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Bear's Cave
The world of Flight Simulators
short reviews by Steve "Bear" Cartwright
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Well, it has been a month since my last posting of my Bear Picks and like the month of March, April has brought all of us FS users another long list of high quality scenery, aircraft, panel, and utility freeware addons. There have been many record breaking days where over 60 to 70 new files have been uploaded into the AVSIM library and this is just making my job of only picking 10 files so impossible that I have once again resorted to the second month in a row of picking 20 files for highlighting! Like last month, this has been another banner month for my awards as well, with 18 files receiving my Bear Approved Stamp and 3 receiving my Bear Gold Award!
Rebiechowo/Gdansk Poland
by Tadeusz Zukowski / Jarema Kobielak
epgdv2.zip
uploaded 30-March-2002
3,550Kb
FS2002 Scenery
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My first pick for April is, if you haven't noticed, a file that was uploaded in March, but because last month was so full of great files I simply quit checking files when there was still a couple of days left to go in that month. As events would have it, one file that was uploaded on Saturday the 30th of March, by Tadeusz Zukowski and Jarema Kobielak, was so good of the airport (scenery) located at Rebiechowo, Poland, I decided to include it into this month's (April) picks.
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This scenery is a complete rebuild of the airport located at Rebiechowo (as compared to the default scenery) and these two fellows didn't stop at the airport either, as they have included the main area power line towers, freeways and freeway signs, trees (by Gerrish Gray) surrounding the area, fence lines, etc. Then you add the highly detailed and extraordinarily accurate airport scenery that they have built around the default AI aircraft movements. Their design work includes improved airport buildings, added taxiways, 3D cars in the front parking lot, static aircraft (the majority in the livery of LOT airlines), airport equipment; in other words, just about everything you would expect to find at Rebiechowo and little bit more. I found this scenery add-on package to be very real-world appearing, as much of the scenery packages are becoming for FS2002—and this is one I highly recommend you take a look at, even if Rebiechowo is not your normal port of call. It's my belief that this scenery is worth downloading and installing just to take a look at the excellent design work of these two fellows. ...Bear!
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The Spirit of St. Louis
by Alan Kaiser
spiritofstlouis.zip
uploaded 4-April-2002
1,850Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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Alan Kaiser has been posting (AVSIM screenshot forum) screenshots of several of his aircraft designs (all of which are of some historical significance), but his first release is the NYB Ryan "The Spirit of St Louis"! This is easily one of the most recognizable aircraft ever and the original (real-world) was built by the Ryan Aircraft Company in San Diego, CA. Charles Lindbergh was the first to fly across the Atlantic (1927) from New York to Paris in just over 33 hours with the original (a total of 3 of these aircraft were built, the first and second of these aircraft were built in 1927, with the third to be built in the late 1950s). The original is hanging next to the Wright Flyer at the National Air & Space Museum in Washington DC, the second was lost in a fire in San Diego, while the third is now hanging over the lobby of the Aviation Museum at Balboa Park in San Diego.
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Alan has built this FS version using GMAX, and it contains a historically accurate panel (2D), virtual panel/cockpit, and those wonderful reflective textures. In addition, Alan has held true to the original and the fuel capacity is 2,700 pounds of fuel (450 US gallons). Because of the weight of this tremendous amount of fuel, take-off requires a long runway and I found on my first attempt that bouncing the main gear (just like Lindy did in 1927) was needed to get airborne. Being as this year (2002) is the 75th anniversary of Lindbergh's flight, it might be kind of interesting to see if anyone is willing to duplicate it in FS2002, using Alan's excellent freeware example of the Spirit of St. Louis! ...Bear!
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Mikko Maliniemi (Finland) is no amateur when it comes to FS aerobatic aircraft design, and like his wonderful Cessna's that he previously released for FS2002, he has now updated (actually he started from scratch with GMAX) his Pitts Special aerobatic aircraft that he is best known for. Beautiful in their overall design and texturing, as accurate a flight modeling as anyone could hope for considering the lack of a airfile SDK, and all having very authentic 2D and 3D virtual panels, these aircraft are a real joy to fly!
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Mikko has uploaded 8 different paint scheme versions of the Pitts, the first being a bright white on red S1-S patterned after the Pitts that Charlie Hillard took his first World's Championship with in 1972! Then there is the distinctive yellow and black (and highly modified) S2S Bulldog of Jim LeRoy's, a green and blue striped stock version S-2S model, a couple of S-1Es in fictitious textures, and the Challenger II of Sean D. Tucker (Sean's real-world and highly modified Challenger Pitts is rebuilt every year by his Power Aerobatic Team). Mikko's models all sport fully animated parts with opening canopies, giving the flight simmer that occasionally flies aerobatics a shot at doing it with some of the finest examples of the Pitts you will ever see! Each of these downloads is a full package and they are simply some of Mikko's best work to-date! These aircraft are solid gold and are all highly deserving of my Bear Gold Award! ...Bear!
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Junkers Ju-52 Lufthansa v3.0
by Pierino Prmavesi
ju522k2.zip
uploaded 4-April-2002
5,058Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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Over the last couple of years there have been some really nice examples of the Junkers Tri-engined Ju-52 (all of which have been designed by Pierino Primavesi), but Pierino's latest is the first I've seen for FS2002 and as usual, it is a very good one! Including a photorealistic 2D panel and a fully dynamic 3D virtual panel, authentic sounds, and highly realistic external texturing (FSDS), Pierino's Ju-52 is painted in the colors of Lufthansa as they were in 1935.
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This FS aircraft also has fully animated parts (including rolling wheels) and I have found myself flying this aircraft more than I have many aircraft I have downloaded; I have even setup (saved) a couple of short flights so that I can return to them on a regular basis. I like flying these older prop planes and Pierino's latest version of the Ju-52 is staying on my harddrive! ...Bear!
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Norway Airports Ver.7
by Kjell Arild Bersaas, Arne Sundsbo, Jan Roar Roed, and Svien Holbo
norway7a.zip
uploaded 4-April-2002
FS2002 Scenery
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This group of fellows has taken the default scenery at 41 different airports located across Norway and enhanced them, providing new terminals, hangers, static aircraft, gateways, vehicles, etc.
Even though no one single airport is overdone, by any stretch of the imagination, each airport is quite realistically rendered, even in its simple design. I personally like this scenery pack because its not complicated and not particularly overly done either, but it does contain a lot of scenery enhancements at a lot of different airports. Your experience at flying in the country of Norway will most assuredly be enhanced with this scenery package.
...Bear!
The Hughes 500 is easily one of the world's most popular turbine powered helicopters and this group of fellows (there's Mikko Maliniemi again!)have put together a set of rotorcraft that fly as well as they look.
With those great reflective textures (distinctive of Gmax), fully animated parts, along with a dynamic virtual panel, I like flying these aircraft and even though I am not much at flying (to be more accurate, it is landing that really gets my attention) a rotorcraft, I did found these aircraft easy to fly and with practice, my landings are not too bad! So, for all you rotorheads out there, here are some excellent helo's to add to your collections. ...Bear!
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TDS Puerto Rico V1.0
by Kyle Ramsey
tds_seaplanes_pr.zip
uploaded 6-April-2002
2,370Kb
FS2002 Scenery
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Kyle Ramsey is the latest scenery author to offer up a freeware add-on for FS2002 that includes a number of seaplane locations (most are fictitious, but they're interesting to seek out with your seaplane of choice). Basically Kyle has added 14 seaplane piers in and around the Caribbean including San Juan, St Thomas, and St Croix among several others.
In addition to the piers (docks) at each location, Kyle has also included a heliport, fuel stations, pier shacks, fishing boats and cruise ships in the harbors, additional palm trees, etc. By going to your add-on scenery directory, you can choose a starting point of either dockside or the heliport at each of the 14 locations.
Overall this package adds some simple yet fairly nice locations throughout the Caribbean over the default (and somewhat generic) locations. ...Bear!
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Classic Hot Air Balloon Kit
by Bill Lyons
blns2002.zip
uploaded 10-April-2002
2,581Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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Bill Lyons is now becoming a regular at receiving my Bear Gold Award and if it seems that every file he (Bill) has released for FS2002 has received my highest award, well it is true! Bill's designs have run me out of adjectives to use to describe his work, so I won't bore you with words like "unique," "outstanding," "stunning," "best I've seen," etc. It seems that each time I open one of Bill's latest files, I just quietly shake my head in disbelief and then with an ear-to-ear grin, I quietly go off on yet another unique and highly enjoyable adventure!
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Bill has admitted to me privately that he has an extraordinary interest in lighter-than-air aircraft and this is his second release along these lines (the Goodyear Defender Blimp was his first). With this FS design though, Bill has provided 12 different paint schemes and it is presented as a kit, so that just about anyone can easily repaint the textures to have your own personalized hot air balloon; hmm... pretty cool idea actually! Though FS2002 is not designed to support a lighter-than-air aircraft, Bill has successfully worked around this to provide an authentic experience. Having a 2D and 3D virtual panel (complete with a female passenger and champagne on ice), you have the ability to get a very real-world feeling experience at Hot Air Ballooning! It's Bill's concept that on-line virtual balloon meets and-or competitions can be arranged or organized or you can simply do solo flights enjoying the peaceful views in FS2002's virtual world.
Bill's file includes 12 different balloons (called Wind Riders), a couple of preset flights, and he has even included the ability to set off some fireworks (by depressing the "I" key) using FS2002's special effects mode. Chalk up another winner and a must have file from Bill Lyons! ...Bear!
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De Havilland Tiger Moth RAF Update
by Mike Hambly and John Woodside
dh82raf2.zip
uploaded 29-April-2002
5,358Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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Mike Hambly is a name very familiar with most flight simmers (an FS sound specialist) and combining Mike's excellent talent for sound files with FS aircraft designer John Woodside, we now have one the best renditions of the de Havilland Tiger Moth to date, freeware or payware!
Though released earlier in the month, Mike and John have now updated their prior uploaded version of the Tiger Moth with a dynamic virtual panel, a very authentic 2D panel, highly accurate sounds (nothing less would be expected from Mike Hambly...!), two liveries, and fully animated parts. This is another FS aircraft developed using Gmax!
There are (I am sure) many individuals out there that can recall their first experience at powered flight with the Tiger Moth and now we have a FS version worthy of notice, thanks Mike and John, excellent work! ...Bear!
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Tupolev-114
by Sam Dim
tupolev114.zip
uploaded 10-April-2002
278Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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Using FSDS Pro, Sam Dim has rendered a beautiful example of the Tu-114 Russian aircraft in a Classical Aeroflot livery. It was only a month or so ago that I suggested that the FS aircraft designers might take a look at the many different Russian aircraft (civilian) that could be developed and this here is the second (the previous was the Tu-154B) excellent example to show up (it seems that these aircraft were already being designed when I made that comment).
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Even as nice as this aircraft appears, it is short a custom panel and-or custom sounds, but I am sure that a search of the many FS website libraries should turn something up. I personally have installed the panel and sounds (ALPHA Simulations) from a Tu-142 "Bear", which seems to be a very similar aircraft in its design.
This example of the Tu-114 has highly realistic appearing external texturing, with fully animated parts (including counter-rotating propellers), and a transparent cockpit. This version of the Tupolev 114 is a nice addition to your aircraft list that I recommend to those that enjoy aircraft from the former Soviet Union. ...Bear!
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Emmen (LSME)
by Andreas Hegi
lsme1.1.zip
uploaded 11-April-2002
1,973Kb
FS2002 Scenery
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Even though I personally live in the United States, I do spend a great deal of my simming time flying in Europe (more specifically in Western Europe). I am unable to spend much of my real time in Europe, so flying there in FS2002 is a very inexpensive alternative to real world travel. The more sceneries (authentic and accurate) that I can find to add to my copy of FS2002, the more I like it. Andreas Hegi has developed (using digital photographic textures) the military airfield of Emmen (pretty close to Lucerne, Switzerland) and has attempted to maintain its accuracy while being highly detailed as well. Including surrounding buildings and streets as well as the airport facility buildings, ramps, and hangers, Andreas has made another scenery package that is a winner in my opinion. You just may wish to check his work out and download and install Andrea's version of the Swiss Air Force training base of Emmen. ...Bear!
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Photorealistic Saarbruecken, Germany
by Johannes Heinz
sbb2kv2.zip
sbb2kupd24.zip
uploaded 14/28-April-2002
8,980Kb/1,700Kb
FS2000/FS2002 Scenery
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Sarrbruecken is a civilian airport located about 30 km west of the US airbase Ramstein (Saarland district). Using Airport 2.X and FS Design Studio, Johannes has put together a highly accurate and highly detailed airport scenery using real-world digital photographs for the building textures; the photos used for the textures were taken at the real Saarbruecken Airport.
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The end result is another of those very real world appearing airport sceneries that are now becoming standard fare for FS scenery add-ons. Like many of these type of sceneries, to get this highly detailed airport scenery, sometimes your frame rates will suffer (particularly with FS2000), so Johannes has designed his airport scenery so that if you reduce your system's detail resolution, it will also reduce the number of objects (airport) to further increase your frame rate. This is so that those with a more moderate performing system can enjoy his scenery as well as those of us with a more powerful system. I like this scenery package and the fact that it does not require any flatten or exclusion switches or files; it can simply be added to your "Add-on Scenery" folder in FS2002. Excellent work Johannes! ...Bear!
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Replacement AutoGen Tree Textures
by Gerrish Gray
mstrees2.zip
uploaded 26-April-2002
2,345Kb
FS2002 Textures
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Gerrish Gray has been providing the scenery designers with some of the most realistic trees anyone could ever hope for in the past and now he has developed his tree models so that they work as replacements for the AutoGen trees in FS2002. These here are Gerrish's 3rd set of tree updates (the previous versions are gtl_agen.zip and mstrees.zip), but I am of the opinion that these are his best so far. Not only are the trees themselves improved in their appearance, Gerrish has also increased the number of trees, in a given area, by a factor of 6! Where the maximum number of trees per square kilometer was about 600, with the default autogen, you now have approximately 3,500 trees with Gerrish's update.
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In addition to the new and increased number of trees, Gerrish has also added a much thicker underbrush to give those forest areas a much fuller look that is very realistic in its appearance. This is a must have download file and I also noticed little if any effect on frame-rates with Gerrish's work, so give these replacement textures a try, I think you'll love them! ...Bear!
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ArrCab Carriers Standalone Upgrade Package
by Rich Hogen
accvall3.zip
uploaded 27-April-2002
1,230Kb
FS2002 Scenery/Utility
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Rich's original file (accvall.zip) uploaded on the 16th of April, has had 840 downloads to date and considering there have been 2 more versions (updates, arrcab232.zip and now accvall3.zip) since then, this shows just how popular his outstanding work has been!
When asked as to what my criteria is for my awarding the "Bear Gold Award," my only answer has been (when it was an aircraft) that the freeware file included a complete package of sounds, panel, and aircraft that together were truly outstanding or incorporated some new feature or high level of enjoyment. If the file was a utility, then that utility had to greatly enhance Flight Simulator in some fashion—that usually meant it greatly affected one's experience at flight simming. It is pretty rare that a scenery would possibly receive my Gold Award, but I would never rule out that possibility.
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Rich's scenery/utility more than meets my own personal criteria for my Gold Award, but he does it on several levels—as his package is not just a scenery or utility package, it is almost like an entirely new flight sim that he has so kindly offered as freeware! I have no doubt that if Rich had offered his package as payware, it would be easily offered for sale at a price of $30 (US) or more and it would be very popular even then.
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It isn't just that Rich's package includes 18 aircraft carriers (each highly detailed), stationed around the world, but it is that each carrier also has his operating arrestor cables, catapults, and inflight refueling (for multiplayer only) which is what makes this freeware package so extraordinary. Utilizing the FSUIPC 2.83+ file, Rich's aircraft carriers can launch or capture your favorite military aircraft almost real-world like, and his file even includes custom sounds from Aaron Swindle! I must tell you that Rich's package has been more fun than the law should allow and I implore everyone out there to give this experience a go, it simply is a blast and I can't thank Rich enough for his file! ...Bear!
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E-S3 Shadow & S3-B Viking
by Rick Sasala
e-s3.zip
s-3b.zip
uploaded 17-April-2002
6,326Kb/6,435Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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Rick Sasala has been a real master at designing military aircraft for FS and he continues his work with the release of his version of the US Navy's E-S3 Shadow and E-3B Viking. Both of these FS aircraft were designed using Gmax and they have folding wings, retractable tailhook, opening passenger door with night-lighting, retractable stairs, and the usual animated parts (gear, flaps, fowler flaps, control surfaces, etc.). The panel is the default (FS2002) Lear45, but Rick did include a dynamic virtual panel that I found to be more than adequate for landing on Rich Hogen's carriers! In addition, Rick included a zipped file of custom sounds (A-10) by Mike Hambly.
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These aircraft are both carrier based; the primary function of the E-S3 Shadow is as an electronic reconnaissance aircraft, while the S-3B Viking is used in the detection and warfare engagement of submarines. The Viking has also been used as an armed scout of enemy surface ships.
For all you military aircraft fans out there, Rick Sasala does it again! ...Bear!
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EDNX-Schleissheim, Germany
by Dr. Falko Dienstbach
schleik2.zip
uploaded 18-April-2002
1,026Kb
FS2002 Scenery
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To the best of my knowledge, this is the first scenery I've seen uploaded by Dr. Falko Dienstbach, and it appears that we have another FS scenery designer that has the touch of creating airports and surrounding areas as they are in real-life, rather than designing fictional airports.
In addition to the many features of the airport (Oberschleissheim) there, Dr. Dienstbach has also included area buildings from the town of Schleissheim, static aircraft, even a Goodyear blimp. Plus there is a LandClass bgl file which adds the corrected ground textures, further adding to the realism of flying here. Nice work Dr. Dienstbach! ...Bear!
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Istanbul Atatürk Airport
by Biber Salsa
ltba_2002.zip
uploaded 20-April-2002
2,520Kb
FS2002 Scenery
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The airport at Atatürk is one of two major airports in Istanbul, Turkey, and being as Biber Salsa (scenery author) is a resident there, it is no wonder that his work is very accurate to its real-life counterpart. Using Gmax for nearly all of his scenery package development, Biber has rendered an airport scenery that is really easy on frame-rates (not like some commercial packages that come to mind), with static aircraft, night-textures, almost photorealistic-like building textures, and he has placed the gates so that the AI aircraft operate correctly without scenery interference.
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Biber mentions in his readme file many of the statistics relating to the annual activity here (real-life) and a bit on the history of this important airport to Istanbul. I wish more airport designers would do this, because many of us flight simmers are probably unfamiliar with your hometown airport and I always find it interesting to read about the airport the designer has developed. This airport is very well designed and it has terrific night-lighting in addition to its daytime textures. This scenery design is more than deserving of my Bear Approved Stamp! ...Bear!
This is the first version of the ATR42-500 by Jan Harry Sorenson, but it is a surprisingly good one. The choice of livery is for the Virtual Coast Air and included with this very nice aircraft is a custom panel, cockpit views, and a truly outstanding custom sound set—then to top it all off there is as complete a documentation package as anyone could hope for in a freeware package.
Though this FS aircraft design is about average, it is the 2D panel (very, very good and very well thought out), cockpit views, and the sound package that really makes this file so outstanding and it absolutely is a must have download!
Don't pass this one by, as the overall package is very well put together, though lacking in a virtual cockpit, it is still well worth having on your harddrive; besides, this aircraft contains the best turboprop sound files I've ever been able to find! ...Bear!
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Beechcraft D-17S Staggerwing
by Brian Gladden, Paul Clawson
beechD17.zip
bchD17FL.zip
uploaded 20-April-2002
327Kb/373Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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The original Beechcraft Staggerwing was and is still considered one of the most beautiful aircraft designs ever; and certainly is one of the most beautiful Beechcrafts ever designed and built. Strangely enough, this is one aircraft that for some reason has never been properly rendered for Flight Simulator—that is until now! Brian Gladden (small aircraft freeware designer) and Paul Clawson got together and have developed a couple (one on wheels and the other on floats) of excellent versions of the classic Beechcraft.
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Lacking a custom panel, sounds, or dynamic virtual panel, Brian and Paul's work is still worth the effort and disc space to download. With a minimal search around the web, I did find a couple of very decent panels (simviation.com) and some really terrific and accurate sounds (Dave Carroll's Hughes H-1B racer). The original (real-world) Beechcraft Staggerwing was one of the fastest aircraft available to the civilian pilot, with a cruise speed just over 200 mph, plus it was one of the very first aircraft with retractable landing gear and working landing flaps! This is an excellent package and well worth the extra search to find an accurate panel and sounds!
In addition (during the month of April) Brian Gladden again uploaded his Rockwell Commander 114TC (cmdr2k2.zip) and Piper PA-22/20 Pacer (pa20_2k2.zip) into the AVSIM library, after both having been upgraded for FS2002! Don't miss these aircraft either! ...Bear!
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Convair 580 (Frontier Airlines)
by Greg Pepper
cv580fal.zip
uploaded 25-April-2002
1,828Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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This is the third aircraft file I've noted from Greg (his prior files were a Korean War era Sikorsky S-51 helicopter and a 1960s Grumman HU-16 Albratross amphibian) and as before, his exterior texturing is absolutely outstanding! With this aircraft Greg has also included a very realistically opening passenger door with folding stairs, plus all the normal animated parts.
There is also a custom 2D panel (using all default FS2002 gauges) with a fully dynamic virtual panel, but Greg has stuck with the default King Air for sounds.
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Using the livery (one of my favorites) of the now defunct Frontier Airlines, Greg has another excellent aircraft on his completed list and I have noticed that other authors have uploaded additional liveries (North Central, Qantas, and Allegheny) into the AVSIM library for this aircraft. Though I have found this FS aircraft of Greg's to be outstanding, I did note that the airfile was a bit on the twitchy side, particularly in pitch control, but that's not to say it is unacceptable at all—it is just that I noticed that when flying this FS aircraft the handling was a little edgy and does require some concentration. No matter though, I love this aircraft (I have always preferred props to jets) and I will keep it! ...Bear!
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