Introduction Just Flight has released a wonderful combination of detailed airports that are compatible with FSX and FS9. The World Airports V.3 contains airports such as :
Two further airports are available on the DVD for unlocking as additional purchases if required:
Features included in this package are custom made runways, airport vehicles, breathtaking night lighting, interactive docking, full ILS navigation and more. Many of you will realize almost immediately that these airports are the design of none other than Imagine Simulation. This package is a fantastic addition to enhance some of the many frequently used airports around the world. Some of these airports have already been reviewed by AVSIM with the exception of two airports; these airports will be looked at more closely in this review. Installation and Documentation After receiving this DVD package in the mail, installation was almost too easy. After inserting the DVD into your DVD ROM, the series of prompts will guide you swiftly and easily through the installation process where you can select whether or not you want these airports installed into FSX or FS9. Documentation provided was sufficient but could have been better with the provision or some basic approach plates. Nonetheless, the Airport guide which is included in the DVD package has extensive information on installing upgrade packs, optimizing your PC, accessing airports, the use of animated jetways and more. Surprisingly this package does not require a super fast computer. The minimum requirements are very basic, which include having a 256MB graphics card and at least 1 Gig of RAM. Installation of all 5 airports took no more than 4 minutes, so rest assured that you will be up and enjoying these airports in no time! The Airports… One of the airports featured in this volume of World Airports, is the Nassau Lynden Pindling airport located in the Bahamas, which is the largest gateway into the country. This airport uses the ICAO code MYNN, IATA:NAS. The name Lynden Pindling may sound odd to some of us and this is because in 2006 the name of the airport was changed from Nassau International to Lynden Pindling in honor of the first Prime Minister of the country. Ok, Lets take a look at this airport from a simulator view point.
Our second airport which will be featured for this review is the Charlotte Douglas International IATA: CLT, ICAO: KCLT. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport in 1954 after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr. The airport gained its current name in 1982 and is currently US Airways' largest hub. The Charlotte airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina and is ranked the 14th busiest airport in the US. The developers did a fantastic job creating a virtual rendition of this airport. It is plain to see that much time and effort has gone into creating this airport which has many unique features. The layout of the airport is extremely accurate, with textures that create an almost photo real setting. Here are some screenshots.
Is it really that good? It’s true that while using a flight simulator, most users focus on the aircraft and its systems. However, having accurate surroundings certainly takes the experience to another level no matter what aircraft you are flying. What stood out to me with these sceneries were the stunning ground textures and the docking gates. The follow me van is a nice touch for those of you who want to explore these large airports. It’s a little too hard to handle at high speeds, so try not to “drive” too fast.
This review, as mentioned earlier, focuses more on 2 of the 5 airports (Charlotte Douglas International and Nassau Lynden Pindling), as these have not been previously reviewed previously. In order to avoid repeating the views expressed by other reviewers on these airports, you can re-read these reviews at your leisure: Other features of this product are that you have the option to enable static aircraft at various gates. Some users with simulators that are heavily modified with AI traffic may not want to use this feature to ensure enough parking spaces are available for all the AI traffic. The terminal buildings of these airports have been well constructed and by utilizing new methods of modeling, Imagine Simulation was able to create superb sceneries that are not frame rate intensive like most other high quality packages. What about performance? My home PC is by no means the best out there, yet I am able to uses all of these airports with no impact on my frame rates whatsoever. While this DVD package is compatible with both FS9 and FSX, I do not have the ability to test this product with FSX, but the documentation provided will assist anyone who experiences any difficulties. Summary / Closing Remarks This DVD world airports package is definitely worth the price ($36.99). For this price you get 5 great airports with additional features not available anywhere else. Some scenery packages which include only one airport, at times may cost an arm and a leg. This package is a great addition for anyone who is looking for a great all-in-one package. |
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