 |
|
Commercial Simulators Reviews
This page
was last updated: Sunday, May 22, 2008.
|
|
Welcome to the AVSIM
Online Commercial Simulator Reviews section, where you will find
reviews of commercial aviation simulation programs and related hardware.
We keep an online archive of our reviews for all readers to reference.
All are accessible from this page.
|
| Mission: WWI Dogfight |
By
Abacus. (June 25, 2008): Staff reviewer Robert Mariani goes back
to the Great War to fly missions in aircraft that have 2 and 3 sets of
wings with Abacus' Mission: WWI Dogfight. "ABACUS has released several
missions so far, with some of the more creative ideas we have seen. Now
their creativity has reached another milestone and they have added the
combat aspect to the civilian sim. These Pups and Fokkers have real guns
and the user gets to shoot-'em-up in order to complete the goals of eight
missions." "There are eight full-length missions that
require you to complete the goals in order to achieve the rewards. In
addition, there are also
eight quick action missions that give no rewards and offer plenty of quick
and dirty shoot-‘em-up experiences. Some of the full-length mission
have several goals and get progressively harder. Included in those eight
full length missions are two ground combat affairs in which you will be
driving a tank and shoot at other tanks...yes in a flight simulator!" "As
a part of the package, you will get several WWI era airplanes in multiple
liveries, and the best part is that if you are still frequently
using FS9, they will work like a charm there. No, you will not be getting
the guns and bombs in either FS9 or FSX free flight, but you will at least
have a chance to fly some old classic bi-wing and even the tri-wing designs
without fear of being shot at. All of the airplanes have virtual cockpits,
and so does the blimp – sorry – Zeppelin. Standard moving surfaces
are present, such as rudder, ailerons, and elevators and there are no lights,
which again is true to the era when these planes graced the skies." "It
is hard for me to say how realistic these plane's air files are, but I
can tell you that the take-off roll is very short and that on some
of them it is quite easy to overspeed in level flight. Landing or even
taking off with any wind can be quite an affair, and you will struggle
to keep the biplanes on their main wheels even with some fancy footwork."
Wrapping up his aerial dual in Abacus' Mission: WWI Dogfight, Robert says, "if
you just have to be shooting to enjoy flying occasionally, and have the
significant computer power to support it, you might as well give it a try.
Don't forget that you will get five new airplanes for both FS9 and FSX
included in the package and some challenging missions to keep you busy
for a while." see
in another package. So, if you are into FSX missions I highly recommend
this product." |
| Rescue
Pilot |
By
Just Flight. (May 22, 2008): Staff
reviewer Jon Murchison comes to the rescue to aid those in distress in
Just Flight's Rescue Pilot, a mission add-on package for FSX. "In
recent months we have started to see fully developed mission add-ons
coming out covering all manner of events and times in our history. Rescue
Pilot is the first from Just Flight, and places you in the action front
and centre flying a number of sorties in a range of aircraft across 12
missions." "Of the 12 missions available, each one utilizes
one of the default FSX aircraft types, these being the Bell Jet Ranger,
Cessna C172, King
Air and the Learjet. The missions range in difficulty from beginner
through to advanced, so you can build up experience as you go. In general
terms, the missions cover a good variety of situations from search
and rescue over land and sea, airlift rescues from precarious places
like mountains and ice lakes, or long range transportation to hospitals
or larger metro areas." "The area the majority of the Rescue
Pilot missions cover is limited to a few hundred square km’s
in Wales and England. You are based at the former RAF Llandwrog, now
known as Caernarfon Airport
(EGCK), a small facility sitting on the western coast operating mainly
GA aircraft. Just Flight have provided detailed scenery for this airport
that captures the spirit of the facilities rather than presenting itself
as a duplicate of its real world counterpart." "All of the
missions in Rescue Pilot have sound sets unique to the mission being
flown. I was also quite impressed with the ambient
sounds whenever I landed at an emergency site. Inevitably as soon as
the crew opened the door, I was met with wailing sirens making some
of the locations quite frantic visually and auditory. Every time my
crew jumped back in, I heard the reassuring thump of the door closing
as well. Nice touch this, adding depth to the environment."
Jon concludes his busy day as a Rescue Pilot with, "In my view
FSX missions add depth to the flightsim experience and can be a great
tool for learning and showing off the flightsim world. In this package,
I think Just Flight have shown some of what can be achieved. Many aspects
of this add-on are innovative and immerse the user in a world of rescue
flying that I have yet to see in another package. So, if you are into
FSX missions I highly recommend this product." |
| Rail
Simulator |
By
EA, Expansion by JustTrains. (May 20, 2008): Senior staff reviewer
Gene Davis lets go of the yoke and grabs a throttle of a different kind
as
he climbs
into the cab of a railway engine and reviews Rail Simulator and its add-on. "You
might as well call Kujo’s Rail Simulator, Train Simulator 2 as
the folks at Kujo are the ones that brought us the original Train Simulator
from Microsoft." "No
matter where you choose to go in the Rail Simulator world there are
different types of trains and content that
accompany them. In total,
there are nine different engines to choose from and they are; the 7F
280 Locomotive, Black 5 460 Locomotive, BR294 Shunter, DB BR101 Express,
Class
166 DMU, A High Speed Train, A Rail Freight Class 47, ES 44AC Locomotive,
the SD-40 and the ES 44AC locomotive. Each individual engine was meticulously
designed to match that of its real world counterpart thus giving the
user a very authenticate feel either when looking in or outside the
train."
"Included
with the US version are four different routes, 3 European and 1 US
Route. The included routes are Oxford
to Paddington, Bath Green
Park to Templecombe, Hagen to Siegan, and finally Barstow to Sand Bernardino.
Each route is created as close to the actual route as the sim will
allow, towns are historically accurate as are the roads and farmlands
that encompass
each area. In total there is over a 1000 miles of track between all
four routes, thus offering long-term playability with each."
"Reality
is the name of the game in Rail Sim, controlling your train in any mode
except expert is really just a waste of time. Because I have
the Rail
Driver unit, controlling each individual train is relatively
easy. But for those without it, you can use either the keyboard or
the mouse. If you choose to use a mouse, you will be pleasantly surprised
that everything in the cab is clickable, thus allowing very little
keyboard
usage."
"I
have to tell you, I do not think I have spent half as much time as
I have with the routes then with the World Editor.
This program adds
so much to this program that I just cannot express it in words. Building
and object placement is relatively easy, and with the list of objects
to choose from, the worlds you can create are almost endless." Gene
sums up his Rail Sim experience with, "If
you have not guessed I like Rail Simulator a lot. It has subsequently
replaced all of my other
train simulations. I think Rail Simulator will be a must have for any rail
nut, you just cannot go wrong getting this sim." |
| Raildriver |
By
P.I.Engineering. (May 8, 2008): Senior staff reviewer Gene Davis
travels IFR, I Follow Rails, as he looks at P.I.
Engineering's Raildriver in concert with Microsoft's
Train Simulator and a few add-ons. "A controller designed specifically
for the use with train simulation. "How cool could this be?" I
thought." "The Raildriver unit looks a lot bigger in
its pictures than it actually is, as it is only a little over half the
length of a keyboard. That is
probably a good thing though because it doesn’t end up taking a lot
of desk space and can be tucked away neatly when not used. The unit is
shipped with instructions and a drivers disc that includes drivers for
Microsoft Train Simulator and the Trainz series along with a couple other
train sims that are quite a few years old." "Setting up the unit
is easy. Simply plug in the USB cable into a USB port and install the necessary
drivers. There is also a DC plug that
drives the sound amplifier built into the unit and if you want to use it
you must divert your main sound line into the unit and then run a second
line to your sound system. Once the product drivers are installed, you
will need to configure the unit for whatever sim you are going to use it
with. This is just like setting up a joystick and takes about 10-15 minutes.
The good news is once it is done, it is done."
Gene's review guides us through his trips through Switzerland and Germany
using the Raildriver. "The
realization is this, MSTS is old but it is good and offers a lot of replay
ability with each new route that is released for it, especially with the
Rail Driver unit. Had it not been for the Rail Driver unit I probably would
not have gone back to MSTS, but it did make me realize how good it actually
was." |
| Space Shuttle Mission 2007 |
By
Exciting Simulations. (April 1, 2008): Senior contributing reviewer
Alexis Esguerra heads into orbit as he commands Exciting Simulations'
Space Shuttle Mission 2007. "Exciting Simulations has come into
the world with Space Shuttle Mission 2007, a product that promises to “provide
the experience and excitement of the NASA Space Shuttle missions in extreme
detail.” It’s a bold statement to be sure, and one that requires
a little looking into." "SSM07 is certainly not the first Space Shuttle simulator – there
have been numerous programs that have attempted to capture the flavor of
the STS (Space Transportation System - its official type designation),
but few I have run across have tried to capture the full mission experience
with any real degree of fidelity. Earth scenery is good, with an overall
15m/pixel rendering of the planet with a higher 1m/pixel reserved for the
shuttle’s launch and landing facilities. You won’t see every
single structure at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), but enough is presented
to give the user a true flavor of the site. But the highlight is the centerpiece
of this sim – the five shuttles that were built for space flight.
(Columbia, Challenger, Atlantis, Discovery, and Endeavor), and any payloads
or orbital facilities they’ll work with." "The quality
and accuracy applies within as well, with a VC flightdeck present (the
lower deck is not modeled). SSM is replete with what appears
to be every panel on the flightdeck in 2D representation. The 2D panels
are the meat and potatoes in operating the shuttles in SSM07, and believe
me, there are a lot of meat and potatoes! I was caught off guard by the
seeming inclusion of every single switch, knob, display, and indicator
that was present (including caution and warning lights, there were 340
of them on the pilot’s side panels alone!!!)." "Of all
the items that provide some sanity-saving grace in SSM07, the definable
difficulty level is easily at the top of the list. EASY starts
the fledgling astronaut off with such provisions as detailed in-sim procedures,
flashing pointers that route you to the right switch/knob, and helpful
sim pauses for events that are very time critical. Step up the difficulty
as you garner experience and these helpful tidbits are phased out; by HARD
level, you’d better have the manual and optional checklists by your
side and keep to the established timetables." "The obvious goal
of the program is to allow the user to experience first hand what it is
like to take to orbit aboard the STS, and SSM07 does
so through eight historical scenarios, ranging from the maiden STS-1 flight
of Columbia to Atlantis’ STS-117. These eight missions vary terms
of mission duration and objectives, but all contain the six basics mission
phases – prelaunch, launch, orbital insertion, execution of the mission
objective(s), deorbit & reentry, and landing." Alexis goes into
detail of one such mission as he attempts to get the Hubble Space Telescope
into orbit. Bringing the Shuttle back down to Earth in prep for another
mission, Alexis reports, "SSM07 just blew me away with it’s
attention to detail in every and all aspects of the Space Shuttle. It’s
visual and audio recreation of the orbiter is top-notch, and the simulation
of the STS operations
from launch to landing, from my personal experience, has no equal. The
ever present factor of gravity was the only thing keeping me grounded to
reality; the immersion that SSM07 provides into this specific realm felt
that convincing." |
| XLoad |
By
Captain Sim. (March 16, 2008): New staff reviewer Mark Kolo looks
at Captain Sim's XLoad, an addition to the Acceleration add-on. This
additon adds the F-117A and the F/A-18D. "There are so many
3D features including gauges, switches, knobs and handles that this VC
provides an experience that is nearly life like.
The VC also has an authentic “used” look with paint chipped
away and a bit of dirt here and there that adds to the realism immensely." "The
F/A-18 from CaptainSim includes numerous custom animations that are not
included on the default F/A-18. These animations include: Opening
Radome (Visible in the VC), Moving and Sweeping Radar Dish, Extending Refueling
Probe(Visible in the VC), Gun Loading Port (with 3D Bullets), Crew Boarding
Ladder, Opening Canopy(also visible in the VC), Pitot Tube Covers, Engine
Intake and Nozzle Covers, Wheel Chocks, Folding Wings, Custom Loadouts
(using the loadout 2D panel), as well as the standard flaps, ailerons,
elevators, speed brake, and the paraphernalia for carrier landings (Hook,
Launch Bar)." "The exterior model of the F-117 is the finest
F-117 model that I have ever seen. After comparing the CaptainSim F-117
to the real Nighthawk,
one of the things that impressed me the most was the accuracy of the extremely
complex radar reflecting angles and shapes that allow the F-117 to penetrate
airspace undetected. The eye candy includes: Opening Canopy, Auxiliary
Air Intakes, Pitot Covers, Refueling Receiver, Wheel Chocks, Drag Chute,
Configurable Weapons, Opening weapon doors, as well as moving flight controls." "The
only problem with the airfile of the Hornet is the unrealistic behavior
of the aircraft while landing, especially on a carrier. I have
never seen a proper carrier landing end with the plane’s nose scraping
the ground as it slides sideways down the deck after catching the 3-wire.
The planes seem to slide sideways down the runway no matter what I do to
correct any deviations from the center line. I am not satisfied with the
landing behavior of either aircraft, but all other aspects of the F/A-18’s
flight envelope are properly set up and executed."
Mark conludes his look at Captain Sim's Xload with, "Despite the
problems that X-Load has, it is still an excellent package and a great
value. The highlights of X-Load are definitely the model files and the
VC. I will let you form you own opinion about whether X-Load would be for
you." |
| Trainz
Railways |
By
Auran / Just Trains. (February 24, 2008): Senior staff reviewer
Gene David steps into a cockpit of a different sort as he looks at Trainz
Railways by Auran available from Just Flight/Just Trains. "Trains,
what do we need trains for when we have a Flight Simulator? Many of us
we use Flight Simulator, but for that railroad engineer in us I have
found that Auran seems to fill that void with their product line of Train
Simulators." "I had a big misconception about Trainz
Railways when I offered to review it. I thought that it would incorporate
all of the features from
the original and offer some new fluff to keep me interested in this sim.
The first thing I found was that the new Trainz Railways only comes with
4 real trains and one tram for the Metropolis route giving you a total
of 5 engines to plot and build with." "The four engines that
come with TC are the FL9 (my personal favorite), The SPW 2000, The Shore-liner
and the P32ACDM, each of which are passenger
based but you can take the FL9 and add a cargo consist and with a little
effort you will be hauling goods instead. There is a fifth engine and it
is the Tram for the Metropolis route and with a little creativity I think
one could design his or her own route to use it on. The Harlem Line from
New York covers over 40 miles of actual track. Cities and towns are laid
out as they appear and all have custom scenery objects and buildings, as
well as accurate landmarks." "As for the Metropolis route, I
was able to clear the schedule for one of the inner-city trams and operate
it myself. What a ride! Watching
ahead, checking speed and making sure the correct switches are switched
is crucial to getting your passengers to their stop on time. Getting into
the cab of a train doesn’t really appeal to a lot of people. What
does a train driver do but just sit and watch the world go by. Personally,
I think that is a big misconception of train operations because there really
is a lot a train driver has to keep track of (no pun intended!). Posted
speeds, switching tracks (mostly done with computers now) but in Trainz
Classics you need to make sure all the tracks are switched properly, and
most importantly, keeping time so that you don’t interfere with other
train traffic is crucial."
Gene goes on to describe the scenarios within this sim as well as the
ability to design your own rail world. Remember designing your own scale
railroad on plywood in your basement? "I have to say that I really
enjoy the Trainz series, I found that this reintroduced me to PC railroading.
I have since spent more time with the Metropolis route and finished my
virtual world. Train Simulating is a matter of choice, the design capabilities
of Trainz is great and I recommend it to anyone that wants to get into
this kind of sim." |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator X For Pilots: Real World Training |
By
Wiley Publishing Inc. (February 3, 2008): Senior staff reviewer Jeff
Shyluk has University flashbacks as he completes a book report about
Microsoft Flight Simulator X For Pilots: Real World Training, published
by Wiley Publications Inc. "The authors, Jeff van West and Kevin
Lane-Cummings, are both experienced pilots and writers. In fact, both
men are CFIs, Certified Flight Instructors. Not only are they experts
in the field of flight training, they are also both seasoned authors.
They successfully channeled their real-world experiences into the world
of virtual flight, and wrote an extremely clear manual on how to fly." "The
text of FSX For Pilots is clearly written and easy to read. The lessons
are logical and progress from the very basics of flight in
a Piper Cub on a sunny and calm afternoon and go all the way up to the
rigorous standards set for Air Transport Pilots in zero-visibility IFR
(Instrument Flight Rules) conditions. You can read the lessons in any order,
given your personal level of flying experience. As well, you can download
content that supplements the book, including custom-made flights that let
you immediately try out the lessons you just read about in the book." "Every
aspect of real-world flight that is modeled in FSX is explained in detail
and made simple through excellent tutorials. The things that
FSX fails to model correctly are also covered; however, the focus is on
flying with FSX rather than on real-world flight instruction. Some parts
of the book do get complicated; even so, the authors do their best to shed
light on even the most obscure facets of aviation." "FSX For
Pilots has lessons for VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and IFR flights, including
instrument and GPS approaches. After the student has
mastered FSX as a solo pilot, the book also introduces the dynamics behind
learning to fly (or control traffic) with the on-line multiplayer system
in Flight Simulator." "FSX For Pilots has it all! There is a
heavy amount of reading involved, and a few descriptions of crashes which
might be disturbing to some readers,
but FSX For Pilots will keep sim pilots like me soaring for years to come." "The
measurements of the book are 9 ¼ inches by 7 ¾ inches
by 1 ½ inches thick. I am telling you this because this is the amount
of room you must make on your flight simulator desk for this book. If you
have that space available, I would strongly recommend that if you are interested
in a great realistic manual for FSX aircraft, you should fill that empty
space with a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator X For Pilots:
Real World Training." |
| Live For Speed |
By
FeelThere (January 10, 2008): Staff reviewer Robert Mariani leaves
his airborne cockpit and straps himself into a cockpit a little lower
to the ground as he takes to the road in FeelThere's Live For Speed,
a car racing sim. "This offers you the opportunity to drive cars
that are beyond the means of an average driver, at speeds that are far
above what most of us would achieve on a regular highway. In addition,
this car sims provide an opportunity to take risks you are not going
to take in your own car." "You will not find any brand
name cars in the game with the exception of BMW F1. The rest are all
imaginary and come with such names as UF GTR,
FZ50, LX4, LX6 etc. They look good and represent typical front or rear
wheel drive cars you might see on the roads. Their specifications vary
from the not-so-powerful UF1000, to the more exotic types represented in
GT series. When you look closely at each car you can see elements of your
typical Japanese, European, and American cars. When you read the specifications
of these cars, they have more or less similar engine/drive layout as well
as similar horsepower, to what you would find in the cars that Honda, VW
or any other manufacturer might offer for real." "Most cars have
a generic panel that is sufficiently informative and easy on the frames.
Not too much to see there except for the tach,
speedometer and few other gauges that are shared on almost all the models
except for the Formula type racers. What is nice about the interior is
that it is functional, adjustable, and gives you enough info that won’t
keep your eyes constantly looking down when you should be focused on the
road ahead. You can choose to display the steering wheel, driver and wheel,
or nothing except the gauges." "Just like with the cars, the
tracks are fictional and range from city courses to typical road racing
tracks, a drag strip, and one oval
track. The sounds in car are done right. If you don’t like the volume
of tire squeal you can adjust it as well, but the engines sound great and
if you set your options to blip the throttle when downshifting, you will
be immersed without being overwhelmed." "This sim is outstanding
as far as car racing sims go, even without your typical chase or be chased
scenarios or big car manufacturers involvement.
It has enough depth to keep you glued behind your steering wheel (which
is a must for any serious car or racing fan), and offers a variety of challenges
that even in the single player mode can put a serious ding in the time
you spend flying or doing other things with your PC. This review of Live
For Speed barely touches on some of the aspects of this game," Robert
admits, "but even if you are remotely interested in car sims, then
you ought to give it a try. Remember, you get to try it for free and be
the judge for yourself. I am looking forward to perfecting my skills and
competing online with others in this simulating environment, which truly
differentiates this sim from the other more well known choices." |
| FSFlyingSchool |
By
FSFlyingSchool (December 15, 2007): Senior staff reviewer Jeff Shyluk
goes back to school to break some bad habits while exploring FSFlyingSchool. "This
a useful product that simulates having a Flight Instructor along with
you as you fly in FSX, FS2004, or FS2002." "It provides
a simulated flight instructor who watches over how you handle your aircraft
from taxi to final touchdown, and who can grade your
performance. As well, your flight data can be logged and even uploaded
onto the Internet so you can see how you compare with other sim pilots." "FSFS
is capable of using a wide variety of aircraft including large passenger
jets as well as single-propeller General Aviation planes. It
cannot use acrobatic aircraft, gliders, or helicopters, though. If your
favourite aircraft is not supported directly by FSFS, it’s very easy
to add it using a simple performance editor included with the program." "The
instructor follows the progress of your flight from your initial taxi to
after your final touchdown. He or she will talk to you as you fly,
letting you know when you are doing something wrong or unsafe, and sometimes
offering constructive flight tips. The most interaction comes during the
landing phase, which can either be a VFR (Visual Flight Rules) or an IFR
(Instrument Flight Rules) landing. Afterwards, you are graded on several
aspects of your flight performance." "The FSFlyingSchool application
runs smoothly and without any major bugs. It does require a reasonably
fast computer system, and it works best
if you fly using high-quality flight controls like a yoke, throttle, and
rudder pedals. The instructor voices are recorded at a low audio resolution,
but are acceptably realistic for use in a sim cockpit. All of the instructors
speak clearly and their comments are easy to understand. The user is free
to modify the instructors in FSFS, including recording their own voices,
if they wish." "A fast-learning student pilot will quickly understand
the importance of planning the landing sequence in advance. Even a few
circuits with an
FSFS instructor should help you settle into a good rhythm for making acceptable
landings. Now that I’ve spent some hours with FSFS, I find that I
am working some of the bad sim-flying habits out of my system, and I think
I am getting better at aviation simulation in general."
Jeff's final word abouFSFlyingSchool is "if you believe that you
are ready for more realistic and more disciplined sim aviation, then FSFlyingSchool
is worth checking out. You can try before you buy with the FSFS demo download,
which means that you can easily see if this interesting program is right
for you." |
| Operation:
Valkyrie |
By
Lionheart Creations Ltd.. (November 19, 2007): Senior staff reviewer
David Wilson-Okamura delves into the word of espionage with Flight Sim
with Lionheart
Creations' Operation: Valkyrie. "It begins with
a young German pilot learning to fly gliders. Soon, he is inducted into
the Luftwaffe and learns to fly powered aircraft, first a single-engine
trainer and later a six-engine transport. In the process, he becomes
involved with a high-level conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler. This
is where fiction merges with history: there was a conspiracy in real
life, and its code name was Operation Valkyrie." "There
are three fully flyable aircraft in the Valkyrie package: the Schneider “Grunau
Baby II” glider, the Bücker Bü-181 “Bestmann,” and
the Messerschmitt Me-323 “Gigant.” Each of the aircraft is
represented in several configurations and liveries. In addition to the
three aircraft, Valkyrie also comes with a ground vehicle and a submarine." "Ortis
has a background in automobile design, so the external models are very
convincing. Care has been taken to make the cockpits authentic
as well. Also available through pop-ups are the radios, an autopilot, and
a version of the default GPS. There is a lot of detail here, and Ortis
has gone to great lengths searching for cockpit photos and dressing the
interiors with authentic props." "In addition to the five vehicles,
Operation: Valkyrie also comes with nine war-time airfields and one submarine
base. There are no moving
jetways, but there is moving ground traffic at some of the airports. Signage
is authentic, and there are various types and sizes of airplane hangar." "There
are 65 missions in the package. There are several missions for practicing
gliders, later you learn to pilot the Gigant.
Once your training is over, there are more missions in Africa and southern
Italy. Eventually, you make contact with the conspirators and fly missions
on their behalf." Concluding Op:Valkyrie,
David says, "The missions, if you fly them all, will keep you busy
for at least a month, and when they’re done you will still have eleven
vintage airports, three very different aircraft, one ground vehicle, one
submarine, and one submarine pen." |
| Mission:
Blackhawk |
By
Abacus. (November 15, 2007): 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." |
| Bugatti
Adventures |
By
Lionheart Creations. (August 14, 2007): Staff reviewer Marc Radford
goes on a tear between the pylons with Lionheart Creations' Bugatti Adventures. "So
what do you get with this package?" Marc asks, "8 airplanes,
2 racecars and 4 scenery packs. Plus 18 missions to utilize them all
in." "When you think of getting 8 planes and 2 cars
in one package, you don’t expect to see 6 unique 2D Cockpits (couple
of planes even have an IFR variant), and 6 unique VC Cockpits, not to
mention the flight dynamics
on all of them are different. When you fly the P100 it becomes obvious
this plane had the most attention given to it. The rest of the planes offered
in this package are more what I would call “extras”, not to
be confused with “throw ins”." "There was no impact
on FPS in the 2D Cockpit, or in the VC Cockpit. The sounds alone of the
engines are surprising, it sounds just like a crazy
modified car engine. How else would a Bugatti engine sound?" Marc
goes into detail of what flying in a pylon race is really like and the
screenshots say a lot more than the narrative does.
Marc continues his review of the Bugatti Adventures with detailed descriptions
of some of the mission included in this package as well as the different
aircraft involved in each one. In conclusion of this package, he says, "Bugatti
Air Racer Adventures package is an odd endeavor. The developer wants you
to have fun experiencing the thrill of racing with a bunch of planes you
can swap out on the fly for a great price. So you would expect with all
the offerings you get here, the planes would be unrealistic and videogame
like; nothing could be further from the truth in regards to the P100 series.
The developer is extremely generous for what he is offering." |
| AudioFX Pro 5+1 Gaming Headset |
By
eDimensional. (July 21, 2007): AVSIM Reviews Editor Robert Whitwell
slips on a newly designed headset from eDimensional designed by Benjamin
Heckendorn. "The nice thing about this headset is that it is all
run from the USB port. The headset has one USB 2.0 Plug and Play connector
with an integrated 5.1 surround sound decoder." "The
mini-DVD has all of the necessary drivers to setup your new headset and
the multiple configurations screens guide you through an easy
process to set up this headset with the built in configuration settings
or you can customize it to your own personal liking." "An in-line
volume control and microphone mute switch is a nice addition to this comfortable,
lightweight headset with its leather-like earpieces
and flashing small LED's that signal the force-feedback action going on
inside your head. The 5.1 surround sound features of this headset enable
you to hear and feel all the action in a true 3-dimensional audio environment.
The newly designed microphone with improved sensitivity completes this
headset for the gaming world." Read Robert's complete review on eDimensional's
new AudioFX Pro 5+1 Gaming Headset. |
| SE5A & The Western Front |
By
AlphaSim. (June 4, 2007): Senior staff reviewer Gene Davis goes back
to the days of wood and cloth with AlphaSim's SE5A combined with The
Western Front scenery package. "In total, there were over 5,000
SE5A’s built during the course of WW1 and they were built by six
different manufactures, but the first series of SE5’s were inherently
unstable. The real SE5A flew at a top speed of a 138 MPH with a maximum
range of 300 miles and a service ceiling of 17,000 feet." "From
the skies of WW1 comes the SE5A to our virtual skies of flight simulator.
This time around you are placed in the seat of an old single
engine bi-plane made of wood and cloth. The Alphasim SE5 is a virtual treat
as it is nicely detailed with all of the traditional moving parts as well
as an exceptionally detailed exterior model. The SE5A is designed for both
FS9 and FSX." "The SE5A from Alphasim also has a nice variety
of effects, from takeoff to landing you will notice things like a functioning
exhaust system
with smoke effects and flame effects coming from the engines. There is
also a nicely done damage model. If you come in too fast and crash on landing
or wipe out on takeoff, the plane will actually break." "Seen
as advanced for its time, the SE5A cockpit is a journey into a different
time and place. The panel is made of wood and the seating looks
rather uncomfortable. The single mounted Lewis machine gun sits atop the
wing and a set of very basic instruments adorn the cockpit. There is no
GPS or advanced avionics, just the ones needed to monitor things like the
engines RPM, speed and a compass." "The scenery package from
Alphasim was a little disappointing for me, as when I read the title it
said Western Front. From that I assumed
that it would include some portion of the actual war front to fly over.
In reality, it only includes the airfield along with several AI aircraft
that fly about the surrounding airspace. The airfield itself is nicely
detailed and does offer a nice base of operations as it is littered with
WW1 era style buildings, vehicles, planes and tents for the bases personnel."
Wrapping up this WWI tour of duty, Gene closes the SE5A & Western
Front review with, "Alphasim releases are just getting better and
better. Is the SE5A worth its price tag? Yes, if you are into the era of
flight this aircraft represents. How about the scenery? Well, that is a
whole other issue and I would have to say that it is worth it if you absolutely
have to have a WW1 style airbase. With Alphasim's tradition of good quality
add-ons, you really can’t go wrong." |
| Admiral Kuznetsov & Su33 Naval Flanker |
By
AlphaSim. (May 29, 2007): Staff reviewer Fred Clark goes ballistic
from the flight deck with AlphSim's Admiral Kuznetsov and the Su33 Flanker. "The
first flight put things into perspective. I had always thought that Alphasim
made ‘out of the box’ aircraft. Ones that you
can just pick up and fly. And to a certain extent I was right. The frame
rates of both the scenery and the aircraft seem to reflect those of simple
add-ons. With Alphasim there wasn’t any drop, and even when flying
through the worst weather toward the carrier, the frame rates remained
at the amount I had locked them to." "The aircraft will easily
climb to 45000 ft at max takeoff weight of 72,750 lbs, and on initial climb
will still build airspeed as you power
through 10000 feet. It tends to struggle a bit as you reach the colder
altitudes, but you will be well clear of ground fire by then. To many potential
Flanker buyers, the real selling point of this aircraft will be its amazing
maneuverability, and its ability to do post-stall maneuvers. This includes
tail slides and back flips. Alphasim say in the manual: “The Su 33
is capable of all advanced acrobatics and can perform post-stall maneuvers”.
I found this to be true for the majority of flight. Its claim to be stable
in slow flight was certainly not a lie and when crawling along you will
not be in fear of loosing control." "The admiral Kuznetsov Scenery
does not come with working arrestor cables, and doesn’t come with
working catapults. The latter is actually accurate, however for owners
of Abacus’s Flight Deck 4, both can
be added using the supplied files. Because of the lack of arrestor cables,
the tail hook is ineffective and another means of slowing down is needed.
The breaks are therefore more powerful on the model to compensate. This
can result in very bumpy landings though, which can spoil the perfect approach
you worked so hard to make." "Overall, I am extremely impressed
with the panel. It is fully capable of IFR flight, although if you are
using the autopilot you might want to
keep speeds low, as the turning circle for 30 degrees of bank will grow
much bigger at mach 1 and you can easily overshoot waypoints. As far as
I could make out, all gauges were custom made for the model."
Landing back onboard, Fred comments, "I have certainly enjoyed my
time in this aircraft. The addition of the carrier certainly adds for a
flying challenge and getting the aircraft down on deck safely will take
more than a few hours of practice. All in all, a big thumbs up to Alphasim
for producing the Admiral Kuznetsov and the Su33 Flanker." |
| F-Lite
A340 500/600 |
By
Just Flight. (Oct 9, 2006): Staff reviewer Jeff Shyluk continues
Just Flight's F-Lite series with a look at the A340 500/600 jet. "The
Just Flight/CLS A340 500/600 is an add-on for Flight Simulator 2004 that
can be downloaded or purchased on a DVD-ROM, showcasing the four-engine
Airbus A340 passenger jet. It features Just Flight's exemplary "F-Lite" avionic
system, a straightforward control scheme that provides a high level of
visual detail and a realistic flight model. Despite being a part of the "F-Lite" brand,
the Just Flight/CLS A340 500/600 can actually be rather challenging to
fly. In this product, a well thought-out cockpit system with some automated
instrumentation, such as the MCDU and the ECAM, goes a long way to help
a novice pilot to manage his or her flight. This product should appeal
to a wide range of sim pilots of long-haul passenger jets, in that you
can have an A340 in the air in a matter of moments, or you can follow real-world
checklists and run your cockpit much in the way a real airline would." "The
visual models are authentic and beautiful. The cockpits are filled with
realistic instrumentation, although I found some of the read-outs
to be tiny, even at the normal zoom level. There are several user-configurable
viewpoints included in the add-on that allow you to enjoy a nice wing view
and passenger cabin view. Day and night textures are rendered well, and
the sound set that comes with the A340 500/600 includes a wide range of
excellent aviation audio." "The Just Flight/CLS A340 500/600
has been released near the end of the FS2004 life cycle. To me, it represents
a peak in the evolution
of the third-party vendor add-on. It is accessible to sim pilots of just
about every type; from beginners, to casual pilots, to dedicated long-haulers.
This kind of flexibility is a real asset for Just Flight, at least in my
opinion. The A340 500/600 boasts sophisticated features and a strong attention
to detail. The installation is stable and reliable."
Jeff sums us with, "I give the final word on A340 500/600 over to
the crew at Just Flight, who wish me to pass this message along: "At £19.99,
this package is very good value and if you fancy an alternative to the
four-engine offering from Seattle, this may be just the thing!" |
| Cargo Pilot |
By
Just Flight. (Oct 9, 2006): Staff reviewer Joseph Ellwood opens his
own air hauling company to review Just Flight's Cargo Pilot. "The
beauty of products such as this is it brings an entirely new dimension
into the sim. It allows the user to be creative, do something different
other than fly, and more importantly, keep their flying skills in top
shape." So
what is Cargo Pilot all about? "You start up with a set amount
of funds, enough to buy yourself a small piston aircraft and a small airstrip
to use as a base. Once you’ve done this, you can select different
types of flights to do. Each flight is unique. Some may be short hops carrying
a few goods while others could be much longer; for example, delivering
mail. As your company grows, you expand both your fleet and bases." "Once
you’ve selected a flight, you’re presented with
a flight plan and briefing. Flight Simulator is opened via Cargo Pilot,
which will skip you through all the menus and will put you straight onto
the tarmac for cockpit preparation. Once you’ve landed, shut down
the aircraft and close the sim, then view your post flight briefing."
Wrapping up the Cargo Pilot review, Joe states, "The beauty of this
product is it gives the simmer something "outside the box" to
tinker with. I’m sure this product will not disappoint any freight
dog out there." |
| WW
II Fighters |
By
Shockwave Productions. (Oct 3, 2006): Senior reviewer Gene Davis
takes us back some 60 years and looks at another offering of World War
II aircraft from Shockwave Productions. "WW II Fighters is probably
one of the most reasonable titles out on the market right now that offers
highly detailed and complex models for aircraft of this type." "Once
the product is installed, you will find 5 new aircraft in your hanger
for you to choose from. They are the P-51, Zero, P-47. Spitfire
and the ME109. Each aircraft is masterfully created and surprisingly frame
rate friendly. It is truly amazing that any one developer would release
5 different aircraft of this caliber in one inexpensive package."
About flying these aircraft, Gene comments, "Flying each of the aircraft
is a challenge. I found that each plane has its own little quirks and it
takes some getting used to! You can’t just point your plane down
the runway and expect to takeoff. It is also important to follow proper
in-flight procedures as far as managing your engine's power and watching
your instruments carefully, otherwise you might just find yourself in the
drink as the engines can overheat or freeze up if you are not careful." "The
WW2 Fighters package is meant to be flown from the virtual cockpit and
no other. The level of quality and detail that is incorporated into
each of these aircraft is simply amazing. The sounds in this add-on are
some of the best I have ever heard for WW2 aircraft and capture each of
the aircraft really well as each sound package has been created from the
actual sounds of each aircraft."
Gene sums up his review of WW II Fighters with this statement, "If
you have an interest in vintage aircraft or a desire to try something a
little less conventional than that of modern aviation, this product has
it all." |
| Coast
Guard |
By
Aerosoft. (Sep 10, 2006): “Semper Paratus” or “Always
Ready” is the official motto of the United States Coast Guard.
Staff reviewer Joseph Ellwood takes us onboard the Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk
as he tours Aerosoft's "Coast Guard". "The Jayhawk
comes with just the one livery – the
current USCG red and white scheme. The model has numerous moving features
that I enjoyed.
Opening doors have been standard on models for a while now, and this model
has two opening doors. When the side door opens, the man in the cabin will
get off his seat and crouch down at the door, unfortunately there is no
command to lower him onto the ground!" "The primary instruments
of the cockpit of the Jayhawk are of course, the PFD and MFD. Both are
fully customizable to your preference, and both
contain lots of information to keep you on top of things. The Virtual Cockpit
is fully clickable." About the flight model, Joe says, "Once
you take off, your initial thoughts are “gee, this thing is heavy”.
The best way to get accustomed to the flight model is to do the tutorial
flight. The flight takes you from the USCGC Bertholf just off Dover to
London City." Returning to the ship is another matter, "Approaching
the cutter for landing is something that needs a lot of practice," comments
Joe.
In the conclusion of Aerosoft's Coast Guard, Joe remarks, "I had
a great time flying the Jayhawk and the flights it includes. Not only is
this a sophisticated helicopter simulation, but the cutter allows the simmer
to be imaginative and create their own virtual sorties. You’ll have
a lot of fun flying the HH-60, it’s very charismatic to fly, looks
and sounds lovely, and is generally a great helicopter add-on. This package
will not let down any helo simmer, as it is a fun package and is sold with
a very tempting price tag on it." |
| F-Lite
Airbus Collection |
By
Just Flight. (Sep 3, 2006): Staff reviewer Jeff Shyluk looks at a
handful of aircraft released in one package. The Airbus Collection fron
Just Flight's F-Lite series. "The Airbus Collection is a re-issue
of Airbus add-ons originally released by developer Commercial Level Simulations
as downloadable payware. Just Flight is re-issuing the CLS airplanes
under their own "F-Lite" brand." "The cornerstone
of this add-on is definitely in the flight dynamics of the various airframes,
the "True Feel" system was created
based on the experiences the CLS developers had in FAA Level D flight simulators.
The Airbus Collection does a nice job of representing the variants of the
A300 and A310. The choice of liveries is from around the world, with many
of the real-word paint schemes originating from Europe and the Middle East." "As
far as the models go, the variety of airframes is good and there are some
interesting choices given that all of the aircraft are twin-engined.
The A300-600R and the A310-200/300/304 do resemble each other on a basic
level as their airframes are all designed to the same purpose. In terms
of what you can do in the cockpit, the Airbus Collection provides a good
level of refinement over the default MSFS cockpits without being overwhelming
for the novice or casual sim-pilot. All of the usual basic controls and
gauges, such as heading indicators, autopilot controls, radio stack, engine
read-outs (EICAS), and so forth, are modelled."
Jeff sumarizes his look at the Airbus Collection with, "This add-on
for FS2004 can either be downloaded or purchased on DVD. This package comes
loaded with A300-600R, A310-200/300/304 variants, including passenger planes,
freight haulers, military transports, and air-to-air refuellers. Did I
forget to mention the inclusion of the A300-600ST Beluga? Aimed at the
casual sim pilot, the Airbus Collection is suitable for the novice pilot
who wants more realism than the default MSFS planes, right up to experienced
veteran simmers who want to get up into the sky and enjoy flying a realistic-seeming
jetliner without having to run through a fifteen-minute checklist just
to start the engines. Every plane in Airbus Collection looks good, sounds
great, is frame-rate friendly, and comes loaded with animated parts. For
the average casual user, Airbus Collection provides a stable, robust, and
most importantly, fun add-on for MSFS." |
| Flight Deck 4 |
By
Abacus. (Aug 5, 2006): So you want to be a Naval Aviator, but couldn't
pass the physical. Well now you can have all the fun and excitement of
carrier flying without having to worry about those long deployments.
Sr Staff Reviewer Alexis Esguerra flies off the USS Ronald Reagan as
presented by Abacus' Flight Deck 4. "The exterior modeling
of the carrier is generally good. All the basic obvious structures appear
to be present (including a basic hanger
deck), and their proportions appear correct in all dimensions. The colors
of the general textures seem accurate, as do the markings that adorn them.
Night is even better, when the various lights come on in all their glory.
As for adding the naval aviation flavor to the mix, Abacus decided to populate
the deck with the things you’d normally expect to see there. A crash
truck and several tugs are scattered around the deck, as are (of course)
the aircraft themselves." "Abacus included each type of aircraft
that makes up a typical Carrier Air Wing, with the scenery for both the
purposes of adding eye candy, and
for the fun of flying them. A quick check of the hangar shows that their
focus was CVW14, which includes the following: F/A-18E Super Hornet, F/A-18C
Hornet, EA-6B Prowler, S-3 Viking, E-2C Hawkeye, C-2 Greyhound, and the
SH-60 Seahawk. The SH-60 is the best one overall. The final appearance
of the exterior model may not be the most convincing of the lot, but shows
good detail and has the best weathering textures of the lot. At the other
end of the scale is the E-2C Hawkeye. The exterior model is almost devoid
of any detail shying away from the generalized realm; few panel lines,
no rivets, zero weathering and highly generic pilot figures. The rest of
the aircraft fall somewhere in the middle." But what about the flying? "The
mere act of take off and landing from any flattop is very much a different
affair from the way it’s
done from the land. It is in this regard that Abacus saves the day; nowhere
else in MSFS have I experienced what FD4 does for simulating this special
little world. Taxiing to the starboard bow catapult, you finally note just
how little room there is to maneuver on this largest-of-all-flightdecks.
Stick slightly back, one last check on the panels, brace your head back
into the headrest... now time for some fun. The key to getting back onboard
is IFOLS (Improved Fresnel Optical Lens System). This device is designed
to align your plane vertically for the landing. The trick is to maintain
the ‘ball’ dead center throughout the approach, and it’s
a lot harder than it sounds." So what does Alexis think of Flight
Deck 4 as a whole? "It depends
on what you hope to garner from the package. Flight deck operation simulation
is definitely the high point of FD4. When reduced to its absolute scenery
essentials, FD4 hits par, and there’s no denying that some of the
aircraft could have used a bit more visual work. I thoroughly enjoyed FD4
with the experience it provided. Yes, it does need some tweaking here and
there, but it was a great entrance into the realm of true Navy flying." |
| Fly
Into The Sky! World Airlines
|
By Overland Japan Ltd. (Jul
3, 2006): New reviewer Jeff Shyluk takes a look at a product from a Japanese
developer, Fly Into The Sky! World Airlines from Overland Japan Ltd. "Although
World Airlines was created for a Japanese flight simulation audience, all
of the included aircraft have English-language cockpits and liveries, and
the manual has instructions in English as well." "In terms of
sophistication, these jets are roughly equal to what you would find among
the default MSFS airliners," Jeff reports, "if you are looking
for sophisticated details in these airliners, then there are a few improvements
over the basic jets, but operationally speaking, there are not a lot of
complicated in-flight functions. Flight controls and cockpit devices for
all of the World Airlines jets closely resemble those for the default MSFS
airliners. There are no working Flight Management Computers, other than
the Flight Planner that comes built into Flight simulator." "Every
World Airlines jet has a basic 2D cockpit and a 3D cockpit. Overall, I
found the presentation of the flight decks to be quite good. Since there
are no truly complicated controls in any of the World Airlines cockpits,
you may feel free to experiment with what each switch does without the
worry of ruining your airplane. The 3D cockpits in World Airlines are very
nicely done. For those sim pilots looking to find Airbus jets with clickable
3D cockpits, you should be happy with the selection in World Airlines." Commenting
on the exterior models, "The number and variety of passenger jets
in World Airlines is impressive, but the real star of the show has to be
the exterior models of the airplanes. In a word, they are beautiful! Every
World Airlines jet comes loaded with animations. The attention to detail
in the World Airlines models is very high. The World Airlines planes look
like they are made from real-world metal rather than pixels. The unpainted
aircraft parts shine brightly, while the painted textures have just the
right degree of specularity and glossiness." As far as flight dynamics
goes, Jeff says, "The first impression that I had when I started to
test all of these planes is that twenty is a very large number to go through!
Most aircraft add-on packages will either give you one airplane with a
very high level of detail in terms of avionics and flight dynamics, or
they will give you an assortment of planes with a lesser amount of detail.
World Airlines fits into the latter category." Jeff concludes his
extensive review with, "Fly Into The Sky! World Airlines is an ambitious
add-on for Flight Simulator 2000/2004. Featuring 20 different airframes
and many liveries from all over the planet, World Airlines deserves its
name. The best feature of World Airlines are the stunning aircraft models.
Beautiful and realistic, these airplanes are marvellous to look at in both
day and night conditions. The cockpits of each aircraft are visually sophisticated,
with a very good balance maintained between the visibility of the flight
instruments and the view out of the front windscreen. My impression of
World Airlines is that it is a good add-on. There is a lot of material
to explore in this product."
|
|
Commuter
Xpress 2
|
By Abacus (Jun
27, 2006): The "Cap'n", Brian Fletcher, looks at Abacus' Commuter
Xpress 2, which provides six commuter aircraft, each with six liveries,
and a flight creator that can be used to add a storyline to this package.
The aircraft in this package include the Bombardier CRJ-900, de Havilland
DHC-8-200 (Dash 8), Dornier 328 prop and jet models, Embraer ERJ-190, and
the Saab 340B, all of which can be found operating in the Hub and Spoke
system as commuter aircraft. Taking a look inside and out of these aircraft,
Brian comments, "My first impression of the exterior models was one
of complete disappointment. The texturing appeared sub-par at best, and
I was not overwhelmed by any of the six liveries, including Airlux, Ciel,
Prestige Air, Sucaba Aviation, Swift Connection, and Zwaan. No matter how
hard I searched I could not find any indication of rivets, screw or bolt
heads, wear, dirt and exhaust effects, or anything else that would suggest
any effort put forth to make these models suitable for FS9. I was not very
surprised to see interior modeling considerably inferior to most of the
recent payware releases. I have closely examined the virtual cockpits to
find that they are actually not too far off from there real-world counterparts,
but it can be hard to tell with the substandard texturing." About
the flight dynamics, Brian reports, "As far as I can tell each of
the aircraft flight dynamics in this collection seem to be moderately authentic,
but I would have to say that they all tend to favor the novice simmer.
In fact, I have been quite successful at operating each of these aircraft
with just my mouse and keyboard. All in all I am not overly exited about
the airfiles, but I am not as disappointed as I was with the rest of the
aircraft." Wrapping up the review, Brian says, "it is with great
regret that I am unable to recommend this product. The models are accurate
but the detail is simply sub-par at best. It is not my goal to bash this
product, at least not intentionally. There may very well be some of you
who would like this package as is, or with a few modifications."
|
Flying
With The Stars |
By Bill Lyons (May 21, 2006):
Rookie AVSIM reviewer Joe Elwood offers his first contribution, Bill Lyons'
- Flying with the Stars. "Bill Lyons has always brought the flight
simming community exciting packages, not just including one aircraft, but
usually with add-on scenery and included flights for the user's convenience." "The
SJ30 lives up to all expectations. It features all the regular eye candy
you’d expect from any payware aircraft, such as full moving control
surfaces, rotating fan blades, detailed gear, wing flex and an opening
door. To view the accurateness of Bill’s model, I searched for real
photos of the SJ30 on Airliners.net, and from what I can see – this
rendition of the airplane is perfect." "The great thing about
this package is the simple and easy to use panel. The panel itself has
clear and easy to read gauges, which makes flying a lot more enjoyable.
The airplane handles great at high altitudes, and has an amazingly low
stall speed – which makes this aircraft awesome to handle when flying
into those small exotic airstrips. You do not need a high-end system to
run the SJ30." Joe concludes his review with, "if you don’t
want to mess around on the ground and want to fly – then you’ll
get a heck of a lot of enjoyment out of this plane. This is an all around
fantastic package, which includes some awesome scenery to add to the fun."
|
Trainz
Railway Simulator 2006 |
By Just Flight/Just Trains (January
22, 2006): Avsim staff reviewer Gene Davis turns his attention from the
skies to the ground with a look at another product from the JustFlight
family - Trainz Railway Silulator 2006. "This is the latest installment
of the Trainz program from Auran which brings the user a wide of array
of steam, diesel and electric trains." Gene opens with, "It was
with great anticipation that I approached this title as I was a big fan
of the original Microsoft Train Simulator and I have always wanted to see
one of Auran's offerings. Little did I know that I would be in for a world
of aggravation and a world of headaches with this version of the Railway
Trains Simulator, AKA TRAINZ 2006." He continues, "With eleven
drivable routes, I was ready to get in and go. Having had no experience
with previous Trainz titles, I decided to look through the printed manual.
This was little help as I ended up going into the program and selecting
one of the preset tutorials." "Driving a train is a bit of a
challenge, but the controls are relatively easy once you get to know them," Gene
comments on operating the program, "it’s simply knowing when
to brake that is the challenge and following all of the posted speed rules.
Navigating the trains through the maps is also a challenge." He continues, "Traveling
from station to station is a relatively easy task, but in the real world,
trains have to keep schedules and be on time. This is where the challenge
comes in, you have to remember that all of the other trains that are functioning
in your sim are on their own schedules. So if you don’t leave the
station on time you will ultimately effect other train traffic, whether
it be cargo or passenger." Gene also provides some insight into the "stand-alone" Train
Driver also from JustFlight in this review. In closing, "I found that
I do kind of enjoy RS 2006. Do I recommend this one? I will after AURAN
releases a patch, according to their forums one should be available in
the near future." |
| Flight
Sim Design Studio V3 |
By Abacus (January
8, 2006): Staff reviewer Brian Fletcher walks up though a new utility
to create aircraft for MSFS 2004. Flight Sim Design Studio Version 3
from Abacus. "FS Design Studio V3 is an amazing technological marvel that
simplifies the design, construction, animation, and implementation of aircraft,
static displays, flight-line vehicles, buildings, cars, trucks, ships,
and in deed anything that you would want to fly or use for static or dynamic
scenery in Flight Simulator", explains Brian, "If you are not
familiar with the process of creating your own aircraft and scenery objects,
you are missing out on one of the most incredible and rewarding aspects
of Flight Simulator." Is this one of those "you need an enigineering
degree and experience with AutoCad" programs to use? Brian says, "Prior
to receiving FSDS, I had never built an aircraft or anything else related
to Flight Sim for that matter. By the end of the first day, which included
printing out the help files and experimenting a bit, I had already built
a fuselage, wings, tail, and landing gear. I used day two to make the intricate
parts and build the virtual cockpit. By the end of day three, I had assembled
my aircraft, added animations, textured all of the parts, and was flying
it in FS9. Not bad for my first go at it." Brian also looks at another
Abacus product, the Virtual Aircraft & Scenery Studio, "the Visual
Aircraft & Scenery Studio (VASS) is a separate utility from FSDS that
can be used to texture your creations." Brian sums up his review with, "if
you want to dive right in and be flying your creations in no time, then
I would highly recommend Flight Sim Design Studio."
|
Fly
The Airbus Fleet |
By Abacus (January
5, 2006): Have you ever wanted to fly every airframe that Airbus has marketed?
Well now you have a chance with "Fly the Airbus Fleet" from Abacus.
AVSIM reviewer Brian Fletcher takes a look at the A310, A319, A320, A330,
A340 and A350 in this multi-aircraft package. "Each of the six aircraft
in this package are modeled true to life and have a variety of textures.
Given the fact that this package bundles six aircraft with 14 liveries,
you might expect to see a lesser quality, but in this case, I believe that
the exterior modeling is very authentic with a great level of detail",
says Brian about the exteriors. About the interiors, he says, "the
interior modeling of the Airbus fleet is done in a manner that provides
realism and functionality without torturing the frame rates. What you are
actually getting in the VC's is a level of detail that far exceeds the
default aircraft. Each of the panels have a Flight Management Computer
(FMC) which can access flight plans, give aircraft performance statistics,
show the aircraft location, and much more on the control display unit." "The
quality of the sound set is second only to the exterior modeling. From
the hiss of spool up to the deep roar at full throttle, the sounds offer
an authentic recreation of an actual Airbus twin jet", Brian notes. "After
several hours of testing in each aircraft I am confident that each of the
aircraft perform very closely to real life." Brian makes an honest
observation in his review's conclusion, "The bottom line is that you
will have to decide the quality of this package for yourself as I cannot
possibly compare these aircraft to all other comparable aircraft on the
market." So read the complete review and draw your own conclusions.
|
| Flying
Club |
By Just Flight (December
5, 2005): Avsim Staff Review Zane Gard looks at a combination product
that anyone who has gotten their private pilot license can identify with.
Just Flight's Flying Club, a collection of four GA aircraft that many beginners
flew in when they first took to the air. "The four aircraft included
are the trusty Cessna 152 and Piper PA-38 Tomahawk two seat trainers, the
reliable and economical Piper PA-28-161 Warrior four seater and for a twin,
the Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II," Zane explains. "There is also
a utility for adding repaints that is easy for anyone familiar with using
Flight1 and Dreamfleet’s Text-O-Matic. An added bonus feature in
this software grouping is a utility that allows you to change the face
on the pilot to one of your own choosing." Plus there's a bonus of
an airfield included in this program. Also included with this program is
AeroSelect (AeroPaint, AeroFace, or AeroLoad). Zane describes these programs, "AeroPaint
in itself does operate with many similarities to “Text-O-Matic. AeroLoad
is one of the nicest and easiest loadout programs I have come across. When
you select an aircraft for loadout you see a picture of the aircraft and
the empty weight and gross weight are displayed. AeroFace is a unique feature
allows the user to change the face on the pilot to one of their own choosing,
usually their own." As far as the four aircraft go, "I found
the Piper Tomahawk flight characteristics to be realistic for this class
of aircraft. The Cessna 152 and the flight model on this one won’t
disappoint you. The PA-28 series Piper is actually the most prevalent GA
aircraft available for FS2004. I liked the flight characteristics of the
Seneca." Zane conludes with, "You have four aircraft included
that are all nicely modeled and quite highly detailed on the exterior
with enough animations to keep you busy viewing from the outside for
some time. The inclusion of the Shoreham airport scenery really brings this Flying
Club together to make it a just plain fun package."
|
ATC
Simulator 2 |
By Aerosoft (December
4, 2005): Staff reviewer Alex Esguerra looks at a different aspect of flight
sim, the world of air traffic control. Here is his review of Aerosoft's
ATC Simulator 2. "Life without air traffic controllers? These talented
men and women are crucial to the aviation industry," remarks Alex, "Aerosoft
gives you a chance to tackle this job head on." "ATC2 allows
you to select your job role (departure or approach) and scope type (the
older ARTS or the newer hi-tech STARS). It also allows you to customize
the sim to not only your individual liking, but skill level as well. Once
in, you are provided with a very realistic rendition of your chosen scope",
Alex says about the overall program. About the actual ATC experience, Alex
remarks, "Before long, the traffic starts coming (if you happen to
venture into a major facility, it’ll usually be within a minute).
Now, the goal is to get them to where they’re going, be it a departure
fix of a final approach fix. This is accomplished by the combination of
mouse clicks and simple predefined keyboard commands. It’s a full
60 minutes of vectoring, clearing and turning of planes, at the end of
which, your session is evaluated." But wait there's more.....The very
core of ATC2 is its Speech Recognition capabilities. Alex wraps up this
review by saying, "If you have any desires to become an air traffic
controller, then I would definitely recommend ATC2. It is without a doubt
the best rendition of this particular facet of aviation."
|
Airliner
Pilot |
By Just Flight (December
3, 2005): New staff reviewer Brian Fletcher kicks off his writing career
with an overview of Just Flight's Airliner Pilot. Brian notes, "With
the creation of the Just Flight Airliner Pilot add-on utility, simmers
worldwide can now live the experience of being a commercial airliner pilot
in Flight Simulator 2004. The ultimate goal is to achieve a rank by earning
points through skilled flight." The basic premise of the program is
to create a pilot, fly a variety of aircraft from varying flight plans,
adhere to the flight rules and regulations and succesfully reach your destination.
Thus increasing your skills, and earning promotions. To expand on this
Brian says, "This program actually makes the process of creating a
profile fun by giving you a wide variety of choices throughout the process.
While creating your profile, you will be asked to create a name for your
pilot, choose your base of operation, select a career mode and difficulty
level, and to select an airline company to work for, or create one of your
own." At the end of your flight, "A flight report will be displayed
informing you of the total points available for the flight and how many
you actually received. The report will also show you what areas you failed
to perform in."
"From the get go, this add-on offers a fresh approach to using Flight Simulator",
Brian concludes, "this program as a “must have” for anybody
looking to increase the realism of Flight Simulator." The down side, well
according to Brian, "it may be a little too addictive." |
Falcon
4: Allied Force |
By Graphsim (November
30, 2005): AVSIM Staff Reviewer Gene Davis straps on an F16 and reviews
Falcon 4: Allied Force. "This is a must have combat flight simulator
for any desktop pilot," says Gene. " Allied Force is not for
the amateur simmer, this program requires heavy learning and a deep desire
to learn what makes the F-16 tick," comments Gene, "AF is in
all essence Falcon 4, with some major graphic enhancements and other tweaks." Gene
continues, "Climbing into the cockpit of the F-16 is a visual treat,
not only is every known system modeled in this sim, the eye candy is simply
incredible. One of the major features of this sim, is that it includes
a comprehensive mission builder along with detailed mission scripting." Gene
wraps up his review with, "This is the most up to date version of
Falcon 4 available, with the add-ons mentioned in the review, you will
still have invested less then that of the original Falcon 4. You will literally
feel the need for speed as you push this aircraft through its limits."
|
Focke
Wulf 190 "Butcher Bird" |
By Shockwave Productions (November
12, 2005): Avsim reviewer David Swindle continues his reviews from the
Wings of Power series. This time he looks at the Focke Wulf 190 "Butcher
Bird". David informs us that, "The Butcher Bird pack comes with
an impressive eight separate models (some of which have different sub-models),
and all of them are of extremely high quality." He comments on the
impressive exterior model of the Fw-190, "Most of the textures are
variants on the green and gray camouflage that is almost synonymous with
Luftwaffe fighters of WW2." " Because the Fw-190 series was based
on a common airframe with few major changes from version to version, the
2d panels for many of them look very similar", says David about the
interiors, "and the VC’s of the models are very similar, with
only a few changes instrumentation changes between models." David
comments about the FW190's flight dynamics, "The Wings Of Power series
is known for very accurate simulations WW2 aircraft, and the Fw-190 continues
this tradition of excellent flight dynamics. The Fw-190, like many other
fighters of its era, was not an easy aircraft to fly." In the end,
Davids wraps up with, "The Wings of Power Fw-190 is a very impressive
rendition of one of the great fighters of WW2. Although it doesn’t
really push the envelope in terms of new features, the Fw-190 is still
a great product."
|
WWII
Heavy Bombers and Jets |
By
Shockwave Productions (June 2, 2005): Avsim Staff Reviewer David Swindle
continues with another review of the Wings of Power series from Shockwave Productions. This time he takes
a look at WWII Heavy Bombers and Jets. Heavy bombers and jets come with
a multitude of aircraft. These include a B-17F, B-17G, B-29, B-24J, B-24D,
PB4Y (the naval version of the B-24), two versions of the Lancaster, an
AR-234, Ta-183 and He-162. "The Shockwave team has done an admirable
job on the external models, and all of the models are very well shaped
and generally look very realistic," reports David. David explains
how they look good both inside and out. He comments, "The 2d panels
in Wings Of Power are about on par with the visual models in that they
have a few issues, but for the most part, they are high quality. Just as
there is an incredible variety in the aircraft and panels, so too is there
a big variety of VC’s." Flying a World War two bomber was no
easy task. Bombers often took off in horrible weather at maximum overload
weight and then proceeded to fly hundreds of miles over enemy territory
while being shot at by flak and fighters alike. "The Shockwave team
did an excellent job in the flight dynamics department, remarks Dave. He
sums up his review with, "Overall, I think that Shockwave has done
a commendable job of producing a high quality multi-aircraft package and
I think that most simmers would enjoy this product."
|
Pacific
Fighters |
By
Ubisoft (January
2, 2005): Staff Reviewer David Swindle reports on the IL-2 Aces Expansion
add-on that moves the combat into the Pacific Theatre. This sim is a
lot of fun and may well be the Pacific Theatre sim everyone's been waiting
for. Pacific Fighters also features a spectacular online play feature.
Sights and sounds are a big plus in this sim.
|
GF-46 |
By
GoFlight Inc. (November 22,
2004): Managing Editor Aidan Williams has taken a look at the GF-46 module
by GoFlight. Aidan goes on to say: "It has been over 4 years
now since we saw the first incarnation from GoFlight, and since then they
have created a number of hardware modules compatible with flight simulators.
In more recent times, these modules have become more compact in size, and
functionality of single units has developed to a point where just one single
unit can replicate a number of functions. Released earlier this year, the
GF-46 is one of these such multi-function modules."
|
|
GF-TQ6 & RP48
Modules
|
By
GoFlight Inc. (March 12 2004): Managing Editor Aidan Williams Takes an in-depth look at the
latest hardware releases by GoFlight. "The two units in question are the GF TQ6, and RP48. If you were lucky enough
to attend the Avsim conference last year in Reading, you will probably
have seen these units being displayed by Doyle and Victor from Goflight,
and used in the "Fly-Off" on the Saturday evening banquet.
The TQ6 is
a throttle quadrant module which is fully programmable to meet whatever
discipline of flying you most enjoy. The RP48 on the other hand is a multifunction rotary and push
button module which again is fully programmable. I should stress
that this review has been written with the modules in question tested
using only Fs2004. So, lets get down to the nitty-gritty and see
what they are both about." |
Lock
On: Modern Air Combat |
By Ubi Soft (Feb 27 2004) AVSIM's Combat
Sim experts have compiled a comprehensive review on the latest combat
sim available. If they gave an award for “Most Anticipated
Sim of the Year” Ubi Soft’s Lock On: Modern
Air Combat (LOMAC)would be among the leading
candidates for 2003. After a long (and sometimes anxious) wait
the baseline version of the sim hit the street in the U.S. in November. If
forum commentary can be used as a guide it was to decidedly mixed reaction
in the notoriously hard to please combat sim community.
|