Version 8.02 was initially released as a plain "8.02".
Then, in response to bug reports, Austin declared it to be "beta 1" and
released an 8.02 beta 2. That's as far as it went, though - to avoid
confusion he moved on to 8.03. The following description applies to the
content of 8.02 beta 2.
SO WHAT IS NEW IN X-PLANE 8.02 SINCE 8.01?
Lower load times, lower RAM requirements, and higher frame-rates.
Compared to 8.01, load times are DOWN by about 10%
Compared to 8.01, frame-rate is UP by about 75%! (not a
typo! this is on a G-5)
Compared to 8.01, RAM use is DOWN by about 10%
Other features:
- New instrument: orbital speed indicator... How fast do
you need to go for a perfect orbit at your current planet and altitude?
This is needed for entering perfectly round orbits, an interesting
challenge!
- Airplane-builders: check out the special menu in Plane-Maker...
there is now option to re-load cockpits.
- Old-style (version-6.51) objects are supported.
- Propeller moments of inertia are a bit more realistic.
- GPS refinement: GPS can work independently until you actually
enter a plan into the FMS... then the FMS takes over the GPS.
- Custom limits for round AOA! Jason Chandler needs it
for one of his next planes... a LearJet! Well known to be among the
most overpowered and challenging civilian planes to fly, this one
should be interesting!
- Hydraulic quantity and pressure gages as well, as
requested.
- 3-D cockpits functions no matter what resolution you
are running the sim in.
- Ctrl-o goes SMOOTHLY from 2-d to 3-d cockpit. It was a
little distracting before.
- Reverse-thrust-engaged annunciators. Kind of nice. Some
airline pilot wanted them.
- New joystick button option: AUTOPILOT: CWS (for
control-wheel steering) Hit this and... NOTHING HAPPENS! (Except the
DISCONNECT of any pitch and heading autopilot functions) but then,
RELEASE the button, and the pitch and heading at the moment you
released the button are held... Be sure your plane has a PITCH SYNC and
HEADING HOLD button to see the annunciators and know what is going on,
and so you can hit them to turn this mode OFF!
- See the rendering options screen: There is an option to
mostly flatten the airports. Flatten them out a good bit if you see fit.
- More accuracy with prop-strikes... the elevation of the
ground or pavement right under the prop is considered, not just the
general ground altitude in the "vicinity" of the plane.
- Better ITT & EGT during turbine engine starts... The
temperature is hooked to the start fuel intro time as defined in
Plane-Maker engine screen.
- Change the size of the EFIS and HUD ALTITUDE and
AIRSPEED layer-3 images to define the size of the instruments in the
panel, if desired. You can also change their size the easy way
(instrument size ration in Plane-Maker), but that method results in
blurriness, and is not optimal.
- More realistic FLOAT-PLANE physics... the step IS
currently simulated, so be sure you DO have a STEP in your floats!
- More realistic THERMAL physics for gliders... for every
bit of thermals you ride UP, there is an equal amount of air coming
DOWN! Beware!
- Starter voltage draw on the battery is improved.
- New joystick button options: Load situation. Save any 3
situations to any 3 joystick buttons in the Joystick window and the
Other Aircaft and Situations window.
- IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PEOPLE THAT CONTROL X-PLANE BY UDP:
THE VEH1 AND VEHA STRUCTS ARE NOW BETTER, INCLUDING GEAR, FLAP, AND
VECTOR POSITIONS... THOUGH YOU MUST UPDATE YOUR VEH1 AND VEHA STRUCTS
TO USE THEM! See the UDP ref.html in the Instructions folder!
- Custom terrain textures from Generation-7 scenery should
not show up as "wet" in X-Plane any more.
- Negative-area speedbrakes (if you enter them backwards
in Plane-Maker) should not push the plane forwards (!!) any more.
- Note: Someone said that the horizontal stabilator does
not work on X-Plane 8.01... not true! You have to set the "INCIDENCE
WITH ELEVATOR" per-element in Plane-Maker, and set the elevator
deflection in the "CONTROLS" screen.