Hello Everyone,
Silantro Flight Simulator is now available for Unreal! Fab Store Link: Simulator Toolkit
Asset Intro Video | Cessna 182 Flight Demo [Included in the asset] | Boeing 737 Flight Demo | CT-114 Flight Demo
Tutorial Playlist: Videos
The toolkit provides the components needed to setup any 3D model into a flying aircraft, all with publicly available aircraft/engine data. With the provided scripts, fixed-wing aircraft models with realistic flight and engine performance can be rapidly configured.
Component 1: Aerodynamic Surface System: This allows you to break each aircraft surface (wing, stabiliser, canard, etc.) down into panels that approximate the shape, and the system will use the specified shape with the root & tip 2D airfoil data to calculate the forces and moments contribution of each panel.
For surfaces with complex shapes, you can use the provided panel controls to individually adjust the properties of each panel to match the shape of your wing or surface better.
Example of using this system for a lambda wing: Lambda Wing Test [Time-lapse configuration video]
1B. Control Surfaces: A variety of primary and secondary control surfaces are available for the surfaces, all of which can be individually controlled.
Primary surfaces:
Secondary surfaces: On the wings, flaps, slats, and spoilers can be setup and controlled.
For each of the control surfaces, the size, limits & range, mesh hinges and actuator properties can be carefully adjusted.
1C: Airfoil Data: The 2D aerodynamic performance of the root and tip airfoils can be generated using Javafoil or Xfoil and then fed into the provided Airfoil Importer to create the performance file that can be imported into the project.
Component 2: Surface Drag System: In the same as the wings, the drag-generating surfaces, such as the fuselage, sponson, external tanks, etc., can be configured using a subdivision-based system.
Each surface is split into a series of ellipses whose width and height can be adjusted to fit the shape of the surface as closely as possible.
Component 3: Propulsion System: The system comes with thermodynamic models for the Piston, Turboprop, Turbojet and Turbofan engines. Example configuration board for the General Electric J85 Turbojet engine, with data mostly from the Wikipedia page
The propulsion system is based on a “cartridge-like” system based on the Unreal data asset system. This way, the configured engine and propeller data can be swapped in and out on the same aircraft setup.
Realistic propeller performance data can also be imported from the Javaprop analysis system using the propeller importer system.
3B. Simple Engines: The system also comes with static data-based engines that can be used for rapid prototyping or when the detailed engine dynamics are not required. You can configure these engines by specifying the thrust or power, and fuel consumption of the engine at specific speeds.
This data is usually available in the aircraft/engine performance chart.
Component 4. Flight Control System: The aircraft can be configured to use either Manual, Stability augmented, Command augmented or full Autopilot controls. In the manual mode, your controls are sent directly to the aircraft control surfaces.
A. Stability augmentation provides additional damping and levelling functionality to help stabilise the aircraft on top of your manual controls.
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B. Command augmentation provides a similar system to the control system found in modern high-speed jets and commercial aircraft. This control system removes the direct connection to the aircraft surfaces by interpreting your normal controls as rate or acceleration commands.
The system also includes a detailed mass-inertia system that dynamically computes the aircraft mass and centre of gravity as a function of the loaded aircraft payload
The asset will receive important updates in the coming months, and you’ll get notifications and patch notes within the asset.