CREATE INSTRUMENT PANELS

There are a couple of ways to create instrument panels.

  1. You can create and animate the instruments in Blender. (This is how I created the panels on the FM2.) This requires you to import all the animations associated with the panel.
  2. You can create and animate the instrument panel in three.js. This involves importing an image of the intrument panel onto a plane geometry. You then add animated pointers on top of the panel. For instruments which are embedded in the panel (like the attitude indicator), you can use a transparent panel and add the working parts in three.js. You can also create an attach instruments (such as the compass) elsewhere in the cockpit.
  3. You can use a combination of the above.
The Standard Instruments

The basic flight instruments are (clockwise from upper left):

  1. Airspeed Indicator - shows indicated airspeed in knots
  2. Attitude Indicator - shows pitch and bank in degrees
  3. Altimeter - shows indicated altitude in feet
  4. Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) - supplements Altimeter by showing rate of climb or descent
  5. Heading Indicator - shows heading in degrees
  6. Turn Coordinator - supplements Heading Indicator by showing standard rate turn and turn quality.

Navigational instruments include

  1. Magnetic Compass - points to magnetic North
  2. GPS (Global Positioning System) - modern navigational aid
  3. VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) - points to radio aid
  4. Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) - points to radio aid
  5. Nondirectional Beacon (NDB) - points to radio beacon
  6. ILS (Instrument Landing System) - a landing aid that shows direction and altitude information

Other basic instruments include

  1. Fuel Gauge - shows remaining fuel in gallons
  2. Radios - used for communication with tower, enroute stations and other airplanes
  3. RPM Gauges - shows propeller RPM
  4. Manifold Pressure Gauge - shows engine manifold pressure
  5. Landing Gear Indicator - generally lights showing whether landing gear is extended
Examples