Practice tools

[Keith Black]

Cool web site. I've downloaded the files and when I get a chance I'll give
them a try. I'll let you know how your modified UltraSport flies compared to
the pattern planes I've got setup which require one of the Add-Ons (I'm
using the Tracer).

Thanks,
Keith


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff H. Snider" <jeff at snider.com>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2004 11:28 AM
Subject: Re: Practice tools


> Anyone looking for a copy of my airport file who can't get it from my
website
>
>  http://snider.com/jeff/RealFlight/
>
> should send mail directly to me at jeff at snider.com and I'll email
> it to you.  Also let me know why you can't get it.  If there are
> problems with my site I'd like to try and resolve them.
>
> Keith, I did spend probably too much time figuring out how to edit
> airports and place objects in G2.  Now that I have it figured out,
> I might as well share the results.
>
> If anyone has pattern planes they have developed in G2 they want
> to share, I'll be happy to put them on my site alongside my plane.
> I'm also interested in hearing which of the RealFlight add-ons has
> the best plane for pattern.  The UltraSport actually seems pretty
> good when it's scaled up to 2m, and I don't want to spend another
> $100 for more add-ons that won't be too useful for me.
>
>  - Jeff Snider
>  - jeff at snider.com
>  - Northern VA, NSRCA D2
>
> Keith Black writes:
> > Wow Jeff, thanks for the ideas on how to how use G2 for pattern.
> >
> > I'd be interested in getting a copy of your airport file.
> >
> > At one point I started to build an airport that had lines (poles or
whatever
> > objects were available) suspended in mid-air at different critical
points
> > (end of box, center, 45 degree angles, perfect circles, etc.) to help me
> > visualize the field and to help me visualize correct geometry.  However
it
> > wasn't all that easy to edit the airport and I didn't have the time to
spend
> > on it so I abandoned the idea. It may be worth trying again sometime.
> >
> > If your interested I have a couple of different airplane files that fly
> > pretty close to a real pattern plane, however they do require add-ons.
> >
> > Let me know if you'd like to do some file swapping. I really haven't
used G2
> > much at all over the last year or so, it would be great to pool together
> > tools and files from members of this list to make it more useful for
anyone
> > interested.
> >
> > Personally G2 has been helpful for 1) memorizing the patterns, 2)
getting
> > the fingering down for slow and point rolls, and 3) learning inverted
> > rudder. Outside of that it's not been too helpful because you can't
> > visualize where the plane is due to frame of reference (maybe your ideas
> > will help) and because the planes don't behave exactly like the real
plane
> > I'm flying. Therefore, even though I can practice stick direction for
rolls,
> > etc. I can't train on amount and timing of the stick movements.
> >
> > Keith
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Jeff H. Snider" <jeff at snider.com>
> > To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 8:47 PM
> > Subject: Re: Practice tools
> >
> >
> > > John Pavlick writes:
> > > > Anthony,
> > > >  I haven't had much luck with any of the sims (although I haven't
tried
> > the
> > > > Ikarus 3D sim), mostly because it's hard to duplicate pattern
flying.
> > What I
> > > > mean is, the view ports don't really provide any good reference
points
> > for
> > > > lines, etc. [...]
> > >
> > >
> > > I know it's really hard to use any of the RC flight simulators to
> > > practice pattern flying.  I have spent a great deal of time working
> > > out what I think is a pretty good way to do just that using RealFlight
> > > G2, with none of the add-ons.
> > >
> > > Everything you're about to read here, and all the associated files
> > > and some photos, you can find at:
> > >
> > >  http://snider.com/jeff/RealFlight/
> > >
> > > I created a field that is as simple as possible, just flat land, a
> > > backdrop for sky, an asphalt runway, and some markers in the sky
> > > showing where the box is.  That was the hard part: I used the red
> > > and white limbo streamers to draw the sides of the box, the center,
> > > the top, and a floor.  This is the key improvement over using one
> > > of the supplied flying fields.  It lets you know where you are in
> > > the box at all times.  You can download the field from that link
> > > above, and put it in your RealFlight Airports directory.  (In "My
> > > Computer", Local Disk C: or D: \ "Program Files" \ RealFlight \
> > > Airports.  How you installed RealFlight may vary.  If you're running
> > > RealFlight when you do this, you need to quit and restart to be
> > > able to load the new field.)
> > >
> > > Keeping the field simple helps keep the frame rate high, which for
> > > me is a key element in feeling like I'm controlling a real plane
> > > and not just playing a lame computer game.  Also running the simulator
> > > full-screen, not in a window, really helps (the tab key changes
> > > back and forth between the two modes).
> > >
> > > I added a few other features to the field which I don't use very much:
> > > a backstop at 175m, and some markers for various maneuvers.  Turn them
> > > off (or on) with Alt, P for airport, V for item visibility.  The key
> > > ones are Runway and Box.  Everything else is optional or just plain
> > > distracting.
> > >
> > > I always fly with the main view in "look at ground" mode, and with
> > > a second view window open in "binocular view".
> > >
> > > To do the first, hit Alt, then V for view, then G for "look at
> > > ground".  This gives you a constant frame of reference for where
> > > your plane is relative to the runway.  This is another big key to
> > > flying pattern in a simulator.  It can make the plane impossibly
> > > small in the main view, which is why I also use the binocular view.
> > >
> > > For the binocular view, hit Alt, then V for view, then A for "create
> > > new view".  When that window appears, click the little red ball in
> > > the upper left corner to go to its options.  Click the tab "Viewport"
> > > and select "Binocular View", and click OK to finish.  I keep this
> > > window in the upper left of the main view, and the default size is
> > > pretty good.  After it's set up, if you click on the main view the
> > > green border of the binocular view window will go away leaving just a
> > > constant-size plane in that corner.
> > >
> > > The next step is setting up the Advanced Navguides window to show
> > > you important information that you can't otherwise get through a
> > > computer screen.  The one most essential datum is the plane's
> > > distance from the desired flightline.  In my "Pattern Land" field,
> > > the pilot is at X,Y coords 0,0, looking in the direction of positive
> > > X.  I set all my measurements to Metric so I can use meters: Alt
> > > then O for options, then M for miscellaneous, and select Metric.
> > > This makes everything in RealFlight turn metric, which can be
> > > irritating at times.  If you want to use feet instead just multiply
> > > meters by 3.28 to get feet.
> > >
> > > Bring up the Advanced Navguides window by hitting 0 (zero).  Then
> > > click on the little red ball in its upper left corner.  This takes
> > > you to a list of things you may want to have the window show.  You
> > > can select what you like, like altitude, airspeed, stick position,
> > > wind speed, and a lot of other things.  The one I think is most
> > > important is "Aircraft: X position of Aircraft".  Scroll down and
> > > select that one so it is highlighted and a check is in the box.  At
> > > the bottom of the window you see Color, Font Size, and two check
> > > boxes.  I make the font size 24.  Bigger is better here for ease
> > > of visibility.  Make the Color red by clicking the color box (starts
> > > out white) and clicking the reddest red you can find (upper left).
> > > Select "Change color when value is between" and put in 125 and 175
> > > (if you've not set RealFlight to be metric, multiply that by 3.28
> > > to get feet).  Finally, make the color box to the right of that
> > > white (it starts out yellow).
> > >
> > > What this does is shows your aircraft's distance from the geometrical
> > > plane the pilot is standing in, parallel to the flightline.  When
> > > the distance is within 25m of 150m, the font is white.  When you
> > > get too far out or too far in, it turns red, letting you know you're
> > > not where you ought to be.
> > >
> > > Other things I think are good to put in the Advanced Navguides are:
> > > plane heading; the direction the pilot is looking (turns yellow
> > > when the plane is outside the box, 30-150 degrees); and plane
> > > altitude (turns yellow when the plane is below 45m or above 300m).
> > > I also put in fuel remaining, distance to airplane, wind information,
> > > and frames per second of the view (turns red below 30fps).  The
> > > last one is good to reference so you can tune your graphics level
> > > up and down to get near 60fps.  Alt, O for options, G for graphics
> > > options.  Those of you with fast computers can turn everything up
> > > to the max.  Slower computers require compromises.  My $800 laptop
> > > can run this field with all the graphics options at the max at near
> > > 60fps except when the plane is very large in the view.  (Some people
> > > will tell you anything over 24fps is unnecessary.  I like to err
> > > on the generous side since I can.)
> > >
> > > I created a 2m version of the UltraSport and put a modified engine
> > > in it that runs more or less like the 140DZ.  Install it by saving
> > > the .pln file from that link at the top to your RealFlight \ Planes
> > > directory.  This plane flies somewhat like how my Focus flies, close
> > > enough to practice the basics.  But don't imagine practicing this
> > > way will get you "tuned in" to your plane the way actually burning
> > > fuel does.  It's like flying a friend's plane with his transmitter
> > > and no mixes.  You could use your own transmitter and the RealFlight
> > > cable, so you'd get all the features, switches, and stick feel of
> > > your favorite transmitter, but I don't do that right now.  You could
> > > even take the logical step of putting your monitor up high and
> > > standing in front of it with your neckstrap when you practice, just
> > > like you'd do at the field.  If you're recreating the flying
> > > experience, why sacrifice that simple detail?
> > >
> > > I hope this makes sense to those of you who want to try it out.
> > > I'm happy to answer questions and modify the way I'm practicing based
> > > on your good feedback.
> > >
> > >  - Jeff Snider
> > >  - jeff at snider.com
> > >  - Northern VA, NSRCA D2
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> > >
> >
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