MSFS Porting and development of AT3-R100

[ailgorbot]

Step 7: First animation (the rudder)

The principle is the same as an animated object for a scenery. I suggest you to watch this small video, very well done, explaining the conception of an animation on an object.

In addition, for an airplane anime, it is necessary to create a link between the Animation and the Variable Simulation (like X-Plane with the dataref)
FYI : The list of Simulation Variables: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/microsoft-esp/cc526981(v=msdn.10)

For my first attempt, I'm going to play with the rudder.

We will use the same Variable simulation as the SimpleAircraft: RUDDER DEFLECTION PCT Percent deflection
It is implemented with 3 positions (left 0%, middle 50%, right 100%)

• On the axis of my elevator I add a Plain Axes containing as a parent the constituent objects of the rudder. The Z axis of the Plain Axes merges with the rudder axis.

At Key Frame 0 I position the rudder to the left in Quaternion rotation.



At Key Frame 1 I position the rudder to the middle in Quaternion rotation.



At Key Frame 2 I position the rudder to the right in Quaternion rotation.

• Click on the Push Down button.
• Rename Nla Track and the Animation with the same name, I chose gouverne_direction_key

.

You must have a similar tree structure.

• Save and export your aircraft in .gltf (Asobo)

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• Generate a GUID

GUID Generator : https://www.guidgenerator.com/online-guid-generator.aspx

• Declare your animation in the manifest \PackageSources\SimObjects\Airplanes\Ailgorbot_AT3FS_Aircraft\model\SimpleAircraft.xml

<Animation guid="6685f456-64ff-4ca5-b5e4-0ee2ee24dfcd" length="100" name="gouverne_direction_key" type="Sim" typeParam="AutoPlay" typeParam2="gouverne_direction_key"/>

• At the end of the manifest add the link between the Animation and the Variable simulation.

        <PartInfo>
            <Name>gouverne_direction_key</Name>
            <AnimLength>100</AnimLength>
            <Animation>
                <Parameter>
                    <Sim>
                        <Variable>RUDDER DEFLECTION PCT</Variable>
                        <Units>percent</Units>
                        <Bias>50</Bias>
                    </Sim>
                </Parameter>
            </Animation>
        </PartInfo>

• Save
• Export your aircraft again in .gltf (Asobo)
• Rebuild your aircraft

And here is the result:

 

[ronh]

Thank you very much for showing us your progress with this project. Keep going. Excellent work.

 

[ailgorbot]

Step 8 : other similare animation

I have done the same process of Step 7 for :

Elevator (ELEVATOR DEFLECTION PCT)
Aileron Left (AILERON LEFT DEFLECTION PCT)
Aileron Right (AILERON RIGHT DEFLECTION PCT)
Flaps Left (TRAILING EDGE FLAPS LEFT PERCENT)
Flaps Right(TRAILING EDGE FLAPS RIGHT PERCENT)

 

[ailgorbot]

Step 9: The propeller and the wheels

I've been a little lazy on these items. When I got used to handling the animations, I simply took over the animations of the simpleAircraft.

The three wheels of the simpleAircraft have been replaced by the AT3-R100 wheels as far as rolling is concerned.
The front wheel also includes the steering movement.



The propeller of the AT3-R100 has a nose shape similar to the SimpleAircraft, so I adapted the latter with three blades.



All the texturing part of the blur is to be reviewed. In the meantime I mixed quickly with the DA40 Asobo one which has 3 blades.
The propeller is textured with :

• Stop texture (to do)
• a texture (the full circle) to assign to the fast rotating propeller object prop1_blur
• a slow texture to assign to the slow rotating propeller object (we see the blades) prop1_slow

The Fast and Slow textures


Temporary setting on texture export Fast and Slow


NB : All that I don't use from simpleAircraft has been put aside in a disable collection

Next step the Aircraft Editor

 

[ailgorbot]

Step 10: Aircraft Editor and "easy" tabs

I'm a complete novice, so we'll try to take an empirical approach.
First, retrieve information about the aircraft like this one. https://studylib.net/doc/18847302/pilot-s-operating-handbook-aero-at3-r100-ha-voa
There is also wikipedia, the site of the manufacturer... etc...

Secondly, I tried a conversion of the AT3-R100 FSX. http://www.flightsimulator2020.fr/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=18
He doesn't fly too badly. It has generated an aircraft.cfg that can also help me.

Tip 1: Before each big change to one of the tabs in the Aircraft Editor, make a .zip of your work. I don't bother at the moment, I just zip the whole simpleAircraft directory.
Tip 2: Regularly test that the aircraft is operational at minimum (https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/t...mpleaircraft-2-fuel-tanks-1-fuel-tank.450582/), because otherwise it will be harder to find the missing parameter.

In the Aircraft Editor, I will start by updating the following tabs:

WEIGHT AND BALANCE
I mixed the information from the pilot's operating handbook and the FSX conversion aircraft.cfg. When it's possible, there is the Gizmo to refine the positions.


CONTACT/BRAKES
Only brakes section


FUEL
The plane has one tank. But for undefined reason, the engine stops with a central tank. Probably a missing or too much parameter somewehre...
In the meantime, as a workarround, I keep two tanks in the same position as the central one with half the weight each.
If someone has a fix, I will be glad to test it.


REFERENCE SPEEDS
Information mainly from the pilot's operating handbook


FLAPS
Information mainly from the pilot's operating handbook


LIGHTING
I reposition the taxilights, strobes, nav lights and I add a beacon. Use the Gizmo to correctly position the lights. Also pay attention to their orientation.


At this point, the plane is lighter and still flies correctly. Follow Tip 1&2 above, before moving on to the next step which may be more complicated and we can quickly end up with an unbalanced plane.
It's time to bring it back to the ground.

 

[ailgorbot]

Step 11: The contact point

I have taken over the contact points of the FSX conversion version. A copy-paste from aircraf.cfg to \PackageSources\SimObjects\Airplanes\Ailgorbot_AT3FS_Aircraft\flight_model.cfg + resync.

[CONTACT_POINTS]

static_pitch = 0 ;
static_cg_height = 2.2 ;
max_number_of_points = 16 ; to fix
point.0 = 1,2.70,0.00,-2.35,1500,0,0.500,25,0.13,2.0,0.8,0,0,0,0,0 ;
point.1 = 1,-1.90,-2.70,-2.40,2500,1,0.600,0,0.13,2.0,0.8,0,0,2,0,0 ;
point.2 = 1,-1.90,2.70,-2.40,2500,2,0.600,0,0.13,2.0,0.8,0,0,3,0,0 ;
point.3 = 2,-4.10,-13.15,0.45,1600,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,5,0,0 ;
point.4 = 2,-4.10,13.15,0.45,1600,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,6,0,0 ;
point.5 = 2,-0.1,-11.70,0.00,1600,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,5,0,0 ;
point.6 = 2,-0.1,11.70,0.00,1600,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,6,0,0 ;
point.7 = 2,-14.20,-4.0,0.95,1700,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,9,0,0 ;
point.8 = 2,-14.20,4.0,0.95,1700,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,9,0,0 ;
point.9 = 2,-11.70,-3.75,0.95,1700,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,9,0,0 ;
point.10 = 2,-11.70,3.75,0.95,1700,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,9,0,0 ;
point.11 = 2,-14.60,0.00,4.90,1700,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,9,0,0 ;
point.12 = 2,-13.30,0.00,4.70,1700,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,9,0,0 ;
point.13 = 2,-12.70,0.00,-0.25,1800,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,5,0,0 ;
point.14 = 2,4.96,0.00,1.00,1800,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,4,0,0 ;
point.15 = 2,-2.80,0.00,2.95,1700,0,0,0,0,0,0.0,0,0,4,0,0 ;

But it's quite easy to do it on the Aircraft Editor with the Gizmo.
Put the necessary number of points by distinguishing the wheels. In addition, you must indicate the sound it will make in case of contact.

Of course, test your plane.

 

[Chedmaja]

Hello, Very interested by your project cause I juste registered on ACAF LFPN and I will soon begin to learn fly on AT3. It would be formidable if I could practice at home with your creation (and I could pay for this !) Do you think you'll will soon finish your project (it doesn't seem easy !) ?

 

[ailgorbot]

Hi Chedmaja.

Firstly, I am beginer in aircraft creation in MSFS. I am currently trying to finish all external parts before struggling with the cockpit and especialy the gauges which is the mystic part for me..
Secondly and unfortunately for us, I haven't found an airplane quite similar to our AT3-R100 in MSFS. 100HP, similar weight, no mixture, non prop pitch and no glass cockpit.

In the same time I am playing with scenery creation ( https://flightsim.to/user/my-uploads ), that's why the AT3-R100 is little bit in pause.
I am learning this part because I need also a realistic LFPN. I am waiting for FranceVFR proposal (probably their FSX conversion)

By the way, if you have also X-Plane 11, you could try the AT3-R100

 

[ailgorbot]

Currently, I am struggling with the mesh and UV map, but slowly the AT3-R100 become nice

 

[Citizenyolo]

Currently, I am struggling with the mesh and UV map, but slowly the AT3-R100 become nice

Hi, was this project finished? If so, would be great to fly this plane. I'm doing my PPL now on this aircraft. Happy to help in any ways to finish it too. Thanks!

 

[GhostlyFriend]

Currently, I am struggling with the mesh and UV map, but slowly the AT3-R100 become nice

Hi @ailgorbot . I have the same question. Curious to know whether you are still working on this project, or that it sadly had to be abandoned.
I would be willing to pay you for the plane when it's ready.

Could you let us know? Thanks man, and good luck with this great project!