Angle of Attack Indexer

[Meatball0311 79]

I am trying to model an Angle of Attack Indexer and need some help. I have an understanding of scripting, but my skills are basic.

Angle of Attack Indexer is an instrument that helps the pilot in landing.

Angle of Attack basically means the difference between the aircraft's pitch angle and the vertical angle (direction plane if actually flying).

I need to know how to find the Angle of Attack of an aircraft in degrees?

[[aps]gnat 28]

Youre building a plane right?

Have you placed an animated AoA instrument in the cockpit?

source = "aoa";

Even if you havent, add one. Doesnt even have to be visible to the pilot.

Then simply read the animationphase of it to get your angle.

.... my guess.

[Meatball0311 79]

Gnat;1922337']Youre building a plane right?

Have you placed an animated AoA instrument in the cockpit?

Even if you havent' date=' add one. Doesnt even have to be visible to the pilot.

Then simply read the animationphase of it to get your angle.

.... my guess.[/quote']

Ok, but what do the minValue and maxValue need to be set at? Does it need to be a rotation animation? What would be a good config for an 'aoa' animation?

I need to know when the plane's angle of attack is between 11 - 15 degrees.

Edited May 13, 2011 by Meatball0311

[[aps]gnat 28]

From the ArmA1 Su34 model.cfg

class IndicatorAOA: Rotation

{

source="aoa";

selection="aoa_meter";

axis="aoa_meter_axis";

memory=0;

maxValue="rad 38";

angle1="rad 160";

};

But I suspect you can have -360 and +360.

Or maybe you just want an invisible 1 between -15 +15

Easiest way to check, the way I do when documentation of an animation source is limited;

Place a block or 2 in the cockpit in view of the pilot, animate it with some settings, binarize the model and watch what it does in flight.

Tweak the settings, fly again.

[Meatball0311 79]

Ok, I got the animation working in game, but need to configure the setting appropriately. This is what I have:

class IndicatorAOA: Rotation

{

source="aoa";

selection="aoa_meter";

axis="aoa_meter_axis";

memory=0;

minValue=-6.283;

maxValue=6.283;

angle0=-6.283;

angle1=6.283;

};

Any suggestions on what would be the accurate settings for a AoA gauge?

[[aps]gnat 28]

My guess its a 1 to 1 ratio (degs to degs) but not sure what range BIS have given it.

Rememeber Min and Max valves refers to the animation source range you want to "use"

Sometimes the animation source only provides a value between 0 and 1 ot -1 to +1, but other times it may provide a scalar relevant to the source (eg speed)

And angle0 and angle1 refers to the where you want YOUR object in relation to that range you selected in Min/Max.

Start Min/Max with -1 and +1

And Angles with "rad -90" and "rad +90"

and see what it does in the cockpit.

If it barely moves then the Min/Max may need to be larger number. (ie the animation source provides a larger scaled output)

[Meatball0311 79]

The animation is working and moving well. Just a few questions:

1. Can there be a negative AoA?

2. What is the realistic range of degrees for AoA?

3. And I need a texture for the AoA gauge... got one to spare?

[blakeace 11]

I'm not an expert but checked my DCS A-10 manual, and the A-10 gauge range shows 0-30, referenced as units, in manual. So no indication of a negative value.

Also this

http://www.dynonavionics.com/docs/D180_Feature_AOA.html

Hope these tidbits are helpful.

Blake

[Meatball0311 79]

I'm not an expert but checked my DCS A-10 manual, and the A-10 gauge range shows 0-30, referenced as units, in manual. So no indication of a negative value.

Also this

http://www.dynonavionics.com/docs/D180_Feature_AOA.html

Hope these tidbits are helpful.

Blake

Wow, that is fantastic. It makes a little more sense now knowing the range of AoA. I will look into it and readjust my gauge...

[[aps]gnat 28]

Google is your friend is you want to know what AoA really is.

Note there is a difference between civil and military indicators.

[Meatball0311 79]

yes I used it.. this is what will be my texture.. and I am having trouble in determining where zero would be.

I understand that 360 = 6.283 rad

but where does zero start in the circle? The tests that I have tried are not helping...

Basically this will be my texture

I would like for the angle0 to be placed at the position of the 0 on the gauge, then I would like for the animation to stop at the 40 (which I believe would be .6981 rad?) Am I correct and what config would you use for this?

---------- Post added at 11:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:15 PM ----------

I also would like for the animation to go counter clockwise.. like the picture

[[aps]gnat 28]

Sorry, its one of those suck-it-n-see tasks. Can't help much more.

To get something rotating in the opposite direction either change the sign of the Angle1 or spin the 2 axis points 180deg

[Meatball0311 79]

Gnat;1924203']Sorry' date=' its one of those suck-it-n-see tasks. Can't help much more.

To get something rotating in the opposite direction either change the sign of the Angle1 or spin the 2 axis points 180deg[/quote']

Thanks a lot for your assistance! I will try those...

---------- Post added at 07:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:48 AM ----------

This is what I did.. it is working, but not like how I expected it. It seems that the gauge is registering the AoA at small increments. Basically, the most I have seen it go is to the 5 degree mark on the texture. How would I increase the gauges reading to where it uses the whole texture?

These are my config for the gauge:

class IndicatorAOA: Rotation

{

source="aoa";

selection="aoa_meter";

axis="aoa_meter_axis";

memory=0;

minValue=0;

maxValue=0.6981;

angle0=0.785;

angle1=1.4831;

};

[[aps]gnat 28]

Have you tried increasing the maxValue?

Try it doubled current value, then try it 4x value.

Failing that, use those values again, except negative.

If your worried the gauge isnt working in general, change the source to "speed" and use a maxValue like 100 to see the guage in action.

Note speed is in meters per second

[Meatball0311 79]

I got it to where I am satisfied and now I am trying to get the AoA Indexer model to work. What I need for it to do is when the landing gear is down and the AoA is at certain degree or position, for there to be a setobjectTexture command that illuminates the lights on the AoA Indexer. I will worry about that, but what I need to know is based off of my IndicatorAoA animation config, how can I find what position 10 degrees would be?

Here is the config:

class IndicatorAOA: Rotation

{

source="aoa";

selection="aoa_meter";

axis="aoa_meter_axis";

memory=0;

minValue=0;

maxValue=1;

angle0=0.785;

angle1=5.58488896;

};

[[aps]gnat 28]

_p = _myplane animationPhase "IndicatorAOA"

http://www.ofpec.com/COMREF/index.php?action=details&id=23&game=All

http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/animationPhase

As to what number it gives you actually equals 10degs, probably only you can work that out from testing.

BTW, just noticed your "Rotation" thing.

Normal MODEL.CFG's are definted like this;

class IndicatorAOA

{

type ="rotation";

source="aoa";

selection="aoa_meter";

axis="aoa_meter_axis";

memory=0;

minValue=0;

maxValue=1;

angle0=0.785;

angle1=5.58488896;

};

Edited May 17, 2011 by [APS]Gnat