FS2Crew For PMDG 747 Released

Posted: Friday, November 16, 2007 - 20:23
FSX PMDG 747 Captains please note, FS2Crew has just released its new FSX Upgrade for its PMDG 747 Edition. FS2Crew has also announced the names of the PMDG 747 FSX Contest winners in the FS2Crew forum. Using real-world airline SOPs, FS2Crew develops custom designed flight, cabin and ground crew simulations that are custom fitted to work with select 3rd party and default aircraft. FSX PMDG 747 Captains are cleared via direct to FS2Crew to download the product.

ImagineSim Releases KMCI For FSX

Posted: Friday, November 16, 2007 - 19:26
ImagineSim has released KMCI (Kansas City) for FSX! In addition to the FS2004 version, KMCI Kansas City can now be used with Microsoft's latest Flight Simulator; FSX. There is a demo you can try on the ImagineSim web site as well as the full version. KMCI customers who already own the FS2004 version get the FSX version free! There is also a small update available for original customers. See ImagineSim for details.

FScene Releases Total Pack

Posted: Friday, November 16, 2007 - 13:12
FScene has released the final Total Pack of replacement textures for flight sim. An all-world pack of replacement textures, FScene TotalPack, is a complete FScene4X + FScene for FS9 Collection. The FScene program replaces thousands of ground-textures with new texture files specially designed to match the characteristics of the landscape on the different continents. A special drawing technique applied to the textures gives them almost the impression of being three-dimensional.

FScene writes, "frame rate-friendly textures won't slow your flying down. FScene includes spring, summer, autumn, winter and hard-winter textures to give your flying a makeover that lasts all year." For full information about the FScene TotalPack visit Ruud Faber's website FScene.

Mission: Blackhawk from Abacus

Posted: Friday, November 16, 2007 - 3:05
Staff reviewer Robert Mariano takes on a variety of adventures with Abacus' Mission: Blackhawk for FSX. "In all of these missions, you play the role of the brave helicopter pilot; be it Marines, Air Force, Army or Coast Guard."

"The six missions and six variations of the Blackhawk helicopter that are included will keep you busy for a while. You will do a lot of flying over the ocean, land on oil rigs, drop cargo and paratroopers, avoid enemy fire, and rescue hurricane victims as well as hostages. The weather varies from nice and sunny to windy and rainy, and challenges your flying skills accordingly. The scenery for the missions is well done, and it serves the purpose adequately."

"You get several variations of the Blackhawk helicopter. They all share the same panel, virtual cockpit and flight dynamics seem very similar. On the other hand, you will get six distinct exterior models and you can also use those during freeflight in FSX. The instruments that come with the panel are a mix of standard gauges and military green LCD’s. The sounds of the helicopter mesh in well with the special mission voice-overs."

Robert concludes, "Mission: Blackhawk is an interesting add-on for those of you who like helicopters and the mission part of the FSX. The six missions get progressively more challenging and provide good entertainment for some time. This package is exactly what it claims to be, and I had fun running it within FSX."

Microsoft Announces ESP

Posted: Friday, November 16, 2007 - 2:36
Microsoft today announced plans for a new visual-simulation platform that will enable the innovative use of visual simulation. Dubbed Microsoft ESP, simulations built on the platform will help government, commercial and academic organizations apply immersive games-based technology and interactive learning experiences to improve work-force readiness and increase operational excellence.

Available in January 2008, Microsoft ESP enables the innovative use of visual simulation for immersive learning and decision-making, supports PC-based commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software, and enables simulations to be built faster and more cost-effectively.

Taking advantage of years of investment in the Microsoft Flight Simulator series, Microsoft ESP allows partners and developers to focus on creating compelling and differentiated Windows-based solutions that go beyond entertainment and are consistent with the industry’s move toward serious games and games-based learning as training tools. The initial version of the platform focuses on Microsoft’s established strength and expertise in aviation capabilities and is targeted to military and commercial aviation audiences.

According to Microsoft Corp., Microsoft ESP provides a PC-based simulation engine, a comprehensive set of tools, applications programming interfaces, documentation to support code development, content integration and scenario-building capabilities, along with an extensive base of world content that can be tailored for custom solutions. Partners and developers can add structured experiences or missions, content such as terrain and scenery, scenarios, and hardware devices to augment existing solutions, or they can build and deploy new solutions that address the mission-critical requirements of their customers.

“With over half of today’s work force having grown up playing immersive computer-based games, businesses, governments, trade schools and universities are seeking affordable solutions that enable immersive learning experiences,” said Shawn Firminger, studio manager for the Microsoft ACES Studio at Microsoft. “Improving training and learning outcomes is an important goal of most organizations. Microsoft ESP makes it easy and cost-effective for organizations to apply the advantages of games-based technology to serious learning and training endeavors.”

To support high-fidelity, dynamic, 3-D immersive experiences, Microsoft ESP includes geographical, cultural, environmental and rich scenery data along with tools for placing objects, scenery and terrain customization, object activation, special effects, and environmental controls including adjustable weather. Realistic land, sea and air environments enable fully immersive experiences that can be used for the following:

-Flight training and rehearsal. Includes cockpit familiarization, checklists and cockpit flows, and capability-based training such as aerial refueling and basic sortie

-Preparedness and decision-making. Includes experiences such as allowing a pilot to pre-fly a new route or become more familiar with new terrain, approach patterns and weather patterns

-Research and development modeling. Allows a user to visualize ideas, create mockups of cockpits or instrument panels, design specs in 3-D, and evaluate runway configurations or lighting schemes

-Simulations built on the Microsoft ESP platform can take advantage of an extensive set of capabilities to create dynamic, immersive environments, including the following:

-Configurable weather model. Includes user-adjustable weather conditions, limitless variations using four cloud types, wind-speed and directional controls, visibility effects and precipitation modeling, or use of near-real-time weather from an external data source feed

-Extensive scene generation and scenery support. Has support for up to five seasons including hard winter, continuous time of day, night textures and scenery support including automatic fill-in

-After-Action Review. Allows for effective performance playback and analysis.

-Support of standardized data sources. Supports Digital Elevation Model data, vector data, WGS-84 datum, METAR weather data, dynamic objects, Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and others

-Multiplayer functionality and Internet support including Voice over IP. Allows up to 30 people to interact around the world using a peer-to-peer broadband connection

For more information, Visit Microsoft.

ATR 72-500 From Flight 1

Posted: Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 2:09
Developed in co-operation with the original aircraft manufacturer, this ATR 72-500 is the ultimate simulation of one of the world's most popular regional turboprop aircraft. With sounds recorded from the actual aircraft at the factory to flight testing by ATR and airline pilots, the Captain's seat has never felt more real! Over 15,000 man-hours of development make this one of the finest simulations ever for Flight Simulator.

This release features: Multiple high quality instrument panel options let you fly the ATR from either seat. Be the First Officer or take command; smooth animations in the virtual cockpit, you'll believe you are sitting in the real aircraft; accurate aircraft systems are fully modelled - including an ultra-realistic Flight Management System for the ultimate in realism; from the tip of the nose to the tail and everything in between, inside and out this ATR is exquisitely detailed with photo-realistic modelling; and a configuration manager allows you to set up the many options, from cabin layout to fuel and loading. The Text-o-Matic editor allows you to import almost any real-life airline livery free of charge or create your own!
Now updated and flying better than ever, this aircraft works and flies beautifully in both Flight Simulator 2004 and FSX.
For more information about the ATR 72-500 visit the Flight 1 website.

Aerosoft Releases 2 New Titles

Posted: Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 2:02
Fly tourists to the Frisian island Sylt and then follow the chain of small islands along the East Frisian coast. Or fly the daily mail run to the small islands, even if the weather over the North Sea shows its ugly side. German Airfields 1 - Island Hopping is the perfect environment for your flight adventures. Designed to fit perfectly into Aerosoft’s other German scenery this is the first release of the ‘German Airfields’ range and created by the best designers we could find. German Airfields will cover the best known GA airfields and smaller regional airports like Essen Mülheim and Berlin-Tempelhof.

15 high detailed Airfields. Special Features: Detailed island scenery for Wangerooge, Langeoog, Baltrum, Juist, Borkum and Norderney with all landmarks needed for your VFR navigation; Local AI traffic; High detail photographical ground textures, down to 5 cm resolution; Specially designed mission (German voice only); English and German manual; VFR charts for the airfields;
Free bonus included: Pellworm airfield and the island Spiekeroog.

Any release from the famous German Airports team is a newsworthy item and their German Airports 2 - Dortmund airport is certainly worth a look. Not only is it technically close to perfection, it also feels right, with just the right amount of traffic and vehicles (AES Lite is included and the airport IS already supported buy the last AES version).

This release features: Airport layout based on official maps and build on 1 meter areal images; Hundreds of taxiway signs and runway details; AI-Traffic compatible. AFCAD file contains every possible gate. Gates are assigned to specific airlines; Full night textures; Seasonal textures; and Car traffic on nearby autobahn.

Mooney 201 M20J For FS2004

Posted: Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 1:34
This aircraft has superior textures (internal and external) than any other Carenado aircraft. The 3D model has a better relationship between details and polygons, aircraft curves are softer improving the quality of the visual model. FPS was not harmed.

Standard model - IFR certification – four-places – Low wing - tricycle landing gear – 3 variations and blanc textures – maximum details and realistic 3 textures kit. Includes: Interactive virtual cockpit – Full moving parts: Ailerons, elevators, rudders, flaps and trim tab – Animated Cowl Flaps – RAM air operative - Rolling wheels – Opening doors –Animated Sun Visor– FS2004 lights: Navigation lights, beacons, landing lights – Full dynamic effects (shines over the body and panel, nightlights) – Dynamic shine and reflections – Custom Mooney's Sounds – Transparent windows – 3D modeled full pilot's animation and cockpit area – Real Propeller – Many details as: pitot pressure chamber, antennas, chocks, fuel caps, pitot tube cover, Control Lock, Baggage Area – Custom panel and gauges – Built-in Zoom Gauges and digital readout features – Realistic light effects on gauges – window's reflections – Nightlight effects on panel – Yoke –Toggle yoke at VC – Panel Manager – Extra Keypad – Normal Checklist – Emergency Checklist – Performance information – Realistic performance based on Mooney's documents and experimented Mooney's pilot observations and our own experience on real flight and MFS – Similar behavior compared with the actual airplane – Real weight and balance.

FriendlyPanels Boeing 777-300 Pack v4.0 For FS9/FSX

Posted: Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 1:27
FriendlyPanels Boeing 777-300 Pack consists of; Two 2D panels for B777-300 for FSX and FS9; All gauges visible in an only screen (except for FMC, that requires a separate windows) keeping an excellent readabilty; Aircraft Virtual Cockpits adapted as far as possible; Antialiasing vectorial MFD/PFD which includes Autopilot annunciators, IAS trend indication, radio height and ground speed readout; Vectorial MFD with multiple screen modes. Displays indication of distance to reach altitude selected in autopilot; GPWS and Traffic Info (FSX version only) -Lateral and vertical navigation implemented via FMC; and an FMC that can manage flight plans created with Microsoft Flight Simulator FS9 or FSX, or any add-on which can export flight plans in the FS format.

They have eliminated the complex way in what you have to plan your flight in current commercial FMCs implemented in some of the commercial airliners existing for Microsoft Flight Simulator but keeping the feeling of a real FMC-CDU. The FMC-CDU features: Follow a flight plan; Flight direct to a FLP waypoint (bypassing the ones wanted) and continue from there; Choose any waypoint in Microsoft database to flight direct to without a flight plan loaded; Select an Arrival procedure for destination airport; Follow lateral and vertical navigation desired, speeds and altitudes; Automatic calculation of vertical navigation (airspeeds and altitudes); Display a lot of different information concerning airports and navaids; Display information concerning fuel and winds; and Pass VOR, ADF and COM frequencies from navaids or airports to aircraft radios. Complete details can be found at the FriendlyPanels website.

McPhat Studios Repaints Vol 2 A330/A340

Posted: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 18:21
In a press release, McPhat Studios says they have teamed up with Wilco to provide repaints exclusively for the A330 and A340 Volume 2 developed by Feelthere and published by Wilco.

For more details head on over to McPhat Studios and get your free repaints!

AlphaSim Releases CH-53A Sea Stallion

Posted: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 15:07
AlphaSim releases the Sikorsky CH-53A Sea Stallion for FS9 and FSX! Three USMC and two German Army liveries are included.

"The Pavelow cockpit and panel have been replaced with the older type version, complete with amazingly realistic gauges. In the effects department, a subtle smoke trail adds realism and all the Pavelow animations are there, with the bonus of a folding tail! The FS9 version has the usual VC rain fX but also benefits from a lowerable winch cable. FSX of course excels with the self shadowing, bump mapping and reflection bloom FX, as well as VC self shadowing for users of FSX Service Pack 2 (requires DX10, Vista). Sounds are from the Pavelow, the flight dynamics have been given the necessary tweaks to depict this older Sikorsky."

For more details, head over to AlphaSim's hangar.

Feelthere Releases "Call" For 737 PIC

Posted: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 14:45
Feelthere has released a new utility for their 737 PIC. "Call" incorporates a virtual first officer and flight attendant with the appropriate checklists and cabin safety announcements.

For more information, visit the Feethere site.

SimTube Partners with AVSIM

Posted: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 13:24
One of the many benefits of the AVSIM FANCON gathering is the ability of vendors, developers and community members to meet and discuss the community and how to improve it. That is exactly what took place between AVSIM and SimTube, the Flight Simulation Community's video showcase. Discussions took place between SimTube and AVSIM management and it was agreed that the benefits of having a single video repository for the flight simulation community was not only important, but one which AVSIM would happily support. We are happy to announce that SimTube and AVSIM have partnered to bring you a single showcase online presence for all things flight simulation video related. We hope you enjoy the service and we look forward to tying in more and more videos to AVSIM's daily offering as well as within the forums. To see SimTube in action, go here or click on the link above.

XB-70 Valkyrie from AlphaSim

Posted: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 3:47
Staff reviewer Marc Radford closes in on Mach 3 as he reviews AlphaSim's XB-70 Valkyrie. "The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was designed to be a super fast, Mach 3 nuclear bomber for the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command in the 1950s."

"What a beautiful looking airplane the XB-70 Valkyrie is and very unique to any other airplane. The landing gear folds down like normal in the first phase, then the whole bottom wheels turn 90 degrees straight; this over complicated landing gear caused quite a few problems during flight testing."

"The 2D Cockpit looks great, a large number of old style instruments fill the panel. The throttle panel is ok, and the engine shut off switches operate as expected, however, with the more simplified procedure list you will not be using them. The autopilot also matches closer to the design of the plane. The VC Cockpit quality looks really good and is quite clear."

"The most important thing to note in this review, "this plane is not for everyone". After putting in a handful of hours with the Valkyrie, I was really starting to love this plane. Aside from the engine start checklist not being used, the rest of the checklist is very important to be followed or else you will wind up taking many unexpected sky diving adventures. So what is so hands on about it? The throttle, as warned in the documentation, can easily get ahead of you and this plane does not have an airbrake, so slowing down quickly can be difficult resulting in an over speed crash."

Marc sums up the Valkyrie with "the XB-70 is really a great plane to fly, I was very impressed with the amount of hands on this plane requires. My personal opinion is that this plane does align to AlphaSim’s streamlined procedure list, but there is also quite a bit of plane here to fly."

Voting Open for FANCON 2008 Location!

Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 21:14
FANCON 2007 is just two short days behind us, but the AVSIM Staff are already hard at work putting together FANCON 2008. We have some ideas of course as to where the 2008 event should be held, and in fact, we took an informal poll of the attendees of our Saturday night Awards Banquet at this last weekend's event. But, only 300 attendees were there out of over 50,000 readers a day of AVSIM's front page. So, we would like to also hear from the rest of you! Place your vote here for the FANCON 2008 location!

Scholarships Awarded At FanCon

Posted: Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 18:24
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Prescott Campus) conducted the annual "Fly Off" competition at this year's AVSIM Conference and Exhibition. They utilized the Carrier scenario from Microsoft's Acceleration package.

Using new software to measure and rank the contestant's performance, winners were identified and awarded a variety of scholarships to the University. The scholarship winners were:

5th place - Ryan Halmich (youngest participant) - $5000
4th place - Dan Winstanley - $2500
3rd place - Ben Graham - $3000
2nd place - Joseph Panford - $4000 (towards his Master's Degree) and a nVidia graphics card
1st place - Andrew Caldarone - $5000, nVidia graphics card and a Go-Flight radio stack.

Thanks to all of the participants in the competition. This was one of the busiest displays during the Exhibition.

Live From Seattle...The Winners Are....

Posted: Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 17:36
Last night at the Annual Awards Banquet the winners of the prestigious "Bravo Zulu" awards and the Reader's Choice Awards were presented.

The BZ recipients, as chosen by the AVSIM Staff, were:

Commercial Aircraft - Level-D 767 by Level-D;
GA Aircraft - Taildragger Collection by RealAir Simulations;
Scenery - German Airports 2-Munster-Osnabruck by Aerosoft;
Utility - Active Sky X by HiFi Simulations;
Freeware - Simshed;
Hardware (Tie) - Track IR 4 Pro by Natural Point Technologies Inc and Digital TripleHead2Go by Matrox Graphics; and
Special Achievement - FSUIPC by Peter Dowson.

Your choices for recognition of excellence were:

Freeware Original Aircraft - 747-400 by IFly;
Freeware Scenery - Glacier Bay V2 by Holger Sandmann's team;
Freeware Utility - GDI & Radar Gauge by Eric Marciano;
Freeware "Other" - The History of Flight Simulator by Jos Grupping;
Commercial Aircraft - 747-400 by PMDG;
Commercial Utility - Radar Contact V4-3 by JDT LLC; and
Commercial Scenery - St Maarten by Fly Tampa.

The house was full, with most of the award recipients present to receive their hardware and the accolades of their fans and peers. AVSIM thanks the vendors for their continued support in providing new product for the AVSIM team to review, and you, our readers, for your continued support to the AVSIM Library.

FanCon 2007 First Photos!

Posted: Saturday, November 10, 2007 - 21:37
It's been a fantastic day so far! All vendors are enjoying the fans coming through, seeing each other face to face, and finally putting faces to names! Enjoy the early photos from the show, and you still have time to make it and see your favorites! Register at the door for the whole weekend! Enjoy the photos here!