Understanding DataRef values?

[carthorse]

I like to see the datarefs that relate to aircraft icing so that i know when i have encountered ice.

However, i don't know what the values indicate.  In the image below, what does the value of 0.097 inidcate?  Pounds? Kilograms? 

Thanks!

[tkyler]

My guess is that it is probably a ratio between 0 and 1 where 0 is no ice and 1 probably represents some assumed maximum loss of lift.  Ice to xplane is simply a "concept" that reduces lift on the wing.  It wouldn't surprise me if Austin reduces the coefficient of lift on a wing based on the "ice" ratio.  Expect to be able to see ice on the wing in the near future...not from Version 10 natively, but from custom developers..it is not particularly hard to do.

[carthorse]

Visual modlelling would be really cool.  Worth their time in my opinion since x-plane is pretty realistic with icing. 

So, there really isn't any documentation that would explain the values is there?  I tried looking through the SDK but i couldn't find a dataref pertaining to icing other than whether or not the anti-icing/deicing systems were on/off.  Nothing about ice accumulation.

[ksgy]

Played with this value on my An-2 on the windshiled

My observation is that at value 0.1 the plane unflyable - even maintain altitude and/or speed, so it's not fully clear for me too

I've used 0.01 steps to show icing on windshield, placing 10 transparent (0.05%) layers before the windshield (outside)

Here is a video, attached the ratio to throttle for testing

[carthorse]

I like it!

[-TheoGregory]

So, there really isn't any documentation that would explain the values is there?  I tried looking through the SDK but i couldn't find a dataref pertaining to icing other than whether or not the anti-icing/deicing systems were on/off.  Nothing about ice accumulation.

I did

sim/flightmodel/failures/

but i've been looking for a while now as too what I can make the saab do. Right now, Im at rain and windshield ice which is in that dataref directory.

[Jack Skieczius]

thinking about icing effects on the planes, wouldn't it be cool if we could change the opacity of an object on the fly based on a dataref?