"As I've mentioned before we also now have slingload and hoist capabilities (not to be confused with a winch BTW). And both of these technologies are very easy to configure on ANY FSX Acceleration helicopter."taken from http://blogs.technet.com/p-12c_pilot/archi...tion-at-e3.aspx )Am I correct to think that means there will be more than one helicopter included in Acceleration? A Eurocopter would be welcomed;-)

I found these interesting statements from Paul (aka P-12C) on another forum. So for those who don't get around the web as much here are the quotes."I've blogged a bit about the EH-101, the slingload and hoist, the new supercharger for the P-51, and up until now we've had the F-18 under wraps.I flew the lastest tweak of the F-18 flight model on Friday and I will put it up against any third party offering on the block. It's quite amazing! I flew a demo flight routine around Reno/Stead and it was like I was watching a Blue Angels display. Flying at high alpha in controlled flight at 80 knots down the runway like they do in the Blue's routine is very cool. It also has a brand new launch bar and tail hook that come in real handy at times and 6 stages of afterburner built into the engine systems... With the aggressor squadron livery it should be good fun to engage in some Red Flag or Top Gun exercises. I've got to say the VC for the F-18 is the best I've ever seen in any aircraft. We are blessed to be working with some great partners on this product.By doing fewer aircraft at a time we can put more time into the systems and flight models which means better quality and higher fun factor for you and greater pride and less frustration for us. It's a win-win all around. Maybe we should do that with FS11 (we're working on that right now too)."--and--"BTW, we do have a F-18 race down Black Canyon in Colorado. Some of those corners are pretty tricky. We put in 10 meter dem, built custom dams, and tweaked the river so it's looking pretty nice. Of course you won't have a lot of time to look at it when flying the race."It sounds like Acceleration is shaping up to be a very nice addition to FSX. I'm excited!-Thad

"It sounds like Acceleration is shaping up to be a very nice addition to FSX. I'm excited!"Ditto. Thanks for posting those qoutes I hadn't found them. As far as flying the F/A-18 goes, how will that be possible when we are getting low framerates flying the airliners at slower speeds than the F/A-18? Don't get me wrong, that canyon race sounds just my style! Hopefully Acceleration will be release before to long (meaning October.) Has MS released a timeframe for when they hope to have it on the market?

>"It sounds like Acceleration is shaping up to be a very nice>addition to FSX. I'm excited!">>Ditto. Thanks for posting those qoutes I hadn't found them. As>far as flying the F/A-18 goes, how will that be possible when>we are getting low framerates flying the airliners at slower>speeds than the F/A-18? Don't get me wrong, that canyon race>sounds just my style! Hopefully Acceleration will be release>before to long (meaning October.) Has MS released a timeframe>for when they hope to have it on the market?The only "official" stance on their release is Winter of 2007.Regards,Owen

"Flying at high alpha in controlled flight at 80 knots down the runway like they do in the Blue's routine is very cool."With all respect though, 80 knots is hardly 'Acceleration' is it. I would imagine existing users are somewhat unsure as to whether core FSX improvements will be made in 'Acceleration' to allow 150+ knots performance without and 'blurries' and fps hits.Vox

Owen,What is a 'MS FS MVP' please. I'm curious :-)

MS FS MVP - Microsoft Flight Simulator Most Valuable Professional. You can find my profile among many others here: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/communiti...dows+-+PC+GamesBest regards,Owen

>With all respect though, 80 knots is hardly 'Acceleration' is>it. I would imagine existing users are somewhat unsure as to>whether core FSX improvements will be made in 'Acceleration'>to allow 150+ knots performance without and 'blurries' and fps>hits.My statement about fling at 80 knots is to illustrate that the flight model is matching the real-life performance envelope very nicely.As for the blurries, I don't know how much the new work being done on our end will help that, but I'm not seeing them on my machine (I don't have the specs handy as I'm at home right now, but it is a core 2 duo machine). I can fly the P-51 50 feet off the deck in Reno at 450+ and no blurries. With the F-18 I occasionally see blurries for a moment, but I emphasize occasionally.

If the F-18 doesn't have a working A2A and A2G radar system with multiple modes it a waaste of time. who cares it the FM is being tweaked if the BVR cpaability isn't there. Without any BVR it's a better looking Korean war aircraft.

Wow, with comments like you really know

>If the F-18 doesn't have a working A2A and A2G radar system>with multiple modes it a waaste of time. who cares it the FM>is being tweaked if the BVR cpaability isn't there. I certainly care.

>If the F-18 doesn't have a working A2A and A2G radar system>with multiple modes it a waaste of time. who cares it the FM>is being tweaked if the BVR cpaability isn't there. Without>any BVR it's a better looking Korean war aircraft.If we were a combat sim I would agree completely, but FSX is not a combat sim.

Ahem so much for "as real as it gets" if the most critical piece of the avionics package of the aircraft is missing. Whats it going to have a big gaping hole in the dash where the radar display is supposed to be? How are you supposed to do NOE flight in weather or at night without a working A2G system. What about FLIR pod and NV capability. Pretty important in a F-18. Not being able to deliver weapons is one thing. Not having half the real world capability of the aircraft is a waste of time.FS should stick to what it's good at and fast movers isn't it. I'd love to see the Reno-Stead area done right for a change. It would be really nice if they managed to get it right in time for the races. Good models of the unlimiteds like Dago Red and Rare Bear would be even better. The current Reno Stead is quite lacking.BTW I've been flying JF-18 since it's release through the TSH mods. I've been running F4 since it would run on a PII 450. Not to mention Beta testing for the SPx series and now F4AF. LOMAC is eyecandy but it is combatsim "lite" (non clickable pit and soft avionics) Sorry but fast jets with missing avionics are bullsh*t. Just like modern FBW comercial jets without working FMC's and Autoland.

While I can't comment on the F-18, or any other jets to be fair because I don't fly them, one thing that increasingly concerns me is how much Microsoft seem to be moving away from flight 'simulation' and turning their Flight Simulator franchise into just a game.The discussion is being had elsewhere at the moment that the hardware requirements required to run FSX acceptably are way beyond those advertised on the packaging. The specs listed on the packaging aren't even quoted as being 'minimum'. So, if little Johnny's parents buy him a copy for his birthday for

I'd suggest taking a walk or something to cool down a bit.