Supercar version 4.1 for FS2004 (and FS2002) - 5-Oct-2003

Brian Douglas <bgadouglas@tiscali.co.uk> and Austin Tate <a.tate@ed.ac.uk>

Latest version is available at
http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~bat/GA/supercar-msfs.html
Use version 2.2 (30-May-2000) for FS98 and CFS
Use version 3.3 (5-Jul-2002) for FS2000 and CFS2
This version is for FS2002 and FS2004

________________________________________________________________________
Introduction

Supercar is a multi-purpose vehicle from the Gerry Anderson TV show
which was first broadcast in 1960. Supercar is a vertical take-off
and landing vehicle which has extendible wings while in flight. As
well as its ability to fly, Supercar can travel underwater, on land
with a ground effect cushion from its vertical boosters, and even go
into space.

The Flight Simulator craft is a test model of Supercar which provides
limited capabilities. The avionics have been updated to modern 21st
Century jet standards. The test programme is still continuing,
adjustments are being made, and the operational envelope is still to
be established. Join the test programme now... Fly your own Supercar!

______________________________________________________________________
Installation:

1. Unzip the archive to a temporary folder, with option "use folder names"
checked.

2. From this temp folder, copy the subfolder Aircraft\Supercar4 and all
its contents into the FS Aircraft folder.

3. Copy the subfolder Gauges\rcb_gauges and all its contents into the main
Flight Simulator Gauges folder

4. Copy the Effects (fx) files provided into the main Flight Simulator Effects
Folder.

5. Copy the Sound files provided into the the main Flight Simulator Sound folder.

6. Copy the Flights\Supercar folder and its contents (for startup flights and
GPS flight plan files) into the main Flight Simulator Flights Folder.

7. Copy the contents of tyhe Flights\myflts folder into the Flight Simulator
Flights\myflts folder.

8. Uires\ contains alternative Flight Simulator start up "splash" screens.
Rename the default Flight Simulator Uires\dlgsplash.bmp image to keep it.
Then cpy either dlgsplash-sc-2002.bmp or dlgsplash-sc-2004.bmp to
Uires\dlgsplash.bmp.

______________________________________________________________________
Adjustment for FS2004

Experience shows that there are differences between FS2002 and FS2004
flight dynamics. For FS2004, it is recommended that you amend the default
empty_weight_CG_position in the [WEIGHT_AND_BALANCE] from:
reference_datum_position=0.000, 0.000, 0.000
to the FS2004 recommended:
empty_weight_CG_position=7.000, 0.000, 0.000

______________________________________________________________________
Contents when in Flight Simulator:

Readme.txt - this file
Supercar.,gif - small thumbnail image
Supercar.jpg - sample image
FILE_ID.DIZ - short textual description for online flight sim sites

Aircraft/Supercar4 containing
model
panel
sounds
texture
Supercar4.air
aircraft.cfg
turbo.cfg - alternative for aircraft.cfg
Supercar4_check.txt
Supercar4_ref.txt

Gauges/rcb-gauges

Sounds/amb_aexp1a.wav
/amb_aexp1b.wav
/amb_aexp1c.wav

Effects/fx_flankerburner.fx
/fx_flankerflame.fx

Flights/Supercar
/myflts/

Uires/dlgsplash-sc-2002.bmp
/dlgsplash-sc-2004.bmp

______________________________________________________________________
Visual Effects:

Opening and closing canopy (Ctrl/E)
Wing extend/retract ("G")
Cockpit controls and pilot head animation (Stick movements)
Front, Rear, Strobe and Navigation Lights
Smoke effects ("I")
Jet flame effects with permission of Rob Barendregt
blue glow from the rear of the craft and if throttle above 90% N1 two booms
should be heard and an afterburner flame appear (note you need to have entered
the interior view - cycle views with "S" key" to activate these in FS2002)

______________________________________________________________________
Controls:

Supercar is modelled as a STOVL craft and is flown similarly to other craft.

Vertical take off - Engage Full Vertical thrust (Full Flaps - "F8") apply
throttle - lift off - engage wings out ("G") - apply horizontal thrust and accelerate as required.

Horizontal take off - Simply Engage max throttle and away you go - remember
to extend wings out ("G") on take off.

Landing is as you choose, retract wings ("G") before touch down. Retro rockets
("/") can be engaged for rapid deceleration. You may need to disengage and
re-engage retros to control the deaccelleration and rate of descent.

Try landing on water. Supercar4 is configured for water landing/take off.

______________________________________________________________________
Summary of Controls:

Key Supercar Effect FS Interpretation

F5-F8 Horizontal/Vertical Flight (Vectored Thrust) Flaps Up/Down
G Horizontal/Vertical Flight (Extend/Retract Wings) Gear Up/Down
/ Retros On/Off Spoiler Extended/Retracted
Ctrl/E Cockpit Open/Close Main Entry Open/Close
L Front, rear, strobe and navigation lights Lights on/off

_____________________________________________________________________
Alternative configurations:

Flight dynamics - Normal and Turbo Models
Two alternative flight dynamics setups are provided. The default normal
version will give good performance. The turbo version is for the true
test pilots and can be quite wild! Save the aircraft.cfg under the name
normal.cfg and then rename the turbo.cfg version to aircraft.cfg to
switch between the alternatives.

Panels - Default or Learjet
The default panel is customised to look a little like Supercar's dash.
Note that one radio altimeter gauge used by Supercar is from the FS2000
Concorde which is not included in later FS versions. You can fly without this
or copy it from your FS2000 setup if you have one [Concorde!Radio-Altimeter].
If you wish you can switch to the standard Learjet panel with the alternative
panel.cfg file provided.

Sounds - the default sounds are from the Learjet. You can use an alternative
sound configuration file for Supercar4. This requires sounds in the harrier
aircraft (harsup2.zip) by Alejandro Vila and you can add the Supercar theme
for Gear_Up if you Supercar.wav file from an Internet web site. These files
are copyright or have restricted use so are not included in this release.

_____________________________________________________________________
Supercar Start-up Situation

The Supercar at Black Rock startup situation is at Black Rock Desert,
Nevada (approximately N41 00.00 W119 00.00, alt. 4050ft.).
The Tower is set to N41 00.00 W119 00.00 alt. 4250ft.

The date is 15-Oct-97, the day on which Thrust SSC achieved
the first Supersonic World Land Speed Record. See
http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~bat/GA/thrust-msfs.html for a Flight Simulator
model of Thrust SSC and details of the related dynamic scenery.

_____________________________________________________________________
Supercar Challenge

A "Supercar Challenge" is available (via a checklist) that will take you
from Black Rock Desert in Nevada, to Reno, San Francisco, Big Sur,
Las Vegas, though the Grand Canyon and back to Black Rock.
See http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~bat/GA/supercar-msfs.html for more details.
There is a GPS flight plan in the Flights\myflts folder of the distribution to
support this challenge.

______________________________________________________________________
Version Control

Version 1.0 17-Mar-1996. First Release.

Version 1.1 2-Jan-1997. Second Release. Minor visual improvements.
Separate ready-to-fly release package for Flight Simulator
for Windows 95 (version 6.0).

Version 1.1a 16-Apr-1997. Amendment to Second Release.
W95 installation instructions in supercar.txt amended.

Version 1.1b 17-May-1998. Ready to fly package for Flight Simulator
98 added.

Version 1.1c 31-Mar-1999. For FS98.
Altered copyright for Supercar from Polygram to Carlton.
Improved SUPERCA1.PCX main body texture. Added checklists.
Added Clear-vu and experimental Panels.

Version 1.1d 22-Apr-1999. For FS98 and CFS.
Added features for Combat Flight Simulator. Improved panels.
Added internal view dash.

Version 1.1e 4-May-1999. Improved Combat Flight Simulator Damage Profile.

Version 1.1f 18-May-1999. Single file release.

Version 2.0a 6-Jun-1999. Aircraft Factory 99 Model.

Version 2.0b 23-Jun-1999. Aircraft Animator - Added landing Lights.

Version 2.0c 14-Nov-1999. Improved 3D visual model. GPS Panel for FS2000.

Version 2.0d 16-Nov-1999. Improved 3D visual model for FS2000.

Version 2.0e 23-Nov-1999. Last release suitable for FS for W95, FS 5.1 and
FS Flight Shop Aircraft Factory 5.

Version 2.1a 14-Dec-1999. Improved visual model for FS2000.

Version 2.1b 30-Jan-2000. Improved flight dynamics. Improved visual model.
New sound configuration.

Version 2.2 30-May-2000. Improved flight dynamics.
Fixed error in version 2.1b FS2000 startup situation tower position.
Black Rock Laboratory scenery and Thrust SSC dynamic scenery.
Improved bitmap for panels by Shane Pickering.
Last release suitable for FS98 and Aircraft Factory 99.

Version 3.0 31-May-2000. FS Design Studio new visual model for FS2000 only.
Black Rock scenery by Iain Murray, with Black Rock Supercar Laboratory
built in FS Design Studio by Austin Tate.

Version 3.1 5-Sep-2000. Improved visual model. Included CFS damage and
weapons profile for CFS2 usage. Removed alternative sound and
interior views configurations from Build directory (available in
version 3.0 if required).

Version 3.2 28-Apr-2001. Improved visual model. Cockpit and pilot details
improved. Turbo flight dynamics option. CFS2 instructions.

Version 3.3 5-Jul-2002. Amended FS2002 instructions.
Amended CFS2 usage instructions and panel documentation.
Main Fuselage bitmap altered to have two fuel filler caps.

Version 4.0 8-Sep-2003 Completely new version for FS2004.
GMax visual model by Brian Douglas, Mateen Greenway, Mick Imrie
and Austin Tate. New FS2002/4 flight dynamics by Brian Douglas.
Flame effects by Rob Barendregt. New Flight Simulator Splash Screens.

Version 4.1 5-Oct-2003 Improved documentation.
FS2004 centre of gravity option in aircraft.cfg in a comment.
Supercar-Challenge.PLN moves to Flights\myflts as required.

Material on Supercar is copyright by Carlton International Media Ltd.
No infringement of any commercial rights is intended. The authors wish
to promote a favourite TV show via this offering. It must not be used for
any commercial purpose or distributed for payment.