A Boeing Harrier AV8B Spain, Armada. Reskin by Papou with permission.
Vertical takeoff aircraft, adopted from the British Hawker aircraft. It operates on invisible track.
The Harrier will lift off vertically using the H key to a height of 10 metres maximum above track level. Under AI use the Aircraft Helicopter Takeoff Rule for lifting off or landing. This makes for realistic operation. Normally a Harrier uses a short takeoff run. When initially moving forward the nose dips. This may be turned off in the string table, enter off instead of on.
The aircraft has an automatically operating landing gear. This retracts at takeoff speed set in the script, and lowers at speeds below that setting. The speeds for tilting, landing gear retraction on takeoff and hover height may be altered in the string table above - speeds are in kph, distance in metres. It does not have an operating interior, but does have various exterior views based on an invisible interior, use the [ and ] keys from the interior view.
The aircraft will load missiles (products) to the various pylons, including the animated ones. Initially it is fully configured. You can alter or delete the mix of missiles on load hardpoints in Surveyor - use the ? button. The choice is from Sidewinders, Python 5, Maverick, Pheonix, Sparrow, Matra Rocket Pod and a small fuel tank. Some missiles cannot be loaded to some points, eg, the fuel tank is too heavy for the wing tips. See the included Readme file for additional information on hard point location.
Some of my airports will load or unload products on aircraft. The missiles will not be unloaded at an airport, but if you come in clean, the airport will upload missiles to the hardpoints for use.
The aircraft has a number of animations that can be operated by keyboard keys, or the Aircraft Action Trigger, kuid:76656:24050, when placed on track and set to the correct number. Normally the Harrier would not use the catapult:
- to start engines, press the B key or trigger setting 2. An engine start rule is also available for AI;
- lift off vertically, H key, or trigger setting 1. A lift off rule is also available for AI;
- fire the outer Sidewinder missiles - use the V key, or trigger setting 3;
- tyre smoke on landing, use trigger setting 4;
- carrier catapult launch trigger 8
- carrier landing trapping trigger 9
- carrier bolter flyby trigger 12
- set speed to 40% of maximum speed, for landing approach, trigger setting 14.
Military and commercial aircraft sometimes use the same keys and trigger settings for differerent animations. If you find conflict on the same route, set the train priority of the trigger for a particular aircraft to a different value to differentiate.