This entry is reworded from the developer’s update on the development thread.
JetManHuss has provided an update on the progress of his Solar Impulse 2, namely the advancement that the product has developed in the electrical system, allowing quite an accurate performance in climb, cruise, endurance. This would be a product that pushes the envelope, as there are no other electric airplanes simulated in X-Plane, and given that PlaneMaker isn’t quite created to support development of these type of machines, one can only say that the level of detail that VSkyLabs is producing is quite remarkable.
Further testing involves flying the aircraft across the Pacific in real time to try out the performance of the sold cell’s charge tuning as the time of day shifts “especially in the day/night margins (in between night and day)”. The product, as with all other planes from VSkyLabs would not be assisted by a custom plugin, and would solely rely on X-Plane’s default features to construct the aircraft.
The resulting complexity of the electrical system would be simple and straightforward, and the experience in replicating the system posses an exciting challenge and opportunity, where it is not easy to execute. “ultimate precision and self discipline are required”
Further manoeuvre characteristics of the Solar Impulse 2 described by the developer:
What I’ve found is that flying the mission itself (climb, cruise, weather considerations, sticking with the recommended climb and descent profiles for day and night operations, managing topographic characteristics and even the meaning of maintaining heading while controlling such a wide wingspan aircraft with such a low wing load) is one of the main parts of the challenge. So far during development, there were sometimes surprises that had triggered the need for a brief “electrical-power-management-session”…but the solution/outcome of dealing with these situations was mostly mission related decision making.
Note: The important simulation “layer” of the operational aspects of the batteries (temp levels, capacity levels due to stress and other limitations and malfunctions) and their interaction with the phases of flight were a great part of the major considerations and operation in the real-life around the world challenge. This aspect is noted for future development.
Follow the Solar Impulse 2 development here: Here