Aircraft
X-15-1 with the XLR-11 rocket engines (limited-mission configuration)
- 'Clean' roll-out version with the NACA vane-type boom nose and the original (XLR-11) black panel
- 'Dirty' version with the NACA vane-type boom nose and the original (XLR-11) black panel
X-15-1 with the XLR-99 rocket engine (design-mission configuration)
- 'Dirty' version with the NACA/Nortronics ball nose and the original (XLR-99) black panel
- 'Dirty' version with the NACA/Nortronics ball nose, wing-tip pods, tail-cone box and the (XLR-99) light blue/grey panel
The X-15-1, equipped with the interim XLR-11 engines, completed 21 flights between June 1959 and February 1961 before it was converted to the XLR-99 engine configuration. The aircraft completed 60 flights in its design-mission configuration between August 1961 and October 1968.
Removable wing-tip pods that contained cameras and various research instruments were attached to the aircraft in 1964. The pods and other parts of the aircraft were covered with temperature-sensitive paints of different colours. The second variation of the aircraft also features a tail-cone box with additional experimentation equipment and a reconnaissance camera window under the front compartment.
Aircraft model features
- Highly detailed models based on archive material, with more than 60 animations
- Reflective textures
- Unique markings and liveries on each aircraft
- Dynamic frost texture on fuselage (around the liquid oxygen tank when filled)
- Animated control surfaces: Differential horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizers with movable and fixed sections and a jettisonable ventral rudder, flaps, extendable upper and lower split-flap speed brakes
- Landing skids and 'steerable' front gear
- Movable canopy
- Cockpit details with astronaut/pilot and animated sticks and levers
- Experimental equipment on some airplanes (wing tip pods, tail cone box, etc.)
Virtual cockpits
Each of the four X-15-1 aircraft comes with its own 3D fully functional virtual cockpit featuring nearly 200 animated gauges, switches, levers, light indicators and flight instruments with 'tooltips'. Virtually all switches in the VC are clickable and can be used to simulate nearly every procedure required during a mission.
Automatic Ignition Sequence - the X-15 can now be started automatically at the touch of a single 'magic' red button (similar to pressing [CTR]L+[E] in Flight Simulator. However, the red button initiates all X-15 internal custom systems, including the three-propellant rocket fuel management system.
Advanced 2D instrument panels
The X-15-1 comes with three main instrument panels and eight secondary panels, either in their original black version or the later light blue-grey version. All 240 custom gauges have been carefully designed based on the original X-15 instruments.
- Advanced X-15 black (2D) main instrument panels (XLR-11 or XLR-99 engines)
- Advanced X-15 light blue-grey (2D) main instrument panel (XLR-99 engine)
- Service panel
- Left white console panel with 'vent, pressurize, jettison' lever and flaps switch
- Throttle (or thrust selector switches on the XLR-11-equipped aircraft) and speed brake panel
- Left side panel
- Right side panel
- Radio panel (ADF panel on some aircraft)
- RAS (Reaction Augmentation System) panel on some aircraft
- Centre pedestal with research instrumentation and stability augmentation system panels
- Multiple side views available from the main 2D instrument panel
In addition, the default Flight Simulator Garmin GPS and magnetic compass panels are available from the main panel.
Note that one variation of the X-15-1 has a revised light blue-grey instrument panel that replaced the original black panel in the summer of 1963. The new panel contrasted better with the gauges, light indicators and flight instruments.
Custom aircraft systems features
- Fictional service panel system for external power and aircraft refuelling (water-alcohol or ammonia, liquid oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitrogen and helium gas, liquid nitrogen)
- Custom fuel management system for the three different types of propellants and gases
- Engine precool and prime
- Engine propellant pressurization and control system
- Engine turbopump system
- Engine ignition control system
- Electrical distribution and control system with APUs, generators, emergency battery and an external power source
- Hydraulic systems
- Temperature control systems
Special effects
- Over 15 X-15-specific animated visual effects, some with sound (FSX)
- Engine flame and contrail effects
- Engine first and/or second stage igniter effects
- Propellant jettison effects
- APU and turbopump exhaust effects
- Engine precool and prime effects
- Condensation effect near the cold propellant tanks when filled
Flight model
- Two Reaction Motors XLR-11, 5900-pound four-chambered liquid-fuel turbo-rocket engines,or one Reaction Motors XLR-99, 'throttlable' 60,000-pound liquid-fuel turbo-rocket engine
- Supersonic flight up to Mach 4.65
- High-altitude flight up to 354,200 feet in FSX (100,000 feet in FS2004)
- Ground take-off or high-altitude launch
- Good manoeuvrability at supersonic speeds
- Excellent gliding capabilities
Miscellaneous
- Custom sound sets for FSX and FS2004
- Ten camera definitions or views (FSX only), some corresponding to the real-world X-15 external bug-eye cameras
- Twelve saved flights based on X-15 historical missions to simulate a high-altitude launch from a carrier aircraft or a take-off from the ground
- Kneeboard reference tab and checklist
- Comprehensive 100-page PDF user manual and a 20-page PDF VC manual (English and French)