Buchanan, Stuart wrote: > --- Venkatesh Parthasarathy wrote: >> Hello Stuart, >> >> Thank you for your quick and detailed reply, and please call me Venkat. > > Hi Venkat, > >> I have FG installed at home for the last 2 weeks and use it regularly. >> However, I find the manual installed with the package is aimed at users >> with a little background in Aviation. I do not have that background and >> find the manual difficult to use. Simple tasks such as taxiing, taking >> off, cannot be performed by a first timer with the information provided >> in the manual, and I am struggling even to taxi let alone takeoff and >> maintain the altitude. > > I think I may mis-read your original email - my apologies. > >> I know that the whole effort of writing is entirely voluntary and I am >> grateful for that and appreciate that the author has made the effort to >> do the documentation. In fact, I would be very happy to help in this >> regard. > > Your help would be very welcome. I think that good documentation is what > distinguishes a mature product/project from one that is still in early > stages of development. > >> I have not had the opportunity to go through >> >> http://www.4p8.com/eric.brasseur/flight_simulator_tutorial.html >> >> yet. > > I think you will find that tutorial very helpful. It also references > additional material. > >> Would it be possible for creating and maintaining different documents >> targeting different audience levels? And how can I help? > > As you've (intentionally?) highlighted, the challenge is _maintaining_ the > different documents. Over time, documentation goes out of date, and we > currently have enough trouble just keeping The Manual current - and that > is with 2 or 3 active maintainers. Other documents tend to be the product > of one person, who in the future may no-longer have enough time to keep > them up to date. > > I think The Manual can be sufficiently flexible to be useful to both an > experienced pilot/simulator and someone completely new. > > IMHO answer is providing a main body that concentrates on FG itself > (running the program, using the features), and a series of tutorials that > concentrate on simulating simple lessons - a FG Flight-school. Once Eric's > tutorial has been added, we will have much more coverage in this area. > > BTW, if you start with the c172p, the Help menu includes a Tutorial option > that includes a couple of interactive lessons on flying - you may find > them useful. > > -Stuart > > PS: Apologies for the previous top-post. > >> Buchanan, Stuart wrote: >>> Hi Venkatesh Parthasarathy, >>> >>> You will probably want to start by having a look at the documentation >> we >>> already have. See http://www.flightgear.org/docs.html. >>> >>> The main piece of documentation is The FlightGear Manual (aka The >> Manual). >>> This is delivered with each release and is intended to be complete >> user >>> documentation. >>> >>> We also have an active Wiki, which contains information that hasn't >> been >>> added to The Manual (yet). >>> >>> I would suggest that you download FG, and have a play with it while >>> referencing the Manual and Eric's tutorial >>> (http://www.4p8.com/eric.brasseur/flight_simulator_tutorial.html). We >> are >>> currently merging this tutorial into the Manual. >>> >>> Once you've done this you should have >>> a) an idea of where the documentation needs improving >>> b) a better idea of how FG works. >>> >>> I'd highly recommend that you look at improving The Manual as opposed >> to >>> writing completely new documentation. It is typset using Latex and is >>> under CVS source-code control. If you are not familiar with either of >>> these tools, don't worry - they are pretty easy to learn and provide a >>> very easy way for multiple people to work on the same document. >>> >>> Hope this helps. >>> >>> -Stuart >>> >>> --- Venkatesh Parthasarathy wrote: >>> >>> >>>> Hello Everyone, >>>> >>>> I am a Tech Writer by profession and would like to pitch in to write >> the >>>> FG documentation. However, I have a major drawback, I do not have any >>>> background in aviation / simulation. Where would I get enough >> background >>>> or basic information about aviation before I can commit myself to >> this >>>> task. >>>> >>>> Any links to documents that would provide basic knowledge would be >>>> welcome. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Venkatesh Parthasarathy, >>>> India. >>>> >>>> >>>>
Apart from key mappings specific to FlighGear if you are using the keyboard for control, tutorials necessarily have to be in keeping with the stated intentions of the project which is eventual FAA cert as a training and examination aid. The first thing you do to become a pilot, apart from parting with cash, is to collect the training manual/manuals, CRP-1 or similar computer, ruler and protractor, then you get down to studying, flying the manoeuvers, studying followed by practical flying to back up the studies - FlightGear demands such an approach I think. For use of FlighGear or any other professional simulator, there is no adequate shortcut as you are simulating flight in a real aeroplane that will do what a real aeroplane does, e.g in a strong crosswind, it will eventually run off the runway if no corrective action is undertaken and knowledge of what action to take is acquired through reading and acquiring such knowledge. The more rudimentary simulators would require you to open the throttle, guarantee you follow the runway centre line automatically, rotate and you are off flying. http://www.flightgear.org/introduction.html sets out the basic goals. -- Sid Boyce ... Hamradio License G3VBV, Licensed Private Pilot Retired IBM/Amdahl Mainframes and Sun/Fujitsu Servers Tech Support Specialist, Cricket Coach Microsoft Windows Free Zone - Linux used for all Computing Tasks ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security? Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642 _______________________________________________ Flightgear-users mailing list Flightgear-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-users
