B21 19 Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 I've completed a full replacement instrument panel for the LS8-18 model designed by Wolfgang Piper. Download available here: (note new current version as of Jan 2011 is 1.3, containing a bugfix for the GPSNAV) There are too many changes to list, but the download page has more documentation than is reasonable to expect for a freebie. Every instrument is updated, providing a complete cross-country panel that would be acceptable to a world-championship competitor. Highlights include a default 'speed-to-fly' reading on the 302 variometer, making a full set of TE, NETTO and STF, the moving map now has a 'track up' or 'north up' (default) orientation, and the 'polar' embedded in the instruments has been very carefully tuned to this FSX LS8, so the netto, stf and arrival height readings are accurate. This download installs as a new aircraft, "LS8-18 B21" so it does not disturb the original Wolfgang LS8-18 if you have that installed. B21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulau 0 Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Masterfully done, Ian! A new standard in FSX soaring instrumentation and documentation. (and I haven't even flown it yet) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 19 Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 Masterfully done, Ian! A new standard in FSX soaring instrumentation and documentation. (and I haven't even flown it yet) It's a very nice glider to fly - all credit to Wolfgang Piper who created the 3D model *and* crafted the '.air' file that determines the aerodynamic behaviour. If you managed to download the zip within a couple of minutes of me putting it up there, please make sure the download is at least "...v1.1" in the name the zip, otherwise you could be looking at your 'cached' version of the page. Bulau there's a couple of feature's you'll like, I think, which I added towards the end. The moving map has North-Up specially for you. The 302 does actually have push-pull arrows that are redundant if the needle is in STF mode, but I added a switch to put the needle into TE mode, and then the push-pull arrows will function. B21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulau 0 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 I have flown the LS8-18 before, but the one with Max's CAISet gauges. I just tried your update today, and everything worked beautifully. I preferred the vario switched to STF mode. The moving map I left with North up, even though I feel that having the aircraft icon pointing up is more intuitive. Both ways have their positives. The only issues I encountered had to do with the behaviour of the FSX GPS when flying a soaring task, nothing to do with any of your work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 19 Posted January 16, 2011 Author Share Posted January 16, 2011 I actually prefer the new north-up mode but now I move the user aircraft lower down the map in track-up mode so you see more of what's ahead. The 302 vario has a 'polar measurement' mode for developers - toggled by clicking the instrument face at 9 o'clock. Numbers are decimal airspeed km/h (@ top), L/D ratio (@ 9 o'clock), sink rate (m/s @ 6 o'clock), flap setting (@ 3 o'clock). I'm using it now to work on the flaps, ballast and polar on the ASH 25. Panel best feature is the shadow beneath the 302 needle... B21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulau 0 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Panel best feature is the shadow beneath the 302 needle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Roodveldt 0 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Ian, it's a work of art - I love it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 19 Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 Thanks Max, In recognition of the issues with the fixed automatic TP switching built into the microsoft GPSNAV, I've re-written the XML scripting to allow the 'up' and 'down' cursor buttons to be used to cycle up/down through all the waypoints in the task so any can be made 'active', and the automatic switchover (that can now be overridded with the up/down buttons) is based on 500m proximity to the waypoint. Left/right buttons cycle through basic WP info pages as before. GPSNAV info here and the page has the link to a new LS8-18 version (1.2) at the top. Only change from 1.1 is the new GPSNAV. B21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulau 0 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Holy Smackorz! And after you said it was way down on the To Do list! Thanks very much, Ian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 19 Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 lolzors... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 19 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 The "LS8-18 B21" download has been updated to version 1.3, containing a BUGFIX to the GPSNAV which was using a 'magnetic' value for your track while the bearing to the WP was 'true', so the guide arrow was off by quite a bit (14 degrees in New Jersey). Download/documentation page as before is: http://carrier.csi.c...ects/ls8-18_b21 B21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulau 0 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 ...the guide arrow was off by quite a bit... I thought it was a "feature". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 19 Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 I thought it was a "feature". haha - I usually try and avoid features like that. This time I bogged up because the gpsnav rebuild was a 24-hour quick fix after James Allen on UKVGA reinforced your view that the msoft GPSNAV was pants and he associated that with *my* shiny new panel. Now I've written it though I quite like my new GPSNAV with the waypoint-flipping capability - I should have done it a long time ago. B21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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