A-4E/F/G/H/K SKYHAWK RELEASED AND PAINTKIT DOWNLOAD LINK

Just a quick heads-up to let you know that the single seater Skyhawk PBR Edition (for Prepar3D v4.4 and above) has been released through SimMarket and can be purchased HERE.

the paintkit for the single-seater Skyhawk is available. It is very similar to the TA-4 one, so if you have painted the twin seater it should be very easy to use.
Paintkit is availble from the side bar or by clicking HERE.

A-4 Single Seater Beta for P3Dv4.4/v4.5

As per my usual procedure, here is the post meant to collect the feedback from the A-4 Beta Testing. This post is (almost) constantly update with the "accepted" bugs and suggestions, color coded to reflect their status. "Accepted" means that I have understood what the testers reported, I could replicate it (or at least be sure this is not a misinterpretation or an error from the tester) and I have "accepted" it as a item to be addressed.

To apply for the Beta please send and email to indiafoxtecho@gmail.com with:
- SHORT description of your system: just CPU, GPU, RAM
- Exact version of the simulator you are running (A-4 requires at least P3D v4.4)
- If you have Tacpact installed or not
- SHORT description of real and virtual flying experience

SUBJECT OF THE EMAIL SHALL BE "A-4 BETA TESTING"

Precedence will be given to users and testers of the TA-4J as they are more familiar with the plane.

Color code

RED means that it the defect has been categorized as a major issue. This is typically a showstopper (operation of the aicraft is impossible or severely inhibited) and must be addressed before the product release.

YELLOW means that it is definitely an issue for the project, that should be addressed before the product release, but not as critical as a "red" issue

GREEN means that either the issue is very minor (and will not be noticed by most users), or the problem is non-existent (feature reported as bug) or that is was an red or Yellow issue that has been solved

BLUE means suggestions or ideas to improve the product

I am not sure if a flight manual will be available before the Beta is released, most probably not, but here are some peculiar things you need to know before operating the aicraft.

REPORTING BUGS
The preferred way to report bugs is to post a comment on this blog (so that everyone can see it). Otherwise, email messages with "TA-4J Bug Report" as subject are fine.
It is better, before posting, if you check if thebug you have spotted is already in the list below or in the comments.
Bugs or change request are evaluated ASAP and, if confirmed and accepted, added to the list below.

ACCEPTED BUGS AND CHANGE REQUEST LIST

This list was updated on 01/12/2019 21:00AM CEST
The latest Beta version is 1, released on 13/12/2019
Internal Beta (not released) version Beta 2 last built: 13/12

Total lines (excluding suggestions) 16
Current red lines 0
Current yellow lines 2 (of which 0 rejected for various reasons)
Current green lines 21
Current blue lines 0
Progress towards release: 91%

EXTERNAL VISUAL MODEL:
A4P3DEXT01 - Canopy animation missing - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DEXT02 - Smoke pipe exhaust missing from Blue Angels specific model - FIXED 12/12
A4P3DEXT03 - Remove guns from SuperFox models - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DEXT04 - Tail planes are not perfectly aligned (all models) - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DEXT05 - Minor glitch in windshield seal geometry - FIXED 09/12
A4P3DEXT06 - Added specific model for A-4G/K (with bent probe and spoilers but no hump) - FIXED 12/12

VIRTUAL COCKPIT:
A4P3DVC01 - Add missing canopy scratches - ADDED 01/12
A4P3DVC02 - Gunsight collimation mask does not work - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DVC03 - Request to animate the toe brakes - ADDED 07/12
A4P3DVC04 - Point of view too low - FIXED 05/12
A4P3DVC05 - Stick visibility does not work as intended… you cannot make it show once hidden. - FIXED 05/12
A4P3DVC06 - Captions on throttle panel incorrect - FIXED 09/12

FLIGHT MODEL:
A4P3DFMXX - NA

MISCELLANEOUS:
A4P3DMISC01 - Files are not signed for Tacpack multiplayer - SIGNED FILES 05/12
A4P3DMISC02 - Pocket checklist is for the TA-4J, not the A-4E/F...new pocket checklist is needed. - FIXED. Adapted pocket checklist to single seater.
A4P3DMISC03 - Flight manual is for the TA-4J, not the A-4E/F...new manual WIP. - FIXED 12/12
A4P3DMISC04 - Incorrect reference to TA-4 sound folder - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DMISC05 - Guns do not work as intended (check Tacpack code) - FIXED 01/12
A4P3DMISC06 - Inaccurate behavior of SideWinder missiles
A4P3DMISC07 - Sound dll configuration poiting towards the TA-4 folder - FIXED 04/12
A4P3DMISC08 - Israeli A-4 livery did not show as the numbering in aicraft.cfg was incorrect. FIXED 04/12 
A4P3DMISC09 - Tacpack STA5 release position is incorrect - FIXED 06/12
A4P3DMISC10 - Add smoke to Blue Angels modelA4P3DMISC11 - Create specific folder for upgraded A-4E with hump - FIXED 12/12

F-35 Lightning II - Update to version 3.65.1 and thoughts

NOTE 1: version 3.65 had a small glitch that prevented correct indication of the CEX Tacan direction in the HUD heading tape in some cases… This has been fixed and the release has been updated to version 3.65.1

NOTE 2: updated to version 3.65.2 to fix incorrect BK-17 squadron assignment

The momentum of the real F-35 program keeps on growing and the plane is achieving a number of milestones around the world. So I decided to release yet another update to my virtual rendition which fixes a couple of bugs and introduces two meaningful repaints, specifically the livery of the No.617 Squadron RAF "the Dambusters" that made history being the first british squadron operating from the deck of the Queen Elizabeth, and VMFA-314 "Black Knights" that is the first USMC squadron flying with the "C" model of the Lightning II.

This is likely to be the last update for the F-35 for Prepar3D v4. I have some ideas to improve the models and I am looking forward to port it to the new Microsoft Flight Simulator… although it is more than likely that many functions, like STOVL flight and XML based MFD/HUDs, will not work in the new Platform (which is also unlikely to support any kind of weapon).
While I am trying to port some of my projects to X-Plane, at the moment I do not plan to convert the F-35 as I do not have the skill to bring it to the same level of functionality of the one done by AoA Simulations.

Anyway here is the change log of this update:

IMPORTANT! THIS UPDATE WILL WORK ONLY WITH P3Dv4.4 and is preconfigured to work with PBR models (so P3Dv4.4 / v4.5)

Version 3.65.1 - 18/11/2019
- Fixed glitch in TACAN direction flag in HUD, causing incorrect indication of the ship direction in some cases
- Fixed version number during MFD startup

Version 3.65 - 17/11/2019
- Added CEX navaids compatibility
- Added VMFA-314 "Black Knights" F-35C livery
- Added no.617 Squadron RAF "Dambusters" F-35B livery
- Fixed glitch in F-35C landing gear door animation on PBR models
- Fixed bug in TACAN to MHz conversion
- Fixed bug that allowed to continue flying in STOVL mode if out of fuel.
  When the engine stops running and the plane is not on the ground, STOVL mode will be deactivated.

SEE VERSION 3.60 FOR INSTALLATION

As usual, the upgrade can be downloaded from the side bar as usual or by clicking HERE.

TA-4J for Flight Simulator X Beta Test

As promised, and due to the large number of requests, I have created an FSX version of the TA-4 Package (which should work also on P3Dv2 and v3).

With respect to the P3Dv4 version:

- There is no backseat/instructor cockpit

- The 3D materials are "traditional" (as opposed to PBR)

- The radar image is based on the old FSX mapping service (as opposed to P3D "true" radar rendering system)

Apart from some other minor details, pretty much everything else is the same as the P3Dv4 version...including flight model, options and system simulation.

The package will only work with FSX:A, FSX:SE, FSX:Gold...and should work (but it is not tested) with P3Dv1, v2 and v3.

Before releasing the package, a quick Beta test is needed, but it will be limited to few testers.
If you want to apply for the testing, please send me an email with "TA-4J BETA FSX" as subject and specify:

- your CPU, GPU and RAM

- OS

- which version of FSX you are using

Ideally the testers should have flown the P3Dv4 version for a functionality comparison.

Please find below the usual Bugs/Change request list (I expect it to be EXTREMELY short as we solved a lot of bugs in P3Dv4...fingers crossed)...

TA-4J for FSX BUG REPORT AND CHANGE REQUEST LIST

Last updated by Dino on 05/10/2019 at 13:15

FLIGHT MODEL

VISUAL MODEL

VIRTUAL COCKPIT

OTHER

TA-4 Skyhawk for P3Dv4.4 version 1.07 released

The TA-4 package has been updated to version 1.07...here are the full release notes:

CURRENT VERSION: 1.07
VERSION 1.07 - October 3rd 2019
- Fixed issue preventing ground service carts from showing if selected by the menu
- Slightly reworked mirror effects
- Fixed ADI and backup ADI behavior (hopefully)
- Fixed missing 3D screws in rear cockpit
- Added VMAT-102 repaint courtesy of Matt Levi
- Added VF-43 repaint

There is a small mistake in the VF-43 textures, as the high visibility roundels are missing from the wings… updated textures can be downloaded HERE

TA-4J Post Release Change Request Log

Thank you all for you great feedback and for the support to the TA-4J. I have received many suggestions for improvements so here is a a post that serves as collector of the post-release changes requests….

POST RELEASE CHANGE REQUEST LOG
Last updated on 03/10/2019

LATEST VERSION RELEASE: v1.07

GREEN - Fixed and released
BLUE - Fixed but not released
RED - Open, high priority
YELLOW - Open, low priority

PR001 - Bug causing the canopy glass and the copilot compass screws not to move when canopy opens: Fixed, implemented in v1.02
PR002 - Gunsight not occluded by glass geometry: Fixed, implemented in v1.02
PR003 - Bug causing the Radalt "OFF" flag to be always on: Fixed, implemented in v1.02

PR004 - Incorrect copilot suit color for Blue Angels scheme: Fixed, implemented in v1.02

PR005 - Fixed bug allowing non-tacpack users to load fuel on external tanks even if tanks were not fitted: Fixedm implemented in v1.02

PR006 - Fixed visual collision between Bullpup missile and front landing gear stem: Fixed, implemented in v1.02
PR007 - Fixed missing "518" number in flap suface for N512TA livery: Fixed, implemented in v1.02

PR008 - Minor modification to default viewpoint: Fixed, implemented in v1.02

PR009 - Incorrect indication of pitch during inverted flight: Fixed, implemented in v1.05
PR010 - Incorrect behavior of RADALT flag: Fixed, implemented in v1.05

PR011 - In reality MK-82 and MK-82SE bombs were not be carried in the innermost stations of PYL 2 and 4 as the gear door could not open fully, implemented in v1.05

PR012 - Request to add Aero adapters to sidwinder launchers: STATUS - Fixed. Modeled adapters and modfied code. Implemented in v1.05

PR013 - Incorrect loadout assignment to STA1 and STA5: STATUS - Fixed: restriced loadouts on STA1 and 5. Implemented in v1.05

PR014 - MK-82 bomb hung at centerline pylon in certain conditions while operating the configurator in non-Tacpack mode. FIXED, completely rewrote code, implemented in v1.05

PR015 - 300 gal tank fins too narrow. STATUS - FIXED. Redone fin geometry. Textures are a bit stretched...but at this point this is the best I can do. Implemented in v1.05
PR016 - Improper Aero adaper for AGM-12 and AGM-45 - Fixed. Implemented in v1.05
PR017 - Gunsight day and night colors are swapped - FIXED: swapped bmp file names. Implemented in v1.05
PR018 - Gunsight can be powered on even if there is no electrical power. FIXED - Implemented in v1.05

PR019 - Air and electrical doors receptacle doors do not work as intended. FIXED - Implemented in v1.05

PR020 - ADI still does not work as intended, also backup ADI now locked in pitch. Fixed. Implemented in v1.07
PR021 - Electrical power cart blinks and disappears if selected by menu. Fixed: implemented in v1.07
PR022 - Some missing screws in the rear seat model. Fixed: implemented in V1.07
PR023 - Try and improve mirror reflection. STATUS: open. Effect is now slightly better but resolution is poor.
PR024 - VF-43 fixture has missing roundel. Fixed, but not released in full installer: updated texture can be downloaded here.
PR025 - Revise button shortcuts for "ready to start" condition
PR026 - Create new radar controls for future implementation of proper A/S radar
PR027 - IFF Tacpack controls INOP

TA-4 Skyhawk P3D v4 Release and Paintkit

With thanks to all the people involved in the development, and in particular to Roy Holmes for another great flight model, I glad to announce that the TA-4 Skyhawk/Scooter package is now available for purchase at SimMarket.

As normal for this kind of projects, a couple of minor glitches popped-up after release… no major issues at the moment. I am working to solve this, but I will wait another week before releasing an update - just in case more bugs are identified in the short term.

Also, the paint kit is now available for download here. The TA-4 had some of the best and flashiest liveries ever seen in a miltary jet… and picking the ones to include in the package was not an easy job. Can't wait to see what the community will create!

Aside, an FSX version and a single seater are both in the works...more news soon.

TA-4 Skyhawk for Prepared V4.4+ Flight Manual

Should you be interested in seeing what the TA-4 for Prepar3D v4.4 does (and does not) simulate, HERE is the (tentatively final) flight manual…

Most of the text was taken from an old TA-4F/J manual scanned into a .pdf file… I used an OCR software to extract the text, but there were a number of characters and words misinterpreted by the software (and then English is not my first language) - I got rid of a number of those errors but still there are dozens of them. Corrections and proof-reading are welcome.

Major deviations from real world flight manual are highlighted as "SIMULATION NOTE(s)" - meaning that what follows is valid in the simulation only and may not apply to real life.

Manual can be downloaded by clicking HERE.

Last, the Release Canditate 1 Build is complete - it will be distributed ASAP (unfortunately I am a little busy in these days) - on the good side (basic) implementations of NWS and APC systems were added. The latter is not super-precise, but kinda works - up to you to tell if it actually helps you in Landing on the boat or not

Minor Updates for the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F-35

Here are two small updated to my payware frontline fighters… VERY MINOR tweaks, so, unless you are extremely bothered by one of the issues listed below or have not updated your aircrafts at all, downloading these patches is not really necessary IMHO.

Eurofighter Typhoon
The main reason to update the Eurofighter Typhoon was that, in the lastest FSX build, I used the wrong compiler...this caused some controls in the VC not to work as intended. I took the chance to add some 3D details and fix a couple of minor things.

To install the update, you must have the payware Eurofighter Typhoon version 1.1X or later. The update will work either if you just used the latest full installer (version 1.10 - you can get it from your distributor of choice) or if you had already updated the aircraft to any later version.

This is the list of changes:

Version 1.30 - 07/08/2019
- Fixed a minor issue in ejection seat textures
- Replaced detail textures with 3D objects in VC (screws, rivets)
- Fixed minor 3D object misplacements in VC
- Fixed mouse area bug preventing some knobs from working correctly in FSX
- Fixed bug preventing keyboard release mode selection from working
- Restored mouse clicks and animations for some (non functional) switches

The update must be installed manually (see the README file) and is provided in both 32bit (for FSX:A, FSX:Gold, FSX:SE and any version of P3D prior to v4) and in 64 bit (for P3Dv4.4 and v4.5) formats. Note that P3Dv4.0 to P3Dv4.3 are NOT supported by the 64 bit version (as it uses PBR).
The patch is available from the side bar.

F-35 Lightning IIIf the Eurofighter patch is a very minor one, the one for the F-35 is negligible: basically I spotted some duplicate airframe geometry in the F-35B PBR cockpit model. This causes some minor visual glitches when looking over your shoulders in VC (apart from an unnecessary waste of video resources).

To install the update, you must have the payware F-35 Lightning II version 3.5X or later. The update will work either if you just used the latest full installer (version 3.50 - you can get it from your distributor of choice) or if you had already updated the aircraft to any later version.

This is the (very long) list of changes:

Version 3.62 - 07/08/2019
- Removed duplicate geometry from F-35B cockpit causing unnecessary video memory consumption and visual glitches.

The update must be installed manually (see the README file) and will work ONLY with P3Dv4.4 or above (as it is a PBR model).  The patch is available from the side bar.

TA-4J Skyhawk for Prepar3Dv4.4+

As per my usual procedure, here is the post meant to collect the feedback from the TA-4J Beta Testing. This is (almost) constantly update with the "accepted" bugs and suggestions, color coded to reflect their status. "Accepted" means that I have understood what the testers reported, I could replicate it (or at least be sure this is not a misinterpretation or an error from the tester) and I have "accepted" it as a item to be addressed.

RED means that it the defect has been categorized as a major issue. This is typically a showstopper (operation of the aicraft is impossible or severely inhibited) and must be addressed before the product release.

YELLOW means that it is definitely an issue for the project, that should be addressed before the product release, but not as critical as a "red" issue

GREEN means that either the issue is very minor (and will not be noticed by most users), or the problem is non-existent (feature reported as bug) or that is was an red or Yellow issue that has been solved

BLUE means suggestions or ideas to improve the product

I am not sure if a flight manual will be available before the Beta is released, most probably not, but here are some peculiar things you need to know before operating the aicraft.

Starting the engine

The TA-4 required external air power to start the engine. You can make the "Huffer" appear by selecting it in the configuration menu (SHIFT+4), but it will only appear if the aircraft is not stationary and parking brakes (wheel chocks) are not applied (icon is greyed out otherwise). You can make it appear also by clicking on the external air power connection door.
To start the aircraft you will need also electrical power (see below)

Electrical System

The TA-4 had no internal batteries. This means that the aicraft had its own electrical power only if the engine was running. The TA-4 had also an emergency generator which is not simulated.
To get electrical power while the engine is not running an external electical power cart was needed. You can make it appear and connect it to the aicraft on the ground by selecting it in the aicraft configuration menu (SHIFT+4) if the aircraft is stationary with parking brake applied (wheelchocks appear) or by clicking on the external electrical power door.

Fuel System
The fuel system is simulated in some detail and requires a good understanding of the real world one to be operated.

Weapon System
In order to fire a weapon, you must:
- Select the type of weapon you intend to use
- Power the relevant pylon
- Set the Master Arm Switch to ON
- Press the TRIGGER for forward-firing weapons (guns, rockets and missiles) or the PICKLE button for bombs.

Radio and Navigation System
- Combined Radio/ADF selector: will work as COM1 if set on primary, COM2 if set on both, ADF if set to ADF
- The NAV computer is not operational, but works as a GPS display
- The BDHI pointer 1 will always show the NDB station
- The BDHI pointer 2 will display: the next WP in the flight plan if set to NAV COMPUTER or the TACAN station if set to TACAN
- Note that TACANs are implemented in the legacy FSX version, that is channels are converted in frequencies and used as NAV1 instrument.

Flight Model
As far as we can tell, the flight model is pretty close to the real deal...but I can already see some of the comments about the roll rate. The A-4 family is famous for having an exceptionally high roll rate, and you can read several Pireps or see video interviews of pilot claming that the peak roll rate is 720°/sec. However (apart from the fact that rolls of more than 360° are explicitly forbidden by the flight manual) actual data points you can find on the internet seem to indicate that the real roll rate was lower (highest value measured I could find is 410°/sec). Current flight model is set to for a a peak of about 350°/s, which seems to be a realistic figure.

FLIGHT MANUAL

Flight manual will be available shortly and will be available for download HERE.

REPAINTERS

The Beta model is NOT intended for repainting. A full paint kit will be available at the release.

TO DO LIST
Actions that have already been planned but are have not been implemented:

- Make the NAV COMPUTER selector knob functional
- Implement white flood lights
- Implement correct visibilty conditions of the approach light
- Implement pocket checklist (placeholder at shift+5, no function)

TEST TEMPLATE

If you want to, you can use THIS template as guideline/checklist for the tests

REPORTING BUGS

The preferred way to report bugs is to post a comment on this blog (so that everyone can see it). Otherwise, email messages with "TA-4J Bug Report" as subject are fine.
It is better, before posting, if you check if thebug you have spotted is already in the list below or in the comments.
Bugs or change request are evaluated ASAP and, if confirmed and accepted, added to the list below.

ACCEPTED BUGS AND CHANGE REQUEST LIST
This list was updated on 23/08/2019 11:00AM CEST
The latest Beta version is 1, released on 21/07/2019
Internal Beta (not released) version 1.10 last built 23/08/2019

Total lines (excluding suggestions) 79
Current red lines 0
Current yellow lines 8 (of which 4 rejected for various reasons)
Current green lines 70
Current blue lines 1
Progress towards release: 88%

EXTERNAL VISUAL MODEL

TA4P3DEXT01 - Horizontal Stabilizers not sitting at the same angle? STATUS: small asymmetry in elevator postion detected. FIXED
TA4P3DEXT02 - Texture N518TA, Naval Aviation Anniversary decal reversed. FIXED.
TA4P3DEXT03 - Animation of horizontal stabilizer trim is reversed. FIXED
TA4P3DEXT04 - Blue Angels logo is wrong (it is the current BA logo with Hornets). STATUS: CLOSED (reworked logo)
TA4P3DEXT05 - Need to add specific uniforms/suits (at least for BA). STATUS: CLOSED

TA4P3DEXT06 - Request to add separate textures for front and rear pilot. IMPLEMENTED

TA4P3DEXT07 - Request to add animated pilots. IMPLEMENTED PILOT ANIMATIONS (arms, legs, heads).
TA4P3DEXT08 - VC-8 Aggressor livery typically had inner flap surfaces painted in red. STATUS: CLOSED (reworked texture).
TA4P3DEXT09 - Request to add chrome finish details to BA livery. STATUS: CLOSED (implemented)
TA4P3DEXT10 - Request to improve PBR materials on non-shiny liveries. STATUS: IMPLEMENTED
TA4P3DEXT11 - Request to improve PBR materials for selected details. STATUS: IMPLEMENTED

TA4P3DEXT12 - Approach lights should show only when tailhook is down or field bypass is on.
TA4P3DEXT13 - Revised wheelchocks condition. Wheelchocks now appear when park brakes are on. Skyhawks do not have park brakes, so setting them will activate the wheelchocks.
TA4P3DEXT14 - Need to add holdback bar. ADDED

VIRTUAL COCKPIT MODEL

TA4P3DVC01 - Gunsight assembly is slightly too big. STATUS: CLOSED. Added space for LOCK-ON and IN RNG advisory (alternate gunsight as used by later Skyhawks).
TA4P3DVC02 - Typo "attack" mode is misspelled. STATUS: CLOSED - Fixed typo in texture master layer.
TA4P3DVC03 - Gunsight crosshair not masked during High-G maneuvres. STATUS: OPEN - Difficult to fix without creating other issues, leaning towards keeping it as is. Not completely solved but much improved. Also, calibrated gunsight size.
TA4P3DVC04 - Request to minimize the stick visibility area. STATUS CLOSED. Now to make the stick visible again you need to click very close to the jettison handle.

TA4P3DVC05 - Request to reduce size of radios and GPS. STATUS CLOSED

TA4P3DVC06 - Rear cockpit POV lower than the front. STATUS CLOSED - Harmonized POVs but not completely identical (front one has to match the gunsight)
TA4P3DVC07 - Request to make PR bug operational. IMPLEMENTED

TA4P3DVC08 - Request to make airspeed bug operational. IMPLEMENTED

TA4P3DVC09 - Request to make RALT bug operational. IMPLEMENTED

TA4P3DVC10 - Request to implement AOA bug. IMPLEMENTED
TA4P3DVC11 - Typo fuel dump switch marked as "dump": STATUS: TO BE CHECKED. Note that a pilot-controlled fuel pump exists in the cockpit and serves to transfer fuel to from the wing tank to the fuselage tank - FIXED
TA4P3DVC12 - Check Pitot Anti-Ice Switch functionality. FIXED
TA4P3DVC13 - Check Engine Anti-Ice Switch functionality. FIXED
TA4P3DVC14 - Machmeter is currently a fixed scale (as opposed to rotating). Check if it possible to make it working against altitude. FIXED
TA4P3DVC15 - Request possibility to have more realistic lighting system (external lights). Note: at present the Aircraft implements only the default lighting system. - REJECTED, for code compatibility reasons.
TA4P3DVC16 - Request possibility to have more realistic cockpit lighting system (user controlled lights than can be dimmed) - REJECTED, for code compatibility reasons.
TA4P3DVC17 - Check AFCS ENGAGE button (seems reversed) - CHECKED. Switch was reversed, also note that autopilot in P3D will not activate if avionics are off, so it will not activate if radios are off in the TA-4J!TA4P3DVC18 - Check ALT HOLD function - IMPLEMENTED, also solved a bug preventing heading hold from working
TA4P3DVC19 - Check AFCS panel functionality - FIXED. Autopilot master, yaw damper, alt hold, hdg hold now functional.
TA4P3DVC20 - Request to move GPS to other positions - Resized, moved to position 6
TA4P3DVC21 - Fuel system lights comes on when PRIMARY fuel control is selected (as oppesed to manual) - FIXED
TA4P3DVC22 - Flood light switch. FIXED. Flood lights were incorrectly tagged.
TA4P3DVC23 - Movement of the backup trim switch is reversed. FIXED.
TA4P3DVC24 - Elevator Trim Indicator Needle has a reversed animation. FIXED.
TA4P3DVC25 - Some switches of the right side light/ecs panel do not work. FIXED, although those switch had no fuction.
TA4P3DVC26 - AoA indexer in instructor cockpit not working. FIXED
TA4P3DVC27 - Recalibrate gunsight with new geometry. FIXED
TA4P3DVC28 - Missing Armament Advisory Light. FIXED
TA4P3DVC29 - Need to redo AoA Indexer visibility conditions. FIXED
TA4P3DVC30 - AoA flag visible even if power is on. FIXED, redone code for all flag animations.

FLIGHT MODEL:

TA4P3DFM01 - Ground steer radii too big? STATUS: to be verified. Modified to 70 degrees - CLOSED.
TA4P3DFM02 - Request to implement proper NWS
TA4P3DFM03 - Excessive fuel burn rate (potentially a bug in the fuel system)? STATUS: WRITTEN OFF (tester error)
TA4P3DFM04 - Speed brakes do not completely rectract (possibly a bug in the speedbrakes blowback feature?) STATUS: TO BE VERIFIED. Checked. Spoilers open/close correctly. Claim of tester was probably due to the fact that the time required for the light to go off is relatively long if the pilot uses digital spoiler control. Changed light condition so that the caution light turns on only if spoiler is deployed more than 25%.
TA4P3DFM05 - Tendency to tipover during arrested landings. - FIXED with better tailhook configuration settings.

OTHER:

TA4P3DMISC01 - Bug in the airplane configuration manager (most likely in the SMS system code): if Tacpack is not loaded, missile rails fail to appear when they should (all stations). STATUS CLOSED. Wrote special case code for when Tacpack is not loaded.
TA4P3DMISC02 - Bug in the airplane configuration manager (most likely in the SMS system code): if Tacpack is not loaded, external fuel tanks are always present (regardless of user selection). Status:CLOSED. Wrote special condition code.
TA4P3DMISC03 - Bug in the airplane configuration manager (most likely in the SMS system code): if Tacpack is not loaded, it is possible to have both the MK83 and BDU33 bombs on the centerline store. STATUS CLOSED. Several other bugs squashed.
TA4P3DMISC04 - Suggestion to make the smoke effect optional - Implemented
TA4P3DMISC05 - Suggestion to make the switches and knobs with multiple positions to work in both directions (currently they are "one way" as I thought it was easier for VR) - Reprogrammed all multiple position switches and knobs so that they now react to mouse wheel.
TA4P3DMISC06 - Suggestion to add cold and dark/ready to taxi option. Added control+shift+R as ready to start. The Aircraft will default to cold and dark.
TA4P3DMISC07 - Tracer bullets in visual effects shoot too high. STATUS:CLOSED. Significantly lowered tracer trajectories.
TA4P3DMISC08 - Sound Cone settings are so that engine noise is very quiet from some angles. STATUS: CLOSED. Mantained sound cone (as they work pretty well in the air) but redone engine samples.
TA4P3DMISC09 - Cannot launch from default and Javier's carriers (works only with SWS)… FIXED: Following entry should work and fix the issue:
[launch_assistance]s
launch_bar_pivot = 5.95, 0.0, -1 
launch_bar_lug = 5.95, 0.0, -7.9  
TA4P3DMISC10 - Control+SHIFT+C "Gun ready" shortcut does not seem to work - FIXED. Now orks as intended, also added W shortcut to for weapon selector.
TA4P3DMISC11 - CONTROL+J "Selective Jettison" shortcut does not seem to work - FIXED. Works as intended in conjuction with the EMER SEL allows the release of a given pylon. Also implemented CONTROL+SHIFT+J as "Emergency Jettison" (releases all bombs).

TA4P3DMISC12 - Control+SHIFT+W "Weapons Reload" shortcut does not seem to work. Works as advertised in the program (but you must be in VC).
TA4P3DMISC13 - Suggestion to include the TACAN Frequency conversion table. Added to both pocket cheklist and manual.

TA4P3DMISC14 - Suggestion to allow the user to select either the P3D or FSX TACAN system

TA4P3DMISC15 - Manual: LoP Para 3 line 1 "and" misspelled. Fixed in manual.
TA4P3DMISC16 - Manual: LoP Para 4 line 2 "of" missing. Fixed in manual

TA4P3DMISC17 - Manual: Para 1, missing words "of the aircraft in"
TA4P3DMISC18 - Igniters and other spelling errors present (Note, most of the manual comes from NAVAIR 01-40AVD-1 "NATOPS FLIGHT MANUAL NAVY MODEL TA-4F/TA-4J through an OCR software from a not-so-great source file, so multiple misspelling errors are possible). - FIXED TO THE BEST OF MY POSSIBILITIES.
TA4P3DMISC19 - Potential errors in the NAV1 to TACAN conversion decoding - STATUS: SOLVED: minor bug found in VHF to TACAN conversion code. NOTE: it may also affect other aicrafts of mine where the TACAN is not set directly, but throgh VHF frequency and then converted.

TA4P3DMISC20 - Request to add support for P3D TACAN system. REJECTED for code compatibility reasons.

TA4P3DMISC21 - Request to add support for TACPACK navaids - IMPLEMENTED

TA4P3DMISC22 - Request to add support for SWS navaids - IMPLEMENTED
TA4P3DMISC23 - Uncommanded SW release if guns selected - STATUS: SOLVED. Major mistake in the weapons code was energizing STA 1 circuit instead of circuits 14 and 15 (guns). This also explains why hitting targets was so difficult.
TA4P3DMISC24 - Allow airstart even if power is not connected if enough air is blowing through the compressor - FIXED
TA4P3DMISC25 - Request to implement LOCK-ON advisory light
TA4P3DMISC26 - Request to implement IN RNG advisory light

TA4P3DMISC27 - Request to implement CCIP - IMPLEMENTED
TA4P3DMISC28 - Add Pocket Checklist - IMPLEMENTED
TA4P3DMISC29 - Add visible feedback when the Aircraft is ready for catapult connection - IMPLEMENTED new configurator menu
TA4P3DMISC30 - Added basic A/A radar.

PRE-RELEASE ACTIVITIES

PRODUCT MANUAL - Missing weapon usage information, needs to be updated for the addition of new features (e.g. navigation system and CEX support) - UPDATED PRODUCT MANUAL COMPLETE!

TACPACK MULTIPLAYER VALIDATION - TACPACK MULTIPLAYER VALIDATION COMPLETE!

INSTALLER - TBC

RELEASE CANDIDATE 1 RELEASE TO TESTERS - TBD

EOF

TA-4J Skyhawk for P3Dv4.4+ - Beta Test Application

I know that many of you were waiting for this so here we are with the Beta Test application post of the TA-4J for P3Dv4.4 and above - so, if you are willing to help with the testing, in this post you will find the instructions to apply.

A brief introduction to the project: this is the first project I have designed from the ground up to support specifically P3Dv4.4 / P3Dv4.5 features and above - basically with no regards with the limitations of the FSX compiler. At the moment, I plan to try and downgrade the model in future for FSX compatibility as a separate project… but early attempts failed and it is not granted that it will ever come to FSX.

As with any simulation, it is basically impossible to include each and every feature of the real aicraft, but my hope is that this may be the most complete rendition of the TA-4J to date (fingers crossed).
I am sure I left something important out...so, if you are selected for the test, you are encouraged to suggest additions and improvements.

As usual, I am looking for testers with various level of aviation experience and skill, but I am looking in particular for users who know the TA-4J aircraft and a passion for naval aviation.

Hardware requisites (suggested configuration):

- Quad core CPU with at least 2.8GHz clock

- 6GB minimum RAM, 8GB better

- Nvidia 960 video card or better, 2GB dedicated video memory minimum 

- 1 GB minimum free disk space for package installation

Software prerequisites:

- Lockheed Martin P3Dv4.4 or v4.5

- VRS Tacpack required for weapon functionality

As usual… the Beta tester for my projects is not a paid position, by any stretch of the imagination: you do it just for the fun of doing it.

If you are willing to help, send me an email to indiafoxtecho.gmail.com - the email shall contain:

- a BRIEF description of your system (no need of minor details, I just need CPU type and clock, RAM, video card and video memory)

- a brief description of your real world flight experience (if any) including (if any) your knowledge of the TA-4J Aircraft (note… the Beta is open to everybody: from teenage desk flyers to WWII aces - I just need to know who I am talking with!). No need of long and detailed stories...just a line or two will do.

- your experience with Prepar3D v4

The topic of the email shall be "Prepar3D v4 TA-4J Beta Testing" (note...I thought this was an easy requirement, but apparently it is not...but it is very important: it helps me a lot sorting the messages and it shows that you can comply with instructions).

Note it may take 2-3 weeks to reply and provide a download link… so be patient.

SIAI Marchetti S-211 for X-Plane 11.30 Beta Test

As per my usual procedure, here is a post to collect the feedback from the selected Beta testers for the upcoming SIAI-Marchetti S-211 project for X-Plane 11.30.

Testers are encouraged to provide feeback by either posting comments to this post (preferred, so that other testers can see them too) or by sending an email (subject shall be S-211 Beta testing feedback).
While providing feedback you are encouraged to provide a classification of the severity of the bug according to the following color code:

Red - Major problem which severely affects the functionality or the enjoyability of the aircraft. Ideally, all "red" issues must be solved before release.

Yellow - Important issue that affects the functionality or the enjoyability of the aircraft, but only to a certain point...basically you can still fly and have fun with the aircraft, but it would be better if the issue was cleared.
Green - Minor issue or observation which would be nice to see solved or added to the plane, or a red/yellow problem which has been solved.

Blue - Suggestions, which may or may not be implemented.

Testers can use, at their will, this spreadsheet (in Excel format) to collect their findings.

If you need further information please find the real world flight manuals here:

http://www.avialogs.com/index.php/en/aircraft/italy/siai/s-211.html

SIAI MARCHETTI S-211 for X-Plane 11.30 SUMMARY OF BUGS AND CHANGE REQUESTS:
Last compiled by Dino on 15/07/2019 23:00 CET

External model

S211XPEX01 - Remove before flight ribbon pierces through geometry (tail pipe cover only). Fixed in internal build 24/06.

S211XPEX02 - UVW overlap in horizontal stab area causing "marching ants" visual issue. Fixed in internal build 24/06
S211XPEX03 - UVW overlap in trimtab actuator rods area causing "marching ants" visual issue. Fixed in internal build 24/06.
S211
S211XPEX04 - Texture mismatch neaby the engine servicing panels, left side. Fixed in internal build 24/06.
S211XPEX05 - Canopy opening piston animation glitch. Fixed 14/07S211XPEX06 - "Marching ants" UVW issues on the side of the cockpit. Fixed, duplicate polys 14/07
S211XPEX07 - One of the flap actuators is not working - Fixed in internal build 27/06
S211XPEX08 - Texture on glass of white nav light has wrong coordinates - Fixed in intenal build 27/06
S211XPEX09 - Rudder movement seems limited on one side - Fixed 14/07
S211XPEX10 - Castor wheel animation missing, fixed - Fixed 14/07

Cockpit model
S211XPVC01 - ADI bank indication does not move. Fixed in internal build 24/06.
S211XPVC02 - ATC radio not lit
S211XPVC03 - General comment about mouse wheel operations. Currently uses X-axis drag. Request to change to different interface or control system. Will require further investigation. SOLVED. Actually knob indicators do work with mousewheel. Redone all knob manipulators accordingly.
S211XPVC04 - Radio knob controls are not accurate enough for proper operation with current X-axis drag control. Redone knob controls with knob command and knob axis manipulator. Now working.
S211XPVC05 - Kholsmann setting not working. Redone manipulator with "knob axis". Now working.
S211XPVC06 - Unused Kholsmann setting manipulator handler (leftover from removal of backup altimeter)
S211XPVC07 - Oil pressure needle not working - Fixed in internal build 27/06
S211XPVC08 - Hydraulic pressure needle not working - Fixed in internal build 27/06
S211XPVC09 - Cabin Press Altitude needle not working - Fixed in internal build 15/07
S211XPVC10 - NDB knob difficult to use, change to knob manipulators. - Fixed in internal build 15/07
S211XPVC11 - Taxi/Landing light switch works only for Landing light… this is actually as per design, as it was programmed to have only Landing light working… but still it would be nice if we could have both.
S211XPVC11 - Landing light switch not lit
S211XPVC12 - Gear lever advisory light not lit
S211XPVC13 - Missing digital indication on engine RPM
S211XPVC14 - Implemented proper controls of the Transponder
S211XPVC15 - Implemented oxygen system
S211XPVC16 - Glideslope needle not working - Fixed

Flight model

S211XPFM01 - Excessive tendency to variate pitch depending on flap position, requiring too much trim action to the pilot. Fixed 14/07

Other

S211XPOT01 - Sound package perceived as low quality (engine noise). Note that the current package is done with real world aircraft recording...but it has been downsampled to 22KHz for use with legacy X-Plane sound system. X-Plane 11 can also implement sounds through FMOD, although indie licence is limited to 1 project per year…

SIAI Marchetti S-211 for Aerofly FS2 (Freeware) - UPDATE to version 1.05

A recent update to Aerofly FS2 broke the compatibility of the freeware SIAI-Marchetti S-211 model I released for free some time ago.
Here is an updated version that should fix the issue.
To IPACS credit, they are now sending an email to developers to which the provide an "early warning" of possible incompatibilities, and once you get used to read the .log file of the simulator, it is relatively easy to apply the required changes.

 I wish I had more time to convert other planes to AFS2 - it is still far Beyond P3D or XP11 in some areas, but it is a respectable flight simulator on its own and it is still my go-to simulator whenever my friends want to try Virtual Reality at my place - performance is stellar, and even with the most complex Orbx sceneries it is super-smooth and provides a great sense of immersion.

Anyway, change log is as follows:


Version 1.05
20/06/2019
- Changed tmd code for compatibility with latest version of Aerofly FS2

And as usual it can either be downloaded by following the link on the side bar, or by clicking HERE.

Siai Marchetti S-211 for X-Plane 11.30 - Beta Test Application

My first project for X-Plane 11 is in short final for Beta testing - so, if you are willing to help with the testing, in this post you will find the instructions to apply.

First, this is meant to be a "budget" payware project (15-20 Euros maximum) - the scope of this project is to provide a decent light jet trainer simulation… and much like in reality, this simulation project is meant to be fun to fly.
It will not be a study-level simulation, but all essential systems should work as expected and you should be able to conduct both VFR and IFR operations.

As usual, I am looking for testers with various level of aviation experience and skill, but I am looking in particular for users who know the XP11.30 scene well and can help with an assessment of this project in comparison with other similar products.

Hardware requisites:
- Anything that can run XP11 well
- Given that the plane uses a lot of high res texture, I believe that 2Gb video memory are needed… but that is just my estimation

Software prerequisites:
- X-Plane 11.30 or newer (the plane uses the new jet engine modeling, so will not work with older versions of XP11)

As usual… the Beta tester for my projects is not a paid position, by any stretch of the imagination: you do it just for the fun of doing it.
If you are willing to help, send me an email to indiafoxtecho.gmail.com - the email shall contain:

- a BRIEF description of your system (no need of minor details, I just need CPU type and clock, RAM, video card and video memory)

- a brief description of your real world flight experience (if any) including (if any) your knowledge of the S-211 Aircraft (note… the Beta is open to everybody: from teenage desk flyers to WWII aces - I just need to know who I am talking with!). No need of long and detailed stories...just a line or two will do.

- your experience with X-Plane 11.

The topic of the email shall be "S-211 Beta Testing" (note...I thought this was an easy requirement, but apparently it is not...but it is very important: it helps me a lot sorting the messages and it shows that you can comply with instructions).

Note it may take 2-3 weeks to reply and provide a download link… so be patient.

Flight Simulator is coming back!

You have heard the big news of these days for us simmers…. FLIGHT SIMULATOR IS COMING BACK!!!!!
There is plenty to be excited about, as the trailer was fantastic… but I see a lot of overly optimistic expectations which, I am afraid, will lead to some disappointment.
As any flightsim enthusiast, I went through the trailer several times to squeeze every bit of information from it… but this new Flight Simulator has been a well kept secret and none of the flight simulator developers I know has been involved or consulted for this project.


So, here is what we know for sure:

• This new simulator is called simply "Flight Simulator"

• It will be available for both XBox and PC (most probably through Microsoft's digital download platform, possibly enabling you to use it both on the Xbox and PC with a single licence)

• It will be included in Microsoft "Game Pass" service

• It will feature a number of different planes from small seaplanes to airliners

• It will allow you to fly anywhere in the world

What we do not know:

• If it will run on XBox "Scarlet" (my guess: yes, sooner or later)

• If it will have an SDK and allow content from third parties (my guess: not on Xbox - the console version will at least have some form of moderation from Microsoft)

• Be backward compatible with FSX addons (my guess: no, and it is a good thing)

• How powerful your hardware needs to be to run the sim at a reasonable speed

What I hope:

• Microsoft hopefully learned the lessons from Flight and Flight Simulator World

• Microsoft will allow us developers to continue producing and selling add-ons as we did in the past

• Microsoft will provide some sort of backward compatibility for the code and flight models (note that, unknown to many, this was planned in quite a smart way in FSW by providing a compiler for XML gauges)

• Microsoft hopefully got some hint from the latest versions of P3D (which introduce a number of great features) and X-Plane 

And now… a quick look at some screenshots with my comments (and my guesses...for what matters): 

Very nice sky rendering (possibly implementing the "True Sky" technology, which was used by both FSW and Ace Combat)! But look closely on the lower right corner, and you see that a scenery discontinuity slipped through the trailer. The tile seems unrelated to the scenery, and looks a lot when I max out P3D and runs out of video memory. Aside, in this shot it is difficult to tell if the image is generated by a very smart landclass system or it is photoreal...but if it is photoreal, the resolution is pretty low. May be there is a "lower res" photoreal Earth model? I don't know.

Definitely a photoreal shot. Buildings are unique and fit perfectly to the scenery… and look a lot as the ones in Google Earth 3D. It is totally unrealistic to think that the simulator will look as good and detailed everywhere in the world… this would require several Terabytes of data. However, is not unthinkable that the sim comes with a number of high detail areas and *MAYBE* streams sceneries from a server, much like Google Earth 3D. This may or may not require a subscription…BUT THIS IS JUST A WILD GUESS. 

Wether it True Sky or not it looks great… the sea in this shot is less impressive, and so is the fog. But still an awesome shot.

Yeah!!!! Hangar enviroment with ground crew! And real time raytracing!

...all cool and dandy, but: we have no clue if all hangars will look like this (most probably not - for all we know this may be just an aicraft selection menu) and while the rendering engine looks cool, similar results can be achieved with a PBR engine. So neither the hangar nor raytracing are confirmed IMHO.

Another impressive shot of the sky. Looks awesome! The scenery however is not hugely better than the best addons we have.

I've seen people commenting that this new Flight Simulator has the best plane models ever… and I agree they are really good. Better than the best add-ons around? I do not believe so - the difference is in the rendering engine, which frankly seems the best around in terms of quality.

Very good light contrast. Both X-Plane and (to a lesser extent) P3D fail, IMHO, in rendering the HDR contrast between the external world and the cockpit. DCS and AFS2 do a better job in that respect… but it seems that this new Flight Simulator will be the best in class in this respect.  

Ground vehicles and crew! It will have awesome airports and detailed ground services!

...well, we'll see. Sure this one looks good, and the assets look great. But we'll see how interactive the airport will be and how good the average airport will look. My guess is that only major airports around the world will look this good.  

This shot is interesting for two reasons: it shows what the engine is capable of doing for sky and cloud rendering (very menacing weather...do not fly there!) but most importantly it shows what I believe will be a "regular" airport. Does not look bad at all. 

Giraffes, elephants and flamingos! This reminds me of the "living world" thing when FSX launched… may be there will be animals in the wild as we were promised ten years ago, maybe they will be "mission objects" like they were in FSX. However they look pretty good. Will we get autogen grass?

This seems another photoreal area…medium-high res. Looks good, but not much beyond what we already have. What I do not understand is how such big chunks of photoreal scenery will fit into the installation. Surely the sim will not have the whole world at this resolution upon install...may be you can pick some specific areas and download a higher res version of them, or maybe it will stream the scenery from a server. Or maybe they only showed us the good bits. 

Impressive rain effect on the cockpit and excellent weather rendering.

Night lighting looks excellent - it looks superior to XP11, which is quite a feat as I consider XP11 night lighting to be excellent.

The flamingos! Again, not sure if you will be able to see wildlife around the world.. for all we know, these may be mission object - and by the way, if they will pack some good missions with the sim I'll be very pleased: I loved FSX missions!

Aside, water looks pretty cool in this shot - and flamingos have their own shadow.

Great rendition of the pyramids: good job! Hopefully there will be several places around the world with this level of detail.

The lighting on the plane looks great (but again...nothing that cannot be achieved with a good PBR implementation)… but the ground texture? Does not look great.

San Francisco looks wonderful...and looks like the Icon A5 is back from Flight ;-) !

The presence of the TBM-900 is pretty great...may be a sign of much needed diversity in aircraft models.

Some final random thoughts:

Graphically looks great. The engine is good and the 3D assets look top-quality. There seems to be a tremendous amount of content that only a big corporate with high-end videogame technology as Microsoft could deliver (no offense to Lockheed Martin or Laminar Research).

I've seen people afraid that, since it will be also on XBox, it will be dumbed down (for those "stupid gamers")… like if recreational flight simming is a serious thing ;-) ! But no, I do not think it will be the case. Much like you could play most of the FSX missions with an XBox controller, here you will be able to fly around and play mission with one. So, it will be like FSX.

The big question is… will it support third parties and smaller developers like me? Maybe. Or maybe not. From what I have seen so far, Microsoft has learned a lot from the Flight fiasco...but never underestimate the capability of a large corporate to make stupid decision when they see a potential for a business model they like. And the current ruling business model in entertainment is "subscription" (rather than DLC).
In any case, I am pretty sure that, even if third parties will be allowed to sell their stuff, the content on the Microsoft Platform will be moderated - for a number of legal reasons.
This may kill smaller developers like me... but we'll see.

Flight Simulator may kill P3D "home" market (which is not supposed to exist but it does) and may push P3D in its own niche of education/serious simulation - I would not be surprised if LM starts to enforce some strict controls on the licences in future. We'll see what P3Dv5 will have to offer, but I believe this announcement weakens P3D position a little.

On the other hand, if Microsoft screws up for the simmers, Flight Simulator may actually mean a larger audience for XP11...as disappointed simmers may jump to that platform.

Time will tell… for the moment, let's enjoy the simulators we have: it will take some time before we get our hands on this new Flight Simulator.