snow covered mountains below as far as you can see. managed to do an emergency landing in a small clearing. So my fight situation now is this. I am stuck on the side of a snow covered mountain, wheels buried in snow with no gas and no way to take off and get out. Guess I'll have to wait for the emergency rescue team to locate me and haul me out. Lesson learned, always check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough gas on board to complete your trip...LOL.

[K7SGJ]

Just had an interesting emergency flight situation. I deceided to fly a Piper Seneca from Dawson City YT to Whtehorse Intl.. About 1/4 way into the trip my engine quits abruptly at 9000 feet with nothing but snow covered mountains below as far as you can see. managed to do an emergency landing in a small clearing. So my fight situation now is this. I am stuck on the side of a snow covered mountain, wheels buried in snow with no gas and no way to take off and get out. Guess I'll have to wait for the emergency rescue team to locate me and haul me out. Lesson learned, always check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough gas on board to complete your trip...LOL.

Press ctl+alt+F3.

[n2ize]

Press ctl+alt+F3.

Does that start the Canadian search and rescue process...LOL :-D

[K7SGJ]

Does that start the Canadian search and rescue process...LOL :-D

No, it doesn't do anything. I just wanted to see if you'd do it.

[N8OBM]

No, it doesn't do anything. I just wanted to see if you'd do it.

Aww, To heck with you and the Broom you flight simmed in on.

I had to post this just in case IZE didn't

Archie N8OBM

[K7SGJ]

Aww, To heck with you and the Broom you flight simmed in on.

I had to post this just in case IZE didn't

Archie N8OBM

But.....but.....but

[NA4BH]

But.....but.....but

Snuffed him, NICE !!!!! LOL

[K7SGJ]

I am speechless, as usual.

[NA4BH]

Don't speak, enjoy.

[KC9ECI]

I was also a fan of MSFS starting from back in the old DOS days. In fact I remember running my first time running MSFS on an old IBM XT machine with a monochrome monitor. In those days I didn;t have any Internet but I do remember downloading add-on aircraft from a few local dialup BBS'es. yes, the good ol' days...LOL.

Ditto. Flightgear looks fun. Just torrented it. Might have time to play with it tomorrow. Too crappy to go out and fly my quadcopter so this might be the next best thing.

http://i.imgur.com/GeLW7oW.png

[n2ize]

Ditto. Flightgear looks fun. Just torrented it. Might have time to play with it tomorrow. Too crappy to go out and fly my quadcopter so this might be the next best thing.

http://i.imgur.com/GeLW7oW.png

Hah. I never tried a quad copter. I hear they make great camera platforms. I fly conventional single rotor (main rotor / tail rotor) collective and fixed pitch electric helicopters in the 300 - 450 size category. Up in the attic I have an old nitro powered GMP Cricket that I bought in the early 80's and plaqyed around with for a while. I've been thinking of resurrecting it and getting it up in the air again. I miss that loud buzz and exhaust smoke... The Cricket was in good shape when I put it in storage decades ago but it will probably need a good engine cleaning, a new radio & servos, and definitely a new gas tank and fuel lines. The old ones are probably clogged with model engine fuel cholesterol and corroded after sitting up there for close to 20 years.. I also found someone that has and sells replacement parts for it after all these years. If I can get it up in the air again with the engine buzzing and that stream of blue smoke coming from the exhaust I'll definitely post a few pictures.

Flightgear is fun. I've done some flights out of my local airport in the Cessna 172R, the Beech-99, and the DC3. (all add on planes). I downloaded a really nice Lockheed Constellation with a beautiful set of realistic functional panels and panel controls (pilots, copilots, engineers panels + multi interior and exterior views. It took me a while to learn how to select the right switches on the engineers panel in order to get the engines started. Startup procedure is realistic, working control surfaces, internal and exterior lighting that can be adjusted, autopilot, etc. On the down side the engines don;t sound like a real Constellations. They sound more like a single engine Cessna when ou bring up the rpm's. Ah well, that's one improvement that may come in the next version of the model. As you have figured out I prefer flying old propliners to jets.


The sim itself is pretty nice, Automatic scenery download, real weather, etc. Some of the ground details could be better but then it may be a function of my stock video card. rain/snow effects are not too bad either. It;s definitely worth a try. learning curve isn't too bad either.

[KC9ECI]

I have an F4U Corsair from Lanyu, but don't fly it much. The quad I managed to break about a week in and had to wait a month to get a replacement body kit as they were on back order. I have a GoPro for it and want to get a gimbal at some point. I've only managed one quick test flight with it and the camera since the rebuild. Weather/time have played a part in keeping me grounded. Here is a the first video I shot with it and the gopro:




http://youtu.be/R8xirA7WBnI

[n2ize]

I have an F4U Corsair from Lanyu, but don't fly it much. The quad I managed to break about a week in and had to wait a month to get a replacement body kit as they were on back order. I have a GoPro for it and want to get a gimbal at some point. I've only managed one quick test flight with it and the camera since the rebuild. Weather/time have played a part in keeping me grounded. Here is a the first video I shot with it and the gopro:


http://youtu.be/R8xirA7WBnI

Very nice. great video and awesome visibility. I might eventually get myself a quad as I would like to do some aerial video and photography. I'd imagine that since I can fly a conventional single rotor I should be able to learn to handle a quad. How is it in wind ? One of the biggest problems I have had with fixed pitch copters is when flying at high altitudes and encountering wind is that the added lift makes it very difficult to land unless you practically cut the throttle and go into free fall.. With collective pitch I can throw it into a negative pitch attitude and reduce altitude with no problem. The thing is the quads are nice and stable for photo and video work. Some of the expensive models I have seen even have GPS stabilization so you can literally lock the quad into position via GPS hold. however I'd be happy to have one like you are using in this video. If I can get one that can mae an aerial video along the lines of what you have done here I'd be happy.

[KC9ECI]

It's a Blade 350 QX. It had some features that make it real good for a beginner, but at this point, I think I'd go with a DJI Phantom. You can get a pretty slick gimbal for the DJI, but for the Blade you have to cobble one on. They also have an issue with random flyaways. I'm thinking about adding a $95 APRS tracker from Argent Data set to beacon every 10 minutes so I can find it if it does take off on me. If you really want to be impressed with what you can do with one of these things, check out some of the stuff that Jim, W9UUM does with his platform. The local news just featured this video he did.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ons1hSNNF_8

[n2ize]

It's a Blade 350 QX. It had some features that make it real good for a beginner, but at this point, I think I'd go with a DJI Phantom. You can get a pretty slick gimbal for the DJI, but for the Blade you have to cobble one on. They also have an issue with random flyaways. I'm thinking about adding a $95 APRS tracker from Argent Data set to beacon every 10 minutes so I can find it if it does take off on me. If you really want to be impressed with what you can do with one of these things, check out some of the stuff that Jim, W9UUM does with his platform. The local news just featured this video he did.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ons1hSNNF_8

Very nice work. If I do eventually decide to invest in a quad & camera setup I'll definitely consider the two platforms you mentioned. It would be nice to experiment with some aerial video and photography. I suppose I could do it from a camera on board a conventional heli but maintaining the needed stability is not easy. A quad with stabilization features and its inherent design seems to be the way to go for photographic work.

[W5BRM]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/24/tech/innovation/drone-hobbyists/index.html?c=tech&page=0

Just saw this article on cnn. Looks like a lot of fun. You pilots ever participate in anything like these contests?

[n2ize]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/24/tech/innovation/drone-hobbyists/index.html?c=tech&page=0

Just saw this article on cnn. Looks like a lot of fun. You pilots ever participate in anything like these contests?

No, at least I haven't. Namely because I haven't bought or built a "drone" yet. I fly radio controlled aircraft, mostly conventional type helicopters but occasionally planes as well. I haven't put any cameras on board and there are no FPV or guidance systems aboard. They are strictly under my control and I maintain visual contact with them at all times. What I do is more or less "classic" radio control. "Drones" seem to be an offshoot of the classic rc hobby. The aircraft used are mostly quad-copters (although some have 6 or 8 blades) they have cameras and some have specific guidance systems, down-links for telemetry and FPV video, GPS navigation and stabilization, etc. Theoretically the aircraft can leave you line of site and you can guide it via GPS as well as viewing the onboard camera.... although I don;t recommend people fly them beyond where they can maintain visual contact and I also don't recommend people fly them over crowded areas. Otherwise they seem interesting and I might try one one of these days. Obviously, they can get quite expensive depending on features, level of sophistication, etc.

[KC9ECI]

Nope, no dogfighting for me. Not yet anyway. Shot this video over by Owatonna last summer though.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmUACigl8L0