It's a bird! it's a plane! As requested, flying ponies will now wear elytra as capes.

src/main/java/com/minelittlepony/model/AbstractPonyModel.java

@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import net.minecraft.client.model.ModelPlayer;
 import net.minecraft.client.model.ModelRenderer;
 import net.minecraft.client.renderer.GlStateManager;
 import net.minecraft.entity.Entity;
-import net.minecraft.entity.EntityLivingBase;
 import net.minecraft.util.EnumHandSide;
 import net.minecraft.util.math.MathHelper;
 
@@ -202,7 +201,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractPonyModel extends ModelPlayer implements IModel {
     *
     */
     protected void setLegs(float move, float swing, float ticks, Entity entity) {
-        if (isFlying(entity)) {
+        if (isFlying()) {
             rotateLegsInFlight(move, swing, ticks, entity);
         } else {
             rotateLegsOnGround(move, swing, ticks, entity);
@@ -663,18 +662,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractPonyModel extends ModelPlayer implements IModel {
      * Checks flying and speed conditions and sets rainboom to true if we're a species with wings and is going faaast.
      */
     protected void checkRainboom(Entity entity, float swing) {
-        rainboom = isFlying(entity) && swing >= 0.9999F;
+        rainboom = isFlying() && swing >= 0.9999F;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public boolean isFlying(Entity entity) {
-        return (isFlying && metadata.getRace().hasWings()) ||
-                (entity instanceof EntityLivingBase && ((EntityLivingBase) entity).isElytraFlying());
     }
 
     @Override
     public boolean isFlying() {
-        return isFlying;
+        return isFlying && metadata.getRace().hasWings();
     }
 
     @Override

src/main/java/com/minelittlepony/model/capabilities/IModel.java

@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ package com.minelittlepony.model.capabilities;
 import com.minelittlepony.model.BodyPart;
 import com.minelittlepony.model.armour.PonyArmor;
 
-import net.minecraft.entity.Entity;
-
 public interface IModel {
 
     /**
@@ -30,11 +28,6 @@ public interface IModel {
      */
     boolean isCrouching();
 
-    /**
-     * Returns true if the given entity can and is flying, or has an elytra.
-     */
-    boolean isFlying(Entity entity);
-
     /**
      * Returns true if the model is flying.
      */

src/main/java/com/minelittlepony/model/components/PonyElytra.java

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import net.minecraft.client.model.ModelBase;
 import net.minecraft.client.renderer.GlStateManager;
 import net.minecraft.entity.Entity;
 import net.minecraft.entity.EntityLivingBase;
+import net.minecraft.util.math.MathHelper;
 import net.minecraft.util.math.Vec3d;
 
 import static com.minelittlepony.model.PonyModelConstants.*;
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@ public class PonyElytra extends ModelBase {
     private PonyRenderer rightWing = new PonyRenderer(this, 22, 0);
     private PonyRenderer leftWing = new PonyRenderer(this, 22, 0);
 
+    public boolean isCape;
+
     public PonyElytra() {
         leftWing          .box(-10, 0, 0, 10, 20, 2, 1);
         rightWing.flipX().box( 0,  0, 0, 10, 20, 2, 1);
@@ -46,12 +49,12 @@ public class PonyElytra extends ModelBase {
         super.setRotationAngles(move, swing, ticks, headYaw, headPitch, scale, entity);
 
         float rotateX = PI / 2;
-        float rotateY = PI / 8;
+        float rotateY = isCape ? 0 : PI / 8;
-        float rotateZ = PI / 12;
+        float rotateZ = isCape ? 0 : PI / 12;
 
         float rpY = BODY_RP_Y_NOTSNEAK;
 
-        if (entity instanceof EntityLivingBase && ((EntityLivingBase) entity).isElytraFlying()) {
+        if (isCape || entity instanceof EntityLivingBase && ((EntityLivingBase) entity).isElytraFlying()) {
             float velY = 1;
 
             if (entity.motionY < 0) {
@@ -59,8 +62,15 @@ public class PonyElytra extends ModelBase {
                 velY = 1 - (float) Math.pow(-motion.y, 1.5);
             }
 
+
+            if (isCape) {
+                rotateX = ((1 - velY) * (-PI * 1.5F) + velY * rotateX) + PI/4;
+                rotateX = MathHelper.clamp(rotateX, PI/2, PI * 0.6F);
+                rotateX += MathHelper.sin(move) / 6;
+            } else {
                 rotateX = velY * PI * (2 / 3F) + (1 - velY) * rotateX;
                 rotateY = velY * (PI / 2) + (1 - velY) * rotateY;
+            }
         } else if (entity.isSneaking()) {
             rotateX = PI * 1.175F;
             rotateY = PI / 2;

src/main/java/com/minelittlepony/pony/data/Pony.java

@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ public class Pony {
         //noinspection SimplifiableIfStatement
         if (!getRace(false).hasWings()) return false;
 
-        return player.capabilities.isFlying || !(player.onGround || player.isRiding() || player.isOnLadder() || player.isInWater() || player.isElytraFlying());
+        return player.capabilities.isFlying || !(player.onGround || player.isRiding() || player.isOnLadder() || player.isInWater());
     }
 
     public ModelWrapper getModel(boolean ignorePony) {

src/main/java/com/minelittlepony/render/RenderPonyMob.java

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import net.minecraft.client.renderer.entity.RenderLiving;
 import net.minecraft.client.renderer.entity.RenderManager;
 import net.minecraft.client.renderer.entity.layers.LayerArrow;
 import net.minecraft.entity.EntityLiving;
+import net.minecraft.entity.EntityLivingBase;
 import net.minecraft.util.ResourceLocation;
 
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ public abstract class RenderPonyMob<T extends EntityLiving> extends RenderLiving
     @OverridingMethodsMustInvokeSuper
     protected void preRenderCallback(T entity, float ticks) {
         playerModel.getModel().isSneak = entity.isSneaking();
-        playerModel.getModel().isFlying = !entity.onGround;
+        playerModel.getModel().isFlying = !entity.onGround || (entity instanceof EntityLivingBase && ((EntityLivingBase) entity).isElytraFlying());
         playerModel.getModel().isSleeping = false;
 
         ResourceLocation loc = getEntityTexture(entity);

src/main/java/com/minelittlepony/render/layer/LayerPonyElytra.java

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package com.minelittlepony.render.layer;
 
 import com.minelittlepony.model.BodyPart;
+import com.minelittlepony.model.capabilities.IModelPegasus;
 import com.minelittlepony.model.components.PonyElytra;
 
 import net.minecraft.client.entity.AbstractClientPlayer;
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@ public class LayerPonyElytra<T extends EntityLivingBase> extends AbstractPonyLay
             GlStateManager.pushMatrix();
             GlStateManager.translate(0, 0.25F, 0.125F);
             getPlayerModel().transform(BodyPart.BODY);
+
+            modelElytra.isCape = getPlayerModel().metadata.getRace().hasWings() && getPlayerModel().isFlying();
+
             modelElytra.setRotationAngles(move, swing, ticks, yaw, head, scale, entity);
             modelElytra.render(entity, move, swing, ticks, yaw, head, scale);