You have in your hands a top secret, stolen prototype that was developed by Hark Aerospace for military use.
A full triple-engine reheat enhances the top end, a totally custom addition to the prototype.
VTOL capability. Use full flaps settings to take off near vertical, avoiding the top 5 percent of throttle....you don't want the afterburners kicking in until your flaps are all in and you're zooming off. Be sure to retract the invisible gear, as she's really slow with gear down. Remember to lower your 'gear' again to land. Be gentle on your full-flaps, VTOL landings, the invisible 'gear' isn't that strong. Too much nose-up attitude on VTOL landings will topple you out of the sky.
Altitude is provided by patented, fail-protected anti-grav grids, and emergency, near VTOL landings are still possible with no engine power.
The radical rudder response is designed to allow you to take off vertically, and with flaps still engaged, use rudder twist to spin yourself around 180 degrees or so and then zoom off....it looks way cool. If it's a little much (you really have to watch your rudder use at high speed), engage 'Autorudder' in your FS9 settings, or decrease the 'rudder_effectiveness=' value to 1.0 from 3.0 in the [FLIGHT TUNING] section of the AIRCRAFT.cfg file.
The need for control surfaces is eliminated by engaging Gyro-Steer technology and has nothing to do with the fact that the author was too lazy to worry about animations this time.
Once your gear is up and the flaps are all the way in she'll barrel off like a champ, getting up to well over 500 Knots, at any altitude you like.
For the panel view, grab the border of the black space and drag it down with your mouse until you see no black in the background.
Depending on how the aircraft is saved or loaded, you may have to cycle the views through once to avoid having the afterburners show at all times, rather than just after 94% throttle.
INSTALLATION: Copy and paste the 'airbike' folder into your FS9 main 'aircraft' folder. Copy and paste the two effects files (.FX) found in the 'airbikeeffects' folder into your FS9 main 'effects' folder. Copy and paste the one texture (.bmp) file found in the 'airbikeeffects' folder into the 'texture' folder found WITHIN your FS9 main 'effects' folder. Copy and paste the folder 'ab-gauge' into your FS9 main 'gauges' folder. The Black Shark will show up under the manufacturer 'Hark Aerospace Inc.' in your 'Select Aircraft' window.
CREDITS, CONDITIONS:
Big thanks to Ardie/RD for the custom made 'BATBURNERS', meant originally for my flying cars, that are sort of on the backburner for now.
This unique, gorgeous reheat effect is perfect for the airbike, topping off the project beautifully. Also, when I needed a particular gauge entry, and some info on how to get the afterburners to come on at the top end, Ardie came through right away, ending two days of lunchbag letdown. The 'shark eyes' are Ardie's as well...perfectly wicked. Once again, Ardie's secret VTOL .cfg/.AIR set was the base for the flight dynamics.
Thank you to Rob Barendregt for his express permission to use his .XML gauge to get the reheat to work, his prompt reply to my email made my day.
Rob expects and insists that you contact him before using his gauges and folder for anything but the personal use of the add-on or download that it was included with. For anything else, please email him for permission. rc.barendregt@planet.nl
This Freeware add-on is for your personal download and use only. Not to be re-uploaded in full or part to any website, or included in any collection for resale or promotion.
Any custom effects included are the sole property of ARDIE/RD, period...you do NOT want to cross him.
It's a simple, clean, safe add-on file and I hold no responsibility for any damage, real or percieved, to your software or hardware.
Don't even bother to try and repaint this one, most of it's tiled, mirrored or gizmo'd to death in order to get the look I wanted. Any repaints are to be uploaded as textures only though, not repackaged with my airbike file.
Have fun, and Merry Christmas '08!!!! Hark hark2131@yahoo.ca Glenn Crowell, in Beautiful Northern Ontario, Canada.
(Oh, and if you decide the Black Shark is some sort of vigilante...go give those Somali pirates some hell would ya? Thanks.)
