Microsoft Flight Simulator © Microsoft Corporation.
DG Flugzeugbau DG-808S MSFS add-on was created under Microsoft's "Game Content Usage Rules"
using assets from Microsoft Flight Simulator X, and it is not endorsed by or affiliated with Microsoft.

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/developers/rules

The DG Flugzeugbau DG-800 series is a family of 15 metre and 18 metre single-seat gliders and motor gliders produced by Glaser-Dirks since 1993 and by DG Flugzeugbau GmbH after 1997. It is the successor to the DG-400 and the DG-600 models. DG808S is 18m wing span competition glider. This modification has 150 pounds thrust retractable jet engine installed, which can be used for taking off or flight sustain.

If you are not planning to use engine, after flight starts on the runway press READY TO FLY immediately. If you need an engine, wait for ~10 seconds until it spins up, only then press READY TO FLY button.

As an alternative, you can use Kinetic Assistant application - it provides winch and tow functionality (animated ropes only in payware version). Same as thermals simulation - you can place thermals in soaring area manually or get hotspots from API server in one click (best coverage in central Europe).

To participate in competitions, or load just train your skills on proposed routes, you may try MSFS ALBATROSS competitions app

Even if this add-on released under TouchingCloud label, in fact that is community job - many people were involved in development, so it will be fair to list their names (in order of appearance, hope I did not forget anyone):

  • Flight Simulator X dev team - 3D model
  • Michael Rossi - flight model, systems
  • Ian "B21" Lewis - instruments
  • ANRI - flight model, competitions
  • David Fairhurst - textures
  • Emil Jacques Watson - textures
  • Got Gravel - flight model, systems
  • Pup Pryde - textures
  • renderpeople - pilot model

Also many testers and media creators helping us during the process, thanks guys!

HOW TO INSTALL

Unpack archive content into Community folder

HOW TO UNINSTALL

Remove "touchingcloud-aircraft-dg808s" directory from Community

NOTES AND ISSUES

Remove fuel before flight start if you don't need the engine or just press ENGINE button on front panel after flight start.

If you want to disable vario tone, turn the knob to the right top of the vario counter-clockwise.

Sometimes map or vario gauges hang and stop working properly. You need to restart them with a relative knob - after reinitialization they could go back to work.

You can use Toggle water rudder key to release winch/tow rope created by KineticAssistant.

If you wish to create liveries for this aircraft, check layout and blank livery files


Glider configs

You are able to edit default avionics parameters by changing RUNWAY.FLT file values (in case you are starting flight on the runway). Main variables:

  • UNITS_IMPERIAL = 100 Imperial / 0 Metric
  • VARIO_TONE_ACTIVE = 0 vario disabled / 20 muted / 100 max volume
  • VARIO_MODE = 0 NETTO / 50 AUTO / 100 TE
  • NAV_SCREEN = 0 screen disabled / 100 enabled
  • PILOT_TOGGLE = 0 pilot visible / 100 hide
  • CANOPY OPEN = 0 canopy closed / 100 opened
  • SLIDING_WINDOW = 0 window closed / 100 opened
  • YAWSTRING_TOGGLE = 0 yawstring visible / 100 hide
  • WINDSTRING_TOGGLE = 0 vertical wind indication enabled / 100 disabled

UPGRADE INSTRUMENTS DETAILS

by Ian "B21" Lewis

##############################
# DG808S B21 Instruments v.44

# SUMMARY USAGE:
##############

The instruments will work fine "out-of-the-box" with the Cambridge Vario auto-switching between CRUISE and CLIMB modes.

HOT-KEYS:

Assign a key/button to "TOGGLE BEACON LIGHTS" to manually switch the Cambridge vario to CRUISE or CLIMB.

Assign a key/button to "TOGGLE NAV LIGHTS" (default "Alt-N"?) to select NEXT WAYPOINT in Nav Display (if you have a flightplan loaded).

Assign a key to "TOGGLE CABIN LIGHTS" (default "Alt-T" I think) to show/hide debug readings.

#########################################
# Nav Instrument / LOADING A FLIGHT PLAN
#########################################

The Nav Instrument tells you
* the name of the selected waypoint
* a pointer for the direction to go
* the altitude of the waypoint
* the distance (in Km) to go

Flight plans are not essential, but we can use them to define a soaring cross-country task.

If you start the flight with no flight plan loaded, the Nav instrument will populate a single waypoint for your starting position,
calling that 'HOME'. This isn't a bad place to start with a launch followed by a glide back to the airport following the Nav
pointer, including in a cross-wind.

If you load a flight plan (before starting the flight) then the Nav Instrument will read that and display the first waypoint. You can
select further waypoints via the hot-key/button assigned to "TOGGLE NAV LIGHTS" (default Alt-N).

You can use 'Alt-N' (by default) to step through each waypoint on the Nav Instrument. Technically in MSFS you are toggling the
Nav lights but this is a workaround to enable you to interact with the Nav Instrument.

You can create your own MSFS flight plan with Little Nav Map (or Plan G).

MSFS has it's own idea for what to do with the ALTITUDES
in your flight plan and this makes those altitudes irrelevant for soaring. If you append "+" to your waypoint NAME
e.g. "START+4000" then in this example the Nav Instrument will display 4000 (feet) for the "START" waypoint. This will be more
important if/when I add 'estimated arrival height' as a function of the Nav instrument.

An example Mifflin_Day1.pln MSFS flight plan for a soaring task is included.

See https://xp-soaring.github.io/fsx/missions/mifflin/overview.htm

Set the wind for 315 degrees / 17 knots / no gusts. This is harder than it sounds so ask the FB ground if you're unsure.

######################
# Cambridge Vario
######################

The Cambridge Vario has 3 modes

AUTO MODE:
* icon at 3-o-clock will be blank (cruise) or a circle-arrow (climb)
* Average at 6-o-clock will be:
- cruise: rolling average Netto
- climb: true climb average since entering climb mode.
* Needle and Audio will be:
- cruise: Netto
- climb: TE

In AUTO MODE the gauge will switch sensibly between the AUTO-CRUISE and AUTO-CLIMB modes, e.g. a variety of different situations will
cause the gauge to operate in AUTO-CLIMB mode (needle showing TE climb rate, AUDIO on TE, averager giving you the TRUE climb rate
since you entered this mode). For example, selecting flaps T1 or T2, flying below 70 knots in rising air will cause the
Cambridge vario to assume you are trying to thermal. Flying fast, or simply flying in a straight line without climbing, will cause
the vario to exit climb mode.

CLIMB MODE:
* icon at 3-o-clock will say "TE"
* Average at 6-o-clock will be rolling average TE
* Needle and Audio will be TE
* The vario will remain fixed in this mode, with no auto-switching

CRUISE MODE:
* icon at 3-o-clock will say "Net"
* Average at 6-o-clock will be rolling average Netto
* Needle and Audio will be Netto
* The vario will remain fixed in this mode, with no auto-switching

##########################
# General info
##########################

Power on/off (default Alt-B) should work as expected. The instruments should cope with 'slew mode' and 'pause' ok.
I have NOT yet programmed the Cambridge 'true average' to detect pause/slew yet.

* ASI has (top) TRUE AIRSPEED (bottom) GROUND SPEED kph
* Nav has (bottom left) GLIDE RATIO
* WINTER has (bottom) TE m/s
* Cambridge has (bottom) Netto m/s.

The Netto is calibrated with the correct polar, so in STILL AIR if you're flying properly (e.g. in the right flap, wheel up,
spoilers closed) it should read zero. Any difference is the sim flightmodel error or you are not flying in still air (easiest
check is the L/D in the Nav display).

MSFS gusts are not sensibly implemented currently, so you need to disable those or will have excessive jitter in the vario needles.