AirWrench v29

[sparks]

I've just uploaded the latest version of AirWrench. Not too many changes in the flight dynamics, but several (4) new tab pages added to improve the work flow. Here's the link to the page that describes the new features...

http://www.mudpond.us/AirWrench_v29_info.htm

[Henry]

youre a good man Mr Sparks:applause:
trying it out
Thanks
Henry:ernae:

[Bradburger]

Thanks for the HU Jerry!

Cheers

Paul

[fliger747]

A true unsung hero that has made much of what fight simming can be, for the rest of us!

Thanks Jerry!

[Real Old Salt]

Thanks Jerry!
I really like that flaps page!

[sparks]

Thanks, all.

This update started because setting up and adjusting contact points has always been a problem for me. No matter what program I use to set up the landing gear contact points, I always have to adjust them after I see the model loaded in the sim. This page makes it fairly easy to make run-time adjustments.

I also realized that the only other program I've got (besides the workbook) that does anything with flaps is FSEdit, and that does too many things I don't like. What's now in AirWrench is an extention of what the workbook does.

After that, I decided to add inputs for everything I could think of that affects the weight and balance.

This is a fairly extensive update, so please feel free to contact me if you find something that doesn't seem to be working correctly.

[Talos2005]

Oh....Sparks, Thank you so much for V29.

AirWrench is the best one for FM tweaking.....also your following up for its users as well.

Thanks again.

Kind Regards,:wiggle:

[sparks]

Sorry for the inconvenience, but thanks to Polovski from the OFF team, I've found and corrected a bug in version 29. It's replacement, Version 30 is now available for download.

The bug causes version 29 to crash when it opens some aircraft.cfg files that have uncommented station_load statements.

[Talos2005]

Hi Sparks!

I've got V30!!
Thank you very much.

Kind Regards,:wiggle:

[fliger747]

Jerry:

Thanks for the continuing updates!

One minor problem that I am encountering has to do with the idle power of a turbine engine. I have not been accessing airwrench to change any engine parameters, but to deal with some issues such as addressed on the new flap page etc. However the idle RPM of the turbine engine is changed from an original vale of 15-20% to approx 60%, which is a reasonable value for say a GE CF6 or some such, but this engine interprets this as about a 60% power setting and essentially makes the aircraft almost un-landable. Certainly ya cann'a park it with the engine running!

I have been poking through the air and cfg file engine parameters in search of a value to re-set this to it's original cnfiguration.

It would be convinent to have airwrench be capable of only modifyng parameters that are selected, rather than making a bold dash at the whole works. having the contact page set up this way is a good feature.

Best regards: Tom

[sparks]

You have to understand something about how AirWrench works: it always generates the air file from scratch. The original air file is never modified or deleted; it's simply renamed.

Parameters will be extracted from an air file if they aren't in the aircraft.cfg file, but only those parameters that can be found in the aircraft.cfg file. None of the engine air file sections are ever reused, because I can't assume that the original air file sections are any good. The only reason the contact points, station loads and fuel pages can be saved independently is that for the current versions of FS, the values in the aircraft.cfg file take precedence over the equivalent values in the air file.

For example, one of the early test cases was a C130. As it turns out, the air file was actually a jet and not a turboprop. AirWrench was able to generate a true turboprop flight model because it ignores the air file.

Jet turbine tables in FS are very complex (http://www.mudpond.us/jet_flow_chart.pdf (http://www.mudpond.us/jet_flow_chart.pdf)) There is no aircraft.cfg parameter that defines 'turbine idle speed' - it depends on the values in the turbine tables - so AirWrench simply sets it to a workable value.

However, I will agree that one set of characteristics doesn't necessarily fit all situations, so I'll think about the possibilities for future upgrades.

[fliger747]

Keep up the good work! I'm still quite a novice at modeling jets, if not at flying them. Simple to fly, hard to build!

Regards: Tom....

[Real Old Salt]

However, I will agree that one set of characteristics doesn't necessarily fit all situations, so I'll think about the possibilities for future upgrades.

Please!
(would you consider a bribe? :engel016:)

Seriously turbines drive me up a wall, can never get the speeds correct. It's always an overly large compromise.

PS, Been playing with V29 today, the new tabs are really helpful. Thanks Jerry

[Piglet]

I got v30 as well. I'm trying to set up the engine with afterburner for my J-29F. I set dry thrust at 5000 lbs. and burner thrust at 6173 lbs. problem is the jet now shoots off like a big ol' rocket! Froooommm! One big loop right back into the ground! Bug, maybe?
The airfile for the non-burner J-29B works just fine.

[Real Old Salt]

?? Thrust vector maybe ?? Is the engine below CG?

[fliger747]

I had the same thing happen with a Saber I was working on, zero to 800 knots in 1.2 seconds....

Is it a multiplier factor perhaps? I changed mine "1.2"..... Haven't fully evaluated with theAFSD for thrust rating as yet. Another roundtuit...

[fliger747]

Tim:

I tried this with my Saber airfile I am working on and it appears that it is a multiplier factor, try entering something on the order of 1.23 or so (no calc handy) and check the thrust values. I think it will work....

Good Luck! Tom....

[sparks]

Yes, the 'Afterburner Thrust' is a multiplier, but it would probably make more sense if it wasn't. I'll do something to clarify it in the next revision.

[fliger747]

T:jump: he space launch with a 2-3000 multiplier in there was really spectacular!

[Piglet]

Thanks guys! I figure I will try 747's idea. I guess on the Engine page in the Afterburner box?

[fliger747]

That's the one! keep up the great planes!

[Piglet]

I set 'burner to 1.4, and it works great! Thanks much:wavey:

[fliger747]

Good on ya!

[CBris]

Hi there Sparks,

I'm a total noob with air file edits etc. I am going to take a look at some of the stuff on your webpage in an attempt to learn.

What I do want to do is to upgrade Nemeths AS350 to the B3 version which managed to land on the top of Mount Everest. The Nemeth brothers don't object (public post in their support forum at forums.simflight.com)

Any tips as to where I should start? I have the power details for the real world heli.

[CBris]

To "Piglet"...

Like your signature quote! We used to say "If flying were difficult, it'd be the techs in the seat-stick-interface position"

[sparks]

Sorry to disappoint, but neither I nor any of the flight model tools I've developed work on FS helicopters.

[CBris]

hokay...

[Piglet]

Speaking of helos, has any one ever made some kind of app for dealing with helo files? One reason I never made many helos is that it's a real pain trying to futz with those airfiles. You can do more with the R-22 based files than the Bell 206 files (which to me is too old-school and should be tossed)

[GOZR]

Well i have the payware and frankly it's useless to me, it's missing many many effects, ha! i feel robed of 18 $ i do better just by editing the files manually.. I'm very desapointed.. anyone knows an other one? that make something more in details..
I see that many AIrcrafts are using this tool but now i know why i have to recorrect all of them. Am i too hard? maybe but it's just desapointing of the result. In the other hands it's a great tool for beginers who desire to tune their controls ( even there it's not complet )
Well the product is very interesting and if could have much more tweaks available then it can be very good but right now ...nope
Version 1.01.38

[sparks]

The AirWrench user's guide, a tutorial and the program itself can all be downloaded for free from the mudpond website. AirWrench has a try-before-you-buy evaluation mode that allows anyone to create and test their own flight dynamics for an unlimited period of time at no cost.

I'm rather surprised that you think AirWrench is 'missing many many effects', and frankly, I disagree. What aircraft are you working with and what 'effects' do you think are missing?

[GOZR]

Well Sparks I have to say that it's a great little software there is no doubt about after trying testing making and cheating with some things etc.. For someone that used to fly in FS 9 or X simulator witch basicly all aircarfts fly the same way using the same specific settings it would be easy and very practical witch is good. But What i'm trying to do it's to make my FM the closest as possible to reality with the real aircraft specs.. The first thing i do before anything is to adjust the correct head placement or deplacement. The other first thing to do as FM adjuster is for all to use a 100 % stick, pedalls settings, unlike many that make their own settings with 60 % or a dead zone for example and making a fov of .30 to.35 to recreate a real FOV, then start the FM adjustements. Missing stalls comportements reactions, ailerons settings with their dampings same with rudder and more details.

Basicly what it need it's more details we can go through a list inside the config and airfile..
I tried the test version but with a piper aircraft it's no good to juge..
I don't know anything about Big heavy aircrafts as 737 etc.. in RL i'm more into small planes or WW2 aircrafts and some jets wich i know.

My post above is too strong or a negative, I wished to edit it but for some reason i can't and i would like to apology for it .
I repeat it's a good software for a first approche but SParks if you could make more details into it more precises like many settings of th e airfile and config and some extra other lines that accentuate the comportements or reactions.
I can test it if you have something on projet.

[fliger747]

To get the best out of Airwrench, or any flight development tool, a large amount of instrumented test flying is necessary. This is particularly true if you have a goal of approximating the charcteristics as they are generally known of the real aircraft.

[GOZR]

Well after a lots of use i can say now for sure that i 'm not using airwrench no more, lack or helicopter settings, and many many others.

But like i said it's a gentle approch to plane tweaking that about it.

[sparks]

As clearly stated on the mudpond website, AirWrench was designed to create and tune flight dynamics files with point and click simplicity.

The more flexible a flight dynamics editor is, the more complicated using it becomes. If you want the most powerful, flexible air file editor there is, it's called AirUpdate:

http://www.mudpond.org/utilities_index.html

AirUpdate dumps air files in human readable format, updates any field or record in an air file, deletes records, and makes other tools like the Flight Dynamics Workbook possible.

[Henry]

As clearly stated on the mudpond website, AirWrench was designed to create and tune flight dynamics files with point and click simplicity.

The more flexible a flight dynamics editor is, the more complicated using it becomes. If you want the most powerful, flexible air file editor there is, it's called AirUpdate:

http://www.mudpond.org/utilities_index.html

AirUpdate dumps air files in human readable format, updates any field or record in an air file, deletes records, and makes other tools like the Flight Dynamics Workbook possible.
but then its not the idiots guide to air files
ya cant win can ya:d
LOL
H

[Willy]

GOZR, try using the old notebooks method for mucking about with FMs. ;) A couple of years ago they were the best tool we had.

I haven't had AirWrench a week and I'm already sold.

[GOZR]

Yes i use the Flight Dynamics Workbook..

Any project on an airwrench for complex settings? could call it "Airwrench pro " ;)

[sparks]

Yes i use the Flight Dynamics Workbook..

Any project on an airwrench for complex settings? could call it "Airwrench pro " ;)

I've been wanting to do an on-line 'tutorial' of this nature for quite some time. It'll show what AirWrench can do, and maybe help some people understand how to use it. And I might get some ideas for future updates.

We need a readily available freeware model (with author's permission) or stock model. Any of the 3-D models I've done for FS (P-51H, PT-19, Widgeon, Su-26, or F9F-2) are available, and I could ask some of the other freeware authors here if they'd be willing to let us use one of their models as a 'victim'. As the object of this excercise would be the flight model and would be working with a mudpond flight test panel, a 2-D panel and VC are not required.

Which category would you like to start with? Warbird, GA, commercial, military, or other?

[Henry]

im all for warbirds:costumes:
i bet Milton would let you have a model or two
he is great at releasing source files
H

[sparks]

I can deal with unknowns if I have to, but for starters I'd recommend something well documented.

[thicko]

I can help if you need MDL's, Sparks. I have used your FDWB and Airwrench for all of the Thicko planes for CFS2. I feel both are excellent tools for Flight Model work. I had just one that gave me problems in the past, a WW1 Hannover CL2. An old slow 2 seater. Pretty good for 40+ planes.
Cheers Thicko

[sparks]

I can help if you need MDL's, Sparks. I have used your FDWB and Airwrench for all of the Thicko planes for CFS2. I feel both are excellent tools for Flight Model work. I had just one that gave me problems in the past, a WW1 Hannover CL2. An old slow 2 seater. Pretty good for 40+ planes.
Cheers Thicko

Thicko, thank you for the offer. CFS2 is still a great combat flight sim.

[Milton Shupe]

im all for warbirds:costumes:
i bet Milton would let you have a model or two
he is great at releasing source files
H

Sparks,

You may use any of my aircraft and I'll share whatever I have. I do have the Pilot's Operating Manual for the Dash 7. Seems I had the same for the Howard 500 but I think I sent that to Scott, our panel/gauges designer. For the rest I have what is generally available for vspeeds and from websites or certificates of certification.

Here's the list of what I have:

Nose gear based:
de Havilland Dash 7 - 4 Turboprops
Aero Commanders 520, 560A(HC), 680S, 500S, 500 - Twin Piston

Taildraggers:
Beechcraft D18S Twin P&W
Howard 500 Twin P&W
Spartan Executive Single P&W
Republic XP47J
Republic XP-72



Happy to help in any way.

[Gnoopey]

Sparks,

You may use any of my aircraft and I'll share whatever I have. I do have the Pilot's Operating Manual for the Dash 7. Seems I had the same for the Howard 500 but I think I sent that to Scott, our panel/gauges designer. For the rest I have what is generally available for vspeeds and from websites or certificates of certification.

Here's the list of what I have:

snipped ...

Happy to help in any way.

Jerry,

I'll second all from Milton's above post ... except the 'stable' ... - here's mine:

Nose gear based:
Boeing B-29 and RB-50
Grumman HU-16 Albatross

Taildraggers:
Republic P-47D, M and N

BTW - have POH's from Superfortresses and the Republics and a couple more and all 'my' FDE's are FDWB based since the 1% PB4Y-1 for CFS2 :)

[sparks]

Milton and Tom, many thanks!

At this point, I'm leaning towards the P-47D. There are good 3-D models for all FS versions, and it's performance and flight characteristics are very well documented.

[Milton Shupe]

Sounds great to me :jump: That's one of my fav's. Thanks

[empeck]

Awesome, cannot wait :)

[Henry]

Milton and Tom, many thanks!

At this point, I'm leaning towards the P-47D. There are good 3-D models for all FS versions, and it's performance and flight characteristics are very well documented.
great idea!
:applause:
H