simFlight.COM Flight Simulation News Source

Aerosoft just released a new flight planning tool, Flight Operation Center. According to their description it is “…..  a highly sophisticated flight planning tool incorporating many professional features normally only seen in real world airline operations. Programmed by a team of dispatchers, pilots and FS enthusiasts, it presents a new world to those who take their PC flying serious and want to fly with documentation of the same accuracy as used by real world airline pilots….”. Available on simMarket now.

Sim Giants Ltd. released an airfield on a not-so-giant island, El Hierro. “…… El Hierro, nicknamed Isla del Meridiano (the “Meridian Island”), is a Spanish island. It is the smallest and furthest south and west of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. The name of the island is derived from the Guanch language toponym Hero, which by the process of folk-etymology was transformed into “Hierro”, meaning “iron” in Spanish, due to its similarity to that word….”. It can be had on simMarket now.

Simon Nordental in Iceland writes “……. X Plane 9 Forests offers you a high quality real life colors for your vegetation in the game, and comes with 8 sets plus backup. X Plane 9 Forests is the first of other great texture products to come. If you are a bush pilot flying at low altitudes, these textures will come well in hand. Also on higher altitudes, the textures make a difference, in both FPS and in quality……”. Find the add-on on simMarket.

The August 2008 Issue of Computer Pilot Magazine is at the kiosks AND in the simMarket shop as a downloadable pdf file! It is again filled with interesting articles, as usual. One of them written by your’s truly: “….. What NOT to buy: Francois Dumas offers some helpful hints you should consider when deciding to purchase your next flight sim add-on package. Follow the guide carefully, keep your eyes open and you will avoid paying good money for something not so deserving…”. No doubt interesting for many an add-on customer! Get your copy at simMarket.

Aerosoft has released a second box with their German Airfields title. This one is for the ‘Nordlichter’. “…..Not only does this scenery give you 15 new high detailed airports, it also will give you a large area to explore. From the major cities Kiel and Hamburg to the complete detailed coastline. From flying passengers to Helgoland to SAR mission from the major base at Kiel airport….”. Available at simMarket.

Being a Switzerland ‘fan’ and having spent a major part of my youth there, I can’t but recommend this wonderful Aerosoft box to you: Switzerland Professional for FSX. “…..The new Switzerland Professional is the ultimate VFR-scenery and is now made for the FSX! Every 3D object has been positioned absolutely realistic in whole Switzerland. The houses are placed at the actual spot……”.

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Turbine Sound Systems has released yet another soundpack for FS2004. Christoffer Petersen writes “…..With this soundpack we have captured all the best Gripen sounds, and put them together, to combine a truly stunning representation of the Gripen. This sound gives you the real feeling of being a Gripen driver…..”. Available here from simMarket.

Imagine Sim has released its FSX version of Atlanta International airport, KATL. “……The airport features custom made runways, terminal buildings rendered to 5cm per pixel scale, smoothly operating jetways that dock with your aircraft’s forward door with an interactive docking system to park you right on your mark, taxiways with highly realistic concrete textures, full airport taxiway and runway signs, 3D approach lighting and full ILS navigation…..”. Available from simMarket, free for existing simMarket customers of the FS2004 version.

Valerian E Partenie, TuneVNAV developer, and Navigraph have joined forces to create the most powerful descent & approach speed calculator: TuneVNAV Descent Pro3.”……it is an FMC-like software that calculates the exact descent & approach speeds of a descending airplane, all the way to the runway. You can now easily select any Terminal Procedure for any APT in the World (AIRAC cycles). The computed approach speeds are the exact aircraft’s maneuvering speeds!  Adjust your FMC with the TuneVNAV Pro3 computed speeds on the ground, at the departure APT!…..”. Available on simMarket.

Captain Sim has released yet another pack with additional liveries for their FS2004 C-130 Hercules transporter. For Euro 19.99 you get 9 liveries, including a C-130H, a C-130H French, a C-130H-30 (stretched) and an L-100. You will need the Legendary C-130 Pro (Base Pack) installed already and the plane will NOT fly on Windows Vista ! Available from simMarket now.

FScene Design Network, the affiliate brand of FSAddon Publishing, has released the “…. very first model from Simon Smeiman, the Piper Super Cub. The model has been designed by Simon using FSDS, in FS9, and has later been adapted to fly in FSX (both default and SP2/Acceleration). It comes in 4 variations with wheels, tundra wheels, floats and retractable ski’s! And for the price of 3 liters of petrol you can’t go wrong on it!….”. Available from simMarket now.

FranceVFR has released yet another detailed French airport for FS2004! “…….LFQQ – Lille Lesquin (Dpt59 - France) represents an extremely detailed French Regional airport in the North of France. It includes high-definition textures of ground and buildings as well as night textures. The scenery covers about 50 km2 and adds to the airport an extended photorealistic area including specific autogen and VFR landmarks and nearby road traffic….”. Available from simMarket of course.

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German Airfields #9 is now available from simMarket. This is another boxed product from Aerosoft. “….Take off in your small aircraft and explore the Northern Bavarian landscape. The 14 VFR airfields are highly detailed and located in a beautiful landscape. Fly and enjoy!

You can also approach one of the two regional airports (Hof/Plauen and Bayreuth) which offer instrument approaches in case the weather turns for the worst. The product created by the developers of the well known VFR Airfields series brings real life experience into your simulator…..”.

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simMarket has added four new packages for trainsim fans today. Two are for the Kuju Rail Simulator (prerequisite) and two others for the MS Train Simulator. All are produced by Freudenreich & Tollknaepper, a German company of train add-ons. The first two to mention here are the ‘German Trains’ packages. One contains the Series 323 shunting loc, many new carriages, and 10 new scenarios.

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Volume 3 and Volume 4 of Joe Watson’s Central Florida GA Airfields are now available on simMarket too. Joe Watson has used the embedded FSX capabilities and objects to render a large number of small and private airstrips in Central Florida a more life-like aspect. Out of the (FSX) box these are all barren fields, just showing a runway and nothing else. Hardly realistic. By placing default objects in a natural fashion, Joe has given these fields a more realistic appearance, although they are not modeled after the real world as such….”. Check them out on simMarket.