Want to use gliders in FsPassengers X? Here's how...

[deckard b26 0]

How to use gliders in FsPassengers X (not an officially supported feature of FsPassengers X- please use at your own risk)

I always thought it would be fun to simulate earning virtual money at a sailport by giving local, cross-country, and aerobatic glider rides to virtual passengers in FSX. With FsPassengers X, and my tweaks below, now you can!

(giving local glider ride to passenger over Estrella mountains, near E68- Arizona)

Here's how to do it:

1. Be sure you have FsPassengers X installed. Next, download and install WinchX! freeware to launch gliders with passengers. In WinchX! settings, set cable speed to a max of 75km/h. Any higher and your passenger will complain of high g-forces during launching. Also, be careful not to stall the glider when releasing from winch cable. Cumulus X thermal and ridge lift generator freeware is also highly recommended. See links below.

2. Be sure line 318 in each glider's .air file reads- Flaps Available=false(0)

or use the DisableFlapCheck =1 line located in the more_option.cfg file located in the FsPassengers\Config folder.

3. Copy and paste the italicized lines below into each of your glider's aircraft.cfg file:

[GeneralEngineData]

engine_type = 0 //0=Piston, 1=Jet, 2=None, 3=Helo-Turbine, 4=Rocket, 5=Turboprop

Engine.0 = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0 //(feet) longitudinal, lateral, vertical distance from reference datum

ThrustAnglesPitchHeading.0 = 0,0 //Thrust pitch and heading angles in degrees (+pitch down, +heading right)

fuel_flow_scalar= 0.0 //Fuel flow scalar

min_throttle_limit = 0.0 //Minimum percent throttle. Generally negative for turbine reverser

[piston_engine]

power_scalar = 1.0 //Piston power scalar

cylinder_displacement= 90.0 //Cubic inches per cylinder

compression_ratio= 8.5 //Compression ratio

number_of_cylinders=4 //Number of cylinders

max_rated_rpm= 2700 //Max rated RPM

max_rated_hp= 180 //Max rated HP

fuel_metering_type= 0 //0=Fuel Injected, 1=Gravity Carburetor, 2=Aerobatic Carburetor

cooling_type= 0 //0=Cooling type Air, 1=Cooling type Liquid

normalized_starter_torque= 0.3 //Starter torque factor

turbocharged= 0 //Is it turbocharged? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

max_design_mp= 0 //Max design manifold pressure, (inHg)

min_design_mp= 0 //Min design manifold pressure, (inHg)

critical_altitude= 0 //Altitude to which the turbocharger will provide max design manifold pressure (feet)

emergency_boost_type= 0 //0=None, 1=Water Injection, 2=Methanol/Water injection, 3=War Emergency Power

emergency_boost_mp_offset= 0 //Additional manifold pressure supplied by emergency boost

emergency_boost_gain_offset= 0 //Multiplier on manifold pressure due to emergency boost

fuel_air_auto_mixture= 0 //Automixture available? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

auto_ignition= 0 //Auto-Ignition available? 0=FALSE, 1=TRUE

max_rpm_mechanical_efficiency_scalar= 1.0 //Scalar on maximum RPM mechanical efficiency

idle_rpm_mechanical_efficiency_scalar= 1.0 //Scalar on idle RPM mechanical efficiency

max_rpm_friction_scalar= 1.0 //Scalar on maximum RPM friction

idle_rpm_friction_scalar= 1.0 //Scalar on idle RPM friction

BestPowerSpecificFuelConsumption=0.49 //SFC at Best Power mixture ratio

[fuel]

LeftMain = -3.9, -2.1, 2.5, 1.0, 0.0 //Longitudinal (feet), Lateral (feet), Vertical (feet), Usable(gallons), Unusable (gallons)

RightMain = -3.9, 2.1, 2.5, 1.0, 0.0 //Longitudinal (feet), Lateral (feet), Vertical (feet), Usable(gallons), Unusable (gallons)

fuel_type = 1 //Fuel type: 1 = Avgas, 2 = JetA

number_of_tank_selectors = 1

electric_pump=1

engine_driven_pump=0

Other tips:

-You will need to create a payload profile for each glider you purchase in FsPassengers X. Use the Payload Editor in your Microsoft Flight Simulator X\FsPassengers\Payload_model folder to set number of seats and the seat price (if it's a two-seater). What I do is set the front seat seat price class to crew, and the rear seat price class to VIP. This works well for realistic ticket pricing when I have the IncomeMultiplier set to a value of 1. Also, remove all other cargo areas in the editor.

-Be careful not to stall your glider when releasing from the winch tow. Your pilot will lose points at the end of the flight if a passenger is aboard.

-3000 meters is an ideal cable length setting in WinchX!.

Some useful links:

http://www.fspasseng...om/?action=home (FsPassengers main site)

http://luerkens.home...nline.de/peter/ (CumulusX! and WinchX! freeware can be downloaded here)

http://www.fsglider.de/p_e.htm (good site with lots of great FSX gliders)

http://www.mediafire.com/?zumdgxtwm3i (a custom FsPassengers X mission file that is a good example of settings (prices, etc) to be used for giving glider rides at sailports)

[sf4JC 1]

Thanks for the info, deckard b26! FSPassengers is a concept I never thought about in flight simulators before, I've got a whole new perspective.

Scott