Kiwiflyer

Scenery Review: VerticalSim KSYR - Syracuse Hancock International 
 
By Joshua Moore
 
Introduction
Syracuse International Airport is situated in upstate New York, USA. The site on which it was built was first developed into an airport by Charles Hanna, the Mayor, and former WWI pilot. Upon the United States entrance of WWII, the US Army Air Corps built 3 runways and renamed the airfield Mattydale Bomber Base. It was used as a training and staging base for B-17 and B-24 bombers. In 1946 the airport was leased back to the city, with it being reopened as a commercial airport in 1948. It gained international airport status in 1970 and today serves twenty-eight destinations over eight airlines. Syracuse has two asphalt runways: 10/28 is 9,003 by 150 feet (2,744 × 46 m) and 15/33 is 7,500 by 150 feet (2,286 × 46 m).
 
Prior to developing this X-Plane 12 version, VerticalSim had previously released Syracuse International Airport for X-Plane 11 and MSFS. Having enjoyed both, I was intrigued to see what Syracuse would look like in Laminar Research’s latest sim. So, without further ado, let's see how this rendition stacks up...
 


 
Download & Install
The installation process follows the tried and tested method many X-Plane users are familiar with. Once the 1.6GB file has been downloaded and unzipped (extracted size is 3.1GB), it’s a simple case of dragging and dropping the airport into your X-Plane’s Custom Scenery folder. Located in the airport’s scenery folder is a single eight-page PDF document which covers the installation process, features, and contact details for the developer. It’s simple and to the point, but it would have been nice to have seen some charts of the airport included. 
 


First Impressions
Like many scenery developers, Verticalsim has used a photographic overlay as the main airport ground texture, and it certainly looks the part, especially with the ground objects all being correctly placed. When viewed from above, it makes X-Plane’s default ground textures stand out, but if you use photographic tiles of the surrounding area, it fits together seamlessly. 

However, one thing I did notice that was missing from the previous X-Plane 11 version, was the copious amounts of 3D grass. When I contacted the developer about this, I was told it had been temporarily removed, with the reason being, and I quote:
 
“I removed it because they changed the way .for (forest files) are working, and I was getting weird shading issues with it. So, I just removed it for now till I had time to figure it out “

Other than the 3D grass, the rest looked quite familiar, which was a positive sign. 
 

 
Exploring the Airport
Starting off with the main terminal building and I have to say that Verticalsim has done an excellent job at modelling the exterior, with all the major details being covered. It looks good, especially the smaller details that could have easily been left out.
 

 
Unfortunately, some of the texturing didn’t quite meet the high standards set by the modelling, as I thought the entrance of the terminal looked a bit bland by comparison, especially with its repetitive textures. In saying that, this was when viewed close up and not something you would normally see from an aeroplane, so in this respect, the texturing is sufficient. The same is also true for the textures used for the roads, which I found to be slightly blurry but again adequate. As well as the main terminal, there is also the Million Air building located close by and again, this has been modelled to a high standard. The texturing was also good and upon checking with numerous sources on the web, found it to be a remarkable likeness of the real building. Further afield and you'll find the FedEx building plus other smaller maintenance facilities and hangars, along with the airport's own fire station.  
 

 
Airside and there’s plenty of detail to be observed. Multiple baggage carts, containers, pushback trucks, and other typical details can all be seen, with each being modelled to an acceptable level. Many of these are animated too, which really helps bring the airport to life. The cargo ramp contains plenty of ground clutter, and if you enjoy cargo operations as I do, this airport sees daily flights from UPS and FedEx, so there are plenty of chances to visit the apron from your choice of aircraft, be it an A300, 757, 767, etc. The Air National Guard side looks quite typical for a guard base, as it includes a lot of brick and steel buildings, all built to typical DOD standards. The one thing missing is the guard shack at the entrance of the airport, as in the scenery it’s represented by a single US flag. 
 


 
One area of the scenery which I hope will see an update in the near future is the addition of a 3D interior to the main terminal building. While I am certainly no fan of memory-hogging lavish interiors, such as those seen in certain sceneries in MSFS, I do think this add-on would benefit from one, even if it were basic. Being able to see chairs, counters, or even people inside the terminal, would add some additional life to the airport. As it is, it just seems to feel slightly empty.  
 

 
The developers at Verticalsim have always managed to get their apron ground textures to look authentic and Syracuse is no exception, as there is plenty of weathering on offer, such as scuffs, rubber marks, oil stains, etc. If only every airport employed this kind of detail…unlike the clinical feeling you get from some I have experienced in the past. The included jetways, and I observed three types, on the whole look good, with some variants looking more realistic than others, mainly due to the texturing. 
 

 
Both taxiway and runway texturing have been used to good effect and unlike some airport sceneries I have used, they do not look repetitive or blurry. Both the numbering and lettering for the majority of the scenery is very good, but I did notice that one of the runways was labelled sixteen instead of fifteen as it should be. Apart from that one error, the results were quite pleasing.  
 


 
Lighting
Night lighting overall was good, especially the volumetric effects used around the ramps, terminal, and other buildings, but there were a few areas which I felt were lacking, the lit windows on the terminal being the main culprit. Here the textures consisted of a baked, flat 2D lit texture and didn’t do the building any favours whatsoever. This was a shame because the terminal itself (as mentioned previously) looks good and is another reason why a 3D interior would be beneficial. When it came to navigating around the airport, I found the lighting to be more than adequate, with both taxiways, runways and signage being well lit.    
 


 
Performance
While testing Syracuse, I observed no noticeable slowdowns or stutters. Framerates always remained high which wasn’t a total surprise, as the airport isn’t overly detailed, plus it was missing the 3D grass, which can, on some systems, occasionally play havoc with framerates. 

Conclusion
I have always been a huge fan of Verticalsim’s work as many of their sceneries exhibit higher than average framerates, decent quality texturing and modelling, plus interesting locations to fly in and out of, and Syracuse doesn’t break with that tradition. Yes, it does currently have a few issues, namely the lack of any 3D grass and a 3D interior of the main terminal. However, even with those faults, I still found this to be a scenery I enjoyed flying in and out of.
 
So, is it worth the asking price?
 
Well, if you enjoy flying airliners and visiting large hubs as I do, then this is a scenery I think you would really enjoy.  When you also factor in the developer’s track record for updating and improving their sceneries, then I think this add-on becomes even more compelling.  
 
________________________
 

 
Syracuse Hancock International Airport by VerticalSim is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
Syracuse Hancock International Airport by VerticalSim
Priced at US$19.99
 
Features
X-Plane 12 version now available 4K PBR texturing Circa 2022 airport layout SAM jetway support Animated vehicle traffic HDR night lighting Taxi routes for use with AI traffic addons  
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 1.7 GB
Version XP12 - September 21st 2022
 
Review System Specifications
Windows 11 
Ryzen 5800x
RTX3070ti, 
32GB RAM
__________________________________
 
Scenery Review by Joshua Moore
8th December 2022
Copyright©2022: 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.
 
 

 

Aircraft Update: Aeroprakt A22-LS Project XP12 by VSKYLABS

By LPNils

Introduction 
VSKYLABS has modelled the A22-LS version, tailored for the American market as a Light Sport aircraft, which means a max gross take-off weight of 1320lbs (600kg) for land planes and 1430lbs (650kg) for seaplanes. It also means the aircraft cannot stall at speeds higher than 45 knots. Other limitations are a fixed pitch or ground adjustable prop, two seats maximum, one engine, fixed gear, unpressurized and a maximum speed in level flight that does not exceed 120 knots. Fear not though, as this plane certainly won’t get near those numbers! 
 
Purchase and installation 
The VSKYLABS A22, like the developer’s other work, is available at the X-Plane.org store, for a very reasonable price ($27.50 at the time of writing). The pack has download links for both an XP11 and 12 version of the aircraft, but for the purpose of this review, I tested the XP12 model (even though 12 is still in Beta!). Reassuringly, the developer Huss has committed to keeping the pack up to date with changes still happening to the X-Plane Beta. He always tends to stay on top of updating models, so no worries in that regard.  The download size for the A22 is just under 200MB. Installation is very straightforward, just drag the A22 aircraft folder into your X-Plane Aircraft directory as instructed by the manual found in the download.
 
 


 
Documentation 
Inside the aircraft folder, you will find an installation manual, which is very clear and to the point. The most important piece of documentation is the Instructions Manual / POH. Huss compiled the manual as some sort of Pilot Operating Handbook Supplement. In it, he is very clear about what this Aeroprakt add-on does and doesn’t do, how it compares to the real-life aircraft and the limitations of X-Plane and how he worked with or around those. In all, it’s extremely clear and transparent, which is superb! 
 
If you would like to configure your hardware to the A22, Huss has written a detailed list of what control assignments are required for specific interactions with the aircraft. In this list, he again mentions some of the X-Plane limitations and how you should work with those. VR users will be able to find all interaction zones described in the manual, with visual representations. Huss also goes on to explain the Experimental or LSA Autopilot included in the X-Plane model. The “POH Supplement” ends by referring to the real-life Pilot Operating Handbook and you can download this POH for real-life operating instructions and performance.
 


 
Exterior 
The VSKYLABS A22 is well-modelled and really does mirror its real-life counterpart. There’s plenty of detail on the external model, but not so much that it’s overly excessive. I love the triangular windows on the aft sides of the cabin. An Aeroprakt A32 regularly visits the airfield I work at, and it does have a cool look to it (also it’s entirely black) …except for the extended range fuel tank covers, which do slightly odd. It’s a lot less odd looking in this A22 model though and flying this VSKYLABS rendition sort of made me get used to them. The real A22 has these bigger fuel tanks as an option (57L each instead of the standard 45L) and I am glad Huss went for the larger tanks. Another feature that stood out to me was the design of the wings (TsAGI wing profile, Soviet equivalent of NACA). These are slightly swept forward which after talking to a local aviation buff (CFI, examiner, airport manager) was told is sometimes done to add more flexibility to weight and balance. 
 


 
The empennage of the A22 is equipped with some sort of ventral fin with a small wheel to protect the stabilizer. I doubt it can take excessive forces of incompetency, but it is incredibly nice to have, especially since it has an elevator with plenty of authority, although, in backcountry operations, or rougher strips, I wouldn’t advise getting the tail feathers down that low (protect them from debris). Speaking of the backcountry… it also comes with decent size wheels and mudflaps, which are great options to have on STOL planes. The mudflaps probably won’t stop all the muck from slinging onto the aircraft (wings in particular), but anything’s better than nothing, plus it looks cool. 
 

 
The flight control surfaces of the A22 are huge, and this is well represented in the metallic & orange livery. It also doesn’t come with separate ailerons and flaps, it comes with flaperons. A wing has only a limited span to add ailerons and flaps, so why not combine both so you get a decent lift increase from the flaps and good roll authority at low speeds? It’s also simpler to implement than let’s say drooping ailerons and flaps, and again, it looks cool! It’s interesting to see what the flap settings do to roll deflections and in particular to deflection limits. 
 

 
The A22 comes with five liveries in total, with the standard livery being fully yellow. In addition, there’s a blue version with yellow door/window frames, a metallic grey body variant with orange frames, flight controls and cowl (black on top to block reflections), a red and black body version with white frames and number 22 (air rally look?), and lastly, a blue frame with yellow wings and stabilizers (reminds me of old USAAF basic trainers). Personally, I really like the metallic and orange livery. 
 


 
Interior & Functionality
The first feature of the Aeroprakt A22-LS that catches the eye is the optional yoke! The standard control is a Y-shaped stick mounted in the centre console. This can appear an odd configuration at first, but on an earlier flight in a Zenith STOL, I learned that it feels nice, and on longer flights, you can lean your forearm on the Y and chill out a bit. I like it, as it suits my Honeycomb Alpha yoke very well. Upon a cold-and-dark start, the gust lock pin will be installed, which can be removed by clicking on the tag. Also, the yokes can be hidden by clicking where the rod enters the panel.
 
Another huge plus of this model is the Garmin GNS430. It’s getting old for a Garmin GPS/NAV/COM, but for its size, it’s a very suitable instrument for this cockpit. I imagine in this modern age; one may be looking for a newer setup if you have funds to spare and that’s where the tablet comes in. I do not have the AviTab plugin, so I cannot elaborate too much on it, but I think it’s a welcome feature to this pack. Tablets are what most modern pilots use to fly with nowadays, using apps like Foreflight or SkyDemon. 
 


 
One oddity is the location of the (battery) master switch! It’s under the left-hand seat and is a plastic key that with a quarter turn switches on power to the battery (12V DC). Then there’s another master switch on the panel, with a regular key, which also acts as a starter switch. The ignition switches are two separate toggles on the panel, rather than included in the master/starter switch. You may see them mentioned as mag switches (magnetos), but the Rotax 912 uses two electrical ignition boxes (of Ducati make) instead of antique magnetos. 
 

 
This brings me to another thing that is a little off or confusing depending on how old the aircraft/engine is. If you click on the checklist at the top of the panel, it will come up for you to read. When looking, you’ll see that it mentions Coolant Temperature but if you look at your engine instrumentation you will only find a Tecnam brand CHT gauge (Cylinder Head Temperature). However, the Rotax 912 has air-cooled cylinder bases and liquid-cooled heads. Older Rotax 912s had the temperature probe on the bottom of the #2 or #3 cylinder and picked up Cylinder Head Temperature, whereas more modern cylinders have the probe on top of the cylinders, dipping into the coolant. So Rotax, in 2015, published Mandatory Service Bulletins (SB-912-066 & SB-912-068). This requires owners or operators to change the temperature limit numbers in the documentation and get rid of the potentially confusing usage of both terms “CHT and CT”. With a newer engine (or cylinders) you just go with Coolant Temperature. Along with that, a CT gauge gets installed instead of the CHT gauge (in consultation with the aircraft manufacturer). I also notice that the engine instruments stay live even with the master is off, so this is a slight bug at the time of writing.
 

 
Another cool feature of this VSKYLABS model is the clickable airspeed indicator as this can change units between a joint MPH/Kts (BK-3) or KPH (BK-240) backplate. Rotax-powered aircraft can have different RPM gauges and since the Rotax 912 is a geared engine, the engine RPM and Prop RPM differ (this rendition in X-Plane has the engine RPM indication).  The gearing is included in the engine to maintain enough torque on the prop while the engine itself has rather tiny pistons (compared to a Lycoming O-320 for example). 
 

 
As mentioned in Huss’ aircraft manual, the choke doesn’t work quite the way the real one works. You see, Rotax engines don’t have a mixture control. In a legacy engine, you would use a full-rich mixture to start the engine, after which you can lean pretty aggressively. Rotax requires you to add more fuel to the mix upon starting and has Bing carburettors with membranes to maintain a proper mixture after that. So, it’s not even a real choke (which chokes the air to enrich the mixture), it just injects a little more fuel. To start a cold Rotax, you use full choke and close the throttle. After it fires up, remove the choke and increase the throttle to a minimum smooth RPM (1900-2100ish). A recurring mistake is that pilots want to add a little throttle while using the choke. Of course, it won’t start that way, you’re just draining the battery. I noticed some other small details where it differs from the real deal: if you leave the choke on, RPM will not drop below 2400 engine RPM.
 
For reference, I have had plenty of students and renters come back complaining that the engine idles too high, and this nearly always means that they have forgotten to take the choke out after starting. If you try and add choke quickly while it’s already running, the engine starts to shake and tells you it is not happy with what you’ve just done. Also, adding carb heat should induce a very slight RPM drop, not as much as a legacy carbureted O-320, but just slightly. But hey, for a sim this will do just fine. The flap(eron)s are actuated manually and the handle is located on the ceiling. It comes with three positions: up, 10 degrees and 20 degrees. Manual flaps are great for this type of STOL aircraft as you can use them to push it off the runway by using ground effect for minimum take-off roll. If you search YouTube, you’ll see this used in STOL competitions.
 

 
Being a modern light aircraft, it comes with a BRS (ballistic rescue system) recovery chute, and you’ll be pleased to know, it works in XP! Make sure you pull the locking pin before you fly (as per the checklist). The sound of the BRS activating in the sim is slightly underwhelming as I’ve experienced a real deployment up close, and boy does it grab your attention with that rocket being fired! But then again, I’m amazed this model even comes with a working chute. Apart from the autopilot, which is displayed by clicking the compass, the VSKYLABS A22 doesn’t come with many other features. It’s a very basic aircraft, but what I can say is that what’s included is done to a very high standard.  Another attribute of the A22 is that its visibility is very good, being a high-wing aircraft. I very much appreciate being able to look down and forward, so I can still sort of see where I’m going while on final approach.  
 


 
Handling 
Now on to the real fun! Before I begin though, I have to say that I have noticed the model tends to fall on its tail when parked slightly nose-high, which can be an issue in the backcountry. However, I have a feeling this may be the same for its real-life counterpart, as some are very light on the nose. When treating the brake system like the real thing, I felt it sometimes lacked some nose wheel steering authority (I added some toe-brakes to help it turn). Nose wheel steering is effective enough to make relatively tight turns with no help from brakes needed, though for sim use I don’t feel this is a large issue. 
 

 
During takeoff, it’s highly apparent that the elevator has plenty of authority. I say this because it’s easy to over-pitch, leading you to potential tail dragging, which risks damaging the stabilizers and adding drag on your roll. Be very gentle when applying back pressure and once you have a feeling for it, it’s easy to do a soft field departure with the nose wheel just slightly off the ground. The A22 will fly off rather quickly after a very short run as it’s very light, and with a ~100 horse Rotax 912ULS, you have plenty of power for a decent climb. 
 
At low speeds, the aircraft feels mushy, and it really does depend on those huge control surfaces to make its way around turns, but they do work, which is incredible, especially when you realize just how slow the air is moving over them. During the cruise phase, the controls are very light and direct, with plenty of airflow over them. Stalls are relatively docile. You can make the plane descend in a stall by keeping the yoke pulled and then power right out of it. Letting the nose drop also ends the situation. It can however snap on you, dropping a wing if you wrestle it just too much. 
 
 


 
On landing, it depends on the weather, location and other variables as to what technique you want to use. You can drag it in with some power to do spot landings without obstacles, or you can drop it in from high and use all the drag you can get from the flaperons and maybe even some forward slip. Again, the roll control feels sort of mushy, so you need large deflections sometimes, but this means it’s easier to make small corrections. During my testing, I can’t say I’ve got the landings nailed quite yet but it sure is fun getting to know the character of this low-and-slow fun machine. 
 
Sounds 
The sound pack is OK as it sounds like a Rotax 912. The starter sound is there, and you can hear the gearbox slapping on shutdown, which always hurts my “mechanic feelings” a bit. In real life, I close the throttle and while spooling down, I cut the ignition. Tough to nail, but oh it’s so nice not to hear the gears rattle, so yeah, it does sound and feel like it should! The sound does change when you open or close the doors, which makes for a nice and loud experience when flying with the doors open. There are sounds for the buttons and switches, but it appears to be rather generic. Overall, the sound is fine for what it is and does a good job of mimicking the Rotax engine experience. I suspect the price of the pack would go up if a high-detail FMOD soundset was included (I’ve seen the process of how SimAcoustics records those, quite professional and has lots of expensive-looking microphones). Those are nice but aren’t a must-have. 

Conclusion 
Well after my testing, I must conclude that this is a highly enjoyable model from VSKYLABS, especially for the price and what Huss is trying to do with his VSKYLABS range. I say this because Huss uses the default X-Plane flight modelling instead of resorting to all sorts of plugins and ‘dirty’ tricks often employed by others. This means there are some compromises made when it comes to specific systems and handling. In saying that though, the A22 is right there in the ballpark, where it should be. The documentation is very clear and transparent about it, which is a trademark of VSKYLABS. 
 


 
To sum up, the A22 looks great, includes some good quality liveries, sounds realistic enough and is interesting and enjoyable to fly. Sure, if you want to go somewhere in a rush, it might disappoint, but if like me you enjoy the magical world of low-and-slow flight, then the Aeroprakt A22-LS makes for the perfect companion.
 
_______________________________
 

 
The VSKYLABS- Aeroprakt A22-LS Project for X-Plane 12 is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
VSKYLABS- Aeroprakt A22-LS Project
Priced at US$27.50
 
Project's Main Features:
VSKYLABS 'Test-Pilot' Project: designed for use with X-Plane's cutting edge Experimental flight model environment, featuring superb flight dynamics with authentic performance and flight handling characteristics. Built for VR: development was tailored specifically for VR, and optimized for 2D usage. Engineered and designed as a default X-Plane aircraft (Like all VSKYLABS projects). 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: The VSL A22-LS is featuring the standard, basic analog cockpit suitable for VFR + night flying. The simple and clear analog gauges layout is perfect for beginner pilots. It is also featuring an optional experimental LSA-grade autopilot. Built-in Avitab Plugin Compatibility (AviTab plugin is not included). STMA Auto Updater plugin is included - 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 and professional support: VSKYLABS is offering continuous professional support from aircraft related aspects (operating and flying) to X-Plane technical support. The project is under constant maintenance and development.  
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended 
Current version: 
XP12 - September 5th 2022
1.0 (April 29th 2021, XP11)
 
Review by LPNils
17th Nov 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Ryzen 7 3800X - 32GB RAM - Gigabyte RTX 2070 2X 8G - Windows 10 64Bit
 
(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 : Cessna Citation 560XL by AirSim3d
 
Within any family there are the odd branches, certainly in the families of very successful aviation aircraft and in this case it is the Cessna Citation family. The Citation is a very large and diverse line of successful business jets, but within that long line, there is always a compromise aircraft to fit into a certain aircraft market segment.
 
The problem is with a successful family is that the next aircraft in the series has to be better, faster, bigger and have a longer range. But that also puts the aircraft out of reach to a certain lower segment of purchasers, so you have to diverse the order to create a product for that particular segment.
 
So rather than being a direct variant of another Citation airframe, the Excel series was created to be a combination of new technologies and designs.
 
To produce the Excel, Cessna took the X's wide, stand-up cabin fuselage, shortened it by about 2 feet (0.61 m) and mated it with an unswept wing utilizing a supercritical airfoil (based on the Citation V Ultra's wing) and used the tail from the Citation V. The Excel has the roomiest cabin in its class of light corporate jets and can seat up to 10 passengers (in high-density configuration; typically the number is six to eight in a corporate configuration), while being flown by a crew of two. The Excel has a 2,100 nmi-range (3,900 km), 20,200 lb (9,200 kg) MTOW, and the jet is powered by two 3,650–4,080 lbf (16.2–18.1 kN) PW545B turbofans, and the XL variant first flew in 1998.
 
If you go back a decade, there was virtually no Business Jets in the X-Plane Simulator. DDEN's Challenger 300 changed all that, and lately there has been a flurry of Private/Business Jets now of all sizes, except the really big transcontinental machines, the Aerobask Dassault Aviation's Falcon 8X is still in development, but the Gulfstream 550 was released last month.
 
For Citations there are a load of them. There is the Citation CJ4 Proline21 by Netavio, Carenado Cessna Citation ll S550 and the Citation X coming as a default aircraft in X-Plane 12. But no Excel Citations.
 
This AirSim3d Cessna Citation 560XL is currently only being released in X-Plane 11, X-Plane 12 compatibility will come after X-Plane 12 goes final.
 
AirSim3d are a new developer to the X-Plane Simulator and a very welcome one. As we will see this is a very impressive debut aircraft, but still a new debut aircraft from a first time developer. So you have to, and as I have done in the review is don't expect the absolute extreme of say Aerobask quality. But as noted for a first release it is extremely impressive and I have also been very impressed with Mark Eduljee's (developer) responses and quick fixes, which is all you need for a good developer.
 

 
This is a nicely sized Business Jet. Not too small or short, or too large to be cumbersome, I really like the look and feel of the machine.
 

 
The Citation distinctive wing has a slight dihedral, while the tailplane had a steeper dihedral. Flight control surfaces were conventional: ailerons, one-piece flaps, elevators, rudder, and trim tabs. All the flight control surfaces were manually actuated, except for electrically-driven flaps, and an electrically-driven elevator trim tab. There was also a hydraulically-operated grid speed brake on top of each wing.
 
Detail is very good, your not going to get exceptional at this level, but the modeling and the detail is quite impressive here. You see and feel the construction of the C-560XL. Panels access panels and the highlighted (Dot3 bump mapping) riveting is well done, There are a few drawn lines, but nothing to worry about, the excellent tail and rudder assembly is the highlight. All VHF and UHF antennas are present and correctly done.
 

 
The Excel has two PW500 turbofans, this version is the PW545B, which has an additional LP turbine stage to drive a larger diameter fan. So the maw engine inlet on the engine pod is quite large. There are also two large can thrust-reversers on the exhaust outlet. Overall the engine pods are very well done with the chrome inlet a very nice piece of work, note the small but detailed inlet fire sensor.
 

 
Glass is very nice and a smoky grey in colour, and has nice reflections and opacity. The original glass in the early beta's had a red tint, a reflection of the internal wood, but it didn't work in my eyes, good idea, but in theory and practise this grey is far better and realistic.
 

 
Citation wings have two stage grid airbrakes, and they look sensational here in operation.
 

 
Cord and wing detail is good, but not absolutely top notch, the fine fillers of experience will eventually create these areas better, but it's still great work if not brilliant for a first project. Chrome leading edge are very nicely done, as are the wing details, with nice wear and well done wing vortex generators.
 

 
Rear undercarriage is a trailing-link single wheel gear setup. The detail here is excellent, with a lot of complex detail and modeling, all links, arms and struts are really well done, but I am not sure of the brightly coloured hydraulic clips on the piping, there are quite bright, fine for a factory new aircraft, but for a working one? But you won't complain about the quality of detail here.
 

 
Single nose-wheel is really well done as well, simple and with a nice chrome hydraulic strut.
 

 
External Elements
There are no menus with the C-560XL. To open or operate items you use the small arrows as selectors, most have a double click action.
 
On the C-560XL there are external elements you can access and use. There are there doors lower rear left that is the Electrical panel and the Aft Baggage hold. As noted to use these arrows they can sometimes have a double operation, one to open, then one to do the operation. Here you can open the baggage hold door then secondly load or unload the internal baggage onto a waiting trolley.
 

 
One arrow on the door opens it, then another arrow on the trolley loads (well fly through the air) the bags to stack on the trolley, use the up arrow on the trolley to reload the bags. Note the baggage door does not open cleanly, as the real door is also fiddly to open and close. In the electrical bay you can disconnect or connect up the battery power.
 

 
GPU
There is a small hatch rear of the baggage compartment, that is the GPU or Ground Power Unit connector. Again you select (arrow) once to open the hatch, then again to attach the power cable which makes the GPU unit appear which is very highly and nicely detailed. There is a small lid on the side to access the power unit control panel, to start and it also has a great "Emergency STOP" button that actually works.
 
 
 
There are also wheel chocks and safety cones as static elements, engine inlet and outlet covers and "remove" pitot covers for detail. These elements are shown in steps of when the aircraft is powered down or cold with the power totally switched off. A detail I really like, but the engines covers are always on when with no engine power, but the aircraft still powered up, which is a bit odd.
 

 
Internal
Again to open or operate items you use the small arrows as selectors, like on the main door, called the "Aerostar" door. It is a bit tricky to use. You have to press the button to pop-out the handle, then use the arrows to open or lock the door, same in reverse.
 

 
The cabin is "Lux", 7 seats and all executive. In an off cream club style seating, expensive wood paneling and thick pile carpets.
 

 
The four club seats can be reclined via the lever on the arm rest...
 

 
....   and the window blinds can be raised and lowered by the lever at the base.
 

 
There is a rear washroom. You access the washroom, by opening the doors twice, once ¾ opening, then full, via the front handle and then the side knob. Bathroom is very classy, with a custom sink unit, and a toilet on the other side. Washroom blinds work as is the same in the cabin.
 

 
Forward, there is a nice buffet/small galley left and a wardrobe right.
 

 
Overall it is a very nice fitted out and usable cabin, however the glass tinting in areas would be better toned down a little.
 
Cockpit
First look and the cockpit doesn't feel as plush as the cabin. First thing to note is that this C-560XL is of the mid-90s era and the cockpit is configured and styled that way, but it feels slightly older in age and style.
 

 
I'm not sure of the seats, one word certainly comes to mind is "uncomfortable", but I think the developer is having a rethink on the design. They are thin and narrow in this tight cockpit in the C-560XL, but I don't think so square in shape. They do however move forwards and backwards with moving armrests.
 

 
Twin yokes are super lovely. They have a nice central metal casting with the "Excel" logo in the middle, and nicely worn arms. You hide them by pressing the area behind on the panel (arrowed). Electric Trim works on the yoke (arrows).
 

 
Instrument Panel
The Excel (original) uses the Honeywell Primus 1000 three-screen EFIS avionics package of two CRT Primary Flight Displays, one for each pilot, and an offset lower MultiFunction (MFD) display.
 

 
I will be extremely honest with you. When I first saw this panel layout I really wasn't that taken to it. But after using it and being in front of the panel now for quite awhile, I now think it is extremely well done. It has a different feel and look certainly, and it also gives you the feeling it is a different and an authentic aircraft than the usual Business Jet, so once adjusted I really, really like it in here.
 
The system uses a IC-615 Integrated Avionics Computer (IAC) that includes the Flight Guidance System (FGS) and the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) other systems include the AZ-950 Air Data System (ADS), Primus 880 Weather Radar, Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) and the Primus II Radio System, but the Laminar G1000 has been customised to do the GPS/Flightplan role.
 

 
PFD - Primary Flight Display. The Primus 1000 PFD is split with the Artificial Horizon top and the Horizontal Situation Indicator lower. Artificial Horizon, Speed and Altitude tapes, bank roll scale and roll pointer, Vertical Speed markers, Pitch markers, ILS bars and AOA (Angle of Attack) guide. Lower display is the COM1/COM2, ATC1, RAT ºC and UTC (Time). And there two styles of wings on  the HSI. It is a complicated layout and study is required before flight to work out every separate knob or switch function, but many functions are doubled up. All three in; PFD (left) - MFD and GNS G1000 all pop-out for use.
 

 
You can change the panel configuration from AUGM (modern AP) to REAL, or the original panel layout, which is the pilot right mid-console panel moved to the main Instrument Panel.
 

 
The Engine management uses the AMLCD or "Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal Display in two units.
 


Each engine is equipped with the following instruments displayed on the center instrument panel; Fan RPM (N1), Inter-Turbine Temperature (ITT), Turbine RPM (N2), Oil Pressure, Oil Temperature and Fuel Flow. Also shown in addition to the engine instruments are; Ram Air Temperature (RAT), Fuel Temperature and Fuel Quantity.
 
MFD - Has four heading options, and Terrain Radar (Dr Gluck's Terrain Radar plugin required).
 

 
Glareshield, there is a very large annunciator panel, also known in some aircraft as the Centralized Warning Panel (CWP) or Caution Advisory Panel (CAP). It has three warning states "Red" Warning, "Yellow" Caution and "White" Advisory/Indication. Thrust reverser states and over-ride are positioned on each end.
 

 
Testing the CWP can be done via the switched at the rear of the Throttle pedestal, in fact all system lighting and signs can be checked from this system. It is a very comprehensive CWP.
 

 
Large centre shelf console covers; Anti-Ice, Pressurization, and External lights switchgear, bottom right is a large "Temperature Panel" for the Cockpit and Cabin.
 

 
Throttle Pedestal is excellent. There are twin-throttles wit built-in reverser levers, and lower fuel cut-off levers for each engine. Pitich Trim wheel left and Flap lever right (0º-7º-15º-35º). Engine Sync selector works. Lower panel has the System Test selector, Landing Lights and Pulse Light (Beacon)
 

 
Side cockpit panels have the circuit breakers (fuses), but they don't work? Map Lights and on the Pilot's side, an AUX PANEL LIGHT. On the right panel is the same (no AUX light), but added is the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) panel which is very well done.
 

 
Lower pedestal is a selection panel for each pilot selections, mostly the same as on the panel itself, but more finger handy. Notable is the PITCH Trim (Electric) and TURN (This is an important knob which we will cover later). Then at the rear the large Rudder Trim knob.
 

 
Flying the C560XL
Engine startup is very authentic. The onboard APU provides power and bleed, start then wait until it is running at at 100%. It will tell you it's status. Fuel Cutoff's are under the throttles, but they can be tricky to switch with the small up/down arrows. Main start panel is over far left instrument panel, with the required "Fuel Boost" pumps ON, Ignition (always on) and engine starter buttons centre.
 

 
Like most Citations there is "Full Authority Digital Engine Controller" or FADEC to start the PW500 turbofans. Startup sounds are excellent with a nice whine, and the engine sounds in the cockpit settle down to an excellent background hum.
 
One thing I really liked is that you can set an N1 Thrust limit target on the AMLCD, by using the knob at the end of the panel.
 

 
I use the word a lot, but it's important here, "Feel". This is an aircraft you have to feel and become one with. First it is a good idea to cover the systems and layouts before flying. As a lot of the switchgear actions are doubled up, so using the sets you are most comfortable with is important, and I found I liked adjustment panel directly left of the HSI the best. There are areas that you feel (that word again), still need a little fine tuning, certainly in the areas of power and braking, they are good now, but over time will become more or less urgent to make the machine even more supple and realistic. Keep the speed low to taxi, the 560XL has a very nice wide wheel spread, so she rides very nice and steady on the ground.
 

 
Centred ready to fly, and you have to set the T/O Trim (wheel), but more importantly set the "TURN" trim on the rear console, if not centred the AP (Autopilot) will not activate in flight.
 

 
You have to be super careful with the throttles, the PW545B creates a power of 4100 pounds of thrust at takeoff. So the Excel will literally takeoff from rest (hence the N1 Thrust target) and the careful power inputs required (weight dependent here at 8100 kg). Flap here is set at 5º for takeoff.
 

 
I was shocked at the serious power for the first few times until I reined myself in and controlled it better. Rotate is around 200 knts, then once off the ground you can climb almost straight up, this Citation JUST GOES, up and up. It will (officially climb at 3,500 ft/min (17.78 m/s) and practically right off the rate of climb chart.
 

 
When in the air you just really like this jet, yes again there are a few rough edges, but the core is excellent, great performance, great handling, great feel. And you very quickly tune into the machine. And a very nice looking machine in the air this is.
 

 
Performance of the Excel is an empty weight of 12,800 lb (5,806 kg) and a Max takeoff weight of 20,200 lb (9,163 kg). Cruise speed is 441 kn (507 mph, 816 km/h) true airspeed, at 45,000 ft (13,716 m), with a range of  1,858 nmi (2,138 mi, 3,441 km).
 
Lighting
Lighting is excellent, but could still be noted as a work in progress. Externally you have two landing lights under the belly of the XL, taxi lights in the wings and navigation lights in the wingtips and tail. There is tail lighting and a red beacon top... A note on the landing lights is that you can make them "Pulse" from one to the other...
 

 
At a certain setting, the cockpit feels very military or even fighter jet in feel, and yes I really love it. There is adjustment for panel dropdown lighting, left, right and centre lighting,
 


 
You can get an almost all black instrument panel, but with a background feel... an oddity is the panel light switch (lower bottom left panel) is the opposite way around in highlighting the instruments, OFF for on, and ON for off?
 
 
 

 
....   there are side panel lighting, and also two overhead spotlights that can be positioned (animated).
 

 
The same animated spotlights are also above every seat in the rear cabin, again a very nice place to be at night, with some lovely subtle lights. But overall you still feel it all needs a bit of fine tuning, like the EXIT lights are too bright, and spots not showing their sources enough.
 

 
But overall the Citation is a very nice place to be in the dark.
 
Currently you still have the the Laminar default G1000 unit in the aircraft, but it is customised to a point, and it works and even looks good (yes it pops out). The dreaded red line is still used on the MFD, but I expect that to be upgraded in X-Plane12, as these areas have all been redone with better scale, notes say that a custom Flight Management System will come later with the aircraft, but not in this version.
 
Notable is the excellent (easy to use) AP (Autopilot system), you can adjust from the panel or from the lower rear console and it feels very authentic to use.
 

 
You don't get a full clear or blank Centralized Warning Panel, mostly Yellow caution lights are always flashing away, and that aspect can be a bit distracting in flight, but again it is very good.
 
The style and feel of the instrument panel is highly debatable. I will be honest, I particularly didn't like it at first as noted earlier? But having flown the Excel a lot over the past month, I now really love it, even miss it a lot when flying other aircraft as it is quite authentic to the real 560XL design.
 


 
You also have the choice of "Wings" in the HSI, bent or straight, personally I found the straight version easier to see and use, and selection is via the HSI side panel.
 
Sounds overall are very good, push the throttles and there is a nice roar from the PW545B engines which I really like, they are from samples of recordings from the real Citation jet at Boeing Field. Internally all Warnings, Call outs, Clicks, Beeps, airflow, in/out, sound modulation are all included, and this is a very clickable (noisy) cockpit if you like noisy switchgear. APU sounds externally and internally are all very realistic.
 
In the air internally the 560XL is a quiet aircraft, those engines are way back from your ears, but there is still a lot of the required feedback with any engine throttle adjustments, so sounds are a highlight of the aircraft.
 


 
The aircraft is slippery, so you need those airbrakes to control your descent, they look great operational from the cabin windows as well.
 

 
That straight clean Citation wing with the wide track wheels is a very stable platform when configured for landing. You feel totally under control and have a very nice balance on the final approach, as long as you have prepared the trims correctly for the landing phase.
 
Approach speeds are quite low (Full 35º Flap) at around 130 knts, but thankfully very stable at that speed.
 

 
Slowly you reduce your speed to around 120 knts to reduce your height...
 


 
With a touchdown (nice slight nose up flare) of about 105 knts, which is pretty slow for a jet, notable to be very level on landing, if not the wide track will bounce you from the the left or right wheel...   I do recommend (pedal) toe-brakes with this 560XL, keeping the aircraft straight is tricky without them, yes it can be done, but the dancing footwork is far easier for ultimate control, then for the final braking.
 

 
Opening and closing the clam reversers is a double action, press once to arm, then again to activate, the stopping reverse thrust is effective, even impressive.
 

 
Liveries
There are nine liveries, N456AX (is default) and the rest have very decorative names, in order; Brazilian Carnival, Indian Summer, Italian Classic, NZ Fern, Spanish Treasure, Swiss Snowstorm, UK Red Ribbon and US "Singing the Blues". Paintkit is also available.
 

____________________
 
 
Summary
The Cessna Citation 560XL (Excel) is an off-shoot from the main Cessna Citation family to fit a certain niche in the market. It uses several combination of new technologies and designs and the sections of other Citations, but the Excel creates a more bigger cabin, bigger engines, but it is a smaller aircraft overall with a lower range to create a lower market price or entry level aircraft to the family.
 
AirSim3d are a new developer to the X-Plane Simulator and a very welcome one. As we have see this is a very impressive debut aircraft, but still a new debut aircraft from a first time developer. So you have to, and as I have done in the review is to don't expect the absolute extreme of say ultra Aerobask quality. But as noted it is still very impressive. The Excel 560 is being only released currently for X-Plane 11, the X-Plane 12 version is currently in development and will follow when X-Plane 12 goes final.
 
The word to say here is "Quirky". Not quirky in a odd or even a bad way, but different quirky if you have flown or have known other Citation aircraft. The C560XL is different, feels different and you use it differently.
 
So the first impressions here are quite construing to your senses as it feels and looks to a different era. But use the Excel and fly it, then you begin to really enjoy it, savour it and in the end you will find it a very nice aircraft to use frequently, in fact you will want to fly it consistently as it is deep down a very good aircraft.
 
Modeling is very good, as is the detail, but that word quirky will come up with the way you interact with the aircraft (arrow/pointers) and no menus. But you will soon click into the way the system works. That ultra shine is not however there, but everything else is including a nicely fitted out cabin with seat and window animation and nice lighting. Other features include Cones, Chocks, engine covers, Pitot covers, working GPU, battery hatch and a Baggage compartment that can load or unload bags at a click of an arrow.
 
Business Jets have become a very popular of the last few years. Mostly because they perfectly fit that segment between General aviation flying and the larger Commerical jet aircraft. They are a pleasure machine with great performance and speed, so this AirSim3d fits that context perfectly. Also in the same context is the design and feel of the original Excel style aircraft. Once bitten you will love it, the 560XL certainly grows on more with every flight. It's not totally absolutely perfect, but for a first incarnation of an orginal design it is very good....     Recommended.
____________________
 

 
Yes! the Cessna Citation 560XL by AirSim3d is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
Cessna Citation 560XL
Price is US$59.95
 
Features: AirSim3D C-560 XL: Real-Jet authenticity
Real jet visits at Boeing airfield were extensively used to inform build and design decisions 100’s of pages of real POH manuals, specs, drawings, pics used Real pilot tested and extensively beta tested Result: real-world systems, lighting, functions, modeling and procedures authenticity  Rich FMOD sounds
Sample recordings from the real jet at Boeing Field Result: Custom Engine, APU, GPU, Warnings, Call outs, Clicks, Beeps, airflow, in/out, sound modulation...all included Example: AP disconnect – that's the actual sound real pilots hear! But not overdone: The real jet is quiet at cruise;  AirSim3D’s C-560XL follows that model  Summary:
Win, Mac, Linux tested VR ready PBR materials and Occlusion shading everywhere Hi-fidelity cockpit and instrument objects Bump-texturing and grunge elevated to an art form Finely detailed 3D objects that match real world dimensions Sharp, authentic labeling and correctly placed across the whole aircraft Animations and their timing match the real jet to 99% 99% of instrument follows real-jet/POH/specs and requirements Over 90 total system warnings failures, and lights Exclusive THXp Lighting: 300+ tuned and directed lights make night flying spectacular! Exclusive Real and Augmented AP/AT instrument layout on demand FPS is comparable to similar popular jets and LR default aircraft Airfoil and Weight/CG modeling AirSim3D’s Specialty Glass; Reflections are subtle and don’t distract Real-jet conforming flight characteristics, Engine performance Exact Main Door operation (in or out) with custom step lighting Superior Gear, Flight surfaces, Engine blur modeling, animation, and texturing All Lights use light beams (not flat LIT 2D textures from paint programs) In/Out Emergency Lighting with custom over-wing “shark lights” Fully functional Lighting, Electrical, Start, Pressure, Radio, AP panels Functioning APU & GPU; start-up/refuel/charging procedures and sounds Authentic cold and dark startup/shut down Controls lock and Emergency brakes, Gear blow down functions Fully animated Cockpit, Cabin, Lav; Wizard-inspired baggage load/unload Grunge wear and tear everywhere -- elevated to an art form External attachments (chocks, cones, covers etc.) 8 custom, country-specific marked liveries + paint kit Pilot Operations Handbook online – always up to date Instrument Summary
Authentic, fully functioning Annunciator panel
* 90 + custom and lighted faults
* 42 annunciators track L and R faults/sys status independently
* Complete MC/MW integration Custom Auto Pilot fully integrated with the custom PFD, MFD, and G1000
* 9 functions: YD, HDG, NAV, APR, BC, VNAV, ALT, VS, FLC
* On demand Realistic and Augmented AP panel layout modes
* VVI, Bank angle, Low limiter
* Custom Auto Throttle in Augmented panel mode
* FMOD callouts Custom Collins-inspired PFD (pop up)
* Custom AP status annunciator integration
* Mach, ASI, VVI, HDG, CRS, WIND, TAS, GSPD, FPV, BARO. IMO markers
* Authentic SPEED, ALT tapes (to -1500 AGL – now fly to the Dead sea airports with AP!)
* Custom APR/DPT ASI flags
* PFD 1, 2 source
* Cat II ILS tested HSI
* Custom art Artificial Horizon
* Wind direction/speed
* Ground speed
* Kts/Mach selector
* VOR 1, 2, GPS, ADF tracking
* Speed and VVI prediction
* 2 “wings” displays
* 2 Flight Director modes
* Custom artwork for real 3D look and feel
* Custom AP and Speed tapes function to -1500 AGL
* Automatic reference speeds displays for Gear, Flaps, Speed Custom MFD (pop up)
* Weather and Terrain radar
* Range selector (1-360 miles)
* Standard HSI: Rose/Arc with ARPT, WPT, VOR, NDB, TCAS
  6 MFD sub modes
      * APP, VOR, MAP, NAV, PLN
* TCAS Alert call outs integrated with Pulse Landing lights
* 14 Authentic all-flight phase checklists
       * 23 checklist sub modes Authentic Electrical system
* Outside Battery disconnect (animated, functioning, lighted outside Panel)
* Normal and Emergency battery instrument profiles
* Amp/Volt gauges, source select, battery charge/discharge profiles
* Gens/APU/GPU charging integration
* Battery Over Temp
* Interior and Master Battery disconnect with full systems/lights/avionics integration
* Authentic Cockpit, Entry, and Cabin lighting Authentic and fully functional Lights panel
* Day/night Switch
* Dim-able EL lighting
* Dim-able Flood, Map, Panel lighting
* Independent L, C, R instrument stack dimming
* Over 300 individually placed and tuned (real) lights (not images) Radios / DME / Clocks
* 2 Custom Primus II RMU: Active + Stby: NAV 1, 2; COM 1, 2; ADF;  XPNDR (with Mode C)
* 2 Custom DME: Station ID, Distance-To, Time-To, Closure Speed, Mi/KM
* 2 Custom Pilot/CP Clocks: (GMT, Local, reset Stopwatch, Auto-Flight Time recorder)   Requirements
X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Current Version: 1.0 (November 18th 2022)  
Installation and documents:  download for the Cessna Citation 560XL is 355 Mb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
 
Full Installation is 732 Mb (Includes noted liveries)
 
Documents supplied are:
On-Line details only currently available; Summary - AirSim3d
 
Designed by AirSim3D
Support forum for the C-560 XL
_____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
18th November 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 11 - X-Plane 11.55
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : AviTab Plugin - Free
Scenery or Aircraft
- LOWS- Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart v2 by Digital Design (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$19.50
- LFMN - Nice Cote d'Azur v2 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$18.50
 
(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: VSKYLABS F-19 Stealth Fighter for X-Plane 12
 
By Alan Ashforth

This is a review of the new VSKYLABS F-19, which along with X-Plane 12, is rapidly receiving updates. As such, this article will offer a snapshot of the F-19 in its current state (version 1.5 at the time of writing), and X-Plane 12 Beta 9, as of 29th October 2022.
 
Introduction
The actual F-19 story can be traced back to the 1980s when numerous news articles began circulating about a supposedly secret stealth aircraft called the “F-19”. At the time, the USAF had taken delivery of the F-117 Stealth Fighter, and when one of these highly secretive aircraft crashed in California in 1986, it only helped stir the media interest. To this date, the F-19 has never been officially acknowledged, but this fact has done nothing to deter the public’s interest. In fact, quite the opposite has happened, as the F-19 has been referenced numerous times over the years, most notably in the highly popular computer game, “F-19 Stealth Fighter” by Microprose, released in 1989. The F-19 model represented here by VSKYLABS, continues this trend of “what might be”, as much of what this model is based on is pure speculation.  However, that is where a lot of the excitement comes into play…so let’s have a look at some of the F-19’s statistics.  
 
Performance figures provided by VSKYLABS are of an aircraft that can reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.2, an altitude of 53,000ft and a range of 1,400 miles. Not too shabby in the slightest!  The aircraft carries internal missiles which include two AIM-9X air-to-air (AA), and AGM-158A air-to-ground cruise missiles.
 

 
Download & Installation
Once purchased and downloaded from the store, the VSKYLABS F-19 (unzipped) weighs in at 341MB. Contained within the folder, you will find a concise 14-page manual, which according to the developer, will be updated into a comprehensive manual. There is also an install guide complete with a warning that the model just purchased is an “Early Access Aircraft”, due in part to X-Plane 12’s rapid beta progression.   
 
Exterior
There’s no denying it, VSKYLAB’s F-19 is a remarkable-looking fighter aircraft, with obvious stealth attributes on offer. From its pointed nose, angled front cockpit, concealed engines (from frontal radar returns) four-engine cooling ducts on the fuselage top (to reduce heat signature), rounded wings and inward tilted twin ruder/ vertical stabilizers (complete with built-in speed brakes), this is a design modelled entirely to go unnoticed by enemy radar.  
 

 
Other notable features of the aircraft include the in-flight refuelling (IFR) cover on the top centre of the fuselage (not yet implemented in X-Plane 12), tailhook, brake chute and the fully internal missile weapons bay.
 

 
Interior
VSKYLABS has modelled the interior of the F-19 to be quite snug, but in a way that fully embraces a design from the 1980s. It is equipped with mostly steam gauges, plus a few additions from the nineties, those being a Garmin G530 and a few EFIS units. 
 

 
 
Looking around, it is clear to see that the developer has put a lot of time and effort into making the interior as authentic as possible. Everything is modelled to an extremely high standard, including a nicely detailed seat and canopy surround, a nice feature of which, are the numerous marks and scratches on the glass. A feature I especially enjoyed (which is due in part to how X-Plane 12 works), was the wonderful rain effects on the cockpit glass, incredibly atmospheric and great fun to boot! Due to the layout of the F-19’s cockpit, learning where everything is located, is relatively simple. Yes, it takes a bit of time, but that’s half the charm of flying an aircraft such as this type. However, once done, everything falls into place and the experience is highly enjoyable. 
 



Flying & Operation
When starting the F-19 from cold and dark, the battery is only used to test the fire warning and annunciators. Set your L/R engine shutoffs to the SET (UP position) and then turn on the APU switch; a green light will appear within 30 seconds. Hold down the right engine starter until 30% is achieved and the engine should then self-idle up to 65% RPM. To start the left engine, you simply follow the same procedure. If you happen to have AviTab installed, you can read the Normal Procedures list for engine startup.    
 



With our GPS, radios and other equipment checked, we can now progress to the takeoff phase. 

The advice given by VSKYLABS in the manual, recommends rotating at 130kts, with takeoff being achieved at between 150-170kts, depending on aircraft weight. At full throttle, afterburners (AB) will be activated, so if flying below 250kts, these can be switched off. For CAT launches, the procedure is almost the same, but with slightly more emphasis on having your afterburners ready, and don’t forget the launch bar switch on the lower front left panel. 

One of the first things you’ll notice about the F-19 when in the air, is just how stable an aircraft it is. This is particularly evident in the FCS Dogfight mode, as you’ll be able to undertake some rather impressive manoeuvres without even a hint of complaint. Of course, if you want to add some additional challenge to your flying, you can always turn off the artificial stabilizers, which has the effect of making the aircraft a lot more sensitive. It’s fun, just be prepared for the odd…shock! The F-19, whilst not as fast as the likes of the non-stealthy F-15/16/18, climbs very well and achieves its desired altitude in almost no time at all.
 


All the weapons carried by the F-19 are stored internally in which to maintain the aircraft’s stealth properties. These include the two sidewinders stowed in the left and right fuselage bays and the larger air-to-ground missiles (AGM), located in the central fuselage compartment. 

Whilst X-Plane isn’t labelled as a combat flight simulator as such, it’s still possible to have a great deal of fun in it, especially with an aircraft like the VSKYLABS F-19. To operate the weapons, you first turn on the Master arm switch and then choose either AA or AG (your chosen selection will then be lit up). In this mode, all relevant weapon bays will be opened, and the radar will show any “enemy” aircraft in range.
 

 
For this example, I set up an AI MiG 27 as the enemy aircraft, and by using the keyboard command “Next Target”, I was able to select the MiG on the radar (turns red). As well as displaying the target, the radar also provides information regarding the speed and altitude of the enemy, in relation to your position. With the MiG locked and within around ten miles, I released a single sidewinder at the target. It looks like someone is going to have a long walk home! 
 


Unfortunately, when it comes to using the air-to-ground missiles in X-Plane 12, there is no means currently of being able to lock them onto either a ship or ground target. This doesn’t mean you can’t use them; you just can’t watch them hit anything. You can however observe a test flight of the AGM-158A during its launch phase, which to be honest, looks great, especially when the wings unfold, and the rocket motor kicks in!  As well as selecting the desired ordinance, there is also a button for both chaff and flare countermeasures, but sadly during my testing, I couldn’t get the chaffs to work (this will no doubt be fixed in later updates). 
 


When navigating, cruising, or using the autopilot in the VSKYLABS F-19, it is recommended to use the Tactical mode of the FCS. This provides a smoother ride with less angle of attack (AOA), thus making the aircraft safer to fly when at low altitudes. However, one thing to remember, is that the autopilot will switch off if your speed drops below 170kts, so be aware of this, especially during landings. 
When flying at night, the F-19 looks fantastic, as not only are you presented with an easy-to-read cockpit panel, but you are also provided with some exceptionally bright landing lights. When combined with the new NAV and APR autopilot settings, night flights and carrier landings are a lot more enjoyable and safer. 
 

 
Due to the F-19’s poor forward visibility, both takeoffs and landings can be quite challenging at times, so you’ll have to move around the cockpit to get an idea of where you’re situated in relation to the airport or carrier. If you’re still having difficulty, then I recommend controlling the aircraft from (dare I say it), the external view. Whilst this isn’t as realistic, it does help with the frustration.  
 

 
Navigating in the F-19 works well during all phases of flight, as you can use either the sat-nav/autopilot or VOR/heading modes to complete objectives. When you factor in the new ILS making runway landings easier, plus the option of having either air-to-air combat or missile tests, the whole experience is just incredibly fun. 
 


Sounds
No aircraft add-on is complete without a decent soundset, so you’ll be glad to know that the F-19 is well-catered for in this department. Not only are you provided with some truly incredible engine effects (FMOD), but this must be the first aircraft where I could hear myself breathing through the oxygen mask. There are also sounds for the closing and opening of the canopy, plus many other audio alerts, which when added all together, make for an audiophile’s dream. 
 

 
Conclusion
As many of you will know, I have a fondness for military aircraft and as such, the VSKYLABS F-19 ticks many boxes in this regard. It’s an aircraft which is exceptionally well-modelled both inside and out (even in this early access stage). When you consider that fact, I think it’s safe to say that the model reviewed here will only get better, which is high praise indeed. 

The flight characteristics are both forgiving and challenging at the same time, plus the sound is to die for (wait till you listen to those flypasts). VSKYLABS are renowned for their modelling skills and the F-19 is no exception to the rule. One must also mention the model’s cost, which for an aircraft of this type, I think is more than acceptable. So, if like me you enjoy fast military jets, modelled to an exceedingly high standard, then VSKYLABS F-19 should definitely be on your radar! 
_______________________________
 

 
The VSKYLABS F-19 Stealth Fighter for X-Plane 12 is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
VSKYLABS F-19 Stealth Fighter
Priced at US$34.95
 
Project's Main Features:
Project Highlights (Early Access Version): Early access version! A new aircraft for X-Plane v12.00 beta. Advanced concept aircraft simulation, including detailed, fully functional 3-d cockpit environment with realistic, working systems. Extensive, professional real-world experience and knowledge of jet-fighters design, systems, performance, handling and operation were involved in the making of the VSKYLABS F-19. Designed for X-Plane 12 cutting-edge flight model environment and presents superb flight dynamics with presumably authentic performance and flight handling characteristics for the hypothetical F-19 aircraft. Developed for VR: Development was tailored specifically 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. Comprehensive FMOD sounds for 'As Real As It Gets' experience! Perfect challenge for beginner and expert pilots: Provides a very wide flight envelope with comfortable control from ~140 knots to Mach 1.1. 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. The project is under constant maintenance and development.
Requirements
X-Plane 12 - Not compatible with X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac, or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended 
Current version: 1.0 (October 21st, 2022)
 
Review by Alan Ashforth
3rd Oct 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows 11, Intel i7 10,700 Processor, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD, GeForce RTX™ 2070
 
(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 X-Plane 12 : Diamond DA-62 by Aerobask
 
Released in March 2019, the Diamond DA-62 followed on from a long line of Diamond composite aircraft from Aerobask. The DA-42 Twin Star and the Diamond DA-50RG. The differences were that the DA-42 was a Twin-Engined aircraft and the DA-50RG is a Single-Engined aircraft. Sadly the Twin-Star has been retired, so the replacement Twin-Engined machine has been this more later and larger DA-62.
 
The larger DA-42 was built as the DA-50, but only one prototype was built and the DA-50 was also only a single-engine aircraft as well. The DA-50 soon morphed into the DA-62 which kept the larger fuselage of the DA-50, but added the Twin-Engined design of the DA-42, and comes also with the more powerful Austro Engine E4 (marketed as the AE 300) which is a liquid-cooled, inline, four-cylinder, four-stroke, diesel piston aircraft engine of which the DA-62 has the 180hp AE330 version.
 
There was a large update (v2.0r) to the original DA-62 just under a year ago in late November 2021, so it is very up to date in systems and detail. So here is the transition aircraft of the same to X-Plane 12. It doesn't have any changes from the 2.0r version, but does have all the X-Plane 12 features added, in the Flight Model by X-Aerodynamics, lighting, texture adjustments (Internal/External) and weather effects.
 
The DA-62 looked very good originally in X-Plane 11, but now the refined X-Plane 12 effect gives the Diamond a more serious "WOW" feel.
 

 
The aircraft just "OOOOZES" quality, our of every pore and it's skin. The detail is simply of the chart, so get closest inspection that you can.
 

 
I have always loved the organic shape of the engine cowlings, incredibly well done, masterful modeling.
 

 
Internally it is just as extravagant, nobody does interiors better than Aerobask, it is a feast for your eyes all in the perfect detail and materials.
 

 
Since v2 of the Diamond DA-62 the menus have been changed. Now they are more concise and easier to use they cover the standard Weight & Balance of the aircraft, 3d passengers, Fuel and Static Elements of Chocks, Ties, Bollards, Pitot covers, GPU (Ground Power Unit) and non-working pushback trolley. 
 

 
On the Menu "Options", it covers the (Main) or aircraft options and then the three avionics sets of options for the, G1000 PFD, G1000 MFD and the MD302 backup instrument.
 

 
EDDB (Berlin) to EDDP (Liepzig - Halle)
The flight here is quite short, just a few hundered kilometers from Berlin to Liepzig. Starting the DA-62 is simple simon, just switch on the fuel flow (levers centre console), then the main fuel pump, and press the correct dinky button for the engine you want to start, as easy as starting a diesel engine in a car or truck. As this is a very modern GA, and so the engines don't need to be coaxed into life, they will start easily and run up to temperatures very quickly with that odd (in an aircraft) slightly rattly diesel sound.
 

 
Although the DA-62 is not newly released. I love the fact that all Aerobask aircraft are so fully resolved when being used, virtually no bugs and issues to contend with, it is all a nice clean operation and flying.
 
Notable as usual that we are still in the X-Plane 12 Beta phase, so (I can't find anything wrong with the DA-62) the external beta issues are still there including the odd wind and weather behavior...  but thankfully also none of the wild wing behaviour I saw on the DA-50RG.
 

 
Note the Aerobask "Synthetic Vision" on PFD, that was added in here on the last update. I'm not going to say the DA-62 is easy to track straight because it isn't. Daddy long legs in gear feels like three points on a surface, so you work hard with the rudder in keeping it in line and on track.
 

 
100 knts (no flap) and only a small rotate is required, and your flying.
 

 
Rate of climb is noted at 6.1 m/s (1,200 ft/min) but I found that 700fpm gave me the best climb to altitude (5,000ft) without putting pressure on the power output...  Ceiling is a massive 6,096 m (20,000 ft) because you have oxygen. I really liked the custom power outputs on the MAP/NAV screen, but they are native different on the pop-up version.
 


 
Like most general aviation releases lately the DA-62 comes with the native Laminar Research G1000 twin panel avionics system (both PFD and MFD pop-out), but custom here. It is a very good layout, but not as really detailed as a real G1000 system actually is, but it does cover about 85% of the systems. Mid-Panel is the MD302 SAM® or the "Standby Altitude Module" Basically is a standby instrument which is very authentic to the real instrument.
 

 
View out is sensational, big front curved screen and large side windows give you the sense of space.
 

 
Lighting
Internally like everything on this aircraft the lighting is above and beyond the best...  the Instrument panel is fully adjustable with down strip lighting under the glareshield. You can also adjust both the G1000 screens. But I will note with the X-Plane 12 Beta the lighting is still being worked on. I'm not completely happy with it either, so it feels not yet totally refined as it could be...  but the promises are here.
 

 
Attention to detail shows with the MD302 SAM being on a different power source and shuts down in its own time and speed, you can also shut it down quicker if you wish.
 
There is twist adjustable lighting for the pilots and switchable lighting for the seats. The lighting switches are on the bottom, but two are hidden at the back of the roof assembly, but can still be switched from the front view. The detail of the switchware and lights is phenomenal.
 

 
The external lighting isn't very comprehensive and there are no (red) beacons on the aircraft. There are twin Taxi and Landing light sets central under the cabin. But it is refined for X-Plane 12 (well for now anyway).
 

 
And one for each wing Ice lights and that lighting switch is on the de-icing panel and not with the main lighting switches. Position or Navigation lights are on each wing, but none on the tail and wing double flash strobes covers all the external lighting.
 
Sounds are modern FMOD and with Enhanced 3D system sounds, including Doppler and Flanger effects. They do sound a little different from the normal, but the engines are very different as well in being diesels, but at the cruise speed they have this lovely thrumm that passes the flying time nicely. Start up is almost instantaneous with a slight cranking, so they are almost electric in that aspect.
 
The Oxygen system is very active. It is activated by the knob under the panel far left of the pilot. When the juice is flowing all the occupants on board get oxygen masks, but you have to use it sparingly and only for short periods of flight as it soon used up. You can replenish the oxygen from the menu but only on the ground.
 
All Circuit Breakers (Fuses) work, here I have pulled the MFD fuse...
 

 
The 3d world of X-Plane 12...  loving it all.
 

 
Here I settled into a 150knt cruise, with 325 km/h (202 mph; 175 kn) (TAS) the official cruise speed and a Max speed of 367 km/h (228 mph; 198 kn) and the Range is outstanding at 2,380 km (1,479 mi; 1,285 nmi).
 
Now approaching EDDP EDDP (Liepzig - Halle), it's time to get ready for landing. 1,500 ft is my goal on approach (from 5,000 ft) and 100 knts...
 

 
I am still amazed at the quality of X-Plane 12, is this really the same X-Plane Simulator? It shows how much decent lighting can make a difference. There is the EDDP field and Rwy 26L.
 

 
78 knts on final at Full flap is very nice. On experience the DA-62 can be a bit niggly on approach in winds, but thankfully today is calm.
 

 
Being niggly on approach means a bit of skill in getting the touch down about right, the gear doesn't have a lot of give, but this X-Plane 12 version feels better (more supple) than the earlier versions...  nice. Oddly the speed doesn't change much as you transfer into the flare, it says around the same 78 knts, but you still have full control. The biggest trick here is trying in not dig in your nosewheel, you can't flare to much either, so it is a bit of a balance to get it all right. Note the runway in the "Synthetic Vision".
 

 
Transition to taxi can be tricky, but you can get a feel between using the rudder pedals for fine steering, and the yoke yaw for the more tighter turns, like with everything in Simulation Flying you soon adapt.
 

 
X-Plane 12 icing and rain effects are also available as well, the original DA-62 did have icing and rain, but here it is far better and built in as default.
 

Liveries
There are Eight liveries (down from 10 in the earlier version) and one white paint livery. There are a four older designs (but updated for X-Plane 12), and four new ones added. All liveries are 4K extreme high Def quality and picked for their extreme reproduction in X-Plane 12 (in other words very nice). The White is the default. 
 

 
Summary
Released in March 2019, the Diamond DA-62 followed on from a long line of Diamond composite aircraft from Aerobask. Here is the X-Plane 12 version, not a full X-Plane 12 release, but a compatible aircraft as we are still in the Beta (11) phase of X-Plane 12.
 
There are no actual new features or changes since the last DA-62 v2.0r (November 25th 2021) release. But you do get the full package of X-Plane 12 Flight Model, lighting, texture adjustments (Internal/External) and weather effects. Liveries have dropped to eight (from ten), but overall better quality.
 
Notable as usual that we are still in the X-Plane 12 Beta phase, so (I can't find anything wrong with the DA-62) the external beta issues are still there including the odd wind and weather behavior...  but thankfully also none of the wild wing behaviour I saw on the DA-50RG.
 
All the huge feature list are still there, including; "Synthetic Vision", active Circuit Breaker Panel, Icing and rain systems, Oxygen System, MD302 SAM Backup instrument, power rudder adjustment and top level FMOD sound. G1000 system is still native X-Plane, but customised and well intergrated and excellent to use.
 
Aerobask would be on anyone's "Must Buy list", on just their name alone, that is the solid reputation the developers already have, and I have absolutely no reason to discount that aspect.
Aerobask make brilliant modern composite aircraft, excellent modeling and extraordinary interior design...  they fly pretty good as well, and are very good value with excellent back up service...  now all available in X-Plane 12, basically how much more do you want? Highly Recommended of course. 
______________________
 
 

 
Yes! the Diamond DA-62 X-Plane 12 by Aerobask is NOW! available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

Diamond DA62
Price is US$39.95
 
Features
Now supports X-Plane 12 Both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11 versions included Advanced Flight model Flight model by X-Aerodynamics, very closely matching real performance (based on public data). Aerobask Systems Suite Fully Integrated Laminar Garmin G1000 with custom EIS and annunciations (In 3D only) Customized FADEC/ECU with test procedures allows engines and propellers to deliver their documented performance with unprecedented accuracy, including in fuel usage Auto-feathering is also accurately managed, for a total immersion Simulated oxygen system Simulated ice protection system MD302: custom coded Standby Attitude Module Fully functional breakers (configurable reliability) High Resolution Model High quality 3D model with high resolution PBR textures (4K textures) Fully functional virtual 3D cockpit, with smooth and VR-friendly manipulators Windshield effects: reflections, rain and frost Many parameters saved between flights Configurable pilots, passengers and luggage Optimized to save FPS Custom Sounds FMOD High Quality Enhanced 3D system sounds, including Doppler and Flanger effects Auto-Updater Keep your aircraft up-to-date with a convenient auto-updater  
Requirements:
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac (using Rosetta) or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum. 8 GB+ VRAM recommended Current version:  12r2  (October 27th 2022)  
Installation Download of the Diamond DA-62 is 376mb and it is installed in your General Aviation Folder as a 933mb folder.  
Documents Documentation is excellent. Great manual with feature details, checklists/Performance tables and MD302 manual. Quicklook views.pdf DA62 Flight Manual.pdf DA62 Checklist Normal Operations.pdf Airspeed Normal Operation.pdf DA62 Checklist Emergency Procedures.pdf DA62 Performance Tables.pdf Install_Settings.pdf Quick-Doc MD302.pdf ______________________  
Review by Stephen Dutton 4th Nov 2022 Copyright©2022: X-PlaneReviews   (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)   Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - S1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.00B11 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- EDDB - Berlin-Brandenburg V2 XP by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$29.99
- EDDP - Leipzig/Halle International Airport by JustSim/Digital Design (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$20.00
 
(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 : Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio
 
In the utopia world of elitism, then a 110 ft Mega yacht is high up on the scale. But there is still another level again that says I'm far richer and more powerful than you. Welcome to the world of business jets and in reality only one word here fits in with cache. That word is "Gulfstream".
 
The Gulfstream world of this upper exclusive club is again segregated with the latest G800 being the current Blue Ribbon holder. But the G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series, that series evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.
 
Complicated? well these business class aircraft do have a complex heredity. Niches, mostly at the whims of their exclusive customers creates variants of variants to satisfy their exclusive needs, but one thing that will always win out is range and speed. But let us not forget the real reason you have a Gulstream in this upper echelon of society, money and wealth.
 
A variant of the Gulfstream V or GV-SP with a new flightdeck display system, airframe aerodynamic and engine improvements and the main entry door is moved forward, this aircraft is marketed as the G-550.
 
Presented here is a Gulfstream G550 version for the X-Plane Simulator and the price is US$31.95, but in that you will get both an X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 versions. Oddly there are very few Gulfsteams in X-Plane, a few but not one really worthy of our talents, so obviously we welcome a quality aircraft to fill in that empty void from first time developer AKD Studios
 
Compared to the Gulfstream V, drag reduction details boost range by 250 nmi (460 km) and increase fuel efficiency. Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is increased by 500 lb (230 kg) and takeoff performance is enhanced. A seventh pair of windows is added and the entry door is moved 2 ft (0.61 m) forward to increase usable cabin length. The PlaneView flight deck features cursor control devices, Honeywell Primus Epic avionics, standard head-up guidance system by Rockwell Collins and enhanced vision system by Elbit, improving situational awareness in reduced visibility conditions.
 
Initial long-range cruise altitude is FL 400-410, first hour fuel burn is 4,500–5,000 lb (2,000–2,300 kg) decreasing for the second hour to 3,000 and 2,400 lb (1,400 and 1,100 kg) for the last hour. Flight hourly budget is $700-950 for engine reserves, $250 for parts and 2.5 maintenance hours. It competes against the Bombardier Global 6000, which has higher direct operating costs and less range but a more spacious cross section, and the Dassault Falcon 7X with fly-by-wire flight controls, better fuel efficiency and a wider but shorter cabin. More importantly Range is an astounding 6,750 nmi (7,770 mi, 12,500 km), the aircraft is a transcontinental, trans oceanic capable aircraft.
 

 
First thoughts are on that extraordinary 93 ft 6 in (28.50 m) wingspan.
 

 
Without doubt there is a notable talent here. But the G550 from AKD Studios is still a first project. As noted it is very good, but not at or to that extreme level that you would expect from say Aerobask. There are a few areas still here that are under fine development that can only come with experience, then add in the current X-Plane Beat phase (B9).  First impressions are of a clean but currently basic aircraft. 
 

 
The modelling is actually excellent, shape and contours are quite perfect, love those huge fine wings with vortex generators, in fact the vortex generators are positioned on every surface which is an eye for detail.
 

 
But there is still that absolute finer detail missing. Most notably around the windows with no screws or rivets..  the huge oval double the size of normal cabin windows needed that little (far) more attention to get their huge size looking right, the internal band does not fit well, and the glass needs more detail to stand out. I am not trying to nitpick here, but this level of this category it requires ultra detail.
 

 
Powerplants are two  Rolls-Royce BR710 C4-11 turbofan engines, 15,385 lbf (68.44 kN) thrust each. The pod design is lovely in shape and proportions, but they feel again slightly unfinished in the finer detail, mostly at the thrust reversers, exhaust.
 

 
Ditto the tail, again beautifully modeled but missing the finer detailing.
 

 
The nosewheel is exquisitely crafted, an amazing amount of small detail, down to links and nuts, but again feels slightly unfinished... with the lighting that has no glass.
 

 
Twin rear assemblies are trailing link, a normal gear arrangement on these executive jets. Again all the modeling and detail is first rate, but the unfinished look and it looks even more pronounced here on the main gear, is it just needs that something more to perfect.
 
Cabin
The entrance is via a tunnel like area, into a world of teak wood and gold highlights.
 

 
This generation of Gulfstream jets gives you a lot of space inside as they are 43.11 feet long by 7 feet wide by 6 feet tall giving it a total cabin volume of 1669 cubic feet, they are the crème de la crème of cabins in size and fitouts.  They can carry a crew of four, 2 pilots, 0–2 attendants plus 14–19 passengers plus a payload 6,200 lb (2,812 kg). This cabin is HUGE.
 

 
The layout here is two sets of club seating (eight chairs) and two large rear sofas.
 

 
The forward tables are both animated and fold out, but the tables hidden away show the excessive space is highly noticeable, so you feel there are two chairs or a row missing (crew seats?) so the layout doesn't feel quite right.
 

 
There are some nice gold highlights, and cabin fittings are well done...  but there are no window shades (very rare in this category) and the window surrounds are not fitted correctly and very noticeable if by any window. In fact  there is not a lot of functionality in the cabin as most switches are all static, except for the high downlighting switches.
 

 
Going through to the rear there is a nice bathroom with enough gold to satisfy any Arab Sheikh, not sure they would want to use this toilet though? In the very rear is the baggage compartment which is well done, but there is currently no external hatch (noted as a WIP).
 

 
The galley/buffet forward is extensive and well done with some nice highlights, at least there are not items sitting around waiting to be thrown around the cabin as most do.
 

 
The cabin is very good and even very nice, but in this jet category the competition in this area is extremely high, as noted you feel that more seating is required and a bit more functionality to compete at this level, but for a first development it is very good overall.
 
One odd thing is that there are no cockpit doors to separate the office from the cabin, a poor oversight? Another oddity is that there is a significant step up into the cockpit, so you feel there is a small step missing.
 

 
Cockpit
Most private jet cockpits are small, even cramped and the G550 is no exception.
 

 
The G550 cockpit is very fitted out, even the highlight of the aircraft...  looking in closer it feels a bit in not being totally finished. Mostly in areas like animations (movements) and hollow vents. Both well made pilot seats don't move and are positioned slightly too far back, the armrests are not animated either. The third crew seat behind the Co-Pilot is not workable either...   and so on.
 

 
Forwards and the instrument panel is huge as there is so much detail here, that you get your money's worth delivered here alone. There is an extensive Overhead Panel and you also have a very large even bulky centre console.
 

 
Power on....  Yokes are excellent, thin and tawny. There are the options to have the yoke clipboards, both on, both off, or even the choice of either pilot yoke.
 


 
Symmetry Flight Deck
The Gulfstream Symmetry integrated flight deck is based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system, the Symmetry Flight Deck is one of the most advanced in business aviation. There are four huge displays Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Display (AMLCD) that use the Next Generation Flight Management System (NGFMS). Basically they breakdown to the two external PFD (Primary Flight Displays), and the two inner MFD (Muliti-Functional Displays).
 

 
Notable here is the detail of the Gulfstream specific glareshield "Display Controller"....  this system allows you to interface with the PFD and MFD and set settings.
 

 
It is basically a simple push-button controller and easy to access and set. Selections include; PFD, MAP, SENSOR, FLT REF, TEST, CHKLIST - SYSTEM, 1/6 - 2/3, TRS, NAV, HUD. By my estimation about 60% of the system is currently working? But this is a very deep system, I suppose more detail will come with updates.
 
Upper left buttons select the system area you want to access, and the right display has selection buttons to access the item, it is complex, but easy to use in the same instance. Once you work out where each selection is (or have a printed guide) then the system is easy to use.
 
Here you can select 2/3 of the PFD (or have the engine or data readouts left 3rd of the screen) or use FULL which gives you the full basic flight instruments Artificial Horizon top and the Horizontal Situation Indicator lower. Artificial Horizon, Speed and Altitude tapes, Bank roll scale and roll pointer, Vertical Speed markers, Pitch markers, ILS bars and AOA (Angle of Attack) guide.
 

 
There are 3 HSI selections with 120/180/360º options.
 

 
The left panel systems is separated into two sections selected from the "Display Controller" (DC) , "Upper" and "Lower". DUI 1 is the PFD, DUI 2 is the MFD.
 

 
These sections can be changed to show other system items, including; AC/DC Power, APU/Bleed, Brakes, ECS/Press (Environmental), Eng Start, FLT Controls and traffic. Selections are done by pressing the corresponding button to the line. The same sections can be selected in either panel via the Upper or Lower DUI.
 


 
MFD : The twin centre displays (DUI 2) have Left and Right main panel displays, Left is the Engine Outputs, Right is (Top) Centralised Warning Panel (CWP) or Caution Advisory Panel (CAP), (Bottom) Checklist
 

 
You have also a main panel have the same menus, you can change them from the DC, but also directly by the in-built menus.
 
Provided are; Map Data, Aircraft Centre (Heading or Plan modes), Hdg, Prev, Next, World and Map which is also a systems menu?
 

 
Both menus allow you to show Map data (Airports, VORs, NDBs...) as noted there is also a large system menu for each screen, including; AC Power, DC Power, Doors, Fuel, Hydraulic, MAP, CMC, ECS/Press, FLT Controls, Summary. And either display can be used.
 

 
It is very complex set of menus and required a fair bit of study, but it quite comprehensive as well that covers all the G550's systems. Notable is that currently none of the displays pop-out, but they are quite complicated with an interactive interface that created to mimic a pointer.
 
Overhead Panel (OHP) is really well set out and easy to use. Digital numbers are all used in the readouts. Systems covered are; the Electrical system with all its buses, Full Fire Protection system, the full Hydraulic system, Gulfstream Fuel system and APU system and start up timing.
 

 
Standard X-PLANE FMS system is at least easy to use, but I would have preferred the authentic Honeywell Avionics.
 

 
Pedestal is excellent. Top are the backup instruments in a G5 Tape/Artificial Horizon and centre heading instrument, the Gear lever and gear position panel is far right.
 
The main twin-throttles and rear reverser levers are a lovely chrome design, look nice, nice to use. Set each side are the standard Air-brake and Flap levers (UP-10-20-? but could be 30º). Rear pedestal is all radar and radio panels, nicely done is the use of a FMS frame to hold the Radio settings, a simple but clever way of doing it.
 

 
The Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) is positioned in the glareshield contained each end by each "Display Controller" system.
 

 
AFCS is dual system, fail-operational, for both the Autopilot (AP) and the Auto Throttle (AT) subsystems. This is accomplished by hosting each system in a different modular avionics unit with two lanes in separate processors. The purpose of the AFCS is to provide Flight Director (FD), AP yaw damper and trim functions. The autoflight system receives computed lateral (roll) and vertical (pitch) steering commands from the FD system for the autopilot and for display on the Primary Flight Display (PFD). In the event the AP is disengaged the pilot can manually fly the steering commands presented on the PFD. The AP and AT systems make up the subsystems of the autoflight system.
 
Menu/Tablet
ADK uses the interaction with a tablet for menus. There are two, both placed for each pilot on the window frame.
 

 
There are eight menu tabs; Fuel Payload, GND (Ground), AviTab, METER, PERF (Performance) Calculator, Checklists and Audio Volume.
 

 
FUEL : Here you can set your fuel load (Kgs and Lbs), Set Cargo, Set Payload, Passengers, and even the passenger weight. The changes are shown in fuel load, GW (Gross Weight) and ZFW (Zero Fuel Weight. You can see internally into the cabin as well. Three options are also available; Reset Data, Set, and Random. Shown here is reset on the lower left, and loaded on the lower right.
 

 
GND : There are a few options "Ground Handling Page". On the Static Elements there  is a GPU (Ground Power Unit) AC, but also noted a DC Unit and a ASU, but these last two are not currently working in the menu?
 
And there are Chocks and a passenger car. You can open the main door, again a WIP progress Cargo door. Open ALL Doors and Close ALL Doors. Both the static elements Passenger car have separate menus.
 

 
GPU, flags, pitot covers and chocks are all presented, but no inlet or exhaust engine covers?
 

 
The stairway is excellent with a drop down section and beautiful chrome rails. The Tesla 3 car is a bit odd? It is first not to scale and second the wheels don't rotate, so it sort of moves around like in a fairground. ADK have tried to do the same passenger delivery and return as with the Hot Start Challenger 650, but hasn't pulled the idea off as well, a rethink of the idea is needed here?
 

 
AviTab : AviTab (Plugin Required) is available and a nice to have.
 

 
METAR : This tab will give you the latest METAR (METeorological Aerodrome Report) weather report by entering your current ICAO. I found it crashed (froze) so I can't say it worked?
 

 
PERF (Performance) Calculator : There is a two page comprehensive performance calculator that can take data from the FUEL and METAR pages and fill in the required data, including : (Takeoff) DATA, AIRPORT INFO, TAKEOFF SPEEDS, FLAP LIMITS, (Landing) DATA, AIRPORT INFO, LANDING SPEEDS and FLAP SPEEDS.
 

 
SETTINGS : In settings you can set the various aircraft options, including; IRS Alignment (Time), Refuel (Time), Hide Yokes, Pause on TOD (Top of Descent), EFB Units (Kg/Lbs), Aircraft Temp units (Cº/Fº), Aircraft Weight Units (Kg/Lbs), Sync (Baro), Nosewheel (Roll/Yaw/Tiller, Tail Registration, Kill Objects and optional Yoke Clipboards.
 

 
CHECKLIST : There is a very good checklist that you can also check off (green), navigation is easy and so is the resetting of the lists.
 

 
SOUND : Sound panel is currently quite basic, with sliders for (Master) Volume, Exterior Volume, Interior Volume, Co-Pilot Volume and Radio Volume.
 

__________________
 
Flying the Gulfstream G550
 

 
Start up is easy. APU power on, then the Bleed (APU) and "Isolation", then you select Master Start and Crank (Ignition)....
 

 
...  selecting START, you flip up the cover and select the right or left engine you want to start...  then when the HP (High Pressure) gets to around 16%, you flip up the corresponding FF (Fuel Flow) lever on the "Fuel Control" panel below the throttles. All engine start is FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine (or electronics) Control) controlled. Notable are the excellent readouts for the voltages, every selection you make (even the switching on the Bleeds) is registered on the APU or voltages readouts, it looks and feels extremely authentic as is also the engine start up procedures.
 

 
Start up engine sounds are also absolutely excellent, very impressive, you really feel those RR engine at your back and externally by the aircraft which are both very forceful, throaty and purposeful... impressed. Once the engines are running, you clean up the OHP (Bleeds, Start, Crank and APU), and then you are ready to go.
 
Warnings in C-Caution and W-Warning are related to the Centralised Warning Panel (CWP), and a really big feature is in testing the controls and seeing your actions on the FLT Controls panels.
 

 
Another feature I like is the brake pressures being in your face...  here are my foot brake pressures being on show, a full regular (pinky finger) brake pressures are also registered, but have no effect on slowing the aircraft, so it is all down to the  footwork, but I love the readouts.
 

 
It is busy here today at LUX (Luxembourg Airport - ELLX).
 

 
Finally after a departure of a Cargolux B747F, I can line up on runway 06.
 

 
Power up those two two  Rolls-Royce BR710 C4-11 engines and your moving...  fast.
 

 
You get that awesome roar in your ears and your just gone!
 

 
ELLX runway 06/24 is as bumpy as hell but you can cope here, 165 kts and you rotate (Flap 10º)...
 

 
You have to be seriously careful in not to over-rotate, it is very easy in doing that and in setting the take-off trim quite low, this baby wants to climb!
 

 
In fact the G550 has an enormous climb rate of 3,650 feet per minute and almost straight up...
 

 
You have to love this...  a Gulfstream and X-Plane 12, Heaven.
 

 
Well you can stay in heaven for a very long time at a 6,750 nmi (7,770 mi, 12,500 km) range, with a High Speed Cruise: M0.85 at 41,000 ft (12,497 m) or the standard Long Range Cruise: M0.80 at 41,000 ft (12,497 m), and you can cover the ground with a Service ceiling: 51,000 ft (16,000 m) God that is almost as high as Concorde...   impressive isn't it.
 

 
Lighting
Cockpit lighting has about 12 adjustment knobs, but setting the different lighting options is a bit hit or miss, mostly it all works, but like a lot the different choices breaks down to that most work, but a lot don't... it feels all a "bit last minute to get it done ready". I'll explore more then add back in later into this section...  overall it looks like this, when sorted though it should be really good as the basics look good.
 

 
Cabin lighting is the same, buttons under each lighting panel only work the odd light, or even the set of lights on the next panel...  I don't know if there is roof lighting or any galley lighting?
 

 
External lighting is not refined either...  main land and taxi lights are a bit overexposed, however there is nice navigation, beacon and strobe.
 

 
Ice (wing lighting) is basic, the wheel-well lights work but the tail lighting doesn't. There is also a "Pulse" effect on the main landing lights? Overall again the external lighting is all a bit hit and miss.
 
 
 
There is a CAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) that works with (in my case) Traffic Global, I never got the A/T (Auto Throttle) to work? and a note from the developer says it's coming in an update, doesn't matter here anyway as most Private Jets flying is usually using the manual throttle. Cruising at FL400 (40,000ft) is the only way to fly halfway round the globe.
 
    
 
TOD (Top of Descent) and it is time to go down. The G550 can climb high, very high. So you tend to be a bit more excessive in the rate of descent. Here I'm using a rate of 2,700 fpm to go down, and in doing that steep rate the aircraft will protect itself by deploying the airbrakes automatically, but be aware also to retract them later as they don't auto close.
 

 
I pass EVRA-Rika, Lativa while still screaming down at 2,500 fpm, but you need not worry as everything rubs off very quickly in both speed and altitude. The one thing you realise are that these Gulfstreams are incredibly versatile thoughout all their performance profiles.
 
Sounds I am liking. Audio here is not overly excessive or even brilliant, but with the long distance cruise you can do with this machine that you can arrive without a headache, so no repeatable loops or droning (thank god). Being a long distance hauler that is important. In time I would expect more and better sound detail, but for now they are fine. X-Plane 12 is quite spectacular when it wants to be...  a far, far cry from X-Plane 11.
 

 
First 90º turn to the centre line from  EVRA RWY 18, yes it is as brilliant in feel as it looks...
 

 
Second 90º turn to the centreline of the approach...
 

 
Riga is not a particularly hilly or mountainous approach but you do have a GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System) if you need it. Final lineup to RWY 18...  Again Spectacular.
 

 
Full flap (30º) your approach is around 130 knts...    Flap detail and operation very good by AKD, in feel lowering the flaps doesn't throw you around either, so it is a smooth approach phase.
 

 
Final, final approach speed is around 125 knts, you don't get thrown around either with the size of this Private Jet of which can happen in smaller machines, it feels more like a commercial aircraft than a light jet.
 

 
(Shaking my head) Spectacular machine isn't it...  I struggled to get the G550 nose up correctly for the flare, honestly I need to find the right point on the pitch trim to get that phase right, practise as usual will always help.
 

 
I get the pitch I want in the end and it is nice touch landing at around  118 kts, very close to the stall speed around 115 knts. Powerful thrust reversers are nice, but they need a bit more detail than just showing the cans...  I didn't get the ground airbrake on landing because I couldn't find the selector, it is a "Arm" button far rear of the centre console under a flap?
 

 
The full landing configuration is shown on the PFD, I really still can't get over how much I like this visual FLT arrangement.
 

 
Hello Riga, Latvia....   but where can I go next, this Gulfstream gives me a lot of great global options.
 

_____________
 
Liveries
There are only five liveries with the package, but a full list is being created on a Google Doc site. A paintkit is included. I have selected a few off the Docs page here. AKD livery is the default. Included in the package are AKD House, N345LC, NetJets N528QS and the two Polish Airforce.
 

_____________
Summary
In world of the elite, then the word of Gulfstream is the biggest token you can play in this upper exclusive club. The Gulfstream G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series and that series evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.
 
Here we have the previous generation in the G550 which was discontinued in July 2021, but this aircraft is still a major global trotting machine with both oceanic and transcontinental in range, it can fly high as well to an almost sub-orbital 51,000ft.
 
First an almost disclaimer on the review and the aircraft. The Gulfstream G550 is a first time project by AKD Studios and obviously they have to pick an extremely complex aircraft to start with, add in a release in the middle of a new X-Plane 12 Beta run (B9) and you can expect a lot of bugs and weird things with the aircraft. It's not like that at all in context, in fact it flies very well.
But there are many areas here also not finished or refined, that includes also the missing manual with the aircraft that reflects here in less technical detail to be covered and features that can be missed. 
 
Impressive however the G550 still is. Systems are comprehensive and are excellent in operation, including the excellent Gulfstream "Display controllers" (menus) and all DUIs are covered by a four display screen arrangement that has the built in Gulfstream Symmetry integrated flight deck is based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system. Custom CAS (warnings), Ice and rain protection system (X-Plane 12), IRS system and a full (menu) Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)... it's an impressive list.
 
Modeling is very good but your not going to get extreme Aerobask quality here, but many of the areas are really just not only refined or even completed, annoying are the cabin window frames that are badly (or rushed) designed, the missing external cargo door and all the lighting inside and out feels again only half finished. But I'm looking more and far down the road here as the basics are very good, if excellent in areas, it is the old adage of what a difference a month could make to the project.
 
Personally I absolutely love the Gulfstream G550. X-Plane has wanted a really excellent transoceanic Private Jet for decades and here it is, it is also available in X-Plane 11 and more importantly in X-Plane 12 in the same value package of just over US$30. For your money you get a lot of aircraft with it's Gulfstream related systems. in 2023 it will be certainly the power jet you need in the X-Plane 12 Simulator, like I said I love it, and now I just want a lot more of flying the machine to every corner of the Globe.
________________________________  
 
The Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore
 
GLF550 - Ultimate Business Jet by AKD Studio
Price is US$31.95
 
This aircraft is X-Plane12 supported, but to note it is in Beta form.
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 - both versions included
-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1 GB
Current version : 1.0 (October 28th 2022)   Download for the Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio is 1.03GB
 
And the final install in X-Plane Aircraft folder with the above loaded liveries is; 2.53gb. Authorisation is required.
The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder.
 
Simbrief proflie is;
https://www.simbrief.com/system/dispatch.php?sharefleet=256234_1658264083720
 
Documents
Only the standard Laminar Reseach FMS manual is supplied. And no aircraft manual is currently available
FMS_Manual  
Designed by AKD Studios
Support forum for the Gulfstream G550 _____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
30th October 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - S1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.00B7 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- ELLX - Luxembourg Findel Airport v2.1  by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.95
- EVRA - Riga International Airport v2 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$18.50
 
(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: PACV - Merle K Smith - Cordova, Alaska XP12
 
By Paul Mort
 
Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my third review here at X-PlaneReviews. 

This time around, we’re heading off to Alaska, or more to the point, Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport. If you enjoy remote airports, with a slight chilly factor thrown in (we’re talking about the weather, not the food) then you’re going to enjoy this X-Plane 12 scenery. 

With vast mountain ranges and glaciers to the north, and islands and the Gulf of Alaska to the east and south, there is plenty to see for the budding pilot. However, the weather can change in an instant, so if you do go exploring…make sure you plan ahead. The airport itself is named after Merle K. Smith, also known as "Mudhole" who was a bush pilot and who later became president of Cordova Airlines, which used the airport as a hub between 1934 and 1968. 
 

 
Situated relatively close to the Gulf of Alaska and eleven miles from the city of Cordova, Merle K. Smith Airport has an elevation of fifty-four feet or sixteen meters. There are two runways on offer: 9/27 is 7,500 by 150 feet (2,286 x 46 m) with an asphalt surface and 16/34, which is 1,899 by 30 feet (579 x 9 m) and has a gravel surface. Alaskan Airlines is the only carrier at the airport, and due to the lack of road access, the airport represents the only means of connecting Cordova with the outside world (apart from the ferry). 
 

 
Installation
The downloaded file from the X-Plane.org store weighed in at just under 270MB, which is relatively small for an airport scenery but once extracted, increased to a more respectable 633MB. There was no online registration or EXE file to run (something I always find tedious), it was just a case of copying the folder to my Custom Scenery directory in X-Plane 12. Being an airport scenery with no additional folders to add, there was no need to edit my scenery_packs.ini file. There was no documentation of any kind to be found in the package, which was something I was slightly disappointed by, even at this price point. 

Default Scenery
Prior to installing this scenery add-on, I was intrigued to see what the default airport looked like in X-Plane 12, and whilst it was passable in terms of general layout (taxiways, runways etc), it was missing many important buildings, not to mention, clutter and people.  
 


Walkabout
With the add-on package installed from DC Scenery, things were improved greatly. When viewed from above, instead of the generic default textures we have become accustomed to, we are greeted with an ortho tile which covers the whole airport area. Compared to the default textures, the detail is night and day, which makes the supplied ortho stand out somewhat. It would have been great if the ortho covered a larger area and then was slowly blended into the default textures, but sadly this wasn’t the case. However, if you’re using your own ortho scenery of Alaska, then the ortho supplied with the package, should (in effect), blend in seamlessly with the one supplied.
 

 
Moving to ground level, and the scenery maintains both its quality and clarity, with the runway textures employing some useful weathering effects, such as cracks and rubber marks. Quite often, runway textures can become repetitive if done badly, but this wasn’t the case here. Whilst there wasn’t a lot of variation in terms of textures used, what there was, worked well. 
 


Progressing onwards, and there was an abundance of flora on offer, namely 3D bushes. I did notice a slight framerate drop here and there but considering my X-Plane system is on the low end, it’s to be expected. For those users with more capable systems, I don’t see this part of the scenery to be an issue.
 

 
Just over 46% of Merle K. Smith Airport’s traffic is GA, and this is well represented by the large general aviation parking area as we head towards the main airport. The aircraft on display are generic static models, and whilst they do the job, it would have been nice to have seen aircraft which actually frequent the airport.  
 

 
The main airport area is made up of numerous small buildings and hangars, including what can only be described as the main airport terminal. These are all well-modelled with some genuinely nice texturing included and really help set the scene.  The Alaskan Airlines and the Cordova Auto Rentals hut both deserve special mention, as they both look just like their real-life counterparts (weathering included).
 
 

 
There is an abundance of airport clutter, such as pallets, cones, barrels etc, and something I was especially pleased to see…people! I can’t tell you how much of a difference this makes. Over the years I have reviewed numerous sceneries which have been excellent apart from one mitigating factor…the absence of people. Well, I'm glad to say that DC Scenery hasn’t fallen into that trap, so hats off to them for including these models. 
 

 
Just outside of the airport there is what seems to be an industrial area, complete with silos and a few trucks. It’s not particularly well-modelled, and after viewing the same area in Google Maps, it seems to be more of a quarry/pit.  
 

 
Night Lighting
X-Plane has always ruled supreme when it comes to night lighting, and Merle K. Smith Airport is no exception. The developers have carefully and thoughtfully added lighting effects to different areas of the airport, and it works exceptionally well…the runway lights reflecting off the runway are a prime example. 
 


Winter World
With X-Plane 12, we now get (by default), the ability to experience winter textures, and oh boy, do they make a difference, especially for an Alaskan airport such as the one being reviewed here. Due to its location, the airport is quite often covered in snow, and whereas before we would have been stuck with summer textures (unless using a third-party mod), we are now able to set the scene in a far more realistic manner. 
 


The whole area is transformed, and to be honest, the scenery looks completely different, but not in a negative way. Now the airport really does feel remote and cut off from the real world…this is the difference winter textures can make. 
 

 
Performance
As mentioned earlier on in the review, the only part of the scenery which caused a noticeable slowdown on my computer system was the copious amounts of 3D grass lining the parameter of the runway. Away from there, performance was more than adequate, and that’s saying something considering the age of my PC. 
 


Conclusion 
Having spent a good deal of time exploring both Merle K. Smith Airport and the surrounding area, I must admit the experience was (on both counts), highly enjoyable. Yes, there were a few areas where I felt the airport scenery could have been improved, like the blending in of the ortho and adding some form of documentation, but overall, I think the developers have done an excellent job at recreating the scenery.  
 


With the introduction of X-Plane 12, sceneries such as Merle K. Smith Airport can now make use of the superb weather effects on offer, and this is where the flying experience truly shines. Thanks to the excellent design work by DC Scenery and the creative minds at Laminar Research, we get to experience what an Alaskan winter is like, and how an airport as remote as Merle K. Smith really feels, especially when the weather closes in.  
__________________________________
 

 
Merle K Smith Airport by DC Scenery is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
Merle K Smith Airport
Priced at US$12.00
 
Scenery features:
X-Plane 12 ground effects X-Plane 12 3D vegetation Features a highly accurate recreation of Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport Highly detailed models and textures of airport terminal, hangars, buildings and other objects High Detailed ground textures PBR on all objects Custom lights Accurate taxiway, runway and apron High level of airport detail Compatible with Orthophotos  
Requirements:
X-Plane 12 (not compatible with XP11)
Windows, Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 282 MB
Current version: 1.0 September 24th 2022)
 
Review System Specifications:
Windows 10 64 Bit
Intel Core i5-3350p
CPU @ 3.10 GHz
16GB RAM
NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti
 
Scenery Review by Paul Mort
27th October 2022
Copyright©2022: 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) 
 

 

Aircraft Update: Airbus A321-231 XP12 by ToLiss
 
By Joshua Moore

Introduction & History
The A321 from ToLiss is well known to be a high-fidelity, highly detailed, and well-loved model within X-Plane. I’ve flown it many times in X-Plane 11 and was quite excited to see it migrate over to X-Plane 12, where the newly enhanced environment allows it to take full advantage of the new lighting and reflection models provided by the new simulator. To complement the base model, I purchased the A321 Neo Add-on in which to increase the aircraft's range - perfect for extended flights.
 
Note: In December of last year, Stephen published a detailed and extensive review of the ToLiss A321 (V1.31) in X-Plane 11, so I highly recommend checking out his review first before reading this X-Plane 12 update.  
 


The Airbus A321 program was launched in 1988 with the first flight being completed in 1993 with an IAE V2500 equipped airframe, and the second flight with the CFM equipped airframe following shortly after. The A321 entered service with Lufthansa in 1993 and has become a highly successful competitor to the 737-900 and 757. Today, the A321 Neo continues on the successful lineup of the A320 family, with the A321 XLR conducting flight testing to try and compete with the arguably more suited but aging 757 fleets.
 


Documentation & First Impressions
Documentation of the A321 from ToLiss includes a 57-page manual on the systems, a tutorial flight, and some product info. A full FCOM or in-depth systems description is not provided by ToLiss but can be found quite easily online in PDF format.
 


Having flown the A321 in X-Plane 11, I know it to be a solid airplane, both in looks and systems. I have quite high expectations for it in X-Plane 12, and I am quite happy to see that it has had no issues maintaining my expectations on the new platform, with it easily accomplishing 6hr flights with no FPS degradation, no autopilot issues, and most importantly, none of those pesky CTDs. The texturing is slowly showing its age, but the systems are top-notch, and the cockpit looks far more accurate in terms of color compared to some of its counterparts.
 


Electronic Flight Bag
The ToLiss A321 has one weakness for me, and this has to be the EFB. Its main feature is the inclusion of AviTab, but other than that one feature and the ability to control certain loading functions through the tablet, it is more of a visual addition to the cockpit compared to a functional device I use on my flights. There are takeoff and landing performance tabs, however, they are not yet functional and serve no purpose other than being a “provisions for” screen. For those that use AviTab for major functions, it works as advertised in my limited testing with it, though I tend to stick to my iPad which has all my real-world applications installed and is a bit easier to pull from than an on-screen tablet. I would love to see ToLiss revamp the tablets in all three of their airliners, as the enhanced experience would greatly improve the overall quality feel expected of the price we pay for these add-ons.
 
Exterior Model &Texturing
The Exterior model of the A321 is one of the highlights of this addon. Gone are the flat textures with a static “PBR” reflection that adorned not only the A321 but every airplane in X-Plane 11. This has been replaced with the new X-Plane 12 model, and ToLiss has done an incredible job implementing the new reflection model onto the A321, as it looks incredible. The shine and reflections give the model a more lively appearance. The landing gear is modeled to a highly accurate extent, with grease, dirt, and grime sticking to the struts and various components.
 


The engine models provided by ToLiss in the A321 are one of the model’s weak points. The IAE model is the worst offender, with the engine having incorrect shaping. The CFM isn’t as bad, but there are still issues. The Neo’s engines look a little better, however, on closer inspection they too suffer issues, namely the fan blades and aft cowling. For this review, I added the Carda engine mod for both the IAE and CFM engines. With these being freeware, I highly recommend these engine mods as being a must-have upgrade to improve the overall look of the engines of the ToLiss A321. These engine mods remedy the issues with the modeling and are quite easy to install. I would love to see ToLiss rebuild their CFM/IAE engines on their A321 or try to work with Carda to make his mods the default standard for their aircraft, they improve the overall look that much. I also tested the Carda Leap and PW mod for the Neo, however, they are currently incompatible due to some texture issues with the fan blades that affect the Ceo as well, so the Neo engines are the default for this review, however, I would say the same for the Neo engine mods. ToLiss could try to work with Carda to implement his engines into their models.
 


The textures provided with the A321 are well done, albeit a bit on the lower resolution side. They have an acceptable amount of wear and tear that isn’t over the top but does not give the airplane a perfectly clean and unused appearance, which I really like. I would love to see the textures improved in terms of their resolution to allow for a bit more detail on the fuselage, but if you back away a couple of feet, the pixelation disappears and the textures look nice and sharp.
 


The aircraft options that ToLiss provides for the exterior are quite extensive, allowing you to choose between wing fences and sharklets, Satcom versus no Satcom, door configuration, and engine type. I appreciate having the ability to edit all the options straight from inside the simulator which saves time and effort from manually editing files outside the sim to change these options. This is and has been the standard for years, and it’s nice to have it on the ToLiss A321.
 


Interior Model & Texturing
The cockpit appears to have changed little from X-Plane 11, though the new lighting model of X-Plane 12 appears to give it more depth and texture. The texture quality is amazing, the text is clear and easy to read, and the overall color of the cockpit compares extremely well to photos my friend sent me from the real aircraft at different times of the day.
 

 
Rain effects have been included with the ToLiss 321 and look acceptable, though a little on the light side. I am unsure if it’s a Laminar or a ToLiss issue, but the photos below of the rain were with max precipitation set, and I could see out the windows just fine without wipers on approach. All the videos I’ve seen of airliners flying into heavy rain present a very different picture, with the wipers fighting to keep up with the amount of rain slamming into the windscreen. I can’t confirm that myself as I don’t dare fly the Bonanza into a heavy rainstorm, but it seems like there should be more rain on the windshield with extreme precipitation set in the X-Plane weather tab. We must keep in mind it is a beta, so maybe this will be tweaked and changed.
 


Avionics Options & Systems
ToLiss is well known for properly simulating the systems of the Airbus series, and it has proven itself in X-Plane 11, so with the port to X-Plane 12, it stands safe to say I didn’t find a single glaring issue in any of the tests or flights I did. FO Shatek and I did the same thorough walk-through we did with the Flight Factor A320 and only found minor issues, one of which turned out to be a company-specific option with the lighting.
 


Starting with the MCDU, we walked through a full preflight and setup of the box and Shatek had no issues with the system. The “ACARS” pulled the Flightplan from SimBrief allowing for easy implementation of the flightplan, weights, and TO performance. The MCDU menu presented other menus including AOC for free text and weather requests, however nothing there has been implemented yet. I would like to see that implemented into the airplane as it would be a helpful addition to the flight deck.
 


The only large issue which I would love to see resolved is the lack of weather radar. Supposedly this will be added in X-Plane 12 thanks to the new weather system, so I am hopeful to see it come to the A321 at some point.
 


Flight Characteristics
I cannot say specifically if the flight dynamics of the A321 are accurate, as I’ve not flown the A320 series in real life. What I can say however is whether or not it feels right, and in this case, it feels quite similar to the flight model in X-Plane 11, perhaps with a bit more fluidity. The flare seems to have changed, with the airplane floating a lot easier compared to X-plane 11, and that caught me off guard on my first flight in the A321 in X-Plane 12, which ended up in two go-arounds due to excessive floating even with the aircraft set right on the Vref. The ToLiss does model Normal, Alternate, and Direct law, which includes control overrides and additional protections being modeled. If you would like to read more into this, check out my review on the Flight Factor A320, where I explain it in more depth. The last area of the A321 I would like to mention is ground handling. It is quite slippery during taxiing and likes to overshoot turns if you are not careful. This could use a little tweaking, as I never remember the X-Plane 11 version sliding so much in a turn, even at 5-10kts.
 

 
Sound
The sounds that ship with the ToLiss A321, both Neo and Ceo, are in my opinion, quite acceptable. They are detailed and cover all the main points of the airplane, but I didn’t find them to have much of a wow factor, save for the PW4000. Commanding thrust from the PW engines provides you with an amazing spool-up sound, something that you almost need to experience for yourself to understand. For the rest of the engine variants, it’s quite a mixed bag. It is an 80-dollar airplane after all, so I would have loved to see the sounds get a bit more love. Are there better sound packs out there? For sure. Will I spend money on them? Well, that will depend on how much I fly the airplane. If you are a frequent visitor of the long bus then I believe a sound upgrade is worth the cost, though with four engine variants it may get a touch pricey.


 
Conclusion
Overall, I really enjoy flying the ToLiss A321. It’s a great bird for long hauls when you have other work to do, but don’t want to fly a heavy. With the Neo expansion, it will easily cross the pond and connect your favorite eastern seaboard destinations with Europe, but it can easily turn around and fly short haul quick turns on high-density routes. It’s a fantastic addition to my X-Plane 12 hangar and I look forward to many enjoyable years flying it as I did with the X-Plane 11 model.
 

________________________
 

 
The Airbus A321 XP12 by Toliss is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
Airbus A321 XP12 by Toliss
Priced at US$89.99
 
Officially licensed Airbus product
 
Major new features:
XP12 adaptations Custom engine model for more realistic thrust and fuel flow values and new engine failure modes Circuit breakers with accurate system response (Current over 100 circuit breaker available) ACARS functionality for direct download of Simbrief plans into the active or the secondary flight plan ACARS functionality to retrieve TO data for various runways of the departure airport ACARS functionality to retrieve wind data from SimBrief flight plan and enter them in the flight plan. New ACP interactive screen to request ground services, change fuel or passengers without the ISCS. EFB on captain on copilot side. (Currently featuring AviTab and weight and balance computer) FMGS plan editing overhaul, enabling temporary flight plans also for the alternate plan Database holds are now available (besides Pilot and computed holds previously available) Offset function now available Addition of new failure modes for a total of 210+ different failure modes, these include now recoverable computer failures More than 70 new ECAM messages Animated push buttons in the cockpit Moving pilot seats and armrests Minor new features: VLS increases with speed brake deflection Added (ETP) circle on ND to display the Equitime point Option to control internal and external volume levels via x-plane sliders or custom ISCS sliders Added Filtering and rate limiting for FMGS position for more realistic ND behaviour on ADIRU init completion Open pax doors now have an effect on the temperature in the adjacent zone Added option to always have the display brightness rotaries starting at the 80% position, even for cold and dark start Functional on-ground deicing via the new ACP interactive screen to avoid nasty surprises during take-offs in icing conditions Improved pushback truck Added fuel truck animations for slow refuelling via IACP. Added Radio Navigation and transponder failures, including associated ECAM caution messages and PFD/ND flags Reworked EMER ELEC ECAM, ELEC ESS BUSSES ON BAT, ALL ENGINE FAIL procedure  
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 680 MB
Version 1.4.1 (September 23rd 2022)
 
 
Review System Specifications
Windows 11 
Ryzen 5800x
RTX3070ti, 
32GB RAM
__________________________________
 
Update Aircraft Review by Joshua Moore
26th October 2022
Copyright©2022: 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.
 
 

 

X-Plane 12 - Beta 8
 
It is hard to believe we are already up to X-Plane 12 Beta 8, yes version eight of the beta run. Are you enjoying X-Plane 12 yet?
 
Personally I think it is incredible, loads of bugs, but the dynamics and certainly the realism in feel is extraordinary. X-PlaneReviews images are a great way to see the differences between X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12.
 
First note for X-Plane 12b8 is that it screws up the "BetterPushBack" plugin, a fix can be found here; Github
 
Let us start with a nice addition in Beta 8...  Pilots. In both the Boeing 738 and the Airbus A332 there are now animated pilots, a male and a female, they are extremely good (meaning realistic) and as noted they move around in the cockpit.
 

 
Secondly is the addition of another default aircraft, this a promised machine, but not your usual flying machine as this one is drone.
 
ALIA-250
Beta Technologies (stylized as BETA Technologies), is a Burlington, Vermont-based aerospace manufacturer developing electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for the cargo and logistics industry. The company is headquartered at Burlington International Airport in South Burlington, Vermont, and were they store and test their EVA (Electrical Vertical Aircraft) aircraft. With securing in March 2021, BETA Technologies raised $143 million in venture funding from undisclosed sources.
 
On May 23, 2018, the company made the first tethered flight of its original 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) Ava XC eight motor, eight propeller battery-operated proof of concept aircraft and that year, the Ava XC became the world’s heaviest eVTOL aircraft to fly.
 
In February 2020, the company began participating in the United States Air Force Agility Prime program that seeks to advance electric air mobility. In May, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center announced that the company, along with Joby Aviation, would progress to the third phase of the program. In June, the company unveiled its second aircraft prototype, ALIA-250.
 
Our own Laminar Research Austin Meyers has had a personally involvement in the development of the ALIA-250, some say in spending too much time as a distraction from working on X-Plane 12. But I don't think that in reality
 
The design of Alia-250 is inspired by the Arctic tern, the longest-migrating bird in the world. It takes cues from the bird’s tail configuration and wing stance, which enable Arctic terns to take long-range flights, to deliver a similar performance.
With a wingspan of 50ft, the aircraft has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 6,000lb (2,721kg). The passenger variant of the aircraft can carry six passengers including a pilot, while the cargo variant will have 200ft³ of space.
 
The efficient aerodynamic features of the eVTOL aircraft include arched wings, tapered wing-tips and angled trusses. The V-shaped tail is expected to reduce drag and improve stability at low speeds. In March 2021, the ALIA-250 made a test flight from Plattsburgh, New York, across Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vermont. But not as a eVOTL aircraft, but with just it's normal wings and a pusher engine, but the aircraft has since done a test untethered eVOTL flight.
 
So what has all this got to do with X-Plane 12 you ask? Well Laminar promised a eVOTL aircraft for the release of X-Plane 12, and now here it is and it is the ALIA-250. It also comes with a personal introduction from Austin Meyers on how to set up and fly the aircraft.
 

 
It is certainly a fascinating aircraft to look at and even fly...
 

 
The race to complete a working (and realistic) eVOTL has been going on for a few years now, and a few ideas have already fallen by the wayside. Only really two with the Joby Aviation S4, with the ALIA-250 here are feasible working concepts. I personally never took any eVOTL aircraft with only a single or even a double seat or with no cargo space as anything but wishful thinking in a commercial operation, but these two aircraft do fill the commercial criteria.
 
Being X-Plane we get the full package as well (in X-Plane 12). At KBTV-Burlington International Airport, you will find a BETA developed and prototyped charging stations for eVTOL aircraft made from recycled shipping containers and reused airplane batteries.
 

 
The facility won't actually recharge the aircraft (It is currently just an 3d object), but we say, "never say never", in X-Plane because it usually does happen.
 

 
The ALIA-250 is a brilliant concept, four lifting propellers and a single "Pusher" propeller rear and the design and execution here is excellent. The large battery pack is stored in the floor à la a Tesla car.
 

 
Two wide doors give you access to the ALIA, with a large (cargo/passenger) space in the rear (six passengers including a pilot, cargo 200ft³ of space).
 

 
Weight is of course critical in these machines so they are quite minimalistic inside... but the futuristic silver and white is very Space X in the design of the seats and the cargo area.
 

 
Instrument panel(s) are a winged Garmin G1000 Avionics with a stretched GNS 430 in the centre console (why not use the GNS 530?)...
 

 
...  and a custom fitted GMA 340 Radio, the rest of the switchwork are mostly for show except for the external lighting (Beacon, Strobe, Position, SRCH (non-operable) and Pitot (heat)). Oddly there are very few power related instruments/dials on the right MFD?
 

 
Each upper rotor and rear pusher have RPM and TEMP readouts, but the only power readout is the Bus V number bottom left? You would expect at least a charge line readout(s) or display? You expected far more here in this aspect. So it is pretty basic, recharging is done and is again very basic.
 
Flying the ALIA-250
There are a few things to set up to fly the ALIA-250. First to switch on ALL the batteries (toggle) to use for the flight via a keyboard selection, if not you will use only battery one (there are five) and that will only give you a short ten min flight (Battery one is a separate setting than the ALL batteries), to recharge you again set a keyboard selection for "Re-charge batteries".
 

 
Second setting is of the controls which are the throttles. One is the simple "Throttle" that powers the four lifting drive rotors, the second setting is the "Throttle Horizontal" setting for the pusher motor...
 

 
Flying controls are simple...  to power the lift (rotors) you pull up the "Collective", just like in a helicopter, to power the "Pusher" motor you turn the insert wheel forward which set in the handle of the collective.
 

 
And off you go.... my thoughts are that you need far more readouts (power usage) and better ideas for switching on the power and selections (recharging)...  it's just a little "too" basic in this form. Even the "Searchlight" option wasn't finished....
 
Flying the "copter" was dirt easy, switch-on, and pull up the collective. There are no Rudder Pedals (but they do still work?), so you use the stick in all three axis; Pitch, Roll and to turn...  Yaw.
 

 
Giving power to the "lifters" (depending on the wind strength) you go straight up, but you need to control the power to go up slowly and in control....  but it is super easy to fly.
 

 
Touch forwards, backwards or to each side to manoeuvre into that direction, again it is best not to over do it. Twisting the Yaw will turn the aircraft 360º, and again it's just too easy. You could just sit up here all day...    wasting battery power!
 

 
So it is time to fly forwards. Another 90º turn and then turn on the pusher power. Interesting is that with most drone style aircraft you dip (or pitch) into the direction you want to go, sort of like in a helicopter. But in the ALIA-250 you don't have to do that? The lifters keep you up and the pusher moves you forward, it is an interesting sensation, but again so easy...
 

 
Your very tempted to pull the lifting power down quickly, but it's not that easy? Leave the lifters at full power then as you gain speed it will pull you upwards? but if you drop the power on the lifters you will obviously drop...  the trick is a blend of the two actions, as you gain speed you lower the lifting power, but gradually until you feel the aerodynamics starting to work, once you have enough speed and wing support, you can then power down the rotors to completely off, and away you go.
 

 
It's just super cool up here, huge windows give you an amazing view, and only that light "droney" sound and some very slight wind noise, when you are configured for forward flight. If this is flying the Future, then I don't know what is...
 

 
With proper wings you get an aircraft control feel (which is quite different from a drone feel), there isn't any of that severe pitch that you get with a drone, just clean level flight.
 

 
The ALIA-250 has already achieved 200+ nm in a test flight, and the goal is a 250 nautical mile range, which is about 463 kilometers.
 

 
It flies like an aircraft, but the ALIA can also hover like a helicopter, also like a helicopter it has to go from a flight mode to a hover mode which is called effective translational lift (ETL) at around about 16 to 24 knots. We have done the to flight mode, but what of coming back out of forward flight. Oddly the sequence is slightly different than flying a helicopter through the ETL. You have wings here giving you aerodynamic support that a helicopter doesn't have. 
 
"Translational" is the word here, pulling back on the pusher does drop away the forward speed (drag), which unlike in a Helio you just don't get. So you bring in the lifters at first slowly. Working the collective you bring up the power while reducing the forward push, the trick is that you also need to lose height in the same transition period hence the correct lifter feel in getting to the right position in power flow...
 
 
 
As your forward speed decreases you feel your lift decreasing as well, so you adjust the lifters to compensate, get it wrong and you will drop (literally) out of the sky, but get it right and transition from one flight mode to the other can be quite fluid. Helicopters are seriously difficult at this phase, the ALIA is totally not...  I'm not saying it is totally easy either, you still have to use your cognitive skills to find the supple balance between flight and lift, it is there and you have to feel it. You can at lower speeds use the usual pitch up (nose up) to slow down. The power outputs show you were the power is going too.
 

 
the ALIA is brilliant in this phase...  you can use the pusher to move faster, then parking it to move just via the rotor movement at a slower pace.
 

 
You have complete 3 axis control over the aircraft, so it isn't that single point balance feeling you get with a helicopter, the platform is very steady and controllable.
 

 
Very easy... in fact anyone can easily fly the ALIA-250.
 

 
Last thoughts are in that. This is in no doubt a brilliant concept, the ALIA is really the first step to a personal transport and certainly the dream of a flying taxi service. That said you just wish for a little more here. Certainly better intergration of the electrical displays and visual power guides (say like a Tesla), better internal fitouts in seat or visual cargo, and also the operation to recharge the aircraft realistically...  but overall it is brilliant.
 
There are one blank and three liveries provided. its first customer is United Therapeutics, Blade Urban Air Mobility has ordered 20 ALIA aircraft, becoming BETA's first passenger service company and Bristow has placed firm order for five ALIA-250 aircraft with an option for an additional 50 aircraft. Already there are painters liveries on the forums, some are already really good.
 

 
There is great video here by Austin Meyer's himself explaining the Beta aircraft, and the one in X-Plane 12
 

 
Here are the rest of the Beta 8 changelog.
XPD-13113 – Still having “Approach has gone backwards” and VFR approaches going missed. XPD-13020 – Legacy Dataref CG Z Maps to Wrong Unit. XPD-12077 – Bug report: light_attenuation dataref alway 1.0. XPD-13228 – Art: Pilots for A330 and 737. XPD-13223 – Update Scenery Gateway missing runway autoreporter URL. XPD-13218 – Handle contact point fails a dev assert when checking for collisions. XPD-13170 – sim/graphics/animation/carrier_catapult_station_rat not working for XCAR3 and XCAR4. XPD-13152 – Hiding the ground-ops window in VR also hides the ATC window. XPD-13149 – XPLMSaveDataFile / XPLMLoadDataFile – save/load inccorect data. XPD-13125 – Erroneous dataref values in sim/world/boat/{x,z}_mtr[0,1]. XPD-13102 – Potential crash after departure. XPD-13093 – Hold-short messages may refer to the wrong end of active runways to cross. XPD-13092 – MIssing sim/world/boat/carrier_catshot_status? XPD-13091 – set radio nav freq by dataref does not work correctly. XPD-13089 – sim/ice/anti_ice_toggle command is not working. XPD-13077 – Wings dont droop under fuel load. XPD-13071 – CTD when using CDU815 in custom A/C in PM. XPD-12831 – Datarefs overwritten during merge. XPD-12797 – Request to allow VFR landing after a zone transit. XPD-11427 – Bug report: XPLMCanWriteDataRef always returns true for DataRefs.txt. XPD-11400 – Horizon tilts when panning tower view. XPD-13214 – From Bug Report: Panel maker interface for 3D panel shifted and unreadable. XPD-13172 – Citation X has brakes still set to hydraulic system B, should be A. XPD-13154 – Zone transit should use actual airspace boundary if it’s not ridiculously large. XPD-13153 – IFR clearance should include a squawk code even for relayed clearance. XPD-13138 – Unable to change aircraft basic information if departure ICAO is populated. XPD-13114 – LSO is calling “drop your hook” for aircraft with no tailhook. XPD-13095 – Taxiway names with spaces were not loaded correctly. XPD-12087 – Request for a dataref that shows the state of the UI selected scaling. XPD-13217 – Pronounce name of Ethiopia’s Bole airport (HAAB) correctly. XPD-13141 – F14 F-14 Tomcat Right and Left Engine Fuel Shutoff Handle INOP. XPD-13132 – Ground Attitude in Plane Maker acts crazy. XPD-13122 – Slow speed taxing of the MD82 excessively rolls the aircraft.  
X-Plane 12 Minimum Requirements
CPU: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9. (Those with other CPUs should try the demo before purchasing.) Memory: 8 GB RAM Video Card: a Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 2 GB VRAM If your system is borderline, we encourage you to try the demo first. The full version of the simulator will perform exactly the same as the demo—neither better nor worse. X-Plane 12 Recommended Requirements
CPU: Intel Core i5 8600k or Ryzen 5 3500 or better, or Apple Silicon Memory: 16-24 GB RAM or more Video Card: a DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 4 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 1070 or better, or similar from AMD) Supported Video Cards:
    NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce 900 or newer, driver version 510 or newer     AMD: AMD Radeon RX 500 or newer, driver version Adrenaline 22.2.1or newer Supported Operating Systems:
    OS X: OS X 10.15 or newer (e.g. Catalina, Big Sur, or Monterey)     Windows: Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit     Linux: Varies         If you want to run on Linux, you will need to try X-Plane on your distribution to see if it is compatible. We have developers using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and newer successfully, however we don’t provide support for specific distributions.         We require the proprietary driver from NVIDIA to run X-Plane. We require the Mesa drivers, version 22.0 or newer, for AMD to run X-Plane.  
X-Plane 12 (Beta) is purchased directly from Laminar Research for US$59.95 and the download file size is 82 GB
 
X-Plane 12
Price is US$59.95
_____________________
 
X-Plane 12 Beta release overview by Stephen Dutton
25th October 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 11 - X-Plane b12.00
 
(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: SA 315B Lama by Philip Ubben and Khamsin Studio
 
By Stuart McGregor
 
I recently had the opportunity to try out the SA315B Lama by Philip Ubben and Khasim Studio during the beta run of X-Plane 12, and I am delighted to share my thoughts and experiences in this review.
 
In all honesty, I find the Lama to be an unusual-looking aircraft by today’s standards, with its bulging bubble canopy and open tubular fuselage exposing all its workings, and in a strange way, it reminds me of an insect that has had its wings pulled off. However, don’t be fooled by its rustic appearance, as it has some amazing characteristics and charm.
 

 
Designed by the French Sud Aviation organisation to be able to cope with extreme conditions in terms of high altitudes and temperatures, the single turbine engine Lama was developed to perform in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas and has held several high-altitude records along the way. It is not the largest of aircraft by any means, only carrying up to 4 passengers or just over a tonne as a slung load, however, the fact it can operate comfortably in extreme altitudes does make it quite unique in many respects. Its main customer base has traditionally been military organisations operating in mountainous regions of the world, such as the Nepalese Army and Indian Air force, and its order book has stretched far and wide from Afghanistan to Peru.
 


 
When you then consider the Lama’s roots are firmly planted in the late 1960s and early 1970s and it is still very much in use today, this is a real testament to the ingenuity and engineering expertise of the original Sud Aviation designers, and I am really delighted the developers have brought this amazing aircraft to life in both X-Plane 11 and now also X-Plane 12.
 
This review has included a couple of firsts for me, namely, it’s my first real venture into the X-Plane 12 environment since its general release to the public, and secondly, most of the testing I carried out was in VR with my Oculus Rif S. Traditionally my reviews have been carried out in the 2D world, however, this time I thought I would just try something a little different and give VR a try. It is worth noting that this review was using the beta 7 version of X-Plane 12 and there are clearly lots of bugs still to fix, (flickering clouds for example), however, I believe that this didn’t detract too much from the overall experience. In all honesty, even with the bugs, I have very much been enjoying the new features available in X-Plane 12, and I believe this all bodes well for the future of the sim.
 



So back to the Lama. The Lama was originally released for X-Plane 11 in the second half of 2021, and if you opt to purchase the X-Plane 12 model, you also get the previous version as part of the package. For a comprehensive and in-depth review of the Lama, including its many systems, please follow the following link to Stephen Dutton's excellent X-Plane 11 article. I did take a quick look at the version 11 variant just to see what has changed, and although I didn’t spend a lot of time in the older version, there are significant upgrades in the new X-Plane 12 model. One of the most noticeable changes are the upgrades to the pop-out 3D tablet and the addition of the ‘Nightsun’ searchlight, and I will come back to that later. The Lama is currently retailing at x-plane.org for $32.95, and it was released in early September this year with the launch of X-Plane 12. Installation is extremely easy, just a case of downloading and drop into your Aircraft folder, that’s it.
 


 
Once you have it installed, if you look in the “Documents” folder under “Comprehensive Manuals”, you will find all sorts of helpful documents provided in a mixture of English, German, and French. You will find an Introduction to the Lama that explains a little about the helicopter itself as well as the start-up and shut-down procedures, operational start-up and shut-down checklists explaining what to do and in which order, a  visual overview of the main instrument panels and functions, instructions on how to use the ‘Nightsun’ searchlight, an overview of the functionality provided via the 3D-tablet, and a list of FAQs that may answer some of the questions that you initially have. A separate document also describes the Pitch Indicator provided in the Lama and explains what it does and how to use it. In all honesty, I was a little confused by the explanation offered, however, I am sure with some practice it all makes sense. The developers also mentioned that in real life, as the unit is quite hard to read and would be a distraction during flight, most pilots consider any pitch limits throughout their flights prior to taking off. Nevertheless, it is a nice feature to have if you are looking for the best immersion possible and the dials are operational. There is one final document that is worth mentioning and that is the Quick Start Guide. This will give a few other general tips on how to get the best out of the Lama, and all these documents are worth reading to familiarize yourself with the numerous features the Lama has to offer.
 



Now that you have installed the Lama and have read through the various documents, it is time to jump into the cockpit. There are two seats up front and three in the rear, and one of the first things you will notice is just how much of a view you have because of the bubble canopy. In VR especially, this is fabulous. For those who don’t have VR capability, this really is something that adds a totally new dimension to flying, and although it does take a little time to get used to, particularly when flying helicopters, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. The sense of depth that you get can’t be matched on any 2D screen, so when looking around the Lama’s cabin, you just want to reach out and grab everything. The instruments in the Lama are quite basic in terms of tech when compared to modern helicopters, however, I really prefer this as there are just fewer things to have to learn and ultimately worry about. Don’t get me wrong, tech is great and will often add in new safety features which is never a bad thing, however, sometimes it is just nice to be faced with some more basic instruments and controls.
 


There is a small overhead panel above your head with lighting dimmer controls, switches to operate various electrical systems and a range of fuses, although the fuses are not functional.  I found the central pedestal dials fairly easy to read, although VR in the Rift S does have its limits when looking at small numbers and lettering, however, the textures overall are very nicely done and realistic. If you can crane your head around and look above and behind, you will see the rotor head and rotors, and the attention to detail is excellent, even down to unique part numbers on the rotor blades. When cold and dark it is worth just taking a few moments to try out the cyclic controls and watch the rotorhead assembly parts all moving in perfect unison. Pretty impressive!!
 


To get the Lama started, you can go the fully manual route and follow the provided checklists, however, one of the features I really like was the automated start-up (and shut-down) that can be accessed via the 3D-tablet. The tablet can be opened by clicking on the text label to the right of the central console on the airframe, and this is one of the areas where the XP11 and XP12 variants differ. In the XP12 version, several new features have been added and there is now a complete second page that can be accessed. This allows you to toggle on or off various features such as the doors, snow skids, external mirror, searchlight, and rescue winch; you can also adjust the type of baskets and type of airspeed indicator and altimeter, and from the first page you can also adjust the weight distribution, centre of gravity and the fuel load (see the Quick Start Guide for guidance when rotors are running). In addition, you can also set the auto pitch limit and pitch fail mode and turn the rotors to the front prior to starting. In real life, this is important as it avoids rotor damage caused by the turbine exhaust and is a nice little feature that adds to the immersion. I liked the sound of these changes being made when you click the screen, it really makes you ‘feel’ the changes are taking place rather than just appearing.
 



On page 2 of the tablet, you have options to adjust visual effects such as glass reflections, downwash, vibrations and how lights and strobes show up. On this page, you will also find the automatic checklists for start-up and shutdown, and these have audible speech samples that take you through the process which I really liked. You can also have the view change automatically to show you the relevant section, which is OK in 2D but made me feel a bit sick in 3D, so I just disabled it. The final feature I would like to mention, and to me, an important one is the Augmented Stability controls. This allows you to set the intensity on the Heading, Pitch and Roll stability, and I had this set to 15% for all three. I found that controlling the Lama with these all set to zero was pretty tuff, and this is something you can play around with to find your own sweet spot. As I mentioned, 15% did the trick for me.
 


Before we get the engine fired up and attempt a flight, I just wanted to take some time to mention the exterior features and detailing of the Lama. In X-Plane 12, the Lama is a thing of unusual beauty, it really is, and the developers should be extremely proud of what they have achieved. Sitting on a wet apron with puddles of water, and then walking around the Lama, was a surreal experience. Again, the VR element just gives you a whole new perspective and dimension to explore, and being able to do a walk around and dive into all the nooks and crannies around the fuselage was a magical experience. Details like ropes and rucksacks in the baskets are well done and I have never seen this type of detail before. The quality of the textures are exquisite and really should be enjoyed by getting up close. I even noticed that the engine has a readable nameplate tag which really shows just how much care and attention the developers have taken when creating their Lama. One final feature which I believe is worth a mention is the gentle flex and swaying movement of the rotors in the wind. This really is exceptional, and I even found myself just mesmerized watching this for a few minutes. It still amazes me just how far flight simulation has come in the 10 years I have been a fan, and aircraft like the Lama in combination with modern sims like X-Plane 12, is a testament to the various developer’s skills and imagination. The continuous improvement is remarkable, and the fact we can all enjoy this from the comfort of our living rooms is quite mind-blowing when you think about it.
 


 
OK, so let’s start up the Lama. As mentioned, I just used the auto-start feature for simplicity, although I am sure it wouldn’t take much to do this manually if you wish. One of the first things you notice when the engine starts to spin up are the sounds of the turbine, this is particularly enhanced if you remove the doors or have them open. Although I have never stood next to a real Lama (animal or helicopter), the turbine sounds very authentic, and the richness of the sounds complements the visual features extremely well. You really get a sense of the power of the turbine as it goes through its various phases, and the tone changes further as the rotors spin up to their full speed. Be careful though with any throttle controls, as I did have a couple of engine fires along the way as I hadn’t closed my throttle. Incidentally, the smoke and flame effects are realistic although I would prefer not to have wrecked the engine as often as I did.
 


Once you start the engine you will also see the pilot from the outside and he is very well-modelled and animated with head movements. Once everything had stabilised, I was able to hover taxi to my take-off point quite smoothly and with only a little effort on my controls. Perhaps it is worth mentioning that I am currently using a VKB Gladiator joystick and pedals and an old MaxFlight Stick collective, and the combination works well. The 3D tablet can be stowed via a click spot on the bottom left of the panel, although the tablet also doubles as the AviTab system, so if you would like to keep the map or other features up you can. In VR, I am using the OVR tool (it seems to still work in X-Plane 12), and I have the Super Sampling set to 1.5 and Asynchronous Spacewarp set to force 30 FPS, ASW enabled. This works well for me and is the best compromise over quality and performance. Out of VR, I was getting around 50+ FPS, and in VR, well it reduces the FPS to 27 in the Rift S.
 


Having such an unobstructed view from the cockpit makes the Lama a joy to be in, so flying low and slow around the countryside and across towns was a fabulous experience. I was able to control the Lama quite easily and I found it very responsive to my inputs during both takeoff and landing. On the latter you do have to be careful you don’t get caught up in your own downwash, as then the ground does come up to meet you a lot faster than you would like. There is no autopilot in the Lama which means manual flying all the way as far as I could tell, but I like this. Helicopters by their very nature are unstable, so having the challenge of being able to keep all the various parts moving safely in the direction you want them to, gives you a real sense of satisfaction when you master it.
 



When in flight after dark, I had a play around with the ‘Nightsun’ searchlight and this is great fun, particularly when you assign the controls to a hat switch. That way you can control the beam of light effortlessly and easily direct it to where you want it. According to the developer, the light start-up procedure is also modelled as in the real thing, so it does take a moment or two to switch on, again another nice piece of realism. At night, the cockpit instrument lighting is also very nicely done, and you can toggle between green and red, whichever takes your fancy. 
 



The only thing that I felt was a little disappointing was the rescue winch, and I had to do a little research on the forums to understand if I was missing something. Other than switching on and off a red and white box object attached to the bottom of a thin white line, this was all I could see, and based on the quality of the rest of the helicopter, I thought I must have missed something… but nope… that is it. You can change the object to one of your own, or change the weight of the object to suit, however, this is all done via the X-Plane Weights & Balance menu under the Flight option in the ribbon menu. Here you adjust the details of the slung load, however, I think a few lines in the manual would be helpful, as, without it, I scratched my head for ages trying to work this out.
 



This apart, the SA315B Lama by Philip Ubben and Khasim Studio is a fabulous example of what can be achieved within the X-Plane world, and I can safely say this is one of the best helicopters out there. I have tried most of what is available these days, and the Lama is up there with the best of them in terms of overall quality of build, features, and cost. I normally shy away from advising whether to buy something or not, as it does always come down to personal choice and depends on what you are looking for, however, if you are a helicopter fan, I think in this case I would make an exception. So, whether you are a serious helicopter flyer or someone just starting out, this Lama is well worth considering in my opinion.
 
__________________________________
 

 
The SA 315B Lama by Philip Ubben and Khamsin Studio is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
SA 315B Lama XP12
Price at time of writing US$32.95
 
SA 315B comprehensive features list
Support for the entire X-Plane 12 cycle including patches and possible updates Both versions XP12 and XP11 included  for the XP11 features please look at the Lama XP11 shop page Quick-start-document in English Comprehensive flight manual documents in EN, FR and DE Completely redesigned flight model to reflect all XP12 changes X-Plane 12 weather effects compatible "Safe-state" system which stores all tablet customizations when changing aircraft or exiting the simulator. Restores them when the Lama is reloaded Lama's own "Artifical Stabilisation" system, which is of course integrated into the "Safe-State" system. Once thoroughly made, stability settings for the three control axes are stored and restored each time the Lama is reloaded Automatic checklist including switchable acoustic speech and also switchable camera guidance to the operated switches for the complete sequence from "Cold and Dark" to "Ready to fly" and back again. Thus, the complete start-up and shut-down process can be marveled at and followed like in a movie theater Full simulation of the SX-16 "Nightsun" searchlight including sound, gimbal assembly, focus adjustment, focus dependent light intensity and realistic on/off behavior Rescue winch that automatically switches the attachment point for the bottom load rope from the load hook to the winch Second selection option for the baskets on the outside of the helicopter Possibility to mount a bubble door on the pilot's side Ability to unhook both doors independently and fly without doors FMOD 2 which, besides minor optimizations, now locally accounts for the opened doors Instrument lighting switchable between red and green color Vibration animations in the cockpit High detail 3D-model and textures by khamsin studio PBR textures Completely animated rotor head and blade flex Including Geforce plugin by Dreamfoil Helicopters (not native APPLE-arm M1/M2 compatible) Very accurate flight model (including Autorotation) up to MTOW of 1950 kg individual user setup friendly: Uses only default joystick axes (throttle, collective, pitch, roll and yaw) All custom commands access able via default X-Plane menu Complete recreation of real power management including: Real startup and shutdown procedures Real centrifugal clutch management Real turbine RPM-limiter Real safety microswitches Real usability of Collins-Pitch-Indicator Hide able 3D-tablet including: Custom weight-and-balance menu Attach or detach external parts Toggle able glass reflections Toggle able custom downwash effect Toggle able cockpit vibrations Ability to choose out of four strobe light variants for addon liveries Avitab integration Toggle able power management helper bug Let the groundcrew turn one blade up front for you Four different strobe light effects for different liveries Livery depending IAS gauge in km/h or KTS Working slungload scale VR compatible Very FPS friendly  
Requirements:
X-Plane 12  - or X-Plane 11(both versions included)
Windows, Mac* or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 840 MB
Current version: 2.1b4 (September 26th 2022)
 
Review System Specifications:
Windows 10 64 Bit
CPU Intel i9-9900k
64GB RAM
Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti
Oculus Rift S
 
Helicopter Review by Stuart McGregor
20th October 2022
Copyright©2022: 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) 
 

 
 
 
 

Aircraft Update - C172 NG Digital X-Plane 12 by AirfoilLabs
 
This is Version 1.4.0-Beta of AirfoilLabs Cessna NG 172SP, and an aircraft with X-Plane 12 elements as part of the package. It is signed as a "Beta" version and not as a X-Plane 12 compliant aircraft, it works and flies (actually very well) in X-Plane 12, but as the development Beta goes on, this is not the final form of the aircraft for X-Plane 12.
 
The C172SP NG Digital was introduced into X-Plane 11, early December 2021, so it is basically only 10 months old. It comes with a very extensive package of features (yes the feature list is one of the longest in X-Plane), but also brilliant modelling and quality detail.
 
A full comprehensive review of the X-Plane 11 aircraft release is here: Aircraft Review : C172SP NG DIGITAL by AirfoilLabs
 
With the introduction of the KingAir 350. AirfoilLabs also introduced their own plugin system called XJet. (most developers use the SASL System). Which can be a tricky thing to do and that proved to be just so as the Plugin on release was quite buggy in the KA 350 aircraft. But this is now a few years on, I found this time around that the XJet Plugin is now very refined (now up to version v2.0.0)  To use the XJet System you have to download the "Product Manager" program and install it on your computer: Product Manager / Xjet 2..0.0)
 
The installer can be downloaded in all Windows (.exe), Mac OS (.app) and Linux (.Jar) forms for your own type of operating System.
 
Notable is that for X-Plane 12, is that you have to download a new "Product Manger" for X-Plane 12...  which can be done when you update or purchase the C172 SP aircraft. So it is a completely new install for X-Plane 12.
 
The "Product Manger" is installed in your X-Plane/Plugins folder, and is accessible via the Banner/Plugins Menu. If the aircraft is available it will show up in the Product Manager, the initial release version is v1.4.0-Beta, just select to load...   First you must find the X-Plane 12 "Aircraft" install address, then insert your authorisation number (key), if correct you will get a "Activated" signal. Then you install the aircraft remotely which is around a download of 1.2Gb in size...  to wrap up the installation, you have to agree to the "License Agreement".
 

 
The Startup screen with a rotating aircraft scenario (You can disable this startup option if you want to) is still quite impressive.
 

 
First a few notes...  This review is in X-Plane 12 v12.7b (brand new Beta). Secondly I was only going to do a orientation flight (YBBN - Brisbane to YBCG-Gold Coast), but it looked so good I switched it around for it to be the main update review... it is "Dark" or darker that what I usually put out (Sorry about that), but the visuals deserved to be seen with the real weather exactly the same as outside my window, but in also being an early dawn flight.
 

 
"It hits you between the eyes". WOW it was so dramatic, sensational with the AirFoilLabs C172 SP in X-Plane 12...
 

 
Great morning for a flight!
 

 
X-Plane 12's clouds here are overwhelmingly good, and yes as noted in being exactly like it is outside my window, heavy low cloud with breaks of light.
 

 
X-Plane 12 lighting (external) is still not right here, so don't look at the taxi/landing lights as the final version. Notable is that the toe-brakes are now more refined, and not as so sharp, so softer means more control while taxiing and even for the initial start of the takeoff run.
 
Just look at that centre image, the realism is now utterly simply unbelievable, "Viva X-Plane 12"...
 

 
Once clear of the field (YBBN) you track south.
 

 
The main feature (Besides X-Plane 12) in this release is the "External Camera Enhancements" and "Internal Camera Enhancements" (G-Forces), that can be found on the "Settings" menu panel. Note the lower new adjustment selection for the toe-brakes.
 

 
On the External effect, you get a pull to the tail on the animation (note, if you start up in the earlier rotating aircraft scenario, it is best to turn the feature off, as it interferes with the rotation effect?)
 

 
Internally you get movement to the G-Forces, and they are very similar to the XPRealistic Effects.
 
We have complained about X-Plane's weak weather for as long as I can remember, but you have to admit X-Plane 12's weather engine here is bloody impressive! Real clouds with real immersion, I'm totally in love.
 

 
X-Plane 12 features include a total rebuild of the Flight Model from the ground up for XP12, with new (dynamic) Airfoils. There are also new Weight & Balance corrections, Failures and the Wear (and tear) is better tuned and sensational X-Plane 12 Rain, Fog, and Ice effects are also now active on the aircraft.
 

 
The modern FMOD system is now better in FMOD2, but still with the 320 sounds plus all the detailed layered engine samples and full audible failures. 360º dynamic sounds are also still spectacular, if the best in the business, so yes of course I really like them.
 
G1000 custom features compatibility for XP12, including the new ATC boundaries, and I like the "GARMIN" titles as well for authenticity.
 

 
Both PFD and MFD displays can not only pop-up (out), but can be separated and lose their bevels for Home Builders.
 
We mentioned the new "Flight Model" before and basically I think it is excellent, but currently overshadowed by the Beta issues, as I find excessive wind (at all levels) is not currently realistic, so it is pretty hard to make judgements while being thrown around the cabin, ditto the internal lighting, which still feels too dark. Lighting fully adjusted it doesn't really affect the cabin much? But this is not a developers issue(s) but Laminar Beta issues, so ignore them.
 
The cabin textures have been tweaked for X-Plane 12, and they feel basic compared to say Aerobask, but still in tune with a basic C172SP in trim. Overall the cabin fitout and detail is impressive.
 

 
I hit the coast just south of Surfers (Paradise), then a turn right to line up to YBCG (Gold Coast) Rwy 14...
 

 
  Burleigh Hill, then Palm Beach and over Currumbin Creek, now on finals. I'm fighting excessive wind, but with only 2 knts on the instruments says something's not right with the Beta?
 

 
"Steady, Steady",
 

 
The AirfoilLabs C172SP is incredible to fly, you have complete control and a perfect balance to show off your flying skills, realism 101.
 
It is why you do simulation. You want that totally realistic experience and the level of immersion goes up every year, but with X-Plane 12, you have jumped a graded few years into the future, but that futuristic realism is available here to you now. VR compatibility is now also initiated on the AirFoilLabs C172SP for X-Plane 12, so you can go even deeper if you have a Vertical Reality setup.
 
Landing is tricky with the crosswind, but the revised Landing Gear forces have been given a tune-up in X-Plane 12 to give you more feel on the touch. Note the realistic exhaust effects, I like the way the effect changes to the power outputs.
 

 
The menu options list is sensational, the best in the business.
 

 
There are also 47 liveries provided with the 172, yes FORTY SEVEN. That covers most areas that has this aircraft still in operation. The USA gets the bulk of the action with 23 liveries, the rest are Europe (but only one G- Rego) and two in Australia. Four are shown here.
 

 
At the bottom of the internal view icon is the "QuickLook" system. Here you can assign keys or a HAT SWITCH with the AirfoilLab's Camera Commands to navigate visually more quickly around internally in the aircraft, you can customise the view settings as well...  it is just another take on the X-Plane Number views system, but with far more options. This has also been revised for X-Plane 12.
 

 
"It's love at first flight"...
 

_____________________
Summary
Only ten months since it's X-Plane 11 release in December 2021, and here is the AirFoilLabs Cessna 172SP update version for X-Plane 12.
 
Notable that this version (v1.4.0-Beta) is the X-Plane 12 Beta configuration, and not the full compatible version for X-Plane 12. The C172SP comes with a very extensive package of features (yes the feature list is one of the longest in X-Plane), but also brilliant modelling and high quality in detail.
 
This X-Plane 12 update is free for current X-Plane 11 purchasers, but you have to download a new version of the "Product Manager" to install the aircraft for X-Plane 12.
 
New features include; External Camera Enhancements and Internal Camera Enhancements (G-Forces), VR Capability, Toe Brake refinement, better internal textures, and no bezels on the G-100 avionics package.
 
X-Plane 12 revisions include; New Flight Model (very good), New Airfoils, better Wear and Tear simulations, Rain, Fog and Ice, Landing Gear forces retuned and G-1000 X-Plane 12 capability.
 
Although already a very highly featured package with a huge amount of detail, the AirFoilLabs C172SP delivers now even more in X-Plane 12.
The Cessna looks sensational in the new X-Plane version, and flies far better as well.
 
This was the most immersive and hugely realistic flight I have done yet in X-Plane 12. It was simply really overwhelmingly brilliant, those cloud and skyscapes bring home the real 3d effect of flying an aircraft in a simulator. I'm not going to shy away from the niggles of the Beta v12B7 here. They create over strong winds, dark interiors and shakes to the aircraft that are not realistic.
 
But the brilliant totally overwhelms the niggles, this is the future of X-Plane Simulation, and the AirFoilLabs C172SP is a really big part of that overall experience, this possibly the very best Cessna 172SP for X-Plane, maybe even in Simulation. So what more could you ask for....
 
Highly Recommended!
________________________________  
 
The C172SP NG DIGITAL v1.4.0 by AirfoilLabs is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore
 
172SP NG DIGITAL
Price is US$49.95
 
This aircraft is X-Plane12 supported, but to note it is in Beta form.
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 - both versions included
Windows, Mac Intel, Mac Silicon, or Linux  4 GB  VRAM Minimum -  8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Current version: 1.4.0 Beta  (October 11th 2022)   Download for the AirfolLabs 172SP NG DIGITAL is done via an installer "AFL+Product+Manager+Windows+installer"
 
To use the XJet System you have to download the "Product Manager" program and installed on your computer: Product Manager / Xjet 2..0.0)
The installer can be downloaded in all Windows (.exe), Mac OS (.app) and Linux (.Jar) forms for your type of operating System.
 
And the final install in X-Plane folder is 2.95gb. Authorisation is now done via the Product Manager. Updates are also done via the same Product Manager.
 
Version 1.4.0-Beta Changelog:
Version 1.4.0-Beta (October 10th 2022) Changelog.txt
 
Designed by AirfoilLabs
Support forum for the C172 NG Digital _____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
13th October 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - S1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.00B7 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- YBBN - Brisbane International by Orbx
- YBCG - Gold Coast International by Axonos  
(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 : ViperJet eX XP12 by Aerobask
 
This is the new ViperJet from Aerobask, and noted as a new aircraft. It is new to a point, but not the first ViperJet in X-Plane or from Aerobask. That distinction goes back to 2015 and X-Plane 10 as reviewed here: Aircraft Review - Viperjet by Aerobask
 
There is of course a huge difference between the aircraft, not in the actual design or in many areas even the features. But certainly in the environment and the context that this ViperJet is X-Plane 12 only and if you want an earlier X-Plane version then the aircraft is not available.
 
So what is the ViperJet?
Basically it is two seater personal Jet aircraft that is certainly not your average General Aviation aircraft. It looks military (training) and in fact all personal tandem seaters except for a few odd aircraft from Burt Rutan like the VariEze, of which was a forerunner of the Viperjet are like it on the General Aviation market. The Viper aircraft was also originally created with a pusher propeller 350 hp (261 kW) Continental TSIOL-550 powerplant and then known as the Viperfan. 
 
Basically the ViperJet is a kit aircraft, homebuilt. The kit used to cost US$182,000 and you are going to spend another US$300,000 to $500,000 get it airborne, that is if you can find a General Electric J85 jet engine lying around. This J85 version is the MkII as the MkI didn't really fly very well with the underpowered Turbomeca Marboré installed.
 
The original Viperjet prototype flew late in October 1999 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2000.The MKII prototype flew on 12 June 2005 and you can upgrade your Mk1 to the MkII. The eX version here uses the P&W JT15D-1A (2200 lbs thrust). If you want one today, then you would only be able to buy a second-hand version as ViperJet went out of business years ago, and they are expensive to run as they burned something like 100 gallons per hour of Jet-A, not exactly efficient or cheap at these day's fuel prices.
 

 
The ViperJet is a striking aircraft, like a slightly smaller smoother version of the Hawk Trainer without the canted rear tailplanes. So it is in a category of it's own as it's not your usual General Aviation machine, but not Military as well, but the aircraft does have aspects of both genres.
 
This is a fully composite aircraft. So it is very clean and every surface is so smooooth. Aerobask are the masters of composite clean aircraft, then add in the X-Plane 12 elements and the ViperJet is a significant change even from the original, of which was also quite exceptional for it's time.
 

 
Any detail work is still done very well, mostly it's just fuselage hatches and the lovely metal exhaust outlet. This basically only a kit aircraft. So there is not a lot of external elements that you would get with a say a, Cessna or Piper, and so the main thing here to focus on are those lovely clean shapes with an uncomplicated wing (with nice winglets) and a beautiful shape.
 

 
Tri-cycle gear is uncomplicated as well, in being just a single strut per leg with no trailing-links here. You do feel the home made design of the gear, but again the strut and brake assembly detail is very good.
 

 
Glass is a simple two canopy small front screen and large bubble rear that looks excellent, but very clear with no wear or glass taints. But it is very fighter in shape if you want that feel in the aircraft.
 

 
Open the canopy and it is very well fitted out inside. Personally I doubt that most Vipers would be fitted out so luxurious as this as they are mostly all kit aircraft, but it is a very nice scheme with lovely materials and again an Aerobask speciality.
 

 
The interior colour scheme changes with the external depending on the colour, with four colours available. Red, Blue, Yellow and Cream.
 

 
But no khaki, but that would be too military. The new scheme also makes the tan interior X-Plane 10 version look very outdated.
 
Cockpit Layout
The instrument panel is quite different from the older Viper (right below), and far, far more detailed. X-Plane in detail has also come a long, long way in seven years.
 

 
Power and Avionics switched on and you get the lovely "AVIDYNE" startup screen...  then everything comes to life.
 

 
All instrument panels and avionics pop-out for custom setups, or for ease of use.
 
Adiyne Entegra EXP 5000
Front and centre is the "Adiyne EXP 5000 or Entegra" is a Primary Flight Display (PFD) combining all the standard instruments.
 

 
The upper half of the EXP 5000 shows the flight instruments, and the lower half shows navigational data, as well as a range of soft keys which correspond to physical buttons on the bezel of the device.
 
Instrument basics include; Airspeed Indicator (with IAS setting above), Attitude Indicator (with Flight Director), Altimeter (with preselected altitude above & baro pressure below), Vertical Speed Indicator and top the Slip/Skid Indicator. Also included are; Autopilot Information, Bearing Pointer Information and Wind Information. Lower is the Horizontal Situation Indicator.
 
Left softkeys cover (LSK1 to LSK4) NAV, Bearing, IAS bug, Navigation view modes. Right softkeys cover (RSK1 to RSK4) Heading, Altitude, VSI bug and Barometer setting.
 
MVP-50
Electronics International MVP-50 engine analyser is also installed here. It has a graphical display that covers; Arc Gauges for RPM, EGT, GPH and EPR. Fuel/Oil Pressure and Oil Temperature, Three L/C/R Fuel readouts, Oil Ratio, Zulu and Local Time clocks and Electrics in; Bus Volts, Bus Amps and OAT ºF and ºC.
 

 
Avidyne DFC 90
Avidyne DFC 90 autopilot is a digital autopilot and flight director (lower left of the panel arrowed) which works in conjunction with the Avidyne EXP5000 PFD and can take full advantage of an installed GPS device, such as the GNS530 optional GTN750. Besides standard operating modes (HDG, NAV, GPSS, IAS, VS, ALT) it has a “straight and level” mode (which restores aircraft pitch and roll to a 2° levelled position).
 

 
CO200K
CO200K is digital clock and Outside Air Temperature display produced by Aerospace Logic Inc (Top Right Arrowed). The CO200 features 3 main screens that you can cycle through using the top button, unless you are configuring one of the screens:
1) Clock and OAT 2) Stopwatch/Countdown 3) FlightTime and reminder  
Other Avionics include; Customised GNS 530, Garmin GTX 330 Transponder, Dynon AOA Pro digital Angle of Attack indicator, lower three digital Trims...
 

 
...   centre console has; GMA 345 Radio, Garmin GNC 255 Nav/Comm unit, OBLÒ FlyBox Backup instrument. Note lower Fuel Selection switch.
 

 
Left panel holds mostly all your main aircraft switches and controls. Main battery and Avionic power switches, Igniter (to start the engine), Combined Starter & Generator switch (very clever), Engine Master Switch, L&R Fuel Tanks transfer pump, Boost pump, Airbrake Switch, Main fuel Throttle/cutoff. An important dial (unless you want to die) is the Pressurization Dial that shows you your cabin pressure.
 

 
Right Panel is mostly covered in circuit breakers (breakers for gear, avionics and engine are ALL operational). But there are also three "Pressure" switches (Bleed, Canopy Seal and Oxygen). Up top are the Inlet Heat, SURF (Surface) Heat, AoA Heat and Pitot Heat switches. Canopy seal is three actions in pressure, safety lock and the actual canopy release lever. Very rear is a can of Cola!
 
Centre is a very nice pair of headphones on the right (click to lower sounds) and AviTab on the left (Plugin Required).
 

 
You can also access the Aerobask Menu via the AviTab Tablet (stored in left pouch), or by Show/Hide the Menu via the X-Plane/Plugins drop down menu.
 
There are Four (Menu) Options available; Ground, Options, Smoke, Sounds and About.
 

 
Ground: Top left is the Weights, Fuel and Balance section, and lower you can change the liveries with out going to the main menu. Right upper panel has three options; Ground Objects (Install/Remove), GPU Ground Power Unit (Install/Remove) and Refill Oxygen Bottle. Lower is the options to have the Co-Pilot visible; Always, Outside only and No Co-Pilot.
 

 
The "Ground Objects" will give you static elements of; Chocks, Pitot Covers, Tow-Bar but no inlet or engine outlet covers? The GPU is a different one and a far better unit than the earlier original version. Rear Co-Pilot is a very attractive woman, pretty as...  but her boyfriend is in the front!  He will disappear if the Ground Objects are on. Both people are not animated.
 

 
Options : Under the "Options" tab you can adjust the "Instrument popups", Reflections on/off for the Canopy and Instruments, Head up Display Auto FOV Fild of View and set the Breakers (Fuses) to a reliability setting from Perfect to Challenging! 
 

 
All Avionics have option tabs, including the main EXP5000, MVP50, GTX330, GNC255, CO200K, OBLÒ and MD302, shown above is the EXP5000 tab.
 
Smoke : There is a feature that will produce coloured smoke trails behind the aircraft. There are three smoke pods you can display on the aircraft, one under each wing and one pod under the tail. And you can select either the wings or centre pod to display smoke in three colours.
 

 
Sound : Basically the Sound adjustment tab mirrors the X-Plane Sound panel...  but makes it far easier to access.
 

 
About : Credits the Aerobask development team
 

 
In the rear seat, there is the same AviTab Tablet, but the basic instrument set is actually part of the canopy, and can only be used when the canopy is closed? A stick and throttle is present, but no rudder pedals.
 

_________
 
Flying the Aerobask ViperJet XP12
You need the external GPU to provide power and as a starter for the aircraft. Master Engine Switch to ON, central lower Fuel switch to ON, boost pump switch to ON, and igniter switch to ON...  then press the clever START and GENERATOR switch in one to... Start.
 

 
You hold the switch until the FF (Fuel Flow) kicks in and from then on the startup sequence is full automatic for the start up. Sounds from the P&W JT15D-1A  are excellent in the startup sequence, whine and then the burbling power. Once running you switch the Generator Switch over for the avionics power and hide the GPU.
 

 
The 360º sounds are excellent as well and it all feels like a small Light Jet, of which is is. Closing the huge canopy is a push of the red lever, once down then pressurize the cockpit with the "canopy seal switch" then switch the engine bleed switch to on to redirect the bleed air to the pressurization system, If correct it will show the pressure on the Pressurization Dial.
 
The view forward is highly restricted by the canopy divider, but you get used to being in the enclosed space. Taxiing is very nice with just the right amount of idle power to move the aircraft, I don't recommend a fast taxi speed as it would weave too much, but otherwise the ViperJet is nice on the ground.
 

 
Coming onto the runway and the "SynViz" or Synthetic Vision option switches on...
 

 
You can turn off the SynViz and have a normal hard horizon if you like that. Another feature is the HUD, and this instrument will drop down if you click on the (hotspot) attachment on the canopy...
 

 
....   at first it will pull you in sharply to a 35% POV, of which I didn't like at all, but you can adjust it back to the normal 73% via the menu, but you also have to turn off the "Automatic FOV" first.
 
It's a very small light jet...
 

 
Lining up the center line and throttle up and the aircraft leaps off the brakes. It is skittish with those hard gear struts, and as the speed builds so you have to work to keep the aircraft straight. The ViperJet feels all the bumps and lumps on the taxiways and runway, so you have to be wary of any big ones throwing you off course. Around 85knots and you rotate and then your flying nicely and all the shuddering stops.
 

 
Gear will retract automatically, not sure I want that, but it saves an action on takeoff... 
 

 
Performance comes with a Rate of climb (aerobatic weight) 7500fpm / Rate of climb (gross weight) 5000fpm, and you feel the climb as you go up... and up.
 
Maximum speed cruise (FL280) 400 KTAS  with a Economy cruise speed (FL280) 350 KTAS and an Approach speed 120-130 KIAS / Landing Speed 95-105 KIAS, the range in economy cruise (with Tip Tanks) is 1450 nm.
 

 
Nice to look at in the air...  even better to fly. The eX has a custom Flight Model by X-Aerodynamics and with X-Plane 12 dynamics of course, and it feels very natural in the air, certainly a very rudder and stick sort of machine and the sort I like.
 

 
Instinctively you just want to throw the ViperJet around. You can do aerobatics in this aircraft and it would be interesting to see a pro fly this aircraft around, but it is great on the stick and you know you want too...  but "hey, lets barrelroll" and yes it is as much fun as it looks, but also harder than it looks in getting the aircraft to come out of the roll cleanly.
 

 
The view out is very nice as well, the front is a bit restricting, but the rear has the full bubble canopy to look through... and our new X-Plane 12 world looks pretty spectacular from up here.
 

 
The "Smoke" switch is upper right on the panel, and that then brings out the "Red Arrows" in you, it's also pretty spectacular.
 

 
Lighting
Internal lighting is excellent... Two knobs right panel give you adjustment for "Shield" or LED lighting and lower "Panel" for back-lighting. The LED lighting covers not only around the glareshield, but also the two side switchgear areas, excellent it is...
 

 
...   in the rear there is no LED lighting or adjustment, but that is okay...  full settings down low in the panel lighting and the screens are bright...
 

 
...   but you can find that nice panel sweetspot. The highlight are the excellent panel reflections on the canopy, on the front and on the bubble canopy they shimmer around you making it all feel very real.
 
External is quite basic. Landing and taxi lights are in the outer wings, navigation and strobe are the usual but well refined here.
 

 
Time to land back at KLAL (Lakeland). And to drop off the speed to descend quickly you can use the two underwing airbrakes. The original airbrakes were just a panel in the slipstream, but these are nicely designed grid brakes.
 

 
I'm looking for KLAL's Rwy 09 and find it at my ten o'clock, so with a flip to the right it was easy to not only to slow down, but to reset the aircraft in height and speed ready for landing, it is an incredibly versatile aircraft to manoeuvre...
 

 
Flaps are Up-1-2-3 and their position is shown on the lower centre panel, to be honest they are not very effective and you still mostly use a 100 knt approach speed.
 

 
Down goes the gear...  nice.
 

 
Full flap (3) and your lowering the speed to 94 knts to fall gracefully to Terra Firma...
 

 
... the ViperJet is very, very slippery through the air, so there is not a lot of drag, so you have to control speed by power and pitch to rub it off.
 

 
There is a trick to landing the ViperJet cleanly. You use your pitch to rub off the speed, but not enough to stall the aircraft. Get the nose up high and just let it float down, and get it right and you'll make a perfectly controlled landing. 
 


 
Speed does not run off quickly as the jet is so light, add on top of that the bumps and notches in the runway and that can have you working the rudder hard to keep it in line, and just like what happened on the takeoff run. But practise helps, as by my third landing I had got it perfect in the approach and the landing without much squirming. note the airbrakes, but they are not that effective? I'm down and done and head for the parking stand.
 

_________
Liveries
There is one white (blank) and Seven Custom liveries to choose from. The Stinger is default, and there is Grey, Blue, Yellow, Green and two airshow liveries for the American Thunderbirds and British Red Arrows. All are high quality, but the Red Arrows is particularly nice.
 

_________
Summary
This is the all new ViperJet eX kit aircraft of being the only tandem two-seater commercial jet aircraft in the world. This aircraft is totally new and only for X-Plane 12 from Aerobask, but this is not the first ViperJet from Aerobask as that one goes to back 2015 and X-Plane 10, and this is a very different machine than that same aircraft.
 
Basically the ViperJet is a kit aircraft, homebuilt with a General Electric J85 jet engine, but some kits like this one here uses a P&W JT15D-1A  with 2200 lbs of thrust. If you want one, then only a hand built secondhand version is available as ViperJet as a company went broke a few years ago.
 
If you are no stranger to Aerobask aircraft then you will know what you are getting here. Excellent modeling and detail plus a load of clever features, but overall Aerobask stands for high quality.
 
Instrumentation and Avionics are totally first rate with the Adiyne Entegra EXP 5000 primary flight display front and centre. The Electronics International MVP-50 engine analyser is also excellent. Other avionics include the CO200K digital clock, customised GNS 530, Garmin GTX 330 Transponder, Dynon AOA Pro digital Angle of Attack indicator, GMA 345 Radio, Garmin GNC 255 Nav/Comm unit, OBLÒ FlyBox backup instrument are all presented as realistic. There is also a drop down basic HUD System.
 
There is a full drop down menu that is mirrored in the AviTab Tablet (plugin required) with plenty of options including for most of the avionics systems. For fun there is alsoa  custom smoke option that will create coloured smoke trails.
 
The custom X-Plane 12 Flight Model by X-Aerodynamics is excellent as this aircraft is fast and versatile, but also extremely slippery in the air. But did I mention fun? because the ViperJet is a lot of fun to fly as a small but powerful light jet in this unique tandem configuration.
 
I liked the earlier ViperJet from Aerobask, but in reality this aircraft is really no relation in any area except it is the same design. This eX version is all brand new, it looks new, created new and flies new, and again for everything that you get with this aircraft then flying it in X-Plane 12 is also the biggest attraction of all, because putting the two elements together aircraft and X-Plane 12 and you get magic...
 
MEGA Magic...  recommended.
_______________________________
 

 
Yes! the ViperJet eX XP12 by Aerobask is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: 
 
ViperJet eX XP12
Price is US$34.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not compatible with X-Plane 11)
Windows, MAC or Linux
4 GB VRAM Video Card Minimum 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Current version: 1.0 (September 28th 2022)  
Completely new aircraft Built from the ground for X-Plane 12 New 3D model and textures New flight model by X-Aerodynamics New FMOD sound pack by Daniela RodrigueZ Carreri  New custom code by Lionel Zamouth Apple M1 Rosetta compatible Apple M1 native support through later update Superb 3D model: PBR 4K textures and normal maps for new X-Plane 12 rendering engine 7 gorgeous liveries with an additional white for painters Ground equipment: battery-powered GPU, remove-before-flight ribbons, chocks, tow bar VR-friendly manipulators, vrconfig file provided High quality sounds Full FMOD environment by Daniela Rodriguez Careri Accurate doppler, distance attenuation and flyby effects In-game volume control without pausing the sim Noise-reduction headset for comfortable flights Custom-coded instruments: Avidyne EXP5000 with optional synthetic vision and moving map by OscarPilot. Head-Up-Display (HUD) with AP, flaps and AB information, optional auto FOV change DFC90 autopilot with popup GTX330 transponder with timers, altitude monitor, contrast control and more GNC255 COM2/NAV2 combo unit MVP50 engine monitoring system with independant brightness RC3 trim indicators, with clickable zones for easier manipulation AOA Pro angle of attack indicator CO200K smart watch with timer and alert Flybox Oblo attitude and altitude backup instrument for the pilot SAM MD302 attitude and altitude backup instrument for rear-seat GMA345 audio panel ACI e-Flaps controller Smoke system with configurable colors and emitters Extensive option and configuration panel All instruments with a screen and the autopilot have configurable popups and popouts Cockpit: Highly detailed panel, switches and seats Simulated noise-reduction headset Fully animated rudder with toe brakes Canopy lock and seal logic Stowable tablet Superb night lighting with backlight and panel illumination control Canopy with new rain and defrost effects Fully functional breakers with customizable reliability Third-party support: Avitab integration with our custom configuration panel Support for RealityXP GTN750 (to be tested when available for XP12, may require update) Laminar's GNS530 and custom GTX330 are default setting, replaced by GTN750 when available and activated by user. More to be announced later  
Installation and documents:  download for the ViperJet eX XP12. is 301 Mb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
 
Full Installation is 697 Mb
 
The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder.
 
Documents supplied are:
Checklist_ Normal.pdf Quick-Doc AOA Pro.pdf Quick-Doc CO200.pdf Quick-Doc DFC90.pdf Quick-Doc EXP5000.pdf README - XP12 aircraft installation.pdf ViperJet Owner Manual.pdf ViperJet_Climb_performance_chart.pdf ViperJet_Performances_chart.pdf   There are a huge amount of Documentation provided here, Checklists, Performance charts, reference guides but also X-Plane/hardware settings and custom and default avionics.
 
All updates are via built-in Skunkcrafts Updater
 
Support forum for the Viperjet eX XP12
_____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
1st October 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - S1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.00B5 (This is a beta review).
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- KLAL - Lakeland Linder Regional Airport 1.0 by Nicolas (Airport by NAPS) - (X-Plane.Org) - Free  
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

Behind the Screen : September 2022
 
Finally on September 6th 2022 Laminar Research released (I hate the word "Dropped") X-Plane 12 "Early Access". The trick on noting it an early access was that currently it is only available as a "Digital Download" download version, and all of the new version in size was exactly what I expected it to be at 80 Gb. To speed up my download I only downloaded in 40 Gb by leaving out Africa, Russia and S. America. Then later that night I downloaded in the rest. Disks and hard copies will come when X-Plane 12 goes final.
 
Tricky start was as the payment system wouldn't work, it crashed then crashed again, but then I got my authorisation key that works with both the new X-Plane 12 and the older X-Plane 11. The download (about three hours) however went smoothly.
 
Then the big moment came... apprehensive! I covered the details of the new simulator in a full overview here; X-Plane 12 - Next Generation X-Plane Beta release "Early Access"
 
One advantage that MSFS (Microsoft Flight Simulator) had over X-Plane (11 and earlier) was that lovely glossy sheen. Comparing X-Plane it had a very matt and even bland feel to it, and this was very obvious if you look at the older XP11 images to the newer XP12. xEnviro sort of helped in its lighting effects, but looking at and seeing MSFS aircraft in their realism appearance and you had to feel jealous.
 
The first impact XP12 had on me was that X-Plane now had that same quality glossy feel (If in areas still a little over glossy). But the visual differences are stark and the photo realism of X-Plane 12 certainly comes over in the images we create now. Like everyone I'm aware this is a Beta phase (probably for a few months until America's thanksgiving, again like I predicted in last month's BtheS) so anything and everything could change in this period.
 
I set my expectations for X-Plane 12 low, as after a decade or so you certainly don't believe all the hype, in fact anything hyped I usually run the other way. As you know I review and write about this simulator and have done so for over a decade. Would that aspect make me very circumspect, even quite delusional in foolishly believing and even deceiving myself it is really good when it isn't. LIke trying to convince yourself this film is very good and well made, when it is actually crap.
 
But you could easily do this if say your current circumstances depend on it and for X-Plane 12 to be successful, you would be surprised how many livelihoods out there actually depend on a simulator (or even shall I say the word in Game). I am going to be honest about that.
 
Not only myself, but more importantly most Simulator users have been very flattering if even highly praising towards the newly released version. I'm in no doubt that if X-Plane 12 had have not been a quality upgrade the punters would have easily like hungry packs of sharks and ripped it apart. There were the usual nasty comments from the MSFS crowd doing their two fingered salutes, but the simulator purchasers are overall the real assessors here and everyone gives X-Plane 12 the thumbs up. And I don't disagree with them in their comments.
 
Several things stand out. Framerate is still well within the bounds of X-Plane 11 without any major blowouts, of which we had when we switched over to X-Plane 11 and it back then needed a lot of refining in its Beta run. X-Plane 12 was also instantly flyable with the excellent available default aircraft.
 
The simulator looks brilliant, it really does, and has a very good foundation for going forward. The features are also exceptional, but to be honest I haven't yet first had the chance to use them all or even to start exploring the seasons and weather effects, but I'm very impressed by what I have already seen. So out of the box X-Plane 12 was and is very, very good.
 
I hate "Update September", worse we now have a major simulator update and upgrade to cover as well. And its a BIG job, certainly if you have an extensive simulator setup. With experience I know to bring in the elements (usually from X-Plane 11) one piece at a time, if not you could get yourself quickly and seriously into a complicated mess.
If it works so in it goes, if it doesn't work then no it doesn't go in, plugin by plugin, aircraft by aircraft, setting by setting. It will overall take months to do, but at the end of the process the new X-Plane 12 will be in a good and refined shape.
 
To a point a major switch like to a new X-Plane version is a very good time for some serious housekeeping, and time to throw a lot of the old debris away. You would be amazed on how much non in not being now required stuff is actually living in there, and doing in nothing but clogging up your system.
 
The positives here are overwhelmingly good, but there are a few negatives as well. First X-Plane 12 hits your Graphic Card with a hammer. I know already I'm up for an (expensive) Graphic Card upgrade, it currently runs and fine, but my GTX 1080 is seriously under load now most of the time. I will need more graphic computing space there. If I'm feeling the pinch then a lot of users out there will not be in a good position. Secondly is the lighting. If an aircraft has been refined to the new X-Plane 12 lighting model, then they are pretty good, but far too many are very dark inside, almost black coal faces.
 
Even some aircraft that have been even refined have been a bad nightmare in getting any sort of light to take review images from, I did one review section five times and I'm still not at all happy with the images as it was just impossible to get any sort of light into there. On night scenes, then any older scenery are very brightly washed out from the airport's lighting. Again adjustment will have to be made, but how do you correct a decade of collected scenery to fit? That is an impossible job and I'm certainly not in wanting to throw a full custom scenery folder away? So hopefully Laminar will come to the party here and somehow fix it.
 
Still on the night aspect. We expected with the new lighting engine in X-Plane 12 to have better lighting at night? In fact I think it is worse than X-Plane 11, another black hole. You are getting absolutely no reflective light, or moonshine, and I am quite disappointed by that, and even to the point I think it is not good enough for a modern simulator.
 
As you know I have rallied over the last few years on the scenery aspect of X-Plane. We knew that X-Plane 12 was not going to have any focus on this area at all. In fact some scenery aspects have been refined and quite nicely (that extra 20 Gb of scenery). Europe comes across very well, but oddly America is and always was a bland place to fly around unless you were in the mountainous areas, don't get me started on Australia, it is bland from one side to the other.
 
X-Plane 12 upped the infrastructure, but it is still very dire in context. Use any quality custom scenery and it really shines in X-Plane 12, just look at Paris's Charles de Gaulle LFPG on our header image and it looks and feels magnificent. Move away from custom and it all goes downhill very quickly.
Yes I'm very disappointed with my local area (Gold Coast AUS). I was not expecting any improvement with the new X-Plane version, but I was just not at all happy on just how little has changed here in a decade? This is not a MSFS factor, this is an X-Plane factor and we need to get serious about fixing it. Quality custom 3d in X-Plane shows you what can be done as matching it within X-Plane is really, really good now...  bubble Global Airports are too limited, but that is not the real problem here, it is the real world infrastructure that is really missing.
 
One last aspect was that a lot of aircraft are being rejected because X-Plane 12 will only recognise XP12 aircraft and rejects X-Plane 11 or older aircraft. XPD-13001 in Beta 4 should have fixed this, but it is still a lottery if the aircraft will work or not...   Gripe over.
 
Most developers have currently only done XP12 compatible aircraft, not upgrades. They work in the new simulator but that is about it, but they have delivered in getting them out there and flyable. 2023 will be interesting when X-Plane 12 is then final and the real version upgrades start coming through, but even on the current developments you are going to have a lot of choice on what you can fly in the new simulator.
 
In value I think X-Plane 12 delivers, in fact at US$100 for what you get here is great value, so US$59.95 is an absolute bargain, and the basics like the weather, ATC and water are exceptional, yes all round more refinement is needed and that will come like noted over the next few months.
 
What happens next will however be even more interesting from Laminar Research. The features in X-Plane 12 have cleared the table so to speak of a lot of the past niggling problems of the simulator and the Vulkan/Metal upgrades now covered. In fact for once they won't have a huge to-do list sitting on the table, so maybe it is time to focus heavily just on a few areas to give X-Plane even more of a competitive advantage, for me it is two...  Night lighting and Scenery, and in time if those aspects are addressed it will then show the real power of the excellent X-Plane 12 release.
 
Note, if you see the new X-Plane 12 logo on a review, then that will denote it is an X-Plane 12 product!
 

 
See you all again next month.
 
Stephen Dutton
4th October 2022
Copyright©2022 X-Plane Reviews
 

X-Plane 12 - Next Generation X-Plane Beta release "Early Access"
 
The X-Plane Flight Simulator was originally released as X-Plane 1.00 back in 1995 which is now 25 years ago. Basically every 4-5 Years Laminar Research the X-Plane's developers releases another numbered upgrade version of the Simulator, the current version is v11 (v11.53) that was released originally back in March 2017.
Each release is a new version and to use it, it will have to be repurchased, the cost of X-Plane 12 is US$59.95. But the initial cost also covers all development and any new features for that full version run, up until the next version is released in the development cycle in approx 4-5 years. Notable is that the US$59.95 payment will cover both not only the access to X-Plane 12, but also the current X-Plane 11 as well, which is good value for newcomers to the X-Plane Simulator.
 
There is a process in numbered version releases. A first release is the Alpha release, a highly developed version only for the developers and third party developers to align the Simulator into a working model. Then comes this (current) public Beta release noted as an "Early Access".
 
The "Beta" release is a public purchase version, so everyone can now access the new Simulator and it's new features. But it's not a final release, as it is still only a development release. So if you want a fully working X-Plane Simulator then this beta release version is not for you.
 
The Beta will go though a few numbered upgrades as the development process works out the bugs and issues, but around say vb12.9 (usually two or three months), it with then go to a RC or Release Candidate version, usually there are two or three RC's in rounding up the final bugs and issues and then finally X-Plane 12 will go "Final", as the official X-Plane 12 Release v12.00.
 
In the case of X-Plane 11, it was released as a Beta on Nov 24th 2016, and as noted went final in Mar 2017. In reality the Beta release IS the launch of the new version we now have here, the bugs and problems aside. In most X-Plane upgrade cycles in the past it took mostly only four years between each version, so to a point X-Plane 12 is late, basically by a whole year. That late aspect will hopefully translate into a much more fully formed beta version, as the X-Plane 11 version was quite buggy for a while (four months), so this time Laminar Research have had far more significant time on it's development (the Alpha stage release was as long ago as early March 22) to make it a more efficient and stable release.
 
If your expecting a MSFS (Microsoft Flight Simulator) clone with X-Plane 12, then that is not what it is. The background to X-Plane 12 is actually unusual from past release editions. Earlier most version releases focused on new features and major simulator changes, like X-Plane 10 was a visual overhaul, and X-Plane 11 was a system (Vulcan/Metal API) overhaul. But X-Plane 12 is more focused on fixing up already current features by making them far, far more efficient and far, far more effective assets, in other words in American jargon "Upsizing". 
 
To put this X-Plane 12 version into perspective. It is to take all the current areas that needed attention, areas that have not been refined or of what simulator users have complained about for years, and then not just fix and address these areas, but make them MEGA, "blow them out of the water" so to speak, and in reality the success of this X-Plane 12 version rests on that aspect completely.
 
The title of this article is "New Generation", and that means everything here has be refined and revised, but it is not a completely "wipe the table clean and let's start again" sort of aspect (like Microsoft did with MSFS), as the base of the simulator has already had a huge and significant recalibration from the older OpenGL API (Application Programming Interface) to the current Vulcan/Metal API, which under X-Plane 11 created those significant changes, but also set the foundation to build a lot or to allow the fundamental changes here in X-Plane 12.
 
We will cover only the basics here, and over time X-PlaneReviews will do a more in-depth review of the most significant areas of the new release. So everything shown here are just the first impressions of X-Plane 12 with no refinement or in depth study of the particular areas.
 
If you are not sure if your computer will run or just want to check out this new version of X-Plane. Laminar Research provide a DEMO version to download of X-Plane 12 that covers only the Portland area, the full version requires an Authorisation Key (number) and costs US59.95. Disk Boxed sets of X-Plane 12 will be released at a later date.
 
Laminar Research have changed the X-Plane logo for a more coloured version.
 

 
Starting up
Starting up X-Plane 12 is significantly far faster in loading than X-Plane 11 (obviously that depends on the aircraft and scenery configuration you choose), but I feels it is far more responsive. My current X-Plane 11 start up time is 1m 18s (xEnviro disabled), a horrible 1m 36s with xEnviro active, so being able to disconnect (or not use) xEnviro already saves me a third of my startup time.
 
X-Plane 12 however in start-up was a blazing 51.28s, with a custom scenery and the default XP12 Boeing 737-800, pretty impressive.
 
Start-up screen is now different in X-Plane 12...
 

 
It is far brighter start to X-Plane than the night landing shot in X-Plane 11 (Highlighting the Boeing 737-800), in X-Plane 12 it is a dawn (or sunset) runway shot with the new default Airbus A330-300.
 
Changes to the Menu
The Configuration Menu screen is almost a carbon copy of the Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) Config screen in design, and far more colourful and has a far more intuitive interaction. The links are exactly the same; Resume Last Flight, New Flight, Load Saved Flight, Flight School and Settings, but oddly it feels completely different while doing exactly the same interface job.
 

 
If new to the X-Plane Simulator, the start-up programme will move to a "Quick Tour" demonstration, showing you an aircraft and a short flight on how to fly it. Changes are that the default airport is now KPDX - Portland and moved on from X-Plane 11's KSEA - Seattle. The default start-up aircraft is also new and changed as well... before it was the Cessna 172SP, now it is the Cirrus SR22.
 

 
The menu configuration has changed, but in reality not at all? In changed we mean the look, but basically almost every menu page is basically and almost exactly the same as before. Note there is also a "B" on the graphic to denote that this version is the "Beta", version.
 
 
 
Resume Last Flight, just loads the last configured flight.  The rest load the configuration pages for; New Flight, Load Saved Flight, Flight School and Settings. As noted the layouts are exactly the same, but the Menu itself is now a lovely translucent, and it looks extremely nice, or again very MSFS 2020 in feel.
 

 
Top banner Menu is exactly the same with no changes.
 

 
Flight Configuration
The "Flight Configuration" Menu is the same as before but now translucent with a nice grey background. Gone is the oppressive dark blue of X-Plane 11. It is a far more brighter happier interface with more colour on the "Weather" and "Time of Day" interfaces, although the layout is actually the same. 
 

 
Weather is not that vastly different as expected, there is now however a huge amount of altitude levels compared to the earlier three. Time of Day is the same.
 
Selecting your "Location" is slightly different with initially only showing the selected airport runway layout, you now have to zoom in to see the start positions.
 

 
We will go to the "Settings", pages for continuity. Again you can see they are mostly still the same but with the new translucent look. In line are General (settings), Sound, Graphics, Network, Data Output, Joystick, Keyboard, and VR Hardware. On the bottom of the General Page is the "About X-Plane", tab for the current version and Credits.
 

 
Two areas to look at is the General & Graphic Settings.
 
On the General Page only one item has been removed and that is the "Runways Follow Terrain Contours" option under the Flight Model.
 

 
The Graphic Page left has had more changes. "Visual Effects" is gone to be replaced by two new sliders for;
Ambient Occlusion Quality (SSAO) Rendering Resolution (FSR Supersample)  
The rest in Texture Quality, Antialiasing and Anisotropic Filtering are the same. Notable is that with the size of the options, the page has now to be slided (moved) downwards to get access to the Field of View section.
 

 
Changes right side includes now five sliders;
Cloud Quality Shadow Quality Rendering Distance World Objects Density (replacing Number of World Objects) Vegetation Density  
Tickboxes changed includes "Draw Shadows on Scenery" (replaced by slider), and "Use Vulcan driver for faster rendering", as OpenGL is now not used in X-Plane 12 (note; and neither with the OpenGL plugins). Still there is the "Draw Parked Aircraft" tickbox.
 
Accessiblity, Monitor Configuration and Visual Offsets are all still the same. The rest of the Settings pages are also the same.
 
MAP
The MAP page layout is the same except for the new feature to show "ATC Boundries", the map has also a darker tint, grey surround and feels quite more like the earlier X-Plane 9.
 

 
We will look at the ATC in the Air Traffic Control section.
 
Scenery & Mesh
Let's get to the most controversial item first... Photo-Scenery or Photogrammetry. Unlike MSFS X-Plane 12 still doesn't have real world photographic base for the simulator. There are several reasons for that.
 
The biggest is that the MSFS photo-scenery engine is two petabytes of world map data, impressive, but you can't download and store 2 Pb as even one Petabyte is equal to 1,000 Terabytes on any standard computer configuration. So in MSFS it is streamed to you as you want it or use it.
 
But most users want (even demand) X-Plane to be "Self-Contained" on your desktop. X-Plane 12 is a bigger at a 80.6 GB download (up from 63 GB), and that will still be a significant space on your hard-drive, worse as most of us use the far faster and more efficient SSD's, still the best compromise here is 2TB (Terrabytes) SSD of which I use (it is still all the best to have the simulator core and scenery on one drive for better usage).
 
So Laminar have gone for upsizing the current scenery, rather than replacing it with photogrammetry tiles. So the scenery tiles have had significant attention to increase their internal data (mostly OSM - Open Street Map) in giving more data depth and detail. Yes the actual tiles have been refined, not only for more efficient loading, but to save frameweight, or less usage of framerate and faster loading and also have a more denser DEM (elevation) data for more mesh detail. And this is why since the introduction of X-Plane 10 the look and mesh data has remained the same. In X-Plane 12 you will need to reload all the Default Global Scenery (a refresh of this now very old data won't be a bad idea either). Portland as noted is the new Demo default scenery, and it looks very good (below).
 

 
The "Landmarks", packages have been doubled, adding in Berlin and Frankfurt, Budapest, Los Angeles, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Saint Louis and San Francisco.
 
X-Plane Landmarks - Chicago X-Plane Landmarks - Dubai X-Plane Landmarks - Las Vegas X-Plane Landmarks - London X-Plane Landmarks - New York X-Plane Landmarks - Sydney X-Plane Landmarks - Washington DC X-Plane Landmarks - Berlin and Frankfurt X-Plane Landmarks - Budapest X-Plane Landmarks - Los Angeles X-Plane Landmarks - Paris X-Plane Landmarks - Rio De Janeiro X-Plane Landmarks - Saint Louis X-Plane Landmarks - San Francisco  

 
Grass was a debated feature, and also not included here yet in X-Plane 12 in actual 3d as it is a significant highlight in MSFS. Which personally was my biggest gripe in covering over the low-resolution mesh that was an X-Plane feel, but not a good one. You may not get grass everywhere, but there are some excellent new grass textures as part of the Global Airport toolkit, and highly realistic and impressive they look, but it is a shame they can't be used Globally. Overall it is a step in the right direction.
 

 
Ground Textures have also had a huge upgrade, runways, taxiways and some very, very nice edge areas. You could call this aspect now Custom Scenery Quality textures as there is a lot of grunge and more realistic ragged edges.  To a point we have had third-party custom surfaces for years, but now the default ones should be even better and more realistic globally....  Impressed.
 

 
One of the big advantages of MSFS's photogrammetry is that custom scenery will fit in better than X-Plane's landscapes. Exceptional (and cheap) CityScapes are available for MSFS, but still very far and few are available for X-Plane, which I see as a considerable drawback for the Simulator, only time will tell if third party scenery developers will now deliver the same products for X-Plane 12, for those requiring their real life VFR visual aspects to their flying, then the next year or so will be vital in this area, and to a point of even for the success of X-Plane 12 as a simulator.
 
The Autogen (that uses the internal data) is also more dense now and you have a lot, lot more of it, certainly in structures, ports, warehouses, Oil/Fuel Tanks, industrial assets, lighthouses, golf courses, tennis courts and even grave yards. Shipping, coastal areas have had the most attention. So those core X-Plane assets and mostly of all of those files sitting in your Resources folder have had a significant overhaul.
 
So you have a new aircraft carrier in the USS Gerald R. Ford class ship and the frigate. The sailboat is new as well. Ship detail is excellent, there are more new ships in X-Plane 12, but I have to find them...  then I will add them to the ones seen below.
 

 
First Scenery Impressions
There are no details yet on which areas have had attention. I found some areas (Los Angeles and Australia) the same as X-Plane 11, however in the United Kingdom, I found the ground textures that are quite different in look and feel, and far deeper in colour, they look impressive. This is Cornwall UK. Note the excellent and more realistic cliff faces.
 

 
Mountain mesh looks more detailed, but the better lighting helps here to bring out the detail, but overall I feel there has been an improvement.
 

 
But you still have to accept the poor urban scenarios, no High Industrial, and still there are the huge blank areas to spoil the (LA) landscape...
 

 
...  if your looking for MSFS landscape detail for VFR flying then it isn't here, as it feels still all very same X-Plane.
 
Many X-Plane users note that scenery or the visual aspects are not high on their lists of why they will use X-Plane 12. But I disagree. As you need a wholly realistic environment to fly in, and certainly with the attraction to MSFS. But what you see here is not I believe the complete finished visual look of X-Plane, as to change a major component (like Laminar did back in X-Plane 10) would have say "pushed the boat out too far", this is an area you could say will be still under development during the X-Plane 12 version run, so I am hoping to expect to see another big feature based on scenery development mid-version of X-Plane 12.
 
Trees and Fauna
Notable in the images above are the trees. The trees (and fauna) are now all 3d and finally real quality 3d trees are here (so no more cardboard single or cheap crossed art trees). But not only are these trees brilliantly good in detail, but they now also move with the wind and change with the seasons as the seasonal rendering is dynamic and driven by the already installed (X-Plane11 updated) shader system, to which the shaders are also controlled by local data in latitude and time. Notable as the trees are more expanded in size, they are not clustered as tightly together as in X-Plane 11, and so the earlier very dense forests are more lighter to look at.
 

 
Seasons
Another big change in X-Plane 12 and desired for years (even decades) is "Seasons" in; Summer, Autumn (fall), Winter and Spring. With the help of those animated trees, then they will now change with the landscape to suit the season, upside down as well. In other words if you fly from the northern to the southern hemisphere, the seasons will switch to suit the local climate. Honestly I really love taking off in one environment and landing in another completely different season and environment. By living in Australia, that aspect gets highlighted a lot if you travel overseas or vice versa. So to have that aspect highlighted in X-Plane 12 is a really big highlight for me.
 
A main point to note is not just the change of the seasons, but the FEEL factor. Notice below the warm conditions and the cold and stark conditions are very different and highly realistic. Very Impressed.
 

 
As we have already covered, it is that these various separate areas can overlap into others, as with the Trees and Seasons to work together as a whole.
 
Weather
Yes they have complained about the old three tier X-Plane Weather and Environment system for years, or even for far longer. This is of course a major feature here in X-Plane 12 and in reality the biggest change to the look and feel of the environment around you.
 
The one thing that really blew me away when sighting MSFS for the first time was the weather engine. It is a masterpiece of coding but it is not as effective dynamically. Here X-Plane 12 will have a big advantage. 
 
The weather system in X-Plane 12 has been overhauled totally from the ground up. And instead of downloading a large number of METARs local to airports and meshing them all together. X-Plane 12 uses centrally-processed NOAA GLIB files from the Laminar Research central server which will span the globe and be using weather data moving around in real time.
 

 
This change will transition the simulator from a current slice-of-time approach using hourly reports to a forward-looking method based on algorithmic predictions. This change is expected to greatly decrease the granularity of data, improve real-time meteorological information in less traditionally underserved areas, and allowing for smoother real-time weather transitions in-flight and globally, not locally, so no more nasty jumps in weather changes as your flying. I found local (Australia) conditions to be perfectly replicated, and I'm impressed by the detail and quality of the conditions I can observe visually.
 
In previous versions of the X-Plane Simulator, clouds were rendered as 2D objects (or little puffs). So to simulate 4D effects many of these objects would be drawn together simultaneously at the huge cost of simulator performance. Let us be honest here, all Simulator weather systems are heavy on your computer hardware, meaning your graphics card and there is no difference here.
 
X-Plane 12 has and uses volumetric clouds using Ray marching to render cloud boundaries and calculate the position and the effect of individual water droplet clusters. This is Volume Ray marching, not Ray Tracing, which is faster and far more efficient.
 
They look amazing!
 

 
Note the excellent lighting strike, it is a long way from the hapless X-Plane10 lighting strikes.
 
GLIB files here can create three-dimensional Precipitation, Wind, Air Pressure, Turbulence, Temperature models that translates to your visual and real-time weather system, it is like having your own little perfect environmental weather system around you now, and better on your framerate as well, but I haven't yet fully tested that aspect yet. But what I do see is fully three-dimensional (towering) clouds that move and reflect as real. The changes to the X-Plane to the X-Plane "Weather Settings" page is quite significant.
 

 
As you know (if you read our reviews and comments) that I was a big fan of xEnviro. But lately have not been so much. In reality there has been nothing better to replace it (I don't like messing around with core files to make something else work). So is very excited to have a weather engine that can match it in volumetric clouds and lighting effects, not to mention losing the exceeedingly slow loading times. The biggest drawback was in two areas when doing reviews, horrible framerate use (sometimes 30 fr), but worse was the non-adjustable weather conditions that consistently changed as you did the review. Both aspects now gone in X-Plane 12, did I mention the horrible startup times...
 
The weather aspect also cover other features. One is rain. MSFS was at it's release was highly lauded over it's rain effects, so Laminar has responded to that in several ways.
 
First are the excellent wet ground effects (puddles) in high precipitation events, this aspect has already been highly promoted by Laminar and rightly so, you will head to airports just to splish-splosh your way though these excellent puddles, but so are the other climate effects that are graded to the seasons, such as snow and ice which is just as good, and thankfully global in application. xEnviro again had the same idea for a short time, and I loved it, yes I'm very excited about these seasons and the seasonal effects and now having seen them in X-Plane 12, I'm even more excited and coming into winter it will be a must used feature for me in X-Plane 12,
 

 
Another aspect was rain. We had a plugin called Librain by Saso Kiselkov, but since Vulcan/Metal was implemented it didn't work. The plugin (code) was actually taken in-house by Laminar and has now been made a default feature (Laminar should do more of making good plugins default features), but here it is refined and now far, far better than the original idea, of which Laminar are very good at. The rain spots are visible externally as well as internally (but aircraft have to be converted to use the rain feature).
 

 
Water
Another yearly complaint was water. To be honest I always thought that X-Plane water effects (reflections) were not too bad, except were they went into an algorithmic pattern. But what the users really wanted was water depth, not waves per se. This was very visually visible if you lived in tropical areas (I do) in that the sand and coral changes the water colours at shallow depths. Flight Sim FSX has had a basic version of this effect for years but X-Plane never did, also important was the point the water meets the land, say a beach, as in that aspect it didn't look very realistic either. And so here now both of these water features in depth and transparency are now visually active, and very effective it is as well. 
 

 
The transparency effect is quite exceptional, but so is the water flow in calm and heavy seas. It looks extremely realistic and yes this is a computer simulation, not real world images, a shipping simulator would be as good as a flying simulator here. Many users on release complained (they always do?) that it wasn't good enough, well it is a far better than any of my expectations, but notable was in some areas in the interaction with shoreline were some very noticeable straight lines, it's in the beta fix box.
 
Lighting
The lighting system has been totally rebuilt to now include photometrics. The engine can now handle specifying the brightness of a light source either at the individual bulb level (as is common for aircraft) or as measured from outside of the lens covering the bulb (as is common for airports). As with everything here in X-Plane 12 areas crossover (one area can affect another) so the new lighting effects will effect on how the clouds behave in looking realistic, in how the cockpit is rendered (X-Plane 11 cockpits were impossibly dark) and the overall realism of the look of the simulator.
 
It is important to note that the lighting engine has been moved to the Vulcan/Metal API's to access the Graphic Card far more efficiently and faster. X-Plane has had HDR (High-Dynmic-Range) for a while (X-Plane 11), but not a totally full HDR (there was still a lot of LDR - Low-Dynamic-Range also mixed in there).
But here we now have a FULL HDR spectrum for our visual use. Or a scene-referred workflow which is one in which we manipulate our images prior to their transformation from camera color space to display the color space.
 
So sky brightness to ground brightness has been highly improved and set to real world brightness and reflection levels. This fine tuning and in creating highly realistic water reflections has been the core (and the time consuming) area of the main lighting task of X-Plane 12.
 

 
That aspect is also transposed onto the aircraft. Internally the nasty jaggies are gone, and replaced by clean sharp shadows. Externally the aircraft shine and are lit to perfection...  so much more highly improved here. Notable however is that the colours are far more saturated than in X-Plane 11, but more internally than externally?, as I had to tone them down a little.
 

 
Runway and approach lighting has been fine tuned to be authentic to real world brightness levels, to the specific ICAO specifications. And it shows are the approach lighting is highly realistic. But there is a problem with the reflection artificial lighting at night, as it is well over saturated and doesn't look at all realistic...  
 

 
Overall night lighting levels for airports has been reduced significantly to allow for more realistic dark surroundings to runways and taxiways. The direction of airport lighting is also being considered so that airports appear more akin to an "inky black void" when viewed from airliner cruise altitude.
 
One area I have been excited about (but noted to be coming later in b1.1), is a non-completely dark sky, so as no matter how high you fly then there is still light (bleed), but most simulators cheat by just taking the full black night as a default. In reality the real world is not like that and it will be interesting to experience this real and more realistic night sky, certainly as you you fly long haul distances. But for now, it is very, very inky black at night.
 

 
ATC
One area that never felt or was even realistic, and certainly compared to Flight Simulator (all variants) is the X-Plane ATC or Air Traffic Control. This was hopelessly the worst aspect of X-Plane. Fixing it was just as bad, even internal Laminar coders (including Austin himself) have taken turns to try and fix it. In the end reason finally was reached in that it needed a professional coder to try to create a decent ATC. That job went to Jim Kier of the UK, whom created the FS version of Traffic Global. Accessing the new ATC in depth will of course take a separate article, of which I intend to do.
 
The ATC layout is light years better that X-Plane 11. With both hard a surround and translucent panels for ease of use. The panel can also be adjusted for size, from large to very small as not to interfere with your flying...
 

 
One thing to stress though is that this X-Plane 12 release of the ATC is not the completely finished feature. As basically the core is required to run and effectively and to be assessed before adding in any fancy extras. Notable is that already Improved ATC Speech and Pronunciation has already been implicated as long ago as 2018 with two voices in Joey (Male) and Salli (Female), but still this fully new coded ATC is in no doubt a huge step forward for Simulation, but expect more still coming to this specialised feature in the X-Plane 12's future.
 
Sound
Oddly enough "Sound" is new to X-Plane. You may laugh, but yes we have already had sound in aircraft and in the simulator. But what we are talking about here is "Ambient", sounds or background acoustics.
 
In the lead up to the release of X-Plane 12, the one person that impressed me the most was Laminar's sound guru Daniela Rodríguez Careri. Daniela who came aboard Laminar Research around the middle of the X-Plane 11 run. Effectively Daniela has not really had an impact until now, but all that changes here with X-Plane 12. Not only does her work lift the quality of the sounds of the complete default aircraft fleet, but also is very significant in creating for the first time in X-Plane those background ambient soundscapes. Incredibly we thought you wouldn't need them around you until they are actually there. Now they create a more realistic environmental feel to the simulator, or a real world realism. Notable is that all FMOD in X-Plane12 is now v2.0. Notable is that a lot of FMOD v1 aircraft are not translating well to v2, and will need to be upgraded to work correctly.
 
Again many third-party addons do already provide airport soundscapes (XPRealistic and Traffic Global to name two), but these are very sledgehammer style effects that actually can become quite annoying over time. Daniela's approach is more unique, so X-Plane not only looks different but actually feels different when using it. Again rustling trees and nice airport vehicle sounds are just the start as this will be a growing soundscape thoughout the whole of the X-Plane 12 run.
 
Systems
All aircraft in the X-Plane 12 world now cast wake turbulence, this means a wing cutting through the air in X-Plane 12 leaves a vortex in the air that swirls inward over the wingtip, and sinks slowly as it dissipates energy over time.
 
Austin Meyers has also spent a lot of time in creating new areas of aerodynamics. Covered now here in X-Plane 12 is better flow and lift for (Supersonic) Delta wings, which is based on the vortex-generation based on the PLAN-FORM of the wing for delta wings, and Entrained Flow is also now simulated. Entrained Flow is usually around a fast-moving jet of air, and when the air nearby is then grabbed and dragged along and then speeding up the air all around the aircraft, in other words a boundary layer creating a vacuum. This effect can be seen when the horizontal stabilizer is jiggling around from the thrust of the engines.
 
Anti-Ice is more in-tune with not only the aircraft's aerodynamic surfaces, but also the systems that the aircraft uses for Anti-ice prevention that is now more highly replicated via pumps and de-icing. Aircraft trim and balance is now also different, in loading weights of passengers and cargo. Instead of one set of weights, the different weights are now calibrated via different zones for more trim realism in the zone of inertia, just like on a real aircraft.
 
In the same vein, hydraulic systems have also been separated in X-Plane 12 so multiple hydraulic areas like the individual flight surfaces can now be powered or failed, before it was singular, not multichannel. Trim Tabs vs Clean elevators can now be also diverged, as they react differently in dynamic flight. Flight Controls can also be separated (via two joysticks, or assigning a separate system to a yoke), and then it can be switchable to the other side if required. Throttle indents (Airbus) can be now assigned and thankfully now a fully working governor is now available for helicopter control.
 
TACAN or TACtical Air Navigation, is a VOR station beacon that is mostly used by the military as it is smaller than the larger VOR array, now X-Plane 12 has TACAN identifiers for this use. GLS or GBAS and GNSS satellite approaches are now also available in X-Plane (12), for the use of the more popular RNAV approach which is a non-precision flight path. This should add in extra realism when using modern satellite based approach paths.
 
Notable for all new default aircraft including above, their systems have had major upgrades (which can be used via PlaneMaker for any X-Plane aircraft). Biggest change is the MAP display in that it is now scalable (so no more tiny waypoint triangles).
 
Default Aircraft
The X-Plane 12 fleet is quite different this time around. In the past you usually got a banner aircraft plus a few upgrades to the existing fleet, but that is not the case this time around. There is of course still a brand new banner aircraft in this case an Airbus in the A330-300 (the Boeing 737-800 was the banner aircraft for X-Plane 11).
 
But overall there are now 19 aircraft and the 8 aircraft denoted here in purple are NEW. The rest coming over from X-Plane 11 have all had significant upgrades to X-Plane 12 effects, textures and avionics.
 
Airbus A330-300 Cessna Citation X Lancair Evolution Cirrus SR22 Grumman F-14 Tomcat Robinson R22 Beta II Piper PA-18 Super Cub Van's Aircraft RV-10 Aero-Works Aerolite 103 Beechcraft Baron 58 Beechcraft King Air C90B Cirrus Vision SF50 McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II McDonnell Douglas MD-82 Schleicher ASK 21 Stinson L-5 Sentinel Boeing 737-800 Cessna 172 SP Sikorsky S-76  
A330-300
The Airbus A333 is the new primary banner default aircraft for X-Plane 12. For a default aircraft it is exceptional, but currently still comes with only a basic FMS. An authentic Thales System has been announced as in the works, notably it should be installed before X-Plane 12 goes final.
 

 
Cessna Citation X
Most exciting in this X-Plane release is the Citation X. This is one seriously nice aircraft, and has separate control systems (left and right) and it is extremely nicely detailed.
 

 
Lancair Evolution EVOT-850
This Evolution is a direct copy of (Laminar Research) Austin Meyer's personal aircraft and you also get Austin Myer's himself in the pilot's seat. It comes with a powerful Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A turboprop aircraft engine, 750 hp (560 kW) and G1000 Avionics.
 

 
Cirrus SR22
The Cirrus SR22 is a single-engine four- or five-seat composite aircraft built from 2001 by Cirrus Aircraft. It is powered by a 310 hp (231 kW) Continental IO-550-N piston engine and G1000 Avionics. Again Austin Myer's himself is in the pilot's seat, and the aircraft is very popular with "Round the World" fliers.
 

 
Grumman F-14 Tomcat
Yes Mr "Top Gun" himself in the F-14 Tomcat is part of the new default aircraft list. The F-14 is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft.
 

 
Robinson R22
The Robinson R22 is a two-seat, two-bladed, single-engine light utility helicopter manufactured by Robinson Helicopter Company. Here it comes in two versions with skids or pontoons.
 

 
Piper PA-18 Super Cub
The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is a two-seat, single-engine monoplane. Introduced in 1949 by Piper Aircraft. Here it comes with the larger "Bush", tyres or "Tundra" option.
 

 
Van's Aircraft RV-10
The Van's Aircraft RV-10 is a four-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplane sold in kit form by Van's Aircraft. It is the first four-seat airplane in the popular RV series. It is powered by a Lycoming O-540 six-cylinder, air-cooled aircraft engine, 260 hp (190 kW) and G1000 Avionics.
 

 
The "Extra Aircraft" folder has now been retired, this included the B52G, B747-100, C-130, Columbia 400, MD KC-10, Space Shuttle and the X-15.
 
First Impressions of X-Plane 12
This article isn't a summary or even an in-depth evaluation of the new version of the X-Plane Simulator in version v12. It is just an overview of what X-Plane 12 delivers and the changes between the versions. But I will add in here my first impressions, even though I have had only minimal time using it. My computer specifications have been listed at the bottom of the article and all notes here are with those specs. 
 
First of all I wasn't expecting a dynamic change like you got with X-Plane 10 or X-Plane 11 as noted at the head of this article. X-Plane 12 delivers what we expected with the current features ramped up to over a 100%.
 
Performance is excellent and far better than I expected. I think we are seeing the results of the switch over to the Vulkan/Metal APIs in a far more refined way. Startup and responsiveness is overwhelmingly far better. From startup X-Plane 12 feels far more better put together and that is a considerable achievement in the event of the massive internal changes here, and that it all comes with a significant weather overhaul thrown in. Do your changes like changing aircraft and location and the speed is really astounding and smooth, we say the word refinement and it is already very good here and still so early in a Beta phase is very good news for Laminar Research.
 
Everything works together very nicely, this simulator is very nice to use. If you read my specs, you will see I am marginal on the Graphic Card, and you do feel the extra work put on the card in X-Plane 12. So that will be a priority area to upgrade, and so you won't get away anymore with a weak graphic card. But a slight refinement is still needed with blurry textures at these medium settings which is actually a mirror to the same in the early X-Plane 11 Beta.
My framerate is improved by around 20 fr, but notable as noted earlier by being able to remove the xEnviro environmental engine, so averages are around 45fr-50fr on these settings. Notable is that I haven't done any fine tuning yet, so these settings are basically out of the box...   and I am a very happy simulator user.
 

 
On features there are too many I really like, I couldn't even pick out a favorite. The weather, lighting and seasons (really all one big feature) are simply excellent, and far better than what I saw in the previews. The fauna and trees are excellent as well, and you don't have the expected frame rate hit from them I was expecting. But to note the lighting (mostly night lighting) still needs a lot more refinement.
 
Dynamics are very good, and you do now have that same MSFS sheen or polish that was missing from X-Plane. Aircraft and Custom sceneries are extremely impressive if you have spent the money over the years. Seasons are brilliant with amazing snow coverage as is the static ice and water effects and even the rain is highly improved. Default aircraft fleet are all really good and now in areas even custom payware quality, so you are getting excellent value for money just there.
 
Water is highly impressive as well, but I feel there is still more refinement required, shore edges are in some places are straight lines and the translucency is excellent, but in areas it needs another element as notable are the visual ships hulls in the water, were in real life they would be hidden by the waters reflective surface.
 
ATC - Air Traffic Control I can't yet comment on as I haven't used it yet, but again the feature looks impressive out of the box. I like the dual interface and window adjustments and it looks easy and nice to use and you can use the "Speak" button realistically, dynamically of course I will test it out.
 
I really love the translucent interface and menus. It looks and feels modern, but the actual interaction in settings and menus are exactly the same, so there is no learning curve there.
 
I found a lot of aircraft don't translate evenly from X-Plane 11 to X-Plane 12. Virtually everything will have to be adjusted or configured for the new simulator version, that said, when configured they are excellent in the new environment. A lot of older X-Plane 10...  if all aircraft of a certain age are now sadly redundant unless saved by developers. 
 
We knew that new mesh and the VFR (Visual Flight Rules) visual aspects would not change with X-Plane 12. But seeing it in the flesh is very disheartening. It feels old and out dated, if you don't have any custom scenery it doesn't look good at all. At any altitude above 10,000ft it is fine, below it is not.
I feel that Laminar is going in the wrong direction, but with no VFR improvement for over a decade it is starting to show. Without MSFS 2020, X-Plane could have got away with this aspect, with MSFS...  it just can't anymore. You need to be able to see items on the ground replicating real world infrastructure, and that aspect is seriously missing here, a few landmark packages Austin are just not going to cut it anymore.
 
I don't want to end this overview on a negative note, as the X-Plane 12 Simulator has so many, many positive aspects. We never expected X-Plane 12 to be a MSFS killer, as X-Plane is a totally different philosophy to MSFS. And in every area it really is a major version step forward, and certainly brilliant value for what you get. X-Plane 12 looks and feels far more realistic, more real life and more dynamic, certainly a big step upwards to being a qualitysimulator... 
 
Overall I seriously love it.
 
X-Plane 12 Minimum Requirements
CPU: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9. (Those with other CPUs should try the demo before purchasing.) Memory: 8 GB RAM Video Card: a Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 2 GB VRAM If your system is borderline, we encourage you to try the demo first. The full version of the simulator will perform exactly the same as the demo—neither better nor worse. X-Plane 12 Recommended Requirements
CPU: Intel Core i5 8600k or Ryzen 5 3500 or better, or Apple Silicon Memory: 16-24 GB RAM or more Video Card: a DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 4 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 1070 or better, or similar from AMD) Supported Video Cards:
    NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce 900 or newer, driver version 510 or newer     AMD: AMD Radeon RX 500 or newer, driver version Adrenaline 22.2.1or newer Supported Operating Systems:
    OS X: OS X 10.15 or newer (e.g. Catalina, Big Sur, or Monterey)     Windows: Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit     Linux: Varies         If you want to run on Linux, you will need to try X-Plane on your distribution to see if it is compatible. We have developers using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and newer successfully, however we don’t provide support for specific distributions.         We require the proprietary driver from NVIDIA to run X-Plane. We require the Mesa drivers, version 22.0 or newer, for AMD to run X-Plane.  
X-Plane 12 (Beta) is purchased directly from Laminar Research for US$59.95 and the download file size is 82 GB
 
X-Plane 12
Price is US$59.95
_____________________
 
X-Plane 12 Beta release overview by Stephen Dutton
12th September 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP
Software:   - Windows 11 - X-Plane b12.00
 
(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! - X-Plane 12 Third wave Upgrades, Updates and Releases
 
As the upgrades, updates and new releases for X-Plane 12 continues, a lot of aircraft, scenery and plugins have been released to work in the new version of X-Plane.
 
Here are all the latest...
 
ToLiss
All three ToLiSS aircraft are now available for X-Plane 12. With today the A319 and A321 now joining the earlier A340-600 on the apron. Note both the A319 and the A321 aircraft are "Upgrades", meaning a new purchase for X-Plane 12, but you do get a lot of nice new features for the low US$10.99 Upgrade Price, and both aircraft also still work in X-Plane 11.
 
Airbus A319 XP12
 

 
Version 1.4 (September 22th 2022)
Initial XP12 version release
Still works in XP11 Major new features: - XP12 adaptations - Custom engine model for more realistic thrust and fuel flow values and new engine failure modes - Circuit breakers with accurate system response (Current over 100 circuit breaker available) - ACARS functionality for direct download of Simbrief plans into the active or the secondary flight plan - ACARS functionality to retrieve TO data for various runways of the departure airport - ACARS functionality to retrieve wind data from simbrief flight plan and enter them in the flight plan. - New ACP interactive screen to request ground services, change fuel or passengers without the ISCS. - EFB on captain on copilot side. (Currently featuring Avitab and weight and balance computer) - FMGS plan editing overhaul, enabling temporary flight plans also for the alternate plan - Database holds are now available (besides Pilot and computed holds previously available) - Offset function now available - Addition of new failure modes for a total of 210+ different failure modes, these include now recoverable computer failures - More than 70 new ECAM messages - Animated push buttons in the cockpit - Moving pilot seats and arm rests Minor new features: - VLS increases with speed brake deflection - Added (ETP) circle on ND to display the Equitime point - Option to control internal and external volume levels via x-plane sliders or custom ISCS sliders - Added Filtering and rate limiting for FMGS position for more realisitic ND behaviour on ADIRU init completion - Open pax doors now have an effect on the temperature in the adjacent zone - Added option to always have the display brightness rotaries starting at the 80% position, even for cold and dark start - Functional on-ground deicing via the new ACP interactive screen to avoid nasty surprises during take-offs in icing conditions - Improved pushback truck - Added fuel truck animations for slow refueling via IACP. - Added Radio Navigation and transponder failures, including associated ECAM caution messages and PFD/ND flags - Reworked EMER ELEC ECAM, ELEC ESS BUSSES ON BAT, ALL ENGINE FAIL procedure  
 
Yes! the current Airbus A319 XP12 by Toliss is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Airbus A319 XP12 by Toliss
Price is US$89.99
 
XP11 customers should see the $10.99 Upgrade price automatically when logged in to your account at the X-Plane.OrgStore.  
Requirements X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux  4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Current version : 1.7 (September 13th 2022)   Airbus A321 XP12     Version 1.4 (September 22th 2022)
Initial XP12 version release Still works in XP11 Major new features: - XP12 adaptations - Custom engine model for more realistic thrust and fuel flow values and new engine failure modes - Circuit breakers with accurate system response (Current over 100 circuit breaker available) - ACARS functionality for direct download of Simbrief plans into the active or the secondary flight plan - ACARS functionality to retrieve TO data for various runways of the departure airport - ACARS functionality to retrieve wind data from simbrief flight plan and enter them in the flight plan. - New ACP interactive screen to request ground services, change fuel or passengers without the ISCS. - EFB on captain on copilot side. (Currently featuring Avitab and weight and balance computer) - FMGS plan editing overhaul, enabling temporary flight plans also for the alternate plan - Database holds are now available (besides Pilot and computed holds previously available) - Offset function now available - Addition of new failure modes for a total of 210+ different failure modes, these include now recoverable computer failures - More than 70 new ECAM messages - Animated push buttons in the cockpit - Moving pilot seats and arm rests Minor new features: - VLS increases with speed brake deflection - Added (ETP) circle on ND to display the Equitime point - Option to control internal and external volume levels via x-plane sliders or custom ISCS sliders - Added Filtering and rate limiting for FMGS position for more realisitic ND behaviour on ADIRU init completion - Open pax doors now have an effect on the temperature in the adjacent zone - Added option to always have the display brightness rotaries starting at the 80% position, even for cold and dark start - Functional on-ground deicing via the new ACP interactive screen to avoid nasty surprises during take-offs in icing conditions - Improved pushback truck - Added fuel truck animations for slow refueling via IACP. - Added Radio Navigation and transponder failures, including associated ECAM caution messages and PFD/ND flags - Reworked EMER ELEC ECAM, ELEC ESS BUSSES ON BAT, ALL ENGINE FAIL procedure  
 
Yes! the current Airbus A321 XP12 by Toliss is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Airbus A321 XP12 by Toliss
Price is US$89.99
 
XP11 customers should see the $10.99 Upgrade price automatically when logged in to your account at the X-Plane.OrgStore.  
Requirements X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows , Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 680 MB Version 1.4 (September 13th 2022)   LFPG - Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport by TaiModels Yips! After only a few days after releasing OOMS-Muscat. TaiModel's is back again with another X-Plane 12 scenery release, updated this time...  and also free if you have already purchased LFPG. This is the massive LFPG - Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris. This scenery package is now available for both X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12.     Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG) also known as Roissy Airport is the largest international airport in France and Europe's second-busiest airport (after London Heathrow) in terms of passenger numbers. A quick look, says this scenery is SENSATIONAL in X-Plane 12, a must have for your collection! Features Completed inside terminal 3 High detail models SAM amination jetways High quality pbr texture on object and ground High performance All gates are modeled Detailed ground Detailed tunnel and night lighting Massive Completed autogen around airport (8GB of data) Support for X-Plane 12 and 11  
 
 
 LFPG - Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport by TaiModels s NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: 
 
LFPG - Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Price is US$28.50
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 
Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 3.7 GB Current version: 5.0 (September 13th 2022)  
PAYA - Yakutat Airport, Alaska by NorthernSky Studios
NorthernSky Studios contine with another Alaskan airport scenery. This time it is Yakutat Airport, which is a state-owned public-use airport located 6 km southeast of the central business district of Yakutat, a city and borough in the U.S. state of Alaska and of which has no road access to the outside world. This scenery package is available for both X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12.
 

 
Features: The most detailed replica of airport buildings and vehicles High resolution ground textures / Custom runway textures High resolution building textures Handplaced custom autogen buildings and forest Compatible with X-Plane 11 and 12 features (both files included) Custom mesh for the airport area (Ortho4XP) All materials created for full PBR Shading and occlusion (texture baking) effects on all airport buildings High-resolution building textures Custom orthophoto for the airport and surrounding areas World Traffic 3 compatible (XP11) Compatible with with Ortho4XP and default mesh  

 

 
PAYA - Yakutat Airport, Alaska by NorthernSky Studios is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: 
 
PAYA - Yakutat Airport, Alaska
Price is US$12.00
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11  
Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 2 GB Current version : 1.0 (September 8th 2022)  
Aerobask Robin DR401 CDI 155 XP12
Aerobask has released an X-Plane 12 freeware aircraft in the Robin DR401 CDI 155 XP12
 

 
The Robin DR401 is a DR400 upgraded with a glass cockpit, larger cockpit, electric trim and flaps. You can check the Robin Aircraft history -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Aircraft

This model features the 155HP CDI diesel engine, with its FADEC.
X-Plane 12 version now available
Main features :
Accurate flight model by X-Aerodynamics. FMOD High Quality sounds by Daniela RC. Integrated Laminar Garmin G1000 PFD and MFD. Functional 3D cockpit, with VR ready manipulators. 3D model with high resolution PBR textures. Simulated FADEC test and Pre Heating. Windshield reflections. Optimized to save FPS. 8 stunning liveries + a white paint. What's new for X-Plane 12 ?
New lightning to match XP12 specs New windshield and glasses for XP12 rain effect Tweaked flight model  

 

 
The Aerobask Robin DR401 CDI 155 XP12 is available for free from the X-Plane.Org here: 
 
Aerobask Robin DR401 CDI 155 XP12
 
Requirement
X-Plane 12.00+ 
Windows/Mac/Linux.
4GB+ VRAM Recommended
 
If you like this aircraft, don't forget our recent releases : http://store.x-plane.org/Aerobask_c_151.html
More information from Aerobask: http://aerobask.com/
 
UPDATES
 
Boeing 747-200 Classic by Felis X-Plane 12
Felis has done a partial update to the Boeing 747-200 to X-Plane 12 to v1.1.0.8. Note this is not an upgrade to X-Plane 12, just a quick update so the aircraft will fly in the new simulator version. Note images shown here are XP11.
 

 
Version 1.1.0.8 (September 12th 2022)
+++ LTN added
+++ Doors LIT texture is now dims, when door is open
+++ "Positive rate" callout fixed
+++ Altimeters rotary works 2x faster
+++ added a memorial placard for Charlie Crooks - the voice of FO. R.I.P.
+++ fixed corrected runway calculation for TO performance (slope)
+++ icing is now limited at high altitude to be more realistic
+++ NAV radio receives actual radial from the VOR and corrects it according to current heading
+++ fix crab angle calculations in INS
+++ corrected dots data on HSI and AP, received from FMC
+++ fixed clock's mode knob
+++ Weather radar antenna now synchronized with pitch to keep it leveled
+++ quick fix for XP12 compatibility. Still requires a lot of work here.
+++ fixed flight controls. Needs tuning, but at least they work and acf can fly in XP12
 

 

 
Yes! the Boeing 747-200 Classic v1.1.0.8 by Felis Planes is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Boeing 747-200 Classic
Price is US$70.00
Requirements
X-Plane 11 - Now with support for X-Plane 12
Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.2 GB Current version : 1.1.0.8 (September 12th  2022)   Chudoba Design sceneries compatible with X-Plane 12
Chudoba Sceneries have updated four of their payware sceneries to X-Plane 12, one in VCRI - Mattala Rajapaksa Intl a freeware scenery has also been updated to X-Plane 12, all four airports noted below are available at the X-Plane.OrgStore.
 

 

 
List of updated sceneries:
LKPR - Václav Havel Airport Prague https://store.x-plane.org/LKPR--Václav-Havel-Airport-Prague_p_1506.html LBBG - Burgas Airport https://store.x-plane.org/LBBG--Burgas-Airport_p_1507.html HEGN - Hurghada Intl. Airport https://store.x-plane.org/HEGN--Hurghada-International-Airport_p_1264.html HEMA - Marsa Alam Intl. Airport https://store.x-plane.org/HEMA--Marsa-Alam-International-Airport_p_1300.html HETB - Taba Intl. Airport https://store.x-plane.org/HETB--Taba-International-Airport_p_1263.html  
GHD -Ground Handling Deluxe v5 for X-Plane 12
The ground handing plugin from JARDesign has had an update to X-Plane 12.
 

 
v.090922
+ X-Plane 12 compatible
+ Sets auto-update add
+ 3D object improved
 
Notes are;
"GHD first build for XP12 is ready. Work with default A330 and B737 for free, no registration need. The same with JARDesign aircraft(s). Registred version will work with many popular X-Plane airliners. XP12 version of GHD get new auto-update system for aircraft sets (allow download new or updated set in auto mode), updated 3D objects, improved set Editor. As for now - it already include sets for XP12 versions for default A330 and B737, FF aircraft, Felis 747, Toliss A340. We will add new sets (to out server) for XP12 versions of popular aircraft(s) as soon as we will see updates".
 
Download link http://jardesign.org/gndserv/download/G … 130922.zip
 

 
Yes! Ground Handling Deluxe by JARDesign is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Ground Handling Deluxe
Price is US$14.95
 
_________________
 
All for now...   14th September 2022 Copyright©2022: 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
 

 

Hi Steven, 
 
Thanks for another excellent review for what seems to be a fantastic rendition of KSFO, which I will certainly purchase in the very near future. Regarding the absence of the city buildings, and while awaiting a potential add-on pack from SFD, I read on the dedicated .org forum thread that it's possible to install this pack on top of the freeware one, which includes the city, thereby alllowing the city part of the freeware pack to be seen. Sounds like a good idea, will definitely try it when I get the payware.

Scenery Review : KSFO - San Francisco Airport Definitive by ShortFinal Design
 
"If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there"
 
The name MisterX6 changed the face of X-Plane scenery. Coming in with a freeware version of KSFO San Francisco International Airport and City 2.0 in November 2015, then a second release in June 2016 was of KBOS - Boston Logan, and both were high quality X-Plane payware sceneries and for free. They also set a standard and created a high reputation for anything delivered by "MisterX6".
 
In reality it was crazy that this sort of extreme (for the time) work that was delivered for free, as the attention to detail was second to none. A load freeware sceneries followed with, KPHX, KPDX, KCUB, KSAN, KLAX and PAJN that were all delivered over the next few years, leaving X-Plane users begging for more. The dream run couldn't last and it didn't. With a name change to ShortFinal Design, Justin Kissling (the famed MisterX6) went payware with the "Definitive" series of scenery.
 
So how do you top brilliant? by going extraordinary that is how. The first SFD release was KSLC - Salt Lake City, then my favorite KABQ - Albuquerque. Then Mega airports followed with KLAX - Los Angeles and EDDM - Munich of which was the X-PlaneReviews best scenery of the year winner 2019 🏅
 
The level of innovation and detail sets these extraordinary sceneries apart from nothing else in X-Plane, they are of a high standard if not the highest, so what comes next...  KSFO - San Francisco Airport Definitive, and here it is.
 
SFO is again a total revisit to the older freeware version, but a total revisit means it was completely rebuilt from nothing, so the two KSFOs really have nothing in common, but are related only to the same airport and location.
 
San Francisco International Airport is an international airport in San Mateo County, 13 miles (21 km) south of Downtown San Francisco, California. It has flights to points throughout North America and is a major gateway to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australasia.
 
SFO is the largest airport in the San Francisco Bay Area and the second-busiest in California, after Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). In 2017, it was the seventh-busiest airport in the United States and the 24th-busiest in the world by passenger count. It is the fifth-largest hub for United Airlines, which operates out of Terminal 3 and the International Terminal. SFO functions as United's primary Trans-Pacific gateway. Additionally, SFO is a major maintenance hub for United Airlines and houses the SFO Museum that was created in 1980, the first museum in an international airport. It also serves as a hub for Alaska Airlines, which operates in Terminal 2
 
The City and County of San Francisco first leased 150 acres (61 ha) at the present airport site on March 15, 1927, for what was then to be a temporary and experimental airport project. San Francisco held a dedication ceremony at the airfield, officially named the Mills Field Municipal Airport of San Francisco, on May 7, 1927, on the 150-acre cow pasture. San Francisco purchased the property and the surrounding area expanding the site to 1,112 acres (450 ha) beginning in August 1930. The airport's name was officially changed to San Francisco Airport in 1931 upon the purchase of the land. "International" was added at the end of World War II as overseas services rapidly expanded.
 
San Francisco International Airport
IATA: SFO - ICAO: KSFO - FAA LID: SFO - WMO: 72494

10L/28R -11,870ft (3,618m) -Asphalt
10R/28L - 11,381ft (3,469m) - Asphalt
01R/19L - 8,650ft (2,637m) - Asphalt
01L/19R - 7,650ft (2,332m) - Asphalt
Elevation AMSL13 ft / 4 m
 
KSFO - San Francisco Airport Definitive by ShortFinal Design
The airport sits directly on the west of San Francisco Bay, and almost directly opposite Oakland International Airport on the eastern side of the same bay.
 

 
The runway layout is really a cross with the terminal and concourses in the upper right quadrant (looking west).
 

 

 
SFO San Francisco Airport is built around a central core, with seven concourses, with one (Terminal 3) being a concourse/rotunda with arms.
 

 
Inner core there are four Terminals, the large International, then anti-clockwise are Terminal 1, 2 and 3.
 

 
Central core is a labyrinth and also the main carpark for all the different terminals. Carpark detail is extraordinary and complex as the there are so many different layers, and they are all animated with traffic. Internally looks a bit like the Millennium Falcon of Star Wars fame in feel, the animated building fans only heighten the effect.
 

 
International Terminal
The face of San Francisco airport is the large International Terminal. The International Terminal is also composed of Boarding Areas A and G. Designed by Craig W. Hartman of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the terminal opened in December 2000 to replace the International Departures section of Terminal 2. It is the largest international terminal in North America, and the largest building in the world built on base isolators to protect it against earthquakes.
 

 
International Terminal detail is phenomenal, realism 101, or 201...  brilliant work including the exceptional lattice work that supports the roof.
 

 
Note the local branded SFO buses, detail, detail and a ShortFinal speciality. But this being ShortFinal, your going to get even more unique ideas and effects for your money...  and he certainly does not disappoint here at SFO. The frontage of the International Terminal will change colours with special events! 
 
Frontage colours change on certain dates to celebrate events. New Year, President’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Earth Day, Memorial Day, Pride Week, Independence Day,  Labor Day, Patriot Day, German Unity Day, Halloween, Veteran’s Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. The same colours can however be used on different dates, like the six Red, White and Blue.
 

 
It is again all so exceptionally well done.
 
Concourses A and G
Each side of the International Terminal as wings are two concourses for the International Arrivals and Departures. These are Concourses A and G.
 

 
Concourse A
Most international flights operated by SkyTeam, Oneworld, and non-aligned international carriers board and deplane at Boarding Area A's 15 gates (gates A1–A15).
As a modern concourse (if 2000 is what you would call modern), Concourse A is all cladding and glass. Capturing the feel of buildings like this can be really hard, and can just come across as modeled. But that is not the case here as Concourse A (and the rest of the infrastructure here), is very realistic and nicely worn. Note the small ramp tower on top and end each A and G concourses.
 

 
All gates in SFD San Francisco Airport are SAM3 Suite (Plugin required) activated. With up to three bridges on the International concourses which several are Cat Code F. There are defined A380/B748 taxi routes available as well.
 

 
A speciality of ShortFinal is that their ground clutter is second to none, and your certainly not disappointed here either. Not are only the actual service vehicles (branded of course), but you have realistic ground personnel, AND animated walking staff as well.   
 
Glass is again exceptional and clear (or transparent), revea ling the inner fully modeled concourse interiors, again animated walkers are moving around on both fitted out levels. Again the detail is excellent and very, if highly realistic.
 

 
Concourse G
Most international flights operated by Star Alliance carriers, including all United international flights and select United domestic flights, are assigned to Boarding Area G's 14 gates (G1-G14).
 
Concourse G is quite similar to A, but it has an open passenger deck at the end. Again everything associated with Concourse G is superb.
 

 
Harvey Milk Terminal 1
Formerly known as the "South Terminal", Harvey Milk Terminal 1 is composed of Boarding Area B, which currently has 18 gates (gates B6-B9, B12-B14, B17, B18, and B19-B27). Prior to June 23, 2020, Boarding Area C was also considered part of Terminal 1.
 
In April 2018, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and mayor Mark Farrell approved and signed legislation renaming Terminal 1 after deceased gay rights activist and former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Harvey Milk, and planned to install artwork memorializing him. Harvey Milk Terminal 1 is the world's first airport terminal named after a leader of the LGBTQ community.
 

 
Arrival entrance is just all glass, making it a bit plain...  but there is nothing plain about this very authentically designed terminal and the B Concourse.
 
 
 
Lots of nicely defined nooks and crannies here to explore, and the rooftop detailing is excellent.
 

 
Internal B concourse detail is again really well done...
 

 
Terminal 2
Formerly known as the "Central Terminal", Terminal 2 is composed of Boarding Area C, which has 10 gates (gates C2-C11), and Boarding Area D, which has 15 gates (D1-D12 and D14-D16). The D gates is where Alaska Airlines has its hub.
 
Terminal 2 opened in 1954 as the main airport terminal. After a drastic rebuilding designed by Gensler, it replaced Rotunda A as SFO's international terminal in 1983, until it was closed for renovation after the current international terminal opened in 2000.
 

 

 
Terminal 2 arrivals feels like the older terminal redeveloped, of which it is of course. And again very well done. Side art facades are excellent, and note the animated internal AirTrain system. Part of the original International Terminal design survives as well with the "San Francisco" branding.
 

 
Concourse C
You immediately feel the older styled concourses and terminal style, compared to the cladding and glass newer buildings. Concourse C feels the oldest of the lot, but it is really well done here to get that older SFO feel into the scenery by SFD. Glass roof is see-though, and it feels very open from the internal view. But I love these older infrastructure designs. Going domestic to San Francisco, then parking here would be my choice of gates.
 

 
Concourse D
External Concourse detail is as usual in being very good, again a slight difference and feel here compared to the other concourses (except C). Internal detail is done right through the terminal and into the twin arms.
 

 
Terminal 3
Formerly known as the "North Terminal", Terminal 3 is composed of Boarding Area E with 13 gates (gates E1-E13) and Boarding Area F with 23 gates (gates F1-F3, F3A, F4-F22). Terminal 3 is used for United Airlines' domestic flights. Mainline United and United Express flights that use both boarding areas.
 

 
This $82.44 million terminal was originally designed by San Francisco Airport Architects (a joint venture of John Carl Warnecke and Associates, Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture, and minority architects). The groundbreaking ceremony for the North Terminal was held on April 22, 1971, and Boarding Area F opened in 1979 and Boarding Area E opened in 1981.
 

 
Concourse E
The Initial modest renovation plans were replaced by a more ambitious project after the popularity of the remodeling of Terminal 2. After the completion of the US$138,000,000 (equivalent to $157,960,000 in 2021) project, Boarding Area E reopened on January 28, 2014, followed by Terminal 3 East on November 18, 2014. The project moved one gate from Boarding Area F to Boarding Area E to provide a total of ten aircraft parking positions at T3E. Following a 2019 renumbering of all gates at SFO, three additional gates moved from Boarding Area F to Boarding Area E, with the latter now containing 13 gates.
 

 
Built to take in the view. Concourse E has a huge window for the front. Note the United gate information boards set with the current time.
 

 
Note also the lower to the ground SAM airbridges for regional jet boarding...  again concourse cladding and glass design is exceptional.
 

 
Internal detail is again done, but the views from the concourse are simply realistically unbelievably, really real, "Being there real".
 

 
There are a few gates E1, E2 and E3 between the two E and F concourses (There are more F1 - F4 gates that continues past the F Concourse entrance), and this area internally is modeled as well, and again the apron and runway views are sensational.
 

 
Concourse F
There are three United Clubs in Terminal 3—one near the rotunda for Boarding Area F, one on the mezzanine across from gate E2, and another at the beginning of Boarding Area E. Terminal 3 also houses the American Express Centurion Lounge, located across from Gate F2.
 

 
Ramp detail is excellent, every area (per concourse) has a slightly different feel, here notice the excellent height safety bars and lower concourse detail. Airbridges on F are a different static design than the swing bridges, and well done here, and also still SAM active.
 

 
Internal F Concourses are of course done as well, with a huge space around the rotunda...  you can explore as much internally at SFO as externally. Views are again amazing in watching the aircraft, just like in real life.
 

 
SFO Control Tower
Situated in the space between Terminals 1 and 2, a new tower was built to replace the existing control tower and one that has been in operation since 1954 and was then located atop Terminal 2. The project also includes a new three-story Integrated Facility building for the FAA and other personnel, two connector walkways, and improvements to the Terminal 1 Boarding Area C Entrance. Construction of the new control tower and base building began in summer 2012, was turned over to the FAA for equipment installation in July 2015 and the tower became fully operational in October 2016.
 
The swirl style control tower has been faithfully reproduced here by SFD, beautifully done with great design. Attention to roof top aerial detail is also excellent. Rear tower detail is worth inspecting close up.
 

 
Tower view is inside the tower. Usually this aspect doesn't work, but here it is sensational, with a clear view of all the approaches. Seating only up here and with no computer screens, but still very well done.
 

 

 
The same event colour effects are on the rear of the tower, and in the same matching the International Terminal facade event.
 

 
Entrance to SFO has the "Grand Hyatt At SFO" on the southwest. Again really well done is the Hyatt and authentic to the real hotel, behind are the two western carparks for the International Terminal in G and A.
 

 
The complex entrance road system is mixed in with the rail networks to San Francisco City. Called the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) it serves the airport at San Francisco International Airport station, and located west of the International Terminal. All BART trains are fully animated here, as is the full AirTrain system, it is all SO good.
 

 
West Field
To the north of the main central terminal hub is "West Field". Positioned here are all the airport's infrastructure facilities including Cargo and Catering.
 

 
Facilities for Prime Cargo, Delta Cargo, Cathay Pacific Cargo, Turkish Airlines Cargo and Asiana Cargo. Further north is Singapore Airlines and China Southern that are all represented, as is the United Airlines GEM (Ground Equipment Maintenance) Facility and Gate Gourmet catering. Ground clutter detail is simply phenomenal. The SFO Fire Station is positioned on the front of West Field on taxiway Z.
 

 
UAL Base (United Airlines Maintenance)
Far north in the scenery is the huge UAL base. It is significant to note on how far away it is here from the central core of SFO that this scenery covers, and in absolute detail, a very hard thing to do, but it is also totally authentic. Note the amazingly detailed SFO bus depot
 

 
SFO is home to the one of the largest single aircraft maintenance bases in the world with complete MRO base operations (maintenance, repair, overhaul, painting, welding, machine shop, tool and die, parts manufacturing, fabrication, engineering, and retrofitting (Boeing and Airbus certified, among others)). It serves as the principal Global MRO Base for United Airlines and serves over 40 other airlines, military customers, and aircraft lease operators. The main United facility is huge...
 

 
...   it is also SAM powered. Open SAM and select the "Controls" icon, and you get six options. Three of the selections open the three doors on the United Maintenance hangar.
 
 

 
East of the UAL Base is Plot 50, and the SFO major fuel depot. Plot 50 is a (remote) cargo facility for FedEx, KAL and NCA. Brand detail is again simply brilliant.
 

 
USCG (US Coast Guard)
Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco (CGAS) located at the San Francisco International Airport is one of five air stations in the Eleventh Coast Guard District. Currently, Air Station San Francisco operates four MH65 Dolphin helicopters that provides its primary mission search and rescue. CGAS San Francisco also supports a wide range of other Coast Guard operations such as Maritime Law enforcement, port security, Aids to Navigation support and Marine Environmental Protection to approximately 300 miles of coastline from Point Conception to Fort Bragg 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
 

 
A lovely old building that screans "San Fran" that is modeled and detailed impeccably here, simply sensational for helicopter operations.
 
The USCG hangar doors are SAM powered as well, so they open to reveal a nicely detailed interior.
 

 
There is still more action at the USCG facility. On the SAM is another selection to open the gates. Press "Coast Guard Gate", and the barriers come down, lights flash and the gates all open.
 

 
GA & Signature
The east is where the only General Aviation (GA) area is at SFO with a Signature Aviation" facility. This is a British multinational aviation services company for personal jet services. There are both here a reception and private jet terminal and a large maintenance hangar.
 

 
Again the SAM plugin can be used to open the Signature hangar door, revealing a nice interior.
 

 
Superbay
The eastern side of the airfield is dominated by the Superbay, a 420,550-square-foot (39,070 m2) maintenance hangar capable of holding four 747s. Originally constructed in the 1970s, the facility is shared by United Airlines and American Airlines. Sadly the doors don't open on the Superbay.
 

 
Notable is that everything here is custom. Even the fencing is custom made and it comes in all various shapes and designs, no string facades here. All blast fences are perfect, and so is road crossing detail.
 

 
Ground Textures
Even from a distance you know the ground textures here at SFO are going to be something special, they are...
 

 
...   but also a bit of a surprise, because they are not as rough (or knobbly) as I thought they would be, so they feel quite smooth. built in Burnt-in ambient occlusion effects and reflections are there but again not overly done, so to a point they look more realistic.
 
In saying that I think these textures in the rain of X-Plane12 will be absolutely sensational. The different types of surfaces is just plain stupid here, totally everything you could imagine and far more, and again all totally brilliantly done. Grunge and oily dirt is perfect on the ramps, but overall I like the darker cuts in the asphalt and concrete for absolute realism.
 

 
Notable is that there are four actual texture versions in (mostly to save framerate); No Ortho + Flat, No Ortho + No Flat, Ortho + Flat (default) and Ortho + No Flat
 
Lighting
I think by now, that if the lighting was average at SFO, it would be a real let down...  NOPE, the lighting is as brilliant as everything else here.
 

 
Approach lighting ha animated RAIL on 28L and 28R and 19L, and all approach lighting set high on gantries and really well done.
 

 
The lighting ideas used here is quite unusual from the standard X-Plane practise of bright airside and tan landside.
 
Unusual is the use here of mercury vapor lamps, which create a blue-green tint over remote carparks and the non-working areas. But very effective in the scenery for realism.
 

 
Hub SFO centre is overwhelmingly good, that comes with the subtle uses of different lighting tones, this creates a realism of well real life. Not withstanding the colour effects.
 

 
Central carpark hub looks like the core of a nuclear reactor! but brilliant. Ramps are excellent for working on at night, but the crème de la crème here is the Gate number lighting that are all spectacularly backlit... really love that, and so realistic.
 

 
Backside and building window lighting is excellent, again very realistic, no average plain colour fills here.
 
Internal concourse lighting is bright, but really well done in not being over bright to spoil the external views. Note the great ceiling lighting.
 

 
Oddly there is not a lot of brand lighting on the buildings, say cargo faclities...  the main are done like "UNITED AIR LINES", but not something like FedEx or the Hyatt Hotel?
 

 
Ground navigation lighting is also very good. All signs are worn but effective, with excellent colour light realistic ground reflections... perfect.
 

 
San Francisco Scenery
Unlike with the freeware version of KSFO San Francisco International Airport and City 2.0, there are no city objects in this package, which for me is surprising. ShortFinal noted to me that he may create a San Francisco city free pack to go along with this package, of which shouldn't be too hard as it is already object created. Here I am using here the (very) good but very old Tom Curtis Golden Gate scenery package, but sadly it's not on sale or available anymore.
_______________
Summary
MisterX6 changed the face of X-Plane scenery. First with Freeware high quality scenery for the X-Plane Simulator, then he went Payware with his "Definitive" Series and changed his name to ShortFinal Designs. That change took the scenery quality, detail and effects into the stratosphere, but still with a very affordable price.
 
San Francisco was one of the original  KSFO San Francisco International Airport and City 2.0 freeware sceneries, and very good it is, but here is the KSFO - San Francisco Airport Definitive version.
 
Like all the rest of the "Definitive" Series with KSLC - Salt Lake City, then my favorite KABQ - Albuquerque. Then Mega the airports followed with KLAX - Los Angeles and EDDM - Munich, that were all exceptional sceneries, so you expect a lot from the "Definitive" SFO.
 
This SFO scenery has been a long time in development. I expected a release around the early months of 2022, but it was still another 6 months before it now comes to release. Having reviewed the scenery here, I can't believe it didn't take far, far longer.
 
This is a MASSIVE scenery, in every aspect. Scale, object count, detail, effects and a realism above what we currently have. Yes there are brilliant sceneries out there, but this San Francisco sets a higher bar in almost every department...  It is a colossal achievement.
 
In every area it is brilliant. Modeling, texturing, lighting and not only external but the internal is very good as well. SAM Active, is not only for the various airbidge designs, but also to open and close hangar doors and gate crossings. This is one serious scenery with an object count to be believed. Again in every area it is covered in objects and with the massive clutter detail to burn your eyes out. Ground Textures and lighting are also extreme in detail with a few unique ideas thrown in. But the highlights are the event colours on the International Terminal and Control Tower that change with certain event days like the 4th July, Christmas and New Year and many more...
 
Negatives, none really AT ALL. But you have to know that with an object and detail count like this and used in this scenery, then it will take up a lot of frame rate, so SFO does hurt the framerate, and no doubt ShortFinal has refined everything to the bone already. So you would need a fair bit of power to run it all. My guide would be ShortFinal's LAX, if that SFD scenery runs fine, then so will SFO, but lighter graphic cards will certainly struggle to process it all.
 
I don't like to define the "Best of"...  because it is a moving target in Simulation. But certainly this KSFO - San Francisco Airport Definitive scenery has to be the very best ever scenery created for the X-Plane Simulator, on the scale alone....  a masterpiece, absolutely, if even the best X-Plane Scenery was ever created for the simulator, and that SFO by ShortFinal is a big if massive achievement no matter which way you look at it.
 
"All across the nation such a strange vibration
People in motion
There's a whole generation with a new explanation
People in motion people in motion
 
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there"
 
_______________________________

 
The KSFO - San Francisco Airport Definitive by ShortFinal Design is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store
 
KSFO - San Francisco Airport Definitive
Priced at US$26.95
 
High-Definition Airport Accurate airport layout (as of 2022) Brand-new Harvey Milk Terminal 1 Detailed models for all buildings with baked ambient occlusion Terminals with interiors PBR materials on objects and ground Custom dynamic night lighting Custom high resolution ground textures High resolution photo scenery (30cm/px) Taxi routes for AI traffic Compatible with any mesh scenery Free X-Plane 12 update planned Animated Airport Animated AirTrain, BART, and cars Animated highly detailed airport vehicles Animated workers and passengers Custom animated jetways and DGS (requires SAM plugin) Special lighting on international terminal and control tower on certain dates Various user-controlled hangar doors (requires SAM plugin)   Requirements
X-Plane 11 - X-Plane 12 (when available) Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Version 1.0 (August 6th 2022)   Installation and documents:
SFO is download of 1.6 Gb download that is translated into a single install file
SFD_KSFO_San_Francisco  
2.1 Gb full install in your Custom Scenery folder.
 
There is an OPTIONS folder for Ortho and Flat versions of ShortFinal SFO
No Ortho + Flat No Ortho + No Flat Ortho + Flat (default) Ortho + No Flat You just swap over the supplied Earth nav data folder.
 
There is a mesh patch can be used with MUXP (https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/67230-mesh-updater-x-plane-muxp/).
It works with any mesh (including ORBX TrueEarth) and makes coastlines more accurate, which avoids issues like sunken approach lights.
As of writing this document, MUXP is still an alpha version, so results may vary. In case you need to revert the changes, it always creates a backup version of your mesh files.
NOTE, not sure on how this would work with X-Plane12, so personally I would not use it for now if using SFO Definitive in X-Plane12.
 
SAM3 Plugin - Scenery Animation Manager - Suite 3.0 is required for this scenery,
 
Documents
There is a 2 page "Instruction" page for installation and requirements
Manual.pdf ___________________________
 
Review by Stephen Dutton
6th August 2022
Copyright©2022: 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 Right Reserved    Review System Specifications: 
Computer System: Windows  - IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1TB SSD 
Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane v11.55
Addons: Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick, Throttle & Rudder Pedals : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini
Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- None-
 

Aircraft Review: Handley Page Hampden by Virtavia
 
Introduction
The 1930s was a great period for military aircraft development. At Handley Page one of their best examples during this time was the Heyford bomber, which went into service with the Royal Air Force in 1934. The Heyford was a biplane with an open cockpit and gun positions, had a fixed undercarriage and used a mixed construction of metal and fabric. The Heyford was the last biplane heavy bomber operated by the RAF. When you compare the Heyford to the Hampden, the differences between them were huge, especially when you consider there were only four years between them.
    
History has a great way of recounting how good or bad an aircraft performed during its lifetime, with some even being regarded as a bit of a joke or totally abysmal. Unfortunately, the Handley Page Hampden could fall into that category. A certain Charles G Grey, the founder of the magazine “The Aeroplane”, described the Hampden (without considering some of its ground-breaking assets) as a flying suitcase! Sadly, this is the nickname that stuck with the aircraft during its whole service career.  

The Hampden was designed and conceived by Gustav Lacmann, Chief Designer at Handley Page in a response to a request from the British Air Ministry for a new twin-engined medium bomber under the Air Ministry specification B9/32.  The specification set by the ministry was quite demanding, which specified among many other requirements that it should have higher performance than any preceding bomber aircraft. The first HP2 prototype flew for the first time on 21st June 1936, and shortly thereafter the Air Ministry placed an initial order for 180 Mk.1 Hampdens. The first production aircraft took to the sky on 24th May 1938.  



The Hampden was quite a modern aircraft for its time as it utilised a stressed metal skin. Fitted with the most advanced wing available at the time, the Hampden had a remarkably low landing speed of just 73 mph, quite impressive for an Aircraft of its size. The Hampden was powered by a pair of 980 hp air-cooled Bristol Pegasus 9-cylinder Radial engines. These engines, along with the aircraft’s slim design, resulted in the Hampden achieving a top speed of 265 mph, as well as an impressive climb rate. Armament on the Hampden was abysmal as it only featured a fixed Vickers K machine gun on the nose, plus two in each of the rear dorsal & ventral positions.  The aircraft featured an internal bomb bay capable of carrying 4,000 lbs of bombs, mines, or a single 18-inch torpedo.
 
The crew of four consisted of a pilot, navigator/bomb aimer, radio operator/dorsal gunner, ventral gunner. Due to its design, the crew were crammed into a tight fuselage with almost no room to move and were typically cold and extremely uncomfortable during long missions. Aircrews soon referred to the Hampden by various nicknames, such as the flying Panhandle, and Flying Tadpole. The Hampden entered service with RAF No.49 Squadron between September and November 1938. While based at RAF Scampton, they were allocated the hazardous task of low-level minelaying and attacking ships during the outbreak of World War Two. 
 


Purchase and installation
For this review, I am running the latest version of X-Plane 11, along with a shadow tweak to make the shadow lines in the game appear much sharper. My chosen graphics API is Vulcan, not OpenGL. The Intel I7 4790K CPU is overclocked to 5Ghz complete with liquid cooling. I have 32GB RAM, with my GPU being an Asus Cerberus 1070ti. The sounds are provided through a Creative Titanium HD audiophile card, all of which is sat on an Asus Motherboard. At the time of writing, the Hampden from Virtavia is available from the Org Store for $21.95, and upon completion of your purchase, 44 reward points will be allocated to your store account. 

The stated system requirements are Windows, Mac or Linux and the model requires a minimum of 4 GB VRAM but recommends 8 GB or greater. The model currently sits at version: 1.0 (December 6th, 2021) and is for use in X Plane 11 only. Virtavia indicates that the model is fully VR-ready, however, I am not able to confirm this as I do not possess a VR headset. Once purchased, you simply download the compressed files to your chosen location on your PC. No automatic installation exe is included with the product, but installation is quite straightforward, as you simply extract the compressed files to your Aircraft folder. Once extracted, the size comes to 64.8MB.
 

 
Documentation
The model includes a comprehensive 19-page PDF full-colour manual which is split into several sections. It contains a procedures list and makes extensive use of screen captures which feature annotations to the relevant controls being demonstrated. Another feature that impressed me was the use of instructional videos as a reference relating to various procedures such as a cold and dark start. By double clicking on the AVI symbol, a copy of the instruction video will be downloaded to your pc where you can view them as and when required. 
 
First Impressions 
The original model of this Handley Page Hampden stems from an FSX/P3D variant. Whilst the aircraft systems and handling in this X-Plane version are significantly better than those found in the earlier FSX version, the Hampden is still not a particularly complex aircraft, which suits casual flight simmers such as myself. The package features two variants, these being the Hampden B. Mk1 and the TB. Mk1. 1. The Hampden B. Mk1 ships with four liveries and are as follows: 185 Sqn. at RAF Cottesmore from 1939 and 144 Sqn. stationed at North Luffenham during 1942. Whilst the other two liveries feature aircraft from No. 1404 (Meteorological) Flight RAF at St. Eval during 1942 and the Torpedo Development Unit of 1939




The Hampden TB. Mk1. ships with three liveries and are as follows: 415 Sqn. Royal Canadian Air Force during 1943, 489 Sqn. of the Royal NZ Air Force of 1944 and finally, the TB. Mk.1. of the Swedish Air Force. 


 
Exterior
The exterior detailing faithfully captures the quirky lines synonymous with the Hampden’s airframe. From the narrow deep-seated fuselage to the thin tapering rear leading to the twin tail, Virtavia have faithfully captured these features. With the extensive use of PBR textures throughout both the exterior and the cockpit, the whole model shines (in all the right places) thanks to X-Plane’s superior global lighting. The surface of the model also features nicely rendered panel lines and subtle weathering. The flying controls and surfaces are fully animated and work very smoothly, including the forward wing slats which are automatically operated. 
 

 
The cooling grills (cowl flaps) can be opened and closed by clicking the relevant control in the cockpit. The model also features a reasonably detailed undercarriage as well as two different exhaust types that were fitted to the different variants of the aircraft.  



Overall, the exterior model is almost worth the price by itself. However, despite all the gloss of PBR and the improvements across the model, I did feel there was something still slightly lacking with the exterior model. In short, the Handley Page Hampden was amongst the first mono-winged aircraft to feature a flush-rivetted stressed metal skin, reinforced with a mixture of bent and extruded sections in an all-metal design. Whilst the panel lines are faithfully represented in this model, the detail relating to the flush riveting and stressed skin effects are missing. It doesn’t affect the functionality of the model in the slightest, but if you know your aircraft history, you’ll notice it. A feature I particularly liked was the ability to have the crew visible or not. The crew can be toggled on or off by pressing Shift-F5 as seen below.   
 


You can select to have the upper rear gunners’ canopy open or closed, and this is achieved by pressing Shift-F2. Both gunners’ positions (dorsal and ventral) included representations of the 303 Vickers K machine gun which are adequately detailed but are not operable. The crew access hatch can be toggled open or closed by pressing Shift-F3. 
 

 
Another nice feature of the model is the bomb bay which features operable bay doors which can be toggled open or closed by pressing shift-F4.  Alternatively, there is a switch for this on the right side of the cockpit. The internal detail of the bomb bay is rather weak but acceptable, however, there is no ordinance within the bay and no loadout options are provided with the model. It would have been a nice touch if the developer had included such an option. Perhaps in a later update?
 
Interior
Moving onto the interior and it’s clear to see that this is where Virtavia pulled out all the stops. When sitting in the cockpit, you are presented with a rich and diverse environment. It’s a complete click fest of the highest order, all laced with lush PBR textures and clear annotations to both instruments and dials.  
 

 
Aside from the normal functioning controls, there are numerous features available to you in the cockpit, so many in fact that it would take too long to describe in this short article. However, all I can say is that if you do decide to go out and purchase the Hampden, you won’t be disappointed with how the cockpit looks, it’s simply exquisite.
 


Handling
Like many of you reading this, I am just a desktop pilot and a casual simmer at heart, so I am not particularly well qualified to say if the flight model is accurate or not. The task becomes even harder when you consider there are no airworthy Hampdens left anywhere in the world. However, that said, in X-Plane, the Handley Page Hampden being a tail dragger, has all the usual traits associated with this type of aircraft, and as such can be quite a handful on the ground. In other words, don’t open the throttles too quickly as the aircraft will run away with you, and your flight (what there was of it), will end in tears!  
 


Once in the air and all trimmed out, the aircraft is quite responsive and is in no way sluggish. The developers appear to have replicated the response rate of the engines quite well, in that there is no instant change in tone when you reduce or increase the throttle, instead it slowly changes tone which is far more realistic.  



The Handley Page Hampden was one (if not the first) medium bomber to feature forward wing slats. These reduced the aircraft’s landing speed to just 73mph. The forward wing slats are operated automatically, and I found landing the aircraft in my X-Plane world, a considerably more relaxed experience than taking off.  
 


Sounds
When X-Plane allowed for the introduction of FMOD sound packages for aircraft models, the sound environment changed for the better. The included FMOD sound samples in this package are simply outstanding, and in my opinion, faithfully capture the dynamic sounds of a pair of 980 hp air-cooled Bristol Pegasus 9-cylinder radial engines. 

This starts with the slow, rattling, popping, spitting and stuttering of the engines during a cold and dark start-up. As you slowly increase power, the engine note changes, and you can really feel the deep rumbling gentle growl as the engines come to life. When you open and close the cockpit canopy (again sampled), the sounds of the engine are subtly subdued, but still audible through the canopy. In all, the included soundset of this model is simply music to your ears!  

Conclusion
As you can no doubt tell from this review, flying this aircraft has been a great deal of fun for me, with some of its highlights being: 
The massive 3D modelling improvements and increased functionality in the cockpit over its earlier FSX/P3D variant. The cockpit environment is enriched by the extensive application of PBR textures, which really makes it shine, especially when you factor in the price point.  The introduction of an impressive FMOD sound pack.  The inclusion of a comprehensive PDF manual, which employs links to a series of downloadable instructional videos. Looking at areas for possible improvement, it would have been nice if Virtavia had included the flush riveting and stressed panel details on the exterior model. I would also have liked to have seen various loadout options for the bomb bay, but as I mentioned, maybe these can be added in future updates. I was just a little disappointed that some of the other notable characteristics were not given the same attention to detail as they lavished in the cockpit environment. In summing up, I have to say the Handley Page Hampden by Virtavia is a quirky, yet remarkable aircraft, and in my view will deliver a lot of nostalgic fun for not much money. So, why not be like me, and pack yourself into a flying suitcase and relive a bit of history!   
 
___________________

 
The Handley-Page Hampden package by Virtavia is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
Virtavia Handley-Page Hampden
Price at time of writing US$21.95
 
Requirements:
X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Current version: 1.0 (December 6th 2021)
 
Review System Specifications:
Windows 10 64 Bit
Intel I7 4790K
32GB RAM
NVIDIA GTX 1070Ti
 
Aircraft Review by Nick Garlick
4th August 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews

(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed
without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) 
 

 
 

Scenery Review SBGR- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport
 
Globall Art – SBGR São Paulo / Guarulhos International Airport – X-Plane
Looking back through the stamps in my old passports reveals that the first time I set foot in Brazil was 17th May 1996. If memory serves me correctly, that flight was on a British Airways 747-400 which had departed from Heathrow some twelve hours previously, and which had made a brief stopover in Rio de Janeiro on its two-stop round trip to South America. Since that date some twenty-six years ago, I’ve had the privilege of visiting that amazing country tens of times, flying with many different airlines and on many different airframes, but the one thing that all my visits have in common is that my entry point to Brazil has always been through Guarulhos International Airport.
 
In those 26 years, I’ve seen plenty of change in the airport, especially in the past ten years as domestic air travel has become more ubiquitous, and as Brazil has welcomed visitors for both the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games - although the latter were admittedly in Rio, a relatively ‘short’ five-hour drive away.
 
The COVID pandemic has prevented my regular trips for the past few years, so the opportunity to visit again, this time in X-Plane through Globall Art’s ‘SBGR – Guarulhos Airport’ scenery package, was one that I eagerly jumped at.
 

Figure 1 - A view of Guarulhos Airport’s Northern Side, including the freight terminal, and terminals 2 and 3.
 
A Brief History
The São Paulo Air Force Base (Base Aérea de São Paulo), some 28km from downtown São Paulo, was built on the land of Cumbica Farm (Fazenda Cumbica) which had been donated to the Ministry of Aeronautics by Eduardo Guinle. The Air Force Base was opened in January 1945, and at the time, it housed the 2nd Air Base Corps which had previously, since its inception in May 1941, been headquartered at Campo de Marte airport only 22km away.

Air transport flourished after the end of the Second World War, and it was in June 1967 that the Brazilian government started looking into renovation of the airport infrastructure in Brazil. As a result of these studies, it was decided that new passenger facilities would be located at the site, although construction of the first terminal wasn’t to start for another 13 years. At that time, Congonhas was São Paulo’s main airport, but its short runways were unable to cater for the long-haul jets serving intercontinental travellers, and passengers to the city had to either change to a domestic flight in Rio de Janeiro, or fly instead to Viracopos airport in Campinas, almost 100km from São Paulo.

Work was started on the new passenger facilities at the airport in August 1980, and they were inaugurated in January 1985. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it wasn’t long before Guarulhos had overtaken Congonhas as the city’s primary airport although the proximity of the latter to the city’s major commercial centres mean that it is still a favourite of domestic business travellers.

In 1989, runway 09L/27R was extended to the east to cater for the larger jets that were being brought into service, and the passenger terminals renovated and enlarged to cater for the growing passenger numbers with terminal 2 coming into service in 1993. It was in 2001 that the need for a third terminal was first mooted, but the political and economic situation in the country delayed the start of construction until 2011. Not a moment too soon as in 2010, the airport served in excess of 30% more than its rated passenger capacity.

To alleviate congestion whilst the new terminal 3 was being built, Infraero, the Brazilian company charged with managing its airports, announced that two former cargo terminals at the west of the airport would be renovated and converted into terminal 4 for temporary domestic passenger use – leaving the original two terminals for international passengers – and they opened fully in June 2013. Despite the intention that they would be a transient facility, their status has now become permanent.

In 2012 operation of the airport was granted for an initial period of twenty years to a consortium of private companies which form the ‘Concessionária to Aeroporto Internacional de Guarulhos S.A.’. One of the first things that they did during the handover was to rebrand the airport ‘GRU Airport’
 

Figure 2 - Rebranded as 'GRU Airport' from 2012

Terminal 3 was opened in 2014 – just in time for the World Cup – having taken just one year and nine months after ground was first broken to complete. And in 2015 (in a move which confused me at the time and which I’ve only now worked out whilst researching the history for this review) the terminals were renumbered with the temporary terminal 4 becoming terminal 1, and the original terminals 1 and 2 merging to become terminal 2.

Most recently, the São Paulo metro system has been extended to the airport on an elevated section with a bus providing the ‘last mile’ transport to and from the terminals. This is a far cry from the original intention for the airport to sit on a high-speed rail link from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro; a project which was cancelled before it really started. It does however mean that at less than one US dollar, a rail transfer from the airport to the city is probably one of the cheapest in the world!

Guarulhos airport is now the largest airport in Brazil and one of the busiest in Latin America, being second to Mexico City International Airport in terms of passenger numbers, and second to El Dorado International Airport (in Bogotá, Columbia) in terms of freight transport.

That the airport is now operated as a private enterprise has upset the descendants of the original donor of the land, Eduardo Guinle, and they are arguing that this violates the spirit in which the donation was made. They have initiated legal proceedings demanding return of the land, or compensation to the tune of around 1 billion US dollars! The government’s defence rests on their assertion that the land to the south of the airport continues to operate as an Air Force base even though no permanent flying units are based there. Guinle’s descendants lost their original case, and it has now been referred to the Federal Council of Justice (Justiça Federal) on appeal.

This, and no doubt other events, may well shape the development of the airport in the years to come.

Installation
The package I downloaded from the X-Plane.org store was a single 777Mb ZIP file which contains a couple of manuals – one in English and the other in Portuguese (not Spanish, which many people believe is spoken in Brazil as it is in the rest of South America), and a couple of folders – one containing the Airport scenery, and the other a bespoke mesh.
 

Figure 3 - Package Contents
 
There’s no automatic installer here, so I made a check of the manual to make sure that there are no installation gotchas, and it seemed straight-forward enough in that stand-alone installation requires that just the Airport and Mesh scenery folders are copied to the X-Plane ‘Custom Scenery’ folder; the names of the files will ensure that they’re loaded in the correct order by the simulator.

Whilst not included in the downloaded package the manual offers the opportunity to download a high resolution OrthoPhoto for the whole of the São Paulo urban area extending out to Guarulhos airport. At around 5.2Gb it’s a huge download but given that it’s advertised in the manual I elected to use it whilst reviewing the package. Again, if you just copy this to the ‘Custom Scenery’ folder, the names will ensure that scenery is loaded correctly.

Additionally, the manual recommends the download and installation of MisterX’s ‘Airport Environment HD’ scenery library, and the Auto Gate and SAM plugins to ensure that all animations work correctly. I already had these installed so there was no action required on my part.

If you already own Globall Art’s nearby ‘SBSP – Congonhas’ scenery package and / or Paulo Ricardo’s Mega São Paulo package(s), then installation is still a manual process but much more involved requiring deletion of some the Mega São Paulo folders that contain the airport and mesh definitions, and manual edits to the scenery-packs.ini file to ensure the correct ordering of the scenery layers contained in the different products. Some elements of the installation instructions where you own multiple packages do seem a little ambiguous, so it is worth making sure that you understand fully what you’re going to do before you forge ahead.

The system requirements for the package are stated simply as X-Plane 11, and 4Gb of VRAM as a minimum, although 8Gb or more is preferred. A system whose components meet the recommended requirements was used to capture the images contained in this review.
 

Figure 4 - SBGR - Guarulhos International Airport seen from the North-West

Package Features
Globall Art’s ‘SBGR – Guarulhos Airport’ scenery package boasts a long list of features, claiming to accurately represent the airport as it existed in 2022, this being supported by customised textures, HDR lighting, static objects, vehicles and aircraft, and rendered interiors for some of the terminals.

Additionally, the package claims compatibility with multiple third-party plugins, including custom jetways controlled by both SAM and Marginal’s Auto Gate plugins and their accompanying VDGS (visual docking guidance system) installations, taxi routes for World Traffic 3, and vehicle traffic controlled by Marginal’s Ground Traffic. And of course, the Mega São Paulo scenery package.

The manual contains links to SAM and Auto Gate which are both free plugins – whether you choose to install them is up to you, but they were installed and enabled when this review was written. To avoid incompatibilities between the two plugins, the jetway serviced gates at the airport work with only one of the two systems – so if you have a preference, then you’ll need to make sure that you park at a suitably equipped gate.

A look around the Airport
So… with all the… ‘administration’ out of the way, it’s time to look around the airport.

Initial impressions? Well… from the terminal side, I’m reasonably familiar with what are now terminals 2 and 3 and can honestly say that had you dropped me in this scenery package outside at either the departures drop-off or arrivals-pick-up areas of either of them it wouldn’t have taken me long to work out where I was, not least of which because the signs are replicas of those that you’ll find at the real airport, but also because of the modelling of the terminal buildings. And that bodes well!
 

Figure 5 - Departures Drop-off at Terminal 2 – the quietest I’ve ever seen it!

Time to start exploring, and rather than the logical clockwise roam around the airport that I usually take, I thought I’d mix it up a little, and follow the chronological development of the airport.

On the south-west side of the field, the full extent of the Air Force base has been modelled, and with it extending to the limits of the forest in the screenshot it’s a lot bigger than I thought it was!
 

Figure 6 - The São Paulo Air Force Base (Base Aérea de São Paulo)

Custom objects representing the various building across the base have been developed and placed which adds to the feel of the airport as you approach it from the air. The only disappointment here, and it is a minor one, is that the X-Plane roads don’t follow their true paths, and consequently some of the buildings and trees encroach on them but you’re going to be too busy getting your landing or take off right to be able to notice! As you get closer to the runways in those spaces that you may find yourself taxiing, the attention to detail improves significantly with the buildings of the main military apron sporting the typical “welcome” and the official blazon of the 4th Air Transport Squadron that was based there, and a couple of static military aircraft stationed out front.
 

Figure 7 - The São Paulo Air Force Base (Base Aérea de São Paulo) Main Apron

Moving back across the airfield now to what was terminal 1, parking my trusty Zibo 737-800 sporting a rather splendid – and appropriate – ‘Gol’ livery on stand 212R. Just looking around the apron markings and stains on the tarmac shows how much work has gone into making it look ‘real’. It would have been easy to replicate the same marking pattern at all the gates, and whilst there does appear to be a finite set of patterns, there are enough of them to make this very difficult to spot – unless you’re looking for it of course.
 

 
And, for comparison, the same shot in the dead of night.
 

 
Gate 212 is one of those that’s compatible with the SAM plugin, so why not give that a go? The VGDS does provide all the cues necessary for accurate parking of the aircraft allowing the jetway to extend to the front left door. But look at the rest of the view. You can see through the glass into the terminal (more of that later), but the modelling of the airport building and its furniture together with the equipment and other objects that you can see on the small part of the apron that’s visible below give the impression of a busy airport.
 

Figure 8 - Arriving at Gate 212R

I’m a sucker for looking around inside a terminal building to see if it’s modelled and in this package the developers have claimed that this is the case. It certainly is – at least in the part of the terminal that sits at the end of the pier. The windows here are clear and from the cockpit of your aircraft parked at the gate, it is possible to see inside the building.

Standing on the inside, remembering that most of us would never bother standing in the terminal building of a simulated airport, it’s a passable facsimile with rows of seats modelled, gates marked and high-resolution images of representative restaurant and store fronts. I would have liked to have seen the interior modelling extend back along the pier to the terminal building, however the windows on that part of the structure are bitmaps that look a lot better at night than they do in the daytime.
 

Figure 9 - Inside terminal 2

Compared to the other terminals, the converted cargo facility that now operates as the domestic terminal 1 is quite bland – as it is in the real-world. There are no jetways here but there appears to have been no scrimping on the quality of the model. The different departure doors are uniquely labelled with their gate number, the arrivals entrance equally well marked and walkways between the terminal the aircraft parking spots look as if they’re freshly painted onto the tarmac.
 

Figure 10 - The converted cargo building that now operates as terminal 1

The opening of terminal 3 in 2014 added 12 million passengers a year to the capacity of the airport. Looking at the size of it, it’s not difficult to understand how. The unusual design that was finally chosen wasn’t that originally proposed by Infraero, but one which the 2012 consortium selected at late notice. Unusually for Guarulhos, in that previously the car parks serving the other terminals are large open air car parks at ground level (not ideal in the scorching Brazilian sun), a multi-storey car park accessible through covered walkways was built alongside the terminal. All of this is of course faithfully reproduced in the scenery package.
 

Figure 11 – The distinctive terminal 3, and its car park, from the landside.

Changing our vantage point from landside to airside, the huge amount of real estate given over to serving the large jets that ply the long distant routes to São Paulo can be seen, and the terminal can manage up to ten such aircraft at the pier, and 7 more with remote boarding. From this viewpoint, you can also see the variety of surface types and markings (including those that have been painted over as the taxi and parking configuration has evolved) that have been employed to build as realistic an experience as possible for pilots visiting the airport.

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t taken a walk around inside terminal 3 as well, and from a passenger perspective its recognisable. The full length of the pier is modelled this time though, providing a view into the terminal from all the gates, and there’s a wider variety of shop fronts, restaurants and advertising boards throughout.
 

Figure 12 – Terminal 3 with its adjacent aprons seen from the airside

When you’re close to the main terminal building, it’s even possible to see the baggage handling facilities underneath it. This degree of detail shows the lengths to which the developers have gone to produce an airport that looks authentic in every respect, even if it doesn’t materially add to the ‘flight’ experience.
 

Figure 13 - Terminal 3's baggage handling area

The elevated rail link to São Paulo, complete with trains that look just like those you’ll see on the São Paulo Metrô, is modelled too. Because the airport is the last stop on the line, the track really does just stop in space like it does in the screenshot, providing just enough room beyond the station for trains to change to the opposite track for the return journey, although the trains in the simulator just change direction!
 

Figure 14 - Aeroporto Guarulhos station on the Jade line of São Paulo's Metrô system

Whilst that concludes the trip around those parts of the airport that feature in the history outlined at the start of the review, there are plenty of other things to enjoy in this scenery package. 

The detail doesn’t drop away when you look at the rather distinctive airport fire station, opened in 2015, to the south of the airfield. The letters that make up the sign on the front of the building are full 3D models and they cast shadows on the façade of the building – although having taken another look around the whole airport, that’s the case throughout. The garage contains fire trucks of a type that is deployed at the airport, and which sport the logo of Infraero. It’s not evident from the screenshot, but I can report that the level of detail on the model means that you can also see the gym equipment in the window of the block that’s behind the garage.
 

Figure 15 - The Airport Fire Station

Immediately next to terminal 1, Guarulhos’ cargo facilities are vast at almost 100,000 m2, and they’re capable of handling all manner of goods including refrigerated and hazardous shipments. The various warehouses at the airport are all present in the scenery – modelled of course to the same high standard as the adjacent former cargo warehouse.
 

Figure 16 - The cargo terminal at Guarulhos

To the west of terminal 3 is the maintenance facility at Guarulhos which was constructed in 2017 at a combined cost of 230m US dollars. The American Airlines facility can house two wide-bodied jets of the types that they use on their routes to São Paulo (typically 777 and 787), and the LATAM facility behind it one. Both are recreated in the scenery package in the level of detail present that I’m starting to become accustomed to.
 

Figure 17 - The American Airlines and LATAM maintenance hangars at Guarulhos

Moving slightly off the airfield now, and onto the approach road connecting the airport to Rodoviária Presidente Dutra – the main road that runs between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro – a hotel that I’ve always wanted to visit but have never found the time always being either on my way to or from the airport terminals.
 

Figure 18 - The Pullman Hotel on the road approach to the airport

And finally, as another testament to the pride that the developers have put into this package, the default tower view has more detail than I’ve ever seen in a tower before – even if their screens do show them controlling a different airport!
 

Figure 19 - The Default Tower View

In conclusion…
I’ve seen quite a few different aircraft scenery packages from several different developers over the years, and I have to say that Globall Art’s SBGR – Guarulhos Airport ranks up there amongst the best. The hard work that has gone into making the aircraft movement areas look realistic and the terminals true-to-life replicas of their real-world counterparts is evident, but what stands out for me is that it’s a blend of instantly recognisable detail in all the right places which extends beyond the immediate limits of the core airport buildings and infrastructure. This ensures that it’s not an oasis of accuracy surrounded by a desert of out of the box land-class and autogen scenery and this works wonders in enhancing the illusion of reality that we, as simulator pilots, all seek.

If Guarulhos Airport is one that’s of particular interest to you, as it is to me, then I’d recommend Globall Arts’ representation wholeheartedly. If you’re a collector of good airports, and São Paulo falls within the criteria that you use to select what goes on your list of desired acquisitions, then make sure there’s a spot on that list for this package; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. If you’re just looking for a reason to start flying somewhere you haven’t explored so far, then South America, Brazil and SBGR – Guarulhos International Airport is, in my view at least, a great place to start.

I’ve tried to cover off everything but there’ll inevitably have been something I’ve missed in the tour that I’ve taken you on. Ultimately, only you will know whether it’s right for you though! For me, it’s staying installed on my system, and I’ll be flying in and out of there until I can get back to Brazil for real.
__________________________________
 

 
SBGR- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport by Globall Art is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
SBGR- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport
Price at time of writing US$24.95
 
Features:                                                                                        
Accurate replica São Paulo International Airport, Guarulhos, updated 2022. Precise modeling, based on original references, plans and other studies. Fully customized pavement, with ambient occlusion included in textures. Custom Jetways compatible with SAM plugins. Auto Gate Marginal Compatible Custom Jetways. Standard VGDS system. Controlled by Dataref Marginal Plugins. Controlled by Dataref SAM Plugins Static objects, vehicles and aircraft are present in the scene. Avenues and streets with custom and standard vehicle traffic. Controlled by the Marginal Ground Traffic Plugin HDR lighting with custom night textures. Custom textures with ambient occlusion. X-Plane standard animated traffic service. Standard Approach Light Systems (ALS).  Included taxi routes for aircraft, “taxi route". Compatible taxi routes configured for World Traffic (WT3) and other plugins. Ramp Start set for airlines. Terminal 2 and 3 with rendered interior. Compatible with Mega São Paulo – Paulo Ricardo. Compatible with SBSP Congonhas Globall Art.
Requirements:
X-Plane 11
Windows. Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum. 8 GB+  VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 830 MB
Current version: 1.1 (May 13th 2022)
 
Review System Specifications:
Windows 11
Intel i7-9700KK
32 GB RAM
Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
 
Scenery Review by Andrew Parish
9th May 2022
Copyright©2022: 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.
 

Behind the Screen : March 2022
 
Back in my Behind the Screen January 2022 edition, I talked about upgrading my main X-Plane workhorse computer ready for X-Plane12. Now I am on the other side of the upgrade and the process has been very interesting.
 
Everyone at sometime or the other are faced with this nasty dilemma, unless you are still flying X-Plane9 on a Windows 7 OS (and you would be surprised how many out there still are) the problem is you are going to be looking secretly at your bank balance account.
 
Mostly the upgrade situation is created at a new X-Plane version release or realistically about every four years, however most of my changes have been forced upon me, for the late X-plane 10 and forthcoming X-Plane 11, I literally melted my Mac's graphic card (yes X-Plane can melt or burn out graphic cards).
But I needed to also move up to a Windows based system anyway, because I could then access more (mostly plugins) applications that are created only for WIN based machines and that aspect was required for reviews.
 
In being a decades old Apple acolyte. It was a significant moment to move to the opposition's or over to the medieval Microsoft system...  I loathe WIN 7, still do compared to the elegant Mac OS. But since the messiah of Steve Job's moved on and died. I feel that Apple, although still makes great products, has moved away from the Job's "insanely great" products to Mr Cook's inventory leading leadership in replicating more of the same and adding on even more money in asking for the same glossed up products. In saying that I think the new line of M series processors are very good, but paying Aus$3,000 just to get one in a computer is criminal.
 
Windows does give you one major advantage, separate or separated components. Buy a Mac and it is a locked box, even upgrading the memory is a major exercise, and even mostly all the memory is soldered directly on to the motherboard, a new graphic card...  forget about that. So Windows does give you immense flexibility in upgrading components, and that saves you money. With a Mac, upgrading means usually a completely new computer, meaning expensive (now far more expensive).
 
I have even come to love the Windows interface, in many areas it is now even better than the Mac OS, far better since Microsoft got rid of Steve Ballmer, and became a far more progressive company. It was a big deal for me not only to move to the Win OS, but also buy a Windows Surface laptop (No touch screen on any Apple laptops is another deal breaker).
 
As noted in BtheS in January. The flexibility of components in a Windows box means I started my "Tick, Tock" system. Buying both major components in both a chip/motherboard, then also a graphic card is seriously expensive. You just can't afford both at the same time.
 
I did my Graphic Card (Tick) update about three years ago to a Asus 8Gb VRAM board, to be honest it still runs very well, so it is not really ready for a overhaul (maybe next year when the prices are even closer to back in being some sort of realistic)...  but my chip and board (Tock) was now getting seriously outdated and it showed via my mid-20s framerates. In reality I had put myself into a corner with the chip a Intel i7-6700K CPU, good in it's time, but coupled to a very budget Gigabyte motherboard, you felt the slowness and it's lack of features and slow buses. I also came to really hate that board (Gigabyte Z170-HD3). The Gigabyte board was another issue in that to upgrade to a new processor, you also have to replace the motherboard.
 
So with not only with the daily dynamic realism of fighting low framerates, Microsoft also deemed my chip now too old for Windows 11, then add in then the coming requirements of X-Plane12, in that coming change a lot of the processing is moved from the graphic card over to main processor. I was faced with the inevitable, a major surgery of my computer if I wanted to gain the best from the coming (exciting) X-Plane12.
 
The process was interesting and hopefully very helpful to other users facing the same situation. My system is totally X-Plane focused, I don't do anything else on the computer (not even games) on the Windows (site image and editing work is still all done on a 12 year old Mac).
 
There is an immense (insane) amount of choice for users in upgrading their main components, but basically it all comes down to easy choices. I think actually the pandemic actually did me a favour, by making me wait longer to do this upgrade, and in that aspect I found myself at the front of a release of a step generation of new powerful processors (Intel 12th Gen). I did consider at first a AMD processor, but I found too many performance issues and stutters. I am sure AMD devotees will put me right on that matter, but I just was not comfortable with changing to AMD, but the 12th Gen Intel chips are a serious step up in power anyway.
 
As you know I earlier went mad and only wanted only a top of the line Intel 12900KF, but installing this nuclear power station created a lot of problems and at a far higher cost (availability is also problem here as well).
I do really thank a lot of users for their advice in comments, and yes I actually in the end used their advice, but overall the item that changed my mind was the video by Michael Brown on XForcePC, if you watch this video it will explain the differences between all the 12th Gen processors, and why the i7 is the pick of the bunch price wise to performance for X-Plane users.
 
The Intel 12900KF is nearly a grand in X-Plane money (all prices here are in Aussie $), but the blowout was the things required to go with the chip to actually run it. I settled for a Intel S1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU (That can be overclocked to 5.0 GHz), it is the top processor of the i7 12th Gen range, it saved me $300 over the i9 12900K. The motherboard I selected was a ASUS S1700 ATX PRIME Z690-P WiFi DDR4. Debatable is the fact I didn't move up to DDR5 memory, but cost would have blown me out to an extra $500 for the DDR5 memory which not only currently expensive but also hard to get here. As a chip and board combination I think it is about perfect on features and price. I spent a bit more on the board for the features it provided, as the spectre of the budget Gigabyte board still looms badly over why I did that choice.
 
In selecting any 12th Generation Intel chip, you hit what became the biggest debate of them all...  cooling. Picking the chip/board was the really easy part, the hard part was picking a good cooler. I spent countless videos and going through tons of spec details for weeks in trying to choose anything to fix the cooling issue, it can get seriously expensive as well, even more than a motherboard. But the trick is to find the right cooler for your processor, in the end it came down to two, a Noctua or a Be Quiet!
 
The Noctuas are expensive, but oddly it also looked horribly old fashioned (brown?) as well, but the cost as which was astronomical was the real deal breaker here, even if it was the best.
My choice was the Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4, still not cheap, but very good for the 12th Gen chips. That cooler choice then created another problem, it is such a huge massive cooler, a real monster of a thing? that when if installed in my case it would stick out right of the door with the glass panel also needed to be off to fit it inside. So I would need a new case or another extra expense above my carefully considered budget to accommodate just that XXXL cooler.
 
My choice again was another Be Quite!, a Pure Base 500DX case, WIDE but it also came with modern ports including USB-C inputs, and some nice RGB fancy lighting effects, the only thing it was short of was USB ports? X-Plane uses a LOT of USB ports, three for the Saitek joystick, throttle and rudder pedal combo, then your keyboard, mouse and external storage? with only five USBs on the Pure Base case were simply not going to cut it, so I installed a Orico 7 Port USB 3.0 PCIe card as you can do that with a Windows box, and that fixed another issue, I also upgraded my power supply from a 750w to a 1000w pack, not really needed but a nice to have (it is second hand).
 
The rebuild took a day, but a second day was required to reinstall and rebuild my Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 2TB - M.2 NVMe storage with X-Plane and all the other software required, including now a OS upgrade to Windows 11. And that completes my Windows system rebuild.
 
My original self created quote for the upgraded system was around Aus$1,700 or US$1,300 ($1,271) with the (Tock) rebuild and choosing the i7 and not the i9 it came in at Aus$1,350 or nearly US$1000, even including the case and USB port extras, it was all up not bad for a load of extra performance, and a nice fancy case.
 
So what did I get for my money. I was always jealous of users having 70fr to 100fr X-Plane power, but realistically I never expected that sort of headroom, 50fr, with hopefully 60fr was to me a good upgrade result.
 
Realistically I gained 20fr, what was 25fr is now 45fr, 30fr is now 50fr. But that is not the whole story power wise. xEnviro is simply a major excessive power sapping application, the more power you seem to give it, the more it takes, and I have a lot of the settings set currently to be very economical, but still it is guzzling up 20fr... yes "twenty bloody frames" and also gives me slight stutters. In light weather it is not too bad, but in cloudy conditions it just sucks down the frame rate like no tomorrow, it is not a very efficient application? Switch it off and I have 60fr-70fr, but then looking at a very bland panorama.
 
But if you want to, you can currently average it out at 45fr, X-Plane is still very snappy and with headroom to easily absorb even the heaviest aircraft (Felis B747-200) and heavy scenery (Barcelona). But other benefits are also very welcome, 60% faster X-Plane loading times are a really big boon to me in that I do a lot of restarts per review, and the computer in dealing with mundane tasks is extremely quick and far easier to use. Far quicker also are buses than with the Gigabyte board means that now big files can be moved around far, far more quicker (rebuilding X-Plane with 1Tb of data to move only took a hour, not hours).
 
The processor and board upgrade was done with X-Plane12 in mind, and the main reason to upgrade at all. If X-Plane12 will take say an extra 10fr (by my estimation), then using it's default environmental benefits, I can then remove xEnviro, I should see a balance of 55fr to 60fr, with that I would be extremely happy to have done the upgrade. Certainly a (Tick) upgrade of the Graphic Card would give me more framerate and power, but that was not a consideration of this upgrade.
 
When after running several flights, and pushing the new system we found it was not even breaking into a sweat. CPU numbers were around only 40ºC, motherboard temps around 31ºC while still running a flight at full throttle. I'm not usually a big fan of overclocking, but in this case it may be actually warranted to make the chip work a bit harder, so we are going to do a slight overclock and hopefully gain around another 10% performance. limits are 5.4 MHz for some P-cores and 5.1 MHz for all active P-cores. I am certainly not ever going to do that, but I think I want it to get itself off it's 2.6 MHz backside and do some more work. Those numbers also vindicated our cooling choice, the system has five fans (three in the cabinet and two on the Dark Rock Pro), but the system does not get even close to hot (or even warm) at all, not even feel any heat if you put your hand over the rear fans. Overall it was in this aspect a sensational upgrade.
 
Simulation is one of the absolute most ferocious users of processor power, it demands far more than most games on the market. To make gains within a budget is very hard, but still a necessity to keep up with the constant changing demands of even more realism and complex aircraft. This was my upgrade story, I hope it helps in your decisions and choices in getting the best out of not only the current X-Plane version (11) but to be also ready for the next step in X-Plane12.
 
See you all next month.
 
Stephen Dutton
1st April 2022
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