Cielosim Releases Live ATC Chatter

Posted: Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 16:29
Cielosim is pleased to announce the release of Live ATC Chatter. Live ATC Chatter is program for Flight Simulator that allows you to listen to live real-time Air Traffic Control streams within the simulator. It connects via the internet to the ATC streams and then projects the audio in Flight Simulator. Live ATC enhances your Flight Simulator environment by adding real-time live ATC audio for the selected airports you fly at. If you don’t always have an active internet connection or you don’t want to connect to a stream while flying, Live ATC also offers the option to play either Mp3 or Wave sound chatter files. So whether you be online or offline you will be able to listen to Real ATC chatter in Flight Simulator. For more information the Cielosim website.

ASX Service Pack 3 Released

Posted: Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 5:38
HiFi Sim announces that ASX Service Pack 3 was officially released today! All known issues have been solved and several improvements have been made. This is a recommended update for all ASX users. Visit HiFi Sim's support page now to download this service pack! All new customers purchasing ASX will not be required to download the update as it is included in the new full download. ASX is a comprehensive weather simulation system for Flight Simulator X. For more information please visit the HiFi Sim website.

Historic Jetliners Group May Updates

Posted: Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 17:35
Mark Cranston from Historic Jetliners Group has e-mailed to announce the latest releases for May. The team has worked so hard, and produced so many updates that there are far too many to list here, but if you head over to Historic Jetliners Group there you will find a list, and links to download some virtual nostalgia.

FSDreamTeam Updates O'Hare Scenery

Posted: Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 3:40
Here's what Version 1.1, now available at the FSDreamTeam website, includes:
- De-Icing added in the Pad 28 Aerea, there are 4 vehicles, operating only in Winter with Snow
- Corrected some textures problems in the airport signs
- Corrected names for stands M1 to M6
- Night textures resolution doubled to fix the grid effect at night in FS9
- AFCAD - Fixed taxiways width
- AFCAD - Diamond technique used at runway intersections
- AFCAD - Added instrumental approaches in FS9

Aerosoft Releases and Updates

Posted: Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 3:18
Lisbon 2008 Released - "We did Madrid Barajas 2008 recently and we can add Lisbon 2008 for FS2004 to our download shop. Michael Kopatz recreated the airport up to the smallest detail for Aerosoft including all buildings and installations, docking systems and all the features you expected from a modern scenery development in FS2004. Customers of Lisbon 2008 will get the FSX version without charge in a few weeks.

The airport ground texture is based on a high detailed areal image. All buildings, lighting systems, navigation beacons and of course the layout of taxiways and runways have been recreated to perfection. Static aircraft can be de-activated to make room for the AI traffic. Runway 03/21 in Lisbon has two special Rapid Exit Taxiways, RET‘s. These taxiways (HN and HS) allow the aircraft to leave the runway at high speed and are a nice new feature on this airport."

Update - DHC-6 Twin Otter X - "We found a problem with some of the textures of the Twin Otter and will upload a fix through the forum and the main page."

FREE - Flight Tales 1 - Demo Mission II - "If you got the FSX Acceleration Pack installed, we have a superb free mission for you. Very challenging and it would test your helicopter flying skills to the limit. There is a link to the mission on our main news page.

Tu-154M AI Project for FSX

Posted: Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 3:09
DBS Studio and Simlandmarks presents the Tu-154M AI Project for FSX. The Tupolev 154 is a remarkable aircraft and its FSX AI model incorporates the most advanced AI modelling up to date. The airframe is modelled with every small part as accurate as possible. Special XML coding is widely used to manage various animations and custom FXs. The package includes 'ready to go' real world, summer 08 AI flightplans for two major Tu-154M operators, Aeroflot - Russian Airlines and Rossiya - Russian Airlines(former Pulkovo) to ensure that you don't miss Tupolevs at some popular airports in Europe and Asia. Detailed description and screenshots can be found on the DBS Studio website.

FS2Crew A320 Updated

Posted: Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 3:03
FS2Crew announces that Service Update 2 is now available for the FS2Crew A320 Edition. This update transfers enhancements and fixes that were incorporated into the FS2Crew Airbus Special Edition into the FS2Crew A320 Edition. Important: This update should *not* be installed by FS2Crew Airbus Special Edition owners, so if you own an FS2Crew Airbus product double check which product you have first before installing. A320 Drivers may taxi to the FS2Crew website to obtain the update.

Fly Before You Buy Premier Collection Series

Posted: Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 2:58
Many years ago Abacus pioneered the first "fly before you buy" aircraft with their Premier Collection Series. The series has grown and now users can download and test fly free for up to 7 days any aircraft in their large fleet.

Abacus has been continuously adding new aircraft to the fleet. This week they have added three new aircraft to their already large selection available in the Premier Collection which has now grown to more than 75 aircraft. These aircraft are of all shapes, sizes and varieties - from the general aviation, military and commercial arenas. Here's some of the most recent planes:

Gippsland GA-8 Airvan
Adam 700 Jet
Cessna 185 Skywagon
Zenith CH801
B-2 Spirit
F16-C Fighting Falcon
Airbus A319
Beech 1900D

All of the aircraft in Abacus' Premier Collection Series are available immediately for free 7 day trial. The most recent additions are for both both FSX and FS2004 users. Simply go to their main website and click Download Now button.

Raildriver from P.I. Engineering

Posted: Friday, May 9, 2008 - 4:04
Senior staff reviewer Gene Davis travels IFR, I Follow Rails, as he looks at P.I. Engineering's Raildriver in concert with Microsoft's Train Simulator and a few add-ons. "A controller designed specifically for the use with train simulation. "How cool could this be?" I thought."

"The Raildriver unit looks a lot bigger in its pictures than it actually is, as it is only a little over half the length of a keyboard. That is probably a good thing though because it doesn’t end up taking a lot of desk space and can be tucked away neatly when not used. The unit is shipped with instructions and a drivers disc that includes drivers for Microsoft Train Simulator and the Trainz series along with a couple other train sims that are quite a few years old."

"Setting up the unit is easy. Simply plug in the USB cable into a USB port and install the necessary drivers. There is also a DC plug that drives the sound amplifier built into the unit and if you want to use it you must divert your main sound line into the unit and then run a second line to your sound system. Once the product drivers are installed, you will need to configure the unit for whatever sim you are going to use it with. This is just like setting up a joystick and takes about 10-15 minutes. The good news is once it is done, it is done."

Gene's review guides us through his trips through Switzerland and Germany using the Raildriver. "The realization is this, MSTS is old but it is good and offers a lot of replay ability with each new route that is released for it, especially with the Rail Driver unit. Had it not been for the Rail Driver unit I probably would not have gone back to MSTS, but it did make me realize how good it actually was."

FMC-CDU Pack2 Released

Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008 - 20:52
FriendlyPanels announces the release of their FMC-CDU Pack2 for FS9 AND FSX. A jetliner FMC style navigation system collection, this FMC pack 2 contains six FMC gauges (three for FS9 and three for FSX), all of them imitating the look of real aircraft FMCs, as Bombardier CRJ, DASH or ATR.

These gauges are general purpose FMC gauges and they don’t contain specific aircraft data pages as APPROACH, IDENT, TAKE OFF... so they can be used with ANY aircraft. The purpose of these gauges is to implement the FMC style you can find in many modern jetliners or business jets, using the flight plans created with Microsoft Flight Simulator FS9 or FSX, or any add-on which can export flight plans in the FS format. FriendlyPanels has eliminated the complex way in which you have to plan your flight in current commercial FMCs.

Some features of these gauges are; Follow a flight plan, fly direct to a FLP waypoint (by passing some of them) and continue from there, choose any waypoint in Microsoft's database to fly direct to without a flight plan loaded, select an arrival procedure for destination airport (if it’s implemented in Microsoft FS), follow the vertical navigation and IAS desired, display information concerning airports and navaids, display information concerning fuel and winds and much more! To see the user manual and for more inforamtion, visit FriendlyPanels.

Sky Blue Radio Turns One!

Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008 - 14:12
The volunteer staff at Sky Blue Radio are celebrating their first birthday as a dedicated broadcaster for the flight simulation and aviation communities and you are invited to come and enjoy a great weekend of entertainment.

As part of the celebrations SkyBlue will be having a weekend cram packed with live shows with over 60 hours of live DJ’s throughout the weekend and a great series of free prize giveaways and competitions from the simulation industries leading companies, such as Horizon Simulations, Captain Sim, Just Flight, Angle of Attack, Flight1, Vroute, France VFR, Space Shuttle Mission 2007 and World Flight Scotland.

With a great mix of music, FS and real world aviation news, great prizes to be won and live DJ’s, this all sums up into a weekend not to be missed.

Join them online at SkyBlueRadio and on your cockpit com2 radio (123.45) with Wee Tune Beastie, FS Inn, FS Co-pilot and now available through Vroute.

IRIS Releases F-20 Tigershark for FSX

Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008 - 14:09
So you sit down at the computer and start up FSX. Next thing you know your in the virtual seat of the new Iris Simulations F20 Tigershark. You've been briefed for a standard testflight which you feel will be anything but 'standard'. Opening the F-20's unique Ordnance Manager, you customise your F-20C to carry the ordnance YOU select, pylon by pylon and finally you're set. In the cockpit you busy yourself going through the detailed pre-flight procedures ensuring all the required systems are online and functional prior to starting the F-20C's Jet Fuel Starter and powering up the General Electric F404 Engine capable of supplying 18,000 lbs of thrust on your command!

Features include: 2048x2048 pixel bitmap masters resized to 1024x1024 pixels for all the paint schemes providing super sharp bumpmaps and amazing visuals across ALL graphics cards capable of running FSX, a unique ordnance manager allowing you to choose exactly what ordnance you wish to carry at your command, a soundset from Turbine Sound Studios with 360 degree sound panning customised specifically for FSX, a choice of over twelve paint schemes making use of the best art techniques available allowing for weathering and visual clarity on five specialised visual models and much more!

For more information or to tame the tiger yourself, head over to IRIS Simulations.

Cockpit Chatter from Flight 1

Posted: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 4:43
Staff reviewer Angelique van Campen no longer flies alone now that she has Flight 1's Cockpit Chatter installed. "Cockpit Chatter is used to control FSX and your aircraft through the use of your voice by means of an advanced user independent speech recognition engine. You can control aircraft systems, talk to a virtual copilot, interactively run aircraft checklists, and enhance your flight experience with just your voice. With no training required, Cockpit Chatter represents the most advanced speech recognition platform for use with Flight Simulator."

"Flying in Flight Simulator X becomes a completely new experience with the wonders of your virtual copilot. Speak to your copilot just like you would on a real aircraft, telling him to set the flaps, raise the gear, tune the radios, or set the autopilot functions. Interactively run a checklist with command and response; just like a real aircraft captain. Natural speech phraseology and speaker independent technology will never leave you feeling alone in the cockpit again."

Angelique takes you through the various steps of the program through text and screenshots with descriptive windows as she shows you how Cockpit Chatter completely changes the way you can fly your aircraft. "There are many MSFS programs where one way or another you are able to control something with your voice, but this program really the pushes envelope. It's an awesome product."

Alphasim Release SR-71 Blackbird For FSX

Posted: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 - 10:24
Phil Perrott from Alphasim has e-mailed to say that Alphasim has released their SR-71 Blackbird for Flight Simulator X (SP1/SP2/Acceleration). The package features an all new model – complete with new textures with bump-mapping, self-shadowing, and bloom effect. You are cleared for a high-speed cruise to Alphasim.

Sydney Professional from Commercial Level Simulations

Posted: Sunday, May 4, 2008 - 18:42
Staff reviewer Laurie Aston leaves Europe to head half way round the world to explore Commercial Level Simulations' Sydney (YSSY) Professional. "The airport's first runways were built in 1933. By the 1960s the need for a new international terminal had become apparent, and work commenced in late 1966. In the 1970s, the north-south runway was expanded to become one of the longest runways in the southern hemisphere. The international terminal was expanded in 1992 and has undergone several refurbishments since then."

"The Sydney YSSY scenery that is included in the default program is acceptable, but adding “Sydney Professional” makes a world of a difference. The terminal buildings are all in the right place, and are well placed. The taxi-ways are well defined and traffic within the airport is evident. Aircraft come and go and they are parked nicely in the right terminals and at the gates as well. The runways are detailed, all the runway crossing points are in evidence with marker boards just the way they should be, and the lighting is great."

Laurie comments, "CLS Sydney has a lot going for it, and I wish Aaron Clark all the success in continuing to improve Sydney YSSY, as a lot of his work does reflect a real difference from the default scenery. CLS Sydney is pretty good, but not nearly as good as it could be. However, the service pack will make it better."

Attention Cockpit Builders

Posted: Sunday, May 4, 2008 - 3:03
Good news for cockpit builders and other flight simmers. Flight Deck Software releases the first version of the Glass Flight Deck 737NG Suite. At this moment the suite contains all displays seen in the B737 NG series. The software runs on multiple computers over network or on a single computer. All gauges are available. Not all functionality is yet available: VNAV and VOR/LOC is disabled and some FMC pages are missing. The main reason for release is testing out the software. Everything is easily configurable at your own wish.

Frankfurt RealOps 2008 on VATSIM

Posted: Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 10:13
On the 10th of May, 2008 it is as real as it gets at Frankfurt Airport for 6 hours, with up to 20 controllers and more than 400 bookable flights. VACC-SAG simulates Frankfurt's real-world traffic on a busy Saturday afternoon. Pilots are invited to visit the newly designed RealOps 2008 event page and enjoy the great introduction trailer to put you in the mood for this major VATSIM event! Booking is open, and all participants are requested to read the procedures provided on the website very carefully.

AlphaSim B-24 Liberator

Posted: Friday, May 2, 2008 - 13:22
AlphaSim releases their B-24 Liberator: This package features both the glazed-nose B-24D and the turret-nosed B-24G/J and five texture sets which depict bare-metal, desert and olive drab schemes, all with carefully-drawn authentic nose art. This package debuts the AlphaSim 'Visual Load Editor' (VLE), an in-game graphical user interface where you can toggle on and off parts of the model such as the crew and bombload with the aircraft weight updated automatically as bombs are loaded or unloaded. The package is for both FS9 and FSX and a paintkit is also provided. For full details visit AlphaSim.

GMap for FSX

Posted: Friday, May 2, 2008 - 13:01
FSWidgets Releases GMap for FSX, a new freeware moving map. GMap for FSX displays your current position in Flight Simulator X on Google Maps,(Note: Google Maps should not be confused with Google Earth - the 3D virtual globe application). GMap is a stand-alone application, no additional files or software is required. It combines the existing technologies of Google Maps API, JavaScript, SimConnect and the Internet Explorer 7 plug-in to show your current FSX aircraft position, allowing you to also display FSX (and FS9) flight plans right on the map. To download this free moving map please visit FSWidgets .

XPax SP1 Released

Posted: Thursday, May 1, 2008 - 18:38
HiFi Simulation Software announces that XPax Service Pack 1 officially released today. All known issues have been solved and several improvements have been made. This is a recommended update for all XPax users. All new customers purchasing XPax will not be required to download the update as it is included in the new full download. XPax is a multimedia passenger simulation experience for Flight Simulator 9 and Flight Simulator X. For more information and to download the update visit HiFi Simulation.