News! - Revealed - SIAI-Marchetti SF-260D by JRollon   As a sort of backhand...  SimCoders have revealed JRollon's next aircraft, which is the light prop trainer SIAI-Marchetti SF-260D (now Leonardo SF-260). This is the first release from JRollon for some time, but you have still accessed his work as he is the lead developer for Laminar's default aircraft that came with X-Plane11.      Only to date is there one image available (above) but the aircraft is noted to come with a long list of features. SimCoder's have also noted they have created a REP or Reality Expansion Pack  package to go with the aircraft and a first for a military aircraft and not a GA.   Noted SimCoder REP features are: Fully Working Radio Stack The radio stack is 100% custom and features the following radios: KX165A Com/Nav Radio KR87 ADF Receiver KFC225 Autopilot GTX-330 Transponder The radios are so realistic you can use the real world manuals. You’ll find all their features in place. Custom Sounds Engine I personally don’t like FMOD very much. It can provide great sound effects but it’s complicated to use from the dev point of view and not that efficient performance-wise. For these reasons, we developed our custom sound engine that was shipped with REP 3.0 and then improved with the following releases. Personally, I find it much more powerful than FMOD itself. With the SIAI-Marchetti SF-260D, we further improved REP’s sounds engine to bring a very realistic sound set, including the canopy muffling and wind effects. Custom Lycoming O-540-E4A5 Engine REP provides a 100% custom engine model that fully replaces X-Plane’s default. We modelled the engine down to the smallest bolt. It meets the real performance data with incredible precision. This is the first time REP features a carburettor engine. It even has a custom carburettor icing algorithm. The SF-260 is a great aerobatic airplane, but you better not fly it inverted for more than 8 or 10 seconds… Custom Electric System All the Circuit Breakers are in place and they work as expected. The system loads are there and you can shed them using the CB in case of electrical failure. Moreover, a true Emergency Battery/Emergency Avionics system is in place to make the thing even more realistic. A lot of detail There are a lot of small things that we didn’t ignore. For example, when you select full flaps, the wing flaps angle will vary between 45° and 50°, depending on the aircraft speed. That is, the air pressure acts on the wing flaps and forces them up to 45° when in flight. While on ground, the air pressure is zero and the flaps can freely go down to 50°. The gear lights and warning horn work like the real thing. They are 100% custom, as usual. And did you know that you can fly with the canopy slightly open when your speed is below 120 knots IAS?   Personally I would have expected Javier to have updated his excellent (but now very tired) CRJ - 200... but any aircraft released by JRollon is to be celebrated...   Text courtesy of Simcoders   ______________________________________________________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 19th September 2018 Copyright©2018: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)     

Scenery Review - Florence - Firenza Italy by X-Urbi   Florence or Firenza in Italian has been the centre of things in human history for a millennium. Religious and republican revolutions, the Renaissance, power and wealth with the Medici, medieval trade, fashion, art and masterpieces by Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio and Francesco Guicciardini, Leonardo da Vinci and the odd stab in the back by Machiavelli... politically, economically, and culturally Florence is one of the most important cities in Europe and was the leader in the world in the earlier 14th to 16th centuries...  so Florence really is the centre or the creator of the modern world.   X-Plane in reality has not had many of what I call "landscape" sceneries. Yes the simulator has city sceneries and even very detailed small airfields with the surrounding locale. But visually in just representing a particular aspect of an area or a place is very rare, only the mountain sceneries by Frank Dainese and Fabio Bellini are the only sort of representation of an area in respect to it's visual placement.    So a city landscape scenery, for just really giving pilot's a VFR reference is going to be interesting, and so it is with this X-Urbi release of the Italian city of Florence in Italy. In reality this sort of scenery could not really exist before X-Plane11. The autogen system was still so very basic back then in to creating the complete realistic environment required to give any landscape scenery any chance of being believable, but as we will see here in this review, that aspect has now changed significantly. I have always championed the idea of clever autogen mixed in with iconic monuments to create an authentic scenario without the horrible framerate crush that is usually delivered with 3d generated objects, that objective is now being seen as it is here in Firenze.   Although not part of the actual X-Urbi scenery package, it is important to download and install tdg's excellent "LIRQ Florence Airport Italy 1.0.0 " and as it's free and so it is not going to hurt the household budget, we will start the review in looking at the position of LIRQ in reference to the city of Florence itself.   LIRQ - Amerigo Vespucci Airport I can be a bit of wanting my "cake and eat it"...  but LIRQ does fit in very well into the X-Plane mesh without any photo images under the scenery. My main preference is that any scenery must adapt in perfectly with it's surroundings to give you a perfect transition from the default to the custom areas.     No doubt here is that LIRQ delivers that feel and an Italian feel at that with the rows of olive trees growing in the background. The central area of Florence is only 4km (2.5 miles) away to the southeast but it looks far further away.   To add in a bit of fun I selected the default X-Plane Aerolite 103 as my means of transport, and to get an aerial view of Firenze...     First up to the left is the Palazzo di Giustizia di Firenze or the Florence court of appeal, it is a bizarre almost art structure. It also brings out of the scenery's biggest issue, the building is well done, but it just sits out there on an open area, of which we call "islands", so it works and it does not at the same time. The "Parco San Donato" that sit's next to the courts and it's almost an art form in shape of path ways is missing.     Ever since Laminar Research has inserted the German autogen into X-Plane11, it fills out areas in an astounding way...  again it works extremely well here, with the terracotta feel of the inner city out into the distance.     The River Arno is as with most famous cities is it's lifeline. Guided by the huge dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and other Firenze monuments I fly down the Arno towards the centre...     There is a join between the autogen and the start of the custom buildings, but you are hard pressed to notice it, this makes for and creates a beautiful flow of a complete full landscape.     Now you are upon the significant Ponte Vecchio "Old Bridge" that crosses the Arno...     Central Florence is a tight labyrinth of Medici wealth, Italianate courtyards surrounded by blocks of fashionable apartments.     Thankfully it all has that very Italian feel, but without the graffiti. Thankfully the Historic Centre of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. All the important skyline icons are represented here including:  Santa Maria Del Fiore, Palazzo Pitti, Uffizzi, Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, Orsanmichele, Badia Fiorentina, San Firenze, Palazzo Strozzi, orte Belvedere, San Miniato, San Salvatore Al Monte, Fortezza Da Basso, Palazzo Spini Feroni, Palazzo di Giustizia, Villa Petraia, Academia Della Crusca, Stadio, Torre San Nicolò and the odd modern one with the Hilton Hotel.     The 11th century Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte is on the south bank of the river Arno, with the Piazzale Michelangelo and is possibly the best viewpoint of the city is set out in front of it...     Only odd thing is if you approach the Piazzale Michelangelo from the front it is fine, but from the rear it goes all translucent and in parts disappears.       A looping back north will get you a glimpse of the Nelson Mandela Forum and Artemio Franchi Stadium...     ...  the stadium is represented but not the Nelson Mandela fields and the smaller stadiums which are not created, which makes this very visual point a bit bland and just trees.   The 1882 Moorish-style synagogue with it's lovely blue domes (Comunità Ebraica di Firenze) stands out nicely, but the ultimate Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore when up close is a bit of a let down...  the Cathedral itself is very good, but it is placed "lsland like" in the middle of nothing?     In fact the whole building is hemmed in by other buildings, as there is no open ground around the Cathedral? Instead the autogen is left to do the work, which it does not do very well...  very odd? I think the developer has got confused with the Piazza del Duomo in Pisa, which is laid out like this?   Same sort of issue is also happening around the Palazzo Vecchio...  the square is just left as X-Plane mesh? So it feels isolated and not part of the city...     ... so my "cake and eating it" is that it would have been good to also have had some photo base to these squares or other open areas. The statue of David (the reproduction with the manly bits) is reduced to a being a poster on the wall of the Pallazzo? not very realistic, the statue I mean, not the manly bits.     But generally with this centre of culture, renaissance art and architecture and and world famous monuments is that it is really well done and realistic.     Lighting 95% of the lighting in Florence is done by the autogen. The rest is only the monuments that have been externally lit for show, but overall it does work quite exceptionally well in a medieval sort of way and feel.           Summary Visually for many years X-Plane has struggled with visual realiastion of an area or just the world in general. But with better environmental tools and the more complete autogen, then now X-Plane is starting to deliver authentic visual clues that make simulator flying even more realistic and more visually real.   Packages like this Florence - Firenza from X-Urbi really delivers that extra layer of realism that the autogen and even Laminar's own landmarks can't deliver. Overall there is not much you can do with this scenery package, but to simply look at it? It's not an airport or even some where that is interactive, but on another account it actually is somewhere to go and use in X-Plane. It however does an excellent job of recreating the feel and look of a very significant and beautiful area of Italy.   For VFR flying it is excellent and a bit disappointing as well... In flying around this wonderful city it is certainly spectacular from the air, and with all the important landmarks to navigate from. but don't look to closely as many important areas on the ground are a bit bland or just the basic mesh...   A bit more attention to having photo ground images to make the ground more realistic, in the city squares, football/sports fields and around the courts would have completed the whole VFR experience... why the main Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is so exposed is a little bit of a head scratcher.   But let us not take away that overall experience here, the "Italian Experience" that I have felt and love, it is a majestic place in the heart of Tuscany that is Florence and now X-Plane has that same feel and it is a brilliant area to fly to and enjoy....  overall magical.   ____________________________________________________________________       Yes!...  Florence - Firenza Italy by X-Urbi is Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   Florence - Firenza Italy   Price is US$12.50   LIRQ Florence Airport Italy 1.0.0 by tdg is highly recommended (it is free!)   Features: The constructive philosophy of the scenario aims at the harmonization between  custom object and autogen and the lightness and fluidity rather than the detail. The result is a realistic glance of the city, very useful for orientation in the VFR and in the approach operations to the Peretola airport.
  Requirements : X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 2Gb VRAM Minimum - 4Gb+ VRAM Recommended    Download and Installation Installation :   Download file size is 24mb and is inserted into your X-Plane - Custom Scenery Folder. Installed file size is 40.20mb   Extras and Documents: Installation.txt ______________________________________________________________________   Review by Stephen Dutton 18th September 2018  Copyright©2018 : X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)    Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD  Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.25r2 Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini  Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro v1.09 US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 : BetterPushBack - Free Scenery or Aircraft - Aerolite 103 - Default X-plane by Laminar Research - LIRQ - Florence Airport Italy 1.0.0 by tdg (X-Plane.Org) - Free    

Aircraft Review : Comco - Ikarus C42 C by vFlyteAir   It is an odd thing really. There is in X-Plane only a handful of aircraft in the very light category. Laminar Research provide their really quite excellent Aerolite 103 as part of the X-Plane default aircraft range, but as Ultralight aircraft go there isn't really that much to choose from... the really perplexing thing about that is usually it is that for most with the first time casual fliers, it is that they always take their first flights or personally own their aircraft in this wide if bottom rung category of aircraft.   The Aerolite 103 is the basic frame design, but the slight category above is what I call the "Enclosed Frame" very light style of aircraft, as they are slightly bigger and the cockpit is enclosed and not open to the elements, and in world wide general aviation clubs there are very numerous and an extremely popular and a cheap way to enjoy aviation.   The perfect representation of this micro aircraft is the Ikarus C42 which is a two-seat, fixed tricycle gear, general aviation microlight aircraft that is manufactured in Germany by Comco Ikarus. It is used primarily for flight training, touring and personal flying. It is positioned between being a mixed wing microlight and a Light-Sport aircraft and it fills out both roles.   This brings us to the IkarusC42 C from vFlyteAir. As developers vFlyteAir have always delivered aircraft that they the developers themselves have access to or own. This has created an almost intimate feel with their aircraft that borders on you feel the ownership and the direct representation to that certain aircraft yourself.  Here with this aircraft it is associated with long-termer X-Plane user Mario Donick who flies and has access to two aircraft D-MYSF and D-MNLN which both belong to the flying school Magdeburg (flugschule-md.de), at EDBM airport in the city of Magdeburg in central Germany. They are used by the school's team members for basic training and to acquire their sports pilots licenses (SPL) on these two actual C42 C's.    As vFlyteAir has personal access to these C42's, then as you can expect the reproduction here is extremely detailed and an almost perfect replica of the real aircraft, and not only in design but in in the aircraft's flight performance and flying capabilities. The aircraft is powered by a Rotax 912ULS flat-4 engine, 100 hp (75 kW) three-blade, ground adjusted, carbon fibre, fixed-pitch propeller, has a range of 432 miles (375 nm, 695 km) and a rate of climb of around 1050 ft/min (320 m/min). A typical cruise speed is between 130 and 170 km/h or 70 to 91 kts.     Construction of the aircraft is a basically a frame that has been really well developed here and right down to nuts and bolts connected to a central backbone of large diameter aluminium tube which runs the length of the aircraft that holds it all together. The fuselage or shell is made of a composite material which, being non-structural, and can be all removed for inspection and repair.     One of the big features here is the design of the wings and the canvas material that covers the frame...     ...  the canvas is exceedingly well done, highly realistic and perfectly created with the harder composite elements. Both the ailerons and flaps are covered with the same canvas material and it is done to perfection.   The rudder and rear control surfaces are covered in the same canvas material, and the rear control rods are perfectly recreated and animated.     Engine cowling and beautifully shaped three-bladed fixed-pitch Neuform composite propellers highlight the nose. You can adjust the engines air-vent by a lever in the cockpit on the "Full" version only.     The twin doors can be opened manually internally...  I don't know if any C42's can be flown with the doors removed, but the notice inside says yes?     The internal frame is very evident once inside...  but the aircraft is very well fitted out for an Ultralight, with proper seats and even plush internal materials. The red gadget on the lovely joystick with electric trim buttons is the brake handle, with both regular and full brake settings.      The Upper frame holds the manual flap trigger lever with three positions, and the pull handle for the "Ballistic Rescue System". You have to pull out the safety pin and it is stored in the right hand door pocket (arrowed above right).   The aluminium frame is beautifully done and highly realistic including the welding and warning stickers. Animated control surface rods and cables are excellent and again highly realistic... note the movable see-through blinds.     The throttle lever (or stick) sits upwards between your legs, but can be folded down flat on the floor, which is a very odd arrangement, note the fuel tank switch. Rudder pedals are basic, but well crafted.     Instrument Panel There are two versions of the aircraft you can select, with the "Trainer" or "Full" avionic version. The basic trainer version is very, very basic with only Airspeed, Altimeter, Vertical Speed (VVI) and Rate of Turn instruments. lower panel is a LX Navigation digital Engine RPM display. Five engine dials and instruments are located right panel that cover: Oil Pressure, Oil Temperature, Cylinder Head Temperature (CHT), Fuel (65 liters) and Hobbs Meter (Hours)     Eight fuse/breakers are active and there is an electric trim display left. Power and electrical switches are centre panel. A KRT2 Comm radio is on the lower panel with the choke, cabin and carb. heat knobs.   The "Full" version adds in a "vfamap L" display, Rotax "Flydat" engine readout display, Traffic Warning System display (basic) and a transponder on the lower panel.       The Full layout may not look much but it is quite powerful and in the "better than nothing" category.   The vfamap L has a few useful tools. There are two menu option screens that cover first a very good Artificial Horizon...     ...   active zones (arrowed) will change your speed (knts-kh-mph), Vertical Speed VVI fpm to VVI m /s and BARO from mb to in hg   Secondly you can input five waypoints into the GPS flightplanner, it is not active per se, but can used as a guide on the moving map, the waypoint data is also shown on the Artificial Horizon (yellow box) and the course needle points to the active waypoint. Input is quite easy, but all waypoints are inputted manually and can't be saved or recovered. The flightplanner is in German or English. The moving map display also show you your Track, Bearing (heading), Altitude, Airspeed and Distance (flightplan). A nice touch is that if you select one of the arrows each side of the panel registration number it will change the livery to the selected tail registration.     As on other vFlyteAir aircraft you can make certain instruments non-working, click below the instrument to bring up a sticky-note saying it is inoperable.     Press on any instrument to make them all pop-out on a panel, individually I think this would pop-out idea would work, but altogether in this small cockpit it sorts of defeat's the idea?   Options and Menus There are three pop-up options panels on the C42 and all are set up for VR (Virtual Reality) use.     Main pop-up options panel is a kneeboard inside the net on the left door. Two more options are a Chart Display and Checklist that can be opened via the points on the storage areas on the glareshield. Nine charts (.png) can be added to the Chart Display of your choosing.   Floating menu options kneeboard are in English and German.     You can set the units in Metric or Imperial. Use a basic "Weights and Balance" setup with Luggage and Pilots, Co-Pilot's weights and Fuel quality. Total weight is shown...  there is the option to have a male or female co-pilot or none at all.   Options include: Hide co-pilot internally, hide reflective glass, reset checklists, reset to "Cold, Dark & Healthy", remove pitot tube covers, remove wheel chocks, remove cowl (engine intake) covers and let the nose gear steer. Personally not being able to hide the doors is a strange overlook.     Several notes in that every time you close X-Plane then vFlyteAir will save your current C42 C settings exactly as they are, so they are the same when you reload the aircraft, to clear these settings you tick the "Cold, Dark & Healthy" box to reset the settings. One small annoyance is that the selection ticks on the kneeboard are opposite of what you usually do, so a tick is actually off and no tick is on... it is confusing?     Flying the Ikarus C42 C Starting the C42's Rotax is quite easy. fuel pump on, an inch of choke, the same with the throttle and hit the red starter button and the engine will burst into life, once started you can push in the choke and once the dials show a bit of heat, then reduce the throttle back to idle...     Brakes off and your away...  It is very, very easy. The Ikarus doesn't feel like a hang glider rackety frame sort of aircraft, in fact it feels like a very nice but very small GA, only the internal cage of tubing gives it's ultralight category away. The view out is excellent and you feel quite safe and not at all exposed in here.   It is however very light... and will taxi quite fast even with the mixture set very low and the throttle at idle, so you are on the brakes a bit to calm the ground speed down.     Trimming to neutral via the buttons on the joystick is important before taking off, but otherwise it is all quite normal and GA like. Performance is quite sparkly, the C42 will power away down the runway at a very brisk pace and it is quite easy to control. You feeeel the frame taking the load as the wings bite the now moving air, but you keep the stick forward as not to let the aircraft take control to early...     ...  with the light weight the aircraft will move around a lot, but nothing you can't control, like a hang glider in the wind the Ikarus want's to lift, but only at around 60 knts do you allow it to fly or soar as that is what it feels like...  the aircraft has a huge rate of climb to size of the aircraft at 1000 fpm, and off you go...     I have flown a lot of aircraft reviewing X-PlaneReviews, from the brilliant to the down right awful, but this C42 is a little gem, it is the most docile and easiest aircraft I have every flown, a perfect learner machine which is a straight duplicate of it's trainer real life design. The propeller animation internally is a little different from the usual blur of the prop, it goes into a more mottle effect than a hard one, and it is quite effective through the windscreen.   Once you reach you altitude then quickly trim down the aircraft with the buttons on the joystick, note the pointer is very, very low at the right trim setting...     ...  but once the trim is set your movements on the stick are just really a slight touch in any direction to action what you want the aircraft to do... adjust a slight bank, touch the stick, need a little more height then touch the stick backwards...  and so on, very, very easy and a lot of fun. Even a full bank only needs light pressure and control...  brilliant.     You get the sense you are more holding the aircraft back than wanting more power...  110 knts feels fast, and you can or could go faster (depends on your weight or load factor, right!) but the tiddler just powers along and quite easliy...  sounds are of course excellent and from the real aircraft, so that only adds into the stimulation, I expected the C42 to be an overwhelming racket of noise, wind and vibration, but it is very far from that, you can adjust the internal volume by pulling out the headset plugs on the rear panel. Sounds are fully FMOD and 85 original sounds are dynamic as you move around the aircraft externally or internally.     Small as the space is inside, you don't feel that way in the air, it is not the open in your face feel that you get with micro lights, but of a more of a secure but open environment that you quickly absorb and enjoy.       A pass over KRSW - South Florida and a wave to the controllers and it was time to head back to Page Field.     There is an awareness of the lightness of the aircraft when you start to descend and reduce your speed...     ....  the aircraft will descend and you can reduce your speed via raising the nose a little, but you still feel the light weight when doing both, it is a sort of canopy effect on the wings more than a wing with shape, but you soon adjust to it.  Note to reset your trim to neutral for landing.     The flap band is noted between 63 knts and stall at 38 knts, but you have to be well withing the (white) band before grabbing that lovely overhead trigger handle.     Full flap will set your approach speed to around 46 knts to 48 knts, which is really slow, but the aircraft could be really difficult in windy conditions or a handful as it feels that way in slight 4 knt breezes.     Again that canopy almost parachute effect comes back into play at the lower speed...     ...  but still one with that you have total control over, it is a bit like coming into a controlled landing with a powered parachute on your back. Throttle control is quite easy to lower or raise the nose, and overall the flying is very easy and can be finely controlled.     When you are flying towards the runway at only 40 or so knots then you have a lot of precious time to make decisions. It is nice and slow and you are fully in control and you can see why learner pilots can easily get to grips with aviation at a basic level...     ...  but that does not say it come with no fun either, as even the most experienced flier can get a lot of joy out of the simplest elements, touch down is around 42 knts with a soft touch landing.     One really annoying feature is the STMA updater on the left side of your screen (arrowed)... if you ever move your mouser over there it keeps on popping up and spoiling the simulation, the only way to stop it, is to switch it off in the plugin menu and every time you want to fly the C42.     Lighting The C42 is not an aircraft to cross states or the continent at night, so the lighting is limited. But excellent it still is...     All instruments are bright clear and concise, but there is no adjustment... but none is needed either. Externally there is only one landing light but it is a very good one. There are no beacons, just reflective navigation lights on each wingtip and good strobe lights.     Liveries All the twelve liveries provided are all mostly a variation of a theme, but they are however in HD 4K High-Quality. D-MYSF is the default livery and the donor aircraft.     Summary The Ikarus C42 C feels like the little aircraft that wants to be the bigger general aviation aircraft, problem is it actually does do that, and in some areas is even better than it's more mature grown up machines. It is still however a VLC or Ultralight aircraft and is constructed to those rules and in some areas of flight it behaves like one, but the best way to note it is that this C42 is certainly no rickety frame banging "hang on for your life, but fun" machine, as with it's enclosed cockpit and quality design it is a brilliant little aircraft with tons of performance and one of the best, or if the best handling aircraft I have yet come across in X-Plane, it is simply brilliant for learners of flight, but also huge fun for the experts.   All vFlyteAir aircraft are crafted from real machines and it always shows, mostly in the perfect flight dynamics and little details that relate them to the real aircraft. But the quality and detail in this Ikarus is simply staggering, with it's transparent canvas wings to the perfect cage aluminium frame it is as real as it gets. The aircraft is certainly focused on VR (Virtual Reality) from it's design and the way the menus, documents and instruments are all set up for VR use, on the surface the C42 looks quite basic, but the detail and pure quality is deep seated in there with a long list of features.   Negatives..  not many, the menu option ticks feel the wrong way around, no option to hide the doors and the annoying STMA auto-update fluttering are all minor if a flicker of nothing.   So the Ikarus C42 C is brilliant, lots of fun and a gem of a small aircraft to fly and enjoy... it is the perfect machine to putter aloft around the landscape and just be free and enjoy the view, with not a care in the world...  totally absolutely loved it!   ____________________________________     The Comco - Ikarus C42 C by vFlyteAir is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   Ikarus C42C   Priced at US$27.95   Features: VR compatible  Fully optimized for VR use Two different panels included  The Basic Trainer has the essential gauges and instruments for VFR training flights (Altimeter, Airspeed, Vertical Speed (variometer), Slip Indicator, Magnetic Compass, COM radio (no NAV radio), and engine monitor gauges  The Full Panel version adds a transponder and a “vfamap L” glass panel instrument loosely modeled from the flymap L® – includes a simple GPS Flight Planner, an Artifical Horizon with waypoint information, and a moving-map display with GPS flight plan overlay (used the X-Plane G1000 moving map). The Full Panel version also has a simulated FLARM traffic alert monitor that will track your AI aircraft Flight Dynamics Accurate flight characteristics based on input from our own in-house C42C student pilot Mario FMOD 3d sounds  more than 85 original, actual sound recordings used for FMOD sounds, including engine running (forward, aft, left and right), flaps, switches, doors, ground roll, propeller turn-by-hand, sun visors, engine starter, engine shut-down and many more Fully animated hi-res model  PBR effects inside and out, HDR lighting and very highly detailed modeling creates an immersive, realistic experience Interactive, animated virtual pre-flight inspection takes you on guided walk-around of the Ikarus (VR compatible using teleport hot-spots) using interactive check lists. If you conduct your pre-flight in early morning or late evening, spot lights are automatically provided at each of the six inspection stations. We even simulated the famous Rotax engine “burp”! User-customizable air charts feature allows you create a matrix of nine air charts that can be scrolled up/down and left/right and “stitched together” to form a large, virtual “paper” chart that can be popped up inside the cockpit Semi-transparent fabric-covered wings and empennage Pop-out gauges make it easier to see and operate the gauges and instruments (VR friendly) COM radio allows you to save up to (30) radio frequencies in memory and recall them for use anytime you fly. Store your most-used frequencies! Choice of female or male animated copilot Engine choke operation is functional (simulated) Realistic engine effects unique to the Rotax 912, such as slow idle after first starting the engine Realistic BRS parachute, including safety pin that must be removed prior to operating the BRS, and a blow-off parachute hatch with actual BRS rocket sound Choice of metric or imperial units for gauges and instruments (your choice is saved each time you quit X-Plane or unload the airplane) Choice of English or German language for instruments and menus (your choice is saved each time you quit X-Plane or unload the airplane) Kneeboard allows the pilot to choose Options and settings, remove ground elements, select nose gear steering, select a copilot (or none), add or reduce fuel payload, adjust pilot and copilot weights, select your language choice (English or German), and select your units preference (metric or imperial) 14 different liveries provided, including the two actual liveries flown by Mario (D-MYSF and D-MNLN) Over 75 different save-states are recorded each time you quit X-Plane or unload the Ikarus. Save-states are reloaded the next time you fly. Save-states include options choices, settings, switches, doors, vents, etc. Pop-out check list for quick reference Realistic vibrations on control surfaces due to prop wash and engine vibration Realistic vibration effects inside the cockpit due to engine vibration   Requirements: X-Plane 11.20+ Windows, Mac or Linux 2Gb VRAM Minimum - 4Gb+ VRAM Rcommended   Installation and documents: Download for the Ikarus C42 C is 575.80meg and the unzipped file deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder at 680.70mb.   Documents: Extensive documentation with manual and POH in English and German   POH_C42_Serie_DE_NOT_FOR_REAL_FLIGHT.pdf POH_C42_Series_EN_NOT_FOR_REAL_FLIGHT.pdf vFlyteAir_C42_manual_DE_v1.pdf vFlyteAir_C42_manual_EN_v1.pdf vFlyteAir_IkarusC42C_Features.pdf   ______________________________________________________________________   Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton  15th September 2018 Copyright©2018 : X-Plane Reviews    (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)   Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD  Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.25r2 Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 Scenery or Aircraft - KFMY - Page Field - Fort Myers, Florida 1.0 by timbenedict3 (X-Plane.Org)  - Free - KRSW - Southwest Florida International Airport by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$24.99     

News! - Released : Guimbal Cabri G2 Heli by vSkyLabs   Is there nothing that vSkyLabs can't do? We have had from them... classic aircraft, experimental aircraft, lightweight aircraft and even pre-war aircraft, now here we have a helicopter in the Guimbal Cabri G2. The Guimbal is a two-seat light helicopter produced by Hélicoptères Guimbal, it is powered by a Lycoming O-360-J2A piston engine, 108 kW (145 hp). It was designed by Bruno Guimbal, a former Eurocopter engineer.     Remember that all vSkyLabs aircraft are projects and not final release aircraft, you sorta participate in the development more than the final result... in saying that then this Cabri G2 is already very well formed and quite complete.   Cockpit is very well appointed and detailed, and surprisingly the Cabri G2 very easy to fly, so it is a great nice little heli to learn on if you want to try to fly helicopters.     Rotor head is very well constructed, and animated but only in the collective pitch and not direction.     Doors can be opened but not removed.     Currently provided are two liveries.     The Guimbal is optimized for VR functionality. This means that the cockpit can be operated with maximum comfort and fluency using VR controllers...   Features include: Project under constant development: Development plan and evolution are including EVERY aspect of the project (3D modeling and textures, flight dynamics modeling, fmod sounds, interactivity, systems etc...). Highly engineered, robust helicopter simulation which pushes X-Plane's out-of-the-box features and flight dynamics model to its extent. Highly detailed visualization of the Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter. Designed for Virtual Reality experience, including a FULL-VR mode which enables to operate and fly the Cabri without using physical hardware for the pedals. Engineered as a 'Native X-Plane aircraft': Maximum X-Plane compatibility without the use of 3rd party plugins or external coding dependencies.  Day/Night VFR instrumentation. Electronic Pilot Monitor (EPM) - Simplified yet authentic and effective EPM display. Built in compatibility with the AviTab plugin for 3D and VR AviTab visualization and interaction. Optional Experimental/LSA grade autopilot included. Perfect for new helicopter pilots and for helicopter conversion for fixed wings aircraft pilots -  due to its docile flying characteristics and simple yet effective design features.   Now available from the X-Plane.OrgStore or directly from vSkyLabs   ______________________________________________________________________     Yes! the Guimbal Cabri G2 Heli by vSkyLabs is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
VSKYLABS Guimbal Cabri G2 Project   Price is US$29.00   Requirements: X-Plane 11.25+ Windows, Mac or Linux 2Gb VRAM Minimum - 4Gb+ VRAM Recommended Current version: Version v1.0b5 (Sep 12th 2018)   Note: In order to use and enjoy VR environment in X-Plane, user hardware and system specs should meet the required specifications for OS, CPU, GPU, MB and RAM which are specified both in the given VR hardware websites and at X-Plane.com.   Designed by VSKYLABS
Support forum for the Guimbal Cabri G2   ______________________________________________________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 13th September 2018 Copyright©2018: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)     

News! - Scenery Release : LEAL - Alicante Airport and Port by VirtualDesign3D   VirtualDesign3D have released their third scenery for X-Plane11 after their twin Santiago packages with SCEL - Arturo Merino Benítez.International Airport and SCTB - Eulogio Sánchez Airport (Tobalaba Airport) including Santiago City. The new scenery is located in Spain and it is LEAL - Alicante Airport, City and Port.       Scenery includes the representation of the new modern styled terminal, and full internal detail.     Terminal detailing is excellent with service and landside animated vehicles.     Scenery features include:   Extremely detailed and realistic recreation the real Airport. Full interior modeling of main floor terminal (Very detailed). Ambient occlusion in main textures. (PBR) Specular maps for objects and ground poly. Over 200 buildings, Highly detailed Custom animated jetways.custom texture and numbered. Custom runways and Taxiways(Reflex normal map). Custom taxilines, borderlines and ground markings. HDR lighting with custom night textures Customized forest and vegetation 3D(Grass,Palms,plants). Custom surrounding areas. UHD  Spanish compatible.   Highly animated figures load baggage and board aircraft...     Custom control tower is fully detailed inside and externally and the flags are animated.     Alicante coastline and port is also represented...     ...  and the scenery comes with over 100 custom buildings including:   Santa Barbara Castle Commercial Center Panoramis Club Regates Alicante. Casa Carboneli Alicante. Restaurant Darsena. Casino Mediterraneo Hotel Melía Porta Maris. Casa Del Mar La Lonja Del Pescado Restaurant Monastrell Antigua Edificio  Sanidad Antigua Estación Estacion Autobuses   Alicante airport and City lighting is very good and realistic.     Overall a great scenery for this nice part of southern Spain...     ______________________________________________________________________     Yes! the LEAL - Alicante Airport and Port by VirtualDesign3D is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
Alicante Airport and Port by VirtualDesign3D   Price is US$19.99     Requirements X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 2Gb VRAM Minimum - 4Gb+ VRAM Recommended Current version: 1.1 (Sep 12th 2018)   ______________________________________________________________________   News by Stephen Dutton  13th September 2018 Copyright©2018: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)  

News! - Now Released! - Ikarus C42 by vFlyteAir   As per their usual coda in creating aircraft that vFlyteAir use, own or fly personally comes the ultraweight Ikarus C42. This aircraft is a light, light weight trainer that is flown personally by Mario Donick.     First impressions are that this is an extraordinary sweet aircraft to fly, and if you want to learn the very early basics of flying in X-Plane with a quality aircraft, then it is very hard to go past this C42. For the pro pilot, then they will love it as well if you are really into the "seat of the pant's" feeling the frame sort of flying.     The aircraft comes in two versions with the basic (and it is VERY basic) trainer, and the more avionic equipped "Full" version.     Full version has addition of a electronic attitude indicator, a transponder, an electronic engine monitoring device, a traffic warning device, and a simple GPS system with flightplan with coloured moving map.     There are a lot of exclusive new features, and a highlight is the see-though and highly realistic canvas wings.     Detailing is excellent, as is the pop-up instruments. The C42 is highly evolved for VR (Virtual Reality) flight with even a VR menu and clipboard in English and German.     Static elements are basic and the doors work manually, but it is highly realistic.       The list of features is long and huge, but overall it is in the way this little aircraft flies that really stays in your mind....  brilliant!   ______________________________________________________________________     Yes! the Ikarus C42 by vFlyteAir is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
Ikarus C42   Price is US$27.95   Features Created from actual hands-on experience flying an Ikarus C42C (D-MYSF) VR compatible – fully optimized for VR use Two different panels included:  The Basic Trainer has the essential gauges and instruments for VFR training flights (Altimeter, Airspeed, Vertical Speed (variometer), Slip Indicator, Magnetic Compass, COM radio (no NAV radio), and engine monitor gauges  The Full Panel version adds a transponder and a “vfamap L” glass panel instrument loosely modeled from the flymap L® – includes a simple GPS Flight Planner, an Artifical Horizon with waypoint information, and a moving-map display with GPS flight plan overlay (used the X-Plane G1000 moving map). The Full Panel version also has a simulated FLARM traffic alert monitor that will track your AI aircraft Accurate flight characteristics based on input from our own in-house C42C student pilot Mario Semi-transparent fabric-covered wings and empennage FMOD sounds – more than 85 original, actual sound recordings used for FMOD sounds, including engine running (forward, aft, left and right), flaps, switches, doors, ground roll, propeller turn-by-hand, sun visors, engine starter, engine shut-down and many more Fully animated hi-res model with PBR effects inside and out, HDR lighting and very highly detailed modeling creates an immersive, realistic experience Interactive, animated virtual pre-flight inspection takes you on guided walk-around of the Ikarus (VR compatible using teleport hot-spots) using interactive check lists. If you conduct your pre-flight in early morning or late evening, spot lights are automatically provided at each of the six inspection stations. We even simulated the famous Rotax engine “burp”! User-customizable air charts feature allows you create a matrix of nine air charts that can be scrolled up/down and left/right and “stitched together” to form a large, virtual “paper” chart that can be popped up inside the cockpit Pop-out gauges make it easier to see and operate the gauges and instruments (VR friendly) COM radio allows you to save up to (30) radio frequencies in memory and recall them for use anytime you fly. Store your most-used frequencies! Choice of female or male animated copilot Engine choke operation is functional (simulated) Realistic engine effects unique to the Rotax 912, such as slow idle after first starting the engine Realistic BRS parachute, including safety pin that must be removed prior to operating the BRS, and a blow-off parachute hatch with actual BRS rocket sound Choice of metric or imperial units for gauges and instruments (your choice is saved each time you quit X-Plane or unload the airplane) Choice of English or German language for instruments and menus (your choice is saved each time you quit X-Plane or unload the airplane) Kneeboard allows the pilot to choose Options and settings, remove ground elements, select nose gear steering, select a copilot (or none), add or reduce fuel payload, adjust pilot and copilot weights, select your language choice (English or German), and select your units preference (metric or imperial) 14 different liveries provided, including the two actual liveries flown by Mario (D-MYSF and D-MNLN) Over 75 different save-states are recorded each time you quit X-Plane or unload the Ikarus. Save-states are reloaded the next time you fly. Save-states include options choices, settings, switches, doors, vents, etc. Pop-out check list for quick reference Realistic vibrations on control surfaces due to prop wash and engine vibration Realistic vibration effects inside the cockpit due to engine vibration Illustrated User Manual provided German and English-language POH provided (not for real flight!) Custom 3D propeller disc effect Paint kit available – create your own livery Supports the wonderful, free AviTab plugin – available at X-Plane.org (https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/forums/topic/145820-avitab-moving-maps-and-pdf-charts-in-vr/) ShadeTree Micro Aviation Autoupdate plugin included – stay up to date with new features and fixes, right to your desktop   Requirements: X-Plane 11.20+ Windows, Mac or Linux 2Gb VRAM Minimum - 4Gb+ VRAM Rcommended   ______________________________________________________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 11th September 2018 Copyright©2018: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)     

Scenery Review : Seattle Airports XP by Drzewiecki Design   The Seattle Airports XP Package for X-Plane11 is part of two packs from Drzewiecki Design that cover the full Seattle, Puget Sound area of the American north west. X-PlaneReviews has covered the excellent city of Seattle scenery pack in a review here: Scenery Review : Seattle City XP by Drzewiecki Design   The two packages are created to work seamlessly together, and the area covered is quite substantial from North Everett in the north, and right down to Federal Way in the south. As noted in the city scenery review, to cover such a wide area with so many objects is going to require a certain amount of power from your computer, and a few tricks on how to best run the packages are covered in depth in that city scenery review. In context these packages are created to a level of detail and are refined to their best ability to get the very best ratio of quality to quantity and still get the very best efficiency out of the packages, in this area Drzewiecki Design have done an outstanding job...   certainly each package can be purchased separately as together they cost a substantial US$67.00 with this Airport pack being the most expensive at US$43.00. Personally were as the Seattle City XP scenery can be purchased and used with freeware airports, I don't think you could purchase the Airport pack without the Seattle City scenery, you would just lose too much of the iconic skyline to make it totally realistic (but there are a few Seattle skylines on the .Org if you want to take that approach).   The airports covered in this package include: KSEA Seattle-Tacoma, KPAE Paine Field, KBFI Boeing Field, KRNT Renton and S50 Auburn and one major missing field is of course KTCM - McChord AFB of which was included in the Tom Curtis version of the Seattle area called "Gateway to Boeing Country".   A few notes first before we deep dive into the airports. First is that if you do use both packages together then the custom scenery load order on the .INI is very critical in the scenery running correctly, Drzewiecki Design do or can set this load order correctly via the installer, but I prefer still to set my own .INI order as not to mess up a..  my already correct set ups and other scenery load orders, and b..  I'm a control freak! Second note is you have the options for both static aircraft visible or not and the quality of your texture mesh (personally the the difference between 2K mesh and 4K mesh in most cases is minimal), but it may make a difference in some cases. But with the static aircraft option is that it is all or nothing...  this means that at every airport in this scenery you can have those lovely static aircraft or not. In most cases this is not an issue if you use WT3 or X-Life as static aircraft is switched off, but in this package it can make a huge difference?   K-Man has created a set of perfection in WT3 ground routes and layouts for KSEA, so you will want to use these right? absolutely... but killing the static aircraft at KSEA to run WT3 also kills all those perfectly created static aircraft in various states of last stages of fitting out at the Boeing factories at Boeing Field, Everett (Paine) and Renton? The solution is to keep the static aircraft option on, but to use the overlay editor to clear away the static aircraft at KSEA. I really doubt you would need WT3 at the other airports and I found this option the best compromise in having KSEA active with traffic, but keeping the excellent visual aspects at the Boeing factory airports. This review is created in that setup of WT3 at KSEA and the rest of the airports with the custom static aircraft still in place.   KSEA  - Seattle–Tacoma International Airport or Sea-Tac (KSEA/SEA) Sea-Tac has had a long association with my flying and reviews in X-PlaneReviews, but not lately. Sea-Tac is also Laminar Research's own default airport for X-Plane and has been since X-Plane10, and the area is an excellent place to show off the simulator. Basically you have everything here from gorgeous backdrop volcanic mountains, great local VFR flying destinations with Canada and Vancouver on your doorstep. Most of my early flying was usually up (and down) the Puget Sound to Victoria or CYYJ airport and the learning curve of VOR navigation...  it is simply a sensational area to fly around...  but.   I fell out of love with Sea-Tac for one reason, the runways. Every scenery from the provided X-Plane "Demo" to the payware versions of KSEA all have one major issue, as the runways at KSEA are all a roller-coaster of hills with the "Runways follow Terrain Contours" switched on, switch off the follow contours tickbox and then KSEA becomes then a plateau of "Lost World" proportions, with autogen housing clinging to the sides at very odd angles? so setting either choice does not work.         Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
Sea–Tac Airport   IATA: SEA - ICAO: KSEA - FAA LID: SEA - WMO: 72793       6L/34R  11,900  (3,627m)  Concrete 16C/34C  9,426  (2,873m)  Concrete 16R/34L  8,500  (2,591m)  Concrete ELEV 433 ft / 132 m AMSL     Your first impressions of Drzewiecki Design's version of Sea-Tac is that it is superb, obviously the very best yet and believe me there has been a lot of different versions of KSEA in X-Plane. Currently Sea-Tac is under an expansion development, but the scenery here is noted with the newer expansion construction work as completed - with the new International Arrivals Facility, both Satellite Terminals modernised and with the additional structures added to the A terminal and with the amazing new Skybridge. But all that and even everything else is of now of no consequence if the basics don't actually work? but thankfully they do and are done here to best solution as well.   So the first really big feature and to me this is the most important one, is that the KSEA runways have been built on a false base and are not allowed to follow the mesh contours, add in some really lovely and totally correct landscaping and walls, then you have perfection...     ....  and note the excellent approach RAIL lighting gantries on all the northern approaches, ditto the smooth and thankfully flat runways, this is finally a Sea-Tac we all deserve.   Terminal Detail We have noted that these packages are created for their best efficiency, but that has not come with any real loss of quality and the trimming of detail.     All the terminals and island terminals have been recreated in detail and with the correct reflective glass...     ...  as all of the internal terminal areas are fitted out and that can be seen from the ramps. Ramp detailing and clutter is also first rate with not only the service and ramp equipment, but 3d people as well external and internal. The airport's airbridges are all active but only a certain number have the guidance system, loads of animated vehicles move around the airport, but there is no an overwhelming amount of vehicle movement, however this is to the better and not to the detriment of the action with using the scenery.     Maintenance and Cargo You could call that Sea-Tac is the supply depot for the north or further to Alaska. So all the cargo facilities here at KSEA are large and varied. These important areas are really well covered with this scenery...     ...  cargo zones (and there is a lot of zones to choose from) are all expertly recreated and with just the right amount of cargo clutter to make freight moving at KSEA a joy, there is also some great branding (mostly Alaska Airlines) and realistic ramp textures.   South Sea-Tac are the prominent maintenance hangars for Alaska Airlines and Delta.       Hangar detail is not just external which is very good anyway, but internal as well with aircraft under maintenance set out inside.   Landside Detail, detail landside is not high high if you get what I mean, but the the amount of buildings and airport support infrastructure including the required hotels and carparks is immense. And in many ways the layout reminds me of Aerosoft's Frankfurt.     Detail is not restricted to just the terminal side of the airport, but right around the the whole perimeter. Warehouses and a small GA ramp are notable to the southwest...     ...  working (or animated) radar tower is to the west and the concrete detail of the elevation of the field are all standouts.   Control Tower The distinctive control tower is really well created and looks highly realistic. The tower has excellent internal detail as well, but with no set tower view?       KBFI - Boeing Field or King County International Airport. (KBFI/BFI)  Except for the World War II period, when it was taken over by the U.S. government, Boeing Field was Seattle's main passenger airport from its construction in 1928 until Seattle-Tacoma International Airport began operations in the late 1940s. The Boeing Company continues to use the field for testing and delivery of its airplanes, and it is still a major regional cargo hub.         King County International Airport
Boeing Field   IATA: BFI - ICAO: KBFI - FAA LID: BFI     13R/31L  10,000  (3,048m)  Asphalt 13L/31R  3,710  (1,131m)  Asphalt ELEV 21ft /6 m AMSL   KBFI is a large and complex scenery in that it has so many different elements. It a Boeing Company airport but also a working one for light GA and private jet aircraft and smaller regional services (Including helicopters).   The northwest area is dominated by the Boeing Company as it is a last fit-out area for overflow aircraft from the Paine and Renton plants...  The main Boeing hangar is well reproduced as is the fit-out ramps which are highly detailed, and note the excellent static aircraft that were left in the scenery and not removed.     The southern part of the Boeing zone is related to Boeing's military business, and here it is a separate area for those top secret military aircraft fit-outs (above right).   Seattle Museum of Flight  Nestled between the factories is the famous Seattle Museum of Flight and right beside the museum is the "Red Barn" that is also known as Building No. 105. Built in 1909, the building was used during the early 1900s as Boeing's original aircraft manufacturing plant.     A lot of attention has been given into recreating the museum, not only in with the high detailed museum buildings, but the with all the correct aircraft on show as well.     The eastern side of the runways is the private and business areas of Boeing Field.     There is the historic terminal building on the east side with the original terminal that is still operating, but now as a cafe. And there is a huge amount of ramp area parking not only in front of the old terminal, but also for the use of a designated private jet service terminal next door as well.     There is a huge amount of choice for parking GA aircraft and medium sized jets on the eastern side, so you can just make your extensive choice from the long list of branded operators located here, and so it is as well for helicopter services with HeliJet dominating with services to Victoria and Vancouver.     Note the 3d grass which is excellent and covers all the airports in the package, clutter is again excellent and there are also a few animated vehicles moving around the scenery.   Control Tower is mid-field west...     ...  the tower is well done and authentic with built in Fire Station...  Tower View is actually correct!   KRNT - Renton or Renton Municipal Airport (KRNT/RNT) Renton is really two airports set around one single runway. On the west side is the Renton Municipal Airport, which is really a General Aviation/Seaplane base, and on the east side is the Boeing Renton Factory that churns out the hundreds and thousands of B737 series aircraft. The factory has had an illustrious career in producing Boeing aircraft from the start of WW2 to today. Famous aircraft built here includes the Boeing B-29 Superfortress (built 1,119), Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter (built 943), Boeing 707/KC-135, Boeing 727, Boeing 757 (built 1,050) and the B737 series that is currently in production today.       Renton Municipal Airport IATA: RNT - ICAO: KRNT - FAA LID: RNT     16/34  5,382  (1,640m) Asphalt/Concrete EVEL 32ft / 10m AMSL   Renton is an extremely hard place to reproduce and to make it look authentic. It is situated in a valley and the autogen does not take to kindly to the mesh and so and intergration to make it look even believable is a task by itself, but Drzewiecki Design pulled it off by using custom placed objects to cover over the weak areas, so it works and it works very well.   The highlight at Renton are the huge aircraft factory buildings...     ...   not only is the external buildings done to be realistic, but the internal production line is also created, it is all very basic texture wise but I do like the different variants of the B737 series in production, and not just the same single-800 variant.   East Renton The eastern side of the runway is in two sections, one section to the north are several fit-out areas and in the south is a GA and business receiving area.     The engine test building is the standout building and is well detailed at the rear....  the Ace Aviation hangar and Aero-Dyne Aviation are both well represented, and this is a very nice GA and usable arrival area.     The overall idea seems to be "if you have a space then put a B737 on it!" but there are still lots of parking bays left over for your own aircraft, note again the required static aircraft setting as it makes a big if not huge difference with the correct static aircraft in various states of completion. Work ramp detail is again exceptional, highly detailed and "Boeing" branded.   The highly visual sports fields including the Renton Memorial Stadium and Liberty Park are also well represented for detail. RWY 34 approach has numerous buildings for eye detail including a Walmart, McLendon Hardware and Fred Meyer store and more sports fields.     West Renton The western boundary is "Renton Municipal Airport" but Boeing seems to have helped itself to most of the significant parking areas, so the area is a mixture of GA facilities and more Boeing fit-out parking bays.      Renton Municipal Airport itself is sort of boxed into the centre, but there is still a lot of parking spaces if you land here in a GA. Animated vehicles are represented around Renton, but not too many.     North is the seaplane base or the official name as the "Will Rogers - Wiley Post Memorial Seaplane Base", as it was here Wiley Post left for his fatal last flight. The water ramp and jetty is not as good as the Tom Curtis version, but it is still usable.     Apartment blocks and light industry buildings are all custom made to fill out the open areas and this is a significant point of making the overall scenery very effective, the detail and even the style is very, very basic, but it still does a very good job alongside the autogen in creating a very realistic Renton.     KPAE - Paine Field or Snohomish County Airport KPAE/PAE Paine Field was originally constructed in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project. At the time of development, it was envisioned that the Airport would create jobs and economic growth in the region by becoming one of the ten new "super airports" around the country. Paine Field was taken over by the U.S. Army prior to entry into World War II as a patrol and training base. In 1947 it was transferred to the U.S. Air Force which continued that operational plan until the early 1960s.   On July 25, 1966, Boeing announced that it would build the Boeing 747, a jet airliner capable of carrying nearly twice as many passengers as previous models. To build the giant jet, Boeing had to construct a facility large enough to handle the world's largest commercial jetliner. Land just north of Paine Field was chosen to construct the new facilities, including some development on the airport itself. Both the local government and the FAA concurred with the development. Work on the massive building began in August 1966 and the first employees arrived in early 1967. The 747 made its first flight at Paine Field on February 9, 1969. There has been numerous ideas to restart scheduled air passenger services or air cargo service from the airport, mostly by  Allegiant Air and Horizon Air, but to date it is still Boeing that totally dominates the Snohomish County Airport.  KPAE does however have  four flight schools — Chinook Flight Simulations, Regal Air, Northway Aviation and Everett Helicopters — making it a popular destination for flight training. There are also a number of flying clubs on the field.   Today Paine Field is the primary assembly location for Boeing's wide-body 747, 777 and the 787 Dreamliner aircraft.       Paine Field
Snohomish County Airport IATA: PAE - ICAO: KPAE - FAA LID: PAE  16R/34L  9,010  (2,746m)  Asphalt/Grooved 11/29  4,504  (1,373m)  Asphalt (not active) 16L/34R  3,000  (914m)  Asphalt ELEV 606 ft/184.7 m AMSL   You can never get your head around the scale of the Boeing aircraft factories at Everett, they are one of the huge step forward 1960's projects that stunned your mind, the other was the VAB building and Saturn 5's rockets that took men to the Moon.     The Boeing Everett factory is still the largest building in the world by volume at 13,385,378 m3 (472,370,319 cu ft) and covers 399,480 m2 (98.7 acres; 39.948 hectares; 0.399 square kilometres)... big enough to build a 747 in!   It is to great credit to Drzewiecki Design in that they have created all the assembly lines for the versions B748, B777 and B787, there is great detailing in not just shoving aircraft in the buildings, but to also have them in their various states of assembly... radar domes up, missing engines, or cowlings open, gantrys and all the clutter required to build aircraft.     The huge triple engine test buildings are also really well represented...     ....   and the numerous bays are stacked out and full of out-fitting aircraft, did I mention about the required static aircraft...  yes I think I did. There is the Boeing delivery centre with working airbridges and docking guidance, just the perfect place to take delivery of your new Boeing X-Plane aircraft.     There is the new "Dreamlifter" operations centre over on the western boundary... and it is highly detailed with a Dreamlifter and cargo.     Snohomish County Airport Internally within Paine Field is a commercial airport called Snohomish County Airport. Over the years commercial passenger traffic has declined almost to nothing, so Snohomish County Council has created with a private company a new passenger terminal that was commenced on June 5, 2017. The 30,000 square foot building will have two gates and will be capable of handling about 16 flights per day. That terminal is represented here as complete and is due to open now or Sept 2018.     Opposition to the new facility was fierce by local communities, but note the overwhelming heavy commercial operations by Boeing...  I doubt a few Dash8's or B738's are going to make that much extra noise or traffic in or out of KPAE?   Terminal detailing is excellent, with a full interior and reflective glass...   Alaska Airlines, United and Southwest all have plans for services.   Attached to the new terminal is a new control tower, again it is well created with internal control room, but no tower view?     And note the lovely pre-war hangar on the new terminal ramp, it is a nice reminder of early Paine Field.     Southeast is still the older remnants of Paine Field including the very small GA runway 16L/34R...  and RWY 11/29  which is now only for aircraft parking.     To the south there are more Boeing facilities, but also a few museums with the "Flying Heritage Collection" and the "Historic Flight" Museum.       There is a huge amount of custom buildings to the south and to the west of Paine Field to give you a great approach and visual stimulation, like at Renton the buildings are still quite basic and light on detail, but they serve a purpose, however a lot of the buildings to west tend to float?   S50 Aurburn Auburn Municipal Airport is known as "Dick Scobee Field", after Francis "Dick" Scobee, an Auburn and Washington native who was the commander astronaut for the Space Shuttle Challenger. Scobee was killed in the 1986 Challenger disaster. The small airfield is also part of the "Emerald Downs Horse Racing" complex.     Auburn Municipal Airport
Dick Scobee Field IATA: none - ICAO: none - FAA LID: S50   Overall there is not much here at Auburn Municipal Airport except for GA hangars and loads of excellent stand parking...     ....  but that is not to say it is not the best place to use to base your GA to fly and around the Seattle area, in fact it is the perfect location, and so expect this field to show up a lot in a few GA reviews in the future.   All of the airports in this package have excellent runway textures and excellent realistic reflective surfaces. All runway and taxiway signage is top notch and correct for navigation via charts...  oh and a lot of 3d Grass is thrown in on top of the deal.     Seattle Airports Night Lighting The lighting throughout this extensive scenery is excellent and quite varied.   KSEA - Sea-Tac Sea-Tac scenery is very good, but the most basic scenery with only a few tones, overall it looks and is very good to fly into and use on the ground...     ...   but on closer inspection sees okay look and feel with the see-through glass to just plain greys for some other terminals and outer buildings, internal areas inside maintenance hangars are excellent and highly realistic. Branding and hotel lighting is fine and well done.     Ramps including the cargo stands are well lit and the highlight is the nice upward spot lighting on the control tower.   King County Boeing Field is not a 24hr airport in operations, so the lighting reflects that aspect, it is well lit, but in areas the lighting is only sporadic...     The fit-out flightline is the brightest area as are the other Boeing work zones, the control tower is well done and looks authentic on arrival. Highlight is the lovely private jet terminal that looks welcoming at night on arrival..  note the nice ramp reflections and textures       Renton Overall the best lighting in the package goes to Renton...     ...  different lighting tones separate the manufacturing/carparking areas from the airfield, and it looks spectacular around the main assembly buildings.     There are different tones also to note the football (soccer) field and the many other sports facilities, the Ace Aviation building is the highlight. Again the Boeing fit-out stands are very well lit as are all the surrounding apartment buildings. The approach into Renton at night from the south is excellent and certainly well worth doing.   Everett Paine Field is a lot like Renton in lighting but more spread out in area. Different areas have different tones but not to the full extent of Renton...     ...  fit-out areas are again very bright, and the internal work areas of the factories are well lit for 24hr aircraft production. Highlight is the amazingly lit delivery centre! (below)     Snohomish County Airport is lit well one side with the carpark...  but dark on the airside?  The control tower looks however lovely in great lower area/ground lighting.     Southern areas are sporadic but well done and overall KPAE is a well lit scenery.   Auburn Municipal Most lighting at S50 is indirect, but it looks nice at night from above, but it feels a little odd on the ground as the lighting can be bright in one direction and very dark in the other, but overall S50 is a daytime operation airfield...  disappointing is the racetrack and the Emerald Downs Horse Racing complex is in the dark...     ...  note however the amazing surface textures with the indirect lighting.   Summary Where do you start with a scenery this expansive and so highly detailed. Price of course and value. Yes it is US$43.00 for just this Airport package and another US$24.00 if you then add on the Seattle City package. Breaking that down and just take KSEA Sea-Tac as a scenery alone, and what would you expect to pay for that US$25 or US$28.50... it is certainly worth that in benefit, so in context then the full five airports are all good value.   Object count and clutter numbers here are in the outrageous category, you are bewildered just on how much detail there actually is in here and the coverage is uniform across all the airports, ditto the amount of custom objects surrounding the actual airport boundaries as well to make up a significant visual viewpoint of almost visual perfection (in context) of what you have in the Seattle area... and this all comes with an amazing efficiency and not creating overbearing pressure on your computer's hardware, and even in the context of a lower texture quality setting, you still get a sensational high quality visual package... in other words it all more than usable and even if you only have a 4K graphic card.     Negatives are few, with only a few floating buildings and some night textures that are a bit bland, and many custom objects are created for a high efficiency more than detail are noticeable, but the objects are not positioned of where it counts. Many tower views are not set correctly?   Scenery like the Seattle City/Airport packages are not your usual purchase... they are a major future investment for your simulator. Yes all up the packages are expensive, but the return of what you actually get and also to get to future proof your Seattle area for years to come and with all the significant flying you can do here in Seattle...  and that then all adds up to a worthwhile investment of including and using extremely good high quality scenery in X-Plane. The jury will always be out on  what is the very best scenery currently in X-Plane, in absolute detail then no, but in expansive and with the absolute sheer volume of coverage and detail you get here, then certainly this Seattle Airports XP package is right at the top of the list.   ____________________________________________________________________       Yes!...  Seattle Airports XP by Drzewiecki Design is Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   Seattle Airports XP   Price is US$43.00   Scenery Features 5 high quality airports included: KSEA Seattle-Tacoma, KPAE Paine Field, KBFI Boeing Field, KRNT Renton and S50 Auburn in the most up-to-date versions possible, including the new International Arrivals Facility and Satellite terminals at KSEA and the new passenger terminal at KPAE. Extensive though performance-friendly internal modeling including Boeing Everett Factory (the whole assembly building with 747, 777 and 787 assembly lines), both delivery centers of Boeing (at KBFI and KPAE) and all terminals at KSEA. Autogates, VGDS, many custom animations, advanced lighting Highly advanced performance-friendly design World Traffic 3 compatible     Recommended for use with:   Seattle City XP   Price is US$24.00 Review is here: Scenery Review : Seattle City XP by Drzewiecki Design   Requirements : X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4Gb VRAM Minimum - 8Gb+ VRAM Recommended Download size: 1.2Gb Current version: 1.1 (September 6th 2018)   Download and Installation Installation :   Download file size is 786.41mb and is inserted into your X-Plane - Custom Scenery Folder. Installed file size is 2.70gb. Package comes with installers for both Win (.exe) and Mac-Linux, and be sure you download the correct version for your system.   DD Seattle Airports ARoads (66kb) DD Seattle Airports XP (2.43gb) DD Seattle Airports XP Documents (6.9mb) ZZZ DD Seattle Airports XP Terrain (23mb)   If both the Seattle City XP and Airport scenery XP files are installed then the correct .INI order is required, but the installer will arrange that for you.   Recommended is K-Man's KSEA WorldTraffic3 in WT3 ground routes and layouts Editing is required if you want to keep the specialized static aircraft.   For the full visual impact the "World Object" (autogen) setting is required at the "maximum" setting, and it is well worth the framerate drop.   Extras and Documents: Manuals for installation are in English, Polish and Russian. Airport charts are provided for KRNT, KPAE, KBFI and S50   KBFI Diagram.pdf KPAE Diagram.pdf KRNT Diagram.pdf Mac and Linux manual install - English.pdf Mac and Linux manual install - Polish.pdf Mac and Linux manual install - Russian.pdf S50 Diagram.pdf SEATTLE_AIRPORTS_XP_MANUAL.pdf ______________________________________________________________________   Review by Stephen Dutton 12th September 2018  Copyright©2018 : X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)   Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD  Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.25r2 Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro v1.07 US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 : BetterPushBack - Free Scenery or Aircraft - Boeing 737-800 - Default X-plane by Laminar Research    

Scenery Release : KORD - Chicago O'Hare International v3 by Nimbus Studios   Nimbus Simulation Studios have released an update to their KORD - Chicago O'Hare scenery to v3. Chicago's O'Hare International is already a huge favorite with X-Plane users and this welcome update will only add in more detail and the brilliant X-Plane11 dynamics and features.   First visual impressions...  it is mightily impressive!     Choice of WT3 traffic and ground routes which are provided, or the static aircraft version are both included. Terminal and gate detail is excellent and now KORD is up there with the very best of American airport sceneries.     Featured walking animated terminal passengers are not a gimmick...  it works and looks highly realistic!   Note the real time gate signage Information screens that show time, pressure, temperature, destination airport, departure time, delay and the amount of delay time.... impressive and realistic.     KORD's runways and taxiway textures are now X-Plane11 dynamic, look excellent...  3d taxiways are still present and clutter in ramp and landside is far, far better than the earlier KORD v2. Empty boundary surroundings have also been addressed and the airport feels now fully formed and built in.     Night lighting is updated and very good if a little heavy handed...     Full review is to follow soon...  and if you have already purchased the earlier v2 Nimbus KORD, you can upgrade to v3 for $10 less or only US$17.95, the coupon code is on your original KORD invoice at the X-Plane.OrgStore.   ______________________________________________________________________     Yes! the KORD - Chicago O'Hare International v3 by Nimbus Simulation Studios is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   KORD - Chicago O'Hare International Airport v3   Price is US$27.95 Customers who own the previous KORD by Nimbus can get this new version for $10 less: Please find the coupon code in your original KORD invoice at the store   Features New 4K orthophotos Terminals with 3D interior and people HDR lights New 4K textures with PBR materials for the main terminals Night lighting New ground textures with PBR materials New high quality vehicles with PBR material 3D trees Parking lots full of cars Ground markings on each gate and runway Numbered jetways 8 runways New NE cargo area Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5 fully modeled with all concourses South and North Tower Every gate has a start position Files for empty airport or static planes WT3 ready (files included) Airport surroundings represented Animated Airport World Traffic 3 ready (files included) GroundTraffic (plugin by Marginal) AutoGate plugin with custom highly detailed jetways Animated people inside the terminals NEW!! - Information screens that shows time, pressure, temperature, destination airport, departure time, delay and the amount of delay   ______________________________________________________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 7th September 2018 Copyright©2018: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)    

News! - Released! - C177 Cardinal ll XP11 by Alabeo   Alabeo have followed up their C207 Skywagon XP11 with the C177 Cardinal ll for X-Plane11 and it is now available and in two models with the C177B (fixed gear) and C177RG (retractable gear) versions included.     The Cessna comes with all the X-Plane11 dynamics and superb material shines and reflections (full PBR) and the high quality 3D model and textures we have come to expect from Alabeo.     Features Version 1.0 Full Xplane 11 compatible 2 Cardinal II models: C177B (fixed gear) and C177RG (retractable gear) Custom sounds (FMOD) RealityXP GTN750 compatible. GoodWay Compatible Superb material shines and reflections (full PBR). High quality 3D model and textures. Blank texture for creating your own designs Accurately reproduced flight characteristics 64-bit End-user configurability (via Manifest.json file) FPS-optimized model     Requirements
Windows XP -7-8 (or higher) or MAC OS 10.8 (or higher) or Linux
X-Plane 11
i5 (or equivalent) 2.5 GHz – 8GB RAM – 2GB Video card
450MB available hard disk space INTERNET CONNECTION is required for installing this product.     Note: this is a completely new upgrade to X-Plane11, so a full price is required, but the aircraft is valid for free updates throughout the X-Plane11 version run.   Available Now here at Alabeo: C177 Cardinal ll XP11 by Alabeo   Price is US$29.95   Images and text are courtesy of Alabeo   ________________________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 7th September 2018 Copyright©2018: X-Plane Reviews    

Scenery Review : Seattle City XP by Drzewiecki Design   This Seattle City XP scenery is one pack of the two packages that cover the full area that makes up Puget Sound in the far north of the American west. The second package covers the main five airports in the Seattle Airports XP Pack, X-PlaneReviews will cover those airports and their details in a follow on review.   Obviously the two packages have been created to work flawlessly together to cover all aspects of this significant area and it's very rich aviation history, but if you wish you can still use this city scenery portion with some good freeware airports if your cash flow is not for say "forthcoming", as the whole set of the two packages can add up to the significant cost of US$67.00. The views taken in this review are of the full two packages installed together, so any freeware airport sceneries will look a little different (mostly in the distance) if you have those items installed rather than the Seattle Airports XP pack.   Drzewiecki Design have undoubtably become the foremost scenery developers on delivering custom city scenery for X-Plane. Past impressive scenery packages includes their Washington DC XP, New York City XP, Warsaw City XP and their very impressive Moscow City XP scenery, and in that even makes you to actually want to visit such a far away destination as Russia.   The major point to make that these sceneries are not just focused on airports or facilities, but whole complete areas including the city itself and the surrounding airports. The trick is that the whole in the full expansive area is to not make your computer burn a hole in the ground beneath itself, but to actually cope with all that extensive processing in that all the sceneries are refined together as that one whole. So there is always going to a trade off between full absolute detail and the best performance you can get with the full package installed, overall I think Drzewiecki Design have delivered an outstanding job in this area, but to note that also still depends on the power of your computer and graphic card. Again the option of the Seattle City scenery and freeware lite airports can help in areas were as your computer is not that powerful and you can still get a welcome use out of the package. If you do run the complete set of packages, then another option is to lower your texture quality to the "high" setting, you lose a little visual quality and get a slight blur but with the size of these city scenerie packages then that setting is usually the normal one...  hopefully the coming Vulkan/Metal API changes may allow you to go back up the slider. But the graphic numbers still do count in that 8351mb at Maximum, and 2855mb at the High setting for the complete installed twin packages, it is only one step on the graphic slider, but it is still a very high jump in numbers and small loss in quality.   Seattle City XP From the very outset, you have to be aware of what the scenery consists of all the notable buildings and the city infrastructure of Seattle of which they are all very well represented here, but the buildings are quite basic in design with only a few highly customised objects like the iconic Seattle "Space Needle", but there are still 2000 custom-made objects positioned in the city and other areas of the scenery package and the mesh even covers and creates a detailed Mount Rainier. You have to really accept this compromise to get any sort of efficiency out of the scenery, and overall the effects of this approach is very minimal with the best in not only efficiency range and and still get those excellent visual aspects.     The actual Seattle custom photographic scenery covers an extremely large area. From North Everett in the north, right down to Federal Way in the south and out east to Redmond. The size and scope of this scenery however catches up with X-Plane's limited basic autogen layouts....  If you say sit/park your aircraft out at KSEA - Seattle Intl. and move your viewpoint over to the city, then the autogen stops quite abruptly just by the Space Needle? (seen here below right), ditto at night as this causes a black hole in the roads lighting networks to the north. Certainly flying over the city has no effect with the full and very effective autogen at your disposal, but landing at KSEA from south at night it is noticeable?     Autogen working (below left) and the overall city effect is astounding. The Space Needle itself is excellent with animated lifts running up the external structure and a detailed two level interior.       The most detailed area is south Seattle and the Harbor Island docks. Standouts are the two stadiums in "Century Link Field" and "Safeco Field"     For VFR flying the stadiums are very best visual reference with their distinct roofs...     ...   the "Port of Seattle" Harbor Island docks is also very impressive, most scenery developers just add in a few cranes and do not do a lot of the required dockside clutter, but you get everything here and it looks very and highly realistic.     Seattle's famous wharf's are all covered with the Pier 55, Miners Landing and the Seattle Aquarium all represented...     ...  the Minors Landing "Great" wheel is animated, if moving very slowly. The "Coleman Dock" ferry terminal is well done and complete with the boarding gantries...     ...   and also represented is the Coast Guard wharf. There are available H helipads for Elliott park, Broadcast House Helistop, Komo TV, 1001 Fourth Avenue Plaza and Harborview Medical Center.   Lake Union with "West Lake" and "South Union Lake" are covered with the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) building set at the south of the lake.     Redmond 17 kilometers or 11 miles east of Seattle is Redmond. The city is the home of Microsoft, Amazon and Nintendo of America and other various high profile tech companies.     Mostly in Redmond except for the branded Microsoft Building it is just Hi-Rise buildings, nothing custom, but the city skyline does give you a great visual reference when flying into KSEA from the north or east, I did find a few floating buildings to viewable to the west of the CBD.   Federal Way 25 miles to the south (and way past KSEA) in Tacoma is "Emerald Downs" a horse racing center...     ... because of it's very visual VFR reference and for any approach into Sea-Tac from the south the racetrack has been created, it is certainly very visual item and well done with the light industry surroundings.   Night lighting Drzewiecki Design has decided to light the city areas from the ground and not to use the usual reflective X-Plane lighting, although the street lighting is in place to add in to that aspect. This is a very brave thing to do as to get it wrong and it can seriously ruin a great scenery...  but here they get away with that idea and the city looks spectacular. As noted if the autogen is not active, then in certain city areas it can be very dark and ground blank?         The Seattle city lighting textures are very good and the city night view is highly realistic...     ...  The Space Needle looks brilliant, but the Carnival cruise liner is gaudy beyond belief, but the ship is animated and very slowly disappears into the sound.     Overall the night lighting gives you a real sense of arrival with a big city feel, simply great views on the northern approaches into Sea-Tac and this is currently one of the best American city sceneries now available for X-Plane11.   Summary Part of a two part package from Drzewiecki Design, this pack covers the City of Seattle in the American far northwest. The full Seattle City XP and the combined Seattle Airports XP Pack is quite an impressive coverage of this very exciting from an aviation point of view VFR area. You can if you don't want to purchase the whole package still use this city scenery with other relative local airport sceneries and most probably with the freeware or global versions, and even in that context this scenery will give you a good to very good representation of Seattle.    The scenery itself is excellent, if still created with high efficiency in mind, so don't go looking for extreme detailing, but as an overall skyline and for excellent VFR visuals then it is an excellent addition to your X-Plane11 city scenery collection.   Laminar Research's autogen is also now showing its boundaries with area sceneries of this larger scale. The autogen's lines and boundaries are now being shown, and lower texture settings are required to get the best overall performance from the scenery and the area.   In content the scenery covers all the major attractions and buildings in Seattle, custom buildings and stadiums are included as well as a highly detailed and animated Space Needle, other areas covered include Redmond and the far south down to Federal Way with a detailed Mount Rainier which is also included.   Seattle is home to Boeing, one of the biggest aircraft companies in the world with a long and rich history, and so the city is important to represent the area to X-Plane users...  this Seattle City XP is certainly an investment, but a very highly regarded one in to which to build the best X-Plane scenery you can assemble into recreating the best flying world around you, either in the smaller general aviation aircraft or the bigger more powerful jet aircraft, flying around Puget Sound from now on with this scenery installed, will never be the same again...  only now better, far better. Highly Recommended.   ____________________________________________________________________       Yes!...  Seattle City XP by Drzewiecki Design is Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
Seattle City XP   Price is US$24.00   Features:   Seattle, Washington scenery with over 2000 custom-made buildings incl. whole downtown in 3D plus other landmarks, bridges, stadiums, harbors/marinas, trains, containers and other objects, all with night textures. Mount Rainier is also included. Large scenery area (Federal Way – Everett – Redmond) with night textures and a detailed autogen as well as seaplane bases (W55 and S60) and heliports Highly advanced performance-friendly design Added H helipads for Elliott park, Broadcast House Helistop, Komo TV, 1001 Fourth Avenue Plaza and Harborview Medical Center.   Recommended for use with:   Seattle Airports XP   Price is US$43.00     Requirements : X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4Gb VRAM Minimum - 8Gb+ VRAM Recommended Download size: 1.2Gb Current version: 1.1 (September 6th 2018)   Download and Installation Installation :   Download file size is 1.12gb and is inserted into your X-Plane - Custom Scenery Folder. Installed file size is 4.34gb. Package comes with installers for both Win (.exe) and Mac-Linux, and be sure you download the correct version for your system.   If both the Seattle City XP and Airport scenery XP files are installed then the correct .INI order is required, but the installer will arrange that for you.   Extras and Documents:   SEATTLE_CITY_XP_MANUAL.pdf Mac and Linux manual install - Russian.pdf Mac and Linux manual install - Polish.pdf Mac and Linux manual install - English.pdf ______________________________________________________________________   Review by Stephen Dutton 7th September 2018  Copyright©2018 : X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)   Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD  Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.25r2 Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro v1.09 US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 : BetterPushBack - Free Scenery or Aircraft - Boeing 737-800 - Default X-plane by Laminar Research    

i am very disappointed by this product.   it is not told in the reviews how bad the flight model is. This has nothing to do with flying.   some of the graphics and mostly of how this thing flies reminds me of the 1980's Atari game over products.   The external look of the F/A-18 is so attractive that most of us tend to lose control over our minds when developing a purchase behaviour like with this product. X-plane has not a single fighter jet in its program. There is basic models like X-15, F-4, B52, but these serve as file source only i believe. Nobody would fly these really. So, Colimata comes at the right time with the right promise, and there is no competitor.   What i would classify as typical freeware after having purchased and tested it, comes with an arrogant price on the .org. USD 30,00 for this low quality is pure robbery. I don't understand why they don't kick this from the shelf to protect consumers. This damages X-Plane as a whole and discredits the .org as qualified sales point.   There is no money back guarantee it seems, so be careful with what you buy.  if you can not test a product before purchase, you are going to end up with this kind of chunk.   The truth is hard, sorry Colimata.