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AERONCA 7 Champ Beta release for tests

lagaffe

lagaffe

Members +
Hello guys,

This new add-on that I have in preparation illustrates the famous AERONCA 7 Champion of the years 1944/45 equipped with three different CONTINENTAL engines: 65, 85 and 90 HP in two versions wheels and floats.

I took the opportunity to switch to a newer working environment, leaving my Blender 2.83, I switched to Blender 3.6.18 and the latest Asobo export plugin in v1.3.3. PBR textures are created with Gimp 2.10 and PBR Painter/Blender 4.2 :jump:

This allowed me to try other functions that were not accessible on my old environment including dirt and fingerprints on the windows ;)
I hope to be able to add the icing function on the wings and fuselage, even if I wonder about the reality of this with this plane that must not fly at too high altitudes. This will be an opportunity to open the debate :ernaehrung004:

The official BETA version for the first tests has just been sent to the TEAM. You can publish: images or videos on SOH, no problems

1749402390035.png

Presentation of the possibilities included in this version:


Good flights to the testers :cool:
 
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Afer the first e-mails and remarks, I am :
- improving the take-off: "engine increasing the RPMs to quickly", "take-off between 32 and 35 knts" the right speed is 38 knts
- aircraft that has "a rate of roll a little too important", it would have to be heavier

Today I tried to make a change that I had wanted to do for a long time: the icing of the plane.
This is what it gives: the icing of the windscreen works in real time, that of the wings and fuselage must be reviewed because it appears all the time!

Givrage.png
 
Quite impressive ! Thanks a lot for your hard work Lagaffe ;)
Quick question, about the icing: I suppose this aircraft has no anti-ice equipment, right ? In case of icing condition, are we supposed to land asap ? Or is there any other procedure ?
 
The aircraft that I use as reference (VC very reduced to its simplest expression) has only a pull knob for heating the cabin, nothing else.
If I do the parallel with a car, it should allow for minimum defogging but there is nothing to send hot air into the wings so when you suggest it in case of bad conditions:
- heating the cabin to hope to see something there trought the windshield (I think it is possible to do)
- diversion to the first airport before the "crash".

As I suggested, initially it was to validate a function that I had never implemented so a personal challenge.
Yesterday the challenge was half completed and this morning after my last tests I was able to validate the real-time creation of the ice on the wings.

In fact everything goes through the definition of the material used: Geo Decal Frosted, which is interpreted by the simulator engine and gradually creates/removes texture on objects where it is applied.
Regarding the texture slots to be initialized in the material under Blender, it’s very complicated and I had to do retro-engendering (CAP 10 of MSFS).
At the level of the controls to manage the structure or the cabin, the SDK recently added two new parameters in the DEICE section which is in the flight_model.CFG. I have to experiment withtheses two parameters.
 
my knowledge on this is light but as I understand it, non de-ising equipped aircraft must avoid weather conditions conducive to icing - once encountered, because it can occur even in very light moisture environments, pilot must activate carb heat to full, adjust mixture to raise CHT, reduce altitude and possibly reverse or alter course according to visual and sensory results.
It is due to the nature of ice crystal formulation in carburetors, to always fly/cruise with some amount of carb heat, especially at altitudes above 5k' and during descent, or in and out of visible clouds.. as I understand it anyway.
 
I don't know about other people's Champs, but Charlie was not a cold weather airplane, he preferred the hanger and absolutely refused to start under 32 degrees F. :ROFLMAO:

BTW lagaffe, Charlie had spats.

Cazzie
 
lagaffe said:
The aircraft that I use as reference (VC very reduced to its simplest expression) has only a pull knob for heating the cabin, nothing else.
If I do the parallel with a car, it should allow for minimum defogging but there is nothing to send hot air into the wings so when you suggest it in case of bad conditions:
- heating the cabin to hope to see something there trought the windshield (I think it is possible to do)
- diversion to the first airport before the "crash".

As I suggested, initially it was to validate a function that I had never implemented so a personal challenge.
Yesterday the challenge was half completed and this morning after my last tests I was able to validate the real-time creation of the ice on the wings.

In fact everything goes through the definition of the material used: Geo Decal Frosted, which is interpreted by the simulator engine and gradually creates/removes texture on objects where it is applied.
Regarding the texture slots to be initialized in the material under Blender, it’s very complicated and I had to do retro-engendering (CAP 10 of MSFS).
At the level of the controls to manage the structure or the cabin, the SDK recently added two new parameters in the DEICE section which is in the flight_model.CFG. I have to experiment withtheses two parameters.
Click to expand...
I love the addition of this feature, but as a point of clarity, a pilot would have to be unconscious to allow that kind of accumulation on the airframe. Generally, just the beginning of the formulation of ice in the carb would cause engine sputter and power loss. Once a pilot recognizes that in a non de-icing airplane he would descend and alter course pretty quickly. I realize that you are likely depicting the worst case visual representation in that screenshot just to demonstrate the effect is activated, but I'm pretty sure no living Aeronca pilot would experience that level of compromise while in flight
 
Cazzie said:
I don't know about other people's Champs, but Charlie was not a cold weather airplane, he preferred the hanger and absolutely refused to start under 32 degrees F. :ROFLMAO:

BTW lagaffe, Charlie had spats.

Cazzie
Click to expand...
NOTAM : if your weather rock has snow on top and icicles dangling from it - the Aeronca stays locked in the hangar
 
In MSFS, you can test this effect using menu Options - Icing from the DEV Mod. This test consist in a slider which can move between 0 (no effect) and 1 (full effect). In full effect you cannot see throught the windshield :giggle:

My screen is when the effect is equal to 1 If I had made a screen with the slide at 0.1, no one would have seen anything :cool:

1749667361528.png

In the simulator, I think that when the conditions are present, progressively the icing occurs and if the pilot continue to flight the icing go progressively from 0.1 to 1.
That I means, it is that the screen illustrate the worst situation that can be simulated and so I don’t think any of you will fly in these conditions but that they will land well before getting there.
 
so the maximum icing effect is adjustable by the user, and all you are doing is making it available as a feature - is that correct?
Also - the image you shared above is with the highest maximum icing effect - full slider. is that also correct?
I wouldn't mind seeing a bit of frost accumulation along the edges of the windows as a visual cue, should I be flying in borderline conditions.
Icing is a real world concern for pilots and it adds a bit more realism. The only potential problem and the reason I have it switched off is that, like so many other MSFS realism features, it is way out of whack
Exhaust heat blur, thermals, water dynamics IE: float plane behaviors on the water - etc...
 
To answwer to your two questions:
- Yes,
- Not exactly, the slider is to test this function but in the simulator the effect will be displayed if the weather conditions are unfavorable and if the user insists on continuing their flight, the situation will worsen to reach these extreme values.

Sorry, but I have found one problem yesterday, during a test for other things. For some reasons, I have validate the case "Disable Crashes" in the DEV Mod - Options . Yesterday for a test I have unselected this case and when I loaded the 7AC, MSFS crashes !
This occurs under 2020 and 2024.

Just before validating the "READY TO FLY" button after loading the selected flight, the 7AC/7BCM appeared slightly above ground and with the tail horizontal ... It is exactly the position of the S7BCM with floats !

The problem is yet solved. It is located in the flight model.CFG of the 7AC and 7BCM and concerns the section [CONTACT POINT] which have changed after a mistake of mine or after the new MSFS Beta version that I use.

The actual section :
[CONTACT_POINTS]
static_pitch = 1.3 ; 11.450 - degrees, pitch when at rest on the ground (+=Up, -=Dn)
static_cg_height = 4.88 ; 4.432 / 3.715 / 5.02 feet, altitude of CG when at rest on the ground
Click to expand...

The new section which solve the annoying crashes for the 7AC & 7BCM :
[CONTACT_POINTS]
static_pitch = 12.0 ; 11.450 - degrees, pitch when at rest on the ground (+=Up, -=Dn)
static_cg_height = 4.113 ; 4.432 / 3.715 / 5.02 feet, altitude of CG when at rest on the ground
Click to expand...

In fact, I have copied by mistake the informations of the S7BCM (floats) into the CFG files of the two wheels versions. That’s what we risk when developing several models at the same time and trying to synchonize them to quickly

Another temporary solution while waiting for the next version is to devalidate the option crahes in the simulator options.
The next version should be ready by Friday, sorry. In any case, that’s why we make beta versions for testing
 
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Hello,

For those who received a link for the Beta test version, I have updated the link (this link does not change, which is easier for me) with the new version v0.8.8.2.
A Release_v0882.txt file at the root of the archive allows to recognize the version.

I have already integrated what I did to make the 7AC/7BCM take off less quickly: a little more weight on the vacuum mass, a little less efficiency on the low RPMs propeller, a slightly reduced surface area.
The engines to hold the IDLE need 5-8% throttle (less efficient propeller however the engine stop).
They take off a little less quickly but I can’t do better otherwise I risk degrading other parameters.
The stall speed is maintained.You can unset "Disable crashes" in the 2020 GUI (Assistance Options): I have solved the problem this morning. Unfortunatly under 2024, Disable crashes is always necessary :cry:
The icing function is integrated and functionnal.
Now the rear seat is clickable so you can make the passenger appear by clicking on it but the "compass correction data plate" on the VC is always functionnal.
 
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