Addon for Dino Cataneo's F35B JSF.
Date: May 21th 2012, function gauge V30.5
************* For FSX-ACCELERATION ONLY***********
General remarks:
****************
The F35B has three main configurations for operation:
- CTOL-config: for normal takeoffs/landings and cruise flight.
Liftfan doors are closed, nozzle is straight back.
- STOL-config: (== F35B STOVL-mode, with Hover-submode OFF): used for slow flight (70 - 200 knots) and
short takeoff/landing.
Aircraft behaviour, and controls, are like in CTOL-config, but with attitude/speed restrictions.
Liftfan doors are open, nozzle is auto-controlled between 30 and 60 degrees.
Airspeed is depending on throttle, pitch attitude and wind.
- VTOL-config: (== F35B STOVL-mode, with Hover-submode ON): used for vertical takeoff and landings.
Aircraft behavior, and controls, are quite different now. See below.
Liftfan doors are open, nozzle is auto-controlled between 75 and 100 degrees.
Auto-throttle, and Auto-windcompensation.
My special control is only active in STOVL-mode (STOL/VTOL config).
Restrictions:
- You cannot convert from CTOL-config into STOL-config when the F35B flies faster then 250 Knots.
- In STOL-config, pitch&bank attitude is limited to 30 degrees.
- In STOL-config, you cannot convert to VTOL-config (= activate the Hover-submode) if you are too heavy
for VTOL operation (total weight > 42000 lbs); if so, dump payload or fuel.
*** IMPORTANT ****:
1. Controller calibration
Make sure your throttle, stick and rudderpedals/toebrakes (if you have them) are well-calibrated.
Especially, the stick must be well-centered when no pressure is applied; if not, apply some extra
null-zone in the "Sensitivities" menu.
2. Auto-thrust.
In various stage of flight during STOVL, the F35B is in auto-thrust/throttle mode.
Meaning that changes in your external throttle level/wheel have no effect; this also means (since I have no
way to physically move the throttle lever/wheel on your controller from my gauge), the actual position
of your throttle lever/wheel might not reflect the current thrustlevel when auto-thrust is deactivated.
Example: when you deactivate STOVL-mode in the air (after a vertical or short takeoff), my gauge sets
full thrust after conversion to CTOL-configuration. So if your external throttle lever/wheel is still
at idle (or low), a slight movement (or jitter) of the wheel/lever will cause immediate reduction of thrust.
This is a common problem with FSX; no solution I'm afraid :)
(you experiance the same problem in any aircraft, when you deactivate the Autopilot AutoThrottle)
Features of the STOVL-mode:
****************************
First, I use three FSX functions as "proxies" for STOL/VTOL functions, so you can command these via keys
instead of mouse operation only (or better: assign stick buttons to these functions).
- Aileron-trim: with this, you set desired groundspeed in VTOL-mode (both in the air and on the ground).
.... "aileron trim (center)": set target speed to 0 (no default key, you have to assign one)
.... "aileron trim (left)": increase target speed; default key: CTRL + NUM-4
.... "aileron trim (right)": decrease target speed; default key: CTRL + NUM-6
Note: If you assign trim left/right to controller buttons, you get best results if you set the
Repeat Slider halfway.
- tailhook: this activates and deactivates STOVL-mode.
.... "tailhook (up/down)": toggle STOVL On/Off; default key: SHIFT + Q
- heading hold: when in STOVL-mode, this sets VTOL-config (== STOVL, with Hover-mode ON).
.... "Autopliot heading hold (On/Off)": toggle Hover-submode On/Off; default key: CTRL + H
- altitude hold: this activates (in the air only) and activates VerticalSpeed-hold, when Hover-submode is On.
.... "Autopilot altitude hold (on/off)": toggle V/S-hold On/Off; default key: CTRL + Z
How to operate:
===============
On the ground:
-------------
Best way to taxi this F35B, is either in STOL or VTOL config.
- In STOL-config (STOVL-mode, Hover-submode OFF): you control groundspeed with small throttle settings.
- In VTOL-config (STOVL-mode, Hover-submode ON): you're on auto-thrust, and control groundspeed (fore AND aft)
by setting the target ground speed via Aileron Trim commands.
Note: ground speed is defined as the speed relative to the surface the aircraft sits/rolls on. So:
- On land: relative to the earth's surface.
- On a (moving) aircraft carrier: relative to the deck.
DO NOT pull on the stick, because you will lift off :).
In fact, you are taxiing with a lot of thrust, with the nozzle rotating just under/over 90 degrees.
Not very fuel efficient :), but possible.
- As usual, you control heading with rudder input (or sideways stick input when the FSX-AutoRudder function is On)
Vertical Takeoff (VT):
---------------------
- Set STOL-config (STOVL-mode), and then VTOL-config (Hover-submode ON).
- The engine will spool up (parking brakes, if set, are auto-released).
- Takeoff by pulling the stick backward.
- The F35B will lift off after sufficient engine spoolup.
Hover:
-----
- Stick (elevator) back: gain altitude, proportionally.
- Stick forward: loose altitude, proportionally.
- Stick neutral: altitude remains constant.
- When V/S-Hold is On, the current V/S is maintained irrespective on Elevator position.
So when V/S-hold is activated when stick is neutral, this means exact Altitude Hold.
- Stick left (ailerons): roll left and gain lateral speed.
- Stick right: roll right and gain lateral speed.
- Rudder: change heading.
- Auto-thrust: the gauge controls thrust/throttle, so changing V/S changes thrust.
- As on the ground, you control fore/aft speed by setting a target speed.
Note: pitch attitude is auto-controlled around groundpitch (appr. 0 degrees)
- Auto-wind compensation.
In a hover, the gauge automatically compensates wind, so with set target speed 0 and stick neutral,
the F35B truely hovers in relation to the earth's surface.
... Head/tailwind component is compensated by setting nozzle more/less then 90 degrees.
... Crosswind component is compensated by banking into the wind.
See "The ultimate test" as described below.
- Convert to CTOL-config ("SHIFT-Q").
Full thrust is set, and the aircraft accelerates quickly; when sufficient airspeed is reached
(around 180 Knots), gauge control is released and you fly the plane as usual.
Slow Flight
-----------
- Decellerate to below 250 Knots, and set STOL-config (= Activate STOVL-mode).
- The liftfan doors open, and the nozzle goes to 20-70 degrees; depending on airspeed and elevator input.
- You now fly as normal, with airspeeds between 75 and 200, depending on your throttle lever setting.
- For stability, pitch/bank attitude is limited to +/- 30 degrees.
Short Takeoff (STO):
--------------------
- Set STOL-config, and give full throttle.
- After appr. 5 sec, and speed appr. 75 Knots, the aircraft will liftoff; pull the stick to increase pitch.
- See also Slow Flight.
- At around 150 Knots, set CTOL-config (= deactivate STOVL-mode)
Short Landing (STL):
--------------------
- Do a Slow Flight to the runway.
- On final approach, level off and set target speed to 60 Knots (around 55% throttle, when levelled) to descent.
- Just prior to touchdown, flare by pitching up a few degrees.
Vertical Landing (VL):
----------------------
- Approach in STOL-config; see Slow Flight.
- When near the landing spot, convert to VTOL-config (= STOVL-mode, with Hover-submode ON).
Will only work if not too heavy !
The nozzle is set to 103 degrees, and the aircraft quickly decellerates 0 knots groundspeed.
- Using stick, rudder and Target Speed control, hover to the landing spot; thrust/throttle is auto-controlled
and wind is auto-compensated.
Target Speed (in the air: groundspeed relative to the earth surface) can be set between -20 and 50 Knots.
- When hovering over the landing spot, push the stick forward to land.
Use the Camera to determine the exact touchdown spot.
- After touchdown, the Hover-submode is set Off, and thrust is set to Idle.
- Set the Parking Brakes, and move your throttle lever/wheel to Idle.
On a moving (AI) aircraft carrier, approach the carrier from behind, with a Target Speed higher then the
groundspeed of the carrier. When you are above the landing spot, reduce Target Speed to the groundspeed
of the carrier, and push the stick forward to land.
Vertical Landing on a moving AI Aircraft Carrier:
------------------------------------------------
If the AI Carrier has a VOR/ILS:
- Dial the frequency into the NAV1 radio. E.g. for a default Accelleration carrier, this is 111.000 Mhz.
- When you go into VTOL-config, Target Speed is now set to the groundspeed of the carrier, instead of 0.
So it decells to the carrier speed.
- For the rest, see section "Vertical Landing"
TIP: (if you have problems finding an AI Carrier)
- Setup a flight with the F35-B, at KNGU (Norfolk, Virginia), on a Friday at 15.30 LocalTime.
E.g. Friday 15th July 2011.
- In menu Settings-Display, tab Traffic, set the slider "Ships and Ferries" to Max.
- There's an AI carrier in the harbour, leaving the dock at 15.38.
The Utimate Test:
-----------------
To see how everything exactly works:
- Do a VT and hover at 20-30 feet RH, with Target Speed set to 0
Release the stick and set V/S-Hold On.
- From the menu, set a 15-20 knots straight headwind.
- While making a full circle (rudder input), observe how the control will change bank angle and nozzle angle
(depending on the wind speed / direction relative to the aircraft) to maintain it's position.
Not sure about the final (real-life) F35B, but my best guess is that this is how it will work :)
The camera
**********
The real F35B does have an infrared camera on the bottom of the fusilage, to aid with VL's.
This is just a gauge-controllable FSX view, in a seperate 2D-window.
Note:
Since it is a normal FSX-view in a gauge, it DOES have impact on framerate !!
This controllable camera gives, by default, a downward view from the fusilage to assist with Vertical landings.
You can control the camera by clicking (mousewheeling) on the designated spots in the gauge. See tooltips.
- ZOOM.
Changes zoom factor of the view, between 0.3 (default) and 3.0.
- PITCH.
Changes pitch of the view, between -90 (down, default) and +90 (up).
- DIR.
Changes sideways direction of the view, between -180 and +180 degrees (default: 0)
- FORW.
Changes the longitudinal position of the camera.
- UP.
Changes the vertical position of the camera.
- OFF.
Toggles the view On/Off (default: On).
When toggling it from Off to On, all camera parameters are set to the default values.
Special visual effects:
***********************
1. Ground dust
When STOVL is active, and at sufficient thrust, a ground dust effect is active when below 80 ft RH.
2. Turbulance effect.
When performing a VT / VL / Hover, the F35B will "shake" a bit (RH-dependant) to emulate
air turbulance due to downward thrust by liftfan and nozzle.
Implemented by inducing random "jitter" on the pitch/bank/yaw axis.
Credits:
********
- Mario Motta (Sim Skunk Works), for his module sswvtol.dll that allows me to command
the SimConnect interface from .xml gauges.
Copyright:
**********
These gauges are FREEWARE, not PUBLIC DOMAIN.
They have been specially adapted for inclusion in Dino Cataneo's F35B.
So please don't re-upload it, or make changes to my code (other then for your personal use)
without my prior permission.
In closure:
***********
I do realize it will never be exactly like the real thing, and also the way you control stuff
might be different then you would expect.
That is: I've tried my best on emulating it as far as I can tell from video's and other sources
of information; but some shortcuts and simplifications cannot be avoided ...
If only because every sim-user has a different controller setup, and FSX DOES have limitations.
To give one example:
To activate VL mode and related speed setting, available info suggest that the pilot presses
a button on his throttle and uses an up/down switch on his stick to change Target Speed.
Since everyone uses a different controller setup, and I don't want to be dependant on using the
mouse in the VC for control, I use generic FSX-functions like "aileron trim" and "Tailhook"
to allow control of these functions via user-settable controls. Either via keyboard or stickbutton
assignments for those functions.
Best Regards,
Rob Barendregt
The Netherlands
Email: rc.barendregt@planet.nl
****************** End of README ****************