A lot has been updated, improved, and reworked to incorporate user feedback and new requests.
Thank you all for the feedback and support through this development, it has been incredible to hear the positive feedback. The application now includes the completed development of procedures for Flight School and a new Pilot Record for user record times and completions for the School and Scenario type.
New audio narration for all of the procedures have also been updated as well as new 3D model enhancements to improve familiarization with the aircraft and overall user experience. The airport environment has been expanded to include more FAA compliant game objects and textures as well as a Visual Flight Rules runway, overrun and taxiway in a real world layout.
Finally, the long awaited Emergency Scenarios have been developed that demonstrate real world situations and the step by step procedures on how to navigate the complexities of piloting an aircraft while under stress and maintain the most critical aspect as a pilot, survivability.
Your support and feedback has been incredibly valuable to the development of this application!
v2.2.0.1 Development Log:
Normal Procedures - Before Takeoff, Normal Takeoff, Normal Climb, Cruise, Before Landing, Landing, After Landing, and Securing Aircraft. Each procedure includes step by step guided instruction with highlighted objects, audio narration, and animated interactions to simulate the real world feedback from the aircraft. Additionally, these procedures enable the flight controls to the user at key moments during the instruction allowing more real-time feedback and aircraft impacts.
Pilot Training Record - The traceability of a student pilots performance is now housed within the Main Menu's Pilot Record Dialog. This enhancement has now enabled the saving of states and record times for Time on Task tracking on the two starting procedures in pilot familiarization. Completing the entirety of the Flight School Normal Procedures now enables the user to earn their wings as well as other certifications when completed successfully.
Time On Task Training - For the two procedures measuring a user's Time On Task, a 'Reveal' interaction has been incorporated based on user feedback. This new UX allows the user to continue the procedure but incurs a 30 second time penalty for the active time tracking when unable to locate the correct item to select at a given step in the procedure.
ALL NEW AUDIO NARRATION - Over 100 audio files, all of the audio narration, have been rerecorded with a new narrator that is more human and less robot sounding based on user feedback. Thank you all for this feedback as the new audio sounds worlds better and more directive, conversational and most of all more immersive.
Introduction Procedure - A new 3D model of the aircraft engine has been added to the Introduction procedure to expand on the existing content and provide user familiarity with the actual engine type. The engine has been modeled, texture, and animated within the steps to better show the propellor and components of the engine during the procedure. Additionally the fuel tanks, lines, control valve, and fuel strainer are now modelled and highlighted during the fuel step to highlight where and how the system is oriented within the aircraft.
Flight School Self-Paced Navigation - All procedure sequencing steps for Previous and Next buttons have been updated to reflect the correct orientation and steps when a user wants to review another step or advance to later step in the procedure.
Optimization - Each scene has been reduced in size and assets to improve overall application performance to enable more assets to be added in future update.
Demo Airport Environment - Expanded airport to include FAA compliance objects in testing and development (Ongoing updates); with a new taxiway expanded to entirety of the visual flight rules 4800' runway, 200' overrun area and markings, ground markings within taxiway for runway signs, hold short lines, centerline, and taxiway boundary. A windsock has been added as reference to windspeed and direction. The runway and taxiway also include stanchions of white lights spaced along runway, green and red runway begin/end 3D model lights, and smaller stanchions of blue lights along either side of the taxiway. Additionally, green centerline lights are marked within the taxiway as well as the amber lights for the hold short line lights.
Single Engine Aircraft - 3D model enhancements have been made to the primary user aircraft including the powerplant, fuel system, improved wing handles, wing steps, pitot tube, engine cowling & engine interior panels/firewall, and flight control instruments.
Dual Engine Aircraft - Development of a new 3D model has begun and will be added to future procedures!
Audio Sound Effect Development - Ambient noise of airport, new wind, UI states, and switch states have been added and in development for procedure integration.
Emergency Landing Scenarios - One of the largest user requests received from the initial early access release was the opportunity for a user to experience some of the real-world scenarios of the single engine aircraft emergency procedures. The Emergency Landing scenario was created as a supplement for aviation schools to demonstrate the correct procedures a student pilot will follow under times of uncertainty when facing abnormal conditions. These procedures include the Engine Failure On Takeoff, Engine Failure After Takeoff, Engine Failure In Flight, Forced Landing - Ditching, Landing On A Flat Main Tire, and the Bird Strike procedure. Each of these procedures contain new audio narration that guide the user with the correct sequence and calls, aircraft state changes while piloting in real time, and new 3D models that help enhance the scenario.
Yoke/Pedal/Throttle Control Inputs - Another user request for this level of input controls to the aircraft is not completed but is partially supported. A user can fly the aircraft with the Logitech Saitek Pro flight yoke, throttle, and rudder system with the throttle set to half speed. Please note this is not mapped correctly. The mapping of the input controllers for this level of fidelity will not be included within the final release.