Welcome to the AVSIM Online Multipurpose/Multifunction/Utility Add-ons section. Here you'll find articles and reviews related to the many add-ons, programs and other materials designed to improve the functionality, appearance, or enjoyment of MSFS. You'll also find some special "how-to" articles, and features about hardware and software generally related to your flight simming or Internet usage. If you wish to contribute your own article or review of an add-on, please read our contributing guidelines. Multipurpose/Multifunction/Utility Articles - Newest to Oldest 737 / 747 / 777 Panels By Robert Mariani (February 7, 2008) Staff reviewer Robert Mariani does some maintenance to his fleet as he replaces the cockpit panels of the 737 / 747 / 777 with Friendly Panels version. "The default panels that come with FS9 and FSX are functional and work well for the base simulation. For years, many enthusiasts have been making panels to look better or do a specific chore better. Some are made to fit with either the default aircraft or the variety of add-ons. One such offering comes from a payware company called Friendly Panels. The basic premise behind “friendly” in Friendly Panels comes from the fact that all (or at least most) panels are displayed in one window. As the monitors get bigger or more numerous, Friendly Panels allows more to be displayed at one time without the need for “pop-up” panels that are covering parts of the main panel." "The first thing to note is that these are three separate products, each with its own price and installer. The 737 panel comes with two panels, one for the 737-400 and one for the 737-800. The 747-400 is present in both FS9 and FSX, so the installation is completely automatic unless you want to use those panels with other 747 offerings. The 777 is absent from FSX and the Friendly Panels manual tells you how to copy the default FS9 Boeing into FSX so that you can use the panel there as well." "In FS9’s default 737-400, the add-on panel looks great. All instruments including the throttle console and radios are on one screen, as well as the partial section of the overhead, which can be turned off or on via the icon. The only pop-up panel that needs to be opened separately is the replacement for the GPS with that of a new FMC-CDU. The Boeing 777-300 2D panel bitmap is good and sharp and just like the 737 panel, all sub panels are incorporated in one window. The panel is also friendly to undocking and moving, but there are several issues with the CDU. The 747-400 2D panel background is done well, just like the other two panels. The window can easily be undocked and arranged over several other monitors. Similar to the other two panels, this one comes with the new PFD, MFD and FMC-CDU. The VNAV mode is also included." Robert goes into the details featured in each of the 3 Friendly Panels' offerings. "The three panels I reviewed here have the potential to be good add-ons. They are unique because they merge all sub panels together in one window, while still looking realistic and they include the unique feature of VNAV functionality and FMC-CDU interface. Therefore, the authors have succeeded in that the panels are functional and they also look good. Between the three, 737 is the clear winner, as it provides four panels for the price and it works as advertised. All panels do what the authors say they do and the manuals are offered for free on their website so that you can see what you will be getting."
Ultimate Defrag 2008	By Angelique van Campen (June 14, 2008) Staff reviewer Angelique van Campen takes a look at a utility that not only applies to improving the behind the scenes activity in Flight Sim, but has applications for all of your computing activities. Ultimate Defrag 2008 from DiskTrix presents a totally different graphical presentation of the hard disk. This detailed utility review goes into great depth about hard drive fragmentation and how Ultimate Defrag 2008 goes about putting your files specifically where you want them to improve loading time for FS9/FSX and for all of your other applications on your system. So it's not your usualy "directly releated to Flight Sim" review. While this review is a long read and is very technical at times, it does help to understand how you can imporve the FS9/FSX loading time of your PC, esepcially if you have a dedicated gaming computer. "UltimateDefrag 2008 offers a refreshing GUI (Graphical User Interface) with a totally different look than you’re used to from other defragmentation programs. UltimateDefrag 2008 offers lots of possible fragmentation processes. If you like using it manually, then go ahead, but if you don’t like that idea, then leave it all to the AUTO (OptiSeek technology) option while the program finds a good balance between performance and defragmentation speed. A well balanced defragged hard disk doesn’t help increasing your game's “frames per second”. It helps reduce loading times because the files are neatly placed together in a cluster."
Cockpit Chatter	By Angelique van Campen (May 6, 2008) Staff reviewer Angelique van Campen no longer flies alone now that she has Flight 1's Cockpit Chatter installed. "Cockpit Chatter is used to control FSX and your aircraft through the use of your voice by means of an advanced user independent speech recognition engine. You can control aircraft systems, talk to a virtual copilot, interactively run aircraft checklists, and enhance your flight experience with just your voice. With no training required, Cockpit Chatter represents the most advanced speech recognition platform for use with Flight Simulator." "Flying in Flight Simulator X becomes a completely new experience with the wonders of your virtual copilot. Speak to your copilot just like you would on a real aircraft, telling him to set the flaps, raise the gear, tune the radios, or set the autopilot functions. Interactively run a checklist with command and response; just like a real aircraft captain. Natural speech phraseology and speaker independent technology will never leave you feeling alone in the cockpit again." Angelique takes you through the various steps of the program through screenshots with descriptive windows as she shows you how Cockpit Chatter completely changes the way you can fly your aircraft. "There are many MSFS programs where one way or another you are able to control something with your voice, but this program really the pushes limit. Its an awesome product."
Walk and Follow for FSX	By Jeff Shyluk and Angelique van Campen (April 25, 2008) Senior staff reviewer Jeff Shyluk traverses his way through DBS Studios' Walk and Follow for FSX. He is accompanied on this trip by staff reviewer Angelique van Campen who reviewed the FS9 version. "Walk and Follow from the Russian developers DBS Studios is a small utility with a big impact on FSX. It will give you a camera view that you can move around anywhere in the FSX (Service Pack 2) world." "In Walk Mode, the camera moves relative to the ground. You can "fly" the camera anywhere on Earth. This is great for looking at scenery, taking screenshots of landmarks, and aircraft-spotting at your favourite airport. In Follow Mode, the camera moves relative to your aircraft. You can freely move the camera within the Virtual Cockpit, or you can even move the camera outside the aircraft for exotic views. In Follow Mode, the camera goes where your aircraft goes, which can help you take some really nice action screenshots from exciting angles." "The Walk and Follow camera is controlled largely by using the keypad. If you have a laptop without a keypad, I think you are out of luck, as I do not know how to re-map the key controls, or even if this is possible. Technical functions are accessed through a menu system. Partly because the developers are using English as their second language, and partly because the internal programming of the FSX camera system is very complex, some of the menu items are difficult to understand." "As long as you are happy with the basics of camera movement, Walk and Follow is easy and fun to use. Once you delve into the technical parts of Walk and Follow, though, expect a difficult learning curve. Many of the functions seem to rely on trial-and-error methods to get good settings.All of your new camera views can be saved. As it is, I find it quite a bit easier and more intuitive to save Walk views than Follow views. This is because the Walk mode uses a logical and organized system for storing your custom views in file folders. The Follow mode on the other hand, is harder to understand, as it relies on pre-existing FSX camera views to get started, and can only save new views over the default views (although it's fast and easy to restore your default FSX views as FSX is running, simply by disabling Walk and Follow)." "The documentation for Walk and Follow is unfortunately very weak, just covering items on how to get the program activated and running. None of the more complex features are explained, and there are no tool-tips in the program to help either. Finally, if you are a TrackIR user, you may find disappointment in Walk and Follow as it will shut off any TrackIR functionality in FSX. I hope this gets fixed in a future patch!" Jeff and Angelique sum up DBS Studios' Walk and Follow for FSX with, "I think that the price for Walk and Follow may be too high for what I got. Although the basic features work great and are a lot of fun to use, the technical features have poor documentation, and there is no support for TrackIR. Still, Walk and Follow costs less than many third-party aircraft, so as long as money is no object and you don't mind using trial and error to figure out the system, this application should help you get that magic screenshot you've been looking for."
XPax	By Juan Llobera (April 20, 2008) Staff reviewer Juan Llobera looks at a new way of loading your commercial airliner with passengers with HiFi Simulations' XPax. "This is a new product and is the first one of a series of low-cost dual-sim compatible “pocket add-ons” (something like a Lite series) that basically aims to provide a multimedia passenger experience." "XPax enable you to: - Provides a multimedia passenger carriage experience - It lets you control (manually or automatically) the connection of Jetways (if you have a scenery add on that lets you do that) as well as doors. - It provides Real-time monitoring of passengers health and approval rating - Provides a scoring and ranking system based on the flights performance - Provides a set of 12 audio recordings (containing female and male voices in various accents) - Provides a report about your flight - Provides a real time dynamic aircraft weight control based on the passenger load." Juan's review of XPax concludes, "XPax is a pretty good add on. It gives you the chance of populating those empty seats on your virtual flights. It gives us another option when it comes to Virtual Passengers."
Precision Flight Control's Cirrus II Category II Hardware	By Zane Gard Jr. (April 11, 2008) Senior staff reviewer Zane Gard flys with Precision Flight Control's Cirrus II Category II hardware. "PFC was one of our exhibitors at the AVSIM FanCon in Seattle last November. Eric Whiteside, their special projects manager, brought two full units out to show at the event. One was a full Cat III system utilizing their newest C2 console, complete with manual elevator trim wheel which was hooked up to the electric trim yoke switch… neat stuff. The other was a full Cat II system using the Cirrus II console (one of their most popular training units ever)." "If I told you that this has transformed my simming experience, would you believe me? Finally… FINALLY I have found hardware that gives a feeling of being in the cockpit and not having to touch the keyboard or mouse from engine startup to shutdown. When I set up the Cirrus II, I made sure to program one of the yoke buttons for the push-to-talk for use with VoxATC, so just like when in a real cockpit I want to talk to the tower or approach, I dial in the correct frequency, wait to confirm no one else is talking then key up and speak… look Mom, no mouse, no keyboard! I’m also utilizing my TrackIR4 Pro but when I setup the yoke button for view selection, I made the decision to make it a switch. Push it one way for the 2D panel, press the other direction for the VC. So I can enjoy the smooth hi-res gauge movement of the 2D and if I want to look out my windows, I can switch to the VC and pan around using the TrackIR." "PFC pedals are heavy; steel and aluminum in construction with springs and are self centering. Their travel may be less than most aircraft I have flown but the overall feel is very realistic, the further you press them the harder they get to push. The toe brakes take some setting up to calibrate them so that you like their feel, and they can take a considerable push to get them to stop the aircraft and this is not far from reality." "The digital avionics radio stack is a thing of beauty; dual knobs, labeled buttons that really work. It was designed to emulate the Bendix/King line of radios found in a majority of training aircraft and includes the radial feature on the nav radio. This allows you to alternately display the standby frequency or the radial from the tuned VOR station. The ADF has all the settings like the real unit including flight elapsed timer, and stopwatch functions. The autopilot and altitude preselect use MSFS variables so they will work with all default and many aftermarket aircraft (as long as the programmer used these same variables they should work)." "I couldn’t wait to get a twin up so I changed the power quadrant out for the twin engine one. Easy job, just unscrew two thumbscrews, pull off the single engine quadrant and push the twin quadrant on and replace the thumbscrews." Zane's in-depth review of Precision Flight Control's Cirrus II Category II hardware wraps up with, "this is really highly specialized equipment, so I don’t expect it to be for everybody. It costs more than many computer/sim hardware combinations out there, so I can understand an initial sticker shock. I can’t imagine any simmer that wouldn’t want it or envy someone that does have it.I would considering getting PFC’s flight sim combo which consists of their yoke, quadrant and rudder pedals. The cost is roughly double of buying plastic equipment, but its an investment that years later will give the satisfaction of money well spent. In fact, add a radio stack to the latter and you can have a Cat I PCATD."
737 / 747 / 777 Panels	By Robert Mariani (February 7, 2008) Staff reviewer Robert Mariani does some maintenance to his fleet as he replaces the cockpit panels of the 737 / 747 / 777 with Friendly Panels version. "The default panels that come with FS9 and FSX are functional and work well for the base simulation. For years, many enthusiasts have been making panels to look better or do a specific chore better. Some are made to fit with either the default aircraft or the variety of add-ons. One such offering comes from a payware company called Friendly Panels. The basic premise behind “friendly” in Friendly Panels comes from the fact that all (or at least most) panels are displayed in one window. As the monitors get bigger or more numerous, Friendly Panels allows more to be displayed at one time without the need for “pop-up” panels that are covering parts of the main panel." "The first thing to note is that these are three separate products, each with its own price and installer. The 737 panel comes with two panels, one for the 737-400 and one for the 737-800. The 747-400 is present in both FS9 and FSX, so the installation is completely automatic unless you want to use those panels with other 747 offerings. The 777 is absent from FSX and the Friendly Panels manual tells you how to copy the default FS9 Boeing into FSX so that you can use the panel there as well." "In FS9’s default 737-400, the add-on panel looks great. All instruments including the throttle console and radios are on one screen, as well as the partial section of the overhead, which can be turned off or on via the icon. The only pop-up panel that needs to be opened separately is the replacement for the GPS with that of a new FMC-CDU. The Boeing 777-300 2D panel bitmap is good and sharp and just like the 737 panel, all sub panels are incorporated in one window. The panel is also friendly to undocking and moving, but there are several issues with the CDU. The 747-400 2D panel background is done well, just like the other two panels. The window can easily be undocked and arranged over several other monitors. Similar to the other two panels, this one comes with the new PFD, MFD and FMC-CDU. The VNAV mode is also included." Robert goes into the details featured in each of the 3 Friendly Panels' offerings. "The three panels I reviewed here have the potential to be good add-ons. They are unique because they merge all sub panels together in one window, while still looking realistic and they include the unique feature of VNAV functionality and FMC-CDU interface. Therefore, the authors have succeeded in that the panels are functional and they also look good. Between the three, 737 is the clear winner, as it provides four panels for the price and it works as advertised. All panels do what the authors say they do and the manuals are offered for free on their website so that you can see what you will be getting."
FSCheckride	By Angelique van Campen (January 26, 2008) Staff reviewer Angelique van Campen becomes examiner and student as she reviews CAT III Software's FSCheckride for FS9 and FSX. "Ever wanted to test your theoretical MSFS Type Rating skills, not by just by reading additional books? FSCheckride is a brand-new concept in desktop aviation that allows users to create and run professional, feature-rich, interactive examinations using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 or FSX as the platform. Their target audience is flight simulator enthusiasts, real-world pilots, flight training units and flight instructors, virtual airlines and other flightsim organizations such as VATSIM and IVAO and finally flight simulator developers." Angelique creates exams, edits the content and takes you on a step-by-step journey through this inovative program. She comments, "FSCheckride is an awesome program which adds another new dimension to the flight simulator world. It goes far beyond the flight simulator world, it's even applicable for use in real aviation. The program is so simple in design that it doesn’t require any additional knowledge to understand it. It gives the user who wants to create his/her own exams, a lot of flexibility by adding related pictures, charts, diagrams, tables, voice support and even video movies."
Jeppesen SimCharts V4	By Zane Gard, Jr (December 24, 2007) Senior staff reviewer Zane Gard flies his sim like he would in the real world while using Jeppesen SimCharts V4, "Jeppesen is a name long known in aviation circles. Ever since the early 1930’s when Elroy Borge Jeppesen started making his own charts for his personal use, every pilot that saw them wanted to use them. Jeppesen and Microsoft have had a relationship since FS2000, with Jeppesen supplying the data used for placing navigation data and airport information as well as displaying this information in MSFS’s GPS." This review is very graphic intensive as showing what the charts do in association with a flight is the best way of demonstrating how to use these aids. Zane explains, "I’m going to take you along on three types of approaches which will cover using SimCharts for reality type flying in real IFR weather with winds and low visibility. We’ll do a GPS non-precision approach, a VFR non-precision approach and finally a full ILS all flown by hand, not with the autopilot, and tracked on the SimCharts." Zane wraps up this detailed journey through Jeppesen SimCharts V4 with, "I personally like this product and found it very easy to use. Is it for everybody? I don’t think so. The argument will rise that you can download all the NOS charts for free and print them out using them on a kneeboard or stuck up next to the computer monitor. That won’t give you Jeppesen charts and it won’t give you a tracking line to follow or view later. So if you are flying online and the area you are flying in is using a newer set of procedures, you’ll probably get all uncomfortable as the controller wannabe on the other end scolds you for not being properly prepared."
Instant Scenery	By Allen Lavigne (December 1, 2007) Staff reviewer Allen Lavigne creates a better, more accurate landscape to fly over with Flight 1's Instant Scenery. "Placement applications with earlier FS versions are available, and some are freeware, yet, for FSX, this is the only one that I’ve seen so far." Allen explains in step-by-step detail of how to manipulate the objects and thumbnails within this scenery utility. He notes that reading the manual is a necessity to get the most out of this program. Allen comments on how various objects can be brought into the utility from outside the program (like the AVSIM library), be saved and even shared with your fellow simmers. Instant scenery is compatible with other 3rd party products like FSDiscover, as well as Microsoft's Acceleration Pack. Allen concludes this short, to the point review of Instant Scenery with, "what you get with Instant Scenery, is a tool to place objects including individual custom, FSX, and autogen objects, and to save your results in a bgl file that can be shared freely on the internet while respecting any authorship of custom objects and model libraries. It allows for the creation of your own model libraries and the creation of thumbnails for preview of batches of other developer’s or your own libraries. It can be linked to an installed version of FSDiscover to mark points of interest in FSX, and you can also use Instant Scenery to hide obstructive autogen."
3D Lights	By Alan Bradbury (September 22, 2007) Staff reviewer Alan Bradbury sheds some new light on our default aircraft with Shockwave's 3D Lights. "The 3D Lights effect was first seen on Shockwave’s Wings of Power 2 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress commercial add-on, released earlier in 2007." "For such a small add-on, it has a massive impact on how things look on your aircraft in FSX, and it seems to be able to do all this without impacting on frame rates. Flicking the landing light switch on, brightens things up big time with this add-on installed. There is no doubt that 3D Lights are more than just an eye-candy gimmick, as they genuinely introduce another element of realism into flight simulation." "If you like piloting the heavies in FSX, where sweating out a tricky approach to a runway through bad weather is your idea of fun, you’re almost certainly going to like the atmospheric fashion in which 3D Lights cuts its way through those clouds and swirling raindrops. And if you’re into low level night missions with helicopters, or landing on the rooftops of skyscrapers, 3D Lights offers really practical benefits to that kind of flying too. Likewise, bush flying in tricky terrain at night with small prop aircraft is made more of a practical proposition with this effect lighting your way." While there is some manual work to be done in the configuration files, Alan says of 3D Lights, "I’d have to say 3D Lights is a winner. It’s true that the effect it offers is not perfect in some circumstances, but most of the time it comes very close to that ideal. And in terms of innovative and a different add-on for Flight Simulator, it’s well deserving of praise. I’d recommend it."
Real Sky Pro	By Alan Bradbury (September 14, 2007) Staff reviewer Alan Bradbury reviews Sandon Lyon's latest release of his Real Sky series, Real Sky Pro. "Real Sky Pro is a nifty little utility which professes to add more realism to the sky textures in Microsoft’s Flight Simulator, without reducing frame rates, and in some cases, even threatening to increase them. Bold claims indeed, particularly in view of the fact that what one person considers realistic, might not be thought so by the next." "Minor misgivings in the ability to revert textures and the somewhat frugal installation help aside, it has to be said Real Sky Pro is very quick and easy to use, and it does seem to work flawlessly once installed. Real Sky Pro is no more complicated than a set of replacement textures coupled to a graphical user interface to make previewing, selecting and installing them easier. It’s true the interface isn’t going to win any beauty contests, but it is very businesslike, and it does the job asked of it." "There are so many choices available in Real Sky Pro, I was half-expecting to see an option for a Martian sky, but while RSP stops short of offering that, it doesn’t skimp on any sky options for our own planet. In fact, the breadth of choice borders on being overwhelming, so it is nice to see selections offered in logical groups and sub-groups. All replacement textures are accompanied by a representative thumbnail panorama of a large section of the horizon, giving you a good idea of how they will look in FS." "Essentially, all the textures in Real Sky Pro are amendments or variations of the default FS textures, which have then been grouped into a logical sequence to make finding the perfect sky of your choice easy to implement. If creating these textures sounds like it might have been simple, my investigations proved otherwise, and it was apparent that a lot of care had gone into the various tweaks that have taken place to create this product." Summing up Real Sky Pro, Alan asks, "Do I like Real Sky Pro?" His response, "Yes, I do. In fact with so many choices, frankly it would be impossible not to find something I didn’t prefer over the original FS textures, and choice is always a good thing. I think Real Sky Pro will certainly appeal to anyone who can appreciate how much of a genuine feeling of extreme distance these textures offer, instead of simply concentrating on ‘wow factor’ colours. There is some real subtle artistry and particularly astute implementation of what the sky does actually look like when viewed from an aircraft to be found within this package."
Flight Enhancer	By Josh Szkoda (September 9, 2007) Staff reviewer Josh Szkoda looks at Cielosim's Flight Enhancer for FS9. "Cielosim’s package contains replacement texture sets for water, skies and runway lights; each set of textures has been duplicated two more times to create the textures for day, dusk and night." "Cielosim have produced 2,700 custom textures for this program, comprising of 30 day sets, 12 dawn sets, 11 dusk sets and six night sets. This is then combined with the “Extras”, comprising of 6 water sets, 4 cloud sets, 4 sun sets, 5 light sets and 3 environment sets. All these can easily be previewed and applied to the simulator with little or no fuss, as the fairly attractive looking user interface will do all the hard work." "Choosing the sets can be a bit tricky. Some of them look fairly similar and the two little preview images that you’ll get to see are by no means sufficient, as all it displays is a picture of what the sky will look like depending on the position of the sun. But I suppose half of the fun is sorting through all the different sets and getting a feel for each. Flight Enhancer also has built-in weather from the Weather Channel website for nearly every continent on the planet." Josh sums up Flight Enhancer by simply saying, "I think Flight Enhancer is a very useful and high-quality FS-tool. I like using it, as it makes my simulation more realistic."
FS2Crew for the Airbus A320	By Paul Middleton (September 8, 2007) Senior staff reviewer Paul Middleton continues his reviews of the Wilco/feelThere FS2Crew series. This time it's the Airbus A320. "For those still unfamiliar with this product series, it meets the need of virtual pilots who want to simulate the professional routine of life in that office at the front of the plane. So not only is there that important paperwork to deal with, and those little passenger emergencies that keep cropping up, but you have someone in the right-hand seat to share the workload and checklists with. So it's more "real as it gets" than flying a passenger jet in solitary splendour." "FS2Crew simulates all those people that a real-life pilot normally interacts with. There's the Ground Crew, who do such things as bring you paperwork and push you back. There are the flight attendants who do such things as tell you when the cabin is ready and report on passengers needing assistance. And last but not least, there is your Flying Officer, who works many of the switches, runs through the checklists with you, and points out when you do something wrong. He does reduce your workload so that you, as the pilot, can do all the Captain's stuff, like hold the controls, set the autopilot, plan your descent, or just look out of the window." Paul explains in detail what happens inside the cockpit while sitting at the gate, during the pushback, start and taxi phases, takeoff, clinb and cruise, and finally the approach and landing. "I have never noticed any additional performance overhead from using FS2Crew. I also find it to be completely reliable. As long as you know the Airbus and its systems, so you know what's going on and what your FO is up to; and as long as you work through the Tutorial Flight a couple of times to become familiar with it, it'll become your tried and trusted friend in the cockpit." In summary Paul comments, "This is the fourth FS2Crew review I have done, and once again Bryan York has produced a little masterpiece. FS2Crew for the Wilco Feelthere Airbus is the latest in a series of excellent products from this stable. If you are a 'bus flyer, you shouldn't be without it!"
XGraphics	By Allen Lavigne (September 3, 2007) Staff reviewer Allen Lavigne completes his look at the second of 2 releases by HiFi Simulations Software, X Graphics. "You can buy Active Sky X and XGraphics separately, or as a bundle. Not that they are in any way uncomplimentary. Nor are they inseparable. You can completely enjoy one without the other." "X Graphics is an application that is only used before launching FSX in order to pre-install appropriate weather-influenced or a user’s desired set of textures, and is no longer used once FSX has begun to load, it can then be closed. If you also have Active Sky X installed, the simplest way to use XG is to use its weather-influenced choice of textures." "There are 52 themes in XG. Not every theme will alter each and every texture option from your previous theme selection. You may go from one theme to another without changing certain textures. However, quite a few are altered. You can tell just how many by fast switching between two selections of themes while observing one of the four sub-page categories of Cloud/Sky/Sun, Water, Airports/Roads, and Lights/Sounds. Surprisingly, frame rates using the highest quality were fine on my system. Personally, I always try for the best quality to the detriment of high fps." Allen's review contains many screenshots to show examples of what is acheivable within XGraphics. Products of this nature are best seen with descriptive captions. In his summary he says, "there are two ways I like using X Graphics. First and best liked is the weather influenced selection available only through Active Sky X, which I find relevant and easy to use. Second, without ASX installed, the use of themes is very easy and most sets produce excellent results without much fuss. This is not just a bunch of textures made to look nice, it is a massive texture installation engine."
Ultimate Traffic X	By Jon Murchison (August 22, 2007) Staff reviewer Jon Murchison looks for signs of intellegent life on the airfield and in the air with Flight 1's Ultimate Traffic X. "In a nutshell, Ultimate Traffic either replaces or enhances, the default AI traffic in Flight simulator X across the globe." "Ultimate Traffic comes with a 40 page Help/User Guide in PDF format. Throughout the Guide, changes from the FS2004 version relevant to FSX have been highlighted in blue which was useful. I found the User Guide aimed at someone with no prior experience with AI, which in my view, is exactly how it should be so newbie’s will be able to get what they need from the guide." "AI is handled slightly differently in the new sim so Ultimate Traffic takes the pain out of this process, and does this with an intuitive interface that has 4 simple buttons. Don’t let this apparent simplicity fool you. Underneath each of those buttons is a myriad of potential." "As aircraft modelers have become more proficient, particularly with the concept of LOD (Level of detail), the sophistication of AI traffic has evolved. While the models in Ultimate Traffic adequately depict the aircraft they represent, they are nothing to get overly excited about. The Flight 1 website is very clear on the limitations of the models and explains up front that they are the same ones used in the FS2004 version, they also acknowledge the issues with using them so at least you know what you are getting before you buy. The complete Airbus and Boeing range are featured, minus the A380 or 787, so Ultimate Traffic is focused on the ‘here and now’ for its fleet offerings." "There is no doubt that Ultimate Traffic improves performance if it replaces the default AI, however, if you max out your traffic, far more aircraft will be present than if the default AI was set to max. So any performance gain will be eaten up and you probably end up loosing." Summing up Flight 1's Ultimate Traffic X, Jon says, "If you want realistically scheduled AI traffic populating your airports, and an easy way of modifying/selecting this, then Ultimate Traffic is worth taking a look at. In my view, it’s the user interface that is the heart of this package. It’s easy to use, gives you incredible control and flexibility over what you compile, and allows you to effectively change everything, and that in itself is worth it. Ultimate Traffic is ideal for beginners and seasoned AI users, and does promise improved performance in FSX if you keep AI settings at moderate levels."
Dispatch Planner III	By Josh Szkoda (August 5, 2007) Staff reviewer Josh Szkoda sits patiently in the cockpit awaiting the paperwork that he'll receive from David Baty's Dispatch Planner III. "Dispatch Planner 3 is your virtual dispatch agent, and it really couldn’t be made any simpler." "The settings window allows you to make selections for three different things, the unit to be used for weight, the format for how the date is to be displayed, as well as the version of Flight Sim you wish to use. DP3 connects to Flight Sim and will automatically get the Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW) of your aircraft, so when selected in the dispatch window this information can be put on the dispatch report. This is very handy for those of you who use FMC/MCDU’s. Other information will be printed on the dispatch report too, such as payload. The information is retrieved from the aircraft.cfg file when selected on the user interface." "Filling in the dispatch report form starts off with the basics. You enter things such as your departure and arrival aerodromes, ICAO codes and your flight number. All pretty straight forward. The form then asks you for the flight plan you’ll be flying between the two airfields. The form then continues with asking the type of aircraft, its registration, planned flight level, estimated time of departure and all the other basics." "At the top of the screen displaying your report, you have the options to print, close, some other basic things, and the impressive availability to file the flight plan with VATSIM. The dispatch report itself is a fairly professional looking document that gives all needed details, and I must say it looks not too indifferent from a real world one." "The weather centre is simple yet effective. The weather centre asks you for both your departure and arrival airfields and allows you to enter up to four en-route alternates (RALT’s) and the standard ICAO 2 destination alternates (DALT’s). The weather centre is great for providing an all in one place for the METAR’s and definitely saves a lot of time compared to doing it manually and entering those ICAO codes." Now that Josh has his dispatch form in hand, he sums up Dispatch Planner III with, "It definitely has potential, and I think if the dispatch report was to include things such as NOTAMS and more customization to the actual report; we could be onto a real good thing here. With this said, however, I must point out the accuracy and realism that the data contained on the dispatch report. So would I recommend Dispatch Planner III? Yes, yes I would."
Active Sky X	By Allen Lavigne (July 28, 2007) Staff reviewer Allen Lavigne incorporates real time data in his flying by using HiFi Simulations Active Sky X. "If you have previous versions installed, you do not have to uninstall them. ASX is a completely separate entity." Allen describes in detail each settings page and menu within ASX. "On initial launch, ASX downloads the current weather only if you left the “Automatic Weather Downloads” option checked ‘on’ in the Settings menu (default setting is on); otherwise, ‘off’ or unchecked, it will reload the last weather downloaded (LastWeather file), which is critical for continuing a saved flight unaltered. Collaboration with VATSIM allows users to download the weather from VATSIM’s source for those who wish to fly on their network." "The map page displays by way of graphical symbols (see legend below), weather conditions at stations within a selectable range from 30 to 5000 SM. Care must be taken not to overcrowd the map. This is easily done by manipulating the range and by selecting symbols from stations, airports, route, clouds, precipitation, visibility, and winds as desired. This legend can also be accessed as a popup from this page. I found this map screen useful to predict weather conditions around and distant from my current position." "The weather conf page is where you can manually configure the weather one station at a time, and impose the METAR range that this station imposes on other stations (up to 80 SM, and “global”). Want to hear the weather enroute? This can be tuned in by adjusting your COM1 radio to 122.00: A voice reading of the local WX is heard but no text is displayed." Allen has included a nice screenshot gallery of various weather conditions, real and built, in his review. Beacuse of the depth of this review, these screenshots help describe the functionality of this utility. In his summary of HiFi Simulations' Active Sky X, he says, "I am pleasantly impressed with this promising new version and knowing HiFi’s excellent support and steady flow of updates, this application will certainly improve with time."
Digital TripleHead2Go	By Robert Whitwell (July 8, 2007) Reviews editor Robert Whitwell goes wide with his new Digital TripleHead2Go from Matrox. "Matrox has upped the little black box from last year to keep in line with technology. They have released the Digital version of the TripleHead2Go (TH2G)." "Inside the package is the newly configured "black box" as well as the required cables. A noticeable difference was the lack of a power cord. The digital version of the TH2G plugs into a USB slot vice into the wall. Also, the input into the TH2G has two options, a DVI connector or a VGA connector. Both VGA-to-VGA and DVI-to-DVI cables are included. All that's required to hook up this version of the TH2G is a video card that is DVI capable and 3 monitors with DVI inputs." "Matrox has expanded their list of campatible programs and have added some new features to the software. Monitor Bezel Management is a new to the Digital TH2G. With three monitors sitting side-by-side, you have two large "frame edges" separating your monitors. What the Bezel Management system does is hide some of the image behind these frames to give your image the appearance of being continuous." "Once you've seen the TH2G in action, you'll probably say, "I've got to have one". I've seen other versions of multi-screen set-ups, especially for flight simming, but most of these required multiple monitors as well as multiple PC's. With the price of good monitors dropping on a monthly basis, picking up a digital TH2G for just over $300 is a good investment, in my opinion. You'll be able to see the Matrox TripleHead2Go in action again at the 2007 AVSIM Conference in Seattle."
Pilot Seat	By Robert Whitwell (July 2, 2007) Reviews Editor Robert Whitwell gets comfy behind his desk as he reviews a new Pilot Seat by Contact-Sales. "This multi-functional seat allows you to fly, race or just use it as an everyday workseat""Contact-Sales’ quote of “easy to assemble” holds true once you know where everything goes. Within 30 minutes I had my new toy assembled. I now had a very comfortable Pilots Seat to fly from. I attached all of my CH Products flight hardware to the platforms with the Velcro that came with the seat. As I cozied the seat up to my computer desk, I made some final adjustments on the height of the yoke and its distance from the seat, as well as the height of the throttle platform. I was now ready to climb aboard and start flying." While all the assembly details and the features are listed in the Pilot Seat review, Robert comments on the versatility of this piece of hardware, "this Corbeau Racing Seat is very comfortable. If I drop the yoke column down and move it forward, combined with removing the side “wings”, I can move right up to my computer desk and do other PC tasks. No real need to switch back and forth between my office chair and this one. Besides, this is a bucket seat, great for long hauls in front of the PC. If you should chose to use your office chair when not simming, this unit is easily transportable out of the way. I simply unplug my flight controls from my USB hub and place the Pilot Seat away from my desk and roll my office chair back in."
Weather Maker RX	By Paul Middleton (June 24, 2007) Senior staff reviewer Paul Middleton taps into Mother Nature and flies in the actual weather coditions as seen outside the cockpit window with Calibre Software's Weather Maker RX. "What Weather Maker RX does is detects where your aircraft is, then goes to a weather report server to pick up the local and surrounding weather reports, and depict this weather around your aircraft using FSX's weather engine. As you move along it will pick up other reports along your route, so that you are consistently surrounded by real weather. If you prefer to use the real weather from an earlier day, then if you've previously stored that weather file it will allow you to use that." Paul explains, "Now I won't begin to pretend that I've done a rigorous series of test flights on all continents and in all climates and seasons, comparing what I see with the weather reports from all the local stations. What I did instead was to use the product in my regular FSX flying, checking summary weather forecasts beforehand and mentally noting what I saw against what I expected. And my conclusion? Well, it never did anything completely silly, like snowstorms over Arabia or heat waves in Alaska. And generally speaking the results were pleasing, because unlike FSX's real weather with its (often) single layer of cloud, I got up to three layers, all different, and quite complex looking." He continues, "FSX's own Real Weather has improved by leaps and bounds from the early days. It's by no means perfect, but it's certainly a lot better than it used to be, and it's an increasingly "hard act to follow". This does therefore challenge third-party software developers to provide a significant improvement, with weather that really does match the reports all the time. The test flights I carried out are representative rather than exhaustive, but it does suggest that when depicting the weather outside the cockpit, Weather Maker RX needs to do more to distance itself from "out of the box" FSX." In his summation of Weather Maker RX, Paul remarks, "it provides a weather radar that can be used both in pre-flight planning and weather avoidance in-flight, and real in-flight weather based on real-world meteorological reports. Whilst this is not always as accurate as FSX's own Real Weather, it does allow you to go back to historic weather, and is a platform for further development."
AirNav Systems FS Live TrafficX	By Jeff Shyluk (June 19, 2007) Staff reviewer Jeff Shyluk dives into the world of AI traffic from a real world perspective with AirNav Systems' FS Live Traffic X. "AirNav FS Live Traffic X is software for FSX that will generate artificially intelligent (AI) traffic that looks like real-world airlines, which can populate just about any airport that supports IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flights into, out of, or within North America. This is due to a subscription process that allows AirNav FS Live Traffic X to connect to an Internet server that continuously updates real IFR flight schedules collected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) into data suitable for use in FSX." "What this looks like in FSX, is that there are aircraft models with realistic airline paint schemes that will follow real world flight schedules. If a flight is cancelled, delayed, or added from the published schedule in the real word, for example due to weather conditions, then your air traffic in FSX should accurately reflect that change." "The AI traffic models in AirNav FS Live Traffic X are based on the model set from My Traffic X, although the numbers of jets has been stripped down to eliminate IFR flights that do not begin or end in North America. The traffic schedules are taken from AirNav Systems' Live Flight Tracker, and are rendered into FSX as a special scenery layer." "Installation of AirNav FS Live Traffic X is somewhat tricky and depends on the user being able to edit configuration files in FSX. The manual explains the process in good detail with instructive illustrations. Purchasing AirNav FS Live Traffic X is actually part of a subscription system, and the purchaser will automatically be charged $59.95 in US Dollars every six months for access to flight schedules that are accurate almost up to the minute, with the first six-month subscription being included in the price of the utility. Users can contact AirNav Systems to opt out of subscription at any time." "AirNav FS Live Traffic X operates independently of FSX. After installation, very little user intervention is required to maintain the flight schedules or liveries: the process is automatic and internal. The program needs a live Internet connection, from where it will download updates that typically are around 300 kilobytes in size. It took my test system under a minute to process the update, which gets loaded into FSX automatically. FSX load times are longer due to the new data. On my computer, the load time increased by about a minute." "Airports become loaded with real-world airlines that will respond to realistic Air Traffic Controller calls by their proper names. These airliners will take off and land following real-world flight plans, in FSX they will properly use gates and jetways, and will call for support vehicles automatically." "Since it's possible to have over a hundred different airplanes at once in larger airports, the detail level on these jets is low, and up close, they look rather ugly. However, they are colourful, and unlike the fictional MSFS jets like Pacifica and World Travel Airlines, you can have many more of them on screen at the same time before taking a big performance hit with your computer, as long as you are running a decent modern system." "Most of the AI flights are IFR, because the FAA data that AirNav Systems collects is based on IFR flight plans. This means that AirNav FS Live Traffic X depicts mostly passenger jets. Military flights, helicopters, amphibious planes, and such are not modelled at this time. As well, for the parts of the world where the FAA does not track flights, you are not likely to see much AI traffic, if any." Concluding his look at AirNav FS Live Traffic X, Jeff describes it as, "a premium AI air traffic generator for the North American continent. With it, you will get true to life air traffic that is as close to "live" as we can get for FSX, given some limitations. The extra service does come with a large price tag, but if spending money on your FSX hobby is not a problem, I feel that AirNav FS Live Traffic X provides plenty of useful utility. The user will never have to worry about sorting through a seemingly endless list of files, schedules, and liveries, as all of the "book-keeping" and maintenance within the program is performed automatically."
Century Trident Autopilot	By Bert Pieke (May 18, 2007) Senior staff reviewer Bert Pieke becomes a cockpit mechanic as he replaces various gauges in his aircraft with Flight 1's Century Triden Autopilot flight control system. "The Century Triden AP system includes the Triden AP with vertical speed, alt hold, approach, nav, hdg, flight director and yaw damper modes. In addition to the Autopilot, the TRIDEN Automatic Flight Control System includes the Century NSD-1000 HSI, Century ADI w/FD and the Century GPSS/HDG switch, plus an Altitude Preselect and Alerter." "You essentially pick those gauges you want removed from the panel (here the ADI, HSI, ADF, Alerter, and GPS switch) and after deleting them, you pick the gauges from the menu in the screen and drag them to the positions where you want them displayed. Then, while holding the Ctrl-key down, you can use the mouse to stretch the gauges to their final dimensions." "Flying with the Triden autopilot is a treat. It feels like you’ve just spent a bundle to upgrade your GA avionics to a high-end set, costing 10’s of thousands of dollars more. The autopilot gauge has all the buttons conveniently located around a screen that indicates the “soft buttons” to push, and if you are used to having to switch to the radio stack to access the autopilot, you can now position the autopilot right on the main panel, in most cases." "This is a high function gauge set that will appeal to real world pilots who are familiar with the Century product line (or those who would like to explore this set of gauges). It is professionally put together and is very satisfying when used as intended," say Bert about the Century Triden Autopilot, "if you carefully select your aircraft for this “avionics upgrade”, you can end up with a great looking and very satisfying result."
Airport Enhancement Services	By Michael "DocW" Wehner (May 14, 2007) Staff reviewer Michael "DocW' Wehner looks at all of the "extras" that are included with Aerosoft's Airport Enhancement Services. "AES is a tool that offers detailed adjustable and aircraft tailored ground services for certain, mainly Aerosoft distributed airports. It provides you with a fully automated pushback service, a follow me vehicle, an animated 3D marshaller, a visual docking guidance system, moving and well aligned jetways, stairways, catering vehicles and luggage-belt or container vehicles serving your plane." "The level of detail looks adequate for me and doesn't leave a lot to desire. Let’s imagine you came to a stop in LEPA and gate 18 was assigned to you. You would open the AES-User-Interface, which is similar to the ATC window, with CRTL-SHFT-W, adjust the Gate number with the function keys and then call the Follow Me van. the van will appear suddenly if watched from an outside view, but if you stay in the cockpit, the van will create a realistic visual impression by driving from your peripheral field of vision into the center. You can now follow the VW to the gate." "Arriving at your gate, the automatic guidance system will direct you into the parking position. Arriving at a stand; the 3D marshaller waves you into position. When he is happy with your alignment, you will be asked to apply parking brakes and soon after be informed that the blocks are now in position and finally the jetways or stairways come into play. I am really impressed by finding out that the little extendable pads of the service trucks indeed extend when they moved themselves into position." DocW asked several questions directly to the developers and received some detail feedback. In his summation of Aerosoft's AES, Michael comments, "Simming is a lot about immersion. Immersion is a very personal matter, if ground handling is on your list, then AES helps a lot. I had no serious issues with the package whatsoever, everything worked as advertised. AES impressed me as an elaborate, genuine and substantial contribution to FS9 with still lots of promising perspectives."
Flight Deck Companion! for FSX	By Jeff Shyluk (Mar 15, 2007) Staff reviewer Jeff Skyluk fills that empty void called the left seat with Aerosoft's Flight Deck Companion! for FSX developed by OnCourse Software. "FDC was originally released in 2002, and since then, has been revised and improved in many ways." "Flight Deck Companion Live Cockpit! (FDC) is a third-party add-on that provides a Virtual Co-Pilot (VCP) for just about any fixed-wing aircraft in your FSX hangar. The VCP will provide interactive audio checklists that will help you as the Pilot-In-Command to manage all of your cockpit chores. The VCP will also automatically perform many cockpit tasks such as correctly setting flaps, gear, spoilers, speedbrakes, reverse thrusters, and the autopilot, leaving you to concentrate on flying. FDC is flexible enough to provide cockpit support for many of the existing FSX aircraft, and can be configured to accept most, if not all, third-party fixed-wing aircraft, including jets, turboprops, and general aviation aircraft. In fact, FDC is open to a great deal of user customization, as you can adjust how the VCP performs his or her tasks, you can specify exactly which call-outs you want to hear in your interactive checklists (and even which call-outs are to be interactive), you can choose from 16 different cockpit crew voice sets and 6 different flight attendant voices (or you can record your own custom voice sets), and you can set up over twenty hotkeys, including customizing functions that use the buttons on your flight controllers." "In a typical flight, you choose which aircraft you wish to fly, and then connect FDC, which runs outside of FSX into your flight sim. You and your VCP will run through checklists where the VCP reads out items and you interactively respond to them. The VCP is capable of making many settings on his or her own, and can correct your mistakes. FDC monitors your flight progress from departure to arrival. All along the way, the VCP will give you helpful audio cues as you master your checklists. In addition, FDC can create a log of your flight that you can save and review after your journey is complete." "What FDC does best is to provide an immersive audio environment for your cockpit. If you are used to flying all by yourself, it's something different and special to have a virtual Co-Pilot helping you handle the cockpit workload. FDC is simple enough for a novice to use, but can also provide challenge to more hard-core users as well." Jeff sums up Flight Deck Companion! with "Back in 2002, FDC got some very good reviews. Five years later, it's still a quality product, although I feel that MSFS and other developers have caught up somewhat to the high level that FDC enjoyed in the beginning. That being said, FDC gives good value for the money in 2005, and Dave March, the lead developer, promises some exciting new developments for FDC in the future!"
Real Sky v3	By Allen Lavigne (Mar 12, 2007) Staff reviewer Allen Lavigne repaints the sky with Sandon Lyon's Real Sky v3 which includes both the FS9 and FSX versions. "Although Real Sky, by the same author, has already been reviewed, this version of Real Sky 3 (also called REAL SKY V3 EXTRA EDITION) and its textures are not a previous version of REAL SKY with a new name, and are not randomly generated." "Regardless of what textures you had installed before, they can be reinstalled if required. If you find that you would prefer any previously used textures to the ones Real Sky gives you, these can be retrieved individually from the backup folder (rs3backup) in your main texture folder. What does it change? Cloud, lights, water reflections, and sky textures. For the better, IMHO." "I noticed that the default water textures do not have the sun reflection ‘broad line’ on the water, as is the case with Real Sky. Since Real Sky comes with new cloud textures, these are different from the default set and are nicer in my opinion. Also, the ocean field height file seems to generate a wider and mode distinct wave pattern. The water textures themselves are an obvious improvement. The lens flare effect is much more subtle with Real Sky 3. The native FS9 has distinct squares in succession, which is not very real." While the pictures speak many more words than the text implies, seeing this software in action is the real test of what it can do. Allen sums up his review of Real Sky 3 with, "In my opinion, the Real Sky textures show a significant improvement in realism. I’m keeping this Real Sky 3 on my system for use with FSX until something much better can be made. Those not anticipating any other purchases of more expensive add-ons in the future may be interested in getting Real Sky 3, as it is a significant improvement to the default environment (in my opinion)."
TrackClip Pro	By Paul Middleton (Feb 23, 2007) Senior staff reviewer Paul Middleton looks at cockpit management with FS2Crew for 747. "These two FS2Crew products are the latest in this series of Cockpit Management add-ons, and are designed for the Boeing 747. The first operates with the excellent 747 from PMDG, and the other with the default 747 that comes with FSX. For those unfamiliar with this product series, it adds a whole new level of realism for full-blown passenger operations." "FS2Crew simulates all those people that a real-life pilot normally interacts with. There's the Ground Crew, who do such things as bring you paperwork and push you back. There are the flight attendants, who do such things as tell you when the cabin is ready and report on passengers needing assistance. And last but not least, there is your Flying Officer, who works most of the switches, runs through the checklists with you, and points out when you do something wrong. He does reduce your workload so that you, as the pilot, can do all the Captain's stuff, like hold the controls, set the autopilot, plan your descent, or just look out of the window." So what kinds of cockpit management functions are within the FS2Crew program? "When you are ready to push back, you press the "PB" button on the Main Selector Panel and the small Pushback Panel appears. You specify the distance and angle you want, and it takes care of the rest. While taxiing, you run through the Before Takeoff Checklist. When you are cleared for takeoff, you set 70% N1, then engage TOGA. If you prefer, you can get your FO to handle the takeoff instead. In that case, you'll use the Main Button to do the callouts and they will handle the yoke while you raise flaps and engage autopilot. As you approach the Top of Descent, you need to perform the Approach Brief. This involves clicking "AB" on the Main Selector Panel, and an Approach Briefing panel opens up, which is similar to the Departure Briefing Panel used earlier. In the descent, you'll be going through the Descent Checklist ("DS" on the Main Selector Panel) and later the minimal Approach Checklist." Paul's summary of FS2Crew for 747 is short, sweet and to the point. "FS2Crew for the PMDG and FSX default 747's is an excellent product, which reflects a continual development and improvement over the earlier versions that were good in themselves. I thoroughly recommend it." For a comprehensive look at this program, read Paul's review.
TrackClip Pro	By Jeff Shyluk (Feb 11, 2007) Staff reviewer Jeff Shyluk continues where staff reviewer Zane Gard left off, with the continuation of Natural Point's latest piece of hardware, the TrackClip Pro. "This device is a USB-powered tracking clip that can attach to a headset for use with the TrackIR4:PRO system." "The TrackClip PRO is a sensor device that will clip onto the left side of many headsets. It can be used with either the TrackIR3 or the TrackIR4 PRO models, although it does not include Vector Expansion activation for the TrackIR3:PRO. The TrackClip PRO is small and very lightweight, but I feel it is not as subtle in appearance as the spring steel clip. The TrackClip PRO is constructed of jet black shiny plastic, with the largest mass residing in an adjustable clip that fits on the left side of your headset. Emerging from the clip is a triple-pronged transmitter whose wiry armatures glow with a faint but steady redness from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at their tips." "So, just how well does the TrackClip PRO perform? I think it works exceptionally well! This product is an absolute winner. The moment you activate the TrackIR in your sim, your whole environment really comes to life. The feeling of immersion into reality seems both powerful and effortless. I saw that the TrackClip PRO easily and accurately tracked the movements of my head, and that the TrackIR system as a whole did not seem to affect my frame rates in any way. the camera sensor will accurately track the TrackClip PRO, and the user can sit farther away from the camera under lower light conditions and still get excellent responses to head movements. It is a sensitive device, so there is no need to use broad, sweeping head motions to achieve perfect control." Jeff sums up the TrackClip pro with, "I am a huge fan of the TrackIR system. To me, a TrackIR is as important a peripheral to a Flight Simulator computer as a joystick and a monitor. I feel that a TrackIR is well worth the investment. The TrackClip PRO is a brilliant add-on for the TrackIR. It integrates seamlessly with my existing TrackIR device. The setup does require a little bit of work, but nothing difficult or strenuous: if you can set up a TrackIR, you can easily set up a TrackClip PRO."
Integrated Simvionics Group	By David Wilson-Okamura (Feb 11, 2007) Staff reviewer David Wilson-Okamura looks at a collection of guages from Integrated Simavionics Group. This collection includes a Master Control Unit (MCU), which pulls together the various functions of the system, the FMS proper (where flight plans are entered and various data can be viewed), an Enhanced Attitude Directional Indicator (which adds features to the standard horizon ball), and two different route displays: the Primus 1000 Multi-Function Display (MFD) and the Honeywell EFS50 Enhanced Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI). "The driving force behind this project is Ernie Alston, whom some of us know as a controller on VATSIM, and others as the author of FSBuild, which was reviewed here several months ago. The consensus, on VATSIM at least, is that FSBuild is the best flight planning software for pilots who want to fly realistic routings. This same level of realism is now evident in Alston’s gauge offerings. This doesn’t at all mean that you need to have FSBuild in order to use ISG1." "A great deal of thought has gone into making these new gauges play nicely with the other children in the cockpit. It’s possible to specify that a gauge will be used in the VC, or a pop-up, and the gauge will adjust to use system resources most effectively. There are also special versions of some gauges that include back-lighting." When describing who the target audience is for these add-on gauges by Integrated Simavionics Group, David says, "The gauges in this package are carefully chosen and well executed. In combination, they simplify pilot workload and increase the precision of several flight maneuvers, including descent, hold, and approach. I like the results, and have no desire to go back. It really is a package, though, for jets and turboprops. If there is an obstacle to the success of this add-on, it is probably that tinkering with gauges and panels is not everyone’s idea of relaxation."
Eyecessories 3D Glasses	By Gavin Hendrie (Jan 22, 2007) Staff reviewer Gavin Hendire looks at the world through rose (and green) coloured glasses. 3D glasses actually, from Eyecessories. "In a nutshell, they are a pair of plastic glasses, not much unlike the shape of a pair of sunglasses. One lens is coloured Red and the other a sort of Green/Blue and they have been fine tuned by experts to ensure the sharpest image possible. Firstly, you need to download the NVIDIA consumer 3D stereo drivers (about 5.5Mb) and the MATCHING normal graphics driver. Further to that, the more astute of you will be thinking “but what about my ATi card?” The simple answer is that you’ll have to go and buy an NVIDIA card, as the drivers obviously don’t work with any GPU other than an NVIDIA chip." "Don the glasses and the picture will come together but with an incredible feeling of depth. The amazing thing about these glasses is the versatility. This is not just an addon for FS, but in fact for anything you want to view on your PC in 3D." Summing up this latest offering to the 3D world from Eyecessories, Gavin says, "I have to admit that I was blown away by the added and quite genuine feeling of depth. To say it added something to my flying is potentially the biggest understatement ever. Is it worth buying, I’d say it is. Are you getting value for money and the answer here is yes, you certainly are."
FSDiscover!	By David Wilson-Okamura (Jan 13, 2007) There's scenic flights and then there's informative scenic flights. Staff reviewer David Wilson-Okamura describes the numerous features in Flight 1's new release, FSDiscover! "With EZ-Landmark, you could look out the window of your aircraft and see labels over the landscape. If you wanted to know what a lake was called, the name was right there in front of you, hovering over the lake. In FSDiscover!, it works the same way, but there are several new features: a basic map with flight planner, more named objects, a new system for displaying names without cluttering up the screen, a mechanism to add placenames while you are flying, and the option to see your flight path painted on the landscape in front of you." "Currently, there are four categories of names that you can show: airports, geographic names, your flight plan (if you have one), and "points of interest." According to the product description, FSDiscover! has a database of "over 3.6 million geographic names from all over the world". Also, FSDiscover! has an interface that lets you add landmarks while you are flying. This involves pointing at the object (by slewing the aircraft) and typing the landmark’s name." David says, "there is a lot of great scenery out there, both freeware and payware, but we don’t always see everything that’s there. FSDiscover! can help with that. Easy to use and also to expand, this is a tool not just for exploring new places, but for discovering new things about the places we already know."
Skydecks 737NG Panel	By David Rogers (Dec 23, 2006) New staff reviewer David Rogers kicks off his first review with Skydecks 737NG Panel. "According to the Sky-Decks team, you get a high quality 737NG Panel with all new gauges for the most realistic flight simulation experience. Sky-Deck also provides within the download, a freeware 737 aircraft already configured and set-up to use this Panel." "We are clearly dealing with a fine looking panel. Clicking the appropriate sim icon brings up the overhead panel. And what an overhead this is! The rest of the sub panels are similarly accessed from the sim icons and reveal equally pleasant renditions of their counterparts from the real plane. An initial look around the main panel, and especially the MCP (Mode Control Panel), reveals my first area of disappointment in the Sky-Decks Panel - the functionality and realism of the overhead panel is not extended to the MCP, Autopilot, or FMA (flight mode annunciations), shown on the Primary Flying Display." "An area of realism that does mirror the actual NG aircraft is the fact that you can choose to fly with Boeing’s Full or Compact layouts for the Primary Flying and Navigation Displays. On loading an aircraft that uses the panel, you are presented with a pop-up option box where the selection is made." David summarizes this add-on with, "The Sky-Decks 737NG Panel gives the virtual flyer a stunning looking panel to fly from, along with some nice touches such as an announcement panel and highly functional overhead. Main panel functionality is not on par with the most advanced complex simulations but as an upgrade from the default FS2004 airliner panels, or for use with freeware models, this add-on packs a punch and represents good value for money."
FSPilot	By Jeff Shyluk (Nov 17, 2006) Staff reviewer Jeff Skyluk puts everything on Autopilot as he looks at a shareware product from Scientific Networks, FSPilot. "FSPilot is an enhanced "universal autopilot" for virtually every aircraft, including third-party add-ons, and especially including helicopters, that FS2004 supports. FSPilot also includes a digital moving-map EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrument System), a flight planner, and some extra goodies like an .MP3 player and a Snapshot photo tool." Jeff reports that FSPilot is crammed with interesting items. Here is a list of features in FSPilot: Universal Autopilot, Helicopter Autopilot, Does not require FSUIPC, Time compression, EFIS/Navigation Screen, Low Altitude Flight, Google Earth Interface, Auto Approach, Automated Flight Plans, Inverted Autopilot, Microsoft Access Database Interface, Audio Cues, and Screen Shot capability. You can read about these features in detail within the review. "FSPilot has a lot of features to try out. Most of them apply to what I would consider two broad categories of autopilot function: things you can do in real-time and under time-compression, and things you can do to program the autopilot in advance of the flight. FSPilot is genuinely fun for the whole family, and educational for all ages in the worlds of simulated aviation and programming." Jeff summarizes FSPilot with, "FSPilot is a shareware utility for MSFS that provides a unique "universal autopilot" that is capable of completely controlling just about every aircraft that has been designed for Flight Simulator, including fixed-wing aircraft (propeller-driven planes and jets), helicopters, and commercial and free-ware add-ons. FSPilot also provides a programmable flight planner and a one-click navigation system that allows for setting and following waypoints on the fly. FSPilot provides control over your aircraft at time compression settings well beyond what MSFS is capable of, so that it is easy to simulate long-haul flights in a short simulation session. You can even use FSPilot to perform fully automated landings. You do not require FSUIPC to use FSPilot."
Friendly Panels - 14 Gauges	By Brian Fletcher (Oct 25, 2006) Sr Staff reviewer Brian Fletcher does some modifications to the interior of his aircraft with the inclusion of some new gauges. 14 Gauges to select from Friendly Panels. "Friendly Panels 14 gauges pack 1 includes three GPS’s, two NAV-COM radios, two autopilots, 2 transponders, three audio panels, an ADF, and a DME, all of which are designed to reflect there real world counterpart as closely as Flight Simulator permits. This package gives the simmer the opportunity to upgrade from the default FS9 radio and navigation instruments to something more authentic, more legible, and with more features." The selections available in this package include: Bendix KLN 90B and KLN 94 GPS, Garmin GNS 530 GPS, Bendix KAP140 and KFC225 Autopilots, Bendix KX 165A NAV1-Com1 and NAV2-Com2, Bendix KT70 and KT76C Transponders, Bendix KR87 ADF, Bendix KN62A DME, and the KMA24, KMA26, and KA134 Audio Panels. "While researching each of these instruments, I contacted my local Allied Signal retailer for Bendix / King products and found out that FP has done a remarkable job of making the instruments in this package extremely close in functionality and appearance to the real instruments," reports Brian. He summarizes this 14 Gauge review with, "My overall impression of this package is one of satisfaction with a desire for only minor improvements, the manual being the most notable. I am very pleased with the authenticity of each instrument, and I like the fact that all of the features of the real instruments are included with the only exception being those not supported by Flight Sim. As for recommending this product, while I can not possibly determine the wants and needs of every simmer, I can say that if you are looking to enhance your communication and navigational equipment, than this package is made just for you."
Saitek X-52 Flight Control System	By Brian Fletcher (Sep 11, 2006) Sr staff reviewer Brian Fletcher revisits another piece of hardware just in time for the release of FS-X. The Saitek X-52 Flight Control System. "Even though the vast majority of simmers use some type of joystick, What separates the X52 from most other HOTAS controllers is that it has the ability to control every function in every Flight Simulator that I tested it with", quotes Brian. "The Joystick can be mounted to your desktop by use of the two existing holes in the front right and rear left of the base, or by using the four supplied suction cups, but the weight of the base will keep it in place on just about any surface. From any angle, the joystick portion of the X52 is, in my opinion, just about as good as it gets. I have found it to be comfortable and I am pleased with the array of buttons, switches, and knobs which can be configured to function the controls however you want them to, in most Flight Simulators." "I found the throttle portion of the X52 to be a perfect companion for the joystick. When you combine the buttons, knobs, slider, and rotaries with those on the joystick, you have all you need to fly without the mouse and keyboard." "Given the seemingly endless functions, the comfortable and authentic design, I consider the Saitek X52 to be one of the finest HOTAS controllers available. Some of the features, such as the separate throttle control, LED display, and adjustable button lighting add to my cosmetic likes of this controller. And other functions, such as the rudder twist, adjustable palm rest, conveniently placed buttons and switches, mouse controller, and mode selector, find my approval as well. And even though I may not be willing to suggest that you hurry up and get one for yourself, I do highly recommend giving this product serious consideration," Brian concludes in this hardware review.
CH Yoke, Throttle Quadrant and Rudder Pedals	By Brian Fletcher (Aug 27, 2006) Sr Staff Reviewer Brian Fletcher takes another look at the CH line of cockpit products for those who are thinking of upgrading their systems with the release of FS-X on its way. "These products have all been a part of my home cockpit for a while now, but a recent event made me realize just how much I have taken these products for granted." Brian goes into great detail about CH's Yoke, Throttle Quadrant and Rudder Pedals. He explains the configuration management program that is included with each piece of hardware and how to get the best combination of uses from each controller piece. Brian also advises on the best way to get the biggest bang for your aviation dollar when purchasing these items. Brian summarizes his revisit of these CH products with, "I have discussed why I am fond of the these products, and I believe that most simmers will likely find them to be as fantastic as I did after trying them out. In my opinion, I have found all three of these products to be a great way to step up the realism of Flight Sim affordably. I believe that these controllers will make an enormous improvement for any simmer who wants to replicate flight more authentically."
Garmin G1000	By Zane Gard, Jr (Aug 12, 2006) Staff reviewer Zane Gard, Jr shows us the future of GA cockpits with Mindstar's Garmin G1000. "Now here’s something that a lot of flight simulation enthusiasts have been waiting for. Glass cockpits for GA aircraft have been the talk of aviation since the turn of the century." "One thing that Mindstar and Eaglesoft wanted me to make absolutely sure that I reported, was that this is a work in progress," notes Zane, "It is complete enough to go flying with and uses quite a few of the features that you will find in the real life unit, but there are still some hurdles to overcome to get it to work with FS2004 as well as getting the myriad of features the real unit has to function correctly on two independent displays. This is not always as simple as it sounds. I can report that the Mindstar team has been very fast to respond to any problems I encountered and the unit has been through a few revisions since I started reviewing this product; each one fixing a discovered problem and also adding new features." "If you have been following the FSX leaks, you already know that FSX will ship with their own in house simulation of the Garmin G1000 system installed in the Cessna 172, Beechcraft Baron and Mooney Bravo. Anyone with experience with their real life counterparts, knows these are a very simplified graphical simulation of the Garmin GPS’s and many of the actual features are left out." So how does this PC version compare to the real thing? "I do have a very limited amount of real life experience with the Garmin G1000. I have had a pretty thorough ground demonstration in a Cessna 182 when the Nav III option was first introduced. And more recently, I took a Diamond DA40 with the Garmin G1000 panel for a test flight. That was enough for me to realize that I didn’t know enough about these wonderful units. I also took the opportunity to look at a Cessna T182T that is for sale locally. One of N65431’s recent flights was from Bowerman to Snohomish (KHQM-KPAE) via the Olympia VOR (OLM) at 7,000 feet, so that seemed like the perfect flight to try the sim version out on." Zane goes into great detail on all of the functions he used while recreating this actual flight on the C182. He has also included step by step screenshots with descriptions. Zane concludes his Garmin G1000 glass cockpit experience with, "Mindstar has gone where no-one has dared to go yet and offer a truly representative simulation of the Garmin G1000 integrated cockpit for FS2004. I personally found this to be a very helpful tool to use for my own familiarization using the G1000 system. If you have an interest in learning the Garmin G1000 systems, I recommend this software to you. If you are a pilot and are renting, are considering purchasing or already own an aircraft with the G1000 in it, this is going to help with familiarization quite a bit."
Electronic Flight Bag	By Gavin Hendrie (Jul 30, 2006) Staff reviewer Gavin Hendrie takes our current flight bag jammed full of charts, approach plates ,weather maps, etc and turns them all into one electronic package as he reviews FS Widgets' Electronic Flight Bag. "In a nutshell, the Electronic Flight Bag 2004 (EFB04) is a standalone process that allows you to view the type of information you need as a pilot within FS9. The blurb on the FS Widgets website states, “EFB will provide you with a paperless cockpit with access to PDF approach charts, PDF aircraft manuals, audio/standard checklists, NAV log, internet and real-time weather links plus a moving map display. It’s the intelligent and organised way that EFB does this that makes it useful." Gavin goes into detail as to what each section of this utility is capable of doing. In summation Gavin states, "This is definitely a handy utility, clever and useful, well thought out, and easy to use. However, we can still view pdf charts on approach without needing EFB. If you want to view online weather images you can do so without EFB, ditto your aircraft manuals and checklists and especially so for a moving map and webpages. In short, EFB offers little that is new, other than the fact it bundles it altogether in one neat package. Go and download the manual, flick through it and if you like what you see, download the demo. Use the demo for the 20 minutes you get free and if you like it, buy it and unlock the time limit."
Copilot 767	By Nick Preston (Jul 20, 2006) Rookie staff reporter Nick Preston takes an accompanied flight in Level D's 767 with Left Seat Simulations' Copilot: 767 Edition. "Left Seat Simulations Copilot: 767 Edition is a stand alone package developed to bring an added sense of realism to flying the Level D 767-300 using voice recognition technology." "After reading through the instruction manual for Copilot: 767 Edition, you will note some key steps that need to be taken before you can begin flying with your copilot. The most important step is training Microsoft’s Voice Recognition Software to listen and follow the commands of your voice," Nick informs us. "Completing the voice training should take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour and once you are done you are ready to fly with your copilot." So what's my new copilot going to do for me? "The copilot can control a number of commands, most of which are used to control functions on the main panel. These commands are used to control functions like the landing gear, flaps, radios, autopilot, flight director, autothrottles, autobrakes, radios, aircraft lighting, and more. All spoken commands are repeated by the copilot to confirm that the command has been received after the action is carried out, which simulates real world operating procedures." This gives you more time to concentrate on more important things, like flying the plane. Nick sums up this utility by stating, "Copilot: 767 Edition is an excellent utility for the avid Level D 767 pilot who wants to further their realism and get the most from their flying experience without sacrificing computer performance."
FSBuild	By Gavin Hendrie (Jul 16, 2006) New staff reviewer Gavin Hendrie plans a flight using the latest version of Ernie Alston's FSBuild. "It’s a flight planning utility akin to FS Navigator, but, in my opinion, better." "FSB is a powerful utility and allows you to plan a route in a number of ways, from simply picking the DEP and ARR airports and hitting AUTO GENERATE, to manually entering each waypoint, fix, VOR, NDB, Airway, etc yourself. The package also comes with a large number of pre-stored routes and plans. A User Guide folder is installed as part of the installation process and contains both a range of thorough documentation, including a 4 page quickstart guide, which will have you planning and exporting simple FP’s in no time at all." Gavin summizes in his review, "you may never fully appreciate ALL of the features FSBuild offers, but equally, you won’t be left with a utility that is obsolete as it will constantly update with the times. If you need a powerful Flight Planning utility, buy FS Build."
FlightSim Commander 7.7	By David Wilson-Okamura (Jun 18, 2006) Reviewer David Wilson-Okamura explains the details of the latest incarnation of FlightSim Commander, V7.7. "There are not many products for Flight Simulator that can claim to have gone through 7 versions. What started out as a flight planner now provides a full array of in-flight services as well." "FSC has grown incrementally, and with each iteration the feature set has expanded," David explains as he notes 23 features listed in the review. He goes on to describe the in-flight services and flight planning abilities of FSD. "It’s hard to think of anything you might want to know while flying that FSC doesn’t tell you. If you’re flying on the VATSIM or IVAO networks, FSC will download the current data and tell you where the controllers are online." From the flight planning section, David mentions, "Unlike at least one popular flight planner, FSC can be run on a separate computer. One thing this flight planner is very good at is building a route between any two waypoints on the flight plan: not just two airports, but any waypoints. This makes it easy to combine different types of routings: navaid, low-altitude, and high-altitude." David's review is a very in-depth analysis of this release. "The developers of FSC have clearly been making an effort in this version and the patch already released for it, makes FSC more useful to VATSIM and IVAO pilots. One of the best things about FSC is that it’s shareware. After 35 minutes, it will stop working, but there’s nothing to prevent you from closing the program and using it again for another 35 minutes. This will give you more than ample opportunity to evaluate whether the tool works the way you need it."
Reality XP Wx500 Weather Radar and ST3400 TAWS/RMI	By Brian Fletcher (May 23, 2006) Sr Staff reviewer Brian "Cap'n" Fletcher takes a look at two of Reality XP’s award winning products that are sure to enhance any Flight Sim enthusiast's home cockpit. The Wx500 Weather Radar and ST3400 TAWS/RMI. "The Wx500 Weather Radar to give you ample notice of dangerous weather systems that should be avoided. The ST3400 acts as terrain awareness warning system, radio magnetic indicator, traffic collision avoidance system, and ground proximity warning system all in one." Brian goes into great detail about the installation, set-up and use of these two pieces of equipment. Such detail, that you must read the complete review to get a true feeling as to what these add-on gauges can accomplish. He concludes his analysis with, "I am extremely satisfied that both the Wx500 and ST3400 do everything that they claim and more. I find the displays to be crystal clear, the information is relative and accurate, and they can be resized to fit into just about any cockpit. I really enjoy using both of these products, I continue to do so, and I will likely continue using both of them for a long time to come."
Reality XP Flight Line T	By Alexis Esguerra (May 18, 2006) Alexis Esguerra, Sr Staff Reviewer, looks at Reality XP's Flight Line T package, flight instruments intended to replace those that don’t come up to par. "FLT is designed to replace the basic ‘six-pack’ on the instrument panel, those basic items that any pilot relies on to give him or her feedback on what the plane is doing flight-wise at any given moment. The basic six for all GA aircraft in MSFS are good at what they represent and what they do. Closer scrutiny reveals that they all are a bit clunky, both in appearance and operation," explains Alexis, "FLT addresses those shortcomings by providing the end user with a set of instruments created from an all new, in-house rendering program that they call TrueGauge XP. An advantage of the instruments in FLT is that they are configurable for the specific aircraft they are mated to." "I am happy to report that FLT did not seem to have any visible impact on my system. As compared to the default gauge-equipped C182S under a variety of conditions that included more complex sceneries, traffic conditions, and weather, the FPS rate of the FLT-equipped Skylane performed just as well as the pre-retrofit version." Alexis concludes his review with, "I can state without question that these gauges are a vast improvement over the original gauges they replace, and I continue to use it to this day. If I had purchased this add-on, I would have considered it money well spent."
FS2Crew for Level-D 767	By Paul Middleton (May 13, 2006) Sr Staff Reviewer Paul Middleton looks at the fifth in the series of Cockpit Management simulations that operate within other FS9 aircraft, FS2Crew for Level-D 767. "FS2Crew simulates all those people that a real-life pilot normally interacts with. The procedures that are modelled in FS2Crew are a replica of those used by a British airline," explains Paul. "There's the Ground Crew, who do such things as bring you paperwork and push you back. There are the flight attendants who do such things as tell you when the cabin is ready and bring you cups of coffee. And last but not least, there is your Flying Officer, who works most of the switches, runs through the checklists with you, and points out when you do something wrong." "This is the second FS2Crew product that I have reviewed, and the third that I have used personally. What continues to impress me is the way in which they are improved and refined each time." Paul states in his review summary, "this is not a product for everyone. If you just like to fly a passenger jet as an essentially solitary experience, perhaps communicating with ATC, but otherwise having no-one to bother you, then you may find that FS2Crew limits your freedom of action. FS2Crew expects you to work as a team with your virtual FO, not to mention other colleagues, and this means that you need to do certain things only at certain times." "FS2Crew for the Level-D 767 is a solid and reliable product, which mirrors accurately airline cockpit management practice, in a way that is simple to learn and become familiar with."
Active Sky 6	By Mike "Mike T" Toussant (May 10, 2006) "Without a doubt, weather (WX) is the single most dynamic variable of flying. It affects every aspect of the flight from the moment the pilot begins the flight plan to the moment the arrival runway is chosen at the destination airport. Weather affects flight performance, the flight route, the runway in use, and the comfort and safety of the passengers as well as the integrity of the aircraft itself." Avsim reviewer Mike Toussant takes a look at this natural phenomenon as presented by HiFi Simulation's Active Sky 6. "Activesky 6 is actually two separate programs that have been combined to operate flawlessly together. Many of you may know of the FSSKYWORLD freeware project that brought beautiful realistically textured cloud graphics to FS 2002 and 2004; this has been updated and integrated into AS6. The integration of the two programs has been deftly accomplished by HiFi and each program now compliments the other because the WX engine takes advantage of the various clouds included in the graphics package to display a highly realistic weather-scape." While there may be a few more steps than many “jump in and fly” programs sim pilots are used to, it is more than worth it as it translates directly into more WX realism within the simulator and transitioning from the default FS WX engine to Activesky the difference can be simply breathtaking. Simply put, the inclusion of AS 6 to the FS 2004 environment is simply night and day. The differences range from the subtle to the dramatic and everything in between." "Undoubtedly AS6 has taken the FS 2004 weather envelope and pushed it about as far as it can go," Mike concludes in his review, "Activesky 6 is a MUST HAVE utility for FS 2004 but when taken with HiFi’s stellar support, dedication and constant improvements it is not only a must have, but also a pleasure to own."
Triplehead2go	By Zane Gard, Jr (May 7, 2006) Reviewer Zane Gard takes a "wide" look at a new piece of hardware. The Triplehead2go multi-monitor device from Matrox Graphics. "I wanted to research a triple wide monitor setup. I had seen photos of other peopl