News - RealAir Simulations

RealAir Simulations Cessna 172SP

Flight Model and Textures commissioned by the Kangan Batman TAFE Aerospace Industry Training Centre, Melbourne, Australia.

This aircraft should be flown with the general realism slider in the FS2002 aircraft/realism menu set to maximum (ie: fully right). This aircraft will only perform as we intended with this setting. With the realism slider set to maximum you will be able to obtain up to 40 degrees side slip and spinning will be possible. Please see the notes below for further details.

Contents of this package

Your installation places an entirely seperate C172SP in the RealAir Simulations C172SP folder. This folder contains default panels, models and sounds, but with the addition of the following:

1. Customised sounds including an improved "wind" sound, vital in communicating airspeed of the aircraft and perhaps unconsciously used by many pilots for indications of approaching stall and/or excessive speed without reference to the airspeed indicator.

2. An alternative Virtual Cockpit panel which matches the grey tones of the default 2D panel. The Virtual Cockpit panel carries the Kangan/ Batman TAFE logo plus the RealAir Simulations logo, and our 2D panel has the addition of the RealAir Simulations small strip at the foot of the panel background.

3. A customised exterior re-paint in the livery of the Kangan/ Batman TAFE. We are happy for users to produce other repaints of the exterior — but please first contact us at RealAir Simulations before proceeding. You will need our permission to attach new textures to this package if you wish to publish them. Please note that due to FS2002 mdl file implementation, textures in the default C172 are mirrored rather than built individually. This results in the lettering appearing reversed on one side of the aircraft. We were unable to fix this without redesigning the entire C172 model afresh.

4. A customised flight model specially commissioned by the Kangan Batman TAFE Aerospace Industry Training Centre. This flight model is optimised for training purposes and will produce predictable aircraft reactions when flying outside the Cessna 172 SP's normal flying regime. This includes wing drops, spinning and side slip capability up to 37 degrees.

This package is released "as is" and RealAir Simulations is not obliged to provide support for individual users. If you do not find this aircraft to your liking then please simply discard it. We have made all efforts to provide a good training aircraft which in the main reflects the behaviour of the real aircraft, within the limitations of FS2002, and within the constraints imposed upon us in enabling slipping and spinning.

Important flying and setup notes

This flight model must be flown with the general realism slider set to maximum in the aircraft/realism menu in FS2002. Additionally, you must uncheck "auto-coordination" in the same menu if you want good rudder control, slipping and spinning. Rudder Pedals or a twist grip on your joystick will significantly enhance this.

The C172 SP requires a wealth of performance parameters to be harmonised with each other, not only in general flight behaviour but also in terms of climb, cruise, descent and higher altitude performance. Where possible we have made efforts to keep these specifications as close as possible to the actual aircraft. Where exact performance values have made certain manoeuvres difficult we have compromised to give a good overall feel to flying.

Please check your throttle calibration. If you are getting an under-performing engine it is probably because your throttle slider or lever is not actually producing full throttle. You can check this by flying straight and level under auto pilot, then disabling your joystick in FS2002, and pressing F4 for full throttle. If you see a slight rise in rpm when doing this you can be sure your throttle lever needs re-calibrating. Often, the solution is to not quite push the lever to maximum when prompted by the Microsoft Joystick Calibration routine. This ensures that when you push your throttle fully foward in the sim it will be at maximum. You might also get slightly better throttle accuracy by applying a very slight "null zone" to the throttle in FS2002's control/ sensitivity menu.

Our Cessna 172SP loads with just two pilots (Instructor and Student) and a little baggage. Thus climb and cruise performance will exceed specification (Climb will be well over 800 fpm as against 720 fpm at Sea Level fully loaded). If you wish to fly fully loaded then backup your aircraft.cfg file, then open it. Find the Weight and Balance heading and add some rear passengers and more baggage to bring total weight up to near maximum permitted:

station_load.0 = 190, -2.0, -1.5, 0.0 //Pilot (first value lbs weight)
station_load.1 = 190, -2.0, 1.5, 0.0 //Front Passenger
station_load.2 = 0.0, -6.2, -1.5, 0.0 //Rear Passenger
station_load.3 = 0.0, -6.2, 1.5, 0.0 //Rear Passenger
station_load.4 = 30, -8.0, 0.0, 0.0 //Baggage

For general flying and circuit/ pattern practice, plus spinning and side slip practice, we recommend using just two pilots.

Flight performance

At maximum take off weight, the RealAir Cessna 172 SP will perform as indicated below. Included in brackets are the accuracy values you can expect from this flightmodel.

Climb on full throttle at 76 KIAS, sea level — 720 FPM (within 5%)

Max speed sea level to 400 FT ASL at full throttle — 126.3 KTS (within 0.5%)

Cruise, 80% power at 8000 FT — 122-124 knots (within 3%)

Ceiling — 14,000 FT (please note, this requires reduced fuel to attain).

Descent: all at 1500 RPM at typical landing weight with 2 persons on board, no head wind, and 500 FPM descent —

Flap 10° — 70-75 KIAS
Flap 20° — 65 KIAS
Flap 30° — 60 KIAS

Note: For approaches with significant head wind, descent rate would be nearer 350 FPM than 500 FPM, in which case more power would be needed — perhaps 1700 RPM.

Stalls and Spins

Stalls are reasonably benign, unless you insist on fighting them. The stall drop is a little greater than on the real aircraft due to our spin and wing drop routines kicking in. Generally though a smooth forward push of the stick and powered recovery should feel close to the actual aircraft.

Wing drops will occur (more often to the left) if a stall is held and not recovered.

Spins are reluctant and, as with the real C172 SP, tend to collapse occasionally into a spiral. You may need a little up trim to encourage a spin. The procedure is classic. Stick fully back and as the nose drops, kick in full rudder. Spins to the left are easier to promote than to the right. Often, typically with the 172, a spin will first mimic a spiral, then reluctantly the nose will "tuck in" and a spin will begin. Descent speed of spin will vary according to total load but generally settles around 15-20% above the stall speed. Rotations are relatively slow. Recovery is almost instant upon centering the controls.

Side slipping can aid quick descent on too-high approaches. Our C172 SP will side slip very easily with rudder and aileron controls crossed.

Please don't forget to set the General Realism slider to Maximum. Have Fun!

Our association with the Kangan Batman TAFE

Greg Free, of the Aerospace Industry Training Centre at the Kangan Batman TAFE (TAFE stands for Tertiary And Further Education, and is roughly similar to a UK Polytechnic) contacted us a while back after trying our award winning SIAI-Marchetti SF.260, the first ever aircraft for the FS series to spin, and expressed interest in using this aircraft simulation as a training tool. At a recent Airshow in Melbourne, which featured display aircraft from all over the world, our SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 was demonstrated on a large screen and received huge interest from airshow visitors and pilots alike. Our SF.260 is now used as an additional tool for advanced flying manoeuvres at the TAFE. We also demonstrated the beta of our C172 at the show and subsequently were commissioned by the TAFE to develop the first ever third party aircraft for FS2002 to be used as an official training tool for ab initio students at a flying school. Training on this aircraft began in February of this year (2003).

Since the TAFE contacted us, we have now received other commissions for flight models from various other training establishments around the world, including one from a European Air Force.

RealAir Simulations seeks to constantly improve its products. We welcome feedback, and do listen to suggestions. However we are not able to respond to every request for support with this particular package, the licence for which we provide free of charge to single users who are interested in a more in-depth GA flying experience. Please note that commercial use of this package is prohibited without first obtaining our permission.

For information on our products and addons for Fs2002, please visit our website: www.realairsimulations.com

Credits:

Aircraft and panel textures, installer — Bill Womack
Documentation — Sean Moloney
Flight-model and custom sounds — Rob Young

Flight Testing
Greg Free on behalf of the Kangan Batman TAFE Aerospace Industry Training Centre
Stephen "Beach" Comer

We extend grateful thanks to Bill Womack, Greg Free and Stephen Comer for their generous work and support in the development of this package.

This aircraft flight model, custom textures and sounds are the property of RealAir Simulations.
You are granted a single user licence to use and enjoy this aircraft. This package must
not be used for any commercial purpose, including flight school training, without the/express and written permission of RealAir Simulations.

The files accompanying this package are digitally encrypted and can be traced. Copying, disassembling, and/or re-editing this flight model and/or textures, in likeness or feel, is a breach of copyright and prohibited. This package may not be uploaded to any website without the written permission of RealAir Simulations.

If you wish to add textures to this package please first write to us at www.realairsimulations.com and seek written permission.