Just released is imaginesim's new version of KLGA NY LaGuardia for Prepar3D V4. It has vastly improved performance, the result of a complete model optimization and recompile. Among a host of improvements you will find,

- Big improvement in performance using procedures optimized for Prepar3D V4.

- Framerate speeds up by over a third compared with previous Prepar3D version. Nearly double when compared to FSX version.

- High definition building texturing and improved new V4 ground polygons.

- Fluid usage, even with complex airliner cockpits and high density AI coverage.

- Low visibility nav lighting.

- Switchable dynamic lighting option.

- New and bespoke Operations Center configuration GUI.

- Comprehensive ground and building optimization.

- Interactive SODE jetways.

- Instantaneous scenery cache loading.

- Seasonal texture options.

- Low simulator impact.

- Graduated ground extremeties to seamlessly blend with any vector driven add-on.

- Free to all existing KLGA 2016 Prepar3D and FSX customers. Your new V4 version will appear in your Flightsim Store account (click your existing Prepar3D V4 download link to obtain the new file), or inside the Flight 1 wrapper downloaded from the imaginesim  website (click the re-install button after downloading).

                                                                   AEROSOFT CRJ-700/900

                                                                 Reviewed by: Marlon Carter

INTRODUCTION
 

Over the past few years, the primary focus of the FS community seemed to be centered on mid to long range airliners such as the 737, A320 and 777. While this focus was most welcome due to the real world popularity of these aircraft, it also created a void for the short to mid-range regional aircraft that are also quite popular at any given airport. When it comes to regional airliners, one of the most popular models in use around the world is the CRJ series produced by Bombardier. The CRJ series has served as the backbone of the regional airline market in many countries and they are often the very first aircraft flown by a newly employed airline pilot.

Throughout the past 26 years, the CRJ series has seen a significant evolution in an effort to better serve airlines and growing markets. Starting with the CRJ-200 which has a capacity of 50 seats, we are now seeing the CRJ series being utilized for carrying as many as 60 – 100 seats with the 700, 900 and now the 1000 series.  In an effort to generate interest in the popular CRJ series, Aerosoft decided to recreate this amazing and versatile aircraft for the benefit of flight simulator enthusiast. With the CRJ-200 series slowly being phased out by some airlines in favor of the CRJ-700/ 900 series, Aerosoft decided to focus their attention on the CRJ 700/900 series.

If you’ve been around the FS community for the past 10+ years, this product release should come as no surprise since this product has been in development for a number of years. With so many questions about the development and delays surrounding this highly anticipated product, I thought it would be a good idea to chat with Mathijs Kok from Aerosoft in an effort to understand not only why this product had such a lengthy development, but also to find out some of its key features and “target audience.”

INTERVIEW

Can you tell us why Aerosoft decided to produce the CRJ series?

Personally I always liked short haul aircraft as they are so much more fun, but basically it was perhaps the last aircraft still used in some numbers that did not have a good sim version. So honestly a lot of the consideration was commercial.

Is there any particular reason why the CRJ-200 was excluded?

Yes. There are some significant differences between the 200 and the larger versions, it would really have expanded the project too much to be feasible.

Were there any significant challenges during the development of this product?

I think most people know this project was many many years late. The main reason was a lack of resources in Digital Aviation. Basically it is just Hans Hartmann so when the project gets delayed it is hard to catch up. And as 'state of the art' advances all the time you are soon trying to reach a moving target. For almost two years we were not completing the project but redoing parts that looked outdated. It was very painful to be honest.

With regard to the aircraft performance, how was Aerosoft able to ensure that the aircraft had the correct handling and performance?

No problems there, we had a lot of friends who either fly CRJ's or have done so in the past. Almost half the testers were actual pilots or people working in maintenance. If anything we had too much information!

Are there any features in the CRJ series that can be considered "new" in comparison to other releases by Aerosoft?

Not really. It's designed as a very 'solid' product. Not extremely 'wide' in features as the Airbuses and really aimed at flying the aircraft. As with the Busses we really do not care about systems that are never used (or used once in tens of thousands of hours).

Will the FS community see more regional aircraft from Aerosoft in the future?

As I said, we like them, so who knows. Nothing we are willing to share at this moment though.

Who would you say is the target audience for the CRJ? Is this a product tailored to hardcore FS enthusiast? Or is this a product that will be relatively easy for beginners to enjoy from day 1?

It's most certainly not an easy product to get into (if only because CRJ's are really very different from Boeings or Airbuses) and we do expect customers to have flown other less complex aircraft before. But basically, as it is the most advanced CRJ for the FS platform, everybody who likes them is a potential customer. 

Is there anything else you would like the FS community to know about this product or Aerosoft in general?

I think most people know about Aerosoft these days. I do like to say something about the CRJ though. We released it because we felt it was ready to be used. It's not finished though, we are still working full blast on it. Partly fixing issues and partly adding features customers demanded. Only when we deliver the files for boxed distribution do we consider it 'ready'. That will be a few weeks from now. Some customers might prefer to wait for that one, others like to get into the action early and have some influence on how the product evolves. This is 2017 and we should see the customers are partners to some degree. Not just people who pay.

I also like to say something about the CTD's we are facing in P3d V4. It's something all the development teams of more complex aircraft face at this moment. They are incredibly hard to track down and almost seem random. Though some issues are fixed and some are less likely to appear, we do need some help from Lockheed. And the team at Lockheed what it is, we do get that help. It's a very new sim and just like the CRJ it needs to mature a bit. We do love it however!!

We certainly want to thank Mathijs for provided these insights. As with any highly anticipated product, an area of keen interest is the list of features offered. Here is a list of the features that you can expect to enjoy should you decide to purchase this product.

FEATURES

Exquisite modelling with many animations with up-to-date standards

VAS and FPS friendly because we love complex airports as much as you do

Extended Flight Management System delivered with August 2017 nav data (compatible with NavDataPro and Navigraph)

Complete MCDU with full keyboard control option

All displays available as high resolution 2D windows

Highly accurate flight model

Panel State saving/loading

Standard Sound set done by Turbine Sounds Systems, additional Virtual Cockpit sounds provide by Aerosoft

Heads-up Guidance system

Includes Frank, our avatar to walk around the aircraft and airports (Prepar3D only)

Fully functional (though linked to this aircraft) RAAS provided by FS2Crew

Complete management tool to load fuel, passengers, and baggage. This tool also allows you to tweak the simulation to your hardware

Livery manager with drag and drop functionality

Fully prepared for AES, Chaseplane, PFPX

Many new options to tweak the product to your likings and your hardware, for example to link a hardware control to the nose wheel steering

Our Virtual Cockpit tool (DAVE) has checklists, fuel and passenger loading, change settings, etc.

Five manuals, including detailed step-by-step documentation

Fully Prepar3D V4 compatible with dynamic lights and several other adaptations to use the newest technology

CRJ 700 models:

Lufthansa Regional D-ACSB

American Eagle N508AE

HOP! Air France F-GRZH

Lufthansa Regional Star Alliance D-ACPT

United Express N770SK

Alaska Airlines N215AG

American Eagle N508AE OC

Brit Air F-GRZG

Conviasa YV2088

Delta Airways N367CA

Horizon Air N613QX

SA Express ZS-NLT

Styrian Spirit OE-LSF

CRJ 900 models:

Lufthansa Regional D-ACNN

Lufthansa Regional D-ACKI

US Airways Express N247LR

Air Nostrum EC-JYA

Delta Airways N806SK

Adria Airways S5-AAK

Air Canada Express C-GOJZ

Air Nostrum EC-JZS

Air One EI-DOT

Atlas Global TC-ETC

Binter Canarias EC-MEN

PLUNA CX-CRA

SAS Scandinavian Airlines OY-KFI

As you can see, the list of features is quite extensive and in addition to having a host of in-depth features, this product comes with a number of popular liveries to suit your needs. If you would like to see the CRJ in action, please have a look at the preview video below. Thereafter, we will dive right into the review by first of all examining the documentation.

PREVIEW VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4ogGqiaUDY

DOCUMENTATION

The documentation that comes with any add-on aircraft can easily be an indication of the quality and depth of the product itself. When a develop offers a poorly compiled or lack of sufficient information on the product, it easily signals to the buyer that this product really doesn’t offer much. While some are not fond of reading, in the world of aviation, being an avid reader is something you cannot escape. With the Aerosoft CRJ, the documentation that comes with this product includes details on throttle configuration, operating manuals, checklist, v-speeds and much more. What was equally impressive is that these documents didn’t cover 5-10 pages of information, but it offers in some cases as many as over 100 pages of information in one document alone. With such an array of information to digest, I was also impressed with the relaxed writing style which was detailed but entertaining. My overall impression from the documentation provided is that this product is definitely a cut above the average aircraft add-on. While not on the same level as the Majestic Q400, the CRJ series certainly isn’t far off.

INTERIOR MODEL

After loading the CRJ series into FSX/P3D, your very first introduction to the aircraft is a stunning virtual cockpit that perfectly captures the look and dimensions of the real CRJ cockpit. The modelling work that has gone into this project is outstanding to say the least and you will be very impressed with the level of detail seen throughout the cockpit. Both the appearance and animation of switches, buttons and levers are all recreated with a remarkable level of detail which is expected of any add-on released in 2017.

Looking at the displays, the CRJ series comes with CRT displays which are a bit older than the more modern LCD displays seen in newer airlines. Nonetheless, CRT displays have a very distinctive appearance with a beveled edge in all 4 corners of the display. While the CRJ displays could have been a bit more “CRT Like” in appearance, they were very clear and easy to read. As an added option, users can also utilize a 2D pop-up of these displays which can be resized for your needs.

As far as the textures are concerned, Aerosoft has once again outdone themselves with an array of high quality textures seen throughout the cockpit. One aspect of cockpit textures often brushed over are the cockpit placards which are often very low resolution and sometimes unreadable. With the CRJ series, Aerosoft has ensured that the virtual cockpit of the CRJ series lives up to the demands of simmers and real pilots from a visual perspective. While keeping performance in mind, the textures used in the virtual cockpit may not be 4K, but they certainly look outstanding both during the day and night time. Here are a few screenshots that nicely showcase the cockpit of the CRJ-700/900.

EXTERIOR MODEL

Looking at the exterior of the aircraft, you can’t help but to be awe-struck by the level of detail that was meticulously recreated during the development of this product. The CRJ series is a unique aircraft with an unmistakable appearance. Aerosoft has done an outstanding job at modeling both the 700 and 900 series with all of their major and subtle differences. As you look carefully at both models, you will quickly see an array of details that go above and beyond the expectations of most eye candy fanatics. For example, the landing gears, flaps, wing, cargo doors and compartments are all modeled and animated to a high degree of accuracy. One of my favorite but subtle features is the main door animation that also caters to the option using a Jetways by lowering the side rails. This is just one of many examples of the level of detail seen throughout the exterior model of the CRJ-700/900 series.

As far as the textures are concerned, the exterior model comes with a vast array of liveries that are all very detailed. The textures may not be 4K, but they are certainly high quality. This is also seen in areas typically overlooked by other developers such as the gear bay and other less noticeable areas. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are few screenshots of the exterior model of the 700/900 series for your pleasure.

EST FLIGHT
During our test flight, we will be examining the flight model and the systems of the aircraft to see whether they stay true to the general characteristics of the CRJ-700/900. While I am not a CRJ pilot, the testing team consisted of many individuals who are current CRJ pilots. As mentioned in our interview with Mathijs, there was sufficient feedback to indicate that the characteristics of the aircraft are as true to life as you can expect within the confines of FSX/P3D. Ultimately, by the end of this test flight we will see whether or not these claims are plausible.
For our series of test flights, I’ve had the opportunity to fly the CRJ-700/900 on numerous routes under a variety of conditions. Some of these flights featured destinations such as KMSP, KLGA, KDCA, EDDF and EDDM. If you are wondering why these destinations were specifically select, these are all airports that not only see constant CRJ traffic, but airports such as KLGA and KDCA offer challenging approaches that will test the aircraft’s performance and handling. Let’s begin by first of all discussing how the aircraft was setup for each flight and then we will examine some of the highlights of my flights to the airports listed above.
COCKPIT SETUP/GROUND SERVICES
Prior to beginning any flight, a good virtual pilot will always want to ensure that the conditions for flying are within acceptable standards. In addition to this, for a realistic experience, being able to accurately plan the route and fuel requirements for your flight is an essential part of good airmanship. To accomplish all of the above, I’ve found that PFPX has been an indispensable tool and while PFPX is superb in generating an accurate flightplan, at this time it is unable to export the flightplan directly to the CRJ. This means that your options for loading a flightplan is limited to manual entry or making use of Simbrief which now supports the Aerosoft CRJ. Additionally, if you do not have PFPX, you can also make use of the CRJ Manager which allows you to generate passenger, cargo and fuel loads for your flight. Either way, this is the first step to setting up the aircraft for any flight. For those of you interesting in going the extra mile, you might find Navdata Charts a very useful program in obtaining all of the necessary airport or enroute charts you need for your flight. To keep your FMS up to date, you may also want to try Navdata Pro which is similar to the Navigraph database commonly used today. While both versions work well with the CRJ, Navdata Pro offers a convenient method of updating multiple add-ons at once and it is very easy to use.

After setting up the fuel and weight specifics of your flight, the CRJ Manager also allows you to setup a few more advanced setting such as Tiller mapping, default systems configurations, sound preferences and more. Among all of these features, you might be wondering what the Tiller mapping is all about. As you may already know, an aircraft such as the CRJ uses a hand tiller for nose wheel steering. This function is separate to the aileron controls but they can be mapped to your pedals or any other axis you wish to have a realistic experience while taxiing the aircraft. If you decide not to meddle with these setting, you can rest assured that the aircraft will taxi as normal using your yoke aileron controls but you will not see the nose wheel turn. Now that we’ve done the initial setup, let’s head over to the sim.
After loading the CRJ at the airport of your choosing, the next step to be completed is the cockpit setup. If you are using the CRJ Manager, this would be the ideal time to load your fuel and weight settings to your aircraft. However, you also have the option of using “DAVE” which is a Tablet/EFB style unit that allows you to control numerous aspects of the aircraft, including your payload details. By using this tool, you can also configure initial state of the aircraft to be cold and dark, ready for engine start or turn around mode. For the sake of this review, I decided to choose the cold and dark setup to test the initialization of the systems. What was very impressive about this process is that the systems closely matched the setup of the real aircraft with the displays showing more or less the same indications of the real aircraft during the power-up phase. Another impressive feature is the immersive sound of the cockpit environment as the avionics comes alive. When programming the MCDU, you will notice that it is slightly different to what you may be used to if you typically fly a Boeing or Airbus aircraft. Nonetheless, the initialization process is very straightforward and I found that despite the differences, it was just as easy to load a flightplan and performance data in comparison to a Boeing aircraft.
For those of you who are especially keen on having a realistic experience, you may be well aware that while the pilots complete the cockpit setup, typically this would also be the time that passengers and baggage are loaded onboard the aircraft. I was quite pleased to see that “DAVE” also offered options to control the ground services available to the CRJ. These services include ground power and ground air services in addition to being able to control main and cargo doors. If you are a GSX user, you will be happy to know that configuration files are also included with this product and they work flawlessly. With passengers loaded, let’s see how this aircraft handles on the ground before we depart.

TAXI/TAKEOFF/CLIMB

The engine start process for the CRJ is a fairly automated process and it is actually much easier than starting up a 737 or 747. During the engine start up I was very impressed with the immersive sound of the engines and the overall process seemed to be as authentic as you can get in a desktop simulator. While taxiing to the runway, you will immediately notice two things. First of all, the annoying ground friction issue that has plagued many aircraft add-ons has been resolved with the AS CRJ. Aerosoft has introduced this feature in an effort to improve the overall realism of the aircrafts movement on the ground and they’ve done a fine job in fixing this issue. Secondly, if you ever have the opportunity to assign an axis to your tiller, you will see that taxiing the aircraft becomes an almost effortless task. If you do not have the means to do so, rest assured that your regular yoke or joystick inputs will turn the aircraft but you won’t see the nose gear turning. While this isn’t realistic, it’s an acceptable compromise.

As you line up to the runway after completing your checklist which is accessible through “DAVE,” the real fun begins as you power up the throttles to the TOGA detent and the aircraft steadily accelerates to rotation speed. During the acceleration, the thumps and other noses commonly heard adds a tremendous level of realism that many other add-ons often miss.
Once airborne, the aircraft accelerates to just about 180 – 200kts before the flaps are retracted. Thereafter, the hand flying characteristics of the aircraft really shines as it cut through the air with a smoothness that encourages you to fly the aircraft rather than relying too much on the autopilot for stability. When engaging the autopilot, the transition from manual flight to auto flight is consistently smooth with no erratic maneuvers that may be discomforting to your virtual passengers. An aspect of this aircraft that is especially unique is that it doesn’t have the typical VNAV function of your 737 or A320. During the climb phase of your flight, the climb is managed by using the climb detent of the throttle and the speed mode of the autopilot. With other add-ons that utilize this type of autopilot functionality, I’ve found that these modes can often be a bit unstable. In this case however, while it isn’t perfect, Aerosoft managed to implement a somewhat stable autopilot which has seen some improvement after a few updates since the release of this product. As we settle into the cruise portion of the test flight, we will have a closer look at a few more of the systems that were modeled in this aircraft.

CRUISE/SYSTEMS

During the cruise phase of any flight, pilots normally have an opportunity to be a bit more relaxed since the workload is reduced to monitoring frequencies and the aircraft systems. With the CRJ, this fact proves to be true with just one exception. With a 747 or even a 737, the autothrottle system makes power management a simple task. Since the CRJ doesn’t have an AT, it means that you as the virtual pilot will be responsible for manually manipulating the throttles to maintain the appropriate cruise power/speed. If you are not very experienced with managing the engines of a jet aircraft manually, the CRJ manuals provide a basic guideline in aiming for a power setting of about 80%. Of course, depending on your winds, this setting may need to be increased or decreased to avoid an overspeed warning or maintain an appropriate speed.

For those who have already mastered the art of engine and power management, the cruise phase of your flight might allow you the opportunity to explore some of the systems of the aircraft in greater detail. Beginning with the most obvious, the CRJ series comes with 6 large displays that feature a Rockwell Collins Proline 4 avionics suite. In addition to the advanced avionics, the CRJ also includes a Heads-up Guidance System (HGS) which is useful for your CAT III approaches. If we were to first of all examine the 6 screen displays, you’ll notice that they fully simulate many of the sub-pages that monitor numerous aircraft systems such as pressurization, fuel, hydraulics, electrical and more. The overall fidelity of these systems are quite remarkable and while there aren’t any advanced failures for most of these system, they provide a balanced level of detail that will impress even the most avid of flight simulator enthusiast.

Moving over the HGS, the display is very high quality and the information being displayed closely (if not perfectly) matches what you will see in the real aircraft. While I enjoy having this feature, personally I find myself sticking to the cockpit displays while flying. Nonetheless, if you wish to make life a bit easier and keep your view outside of the aircraft, this is the perfect tool to do so.

As you glance at the overhead panel of the CRJ, you will see a simple but essential array of switches that control Electrical power, Fire detection, fuel, APU, Bleed Air, Air Conditioning, Anti-ice systems and Exterior lighting. What I appreciate the most about the design of the CRJ is the simplistic layout of the overhead panel which seems to operate on the same “dark cockpit” concept of airbus aircraft. This means that while in the air, if the overhead panel switches are all black, it means everything is setup correctly. The work that has gone into simulating the systems of this aircraft becomes quite evident as you select various overhead switches and you see a corresponding action either in aircraft performance or through various alerts and indications on your displays. If you choose to put the systems of the CRJ to the test, I would suggest doing so on the ground since doing so in the air will quickly ruin your day.

The center pedestal of the CRJ offers numerous capabilities. For example, on the center pedestal you have radios, interior lighting, anti-skid, auto reverse, weather radar and a host of controls that are essential to the operation of the aircraft. One of the center pedestal items that you will likely use quite often is the MCDU. Unlike many other add-ons that only provide a fraction of the functionality of an FMS/MCDU, Aerosoft has offered a thorough and complete rendition of the MCDU in the CRJ-700 and 900 series. With the ability to perform many advanced navigational functions and accurately manage aircraft performance, this unit allows you to fly some of the most difficult ILS and RNAV approach procedures such as the River Visual 19 to KDCA. With regard to performance data, the MCDU has the ability to accurately calculate performance data based on many variables such as winds, weight and vertical path. One of the features of the MCDU which might seem a bit misleading is the VNAV page. As mentioned before, the CRJ doesn’t have a traditional VNAV system similar to what you may be used to in an A320 or B737. The VNAV page is mostly used as a reference and once you know how to utilize it, it can prove to be very useful.

As you look to the left or right (depending on which seat you are in), you will see yet another useful tool that is perhaps one of the best additions to this aircraft. In the initial setup of the aircraft we used the EFB/Tablet called “DAVE.”  This virtual cockpit tool closely resembles the EFB style tablets commonly seen in airliner cockpits today. With this tool, Aerosoft has made it possible for users to control nearly every aspect of this aircraft when it comes to fuel, passenger loading and allowing you the option of controlling numerous airline options. As an example, if you fly with airlines outside of the U.S, it is likely that the numeric units for weights may be in KG. DAVE offers you the option of selecting with KG or LBS in addition to default BARO settings which also vary between HPA and IN based on your region.

Other options also take into consideration specific airline options for the MCDU and it also allows you set and customize your payload, v-speeds and a few maintenance items. Ultimately, this tool will be an indispensable assistance in flying the CRJ and Aerosoft honestly made the right move by including this feature.

DESCENT/LANDING

Now that we’ve taken a look around the virtual cockpit and examined some of the features of the aircraft, it’s now time for us to begin planning our descent. Typically with a 737, the descent planning is fairly due to the advanced level of automation and VNAV capabilities. With the CRJ however, flying this aircraft has a way of separating the boys from the men so to speak. Managing the descent phase of your flight with the CRJ is a delicate balance of math and power management. For the sake of simplicity, we won’t go into much of the math involved in meeting an altitude restriction, but it is extremely important that you as the pilot be fully in control of the aircraft and that you fully understand the basic concepts of power management. If you can master this aspect of flying, you might hardly miss the luxuries of having a VNAV system to manage your descent. If you would like to learn more about the descent management of the CRJ, I would highly recommend the Air Nostrum CRJ-900/1000 video from Just Planes.

When it comes to flying an approach, I found that the autopilot was quite stable most of the time. What do I mean by “most of the time?” Well, there were a few times when I found that localizer capture wasn’t as smooth as it should be and there were one or two occasions when the capture was a bit late but not excessively enough to compromise off the entire approach. If you are hand flying an approach, I found that using the HGS offered a significant advantage in keeping track of your course, speed and altitude thus allowing you to fully enjoy the flying characteristics of the aircraft. After landing, you’ll find that the CRJ performance quite well when decelerating without having to fight the controls to stay on the centerline. Taxiing to the gate is no different to what we described earlier, but when parked at a gate there are a few things we need to take into consideration. For example, if you’ll be using a Jetway, having the stairs configured correctly with the railings down is an option that is available through “DAVE.” Additionally, with two GSX configuration files available, you’ll also need to know which cargo doors need to be operated for the ground crew.

After going through your shutdown checklist, you can’t help but admire the work that has gone into this product to recreate the remarkably realistic experience of being the PIC of a CRJ. This product not only offers you hours of entertainment, but it also offers you an educational experience both in the systems of the CRJ and the hard work that goes into flying these regional airliners. Throughout all of my test flights, I can honestly say that it was always an amazing and challenging experience and I think that everyone will enjoy using this product.

PERFORMANCE

To wrap up our test flight, I thought it would be reasonable to discuss PC performance. This is a topic that can be a bit touchy and especially so for the Aerosoft CRJ. In all fairness, the performance is good if you have a high-end PC, but some have reported that since the last update the performance saw a slight decrease. Despite this notable decrease in performance, some have also noted that it wasn’t a decrease that made it impossible to use the aircraft. In addition to performance issues, there were also reports of navigational issues but these are all currently being addressed by Aerosoft and I am confident that they will be resolved. As mentioned before, this is a touchy topic and not everyone will have the same experiences. Ultimately, if you have an average to high-end system this product will function quite well both within FSX and in P3D.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, as a long-time fan of regional aircraft, I am convinced that the CRJ series is one of the best regional jet products to be released in a very long time. This simulation is a remarkable rendition of the CRJ that even many real world CRJ pilots are impressed with. Though Aerosoft took quite some time to release this product, it was certainly worth the wait. The depth of the systems is very well balanced to reflect the day to day use and expectations of a real world CRJ pilot. While having working circuit breakers isn’t the goal of this product, it is sufficiently well simulated to keep even hardcore simmers on the edge of their seats.

In addition to being an overall fun and intriguing aircraft to fly, the practical benefit of this product can be seen in two ways. First of all, due to the lack of an auto throttle and the traditional VNAV functions we’ve grown used to, the CRJ truly helps you to become a better virtual pilot. Being able to effectively manage your speed and descent may require some practice, but you will find it extremely rewarding as your abilities as a virtual pilot is refined. Secondly, if you are an aspiring pilot, it is likely that your very first job might be at an airline that uses the CRJ. While this product is not intended for training purposes, it can be very useful for familiarizing yourself with the basic operation of this aircraft.

With this product featuring two models and so many features, one might expect that the price would rival that of other high end add-ons in the over $60.00 range. However, for the price of $49.99 USD for either the boxed or download versions that are compatible with both P3D and FSX, you will see that the price point of this product is more than generous. For providing a highly detailed product at a remarkable value, the Aerosoft CRJ series has certainly earned itself a 9/10 score for offering everyone the opportunity to experience the thrill of flying this amazing regional aircraft. Why not give it a try?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For those interested, here is a list of all the products used or seen throughout this review. These airports typically see a large volume of CRJ flights.

AEROSOFT Mega Airport Frankfurt V2.0
DRZEWIECKI DESIGN New York Airports V2
DRZEWIECKI DESIGN Washington X
FLIGHTBEAM KMSP
FSDREAMTEAM KCLT
 

Finally, if you would like to learn more about flying the CRJ, I would highly recommend these Just Planes video titles.

Air Nostrum CRJ-900/CRJ-1000 – One of the best CRJ videos you will find!
Preview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Diz7-R5Mc4I

Styrian CRJ-700
Preview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smvFUr6j_vw

Pluna CRJ-900

Preview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy18-_l5SVk

CARENADO has released their F50 for FSX/P3D  

Special Features
Full FSX, P3D v2, v3, v4, and Steam compatible.
Flight1 GTN 750* integration
Reality XP GNS530* integration (only for FSX)
Carenado GNS530
Sequence Procedure
Cold and Dark start option
Volumetric side view prop effect
Takeoff run and landing real rolling movement effect
Dynamic propeller shines effect.
Custom brakes sounds on taxi and landing run

Features
Original autopilot installed.
HD quality textures (4096 x 4096).
Real F50 sounds.
Customizable panel for controlling windows transparency, instrument reflections and static elements such as wheel chocks and sights props.
Real behavior compared to the real airplane. Real weight and balance.
Tested by real pilots.
Realistic night lights effects on panel and cockpit.

NOTE:
This aircraft does not have a 2D panel.

*Flight1 GTN 750 and Reality XP GNS530 are sold separately

Included in the package
10 HD liveries.
1 HD Blank livery
F50 Emergency Checklist PDF
F50 Normal Procedures PDF
F50 Performance Tables PDF
F50 Reference PDF
F50 Overhead Panel Layout
FMS PDF
Recommended Settings PDF

Technical Requirements
Windows: 10 / 8 / 7 / Vista / XP.
Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX with SP1 and SP2 (or Acceleration Pack) installed or Lockheed Martin - Prepar3D Flight Simulator v3 or v4 or FSX Steam Edition.
i3 processor/3GHz or similar
Minimum 2GB RAM (Recommended 4GB RAM)
512MB graphics card.
1.8GB available hard disk space

INTERNET CONNECTION is required for installing this product.

Visit the Carenado F50 Product page  for further details

 The Boeing 787 from  Magknight has been updated to version 1.02  - textures, lights, navigation, checklist and more features in new package.

 Version 1.02 changes

– Groundspeed, TAS and wind vector corrected in the ND.
– Transponder Ident now available. Transponder digits can now be changed up and
down.
– Airspeed in PFD now hides at mach speeds instead of showing '0'.
– Flaps maneuverability issue solved. The aircraft now follows easily the glideslope and
acts quickly at lower speeds.
– Artificial stability now corrected at lower speeds. (Better handling)
– Tail light now available. Tail will light up with the logo button in the cockpit. There is
now no necessity of a special night texture for each livery. The external night texture is
the same for all.
– Yoke hides now pressing 'Y' on the keyboard. (Only XP11)
– Vertical speed display now hides in VNAV.
– A checklist is now available.
– Cockpit windows have been modified to better dimentions.
– Pitot tubes are now bigger.
– Minor texture and light correction in the tail lights.
– Speedbrake now arms and deploys at landing.
– Normal map has been updated.
– Air China livery add to the package.
– United livery gold cheatline corrected. (Didn't match in the nose)
– Engines nacelles shape corrected and intake reflections removed

For further details visit the Boeing 787 Magkinght Product Page.

AIR ICELAND DASH 8–Q200/Q400

JUST PLANES

Reviewed by: Marlon Carter

Reviewed by: Marlon Carter

+ Cockpit filming using up to 5 cameras for great views on takeoff & landing!

+ Pilot Presentations

+ Flight Preparations

+ Cockpit Set-up

+ Pilot Briefings + Checklists

+ Departure & Arrival Airport Charts

+ Cockpit Presentation

+ Aircraft Walkaround

+ Fantastic routes to Greenland and within Iceland

+ Amazing Scenery

HIGHLIGHTS

Air Iceland may seem like a newcomer to the line-up of Just Planes videos, but back in 2004, Just Planes first visited Air Iceland to film their fleet of Fokker 50s and Metroliners. This time around, we will be getting a behind the scenes look at the operations of Air Iceland and their modern fleet of Dash 8 Q200s and Dash 8 Q400s.

Departing from Reykjavik, this documentary takes us to intriguing destinations such as Kuluksuk, Isafjordur, Egilsstadir, Akureyri and Ilulisaat. While the names of these destination may be a bit of a tongue twister, I can guarantee that after viewing this video, the striking beauty of these destination will leave a lasting impression on your mind. On our first flight to Kuluksuk, in addition to seeing the professionalism of our pilots in action, you will also see just how outstanding the Dash 8 Q400 truly is as it flies in and out of gravel runways with ease. As a fan of the Dash 8, I truly appreciated many of the informative segments about the aircraft which included a presentation on the cockpit and a walkaround inspection of the aircraft.

The Dash 8 Q200 also shines throughout this program with Air Iceland sporting an upgraded cockpit that closely resembles the displays seen in the Q400. One of the most outstanding moments in this program features the Q200 landing at the famous Isafjordur airport which is well known to be one of the most challenging to any pilot. The fact that the pilots of Air Iceland make flying these difficult approaches seem so easy is a testimony to the outstanding quality of training received by these pilots. If you are keen on knowing more about the pilots, you may also enjoy a few segments where the pilots share a little about how they got into aviation. To an aspiring pilot, hearing these stories can be very inspirational.

On a final note, while this video is a Dash 8 lover’s paradise, it also showcases just how much of a paradise Greenland and Iceland can be. Even if you cannot imagine a cold territory to be anything like a paradise, the amazing scenery seen throughout this program is guaranteed to leave you awe-inspired. With Just Planes featuring clips from 5 cameras, there is no shortage of perspective. If you are an aviation enthusiast or you are interested in the Dash 8, then this video is by far one of the best you will find. I certainly hope that Air Iceland continues to open its doors to the world and to inspire generations to come through the love of aviation.

Video Preview

JUST PLANES

CORSAIR 747-400

Reviewed by: Marlon Carter

+ Cockpit filming using up to 6 cameras

+ Fantastic views on takeoff & landing!

+ Detailed Preflight Preparations

+ Crew Briefings

+ Checklists

+ Departure & Arrival Airport Charts

+ Detailed Cockpit Presentation

+ Pilot Presentation

+ Great scenery

HIGHLIGHTS

Corsair is an airline that has always opened its doors to aviation enthusiast over the years and Just Planes has once again had the privilege of filming the operations of one of their most iconic aircraft. With Corsair International being the very last French 747-400 operator, this program offers viewers the opportunity to view the beautiful city of Paris from the cockpit of this aircraft, as it makes an 11 hour round trip to the beautiful Mauritius Island.

To begin our journey, we are introduced to our pilots as they prepare the aircraft for a night time departure. During their preparation, viewers will be able to see all of the crucial procedures that are carried out by the pilots prior to departure. These procedures include FMS setup, performance calculations and engine start to list a few. Once completed, we taxi to the runway where our heavily loaded 747 effortlessly makes its way into the dark skies above.

After departing the Orly airport, our flight to Mauritius Island mostly follows the routine procedures associated with long haul international flights. After a beautiful sunrise over the ocean, our pilots can be seen carrying out their arrival briefing which is followed by a scenic approach and smooth landing at Mauritius. As an added bonus, Just Planes has also included a replay segment of our approach and landing which allows viewers to experience this flight from various perspectives.

The second segment of this documentary features our return flight to the Orly airport. During our return flight, there many presentations from the captain which included essential bits of information pertaining to our flight and a presentation on the company’s operations. For viewers who are unfamiliar with the operations of Corsair, this segment may provide some insight into the history of Corsair, their fleet and the future of their fleet of 747s.

As our 11 hour journey progresses, the First Officer also engages the viewers with an explanation of the CPDLC feature of the FMS and a detailed presentation of each panel of the 747 cockpit. For anyone who is an avid fan of the 747, these segments are perhaps the most enlightening throughout this video. As this documentary comes to an end, the final highlight of our journey centers mostly on the scenic aspect of this video. While on approach to the Orly airport, the scenic views of Paris just prior to sunset was an amazing sight to behold and it truly inspires appreciation for the gift of flight. Overall, this documentary aptly captures the thrill of flying onboard the Boeing 747 and it also showcases the professionalism of Corsair pilots. If you are an avid enthusiast or a fan of the 747, this video documentary is highly recommended.

Video Preview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l8L0pPa_Y4

PacSim has just released its latest US product, RENO-TAHOE INTL - 64bit Pro. The product is meant for P3DV4 only and features:

Native P3DV4.1 /4.2 SDK product;

Accurate terminal building,  concourses, hangars, towers, and airport layout;

Accurate RW replica of downtown buildings/skyscrapers and casinos built from scratch;

Dynamic Lighting option;

SODE animated jetway system for all gates;

Custom runway and apron/tarmac textures;

High resolution (7cm-30cm pixel) photoreal textures covering over 6,565 sq. miles;

KRNO Scenery Configurator to change Winter ground and vegetation textures;

Color-corrected ground textures to reflect real-world topography colors;

Accurate hand-placed autogen that conforms with city, town, district, and farm grids;

Custom street lights on lamp post with zero impact on FPS. Almost all streets have street lights;

Roof-top Helipads at Renown and St Mary's Regional Medical Centers;

Rotating radar and beacon assets;

AI ground vehicle conforms with real-world Reno road grids;

Fully optimized for smooth simulation experience. All autogen can be set at 100% with very little impact on FPS;

....and more.

There is also a Hot Fix for missing runway 34L ILS which can be downloaded at the bottom of the product page under "G. HOT FIXES AND UPDATES"

Visit the PacSim Homepage for further details .

Sibiu International Airport or Aeroportul International Sibiu (IATA: SBZ, ICAO: LRSB) serves the city of Sibiu. It is located in southern Transylvania, 3 km (1.9 mi) west of Sibiu and about 260 km (160 mi) northwest of Romania's capital city, Bucharest.

Short history:
In 1943, the flying activities have been developed on a field (with grass) of 174 ha surface. The Lockheed operating planes belonged to the first Romanian operating airline - LARES. First routes were Bucharest – Sibiu – Arad and Bucharest – Sibiu – Oradea. In 1944, Sibiu was connected by air with some other cities like Bucharest, Brasov, Deva, Oradea and Targu-Mures. In 1959, it was inaugurated the airport building with two floors, control tower, waiting room for 50 passengers on each way (embarking and debarking) and a store-room.
In 1970, the airport was capable to operate during the night, due to the approach and runway guiding lights that have been installed. The concrete runaway was 2000m long and 30m wide. In 1975, radar facilities became operational and later in 1992, the airport was opened for international traffic, with flights to Stuttgart and Munich.
In 2006 - 2008, the airport passed through the most important rehabilitation program in its history, a €77 million investment in a new terminal building and in runway upgrade.

Features:
- photo real area surrounding the airport
- custom night lighting ( P3D v4 compatible )
- custom autogen
- accurate stands location and numbering
- terminal no.2 - the active terminal
- terminal no.1 - the old terminal
- control tower
- Sibiu Customs building
- vehicle hangars
- weather station
- helicopter hangar
- parking lots

Visit the SIBIU INTERNATIONAL   Homepage for further details.

REALITY-XP GNS V2/GTN TOUCH
Reviewed by: Marlon Carter
Platform: FSX/P3D

INTRODUCTION
 

If you’ve been part of the Flight-sim community for a long time, Reality-XP is a developer that needs no introduction. For many years, Reality XP has been at the forefront in providing some of the most realistic avionics and aircraft instrument packages that have revolutionized the way we think and the way we fly. In their line-up of outstanding FS9 and FSX products which included the WX500 Wx Radar, you may also be familiar with their Garmin G530/430 v1 which was a significant upgrade from the default Garmin 500.

While the RXP GNS530/430 served the flightsim world well for many years, RealityXP saw that this was the perfect opportunity to release an updated version that not only works with P3D, but also contains new and very useful features to today’s virtual GA pilot. In addition to introducing the GNS 530/430 v2, RXP has also developed an FSX/P3D compatible Garmin GTN 750/650 which is one of the newest units sold by Garmin and it quickly gaining popularity in the aviation world. During this review, we will be looking at the features of these products and we will also look at the practical value of owning them if you are a serious virtual GA pilot or you plan on pursuing a career as a pilot. To begin, let’s first have a chat with Jean-Luc Dupiot who will enlighten us on what’s been happening in the background over the years at RXP.

INTERVIEW

Reality-XP has been around for quite some time. However, over the past few years RXP has seemingly been absent from the FS community. As a result of this absence, some may be wonder whether RXP is now here to stay and what can we expect from RXP going forward?

First, let me thank you Marlon and the Avsim team for the wonderful service offering you’ve built over all these years. I’ve never meet such fantastic and so diverse community of simmers on any other forums. Every day is an opportunity to share, to explore, to discover, and the feedback we get is invaluable to better our products.

Reality XP offered its first avionics simulation product in March 2002, garnering a track record of offering among the most authentic and valuable Flight Simulator add-on products one can acquire, and supporting and listening to its customers. We’ve never stopped raising the bar with unique technological innovations, unmatched graphics, authentic symbology and accurate simulations. We’ve been also growing our professional training solutions with a unique approach: on one hand our professional customers count on our proven product stability with many different end-user systems running them every day, while on the other hand, our flight simulator customers benefit from our professional technologies at a fraction of the price. As a matter of fact, we’ve many customers running some of our products for more than 10 years now and they’ve never required any particular support or update.

To more specifically answer your question, our oldest community friends and customers could certainly figure out this was an unusual and unaccountable situation, and I can’t stress enough how much it was. It is a fact most vendors in this market are small teams. We are nearly all susceptible to face difficulties one day or another whenever unexpected events hit us. It might not seem like so sometimes, but more often than not, any vendor product rely on the shoulders of one or two people maximum, and any problem affecting a member of the team is immediately a huge hit. In our field of expertise, it is even harder to find developers with the knowledge necessary to build our products. Most who know me personally or in the community must know this is a peculiar and unexpected situation, to consider we have purposely abandoned customers without a word just doesn’t add up. Sometimes the odds are against your every move no matter what, no matter how hard you fight, and I don’t think all our customers have been fairly and timely treated either and I sincerely apologize for their situation. 

2. With regard to the GNS v2, can you provide a few details on the improvements that have been made in comparison to the previous version?

Speaking of going forward, we were established in the add-on market for sharing our love and passion for Flight Simulator. These passions are what motivated our undertaking and they are as strong today as they were back then. 

We’re proud to offer our new product line, the Reality XP GNS V2 and the Reality XP GTN Touch. Built from scratch with brand new technologies supporting all the major simulators from FS9 to P3D4 in 64bits, and from XP9 to XP11 in 64bits, they concentrate 15 years of unique expertise in the avionics simulation development.

One striking difference with the Reality XP GNS V2 is the inclusion of a new Garmin trainer. It adds new vertical approach mode, can import user waypoints, import and export flight plans and comes with optimized code and internal bug fixes to the Garmin software. In addition, our gauges now render HI DPI graphics, offer more input and output options, share more data to third party vendors, accept hardware devices and keyboard shortcuts, includes cross-fill with no additional cost. In short, it is the most complete simulation of the GNS 530/430 all around for Flight Simulator and X-Plane.


4. Now that RXP has also released the GTN series in addition to the GNS models, do these products differ in any way to what has already been made available by another developer?

As for other GNS or GTN gauges, we’re well aware many customers are wondering the same, and I’m glad you’re asking. Many customers have different needs and are looking to our products in different ways. For some, frame rate is the most important, for others it may be the level of authenticity. A growing number of users want to connect hardware devices, and most want the best price. 

When you acquire a Reality XP product, you immediately feel the difference; you discover a new level of product finish, a modern in-sim configuration assistant. Our products benefit from our professional customers developments and this shows. Simply put, Reality XP’s no-compromise offering covers the widest range of needs with the best value for the money.

Our GNS V2 and GTN are growing strong in the community and third party aircraft vendors. This tells us customers are well aware of their options and they are making the most correct choice for their use.

5. Is RXP planning to release more Garmin or other branded avionics based products in the future?

As for future product, we’ve often hit the market with unexpected products, some even deemed unfeasible still today. Our work on the G600/500 simulation has been officially announced already and we expect to show some screenshots soon. The recent availability of the TXI trainer is compelling as well. 

Although I’d like to share our excitement and enthusiasm with the many other projects we’re currently preparing, it wouldn’t be a big surprise anymore!

More than all, our customers continued support is what drives us the most and what makes us do what we’re doing. We’re pushing our limits further every time, not just because we can: we’re as passionate as you are and we just love sharing this passion with our customers!

We are certainly thankful that Jean-Luc has shed some light on the gap of inactivity at RXP and the reassurance that the future for RXP looks bright and full of new innovations. Let’s now have a look at some of the features contained in the GNS v2 and GTN series for FSX/P3D.

FEATURES

GARMIN GNS 530W/430W

With new Garmin GNS Trainer with GPS software 3.3 exclusively showcased in our add-on, the Reality XP GNS 530W/430W V2 is a faithful reproduction that pilots and flight simulator users can use it as a training tool to familiarize themselves with the workings of the actual equipment. GNS 530W/430W V2 is navigator's heaven! In short, there is simply no better GNS WAAS in any flight simulator, period.

The new trainer includes stability enhancements, takes fewer resources and adds some new capabilities to the integrated navigator.
 

Like its real world counterpart, the RXP GNS 530W/430W has built-in WAAS navigation capabilities, and is capable to fly LPV “glideslope” approaches without reference to ground-based navaids of any kind. According to the FAA's stringent TSO C146a standards for WAAS "sole means" navigation — it provides vertical and lateral approach guidance into thousands of U.S. airports previously inaccessible in IFR conditions.

 The Reality XP GNS 530W/430W V2 seamlessly integrates built-in terrain and navigation databases, providing a clear, concise picture of where you are and where you’re heading, using the Garmin Ltd. Trainer huge Jeppesen® database containing location reference for all airports, VORs, NDBs, Intersections, Flight Service Stations, published approaches, SIDs/STARs, Special Use Airspace and geopolitical boundaries. A detailed base map clearly shows airports, cities, highways, railroads, rivers, lakes, coastlines and more.
 

The Reality XP GNS 530W/430W V2 includes an integrated NAV/COM unit interfacing with the flight simulator radios. The provision of the integrated communication and navigation radios in the unit gives the extra capabilities of auto tuning and pre-fetching your navigation and approaches frequencies. Flying has never been easier!

Now offered with Crossfill at no additional cost! This option allows you to transfer a direct- to destination, the active flight plan including VNAV parameters, any stored flight plan or user waypoints to a second 400W or 500W device.

If both units are set to automatic, a change in the active flight plan, or VNAV parameters, on one unit can also be seen in the other. Initiating a direct-to course to a waypoint on one unit also initiates a direct-to course to the same waypoint on the other unit.

The Reality XP GNS 530W/430W V2 includes enhanced situational awareness capabilities and comes standard equipped with TAWS-B and TCAD.Providing visual and aural advisories to help keep pilots safely separated from hazardous terrain, the WAAS GPS position information is compared with the GNS 530W/430W units’ internal terrain/obstacles databases to determine conflict scenarios. If there is inadequate terrain and/or obstacle clearance ahead, based on the system’s projected flight path, TAWS caution and warning alerts are issued to you. Accompanying FLTA voice alerts also indicate the relative threat level.

In addition to terrain and obstacle alerting, the TAWS system also features voice callouts, or VCOs, which audibly announce the aircraft’s height above terrain when descending below 500 feet. VCO altitude callout operate in all TAWS modes,

Select the menu Add-ons | Reality XP GNS to add or remove GNS units to your aircraft panel. Once selected, the panel wizard opens and guides you through. This task-oriented context aware assistant can help you with the following tasks:
- Configure your aircraft panel with GNS popup windows.
- Replace any similar GPS gauge with a GNS gauge using an auto-detect feature.
- Remove all GNS gauges from the panel.
- Restore the panel to its prior state using the automatic backup.
No need to edit the panel.cfg files or to restart the simulator. When you've made your choices, the assistant reloads the aircraft for you, with the simulator running!

GARMIN GTN 750/650 TOUCH

With a wealth of multifunction display capabilities, the GTN brings enhanced situational awareness to your cockpit. With high-resolution terrain mapping — including topography features, cities, airports, terminal areas, SUAs and more — and user selectable Class A or B   TAWS alerting, you’ll safely find your way around sectional-like airspace depiction, with convenient altitude limits right on the moving map.

            Our simulation is compatible with the latest Garmin trainer software v6.41.

Graphical flight planning capabilities allow you to preview your entire route on the map screen and easily enter new waypoints or modify existing ones. A handy "rubber band" feature lets you grab any leg of your flight plan route and move it to accommodate a deviation to your flight plan.

The GTN also allows you to enter your most recently visited or nearest airports as waypoints and “Direct To” destinations

With the GTN, you can set your standby Com frequency simply by touching the onscreen number pad. Another touch of the screen flip-flops your active and standby frequencies. Recent and favorite user frequencies also are a breeze to access.

            The GTN also automatically decodes a station’s Morse code to provide a positive identification – no aural decoding required.

The GTN can control the simulator audio panel (GTN 750 only) as well as the transponder, with working IDENT and REPLY annunciations. This setup could save you up to 3-inch of panel space versus a typical GNS 430/530 install.
 

In addition, precise course deviation and roll steering outputs can be coupled to the simulator autopilot so that IFR flight procedures may        be flown automatically. This includes all ARINC 424 leg types, including NextGen radius-to-fix (RF) legs.
 

Select the menu Add-ons | Reality XP GTN to add or remove GTN units to your aircraft panel. Once selected, the panel wizard opens and guides you through.
- Configure your aircraft panel with GNS popup windows.
- Replace any similar GPS gauge with a GNS gauge using an auto-detect feature.
- Remove all GNS gauges from the panel.
- Restore the panel to its prior state using the automatic backup.
No need to edit the panel.cfg files or to restart the simulator. When you've made your choices, the assistant reloads the aircraft for you, with the simulator running!

Bearing in mind that these units are based on the Garmin training programs, many of the advanced features of the GNS and GTN are also included the exception of weather radar and other features are of no value to a simulator pilot. This means that apart from the features listed above, these units basically offer you a full Garmin avionics package that perfectly matches the units found a real world aircraft. To some, this may be an exciting prospect given the endless opportunities it presents to fly and navigate in a realistic fashion. However, to some users this may be a bit intimidating and especially so if the default FSX/P3D GPS is already a challenge to use! If you fall into the category of the latter, then the next segment of our review may help you in getting acquainted with these new GPS units.

GETTING FAMILIAR

For anyone new to these GPS units, the very thought of using them to their full potential may be quite daunting given their complex nature. However, RXP has made the familiarization process an easy one that requires reading a short but informative manual along with the Garmin manuals which provides in-depth details on how you can effectively use these products. While the RXP manual should suffice to get you going, I would also encourage you to read the Garmin manual if this is your first time using any of these products.

THE EXPERIENCE

Before we begin, although products from A2A, RealAir and practically any add-on aircraft will work with these Garmin units, I thought it would be practical to feature a few products from Carenado since they offer integration with 3rd party GTN and GNS units out of the box. This option ultimately makes retrofitting the new RXP gauges a relatively simple task and many of you GA fanatics may already own quite a few Carenado products. To keep things simple, let’s first of all examine the new GNS V2 series.

Before we can hop into our aircraft of choice, as in the real world we first will have to install our new Garmin GNS into the aircraft. Thankfully, installing the Garmin 530/430 is much easier (and cheaper) for a virtual pilot and once the instructions are followed. Using the Setup Aircraft Panel menu, the GNS series can be installed in virtually any aircraft. Once you follow the instructions, you can add either 2D panel or in the VC version of the GNS series if your aircraft has a GNS530 or 430 unit by default. As an added bonus, users also have the option of using the Garmin GNS500 or GNS400 which is also included with the Garmin trainer. If you still require some assistance with the installation, you can always to refer to the manuals or the RXP AVSIM Forum where Panel Configurations can be found. Once this has been completed, you are now ready to experience GA flying the way it was meant to be, but before we depart, it’s important that we discuss proper flight planning.

Unlike the airline environment, as the pilot in command, you are solely responsible for planning every aspect of your flight. In the past, you may have been quite comfortable using the default flight planner to generate a route automatically. While this is an easy option, in many cases the routes generated may not be the most efficient or realistic.
If you are looking for the most realistic experience, there are a variety of flight planning tools and websites available that will not only aid in plotting your route, but they can also assist with the performance aspect of your flight planning. Over the years I’ve personally found PFPX, Simbrief and Skyvector.com to be quite effective in planning GA flights. If your aircraft profile is available, PFPX and Simbrief can be very useful in fuel planning while skyvector.com can be very helpful in planning the best route given the weather condition and other factors such as terrain, TFRs and other restrictions that may affect your class of aircraft. As an added bonus, skyvector.com offers a flight plan export feature for Garmin units which can be used along with your GNS units only. While this option is a bit limited for lengthy flight plans and may require some manual input, I’ve found this option to be the best method of loading flight plans without having to load each waypoint individually. Ultimately, regardless of the method you prefer, flight planning is an essential step that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Once you’ve completed your flight planning and you’ve either loaded the necessary information manually or placed the saved flight plan into your G530/430 FPL folder, there is just one more essential step to complete before departure. As mentioned in the features list, the GNS v2 comes with a host of configuration options to further enhance the user experience. When the configuration panel is opened, you will notice that there are numerous options that allow you to select which unit will be the master device (for dual GNS installations), Connect GPS to Autopilot, Crossfill, Ryan TCAD, Terrain options and a few more advanced features that will benefit users who primarily use 3rd party aircraft.

As an example of how beneficial these features can be, with Carenado products that offer simulations of the G500/600 and the Avidyne MFD, flight plan information entered on the RXP units will not show on these displays since they rely on default GPS data. One option available with the RXP configuration is that it allows you to link the RXP unit to default GPS waypoints and this allows all of your flight plan data to be shown correctly on all displays that are able to do so. In addition, there is also an option that auto-saves the active route to disk as a .PLN file. Upon loading the file with the flight simulator, the flight planner files the route into the ATC system for flight following!
Another intriguing feature is that you also have the option of enabling failures that can either shut down the unit’s power, cause satellite reception failure or reduction in accuracy. These options add an astonishing level of realism to all users and it surely enhances the experience of flying GA aircraft. Another amazing feature worth enabling before we depart is the Crossfill feature for dual GNS installations. This option allows you to enter your flight plan data in one unit and have it transferred to the other. While this allows you to save valuable time, it also serves as a safety feature when one of your units fails or for better situational awareness when monitoring your TCAS or any other page of the GNS that doesn’t show your flight plan data. With so many useful features, I would encourage everyone to examine them closely to see which would be the most practical for your aircraft. Now that the GNS units are configured, let’s get into the air and examine a few more features.

After departing from your airport of choice, the benefit of the GNS becomes much more obvious in comparison to the default GPS unit. For example, if you are flying an aircraft with dual GNS units, you can configure them to provide a wide range of information such as having your G530 display your navigation details while having your second unit display terrain or traffic information. Personally, I prefer to have one unit set to my map display while setting the other to either TCAS or the Nearest Airport page in the event of an emergency. Either way, you as the user will have the option to set up the units to your liking.

During the cruise phase of your flight, having a bit of idle time will allow you the opportunity to explore the features of the GNS units. My personal favorite is the G530 due to its large display, but the G430 is equally just as functional with only a few minor differences. The user interface with the 530/430 isn’t as easy as the GTN series, but the interface that was implemented by RXP making turning each knob an effortless task. As you explore the various pages you will see that these units are the closest representation to the real units that you will find. This is largely due to the fact that these units are based on the official Garmin trainer units and as a result, they offer a high degree of accuracy. The map displays are very high quality and they offer all of the display symbols that are expected with this unit to display accurate airspace, traffic, roads and terrain data.

Digging deeper into these units by means of some of the subpages and menus, you will soon realize that these units offer far superior capabilities to the default GPS units. For example, users have the ability to enter user waypoints, save and copy flight plans, set map display options and a host of other useful features that will make flying a C172 or any other GA aircraft a pleasure.

An interesting feature of the GNS series is that it also offers you a failure simulation. When flying in IFR weather and expecting to make an RNAV approach at your destination airport, the last thing you need is to have a GPS failure. To explain how this was implemented, here are a few comments from Jean-Luc.

All our products are first and foremost developed and sold with the requirements and the needs of our professional customers. Our retail customer directly benefit from professional grade products at a fraction of the price, while not scarifying the level of functionality. Failure simulation is essential in any training scenario, and we do our best to offer the broadest scope available. However, failures are not simulated in our products, they are just indicated. This means our devices respond to failures, provided these are triggered by the simulator itself. Each simulator differs in its capability to simulate failures though, and we try to offer the best in both worlds.

On X-Plane, there is native support for nearly all failures supported: GPS overall, GPS accuracy, COM, NAV, XPDR, Audio Panel and Avionics. These are standard X-Plane failures, configurable in X-Plane itself, for which our GTN simulation for example responds automatically. Should you want to simulator accuracy failure, just set the 'rel_gp' failure dataref. X-Plane supports timed based or condition based failures.

On FltSim, the only in-sim supported failures are: COM, NAV, XPDR, Audio Panel and Avionics. For this reason, our devices publish external settable simvars, namely 'rxp.failures.gps_1' and rxp.failures.waas_1' (1 or 2). The simvars can be written to by any third party gauge (C++ or XML) or sim-loaded DLL, to trigger or clear the respective failure. The devices are not handling triggering the failures automatically upon time or condition, because we believe it is something that should have been in the simulator like in X-Plane first and foremost, and also because the requirement for these until now has been for our professional customers to trigger these failures from their controlled training environment, using their own 'instructor' station. You're raising a good idea though, and we'll see how to offer the means to setup failure conditions to the 'GPS' subsystem in the same way the simulator manages the other already embedded failures.

From the comments above, we can see that this product can be very useful not only for the casual flightsim enthusiast, but also for more professional application. Either way, this product offers you opportunity to experience the challenge of using an advanced GPS unit under both good and bad circumstances.

The final and perhaps the most significant highlight of the GNS series is the ability to load SIDs and RNAV approaches. In the past, loading an approach procedure was a very simplified process when using the default GPS. In fact, the inability of the default GPS to load advanced departure and arrival procedures made GA flying a bit boring and unrealistic.  However, with the GNS series being fully capable of loading advanced procedures, one can feel confident when flying on networks such as VATSIM and be able to integrate well with the traffic around them when asked to fly a particular arrival or departure. This feature is by far one of the biggest selling points of owning the GNS series and it adds a wealth of realism to your day to day flying. With a navigational database that is fairly up to date, you can load nearly any departure or approach procedure and fly them all with pinpoint accuracy. While this feature may be a favorite among users, there are many other advanced features offered by this product that allows you to fully customize your experience. Now that we’ve gotten a general overview of the GNS series, let’s have a look at the GTN Touch.

GTN TOUCH

In a similar manner to the GNS series, configuring the GTN touch is an equally simple process when using the aircraft setup tool. By using this menu, you can fully customize your experience from a list of options that are all similar to those offered by the GNS series. Once the setup is complete, you are now ready to use either the GTN750, GTN650 or a combination of both units in your aircraft of choice. What are the advantages of using the GTN Touch series?

The GTN 750/650 is undoubtedly one of the most advanced GPS units one can buy for their GA aircraft. To a simulator pilot, this unit basically makes flying a C172 just as exciting as flying an advanced airliner given the numerous navigation options at your disposal (or at your fingertips J). When getting started with these units, it’s important to note that while the GTN series has the ability to import flight plans, the process is slightly different to the skyvector option previously discussed with the GNS series. If you would like to know more about this option, please refer to the manual or read about this topic on the AVSIM forums HERE.

While it’s always nice to have the option of importing flight plans into your GTN unit, the GTN units are so advanced that entering flight plans manually is a quick and easy task. The option of loading airways, waypoints and other information is all automated and it even offers a bit of predictive text when entering waypoints or airports that are close by. With the GTN series carrying the title of “TOUCH,” it goes without saying that much like your smartphone or tablet, this unit allows you to have a limited “touch screen” experience with the aid of your mouse. For example, to slide the screen up or down, one can do so by using the mouse buttons. For those who are a bit more tech savvy, there is a way of bringing the GTN unit to your tablet by using a program that allows your table to work as a second monitor. When this is done, the 2D GTN panel can be moved over to the second monitor (in this case your tablet) and you can then experience an enhanced touch screen experience with this method. If you would like to learn more about this option, please have a look at this forum topic HERE.

With the GTN series having an almost limitless list of features, it would be a challenge to review them all. Also, while these units are based on the Garmin trainers, for the flightsim environment some of the features of these units are not enabled due to various limitations. Despite this fact, let’s have a look at a few features that users will no doubt enjoy.

The first of these features is the ability to have an active terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS) which works very well within FSX and P3D. The benefit of having this feature is that it allows you as the virtual pilot to fly confidently in poor visibility near mountainous terrain. While on the topic of warning systems, another great feature is ability to display traffic around you. For those of you who use products such as Ultimate Traffic or WOAI, being able to see a graphical representation of the traffic around you is a tremendous aid to having the best situational awareness. In addition to being able to see the traffic around you, these units also offer another amazing aid to situational awareness. Have you ever flown on an online network, requested taxi from ATC, receive your taxi clearance with specific taxi instructions only to realize that you have no clue where taxiway B1, A3 and H1 are located? With the GTN series, such an embarrassing situation will be a thing of the past thanks to the Safe Taxi feature that allows you to see the entire airfield with taxiway marking included. This feature is quite outstanding and it makes navigating complex airports an easy taxi provided that your AFCAD is up to date.

When flying with the GTN series, another outstanding feature is the ability to edit your flight plan in real time using the map display. By entering the Graphically Edit FPL mode, you can simple drag your magenta flight path to any point on the map that you wish to make your next waypoint. As an example of how useful this feature can be, let’s say that you’re flying along in an A2A aircraft such as the C182. Due to a bit of poor maintenance and flying practices on your part, your engine begins to run a bit rough while enroute and you are left scrambling to find a suitable airfield for an emergency landing. To make matters worse, the weather conditions are full blown IFR which makes flying visually a no go option. With the aid of your GTN unit, you can simply edit your flight plan by dragging your magenta line to the nearest airport and you will receive a direct path to your airport of choice. Another application for this feature is that allows you to make quick changes as per ATC instruction when flying in a busy airspace. Either way, I think this feature is one that users will thoroughly enjoy.

The final highlights of this product that I would like to highlight are features that I’ve personally found to be invaluable when flying a GA aircraft. When it’s time to plan your approach in a GA aircraft, it can be quite stressful to peruse charts while also planning your descent with crossing altitudes in mind. Thankfully, the GTN series comes with VCAL feature in the utilities page that allows you to select your target altitude, target waypoint, VS profile and distance offset. What this basically means is that in a similar manner to how you can effectively manage your descent with a 737 with the aid of VNAV, you can also manage your descent with the vertical guidance provided by the GTN series. When using this feature, it is important to note that it is purely a feature that is used as a guide and it doesn’t not control your autopilot. This means that the user is responsible for setting the autopilot or managing the descent manually using the information provided. 

The last feature we will examine is one that is especially beneficial to those of you who are keen on sharpening your IFR flying skills. When a pilot is earning an instrument rating in the real world, special attention is paid to accurately using airport approach charts. Since the GTN series is capable of flying many types of approach procedures, charts are also available for U.S airports on the GTN750. With the ability to overlay these charts on your map display, you can see in real time how your flight path matches the published approach procedure. Personally, I’ve found that this feature is a life safer when learning to fly complex procedures without the aid of an autopilot. With better situational awareness provided through this option, you can focus your attention on flying the aircraft.

Thus far, we’ve touched on many aspects of the GNS and GTN units and their practical value to a prospective user. There is so much more that can be said about these units, but I will leave it up to you to see an experience the benefits yourself. If you are worried about PC performance, rest assured that these units have virtually no impact on your frame rates and the displays are as fluid as can be when compared to the real units. If you would like to become a more serious virtual pilot, these units are a must have!

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, by offering the ability to utilize the Garmin GNS and GTN units within FSX/P3D and XP11, RXP has added a new level of realism to the avid GA flyer that makes flying a light aircraft just as fun and exciting as flying a 737. While the comparison may seem extreme, GA flying has evolved tremendously over the years and some of the most advanced technology in navigation is now primarily found in the GA market. By offering virtual GA pilots the opportunity to use some of these products, it enhances the experience of flying a light aircraft significantly. In addition to light aircraft, these units are also found on medium sized aircraft such as the Beechcraft KA, Cessna Citation, 690 Turbo Commander, Beechcraft Duke 60 and many other GA aircraft that are available for FSX and P3D. As mentioned previously, the practical benefit of these units are tremendous to anyone who is interested in pursuing their real world pilot’s license. Being familiar with the equipment in your aircraft allows you to put your focus on flying the aircraft rather than figuring out how to use your GPS or radios when flying in a busy airspace.

Overall, Reality XP has done an outstanding job in bringing these units to the FSX, P3D and X-Plane platform that offers many advanced options and superb performance. While the platforms are certainly different in many aspects, Reality XP has designed these products to offer the same level of user-experience when setting up and configuring the device with the GUI assistant, or integrating the broad range of features to any aircraft*. For the price of $49.95 per unit, I think that the pricing is fair and that the products themselves are well worth it. With the FSX/P3D and X-Plane GA aircraft market seeing a significant bloom in overall quality, these units will have tremendous value for years to come.

Reality XP may have been absent for some time, but they’ve certainly made a strong return with two outstanding products that are worthy of an AVSIM Gold Star Award for overall value, innovation and performance. With the G500/600 in development, I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing what RXP has to offer in the future.

*Developer Notes - X-Plane uses OpenGL and makes any plugin capable of rendering natively with 32bits colours already. However, Flight Simulator SDK limits gauges to 15bits colours and no alpha blending. Our unique rendering technologies overcome this limit. This is most visible whenever there is any 'gradient' such as the background under the GTN buttons, or the G600/500 PFD sky/ground display. You can also experience this technology, more specifically alpha blending, in looking closely how the GNS V2 and GTN integral lighting (the knobs and keys labels at night) fade-in/out depending on their intensity (configured in the GUI Settings Panel).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
I would like to thank Jean-Luc for his invaluable input in understanding the finer details of developing these products. We certainly look forward to the next RXP release!

Additional information on products seen throughout this review.

SCENERY
Nantucket Island
Palo Alto Airport California
KTNP – Twentynine Palms X
L35 Big Bear City Airport

AIRCRAFT
Alabeo Mooney Ovation
Carenado 690B Turbo Commander
Carenado PC12 HD Series
Carenada Cessna Grand Caravan EX

Beechcraft Baron 58 add-on Detail Pack for FSFlyingSchool 2018 for X-Plane 11 and 10 Released

Want to fly a flight like an expert in the cool, classic Beechcraft Baron 58?

This new add-on for FSFlyingSchool 2018 for X-Plane 11 and 10 offers extra detailed treatment when flying this exciting airplane.
Your instructor knows the details of this aircraft and will expect the same from you.

He's all set for your flights in the X-Plane Baron or Carenado Baron - let's go flying!

This new product has the instructor reading Baron 58 checklists to you, but what's more important is that he'll be watching your performance and looking for those details that are so essential in a Baron 58.

In addition to FSFlyingSchool 2018's detailed analysis of your flights, you'll hear extra advice and warnings all specific to the Baron 58.

Fuel management, pitot heat, yaw damper, magnetos, throttle, mixture, ceiling, single engine speeds, flap speeds, before takeoff procedures, starting the engines, landing techniques and much more.

Works with both the X-Plane Baron or Carenado Baron!

Get ready to fly the classic X-Plane Baron or Carenado Baron like the PROs!

To find out more, watch movies and download a free demo, visit the FSFlyingSchool Website  .

By Simon Kelsey
Contributing Editor

For those on the ground, the recent cold snap here in the UK meant major disruption with roads, railways and offices grinding to a halt.

For any snowed-in simmers, though, it provided a veritable feast of challenging conditions. With temperatures plummeting below freezing, blustery winds, snow, freezing rain and poor visibility, cold weather operations provide a unique challenge to aircraft operation. With icing effects in the spotlight for various MSFS add-on developers at present, in this series we’ll take a look at how to fly safely and realistically in freezing temperatures.

We’ll start this week by looking at icing.

Icing

Any amount of ice build-up on an aircraft - and particularly on the wings and tail - poses a threat. Not only does ice add weight to the airframe, even a thin layer of ice can spoil the precisely-manufactured shape of the wing, destroying the smooth airflow over the surface and, by extension, destroying lift.

Even a small amount of ice can reduce lift and increase drag by as much as 40%, so it is essential -- in fact, a legal requirement -- that all contamination is removed from the wings and control surfaces before takeoff -- the so-called ‘clean aircraft policy’.

Types of Icing

Ice is ice, right?

Not quite. There are three main types of ice which can form on an aircraft depending on the conditions and ambient temperature.

The first thing to understand is that ice does not just ‘stick’ to an aircraft; indeed, any actual ice in the atmosphere presents a relatively low risk as it will largely simply bounce off. Rather, the danger comes from supercooled liquid water.

In order for ice crystals to form and grow, a ‘nucleus’ is required; this is generally an impurity in the water, or a microscopic particle such as a speck of dust. However, high in the atmosphere there are few such particles around which ice can form. As such, the pure water can cool to significantly below 0°C and remain in liquid form.

Shawn from Airdrie, Canada / CC BY-SA 2.0However, as soon as this supercooled liquid water comes in to contact with a solid surface -- such as a passing aircraft -- it will have found a ‘nucleus’ and thus freeze instantly. This is the cause of airframe icing: supercooled liquid water droplets freezing on impact with the aircraft structure. The type of ice formed is dependent upon the temperature of the supercooled liquid water and the size of the supercooled liquid water droplets.

Danger Zones

Supercooled liquid water can exist in many places in the atmosphere, but in particular convective clouds -- the fluffy ones such as Cumulus (Cu) and Cumulonimbus (Cb) -- are good generators (and Cbs pose a particular danger as, unlike other clouds, freezing rain and hail may be encountered outside the cloud, underneath the anvil -- just another very good reason to give Cbs a very wide berth!).

However, that is not to say that flat stratiform clouds are completely safe: they can still contain supercooled liquid water droplets, especially if there is any turbulence associated with them.

Clear Ice

Clear ice is formed when relatively large supercooled liquid water droplets strike the airframe. As they impact the aircraft, the droplets spread out and, because of their large size, freeze relatively slowly. This results in a hard, glossy and transparent covering of ice over the wing.

This clear ice is both heavy and, because of its transparency, difficult to see (for example, by pilots conducting a walkaround or ground staff conducting de-icing). For this reason, clear ice is often considered to be the most dangerous form of airframe icing.

Clear ice is most prevalent at warmer temperatures of between 0°C and -10°C.

Rime Ice

Whilst clear ice is formed by relatively large supercooled liquid water droplets at relatively warmer temperatures, rime ice is formed by small droplets at colder temperatures -- typically -15°C to -20°C.

Because the small droplets freeze very quickly, air is trapped within the ice structure, giving a milky appearance. Rime ice is quite brittle -- and therefore easily removed -- but its rough surface decreases aerodynamic efficiency.

Mixed Ice

Where both large and small supercooled liquid water droplets are encountered, mixed ice -- that is, a combination of rime and clear ice formation -- may be encountered. To make matters worse, ice or snow particles can embed themselves within the clear ice, forming highly irregular shapes on wing leading edges and significantly affecting aerodynamic performance.

Mixed ice is most commonly encountered right in the middle of the temperature range: from -10°C to -15°C.

The Icing Zone

As we know, icing is caused by supercooled liquid water droplets impacting the airframe. However, the temperature at which water to can supercooled to is not infinitely low. In fact, at around -48.3°C, any remaining liquid water will freeze anyway through a process known as crystal homogenous nucleation.

This means that the amount of supercooled liquid water in the atmosphere decreases significantly with temperature. The results of an experiment in which small water droplets were supercooled are shown in the graph below: here you can see that at temperatures below about -30°C, the number of remaining liquid water droplets is very small.

Rpsear / CC BY-SA 4.0

The greatest threat to the aircraft from icing, therefore, is at relatively warmer temperatures where the larger supercooled droplets prone to forming clear ice are at their most prevalent. As a general rule, the most severe icing is rarely encountered at temperatures below about -12°C. Extrapolating this to the typical standard atmosphere model, it should become apparent that in general, the worst icing conditions can be expected below about FL100; above this level, the ambient temperature typically means the number and size of supercooled liquid water droplets are reduced.

Anticipating Icing Conditions

It is important to remember that two conditions are required for ice to form:

• Cold temperatures
• Moisture

To put it another way -- you won’t get many ice cubes if you put an empty tray in your freezer!

As such, icing conditions are typically defined as an Outside Air Temperature (OAT) below +10°C with visible moisture present. Visible moisture could be precipitation in the form of rain, sleet, snow, hail etc, it could be mist or fog with a visibility below 1500m (including in clouds!) or, on the ground, standing water on aprons and taxiways etc. For slower light aircraft, a temperature of +5°C is commonly used due to the reduced effect of ram heating on the temperature probe compared to faster jets.

Taking a close look at the weather reports for your route of flight can also provide clues. Remember, what we are looking out for is the presence of supercooled liquid water in the atmosphere. Some of the METAR codes to particularly look out for are:

• Snow (SN)
• Snow pellets (GS)
• Hail (GR)
• Ice Pellets (PL)
• Freezing Rain (FZRA)
• Freezing Drizzle (FZDZ)
• Freezing Fog (FZFG)

Snow (SN)
Oddly enough, snow is probably the least of our worries when it comes to identifying dangerous icing conditions. Because snow is formed of ice crystals, the implication is that there is probably not that much supercooled liquid water aloft: it has already frozen. The likelihood of icing at lower levels, therefore, is actually reduced somewhat (though it cannot be assumed there is no supercooled liquid water aloft). Snow brings more problems on the ground, and of course any contamination must be removed.

Snow Pellets (GS)
Snow pellets are formed when snowflakes become heavily rimed. This typically occurs when snowflakes fall through a layer of supercooled liquid water; the implication, therefore, is that a significant amount of supercooled liquid water exists aloft and therefore this should grab our attention!

Hail (GR) and Ice Pellets (PL)
Hail and ice pellets are both formed in the same way; the main difference being size (ice pellets, or sleet, is generally formed of frozen raindrops or snowflakes which have melted and refrozen whereas hail is typically of 5mm diameter or more. Both imply that a layer of freezing rain or drizzle exists at some level aloft; often beneath a temperature inversion. As we will discuss momentarily, freezing rain and drizzle implies a significant icing threat.

Freezing Rain (FZRA) and Freezing Drizzle (FZDZ)
Spotting FZRA or FZDZ in a METAR should set alarm bells ringing. By definition, both tell us that a layer of freezing rain or drizzle exists from the surface to some level aloft.

So what is freezing rain? Put simply, it is supercooled rain: droplets of supercooled liquid water which will freeze instantly as soon as they hit any solid object (like an aeroplane!). The implication is that dangerous icing conditions exist aloft: the rate of accretion of ice is dependent upon the size and number of supercooled liquid water droplets, and in freezing rain there is an abundance of large droplets. Icing accretion rates can be extreme: beyond the capability of any anti-icing system, and the best defence against freezing rain is, rather like a thunderstorm, to stay away from it!

Freezing Fog (FZFG)
Freezing fog, as the name implies, is fog comprised of supercooled liquid water droplets. Whilst this does imply an icing threat, fog by its very definition is of relatively low density and the droplets are very small. As such, freezing fog will generally only leave a thin film of rime ice on the airframe; however, jet engines suck in extremely large volumes of air over short periods of time and on some aircraft types there can be threat of fan blade icing in freezing fog. Ice shedding procedures usually involve period engine run-ups to remove any ice that has accumulated.

So, now we know what to look for when it comes to icing conditions: in next week’s article, we’ll look at some of the systems and procedures available to defeat the icing problem.

The first volume of France VFR's  Regional Airport collection for X-Plane is now released !

This collection for X-Plane 11.x already exists for FSX and P3D but is now re-build for X-Plane. It is not only an update for X-Plane, but most of the components has been re-created for an optimized rendering under XP, specially the nigh environment !

The scenery represents the Nantes Atlantique regional airport located in the Northern-West part of France, and includes the airport area and its environment. The platform has been perfectly blended into XP standard landscape for a very realistic integration.


Specifications :

Nantes Atlantique airport (LFRS) extremely detailed with its environment

High definition ground texture (25cm) for all the area

Very detailed and realistic night environment

Numerous 3D specific 3D objects and ground animations

SIA - VAC - IAC - ARRDEP charts provided

More informations and screenshots from the France VFR .

Do you own an iPad or iPhone?  Are you a serious simmer?  If so, take note that a brand new mobile app, Pilot Assist Pro, has been launched.

Pilot Assist Pro was originally designed for real-world General Aviation pilots.  But Bryan York, who is also the FS2Crew developer and the man behind Pilot Assist Pro, thought that the flight simmers should not be excluded.

Says Bryan, “There is a tremendous overlay between simulated aviation and real-world aviation.  After all, a checklist is still a checklist, a METAR is still a METAR, and a scratchpad is still a scratchpad.  It doesn’t matter if you’re copying down an ATIS in the real-world or copying down an ATIS on VATSIM, a scratchpad is just a useful in either case.”

Bryan continues that Pilot Assist Pro is a good choice for budget conscious simmers seeing maximum bang for their buck.  “Most aviation apps these days are going toward a subscription model, which can really add up over time and become quite expensive.  But our app does not require a subscription.  It’s good for life”.
 

Product highlights:

• Create and share checklists on-line or privately via email
• Checklists can include personal notes and images (useful for training aid purposes)
• Checklists have big buttons, for ease of use
• METARs/TAFs featuring “SkyView” technology
• Scratchpad
• Logs
• Document Viewer (Charts, Aircraft Manuals, and more)
• NOTAMs

Of interest especially to flight simmers, users have already created checklists for Pilot Assist Pro, which are available via its online checklist mode, that support:

• PMDG 737NG
• PMDG 777
• PMDG 747
• Aerosoft and FSLabs Airbus
• Quality Wings 787
• Majestic Dash 8 Q400
• Leonardo Maddog
• Captain Sim 757
• And a whole slew of General Aviation aircraft from Cessna 150’s to King Air’s to Twin Otters

Of course, if you don’t like any of these checklists, or if your plane isn’t supported, you can always create your own checklist.  You can even share it with the world.

There are no limits to what you can do with Pilot Assist Pro.

Discover more about Pilot Assist Pro at: www.pilotassistpro.com.

Flight Simulator X - Aircraft Repaints, Textures and Modifications
Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777-FBT (D-ALFA) by Torsten Märtke
Xiamen Air Boeing 737-800 by Lingyuan He
Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 (D-ABTL) by Torsten Märtke
Ethiopian Boeing 787-8 GE Fleet by Lee Grant
Ethiopian Boeing 787-8 RR Fleet by Lee Grant
United Parcel Service Boeing 747-400BCF (N579UP) by Gustavo Aguiar

Flight Simulator 2004 - Aircraft Repaints, Textures and Modifications
Qantas Freight Boeing 737-738SF (VH-XMQ) by Danny Cummings
Aloha Air Cargo Boeing 737-738SF (N317KH) by Danny Cummings

Flight Simulator 2004 - AI Aircraft
Blue Air Boeing 737-700 by Ken Carson

Flight Simulator 2004 - Scenery
LEST Santiago de Compostela 2018 by Serge Libon (airport) and Diego Varela Rodriguez (photoreal)

Prepar3D - Aircraft Repaints, Textures and Modifications
Swiss Boeing 777-300ER (HB-JNJ) by Max Dyba

Prepar3D - Scenery
Pyongyang N39.02.22 E125.45.45 North Korea by Pasquale Marrulli

Prepar3D - AI Aircraft
J-Air Embraer ERJ 170 and 190 by Joel Branchu