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New Boeing 787-8 GIT

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New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby omega95 » Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:09 am

Hey there, many of you might have noticed that Dwayne and I have been working a new Boeing 787-8 for FlightGear, featuring a JSBSim FDM, much more, better and realistic aircraft systems, realistic glass cockpit and instruments, a VNAV! a fly-by-wire! and stuff.... But then those who've used some of my older planes would see that I haven't incorporated a cabin and those 'goodies' and the reason is because I'm in the middle of my 12th grade final exams. :shock: I can't devote much time to FG as I usually do and so those things which aren't that important will come out later. Sorry about that.

Anyway, here're some other references to this project so that I don't have to post all those things here again.
Instruments Development : http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=15214
Fly-By-Wire Development : http://wiki.flightgear.org/Howto:_Implement_a_Fly-By-Wire_System_for_Airliners
VSD Instrument Development : http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=15200
CDU Instrument Development : http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=15082
JSBSim FDM Development : http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=15310
And there're a lot of posts I made for help in the Nasal sub-forum

And, at the moment, I haven't found time to create a Documentation for the aircraft but soon, I'll create a wiki-page and put in almost everything you need to know to be able to enjoy the new Boeing 787-8. For the cockpit displays, the PFD and EICAS should be elementary, for the MFD, use the switches on either side of the touch-screen* CDUs or the touch-screen* MFD buttons itself to switch through pages. For hte CDU and EFB, you'll be surprised by the things you can do with them, just navigate around and enjoy them. And I haven't yet created a how-to on installing airport diagrams and charts to be displayed in the EFB, so here's a quick guide:

1. INSTALLING AND VIEWING AIRPORT DIAGRAMS
> Download diagrams from any source, convert them to *.jpg format and rename them '<icao>.jpg'. Then, place them in the EFB-DB folder. Then, use the 'EFB INPUT' page on the CDU to enter the airport ICAO and it displays the diagram on the EFB.

2. INSTALLING AND VIEWING AIRPORT CHARTS (STARs, SIDS, IAPs)
> Download the chart you need from any source (I use http://www.airnav.com for US charts and http://www.opennav.com for others), and convert the chart to *.jpg format. (if it's pdf, a good idea is to open it in full view and take a screenshot :wink: )
> If the airport and chart type folder doesn't yet exist inside the EFB-DB/Charts folder, create them like (for example I want to install the 25L-ILS IAP chart for KLAX) /EFB-DB/Charts/KLAX/IAP/
> Now, rename your *.jpg file to the chart name (eg. 25L-ILS.jpg) and place it inside the '/EFB-DB/Charts/KLAX/IAP/' folder.
> Now, open the /EFB-DB/ChartsList.xml file and add in your chart data (use the older charts' data for the format)
> Start up the 787, go to the 'Airport Charts' page on the EFB, go to the 'EFB INPUT' page on the CDU and
i. Enter the Airport ICAO and press on the button next to 'Airport ICAO (Enter)' label (or the space under it on the touch-screen CDU)
ii. Click on the button next to the 'Chart Type (Select)' label to cycle through SID, STAR and IAP
iii. Click on the button next to the 'Chart ID (select)' label to cycle through available charts.
> Now, hit the 'DISPLAY >' button on the CDU and look at the EFB to see your chart.

Note that for some charts, the orientation may be land-scape and not portrait. But to overcome that, I've put a 'ROTATE' option on the EFB which rotates the chart when you click it. :mrgreen:

And another thing you might not have encountered in an FG airliner before in the Fly-By-Wire system. Go to the wiki page for more info on it. To set the FBW configs,
> Press 'CTRL + F' to toggle FBW (sigh, Boeing doesn't wanna give the plane too much control)
> Press 'CTRL + Y' to toggle Yaw Damper
> Or simply go to the 'FBW CONFIG' page on the CDU to play with these or other settings like Bank Limit etc.

Note that alpha protection is still not completed so it may be glitchy. :(

For the aircraft systems, you can get some material from smart-cockpit (the systems have been written to be as close as possible to the real 787 systems including stuff like pneumatics, hydraulics, heating, anti-icing, fuel control etc.

Image

Atm, the Boeing 787-8 is available for FlightGear on GIT : https://gitorious.org/fg-boeing-787-8/ (the fg-boeing-787-8-main Repository)
And for Merlion pilots who don't use GIT, can get it from our Projects FTP Server (info on our website).

NOTE that I haven't tarred/zipped the folder and uploaded it as a 'release' yet because IT IS NOT COMPLETE. Test it, give feedbacks but don't use it as if it's complete. Look below for the major errors found and what we're working on. If you want to help fix these errors or add stuff to the project, feel free to do it and create a merge request in the -devel repository in git.

MAJOR ERRORS KNOWN (we're working on it)
> Autopilot Glideslope Hold is messed up. Especially at speeds lower than 150 KIAS and with full flaps. Dwayne and I have been able to get it working 'reasonably' enough to help you land, but it's still not stable.
> Fly-By-Wire's alpha protection is not complete. We're working on it.
> Engine Fuel Tank Feed is messed up (tank 1 and 2 are inter-changed) : FIXED it but not in git yet (will be as soon as I complete the VNAV's crz alt setting)

MINOR ERRORS KNOWN AND STUFF LEFT TO COMPLETE
> The Airport Diagram Generator is not yet available on the MFD (I'm working on it)
> The CDU's route manager works but shows a messed up display in the CDU and ND-fullscreen (only ND-fullscreen for some reason) when you use the 'Jump To' function.

OTHER COOL THINGS COMING UP
> I've started working on a Dual Control System (not just get in and go with the pilot) where the copilot has 'almost' complete control on the aircraft. The idea is to have all the copilot's inputs sent over to the pilot, have a central aircraft system there and integrate the pilots inputs, copilots inputs and the aircraft's central system. I've been able to get some things like the OHP switches transmitted, displaying the glass cockpit instruments for the co-pilot (the AP stuff aren't passed over yet, so that's well, not complete) etc.
> A Weather radar... I'd love to use Thorsten's but then it's not working for me. I'm coming up with ideas to create a 'nasal-xml' weather radar for temporary use.

If you've actually bothered to look into any of the aircraft's development reference links, you'll see that Hooray, Jentron and Thorsten has helped A LOT with the systems, nasal stuff etc. Actually, they've solved almost all the problems I've had during the development and I'd like to thank Hooray and Thorsten for that. Thanks guys...

*touch-screen : In the real Boeing 787-8, there're track pads (like on a laptop) to control the cursor position on the screens... These track pads are modeled buy not functional in Fg, and I have no idea how to create a track pad in FG, so at the moment, the screens have hotspots which you press and that's similar to moving the cursor there and clicking on the real 787-8.

EDIT : Hooray, I've finally learnt to use git :mrgreen: , now just to get FG to compile with netbeans.

EDIT : Oh and is there a way I can add this to fgdata when it's a bit more stable? But then I see that it's already more stable than many other aircraft in fgdata already.
Last edited by omega95 on Thu Feb 16, 2012 6:42 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby Johan G » Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:45 pm

Gosh what a feature set, I really see why there could be a real need to have a copilot along when "flying in" the aircraft during pilot conversion. :shock: :D 8)

I fully approve of the choice to slow down the development during your final exams. :D
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby omega95 » Wed Feb 15, 2012 1:17 pm

Johan G wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:45 pm: I really see why there could be a real need to have a copilot along when "flying in" the aircraft during pilot conversion. :shock: :D 8)


Hmm, sorry but I don't exactly understand what that means... :( Lol, just to respond, I'm working on a dual control system where the copilot can control most stuff, view the instruments etc. but I only want to continue it after my exams.
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby Hooray » Wed Feb 15, 2012 1:29 pm

Hey guys, it's been a pleasure providing feedback to you, and actually seeing it materialize in the form of tangible results, no matter if it's XML code, Nasal code, wiki tutorials, new instruments (like the VSD) or even a modern and very advanced aircraft like the 787, that you have now created.

I really applaud you for working together on this and making this a community effort, rather than working on separate projects.

This really is an excellent example for how collaborative development can be very effective, even in a volunteer-project without formal project coordination.

If there's anything else you'd like to know, please don't worry asking questions or getting in touch with me by PM, I really appreciate the way you guys have been handling this, because even just the process was already instructional and exemplary for many other people, due to the way you have turned your findings into new resources for the community (code snippets, tutorials, instruments).
Please don't send support requests by PM, instead post your questions on the forum so that all users can contribute and benefit
Thanks & all the best,
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby bicyus » Wed Feb 15, 2012 2:52 pm

Omega95, YEAH!!

Incredible Work! Hope your exams goes as good as your developments ! ;-)

And by the way, that FBW systems goes strait to A320neo ;-) i was planing to develop it. :mrgreen:


Great job
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby omega95 » Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:17 pm

bicyus wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 2:52 pm:And by the way, that FBW systems goes strait to A320neo ;-) i was planing to develop it. :mrgreen:


Hmm, you might want to modify some things not letting the pilots override it, and using a fixed bank limit of 37. :wink:

Oh and Jon, for some reason, I couldn't clone your A320neo git repo, it gave me an internal server error but I could do it to fg and the a380. Btw, after the 787, I'd like to get back and help you with the A320neo if that's alright.

EDIT : New git commit : fixed the 'strobe.xml' issue, engine fuel feed issue, fgfscopilot/fbw interaction issue and completed the VNAV cruise mode 8)

To use the VNAV, set all your climb and descent waypoint altitudes in the route manager along with the routes. You don't have to put in your cruise altitude for every wp at cruise, you can leave those altitudes empty. Let's say your plan is something like:
DEP, WP1@3500, WP2@6500, WP3@18000, WP4@26000, WP5, WP6, WP7, WP8, WP9, WP10@20000, WP11@10000, WP12@3000, DEST


So, you should be at a cruise altitude of say FL350 (35000 ft) from WP5 to WP9

You go into the CDU : VNAV page, set cruise altitude 35000, cruise start at WP5, cruise end at WP10 (wp10 is the first wp after your cruise)

Start up (there're checklists available on the EFB), take off, turn on LNAV, VNAV, A/T (if you want) and Master AP on the AP PAnel (or VNAV mode, True Heading Mode, Speed with Throttle and 'Check to use Dialog instead of panel' on the dialog)... You'll see that the VNAV will automatically calculate the required vertical speed to get to the next WP on time and it'll take you there on time. And Dwayne has done some work with the vnav code and it's so friggin' accurate now. When you reach your 'Cruise Start at' WP, the vnav switches the vnav mode to crz and it acts like an altitude hold. Then, when you reach WP9, it knows that cruise is supposed to end and it sets the vnav mode back to wp and descends to 20000 fp.

Enjoy.

@Hooray, I haven't really seen this vnav feature on any other FG aircraft even though I know it's supposed to be there in almost all airliners. Do you think we should create a HowTo wiki on implementing the vnav? :wink:
Last edited by omega95 on Wed Feb 15, 2012 4:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby Johan G » Wed Feb 15, 2012 4:15 pm

omega95 wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:09 am: > I've started working on a Dual Control System (not just get in and go with the pilot) where the copilot has 'almost' complete control on the aircraft. The idea is to have all the copilot's inputs sent over to the pilot, have a central aircraft system there and integrate the pilots inputs, copilots inputs and the aircraft's central system. I've been able to get some things like the OHP switches transmitted, displaying the glass cockpit instruments for the co-pilot (the AP stuff aren't passed over yet, so that's well, not complete) etc.


omega95 wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 1:17 pm:
Johan G wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:45 pm: I really see why there could be a real need to have a copilot along when "flying in" the aircraft during pilot conversion. :shock: :D 8)


Hmm, sorry but I don't exactly understand what that means... :( Lol, just to respond, I'm working on a dual control system where the copilot can control most stuff, view the instruments etc. but I only want to continue it after my exams.


I'm sorry the misunderstanding is probably on my side. I thought that you meant that there would later be possible to have two multiplayer pilots in the cockpit, something that would be useful when a pilot new to this aircraft would begin using it (converting to it, or being "flown in" in it). :wink:
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby omega95 » Wed Feb 15, 2012 4:25 pm

Johan G wrote:I thought that you meant that there would later be possible to have two multiplayer pilots in the cockpit, something that would be useful when a pilot new to this aircraft would begin using it (converting to it, or being "flown in" in it).


You're right, there will be a possibility for that in the future. And now, I understand what you said.

Btw, there's also a virtual co-pilot which you can initialize from the Virtual Copilot Dialog in the Boeing 787-8 menu. There, you can ask the vcopilot to control any, a couple or all of the following:
> Announce ref speeds
> Control Flaps
> Control Gear
> Control heating/pneumatics
Hmm, I can't remember the others, I've wriited the vcopilot like in Dec 2011.

Anyway, another incomplete feature is that hte CDU doesn't yet 'calculate' the trust and approach reference values. I'll work on that and get it committed ASAP. :| As it is, I've completed my study plan for today. :mrgreen:
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby bicyus » Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:09 pm

omega95 wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:17 pm:Oh and Jon, for some reason, I couldn't clone your A320neo git repo, it gave me an internal server error but I could do it to fg and the a380. Btw, after the 787, I'd like to get back and help you with the A320neo if that's alright.


I'll take a look on it later on git cloning.... :shock:

And you, and any other are welcome for the A320neo :D . Mind the "Develop" branch on the git repo. :wink:
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby El Flauta » Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:52 pm

The 787 looks good & awesome now :D and the new instruments looks really great. Sadly i'm not a GIT user, so i can test it yet :oops:

I was thinking ... I never liked the 787's UV map. Maybe I could make a new one (although that would discard any previous liveries).
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby omega95 » Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:01 pm

El Flauta wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:52 pm: Maybe I could make a new one (although that would discard any previous liveries).


The old liveries don't matter.. That would be great! I personally dislike teh texture map too.
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby Gijs » Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:57 pm

Unless the new mapping is really an improvement I'd say old liveries do matter ;) (we've got at least 33 of them!)
You could try to come up with a mapping where you can easily copy&paste (parts of) the old liveries to the new format...
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby El Flauta » Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:59 pm

Ok, Omega... i sent you a PM

---

Gijs wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:57 pm:Unless the new mapping is really an improvement I'd say old liveries do matter ;) (we've got at least 33 of them!)
You could try to come up with a mapping where you can easily copy&paste (parts of) the old liveries to the new format...

Bad thing. The old 787 model have a kind of poor and distorted UVmap (specially up and down sides), map zones too shared (i.e., wings)... i even tried to made the LAN Airliners livery, but i quit due the upper side map deformations :oops:
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby omega95 » Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:16 pm

El Flauta wrote in Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:59 pm:Bad thing. The old 787 model have a kind of poor and distorted UVmap (specially up and down sides), map zones too shared (i.e., wings)... i even tried to made the LAN Airliners livery, but i quit due the upper side map deformations :oops:


Well, then re-map it... :mrgreen:

Fullscreen ND Update

I saw a video of the 787 at the paris airshow and noticed a cool feature in the ND... I've implemented it with some transformations on the ground radar (well, in the real 787, it's dark and light blue but the ground radar gives it in green and blue)... So what it does is, gets the nearest airport, uses a seaprate GPS to find it's location, and plots it on the fullscreen ND (like the wps are plotted)... then it rotates it (before plotting so that your heading affects the plotting)... Here're a few screenshots.. what do you think? Oh and I also increase the range selection from 1 to 250 miles. :D

Image
Image
Image
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Re: New Boeing 787-8 GIT

Postby Hooray » Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:45 pm

@Hooray, I haven't really seen this vnav feature on any other FG aircraft even though I know it's supposed to be there in almost all airliners. Do you think we should create a HowTo wiki on implementing the vnav?

Probably sounds like a good idea, Skyop's CRJ might also be worth looking into...
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