Update: Savage Carbon - STOL Realism Mod (v2.10 / Dec 27, 2022)

SAVAGE CARBON - STOL REALISM MOD

A more powerful, stronger and meaner Savage Cub, retrofitted to be a true bush machine.

DOWNLOAD from GOT-FRIENDS.COM

The Savage Carbon is a custom backcountry aircraft built to be a versatile high performance stick and rudder bush machine. She excels at STOL yet flies with XCubs.

She’s a load of fun. She’s also a fully featured and well-tested study level bush bird.
 


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TIPS ON WATERSKIING

Water Skiing is a first in MSFS in the Savage Carbon. However, water related physics in MSFS are currently far from complete or perfect and things can occasionally get bumpy. Water spray is not in the sim yet, and neither are wakes. But … buoyancy and water hardness with speed are all you need for now, and the Savage Carbon has got you covered!

While practicing your mermaid skills, I would first of all highly recommend to set CRASH DAMAGE to OFF (in the Assistance menu). Especially when rolling onto the beach…the sim often just “crashes” you without a real reason, no matter how soft your roll onto land.

To practice gentle water landings, try this:

  • Approach a body of water and deploy flap 1 around 60kts.
  • Flap 2 around 45kts. Trim.
  • Ease the throttle another 100RPM just prior to a soft touchdown.
  • Gently roll onto the beach under an angle at 30kts, flaps 0, full stick back pressure and brake.

Finally, a great place to get your feet wet (or not) is in Sitka (PASI). The runway is practically in the water.

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS IN REAL LIFE. Just because you get it to work in the sim does not mean it works in your plane. Water skiing is extremely dangerous.
 


DOWNLOAD AND INSTALLATION

The Savage Carbon will install as a new plane, appearing next to the Savage Cub. 19 Liveries are included.

1. Download the Savage Carbon

DOWNLOAD from GOT-FRIENDS.COM

2. Drag into the Community Folder

  1. First of all make sure the default MSFS Savage Cub is installed, this mod depends on it
  2. Delete older versions of the mod
  3. Extract the ZIP file
  4. Drag the folder named gotgravel-savage-carbon directly into the Community folder
  5. Restart the sim
  6. You’ll find the Savage Carbon in your hangar all the way to the right near the default MSFS Savage Cub.

If done correctly, your folder structure should look like this:

/Community
   /gotgravel-savage-carbon
      /RTC
      /SimObjects
/Official

How to find the community folder?

  • If you changed the default location of packages, it’s the simplest because you should find a Community sub folder in it.
  • For Steam, it should be located in C:\Users[Computer Name]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightDashboard_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Community
  • For Windows Store C:\Users[Computer Name]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Community
     

WHAT’S IN THE BOX

The Backcountry Experience

Bush machines are extreme machines, often pushed to the edge of their performance envelopes. Always wanted to fly one? Get the Savage Carbon for the most authentic STOL experience possible…short of flying the real thing.

The STOL stuff:

  • 29" Alaskan Bushwheels.
  • 165HP Edge Performance engine.
  • Water skiing.
  • 82" Whirlwind GA-200L-STOL propeller.
  • King Shock absorbers and upgraded suspension.
  • Powerful disc brakes.
  • Execute the Knife Edge aerobatic move.
  • A 3rd monster flap (60 degrees!) so you can fly slower approaches, with higher sink rates, giving you 15ft landing bragging rights.
  • Flaps move faster so you can pump them for short take offs and retract them at touchdown for maximum braking power.
  • Flaperons…using 20% aileron as flaps
  • Ground handling is what you would expect from a purpose-built backcountry aircraft: Lift your tail, propwash left and right, brake on a dime.
  • Vortex Generators on wing and tail are accurately simulated, delaying stalls and enabling those slow STOL approaches.

Other features (non exhaustive):

  • Full CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)
  • 20 Custom Liveries.
  • Flight model parameters like parasite drag, induced drag, flap drag and lift, moment of inertia along all axis, P-factor, propwash, torque, weather vaning, gyroscopic precession and more have been tuned to recreate that unique bush plane thrill.
  • 100% Custom lights with powerful landing light.
  • Enhanced Night VFR lights inside the cockpit.
  • Rearward facing landing light (“Torch” switch) for team leads so others can follow easily.
  • Parking brakes added (previous choke lever).
  • Cabin Heat defrosts windshield.
  • The CG has been completely reworked by correctly positioning all simulated masses in 3D space, resulting in a stable and natural feeling aircraft.

It took well over 200 hours of research and test flights to tune all aspects of the model. Performance is frequently evaluated by 2 seasoned pilots with experience in similar planes.
 


BE A SUPPORTER

This Savage Cub to Savage Carbon conversion mod is free and always will be, but if you enjoy it and feel you want to contribute towards this ongoing project it will always be appreciated.

paypal.me/gotgravel

buymeacoffee.com/gotgravel

 


AUTOPILOT

The Savage has no autopilot installed (you will find none in the cockpit), but for your convenience I did tune and test the setup for a relaxed experience. However, it is disabled by default.

To enable, follow the instructions below. You will also need to setup and use your own keybinds for autopilot on / off state, altitude hold and heading hold if you haven’t done so yet.

  1. Go to your community folder
  2. Go to gotgravel-savage-carbon / SimObjects / Airplanes / Asobo_Savage_Carbon
  3. Open the file engines.cfg in a text editor
  4. Go to the last line and change the 1 to 0 (DisableAutopilotControls = 0)
  5. Restart sim if it was running
     

CHANGE LOG

Changelog v2.1.0 (Dec 27, 2022):

  • Updated flight model with improved CFD
  • Refined control surface reactivity
  • Much improved ground handling

Changelog v2.0.1 (Nov 22, 2022):

  • Overhauled cockpit lighting with individual gauge lights, pedal spots and flap lever spot
  • Overhauled electrical system using actual battery and generator data
  • Further improved CFD setup

Changelog v2.0.0 (Nov 19, 2022):

  • Full CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)
  • Retuned and refined flight model
  • Control stick ground roll and engine vibrations
  • Gauge needle vibrations
  • Cockpit light fixes
  • Improved suspension

Changelog v1.8.0 (Apr 9, 2022):

  • Modern propeller physics
  • Fixed interior lighting, now works again with the avionics switch
  • Brand new flight model taking full advantage of all recent MSFS improvements (= best Carbon ever)
  • “The Torch” light can be activated using the “Toggle Recognition Light” keybind as well
  • Engine exhaust heat blur
  • Fly low multiplayer dust kick-up effect

Changelog v1.6.0 (Oct 22, 2021):

  • Takes full advantage of new SU6 flight model capabilities
  • Overhauled and re-tuned flight model for the highest level of realism so far
  • Accurate representation of the bush plane experience.
  • Natural and instinctive control on the ground and in the air
  • Fixed broken magnetos (an SU5 bug)
  • Added aileron and rudder trim ability (use keybinds)

Changelog v1.3.2 (Jul 18, 2021):

  • 50% increase in shock absorber travel for all 3 wheels. Rough terrain? No problem.
  • Incorporated accurate Savage Cub factory data in the new flight model realism update.
  • Flaperons move exactly 25% with the flaps for an optimum combination of control and lift.
  • Finely tuned STOL wing properties based on the NACA 4412 airfoil.
  • Adverse yaw. Just like the real thing. Work those pedals!
  • Various other improvements across the board

Changelog v1.3.1 (Jun 6, 2021):

The recent Software Update 4 (SU4) brought with it a vastly improved flight model. Stuff that was missing has been added, and things that were not balanced well now seem to be pretty accurate.

This update takes full advantage of all this goodness!

  • Execute the famous Knife Edge aerobatic move, at least for a little while.
  • Most accurate flight model yet for Carbon
  • Fixed trim balance issue
  • Aileron authority is back at lower speeds
  • Slightly reduced flap drag
  • Excellent balance of aerodynamic forces

Changelog v1.3.0 (May 17, 2021):

  • “Generation 2” Flight Model (Super realistic bush flight! Includes Adverse Yaw)
  • Electrical system upgraded from 12v to 24v
  • Improved NVFR dashboard lights: added a center spot covering ASI, Compass and Turn Coordinator
  • Reprogrammed flaps…no more ballooning but correct dipping
  • All external white lights (landing, strobe, nav) changed to Aviation White
  • Improved default pilot camera for better visibility of dashboard as well as landscape

Note on the “Generation 2” Flight Model. I have been working hard on another aircraft, the aerobatic Gee Bee R3. Developing this has certainly pushed the limits of what the MSFS Flight Model can do and has taught me more than Carbon, Grravel and Vertigo combined. Hence I have redeveloped Carbon’s Flight Model entirely from scratch putting in all the lessons learned so far. Enjoy the new flight experience!

Changelog v1.2.5 (Mar 22, 2021):

  • Improved flight model including further realism refinements as well as adjustments to compensate for recent changes in the overall MSFS flight model interpretation.
  • Easier to fly during take off and less affected by MSFS’s insanely amplified weathervaning effect (automatically turning into a crosswind).
  • Slightly less dim radio and transponder.

Changelog v1.2.4 (Feb 23, 2021):

  • Choke changed to a parking brake
  • Cabin Heat defrosts windshield
  • Toe brake effectiveness scaled down from 1.5 to 1.4
  • Brighter, wider and further landinglight > SunSpot 36-4313 LED Landing Light 14V / 95W
  • Added the Torch aka “Draco” rearward-facing landing light (previously the inop v12 switch)
  • Added twin forward-facing strobe lights
  • Decreased brightness of the two avionics displays by a factor of 8
  • Master warning light now simply indicates Electrical On
  • Added subtle lens flares
  • Added 2 dim dash spot lights, 2 for the peddles, 1 for the trim wheel and 1 for the right fuel gauge (Enhanced NVFR)
  • Customized all other lighting
  • More effect of controls at lower speeds, adjusted at all speeds for more aerodynamic accuracy
  • Less sensitive elevator trim

Changelog v1.2.3 (Feb 10, 2021):

  • Further improved Quickview and VR camera positions placing you a little higher inside the cockpit
  • New livery “White Knight”
  • Improved and more accurate flap performance: a tiny bit less drag, a lot less lift and higher sink rates
  • Swappable ASI; choose between a white or black gauge face (black is default)
  • Swappable panels; choose between 5 striking designs
  • Adjusted the ASI scale from 200 to 160 making it easier to read your speed
  • Adjusted the ASI arcs to reflect a lower and less ridiculous VNE of 133
  • Adjusted the ASI stall speeds (28 landing / 32 clean)
  • High-fidelity wheel, suspension, fuselage and wing textures with a much better visualisation of bare metal components
  • Slightly decreased parasitic drag for a more accurate flight model and glide performance
  • More correct and lower fuel consumption
  • Updated the performance placard with correct V speeds and fuel burn rates
  • Increased the aircraft’s empty weight to 715lbs to match real world data
  • Increased roll rate by 10%
  • Redesigned engine power curves and supporting systems including better oil pressure and temperature gauges
  • Torque responds faster to throttle changes
  • Added more tips to the loading screen

Changelog v1.2.1 (HOTFIX / Jan 13, 2021):

  • Fixed the names in the aircraft selection making it now very clear which is a Savage Grravel and which is a Savage Carbon. Essential now with the new drag & drop community liveries coming in.
  • Languages other than English now have their aircraft manufacturer and model correctly displayed.
  • Language aircraft description for French has been translated.

Changelog v1.2.0 (Jan 5, 2021):

  • Support for Drag & Drop liveries! This means you may expect many more liveries coming from the talented community which now simply can be added to the Community folder like any other mod. This also means all liveries are now in alphabetical order.
  • Tuned the default Quickview, Fixed and Instrument cameras for an immersive experience. Cameras will now accurately follow the eyes of the pilot based on where his head would be with a certain motion.
  • Updated pilot head position for VR to accurately reflect where the pilot’s eyes would be.

Changelog v1.1.2 (Dec 28, 2020):

  • Carbon Fiber dashboard!
  • New and reprogrammed fuel gauges, now showing both liters and gallons (same as Grravel’s).
  • Larger fuel tanks, increased from 13.5 to 18.0 gallons per wing.
  • Removed auxiliary fuel bladders, making room for a passenger.
  • Increased default luggage weight from 40 to 60lbs (more realistic and it’s a nice counter balance to help prevent nose-overs).
  • Occasional engine shutdowns at idle fixed.
  • Improved cockpit textures overall to improve your VR experience.
  • Aircraft now appears next to the default Savage Cub in your hangar, so scroll a bit further to the right to find it (Grravel will be there too if you have it).

Changelog v1.1.1 (Dec 17, 2020):

  • Water skiing! Wheels now have buoyancy and the water hardens with speed.
  • Widened wheelbase.
  • Propeller 3D model enlarged to match the 82" Whirlwind GA-200L-STOL prop.
  • Further improved King Shocks dampening and off-road suspension behaviour.
  • Propeller angle changed from 15 to 16 degrees, giving more power, higher cruise speed and less engine redlining.
  • Bushwheel drag decreased by about 8% (was too high), further increasing cruise speed (120kts at sea level, 110kts higher up).
  • Weight increased to 650lbs, taking into account the new engine and bigger tires.
  • Mains moved forward a few inches…harder to go nose over.
  • Oil warms up less quick and cools down much slower at idle speeds.
  • More black and more smooth Bushwheels (but the treads are still there).
  • Removed cowling Transformer logo reflection from all liveries but BumbleBee (oops).
  • Increased “Edge Performance” branding font size on the cowling.
  • Raised multiplayer aircraft model a few inches to align with the runway better.

Changelog v1.1.0 (Dec 12, 2020):

  • 165HP Edge Performance engine
  • 29" Airstreak Alaskan Bushwheels
  • 82" Whirlwind GA-200L-STOL propeller
  • King Shock absorbers and massive suspension update
  • Upgraded disc brakes
  • 5 new liveries: Bumble Bee, Bolt, Hunter, Arctic and Desert
  • Flaperons…now using 20% aileron as flaps

Changelog v1.0.6.1 (HOTFIX / Dec 1, 2020):

  • Yaw was overly sensitive; now behaves correctly (easier to fly and taxi too)
  • Batman livery updated. A shade darker, chrome spinner, and black seats. Same cool matte finish.
  • Night VFR: slightly dimmer gauges, dim red pedal lighting, and the tail navigation light moved to the top of the rudder.
  • Idle oil pressure a bit higher.

Changelog v1.0.6 (Nov 28, 2020):

  • Autopilot. All setup and configured, but it is disabled by default as it does not come with the Savage. If you want it, please enable it by following the instructions in the next section.
  • New livery “Rust Bucket”, bringing the total to 14
  • Night VFR! With a flick of the strobe switch you now have illuminated gauges, navigation lights and double strobes. The landing light is also brighter.
  • Electrical system upgrade
  • Multiplayer sunken planes fixed
  • Propeller upgraded from wood to carbon, adding 3% power
  • Flight model realism improvements
  • Correct white arc added to the cockpit ASI (but the original white arc is still on the glass as it comes with the gauge itself, this is currently beyond my control)

Changelog v1.0.5 (Nov 19, 2020):

  • 3rd monster flap added (60deg!) to enable steeper high-sink rate approaches…and even slower ones
  • Faster flap change speed of half a second…commonly seen in STOL work
  • Auxiliary fuel tanks installed in the back seat
  • Prop shutdown a little slower to sync with shutdown sound exactly
  • Rotating prop 3x more transparent to match real-life looks
  • Increased maximum gross weight from 1111lbs to 1150lbs
  • Much easier to trim elevator
  • Faster roll at lower speeds
  • More tips added to the loading screen

Changelog v1.0.4 (Nov 13, 2020):

  • Added 2 more liveries (D-Day USAF and D-Day RAF), bringing the total to 13.
  • New and improved Rotax 915iS with much more accurate power curves
  • Further refined engine gauges (Oil temp, Oil press, CHT temp)
  • Simulated aerodynamic back pressure on control surfaces at higher velocities
  • Dramatically improved STOL realism and control
  • Excellent ground handling, can throw your tail left and right with just propwash
  • Fixed: much reduced nose-up attitude upon flap deployment
  • Much more realistic flight model overall

Changelog v1.0.3 (Nov 6, 2020):

  • Added 5 more liveries (purple, teal, black, batman and zebra), bringing the total to 11
  • More realistic oil temperature and pressure gauge simulation
  • Much improved ground handling
  • Much improved CG (even harder to nose-dip now…unless you don’t apply stick back pressure)
  • More powerful pneumatic brakes
  • Ground effect (added)
  • Gyroscopic precession effect (stronger effect)
  • P-Factor (stronger effect)
  • Torque (stronger effect)
  • Weather Vaning (added)
  • Adverse Yaw (added…but FS2020 does not do this very well yet)
  • Propwash (stronger effect)

Changelog v1.0.2 (Nov 1, 2020):

  • Added 5 new liveries to the default white: red, orange, yellow, green and blue
  • Added handbrake
  • Adjusted brakes (it’s now harder to nose-dip)
  • Increased fuel capacity by 50%
  • Improved flight model
  • ICAO Type Designator set to SVCB (seen in multiplayer labels)

Changelog v1.0.1 (Oct 28, 2020):

  • Initial release
     

CREDITS

59 Likes

WOODEN PROP AND REFINED INTERIOR

POWER AND V-SPEED PLACARD ADDED

READY FOR ANOTHER TESTFLIGHT

12 Likes

I don’t know if it’s realistic, but i love it. Nice low speed landings and enough power to be fast high in the sky. :wink:

3 Likes

I have been flying this homesick angel for about an hour now. It has become my go to for Bush flying. Thanks, awesome aerie!!

3 Likes

Thanks guys! Very glad you’re all enjoying this bush machine :sunglasses:

Just a heads-up, gonna be working on the brakes a little in a couple of hours, so expect update 1.0.2 today. There have been a couple of reports that it is too easy to get a nose-over on some approaches, so will be fixing that. Perhaps move the mains forward a few more inches or reduce brake power just a little. Maybe a bit of both.
Secondly I will consider installing handbrakes. Did not come with the original Savage but that does not stop me from upgrading the Carbon :wink:

A selection of liveries are also in the pipeline, but that will be later this week most likely. In any case, development is ongoing and I’m hearing all your feedback.

Cheers!

2 Likes

Freakin LOVE it!!! If there is a way you could do this kind of mod with the shock ultra it would be awesome!!! I see on their website you can run the 915is in the shock ultra , im curious to see the performance with that! Until then , the carbon is my new go to for bush flying! Many thanks for your hard work!!

2 Likes

How realistic is this fictional mod? Good question!

I would say very. The engine is a highly accurate simulation of the Rotax 915iS. For starters. The plane’s weight has only be reduced by 10% (empty weight from 650 to 585lbs, or 265kg). Not unrealistic given that carbon fiber is about 45% lighter than regular aluminum. The CG calculations are much more accurate than the default Savage Cub too, and so are many other parameters.

Move the mains forward so you can brake harder? Entirely what is done in the real STOL world too. Have done my homework here :wink:

4 Likes

Upgrade the Shock Ultra with the 915? Would love to seriously. However all premium aircraft are locked when it comes to modding, so can’t touch that (for now…here is hoping the modding community will gain access to fixing premium planes in the future).

You sound like a virtual Mike Patey. Look at the performance of the Wilga mods he has done. Power to weight ratio is a marvellous thing.:+1:

3 Likes

Can only take that as a compliment. But got to admit, watched most of his videos. Totally amazing what he does. Now following all his work on his Scrappy bush plane…looks like it’s getting closer and closer to first flight :slight_smile:

1 Like

13 litre engine for Scrappy. You can never have too much power.:muscle:

1 Like

You can trust mike to max thrust. No small engines for his planes!

In the mean time…handbrakes have been installed in the Savage Carbon! Coming in the next update :wink:

Great. No glass panels or nav equipment. Much VFR fun to be had.!

4 Likes

Cool. Fun stuff. You community modders are making the sim interesting.

1 Like

Thanks for this mod, nothing like a little more power. Notice the nav and strobe lights aren’t appearing from some angles. Wasn’t quick enough to catch the stobe lights but they seem to use the same logic as the associated nav light.

1 Like

Yeah there’s a bit of a bug with the newly installed nav and strobe lights directions, have yet to dive into that. They weirdly enough seem to follow a fixed heading … not relative to the plane but to the world.

Test-flights with a friend:



1 Like

Superb !! Thank you !

1 Like

Nice shots! Love it :slight_smile:

1 Like

Update 1.0.2 is out…and with 5 electrifying liveries!

DOWNLOAD (V1.0.2 / NOV 1)

 
Changelog v1.0.2:

  • Added 5 new liveries to the default white: red, orange, yellow, green and blue
  • Added handbrake
  • Adjusted brakes (it’s now harder to nose-dip)
  • Increased fuel capacity by 50%
  • Improved flight model

Here’s a little trivia for you on the liveries:

  1. The original white is using a gun-metal color palette
  2. The red is none other than Ferrari red
  3. The orange is Dutch orange
  4. The yellow, green and blue are all Lamborghini colors
6 Likes

Oranje, blanje blaauw. :+1:

1 Like