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SimCheck A300B4-200


Aerosoft Team

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  • Aerosoft

This product is released, so this topic is closed. Feel free to continue in the special forum created for this product.

The A300B4-200 series is a first generation Airbus with analogue steam-gauges and a (for that time) advanced autopilot. Some of the current operators have made cockpit upgrades based on various GPS systems where the ADI was replaced with an EADI, the HSI replaced with an ND, the CDU replaced with a (basic) FMS. We have not simulated these upgrades as they where not included in the original aircraft! Because the Airbus autopilot systems are so different from the FSX implementation of an autopilot we decided to reinventing the autopilot from scratch. We send commands to the elevator trim and elevator trim to control the attitude and bank angle of the aircraft based on so called PID controllers. This results in very realistic autopilot behavior. We did the same thing with the autothrottle, so don't be amazed if the aircraft is not able to maintain the correct airspeed in turbulent air. Do as the real pilots do: turn off the autothrottle and switch to manual control !

This aircraft was developed in cooporation with real pilots, the training department of a major cargo operator flying the A300 and based on experience in the full motion A300B4-203 simulator at Brussels Airport, Belgium and will be distributed by Aerosoft in both boxed and download format. Below are some highlights of the SimCheck A300B4-200 simulation...

Model specifications

  • FSX-only 3D models: a cargo model and a passenger model
  • All the passenger, belly and cargo doors can be opened and closed individually
  • Front and aft passenger stairs, a fully moving cargo loader and GPU model. For people using AES or other ground scenery addons we have added on options hiding ground animatiosn except for the GPU
  • Moving APU air inlet door
  • Low speed/high speed aileron split animations
  • Realistic spoiler animation
  • Main landing gear bogie tilt
  • Bump bitmap
  • Retracting and extending main landing lights
  • Complete virtual cockpit with predefined camera positions
  • Textures from a number airlines are available and more are added on a regular basis
  • A Photoshop based paintkit will be made available
    Sound
    • High end 3D engine sound simulation
    • Cockpit switch sounds based on actual recording inside the cockpit
    • Speed and extension depended wind sound from the landing gear
    • Speed and extension depended rumble sound from the spoilers
    • Cockpit oral warning based on real life recordings
      Panel
      • Complete captains and first officer panel with independent gauges (except altimeter)
      • Independent standby altimeter
      • GPWS simulation with 6 modes
      • TCAS panel with realistic TA (RA not simulated as that doesn't make sense in FSX since there is no communication between aircraft!)
      • Comms panel with 2 independent NDB's
        Pedestal
        • Double INS/CDU system that allows manual waypoint entry but also running off an FSX XML flightplan. The INS will follow great circle flightpath
        • Fuel panel with 5 fuel tanks, fuel dump gauge and fuel loading gauge. Both featuring realistic fueling/defueling and fuel dump speeds
        • APU panel that actually uses fuel from the correct tank(s), realistic start-up and shutdown times
        • Hydraulics panel with realistic use of hydraulics fluids and linked to the correct flight control surfaces
        • Pneumatics, packs, cabin temperature control and cabin pressurisation control with realistic simulation (e.g. open the door end the temperature will change depending on the external temperature, cabin differential pressure based on standard atmoshere + correction for actual conditions)
        • Electrics panel with separate AC and DC system
        • Autopilot and autothrottle based on PID controllers working like the real thing, no FSX standard autopilot nor autothrottle used
        • ROLL and PITCH modes are simulated: enter a roll and the aircraft will maintain the current bank angle (bank is automatically limited to 25°, bank angles < 5° will have the aircraft level the wings), set the aircraft to a certain vertical speed and the aircraft will maintain the vertical speed
        • Realistic N1 limit computer
        • Settings panel with 4 predefined panel states, performance calculation (optimal/maximum levels based on gross weight), ability to call fuel truck, jetway etc...
        • Fully featured overhead panel with, amongst other things, Yellow Accu Pressure simulation: No yellow accu pressure = no parking brake. Yellow accu pressure will last about 30 minutes before the parking brake is disconnected because of lack of pressurisation
        • Realistic pitch trim simulation: You can actually trim the aircraft to fly the attitude you want, not the attitude FSX "thinks" you want...
        • All panel settings are saved between sessions based on the name of the currently loaded flight. Saving a flight "in flight" is not a good idea however, flights should best be saved before take-off our after landing. In total around 400 variables are saved between flights...
        • Dragable speed bugs on the 2D panel
        • Dragable altitude bug on the 2D panel
        • GDI+ based airspeed indicator, RMI, ADI and HSI for smooth and accurate needle movements
        • Flight model

            [*]Realistic flight handling tested by a professional A300 Captain[*]Realistic engine performance in flight[*]Realistic fuel use during flight but also during start-up and taxi[*]Realistic braking performance

            Limitations

      • Because we hardly use any default FSX variables and controls, shared cockpit is not supported
      • No FS9 model is planned at this time
      • INS does not have an MSU, no VOR updating or drift
      • We have decided not to add a weather radar as FSX does not provide detailed enough information to make a radar that has any real use
      • Panel will only work with (a very recent) FSUIPC installed
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    • Aerosoft

    I would so love to learn to fly this Bird, will there still be a tutorial on how to fly? :rolleyes:

    Yes the documentation is very complete and you will be able fly this one.

    ps, sorry I had to remove the original post, I wanted to keep the images right below the introduction.

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    • Aerosoft

    Whoaa, that looks nice. Hopefully the systems will be as nice also! :)

    Believe me, system depth is VERY high, this is not a bird you take up for half an hour after a few beers.

    ps, sorry I had to remove the original post, I wanted to keep the images right below the introduction.

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    Does the FSUIPC have to be the full version? I have it installed that came with the VRinsight head tracker but its not the full version (unregistered)

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    Are you going to release the manuals before the aircraft so that we could start flying as soon as this bird is released? Cause I have never flown anything like this apart from the good old RFP 747. If not will you at least have them at the product page.

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    • Aerosoft

    Does the FSUIPC have to be the full version? I have it installed that came with the VRinsight head tracker but its not the full version (unregistered)

    You do need a recent one but you do not need to have a registered version.

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    • Aerosoft

    My first love is flying cargo so this will be a must buy for me. Are the online and boxed versions being released simultaneously?

    No as always there are a few weeks between them.

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    Some more images showing the different liveries...

    Hi Mathijs,

    First off, thanks for the wonderful updates to the A300. This is one aircraft that I have been wanting in FS for God knows how many years :) I am so excited about the imminent release. Bjorn and everybody at Simcheck and Aerosoft are to be congratulated for seeing this project through. With numerous topics all over the internet on how hard it is to simulate the modern Airbus, I am thrilled all of you have taken a decision to give us the pioneering aircraft of this Company. I never understood why the A300 B2/B4 was ignored until now.

    You are very close to release as mentioned, pending final approval from Simcheck. Just curious, is the release "likely" in the next 24-48 hrs? Not asking for a specific time, but just a possible release time frame.

    Thanks and best wishes always,

    Dinshaw.

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    • Aerosoft

    You are very close to release as mentioned, pending final approval from Simcheck. Just curious, is the release "likely" in the next 24-48 hrs? Not asking for a specific time, but just a possible release time frame.

    No not THAT close.

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