LFQQ – Lille Lesquin Airport (FSX and Upgrade)

Posted: Friday, August 1, 2008 - 0:49
The latest release of France VFR, Lille Lesquin Airport is now available in its FSX version. This scenery represents an extremely detailed Regional airport in the North of France, including photo-real high definition textures of ground and buildings as well as night textures. The scenery covers about 50 km2 and adds an extended photo-realistic area to the airport.

This scenery is a native FSX scenery and is part of the new series of Airports designed by France VFR. It is optimized in order to obtain the best possible framerate and quality/performance. It can be used as a standalone product or in addition to the upcoming Nord Pas de Calais scenery without any adaptation. Due to its particular concept, the scenery is entirely compatible with any mesh of your choice. Complete details can be found on the FranceVFR website.

Note: this website is currently in French, but can be translated through a search engine like Google.

Madrid Barajas 2008 from Aerosoft/Sim-Wings

Posted: Friday, August 1, 2008 - 0:19
Staff reviewer Viktor Lakatos takes us to sunny Spain with a look at Aerosoft / Sim-Wings Madrid Barajas 2008. "Real ‘Madris Barajas Airport’: the largest Spanish airport – is the 11th largest in the world and 5th in Europe – got its name from the adjacent town of Barajas. This airport handles most transatlantic flights of Iberia and is a key airport for organizing the air traffic between Europe and Latin-America, as well a major hub for worldwide connections."

"Positioning our aircraft somewhere on the ramp, we find ourselves in the everyday life of Barajas Airport. Vehicles are moving, shuttle buses are continuously carrying passengers from gates to the aircraft and vice versa. The airport has no rectangle shape from the air, it has very nice borderlines. All the asphalt markings are crisp and clear, readable even from the air with a little zoom."

"There is no moving jetway systems nor active ground handling service in Madrid Barajas 2008. Aerosoft's Airport Enhancement Services gives full ground support. The custom terrain textures do not match Flight Simulator's default textures, therefore there are cuts in the motorways. Unfortunately, this is the difference between default and custom textures."

"Aerosoft's Madrid Barajas 2008 is a good product in the series. With this product we know what we get: good quality and high level of realism."

Oshkosh AirVenture ATC Live

Posted: Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 1:23
Can't make it to Oshkosh this year? You can still be part of the action by listening to the controllers on liveact.net.

AVSIM Announces Social!

Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 23:53
The Board of Directors of AVSIM earlier this year decided not to have a 2008 simming convention due to the decaying economy and an anticipated reluctance to travel. But, that doesn't mean we are not going to have a "get together" this year. The AVSIM Board is pleased to announce our end of summer board meeting and our Saturday Night Social! On Saturday, September 6th, 2008, the AVSIM Board of Directors will hold its annual board meeting at the Hilton Hotel at Dulles airport. That evening, we will have our traditional social gathering of sim enthusiasts in the Cardinal Lounge, within the Hilton Hotel. We invite all simmers in the DC area, or from wherever, to meet your fellow enthusiasts and the AVSIM staff and to share the evening together! As with every AVSIM Social, we anticipate that there will be give-aways, fun to be had by all, and an opportunity for you to give us your suggestions on AVSIM's future direction. If you are in the area or visiting the Washington D.C. area, we invite you to attend! We will be posting more news on the event and details of the Saturday night social as we get closer to the date. Plan on being there!

A2A Releases Boeings

Posted: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 18:52
A2A Simulations has released the Wings of Silver Boeing 377 Stratocruiser along with the first of a brand new technology line of realism expansion packs for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. These two simultaneous releases represent a quantum leap forward for A2A Simulations and Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

A2A writes, "A2A Simulations insists on finding better ways to reach all customers, and not just those who can afford the highest quality products. We invested two to three times the man hours into our new Stratocruiser than any previous project. A2A also expanded operations with programmers and put an additional large investment into our brand new Accu-Sim technology base, which comes in the form of a single expansion pack that plugs right into the aircraft. Some of our customers buy our products for the sheer look, feel, and function. They are true aircraft enthusiasts, but they are not interested in detailed engine management. They want to load up the aircraft, throw the throttle forward, fly it, look at it, listen to it, and pretty much just take in the whole experience. However, there is another customer we have that is equally as passionate about the way an aircraft looks and sounds, but they demand more. They demand a simulation that places them in the most realistic environment, including consequences to their actions. These are the people who pick up game boxes at the store and weigh it to judge how thick the manual is. This is what the Accu-Sim Expansion pack is all about."

"The Wings of Silver Boeing 377 Accu-Sim expansion pack includes everything from detailed engine management to a naturally speaking crew and passengers that applaud when you make a nice landing. Once installed it can be turned on or off with a single button click, however our testers found Accu-Sim so immersive they had a hard time turning it off,” said Lewis Bloomfield of A2A Simulations Inc. “This is our finest work to date,” said Robert Rogalski of A2A Simulations Inc.

A2A has priced these products accordingly to allow many to come aboard an experience this package. For more information and to get pricing details, visit A2A Simulations.

Greenland Adds Scenery

Posted: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 18:45
Extreme Greenland series has been updated with additional packages. These downloads include: Costline package North (more correct coastline and islands), Costline package West (more correct coastline and islands), BGSS; Sisimiut Package (better mesh around Sisimiut area,and roads), BGSF; Kangerlussuaq Package (better mesh around Kangerlussuaq area and roads), BGJN; Ilulissat Package (better mesh around the airport), Extreme Greenland Lakes package (includes over 32,000 lakes around the mesh), and the Extreme Greenland Stream package (includes over 63,000 rivers/streams around the mesh).

The Coastline package South is under construction but won't be available for approximately one month. The coastline packages overwrite the standard FSX coastline including lakes and rivers/streams. Lakes and river packages are from 74 degree north (both west and east) to all the way down to the south. For more information, visit FlightSim Greenland.

New Elevation Data; Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Posted: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 14:33
Intermap Technologies and FS Dreamscapes today announced the release of the first products in the NEXTMap® ProMesh™ series for California, Hawaii, Mississippi, Florida, and the United Kingdom.

NEXTMap® ProMesh™ features terrain mesh and photoscenery downloads optimized for Microsoft® Flight Simulator X, and is based on terrain data collected as part of Intermap’s country-wide NEXTMap 3D digital mapping program.

“This is the first major milestone reached since forging our partnership in early 2008. Thanks to Intermap’s wide area, high-resolution elevation data, the ProMesh product enhances the terrain in Microsoft Flight Simulator X with elevation data that is up to eight times the resolution and sixty-four times more detailed than the default FSX terrain,” said Dean Mountford, president and CEO of FS Dreamscapes.

“Additionally, the datasets go far beyond the quality, detail and currency of the United States Geological Survey’s 10-meter National Elevation Dataset and NASA’s 90-meter Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, upon which all other previous terrain products for Flight Simulator have been based,” Mountford continued.

“Never before has 5-meter posted elevation data, accurate to 1-meter vertically, been broadly available for both the United States and Europe,” said Kevin Thomas, vice president of marketing for Intermap Technologies. “We’re extremely excited to provide the geospatial foundation for a product that will revolutionize the way users see the world in both Flight Simulator X and Train Simulator 2.”

If you're attending EAA Airventure 2008 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, be sure to visit the Intermap Technologies booth (Hall E, Booth 5054) to try out the NEXTMap® ProMesh™ terrain products.

Microsoft Flight Simulator photoscenery and terrain mesh products are available for purchase and download at FS Dreamscapes.

Flight1 At Oshkosh

Posted: Monday, July 28, 2008 - 22:57
Jeff Smith has let us know that Flight1 Aviation Technologies will be attending the 2008 AirVenture in Oshkosh to display their latest technology offerings, at Booths 2106-2107, from July 28th through August 3rd. The products that will be on display at the show are the G1000 Student, Virtual Instructor Station for ESP, Avidyne Student Simulation and Courseware, and the ELITE/Flight1 Tech LSA (Light Sport Aircraft) Aviation Training Device. For more information visit the Flight1 booth at Oshkosh, or go to www.flight1tech.com.

Instructor Station Released

Posted: Monday, July 28, 2008 - 21:05
Luis Gordo has announced the release of Instructor Station.This utility is meant to assist Home Cockpit Builders using FS2004and there are any features available for Project Magenta users (pmSystems, Glass Cockpit, etc.). According to the author it is compatible with all types of aircraft "The Instructor Station allows you to set your aircraft on an approach to a runway of your choice under any weather conditions, start-up and shutdown your network computers (fully customizable), program or set an aircraft systems failure at any moment, calculate the amount of fuel required for your trip and load it to the aircraft, record the performance of your flight (landings, take-offs, etc.) and plot it graphically, and many other things!" You can try The Demo here or download it here.

Virtual Oshkosh 2008

Posted: Monday, July 28, 2008 - 13:06
Virtual Oshkosh 2008 , AirVenture the largest gathering of GA aircraft is underway and the team from Aces have prepared a complete package of activities for users of FSX to join in the fun during Virtual Oshkosh 2008 . A complete scenery supporting a gigantic ATC session with some of the best documentation i have seen, altogether a great way of "being there", FlightSim at its best.

Add-on Converter X Released

Posted: Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 18:02
FlightSimTools.com is proud to release Addon Converter X, a module for FSX that makes many aircraft and scenery add-ons compatible with FSX SP2 and Acceleration Pack. Aircraft and sceneries developed for earlier Flight Simulator versions often appear with missing textures, missing objects and other problems when used with the newest FSX updates. This is especially true in the DirectX 10 preview mode. Addon Converter X resolves many such display problems in FSX SP2 and Acceleration Pack. You can now use thousands of existing add-ons with the latest flight simulator technology! For more information and a free demo version, please visit the FlightSimTools webpage.

VOZ AI 1.2 Released

Posted: Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 17:52
VOZ has just released the new AI for FS9, the new pack replaces all of the old AI, please make sure you read the manual before installing. The new pack sports a massive list of Australian, International, New Zealand and more AI with routes and the best paints you can find. For more information please visit the VOZ homepage.

Space Shuttle Mission 2007 Releases New Demo

Posted: Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 20:35
The new demo includes full support for the Vuzix iWear VR920 Stereoscopic HMD and the latest optimized code which will be part of the 2.XX Service Pack. The optimization will be felt especially on slow PCs and laptops where the overall performance increase can be between 100% to 500% depending on hardware, drivers and OS configuration. Complete details at the Space Shuttle Mission 2007™ website.

Epic LT/Dynasty Released By Lionheart Creations

Posted: Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 20:26
New from the studios of Lionheart Creations comes another rare exotic, the Epic LT / Dynasty. This is an actual 'new' aircraft produced in the United States, an advanced design that features a complete Carbon Fiber airframe and the high performance version of the PT6, the radical PT6-67A. This 6 passenger executive turboprop can carry people at over 350 knots GS at altitudes of up to 21,000 feet.

This flight simulation model package comes with 9 different aircraft registries with variations of interiors, animated pilots, full detail and animated VC and cabin, which also sports a brilliant 'soft lit' interior for great night flights. Also featured is a new Garmin G900X glass panel instrument system with ultra friendly management for beginners of the Garmin panel systems. The Garmin system features a complete PFD and MFD with 'Direct-To' capabilities.

To top off the list, this complete, new package also comes in full FSX with the dual FSX created model sets, new FSX technology textures/materials that feature bloom, reflection qualities, new soft glare and countless other new material capabilities. All textures in the FSX installer are full DDS format for flights in DirectX-10. This means, you get two installers in one, for both FS2004 and FSX.

For those that eye Ferraris and Lamborghini's, for those that love the fast lane, for those that like to own something new that no one else has yet, then maybe the Epic LT is for you. For more information, go to the Lionheart Creations website.

SR-71 from AlphaSim

Posted: Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 18:06
Senior staff reviewer Jeff Shyluk dons his spacesuit for a ride in AlphaSim's SR-71 "Blackbird". "This model stays true to the iconic look and sound of this exotic aircraft. However, the star of the show is the detailed and realistic flight model. The real Blackbird was capable of flying at over 80,000 feet and could cruise at Mach 3.2. This is not an aircraft for casual sim-pilots, but is well suited for those who are interested in finding new challenges in Flight Simulator and those who have a deep involvement with supersonic jets."

"Getting the Blackbird to its operational altitude and speed is lot of work. Fortunately, the realistic cockpit has all of the instruments and autopilot devices you may need. Keeping the aircraft stable in the upper atmosphere is a real challenge. Engine unstarts, where the afterburner flames out, will occur any time you disrupt the airflow the ramjets need for Mach speed. As well, the pilot must constantly maintain proper pitch and attitude at all times, or else the aircraft will spin out of control. The Blackbird is not a fighter jet. It does not respond well to sudden control movements. The AlphaSim version can, however, be flown exactly to the specifications of the manual."

"As a bonus, the FSX version of the AlphaSim SR-71 features in-flight refueling during Free Flight as well as the ability to use powerful "spy cameras" to take realistic aerial photographs during a mission. The in-flight refueling system has you choose a "tanker" aircraft from the list of computer-driven AI aircraft that are in Flight Simulator. You can pick any aircraft to use as a "tanker". If you have your own tanker model, such as a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (not included with the SR-71), you can import it into FSX for use as your tanker. Simply fly in line astern formation with your "tanker" and the SR-71 will take on fuel. You can adjust the process to make it easier or more difficult to suit your needs. A very useful fake "radar" system has been included to help you rendezvous with your tanker."

"The AlphaSim SR-71 comes equipped with an array of cameras for taking pictures of ground installations. The Blackbird's primary mission was aerial espionage, so I found it thrilling to try out the cameras in FSX. The cameras can look either straight down or off at an angle to either side. They can be triggered to operate automatically when arriving at a GPS waypoint, or they can be fired off manually if you are traveling fast enough and high enough."

"I do like the challenging flight model a lot. It's a real accomplishment to set up a flight plan and roar into the sky. Mid-air refueling can be tricky, and requires a sure hand on the throttle. Then, climbing up into the stratosphere and performing your speed run is spectacular. Precise piloting is required for your spy pictures to turn out well, especially if you are trying not to encroach over an "enemy" national border. Finally, returning to your home base and landing will test the mettle of any steely-eyed sim-pilot."

FranceVFR Releases Lille Lesquin Airport

Posted: Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 17:17
In the series of its new Airport Collection, France VFR is happy to announce its second location, representing the French Regional LILLE LESQUIN Airport.

This scenery represents an extremely detailed Regional airport in the North of France including photo-real high definition textures of ground and buildings as well as night textures. The scenery covers about 50 km2 and adds an extended photo-realistic area to the airport including specific Autogen, VFR landmarks and nearby road traffic. It can be used as a standalone product or in addition to the Nord Pas de Calais scenery without any adaptation. With its particular concept, this scenery is entirely compatible with any mesh of your choice.

This release is for FS2004 and all the details can be found on the FranceVFR website.

Sky Simulations MD-11 SP3 Released

Posted: Friday, July 25, 2008 - 13:06
Sky Simulations has released Service pack 3 for the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 based on customers requests. One of the basics of this package is the upgrade of the FSX version, making it completely native of this flight simulator, being compatible now with FSX-SP2 and FSX-acceleration.

Many modifications in the exterior model have been made including the engines, which have been reworked completely for both versions. The Virtual cockpit has also been upgraded, making it easier to operate. Many other details to the model, VC and gauges have been updated and refined. For more information and to download this update please browse to Sky Simulations.

SkySim Releases The BAe Hawk

Posted: Friday, July 25, 2008 - 1:40
For over 40 years, the official aerobatic team of the Royal Air Force the famous Red Arrows has thrilled air show audiences worldwide. Since 1979 the team has flown the Royal Air Force’s advanced jet trainer, the BAe Systems Hawk T Mk. 1, painted in their stunning all red schemes. To be a Red Arrow is the pinnacle of any RAF fast jet pilot’s career; something achieved only after years of dedicated training and experience.

Now, thanks to the latest release from add-on software developer Skysim, owners of Microsoft FSX can simulate the thrill of flying this exciting aircraft, without having to endure the arduous training and selection procedure required by the RAF. The Skysim BAe Systems Hawk T Mk.1 has been created exclusively for FSX by one of the world’s most respected aircraft developers, Rick Piper. By incorporating all the stunning new features available to aircraft designers within the latest Microsoft simulator, Rick has created possibly one of the most advanced models seen. His legendary attention to detail will be appreciated by dedicated ‘by the book’ pilots and the fact that this model was designed for FSX from the ‘ground up’ means these stunning details are available without sacrificing your computer’s performance.

The guys from the Red Arrows were so impressed by the accuracy of this model, it is the only flight simulation product to be granted an official license from the Ministry of Defence (MOD), quite an endorsement of its quality. The Skysim Red Arrows Hawk is now available to purchase in both boxed and download versions from the all new Skysim website.

For those pilots who prefer their jets a little less polished than the Red Arrows, a free download of additional textures is available from renowned freeware download sites. This set features a great selection of operational RAF textures for the Hawk together with some colourful solo display aircraft from recent years. For those of you who enjoy creating your own paint schemes a comprehensive paint kit is also available. All that remains now is for you to hone your fast jet aerobatic display skills to the level of the Red Arrows; without leaving the comfort of your home!

Blushing Sheep Simulations Launched

Posted: Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 10:59
Blushing Sheep Simulation Software has been formed with the aim of providing high quality add-ons to the FS community. Formed by the team behind the Dispatch Planner series of add-ons - along with a couple of new faces - Blushing Sheep aims to continue the tradition of high quality software with second-to-none customer support.

Visit Blushing Sheep Simulation Software for more information.

gapalp Enterprise Introduces InCabin Locate

Posted: Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 1:37
InCabin Locate enables you to view a Google Earth window from within FSX and keep track of your location in the world. Also, keep track of where the nearest AI aircraft to you are located with some basic information when you click on them. Current FSX flight plan path, waypoints, and flight tracking are displayed on top of the Google Earth map as well. Visit the gapalp Enterprise website for more details.