Are all PFM modules created equal ?

[tugais]

Hi guys !

Last Saturday, on the French side of ED's Discord, there was a discussion about the PFM included with the FC3 modules. While we all agreed that the PFM are a huge step up compared to the old AFM, questions were raised regarding the extent of the Russians PFMs fidelity against the more modern full fidelity Western modules developed by ED.

On ED's own website, a section can be found about the PFM process :

 

Quote

Professional Flight Model (PFM). This is generations beyond an AFM/AFM+ and is based upon:

• Use a wider array of wind tunnel tests CFD methods for aerodynamics parameters calculations.
• A higher level of aircraft construction details for forces calculations. For example: our landing gear model includes individual kinematics of retracting/extending is used to calculate its movement, servo-piston forces, etc. In such cases, we truly use real lengths, arms, etc. This also includes such items as a realistic simulation of airflow along the airframe due to the propeller or helicopter rotor thrust.
• Realistic simulation of Flight Control, CAS and Autopilot systems.
• Realistic simulation of Hydraulics, Fuel, Electrical, Engine and other systems influence flight characteristics.
• Unprecedented access to test data packs.

 

The explanation indicates that the PFM is based on computer models and then compared, backed up by the test data packs in ED's possession. Our question now ; does this mean that all the PFM modules are created equals regarding their flight models ? US aircrafts are often well documented with open NASA research, are there any similar data openly available for soviet/russian aircraft that ED can look into ?

Note that I'm **not** looking for the data itself, I am curious about the process and the eventual differences between the Western and Russian modules. I know ED published some pdf documents in the past about some of their process, I couldn't find any about the PFM, if this pdf exists, I'd be glad to have a link to read about it.

Thanks to anyone that could redirect me to an ED document explaining the use of PFM or statements from the team regarding the topic.

[BIGNEWY]

Hi, 

take a look here at this older post from 2020 it might give you an idea

 

[tugais]

Thank you very much for the link and the associated pdf document !

[draconus]

Both PFM and EFM (PFM equivalent for 3rd party modules) are evolving with time, so newer modules are frequently getting better simulation but also some older modules get their FMs improved over time or even redone completely. They're not created equal (it might not be even possible or hard to examine for different aircraft), they differ in quality then but the ED keeps them all on high level within DCS standards.