Concorde-X Presentation – Aerosoft FS Konferenz Paderborn

The presentation started with Lefteris showing the exterior model, with new materials, bump- and specular-mapping, realistic flexing of the delta wing and all the animations that have been meticulously integrated, including specialized effects unique to the characteristics of the Concorde, such as visor and nose extension / retraction, full-3D reheat beam effects, reverser buckets animations and wing-vortex collection. Other animations are also included, such as individual entry door control, smooth elevons animation, as well as individual light extension and retraction controls.

There was some surprise when the presentation continued in the 3D cockpit, as there were some unexpected individuals sitting at the pilot’s seat – we’re hoping that these intruders will have been contained and removed by the time the Concorde-X is released! Fortunately, these intruders had left, by the time Lefteris moved on to demonstrate the Concorde-X Virtual Cockpit in all its glory, with about 700 unique and individual needle and control animations, ranging from the bigger items, such as chairs and windows to the smaller, such as each switch and knob that is fully animated in three dimensions.

Lefteris then moved ahead to describe how the 2D panel system for the Concorde-X has been designed from the ground-up, using an all-new API created by FSLabs especially for Flight Simulator X, which provides multiple levels of variant cockpit lighting and takes full advantage of more advanced formats for bitmap resources, to provide full-resolution photo-realistic graphics with multiple layers of transparency, achieving almost no frame rate drop as compared to default aircraft. Another revolutionary concept in the Concorde-X, first demonstrated at Paderborn, is the engineer multi-panel popup feature.

One of the most difficult items to simulate from the real Concorde aircraft is the sheer size and multitude of panels found in the engineer section, each requiring almost one quarter of the simulation screen. Flight Sim Labs is now introducing a new way to allow the sim pilot access to each panel, with a multi-panel popup which can also be pinned on a second monitor, on those simmer setups that include them.

In turn, Andrew continued the presentation by showing the engineer section, which is now featured in its entirety in the Concorde-X. As compared to the FS2004 SSTSIM Concorde, the new FSX product features all fifteen sub-segments of the engineer section, including Brake Controls, Cabin Pressurization, Air Bleeds, Air Intakes, Secondary Engine Indications and Engine Controls, as well as both Forward and Aft Leg segments, that were not featured or simulated in the FS9 version. All Electric busbars are now fully wired and dependencies introduced in all instruments engaged by the system, to act on particular segments of flight, thus allowing the hard-core simmer to fully enjoy the immersion into the Concorde, as it would have been in the real aircraft.

This is not *just* for the hard-core Concorde fans though: For the beginner simulation enthusiast, Andrew discussed how the virtual flight engineer that FSLabs programmed will take care of complex tasks such as fuel transfer management and engine reheat manipulation for noise abatement, so the novice pilot simmer can enjoy a flight in the aircraft without worrying about details, if so desired.

Particular role in this demonstration played the sounds that have been recorded by Flight Sim Labs, during long hours spent in the real aircraft and in the Class-D simulator in Brooklands, UK that we were so fortunate to be able to visit repeatedly. Unique engine external sounds with 3D sound cone programming that Flight Simulator X features have been produced, together with new recordings of over two hundred individual sound effects from various sounds inside the cockpit (even the longer-lasting sounds of the automatic flight altitude selector turning are played when the user rolls their mouse wheel for more than a second).

Andrew then gave the mic to Joe who demonstrated what parts of his extensive knowledge about flight envelopes, aircraft behaviour, aerodynamics and engine specifics he has applied in the programming of the Concorde-X, to allow the aircraft to fly according to real-life specifications and parameters. Some fourteen different flight envelope categories have been encoded in the systems to allow the simulation to provide same results as if the aircraft was flown in reality. Joe’s experience with engineering automatic flight systems and engines in the aeronautics industry was very evident in the demonstration, dazzling the audience with his knowledge of military, as well as commercial passenger aircraft systems.

He discussed how the Concorde was the first aircraft to employ military engine characteristics and flight regimes in a commercial passenger aeroplane, sustaining supersonic flight without the use of afterburner for as long as almost four hours (compared to the average afterburner-using supersonic flights performed by military aircraft that last mere minutes).

Lefteris concluded the demonstration by talking a bit about the not-so-visible parts of the product, such as tutorials and instruction manuals, which are being developed to allow both the ‘expert’ sim pilots AND beginners to fully enjoy the Concorde-X aircraft in all its magnificence and beauty.  Judging from the amount of questions from the audience and their sheer numbers in a presentation of a French-English aircraft in a not-so-obvious place somewhere in the north of Germany, Flight Sim Labs was very happy to see the levels of interest in the Concorde being as high as they are!

However, this was to be expected, as, in our favorite slogan, compared to the Concorde-X by Flight Sim Labs, “everything else is just… slow!”

Oh, and if you’re interested and have some means to travel… we’ll be showing the Concorde-X again during the FS Weekend in the Netherlands on November 7th and 8th, this time live on our demo computers. You’ll be able to have a feel of the controls, so stop by – we’ll be glad to see you there! The venue is the Dutch aviation museum ‘Aviodrome’at Lelystad Airport and we’ll be sharing the FSAddon Publishing stand in the main entrance hall! Look for our Flight Sim Labs Concorde-X Banner to guide you!