🎹 FlightgearMidi — Fast MIDI ↔ FlightGear Bridge

A lightweight C++ backend with a clean Python API

FlightgearMidi connects MIDI controllers to FlightGear’s telnet interface.
You write automation logic in Python; the C++ layer handles:

• MIDI input
• MIDI output
• To FlightGear send telnet commands
• From FlightGear receive http get commands
• Real‑time routing and callbacks

This gives you low‑latency control of aircraft systems using any MIDI device.

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✨ Features

• Python API for all configuration objects (DataConfig, DataConfigMidiInput, etc.)
• Real‑time MIDI → FlightGear mapping
• Python callbacks for FlightGear value updates
• MIDI output (LEDs, feedback, etc.)
• Cross‑platform C++ backend via pybind11
• Example scripts included

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🛠 Installation

1. Enable FlightGear telnet

Add this to FlightGear’s Additional Settings:

--telnet=5500 --httpd=8800

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2. Install FlightgearMidi

Option A — Install from GitHub Releases (recommended)

1. Go to the repository’s Releases page
2. Download the wheel matching your OS + Python version
3. Install it:

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install ./flightgearmidi‑0.1.0‑cp311‑cp311‑macosx_13_0_arm64.whl

Then:

import FlightgearMidi

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Option B — Build from source

Requirements

• CMake ≥ 3.16
• C++17 compiler
• Python ≥ 3.10
• pip install meason

Build

mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make -j

This produces:

FlightgearMidi.cpython-311-darwin.so

Install manually

cp FlightgearMidi*.so ../.venv/lib/python3.11/site-packages/

or add the build directory:

import sys
sys.path.append("/path/to/FlightgearMidi/build")
import FlightgearMidi

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🧪 Example

Simplified example script: https://github.com/shemeshg/FlightgearMidi/blob/main/testPy/test.py

Complete example: https://github.com/shemeshg/FlightgearMidi/blob/main/testPy/LaunchControlXL_172P.py

Run it:

source .venv/bin/activate
python testPy/test.py

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📘 Quick Start

1. Create a config

cfg = FlightgearMidi.DataConfig()
cfg.telnetHost = "localhost"
cfg.telnetPort = "5500"
cfg.httpdPort = "8800"

2. Add a MIDI input

midi_input = FlightgearMidi.DataConfigMidiInput()
midi_input.midiInputIdx = 0
midi_input.midiInputName = "Launch Control XL"

3. Add MIDI → FlightGear mappings

mapping = FlightgearMidi.DataConfigFromMidiToTelnet()
mapping.fromStart = 0
mapping.fromEnd = 127
mapping.toStart = 0
mapping.toEnd = 1
mapping.midiMsgType = FlightgearMidi.MidiMsgType.CONTROL_CHANGE
mapping.notePitchOrCcChannel = 77
mapping.setCmd = "/controls/engines/engine[0]/throttle"

midi_input.dataConfigFromMidiToTelnets.append(mapping)

4. Add a callback mapping

carb_heat = FlightgearMidi.DataConfigFromMidiToTelnet()
carb_heat.midiMsgType = FlightgearMidi.MidiMsgType.NOTE_ON
carb_heat.notePitchOrCcChannel = 105
carb_heat.isCallback = True
carb_heat.callback = lambda val: print("Carb heat toggled:", val)

midi_input.dataConfigFromMidiToTelnets.append(carb_heat)

5. Add FlightGear puller keys

pull = FlightgearMidi.DataConfigPullerFgKey()
pull.fgKetPath = "/controls/flight/rudder"
pull.callback = lambda key, val: print("FG update:", key, val)

cfg.dataConfigPullerFgKeys.append(pull)

6. Send config to backend

midi = FlightgearMidi.getMidiClientItf()
midi.setDataConfig(cfg)

7. Start MIDI client

midi.startMidiClient()

8. Send MIDI output

if not midi.openLibreMidiOutPort("FlightgearIn", 0):
    logger.error("Failed to open MIDI output port.")
    sys.exit(1)
midiOut = midi.getLibreMidiOutPort("FlightgearIn", 0)
# sendNoteOn, sendNoteOff, sendControlChange
midiOut.sendNoteOn(0, 73, 60)

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🎯 Summary

FlightgearMidi gives you:

• A fast C++ backend
• A simple Python API
• Real‑time MIDI → FlightGear control
• Easy callback handling
• Clean configuration objects

Build locally or install from Releases, write your mappings in Python, and let the C++ backend handle the real‑time work.

SBOM

https://github.com/shemeshg/FlightgearMidi/blob/main/SBOM.md