The Cessna 162

GMax Tutorials and Exercises for the Beginning Modeller

by Milton Shupe

Constructing Freeware for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004

Featuring

Tutorials to build the Exterior Model to the Basic VC

Full Aircraft Animation Tutorials for FS2004

Design Forum Support at SOH

Flight Model by Jerry "Sparks" Beckwith's Airwrench

C162 in FS2004 wearing a wireframe paint scheme

Tutorials

There are many helpful titbits of information on the forum in support of these tutorials.

You will also need a few of the Microsoft FS2004 SDK's. The GMax and Make Model SDK's give information on use of proper GMax materials and use of object names required to properly animate and be recognized by the export process. Get these two and review for content before getting too far into the tutorials. The part names used for flaps, gear, tires, elevator, rudder, ailerons, props, doors, canopies, etc. are all specific to animation requirements.

GMax SDK
Make Model SDK
Aircraft Container SDK
Panels and Gauges

Description of Steps	Exercise Links
1. Download Resources Kit	Kit
2. Download and install a basic Aircraft Folder for an FS2004 starting point for the model. Later, you will export your aircraft to the Model folder in this aircraft folder. NOTE: If you wish to use your own aircraft and 3-views, go here for a tutorial by Finn Neuik on Creating Backdrops:	Aircraft Folder Creating a Calibration Box and Correct 3-Views Textures to Apply You may need the Camtasia Codex Plug-in
3. Basic Fuselage Construction - an introduction and exercise	Building a fuselage the old fashioned way - an Introduction
4. Fuselage Construction using Cross-Sections using GMax source for starting point. The 3-views has no cross-sections so I built these for you.	Exercise One - Modelling the Fuselage - Cross Sections for GMax users Download the GMax source as a starting point
5. Modelling the Nose Section	Exercise Two - Modelling the Fuselage - Nose Section
6. Modelling the Fuselage - Windshield and Air Intakes	Exercise Three - Modelling the Fuselage - Windshield and Air Intakes
7. Modelling the Wings Forum support thread here	Wing Tutorial - Part One - Basic Structure Wing Tutorial - Part Two - Flaps/Ailerons Wing Tutorial - Part Three - Finalizing
8. Fuselage - Blending the Wing Root to the Fuselage	Exercise Four - Blending the Wing Root to the Fuselage
9. Fuselage - Cowling Area	Exercise Five - Adding Cowling Area and Amenities
10. Fuselage - Cloning Halves and Mirroring and Cutting Doors and Windows	Exercise Six - Cloning Halves and Mirroring and Cutting Doors and Windows
11. Fuselage - Creating the Fuselage Interior Walls	Exercise Seven - Creating the Fuselage Interior Walls
12. Fuselage - Building the Vertical Tail	Exercise Eight - Building the Vertical Tail
13. Fuselage - Building the Rudder	Exercise Nine - Building the Rudder
14. Fuselage - Constructing the Wing and Gear Struts	Exercise Ten - Constructing the Wing and Gear Struts
15. Animation - Animating all the basic exterior model parts	Exercise Eleven - Animating flaps, ailerons, gear, wheels and tires, steering, elevator, rudder, doors, props, etc.
16. Animating the Cessna-like Leaf Spring Gear	Exercise Twelve - Leaf Spring Animation
17. VC - Part 1 - Getting Started Tutorial	VC - Getting Started
18. VC - Part 2 - Shaping the Panel	VC - Shaping the Panel
19. VC - Part 3 adds 3D objects, the gauge frames, and cuts in the kneepanel recess for the controls	VC - 3D objects
20. VC - Part 4 - Adding the VC Planar onto which the gauges will be displayed. After doing this exercise, you will be able to place gauges on the VC panel.	VC - Planar for Gauge "projection"
21. Exporting the project to FS2004	Export Tutorial
22. Mapping the Model for Textures - for the Beginning Modeller Also here is a video tutorial that covers #2 and #3 on the right. It's a 14MB zip of a 15 minute .avi file.	Introduction Mapping Basics Exporting using MD3 and LithUnwrap Converting Textures for Aircraft Folder