Do we have a copy of RealFlight?

[paulstaf]

Try FlightGear in Linux…was pretty cool when I played with it last…

[Bill]

I took another look at that computer tonight. The keyboard batteries were OK. I put a new battery into the mouse. Still nothing.

After I got out of a class, Harold @hasbridge was there. He had the computer working. It turns out that the monitor was hooked up to Chromecast, so whatever I was trying to do to that poor machine was not showing up. It turns out to have a different flight simulator on it as Darryl said.

The status of that computer is not clear. A label seems to indicate that it is on loan - in that case, we will not try to put RealFlight on it.

[hasbridge]

I found that the computer has X-Plane on it currently, but I couldn’t figure out if/how a transmitter could be used as a controller. I didn’t see any obvious type of adapter. There is an APM that was hooked up to the USB port and connected to a futaba receiver, so maybe it was somehow done through that. Much of the equipment in the area is on loan from @MichaelPursifull, he would probably know how it’s set up.

I did some cleaning and reorganizing of the area last night too. There is now a place to actually sit and use the computer, and at least a small work area.

[Nick]

@hasbridge nice work in Do-Occracying this and I you are running into the big issue of loaned equipment, What do we do if we want to change, modify, or remove it? Hopefully @MichaelPursifull will get in contact with you after the call out. I would suggest when you get a hold of him, ask if he will change the tool status from on loan to donated to RC committee. Because, as the setup hasn’t been used in months, he might not need to maintain ownership, plus then we don’t need to track him down in the future slowing down your progress.

Good work and I can’t wait to VR RC in the near future.

[LisaSelk]

@MichaelPursifull & @Romeo_Espana… I know you are both incredibly busy! I hope all is great with y’al!

Just a head’s up ~ Looks like there are still some questions…

Last I knew, the PC in the Aerospace (now RC) area had a flight simulator on it. @MichaelPursifull may be able to give us some up to date insight on that…

Also, last I heard, @Romeo_Espana had a copy of a flight simulator that he was going to donate (or has already, perhaps??)

Hopefully between the two, y’all will have better answers than I can provide directly.

[LisaSelk]

All interested in the PC in the Aerospace (now RC) area…

Here are some posts with info previously posted here on TALK for y’all to skim through, if ya want.

Here is the first post that @MichaelPursifull posted about his plans for the PC:

Buildout: UAV hardware-in-the-loop simulation

As some of you may be aware, from our most recent buildout of the new committee area, Romeo has agreed to permit me to pilot (as in trial) a new use case in the Aerospace area. I’ll be bringing in, and setting up, a UAV simulator station. The simulator consists of a computer, a flight simulator, a ground control station application, some other parts, and an actual UAV flight controller that runs actual flight code that has been stubbed off to get its inputs from a Physics-based flight simulator…

Here is his follow-up showing what he had set-up so far at that time (just shy of a week later):

Hardware UAV Simulator

The UAV hardware-in-the-loop simulator (actual flight controller thinks it’s flying a real aircraft, but the sensors are simulated in a flight sim) is operational. [image] I need to do some more work on it, but it’s flying a route around Dallas (hopefully) I need to add some signage and documentation, but I have to leave it for now. I’ll be back over the next few days to improve it. -Mike

… and, some additional information spawned from a thread that started out about the drone batteries - beginning with this post where @themitch22 asked about the PC… :

Parrot ar drone batteries

Ok they’re about $30 I wouldn’t mind maybe if a few of us pitched in like $5? My nano qx I just need some AA’s for my transmitter and I’m ok with people on loan. http://www.amazon.com/Parrot-AR-Drone-Battery-LiPo-Replacement/dp/B0041G5Y8W Also is there any purpose to that PC in the aerospace area? Is there a R/C flight simulator program or receiver hookup so we could at least play with the simulator?

I hope that helps

[Bill]

… and, some additional information spawned from a thread that started out about the drone batteries - beginning with this post where @themitch22 asked about the PC… :

Seeing Michael use the phrases “ground control system” and “mission planner” set off some big time bells in my head and I have found the cause. Chad Frazer is teaching a class on Mission Planner (GCS) Software Use the morning of Oct 11 as part of his drone build party. Same software? Same computer?

[David_Walker]

Hey all guys and gals interested, please attend one of the 2 Aerospace/RC Committee meetings I have scheduled (Oct. 7 or Oct. 14) to discuss getting a copy of RealFlight.

Radio Controlled Car Racing - Available by RSVP only - Saturdays @6pm

I have scheduled 2 Committee Meetings (Weds. Oct. 7 from 9PM to 10PM - and - Weds. Oct. 14 from 9PM to 10PM) for all DMS members to discuss plans for the Aerospace/RC Committee. In both of these Committee meetings we will discuss who wants to lead the group (i.e. Chair, Co-chair) as well as future plans for events. Here are the Calendar links for these meetings: Meeting #1 on Oct. 7 Meeting #2 on Oct. 14

[Romeo_Espana]

Hey guys! So happy to see interest in the gear! I dont have realflight but I do have a copy of Phoenix RC (similar program). I have the R/C adapter and program at home. Ill be more than happy to drop it off in the R/C area. Just plug in the USB adapter into R/C remote and go through the transmitter wizard in the tutorial section.

[hasbridge]

@Romeo_Espana that would be awesome! Since the computer in the aerospace area belongs to @MichaelPursifull, I’ll get in touch with him and make sure he’s cool with us installing software on it.

[LisaSelk]

Even better!

Phoenix RC VS. Real flight 7/7.5?

Thanks @Romeo_Espana ~ You Rock!

Phoenix RC (similar program).

[MichaelPursifull]

Sorry all, I’ve been in hospital for over a week. I haven’t been online.
I’m ok with us loading (another) flight sim if that is what you want.
I’d be thrilled with the gear getting any use.

I have one request, however, and this is because if the gear doesn’t get use, I will repurpose it as Aerial Imagery stitching/processing, and/or get it out of the DMS so something that people will use can go in it’s place. Because I’ve had it there, I’ve been stitching search and rescue imagery together on laptops, and it’s a shame since that gear has the horsepower to chew through the live mission data in 1/100th the time.

That request is: decide what software you want to run, and I’ll drop ship a copy to someone’s attention there at DMS. If I have to recover the hardware, I don’t want to “take” someone’s license or gear. I’ll pay for it, if someone wants to take the lead on installing it, I’ll give you the password for deep freeze, and I think I should include a USB drive for saved profiles/logs/etc that can persist across boot. Thoughts?

If someone volunteers, I’ll send whichever software/hardware we want to DMS ATTN: your name right away. I’ll need a part number or something to make sure I get the one we want (with cables/adaptors/controllers/etc)

Thoughts?

[LisaSelk]

@MichaelPursifull… I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been in the hospital… I hope you are feeling better now!!

That’s a good point on the license. Thanks soooooo much for volunteering to donate a software package specifically for that PC!

@hasbridge, do you want to take lead on this?

Thanks to ALL Y’all helping to make the Aerospace / RC area a better (more functional and more fun) part of the 'Space!

[hasbridge]

If @Romeo_Espana has a copy of Phoenix he’s willing to loan, I think that would be sufficient for now, rather than buying something. I have an extra transmitter I can donate to be used as a full-time controller for it. I’m happy to take the lead, I can get everything set up on the PC once the software arrives.

[LisaSelk]

Whatever works best for the three of y’all would be most awesome! Thanks again to all y’all!

[AbelRamirez]

So I brought up my transmitter cable that I dug up from my box of R/C junk and got a free demo version of a flight SIM. ClearView RC.

It is up and working and will put a loaner tag on the USB cord until we get an actual RealFlight software package.

It currently only works with transmitters that have the phono style plug for the buddy box.

[Romeo_Espana]

Hey guys,
Just a quick update (I haven’t forgotten about you guys). I have two sets of R/C Transmitter adapters ready to go, one is a legit Phoenix R/C adapter (the $$$ adapter contains the license key that the program looks for) and one is a Chinese adapter that works (Phoenix, Aeroflight, and Real Flight all work via “Chinese” license keys). Both work, I’m just having a hell of a time finding my Phoenix 3.0/4.0 R/C install CD. Rather than making you guys wait, does anyone have the Phoenix R/C CD or willing to grabbing a torrent of it?

[hasbridge]

I went ahead and bought a copy of Phoenix for the RC committee. It is installed on the rc computer, and works with mitch’s dx5 transmitter.

[Nick_McCarthy]

Dude, awesome. Thank you!

[Romeo_Espana]

Awesome work man! Don’t be a fool like me, make an ISO image of that CD before it disappears (you don’t need the CD to use the program). Nothing worse than having a nice piece of hardware without the software to run it a few years down the line !