Introduction The manual says : “Just like the cabin screens in a real airliner's passenger cabin MAP! will display the track of your flight. In addition, a sequence of screens shows a variety of flight information such as elapsed and remaining time, distance, altitude, wind information, and temperature (to name just a few).” I looked at the screen shots, I installed it, and honestly didn’t expect much to see or review here. After all the MAP! is not interactive, and you are really not doing anything with it. “So”, I thought, “why would anyone even bother with something like this?” Before you pass your judgment, read this review and allow me to start from the beginning.If you flew on the long flights before there were passenger entertainment systems and individual screens, you know that the only information one was able to get about the time remaining, or your location, would be from the commanders of the ship - if they were in the mood. Then the first form of passenger information and entertainment systems started to appear in the late 80’s. Injected between the movies on the semi-big screen you would also get the map with the airplane symbol and the information about your flight’s altitude, distance from the destination, speed and time. As the airlines started to install in-seat passenger entertainment systems, the map was given its own channel where you could track your flight’s progress. For example, on Virgin Atlantic’s flights across the Pond today(either 747 or the A340) they also have an “interactive” version of the map where you can zoom-in on different areas. On Lufthansa’s 747 no such luck, since the only screen you can see is the one hanging from the ceiling and the flight progress is shown between movies. Map became an expected feature on long-haul commercial flights these days. Not that it does anything to make the time in the sardine class go by faster (some say it makes it go even slower), but it is there, and if you really have to know what is your tail wind, the info is there for you to see.Let’s take a look at how it functions in FS.Installation and Documentation Simple double click on the exe file takes care of your FS9 or FSX install. You will get both versions. After the program has installed, you have to configure it. This is a simple process of running the program from the start menu and then selecting the airplanes in your FS9 or FSX hangar you would like to equip with MAP. All done!The documentation is just as curt and provides useful info on customizing the background, and basic functions of the program.Using MAP! Well you are not really using MAP. MAP is using the info from the FS to display on its screen-nothing more and nothing less. Furthermore, the real map it is controlled by software that is located on the flight deck behind the locked doors. True to its real world counterpart this does the same. That means you really cannot control it or press pause or just leave one MAP mode on, or even zoom it. However, that is as real is it gets! Which means it simulates the real thing and does what the real thing does. Moreover, just like in the real world you can turn the MAP window off or on - via an icon that is easily repositioned and sized in FS.
There is one feature you can control before
you start your FS session, and that is how fast or how slow you want MAP
to switch between its multiple screens.
MAP can also be displayed in 2d or VC panel so if your ride has the virtual cabin, you may put it on the back of the seat and pretend you were really enjoying the mysterious meat dinner. On the other hand you could keep it together with the ATC window and throttle quadrant on a separate monitor. Or, you can use up the whole monitor. Choices, choices…
MAP really shines if you have multiple monitors since it can be resized or undocked. One cool thing about it is that, just like on the real flight, you can have map on one of the monitors, turn the other(s) off and then take a nap. From the couch, it is easy to see if you are closing in on your airport or if you can continue to nap. Map is nothing more then a moving GPS window, yet it is dressed differently. While in cruise and if you have a virtual cabin, take the passenger seat and you can really simulate that awesome boredom of the long haul flight.
I really have not found any faults with MAP. One well documented issue, and the authors point to it, is that MAP gets all of its information from FS. For example on the long flight from New York to Stockholm in FS9 local time at both the departure and destination was the same. Again, this could be the limitation of the FS and not of MAP. However, when I went from Beijing to Los Angeles in FS9 the times were correct. Is the famous time zone bug rearing its head? In FSX all seemed well. Another thing to keep in mind is that MAP doesn’t function without a filed flight plan. The MAP just doesn’t have enough info to do its work and most of the fields are empty.
Performance There are no performance issues with MAP on my computer, whether you leave it on your main screen or undock it and move it elsewhere. Also, the size of the MAP did not degrade my FPS at all.
Closing RemarksMAP is simple and wonderful. It does exactly what it says and looks very realistic doing it. The downside is that it is not a flight tool for pilots, but rather info for the average Joe or Jane the passenger. You can get philosophical and go into debate about what makes the sim more realistic, but I will stay out of that. Rather, I will say that despite all of its simplicity and lack of interactivity, I found that MAP strangely and unexpectedly enhanced my flight simming experience. Note also that we all have our little quirks, and what makes me smile may make you frown and vice versa. Hopefully, the screen shots from the review will speak better than words in this case and help everyone in the virtual skies make their own decision about this product.
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