Let's make an Aircraft

1st Official Post

    Hey all

    I love 3D modeling and always wanted to try to create an aircraft for FS. Aerofly with it's tools and supportive community seems like great place to start.

    I also feel that user created content in this field needs a little kickstart8o

    I've read all the wiki wisdom on this subject however I'll be coming back here for more as I go.

    For now:

    - Is anybody out there already trying this? Any useful tips you would like to share?

    - what do I need to know regarding copyrights? Do I need any kind of permission from particular aircraft manufacturer to make and publicly share model of theirs design?

    - my first attempt is going to be all electric plane (another reason I wanna do this). Is there anything wrong with this idea (regarding AF2 engine and it's capabilities) that would not allow me to achieve this?

    Thanks Jay

    Over and Out

    Jay

    • Official Post

    Hi Jay,

    thank you for your interest in creating an aircraft for the Aerofly FS 2. We will try to assist you on your way as best as we can. Right now the wiki is a bit incomplete in regards to aircraft development, I just haven't had the time to write more content. Maybe I can do something about that between Christmas and New Years Eve when I'm not near my working PC.

    1) I'd start with the aircraft tutorial (DR400) and if you can try to add a new part into that aircraft, e.g. a Christmas present on the passenger seat (with textures and everything). If you are able to export the changed 3D model, export it, convert it, add that to the tmd file and have it visible in Aerofly, then you are probably good to go to export your own 3D aircraft.

    You could also start by editing the tmd file to understand how the aircraft is set up. Just scan through it, try to grasp what kind of objects you are dealing with.

    2) sorry, i don't know anything about this.

    3) The problem with the electric plane is that there is no example for it yet. So you can't copy any code for an electric engine. I'm positive that the electric engine is still implemented but we haven't used it for quite some time. So I'd suggest starting with something more common like a jet engine or a piston engine. Or a glider.

    My suggestion is to start with something really simple, fixed gear, basic direct link controls like the C172, DR400 or ASG29. Maybe do a Piper Cub or Carbon Cub, which could be an easy first project. And you don't have to mess with all the more advanced stuff like retractable landing gear, propeller governor, electrics or fuel, a lot of instrument needles, even glass cockpits, etc. Just to grasp the basics: create the model, export and convert it and then set up the tmd file so that it flies and is controllable.

    Thanks Jan

    I will follow your advice. Nevertheless it would be great if you could extend the wiki a little regarding this subject.

    I'm really exited about this and if it goes well I will NOT stop with one plane only:)

    Will keep you posted

    Jay

    Over and Out

    Jay

    • Official Post
    Quote from Jetjockey10

    Jay,

    Good for you, go make one. Then another.

    I would like to see a Carbon Cub in AF2. That would work great on all the bumpy runways we see using GeoConverter. ^^

    Regards,

    Ray

    Whispering: i would love to see a carbon cub too :D with large tundra tires and a lot of excess power so that we can land on the rocks in the grand canyon or on the roof tops of many many buildings

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    Whispering: i would love to see a carbon cub too :D with large tundra tires and a lot of excess power so that we can land on the rocks in the grand canyon or on the roof tops of many many buildings

    Great. Let's talk it up. Hey Jay, that has a nice ring to it, go for it. Pleaseeeeee.

    Regards,

    Ray

    Just thinking. Maybe Jay and Jan could team up and build a new AF2 Carbon Cub, the Jay could follow his dream and give it an “electric” engine. Now wouldn’t that be grand. ;)

    Regards,

    Ray

    Oooohhhh a carbon cub 😍😍😍! Let’s hope such a great classic taildagger - hopefully with standarts and tundra wheels can quickly appear in fs2. More, a ski/wheel version will allow a few new area of activities: landing and take off on Switzerland DLC glaciers, like in reality...very challenging vfr flights 😉

    Quote from HerveF

    Oooohhhh a carbon cub 😍😍😍! Let’s hope such a great classic taildagger - hopefully with standarts and tundra wheels can quickly appear in fs2. More, a ski/wheel version will allow a few new area of activities: landing and take off on Switzerland DLC glaciers, like in reality...very challenging vfr flights 😉

    Agreed. I was actually thinking that the private developer (Jay) might be the quickest path to a floatplane. Just imagine a Carbon Cub built by AF2 pilots for AF2 pilots with all the optios - standard tires, balloon tires, skiis, floats, and even an amplibian model. Wow.

    A word of caution though. Jay hasn’t weighed in yet on a specific make and model. Heck, we could end up with an A36 Bonanza. Ha. ;)

    Hmmm. I wonder if a user could add water to a lake or rver as a small test, oh my, how our imagination runs wild. :/

    Regards,

    Ray

    • Official Post
    Quote from Jetjockey10

    Agreed. I was actually thinking that the private developer (Jay) might be the quickest path to a floatplane. Just imagine a Carbon Cub built by AF2 pilots for AF2 pilots with all the optios - standard tires, balloon tires, skiis, floats, and even an amplibian model. Wow.

    A word of caution though. Jay hasn’t weighed in yet on a specific make and model. Heck, we could end up with an A36 Bonanza. Ha. ;)

    Hmmm. I wonder if a user could add water to a lake or rver as a small test, oh my, how our imagination runs wild. :/

    Regards,

    Ray

    I'm pretty sure he can't just add floats. We could fake them but that's not what Aerofly is all about. We usually do things right if we are able to. When you have a good native physics simulations all sorts of effects come out of the engine automatically. A good example is the magnetic compass. We don't have to fake the behavior for acceleration or during a turn, the accurate physics simulation of the magnetic needle does all this for us. Same is true for the balance ball, there is no "fakeing" of the deflection, the deflection just happens due to the accelerations happing on to the ball.

    To fake floats we would have to invent something that behaves as a float and try to do that with the default wheels I believe. Then the aircraft will probably not collide on hard ground and float on "water" at the same time. So that ain't gonna work just like that. We'll have to work for a water surface simulation and actual float simulation which will then automatically give us the results that we want. I'll ask if we can get a small pool of water for testing. Maybe a large square in front of the coast, somewhere we usually don't fly.

    The ski's may also be a bit tricky because as far as I know there is no surface friction parameter variation depending on the surface you are on. So either the skis are slippery on all terrain or they aren't at all - also not quite ready for this I think. But it is easier to "fake" than floats, that is for sure so we could just do it and just accept that the friction won't be as accurate all the time which is ok. Hey floats would be cool to have just so we don't see the wheels :)

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    I'm pretty sure he can't just add floats. We could fake them but that's not what Aerofly is all about. We usually do things right if we are able to. When you have a good native physics simulations all sorts of effects come out of the engine automatically. A good example is the magnetic compass. We don't have to fake the behavior for acceleration or during a turn, the accurate physics simulation of the magnetic needle does all this for us. Same is true for the balance ball, there is no "fakeing" of the deflection, the deflection just happens due to the accelerations happing on to the ball.

    To fake floats we would have to invent something that behaves as a float and try to do that with the default wheels I believe. Then the aircraft will probably not collide on hard ground and float on "water" at the same time. So that ain't gonna work just like that. We'll have to work for a water surface simulation and actual float simulation which will then automatically give us the results that we want. I'll ask if we can get a small pool of water for testing. Maybe a large square in front of the coast, somewhere we usually don't fly.

    The ski's may also be a bit tricky because as far as I know there is no surface friction parameter variation depending on the surface you are on. So either the skis are slippery on all terrain or they aren't at all - also not quite ready for this I think. But it is easier to "fake" than floats, that is for sure so we could just do it and just accept that the friction won't be as accurate all the time which is ok. Hey floats would be cool to have just so we don't see the wheels :)

    Hello Jay,

    That is all great information, but, we need to make sure we don't get the cart before the horse. We haven't heard a peep from Jay on any possible choices of aircraft to tackle.

    A test bed lake would a marvelous gift to the community, please ask. A Small lake anyplace will do. One day we will have floatplanes and choppers on floats and boats, and ships, and . . .

    Regards,

    Ray

    Hey boys

    I'm afraid that I've got some bad news for you. Just kidding - SUPER CUB it is!! :))

    I didn't find any good blueprints for Carbon Cub though but I think it's nearly identical to PA18 super cub isn't it? (apart from engine cover)

    Only started modeling this afternoon and it's going to be long journey as I intend to get it as close as possible to beautiful level of details that IPACS provides.

    Small wheel version comes first, the big foot and floats after that.

    The testing pool would be awesome Jan, go for it:)

    Regards Jay

    Over and Out

    Jay