Flight Models

[Boxboy]

This is a question I have wanted to ask for sometime, is the FM based on a digital set of numbers to simulate physical flight and if so how are those numbers derived?  I assume that part A is correct but not sure how those numbers are arrived at?

The reason I am asking is because there seems to be so much difference in the flight model of the same planes in different games and one would assume that given the nature of flight that the numbers for it would be the same??  I know in one game "trim" is the big thing so that may account for some of the difference in FM over the ones that use auto "trim" i.e. taking over some of the more time consuming pilot stuff.

[BnZ]

Calculating the lift and drag that of the airfoils (wings and stabs) at various speeds and AoA isn't a big deal with today's computers, as long as you have valid data on those airfoils. Given certain diagrams I've seen, I've always kind of assumed that AHII uses blade-element theory like the X-Plane series.

Calculating the aerodynamic effects of various non-airfoil parts (fuselage, canopy etc), and how the plane will behave as a kinetic object post-stall, etc is much more difficult.