Ok I wish I’d tried this out ages ago. This is very cool.
when is the plane with auxiliary engine available…
I am addicted to Got Friends products… 
How long can you typically expect to run one of those front electric sustainer motors for?
If used for horizontal cruise, 45 minutes acording to the web page of the Discus 2c-FES
https://www.schempp-hirth.com/en/sailplanes/discus/discus-2c-fes
Hey Everyone! We are nearing a timeline where we can adress the upcoming Features before we enter Beta Testing!
List of Expected Premium Features:
- New 18m FES Varient
- V80 Variometer (FES & Standard)
- Front Electric Sustainer Motor (FES)
- FES FCU Control Panel (FES)
- Tablet (Toggle Available Options) (FES & Standard)
- Built-In Tow Compatibility (No Kinetic Assistant Required) (FES & Standard)
- Custom Sounds (FES & Standard)
- Custom FES Animations on Start-Up/Shutdown (FES)
- Launch Radio Comms (FES & Standard)
- Built-In Cable Visuals (No Kinetic Assistant Required) (FES & Standard)
- Modified LX Navigation and GPS Navigation Systems (FES & Standard)
- Working Circuit Breakers (FES & Standard)
- Wing Wheels (FES)
- New Liveries (FES & Standard)
- Customizable Canopy Tint Colors (FES & Standard)
List of Expected Premium and Freeware Features:
- In-Game Checklist (FES, Standard & Freeware)
- New Default Thermal Activated Freeplay Weather Preset (FES, Standard & Freeware)
- New Oxygen Tank System (FES, Standard & Freeware)
- Add Vorticies Effects (FES, Standard & Freeware)
Marketplace Releases & Estimate Release:
- Flightsim.to (Early June 2022)
- Freeware Update (Early June 2022)
- Official Marketplace & Xbox (Late June 2022)
Can’t wait to share more screenshots, trailers and more while we enter the Beta Testing Phase!
12 Likes
Thats quite a list with updates!
So far I enjoy the discus a lot.
I have never flown the discus in real life, but many others gliders I did. And alltough they all have their own caracter and dynamics, they all have one thing in common: you can experience the art of flying in its purest form.
And this exact feeling is well recreated in this bird!
Therefore I cant recommend this one enough to newcommers in the sim to get their first taste of gliders. They sure wont regret it.
Keep up the great work, and Iam looking forward to the release.
6 Likes
First Round of Previews! Love the new high quality textures! We will be sharing more previews as we enter Beta Testing!
11 Likes
Wow! That really looks impressive. Looking forward to this one for sure.
A mysterious leak has appeared!
4 Likes
Discus-2c Premium Closed Beta has Started!
Stay Tuned for more previews, pictures, news, streams and videos during this first round of Beta Tests. Our team will do our best to keep the general public aware of any previews! Anyone participating in the Beta is ALLOWED to post any previews.
Thank You!
- Got Friends
5 Likes
That looks really good!
It’s very fantastic 
Beautiful. I am smiling already knowing how much fun this is going to be.
DEVELOPMENT UPDATE:
There is so much work being done during Beta! I would like to take a moment and talk about some of those improvements.
FES FCU:
FES is now simulated with Proper Thermal Dynamics and Heat Ventilation. Thermo Dynamics for the motor allows correctly calculated heating and cooling factors, such as torque (heating component) and ram airspeed (cooling component if ventilation is open). Our team is trying to have the most in-depth simulated electic motor currently in-game. There is various improvements to the FCU’s Main Display:
- Temp for 2 batteries is displayed.
- Voltage range from 90V (empty battery) to 116V (full battery) subtract 8V drop whenever at max throttle to prevent motor damage.
- Ampere is now a function of kW and Voltage (e.g 7kW and 103V will give 7000 / 103 = 68A)
- Messages for prop parking, ventilation and canopy
- Refactoring
- Motor Thrust is exactly 22kW
FLIGHT MODEL PHYSICS:
Improvements have been made to the Standard, FES and Freeware versions:
- Air pressure accurately impacts max control surface deflections at speeds above 103kts
- Improved control surface reactivity
- Retuned Polar Curves
- Retuned Moments of Inertia
- Retuned Gyro Stability
LAUNCH PHYSICS:
Launch and Towing Physics have been tremendously improved. In collaborative with Touching Cloud, we are adding functionality to represent 3D Cables, Tow Vehicles, and More! We will be sharing more about these additions soon.
14 Likes
Hi Jonx,
Current Discus 2c is already good - I spent 61h total flying in it and despite I don’t need FES capability (you know “Real pilots don’t need engines” 
I will gladly buy the Premium version in appreciation of your team’s work and quality.
If I may suggest or ask if following changes relative to 2c version can be made (I sorted it by my subjective improtance order):
- Require way more rudder for proper coordinated turn - simple rotating the glider with ailerons shouldn’t be enough for proper turn - in RL gliders, rotating wings because of their huge wingspan will cause adverse yaw force preventing change of heading, to do proper coordinated turn you must at proper times use rudder to counteract this adverse yaw and do it way more than it is now in 2c.
- Yaw string is right biased - it flutters to the right way more then to the left in straight flight (randomization function biased? or offset wrongly applied?) - confirmed by many people - no matter the wind dir - may seem like a small thing - but in fact yaw string is the most important indication of correct flight/turn so it is quite important and spoils immersion now.
- In flight computer the position of the plane is incorect (lagging?) in relation to the lift trail (when the option is on) and plane icon should be above trail (now is below).
- A little bit more effective airbrakes and less strong wheel brakes (you shouldn’t be able to nosedive/lift tail even with full with wheelbrakes).
- Initial glider configuration without water (as water is used mainly in racing tasks/long flights not leisure flights/weak weather) and add ability to quickly add/remove water ballast/fuel with the switch while on the ground (like in is implemented in LS4).
- Ability to start game with initially open cabin (greater immersion, makes actually those animations useable) - can even be set by some config file parameter.
- Ability to make the go pro camera invisible - obstructs view in VR - even by some config file parameter.
- In VR looking up often “breakes” the glass canopy - I guest the shape is ok, but maybe ability to toggle canopy color to make it in the same color as “the outside” would make this effect less annoying (BTW I love all those stains on the glass - great immersion).
I don’t have real data to proove it, but it may be that the glider has too good performance/control at low speed, also I believe even slight maneuvering should spoil performance more - it seems too difficult to kill height even with drastic maneuvering.
Once again thank you for making this glider, raising bar for the official implementation and can’t wait for the premium version.
6 Likes
Thanks for your feedback and thoughts, much appreciated!
A few quick replies on some of your queries while we continue our development:
- Adverse yaw has indeed increased a bit more. Do note there are some limits in MSFS here plus the general tendency of older generation gliders to have more Adverse Yaw than newer generation models.
- Wheel brake power was increased overall in MSFS in the last SU. This has been compensate for in our update. Depending on the glider model, it is possible to nose dive if brakes are applied full. The Discus will be fine though
- Water ballast is indeed 0 by default now, with presets available through the new tablet.
- Canopy color can be toggled through the tablet
- Parasitic drag will be increased a little
6 Likes
Btw if you like a more detailed discussion, PM me on Discord, I’ll be happy to chat