A Modern Cessna

With X-Plane 930 beta 8, we finally integrated the latest version of Max’s Cessna 172 SP. Grab the new beta and try it – he’s added a number of new features that demonstrate some of the newer X-Plane 9 airplane features.

• Real 3-d lighting in the 3-d cockpit. Note how the map light tends to illuminate only some of the cockpit as it fades out.
• 2-d back-lighting on all of the major steam gauges.
• A bunch of parts can now be dragged in 3-d, including the door handles. This is done via manipulators.
• Walls! In 3-d cockpit viewer mode you won’t be able to leave the airplane until you actually open the doors. The cockpit viewpoint is constrained.
• The model has the glass parts separated out for correct shadowing, and the glass works correctly from all viewpoints.
• Panel uses cockpit regions for accurate lighting.

The cirrus jet has been similarly updated. I plan to use the Cessna for a series of tutorials showing how to use these recent X-Plane features.

About Ben Supnik

Ben is a software engineer who works on X-Plane; he spends most of his days drinking coffee and swearing at the computer -- sometimes at the same time.

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