Needed: VTOL AIR file & custom FSDS animations

[clintkc]

I'm currently working on a custom design that needs a realistic VTOL .AIR file. I have made several FSDS aircraft before, but never a realistic VTOL aircraft. This particular aircraft has an empty weight of 1400 lbs. and uses twin jet engines that are rated at only 800 lbs. of thrust each. What is the best way to do this... and do it realistically? (i.e. true vertical takeoff/landing that is stable/controllable.)

I also need to create an animation preset for V-tail animation mixing. My current project uses V-tail stabilators which need to pivot realistically. FSDS2 does not seem to have one, unfortunately.

This one is a bit strange and hard to explain... I need to create a series of thrust doors that open only in VTOL mode, and then pivot foreward/backward to simulate thrust being deflected (much like a Harrier). There are 2 seperate sections of doors, both hinged along the X axis, and they need to articulate independently (all doors must open together for VTOL mode, and all doors must pivot together for pitch control, but each section of doors must be capable of pivoting in opposite directions for yaw control.)

If someone with the proper knowledge can help explain how to make these things happen, I would be VERY appreciative. I would possibly pay for your help, if it solved my problem... if we can negotiate something, please let me know.

[Lone_Wolf]

Hi clintkc.

First. You don't say what sim your flying, so I'll assume its FS (and this applies to all versions so far). I'm affraid that true VTOL is not capeable as the sim requires some forward motion (in an airplane not helicopter obviously) to avoid a stall being triggered. It is hoped that MS will rectifiy this in the next version (God knows they had enough requests for it in the latest one, and didn't), but it remains to be seen. So the only way to get anything closely resembling VTOL is VSTOL via unrealistic flap dynamics (Jim Atkins' Harriers are a very good example of this). But I'll guess you know that already.

Second. V-tail can be achieved by mixing elevator and rudder together. This can be done by creating 2 small boxes which you hide in the body of the tail in line with the axis of the rudders (v-tail elements) and set the axis of the boxes so that the X axis of the each box is in line with the Y axis of the coresponding rudder(this may need some experimenting to get the elevator to operate in the correct direction). Name the boxes with the stock animation tag for elevator (eg elevator.left) then set the coresponding rudder name (eg rudder.left). At the same time, make the rudder a child of its coresponding elevator (be aware that the rudder may jump out of location as its x,y,z position values become reference to the parent part position instead of reference to the project origin 0,0,0). If this happens, just reposition and rotate to the correct place. Once all is setup and the plane created, you will see that moving the stick fwd/aft, will make the rudders move like elevators but if you introduce pedal movement, the rudders will react accordingly from the position set by the stick and vice versa. Deflection angles can be set in the CFG/AIR file to get the final result. btw. I tested this before posting to make sure I wasn't talking rubbish.

Lastly. You can use the same process for your thrust doors. If you use flaps to create VSTOL, animate the doors as flaps, positioning and rotating the axis so that they open correctly, then child the doors off of boxes set as rudders for yaw control (just rotate the z axis 180 degrees on one set for opposite direction animation). Finally child the rudder boxes off of some elevator boxes (placed in the same location as the rudder boxes) to get the pitch animation (the rudder/elevator relationship can be reversed, which ever works best). Sounds complex but it should work.

I've used these methods in my own models but others may have better less complex ways of doing it.

I hope this hasn't been an info overload. Let us know how you get on (I'm intreaged as to what your building. Do you have a picture you could post?)

Regards
Lone_wolf

[kirklong]

I my self am always iterested in concept and thinking out of the box work.. If anyone needs help let me know.

http://unitedflight.totalpilot.com

1 last thing with this edit.. You can make 2 different aircraft. While in VTOL you just switch flight models. I know it is cheasy but hey it works...

[IanK]

He is doing the F-35B JSF

See:

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/static/pages/2002.html

and

http://www.airforce-technology.com/proj ... index.html

Ian