Simulating an APU

[JanniCash]

I've been searching all over the net for ways how to simulate an APU ... to no avail.

I did succeed in creating one but was wondering if there are other ways. Preferrably one that is implemented as an XML gauge alone.

What I did for now is to add another engine to the aircraft.cfg file. The engine is "mounted" 30,000 feet behind the pilot seat, so one can't hear it. The gauge controlling it keeps the throttle and mixture bolted down so it cannot be started (not even with autostart). To actually run the APU it continuously triggers the starter so that it keeps at about 23 percent N2 RPM and kicks in the alternator above 21 percent. It all works, as in "it provides power and it consumes about 200 pounds of fuel per hour", which I think is about right for a 737-200.

How do others do it?


Jan

[n4gix]

Jan, for FS9 that is about the only way this can be done. While it's certainly possible to 'fake' one up codewise, it won't actually supply power to the a/c, nor keep the battery from discharging.

For FSX however, there is now a fully-functional APU/GPU that may be programmed using either a C or an XML gauge to implement.

As for what you've already done, it could be (re)written to use an XML script "gauge" just as easily as C.

[JanniCash]

>Jan, for FS9 that is about the only way this can be done.
>While it's certainly possible to 'fake' one up codewise, it
>won't actually supply power to the a/c, nor keep the battery
>from discharging.

Well, I am not so much after faking noise and graphics. If it's not sucking that dino juice and charging the battery, it's not an APU, is it?

>For FSX however, there is now a fully-functional APU/GPU that
>may be programmed using either a C or an XML gauge to
>implement.

I'm probably not going FSX any time soon. From all I heard so far I conclude Microsoft doesn't even know when the last developer, who knew anything about how the ATC code works, left the building. So FSX will still get you killed by lining up a 747 at 250 knots "following you on final in your little Cessna", doesn't it?

There might be many people out there doing things where the above isn't much of a problem. For me it is. For me this means that upgrading to FSX won't improve on the stuff I have a problem with, force me to upgrade all my add-ons as well as my hardware ... and all that just for eye candy that I can't even enjoy much because below 10,000 ft I am usually too busy to pay attention to the ducks on the pond ... I got a plane to fly!

>As for what you've already done, it could be (re)written to
>use an XML script "gauge" just as easily as C.

Sorry for the "rant", I really appreciate your input. The gauge I currently have (the one controlling that dummy engine) is written in XML, like all of the panel I am creating. If that's the only way to do it, I'm fine with instructing people to add something to their aircraft.cfg file if they want to use that panel. They have to edit that anyway because of radios. I just want to make sure I'm not missing one of the little secrets in FS9 land.


Thank you,
Jan

[cactusfire]

Hi Jan - I've been banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how to recharge the battery in FS9 and then I came across your post. I was wondering if you had done any more work on the FS9 APU, and if you wouldn't mind sharing what you've found...

[JanniCash]

Hi Jan - I've been banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how to recharge the battery in FS9 and then I came across your post. I was wondering if you had done any more work on the FS9 APU, and if you wouldn't mind sharing what you've found...

Sorry for the delay. Should check here more frequently.

I've not done any more work on it, but I will put the code together and post it here for you shortly.


Jan