VL3 - Rotax 915 mod

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Microsoft Flight Simulator / JMB Aircraft VL-3 915

splash screen

This project is a realism and conversion mod turning the stock VL-3 912 into the versatile JMB Aircraft VL-3 915 top-of-the-line edition. This sporty composite plane is the fastest Ultra Light side-by-side in the world, able to sustain 370kph / 200kts cruise speeds at FL180 yet requiring only 180m / 590ft of runway.

She’s a sports car with wings, and yours to fly!

The Project

We are a team of like-minded enthusiasts that loved the VL-3 from the beginning and turned it into the best 915 we know how. In doing so we have made extensive modifications - always supported by factory data and pilot feedback - to the engine, propeller, flight model, various systems and flight controls.

The Engine

We have upgraded the default Rotax 912 to the more powerful Rotax 915 iS engine. Fuel injected and turbo charged, it delivers a massive 141HP to an airframe that only weighs 600kg / 1322lbs at MTOW. A superb power to weight ratio that is guaranteed to turn the VL-3 into a pure joy machine!

We have gone through great lengths to simulate every aspect of this powerplant, including oil temperatures, cooling temperatures, pressures, gearbox ratio, RPM ranges, critical altitude, compression ratio and a lot more.

The Propeller

The real VL-3 915 comes with an upgraded propeller, and so does ours. The 3 bladed constant speed and variable pitch 173.8cm / 5.7ft Woodcomp KW-31.

While updating the actual 3D model is currently beyond our project scope (you will still see 2 blades), the KW-31’s performance is simulated in excruciating detail.

The Flight Model

Many hours have gone into creating the refined flight model as you experience it today. We have carefully analyzed factory data, observed videos, conducted hundreds of test flights and processed feedback from certified pilots (including a real test pilot) in order to give you the most authentic flight experience possible.

You can be assured that cruise speeds and climb rates (at all altitudes), taxiing, takeoff and landing behavior, clean and landing config stall speeds, roll rates, fuel consumption and so much more is closely or exactly matching POH (Pilot Operating Handbook) specifications.

The Cockpit

The G3X has seen a major overhaul. The engine panel has practically been recoded and now accurately covers the gamut of white, green, yellow and red ranges for all engine information.

Since updating the main display itself would affect all other planes with a G3X as well, we made this a seperate (Working Title) project so you can choose to install it. It comes with a fully functional autopilot, wind data, and various helpful alerts (parking brakes, fuel inbalance, overspeed, pitot heat, low voltage, the list goes on).

It is still in alpha status right now, and any bugs are likely already known (no need to report anything at the moment):

For instructions on how to use it, you may watch a demo on a real G3X AP.

The speed steam gauge has been converted to knots in order to align with data presented in the G3X.

The Liveries

Our project includes an ever-growing and diverse collection of liveries, contributed by various team members. Surely there is something to suit your taste!
All our liveries are updated with authentic VL-3 915 performance placards inside the cockpit.

  • Our current liveries

Liveries

Download and Installation

1. Download the Mod

Choose from one of these two:

  • Download the Latest Release (fully tested and verified before publication)
  • Download the Live Build (our live ongoing project - newer than the Latest Release - but there could be some bugs)

In addition, we also HIGHLY SUGGEST downloading the Working Title GX Mod for improvements to the G3X Touch, including Autopilot integration!

2. Locate the Community Folder

On your computer, search for the Community folder of Flight Simulator 2020. The location of this folder depends on whether you have installed it from the Windows Store, Steam and also if you have changed the folder where the packages are located.

  • If you changed the 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

To access the AppData\Local folder directly, type %appdata% in the Windows search bar to open the folder quickly, then navigate back to Local .

3. Extract and Install the Mod

  1. Delete an older version of the mod if you have it
  2. Extract the downloaded ZIP file
  3. Drag the folder named community-vl3rotax915 directly into the Community folder

If you are not sure how to Extract / Unzip a ZIP file, download and install 7-Zip, copy/paste the zip file to the community folder, right click on it and select “7-Zip => Extract Here” then delete the zip file.

Credits

The Team

  • ryanbatc for starting it all and the first Rotax 914 engine mod
  • GotGravel flight model and several liveries
  • CodenameJack447 for multiple improvements to the mod
  • TalonHawk several liveries and various modifications on the model & G3X
  • Garfield for multiple improvements on the mod
  • kaosfere for extensive G3X modifications
  • PongRaider for multiple improvements on the mod

Special Thanks

Disclaimer

No-one here is affiliated with Rotax or JMB Aircraft. This mod is purely the work by passionate fans of Microsoft Flight Simulator and the VL-3 915.

10 Likes
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We spend some time working out a nice writeup for our maturing project. It’s already on Github, hope you like it, and find it inspiring / informative

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451

Once we have finished with this, the next one will be the Custom Icon A5 with rotax 915is upgrade (G3X instead of Aera, autopilot, and 142HP too…) :smile:

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If the VL-3 915 is a sports car with wings, the Icon A5 is a speed boat with wings? Just a thought…

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453

Who knows!? but I want to believe that if our concept of an airplane like ICON A5 with that engine works out … Maybe ICON’s engineers were so excited how about to make the real version. Dreaming is always free … we hope you like it! At least the days to no over exceed 85kts will be over soon! But what could be the new VNe? Maybe 150? Shall we see…

454

Hi there !

I have just tested the last version of our sport bird with the remastered G3X.
It’s AMAZING ! The new AP fonctions are awsome (with just a little bug - if it’s one : Turning map north up seems not possible for the moment… but I guess it will be corrected in time).

Thx a lot again for your great job all ! I’m happy now :stuck_out_tongue:

1 Like
455

i want you best 3d modeler in your command, as this is the best ac for now, just need some 3d converting from 912 to 915, would be nice to opportunity dismiss instructor, i flew only cockpit pov(as everyone game) so i doesn’t see second pilot, but some time when i look from outside, instructor scary me, same as 2 blades prop lol, so it’s would be cool some change 3d model with option to get out instructor

456

gtn 750 would be cool with updated obstacle base, i love that sounds “wire ahead” “obstacle ahead” “terrain ahead” “traffic ahead” lack those stuff in msfs
very old pic from p3d time, 2016y

2016-04-02_202644(1)
2016-04-02_202644(1)1920×1080 113 KB
lol

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Hope I understand what you want… no more co-pilot or instructor ?
Just edit “aircraft.cfg” and put this in :

[PILOT]
pilot = "Pilot_Female_Casual"
copilot = ""
instructor = ""
pilot_default_animation = "Idle1_PosePropeller"
copilot_default_animation = "Idle1_PosePropeller"
pilot_attach_node = "PILOT_0"
copilot_attach_node = "PILOT_1"

And so… only you in :slight_smile:

Capture d’écran (598)
Capture d’écran (598)1280×720 972 KB

5 Likes
458

omg, that’s cool, thank you :slight_smile:

459

Unfortunately, when I put the extracted folder [community-vl3rotax915] into the Community sub-directory and start FS 2020, there is no demonstrable difference. Where would I find and activate the modded aircraft? There is nothing new in the aircraft hangar or in aircraft selection at the world map options.

What am I missing?

460

i had same with one of latest versions, but after all, it’s working, so first, i think, you can delete the addon, open msfs and check any new aircraft, and flight it, then close game, and unzip 915 in community, i think some time latest version have some problem, and game don’t see it, right now i have one of latest, what work… my symptoms with the unworked version, when i open free flight 915 was changed to caravan(cessna 208), i didn’t mess with it, as i suggest you, just close game and remove 915 latest and add 0.11 realize version, and game remove caravan and turn back 915, so game in my case see in some xml file, i guess, 915 but don’t found model, so change it in game to caravan, but not in config, as after i unrar 0.11 version it’s was back as default… then i delete it, and save new latest version, as i know it’s updated all the time, so must be, you have to just redownload 0.11 or latest(it have to be new one) and next of default 912 vl3 you will found 915 addon… any way, if you can not found 915 behind default vl3, just close game, and use realize version - this one have to be found in any way, latest was glitch once for me, but after all was ok

461

Thanks for all your hard work guys, amazing work and attention to detail.

I’m already looking forward to your next project.

1 Like
462

Very good job and very good plane.

How can I modifiy the brightness of the screen ?

Thanks for all

463

Discovered the JMB VL-3 915 mod from a Youtube video last night and it piqued my interest immediately, as that’s my favourite sightseeing plane. Hopped over there today to download it, and was I ever pleased.

It’s like it takes everything that’s great about this little plane and carries it over, all while patching up it’s shortcomings (low speed, control difficulty on the ground, slow climb). And some great new visuals to boot.

So the cockpit is basically the stock VL-3 with some skinning vs the actual VL-3 915, but I’ll take it.

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Cockpit is pretty different now from default.

Make sure you grabbed the G3X mod from Working Title: https://github.com/Working-Title-MSFS-Mods/fspackages/releases/tag/gx-v0.1.0-dev1

This will enable the Touch autopilot, and ability to orient your map to track up etc (and a bunch of other nice fixes)

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It may look cosmetically different, but the controls are the same as the regular VL-3. It looks a lot better now for sure. I quite like it and the plane overall.

I actually grabbed the G3X mod as well, but it’s buggy for me. Leaves this giant weird icon on the map under my location all the time and the avionics freeze up when I go for an instrument landing. The stock G3X don’t do that. So I removed it for now. I MUCH prefer it, as I also use the G1000 and G3000 mods. But it just don’t work right atm. And I have the Logitech Multi Panel anyway, so I have no use for the on screen anyway.

But overall, this is a great plane. It’s just become my favourite sight seeing plane - right above the regular VL-3.

466

Well we can’t modify the 3d model components…if you’re saying, compared to the real 915 cockpit , which has a totally different layout and usually far nicer avionics - then yes, it’s basically the same. But we changed a lot of the G3X stuff, modified the analogue ASI, changed some placards etc.

I have not seen the issue with the G3X mods yet. Perhaps @kaosfere4829 might know? Also could you include a screenshot of the issue?

467

Yeah, that’s what I mean about the interior of the cockpit. It is what it is. It looks (much) better now and flies like a dream. It’s so much fun and love what you guys did to it. I really do. And the liveries are great too. The stock one just rocks IMO.

I’m done for the night here, but I’ll fire it up tomorrow evening with the G3X mod and I’ll fire off a screen shot of the map screen. As for the other bug, the altitude and air speed tapes freeze up when coming in on approach, so it makes landing a real guessing game.

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Bummer it’s not working right. That’s really frustrating!

I’ve heard of a few people now with frozen avionics, across a variety of aircraft. We’ll see if anyone has any ideas.