XPlane canard models vs. reality

[Strider]

We are back from a 1,300 nm holiday trip in VariEze 111JK (the real aircraft that the XP version was modeled from.) It's actually been a few days that we've returned, Denver to Phoenix and back. The aircraft ran and flew flawlessly. South thru NM and then West, we stopped for fuel in Santa Fe, NM. Freezing cold and windy, but clear all the way. We overtook Santa in broad daylight, and he sent us this photo:

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/VEZoverCO.jpg

 

Tuesday morning (28th) we flew out of Phoenix between dramatic cloud layers at 8 AM, maintained VFR and there were lots of holes below. Plenty of Light to Moderate Turbulence in NM and CO that afternoon- Oh Boy, My favorite (NOT).

 

I practiced this flight 8 or 10 times in X-Plane; the whole flight- Longmont 2V2, Colo to Phx-DVT and back- in X-Plane flying my VariEze. I used real weather downloaded in flight. I became familiar with the terrain and the orientations of airports all along the way. I practiced randomly-timed engine failures, landed on roads, and the X-Plane model demonstrates the same Glide Ratio as the real plane, which is less than it's supposed to be by design. With sufficiently accurate fuel flow, capacity, weight, and cruise speeds in the X-Plane model, I accurately predicted how far the real plane would get between fuel stops, including the probable impact of weather.

 

I firmly believe that X-Plane has shown what my plane can and cannot do in emergencies. I don't want to stop the prop on my plane in a practice session, because it does not have a starter. That would be a practice exercise a little too real for me. And I was able to safely start flying the plane in the first place because I flew it in X-Plane. If you fly a real airplane, X-Plane is the best value BAR NONE in aviation. Most of the gadgets sold to aviators are unbelieveably expensive and still of dubious value. The price of flying emergencies and familiarization flights in X-Plane is absolutely negligible when compared to it's value.

 

X-PLANE ROCKS !!!

[Steve Innova]

Curt, I wish to applaud you for your work! This is a great addition to the community. It's fantastic for me personnally, since I don't have a pilot's certificate yet, and will be flight training as I work on my MkIV. This will be a great learning tool.

 

I was also thinking that if your models could be adjusted, it would really add to the discussion regarding some of popular mods that builders are doing, such as installing retractable landing gear or making a wider fuselage.

 

Would it be possible to model the Infinity retracts, just to see how they perform? I know there is already a v6.0 X-plane model with the infinity retracts out there. This could possibly put to rest a lot of the debate over how much additional performance is gained.

 

Also, many builders are building "wide cozys", typically 3" wider for additional cabin room. Would it be possible to create an X-plane model with the wider fuselage?

 

Thanks for this great contribution to our community!

[dgrobinson]

I firmly believe that X-Plane has shown what my plane can and cannot do in emergencies.

 

X-PLANE ROCKS !!!

 

I have been flying your Cozy in and out of airports in the LA area. This is a fantastic tool. Saying that X-PLANE rocks understates the case.

[Strider]

I hope to update all of my canard types for X-Plane soon, now that the holidays are past. Steve, I could simply add retracts with the Infinity geometry and the slight changes in weights to the Cozy, and upload it.

 

Unfortunately, it isn't quite as simple as that for these initial canard design uploads. X-Plane is at present in the process of gaining detailed cockpit and interior object capabilities. The planes that I have released to date suffer from an incomplete method of adding cockpit details. The current results are drag figures for different aspects of the planes that are incorrect (to put it politely) because the pilot figure screws up drag calculations.

 

I will need to complete the designs with proper 3D cockpit objects, readjust the Cd's of the fuselage and wings, test and calibrate, and upload these improved versions before any kind of accurate drag/speed comparisons could be provided using X-Plane. Calibration means the Cd's for fuselage and wings are increased back to reasonable magnitudes and then adjusted slightly until the type in question demonstrates an average of the documented speeds of several examples of the real aircraft. Engine power, RPM, and propeller specifics do not change.

 

I have been learning the methods for installing drag-less objects for the last few weeks. Many of the designs that I have done previously will also be improved and updated. Finally, in the interest of compatibility with somewhat older/slower computers (like mine), I will probably also offer 2 versions of every aircraft type. This would include a version with transparent glass and cockpit objects, and a version with opaque glass and no cockpit objects. There may be a significant difference in simulation update rate between the two. Announcements concerning these issues will appear in this space.

[dustind]

Thank you for making the X-Plane cozys. I just got X-Plane 8 for Christmas and love it.

[KB2QQM]

Hi, I saw your post and thought I would throw in my 2 Cents. I am contemplating building a Cozy, and thought I would check it out in X-Plane.

I went and downloaded the newest x-plane version 7.63. You want to make sure your are running the highest version X-Plane software you can. Try not to run a higher version airplane model than the flight software. Problems can creep up. Like stability issues.

I like x-plane alot better than the Microsoft flight sims....only that they have (or seem to) better aerodynamic performance. Quality is sometimes an issue....with the airplanes, but its a program...not real life.

I was actually using x-plane to fly the DC-9's and MD-80's for practice when I was furloughed from my real life job as an airline pilot. I also used it to help me prepare for checkrides...and with the memory items associated with V1 cuts in and out of the KDCA airport. Lots of things to do...when you blow an engine at V1 and have to stay on the 328 radial...flying and calling out QRH referenced emergency procedures... With 14,000 hours+ and out on the street because of Layoffs...X-Plane was a nice diversion for me and my sanity. The program to me ...mimics the dynamics of flight... If you can fly the sim...you can do a very favorable job of flying the airplane. Most likely. Even for myself...who had never used an autopilot on the B-1900 C & D for 9.5 years... of Commuter pilot flying....I sometimes could not hold altitude in the Sim (xplane).. it is a bit squirrily to say the least, but its better than nothing. I can do with Xplane....all the things I can or could not do in real life...like landing a DC-9 on a Carrier....now thats fun!

Even the Expensive full motion sims I use down in ATlanta don't fly like the real airplane. The pitch sensitivity is outrageous. But again, if the programming for the Cozy is pretty close to what you experience in real life...then I welcome the program for it's positive merits.

http://www.x-plane.org/registry/6311.shtml

Greg

[haiqu]

And here is the Cozy Mk IV for X-Plane v7.62:

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/Cozyposter.jpg

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/CozyMkIV.zip

 

This one carries the tail number that we have reserved for the Cozy that we are building, N272CZ. Still trying different ideas for the panel and the paint, just like many at our stage of building. And it is the sweetest-flying one of the whole bunch. That figures- the Cozy is the most-well-developed one in reality, too. (The trim color is Copper, not orange ... seems appropriate.)

 

Oh, also- here's a Defiant with O-360's:

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/Defiantposter.jpg

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/Defiant.zip

 

A Freebie ... oh wait, they're all freebies ...

 

 

P.S.- if you downloaded the LongEZ, here is an improved version (engine gauges):

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/LongEZ.zip

 

Apparently all these files have been taken offline??? I'm still using v7 and v8 of X-Plane and would be delighted to have a valid URL for this collection.

 

Rob

[haiqu]

And here is the Cozy Mk IV for X-Plane v7.62:

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/Cozyposter.jpg

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/CozyMkIV.zip

 

This one carries the tail number that we have reserved for the Cozy that we are building, N272CZ. Still trying different ideas for the panel and the paint, just like many at our stage of building. And it is the sweetest-flying one of the whole bunch. That figures- the Cozy is the most-well-developed one in reality, too. (The trim color is Copper, not orange ... seems appropriate.)

 

Oh, also- here's a Defiant with O-360's:

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/Defiantposter.jpg

 

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/Defiant.zip

 

A Freebie ... oh wait, they're all freebies ...

 

 

P.S.- if you downloaded the LongEZ, here is an improved version (engine gauges):

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/LongEZ.zip

 

Apparently all these files have been taken offline??? I'm still using v7 and v8 of X-Plane and would be delighted to have a valid URL for this collection.

 

Rob

[vezePilot]

Uh ... perhaps "better late, than never" ... ?

With the upgrade of facilities here at the Canard Zone, I am motivated toward some upgrades of my own. First, the URL for existing Canard Flight Models for X-Plane (v9 and v10):

http://vigilanceaero.com/X-Plane/Flight_Models/Flight_Models.html

And, also to mention that I will be working to bring the flight models up to X-Plane version 11 standards, and ultimately to 3D cockpits and VR controls.