FlyingIron Simulations

Hey Guys, Thanks for all the feedback! Today I'll share a few quick details on where we are currently at with development and what we've been working on. Flight Model Early last week our initial pre-alpha test build was sent out to our SME's for testing and feedback. We're very happy to say that after taking in the reports from our SME, the Flight Model is really starting to take shape. We are extremely proud and optimistic about the way the 109's FM is coming together - we think this will be our most realistic FM to date. Our goal is to achieve a level of realism that will make our simulation a true pilot training aid for the G109b and an invaluable learning tool for all GA Pilots and light aircraft owners. For the development of the Grob we have changed our methods & approach for creating the FM and have learned many valuable things about working with Plane Maker & X-plane 11 that has helped us achieve a much higher level of realism. Beyond that, we are also exploring Airfoil Maker in a much greater depth and using it's full potential to create the most realistic simulation we can. Owner's of the P-47 & Spitfire will be pleased to know we will be bringing this new knowledge back to these aircraft and releasing a major update for each in the coming weeks. With the majority of the work for the FM completed, we are now at the tweaking & airfoil development stage. The help & feedback of our SME's has been invaluable here. Sound As development steams ahead, the FMOD soundscape development is starting to slowly come together. With a first draft of the engine audio now nearing completion, the most difficult element of the audio design is almost done. Sounds are being added for every switch, lever, knob and interaction in the aircraft (as mentioned, all recorded from the real G109b). Once this is done, we will be ready to finalize Engine & Environmental sounds, and begin working on enhancements. These include directional engine/prop audio, Switch/Lever Sound variations, Interior/Exterior Sound Blending & Masking, and many more to help enhance immersion & realism of the soundscape. Art Alex has been working tirelessly on the Art side of things, and as you can see progress is coming along very rapidly. While there is much yet to do, much of the hard work in terms of modelling, UV Mapping & Texturing is now close to completion, allowing us to start working on detailing and really start taking the artwork to the next level. There isn't alot to say here, but expect many more pictures as Art progresses. What's next? Once the early alpha build is complete, we will start official testing with our full beta-team for further testing & refining. While this is happening, we will then turn our attention towards development of the advanced aircraft features & add-ons, such as maintenance, the Tablet GUI System, GUI Menus, Particle FX and so on. Thanks! Dan & Alex

Hey Guys, Today we’re very excited to announce our next aircraft release for XP11: The Grob G109b Motor Glider. The Grob G 109b is a 2 seat, self-launching motor glider, originating in Germany from the minds of Grob Aircraft AG. The aircraft is used primarily for civilian flight, however it was also used by the RAF to train cadets for basic flying from 1991-2018. The Grob G109b is also famously the aircraft of choice used by the Aerosparx aerobatics team; famed for their incredible blend of aerobatics, pyrotechnics and light displays. We are pleased to announce that for this project we are working in collaboration with a real-world G109b Pilot. He was an invaluable member of our Spitfire Beta Testing team and we are pleased to say that he will be acting as our SME (Subject Matter Expert) for this project; providing guidance, technical advice, FM feedback and advice regarding ownership & maintenance duties. Our SME has provided invaluable amounts of information & reference for us to work with, and has generously used his own money to have the aircraft professionally recorded by an audio engineer so that we can create an ultra-realistic soundscape for the aircraft. Aircraft Information The G109B aircraft is a low-wing cantilever motor glider, with a T-tail, folding (and detachable) wings, and side-by-side seating with dual controls. It is mainly constructed from glass-reinforced plastic and has a taildragger undercarriage arrangement. Entry and exit from the cockpit is via two perspex doors which open upwards individually – a modification from the original one-piece G109A canopy. The cockpit can be heated, providing that the engine is running, and the seat backs can be adjusted and cushions of differing thickness inserted to accommodate a range of body sizes. Total weight is around 1,870 pounds (850 kg) with a maximum load of 506 pounds (230 kg) though this depends on mod state and history of the airframe and is rarely above 200 kg on most examples. Cruising speed is in the region of 60–100 knots (110–190 km/h) on the 95 horsepower (71 kW) engine, which can give the aircraft a top speed of 130 knots (240 km/h). The engine, the Grob 2500 E1, (based on a Porsche air-cooled car unit) can be shut down in flight with its propeller blades feathered. The aircraft then becomes a pure glider, with a best glide ratio of around 1:28. The Porsche-derived horizontally opposed air-cooled engine had the cylinder bore increase by Grob to make the engine 2.5-litre capacity and has had its Time Before Overhaul (TBO) increased by a technote to 1,600 hours after many examples run on condition reached up to or in excess of 4,000 hours in service. Under the current CAA LASORS document, the G109B can be classed as either a touring motor glider (TMG), or a self-launching motor glider (SLMG). --From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grob_G_109 Key Features Ultra-realistic Artwork & Texturing Multiple Liveries, including an Aerosparx Livery FMOD Soundscape - Professionally recordings from a real G109b, everything included from the engine to the smallest switches & levers Highly realistic & accurate Flight Model - tuned & tested by real G109b Pilot Full systems simulations - Powered by Xlua & SAS Code-driven Engine & Prop Simulation for enhanced accuracy & realism Full simulation of the Icom IC-A2910e Radio Uni Pilot 3D Ipad/Tablet Integration (Also including optional Avitab Integration) - The Tablet allows pilots to access various functions & features, such as Weight/Balance, Fuel loading, PAX & Baggage Loading, CG, Maintenance options & various other features. Checklists Integration Additional Feature Goals Below is a list of extra features & development goals that we are currently also working towards that we hope will really make owning our G109b simulation a true ownership experience. These are the features we are aiming to have included in the initial release, however are subject to change. We will be providing regular updates and more information about these features as we develop them. Aircraft Ownership & State-saving Features - every switch will be in the same place after you leave X-plane & come back for your next flight. This factors in many system/aircraft states, such as oil levels, battery drain, spark plug maintenance, fuel levels & contamination etc. Failures & Damage simulation - Systems will degrade over time and eventually fail, adding importance & meaning to the way you perform your aircraft maintenance. This also includes aircraft damage & flying-induced damage when exceeding operational limits. Aircraft Maintenance Procedures & Requirements - We are planning to have a vast array of maintenance functions available; accessible via either menu operation (on the tablet) OR by actually going outside the aircraft, opening up the engine bay and clicking to access the various engine parts & assess their status Particle FX & Pyrotechnic FX to recreate AeroSparx incredible display FlyJSims SharedFlight Integration for true Pilot/Copilot Flight Experience Detailed & Interactive Engine Bay, which can be exposed during maintenanc We will be providing regular development & status updates as we power through towards release. As you can see, the Aircraft is still very much a Work-in-Progress. Development however is speeding along at a rate we are very happy with, and we are expecting to release roughly between late September - October. Below is some more development (WiP) pics; feel free to click through for a higher res image. Enjoy! Cheers, Dan & Alex