Be immersed by airflow

[harryharry]

To increase the immersion and to make the flight conditions tangible I experimented a little bit with boat fans in the last months, which I controlled in real time with flight parameters. First I controlled 2 of these fans with TrueAirspeed and was already very excited about the effect that I could suddenly feel the speed. Next I experimented with adding the lateral G-forces to both fans. With this I could suddenly feel if the plane was in a slipping flight condition. I thought that was great and I couldn't help it, I had to add the angle of attack. For this purpose I mounted a third boat fan near the paddlesl and a 4th above the monitor and what can I say - I am totally enthusiastic.

When the angle of attack gets bigger, the lower fan now blows a faster airflow past the joystick hand under the chin while the upper fan slows down the airflow accordingly. Together with the two lateral fans, an airflow around the head is created at all times, which matches the flying condition of the machine. With a negative angle of attack, the wind that blows over the head from above is correspondingly greater while the airflow from the footwell is weaker. Also when flying Acro, the airflow always matches the flight condition, because the boat fans regulate very quickly. Following the 3 videos in reverse order of origin:

 

Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

 

The whole thing is of course a DIY project and if there is a need I can roughly explain how to realize it.

Edited May 3, 2020 by harryharry

[Ala12Rv-Tundra]

To increase the immersion and to make the flight conditions tangible I experimented a little bit with boat fans in the last months, which I controlled in real time with flight parameters. First I controlled 2 of these fans with TrueAirspeed and was already very excited about the effect that I could suddenly feel the speed. Next I experimented with adding the lateral G-forces to both fans. With this I could suddenly feel if the plane was in a slipping flight condition. I thought that was great and I couldn't help it, I had to add the angle of attack. For this purpose I mounted a third boat fan near the paddlesl and a 4th above the monitor and what can I say - I am totally enthusiastic.

When the angle of attack gets bigger, the lower fan now blows a faster airflow past the joystick hand under the chin while the upper fan slows down the airflow accordingly. Together with the two lateral fans, an airflow around the head is created at all times, which matches the flying condition of the machine. With a negative angle of attack, the wind that blows over the head from above is correspondingly greater while the airflow from the footwell is weaker. Also when flying Acro, the airflow always matches the flight condition, because the boat fans regulate very quickly. Following the 3 videos in reverse order of origin:

 

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

 

The whole thing is of course a DIY project and if there is a need I can roughly explain how to realize it.

that´s an interesting approach, I have been using two fans for simracing, so it helps inmersion even though I mostly race closed cockpit cars.

I use VR. The thing with wind is you get a sensor feedback with the noise of the fans, and the air hitting your "face". Soon enough you develop a sensor of a particular "wind and noise" for every part of a track.

Great work.

[harryharry]

that´s an interesting approach, I have been using two fans for simracing, so it helps inmersion even though I mostly race closed cockpit cars.

I use VR. The thing with wind is you get a sensor feedback with the noise of the fans, and the air hitting your "face". Soon enough you develop a sensor of a particular "wind and noise" for every part of a track.

Great work.

Thank you! I used the first two fans for Sim racing too for two years now. It's my experience too that this works very well in a closed cockpit. The brain sorts this out. It adds to the immersion in a car too to add g-forces to speed. I did try this a few weeks ago first time.

[HunchyTheHuncher]

The whole thing is of course a DIY project and if there is a need I can roughly explain how to realize it.

 

I am currently using Sim Racing Studio's Power Wind Package.

 

In racing games the left and right fans differentially activate when you turn corners, however, in DCS the fans only respond to aircraft speed. This really does give a sensation of speed and is pretty awesome in VR!

 

I would really like to know how you added lateral G-forces and angle of attack as I would like to develop a similar set up myself. Thanks!

[harryharry]

I am currently using Sim Racing Studio's Power Wind Package.

 

In racing games the left and right fans differentially activate when you turn corners, however, in DCS the fans only respond to aircraft speed. This really does give a sensation of speed and is pretty awesome in VR!

 

I would really like to know how you added lateral G-forces and angle of attack as I would like to develop a similar set up myself. Thanks!

 

In the Export.lua I get the Speed after each Frame, that means normallyt 45 times a second:

local airspeed = LoGetTrueAirSpeed() * 3.6

 

and roll-pitch-yaw angle:

local pitch, roll, yaw = LoGetADIPitchBankYaw()

 

and the rotation rates for the 3 axes:

local RotationalVelocity = LoGetAngularVelocity()

 

and the 3 G-forces along the 3 axes:

local accel = LoGetAccelerationUnits()

 

and a smoothed Angle of Attack (dcs is a bit rough at low speeds )

local aoa = math.sin(LoGetAngleOfAttack()/180*3.14159265359)*math.min(1,airspeed/30 )

 

some factors for the user to change in the export.lua

local factor_lateral_geforce_for_airspeed = 2

local factor_AngleOfAttack_for_airspeed = 4

 

which are used in the 4 formulas for the 4 fans:

 

local airspeedFromLeft = math.max( 0, airspeed + (airspeed * accel.z * factor_lateral_geforce_for_airspeed ) )

 

local airspeedFromRight = math.max( 0, airspeed - (airspeed * accel.z * factor_lateral_geforce_for_airspeed ) )

 

local airspeedFromUp = math.max( 0, airspeed * (1 - ( aoa * factor_AngleOfAttack_for_airspeed ) ) )

 

local airspeedFromDown = math.max( 0, airspeed * (1 + ( aoa * factor_AngleOfAttack_for_airspeed ) ) )

 

 

ALL those parameters are send to SimFeedback (you can use another motion cueing software where you can write or alter a plugin for dcs ) after each frame. Then you can use

airspeedFromLeft , airspeedFromRight , airspeedFromUp und airspeedFromDown

and send them to arduinos Arduinos with moto monster shields to control the fans.

 

And you can use all the other parameters to mix them according to your likings or to calculate further usefull parameters.

 

For example you could use pitchrate to add to the upper and lower fans so that if you turn on a dime after flying vertically up you feel the air while rotating even if airspeed is almost zero.

[HunchyTheHuncher]

Thank you very much for providing a starting point. I will investigate further....

[streakeagle]

This is similar to the effect of vibrating seat pads. The pads cannot replicate actual g forces, stall effects, etc. But they provide a useful, cost effective way to perceiving these effects. They increase immersion despite the fact that it is not realistic. Once you get used to having physical feedback, it is hard to fly without it!

[BuzzU]

What plane are you flying that lets you feel the wind?

[harryharry]

What plane are you flying that lets you feel the wind?

 

I got the idea by watching a video of this ultralight where you can feel the airflow. But I like the spitfire most from its excellent flight modell and taildragger behavior. To feel the airflow as in this ultralight helps me to be immersed in the closed cockpit.