Horizon Hobby, LLC REALFLIGHT 9.5 RC FLIGHT SIMULATOR © Horizon Hobby, LLC.
Table of Contents Introduction 4 Exit RealFlight 9.5 Feature Highlights 5 The Aircraft Menu 129 130 How to read this manual 11 Aircraft Selection… 131 Before You Begin 12 Edit Current Aircraft 134 System Requirements 12 Quick Edit… 149 Video and Sound Cards 13 Select Color Scheme 150 Getting the Most out of RealFlight 14 Save Color Scheme As… 151 Randomize Color Schemes 153 Getting Started 15 Remember Aircraft Position 154 Installing RealFlight 9.
Quadcopter Trials 198 Simulation Sounds 257 Ring Race 199 Voice Chat 258 Scavenger Hunt 200 Text Chat 263 Spot Landing 201 Enter MultiMode 264 Locked Challenges 202 Recordings Menu During Flight 202 Pre-Flight Information 203 Resume Existing Challenge… 203 Gadgets Menu 204 Start Recording 268 Stop Recording 268 Open Recording… 269 Record Microphone Input 272 273 Flight Modes 205 Recordings MRU NavGuides 206 Training Menu Radio 208 Binocular 209 Viewport 211 Var
Welcome Screen 321 Video Player 322 Reset to Defaults 324 Technical Support 325 Websites 326 License 327 About 328 Virtual Reality 329 InterLink DX Controller 331 InterLink DX Layout- 331 Spektrum WS2000 Wireless Dongle 337 Basics of Flying 343 Airplane Basics 343 Helicopter Basics 348 Helicopter Flight 350 RealFlight 9.
Chapter 1 Introduction WELCOME TO THE REALFLIGHT 9.5 RC FLIGHT SIMULATOR R ealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator is without question, the most advanced RC aircraft simulation available. It is so technologically advanced and so realistic, you’ll find it hard to believe that it’s only a simulation. The culmination of over twenty three years of development and design, RealFlight 9.5 offers advancements that will serve to fine-tune the flying skills of even the most seasoned RC veteran.
The following section briefly outlines some of the exciting features in RealFlight 9.5. Subsequent chapters will describe all RealFlight features in complete detail. We strongly suggest that you peruse this manual in its entirety, as it explains every feature and option, as well as how to use them. Finally, we’d like to express our gratitude to you for purchasing RealFlight. We think you will be enormously pleased with RealFlight 9.5.
• A keyboard-free push button reset of the simulation. • Instantly rewind your current flight and start over from any point. • The ability to hand launch aircraft. Horizon Hobby AS3X and SAFE TechnologyNew to the RealFlight 8 Horizon Hobby Edition, RealFlight 9.5 continues to expand the selections and offerings that include exclusive groundbreaking technology from Spektrum.
Additional Features• Virtual Reality – RealFlight 9.5 is compatible with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, popular VR Goggles. • RealPhysics™ 3D- One of the most ambitious models of flight in the world, RealPhysics 3D is unmatched in its ability to re-create the lifelike characteristics of model flying. RealFlight 9.5’s physics engine has been tried and approved by Horizon Hobby’s own world-class competition pilots like Ali Machinchy, David Payne, James Haley, Dustin Buescher as well as many others.
• Real Rendering™- Taking advantage of cutting edge 3D graphics technology, RealFlight not only flies realistically; it also looks true to life. • Variable Pitch Prop- Take 3D flight to 4D with the variable pitch prop. Select the FlatOut™ Extra 300S with V-Pitch and try amazing maneuvers you didn’t think were possible with an airplane—like flying backwards. • Grappling Hook-Select the Skycrane heli to hook, grapple and drop objects.
change virtually every aspect of your model with ease. It places over 1,500 airfoils at your disposal, a multitude of propellers, and much, much more! AccuModel brings up a wire-frame model for easy reference and highlights the editing area. Make a change and it’s immediately reflected on-screen, ready for review and revision. • Flying Sites with over 5,000 square miles to explore- RealFlight’s TrueLife Terrain™ goes beyond the limitations of traditional simulator flight.
RPM. This feature improves your ability to “see” what is going on in your virtual world. • Viewport- You can open up a picture-in-picture display and treat it as an independent “window on the world”. You can individually adjust each of the viewport’s vantage points, zoom level, and direction of view. • Multiplayer- You can fly with many other RealFlight 9.5 owners. Participate in online competitions, or just enjoy the thrill of flying around with one another.
How to read this manual RealFlight 9.5 is a menu-driven program, which allows you to make quick changes without having to reload the simulator each time. This manual will break out each main menu to its own chapter. This allows you to quickly find information on features and functions by the related menus. Along with this manual, a large RealFlight community is available online to help and discuss any topics with each RealFlight fan. This online support, in the form of a forum, can be found at: https://www.
Chapter 2 Before You Begin TO GET THE MOST OUT OF REALFLIGHT 9.5, IT HELPS TO FIRST UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR COMPUTER. R ealFlight 9.5 is designed to work on a large variety of computer hardware. Similar to a car, if you want to go faster, you need a bigger engine. The same holds true with RealFlight. You’ll be able to enjoy the simulator on most modern computers, but having the most up to date hardware for your computer will greatly increase your enjoyment.
- 32 MB Dedicated Video Memory - Full DirectX 9 compliant (Shader Model 2.0 or better) Available USB 2.0 port Optimal System- For best graphical performance Dual Core 2.4GHz CPU 2 GB RAM 3D Accelerated Video with: - 512 MB dedicated video memory Multiplayer RequirementsBroadband connection Computer microphone for voice chat Virtual Reality HeadsetPlease refer to the system requirements necessary to support your device.
Getting the Most out of RealFlight We think you’ll agree that RealFlight offers the finest set of instructions and practice tools of any RC simulator suited for both beginners and experienced pilots. Horizon Hobby and Knife Edge Software are committed to the continual improvement of our products. When using the software, you should keep two things in mind: First, similar to other pursuits, what you get out of RealFlight depends upon what you put into it.
Chapter 3 Getting Started A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND ASSISTANCE TO START YOU ON YOUR RC ADVENTURE. T his chapter covers the installation procedure for RealFlight 9.5, it describes the basics of running the program, and introduces you to some of RealFlight’s frequently used features. The first section, Installing RealFlight 9.5, offers a step-by-step approach to the installation procedure for both the program software and the controller.
the first time. This section will explain how to install the RealFlight 9.5 software and hardware. Upon completion of this section, you should be able to fly the aircraft on your PC. The InterLink DX controller’s built-in transmitter interface also allows you to use your own Spektrum, or other, RC transmitter to control RealFlight 9.5 should you opt to do so. To activate the interface adapter, you will first need to follow the instructions in the section below.
4. Click Finish. 5. Steam will prompt you to install the software. Confirm your installation options, and click Next. 6. The installation dialog will close, and the RealFlight 9.5 download will begin. Progress displays at the bottom of the Steam client. Update Drivers- As mentioned above, before you begin installation, we strongly suggest that you update the drivers for both the sound and video cards on your PC. A driver is a software program that your computer uses to control hardware devices.
It is imperative that you plug in your controller or interface into the computer first, before installing the RealFlight software! 1. With the software installation procedure complete, firmly plug into an available USB port on the PC. You do not have to shut the PC down to plug the controller in. 2. Shortly after plugging in, a dialog box should appear on the screen indicating that Windows has located a new device and will then automatically install the necessary drivers.
Changing the throttle stick ratchet- The InterLink DX incorporates a smooth throttle operation by default. This is the preferred methodology for many pilots. If, however, you wish to refine the controller to incorporate a ratcheted throttle, the Spektrum InterLink DX makes it easy to do so. The InterLink DX has all the physical transmitter adjustments located around the gimbal face of each gimbal.
Control Stick Length Adjustment• • • Using a 2mm Allen wrench, turn the screw in the stick counter-clockwise to loosen it. Make the stick length shorter by turning the stick clockwise, or longer by turning it counter-clockwise. After refining the stick to the desired length, tighten the screw in the stick clockwise. Mode Change SliderThe Spektrum InterLink DX Controller has a unique, patent-pending, slider located on the rear of the controller that allows for simple mode changes.
After you have completed installation of the new video and sound card drivers, you are now ready to install the RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator program. If you do not own a DVD drive, the software is available as a digital download: https://realflight.com/dlrf9. 1. Before installing the program, make sure to close any applications that you are running. This includes virus scanning software and other similar background applications. 2.
Starting RealFlight 9.5*- [*DVD and Digital versions only; NOT Steam iteration] 1. Double-click the RealFlight 9.5 Launcher located on your desktop. 2. Type the RealFlight 9.5 software serial number in the appropriate location. This is the serial number that includes the ‘R9’. Please be sure to enter the serial number exactly as it appears, and in the proper on-screen fields. Failure to enter the serial number correctly will not allow you to proceed to the next step.
3. Click OK. RealFlight will attempt to activate your software. The activation process must proceed in order to run RealFlight. If the computer is not currently connected to the internet, this activation process will fail to connect to the activation server and the following window will appear. If you do not have internet access on the computer which RealFlight 9.5 is installed, follow the on-screen prompts. Write down the serial number and activation code that appear and log on to www.realflight.
RealFlight button. Click the Update to 9.XX.XXX to access the latest build. After the updated files have been received, click Run RealFlight. RealFlight 9.5 will start with the default aircraft and default flying site. Starting RealFlight 9.5*- [*Steam version only] 1. Run the Steam client, select RealFlight 9.5 in your library, and click the Play button. Select the launch option that best fits your needs.
installed, follow the on-screen prompts. Write down the serial number and activation code that appear and log on to www.realflight.com/RF9activation on a different computer to activate RealFlight 9.5. Alternatively, you may contact Software Support via email or phone. 3. After activating successfully, RealFlight 9.5 will start with the default aircraft and default flying site; the E-flite Habu STS 70mm EDF (4S) and Eli Field.
the buddy box port (a.k.a. trainer jack) of your transmitter. The procedure for doing so depends on your transmitter: • If your transmitter’s buddy box port directly accepts the 1/8” stereo plug, insert this end directly into the radio. This works for many Spektrum® radios. • If your transmitter’s buddy box port requires the micro (square) connector, use the square adapter cord included with the optional interface adapter cord package.
Binding your SLT Transmitter to the RealFlight wireless interfaceAs noted above, we have previously offered a wireless transmitter interface compatible with equipment that offered the SLT protocol. This was created to allow the use of Tactic® branded transmitters in the simulation. If you own this piece of equipment and will be using a Tactic-branded transmitter, the wireless interface should already be plugged into the computer.
most popular features, such as selecting an aircraft, choosing alternate flying locations, customizing the flying sites, and using the training aids instruction. Along the way, we will show you where to go for help and how to obtain additional information. Even if you are familiar with previous versions of the RealFlight software, you should read this section thoroughly. Some features described here are either new, or have been completely revised for RealFlight 9.5.
From the Welcome Screen, you can also access a number of helpful videos. The videos will walk you through some of the more popular features of RealFlight. For true beginners of RC, the training videos are a great place to start, teaching you the basic controls for flight. If you’d like, you can disable the Welcome Screen by unchecking the box labeled Show this dialog on startup. You may access the Welcome Screen at any time through the Help menu.
Aircraft SelectionWhen you start RealFlight 9.5 for the first time, you will be piloting E-Flite’s incredibly Habu STS EDF (4S) electric ducted fan jet. This is the default aircraft for RealFlight 9.5. To select a different aircraft, click the Aircraft menu title in the main menu bar. Next, click the Select Aircraft… menu item found in the drop-down menu. This activates the Select Aircraft dialog (as shown below), which displays a list of available aircraft.
Each aircraft available is listed along the left-hand side within the selected folder. The icon next to each name differs depending on whether the model is an airplane, helicopter, or a drone. To select an aircraft from the list, click on the desired aircraft. The selected model will now appear in the ReadySelect™ preview box. Additionally, the aircraft’s description and information data will appear in the aircraft information pane, which appears just below the ReadySelect preview window.
If you wish to exit the Aircraft Selection screen without making any changes, simply press the Reset button on the left side of the InterLink DX controller. Aircraft Most Recently Used List (MRU)- If you have selected any different aircraft previously, you will note that these aircraft appear on a list in the Aircraft menu; as shown below. This list is at the very bottom of the menu. This list is commonly referred to as a Most Recently Used, or MRU list.
Airport SelectionChanging flying sites uses a process similar to selecting an aircraft. To select a new flying location, click the Environment menu title. Next, click the Select Airport… menu item found in the drop-down menu. This opens the Select Airport dialog. All the airports in RealFlight 9.5 are initially grouped by their respective location or scene: Archipelago, Flatlands, PhotoFields, or Sierra Nevada. RealFlight 9.
Some scenes are preceded by a [+] (plus) and an icon. The [+] (plus) indicates that another expansion level (selection) is available to you. To access the complete list of airports for a particular scene, either click the [+] (plus) or double-click on the name of the desired scene. For example, clicking the [+] (plus) next to the PhotoFields folder reveals all of the PhotoFields flying sites available to you. To select an airport from the list, click on the desired airport.
QuickSelect TabsIf you have the InterLink DX controller, RealFlight 9.5 offers a revolutionary method for accessing many features and functions quickly and easily without ever touching the keyboard or mouse. There are seven main areas of access available through the QuickSelect tabs. They are: Scenario Selection, Aircraft Selection, Flying Site Selection, NavGuides, On-Screen Radio, Binocular view, and Viewport.
reset the aircraft by pressing the space bar on the keyboard, or by selecting the Reset Position menu item, which is located in the Aircraft menu. • If your aircraft is equipped with smoke, Switch A located on the rear left corner of your InterLink DX controller will generally be utilized to activate this feature. • To zoom in on an aircraft, press the [+] (plus) key on the number pad of the keyboard. Alternatively, you may use menu commands to zoom in.
Creating a ViewportRealFlight allows you to create an additional picture-in-picture viewport. Once you create a new viewport, you may resize or reposition it by dragging the mouse. You can also adjust all of the viewport’s properties independently of the main window. The viewport may be utilized for a variety of applications, such as changing the viewing perspective of your simulation. To create a new viewport, click the Gadgets menu title followed by the Viewport menu item.
Using GadgetsThe RealFlight software includes several gadgets that may be displayed in the main window when running the software. A gadget is an on-screen display that provides helpful information, or allows you to access to a variety of RealFlight features and functions. For example, the NavGuides gadget displays continuously updated information relating to your aircraft’s altitude, airspeed, directional heading, and other flight parameters.
ChallengesRealFlight offers a large number of challenges to help you test, refine and hone your flying skills. As you improve your skills and score well in the challenges, more levels become available, each progressing higher in difficulty. Do well in these challenges, and you may be rewarded for your efforts with new content, including new aircraft to fly. RealFlight 9.
Airport EditingRealFlight offers the most powerful, flexible flying site editor ever produced on an RC simulation. RealFlight’s FlexiField editor allows you to completely customize virtually every aspect of your flying sites. You can add, remove, change the orientation of, or resize virtually every aspect of your flying site.
Aircraft EditorRealFlight also includes a powerful aircraft editor, allowing you full control over every aspect and parameters for an aircraft. The Aircraft Editor allows you to make both simple and complex modifications to any aircraft. You could simply change the diameter of the wheel on the landing gear, or add new wings, streamers, or paintball guns. The possibilities are endless, and you can expect your modifications to accurately affect the behavior of your edited aircraft.
Multiplayer ContestsRealFlight 9.5 offers multiplayer combat events. With an internet connection, you can challenge your neighbor next door, friends from the local RC club, or anyone, anywhere in the world. Multiplayer contests include: Fun Fly, Deadringer, Combat, Streamer Cut, Paintball, and Rocket Wars on a variety of different aircraft. Up to 32 people can participate in a multiplayer session. Please note that the fluidity of the multiplayer events hinges upon the connection (latency, speed, etc.
Keyboard Commands Many options throughout RealFlight may be activated quickly by a simple press of a key on the keyboard. Below is a list of functions and their related keys. You may also access this list in the simulator by pressing ‘H’ on the keyboard.
Follow Camera Pivot Camera Orbit Camera Select Pit Position Select Previous Pit Position Select Default Pit Position Change Zoom Mode Change Movement Mode Shift + C E Ctrl + E X Shift + X Ctrl + X Z Q Movement Commands – Move Forward Move Backwards Move Left Move Right Move Slow Move Fast Move Very Fast W S A D Ctrl Shift Shift + Ctrl Environment Commands – Increase Wind Direction Decrease Wind Direction Increase Wind Speed Decrease Wind Speed Increase Turbulence Home End Page Up Page Down Insert Decr
Clear Position Flight Failures Quick Load Gadget Quick Edit Gadget Mute/Unmute Audio Toggle Full Screen Mode View Keyboard Commands Copy Messages to Clipboard Steam Overlay Ctrl + P F Ctrl + F Ctrl + Q M Alt + Enter H Ctrl + C Shift + Tab Game Commands – Target Previous Aircraft Target Next Aircraft Clear Target Toggle Padlock View [ ] \ / Where to Go From Here The examples in this chapter only scratch the surface of RealFlight 9.5’s unparalleled capabilities.
Chapter 4 Controlling RealFlight 9.5 FLY WITH THE INTERLINK DX, YOUR SPEKTRUM DSM2/DSMX TRANSMITTER, OR WITH YOUR OWN RADIO. T he RC transmitter is a key component in all types of RC flying. This unique method of control is part of what separates RC from every other type of aviation. Consequently, a realistically simulated transmitter is an important key to an authentic simulation of the RC experience. With this in mind, we at Horizon Hobby are proud to offer many choices to control the RealFlight 9.
Wireless Simulator Dongle The Spektrum WS2000 Wireless Simulator Dongle (SPMWS2000) is another popular option, enabling you to control RealFlight aircraft with your Spektrum DSM2 or DSMX-compatible transmitter. The previously offered RealFlight SLT wireless interface option is also functional with RealFlight 9.5. This allows you to fly using your own SLT transmitter, or a transmitter equipped with an AnyLink/AnyLink2 adapter.
Features of the InterLink DX Controller• USB compatibility and convenience. The InterLink DX offers the “plug and play” convenience, “hot pluggable” installation and removal, as well as the high-speed digital performance made possible by Universal Serial Bus (USB) technology. • High quality “mockup” 15 –channel transmitter. Use the InterLink DX controller by itself as a pseudo RC transmitter, with the controls you expect in a standard RC radio.
• No wires to tether you to the computer. Complete freedom to sit back and enjoy the RealFlight experience. • Compatible with Tactic’s SLT protocol. Any radio that transmits using the SLT protocol will work perfectly with the wireless interface. Radios without SLT can utilize an AnyLink or AnyLink2 adapter. Features of the RealFlight wired interface• USB compatibility and convenience.
Select Scenario Select Aircraft Select Airport NavGuides Gadget Radio Gadget Binocular View Viewport RealFlight 9.
When using the QuickSelect buttons in the Select Aircraft or Select Airport dialog screen, press the Scroll Wheel/Select to select the highlighted item. Pressing Cancel on the InterLink DX will move you up a level, so you can quickly change folders. To exit out of these dialog screens without making any changes, simply press the Reset button. Look for the icon to the left throughout this manual for suggestions on when to use the QuickSelect buttons. RealFlight 9.
Chapter 5 The Simulation Menu ALLOWS ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF SIMULATION-RELATED FEATURES, FUNCTIONS AND OPTIONS. T he Simulation menu gives you access to many simulator related features, such as adjusting physics parameters, changing simulator settings, or importing and exporting RealFlight files. Clicking the Simulation menu will open the drop-down menu as illustrated in the following screen shot. RealFlight 9.
Select Scenario… Often times you’ll find yourself wanting to fly a particular aircraft at just the right flying site under the perfect conditions. For example, you may wish to fly a glider along a cliff with the winds just right for soaring. RealFlight offers many of these scenarios preconfigured to save you time. Choosing the Select Scenario… menu item from the Simulation menu will display a dialog window with many scenario options listed for your convenience.
Change scenarios by using the InterLink DX. Press the Scroll Wheel/Select, then, with the scenario tab highlighted, press the Scroll Wheel/Select once again. This will bring up the Select Scenario QuickSelect dialog window. Roll the scroll wheel to scroll through the scenarios accordingly, use the Scroll Wheel/Select to choose a new scenario, or press Reset to resume flying without making any changes.
• • Rename – Use this to rename a selected scenario. This option is only available to scenarios that you create. You cannot rename stock scenarios. Delete – As the name implies, choose this to delete a scenario. Like rename, this is not available if a stock scenario is selected. When you click Create or Edit, the following dialog window will appear: This window allows you to select and change all parameters associated to a scenario.
• • Starting Position – Some 3D airports have multiple locations from which you can start your flight. Choose the location you wish to be the default for the scenario from this drop down list. Camera Type – When flying at 3D airports, you have the option to change your camera location. You may change the default for your scenario from this drop down list. Finally, click Save, to save your changes to the current scenario. If you are editing a stock scenario, this option is unavailable.
After clicking Select Controller…, a new window appears with all the controllers available to you. For many users, you will only see one controller listed. If you happen to have a real transmitter plugged into the InterLink DX, for example, your screen may look something like the following: The controller that is currently in use for flight will have an orange bar next to it as well as “(Active)” next to the name.
To switch the Active controller, simply click on an available controller listed. You will see the orange selection bar switch to the new controller as well as “(Active)” appear next to the name. There are hundreds of radios that are compatible with RealFlight, but not all of them function exactly the same. Some may have a different channel order, or possibly the channel input is reversed. To assist you with making, changing and saving these settings, RealFlight offers controller Profiles.
• Reverse – Check this box to reverse the output direction of a channel. For example, if you advance the throttle stick but the throttle bar decreases, clicking the Reverse box should mimic this input accurately. • Type- This indicates the switch, button, etc. that is associated with a given channel. There are three options- proportional, toggle and tri-state. Proportional, as the name suggests, indicates that a given channel is proportionally controlled in the movement.
If you are flying with the InterLink DX, or with a radio that does not offer this functionality, your will want to enable this feature. Then, make sure you assign a channel to “5 Ele./Dual Rates” in the channel assignments above. RealFlight will then handle all rates and expos for you. Save and Save AsAfter making changes to your controller profile, you will want to save all modifications. Note that you cannot make changes to stock profiles that are included with RealFlight.
It is imperative to move all of the sticks, knobs, sliders and switches through their complete range of motion several times. This is the key to a properly calibrated controller- and thus, precision flight. When completed, click Finish. You will now be returned to the Select Controller screen with a calibrated controller. Virtual ChannelsMany aircraft that are included with RealFlight, as well as user created aircraft, require 5, 6, 7 or even 8 channels to completely operate them effectively.
Channel 8 Key: O Pressing O will act like a three-position switch. A quick press of the key will flip the switch to one extreme or the other, while holding the key down will place the switch to its center position. Channel 9 Key: J Pressing J will act like a two-position switch. Press the key to flip the switch to its opposite position. It might help to display the Radio Gadget to view these channels in action and to assist you in learning how they function.
Beginner- This setting is perfect for the first time pilot. It reduces the speed of the physics to allow a beginner time to react and learn how an aircraft is controlled. At this level, you cannot run out of fuel, and crashes are more forgiving. Intermediate- Crashes are not as forgiving, and aircraft will run out of fuel just as they would at the field. Realistic- By default, RealFlight 9.5 is set to Realistic.
• Physics Speed – Expressed as a percentage, this value controls the time scale of the simulation. Reducing the value allows you to create a slow-motion effect. This is useful when learning new skills or practicing difficult maneuvers; slowing the aircraft’s reaction time. • Flight Model – This setting can range from “Easy” to “Realistic”. At an Easy setting, the aircraft are easier to fly than in real life. This is especially true at slow speeds. If set to Realistic, RealFlight 9.
that you do not crash. If disabled, the aircraft will indeed run out of fuel. The length of time required to do so is based upon a number of factors including the engine utilized and throttle management, just as it would be at the flying field. RealFlight 9.
Graphics… Not all computers are created equal. You might find that RealFlight will perform better if you reduce the graphics quality of the simulator. Alternatively, if you have a high-end computer, you might enjoy the visualizations better by increasing the graphics quality. At the bottom of the Graphics Quality Settings dialog, you will notice a slider. Moving this from Low to Highest will alter the screen shot displayed above the slider, depicting the current selection.
Flight Failures RealFlight offers the ability to simulate common failures for your aircraft. Flight Failures aid in teaching you how to remain calm and react appropriately when an actual failure occurs during flight. RealFlight 9.5 allows you to determine the types of flight failures that you will face, as well as how often these failures will occur. RealFlight 9.
Adjust the Rate of Occurrence- To reduce the frequency of flight failures, click on the Simulation menu followed by the Flight Failures menu item, and then the Frequency menu item. This brings up a sub-menu as shown in the screen below. Once the sub-menu is visible, simply mouse click on one of the options in the pull-down menu.
Selecting the Type of Flight Failures- RealFlight allows you to determine the type of flight failures that you will experience within the simulation. To do so, click the Simulation menu followed by the Flight Failures menu item. Next, select Enable to bring forth the list of available flight failures. If an item has a check mark next to it, then that flight failure is enabled. To toggle the flight failure, click on it with the mouse.
• Radio Range - The receiver will experience interference proportional to the distance between the pilot and the aircraft. If the aircraft is close to the pilot’s position, the range problems will be minimal, increasing as the aircraft gets farther away. • Servo Stuck - A servo will become fixed, or stuck, in a certain position. • Structural Integrity – This failure determines how strong the aircraft is and if parts could break off during flight. • None- No flight failures are activated.
Notify - This setting allows you to determine if, or when, RealFlight notifies you as to the flight failure experienced. To adjust the settings of this feature, click on the value as indicated in the column to the right of the Notify indicator. Your options are: • After Flight - RealFlight will advise you as to the flight failure experienced upon the completion of the flight. • Before Flight - RealFlight will inform you which flight failure you are about to experience before the flight begins.
Cause Flight Failure- This feature causes a flight failure to occur on command. To access this menu item, click on the Simulation menu, and then click on the Cause Flight Failure menu item. Alternatively, pressing the ‘F’ key on the keyboard will also initiate a flight failure. RealFlight 9.
Setup Failures Setup Failures are basic difficulties that, generally speaking, should be detected before you ever leave the ground. However, they are often overlooked and occur as a result of a hurried modeler. RealFlight 9.5 allows you to familiarize yourself with, and determine the types of, setup failures that you will face, as well as how often these failures will occur.
Selecting the Type of Flight Failures- RealFlight allows you to determine the type of setup failures that you will experience within the simulation. To do so, click the Simulation menu followed by the Setup Failures menu item. Next, select Enable to bring forth the list of available setup failures. If an item has a check mark next to it, then that failure is enabled. To toggle the flight failure, click on it with the mouse.
• Servo Trim - A servo alters the trim settings, modifying the flight control position. For example, the elevator servo trim might be slightly off causing the airplane to ascend or descend when it should be flying level. • Servo Slop - Servo slop may be the result of improper geometry of the linkages or the looseness of the servo gears. • Servo Hysteresis - The time or gap between a servo input from the pilot and the movement of the servo on the aircraft. RealFlight 9.
Notify - This setting allows you to determine if, or when, RealFlight notifies you as to the setup failure experienced. To adjust the settings of this feature, click on the value as indicated in the column to the right of the Notify When indicator. Your options are: • Never - RealFlight will never advise you as to the flight failure that you have experienced, or are about to experience. A little mystery is a good thing.
Cause Setup Failure- This feature causes a setup failure to occur on command. To access this menu item, click on the Simulation menu, and then click on the Cause Setup Failure menu item. Alternatively, you may also simultaneously press the Control and Spacebar keys accordingly. RealFlight 9.
Import The Import menu item allows you to import content created by other users. There are several types of files that are associated with RealFlight. Each of these file types will be covered in the section that follows. KEX- Knife Edge Software has created a plug-in, or software module, that functions with popular 3D modeling tools to create subject matter for the RealFlight software. The KEX importer is used to bring the model from the plug-in into the simulation itself. For more information, see: www.
(8000x4000 or larger) that are equirectangular, spanning 360 degrees horizontal by 180 degrees vertical. Click on the Raw Panoramic Image… selection to import an image into the simulation. Browse to the location of the image you would like to import. The image may be in any of the bitmap (.bmp), targa (.tga) or a JPEG (.jpg) file formats. Once you have located the desired image, double-click the image. Select this image and click Open. The conversion process can take several minutes for large images.
Export The Export menu item allows you to share user-created content. It is provided in the Simulation menu as a shortcut to using the Manage User Files dialog. RealFlight users may share the following items: Color Scheme, Aircraft Variant, Entire Aircraft, Airport and Panoramic Images. If one or more of these options on the list is grayed out, it is because the currently loaded color scheme, aircraft, or airport is part of the simulation by default and not available for export.
To export a Color Scheme, select the Export menu item followed by the Color Scheme option. A save dialog will appear so that you can choose where you would like to save the exported color scheme and determine the filename. After saving, a message will appear on-screen advising you whether or not the export was successful. This message will also list the location and name of the file that was exported.
appear on-screen advising you whether or not the export was successful. This message will also list the location and name of the file that was exported. Airport (include Panoramic Image)- This option enables you to export an airport along with its custom panoramic image. To do so, select the Export menu item followed by the Airport (include Panoramic Image) option. A save dialog will appear which allows you to choose where you want to export the airport and what you want to name the file.
The Manage User Files dialog allows you to copy, rename, delete, or export any custom resource that exists in the simulation. It is important to note that the various Manage User Files buttons will be inactive until a modification to one of the files exists. That is, this menu item is only utilized to modify user-created items. It will not allow you to modify any of the default airports or vehicles included in the RealFlight 9.5 software.
To export a user-created item, select the respective item in the User File menus and click Export. A verification dialog will appear on-screen advising you whether or not the export was successful, and the location and name of the file that was exported. You may then publish the exported file to a web site, move it to another computer, or email it for others to enjoy. CloseThis button, as the name suggests, is used to close the Manage User Files dialog box after all desired refinements have been completed.
Mute/Unmute Audio At times, you may want to fly without any sound. Choose this menu item to mute the audio. Select it again to activate the sounds. Alternatively, pressing the ‘M’ key on the keyboard will also toggle between the mute/unmute audio selections. RealFlight 9.
Settings The Settings option is an integral part of the RealFlight 9.5 software. This menu item allows you to adjust a multitude of features and functions within the simulation. To access this menu item, click on the Simulation menu followed by the Settings… menu item. The Settings dialog will appear, showing the available options. RealFlight 9.
AudioThe Audio settings allow you to adjust the volume levels for the aircraft and various options in the simulation. For each type of sound that is adjustable, there are two parameters that can be changed. First is the Volume, which is a percentage of the Overall Volume. The second is whether the sound should be enabled or muted. Double-click on the Audio name, or click on the [+] (plus) to expand the list and show the Audio options.
Application Sounds- The Application Sounds section controls the effects and voiceover sounds in the simulation. • Effects Volume (%) - This setting adjusts the master volume level for sounds, except all voiceovers. • Effects Enabled - Choosing No for this option will mute all sounds for the simulator except for the voiceovers. • Voiceover Volume (%) – This setting adjusts the volume level for the voice chat during multiplayer sessions.
Simulation Sounds- The Simulation Sounds section controls the various options related to the miscellaneous sounds in the simulation. RealFlight allows you to make modifications to the various sounds based upon your preferences. For each type of sound that is adjustable, there are two parameters that can be changed. First is the Volume, which is a percentage of the overall volume. The second is whether the sound should be enabled or muted.
CameraThe camera options are designed to enhance the field of view when utilizing the Keep Ground in View zoom mode. For additional information on this option, please refer to the View menu chapter of this manual. Minimum Field of View (deg)- This setting determines the absolute minimum field of view when utilizing the Keep Ground in View zoom option. To adjust the minimum field of view, click the existing value. Next, enter the desired value either directly from the keyboard or via the mouse wheel.
At very high values, the camera hardly ever looks directly at the aircraft, and often the aircraft will fly off the screen as the camera tries to catch up. At lower values, the effect is very subtle and yet still softens the camera movement enough so that minor changes in the aircraft’s speed/position are more noticeable. Please note: these settings apply to the “Fixed View” camera mode only. They are not applicable to the cockpit, chase, or onboard views.
ConsoleThe Console option has a number of sub-categories that allow you to perform modifications to the messages that appear on-screen while running the simulator. It also offers two parameters that affect all of the sub-categories. Show At Most- This numerical value indicates the maximum number of messages that will appear on your screen at any given time. When the maximum number is surpassed, an older message will be removed and the most recent message will take its place on-screen.
Double-clicking on the Console name or clicking on the [+] (plus) will bring forth the following options: • Instructions • Notifications • Warnings • Errors • Chat Messages (Sent) • Chat messages (Received) • Commands Each of the System Messages screens is independently adjustable and may be tailored to suit your personal preferences. For information on how to do so, please read the following section. RealFlight 9.
Instructions- This option determines the settings for the system Instructions messages. To select the Instructions options, click on the Instructions name. Font Size- This option allows you to adjust the font size for the messages pertaining to the instructions. Please note: this only affects the Instructions. It does not affect any other system messages. To access the Font Size options, click on the value shown in the respective column.
Foreground Color- This option allows the user to adjust the color of the foreground for the Instructions messages. To access the color palette options for the foreground color, click on the current value, then click the more options button that appears to the right (the gray button with the ellipsis). This will reveal a screen that appears as follows: To select a color, click the desired color on the palette.
the palette. If you wish to make a custom color, click the Define Custom Colors button and create the color or colors to suit your tastes. Click OK to finalize the selection. The selected color will be reflected immediately in the value column. Background Alpha (%)- This option adjusts the transparency of the text background for the message. The desired values may be input directly from the keyboard or modified using the mouse wheel.
Notifications- This option determines the settings for the system Notifications messages. These options function in the same manner as the options for the Instructions messages, except that they only affect the Notification messages. RealFlight 9.
Warnings- This option determines the settings for the system Warning messages. These options function in the same manner as the options for the Instructions messages, except that they only affect Warning messages. RealFlight 9.
Errors- This option allows you to modify the behavior of the system error messages. These options function in the same manner as the options for the Instructions messages, except that they only affect Error messages. RealFlight 9.
Chat Messages (Sent)- This option allows you to modify the appearance of text that you type for chat messages during multiplayer sessions. These options function in the same manner as the options for the Instructions messages, except that they only affect Chat Messages (Sent) messages sent during multiplayer sessions/events. RealFlight 9.
Chat Messages (Received)- This option allows you to modify the appearance of text you receive from other players during multiplayer sessions. These options function in the same way as the options for the Instructions messages, except that they only affect Chat Messages (Received) messages. There is one additional parameter available for this option called Play Sound. This allows you to set whether or not a sound is heard when an incoming chat message arrives.
Commands- This option allows you to modify the appearance of commands typed in the console screen. These options function in the same manner as the options for the Instructions messages, except that they only affect Commands messages. RealFlight 9.
Controller- This option allows you to modify/determine the deadband percentage of the controller inputs. This is important and applicable for anyone that is not using a RealFlight controller (InterLink, Spektrum WS2000 Wireless Simulator Dongle, Wired Interface or SLT Wireless Interface). Pilots using one of the aforementioned control methodologies will most likely want to retain the default value (0).
GraphicsDouble-click on the Graphics name or click on the [+] (plus) to expand the menu and display the various Graphics options. Quality- The Quality options are quite useful in fine-tuning your simulator, to ensure that it runs as efficiently and realistically as possible on your PC. Use the settings in the Graphics options to obtain the perfect blend of optimal visuals and performance from your PC.
Particles- This option determines whether RealFlight will utilize particles such as engine smoke. Click on the respective value indicator. From the pull-down options select either Yes (RealFlight will display smoke), or No (RealFlight will not display smoke). Scenery Objects- This option determines whether the simulation displays background objects such as buildings, rocks, benches, etc. If Yes is selected, the background objects will be present.
Modify the Terrain Detail setting by clicking on the value located to the right of the Terrain Detail name. Click Yes to display the terrain detail texture or No, to eliminate the terrain details. Please note: This setting will not affect the terrain detail in the PhotoField airports. Trees- The Trees setting determines whether or not RealFlight will display trees. To change the Trees setting, click the value located to the right of the Trees.
The RealFlight 9.5 program defaults to None, indicating that the objects in the background will not be as blurry. We suggest experimenting with the settings to achieve the desired impact. Foliage Density (%)- This setting determines the density and drawing time of the trees and the grass. Lowering the percentage will ensure that the scenery is drawn faster. Again, if you are experiencing low frame rates, lowering this value will speed up the simulation.
Water Shadow Quality- Turning this setting On, will show shadows on the surface of the water as well as on the surface beneath the water for a more realistic appearance. It does increase the demands on the video card though. As such, the setting is defaulted to Off. Shadow Quality- This setting specifies the quality of the shadows in the simulation as well as how often the shadows are updated.
Streamer Quality- This setting adjusts the quality of the streamers during the simulation. If the frame rate drops when flying an aircraft with streamers, try lowering the quality of the streamers until you achieve an acceptable frame rate. To do so, click on the existing streamer quality level. Next, from the pulldown menu, select the desired quality level. Texture Quality- Use this setting to add the realistic textures to the items and various other objects found in the simulation.
Hardware- The hardware settings are used to adjust various graphics-related settings to achieve the best possible performance for your PC. Graphics Adapter- The Graphics Adapter is the device that RealFlight utilizes to run the simulation, generically referred to as a video card. Most PC’s have only one video card, however, some PC’s are equipped with multiple cards.
Full Screen- This option determines whether RealFlight will run using the entire monitor screen for the simulation. If you decide to run in the Full Screen mode, RealFlight’s menus will not appear on the screen. To access the menu while in Full Screen mode, press the ALT key on the keyboard. To adjust the Full Screen option, click on the value as indicated in the column to the right of the Full Screen name. From the pull-down menu, select Yes to run in Full Screen or No, to run in the Windowed mode.
To adjust the refresh rate, click the value that is indicated in the column to the right of the Refresh Rate name. If there are multiple options in this list, you might opt for a lower value to determine if this improves the frame rate of your simulation. Vertical Sync- Enabling this option can create smoother motion by forcing RealFlight to limit your frame rate to the refresh rate of your computer monitor.
To change the color, click on the current value, then click the more options button that appears to the right (the gray button with the ellipsis). This will reveal a screen that appears as follows: To select a color, click the desired color on the palette. If you wish to make a custom color, click the Define Custom Colors button and create the color or colors to suit your tastes. Click OK to finalize the selection. The selected color will be reflected immediately in the value column. RealFlight 9.
LanguageIf you wish to adjust the text of the menus, dialogs, etc. to a different language, you can make that change from this setting. Please note: You must restart RealFlight for the change to take effect. To select an alternate language, click the respective value, select the language preference from the drop-down list that appears. RealFlight 9.
MultiplayerSettings available here affect multiplayer parameters and split screen MultiMode. RealFlight 9.
MultiMode Screen Layout- This setting specifies the layout of the screen for the MultiMode option. If you select Vertical, the computer screen will split in half on its vertical axis. If you select Horizontal, the computer screen will split in half on the horizontal axis. To select which mode best suits your tastes, click on the value displayed to the right of the MultiMode Screen Layout column. Next, select either Horizontal or Vertical from the pull-down options.
Announce Aircraft Changes- During multiplayer sessions, RealFlight 9.5 can update you with a short message whenever another pilot switches aircraft. To view these messages, set the Announce Aircraft Changes to Yes. Otherwise, to disable this message, set this parameter to No. Close Chat Gadget After Sending- The Chat Gadget allows you to send messages in multiplayer sessions using the keyboard. By default, this gadget remains visible when it’s enabled.
Leader – RealFlight will target the player with the highest score. If this happens to be you, then RealFlight will select a player at random. Random – RealFlight will randomly select a player to target. Smart – All players with a higher score than yourself will be selected somewhat randomly. The player with the highest score and the player that most recently damaged you will have a higher chance of getting selected. Threat – This option will target the last player which caused damage to you.
To alter the physics options, click on the value indicated in the column to the right of the Airplane Physics Quality name. Using either the up/down arrow keys on the keyboard, or the mouse, select the level for your simulation from the pull-down list. If using the up/down arrow keys, press Enter to finalize your selection. Helicopter Physics Quality- This setting determines the detail level of physics utilized for the helicopters in the simulation.
processing power. To improve your computer’s rendering performance, select a lower setting. Pause Sim When in Background- This setting, when enabled, will pause your flight when you switch away from it. If set to No, your flight will continue even when you access other applications. Note that during multiplayer sessions, RealFlight will never pause regardless of this setting. Pause Sim When in Menu- This setting, when enabled, will pause your flight when you access any of the menus.
Rewind The rewind section allows you to control the parameters for the Rewind feature. You may disable the Rewind feature altogether, or alter how it functions with the following settings. Enable Rewind- The Rewind feature is enabled by default. If you wish to turn off this feature, change this setting to No. Enable Audio Effects- If you wish to turn off the unique audio effects when activating the Rewind feature, change this setting to No. This setting is set to Yes by default.
Slowdown Duration (sec)- Before the Rewind feature kicks in fully, your flight will slow to a stop, then proceed in reverse. The Slowdown Duration setting allows you to adjust how long this process takes. The adjustable range is between 0.1- 2.0 seconds with 0.3 as the default setting. Time to Reach Maximum Reverse Speed (sec)- This setting allows you to adjust the amount of time it takes before the Rewind feature is functioning at full speed. The adjustable range is between 0.
Safety Alerts When you are at the flying field, it is important to make sure your transmitter’s switches, dials and throttle are all set appropriately before you start your aircraft. The RealFlight 9.5 program helps to remind you of this important safety practice when resetting your helicopter. Helicopter Resets- When you reset your helicopter, a small window will appear, warning you if the throttle or switches are in a position which could damage the helicopter.
Virtual Reality RealFlight 9.5 continues to embrace the use of virtual reality goggles such as the Oculus Rift and HTC’s Vive headsets. This setting enables the user to change the size of the user interface (UI) while using the VR within RealFlight. The adjustable percentage range is between 50 and 200%; with 100% being set as the default.
Wind The wind and weather options control the atmospheric conditions encountered in the simulation. You can adjust these to match the conditions typically found at your local flying site. Wind Variation (%)- This adjustment represents the variation in the wind speed and direction in relation to the average speed. Just as the winds that you experience at the local field are not constant, neither are the winds in RealFlight.
Turbulence (%)- This option allows you to adjust the strength of the turbulence. Since this setting represents a median, some turbulence will be more severe, and some turbulence will be less noticeable. To adjust the Turbulence Strength Proportion (%) settings, click on the value indicated in the column to the right of this option. The desired values may be input directly from the keyboard or modified using the mouse wheel. A value of 0% indicates that there will not be any mid-level turbulence.
Capture Screenshot Just like the perfect photo opportunity at the local flying field, RealFlight offers the chance to snap off screenshots. Captured screenshots are great to share with friends, add as your desktop wallpaper, or put on the internet for the world to see. To snap a screenshot, click the Capture Screenshot menu item. Alternatively, press the Tab key on the keyboard. Screenshots are stored in the My Documents folder.
Show Title Bar This menu item determines whether or not the RealFlight title bar is displayed on the screen. By default, the title bar is enabled. To access this menu item, click on the Simulation menu followed by the Show Title Bar. This will remove the RealFlight title bar from the screen. Please note: Removing the title bar also eliminates the ability to minimize or maximize the screen. RealFlight 9.
Exit Use this menu item to exit the program entirely. RealFlight 9.
Chapter 6 The Aircraft Menu OFFERS ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF AIRCRAFT- RELATED FEATURES, FUNCTIONS, AND OPTIONS. C licking the Aircraft menu brings forth a pull-down menu similar to the following screen shot. RealFlight 9.
Aircraft Selection… When you click on Select Aircraft… the following dialog appears: Change aircraft simply by using the InterLink DX. Press the Scroll Wheel/Select button, then, with the airplane tab highlighted, press the Scroll Wheel/Select button again. This will bring up the Select Aircraft QuickSelect dialog window. Use the scroll wheel in this dialog to rotate through the available aircraft.
The list on the left of the dialog box displays all of the aircraft available to you. If you have created any customized aircraft, they will also appear in this list. By default, the aircraft are listed in directories that have been optimized for ease of selection. For example, the aircraft in the RealFlight Legacy folder are either aircraft that are no longer in production or are what we consider legacy items.
the aircraft are further grouped into sub-folder by their Airframe names. For example, “P-51 Mustang” and “P-51 Mustang (Combat)”, “P-51 Mustang (Paintball)”, and “P-51 Mustang (Streamer Cut)”are all found in the P-51 Mustang airframe folder. • Product: Aircraft are grouped by product alone. • Airframe: Aircraft are grouped alphabetically by airframe, not by product. Individual aircraft are grouped inside each airframe folder. • None: There is no grouping at all. All aircraft are sorted alphabetically.
Edit Current Aircraft RealFlight offers the user unparalleled freedom to edit or modify their aircraft. It’s possible to add and remove components, alter their location, change airfoils, and much, much more! The first several times that you access the aircraft editor, the task might seem daunting. It may require some getting used to before you are comfortable with this feature and its related functions. The best way to do so is to simply dive in and experiment.
Aircraft Editor MenusSelecting the Edit Current Aircraft option activates the screen shown above. File Menu- This menu and its menu items are used to manipulate and control the various folders and related items in the aircraft editor. Open…- This menu item is used to open existing and edited aircraft. Selecting this menu item opens the Select Aircraft dialog. To select an aircraft from this list, follow the procedure described in the Aircraft Selection section of this manual.
Revert- This menu item allows you to revert, or go back to the settings the last time the aircraft was saved. If you have not previously saved the aircraft, the aircraft will return to the default settings. To use this menu item, open the File menu and click Revert. This will bring forth the verification dialog. Click Yes if you wish to return to the last saved version of this model. Please note: Any modifications performed after the last time this model was saved will be lost.
Edit Menu- As is suggested by the name, this menu is utilized to edit the aircraft. This menu may be used for some simple editing functions on the current aircraft. Undo- Select this to undo the last change you made in the aircraft editor. Redo- Choose Redo to repeat the last action you performed in the aircraft editor. Rescale Physics to- This setting is used to alter the physics calculations utilized for the aircraft.
Component Menu- As is suggested by the name, this menu is utilized to edit the aircraft. This menu may be used for some simple editing functions on the current aircraft. Cut- Select a part on the aircraft and choose Cut to remove the object. The part is stored temporarily in RealFlight’s memory and can be pasted back onto the aircraft later, if so desired. Copy- Like the Cut option, Copy will store the selected part in RealFlight’s memory allowing you to later paste it into the aircraft.
If you wish to either add or remove an item from one of the aircraft components, right-click on the respective component. This will bring forth the available options. When editing aircraft, you can click and drag the mouse in the preview area to rotate the aircraft to different angles. Additionally, it is possible to enlarge or shrink the aircraft representation within this preview box. Doing so helps to better see components you might be modifying.
Play Engine Sounds- Selecting this menu item plays the respective engine sounds during the editing of this aircraft. Please note: This setting is only temporary. That is, this setting is not retained after you exit the aircraft editor. To select this option, click the Play Engine Sounds menu item. This will place a check mark before the setting and return to the aircraft editor. The engine sounds will become audible.
scheme, you may wish to remove the wireframe from the preview. To do so, please follow the procedure noted in the description for “Show Wireframe.” Fuel Level- In the aircraft editor, the mechanics of the aircraft will be running to allow you to see how it functions. If you prefer, you can set the fuel level to empty, which will essentially kill the motor. Select the Fuel Level menu item, and then click your preference.
To adjust the Look At perspective, click the Look At menu item and select the desired view. Alternatively, you may use the ‘A’ key on the keyboard to toggle through the aforementioned selections. Look From- You can select from pre-determined angles from the Look From menu item. They include: • Above – Look from above the aircraft. Or press the Q key to quickly change to this view. • Below – Look from below the aircraft. Or press the Shift-Q keys to quickly change to this view.
• Size – By default, all component indicators are large. Switch to small to reduce the chance of each indicator overlapping in the wire frame. • Visibility – For aircraft with a large number of components, you may wish to change their visibility to Selected Component Only. Then, only the component you have selected will be visible, while all others will disappear. Those components still exist, they just won’t be visible. RealFlight 9.
Select Layout- There are two default layout options available from the sub-menu. They will alter the way the different panes in the aircraft editor window are positioned. The options will change the aircraft editor layout as follows: Layout 1: Layout 2: Parts TreeThe Aircraft Editor contains three important areas: the Parts Tree, Parameter window, and the Description pane. The Parts Tree and Parameter screen are also further grouped into a number of different tabs.
• Visuals – More advanced users that create their own aircraft for RealFlight from scratch will use this tab to match the graphical parts with the physical parts. There might be times where you want multiple tabs visible at the same time. For example, you may want to modify the programming for the radio that will then affect one or more servos. Those servos are then linked to certain control surfaces.
For example, if you wish to edit the wheel diameter on the Habu STS 70mm EDF, you will find it under the following path in the Parts Tree: Physics Tab Airframe – Contains all the physical parts of the aircraft, such as wings, fuselage, etc. Fuselage – One of many physical parts found in the Airframe Main Gear – The Main Gear on the Habu STS attaches to the wing, therefore, is listed under the Main Wing part.
want to click might be hidden behind another section of the aircraft. If you find yourself in this situation, click and drag the mouse cursor around the Preview screen. This will rotate the aircraft image around, so you may view it from different angles. You may also use the scroll wheel on the mouse to zoom in and out for a closer look at the section you are working on. Parameter WindowThe final component of the on-screen layout is the Parameter window.
menu. You can also accomplish the same thing by right-clicking on the part to remove and selecting Delete. More InformationThe Aircraft Editor may seem a little overwhelming at first. The best way to become familiar with the editor and its related functions is to simply use it and start experimenting. RealFlight does not allow you to customize the stock aircraft. If you want to make a change to one of the stock aircraft, you will be forced to save it under a new name.
Quick Edit… This window allows you to make quick, simple changes to the aircraft without opening the full Aircraft Editor. Often times, you may feel that simple changes, such as the amount (expressed in degrees) of rudder deflection are all that is needed to make an aircraft fly more like your model. Instead of working through the complexity of the Aircraft Editor, you may make the change rapidly using RealFlight’s Quick Edit.
Select Color Scheme This menu item allows you to quickly choose an alternative trim scheme (if available) for the current aircraft. To view the alternative color schemes, click the Select Color Scheme menu item. To select an alternate trim scheme, click the desired selection in the value box. Alternatively, you may use either the Up/Down arrow keys on the keyboard, or the mouse to select the desired scheme option. If utilizing the arrow keys, press Enter to finalize the selection.
Save Color Scheme As… This menu item is used to create an editable version of the currently selected trim scheme. RealFlight allows you to create a custom paint/decal scheme for your aircraft. The color schemes you create are limited only by your imagination. However, only individuals that own and know how to use a third-party bitmap editing program such as Adobe® Photoshop® should attempt to create a custom color scheme. Your editor must be able to read and edit Targa (“.tga”) files.
DO NOT ALTER THE NAME OF THIS FILE, AS REALFLIGHT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CORRELATE THE COLOR SCHEME WITH THE AIRCRAFT. Once you have finished editing and saving your color scheme, you will probably want to see the results of your work. There are two ways that you can do so. One is to use the Select Color Scheme menu, which is found within the Aircraft menu. Simply click on the color scheme that you have just edited, and RealFlight will reload the color scheme onto your aircraft and reset the aircraft.
• Other formats (JPG, BMP, etc) are not allowed. Alpha ChannelsAlmost all of the color schemes for the aircraft incorporate an Alpha Channel, which defines what areas of the color scheme are opaque and what areas are transparent. White portions of the alpha channel will be 100% opaque and Black portions of the alpha channel will be 100% transparent. Shades in-between will be partially transparent. Consult the image editor’s manual to determine how to properly use Alpha Channels.
Remember Aircraft Position The Remember Aircraft Position menu item saves the current position of the aircraft. When you reset the aircraft, it will return to the same position (speed, attitude, heading, etc.). This feature is ideal for practicing maneuvers, such as an autorotation in a helicopter. To activate this menu item, click the Remember Aircraft Position menu item when the aircraft is in the desired location and altitude.
Clear Aircraft Position This menu item clears the position saved in the Remember Aircraft Position without exiting the simulation, changing flying sites, and/or aircraft. To do so, simply click the Clear Aircraft Position menu item. When the aircraft is reset, it will return to one of the default starting positions. RealFlight 9.
Reset Position There are three ways to reset the aircraft to its takeoff position: 1. Press the Reset button on the InterLink DX controller. This is probably the fastest and simplest method. 2. Press the keyboard’s space bar. 3. Click the Reset Position menu item. RealFlight 9.
Kill Engine Click on this item to instantly stop the motor from running. This is useful when you are practicing dead-stick landings in airplanes and practicing autorotation for helicopters. If the aircraft has multiple motors, the sub-menu will allow you to select which motor to kill. Alternatively, pressing ‘K’ on the keyboard, or selecting Random will kill one of the motors at random. RealFlight 9.
Aircraft MRU The final items in the Aircraft menu indicate the most recently used aircraft. The MRU shows only the eight most recently selected aircraft. You can load an aircraft by selecting it from this list. This shortcut allows you to switch amongst your favorite aircraft without using the Select Aircraft dialog. RealFlight 9.
Chapter 7 The Environment Menu ALLOWS ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENT-RELATED FEATURES, FUNCTIONS AND OPTIONS. T he Environment menu gives you access to many scenery related features, such as changing flying sites, or adjusting weather related items. Clicking the Environment menu will open the drop-down menu as illustrated in the following screen shot. RealFlight 9.
Select Airport… When you click on Select Airport… the following dialog appears: RealFlight 9.5 offers two different types of flying sites: 3D and PhotoField. PhotoField, as the name suggests, are flying sites created from photo imagery. 3D flying sites are, again as the name suggests, sites rendered in a 3-dimensional environment. If the PC is running slowly at a 3D flying site, try selecting a PhotoField site. This dialog lets you choose the flying site that you wish to use for your flight.
be listed alphabetically, beneath the Expansion Pack 7 folder. You can change how the airports are organized, by selecting one of the options under the Grouping drop-down selection box. The options are: Product, Scene: As explained above, airports are first grouped into folders by the product in which they are contained. Within each group, they are then grouped further by scene. Product: Airports are grouped by product alone. Scene: Airports are grouped by scene alone.
of your movement, press and hold the Shift key at the same time you are using the ‘W’, ‘S’, ‘A’ or ‘D’ key. The mouse wheel controls the angle or height at which you traverse the scenery. To increase the altitude, roll the wheel away from you. This is known as the Hover Mode. You may also control the zoom levels during your travel. Press the [+] (plus) key to Zoom In and the [-] (minus) key to Zoom Out. The Backspace key resets the zoom level to its default value. Edit Current Airport… RealFlight 9.
Airport Editor MenusSelecting the Edit Current Airport option activates the screen shown above. File Menu- This menu and its menu items are used to manipulate and control the various folders and related items in the airport editor. Open- This menu item is used to open existing and edited airports. Selecting this menu item opens the Select Airport dialog. Save- This option becomes active once you have renamed and saved the edited airport. Prior to doing so, this option remains inactive and grayed out.
Save folder- This option allows you to select an entire sub-folder in an airport and save it as a new file. For example, it is possible to select the entire “Objects” sub-folder in RealFlight Ranch and save it on a disc. To save a folder, highlight it, click on the File menu and select Save Folder. Alternatively, you can right click on the existing folder and select Save Folder. This brings forth a dialog that allows you to determine the new folder’s name, as well as the location where it will be saved.
Undo- Select this to undo the last change you made in the airport editor. Redo- Choose “Redo” to repeat the last action you undid with the “Undo” command. Cut- Select one or more objects at the airport and choose “Cut” to remove the selected objects. The objects are stored temporarily in RealFlight’s memory and can be pasted back into an airport. Copy- Like the Cut option, “Copy”, will store the selected objects in RealFlight’s memory allowing you to later paste it into an airport.
Select Parent- All objects belong to a group or parent. To select the parent that the current selected object belongs to, choose “Select Parent”. Select Child- If a group is currently selected, choose “Select Child” to select the first object listed in that group. Set As Default Pilot Spawn- Choose a pilot spawn and click this menu option to set it to the default spawning point. This point will be the default camera position each time you load the current airport.
Fly Camera- The Fly Camera option allows the camera to function just like the Movement Mode in the simulation. See page 161 for more details. There are several ways to access the Fly Camera mode. The first, and probably the easiest, is to press the ‘V’ key on your keyboard. You may also right click on the scene and select Fly Camera from the menu box that appears. The final method is to select Fly Camera through the View menu and Mode sub-menu item.
Normal Camera- This mode returns the camera to its normal, or default perspective. There are several ways to access the Normal Camera mode. The easiest, is to simply press the ‘Z’ key on the keyboard. Alternatively, you can right click in the editing view and select Normal Camera from the menu box that appears. Finally, you may select Normal Camera through the View menu and Mode menu item. Center View on Selection- This option centers the vantage point on a particular object.
Zoom Out- Click this item to reduce the magnification, or zoom out of the current view. Alternatively, press the [–] (minus) key on the keyboard. You may zoom out via RealFlight 9.5’s menu. Each time the [-] (minus) key or the Zoom Out menu item is pressed or selected, the view will decrease incrementally. Zoom Reset- This menu item resets the view to the default magnification. Alternatively, you may also press the Backspace on the keyboard to reset the zoom to its default value.
This will allow you to easily select the dirt pile without the trees interfering with the selection. There are three selections available: Objects, Overlays and Trees. Objects includes items such as the structures, fences, vehicles, tents and so forth. Overlays are, as the name suggests, the items that are placed over the scenery such as the runways, etc.
This option is useful if you are unsure as to which product contains the object, or if you are unsure as to the type of object that you wish to utilize. It also offers a rapid overview as to the type and number of objects available to you. Rotation Snap- When rotating an object on the flying site, you have the ability to control the amount of rotation with the Rotation Snap. There are four snap settings that may be utilized in the editor to provide quick orientation settings for placing objects.
Window Menu- This menu item activates or eliminates items from the display or window. For example, if you were to click the Properties item in the pull-down menu, this would eliminate the Properties window from the screen. Folder Listing- This listing includes all of the folders available in the airport editor. Selecting this item from the pull-down menu will toggle the presence of the Folder Listing dialog.
Utilizing the Editor Opening the airport editor reveals four distinct windows. For the purpose of clarity, we will examine each window individually. It is, however, important to note that these windows interact with one another. Folder Listing WindowThe Folder Listing window consists of the folders and items (objects) that comprise the currently selected airport. To determine what items are contained within the Objects and Clouds folders, click on the [+] (plus) or double-click on the name itself (e.g.
Alternatively, clicking on an object in the scene will highlight the respective object. It will also open the folder that contains the object. The converse is also true; clicking the folder or object in the Folder Listing menu will highlight the respective item as well. If you wish to move an object from one folder to another, mouse click and hold the object to be moved. Next, drag the object to the desired location (folder) using the mouse and release. The object will be listed at the bottom of the folder.
Properties WindowThe Properties window indicates the detailed information for the item highlighted in the Airport Editor window. The contents of the Properties window may vary depending upon the selection in the Folder Listing window. The example below indicates what is displayed if the flying site’s root or top-level folder is highlighted. Regardless of what is selected, the Properties are all very similar in nature and in their method of modification.
Object Palette WindowThe Object Palette window is used to add a new object or objects to the airport. The object window consists of two separate sections: the preview box in the top section of the window, and the objects list in the bottom section. All objects are grouped according to their root directory. Within the root directory, the grouping is further refined. For example, you will find all available benches in the Benches, Chairs, and Tables group.
1. Click on the [+] (plus) icon in front of the Benches, Chairs and Tables group (or, doubleclick the group name itself). This reveals the next expansion level. 2. From the expansion list, select the ‘Bench’ object. The selected object appears in the preview box. 3. Click the Add button, which adds the object to the scene. You will find additional information pertaining to object placement, positioning, etc., in the Properties section of this chapter, which follows.
Pilot PreviewThis window provides you with the ability to view the scene from the pilot’s perspective. It is very useful when editing PhotoField airports. The number of pilot perspectives available varies dependent upon the selected scene. For example, RealFlight Ranch offers: Runway Center, Runway End and Helipad as the viewing options. To select from these options, open the Control Objects in the Folder Listing. Use the up/down arrow keys on the keyboard or the mouse to select the desired perspective.
Create New Airport This menu enables you to create an entirely new airport, starting with a fresh canvas. The FlexiField™ flying site editor provides you with virtually unlimited editing options, limited only by your imagination. The options available to you when creating an airport are identical to those found in the section pertaining to the airport editor described previously. As such, we will avoid duplicating these instructions.
SunRealFlight 9.5 gives you the ability to adjust the position of the sun in the sky. By changing the Azimuth, you can rotate the sun around. Change the Inclination to adjust how high in the sky the sun should be, or turn day into night by moving the sun below the horizon. Please note, the sun settings are not applicable at PhotoField flying sites. RealFlight 9.
Adjusting the Sun Azimuth- If you customize an airport and find that the sun is always in your flight path, adjusting the sun’s azimuth is a good way to move it around the sky, out of your way. To adjust the azimuth, select the Sun menu. This will bring forth the Azimuth and Inclination options. Highlight the Azimuth menu item in the pull-down selections. To rotate the sun to the right, click Increase. Clicking Decrease will rotate the sun to the left.
Adjusting the Sun Inclination- To position the sun higher in the sky, or set it below the horizon, modify the inclination. To adjust the inclination, select the Sun menu. This will bring forth the Azimuth and Inclination options. Highlight the Inclination menu item in the pull-down selections. To raise the sun higher in the sky, click Increase. Click Decrease to lower the sun, or to set it below the horizon to make it night time.
ThermalsThermals add to the realism in the RealFlight environment. A thermal is a column of rising air that is hotter than the surrounding air. Thermals affect all aircraft, but they are most important to gliders and soaring aircraft, as thermals assist them in obtaining additional altitude and potentially increasing flight duration. RealFlight 9.5 offers two types of thermals. Dynamic- Dynamic thermals are most realistic.
WindRealFlight 9.5’s TruFlo Wind Dynamics offers an incredibly realistic wind model. Its components work together to capture this complex, ever-changing force with unbelievable realism. Just as it would at the field, your model will encounter a variety of wind forces as it soars across the skies in RealFlight. Sailplane enthusiasts will appreciate the lifelike effect of the winds as they follow the drafts on the slopes and hills of RealFlight 9.5.
Adjusting the Wind Direction- RealFlight 9.5 allows you to alter the direction (expressed in degrees) of the wind. This function is perfect for practicing crosswind landings. Selecting the Wind menu item brings up the Speed, Direction, and Turbulence options. To adjust the wind direction, highlight the Direction menu item in the drop-down selections. To increase the degree of wind direction, click on the Increase option in the drop-down selections.
Adjusting the Wind Speed- Increasing the wind speed is an ideal way to learn to fly in less-than-perfect wind conditions that frequently occur at an RC field. To adjust the speed of the wind, select the Wind menu. To adjust the speed of the wind, highlight the Speed menu item in the pull-down selections. To increase the speed of the wind, click on the Increase option in the pull-down selections. Clicking the Decrease option reduces the wind speed.
Adjusting the Turbulence- Increasing the turbulence is another ideal method for learning to fly in challenging conditions. Modelers and full-scale pilots alike will all agree that winds are not constant. This setting accurately reflects the lifelike effects of turbulence. To adjust the turbulence, select the Wind menu, and highlight the Turbulence menu item in the pull-down selections. To increase the speed of the turbulence, click on the Increase option in the pull-down selections.
Reset to Default Selecting Reset to Default will adjust all weather and environment parameters back to their default settings for the currently selected flying site. RealFlight 9.
Airport MRU If you have previously selected an alternative flying location, or locations, you will note that it will appear on a list in the Simulation menu. This list is at the very bottom of the menu and is commonly referred to as a Most Recently Used, or MRU list. It is limited to the eight most recently selected locations. If you wish to fly at one of these locations, simply click on the respective location and it will begin loading. RealFlight 9.
Chapter 8 Challenges Menu TEST AND IMPROVE YOUR FLYING SKILLS WITH EXCITING PILOT CHALLENGES. T he Challenges menu allows you to practice and improve your flying skills while adding some excitement and fun along the way. There are a variety of challenges available with rewards that unlock as you complete more difficult levels. RealFlight 9.
Clicking Select Challenges menu item will display the following screen: A number of options are available to you from this screen. The most obvious is the list of the different types of challenges available (Air Race, Balloon Burst, etc.). Displayed with each Challenge are any medals that you might have won, along with your progress. Along the top, you will see your current score tally for Airplanes, Helis, and Drones as well as a cumulative total.
Air Race Air Race challenges will put your aerobatic flying skills to the test while timing your proficiency. You will be given any number of gates that you must fly through. As you improve, the level of difficulty increases. More gates, more aerobatic aircraft, and strict aircraft orientation through the gates will be added. Points are awarded based on the time it takes you to complete the course. As you complete levels, more levels will become available.
Balloon Burst Flying from a chase camera, you’re required to pop all the balloons at the field. The faster you can do this the more points you will earn. As more difficult levels become available, you may be required to fly different aircraft or forced to search for hidden balloons. RealFlight 9.
FPV Drone Racing / FPV Racing League Drone racing has gained incredibly popularity in recent years and can even be seen on major television networks. While many modelers won’t be able to race at that level of involvement, the simulation offers a drone racing experience for anyone to enjoy. From the aircraft’s point of view, fly through a course of gates. Each level requires quicker reactions from more aerobatic aircraft, on more difficult courses.
Grapple For those that wish to test their skills at flying rotor aircraft, the Grapple challenges are a must. Using the Switch C on the InterLink DX, or channel 5 on your radio, you will be able to pick up objects and release them. Each level will require different tasks for you to perform. Points are awarded based on how quickly you can complete each level. RealFlight 9.
Hangar Obstacle Course Navigate amongst the obstacles in the hangar using Horizon’s SAFE technology to stabilize the aircraft. As the levels increase, the number of obstacles increase, also. RealFlight 9.
Limbo A true pilot isn’t recognized until they can prove themselves with high-speed low passes. The Limbo challenges can test who has the guts to get low and fast. As you progress to more difficult levels, you may find objects in your way, more aerobatic aircraft to fly, or even inverted flight requirements. Like many other challenges, points are awarded based on the time it takes to complete each level. RealFlight 9.
Quadcopter Trials You think you have what it takes to fly a Quadcopter? Then the Quadcopter Trials will test your skills. You’ll be walking and following a quadcopter through a number of obstacles. Some you must fly through, while others are platforms you must land on. Scoring is best on how quickly you can fly through each level. Do well through this challenge, and you’ll be rewarded at the end. RealFlight 9.
Ring Race For the real thrill seekers, try jumping into the cockpit and try your hand at Ring Race. From the aircraft’s point of view, fly through a course of rings. Each level requires quicker reactions from more aerobatic aircraft, on more difficult courses. Like many of the other challenges, points are awarded by how quickly you can fly through the course. RealFlight 9.
Scavenger Hunt Flying multi-rotor aircraft from First Person View has become a popular past time. Now you can try your hand at doing so, and testing your skills at the same time with the Scavenger Hunt Challenge. With each level, you must locate objects around the flying site that are highlighted in a red box. Fly to them closely, and hold that object inside your targeting circle. Once held there long enough, a picture will be snapped by your on-board camera. At that point, you must find the next object.
Spot Landing As the old saying goes, “Takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory.” How well can you land? With the Spot Landing challenge, you must be able to land accurately on a target on the runway. The closer to the center of the target you land the more points you will be awarded. RealFlight 9.
Locked Challenges You will also note that RealFlight 9.5 includes a number of challenges that are locked and grayed out initially. If/when you complete the existing challenges and have earned enough points/medal to do so, these challenges will unlock accordingly. During Flight While competing in a challenge, a number of statistics and data are available to you. First, in the upper left corner is information pertinent to the current challenge.
• Restart – Clicking this will return you to the Begin screen where you can view your current high score, description of the current challenge, or return to the level selection screen. Depending upon the challenge selected, you might also see a ‘map’ indicating visually where the next gate that you must conquer is located. Pre-Flight Information After you’ve selected a challenge and determined the level that you would like to attempt, a screen similar to the following will appear.
Chapter 9 Gadgets Menu THE GADGETS MENU IS USED TO DETERMINE ANY ONSCREEN INDICATORS, AUDIO INDICATORS AND OTHER SUCH GADGETS THAT WILL ASSIST THE PILOT DURING FLIGHT. T he Gadget menu allows you to select amongst a wide variety of options that you might find useful during flight. A Gadget is an on-screen display that provides you with information pertaining to a certain aspect of your simulation experience. To access the Gadgets menu item, click the Gadgets menu title.
Flight Modes Radio Mode (gadget only)- This option allows you to change the Mode in which the on-screen radio is displayed. For example, if you prefer to fly with the throttle and rudder on the left stick, and ailerons and elevator on the right stick, then you fly Mode 2. Some modelers prefer Mode 1. In this mode, the left stick controls the rudder and elevator; the right stick controls the throttle and ailerons. Whichever mode you fly, you will want the on-screen radio to match.
NavGuides A NavGuide is an on-screen display that allows you to view some basic information pertaining to your aircraft. If you wish to alter the contents of the NavGuide, please refer to the Edit NavGuides… section later in this chapter. To access the NavGuides, click the Gadgets menu title, followed by the NavGuides menu item. You may also load the NavGuides using the InterLink DX with the QuickSelect buttons. Press the Scroll Wheel/Select button. Then use the roller to highlight the NavGuides tab.
Altitude (ASL)- This option displays the altitude for the respective aircraft above sea level. Even though the aircraft may be taxiing on the runway, the altitude may reflect hundreds or thousands of feet, if applicable. Battery/Fuel RemainingThis indicates of the amount of battery mAh or fuel that remains for your aircraft at a given moment. This value will decrease throughout the longevity of the flight. Graphics Frames/Sec- This is an abbreviated version of Frames per Second, or FPS.
Radio The on-screen radio display is useful for many facets of flight. For example, when used in conjunction with recordings, this allows you to see real-time control input from the original pilot. Observing the link between controller movements and aircraft performance will advance your knowledge and understanding of a maneuver. To access the Radio, click the Gadgets menu title, followed by the Radio menu item. You may also load the Radio using the InterLink DX with the QuickSelect buttons.
Binocular The Binocular option will show a perfectly zoomed aircraft, as if you were looking through a pair of binoculars. The background of the viewport box becomes transparent. This provides a visual indicator alerting you that you are using “binocular vision.” RealFlight 9.
The Binocular option is a great way to see the control surfaces on an aircraft that is too far away to see in the main view. Although not realistic, it does help to see the effects of control input. By default, the Binocular view will automatically hide when the aircraft is close enough to be seen in the main window. When it does so, the Binocular icon will be visible to indicate that this gadget is still active. The view will reappear when the aircraft flies off into the distance.
Viewport The Viewport menu item allows you to open up a smaller window so you can adjust independently from the main simulator screen. This works much like a picture-in-picture feature found on many TVs. Once you create a new viewport, you can adjust the size or reposition it by dragging with your mouse. You can also fully adjust all the viewport’s properties (zoom level, vantage point options, etc.), independent of any properties of the main window.
To change the vantage point options and features, use the commands found in the View menu. Ensure that the viewport you wish to modify is the active viewport, or the modifications will not take effect. Alternatively, you may click the left or right arrows that appear at the bottom of the Viewport. Note that some camera angles are not available at PhotoField airports. The Viewport will display static if these cameras are chosen.
Variometer A variometer is an instrument designed to indicate the rate of climb or descent of an aircraft. The variometer is useful to pilots flying powered aircraft so they can ascertain that level flight is maintained. This is useful during turning maneuvers. Glider pilots typically make the most use of a variometer, to help determine the areas of rising or sinking air currents. To access the Variometer, click the Gadgets menu title, followed by the Variometer menu item.
• AGL – This indicates the altitude above ground level. Clicking the Variometer viewport will display the title bar and frame. Clicking on the ‘X’ in the title tab of the frame removes the frame from the screen. Multiplayer This gadget enables the Scoreboard, which offers a wealth of information about all the players connected to the multiplayer session, as well as details on the current game (if one is in progress). For more information about the Scoreboard, see page 246.
Timer The Timer gadget is a simple stopwatch to offer timing functions. This is especially useful for sailplane pilots that wish to time the duration of their flights. Clicking the Start/Stop button on the gadget will start and stop the timer. Reset will set the timer back to zero. You may also change how the timer starts and stop. See Timer Settings below for more details. RealFlight 9.
Heads-Up Display The Heads-Up Display (HUD) projects an FPV (First Person Video) or combat jet-like display over the screen that provides useful data in real time. Information displayed by location on screen: • Upper left – Fuel Remaining • Top center – Heading • Upper right – Variometer; the rate of climb or descent. • Left side – Airspeed • Center – Pitch ladder, showing the aircraft’s pitch and roll in relationship to the horizon.
Quick Load… The Quick Load gadget allows you to rapidly search and select a new aircraft or flying site. Select Quick Load from the Gadgets menu, or press ‘Ctrl + F’ to display the following gadget: To begin your search, begin typing the name of the aircraft or airport you wish to load. As you type, any aircraft or airport that is installed (including Expansion Packs) that match what you type will begin to appear. The more precise the search word, the narrower the selection of rows available.
Close All This menu item closes all open gadgets. It offers the user an easy method to clean up the screen without having to close each gadget separately. RealFlight 9.
Edit NavGuides… This menu item allows you to modify the data and display of the NavGuides box. To access the Edit NavGuides feature, click the Gadgets menu title, followed by the Edit NavGuides… menu item. Alternatively, clicking on the ‘gear’ of the on-screen NavGuides will open the edit screen also. Modifying the NavGuides- To add any of the options from the top list to the NavGuides display, click in the checkbox next to the respective item.
Aircraft: G Force Check this item to display the gravitational load that the aircraft is experiencing as felt by the pilot. Aircraft: G Force Total Check this item to display the gravitational load that the aircraft is experiencing in any direction. Aircraft: Ground Speed Check this item to display the current ground speed of the aircraft. Aircraft: Heading Check this item to display the current heading of the aircraft. This heading is displayed in degrees, as they would appear on a compass.
blowing. Environment: Wind Speed Check this item to display the velocity of the wind at the current time. Environment: Wind Updraft Check this item to display the velocity of the wind in the upward direction. Pilot: Distance to Aircraft Check this item to display the current distance from the pilot to the aircraft. Pilot: Field Of View Check this item to display the field of view angle for the main window.
Manage NavGuide item visibility automatically. RealFlight will then automatically hide the NavGuide item from the gadget that doesn’t relate to the currently selected aircraft. As the name suggests, the Gadget Text allows you to set the font size of the text on the NavGuide to either Small or Large. Restore Defaults- The Restore Defaults button returns all NavGuides to their default values and options.
Timer Settings- This option allows you to change how the Timer gadget operates. Instead of manually clicking the Start/Stop or Reset buttons with the mouse, it is possible for RealFlight to control these for you by linking them. • Reset Timer on Reset – When enabled (a checkmark will appear next to the menu item), the Timer gadget will reset to zero whenever you reset the aircraft. • Start/Stop with Throttle – With this enabled, the Timer gadget will start when the throttle is increased.
Chapter 10 Multiplayer Menu FLY WITH FRIENDS, AT THE SAME COMPUTER, OR OVER THE INTERNET. T he Multiplayer option allows you to fly with many other RealFlight users. These pilots can be across the street, around the block, or around the world! There are two ways to link up with the additional pilots: via a LAN (Local Area Network), or over the internet. In order to do so, you will need a TCP/IP connection either through your LAN or an ISP (Internet Service Provider).
Some of these items will be grayed out or disabled if they do not apply to the current situation. For example, you cannot disconnect unless you are currently connected. As such, the Disconnect menu item is grayed out unless you are in a multiplayer session. When you participate in a multiplayer session, the menu commands you will access depend on whether you are the host or whether you opt to join someone else’s session.
Important Multiplayer Connectivity Tip: Port Forwarding- If you are connected to the internet behind a router (cabled or wireless) or software firewall, you may need to open up access to a certain range of port numbers before RealFlight can successfully connect for multiplayer gameplay. Please Note: If you are unfamiliar with how to set up port forwarding on your router device and/or software firewall product(s), please refer to the supporting documentation (installation guide, user's manual, etc.
Pilot Profile The Pilot Profile allows you to customize the information about yourself. This information is available to other pilots during multiplayer sessions. The Pilot Profile will also display the first day you ran RealFlight 9.5 (shown as your License Date), and keep track of the number of days, hours, and minutes you have spent flying the simulator (shown as Hours Logged). RealFlight 9.
The items that you may change for the Pilot Profile are as follows: • Avatar – The image on the left-hand side of the profile is your avatar. An avatar is a graphical representation of one’s self commonly used on the internet. RealFlight allows you to choose from a variety of avatars in your Pilot Profile. To do so, click on the avatar to display arrows at the bottom of the image. Clicking either arrow will cycle through the different avatars that are available. To select an avatar, click Apply.
Join This option allows you to participate in a Multiplayer session without being the Host of the session yourself. To access the Join… menu item, click on the Multiplayer menu followed by the Join… menu item. Before you can join a session, you will need a network connection. RealFlight 9.
Join SessionThis dialog allows you to select the multiplayer session that you wish to join. It also provides a variety of information pertaining to the various sessions available. Server- The Server column displays the names of all available sessions. If you have not searched for (and found) a session, this column will remain blank. Airport- This column shows the currently selected airport being utilized by the host.
Password- This column indicates whether or not a password is required to join a particular multiplayer session. This allows the host to maintain a private session for friends, family, etc. Search- The bottom left corner displays a drop-down selection box indicating the location that you wish to search for multiplayer sessions. RealFlight will search the List Server (Internet) or the Local Network (LAN) for multiplayer sessions. To determine the Search area, click the down arrow.
Filter Servers- Below the List Server is an option to filter your search results. If a large number of multiplayer sessions are listed, you may want to narrow your search results to quickly and easily find the session you wish to join. Filter options include: • Server Name – If you know the name of the session you wish to join, type it in this field. • Airport – If you wish to participate at multiplayer sessions only at certain airports, you can select that airport from this drop-down.
Host Every multiplayer session requires one participant to function as the host. If you are the host, you will be the one who starts the session. The host is also the one who starts and ends the events. Once you have started the session, other players may join in as they wish. Unless you opt to make your session private, the session will be open to RealFlight owners searching for multiplayer events. To access the Host… menu item, click on the Multiplayer menu followed by the Host… menu item. RealFlight 9.
Host InformationThe Host Information allows you the ability to name your multiplayer session. You can also choose the maximum number of pilots and whether or not to make your multiplayer session public or private. Session Name- Using the keyboard, enter the name of the session that you will be hosting. Please note: This is the name of your session, not necessarily your personal name. In fact, you might find it useful to use a descriptive name such as “3D Fun Fly.
the number of participants. We suggest 8-16 players for typical residential internet connections. Publish To- This option allows you to choose how other people will find and connect to your multiplayer sessions. There are two options available. • Internet – This option will publish your session on the RealFlight List Server, so anyone in the world can connect to you. • LAN – Short for “Local Area Network”, choose LAN if you wish to host a multiplayer session on your local home or work network.
These options are also available from the Multiplayer menu if you wish to select them at a later time. For more information about Game Lists, turn to page 241. Manage Ban List- Click this button to display the Ban List dialog window. This option is also available from the Multiplayer menu. See page 245 for more information.
Host Options This menu option will open a sub-menu that allows the host of a multiplayer session a variety of options to start, stop, and manage events. Many of these menu items are not accessible unless you are currently hosting a multiplayer session. Start GameTo start an individual game at the airport currently loaded, select the event from the list that appears in this sub-menu. The options are: • Combat (Biplanes) – Full-fledged combat with machine guns and rockets flying the Sopwith Pup.
• Fun Fly – An open event without any weapons or scoring involved. • Hardcore Combat (Biplanes) – Like the Combat event, but with limited ammo and bonuses. You can only shoot from the cockpit camera flying the Sopwith Pup. • Hardcore Combat (Warbirds) - Like the Combat event, but with limited ammo and bonuses. You can only shoot from the cockpit camera perspective flying the P-51 Mustang. • Paintball (Biplanes) – Fly combat, shooting paintballs in the Sopwith Pup.
This Power-Up restocks your bullet ammunition. If you are running low on fuel or battery power, fly through this Power-Up. Flying through this Power-Up will only “infect” the other participants in the game, yet leave you unharmed. The effects vary depending upon the game. In Streamer Cut, for example, all streamers except for yours will be twice as long. If the event utilizes Paintballs, Guns, or Rockets, your opponents will be unable to fire. This is a temporary Power-Up.
This is the one Power-Up to avoid at all cost. This PowerUp functions in reverse of the Infect Power-Up, whereby it harms you providing the advantage to your opponents. You never know what you will receive with this PowerUp. As the name suggests, this Power-Up will randomly act like one of the other Power-Ups when you fly through it. If your health is low during combat games with guns and rockets, fly through this Power-Up to repair your aircraft.
Don’t be so quick to hit that Reset button if it is not required. Each time you reset during a combat event, you will lose 15 points. Resetting also eliminates any Power-Ups you might currently have. Stop Game- Select this to stop the currently running game. This option is only available if you are the host of the multiplayer session and are running a single game, not a Game List. Set Game Limits- Select this menu item to open a window that allows you to alter the game limits.
Manage Game Lists…- RealFlight 9.5 allows you to manage and run a list of events automatically giving you the opportunity to enjoy the competition without worrying about controlling the multiplayer session. Clicking on this menu item will display the following dialog window: On the left side of this window, it will display the Game Lists available on your computer. A number of pre-configured Game Lists are included with RealFlight 9.5.
that after you have confirmed the removal of the Game List, it will no longer be available nor will it be stored on your machine. • Configure … - To configure the contests, timers and other settings and options for the Game List, select it from the list on the left, then click the Configure… button. See below for an explanation on how to configure a Game List.
Please note: These options are disabled for stock Game Lists that are included with RealFlight 9.5. The main pane on this window indicates all games listed for the selected Game List. Each game will list the Airport at which it will load, the contest it will run, and the amount of time that remains in the contest before proceeding to the next game on the list.
Manage Ban List…- Generally speaking, the RealFlight and the RC community are a great group of people, all sharing a common interest and passion for all things aviation. Unfortunately, there are times when some people choose not to abide by the host’s rules or wishes, or will otherwise conduct themselves in an inappropriate manner during a multiplayer session.
Scoreboard The Scoreboard offers a wealth of information about all the players connected to the multiplayer session, as well as details on the current game (if one is in progress). If a combat contest is currently in progress, you can show and hide the Scoreboard simply by pressing the Scroll Wheel/Select button on the InterLink DX controller. This allows you to display the Scoreboard without taking your hands off the controller and missing that well-placed shot.
• Look At – This function allows you to quickly change your camera’s point of view to look at the desired player’s aircraft. To do so, simply click the icon to change your view. The icon will be highlighted next to the current player you are looking at. If you are participating in a combat event, the Look At icon will be represented as a target. If you are simply participating in a multiplayer session, this icon will be represented as an eyeball.
o Mute/Unmute – As the name suggests, this button will mute or unmute the voice chat from this player only. Note that this does not mute your microphone. o Kick – Clicking this button will kick (remove) the selected player from the multiplayer session. This is only available to the host of the session. This will not ban a player from reconnecting. o Ban – This button will add the selected player to the Ban List and kick the player. Once this is done, this player cannot reconnect.
Server Details… As the host of a multiplayer session, you may choose to edit the details of your server. This information will be displayed to each player as they join your session. The title bar of the window displays the name of your multiplayer session. This information will be displayed in the server list and also in the Join dialog window when other players search for multiplayer servers. The top portion of this window displays the host information.
information will be shared to all players that connect to your multiplayer session. Otherwise, if you leave the ServerMessage.txt file alone, making no changes to the default text, this screen will not be displayed to joining participants. If you do not wish to see this screen, simply click the checkbox next to Do not show this dialog again unless it changes and click OK. Game Help… The Game Help window is displayed to all participants at the beginning of a game.
Game Gadgets There are three onscreen gadgets that are only available during multiplayer sessions. Therefore, unlike other gadgets which are located in the Windows menu, you will find these under the Multiplayer menu. Selecting Game Gadgets from the Multiplayer menu will display five choices. To display all of the Multiplayer Gadgets on the screen at the same time, click the All menu item. To remove all of the Multiplayer Gadgets, select None. Alternatively, you may select each desired gadget individually.
Pilot StatusThis gadget displays pertinent data regarding your current status. The name entered in the Pilot Profile will be noted at the top of the status display. The bottom of this gadget indicates your current score. The middle section displays a variety of progress bars. The level of the progress bar will differ depending on the current status of the game, and the game you are playing. They include: Fuel – Indication of the remaining fuel or battery power.
Shield – Flying through the Shield Power-Up will give you temporary immunity from all other players. This progress bar displays the amount of time left before you lose your shield. Gun Temperature – During hardcore combat events, your guns can overheat and temporarily stop working. You must let them cool down before firing again. If this progress bar fills up completely, your guns have overheated. RealFlight 9.
TargetingThe Targeting gadget displays the player you currently have selected as your target. The avatar for the intended target will appear with their name and score for the current game. Below this will show their Tagline from the targeted player’s Pilot Profile. The Targeting gadget also controls whether the targeting indicator (red triangle) will appear around the selected target’s aircraft. This triangle only appears if the gadget is on screen and a player is selected.
Targeting RingThe Targeting Ring, when activated, will appear directly in the middle of the screen. This heads-up gadget helps you locate your currently targeted opponent during combat events. When displayed, an arrow will appear on the outer perimeter of the circle. This indicates the direction of the targeted aircraft. Note that the arrow will not be displayed if the aircraft appears within the perimeter of the Targeting Ring. RealFlight 9.
Select Target The menu items located in the Select Target menu allows you to select amongst the connected players as a target. Clicking Previous, or Next will cycle through the players accordingly. Alternatively, you can press the ‘[‘ or ‘]’ keys on the keyboard. To deactivate the current target so that no players are targeted, simply choose Clear from the menu, or press ‘\’ on the keyboard. During combat events, you can quickly cycle through different targets using the InterLink DX Select Function.
Disabled – RealFlight does not change the targeted player. This allows you to have full control of the targeting system. Leader – RealFlight will target the player with the highest score. If this happens to be you, then RealFlight will select a player at random. Random – RealFlight will randomly select a player to target. Smart – All players with a higher score than yourself will be selected somewhat randomly.
By default, RealFlight will set the Simulation Sounds to Reduced. At this setting, you will still be able to hear all of the sounds, including engine noises and crashes, but at a lower volume. Select Off to turn off all simulator sounds. If you prefer that all sound settings remain the same in multiplayer sessions as they do offline, select the Normal menu item.
Test Microphone…This menu item will bring up a small dialog window, which will allow you to test the microphone connected to your computer. Follow the on-screen instructions to test the microphone. Select the button that best matches your setup. If you are using a microphone and speakers, we suggest turning the speaker volume down or off. Otherwise, audio feedback could be sent to all participating pilots, making voice chat difficult for all players. RealFlight 9.
Once you have selected your setup, the following dialog will appear to test the microphone. RealFlight 9.
Follow the on-screen instructions. If your microphone test is successful, click the button labeled Yes. Doing so will display the following: RealFlight 9.
Clicking No on the microphone test dialog will display the following screen with troubleshooting tips: Please note: If you are having difficulties setting up your microphone, please refer to your computer user manual for proper setup. Toggle Microphone On/OffThis option will turn on or off your microphone, so other players can/not hear you. You will still be able to hear other players. Alternatively, you can press ‘V’ on the keyboard to toggle the microphone on or off. RealFlight 9.
Text Chat During Multiplayer sessions, you may want to chat with other participants. Doing so is as simple as typing a message, much like popular instant messenger programs. To send a chat message, press the Enter key to bring up the Chat field at the bottom of the screen. Using the keyboard, type the message you wish to send. Press the Enter key again on the keyboard to send the message. Please note: All messages are viewable by all participants. RealFlight does not offer private chat.
Enter MultiMode MultiMode allows you to fly with another pilot on the same PC; with each pilot controlling his or her own aircraft. This feature is ideal for offering personal flight instruction, practicing formation flights, or simply for chasing one another across the skies. To access the MultiMode menu item, click on the Multiplayer menu followed by the Enter MultiMode menu item. RealFlight 9.
MultiMode will split the screen either horizontally (default) or vertically. You can change this option in the Settings window. Simply click the Simulation menu followed by Settings. On the left side of the Settings screen that appears, choose Multiplayer. On the right, you can adjust the MultiMode Screen Layout – select either Horizontal or Vertical. All options available in RealFlight are also available in MultiMode. The difference is most will function on half of the screen that currently is active.
Chapter 11 Recordings Menu SAVE AND PLAY BACK REALFLIGHT MEMORIES. T he Recordings menu is used to start and stop recordings to assist you in your RC ventures. The RealFlight simulator also allows you to record your flights for later playback – complete with audio voiceovers. You can even share your flights with friends and fellow pilots. RealFlight 9.
Start Recording Click on the Recording menu followed by the Start Recording menu item. RealFlight will start recording your flight immediately. An on-screen message will confirm that the recording has started. RealFlight will continue recording your flight until you select the Stop Recording menu item or press ‘R’ again to stop recording. Stop Recording The Stop Recording menu item is not visible until the Start Recording menu item activates.
Open Recording… This menu item allows you to access the recording files. It also allows you to perform a variety of modifications to the files such as renaming them or deleting them. To access the recordings, click the Recording menu title followed by the Open Recording… menu item. To open a recording, click on the file name. Next, click on the Open button. Alternatively, you may double-click on the file. Regardless of which method you use, this will start RealFlight’s Playback Gadget.
If you do not wish to view the playback information, double-click the title bar of the display box. This will hide the information. To view it once again, simply double-click the title bar again. To modify the size of the playback gadget display, position the cursor over the lower right corner of the frame. Using the mouse, drag the frame according to your wishes. Dragging the frame to the right or left increases or decreases the width of the gadget, respectively.
Left/Right Arrows- The left and right arrows skip back (left) or skip forward (right) in the recording. Alternatively, you may click on the position indicator, hold the mouse button and drag the indicator to the desired position. Playback/Pause- If the recording is paused, the playback button will be the single arrow pointing to the right. To resume playback of the recording, click this arrow. If the recording is playing, the playback button will switch to a pause button.
Record Microphone Input RealFlight also allows you to add your voice or other audio to the recordings. If selected, the Record Microphone Input menu item activates and allows you to record audio input to accompany your recording. Adding your voiceover to the recordings is a fantastic way to create personalized training lessons. This feature presents you with the ability to create your own Virtual Flight Instructions that you can share with other RealFlight owners around the world! RealFlight 9.
Recordings MRU If you have previously selected a recording, you will note that it appears on a list in the Recordings menu title. Lists such as this are commonly referred to as Most Recently Used, or MRU lists. The MRU list is limited to the eight most recently selected recordings. If you wish to view one of these recordings simply click on the name of the recording and it will begin. RealFlight 9.
Chapter 12 Training Menu PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. REALFLIGHT’S TRAINING AIDS MAKE PRACTICING A LITTLE MORE ENJOYABLE. R ealFlight 9.5 offers a number of training aids. These training aids are designed for modelers of all skill levels. Helicopter pilots will benefit from the Heli Hover Trainer, Heli Autorotation Trainer, and the Heli Orientation Trainer. The Heli Hover Trainer and Heli Orientation Trainer offer modelers the chance to practice their stick control and helicopter attitude recognition.
RealFlight 9.5 Flight Simulator. As the name suggests, this module includes a number of flight training segments designed to introduce modelers to RC flight and to overcome any potential apprehensions or fears. Our instructor will teach you step-by-step, how to takeoff, fly around and land safely using E-flite’s Apprentice STS airplane. New to RealFlight 9.
The Flight Training menu item contains several filter options. The filter option selected, as well as any previously completed flight training lessons, may determine lesson availability. If the New filter is selected, this will bring forth the flight training that has been added to the RealFlight offering in RF 9 and RF 9.5. The Classic filter includes content that was previously offered through past iterations of the RealFlight simulation.
To access a Flight Training lesson, mouse click on the desired lesson. Note: if a lesson is grayed out with the padlock image in the iconic representation, then this particular lesson is not yet available to you. Please complete the previous lessons to unlock accordingly. After you’ve selected the desired lesson, you will note several areas of interest. For example, the header of the lesson includes the overall goal for this module.
If applicable, a Flight Modes graphical indication will appear on screen as well. This indicator will exemplify the current flight mode of the Instructor’s aircraft. Should the Instructor alter the flight mode within the lesson, the graphic will also change accordingly. Further, an on-screen radio will indicate the Instructor’s stick movements as well as any switch positions, etc.
Playback Gadget BarWith the flight training lesson open, RealFlight’s playback gadget bar will appear at the top of the screen. There are a number of controls and options included on this gadget bar; each will be identified and explained below in a separate section for ease of reference. Playback GadgetThis gadget allows you to control the playback of the recordings using the mouse. For example, clicking the arrow that is facing to the left will rewind the flight lesson and start from the beginning.
Classic Flight TrainingAs mentioned previously, the Classic Flight Training module includes a variety of lessons that had been incorporated into previous RealFlight offerings from a variety of pilots. The appearance may be a bit dated, however, the foundational training is still valid today. The menu items (e.g., Playback Gadget, etc.) are identical to those utilized in the New Flight Training segments noted previously.
Heli Hover Trainer The Heli Hover Trainer offers you a great way to learn how to precisely control a helicopter in a hover. With the Heli Hover Trainer, you pick which channel, or channels you wish to control and RealFlight will take care of the rest for you. You’ll also have options to determine the model’s orientation, perimeter dimensions, and more. To start the trainer, click Heli Hover Trainer… menu item from the Training menu. The trainer will start automatically.
The get ready dialog is a great way to prepare for the trainer. Once you have successfully run through the trainer a few times and no longer wish to see this dialog, simply click the checkbox labeled Don’t show this message again and then click Go. You’ll notice a circle on the ground. This circle represents the training boundary or perimeter. If your helicopter ventures beyond the boundary’s outer perimeter, it will break apart and the session will begin once again.
Trainer MenuThe Trainer menu contains the following menu items: Reset Aircraft- If you crash or fly outside the circle, there are three ways to reset the aircraft: 1. Press the Reset button on the InterLink DX controller. This is probably the fastest and simplest method. 2. Press the keyboard’s space bar. 3. Click the Reset Aircraft menu item. Boundary- The Boundary menu item allows you to change the size of the circle, or eliminate it altogether.
• Medium – Creates a medium-sized circle; this is the default setting. • Large – Creates a large circle. Crashes- After a crash, RealFlight may automatically reset your helicopter for you, if so desired. This option is on by default. If you would prefer to turn this option off, select the Crashes menu item, then select the Automatically Reset Aircraft. If a checkmark appears next to this menu item, then this feature is activated. If the checkmark does not appear, it is not active.
Orientation Menu- The Orientation menu allows you the option to select the position and attitude of the heli when the session begins or the helicopter is reset. A checkmark will appear next to the currently selected orientation. The options available are: • Random Upright – The heli will start in the upright position, but it will randomly face either to the right, left, nose out, or nose in.
Control Menu- The Control menu allows you to select which channel or channels you will control. All other channels are controlled by RealFlight, allowing you to learn just the controls you wish and adding more as you become more comfortable and confident in your skills. A checkmark will appear in the menu next to the currently selected item. Your options are: • Pitch Only – You control only the pitch of the heli. RealFlight will control the roll, yaw, and throttle.
HelpIf you wish to display the welcome and get ready dialog screens again, select Show Training Dialogs from the Help menu. RealFlight 9.
Heli Autorotation Trainer Every helicopter pilot will tell you that one of the most important things to learn is how to properly perform an autorotation in case your model should experience a motor/engine loss of power. This Heli Autorotation Trainer offers you a great way to learn this maneuver. To start the trainer, click Heli Autorotation Trainer… menu item from the Training menu. The trainer will start automatically.
Trainer MenuThe trainer Menu contains the following menu items: Reset Aircraft- If you crash, there are three ways to reset the aircraft: 1. Press the Reset button on the InterLink DX controller. This is probably the fastest and simplest method. 2. Press the keyboard’s space bar. 3. Click the Reset Aircraft menu item. Boundary- The Boundary menu item allows you to change the size of the circle or eliminate it altogether.
Initial Altitude- This sub-menu item allows you to adjust the altitude from which you will start the autorotation. A low altitude will offer less time for you to make adjustments to your landing, however, it is good to practice emergency autorotations at all altitudes. There are three options available: • Low – While a lower altitude offers less time for input, the inertia will have less time to diminish as well. • Medium – Allows for a mid-level autorotation.
Exit- If you wish to leave the Heli Hover Trainer and return to the simulator, select the Exit menu item. HelpIf you wish to display the welcome and get ready dialog screens again, select Show Training Dialogs from the Help menu. RealFlight 9.
Heli Orientation Trainer As you become more proficient with hovering a helicopter, you can test your skills with the Heli Orientation Trainer. The Heli Orientation Trainer challenges you to keep your helicopter in the same location as the trainer helicopter. As you succeed in doing so the trainer helicopter will move and the level of difficulty will increase. To start the trainer, select the Heli Orientation Trainer menu item from the Training menu.
As you advance to the next level, you may be responsible for controlling more channels, the allotted time might also decrease, and the trainer heli will stop in more locations. You might also experience any combination of these circumstances as the difficulty increases. Heli Orientation MenuThe Heli Orientation menu is the only menu accessible while the trainer is running. Two options are available in the Heli Orientation menu: Select Level- A drop-down menu will display the levels available to you.
Airplane Hover Trainer The Airplane Hover Trainer offers you a great way to learn how to control an aerobatic airplane in a torque roll. With the Airplane Hover Trainer, you pick which channel or channels you wish to control. RealFlight automatically controls the rest. To start the trainer, click the Airplane Hover Trainer… menu item from the Training menu. The trainer will start automatically. A welcome dialog will appear to explain the goals of this trainer and offer a few tips.
Within the trainer, you’ll notice a circle on the ground. This circle represents the training boundary, or perimeter. If your airplane ventures beyond this boundary, it will break apart and the session will begin once again. You’ll also note an ‘X’ mark within the boundary that represents the current location of your airplane. The goal is to control the airplane in a stable hover; keeping it as close to the center of the circle as possible.
Boundary- The Boundary menu item allows you to change the size of the circle, or eliminate it altogether. To change the size or the boundary, select the Boundary menu item from the Trainer menu. A drop-down menu will appear with the following options: • None – Eliminates the boundary circle. • Small – Creates a small circle. • Medium – Creates a medium-sized circle. • Large – Creates a large circle. Crashes- After a crash, RealFlight may automatically reset your aircraft for you, if so desired.
Orientation MenuThe Orientation menu allows you the option to select the position and attitude of the airplane when the session begins or the airplane is reset. A checkmark will appear next to the currently selected orientation. The options available are: • Random – The airplane will start in a random position, with the top, bottom, left side or right side facing you. • Top – The airplane will start with the top of the aircraft facing you.
Control MenuThe Control menu allows you to select which channel or channels to control. The remaining channels are controlled by RealFlight, allowing you to learn just the controls you wish and adding more as you become more comfortable and confident. A checkmark will appear in the menu next to the currently selected item. Your options are: • Elevator Only – Check this to control only the elevator of the aircraft. RealFlight will control the throttle, ailerons, and rudder for you.
• Throttle, Rudder – Check this to control the throttle and rudder of the aircraft. RealFlight will control the elevator and ailerons for you. • Throttle, Aileron, Elevator, Rudder – Check this to control all four channels. You will not receive any assistance from RealFlight. HelpIf you wish to display the welcome and get ready dialog screens again, select Show Training Dialogs from the Help menu. RealFlight 9.
Chapter 13 View Menu ADJUST YOUR VANTAGE POINT, CHANGE YOUR LOCATION, ENABLE EFFECTS, AND MORE. T his menu allows you to adjust the various view-related features and functions of the simulation. The View menu adjusts what you are looking at and where you are looking from. RealFlight 9.
Scenery The Scenery menu item is used to determine whether to show or hide scenery objects in the airport. Selecting this item brings forth a pull-down menu with a list of items you can show (make visible within the simulation) or hide (remove from visibility). To show items, check them in the drop-down menu. To hide items, click on them to remove their respective checkmark. If the frame rate slows dramatically, try eliminating some of the items listed in the Scenery sub-menu.
Effects The Effects menu item is used to determine whether to show or hide simulator enhancement objects in the airport. Selecting this item brings forth a pull-down menu with a list of items you can show (make visible within the simulation) or hide (remove from visibility). To show items, check them in the drop-down menu. To hide items, click on them to remove their respective checkmark.
TrailsTrails, as the name implies, will create a trail or pathway through the sky depicting all facets of flight for the aircraft. This feature is very useful for F3A pattern pilots and FAI heli pilots as well as those modelers wanting to see how precise their maneuvers truly are. Think you’re a precision pilot? You might be able to fool the judges at a contest, but you can’t change reality in RealFlight.
Camera Type The Camera Type menu item determines the Camera Type for the active viewport. Each viewport is independently adjustable. Select from a Fixed Position, Nose or a Chase view. If your aircraft is equipped with on-board cameras, they will be listed here as well. To access the Camera Type adjustments, click on the View menu followed by the Camera Type menu item. Select your preferred view from the pull-down list. Please note: Some airports do not allow Camera Type adjustments.
To decrease the magnification, or zoom away from the selected item, press the [-] (minus) key on the keyboard. Each time you press the [-] (minus) key or select the Zoom Out menu item, the zoom level decreases incrementally. Alternatively, you may select the Zoom Out option from the View menu. ChaseThe Chase mode positions the camera behind the aircraft. The camera will follow the aircraft as it moves. To magnify the view or zoom in on the selected item, press the [+] (plus) key on the keyboard.
• Wing – Positioned at the tip of the port-side wing, looking back at the cockpit. Onboard cameras can be added and modified much like other parts of the aircraft. Refer to page 134 in Edit Current Aircraft section for more information on how to edit RealFlight aircraft. Camera Position This menu item determines where the camera will be situated when viewed from the ground. Depending upon the airport selected, there may be one or more Pilot Spawn locations to use as camera positions.
Look At This menu item changes what the camera looks at. Usually you will want the camera to remain focused on your aircraft. Click on the viewport that you wish to modify. This becomes the active view in the simulation. To access the list of things to look at, click on the View menu followed by the Look At menu item. Then select an item to look at. For example, if you are in a multiplayer or MultiMode session, the other players in the session will be listed in the popup menu.
Zoom Type The Zoom Type menu item allows you to change the type of zoom used in the simulation. Click on the viewport that you wish to modify. This becomes the active view in the simulation. To access the Zoom Type menu item, click on the View menu followed by the Zoom Type menu item. Select the Zoom Type option that accomplishes your goal. You may choose between Manual, Autozoom, and Keep Ground in View. AutozoomThis zoom type adjusts the zoom range based on the distance of the aircraft from the pilot.
Zoom In Once you have selected the type of zoom that you desire, RealFlight allows you to customize it further by zooming in. Click on the viewport that you wish to modify. This becomes the active view in the simulation. To access the Zoom In menu item, click on the View menu followed by the Zoom In menu item. RealFlight 9.
Zoom Out Once you have selected the type of zoom that you want you can customize it further by zooming out. Zooming Out decreases the magnification. Click on the viewport that you wish to modify. This becomes the active view in the simulation. To access the Zoom Out menu item, click on the View menu followed by the Zoom Out menu item. RealFlight 9.
Zoom Reset This selection resets the zoom magnification level to its default value. This is useful if you are zoomed way in or way out and want to return quickly to the default level of magnification. Click on the viewport that you wish to modify. This becomes the active view in the simulation. To access the Zoom Reset menu item, click on the View menu followed by the Zoom Reset menu item. RealFlight 9.
Head Tracking RealFlight 9.5 is compatible with the TrackIR from NaturalPoint. With a TrackIR plugged into your computer, you can control the camera with the movement of your head as if you are at the field looking around. For example, if you are flying at a high altitude and wish to line up with the runway, at a flying field you would look down briefly. With the TrackIR, you would do the same at your computer.
Chapter 14 Help Menu WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, ASK FOR HELP. T his menu provides you with miscellaneous assistance and guidance with a variety of simulator-related issues. To access the Help files, click on the Help menu title. RealFlight 9.
RealFlight Help This menu item accesses the RealFlight 9.5 manual which you are reading now. To access the RealFlight Help file, click on the Help menu title. RealFlight 9.
Radio Interface Help We understand that setting up RealFlight to function correctly with your real transmitter can be daunting the first time. To assist you with this particular task, we’ve provided a guide to walk you through this setup. To access this guide, click the Radio Interface Help menu item. RealFlight 9.
Spektrum WS1000/WS2000 Dongle Help USB Spektrum Wireless Simulator DongleThe Spektrum WS1000/WS2000 Wireless Simulator USB Dongles are compatible with any of the Spektrum transmitters that utilize the Spektrum DSMX or DSM2 protocols. This interface unit allows modelers to wirelessly control the flight of their RealFlight models from the same transmitter that will be used to fly their actual models. There are several different modes of operation.
2. If it not already selected, please select the Spektrum Receiver (WS2000) as the Active controller methodology. The controller/device that is currently in use (or ‘Active’) is indicated by the orange bar next to the name (as depicted in the image above). To do so, simply click anywhere in the box that denotes the controller type. 3. If the Spektrum Receiver/controller does not appear in the list of options, click the Refresh button.
4. Click OK to accept the selected controller and return to the simulation. Your transmitter’s control inputs should function within the simulation at this point. Please verify by inputting commands from your Spektrum transmitter and viewing the aircraft’s movement onscreen. From here, we strongly recommend calibrating the Spektrum radio within the simulation. This will ensure that the models are trimmed properly and that the control input yields the desired output.
Keyboard Commands RealFlight allows you to access menu and other commands from your computer’s keyboard. A key that directly invokes a command is called a “quick key” or “hot key”. For example, pressing the [+] (plus) key on the keyboard’s number pad incrementally zooms your view towards the aircraft. This is exactly the same result that arises if you select Zoom In from the RealFlight 9.5’s View menu item. Consequently, we say that the [+] (plus) is a hot key for the Zoom In command.
The following overlay will appear: The Keyboard Commands screen contains all of the information pertaining to the hot keys. To view the entire list, drag the scroll bar on the right side of the Keyboard Commands screen down. Alternatively, this list is also contained on the back cover of the Installation Guide which accompanied this software [DVD version only]. Clicking on the ‘X’ in the title tab of the frame will remove it from the screen. RealFlight 9.
Welcome Screen The Welcome Screen that appears when you first start RealFlight can be accessed at any time from this menu item. The Welcome Screen gives you the ability to change aircraft, flying sites or scenarios. You may also select a most recently flown aircraft, earn Challenge medals, or open the video player window. RealFlight 9.
Video Player RealFlight offers training videos to assist the first-time RC pilot as well as videos to highlight some of the more popular features available. Selecting the Video Player menu item will display the following screen. RealFlight 9.
Clicking a thumbnail will automatically start that video. To return to the video selection screen, simply click the Choose Another Video button found at the lower right corner. The Video Player is also accessible from the Welcome Screen. RealFlight 9.
Reset to Defaults This option will reset all of your RealFlight settings to their original values and then restart the simulator. It is perfectly safe. Custom content such as modified aircraft and airports, imported content from the swap pages, and challenge scores will not be affected. Think of this as a way to freshen your installation and make it like new without having to uninstall and reinstall. It is a good way to fix things if you’ve made a change you don’t like but can’t remember what you did.
Technical Support Choose this to exit the simulator and open a separate Technical Support dialog. It will take a minute to gather data before it appears; this is normal. For more information please see the Technical Support section in Appendix B. RealFlight 9.
Websites This menu item contains direct links to the RealFlight related websites. Please ensure that you are connected to the internet before making your selection. The options include: Horizon Hobby, LLCPublishers of the RealFlight 9.5 RC Simulator. Visit their site for information pertaining to the many other Horizon Hobby exclusive product offerings. Knife Edge SoftwareDevelopers of the RealFlight 9.5 RC Simulator.
swap pages to download hundreds of aircraft, flying sites, etc. to add to your RealFlight hangar. License This menu item contains the End Users License Agreement (EULA) for the RealFlight RC Flight Simulator. Please read it carefully. Clicking on the ‘X’ in the title tab of the frame will remove it from the screen. RealFlight 9.
About The About… menu item contains miscellaneous information pertaining to your software including your RealFlight serial number and the version number of the software that you are currently operating. Also seen in the About screen are the credits and names of the people that have worked together to bring you one of the world’s most realistic RC simulators, RealFlight 9.5. Clicking on the ‘X’ in the title tab of the frame will remove the About window. RealFlight 9.
Chapter 15 Virtual Reality PUT ON A VR HEADSET TO COMPLETELY IMMERSE YOURSELF INTO REALFLIGHT. R ealFlight 9.5 is compatible with the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, two of the most popular VR devices currently available. Using VR with RealFlight increases the realism and completely submerges, and immerses, you into the environment. You will need to purchase VR hardware to take advantage of this feature. For more information about these devices, check out their websites at: Oculus Rift: https://www.
VR enables you to fly from standing on the ground looking up at your aircraft, exactly like you would at your local flying field. At any flying site on RealFlight, set the throttle to zero and reset the aircraft. Now, put on the VR headset. By default, you should be looking at your aircraft. Fly as normal, but move your head to keep the aircraft in your view.
Appendix A InterLink DX Controller Utilizing the InterLink DX controller to improve your flying experiences. Prior to picking up the InterLink DX controller and simply thrashing around the sky, it’s beneficial to completely understand all that the InterLink DX controller has to offer as a controller and an interface as well.
As you’ll see, this is much more than a simple joystick controller or gaming device, used properly the Spektrum InterLink DX controller and the RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight simulator software will prepare you for many, many years of flying and complete enjoyment of the hobby alike. RealFlight 9.
Physical Transmitter Adjustments- The InterLink DX Controller incorporates all of the physical transmitter adjustments located around the gimbal face of each gimbal. This arrangement allows for quick and easy adjustments without taking the back cover off of removing any plugs to access adjustment screws. Available adjustments: • • • Change the Throttle Ratchet Change the Throttle Tension Adjust stick tension Ratcheted Throttle- Smooth Throttle Adjustment Ratchet 1.
2. To disengage the throttle Tension, turn the screw counter-clockwise until the gimbal moves freely. Adjust Stick Tension Turn the screws clockwise a small amount using a small Phillips screwdriver to tighten the stick tension and counter-clockwise to loosen. Note: Always perform a test of the stick tension while turning these screws to ensure that stick tension is not too loose or too tight. Tightening a screw too much may damage a spring.
Mode Change Slider There is a unique slider located on the back of the InterLink DX controller that allows for simple mode changes. This slider can also be used to change each mode into a ‘quadcopter mode.’ This mode snaps both sticks to the center position accordingly. Safety Plug The Safety plug is installed in the controller to ensure that the mode switch cannot be accidentally moved when in the normal throttle mode (non-centered) positions. To remove the plug: 1.
Connecting Other Transmitters to RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator To connect other compatible transmitters to the InterLink DX controller, and to use them within the simulation, it is necessary to use the optional interface adapter cords (purchase RFL1015). Simply plug the appropriate cord into the port on the rear of the InterLink DX, as shown above. Plug the remaining end of the interface adapter cord into the trainer port of the transmitter.
Appendix B Spektrum WS2000 Wireless Dongle Utilizing the WS2000 Wireless Dongle and your Spektrum transmitter to improve your flying experiences- end enhance the realism. Connecting your Spektrum Transmitter to the WS2000 Wireless DongleThe WS2000 dongle allows the use of Spektrum DSMX and DSM2 compatible transmitters with RealFlight. 1. Select a new default (unused) model in your Spektrum transmitter. 2. Press and hold the bind button on the side of the WS2000 Spektrum wireless simulator dongle.
1. From the Simulation menu, click the Select Controller… menu item. The following window will appear: 2. If it not already selected, please select the Spektrum Receiver (WS2000) as the Active controller methodology. The controller/device that is currently in use (or ‘Active’) is indicated by the orange bar next to the name (as depicted in the image above). To do so, simply click anywhere in the box that denotes the controller type. 3.
4. Click OK to accept the selected controller and return to the simulation. Your transmitter’s control inputs should function within the simulation at this point. Please verify by inputting commands from your Spektrum transmitter and viewing the aircraft’s movement onscreen. From here, we strongly recommend calibrating the Spektrum radio within the simulation. This will ensure that the models are trimmed properly and that the control input yields the desired output.
As such, our developers have programmed RealFlight 9.5 so that some channels may function with keyboard input. The on/off switches are very simple, pressing the key one time toggles the switch from one extreme to the other. Channel 6, the knob, functions differently though. A brief tap of the ‘U’ key moves the knob’s position from one extreme to the other. Holding the ‘U’ key mimics a smoothly rotation of the knob.
automatically load the correct Software Radio settings for each individual model every time you switch aircraft. Again, this is the easiest option- and is the default setting. It is imperative that the Spektrum transmitter send unmodified channel data to the simulation. Perform a complete data reset on a given model memory, or select an unused model memory within the transmitter. Prior to clearing any data, make sure that the model memory is available and is not used for any other models, etc.
transmitter through the software- including any mixing as well as the dual rates and exponential functions. The advantage in this method is that it’s feasible to use one of the model memories from your field models and mimic flight within the simulation. All functionality is passed directly to the model from the transmitter. The disadvantage is that it’s necessary to create every function within the transmitter from the start- and you’ll need a separate model memory for each model within RealFlight.
Appendix C Basics of Flying UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF RADIO CONTROL FLYING. B efore taking control of a transmitter, it helps to understand the basics of flight, and the functionality of the gimbals, sticks and switches to properly control the aircraft. This chapter reviews the basics of flying an airplane or a helicopter to help get you started down the right path. Airplane Basics Before you fly the plane, make sure all switches are in their off or low rates, positions.
banking the aircraft to the right or left appears normal. When flying toward you, the aircraft will appear to bank in the opposite direction to the control input given. This will become more instinctual with experience. Rudder Left and Right: Push the rudder stick left or right to yaw or point the nose of the aircraft left or right. The rudder stick is also used to steer the aircraft left and right while taxing on the ground.
RealFlight has tools to help you stay on top of things during approach and landing. See the “Landings” section below for some ideas. Out at the field a crash might result in one or more of the following: • Bruise your ego • End flying for the day • Cost you money • Cost you time to rebuild • Cause injury to yourself or a bystander • Even win you a nice “best crash trophy!” Of course, when you crash on the simulator, there is really no harm done.
Be careful not to veer off the runway. In a real plane, chances are that you would crash (or get stopped on the grass). Usually this means bent landing gear and a broken prop. If your plane has retracts, they could even be torn out of the wing. Landings- It is very important to land on the runway, rather than veering off, or touching down before you reach the runway. Either of the latter usually produces a moderately expensive crash.
Many of the maneuvers require proper throttle management in order to make a maneuver look good. Loops, stalls, torque rolls, touch-and-goes are just a few examples. Try doing various maneuvers at differing speeds. Try performing a slow roll at medium throttle and keeping a perfectly straight line. This difficult maneuver will earn you more praise at the field than doing a full speed, full stick roll.
Helicopter Basics A model helicopter is a very complicated machine, which operates on the same aerodynamic principles as its full-scale counterpart. These principles are quite complicated to explain and understand. However, it is not necessary to understand all the underlying aerodynamics in order to successfully fly a model helicopter (or a computer simulation).
Cyclic Stick (Right Stick)The cyclic stick replaces the “aileron” and “elevator” controls found on a fixed-wing aircraft. “Cyclic” is the term given to the control of the main rotor that allows the helicopter to fly forward, backward, left and right. Forward cyclic stick movement causes the helicopter to pitch forward, left cyclic causes the helicopter to tilt sideways to the left, on so on.
GyroAny sudden change to the torque of the main rotor, such as a quick change in RPM or a wind gust, can cause the helicopter to turn unintentionally to an unwanted direction. An electronic device known as a gyroscope (gyro) is used to “monitor” and correct for this by giving commands to the rudder control to help stabilize the machine. Gyros come in a variety of types, each with different features.
TurningFrom forward flight- Moving the cyclic control left, while applying a small amount of aft cyclic and feeding in left “rudder”, will cause the helicopter to make a coordinated turn to the left. Right movement of the cyclic and rudder sticks will cause the heli to turn to the right. From a hover- Use the rudder to rotate the nose of the helicopter in the direction you want.
Appendix D RealFlight 9.5 Launcher* [*DVD and Tower Hobbies Digital versions only] THE REALFLIGHT 9.5 LAUNCHER IS THE GATEWAY TO SIMULATOR FUN! T his item allows you to run the simulation, register and update the software, and much, much more. To run RealFlight or to access the additional options, click the RealFlight 9.5 Launcher icon located on your desktop. RealFlight 9.
Run RealFlight To start running RealFlight, double-click the RealFlight 9.5 Launcher located on your desktop. Next, click the Run RealFlight button. The simulation will begin loading the terrain, airport objects, textures, etc. Your simulation experience will begin as soon as the loading process completes. RealFlight UpdateIf an update exists for your RealFlight 9.5 RC Simulator, an on-screen indication will appear just beneath the Run RealFlight button.
Technical Support[Steam version: Some of the following buttons are not present.] Press the Technical Support button to bring up technical support information pertaining to your system. If you encounter any difficulties with RealFlight, this information can help you to resolve the situation on your own, or may assist Horizon Hobby’s Support Staff to diagnose the problem for you. This dialog is also accessible via the Technical Support Help menu item in RealFlight.
Serial Numbers Panel- The panel on the upper-right portion of the window displays a list of the RealFlight serial numbers for the product that has been installed on your system. Include Serial Numbers- This checkbox determines whether or not the serial numbers for the RealFlight items are included with the Assemble System Information when this information is sent to the Horizon Hobby Technical Support Staff.
Technical SupportAs the title suggests, the items in this section are designed to assist with any difficulties that might arise with the application of the RealFlight 9.5 software on your PC. The buttons will efficiently and effectively gather necessary information and enable you to contact our staff accordingly. Enter Technical Support Code- Choose this option to enter a technical support code.
Assemble System Information- Choose this option to collect critical information about your system, and about your RealFlight settings. You may find this information useful if you try to troubleshoot problems on your own. Moreover, if needed you can cut and paste this information into an email to Horizon Hobby’s Support Staff.
Click this button to update to the latest version of RealFlight 9.5. Please note: Your PC must be connected to the internet in order to check for updates. Registration InformationThe first time that you access the Update to Specific Version button, a Registration Information screen will appear. This screen enables you to input your data which will be used in the future to assist with any technical questions that might arise.
Launcher window. When the Technical Support page appears, click Assemble System Information. Clear Download Cache- Occasionally, files may become corrupt during a download. If you are having difficulties with the online updates, remove all cached files using this option. Next, choose Update to Specific Version and then select the Completely Refresh option. Restore DefaultsUse this button to restore the RealFlight’s default settings. Doing so will NOT remove custom aircraft, flying sites, etc.
after being uninstalled. You could lose a lot of your work by inadvertently uninstalling these files. Remove Serial Numbers- Choose this option to remove the serial numbers from your system. This will remove the RealFlight serial number as well as your online activation. Since RealFlight Expansion Packs may also be installed on your computer for previous versions of RealFlight, you may wish to leave those serial numbers untouched. To do so, click the box Leave Expansion Pack serial numbers intact.
Appendix E If You Experience Difficulties TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SOLVING THE MORE COMMON PROBLEMS. T he RealFlight 9.5 simulator is on the cutting edge of technology, and therefore operates using advanced hardware. Consequently, there is always the remote possibility you may experience a few slight difficulties. Should the need arise, we provide extensive resources to help.
products. In fact, this is the same information database used by our product support technicians. • Visit the Knife Edge Software Message Boards at www.knifeedge.com/forums/. This is a place where owners of RealFlight and other Knife Edge products post questions, comments, and responses. Sometimes our product support technicians and product developers from Knife Edge post replies and announcements as well. You may find a thread that discusses the same difficulties that you are experiencing.
A driver is a software program that controls your video or sound card. Each card manufacturer provides drivers for its own cards. To work correctly, RealFlight relies on your video and sound card drivers. It is very important to use the latest available driver for your card. Card manufacturers frequently release updated drivers to fix problems that occur when the driver is used with programs such as RealFlight 9.5.
IMPORTANT. If you do contact Technical Support, you can help us enormously by providing detailed information about your computer system. Since your problem may only occur on a particular video or sound card, particular driver version, etc., we may need this information to help us diagnose your problem. To compile your system information, use the RealFlight 9.5 Launcher. Click the Additional Options button. Next, click the Technical Support button, followed by the Assemble System Information button.
Improving RealFlight 9.5’s PerformanceDuring installation, RealFlight 9.5 analyzes your computer’s hardware specifications. RealFlight then tries to optimize its configuration to best take advantage of that hardware, and achieve the best possible performance. However, if the performance is less than you desire, you can adjust some of RealFlight 9.5’s settings to improve the simulation speed and frame rate: • Ensure that the drivers for the video and sound cards are up-to-date.
Appendix F Transmitter Modes T hroughout world, pilots will fly using radios in different Modes. The Mode refers to the transmitter’s gimbal stick assignments which determine the flight mode of your controller. There are two main modes of control. Mode 1, mostly used in Europe, and Mode 2 which is the predominant method of controlling aircraft. Mode 1A controller which is designated as Mode 1 means that it contains the throttle and aileron on the right stick.
Configure RealFlightOnce you have made the changes to your InterLink DX controller, you will now need to make some minor changes in RealFlight to match your controller’s configuration. First, adjust the channel mapping by editing the InterLink DX Profile. See Select Controller section on page 56 for more information about his process. Last, make sure the on-screen Radio Gadget is also switched to Mode 1, found under the Gadgets menu. See Radio Mode on page 222 for more details. RealFlight 9.
Glossary 180-Degree Turn RC Term 360-Degree Turn RC Term 3D Acceleration Computer Term ATV RC Term AccuModel RealFlight Term Active View RealFlight Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator This basic flight practice starts with a takeoff, and then demonstrates 180 degree turns on a flight path parallel to the runway. In this practice, you will learn to fly the aircraft in a complete circle (360-degree turn).
Advanced Flight Recorder (AFR) RealFlight Term Adverse Yaw RC Term Aileron RC Term Airfoil RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator This feature allows the pilot to not only view prerecorded maneuvers, but also allows them to record their own. During the playback of maneuvers, the pilot has the ability to select from a number of different options such as fast forwarding, rewinding, looping, speeding up, and slowing down the recordings. These recordings may also be sent to others via the Internet.
Airframe RealFlight Term Angle of Attack RC Term Arm RC Term AS3X RC Term Auto-Play Computer Term Autorotation RC Term Autorotation Event RealFlight Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator A term used to describe the general components of an aircraft when using RealFlight 9.5’s AccuModel aircraft editor. For example, selecting the airframe will call up the fuselage, wing(s), and tail of an airplane. The angle that the wing penetrates the air.
Avalanche RC Term Bloom Effect RealFlight Term Camera Lag RealFlight Term Channel Mapping RealFlight Term Chat RealFlight Term Child/Children Item(s) RealFlight Term Chord RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator The Avalanche is a loop with a snap roll at the top of the loop. This snap roll must be centered at the top of the loop. The effect creates a feathering of light around brighter objects, giving it a more realistic look.
CG RC Term Collective RC Term Collision Detection RealFlight Term Coning RC Term Console RealFlight Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator CG is the abbreviation for the phrase Center Of Gravity. This is the point at which the aircraft balances fore to aft and side-to-side. The location of this point is crucial to how the aircraft reacts in the air. For airplanes, a tail-heavy plane will be very snappy, but generally unstable and susceptible to frequent stalls.
Control Surface RC Term Controller RealFlight Term Cuban Eight RC Term Cyclic RC Term Deadstick RC Term Depth of Field Computer Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator Generally defined as the portion of the airfoil that moves. Examples include ailerons, elevators, rudders, flaps, and spoilers. A device used to control an aircraft in RealFlight. RealFlight 9.5 oftentimes ships with the USB Spektrum InterLink DX controller developed by Horizon Hobby and Knife Edge Software.
Dihedral RC Term Direct Control Interface RealFlight Term Direct3D Technology Computer Term DirectX Computer Term Dithering Computer Term Down Thrust RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator The V-shaped bend in a wing. Increasing the dihedral usually enhances the aerodynamic stability of an airplane, and helps the rudder to control both the roll and yaw axis. This is why some trainers and sailplanes require only three channels of radio control (i.e., they have no ailerons).
Driver Computer Term Edit NavGuides RealFlight Term Elevator (Maneuver) RC Term Elevator (Control Surface) RC Term Endpoint Adjustment RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator A software program that controls a card (e.g., video or sound card) in your computer. Card manufacturers usually provide drivers as well. Card manufacturers frequently update their drivers to fix bugs or to make their cards compatible with new software and hardware.
Exponential RC Term Figure 8 RC Term Flap RC Term A feature commonly found on computer radios that desensitizes the servo when the sticks are close to the neutral position. The further the stick’s position from center, the faster the control response. This is an excellent maneuver to learn perspective and orientation of the aircraft from all angles. Use the ailerons and elevator to turn the aircraft left and right.
FlexiField RealFlight Term Flight Failures RealFlight Term Flight Playback Gadget RealFlight Term Float Fly RC Term Flybar Paddles RC Term Flybarless RC Term Four-Point Roll RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator FlexiField is the most advanced flying site editor ever unveiled. It presents the modeler with the ability to adjust the flying site in virtually any manner desired.
Frame Rate Computer Term Fuselage RC Term Gadget RealFlight Term Global Wind RealFlight Term Goldfish RC Term Governor RC Term Grouping RealFlight Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator Frame Rate is the number of times per second that RealFlight creates a different picture to display on your monitor. Frame rate is determined by the speed of your CPU and graphics card, and how many RealFlight options you turn on.
Gyro RC Term HAL Device Computer Term Harrier RC Term Host RealFlight Term Hub RC Term Humpty-Bump RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator A device, most commonly used in helicopters, that aids in controlling the yawing action of the helicopter by automatically adjusting the deflection of the tail rotor blades. A hardware-accelerated 3D video card driver.
IP Address Computer Term Immelman Turn RC Term Interface Mode RealFlight Term InterLink DX Controller RealFlight Term Joystick Computer Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator Whenever your computer is connected to the internet, it has an IP address. This number is a string of digits and periods, and looks something like “123.45.6.78”. The IP address is like an internet “zip code” that tells other computers where to look for your computer.
Joystick Emulation Interface RealFlight Term Joystick Mode RealFlight Term Knife Edge RC Term LAN Computer Term Lateral Balance RC Term Launcher* RealFlight Term Lead Lag RC Term Leading Edge RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator A term used to describe using your own radio to emulate the Interlink Joystick. This allows you to use your own radio to fly any of the stock aircraft in RealFlight 9.5.
Limbo RC Term List Server RealFlight Term Lithium Polymer RC Term Low Rates RC Term mAh RC Term Mixing (or Programming Mixing) RC Term Mode RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator An event (flying competition) in which pilots take turns flying their aircraft under a Limbo bar. The pilot that clears the lowest bar height wins.
Most Recently Used (MRU) Computer Term Multiplayer Computer Term Multiplayer Session RealFlight Term NavGuides RealFlight Term Normal Mapping Computer Term Parent Item RealFlight Term PhotoField RealFlight Term Pilot Profile RealFlight Term Pirouette RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator MRU refers to the list of documents which were last accessed. For RealFlight, MRU’s appear for airports, aircraft and recordings.
Pitch Axis RC Term Plumb String RC Term Point Rolls RC Term Private Session RealFlight Term Propeller RC Term Public Session RealFlight Term Quick Edit RealFlight Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator The airplane axis is controlled by the elevator. Pitch is illustrated by holding the airplane at each wingtip. Raising or lowering the nose is the pitch movement. This is how the climb or dive is controlled.
Quick Load RealFlight Term QuickSelect RealFlight Term RAM The Quick Load gadget allows you to quickly search and load a new aircraft or flying site through a simple search. RealFlight 9.5 InterLink DX allows you to make changes to the simulator with the controller using the buttons at the bottom. Manipulating these buttons through the on-screen QuickSelect tabs offer the ability to change aircraft, flying sites, and more. Random Access Memory.
Rewind RealFlight Term Roll Axis RC Term Rolloff Factor RealFlight Term Root RealFlight Term Rudder RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator By pressing and holding the Reset button on the InterLink DX controller, you have the ability to rewind your flight to any point you wish and continue on from there. The airplane axis controlled by the ailerons. Roll is illustrated by holding the airplane by the nose and tail. Dropping either wingtip is the roll movement.
SAFE RC Term SAFE technology is an advanced technology designed and refined by Horizon Hobby to assist modelers in their enjoyment of the hobby. SAFE offers three modes to assist in the advancement of flying skills: Beginner Mode Pitch and bank angle limits prevent overcontrol that can result in a loss of orientation and crashes. When the control sticks are released the airplane returns to level flight on its own.
SAFE Select RC Term SAFE Select, another Horizon Hobby exclusive technology, offers: Pitch and Bank Angle Limits These envelope limits keep the airplane from rolling or pitching upside down. They also prevent excessive climb or dive angles. Automatic Self-Leveling The airplane instantly returns to and holds level flight when the sticks are released and in the center position. It’s also helpful for keeping the wings level during takeoffs and landings.
Sound Card Computer Term Specular Highlights Computer Term Split S RC Term Stall RC Term Swash Plate RC Term Thermal System RC Term Throttle Hold RC Term Throw RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator A card inside your computer that controls audio (what you hear over your computer speakers). Most sound cards plug into your computer’s motherboard. You can upgrade your sound card (or the software driver that controls it) without getting a new computer.
Tip Stall RC Term Torque Roll RC Term Touch and Go RC Term Trailing Edge This is when the airplane reaches its stall speed and one wing drops. The Torque Roll occurs when the nose of the airplane is pointed vertically and the airplane hovers in place. The aircraft will rotate left around its roll axis. Landing and taking off without a pause, often confused with a good bounce. The rearmost edge of the wing or stabilizer.
USB Computer Term Variometer RC Term Video Card Computer Term Viewport RealFlight Term Washout RC Term RealFlight 9.5 RC Flight Simulator USB, or Universal Serial Bus, is a connection protocol for computer peripheral devices (like Great Planes’ USB InterLink-X Controller). USB technology allows you to connect multiple devices to your computer, and supports high data transfer rates and is hot swappable. USB devices have a special connector that only fits into a USB port.
Waterfall RC Term Wing Loading RC Term The Waterfall is a maneuver where the plane pivots 360 degrees in the pitch axis with as little forward motion and altitude deviation as possible. As the name suggests, this maneuver resembles a waterfall during flight. The amount of weight per square foot that has to be overcome to provide lift. It is normally expressed in ounces per square foot.
Index About, 328 Altitude, 207, 219 AccuModel, 8, 368 Audio, 87 Advanced Flight Recorder, 9, 369 Auto-Play, 370 Aerobatics, 346 Autorotation, 370 AFR.
Reflectivity, 152 Game Help, 250 Specular, 152 Global Wind, 378 Commands, 102, 103 Graphics, 104, 207 Console, 92 Graphics Frame Rate, 221 Controller Menu, 190 Great Planes, 326 Crashing, 333, 344 Ground Speed, 220 Cyclic Stick, 349 Grouping, 132, 161, 170, 378 Deadstick, 373 Gyro, 350 DirectX, 374 Head Tracking, 312 Disconnect, 236 Heading, 220 Display Properties, 355 Height, 221 Drivers, 17, 362, 375 Heli Hover Trainer, 281 Edit Airport, 162 Heli Orientation Trainer, 292 Effects,
Keyboard Commands, 43, 319 Normal Maps, 107 Kill Engine, 157 Notifications, 97 Knife Edge Software, 326 Object Palette Window, 172, 176 Knowledge Base, 361, 363 Orientation, 285, 297 LAN, 224, 381 Overhead, 214 Landings, 346 Overhead View, 8 Language, 112, 114 Pan Camera, 167 Latency, 230 Parent, 145, 166, 383 Launcher, 10, 352 Particles, 105, 108 License, 321, 327 Password Protection, 235 List Server, 382 Performance, 365 Look At, 141, 307 PhotoField, 8, 383 Look From, 142 Physics,
Power Ups Refresh, 231 Bullets, 239 Refresh Rate, 111 Fuel, 239 Reload Color Scheme, 140, 141 Infect, 239 Remember Aircraft Position, 154 Paintballs, 239 Reset, 156 Points, 239 Reset to Defaults, 324 Poison, 240 Resolution, 111 Random, 240 Restore Defaults, 353, 359 Repair, 240 Rewind, 7, 121 Rockets, 240 RFX.
Speed, 219 U.S. Patent, 46 Start Game, 237 Uninstalling, 359 Start Game List, 241 Updates, 363 Stop Game, 241 USB, 5, 6, 316, 391 Streamers, 10, 108, 109 Use a Game List, 235 Sun, 180 Variable Pitch Prop, 8 Sun Azimuth, 181 Variometer, 213, 391 Sun Inclination, 182 Vertical Sync, 112 System Information, 354 Video Card, 13 System Requirements, 12 Video Player, 322 Takeoffs, 345 View Menu, 300 Targa (.
License REGISTERED VERSION: RealFlight® RC Simulator LIMITED USE SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT This Limited Use Software License Agreement (the "Agreement") is a legal agreement between you, the end-user, and Knife Edge Software ("KES"). By continuing the installation of this game program, by loading or running the game, or by placing or copying the game program onto your computer hard drive, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement.
d. Offer the Software on a pay-per-play basis; e. Distribute, by electronic means or otherwise, the Software for money or any other consideration; or f. In any other manner and through any medium whatsoever commercially exploit the Software or use the Software for any commercial purpose. 3. Additional Prohibited Uses. Neither you nor anyone at your direction shall take the following action in regard to the Software, or any portion thereof, such as a screen display or a screenshot: a.
materials accompanying the Software. The same restrictions and prohibitions regarding your use of the Software as provided in this Agreement apply to your use of the written materials accompanying the Software. The written materials are owned by KES and are protected by United States copyright laws and international treaties. You agree to use your best efforts to see that any user of the Software licensed hereunder complies with this Agreement. 8. Limited Warranty.
United States laws and international treaties. IN ANY CASE, KES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT OR OTHER SIMILAR DAMAGES ARISING FROM BREACH OF WARRANTY, BREACH OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, OR OTHER LEGAL THEORY EVEN IF KES OR ITS AGENT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY.
Credits RealFlight 9.5 www.realflight.com Produced by Horizon Hobby, LLC 2904 Research Road Champaign, IL 61822 USA www.horizonhobby.com Developed by Knife Edge Software Corvallis, OR www.knifeedge.com Original Concept Scott Kemp Art Lance Bass Hays Clark Tony Elms Ted Graves Marshall Huffman Angela Kemp Dave Lauck Joel Lee Dana "Airworks" Loncto Aaron Moore Kevin Nagatani Mike Nagatani Paul Naton De'Shan Perry Lyaksandr Prelle-Tworek Josh Trevisiol DJ Vegh RealFlight 9.
Development Jeremy Babbar-Sebens Scott Booth Zach Brockway Jim Coleman Ryan Douglas Dusty Eveland-DeWan Mark Finch Gerald Gale Brad Kessler Chris Keys Ed Koffeman Aaron Moore Japhet Stevens Adam Taylor Joe Tribal Travis Vitek Ted Zuvich InterLink DX Horizon Hobby, LLC. Knife Edge Software Revolution Robotics RealFlight 9.
Flight Testing John Adams Matt Andren Ryan Archer Augusto Arevalo Todd Bennett Matthew Botos Brian Bremer Dustin Buescher Kevin "Dunkin" Burner Jason Danhakl Charles Dawson Greg Duitsman Mark Fadely Jeff Fassbinder Kelly Gerber John Glezellis James Haley David A. Hourston Eric Johnson Dan Landis Ali Machinchy Larry Markey Sean McMurtry Jason Merkle Chris Mulcahy Paul Naton Pete Niotis Frank Noll, Jr.
Marketing Cody Adair Alex Albors Benjamin Craw Jason Merkle Product Artwork Messifa Ankou Wally Armstrong Mike Bowers Corinne (Corrie) Carlson Jennifer Cheely Gary Hunt Rebecca Lynch Jeremy Motley Project Management Jim Bourke Dustin Buescher Chris Dickerson James Haley Mark Williams Production Sally Meyer Jane Thrasher Wanda White Technical Consultants Michael Giger RealFlight 9.
Testing Ashley Barnts Mike Blauvelt Haley Bourke Ray Bourke Brooks Clark Benjamin Cloud Matthew Cloud Montana Harkin Carman Hendricks Chris McVey Eric Olsen Alex Sanabrais Annette Schiedler Derek Voegel Aleks Weber T.J. Weber Eddie Wells Jim Wiggin Chris Willette Christian Williams David Wright RealFlight 9.
Special Thanks Ben Ambrose Jill Brinkoetter Avery Buescher Emma Buescher Neal Cloud Don Coulter Don Ferguson Teresa Fredericks Ben Godwin Bounchanh Grant Chuck Gratner Erin Hassan Martin Hepperle Albert & Jeanette Hibpshman Daniel Kemphues Neal Kuechler Dan Mason David McCallister P.B.
Aircraft and Other Textures Avant - Carbon Xtreme F-86 - Michael Chan Su Huey - Steve Stuart-Doig and Larry Jolly (www.ljmp.com) Ion-X, Fury - Miniature Aircraft Innovator - Thunder Tiger Mini IFO - Wild RC Simple Flier - Alexandre Kolyvanov, Donald Miller Synergy R/C Helicopters - Matt and Amy Botos RealFlight 9.
Legal Program © 1997-2020, Knife Edge Software, LLC Helicopter Paint Schemes © 1999-2020, Knife Edge Software Title Page, Box, DVD Art © 2020, Horizon Hobby, LLC FMOD Sound System © Firelight Technologies Pty, Ltd., 1994-2020 RakNet ©2003-2020, Jenkins Software, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Airfoil data courtesy UIUC Airfoil Coordinates Database Prof Michael Selig, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, http://www.ae.uiuc.
RealFlight 9.
