For FS9 what is the most accurate weather engine? I have REX and it's weather engine and FSrealWX lite. So out of those two which one is the most accurate?

 

When I fly I would use REX one flight and FSrealWX lite the next flight. I want to stick with one of them but not sure which one.

Don't know between those two, but I would get Active Sky.

I used to use Active Sky 6.5, I also have Rex but use it only for some textures; nowadays I use FSGRW.  Accuracy is one thing,  depiction is quite another ... only you can decide what's best.

Is FSGRW freeware or payware? And where can I get and learn more about FSGRW?

FSGRW is payware and available from Pilot's software, the same people who make FS Global mesh.  

 

They used to provide an evaluation product which I understand has been withdrawn owing to piracy.

I use AS 65 downloading an archived real weather snapshot for the Universal time (Z) of my flight which I load usually for around noon local time current date or previous day if not available for the departure location anywhere I desire in the FS universe.

 

This insures that solar effects and winds aloft are correct for the local time of departure. I therefore do not use real time current weather nor is FS set for system time.

 

I tested AS65 weather against a real filed flight profile from flightaware.com and put its plan into fsbuild24 which uses the AS65 snapshot for timing (and fuel planing). The aircraft was a B747-400 and for FSBuild I used that profile. The AS65 snapshot was from the Z archive for the departure time of the flight. I used a NATS flight from KJFK to EGLL (Heathrow). The predicted duration of the flight came within fifteen minutes of the actual flight. I tried again a few days later and it was within twenty minutes. Not bad for a pond crossing.

 

If using flightaware.com you can get a flight log, plan, duration, etc. as long as one end is in FAA territory. Data is available for forty-eight hours. Choose a flight that has arrived at destination so full data is available. NATS waypoints are described as coordinates. To use with FSBuild I just have to remove the space sign between latitude and longitude. Your planner might be different.

 

I use the AS weather graphics selecting the theme (graphics set) depicted by the captured weather. Use different graphics if you like.

 

There are free and payware real-time weather downloads but since my session time and the FS time can be very different due to departure location that could end up giving me night time weather when I am having a daytime session at home.

 

http://www.hifitechinc.com/products/product-comparison

 

shows ASE as the only current FS9 compatible version. Although it shows thermal and ridge lift as limited I find it works nicely over mountain routes showing the effects of mountain winds and thermals which can occur with diminishing effects as altitude above them increases and also by the surface wind speeds. The degree of turbulence on approach is very realistic affected by solar drafts and crosswinds over the surface type, even on larger aircraft. I do find the AS65 wake turbulence somewhat excessive, though. Keep in mind that the effects described as limited may be a limitation of FS9 itself, not the weather app.

 

For FS9 AS products it registers itself with FSUIPC3 and controls the FSUIPC settings via the AS interface GUI. You are not required to purchase a user paid registration version. The latest FSUIPC3 links are on this page:

 

http://forum.simflight.com/topic/66139-updated-modules/

I am very happy with FSGRW. Easy to use and accurate.  

 

http://secure.simmarket.com/fs-global-real-weather-fs9-fsx-p3d.phtml

Nice shots Jon!

 

It's VERY big news in P3D that V2 of RealAir's Duke is actually featuring rain on the windscreen.   :unsure:

 

 

Nice shots Jon!

Very... does my Kingair also do such convincing raindrops??

Ah! Thank you.

Edit: I see my "Stock" VCRainMovingxxxx.bmp are not stock at all, but a much later date.

I wonder if that was not a RealAir modification?

 

Whatever... eat your heart out, all you "Young Sims"!