Firespitter propeller plane and helicopter parts v7.1 (May 5th) for KSP 1.0

[Snjo]

Issue with the pontoons. They will just crumble and not hold it's shape together, making impossible to use them.

Is this a new issue, or are you using them for the first time?

[MR4Y]

Is this a new issue, or are you using them for the first time?

Actually this issue has been reported since 5.1(not by me though). There's a post on the 'Add-ons Support' about it.

[sfr]

I have made a new cocpit using reference given by Snjo here

Hope you'd love it.

[Snjo]

That looks sweet!

I used the first version of the sfr module, but it had a bug where a cockpit without sfr would spawn an extra copy of the cockpit IVA nearby, if there was an sfr enabled cockpit nearby. I assume that's no longer a problem.

If not, it would be interesting to create an alternate build of the bomber cockpit with sfr.

[KhaosCorp]

Actually this issue has been reported since 5.1(not by me though). There's a post on the 'Add-ons Support' about it.

I have never had an issue with the pontoons. I've used em not only on planes,but also for a couple jetpowered boats. Maybe a little more info, or a screenshot would be helpful.

[Snjo]

I've seen the pontoon issue on a smaller scale on some of my semi-heavy planes. On your very heavy planes it looks much worse than what I saw.

I will have to experiment with some mass settings, and also see it this is an issue on the same kind of setup using other stock parts.

The floats have abnormally low mass compared to other parts, for the way they are put to use. That's to get around the terrible water resistance code. It might be that heavier craft will just need physically bigger floats, and higher mass (but not above 0.8 tons you see).

[sfr]

That looks sweet!

I used the first version of the sfr module, but it had a bug where a cockpit without sfr would spawn an extra copy of the cockpit IVA nearby, if there was an sfr enabled cockpit nearby. I assume that's no longer a problem.

If not, it would be interesting to create an alternate build of the bomber cockpit with sfr.

I've fixed that. You may download new cockpit and plugin here

Edited June 15, 2013 by sfr

[Snjo]

I was so inspired by sfr's VTOL engine that I finally finished my swap-blades-for-blurry-disc code that I have had lying around forever. His texture for it also helped me make mine less ugly.

[Mach56]

You said before the crash(I think) that you and someone else had made some missile pods. Where are they?

[Snjo]

I just have to incorporate the code into my own plugin and clean it up. Then I release a pod-only version. I'm gonna make a rocket/bomb rack after that.

[The Destroyer]

So I assume the pre-release is basically a buggy Alpha-ey version of whats coming up next in the next release?

[Snjo]

The pre-release build is a zip file in my dropbox I update pretty often, so the URL is always the same, but the contents change all the time. In between official releases, I may throw parts in there that have placeholder textures and meshes, or not yet fully defined config files. I will often update only the dll to improve some functionality that was buggy or incomplete. Or if I thought of some awesome new feature that I want to show off in a post.

I will use this file when updating spaceport. After an official release, the spaceport and pre-release files will therefore be the same.

The likelihood of horrible bugs is a little higher than a spaceport release, but I don't update it if I still have known errors. However a part may have major changes, so a craft built with a pre-release part may have meshes move around, get action groups messed up, or something else when using the final version of it.

If you notice a bug in the pre-release (or full), please post it here. I have no way of knowing about a post in the addon support threads or on the spaceport comments section.

Edited June 16, 2013 by Snjo

[Bloodbunny]

Great stuff, but doesn't dance with FAR yet I take it?

[MR4Y]

The wings with built in control surfaces can't be configured on FAR, so I can't set the front wings to be ailerons, the back wings to be elevators and the vertical tail wing to be rudder.

Edited June 16, 2013 by MR4Y

[Snjo]

The wings with built in control surfaces can't be configured on FAR, so I can't set the front wings to be ailerons, the back wings to be elevators and the vertical tail wing to be rudder.

The wings have FAR values, but if FAR doesn't fully support winglets, there's nothing I can do about that. The wings use the same part type as the stock winglets, so if they work, so should these.

[Mihara]

A minor complaint, if I may.

As it is now, at zero throttle, engines continue making a sound, at least on my installation. If with LF fueled engines this makes sense (engine takes time to start), I'm not sure it does with electric engines, which continue to growl even in vacuum, when they can obviously be turned on and off instantly, being electric, so there's no point to keep them running.

Could something possibly be done about that?

[Snjo]

A minor complaint, if I may.

As it is now, at zero throttle, engines continue making a sound, at least on my installation. If with LF fueled engines this makes sense (engine takes time to start), I'm not sure it does with electric engines, which continue to growl even in vacuum, when they can obviously be turned on and off instantly, being electric, so there's no point to keep them running.

Could something possibly be done about that?

The cfg values are in place to allow for sounds that work the same way as stock engines in that regard, I just haven't added in the coding for it yet. I just got the module to where I needed it bo be for my engines, but I fully intend to finish all the features, so it can be used for other engines, like jets or electric in a more flexible manner.

[BubbaWilkins]

A minor complaint, if I may.

As it is now, at zero throttle, engines continue making a sound, at least on my installation. If with LF fueled engines this makes sense (engine takes time to start), I'm not sure it does with electric engines, which continue to growl even in vacuum, when they can obviously be turned on and off instantly, being electric, so there's no point to keep them running.

Could something possibly be done about that?

If you toggle any engine off, they immediately cut out. If you merely set the throttle to zero, the engine is still technically running at an idle and will eventually cut out if left there. I believe the electric motors work similarly.

[Mihara]

If you toggle any engine off, they immediately cut out. If you merely set the throttle to zero, the engine is still technically running at an idle and will eventually cut out if left there. I believe the electric motors work similarly.

I know that. My point is that there's no such thing as 'idle' with electric motors.

[BubbaWilkins]

I know that. My point is that there's no such thing as 'idle' with electric motors.

Sure there is, many industrial systems utilize massive flywheels and clutches that are driven by the motor. Once these are spooled up to a minimum idle speed, the rest of the assembly is engaged or disengaged as needed. This is because many large motors create too much of a electrical draw when starting at a dead stop and do not have the power to rotate those systems until they reach a minimum RPM level. Also, they often power hydraulic auxillary systems which need to maintain pressure.

[The Destroyer]

Well um...

Heres what happened:

I was building floats for my weird bomber/VTOL, using alt+click. I then noticed that I could not pick up a piece, so I ctrl-z, seemed to fix it. But then it happened again and again, and then it gave me that error down to 0.000000000000001 FPS. Couldn't ctrl-z, and suddenly the sound of a bajillion "delete" sounds playing at once. Had to alt+F4 it.

Oh, and it created those nodes outa thin air.

[wasmic]

Just a question: why do fueled propellers require intakeAir? It doesn't make any sense, and it requires that we stick intakes on our propeller aircraft. As for the motor driving the propeller requiring air, well, it does. But the engine driving a propeller planes propeller works on the same principle as a car engine, and did you ever see an air intake on a car???

I propose to make the propellers require LiquidFuel only.

[The Destroyer]

Just a question: why do fueled propellers require intakeAir? It doesn't make any sense, and it requires that we stick intakes on our propeller aircraft. As for the motor driving the propeller requiring air, well, it does. But the engine driving a propeller planes propeller works on the same principle as a car engine, and did you ever see an air intake on a car???

I propose to make the propellers require LiquidFuel only.

They have their own intakes, and it acts like a gauge, because without it, you could have propellers in...

[KhaosCorp]

Just a question: why do fueled propellers require intakeAir? It doesn't make any sense, and it requires that we stick intakes on our propeller aircraft. As for the motor driving the propeller requiring air, well, it does. But the engine driving a propeller planes propeller works on the same principle as a car engine, and did you ever see an air intake on a car???

I propose to make the propellers require LiquidFuel only.

Yes, every single car ever made does in fact have an air intake, you just don't see it because its under the hood, and is covered as to allow use of a filter. The reason why prop driven planes (in KSP and real life) need exposed intakes is because they need such a large amount of air, unlike a car engine.

Also suckin air into an engine like a normal car only works upto a certain speed. Even some cars, like top-fuel dragsters for instance, have to used forced air induction systems or they would not be able to operate at max speed.

Its not even a matter of cars and planes, every internal combustion engine needs to be fed air to operate, most of them use some form of air intake to meet this need.

Edited June 17, 2013 by KhaosCorp

[Snjo]

Just a question: why do fueled propellers require intakeAir? It doesn't make any sense, and it requires that we stick intakes on our propeller aircraft. As for the motor driving the propeller requiring air, well, it does. But the engine driving a propeller planes propeller works on the same principle as a car engine, and did you ever see an air intake on a car???

I propose to make the propellers require LiquidFuel only.

The original 1m propellers and helicopter rotors have internal air intakes like you propose.

The .5m liquid fuel nose engine does not, as it's only meant to be the actual nose of an engine, and was built for planes like the mustang, which does in fact have a large visible air intake on the fuselage.

If you want to add an air intake to your version of the nose engine, just take the air intake section of the larger engine and add it to the smaller one.

Several mods also offer better looking air intakes than the stock ones. I just haven't bothered making one myself, as I think the stock one I'm using is "good enough".

(Well, there is the nose intake part I made of course)