OHM SR-71-R - 0.4.0

[predattak]

Any updates on the progress?? I love this mod adn i hope that it will grow!

 

[Blake]

I'll be getting back to it shortly. There is a version for the beta here: http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=36392 Nothing really new except it fixes issues with the touchdown points.

I was hoping there would be an official Orbiter release before jumping back into this too far. We'll keep our fingers crossed for 2016.

 

[Lisias]

I didn't (yet) reproduced that flight of mine, but it appears that tendency to rise the nose while thrusting is no more!

(and thanks for the breaks! )

 

[Blake]

Minor update to add navigation lights, beacons etc.

 

[turtle91]

Whenever I try to load any of the provided scenarios, Orbiter cashes without any error in the log.
So I tried to use an "empty" scenario and spawned the SR71 via SCNEditor, but then Orbiter hangs and needs to be terminated using task-manager.
I don't have the previous version of the SR71, so I cannot test, if this is a new problem, or related to my setup.

 

[Blake]

View attachment SR71r.0.2.2.zip

Here is the previous version 0.2.2. See if you can duplicate with that. Also, this is for Orbiter 2010, not the beta, just fyi.

 

[turtle91]

Thanks !
I tried the 0.2.2 on my Orbiter-2010 setup, but got nearly the same...CTD when loading the provided "ready-for-take-off or Cold+Dark" scenario.

I tried:
-disabled all other third-party modules, except Orbiter-Sound and SCN-edit
-used D3D9 R15 in full-screen
=Orbiter hangs and the onyl way to solve this was a complete reboot of my system.
The last message seen on the screen: loading "Sr71rBody.dds"

After reboot:
-tried the DX7 inline-client in window-mode
=CTD like in V0.2.3
-tried the D3D9 client in window-mode, too
=same, CTD (so no hang).

There are no related messages in orbiter.log.

Question was the previous 0.2.2 not the build for Orbiter-2015-beta ?
Maybe it's better to test with 0.2.1 in Orbiter-2010.


I waill answer myself
>Question was the previous 0.2.2 not the build for Orbiter-2015-beta ?
Nope, because the Orbiter-2015-Beta-Build was called "0.3.1".

---------- Post added at 06:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:24 PM ----------

Did some more testing:

On my notebook (Windows7) I have an exact copy of my existing Orbter-2010-setup, from my Desktop (WinXP).
However, I tested the 0.2.2 vesrion on my notebook:
-loading went fine (Cold+Dark), no crashes or hangs.
Even the fact, that I have not disabaled all other third-party modules.
It just works.
The main difference between both systems is the graphics-card.
On my crashing-Dekstop I use NVIDIA, the notebook uses an ATI-card.

However, somehow this vessel does not like my Desktop.
On my notebook, I am currently flying around KSC to test the AP.
I like the pre-start-up-cockpit procedures.
Also the AP is working nice.
I.e. when switching-off heading, the rudder is set to neutral, so you can still fly the plane manually (i.e. UAP or the DG-AP set the rudder at a random-state when switching AP off).

Maybe you should create an universal-atmospheric-autopilot-MFD using your nice working AP-code from the SR71. (?)


Last test:

I used the latest version on my notbook, too.
Here all went fine, too.
But no-go on my desktop, where I don't have any problems with other Orbiter addons.
Maybe a missing non-Win7-dll ?

 

[Blake]

I'm afraid I have no suggestions for your desktop other then the standard 'update your video drivers, and install into a clean Orbiter folder'. I'll assume you have done that. I also cannot think of anything in the code that would be a problem for Win XP.

The AP is based on the concepts from the Delta Glider AP scripts tweaked for this vessel. I'm not sure how well a generic AP would work, and I think I recall some discussion of that in the past. I will release the source for this when I feel its ready, so if someone wanted to build an MFD off of it they could.

 

[Lisias]

I'll assume you have done that. I also cannot think of anything in the code that would be a problem for Win XP.

Machines old enough to run WinXP can be old enough to use mono-core, SSE-less CPUs. I know, I have one of these, and it's the reason I can't run XR vessels on my old-crap... I mean.... old-box.

Check the code generator options to see if you are using 64 bits extensions, or SSE2 and above.

(I'm not suggesting that you should downgrade the code generation, however. I'm one of the guys that would be happy on using XR vessels on old craps, but that would make the code perform worst on most people's hardware.)

---------- Post added at 12:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------

In time, I think you guys will enjoy this video.

 

[Blake]

I've never enabled any 64bit code, or enhanced instructions, but I did double check that.

If anyone else is having issues on XP I would like to hear, I don't have an XP box anymore so I cannot really test.

I've spent a lot of time studying the video you linked, as well as his book. If you want a really good look at the cockpit, here you go: SR-71 Cockpit.

 

[Lisias]

I redid that fly from Cape Canaveral to Mataveri.

This time, it took me a bit more than an hour, starting from refueling the vessel (I used the scenario 0 as startup), take off, aim the nose to Mataveri and cruise to 150K feet on Mach 10 until 700Km from target, when I cut the engines and begun a descent until the airstrip using air-breaks.

I need some practice on landing (I would had trashed the vessel on that crappy attitude, tarmac less, touchdown), but other than that, about 15 minutes was what I had need from 150K feet at mach 10 until full stop. This flight consumed only 50% of the vessel's fuel tanks.

Total sim time: ~4600 seconds - from refuelling the vessel, to repositioning her for take-off and refuelling her again. An huge improvement. Thanks for the breaks!

The RCS fuel are still being depleted when using Attitude Auto Pilot - Perhaps an issue on Orbiter's API?

At high altitudes, while using the Altitude Auto Autopilot the vessel starts a severe nose up, nose down cycle that would scramble the eggs from the hardest pilot in real life. But using the Speed Auto Pilot and the elevator's trimm, I managed to keep the altitude stable at +/- 150K feet without compromising the pilot's marriage. :lol:

Weirdly, the Angle of Attack indicator didn't moved at all during this cycle. Not sure if it had stopped working due the high altitude, or some averaging math was masking the attitude change. On taking off, I noticed that if I overrun the attitude beyond the gauge limits, it jumps to Zero instead of sticking on the max value (perhaps this is the issue on in while on the node up/down cycle).

I also found that I could not transfer fuel from the main tanks to the RCS tanks while flying. I will pursue this issue on the next flight to CSSC.

This little annoyances, however, don't hurt the flight experience at all. SR-71r has set a new level on Vessel Development, and it is already being reflected on my own ones.

note: I just updated my "report", acknowledging the current status quo.

 

[Blake]

The AOA cuts out when GetAtmPressure drops below 200--that's an un-scientific arbitrary value. In all cases when not working it should be at 0, so I'll take a look at this.

I also have on my list to add the 'OFF' flags to the instruments where applicable.

As always, I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Lisias]

The AOA cuts out when GetAtmPressure drops below 200--that's an un-scientific arbitrary value. In all cases when not working it should be at 0, so I'll take a look at this.

I also have on my list to add the 'OFF' flags to the instruments where applicable.

I think you should use the dynamic pressure instead. The vessel is not floating on the air, she's furiously swimming on it.

Some time ago, I had run on this video (Achtung! Deutsch! - but you can use CC translation), it's a german military educational video about F104 inspections. At +/- 12:00 the attitude sensor is inspected.

This video helps me a lot to understand how jets works in real life. We are used to know WHAT a instrument does, and commonly miss the HOW they do it.

I'm hunting for videos like that, I appreciate any suggestions!

(and thanks for the vessel!)

 

[Blake]

Ah yes, dynamic pressure would make more sense. I was focused more on altitude. The AOA itself comes from GetAOA, which is defined as the angle between the vessel's positive z axis and the flight path direction, projected into the yz-plane of the vessel's local coordinate system. and does not take pressure into account at all. I was looking for it to 'cut out' in a somewhat realistic fashion.

Again, thanks.

 

[Blake]

Update 0.4.0

- Fixed issues with AOA jumping to 0 when maxed.
- Changed AOA to read dynamic pressure rather then static.
- Changed the atmospheric AP status board to be more consistent with the main status board. It has also been moved to the other side of the attitude indicator.
- Implemented the flight clock. Hour and minute hands are a 12 hour elapsed time. Reset using the lower left button. Second and 'arrow head' hands are the stop watch hands. Start/Stop/Reset using the upper right button.