This has no doubt been said countless times in the last couple of weeks, but I just wanted to make yet another big shout about the latest incarnation of ActiveSky. I believe ActiveSky was my best purchase during 2004, and the latest version cements that view entirely. Its a whole new experience!Yesterday I departed from Dehli in the late evening, bound for Kingsford Smith Intl, Sydney. I was flying a fictional, but superb, United Nations repaint of the Level-D 767 (love UN repaints, even if they are fictional! Means you can pick two random airports anywhere in the world, and fly between them in the knowledge that the reality of the flight is vaguely feasible!). The (real-world) weather around Dehli was very unpleasant, severe thunderstorms, rain, and although surface winds were 'honest', I soon new what kind of departure I was in for at around 500' agl! Aside from the driving rain, alarming thunder and lightening, the take-off run was smooth and controlled. But at 500' agl, my very heavy 767 was already being buffetted about by severe turbulence. I was blind between about 800' and FL160, but frankly the turbulence was frightening! Climbing through FL200, with the sun beginning to set behind me, I was in awe of the towering CB's extending thousands of feet above me. The turbulence was lighter out of the cloud, but whenever my flight path took me too close to one of the anvils, I was back to being thrown about like a light aircraft! At initial cruising altitude of FL290, all was well. But for an hour or so after departure from Dehli, I was still negotiating my way through turbulence filled anvil towers of CB's. I reduced my mach number to a safe turbulence penetration speed, as the red ticker was appearing with alarming regularity on the PFD whenever I was being buffetted about! Magical! I only WISH I had set up FSScreen and got some screenies to post in the screenshot forum, alas I was too busy watching my 767 ride out the rough weather!Massive thanks to the creators of ASV for continuing to bring an unsurpassed realism to FS2004, yet again!Regards,Al.

Thanks for the account of your flight. Sounds great!! I haven't got ASV yet, still enjoying ASV 4.5 and have had some similar experiences, like the other night with my Air Dolomiti Flight 1 ATR (EDDM to LIPE). The tell tale white flashes on the panel which showed up well in the evening light over the Alps told me that a storm was brewing. Within minutes I had rain lashing against the windshield, the aircraft was being tossed about like a Cessna 152.....and then relief, as I left the towering cunims behind back in quiet still air again. Of course in a real flight I would have taken a detour but this is FS!! I'll be upgrading soon to take advantage of those vertical air currents I've been hearing about in ASV 5.

If you are a storm chaser consider the Reality XP WX500 weather radar to add to your panels. Read the white paper on their site to get informative application use such as what cells to squeeze between and which ones to not even try.Reality has also just released the Sandel SN3308 for small aircraft panels that includes a strike finder.In my opinion these are good additions for ASV. I have the WX500. I do not use the Active Radar that comes with various AS versionsas I never had much success in using it and I prefer a gauge as opposed to being restricted to a pop-up module.ASV is very, very, nice. If you have it be sure you have version 325 (beta) by installing beta SP2. The link isin their forum here on AVSIM.

Thanks for the recommendation Ronzie. I'll have another look at it. It's on my list to get but a little way down.