Hi all,

I just realized that this new mod has not been presented in the SimV forums yet, although it has been uploaded to the SimV library recently (in FSX > Props).
http://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1&keywords=Ismail+Hakki&x=0&y=0
This mod might be one of the best freeware mods ever made for FSX, so I'm sure it will get your attention


So what is it ?


A guy nammed Ismail Hakki Guzel (I hope I spelled right) has created some days ago a set of gauges, comparable to the RealEngine gauges for those who knew them, for the Carenado V-35. The purpose of these gauges is to analyze your flight and determine the actual wear that some elements of the plane might suffer accordingly. Of course, this concerns the engine, but not only. Stuff like the brakes, the gears mecanisms, the flaps and the pitot heat are also handled. Eventually, if you make critical mistakes while flying, the wear will result in damage and failures, leading to unusable elements.


There are two extremely cool feature that make this mod "special":
- a popup 2D panel that shows a list of elements statuses, with the possibility to repair them with a single click 
- the wear of the elements is saved into a separate data file for each aircraft, just like Accusim for example ! 


After the V-35, the author has decided to adapt his mod to the default C172, and this mod has just been uploaded to SimV !! And now, he's working on the default Baron !  You can find more details, informations and screenshots on his blog: http://v35bdamagemod.blogspot.com/
In the past few days I've been trying to adapt the v35 mod to the default C172 myself, but it looks like this guy read into my mind and he did it much faster than me  I am downloading the package as I write these lines and I'm really impatient to test it, because during my convertion attempt, I could already get really pleasant results !

Basically, the level of immersion and realism of potentially any freeware (and payware) plane is about to change to a toally new level.

I made a very short flight, and managed to successfully destroy my flaps 

Yes Chuck the parts stop working when they break.

I did a short flight & managed to ruin the flaps, brakes & Sounds Air's reputation.

Also Daube could the Carenado V35B Damage Mod be adapted to Brett Henderson's V35?

andy190 wrote on Feb 21^st, 2012 at 6:10pm:

Surely, but not completely.
As stated in the readme, some effects are linked to some of the Carenado V-35 features, for example the Pitot Damage (not pitot heat) when you don't put the pitot protections on ground.

I'm sure it's worth a try You'll have to take a close look into the panel.cfg to transfer the gauges correctly to the panel.cfg of Brett's V-35. Since the VCs and gauges are not the same than the Carenado V-35, you will not be able to simply tranfert the mod without any modifications.

Yes, you copy the content.
But in fact, if you just drag and drop everything in the main FSX folder, the result will be the same. You'll get some popus from Windows asking you if you want to merge the contents of the folders with identical names, and then you'll get other popups asking you if you really want to overwritte the files in these folders.

One aditionnal info that is not indicated in the readme: there is a file nammed "copy-paste to aircraft.cfg" or something like that.

DO NOT REPLACE THE CONTENT OF YOUR AIRCRAFT.CFG WITH THE CONTENT OF THIS FILE

! The content of this file is incomplete: the aircraft variants definitions are missing (all the [flightsim.x] sections). The author has surely done this not to overwrite all the repaints that you declared, which is nice from him. But he should have included additionnal, more detailled instructions to explain to the unexperienced users what to do exactely with his file.

But there is a very good advise in the readme: create a backup of the whole C172 folder first I could get my original aircraft.cfg in this way, and copied the variant declarations back into the altered file.

Thanks Daube. I was pretty sure it was just the contents part, but just wanted to check.

Hats-off, and many thanks to the developer !

The great potential here, is the "accumulated" wear..

I've yet to use it, but I'm poking around inside the XML files.. and if this discussion allows constructive input, I'll offer some.

I see where engine-wear can be triggered by excessive RPM, and extented use of throttle above 80%...  This is kinda problematic, as a normally-aspirated piston engine, and a constant-speed prop, are often operated at 100% throttle for extended periods while at altitude (ie.. you cannot get much above 24" of manifold pressure at 6000msl)  ....  so I'd respectfully suggest that (for normally aspirated GA) throttle-position be replaced by model-specific manifold-pressure..



Edit:  (I'm learning) .. seems the 80% throttle-setting pertains to a"nursing" condidtion.. there is no (yet discovered)MP-related stress..  I'll refrain until actual testing..

Just copy paste everything in the right place. The folder structure says it all. What is in Gauges goes in Gauges, what is in Effects goes in Effect, etc...
Just ensure, ENSURE you create a backup copy of the plane folders (C172, Beech_Baron_58) before overwritting anything in them. Once your backup copies are in a safe place, then you can move the damage mod file and overwritte the original files with them.

I got the one for the cessna when it was released,nothing happened when I flew it.

Then,I found out about the baron here,downloaded it, and guess what happened on an online flight with fozzer?


2 engine fires.

Cool add-on

I managed to take care of the engines on my first flight, but I dropped the gear without slowing down enough when I went to land. The sound it made when it failed actually startled me enough to make me jump in my seat

From my side, I have made some flights with the default Baron modified with the damage mod, and additionnaly the new AccuFeel from A2A, and the combination of the two was just excellent.

Damage Mod, hummm. I just wish I could Fly "Foward", heck, all I do is seem to Fly "Backwards" & upside down with my Aircraft ! but, my momma always said I was a tad bit Backwards,, ummmm 

Daube wrote on Feb 26^th, 2012 at 5:36am:


It did say something about servos,I tought this was something to do with my autopilot.

I grabbed it a day after it came out.

Fozzer wrote on Mar 15^th, 2012 at 3:20pm:

Only the baron.
He has to change those engines!

FoxThree wrote on Mar 16^th, 2012 at 7:08pm:

I could finally test the mod tonight, and I have to say that you are right. The new interface is simply excellent !  Everything appears clearly, and the installation is quite easy too. I think I'll fly the default C208 a bit more, now Each time I use it, I just realize how beautifull the virtual cockpit of that plane is. 

Here is a quick shot to show what you see in-game. He has modified the electrical 2D panel to include a small icon that calls the maintenance screen, that's pretty cool 

Wow, I didn't know such a gauge existed. How I have to go buy a replacement copy of FSX as I have lost the old one. I like to try that mod out.

Thanks for the notification !
I just took the time to make a quick test flight with the Robinson. It's like the aircraft comes to life
However, the main problem for me is that I'm still unable to start it from Cold and Dark. I can start the engine, but as soon as I release the cluntch, the engine dies. I have to use the starter WITH the cluntch released, so that the starter makes the rotor rotate... and after several seconds, when the rotor has enough speed, then the engine accepts to start... I'm not sure it's done like this in real life :/

Time to sleep now, it's 02:00 AM here, my brain can't pilot anymore

Ok, some updates here, just to keep the history clear

As discussed above, there has been a new mod released recently for the default Robinson R22, with the following features:
-Engine wear and Damage Simulation
-Engine and Tailrotor Gearbox Oil use
-Engine Oil condition (Affects Engine Wear)
-Engine Oil Change (Every 25 Hours Like Real R22)
-Engine Vibration in Virtual Cockpit (If Engine or Tailrotor are damaged, or you fly greater than 100 knots vibration will be greater then normal and you hear cockpit rattles sound effect)
-Tailrotor Strikes if Tailrotor Gearbox Oil is low
-Cyclic Vibration (if Engine is running)
-Cockpit switches Sound Effects
-Cockpit Instruments takes Dirt
-Cockpit Instruments will Damage if you land the helicopter very hard!

I could test this mod and it really was nice, even though my flights were not long enough to see dirt accumulate on the gauges yet. The vibrations are a nice touch. Now, the author has announced that he is working on the default DC-3 to include the usual features:
- Engine wear and damage simulation
- Engine Oil simulation
- Propeller wear and damage simulation
- Flaps and Landing Gear Damage simulation
- Wheel Brakes wear and damage simulation
- Vibration effects on ground-roll and in air (with sound effects)
- Adding several sound effects like cockpit switches and knobs
- Dirt effect on gauges
- Crash effects on gauges
- Two Cockpits to choose, one is default FSX and the other one is fitted with Autopilot and GPS

With the "Accusim"-style wear, the additionnal features and the external model from Manfred, the default DC-3 will really reach a totally new level of realism and immersion, that's quite a good news (for me, at least) 

More info on the author's blog:
http://v35bdamagemod.blogspot.de/

Almost makes me want to shift to FSX from fs2004.   

Sounds great.

best,

...............john