A Navion Story

A Navion Story: From Inspiration to Innovation

Welcome to another chapter of my journey with Hangar Studios 713! In this post, I’m excited to share the story behind my Navion projects, detailing how they evolved from inspiration to intricate, high-quality simulations for Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS).

The Inspiration

My venture into aircraft development began with a deep admiration for the Ryan Navion, a plane that has captured my fascination for years. The spark for this journey was ignited by Chad Hawthorne and his Ryan Navion N4888K. Chad’s inquiry on a Facebook page, seeking someone with the skills to develop aircraft for MSFS, was a call I answered. We connected immediately, and it took me about six months to develop my first freeware aircraft—the result being Chad’s Navion brought to life in the simulator. This initial project was a steep learning curve, but it set the stage for what was to come.

Learning and Development

The development process started with learning the MSFS 2020 SDK. My first real development project was creating a simple flight plan, which seemed straightforward. Encouraged by this success, I delved deeper into the SDK to learn how to format it for MSFS and created my first scenery from scratch as a freeware project.

To further enhance my skills, I took a course in Blender and became certified in 3D modeling. This foundational knowledge was crucial as I advanced to more complex projects. With some help from ChatGPT, I began to grasp the nuances of coding for MSFS, which allowed me to tackle more advanced development tasks.

Key Projects and Milestones

1. Camair 480 Twin Navion: My first foray into payware, the Camair 480 Twin Navion, was driven by a desire to test my ability to create high-quality payware products. After 26 revisions, I was somewhat satisfied with the results. This project was an important milestone in my development journey.

2. Ryan Navion B: This project was a significant leap forward. Taking Chad’s original design and enhancing it, the Navion B was a detailed upgrade, featuring almost every nut and bolt meticulously modeled. It introduced my first Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), consolidating all the extras into one interface. Priced at $9.99, it aimed to provide exceptional value with detailed features comparable to more expensive aircraft. Despite my ongoing efforts to master Adobe Substance Painter for texturing, the Navion B represented a major achievement in my development career.

3. North American Ryan Navion L-17B and L-17D: My latest project is a testament to my growth as a developer. The L-17B and its variant, the L-17D, showcase my most precise 3D modeling and texturing work to date. Every detail, from rivets to the overall flight experience, has been carefully crafted. This project reflects the culmination of my development skills and dedication to creating highly detailed and enjoyable simulations.

Collaborative Efforts

The Camair 480 project relied heavily on Chad’s expertise as an owner/pilot. As I progressed to the Ryan Navion B, I continued to benefit from Chad’s support and the insights of fellow Navion owner/pilots. For the L-17s, I engaged with over 13 pilots/owners who contributed their individual liveries and shared their knowledge of the Navion’s quirks. Simon, one of these contributors, provided his L-17B cockpit as a reference, akin to how Chad provided photos for earlier projects. Their collective input was invaluable in capturing the essence of these aircraft.

Looking Ahead

As I continue to develop aircraft for MSFS 2020 and the upcoming 2024 version, my journey with the Navion series has been both challenging and rewarding. Each project has taught me something new and pushed the boundaries of what I can achieve in virtual aviation. I look forward to sharing more updates and new projects with you in the future.

Thank you for following along with my development story. Stay tuned for more insights and updates from Hangar Studios 713!