On Thursday 06 December 2007 00:29:02 Durk Talsma wrote: > p51d -> (????) > > We already have one other WWII fighter. Do we really want to have two, or > do we want to have some other category of aircraft represented? > > pa28-161 -> pa24-250
The P-51D is an all time classic aircraft, an icon if you will. The model in flightgear is very nice even though it could use some updating. Even though there is already another WWII aircraft in the mix I think the P-51D should be included if for no other reason than that it is clearly the best aircraft of it's class ever produced. The PA28 and the PA24 are very different aircraft with the PA28-161 being in the same class as the C172. The PA24-250 is a much more complex aircraft and it is basically the only mature model of this class (single engine high performance modern GA) of aircraft that is available for FG so it should be included. But the PA24-161 model is now very mature and I think it is a better model than the C172 at this point. Perhaps the PA28 should replace the C172 in the base distribution? In regards issues with operational complexity and new users. The proposed list of aircraft covers a wide range of possible complexity levels up to a jet airliner (you can't get much more complex that this) and I think instead of being concerned that new users might be overwelmed if they try running FG with a complex aircraft that instead the various bits of documentation should make it clear that new users WILL likely be overwelmed in those cases were they decide to use one of these complex aircraft. Even the PA24-250 has enough complexity that users should not be flying it until they are profient in less complex aircraft like the C172 or the PA28-161. I think the main criteria for including aircraft in the base distribution should be (in order of priority): 1. Model maturaty. 2. Deveristy in general types, era and complexity. 3. Is the aircraft in some way iconic or a widely recognized type. For example the J3 model is mature, it is an easy to fly single engine tail dragger (IE. a distinct class of aircraft that is clearly different from a C172 or a 787) and it is an iconic classic that just about every one knows and loves. For the most part I agree with the other choices but I also think the selections are a little on the jet heavy side. I would also like to see something from the golden era of avaiation as well (IE. 1920s and 1930s). I see that CVS now has at least a few models from this era. Are any of these mature yet? Hal ------------------------------------------------------------------------- SF.Net email is sponsored by: Check out the new SourceForge.net Marketplace. It's the best place to buy or sell services for just about anything Open Source. http://sourceforge.net/services/buy/index.php _______________________________________________ Flightgear-users mailing list Flightgear-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-users
