Q400 Aircraft and Major Update- Latest IPACS Release!

    • Official Post

    Greetings Fellow Simmers,


    The time has come for the release of the Dash 8 Q400 aircraft and we are as excited as you are for its debut. A lot of work has gone into this aircraft and the result has allowed for additional functionality not only in the Q400 but for any other aircraft that utilizes advanced autopilot features.

    The Q400 is released as a free DLC, so be sure to look out for that. There is also an update to the Aerofly FS2 core engine.

    Now for the good stuff! Let's begin with a summary of what has been added to this update:

    • Updates to the advanced autopilot systems seen in the A320, B737, B747, C90Gtx, Lj45 and now the Q400.

    • Fixes to the shimmering buildings and houses seen by some users

    • Improvements to the night lighting and a fix to the flickering lights seen at night.

    • The ability to now define a user folder in a new location/drive.

    • Overhauled auto thrust system

    • Added FMS features to the navigation displays of all airliners; example, top of descent, vertical and lateral deviation from flight plan.

    • Added crew alerting system (CAS) added to LJ45 and B747 with takeoff configuration warnings, autopilot and auto-throttle disconnect warnings

    • Improved the fly by wire of the A320 (this is still a work in progress)

    • Modernized A320 displays; more realistic look and greatly increased functionality

    • Adjusted flight models

    • Updated controls

    • added auto-throttle disconnect

    Now let's take a look at the Dash 8 Q400;

    • Liveries; Austrian Airlines, Canada Express, Flybe, Horizon Alaska, Celebration and Green, Sata, and SkyWork

    • full rigidbody simulation of the fuselage, wings, stabilizers, gear and propeller (customary for all Aerofly FS 2 aircraft) with accurate flight model which is fairly close to real world numbers during climb, cruise and descent

    • simulated prop wash effects on wing, gyroscopic effects of the large propellers which require a bit of trimming on pitch, yaw and roll axis when power changes

    • custom engine physics for the PW150A turboprop engine using real world physics laws and no "lookup table" calculations

    • realistic engine shut-down and preliminary failure of other systems with engine off

    • engine start; physically accurate simulation with starter connected to high pressure shaft

    • engine has realistic heat capacity and cools down when its off

    • custom FADEC simulation

    • new governor implementation

    • custom rendering algorithm for all displays

    • glass cockpit functionality

    • ARCDU (audio radio control display unit)

    • all clickspots have been prepared and are available; most switches already work but not all systems are modeled yet

    • a lot of the push buttons are animated to give better feedback

    • Updated sounds

    There is a lot to be excited about. For a complete and impressive listing of all new features packed into this update visit the Change Log. Also be sure to thank Jan, Marc, Andreas, and the rest of the IPACS team for the amount of work that they did to provide you with this feature packed update.

    IPACS Development Team Member

    I'm just a cook, I don't own the restaurant.
    On behalf of Torsten, Marc, and the rest of the IPACS team, we would all like to thank you for your continued support.

    Regards,

    Jeff

  • The download isn't that big in terms of gigabytes as far as I know.

    Most of the aircraft files that are updated as well as the code are very tiny in size.

    Hi Jan, I live in a rural area and my bandwidth is limited. I can bring my rig to my shop where I have unlimited download, this is why I'm asking

    Thanks, Ben

    BennyBoy. I5 8600K @ 4,3ghz, 16 ram, GTX 1060 6G @ UW @2560 X 1080. Sim: AF2 & P3D V4

  • Since the update, lost airbrakes on jets (F18 and F15), button still programmed, reprogrammed, used keyboard key to, and no dice. The airbrakes are gone, they don't want to deploy anymore ?!?!. Not certain it has to do with the update, but we've pretty much tried everything else. It worked flawlessly before.

    Also we had uploaded the aircraft carrier group by Pt Mugu (user created content), and we could land airplanes on it (Cessna, F4U, F18, F15). Now today after the upgrade, any contact with it generates a crash, yet we still can land on the water.

    I know it's user generated content (the aircraft carrier group) but clearly something changed in the collision detection or crash boundary conditions, just FYI, not a major issue.

    Since it's the first time I comment, I will also add another thing that we've noticed and lived with. in heavy density areas of trees, we have floating patches of them (like Sierra Nevada, Yosemite, etc..). The patch has the proper shape (similar to ground below) but it's floating in the air at a higher altitude (maybe 1000 feet higher) than the ground level. It's a square patch of tree, full rendition no problem (we have a super powerful machine, dedicated graphics and VR), just wrong altitude. We can fly through them without issues, sometimes however that makes them drop back onto the ground. It seems and may or may not be related to clouds, not fully clearly related but there seem to be some correlation in display (when the patch change some clouds flicker, not the terrain, and no stutter)

    We'd like to add a lot of content to this, just so you know. Currently we are in the process of figuring out the SDK (scenery, objects and later aircraft), we're working on it.

    We love this software and have spent countless hours flying in it.

    Any help welcomed, we'll also help in any way we can to make it progress (we are a volunteer organization).

    Thanks for all you did and this great software.

  • Just want to say very nice job on the Q400! It is great! Using the Rift, I was fiddling with the engine control panel and went with my left hand to grab the glareshield. ;) Very good immersion! Luv'in it!

    Nice attention to details. MTOP, NTOP and the bleeds. The seat track in the floor. The power lever detents are nicely done also. The flight model is nice, although it takes too much power to taxi. Normally you taxi in Discing in order to keep the speed under control. Lots to explore with this one! and ENGINE STARTS!

    Two thumbs up from me! :)

    ussiowa, I just tried and the airbrakes are working for me...

    Edited once, last by Mr. Bean (July 27, 2017 at 4:42 AM).

    • Official Post

    Since the update, lost airbrakes on jets (F18 and F15), button still programmed, reprogrammed, used keyboard key to, and no dice. The airbrakes are gone, they don't want to deploy anymore ?!?!.

    We change it so that you can assign a key for speedbrake extension and retraction.

    And I can confirm: the speedbrakes in the F18 do not work for me either, I'll look into it.

  • I must say that I'm a AFS2 fan, even at this early stage. How could you not be with a start like Innsbruck(LOWI). We have lovely planes

    and now the Dash Q400 to add to it.

    It going to be a patience version, that's very obvious, but that's good. It give time for the pennies to grow as FTX is also coming up with

    some very buyable gems.

    Patience guys, Regards,

    Jim.

    Computer: PB Gaming 62000 Skylake Core i5 6600, Quad Core 3.3Ghz with Premium Cooling, 16GB DDR4 Gaming Ram, 250GB SSD, 2TB HHD, N'VIDEA GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5, DIRECTX12 Gaming Graphic's Card, VR Ready, Windows10 Home Edition, 64bit, 2 x 24" Widescreen HDMI 1080p VDU's

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