Here's a new FGSimTurbine module. Changes are:
1. Adds starting and stopping functionality
2. Calculate() now calls other functions, based on the engine's state, which gives more readable code.
Until now turbine engines were always running as long as fuel was available. With this new module the engine defaults to OFF. To start with the engine running, the variable FGEngine::Running must be set to true at sim startup. In FlightGear this is done with --prop:/engines/engine[n]/running=true.
To start the engine (on the ground), first set the starter to ON, i.e. FGEngine::Starter is set to true. In FlightGear this is done by toggling /controls/engines/engine[n]/starter to TRUE. Note that the current FlightGear key binding will not work, as it causes the starter to quit when the key is released. A new key binding is needed, without the mod-up.
When N2 reaches 15% or greater, place the fuel cutoff control to FALSE. This is FGEngine::Cutoff. In FlightGear this is done with /controls/engines/engine[n]/cutoff set to FALSE. The engine will then accelerate to idle. Upon reaching idle, the starter is automatically turned off, and the engine is running. There is presently no FlightGear key binding for the fuel cutoff switch.
To shut off the engine, place the fuel cutoff control to TRUE.
If you shut down the engine in flight it will windmill. To airstart you will need at least 15% N2, just as with a ground start. When you have enough N2, place the cutoff control to FALSE and the engine will restart. Note that if you can't get enough N2 by speeding up, you can get it by using the starter.
The reverser still works, and is controlled in FlightGear with /controls/engines/engine[n]/reverser. With the reverser control on (TRUE), the engine will produce negative thrust in proportion to throttle position, i.e. to get more reverse thrust, increase throttle.
now read the config file out of the individual aircraft directory rather
than the collective Aircraft-yasim/ directory (which is now obsolete.)
This requires a corresponding update of the base package cvs.
$FGROOT/data/Aircraft hierarchy. There could be some long term performance
concerns if a person has a *huge* collection of aircraft or a really slow
file system, but I see zero performance blip here from recursing the default
CVS tree. We should also allow the user to specify the whole path to the
-set.xml file if they don't want to recurse ... this way we could eventually
come up with an aircraft selection dialog box on the front end so the user
could manually walk the tree to the desired aircraft. There also the system
wouldn't have to search for the aircraft.
functions (note to Norman: I looked at the web page you listed and that
looks like a good idea, but I don't have time right now to go through and
debug an entirely new routine. What we have works well enough for now I hope!)
This patch is there to correct a problem that prevent to load static objects when specifying a relative fg-root or a different, relative, fg-scenery. It appears that there is a mix between fg-root, fg-scenery and PLIB's model-dir.
It has been reported on the list that users are not able to see the buildings, especially those running the win32 builds because they run 'runfgfs.bat' that set FG_ROOT=./DATA.
I decided not to use model-dir because it just add confusion and to build a valid path earlier.
