REFLECTOR: FS2004 Simulator & Velocity Model

Tue Feb 1 18:32:18 CST 2005

          Joel,
  The short answer is:   Brian put a zipped version of the  FS2004 Velocity
model I've been using into the TVBF archives -- use this link to access and
download it:
       http://www.tvbf.org/docs/velov2.zip

  I don't think we're violating any 'freeware' restrictions by putting the
model  into our archives -- I don't remember exactly which site I found it
on originally.

  -------------------------------------------

  The long answer (I think I may become known for Reflector posts that are
TOO LONG at this rate!) is included below --  I  cut and pasted it from a
response to another Reflector friend who sent a personal Email asking about
Velocity models for FS2004:

  "... I use FS2004 a lot.  Maybe it's not 100% like flying, but it's
amazing how realistic and useful it can be, as you probably know.  I've been
flying it more in the last six months as we finally get closer to flying our
Velocity after nearly seven years of continuous work.  I used to think of it
as a fun toy and a way to play around in simulations of some of the old
military jets I used to fly.  But it's so much more valuable than that,
especially if you buy a good force feedback joystick to use with it.

  First for instrument flying it's just amazingly useful, nearly as good as
the real thing.  As you probably know, you can 'dial in' what ever weather
conditions you want.  So if you want to fly down to 100 foot ceilings in
blowing snow at night with thunderstorms, just dial it in and you can see
the swirling snow and lightning flashes and feel the turbulence (in the
stick and it's affect on the flight path) as you're about ready to break
out.  If you set up a thunderstorm and it's daytime, you'll see (and hear!)
the individual drops hitting the windscreen as you sit on the end of the
runway waiting to take off!

  Then for the use I mentioned on the Reflector about using FS2004 to
experiment with, to see how it flies and maybe to help you develop
precautionary approach procedures before you find yourself in the real
situation.  I've used it, as I said, to determine the best glide speeds and
to measure the Velocity's glide ratio and to become comfortable flying the
'high precautionary approach' that I developed on FS2004.

  Finally, if you happen to have two computers in the house on a high speed
network and are running FS2004 on both, you can do some incredible two
(maybe more with more computers?) plane formation flying.  I'm just
beginning to experiment with this feature now, but my son and I have been
able to taxi two F18s up onto the same runway, see each other's planes, even
see the other guy move the aileron and elevator flight surfaces, then chase
each other off into the wild blue yonder!  I believe you can also do this
house-to-house using high speed internet connections, but I haven't tried
that yet.  This is hard to beat, at least for an old enthusiast like myself!
Sorry if I sound a little too enthusiastic about FS2004, but I have done
some real world flying and some flying in what used to be the high end
simulators not too many years ago, and now for something that costs around
$30 -- I'm just impressed!

  To your question about flight simulator resources -- there are lots, I've
probably only scratched the surface.  There's also lots of cool stuff you
can do in this community if you've got a little time -- like build "models"
(or construct paint schemes for models someone else has already created) for
airplanes you'd like to include in FS2004.  The only thing I've done is
occasionally go out to try to find a model someone else has created.  Here's
some links to some places that have been very useful to me:

      http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kds/main/menuchoo.htm

      http://flyawaysimulation.com/

      http://www.simviation.com/

      http://secure.simmarket.com/

      http://www.flightgear.org/

      http://www.afs-design.de/e/index.htm

      http://library.avsim.net/login.php?Location=%2Fextsearch.php

  Many of these require you to sign up as a member, but it's usually free
and most of the downloads are free.  There are also some very well done
'pay' models that you can download from little companies.  The Velocity
unfortunately doesn't have the best models available yet for FS2004 -- at
least that I've been able to find.

  I'm attaching (hope you don't mind and that I don't clog up your mailbox!)
one Velocity model that I found.  It seems to fly and look the most
realistic, but it's not perfect.  For example, if while sitting on the end
of the runway before takeoff, you press "S" in FS2004 and 'slew' the
viewpoint around to what would be a wingman's position, you'll notice that
there are no landing gear visible -- it looks like the plane is just
hovering three feet above the runway.  The cockpit switch makes the gear go
up and down and that increases/decreases drag, etc., but the gear are not
visible in the onscreen rendering!  This shortcoming does not seem to affect
the way it flys.

  The exact procedure and instructions for adding new models into FS2004 are
a little fuzzy for me because there seem to be several different ways to do
it.  The best models usually have ReadMe files included somewhere that tell
you how to do it.  I don't think this one have a good ReadMe.  I think to
install this Velocity model, first save the attached folder somewhere on
your hard drive.  Then double click on zip-compressed folder icon -- it
should open up into a temporary uncompressed folder window.  Now on your C:
drive, find C:/Program Files/Microsoft Games/Flight Simulator 9/Aircraft and
create a new folder within the Aircraft folder named:  Velocity.  Then copy
everything that's in your uncompressed "Velov2" folder into the new Velocity
folder you just created in Flight Simulator 9/Aircraft folder.

  Now, when you run FS2004, on the main menu press the 'Select
Aircraft/Change' button.  In the sub menu panel under 'Aircraft
Manufacturer' select 'Any', then under 'Aircraft Model' select "Unspecified
Velocity'.  You should now have the Velocity model ready to fly.

  Good luck.  Hopefully my instructions are complete.  I think you'll enjoy
flying the Velocity in FS2004!  Let me know if you have trouble (or better
yet if you're able to create a better 'High Precautionary Approach'!"

  Bob Jackson
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Carruth, Joel L [mailto:joel.l.carruth at lmco.com]
    Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 11:49 AM
    To: bobj at computer.org
    Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: 'Standardized' High Precautionary Approaches

    Bob,

    Interesting post - thanks for your input!

    Do you have a link on where I can download the FS-2004 plug-in model for
the Velocity?  Thanks!

    SE-FG, 20% done.

    Joel Carruth

    Lockheed Martin

    JSF - Pilot System Software

    W: (817) 763-4337

    Fax: (817) 777-8378

    joel.l.carruth at lmco.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Bob Jackson
    Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 9:02 PM
    To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
    Subject: REFLECTOR: 'Standardized' High Precautionary Approaches

    In the Navy we used to fly High Precautionary Approaches (HPAs) for
emergency engine out landing practice.  We had published procedures -- for
example, starting over the intended landing point at 7000 feet altitude and
circling, in one 20-30 degrees angle of bank turn (180 KIAS) with the gear
down (no flaps), around for the landing (at approx. 130 KIAS).  This for a
jet with about a 11:1 (clean) glide ratio.

    Now, we're getting close enough to completing our Velocity to be
thinking about HPA procedures for our plane during initial flight testing.
We definitely don't plan on shutting down our engine, but since we have done
some major custom modifications to it, we are interested in the accumulated
experience of the flying Velocity community with (simulated) engine out
precautionary approaches.

    I've been reading the Reflector now for over five years, and I don't
remember ever seeing any discussion, or even a mention of procedures for
Velocity precautionary approaches.  There is also not to my knowledge a
precautionary approach procedure that is published or 'standardized' by the
factory, although I know that basic engine out procedure practice is a
normal part of all Velocity transition training conducted by Nathan Rigaud.

    Basic engine out procedure training, like the factory's, is typical of
general aviation.  But it's a little surprising to me that the experimental
aircraft community has not apparently created a more standardized procedure,
more similar to the old military HPAs, including recommended entry
altitudes, pattern configuration, speeds, descent rates, check-point
altitudes, etc..  Before GPS and moving map navigation, it was much harder
to estimate range to an intended emergency landing point, and this I believe
was the motivation for the creation of a circling high precautionary
approach by the military -- it gave you altitudes for an overhead or abeam
entry that could be used without the need for any estimate of range
(assuming you could get back overhead a strip).

    Even today, given the likelihood that most of our own early flight
testing will be done almost directly overhead Sebastian field, knowing some
'pattern numbers' for doing a circling HPA landing approach seems to make a
lot of sense for us.  One good way to develop and practice HPA procedures,
and even (I hope) to draw some initial pattern 'numbers' is with Microsoft
Flight Simulator 2004.  For less than $30, plus a joystick and a freely
downloaded plug-in software model for the Velocity XLRG, it's hard to hurt
anything but your pride in the simulator!  Using this simulator, I've
created the following HPA for the Velocity that seems to work well and to be
easy to fly with confidence during a 'dead stick' landing:

    1.  Entry.  Start directly overhead the landing point, and on landing
heading, 1800 ft AGL, 100 KIAS glide  (100 sec to landing).

    2.  Pattern.  One 20 deg. angle of bank circle -- 100 KIAS glide, gear
down, 900 ft AGL abeam the landing point  (50 sec).

    3.  Base Leg.  450 ft AGL, 100 KIAS, gear down with 90 degrees more to
turn onto final  (25 sec).

    4.  Landing.  Slow below 100 KIAS only when you're sure the field is
made.

    Of course there are many variables that can affect an actual HPA,
particularly the wind.  But the pilot also has some variables he can
control, like angle of bank and when he puts down the gear.  On a short
field, it can be just as dangerous to land fast as it is to land slow (if
short!).

    Based on the performance of the Velocity in FS2004 -- at 100 KIAS, 20
degrees angle of bank, and power at idle, the Velocity loses about 1800 feet
per 360 degree turn with a 1050 fpm descent rate, and the aircraft is about
5400 feet from the runway at the 180 'abeam' point.  In FS2004, the Velocity
has a gear up, 0 deg. angle of bank, 100 KIAS glide ratio of about 11:1,
however I've heard that in the real world it's closer to 12.5:1, even with
the gear down!

    My questions for the guys flying the Velocity in 'real world' are:

    a)  Do you have a HPA pattern and pattern 'numbers' that you trust?

    b)  Have you flown the Velocity in FS2004 and do you trust it?

    c)  Do you know an RPM and MAP that simulates engine out performance
(zero thrust, feathered drag)?  Has anyone used a 'feeler' gauge on their
prop flange to detect the zero thrust condition?

    d)  Can someone with a GPS and the ability to log aircraft performance
data (like with the Blue Mtn EFIS) do some simulated power off, 80/100 KIAS,
gear up/down, 0/20 deg. angle of bank, glides to establish some real world
glide ratio data (selfishly, I would prefer data for the XLRG, but any data
will help, especially others in the community).

    Sorry for the long post.

    Bob Jackson
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