Ok, I know this sounds like an advertisement, but it's not really.
Has anyone out there seen this iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad app?
http://www.f-sim.com/test2/
It's phenomenal. Since it's just geared for landing, it's all atmospheric simulation, and it's better (graphically, atmospheric modeling, and realism) than Orbiter! Now, of course, nothing can compete with what orbiter DOES do, but this is an awesome "Orbiter Fix" for when you're on the go. The flight model seems quite realistic, although, never having actually flown an Orbiter I can't say, but it's got incredible realism, day, night, clear, cloudy, cross winds, you name it, it's there. It faithfully reproduces the HUD identical to real landings I've seen from the pilot's perspective. It measures max pressure on the the right, left and front gear, and shows if the values, along with max distance to center line, distance before or after optimal landing zone, vertical airspeed at touchdown (rear and front), and distance from the end of the runway are within acceptable limits (green/yellow/red) and it scores the landing and rates it (perfect/good/safe/hard/crash or bailed out). You can view the replay from any conceivable vantage point. Behind (or around from any angle up or down), tower, runway, pilot, etc.. as well as pinch to zoom FOV adjustment.
You can select a full or final approach at KSC or Edwards, (Runway 33 or 15, and 22L or 04R) respectively, choose day or night, clear or overcast with visibility between 5 and 25 Nm. Altitude and speed are indicated in feet and mph rather than metric, which, for one thing is more realistic, and easier for us "backward" Americans for still using it. Also, peak wind speed, gusts, turbulence as well as air temp & pressure can be adjusted as well.
Failures include no guidance, no hud, speed brake stuck at 0-100 percent, and navigation accuracy can be set to MLS, TACAN, or your own custom setting.
If I was forced to come up with something "wrong" with it, there's no visual representation of the chute, but, it does deploy within the simulation and it does slow the orbiter down quicker so you can set the front gear down at 185 Nmph or less and it does detach, you just don't see that.
Personally, I have a $1.99 or less self imposed cap on app purchases that I rarely break, but in this case, I did splurge and pay the $3.99 for the app, (on faith that it would be decent), and well, it's totally worth the $3.99 if you're wondering.
I've only played it on my iPhone 4, but I can imagine how much better it plays on an iPad. It runs flawlessly on the 4, but that big 10" screen of an iPad or iPad 2 would just make it that much sweeter. Definite 5 star app for sure.
-SpaceNut
Has anyone out there seen this iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad app?
http://www.f-sim.com/test2/
It's phenomenal. Since it's just geared for landing, it's all atmospheric simulation, and it's better (graphically, atmospheric modeling, and realism) than Orbiter! Now, of course, nothing can compete with what orbiter DOES do, but this is an awesome "Orbiter Fix" for when you're on the go. The flight model seems quite realistic, although, never having actually flown an Orbiter I can't say, but it's got incredible realism, day, night, clear, cloudy, cross winds, you name it, it's there. It faithfully reproduces the HUD identical to real landings I've seen from the pilot's perspective. It measures max pressure on the the right, left and front gear, and shows if the values, along with max distance to center line, distance before or after optimal landing zone, vertical airspeed at touchdown (rear and front), and distance from the end of the runway are within acceptable limits (green/yellow/red) and it scores the landing and rates it (perfect/good/safe/hard/crash or bailed out). You can view the replay from any conceivable vantage point. Behind (or around from any angle up or down), tower, runway, pilot, etc.. as well as pinch to zoom FOV adjustment.
You can select a full or final approach at KSC or Edwards, (Runway 33 or 15, and 22L or 04R) respectively, choose day or night, clear or overcast with visibility between 5 and 25 Nm. Altitude and speed are indicated in feet and mph rather than metric, which, for one thing is more realistic, and easier for us "backward" Americans for still using it. Also, peak wind speed, gusts, turbulence as well as air temp & pressure can be adjusted as well.
Failures include no guidance, no hud, speed brake stuck at 0-100 percent, and navigation accuracy can be set to MLS, TACAN, or your own custom setting.
If I was forced to come up with something "wrong" with it, there's no visual representation of the chute, but, it does deploy within the simulation and it does slow the orbiter down quicker so you can set the front gear down at 185 Nmph or less and it does detach, you just don't see that.
Personally, I have a $1.99 or less self imposed cap on app purchases that I rarely break, but in this case, I did splurge and pay the $3.99 for the app, (on faith that it would be decent), and well, it's totally worth the $3.99 if you're wondering.
I've only played it on my iPhone 4, but I can imagine how much better it plays on an iPad. It runs flawlessly on the 4, but that big 10" screen of an iPad or iPad 2 would just make it that much sweeter. Definite 5 star app for sure.
-SpaceNut
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