Flight Simulator - Pilot Tutorial

Welcome to the Flight Simulator! This guide will walk you through the controls, flight dynamics, and tips for flying your aircraft safely from takeoff to landing.

🛩️ Flight Controls

The aircraft uses a simplified but realistic flight model. The controls behave differently depending on whether you are on the ground or in the air.

Speed Control (Throttle)

• Accelerate: W or Up Arrow
• Decelerate / Brake: S or Down Arrow
• Note: If you release the throttle, the aircraft will slowly drag to a halt (or glide smoothly when airborne).

Steering (Yaw & Roll)

• Turn Left / Right: A / D or Left Arrow / Right Arrow
• On Duty (Ground): The aircraft will steer flat on the ground.
• In Flight (Airborne): The aircraft will realistically bank (roll) up to a maximum angle (default 45°) while turning (yawing). Release the turn keys, and the aircraft will slowly auto-level itself.

Pitch Control (Nose Up / Down)

• Nose Up (Climb): Down Arrow (simulates pulling back on the flight stick)
• Nose Down (Dive): Up Arrow (simulates pushing forward on the flight stick)
• Note: Pitching allows you to climb or dive in true 3D space.

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🛫 Takeoff Procedure

1. Throttle Up: Hold W or Up Arrow to build up speed.
2. Reach Takeoff Speed: Wait until your speed reaches the minimum takeoff threshold (default is 20 km/h).
3. Lift Off: Press and hold Space. The nose will pitch up, and the aircraft will build lift and ascend into the air.
4. Transition to Flight: Once you are comfortably in the air, release Space. You can now use the arrow keys to control pitch and roll manually.

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🛬 Landing Procedure

Landing requires precision and a smooth approach to the ground.

1. Approach the Runway: Align your aircraft with your intended landing zone using the steering controls.
2. Reduce Speed: Ease off the throttle or press S / Down Arrow to reduce your speed, but don't stall!
3. Initiate Landing Mode: When you are ready to descend, hold Left Shift.
   • Handing control over to the landing sequence will start a smooth descent.
   • The closer you get to the ground, the more the aircraft will naturally auto-level its nose.
4. Touchdown: Keep holding Left Shift. As altitude reaches ~0, the aircraft will smoothly settle onto the ground, leveling out completely.
5. Brake: Once the landing status triggers, use S / Down Arrow to brake and come to a full stop.

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🛠️ Flight Dynamics Customization

You can adjust how the aircraft handles directly in the Unity Inspector by selecting the object with the Controls script attached.

• Flight Dynamics:

  • Max Bank Angle: How steeply the plane rolls when turning (default: 45°).
  • Roll Control Speed: How fast the plane banks into a turn.
  • Pitch Control Speed: How responsive the plane is when pulling up or pushing down.

• Realistic Takeoff Settings:

  • Takeoff Speed: The minimum speed required before lift-off.
  • Max Climb Angle: Limits how steeply the nose rises during auto-takeoff.

• Landing Settings:

  • Descent Speed: Your vertical sink rate when holding Left Shift.
  • Nose Dive Rate: How much the nose angles down during descent.

📊 Heads Up Display (GUI)

When playing, a simple on-screen display in the upper left corner will show:

• Speed: Current speed in km/h.
• Altitude: Height above the ground level in meters.
• Status: Current phase of flight (GROUND, AIRBORNE, or LANDING).

Enjoy your flight! Feel free to tweak the parameters to find the perfect balance between arcade simplicity and simulator realism.