This site describes an interface between a network of virtual radars Kinetic SBS1 and Microsoft Flight Simulator X
Sometimes, looking at a plane flying at 10 000 feet over our head,
we wonder : where is it heading ? what type of aircraft is this ? from which airline ? How cute are the flight attendants ?
TrueSky is a project that aims to provide us, in real time, with a moving view of
this plane as if we were flying some hundred feet around it. TrueSky tries to
give us a view, as realistic as it can, of the traffic, taking in account the type of
aircraft, the livery of the airline, the
atmospheric conditions and the landscape.
About the flight attendants, sorry, but, so far, nothing has been done. Well,
perhaps in Version 17.0 ...
TrueSky makes use of three main components :
- an ADS-B radio receiver, generally know as "virtual radar" : this receiver provides us with data about
identity and position of aircrafts in the area.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX : we use FSX to build an image of the plane and of the scenery surounding it.
- the TrueSky software that acts as an interface between the ADS-B software and FSX.
ADS-B technology allows aircrafts to transmit informations about their
identity, position, vertical and ground speed. This transmission is done automatically once
per second. It may be received by "simple" receivers (technically similar to satellites tuners)
and interfaced with computers.
So, TrueSky is a bridge between the world of simmers and the world of radar spotters.
At the present time, we must consider TrueSky as a project rather than a packaged software :
- it is still work in progress,
- of course, I had to develop a new piece of software but the project, in its globality,
includes many components developped by others and which are integrated in order to build the project,
- this software is not plug'n play: if you want to use TrueSky at its best, you
will have some part of the work to do, building your own library of aircrafts and describing
approach procedures of your local or favorite airport
My first idea, when I started this project, was to recreate the real traffic when
I was flying with FSX. And, of course, you can use it for this purpose. But I rapidly
discovered it was a fascinating tool to spot the traffic in my neighborhood or in
other places of the world.
TrueSky is an open source freeware. For more information about that, see the About page.
Nota : my mother tongue is not english. So, please, be lenient with the wording of this site. I accept gratefully
any correction.
Home,
ADS-B,
Can anybody receive ADS-B ?,
TrueSky software,
Networking the radar stations,
Improving FSX images,
Building a library of aircraft models and liveries,
Q & A,