VFR Objects Italy Announced

Posted: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 17:33
VoloVirtuale.com has announced a new project for those that like to fly VFR within Italy. VFR Objects Italy allows users to add coordinates of predefined objects to an online database. The database is compiled regularly and users can download the necessary files to add to their Flight Simulator. This means that many people can contribute to the project. The project currently covers Italy, but may in the future be extended to other regions. Head directly to VFR Objects Italy.

GMap for FSX: Browser Edition Released

Posted: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 8:20
FSWidgets has released a new edition of the GMap for Flight Simulator X. All of the functionality of the previously released EFB Edition of GMap has been replicated using standard windows controls inside a normal resizable window. This new version of GMap - the Browser Edition - has its own resizable built-in web browser and is particularly handy for those running multiple monitors as the window can be maximized to fill the entire second screen. To download GMap please visit FSWidgets.

Greenland Mesh Released

Posted: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 1:07
FlightSim Greenland has released Extreme Greenland Mesh, covering ALL of Greenland (over 2 million sq.km. in size). Come and visit FlightSim Greenland, and fly in the arctic with realistic mesh.

Rescue Pilot from Just Flight

Posted: Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 19:00
Staff reviewer Jon Murchison comes to the rescue to aid those in distress in Just Flight's Rescue Pilot, a mission add-on package for FSX. "In recent months we have started to see fully developed mission add-ons coming out covering all manner of events and times in our history. Rescue Pilot is the first from Just Flight, and places you in the action front and centre flying a number of sorties in a range of aircraft across 12 missions."

"Of the 12 missions available, each one utilizes one of the default FSX aircraft types, these being the Bell Jet Ranger, Cessna C172, King Air and the Learjet. The missions range in difficulty from beginner through to advanced, so you can build up experience as you go. In general terms, the missions cover a good variety of situations from search and rescue over land and sea, airlift rescues from precarious places like mountains and ice lakes, or long range transportation to hospitals or larger metro areas."

"The area the majority of the Rescue Pilot missions cover is limited to a few hundred square km’s in Wales and England. You are based at the former RAF Llandwrog, now known as Caernarfon Airport (EGCK), a small facility sitting on the western coast operating mainly GA aircraft. Just Flight have provided detailed scenery for this airport that captures the spirit of the facilities rather than presenting itself as a duplicate of its real world counterpart."

"All of the missions in Rescue Pilot have sound sets unique to the mission being flown. I was also quite impressed with the ambient sounds whenever I landed at an emergency site. Inevitably as soon as the crew opened the door, I was met with wailing sirens making some of the locations quite frantic visually and auditory. Every time my crew jumped back in, I heard the reassuring thump of the door closing as well. Nice touch this, adding depth to the environment."

Jon concludes his busy day as a Rescue Pilot with, "In my view FSX missions add depth to the flightsim experience and can be a great tool for learning and showing off the flightsim world. In this package, I think Just Flight have shown some of what can be achieved. Many aspects of this add-on are innovative and immerse the user in a world of rescue flying that I have yet to see in another package. So, if you are into FSX missions I highly recommend this product."

Flight Environment X Update Released

Posted: Saturday, June 21, 2008 - 16:43
Flight One Software, in partnership with Aerosimulations, is excited to announce the release of the latest edition of Flight Environment X, now in pioneering Super High Definition (SHD), all for Flight Simulator X. Contained within the update are approximately 6 Gigabytes of new graphical data and content that represents the culmination of a massive amount of research and work carried out since the original launch of FEX.

A few of the the key points of this update include:

1. All new Super High Definition (SHD) cloud content, available in sizes up to a SHD resolution of 4096 x 4096. This makes your FSX skies as realistic as ever, all from high quality photography as always.

2. Many changes to the FEX GUI (Graphical User Interface). This improves work flow and makes it much easier to create new cloud themes.

3. Performance enhancements. The entire UI performance has been improved to offer much better speeds when performing different actions and more complex processing has been pushed into different program threads for responsiveness.

4. Improved algorithms will now allow a more advanced and progressive control over the types of clouds you desire. This allows for a denser and more richly textured cloudscape. Clouds can now be fuller and have more defined detail made possible with SHD.

5. New special designs for the SHD textures allow for more creative inputs from the user. This allows you to create special cloud scenes from light and airy clouds, to deep and moody storm clouds.There is a new EXTREME clouds option providing the ability to get extra dramatic looking clouds for those that like a more exciting cloudscape.

6. Bug fixes. Several bugs have been fixed since launch within this update. Live error reporting has been implemented to more easily track any issues that may come up and ensure a rapid response.

Chris Norris from Aerosimulations states "The past 8 months has involved an incredible amount of work in many areas. The SHD elements are first and foremost, but we are continuing on with even more in the near future, including much more realistic water, airport environment texturing, suns and moons, and we have made great progress on the weather/environment sim. These aspects are planned to be delivered into FEX in a regular fashion, beginning within weeks. We encourage everyone to try FEX. And it is essentially at no risk because of Flight1's 30-day return policy. But we feel confident that customers will see that FEX is by far the most advanced cloud and environment expansion ever released for Flight Simulator."

And best yet, the new SHD edition is a FREE update to all current customers of Flight Environment X. For more information on how to get this update, please visit Flight1’s Flight Environment X showcase or the Flight Environment X website.

Rail Sim by EA, Expansion by JustTrains

Posted: Saturday, June 21, 2008 - 4:24
Senior staff reviewer Gene Davis lets go of the yoke and grabs a throttle of a different kind as he climbs into the cab of a railway engine and reviews Rail Simulator and its add-on. "You might as well call Kujo’s Rail Simulator, Train Simulator 2 as the folks at Kujo are the ones that brought us the original Train Simulator from Microsoft."

"No matter where you choose to go in the Rail Simulator world there are different types of trains and content that accompany them. In total, there are nine different engines to choose from and they are; the 7F 280 Locomotive, Black 5 460 Locomotive, BR294 Shunter, DB BR101 Express, Class 166 DMU, A High Speed Train, A Rail Freight Class 47, ES 44AC Locomotive, the SD-40 and the ES 44AC locomotive. Each individual engine was meticulously designed to match that of its real world counterpart thus giving the user a very authenticate feel either when looking in or outside the train."

"Included with the US version are four different routes, 3 European and 1 US Route. The included routes are Oxford to Paddington, Bath Green Park to Templecombe, Hagen to Siegan, and finally Barstow to Sand Bernardino. Each route is created as close to the actual route as the sim will allow, towns are historically accurate as are the roads and farmlands that encompass each area. In total there is over a 1000 miles of track between all four routes, thus offering long-term playability with each."

"Reality is the name of the game in Rail Sim, controlling your train in any mode except expert is really just a waste of time. Because I have the Rail Driver unit, controlling each individual train is relatively easy. But for those without it, you can use either the keyboard or the mouse. If you choose to use a mouse, you will be pleasantly surprised that everything in the cab is clickable, thus allowing very little keyboard usage."

"I have to tell you, I do not think I have spent half as much time as I have with the routes then with the World Editor. This program adds so much to this program that I just cannot express it in words. Building and object placement is relatively easy, and with the list of objects to choose from, the worlds you can create are almost endless."

Gene sums up his Rail Sim experience with, "If you have not guessed I like Rail Simulator a lot. It has subsequently replaced all of my other train simulations. I think Rail Simulator will be a must have for any rail nut, you just cannot go wrong getting this sim."

A380 V2 For FSX From Wilco

Posted: Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 14:00
Wilco Publishing announces their Airbus 380 Version 2 for FSX.

Some of the highlights include:

· Highly detailed replica of the Airbus A380 for Microsoft Flight Simulator X
· Three realism levels available: beginner, intermediate and expert
· FSX missions to provide step-by-step tutorials from Cold & Dark cockpit to full landing.
· Glass cockpit with advanced digital avionics.
· GPWS, Traffic, Collision Avoidance System, and advanced FMS features

The Airbus A380 v2 download version is available now.
The CD version production will be released in the Summer of 2008.

For more information, you're cleared direct to Wilco Publishing

Long EZ from AlphaSim

Posted: Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 3:00
Contributing reviewer Chris Kiehl takes to the sky in a unique aircraft, Burt Rutan's Long EZ as presented by AlphaSim. "The Long EZ has become a very popular home-built kit aircraft, with many representations flying today. Being a rear swept wing with forward mounted canards, it definitely is a fun and different type of aircraft to learn to fly and become proficient in."

Chris comments about the exterior, "From the lines of the airframe, the landing gear struts and wheels, back to the extremely detailed engines and propellers; you won't run out of gorgeous detail, if that's what you love. There are animations all over this model, including properly animated canards, rudders that are also outboard speed brakes with both wheel brakes applied, and realistic nose wheel animations."

Inside, "From the radio clickability, to smooth and realistic gauges, to everything else being clickable, and excellent performance for detail; you won't be disappointed here. The modeling of each individual knob and lever must have had extra attention to detail paid to it, because it all looks very sharp. All of your basics are included and clickable."

"Simply put, flying this ship is a small challenge that turns into a great pleasure. One thing you will notice right after taking off, is the fact that the ship simply slips through the air, rapidly gaining speed. You'll also feel for the first time, what I call a very complex and realistic flight model. I haven't flown a Long EZ, but people who own them were involved in the development, so I believe the flight model for both ships is quite thoroughly done. The EZ is also capable of some basic, but very fun aerobatics."

Chris concludes his look at the Long EZ with, "whether you're a fan of Rutan's designs or not, if you don't have this package for either FS9 or FSX, please go get it. I don't think this ship can actually disappoint."

Orbx Releases FTX Freeware Version 1.2

Posted: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 16:42
Thirteen months in the making, and hand-crafted by the FTX Freeware Development Team, these 139 photoreal airfields and 26 scenery areas for FSX are available for anyone to use and enjoy. You don't have to be an existing Orbx customer or FTX user and there are no strings attached. These texture matched airstrips are designed to blend seamlessly with FTX. The majority of strips you will find in this package are small airfields designed for general aviation (GA) flight. Some are farm strips – sharing a paddock with crops; some are mining strips – designed for twin engine turboprop fly-in/fly-out operations, some are small strips servicing rural communities or tourism operations, and occasionally you will find larger airports that have had the FTX ground texture and scenery makeover, such as YMHB Hobart, YMLT Launceston and YRED Redcliffe. The download includes full documentation, area maps and navigation tips. The installer is 100% self configurating and you will be up and flying in just a few minutes! You are cleared direct to FTX Freeware .

Final Boarding Call For FlightLevel390

Posted: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - 1:25
FlightLevel390 will be closing its doors on June 22nd 2008. FlightLevel390 will be merging scenery and repaint activities with BSMP (Blu-Sky Mine Productions). BSMP will bring about a new level of scenery design in addition to aircraft modeling. BSMP CEO Dan Mitchell and the BSMP Team are known for their outstanding SAAB 2000 model. Some of the projects that BSMP have on tap for scenery are Aberdeen, KLIT-Adams Field, KBTR-Baton Rouge,La., and a few other airports that will remain unannounced at this time. BSMP also has several Aircraft on tap such as the: BAE-ATP ,Merlin-Metro III,Bae Jetstream 31 & 41,Convair 600,Dornier 228.All of the FL390 scenery files that were hosted on the FL390 site will be available in the Pilots Resource section at Virtual Texas International Airlines. You can visit BSMP and be sure to visit the BSMP forum for updates on the progress of the above mentioned projects.

CLS Release 747-200/-300 Service Pack 1

Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 13:59
Commercial Level Simulations is pleased to announce the release of Service Pack 1 for our Boeing 747-200/300 product. The service pack is available in the downloads section for our customers, whilst new customers will find Service Pack 1 already included in the download package. Customers are cleared direct to Commercial Level Simulations for the upgrade.

NL2000 Seeking New Talent

Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 13:48
The Netherlands 2000 Design Team is very busy developing a new release. To achieve this, we are looking for new developers as team members. We are looking for enthusiastic people who will build 3D objects, and work on airports for the NL2000 scenery. We prefer people who can and will take initiative to take our scenery to a higher level. Knowledge of Gmax, 3D studio, Autocad or similar is a benefit. We offer a training programme in which you will participate. Each developer will be joining a current team member, to help you learn the ropes in our NL2000 development environment. Your work will be coordinated by a project manager. We want to stress that international developers are encouraged to join our team. What's in it for you? A creative and innovative team, once in a lifetime team events, contacts with professional aerospace industry, but foremost to contribute to a fantastic project. Send your detailed and motivated application to NL2000 or visit our website for more information about the project.

FranceVFR Release Toussus le Noble

Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 13:39
France VFR is proud to announce its latest release, and the first in an upcoming Airport Series in High-definition, the first represents the Airport of Toussus le Noble (LFPN) for FS2004. The Toussus Airport (LFPN) scenery is developed using extremely detailed techniques including building textures, high-definition ground textures and the corresponding night textures. France VFR emphasizes the difference between the previously developed airports: Toussus is the first one realized entirely in high-definition for FS9/FSX and conforms to new airport design concept charts. The two versions (FS2004 & FSX) are sold separately, with possibility of upgrading to FSX. Both versions are stand-alone products and entirely compatible with other base-pack scenery and fully compatible with any Mesh of your choice. For further information, please visit France VFR.

UltimateDefrag 2008 from DiskTrix

Posted: Monday, June 16, 2008 - 1:56
Staff reviewer Angelique van Campen takes a look at a utility that not only applies to improving the behind the scenes activity in Flight Sim, but has applications for all of your computing activities. Ultimate Defrag 2008 from DiskTrix presents a totally different graphical presentation of the hard disk.

This detailed utility review goes into great depth about hard drive fragmentation and how Ultimate Defrag 2008 goes about putting your files specifically where you want them to improve loading time for FS9/FSX and for all of your other applications on your system. So it's not your usualy "directly releated to Flight Sim" review.

While this review is a long read and is very technical at times, it does help to understand how you can imporve the FS9/FSX loading time of your PC, esepcially if you have a dedicated gaming computer. "UltimateDefrag 2008 offers a refreshing GUI (Graphical User Interface) with a totally different look than you’re used to from other defragmentation programs. UltimateDefrag 2008 offers lots of possible fragmentation processes. If you like using it manually, then go ahead, but if you don’t like that idea, then leave it all to the AUTO (OptiSeek technology) option while the program finds a good balance between performance and defragmentation speed. A well balanced defragged hard disk doesn’t help increasing your game's “frames per second”. It helps reduce loading times because the files are neatly placed together in a cluster."

New & Upgraded Classic Jetliners

Posted: Sunday, June 15, 2008 - 16:02
The Jetliner Jockies at Historic Jetliners Group have the pleasure of releasing another great selection of new and upgraded B707/720/C135, CV880, CV990, & DC8 files for FS9/FSX, featuring classic and recent airline/operator liveries from around the globe. Released among HJG's new Boeing textures is the original 2001 scheme applied to celebrety John TRAVOLTA's private aircraft. An equally rare British registered B707-320 from the late 1970's and which was operated in a lesser known version of Malaysian Airline System livery. B707-320C's from the late 1970's, 80's, and 90's featuring Air Gulf Falcon, Arab Air Cargo, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano, Malaysian Airline System, Millon Air, and Nocoia Aviation aircraft. As well as new USAF liveries for both KC135-E & -D aircraft ...1 of which features the dual 50TH/40TH anniversary hybrid scheme for an aircraft based at Kansas City during 1997.

HJG also adds a brand new CV880-22 AIRLIFTER model, complete with a fully animated cargo door and fuselage full of virtual freight, and supported by extremly rare Inair Panama, Profit Express, and SERCA Costa Rica freighter liveries from the late 1970's and early 1980's era. Douglas aircraft haven't been overlooked either, textures for an obscure DC8-33F which was very briefly operated by ARCA Colombia during 1981, and the early 1990's TAMPA Colombia livery for a DC8-71F aircraft.

Updated Aircraft Base Packs ...further FDE improvements... for HJG CV880-22, CV880-22M, CV990 (early), and CV990-A aircraft. Please refer to explanatory notes on the HJG "NEW & ANNOUcEMENTS" forum page for complete information regarding each of these upgrades. All of these files are available now for "FREE" download from the "Historic Jetliners Group" (HJG) website.

AVSIM Library Milestone!

Posted: Sunday, June 15, 2008 - 14:53
After 48 hours of hardwork by our intrepid staff, the AVSIM Library is now back online and fully functional. On Friday afternoon, we started the migration of over 123 thousand files consisting of over 450 gigabytes to a new file server system. That server system has over a terabyte of space allocated to it, with growth potential to much more. As of this week, our membership in the library system grew to over 800,000; the largest in the community! All of this has been possible through your continuing donations to our library fund and to the donations of fantastic add-on's for our simulators by hard working authors. Thank you to all! We are confident that you will enjoy the new server and library system.

FSFlyingSchool Version Update Released

Posted: Saturday, June 14, 2008 - 1:39
FSInventions announces a new version of its FSFlyingSchool add-on for FSX and FS2004. Version 1.9.2 introduces a fix and also some new features which are free to existing customers.

New Aircraft Supported - Support for several new aircraft has been added to FSFlyingSchool, including: Maule M7 260C with and without skis, Grumman Goose G21A, Aircreation 582SL Trike, DeHavilland Beaver DHC2, some Flight One Cessnas and their PA28.
Updated Manual - All program updates over the past 4 versions have been fully integrated into the PDF manual and FSUIPC installation instructions have been expanded.
Missing WAV File Fix - A few users reported that the instructor repeatedly announced that a file which was not missing, was missing – this no longer occurs.

To find out more, watch movies, download demo, etc, visit the FSFlyingSchool website.

Ultimate Terrain X Europe Boxed Edition Out Now

Posted: Saturday, June 14, 2008 - 1:07
Ultimate Terrain X has been designed from the ground up to take advantage of the new technologies in FSX, and provides the most superior and complete large terrain environment to date. Using only the very highest quality commercial-source data, Ultimate Terrain X takes FSX's terrain environment to new levels not seen before in a PC-based flight simulator. Roads, rivers, streams, bridges, landclass, waterclass, and more are packed into Ultimate Terrain X transforming FSX both day and night!

The roads in FSX are a big improvement over FS2004. However, Ultimate Terrain X takes the roads one step further, by providing all the available road types from the TeleAtlas commercial data set, instead of just highways and most major roads as you get with the default sim. If you like the look of the moving road traffic in FSX, you will love the moving traffic in Ultimate Terrain X.

Ultimate Terrain X takes coastlines to a whole new level, by including higher resolution rocky coastline textures, sandy beaches, concrete piers, freshwater dams, and man-made breakers. The coastline textures blend the edges of the water bodies with the land. In addition to the quality source data, brand new water features add more variety to the coastlines with waterclass options that will change the water colour associated with lakes, rivers and oceans.

Advanced users will marvel at the fact that they can have different textures assigned to nearly every Ultimate Terrain feature. For example, you can change the sizes of things like stream widths, road widths and coastline widths using the new Setup Tool.

New FS2004 Freeware Scenery

Posted: Saturday, June 14, 2008 - 0:55
Emmanuel Parot is proud to announce the availability of his latest scenery Creuse 2008 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. This freeware scenery presents all airports from Creuse: Montluçon-Guéret (LFBK), Guéret Saint-Laurent (LFCE) and two private airstrips : Evaux (LF2321) and Le Pommier (LF2351). This scenery uses high-resolution photorealistic pictures for buildings and ground. To download this scenery, visit the author's website.

Library Server Outage Begins Now

Posted: Friday, June 13, 2008 - 19:25
UPDATE: 6:47PM EST File copy is now under way. The server is still off line as moving 126,000+ files takes time. As soon as files are moved we will begin testing and advise. Thank you.

All, we will now be taking the library server offline, as of 225pm EST on Friday June 13. This will also affect avsim.com email access. We will post another story once the server is back online, tested, and ready for service. There is no ETA at this time, as soon as it is completed we will post another story on the site. Please check back here for status as it becomes available.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to grow our service.

John Binner, AVSIM
Managing Editor