Project Do228

Dear project228 visitors!

Once again months have passed - time is running! I have almost completed my flight training and will soon start my typerating on Airbus A320 or Boeing 737NG. Real life is “progressing well”, so how about the project?

I’m really glad to be able to tell you some good news. We now have another BIG partner, who is helping us with drawings, photos and system describtions. I’m not telling which company this is, yet! We are working together closely - helping each other. This really pushes the project forward and motivates us.

After one of our team members has left, I had to redo big parts of the aircraft. Now I’m once again finishing up the external model and will afterwards move over to the virtual cockpit. And here’s the next good news. We have a new guy in the team, who will be doing the scripting and animation of the virtual cockpit. He’s an expert in this field, so be ready for some interactive VC action!

I also did promise some new pictures. Once the spec / reflect / bump maps are finished, you will get to see those. That should happen soon. Stay tuned!

Dear Do228 fans!

Once again I’m really happy to see, that we have so many great supporters! I am aware, that you are desperately waiting for updates and new pictures. And I would love to give those to you! However it’s not as easy, as it often seems. We are both quite busy at the moment, although we thought, we’d have more time by now - it’s totally not the case at the moment.

I have passed the theoretical exam and moved on to IFR training at my school. Now flying the Piper Seminole with Avidyne flightdeck - really nice! Tristan is somewhat busy with private life at the moment too. Please, keep in mind, that this is a developement blog. It’s our intention to show you how this project is coming along and offer some “behind-the-scenes” information. We will not make predicitons on when everything will be finished.

BUT, here’s actually some project news for you guys: We have been thinking a lot about how to develop and release this bird, so that the project in the end is worth the time, that we are spending with it. Tristan and I have decided to go FSX, since it opens a lot of new possibilities to us. We have been playing a lot with specular and bump maps. Guys, as soon as you see our 228 with those new textures, you will understand why FSX!

Also, we have started to develop a completely new, high detail 3D cockpit, which will be professionally rendered to give it a photo-real look. As soon, as there is something to show, you will see it!

After several months, once again, thank you for all the emails and comments! Thank you for the help, my dear Dornier pilots!

I really appreciate that and I’m looking forward to working on with you in the future.

I’m now preparing for the final ATPL theory exam. After that, I will continue flying IFR and hopefully in about half a year finish and start flying commercial airplanes.

In the last months I have been really busy studying. That will be over in a few weeks and I will have more free time for all those nice things in life, such as my Do228 project.

I whish you a very nice new year 2009!

Viktor

Finally we have some new renderings to present. They show a part of the pedestal with the autopilot on the right.

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I’m glad to announce that we have solved out problems and are now back in full strength. New pictures of the cockpit to come in the next days! Stay tuned!

So finally we are online. In the next months we will try to keep this blog running. As soon as the developement is finished, we will present you a complete website. Stay tuned!