Flying by the Numbers

Every aircraft in the Firepower series must meet its FirePower certified specifications created from published data, pilot reports, and our own in-depth interviews with the pilots.   Because published data varies widely, we carefully considered the information presented.  When there was a valid conflict or missing information, we used our best judgment based on all information available to us.  One example is climb rates.  Many sources publish either an "initial climb" or "time to climb" but rarely both.  And very few sources publish the test weight of the aircraft or the power settings.  So we had to determine what the power settings and weight would most likely be for a normal climb, based on best practices.

In some cases this was not too difficult.  We were able to find accurate information about power settings for most of the engines used in the Firepower aircraft, and in some cases the climbing speed.  The power curves were set to exactly match published information on these engines wherever it was available.  If it was not, we made estimates based on best practices and standard conventions.  For example, here are the power settings for the Daimler-Benz DB603G engine used in the Messerschmitt Me 410B:

Firepower certified aircraft include engines that are tuned to produce exactly the correct power at the proper RPM and manifold pressure settings at sea level.  As a result, the acceleration and climb performance closely mirror the real aircraft.

Each and every Firepower aircraft is extensively and thoroughly tested and will match its real-world counterpart's performance numbers exactly if flown with precision.  All testing was done in real time, with no autopilot or any kind of automation.  This means when we test the B-29A Superfortress, we hand-fly it all the way to 25,000 feet, which takes over 55 minutes.  We do the same for every aircraft, to confirm that the time to climb is exactly what it should be.  The same goes for top speeds at both sea level and rated altitudes.  Our aircraft will fly within one mile per hour of the published figures for their real-world counterparts.  Even the most detailed specifications in the help file for each aircraft are certified for each FirePower aircraft.  The weights at which these aircraft were tested are also noted.  In most cases, different weights were used to test for stall speeds, climb rates, and top speeds.  These weights are noted on the data sheet for each aircraft, which is accessed by pressing F1 while flying.

In addition to top speeds, all the other important numbers a pilot needs to know are right at his or her fingertips.  Rotation speeds, liftoff speeds, stall speeds under various conditions, flap and gear extension speeds, and cruising speeds are all there.  So is the fuel consumption rate.  And the range provided is the actual range of the Firepower aircraft, based on the actual measured fuel consumption in the simulator.  Fuel consumption rates were tested to confirm a match with published information, and where there was a discrepancy, adjustments were made to the flight model.  For example, the DB603 engine's published fuel consumption rate is 0.474 pounds per horsepower per hour; we found that the actual consumption rate in the simulator was slightly greater than that, and adjusted the fuel flow scalar to a value of 0.966 to get the exact value.  This was especially true with the jet aircraft, where we had available the exact fuel consumption values for both the BMW and Junkers Jumo jet engines.  The fuel flow scalars were carefully calibrated to reflect the actual fuel consumption of these engines.