Features



In the cockpit of a Boeing 787


There are many features, Add-ons etc. available to enrich the usefulness and fun of the FlightGear Simulator. In this book we only list those which are available under the OS (Open Source) Licenses, like FlightGear. This also means that they are charge-free, but also that they can be changed any time. It is up to you to decide if you always want to download the newest versions or rather wait till that new one has stabilized - and also to make sure that they do fit to your FlightGear version. In the following we will list the ones most used. Those we also tested under FlightGear-version 2.4. You should always check the latest status in the FlightGear Wikis:

Multiplayer


This is the basic interface from FlightGear to enable contact between different pilots and or features. It connects you to the FlightGear-Server-Network, which samples all flight-data from all participants and distributes those. Thus you can e.g.:
  • See who is flying in your area: When flying you can always select "menu-bar → Multiplayer → Pilotlist" (in older versions that is "Network → Pilotlist"). This will open a list showing all pilots in the area of 100 nm around you, including date like: Altitude, distance from you, their aircraft-model, heading from you to that aircraft, etc. It will not list yourself, because you serve as reference to that date - i.e. you are the center of it all!
  • See who is flying anywhere around the world. The picture on the left shows you an example of how you can visualize those date with the feature MPmap. With MPmap you can display also your own position, and also all airports, Navigational aids, street-maps etc.
  • Communicate with others: Again over the "menu-bar → Multiplayer → Chat" (in older versions "menu-bar → Network → Chat Dialog") you can exchange messages with any other co-pilot within your distance of 100 nm. If you use the additional feature FGCOM then you can even talk to them.
You can use these functions only when you are connected to the Internet - only then the menu-bar-item "Multiplayer" (or in older versions: "Network") is activated.

You need the following options in your Startup-File to activate this basically installed feature:
--­­callsign=<anything>
­­--multiplay=out,10,<server>,<portnumber>
--­­multiplay=in,10,<client>,<portnumber>
--­­enable-­ai-­models
(of course you can set those options also by using the FGrun-feature - see "Starting with FGrun").

The above options are used for:

--callsign= The name under which you want to be known in Multiplayer
You cannot reserve a unique name for yourself - but you can change it any time. But that means you could also grab the name from somebody who is not logged into Multiplayer at that moment - and reverse. So you (and all your friends) should check if a wanted "name" is already used, prior to using it:  To do so open http://fgfs.i-net.hu/modules/fgtracker/  and type into the field "Enter your Callsign" the one you would like to use - and then wait for the response (it may take a while!). If that code is in use already you will get a list of what somebody did already - so please do not use that code!!
   Please make sure you get an unique code for yourself, so that your friends can identify you within the Multiplayer environment  - and that your "exploits" are registered and you can list them as shown above.

--multiplay=out,10,MPserver08.flightgear.org,5000
This option connects you with the central server via your Port 5000. The Port must be 5000 - the server you can chose from many, see http://mpmap01.flightgear.org/mpstatus/ . Chose a serve close to you in order to reduce responsetimes (although nowadays that is not that critical any more! You can always try to use any other, if the one you just used is out of service - or does not respond.

--multiplay=in,10,My-PC,5000   or e.g.:   --multiplay=in,10,192.168.178.30,5000
This option is for the way back from the central server to you. In the center is your PC-IP (e.g. 192.168.178.30) - in direct connections you may replace this with just "localhost" or the PC-Name. If you need the IP-Nr open a Command-Window and enter the following command:

for Windows: ipconfig
for linux: ifconfig
C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\DeinPC-Name>ipconfig

 Ethernetadapter LAN-Verbindung:
 ...
 IP-Adresse. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.178.11
 Subnetzmaske. . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
 Standardgateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.178.1
 ...etc.

YourName@YourPC-Name:~$ ifconfig

 eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:24:8c:62:6d:0e
 ...
 inet addr:192.168.178.11 Bcast:192.168.178.255
 Mask:255.255.255.0
 ...etc.


See the red value behind "IP-Adresse“ or "inet addr:“: That is the IP-Nr of your PC!

--enable-ai-models
in addition to the "Multiplay-Options" you have to "enable the artificial intelligence models" in order to see the models of the other Multiplayers.

Also see: http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Multiplayer

FGCOM

"FlightGear Communication" is an Add-On program, that enables "Radio-Communication" between Multiplayers. Without it you only can type messages between Multiplayers - which proves to be very time-consuming. Also it usually is very difficult to fly any procedure (using two hands!) and type sentences on the keyboard! With FGCOM you can just talk like on a telephone.

To install the free FGCOM see:  http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/FGCOM

After you have installed FGCOM you need to enable the interface between those two programs to control the settings of the Radio-frequencies and open/close the microphone (PTT = Push To Talk). Add the option:

--­­generic=socket,out,10,localhost,16661,udp,fgcom

  • See further informations in:
  • http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Fgcom
    http://code.google.com/p/fgcomgui/

    Atlas


    The Feature "ATLAS" displays a chart showing the the FlightGear-data of that region you are in. Included  is your position and movement, all the Navigational Points , etc. Atlas only needs a interface to your local FlightGear-Installation - thus you can use it like a navigation system without having a constant connection with the Internet! But then you will not see the Multiplayers in your area!

    Install Atlas according to
    the FlightGear-WIKI:  http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Atlas
    and/or the ATLAS-Homepage:  http://atlas.sourceforge.net

    After you have installed ATLAS enable it with the FlightGear start-option:
    --­­atlas=socket,out,1,localhost,5505,udp

    This is by the way the same connection, that you also need for TerraSync.
    If you want to use ATLAS and FlightGear on different PC's, then replace the common "loacalhost" with the unique "IP-Adress" of your ATLAS-PC. (If you need to find out the IP of your pc see MP!)

    For further informations see:  http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Atlas

    MPmap


    MPmap is, contrary to the ATLAS, a pure Internet-Browser-Application - that means you need an uninterrupted Internet-connection.
    The MPmap shows a map similar to the Google-Earth, but including the FlightGear Multiplayer data. You can display all the active Multiplayers worldwide and all the navigational informations available in FlightGear. Like in Google-Earth you can switch between a view "Map", "Hybrid", and "Satellite".

    You do not need any unique installation for it, except an Internet-Browser of your choice. That means you can view the present status from any PC connected to the INTERNET, without having FlightGear installed! Just enter the MPmap-address into your browser:   http://mpmap01.flightgear.org/
    Instead of the "mpmap01" server you may use another one, see the list under    http://mpmap01.flightgear.org/mpstatus/ .

    For further informations see:  http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/MPmap


    MAP

    Map is another navigational chart, specialized for Radio-Navigation. Since FlightGear version 2.4. it is an integrated part of FlightGear.
    See its description under "Map" in the part "RNAV".

    Aircraft-Carrier

    Over the years, FlightGear has been equipped with a vast amount of aircraft carriers that allow pilots to simulate the entire range of carrier operations, from catapult takeoffs, to "controlled crashes", including aircraft-lifts,  TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) and FLOLS (Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System). The Carrier itself is controlled by one "Multiplayer.

    See the following list of available carries:

    Carrier
    Scenario
    TACAN
    Standard-Location + avail. Parking Positions
    Nimitz
    nimitz_demo
    029Y
    West of San Francisco, USA, in the Pacific
    parkpos: cat-1..4, park-1, wires
    Eisenhower
    eisenhauer_demo
    030Y
    ???
    parkpos: cat-1..4, park-1
    Clemenceau
    clemenceau_demo
    026Y
    south of Marseille, France, in the Mediterranean Sea
    parkpos: cat-1..2, park-1..3, wires
    Foch
    Foch_demo
    026X
    ???
    parkpos: cat-1..2, park-1..2, wires
    Akagi
    akagi
    N/A
    NA

    The listed "home-location" may be changed for any event.
    For further informations see:  http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Carrier

    Air-To-Air Refueling, AAR


    Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR) or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) during flight. Right now there are 2 Tankers and 9 airplanes especially designed for these functions. But those numbers are constantly increasing. So if you would like to use any other aircraft for this, check in its "menu-bar --> AI": If there are entries related to tankers, then you can use this plane.

    For further Informations and/or "HowTo" see:
    http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Howto:_Aerial_refueling.


    TTS = Text To Speech  (Festival)

    FlightGear supports TTS-systems for ATC and tutorial messages, that are displayed on the Screen. When TTS is activated those messages will be converted and "spoken" via the loudspeakers.

    One Warning: When you are using FGCOM you might consider to disable the TTS-System, because otherwise you might not understand any message spoken at the same time - 1 from the FGCOM and 1 from the TTS. And neither a "human ATC", nor your "fellow Multiplayers" will like it, when you do not respond to FGCOM questions/informations/advises! To the contrary a written MPchat message over a spoken FGCOM message can always be read (and redisplayed) undisturbed from FGCOM!
    For furtherer Informations and/or "HowTo" see:
     http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/De/TTS_%3D_Text_to_Speech
    (Sorry: an English translation is not yet available)


    Multiple Displays

    FlightGear supports multiple displays. Using some straightforward XML, you can configure multiple "slave cameras" that are offset from the main view, so you can use multiple monitors to display a single view of the simulator. For example, you can have one display showing the view straight ahead, while two additional displays show the views to either side.

    Information on configuring multiple displays can be found in the README.multiscreen file in your $FG_ROOT/Docs directory
    and/or in http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Howto:_Configure_camera_view_windows


    Multiple Computer

    FlightGear allows you to connect multiple instances of the program using the very flexible I/O subsystem, and display completely different views and controls on different computers. This can be used in combination with the Multiple Display support to create a more sophisticated environment with separate cockpit panel displays and even a separate control station allowing an instructor to fail instruments, change the weather etc.

    An example of this is the 747 cockpit project: http://www.flightgear.org/Projects/747-JW/

    See how to do it on: http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Howto:_Multi-computing_FlightGear


    Recording and Playback

    As well as the Instant Replay feature within the simulator, you can record your flight for later analysis or replay using the I/O system. Technical details of how to record specific FDM information can be found in the $FG_ROOT/protocol/README.protocol file.

    To record a flight, use the following command line options:
        --generic=file,out,20,flight.out,playback
    This will record the FDM state at 20Hz (20 times per second), using the playback protocol and write it to a file flight.out.

    To play it back later, use the following command line options:
    --generic=file,in,20,flight.out,playback
    --fdm=external
    The playback.xml protocol file does not include information such as plane type, time of day, so you should use the same set of command line options as you did when recording.


    Additional Education

    In addition to this Manual there are many other possibilities to support Pilot-Education:

    "Dual Control"

    There are more and more models with "Dual Control", i.e, they are especially equipped for 2 Pilots flying the same model. Those you can use to have a personal Flight-Instructor sitting besides you (even if you are in Germany and the instructor in the USA).

    See a current list of the available "Dual Controll Models" and the usage of those under: http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Dual_control


    AI-Instructor    (Artificial Intelligence)

    There also is a unique "Tutor-System" simulating an instructor who explains, watches and grades exercises you do yourself. Those exercises are available in different aircraft-models for different piloting-stages, e.g. "How to start the engines", many unique procedures, up to complete flights.

    You can find out weather there is a unique tutorial for your model, just open "menu-bar --> Help" and see if there is an item "Start Tutorial" available!

    When following Tutorials,
    » it may be a good idea to enable the TTS-system (see above) in order to hear what the instructor says - so you can concentrate on what you are doing
    » and DISABLE Multiplayer, because your instructor will not be able to react to them - thus it may confuse you when your instructor tells you to go through a friend of yours!

    Each Tutorial is divided into small tasks, which you should work through in sequence. In those Tasks the instructor will explain to you "what you should do" and then will monitor what you are doing - and of course will tell you what was good or bad!


    See for example  the c172p:
    After FlightGear has started choose: Menu-Bar → Help → Start Tutorial:



    See in the left column the explanations and on the right the available Tasks

    Choose a Task by mouse-click and then click onto the button "Start Tutorial"

    After a while the instructions will pop-up on the windshield of your cockpit.

    So try to understand and exercise what the AI-instructor tells you


    The following keys should help You:

    Videos

    In the meantime there are a lot of videos available, in which some (more or less good) pilots exercise and explain some maneuvers. See a list of available videos on: http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php/Video_Tutorials