Sequoia Falco F.8L Version 1.1 FOR X PLANE VERSION PILOT HANDBOOK. Quick & Dirty Version 1.0 Pretty Revisions to Follow

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Sequoia Falco F.8L Version 1.1 FOR X PLANE VERSION PILOT HANDBOOK. Quick & Dirty Version 1.0 Pretty Revisions to Follow"

Emily Wright
5 years ago
Views:

Sequoia Falco F.8L Version 1.1 FOR X PLANE VERSI 9.50+ PILOT HANDBOOK Quick & Dirty Version 1.

1 Sequoia Falco F.8L Version 1.1 FOR X PLANE VERSI PILOT HANDBOOK Quick & Dirty Version 1.0 Pretty Revisions to Follow For entertainment purposes only, to be used with the X Plane Flight Simlator. The name Sequoia Falco and logo are trademarkes of Seqair Incorporated. Logos and likenesses used with permission. COPYRIGHT 2010 X SCENERY.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

2 INTRODUCTI: Thank you for purchasing x scenery's Sequoia Falco. This product represents the leading edge of 3D cockpit interaction in x plane, providing near 100% interaction with every cockpit element. The next few paragraphs will present some helpful things to know about x aviation.com's licensing scheme, our future plans, hardware compatibilty and the Falco product itself. The X Scenery Falco utilizes a new technology for X Plane called Gizmo. Gizmo is software that is currently used to manage downloads, licensing, DRM and updates; however, in the future, Gizmo can also be used for special effects, internet communication with new add ons and products, in sim chat boxes and in sim updates of files and Gizmo based plugins. There are things we haven't even thought up yet. You can read more about Gizmo on the x aviation.com website. ABOUT LICENSING: The Falco uses x aviation's hardware based licensing system utilizing the Gizmo engine. The Falco is tied to your computer hardware through a text based license file in the Falco folder, such that you can only use the Falco on one computer per license; however, x aviation is committed to maximum flexibility and independence of owners and as such, there are a few things worthy of mention that will hopefully set owners mind at ease. X Aviation will allow more than one license per owner, but still a limited number. This will allow owners to install the Falco on multiple copies of x plane they may have on different hardware. X Aviation have allowed a perfectly reasonable number of licenses for owners. Activation of any additional licenses is as easy as activation of the first license. The end result for users is that they can run the Falco in several situations without ever having to interact with x aviation.com. Currently, if you need more than one additional license, you may contact X Aviation via their contact page and you will receive superb prompt service. When the multiple license system becomes available, X Aviation will contact all customers via a notification explaining the system. It will not be difficult as X Aviation is committed to reducing the burden of their customers. Because X Plane users consist of lots of "tinkerers", it is probable that some might want to modify the aircraft file in the Falco package using Plane Maker. Modifying the Falco in this manner will NOT negate your existing license; however, it will negate your ability to use the Gizmo menu to update your aircraft when we begin doing updates through the simulator. X Aviation is committed to maximum flexibilty though and there is a recourse for people who want to tinker with the aircraft. If you submit your modified *.acf file to X Aviation.com, they can add your version of the aircraft to the database of licensed aircraft. To use the new aircraft, you must load the original "licensed" aircraft and execute the "update scripts"command. You can then load the modified aircraft as well as share it with other licensed owners. We recommend that you keep the orginal Falco files safely backed up somewhere. As software developers and users of other software as well as our own creations, we understand the importance of licensing, but we also understand the importance of ownership and independence. X Aviation and X Scenery are committed to providing as non intrusive and flexible system as we'd want if we were not software developers.

3 ABOUT HARDWARE There are several ways to interact with a cockpit in x plane. You can use keystrokes to move/actuate things or you can use a mouse to control manipulators on screen and of course you can use hardware. Currently, the Falco does NOT make provisions for hardware users to assign commands to 2 state controls (buttons and switches) and have those buttons/switches animate in the sim. There are a few exceptions currently, but will not be so in a future update. Now, in most cases, assigning custom commands to hardware buttons/switche WILL cause those functions to work, but the animation of those buttons/switches will not be seen onscreen. This is a correctable issue and will be handled in a future plugin update. Mapping autopilot commands to hardware might cause some issues. This is due to the fact that X Plane variable to control autpilot state has to go THROUGH the flight director, i.e. no servos whereas the Falco is programmed to only be servos on / servos off using manipulators. It is possible to set your hardware to have the flight director on and not the servos, causing your autopilot annunciators to light up but not be under autopilot control. So when mapping your hardware to commands, make sure to map them to "autopilot and servos on/off". ABOUT MANIPULATORS: Manipulators, while being a feature in X Plane for over a year, still has not been fully adopted by many x Plane users. The reasons are varied, not the least of which that most X Plane products/aircraft to not utilize the feature. The Falco cockpit is the first product to use manipulators for 100% of the cockpit. We will discuss them briefly for those who are new to them in X Plane. So what is a manipulator? It the most simplest description, it means you can use the mouse cursor to grab controls onscreen and move them in a natural way similar to the way you would in reality. This has caused some confusion for flight simmers who are used to doing things the "old way" whereby they just click on a switch or button to have it function OR do not anticipate it to work at all on screen. The Falco, while not 100% in its operational accuracy or exhaustive in its complexity, it is currently the furthest x plane aircraft along in it's accuracy of interaction and we will be striving for 100%. The best way to learn to use manipulators is to sit in the cockpit and just use the mouse cursor to experiment. We will tell you that if you think of your mouse cursor as your hand, you'll probably have the fastest success. Here are a few examples of using manipulators. FLIPPING A SWITCH: Hold the mouse cursor over the switch and the mouse cursor will change to a hand cursor. When you click the mouse button, the cursor will change to a "grabbing hand" and you simply drag the mouse in the direction you would drag the switch in reality. Drag up to flip a switch up and drag down to flip a switch down. ROTATING A KNOB: Hold the mouse cursor over a knob and the cursor will change to a "rotation symbol" click and drag to the left or right to rotate the knob.

4 PUSHING A BUTT: Easy, put the mouse cursor over the button and click the mouse button, the button will animate up/down with the mouse button. You can see manipulators in action by watching the video on the Falco product page at scenery.com. The Falco currently has adopted one method of manipulation for each type of control. For example, you cannot click to rotate a knob when that knob has been programmed to be rotated. X Scenery CAN however, create alternate versions of the Falco to suit different preferences. We have not done so for this version of the Falco, but will do so in future updates. NOTE: If, when a manipulator cursor appears and you are not able to manipulate a control onscreen when clicking the mouse, then change your camera view, either by zooming in a little bit with the '+' key or moving the camera view around somehow, i.e with the 'w' or 'e' keys, CTRL o camera mode or hardware, etc. This is a known issue on a very small group of machines and Laminar are looking into the issue.

The variant highlighted in Figure 1 is suffixed with the letters "SI" and this version of the Falco is provided for users who wish to view their instrumentation / gauges in metric/si units.

5 FLIGHT OPERATIS: Your Falco simulation will begin with the selection of a Falco variant to fly in X Plane. Figure 1. at right shows two variants of the Falco for you to choose from when you navigate to your Falco folder in X Plane. The variant highlighted in Figure 1 is suffixed with the letters "SI" and this version of the Falco is provided for users who wish to view their instrumentation / gauges in metric/si units. The only metric units as of Version 1.1 of the Falco is the barometric pressure setting on the altimeter, which is in millibars as opposed to inches of mercury found on the default Falco variant. Pending user feedback, we will modify the SI cockpit texture file to reflect more gauges in SI units, or you may elect to alter the cockpit texture yourself to suit your preferences. Do note that any modifications done by users other than x scenery are not guaranteed to be calibrated with the needles. You may begin your simulation with either the engines running Figure 1. or shut down. X Scenery has programmed in a default configuration of the cockpit for both scenarios. For maximum realism, we suggest starting your simulation with the engines off and following the checklists further along in this manual. The simulated autopilot in this Falco is a simple 2 axis servo system, there is AUTOPILOT no flight director mode. The basic functions are: Altitude Hold, Vertical Speed Hold, Heading Hold and Localizer Capture / Hold. There is no altitude capture function. The autopilot is activated via a toggle switch above the Attitude Indicator and the four autopilot modes are set via mode buttons to the left of the pilot's six pack of primary instruments. Each of these modes has an annunciator light that will illuminate with their respective modes are enabled. The modes will only enable when the both the autopilot switch is on and the avionics switch is on. Because an altitude capture mode is not provided, the Vertical speed modes and altitude hold modes will not be on at the same time. Pressing one vertical mode will disable the other, i.e.you can only have VS or ALT on at a time, but not both. Typical autopilot usage is to use the VS mode to approach your target altitude, then reduce VS with the VS adjuster knob to zero and hit the ALT button when you reach your target altitude to maintain that altitude.

AVIICS The following avionics are approximated in the X Scenery Falco. The King KX165 Nav/Com, the Garmin GTX330 transponder, the Collins ADF 60 ADF and the Garmin 430 Nav/Com/GPS.

The Garmin GTX330 transponder is simulated to about 90% accuracy with the count down timer being being the most primary function not fully implemented. X Scenery will rectify this in a future update.

The Garmin GMA340, while not an "avionic" is powered up via the left inner knob. Turning this know to the right will have the button backlights come on, indication the unit has power.

6 AVIICS The following avionics are approximated in the X Scenery Falco. The King KX165 Nav/Com, the Garmin GTX330 transponder, the Collins ADF 60 ADF and the Garmin 430 Nav/Com/GPS. The Garmin 430 serves as Nav/Com1 and the King KX165 is utilized for Nav/Com2. Each unit is powered up as in reality, via their power knobs. The Garmin GTX330 transponder is simulated to about 90% accuracy with the count down timer being being the most primary function not fully implemented. X Scenery will rectify this in a future update. The King KX165 used for Nav/Com2 also exhibits extra tuning modes above basic frequency tuning by pulling out the small knobs. The Garmin GMA340, while not an "avionic" is powered up via the left inner knob. Turning this know to the right will have the button backlights come on, indication the unit has power. Since audio switching is not a common function in desktop flight simulation, most audio modes are not implemented; however, you may actuate the NAV and ADF buttons to listen to station identifiers that you are tuned in to. To set the default VFR code for your region, so that the VFR button on the Garmin GTX will work for you, open the file "xs_falco.ini" file with a text editor and change the code. This file is found in the folder: xs_falco_v1.1 > plugins > xs_falco. Setting default VFR code. Avionics Stack Collins ADF 60

7 CHECKLISTS CHECKLISTS: COCKPIT PREFLIGHT Battery Switch: Alternator Switch Voltmeter Fuel Qty: Landing Gear Light Landing Gear Switch Fuel Selector Avionics Switch Flight Controls Parking Brake: CHECK VOLTAGE (24vdc+) CHECK GREEN Down Front Check for free movement ENGINE START CHECKLIST: Canopy Closed & Locked Alternate Air (lever in) Advance approx 1" (25mm) Mixture Full RICH Full INCREASE for 5 secs (pressurize injectors for start) Ignition Switch Start Engine Retard to idle Full DECREASE Mixture 3/4 Avionics SWITCH Avionics Turn individual units on as needed WARM UP & TAXI CHECKLIST: Voltmeter Oil Pressure Oil Temperature Parking Brakes Brakes Advance to 1500 RPM Indicator in yellow sector (over 24vdc) In the Green Sector In the Green Sector Release as needed Check RUN UP CHECKLIST: MIXTURE Oil Pressure Oil Temperature Voltmeter Fuel Gauges Magnetos Check FULL RICH Full Increase Advance to 1700 RPM (5 minute engine warmup) In the Green Sector In the Green Sector Indicator in yellow sector Check CHECK LEFT (Max Drop RPM, 50RPM typical) CHECK RIGHT (same as above) Retard to Idle

8 CHECKLISTS (cont.) BEFORE TAKE: Canopy Flight Controls Elevator Trim Fuel Selector Mixture Closed & Locked 15 Degrees Check for free movement Neutral (or normal setting for level flight) Front Tank Full INCREASE Full RICH NORMAL TAKE CHECKLIST: Parking Brake Rotation Released Full OPEN 63 kts CLIMB CHECKLIST: Landing Gear Switch Airspeed Engine Instruments Up Maintain kts during gear retraction Up after gear retraction, speed > 85 kts Off Check CRUISE CHECKLIST: Trim Fuel Tank Selector RPM / MP MIXTURE Set as needed REAR (WARNING: switch it fast in x plane) Set as needed LEAN as needed above 5000'MSL DESCENT CHECKLIST: Mixture Tachometer & Airspeed CHECK Full Rich below 5000' MSL FINAL APPROACH CHECKLIST: Landing Gear Fuel Selector Switch Gear Annunciators Airspeed Full Increase Down below 108 kias Down to 20 degrees below 97 kias FRT GREEN LIGHT (gear down) 85 kias SHORT FINAL & LANDING CHECKLIST Airspeed Landing Gear Airspeed Touchdown Brakes 85 kias FULL DOWN CHECK GREEN LIGHT AGAIN 70 kias over the threshold Nose High on Main Wheels Apply as needed

9 CHECKLISTS (cont.) AFTER LANDING & PARKING CHECKLIST: Parking Brake Avionics Avionics Switch Mixture Ignition Switch All switches FULL UP RETARD fully Full LEAN (after engine quit) Set to

Turbo 310R. X-Plane user guide

Turbo 310R. X-Plane user guide Turbo 310R X-Plane user guide This software is an artistic representation of the subject matter. Any similarities to any commercial product, equipment, vehicle, device or other, present within this artistic