Kiwiflyer

Scenery Review : LGSK - Skiathos, Greece by Mango Studios

Skiathos is a small Greek island in the northwest Aegean Sea. Skiathos is the westernmost island in the Northern Sporades archipelago, east of the Pelion peninsula in Magnesia on the mainland, and just west of the island of Skopelos.

The island has a north to southwestern axis and is about 12 kilometres (7 miles) long and 6 kilometres (4 miles) wide on average. The coastline is indented with inlets, capes and peninsulas. The southeast and southwest parts have gentler slopes and that is where of most settlements and facilities are located. The terrain is more rugged on the north coast, with the highest peak at 433 m (1,421 feet) on mount Karafiltzanaka. The distance to the Greek capital in Athens is only approximately 133 kilometers (83 miles). 



Despite its small size, Skiathos with its many beaches and wooded landscape is a popular tourist destination as it is traditionally Greek. It has over 60, mostly sandy, beaches scattered around the 44 km (27 mi) coastline. These include Achladies, Troulos, Vromolimnos, Koukounaries, Asselinos, Megali Ammos and Mandraki.

Mango Studios is not usually a name associated with scenery, but with Sound Packs and Engine MODS (modifications), and it's not an association with the name Mango either via a 3rd party, but it is in actually Mango Studios releasing the scenery, so they are pretty versatile in many areas. That said this is also the first scenery released from Mango Studios, and so there will be a few comments here, we don't expect perfection first time out, as it is still also payware, so the scenery still has to meet certain criterion standards.

Every scenery has a feature as to of why you would buy that scenery? In most cases it is the location and mostly added in with the scenery's heritage, like say Heathrow, Changi or even Idlewild, say New York JFK. But there are also a few other other reasons to buy the scenery and that is the reason here in this case. First it is the location in the Greek Islands, but LGSK - Skaithos (JSI) has another reason in that it is known as a challenging approach, then followed by a short Up-slope runway of only 5341 ft or 1628 m. That creates the situation of in that only certain aircraft that can get into here, and out again obviously. Usually no bigger than a B737/A320 or a smaller regional aircraft. So lets look at the charts...



Both Runways in 19 from the North and 01 from the South have to pass through the SKP or SKOPELOS VOR on the northwesten tip of the Skopelos Island, from there it is both a tight u-turn into either approach. Rwy 19 is a little easier in that it is more straight forward in line, but 01 is more at an slightly off angle approach, so it is far more difficult than it looks on the chart to get right, and there are no navigation or ILS aids to help you either (There is an NDB (SKC), but who uses them anymore), so it is a pure "seat of the pants and hands on approach".

Yes we love a challenge and that is what LGSK Skiathos gives you. Departure is from LIRF - Rome. You can do a short hop from LGAV - Athens, but it is just that in a short hop (77 Nm), okay for a General Aviation or Regional aircraft, but if you want the full experience then you need something bigger. Here I'm using the ZIBO Boeing 737-800, but the perfect aircraft would be something like the Airbus A319 for size.







Flying distance is 616 Nm, in first crossing Southern Italy, then over the Ionian Sea to Greece. 70% of the flight was spent on how I would approach.... well the Skaithos 01 Approach, in working out the speeds and heights to get the best outcome for myself and the passengers, mostly in getting the job done safely.



If you look at the 01 Approach chart there are two very important waypoints, D202J and FQ01, both have to be inserted into the FMC to get the correct turn and alignment to the 01 Runway. but also important are your heights at these same two points in to pulling off the landing (successfully). But the first important height is the turn at SKP VOR, then get that one wrong and you will never get the rest of the descent pattern correct. My TOD point (from FL330) was at VOR YNN (IOANNINA) and you are then mostly in crossing the whole half of Greece in going down...

After a hook of Mainland Greece then Skiathos comes into view with Skopelos further East. You can't see Skiathos Airport here as it is positioned further south and hidden in a hollow.



I'm coming in via a Western track, EVIK1C is more direct, but the FMS wouldn't accept it? but this gave me the option to use PELIP and BAMOS to loop around to the Northern IBID1C track into SKP. It also gave me more time to visually weigh-up the situation. At BAMOS I tracked 155º to SKP VOR and at this point Skiathos Airport was finally seen (top) right, at the SKP turn you are now parallel to the 01/19 Runway.



Height is 6,000ft, Speed 275 at SKP, right we are now in the "Loop" or landing circuit. Now it is time to get your bird ready for landing... Speed 172 knts, Gear Down, Flaps 30º and crucially the altitude set at 1,500 ft, and you should be all ready and set in these places at the bottom of the loop or D202J



But when you come out of the hard turn, you are not exactly aligned directly with LGSK 01 Rwy, so this is the tricky bit?



Your workload now goes through the roof, you need to get your speed down and Flaps 40º (Full), watch your height and get the aircraft onto the correct approach path... this is an Approach that you have to Feel your way in, and you have to be exact on descent the numbers.





Passing through 500 ft and you are still working on the Approach delta. Nudging this way, then nudging the aircraft the other way, wings balancing left then right, trying to home in on that perfect line into Rwy 01, it is known as a 3.3° visual approach. There is only a singular visual reference, it is only when you get to certain point, then you will see the angle of the runway, so you sorta of adjust (a few times actually) then get a better bearing as you get closer (and lower) coming in.



It's far trickier than it looks... 200, 150... 100.



On the final Approach there is a Greek Windmill on your left as you arrive... flying over the fence means also flying over a road and loads of observing people, these LGSK approaches are as famous as the one at Princess Juliana International in Sint Maarten, you can get really close to the landing aircraft, VERY close.



The runway is a Up-slope Gradient creating a tendency to flare late and increasing the risk of a hard landing, the slope is 9' to 54' in elevation of 0.84% slope, significant when coming in from the south for slowing the aircraft, but dangerous if coming in (19) from the North as the slope is gravity down. Notable is that the tower can't see the 19 threshold set over the hill either.





Touch was around 147 kts, but the slower and shorter you hit the runway, then the more space you have to stop... which is the general idea.



Not quite a Carrier landing, but you need to slow as much as you can if you don't want to end up in the Aegean, as the end of threshold of Rwy 19 is short and steep. The turning circle is very tight here as well even for the Boeing 738, the 01 Pre-Threshold circle is much larger to navigate.



You may think this landing is all a bit overstated here for dramatic effect... I thought it was tough anyway, but then I watched a video (Airbus) of the same 01 approach on You Tube you then realise how very authentic this landing was.

And it was as tricky in the video as in my own experience, and the same with the landing patterns.





Skiathos International Airport
"Alexandros Papadiamantis"
Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Σκιάθου «Αλέξανδρος Παπαδιαμάντης»
IATA: JSI - ICAO: LGSK

01/19 - 5,341 ft (1,628m) - Asphalt
Elevation AMSL - 54 ft/16m

Skiathos Alexandros Papadiamantis Airport is an airport on the island of Skiathos, Greece. Its 5,341-foot (1,628-meter) runway is able to accommodate aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 757-200. The runway is characterised as 'short and narrow'. Because of the uneven terrain on the island of Skiathos, Skiathos Airport was created by reclaiming land from the sea between Skiathos island and the smaller island of Lazareta (a former leper colony) effectively joining the two islands into one larger island, though it was built on land already part of Skiathos. The location was chosen by a mechanic who lived in Volos. The airport is named after Alexandros Papadiamantis, a Greek novelist and native of the island. The airport first operated in 1972.

A passenger terminal and a new control tower was constructed here in 1988. In 2001 the terminal was closed down by a minor earthquake, and a new passenger terminal opened in 2002, to better accommodate the growing number of passengers.
From 2019, as part of the Fraport construction works the airport has 2 current terminals. Terminal 1 was reconstructed and is currently the Domestic Terminal, and Terminal 2 is for international arrivals.

Installation
For to use the Mango Studio's LGSK - Skiathos scenery there are three files to install, and one in a required download of a Orthos tile. Both "aaa Mango Studios LGSK Airport XP12" and the "aaa Boundless_Library" go into the Custom folder, the downloaded (932 Mb) "Mango Studios LGSK Othro Patch + Pre Made tile", also goes into the Custom Folder, but you have to adjust the "scenery_packs.INI" file to move the Ortho file to the bottom of the list (but above the GLOBAL AIRPORTS folder). And you have make sure they are in the right .INI order for it to work correctly.





The actual 01/19 Runway is in a hollow between of what was once two separate islands, so from certain angles it can hide the landing strip. There are hard lines each side of 01/19 where the textures don't exactly mesh together, so this aspect is a bit messy, and should have be better with using a custom photo tile, but this visual aspect is only seen from the air.



The Southern approach is well done, as we shall look into more later... the actual JSI airport is set into a nook on the Western side of 01/19





First impressions are very good, but the ground textures are a bit layer on layered and you feel it is an airport scenery built on this concept, as mentioned a photo Orthos should create a base on which to build up on, but these look like just textures on textures, it does work... but only just?

There are two Terminals as noted, the newer larger one on the right, note the coloured blast fence, the wrong way around? This area is divisive. There was such a fence a few years ago, and yes also it was positioned backwards? but it has now been removed. I have seen this LGSK scenery with it installed and removed, and yes it is better in position, as it adds colour and elements in to a bland area, problem is though is that it also causes problems with the parking slots (S1 to S5). In the old days (with fence) the aircraft parked only parallel to the terminal in two positions, now they are face in, with five bays, or are they? The signage layout here is correct, but there are two layers of different markings, one for nose in (or out) and two sets for turnaround, but the turnarounds are too close to the barrier, so you would damage your wings if you used them?





At first the Terminals look too clean, even with a slight modeling aspect. But the real buildings are always very freshly painted with no wear or outward marks, so again the view is correct. Linage is overall very good, but it still feels like that more clutter and detail is needed around the main Terminal and apron.





The Greek style is good, and overall the terminals are well presented, but there is no internal detail in either. The roof Air-Conditioning detail is well done.





Constructed as part of an expansion project completed in 2016, where six new stands (1 to 6) were built north of the original two stands at the Terminal, these are really well done with plenty of parking options. Apron detail and clutter is also very good here.





Landside detail is very good, with that Greek Island feel. Car/Rental parking with Jet2Go buses are excellent, fencing is also well done. There is a fuel depot north of the Terminal.





Between Mango Studios LGSK v1.0 and v1.1, there has been a load of rusted poles popping up? they are not visible on the approach roads or is there any in the area? so what are they really doing here?



There is some nice detail of people viewing the aircraft approaches at the road by the 01 Threshold, and yes that could be me in hoodie and backpack.



Close by and seen on the 01 Approach is the Mylos Tavern, which is a beloved Greek restaurant with Historic Windmill. Its unique location offers diners the thrill of watching planes land while enjoying authentic Greek cuisine. Behind is Radical Storage, for airport baggage holding.



There are plenty of boat yards, and even a sort of Skiathos harbour, but no Ferries or other prominent Skiathos sland features. Even the housing of Skiathos is the default X-Plane German housing. This is small scenery and the foreshore with Greek buildings of Skiathos should have been part of the package, the harbour is highly visible on the approach, but sadly all is missing here... the detail of a scenery is in the detail.





Custom textures are very good... to a point. Runway textures are good with great texture and grit, and the landing rubber marking are very realistic as are the side edge joins, and the line markings are also nicely faded. Apron textures are also gritty and stoney. But runway repair patches are just overlaid different textures, a bit lazy and noticeable and the word "Blend" doesn't work here, and that layering aspect is shown throughout the scenery.





There is 3d grass, and it is well done and mostly in tuffs, making the field feel Greek island realistic... side roads are the same well neglected Greek council work, and worn edges.


Lighting
There is no approach lighting (surprise), just threshold and runway side guide lights (no PAPI either, but it is installed at the airport?), there are no centre line guide lights either, so it is a tough approach at night.



Extension apron and in fact all the aprons are well and nicely lit.



Landside lighting is very good as well, but still has only basic street-lighting.



Sadly there is no Terminal or building lighting, and this makes the scenery dark at night with the showing of no window detail? Mango Studios say's the lighting will come, but no note of when?





Highlight is the Mylos Taven, looking lovely on the approach in the twilight, the best time to arrive.



Summary
Mango Studios are well known for their Sound Packages and aircraft MODs (Modifications), so a scenery is a bit from left field (they have also now released LEMI - Murcia in Spain). But this scenery is LGSK - Skiathos, a Greek Island in the Aegean Sea just north of Athens.

The main attraction is the North and especially the Southern approaches to Skiathos Airport, hidden in a hollow between two islands, the approaches are as famous as the one at Princess Juliana International in Sint Maarten. These are bare knuckle hands on approaches with a short Up-slope 5341 ft or 1628 m runway.

Overall the scenery is very good (for a first time delivery) it has that great Greek Island feel, great ground textures and ground lighting, the Runway 01 approach with observers is a great touch with a value price.

The LGSK - Skaithos scenery is really quite passible in this package, I really like it, and loved using it. But it does still need a bit more development to fulfill it's promise, and take the learning curve out a bit further. More fill clutter (certainly around the terminals), missing Terminal lighting, PAPI lighting, and if you want to go the full salt seller, then recreating the Skiathos township and harbour would give the scenery gravitas. There is the rule, the smaller the scenery then the more detail is required to compensate.

As a first project there is seriously a lot to like here, and those approaches will white knuckle you to a head forward stop, overall a worthy value addition to your Greek collection.
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The Mango Studios LGSK- Skiathos Airport, Greece is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store

Mango Studios LGSK- Skiathos Airport, Greece
Priced at US$17.99
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12
Windows, Mac or Linux
8GB VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 3.2 GB
Current version: 1.0 (June 13th 2025)

Download: for LGSK - Skiathos is 3.36Gb.
aaa Mango Studios LGSK Airport XP12
aaa Boundless_Library
Also required is a download Ortho patch
Mango Studios LGSK Othro Patch + Pre Made tile (932Mb)
Full Installation is 6.36Gb in your Custom Scenery Folder. (only X-Plane 12)

Documentation:
LGSK Readme (Installation)
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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
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.2.0
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- Zibo Mod Boeing 737-800 by ZIbo (X-Plane.Org) - Free
______________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
4th July 2025
Copyright©2025: 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! - Laminar Research releases V12.2.1 Beta




As announced in the June 19th Roadmap and detailed at the Rhode Island FlightSim Expo (26th to 28th June), here is the next Beta in X-Plane 12.2.1, known as the "Gateway Asset Update". Although announced and to be selected as a "Beta" update, most of the 12.2.1 release is mostly a large collection of Assets, 700 in all. So as a Beta run it will be extremely short (unlike the wildly Weather 12.2.0 Beta). But this is the biggest Laminar Research object release yet, as over the past year the Art department has grown significantly from the original Alex Unruh and Cristiano, added is Petr and the indomitable Justin Kissling or Misterx6 from ShortFinal Design. And the significance and output is reflected here, there are also a few extra nice additions as well that was not announced earlier.

Unlike the consistent changes to the Startup Screen thoughout 12.2.0, we still have the Laminar Research A330-300 image in 12.2.1, so no changes there...



Zermatt Heliport (LSEZ)
As noted this is an assets (objects/scenery) update, and the highlight feature is the Zermatt Heliport (LSEZ) which is located near the entrance of the iconic mountain resort of Zermatt in the Swiss canton of Valais, at an elevation of around 1,400 meters. It serves as the base for Air Zermatt, a world-renowned alpine helicopter operator known for its sightseeing flights, heli-skiing, cargo transport, and mountain rescue operations. Approaches and departures are particularly challenging due to the tight valley and high terrain. It’s most certainly a rewarding experience for skilled sim heliopilots. One unique feature of the real-world heliport is the lift that provides access from the valley floor, a reminder of Zermatt’s car-free nature. With stunning views of the Matterhorn and surrounding Alps.

The quality and detail at the Zermatt Heliport is far, far more outstanding than the first Heliport in New York released earlier, this is a craftmanship scenery to the ninth degree.











There is a video as well...


There has been a few comments about the LSEZ scenery not fitting in with 3rd party Orthos textures, like levitating? and it won't work either if you have the excellent Alps UHD XP12 by Frank Dainese and Fabio Bellini, as it doesn't fit in at all? but in the default Zermatt X-Plane landscape it is very good, if surrounded by German Autogen.

The focus of the 12.2.1 update is a load of new assets for the WED Community, and the list is quite significant, as in a first Laminar actually wanted the user base too give them ideas for new assets required, and actually put it in a poll so you could vote, it came with seven areas to improve; Airport - Lighting, Airport - Vehicles, Terminal - Kit, Airport Buildings, Generic - Vehicles, Generic - Buildings and Ground Surfaces. Out of this list came a load of ideas, some actually part of this 12.2.1 release.

Fire Equipment
Starting with some new Fire Trucks, there are both here, the standard red, and the lime-green Airport designs, detailed and really well done.





Construction
There is a load of Construction Assets been added, mostly for around Airport construction sites, but there are also big uses in other situations, certainly for the high cranes that will be giving you some "Vertical Obstacles", which is a delve into the FS 2024 feature list in by creating thousands of infrastructure in pylons, weather towers, power stations and god knows what else. Also added is partly constructed terminal for site reference





There has been some Volvo A40G Dump Trucks added, really nice and detailed they are as well...





Next is the KOMATSU PC 360 LCi-11, which is a 36-ton class hydraulic excavator, and CAT front loaders.







Police SUV Cars
More Police Cars, very nice to chase the Drug runners, but again still they are all very American Centric, some Euro versions would be nice.... please!





Airport Infrastructure
A lot of basic Airport Infrastructure in X-Plane has been around for decades, you needed OpenSceneryX if you wanted something new. But in 12.2.1, you get a though (updated) overhaul of most of these airport based assets with more modern detailing and realism... including Hangars & Utility Sheds, Ground Markings, Colored Polygons, Compass Roses and new Grass Runway markings, and a load open sided shelters...









Like the Hangars, then the ground marking have also been improved... with new Colored Polygons, Compass Roses and Grass lettering.





Another big significant change is the apron airport lighting, with new lighting towers and more options.







Class F jetways (passenger boarding bridges) are large-capacity, heavy-duty jet bridges designed to accommodate widebody aircraft in Code F classification under ICAO standards, such as the Airbus A380, and are now included in X-Plane.



A Cherry Picker or Scissor Lift.... nice!



This is one that you thought was already in there? a Mobile Heli-Trolley, but no there wasn't any, until now.





Laminar gave a stage bow to the art crew! well done guys... for me some Port container cranes would be at the top of my next list...



Mouse Zoom Lock (Stop Zooming X-Plane)
The biggest surprise of the 12.2.1 rollout is a new option in the settings to disable the mouse zoom separately for internal and external views. Additionally, you can now assign a modifier key: this means zooming will only work while holding that key, helping to prevent accidental zooming during regular mouse use.



Oddly I was swearing profusely in setting up the Zibo Boeing 737-800 only a few days ago, and it works! and so no more cockpit swearing.

The new Zoom Option has also created a change on the X-Plane Settings menu. There is now a new page called "User Interface", the BASE FONT size has been moved here as well as the new Zoom Scroll option.
There are the two new switchable options... "Enable mouse wheel zoom for internal views" and "Enable mouse wheel zoom for external views". or you can select either your own Keyboard Command, or use the two Default options (keys) "Control" or "Alt", they are great choices and work well in their keyboard position when adjusting the zoom normally.



New Hardware Support
Laminar has added in more support for a range of supported hardware with new additions from several manufacturers. Now supported are...



MOZA Flight Sim Gear
We’re happy to announce full support for MOZA’s impressive new line of flight simulator hardware. This release supports the AB9 FFB Base with the MH16 Flightstick, the MTP Throttle, and the MTLP Panel. Full support for the AY210 Yoke Base and the MFY Yoke is also on the horizon.

Thrustmaster SOL-R 1 Flightstick
We’ve also added full support for the new SOL-R 1, Thrustmaster’s next-gen Flightstick, designed specifically for flight simulations.

rotAIR by SimFlight Services
We now support the rotAIR modules from SimFlight Services, enhancing your sim experience with high-fidelity input.

Global Airports
There has been another big update to the X-Plane "Global Airports" in default sceneries for the Simulator. Here another 613 sceneries for a total of now 39,016 airports out there to be used... these new or updated sceneries have been added in this release.



Fixes and Enhancements
There are a few other changes to ATC, General, a few removed features and a Technical Note (Linux)

ATC
Added support for continual circuits (touch & go)
General
Save the last airport the user was on ground at instead of the last airport overflown for “Resume Flight”
Fixed various translation issues
Removed Features
We have removed the following unused and old features:
Removed the checklist feature
Remove the text file feature
Technical Notes
Linux
Fixed an issue when using the Steam installation of X-Plane on Linux, when Steam was installed using a snap package. Please note, that snap installations are not supported by Valve (XPD-16840)

An important note is that "Birds will no longer cause damage unless “birdstrike” is set on the failures screen", so unless you now activate the "Birdstrike" in a failure mode, they will leave you alone.

A note from Laminar was all very pleasing...

"We hope this update will kick-off a new wave of creativity amongst our scenery artists. It’s been no secret that we are working on Next-Gen Scenery, and the ideas you have proposed to us, will help form more assets that we can refer to and create for the future!"

NEXT-GEN Scenery! then X-Plane will really fly (pun intended)
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Full Release Notes
For additional details and a more comprehensive list of changes, have a look at the full 12.2.1 release notes, are here.

You can update to X-Plane v12.2.1 beta now via the built in X-Plane Installer application, just select "Update X-Plane" and make sure the "beta" selection box is ticked. It is a 3.6 Gb Installation via a 2.2 Gb download. The update is also currently available on the public_beta branch on Steam.



As this is a beta release, so you may encounter unforeseen issues. Regularly back up your data and stay updated with official communications for any patches or fixes. Images here are provided courtesy Laminar Research.



X-PlaneReviews have only done a quick flight of X-Plane 12.2.1 beta, very impressed (again) with another great set of additions to the X-Plane Simulator, but these assets will take time to flow through. Like noted at the head of this NEWS! release, although a "Beta", it won't be a long one, in just a few weeks as it is mostly assets. Next is... X-Plane 12.3.0, the next big step up. It is noted as a "Weather Update", and yes coming soon.
___________________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
5th July 2025
Copyright©2025: 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.

Behind the screen : June 2025



Halfway through the 2025 year already, life goes fast when you are having fun, but it has been a significant six months of change, not only for the X-PlaneReviews site, but for X-Plane itself, but both to the good. That is what change is, hopefully in being better than what was taken as the standard before. In this world the change is rushing at you, a lot good and a lot bad, changes for change sake is not actually good, but we don't really know the effects of the A.I. revolution that is coming, maybe A.I. is even here and I was dispensed with six months ago, and a bot has been doing all the reviews and art of the site and you really didn't notice!

I really don't think that ChapGPT would put in so many ! in the NEWS! and Reviews! so you can pretty well guess I'm still here for now, but the changes are escalating and the lines are becoming very blurred between fact and fiction. The internet thingy is also becoming very blurred at what is real and what is not, standards are disappearing and I think that is a very bad thing. Before you could pretty well say, see or read items that was the truth, but that aspect as noted is getting blurred, and that is not a good thing. Because we are also losing ourselves in the mess, that blurring is taking away our right to absorb content and make decisions that affect our lives, important decisions, and they are also stealing not only our money, but pretty well anything they can. Did the hippies that created the internet expected it to go all so wrong? there is good and bad out there, but you are feeling like the bad is now always winning.

You can't trust reviews anymore either because they don't make sense? I looked up a local restaurant and the reviews were strange, "Terrible food, awful service, would never come here again!" next below was, "Lovely place with Excellent food and staff catered to our every need".... next one "Avoid at all costs". Now don't get me wrong but any restaurant can't be truly awful and extremely good at the same time? Now I know the restaurant, and it's not "Truly Awful", and it has been around for decades, and the service is very good (it's Greek). But as you look through a lot of these review lists it is just that a lot of people are being just damn petty, complaining about miniscule items and not the overall experience, you can do the full service, but miss filling up a glass of water and it will get you one star rating, it's really petty stuff.

I am going to talk cruising for a while, yes in a Flight Simulator blog. I replied to a review of a ship, one cruise I had been on at the same time, same experience and the same service. This person had posted a video of saying the cruise company's services was terrible and was not up to the standard as advertised, and it is well known of it's trademark service. But the same company also has a two-tier service, a sort of economy and first class in price grading standards. So this person rabbited on that she was getting nothing like the service she was entitled to in the cabin, the dining room options and service. But the point was (she) had booked the cheapest cabin on the ship (inside lower deck) at the cheapest price you could pay to get on this floating palace. But expected the same cabin and service as the people at the top, and these people had payed a premium (over $10,000) for the same cruise. But she was not having a bit of it and felt she was being shortchanged (yes she may have been looking for a free cruise or a refund), but as mentioned I was on the same cruise in the middle grade and mostly had the same experiences and service that she had, I felt I had more than my money's worth from the deal, with no areas to complain... but the point was, she was broadcasting untruths on the real experience and noting every thing she was certainly ENTITLED to, of which she wasn't entitled to any of that in her price grade... it that fair, no company can fight back against such untruths?

This brings us to the commotion currently raging between Cruise industry bloggers or video reviewers, content creators (take your pick). A couple of well known and very respected video bloggers did a review of a Carnival Cruise Line ship, normal stuff to them, but the ship was old, (1990's era) and it showed on the video. In the review the reviewers were very good in explaining both the negatives and the positives of the ship, they were extremely balanced in their report, but with a dirty cabin when boarding, and decor that makes you seasick before even leaving port. But they still found areas that were a positive to the ship (food, entertainment) and for the money even value. It was a balanced review.

The only problem was, they got banned by Carnival for FIVE years, for an honest balanced review!

The issue has sent the lucrative Cruise Blogging Industry into a meltdown, as if you can't do a honest balanced review, and then even get banned for it, then their income has just gone out of the window, not to mention those freewheeling carefree days at sea. The irony is that that Ms untruth above will probably get rewarded for basically lying, and yet dedicated reviewers for telling the truth will lose their income, and is that really fair.

It is a line all reviewers fear, but as the bloggers noted, you can't say things great about something that is not true or even lies. Glide over the negatives and gloss the positives, then that is not a balanced review and it then also falls into propaganda. The worse outcome (certainly for Carnival) is that when those paying passengers get on that ship, then the reality will strike home, the truths will come out and Carnival will have a Public Relations nightmare on their hands. Worse it that the message will get around that Carnival can't be trusted, as a cruise line or as a business. To a point it is the reviews(ers) that keep them honest and point out the areas that need attention or even fixing.

It is not that much different doing a Simulation review. Since X-PlaneReviews inception we set down rules. The aim from the start was to point out both the negatives and positives, but not to damage the reputation of a developer. But to mainly point out the areas were the product can be improved or changed, then creating value for both sides, for the developer in creating very good products, and for the purchaser in getting a quality value product for their money, that is a fair deal for both camps, it also lifts the overall quality of the Simulator and even Simulation as a whole and creates a safe area for others to join and participate in.

The benefits are all there to see. And honestly over the years it is rare to see something truly awful, and anyway X-PlaneReviews will only promote quality products, as we see our job of filtering out the crap from the value products we review. If it's bad it won't usually get any attention in this site, but we will be kinder (slightly) to new developers, with sky high dreams and not much ability. Certainly if it is a first development we usually go back to the developer and note the shortcomings, but also state up front that it is also a new product from an untested developer, we will accept a lower level of experience, but also expect the same developer not to make the same mistakes again, and in most cases they don't, but a few don't learn either, and again in most cases they don't usually stay around for very long. Then there are those that outright steal, again that is mostly in the Microsoft Universe, but we have a couple that have tried it on in X-Plane as well.

So you can see we don't want the same issues that is the confronting most internet comments and reviewing, because that creates backward steps in every area, it spreads untruths, lies and wastes your money. As they say "Truth is the first casualty of War" but the internet is creating a black hole of misinformation, the same truth is already lost to the keyboard warriors.

The FlightSim Expo at Rhode Island (27th - 29th June) has come and gone for another year. It was another good show, probably not as massive as the Las Vegas 24 show, as the location was a bit remote in the US Northeast. But the strength of the show in popularity was very strong in a good way for Simulation.

The biggest non-show at RI was Microsoft or Asobo Studio. This was after the gluttonous Vegas show and the train-wreck of the launch of MS 2024, I found or felt it that Microsoft had over-reached in promising too much in Vegas and delivering too little at the roll-out. In comparison Laminar Research did do a comprehensive but in a more neutral set of roll-out of updates, beautifully presented and delivered throughout the year. Okay X-Plane is not perfect, but the differences between Expos 2024 and 2025 should have Laminar doing high-fives in the corridors. Laminar was also well represented at RI, with a professional stand and workshops, so there was a lot to like.

Most users were very nonplussed about the announcements at RI, but there is a lot of depth there if you were willing to look and see the detail. Obviously the new Weather Radar was the highlight, but it was the depth that is coming of the Weather systems that has to be admired. It is going a little bit back to the old Laminar, in that if we are going to do something, then do it well. Again that aspect is on show, done well and very through by Philipp Ringlar. The odd side was that Laminar were also very cagey on future developments. They mumbled about the NEXT-GEN scenery and even the coming Multi-threading, even noted the store (again), but otherwise it was all very guarded in secrets, unlike the expansive roadmaps of the past years, that aspect was very unusual.

So that missing something was really that we already knew of the announcements at RI, as Laminar had released the details the week before, so in reality after the 12.3.0 release there is not much going on down the road, and these releases will be soon completed by the Northern Autumn or the American fall. So what is next? well nothing really, just more fiddling with the API to get a working balance between your GPU and CPU, and Multi-threading the whole bejesus out of your machines.

Austin (Meyer) may do one of his podcast interviews over the Summer and spread more love on the matter, as he was doing so much of a few years ago. But remember, the focus will now be turning to X-Plane 13, yes due in only a few years and the next step of X-Plane content. So the problem with Rhode Island was not what was said, but what wasn't.

Vale Frederick W. Smith, who was the founder of Federal Express Cargo Services, who died June 21, 2025, and may a million Simulation flights be made in his honour.

See you all Next Month

Stephen Dutton
2 July 2025
Copyright©2025 X-Plane Reviews

Scenery Review: KBNA - Nashville International Airport by GloballArt



By Dennis Powell

Introduction
Welcome to the gateway to the heart of country music, USA. Nashville International Airport serves the Mecca of country music, home to the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and stars of stage, screen, and radio. A sprawling airport that covers more acreage than Los Angeles International, KBNA is the busiest airport in Tennessee, averaging more arrivals and departures than all other airports in the state combined.

Situated next to one of the most famous cities in the US, Nashville International offers something for aviators of all levels. It can handle everything from Piper Cubs to Boeing 747s, and anything in between. Nashville itself is in a scenic part of Tennessee and offers plenty of sightseeing opportunities. For the rotor-wing crowd, KBNA is also home to the Tennessee Army National Guard’s 1/230th Air Cavalry Squadron. GA pilots using this airport won’t feel as intimidated as they might at similarly sized airports such as LAX or JFK. There’s lots of room for everyone here.



Installation Process
This offering by Globall Art comes as a 2.1GB download with separate versions for X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12. Inside the zipped file are three folders: one each for the airport, the mesh, and the roads. Also included are two six-page manuals, one in English and one in Portuguese. No license code or product key is required. Do follow the instructions in the manual, as some files need to be moved to the plug-in folder within the Resources directory in X-Plane.

Documentation
Documentation consists of two separate six-page PDF files. I won’t pretend I can read Portuguese, but thankfully it also comes in English. The PDF gives a complete rundown of what’s in the files, how to install them to ensure the animations work as advertised, and a brief history of the airport. It also describes which features are included, how to get the best performance, and provides links for ortho and terrain mesh for the city of Nashville. A separate link is included for the SAM library so the jetways and marshallers work properly. Lastly, it covers the credits, copyright details, and contact information for the developers. Charts aren’t included with the documentation, but I grabbed one from AirNav for reference.



High Altitude Overview
From altitude, the airport stands out quite starkly from the surrounding terrain. In both real life and the sim, the area is undergoing major construction, with large patches of exposed earth clearly visible. With the provided mesh and ortho tiles installed, the airport blends reasonably well with the surrounding landscape, though like in real-world satellite imagery, there’s still a noticeable contrast between the construction zones and the nearby terrain. In that sense, Globall Art has actually reproduced reality quite faithfully. The extensive work underway is easy to spot both in the satellite photos and in the sim.







Runway and Taxiways
KBNA has four runways, three of which are parallel: 20L/02R, 20C/02C, and 20R/02L. The remaining runway, 13/31, crosses 20R/02L.







There are roads that run beneath Runway 20C/02C and the taxiways for Runway 20L/02R, and these are well rendered with mesh that creates tunnels beneath the surfaces.





The runways and taxiways themselves are textured with ortho photos and look very accurate. Unlike some designers, Globall Art didn’t use transparent textures here, which means your AI-selected aircraft will use the airport. You’re going to have company on the taxiways and ramps.







Ground Textures and Foliage
Ground textures are done with ortho photos, and I usually have issues with those, but this time someone at Globall Art went the extra mile to eliminate 2D objects and awkward shadows, mostly. There are still some present, but most are tucked away in parts of the airport that most GA pilots, and certainly no one flying airliners, will ever see. You’d have to be very low and very slow in a helicopter to catch them.





Both the real airport and this sim version are undergoing a massive construction project. What really caught my attention was that in the construction areas, you’ll find animated vehicles moving around like there’s a serious project underway. The included terrain mesh helps with this by adjusting the ground to match the layout of the site.







The foliage is something else. While it’s 3D and moves with the wind, it doesn’t quite match the autogen foliage surrounding the airport. I tried several seasons, and in the dead of winter there were still green trees on the airport, while the surrounding autogen was showing bare trees. I’ve never been to Tennessee, so I don’t know if that’s how it looks in real life or not. Also, some of the trees in the outlying areas have time-sensitive shadows that contrast with those generated by X-Plane’s lighting.







Signage and Navigation Aids
Signs are everywhere at this airport, especially on the ground. The taxiway and runway signs appear to match the airport diagram and are genuinely helpful, particularly when, like me, you’re not entirely sure where you’re going while taxiing to Runway 31. As for nav aids, the airport has all the modern equipment, including a VOR station that appears when tuned in.





You’ll also find plenty of road signs leading to the terminal. One I was hoping to see, however, was missing. There’s an aircraft viewing area, and on Google Earth there’s a sign that says, “Do not feed the birds, they’re an aviation hazard.” It would have been cool to see that included, but then again, only those of us who fly helicopters would have ever spotted it.





Main Airport Buildings
The 3D modelling of the terminal is particularly well done, with smooth shapes and accurate detail, especially around the roof structure. The textures, with a few based on photo imagery in places, are used to good effect and give the buildings a believable, finished look without standing out or feeling artificial.







One of the concourse buildings includes a visible interior space, complete with seating and shopfronts. While you can’t walk around inside, the interior is designed to be seen from the ramp or while taxiing to the gate, and it adds a welcome sense of depth and activity. From certain angles, it gives the impression of a working terminal without overloading the scene with unnecessary detail.





The terminal includes five concourses and a total of 55 gates. With Traffic Global running, it can get pretty busy, with aircraft constantly coming and going. Jetways and gate markings are all present and correct, and if you enjoy sitting on the ramp watching the action, there’s plenty to keep you entertained.





Adjacent to the terminal is the newly built Hilton hotel, sandwiched between two new parking garages. The garages light up spectacularly, but more on that later. One small feature that caught my attention was the animated fans in an air conditioning building connected to the terminal. Another standout was the view from the control tower, which includes a full interior.



There’s a surprising number of custom buildings here, including the Tennessee Army National Guard ramp with its helicopters and support hangars. Globall Art must have had access to some solid reference material, as it all matches up with what I could see on Google Earth. The buildings are detailed, accurate, and show just how much work went into the layout. My one minor complaint here was the AH-64 Apache helicopters, as they have a five-blade rotor system, and no Apache ever produced has a five-blade rotor system. Thankfully, the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters seem more accurate.





Ground Clutter
This is a busy airport, and the ground clutter shows it. There are pieces of ramp equipment everywhere. There are cones, signs, GPUs, and baggage carts scattered all over the place. A lot of the clutter is moving too, with baggage carts, fuel trucks, and other vehicles darting here and there on their way to complete their jobs. Oddly enough, the only people you’ll find here are the ones driving the various ramp vehicles.





Surrounding Area
As mentioned earlier, I installed both the Nashville ortho and mesh to get the best out of the scenery, even though my system was already taking a hit rendering the airport itself. X-Plane does a decent job on its own, but with the included files from Globall Art, the surrounding area really comes to life and blends more naturally with the airport.





One thing that stood out was a huge pond in an old rock quarry, which Globall Art has rendered particularly well. Their mesh and ortho make it look very realistic.





Night Lighting
With apologies to country music legend Willie Nelson, turn out the lights and the party is not over. It’s just getting started. All the ramp lights, runway lights, taxi lights and more are done just right. Not too over the top, and not too subtle. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a large international airport, and it makes night ops feel polished without being distracting.







Then there’s the building lighting, which really stands out, especially on the Hilton parking garage, with its red and blue lights turning the façade into a light show. The rest of the terminal and nearby buildings are also well lit, and the whole place feels alive after dark.







Performance Impact
This airport is not for those with low-performing computers. The developer recommends a graphics card with at least 8GB of VRAM. Mine has 12GB, and it was still taking a major hit on frame rates. While flying the Cowansim Bell 206B3, I was getting frame rates as low as 14 FPS, and as high as 25 FPS over the airport. Outside the airport, frame rates climbed into the upper 30s and even close to 40.

All that detail comes at a cost in performance. Globall Art recommends that users with lower-end systems set their graphics settings to medium to reduce the load on the GPU and RAM. That said, I still had a smooth flight in and around the airport, even though my frame rates often dropped below 20 FPS.







Conclusion
All in all, I found this to be a very interesting airport. It’s set in a scenic part of the country and has so much detail, I could spend hours just flying over the airport itself. I was really blown away by the animated construction areas, and it was great fun trying to spot places I’d seen on Google Earth Street View. I did wonder about adding a few 3D people around the terminal to bring it more to life, but that’s more of a personal wish than a criticism. Other than that, it’s a great scenery package, and I’d highly recommend it. Just make sure your computer is up to the task so you can get the most out of it.

______________________________________


KBNA - Nashville International Airport by GloballArt is now available from the X-Plane.org Store here:

KBNA - Nashville International Airport

Priced at US$21.95

Features
Accurate replica of Nashville International Airport, updated for 2025.
Precise modeling based on original references, blueprints, and other studies.
Custom terrain mesh.
Fully customized pavement with ambient occlusion included in the textures.
Ground textures change dynamically with weather conditions: wet, snow, and ice.
Custom jetways compatible with SAM plugins.
Marchellers to lead aircraft to the stop position.
Controlled by SAM Plugins / Stairport Sceneries (Marten).
Static objects, vehicles, and aircraft included in the scenery.
Custom and default vehicle traffic on roads and streets.
Controlled by Ground Traffic Plugin (Marginal) and X-Plane.
HDR lighting with custom night textures.
Custom textures with ambient occlusion.
Default animated ground service (X-Plane).
Standard and custom Approach Lighting Systems (ALS).
Included aircraft taxi routes (“taxi route”).
Taxi routes compatible and configured for World Traffic (WT3) and other plugins.
Ramp Starts defined for airlines.
Satellite Terminal and Control Tower with rendered interior.
355 custom taxi signs with lighting.
Custom taxiway markings.
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 (both versions included as separate downloads)
Windows. Mac or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 2.1 GB
Current version: 1.1 (June 10th 2025)
Review System Specifications
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X – 32GB RAM - Nvidia RTX 2060 12GB – Windows 11
__________________________________
Scenery Review by Dennis Powell
30th June 2025
Copyright©2025: 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).

X-Plane 12 : Rhode Island FlightSim Expo 2025



The Laminar Research team were at the Rhode Island FlightSimulation Expo 2025 (27th to 29th June), and LR has a big presence here this year, with a Booth (701), Workshops and RAVE party in a nighclub?



Laminar had an announcement segment for 15 minutes late Friday (27th) in a booked stage event and the last announcement of the day, there was no Q&A segment after the announcement, which is a usual practise, so it was all very business like. Presenting were Ben Supnik (engineer), Thomson Meeks (PR), Alex Unruh (art) and Phillipp Ringler (systems) in attendance (Austin Meyer the founder of X-Plane only bounced on the stage after the presentation).

So what were the announcements, in short nothing really eyeopening, and it looks like, unlike in the past, that Laminar Research now holding their cards closer to the chest, Microsoft have ears, and steal with abandon... that feeling was they are in not giving as much away, unlike the large roadmap released in Las Vegas 2024.

Most of the focus in the segment was on the next updates as already announced... X-Plane 12.2.1 and X-Plane 12.3.0. 12.2.1 is expected only next Friday (5th July) and 12.3.0 already going into private alpha testing also next Friday, so expect both before the end of the Northern Hemisphere summer.

It doesn't sound a lot on the surface compared to previous announcements and roadmaps, but there is a lot of detail to take in, all excellent to your Simulation pleasure... so lets get started.

X-Plane 12.2.1
The segment started with a recap of the just released X-Plane 12 2.0 (Dark Cockpit fix and Weather enhancements), then quickly moved on to the coming 12.2.1 release next Friday, this release has a load of new WED assets and a Heliport in LSEZ - Zermatt.



In a first Laminar actually wanted the user base too give them ideas for new assets required, and actually put it in a poll so you could vote, it came with seven areas to improve; Airport - Lighting, Airport - Vehicles, Terminal - Kit, Airport Buildings, Generic - Vehicles, Generic - Buildings and Ground Surfaces. Out of this list came a load of ideas, some actually part of the next release.

In vehicles there is a huge amount of new objects with; Emergency Vehicles and Police (still however very American centric?)



Also a load of new construction vehicles, notable are the excellent tall cranes, that will be giving you some "Vertical Obstacles", which is a delve into the FS 2024 feature list in by creating thousands of infrastructure in pylons, weather towers, power stations and god knows what else. These and more would be very welcome in X-Plane, so more please.



More assets include more (better) and varied ramp airport lighting, certainly very welcome for the scenery builders for more lighting flexibility, and Ground assets for sharper ground markings and alas a whole host of new hangars, altogether there are 600 items to be added in.





The second (after New York) Helipad is the Air Zermatt Terminal in Switzerland, a great choice.



X-Plane 12.3.0
Coming soon into a private-beta (internal) is X-Plane 12.3.0, the next big step up. It is noted as a "Weather Update". But the moniker is a bit deceiving, as there is nothing in cloud or real weather related in the release, it is more the aircraft (weather) systems.



The biggest announcement was the X-Plane "Weather Radar". This big system intergration was delayed by the 12.2.0 installation as it is a big part of the same system, it has GPU Cloud marching (volumetric effects), Radar Physics, GPU buffers for moisture, instability and temperature, ground elevation map, and what you see out of the cockpit windows is what you get on the screen, and the viewer is of the A330 installation.



It will also be installed in the G1000 gns, and you can even change the TILT in -15 to + 15 degrees and have for the first time SIDESCAN features...



... in fact every single knob and control on the WX panel can be used or adjusted with fully working radar controls.... a first in Simulation.



Important also is that you can differentiate between Weather and Ground terrain, as both are active on the instruments.



Remember that dead Weather WX Panel you have looked at for over a decade, well now it will actually work!



The advanced radar features include; On Path vs Non-threatening, Altitude select, Ground Clutter suppression, predictive Wind-Shear warnings and Vertical Scan. This system will be also available in an API or Application Programming Interface for Third-Party users to install the system on their products, meaning the system will be soon available across a wide base of aircraft in the Simulator. And both instruments displaying the weather are totally independent of each other, so one pilot can be seeing one action, and the First Officer another...





... at the release of 12.3.0 the default aircraft; Boeing 737-800, A330-300, MD-82, Cirrus Vision SF 50, Baron B58 and Citation X will all have the new weather system installed and be operational.



Also coming in 12.3.0 is "Synthetic Vision Terrain". This item was actually announced a year ago at the Las Vegas FS Expo for the G1000 gns, but the coming 2025 version is much more refined and better detailed and is noted to be fully GPU based, meaning no CPU impact, as the terrain is already on the GPU. All Terrain, Water, Airports, Runways and all obstacles are displayed pathways for Navigation, with prominent warning signs for dangerous obstacles.







The premier default X-Plane aircraft the A330-300 is also having a mid-life update and all round check. First is too takeaway more of the modelling feel with better (meaning dirtier) texture and general wear and tear detail...







The idea is to split the texture decals (directives) to get more detail with less framerate hit with objects, first used in scenery design, the idea has now been adjusted for use on aircraft, and the results are excellent.







The instrument panel has also been totally retextured and the wheels now have active brake particle effects!



The A330's lighting has been immensely improved including drop-down lighting, the cockpit and instrument lighting (excellent test lighting)...







... but also excellent lighting in the cabin.





There are a load of FMGC updates and sensor changes...



... but the biggest new addition is the installation of a AOC - Airline Operational Communication in the FMGC unit. This is intergrated with the default X-Plane ATC system. The AOC is a company messaging service between the aircraft and the airline, mostly it displays weather data details and ATIS and airport directions and requests though the DATA LINK.







And finally for the Airbus A333 is a load of updated features and fixes, overall a very comprehensive overhaul of the aircraft.



All this is noted as "Coming Soon", as noted for Friday (5th) for 12.2.1 and August for 12.3.0.

Ben Supnik did a talk on the current workflow of what is being worked on and coming for the X-Plane Simulator... first he noted that the current aim was to "Make it Go Faster".

We had an element in 12.2.0 that used Multi-Threading of computer cores. My guess it was a Real-Life test to see how the idea performed in reality. Now Supnik can use Multi-Threading to improve CPU time by 30%, also Multi-Core all the things, and use it for Network Syncing.



GPU Optimizations are also part of the project with a Two-Pass Render, Tiled Night Lighting and optimising Weather FX for 4k . VRAM Optimizations are also being worked on, for using more VRAM (Virtual Memory) re-using parts of textures for faster paging and Auto-Purge Dark lit areas. All these items can get you performance gains, and that is to make the Simulator as efficient as possible. I would expect around the end of the year, or as an on-going project.

There was only a (very) brief note on the X-Plane Store, but that they were still working on the "Shopping Cart Experience" and the backend now supports account-based logins and is integrating modern payment systems. But I expected a far bigger announcement on the intergrated store, and Meeks noted that more was going to be revealed later in the year?



There was no announcements on the Next-Gen Scenery? or any reveals on what or when that feature is going to be. The question abounds that is the Next-Gen Scenery for X-Plane 13 as it's primary feature, or still for X-Plane 12... that is the BIG question? and you may need to ask Ben Supnik personally to find out, personally I think he will keep numb on the project, Mixed Reality another feature, well again ask Ben...



On the surface and only 15 Minutes doesn't give a lot away, but look closely here and there is a lot of depth in coming features. The Weather Radar is obviously a highlight, and it does look sensational, and all is as noted as not too far away from your Simulator experience... so overall a great announcement.

Laminar is different, X-Plane is different... and that aspect was very visual at this 2025 Expo this year, as the whole setup was more professional in displays and marketing and is showing the Pro side of the Simulator in a far better context, surprising what a year makes.
____________

Analysis by Stephen Dutton
28th June 2025
Copyright©2025: 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.

Hardware Unboxing : Honeycomb Bravo Throttle with Flap Kit



This is an re-edited version of "Hardware Unboxing" of the Honeycomb Bravo Throttle system, this edition includes the addon Honeywell "Flap Kit". This review was originally published, but got lost in the translation of the site changes back in February 2025.

Sadly we don't do a lot of hardware reviews on X-PlaneReviews. The reason is we don't have a lot changing in that world to cover the new equipment, but I do admit we should do more gear reviews.
 
But our tools that we use are important, as they are our interaction with the Simulator on a physical level. The last review was when I bought the Saitek Pro Flight x56 Rhino HOTAS package of a Joystick and throttle, this was back late April 2017, or seven and a half years ago. That system replaced a Saitek x52 Pro Flight H.O.T.A.S. System which broke, the x56 Pro Flight is now quite worn.
 
On the face of it, you can't really complain about seven and a half years of heavy review work before starting to feel the pressure of consistent wear and tear, but from the start, the x56 as noted in the above review was plagued with the same problems that the x52 was also known for, as the metal disk would drag badly up and down the centre shaft no matter what you did. I used (a lot) of petroleum jelly or vaseline to keep it lubricated. the x56 has EXACTLY the same problem, but worse in that the centre shaft here is plastic and not metal, I thought the different springs would help, but the shaft still drags (sticks) badly even on the lightest spring, it works better with no springs, but then the stick flops around all over the place, in times of desperation (mostly for Helicopter Reviews) I will take the spring off to fly the aircraft.
 
But the consistent annoyance has been the x56 throttle hardware. Yes I love the solid metal switches, and why I kept it for so long. But a few years ago, it started to have USB issues, first with bad ghosting, then losing the data from the right side throttle lever. If you removed the USB and reinserted it, it worked, until it didn't again, even putting the USB on the most powerful USB port, even then buying a powered USB board, but it just consistently failed. The throttle levers were also not very effective in being draggy and heavy even with the adjustment knob set in the lowest setting, so your adjustment inputs were not very clean, messing you up trying to fly (again) Helicopters that required fine collective adjustments, or the non-required fine approach power adjustments that drove me to swear words. When the first lever started to do what the second lever did a year or so ago, it was time to replace the system, enough was enough, I didn't want another full year swearing at it all the time.
 
The Honeycomb Bravo Throttle system is not cheap, it is $300 American Dollars, that is just the throttle alone. Honeycomb Alpha Flight Controls Yoke & Switch Panel is another US$300 for the full system, but quality comes with a price as we shall see. Another point is that if you buy the Alpha and Beta combination set together, they are very, very large units, and they take up an immense amount of desk space, unless you build a frame for them... space is also required as you still need the use of a keyboard for access to the simulator. This size issue was a consideration of why I was reluctant to buy the Bravo earlier, high price aside. I don't think I would buy the Alpha for this space use alone, I love the idea and the quality of the Yoke (if going by the Bravo) as it is very high, so would probably stay with the Joystick arrangement, if a new one later in the year as Honeycomb is releasing the Foxtrot Aviation Stick (yes I know it is late for release).
 
So let us look at the Bravo Throttle...
 
It came in a very big, BIG cardboard box? That unboxed to another very BIG box at 46.2cm x 32.7 cm x 25.5cm at 5.5 kg









I love the quality of the packaging, it feels and looks very professional...  the outer cover slipped off to reveal, yes another box...   when opened, it was full of more little boxes!
 



 
The two boxes are labeled "General Aviation" and  "Commercial". Lift them out and remove the foam cover to reveal the huge Throttle Assembly below. Also inside is a large connection plate and a Manual. Lower in the box are two desk clamps and a USB Cable.





 The Throttle Assembly is massive and quite heavy, but all the components and boxes are of very high quality, very well made and again heavy in feel (plate/clamps). You certainly get a lot of components for your money, if it hurt at the checkout, you certainly won't feel that same way with what you are delivered.
 


Now lets look at my old Saitek layout, the x56 Joystick and Throttle, if anything it was a very nice setup, one that I liked a lot, it didn't get in the way either when you were not flying, as the Throttle component could be pushed back and out of the way between the two keyboards.



The plate is positioned and held in position via the two clamps, very easy to do, and the clamps will take in a fair depth of the bench if you have a homemade bench. You can also use the sticky contact patch on the rear of the plate if you don't want to use the clamps, but once used (attached) then the contact patch can't be used again? note on how much the screw knobs hang down, and you can easily glaze a knee or two if you are not careful.





The Throttle Assembly is then attached to the plate via the central pin, and is tightened down via two scroll wheels at the rear, once tight the unit is very locked in and solid. To note that if you want your desk space back, then you can just disconnect the cable, then loosen the rear scroll wheels and slip the Throttle assembly back off the plate, it is only a very short disconnect and removable operation. I put it safe in a wardrobe if not required. Another small note...  it gets very dusty, and the Bravo is very hard to clean with the slots, so when not being used it needs to be covered.





The USB cable is then connected via the rear of the assembly to your computer. My Windows Computer is not positioned that very far away, only down the side of the desk on the floor. But the USB cable is only a meter long? very, very short for these sort of setups, it reached the USB connector, but it is also stretched very tight across the desk, a two meter or longer cable is really required here, I don't like extension cables as they can come loose or do not connect correctly, so I found this short cable a bit odd. It is a USB-type C (to USB Type A) so a longer cable should be easy to replace of which I did only two weeks later, now the cable can be hidden with the rest of the cabling.



So here is the complete Throttle Assembly set up, and those two boxes have the sets (GA and Commercial) levers inside, this is really a nice bit of kit, it looks incredible in the quality and detail.



Top row on the facia are two knobs each end, left knob; ALT (Altitude), VS (Vertical Speed), HDG (Heading), CRS (Course) and IAS (Speed), right knob is; DECR (Decrease) and INCR (Increase). Center are the seven selection rubber buttons; HDG, NAV, APR (Approach), ALT, VS and IAS. Far right is the AUTO PILOT button. lower is left the Landing Gear Toggle with three (Red/Green) lights, and lower far right is the Flap switch.



There are Seven Multi-Use switches centre, and lower a very nice 14 light Annunciator panel, with; Master Warning, Engine Fire, Low Oil Pressure, Low Fuel Pressure, Anti-Ice, APU, Master Caution, Vacuum, Low Hyd Pressure, Aux Fuel Pump, Parking Brake, Low Volts and Door.
 
For over the lever slots you are provided with six rubber covers, that slot in the spaces to keep out the dust and to protect the contacts.



Left of the lever slots is a very nice Trim Wheel, right is a lever tensioner knob.



You have six levers, some have internal contacts, a few don't. These levers can be selected with the comprehensive range of levers provided in the "General Aviation" and "Commercial" boxes. Quality of the levers are simply outstanding, in both categories.





You just push the levers on to connect. But they can be tight to come back off, but here are also new. Standard layout on Commercial is Speedbrake lever left, Four Throttles and the Flap Lever right. Note the excellent pop-up reverse thrust levers. There is an indent to stop you going into reverse mode, but as a lot of users have complained, it's not a heavy indent, so it is quite easy to flip over it, while you are only setting the throttles back to idle, like most I wish it was a tougher stronger stop gap



The combinations are endless. Mostly with commercial you will use only two throttle levers (A320/B737/A350/B777), so you blank out the other two slots. Honeycomb recommend using the left two slots, but I hated that layout, and wanted the two levers in the centre of the pedestal, but in this position the TOGO (TakeOff - GoAround) red button on lever 1 doesn't work, but a guess says it just needs setting up, as the contacts are on the stub. Note on the third lever, you can rotate the handle to show either the number 2 or 3, just to work in this two lever arrangement as you are using lever slot 3, very clever.



We have the four lever arrangement (B747/A340/Concorde) above, but you can also set up a three throttle lever set for the TriJets (MD11F/MD11P), and this is a brilliant set up.
 


I got a bit creative as well... as i 3D Printed a set of Boeing throttle handles, they just used the same screws to attach them to the handles. I wasn't crazy about the really small handles that came with the set up when used in the Twin Throttle layout, and they work extremely well in context.



So this shows how versatile the system is. The Bravo can also be used with 3rd party throttle kits. Admittedly they are not cheap, as some kits cost more than the Bravo itself, but hunt around and there are cheaper options. Boeing 737 and Boeing 777 sets are excellent with gated flap runners...  and Airbus A320/A380 also comes with pop-up Arming Speedbrakes. You can get a PC12 set, and even a Dash 8.







But you would need to be a seriously rich Simmer to use these custom kits, me, I'd like all of them!
 
The General Aviation set gives you six levers, Two Throttle, Two PROP and Two Mixture. These can be positioned to cover Single or Twin engined aircraft. If required you can set just the single Throttle and Mixture levers.
 


You now realise on how very clever X-Plane as a product it really is. The Settings for the Honeycomb Bravo is via the X-Plane "Joystick" Menu. Here you can assign any lever, button or switch. The "Joystick" with selected "Device" menu moves and selects the correct format for you, with selecting five different categories to choose from; Switches and AutoPilot, GA Throttles, Commercial 4 Engine Throttles, Commercial 2 Engine Throttles and Other Controls.





Note, just because it says "Switches and AutoPilot", it doesn't mean that simply selecting from the XP menu that the Bravo unit will automatically work, as we shall see, it doesn't completely work that way?
 
But command assignments can be made for buttons, switches, reverse selections and lever lower positions (reversers) in the X-Plane menu.
 
The work here is creating all the different lever layouts for the universal selection of aircraft. So you will at first create different "User Profiles" for default settings, say "GA Single" and "GA Dual", or "4 Engine" or "2 Engine". These profiles can then be assigned to the different aircraft layouts, then refined for that particular aircraft. It is time consuming stuff, it can take days to do, to get the right profiles and each set to be assigned to an aircraft. Note if you want the Twin throttle levers in the centre position, then you to set them up via the 4 Engine setup, to access the central 3 lever.



But even after doing this profile assignments, the Bravo system is still not completely working?
 
You also have to use something called a "HB Configurator Tool" (Config Tool). Were as the hardware throttle connects to your X-Plane settings, the Config Tool does the opposite in allowing X-Plane to talk to the throttle, in lighting Annunciators and using the Autopilot switches and knobs. Thankfully when you start the HB Config Tool, it has a load of defaults that cover the basic default settings.
 
You can download the HB Config Tool from both HoneyComb Aeronautical (Don't Google HB Config Tool, as you won't find it there?), or use Aerosoft, this option is better for configured profiles. Once you have downloaded the software, you then run the .exe file to install the software. (Options for a MAC install is included). When installed you have the "Honeycomb Configurator" Application available to open on your desktop.





Running the application, allows you to make "Profiles"...   with a "Profile Editor"



First is "Actions"...  Here you can; Create (a new profile), Activate (a current profile), Delete (a Current Profile), Change Selected Device, Open X-Plane Variable List, Download Profiles, Open Settings and Exit (Configurator)





You can select a certain button or switch and create a "Press-Event" in two modes, Buttons/Switches or LED (lighting) selections. The Config Tool is complicated to use?? with coding skills required, however there are videos to learn how to create and insert these profiles - How to use Datarefs and Commands, this is a good one as well in Configuring for X-Plane.
 
With the Config download, you do also get a default XP11 profile (works with XP12), so basically the system will now work, and the system is now active on the Throttle with Red/Green Gear Indicators, Red Annunciators and the bright white Autopilot lighting. It is VERY nice!





As noted you can download "Custom Profiles" and import them into the Config via the "Actions/Settings". These can then be seen and selected in the "Profiles" Tab (also need to be made active via the settings menu) which is shown on the lower banner. You can also "create" a new Profile if required. Lower Config panel is noted the current loaded "profile : Default-Throttle".



When you start up X-Plane, the active Config will show the currently selected Profile for about 10 secs on the screen



You can go out of X-Plane and reset another new Profile and Activate it, but to change in X-Plane you have to go to the Plugins Menu/Honeycomb selection... BFC -Throttle.
Under BFC-Throttle you have two options; "Reload Bindings" and "Show Bindings", and Reload will set the current active Profile binding. (if you start X-Plane from the desktop with a selected active Profile Binding, you don't have to Reload it here every time you do a X-Plane start, only when you change the Profile in a running Simulation). If you add a new Binding Profile you can "Reload All Bindings" from the same Menu.



So here is the Honeycomb Bravo layout, it is very different than earlier, and notice on how far outwards the Bravo levers are compared to the x56 layout. To a point I am twisting in my chair to reach back to the levers, I quickly changed my stance to hold the levers underneath, than trying to operate them from the rear, and it actually felt more cockpit realistic to do it the way real life pilots do the throttle actions the same way.





But the layout does take some getting used to I will admit. 
 
Honeycomb Bravo Flap Kit
As noted above, you can by add on 3rd party Throttles, but there are also a few Honeycomb extras in kits you can buy as well...  after doing the Bravo review I found the Flaps as noted above are a bit ambiguous in finding the right Flap setting. I worked around it, but I wanted or realised I needed better?  Well Honeycomb also sells a "Flap Kit" for the Bravo...  "I gotta have that"...  and out came the credit card. It is US$50 (I paid AUS $69.00).
 




The modular kit covers all Boeing and Airbus types, with the exception of the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787-10, and realistically implements both the Airbus and Boeing flap lever mechanisms. In the box are three Detent plates.
5 Detent: The 5 Detent Plate works with Airbus A318, A319, A320, A330, and A350
7 Detent: The 7 Detent Plate works with Boeing 747, 757, 767, 777, and 787-8
9 Detent: The 9 Detent Plate works with Boeing 737



Again the packaging is superb, beautifully done, and besides the three Detents and Two handles, it comes with (another simple) Manual and two screws.
 
5 Detent Airbus
You have to make sure the Detent is pushed down in firmly and it uses the 4th Throttle track (it has a built in cover). The Airbus style lift Flap lever also MUST be "Clicked" down into place, no "Click" then it is not seated correctly, it works like a charm. The Airbus 0 - Full detent positions are all noted.





7 Detent
As I am currently flying the FlightFactor Boeing 777v2, this kit was bought with this aircraft in mind. Again the 7 Detent has to be clicked firmly in place, but you also have to put a screw in the Flap Lever to hold it in place. Note the screw is already in the flap lever base, on the opposite side. It was also tough to remove, as it was stuck in...  but then you move the screw to the right side of the installed lever to secure it. Honeycomb Aeronautical supply two extra screws in case you lose any, which is quite easy to do, as they are small. The lift and move detent action is superb, and everything works with a firm click.





9 Detent
The 0 - 40 degree plate for the Boeing 737 is long, and you use the same Boeing Flap handle, which is quite taller (nicer) than the short version that comes with the Bravo, so it is actually easier to use over the Throttle handles being higher. You can swap the 7 Detent to the 9 Detent without unscrewing and removing the Flap lever, but it is very, very tight to do so... I would probably remove the screw and move the lever up a little to change over the detents.
 


Every flap movement is very solid and well made, "clicks" give you aural feedback, but just being able to see your flap setting, and moving the handle without looking at the monitors is greatest advantage here. I don't know how wear and tear would soften the movements, but you have to be firm and click into what you have selected...  and yes I really love this quality addition to the Bravo System.
 
So some user notes.

Oddly my biggest complaint is not with the hardware, or even the software? Honeycomb Aeronautical have done a brilliant job in creating a very high quality product. But it is all seriously lacking is Documentation. There is a Manual (14 pages) repeated in English, German and French. This covers basically the Installation and Setup, which is pretty straightforward anyway. There is nothing on installing or using the HB Configurator Tool? The Honeycomb Aeronautical website is not much better. Your basically on your own to set it up and configure the system yourself.
 
Where Honeycomb could help you, they still fail badly. One, there are a series of videos on how to use Datarefs and Commands, but it is boring and not very informative, even complicated. There needs to be a section to explain (Video and Manual) on how the code is represented to use the required command.
But worse, although Honeycomb do supply default profiles, they are not very good in operation, as a lot of required profile actions are missing, worse they are still labeled "X-Plane 11", and we have moved on a lot since then folks.
 
They made this suite of tools, but can't be actually bothered to help you out with the basics, in reality it should be an easy drop in and use format.,This tool was released in 2020, and since that period, Honeycomb have done no manual or software updates, I think with equipment of this price range, they need to come to the table, may even garner them a few extra sales just by making their product easier to access.
 
Functionality
After using the profiles for a few months now I find the most of the profiles work really well. The Standard "Default" profile will cover most aircraft, certainly all General Aviation aircraft as long as they have the standard avionics and systems layouts. Some aircraft give you a lot of actions in Autopilot Functions, some don't. However mostly on the hardware side, like with the Throttles and Levers as connected by the X-Plane settings, then they do tend to work every time, as long as you set the right configuration for that aircraft's layout, obviously the right profile for the right heavy aircraft layout does cover most areas and make them work. The tricky one is FlyJSim Dash 8 Q400 and their detent barrier, the only option there is to add in a button selection to go past and recover the throttles for reverse, but it took awhile to make it work.
 
A lot of aircraft however with the default and custom profiles will also work. but again expect limitations. When using the Autopilot, the ALT, HDG and IAS (Speed) and most V/S selections, and these selections will work fine with the adjustment knob, but the CRS (Course) selections mostly don't work? a few like the IXEG B737 and Rotate MD-11 Series, you will find everything will work, but the odd MD-11 hardware settings have to be correct. All ToLiss aircraft work fine with the selected Airbus_A319 profile, some require a button press ALT, HDG, V/S to make the knob pop out to activate the selection, overall I can use the Honeycomb Bravo with every aircraft well.
 
Almost all the Laminar default aircraft will work with the "Default Profile", as they all use the basic X-Plane datarefs, but important is that you have the correct X-Plane Profile to match that particular aircraft's layout when using it. So time spent setting up the the different X-Plane Profile configurations... Single Engine, Twin Engine, Jet Twin and Jet Four Engine configuration, so you can match them quickly to the aircraft's particular setup is the way to save yourself a lot of frustration and confusion.



That said... 
If the Autopilot functions work, even with only the three ALT, HDG and IAS selections, then your in for a real treat. The Honeycomb Bravo is no replacement for a dedicated Autopilot panel, but it is universally very good to cover most aircraft systems.
 
My first flight with the Bravo was the ToLiss A319, and "wow" this was a lot of fun to use the Honeycomb System, as the selection knob, buttons and adjustment knob works, and when it does, it gives you a very realistic Simulation. Not having to consistently move your forward view to adjust the aircraft's altitude, heading and speed, but to do it by touch and twiddling the knob is feeling like a Captain with four epaulets on your shoulders!
 
Also the levers are far, far better with the pressure adjustment than the x56, lovely actually, as you can find that right feel tension pressure (when adjusted) in moving them forwards and rearwards, a longer lever travel is also a bonus for taxi speeds and the more general throttle (thrust) control.
 
Like noted the reverse gate detent, is just too weak to separate the forward to reverse thrust selections, so I was always notching it back up to the central position on powering down. So lever manipulation is very realistic, as noted you put your hand under the throttles to move them up, above down. But the very small reverser handles are hard to use from the side angle, but in most cases you will just push the throttle levers past the detent for full reverse thrust, and then back past the detent to disengage the reversers.
 
Nice gear lever, is again very authentic in feel and use, but the Speedbrake lever is tricky to use in being free flowing. I also set the first switch left as the "Arm" command, as the lever won't jack up (It can on a custom 3rd party Airbus Kits), so you use the X-Plane Command "Speedbrake retract one" or "extend one" on the switch to use that function.
 
I quickly got used to the Flap handle, which like the speedbrake is free moving...  a lot of the aircraft you fly, have gates anyway to select the right position. But in the Airbuses, You can easily find the right selection slot (it is a feel thing, more than a visual one). I rarely use the Flap switch set higher, but only again with a Flappy switch on the aircraft, but it is handy if you want your flaps at say another detent down. But the Flappy switch can also confuse the Bravo, as if you use the Flappy switch, the Flap lever does not move itself to the correct indent, so the Honeycomb, doesn't know what to do (the flap handle will flicker on screen), so it is always best to use the Flap lever than the switch... As noted I have now added in the Honeycomb Flap Kit, so that extra has eliminated a lot of the above issues, well worth the extra expense, but I wonder if it should come with the Bravo Pack as standard. The Trim wheel is fine in a manual mode, although the adjustment is too fine for me and so it takes too long to set the trim, but in the air it is fgreat for making fine trim adjustments... but you can't use it to set the Centre of Gravity takeoff setting in an airliner.
 
Next was the IXEG B737, not flown the -300 for awhile, but set up with a custom profile(s) (both in a custom profile and an X-Plane custom profile), this aircraft showed how good the Honeycomb Bravo really is, one flight, two flights, three flights, and I just wanted more as almost all the buttons and controls worked perfectly, it was extremely immersive!
 
The one that I was most excited about was the FlightFactor Boeing 777v2. FlightFactor have provided the correct HB commands for you to set the Autopilot and Switchgear (the custom commands are in the "Manual") for the Bravo. The command list is below, can take a fair while to set, but totally worthwhile here as virtually every knob works! So a HB Config profile is not needed. Note to Developers, please consider this option when releasing aircraft as it means you only need the one profile to set (X-Plane) for that particular aircraft. I would recommend to copy the created profile as a backup.



If you look at the commands used by FlightFactor, one set is interesting. Here the Flappy switch is reassigned as the Parking Brake (trigger), and the idea works a treat on all Jet aircraft. I have already reassigned most of the airliners to this Flappy switch to Parking Brake action, and it is a clever use of a lever that could confuse the main flap lever's actions. 
 
So this is the point, if you do have the correct profiles, the Honeycomb Bravo is totally brilliant, but a lot of the authenticity is missing if you don't have a working profile, as you are left with only the basics in levers to fly with.
 
Summary
So let us sum up the Honeycomb Bravo Throttle System... Expensive, but you get a lot of quality hardware for your money, so I don't regret the purchase one little bit, as it is a very nice piece of kit. It takes up a lot of your desk space, and sticks outwards quite a lot from your desk, so you have to adjust your flying stance a lot to use it.
 
All switches, buttons, levers and controls are of top quality in feel and use. As the multiple, if extremely versatile arrangements and layouts for a wide variety of aircraft is outstanding. Lighting is also outstanding, with Gear lights, AP selection lights and red Annunciators.
 
It is a time consuming system to set up with two sets of profiles, and if like me flying a wide variety of aircraft, so you can spend a lot of time just in getting all the right hardware and profile combinations working together correctly (now also with different Flap Levers). With the Saitek x56, I rarely changed settings, aircraft to aircraft, except for setting up to fly Helicopters. Certainly a static setup, refined in settings for a certain Simulation is to get the best out of the Bravo.
 
Biggest barrier is the poor information presented for a complex profile setup by Honeycomb, there are a few videos, but you mostly certainly require more documentation on details. Provided default profiles are poor and after four years are still noted as X-Plane 11, and far too few profiles to cover the many simulation platforms and various aircraft out there, certainly an interactive forum would be actually a good idea for a central base of information and help (currently it is Aerosoft doing the hosting). Basically it needs someone to sort out the mess and give users better information and deliver professional profiles that work. Horrible to keep clean, it shows every greasy fingerprint and dust is a menace, so care and a cover is required... the USB cable is seriously too short at 1 meter, so you would need to purchase a longer cable.
 
If you know me well, you would know that anything that brings the real world aviation feel and interaction to create a higher level of realistic Simulation is going to make me happy. The Honeycomb Bravo Throttle can certainly deliver that aspect to your on-line flying, yes it is complicated to set up, but once all configured is an amazing bit of hardware to use, and is totally recommended.
_____________
 
The Honeycomb Bravo Throttle can be purchased at most leading On-Line Flight Simulation stores, for around US$300, but there is always a deal out there.
 
Requirements
✅ PC (Windows 10/11)
• Requires a USB-A port
• Compatible with major flight simulators:
• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS 2020)
• X-Plane 11 & 12
• Prepar3D (P3D)
• FSX (with some limitations)
 
✅ Xbox Compatibility
• Works with Xbox Series X|S only when paired with a compatible yoke (e.g., Honeycomb Alpha XPC).
Software & Drivers
• Windows Users: Install the Honeycomb software/drivers from their official website for full configurability.
• MSFS 2020 Users: Custom profiles may need to be set up in the simulator’s control settings.
• X-Plane Users: Works out of the box but may require minor configuration.
Hardware Compatibility
• Designed to integrate seamlessly with the Honeycomb Alpha Yoke.
• Works with third-party yokes and rudder pedals (e.g., Logitech, Thrustmaster, Turtle Beach).
 
Installation
Software needs to be downloaded in the HB Configurator Tool, available from Honeycomb & Aerosoft. Downloading the "X-Plane 11" version is the correct version for X-Plane 12.
 
Documents
Manual (14 pages) in English, German and French (Installation)
Partner Offers


________________
 
Hardware Review by Stephen Dutton
20th June 2025
Copyright©2025: 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

Scenery Review: EPGD/GDN Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport by FlyDesign



By Michael Hayward

Introduction
Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport serves as the main airport for northern Poland and the city of Gdansk. It also serves the Tri-City area, which includes Gdansk, Sopot, and Gdynia. While not as large as major hubs like Warsaw or Krakow, Gdansk has grown in popularity in recent years due to the rise of low-cost carriers and increased tourism. FlyDesign, a French-Polish developer, produces airport sceneries for X-Plane, as well as Microsoft Flight Simulator and P3D. They have been creating highly detailed airport add-ons across Poland since 2017. In this review, we will take a closer look at FlyDesign’s Gdansk scenery. As someone who has visited the city multiple times and flown through this airport, I was excited to see how well the scenery compares to real life.

Gdansk is a popular tourist city in northern Poland, offering destinations throughout Europe. FlyDesign’s scenery extends beyond just the airport and terminal; they recreated nearby towns, added photo-realistic ground textures (ortho), and hand-placed individual buildings, trees, and other scenery objects. It’s a noticeable improvement, especially for pilots flying low or in poor weather. Whether flying from another European city or on a quick domestic inter-Poland flight, Gdansk proves to be an enjoyable and realistic destination.



Installation Process
Installing FlyDesign’s Gdansk is a simple process. After purchasing from the X-Plane.org store, you download a zip file containing versions for both X-Plane 11 and 12. Simply drag and drop the relevant folder into your chosen simulator’s "Custom Scenery" directory, and you are ready to go.

Documentation
The package includes three documents: an end-user license agreement, full-colour charts for the airport (including approach, departure, and ground maps), and a 5-page manual discussing the airport's history along with an installation guide. The charts are especially helpful, providing full insight into the airport’s operations that you can use for navigation both commercially and for VFR flights.



From Above
From the sky, the scenery immediately catches your eye. The ortho-ground textures are well-defined and stretch across the Gdansk/Rebiechowo region surrounding the airport. You can clearly see the towns, roads, and greenery. The addition of hand-placed objects like hotels, the railway viaduct and station, and various buildings gives the area a lot of character. This is especially true if you know the area. I certainly recognized many elements from past trips! To help the airport ortho blend in with the wider surroundings, I used a custom tile for the Gdansk area and simHeaven during my screenshots. It’s not required, but it makes a big difference if you’re flying VFR or just enjoying the views.





General Layout
On the ground, Gdansk features a single main runway with one parallel taxiway that runs the length of the terminal. There is also a smaller parking area to the east, used by light aircraft and helicopters from the local HEMS. The layout is straightforward, but FlyDesign has done a good job of adding markings and signage to make it feel more realistic.







Ground Textures
The concrete textures include subtle weathering, such as oil stains and cracks, which brings the surrounding airport to life. They have also made full use of X-Plane 12’s bump mapping to define the concrete and the grid layout that spans the ground area. Taxiway signs, ground markings, and runway identifiers are all properly placed and easy to see.







Main Terminal
The terminal itself is impressive. It follows a similar modern style to many other Polish airports that were upgraded in the early 2010s for the 2012 UEFA Euro football tournament, which featured host cities across the country. The main terminal building features a waved roof with large glass windows that span its entire length. "Gdansk" is written in large, bold lettering.







There are seven jet bridges across the front of the terminal. Immediately to the east is a secondary building connected to the main one; this was the former terminal that handled the airport's full operations before its major expansion opened in April 2012.



Terminal Interior
The terminal features a full open-plan interior with gate areas receiving extra detail, visible from within your plane's cockpit. These details include departure screens, boarding desks, and duty-free shops on the far wall. White podiums act as supports for the roof throughout the terminal. There are also 3D people and ground staff placed throughout the area, which helps to bring the airport to life.







Additional Buildings
Other structures around the airport include the large radar dome, a number of hangars, various maintenance buildings, and the fuel storage tanks. The fire station is also present and features fire engines positioned outside, adding to the sense of activity.





There’s also a small cargo area, with DHL clearly represented. It’s not a huge operation, but it’s nice to see this aspect of the airport included, especially for those flying regional cargo routes.



Ground Clutter
FlyDesign has done a good job with the airport’s ground clutter. There’s a mix of service vehicles, baggage carts, stairways, cones, and 3D people placed in realistic spots around the terminal and apron. It’s not overdone, but just enough to make the airport feel busy and active. The variety helps keep things looking natural rather than repetitive.





Railway
The elevated railway viaduct, complete with gantries and passing trains, adds further realism to the airport's surroundings. It sits just in front of the terminal and helps ground the scenery in real-world context. One minor drawback is the underlying ortho texture. While one side includes parked 3D modelled cars, the other is just flat, which slightly detracts from an otherwise impressive feature.





Night Lighting
Night lighting on the ground is crisp and clear, with blue edge lights along the taxiways, a mix of green and yellow centrelines, and signs that glow in bright yellow or red depending on whether they link to a runway. The runway itself is easy to spot from the air, and the surrounding area includes hand-placed streetlights, making approaches at night both scenic and clear. Its clear time was spent making the night lighting match the quality of the daytime visuals.





The terminal looks particularly good at sunrise and sunset, with X-Plane 12’s improved lighting adding plenty of colour and atmosphere.





Performance Impact
Because the scenery includes many detailed buildings, 3D objects, and textures, it does use a bit more VRAM than simpler airports. On lower-end PCs, this might cause some small performance drops, especially when flying complex aircraft. On my system, which is fairly high-end, I did not have too many major issues. The scenery ran smoothly even with aircraft like the Zibo 737 and Toliss A321, though I did notice a few dips when taxiing close to the terminal. It’s a fair trade-off for the level of detail, but lowering your graphics sliders a notch can help if things get too heavy.





Conclusion
FlyDesign’s Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport is a great addition to the X-Plane 12 scenery lineup. It has the right mix of realism, good looks, and usability. Whether you are flying short routes around Europe or simply enjoy exploring detailed airports, this one delivers. The terminal interior, the surrounding area, the lighting, and the overall layout all come together to match exactly what you would expect to see at the airport in real life!

If you are looking for a European airport that is not too big, offers numerous destination options, and allows for quick turnarounds, then FlyDesign’s Gdansk is certainly a strong recommendation!

______________________________________



EPGD/GDN Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport by FlyDesign is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:

EPGD/GDN Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport

Priced at US$19.95

Features:
Support for both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11
EPGD International airport, completely new 4K buildings with all detailed,
Highly detailed Terminal Interior,
3D LED technology runway lightning,
Animated jetways and docking guidance system by SAM,
High resolution ground textures,
Hand-placed vegetation,
All Dynamic lightings,
Fully AI traffic compatible,
Optimized for excellent performance,
EPGD charts by LIDO.
Requirements:
X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 44
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
1.5 GB Download Size
Current version : 1.4 (March 5th 2025)
Reviewers System:
Windows 10 Professional
AMD Ryzen 5 5900X Processor
32GB RAM
Palit GeForce RTX™ 3080 GamingPro

______________________________________


Scenery Review by Michael Hayward 
13th June 2025
Copyright©2025: 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) 


Aircraft Update Review : Boeing 767 Professional v1.6.17 by FlightFactor



A lot of aircraft types have their particular followers in the X-Plane Simulator, you could be flying an Airbus, E-Jet or Mcdonnell Douglas. In Boeings there is the Boeing 737, or Jumbo 747, and then there is the Boeing 777, in both the earlier version v1 from 2012, then v2 from Sept 2024 (beta). Another set of FlightFactor aircraft are the Boeing 767 and 757 Twins, the B757-200 Pro was released in June 2013, the Boeing 767-300 was later released Dec 2015.

2015 is ten years ago, so is the FlightFactor Boeing 767 feeling it's age? certainly compared with the up to date mega v2 of the Boeing 777 Ultimate, so in some ways yes... when I looked it over last year as it did indeed feel dated, but however the aircraft and it's systems were still very much in vogue. The problem for FlightFactor that to do a full v2 of either the B757 or B767 would be a time set a fair way ahead, as in current development are two aircraft in the B787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350. So there is no way to redevelop the Boeing Twins for at least a year, and then even more time with the new development process. So what to do then? well give them both a nice little update, fix the complaints and redo the textures to match current X-Plane 12 standards... and that is what we have here with the v1.6.17 update.

The Boeing 767 is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The aircraft was launched as the 7X7 program on July 14, 1978, the prototype first flew on September 26, 1981, and it was certified on July 30, 1982. The initial 767-200 variant entered service on September 8, 1982, with United Airlines, and the extended-range 767-200ER in 1984. It was stretched into the 767-300 in October 1986, followed by the extended-range 767-300ER in 1988, the most popular variant. The 767-300F, a production freighter version, debuted in October 1995. It was stretched again into the 767-400ER from September 2000.

The passenger Boeing 767 ceased production in 2014, but two versions, the B767-300F Freighter and the KC-46 Pegasus (Tanker, based on the 767-2C) are still in production as they both still provide very good payload, range and operating costs.

To update to the new 767 version (or any FlightFactor Aircraft) you use the X-Updater Application Client, download is free and installed in your X-Plane/Resources/Plugins Folder (note to have "Beta" tag ticked).




The FF Boeing 767 had a major X-Plane 12 update with v1.6.6 in late 2022, this brought the aircraft up to X-Plane 12 standard, with six updates in the next two plus years (jumped from v1.6.12 to v1.6.17). So it's not that the aircraft has been neglected like a lot of developers do, the B757 has had almost the same treatment... externally the FlightFactor Boeing, looks, feels very good.







You wouldn't know that the FlightFactor Boeing 767 has been with us for 10 Years, as it feels very contemporary, certainly not dated externally, say maybe released late X-Plane 11 would be your first impressions... lets have a walkaround.



Wings are exceptional, lovely detailed metallic designs of this Supercritical airfoil design, which is 31.5° at the quarter chord, and has a wingspan of 47.6 meters (156 ft). Flap system is Krueger flaps on the leading edge inboard, Slats outboard and Double-slotted trailing edge flaps, and the internal detail is still simply highly detailed and amazing...









You can have "Blended Winglets or not, but if you are flying the long routes, as you can get Up to 6% reduction in fuel burn on the long-range flights, adding 350 nautical miles (650 km) additional range.... so for me they stay on!



Undercarriage is excellent as well, superbly detailed for the nose or the main 4-wheel bogie (truck) assemblies.



This being the Freighter, there is a lot of metal and not a lot to break up the fuselage, and my only criticism is that the metal is just a bit over shiny, it helps in X-Plane 12, but if toned down a little it would be perfect.



Glass is very good, with depth and tint, but the pilots behind the screens are showing there age compared to the XP12 default version pilots.



Four doors here open, the main left (slides nicely upwards), rear lower is a Service/Emergency door (known as the "Bulk Door"), and the standard two cargo doors right side.



There is a massive (opening) 3.40 meters (134 inches / 11.2 feet) X 2.44 meters (96 inches / 8 feet) cargo door left, and internally is very well detailed, with floor tracks and lighting.



I will admit the family of aircraft in the 767 Series from FlightFactor is quite confusing, with different variants and different extra features. The base aircraft is the 767-300ER and this comes with GE-CF6 engines. If you buy the "Extended" Pack, and here you get more variants in 767-200ER (PW+GE), 767-300ER (PW+RR+GE), 767-300F (PW+GE+RR) and new the 767-200SF (Cargo). Note the extra engines of Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce and the default General Electric



You can also have the "Flightdeck Power Display System" or FPDS, a modern avionic option and finally there is the Boeing 767-400 ER with a modern "Electronic Flight Instrument System" EFIS, you can also get the Extended pack with the EFIS (Global Package) or get the lot with the "Global Plus" package, simples!

Note this v1.6.17 update covers all the above variants and packages.

Update v1.6.17
80% of the v1.6.17 is focused on the 767 cockpit, or the textures. It is amazing how cockpit textures date, it's not usually the actual texture that is the issue, it is the lighting properties that surrounds them. As in the Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) effects that does specular highlights and metal surfaces, then there is
Reflectivity and even OBJ8 commands. In X-Plane 12 the rules were rewritten again, to the good of course, and X-Plane 12.2.0 has even changed them more, but the textures through their processing have to include more, and more of these external properties to look contemporary (even taking frameweight out of them).

The dated look came from the cockpit (FlightFactor say the external textures weren't touched, but they still look better as we have seen), so here the cockpit has been overhauled to do the new effects and has a higher resolution. There has also been reanimation of all the switches, triggers and buttons in the cockpit... the results are very, very good.





The Freighter has the bigger cockpit, even out to the L1 entry door, so it is very spacious in here. First impressions of the instrument panel are that it still looks dark and motley, but on closer inspection there is now a lovely sheen to the textures, and there is a more... well a nice texture feel as well.







The FlightFactors already have great instrument reflections and glow, that have a huge adjustment sliders. The 767 was the pioneer aircraft to first release this excellent feature, here the reflections are more highlighted with the better X-Plane 12 lighting. The texture changes are more prominent in the roof and wall panels, with the lighter shade showing off the detail. The "Shadows" have been fixed, but X-Plane 12 can still switch quite dramatically between light and dark while flying.





So overall it is a far better flying environment and it loses that decade old look, thankfully the instrument options with white or red are still here, love that.



There has been fixes for the message LE SLAT DISAGREE, and an BUS ISOLATED caution which was missing on the EICAS, and a spelling mistake L/R JET XFER VALVE. A big complaint was with the displays in rendering artifacts/issues with NVIDIA 50 series graphics cards/drivers that has also been addressed.

There was the issue of the 767 plane not loading on Linux due to missing libraries in package, fixed also are the 762 weights.

One anomaly I couldn't resolve was the GW (Gross Weight) between the EFB and the FMS ( Flight Management System) PERF INIT page. On the EFB-GROUND page it notes the GW at 187995 Kg, and over the weight limit (red), but the Brief says I only needed 150892 Kg, and under the required T/O weight, but there was no way to resolve the issue, as the GW and ZFW (Zero Fuel Weight) inputs are closed off from input? I assume if it is right in the FMS, then it is correct for flight?



Time to fly... this flight is from KMIA - Miami, USA to EGNX - East Midland, UK... 3563 NM, with a flying time of just over 7+hours (from 02 to 53 minutes depending on the weather). Note how nice the new cockpit textures are in the morning light.





Sounds are a professional sound pack by BSS Studio, I had forgotten how really good they really are, with several hundred custom sounds and In-cockpit custom sounds, with and excellent 3D stereo sound system for engines, the built in "Sound" menu is very detailed and it has a sixteen sliders plus the master. Lighting is new as well, we will look at the lighting in more depth shortly, but here you can see the X-Plane 12 tones, now upgraded from XP11.



Departure is via 08R following into FOLZZ3 SID (Standard Instrument Departure) procedures... it's a lovely morning here in Florida.





Honeycomb Bravo notes... there is a designated FF 767 profile (thank you very much) and this will allow to to interact totally with the FF B767 Series. FlightFactor are very good in providing custom commands and here a "hunycombBravo757/767" (sic) profile is provided in the DOCs.

X-Plane 12.2.0 is again pulling out the striking weather, as I climb up towards FL330.





These storms are flowing all along the East Coast of the States, I'm consistently going in and out of the weather? nasty!





There is a great tool with the Flight Management system, as on the ECON page it will give you your best altitude and speed for the best economics for the flight.



FL370 at m.81, I'll take that to get up and over the weather, but it will mean another (slow) climb with STEPS (2,000ft) to get there, my fuel load is still heavish, but I should be under the weight now to climb higher. Finally I reach the cruise altitude FL370.



Under the v1.6.17 update, FlightFactor have revised all the Boeing 767 Pro's performance and retuned the aerodynamic model for the current standards of X-Plane 12, noted is that FlightFactor claims the performance is "again within 3-5% of the performance manuals". In that aspect the aircraft does not feel old. in fact it feels very, very contemporary compared to more recent releases, in English the B767 does not feel it's age. I admit in a few areas that come with some modern features like a fixed cockpit EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) or tablet is missing and so are the Simulation SAVE features, and I miss the inflight coffee and meals provided on the FF Boeing 777 Ultimate being a long hauler, this is still a brilliant Simulation.









You follow the whole East coast of the North Americas, right up to the entry points of the North Atlantic Tracks (NATs) at southern Novia Scotia, my entry point was BRADD to JOOPY then NAT to Ireland. Just past JOOPY the weather struck again, more towering cumulonimbus that looked like hell. So I got permission to go off track to avoid them.





I flew past three heavy cloud formations, then a wall of weather meant I had to go though and not around... so I headed back to the track. You couldn't fly higher or lower (unless you wanted to get below 20,000ft?) , so it was a punch your way through moment.



You bumped around for a short while then flew back into clean air, it was the weaker area and the thankfully the edge of the front, now it was back into clear blue skies.



Excellent data detail is available on the PROG (Progress) pages on the Flight Management System (FMS), there are two pages, with the first covering waypoints, DTG (Distance to Go), ETA, and Fuel, your VOR (L&R) frequencies are also shown. PROG 2 shows Winds, TAS (True Airspeed), OAT (Outside Temp), Fuel Used and Fuel Quantity.



There is another extra Progess page called the POS REPORT, this page shows you your current Position, ATA – Actual Time of Arrival, ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival, Flight Altitude, OAT, Wind direction and current Fuel.

Love these images...



Lighting has all been revised to X-Plane 12 standards, and it stands up very well with a lot of adjustment for instrument brightness and drop down panel lighting.





The rear of the pedestal doesn't have a dedicated light? but the radio knobs glow a lovely green in the dark to find them. Separate Glareshield/Aisle Stand, Cabin (not on the Freighter) and "Chart". Side adjustments give you "Panel", OVHD (OverHead), Flood.



There is also "MAP that lights up the Yoke and the above chart lights for the side panels. Oddly the rear seating has a set lighting fittings, but they are not active, a shame as it would have been nice.





DOME gives you very bright STORM lighting with the LT OVRD switch (OHP), but the knob will also let you adjust the overall cockpit lighting to your taste.





Overall excellent. Externally you have Navigation (Position), Anti-Collision in white and red (strobe), and rear Logo (Tail). WING (Ice) are excellent.





For landing (see later) you have the main Landing lights in the inner wing, Taxi lights and Runway Turnoff lights are on the nosewheel strut, again all the lighting is very realistic and X-Plane 12 refined. With X-Plane 12.2.0 you got the shining full moon back! so lovely now at night with the reflecting light on the clouds.



Somewhere under that mass of cloud is the coast of Ireland, time to get ready to land.



Now many moons ago I had a fret with the Boeing 767 on setting the ILS Frequency, I couldn't find on how to set it? as it's in an odd place right at the back of the Pedestal, and you have to click it (hard) to activate it, then set the ILS Frequency (109.35 IEME) to make it active.



Ireland now done, I am approaching the TOD (Top of Descent) position, and time to check the APPROACH REF, this is filled in for EGNX Rwy 27, my approach is via STAR DOLOP1E, and if the ILS Freq (above) is set correctly it will show here in LK5 (lower left), again the weather is being naughty, but I should be able to fly under it.







STAR DOLOP1E gives you a bit of a twiddle in that you back track from DIPSO to ROKUP, then loop East again to D114X, before turning tight into the ILS (IEME) at CF27...



Twilight in England is lovely and does the FlightFactor B767 feel old, no not at all in the least, it's beautiful in here.



Gear down at the point of turning at CF27, you have to give yourself a little bit of headroom when coming into the ILS (IEME) as it starts at CF27, with no spacing to the beams, so a height of 2,700 ft (plus the 300 ft Airport altitude brings you down to 2,500 ft) to catch the glideslope correctly.



153 knts at Flap 25º is the best approach speed, then full 30º at 133 knts... landing speed



I then get the "LAND 3" alert to let me know the Autoland is now active.



Note the excellent X-Plane 12 external lighting, Landing, Taxi, (runway) Turnoff have all been retuned to current standards and are excellent.



Over the fence!



Basically the Boeing 767 will land itself, do a nice flare and lower the aircraft smoothly to the runway, for an early 1980's aircraft you do have modern systems to fly with, it doesn't feel like a 45 year old design.



Once on the ground you do get the noisy alerts as the AutoThust and Autopilot disconnect... the horns blare, and the only way to silence them is the flip the "DISENGAGE" switch TWICE! up-down, then up-down again to stop the noise... it took me awhile over the years to work that one out.





Because of the powerful reverse thrust you don't need a lot of braking, basically the B767 will slow itself down to Taxi speed, reverser sounds are noisy, meaning really GREAT from the big GE's.... Welcome to East Midlands.



I'm a long hauler, so 7+ hours in the left seat is normal for me, so here is the thing, is the FlightFactor an old feeling Simulation, well not at all, in fact you don't currently need anything better for the B767/B757 twins, as they are feeling right up to date with this update.





Job done, and done well, satisfaction is a great Simulation of a great aircraft, here you had both... X-Plane 12 was pretty great as well.


_______________

Summary
FlightFactor aircraft the Boeing 767 and 757 Twins, the B757-200 Pro was released in June 2013, the Boeing 767-300 was later released Dec 2015. For the 767 that is a X-Plane10.30 aircraft, we are now in X-Plane 12.2.0. and this is the latest update to v1.6.17.

This is the X-Plane 12 conversion to current standards, and it is a very good one. With the above dates you would expect these aircraft to be feeling their age, and any completely new v2 is a long way off, so this is a welcome workover. Here we looked at the Boeing 767 Pro Series, but the Boeing 757 Pro series will not be too far behind with the same changes and features.

The focus with v1.6.17 was on the textures, and here the complete cockpit with better dynamic textures and reanimation of all the switches, triggers and buttons. The feeling is that the external textures also has had adjustments, but in areas they are still too glossy. The internal work is however excellent. Also revised is all the Boeing 767 Pro's performance and the retuned the aerodynamic model for the current standards of X-Plane 12, noted is that FlightFactor claims the performance is "again within 3-5% of the performance manuals". Lighting internally and externally is also current X-Plane 12 standards, although the missing rear cockpit (Freighter) lighting is hard to work out. There has also been a load of fixes for small items that were noted by users over the last year, most importantly the displays rendering artifacts/issues with NVIDIA 50 series graphics cards/drivers and Linux not loading due to missing libraries in the package, all weights have also been revised.

The results are quite spectacular. We do note the extensive updates to the aircraft over the decade, but with this latest update you would be pushed to describe the age of the aircraft as It feels and looks X-Plane 12 and flies the same way, so in making this Simulation right up to date in every aspect. Yes there are a few remnants of the old, no EFB in the cockpit, but only as the Menu system (still very good), dated pilot models are visible, data input restricted on the EFB, no SAVE option and as noted it's a bit too glossy externally. To have the coffee and the meal options like on the FlightFactor B777 Ultimate however would be very nice (hint).

But systems wise and feature wise it is lacking nothing, so the question arises, is currently a completely new v2 of the B767 and B757 twins actually required? in context with this excellent update, then no not really, as the Boeing feels very good to current X-Plane 12 standards, and the Series is very, very already expanded with not only five B767 variants but with avionic FPDS and EFIS upgrades as well, with three engine choices with the General Electric, Rolls Royce and Pratt&Whitney.

So a great update for the FlightFactor Boeing 767 Pro Series as it is now very X-Plane 12 contemporary, and a very worthy Simulation. It is feature rich and dynamically excellent... Highly Recommended!
_________________



Yes! the Boeing 767-300ER Professional & Extended versions and the EPDS extension by FlightFactor Aero are NOW! Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
One (which I will call the Avionics upgrade) is the Standard Single aircraft PRO that can be upgraded with this FPDS package to Modern Avionics
Two (Extended and Global) you can also update to first from the Standard Single Aircraft to the "Extended" version that includes three versions of the B757/767 in the -200, -300 and the Freighter, and then update again to the GLOBAL version of everything in the Extended and plus the FPDS package. B767 Global Plus+ is everything in the B767 Pro Series.

Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional
Price is US$72.00
 
Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Extended
Price is US$92.00
 
Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Extended Upgrade
Price is US$72.00 + US$20
 
Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Modern Avionics (EPDS)
Price is US$72.00 + US$20
 
Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Global
Price is US$112.00
 
Boeing 767 Global Plus
Price is US$145.00
 
You must already have purchased and own the current Boeing 767-200 v2 version for any upgrades (Extended/Avionics) to the aircraft

Requirements
X-Plane 12, X-Plane 11.50+
Windows 10+, Mac OS 10.15+ (Intel or Apple Silicon) or Linux 14.04 LTS or compatible, 64 bit mode
Disk Space: 4 GB
X-Plane 12:
Minimum:
CPU: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9, or equivalent
RAM: 16 GB
Video Card: a Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 6 GB VRAM
Current version: v1.6.17  (June 5th 2025)

Documentation
There is excellent full coverage documentation and installation details.
767reqs.txt
terms_of_use.txt
hunycombBravo757767.json
changelog767.txt
manualVR.pdf
manualFPDS.pdf
767 Remote CDU Manual.pdf
manual.pdf
FCOM FPDS addition.pdf
764 FCOM.pdf
763 FCOM.pdf
FMS (all variants).pdf

Produced by VMAX
Designed by team members from Flight Factor and StepToSky
Support forum for the 767 Professional
Tutorial: How to use the new click system in the 767
_________________
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
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.2.0 (Beta 7) but checked in XP 12.1.4
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- KMIA - Miami International HD by Nimbus Studios (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$24.95
- EGNX - East Midlands Airport - Orbx

Aircraft Update Review by Stephen Dutton
14th June 2025
Copyright©2025: 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.

Aircraft Update Review: C-47 Skytrain/DC-3 Airliner NXG by vSkyLabs



You may think that the vSkyLabs C-47/DC-3 Project was the first developed aircraft for the X-Plane Simulator from this very prolific developer. Well you would be wrong as that was the BI-1, a Russian rocket-powered prototype from 1942, and this aircraft was released in 2017. but your not too far out either, as the original C-47 Skytrain was also released in 2017, in development the military version of the DC-3 has now been the longest of every "Flying Lab" project.

In those eight years the Douglas based aircraft has changed considerably as well through four major updates and loads of minor changes, spawned two extra aircraft (the announced Three Engined version called the Tri-Turbo-Three is still in development) with the split of the original into two models of the C-47 Skytrain and DC-3 Airliner.

With this update they now acquire also a new title in "NXG" or Next Generation and the version numbering goes back to NXG v1.0. This is a complete overhaul of the 3d modeling and the assets (their words not mine), and the quality has changed with the overhaul to better adapt to X-Plane 12 elements and dynamics. Here's the bad news, the earlier liveries don't work anymore either? we have already been through v2, v3 changes, and now again for NXG as the paintkit (Goop) is quite different. But you can actually still adopt the older liveries as you can see here, and that my beloved Air Atlantigue G-AMSV has been managed to be converted and will fly another day, it was worth the extensive effort and the C-47 looks like it has had a new fresh paint job.

The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troop transport, cargo, paratrooper, for towing gliders and military cargo parachute drops. The C-47 remained in front-line service with various military operators for many years. It was produced in approximately triple the numbers as the larger, much heavier payload Curtiss C-46 Commando, which filled a similar role for the U.S. military.
Approximately 100 countries' armed forces have operated the C-47 with over 60 variants of the aircraft produced. As with the civilian DC-3, the C-47 still remains in service, over 80 years after the type's introduction.

Can you call this a "makeover", well probably yes. At first glance the vSkyLabs C-47/DC-3 looks very similar, the differences are small at first examination, but the real devil is in the detail.











Considering the 5 year age of this G-AMSV livery still comes across really well, yes the original drawn lines are a little ziggy-zaggy, but the newer NXG liveries have the better rivet mapping.





And there are three new NXG liveries in; 'KF Centre for Excellence' Odyssey 86',  Buffalo Airways 'Plane Savers C-DTFT' and IAF 'Dakota' 026.

You are aware of the better NXG texture quality, it shines more and the detail really stands out, there is not a lot of external fittings on the DC-3, but what is done here is good.



The Douglas's are powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp radial engines. Each of these 14-cylinder, air-cooled, supercharged engines that produced approximately 1,200 horsepower.



vSkyLabs don't do menus or external elements, but the high forward door and the double rear doors both open.



Inside the Douglas as you approach the cockpit...



You notice everything you see in here has been revised... it looks the same obviously at first glance, but it is in the finer detail you really do notice the differences.

The X-Plane 12 lighting is very noticeable as well, it is a lot lighter in here, and a lot of that heavy contrast is gone. Every texture is new, including (yes AGAIN) another completely new instrument panel, lost count now, four or five changes? This is the WW2 wartime version, so it is all analog dials and gauges.



The NXG version is not the first X-Plane 12 vSkyLabs DC-3, but it is the first in actually changing the dynamics (textures and performance), the earlier versions were just tweaks to modify the aircraft to be used in X-Plane 12, this NXG however is major revision to current XP12 standards and features. The configuration here is based on the C-47/R4D variant, the standard version of most C-47's.

Pilot seats are totally refurbished, the old leather now feels even more worn and realistic, although the lovely red seat belts fall a bit short both on ends? The seat frame is also very wartime surplus in design. The Yokes (controls) are all new as well, as are the nice vintage rudder pedals, to hide the yokes then just press the (hotspot) on the metal plates in front of the pedals. Floor panels are all new, as is the roof hatch.





You have to love the authentic pedestal, levers are everywhere for PROP, THROTTLE and MIXTURE, and even the Carburetor heat levers (working) rear right. Middle are the Fuel Tank Selectors, and lower rear and side are the Trims (with a lovely metal etched wheel), lower is the Autopilot switch, and the tailwheel lock.





Note the really well done conversion chart, the detail is everywhere and it feels now even more authentic.

As noted the instrument panel is all new, remember the original black version? this is now far very different with peeling worn paint and a metallic sheen. The panel has been moved forward by about 10 cm, and all the gauges on the front panel were re-scaled to match real-world size. This arrangement was modified to allow a more realistic C-47B layout.





The dial and gauge layout is however the same, the only major change has been to the avionics... the Sperry A3 autopilot panel was re-scaled to match real-world size, or slightly smaller, different though are the GPS panels. Before they were both mounted up high up on the central windscreen pillar, and folded down, an arrangement I liked, but when you now select the compass the two GNS 530 units now replace the Sperry A3, and both GNS units popout for use.





The GNS 530 is connected to the X-Plane default S-Tec Fifty Five X autopilot set below. Note the "bouncy wouncy" spring held whiskey compass is still in here!

Overhead panels in layout are the same, with Pilot's left side covers all the aircraft's power, external, panel lighting and de-icing switches, with a big red left propeller feather button. The right side panel covers L-GEN and R-GEN (Generator) switches and Carburettor de-icer. The red right propeller feather button and the main external aircraft navigation lighting, the co-pilot's instrument lighting switch is here as well. Overhead centre is lower is MAIN power switch, and the two engine ignition switches.
High above is the Collins 618T style radio panels to cover your COM 1&2, NAV 1&2 and ADF 1&2 frequencies. Also here is the DME-A and DME-B (Distance Measuring Equipment) and ATC frequencies (ATC is the aircraft's Transponder). All panels have had the wear and tear treatment like the instrument panel.
 


The SkyLabs C-47/DC3 comes with a very extensive (96 page) period manual to cover all the instrument details, everything is explained and "how to use" is noted in detail.

The C-47 cabin has had a makeover as well, mostly with new materials, new window frames and seatbelts. I think a cargo version would have been a better fit for the older aircraft, fitting in with the Famous Berlin Airdrop.



Versions
In December 2020, vSkyLabs split the original C-47 into two, the Skytrain and the Airliner, now there is another option (returned) in an Amphibian as we shall see, bringing the total to three different choices on the X-Plane Configuration Menu. Note both the Skytrain and Airliner here are sold separately.



Airliner
The idea behind the DC-3 Airliner version, is to create a modern version of the C-47 with modern switchgear and avionics. Externally it is exactly the same as the C-47.



From the internal door it already looks different....





... were as the C-47 was an army green environment, in the Airliner it is a cascade of greys. The Yokes (controls) are black not green, and are slightly different in design. In here you have a three screen Garmin G1000 avionic system, the whiskey compass is gone to be replaced by a bubble compass, and the dials are more modern below and above the G1000 installation. Again the instrument panel is worn and tired, of which is very well done.



Overhead panels are now three combined sheets, with modern switchgear and far less Collins radios (the other radios are provided in the G1000!)



The cabin is the same one as the C-47, but it now has a full party of passengers and their baggage





Amphibian
During the Second World War a small number of C-47 Skytrain transports were converted to amphibians by installing two large floats. The floats were constructed by the EDO Corporation of College Park, New York.  The amphibious Skytrains were intended for medical rescue work and supply of Pacific Island outposts.
The floats were 42 feet long and were divided into fourteen compartments.  The floats each contained a 325 gallon fuel tank (vSkyLabs notes as a maybe feature). The aircraft was fully amphibious and could operate from either land or water. The floats contained a fully retractable nosewheel and a semi-retractable mainwheel at the float step.

EDO constructed a total of 33 sets of floats and Douglas manufactured approximately 50 airframes with the floatplane conversion hardware installed. 11 airframes were actually fitted with floats, making them the largest floatplanes ever built. C-53D (a variant of the C-47) with the registration N130Q was fitted with EDO floats and operated under the name “Moosehead Express.” This aircraft was the only civilian DC-3 converted to floats and was used primarily for airshow demonstrations.

The third Configuration C-47 option is the "Amphibian" version (note that you will need to have the NXG v1.1 version installed to access this version) which disappeared and is now back again via the Skunkcrafts Updater. It was coded the XC-47C





The float design reflects the wartime period, with bulbous rounded pontoons and a lot of wear rust, really well done with retractable semi-retractable mainwheels at the float step. Don't ask about the drag, it was horrible!





When you retract the float landing gear, the rudders will deploy or vice-versa, there is no ground steering except with toe-brake maneuverability.

Skis
Both C-47/Airliner also comes with some massive skis, the deploy lever is rear left cabin side.



Flying the NXG C-47 Skytrain/ DC3 Airliner.
There is a lot of areas to setup to fly the vSkyLabs DC3 aircraft. As there are a lot of tricky tricks to work certain areas and controls, again the manual explains them all. Again this is in conjunction with the Honeycomb Bravo throttle, of which is configured for the twin throttles and mixture levers (GA set).

You could call them quirks if you want to... the throttles connect as per usual, but the Mixture levers are a step/lock control and have separate commands. Set to odd (Left) "Wing Sweep" and (Right) "Thrust Vector" settings, and you can also have either "Mono" Control (Separate levers) or "Dual" Control (Both Levers). The gear (raising or lowering) is also a three step lowering/retraction process. As I found out while circling above Oslo for 30 minutes with the gear down? Yes I should have read the manual beforehand, but even then it is tricky to set correctly on the Bravo. I finally used a switch to release the latch to move to all three positions. Another command is handy (if using the Sperry A3 Autopilot) as the switch is located (lower front pedestal) in an impossible place to access while trying to fly the aircraft... altogether there is a "Heaven" layer of commands available for all levers, knobs and interactions on the vSkyLab aircraft. It can take ages to set up correctly before flight.

This aircraft is not a study sim per se, so you won't be put through all the pain of starting those old tired cantankerous Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines. This point is a debatable one in either you want a complete realism simulation, but too many then starting these old style aircraft can be more frustrating than the fun aspect of the flying. Starting engines on many classic simulated aircraft can be an absolute painful experience, but it depends on how you want to approach realism.

Here we can say we have the "half-way" approach, enough realism, without the pain factor.

You have to first prepare the engines by, Checking your fuel and ensuring fuel tanks are filled with the right amount of fuel. Carb heat OFF. Fuel-boost pump to ON only while the mixture is set to Idle-CUT-OFF. You can check all of the (four) fuel tanks via the switch lower right panel.



Battery switch ON, Ignition/Magnetos ON (centre)... hard to find are the Engine Primer switches, upper left (right panel), you hold for 6-8 seconds then hit the starter switch...





... Throttles 1/4 open... then, and only then do you move the Mixture lever to (step) AUTO-LEAN, (you can try in AUTO-RICH, but can also flood the engines quickly) get it right and the engine should catch and fire.



If you follow the starting procedure correctly, it will fire every time, but get a step wrong and the engine won't catch and run. Let the temps come up and the engines settle to find a nice idle rhythm, set the Trim to neutral (important) and your ready to roll...



It is a very gloomy day here in Oslo (ENGM), yes I'm trying out the new (XP12.1.0) Beta 7 in real world weather, and I am liking what I am seeing!

The DC-3 is a taildragger, probably the most famous one of them all (maybe the Spitfire?) and taxiing with a twirly tail is not easy unless you are a pro. To help you there are three options... First is the realistic "loose" tailwheel, and only for the pro's with toe-brakes, second is a "locked" tailwheel, which I recommend to put on a command button. With this selection you can turn the aircraft by holding the brakes and moving the yaw on your joystick (the lock activation is shown on the far left panel). In this mode you really skip the tail around to the (general) direction you want to go... not very professional, but it works.



Third option is the "Novice" selection, that will give you yaw control (steering) of the tailwheel, I admit it is a cheat, but if you want to get to the runway hold position under 30 minutes then it is recommended. The Novice switch is above the "tail lock" light, again far left panel.





The C-47 will taxi well under the (novice) selection, with just a bit of throttle to get you moving (still in AUTO-LEAN), and you feel the weight around you, and the sounds are very good but not updated here, but it is still a high-quality FMOD sound environment internally and externally.

You don't need a long runway with the Douglas, certainly no need to taxi and turn. I can get away with the C3 connection onto Rwy 19R, a good 3,000 ft off the full full runway length 11,800 ft, even then I will be airborne in another 3,000 ft of runway (official), but under a light weight you can fly at around 2,500 ft with flaps.



Now you can put up the Mixtures to AUTO-RICH, and you have another option for take-off power, "Superchargers", the panel is on the left wall by the Pilot, this is a single stage, 2-speed supercharger with a low blower ratio of7.15 to 1 and a high blower ratio of 8.47 to 1. Used on take-off and at high-altitudes.



Power up, brakes OFF, half throttle to move, then gradually go to about 8/10 tenth's throttle... the C-47 will track cleanly with the tailwheel on the ground, which lifts around 6o knts...





... now your life gets tricky? The tail is now suddenly very unpredictable, and I have tried a little rudder, then also tried a lot of rudder to compensate, and to a point they both don't work, more power to left engine helps (a little), but my biggest solution is a slight light tap on the toe-brakes on the opposite of the twist angle, and this will pull the C-47 back onto the centre line, I admit not Kosher... but the best solution until I get better rudder authority. You also need to practice this phase as much as you can, it really helps to mastering the skills required.



100 knts and your flying! once in the air the Douglas is far easier to control (fly). I twiddle my set command switch, and thankfully the gear retracts "yeah" high-five.





Climb-out is around 1,000 fpm (official 1,130 fpm). First climb is to 4,000 ft, and the weather is cloudy and unsettled.... but looks better were I am going.







I'm seriously impressed by the Beta 7 clouds, certainly X-Plane 12 is getting a much more richer Simulation now, nothing like the time of this vSkyLab's original 2017 release, yes the C-47 Skytrain has changed as much as the environment around it, but a lot of the basics and feel still are still here and relevant. I'm climbing again, now to 9,000 ft and at a vertical speed of 750 fpm, the aim is to get above the weather.



9,000 ft, and off goes the Superchargers, and the Mixtures clicked back to AUTO-LEAN.



You can have both? In my earliest flight of the C-47 I took the aircraft from Norway to England. All then just by bearings and know-how, I remember it like yesterday and I simply loved it, as it was a full time job to trying to consistently balance the engine thrusts in not to drift off my heading, basic stuff.
The journey of the vSkyLabs C-47/DC-3 series has been varied, it went from these early basics to a more modern incarnation, now back again, so to a point the Simulation character has gone back around, but somehow also not quite. There is also a lot of new character differences here, certainly in X-Plane 12, as the flight dynamics are hugely improved, basic was the word back then, but now you feeeel the C-47 even more as this NXG has had a full dynamic overhaul, and it is extremely good.

But the basics are still used, there is the "Remote Compass Indicator" to be used with the Sperry, as the Sperry can be heading adjusted, the Remote centre view gives you your true heading.



I also is now even willing to use the tools provided, you can keep the Sperry A3 as your Autopilot, but also use the hidden GNS 530 as your map in a pop-up screen.



Finally the sunlight fills the cockpit as the clouds creates gaps for the rays, and you can see why I still love the G-AMSV bright white livery... as the Douglas comes alive in the bright light.





Top speed is 200 knts, cruise 156 knts to 174 knts, economy speed is around 139 knts to 148 knts... I tweeked out a nice 160 knts, 17,000 RPM which felt a lovely balance. Most cruise altitudes are around 8,000 ft to 10,000 ft, but you have a ceiling of 23,200 ft.

Lighting
Basically the DC-3 design is 89 years old, nearly 9 decades ago, your not going to get any bright LED's in here? All the lighting here is fully updated for X-Plane 12... "cosy" is the word!





It is all very nicely done. There not a lot of adjustment, just three knobs. One will adjust the instrument lighting, the other two will cover the side lighting.





The significance of the side lighting is that it heavily reflects on the main instrument panel, so in certain conditions it needs to be toned down. There is no lighting in the cabin.... but there is a really great idea with the side light, that turns into moving torch light.



External lighting is good, but basic. Navigation lights and Landing lights are very good, Red and White Beacons upper tail and lower fuselage, and a single red "Passing" light in the left wing.





I'm now getting close to me destination in Bergen...



... time to check the fuel and switch to the AUX tanks. There are four tanks in the C-47, Two Main Wing Tanks (202 US gallons per tank) and Two Auxiliary Wing Tanks (200 US gallons per tank and inboard of the main tanks)) for a total of 805 US Gallons, at a cruise speed that will give you an endurance of 7.5 hours or a range of 1,224 nautical miles (nm) at 160 knts per hour.



I'm arriving via Bjørnafjorden, and use the large inlet as my pathway, now down to 1,500 ft.



The light is now lower in the sky, so to find the ENBR Rwy 35 which is hidden via the outcrops, I set the ILS freq (110.50 BG) and that shows up on the "Glide Slope and Course Indicator", in your line of sight...



There are two landing gears warning lights which are fitted on the RH side of the instrument panel, indicating as followed: GEARS DOWN AND LOCKED - Green light. GEARS LOCKED DOWN, selector not NEUTRAL - Red light. GEARS UP, selector NEUTRAL - No light. Gears between UP and DOWN positions - Red light.



Green light means the gear is down and locked. I however still check the handle to make sure my switching has positioned it up and locked.



The Flap Handle is also in an awkward place (In Simulation), in being on the right back bulkhead, it is cranked to lower the Flaps, a continuous angle, it has four positions, 0º-Up, 15º -Short Field, 30º -Approach and Landing at 45º.



Flaps are really the wrong word here... they are more of a speed brake as the wing has so much lift, these older aircraft do, not like the modern airliner which is designed more for speed than lift. To compensate for the drag you use a lot of throttle power even at the lower speed.

Approach speed is around 85 knts, and it's a blustery day, with a 12 knt wind coming off the North Sea.



Over the fence, final is around 70 knts. It's a tricky landing in a Douglas as you can't flare the nose too much with the low tail, so you almost have to be almost level as you approach the runway... you can however flare just slightly to drop the speed, but then level up again as you descend downwards. Watch the stall... it's around 55 knts to 60 knts and known to be deadly.



That was the easy, bit? watch that tail, it can get away from you, again I use a slight touch of the toe-brakes to keep it in line, and finally the tail drops.



Pretty good... the DC-3 is a very physical machine, all elbows, wrists and legs controlling (manhandling) the classic aircraft right through the approach and landing phases...





Once the tail has dropped you are in command again, but practise makes perfect as it took quite a few takeoffs and landings to get the skills right, even between reviews I was practising, LIRF (Rome), KRSW (Florida) and now finally at ENBR Bergen and you get it right, in time. It is good to be back at Bergen, the Aerosoft ENBR scenery became so dated it failed to load? but the X-Plane Global Airport (default) is actually as good, and it's free.



You can open the windows, let the air in, which is a nice feature, but I still miss the original heavily darker border windows, brown and not the black tint you have now.





Parkbrake and the Mixture to IDLE-CUTOFF and another trip is done. It's addictive is the vSkyLabs Douglas, and now NXG better than ever!
____________

Summary
The Douglas DC-3/C-47 changed the world of aviation. With a cruising speed of over 200 mph and a range of roughly 1,500 miles, this twin-engine, all-metal monoplane redefined long-distance air travel in the 1930s and 1940s. Its ability to operate from short, rugged airstrips made it the backbone of both civil and military aviation for decades. The Skytrain is the World War II C-47B Skytrain military variant.

The vSkyLabs C-47 Skytrain has been with us for eight years, and in that time the project has evolved and changed with the times. It has now more variants from the original as well as besides the WW2 era design, it now has the DC-3 Airliner with modern avionics and the coming Three Engined version called the Tri-Turbo-Three which is still in development.

But the basic Douglas is still here, but now evolved into the Next Generation called NXG, the numbering starts at the beginning as well at v1.0, so this is a completely new beginning for the old bird and in reality it is the authentic X-Plane 12 version. Also added (again) is the C-47 option "Amphibian" version (note that you will need to have the NXG v1.1 version installed to access this version), and can be downloaded for free. Only 11 airframes were actually fitted with floats, making them the largest floatplanes ever built and called EDO Floats for the manufacturer.

The focus on this update is the extensive X-Plane 12 refurbishing of the cockpit with totally new materials and designs, also externally in both the C-47 and Airliner configurations, the GNS 350 has been moved to the main instrument panel (you still have the Sperry A3) and there has been a major revision of the flight modeling and dynamics to current X-Plane 12 standards, and the XP12 lighting has been fully updated as well. The Douglas is very, very good now, with an authentic modern feel, without losing the original character of this classic aircraft. Small note... they say the older v3 liveries will work with NXG update, they don't and are significantly different. And beware of the load of quirks in operating the aircraft and you have to set settings to fly the aircraft, but there is an extensive manual to help out your cause.

This is a brilliant update for an old friend, and keeps the bird very contemporary and brings current X-Plane 12 features to the project, it's tricky to fly, but again that is part of the charm.

It is a big update, free to current users and currently on sale for new customers, great value and a brilliant Simulation... Highly Recommended!

Currently both aircraft are on a 50% off sale, or the two variants C-47B/Airliner for the price of one, you can also update via the Skunkcrafts application, or download now from your X-Plane.OrgStore account.
______________



The NXG C-47 Skytrain v1.0 and DC-3 Airliner v1.0 by VSkyLabs Flying Lab Project is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

VSKYLABS C-47B Skytrain NXG
Your Price: US$39.95
Currently on sale for US$19.97 or 50% OFF.
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Current version:  NXG v1.1 (May 18th 2025)

VSKYLABS DC-3 Airliner NXG
Your Price: US$39.95
Currently on sale for US$19.97 or 50% OFF.
Requirements
X-Plane 12 Only (not compatible with X-Plane 11)
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Current version:  NXG v1.1  (May 18th 2025)

Full Installation is 1.48Gb in your "Aircraft" Folder. (only X-Plane 12) (Skunkcrafts updating is available)

Documentation
There is excellent full coverage documentation and installation details.
How to INSTALL your VSKYLABS aircraft.pdf
How to UPDATE your VSKYLABS aircraft.pdf

VSKYLABS_C-47_FLP_MANUAL-POH.pdf (98 Pages)
VSL-C47-Manual-ReadMe.txt
VSL-C47-Skytrain-ESSENTIALS.pdf



VSKYLABS Aerospace Simulations.
VSKYLABS DC-3/C-47 Flying Lab Project Support Forums
___________________________

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
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.2.0 (Beta 7) but checked in XP 12.1.4
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- ENGM - Oslo Gardermoen by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$24.95
- ENBR - Bergen Airport - X-Plane Global Airports (Default)

Aircraft Update Review by Stephen Dutton
6th June 2025
Copyright©2025: 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.

NEWS! - Aircraft Update : FlightFactor Boeing 767 Pro updated to v1.6.17



When X-PlaneReviews looked in on the FlightFactor Boeing 757 Professional in April 2024, both the Boeing 767 and 757 twins were feeling their age, certainly after the huge jump in quality of the FlightFactor Boeing 777 v2 Ultimate. They FELT old or you could say even dated. In the FlightFactor timeline they were also both very much down the line as well, with the B787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 as more in current development than these old twins from FlightFactor. Basically there was nothing wrong with the Boeing Twins, just visual ageing.

But here is a lovely twist in the story, with FlightFactor taking time out to do an extensive update of both the Boeing 767 Professional Series and coming soon the the same update for the Boeing 757 Professional. The focus here in the update is on the (dated) cockpit textures, giving them a X-Plane 12 more dynamic feel and look, FlightFactor notes include..

"The long awaited 767 Pro update is out and in final. We have done exactly what the polls showed you wanted, a lot of animation, texture and effects updates in the cockpit, retuned the aerodynamics to work well in XP12 latest. We are again within 3-5% of the performance manuals." The full v1.6.17 changelog is below

1.6.17 (not included intermediate beta versions)
- fully remade the cockpit textures for xp12, with new effects and higher resolution
- fully retuned the dynamic model for all planes and engines
- fully reanimated all switches, triggers and buttons in the cockpit
- fixed incorrect terrain/weather map rendering after changing avionics type in settings (FPDS Upgrade)
- fixed possible displays rendering artifacts/issues with NVIDIA 50 series graphics cards/drivers
- fixed Duct Bleed Indicator inverted dataref
- fixed wrong association of message LE SLAT DISAGREE
- fixed BUS ISOLATED caution missing on EICAS
- fixed Spelling Mistake: L/R JET XFER VALVE
- fixed PACKs must be AUTO for ACU to work
- fixed ENG display switch selects Compact Display Format
- fixed ENG LIMITER caution shown with PW engine
- fixed shadows in the cockpit
- fixed LIT and lamps brightness
- fixed stby horizont animations
- hopefully fixed possible CTD in X-Plane 12 related to terrain/weather radars usage
- fixed plane not loading on Linux due to missing libraries in package
- 762 weights fixes













The Boeing 767 is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The aircraft was launched as the 7X7 program on July 14, 1978, the prototype first flew on September 26, 1981, and it was certified on July 30, 1982. The initial 767-200 variant entered service on September 8, 1982, with United Airlines, and the extended-range 767-200ER in 1984. It was stretched into the 767-300 in October 1986, followed by the extended-range 767-300ER in 1988, the most popular variant. The 767-300F, a production freighter version, debuted in October 1995. It was stretched again into the 767-400ER from September 2000.

The v1.6.17 update is now available via the FlightFactor X-Updater Application, there is currently a small Boeing 757 Pro update v2.6.15 also available...

v2.6.15
- fixed PACKs must be AUTO for ACU to work
- fixed ENG display switch selects Compact Display Format
- fixed ENG LIMITER caution shown with PW engine
___________



Yes! the Boeing 767-300ER Professional & Extended versions and the EPDS extension by FlightFactor Aero is NOW! Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
One (which I will call the Avionics upgrade) is the Standard Single aircraft PRO that can be upgraded with this FPDS package to Modern Avionics
Two (Extended and Global) you can also update to first from the Standard Single Aircraft to the "Extended" version that includes three versions of the B757/767 in the -200, -300 and the Freighter, and then update again to the GLOBAL version of everything in the Extended and plus the FPDS package. B767 Global Plus+ is everything in the B767 Pro Series.

Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional
Price is US$72.00
 
Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Extended
Price is US$92.00
 
Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Extended Upgrade
Price is US$72.00 + US$20
 
Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Modern Avionics (EPDS)
Price is US$72.00 + US$20
 
Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Global
Price is US$112.00
 
Boeing 767 Global Plus
Price is US$145.00
 
You must already have purchased and own the current Boeing 767-200 v2 version for any upgrades (Extended/Avionics) to the aircraft

Requirements
X-Plane 12, X-Plane 11.50+
Windows 10+, Mac OS 10.15+ (Intel or Apple Silicon) or Linux 14.04 LTS or compatible, 64 bit mode
Disk Space: 4 GB
X-Plane 12:
Minimum:
CPU: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9, or equivalent
RAM: 16 GB
Video Card: a Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 6 GB VRAM
Current version: v1.6.17  (June 5th th 2025)
___________________________
 
News by Stephen Dutton
6th June 2025
Copyright©2025: 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
 

KBRO - Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport by Fly2High



By Nick Garlick

Introduction
Hello fellow pilots. After a long absence, I’m very happy to be back in the world of X-Plane. Since I’ve been away, X-Plane 12 has continued to evolve with regular updates and improvements that have only strengthened the sim. While other platforms have made impressive strides, I still believe X-Plane holds its own in a unique and rewarding way.

For this return review, I’ve chosen to look at the latest scenery release from Fly2High, a prolific developer who has quietly built a growing library for the platform. Their newest addition, KBRO (Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport), marks their fifth scenery for X-Plane 11 and 12, following on from KCAK, KASE, KJAN and KSAV. So, how does KBRO shape up?

Why This Scenery?
In my X-Plane world I mainly fly military aircraft, but I occasionally like to mix things up with a bit of general aviation, short-haul cargo, or even the odd helicopter trip. Smaller airports with regional traffic, light GA, and the occasional military visitor are always appealing. KBRO fits that bill nicely. Located in southeast Texas near the Mexican border, Brownsville South Padre Island International is a small airport with plenty of scenic potential.

For example, departing runway 13 and banking northeast takes you up Goose Island Passing Bay, a long stretch of water connecting the inland with the Gulf of Mexico. From there, you can follow the coastline north past Port Isabel, South Padre Island, Laguna Madre, and Redfish Bay, all the way up to Corpus Christi or Galveston. Alternatively, you can turn south over South Bay and head west toward Starbase, the home of Elon Musk’s SpaceX operations. Just make sure it’s not launch day, or you might end up as flack bait. Still, it’s all part of the adventure.

KBRO features two runways: 13/31 is 7,339 feet long (2,255 m), while 18/36 is 6,000 feet (1,829 m). It handles regular shuttle flights to Houston, Dallas, and Monterrey, and sometimes hosts military traffic as well. Carriers include Aerus, American Eagle, and United Express, with aircraft such as the CRJ-700, Embraer E-Jets, ATR-42, Boeing 737, and Cessna Grand Caravan all in regular use. Historically, the airport also saw the likes of the Boeing 727, McDonnell Douglas MD-80, and even the BAC One-Eleven, one of my all-time favourites. It’s the sort of airport that feels equally at home with modern jets and vintage classics.



Installation
The scenery download is around 2.2 GB and is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. It requires a recommended 8 GB of VRAM to run smoothly. There’s no auto-installer included, but installation is straightforward. Once purchased, simply download the file to a location of your choice, extract the contents, and place the folder into your ‘Custom Scenery’ directory inside X-Plane. Finally, make sure it’s correctly positioned in your scenery_packs.ini file. Once installed, the scenery occupies around 2.35 GB of disk space.

Documentation
There isn’t much to say here. The package doesn’t include any proper documentation, charts, or background information about the airport. There is a short two-page PDF, but most of it is just a basic welcome message.

View from Above
Before diving into the details, it’s worth taking a high-level look. From above, the scenery does a solid job of capturing the airport’s layout; runways, taxiways, aprons, and key buildings are all well represented. It’s a noticeable improvement over the default version in X-Plane. An ortho tile covers the area immediately surrounding the airport, blending in nicely with my own custom photographic tile. I always appreciate this touch, as it makes arrivals and departures feel that bit more immersive.







Runways and Taxiways
Runway and taxiway details are sharp, with well-defined markings and numbers. As I approached runway 13, I initially thought the numbers were duplicated, but a quick check with satellite imagery confirmed it’s accurate to the real airport. The surfaces show just enough weathering to avoid looking sterile. For the price point, the texture work is impressive and contributes to a convincing airfield environment.





Ground Textures and Vegetation
Ground textures across the infield and aprons carry through the same attention to detail, with oil stains, tyre marks, and weathered areas all helping to sell the realism.





These textures hold up well in all weather and lighting conditions, whether it’s rain, sun, or snow. Unlike some sceneries still using legacy X-Plane 11 trees, this package features proper XP12 3D vegetation throughout. The trees appear carefully placed, and grass elements are used sparingly but effectively.





Signs and Navigation Aids
Signage is well placed and clearly legible. I can’t speak to real-world accuracy, as I haven’t sat at the fence with binoculars, but in sim, the signage feels logical and useful. It gives you all the information you need to navigate the airport without issue.





Main Buildings
The terminal is well modelled, along with the historic 1931 Pan American Airways building. Various hangars and other ancillary buildings are also included, and these appear true to life based on available reference photos. Materials and shapes feel authentic, with some light weathering adding to the overall look.







Interiors
The terminal includes a detailed interior, complete with static 3D people, seating areas, baggage, and signage. While the people models aren’t the most detailed I’ve seen, it’s still nice to see them included, as they help bring a bit of life and atmosphere to the terminal.





Parking and Start Options
There are thirteen parking options across the main apron, plus three hold points near the runways. Of course, you can also start directly on the runway if you prefer. A small but welcome bonus is the control tower interior, which, while not overly detailed, adds a touch of character and could easily have been left empty.





Ground Clutter
Clutter is plentiful, which is always welcome at a smaller regional airport. The aprons are populated with fuel trucks, baggage equipment, and cargo trailers. The car parks include realistically placed vehicles, many of which are recognisable makes. It feels busy but not overdone.





Surroundings
Just beyond the airport, there’s a nicely modelled National Weather Service station, complete with radar domes and masts. Further afield, you’ll also find a representation of Elon Musk’s Starbase facility, a fun local landmark to include.







Night Lighting
I won’t get bogged down in detail here. Night lighting does exactly what it should, it illuminates the airport clearly and effectively. The effects are done reasonably well, consistent with what we’ve come to expect from X-Plane 12 and looks good in all conditions. There was with no noticeable impact on performance when flying at night.





Performance
I’m happy to report that KBRO wasn’t graphically demanding on my system, unlike some other sceneries I’ve tried. I don’t bother quoting frame rates anymore, as every sim setup is different and what works well for me might be completely different for someone else. What I can say is that I tested the scenery in both X-Plane 11 and 12, using default ground textures as well as my own custom ortho tile with X-World America by simHeaven, and it ran smoothly in all kinds of weather and lighting.







Conclusion
Fly2High may not be a premium developer in the X-Plane world, but with KBRO they’ve shown they know how to create interesting and enjoyable airports at a very reasonable price. Their rendition of Brownsville includes hand-placed vegetation, custom textures with realistic wear, static vehicles, and a well modelled terminal interior. Add in the Starbase facility, and smooth performance, and you have a package that delivers far more than the default scenery.

There isn’t much to criticise, though I would have liked to see some basic charts or a short history of the airport in the documentation. Even at this price point, that sort of detail is often included in similar products.

Overall, KBRO is a solid little airport that runs well, looks good, and offers a nice change of pace. If you enjoy discovering new corners of the X-Plane world, it’s a worthwhile addition. After reviewing this one, I’m tempted to explore more of Fly2High’s scenery.

______________________________________



KBRO - Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport by Fly2High is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:

KBRO - Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport

Priced at $13.99

Features
Hand-placed vegetation around entire airport and surrounding areas
Custom ground textures
Carefully modeled terminal interior
Hand-placed cars around entire airport
Custom night lighting
Accurate dirt/grunge textures around airport
3D grass vegetation
Modeled SpaceX areas
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
8GB + VRAM Recommended
Download Size : 2.2 GB

Review System Specifications
Windows 10, Intel 4790K liquid-cooled, overclock to 5GHz, 32GB DDR3 1600MHz RAM, Nvidia GTX 1070ti, Titanium HD Audio Card.

__________________________________
Aircraft Review by Nick Garlick
5th June 2025
Copyright©2025: 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: KBLU – Blue Canyon Nyack by X-Codr



By Dennis Powell

Introduction
Sometimes what makes an airport stand out isn’t its size, it’s the location.

Situated in the scenic Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California, KBLU Blue Canyon Nyack offers not only stunning mountain views, but proximity to an area steeped in American history. The airport’s location is just two and a half miles west of Emigrant Gap, the western end of Donner Pass, and thirty miles west of Lake Tahoe. The airport sits at an elevation of 5,284 feet, so before you even take off, you’re already just over a mile above sea level.

The high altitude and mountain terrain offer pilots a challenge just taking off, and hoping their aircraft doesn’t experience a mechanical failure, as there’s little chance of finding a safe landing spot. A short, narrow runway limits this airport to light GA and helicopters, and it gives pilots ample opportunity to practise density altitude procedures. It also offers stunning mountain backdrops, great for screenshots.



Installation Process
The scenery downloads in two parts: the airport itself, which is around 471 MB, and the X-Codr scenery library at just over 2.5 GB. If you already have the scenery library installed from a previous X-Codr download, you can skip it. Just make sure to check which version you have, as this might be an update if you’re using an older package. There are no licence requirements or activation codes needed to start enjoying the scenery.

Documentation
The package download includes a six-page PDF that explains the installation process and provides a link to the Living Scenery Technology plug-in. If you don’t already have this plug-in from a previous X-Codr package, just click the link and follow the instructions to place it in your plug-ins folder in X-Plane. This allows you to turn on the runway lights. Without it, you won’t see this airport at night.



About the Screenshots
To show the scenery at its best, the screenshots in this review were taken using a custom Ortho4XP tile, and X-World America.

High Altitude Overview
Since the airport sits just four feet over a mile high already, getting a high-altitude overview meant going a lot higher than I usually fly, up to 8,000 feet, for starters. From that altitude, the airport stood out a little, looking like a scar on the ridgeline, as the surrounding area is heavily forested.





The closer you get, the more it blends in, as smaller trees and bushes become more visible. There’s also a slightly dusty feel to the airport, as it sits so high and dry



Runway and Taxiways
The north end of the runway sits just 300 feet from Interstate 80, making for some interesting approaches. It feels like you're slipping down out of the trees and dropping into a tight spot.







The south end of the runway offers a more open approach, with thinner tree cover and a clear area just before the threshold. There's a slight rise in the terrain as you reach the runway, giving it a bit of a ramped-in feel. It's still a narrow slot to aim for, but not quite as dramatic as the approach from the north.





It’s a short runway too, just 3,300 feet long and 50 feet wide. That’s not too bad at sea level, but up here at 5,284 feet, your aircraft will definitely feel the difference. My Cessna 172 wasn’t exactly thrilled with the thin air. I found flaps really helped when I tested the takeoff run. The runway itself is in fair to good condition, with patches of drifting dirt that reflect the unmanned nature of the airport.

Although I couldn’t confirm it (the airport wouldn’t open in WED), I suspect X-Codr used ortho imagery for the runway texture over a transparent surface. Despite the numerous ramp start points, you won’t have to wait in line or worry about AI planes while you back-taxi to the end. Markings for the runway are custom and suitably weathered. One unusual thing I noticed, going from the runway to the ramp, was a noticeable bump on the short taxiway, which can even be seen on video of the real airport.





Ground Textures & Foliage
As for the ground texture, I suspect there’s some ortho imagery baked into the airport scenery itself. The custom objects folder includes what look like ortho textures, though I can’t confirm exactly how they’re used. The ground blends well with the surrounding autogen, and the foliage matches the area nicely. Both line up with satellite imagery almost seamlessly. Short, scrub trees and bushes encroach on the airport from the sides, giving way to tall timber.



Signage & Navigation Aids
There isn’t much in the way of signage, just a small sign near the airport entrance and the name painted on the runway. Navigation aids are practically non-existent, including a non-functioning airport beacon. The real airport’s beacon is listed as not operational on many airport information websites, so not having a working one here is realistic.



Main Airport Buildings
The main buildings that stand out here are two observatories, which seem to be locked up and disused. They’re well detailed, with protruding door handles, boarded-up doors, and a security camera on the corner of one of them.





Other buildings include three shacks on the airport itself, and a few garages just off the road leading to the airport. All are well detailed and appropriately weathered. No interiors are included for any of the buildings. Lastly, there are two cell towers close to the field and what appears to be an automated AWOS station.





Ground Clutter
There are three dome mountain tents sit at the edge of the ramp, plus a couple of chemical toilets. There are no 3D people here, which helps lend the feel of an unattended airport. You won’t even find a car in any of the parking lots.



Surrounding Area
At just 30 miles from Lake Tahoe, and 40 miles north-east of Sacramento, the airport sits on a ridge above the Blue Canyon, just west of Donner Pass. It’s surrounded by stunning, rugged mountain scenery and is very close to the interstate highway that runs through the pass. The interstate can even help you find the airport if you’re trying to get back to it.

One thing I noticed while flying over the area with both the Cessna 172 and the Bell 206 was a distinct lack of places to put down in case of an emergency. The interstate would be your only option if the engine fails. Truckee Tahoe Airport to the north of Lake Tahoe, and Lake Tahoe Airport to the south, are both short flights from KBLU. If you’re planning to simulate an engine failure, I’d aim for Truckee Tahoe, as it’s closer to the interstate.





Seasons
One thing worth mentioning is the seasonal changes. In spring, you’ll spot flowers and bright green grass popping up, while summer and autumn give the place a drier, dustier look. It’s a nice touch that adds a bit of life as the months go by.







Night Lighting
The night lighting here is different from most airports I’ve flown to. The runway lights only come on if you click your push-to-talk button five times. Make sure you have the Living Scenery Technology plug-in installed, or you won’t get any lights. Other lights at the airport include the anti-collision lights on the two cell towers, the tetrahedron showing wind direction, and the three mountain tents, which light up at night. As mentioned on several airport information websites, and modelled here, the beacon isn’t lit. My recommendation is to follow the well-lit freeway until you see the cell tower lights, then click the PTT button to bring up the runway lights.





Performance Impact
This scenery isn’t too hard on the computer. I was getting my usual mid to upper 30s for FPS throughout the entire flight to, from, and around the airport. It should run smoothly on any computer that meets the minimum requirements for X-Plane 12. X-Codr mentions in the PDF that textures may appear blurry depending on your distance from objects on the field. The idea is that this helps save VRAM. I didn’t really notice any blurry textures myself, but my computer is fairly robust, so your mileage may vary.





Conclusion
Overall, I’d say this airport is well worth the price. It’s in a stunning scenic area, great for learning density altitude operations, and mountain sightseeing. It’s definitely one for small GA aircraft and helicopters, as I don’t think I’d try it even with large GA aircraft unless they’re really good at short field operations.

The airport is well done, and despite my usual objections to ortho imagery, these are used without the time-sensitive shadows and flat 2D objects that often spoil ortho work in other airports. I think this airport is tailor-made for people who love backcountry flying and want a slightly more civilised base to return to after exploring mountain passes and valleys.


______________________________________


KBLU - Blue Canyon Nyack, California by X-Codr is now available from the X-Plane.org Store here:

KBLU - Blue Canyon Nyack, California

Priced at US$7.99

If you purchase A30 Scott Valley with KBLU , you get 25% off.

Features
High Quality Models:
Models are detailed down to the door handles
Models feature high resolution textures with PBR maps
Realistically animated models (Tetrahedron blows in the wind, etc)
High Quality Ground Textures:
Custom accurate pavement
Realistic dirt spill over on pavement
Custom color corrected ortho for the airport
Dynamic Scenery:
Realistic seasonal changes. Watch the grass spring to life, full of flowers during the spring.
Watch grass thin and shrubs and grass shift from their vibrant spring green to a dull
brown through the summer and autumn
Experience beautiful weather effects for puddles after a dramatic thunderstorm, or a
snowy winter wonderland after a winter storm blows through the Sierra Nevadas
Activate runways lights with your push to talk button 5 times on the airport’s CTAF
Detailed Rendition of KBLU:
Accurately placed clutter (barrels, propane tanks, etc)
All buildings, marking, clutter, dirt, etc based on on site photographs from May 2022
Bundle with A30 - Scott Valley to save 25% off one of these scenic Northern California airports!
Requirements
X-Plane 12 only (not XP11)
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 482 MB
Current version: 1.0 (May 1st 2025)
Review System Specifications
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X – 32GB RAM - Nvidia RTX 2060 12GB – Windows 11
__________________________________
Scenery Review by Dennis Powell
30th May 2025
Copyright©2025: 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).

Aircraft Review : British Aerospace 146 Professional XP12 by JustFlight/Thranda



It was the accidental success story that even the aircraft manufacturers of British Aerospace were surprised by? It was certainly not expected to be a big seller, but it was, if just under 400 airframes produced was considered a major success story, but this was a very adaptable and flexible aircraft with great performance for the operastors. 70 or so are still operational and a great aircraft it is.
 
The British Aerospace (BAe) 146 was created to fill in a marketing gap. Faster and bigger than a regional turboprop, but smaller than a standard airliner like the 100 seater segment Fokker 100 and even the smallest of the Boeing 737 family. Designed for the regional and short-haul markets, the 146 was manufactured from 1983 until 2002. The aircraft was offered in three variants, the 146-100, 146-200 and 146-300. The equivalent Avro variants were RJ70, RJ85 and RJ100, plus the QT "Quiet Trader" and QC "Quick Change" variants.
 
The BAe 146 was marketed heavily as a low maintenance, low operating cost, feeder airliner. Design simplicity was the priority, as any components used were off the shelf products that could be easily sourced with a minimum of specialised tooling required. This went a long way to keeping the maintenance costs of the airliner down. Using the knowledge gained in the production of the Trident and Airbus A300, the wing was made also of as few components as possible. There are no leading edge slats and the top panel of the main wing is a single piece.
 
The wide passenger cabin of the aircraft had a standard configuration of 5 abreast seating, although a high density 6 abreast configuration was also available...   but the most significant aspect of the BAe 146 was it's 4 engine configuration.

Just Flight in cooperation with Thranda Design released the BAe 146 Pro for X-Plane 11 in April 2021, by all accounts it wasn't a big seller, confounding the developers and in fact everyone else. This "Whisper Jet" was a great simulation by all accounts, but it just didn't catch on.

Part of this review is to delve into the enigma of the aircraft, as there was a very intense debate for a very long time if to covert the BAe 146 Professional to X-Plane 12. For most of the time the answer was simply no, but a small hardy contingent kept up the argument (including yours truly), to give the 146 Pro a second chance of success, and here we are, the release of the BAE 146 for X-Plane 12.

The Just Flight version of the BAe 146 is not the first one released for the X-Plane Simulator as that notion easily goes to the "Avroliner Project". I had been a huge supporter over the years of the AvroLiner Project by Andreas Much...  The "Avroliner Project" was one of those projects that you signed up for, with consistent updates coming along mostly twice a year, but with smaller "Overnight" updates in-between. I loved the aircraft immensely and it was very good for it's time, but the project, sort went a bit sparse with more attention given over later to the actual website than the aircraft, but it is not to forget how much a leader the aircraft was for X-Plane in it's heyday development. So the change to the Just Flight version was expected to be a foregone conclusion, but even myself didn't fly it much in the intermediate years, so the introspection is also for myself as for the developers.

British Aerospace (BAe) 146 XP12 by JustFlight
It is not as simple as adjusting a few areas and re-releasing an aircraft in X-Plane 12. There are a lot of differences between the X-Plane versions XP11 to XP12. As textures, flight dynamics, lighting and loads of other areas are all required to be changed... but get it right and you get this X-Plane 12 glow.



The Just Flight BAe 146 package is very extensive with eight variants, three main sizes are the 100, 200 and 300 Series.

BAe 146 Series 100
Length: 26.19 meters (85 feet 11 inches) - 70–82 passengers (single class), 94 passengers (high-density layout)





BAe 146 Series 200
Length: 28.55 meters (93 feet 9 inches) - 85–100 passengers (single-class layout), Up to 112 passengers (high-density layout)





BAe 146 Series 300
Length: 31.01 meters (101 feet 9 inches) - 100–112 passengers (single class), 128 passengers (high-density layout)





Out of these three Series sizes there are other variants of the BAe 146... The freighter versions come in two types on both the -200 and -300 series, top the QC "Quiet Change" pass/cargo and lower the QT "Quiet Trader" cargo.





And all Freighter 146's come with a very large opening cargo door left rear.



There is however one other QC Livery for the -200 in a RAF Military quise and detailed with military elements.



CC.Mk2 - RAF Statesman (ZE701) – Queen’s Flight
both Queens Flight aircraft are -100 Series aircraft (now retired), and note the infrared countermeasures on the side and rear of the Queens Flight Aircraft.
 




CC.Mk2 - RAF Statesman (ZE701-Modern Livery) – Queen’s Flight



There are also two Series -200 Formula 1 aircraft... "Bernie's Flight" if you wish.



Altogether there are 44 different liveries for the six different variants.

Modeling and detail
It was four years ago in X-Plane 11 that we were "wowed" by the quality of the Just Flight BAe 146 Pro, as for the period it was very, very good. But we are now in the X-Plane 12 era, and that significantly moves everything up a few notches, as the lighting is now extraordinary good bring out the detail. Still the differences are stark, as XP11 looks now almost cartoony compared to the realism of XP12. Yes we have here exterior models that are stunningly detailed, featuring 4096x4096 textures for clarity and Physical Based Rendering (PBR) materials to produce these realistic metallic, plastic and glass surfaces. It's all here, looking brilliantly good in the Spanish sunshine.





Get in close and you see those far more detailed textures, they would now barely register in XP11, but here you see the detail of everything, yes the BAe 146 Pro has that X-Plane 12 shine, a glow of knowing it is better era than ever before in the X-Plane Simulator.... You have to gotta love it!







To a point we knew that the JS 146 would be very good in X-Plane 12 (thanks to Thranda's skills), but the fight was worth the results. The wing is high cantilever one piece with no leading edge spoilers but a metal casing, but it is highly efficient with the 146 being a STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft, so the flaps also drop to an extreme to 33º for maximum lift, it comes with great animations on those flap extensions that are worth observing, and to note the excellent in tail detail with the airbrakes open. All fabrication by Just Flight here is very Rotate (MD11/MD80) in style and design.







Runway turn lights are set in the wing root shoulders, and the Taxi/Landing lighting are in the middle of the leading edge wing.



The Avco Lycoming ALF 502 H engines are beautifully modeled and perfectly shaped, they each deliver approximately 6,500 pounds of thrust, or 26,000 lbf combined. The Inlet and exhaust areas are perfect and nicely cast with a realistic metal cowling on the inlet and lovely shaped engine mounts. The internal fans are highly realistic, but there are no thrust-reverser systems on the BAe 146.
 






The JF BAe 146 is exceptional in the gear detail and realism... The nose gear is stubby, with just the Nose Gear Torque Link Retention Plate/Guide Plate (often called a “pepper shaker”) showing.





Eagle Claw trailing link main gear is exceptional in detailing. The work here is based on G-JEAO - Serial No. 1010 LN:10, which was retired from service with British European Airways in 2000 and is now preserved at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum. And the detail reproduced here is from that aircraft in all it's glory. Tyres are excellent as are the cast rims, and bolt detail and are connected to a trailing-arm suspension assembly.





Glass is of course excellent, nicely shaped with great depth, tint and reflection... and delivers in realism. Notable are the aerodynamic strakes on the nose/fuselage that add in authenticity to the aircraft...  side windows are also perfectly realised with a mottled tint on the glass





Menu/Features
The menu is surprisingly quite small with only eight selections to choose from and it is positioned via the usual JustFlight left screen side arrow, scrolling on the arrow will make it transparent. There is another menu built into the pop-up AviTab tablet.



The side menu eight selections cover; ‘Toggle power’ icon (the lightning bolt) will toggle between ‘Cold & Dark’ and ‘Ready for Take-off’ states, Checklist panel, Flight computer, Animation panel (Doors and Ladder), Autopilot (Panels), Toggle the VSI between analogue and digital TCAS, "TMS" Thrust Management System and the Weather radar...  and on the bottom of the tab are the arrows to change the livery.



The Animation panel allows you to open all four main fuselage doors, with extendable stairs on the left front main entry door.



..   and the two lower Cargo Doors and if you are using the Cargo variant then the menu changes to access the one large left rear cargo door. There is an GPU (Ground Power Unit) toggle and now you have a physical GPU unit and chocks (both missing on the XP11 version)





Cabin
All four access doors are highly detailed (as are the extended stairs), but on board there is a little bit of 3d modeling in the crew seating, but most of the forward galley is simply Lo-Res textures (images) and the quality depends on your Graphic/Texture setting... It is not bad at full resolution, but to be honest I expected more 3d detail in the galley areas. There has been a big effort to control the framerate and that is obvious here, so again it is very Rotate in using images more than objects and textures on the bulkheads and sidepanels.





Cabin is the same...  the X-Plane 12 higher quality textures work better for you here, certainly at max-resolution, so it is nice looking cabin, airy and bright with the six across seater layout and not the more spacious five across seating layout. Seats are again good, rather than excellent, again using the use of 3d modeling work to keep the numbers low.





Depending on the variant, the seating materials and style can be different, here they come with dropdown trays or not.





Overhead locker detail is images, not bad at full resolution, but quite lo-res ziggy at lower texture-res settings.



Again both forward and aft galleys are the same treatment, again not bad at full-res, poor lo-res at lower graphic settings.



For the cargo it is nicely modeled inside with an internal space to carry a maximum of nine standard LD3 containers, but only one LD3 is represented here. The QC "Quick Change" variant does not have the combo seating and cargo interior, but it is just the same Cargo layout as the below QT Quiet Trader variant



Cockpit
You can close or open the connection door between the cabin and the cockpit, by selecting the door knob... it is a tight squeeze to get into the office, but very realistic in tone.



It's small in here, and they somehow even add in a rear centre jump-seat (folded, and actually-animated), note the extremely massive OverHead Panel (OHP), and the ceiling air-vents can be moved (animated).







Both the Captain's and First Officer's chairs are superb, great seat molding and shape with a highly detailed frame lower, and covered by a lovely full blue/cream dot wool material. Armrests are also all fully animated, and fold up neatly to the side of the chairs. Note the third folded seat behind the First Officer's station, better still you can move both the Captain's and First Officers chairs forward via a slider, then slide out the jump seat via it's own slider and lower the seat cushion...  now that is a great feature.





Yokes are lovely, and fully active with A/P Disconnect, Electric Trim. You can hide both Yokes or each one individually by clicking on the Yoke base, which is a nice option. Note the slide out coffee cup holder and both pilot's can use their own tiller. It is noted in the Manual to use the SYNC button right Yoke, but that tool does not work on the X-Plane version (It does on the MSFS), we get V/S instead.





The pedestal is very nice and boxy, but extremely well done... centre of the top of the pedestal is a (again X-Plane default) weather radar, with VHF COMMs set below (you have to turn them on). Airbrake (Speedbrake) and Flap lever strides the stubby four impressive throttles, they have a fuel safety switch on each lever, to disengage, but as noted there is no reverse thrust levers (you have to move the Airbrakes manually as well), and a large trim wheel left.



There is a transponder that allows an ATC code and flight identification code to be entered, with XPNDR/TA and TA/RA selections. Bottom pedestal is an active BRAKE TEMPºC panel, ADF1 & ADF2 Radio and console lighting knobs (three).

There was no EFB/Tablet on the XP11 version. There is now by selecting the black square on the sidewall on each side. It is still pretty basic, the earlier "Doors and Reflections" panel with added (cabin) announcements, Empty Weight, Zero Fuel Weight, Total Full Weight and Gross Weight. There is also a built in Avitab (plugin required)





Instrument Panel
I love the layout of this instrument panel, complex, clockwork and very well done for an aircraft of this era in the crossover period. This is the old era or dials, the RJ series was the (semi) glass era.



Close up panel detail is simply first rate and very authentic, with nice highly realistic instrument reflections.



The electrical power system on the BAe 146 has both AC and DC power services. AC power is supplied by two (outer) engine-driven generators, an APU-driven generator, a ground source and a hydraulically driven standby generator. The standby generator also supplies DC power. DC power is normally provided by transformer rectifiers (TRs) which convert the AC (provided by the engine and APU generators or the external source) to DC. The aircraft battery provides an emergency DC supply and also, via a standby static inverter, an emergency AC supply. The AC and DC supplies are distributed by a network of busbars classified as normal, essential and emergency. The normal busbars are duplicated to form the basis of a two-channel system: channels 1 and 2, both having AC and DC busbars.


 
Even when I selected GPU and select the right power selection, aircraft still didn't receive any power? it was the bus-tie (two switches) and here are the points to make...   as the 146 has a lot of the switchgear and in here it is mostly a three-way switch system, and finding the correct switch and the right switch position can need a little study... no it needs a LOT of attention.

The central Artificial Horizon is very authentic in detail...  known here as the Attitude Director Indicator (ADI), it provides a visual presentation of the pitch and roll attitude of the aircraft on a spherical display. The side scale shows glideslope, and localiser deviation is presented on the lower horizontal scale, and an inclinometer is mounted on the lower front face of the instrument. F-Fast and S-Slow indications, plus the ILS indicator...  There is a secondary backup ADI right.

Left of the ADI is the Airspeed Indicator with built in Mach markings, Right is the Altitude Indicator. Above is a very good and highly detailed Annunciator warning panel which you can test and adjust the brightness and follows the white, green, blue, amber or red legends warning system. There is a Instrument Comparator Monitor (ICM), compares the Captain’s and First Officer’s primary attitude and heading displays and if a difference shows warnings (ICM panel is upper left of the ADI)



Lower centre Instrument panel is the Horizontal situation indicator (HSI), with built in Vertical Speed Indicator, with Heading indicator, MILES (to go) and GND Speed displays. The 146 has an identical twin gyro-magnetically stabilised compass systems installed. A flux valve is situated in each wing. With selections 1/2 that allows transfers to the other heading display. ...   lower are the brake pressure dials. Note the Radio altimeter above the VSI.
 
Two instruments left of the HSI is a Stopwatch/Clock and a Distance Bearing Indicator (DBI) for VOR1 (DME 1) and VOR2 (DME 2). Note the Radio altimeter above the Vertical Speed Indicator.
 
As noted in the Menu, the standard Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) can be switched to a combined VSI and TCAS display. In addition to indicating the vertical speed, it also displays any potential TCAS conflicts. Right of the VSI is a backup Altitude Indicator...



On the First Officer's right side pane the layout is a little simpler, but has mostly the same Standard Six instrument layout...
 


Centre are the same nice Attitude Director Indicator (ADI), Horizontal situation indicator (HSI), with left the Airspeed Indicator, Distance Bearing Indicator (DBI) and to the right the Altitude Indicator and Stopwatch/Clock with the Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) set below.


 
To the left centre of the First Officer's main instruments is the Thrust Modulation System (TMS) panel. The TMS system operates in a variety of modes and consists of a control display unit (CDU), through which the pilot can select a required mode of operation, which is interfaced with a microprocessor-based computer (TMC) driving an actuator on each engine fuel control unit to provide limited trim authority about thrust lever settings. System disconnect push-buttons are located on No.1 and 4 engine thrust levers. There are four modes the TMS system covers; Take-off (TO), TMS disconnect (GA), Maximum continuous thrust (MCT), Turbine gas temperature (TGT) and Flight descent (DESC). This TMS system is the heart of the 146, and the biggest point of flying the aircraft correctly, we will cover the TMS system at the takeoff point.

Centre Instument panel is dominated by the four engine sets of readout dials...
 


...  per engine row they cover with the top five dials; Oil Quanity, Oil Temp and Oil Pressure. N1 output, TGT (Turbine Gas Temperature) and N2 ouput. Fuel Flow (FF) with Fuel Used indicators...  bottom row are the three Fuel Gauges.
 
There are three main fuel tank compartments; The Main wing compartment, Feed(er) tanks and a Surge tank... Fuel consumption is per variant; 146-100 : 425 kn: 2,468 kg (5,441 lb)/h, 146-200 : 423 kn: 2,483 kg (5,474 lb)/h, 146-300 : 429 kn: 2,517 kg (5,549 lb)/h...  with ranges of; 146-100 : 82 pax: 3,870 km (2,090 nmi), 146-200 : 100 pax: 3,650 km (1,970 nmi) and 146-300 : 100 pax: 3,340 km (1,800 nmi).

The Master Warning System (MWS) provides the flight crew with indication of aircraft systems malfunction, status and the system is displayed on a very large warnings panel centre (Annunciators) and can be tested via button on the MWS Panel upper right (arrowed) and again it follows the white, green, blue, amber or red legends warning system.

Very top right of the center panel is a Engine Vibration Indicator Monitor (EVIM) comprising of four separate meter mechanisms presenting vertical indication displays for engines 1, 2, 3 and 4 from the left which can be tested (arrowed lower, lower left). Below the EVIM is the flap position indicator 0º-18º-24º-30º and 33º degrees, Spoiler Indicator and Landing Gear Handle/Indicator.
 


OverHead Panel
There is a lot of switchgear and detail on the OverHead Panel (OHP). All the aircraft's various systems are grouped together in panels, that can be split into upper or lower Overhead Panel(s).

Upper OHP. There is a lot on these upper sections and selections of the panel, that are usually sited in the lower sections. Top of the left are Yaw Dampers, and the "Main" switches for Autopilot and Avionics power. Anti-Skid and Lift and an Hydraulic panel fills out the left. The Hydraulic power is provided by two independent systems, Yellow and Green, each having an engine-driven pump (EDP) as its main source of power as well as a standby power facility and the switch arrangement means you can control both Yellow and Green channels.



The Fire Protection system on the Just Flight 146 is quite comprehensive. Each engine is equipped with a fire detection system which consists of four detector loops in two parallel pairs. When the loops are subjected to heat, a signal is transmitted to a warning system as soon as a preset temperature is reached. The warning system comprises of red and amber flight deck presentations with associated audio warnings. Each engine is also equipped with a fire extinguishing system consisting of two extinguisher bottles for each engine. The bottles are in the nose cowling of each engine. The APU, Wings, pylons, fuselage spine, electrical equipment bay and the air-conditioning equipment bay are all active in warning systems.
 
Right Panel top is the External and Notice lighting panel, with the Air-Conditioning Panel set below.
 
Lower OHP. The full left side of the lower OHP covers the Fuel Panel, then the Electric Panel. Top centre of the lower OHP is the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) panel, then below the Engine Power and Start panel. Set below is the Ice-Protection warnings and switches.



Right top lower OHP, is a large Pressurization Panel that covers with the Air Supply Panel, more Ice-Protection warnings and switches bottom centre and lower bottom right is an annunciator lighting and OHP lighting adjustment panel.
 
Very bottom centre is the lighting switchgear for FlightDeck Emergency, RWY Exit Lights, Landing Lights and the left and right windscreen wipers (Three-Way) and finally the Seat Beat light switch.
 
As this JustFlight BAe 146 is a "Study" grade aircraft, then the systems and their operations are quite comprehensive. The manual does thankfully detail everything here, but the depth of the system knowledge required here is quite high. So "Study" means just that in going deep into these systems and understanding them to get the best out of the simulation.

Autopilot
The Smiths SEP 10 BAe 146 automatic flight guidance system has an integrated autopilot and flight director system which provides a three- axis stabilisation and two-axis manoeuvre computation in pitch and roll, in addition to flight director computation.
 
Study is again required here as the layout of this AP panel is quite different, the ALT (Altitude) ARM is hard to see, but I love the winding ALT SEL knob (you will find that mouse wheel settings are more accurate), and the HDG (Heading) knob is centre lower panel (took me ages to find that?) Also centre are the Course selection knobs (both NAV1 or NAV2). VHF navigation has a panel to itself on the left, you will need to turn it on via the switch, and then press the centre knob to activate (there is a Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) panel lower pedestal). 



VHF NAV right is VOR 2 (NAV2) radio and besides there is a brilliant "ILS TEST" system for the instruments. Engagement of the autopilot is indicated by a green triangles on the AP button at the top of the panel. The bottom row selects lateral modes and the middle row selects vertical modes. There is a Turbulence mode (TURB) mode... This mode is one of a PITCH and ROLL attitude hold, with the initial datums being those at the time of engagement. On selecting TURB, any other pitch or roll mode (or armed state) will disengage. The autopilot is not your standard layout, and you use it differently as well.

This is an interesting point to make. Most pilots new to this flight deck would simply want to jump in and fly the BAe 146... but that would be simply deadly. These 146's have a very unusual switchgear layout, plus the systems created here are very deep...  this JustFlight BAe 146 is noted as "Professional" in that it is a "Study Grade" simulation and the extensive and deeply detailed manual bears that aspect out, the manual alone is 247 pages in size and a study of the systems and layouts are essential to getting the very best out of this aircraft. Even I had to stop, do the manual in a professional way and then go back to setting up the aircraft before doing any other aspect of understanding this complex simulation, yes I noted that statement again as it is an important point.

FMS (Flight Management System)
The FMS was the biggest barrier in to transferring the XP11 JS 146 to X-Plane 12, and the history is complex. The original XP11 release only had at the time the X-Plane default FMS, which was a very basic system, so it wasn't very well received.

An extensive update for the XP11 v1.2.1 then updated the BAe146 to the better UFMC (Universal Flight Management Computer). It is not the same unit as in the P3D aircraft version as that uses the UNS-1Lw SBAS-Flight Management System or UNS-1, here it is still an Universal system with the long facia plate, that makes it look more of a default FMS than it actually really is. The UNS-1Lw has the shorter plate as on the FJS Q400. But this UFMC unit was then not available for XP12, as the developer was not available?

Somehow the issue was resolved... and so you have in the JF 146 X-Plane 12 with four options with the FMC. A blank panel (no FMC), the X-Plane default FMC, thankfully the UFMC "Universal" and the bezels for the RXP GTN 750/650 Touch (3rd Party addon). Any FMC options can be selected via the Menu on the X-Plane Banner/Plugins







Both the UFMC and Default XP have pop-out panels, but we will continue with the UFMC version as it both compliments the aircraft and is the most comprehensive to BAe 146.

Lighting
The BAe 146 lighting is extremely impressive, but also extremely complicated to use. There are five lighting panels to adjust, one each pilot side, OHP and rear console and the odd lighting knob set around the OHP. Most overhead (Storm, are on both side panels) and a rear Pedestal lighting panel.







But one set of lighting totally threw me, it took 20 min of frustration (not in the manual) to find the culprit for the rear overhead cockpit lights, the switch for them was on sited high the entrance right wall.... aggggh!



Left side Instruments and Centre dials are adjusted via the left lighting panel and the right side instruments are lit via the right hand panel, Glareshield lighting is via knob lower left OHP. and this is glorious stuff, it is the X-Plane 12 lighting dynamics and it shows.





Main panel lighting lights (lovely flicker) activate the fluorescent tubes and filaments, which are really well done set under the glareshield.

The best lighting feature is the centre adjustment knob on the lighting panel and two buttons for "SILL" and "LAP"...  press SILL and you have a magnificent adjustable flexible stalks with a light on them...  they can be positioned anywhere for the illumination of the instrument panel or side panels.



There is LAP (animated overhead) and side panel lighting and lovely centre pedestal lighting via three knobs FWD, AFT and FLOOD. There is a third entrance/cockpit overhead light, the switch is noted as the "Flight Deck Emergency" lights... or really the STORM lights.





OHP lighting is excellent, press the panel test switch to be amazed!



You can dial everything down to a minimum for takeoff and landing phases. So in reality there are so many combinations you can find to get that perfect lighting scenario, for on the ground, in the air or for minimum approach instrument lighting...  it is all quite perfect.



There is far more lighting in the cabin. The main overhead lights can not be adjusted, but on the X-Plane 11 version as there was no cabin lighting at all when it went dark? but it is a now a very nice place to be in this cabin at night.



Galleys have a separate lighting switches as does the EXIT lighting, which is excellent. The "No Smoking" or "Seatbelt" signs don't light up as their areas are only graphics.



Externally the cabin looks excellent as well.



As with the cockpit, the external lighting is extremely good as well again updated to X-Plane 12 specifications....   Navigation lights are three-way selectable; Off-Lo and Hi, however the ENTRY lighting switch can be mistaken for external use, but it is noted for the overhead cockpit use?

Wing root shoulders has two sets of lights for the excellent runway turnoff lighting, and for wing (ice) lighting which is also excellent...   both taxi and landing lighting is in the wing leading edge.



Both taxi and landing lighting are in the wing leading edge. And you can only have one set or the other on a three way switch, which plays havoc if you use separate switches for the Taxi and Landing Lights. The Taxi lighting is wider and the Landing beams tighter, longer and more focused, but brilliant in both actions.



Navigation, Beacon and Strobe are first rate with nice ground reflections...



.... and the tail lighting is simply gorgeous.



Flying the BAe 146
There are as noted a lot of depth in the systems in this JustFlight 146. So the awareness of all the systems and their layout positions is essential before tackling any flight. The built-in (Menu) Checklists are also invaluable to getting everything ready for flight, again I stress, that this 146 is not a hop in and fly aircraft, there is simply too much going on to do that quick fly aspect. A big help here is the excellent tickoff checklist from the side Menu, or put it on the Command toggle for quick access. As you go down the list you can check green the action, very comprehensive, and easier than a paper version.


 
Starting up the APU, is quite easy...  then switch on the aircraft batteries, select APU GEN and provide power to the busses. When you switch, either power, air-conditioning, hydraulics in that every action has an effect and all seen in the gauges...  the depth of the systems here really are phenomenal...



UFMC "Universal"
Although added in later to the JS BAe 146 Pro, the "Universal" UFMC was a more authentic addition to the 146 over the original default system (which was simplistic and quite awful). But this addition is still many ways basic, however it is a far more an interactive tool with the aircraft and it comes with an extensive detailed manual to explain the details and actions.



There an excellent "Performance PERF INIT" page and "Takeoff References", and a lot of weights and details are filled in automatically... but a few can't (CRZ.CG) and that knocks a few brownie points off the depth of the system, and two routes RTE 1 and RTE 2 can be filed and selected.



All DEP (SID) and ARR (STAR) and route Waypoints are easily inserted, and VNAV calculations are well done (Yes the 146 has VNAV). Route editing is very good, but you don't have the PATH option here with STEP movements. There is no route to see either, so it is recommended to test the route on another (Aircraft) system and edit the route there to find anomalies and recording them to make sure the routing is correct before inserting the route in the UFMC.



There is a HOLD function and PROG (Progress Pages) are also available, we will look at other PROG pages (2/3) in the air.



Hidden under the VNAV button are the ECON (Economy) pages for CLB, CRZ and 286 (ECON 286 - best cruise speed).



The FMC helps the flight crew with navigation, performance optimisation and automatic fuel monitoring. The flight functions manage the aircraft’s lateral flight path (LNAV) and vertical flight path (VNAV) via the autopilot. This FMC also tunes the navigation radios and sets the desired courses for various procedures such as approaches, SIDs and STARs, using the navigation database to supply the necessary data to fly all routes. So the UFMC is a great addition here.

Starting the BAe 146... although the aircraft IS complex, the engine start is quite easy. Make sure all the fuel pumps are on, set the APU Air on (Bleed), START PWR (on), Ground Start (off position) CONT-IGN (x2) on and the START MASTER...





..   select the engine you want to start, but always first an outer engine for a generator power supply via the main switch...   Then press the START switch...  The Avco Lycoming ALF 502 H engines will then spool up very, very quickly to the 20% n2  starting point, were at this point you up the throttle from the detent (release throttle lock) to the idle position to start the fuel flow, the engine then completes the start procedure to settle around the 52% n2 running in idle. Engine sequence start is basically in reverse order 4-3-2-1.

If you want the full whine and intricate startup sounds then you will be disappointed here, because there is isn't any, well a little, but these tiny Avro engines are super quiet, even when all four are running it is hard to hear anything from the cockpit, except for a nice humm... the 146 isn't called the "Whisper Jet" for nothing.

Now you clean up the OHP, switch off all the engine starter switches... except the two CONT-IGN, in case you need to relight the engine in flight. APU Bleed off, and APU shutdown, Electrics on, all ENG AIR on and set the cabin altitude dial, if the pressurisation is correct you should get the twin dials moving to anti-clockwise full. It is very important these actions are completed, if not you get loads of alert and warning noises in the air.



Final checks of the GRND (Ground) test panel... the test of the "Stall Warning" alert will jump you out of your seat, but all the different sounds are very authentic, and a double check of the MWS Panel is also a good thing to do...

There are significant differences between the different three variants, even by load capacity and weight as well, so this -300 at a gross full weight feels very heavy, even ponderous in the taxi, I don't mind that aspect as I love heavy aircraft to fly for the feel, but you have to be aware of the wide band of feel of flying the 146 in it's size (variants) and weights.







In the taxi it is nice to tootle around the taxiways, but as noted you need a little thrust to move the set weight. Two notes... you can physically move the tiller to steer the aircraft as well as using the standard (joystick) yaw which is a brilliant option, it was usually one or the other.



Another point is to check the "Config" button on the centre of the pedestal, which is similar to the Airbus "Config" test. It tells you if the aircraft is fully set up for takeoff, if not the red "Config" alert will show in the MWS...  aircraft ‘doors not closed’ warning system is also part of the config system, if it doesn't scream at you, you can smile a grin of a professional in setting up the aircraft (correctly). Just Flight will give you your TO/Landing VRefs and current gross weight centre panel
lower right, good to note.



A note about the Honeycomb Bravo. As I now have the system I have the four engine (lever set up) which is excellent. There is no profile, so the AP is a unusual setup on the default profile, so yes HDG, ALT (even V/S) works, but IAS does not (explained in a moment), Flaps are a bit hit and miss as I have no physical notches but there are selections (notches) on the JS 146 Flap gradient. Overall it's excellent.

Thrust Modulation System (TMS)
The TMS system operates in a variety of modes and consists of a control display unit (CDU), through which the pilot can select a required mode of operation, which is interfaced with a microprocessor-based computer (TMC) driving an actuator on each engine fuel control unit to provide limited trim authority about thrust lever settings.

I admit to making a mistake in the X-Plane 11 review on not focusing on the "Thrust Modulation System". To a point I think misunderstanding this TMS system was one of the biggest barriers to enjoying the aircraft, as it can have a profound effect on the way you fly the BAe 146. But I also found the TMS system in the X-Plane 12 is now far more refined with the better XP12 dynamics than with the XP11 version, putting even more emphasis on using the system correctly.

When you fly most airliners, you usually push up the throttle to full power for Takeoff, or go into the GoAround mode even if the engines are using a FLEX thrust (derate). Do that in the BAe 146 and it will go seriously wrong quickly, in most cases you will plummet into the sea. Those lovely little Avco Lycoming ALF 502 H engines are pocket-rockets, but also very fragile if you abuse them, and they will blow out extremely quickly at full throttle power... do that a few times and your love affair with the 146 has suddenly become a broken relationship... this is where the TMS comes in.





Today we have modern FADEC "Full Authority Digital Engine Control' to control engine parameters, but this 146 has one foot in the old analog world, so you could say the TMS is an early version of FADEC, or a manual interface instead of the mostly hidden fully automatic engine parameter system we currently use.

You will use the TMS panel a lot. You can use the pop-up panel from the menu, but that is still a two step process to get it to appear. I would recommend to use a Command toggle for a one button view or hide selection, it needs to be quickly accessible, even for visual use.

Press the PWR (Power) to start. every time you use the TMS you have to run the TEST (to align it). If you shut it down you can't just power it up again. On the test mode the system goes through every selection to verify the system, then you are ready to use it.



First we will look at the "SYNC" mode... the idea of the Sync mode is to align the engines to one single parameter, in other words what one engine does, the others are then synchronised to do the same actions, so the settings for one are then the same as all four engines.



In this case you can set the CTRL selection to either follow the N1 or N2 engine thrust output, and the MSTR selection is to Sync to either Engine 1 or Engine 2.



"Modulation" is basically the operating parameters, or the thrust limits you can go to in the various phases of the flight. Pressing the TO (TakeOff) button will show you the highest limit N%/ºC you can go to with the takeoff thrust, here 93.7%. This is set by setting your current Airport temperature 15º in the T REF ºC



You can adjust or "Derate" the TO percentage by adjusting the Airport temperature, here 35º to derate to 90.7%, you can do the opposite of more thrust output by setting the temperature lower than the Airport's local temperature.



Once these settings are done you are basically ready to fly.... the route today is LEBL (Barcelona) to GMMN (Casablanca) 818 nm, about the normal flight for a regional airliner, the BAe 146-300 has a standard range of 1,700 nautical miles (3,150 km).



You could note the TMS as being a Semi-Automatic system, it isn't as we noted a full AutoThrust system, it's job is to protect and keep the engines within their limits (and of why it is so easy to burn them out quickly).

On throttles up all the Engines (top row 1-2-3-4) light up to signify the TMS system is now active.... first you will advance to around 25% thrust, and get the aircraft moving.



Besides working your takeoff roll, your eyes also have to be glued to the TMS panel. When all four of the triangles disappear you stop moving the throttles, then the TMS system will take-over, driving an actuator on each engine fuel control unit to provide limited trim authority on the thrust output to the set N%, in other words it will takeover your throttle and advance only to the highest set parameter allowed for the engine reliability, noted here as 930%



v2 - Rotate is around 124 knts, and you will go into a 10º climbout... "Positive Climb"





The TO mode is limited to a 5 minutes maximum continuous use at full takeoff thrust, because you are set at the very upper limit of the Engines performance. So you will switch as soon as you can to MCT (Maximum Continuous Thrust), this mode changes the N% output to a lower thrust setting, and more within the Engines parameters, here 85.7% (Down from 93.0%) to protect the engines. Again if any triangles appear you have to adjust the throttle (slightly) until they all disappear again. It is noted that a lot of 146 pilots don't use the MCT option, but go directly to TGT (Turbine Gas Temperature) as we shall see.





If you think the thrust management is tricky, the the AP - Autopilot just confounds the issues. As there are no V/S (Vertical Speed) or Speed controls visible on the panel. Mostly V/S is controlled by adjusting your pitch then reselecting the V/S to hold that pitch (trim can do the same job). I did find that I could use the V/S selection with my Honeycomb Bravo V/S controls, but that is sort of cheating. Mostly the TMS will control your climb speed (TO Mode/MCT Mode) by holding a speed, there is an IAS button, but in reality you adjust your thrust manually to change your speed, then the IAS will hold that thrust setting... the IAS can also be used to adjust your V/S.



But there is one other mode you can use... TGT (Turbine Gas Temperature) to control the speed. Selecting TGT will give you control over the N1 output (or thrust).



When in the TGT mode, you can adjust the N1 output on the TMS panel lower left (TGT ºC), this is synced to the N1 engine output (remember all four engines are synced together). So when you adjust the TGT output you increase your speed (or lower the speed), that is shown on your N1 engine outputs on all four engines, as noted 146 pilots go straight to this mode to get speed control. There is one more mode in DESC (Descend) which we will use later on approach.

146 Climb rates are around 2,000 to 3,000 fpm to 10,000ft, then 1,500 to 2,000 to 20,000ft, 1,000 fpm to 30,000 and finally 500 fpm to TOC (Top of Climb) in most cases you rarely fly higher than 31,000ft. The RJ series with the more powerful engines could do 35,000ft.

You need to be very steadfast in controlling the TGT output. It's very tricky or it can trick you. You need a high output to climb. but then reduce N1 TGT at altitude (obviously)... but finding the sweet spot to TGT º to keep it on the set bug is tricky(er) that it looks?





Suddenly you have an overspeed (alarm), so you reduce the TGT output%, then it starts falling too low, and up it goes, then it's too high again? so it take practise to find the right (narrow) window to keep the speed consistently at the point you want, for me it was 725º, but it took a long time getting there.

The above shows why a lot of users found the BAe 146 Pro hard to fly, but learn and to get this TMS working for you and not against you, it is clever and very immersive to do, but you have to understand of what it does and be aware of the Engines limitations to get the best out of the system and the aircraft.



The BAe 146 also has a complicated pressurization system. You have to set the Cabin Altitude (usually 6,000ft), but making sure the system is correctly set. (all) ENG AIR switches have to be on, PACK 1 and PACK 2 have be on (it looks the opposite way around) but the lights will go out if correctly set. If you don't set the environment system you will get consistent alerts/warnings (flashing), it will drive you up the wall.



The UFMC has very good PROG or "PROGRESS" pages, and there are three pages. 1st page is the standard waypoint, dis, time and fuel use...



2nd page covers Wind, speeds and Fuel Quantity, and the 3rd page covers RTA (Required Time of Arrival). This page is used when a flight crew needs to arrive at a specific time, which is useful in delay situations.



The Kgs to Lbs settings conversion it is set on the INIT REF INDEX page, so if you use Kgs (like me) it can show in Imperial (fuel) numbers as default and confuse you if not changed.

I'm already over the Pillars of Hercules — one on the Rock of Gibraltar (Europe) and the other on Jebel Musa (Africa)... The Straits of Gibraltar is another name.



There is a lot to do to get the aircraft ready for landing. ILS Freqencies 109.90 INR - RWY 35R, and 112.50 SLK the entrance VOR to INR. In the UFMC they are noted (under PARK) but these are just false numbers to look nice, they are not actually active, so all the frequencies are set manually, left and right on the glareshield.

Top of Descent (TOD)... and you now press the last TMS mode in DESC. This will set the TGTº at 60, or idle, or the lowest thrust setting you can use, and the 146 will automatically lose height at around 1000 fpm, you can adjust more (or less) vertical speed via the V/S.



You have to careful here not to lose too much speed, as you are tempted to re-engage the TGT mode to boost the speed up, it works to a point, but don't over do the idea. Part of the trick is to use (lower) the Flaps in the circuit to reduce the speed at the same output power, get it right and it can be a smooth transition for the final approach...



I want everything right before I get to SIDI KHEDIM (SLK VOR) as it it is the entrance directly to the 35R ILS, so speed and Flaps at 30º are set early, and gear is already down, speed is around 140 knts in this configuration.



The gear drag rubs off a little speed as well, so you have to compensate for it, as now your under manual throttle control and have now shut down the TMS. As at these lower speeds as there is now no need for engine protections.



In the turn to final approach you flick off the HS/R NAV to NAV to use the ILS Frequency, and the beams come alive and you select V/L (VOR LOC) mode to arm the localiser hold mode and the GSL (glideslope) mode to arm glideslope hold mode. Flaps 33º (Full).



Throttle control is very finicky in the ILS beams, get the speed wrong and the 146 will start to nose bounce, so you can't go too slow, or too fast, but you have a F-S gauge on the Artificial Horizon that helps in finding the correct speed, but your still adjusting the throttles all the way down to threshold to get the best performance out of the aircraft, on the slope the speed is 124 knts, most 146 pilots love this controlled phase of the flight, noted as with "good handling even in crosswinds; responsive but not twitchy".



On the lower slope the speed is 120 knts, and your still consistently fine tuning the throttles to match the speed (Honeycomb Bravo).





In the flare the 146 can get a bit pitchy, and so you can get a too nose high angle, so you need to be aware in controlling that aspect, touch was around 102 knts, which is close to the 95 knt stall speed.



The wing airbrakes are automatic, but you have to manually open the rear clasp door speed brake, once under the 100 knts the wing brake drops back down, but the roll out speed is slow anyway and only a little braking is required, so no reversers? you don't need them at these low landing speeds.





And we are back in the taxi phase... and Mohammed V International Airport stand E9 awaits.



Thoughts on shutdown are that the Just Flight BAe 146 Pro is an excellent Simulation of an 70's era aircraft, but with that aspect so are the dynamics of flying an in this now 50 year old era, as the 146 reminds me a lot of the Dash Q400, but with jet engines. Phases of the flight requires certain skills to master, some pilots call it "Like a bus with four hairdryers", which is funny, but probably not far from the truth, another quote is “You had to fly it—not program it.” and again that is true as the challenge here is to master the dynamics and that the hydraulic and electrical systems were robust but somewhat overengineered for a regional jet, the 146 feels overengineered everywhere... but that is the satisfaction of this Simulation.
___________

Summary
The British Aerospace (BAe) 146 is a short to medium range airliner. Faster and bigger than a regional turboprop, but smaller than a standard airliner, and the 146 was manufactured from 1983 until 2002 with just under 400 airframes. The aircraft was offered in three variants, the 146-100, 146-200 and 146-300. The equivalent Avro variants were RJ70, RJ85 and RJ100, plus the QT "Quiet Trader" and QC "Quick Change" and Royal Flight/Military variants.
 
Powered by four small Avco Lycoming ALF 502 H engines that produced 6,500lbf of thrust each. There was a standard configuration of 5 abreast seating, although a high density 6 abreast configuration was also available and used in this aircraft.
 
This is the highly anticipated JustFlight version of the BAe 146, but not the first RJ or 146 released for the X-Plane Simulator as that notion easily goes to the "Avroliner Project".
The BAe 146 Pro was released by JustFlight originally for the P3D platform, the aircraft was then redesigned for X-Plane by the renowned X-Plane developers Thranda Design for X-Plane 11, a slow seller, the aircraft was ambivalent to be upgraded to X-Plane 12. However persistence prevailed, and so here is the XP12 version of the JF BAe 146 Pro.

All major systems are covered from Fuel, Fire, Hydraulics, Air-Conditioning, Electrical, APU, Pressurisation, Iceing, Oxygen, Master MWS - Warning systems, Engine Air supply, Communication systems, Authentic Smiths SEP 10 Auto Flight systems the and extensive features of Thrust Modulation System (TMS) and AviTab menu and intergration, and you have four optional FMS systems including the "Universal" UFMC.
 
All external and internal modeling is excellent and now upgraded to X-Plane 12 features and dynamics, it also comes with 44 high quality liveries and lots of perfect detail externally. Internally the cockpit is of perfect detail and immersion including for excellent VR (Virtual Reality). With moving armrests, chairs and even a pop-out third jumpseat the detail is ultra realistic with XP12 lighting effects. The cabin is although is a little lo-res and basic, but better here than in XP11. QT Cargo has huge detailed door, and two menus service all opening doors, AP pop-ups, Quick start, checklists, TMS pop-up, basic weights and fuel loading. Both Internal and external (complex) Lighting has been upgraded to X-Plane 12 with excellent results and the cabin is now fully lit in dark, fully developed 3D extensive sounds are also exceptional.
 
This is a very highly detailed Simulation, but to be aware of the deep complex flying operations and clockwork instruments, this is no Boeing or Airbus in operation, more FJS Dash8 Q-400 (Q4XP) in detail and era designed operations with the authentic unique "TMS" Thrust Management System in the aircraft. The extensive manual is a deep 247 pages of systems and features, not just systems, but the 146 comes with reproductions of authentic systems that requires study and operation...   so the package is a "Study" grade and a Professional aircraft to learn and operate.

In X-Plane 11 the JF BAe 146 Pro was priced just under US$75.00, expensive, but still worthy on the amount of the 8 variants and the huge amount of features provided at the time. For X-Plane 12 that price has been moderated to US44.95, a bargain here on what you receive in quality and features, and for customers who own the BAe 146 XP11, they will get a 40% Discount on that release price (US$26.97), which has to be the bargain of the year.
 
Certainly extensive in pretty well any area you would want to delve into, just pick one and be absolutely blown away by the depth of this BAe 146 Series from JustFlight. We expected it to be good in coming over to X-Plane 12, but it delivers extensively as a very deep but authentic simulation. But be aware, that depth of systems and operation, they do require time to learn and be put into practise, and there is a lot of areas to cover and a lot to learn to get the best out of these 146s.
Certainly this clever regional airliner is no, drop in and fly (unless you want a lot of alarms in your ears, or plummets into the Sea), but again that is the aim of this very high level of study simulation aircraft, the skill level required is high here as well and you will need to commit to the aircraft to get the very best out of it...  do that, and you will get an exceptional simulation in return....     Absolutely Highly Recommended, and the deal of the year!.
________________



Yes! the British Aerospace 146 Professional XP12 by JustFlight is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
BAe146 Professional XP12 - JustFlight
Price is US$44.95

Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not for XP11)
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 3.8 GB
Current Version: XP12 (May 22nd 2025)
Customers who own the BAe 146 XP11, will get a 40% Discount. Discounted Automatically applied at checkout
 
Designed by JustFlight and Thranda
Support forum for the BAe 146 XP12

Download: for BAe 146 Pro is 3.8Gb. There is only one folder to install;
JF12_BAe_146
Full Installation is 5.43Gb in your "Aircraft" Folder. (only X-Plane 12)

Documentation
There is excellent full coverage documentation and installation details, and separate FMC guide.
146 Professional X-Plane 12 manual.pdf (247 Pages)
146 Professional X-Plane 12 Variants and Liveries Guide.pdf
EULAstandardcommercialandacademic2025.pdf
Universal FMC 146 Professional X-Plane 12.pdf


________________
 
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
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.2.0 (Beta) but checked in XP 12.1.4
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- LEBL - Barcelona XP by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$27.99

Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
22nd May 2025
Copyright©2025: 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.

NEWS! - Aircraft Released : Boeing 314 Clipper by Pegasus Aeroworks



This aircraft was one of the great pioneers of the global aviation network of today. This same aircraft also came from the noted "Aviation’s Golden Age" of 1930's, it is of course the Boeing 314 Clipper, and it's now available for X-Plane 12, and included is also an X-Plane 11 version.

The Boeing 314 Clipper was an American long-range flying boat produced by Boeing from 1938 to 1941. One of the largest aircraft of its time, it had the range to cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. For its wing, Boeing re-used the design from the earlier XB-15 bomber prototype. Twelve Clippers were built, nine of which served with Pan Am. It was the first aircraft to carry a sitting American president, when in 1943 Franklin D. Roosevelt flew from Miami to the Casablanca Conference in Morocco, via Trinidad, Brazil, and The Gambia.

The 314 was a high wing flying boat which used a series of heavy metal ribs and spars to create a robust fuselage and a cantilevered wing, eliminating the need for external drag-inducing struts to brace the wings. It was metal skinned with the exception of the control surfaces. The engines were also accessible from inside the wing.

The original six 314s were powered by four air-cooled, supercharged Wright Aeronautical Corporation Cyclone 14 GR2600A2, two-row, 14-cylinder radial engines. The six 314A’s had the more powerful Cyclone 14 GR2600A2A engines. These engines were then subsequently retrofitted to the original 314s during engine overhauls.
Commonly known as "Twin Cyclones", these engines were the first to use 100 octane gasoline in commercial service. The 314 was the first use of this engine, which at the time was not only the largest engine installed on a commercial aircraft, but also offered the lowest specific fuel consumption.

Pioneering routes included:
Pan Am Transatlantic Services
Was started in 1939, it was the first commercial air service across the Atlantic. This was the Primary route: of New York → Shediac (Canada) → Botwood (Newfoundland) → Foynes (Ireland) → Southampton (UK)

Transpacific Service (starting 1939) the Boeing 314 served on the China Clipper route, pioneered by earlier Pan Am flying boats but upgraded with the 314. San Francisco → Honolulu → Midway Island → Wake Island → Guam → Manila (Philippines) → Hong Kong

In 1941, Pacific Clipper did the First Circumnavigation of the world by a Boeing 314, and the distance flown was 31,500 miles (50,694 km)

Features
High-Fidelity Flight Model
Developed using original pilot operating handbook and maintenance manual, the aircraft’s aerodynamic and engine performance has been authentically replicated for a realistic flight experience.
Comprehensive System Simulation
All primary aircraft systems are modeled in detail, including flight controls, engine management, fuel, electrical, cowl flaps, fire extinguisher, de-ice, and radio communication and navigation.
Functional Sperry A-3 Gyropilot
Realistic simulation of the early autopilot system with manual control knobs and engagement procedure for heading and altitude control.
Engine & Propeller Systems
Detailed simulation of the Wright GR-2600-A2A engines, including realistic startup procedures, and fully functional constant-speed propellers with feathering controls.
Payload and Fuel Configuration
Adjustable passenger, cargo, and fuel loads through X-Plane's Weight & Balance menu, allowing realistic mission planning and operational scenarios.
4K Texture Resolution
High-definition textures with PBR provide a visually rich cockpit and exterior, enhancing realism and immersion.
Handcrafted Instruments
Gauges and controls based on historical photographs, optimized for visibility in all lighting conditions. Saved views make it easy to navigate the multi-crew layout.
Extensive Livery Collection
Includes over 20 liveries covering all known Boeing 314 airframes and paint schemes used throughout the aircraft's operational history, with accurate markings, colors, weathered bare metal, and even wartime camouflage variations.
Custom Water Spray Effects
Realistic particle effects simulate water spray during takeoff, landing, and taxiing.
Authentic Engine Sounds
Engine audio sourced from recordings of the Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone for realistic auditory immersion.
Custom Seaplane Scenery 
Includes a dedicated scenery package adding seaplanes at historical Pan Am stops, integrated into the flight sim environment.
Lua Script for Water Anchoring
Custom FlyWithLua script allows the aircraft to remain stationary while on water, improving realism during docked or idle states.
33 page Detailed Manual
Procedures derived from the original pilot operating handbook. 



















So bring out your inner Indiana Jones, and travel 1930's style!

Developed by Jeff of Pegasus Aeroworks
Support forum for the Boeing 314 Clipper 
__________




Yes! Boeing 314 Clipper by Pegasus Aeroworks is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

Boeing 314 Clipper
Price is US$39.99

Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
both versions included in separate files
Windows, Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum ; 8 GB VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 2 GB
Version 1.0 (May 28th 2025)
_____________ 

NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
29th May 2025
Copyright©2025 : X-Plane Reviews

NEWS! - Imminent Release : Saab 37 Viggen by Deltawing Simulations



There are always aircraft that are imprinted on your memories, but for something extraordinary (even back then) nothing came close to fighter aircraft from the Scandinavian countries, remember the 35 Draken, incredible, and the followup design was the Saab 37 Viggen... now soon you will be able to fly this 70's era Fighter in X-Plane 12 courtesy of Deltawing Simulations.

The Saab 37 Viggen ("The Tufted Duck", ambiguous with "The Thunderbolt" as Viggen means both) is a single-seat, single-engine multirole combat aircraft designed and produced by the Swedish aircraft manufacturer Saab. The VSF 37 was the first canard-equipped aircraft to be produced in quantity and the first to carry an airborne digital central computer with integrated circuits for its avionics, arguably making it the most modern/advanced combat aircraft in Europe at the time of introduction. The digital central computer was the first of its kind in the world, automating and taking over tasks previously requiring a navigator/copilot, facilitating handling in tactical situations where, among other things, high speeds and short decision times determined whether attacks would be successful or not, a system not surpassed until the introduction of the Panavia Tornado into operational service in 1981.

Unlike its attack-oriented counterpart, the AJ-37 Viggen, the SF-37 was specifically modified for aerial reconnaissance missions. Its radar and weapons systems were replaced with advanced cameras and sensors, allowing it to gather critical intelligence on enemy movements, terrain, and infrastructure. The aircraft could operate in various weather conditions and at different altitudes, making it a versatile asset for the Swedish Air Force.

Key Features of the VSF 37 Viggen include;

Camera & Sensor Suite: The SF-37 was equipped with multiple reconnaissance cameras, including forward-facing, downward-facing, and side-mounted cameras for capturing high-resolution imagery. Some variants also had infrared sensors for night and low-visibility operations.

High-Speed Performance: Powered by a Volvo RM8B afterburning turbofan engine, the SF-37 could reach speeds of Mach 1.8 (2,200 km/h), allowing it to quickly enter and exit hostile areas.

Short Takeoff & Landing (STOL): Like all Viggen variants, the SF-37 featured canard foreplanes, which improved lift and enabled operations from short, unprepared runways, including highways.

Robust Design: Built for Swedish defense doctrine, the SF-37 was highly durable, capable of operating in Arctic conditions and dispersed from remote airstrips.











Key Features of the SF-37 Viggen for X-Plane 12:
Accurate Flight Model
Highly Detailed Cockpit
Custom Sound Design
Cockpit both in English and Swedish
Highly Detailed 3D Exterior
Custom Weapons/Cameras
Custom HUD
Custom Pilot Figure
4K Textures
Optional Fuel Tanks
Optional External Loads
Optional External Cameras
Custom Cockpit Lights
Custom External Lights

Expect the price to be around US$35, and release should be before the end of the month in May 2025.
____________

NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
26th May 2025
Copyright©2025: 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.

Scenery Review: A30 - Scott Valley, California by X-Codr



By Dennis Powell

Introduction
Nestled in the majestic Cascade Mountains of Northern California, just thirty-five miles northeast of Mount Shasta, lies the tiny Scott Valley airport.

The valley, first discovered in 1830, was home to the Shasta tribe of Native Americans and was originally known for beaver trapping until the gold rush of 1849. Today, scenic mountain vistas and agriculture are its main attractions. Surrounded by the stunning Cascade Mountains, and with a short runway of just 3,700 feet, this isn’t one for the airline pilots. It’s a small airport, sitting at just over 2,700 feet above sea level, and tucked away in a small valley. The real airport is home to firefighting helicopters during the fire season, and the sim version includes dedicated helicopter pads as ramp start points.

The runway is just long enough to handle light GA. My Cessna 172 managed to take off and land without using the whole runway, even without flaps on take-off. It’s a great airport for mountain sightseeing, and it’s close to Mount Shasta, the second highest peak in the Cascades.



Installation Process
The installation’s not very complicated. It comes with two files: an updated X-Codr scenery library and the airport itself. I recommend adding the updated scenery library, as my copy seemed to be out of date. I’d also recommend adding X-Codr’s Living Scenery Technology as you’ll need it to turn on the airport lights. More on that later.

To install, just download the scenery and the updated library, and place them both into your Custom Scenery folder. The airport is only around 561 MB, and the scenery library is about 2.41 GB. There’s no activation code or licensing required.

Documentation
The airport comes with a six-page PDF manual that covers installation, special features, and the plug-ins required to make everything work. There’s also a FAQ section for any questions you might have, plus contact information in case something’s not covered. The library download includes a two-page PDF that explains what you can and can’t do with the library, along with more contact details. Make sure to follow the link for the Living Scenery Technology file. It’ll save you a headache later if you’re trying to find the airport at night.



About the Screenshots
To show the scenery at its best, the screenshots in this review were taken using a custom Ortho4XP tile, and X-World America.

Exploration Walkthrough
By default, the ground textures are stock X-Plane, as far as I can tell. No ortho photos were used for this airport, and the foliage also seems to be X-Plane’s default, so it blends naturally into the wider landscape. X-Codr notes that the scenery is designed to work well with both default and ortho imagery, and from what I’ve seen, it really shines when paired with higher-quality terrain and enhanced autogen. It makes for a much more immersive experience.

For the high-altitude overview, I flew over the airport several times at 7,600 feet. Given the airport already sits above 2,700, it didn’t take long to climb to altitude. The airport is surrounded by agriculture, lots of farms, and it seems to blend in very well with the surrounding area. Almost too well. I had trouble spotting it from high altitude, and at night, the airport just disappears entirely.





It sits in a confined valley, surrounded by very large, rugged mountains, so getting to a safe altitude means going a lot higher than I usually fly. Fortunately, the valley isn’t so small that I couldn’t manage a decent approach for landing. Following the road to the airport made it easier to find the runway.





Runway and Taxiways
The single runway looks like it’s well maintained and has decent-sized areas at each end for turnarounds and engine run-ups. Taxiways are only offered at points to turn into ramps, so a lot of back taxiing on the runway is required when starting from any of them.

I wasn’t able to open this airport in WED to confirm my suspicion, but since no other aircraft spawned at the airport, I suspect X-Codr used a transparent texture for the runway and separate polygons to represent the different textures. This is one of those things left over from X-Plane 11 and no longer needed in X-Plane 12, but some designers still use the technique to vary runway appearance. It also means you’ll have the airport to yourself, and you won’t be waiting for AI planes to taxi and take off.





Signage & Navigation Aids
Signs are pretty limited here. There’s the airport sign, a couple of small signs, but as far as runway or taxi signs go, there’s nothing. The runway itself has markings, but other than that, you get a lighted windsock, a beacon, and that’s about it for navigation aids. Blink and you’ll miss the whole place.







Main Airport Buildings
The buildings really do this airport justice. They match the pictures on Google Earth Street View perfectly, and I’ve seen other photos online, so these buildings just look right. There aren’t many of them, but they’re well detailed, and a few are even open so you can view the interiors. The ones that aren’t open don’t have any interior detail.







Ground Clutter
Ground clutter is everywhere, and it’s well detailed. All kinds of objects like traffic cones, benches, fuel point objects and just stuff everywhere. What the airport doesn’t have is people. Not a soul to be seen. It’s like we caught the airport on a break where everyone went to town for lunch. Add to that the weeds growing on the ramps and you might almost get the feeling you were at a deserted, abandoned airport.





Surrounding Area
There’s a lot to see around the airport. Most prominent are two hay storage barns with stunning detail inside. Not only can you see the space between the pallets of hay, but the support beams in the roof have proper structure, with metal plates bolted into the beams.





There are a couple of farmhouses close to the airport, done with appropriate detail and well executed. What really stands out though are the power lines and poles. They’re very well detailed, with transformers and lines going from pole to pole. At first, I thought the lines had warning balls on them for low-flying aircraft, but it turned out to be X-Plane 12 putting hot air balloons near airports in their latest update.





Night Lighting
And here’s where things got interesting. Night lighting almost doesn’t exist at this airport until you install the Living Scenery Technology add-on. At night, the airport disappears. Even the beacon is only visible if you’re very close to it. If you’re five miles out and looking for a sign, you won’t see one. With the Living Scenery Technology plug-in, you can turn on the runway lights by clicking the Push To Talk button five times. But you’ll need to bind a key to that function, or it won’t work. If you don’t have the Living Scenery plug-in, finding this airport at night will take a lot of guessing, a GPS, a map, and a lot of luck.





Performance Impact
I didn’t see a huge impact on frame rates with this airport. X-Codr seems to take a lot of care to make sure their scenery doesn’t hit lower-end computers too hard. Everything ran smoothly, and my computer didn’t seem to have to work too hard with this one.





Conclusion
Overall, I’d say this is a nice little airport for anyone into light GA or helicopters. It’s not meant for airliners or military aircraft that need a long runway. But if you like mountain flying and cool scenery, this place has a lot to offer. It’s a quirky little spot with personality, and it’s close to some stunning views. A great place to start exploring the Cascade Mountains of Northern California.

If I were using a rating system, I’d give it four stars, mainly because the method for getting the runway lights to work is a little confusing, and there’s no people. Other than that, it’s well worth the price.

______________________________________


A30 - Scott Valley, California by X-Codr is now available from the X-Plane.org Store here:

A30 - Scott Valley, California

Priced at US$9.99

Features
High Quality Rendition of Scott Valley for X-Plane 12
Extremely detailed buildings, modeled off real photographs
Near photo-realistic textures.
Realistic material and normal mapping on textures for excellent lighting and reflections.
High quality ground textures with layered detail textures for extreme detail, with minimal performance impact
Realistic night lighting
Custom pilot-controlled runway lighting system, activates runway lights with 5 clicks of the TT command when on the correct CTAF frequency
Baked extremely low poly models for LODs, providing huge performance savings, with very little visual loss
Realistic weather effects
Realistic seasonal effects (such as leaves on the ground, and leaves falling from trees)
Bundle with KBLU - Blue Canyon Nyack for 25% off one of these scenic Northern California airports!
Requirements
X-Plane 12 only (not XP11)
Windows, Mac, or Linux
8 GB VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 561 MB
Current version: 1.0 (May 1st, 2025)
Review System Specifications
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X – 32GB RAM - Nvidia RTX 2060 12GB – Windows 11
__________________________________
Scenery Review by Dennis Powell
27th May 2025
Copyright©2025: 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).

NEWS! - Release Announcement : Just Flight Announces 146 Professional for X-Plane 12



There are a thousand theories on the JustFlight 146 Professional for X-Plane 11. But the consensus was that it was a poor seller. It created a major conflict in that there was no justification in spending a lot of wasted resources to deliver a complicated simulation if no one bought it. It also created the scenario that JustFlight wouldn't commit to more other style type aircraft to X-Plane like their excellent Fokker F28. The reasons on the low numbers were also varied, in just a bad timing in 2021, expensive, or that the fact it was originally released with an X-Plane default FMC, the authentic UNS Universal system then followed three months later, hard to fly as the in-depth system was study detailed, usually an attraction, but here a negative. The real reason is buried in the past.

So there was a very intense debate for a long time if to covert the BAe 146 Professional to X-Plane 12. For most of the time the answer was simply no, but a small hardy contingent kept up the argument (including yours truly), to give the 146 Pro a second chance of success, and here we are, the release of the BAE 146 for X-Plane 12.

The British Aerospace (BAe) 146 is a short to medium range airliner. Faster and bigger than a regional turboprop, but smaller than a standard airliner, and the 146 was manufactured from 1983 until 2002 with just under 400 airframes. The aircraft was offered in three variants, the 146-100, 146-200 and 146-300. The equivalent Avro variants were RJ70, RJ85 and RJ100, plus the QT "Quiet Trader" and QC "Quick Change" variant.
 
Powered by four small Avco Lycoming ALF 502 H engines that produced 6,500lbf of thrust each. There was a standard configuration of 5 abreast seating, although a high density 6 abreast configuration was also available.

The aircraft will feature custom-coded systems with a high degree of complexity, an amazing array of external and cockpit sounds, functional Thrust Management System (TMS), comprehensive navigation equipment which includes an FMC, immersive cockpit lighting and unique flight dynamics for each variant. The 146 ‘Whisper Jet’ package features eight variants of this classic British airliner: the 100 to 300 passenger variants, the 200QC and QT, 300 QT, RAF CC.Mk2 ‘Statesman’ and C.Mk3 and over 40+ liveries from airlines around the world, all in new 4K textures.

Pricing is to be a very competitive at £29.99/€34.99/$44.99, and current XP11 owners will then qualify for a  40% discount - £17.99/€20.99/$26.99



















Release date is currently noted as Wednesday 21st May 2025. The X-Plane 12 146 future awaits.
_____________ 

NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
17th May 2025
Copyright©2025 : X-Plane Reviews

NEWS! - Release Announcement : Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress XP12 by Khamsin & Philip Ubben



The word coincidence pops up a lot in X-Plane. In the last two weeks I have been watching the Apple TV+ series "Masters of the Air", and yes now comes the announcement of a B-17G Flying Fortress from the Khamsin and Philip Ubben partnership? Welcome, well yes of course, magnificent the B-17 is!



The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during World War II, used primarily in the European Theater of Operations. It is the third-most produced bomber in history, behind the American four-engined Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the German multirole, twin-engined Junkers Ju 88. The B-17 was also employed in transport, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue roles.

There is currently not a lot of technical or features information, but that it will have three 4K textures as part of the project to make the B-17 an acceptable compromise between quality and impact on frame rates. Other features include a C1 Autopilot and automatic (engine) startup. There has been tree video released to see these features.

Khamsin and Philip Ubben have a lot of experience in this area, with the excellent North American B-25 Mitchell (XP11) and T-6G Texan (XP12) as past releases. No release date or price yet but expect around US$35.


_____________ 

NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
17th May 2025
Copyright©2025 : X-Plane Reviews

Scenery Review : EDDH - Hamburg International XP12 by JustSim Sceneries



One of the most prolific scenery developers for X-Plane 11 was JustSim Sceneries. In fact they delivered 21 sceneries in around three years, mostly in Europe. But their high quality to price ratio was one of the best in X-Plane, still now about 45% of sceneries in my personal network are JustSim Sceneries, and along with Aerosoft they covered most of the important destinations in Europe... but since the release of X-Plane 12, then any transition sceneries didn't arrive as the art house concentrated on the newly released MSFS 2020 platform. But here now is their first transition X-Plane 12 release with EDDH - Hamburg.

My history with EDDH Hamburg goes way back, with first an early Aerosoft version in X-Plane 10, then it was replaced with the excellent JustSim EDDH in 2017, yes eight years ago, so to upgrade this northern German airport to X-Plane 12 is a very much wanted desire. and yes you can still also get a whopping 40% off this new EDDH XP12 to upgrade from that XP11 version.

Hamburg Airport is a major international airport in Hamburg, the second-largest city in Germany. Since November 2016 the airport has been named after the former German chancellor "Helmut Schmidt". It is located 8.5 km (5.3 mi) north of the city centre in the Fuhlsbüttel quarter and serves as a hub for Eurowings and focus city for Condor. It was formerly named Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel Airport, a name still frequently used. Not to be confused with Hamburg's other airport, Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport where the Airbus factory is located, this airport is not open to commercial traffic.

The airport was opened in January 1911 from private funding by the Hamburger Luftschiffhallen GmbH (HLG), making it the oldest international airport in the world to still be in operation and the second oldest airport in the country after Tempelhof Airport. The original site comprised 45 hectares, and during its early days was primarily used for airship flights. In 1913 the site was expanded to 60 hectares, the northern part being used for airship operations while the southeast area was used for fixed-wing aircraft. “Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G.”, often shortened to “Luft Hansa”. It was founded in 1926 through the merger of Deutsche Aero Lloyd (DAL) and Junkers Luftverkehr.

When Lufthansa relaunched passenger operations in 1953, Hamburg was used as it's main hub until Frankfurt Airport took over in 1955 due to growth constraints posed by its location in the city. Lufthansa Technik still maintains a large presence at the airport due to the early activities of the airline at the airport. In October 1959 Pan American World Airways was the first airline to start scheduled service with jet aircraft to Hamburg, the routing was New York – London – Hamburg – Copenhagen flown with Boeing 707.

At first I thought that the X-Plane 12 upgraded Hamburg was still very similar to the X-Plane 11 version, but in fact it is quite different in detail. Yes most of the original main terminals and Lufthansa Technik infrastructure are still very familiar, but the custom detail has been increased quite significantly. You would be amazed also at the sheer advances in X-Plane since the original JustSim EDDH was released, the surrounding autogen and foliage was very good then as JustSim pioneered the use of autogen to create the areas around the airport, but the detail has now completely increased significantly around the custom scenery from those early days.







The Northern-Western approach to EDDH is via RIBSO waypoint (Runway ILS15 - RIBS3D) . The layout of EDDH is like a religious cross but with the central cross at a lower point and two runways going long out of the cross point with RWY15 to the slight northwest. This makes RWY15 an interesting approach but visually RWYs 05/23 are better if you want to see terminals and airport infrastructure and to use RWY05 if you want to approach the airport over Hamburg itself. Both RWY15 and RWY05 are also the best for arrival if you also want a small taxi to the Terminal area as both RWY05 and RWY15 will require a long taxi to each departure point or if using RWY23 or RWY33 for arrival, and certainly for 15/33 as it is very long taxi at 3666m (12, 028ft). Rwy 33 also has no ILS system, but would in most cases only be used for takeoff than landings.

Rwy 15 is still the preferred arrival approach, looks now even better in the new scenery installation. The field views are excellent in X-Plane 12, as the new high resolution ground textures and custom runway textures are extremely realistic.







Hamburg Airport
(Flughafen Hamburg)
IATA: HAM - ICAO: EDDH


05/23 - 3,250m (10,663ft) Asphalt
15/33 - 3,666m (12,028ft) Asphalt
Elevation AMSL 53 ft / 16 m

Hamburg airport underwent a major transformation starting in the late 1990s as Terminal 1 was opened in 2005, followed very quickly by Terminal 2 in 2008. The two new terminals were connected by the central Airport Plaza, which offered modern facilities, better accessibility, and expanded capacity. Then the old Terminal 80/90 on Apron 2 became redundant for passenger services.





The huge differences can be seen with the X-Plane 12 effects of shading and occlusion (texture baking) effects on the terminal and the other airport buildings, the realism light years better than the XP11 design, the cladding shines and the glass is my favourite selection in highly reflective images, similar to what FlyTampa used at Copenhagen EKCH... it is highly totally realistic. Ramp detail is excellent, great design and perfectly executed.









The Airbridges are still SIXT car-rental branding, but new different (updated) ads from the XP11 branding. The airbridges themselves though are not animated? neither with XP Ground handling or OpenSAM? no excuse here as the XP Ground Handling tool is now built in and easily accessible to the developer. Gate 06 is a type F A380 three bridge installation.
There are a lot (not overdone) animated vehicles Airside and Swissaport branded, but mostly the vehicles are Laminar sourced, and the ground clutter is excellent in every area. A nice touch is the Cobus 3000 (Apron Bus) that is signed for renewable (diesel to electric) power.



Terminals (1&2) landside are just as well designed and detailed. The main terminal section as noted has three sections (roofs) but it is only two terminals in 1 and 2 that merge into the one large facility called the “Terminal Plaza” central with gates C4 - C16, and D1-5 to the north and the noted extension A/B (27-40) gates going southeast.



It's very hard to fault this, simply perfect (okay the ground textures are a little Lo-Res) but it is expertly done, again more clutter detail has been added to the scene.





Just love that perfect reflecting glass (still gloating), and the well designed cladded roofs are excellent. Great local signage that has been updated to current advertising (except the Aeroflot), and note the still excellent circular lift towers.

Landside is also very well done, the three massive circular carparks "Parkhaus" (P1. P2 & P3) surround the centrally placed BLU Radisson. Aeroflot Moscow route is currently suspended, but you can use Turkish or Air Serbia if you still want to fly the route. Note the animated radar tower by P3.









Important to note the change to X-Plane 12 foliage, the trees are now all quality 3d and seasonal. The amalgamation of the airport to civic areas are worth noting here... the XP11 version was very good, but this is eight years and a bit better, so it shows how good you can combine the two (custom and default) into a scenery, there is no line, but a perfect landscape between the two areas.



Far north is the airport's own maintenance area, and situated adjacent to the rear of the north pier is the “Terminal Tango” which is an events space and convention centre, plus overflow for charter flights and seasonal flights.



Out of the main Terminal (upper) the A/B (27-40) gates that have been stretched further southeast, but when there was only one airbridge sited here in XP11, now there are three airbridges (06 A/B, 07 A/B and 08). Set out behind the extension is the airport's administration and maintenance, but it is now used from the side ramp
Südtorwache (South Gate) or Apron South 1 with several large maintenance hangars in F and H.







If you look closely there is a great mix of the original Hamburg airport brick buildings that have have been overbuilt by the newer terminal areas. Most are hidden, but still visible if you are willing to explore.

Hamburg Airport Cargo Center (HACC) used to be called the “Luftfrachtzentrum” and has around 20,000 square meters of logistics space is well represented.



Apron 2 is an interesting area. This area was formally the old original Hamburg Terminal, since long gone. In the XP11 EDDH this area was just a parking stand, but now a multipurpose area with seven remote stands (81 to 87) for low-cost (LCC) or charter flights, stands 91–93 situated along taxiway Y3, and these stands are designated for heavy cargo aircraft. (stands 51–53 which are Located in Zone 3 (Z3) on the the East Apron, and these stands are recommended for inbound cargo traffic). Lower south is General Aviation overflow parking.





Lufthansa Technik AG headquarters
The western section of EDDH is the Lufthansa Technik AG headquarters Base which is part of the Lufthansa Group. The Lufthansa Technik AG is a leading global provider of aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, and was founded (1995) and is headquartered here in Hamburg.



This is a huge facility that covers aircraft servicing, engine overhauls, aircraft fitouts and the Cabin Innovation Center. And the base can cover all types of aircraft from A320's up to the large B747's and A380's. But to note in that not to get it confused with the Airbus's fitout facility at Finkenwerder Airport to the south.

The famous Café Himmelsschreiber which is part "Air Hamburg" is also situated in this northern section of the Technik base, it is a distinctive aviation-themed café located at Hamburg Airport’s General Aviation Terminal (GAT). It offers guests a unique experience with direct views of the runway, making it a favorite spot for aviation enthusiasts. In XP11 Café Himmelsschreiber was only partly represented, now it is more detailed with chairs and umbrellas, but the cardboard cutout chairs are out of place here with the high quality of the rest of the airport scenery. This area is also the General Aviation parking, there are no stands, or refueling facilities, but usable for larger private aircraft and Biz Jets.



Lufthansa Technik AG at Hamburg does routine maintenance checks (A,B,C, and D checks), Line maintenance and base maintenance, Overhaul and Modification,Complete airframe overhauls, Cabin modifications and VIP aircraft completions.
There are also Engine Services in Engine MRO for models like Rolls-Royce Trent, GE90, CFM56 and more, Engine lease and pool support, Repair, overhaul, and pooling of aircraft components, Component supply chain management, and Digital Solutions like AVIATAR, a digital platform for predictive maintenance and fleet management system.







The whole Technical area is very well represented, with the main servicing hangars and an engine test facility, which are all excellent as is the complex external rigging that holds up the open internal space roofs, as the smaller detailing is also very good with circular stairs and huge air-con units. Yes a lot was in the XP11 version, but cleaned up and more detailed here.

Control Towers
There are two control towers at Hamburg, the main original apron control tower overlooks runway 05/23. It's one of those modular Euro designs of the sixties, but now mostly used for the Lufthansa Technik and southwest apron areas. It's the XP11 version continued, and the detail is pretty basic, in reality it needed remodeling to fit in with the more updated feel of the XP12 version. The radar however works.





The Tower View (T) was not set at all on the XP11 version, it is here, but it's a weird view from the tower with no roof or floor? the trick of a Tower View is to position the view slightly above the tower for the best position and view.



The current air traffic control tower at Hamburg Airport (Flughafen Hamburg) was inaugurated in 1988 as part of a significant modernization initiative during the 1980s. This more modern tall version is partially hidden across the field. This is better modeled, but the rotating radar is not connected to it's base, sadly it's highly noticeable.





Fire Station and Museum
To the North-West is the art-deco styled Fire Station and the museum with the original Boeing 707-430 with the registration D-ABOD which was operated by Deutsche Lufthansa which is sited outside. D-ABOD was instrumental in transitioning Lufthansa from propeller-driven aircraft to jetliners, replacing the Lockheed L-1649A Starliner was delivered in April 1960, and retired December 1st 1975. You will get a great view of these buildings and museum on taxiway D with either a RWY15 departure or RWY33 arrival.





In the early years it was not aircraft that filled the skies above Fuhlsbüttel (hamburg Airport) but airships. The "Hamburg Airship Hangar Company" (HLG) in association with Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin was created here in 1911 and then some time was spent looking for a suitable site for an airfield, and finally 44.8 hectares of land to the west of Lake Alster and north of the Borstel racecourse were chosen as a suitable site.
The airship company however soon had company in the arrival of AEG (Allgemeine Electricitäts-Gesellschaft) which set up a new firm called DLR (Deutsche Luft-Reederei, literally the "German Air Transport Company") and started scheduled flights on the 5th February 1919. KLM also was soon traversing through the airport as well on the route from Amsterdam to Copenhagen and in time the regular service fixed wing operations overtook the original airship operations.
Hamburg's Fuhlsbüttel Airport also had a major part in the famous “Berlin Airlift” that started operations on 25th June 1948. And in the early1950’s the airport which was then now known as “Hamburg Airport” was then reverted back from the British into the hands of the German authorities.

Ground Textures
All the high resolution ground textures and custom runway textures are all brand new, they look it, and are excellent. The runway look and feel with grooves and aged cracks, ribs are simply very all good with great rubber slicks on the landing zones. Different surfaces are also perfect, from asphalt to concrete with excellent worn signage, and there is a lot of signage here...





... a lot of the surfaces reminded me of FlyTampa's EKCH Copenhagen, but here they are X-Plane 12 dynamic with PBR (Physically Based Rendering) and Specular and Reflection Maps with shadow casting, ambient occlusion, and also bump mapping to create depth and realism. In other words very good.





Apron grunge is excellent, with great drainage details for realism.... you just can't fault them. Signage is... well interesting?



We mentioned the 3d Trees earlier, but the in field grass is all new 3d as well. Before it was those nasty grass strips, but now are lovely spring flowered grass... perfect. The grass to asphalt edges are highly realistic as well, no straight hard lines here.



EDDH Hamburg now also has X-Plane 12 seasons...



The fauna will change with the seasons, and a White Christmas is now very possible, it looks and is gorgeous by any standards. The changes go from mild, to heavy snow conditions.







Notable is the skyline of Hamburg City itself, it is a big part of this JustSim scenery, and very good it is, even with closer inspection it stands up in the standard X-Plane default autogen mode.



EDDH Lighting
In the X-Plane 11 version, after the impressive daytime views, the lighting was a bit of a big let down, quite awful in fact? Like most here the lighting has been totally overhauled for X-Plane 12, and is simply miles better. All approach lighting is now X-Plane 12, or ICAO standard brightness. A great touch is the approach RAIL lighting on Rwy 33 going right over the Hamburg Airport Cargo Center (HACC)...





The Terminal areas are bright... very bright!







But I do like it, bright means workable... The Terminal windows are very nice, but debatable as if they are simply too bright, I think so, a slightly darker tone would have been perfect?



The biggest XP11 issue was the black hole Arrival Landside, that is not the case anymore as it is now well lit, but in areas you feel more spot lighting is still required, mostly on the entrance roads and around the carparks.





BLU Raddison feels it needs a bit more ooof, and the BLU sign is in darkness, but there is some nice advertising signs that are nicely lit.



Carparks, Apron 2 and Lufthansa Technik is all well done as is different tone lighting, but any glass is very colourful and bright?





There was a problem in XP11 in that the grass covered the navigation signage? but with the different 3d grass here the problem has gone away, so you now have excellent navigation signage all over Hamburg EDDH.


_____________
Summary
One of the most prolific scenery developers for X-Plane 11 was JustSim Sceneries. In fact they delivered 21 sceneries in around three years, mostly in Europe. But their high quality to price ratio was one of the best in X-Plane. However since the release of X-Plane 12, then the transition sceneries didn't arrive as the art house concentrated on the newly released MSFS 2020 platform. But here now is their first transition X-Plane 12 release with EDDH - Hamburg.

At first glance the XP12 EDDH looks the same as the X-Plane 11 release from 2017. But that aspect very quickly changes once you start relating between the two eras. This EDDH XP12 has been redone from the ground up and in almost every area, and features every X-Plane 12 feature and effect you can think of.

You have new shading and occlusion (texture baking) effects on the terminals and other airport buildings, custom textured taxiways, runways and apron, PBR effects, new custom lighting, high resolution building textures, excellent reflections, animated vehicles (if Laminar default), animated radars, seasons and also the very well done merging of the high density Hamburg environs with the custom airport installation. New 3d Trees and fauna and better more realistic grass and detail and clutter is significantly increased. Only negative is the non-working airbridges (which worked in XP11). The lighting is far better in XP12's version, which was not hard as the earlier version was quite dire, but the windows are a bit MSFS, and too bright, a bit more care here would have gave this scenery an easily 5 Star rating.

It is brilliant to have JustSim back in X-Plane, and if this transition scenery is any guide they are very though in redoing the scenery to the maximum of X-Plane 12's capabilities and created here certainly a quality excellent scenery for X-Plane 12, fingers crossed it is start of more in their large portfolio to be converted to the X-Plane 12 platform. So this EDDH Hamburg is a very high quality scenery at a good below US$20 price, a bonus is that you can get 40% off this X-Plane 12 version if you already have the XP11 installed, that is a no brainer to get the this far more feature set and high quality scenery, yes EDDH Hamburg is a winner all round... and welcome back JustSim!
_____________



Yes! EDDH Hamburg International XP12 by JustSim Scenery is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
EDDH Hamburg International XP12
Price is US$19.80

Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not for XP11)
Windows, Mac, Linux 
8 GB VRAM Recommended
Current version: 1.0 (May 6th 2025)
Download Size: 915 MB
Version XP12 1.0 (May 6th 2025)
Customers who own  EDDH - Hamburg International Airport XP11, will get 40% off this new XP12. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout.

Download: for EDDH Hamburg Airport is 914Mb. There is only one folder to install;
EDDH_JustSim_XPL12_v1.0
Full Installation is 1.72Gb in your Custom Scenery Folder. (only X-Plane 12)

Documentation:
None
________________________
 
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
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.2.0
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- Airbus A319 XP12 by ToLiss (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$89.99

Scenery Review by Stephen Dutton
10th May 2025
Copyright©2025: 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.

Behind the screen : April 2025



When flying the other day, the thoughts came of why do we use Simulation? (you have plenty of time to think like this at 33,000ft). It's an odd business really if you think about it, sitting in front of a computer watching a computer screen with an aircraft powering through the sky for hours on end. There is nothing to do but to watch the time go by, or to just take notes to pass the time and again sitting watching the Nautical Miles tick by. I'm talking about Long Haul here, but most flights still means at least a few hours basically doing nothing but watching time pass by?

I have done this for 13 Years now, still messing about with planes on a computer screen, as said, it's an odd business. But I am now more immersed in this Simulation caper more than ever.

I write about this "Doing nothing" as well, enough to fill up most days of mostly months, for months and years on end. But I love it...

It is not easy either? X-Plane is a massive amount of very different elements all having to work perfectly together to make that Simulation Flight work, in most cases you spend more time just updating and resetting the Simulator and just to get it to all work correctly, in fact the downtime sometimes exceeds by a huge amount of the Uptime of the actual flying. So yes I do reviews, and that does add in a fair amount of extra work that the average Simulator punter does not do.

You can of course just load up the Cessna 172SP, pick a runway and off you go. These are very simple flights, just plotting a route as you go along and then finding somewhere to land, no pressure and just enjoying the ride. Obviously there are those Simmers that will blast their way around the sky in a military jet or a fancy fast plane, even some weird aircraft, that is okay as well. But if you get to the commercial recreation stage, then it gets more serious.

Programming a real life service route can take a fair bit of time before you can actually head for a runway, reflecting again the real world operations of Briefing, Fueling, adding Cargo and Passengers, the whole carbuncle in recreating real world operations.

This is not a jump in and fly scenario (unless your using ToLiss's great save (a past setup flight) feature). As most commercial aircraft now require a lot of pre-flight settings, get it wrong and its like snakes and ladders (mostly snakes), in that you have to reprogramme in the whole lot in again from go. Get a buggy or beta aircraft and that can not only get very time-consuming, but frustrating as well in reprogramming the same thing over and over ad nauseam.

The core of X-Plane or Simulation is basically training. Either for your PPL (Private Pilots Licence) or practising if you have already to earnt your wings. This aspect is the central part of Simulation, as even in the real world were they bungle off pilots to do a refresher course, line checks or do recurrent training every 6–12 months, again done in a simulator.

Is today's desktop Simulation as good as the official licenced systems? looking back to earlier X-Plane (ten years) the answer is a resounding no, even laughable, but we were then still starting out on the journey. Now that same question is actually debatable, and pilots of commercial aircraft use home based Simulators to cover checks and run procedures. We like to say we can fly the real thing, certainly the gung-ho types that will never take no for an answer, but I did sort of test this theory.

A few years ago you could buy Simulator time, or there was a business that had an old Simulator that you could go for rides in, takeoff and land in an hour's flight, more amusement park than official, but still it was a fully fledged Boeing 737-800 Simulator, obviously I wanted to give it a go.

I told the operator that I wanted at the start at a turn-around and not a full cold & dark situation, from then on it was to be just me, unless I asked a question. I am paying the money after all and at AUS$200 per hour (two hours), he shook his head then said okay, at least I wasn't one of those on a joyride and then screams when an alarm went off.

First instance was that I didn't have my comfort zone. No computer screen in front of me with my own set controls set up at the desk, this was a proper Boeing 737-800 cockpit, your in a pilot's seat with real controls, so at first it took a few minutes to orientate myself, twiddle knobs, throttle, yoke twisting and feeling out the rudder pedals... even setting the seat correctly to the bemusement of the operator.

The secondary point of this exercise was to translate the Simulator experience back to the desktop environment (or reverse engineer the situation) to make my daily Simulation as close as the real world version. If your not always flying fighter jets, then a good yoke/joystick, but the Honeycomb Bravo throttle is the way to go. As we all don't have the space and money for a full Simulation kit out, but I will say the trend in the last few years for 3rd party addons in instrumentation has reduced costs enormously and has now created a far, far bigger range past just the standard joystick/throttle/rudder pedal earlier products, and yes I am looking forward to the 2025 Expo to see what they bring out this year, as last year the products in Vegas were simply amazing, but back to the B737 Simulator.

He sat in the Co-Pilots seat, just waiting, then I started, asking him route and aircraft performance details. I was restricted to the joyride routes, but that was okay as it was an hour's flight from Brisbane (BNE) were the Simulator was based to Sydney (SYD). But once started it was actually quite easy to do all the setup procedures, using the guy as my First Officer, oddly after a few minutes he fell into the role play and the setup went extremely well. But he did note a few things out that were not on the X-Plane Simulation that were in the real life Boeing FMC (Flight Management Computer) and what they did, to which I took notes. But these were very small items in larger scheme of things. I was lucky to a point because they used a dummy Briefing for the flight, in most cases the operator noted he usually waved in front of the guest and said what it was, but I actually understood the details of the Briefing (thanks SimBrief) and he was very impressed by that, odd details like CI (Cost Index) and Takeoff Preferences came from a laptop. But there was a lot more emphasis on the weather, and we talked a lot about that aspect, and had to use the real weather details of the day (a learning curve). Again thanks to Navigraph there is now more weather details than what was available on that day, but I now understand and studied this aspect more now as for it was part of this Simulator experience... we were ready to go.

The controls were far, far heavier than I expected, but the feel aspect was an amazing experience, it harder to see out as well, but you adjust. We did the engine startup procedures, and in most cases they never did a checklist with kids or teenagers, but he thankfully did the whole procedure with me. ATC was pretty basic, in fact it was just a background noise effect as again for most joyriders in that they didn't understand it. The operator was kind in that he noted each ATC command and what to do, as if I didn't know my way around Brisbane's Airport Chart, of which I did.

So there I was taxiing a fully Simulated Boeing 737-800 down taxiway A towards Rwy 01R with a huge grin on my face, it was serious fun and I had a real tiller to control, to a point that the moment was a culmination of years of home based Simulation flying, now translated to a real Simulator, clock on, and throttles up (heavier than I thought) you really have to push them forward and at v2 I rotated a Boeing into the air.

This is the moment you dream of, leaving the ground, flying in a real moving Sim and not just being deskbound, and it can be disorienting at first, but you can now see and feel what the real deal is.

Like with all current computer Simulation that translates the real world operations, the workload you realise is very high. In the (my) early X-Plane days you mostly just concentrated on the physical flying aspect, but today that aspect is very, very different.
I watch a lot of You Tube videos of real world operations, note the details of how and when the real guys to what and when, then duplicate those procedures into the Computer Simulation, and it's hardwork, you can now understand why pilots are restricted to certain operational flying hours, flying drains your brain like nothing else with the immense concentration load you have to do. Your simply buggered most times when you have landed and shutdown, the FlightFactor Boeing 777 v2 is incredibly immersive in this context, Concorde is another level again.

My first approach in a real ground based Simulator was a daunting moment, but you just let the experience and skill kick in. I didn't totally hand fly the Boeing into YSSY 16L, but used the ILS to help with the guidance and altitude of the Simulator. I knew I needed practise to cover that aspect, and told the operator so and why, first time in and I was not going to cover myself into an undignified failure by bouncing myself down 16L and straight into Botany Bay. I played it safe and did a reasonable landing and decent roll-out. The operator was impressed for a first time try. We spent the next hour outside talking about the experience, Paul was an ex-Airline pilot, and yes they get aviation fans wanting to have a go all the time.

He did note that he didn't particularly like Simmers, as they could be hard work in the Simulator, but he noted he did find me interesting, even easy as I was prepared and knew what to do, so he actually found the experience quite acceptable, certainly my reasons and approach.

So your memory is a great tool, and like mentioned a huge amount of experience gained that day was reverse engineered back in to my usual layout, honestly it added even more work than ever to replicate a real service flight, and would I do that day again? well certainly, but I would like to try an Airbus next time.

So we keep working and living the ultimate dream to fly aircraft, and I think that cost wise (although a lot of users will scoff at this) for what you get in return, it is pretty good value today in recreating the complete experience on a desktop, you wonder how much better it can get, but it does, and as that day resolved in me realising how much the real and artificial are closing in together. It's not just the physical controls, but the deep "Study" Simulations that are now available to you. Like mentioned, I never thought that it would get this clever and complex, it is in reality a dream realised, for those that could never fly.

X-PlaneReviews are still working on the site, and yes you may still see changes and new ideas coming still. We finally fixed our animated header, and are still looking at different concepts to get the best new look that we can, but it is coming along, thanks for your patience, I hope you like it.

See you all next month

Stephen Dutton
5th May 2025
Copyright©2025 X-Plane Reviews

Aircraft Review : Sopwith F.1 Camel by NHAdrian



Your in Clairmarais in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France in 1917, a step and throw from the WW1 battlefield of Ypres Salient on the Western Front. The position is temporary with basic hangars, wooden and canvas structures, and basic support facilities, reflecting its status as a rapidly deployed wartime installation.





This is the replica scenario created by NH-Adrian to highlight his next release for the X-Plane Simulator, a very famous aircraft in the Sopworth F.1 Camel

The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the best-known fighter aircraft of the Great War. Pilots flying Camels were credited with downing 1,294 enemy aircraft, more than any other Allied fighter of the conflict. Towards the end of the war, Camels lost their edge as fighters, and were then later used as a ground-attack aircraft to great effect.

The name "Camel" wasn't official, but rather a nickname given by pilots due to the distinctive hump over the machine guns, which housed the breech mechanisms. This hump, along with the forward placement of the engine, fuel tank, and pilot, concentrated most of the aircraft's weight towards the front. This design characteristic gave the Camel exceptional maneuverability, particularly in righthand turns, which it could execute much tighter than its adversaries.



The Clairmarais Aerodrome, is a fictional WWI X-Plane 12 scenery based on historical archives. This scenery as a historical exhibition for the public, and to create the replica environment of the WW1 period, and to highlight the Sopworth in it's own natural setting, the scenery is available here; Clairmarais Aerodrome - WWI historical airport for free.

The WW1 scenery alone is very impressive, and totally recreates the wartime era. The setting has replica models of more Sopworth F.1 aircraft, so well done it is very hard to pick out the actual flying version (it is the one with the pilot).



Located just a few kilometers west of Saint-Omer and within striking distance of the Ypres Salient, Clairmarais was ideally positioned to support offensive and defensive operations on the Western Front. It served as a hub for squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and, after its formation in April 1918, the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Throughout its active years, Clairmarais hosted several prominent RFC and RAF squadrons, including No. 1 Squadron, No. 29 Squadron, No. 54 Squadron, and No. 65
Squadron, among others. These units flew a variety of aircraft such as the Nieuport 17, Sopwith Camel, SE5a, and Airco DH.2. Their missions ranged from reconnaissance and artillery spotting to offensive patrols and dogfighting with German aircraft. The aerodrome played a critical role in maintaining air superiority and gathering battlefield intelligence.







You may have noticed in the Clairmarais scenery modern vehicles and people walking around in modern clothes? The scenery is a clever idea to do a recreation of the original airfield as a "Historical Exhibition" of the WW1 1917 period as an open day... brilliant.



One of the most famous pilots to operate from Clairmarais was Canadian ace Captain William Avery "Billy" Bishop of No. 60 Squadron. Bishop launched several of hislegendary solo patrols from Clairmarais during 1917, including a daring dawn raid on a German airfield that reportedly earned him the Victoria Cross. His actions, often conducted from primitive airstrips like Clairmarais, highlighted both the personal valor and tactical importance of air combat in the war.
Due to its operational significance, Clairmarais was occasionally targeted by German bombing raids and artillery. Nonetheless, it remained a key node in the RFC/RAF network until the end of the war in November 1918. As front lines shifted and more advanced airfields that were built further east, Clairmarais gradually saw reduced activity before being decommissioned shortly after the armistice.

X-Plane 12 detail is today excellent, and this F.1 Camel is seriously well presented.





The F.1 designation used up to 5 engine types across production, as multiple contractors created slight build variations between aircraft, there was also some variations in gun types and placement and the F.1 spawned shipboard, night fighter, and trench (warfare) variants. The Camel was powered by a variety of rotary engines, typically the Clerget 9B or the Bentley BR1, producing around 130-150 horsepower. These rotary engines, where the entire engine block spun with the propeller, provided a good power-to-weight ratio but also contributed to the aircraft's gyroscopic effects, further influencing its handling characteristics... the engine installed here is the Clerget 9B, 9-cylinder rotary, 130 hp (97 kW) @ 1250 RPM.





Remarkably engine on the Sopwith Camel rotates as it used a rotary engine, which is different from a radial engine in a key way... with a rotary engine, the entire engine spins around a fixed crankshaft and the crankshaft is mounted to the airframe, and so the cylinders and propeller spin together. This action helped cool the engine, since the movement improved airflow over the cylinders, but also the the spinning mass created a strong gyroscopic effect, significantly influencing the aircraft’s handling.

The reconstruction and animation of this Clerget 9B, 9-cylinder rotary is simply sensational by NH-Adrian, a masterpiece of modeling and texturing, other highlights include the 2-blade wooden laminated propeller and the superb aluminum cowling, though in WWI it was often referred to as duralumin or just “light alloy.”

There is another clever animation effect here, as you can (via a hopspot on the propeller) Rotate the prop by hand to start the aircraft.

This is a true spar and wire aircraft with a wood-and-fabric biplane construction, typical of WWI-era fighters, with some metal fittings and lightweight alloy components. The Structure was built with a wooden framework, primarily ash and spruce, then wrapped in fabric (usually doped linen) that was tightened with aircraft dope (a type of lacquer) to create a taut, aerodynamic surface. The Formers & Stringers was used to give the fuselage its rounded shape. The wings were Spruce spars and ribs again covered with doped linen fabric and the Steel tension wires gave the whole aircraft it's structural strength and adjusted wing alignment.





And you have a perfect replica here of the F.1 Camel, with all the aileron, horizontal stabiliser and rudder cable controls are all very well animated.







There is no tail wheel, just a basic skid... note the excellent fabric detail.



The Sopworth used a "Palmer Cord Aero Tyre" on a fixed undercarriage with a cross-axle between the two main wheels. The “Cord” refers to the internal reinforcement made from woven fabric cords (usually cotton or linen). and these cords were laid in layers at alternating angles and bonded with rubber, providing strength and shape and were much stronger than earlier bias-ply or “woven fabric” tire designs of the day.



You can set wheel chocks by a hotspot by the wheels.



Now lets get in... first note the lovely wooden cockpit, yes this an original cockpit of Mahogany-Stained Plywood, and it is beautiful here.





A lovely (if deadly) detail are bullet holes, in the cockpit and fabric. Situated behind the pilot are the two fuel tanks, The Main tank 26 gallon (98 liter), pressurised to 1.5 – 2.5 psi, and an secondary Aux tank 6 gallon (22.7 liter), gravity feed.

Spinning to your right on a rear strut is the wind-driven "Air Pump" that keeps the main fuel system pressurised, to compensate for the fuel level decrease, the airspeed is measured by an early pitot tube on the right outer strut.



The cockpit forward is dominated by the twin synchronized 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns, that fired forward through the propeller. Some Camel aircraft could carry up to four 25 lb (11 kg) Cooper bombs under the fuselage. (but these are not yet simulated in X-Plane)



There is a quality non-animated pilot in the cockpit, he is visible if the viewpoint is out of the pilot’s head 50mm radius, and if payload weight is more than 110 lbs (50kg).

Your seat is a wicker chair! Well done here... the inside of the cockpit is a lot of wood, brass piping, wire and wooden blocks to put your feet on.



The "Joystick" forms into a triangle at the top. The button is NOT the guns firing selection, but the blip switch, as with many other WWI aircraft with rotary engines, it was a simple but vital cockpit control used to momentarily cut engine ignition without shutting down the engine by Interrupted the ignition system by grounding the magneto. So when pressed, it stopped the spark plugs from firing, so the engine temporarily stopped producing power. The two lower claw switches are the gun triggers. Note the bar rudder pedals connected to the rear rudder via cables, sheer simplicity.



All the Joystick movements are excellent with all the cables from the controls (Joy/Rudder) moving with your actions.



To your left are the Tank selector (Fuel), Throttle quadrant and Mixture Lever. I found I could set both to the Honeycomb Bravo, for a very authentic setup of the controls... note the fuel in the gauge upper right4



To the right is an Engine primer pump, and a lovely bag rammed between the wooden frame, and you can hide the bag by adjusting it's weight.



There are two extras here... first is a radio which you select by pressing the right strut, it works in selecting frequencies you can use. Second is the Map on the right side floor, press to use, which opens up behind the Joystick. It is basically the AviTab Map (AviTab plugin required), but simply invaluable in the air for locating your position, without it you can easily get lost quickly.



The instrument panel is partly buried between the aircraft's frame... but it is quite comprehensive for the period. Going clockwise is the RPM indicator, Compass, Slip indicator, Airspeed (mph), Main tank fuel system pressure, Main tank pressure release valve. A Clock (local time), Altitude indicator (feet), Altitude adjust knob, Magneto switches and Oil pressure indicator.



A nice authentic touch is the manufacturing plate between the guns.



So NH-Adrian's Sopwirth Camel is extremely highly detailed and very well animated to be totally authentic to the aircraft and the era... exceptional
______________

Flying the Sopworth F.1 Camel
You have to understand that the "Camel" is a very basic aircraft, but that was also it's advantages, and there was a lot of them built in nearly 6,000 aircraft in only the last few years of the First World War.

First there is a simple menu on the X-Plane Banner "Sopworth F.1 Camel", and there are two items on here for; "Rudder Assistance" and "Guns Armed".



Starting the Sopworth is very easy... Fuel valve selected to the main tank, Mixture is set to rich. Then you have to create the Main fuel system pressure if under 1.5 psi, and this is done by using the handpump right lower, only one pump is actually required to pressurise the system, then the twin Magnetos on (instrument switches lower left)





Make sure before you turn the propeller that there are chocks in place! The Sopworth actually has no brakes, so if you start the Clerget 9B with no restraint, the Camel will head off into the field or hedgerow with no assistance or stopping power...



Watch the excellent rotation of the rotating engine with the propeller! Extremely well done by NH-Adrian. The engine sounds are also excellent of a early war nine piston engine, LOUD as well...

First shock is that you can't see anything? the view forward is almost zero, and dominated by the Vickers guns, so you will need to set a view to the side to see where you are going?



Taxiing is not as bad as I thought it would be, yes you can use the "Rudder Assistance" (menu), with at low-speed regimes the augmentation holds direction while in high-speed regimes (over 50mph) and then it acts as a yaw damper and tries to avoid side slipping. This function dampens also precession on the yaw axis as well.
But you also don't have a twirly wheel at the rear, just a wooden skid, so the skid's drag keeps you sorta straight and narrow, obviously you can't do tight turns with no brakes... the same effect's work when taking off (unless you have very high winds), as the skid keeps you in a pretty straight line...



... at 40 mph the tail lifts, and now you need to use your rudder to keep the line correct... only 4 mph more (44 mph) and your flying!



Being a biplane, you have a HUGE amount of lift, and can climb quite easily at 70 mph, and climb at 900 fpm, a sort of billowing lift from the twin wings which are very representative in feel from most biplanes, so the feel from this NH-Adrian machine feels absolutely spot on and authentic.





Yes the Sopworth is extremely nose heavy, but you can use the (X-Plane) trim to quickly balance the aircraft... and you then quickly gather speed, still you can also keep on climbing for only 10 minutes to reach 10.000 feet, to an impressive ceiling of 19,000 ft, or if you pass out before!



So the Sopworth is very agile in early combat situations, climbing and dominating the altitude very quickly (for the period). Maximum speed is 117 mph (102 kts).

The Sopworth has an exceptional Right-Hand Turn. This is due to the gyroscopic effect of the rotating engine and propeller, combined with the aircraft's weight distribution, the Camel could execute remarkably tight and fast right-hand turns. This was its primary offensive maneuver in dogfights, allowing skilled pilots to quickly get onto the tail of unsuspecting enemy aircraft. The best procedure is in a slight dive and then a tight turn to the right.... so you always favour a right-hand turn



However there is the very difficult Left-Hand Turn, so conversely, left-hand turns are significantly wider and less responsive. The same gyroscopic forces that aided right turns now hindered the left ones. So Pilots had to learn to compensate with rudder and aileron inputs, and even then, the turn was comparatively sluggish, get it wrong and the aircraft stalls, badly, even flips wing over wing.... and down you go.





But I'm out here for a mission... soon I'm looking around for a victim, scouring the landscape for a KILL!



Soon I find one, a Train! "ha HA" I cry... and arm my Vickers guns. You do that via the menu "Guns Armed", as on the side of the guns are two labels "INOP" when not armed, when ready the labels disappear. Note the gunsight that can be covered with a cap (hotspot), or active.



You will need to set the X-Plane Command “Fire armed guns" to the firing trigger... then just let loose on your target.



Soon I'm bursting fire on the moving train, but missing it completely? so I climb out and set lurking and looking for a new victim.



Sopwith Camel serial number B7406 served with No. 4 Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) during the First World War. A distinctive feature of some of the squadron's aircraft, including B7406, was the application of white "boomerang" markings on the fuselage. These markings were a unit identifier, reflecting the strong Australian composition of the squadron.
The primary pilot associated with Sopwith Camel B7406 was Herbert Gilles Watson. Born in New Zealand but residing in Australia at the outbreak of the war, Watson enlisted in the Australian Army before transferring to the AFC. He became a highly accomplished fighter pilot, ultimately achieving 14 aerial victories.

Flying with 4 Squadron AFC, Watson frequently piloted Sopwith Camels adorned with the unit's boomerang insignia. Notably, on 19 April 1918, while flying B7406, Watson was also credited with driving down an Albatros D.V enemy aircraft east of Loos. This victory contributes to his overall tally and highlights the operational service of this specific aircraft.

Notable there is no lighting on the aircraft, no electrics either! and as noted no brakes to stop you? talk about basics... now the really hard part?

Landing is tricky, no impossible...

Approach is at 60 knts, and the throttle set at idle, that large wing area lift is incredible even at these low speeds. Your aim is for the coming edge of the field as you can achieve, basically you want to touch as soon as you are over the fence.





Then reduce the speed to 50 knts with a slight flare, but not too much as the Camel will simply fly again!



It is impossible to stop with no brakes? your only option is to slowly pull the stick back to create drag on the upturned vertical stabliser to push the rear down into the ground... but your still moving fast, and any wrong move and you will either.... fly, or tip heavy nose forward and break the propeller.





I can't stop, so I try a trick in rudder to the left and try to drag the tail around to slow down, the Sopworth drags a little then heads off into another direction, but the manoeuvre worked and the speed dropped to zero...





... all that is needed now is a taxi back to the parking position. It's hard to do, and will need a lot of practise runs to get it right. But overall a lot of fun, but I would love some or any brakes at all.

Liveries
There are three liveries provided, the famous (Boomerang) B7408, a Olive Green and a Dark Green. There is also a tool that allows to to change the decals on the aircraft. You can use the DECAL file mask and placement map provided within <Aircraft folder>/Documents.




_______________

Summary
You really never know what to expect next from NH-Adrian, the past releases have a broad church from Sporty light aircraft, Flying cars, and even NASA Training vehicles... and here we now have an unexpected release of a WW1 vintage if very famous fighter in the Sopworth F.1 Camel.

In lots of ways the Sopworth it is a simple aircraft, no lighting, no electrics and even no brakes! But it was a deadly killer, with approximately 1,294 aerial victories during World War I, making it the most successful Allied fighter aircraft in terms of enemy aircraft destroyed. Including the famous "Red Baron" although the kill was disputed.

Modeling and period detail is absolutely first rate here, the design and reproduction is absolutely perfect, certainly in the lovely X-Plane 12 environment, there are a couple of modern additions like a Radio and AviTab map, but otherwise it is a pure and recreated design of this 1917 biplane, with great hotspots to start the engine, place chocks, arm guns, working guns and give you an assisted rudder. Sounds are early great war fabulous, with authentic rotary engine period noises.

Tricky to fly with that rotating engine, andthe colossal weight set forward, but the dynamics here are highly rewarding with authentic flight dynamics, yes the Sopworth is fun, but deadly at the same time.

NH-Adrian has released with the Sopworth F.1 Camel a clever scenery Clairmarais Aerodrome, "Historical Exhibition" of the WW1 1917 period as an open day. This scenery alone is worth the download with the Sopworth Camel.

So it's brilliant, a timewarp Simulation to love and use for a fun day away from the usual flight simulation offerings, I simply loved the "Sopworth" enjoyed the history and reveling in the flying... a must have!
_______________




Yes! - the Sopwith F.1 Camel by NHAdrian is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Sopwith F.1 Camel
Price is US$19.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not compatible with XP11)
Windows.  Mac or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 703MB
Current Version : 1.0  (May2nd 2025)

Designed by NH-Adrian
Support forum for the FPS 175
 
Documentation
There is excellent full coverage documentation and installation details for the Sopworth Camel and Clairmarais Airfield, including;
Sopworth Camel Users Manual.pdf
Clairmarais Aerodrome_ Manual.pdf

_____________________
 
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
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane Version 12.2.0 Beta 4 (tested in 12.1.4)
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- XCM1 - Clairmarais Aerodrome - WWI historical airport (X-Plane.Org) - Free

Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
3rd May 2025
Copyright©2025: 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
 

Aircraft Review: de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo by X-Hangar



By Dominic Smith

Introduction
Well, I’m back again with an updated model from X-Hangar, this time the venerable DHC-5 Buffalo. This tough and versatile transport, with its own kind of charm and character, is the latest to grab my attention, especially as it’s from a developer whose work I always enjoy.

The DHC-5 Buffalo, a follow-on from the DHC-4 Caribou, was developed by De Havilland Canada and first flew in the 1960s. Built to meet the demanding needs of both military and civilian operators, the Buffalo made a name for itself with its STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) abilities, able to get into places where most aircraft could not. Over the years, it’s been used for everything from troop transport and cargo runs to search and rescue and has built a reputation for being both reliable and versatile.

X-Hangar's DHC-5 Buffalo, much like their Caribou before it, shows their commitment to delivering aircraft that are immersive, easy to fly, and fun. It comes packed with features, including a carefully modelled 3D cockpit, working windows, doors and cargo ramp, realistic rain effects and wipers, two load layouts (passenger or cargo), detailed pilot and passenger figures, an Easter Award feature, support for Garmin 600 and 700 series avionics, better lighting and rain visuals for X-Plane 12, a well-written PDF manual, and a wide range of international liveries to pick from.

Documentation
Keeping with X-Hangar’s usual approach of making things straightforward and easy to use, the Buffalo comes with a detailed 19-page PDF manual. It gives a good overview of the aircraft’s systems and cockpit layout, and also walks you through how to operate it through all phases of flight. The manual is nicely written, easy to follow, and includes plenty of images to help explain things clearly. It also covers some of the newer features like the Easter Award box and support for the optional Garmin 600 and 700 series avionics.

Installation
Installing the DHC-5 Buffalo is as simple and straightforward as you would expect from X-Hangar. Once you’ve made your purchase, you just download the zip file, which contains versions for both X-Plane 12 and 11. After that, it’s just a case of unzipping the file and dropping the folder into your 'Aircraft' directory. There are no complicated steps, no software wrappers to deal with, and no online activation needed. Once it’s installed, it’s ready to fly, which is something I’ve always appreciated about X-Hangar's aircraft.

Exterior
X-Hangar’s DHC-5 Buffalo, much like their earlier DHC-4 Caribou, has a solid, no-nonsense look that fits the real-world aircraft perfectly. Built to handle tough jobs and rough strips, the Buffalo’s chunky fuselage, high wings, and twin turboprop engines are all captured nicely here. It’s a little bigger and a little more powerful than the Caribou, and you can see those differences in the model.

The texturing on the Buffalo is really well done, with liveries that match up closely to real-world examples, twenty in total. Compared to the earlier Caribou, the Buffalo’s exterior textures show a bit more refinement, especially with the metallic finish, giving the paintwork a slightly more realistic look. It still has that bit of X-Hangar charm though, which suits the model well and keeps it from feeling too polished or clinical. A small selection of the liveries are shown below.







The exterior of the Buffalo strikes a nice balance between realism and artistic style. While it does not have the photorealistic textures you might find on some of the more expensive models, it still stands out as a faithful and enjoyable version of the real thing. The working doors, windows, and rear loading ramp add a lot to the experience, along with a few extra touches like the X-Hangar tent and truck, which help bring the aircraft’s world to life a little more.







Interior
The cockpit of X-Hangar’s Buffalo strikes a nice balance between practicality and visual appeal, following the style they set with the Caribou. Everything feels nicely thought out without losing that bit of X-Hangar charm. In front of the pilot, you have the essential six flight instruments alongside the Century 41 autopilot, which gives you a good solid setup for flying. The centre console holds all the important engine gauges and includes a Garmin 530 GPS unit with a pop-out feature for easier use. Engine fire controls are positioned just above, where they are easy to get to if needed.

A new addition worth mentioning is the inclusion of a Garmin 430 for the copilot's side, giving even more flexibility when it comes to flight management. Rain effects have also been improved in X-Plane 12, with water now streaming more realistically across the glass during wet weather operations. Between the two pilot seats you will find the radio controls, all within easy reach. Above your head, the throttle, prop pitch, flaps, and ignition switches are arranged across the overhead panel, helping to break up the large glass area while keeping everything close to hand.







Thanks to the latest updates, the gauge glass now has a more transparent look, and there is a new 3D panel top graphic that gives the cockpit a slightly sharper feel compared to earlier models. Despite the age of the design, X-Hangar has kept everything crisp and easy to read. If you look closely, you might spot a little softening of the textures here and there, but it does not take anything away from how enjoyable the cockpit is to fly from.







Stepping into the cabin, you get a choice that adds a nice bit of variety to the Buffalo. Using the kneepad, you can either have seats filled with passengers, or with a simple click, fold them away and load up a few classic vehicles instead. It is a small touch but it gives the aircraft a real sense of versatility, just like the real thing. As a small bonus, if you're flying in the month of April (and who isn’t), you might spot a little Easter Award box tucked into the cockpit. It's a fun feature that adds items based on your flight hours, and while it does not affect how the Buffalo flies, it adds a nice personal touch for those who enjoy clocking up the hours.







Sounds
The sounds included with X-Hangar’s Buffalo do not use the FMOD sound system, and honestly, I find that quite refreshing these days. FMOD has become the standard for a lot of developers, but not always for the better. Even without it, the Buffalo’s engine sounds are more than good enough and fit the aircraft well. It is always hard to show sound in a written review, but if you watch the video below, it gives a pretty good idea of what the turboprops sound like in the sim.

Flight Characteristics
After getting familiar with the Buffalo on the ground, I was keen to see how it performed in the air. I picked Sitka Airport in Alaska as my departure point, a place that has been a favourite of mine ever since the old Inside Passage and Final Frontier packages by Tom Curtis back in the X-Plane 9 days.

From the start, the Buffalo’s ground handling, just like the Caribou, impressed me with how responsive it felt. Taxiing out to the runway was smooth and enjoyable. As I opened up the throttles, the aircraft surged forward, showing off the power of the GE T64 turboprops. In true STOL fashion, the Buffalo was airborne in no time, climbing away with that same effortless performance the real aircraft is known for.







Once up in the air, the extra thrust from the twin turboprops was obvious, giving a nice boost over the older DHC-4. During cruise, the Buffalo held altitude with ease, feeling very stable. I resisted the urge to throw it around too much, but I did run a few stall tests, and the aircraft behaved exactly as you would expect. It gave a slight wing dip before recovering cleanly, just like a good STOL transport should.







Coming back into Sitka for landing, the Buffalo’s low-speed handling really stood out. The final approach needed a few gentle corrections with the wind, but nothing that felt tricky or unstable. It was a nice, controlled return to the ground.







Night Lighting
The night lighting in the Buffalo follows the same style as other X-Hangar models. There are plenty of dimmer switches to adjust the different cockpit lights, along with dedicated switches for the landing lights, taxi light, and navigation lights. Everything works as expected, although I did find the exterior lighting to be a bit strong, with some reflection showing on the fuselage. That said, it is not something that takes away from the experience, and flying the Buffalo at night is still just as enjoyable.





A Note About Lighting
Just a small note regarding the screenshots in this review. I used X-Plane 12.2 Beta 4 during testing, and at the time of writing, the lighting system in the sim seems to be overly bright in some areas, with a noticeable loss of contrast and colour depth. While older versions of X-Plane 12 had darker cockpits, the outside world lighting, in my opinion, looked more natural. I mention this in case you notice the screenshots looking a little washed out compared to what you might expect. This is more down to the sim itself than the Buffalo model.

Performance
The performance of the DHC-5 Buffalo is right in line with what I have come to expect from X-Hangar models. It is designed with real thought for the average simmer’s computer, and as such, you do not need the latest and greatest setup to enjoy it properly, which is always a big plus. Even with a relatively detailed airport and changing weather conditions (bring on those clouds), the Buffalo ran smoothly, which is a clear sign the developer had performance in mind during development.





Conclusion
The DHC-5 Buffalo by X-Hangar, much like the earlier Caribou, blends a good bit of old-school charm with a go-anywhere (almost) slice of versatility. It runs really well, showing that X-Hangar is focused on making aircraft that are both fun to fly and easy on the computer. You will not find 4K textures here, but you do get authentic sounds, a wide choice of liveries, and a real sense of character that makes the Buffalo stand out.

For anyone looking to add a classic, versatile aircraft to their hangar, the Buffalo is a cracking choice. It offers the kind of adventures and flying experiences that few others can match.

________________________



The de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo by X-Hangar is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:

de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo
Priced at US$22.95

Features
For both X-Plane 12 and 11
3D cockpit
VR cockpit
Rain and wipers
Opening windows
Opening doors
Opening ramp
Yoke hides with keyboard key or press of a button on the panel
Steerable yoke in both 3d and VR
Pilot figures
Passenger figures
Static models
Chocks and remove before flight flags
Menu to hide co-pilot and other options
Two different loads: Passenger or Cargo
Cargo or passenger load displays according to load (more with more weight and less with less weight)
Many international liveries
Layers for painting your own livery
Garmin 540 GPS with pop out or press buttons
Autopilot Century 41
Checklist in .txt format to use in the Sim
User manual in .pdf format to help fly in X-Plane
FSE file included to fly Flight Sim Economy
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac, or Linux
8 GB VRAM Minimum
Download Size: 311 Mb

Review System Specifications
Intel i5 13400 – 32GB RAM - Nvidia Asus RTX 4070 – Windows 11 Pro 64 Bit
__________________________________

Aircraft Review by Dominic Smith
29th April 2025
Copyright©2025: 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).

Aircraft Review: Aeropro EuroFOX by VSKYLABS



By Colin Parker

Introduction
The Aeropro EuroFox is another Rotax-powered microlight/light sport aircraft coming out of Eastern Europe. The first model was built in 1990 by Aeropro at their factory in Nitra (then in Czechoslovakia, now Slovakia) and has become a well-established aircraft, popular and trusted by pilots.

It’s a high-wing monoplane, seating two in a tandem configuration. It cruises at around 90 knots (similar to a Cessna 150 or 152) and with a stall speed of about 35 knots, it is ideal for short field operations. The EuroFox is available in either tricycle or tailwheel configurations and comes with the usual cocktail of engine and instrumentation options.

The VSkyLabs add-on includes three variants of the EuroFOX aircraft: A240, A220, and A220 STOL. The EuroFOX A240 is equipped with tricycle-gear and steerable nosewheel, while the A220 is a taildragger and incorporates a steerable tail wheel.

Installation and documentation
The package includes separate versions for X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12. This review covers the X-Plane 12 version. The download comes as a 232 MB zip file, expanding to 358 MB once uncompressed. Once downloaded, extract the "XP12-VSL Aeropro EuroFOX AU v9.0" folder into: X-Plane 12\Aircraft\Extra Aircraft\

As with other VSkyLabs products, the EuroFox includes a well put together Pilot Operating Handbook (POH). It is based on the official AeroPro POH but includes everything needed to make the most of the various add-ons. There are links to the AeroPro documentation as well, which are useful, although the add-on uses knots or kilometres per hour for airspeed, while the real-world manuals are all in miles per hour.

Like their other aircraft, VSkyLabs have grouped all the X-Refs and commands into a single collection, making it easier to set up flight simulator hardware and integrate with tools like Air Manager.

External walk-round
All three aircraft are beautifully modelled on the outside and come with the same set of liveries.









Textures, rivets, and latches are all nicely done, and all labels are crisp and clean. The three-blade propeller definitely looks the part. Transparent panels reflect light effectively and feature realistic stress marks and scratches. Light also reflects convincingly off the exterior surfaces.








Other than the doors, there are no openable panels, and no ground handling equipment or covers. While it would be nice to have these features included to allow for a proper walk-round, their absence has not spoiled my experience of the add-on and seems fair given the price point.



The main wheels on the tricycle version are bush wheels. On the standard tailwheel aircraft, they are a more traditional size and fitted with fairings. Visually, the only difference with the bush flying version is the larger bush wheels and the rather natty looking bright red leading-edge slats.



In the Cockpit
The EuroFox cockpit is laid out in a very similar way to VSkyLabs’ Aeroprakt A22. All variants share the same setup, with a standard instrument six-pack, an X-Plane G530, transponder, and a simple autopilot integrated into the turn and slip indicator. You can switch the airspeed indicator between knots and kilometres per hour by clicking on it. The compass is mounted at the top of the windshield, and there is no directional gyro. There is a fuel tank in each wing, with the fuel level indicators visible from within the cockpit in the wing roots. Fuel level changes are accurately reflected on the gauges. Starting up involves opening the fuel valves for each tank. Like the Aeroprakt, these are located behind you and are easy to forget about when you're seated in the cockpit.







The Rotax engines behave more like car engines than traditional aero engines. They run on standard unleaded fuel, but for me, having grown up on Continental and Lycoming engines, the biggest difference is in the engine revolutions. Warming up the engine at 2500 RPM for two minutes, then increasing to 3000 RPM to reach oil temperature, feels high but is correct. There is a hot spot on the right-hand side of the canopy that allows you to fit and remove the AviTab plugin.



Ground Handling
With nose wheel steering, ground handling in the tricycle gear variant is very straightforward.





Visibility on the ground isn’t bad by tailwheel standards, although you still need to weave to make sure you avoid running into anything. The steerable tailwheel, supported by differential braking, makes both variants easy to manoeuvre.

Like other tailwheel aircraft, the EuroFox is sensitive to wind while on the ground. During taxiing, it is important to orient the control surfaces correctly to stop a wing from lifting. A handy tip I came across is to always keep the stick pointed in the direction the wind is blowing. For example, if the wind is coming from over your right-hand shoulder, then push the stick fully forward and to the left. I have always struggled with working out how to deal with wind on the ground, and this tip (obvious though it now seems) has worked wonders for my taxiing.





Take-off and Landing
Tricycle gear: Smooth application of throttle sees the EuroFox lift off at around 35 knots. Like the Aeroprakt, it climbs like a lift, with a rate of over 1000 feet per minute.





Landing is straightforward, with or without flaperons. I flew the approach at 60 knots with full flaperon, with wheels touching down at around 40 knots.





Tailwheel: As with the stock Super Cub, hold the stick back until you're rolling, then centre it and work the pedals to keep straight as the tail rises. The aircraft lifts itself into the air a little later than the tricycle version, at around 40 to 43 knots.





If you can land the Super Cub, the EuroFox will present no challenges. Both three-pointer and wheeled landings are straightforward, with an approach at 60 knots and touchdown at around 40.





Stall and spin Awareness
Having tested the stall behaviour, I am not entirely sure it is quite right. It seems to stall with a left-wing drop just under 40 knots, which is about right, but the flaperons do not seem to make any difference. A spin can be achieved (although, according to the in-cockpit labelling, intentional spinning is prohibited) by applying full rudder in either direction just before the stall. To recover, simply centre the joystick and apply power.

For the bush-flying version, the leading-edge slats make a noticeable difference to stall performance. Rather than stalling, this version just settles into a 500 feet per minute controlled descent, during which the ailerons remain usable.





In the Cruise
Handling is smooth and well balanced in all axes. The EuroFox cruises at around 90 knots and is easily trimmed. The long wing flaperons give the aircraft a positive and immediate roll response, and pitch control is equally responsive. There are no noticeable differences between the three aircraft variants.

Visibility is nothing short of astonishing. The clear panel in the roof makes more of a difference than you might expect, especially when turning. None of the old problems I remember from learning in the Cessna 150, like having to lift the wing before turning to make sure the path was clear, then hurrying into the turn and hoping nothing had changed, apply here.







The autopilot is basic but effective, allowing control of both direction and attitude. Once you are flying at your desired height and heading, you can enable the autopilot by pressing the ALT button. A green rectangle will appear in the centre of the autopilot panel, with an orange square in the middle. This indicates "altitude hold" mode, and the aircraft will maintain straight and level flight.

Clicking the UP or DN buttons changes the indicator to orange, switching the autopilot to "attitude hold" mode. In this mode, it maintains the pitch attitude you have set, causing the aircraft to climb or descend. You can also use the LT and RT buttons to control roll and change direction. Clicking ALT again will reset the system to "altitude hold" mode, and the aircraft will return to level flight. Pressing ALT a second time disables the autopilot. It is more complicated to explain than to use.

There are no fancy linkages to flight plans in the Garmin 530, or any throttle control, but it does what it says on the tin. If, like me, you struggle to take external videos while maintaining control in flight, it is the perfect solution. The Garmin 530 allows you to enter and view flight plans and is where you manage radio and navigation frequencies. A separate transponder unit is installed in the usual place just below it.





AOA Indicator
The EuroFox includes a virtual Angle of Attack (AOA) indicator, based on the 'Alpha Systems AOA' Eagle kit. It uses a simple, colour-coded chevron display that's easy enough to get used to.

The green bar shows a low angle of attack and a good margin above stall. Just above that is a yellow triangle which marks manoeuvring speed, so full control deflection is available at that point. Yellow segments mean your angle is getting higher and the safety margin is reducing. The blue doughnut is the sweet spot for landing. If you see red chevrons, you're approaching or have gone past the critical angle and it’s time to correct. It’s a really handy bit of kit, especially during approaches. There are no audio cues like in the real thing, but it does the job nicely in the sim.





Sound
The model sounds very similar to the Aeroprakt, with accurate engine and in-cockpit audio. It might not be the most sophisticated soundscape I have ever come across, but it is more than acceptable, especially considering the price of the add-on.

Night lighting
The lighting all works as expected, with position lights only visible within the correct arcs. Cockpit lighting is suitably muted, and the airframe reflects external light in a realistic way.





Performance
None of the variants had any noticeable impact on simulator performance. They manage to look good while consuming minimal processing power.


Conclusion
Visually, and in terms of equipment, the EuroFox add-on is very similar to the VSkyLabs Aeroprakt A22. However, I have found it much easier to fly. All three models are a delight, although my particular favourite is the bush wheel variant, with its leading-edge slats and huge bush wheels.

As an avid fan of flying “low and slow” in X-Plane, I am very grateful to VSkyLabs for continuing to produce these fantastic small GA add-ons. Thoroughly recommended.

____________________________________________



Aeropro EuroFOX by VSKYLABS is available from the Org store here:

Aeropro EuroFOX by VSKYLABS
Priced at US$29.00

Project Highlights
Three aircraft included (A240/A220/A220-STOL).
Designed for X-Plane 12 cutting edge flight model environment. Authentic flight dynamics with authentic performance and flight handling characteristics.
Built for VR: Tailored for VR, and optimized for 2D usage.
Engineered and designed as a genuine, default X-Plane 12 aircraft. The VSKYLABS projects are practically show-casing X-Plane, as they are stretching X-Plane default features, systems and flight model to its limits without any dependencies on complementary plugins or software...delivering a very robust simulation model, having maximum compatibility with the ever evolving X-Plane flight simulator.
Perfect fit for beginner and expert pilots. Practice your skills through the Tricycle landing gears EuroFOX, Tail-Wheel variant, and a STOL Bush-Plane variant.
Equipped with Alpha Systems AOA 'Eagle' indicator replica.
Built-in Avitab Plugin Compatibility (AviTab plugin is not included).
FMOD 2.0 sound pack.
Autoupdater based on the SkunkCrafts autoupdater - all updates are being pushed smoothly without the need to re-download the entire base package (base package will be updated every once in a while to minimize the gap).
Highly responsive VSKYLABS support forums: VSKYLABS offers continuous professional support, from all aircraft related aspects (operating and flying) to X-Plane technical support.
Includes the VSKYLABS 'Cockpit-Builders Heaven' assignment layer. It allows assigning all aircraft switches, knobs, levers and interactions in a designated, uncluttered section in the X-Plane 12 assignment screen.
Under constant maintenance and development.
Requirements:
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Current version: 9.0 (XP12) (Feb 1st 2025)

Reviewers System:
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 8-Core Processor 3.80 GHz
Memory: 32.0 GB
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060

Aircraft Review by Colin Parker
23rd April 2025
Copyright©2025: 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: KLDJ - Linden Airport, New Jersey by Skytitude



By Dennis Powell

Introduction
If you looked up the term “cute little airport” in any dictionary, you might just find the subject of this review. Welcome to the Garden State of New Jersey and Linden Airport. Situated just south of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and surrounded by urban sprawl, Linden Airport is a tiny GA field hemmed in by the city on three sides and a rail yard to the south. Its claim to fame is that it's only five minutes from New York City by helicopter.

If you’re looking for a smaller GA airport from which to explore New York City and its surroundings, this is it. You won’t be intimidated by large airliners forcing you to wait in line for takeoff. The airport offers a single runway, running east to west, and a spacious ramp with plenty of ramp start points to choose from. As advertised, it’s only five minutes from here to New York City, or even less if your destination is Staten Island.

Installation Process
Installation couldn’t be simpler. Just open the zipped file, then copy and paste it into your Custom Scenery folder. In my case, I just drag it to the Custom Scenery folder that’s pinned to my sidebar when I download files. It’s that easy. There’s no product code, licence code, or activation process involved.

Documentation
Documentation for this file is limited to a single readme file in Notepad format that explains the installation process. There are no charts or navigation documents included for this airport.

High Altitude Overview
Flying over the airport, it’s almost easy to miss. It’s very small and is surrounded by a mall on one side and a rail yard on the other. The single runway runs east to west and has a full-length taxiway just south of it.





There’s a large ramp in front of the hangars, and another even larger ramp behind that. The most noticeable feature from above is the strip mall to the north, with its huge parking lot that’s almost bigger than the airport itself. At one time in its history, Linden Airport had two runways, but the north-south runway was demolished to make room for the strip mall. Parts of the old taxiway leading to that former runway are still visible from the air.



Runway and Taxiways
The runway is wide at 100 feet, but not very long at just 4,140 feet, so don’t expect to get a Boeing 747 in or out of here. The runway surface is in good condition, though the markings are realistically faded and worn. It’s well-lit along the sides, but there are no centreline lights. There are two taxiway connections at midfield and another at each end of the runway. They’re well marked and match the runway in terms of faded paint, but overall, they’re in good condition. The main taxiway runs parallel to the runway and connects to the large ramp.







Ground Textures and Foliage
For ground textures, the author used ortho photos, but unlike some airports I’ve reviewed, it looks like they took the time to eliminate time-sensitive shadows and things like cars on roads, aircraft on ramps, and other 2D objects from the ortho. I wasn’t able to open this airport in World Editor, so I can’t confirm whether ortho photos were used for the runway, taxiways, and ramp, but I suspect they were, with transparent textures added. I say that because I never saw any AI aircraft spawning on the ramp or using the airport at all.





As for the foliage, it seems to blend well with the surrounding autogen, and I couldn’t see any time-sensitive shadowing under the trees. The trees are 3D and move with the wind.





Signage and Navigation Aids
When it comes to signage, there are custom airport signs at the edge of the field that match what I saw on Google Earth Street View, along with numerous taxi signs on the field itself. They all appear to be correct and easy to read. As for navigation aids, there’s only the airport beacon guiding you to the field. No other nav aids are present at this airport, so you have to find it the hard way.





Main Airport Buildings
The airport terminal looks like a large hangar, with another hangar right next to it. Behind those are four more hangars, including the nesting T-type hangars, and they all match up well with pictures found on the web.







The next most prominent structure is the strip mall next to the airport. It features a few stores, including two each of a Home Depot and a JCPenney, as well as Marshalls and Sears. In reality, there are quite a few different stores in this area, including an AMC movie theatre, but that’s missing here. What I haven’t been able to figure out is where these store models come from. They’re not default, and they’re not in the airport’s objects folder either. The strip mall doesn’t appear in the default version of the airport, so it must be in this file somewhere, I just haven’t been able to find it.





Ground Clutter and 3D People
There’s not much in the way of airport clutter here, and no people. It feels like the airport is deserted. There aren’t even any parked aircraft on the ramp. A fire truck is parked next to one of the main hangars, and aside from some traffic cones, there’s not a lot else. One detail I did notice is the 3D rings on the tie-down points in the parking area. Each of the T markings has prominent 3D hard points that stick up from the ground. They were too far apart for my Cessna 172 from Airfoil Labs to tie down to, but they are there.





Surrounding Area
Here’s where the first real mystery comes in. The author has added the nearby strip mall, which now covers what used to be part of the airport, but I can’t figure out how they did it. There’s nothing in the objects file, and it’s not part of the default library, so I’ve no idea how the strip mall ended up in the scenery. As for the rest of the surroundings, autogen fills things in pretty well, and the area looks as built up as you’d expect for this part of New Jersey. The airport is surrounded by urban clutter, mostly provided by Laminar’s autogen, and it fits the scene perfectly. I really felt like I was flying over Linden, New Jersey.





Night Lighting
This is another area where the scenery really stands out. It’s been said that most airports should look like a black hole when surrounded by a city, and this one pulls that off very well. It’s a little black spot surrounded by city streetlights, parking lot lights, and a huge airport just to the north. The only things that give it away are the airport beacon and the runway and taxiway lights. There’s minimal ramp lighting and only a few lights on the main hangars. It really does feel like a black hole in the middle of a city. Another nice touch is how the author used ortho photos to precisely place the runway and taxiway lights, so they’re exactly where they appear at the real airport.







Performance Impact
This is one of the most built-up areas in X-Plane, being this close to New York City, and the performance reflects that. For most of my flights, I was averaging between 23 and 38 frames per second. Now, I’ve got a pretty solid computer with plenty of memory, but if you’re on a lower-end machine with just the minimum specs to run X-Plane, New York and upper New Jersey are going to push it. I’m running 32 GB of RAM and a graphics card with 12 GB of video RAM, and even then, I wasn’t seeing anything above 38 FPS, so judge accordingly based on your setup.





Conclusion
If you’re looking for an airport to start exploring the New York City area, there’s none better. You’ve got the airport to yourself, so there’s no waiting to take off. It’s super close to a lot of scenery objects, especially in NYC. It’s not a huge airport, so it’s not one for people who like to fly airliners, but for light GA and helicopters, it’s ideal. And for the price, you really can’t beat it. It’s probably the most accurate version of this airport available, and I even checked the default version to be sure. I’ll give it five stars, and would give it more if I could have opened it in WED to see how they did what they did.

______________________________________


KLDJ - Linden Airport, New Jersey by Skytitude is now available from the X-Plane.org Store here:

KLDJ - Linden Airport

Priced at $12.95

Features
Highly Detailed & Realistic Representation – A precise recreation of Linden Airport
Expansive Industrial & Commercial Areas – Perfect for immersive VFR flights
Advanced PBR Textures & Materials – Realistic surfaces with physical-based rendering
Dynamic Weather Effects – Wet surfaces powered by X-Plane 12's latest technology
True-to-Life Buildings & Night Lighting – Stunning visuals at any time of day
Ultra-High Resolution Object Textures – Enhanced realism with X-Plane 12 detail maps
Dense, Hand-Placed Vegetation & Forests – Lush surroundings for added immersion
Custom 3D Grass & Foliage – Using X-Plane 12's cutting-edge vegetation technology
Extensive Surrounding Area – Thousands of hand-placed objects for maximum authenticity
Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not for XP11)
Windows, Mac or Linux
Download Size: 500 MB
Current version : 1.0 - March 13th 2025

Review System Specifications
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X – 32GB RAM - Nvidia RTX 2060 12GB – Windows 11
__________________________________
Scenery Review by Dennis Powell
25th April 2025
Copyright©2025: 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).

NEWS! - Aircraft Updated : Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 AJT v1.0.0_6r2 by Deltawing Simulations



If one aircraft screamed X-Plane 12 it was the excellent Aermacchi M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer. It looked incredible in the X-Plane 12 dynamics, and is so highly realistic it blows your mind.... so okay I liked the M346, no I loved it!

So there is nothing externally to change here, which is a really great idea, so the changes in this v1.0.0_6r2 update are mostly all on the Fixes, Additions and Improvements to the Advanced Trainer. Small stuff, but still keeping the AJT very much current with the on-going X-Plane 12 conditions.

The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, the partnership was dissolved in 2000 and then Alenia Aermacchi proceeded to separately develop the M-346 Master, while Yakovlev continued work on the Yakovlev Yak-130. The first flight of the M-346 was performed in 2004. The type is currently operated by the air forces of Italy, Israel, Singapore, Greece, Qatar, Turkmenistan and Poland. Since 2016 the manufacturer became Leonardo-Finmeccanica as Alenia Aermacchi merged into the new Finmeccanica, finally rebranded as Leonardo in 2017.

The M-346 is a highly modified version of the aircraft that was being developed under the joint venture. It uses equipment exclusively from Western manufacturers, such as the digital flight control system being developed by a collaboration between Teleavio, Marconi Italiana and BAE Systems.[8] In July 2000, Aermacchi selected the Honeywell F124 turbofan engine to power the type in place of the originally intended Lotarev DV-2S powerplant.

Fixes:
The HUD Field Of View is now adjusted so that the flight path is not being lost during landing. MFD Systems page now has colour corrections, and Map/TSD symbols not moving has also been fixed. Engines not having enough thrust on max throttle position, well not now, adjusted STALL and ENVELOPE warnings to play only when KCAS is less than 100 or When gear is down. Distance was not updating in the HSI Page, and the Rudder was trying to autocorrect when on ground.
There was an Autopilot Issue now fixed, and the MFDs don't go blank now when making the brightness lower. And finally the Distance was not updating in the HSI Page.

Additions:
There is now a Basic FADEC System that will adjust the Engine N1 and N2 to be closer to the readings of the real one. Deltawing has converted all the displays to the new Custom Avionics system provided by Laminar for better performance. and added is a 3 Step switch support for the flaps handle.

Improvements:
System improvements include Autopilot disengage on 110 KCAS or more than 15 AOA,, and three Angle of Attack changes in greater than 15 Degrees will disengage the rudder. A AOA limit when gear is up and KCAS is more than 100 set to 25 Degrees. And a AOA limit with gear down or KCAS less than 100 knots is set to 55 Degrees.

X-PlaneReviews release review is here: Aircraft Review : Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 AJT by Deltawing Simulations















This is a totally value priced simulation for under US$40 and now currently on sale at US $27.97, a saving of 30%. What you are getting here is the total best of both worlds, higher quality and systems, for that very credible price. The Deltawing Aermacchi M-346 certainly delivers massively in both or all areas. It's nice to fly and nicely balanced as well... but the thing that comes across more than anything in the Aermacchi is the higher realism...  with projects like these, the real world gap to simulation is closing in even more....   Highly Recommended!


Design by Deltawing Simultions
Aermacchi M-346 support forum is available here
___________________


Yes! the Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 AJT v1.0.0_1r1 by Deltawing Simulations is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 AJT
On sale: US$27.97
Retail Price $39.95... You Save:$11.98(30%)
 
Main Features:
Highly detailed 3d exterior model
Highly detailed 3d cockpit model
Highly detailed landing gear system
Highly detailed pilot figures
Dual cockpit
Custom remove before flight objects
Custom particles system
Realistic FMOD custom sounds
4K textures
Realistic startup sequence
Custom cockpit lights
Custom external lights
Custom external fuel tanks (droppable)
Fully custom electronics system
Fully custom environmental system
Fully custom autopilot
Fully custom Fly-By-Wire system
3 individual fully custom MFD displays, as close to the original as possible
Supports Skunkcraft updater
11free 4K highly detailed liveries included
Supports VR
Requirements:
X-Plane 12 (not for XP11)
Windows, Mac (M1 and M2 are supported) or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 800 MB
Current version: 1.0.0_6r2  (April 22nd 2025) 
___________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
24th April 2025
Copyright©2025: 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.