Post by Dutch Owen on Oct 13, 2009 22:13:46 GMT -5
The most potential trouble for FSCaptain newbies seems at this point to lie in two areas: Aircraft characteristics overrides and scheduled flights.
Only a few of the hundreds of aircraft types are yet in the characteristics database. This means that in many cases the new player will encounter a default-generated set of characteristics which he must then tweak.
The solutions are 1) clarifying the need for the player to review and tweak when necessary, 2) expanding the default database, and 3) improving the generation of a default configuration.
1) is handled by the addition of a "notice" page to the FCOM when a new aircraft (not in database) is used. 2) will be addressed by allowing and encouraging uploads of characteristics files to the website from players, 3) is what we're talking about right here.
This discusses the common aircraft data that FSCaptain needs that isn't provided direct from the sim. Each item is listed with the way that FSCaptain calculates it. Ideas encouraged!
Volume Class: Start with tiny, if the aircraft empty weight is 5,000lb or over it is small; 30,000lb or over it is medium; 90,000lb or over it is large, and if over 180,000lb it is heavy.
PAX Seats: empty weight divided by 1,000.
Jump seats: empty weight divided by 5,000.
Cabin Crew: one plus the Pax Seats divided by 50.
Belt Switch: "FSX" if under FSX and volume class is larger than "small', "FS9" if under FS9 and the interface variable for the belts if found.
Pressurized: No, unless engine type is jet or turboprop, or maximum gross weight is over 100,000.
Taxi on Grass: Yes, unless a jet or turboprop, or maximum gross weight is over 100,000.
Hydraulic System: No, unless jet or turboprop or maximum gross weight over 20,000 pounds.
Retractable Landing Gear: No, unless jet or turboprop or maximum gross weight over 20,000.
Maximum Landing Weight: Maximum gross weight.
Service Altitude AGL: 2,000 feet if unpressurized, 8000 otherwise.
Empty Payload: Zero.
Maximum Headwind: 50 knots unless cruise speed above 300 knots then 80.
Cruise Altitude: Unpressurized: 8,000ft. Pressurized; for piston, 20,000; for jets and turboprops it is based on speed: 200-300kt: 25,000ft 300-450kt: 30,000 Above 450kt: 35,000.
Cruise Speed: provided in the aircraft.cfg (cruise_speed).
Climb Speed: Cruise speed divided by two.
Descent Speed: Cruise speed divided by two.
Climb FPM: 700 for unpressurized pistons, 1000 for pressurized pistons, 1200 for turboprops, and 1800 for jets.
Cruise Fuel Flow: The ESTIMATED FUEL FLOW sim variable.
Climb Fuel Flow: Cruise fuel flow times two.
Descent Fuel Flow: Cruise fuel flow divided by two.
Fuel Tanks: All present tanks are assumed to be the same priority.
Load Table: All present load stations are loaded equally, that is, payload is spread evenly between all with no limits on any one station.
Only a few of the hundreds of aircraft types are yet in the characteristics database. This means that in many cases the new player will encounter a default-generated set of characteristics which he must then tweak.
The solutions are 1) clarifying the need for the player to review and tweak when necessary, 2) expanding the default database, and 3) improving the generation of a default configuration.
1) is handled by the addition of a "notice" page to the FCOM when a new aircraft (not in database) is used. 2) will be addressed by allowing and encouraging uploads of characteristics files to the website from players, 3) is what we're talking about right here.
This discusses the common aircraft data that FSCaptain needs that isn't provided direct from the sim. Each item is listed with the way that FSCaptain calculates it. Ideas encouraged!
Volume Class: Start with tiny, if the aircraft empty weight is 5,000lb or over it is small; 30,000lb or over it is medium; 90,000lb or over it is large, and if over 180,000lb it is heavy.
PAX Seats: empty weight divided by 1,000.
Jump seats: empty weight divided by 5,000.
Cabin Crew: one plus the Pax Seats divided by 50.
Belt Switch: "FSX" if under FSX and volume class is larger than "small', "FS9" if under FS9 and the interface variable for the belts if found.
Pressurized: No, unless engine type is jet or turboprop, or maximum gross weight is over 100,000.
Taxi on Grass: Yes, unless a jet or turboprop, or maximum gross weight is over 100,000.
Hydraulic System: No, unless jet or turboprop or maximum gross weight over 20,000 pounds.
Retractable Landing Gear: No, unless jet or turboprop or maximum gross weight over 20,000.
Maximum Landing Weight: Maximum gross weight.
Service Altitude AGL: 2,000 feet if unpressurized, 8000 otherwise.
Empty Payload: Zero.
Maximum Headwind: 50 knots unless cruise speed above 300 knots then 80.
Cruise Altitude: Unpressurized: 8,000ft. Pressurized; for piston, 20,000; for jets and turboprops it is based on speed: 200-300kt: 25,000ft 300-450kt: 30,000 Above 450kt: 35,000.
Cruise Speed: provided in the aircraft.cfg (cruise_speed).
Climb Speed: Cruise speed divided by two.
Descent Speed: Cruise speed divided by two.
Climb FPM: 700 for unpressurized pistons, 1000 for pressurized pistons, 1200 for turboprops, and 1800 for jets.
Cruise Fuel Flow: The ESTIMATED FUEL FLOW sim variable.
Climb Fuel Flow: Cruise fuel flow times two.
Descent Fuel Flow: Cruise fuel flow divided by two.
Fuel Tanks: All present tanks are assumed to be the same priority.
Load Table: All present load stations are loaded equally, that is, payload is spread evenly between all with no limits on any one station.