vroute.info Premium - Flight Planning Utility Review

Posted: Saturday, February 14, 2009 - 22:33
Staff reviewer Colin McFadden looks at a handy utility for all your flight planning and ATC needs, vroute.info Premium. "If you’re like me, having the ability to quickly create flight plans and track whom is online and at what time, is very important when preparing for your next flight, especially when using a network like VATSIM. vroute.info Premium was created by a small group of dedicated developers to ease this process. As a matter of fact, you may never need more than one program to plan your flights ever again!"

"The interface of vroute.info is very user-friendly and easy to navigate, not to mention it looks great; the developers did a great job designing the user interface. On the right side are four buttons or “orbs” as I like to say, that act as the primary navigation. At the top of each page are the “subpage” tabs, if you will, allowing you to explore all the features and functions of each “orb.” This review goes into great deal of each interface located within the utility."

"I just have to say that vroute.info Premium is probably the most useful and powerful utility for Flight Simulator. Even the free version of vroute.info is a great tool to use while planning flights, while not being nearly as powerful as vroute.info Premium."

Captain Keith's Sandspit-X Scenery Released

Posted: Saturday, February 14, 2009 - 21:43
The FSX version of the highly popular Sandspit scenery by Captain Keith is now available and ready for instant download! Sandspit-X packs all the great features of the original FS2004 version and adds a few new ones as well. Now all you sim pilots can enjoy flying Sandspit, Masset and the Queen Charlotte Islands in FSX. Please visit Captain Keith's website for more information.

Northrop Gamma from Icarusgold

Posted: Saturday, February 14, 2009 - 19:12
Senior staff reviewer David Wilson-Okamura looks at another vintage aircraft from the golden age of aviation, Icarusgold's Northrop Gamma. "The Northrop Gamma was developed in the early 1930s to carry mail, and it was adapted by the U.S. Army to act as a light bomber. What made it famous, however, was a trio of records: two transcontinental speed records (including one by Howard Hughes, while his own racer was being modified) and what supposed to be the first flight across Antarctica (it had 25 miles to go when it ran out of fuel)."

"There is one livery, Texaco Sky Chief, and one visual model. The model is FSX-native. The Gamma comes with a 2D mini-panel, but is meant to be flown from the virtual cockpit (VC). The gauges here are mostly from the default Douglas DC-3 and the default Lockheed Vega."

"On the ground, it’s relatively docile for a tail dragger, but corrections need to be made gently if you want to avoid fishtailing. In the air, the Gamma is a fast climber and responds easily to the stick. In spite of its heavy looks – a consequence of the massive wheel pants – the Gamma turns out to be rather dexterous."

"The Northrop Gamma doesn’t break new ground like the Hughes Racer that I reviewed six months ago: you can run the engine at the highest settings for as long as you please with no consequences. But this model costs less and it comes with scenery."

New ATC Academy

Posted: Saturday, February 14, 2009 - 17:27
Are you interested in learning about online ATC? Perhaps becoming part of a VATSIM? Check out the Top Flight ATC Academy.

OZx 2.1 Update Released

Posted: Saturday, February 14, 2009 - 12:23
Now available OZx 2.1, this update adds about 20 airfields, various minesites and VFR scenery. The Airfield Directions Document includes directions for all the Minesites, all Anthony Lynch's fields and ORBX/FTX fields. There's a beautiful, well-organised GE kml and heaps of new objects by the OZx 3D designers. Also available at OZx now is what we call HD ( High Definition ) paints, this one in particular is for the Bell 206. Visit the AussieX.org website for complete details about these free addons.

Flight Replicas Releases J-3 Cub for FSX

Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009 - 23:51
Built specifically for FSX (SP2 or Acceleration), the J-3 is a small, simple, light aircraft that was built between 1937 and 1947. With tandem seating, it was originally intended simply for flight training, but went on to become one of the most popular and best-known light aircraft of all time. The Cub's simplicity, affordability and popularity has enabled it to retain a strong presence in General Aviation right up to the present day, around the world. So popular is the aircraft that some companies continue to produce close imitations of the aircraft in kit form. To learn more visit the Flight Replicas website.

The BRAVO 369 Flight Foundation

Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009 - 17:57
AVSIM is pleased to announce our sponsorship of a very worthy cause – The BRAVO 369 Flight Foundation. The foundation describes itself as “a Non-Profit organization dedicated to Education, Aviation History and Preservation of Historic Aircraft. Our main objective is to offer unique educational opportunities for students, teachers and the general public to actively participate in a series of interactive flights and educational aviation projects.” One of the exciting projects that the organization is undertaking is called the FLIGHT FOR EDUCATION. We encourage you to read this challenge that the organization is currently planning for. Among other means of supporting the BRAVO 369 Flight Foundation, AVSIM has established a forum for the organization, where members of the organization will report on projects, news items and provide support for educators around the world. You can access the forum in our Forums System. Are you an educator looking for a unique curriculum to bring to your class? Are you an simulation aircraft, panel, scenery or utility designer that would like to contribute your works for the variety of flights that BRAVO 369 will undertake? Are you a resident of the Northwest U.S. or Canada and would like to volunteer to assist the FLIGHT FOR EDUCATION? Are you simply a simulation enthusiast who would like to participate? If you are any of these, we would encourage you to visit the BRAVO 369 FORUM and make your interests known!

Flight1 Releases Fokker 70/100 Boxed Edition

Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009 - 1:20
The ultimate procedures and systems simulation for Flight Simulator 2004 and Flight Simulator X is now available. This fully packed boxed edition comes complete with printed manual, including 'your first flight' tutorial, poster-sized panel familiarisation guide and a full-length flight-deck DVD filmed with British Midland airlines (BMi) on a round trip to Nice - which will help both novices and airliner experts alike to 'learn to fly the Fokker way'

With the involvement of Fokker pilots, this is an airliner that MUST be flown just as the real aircraft would be. Complex systems such as hydraulics, bleed air and electrical connections, lift dumper and speed brake logic, emergency controls, reverser logic plus detailed icing and fire protection systems are all modelled, delivering the ultimate cockpit simulation.

The boxed version and the download version of the Fokker 70/100 (using Flight1's popular e-commerce system) are also both available direct from Flight1.

FSX "Home Movie"

Posted: Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 1:09
Jaggyroad Films has released "Sunday Morning," a video based on what one might find watching a hand held camera recording of a plane. "It seems everyone is making videos like this nowadays for Flight Simulator. I figured I might as well try it myself and give it the Jaggyroad Films spin," says founder Cody Bergland. The video comes free of charge for your viewing pleasure. To see the video, head to JaggyRoad Films.

FS2 Crew now in Avsim Store

Posted: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 15:04
The Avsim store is proud to announce that it is adding the FS2Crew products to its selection. FS2Crew products are quality add-ons that let users simulate muti-crew flying in an airline environment. These expansion packs will take your Flight Simulator to another level. FS2Crew products are designed to be used your favorite 3rd party aircraft such as Wilco Airbus, PMDG 747, Level D 767 and others. You can get the FS2Crew products from the Avsim store. They are instant downloads.

Support Avsim.com and visit our store today.

Reserve Your Place Today At FANCON 2009!

Posted: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 14:23

The AVSIM FANCON 2009 will be held at the Hope Hotel on the grounds of Wright Patterson Air Force Base on September 4 - 6 this year. Hotel reservations at a special group rate are now open. If you are attending the FANCON, you are going to want to stay at the Hope - the nerve center for our event and the host for our exhibition. Put your reserverations in today, and don't miss out! Room availability is limited and they are going to go fast, so don't delay. You can read the information you will need before registering on our FANCON RSVP page.

Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport from Aerosoft

Posted: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 1:31
New staff reviewer Vybhava Srinivasan takes a look at Aerosoft's German Airports 3 - Paderborn/Lippstadt for FSX. "Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport (German: Flughafen Paderborn/Lippstadt) (IATA: PAD, ICAO: EDLP) is an airport in Germany that serves the Ostwestfalen-Lippe area in North Rhine-Westphalia. While the name implies a location within the city of Paderborn or the town of Lippstadt, the airport is actually located in the town of Büren, around 18 km from Paderborn city centre. The location also plays host to the annual German Flight Simulation Conference."

"One thing I should comment about the terminal of the airport is that it is "impressive". The buildings and structures created in the airport seem to match the real-world buildings. Each gate is well modeled and while taxing, one will notice the various cargo baggage carts, push-back vehicles and passenger buses along the apron."

"The airport looks even better at night. I would agree with Aerosoft's claim that the scenery has "excellent night effects" like the name boards and the light posts. Great graphics comes at a cost. More extensive the graphics, the more will be lost in frames per second (fps). Hence, it is important to strike the right balance."

"Paderborne's main terminal building, gates, parking areas are well designed. The scenery glows and blossoms under the lights. In addition, the charts that are available, along with downloads, I am a satisfied reviewer."

Nantes Atlantique (LFRS)For FS9/FSX

Posted: Monday, February 9, 2009 - 16:13
With the release of Nantes Atlantique Scenery, France VFR completes its Collection of Regional Airport, by editing the 5th pane of Airport scenery for both FS2004 and FSX.

The scenery conceptualizes the Airport of Nantes Atlantique using photo-real high definition textures (0.50 m/pixel) of the ground, adding as well, night textures for the entire zone covered. The scenery spreads over 45 km² and adds to the airport an extended photo-realistic area including specific Autogen, VFR landmarks and nearby road and highway traffic.

The scenery is optimized in order to obtain the best possible framerate and quality/performance. You can use it as a standalone product or in addition to the "Pays de la Loire" scenery (VFRPack, scheduled release: 2009) without any adaptation. Due to its particular concept, the scenery is entirely compatible with any mesh of your choice.

Madiera X from Aerosoft

Posted: Sunday, February 8, 2009 - 23:18
Staff reviewer Allen Lavigne visits the Canary Islands as he looks at Aerosoft's Madeira X. "Just north of the better known Canary Islands and 326 miles southwest of Portugal, two islands of this autonomous (only since 1976) Portuguese archipelago called Madeira are inhabited; Madeira and Porto Santo."

"The instrument approach to Porto Santo's runway 18 (by VOR/DME or NDB) is unspectacular until short final. First you encounter dangerous cliffs, then you have a sloped runway with walls of rock on each side, and finally the nice little terminal only becomes visible half way to the end of the runway. The experience is well worth the price of admission: it is quite interesting, with a well done rendition of this tiny airport."

"Madeira is the airport with an architecture that defines eye candy. Although not stylistically superb, what catches your imagination here is the geographic challenge and the engineering marvel of the elevated runway, a third of which is supported by pillars. On one side you have the sea, and on the other, a rocky slope or a manmade inclined wall."

"Performance was fluid at all times in this scenery (<15 to >35 fps) with my system. I was expecting a little more custom buildings in the cities of Porto Santo and the Madeira Islands, as was the case with both Helgoland, Monaco X and Venice X. I enjoyed flying back and forth between airports and taking leisurely tours of the mountainous terrain. The Madeira X package makes a nice little playground if you are short on time and just want to scoot around."

Malta Int'l Airport Updated

Posted: Sunday, February 8, 2009 - 20:12
Malta Scenery announces that Update 1 for MaltaIntAirport v2 is now available for download. The update comprises mainly of a fix that solves the performance issue encountered when using the Acceleration Pack. They would also like to announce that an all new landclass scenery and accurate coastline of the Maltese Islands is now available for FSX. It also includes some static generic scenery to highlight certain prominent areas. This scenery is freeware. For more information and to download the file visit the Malta Scenery website.

The Facts Emerge - The future of MS Flight Simulation

Posted: Sunday, February 8, 2009 - 20:01
There has been a lot of speculation, rumor and simple guesses as to what Microsoft is going to do with the Flight Simulator “enterprise”. Through a number of sources, some of whom are former ACES members, we have been able to get to the bottom of where our hobby is heading, at least as far as Microsoft is concerned. Our sources will remain anonymous, for obvious reasons. Here are the hard, cold, and very disappointing facts:

FACT: Microsoft Flight Simulator for the PC is dead. There are no plans to continue the FS series in a form that we would recognize. The wholesale dispatch of the ACES team speaks volumes to this.

FACT: ESP is dead. Boeing, Raytheon and presumably Northrop Grumman (ESP’s first adopters) received notification that the ESP franchise is done and that, in effect, they are on their own. We have seen some discussion putting hope in the emergence of ESP as the next "engine" for flight simulator. That is not going to happen.

FACT: Some developers in our hobby approached Microsoft to purchase the MSFX code. Microsoft rebuffed that offer in total. We presume that this is because having the FSX code out there would “diffuse” their future intent and model for a flight simulator “replacement”.

What is Microsoft’s future intent as regards flight simulation? Simple really… Create a flight simulation system for Windows Live, and sell applications for it much like Apple does for their IPhone / Ipod family. Third party developers will have to submit their applications, as do Apple developers, for approval by MS and they in turn would earn a percentage from the sales of those applications. Vendors that we have talked to are extremely upset about this. It also brings back memories of the infamous Papa Tango attempts to hijack freeware.

Imagine for a moment a “live” simulator that has as its core a “Flight Unlimited” like virtual world. You can fly around a very small part of the world in the default system, but to add to your simulation world, you have to purchase the additional scenery from MS. You want more than a 172, a Baron, or a 737? Simple, purchase it via the Live system.

Imagine for a moment the availability of liveries that would be made available. Without approval by the airlines, you can imagine the lack of variety in the “live” modeled aircraft. Under the present arrangement, freeware is seen as free advertising for the United’s, American’s, Lufthansa’s and others of the world. Insert the dollar into the equation, and it is reasonable to expect that our current arrangement with carriers would evaporate. Would MS consider providing freeware via its live system? Don’t hold your breath – too many liability concerns, copyright infringement risks, product support and management issues to take on for free.

What about VATSIM, IVAO and the plethora of other peripheral attractions that we now benefit from? Imagine paying to connect to VATSIM for an hour or two of supervised flight. Spend some time thinking about the ramifications of this, and it only gets scarier.

We have a simple new reality to face up to; Microsoft has changed their business model as regards the flight simulation genre and we are seeing the first steps of that new model taking hold. We can assume that a “live” version will entail online subscription costs per month or year, and additional add-on’s will cost us.

Something For The Train Sim Fans

Posted: Sunday, February 8, 2009 - 1:07
Just Flight/Just Trains announces the first of their Freight Wagon PlusPaks for Rail Simulator. The Cargowaggon IWB freight wagon - a true workhorse of the railways - has been widely used throughout Europe for the past couple of decades, and this PlusPak expansion can be used with the default Rail Simulator locomotives or Class 66 and 08 Shunter add-ons.

The Cargowaggon IWB PlusPak supplies you with a set of eight distinctive and striking liveries with authentic weathering, and also a demanding set of scenarios to drive on the default Rail Simulator routes. Modelled in very high quality and with exacting attention to detail, the IWB set lets you create colourful and realistic rakes of wagons to haul around the Rail Sim world.

Multi Crew Experience V1.3 Released

Posted: Sunday, February 8, 2009 - 0:46
MultiCrewXP are pleased to inform the flight simulation community, that an updated version of their voice control add-on to FSX & FS2004 has been released today. The new improved version is available for download.

What's new? Improved the ATC feature; Tweaked application for better performance on single core machines; Added more variations to the co-pilot vocabulary; Fixed the button in CL tab of the user interface sometimes not showing checklist; and You can now ask the co-pilot to execute the after landing sequence of actions.

These are just a few of the main updates. In all, there are 4 major features, and each could be considered a separate add-on on its own. A fully working time limited demo is also available for download.

A Look At PMDG's MD-11 Manuals

Posted: Saturday, February 7, 2009 - 23:40
Contributing author Tino Broekstra has submitted his look at PMDG's MD-11 printed manuals. "To fly the MD-11 the way PMDG intended you to do, it's necessary for you read the manuals carefully. However, there is another alternate to have printed manuals on your Computer's desktop; you can buy the PMDG printed manuals."

"The 3 manuals are on A5 sized paper. The outside of the binders is well Illustrated with a beautiful picture of the MD-11 in PMDG house colors. The first impression is a good one, very professional, and invites you to have a closer look. The size of the manuals is a good choice: it will fit on almost any desk for use during your flights."

"These kinds of manuals are also a "must have" in my opinion. For those of you wanting to be a serious virtual MD-11 pilot, this set of manuals should be on your desk."

MD-11/MD-10 from Sky Simulations

Posted: Saturday, February 7, 2009 - 17:51
Senior staff reviewer Angelique van Campen takes a look at another version of the MD-11/MD-10, this time from Sky Simulations.

"I'll combine the external model, animations and textures (FSX and FS9) together. Ok, first the animations. Wow! So many things to simulate like opening most of the passenger- - ok, not strange - and cargo doors, tail cone for the necessary maintenance inspections and APU, all kind of cargo loaders in position, a pushback truck, even a ground engineer with headset! The overall look of the models is good, including the more detailed items but not every part, like the MLG (Main Landing Gear) and NLG (Nose Landing Gear), is offering very sharp textures."

"After spending several hours in the MD-11/MD-10 flight deck, I'm coming to the following conclusion; the external model with simulations looks good, although certain textures seems to be missing like the inside of the tail cone and thrust reversers of all engines. While spending hours and hours in the 2D and VC cockpits I can only say these are uncomplicated flight decks. You can start, taxi and fly away, but in-depth simulation of the real aircraft and auto flight systems, you won't find here. Therefore, don't compare it with the recently released PMDG MD-11."

"With all the things I found during my ground and flight hours in the Sky Simulations cockpits and external model, I think it's not difficult to say that this model can't compete with the PMDG model. Can it compete with another add-on payware model? The only vendor who I can think of that can compete with it is the CLS Douglas DC-10 collection, brought to you by Just Flight."

The Sky Simulations MD11/MD-10 review goes into great detail so you can judge for yourself who's version of this aircraft is right for you.