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Further AirshowAssistant: AAR improvements

Hello, fellow simpilots! This week v3.8 update of AirshowAssistant was released in MSFS Marketplace, which introduces the most awaited feature of the aerial refueling – radio commands. Now you have voice guidance by the tanker commander during the whole process – clearance to join, pre-contact and leave, received fuel counter, distance to the refueling boom tip, and, of course, magic word CONTACT! This quickly created voice system contained some issues, like false pre-contact or return pre-contact messages, but don’t worry – all fixed already and will be available in the next update. This feature is still in development so feel free to share with your ideas how it can be more accurate, informative or enjoyable.

Now let’s talk about something serious. Last time we added Asobo F/A-18 as a buddy refueler, which was an experiment with 1st/3rd party aircraft injection as a tanker. We have not received any negative feedback about this specific refueler so consider the test was passed. This week we worked hard to finalize the refueling system and make it easy to use, so now we are able to convert any MSFS aircraft into refueler, without using its sources, like wingman. It means this aircraft has to be purchased and installed, but that is an awesome thing anyway – it brings completely new meaning for many awesome (and not really) aircraft – some are your favourite, and some you may regret purchasing. Limitations like missing indication lights may exist, but these will be fixed in further updates.

In next v3.9 update we adding these aircraft as refuelers:

A6 Intruder / Deimos (no hose receiver modeled, no indication lights)
Avro Vulcan / JustFlight (no indication lights)
C-130 Hercules (2 variants) / Captain Sim (no indication lights)
Mig-29 / Deimos
MV22 / Miltech (inaccurate refueling pod model)
Rafale / AC
Rafale / CJ Simulations
Rafale / Bruno Thor
Tornado F3 / IndiaFoxtecho (external tanks not visible)
C-160 / AzurPoly (not available yet, wait for aircraft update with refueler livery)

The good thing about 3rd party aircraft is that they are almost perfect for our goal – we just add a refueling container (if it is missing) and it is ready to go, with nice visuals and sounds, correctly placed lights, and, some day, hundreds of liveries of choice. We will add new 3rd party refuelers each update, so feel free to point into the one you like more.
It’s not so simple with 3rd party tankers with flying boom – it does not have required animations applied to be compatible with AAR, so we will need some assistance from the aircraft developer to finish the animation or at least make it hideable. So do not expect these to be added quickly.

And last – thanks to the content creators, AirshowAssistant got a LOT of attention, and now we have incredible plans for the add-on. Not only about aerial refueling, but formation flying as well, especially a mix of both. Stay tuned and keep track for updates – very soon you will get something really awesome!

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AAR demo by Into the Blue Simulations

Check out the entertaining and creative aerial refueling demo by Into the Blue Simulations! And what is most important – accurate procedures and valid approach to the refueling process are displayed. While many trying to catch the basket in same manner as arrow hits the target, in this video you can find how it happen in RL – first take position behind the left wing of the tanker, hold it for a while – to get used to the turbulence, set the throttle lever for required airspeed, feel the weather. Once you get stabilized – slowly approach the basket and insert the probe into it. Do not rush, do it smooth and clean. After basket locked, stay behind the refueling pod, slightly below, to minimize wing turbulence. Watch signal lights for distance guidance, your eyes may cheat you if you will predict the distance visually. Once refueling is complete, move to the right side of the tanker and wait until your buddies will fill the tanks too (well, some day they will be able to). Stay calm and do not be afraid to fail and start over again, we are all here to learn something new. Good luck!

And some news regarding future updates. We are working on advanced tanker routes – at the moment three made: buddy, interception and orbit. These are not linked with difficulty levels directly, but still will affect the complication of the refueling process. First one is simplest – AI aircraft join the formation with you as a leader and wait for pre-contact. Second – tanker will appear away from you, its flight path will intersect yours so you can’t miss it, but will need to join the formation quickly. And last one – tanker will move in circles at random location, so you will need to find it first, then join formation, and last – refuel even when it turns around.

I was busy with personal stuff this week so wasn’t able to finish everything, also several bugs was reported which require further investigation. But don’t worry, work is going on, stay tuned!

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AirshowAssistant v3.0 – Aerial Refueling

Attention, Microsoft Flight Simulator pilots! Christmas is coming earlier this year, and your present has arrived! We are thrilled to release the long-awaited addition of aerial refueling to the Flight Simulator world. This is not just a nice looking feature — it’s real, and it’s a challenge that won’t be easy.

Prepare for the thrill of mid-air refueling with two options: the drogue system and the flying boom system. Choose your favourite aircraft and master the art of precision flying.

Over 50 aircraft are already configured and ready for aerial refueling, ensuring a wide variety of flying experiences. But that’s not all — you can make ANY aircraft compatible by simply setting the contact point position before takeoff.

We provide two tankers for your refueling missions: the KC-46 and the Il-78, and as a bonus, the MQ-25 refueling drone. The list of available tankers will continue to expand, so let us know which one you’d like to see next!

To accommodate pilots of all skill levels, we have implemented three difficulty levels: Rookie, Pro, and Ace. Each level is designed to fit different types of pilots—from casual flyers to advanced aviators, and true heroes ready for the ultimate exercise.

And that’s not all — many more features are on the horizon, so keep an eye on future updates.

And now sad stuff 😔 We are still fighting with sim limitations, so not all features work as expected yet. The update landed on the MSFS Marketplace this week contains several bugs which may affect your flying experience:

– rookie mode does not work with helicopters and aircraft with small wing span (like F-16), choose different difficulty level to avoid it

– if you try to use AAR right after Airshow was installed or updated, tanker will not appear; that is SimConnect issue which we can’t avoid anyhow, but for the clearance warning message will appear in next update with further instructions

– some aircraft may have non-refualable tanks, which cause incorrect fuel indication and “infinity refuelling”

– tanker airspeed is incorrect compare to the selected value

– some airplanes (mostly by DC/SC Designs) has custom self-refueling script which activates when you engage built-in refueling probe or receptacle doors

But you know what is awesome? 😁 All these bugs were fixed already and a new update was sent to the MS for approval. So we are all waiting for next week’s Marketplace update with excitement. Happy flying!

Aircraft compatibility table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qRnXrvNaPtnUJD7HON4hR1jJBUM4tECMb6BktFr3hUw/

Ah, completely forget, we have increased the add-on price to $19.99. As a gratitude for everyone who has helped us during past development, it was on sale for $2 during Summer sale so I believe it’s a fair deal. Thank you, guys!

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DG808S v1.3 update

BIG UPDATE! 3 years long project DG Flugzeugbau DG-808S glider is still alive. In v1.3.0 you will get upgraded interior and exterior textures, improved flight model, all gliding modern features available (except FLARM, will be added soon as well).
Still FREEWARE, so for PC users only. Have fun!
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AirshowAssistant v2.6.0 is ready for testing!

AirshowAssistant v2.6.0 available for PC users to test. List of changes:
– wingman aircraft model selection
– smokes/flare/wingmen presets (up to 10 each)
– smoke/flare/wingmen preset toggle hotkeys
– data load will not affect smoke/flare master switch
– if preset not exists, random user data will be loaded (you can load it many times to find best one for you)
– wingmen livery/model hot replacement – inserted aircraft will persist old aircraft position and velocity
– wingmen drops flares (toggleable for each from WINGMAN tab)
Add-on compiled with latest SU15 SDK and may not work properly on stable MSFS version!
For those, who purchased add-on in the MSFS marketplace, we are waiting MS managers to allow SU15 updates submission 😞

 

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AirshowAssistant memory usage fix

Attention, pilots! We have got several reports that AirshowAssistant affects MSFS performance, level of details specifically, even when toolbar features are not used. After short investigation we have discovered that the WASM module consumes much more memory than it should (not critical but a significant amount to cause such issues). Problem was in the project sample configuration included in the SDK (developer toolbox), which we used as a template. We will release a quick fix next week which, I hope, will solve the issue.

While we just started to collect aircraft models and livery names, we are not ready to include the aircraft selector into the Wingmen tab, so next time.

My apology for the problems or negative experience our tool caused.

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AirshowAssistant v.2.1.0 is out!

You can consider it as stable, so it will be posted to MS team for next week marketplace release.

Improvements:

– wingmen flaps animation

– aircraft variation name stored for future wingmen aircraft selector

– better log messages appearance

– additional buttons to toggle wingmen animations (engine, control surfaces, avionics) for possible FPS improvement

Issues fixed:

– inaccurate wingmen engine thrust control

– smoke gap appear for wingmen aircraft

– wingmen cause stuttering due to intensive data exchange

Get AirshowAssistant now!

 

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AirshowAssistant v2.0 is ready!

You are able now to spawn up to 3 wingmen (same aircraft model/livery due to SDK issue). Separate formation and interval selectors both for flying and landing/take off procedures. Adjustable wingmen behaviour – latency, accuracy, acceleration and manoeuvrability controls.

Same smoke applied to each formation plane, as smokes system not designed for individual adjustments. Flares applied only to a main aircraft but will be added or others as well in further updates.

We are planning to add presets system for each tab – smokes, flares and formations. You will be able to make a collection of config presets, order them properly, and then jump from one to another by a hotkey during flight for ultimate air show experience.

PC users – https://msfs.touching.cloud/mods/airshowassistant/

PC/Xbox Marketplace – 29.02.2024

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New MSFS tool is out – AirshowAssistant!

Elevate your virtual flying experience with the AirshowAssistant, an immersive add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This comprehensive tool allows you to perform breathtaking airshows with any aircraft available in your simulator, adding a new dimension of excitement and realism to your gameplay.

Key Features:

1. Aerobatic Smokes and Flares: Create stunning visual displays in the sky with the inclusion of aerobatic smokes and flares. Showcase your flying skills and dazzle onlookers with a variety of maneuvers enhanced by colorful and dynamic effects.

2. Customizable Smoke Sources: Gain complete control over your aerial displays with the ability to manually set the position of smoke generators and flare dispensers on your aircraft. Tailor each performance to your exact specifications and preferences.

3. Adjustable smoke trails properties: Personalize your aerobatic shows even further by adjusting the color, density, width, and trail length of the smoke. Whether you prefer bold and vibrant displays or subtle and intricate patterns, the choice is yours.

4. Compatibility with All Aircraft: Unleash your creativity with the freedom to perform airshows with any MSFS aircraft. From nimble stunt planes to massive airliners, transform any flight into a spectacular performance.

5. User-Friendly Interface: Enjoy a seamless and intuitive user experience with a straightforward interface that makes setting up and executing your airshows a breeze. You can save and load your own presets, or share them with others.

6. Realistic Visual Effects: Immerse yourself in the action with high-quality visual effects which react to the environment conditions – turbulence and wind. Experience the thrill of the airshow with every loop, roll, and spin.

Whether youre a seasoned virtual pilot or new to flight simulation, the AirshowAssistant offers endless possibilities for entertainment and skill development. Soar to new heights, leave your mark in the virtual skies, and make every flight an event to remember!

DISCLAIMER! This tool does not support any kind of multiplayer activities. You will not see smokes and flares, created by other players, same as they will not see yours smokes and flares.

Available in MSFS marketplace ($4.99) or on our website (for free). Have fun!

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KA-10M v2 release! Now with aircraft carrier group

Good news for everyone who loves helicopters, retro aircraft, or something weird to fly. We just finished important stage of Ka-10M helicopter development. It get native flight model and engine simulation, and also moving aircraft carrier group to train your landing skills. And, as usually, it fully compatible with VR which makes it perfect sight seeing aircraft – no borders between you and the whole world.
You can purchase latest version on the SimMarket https://secure.simmarket.com/touching-cloud-ka-10m-hat…
New update will appear in MSFS marketplace approximately 15 Dec, if no delay with testing will happen. Right now there older version available with custom flight model and without carrier included.