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14/08/2003, 3:07 AM Paul Bradford Joined on 12/07/2003 Posts 6 MS Flight Sims - Would you like better Flight Model's? Hi all Sorry if this is a little long winded but it should be of interest to those seeking better Flight Models for the MS series of sims. One of the constant criticisms of the MS series of sims over the years has been the Flight Modelling. Like many, I was always led to believe that the MS table based sims were not capable of producing realistic Flight Models and like most people, scoffed at them. However, that all changed when I got my copy of CFS2 & FS2002 a couple of years ago. Whilst wholly impressed with the improvements in graphics in FS2002 (my last MS FS was 98) I still wasn't happy with the FM's. However, one day I came across a site by these guy's who called themselves AvHistory.org and had redone the default CFS2 FM's (and made lots of new ones for new types) using a specially designed Excel Spreadsheet so that they would fly within 1% of their real life counter parts. At first I wasn’t to sure and thought that even if they got the performance to within 1% what about the handling? Well as time went on I realised that not only the performance these 1% planes was spot on but the handling was to. They felt 100 times better than any of the MS defaults and any other FM 's people had made with out the Spreadsheet. I was using some of these CFS2 Aircraft in FS2002 and had a ball as it made things so much nicer. As time went on the spreadsheet evolved with new features and sims supported. It now supports FM's for CFS1, 2 & 3 & FS2002 and really is a work of art. The Spreadsheet is simple in that you put in the basic things like weight, dimensions, HP rating, and root & tip Airfoil sections etc and the Spreadsheet does all the complicated calculations for you based on data drawn from the NACA database. With a few mouse clicks you then have your very own FM for anything form a WWII fighter to a GA prop. I've done several FM's using this Spreadsheet for both FS2002 and CFS2 and wouldn't have it any other way! The guy who designed this Spreadsheet is called Jerry Beckwith. He really knows his stuff and has gone to great lengths so that FM developers can get the best out of the MS sims without having to worry about what does what in the airfile. He has had input from a number of real world aviators and the pilots of the Planes of Fame Museum are the official advisors to AvHistory providing input for their CFS2 & 3 range of planes. The spreadsheet (2.92.104 is the latest version) and the tools that go with it are free and can be downloaded from Jerry's own site: http://www.mudpond.us/ You may also want to visit the AvHistory site to: http://www.avhistory.org/ And here is the address for their forums (which can be accessed from the main site). You’ll find lots of info here if you are into doing FM’s: http://www.avhistory.org/scripts/MegaBBS/category-view.asp FYI, Jerry has been working on a new version of the Spreadsheet to include support for better departure and the modelling of spins! Let me tell you it works a treat! He has put up a few demos of the FM's for each of the different sims to show how things have progressed so far. None of the artificialness of some of the claimed spin FM's and no doctoring to make them do so. To try these demo FM's for yourself, go to the bottom of his page and look for the link to The Back Room - Advanced development & Special Projects. Btw, I've knocked up a couple of new FM's for FS2004 using the latest Spreadsheet. The Piper Cup is one and the other is the DH.88 Comet. I'll update and improve these as I get more data. If you would like to try them, drop me an email and I'll send them to you. Cheers Paul    Report

18/08/2003, 7:10 AM Bob Hanson Joined on 11/11/2002 Posts 66 Re: MS Flight Sims - Would you like better Flight Model's? I would like to try the Fs2004 Piper Cub model. Would be interested to compare the differences. My email is paul.holmes30@ntlworld.com Thanks.    Report

18/08/2003, 9:52 PM Paul Bradford Joined on 12/07/2003 Posts 6 Re: MS Flight Sims - Would you like better Flight Model's? Hi Bob You can get the new FM's here: http://members.aol.com/bradswb/2004FMs1.zip Cheers Paul    Report

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