PC Pilot article

[Christopher Low 5,353]

OK guys, I have finally been given permission to "come clean". I am writing another article for PC Pilot magazine, and this will be included in Issue 25...due out in October. This article is specifically about the latest and greatest add-ons and upgrades that are available for Flight Unlimited 3.The editors of PC Pilot would like to include some of these on the cover CD, so let me know if you would like your own work added to the list. Apparently they have plenty of space on the CD, so we have a chance here to distribute the latest and greatest add-ons to many FU3 users who may be totally unaware that they exist. This may also help to recruit some new members to the FU3 Forum here at AVSIM Online.Alternatively, you can e-mail Mark Embleton (the assistant editor of PC Pilot magazine) directly at the following address:-mark@pcpilot.netPlease remember that I have worked with PC Pilot magazine before, and they are a great bunch of people with the best interests of freeware developers in mind. Ansgar's DC3 and Jokke's AI Enhancement package were included on the cover CD of Issue 18 last August (to complement the FU2 article that I had written).Best Wishes,Chris Low,ENGLAND.PS. Unfortunately, details of the UK-South region will not be included in the article, for reasons that should be obvious.

[Guest]

Hi ChrisThat sounds interesting I may buy a copy. When PC pilot first came out I thought it was good. I havnt bought one for a long time. It seemed to cater for only the people that had the latest MS flight sim. I had been running Flight Sim 98 at the time, as soon as MS Flt sim 2000 came out that was it. Bye Bye all you 98ers no more goodies on the disks for you. I read the review on FU3 when it came out and bought it straight away. I put it away until I had a few bob and bought a new PC. I will look forwards to the article with great interest. I think Steve Hess must put on his Cessna. To me that was is the best enhancement I put in as the cocpit of the trainer is the worst!:-roll

[JimmiG 244]

It's great to see FU3 get some publicity :) It's a shame though that we can't show off the UK-South region, but if the readers get to this messageboard, they will find out about it ;)For addons, of course your very own Seattle 2003 and SanFran 2003 addons are a must-have. The original airports, especially in Seattle are not that impressive and look unfinished, and your addons help a lot, plus you get LOTS of trees to look at (read: crash into :) ).Lots of additional aircraft would be great to get on the CD. The new ones like the Dash8 and the new Barons, the Cessnas (I like both the 172 and the 182), the Beaver, the Mirage and the Archer just to name a few. Also including the 747 would be a good idea to show that FU3 isn't just about GA. The DC3 has also been updated with new liveries and tweaks so maybe a newer version of that as well, if they have the space on the CD for it.So I really hope the authors of those addons will allow to put them on the CD ;) :-beerchugMaybe you should also try to get some of the tech docs with information on how to develop for FU3 and all the tweaks you can put in the flt3.cfg file? That way maybe we will even get a few more developers of addons.

[Guest R_Driscoll]

Chris, this might be a good use for the new modelmip.tag, to allow access to the complete Seattle model set for those who don't use this forum, a quick convenient way to get all of the models at once. All the user would have to do is replace his existing model database with the new version (26 Mb compared with original Seattle 8.7 Mb).And you are welcome to use the McChord and Grays AAF packages of course. The Skyharbour one is probably a bit old now - I keep planning to redo it.

[Guest jonpoint]

Great news, Chris :-jumpyI have taken the liberty of emailing Mark regarding this to officially give my permission for PC Pilot to use my stuff. I have also offered to provide shots or further information as required. Don't worry, I'm not trying to 'run the show', I just thought I'd save the double-handling ;)I asked him to let you know that I'd emailed him to save you the trouble of asking me!Anyway, congratulations again on getting FU3 back into the print media after 5 years :-):-waveJon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Thanks Jon. Mark will be happy to see that you have given permission to put "your stuff" on the cover CD. They sometimes have problems with certain MSFS freeware developers, so getting permission directly from yourself will be encouraging, and I urge others to do the same (Ansgar has experience of this from last time). Anyway, I couldn't imagine NOT including your great Dash 8.Maybe we could get suggestions from everyone here, as to which add-ons to include on the CD ? I don't want to make it look like a list of my own personal favourites (even though this is probably how the article will appear).As to the UK-South region, I debated long and hard about this. I am well aware that many of you have contributed a lot of hard work in this area, and I don't want anyone to feel that I have ignored it simply because I don't currently use this scenery. It is the source of the images that I am bothered about, and I really do not want to get anyone into trouble. Bearing this in mind, I decided that it was probably best to let the article itself encourage other FU3 users to visit AVSIM Online, where they can discover this for themselves.I hope that everyone understands.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Hans_Petter 1]

Since the UK can't be included it might be an idea to consider Switzerland. I've got both regions running as stand-alone FU3 installations. However, any new region may be a bit hard to install for the casual simmer who just wants to "plug and play". We risk that they mess up their main and only FU3. Aircraft are safe and packages are relatively safe. Still, Chris' Seattle packages will require some pruning if you have the outer terrain. The safest way to show off some of Jon's and Robert's new models would be to include packages that don't place new airports. As you may know I'm currently working with Robert to make London City as real as possible. To give those with older PCs the opportunity to opt out of the most heavy stuff I'm setting up two packages,1) a basic LCA 2) a "London Heavy" package that meshes with the airport package and adds more models. This one can be used for any additional models all over greater London later. Thus, there's an airport package with the essential models and an enhancement package that just adds trees, more buildings etc. The latter kind of package would safe for any area since it doesn't add any airport icons. In the Seattle region one might complement any of the existing airports in this fashion. One might even set up a fictional show room next to an airport and place a lot of our best current models here. The idea is to make sure that FU3 simmers get to see what can be done today without any risk of running into conflicts and crashing-to-desktop.The Dago racer and Steffen's adventure should be quite easy to install. The same goes for the AI upgrades.Anyway, planes are safe. Jon and Ansgar are obvious contributors and if you want my latest "Big Red" you're welcome!best regards,Hans Petter

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Chris, just remember to start every other sentence with "You can find XYZ at www.avsim.com and...." I am sure Mungo would not mind at all. :-lol

[Guest DLM]

Any download you find at Unlimited Design except for the Piper Malibu Mirage are yours to include on that CD :) The agreement i have with TRI limits the distrubution of the Piper Malibu Mirage.// Danielhttp://hem.bredband.net/b159735/UDsig3.jpg

[Guest Ansgar]

Hello Chris,very good to hear that you do again a great job to help keeping FU3 alive! ;-)As you know I sure give my permission also for all what I made myself.So the new B747-400 final and my BaronAvm are sure also on this list!Let me know direct which other parts/models from me are interesting for you and I see again what I could do for you/us.If the Dc3 is again on the wishlist I

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Don't worry Tom. AVSIM Online will be getting plenty of free advertising :-)By the way, just like last time, I will donate a percentage of my earnings to AVSIM as a thank you for simply being here.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Daniel,Thanks for making that clear. I assume that mentioning the Mirage in the article is OK ? :-)Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Ansgar,Since the two versions of the DC3 have already appeared on PC Pilot cover CD's, it would probably be better to include some different planes for this particular issue....and I can't think of a better CD flagship than your new 747-400.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Guest twsimfan]

Chris,Now you need to start writing for Computer Pilot so I can see the articles. :-lolCongratulations! :)

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Tom,You can order PC Pilot direct from their website, so there is no excuse ! :-)Mind you, it is important to note here that the upgraded versions of my two scenery packs (Seattle 2004 and SanFran 2004) will be PC Pilot cover CD exclusives for the duration that Issue 25 is on sale (two months). I am pretty sure that you don't use my packages, but it is something that the rest of this forum might want to note.Chris Low,ENGLAND.