Something cool about the Cub

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Hook
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Something cool about the Cub

Post by Hook »

The normal procedure for hand propping the cub is to make sure mags are set to off, turn on the fuel, prime, give it a little throttle, then go to the external view that allows you to turn the prop and turn it through a few blades. Then you go back into the cockpit view, turn the mags to both, return to the outside view and spin the prop. Sometimes the engine starts. :)

I have discovered that if you have the door open, you can look around from the hand prop view and set the mags to both without going to the inside view. You can also open the door from this view if you can find the click spot. If you somehow forgot, you can also turn on the fuel from here.

How cool is that!? :D This is a lot easier than going back and forth between views. Of course you'll probably need something like TrackIR. I'm not sure if it can be done in VR, and you can't do it without one of these without some editing of the viewpoint to allow quick panning.

Hook

Hook
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by Hook »

After turning the prop a few blades with the mags off, still in hand start view, turn and lean down so you can see the mag switch. Mags on, turn back and spin the prop.

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Hook

flapman
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by flapman »

Works in FSX too 8)
an aircraft in MSFS/ESP is made of a variety of individual parts. Livery, Model, Sound, Gauges, Aerodynamics, Systems, etc...
The visual model is broken into 2 different categories; external and internal. Only 1 is visible at a time. When you choose a selection from the category "Cockpit" you are seeing the internal model rendered, any other option (Spot, Aircraft, Tower, etc..) is the external model. You can tell this when you try using TIR to explore other aircraft, you will stick your head outside the cockpit and the airplane is missing! You're a cockpit flying in the sky!! If you look at the cockpit from the outside view.. it is usually simplified compared to the Cockpit view.. and none of the instruments are animated. Gauges don't exist on the external model.. they are textures only.

Back in the internal model, we have animated gauges and controls we can click on. These are all called "gauges." Gauges must have a panel on which they are placed to be used, that panel can be built in any orientation, location, and be of any shape size the developer needs.

It's very obvious how the Cub works "behind the scenes" and why this feature is possible.
The view "Engine Start" is under the category "Cockpit," thus A2A have rendered a substantial portion of aircraft structure as part of the internal model. Many companies will just add visible parts from the cockpit (wing tips, engines) but because this view is at the nose, every part of the aircraft visible from this location is rendered as well. The propeller is animated, and along it's disc is an invisible panel. On that panel is an invisible gauge which is a click spot. Clicking that invisible gauge on that invisible panel translates into propeller motion.. and eventual engine starting.

When you tilt your head in TrackIR and look inside the cockpit, you're still looking at the internal model. A click spot is associated with the 3d model of the magneto switch, which is mounted to a panel on the upper left inside surface of the fuselage.

Try clicking on the propeller from the "Spot" view.. even from the same 3D position as "Engine Start." You can't do it, it's not the same model, and has no panel+gauge to allow for mouse interaction.

Hook
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by Hook »

Actually, you can turn the prop from external view, whether Avatar or tower. Avatar can also open the door (if you can find the tiny click spot) and I believe you can open the door from other external views; I generally don't get that close. I couldn't click on anything in the cockpit from Avatar view.

As near as I can tell, you have to have the door open to do anything inside the cockpit, but it's difficult to get in a position to see what you need to click so I can't verify this. The first thing I noticed that you could click was the fuel cutoff and was wishing for the magneto switch. Later I figured it out.

I remember how bad the Goose was about not modeling the entire aircraft from internal view. It was most obvious when you were on the ground and the shadow of the plane was nearby. Most aircraft I have now show the whole aircraft from the internal cockpit view.

Just for fun, make a viewpoint for the astrodome in the Manfred Jahn C-47. :) Try both internal and external viewpoints to see what's different. Too bad the Connie doesn't have an astrodome.

Chose one:
Origin = Virtual Cockpit
Origin = Center

Hook

flapman
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by flapman »

That's very cool. You certainly can't do that in FSX... must be a new feature of P3D. Are the instruments animated when you view them from spot view?

Hook
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by Hook »

Avatar is an external view. I've never checked the instruments from Avatar or any other external view but I doubt they're animated. The external view is probably why the Avatar can't turn on the mags. :) I hadn't actually considered that. I'll check that stuff next time I'm in the sim.

Hook

Hook
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by Hook »

I checked after my last flight. From external view the instruments look static. The prop, external door latch and fuel cutoff are all clickable. You can close the door from external or Avatar view but you have to click on the correct spot on the door; the wire bracket that holds the window open works on the P3Dv4 version to close the door but not from external view.

Hook

mylee2
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by mylee2 »

I really love the cub....I can't stop flying it! I also love V35 Bonanza, it brings me back to the T34 Mentor I use to fly in the Air Force (aero club). Thanks A2A


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MarcE
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by MarcE »

The Cub is probably my all time favourite airplane from „RW flying“. And she‘s simply a joy to fly in the sim if you have nice scenery. It‘s a bit of a compensation for the miserable helicopter flight model in Fsx/P3D. I love the Huey in DCS, probably the closest helicopter model ever, but I am extremely disappointed by the P3D offerings. But as much as I love A2A‘s Cub, my favorite A2A addon is the AT-6, closely chased by the Bonanza and the P-51.

I really hope for an accusimmed Turboprop soon. I totally like that concept but the sim really lacks on almost everything and so it does on good quality turboprop simulations. The Milviz KingAir has a great potential, I hope they use it. The old Realair turbine duke unfortunately suffers from the latest P3D4 updates, its engine spool rate has become really slow.

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YoYo
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Re: Something cool about the Cub

Post by YoYo »

If you have ChasePlane you can create (easly) new view position to see inside of cockpit and be a little on external. I use it and it works very well.
http://yoyosims.pl/
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