Any decent Chinese airports out there?

 

Ummmmm...In fact I have made several Chinese airports before. Namely Hongqiao 虹桥, Xiamen厦门, and some others like Changchun长春, Haikou海口, Guiyang贵阳. Since I am not a professional 3D modeller, the quality may vary from so-so to poor. But it's better than nothing. You could search my username on x-plane.org and x-plane.org.cn (the latter one is the forum for X-Planers in China) to get my airports. Also, many "X-Plane ancestors" has done a great job in Chinese scenery packages. I could still remember the Hongqiao and Pudong package by snowbird in XP9 years, and ZULS Lhasa by AndrooC.

 

BTW some X-Planers in China and I have started some new projects.

Like ZBAA Beijing Capital, ZSPD Shanghai Pudong and ZGGG Guangzhou Baiyun - all freeware. Progress is rather slow due to our personal life but we look forward to the final release.

 

Some WIP screenshots attached.

 

Beijing Capital 北京首都机场

 

 

Shanghai Pudong 上海浦东机场

 

Guangzhou Baiyun 广州白云机场

 

 

Any decent Chinese airports out there?  Or are there a central place where I can see a list of airports?  For generic above average airports for FSX I would usually look at ORBX or Aerosoft, what's the equivalent in XPX?

 

I think payware airports for these regions are a bit on the slim side at the moment, but if you go to www.x-plane.org, there is a huge library of freeware airports, some of them are really good. There are several really high quality ones for Australia. If I'm honest, I've never searched or installed anything for China, so I don't know, but if you have some airports in FSX, you could try fs2xplane to convert them. Some come across really well, others will have problems. I've managed to convert my Polish and German airport packs with only minor issues, however some payware such as UK2000 don't convert at all.

Oh excellent for all the info!  I am from Guangzhou, so particularly looking forward to any release for ZGGG and its upcoming 3rd runway

Thanks for these steps, very useful

 

Any decent Chinese airports out there?  Or are there a central place where I can see a list of airports?  For generic above average airports for FSX I would usually look at ORBX or Aerosoft, what's the equivalent in XPX?

 

I apologise if by using a direct comparison with FSX annoys anyone, but that's the only way I can think of that I can try to get my message across, please forgive me.

PS: Would you say JAR A320 would be at the same level as Airbus Evo (the newest one) from aerosoft or better?

 

I use FSX as a standard also and I run them both. 

 

I think JAR's A320 has captured alot of the immersion factor that is missing from XPX. It has a Co-Pilot, Flight Crew, GSX to add to it's already impressive system depth. It's missing a few MCDU options I noticed when compared to AXE, namely speed restrictions, but I still like it as I'm not the most hardcore Airbus pilot. He also seems to be constantly updating so I imagine it will only get better. 

 

Since you are just starting out on XPX, I would definitely start perusing the .org, It's probably the only way you can give XPX a firm start and see what all it can do and what is offered. What I did was think of an FSX featue/Place you need and just do a search, it's amazing how much quality freeware has amassed over the years. 

 

Know the limitations of XPX before hand. The ATC is Beyond horrible to the point that it is laughable. There is a visibility ring at high altitudes that drives me crazy.  There in no reasonable AI, so it can be lonely. The GPS is awful. There are no Seasons. The Weather Engine is garbage. 

The Weather Engine is garbage.

 

Hmmm, not really - for a METAR-only based system.

 

Actually I find X-plane's updated (around 10.10 ) weather synthesis when it comes to variable / gusting winds and turbulence a lot better than FSX's, even with the best add-ons!

The different forms of precipitation are also very well done, as well as their effects. Then, icing, not being perfect, is still acceptable, and one of the areas that will receive an update in 10.30.

 

What X-plane 10 still lacks is a proper weather injector for "aloft" weather.

If you're referring to the depiction side, then there is SkyMaxx ( have used it and it's really very nice, and light, although unfortunately not functional for me in Linux... ) and I believe I read somewhere that Austin was considering an update to the weather datarefs to make live easier for 3pds to start some serious weather injector stuff :-)

Hmmm, not really - for a METAR-only based system.

 

 

 

Maybe Garbage is too strong, let's just say not robust enough compared to FSX. You're not going to find an Active Sky Next Replacement.

 

 

Maybe Garbage is too strong, let's just say not robust enough compared to FSX. You're not going to find an Active Sky Next Replacement.

 

Being an ASN beta tester. I know what you mean, and I look forward to see someone deciding to start an AS-like type of software for X-Plane 10 :-)

 

Yet! Also as someone professionally tied to clouds and their effects :-) I can tell you that I do prefer the way X-Plane models some aspects of wind and turbulence, updrafts and downdrafts.

 

There is need for tuning of some effects ( turbulence intensity mainly ).

 

Finally, as a glider pilot, I can assure you that I have, IRL, experienced situations ( near mountains ) of turbulence that are very closely matched by X-Plane sometimes :-)

Speaking of weather, I've lately been trying to fly my A320 VA flights on X-plane to "transition" my tubeliner flights into it, but one thing I deeply miss with X-plane is indeed winds aloft, for starters. I remember trying NOAA weather plugin sometime back, but it was very buggy from my couple tests and i just deleted it. Does it nowadays work better, as a real solution to achieving winds aloft? With PFPX able to calculate optimal route with winds it has become quite necessary for my jet flights and if I can't use the data then I might aswell just fly in fsx with PFPX + ASN combo.

Unfortunately not only doesn't it work better, but it doesn't work at all after 10.25 :-(

 

We really need some solution in this field, BUT X-Plane 10 needs to create hooks for more complex programs to set weather variables in a more useful way. I believe LR is working on that too - one more of those things we're waiting to happen after 10.30....

 

With so many things due 10.30... and although Ben said it would be released in 2014, I just hope they do not shift the release date to 2014.12.31... :-/

Aww, that's a pity. :(

I'm new to x-plane since december.

Today I installed the SimHeaven ZL17 photoscenery (free) for the place where I live... how !!!!!!

 

In addition to all the add-ons already given in the previous posts and that i'm using, you MUST try this photoscenery (with osm , etc....). it is a must have !

 

 

Guillaume

There's been some very informative summary in this thread thus far, it gives me a solid start point as to what I need to look at for future research.

 

I hope these discussions continue (I don't have anything to contribute but I enjoy reading them XD).

 

Weather wise, it was a long journey for FSX/P3D to get to where it is today, and since it took quite a bit longer for XP to take off, I understand it can also take a while for developers or experts in the field to catch up with what's on offer in FSX.

 

FSX has limitations that it can only go so far, XPX currently, I can see some shortfalls, but by no means are they limitations, at least Austin will continue to work on them.

 

Anyway, no hurry on seeking the "perfect sim", it'll come with time, but I feel this has been a good starting point for future transition readers.

Another Red Pill chooser. :Party:

Whats this new Tahiti scenery I'm hearing about? Got a link?

Whats this new Tahiti scenery I'm hearing about? Got a link?

 

Check the .org