Free Update For FSXPilot Now Available

Posted: Monday, January 7, 2008 - 22:51
Scientific Networks provides a new update for their FSXPilot. In this multifunctional autopilot for FSX it is now possible in flightplans to set the speedmode from knots to mach. The V/S (vertical speed) autopilot has been completely rewritten and uses the elevator trim for better stability. Please set your autopilot for FSXPilot for more detailed information.

Columbia 400 For FSX by Eaglesoft

Posted: Sunday, January 6, 2008 - 23:20
Senior staff reviewer Zane Gard recreates an actual flight while reviewing Eaglesoft's Columbia 400 for FSX. "On the heels of Eaglesoft releasing its Cirrus lineup of Avidyne Entegra equipped singles, they followed with the release of the Columbia 400."

"This isn’t just the FS9 version ported over to FSX, it is a full FSX SP1/SP2/DX10 compliant model utilizing FSX features. The smooth exterior lines, fluid animations, tasteful reflectivity of the exterior surfaces all make for a visual delight as you move around in spot view or use any of the included FSX external camera angles."

"The interior 3D model, or virtual cabin, is also a beauty to behold. This model won’t disappoint and if you are a VC junky, as many simmers are, you are going to enjoy flying this in the sim. 2D panels is where I can say Eaglesoft has a distinct way of making their art. They are a combination of photoreal and rendered. The Eaglesoft team recorded the sound set from an actual Columbia 400. The quality of these recordings is very good, so I can’t imagine anyone not being anything but pleased with the sounds."

If any of you are familiar with Flight Video Productions, you know they make videos of actual flights. In putting this aircraft through its paces, Zane recreates a flight from Bend, Oregon to Portland International and returns to Sun River, a popular resort just a few miles south of Bend. The flight goes into detail about the Columbia 400's flight characteristics. After putting the aircraft to bed, Zane comments, "Eaglesoft has another winner to add to its list of winners. I do like the Eaglesoft Columbia 400 for FSX and it will remain in my hanger."

AVSIM Seeks Linux Hotshots!

Posted: Sunday, January 6, 2008 - 22:04
Are you a Linux hotshot? Do you know your Apache from your Postfix, and your tcsh from your cron? Do you want to be a part of Flight Simulation's biggest and busiest website, and have the satisfaction of helping to bring thousands of people their "simulator fix" every day?

AVSIM Online is looking to fill two posts. Firstly, we are seeking a volunteer Linux systems administrator to step into our Technology Team. Previous management of a Linux server is an essential prerequisite, and past experience with industry-standard HTTP, FTP, SQL, SMTP and POP servers is highly desirable. PHP programming skills would also be a major bonus, but are not an absolute requirement.

We are also seeking a technology analyst, who must be resident in the DC or Northern VA area, with good experience in server hardware maintenance, hardware commissioning, and Linux systems administration and deployment. The postholder will be a contractor for AVSIM Online and will receive a negotiated hourly rate.

If you are interested, please contact AVSIM HR detailing your experience, and we will be in touch!

FSVisions New Article

Posted: Sunday, January 6, 2008 - 15:14
FSVisions is proud to offer another great article by Capt. Mike Ray. Capt. Ray writes about the "Cold and Dark" cockpit. For these and other informative articles please visit the FSVisions website.

ATR 72-500 From Flight 1

Posted: Sunday, January 6, 2008 - 2:42
Staff reviewer Angelique van Campen climbs out of the heavy metal and jumps into her short haul aircraft, Flight 1's ATR 72-500. This time the FSX version. "After consulting Flight1, they could tell me the FSX version is only made compatible for FSX, so it’s not a fully redesigned model."

"The overall look of the VC is very realistic but more important, the instruments are all easy to read, are very sharp and even the text on the panels is good. In one way or another, they created a VC which is the same as the FS2004 version. The 2D cockpit covers not just a standard captain’s cockpit view, but you can shift positions while looking at the captains, center and co-pilots panel."

"The ATR comes standard with three liveries, one from the ATR factory, Air Caraïbes and Atlantic Southeast Airlines. Additionally there are a few on the CD-ROM and many others can be found in the AVSIM library. I’m impressed with the external model."

As in her last review, Angelique takes the ATR 72-500 on a trip to test all the buttons, bells and whistles included with this release. You can read all the details of her trip in the review. "Conclusion, based on my feelings, not being a real ATR pilot and without having any motion like you have in a FFS (Full Flight Simulator), the ground and flight feelings/dynamics are very realistic. You can’t fly this aircraft like the default airplanes; you need to check your instruments constantly and when flying manually, external forces bring the aircraft out of its own stability. Flying the ATR is fun. It’s not that big, so you can takeoff and land at many airports where the big jets are not welcome."

"What shall I say … Flight 1's ATR 72-500 is awesome. Keeping in mind that the ATR package is only made compatible for FSX and the user gets both the FS2004 and FSX models, this release offers a highly detailed 2D and VC cockpit, the external model has lots of interesting details, and it gets a good to very good frame rate performance, even in FSX. This is a good and realistic presentation of the ATR 72.

Dreams Of Flight Wins Video Challenge

Posted: Saturday, January 5, 2008 - 14:21
The jury for the AirShowBuzz.com Video contest had to select between some spectacular submissions before choosing Brad Vaughn's Dreams of Flight, this breathtaking assembly of airshow footage shot during the 2007 season is a must see for all lovers of flight in any form during a season as filled with heartbreak as it was with triumph. Video and Brad's words.

Neuroflight Courchevel For FSX

Posted: Saturday, January 5, 2008 - 13:36
Neuroflight announced today that their Courchevel Airport scenery is now available for Flight Simulator X. Features include high resolution (LOD11)custom mesh for a real sloping runway, seasonal ground textures, Heliport with buildings, animated 3D objects and compatibility with Tile-Proxy. Details are available from Neuroflight

Airbus - Volume 2 from Wilco Publishing

Posted: Friday, January 4, 2008 - 7:05
Staff reviewer Angelique van Campen continues with the next release of Wilco Publishing's Airbus - Volume 2. "Due to the variety of the Wilco Publishing Airbus wide-bodies – A330-200, A330-300, A340-300, A340-600 and the A330 MRTT– it’s a little too much to write down all the characteristics of these types, so therefore I guide you to the official Airbus website."

"It’s always difficult when you, the reader, or I, the reviewer, wants to see what kind of 2D cockpit panel lay-out is created. Either we agree with a photorealistic panel image or we prefer to have a painted version, which looks very similar to the real A330/A340 panel. My first impression is that a lot of work was done in creating a good looking and realistic painted panel, which looks very similar to other Wilco products like the A320 Family, the 737PIC, Embraer ERJ 450, Legacy and the Cessna CitationX."

"Normally, a good looking 2D panel doesn’t guarantee an impressive looking VC. But in this case, I have to admit that the VC looks very good but more important, very realistic. The overall impression and thus conclusion of the offered Airbus Volume 2 “2D and VC cockpits” is very good. I like the way they have designed the 2D cockpit and the realistic/photographic VC look."

"I have the option to compare the Wilco model with the CLS (Commercial Level Simulations) A330-200/300 and A340-300 airplanes. Keeping that in mind, the overall look of both manufactured models are more or less the same. But when looking closely to certain details like rivets on any surface, panels, dirty stripes or spots, gear details, windows and many others, we do see differences in quality."

Angelique goes on to conduct a test flight in an A330-200. She describes the flight from start-up, through taxi, take-off, cruise, approach and landing, and back to the cold and dark state of the cockpit. "As far as my knowledge goes and what I’ve seen during this partly manual flight, I’m very satisfied with this product. In my opinion it reflects a good simulated Airbus A330 or A340." Summing up the complete series of aircraft in Wilco Publishing's Airbus - Volume 2, she says, "I can come to only one conclusion and that is that the Wilco Publishing Airbus Volume 2 is worth your money. I think with the help of the screenshots, you have got a good idea about this product. I hope with this review you now have a good impression about the pro’s and con’s of the product."

ISG Gauge Upgrade Released

Posted: Thursday, January 3, 2008 - 20:42
Ernie Alston of Integrated Simavionics Group 1 (ISG1) has announced that the add-on gauges for FS9, and FSX ver 1.4 upgrade have been released. This upgrade integrates a Honeywell/Boeing style Navigation Display, and Smiths style Flight Management Computer into the ISG1 gauge set. This update also provides fixes for some minor reported issues. All gauges can be selectively mixed and matched into the aircraft/panel of your choice. This is a free upgrade for previous ISG1 customers. ISG gauges are available at http://www.isgsim.com

SimTube Announces Video Contest

Posted: Wednesday, January 2, 2008 - 13:55
Video partner SimTube has announced their second video contest. Cason Farmer of SimTube writes, "SimTube has launched its second video contest! We have a very interesting theme that we think will bring out the Bushman in us all! The theme of the contest will be "Back Country". The video must center around back country flying, such as small mountain airfields in Alaska, small swampy strips in Louisiana, etc. The creator has artistic freedoms to create a video that will embrace this theme, however the content will be reviewed by SimTube staff." For more information and other details, visit the SimTube Contest Site.

Curtiss P-40 from Shockwave Productions

Posted: Tuesday, January 1, 2008 - 20:34
Staff reviewer Alan Bradbury kicks off the new year with an in-depth review of Shockwave's Curtiss P-40, from the Wings of Power II series. "Shockwave Productions specialize in producing add-on military aircraft for Microsoft’s Flight Simulator, although that’s certainly not all they do. You’ll find they make stuff for Combat Flight Simulator, so this developer certainly knows about combat aircraft add-ons."

"Shockwave chose to include two variants of the P-40 in their package, with two paint schemes for each one, however, these are actually more than simple repaints with no other changes. Care has been taken to ensure they have the correct cockpit equipment and other details specific to the aircraft portrayed. Other differences in the models include some stuff you might easily miss. The guns are textured differently on the non-US service variants, to reflect their different armament, and it’s more than just a quick and dirty repaint-fest in the set of aircraft you get."

"The VC every bit as well done as the exterior modeling, and it pans nice and smoothly too with TrackIR. Pretty much every switch works, and although some of that is limited by the capabilities of FSX into being just for show, everything is in the right place and moves in exactly the right way, having the exactly correct movement and correct amount of throw. There’s no 2D cockpit on this thing, which I can’t say I’m sorry about, because the virtual cockpit is marvelous."

"Like the real thing, the P-40 is easy to handle on the ground, with – unlike most other ‘40s fighters - a comfortably wide track main gear. As a result, there’s none of that panic about scraping a wingtip that you get on WW2 fighters blessed with a narrow track landing gear when you give them some juice to turn around. I have to say that the flight model impressed me hugely, it feels very ‘right’ and yet it’s actually not that hard to keep it on the centerline of the runway while you roll along building flying speed. I can confirm that once the wheels are up the Shockwave P-40 is bang on the money as far as normal performance goes."

As mentioned, Alan goes into great detail into this aircraft's performance as he puts it thorugh its paces. He concludes his review of the P-40 with, "Shockwave has managed to bring us a true rendition of an aircraft that people most likely don’t realize was actually as good as this. It would have been easy for Shockwave to simply follow the crowd and produce a simulation of the P-40 that merely served to continue the myths of this aircraft’s poor showing, but that’s not for them, they’ve proved once again that accuracy is their hallmark. You’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t check it out for yourself."

IVAO releases Virtual Sky Magazine

Posted: Tuesday, January 1, 2008 - 14:36
IVAO released today their first issue of their official magazine, Virtual Sky. Dedicated to the online flight simulation community, it offers articles on virtual flying and controlling. You may download your free copy HERE.

FS Recorder for FSX Released

Posted: Monday, December 31, 2007 - 18:52
FS Recorder for FSX released Finally after six beta versions FS Recorder 1.3 for FSX is now available for download. There is also a minor update for the FS2004 version to v1.32 available. Furthermore, two commandline conversion tools are now available to convert flights recorded with FS Recorder into text files and vice versa. FS Recorder is a freeware add-on module available for FS2004 and FSX. It allows recording and playback of flights, similar to the instant replay and video recorder built into FS, but with a lot more features. The recorded flights can be played back either using the user's aircraft or as AI traffic, which allows you to fly formations with yourself. The FS2004 version additionally includes advanced view features to give you more freedom when watching your flight. Get your copy at the FS Recorder site.

Fly The Boeing 717-200 For FSX

Posted: Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 14:08
Fly The B717-200 X for FSX is now available for purchase. This all new version includes a set of 25 new missions and adventures to enhance your flying experience. Includes fifteen liveries, a printed users guide and a charts book in the boxed edition. Previous FS9 registered users can also upgrade to the new FSX version at a special price. For more information, including screenshots and a video clip, please visit FS2000.

Vancouver + For FSX from FSAddon

Posted: Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 1:14
Senior staff reviewer Jeff Shyluk stays locked in his hometown as he explores FSAddon's Vancouver+ for FSX. He adds a new element to this review with a personal interview with product developer Holger Sandman, as both Jeff and Holger were in attendance at this year's Conference and Exhibition in Seattle.

"FSAddon is a small third-party developer with some big ideas. Their latest creation is Vancouver+, a beautiful re-working of the city of Vancouver, Canada. This is a fully featured add-on that utilizes LOD11 custom mesh, landclass, photoreal textures and three-dimensional models. AI aircraft, boats, and land traffic are included as well. Vancouver+ extends far past the boundaries of Metro Vancouver, the main population center. Mountains, rivers, fields, and valleys are rendered in a rectangle 200 by 150 kilometers (124 x 93 miles), well past Vancouver's boundaries. High altitude lakes are carefully placed in this region, and they will even freeze over in the winter."

"The scenery includes two popular regional airports in detail, plus literally dozens more are spruced up as well. The two airports that get the full treatment are CYPK (Pitt Meadows) and CYNJ (Langley). CYVR, the Vancouver International Airport, is left untouched by Vancouver+, though. Heliports, floatplane bases, and unlisted airstrips are sprinkled throughout the region, and are there for you to discover. "

"There are hundreds of fine-tuned details in Vancouver+ that makes this add-on especially attractive for sim pilots who like to explore rugged terrain in FSX. If you like big-city transport hubs, small regional airstrips, a glacial lake at the base of a mountain, or a private airstrip with a log cabin as your base of operations, you will find all this and more in Vancouver+"

"The Vancouver+ add-on is virtually bug-free, and it runs well on Windows XP, Vista, and in FSX SP1 or SP2. This version of Vancouver+ is for FSX only, and not FS9. It is compatible with other scenery packages, including the freeware Victoria+. If Vancouver+ has a downside, it's that it takes up a large amount of hard drive space, and using it will probably cost you a small amount of frame rate."

"I highly recommend Vancouver+ for FSX to sim aviators, especially anybody fond of exploration in flight. I have spent hours upon hours over this virtual countryside, and there's an incredible wealth of things to see and do in Vancouver+. Beyond being gorgeous, a lot of effort has been made to make this add-on immersive and thought provoking. Following the links in the manual and the suggested pre-saved flights will give any avid user many more hours of discovery and adventure: you can check out the history, culture, and geography of Vancouver on-line, and then you can see for yourself what it looks like in Vancouver+. This is a very high-quality add-on that might just spoil you for flying anywhere else in the virtual world."

DreamScenery Indianapolis X Released

Posted: Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 12:41
DreamScenery has released the FSX version of KIND , building upon the 2005/6 products to include increased resolution and adding the complete range of large buildings and local landmarks in photoreal textures. Dreamscenery Indianapolis X is highly customizable, control how the scenery looks, match the capabilities of your system and get a better performance. Using the display options application allows you to set up which details and features are to be rendered as well as the number of them and quality. Choose between having the airport parking lots with parked cars , if the depicted Airport Garage Building will be the textured one or the 3D one with its interiors also rendered. For full details visit the Dreamscenery Website

Latest Aerosoft Releases

Posted: Friday, December 28, 2007 - 18:43
Lukla X - Mount Everest - How about a product that we guarantee will frustrate you? Lukla certainly will do so as you attempt to land there. In fact we have not seen ANY pilot who was able to make the first landing there without serious problems and/or crashes. The runway is located at nine thousand feet, is seriously sloped and ends in a solid stone wall. Yet it is an important airport for the many tourists and climbers who want to climb Mount Everest. The scenery includes Lukla with all its houses, a few other places you can land (we would not call them airfields) and Mount Everest. It features textures down to centimeter size, full FSX design including scenery sounds, bumpmaps etc. Be ready to be frustrated but the moment you master this landing you know you are a better pilot.

Piper Cheyenne X - Digital Aviation delivered the Cheyenne for FSX this week and while the aircraft was a major hit in FS2004, the FSX version looks a lot better and adds a fully functional weather radar. Of course all the
FS2004 functions made the transition to FSX.

Airport Enhancement Services 1.93 - Version 1.93 adds new airports but above anything else, you can now have your aircraft de-iced. This new option works on all airports that are covered by AES. It looks incredible and completes the service fleet that AES will add to FS2004.

Screenshotworld.com Arriving Soon

Posted: Friday, December 28, 2007 - 15:50
screenshotworld.com will be arriving 1st January 2008, Chris W. Balmer says “screenshotworld.com will be a forum-based site for ‘as-is’, edited, and composite artwork from any flight simulator. The site will provide tutorials for those who wish to learn new skills - or even improve their existing skills - regardless of software being used.” Chris goes onto say “The site will open with a competition sponsored by Captain Sim, whereby the winner can select any product from the Captain Sim product line-up.” Make your way over to Screenshot World for more information.

LaGuardia (KLGA) from ImagineSim

Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2007 - 22:30
New staff reviewer Etienne Martin submits his first review, ImagineSim's LaGuardia (KLGA), which has been updated for FSX. "At 680 acres, LaGuardia is the smallest of the three airports serving the New York City metropolitan area. Its two 7,000’ runways, 4 terminals and 72 gates serve among others Delta Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier, JetBlue, US Airways and Air Canada."

"The marine terminal, the main terminal with its four concourses, the US Airways and Delta terminals are depicted faithfully. Located on a strip of land between the Grand Central Parkway and the East River, the airport is void of much greenery. It favors the utility of concrete, heavy fencing, blast shields and 40s-era hangars mixed in with modern terminal buildings. The ground textures are particularly well done, especially up close. The ground shows the appropriate wear and tear expected for a well traveled airport."

"LGA for FSX does not use the animated jetways found in FSX. The scenery only has a handful of selected gates that have FS9 style animated jetways triggered only when you enter a special frequency in the nav radio with your aircraft at the door. Each gate either has a parking system or the “2D” ground crew, or both. Each responds appropriately to the aircraft position as it nears the gate and helps guide the pilot to the proper parking position."

"While slower than the default scenery, I didn’t notice a significant drop in performance. I did notice significantly higher levels of traffic, both airport and airline in the FSX version compared to similar traffic levels selected in the FS9 version. As with other large airports, this add-on can lead to very slow frame rates if the AI traffic is high."

Concluding his tour around LaGuardia, Etienne remarks, "Imagine Sim provides a faithful rendition of the LaGuardia airport and a significant improvement over the default scenery. The level of detail is pleasing without a major hit to performance, although at the cost of simplified building textures and low outlying detail outside of the airport flight area. The tarmac itself is nicely done with detailed markings, with static and moving objects."

Seahawk X & Jayhawk X from Aerosoft

Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 - 22:25
Senior staff reviewer David Wilson-Okamura departs for sea as he test flies Aerosoft's Seahawk X and Jayhawk X. "The Sikorsky Seahawk, a version of the U.S. Army’s Blackhawk helicopter, has been used by the U.S. Navy for reconnaissance, antisubmarine warfare, search and rescue, communications relay, and transport since the early 1980s. A Coast Guard version, which performs similar tasks, is called the Jayhawk."

"There’s a lot of detail here, both in the 3D modeling and in the skinning. The package comes with fourteen liveries, including one for the U.S. Coast Guard, one for the Japanese Navy, one for the Spanish Navy, one for the Greek Navy, two for the Australian Navy, and eight for the U.S. Navy. The Seahawk and Jayhawk can both be parked on ships, so to save valuable deck space, they can both fold up to about half their normal footprint."

"There are other good-looking helicopters for FSX: for example, the Agusta Westland EH-101 that comes with Acceleration. To my knowledge, though, there is no other helicopter product that even comes close to this one in the department of cockpit systems and avionics. How often is it that more realistic is actually easier to fly? Not often, but apparently this is one of those times."

"On the pedestal, there are two control display units (CDUs), which are similar in appearance to the FMS in a jetliner. The two units are independent, so you can display a different page of data on each one. The main instrument panel is dominated by two large LCDs, with some analogue gauges for backup. The Seahawk and Jayhawk are both heavy machines, which tends to dampen their movement and make them less skittish than, say, the default Robinson."

Concluding his naval aviator tour, David says, "Personally, I’m satisfied: while it’s challenging to fly the Seahawk/Jayhawk, you can start having fun with them right away. If you have tried helicopters before, and given up because they were too hard, this one is less hard. Once you get the hang of it, there is a real feeling of accomplishment, and you can land on other platforms (such as building rooftops) with more confidence, because you’ve already mastered the more difficult skill of landing on a ship."