Hi All!We have decided to release Update 1 (Alpha 2) as an intermediate non-official update before MR1. This addresses the major issues found after release. All AS2004 users are welcome to apply this update, but please make sure you have saved your original 1.0 installer and USE AT YOUR OWN RISK as this is not an official release.Work continues on MR1, and we have had a major breakthrough in the winds smoothing department which should really improve things. Much more development needs to be done (the entire winds aloft engine must be re-written), and there are another ~10 items including some minor fixes and some new enhancements and options. Official MR1 release is now expected February.Here's the link for download:http://www.hifisim.com/as2k4update1a2.zipYou MUST be an official AS2004 customer with AS2004 installed to run this update. WideFS users should run the update on the WideFS machine.Again, please ensure that you have saved your 1.0 install package in case you need to go back. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK as this is not an official release.Recommended settings:FSUIPC: Minimal weather defaultsAS2004: Global Writes ON, Route-based wind smoothing ON, Local Suppression ON at 80miles, Update Suppression ON at 2000ft. All other options to preference. NOTE: Global Writes OFF can significantly improve performance when there are many clouds, at the expense of less weather depicted outside the 2nm FS9 weather station zones and subsequent FS9-interpolated regions.Here is a list of fixes/changes:- Fixed route-based wind smoothing problem which resulted in inconsistent interpolation routines for flight plan processing vs. non-flight plan processing - This problem was also related to more severe-than-normal wind shifts, improper weather depiction at nearby airports, and inconsistent conditions reporting when using route-based wind smoothing- Fixed Temporary Data Issue problem when nearing destination with flight plan loaded and route-based wind smoothing OFF- Removed NavLog control box Close command (X) - To close the NavLog, use the CLOSE button - You can then call it up at any time using the NAVLOG button- Added automatic refresh at 200 miles from destination to prevent problems with destination weather settings and route-based wind smoothing- Redesigned Visibility Smoothing feature for direct integration with FSUIPC visibility smoothing - this works with the unregistered OR registered FSUIPC, and results in much-increased performance and reduced cloud "pops" during visibility smoothing steps- Changed default "GLOBAL" weather (depicted outside weather station zones) to match destination weather if a flight plan is loaded (otherwise it uses closest station at time of write) - Remember that GLOBAL writes only occur when you are on the ground, and it will not update again until you land (to prevent instant weather changes)Thanks everyone for your continued support!!! Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004betateam.jpg

Hi DamianGood news for 1st release, thanks for your job.I've just tested new visibility smoothing engine only and bad news...In the same conditions as usual 2000ft IN an overcast layer 2 miles of vis and we can see the ground clearly.I've set your recommandations for FSUIPC and AS2004.But nothing to do.So...What about a MAJOR bug in Flight SIM 2004 about that ?(not the case in FS2002 !)You've got my email if I can help.bye Jean-Michel

Thanks for getting this out, Damian. I just finished a 266 mile flight, and the wind aloft transitions were much, much better than a flight this morning and yesterday morning. So far, so good! Looking forward to the official release in February!I have a question about your recommended setting of 80 nm local suppression. The users guide recommended setting local suppression to match the cloud draw setting in FS9. Are you recommending we set cloud draw distance in FS9 to 80nm?

Hi,The recommendation is in attempt to provide ideal setting for a wide range of users while preventing visible cloud shifts. We realize not everyone reads the manual, and want to make sure their experience is a good one (the few complaints of 1.0 in the cloud transition department have been found to be related to high cloud draw distances and the lower default suppression range setting). The same still applies, you should match the cloud draw distance...Hope this helps,-Damian

Damian,Just want to provide a little unsolicited feedback. I downloaded the Alpha update, pulled the old Fanda Dash-8 out of the hanger and whipped up a flight plan for KHIO to CYVR cruising at FL160.This provided 7 reporting points over 222nm with advertised weather varying with multiple cloud layers, visibility ranging from 1/4nm to 15nm a consistent SSW wind pushing along at about 35 knots.Well, I am very pleased to report that my AS2004 was much improved. The weather transitions were very smooth and I did not experience any crazy wind shear rides! The visual rendering was also very, very close to advertised weather and in-flight updates transitioned smoothly. The winds were within the boundaries of the flight plan and I even experienced a little turbulence in a few spots as I pierced through some thick cumulus. My altimeter on the Dash-8 even seemed to agree more with MSFT's ATC...a problem that I have struggled with on the Fanda.This is contrary to recent experiences. Most my flights have been plagued with the magical appearing/disappearing clouds, wind shear that caused my flight attendants to walk off the job and a few other anomalies that I don't think even the good Lord could have thought to have put in Mother Nature's bag of tricks.Things are looking good...Congratulations!!! I'm a fan of your work and look forward to greater things to come.John

Hi DamianMore unsolicited feedback - but I guess that is part of the reason for the alpha release.I too have loaded the Alpha release and have found the weather to be a much better experience. Whilst I have experienced a few cloud 'pops' and some crazy 25 then 30 degree then reverse windshifts with wind speed remaining stable I have just experienced 'the hand of god'. At 29,000 over northern Tasmania airspeed in an instant went from 310kts to 220kts then back again. I have now climbed to FL330 and am experiencing intermittant wind direction changes of 20 degrees and airspeed has just got knocked down to 245kts but is slowly climbing again after 265/40 became 195/40 (A/C heading 326.RegardsAndy b

I installed the patch last night and had a quick fly around. I did not load a flightplan but just flew around Toronto. First thoughts are impressive. The visibility smoothing was excellent. It was so smooth you dont even notice it. Also as i climbed above 7000ft the visiblity remained low (as it was over Toronto).Great job Damian. Patch looks great. I will try a full flight later tonight.

Flew from Jackson Hole to Kansas City last night and it (1A) was very smooth in the wind department. Now the winds did stay consistent for the route of flight varying from 280-300 degrees and from 10-55 kts so I had no predictable wind shear/shifts to encounter but I never once saw the aircraft do the power slide like it was doing when it was experiencing on and off again headwind tailwind shifts. The weather was also a clear air mass so no reports on the cloud fixes. Thanks for the initial release it has made a difference on my setup.

Damian,Are we supposed to load a flight plan with this fix?

Do you have TAF turned on? I turned that off and most of these types of windshifts went away.Jim

hi,just finished a quick flight from EDDF to LOWW with the new alpha version...below are my findings/report:EDDF reported light rain, low vis and cloudy - matched with metar.takeoff at 25R visibilty transition was very good, ground slowly disappeared until i was in the clouds - after vectoring out of the airport to my route, visibility suddenly cleared without any transition and i saw below broken clouds...flight continued with some broken clouds until all clouds suddenly disappeared over resp near munich...nearing my destination i saw clouds forming up (as supposed to be in the metar forcast), but as soon as i received clearence which rwy to use, all clouds disappeared - ATIS reported no winds, clear, qnh 29.92...i landed finally in clear weather conditions (metar didn't show any clear weather though...). enroute winds were ok despite some shifting winds, but not as heavy as before.I'm pretty sure, that i didn't apply the correct settings in AS2004 (although settings as per note above) as well as in FSUIPC... i messed also with global writed ON/OFF during the flight (after i got out of the the soup in EDDF and had suddenly quick vis changes, i thought maybe that will help).I really would appreciate more detailed settings in future for AS2004 as well as for FSUIPC as this would eliminate most of the problems...thanks for helping!cheers,harald heidinger/loww

Brian,Try things both ways and report back. The more feedback we have, the better. Just be clear in your reporting.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Support

Yes, a detailed checklist of what is supposed to be on or off would be good. I thought we had to have vis smoothing, baro smoothing and one other one I forgot checked inside FSUIPC but now the top says min wx for FSUIPC now? Also is TAF supposed to be on or off within AS2?

Departed KBOS for KORD about 40 minutes ago.KBOS was reporting light snow w/low ceilings. On departure I saw the most God-awful weather I have EVER seen in FS - thick ugly dark grey clouds .... it was absolutely beautiful!Now level at FL350 and transitions from reporting point to reporting point have gone well with only 1 noticeable "shimmy" due to abrupt shift in wind velocity.The only negative - when climbing out through those big ugly grey clouds - once I was on top of the overcast, all the clouds went away! :-( I read something about a work-around for it --- hope you consider implementing it!-michael

Hi,"after vectoring out of the airport to my route, visibility suddenly cleared without any transition and i saw below broken clouds"Sounds like you climbed above the visibility ceiling. This is normal. You broke out of the restricted visibility and clouds... Can you confirm?"flight continued with some broken clouds until all clouds suddenly disappeared over resp near munich.."That isn't right.. that should never happen. Do you have local suppression ON and set appropriately? Are you using SquawkBox?"nearing my destination i saw clouds forming up (as supposed to be in the metar forcast), but as soon as i received clearence which rwy to use, all clouds disappeared - ATIS reported no winds, clear, qnh 29.92...i landed finally in clear weather conditions (metar didn't show any clear weather though...)"Sure sounds like squawkbox without the appropriate "Ignore real world wx" option set. Sounds like weather is conflicting. If not, please supply more detail if you encounter this again, and screenshots would be much appreciated. This should definitely NOT be happening!As to recommended settings, please see the top of the forum.. a more detailed document will be provided with MR1 official release...Thanks!Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004betateam.jpg