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  • Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.

    Post 16 Update

    Post 17 Warning

Airship Macon

Why can't you define an area of the trapeze wire, say from the wire and a couple of feet forward a "runway/deck" then assign a "wheel" to the crux of the sparrow hawk hook so it lands on it? Also, could you bend the edge of the "invisible" deck up, so the plane/hook doesn't roll backwards off it and put another small wheel on the hook arm, like a bumper, to keep the plane from rolling forward on the hook. I can draw a picture of it when I get back from running errands to explain what I'm talking about.

Or just make a flight deck that looks like a rain gutter in cross section running across the trapeze wire and have the hook wheel land in it? If this works, you could make it so when the trapeze retracts, the gutter always stays up, keeping the plane attached, then make the trapeze move with the retract gear command (maybe spoiler command would be better?) and use shift-E to close the hanger doors. Of course, I don't know that you could make a deck change position like that, but it would be cool if it was possible for the trapeze action.
 
The problem is that the hook ONLY stops the airplane. It does not support it. Even on the top of the aircraft - all it does is halt the forward motion. You must have a runway to support the airplane. That involves putting an invisible runway forward of the lower fin and aft of the Control cab. BUT, you can not run into the runway without crashing - so you need to fly beyond the fin, then up between the fin and the invisible runway, then between the invisible runway and the lower part of Macon's hull (without flying up into Macon) - and THEN you could trap on the trapeze (stop). Leaving the trapeze involves flying forward until you are clear of the invisible runway, but before you run into the control cab, and then dropping down between the end of the invisible runway and the control cab. Wayne and I tried to fly this pattern in multiplayer early in the development, without success (and I'm a hell of a good real-world "stick"). I'm not saying that this can't be done - but we couldn't figure out how to do it. In real life, there was (of course) no invisible runway needed, so a Sparrowhawk pilot could fly up to the trapeze from pretty much below.

Bill
 
I have an idea - but no time to test it - but I'll offer it up as a suggestion.

Instead of making a modification to the plane or the airship - make a third object, an AI invisible landing strip. In the AIcarriers cfg file position the landing strip so that it is about 80' below the airship. I know you can make FSX materials that don't cast shadows - maybe you can make a shadow free SparrowHawk.

Remember how folks used to make hangers with animated doors that would be triggered when you dialed in a certain radio frequency. Maybe you could do something similar to the ai landing deck.
You land on the deck, dial in the frequency and the deck is animated to move up and it carries up the plane so that it's level with the trapeze. Then you "taxi" over to the trapeze. To launch the plane you'd just change the radio frequency and the invisible landing deck would drop down and you could fly away.

Not realistic - but it might look good.
 
Thanks for the information about the tests with the airborne wire. Too bad it doesn't work...
And I suppose FSX SDK won't let you 'attach' a plane to a very sort tow rope either ?
 
Turn off Morse Code Sounds

How do you turn OFF that blasted morse code sound. Beep beep beep is very annoying.

I looked in the Control radios section and press just about every radio related key possible
yet that blasted code is still there. :icon_eek:
 
X_eidos2 said:
I have an idea - but no time to test it - but I'll offer it up as a suggestion.

Instead of making a modification to the plane or the airship - make a third object, an AI invisible landing strip. In the AIcarriers cfg file position the landing strip so that it is about 80' below the airship. I know you can make FSX materials that don't cast shadows - maybe you can make a shadow free SparrowHawk.

Remember how folks used to make hangers with animated doors that would be triggered when you dialed in a certain radio frequency. Maybe you could do something similar to the ai landing deck.
You land on the deck, dial in the frequency and the deck is animated to move up and it carries up the plane so that it's level with the trapeze. Then you "taxi" over to the trapeze. To launch the plane you'd just change the radio frequency and the invisible landing deck would drop down and you could fly away.

Not realistic - but it might look good.
Click to expand...

X_eidos2 idea sounds quite feasable :salute: (This is from someone who has never designed or modified FS A/C, just my opinion)
 
AZ1USN said:
How do you turn OFF that blasted morse code sound. Beep beep beep is very annoying.

I looked in the Control radios section and press just about every radio related key possible
yet that blasted code is still there. :icon_eek:
Click to expand...

Press Shift+3
Radio panel comes up
Change frequency on Nav radio 1 or Nav radio 2
Beep beep beep goes away
 
While I LOVE the job that's already been done, I am with the group that thinks "trapping" on the Macon would be the ultimate in simming but I have zero experience with modeling or scenery design or any of the pertinent skills, so take the following with that in mind. Along with the trap wire on top idea, could the invisible "runway" that's required be instead, three small patches of runway (each with a rear lip to prevent slippage ala Sundog's idea) so that the wire would stop you, but you would have to set your wheels down precisely on their respective "runway patch"? If this were possible, wouldn't it help with the space issues? ...and maybe help a little with the shadow issue?

Another train of thought... I know the "mothership" concept must be possible in FSX because there's that payware I wish I could afford, the Bell X1, They figured out how to launch the X1 from an AI B29... I'm pretty sure they didn't figure out the landing bit, but is there any connection? Just thinking out loud...

Again, I love what has been done already and am deeply appreciative. Many thanks to all involved!
 
paiken said:
Press Shift+3
Radio panel comes up
Change frequency on Nav radio 1 or Nav radio 2
Beep beep beep goes away
Click to expand...

OK, I hit the Shift+3 key no radio stack panel pops.
Other things do, Gps, Buoyancy gauge and a menu of Shift +
keys options.
I use Win 7 64 bit with FSX/Accel.
 
SADT said:
X_eidos2 idea sounds quite feasable :salute: (This is from someone who has never designed or modified FS A/C, just my opinion)
Click to expand...

Problem is radio frequency actuated doors or other objects don't work in FSX. That "improvement" frustated many scenery designers.

Best, Paul
 
theres just 1 little thing i'm not to keen on, the colour of the windows, i'd rather have them less coloured and a tad more see through. But other than that i love it, cant beat it for vfr! :applause:
 
Looks great Jim and team:ernae: I'll have to download this tonight after work!
 
jdhaenens said:
you can open the radios from the view/ instrument panel drop down, then change frequencies.
Click to expand...

Therein lies the problem....when I do that, the outline of a box will appear/disappear in the blink of and eye.
So my issue is making the radio stack panel pop so that I can
change frequencies otherwise I have to go to different airport, that seems to help.
 
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