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NEWS! - Mango Studios releases JARDesign A340-500 Sound Pack
 


Mango Studios has released a Sound Package for the JARDesign A340-500, available here, and currently on sale for US$29.95. Note this package only works with the sounds for the  JAR Design A340-500. It will not work on other A340s (i.e. TolISS). The package is however both compatible with X-Plane 12/11. Features included...
 
Exterior: Custom Sounds for Exterior Aircraft Systems -APU, Hydraulic Pumps, Fuel Pumps, Packs, etc External Environmental sounds, including light and hard rain Custom Engine Sounds for the Rolls Royce Trent 553 Engines     -Exterior start-up/shut-down sound effects     -Exterior spool-up/spool-down sound effects     -Exterior backblast, surround sound, and flyby sound effects Interior: Custom Sounds for cockpit switches, buttons, covers, knobs, and handles -Overhead Panel, Pedestal Panel, Autopilot Panel, and Eicas Panel all reworked Custom Cockpit System Sounds Including -Higher Quality GPWS Sounds, from 2500ft to 5ft aural warnings. -Higher Quality Embraer Warning Sounds  -Higher quality and realistic Battery, packs, wipers, and avionics generator effects Custom, and ultra-realistic cockpit environmental effects -High-Quality landing gear roll, cockpit rattle effect, gear retraction, gear extension, gear drag, and cockpit wind. New cabin effects include     -New Air conditioning effect, Fuel pump, Hydraulic Pump, Flaps, Slats Custom Interior sounds for the  Rolls Royce Trent 553 Engines, which include:     -New custom, interior startup/shutdown sound effects     -New custom, interior spool-up/spool-down sound effects     -New custom, interior backblast, surround sound, and flyby sound effects It brings installation instructions to make your installation more manageable, and a manual to bring you up to speed on how to customize your volume in the volume menu. __________________
 

 
Yes!...   JARDesign A340-500 Sound Pack by Mango Studios is now Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Mango Studios JARDesign A340-500 Sound Pack
Price is US$12.99
 
Requirements
This is a Sound pack. The JAR Design A340-500. Will not work on other A340s.
X-Plane12 & 11
Current version 1.0 (January 15th 2024) ___________________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
16th January 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

NEWS! - Scenery Released : LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island, Italy by Cami de Bellis
 

 
Where is it? It's an Italian Island, but in reality it is nowhere near the Southern Italian coastline, more adjacent to Tunisia, Africa than Europe. Lampedusa is the largest island of the Italian Pelagie Islands in the Mediterranean Sea.
 
The Pelagie Islands from the Greek pélagos meaning "open sea", are the three small islands of Lampedusa, Lampione, and Linosa, located in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Tunisia, south of Sicily. To the northwest lie the island of Pantelleria and the Strait of Sicily. All three islands are part of the commune of Lampedusa. Geologically, part of the archipelago (Lampedusa and Lampione) belongs to the African continent; politically and administratively the islands fall within the Sicilian province of Agrigento and represent the southernmost part of Italy.
 
Despite pockets of agriculture, the islands are unnaturally barren due to wanton deforestation and the disappearance of the native olive groves, juniper and carob plantations. Fifty years ago much of the landscape was farmland bounded by dry stone walls, but today, the local economy is based on sponge fishing and canning, supplemented by tourism in Lampedusa.
 
Here is another detailed Cami de Bellis scenery with the addition of complete terrain mesh for the entire islands of Lampedusa and Linosa by Maps2XPlane, yes the same Maps2XPlane that did the excellent islands coverage of Faroe and Savlbard. So obviously you have a great combination of skills and quality scenery here.
 
Features  Highly accurate scenery for LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island with all   buildings modeled.  Over 160 custom objects all with Ambient Occlusion  Custom Terrain Mesh for the entire island of Lampedusa and Linosa by Maps2XPlane  Custom Overlay/Autogen Scenery based on CDB assets by Maps2XPlane"  Photo real textures on buildings, vehicles, trees…  Photorealistic ground textures based on a satellite image 50 cm.  Detailed airport objects and GSE vehicles   Custom textured taxiways, runways, and apron   Custom surrounding buildings   Custom airport lights HD  Custom Overlay    High-resolution building textures – all in 2K and 4K   Excellent night effects   World Traffic 3 compatible  Native characters and vehicles created specially   Ground traffic   The terrain mesh is complemented with custom overlays: dense vegetation  and country-typical autogen, as well as custom road networks with dynamic traffic.  Two heliports, for those fans of helicopters. One at the beautiful  Linosa Island, and the other on the US Loran Station Base.   

 

 

 
This LICD scenery is X-Plane 12 only
 
Images of LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island are courtesy of Cami de Bellis
________________
 

 
Yes!  LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island by Cami de Bellis is Available now from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island
Price Is US$18.90
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not for XP 11)
Windows, Mac or Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 2.7 GB Current version 1.0 (January 11th 2024) ________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
12th January 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

NEWS! - Aircraft Released : SR-71-'Test-Bed' Project by VSKYLABS
 
 

 
The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a retired long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. The SR-71 has several nicknames, including "Blackbird" and "Habu"
 
This is not the first "Blackbird" project for the X-Plane Simulator, as there was a default "Blackbird" for X-Plane 10/11, but discontinued in X-Plane 12. Some elements of the vSkyLabs aircraft do come from the actual SR-71 default aircraft, but obviously a lot, as absolutely this SR-71 is built from the ground up. This is a far more in depth version than that original but definitive version. Note this is an X-Plane 12 only aircraft.
 
Fully VR compatible / comprehensive FMOD sounds / Free future updates to existing customers / Highly responsive support and knowledge base for the SR-71 aircraft.
VSKYLABS SR-71 Flight Dynamic Model: Highly detailed, comprehensive SR-71 performance and handling characteristics. The simulation follows the SR-71A performance charts and climbing/cruise charts with high accuracy (speeds, power settings, time-of-climb, distance and a LOT more!). Project version v1.0 includes flight model version 'VSL-SR-71-Block-1'. This will keep on updated and tuned side by side with flight testings and X-Plane 12 future evolution. 'BLOCK-2' is expected to be released about a week after project version v1.0 will be released. To know which update block you are flying, see the included update log. Authentic SR-71 flight and handling characteristics are being simulated: Chines and delta wings lift, CG movement through flight and fuel loading, high AOA tendencies of the SR-71, takeoff and landing handling and performance and more. Authentic climb schedule. Supersonic drag profiles. Engines and Afterburner: Advanced Engines flight dynamics simulation ('VSL-SR-71-Block-1' in project version v1.0). Ram-Jet aspects of the SR-71 propulsion system are being simulated: comes into practice at high supersonic speeds and power settings (thrust, fuel consumption and so forth). Throttles: simulated 'cutoff' and 'burner' regimes, to allow 'conventional' operation where fully aft is 'cut off'. Chemical Ignition (TEB) System: Simulated authentically, including TEB counters when the throttles are advanced from 'cutoff' to 'idle' and from full dry to afterburner regime. Afterburner ignition is not possible when the TEB counter hits 'zero'. Same for ground startup. TEB ignition visualization (the green flash): simulated. Exhaust Nozzle & Ejector: Variable-are iris-type afterburner nozzles are visualized, including ENP (Exhaust Nozzle Position) indicators. External Starters: Two AG-330 starter units are simulated, visualized. Air Inlet System: Spikes: Spikes algorithm is simulated, authentically, for both automatic and manual modes (spikes ratio due mach, altitude etc..). Spikes animation included. Spikes restart switches are functioning. Engine unstart: Infrastructure for future implementation exists. Due to the 'unexpected' triggering of real engine unstart in real-life conditions (such as spikes failure and other reasons), this feature is currently partially disabled. You can unstart the engines when manually positioning the spikes in the wrong position during high-supersonic flight. But it will not occur spontaneously. This is still a WIP element.   Aft Bypass: Aft bypass doors are animated according to the actual conditions. Fuel system: Authentic Fuel-tanks system layout: simulated authentically, including realistic shift in CG due fuel consumption in the various phases of flight. Fuel feeding and sequencing: In current version, all fuel management is done automatically (automatic transfer to maintain CG within limits while it shifts). Manual, full capacity fuel system simulation is scheduled to be implemented in the future. Air Refueling System: simulated, including tanker visualization and authentic SR-71 air-refueling radio recording (contributed by Mr. BC Thomas, high Time SR-71 Pilot with 1,217 hrs and 18 min). Nitrogen tanks pressurization: Simulated authentically. Fuel fumes will exceed flash-point and will be ignited in the tanks unless the inert-gas-pressurization cycle was established (by completing an air refueling session up to full-tanks). Electrical system: Version v1.0 includes an authentic yet simplified electrical system. This is scheduled to grow in the future. Hydraulic system: Version v1.0 includes an authentic yet simplified hydraulic system. This is scheduled to grow in the future. Landing Gear System: Comprehensive landing gear system. Manual Gear Release Handle: currently not functional in v1.0. Might change until release of v1.0. Will be implemented in the future. Landing gears position lights, handle, warning light and Audible warning: Simulated authentically. Nose-wheel Steering System: Simulated authentically, including engagement lights. Works as in the real SR-71, with a toggle push button located on the stick. 1st push engages the system, 2nd push disconnects it. Require authentic taxi and takeoff nose-wheel steering practices. Wheel Brake System: Simulated authentically with ANTI-SKID/Wet-Dry switch. In Wet mode, brake anti-skid sensitivity is increased. Drag Chute System: Simulated and physically-accurate, including lights etc.. (version v1.0 includes default drag chute visualization. This will be replaced in the future with an authentic one). Primary Flight Controls: Control stick throws: Simulated authentically (both visually and physically). Elevon Control System: Simulated authentically (inboard, outboard, mixer). Rudder Control System: Simulated, authentically. Surface Limiter System: Simulated authentically. Including the SURF-LIMITER T-handle operations and indication light. Authentic throws and conditions (speed dependent). Lateral (roll) control stick travel and rudder displacement are restricted by the surface limiter system. Pitch, Roll and Yaw trim: Simulated authentically, including operation and indication. SAS Control: Simulated authentically, with high accuracy in all flight regimes. Autopilot: Simulated, not the authentic SR-71 interface and modes. It includes APP/NAV/HDG/ATL/VVI modes. Automatic High Angle of Attack Warning Systems - APW shaker and pusher:  Simulated authentically via the various conditions of operations and flight envelope regimes. Two separate modes are simulated authentically: Shaker and Shaker+Pusher. Aural AOA indication and warning system: Did not exist in the real SR-71, however, it was implemented in the VSKYLABS SR-71-TB aircraft, to allow better AOA monitoring during flight (which is needed when flying without 'sensing' then real aircraft and real control stick forces..g forces and so forth). Flight & Navigation Instruments: Fully functional LR CDU 739 along with a fully functional EFIS/MAP display: covering 2*com, 2*nav, 2*adf, transponder. Windshield: Deicing System: Simulated. Lighting Equipment: Exterior lighting: Simulated. Interior lighting: Simulated. Environmental Control Systems: Pressurization schedules: Current version this is simulated but with automatic mode only. Manual control will be implemented in the future. Life Support Systems: Oxygen System: Current version this is simulated but with automatic mode only. Manual control will be implemented in the future. Pressure suite support systems: Not simulated. Listed for future implementation. Emergency Warning Equipment: Master Warning System: All active-systems warning, caution and condition lights indications are operational. Indicators and warning lights test button: Simulated.  
This being a vSkyLabs aircraft, Then the vSkylab philosophy is that you are purchasing an ongoing project, so any aircraft you purchase is not fully completed or is usually not completed to 100%, that is the deal you sign up for to get access to the aircraft, and all the development is free and ongoing throughout the X-Plane 12 version. These projects are under constant development: the development road-map is including flight model refinements, enhanced systems depth, additional liveries and other improvements. So this aircraft is noted as an "Early Access" project.
 

 

 

 

 
The SR-71 was designed for flight at over Mach 3 with a flight crew of two in tandem cockpits, with the pilot in the forward cockpit and the reconnaissance systems officer operating the surveillance systems and equipment from the rear cockpit, and directing navigation on the mission flight path. The SR-71 was designed to minimize its radar cross-section, an early attempt at stealth design. Finished aircraft were painted a dark blue, almost black, to increase the emission of internal heat and to act as camouflage against the night sky. The dark color led to the aircraft's nickname "Blackbird".
 
Images are courtesy of vSkyLabs (X-Plane 12 version)
Design by VSKYLABS
Support forum for the SR-71 TB
___________________________
 

 
The SR-71-TB by VSkyLabs Flying Lab Project is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
SR-71-TB Project by VSKYLABS
Your Price: US$37.00
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12   (not for XP11) Windows, Mac or Linux 8GB VRAM Minimum Download Size: 424 MB  Current Version : 1.0 (December 8th  2023) ___________________________
 
News by Stephen Dutton'
9th December 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Aircraft Review : F-104 FXP Starfighter by Colimata
 
This is the first operational fighter aircraft to fly a sustained twice the speed of sound. It is of course the Lockheed F-104 "Starfighter", or otherwise known as a "Missile with a man in it".
 
The F-104 is a pure machine built for pure speed, it looks fast... Supersonic fast, just a long pointy fuselage, with those small straight, mid-mounted, trapezoidal wings, and a high stabilator (fully moving horizontal stabilizer) which was mounted atop the fin to reduce inertia coupling, it was the ultimate interceptor aircraft. Of course NASA loved it, the USAF not so much.
 
But an iconic aircraft it still was. The F-104 is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fighter aircraft for the United States Air Force (USAF), it was developed into an all-weather multi-role aircraft in the early 1960s and was produced by several other nations, seeing widespread service outside the United States than within.
 
Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, vice president of engineering and research at Lockheed's Skunk Works, visited USAF air bases across South Korea in November 1951 to speak with fighter pilots about what they wanted and needed in a fighter aircraft. At the time, the American pilots were confronting the MiG-15 with North American F-86 Sabres, and many felt that the MiGs were superior to the larger and more complex American fighters.
The pilots requested a small and simple aircraft with excellent performance, especially high-speed and high-altitude capabilities.[4] Johnson started the design of such an aircraft upon his return to the United States. In March 1952, his team was assembled; they studied over 100 aircraft configurations, ranging from small designs at just 8,000 lb (3,600 kg), to large ones up to 50,000 lb (23,000 kg).
To achieve the desired performance, Lockheed chose a small and simple aircraft, weighing in at 12,000 lb (5,400 kg) with a single powerful engine. The engine chosen was the new General Electric J79 turbojet, an engine of dramatically improved performance in comparison with contemporary designs.
 
Colimata is a well known X-Plane developer of considerable skills. His main claim to fame has been the extraordinary Concorde FXP project, complex but truly original to the most famous airliner ever built. Colimata is not immune to fast military jets either, as his earlier projects were the FA18-F Super Hornet and the MiG-29 Fulcrum. This F-104 however is all new, and available only for X-Plane 12.
 

 
First the F-104 Starfighter by Colimata comes in three different variants, the FXP G, the FXP S and the FXP 21C (21st century). You can see what variant you are flying by the menu notice in the X-Plane Banner.
 
‘G’   F-104G was the most-produced version of the F-104 family, a multi-role fighter-bomber with a total of 1,127 aircraft built. They were manufactured by Lockheed, as well as under license by Canadair and a consortium of European companies that included Messerschmitt/MBB, Fiat, Fokker, and SABCA. The type featured a strengthened fuselage, wing, and empennage structures; the larger vertical fin with fully powered rudder as used on the two-seat versions; fully powered brakes, a new anti-skid system, and larger tires; revised flaps for improved combat maneuvering; and a larger braking chute. Upgraded avionics included the Autonetics NASARR F15A-41B radar with air-to-air, ground-mapping, contour-mapping, and terrain-avoidance modes, as well as the Litton LN-3 inertial navigation system (the first on a production fighter). Here the "G" is the most authentic and the base version of the F-104 package.
 

 
"S" F-104S was upgraded for the interception role, adding the NASARR R-21G/H radar with moving-target indicator and continuous-wave illuminator for semi-active radar homing missiles (initially the AIM-7 Sparrow), two additional wing and two underbelly hardpoints (increasing the total to nine), the more powerful J79-GE-19 engine, and added were two additional ventral fins to increase stability. The M61 cannon was sacrificed to make room for the missile avionics in the interceptor version, but was retained for the fighter-bomber variant. Typically two Sparrow and two (and sometimes four or six) Sidewinder missiles were carried on all the hardpoints except the central (underbelly), or up to seven 750 lb (340 kg) bombs (normally two to four 500–750 lb [230–340 kg] bombs). The F-104S was cleared for a higher maximum takeoff weight, allowing it to carry up to 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) of stores; other Starfighters had a maximum external load of 4,000 lb (1,800 kg). Its combat radius was up to 775 mi (1,247 km) with four external fuel tanks
 

 
"21C" or 21st Century. It is the most modern variant which can be seen immediately from the cockpit instruments with the digital displays. It doesn't exist obviously, as there is no real "21C" but F-104's do come with digital instruments as shown in the video. Debatable here is there should be a YF-104A variant, this is the NASA No.818, and this aircraft was flown for 19 years as a flying test bed and a chase plane.
 

 
The Colimata F-104 comes in that original skin metal only livery. The airframe was all-metal, primarily duralumin with some stainless steel and titanium as part of the structure. The fuselage was approximately two and a half times as long as the airplane's wingspan. The wings were centered on the horizontal reference plane, or along the longitudinal centerline of the fuselage, and were located substantially farther aft on the fuselage than most contemporary designs. The aft fuselage was elevated from the horizontal reference plane, resulting a "lifted" tail, and the nose was "drooped". This caused the aircraft to fly nose up, helping to minimize drag. As a result, the pitot tube, air inlet scoops, and engine thrust line were all canted slightly from centerline of the fuselage.
 

 
The Colimata F-104 is beautifully done, it glows in the X-Plane 12 sunshine, the light bouncing off the metal realistic skin. You can feel the "Skunk Works" talent here, in the way they created and crafted these formidable machines, metallurgy at it's finest.
 

 
The panels and rivet patterns are beautifully crafted, and of course those razor sharp wings...  notable this is the "S" variant.
 
The wing design was extremely thin, with a thickness-to-chord ratio of only 3.36% and an aspect ratio of 2.45. The wing's leading edges were so thin (.016 in; 0.41 mm) that they were a hazard to ground crews. Hence, protective guards were installed on them during maintenance. The thinness of the wings required the fuel tanks and landing gear to be placed within the fuselage, and the hydraulic cylinders driving the ailerons were limited to 1-inch (25 mm) thickness to fit.
 
You can see the different types of metal here to absorb the engine output heat, and the built in fuselage Speedbrake doors
 

 
Flaps are "Barn Door" deep, and note the extremely large aileron for supersonic control and manoeuvrability. Notable is the Boundary Layer Control System (BLCS) at the rear side of the wings right above the flaps. Compressed air is taken from the compressor of the engine and injected in the airflow right above the flaps. This improves lift by reducing the probability of turbulent airflow above the flaps. This way reasonable landing speeds were achieved.
 

 
Because the vertical fin was only slightly shorter than the length of each wing and nearly as aerodynamically effective, it could act as a wing-on-rudder application, rolling the aircraft in the opposite direction of rudder input. To offset this effect, the wings were canted downward at a 10° negative-dihedral (anhedral) angle. This downward canting also improved roll control during high-G maneuvers, common in air-to-air combat.
 
Under the fuselage are both the central ventral fin, and this being the "S", the twin empennage structures.
 

 
The maw of the jetpipe exhaust is excellent, not only externally, but deep internally as well in finite detail.
 

 
The stabilator is also razor thin, and has a very wide tilt angle, all set in a T-Tail configuration.
 

 
The undercarriage is a simple three wheel setup, basically very basic in a system to fold up into the tight fuselage. Extremely well executed here by Colimata with metal hydraulic piping the highlight, and all of the internal bay detail is a feast for the eyes, links and joints are also perfectly created, and note the taxiway lights mounted internally on the outer bay doors.
 

 
Single nose wheel is again simple, with the single landing light on the front strut, again the internal bay detail is excellent, notice with the way the twin doors frame and clamp the strut when closed.
 

 
Glass is excellent as well...  a deep dark green tint, shows off the thickness of the glass, and reflections are perfect. The canopy opens to the left side, and you can see the mottled glass detail...  the frame is extraordinary in it's perfect detailing.
 

 
Externally there is a well developed "Cold War" style pilot, he is not animated, but looks authentic.
 

 
Cockpit
This is the ultimate "Cold War" warrior, the next generation up from the Second World War fighters. The detail is very black, but worn, highly realistic and authentic. Colimata has done a really great workmanship in getting the details right, right down to the worn text, that needs a second glance to read it.
 

 
Bit of trivia...   the original F-104 had a Stanley C-1 Ejection Seat, and this seat ejected downwards through the floor at 500ft, this was to clear the high T-Tail for a safe ejection from the aircraft...  later F-104s used the Martin Baker Q7 seat, this seat was now powerful enough to clear that troublesome tail. Here it is the later Q7. The ejector seat works! so don't pull the hoop unless you want to vacate the aircraft, oh and get rid of the canopy first as well..
 
The simple stick has no operational buttons or switches, but can be hidden via "hotspot" on the base.
 

 
The three different G, S and 21C instrument panels are all quite different with their layouts. It is best to study them all and then select the one you like, as each have a very different role. I'm going to stay with the original "G" layout.
 

 
It is a complicated panel layout, and you would need a little study before serious use. The manual provided "Quickstart", is in my mind a little bit too under detailed for the complexity here, you need the areas to be broken down and explained, this is only a "Quickstart" so a better manual as noted might follow, it is needed.
 

 
Dials and gauges are beautifully created and reflective, very realistic. Centre seven dials cover (anti-clockwise) AirSpeed, Angle of Attack, Vertical Speed (V/S), Artificial Ball Horizon, Turn and Bank rate, a Position & Homing Indicator (sort of Heading Indicator) and Altitude.
 
Left is a G-Meter, Radio Altimeter, and right are the engine RPM, Temperature, Oil Pressure, Fuel Flow and Nozzle Position, the Whisky Compass is upper left glareshield...  sticking out far right is a intricate clock/chronometer.
 
Lower panel is the Engine Start and Landing/Taxi lights far left, then the Weapons panel, landing gear switch is here as well. Central is the huge RADAR system, that covers both AIR to AIR mode and AIR to GROUND mode.
 

 
Right lower panel is the Cabin Pressure, and internal and external fuel gauges. Oxygen is far right.
 
Side panels are again quite different between the variants. On the "G" the layout is smaller and less detailed, highlight is the lovely white stubby throttle lever, the Flap position indicator is set behind, but you can also hide the throttle if you want to. Left side has radio, fuel switches, Radar position lever (nice) and Stability Control.
 

 
Right side has Oxygen Regulator, IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), IN Inertial/flightplan (note here, this panel tends to move around, on the 21C it is lower left Instrument panel) and ECM. There are various types of displays between the G and S/21C. Here there is no flightplan screen on the G, but on the other variants. The G has a "Range Timer", the S the fully interactive flightplan panel.
 

 
The autopilot is very basic, in a set the aircraft and "HOLD" the situation in Altitude and Mach, you can TURN left or right via the lower switch. 
 
But it is in the extreme detailing that you get here, something simple like opening the canopy is a marvel to watch, the catches are all animated and reassuring that the canopy will be safely locked down at Mach 2, they click and clank as well...  it's all beautifully done, and more importantly VR (Virtual Reality) ready, with the goggles on, you will be immersed in a Cold War environment like no other.
 

 
Menu
The menu GUI is accessed on the X-Plane banner Menu under the aircraft title, the CHECKLIST window is here as well.
 

 
There are Eight tabs to select on the menu; MAIN, SETTINGS, ROUTE LOADING, EQUIPMENT, WEAPONS, FUEL, DOORS & GROUND and STATUS. If you have Colimata;s Concorde they are all quite familiar in design and use. MAIN tab is a welcome screen.
 

 
SETTINGS: Covers PRO Mode. This mode changes the aircraft from simple (aerodynamics and systems) to the PRO mode, where you get access to everything, but be aware the already difficult F-104 is far more harder to fly and use. SOUND, Includes Engine Volume internal and external, cockpit fans, G-Suit sounds and Oxygen mask sounds, RADAR, HD Resolution and Simple mode or heavy shadows, MORE includes, Simple Air-refueling, Cockpit lamp glow and Intake doors... here you can have the optional variable (moving) intake doors on the "S" and "21C" variants.
 
Before we go any further. You will find that most systems here on the Colimata F-104 are very X-Plane default based, so if you know how X-Plane systems work, then you will easily understand how to set up and use the F-104.
 
   
 
ROUTE LOADING: Here is a Flightplan Loading tool. flightplans are stored in the X-Plane "Output/FMS plans" folder and can be accessed and loaded via this tab. Obviously they have to saved in the .fms format.
 

 
EQUIPMENT: There are four options on the "Equipment" tab...  Selecting the Air Re-Fuel Probe, Radar Warn Receiver..  which is located top right instrument panel, Chaff Flare Dispensers...  which are both located on each side of the rear exhaust pipe, and the Rocket Motor!
 

 

 
WEAPONS: Weapons are selected via the X-Plane "Flight/Weight&Balance/Weapons menu, standard X-Plane default settings. The list is huge at a mix of 22 armaments and fuel tanks for the 10 stations on the aircraft. Overload and you get a RED weight indication "Caution Very Heavy Aircraft".
 

 

 
FUEL: If you add on Fuel tanks in the "Weapons" menu. Then the tank(s) selected will appear in the Flight/Weight,Balance & Fuel Menu to add in more fuel onto the aircraft, again watch the weight as the F-104 is very easily overloaded. A point to make is that if you "Drop" the both wing-tip tanks then you get the "Stubby" wing version of the F-104
 

 
Lower menu the page notes your RANGE, in High altitude flight, Mix Altitude flight and Low Altitude flight...  Also if your route is loaded, it will note the distance available in NM (Nautical Miles). Also noted if your AIR REFUEL is switched on or not.
 

 
DOORS & GROUND: This menu gives you options on the ground. You can reveal the RCA AN/ASG-14T1 ranging radar. Put a very nice ladder on the right side of the aircraft, Open/Close the Canopy. There are also four bays you can access...  lower right Electronics bay, the left lower Cannon Bay of which is the 20 mm (0.79 in) M61 Vulcan auto-cannon, Top forward is the Avionics bay, and behind it is the Ammunition bay...  lower left rear is the RAT (Ram Air Turbine).
 

 
Centre selections include, a load of flags, pins covers and chocks. There are far too many to even count! Note the lovely wing edge covers and authentic engine inlet covers.
 

 
Lower D&S menu covers two static items in vehicles. A military Heavy Duty Tanker and GPU (Ground Power Unit)
 

 

 
STATUS: The final menu tab is the "Status" of the aircraft. This is a one look view of the total status of the F-104. Included is Fuel and your current Range, System status in Oxygen, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Fuel (system), Landing Gear, Elevator (Trim Position), Aircraft Weight and required Approach, Final and Touchdown speeds.
 
CHECKLIST
As noted also on the menu bar is the F-104 Checklist tool
 

 
The first page is a "walkaround" diagram, it's not animated by set views, but just a guide around the aircraft. The menu window is moveable and scaleable around your screen.
 

 
There are thirteen checklists from Pre-Flight to (engine) Shutdown. Then four "Emergency" pages and five "Custom Content" pages for your own use. Navigation is via the two PREVIOUS and NEXT buttons.
 

 
Altogether it is a very comprehensive and detailed menu, certainly very well done by Colimata... Easy to use and has loads of current required data avalable.
_____________________
 
Flying the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
 

 
The Startup sequence will not find a battery switch inside the cockpit. Electric energy is only available as soon as the GPU is connected
externally. Complete the cockpit checks, then make sure that the Fuel Shutoff switch is in the ON position.
 


Engage a starter switch. Switch 1 on uneven days, Switch 2 on even days. The engine will start spooling up. Now click on the lower right side of the throttle to bring it from OFF to IDLE position. With this the engine will continue its spool up and the dials start to revolve. This is a very "Ground Crew" aircraft start, you almost want to stick your hand up out of the cockpit and twirl your hand.
 

 
Engine start up sounds are seriously "Amazing", first the startup compressor, then that familiar whine out of the J79 turbojet, it fills the air in the cockpit (always have the canopy open), the starter switches will go off automatically, when the engine is above 40%, then engage the Generators GEN1 and GEN2.
 

 
You don't want to close that canopy yet, but to hear the noise, absorb your surroundings. Let of the brakes and a slight throttle and your rolling..
 

 
You soak up the feeling, this iconic jet aircraft. Now quickly it is also time to get down to business, and you pull down the canopy...
 

 
...  suddenly your immersed in another world, a tightly contained space, a cold-war scenario, and the F-104 feels of what it is, a Skunk Works project to go very fast. You need a very long and wide runway to takeoff, those petit fine wings don't give off much lift, so you need a lot of air around them to make them work.
 

 
Hold the brakes, then put up the throttle to full thrust, yes you will need everything you have for the initial push...
 

 
You get a dragons ROAR! out of the rear, and when you let the brakes go, the F-104 bounces with the forces, it moves, but slowly at first then gradually gains speed, you need a lot of runway to get enough to get around 200 knts, there is a marker you can adjust for your rotate moment, tracking needs full concentration in keeping the Starfighter tight and straight to the lift point.
 

 
Even then the lift is slow, worse you have to have a very steady firm hand to keep the F-104 stiff and clean, if not the nose will bounce...
 

 
Immediately you clean up the flaps, more clean lift is now required, speed as well, more lift... then your climbing out. Gear up next, and the undercarriage all folds into the fuselage and gives you a very nice shiny clean underside, the gear animations are extremely well done by Colimata, very professional.
 

 
Shredded of it's earthly bounds, the Starfighter will now seriously climb, so you tone the throttle back a bit, rate of climb here is 48,000 ft/min (240 m/s) Initially... fast, really fast, needed as you can fly as high as 73,000 ft (22,000 m), almost in space, SR71 territory (84,000ft).
 

 
Some points here. The F-104 bounces around a lot, not wind mind you, but just nervy. The nose jiggle is very disconcerting. You can tone this down a little via the X-Plane settings to dull the controls out a lot, then to perfect the trim and it can really help, problem is? that flying like this even for a short time is very tiring, you are working consistently hard all the time in just flying the aircraft. It does get better with familiarity, but the F-104 is not an easy aircraft to fly. The Autopilot is of only a minor help, or relief, so your workload is high in here.
 
A trick is to use the AOA ‘Angles Of Attack’ equivalent gauge. It does not show the exact angles, but a scale that informs you about how near to the maximum AoA the aircraft currently is...    the so trick is staying within the boundaries. There is also the APC "Automatic Pitch Control" system which provides additional safety. If AoA value limits are exceeded too far it will even ‘kick’ the stick forward to get back to safe levels, but not when landing gear is down.
 

 
There was a special version of the F-104 was that ‘NF-104’. It was equipped with a rocket motor in addition to the jet engine. In the 1960s the NF-104 broke many records and it was used in the training for the X-15. The motor can be switched on and off, and the thrust can be set between 50 % and 100 %. The rocket provides thrust for 90 seconds. The rocket panel is only visible if the "Rocket Motor" is selected, situated on the left side.
 

 
Since air is super thin at high altitudes, the conventional flight controls will loose authority. For this an RCS ‘Reaction Control System’ can be activated. It provides controllability in very thin air. There are both controls for the actual rocket motor, and the RCS system.
 

 
Re-heat the J79 turbojet, then flick the switch and your head slams back like in the "Right Stuff", and your climbing like.... well "Hell, hang on" actually...   dials are twirling and you really can't make any sense of them, you are just along for the ride!
 

 
Passing through 65,000ft and that air is now extremely thin, and your controls don't respond as they should...  the F-104 is EXTREMELY hard to fly up here, slight movements you will are all you need, but if you lose it, then there is no coming back...  and you will simply spiral away to your death.
 

 
It took a few high-altitude flights to get the feel of it all right and to get the use of the RCS system, exhilarating, certainly. Worse is that at these extreme altitudes the jet engine will switch off, and it is required to be restarted during the reentry. If the jet engine nozzle stays open, close it via the emergency engine nozzle handle before the restart attempt.
 
This is not a Air-superiority fighterjet, an agile, lightly armed aircraft and ready to eliminate any challenge over control of the airspace. Even turning is an effort for the F-104, you bank, but you will still take a very wide circumference to go to your new heading. 
 

 
The word "Interceptor", says it all, and in reality it is all the F104 can really do, go fast, go high and "Intercept!" First you climb as high as you need. There is a marker on the Artificial Horizon to get the 15º climb angle perfect, then up you go, almost to 4000fpm...
 

 
...   now at a high altitude, you can let the F-104 loose, on goes the burner again and your soon pushing a mach, then m.1.5. The aircraft is a handful to keep in a straight bullet line, turning... only for the faint-hearted. I can see and feel why it was called the "Widowmaker".
 

 
Yes the Starfighter is bullet, but more X-15 than fighter jet. The Autopilot takes ages to settle down on a course and altitude, but in time will hold the aircraft with a "hands off the stick" relief, turning is tricky with the turning knob "left-Right", again it works, but difficult to put the aircraft on a straight heading again, so you readjust with ENGAGE off, then when at a set altitude and heading, then (Re)ENGAGE the Autopilot...  and hopefully it will HOLD either the speed or the altitude, you can't have both.
 

 
The F-104 ships with a sophisticated RADAR system covering AIR to AIR mode and AIR to GROUND mode, in the AIR to GROUND mode can require quite a few computer system resources. It is therefore possible to switch it from HD ‘High Definition’ to a lower definition. Furthermore the interpretation of the AG ‘Air to Ground’ image can be complex. Therefore the system comes with a "Standard-Simple mode" and a "Complex" mode.
 

 
In "Complex" mode we see the same landscape from above but with ‘RADAR shadows’. If the RADAR beam is blocked by an obstacle, everything behind is in its ‘RADAR shadow’ and will then be displayed black.
 

 
In AIR to AIR mode or AA mode, we can track and lock on to other aircraft. The available ranges are 20 nm, 40 nm and 80 nm. The RADAR beam sweeps 45° on both sides in the ‘G’ variant and 60° in the ‘S’ and ‘21C’ variants. To lock an enemy aircraft the target line can be moved left or right. When the target line is aligned with the target aircraft, press the ‘lock’ button or use the custom command. When the aircraft is locked (on target) the symbology on the display changes. We then see a circle that represents the distance to the target. The smaller the circle diameter the closer we are to the target. It shows direction and altitude to the enemy jet relative to our aircraft.
 

 
The system is very good, but needs time to study and work it all out. To be honest I only had the "Quick" guide for information, and you really need a detailed depth of information to use it.
 
Nightlighting
Very night fighter...  that is the feeling inside the "Starfighter" cockpit, there are a lot of instrument adjustments, but the knobs are spread around both sides of the instruments. Three separate knobs covers the instrument lighting; INTERIOR INSTRUMENT, INTERIOR CONSOLE (sides) and INTERIOR FLOOD. The lighting is the instrument backlighting and two spot lights each side of the pilot.
 
All set at full BRT and it is all a bit overwhelming in the brightness...
 

 
So the trick is to tone it all down, even below the halfway marker, then it becomes all "Very Nice". Externally you have some very (very) nice rotating beacon's top and lower, and Navigation lights, that can be set to FLASH or STEADY. As noted there are two landing lights on the inner gear doors and a single nose taxi light.
 

 
Landing is probably one of the trickiest treat of them all. The wings here are relatively small, and therefore they need substantial speed to keep you airborne. The ‘BLC’ Boundary Layer Control’ system above the flaps is of great help and the engine is very powerful in case we need to get out of critical situations. So you need to engage the burner to prevent sinking or even stalling, or for a worst case scenario, for a go-around
 

 
At the lower speed, the flaps and with the gear lowered the roll rate is also significantly reduced, in other words the stick and rudder responses are dull, laggy. It keeps you on your toes to get the speed right at around 200 knts - 190 kts, that's very fast, with not much control response.
 

 
If your clean and straight, then all you want to do is plant the aircraft, no groundeffect or lift to help you here, it is a carrier shot in reverse. Touched down should be around 150 knts.
 

 
Even before the nose hits the ground, you release the "Chute", no reverser thrust here to slow you down, but the "Parachute" is extremely effective, you don't (or even dare) touch the brakes. I recommend to set a key command to deploy or lose the chute, your too busy to look down in the cockpit for the hard to find white "DRAG CHUTE" handle.
 

 
At taxi speed, you let go of the "chute", then flip the catch and open up the canopy...  now you can "Breath".
 

 
We have to be very clear here, that the Starfighter F-104 has some very, very unsual flying characteristics, this is not a forgiving aircraft, rewarding yes, but totally unforgiving...  to fly the aircraft well, it would need a lot of commitment and focus, as it is though all its different flight phases, the one aircraft that changes personalities consistently, it is your job to understand each one of them and master the differences, for the novice, not really, even the usual pro's will find it a challenge, but a major repect to those with the "Right Stuff".
 
In the release I had (early) there was only three liveries; The Metal default, a German Luftwaffe and an Italian Air Force. More liveries will be available for download at no additional cost.
 

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Summary
The first operational fighter aircraft to fly a sustained twice the speed of sound. It is of course the Lockheed F-104 "Starfighter", or otherwise known as a "Missile with a man in it". The F-104 is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fighter aircraft for the United States Air Force (USAF), later it was also a NASA test aircraft. Loved more by international Airforces than the American ones. It was created by the famous Lockheed "Skunk Works", and in performance and design it has a the same particular traits as the later SR-71, just to go exceedingly fast.
 
F-104 Starfighter by Colimata comes in three different variants, the FXP G, the FXP S and the FXP 21C (21st century). Known for his excellent Concorde FXP project, Colimata is also not immune to fast military jets either, as his earlier projects were the FA18-F Super Hornet and the MiG-29 Fulcrum. This F-104 however is all new, and only available for X-Plane 12.
 
The F-104 is sensationally designed and developed here, in reality X-Plane, and X-Plane 12 gives this aircraft one of the best positions in Simulation, the top and the best, a very high accolade. It's top notch stuff, the best you can invest in.
 
The quality and detail is excellent, nothing is missed here, that is from the shiny metal skin to the worn but highly detailed cockpit and instruments, super detailed 4k textures and complex landing gear and brake chute.
 
Features are as long as your arm, with an extensive menu. With panels that can open up (Electronics bay, gun bay, avionics bay, radar dome and canopy), ladder, full tags, wing covers and chocks, featured GPU and Fuel trucks, and an NF-104 Rocket and Reaction Control System. There are extensive weapons, with highly replicated "Cold War" era weapon and radar systems, the later 21c has modern glass instruments and avionics.
 
It is extremely tricky to fly, as was the original "Widowmaker", but that is a major part of the attraction to this sort of Simulation, so what you will put in, is what you get out of the aircraft, it is demanding, but highly rewarding as well as it brings out the best of your "Right Stuff", those generation of pilot's that pushed the extreme boundaries of speed and space.
 
This Starfighter aircraft allows you to experience that era and fly something very unique, an icon, a classic...  the best of it's time.
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Yes! - the F-104 FXP Starfighter by Colimata is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
F-104 FXP Starfighter
Price is : US$45.00
 
Requirements
-Plane 12 Only Windows, Mac and Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Download Size: 941 MB
Versions 1.01 - December 1st 2023   Developed by Colimata
Support forum the F-104 FXP   Installation
Installation of F-104 FXP Starfighter XP12 is done via a download of 825 Mb...   With a total installation size of 1.17Gb.
 
There is one basic Manual pdf (45 pages)
 

 
Review System Specifications
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.08b3 (This is a Beta review).
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- KTCM - McChord AFB  - Seattle - Boeing Country 10.5 by Tom Curtis (Sorry not now available)
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Classic Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
1st December 2023
Copyright©2023: 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
 

 

Experimental Vehicle Review : LLTV - Lunar Landing Training Vehicle by NHAdrian
 
It was a moment of inertia. A pause in the air that could have changed history as we know it. It is 6th May 1968 at Houston’s Ellington Air Force Base (AFB) in Texas. As the strange web framed vehicle was now suddenly frozen at 200ft above the ground with the sudden loss of helium pressure, that then caused the depletion of the hydrogen peroxide that was used for the reserve attitude thrusters. The pilot only had one option, "to get the hell out of there", he did so by ejecting upwards as the machine twirled downwards into the ground and violently exploded beneath him, he landed safely by parachute with only a few aches to his back and a bit tongue from the intense jerk upwards...   in two hours he was back at his desk at the Houston Space Centre, doing paperwork.
 
The pilot in question here was Neil Alden Armstrong. The same person that commanded the Apollo 11 mission, during which he became the first man to set foot on the moon (20th July 1969).
 
That infamous moment was captured on film, observing it closely, you saw the nerves of steel to defeat the jaws of death, just like Armstrong had done a few times before. In Korea, as he was making a low bombing run at 350 mph (560 km/h) when 6 feet (1.8 m) of his wing was torn off after it collided with a cable that was strung across the hills as a booby trap. He planned to eject over the water and await rescue by Navy helicopters, but his parachute was blown back over land. A jeep driven by a roommate from the flight school picked him up.
 
Then again in a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, which was to air-drop a Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket. Climbing to 30,000 feet (9 km), the number-four engine stopped and the propeller began windmilling (rotating freely) in the airstream, then the propeller disintegrated. Pieces of it damaged the number-three engine and hit the number-two engine. Butchart and Armstrong were forced to shut down the damaged number-three engine, along also with the number-one engine, due to the torque it created. They then made a slow, circling descent from 30,000 ft (9 km) using only the number-two engine, and landed safely.
 
Then the most dangerous moment of all in orbit in Gemini 8. While out of contact with the ground, the docked spacecraft began to roll, and Armstrong attempted to correct this with the Gemini's Orbit Attitude and Maneuvering System (OAMS). Following the earlier advice of Mission Control, they undocked, but the roll increased dramatically until they were turning rotations about once per second, indicating a problem with Gemini's attitude control. Armstrong engaged the Reentry Control System (RCS) and turned off the OAMS. Mission rules dictated that once this system was turned on, the spacecraft had to reenter at the next possible opportunity. Armstrong was a cat that had 10 lives, so they sent him to the moon, were he saved the long landing in the LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) and made history, which brings us to our weird looking machine in this review.
 
The Bell Aerosystems Lunar Landing Research Vehicle LLTV (nicknamed the "Flying Bedstead") was a Project Apollo era program to build a simulator for the Moon landings.
 
But lets clear something up first. There was five of these vehicles built, the first two were the LLRV or "Research Vehicle". Then later three more were commissioned and called LLTV or "Training Vehicle", they are in design almost identical, but the LLTV's were slightly improved and the forward Styrofoam cockpit enclosure (to simulate the LEM's cockpit) had also the roof removed, to stop an excessive yawing force. Secondly they also had a new mode introduced, called "Lunar Simulation Mode"... of which we will see later.
 

 
Built of aluminum alloy trusses, the LLRVs (and LLTV) were powered by a General Electric CF700-2V turbofan engine with a thrust of 4,200 lbf (19 kN), mounted vertically in a gimbal. The engine lifted the vehicle to the test altitude of 500ft, and was then throttled back to support five-sixths of the vehicle's weight, simulating the reduced gravity of the Moon. Two hydrogen peroxide lift rockets with thrust that could be varied from 100 to 500 lbf (440 to 2,200 N) handled the vehicle's rate of descent and horizontal movement. Sixteen smaller hydrogen peroxide thrusters, mounted in pairs, gave the pilot control in pitch, yaw and roll.
 
The LLTV is an ungainly insect like machine. Really well designed and produced here by NHAdrian, a developer known for his quirky but very interesting machines, a flying AirCar anybody?
 

 
The LLRV evolved out of the Bell X-14 (Bell Type 68) experimental VTOL aircraft, but it had problems with ground effects. The X-14 had the reverse effects of helicopters, in that when close to ground, a helicopter needs less power to stay aloft, were as the X-14 needed exactly the opposite in a huge amount of downward thrust. The LLRVs were built by Bell Aerosystems and were used by the FRC (Flight Research Centre) now known as the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base, California, to study these VTOL dynamics.
 
Helicopters were the obvious choice to simulate Lunar Control Characteristics. And astronauts at the time who were very familiar with helicopters, pushed heavily for them to be used as the LEM training vehicles. But Dick Day the simulations expert at the FRC, pushed heavily for the LLRV to become the better (or correct) vehicle to do the LEM simulations. The person put in charge of the conversion was no other person than Neil Armstrong (the reason he was not on the Apollo 1 fire committee) and was and in the early part of the LLTV "Design Engineering Inspection" that was the selection committee for the program. He quickly deduced that to build a fully modified LEM Trainer, which he called "prohibitively time consuming and expensive" was not the answer, and noted that the characteristics of the LLRV was not at all that different in physical size, and had the same control rocket geometry from the Lunar Lander.
 
When the earlier VTOL program had been completed, the two LLRV's were shipped to Houston in December (12th) 1966, and three new vehicles in trainers with modifications were ordered by NASA, these were the LLTVs, all five machines were used in Lunar training. The earlier LLRV's were reassigned as LLTV A1 and LLTV A2, the new LLTV's were designated LLTV B1, B2 and B3.
 
Neil Armstrong's strong views against Helicopters was against the current normal thinking. This was because Armstrong was noted as a "Engineer Pilot", and not a "Training Pilot", so basically Helicopter pilots were flying Lunar Simulations on Earth, were as Neil Armstrong was studying and flying Lunar Simulations on the Moon. It was a critical assignment that produced an Historic moment. He of course later had that vexatious moment in LLTV A1 in the final 100 ft of descent going into land when his controls had suddenly degraded. By a rule Apollo Commanders had twenty-two flights to certify them for the mission, but for backup commanders in the later stages of the program, these numbers of flights were reduced to maybe a dozen.
 
The LLTV's design is beyond simple, a frame holds the CF700-2V and surrounding it are the four downward facing HP thrusters (earlier LLRV had only two), then the clusters of HP directional thrusters are positioned on the outer frame, it is all a very spacecraft LEM like in design. Tanks hold the Jet-A1 fuel and the twin globes of Hydrogen Peroxide (HP) are outer centre, rear is balance weights and the large equipment/avionics pack.
 

 
The whole design has been intricately recreated for your flying pleasure, everything is perfectly done here, like noted, very simple, but intricate at the same time to get it all perfectly authentic...  and yes you can spend a lot of time just looking at all of the design and on how it all works, this is one clever aspect of a Simulator, as you have almost the real thing on view for your inspection.
 

 
Can this be called a cockpit? sort of. The original LLRV just had the pilot hanging out on the front on the frame, in the LLTV version is was boxed in to recreate the feeling of the inside of the LEM. The light metal frame construction and riveting is totally excellent, and note the nice touch of the Apollo mission patches...  but there is an important one missing? An oversight or just a small trivia question by the developer?
 

 
The cockpit layout is very familiar if you are also familiar with the LEM's controls. The hand controls both sides, and the instrument box right.
 

 
 
Left side here are two levers, the "Lift Engine Control Lever", and the secondary "Lift Thrusters Control Lever" known as the "T-Stick". Top left panel is the CB Control Panel, with Circuit Breakers (fuses) and system switches. 
 

 
Note the rear COM Radio with 25khz and 8.33 khz modes and fuel cock lower. The "Main Control Panel" covers Battery A/B and Generator A/B switches, Altitude Controller over-ride, Lunar Simulation wind compensation switch, Helium Isolation valve, Altitude Thrusters operations mode, Inverter A/B switches, Pitch/Roll AHRS source, Artificial Horizon source and Altitude controller rate sensitivity adjustment knobs for; Pitch, Roll and Yaw.
 
Right side is the "Main Instrument Panel", from top; Engine Fire annunciator and test button, HD quantity indicator, Annunciator Panel, Lateral/Forward velocity indicator, lift rockets chamber pressure, Helium Pressure, analog stop-watch/button cycle, Artificial Horizon, Radio Altimeter and V/S (vertical Speed) indicator, Thrust-to-Weight ratio indicator LSM mode, EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature gauge), Oil Pressure, Analog Altimeter, Analog Variometer, N1 Indicator, Jet fuel quantity and aft Jet fuel quantity.
 

 
On the right is the actual LEM panel for comparison, and the main flying instruments in layout are almost identical. The Annunciator panel has 4x4 block of warnings and failures. Note the "LUNAR MODE" selection.
 

 
Bottom right is the "Right Control Panel". It includes; "Attitude Control mode switches", DC Volts and AC Volts, "Source Switch A/B and finally the same famous "Ground Contact" light.
 

 
 
Right hand joystick is fully animated in forward-back and left/right movements, as is the well done NASA pilot in his arm movements...  let us call him "Neil".
 

 
You can hide "Neil" by pressing the seat base, but be careful, it is very easy to mix up the hotspot of the "Ejection Seat",  and just disappear. If you move the slider on the pilot's helmet...  it will push down the visor, also then go into "Sunglasses" mode, in dimming the view, honestly I'm not sure about this while flying, as you need as much a clear view as possible, and an option to turn it off, but the idea is very clever.
 

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Installation and Settings
In X-Plane, you will find the LLTV in the "VTOL" section at the bottom of the "Flight Configuration" page. There are no liveries (laughs)
 

 
LLTV Authorization is standard with a key, then a restart is required. Control settings are for all the "Control Response" (Pitch,Roll and Yaw) sliders to be at the minimum setting, and at least "5 Flight Models" per frame, it is highly recommended to have at least a 30 frames or more capacity, if not it will struggle to simulate.
 


 
The LLTV fuel and weights are setup via the X-Plane "Weight, Balance & Fuel" Page, the HP is top, and the Jet Fuel is set lower, note the correct CoG (Centre of Gravity).
 

 
If you have (or I recommend) a 3-Axis Joystick...  then move your Yaw axis to the Joystick X-Axis from the rudder pedals for an authentic feel of the machine, the LEM did not have rudder pedals as both pilots stood up side by side together.
 

 
A final tip is to set the "Lunar Simulation Mode" to a Toggle or "On/Off" switch, I used the hat on my joystick, the custom command is available and as all the usable "Custom Commands" are noted in the manual. This action will reduce the distraction of the switch between the different modes, and keep your hands on the controls.
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Flying the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle
I found that before every flight you have to set your fuel quantity, it resets back to zero if you don't, in other times also top up the H202 tanks, the LLTV guzzles fuel like nothing else, so this is always your first action.
 

 
The fuel cock is down under the COM Radio, and this needs to be horizontal for fuel flow, then it is the simple need just to flick up the Ignition switch, then the START ENG switch, the system does the rest of the startup sequence, when done it will settle down around 20% RPM and EGT around 450º
 

 
The startup whine and thrust from the CF700-2V is very good, then becomes a roar if you add in a bit of throttle, plus there is the puffs and blasts of Hydrogen Peroxide all around the vehicle, and you haven't done anything yet?
 

 
Increasing the throttle increases the noise and the activity from the thrusters as they intensely fire off (really well done) the HP, and slowly your off the ground...  and your first target is just to hover. Honestly it's not that hard, just like flying a drone in every aspect...  up/down...  hover.
 

 
Then your just glad to lower the LLTV back onto the ground...  safety.
 

 
Confidence restored, "Lets try that again". This time I hovered far higher, the limits are 500 ft and 2 minutes of fuel, and the clock is ticking.
 
Again it was easy to climb and hold, twist the throttle grip and turn easily in the yaw, left or right...  then front or back with a slight dip in each direction...  "easy peasy"
 

 
Trickier is sideways...   any slip has to be carefully coordinated, and keeping the vehicle almost upright. Push too far in angle or speed and you will easily lose the LLTV, and there is no coming back, except for an explosive crash on the ground. A note that there is an "Ejection" to do an "Armstrong" and get the "hell out of there".
 

 
There are two modes, the first is really the "Drone" mode were the LLTV flies basically just like a drone. Second flying mode is called "Lunar Simulation Mode" that is activated on the joystick. The difference between them is that with the first (drone) mode the CF700-2V is locked in it's cradle, so the thrust is completely downwards.
 
In Lunar Simulation Mode (LSM)" the engine is now loose on a Gimbal to still produce the balance thrust, but the vehicle angle can now change, however the engine (thrust) stays relative to the ground to simulate the Moon's gravity (1.625 m/s2, about 16.6% to that on Earth's surface or 0.166 ɡ), to replicate the same propulsion system on the LEM.
Several other actions also happen when you initiate LSM, first you change levers to the T-Stick, this lever now controls the downward thrusters and in giving you only control over them (disengages the Jet Engine) and lifts the rockets thrust between 20% and 100% power range.
 
Note...  there has been an update, v1.01 now has the animation working that moves "Neil's" hand from the throttle to the T-Stick, and the T-Stick movements are now animated as well...
 

 
The LSM system won't work unless you are at 500ft (or slightly more), then you flick the switch to change the modes... 
 

 
Then the "Luna Mode" light is illuminated to show you are in the active mode. The transition between modes is seemless, initially you can't tell the difference, but adjust the T-Stick and you are quickly aware of the more heavier thrust at your disposal, with both the Jet engine and thrusters now producing lift, actually altitude control is far more easier, you as you have significantly now more control over the machine, but there is more and more lag in reactions the closer you get to the ground.
 

 
Yaw and slip is still the same, so be careful... but the flying of the "Bedstead" was far easier than I had imagined, you would love to stay here in this controlled environment all day, but your now guzzling fuel at a ferocious rate, so it is time to descend and do a nice controlled landing.
 

 
The amount of thrust power is excellent, and in reality you do feel what piloting the LEM would actually be like, I was amazing on the amount of power that was available to you, even on the moon!
 
The trick here of course is to learn an actual moon LEM sequence landing, moving forward and picking your landing spot, controlling the flow of the descent and the angle of approach to a hover position and then a "Contact". It would take a fair bit of practice and familiarity with the LLTV to get that all right, but the adrenalin rush would be worth it, remember the old "Lunar Lander" game, well this is far more better and in 3d, you also have the same limited amount of fuel as well! Armstrong noted on his return from the moon.
 
"Eagle (the Lunar Module) flew very much like the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle which I had flown more than 30 times at Ellington Air Force Base near the Space Center. I had made from 50 to 60 landings in the trainer, and the final trajectory I flew to the landing was very much like those flown in practice. That, of course, gave me a good deal of confidence  — a comfortable familiarity"
 
Considering the traumatic events on 6th May 1968, then the LLRV and the later LLTV, were actually very reliable over thousands of test flights. Actually only two crashed, the LLTV A1 (Armstrong) and Test pilot Stuart Present ejected again safely from crashing LLTV-2, 29th January 1971, the surviving rest are listed below
 
LLRV-2 (LLRV NASA 951) is on display at the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards Air Force Base. It was lent to the museum by NASA in 2016.
LLTV-3 (LLTV NASA 952) is on display at the Johnson Space Center.
A Replica of NASA 952 is in a partially complete state in the aircraft boneyard at the Yanks Air Museum.
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Summary
So how do you replicate landing on the Moon when you have never actually been there? This was the problem facing NASA in 1966. To build a full trainer of the Lunar Excursion Module, or LEM, that was the lunar descent vehicle, was considered then be too expensive and even impractical.
 
Then came the idea to convert two VTOL experimental aircraft at the FRC (Flight Research Centre) now known as the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base, California. These were LLRVs, later renamed LLTVs (A1/A2) and to build three more for training lunar astronauts in the skills of using the lunar lander in B1/B2 and B3.
 
The LLTV vehicle is reproduced here by NHAdrian, and brilliantly good it is. This is not a helicopter, more drone in skills, but the "LUNAR MODE" is replicated in absolute realism, in allowing you to practise Lunar Landings on Earth, or to practise this significant skill set, and actually get the feel of what flying the LEM was really like.
 
Sounds and the feel of the machine are simply excellent here (it's very loud), the rocket pulses perfectly synchronised, there are no extras or liveries, but a very well detained machine. The LLTV is also fully VR (Virtual Reality) ready, for an even more authentic immersion. With the update v1.01, the T-Stick in "Lunar Mode" is now also animated as well as the throttle control...
 
It is all very clever, very X-Plane as well, and the modeling detail and systems recreated here are exceptional, it is also very Lunar Lander, the 1979 video game, you get addicted to it, and try over and over again to achieve your goal...  of landing on the Moon.
 
Highly recommended, and great authentic fun.
__________________________
 

 
Yes! - the LLTV - Lunar Landing Training Vehicle by NHAdrian is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
LLTV - Lunar Landing Training Vehicle
Price is US$19.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12
Windows, Mac (using Rosetta)  or Linux 4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 331 MB
Current Version : 1.0 (December 1st 2023)   Important note for MAC OS X users: please read this article about enabling Rosetta: https://www.x-plane.com/kb/using-x-plane-11-addons-with-x-plane-12-on-mac-systems/   Designed by NHAdrian - Support forum for the LLTV by NHAdrian
  Installation
Installation of LLTV is done via a download of 296 Mb...   With a total installation size of 566Mb into the Aircraft Folder. Authorization is required, then a full X-Plane restart. As noted above there is a requirement to use Rosetta on the Mac System
  There is one basic highly detailed Manual pdf (29 pages) with an install, set up, description of the LLTV, plus full checklists. The menu design is to replicate an official NASA document.
 

 
Review System Specifications
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.08b3 (This is a Beta review).
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- KEFD - Ellington Field - X-Plane default - Free
___________________________
 
News by Stephen Dutton
1st December 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Scenery Review: Grand Canyon West - 1G4 by X-Codr Designs
 
By Dennis Powell
 
Introduction
 
Striking geological formations and bold colors await visitors at one of America’s most iconic National Parks. The Grand Canyon, a marvel millions of years in the making, scarcely requires an introduction. Since its establishment as a National Park in 1919, this awe-inspiring canyon has captivated people, drawing attention even before the arrival of the earliest European explorers in the New World. Today, it holds deep cultural significance for at least eleven Native American tribes, with connections to the canyon tracing back to times before recorded history.

Today, Grand Canyon National Park, with its multitude of attractions, draws millions of visitors annually. Nestled at the northwest corner of Arizona, the Grand Canyon West Airport is just a short flight from Las Vegas, Nevada. Owned by the Hualapai Tribe, this airport is perched almost at the canyon's edge, offering spectacular views of the vast chasm and the Colorado River, which continues to carve out the canyon to this day.
 
In X-Codr Design’s latest offering, the experience extends far beyond just the airport. The package also includes a nearby visitor centre, complete with a skywalk balcony overlooking the canyon rim, a bustling tourist town, a trailer park, and other notable attractions scattered throughout the area. The highlight is undoubtedly the terrain mesh, which brings the canyon's unique geography to vivid life. Ortho photos enhance the natural colors, and an added X-Codr Designs library enriches the scenery with detailed plant life and more. This package offers an expansive exploration experience, bringing the Grand Canyon itself to life with extraordinary detail.
 

 
Installation
Installation of 1G4, Grand Canyon West, is a straightforward three-part process. The main scenery package for X-Plane 12 occupies 524 MB, while the terrain mesh and the scenery library are considerably larger, at 3.62 GB and 1.32 GB, respectively. Fortunately, the package includes an installation guide to assist with transferring all three files into your custom scenery folder. The great news is that no additional software, such as Scenery Animation Manager, is required. Everything necessary to fully enjoy this airport is contained within the initial purchase.

One notable aspect during installation is the extended loading time when you first launch X-Plane after installing this scenery, primarily due to the substantial size of the terrain mesh. In my experience, it initially seemed as though the simulator had frozen. However, after this initial phase, X-Plane should adapt to the new scenery data and resume opening as usual.

Documentation
Turning to the documentation, you are provided with a comprehensive PDF. This document offers a brief introduction to the airport, alongside detailed installation instructions. These guidelines are designed to assist you in seamlessly integrating the airport into your custom scenery folder, ensuring that all necessary files are correctly placed. The PDF also includes steps for installing alternative versions of the airport, specifically those without vegetation. I found the instructions to be exceptionally clear and straightforward, presenting no difficulties during the process.
 
Exploration Walk Through
Thanks to the terrain mesh, miles of the Grand Canyon itself are open for exploration. In my view, the mesh significantly enhances the canyon's appearance compared to the default scenery found in X-Plane. The entire scenery package employs orthos, with X-Codr Designs meticulously eliminating the time-of-day-dependent shadows often found in other photographic sceneries. This attention to detail effectively preserves the immersive experience and is greatly appreciated.
 

 
Navigating along the Colorado River at the canyon's base is a reliable way to avoid getting lost while exploring this iconic National Park. At the westernmost point near the airport lies Guano Point, home to the remnants of a mining operation that began extracting guano in 1930. The views from this old mine are spectacular, offering a 360-degree panorama of the canyon.
 

 
Moving eastward towards the airport, you encounter the Eagle Point Visitor’s Centre and the renowned skywalk over the canyon. The main building features a limited interior visible through the windows. 
 

 
An outdoor theatre with a sculpted fabric roof and several Teepees and rudimentary buildings reflects the historical presence of Native American tribes. The visitor’s centre, with its detailed exterior, stands out as a highlight of this scenery.
 

 
To the southeast of the airport is the Hualapai Ranch, a quaint tourist attraction resembling a Wild West town, complete with guest cabins and a barn with open-air stables. 
 

 
Nearer to the airport, a small trailer park adds intrigue, though its purpose remains unclear; possibly housing local workers or a worksite.
 

 
Grand Canyon West’s main runway, a 5000-foot strip of well-maintained asphalt, is faithfully rendered. Notably, the runway's transparent texture, a holdover from X-Plane 11's requirements, means AI aircraft do not operate here, ensuring a solitary flying experience, with no chance of collisions.
 

 
The airport itself focuses on helicopter tours, featuring numerous helipads accurately depicted in the scenery. The main airport and heliport are separated by a fence line with several gates for helicopter tour customers. This is the only area where the gates seem slightly overdone.
 

 
Each structure within the package, especially the unique main terminal, is custom-built and modelled with impressive attention to detail. 
 

 
A notable feature in the parking area is a circular lot with varied textures, possibly reflecting an artistic element of the Hualapai Tribe, the airport's owners.
 

 
Night Lighting
I began exploring the night lighting just after sunset. During twilight, the off-airport lights posed a challenge to discern, but they grew increasingly pronounced as the darkness deepened. A prime example was the row of very bright lamps along the flight line from the FBO. In stark contrast, the lighting near the tourist town, situated just over a mile away, was so subtle that it was almost imperceptible unless one was in close proximity.
 

 
Performance Impact
My computer is somewhat of a 'Frankenstein' creation, assembled over the years by my son and me. It's powered by a somewhat dated CPU running at 3.5 GHz, a quad-core processor whose compatibility with X-Plane's core usage I'm not entirely sure of. We have 16 GB of RAM, and recently upgraded from an older AMD graphics card with 8 GB of VRAM to a newer Nvidia model boasting 12 GB of VRAM.

To my pleasant surprise, this scenery package yielded frame rates in the mid to upper 30s, a significant improvement over my past experiences. Previously, with an older card and a different X-Codr Designs scenery package, my computer struggled to the point of being unusable. However, this package, despite its detailed terrain mesh and orthos, ran very smoothly. This leads me to believe that even moderately updated, or slightly older systems, should be able to run this package without any notable loss in performance.
 

 
Conclusion
Grand Canyon West Airport by X-Codr Designs offers an engaging and detailed experience of a quaint airport set against the backdrop of the Grand Canyon's awe-inspiring landscape. The airport, while not extensive in size, impresses with its meticulous details, and the added attractions enhance its appeal. It's a perfect destination for helicopter enthusiasts and the fixed-wing community alike, thanks to its proximity to Las Vegas.
 
The effort X-Codr Designs has invested in the buildings and in achieving realistic runway textures is laudable, reflecting their commitment to authenticity. Although there are a few placement choices regarding the security gates along the fence line that might seem peculiar, this does little to detract from the overall excellence of the scenery. Additionally, the decision to use transparent textures for varied textures, more suited to X-Plane 11, is a minor point and doesn't diminish the experience for X-Plane 12 users. 
 
Overall, this scenery package stands out as a must-have, capturing the iconic essence and beauty of the Grand Canyon region in an exceptional way.
 
Dennis Powell, Sunset Arts LTD.
 
________________________
 

 
Grand Canyon West - 1G4 by X-Codr Designs is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
Grand Canyon West - 1G4
Priced at US$14.99
 
Features:
Detailed rendition of 1G4 – Grand Canyon West:
All buildings feature ultra-high-resolution textures. All buildings feature advanced PBR normal maps for realistic reflections and bump mapping. All buildings are highly detailed, down to even door handles. Most buildings feature "lite" interiors to give windows more depth. Large scale realistic ground textures with high frequency tiled normal maps for detail. All models optimized for maximum performance. Living scenery:
Integration with X-Plane 12 weather effects Ground equipment automatically serves your aircraft upon request. Local Landmarks Detailed rendition of the famous Grand Canyon Skywalk. Detailed rendition of Guano Point and the old tramway Detailed rendition of the Cabins at Grand Canyon West. Custom surroundings
30m mesh surrounding the airport covering roughly 40% of the Grand Canyon (+36-114/+35-114) ZL16 USGS NAIP Orthoimagery is used for both ortho tiles. Nearly all ugly shadows removed from Orthoimagery for a clean realistic view of the canyon. Forests procedurally placed from ortho show X-Plane 12 3d vegetation in the correct areas, and nowhere else. Alpilotx’s UHD Mesh V4 provides all other overlay elements (used with his permission). Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 (both versions included)
Windows, Mac, or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum. 8Gb+ VRAM Recommended
Download size: 4.8 GB
XP12: September 7th, 2022
XP11: 1.01 (February 7th, 2022)
 
Review System Specifications
Windows 10 Intel i5-6600K 16GB RAM RTX 2060 with 12GB VRAM
 
__________________________________
 
Scenery Review by Dennis Powell
29th November 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copying of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions).
 


 

NEWS! - Airport Upgraded : KMSY - New Orleans International Airport XP12
 

 
VerticalSim has upgraded their KMSY - New Orleans International Airport to X-Plane 12. Released for X-Plane 11 in 2020, this New Orleans International Airport XP11 is also still available here for US$14.95. But this newly refurbished KMSY is X-Plane 12 only, with the expected X-Plane 12 effects and weather features.
 
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is an international airport under Class B airspace in Kenner, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the city of New Orleans and is 11 miles (18 km) west of downtown New Orleans. A small portion of Runway 11/29 is in unincorporated St. Charles Parish. Armstrong International is the primary commercial airport for the New Orleans metropolitan area and southeast Louisiana.   Features Some VFR landmarks 4k UHD Texturing with PBR 2023 Airport Layout Animated Car Traffic (via Groundtraffic plugin) Color Graded Satellite Imagery SAM Jetways X-Plane native weathermaps  

 
The free SAM plugin is required for this airport to work.  You can get it here SAM3 Suite.
 
Images are courtesy of VerticalSim
 
Price is set below US$15!...  cheap as, for a very good scenery.
__________________
 

 
Yes!...   KMSY - New Orleans International Airport XP12 by VerticalSim is now Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
KMSY - New Orleans International Airport XP12
Price is US$14.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 Windows, Mac or Linux 8 GB VRAM Minimum - 12 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.8 GB Version 1.0 (December 1st 2023) ___________________________
 
News by Stephen Dutton
2nd December 2023
Copyright©2023: 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
 

 
 

X-Plane 12 Roadmap v12.1.0
 
Laminar Research have issued a Roadmap on the immediate future of the X-Plane Simulator. And a very interesting Roadmap it is.
 
First is the price increase of X-Plane. The price of the Simulator will change from US$59.99 to US$79.99 with the introduction of a new numbering system starting with version v12.1.0... yes there is an extra digit in there, but in reality it is also a start of a new era in X-Plane version numbering, with more incremental releases for quicker (smaller) and more frequent changes to the simulator.
 
I have over the last few years asserted that X-Plane is simply too cheap, and it needed more resources to counter the growing size and complexity of the simulator. Now it looks like Laminar Research has come to the same conclusion. As the requirements of running a modern simulator have grown exponentially, increasing every year... three guys with laptops can't cover the requirements of modern systems and the software required to create a modern Simulator like it did a decade ago, and the development and run-out of X-Plane 12 has showed that the pressure was on and the old style system was now detrimental to the workings of the business. Unfortunately Microsoft's re-emergence back into Simulation with Flight Simulator, left Laminar sitting on it's laurels, the game changed, so you have to adapt and change with it, it is a welcome forward looking change.
 
v12.08
But first there is the last version release of the old current version... v12.08. X-Plane 12.0.8 is already in beta testing, and is expected to be released in the next week or two.
 
Flight Model
Top of the list is focusing on improving the flight model, and improvements to the way that X-Plane simulates engine performance. Jets, turboprops and reciprocating engines will now follow real-world test data more closely, and used data from Pratt & Whitney will bring the numbers closer to reality.
 
Landing Gear Physics
Yeah! Finally...  I have found over the last few years that landing aircraft in X-Plane is like landing and taking off on ice, it is not at all realistic, to a point it is even putting me off enjoying the simulator to it's fullest extent, plus it's not at all realistic for reviews. In v12.08 there will be changes to the ground Inertia.
 
Wheel Inertia – which means smoother landings, winning! The wheels on the aircraft’s main gear will now reach the speed of the aircraft sooner after touchdown, resulting in less forward pitch/slam on the nose gear during rollout. Weld Modeling – this code controls each wheel’s transition between rolling and not-rolling. That sounds trivial but when you consider that it effects every transition from an aircraft being parked vs. not parked and low-speed taxi, it’s important to get it right! ABS Revisions – tweaks to the logic that the anti-lock breaking system in X-Plane uses to slow down the aircraft after landing without too much skrrt skrrtt skrrrtt.  
Hallelujah for all that, and finally.
 
New Fuel Temperature Model
Did you know that jet airplanes actually use their fuel to cool their oil? That’s why they don’t have any visible oil coolers like your ol’ Cessna 172! The oil heats the fuel and the fuel dissipates its heat through the skin of the wing! So, in effect, jet airplanes use their wings as their radiators. This is now fully simulated in X-Plane 12. Check out the details in the fuel temperature in data output screen to see the effects in your favorite jet aircraft.
 
This has been debated in the forums? Fuel Oil Heat Exchangers (FOHE), are usually used where the oil is cooled while the fuel is heated? More details on this aspect is probably needed.
 
Projector Warping/Blending
The use of multiple projectors to display the world around you is the gold standard of display in flight simulation. There’s a catch though – when you point multiple projectors at a curved screen, the image from each projector looks wonky and distorted. We solve this by rearranging the pixels that X-Plane sends to the projector itself – yielding a visually correct image. Behind the scenes, this is powered by all sorts of trigonometry and calculations but the end user simply needs to align a grid pattern to their display and they’re good to go! This feature will be available with our X-Plane Professional licenses.
 
Networking and Ex-Visual Sync
…have both received a bunch of bug fixes to improve the experience when using X-Plane in setups that include multiple computers driving multiple monitors.
 
But also a good update and welcome news for those trying to blend together three or more displays in home-build systems, of which there has been a lot of noise or complaining since the introduction of X-Plane 12.
 
Graphics quality-of-life Bug Fixes
12.0.8 is firmly focused on the physics side of X-Plane, but the graphics team has also included two quick fixes to address pressing concerns:
- The most common is the “totally out of VRAM” crashes have been resolved
- Users should no longer experience a long pause when popping out windows
 
v12.1.0
A new version numbering system will probably bring in a reset of X-Plane 12...  and the focus is all on graphics. My guess the release will be around the late November and early December, to have the Simulator better packaged for Christmas 23
 
Real Weather Improvement
No more square “Minecraft” cloud formations when Real Weather is enabled. A definite yes to that. Weather has improved enormously since the release of v12.06/7, but a lot of weird cloud formations are still visible, certainly at high altitudes.
 
Water opacity and Cloud Shadows on Water
I love the X-Plane water effects, but to be honest it's not at all totally realistic in it all being so very clear, great for tropical reflections, but not for the North Sea. So here will be a fix for that, plus real cloud shadows on the water to make the water even more visually appealing.
 
Better Bloom Lighting Effects
One area that needed more attention is "Bloom" lighting effects. Bloom is based on a real-world phenomenon that is causing bright lights to bleed over into darker areas when seen through a lens, causing fringes (or feathers) of light extending from the borders of bright areas in an image. Yes very nice and it make lighting more realistic.
 
RCAS (Robust Contrast Adaptative Sharpening)
Contrast Adaptive Sharpening (CAS) will help increase visual quality by enabling sharpening with optional upscaling to restore detail lost after TAA is applied, the result is softer, less aliased ground shadows.
 
MSAA Improvements
There has been a lot of noise around Multisample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA). In fact it is the one most complained about area of X-Plane 12. The dreaded "Jaggies", and yes they are really bad, worse are when combined with reflective water effects, and needs serious attention. Work arounds just don't work, many have turned MSAA off completely to try to get a better rendering. It works, but only from certain angles, then you get very bad large jaggies all over the objects. So fixes include..
 
- MSAA resolution so that is photometrically correct
- MSAA of alpha-cut textures
- Improved CPU Performance
 
And a new “modern collector” – the code that the sim uses to find all the scenery necessary to draw. We know that many users are now only CPU-bound in X-Plane and this is step one to improve their experience in the sim.
 
Looking further down the road (no pun intended) 2024
 
G1000 Avonics
In a few areas here X-Plane has been a bit lax and is need of some updates. One area is the default G1000 Avionics system, which is feeling it's age lately. All avionics in X-Plane will always be quite generic, that is a given considering the wide variety of aircraft they have to cover. But there are many areas that could be improved, and they are.
- New G1000 pages
- G1000 Synthetic Vision
 
Are what is required to bring the universal G1000 up to date, as it needs more depth and features.
 
Airliner-style weather radar
With better weather and forecasts in X-Plane 12, then you also need better (or more realistic) weather displays in the cockpit, this is coming, and not before time.
 
Plugin-created glass avionics
To allow more 3rd party avionics into the Simulator, so a plug and fly system would make your instrument panel more realistic and better avionics accessible.
 
Graphics
Graphics are still going to get a lot of attention ongoing down the road
- Depth of Field effects (for pretty pictures)
- CACAO (Combined Adaptive Compute Ambient Occlusion) fixes (small SSAO update)
- New Particle Effects, like sparks from engines/fuselages touching the ground at speed
- (better) Ground spray from wheels/engines
- Helicopter Brown-Outs/White-Outs (if helicopter flying wasn't hard enough), but this is a returning feature, not used for a few years.
- Virtualized VRAM – using the virtual memory capabilities of modern graphics cards, we can pack VRAM more tightly, waste less VRAM and not have to move things around like a number puzzle. This should result in sharper textures and less likelihood of out-of-VRAM crashes.
 
Lighting Model
Lighting has slowly being getting better, but it still has a long way to go. I made my thoughts quite clear on the problems of the lighting in X-Plane 12 in my Sept 2023 Behind the Screen Edition. Lighting changes or adjustments coming next year will include...
- Light Level Tuning
- Sky Exposure Recalibration
- Clouds Affect Haze and Sky
- Local Rain and Fog Affects Visibility
- Foggy Lights
- Fix Dark Cockpits
 
Networking
Networking is one of the huge growth areas of X-Plane, so you will see far more attention and features in this specialised area as the Simulator proceeds though the X-Plane 12 version. Focus on intergration and online gaming will see you immersed in a more 3d world.
- Multiplayer Bug Fixes
- Improved synchronization between external visuals monitors – ground trucks, etc.
 
Missing?
VR... a lot of users want VR or Virtual Reality to have more attention from Laminar Research. My guess is there will be attention on VR during this Roadmap.
 
The last published Roadmap from Laminar came out in May 2023. It covered versions 12.05, 12.06, and 12.07, and that development road has now been completed. This new Roadmap with the new version numbering change will take you to about Easter 2024, if successful it will deliver significant and finally the required fine-tuning aspect the X-Plane 12 version the Simulator requires. For once it covers a lot of areas I have fussed over and covers complaints in the forums, if Laminar delivers, then it will be a very good advancement of the Simulator. But it is also a big list to cover, far bigger than the earlier May 2023 Roadmap. Laminar did do it...  but only just.
 
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.  
Roadmap announcement is here: Coming in X-Plane 12.0.8 and beyond – Roadmap Update
 
Download the free demo of X-Plane 12 and experience all of these improvements for yourself.
_____________________
 
X-Plane 12 is purchased directly from Laminar Research for currently US$59.95 and the download file size is 82 GB
 
X-Plane 12
Price is US$59.95, soon to be US$79.99
_____________________
 
X-Plane 12 Roadmap overview by Stephen Dutton
4th October 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews
 
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

NEWS! - Scenery Released : KSMF Sacramento International Airport by TaiModels
 

 
A new year in 2023 and already another new scenery from TaiModels. This time it is California, in good old USA and Sacramento International Airport.
 
Sacramento International Airport (KSMF) is located 10.5 miles (16.9 km) northwest of Downtown Sacramento in Sacramento County, California, United States and covers 6,000 acres (2,400 ha).
 
KSMF serves the Sacramento Metropolitan Area, and it is run by the Sacramento County Airport System. The airport is the main gateway to the California State Capitol.
 
The airport is also a gateway to the attractions and adventures in Northern and Central California such as Heavenly Mountain Resort, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Old Sacramento State Historic Park history of gold rush, underground tunnels, floods, and fire, etc., Wine Country, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Cosumnes River Preserve, Hawver Cave and Sutter's Mill and Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.
 
Features
Highly detailed 3D modeling SAM amination jetways High quality PBR texture on object and ground High performance Completed autogen around airport Ground traffic plugins( car and truck) Compatible with XP11 and XP12 Includes weather textures in X-Plane 12  

 

 

 
Images courtesy of TaiModels ________________________________________
 

 
The KSMF - Sacramento International Airport by TaiModels is now available from the X-Plane.OrgStore!...    Here:
 
KSMF - Sacramento International Airport
Price is US$20.50
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB VRAM Minimum  Download Size: 710 MB Current version : 1.0 (January 2nd 2023) ________________   NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
4th January 2023
Copyright©2023: 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.  
 

Aircraft Update : Airbus A340-600 v1.1 by ToLiSS
 
One of the most successful releases of 2021 was the Airbus A340-600 from TolIss. Users love the deep Airbus systems and clever intergrated features. Since that initial release back in October 2021, there have already been some significant updates to the aircraft (the A346 was already nicely fully formed on release) and here is the fourth, and quite a significant update to v1.1 it is.
 
First off the base is that A346 v1.1 is now compatible with the coming X-Plane12 version, so you will be able to fly the ToLiSS A346 straight out of the box, which is a very nice premise indeed (although expect an update to switch on the X-Plane12 features). ToLiSS has also put out their pricing with the conversion to X-Plane12. And first is that the earlier A319 and A321 will have an add-on upgrade cost of US$10.99 each, however if you have the ToLiSS A321 + NEO addon and/or this A346, then the upgrade to X-Plane12 is free. Which is a very fair deal.
 
As we know with the release of the Airbus A346. ToLiSS took control of it's modeling side of the project. The released A346 was certainly a far better design, but not actually perfect (but a very good effort for a first attempt). So to bring the modeling more into it's quality/price, here is already a rework of the original. The focus is on the rear section which has been totally remodeled along with new textures for all of the aircraft. Visually the change includes the upward sweep of the rear most windows on the fuselage...
 

 
....  it is harder to achieve than it looks, because internally you just don't have the up sweep of the window line, but also the curve of the rear cabin going inwards and also upwards into the tail. ToLiSS has done a really nice job here.
 

 
Because of these cosmetic changes the older liveries now don't work with the new customised tail? (hence the house livery here). The painkit has been adjusted to v.1.1, so expect the livery changes to come quickly. But it is all in the aim of authenticity. The A330 rear is very much the same configuration.
 
The cockpit/instrument panel textures have been overhauled as well, with more wear around the knobs and switchgear and more to the blue/grey Airbus colour (cabin stays the same with no changes). While we are here, the knobs and switches have also been given improved switch geometry, so they work better from your seating angles.
 

 
The flightdeck forward windows now also open...  nice! Pull the handle and the window will track rearwards to reveal an open window (something I love on arrival to let fresh air into the cockpit). Notable is when you do this the air-pressure will change on the COND (Air-Conditioning) lower ECAM Screen. The air-pressure and temperature in the adjacent zone will also change if you open the any of the passenger doors. To close the side window(s), there is a little stick buffer in the lower window frame that has to be switched to do so.
 

 
Don't you love arriving in the cockpit ready for a flight! Well one of the nice things to do is getting into your seat and adjusting it. In v1.1 you can now move the seats rearwards and to the side to insert yourself into the seat, when done you can then move the seat into position of to the position of where you want it to be.
 

 
The seat is moved forwards and backwards via the correct switch on the lower side of the chair (arrowed), here also the armrests are in the stored position, again you can also rise or lower the armrests as well. The seat is positioned well forward here, so there is a lot of adjustment to your taste. The folding retracting armrests are perfectly done.
 

 
ACARS/Simbrief
All major commercial aircraft have ACARS or "Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System". Which is a digital datalink system for transmission of short messages between aircraft and ground stations via airband radio or satellite, it is a sort of airborne text system.
 
In v1.1 the ACARS system has been implemented in two areas. One is with the excellent Navigraph SimBrief and secondly with the aircraft's TISCS menu system. First to use the ACARS system here you will need to have SimBrief and an account. It is still free, but I recommend it with your Navigraph account. To use then set up a route and generate a Flight (Sim)Brief.
 

 
Like in a real aircraft you activate ACARS by tuning into VHF3 and it's "Data" uplink. If the link is active, then the "SEL" light is on.
 

 
To access SimBrief you have to authorise it in the TISCS menu, under your SimBrief account settings, and use your Pilot ID (second row). And in the TISCS menu on the SOUND/ADDON ACCOUNTS tab in "ACCOUNT IDS", it will take a minute, then two options come up with...
 

 
...  "Ignore AIRAC/AC Type mismatch", If this option is OFF, the flight plan download will fail if the active AIRAC cycle in the FMGS does not match the AIRAC cycle used by Simbrief for planning. In other words your AIRAC cycles (data) on the X-Plane/Aircraft and Simbrief have to match.
 
"Set Payload + Fuel to Simbrief", If you select this option, the cargo, payload and fuel on board in the ISCS will be set immediately to the Simbrief values. This ensures that the data on the INIT B page match the actual weights, but removes one step from flight preparation, which of course you can still get from the TISCS.
 
Loading the Data into the MCDU
Looking at your INIT page on the MCDU. There is now a "INIT REQUEST", press RK2 (Right Key 2) and it will send a request for data for you, then if acquired the data is returned via "F-PLN DATALINK IN PROG" note in the scratchpad, and when done (transferring the data) it shows PERF DATA UPLINK to show the link is still open.
 

 
And "wah, Wah"...   all the data is filled in from the (Sim)Brief, including the Flightplan all fuel, weights, FL No., PAX, CRZ Altitude... even the Flight Number. Fuel Prediction is also ready on both INIT PRED and FUEL PRED. Notable is that the data does not include (insert) the Departure and Arrival details, so the RWY/SID/VIA and RWY/STAR/VIA approach details still have to be added in, or any approach editing can still be adjusted as normal. 
 

 
If you want to go to the core and load in the data directly this can also be done.
 
You access the data by pressing the "DATA" key, and then ACARS/PRINT...  FUNCTION RK6. All the data is stored here including the F-PLN INIT data, TO (TakeOff) DATA and WIND DATA.
 
 
 
WIND REQUEST however only works with the INIT Request active and that X-Plane is set to real weather conditions (which will be very interesting with X-Plane12).
 
Takeoff Performance Data
You can fill in the PERF/TAKE OFF data by pressing the TO DATA LK6 button, and this action brings up the "REQUEST" on the RK6.
 

 
Then the "TAKE OFF DATA UPLINK", will fill in your Performance TakeOff data, again very, very cool. It will however not fill in the FLEX TO TEMP category, which you still have to get from the TISCS menu (set runway), here it is F69.
 

 
So much time is saved here in transferring the data, and totally brilliant at getting the aircraft quickly ready for flight. The two CPDLCs - Controller Pilot Data Link Communications are also part of the ACARS system are still not active, but next on the to-do list.
 
Debatable is the fact do you like to do the full aircraft data set up, and could this (as really good as it is) be a sort of cheat sheet? Sometimes you really just want to fly and not go through the full setup rigmarole. In this case it is quite brilliant.
 

 
Interactive Audio Control Panel
The TISCS menu is big, and a few users have complained as it can't be scaled either. So ToLiSS has come up with the "Interactive Audio Control Panel" or ACP panels. These are two pop-up menu panels set out on the "Intercom" and "Cabin Communication" buttons.
 


 
There are five page selections under "Intercom"; Services, Pushback, Refuel/Defuel, Cargo Handling, and Ground De-Ice
 
• Services: Enable/disable external power, LP or HP air connections and chocks
• Pushback: Request pushback
• Refuel/Defuel: Change the amount of fuel on board. When using this feature, the fuelling/defueling will take time according to the refuel/defuel rate listed in the FCOM.
• Cargo handling: Open and close cargo doors/change amount of cargo in the hold
• Ground deice: A simple feature to prevent ice accumulation on the wings while on ground,
as the wing anti ice does not work for more than 30s on ground.
 
There are two page selections under "Cabin Communication" in Doors, and Passengers (PAX)
 

 
ToLiSS notes that "For the future, we plan to include a TO calculator, a landing distance calculator and a weight and balance sheet in the EFB in order to eliminate completely the need to interact with the TISCS during a normal flight."
 
New failure modes
On the OHP (OverHead Panel), not only are the in-cockpit RESET switches (Airbus long range equivalent to in-cockpit circuit breakers) are now working, but they are also active in “recoverable computer failures” from the "Fault Scenarios".
 

 
ToLISS explains how this works,
 
"Two failure modes CPC 1 and CPC 2 are or can be permanent failures, whereas CPC 1 (R) and CPC 2 (R) are modes that can be recovered by resetting the computer. This is particularly interesting with random failures where you do not know beforehand if a reset will work or not. To reset the computers, you can use the reset switches in the Overhead panel".
 
With the addition of these new new failure modes there is now a total of 249 different failure modes. Including also these new engine failure modes; "recoverable flame out", "engine failure with damage" and "hot start".
____________________
 
I did my A346 test route of EGKK (Gatwick) to LLBG (Ben Gurion) which is a 4h 4m flight. Although the A346 simulation per se is deep in flying and systems wise with ToLiSS aircraft.
But because it is done so well the simulations from these aircraft can be quite easy to use. It is not only in the setting up of the aircraft (more so now in v1.1 because of the auto Simbrief data loading in route and performance). But because also the aircraft is quite sweet to fly, as is the Airbus way if you know the smaller intricate European philosophy.
I have grown in X-Plane with the Airbus QPAC and now ToLiSS designed aircraft, so to me it is second nature, but that is not to say you can't learn and fly these aircraft more easily in simulation than say a Boeing, it is the difference between driving an automatic to a manual setup car. But I will emphasize again the deep existence in the systems and fault/failure detail you have here, that aspect the aircraft is extraordinary. In reality you have the best of both worlds.
 

 
Now the passenger and fuel are loaded and we are ready to go. Open window is great to check everyone has boarded.
 
Climbout of EGKK, shows the A340-600 is a big aircraft, the last of the four-engined generation as well. In v1.1 the engine model has been adjusted for more realistic thrust and fuel flow values (to follow the SimBrief numbers more accurately) and you feel the difference... 
 

 
...  Climb, climb, climb, it is a long way up to 35,000ft (FL350) then a step to cruising altitude of 37,000ft (FL370).
 

 
Speed is per SimBrief at m.83, sky is clear and the flying is breathtaking.
 

 
The significant changes of the textures and in areas of the modeling really shows. The engines and around the main inlet cowls are now also more smoother and cleaner with refined grids, internally in the pods you can now see through the High-Bypass fans.
 

 
Internally in the office we are in long-haul cruise mode, and a very nice place to be it is (always a good thing on Long-Hauls)...  I particularly like the animated armrests, a small thing but you can access the radios and pedestal much more easier, it feels more authentic as well...
 

 
...  You can now put on the oxygen mask by removing it from its container and database holds are now also available.
 
ProCam views!
 

 
Cockpit detail and textures look far better, a small change, but a very worthy one.
 
Arrival at LLBG (Ben Gurion) is on time and on numbers, very nice...  I like to hit the numbers almost perfectly.
 

 
It is a quick in landing on RWY 12 at 10,210ft (3112m) long, but the A346 copes well with the shorter runway...  easy peasy. There is now a sound option to over-ride or adjust the default X-Plane sounds called "OVRD XP INT/EXT VOL" from the TISCS/SOUND/ADDON ACCOUNTS tab, this gives you more control over the Master Volume, Internal and External Sounds. Like here I want to hear those fantastic Rolls-Royce Trent 556s in reverser mode sounds louder.
 

 
How good is simulation today!
 

 
So this is all round a very good update for the lovers of ToLiSS A346, as noted what was really good before is now even better. As a note I redid the SimBrief briefing to go on to Barcelona, and I was re-setup (turned around) within twenty minutes and ready to fly again. So that shows the ACARS system is a very worthy addition!  And oh yes, I opened the side window to let in the hot Middle-Eastern air.
 

 
Comprehensive release review of the ToLiSS A340-600 is here: Aircraft Review : Airbus A340-600 by ToLiSS
_______________
Summary
This is the fourth update to the ToLiSS Airbus A340-600 since it's release in the Q3 2021, and the biggest and most significant update yet.
 
v1.1 covers the intergration of ACARS or "Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System" into the MCDU. Which is a digital datalink system. It connects direct data transfers from Simbrief (Navigraph, but free) and from the data (PERF) on the TISCS menu. Also new are the Interactive Audio Control Panels, that are really short cut panels to "Ground Operations" and "Cabin Comm" or doors and passenger loading. Failure modes (Fault Scenarios) have been increased with the now working "Reset" (Circuit Breakers/OHP) and different failure modes.
 
On the aircraft there has some nice visual changes, most up the rear with a new upward window belt-line, and matching curved rear cabin, engine inlet and internal Hi-Bypass fan changes are also highly noticeable. Internally the forward cockpit windows now open and the pilots chairs are now animated in forwards and rear movement and the armrests can now be folded away. All external and internal textures have been redone and look more realistic and work style authentic (new liveries are however are required to be updated to v1.1). All in all there are a lot of changes and fixes here, and most importantly the aircraft is now also ready for X-Plane12 (A small update for the new features will be released at the same time as the new X-Plane12 Simulator).
 
Extremely popular, the ToLiSS Airbus A340-600 is one of the very best Airbus Simulations in the X-Plane Simulator, even exceptional. And they haven't finished yet. Now also X-Plane12 ready is a big step forward, and to be flying in X-Plane12 from day one is certainly a great attraction, and also a great current investment in that the changeover for the aircraft to X-Plane12 will be free to all current purchasers.
 
"Highly Recommended!"
_______________________________
 

 
Yes! the Airbus A340-600 v1.1 by ToLiSS is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

Airbus A340-600 by ToLiSS
 
Price is US$89.99
 
Most accurate system functionality for any A340 aircraft in the flight simulation world  
Requirements X-Plane only - not available for MSFS Support for X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 when available Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.2 GB
Current version: 1.1  (June 20th 2022)   Changelog v1.1 A340-600_changelog.txt Full changelog details are here _____________________
  Update Review by Stephen Dutton
22nd June 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 10 - X-Plane 11.55
Plugins: Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- EGKK - London Gatwick Airport v2 by Pilot+Plus (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$21.00
- LLBG - Airport Ben Gurion XP by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$24.99 - Full review availble here: Scenery Review : LLBG - Airport Ben Gurion XP by Aerosoft
 
(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 ASSP Airbus A300B2
Airbus entered the aviation scene in October 1972 with the first flight of their all-new A300 jetliner, and the first two-engine wide body to ever take to the skies. Formed as a conglomerate of UK, French and German aviation manufacturers, the A300 was built to compete with the rising US competition from Douglas (DC-10) and Lockheed Martin (L-1011 Tristar).
 

 
ASSP are a new developer on the X-Plane scene with the A300 being their first aircraft for the platform. As is the case with any new developer, the first release is usually the most important as it sets the bar for future product releases. 

Let’s take a closer look…

Aircraft Specification
●    Crew: 3 (Captain, First Officer & Flight Engineer)
●    Length: 53.61m (175.9ft)
●    Wingspan: 44.84m (147.1ft)
●    Height: 16.72m (54.9ft)
●    Empty Weight: 88,505kg (195,120lbs)
●    Maximum Takeoff Weight: 165,000kg (363,763lbs)
●    Powerplant: General Electric CF6-50C/CF6-50C2R

Aircraft Performance
●    Range: 2,900nmi (5,375km) 
●    Service Ceiling: 40,000ft
●    Max Cruising Speed: Mach 0.78 (450kts)

Download & Install
Installation of the ASSP A300B2 was an extremely simple affair. After purchasing it from the X-Plane.org store, you are provided with a download link and an unlock key for the product. Just drag and drop the A300 into your aircraft folder (I have created a separate ‘Addons’ folder alongside the ‘Laminar Research’ and ‘Extra Aircraft’ folder for neatness) and the aircraft is available in your virtual hangar.

On first loading, you are asked to paste in your unlock key. This will activate the aircraft systems and upon reloading the sim, you are ready to fly. The A300 comes with a 9-page document that outlines the airframe limitations of the aircraft. This is handy to refer to, especially when navigating the aircraft and ensuring that you are not pushing the airframe over any defined limitations it may have.
 

 
Rather than a manual, ASSP has put together a series of tutorial videos which you can find on YouTube. These videos walk you through the different stages of flight, and whilst this may not be the most popular way of doing things, I found it refreshing as video tutorials are by far the most visual way to display things. As a content creator myself, I find they show users exactly where to look and face when starting up, so kudos to them!

Exterior Model
The A300 features a standard wide-body base with two engines mounted, one on each wing. In the 1970s this was revolutionary as at the time three was considered the magic number when it came to wide bodies going long haul. The reasoning behind this was that if one engine was to fail, then you had the third as a failsafe.
 


The ASSP model is a faithful recreation of the real aircraft, with key details including the enlarged side windows in the cockpit and additional vents and vanes found on the wing, common with the Hawker Siddeley design ethos at the time. Animations on the aircraft exterior are also really well reproduced, with the landing gear struts raising and dropping at a relatively steady pace, while all flight surfaces follow the pilots' input. Smaller details have also been added to the aircraft, such as the sensors and pitot tubes on the nose.
 


The A300 comes with ten liveries. You have an ASSP ‘house’ livery and the following real-world airlines:
-    Airbus House
-    Air France
-    Alitalia
-    Iran Air
-    Lufthansa
-    Mahan Air
-    Onur Air
-    Olympic
-    Singapore Airlines
 


Cockpit & Interior
The ASSP A300 features a fully modelled cockpit which is very pleasing to look at. It’s a dark, grey cabin with two yokes (this was the time before baby blue and fly-by-wire) with a mix of both glass and steam gauges. Only the A300 and A310 from Airbus featured yokes, as come the release of the Airbus A320, everything moved over to sidesticks with electrical signals controlling the aircraft axis from smaller inputs.
 


The A300’s gauges, buttons, and switches are clear to read, and simple to understand, making them invaluable during flight. Text and labels are also of good clarity, including those situated in the overhead panel. Textures are done to a 4k resolution, which means that even when viewed close up, they still remain crisp and clear. 
 


The aircraft is well optimised too, running at a solid 60fps in overpopulated areas on my 4k resolution monitor. I am yet to come across any lag spikes or major drops, making this an excellent choice for simmers on modest hardware
 


The A300 also features a fully modeled passenger cabin, allowing you to walk through the aircraft and take a seat with your passengers. This is modeled to quite a high level of detail, with each livery featuring a custom cabin based on that particular airline.

Buttons, Gauges & Functionality
The aircraft features a fully functional cockpit with an engineer's bay included. You can manipulate and control everything from the pilot flying console, while I find the engineer’s bay to have 50% functionality. For a mid-level plane, this is enough to get you flying while following realistic checklists and good enough for those looking to fly something with a reasonable amount of detail.
 


You can manage the aircraft's hydraulics, electrical and pressurisation systems, as well as a functioning fuel jettison feature, which may come in handy alongside the custom failures menu that you can play around with.
 

 
You can also select and ‘age’ the aircraft which will affect how it performs in relation to speed and fuel burn. ASSP has also included an EFB tablet which gives you access to AviTab, several speed calculators, a loading manager and ground operations, as well as a settings page that lets you customise the aircraft and cockpit state. It does miss out on an ‘engines on ready to depart’ quick start mode, but you can toggle from cold and dark to a turnaround state. I would however like to see one added at some point in the future as I don’t always want to go through the startup process; just spawn in and take flight on a joyride.
 

 
The HSI can be toggled from wide to bearing modes, or new to the older instruments.
 


The A300 uses X-Plane’s Universal FMC which allows it to fully integrate with the default navigation database and systems. I have always found it easy to use and so seeing it within the A300 is a welcomed addition. This also works well with the custom autopilot unit fitted to the aircraft, allowing you to fly from either unit or switch between Navigation and FMS modes onboard.
 


That’s not to say I don’t have an issue with a few aspects of functionality. For example, you cannot use the mouse wheel to scroll the gauges and dials within the cockpit. This means setting altitudes and speeds on your autopilot requires you to manually click and hold the numbers to reach your desired setting. This can be a drawn-out process, especially in descent where you want to quickly manage your speed reduction and descent. It can be tedious, but it’s something you can get used to, especially those that came from X-Plane 10 and previous editions of the platform where this was not a feature available.

The aircraft also insists that you start with the engines off. This means you cannot spawn in on an approach to an airport as they will always power down, regardless of how you have the ‘Start with engines running’ checkbox. Overall, cockpit simulation is to a satisfactory level, but don’t expect it to revolutionise the way you fly within the simulator.

Sound
Sounds are one of the strong points of this product as ASSP has incorporated FMOD to the A300, and it sounds great from both within the cockpit and externally.

The General Electric CF6 engines give a soft whine when powered and this has been faithfully recreated within the simulator using sound samples from the real thing. I often find myself sitting back in the cabin looking down at my ORBX TrueEarth scenery while listening to the engines whisper mid-way through my cruise. Spooling the engines up and down also changes the pitch and wave of the whine, giving you the feeling of power when you’re on your takeoff run.
 


Within the cockpit, ASSP has included sound samples from the original Airbus GPWS which is a welcomed addition. When on final approach, you’ll hear the real Airbus voice counting you down as you approach the runway, as well as any errors you may encounter, such as overspeed and stall alarms.

Flight Dynamics
The ASSP A300 is smooth to fly and very stable once in the air. This makes it extremely easy to manage during takeoffs and landings, before sending it over to autopilot to take you on your way.  
 


With the lack of fly-by-wire on the A300, this means you need to start your flare a lot closer to the ground, and don’t expect a ‘Retard’ callout on the way in either. You certainly have to add a lot more control input when compared to newer Airbus aircraft to fly it on the route you want, but that’s something you’ll learn the feel of after your first few test flights.
 


You do need to get used to the feeling of landing, but after a few circuits and approaches, it’s something that you can easily manage. I flew with my TCA Boeing Yoke from Thrustmaster (sorry Airbus sidestick, this one is not for you!) and found its handling to be very even. In a nutshell, the A300 is a steady beast to fly and one I have really enjoyed.
 


Opinion & Closing Remarks
ASSP's version of the Airbus A300 may not be study level, but then they never claimed it would be. What we have is a good, simplistic recreation of Airbus’ first jetliner and one that is a joy to fly.

Strong points are certainly the audio and model design, the A300 looks and sounds great. You also have enough systems functioning to take you on a realistic flight from A to B, following checklists and managing your aircraft systems along the way. It’s definitely IVAO & VATSIM capable, giving you another aircraft to enjoy alongside your ATC.

In the numerous short flights I’ve made with this model, I’ve come to appreciate the functionality and use of the plane, with many good landings along the way. While it may not be the most advanced A300 on the market, it’s a great base for those that want to look at the older generation of jetliners and see how they function with the flight engineer also in position.

ASSP’s first release is a truly good start. I would certainly like to see more added to it in the future as well as an option to have engines on from start. With that said, what we have so far is a decent A300 that will certainly provide a smile to the average flight simmer looking to try something different.
_______________________________
 

 
The Airbus A300 Classic B2-200 by ASSP is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:
 
Airbus A300 Classic B2-200
Price is $49.99
 
Requirements
X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 760 MB
Current version: 1.6 (March 17th 2022)
 
Review by Michael Hayward
30th June 2022
Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows 10 Professional, AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Processor, 32GB RAM, Palit GeForce RTX™ 3080 GamingPro
 
(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
 

dont forget that the ini A310 is not in the market very long, was introduced mid 2021.   so only after one year INI quit.  thats very rude and not cusomer friendly 
everyone who purchased from ini did that also because of trust in the company, no matter what states in the contract on x-plane versions.
with the 10 pound offer they grabbed all the money which is left in the x-plane market and now they run away. 
but still i see this move very rude in terms of the customers who purchased the A310, A300, Beluga for 150-200 bucks.
 
 

NEWS! - Plugin Updated : X-KeyPad v1.5 by Stick and Rudder Studios
 

 
Mark Cellis from Stick and Rudder Studios have updated or has gone final on version v1.5 of their X-KeyPad plugin.
 

 
KeyPad gives you the ability to create Virtual Keyboards with highly dynamic key behavior and labels that can interact with and display data in X-Plane 11/12. These virtual keyboards can be placed on a secondary monitor, touch monitor, or using a tablet by using Duet Display or SpaceDesk.
X-KeyPad also supports a rich integration with the X-Touch Mini Midi Controller and P.I. Engineering X-Keys keyboards as well as a graphical user interface to create and edit all your configurations.
Using X-KeyPad with these devices makes an X-Plane 11/12 home cockpit more immersive. You will spend less time clicking with a mouse or searching for keys on a keyboard.
 
The v1.5 update includes:
Added Support for X-Touch Mini Added a Graphical User Interface for creating and maintaining configurations Significant enhancements to Virtual Device label features Added formulas and expressions Significant improvement in performance of Virtual Devices  
There are three videos provided to show you how X-KeyPad works...
 

 

 

 
The v1.5 version is free to all current purchasers of the X-KeyPad plugin, just go to your X-Plane.OrgStore account and download the new version...  otherwise you can purchase the now on-sale plugin below.
_____________________
 

 
Yes!   X-KeyPad by Stick and Rudder Studios is currently available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

X-KeyPad
Price is US$15.00 but currently on SALE for US$11.25 (save 25%)
 
Requirements
X-Plane 11 or 12 (XP10 no longer supported) Windows, OSX, Linux   FlyWithLua plugin is needed for a number of the sample configurations A willingness to learn about X-Plane datarefs and commands The dataref tool plugin for X-Plane is highly recommended.   Current version: 1.5 (June 4th 2022) ________________   NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
6th June 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.  

NEWS! - Sounds : Mango Studios Boeing Bundle
 

 
Mango Studios look at the areas that BSS BlueSKyStar sounds don't compete in and do a filler package. First it was the Airbus A350 XWB, but also for the same FlightFactor Aero Boeing 757/767. Here they have now created a bundle of both Boeing aircraft and have updated and reworked the exclusive sound packages for both the B757/B767 aircraft.
 
The changes are extensive, and there is an optional folder, to get rid of the sometimes annoying stock Flight Factor cabin sounds!
 
Exterior:
Custom sounds for tires on touchdown effects
Custom sounds for hydraulic pump effect
Custom sounds for fuel pump effects
Custom exterior rain effects
Custom fuel truck, ACU, and GPU effects
New, custom sounds for APU start/shutdown
New, complete, and custom exterior sounds for the Pratt & Whitney PW2000 engines, which include:
    -New custom, exterior startup/shutdown sound effects
    -New custom, exterior spool-up/spool-down sound effects
    -New custom, exterior backblast, surround sound, and flyby sound effects
New, complete, and custom exterior sounds for the Rolls Royce RB211-535 engines, which include:
    -New custom, exterior startup/shutdown sound effects
    -New custom, exterior spool-up/spool-down sound effects
    -New custom, exterior backblast, surround sound, and flyby sound effects New, complete, and custom exterior sounds for the General Electric CF-6 engines, which include:
    -New custom, exterior startup/shutdown sound effects
    -New custom, exterior spool-up/spool-down sound effects
    -New custom, exterior backblast, surround sound, and flyby sound effects
Interior:
New custom EICAS button, switch, knob, rotary, and handle sound effects
New custom FCU button, switch, and rotary sound effects
New custom OVERHEAD button, button cover, knob, rotary, and switch sound effect
New custom PEDESTAL button, button cover, handle, rotary, switch and throttle sound effect
New custom cockpit system sound effects include:
    -Autopilot disengages and engages sound effects
    -Complete Cockpit electrical systems, avionics, battery, packs, and gyros
    -Ultra-realistic cockpit wiper system
    -Complete EGPWS warnings, which include retard callouts, callouts from 2500ft to 10ft, and all those in between.
    -Complete Cockpit warnings, which include Autopilot disconnect warning, stick shaker, fireball, seatbelt chimes, no-smoking chimes, and flight attendant chimes.  
New Custom, Complete, and ultra-realistic cockpit environment effects which include:
    -Cockpit landing gear effects such as gear extension, retraction, speed-brake retraction, touchdown, rolling, and drag sound effects
    -Other effects, such as Cockpit Rumble, Cockpit Rain, Cockpit Rotation, Cockpit Wind, Flap Drag, Spoiler Drag, sound effects
New Cabin Effects include:
    -New Air conditioning effect
    -New Cabin wind effect
    -Reworked Fuel pump system effect
    -Reworked Hydraulic pump system effect
    -2 NEW FLAP SOUNDS, from start to finish taking off a real 757-200 as well as a 767-300, now each wing has individual flap sounds which vary in pitch for each wing.
New, complete, and custom interior sounds for the Rolls Royce RB-211-535 engines, which include:
    -New custom, interior startup/shutdown sound effects
    -New custom, interior spool-up/spool-down sound effects
    -New custom, interior back-blast, surround sound, and flyby sound effects  
New, complete, and custom interior sounds for the Pratt & Whitney PW2000 engines, which include:
    -New custom, interior startup/shutdown sound effects
    -New custom, interior spool-up/spool-down sound effects
    -New custom, interior backblast, surround sound, and flyby sound effects   New, complete, and custom exterior sounds for the General Electric CF-6 engines, which include:
    -New custom, exterior startup/shutdown sound effects
    -New custom, exterior spool-up/spool-down sound effects
    -New custom, exterior backblast, surround sound, and flyby sound effects Custom Mango Studios is, User-Friendly UI that helps you bring some more customization to your sound pack!
Brings installation instructions to make your installation more manageable, and a manual to bring you up to speed on how to customize your volume in the volume menu.

 
Either or both in the Flight Factor 767 Pro and the Flight Factor 757 are required for the use of this sound pack.
 
The original Boeing 767 sound package is still available at US$15.99, as is the original B757 sound package at the same US$15.99, so if you have both aircraft there is a saving in cost to update to the new sound pack. The single B757 sounds package was updated 24th April 2022, but not currently the B767. There are no notes on if there is a discount for previous purchasers.
 


__________________  
 
Yes! The Mango Studios Boeing Bundle is now available from the X-Plane.OrgStore
 
Mango Studios Boeing Bundle
Price is US$25.99
 
Requirements
This is a Sound pack. The Flight Factor 767 Pro and the Flight Factor 757 are  required for this sound pack
Download Size: 131 MB
Current version 1.0 (June 12th 2022) ____________
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
13th June 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.  

Igniters is really the wrong word to use here for the A & B channels are more of a electrical power supply. They have to be on the whole flight...  we checked.

Aircraft Review : McDonnell Douglas MD-11 by Rotate
 
Although created as passenger variant, the MD-11's biggest claim to fame or it's success is via it's continuing Cargo functionality. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 came into being with a huge legacy haunting over the aircraft. The MD-11 is of course a derivative of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.
 
The culture within McDonnell Douglas towards the end of the reign of James Smith "Mac" McDonnell, moved away from their famous engineering prowess to being lead by sales and profit. This resulted in the cost savings on the design of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Series. As of September 2015, the DC-10 had been involved in 55 accidents and incidents, including 32 hull-loss accidents, with 1,261 occupant fatalities, The most ill-famed was the Turkish Airlines Fl 981 McDonnell Douglas DC-10 who operating the flight crashed into the Ermenonville Forest, outside Paris, killing all 346 people on board. The crash was also known as the Ermenonville air disaster. Flight 981 was the deadliest plane crash in aviation history until 27 March 1977 (Tenerife).
 
The cause in the failure of the crash occurred when an incorrectly secured cargo door at the rear of the plane burst open and broke off, causing an explosive decompression that severed the critical cables necessary to control the aircraft. To maximize the working space within the cargo hold, the cargo doors opened outwards, making them vulnerable to being forced open at high altitudes under normal in-flight pressure. To prevent this, a special latching system was used that locked shut the doors under pressure when properly closed. To ensure the latches were properly positioned, a handle rotated on the outside of the door pressed small metal pins into the latches; if the latches were in an improper location the pins would not align and the handle would not close. In truth the problem haunted the aircraft for the rest of it's service life.
 
Oddly the same culture at McDonnell Douglas then caused it to be merged with Boeing under the stewardship of Harry Stonecipher. And again the same noxious McDonnell Douglas culture of putting sales, profits and shareholders before engineering proffered deep into Boeing as well. And those aspects resulted lately with the costly issues of the 787 Dreamliner, the late development of the new 777X and the disaster of the Boeing 737 MAX program.
 
In the middle of all this, was the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, and yet somehow the aircraft thrived and returned good service, to be basically to be seen now as the classic three engined aircraft of the period. If even spacing between the eras of the four-engined (B707/B747/A340) to the big-twins (B777, A350, B787).
 
McDonnell Douglas had started to search for a DC-10 derivative as early as 1976. Two versions were considered then; a DC-10-10 with a fuselage stretch of 40 feet (12 m) and a DC-10-30 stretched by 30 feet (9.1 m). The latter version would have been capable of transporting up to 340 passengers in a multi-class configuration, or 277 passengers and their luggage over 5,300 nautical miles (9,800 km). At the same time, the manufacturer was seeking to reduce wing and engine drag on the trijet. Another version of the aircraft was also envisaged, the "DC-10 global", aimed to counter the risks of loss of orders for the DC-10-30 that the Boeing 747SP and its range were causing. The DC-10 global would have incorporated more fuel tanks.
 
McDonnell Douglas was still convinced that a new derivative for the DC-10 was needed, as shown by the second-hand market for their Series 30 and the heavier DC-10-30ER version. Thus, in 1984 a new derivative aircraft version of the DC-10 was designated MD-11.
 
From the very beginning, the MD-11X was conceived in two different versions. The MD-11X-10, based on a DC-10-30 airframe, offered a range of 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km) with passengers. That first version would have had a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 580,000 pounds (260,000 kg) and would have used CF6-80C2 or PW4000 engines. The MD-11X-20 was to have a longer fuselage, accommodating up to 331 passengers in a mixed-class layout, and a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km).
 
On December 30, 1986, McDonnell Douglas launched the MD-11 with commitments for 52 firm orders and 40 options in three different versions (passenger, combi and freighter) from ten airlines (Alitalia, British Caledonian, Dragonair, Federal Express, Finnair, Korean Air, Scandinavian Airlines, Swissair, Thai Airways International, and VARIG) and two leasing companies (Guinness Peat Aviation and Mitsui).  Orders from Dragonair, Scandinavian and UTA, and an undisclosed customer were canceled by 1988.
 
The MD-11 however failed to meet its range and fuel burn targets. The last of the 200 aircraft was built in October 2000 after Boeing merged with MDC in 1997.
Some early MD-11F freighters were built, but most of the MD-11's still flying are now mostly all converted early MD-11 passenger aircraft. The aircraft in this guise is a very attractive proposition to cargo operators, When compared to a 777F, the MD-11 can only be able to carry 81% of the same load capacity (534 vs. 653 cubic meters). However, the latter would also end up being far cheaper aircraft to purchase (even with the conversion costs) and more readily available when compared to the newer 777F. Currently Federal Express still fly 57 MD-11s, including "Jim Riedmeyer" the first MD-11 Built (48401 LN:447, First Flight 01/03/1990).
 
Rotate MD-11
We are all very familiar with the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 from Rotate. Released on 9th Dec 2015, the MD-80 had a troubled introduction into the X-Plane Simulator. Top of the list was that Rotate as a developer back then was very green, add in also they being extremely ambitious in delivering such a complex airliner at the very first go. 
 
What did impress though was the speed and the sheer number of updates that followed in the next year (2016) to sort out the complex details and bugs. This is the sign of a good developer, with the excellent backup service and righting of the wrongs quickly....
 
By version v1.1 X-PlaneReviews picked up the aircraft in a state worth reviewing; Aircraft Update : McDonnell Douglas MD-88 v1.1 by Rotate (XPR did do a release preview also worth looking at). Over the years the MD-80 updates still came in thick and fast, and the aircraft is certainly in a very stable if now a slightly dated machine state. I put the Rotate MD-80 as one of my top ten aircraft, even as high as the fourth best. Yes it still has a few oddities in it's behavior, but as a simulation it is one of the most rewarding best.
 
So how do you follow up that aircraft. Well with the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, or the bigger brother of the MD-90 Series. The aircraft has also been in development for four long years, and in context that is a very long development cycle...   putting two and two together and your expectations are going to go through the roof...  you are expecting a lot, and even far more than the MD-80 this time around. The result however is what I call interesting.
 
Clarification: This review of the Rotate MD-11 was created under the Rotate Beta program, and not under a RC (Release Candidate), or release version of the aircraft, so there could be changes or even slight difference between this provided version and the final official aircraft, on current check of the latest beta version, I found there was no significant differences in the features or details provided here.
 
The release version is the Cargo variant, which considering the very few MD-11 passenger versions flying around, it is the aircraft you would really desire anyway. There are no current notes from Rotate on if the passenger version will be developed, but on the original announcement Rotate said "It is planed (sic) to be distributed in both cargo and passengers flavors, and Rotate confirmed the passenger variant is still under consideration".
 
When the Rotate MD-80 was released those fair few years ago. The aircraft had a very distinctive style. I called it "Ultra Realism", but a lot of users didn't like it, calling it overdone...  but I simply adored it, and I still do.
 
So would the MD-11 follow the same "Ultra Realism" route? Well it does, and again I totally and absolutely love it.
 

 
Is the MD-11 an attractive aircraft? "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". My angle is that "Form follows Function", and the MD-11 (DC-10) was created inside out, as the internals dictated what the external look and feel is all about, including mounting that centre middle engine way high above the tail, and the weight distribution that went with that configuration. One thing is very clear though, is that the MD-11 has a very unique presence, a different style and it is a very big aircraft.
 
So the aircraft does create a very big footprint in the simulator, and that aspect then does also create the fear of the MD-11 being a framerate killer. I never seen or even feel that aspect at all here, as the Felis Boeing 742 released last year, as it was in being the same large footprint aircraft that certainly did push those boundaries very hard, if over them, but I certainly don't get the same feeling here at all, but then I'm not greedy with my graphic settings either, and I am also flying on an average system...  my feeling is, if I can fly it well with no framerate intrusions then so should you. If you can't then it may be time to upgrade your computer specifications.
 

 
Rotate aircraft promote the "wear and tear" or hard worked "in it's life" style of design. And not only is the whole intricate detail available here, but it is tired and worn as it should be...  so that "Ultra Realism" is very apparent here. The MD-80 is like mentioned is a few years old now, and this sort of approach could be actually now deemed as old fashioned, but it is totally not...   as it is perfect.
 

 
A "walkaround" here turns into a journey of detail, a feast for the eyes, and you will never tire of looking at this aircraft. As there is always something new to discover and absorb. If you are a detail and texture junkie, then this MD-11 will put you in hospital with an obsessive overload.
 

 
Every access plate, rib, panel are all here to explore, it is all incredible stuff, and in an age of simulation of incredible stuff to feast on.
 
Engines mounted are three General Electric CF6-80C2D1F high-bypass turbofan engines, the same that is on the Boeing 747, rated at 52,200–61,960 lbf.
 

 
The engine pod design is excellent as is the chrome inlet surround, inner fan and spinner. But the real "gobsmacking" detail is the outlet, note that amazing cooper cone, all the wear feel is realism 101, or even 150%, it is all just so good.
 
The iconic DC10/MD11 tail arrangement is also excellent. Detail is incredible, again the outlet cone steals the show...
 

 
It is quite scary on how far back the GE CF6 is mounted in the tail section. There is a very long inlet to the fan section, and the rear cone and bottom section are also hinged down to remove the engine from the aircraft. If there was not enough weight back here, then why not add in another jet engine, a small one mind you in the APU unit, lower tail. Note the huge APU exhaust outlet, again extremely well done.
 
In reality there isn't much glass in the MD-11. The front cockpit windows are clear. I would have expected a green tint? maybe later in the options? Otherwise the window frames are excellent, with tons of detail and realism.
 

 
This is a converted passenger aircraft to a freighter. So some great detail from Rotate are the window plugs along the fuselage, and they look really good and realistic in the shaping of the panels. two windows (per side) are left in for wing visual inspection, again highly realistic in detail.
 

 
Like the DC-10, the MD-11 has a three bogie rear and a nosewheel unit for the landing gear arrangement.
 

 
A lot of developers model and detail the gear assemblies very well, but they leave them clean, nice but not what you call realistic...  here Rotate has done the "dirty" so to speak with not only the full assembly construction, links, hubs and supports and what have you, but covered them all in grime and brake dust...  perfection, yes it all is. All the hydraulic lines are there as is also the nice tyre construction with great tyre highlighted detail.
 
Middle support twin bogie is again brilliantly detailed, but the central hull placement means most of the internal section is hidden, very well done though again in quality and grubby detail.
 

 
Nosegear is also highly detailed and authentic in detail. Here you can see right up into the gear bay, and the great detail is also noted internally...
 

 
All linkages and assemblies are all highly modeled and detailed, The taxi and landing lights are positioned up very high on the struts on the MD-11. All the gear animations are first rate (and magnificent to watch) and note the forward gear doors that are connected directly to the nosegear struts.
 
So all the external aspects are excellent, and certainly meets the high demands of the high quality we expect from Simulation today, in this aspect you certainly won't be disappointed.
 
MENU
The MD-80 didn't have detailed menus, well sort of. There was the Manual you opened that had a two page Fuel & Load and Ground Operations set of options, and the doors could be opened via the banner menu as well.
 
With the MD-11 there is a dropdown X-Plane Banner Menu (Plugins) with two selections; AIRCRAFT MENU and ABOUT.
 

 
AIRCRAFT MENU; has four tabs...  Options, Load Manager, Ground Operations and Failures. ABOUT; Is the aircraft Version Number and Rotate Credits.
 

 
OPTIONS; This is the aircraft Options page with Seven option choices;
- Show Ambient temperatures In Celsius
- Show Weight data in Kilograms (Or Lbs)
- Show Fluid quantity in Litres (or Gallons)
- Reduce IRU align time to 30 seconds (align now)
- Default to HPa Barometer setting
- Synchronise barometer setting Co-Pilot side
- Use 8.33KHz spacing in VHF Radios
 
Lower is the choice to; "Perform Maintenance tasks to all systems", and to note to "Save Options" choices bottom.
 
Situations; Right side has five start "Situations";
- Cold & Dark
- Parked with external power
- Ready to start engines
- Ready to taxi
- Ready for departure
 
All selections are very good, but there is no "Turnaround" option which is interesting.
 
LOAD MANAGER; This is your aircraft set up page for Payload and CG (Centre of Gravity/%MAC) and Fuel Quantities, Weight & Balance and Total Weights.
 
Top is the Total Payload and Payload CG settings in KG (Lbs) and %MAC. Then the Fuel Quantities in; Takeoff Fuel, Taxi Fuel, Ballast Tank(s), Ballast Fuel, and Trip Fuel.
 
Notable is the Fuel loading settings as the interesting part is the aircraft balance setting. The MD-11 has extra AUX tanks for the TAIL TK (Tank), CTR (Centre) TK and the AUX UP TK, of which you can select to use. This can be very hard to set up, because the MD-11 aircraft is very, very sensitive to it's CG balance. The really hard part is that where do you get your "Ballast" fuel info from, certainly not from SimBrief, as it is not listed there. I set up a route (and not using the "Ballast" function), and somehow it just didn't work for me...  Rotate notes that they are going to "Rethink" the fuel layout. Basically My attitude is to fill the main centre tanks then just adjust the AUX tanks automatically to fill to the amount of excess fuel required.
 

 
You can "Extend Controls" (bottom left) of the Weight and Fuel Quantities to load the different Cargo Compartments, Upper and Lower decks...  "Simple Controls" returns the menu back to normal size.
 

 
On the Right is the "Weight & Balance (ZF-CG and TO-CG) graph to see your loading and takeoff limits (or limitations), and below is the Totals of the TOW (TakeOff Weight), ZFW (Zero Fuel Weight), TO-CG (TakeOff - Centre of Gravity) and ZF-CG (Weight and Trim) both %MAC.
 
Finally bottom is the option to "Apply (set) load configutation to aircraft and FMS", This will transfer the set loading data directly into the aircraft (fuel and weight) and %MAC into the FMS.
 
GROUND OPERATIONS; This tab allows you to use "Static Elements and to open and close the aircraft doors, with a few nice features as well.
 

 
Ground Services; There are six selections for "Ground Services". They include; GPU (Ground Power Unit), which is very nice (you can also use the COMMAND Toggle "GPU_power_request_toggle" as well to activate the GPU). Wheel Choks (sic)... Wheel Chocks, Cockpit Stair, a very nice RF Door set of tall stairs, Fuel Service, Load Aircraft and a Push Back option (I would still use betterpushback).
 

 
Menus right side are the multitude of door options "Cabin Doors" L/R in forward and rear fuselage doors. Cargo Deck Doors have four options...  Cargo Main (LF top), Cargo Fwd (RF bottom), Cargo CTR (RR bottom) and Cargo Aft (LR bottom), the Cargo aft left door is very similar to the BULK door.
 
The "Load Aircraft" feature is very similar to the INIBuilds loading feature...  Select "Load Aircraft" from the menu and the Cargo door opens...  then a truck turns up with four trolleys with containers and a very nice K Loader. One by one the containers are then loaded onto the aircraft...  it is well done, and I really liked the way the tug and trolleys move up to unload themselves onto the K Loader...
 

 
... but you only load on those four containers, there are no more, then reopen the LF Cargo door and "poof!" they have all gone?
 
So I will note the feature as a WIP (hopefully), will we have later more containers (and their weights) and then actually in keeping the load on the aircraft until you unload at the destination. So far it looks brilliant, but feels currently not finished, or even feasible for a cargo hauler.
 
FAILURES; The "Failures" feature also feels a little underdeveloped? You get nine options in; APU, Air, Electrical, Engines, Fuel, Hydraulic, Instrumentation, Fire and Other. But the options are limited to only one in "Fail Now" of which will fail the choice option. It will "Fix Now" so you can quickly rectify the failure... but there are no timer or altitude failure options.
 

 
Bonus is that there is a lot of failure options to choose from, as the lists are quite long and detailed, but I feel this is another area to be improved more later.
 
One last note on the onscreen menu. It is a fixed screen menu with no scale or movement around the screen, that is making it a bit crowded when in use, but it is simple and well done to use.
 
Cabin/Deck
The view we all savour...  going aboard.
 

 
External view looks good, fuselage doors open upwards and inwards, à la Boeing 767.
 

 
Behind the cockpit is the crew rest area with a small galley and two armchairs, it feels far more smaller here than the same on the Boeing 777...  the detail in here is extremely Lo-Res and not a priority to the overall design, Rotate says all the rear textures are this way for good framerate processing, fair enough, but I feel there was enough framerate ceiling to easily do this area in a more Hi-Res feel and detail. Objects and text are blurred and it feels ten years older in here than with most current aircraft, than it should be. The current X-Plane obsession with toilets is also not used, the toilet door is firmly closed and unusable.... shame.
 

 
It is the same with the upper and lower cargo decks...  HUGE, but again very Lo-Res in detail for frameweight benefits... but nicely passable.
 

 
The MD-11 cargo capacity is HUGE, there is so much spare meter space... you can see why these old jets are hard to replace, as they can carry so much capacity cargo.
 
Cockpit (Office)
The feel inside is very Rotate as well, I call it "Edgy Grungy", a lived in and worked in environment like within the Rotate MD-80.
 

 
Certainly this it is not a refined interior, more like a cargo ship to an ocean liner. If I could name an aircraft it would be "Nostromo", after the Space-tug in the Alien Film.   It is a workman like environment.
 
The cockpit is set up for a three person crew, but the aircraft is only flown by the two forward pilots, the third is really just a loading officer or a relief pilot in the third seat. The three seats are bulky, and expertly modeled, love the authentic chunky headrests, and the molded document storage backing frame and the molded lower seat frame. Seat material is a blue wool fabric with large sheepskin covers to keep you comfortable on those long-hauls...  sheepskin is extremely hard to do with hard modeling, but it looks realistic in here.
 

 
You are instantly aware of the very heavy textures of the window frame moldings. First thoughts are that they have been a bit overdone or with poor awareness by Rotate, but they are perfectly authentic (I checked out the numerous MD-11 videos), they give the aircraft a more older feel of it's period than what it actually is. Like with the MD-80 the excellent detailing surrounding you is excellent.  
 

 
Notable is that the front side windows that are nicely animated. Turn the handle and the lock catch works, then the window winds backwards...  nice!
 

 
The MD-11 could only be an American aircraft. It has a big if huge cockpit, tons of space and chunky controls, like a big American car or truck, everything in here feels oversized or "LARGE with that". Pilots love the space and oversized windows, you sit up high and proud in the machine.
 
Textures are extremely good (and nicely worn). You have a six display screen arrangement wide across the facia, there are three displays for each pilot...
 

 
... and you instantly want to grab and to feel those lovely chunky yokes. Radio button is built in, but the electric trim switches don't work?
 
Power on via the single BAT (Battery) switch on the Overhead Panel (OHP) and the aircraft lights up like a Christmas Tree (I put the aircraft here on EXT PWR (External Power))
 

 
It looks complex...  because it is. Well that is not entirely true. As the MD11 is again a transition machine from the older analog (clockwork) era to the current automated glass cockpits, the systems are spread out and visible like in the earlier aircraft, but not yet as totally automated as in the modern era. But it is an auto glass cockpit, just with a lot more buttons.
Thankfully the systems are laid out in a point to future ergonomic layouts, and there is provided by Rotate an extremely comprehensive set of manuals (20 Manuals actually) covering almost every aspect of every system. So there is a lot to learn and study in here.
 
First you can hide the yokes. You can click (hotspot) on either base of the yokes to make them disappear, so they are each independent of each other.
 

 
A lot of users hate dirty displays...  I am certainly not one of them. You get the lot here in; smudgy fingerprints, cornered dust, spittled glass, it is all lovely "dirty" realistic wear and tear...  the total answer to "get a life" dirt haters, this is "real life stuff".
 

 
Instrument Panel
The six display layout is pretty easy to understand,  per each side pilot they are called DU (Display Units).
 
They consist of the outer PFD (Primary Flight Displays), middle ND (Navigation Display) and inner EAD. The EAD is split with the left display the PED (Primary Engine Display) and on the right the SD (Secondary Engine Display). Centre panel is the Gear lever and the four gear annunciator lights. Top is the "FGCP" or Flight Guidance Panel or Autopilot.
 

 
The PFD is familiar, but it isn't? Using a lot of colour (mostly orange or amber) it is unusual to the eye, but the layout is extremely highly detailed here from Rotate (call it authentic if you like). From the off you have to understand the language used in the MD-11, it is modern in a way (very Airbus, or early Airbus), but again quirky in it's own way. Again study is certainly required to master the systems, or their quirks.
 

 
Speed and Altitude tapes are left and right, with a complex V/S Vertical Speed built into the right tape. Autopilot and AutoThrust (A/THR) functions are top, with a compass heading at the bottom. Centre is the Artificial Horizon with a built in pitch markers and Rate of Turn markers. We will go through the banner command FMS (Flight Mode) Annunciator system later.
 
Interesting is the side SISP (Source Input Select Panel). Here you have options for the PFD. FD (Flight Director) Off (Flight Director 1 is always on unless turned off), FD 2 (Flight Director 2), CADC (Central Air Data Computer), IRS (Selection allows normal IRS or Aux IRS sources). FMS (Switch between FMS 1 or FMS 2), VOR (Selection of VOR Source) and again APPR, in selecting ILS 1 or 2). Here the image below right shows the options activated.
 

 
It is important to understand how the upper left and right glareshield ECP (Electronic Control Panel) or usually noted as "EFIS -Electronic Flight Instrument System" interacts with the display units... the ECP looks complicated but it is actually quite easy to use.
 

 
Only the Baro, in SETTING, STD and MINIMUMS (both RA and BARO) are used in the PFD, the rest of the buttons are used for the ND (Navigation Display).
 
Top is the Magnetic North or True North selection. Then five options for the ND display in; MAP, VOR, TCAS, PLAN and APPR.
 


 
MAP options include TRFC (Traffic), DATA, WPT (Waypoint), VOR/NDB and ARPT (Airport) that are listed in the left lower box (ND Display)
 

 
Here (above) are the first two options in TRFC and DATA that is shown (Data puts route and speed data on the screen). You can adjust the RANGE via the two central buttons INCR/DECR.
 
Finally are the VOR and ADF Pointers. Selection will put the details and VOR direction into the MAP, ADF is not working here because there are so few now. Frequences are set in the FMS (Flight Management System) NAV/RAD page. Other notable points in the MAP display are the GS (Ground Speed) and TAS (True Airspeed), Waypoint and Distance, and finally a Clock/Timer.
 

 
Both the PED (Primary Engine Display) and the right SD (Secondary Engine Display) both show the engine performance data, here shown are both situations in (top) the engines are cold and (lower) the engines are hot or running.
 

 
PED; Three readouts cover the N1, EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) and N2, TAT is top right. Lower is a "Warning Panel" (ECAM) that shows four states of warnings and alerts;  CYAN Level 0 (Informative), AMBER Level 1 (Caution) and 2 (Framed Caution) and the RED (Fire) Level 3.
 

 
SD; The secondary display is more flexible. Again the engine readouts dominate, but the readouts are different in Oil Pressure, Oil Temperature and QTY (Quantity). Lower is the NAC TEMP, EVH COMP and TEMP readouts
Banner holds the GW (Gross Weight, and Total FUEL, CG (Centre of Gravity), Cabin Alt and Rate are all shown across the top of SD display. Two important items are also shown here (arrowed). Top centre is the (very important) STAB Trim and the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) N1, EGT, N2 and Oil readouts.
 
The SD also has other page options...   Set behind the Throttle quadrant is the SD control panel. On here are twelve buttons representing; ENG (Engine default), Blank, Blank, ND (Navigation Display - Not used), CONSEQ (Consequence), STATUS, HYD (Hydraulics), ELEC (Electrical), AIR (Air-Conditioning), FUEL, CONFIG (Configuration) and MISC (Miscellaneous).
 

 
Flight Management Computer (MCDU)
If you have used the MD-80 FMC then you should easily find your way around this FMC System, called here MCDU (Multipurpose Control Display Units). There is a lot more data involved, but the layout and the use is almost the same. Notable also like the MD-80 there are no pop-out (2d) panels, you go to the MCDU, it does not come to you? (all the flight displays don't pop-out either, which is bad news for home cockpit builders).
 
Replication of the Honeywell Pegasus MCDUs is first rate, with two displays forward and one rear on the pedestal. The rear is of course for display only, but some of the basic pages work. The feeling here is that this unit could become active in the future, as certain active pages do pop-up and are active. Set between the two forward MCDUs are the backup Altimeter and Artificial Horizon, Auto Brake selector and the Brake Pressure gauge (that works).
 


 
Brightness of the displays have to be all adjusted (like with the MD-80, you also update the Navigation Data in the same "nav-data" folder, so one Nav Data download can be used for both aircraft, but don't change the spelling of the folder, as it is different to the MD-80).
 

 
INIT (Initial)page has three selections F-PLN, WEIGHT and FUEL. There is a lot of data to input here, but there is that helper fill in tool in the menu, data detail is very, very good.
 

 
FLIGHTPLAN (F-PLN) input is very Airbus, and the route scrolls around like an Airbus MCDU screen, F/PLN has two pages, and wind input is added in later. Both T/C (Top of Climb) and T/D (Top of Descent) are both featured.
 

 
TAKEOFF Preferences are highly detailed, But listed here under the TO/APPR key, note the "-STAB" balance setting with the selected Flap setting. PROGRESS (PROG) pages 1&2 are also excellent and well detailed.
 

 
ECON (Economy) Pages are selected under the PERF Key...  CLB (Climb), CRZ (Cruise) and DES (Descend) and are all covered
 

 
DIR INTC (DIRECT TO)...  There is a DIR-TO tool, but no HOLD function. The RADIO page is quite basic... note the input of the ILS/CRS (ILS/COURSE) Frequency which you have to input manually, highly notable is that you also have to insert the Frequency unusually to activate it which we again will cover later. Other option on the ILS is to just use the "LOC" (Lock) feature. VOR 1 and VOR 2 Frequencies are set in the banner.
 

 
The MD-80 users will be nodding and saying "Yeah, yeah..  not to much different is it", but there is a lot of different detail or minute in this MCDU to study... a lot is straight forward, but still different, so be aware...  and if you input wrong it has a huge effect on the flying (balance) of the aircraft.
 
Overhead Panel (OHP)
The Overhead Panel is complex? Three Engines makes for a lot of buttons and systems on one board. Thankfully ergonomics has taken place here to give you panel flow. The MD-11 was completely system redesigned to intergrate for two crew operation, were as the DC-10 had a Flight Engineer (and Panel) third crew member. A lot of the functions are very easily recognised, but there are a lot of buttons for side systems (Aux Pumps and so on) that are essential to the operations of the systems....  So study is obviously required to understand all the systems presented on the board.... This means, just pressing the buttons you think you need and then go flying will result in a major system failure, meaning then your going to ruin a very nice aircraft, so you can't be cocky bugger in here.
 

 
Layout is column left (top down) panels; ADIRU (Air Data Inertial Reference Unit) Navigation, Cargo Temperature, FADAC (Full Authority Digital Engine (or electronics) Control)...  Main centre column panels; HYD (Hydraulics), ELEC (Electrical), AIR (Air-Conditioning) bottom FUEL.... Right column panels; Service Panel, Cabin Press (Pressure), Anti-Ice, Test Panel.
 
The chin bottom panel; Left/Right Wipers, OHP and Dome/Storm lighting, Instrument lighting knobs, EMER LT (Emergency Lighting), No Smoking/Seat Belt switches, Call Reset...  External lighting (Landing/Nose), Wing/Turnoff Runway lights, NAV (Navigation), LOGO, BCN (Beacon) and HI-INT (Strobe) lights. Note a few switches in the lighting panel are opposites, off can be in or out on selection. It is clever in that the non-essential lights are in off, but the essential NAV, BCN and HI-INT are out off.
 

 
Upper OHD is centre the three FIRE handles, TEST can be done far right with ENG/APU FIRE TEST button. CARGO FIRE panel is left, and the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) panel is set right and quite high up (arrowed left below). The rest of the OHD is the Circuit Breaker (fuse) panel (non-working).
 

 
All the panels (annunciators) can be tested, right down to the infamous cargo door (CARGO DOOR TEST) arrowed above.
 
Throttle Quadrant
The central Throttle Quadrant is simply a beautiful thing. Really well recreated for your pleasure...  Far left is the Long Trim Handle, then the T-Bar (with working catch selector) SPD BRK (Speed Brakes). Those three sublime Throttle Handles have built in reverser handles, then the right hand Flap Selector with the DIAL-A-FLAP selection (more in the "Flying" section).
 

 
Front of the quadrant are the three engine starter switches, with below the same corresponding fuel selectors. Notable on the throttle handles are three buttons...  at each end throttle there is an A/THR (AutoThrust) disconnect button, and a centre (white) button is to kill the alarm.
 

 
Pedestal
The rear pedestal is really the radio panel. It has left-right VHF and HF 1-2 CPR Radios upper with the Audio Control Panel below, and the Weather WX Panel mid-left, then the Transponder panel below. Finally bottom left is a third VHF 3 Radio Panel. Both the manual roll and rudder trim wheels are centred rear. We have already covered the upper SD Control Panel and the centre MCDU.
 

 
Setup and Testing
System depth on this MD-11 is EXTREMELY deep, there is nothing on show here but total realism. If you want to understand the real depth of the systems I recommend to watch this real world video before attempting to use the aircraft; MD-11 COCKPIT SETUP
 
The cross reference to the Rotate MD-11, and the parallels are freaky close. Highlights here are the non-instrument setup (cold start).
 

 
Testing the different areas are excellent...  you can test (as earlier noted) all the systems and panels, the fire systems are particularly good. As all of the FIRE/APU and Fuel switches can be tested and checked.
 

 
When setting the inertial navigation system or INS, it will also test the above "CARGO FIRE" panel (quite correct), or it can be tested independently...  Turn on the three INS switches and the system will align, it is slow(er) than most alignments, and if you want to check...
 

 
...  the alignments, then they can be found under the REF button <POS REF then page 2 IRS/GNS POS...
 
...   you can also test such items as the landing gear...  push the gear lever down (on the ground of course), and the gear system will test itself, and it is all so brilliantly done.
 

 
There are so many areas that are real world duplicated that obviously can't all be replicated in this review (unless you want to spend days reading it), so these items above are just a small preview.
 
Flying the McDonnell Douglas MD-11
In most cases when you fly big "heavies" the operations are either in one or the other, in being say before the modern era (i.e... 60s or 70s), or the modern very automated cockpits of today's era. The MD-11 is neither or sort of both, as it is set at the crossroads between the different eras. Like noted it leans more towards a Airbus style operation than the Boeing manual aspect which is interesting as this is a very American style aircraft, so if you approach the aircraft in an Airbus manner, you will find it easier to operate. For once you will need to study the operations in here, because if not, it will confuse you into doing the wrong operation protocol... and you can't do that.
 
Lets Start...  Power is already on via the Main Battery Switch OHP...  I'm on Ground Power so it is time to start the APU, the APU button is on the ELEC panel. (the APU panel is also way up on the right on the OHP, this is the main APU STOP/START (arrowed below left) that can also be used), then make sure the APU is starting up via the SD (Engine) display, no action then press the button again. Once the APU is up and running then press the APU BLEED (AIR PANEL middle right) to supply air and pressure to the aircraft systems.
 

 
Two backup (AUX) Hydraulic pumps need to be on, plus the SYSTEM switch by them is also turned to MANUAL...  APU running you can now switch over the internal power supply feed and shutdown the External Power (GPU).
 

 
Next is setting up the Bleed from the APU to start the MD-11, so you press the two ISOL (Isolate) buttons, the system should switch again to MANUAL, but once activated it will go back to AUTO.
 
Engine Ignition (or igniters) are on the left lower FADAC OHP, these are the A and B channels and MUST be kept switched on when the engines are running or for the whole flight, "Igniters" is really the wrong word here (although everyone refers to them in that aspect), they are power supply switches and switch them off and it will shutdown the engines...
 

 
....  now we are ready to start the engines. The ENG START Switch (Yellow) is below each engine throttle, and to start the engine you switch it upwards. Engine start sequence is 2 (Middle), 1 (Left) and then 2 (Right). The centre engine powers the air-conditioning and other AUX systems, so it is started first. Note a lot of MD-11 pilots only start the No. 2 Engine for taxiing on the ground, but that depends on your weight and configuration...  The start sequence will show soon with action on the N2 (No.2) engine display...
 

 
...  the N2 percent% will rise until you reach 17% N2, then you switch in the Fuel with the FUEL (Flow) Switch below the ENG START Switch, it does take time to get to the 17% N2 threshold, so you have to be patient, and you can't start a second engine while the first start up procedure is in progress, it won't let you do that...  so starting all the three engines can take time to do.
 

 
The engine numbers should settle down around 25 N1, 431 EGT and 64.4 % N2. The ISOL and APU Bleeds should then automatically cancel once the engines are running (AUTO Mode), but if not then cancel them...  you can now also shut down the APU (It takes forever, so don't go pushing the button again and again, and thinking it is not working?) Then you set the STAB Trim, the trim number is shown on the TO/APPR buttom on the FMS, and ignore the -(Minus) trim, as it is not required unlike on the Airbus, you set the Trim via the Long Trim handle (left throttle quadrant) or with the keyboard trim (recommended).
 

 
Another unique feature on the MD-11 is the DIAL-A-FLAP System. This gives you quite a unique variation in the flap angle than on most heavy aircraft...  Select Flap 10, which is shown on the Pilot's PFD (bottom left) and then "Dial" in the finer flap angle degree by using the adjustment wheel right of the flap handle, it can be adjusted from 10º to 25º flap, I selected 11º for Takeoff.
 

 
The DIAL-A-FLAP can also be used also on the approach phase, obviously not on the actual approach phase, but coming into the circuit for landing and reducing speed...  so you can tune the flap to the speed exactly, and then get the perfect circuit speed you require, this is a feature I REALLY like as it eliminates that huge drop from one flap degree position to another, adjusting the wheel as fine degrees can smooth it all out in the transitioning in the slowing down of the speeds.
 
The MD-11 is a dot the i's and cross the T's sort of aircraft. So there are a LOT of parameters to set, and you will need to cover all of them, miss a setting and the aircraft just does not like it, and the MD-11 will usually tell you. STAB (Trim) is set here to 6.0, and Flap at 15.0º
 

 
The TakeOff data (TO/APPR) is very good and highly detailed. Notable is that only TO Is available at takeoff, and the APPR data only later in the approach phase.
 
Off the (Park) brake and we're rolling. As noted three engines will move you forward, so you will need to touch the brakes frequently to keep the taxi speed under control. I checked in just using (or being powered only by) the Middle-Engine, and that is about perfect.
 

 
The MD-11 is a BIG aircraft, so you need to anticipate turns...  the tiller does not seem to turn, then it does! so you have to find it's sweet spot to manoeuvre the aircraft professionally around the taxiways. You are also sitting way out in front of the nosegear, so another thing to be aware of in swinging around the tight taxiway bends. Most MD-11 pilots use their own seat base position as a bearing of where the nosegear position is set to on the turns and the aircraft positioning.
 

 
The FMA banner display in the PFD can be at first very complicated. Any white bands means the system is not engaged, but ready in ARMED (showing values and modes). Red bands (warning) means a primary system is disengaged (A/P or A/THR), Amber bands means a failure in the system. No bands shown around the PFD banner data means it is in ACTIVATED mode.
 
White also represents the FGCO (Flight Guidance) values and modes, Magenta represents the FMS (Flight Management) values and modes, green is for "Dual Autolands", and again Amber for failures.
 

 
Set the Ground Spoiler to ARMED, by upping the T SPK BRK lever like on the MD-80, and the AUTO BRAKE to T.O.
 

 
It is Important to ARM the AUTO FLIGHT (mid-FGCP button) the bigger lower one...   and this sets the A/THR (Auto Thrust) to the T/O THRUST mode on the PFD.
 

 
You can put the throttles full up...  and the A/THR system will protect and keep the thrust to or within the T/O thrust limits. The MD-11 can be a bit of a handful as the speed builds, so you need skill here to hold the aircraft straight down the centreline, but it is very highly realistic.... 
 

 
...   as the speed builds the set speed bugs will now adjust correctly  to their speed positions, after v2 is FR or the +10 marker to rotate the aircraft.
 

 
Set the "Positive Climb" to around 10º, (depending on the T/O weight you can go as high as 15º) and gear UP...  and watch the theatrics.
 

 
This show alone is well worth the admission price.
 

 
You press the same AUTO FLIGHT button again to activate the Autopilot, AP1 or AP2 to your option (usually AP1), then to lock in the route you press the NAV (NAV 1) button under the heading selector....
 


 
There is no V/S (Vertical Speed) button, so you just go straight to the right V/S wheel and you just select your climb rate (or descent rate), MAX rate of climb is impressive at 6000 fpm at low altitude, but you wouldn't do that with most load rates...  4300 fpm is normal with 3,000 fpm with a heavy load.
 

 
It is very important to understand the knob operation logic...  very, very Airbus, in fact it is mostly similar. Most knobs have the IN (AUTO) and OUT (MANUAL) operation like on Airbuses. So you click (arrow) up or down for each operation. The difference is that in an Airbus when you change say the airspeed via the Speed selector the engines will respond straight away and change the speed....  but in here the MD-11 operation is slightly different, and in the need of getting used to.
 
Change the speed and you get an outlined marker...  but the speed itself (unlike in the Airbus) it will not change until you activate it by clicking on the speed knob (arrow down/pull out), and only THEN will the engines will power up (or down) to the set speed selection...
 

 
All the FGCP command knobs act the same way...  Speed, Heading and Altitude, so you adjust then activate the action. This can all be a bit time consuming, certainly when adjusting the finer speeds of say when using the ILS Slope, but you will soon get used to it.
 
Another point is that the A/THR has a lot of safeguards built in, if you want a certain speed (say m.83), but you are already at the operating limits, it won't change the speed from your current set speed (m.80). The system calculates the current weight, power and altitude requirements and then says "yes" or "no" to your command. When that changes (say burning off more more fuel, or a different flight level) then it will allow the change.
 
This is shown on the PFD with the SE and GE as your limits, also the limit is shown on the banner of the ND (Navigation Display)... so you set your speed to the upper SE marker, then select the down arrow to change the speed...
 

 
....  this is of course depending on the weight, and you are restricted in speed. I found at FL330 (33,000ft) I was restricted to m.80, at FL350 to m.82, but my guess in that go higher to FL360 to get your M.83 cruise speed. If you force your speed, then the marker will only quickly start to fall, and keep falling, so you have to be aware of this! If not your speed will fall off completely and not recover. The same SE and GE Markers also work in reverse, in noting your landing and flap speeds.
 
The Rotate MD-11 is a sensational aircraft to fly. But also very (if extremely) demanding and even tiring with all the work you have to do in here. This is "Simulation" not "Gaming", and a deep study and working simulation at that. You won't cover all the details even in a few flights, but you can in time become very proficient in flying the "The Diva" or the "More Death 2", "Scud" (once you launched it, you were not sure were it was going to land) or the "Marriage-Divorce 11". all nicknames for the MD-11 for various reasons.
 

 
Sounds are very, very good...  there is a very nice cockpit hum with the various systems being used, turn on say the Air-Con and you hear the system being activated and audible, so the sound detail is deep. You are positioned very forward of the engines, so they aren't a big factor on the ground or in flight, but they are there and sound really good, both internally and externally. All sounds are of course FMOD and extensive (the aircraft even creaks and groans under loads) so you can't fault this aspect. The same sort of shouty alerts are in here as in the MD-80, and they can be annoying if even counterproductive of the reasons they are there for, mostly I ignore them.
 
Speed is Mach 0.88 - Max, Mach 0.83 - Cruise (507 - 479kn; 940-886 km/h), with a range of 3,592 nmi (6,652 km) (Freighter, 6,725 nmi (12,455 km) Pass). Ceiling is 43,000ft.
 
There are working blinds in the cockpit and very good they are... they will slide around from the rear, and you can adjust the angle of the blind as well in position...  I really like good working blinds, and they are very good in here.
 

 
Lighting
The quality of the X-Plane cockpit lighting today is extremely good. The developers have lots of tools to deliver very realistic night lighting, that is more important here as the MD-11 is a Long Hauler aircraft, 10+ Hours flying is not unusual, and being a Cargo Hauler most of the flying is done overnight... So internal night lighting has to very easy on the eye and highly adaptable.
 
And you are not disappointed here either in the MD-11. There are three adjustment knobs with insert knobs (six) for both indirect lighting and highlight (text) lighting. Two knobs on the OHP cover the OVHD (Overhead) and INSTRUMENT lighting, and the single adjustment knob left on the glareshield covers the GCP (Glareshield Control Panel)...  The smaller knob on the INSTRUMENT lighting, adjusts the light left top of the OHP which shines directly onto the pedestal area of the cockpit.
 

 
...  instruments are lit in both above the FGCP, and with the lower four instrument dropdown lights, very nice indeed it all is.
There are adjustment knobs for lighting on the yokes, and nice they look as well in the darkened cockpit...  There are also two overhead fully adjustable spotlights (click on the light to activate).
 

 
There are also two (one for each pilot) "Briefcase" lights or side panel lights, and a one (click) spot light over the rear relief seat. The rear extensive circuit breaker panels have their own lighting adjustment, it is via a knob (arrowed above left) at the end of the wall panel.
 

 
There are two switches on the OHP that can select both (THUNDER)STORM and DOME lighting
 

 
The panel lighting can be adjusted right down to just the instruments, but I easily found a nice comfort lighting for the important takeoff and landing periods, or if you want that quiet night cockpit environment...  overall excellent.
 

 
Rear rest area has average down-lighting connected to the DOME button, but the main cargo deck has no lighting at all, shame?
 

 
External
The external lighting is also excellent...  There are four forward landing lights, two set high on the nosegear and two that pop-out forward fuselage. The Turnoff Taxiway lighting is in the inner wings with the Wing/Ice lighting...
 

 
....  you can check out the wings leading edge or trailing edge, via the two observation windows...  there is also good tail-lighting.
 

 
There are upper and lower fuselage beacons, navigation lights, and all are nicely tuned. There is no rear tail (white) navigation light but two white navigation lights each per rear wing tip, strobes are also well refined.
 

 
Time to go down...
 

 
Reducing speed to the minimum setting GE, the the V/S to (here) set to 1800fpm...  Altitude target markers are installed as are the Climb and TOD (Top of Descent) markers, which are both nice tools to have in planning your ascent and descent...
 

 
....   with the descent in progress you now get access to the APPR mode (TO/APPR). Here you can select either a 35º Flap or the full 50º Flap approach (or the other way around). All the required landing data is also now available, including the speed limits.
 

 
Notable is that the MD-11 does not have a set landing speed/flap sequence. The flap required to the speed settings depends on the landing weight? So you will need to download and print out the MD-11 "Speed Tables" to get the correct speed settings for the landing.
 
The landing weight is shown in the APPR page RK1. You will also get a "MSG" (Message) to "CHECK WEIGHTS" before landing to finalise the landing settings.
 

 
I found the Rotate MD-80 quite tricky in the approach phase with the flaps? Setting the correct speed to the flap setting was awkward in that a lot of times you got it wrong, say in the "too fast" to the flap setting, in bringing the nose or getting a pitch down condition.... In the MD-11 is is far better as you have that DAIL-A-FLAP system to even out the flap angles, it works quite well.
 

 
Into the circuit of EDDP Rwy 26R, Leipez-Halle, Germany... using GOXLI1V STAR approach.
 
Thoughout all my earlier MD-11 flights, I just couldn't get the ILS (Frequency) to work? Then I found out the issue...  Being a though pilot that I am, I filled out the ILS Frequency box on the NAV/RAD panel with the full frequency. In this case EDDP 26R "108.35/263" from the Navigraph Jeppesen chart...  that is Freq 108.35 and course 263º, correct of course, but in here that is incorrect, as it does not work?
 

 
The correct way to insert the ILS Freqency is just to ONLY insert the ILS Freq, or "108.35" and the system fills the rest in, including the wrong course degree? If set correctly you will see the ILS runway code (ILNW) in the section above the Rwy Frequency. I don't know if this set arrangement will continue in the future upgrades, personally I don't think so, but it is a situation to be aware of before landing.
Another point is that make sure you do have the correct frequency inserted? I found a few times by setting the frequency early, it was the correct frequency, but set to the wrong Airport/ILS position...  checking frequencies closer to your destination airport will correct the system to the right Airport/ILS.
 

 
On the last turn to finals into Rwy 26R, I drop the extensive gear arrangement...  I always drop the gear on the last turn into an runway as it feels and looks very dramatic...  it gets the adrenalin going, heightening the senses, shifting in your seat, getting ready for the landing, and here in the MD-11 everything "sure is heightened", it is that sort of aircraft.
 

 
MD-11 as we were told, had the fastest VAPP of any civilian airliner. At MGLW (Maximum Gross Landing Weight) it was known to be landing at around 168kts. That is fast and the stopping distance was always in need of being scrutinised carefully. Here is a video showing the differences in the landing speeds to a Boeing 757 (Yes I know the angle of the camera could change the perspective). Notable also is that the MD-11 handled very differently than it's forebear the DC-10, if the the same configuration of aircraft, but the DC-10 had far larger wings and in so landed far slower.
 
I'm sitting at 175 knts, but in reality the MD-11 is certainly a gut sort of aircraft in this phase, it has that certain analog feel that you have to go on by instinct and not be totally focused on the numbers, which are obviously dictated by your weight and approach speeds. You will need to find that perfect balance by using both the hard numbers, but then adjusting the aircraft around them until it feels perfect right.
 

 
You press the upper large centre APPR/LAND button centre FGCP to ARM the approach phase (as noted this also arms only the LOC if you selected that option)
 
If you have activated the ILS Frequency correctly it will show lower left in the PFD with the set Flap degree, you can also now set the APPR screen in the ECP, for better approaches. Notable is the auto selection of "Single" or "Dual" landing (Land) selections (green banner top right PFD) , it will flash the selection it will use then LOC it in.
 

 
Setting the (ground) Speed Brake is very tricky. It is used like the same in the MD-80, in clicking it upwards to ARM the system, but it is harder to reset back to normal (click down) than on the MD-80...  the Captain's position and angle does not help either.
 

 
Over the threshold and your "nervous" but in command, this is a lot of fast moving aircraft to put down and stop...
 

 
Notable are the AP (AutoPilot) and A/THR (AutoThrust) disconnects, there is as noted in being disconnect buttons (Yoke and Throttle), but I recommend to set another key command (I used both my joystick and X52 Rhino Throttle). Both disconnects have an A & B disconnect, so one switch is not enough to cover both systems...  the biggest note here is that the same commands also quietens the alarms once the disconnect activates, they can be seriously annoying if you can't shut them down... 
 
The same FMA banner legend is used in RED Off (Warning), AMBER is failure, WHITE is not engaged (but armed)....  BLANK is Active.
 

 
In landing again the MD-11 is like the Airbus, as there are landing modes, certainly the callouts are very good, with also "LAND and FLARE on the PFD...  I was however seriously impressed on how I could just pitch the nose up nicely in the flare to touch the main gear down first. Some if a lot aircraft fight you in this flare phase, but the MD-11 is just simply brilliant here.
 

 
Your down, but now you have to stop this fast running hulk of an aircraft...  I find the AutoBrake a bit too heavy in even the MED setting, MIN is passable, but in a lot of cases I leave the Auto Brake off completely. Here the excellent Reverse Thrust on all three engines is very effective, with a loud powerful thrust that rubs off the speed very efficiently. Notable is that you only use the REV setting to activate the thrust reversers, don't touch or power up the throttles in this mode, as it has the opposite effect!... 
 

 
... all this comes with light touches on the left and right (Pedal) brakes to keep the MD-11 nicely centred while slowing down...
 

 
...  and soon you are back in taxi mode and using the tiller. .. again I recommend to turn off the No.1 & No.3 engines and just taxi on No.2, as it makes your life far easier in a moderate taxi speed, shown on the PFD, and then start the GPU ready. Welcome to Leipez-Halle.
 

 
If you think that landing looked easy, then it took about a week to work out and perfect, this is one seriously complex but rewarding aircraft... but once you get it, it delivers MASSIVELY.
 

 
Riding around EDDPs long taxiway network, I could only think of one thing "Where to go next", as the list I was creating in my head for the MD-11 was already getting huge... Trans-Atlantic, Anchorage, Singapore, Japan...   "Whoo" this aircraft is going to be an absolute blast!
 

 
Yes the Rotate MD-11 exceeds the expectations and then some, as it is also another level of Simulation, complex and demanding....  you do have to live up to the aircraft, expect to study and spend (a lot) of time working through it before mastering it...  it is just EXCEPTIONAL!
 

 
Liveries
There are ten liveries with the Rotate MD-11 package...  these include; Rotate House, AVIENT, EVA AIR Cargo, FedEx, Lufthansa Cargo, MartinAir Cargo, Shanghai Airlines Cargo, UPS Cargo Services, VARIG LOG (Logistics) and Western Global. Quality is all exceptional, and a painkit is provided. No DHL? Well DHL don't or didn't fly the MD-11.
 

 
Summary
The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 from Rotate that was released on 9th Dec 2015 had a troubled introduction into the X-Plane Simulator. But the developer very quickly resolved the release issues and the aircraft went on to be one of the best simulations in the X-Plane Simulator, I even put the Rotate MD-80 in my all favorite top ten (currently at No. 4). It is very iconic and deep simulation.
 
This is the followup aircraft to the MD-80 from Rotate, in the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, the MD-11 is of course a derivative of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.
The Rotate aircraft has also had a very long gestation development period, in over four years, so we are expecting a lot, with the insane quality and the popular MD-80 are all aspects that also hover also over the project...  it thankfully does not disappoint.
 
This is a deep simulation, with all the systems and operations modelled (there are 20 system manuals alone). So the aircraft is extremely complex and requires study to anyone becoming proficient in using and flying the aircraft regularly. It also requires a lot of skill and system management to master the unique capabilities of this unique between eras TriJet.
 
Modeling is exemplary, brilliant realism with dirt and grunge built in, which a Rotate speciality. Textures are also a extreme high quality, but not so in the crew rest and cargo decks to keep the aircraft within an average framerate balance, and the Lo-Res areas conflict with the excellent quality everywhere else. In reality this Lo-Res aspect is not required as the aircraft has currently no heavy passenger cabin or any heavy framerate details. Notable is that the passenger version is still stated to arrive, but not anytime soon.
 
Sounds and internal and external lighting are also excellent, but again the crew rest area and cargo deck lighting could be better. Features include a good, but not exception Menu and options selections. A few areas again like the "Load Aircraft" feature is still looking like a WIP "Work in Progress", as does the options features on the menu. But you do have a nice GPU, Stairs, Chocks, Aircraft Refueling and all the doors can be independently opened. And the toilet (A current X-Plane fad) doesn't work or has been even included? (This is long haul?)
 
Does the Rotate MD-11 live up to it's huge expectations...  in context yes it does, even in areas it even totally exceeds them, there are however areas that still need fine tuning work, and bugs are to be expected on release as this is a very complex and detailed aircraft and simulation... but Rotate should cover those aspects quickly and professionally.
 
Here is another landmark simulation aircraft for the X-Plane Simulator. X-Plane users seemingly to have to wait forever for these iconic aircraft, but again in this case it has been well worth the wait. Big, heavy, complex, demanding and seriously rewarding. The Rotate MD-11 is all of these things and more, in systems and it's depth of simulation, this is again another level of realism and can get extremely addictive...   and it is absolutely another classic to enjoy most certainly...    and certainly very and highly recommended to own and fly.
_____________________
 

 
Yes! the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 by Rotate is currently available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

Rotate MD-11
Price is US$83.95
 
Features Realistic flight dynamics and performance In Depth system simulation All systems listed are simulated according to the specifications of the original model, with all redundancy relevant to the simulation and with both Automatic and Manual modes. Systems tests simulated Engine/APU Fire Test Annunciator Lights Test Cabin/Cargo Fire Test GPWS Test Hydraulic Pressure and Engine-Driven Pump Tests Oxygen Test TCAS Test Weather Radar Test Emergency Power Test Air Air conditioning Pressurization Cargo heating/ventilation Avionics cooling  Air System Display Aural-Visual Warning EAD (Engine Alert Display) SD Alerts and Consequences Display SD Consequence Page SD Status Page SD Miscellaneous Page CAWS (Central Aural Warning System) GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System) TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) Weather Radar Automatic Flight Dual AFS (Auto Flight System), FD and ATS (Auto Throttle System) All FMA modes simulated Automatic ILS approach with dual/single Auto Land. LSAS (Longitudinal Stability Augmentation System) CWS (Control Wheel Steering) Yaw damper Automatic pitch trim Flap limiting Stall warning with Auto Slat Extend APU APU System, Indication and Control APU Automatic Shutdown APU Pneumatic System Communications VHF communications system Dual Head Communications Radio Panel Audio Control Panels Voice Recorder Panel Electrical AC power generation and distribution Integrated Drive Generator GCU (Generator Control Units) APU Generator ADG (Air Driven Generator) External Power AC Distribution (9 Buses) NBPT (Non Break Power Transfer) DC power 4 Transformer Rectifier Units DC Distribution (8 Buses) Battery and Battery Charger Emergency Power Electrical System Display Fire Protection Engine and APU Fire Detection and Extinguishing System. Cargo Fire Detection and Extinguishing System. Controls and Indications Flight Instruments Complete EIS (Electronic Indication System) Two independent ECPs (Electronic Control Panel) 6 Independent Display Units Navigation Display (MAP, PLAN, VOR, APPR and TCAS modes) Air Data Computer ATC Transponder Aircraft Clock, Timer and count-down Chronometer Standby Compass and Standby Attitude Indicator Standby Altimeter and Airspeed Indicator Source Input Select Panel Fuel Fuel System Controller Automatic Fuel Scheduling Fuel Transfer and Crossfeed Fuel Dump System Tail Fuel Management System Ballast Fuel Control Fuel System Display Hydraulics Hydraulic System Controller Reservoirs and Accumulators Engine and Electric Driven Pumps Reversible Motor Pumps Hydraulic Display Ice and Rain Protection Engine Anti-Ice Airfoil Anti-Ice (Wing and Tail) System Engine Cowl Anti-Ice System Air Data Heaters (Pitot, Static, TAT) Navigation  FMS (Flight Management System) Simulated pages: A/C STATUS (2 pages) REF INDEX  FLT-PLAN INIT WEIGHT INIT FUEL INIT PERFORMANCE CLB, CRZ & DES THRUST LIMITS FLIGHT PLAN (2 pages) VERTICAL/LATERAL REVISION DIRECT-TO PROGRESS TAKEOFF / APPROACH SID FROM  STAR TO HOLD NAV RADIO FIX INFO NAVAID POS REF IRS/GNS CLOSEST AIRPORTS SENSOR STATUS  DEFINED WAYPOINT LAT/LONG and P/B/D WAYPOINT WAYPOINT MENU MCDU Messages GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) LNAV/VNAV flightpath calculation Takeoff and Landing performance calculations (V-speeds) IRS (Inertial Reference System) VHF, DME, ADF and ILS Navigation Engines (General Electric CF6) FADEC (All regimes simulated) Custom engine model Primary Engine Display Secondary Engine Display More than 200 custom failures Dual cockpit Independent pilot and copilot controls and displays. Two independent MCDUs control two independent FMCs. Sources of instruments can be selected for pilot and copilot independently. All relevant systems have separate controllers for redundancy. Accurate 3D model and HD textures
External objects and detailed animations Aircraft loading animations Cargo loader and cargo truck GPU Airstairs Cockpit window animation Cargo Doors Fully animated landing gears Winflex Engines reversers animation Aircraft Menu Options Situations (C&D, Taxi and Takeoff presets) Load Manager Ground Operations Failures Realistic 3D sounds Detailed sounds with real cockpit sources and FMOD dynamic effects 3D  lights, including: Exterior lights Cockpit lights Panel lights Flood lights Dome light Reading lights Briefcase lights Floor lights Map lights Cabin lights  10 Liveries Rotate livery Avient Aviation EVA Air Cargo FedEx Lufthansa Cargo Martinair Cargo Shanghai Airlines Cargo UPS Varig Log Western Global Airlines White livery VR support  
Requirements X-Plane 11 (Fully updated, non beta version) Support for X-Plane 12 when available Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM recommended Current version: 1.0 (March 24th)   Installation Download of the MD-11 is 1.07Gb and it is installed in your Airliner Folder as a 1.87Gb folder. Activation is via the standard authentication Key. There is no Auto-updater by Skunkcrafts for updates, so currently you have to redownload any updates via the X-Plane.OrgStore.   Designed by Rotate
Support Forum at X-Plane.org or http://support.rotatesim.com/
 
Documents Provided are three sets of documents Included with the package. It is a serious comprehensive package of manuals and information, but well worth studying. Rotate MD-11. Introduction & Product information 1. Systems description 2. Limitations and checklists (Limitations and checklists)
Rotate MD-11 Normal Checklists (Systems description)
1. MD-11 Systems description-Aircraft General.pdf 2. MD-11 Systems description-Air.pdf 3. MD-11 Systems description-Aural-Visual Warning.pdf 4. MD-11 Systems description-Automatic Flight.pdf 5. MD-11 Systems description-APU.pdf 6. MD-11 Systems description-Communications.pdf 7. MD-11 Systems description-Electrical.pdf 8. MD-11 Systems description-Emergency Equipment.pdf 9. MD-11 Systems description-Fire Protection.pdf 10. MD-11 Systems description-Flight Controls.pdf 11. MD-11 Systems description-Flight Instruments.pdf 12. MD-11 Systems description-Fuel.pdf 13. MD-11 Systems description-Hydraulics.pdf 14. MD-11 Systems description-Ice and Rain Protection.pdf 15. MD-11 Systems description-Lighting.pdf 16. MD-11 Systems description-Navigation.pdf 17. MD-11 Systems description-Engines.pdf 18. MD-11 Systems description-Doors.pdf 19. MD-11 Systems description-Landing Gear.pdf _____________________
  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
24th March 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 10 - X-Plane 11.55
Plugins: Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- LEBL - Barcelona Airport XP11 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$21.00 plus - Barcelona City by Logo Projects (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$26.95
- 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
 

 

I would have to say that I would miss the A300/A310 on my fleet if they weren't flyable on X-Plane 12. I don't think Microsoft care too much about X-Plane,but I would hope that iniBuilds do not leave X-Plane 12 behind. You cannot really afford to annoy your fan-base too much in these times.
 

I received an email for the flash sale(s) and took advantage - see they've become partners in the MSFS group which could be the end of their XP endeavors.  

I totally agree. I also paid full-price for these too. I hope they can at least work in X-Plane 12 when it releases.
 

These are good aircraft although Inibuilds themselves are not the easiest people to work with. Both of this aircraft we recently on flash sale at hugely discounted prices (over 80% off). It was a flash sale but if like me you have paid full price for these not a good feeling.

Aircraft Review: Airbus A300 and A310 by iniBuilds
 
Update:
Inibuilds have confirmed they will update this aircraft free of charge for existing users. No date yet has been confirmed for this,but they expect 2023.
 
History:
The Airbus A300 was to be the first aircraft to be developed, manufactured and marketed by Airbus. 
In 1972, the A300 made its maiden flight; its first production model, the A300B2, entered service in 1974.  By 1979 the consortium had 256 orders for A300, and Airbus had launched a more advanced aircraft, the A310, in the previous year. 
 
The A300-600, the subject of this review was first delivered in 1988. It differs from the A300-B2/B4 due to the two-person cockpit, and mixture of glass and analogue cockpit similar in design to the  Boeing 757/767 family  and features the same design as the later A310 from which the A300 is derived. It uses 6 small CRT displays  as the did the first generation of A320 series aircraft
 
The Airbus A310 (initially the A300B10) was launched with orders from Swissair and Lufthansa. On 3 April 1982, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight, and it received its type certification on 11 March 1983.
Keeping the same eight-abreast cross-section, the A310 is 6.95 m (22.8 ft) shorter than the initial A300 variants, and has a smaller wing, down from 260 to 219 m2 (2,800 to 2,360 sq ft). The A310 introduced a two-crew glass cockpit, later adopted for the A300-600 with a common type rating. It was powered by the same General Electric CF6-80 or Pratt & Whitney JT9D then PW4000 turbofan jet engines. It can seat 220 passengers in two classes, or 240 in all-economy, and has a flying range up to 5,150 nmi (9,540 km). It has over-wing between the two main front and rear door pairs.
In April 1983, the aircraft entered revenue service with Swissair, and competed with the Boeing 767-200, introduced six months before. Its longer range and ETOPS regulations allowed it to be operated on transatlantic flights. Until the last delivery in June 1998, 255 aircraft were produced, as it was succeeded by the larger Airbus A330-200. It was available as a cargo aircraft version, and was also developed into a military variant, the A310 MRTT multi-role transport, then tanker.
 
Nowadays Aircraft manufacturers design their products around a specific engine type or variant, but when Airbus built the A300, they did not have this luxury, so they took the next-powerful engine on the market to exceed their requirements. This results in a very steep take-off angle-of-attack which is might throw some new pilots when first flying the aircraft.  
 
In the case of the A300, there are two different engine variants, and each has a passenger and cargo version. When adding liveries, it's important to know that the liveries are dependent on the engine-type, so you will need to be aware of the engine-type (GE or PW respectively ) when selecting your aircraft you wish to fly. 
 
The A310 was initially launched with a choice of three engines: the General Electric CF6-80A (originally the CF6-45B2), the Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D1, and the Rolls-Royce RB211. The specific Rolls-Royce RB211-524B4 engine intended for this initial application was not developed.
 
Installation:
With the inimanager, the installation is now greatly simplified. It's now just a case of downloading the inimanager from here, and then selecting the products you purchased which then become installed to the X-Plane 11\Aircraft\iniSimulations\ folder. 
 
Before the inimanager was released, you had to download each aircraft variant separately and then download the liveries.
The aircraft installation location is in  X-Plane 11\Aircraft\iniSimulations. If you have purchased other variants such as the A300 BelugaST or A310, these will be installed in subfolders,so example
X-Plane 11\Aircraft\iniSimulations\iniSimulations A300 BelugaST or
X-Plane 11\Aircraft\iniSimulations\ iniSimulations A300-600R(F) v2 - Passenger.
 
To get the feel of the aircraft and its systems, I decided to do a quick (but still used) cargo route from EGNX to EIDW which is enough time to get a quick flight in, but keep you busy. The flight time is quite short, ~45 minutes so you won't have much time to get bored. 
Before we start, here's a quick external view from both sides of the aircraft.
 


 
You can see the cargo doors and texturing is very nicely done here.
 

 


 

 
 


 

 
One of the most annoying aspects of X-Plane for me is the zooming of the views when trying to use the mouse-wheel to turn a switch or rotate a heading or speed knob, with this in mind, I really recommend the use of X-Camera, which gives you the option to disable mouse-wheel. True, this also disables the outside mouse zoom which I like, but it's a small inconvenience compared to the benefits. 
 
I would also add that you will find a Navigraph subscription very handy, as the ILS for each airport is not stored in the database unlike the later A320/300/340 families so the ability to bring up an airport from the Avitab plugin makes life a lot easier when planning your approaches.
 
Airbus A300/A310 gotchas
Even if you are familiar with the Airbus aircraft in general, there are a few idiosyncrasies that might catch you out. 
Some are listed below: 
 
Scratchpad entries on FMC, clear existing data before entering new data otherwise it will not show. 
Flex-To values will not show or become active, until you select an altitude in the ALT-SEL window. 
External Power will not disconnect using EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) until you select "EXT PWR" on the overhead to AVAIL
V1 speed will show as default value 100 even after clicking  "Send Data" - this value needs to be set manually with the "SPD/MACH" knob.
In order to activate the auto-throttle system, you need to manually select the speed, then click on the dial to activate "pre set" which will show up in yellow text. You then need to click on a small area to the bottom-left of the A/THR similar to the operation of the PMDG series (small screw to the below-left of the speed knob). 
Engine spool-up will be slower than expected as these are older engines. 
Landing gear needs to be set to "neutral" (middle position),otherwise the auto-brake system will not activate. 
You can pre-arm the decent profile by using the mouse to the left of the ALT SEL knob. It shows as a down-arrow icon. You will then see a blue P.DES show on the PFD below the P.ALT annunciator.
The course and heading displays are dependent on the toggle-switch on the cockpit VOR/NAV/ILS three-way-switch. The VOR will display dashed lines until you select VOR from the glare shield. 
The range values on the F.C.U (Flight Control Unit), are different to what you'd be used to in the A320, in the A300 series, they are 15,30,60,120,240 as opposed to the A320 series which show 10,20,40,80,160 and 320 
 
There are only the iniSimulation House liveries installed by default when you install the aircraft, So you need to  use the inimanager to install any desired additional liveries (of which there are many). You simply click on the livery tab and choose from Realistic or Fictional under the Freighter or Passenger versions. This is a great improvement on the original version of the aircraft which required you to download each livery manually, and if a new version was produced, it meant you had to download the new version again. With the inimanager system, you can remove or update the liveries as desired. 
 
To see the aircraft type you're currently flying, on the FMC go to REF, then A/C Status. Here you will see engine-type ie: PW 4158
 
PFD/ND XFR is a nice hidden gem, it switches the two displays over in the event of a CRT failure. 
 
General Electric Engines N2 is ~ 20
Pratt and Whitney startup N2 ~ 24 
 
For comparison
Framerate for IXEG 737 ~52 in cruise ~35 in Dublin (Boundless Scenery).
Framerate for A300 in 55 fps in cruise. ~45 fps in Dublin cargo area.
 
New features in A300/A310
CDLPC implementation - you can import the flights with your Simbrief username.
Landing performance page 
Load sheet is now changed so that data is directly entered using your keyboard, instead of sliding values.
 
Currently known issues: 
At the moment, the only issue I have is with the pilot's side altimeter counter. Scrolling between the units 80 and 00 shows a slight skip as the aircraft climbs or descends. Oddly enough, it only happens on the freighter variants of both the A300 and A310 models. The passenger variants are working as expected.
 
Currently, the latest versions are as follows:
A300-600 version V2.09
A300 BelugaST  version V1.12
A310-300 version 1.14
 
You can purchase this aircraft from the following sites.
https://store.inibuilds.com/pages/inisimulations (price does not include V.A.T)
A300-600 (£69.99)
A310-300 (£69.99)
A300-ST Beluga (£44.99)
 
Note that you are entitled to a 25% discount if you have one of their models already.
 
Comment
I would definitely recommend this aircraft as it is one of the best older-style aircraft out there. If you are getting a bit tired of Boeing and modern Airbus aircraft, this is the one for you. It's got the right blend of vintage and modern to keep you interested. 
 
Review System Specifications:
Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i9-9900K CPU 5.00GHz / 64bit - 32 Gb  DDR4 4300 RAM - EVGA GeForce GTX 2070 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD 
Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.55r2
Addons: Saitek Throttle and Yoke : Sound -Soundblaster Audigy Fx
Plugins: : BetterPushBack - Free LiveTraffic -  Weather ActiveSkyXP https://hifisimtech.com/asxp/
 
Aircraft Review by Jude Bradley
10th June 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
 

@judeb maybe. Of course we don’t know how MS are going to price this anniversary edition so ‘free’ might not exactly be what it suggests. One wonders if Inibuilds will hide behind their agreement with MS not to provide an XP12 update? If that do that their flash sale on the A300 and A310, when this news must have been known to them, would be at the very least cynical.