A few weeks ago, I found out that the website that publishes European photoscenery for free, now has also all of New Zealand on offer (also for free). I have downloaded all 16 files (size: 1 GB each), combined them to a single folder and installed them in my sim. They can be used for FSX, FSX-SE and all versions of P3D. I have stored all my photoscenery on an external 5 TB hard drive (standard HDD, no SSD). Within the flightsimulator, the scenery sits on top of my ORBX entries.

The files come with their own autogen and in case you have ORBX NZNI and NZSI installed on your system, all ORBX airports plus all POI will show up. Next to ORBX, I have also installed payware from Godzone (Auckland and Tauranga). As you will see, all of this blends well with the photoscenery. 

This first part shows the North Island, the second part concentrates on the South Island. I have chosen as weather “clear skies”, so that the scenery is better visible. Here we are at the most northern tip of NZ:

 

 

We follow the western shore to reach the 90 mile-beach

 

 

Having crossed over to the east side in order to get a closer look at the Bay of Islands

 

 

 

Now it’s on to Auckland, the city of sails

 

 

 

 

North of Tauranga 

 

 

 

 

 

Further in the south of NZ’s North Island. Taking off from Wellington Intern. The autogen that is visible here is from ORBX

 

 

 

 

Thanks for viewing. I have to admit that the scenery looks more impressive on my (larger) computer screen. If you are interested in downloading the scenery, here is the link:

http://italyphotoreal.weebly.com/download.html

You have to scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the NZ scenery. Btw, it has also scenery for the UK!

Edited November 26, 20187 yr by bernd1151

I was looking for the Hobbits, and Middle Earth.  Or is north New Zealand the gray havens? 😊

Tour operators will take you to Actual Hobbiton... 🙂

This is great news I am hoping, for AFS2 which depends on good photoscenery!

Superb series. I'm really looking forward to the rough landscapes of South Island (with closed cockpit?). Wasn't the south actually the location for the LotR filming?

4 minutes ago, HaraldG said:

Superb series. I'm really looking forward to the rough landscapes of South Island (with closed cockpit?). Wasn't the south actually the location for the LotR filming?

No, Mordor was around the Tongariro NP (Mt. Ruapehu, I think). Hobbiton was in the North Island, too, we have seen it during a trip a few years ago (nothing spectacular anymore, though).

Those shots are convincing, though. To the OP: Would you say this overall looks better than ORBX NZ (which actually isn't bad in my mind)?

Thanks and kind regards, Michael

3 minutes ago, pmb said:

No, Mordor was around the Tongariro NP (Mt. Ruapehu, I think). Hobbiton was in the North Island, too, we have seen it during a trip a few years ago (nothing spectacular anymore, though).

O.k., thanks Michael. Always something new to learn when just flightsimming.

On 11/26/2018 at 11:16 PM, Cactus521 said:

I was looking for the Hobbits, and Middle Earth.  Or is north New Zealand the gray havens? 😊

Thanks for your comment, John

On 11/27/2018 at 8:22 AM, WingZ said:

Tour operators will take you to Actual Hobbiton... 🙂

This is great news I am hoping, for AFS2 which depends on good photoscenery!

Thanks, I don't have AFS2 yet, but what I have seen (Switzerland, California) looks very convincing

On 11/27/2018 at 9:06 PM, HaraldG said:

Superb series. I'm really looking forward to the rough landscapes of South Island (with closed cockpit?). Wasn't the south actually the location for the LotR filming?

Thanks a lot, Harald. South Island will definitely be with a closed cockpit 😉

On 11/27/2018 at 9:17 PM, pmb said:

Those shots are convincing, though. To the OP: Would you say this overall looks better than ORBX NZ (which actually isn't bad in my mind)?

Thanks and kind regards, Michael

Many thanks, Michael. Yes, I believe that it does look better than ORBX. You will see it even more in my later post, when cruising around South Island. The mountains are just magificient. But it also has a few limitations, which are due to the quality of the data source. I will try to show them too. 

Bernd