State of the Saab

[Goran_M]

I thought I might make a post with a little information so you all aren't left in the dark about where we're at.  I haven't been able to do so until now because I/we have been very busy with the Saab and other projects. 

Everything on the Saab is moving forward.  I want to make that perfectly clear.  Things are moving quickly but at times it can take a while to make the simplest system work like it should.  The Saab isn't what it was going to be when we started it.  My original plan was to make a turboprop and fill it with generics. 

It then evolved into something we never even imagined creating.  I can't go into the custom systems just yet because there are simply too many to list.  And when I say custom systems, I mean custom systems.

That brings me to the next item.  One of the systems that is requiring a lot of attention is the Autopilot.  This is an extremely complex system on the Saab and is taking quite a while to code.  Some modes are already armed on start-up by default on the real aircraft and we are doing everything we can to make this simulation almost identical to the real aircraft by coding these systems the same way.  The autopilot alone has taken about a month or more to code so far.  It is far removed from just tying a generic dataref to a button and exporting it.  In saying that, it is very close to 100% complete and should be finished very soon.  I cannot give you a date or time period because we just don't know at this point.  Could be days, could be weeks.  Most likely somewhere in between. 

As is the case with some developers, when we post nothing, then a lot of something is going on. 

Cheers

Goran

[flyinhawaiian]

Wow!  Thank you for your honesty and truthful update.  Little things like this are very nice (as a consumer) to get so we can get a little bit more understanding as to the state of the project so many of us are looking forward to purchasing.  I hope it's released sooner, rather than later, but it looks promising, either way.  I'm sure the wait will be WELL worth it!

[Mike4368]

Stick with your plan Goran, I would rather that you take your time and do it correctly.

Cheers.

[eaglewing7]

Good to see the project is still flying, and an honest post about the state of the project is warmly welcomed by everyone. 

As the old saying goes; no news, is good news... 

Maybe one day rather soon something will jump out at us here, a new project, an unexpected release?  Needless to say, when something goes on un-announced, it is much more exciting to see its release, than waiting for something that has been delayed for any reason (and I do understand developer frustration is likely much higher than consumer frustration simply because they would like to see a project off of their work load rather than taking any more development time-thus I am not commenting on this or any other project that has been delayed, I understand that delays are an inevitability in life, and patience often brings great rewards).

[karingka]

Thanks for the heads up, Goran. My mom always says: "Patience is a virtue". It really is getting tested now!

[NGC007]

Thanks for the update. It does help you know.

[Cat]

Thanks goes to you Goran and the "team!" I think it's important for us users/customers to realize how much work goes into developing and designing a great aircraft with realistic systems. I for one appreciate all the effort going into this project and I know this will be a fantastic aircraft.

Cheers to you and the team!

Cat ~

Btw - I'm very excited! 

[Maxime]

I am really exited for this project!!!

I love too see that there are a lot of prop planes coming out soon!!!

Keep up the good work!!

Best,

Maxime

[Goran_M]

Speaking for those of us working on the project,

You're welcome, guys.

And thanks.

Goran

[Simmo W]

Thanks to YOU Goran and team, a good update for those waiting. No panic, just get it out when you know it's right. Then go on that holiday!

[Goran_M]

Thanks to YOU Goran and team, a good update for those waiting. No panic, just get it out when you know it's right. Then go on that holiday!

Rest assured, when the Saab is done, you'll find me here...

...with no computers in sight.

[Simmo W]

Thanks to YOU Goran and team, a good update for those waiting. No panic, just get it out when you know it's right. Then go on that holiday!

Rest assured, when the Saab is done, you'll find me here...

...with no computers in sight.

Sure, bet you'll get wwwithdrawal symptoms after 2 days!  ;D

[Goran_M]

Thought I might post up a few screenshots in this section of the Saab forums of some flight testing I did last night.

Making sure the autopilot behaves on both sides along with a few other little things.

The night lighting is not working yet.  That comes last and is simply 1 line of code for each object.  We add that after the final export.

[Lukasz]

I wouldn't be much surprised, if it turned out, that the wiper scratches are dynamically generated and cumulative between flights  ;D Actually, I wouldn't be surprised at all, with this amount of other details.

With the night lighting on, I should be able to sneak in, with a couple of screenshots, to airliners.net

[Goran_M]

I wouldn't be much surprised, if it turned out, that the wiper scratches are dynamically generated and cumulative between flights  ;D

We're trying.

But we are adding something that hasn't been mentioned yet.

[flyinhawaiian]

We're trying.

But we are adding something that hasn't been mentioned yet.

A release date!?

[NGC007]

We're trying.

But we are adding something that hasn't been mentioned yet.

A release date!?

[Goran_M]

We're trying.

But we are adding something that hasn't been mentioned yet.

A release date!?

Nothing THAT simple.

[signmanbob]

Will this Saab have its own custom FMS or will it be able to use the UFMS realistically.  The XP default FMS don't cut it at all.  It is about the level of the FSX default GPS and not self-respecting FSX payware developer would use it.

[MaidenFan]

Will this Saab have its own custom FMS or will it be able to use the UFMS realistically.  The XP default FMS don't cut it at all.  It is about the level of the FSX default GPS and not self-respecting FSX payware developer would use it.

The A version doesn't have FMC.

[Goran_M]

Speaking for myself, I will never use the default FMC that comes with X Plane in any of our products.  There are other developers that will and that it is entirely their choice. 

I decided to do the A variant (that came without an FMC) purely for that reason.  To make a fully functioning Saab FMC would add many months of development time to an already extended development.

I am definitely planning the B variant WITH properly modelled and coded FMC but that will not be until sometime next year. 

[MaidenFan]

Speaking for myself, I will never use the default FMC that comes with X Plane in any of our products.  There are other developers that will and that it is entirely their choice. 

I decided to do the A variant (that came without an FMC) purely for that reason.  To make a fully functioning Saab FMC would add many months of development time to an already extended development.

I am definitely planning the B variant WITH properly modelled and coded FMC but that will not be until sometime next year. 

The default FMC doesn't even look like a real FMC. Thank God you refuse to use it in your products!

[inktomi]

Now I want to know what that thing is that you're working on that no one has mentioned yet...

[Goran_M]

Well we can't tell everyone everything.  There's no surprises then.

There's a lot that goes on behind the LES doors. 

[anders1982]

Will this Saab have its own custom FMS or will it be able to use the UFMS realistically.  The XP default FMS don't cut it at all.  It is about the level of the FSX default GPS and not self-respecting FSX payware developer would use it.

One thing to remember is that the VasFMC 2.1 has a "flightplan only" mode that limits itself to the flightplan itself and doesn't interfere otherwise with the autopilot. It is meant to be used with planes that have custom autopilot (like the saab) and works well with other planes that have custom autopilot and default FMS, like the Q400 and Peters A380. It even works with planes that don't have an FMS like the MU-2 or the freeware F-27, so perhaps it will work in the Saab :-)