Updates in preparation for the next release ...

NEWS

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 New in 0.9.8
-* December 20, 2004
+* January 18, 2005
 
 * Added an encoder and transponder to the available avionics modules.
 
@@ -19,12 +19,16 @@ New in 0.9.8
 * Make display list usage optional since these can be a net
   performance loss on some older or low memory platforms.
 * Make sound inaudible until after the scenery is loaded.
+* Make sure the ATIS reports surface winds at airports above sea-level
+* Default C172 3d model has been completely reworked and many things
+  have been fixed or sized or placed more accurately.
 
 * Move radio stack and avionics code from cockpit library to
   instrumentation library.
 * Added several digital filters to the autopilot: exponential, dobule
   exponential, moving average, and noise spike.  These are available
   to aircraft designers via the autopilot config file.
+* Replace old basic.dat.gz and runways.dat.gz with apt.dat.gz (x-plane format)
 
 * Fix a crash that could occur when the joystick config specified more
   buttons or axes than the physical hardware provided.
@@ -36,9 +40,9 @@ New in 0.9.8
 * gcc 2.95 and 4.0 fixes.
 
 * Updated aircraft: 737, A-10, AN-225, B-52, BAC-TSR2, Concorde,
-  Spitfire, BO-105 Helicopter, F-15 (updated flight control system),
-  Fokker 50, Fokker 100, Seahawk made carrier capable (working
-  arresting hook), 
+  Spitfire, BO-105 Eurocopter, DHC2, F-15 (updated flight control system),
+  Fokker DR1, Fokker 50, Fokker 100, OV10, Seahawk made carrier
+  capable (working arresting hook), 
 
 * New aircraft: Cessna Citation-II (wip), Beech 1900D, DHC-2 Beaver
   (on floats)
@@ -49,6 +53,7 @@ New in 0.9.8
   added Oracle head quarters to bay area scenery, added Dumbarton
   bridge at the south end of the SFO bay, added a model of Alcatraz, 
 
+
 New in 0.9.6
 * October 12, 2004
 

Thanks

@@ -149,6 +149,10 @@ Melchior Franz <mfranz@aon.at>
   Created the led.txf font.
   Ruthlessly hunted down memory leaks in FlightGear, SimGear, and JSBSim.
   Maintains the only fully working helicopter model in FlightGear (Bolkow 105).
+  Made the GUI code fully XML configurable and added support for themes.
+  Started the Nasal library for easy model animation.
+  Reorganized the joystick code so it won't leave configuration data resident
+  for joysticks that aren't present.
 
 
 Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler <zlib@gzip.org>
@@ -444,6 +448,7 @@ Durk Talsma <d.talsma@chello.nl>
   Moon has correct phase and blends well into the sky.
   Planets are correctly positioned and have proper magnitude.
   Help with time functions, gui, and other misc stuff.
+  Added the AirTraffic module for scheduled AI airliners and other aircraft.
   2D Cloud layers (nifty).
   http://people.a2000.nl/dtals
 
@@ -569,6 +574,40 @@ Vivian Meazza <vivian.meazza@lineone.net>
   and Seahawk.
 
 
+David Culp <davidculp2@comcast.net>
+  Added the AI model and scenario code which allows non interactive models
+  (like aircraft, ships, ballistic models, storms and thermals) to move
+  around the scenery in a predefined way. Every model can have it's own
+  special characteristics. The thermal model for instance is a non-visible
+  model that creates an updraft around it's center.
+
+
+Mathias Fröhlich <Mathias.Froehlich@gmx.net>
+  Implemented the groundcache code which made it possible for aircraft
+  to follow the ground precisely and, as a result, made it possible to
+  land on aircraft carriers.
+  Modified YASim, JSBSim  and LaRCsim to support the groundcache code.
+  Reorganized the code to eliminate the viewer jitter for close by objects.
+
+
+Harald Johnsen <hjohnsen@evc.net>
+  Added a new 3D cloud implementation which also works on big-endian machines.
+  This code allows for clouds of any types and any shapes (and even deformation
+  while moving).
+  Implemented volumetric shadowing.
+
+
+Roy Vegard Ovesen <rvovesen@tiscali.no>
+  Implemented the KAP140 autopilot.
+  Added a generic, XML configurable, autopilot framework.
+  Added an Altitude encoder.
+  Added a transponder.
+  Made the instruments code much more configurable, it is now possible to only
+  include instruments that are actually present.
+  Added several high level, configurable filter implementations for use by
+  autopilot designers.
+
+
 Space Imaging, Inc  http://www.spaceimaging.com/
   Space Imaging has allowed us to use the images in their archive for
   commercial and non-commercial use, provided the original image can't be
@@ -617,5 +656,6 @@ Oliver Delise  <delise@mail.isis.de>
 
 
 Updated 2001-12-11 by David Megginson, david@megginson.com
-Updated 2003-04-17 by Erik Hofman, erik@ehofman.com
-Updated 2004-06-01 by Erik Hofman, erik@ehofman.com
+Updated 2003-04-17,
+Updated 2004-06-01,
+Updated 2005-04-02 by Erik Hofman, erik@ehofman.com