Friendly Panel CRJ

Posted: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 18:20
has Released their Bombardier CRJ 700 Panel for FSX. Main features of this panel are: FMC that can manage flight plans created with Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX, or any add-on which can export flight plans in the FS format. FriendlyPanels writes, "We have eliminated the complex way in which you have to plan your flight in current commercial FMCs while keeping the feeling of a real FMC-CDU."

Other features include: New MCP, much more realistic, allows you to see different navigation screens in PFD and MFD, new MFD with four different display modes, new AP functions, including VNAV button, vertical navigation implemented via FMC, new EFIS gauge, with nine different screens, a new radio with stand-by ADF frequency and much more. For more information, visit FriendlyPanels.

Hughes H-1B Racer from Aerosoft

Posted: Thursday, July 10, 2008 - 1:57
Senior staff reviewer David Wilson-Okamura revels in history as he takes Howard Hughes' H-1B Racer from Aerosoft for a spin. "In 1934, Hughes and Dick Palmer designed a metal-skinned monoplane for the purpose of taking back the air speed record from the French. Hughes did so on Friday, the thirteenth of September, 1935, when he reached a speed of 352 mph. He made seven passes then ran out of fuel and crashed in a beet field. In 1975, the year before he died, Hughes had the Racer restored and donated it to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C."

"The Racer’s virtual cockpit (VC) is lovingly recreated with all-custom gauges and one of the most interesting canopy animations I have seen. A lot of the mechanics are exposed to view, so in addition to animated levers and controls, you’ll also see moving rods, chains, gears, and cables. There’s no nav gear, except a compass, but there is a radio for voice comm's. There are gauges for monitoring various engine temperatures and pressures; if you haven’t paid attention to these before, you will here."

"In Flight Simulator, smooth was the default condition until a couple years ago, when bump mapping was introduced, and we started seeing 3D rivets. On this model, the rivets are intentionally not raised, except on the inside legs of the landing gear (which are not exposed in flight), where they are duly rendered in shadow-casting 3D. For in spite of Hughes’ best efforts, the surface of the Racer was not perfectly smooth, and each of the metal plates which make up its skin reflects light in a slightly irregular way. Meanwhile, the skin of the virtual Racer is fractionally more efficient, aerodynamically, than its real-world original."

"FPS matter. I am happy to report that frame rates are not an issue with this product. The sound quality is in keeping with the visuals. Engine sounds are full-bodied, well balanced, and make use of the latest feature in flightsim audio, sound cones. As you move around the airplane, you can hear variations, not just in the volume of noise, but also in the character of the sound produced. I have spent approximately equal time in both versions of the Racer, and like both equally. I did find, though, that switching back and forth does not work -- at least for me. The landing speed, timing, and power settings are different enough for the two versions that learning one does not make you a master of the other. In my book, though, that is a sign something is right, because if you change the shape of your wing and it doesn’t produce a corresponding change in the airplane’s behavior, the flight model is wrong. Aerosoft's Hughes H-1B Racer is a real gem: not perfect, but singular and polished."

Embraer E-Jets Series 170-190 Released

Posted: Thursday, July 10, 2008 - 0:56
Embraer has developed an entirely new family of aircraft with state-of-the-art avionics, fly-by-wire technology, superior cabin spaciousness and extraordinary, uncompromising performance. Wilco Publishing has released the download version of the E-Jets Series 170-190.

This release features the highly detailed Embraer 170 and 190 with a BONUS, the Lineage 1000, the luxury version of the Embraer 190. These airframes include detailed interiors (economy/business class) with superb details, including seats, plasma screens, catering and a luxury interior for the Lineage 1000. You will be welcomed and served by a nice animated flight attendant. Once comfortably seated, get real time in-flight information on screen : distance to/from destination/departure, local time, Estimated Time of Arrival, just like the real thing!

E-Jets comes with 22 International airlines including official Embraer house livery; 75 McPhat Studios liveries (Deluxe Pack);
Realistic flight dynamics created and tested by active Embraer pilot and based on manufacturer specifications; Truly immersive sound experience with the real plane digitized sounds: engine, APU, batteries, air conditioning, passenger signs, clicks,; and numerous animations : hydraulic suspension, flaps, slats, spoilerons, speed brakes, thrust reversers, landing gear, passengers door, cargo hatches, opening cockpit windows. Plus a Load Manager and Fuel Planner.

For complete details, screenshots and download instructions, head over to the Embraer E-Jets Series page on the Wilco Publishing website.

Did You Know?

Posted: Monday, July 7, 2008 - 19:57
Did you know that AVSIM news on the front page has been happening daily since 1999? Did you also know we keep an archive of every story ever posted? In a story from our past, "AVSIM Introduces News System Posted: Thursday, April 29, 1999 - 15:32 In our continuing effort to improve our services to you, we have today opened up our new news broadcasting system. This system allows us to do quite a number of things behind the scenes which will improve the timeliness of the news and the speed with which we can bring it online to you. In addition to the behind the scenes improvement for the AVSIM staff, is the additional features that it brings to you. At the bottom of this story, you will see two addtional features that we are sure will improve our news service considerably. The first of these is the ability to go through past news archives. From this story forward, we will be keeping an archive of ALL news posted to the front page of AVSIM. These archives will be then separated by month, enabling you to search past stories at your liesure."

Want to check out a blast from your simulation past? Then check out our News Archive section for some oldie but goodies!

Tower Simulator V1.1 Now Available

Posted: Monday, July 7, 2008 - 13:15
Tower Simulator V1.1 published by Wilco Publishing has been made available, among improvements are AI aircraft behaviour, parked aircraft positions, aircraft speeds and movements, voices improvements, service car logic, general shadow appearance, penalty errors, more stable controlling logic, an overall stability. Powered by a new 3D technology along with a complex and highly realistic Artificial Intelligence, Tower Simulator is the only simulation of its kind. Visit Tower Simulator for the update, or to purchase.

Flight Replicas Me262 Now Available

Posted: Monday, July 7, 2008 - 13:08
Flight Replicas - Messerschmitt 262A-1a and 262B Trainer built specifically for FSX (SP2/Acceleration), this all-new extremely detailed and functional GMax version of the famed Messerschmitt Me-262 features not only the single seat fighters, but also the two-seat trainer with fully operational dual cockpits. The Messerschmitt Me-262 Schwalbe (German for "Swallow") saw action from late summer of 1944 until the end of the war, sharing the title of first operational jet fighter with the British Gloster Meteor. The Me-262 began life in 1938, when Willy Messerschmitt was called upon to design a new fighter to be powered by two gas turbine engines. The configuration eventually chosen featured a sleek streamlined fuselage with the two podded engines carried beneath a low-mounted wing. Although the first airframe was ready to fly by 1941, the B.M.W. engines were suffering prolonged development delays, which slowed the project significantly. Developed steadily over the next two years, and using the famously unreliable Jumo 004 engines, the Luftwaffe began committing the Me 262A-1a to combat in mid-1944 when they were pitted against the streams of heavy bombers making daily raids on German cities and military targets. Despite being well-armed with highly effective 30-mm cannons and air-to-air rockets, the remarkable Me-262 was simply too little, too late, to turn the tide of war in Germany's favor. Maintaining production was difficult due to Allied attacks on industrial centers, many aircraft being destroyed on the ground before they could ever fly. Some 1,430 total aircraft were built, though only about 300 ever saw combat. Some 120 two-seat trainers were built, made by modifying the single seat airframe. The Me-262, although a spectacular aircraft for its time, had a negligible impact on the course of the war, shooting down an estimated 150 Allied aircraft for the loss of 100 Me 262s, the majority of aircraft being grounded too often for lack of fuel. We hope you enjoy flying these remarkable renditions of history. Visit Sky Unlimited for information.

FlyTampa releases Hong Kong city & Kai-Tak

Posted: Monday, July 7, 2008 - 13:02
FlyTampa announces the availability of its latest scenery package Hong Kong & Kai-Tak. Featuring; Hong Kong city scenery consisting of mesh, landclass, photoground and Thousands of custom buildings. Kai-Tak International (VHHX, closed 1998) airport scenery. Highly detailed curved Checkerboard approach. Two Heliports (Peninsula Hotel rooftop, Shun-Tak Ferry heliport). Animated AI-Ships including Hong Kong's Starferry, junkers, barges etc. Custom animated car traffic & FSX-traffic throughout the city. Unique night effects like animated Lightbeams, haze-glow and Fireworks display. The package includes both FS2004 and FSX-SP2 versions. FSX version is fully FSX-SP2 compliant. Judging by the discussions on the forums, this is not to be missed so fly quickly to FlyTampa and get flying in Hong Kong.

F-106 Delta Dart from AlphaSim

Posted: Monday, July 7, 2008 - 0:58
Staff reviewer Laurie Aston takes a look at a classic "Interceptor" from the 1950's, AlphaSim's F-106 Delta Dart. "The F106 Delta Dart is a lot of airplane, and in either simulation it looks really good."

"The F106 is not an easy plane to handle, and that is no fault of AlphaSim, they have modeled it perfectly, even using original manuals to form the cockpit and panels correctly. The finish is just great in any of the displayed variant color schemes, and from any angle there is just a clean display line with no hint of deformity or deviation from the true plan form of the Delta Dart."

"For both the FS2004 and FSX versions of the F-106 A/B Delta Dart, the air file is superb. It is difficult to fly at first, in my opinion, in fact it becomes a challenge, and to persevere is to win. It gives you the satisfaction of being capable of being used for the purpose it was intended for, the “ultimate” Interceptor."

"Alphasim has reproduced the cockpit and instrument panels faithfully, and although not all the switches and buttons actually do work, there is enough function of the important items to keep you busy, and there is enough to do without unnecessary “eye candy” getting in the way."

Summing up AlphaSim's F-106 Delta Dart, "this package has everything that one would wish for, from the detailed aircraft and unit colours and markings to the simulated performance. It has sufficient challenge to test the skills of most simulator pilots, together with a choice of single seat or dual seat interceptors. There are packages on the market that may not be to everyone’s liking, but AlphaSim's F-106 A/B Delta Dart has nothing that I can see not to like. You will not be disappointed I am sure."

Airport Design Editor Version 1.35 Released

Posted: Sunday, July 6, 2008 - 17:16
ScruffyDuck Software and the ADE Development Team are very pleased to announce the release of Airport Design Editor Version 1.35. This version is part of our continuing developement and improvement program. In addition to fixing several bugs Version 1.35 introduces new functionality including Helper Shapes that make the drawing of regular elements easier. Any shape can be turned into an Apron with a single mouse click. Users can include their own models in an ADE project and either compile everything to a single bgl file or split the airport and scenery elements into separate files. The color, brightness and separation of Apron Edge Lights is now user controlled; chains of Taxiway Links can easily be straightened and Taxiway Junctions are drawn more realistically. The update is available via the on-line download function and also from the AVSIM Library and for more information please visit Airport Design Editor.

SSM 2007 Adds Free STS-93 Mission

Posted: Sunday, July 6, 2008 - 4:52
The Space Shuttle Mission 2007 gets the famous Chandra X-Ray Observatory, STS-93 Mission as a FREE add-on.

With the launch of STS-93, Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to command a Space Shuttle mission. STS-93 started with an eventful Columbia night launch on July 22, 1999. Five seconds into the launch, multiple Main Engines failures raised the alarm but later on, as the backup systems took control, the Shuttle reached orbit safely, ready to begin the primary mission highlight: the deployment of Chandra X-Ray Space Observatory the heaviest payload ever put on orbit by the Shuttle program at the time.

At its launch, the Chandra was the most sophisticated X-Ray Telescope ever built and it complements Hubble Space Telescope data with an impressive ability and resolution to study quasars as they were over 10 Billion years ago and observe X-rays from clouds of gas five-million light-years wide. During the mission, the Astronauts performed additional experiments and tested the fly-cast maneuver that will be executed during STS-99 to alleviate tensions on the huge SRTM radar boom due to orbital corrections. STS-93 concluded with a safe night landing at the Kennedy Space Center on July 27, 1999.

In the best SSM2007 tradition, the STS-93 free add-on will allow budding Virtual Astronauts to experience the launch (including the Main Engine failures), on-orbit mission including the deployment of the special Chandra X-Ray Observatory and performing the fly-cast test maneuver, and return to Earth by manually landing the Endeavour at the Kennedy Space Center. The Space Shuttle Mission 2007™ is available online in downloadable format at the SSM2007 official website.

New Advanced Flight Tracking Service

Posted: Friday, July 4, 2008 - 14:53
SimFly.EU is proud to announce it has released a new version of AFTS, improving on its advanced tracking system. SimFly.EU operates a free tracking service, and community website that offers pilots and virtual airlines the ability to keep track of Flight Simulator X progress and flights. The AFTS system is compatible with all multiplayer networks and even single player. If you are a virtual airline you can take advantage of full management facilities, including scheduling, flights, fleet, and a unique custom financial centre to manage your acquired virtual funds. AFTS is available completely free from SimFly.EU, and data displayed on SimFly.EU is live to within milliseconds using a totally bespoke communication system, making it without doubt the most advanced flight tracking service available. Try it now at SimFly.EU

Instant Object Maker Released

Posted: Friday, July 4, 2008 - 4:57
FlightSimTools.com is proud to release Instant Object Maker, an easy-to-use tool for making 3D objects for Flight Simulator! Instant Object Maker allows creating realistic looking objects using photographs and other images. Simply outline individual polygons composing the object on one or more photographs and put them together to form a 3D object. Instant Object Maker automatically generates scenery and texture files. The perspective correction function allows using photographs taken at an angle. You can also paint your own images and construct 3D objects that use them as textures. It takes just a few minutes to make simple objects like cars, trees and simple houses. With Instant Object Maker, everyone can add houses, hangars, vehicles and other objects that look exactly like their real counterparts, instead of relying on generic library objects. For more information and a product demonstration video, please visit FlightSimTools.com.

Holloman AFB from AlphaSim

Posted: Friday, July 4, 2008 - 2:51
For those of you who remember Brian Fletcher (aka Capn), his son Jeremy (aka Rightseater) has taken control of the yoke and has sent in his first review. He steps back to look at an older Alphasim product, Holloman AFB, and to remember his time spent at that base. "Over the last half century Holloman has been host to a number of support operations for a variety of aircraft, including the F-84, F-100, QF-106, B-57, F-4C/D/F, F-15A/B, and the HH-60G among others. But perhaps the most notable aircraft to be stationed here is the F-117A Nighthawk. This mission will cease in 2008, however, to make way for Holloman’s newest addition – two squadrons of the F-22 “Raptor”."

Jeremy goes into great detail reflecting on how he remmebers Holloman AFB and how Alphasim has recreated it. "AlphaSim has got the Main ramp right, and though I might end up adding a few scenery objects to fit my taste, I am more than pleased with the improvements. AlphaSim has remedied the West ramp problem by adding these hangars, which are positioned correctly facing east and west. Some of the hangars, the open ones of course, have an AI F-117 in them that will taxi out, takeoff, and return. The Nighthawks are also detailed quite well for AI aircraft, and add a much needed sense of authenticity to this base. By default, the North ramp is pretty much wide open, and it is with this add-on as well."

"AlphaSim helped the BEAR Base area out quite a bit by adding some more accurate buildings on the east side, and though they missed the small building to the south, they have really improved this area a lot by removing the two story buildings that were there before. Put a few fuel trucks behind them, add some other support vehicles, and this place would liven up a lot. Otherwise, AlphaSim has done a great job here."

"AlphaSim has done a great job of recreating the German Air Force hangars, which are located just east of the main ramp (some call it part of the main ramp, which it might be). In fact, they have included all 12 of the hangars on the ramp positioned just how they are supposed to be. The hangars are all detailed fairly well, each with a tan color similar to the hangars on the west ramp, though in reality they too are brown, but no big deal. They are spaced appropriately, and as a nice surprise to me some of the hangar doors are open and some are closed. Without this add-on the GAF is simply non-existent."

Departing Alphasim's Holloman AFB, Jeremy comments, "I had a great time reliving memories of Holloman Air Force Base, and I had an equally enjoyable time exploring AlphaSim’s version of this historical facility. AlphaSim has pretty much got it right, and have, without exception, created a far superior Holloman than you will find in the default scenery. If Holloman is your FS9 destination, than I would advise making a layover at AlphaSim first."