Sascha Felix Of FlightSim Commander RIP

Posted: Saturday, January 7, 2012 - 14:51
Sascha W. Felix developer of FlightSim Commander passed away January 04th 2012. Sascha was one of the authors of the popular FS Commander product offering flight planning for a number of simulators and add-ons. Volker Heine while announcing the passing of his co-author Sascha stated in the FS Commander forum the product will continue to be developed according to Sascha’s wishes. Avsim would like to extend our condolences to his friends and family and thank Sacha Felix for more than twelve years of contributions to our hobby.

Liverpool Xtreme from UK2000 Scenery

Posted: Friday, January 6, 2012 - 15:33
Staff reviewer Daniel Martinez drops into the hometown of the Fab 4 to look at UK2000 Scenery's Liverpool Xtreme. "This small airport is home to budget airlines Ryanair and Easy Jet. Just over 5 million people came through its doors, making John Lennon Airport the 10th busiest in the United Kingdom."

"The airport itself is relatively small, and the scenery only covers the airport proper. The background looks great either from far away or close up, with its high-resolution 25cm base image. The terminal area is very detailed with nice, sharp textures. This being a smaller airport, you only have the one terminal area but UK2000 has certainly done it justice."

"The high resolution textures, great animations, and overall attention to detail makes Liverpool Xtreme a winner."

Microsoft FLIGHT ! Now In Sight

Posted: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 - 14:19
Avsim was invited to the recent screening of Flight and can now publish a new series of in game pictures and video from the upcoming release. Click on the Flight Logo to watch the Video and visit the Avsim MS FLIGHT News Forum to get a look at the latest from FLIGHT!.

SKY BLUE RADIO VA DAYS

Posted: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 - 13:48
Sky Blue Radio will be celebrating VA Days the third weekend in January on the 20th, 21st and 22nd, 2012. That weekend Virtual Airlines (VA's) will have the opportunity to promote their airlines for free! on Sky Blue Radio and can enter to win one year of advertising if selected as the Sky Blue Radio Virtual Airline of the Year! Airlines must submit their intentions no later than January 17th 2012. If they want SBR to produce their on-air promos they must submit copy no later than January 15th, 2012. To be considered for Sky Blue Radios VA of the Year. VA's must submit a one page summary of what makes their VA unique, and how does it best promote the feeling of community within flight simulation. VA's do not have to be affiliated with any online network. Each summary will be evaluated by our panel of judges with a winner selected from the submissions. Submissions must be made no later than January 17th, 2012. This opportunity is open to all VA's, however space is limited. Please submit your application to vadays@skyblueradio.com. For more information about Sky Blue Radio VA Days read up on the event in the provided PDF.

CALL! For PIC 737 Evolution

Posted: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 - 13:39
FeelThere Release CALL! for the PIC 737 Evolution is a First Officer, Flight Attendant simulation. This easy to use software brings great realism into your virtual cockpit making you "feel there".

The Fist officer reads the following checklists:
-BEFORE START-CLEARED FOR START-AFTER START-BEFORE TAKEOFF-AFTER TAKEOFF-APPROACH-LANDING-SHUTDOWN

After reading each item it will wait for your action making sure you are properly following the checklist flow.
The Flight Attendant SAFETY feature will initiate a safety briefing before takeoff. Upon landing She will automatically remind the passengers to remain seated until full stop.
Visit the Call! Homepage for a look at this new product.

Rotterdam X from Aerosoft

Posted: Monday, January 2, 2012 - 23:32
Staff reviewer Drew Sikora heads to Holland to fly in and out of Aerosoft's Rotterdam X. "This scenery has been done with great attention to detail according to the most up to date ideas on making scenery for FSX. It is very good looking and it is also frame rate friendly."

"Building and object textures are all very well done and look great even up close. Building textures are also enhanced with reflective and environment mapping, which means you'll see the sun shining off them and some surfaces will not just reflect light but also appear to reflect images of the sky and surrounding buildings. A lot of effort was put into the surrounding airport scenery."

"The ground textures around the airport are 40cm aerial images, which is a better source of imagery than satellite photos, and the immediate airport area has even higher texture resolution although the exact definition is not specified. The apron and taxiway textures at the airport itself are all well done and accurately placed when comparing them to aerial images."

"This is a solid scenery addition worthy of inclusion in the library of anyone flying around Europe or looking for a reason to do so. Not only do you have the immediate airport environment to enjoy upon arrival or departure, but there is some exploring to be done in the surrounding area."

Latest Releases From Orbx

Posted: Sunday, January 1, 2012 - 21:06
PAKT Ketchikan International Airport - A challenging landing awaits the adventurous pilot of both commercial airliners and bush planes, with infamous crosswinds up to 90 knots which have been known to blow approaching planes out across Tongass Narrows in certain conditions. PAKT is another beautifully crafted airport by Russ White, whose reputation for levels of detail never seen before in FSX is growing with each new project he undertakes.

This airport is no exception, with a unique multi-level runway and taxiways sloping down to the aprons. The entire airport precinct is built using a single 3DS Max model and of course Russ has included unique tech such as animated ground staff, seaplanes, ferries and hundreds of details too numerious to mention here. Custom ground imagery at 7cm per pixel! Unique multi-level with sloping taxiways FSX 3DS poly runway, aprons and more Gravina Island location on Tongass Narrows Includes Orbx "Flow" technologies Seaplane ports, ferry terminals, dry dock City of Ketchikan and many POI buildings TextureFlow optimised and excellent FPS Cruise liners and ferries in the scenery Unbelievable level of object detail! Expert 5 seasons color matched imagery.

0S9 Jefferson County International - Last but not least Burgers At The Spruce Goose Cafe. This airport is well known in the PNW pilot community as the home of the Spruce Goose Cafe, ne of the the best spots around for a $100 hamburger; or better yet, one of their legendary slices of pie! Also located on the field is the Port Townsend Aero Museum (home to a wide variety of classic GA aircraft), Tailspin Tommy's maintenance shop, and a multitude of hangars built over the last 70 years - each with its own unique character. In fact, that's what makes J-Co (as the locals call it) so special: it's character.

This is an airport absolutely brimming with personality; where classic aircraft are the rule instead of the exception, hangar stories are still told with gusto, and the mystique of aviation hangs heavy in the air. It is a pilot's airport - the place to go for fly-in BBQs in the summer, a warm cup of clam chowder in the winter, and at all times, a place to meet friendly folks who share your passion for aviation. Ground imagery at 30cm per pixel. Fully custom modeled airport and houses FSX gmax poly runway, aprons and lights Beautiful coastal location. Includes all the new Orbx "Flow" technology. Includes Indian Island Naval Reserve. Expert 5 seasons color matched imagery. Beautifully modelled static aircraft. Includes custom GA AI Traffic movements. Directly opposite 2WA1 Diamond Point.

NL2000 Update To Version 4.0

Posted: Saturday, December 31, 2011 - 13:44
The NL2000 NL2000 team has recently updated the existing airports and 3D objects in their Scenery's . Although still working on Amsterdam airport, they released version 4.02 as a Christmas gift. The current installer (4.0.20) can also be used to install this new version. Existing files are automatically overwritten.

Updates of airports include Enhanced 3D scenery, buildings in Groningen, Abcoude, Haarlem and Emmen. Traffic follows now bridges and tunnels. Several generic objects have been added and improved as well at the following locations.

EHAL, EHBK, EHDL (new), EHDP, EHDR, EHEH, EHGG, EHGR, EHKD, EHLE, EHLW, EHRD, ENSB, EHSB80, EHTE, EHTL (new), EHTW , EHTW (active), EHVB, EHVB (closed) EHVK, EHWO improvement and helipad of hospital Groningen (EHUG).

PMDG 737NGX SP1b Available

Posted: Saturday, December 31, 2011 - 13:36
PMDG 737NGX SP1b is now available for the PMDG 737NGX product line, bringing a range of updates, fixes and functionality changes that didn't make the initial SP1 release back in October.

PMDG recommend that all users update to SP1b by downloading the latest service pack from the Service Updates Page. There is an SP1b update for each of the PMDG 737NGX products, so make sure you install both if you own the entire NGX product line!

Simply install over your existing NGX installation by following the installation prompts!

Note: You will need to reinstall your liveries after the update, but PMDG have updated the livery installer to make this even faster and easier!)

Visit the Avsim's PMDG Forum for the full list of changes and download instructions.

Flight One Release The Cessna 162 Skycatcher

Posted: Friday, December 30, 2011 - 13:41
Flight One Software, in partnership with Cessna Aircraft Company/Textron Inc announce the release of a high-fidelity PC-based simulation of the two-seat Cessna 162 Skycatcher light sport trainer for Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X. The first production Cessna Skycatcher was delivered in December, 2009. It has a maximum cruise speed of 118 knots, stalls at 40 knots, with a maximum range of 400 NM, at a max alt of 14,625 feet.

The Flight One Skycatcher provides virtual pilots with an inexpensive way to become familiar with the real-world aircraft and use it in their simulated flights. Most noticeably, it features a simulation of the real-world aircraft’s Garmin G300 glass avionics suite.

Highlights include a multi-page multi-function display with a map display; an autopilot supporting ROL, HDG, GPS, ALT HOLD, ALTS, PIT, and VS modes; altitude alerting; and Direct-to functionality. Flight plans can be entered directly into the G300, or imported from the Flight Simulator X flight planner.

Like its real-world counterpart, the Flight One Skycatcher also includes a Garmin SL40 Com radio, Garmin GTX327 Mode C transponder, and a a 121.5/233 MHz ELT. The simulation also realistically models the performance and operation of the Skycatcher’s Teledyne Continental Motors O-200D engine.

Beyond the avionics and systems is a highly-detailed aircraft model. The exterior features four custom paint schemes, operable doors, wheel chocks, and pitot/engine inlet covers. The interior model includes a highly detailed and fully functional 3D virtual cockpit with an interactive panel, knobs, and keys; animated shade visors, windows, and doors; and bug "splat" window effects. A highly detailed User Manual and Guide is included, and supplemental documentation is provided directly from Garmin.

For more information and screenshots visit their Cessna 162 Skycatcher Product Page.

Ultimate Airline Crew for FS9 and FSX

Posted: Thursday, December 29, 2011 - 13:30
Flight Simulator Platform Solutions announce the release of Ultimate Airline Crew for FS9 and FSX. It is the most complete software for Airline announcements as it uses all and most current announcements used by the biggest Airlines worldwide. What makes this software unique is the ability to choose who will make each announcement. You can choose between first crew assistance and second crew assistance for the cabin announcements and between Captain and Co-Pilot for the Cockpit ones. Each of the four persons can speak up to seven (7) different languages. You can choose between US English, UK English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Swedish and Arabic. And the most important is that each language has different people to choose and also how slow or quickly can talk. In fact, you can create your crew with more than 38 different persons to choose. For more information visit the Ultimate Airline Crew Homepage.

Ultimate Traffic 2 Winter 2011

Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 - 12:21
Ultimate Traffic 2 Winter 2011 Schedule Released. Flight One Software is pleased to announce the latest schedule update for Ultimate Traffic 2 has now been released. The update includes a snapshot of daily/weekly air traffic movements for the Winter 2011 Season.
For more information and to purchase the latest update visit the Ultimate Traffic 2 Winter Homepage.

AVSIM Opens Groups System

Posted: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 - 19:48
We are pleased to announce the opening of the AVSIM Groups System - a community portal for clubs, like-minded members of the forums, anything at all within the basic genre' of aviation, simulation, hoppies, game and news interests, and you name it. If it fits within any of those, you can create your own group just as you have seen on Linkedin and others speciality social sites. All members of AVSIM can create their own group and let it be totally open for the public to join, or establish a private group where invitations to users are sent out.

The opening of the Groups System is an important next step in the future direction of AVSIM and our ever changing hobby; simulation. If you have a specific area of interest you would like others to share, create your group today!

You can find the Group System through the Social Groups selection on the upper menu of the Forums.

OpenVFR Release India Sri Lanka & Bangladesh

Posted: Sunday, December 25, 2011 - 13:02
India is a land that spells varierty, from the highest point of the Kanchenjunga peak at 8598 meters to the lowest point at 0 meters at the Indian Ocean. Mountains, jungles, deserts and beaches, India has it all. It is bounded to the north, northeast and northwest by the snow-capped Himalayas the tallest mountain range in the world. OpenVFR has published the first scenery for Microsoft FSX covering this 7th largest country in this world. The new high quality VFR scenery based on realistic data taken from OpenStreetmap covers India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The whole package is containing over 50,000 roads and more than 30,000 water areas like rivers, lakes. The filesize of the mesh is about 477MB! As usual all three downloads (openVFR Terrain, openVFR Objects and openVFR Mesh) can be downloaded and installed seperately to adjust perfectly to your needs. Explore the fertile plain where the great Gangetic riverine system irrigates vast expanses of the land or fly over the frozen wasteland of the Himalayas in the north: openVFR Asia, India Terrain (2011/12) openVFR Asia, India Objects (2011/12) openVFR Asia, India Mesh (2011/12) Enjoy first screenshots at our Facebook Page and visit the OpenVFR Website to learn more.

FSCOCKPIT Driver For Wilco Airbus Series

Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 - 13:27
FSCOCKPIT Driver for Wilco Airbus Series (ECAM). This software is intended to have the FSCOCKPIT ECAM (and in near future also MINI Overhead PANEL) working seamlessly with the Wilco Airbus Series Volume 1 and Volume 2. This driver is available also in a Combined Driver (MCDU+ECAM version) - This software is modular. Next Mini Overhead driver for FSCOCKPIT Hardware will be an addon module of this first driver. - All ECAM Panel supported features work in Feelthere Airbus Vol 1 and Vol 2. - FSCOCKPIT ECAM Backlighting is configurable via UI and it works also with panel light system of Feelthere Airbus Vol 1 and Vol 2. -UPPER ECAM and LOWER ECAM brightness is configurable using directly FSCOCKPIT PANEL rotary knob Requirements: · FSCOCKPIT ECAM Driver works with FS2004 and FSX, with any aircraft of the Airbus Series Volume 1 & 2, including Evolution

Pitts Special S1/S2 From SibWings

Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 - 13:21
The SibWings team announces release of its new FSX add-on Pitts Special S1/S2. The package offers four versions of Pitts Special: S-1, S-1S, S-2A, S-2B. Each version reproduces all features of a real-life aircraft, including the external models , super-detailed 3D-panels, the fully-animated dynamic Virtual Cockpit, authentic sounds, and so much more. For more information visit their Product Page.

More Releases From Aerosoft

Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 - 6:53
Frankfurt-Egelsbach X (FSX) - The airport of Frankfurt-Egelsbach is located in the economic region of the Rhine-Main area right in the center of the triangle of the cities Frankfurt am Main, Darmstadt and Offenbach and in the direct neighborhood of the international airport of Frankfurt am Main. Frankfurt-Egelsbach is a very interesting airport for GA and especially for business aviation. Egelsbach is also the base of the Police helicopter force, various flight schools and maintenance companies.

The airport has been reconstructed to the smallest of details including all buildings and airport institutions. Additional details and various scenery effects create an absolute live feeling.

Stavanger X (FSX) - Stavanger X includes a highly detailed recreation of the Sola Airport (and immediate surroundings), located in the western part of Norway. The airport is recreated with help of high resolution images taken at the airport.

The airport was opened in 1937, and this makes it the second oldest airport in Norway, during WW2 the airport saw a massive expansion and this expansion continued after the war ended. The airport now has two terminals one for fixed wing operations and one for rotor-crafts. The airport also serves as one of the major hubs for the Royal Norwegian Air Force 330 Squadron, which operates the Westland Sea King in SAR operations.

Bronco X (FSX) - The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is turboprop light attack, observation and counter-insurgency (COIN) aircraft. The simple and rugged aircraft is able to take off from very short runways (or roads) and can loiter for a long time over an area. It served with all branches of the US military and was exported to many countries. They are still operational in many countries.

The Aerosoft Bronco X was designed with assistance from the German Wing of the OV-10 Bronco Association (GWOBA) which inherited several aircraft from the German Luftwaffe. It features several models and many liveries. The Bronco is a delight to fly because it has ample power and is very agile. The good all round visibility and high cruise speed make it an ideal aircraft to explore the virtual world of FSX. Due to the complexity of the systems this is an ideal aircraft for people who like to move from the simple general aviation aircraft to more complex aircraft with detailed systems.

Forums Back Online

Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 - 4:54
Thanks for your patience! The Forums are now back online. We are aware of the links still being down and continue to work that one module. All others should be operational now.

Blackburn Buccaneer S1 Released

Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 - 0:40
Flying Stations are pleased to announce their first commercial FSX release, the Blackburn Buccaneer S1. This detailed model of the '60s era naval strike aircraft features a functioning surface search radar capable of tracking shipping out to 240NM, Radar Height Hold function for hands off low level flight and air to air refuelling as well as a number of other unique functions.

A330 Expansion Pack For Airbus Collection Long Haul Released

Posted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 15:16
The new A330F MRTT Expansion for Just Flight's Airbus Collection Long Haul add-on (Download & Boxed) for FSX and FS2004 is now available.

This new expansion features the new A330 cargo aircraft, the A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) in an RAF livery and new A330-200 models with the latest Airbus design. There are two A330F models (Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney engines) in six liveries and five different updated A330-200 models with six liveries. The A330F/MRTT Expansion also includes updated sound packs for all three engine types, new cockpit sounds, updated cockpit instruments and cockpit night lighting, new 3D landing and taxi lights, new beacon light effects and new reverser spray effect.