• Details •
The C-5B is the result of more than 5 years of evaluation, starting with XP 5. About 200 hours have been spend only on the first edition of the payware version which is based on my old x-plane 6.51 Galaxy, and much more time has been spent on the several updates. The XP 8 version does have a significantly better flight model in respect of lift and drag. Wings, airfoils and flap settings have been revised. Flight performance, AOA and speed limits have been newly defined and verified by countless testflights. Two functionable APUs are providing electrical power. You can hear them wistlle when the main engines are turned off! - The C-5B is available in the standard grey livery and with a camouflage pattern.
Fuselage " The fuselage has been completely reshaped, using the encreased number of increments offered by XP7.61. The cockpit windows now are slightly transparent.
Wings " Each mainwing is now composed of 11 single subwings. This made it possible to create the flaps and speed brakes in the correct dimensions and distances. The gaps are precisely filled by the rail struts which are fixed as in reality, which means that they do not move up and down with the flaps. Further more the flight models realism is been improved by now computing a total of 164 increments for both wings.
The actual version 8 (left) and 7.61 (center) compared to the v.6.51 (right)
Stabilator " The stabilators have been completely remodelled according to the real thing.
Flaps & Spoilers " The C-5B has 6 slotted fowler flaps at each wing and 9 spoiler panels. While the 4 inboard spoiler panels serve as ground spoilers only, with the purpose to cut lift after touchdown, the 5 outboard spoiler panels act as rollspoilers during flight and join the ground spoilers in their function after touchdown.
Ailerons & ALDCS " Lateral control is provided by a combination of ailerons and roll spoilers. The ailerons are also used to reduce wing bending moments when the aircraft undergoes normal acceleration as a result of maneuvres or gust. In this technique, called Active Load Distribution Control System (ALDCS), the ailerons are symmetrically deflected in response to signals received from accelerometers located in various parts of the aircraft. For a positive acceleration, the ailerons are deflected upward whereby the load is shifted inboard and thus the wingroot bending moments are reduced. Since x-plane does not provide this technologie, I linked the ailerons to the pitch deflection by 5° maximum in order in simulate this system. As a by-effect final approach is faciliated by the combination of both features, since the aircraft's low-speed handling improves significantly, now meeting realistic values even better.
Gears " Since Austin Meyer introduced the 4-lateral gear (for Christian Bothe's excellent Ilyushin 76) we have the C-5 's correct front wheel. I asked him to add the 2-4-truck mainwheel of the Galaxy. Luckily he agreed. Now Americas biggest plane can roll on it's 28 wheels in the correct arrangement.
Before the 4 maingears can be retracted, they have to rotate by 90 degrees inboards, and their struts are significantly compressed.
Gear doors of the main gears are modelled within the limits of XP. The front wheel doors of the real thing cannot be modelled in PlaneMaker. They are sliding sidewards.
Ground clearance of the C-5B can be reduced for loading and unloading. Many photographs show the aircraft with more or less compressed struts while it is parked. Certainly I had to select full strut extraction for save take-off and landing operations.
Artificial Stability " The flight model now seems to be so realistic in all aspects, that I removed the previously installed AI control. I added a moderate Artificial Stability function to reduce G-forces and AOA over 250kn as a partial compensation of the real Active Load Distribution Control System. The AI button (Art. Stab.) should be used respectively.