Author Topic: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video  (Read 43527 times)

neutrino

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In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« on: April 18, 2010, 04:06:41 pm »
Hi guys, I have been working on an In-Flight Refueling gauge recently and it is finally ready. The gauge can be installed on any aircraft and allows refueling in the air from any aircraft - in free flight or multiplayer. Thanks to everyone that helped me test it in the weekly multiplayer sessions! Andy Niko is the co-author of the gauge - without him I wouldn't have come up with the idea and the improvements that came in the development.

This is a short demo video of an in-flight refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker, where the gauge is integrated with the improved Acceleration Hornet HUD:



The gauge can be downloaded here:
http://www.flightsim.com/file.php?cm=SEARCH1&fsec=94&fname=ifr_gauge.zip

The KC-135 from the video can be downloaded from the link below, it is for FSX:
http://www.flightsim.com/file.php?cm=SEARCH1&fsec=89&fname=kc135t_navy_drogue.zip
« Last Edit: May 15, 2010, 09:02:49 pm by neutrino »

Orion

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2010, 06:22:07 pm »
Great work Jivko! ;D

Can't wait to fly and refuel :).
« Last Edit: April 18, 2010, 07:04:41 pm by Orion »

Sludge

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2010, 07:40:46 pm »
Pimp Daddy Payne... great job!!

Orion

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2010, 08:34:53 pm »
Here are some quick screenshots I just made ;).








Sludge

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2010, 09:08:32 pm »
JR...

Dont know if you thought or tried this, but would you be able to tie the Panel Activation ("Refuel ON/OFF") to the Refueling Switch that extends the probe?  Or vise versa, that opening the Panel and clicking on Refuel ON extends the refuelling probe?  And clicking it OFF retracts it?  That would be the most realistic way to do it.

Later
Sludge

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2010, 09:10:27 pm »
neutrino, thanks for gauge, have not been able to try it yet and the video is terrific. Here is a TomCat singing 'goodbye' to the KC-135 tanker for the last time:

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/SpazSinbad/?action=view&current=F14BOOMoperatorHiQ.flv

« Last Edit: April 18, 2010, 09:12:01 pm by SpazSinbad »
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neutrino

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2010, 09:33:06 pm »
JR...

Dont know if you thought or tried this, but would you be able to tie the Panel Activation ("Refuel ON/OFF") to the Refueling Switch that extends the probe?  Or vise versa, that opening the Panel and clicking on Refuel ON extends the refuelling probe?  And clicking it OFF retracts it?  That would be the most realistic way to do it.

Later
Sludge
Sludge, your idea is sound but I don't know which variable controls the boom animation in the Hornet - it is specific to the Hornet model and is not accessible.

neutrino

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2010, 09:35:41 pm »
neutrino, thanks for gauge, have not been able to try it yet and the video is terrific. Here is a TomCat singing 'goodbye' to the KC-135 tanker for the last time:

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/SpazSinbad/?action=view&current=F14BOOMoperatorHiQ.flv

That video is cool - I've seen it before but lost the link  ;D

SUBS17

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2010, 11:24:22 pm »
I think if you use FSUIPC you can actually have the probe connect to the basket using some addons BTW what exactly does this gauge do anyway because you can inflight refuel without a gauge just by flying up behind a tanker with just a stock acceleration Hornet. ???
The best modelling of inflight refuelling from the basket that I've seen was Flaming Cliffs 1.0 which featured a flexible hose which was quite cool ideally you also want TACAN for the tanker like in F4AF and also Tanker commands menu to allow refuelling of the entire flight. So if a 4 ship requests refuelling everyone tops up.

Sludge

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2010, 04:39:43 am »
JR...

Hmm, that sucks.  FSXNP doesnt know?  Or maybe Virtuali knows?  Gotta be something simple (ie. "A:REFUELING_PROBE_POSITION, percent" or "K:REFUELING_SWITCH_TOGGLE") in .xml.  I mean every FSX Hornet switch that can be moved and has an action, should be readable or actionable thru an .xml gauge, right?

Later
Sludge

Paddles

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #10 on: April 19, 2010, 05:10:33 am »
Sludge,
You're right, it's there.  ;D This is (L:SWITCH_PROBE_REFUEL, bool) variable.
And this is how one can toggle refuel probe at any time - (L:SWITCH_PROBE_REFUEL, bool) ! (>L:SWITCH_PROBE_REFUEL, bool)
Just embedded this code into my gauge and it works like a charm.  :)  Get it from here http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=2881.msg25544#msg25544
« Last Edit: April 19, 2010, 08:05:19 am by fsxnavypilot »
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skimmer

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #11 on: April 21, 2010, 05:26:07 am »
Thanks Neutrino for the refuel gauge. It works well. I used it today and after a while,and a sore neck,I refueled from 20% to 100%. I found it easier not to use any flaps and pick a plane thats not flying at 30,000' or higher. I used the default F-18 with Sludges upgrades. Now if someone can figure how to refuel on any of the aircraft carriers used from ai2 carriers pac. Anyway great job ;D ;D

Razgriz

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #12 on: May 11, 2010, 04:46:47 am »
Well there's level 1 and 2, so you should go for level 2.  Its pretty broad of an area.

Orion

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2010, 04:54:00 am »
Er, Level 1 is the easier of the two levels, at least according to the readme.

neutrino

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Re: In-Flight Refueling gauge + video
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2010, 11:31:39 am »
Yes, the default is Level 1, which is the easier (larger refueling zone), and Level 2 is for pros as it has a smaller refueling zone (actually twice as smaller). But there is no way to edit the zones as in the VRS ACM.

Frenchie88, is your tanker flying a steady course, altitude and speed ? Keep in mind that the ideal refueling position is a little behind the refueling boom to provide better visibility - you don't need to push the plane all the way to the basket to get fuel.

And here is a the most important part to fly good formation with the tanker - you must perfectly trim the aircraft for level flight at your desired airspeed. This means that if you let go of the joystick and hold your airspeed, the jet should continue to fly at the same altitude and the velocity vector should float on the horizon bar. I put my trim buttons on the joystick. I think I used about 2 degrees nose up trim, but you have to find the right setting and adjust as you take fuel and get heavier. If you are properly trimmed you wouldn't have to do a lot of work with the stick to hold altitude.

J.R.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2010, 11:36:35 am by neutrino »