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Bear's Cave
The world of Flight Simulators
short reviews by Steve "Bear" Cartwright
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Well, it's been a month already and the FS2002 files are beginning to pour into the AVSIM library, but the files for FS2000 are surprisingly continuing as well! Being as a number of individuals are still using FS2000 I will continue to include files for that sim for some time, I'm sure. For FS2002 there have been (besides the usual sceneries and aircraft) a rather large number of other types of interesting files, including replacement clouds, night sky star-fields, new water reflection files, a multitude of default aircraft repaints, and a large number of scenery & aircraft upgrade files (files to upgrade both scenery and aircraft from FS2000 to FS2002). Not to mention the files for the other flight sims as well, particularily FLY!2 and Flight Unlimited III! It's been a good month for the AVSIM library, but lets check out the 10 files for FS2000/FS2002 that I've picked to highlight this month!
Barry Blaisdell and Premier Aircraft Design have been giving all of us many fine examples of FS aircraft (most have been Canadian in origin), like his/their series of de Havilland Twin Otters and CRJ aircraft for FS98 and FS2000. Now Barry and company have updated their FS2000 CRJ-200-ER series aircraft for FS2002 with several liveries including, Comair, Skywest, Atlantic Coast, Northwest Express, among others. At this time Barry & Company have no panel to offer, so the default 737 panel/sounds are used, but I'm sure that will come with time, from someone. These are nice looking aircraft that fly pretty well and they're available in a number of popular liveries.
...Bear!
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1-December-2001
Reims-Champagne Airbase (LFSR)
by Fabien Prevost
lfsr.zip
uploaded 13-Nov-2001
942Kb
FS2000 Scenery
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The real Reims-Champagne Airbase is situated about 10 kilometers or so north of the French town of Reims and is home to the Dassault Mirage F1, so based on this, Fabien Prevost has put together an airport scenery that is both highly detailed and rather extensive in its presentation. Though I don't spend a great deal of time flying in the countryside of France myself, this scenery is well worth the time of download to take a look.
There's plenty of static trucks, air field equipment, and of course, the Dassault Mirage F1. There are also an abundance of bunkers, large hangers, realistic airport grass, trees, and other airport buildings along with the perimeter fencelines. All and all a very detailed airport scenery, so if flying in France or Europe is your thing (with FS2000), you might want to take a closer look at this one.
...Bear!
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1-December-2001
Alaskan Docks SE: Package #1
by Dave Erickson
akdk1.zip
uploaded 20-Nov-2001
2,070Kb
FS2002 Scenery
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Dave Erickson is no stranger to high quality bush scenery and Dave has always included sceneries that have blended into their surroundings very naturally. Some of his past sceneries are Healy River and the Alaskan Commuter Series of sceneries for FS2000 (which appear all to work in FS2002 quite well with no modifications needed).
This latest work from Dave includes 4 separate sceneries, the Juneau Municipal dock, Northern Lumber Company, Hood Bay Cannery, and the Oscar Johnson Logging Company's waterside logging operation. Dave's use of specially designed scenery objects, such as the commercial and sports fishing boats in his latest release, along with the specially designed highly accurate logging equipment and dock side buildings blends into the Autogen of FS2002 very well indeed. All in all I've loved Dave's work in FS2000 and it appears I will continue my admiration of his work in FS2002! ...Bear!
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4-December-2001
BAe Woodford
by Paul Baines
baewoodford.zip
uploaded 25-Nov-2001
2,040Kb
FS2002/FS2002 Scenery
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To the best of my knowledge, Paul is the first scenery designer to actually design an FS airport with both FS2000 and FS2002 in mind. This single download includes the bgl files for both versions of Flight Simulator and as with all of Paul's sceneries, they tend to be for the smaller airports in the Northern areas of England. His latest release here is for the factory (BAe) airfield located at Woodford, England and again, it is another fine example of airport design from Paul Baines (his past airports have included Leeds-Bradford, Manchester-Barton, and Manchester, just to name a couple). But, unlike his prior sceneries, Paul has included the correct bgls for your use, depending upon which version of Flight Simulator you are installing this scenery into. Excellent work once again Paul!
...Bear!
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4-December-2001
Cessna C185 Skywagon
by Mikko Maliniemi, Ian Grant, Aaron Swindle, Steve Small
c185_mg3.zip
c185_mg2.zip
c185_mg1.zip
uploaded 27-Nov-2001
6,104Kb/6,123Kb/6,140Kb
FS2002 Aircraft & panel
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Mikko Maliniemi has been providing the freeware world of Flight Simulator some of the highest quality aircraft available. Now, with the combined efforts of Ian Grant, Aaron Swindle, and Steve Small, they all have outdone themselves with the release of the Cessna Skywagon in three different versions; float, wheeled, and ski versions. Besides the usual full moving parts and FS2002 lights, they've also included a very up to date 2D cockpit and a fully dynamic FS2002 virtual cockpit as well. An interesting note is that the quality of their 3D virtual panel is very nearly up to the quality (in appearance) of the 2D panel they provide. Take a close look at my screenshots here and you will see what I mean.
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With custom sounds by Aaron Swindle and the flight dynamics by the top rated FDE designer, Steve Small, this aircraft series is an absolute must have for all users of FS2002!
All three versions of the Cessna 185 Skywagon by Mikko Maliniemi, Ian Grant, Aaron Swindle, and Steve Small are much deserving of my "Bear Approved" stamp!
...Bear!
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6-December-2001
MetroJet B737-200
by Terry Gaff
b732-mjt.zip
uploaded 28-Nov-2001
5,507Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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Terry Gaff is one of the first FS aircraft designers to upload an original version of the Boeing 737 (200 model version) for FS2002, rather than a simple repaint of the default 400! In Terry's version he depends upon the default for his panel/sounds, but the work of his Boeing model is both original and quite outstanding. Using Photo-Real high resolution day and night textures (not scanned photos), fully textured flight control surfaces, rolling wheels-tires, steerable nose gear with landing light, transparent cockpit, 3D compressor blades, and an accurate flight model. Using the Abacus program (FSDSPro) Terry has put together a very beautiful example of the smallest of the Boeing jets and I'm pretty sure the Boeing fans out there would agree at the quality of Terry's work! Check this one out!
...Bear!
[Editor's Note: Also see Gary Hayes' full review posted December 8.]
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6-December-2001
Rockwell B-1B Lancer
by Tom Hutson
b1-blancer.zip
uploaded 29-Nov-2001
877Kb
FS2000 Aircraft
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Tom Hutson has uploaded his latest creation into the AVSIM library and it's a real gem for the military aircraft fans out there! There have been very few B1-B Lancers for FS2000 of this quality and detail and even though I've logged just a few short minutes with Tom's work, in all appearances the flight modeling appears to be very good as well. Tom latest is lacking a custom panel or sounds, but his exterior appearance and design features are very good: tilting main-gear buggies, rolling wheels, steerable nose gear, 3D gear bays, swing-wings, front leading-edge slats, flaps controlled by swing-wing motion, and a night illuminated drag chute (activated by the spoiler key). The appearance of the cockpit crew in the transparent flight deck is also first-rate as well. There is even a full ground crew and all associated equipment if you shutdown the engines—overall a really beautiful FS aircraft design.
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I haven't as of yet tried Tom's aircraft in FS2002, so I can't really comment on that; but as I am still maintaining my version of FS2000 for now, I expect to gain some experience with Tom's work in the near future.
...Bear!
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6-December-2001
Dornier DO 24-T Luftwaffe
by Mathias Pommerien, Eric Joiner Jr, and Jorge Salas
do24t2k2lw.zip
uploaded 1-Dec-2001
8,070Kb
FS2002 Aircraft
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The Dornier Do 24-T flying boat, operated by the Luftwaffe in World War II, was one of the world's strongest or most sea-worthy aircraft ever designed and built. There virtually was no equal in its rough water seaworthiness—and Mathieas Pommerien, Eric Joiner Jr, and Jorge Salas have provided us all with a terrific example of this historic aircraft in two different original paint schemes. The boys also have uploaded another version of this historic aircraft in the Dutch Airforce livery (Dutch East-Indies), but I experienced a problem concerning a file failure that I've yet to have checked out. The file name for this other version is do24k2k2daf.zip, but I understand others have experienced the same problem I did (the problem appears to be in the original uploaded zip file and not anything to do with the library at AVSIM).
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This FS aircraft includes special wing lighting, FS2002 GPS, custom 2D panel, a 3D dynamic virtual panel, and re-mixed default sounds. Also included with the download are the special effects files for dark engine smoke while flying at low levels (under 3,000 feet). Overall a very complete package for a very historic aircraft of over 60 years ago.
...Bear!
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10-December-2001
Los Angeles International Airport
by Bill Melichar
lax2.zip
uploaded 3-May-2002
387Kb
FS2002 Scenery
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With the release of FS2002, Microsoft has struck new levels in scenery generation and scenery design; they have even raised the level of scenery enhancement at a number of the world's larger airports, including the Los Angeles International airport or LAX (as it's affectionately called). Though with lots of AI aircraft, jetways, and an accurately represented open-domed restaurant (a trademark of LAX), is there is still something missing? As good as Microsoft has designed LAX it is indeed missing some of those little items that make Los Angeles recognizable to the rest of the world—and that would be palm trees, green grass, and the multi-colored lighting of the control tower.
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With Bill Melichar's fairly small file download you can now populate LAX with paved streets, tower multi-hued night lighting, green grass around the airport buildings, and most importantly palm trees! This is a small yet interesting upgrade to an already outstanding default scenery, but it does put the finishing touches on LAX! [Updated file]
...Bear!
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10-December-2001
Sandy Cove: Naji's Bush Scenery
by Naji Chehabeddine
sandycov.zip
uploaded 8-Dec-2001
2,620Kb
FS2002 Scenery
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The bush scenery designers have all been busy at producing either conversion files to upgrade their FS2000 bush sceneries or they've been designing new original bush sceneries for FS2002, rather that be Don Moser (Alaska by Don), Dave Erickson, Tom Fica, and of course Naji Chehabeddine.
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This is the second scenery that Naji has uploaded for the latest version of Flight Simulator and Naji continues with another outstanding bush scenery for the South East area of Alaska. Sandy Cove is a redistribution center of cargo for, as Naji states, those outlying villages in the Misty Fjords of Alaska. With a landing area along the beach and with a cargo dock for float planes (the more common way of transporting cargo in this area) Naji presents another in his series of beautiful bush sceneries, but one of the newest features of Naji's scenery is the dynamic fireplace smoke at a number of the resident cabins. I really like this latest addition (fireplace smoke), as it really adds that additional touch of authenticity to working these backwoods locations. I really like this! ...Bear!
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