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Behind the Screen : November 2024 To most Simulator users it is the flying dynamics and the reproduction of iconic aircraft that is their general focus. To relive, train or learn on how to fly a broad spectrum of aviation's greatest developments. From airliners past and present, General Aviation aircraft, Military, Helicopters and even the weird and wonderful contraptions that can fly through the air. But the environment that you fly in is important as well, and yes "I'm Talking about scenery again". "Oh god I really wish this guy would move on from this", I can hear the groans from here, the foreheads banging on the desktops. But it is important as X-Plane is in a critical stage of it's development, it is the biggest issue right now, and an important one to get right. There are other areas that need development in X-Plane, certainly Multi-player functionality and Multi-Threading are major priorities, but even Laminar Research are focusing very heavily on what they call "New Generation Scenery", and over the last few months, trickles of what NGS is now coming out. And it is an interesting debate, and one that could make X-Plane a prime simulator. There is no doubt that the environment is the Microsoft Flight Simulator's 2020, and now 2024 is a main focus, you can't really call it a flying simulator, it just has planes and helicopters in it, but this is a gaming platform, full of experiences... even now a career if you want one. That is fine, but the biggest attraction and one of which Microsoft promotes is this significant aspect of the environment... and this is where it does get interesting. If you want X-Plane to grow as a Simulator, then you have to embrace the fact that the environment around your aircraft is a major attraction to people who want to use a Simulator. But this aspect always has been X-Plane's biggest imperfection. Since the start of my Simulation involvement, the default scenery has been, well mostly.... crap. I'm not talking about some of the excellent add-on scenery produced for the X-Plane Simulator, I'm talking about the basics here, and why X-Plane does not have a bigger audience, and some, if most will say, "Well we like it that way", fine, but that way will mean the decrease of investment, not only by user participation, but by the essential developers moving on to better conditions. I'm not going to go all depressed on you again, because actually X-Plane in development has had a very successful year, but the simulator has also lost a lot of talented talent that we couldn't afford to lose, worse it's not attracting talent either, whether you like it or not X-Plane has reached a milestone, that could flip it simply one way or the other. From one perspective it looks absolutely fine if you keep to the basics and use default Global Airports, and yes things at this point are far better than it was 12 months ago. But that crucial line is now more in important than ever, if X-Plane does not grow, and quite significantly over the next few years it will become only a marginal player in Simulation. And we have to be realistic, in that the default Global scenery has always been a hindrance, limiting the expansion of the simulator. The change from X-Plane 9 to X-Plane 10 was a significant step forward, but except for the new excellent trees in X-Plane 12 there has been no progress for over a decade, were as every other component of the Simulator has had significant upgrades, all the way throughout X-Plane 11 and to XP12. Basically we still have the same two tier autogen and tile mapping, and although the mountainous frameworks are very good, at a ground level the basic low-res ground textures are basically the same as they have been for years. Add in the poor insertion of custom scenery, and those horrible wide green spaces between the default and custom elements on the mesh, and I still cringe every time I land at Tampa, Florida, with those wide green spaces were buildings should be, so I never ever really liked it for realism. Worse is if you are flying over empty spaces, say the American Kansas west, plains or worse African Sahara, or in my case over Australia, the repetitive patterns (landclass) were all there to see, for hours on end, and those Saharan landscapes are horrible and actually won't fit into any custom scenery, yes there are always options, but this default aspect is not at all good. I did a demonstration flight in a helicopter hardware simulator with a particularly large audience, it all looked totally brilliant until I landed on those washed out lo-res chunks of textures, I was actually embarrassed of the scene, this was supposed to be a professional simulator, here broadcasting to a crowd that were interested in buying pro hardware, but I could see the reality of X-Plane's weaknesses, and maybe at that moment it has been my overwhelming focus of being on a sort of crusade to fix the "Scenery Problem". Ben Supnik joined Laminar Research to do the very original scenery for X-Plane 6 with the introduction of DSF (Direct Scenery Format) in XP8, and which also introduced global terrain data. Then Supnik created what you could call the 2nd Gen Scenery for X-Plane 10, this version introduced two other clever elements in using both Autogen to place buildings to the modeling of global terrain data and the OpenStreetMap (OSM) data to provide immersive and realistic landscapes. Remember this was 2011, and at that time is was an extremely big step forward. But OSM had limitations, as you were restricted to it's coverage, so in areas like Africa, South America, and certainly in non-western zones like China, suddenly the lights went out and all the buildings disappeared. Yes Laminar added in more autogen, taller buildings and small industrial areas, but overall it stayed very limited for over a decade, with only a few icons added in extra. alpilotx did do a more Hi-Res version of the original XP10 texture tiles, but he left X-Plane in 2016, since then there has been nothing. These two areas are currently expanded in X-Plane by replacing the default autogen by using 3d buildings like in SimHeaven's X-World series, again the limitation is that it relies on the same OSM data as the default scenery. Secondly is the addon to use photorealistic terrain using satellite imagery, known as "Ortho" and the Ortho4XP tool. Believers standby these two tools to replace what X-Plane does not provide, but they do take a huge amount of your processing power and storage, overall they are not a perfect solution to the worldwide scenery issues. Now Supnik is faced with his biggest challenge yet, to recreate the scenery system for a modern Simulator, and that aspect is harder than what you think. It's the "World" and not just the small play area that is recreated in Games of say around 30nm. In that small game area, it is quite easy to recreate sensational scenery for the characters, but when you have the massive expansive world to recreate, then this huge scale has so many different aspects to recreate. Okay I may be over hard on X-Plane scenery for what it currently does, as to a point it does recreate the world quite well, but a decade on the game has now shifted (no pun intended). Although lauded, Microsoft's approach to scenery has it's limitations as well. For landclass it is very good, shapeshifting the world in all it's elements, but it has one massive deficiency, it is when you get close to the ground. The major issue is ground distortion, plus any buildings, but mostly bridges that have space below that are sheared in physically into the ground. If you are flying at a 1,000ft it is not a very realistic scenario, and this is an important aspect of VFR flying, yes the correct buildings are there, but basically they are all generated shapes. X-Plane's approach in this case for VFR is actually better, but not expanded out to cover major detailed areas. So how do you fix this. The Ortho believers think their approach is the best, but Ortho is not great either, as in many areas the buildings are only burnt in, leaving flat photographic images. But at the same 1,000ft point of view the Ortho works best, as it looks photographically realistic, the problem here though is when you get close to the ground, because the flat photo plate and the island looking 3d buildings, again doesn't look realistic. Like myself Ben Supnik does not like Ortho, his argument like mine is the burn effects, trees, buildings will always have shadows, cars are burnt into the roads and so on, so with the daily time scale of moving light it doesn't work. His work is to try to find a compromise between the Ortho detail, but with not the absolute photo effects errors, so like with our current ground textures it is the best compromise in realism. So what new scenery aspects are coming? well better ground textures means new "Terrain Rendering". Laminar wants to cram in more and more stuff on a tile, make it more dense with data. So overall it looks like what Laminar are working on is a completely new and different approach in creating better ground detail, as at the moment the current DSF is not scalable, but NGS or also known as "Direct Scene Snapshot" (DSS) is highly scalable, also highly streamable, plus has better and faster loading properties. But DSS will at first only be an alternative to DSF, as if it replaced DSF, it would render most of the current Custom Scenery library obsolete. One other feature of DSS is that it will allow for Ortho images to be streamed directly into the Simulator if users still want to use that point of view, The interesting aspect of this "Tile Streaming", is the "streaming" is currently a reference in how the data gets into the sim engine. But will that "Streaming" be local (in the computer), or externally like Microsoft does? Well a bit of both. X-Plane Mobile is actually already a streaming Simulator, so X-Plane desktop is probably going to go the same way with cloud streaming (Amazon's AWS), but with the cache to download the areas that you want to fly in off-line. Instead of downloading the current large DSF tiles with data, the streaming DSS files will be far smaller, but broken up into immediate high data quality visuals, but lower res (data) for far distance visuals. The trick is that Laminar are trying to do is have the best of both worlds, the photo aspect of Orthos, but without the problems of the format (flat and burn ins), so the idea is with these smaller DSS tiles is that they will also be non-repeating, or have no Landclass category, meaning that a single image will be in the future just not repeated over and over to represent the area (my pet hate), but to represent the photo aspects without the photograph, so you will get the best of both worlds, great ground detailing, without the shadows and minute that affects Ortho images, plus the tiles will perfectly reflect the area they represent. Is this the mythical solution? The biggest challenge however is filling the world in. X-Plane will still use the autogen model, but probably expanded. The biggest success over the decade was SFD's (ShortFinal Designs) excellent SFD Global, that took the current duel (USA/European) autogen modeling and added in more regions to it around the world, so yes you can currently see Middle-eastern housing in Dubai, and Japanese housing in Japan, and Australia housing in Australia. Justin Kissling (mister-x, SFD) was already working on an expanded v2 of SFD Global, but has since been recruited by Laminar Research, this certainly means that SFD Global v2 will now be the default in X-Plane, plus in a far more expanded form, but what of those towns and cities? This is still the biggest challenge facing X-Plane as a realistic VFR Simulator. I always like the autogen spread, with central custom city objects as a great way of doing this in a realistic scenario. In payware efforts were cities have been reproduced; New York, Washington, Seattle, London, Paris, even the excellent Orbx Brisbane and Detroit are excellent examples, the idea works well, the trick is to expand it worldwide to cover most if not if all major population centers. The problem is with custom city scenery is that it is very time-consuming to recreate, building by unique building, and annoyingly these city packages don't repay well for the developer's time consuming task. This is an area that could be redefined, could the new tools of A.I. build our custom cities for us? takeaway the overwhelming task of creating custom scenery... ten years ago this aspect was not possible, but it now may be realistic. Ben Supnik notes that the new NGS scenery will be released is stages, and not completely all at once, so access will be available sooner than later, then the development will stretch out over time like with the Vulkan/Metal roadmap, so this a long term project more than the next X-Plane version journey, but certainly the NGS is coming more sooner than later, hopefully in 2025. If done right, the above NGS development has the potential to revolutionise X-Plane as a Prime Simulator, it's an interesting take in that it is using all the best elements, and is discarding the negative ones, it will also make the Simulator even more efficient, but also in delivering an excess of a more visual detailing and a realistic environment for us to fly in. If you understand the concept, you will find it very exciting on what it can achieve... it is a vision of the future of realism in Simulation. As usual there will be no December "Behind the Screen" 2024 issue, but our full yearly round up of the year 2024 review is to be published on 13th December 2024, so watch out for that. Stephen Dutton 4th December 2024 Copyright©2023 X-Plane Reviews

Aircraft Review : Gulfstream 650/650ER by AKD Studios In the world of privilege, those whom are superior to us mere mortals, then the word "Gulfstream" is their daily transport. These private jets are the upper echelon of status, and the bigger, faster and the longer range of these niche machines, then the higher the status. AKD Design released X-Plane's Gulfstream G550 a couple of years ago in late 2022, the best dedicated Gulfstream for the X-Plane Simulator. Here is the release of the GLF 650, with including the GLF 650ER - Extended Range variant. The Gulfstream series is a complicated one, as the G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series, and those aircraft evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP. So is the GLF 650 the biggest and fastest? not quite, as I said Gulfstreams are complicated and don't follow in order. The GLF 650 has a 7,000 nm range and a maximum speed of Mach 0.925 with 18 passengers, The GLF 700 Series has a 7,500 mn Range for 19 passengers in a longer cabin of 56ft. The GLF 800 is a hybrid of the two, it has the shorter (GLF 650) cabin at 46ft, but the more modern engines and the newer wing to cover a 8,000mn range, carrying 15-19 passengers. So the GLF 800 is best suited for the longest routes, while the GLF 700 maximizes cabin space for ultra-luxurious travel. The GLF 650 remains an excellent option for those who need luxury with substantial, but slightly less, range. But then the GLF 650ER spices it all up a little with the GLF 700, as it can cover the same 7,500nm range, so you can connect even more distant city pairs, such as Los Angeles to Melbourne or Hong Kong to New York nonstop. Otherwise the G650 and G650ER are basically the same aircraft except in one area, in that the G650ER holds more fuel and has a higher MTOW to support the extended range. But first just a couple of more statistics. If you have invested in the AKD GLF 550, then what is the difference between GLF 650? (noted here is the original G550 release). Unexpectedly the cabin is actually smaller in 46ft 10 inch (G550 50ft 1 inch), height is only one single inch higher. The range between them is 7,000nm to the G550 6,750nm, but speed is the same at Mach 0.85, the engine is different with the Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, with a maximum thrust of 16,900 lbf (75.2 kN). The BR725 50 inch (130 cm) fan with 24 swept blades is 2 in (5.1 cm) larger, and 4 dB quieter than the BR710 on the GLF 550. Overall the GLF 650 offers more cabin space, larger panoramic windows, and a lower cabin altitude (4,100 feet at high altitude) for enhanced comfort and reduced jet lag, so it is a step up in luxury, speed, and comfort from the GLF550. Both the G550 and G650 fly the same, feel the same actually, but the G650 does have a better initial climb rate of 4,000 fpm, compared to the G550 3,600 fpm, then both can climb easily at 2,000-3,000 fpm over 30,000ft to a ceiling of 51,000ft. They are impressive machines. The G650 cabin fit-out is different, more beige than the earlier G550 cream, the wood is changed from Teak to Walnut (a bit of a lighter wood). Chairs are actually smaller and more squarer than the wide G550 seating, but were as the G550 has abundant space, here the layout is far more better conceived, more realistic by design. With four forward club, twin club seats around a table, single club behind and only one sofa on the right rear. The lovely buffet with popup (animated) monitor, that shows the in-flight map is also better positioned mid-cabin. walnut highlights show the non-smoking/Seatbelt signs, and the front galley is very nice, with a marble worktop. There are two areas rear, first door is the washroom/toilet, rear is the large baggage area, with nets, a case, and the lower cargo hatch works for loading in the bags externally. I wasn't crazy about the G550 windows, they are better(ish) here, but not in an advanced way, still don't have any animated blinds either, I expected a step up here? From the X-Plane "Flight Configuration" menu you have the choice of both the GLF 650, and the GLF 650ER (Extended Range). So they are presented as separate aircraft. Externally the two G550 and G650 aircraft are not much if anything different, you would be pushed to separate them. Modeling wise they are very good, but certainly not in that high ultra realism factor we can now expect from X-Plane 12. The small issues are just that in being small, like the nosewheel lights (when off) and landing lights are not textured, or are blank. Not a good look at this level, and after two years, both G550 and G650 lighting should have been textured by now. Window surrounds are Lo-Res, but nice tinted glass. Problematic cabin windows does actually have glass, but it is extremely thin and not really reflective, so it all looks a bit holey... required is say a window tint or scratches to highlight the glass? There are two (male and female) pilots flying the aircraft, and quality pilots they are, but they are not animated. G650 has a highly swept high aspect ratio wing with a 36-degree sweep angle, which reduces drag and enables high-speed, gives you an efficient cruise, the wing incorporates composite materials for strength and to reduce weight. Lean and mean here, lovely curve is right up to the well done blended winglets. The G650 uses a Honeywell RE220(G) Auxiliary Power Unit, it provides high electrical power output and bleed air to the aircraft. The RE220(G) is hidden away in the lower tail, but you can hear it running. Distinctive Gulfstream tail (high bulky forward) is well done, and looks realistic. The G650 rear section and tail is quite different from the G550, cleaner and without air vents, but well done here. BR725 engine pods are better than the AKD average G550 versions. Better fan detail is also all new, as is the rear exhaust detail. But I wasn't impressed by the poor internal fit, that showed in the surrounds of too much daylight? Reverser action is very basic, just a set of cans and no real detail. The nosewheel is exquisitely crafted, an amazing amount of small detail, down to strut, hydraulics, links and nuts, but the noted missing lighting glass still makes it feel all slightly unfinished? Twin rear assemblies are trailing link, a normal gear arrangement on these executive jets. Again all the modeling and detail is first rate. Here better than the G550, that was quite bland/unfinished. Inner gear doors however are wafer thin, and not very realistic, but the animation is excellent. As are the nice rubber tyres and quality inner wheel rims. Static Elements Externally you have a set of Static Elements, including pitot tags, chocks (all wheels) and two AKD logoed GPUs (Ground Power Units). Both the main entrance forward door and baggage hatch are nicely animated to open and close. Cockpit The cockpit (no seperation doors on Gulfstreams) makes it feel very exposed to the passengers. Inside the layout and feel is the Gulstream same, but different... if that makes sense? You quickly understand the Gulfstream layout, but the feel in here is far lighter in beige, than the overall dark grey of the G550, it is helped by the very nice orange head and armrests on the seats. Wall panels have the diamond patterned luxury feel as on the G650, but the "GulfStream" logo on the rear of the centre console is missing? Seats are the same, but slightly modified in they now have armrests, but oddly only the inner rests are animated? Outwardly they look great, but on closer inspection they are quite lumpy and hard in detail, seats are locked into place as well. Note the hanging rear jumpseat, shame it is not animated.... Yokes are slightly different from the G550, in the centre paper clip holder is missing, but look better. PTT (Push To Talk) works, but not the electric trim? You can hide both yokes via pressing the instrument panel behind. Note the nice rudder pedals. Throttle quadrant is also the same, but again different... the handles on the G550 were chrome, here they are anodised, and note the "very" small AutoThrust (working) disconnect button. Power on... and you get a startup/alignment sequence. There are three options here; Real, Short or Instant alignment, but the full procedure is worth watching. Flight Deck The Gulfstream integrated flight deck is based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system. There are four huge 14-inch displays Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Display (AMLCD) that use the Next Generation Flight Management System (NGFMS). Basically they breakdown to the two external PFD (Primary Flight Displays), and the two inner MFD (Muliti-Functional Displays). Note, this is NOT the "Symmetry Flight Deck", that has Touchscreens and Side-Stick controllers. The G550 uses the "PlaneView" Cockpit series, were as the G650 uses the upgraded "PlaneView II" system with the Cursor Control Devices (CCD), Predictive Landing Performance System (PLPS) and HUD "Dual Head-Up Display Option"... not included here on the PlaneView ll are the Synthetic Vision System (SVS), Enhanced Vision System (EVS) and Automatic Emergency Descent Mode (EDM). But provided however is a single pilot HUD, it works, but looks very dated to the latest Laminar Research default HUD, I expect it will be updated in an update. The panel layout is basically the same as the G550, but there is a slight difference with the Gulfstream specific glareshield "Switch Panel Unit" (SPU) on the G650 and G700 series. There is an added element of the SMC or "Standby Multifunction Controller" that shows the backup instruments in the SPU, it is activated by the "STANDBY" button under the SPU selection buttons... ... if the SMC is switched off you get the Aircraft's registration number (a nice handy touch), and the usual SPU menu selections. The SPU is basically a simple push-button controller and it is easy to access and set, the menus are shown on the SPU Display. Selections include; PFD, MAP, SENSOR, FLT REF, TEST, CHKLIST - SYSTEM, 1/6 - 2/3, TRS, NAV, HUD. By my estimation about 70% of the SPU system is currently only working? but this is a very deep system. Upper left buttons select the system area you want to access, and the right display has selection buttons to access the item, it is complex, but simple in the same instance. Once you work out where each selection is (or have a printed guide) then the system is easy to use. Here you can select 2/3 of the PFD (or have the engine or data readouts left 3rd of the screen) or use FULL which gives you the full basic flight instruments Artificial Horizon top and the Horizontal Situation Indicator lower. Artificial Horizon, Speed and Altitude tapes, Bank roll scale and roll pointer, Vertical Speed markers, Pitch markers, ILS bars and AOA (Angle of Attack) guide. There are 3 HSI selections with 120/180/360º options. The left panel systems is separated into two sections selected from the Switch Panel Unit, in DU 1 "Upper" and "Lower". These selections can be changed to show other system items, including; AC/DC Power, APU/Bleed, Brakes, ECS/Press (Environmental), Eng Start, FLT Controls and traffic. Selections are done by pressing the corresponding button to the line. NEXT gives you more options; <Cameras, CAS (Crew Alerting System), Checklist, Comp (Comprehensive) Eng, Pri (Primary) Eng, Sec (Secondary) Eng and Waypoint List... RETURN takes you back to the first menu order. These menu options are available on all four DU units. The other two DUs are set in the two centre displays DU 2 (Lower) and DU3 (Lower). You have also in the central DU 3 and DU 4 displays, both have built in menus for MAP/Navigation. Provided are; Map Data, Aircraft Centre (Heading or Plan modes), Hdg, Prev, Next (waypoints), World and Map which is also on the systems menu Left menu allows you to show Map data (Airports, VORs, NDBs...). The right menu shows aircraft diagrams for; AC Power, DC Power, Doors, Fuel, Hydraulic, MAP, CMC, ECS/Press, FLT Controls, Summary. And either DU 3 or 4 displays can be used via both menus. The diagram layouts are more detailed than the G550, plus the camera is now in colour. DU 3 upper right has an Engine Readout panel including N1 (Fan Speed), N2 (Core Speed) EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature), Fuel Flow, ITT (Interstage Turbine Temperature), Oil Pressure and Temperature, hydraulic Pressure, Fuel Temps and Fuel Quantity. DU 4 has an upper left panel for the Crew Alerting System (CAS), and lower left is the excellent built in checklist with navigation selections. True to the G650 system, menu navigation is via a three pronged PlaneView II CCD cursor (arrowed) All four DUs (Display Units) will pop-out via the X-Plane Banner Menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12". The G650 CAS or "Crew Alerting System" is excellent as it categorises alerts into four levels: Warning (red), Caution (Yellow), Advisory (Blue), and Status (White). Can also be labeled as the Centralised Warning Panel (CWP) on the DU4. • Warnings represent immediate action items (e.g., engine fire) and are often associated with aural alerts. • Cautions indicate conditions that require attention but aren’t immediately critical. • Advisories provide information that may affect the flight but generally do not require immediate action. • Status messages give general information or notifications on system states. Flight Management System (FMS), originally in the AKD GLF 550 it had the standard Laminar default FMS, and very basic it was... But here in the G650 we have a more dedicated FMS, it's still a sort of hybrid, so it is not totally authentic to the Honeywell Primus Epic installed in a G650, it however is quite good and far, far better in detail and data than the default installation. All three MCDU units pop-out via the banner menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12". The IDENT and NAV INDEX are very authentic, but you can still insert a standard X-Plane .fms route from X-Plane. Manual entry of the flightplan is also possible, even with Co-Ords DEPARTURE (SID) and ARRIVAL (STAR) are also available and can be tuned and ACTIVATED to your preferences. So Flightplan creation and editing is very quick and easy, basically you load in your .fms flightplan, add in the DEP and ARR procedures and your done! You can check the Flightplan (PLAN) by going to the Switch Panel Unit and selecting MAP, then NORTH to activate the PLAN mode. Then press PREV or NEXT to navigate the Flightplan... If the need be, you can also finely adjust the MAP screen via tabs, top, bottom and both sides via the CCD cursor directly on the DU Display. There are also three PROG (Progress) pages with a significant amount of route and flight data. The Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) is positioned in the glareshield contained each end by each Switch Panel Unit (SPU) system, and the WARNING panel is far left and right. AFCS is dual system, fail-operational, for both the Autopilot (AP) and the Auto Throttle (AT) subsystems. This is accomplished by hosting each system in a different modular avionics unit with two lanes in separate processors. The purpose of the AFCS is to provide Flight Director (FD), AP yaw damper and trim functions. The autoflight system receives computed lateral (roll) and vertical (pitch) steering commands from the FD system for the autopilot and for display on the Primary Flight Display (PFD). In the event the AP is disengaged the pilot can manually fly the steering commands presented on the PFD. The AP and AT systems make up the subsystems of the autoflight system. Layout and use is identical to the GLF 550. Overhead Panel (OHP) is really well set out and easy to use. Digital numbers are all used in the readouts. Systems covered are; the Electrical system with all its buses, Full Fire Protection system, the full Hydraulic system, Gulfstream Fuel system and APU system and start up timing. The main twin-throttles and rear reverser levers are as noted now an anodised, design, look nice, nice to use. Set each side are the standard Air-brake and Flap levers UP-10-20 (T/O and APP) - 39º (Down). Rear pedestal is all electric trims and MCDU 3, nicely done is the use of a FMS frame to hold the Radio settings, a simple but clever way of doing it. Although the MCDU 3 holds the RADIO frequencies, the Radio controls are on both side panels with the lighting controls. There are EFB/Tablets available for both the Pilot and First Officer, both can be separately accessed via the Banner Menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12". As a note there is one other Menu option on the Banner Menu, this is the "IRS instant Align", to do a quick system alignment. There are nine menu tabs; Fuel Payload, GND (Ground), AviTab, Flight Plan, PERF (Performance) Calculator, Settings, Checklists and Audio Volume and Cabin Lights. Most of the EFB layout is the same as the earlier G550, but there are a few differences. FUEL : Here you can set your fuel load (Kgs and Lbs), Set Cargo, Set Payload, Passengers, and even the passenger weight. The changes are shown in fuel load, GW (Gross Weight) and ZFW (Zero Fuel Weight. Three options are also available; Reset Data, Set, and Insert Simbrief Data. You can now load in your Simbrief data directly into the Fuel/Weight page, but have to press SET to align the Fuel and Payload weights (which is a little slow?) an instant load would be nice. You can scroll or Add + or Minus - any number to your liking (like extra fuel) When loaded you can then load your passengers by pressing "Boarding". Pressing "bring Passengers from terminal" will activate a very nice Mercedes bus, then load the passengers into the aircraft, when the bus will drive away, the opposite to deplane, or "Take passengers to terminal" is the reverse operation. This activity has had a lot of refinement over the last two years, earlier it was a Tesla 3 car, a scale too big, and the process was chunky, but this is now really well done, if waiting for the bus to arrive is a bit (okay a lot) slow. GND : There are a few options on the "Ground Handling Page" which are the Static Elements. Of which there is the GPU (Ground Power Unit) AC, but also noted a DC Unit, Main door and Main Door Lights, Chocks, Cargo Door... on the Static Elements Page there is; front L/G covers, Captain and F/O pitot covers, and Main L/G covers. Open ALL Doors and Close ALL Doors options are also available AviTab : AviTab (Plugin Required) is available and a nice to have. Flight Plan : This tab option is new from the G550, but the former METAR tab is now merged with the Flight Planning. Again you can "Inport Data from Simbrief" (Import Simbrief) to load in the current generated Brief, Flightplan and Fuel/Weights, then you can SET FUEL/PAYLOAD directly into the MCDU. This will set up the Departure and Approach speeds. NOTE: I couldn't find the Simbrief Profiles for the GLF 650? So the developer has provided two, one for each variant G650 and the G650ER, both are listed below, and are required as a custom G550 version won't work or be correct to the G650 performance. And four PERFORMANCE INIT pages... parts of the PREF are not yet completed, it looks like the VNAV section. PERF (Performance) Calculator : There is a two page comprehensive performance calculator that can take data from the FUEL and METAR pages and fill in the required data, including : (Takeoff) DATA, AIRPORT INFO, TAKEOFF SPEEDS, FLAP LIMITS, (Landing) DATA, AIRPORT INFO, LANDING SPEEDS and FLAP SPEEDS. SETTINGS : In settings you can set the various aircraft options, including; IRS Alignment (Time) - Real/Short/Instant, Refuel (Time) Real/Short/Instant, Simbrief User ID, Pause on TOD (Top of Descent), EFB Units (Kg/Lbs), Aircraft Temp units (Cº/Fº), Aircraft Weight Units (Kg/Lbs), Sync (Baro), Nosewheel (Roll/Yaw/Tiller) and EFB Brightness. Second page includes (advanced); Tail Rego, Use Kill Objects, Disable LuaJIT, Static Elements on Startup and Main Door open on Startup. CHECKLIST : The checklist has been simplified, in that you now can't check off (green) items, otherwise navigation is still easy and the lists are through. SOUND : Sound panel is currently quite basic, with sliders for (Master) Volume, Exterior Volume, Interior Volume, Co-Pilot Volume and Radio Volume. CABIN LIGHTS : There are two pages of "Cabin Lighting" settings, the overhead lights, and diverse lighting. All can be either selected individually, or use the "Turn ON All lights' (Turn OFF also) to shortcut the cabin lighting, all can be adjusted for BRIGHTNESS via the sliders. ___________ Lighting The AKD G550 when released in lighting was a bit hit and miss, but a lot of development has completely changed this aspect. The Cockpit lighting has about 12 adjustment knobs, and now all of them work, and they cover basically every area. From Instrument dropdown, OHP, Centre Console, pilots side panels, yoke lights and overall cockpit lights. The vestibule area behind the cockpit is especially well done. As you know I like a certain cockpit sterile low lighting feel for takeoff and and landing, it is perfectly available here, but I will note was quite fiddly to get it right, not something you can adjust quickly? A neat feature is the text lighting on the yokes, high adjustment gives you white text, low adjustment the same orange text as the OHD and side panels. Cabin Cabin lighting is just sensational. We have seen the options, and the selections are upper and lower downlights, and the separate seat lighting. Again with all the adjustments, there are load of different cabin variations you can create. Bathroom and Baggage areas are excellent. Even with the cabin lighting off, and the vestibule lighting on, it looks and feels nice and comfy. External lighting The external lighting has been refined as well. It covers both landing lights with a "Pulse" option, nosewheel taxi lights, Navigation and Beacon/Strobe, tail lights, ICE/Wing and gear bay lights... Landing lights are still a bit over bright for my tastes, but otherwise very good... the forward cabin door also has built in lighting, looks excellent. A few GLF 650 flight notes I'm not crazy about the tight tiller, jiggly is more like it, and it is hard to taxi straight, the rudder pedals don't give you a lot of turning movement either, so the GLF 650 is a bit of a beast to taxi. You need to "Arm" the ground spoilers when you get to the runway, if not they stickup, but this will also give you a "Ground Spolier Unarmed" Caution until you get there. It is very easy to not to set the A/T (AutoThrust) were you get the "A/T not in Hold" Caution. The "Arm" selector is hidden on the left of the AFCS, the best way to find the hot-spot is to switch on the "View/Show Instrument Click Regions" Power up and your gone... with a combined thrust of 33,800 lbf from the BR725s. .... T/O flap is set at a high 20º, so you need to retract the flap to 10º almost immediately on leaving the runway, same with the retracting the gear to get yourself cleaned up as soon as possible. Then the Gulfstream will climb like no tomorrow at a 4000 fpm climbout, but 3,500 fpm is far more realistic. Remember the FMS selection is selected via the NAV button on the SPU... There is custom LNAV and VNAV. Climb, cruise and descend management with altitude and speed restrictions, and even RNAV Approaches are available. You have a massive, almost Concorde ceiling at 51,000ft with this Gulfstream, so those impressive climb numbers are required, and you can reach that FL510 altitude at around 25 minutes under optimal conditions. At the really short 309nm distance between Luxembourg and Biggin Hill, FL320 is also still available, so we are not certainly pushing the GLF 650 anywhere near it's impressive credentials... You have to love this... a Gulfstream and X-Plane 12, Heaven. Sounds are particularly good, with a 3D sound engine with stereo dynamics, lovely wind and control surfaces sounds that are different in the cabin than the flightdeck, the cockpit ambient sounds are excellent with no loops or repetitive droning and the systems have custom alerts. There are custom PA Sounds in Polish and English, but I couldn't find were you activated them... overall the aural package is very good. There are only two liveries in the package, N650GY and SP-TOP, but there is a paint-kit included. There is also a dedicated AKD GLF650 liveries page here: Liveries for the GLF650, with loads of choices. Other features include a custom GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System), TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) and a very good custom Pressurization, Oxygen and Air Conditioning system, again required for that high altitude. You can go down as fast as you can go up! You can descend at 3,000 to 4,000 feet per minute (fpm) during normal descent phases, but even 5,000 fpm is possible, though this is generally reserved for emergency situations. The passengers get quite a ride... The aircraft has a very good "Autotune" for both the ILS and local VOR frequencies (115.10 BIG), so if you need to do a manual ILS or VOR tuning, then it must be turned off via the Radio page, if not the frequencies are locked in. There is a bit of a trick to landing the G650, it is to get the most minimal speed you can for landing, if not it is a bit of a handful on the tarmac. Whatever you can get away with you will accept, here it is a noted 136 knts approach, but closer to the runway I am down as low as 127 knts, and still airborne.... you just keep lowering and nudging the throttle rearwards as you get closer and closer to the threshold. Then hold that final flare and let the Gulfstream sink as smoothly as you can... ... and touch! Then hit the "Cans" and you will find the reverse thrust is very effective, thankfully as you require a runway landing distance of approximately 3,000 feet (914 meters) under ideal conditions (at sea level, standard temperature, and no wind) when fully loaded. Biggin Hill 03/21 is only 5925ft (1806m) so it is quite tight if you leave the landing too late. And the G650 can be a bit tricky on those final moments and when down on the hard-stuff, hence that slow landing speed.... so it requires skill, in the takeoff and landing phases. But this is a very nice genuine Gulfstream dream machine. _____________ Summary In world of the elite, then the word of Gulfstream is the biggest token you can play in this upper exclusive club. The Gulfstream 650 has a 7,000 nm range and a maximum speed of Mach 0.925 with 18 passengers, Gulfstream 650ER however spices it all up a little with the GLF 700, as it can cover the same 7,500nm range, so you can connect even more distant city pairs. G650ER holds more fuel and has a higher MTOW to support the extended range. This aircraft is a major global trotting machine with both oceanic and transcontinental in range, it can fly high as well to an almost sub-orbital 51,000ft. AKD Design released X-Plane's Gulfstream G550 a couple of years ago in late 2022, the best dedicated Gulfstream for the X-Plane Simulator. Here is the release of the GLF 650, with also includes the GLF 650ER - Extended Range variant in this package. The Gulfstream G550 was a first time project by AKD Studios and obviously they had to pick an extremely complex aircraft to start with. So we found at the time the G550 was a bit underdeveloped, but to be fair, AKD has been one of the most prolific developers, with delivering almost monthly, even weekly sometimes in updates. So the development of the not only the original G550, but also the features of the G650 are now all excellent. Impressive in Gulfstream systems, the GLF 550 and this G650 are comprehensive and are excellent in operation, including the excellent Gulfstream "Display controllers" (menus) and all DUIs are covered by a four display screen arrangement based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system, notable is that this is not the Symmetry Flight Deck in the GLF 650, but the "PlaneView II" system with the Cursor Control Devices, and that aspect is well done here. Also custom CAS (warnings), Ice and rain protection system (X-Plane 12), IRS system and a full (menu) Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), also notable is the FMS (Flight Management System) is now also custom, GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System), TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System and a custom Pressurization, Oxygen and Air Conditioning system... it's an impressive list. Modeling is now very good but your not going to get the extreme X-Plane 12 Ultra quality here, a lot has been refined and updated over the two years, but a few niggles still remain... those cabin windows are still average and still have no blinds, the non-texturing of the main and taxi lighting is actually now becoming bewildering, and internal engine detail has too much light gaps from certain angles. But the cockpit and cabin lighting is excellent and highly adjustable, sounds are very good as well, the cabin layout is better here than the G550, and cockpit seats have very nice orange highlights. Personally I absolutely love these Gulfstreams from AKD Studios. X-Plane has always wanted really excellent transoceanic Private Jets for decades, and here they are available to X-Plane users, the G650 is also available in X-Plane 11. The price for the G560 is a little higher than the earlier released G550, but you get a lot for your investment, however if you own the GLF550 by AKD, you can get this GLF650 for a 25% off the price. Either way for your money you get a lot of aircraft with it's Gulfstream related systems and extensive list of features... Highly recommended. X-PlaneReviews has also published the AKD Designs interview by Dominic Smith (Also on the X-Plane.Org) to get a background on this interesting developer. ________________________________ The Gulfstream 650/650ER by AKD Studio is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore GLF650 - Ultimate Business Jet by AKD Studio Price is US$44.95 Requirements X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac (even native M1, M2,etc Macs) or Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1 GB Current version : 1.01 (November 4th 2024) PS: If you own the GLF550 by AKD, you can get this GLF650 for a 25%. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout as long as you use the same account. Download for the Gulfstream 650 by AKD Studio is 1.03GB And the final install in X-Plane Aircraft folder with the above loaded liveries is; 1.82gb. Authorisation is required. The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder. Simbrief Profiles: GLF650ER: https://dispatch.simbrief.com/airframes/share/256234_1726736252301 GLF650: https://dispatch.simbrief.com/airframes/share/256234_1722423236448 Documents GLF650 by AKD Studio - MCDU Manual.pdf GLF650 by AKD Studio Introduction.pdf GLF650_AKD_Checklist.pdf Support.txt Designed by AKD Studios Support forum for the GLF650 Liveries for the GLF650 _____________________ Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton 15th November 2024 Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews Review System Specifications:  Windows - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD. Bose Quietcomfort Headphones Software: - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.2 Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 Scenery or Aircraft - ELLX - Luxembourg Findel Airport v2.1 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.95 - EGKB - Biggin Hill (XP10) 1.3 by Chars (X-Plane.Org) - Free (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) All Rights Reserved

NEWS! - Scenery Released : KPAO - Palo Alto Intl Airport by FSDesigns FSDesigns have released the Northern Californian airport of Palo Alto International Airport in collaboration with CieloSim. Palo Alto Airport is a general aviation airport in the city of Palo Alto in Santa Clara County, California, United States, near the southern end of San Francisco Bay on the western shore. Facilities at this busy towered airport include a staffed terminal and multiple repair shops with, Advantage Aviation (Cessna & Beechcraft Authorized Service Center), WVAS Inc. dba Aero Works (Diamond Authorized Service Center), Rossi Aircraft, and Peninsula Avionics. The airport is also home to a number of flying clubs (in order of establishment): Stanford Flying Club (est. 1930),[3] West Valley Flying Club (est. 1973), Sundance Flying Club (est. 2006), and Advantage Aviation Flying Club. The airport is located within one-half mile of U.S. Route 101. Note... If the airport has a customs office or is designated as a port of entry, it can accommodate international arrivals for private or charter flights, making it technically international or noted having as Customs and Border Protection Facilities, but in reality Palo Alto does not have International Airline services. Key Features 3D Vegetation Accurate up-to-date ground textures Realistic PBR textures Weather maps for 12 features Realistic hand-placed night lighting High resolution orthoimagery Highly optimized for FPS Added dirt, grime, and details So just how do you fly "quietly"? Palo Alto Airport has one approach to runway 31. The RNAV (GPS) approach to runway 31 has 460' MDA/1-mi visibility minimum for category A approaches. The VOR approach has been decommissioned. Images are courtesy of FS Designs... KPAO is priced at an extremely low price at US$8.99, and now available at the X-Plane.OrgStore. _____________________________________ Yes! - KPAO - Palo Alto Intl Airport by FS Designs is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : KPAO - Palo Alto Intl Airport Price is US$8.99 Requirements X-Plane 12 Windows, Mac or Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 200MB Current version: 1.0 (Dec 2nd 2024) ___________________________ News by Stephen Dutton 3rd December 2024 Copyright©2024: 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) All Rights Reserved

I'm from SoCal BUT purchased this scenery (from the .org store) the day of release because I believe XP scenery developers should be rewarded for releasing "general aviation" airports (besides as Stephen pointed out "It's only 9 bucks?") Was kinda curious what other scenery the developer had developed,... so did some googling and found out KMTH was on sale for $2.99 (w/ a promised up grade to XP12 features https://flightsimdesigns.com/products/kmth-x-plane PS if the developer reads this,... whatabout doing a version of KBVU - Boulder City Municipal Airport (similar to an ORBX version for Prepar3D v4) https://orbxdirect.com/product/61b ...as I see things this GA airport /w lots of helipads would pair nicely with the default XP12 KLAS (especially if the Hoover Dam and Memorial Bridge land marks were included in the scenery package)

To each his own I guess. I used to live in the bay area and I am happy that one of the many airports in the area has been released. I like it, I think it's well done, and am happy with my purchase with the low price asked for it. Small unknown airports are still interesting to us that do a lot of flying in the area, keep them coming!

Aircraft Review: Gulfstream G550 Business Jet by X-Hangar By Michael Hayward Introduction The Gulfstream G550, a business jet developed by Gulfstream Aerospace, first flew in 2002 and remained in production until 2021. During its two-decade run, over six hundred airframes were produced, catering to a wide range of clientele including corporate executives and government agencies. The G550 was eventually succeeded by the more advanced G600. X-Hangar is a well-known developer for X-Plane, offering a mix of props, experimental aircraft, and business jets since the days of X-Plane 10. Their focus has always been on easy-to-run aircraft that the vast majority of users can enjoy. In this review, I’ll take a closer look at their latest release, the recently released Gulfstream G550 for X-Plane 12, and see how it stacks up within the X-Plane hangar. Download & Install Installing the Gulfstream G550, like any X-Hangar model, is straightforward. Once purchased from the X-Plane.org store, you’ll receive a zip file containing models for both X-Plane 11 and 12. Here you simply select the version you have installed (in my case, X-Plane 12), and then drag and drop it into your aircraft folder. Upon loading X-Plane, you'll notice that two versions of the G550 are included: one that uses the X-Plane camera feature and another that does not. According to the manual, the camera-enabled version can impact performance, costing up to 10fps in certain scenarios. If you don’t intend to take photographs, the non-camera version is recommended. X-Hangar has always prioritized performance, and the G550 is no exception. The aircraft includes a user manual located in the 'docs' folder, which provides a basic guide to operating the G550. This covers updates and differences between the XP11 and XP12 versions, startup checklists, door locations, key features, plus tips for using the autopilot or flying at night. This is well worth taking the time to read through, as it highlights the finer details of the G550 and helps you get the most out of the aircraft. Exterior Model The Gulfstream G550’s modelling isn’t overly complex, but X-Hangar has done a great job at recreating the aircraft’s design without compromising on frame rates. The aircraft features a sleek, elongated nose that leads into a slim, narrow fuselage. Along the roof, there are various sensors and aerials, while an angle of attack sensor and pitot tube sit below the front windshield. The long and wide and wide wings are designed to enhance climb and cruise performance, and the tail arches over the top, forming the easily recognisable ‘T’ shape configuration. External textures are rendered in 4K resolution and cover the entire aircraft, including the registration codes. These textures are crisp and detailed, even when viewed up close. X-Hangar has employed vector graphics to stretch and shape these textures across the fuselage, maintaining clarity without increasing the file size or VRAM requirements. Bump mapping has also been used effectively to highlight panel gaps and riveting, particularly around the windshield frame. Unlike traditional rounded airline windows which usually shape towards the vertical plane, the G550 makes use of wide, oval-shaped windows, which stretch longitudinally along the fuselage. Seven expansive windows stretch along the side of the aircraft, offering a broad view inside and making looking out quite an experience, more on that later! Little details when stationery on the ground, such as the pitot and engine covers, the red carpet beneath the stairs, and the extending roof canopy, really help bring the aircraft to life. Such thoughtful touches are certainly appreciated! X-Hangar has also included twenty-one liveries, ranging from real-world registration codes to more ‘generic’ business colours. This variety allows users to choose a livery that suits their flying style or intended route and makes for a great selection. Cockpit and Interior The cockpit of the X-Hangar G550 is functional rather than fancy, but this doesn’t detract from the overall product. It features the full X-Plane default avionics suite, customised to replicate the systems found in the real aircraft. Using the default avionics has its advantages as they are familiar, frame rate friendly, easy to operate, and benefit from regular updates by both X-Hangar and Laminar Research. The main display panel has a brown textured base and houses three screens. These provide important flight information when airborne and offer door controls and loading options while on the ground. Beneath the main displays, you’ll find a backup virtual horizon and altimeter, along with two FMS screens, IRS switches, and engine controls. All in all, the cockpit is easy to navigate with all your displays clearly laid out in front of you. In contrast to the cockpit, the cabin has received a lot of attention, and it shows. The rear section includes a sofa, individual seats, and tables where business passengers can relax or chat. There’s also a kitchen area stocked with steaks, shrimp, fruit salad, and toast (quite the combination!), a toilet and sink, and a luggage store at the back, complete with suitcases. You can even spawn virtual passengers to occupy the cabin, which only adds to the sense of realism. The cabin walls feature wood trim, creating an atmosphere that strikes a balance between being homely and a corporate meeting room. The wide oval windows offer plenty of light and visibility to the outside world and provide stunning views when at cruise altitude, particularly when flying at 51,000 feet. Sound The Gulfstream G550 uses a combination of custom engine sounds and default X-Plane audio. Custom sounds include recordings of the Rolls-Royce BR710 engines, along with cockpit alerts and alarms captured from the real aircraft. The engine sounds are dynamically adjusted in volume and pitch according to your throttle setting, while alarms within the cockpit are both audible and clear. While the audio may not be the strongest feature of this add-on, it is far from disappointing. The combination of custom and default sounds provides enough variety to create an immersive experience, especially when paired with a good audio system. Flight Dynamics The Gulfstream G550 is indeed a nimble jet! Upon departure, the power of the engines is palpable as you make a steep initial climb. It ascends effortlessly to its cruising altitude, typically between 45,000 and 52,000 feet. Once level, it remains steady, with the only resistance coming from high-altitude jet streams. The G550 is eager to soar, making ascent a breeze On autopilot, the G550 is remarkably steady, providing you ample opportunity to mingle with business guests or enjoy the cabin and scenic high-altitude views. The aircraft is also agile during banks and turns, simplifying complex procedures often encountered in challenging departures and arrivals. I highly recommend trying out the valley approach and sharp turns at Aspen, Colorado. With some forward-thinking and careful chart planning, you can easily land this aircraft in no time. It’s a joy to fly the G550 hands-on, pushing it to the limits of what a jet aircraft can achieve! Night Lighting The night lighting on the G550 sticks to X-Hangars tried and tested formula, simple yet effective. The cockpit lights are bright enough to see everything clearly, and the cabin has a nice, soft glow. Given that X-Plane’s frame rates can dip during sunset and nighttime hours, the G550 proves to be an excellent choice for night flying. Performance During my tests, I experienced no frame rate issues with the G550, which is a testament to X-Hangar's ability to deliver models that perform well above the norm. Gerald’s models consistently achieve higher frame rates compared to many more demanding add-ons, which is one of the reasons they are so popular. Opinion and Closing Remarks The first thing to mention is that X-Hangar is a one-man show and a passion project of Gerald. He has developed this add-on from the ground up, alongside all his other projects, and the dedication clearly shows! I've thoroughly enjoyed flying the Gulfstream G550. Although it doesn't quite reach the level of detail and fidelity you might find in the cockpits of Aerobask or AKD Studio models, the price point reflects this, offering good value. The G550 is a blast to set up and fly from point A to point B. Its handling and performance are impressive, making it a nimble jet that can achieve super high altitudes and cover almost any global route. While the cockpit and audio features might lack somewhat, the modelling and flight dynamics certainly pull their weight, affirming its status as one of the world's most iconic business jets. If you're in the market for a business jet that's easy to operate, the X-Hangar Gulfstream G550 is definitely worth considering! ___________________ Gulfstream G550 Business Jet by X-Hangar is available from the Org store here: Gulfstream G550 Business Jet Priced at US$22.95 Features: Two separate models (with and without camera) The camera model may lower your FPS when powered on. Crew and Passengers modeled. They display with added weight. Many international liveries Easy to paint your liveries with layers included for stripes and weathering Instrument panel menu included in the PFD display Checklist.txt used in the sim (default x-plane) Static objects are clickable inside and outside the aircraft User manual in .pdf format Internal camera views with zero thru nine on the keypad Shades, monitors, and tables animate and stow 3d HUD (power off to stow) FMS x-plane default GPU included Remove flags and plugs with a click Requirements: X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 (both versions available) Windows, Mac, or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 350 MB Current version 12.1.1 (October 9th, 2024) Reviewers System: Windows 10 Professional AMD Ryzen 5 5900X Processor 32GB RAM Palit GeForce RTX™ 3080 GamingPro Aircraft Review by Michael Hayward  29th November 2024 Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copying of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)  

Scenery Review: VSKYLABS Airbases: Base-8 By Dennis Powell Introduction Alaska, the Last Frontier, the 49th state, a land of untamed wilderness, rugged mountains, wild rivers, glaciers, and the Northern Lights. Located on the Knik Glacier, roughly fifty miles northwest of Anchorage, Base-8 is VSKYLABS' in-house testing area for VTOL airplanes, bush planes, helicopters, autogyros, LSAs, and ATVs. VSKYLABS Base-8, located on the Knik Glacier near where it empties into the Knik River, is divided into seven distinct areas. Each offers different challenges, unique surfaces, and their own tower viewpoints. It’s a place where bush and helicopter pilots can let their imaginations run wild. There’s a massive 2400-metre runway for larger GA aircraft, a turf runway, broken concrete strips, a roadway section, and even a covered runway with a twist. There are plenty of helicopter landing spots, along with challenges designed for those who enjoy driving ATVs. Installation Process The installation process is straightforward. Simply download the 71 MB file and paste it into the custom scenery folder of your X-Plane 12 installation. For those less familiar with the process, the documentation provides a detailed explanation to guide you. Updates are managed through the SkunkCrafts AutoUpdater, which will automatically check for new updates as they become available. In its current form, the base doesn’t support AI aircraft. However, with the SkunkCrafts AutoUpdater, future updates will include AI support, making the process seamless. Documentation The package includes three PDF documents, separate from the file loaded into the custom scenery package, with an additional PDF located within the scenery folder itself. The three PDFs are: a “How to Install” guide, a VSKYLABS brochure, and a document marked “Important,” which explains the SkunkCrafts AutoUpdater process and provides links to the updater. The PDF within the scenery folder is a copyright file outlining the end-user agreements. This level of thoroughness isn’t something I usually see in addon scenery, so credit to VSKYLABS for their attention to detail. As for charts, there’s only one image showing the base’s location, but no navigation charts are included, as this is a fictional base. Exploration Walkthrough Approaching the base, you’re immediately greeted by the towering Chugach Mountains. The Chugach Mountains are part of a state park and a national forest, protecting this wilderness and making it a popular destination for hikers, campers, and nature lovers of all kinds. I flew in at 7,500 feet and still found mountain peaks rising high above me. Fortunately, the Knik River offers a mountain-free approach from the west. The Knik Glacier, cutting through the mountains, is beautifully rendered, with its cracks, crevasses, and ridges all well represented. The base sits directly on the glacier, though it looks a bit out of place, it’s the only spot on the ice with trees. Once at the base, you’ll find seven distinct areas, each with its own runway or landing zone, complete with individual tower viewpoints. The 2400-metre runway: This is the largest and widest runway, ideal for larger twin-engine aircraft. Vast parking ramps flank both sides. The 500-metre paved runway: While not as wide, this area includes several helicopter landing spots. The 350-metre unpaved runway: A bit more challenging, this strip features two massive radio telescopes that block a direct approach from the east, requiring some careful dodging to land safely. Next, we have the ramp yard, road section, and general playground: The ramp yard adds an exciting twist with its ski-jump-style ramp that launches you over a pile of wrecked cars. It also has several helicopter landing challenges, including metal shapes with very limited surface area. The general playground features a log pile and a dump truck with a levelled bed. The bed is a tight, confined space that’s easy to crash into. Lastly, there are the indoor runways: Marked Indoor A and Indoor B, these runways are wide enough to hover-taxi a Bell Jet Ranger. Indoor A even has a dogleg turn inside for an added challenge. Helicopter landing spots are scattered across the scenery, some of which are quite demanding. The dump truck beds are incredibly tight spaces, and the small metal pyramids require precise landing, as the helicopter will tilt if the skids aren’t perfectly centred. Other landing zones include log piles, large stone pads, and select shipping containers (though not all containers can be used for landings). There’s also a rooftop-style helipad, oddly not attached to any roof. None of the buildings are landable, and many objects that resemble helicopter landing pads are actually just cargo-handling equipment. If in doubt, you can always land your helicopter on the ground as the base is relatively flat and free of obstacles that would hinder a safe touchdown. The ground textures seem to utilise X-Plane 12’s newest features, showing mowing tracks and paths. The base itself is surrounded by trees on three sides, with two additional tree-covered areas in the centre. It’s an unusual sight on a glacier, but since the base is fictional, VSKYLABS could design it however they wanted. The base’s location offers some truly stunning surrounding scenery, with more to admire than just the glacier and mountains. The glacier carves a dramatic path through the rugged peaks before emptying into the Knik River, which winds its way through a wide valley. This valley not only provides breathtaking views but also serves as the best approach to the base. The river eventually leads to the nearest airports, the closest being Butte Airstrip, about ten miles from the glacier. Other nearby airports include Palmer Municipal, twelve miles to the west; Merrill Field, around forty-five miles southwest; and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, approximately fifty miles to the southeast. Also in Anchorage is the Lake Hood Seaplane Base, offering a unique perspective for seaplane simmers. Alaska wouldn’t be Alaska without a bit of snow, and when it sets in, the base feels even more remote and isolated. The surrounding wilderness becomes less inviting, making you appreciate the rugged conditions pilots face in real life. It’s also a great showcase for X-Plane 12’s weather engine, which does a fantastic job of creating a realistic and immersive environment when the snow starts to fall. Night Lighting Here’s where things get interesting. At night, it’s impossible to miss this base as it’s lit up like a Christmas display put together by that neighbour with far too much time on their hands. Anything taller than thirty feet seems to have an anti-collision light, and ramp lights are everywhere. The runways are well-lit, and even the indoor runways have centre lights. With no other lights for miles, the base is the only illuminated spot in the area. Surrounded by ice and water, the light reflects brilliantly, creating a glare that spreads across the landscape. At one point, a stretch of the river was so well lit that I thought there was something of interest in that direction. Since this is Alaska, I had to adjust the time of year to experience proper darkness. During summer, the sun barely sets, so total darkness is only achievable later in the year. Performance One of VSKYLABS’ stated goals for this scenery package was minimal impact on lower-end computers, and I can confirm it delivers. I didn’t experience any issues with frame rates at all. Any problems I encountered were down to my own aircraft handling skills, not the computer struggling to process data. VSKYLABS recommends a graphics card with at least 8 GB of video RAM, and my card, with 12 GB, handled everything flawlessly. Performance was smooth and seamless, running without a hitch on my setup. My landings, particularly with taildragger aircraft, were less seamless, but that’s another story. Conclusion All in all, I found this to be a fantastic little base for testing my skills with both helicopters and STOL planes. There are plenty of challenges to keep you busy, and I could easily spend hours here practicing landings, whether it’s trying to bring down a taildragger without ground looping or perfecting confined landings with a helicopter. The surrounding scenery adds to the appeal, making sightseeing trips well worth your time. Being situated inside a state park, the base offers some of the most breathtaking mountains I’ve ever seen. As mentioned earlier, the scenery package doesn’t support AI aircraft just yet, so for now, you’ll have the place to yourself. VSKYLABS has indicated that future updates will include AI support, and thanks to the SkunkCrafts AutoUpdater, those updates should be seamless. If you’re into helicopters, STOL planes, off-airport adventures, or even just exploring Alaska, this scenery is well worth the price. ________________________ VSKYLABS Airbases: Base-8 is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: VSKYLABS Airbases: Base-8 Priced at $16.00 Features A dedicated testing ground in the rugged Alaskan wilderness, purpose-built for VSKYLABS’ aircraft development needs. Note: If you own any VSKYLABS Aircraft, you will receive an Automatic 25% discount at checkout. VSKYLABS Airbases: Base-8 is an actual development tool developed by VSKYLABS for its own in-house testing and needs. It is specifically designed and optimized for X-Plane 12, with the purpose of hassle-free, zero third-party plugins/add-ons dependencies. It is a 'plug-and-play' scenery that is easy to install and low on PC resources. It is designed around X-Plane 12 default resources, combined with optimized VSKYLABS assets and additions. This configuration ensures high performance and maximum long-term compatibility alongside X-Plane 12’s ongoing evolution. VSKYLABS Base-8 makes use of the Skunkcrafts Autoupdater. This feature is a groundbreaking element in terms of product updates and future growth! VSKYLABS Base-8 is one of several in-house testing facilities, designed for the rigorous evaluation of the VSKYLABS STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft, Bush-Planes, LSA, Gyroplanes, and general-purpose vehicles development. Base-8 includes 7 different testing perimeters (airfields). The airfields are varied in runway characteristics, providing ad-hoc testing conditions mainly focused on General-Aviation, Bush-planes, Gyroplanes and helicopter operations. From 2,400 meters paved runway to confined airstrips and playgrounds. Each perimeter is defined as a separate airport, having its own ramp-starts, tower view and runway/helipad selection. This configuration provides easy orientation and selection in X-Plane 12 menu. Base-8 is situated in the Knik Glacier in Alaska. Knik Glacier is a stunning, massive glacier located about 50 miles (~80 km) northeast of Anchorage, Alaska, in the Chugach Mountains. Requirements X-Plane 12 (not for XP11) Windows, Mac, and Linux- 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Note: If you own any VSKYLABS Aircraft, you will receive an Automatic 25% discount at checkout. Review System Specifications AMD Ryzen 5 7600X – 32GB RAM - Nvidia RTX 2060 12GB – Windows 11 __________________________________ Scenery Review by Dennis Powell 22nd November 2024 Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copying of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions).

Behind the Screen : October 2024 Go back a few years and X-Plane users were very rarely part of the aircraft development process, there was the very rare access to a final beta, but overall it was an exclusive club. Most developers used a very tight group of testers, very experienced, but mostly very good at identifying and resolving issues. They were capable of doing exactly the same thing over and mind-numbingly over and making notes on the various changes and options required. These notes were passed on to the developer to rectify, then when done these testers then ran the same tests again to see if the issues had been resolved. The only problem was, was that these very specialist personalities were and are still quite a rare species. So the developers groups were very loyal in the context of each other requiring the others specialist services. But as aircraft became much more seriously complex, and with the huge diversity of platforms and the different types of users. When releasing the aircraft, there was usually a huge inundation of issues and problems to fix. It created "Nightmare Fortnight", as it became, for there were loads of needed quick fixes, and the many instant updates required to cover and repair the outstanding issues. So developers and even Laminar Research with X-Plane itself, opened up the process a little earlier to resolve the majority of these issues before the final release, mostly from the start of the "beta" phase. In context the idea is a good one. As basically the significant user base was now involved in resolving the issues as part of the development program, but it was still mostly constrained to the "beta" process. But in this last year, a few developers have now opened up the earlier "Alpha" development cycle, mostly with FlightFactor's Boeing 777-200ER v2 Ultimate. Granted it was still an exclusive (and paid) invitation to get into this very private domain. FlightFactor ran a development site (again exclusive) for these restricted few privileged assignees. Only a 1,000 ballots at every release were allowed in, but in context the idea worked well in that this very extremely complex aircraft was then able to have the wide range of aspects to cover the massive amount of issues that needed attention. You were under a very strict NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) in not releasing any images or videos, or even publicly announcing any of the aircraft's features and highlights, unless it came from the official sources. Let us be very specific. "Alpha" aircraft are very, very raw, a lot of the development is still missing, details are not only missing, but sometimes not even finished. In reality they are at this stage a very unfinished product. They are not great to use or to even fly as most or even the very crucial areas like VNAV are not either included, or even working correctly, honestly they are horrible... and so you don't want to go there. They are a nightmare to review? even later "Beta" aircraft are hard to review, because basically they are incomplete. The general idea is to review any aircraft after the release, to summarise it's features and to highlight the best parts of the aircraft, then give a verdict on what has been presented, to to finally note the price and value context of the product. All to help you in making a fair investment that suits your Simulation needs. But the requirements to present a review on the release day can muddle the picture. There is that limited time from release to a point the next "big shiny thing" that will take the purchasers focus away, everyone will usually buy on release, as the "I want it NOW" with FOMO also kicks in, so any review even a week late is just too late? but it's also impossible to present the correct product on release, as changes can go right up to the day of release, sometimes huge changes. That happened with the ToLiss A330neo, as on the very last day all the cockpit textures were completely refined and updated. In this case it meant a night's work (3am) to redo all the review images to mirror the release product. Then there is still the fix up period a few weeks after release that can create even more changes to the original review. The best reviews are done about a month or so after the release and fix window has finished, as you can then assess the product fully and in it's mostly completed state. But in a market driven world we don't get that luxury. To a point the wise purchaser will wait, and get a better assessment of the product, sometimes also at a lower price, as many developers will go within weeks to a "Sale" mode to get extra sales. I am not a fan of this culture, as it first, devalues the product, and secondly it creates a mindset of "if I wait" I will get a "cheaper" product. Good for you of course, but developers can spend a year to two years to create the aircraft from scratch, it deserves to hold it's value price for longer, sales should be or only come after a period of time, and after the product has created a return for the developers time and expertise. This would be to the horror of the culture, obviously, "I want it cheaper, and less I have to pay, then the better it is for me". But the problem is it devalues the work and returns that lower return that usually ends up with the developer saying "I'm not making anything out of this anymore?" then disappears off the scene taking their expert skills and taking any future products with them. Now they have a bigger excuse in going to MSFS2020/2024 to make some return for their work and skills, so X-Plane loses all round. It is a race to the bottom, and X-Plane has seen the dire effects of such machinations this year. But is opening up these early "Alpha" and "Beta" releases to all recipients a good idea? as noted it is a double-edged sword, specialist testers can't cover all the bases, that the swarm of different users can. Many users are actually very good at this early testing caper, it is gratifying to see on how very well they did these testing protocols, and to give great returns with great intelligence and covering the details, which are given back to the developer. But there is a danger side to this aspect as well. As not everyone is created equally. Streaming is free, and anyone can do it and create online streams, Streamers, Vlogs, Vloggers, they all basically do the same thing in streaming live content. Obviously Simulation is incredibly popular, certainly when a new and exciting product is being released. This creates a bun-fight to get out the first video of the new product, not only for the "likes", but mostly for the money it generates. Disclaimer here, I am not jealous of this because I don't stream reviews, oddly I am a professional video editor that worked in the film industry, but I feel that content should be created with care and detail and doing a lot of research. Now there are some very good Streamers out there, Drishal is one, Q8Pilot is another quality reviewer, and a few real world pilots make good videos on aircraft comparisons, again oddly they can also be the worse reviewers of Simulation aircraft. If you want to learn aircraft systems and procedures then watch real world cockpit videos, not the online wannabes. And here we get down to the problem. The earlier you get the new product, and then get it out there, the more money you make. Then you now have developers letting these streamers in at a very early level of development, it is a culture that is going to clash and end badly. The moment FightFactor lifted it's NDA, it all went shit-faced, with an "Alpha" aircraft at that, but got it worse with the release of the ToLiss A330neo. Let us be clear, I'm not a fan of the sort of streaming that tries to land a Boeing 747 on an aircraft carrier, or in trying to fly a Cessna 172 to 50,000ft, to a point I have a serious personality. And I know that the comments will come, "Oh just lighten up a little", "It's just a bit of fun Stephen". But my take is that in the real world cockpit there is no room for these antics, I want to mirror the professionals, run a clockwork cockpit. My take is that X-Plane or any really good Simulator is an education tool, but also a training tool, for both real world and online pilots. Our job is to teach as well as do reviews, we do all the hard work so you don't have to, there are explanations and tips to shortcut you, and to get you flying quicker. But Streamers don't adhere to those standards, "They are the "Quick Buck guys", worse are their flying standards and in not following the correct procedures, as teachers they are dismally awful, not all as I have mentioned, and obviously it makes great entertainment, but not much else. But to note that "Alpha" aircraft, and "beta" aircraft are not finished, and pointing out the missing aspects of development is a new low, it hurts everyone, the developers and any future sales, and don't get me started on the wails of the missing VNAV (B777v2) and the bad cockpit textures (ToLiss A339), both were either included or fixed before the official release. It is the loss of the basic understanding of the development process, and it shows in how immature they are, but hey, they only want the available money. Yes bad streamers have been around for years, so it's nothing new to Simulation, but don't feed the monster by giving them what they want, cheap easy money. See you all next month Stephen Dutton 5th November 2024 Copyright©2024 X-Plane Reviews