Stephen

BSS will fix as soon as possible, so there is no need to panic...

Aircraft Update : ToLiSS319 v1.3.3 by ToLiSS ToLiSS has again done a small update to their Airbus A319-112 in only just over three months since the last one. This is just an incremental touchup and nothing really significant in major changes, but that is not to say this is not a good update. A quick zoom from MMMX - Mexico City (my new, new) to KDFW - Dallas Fort Worth allowed me to checkout the details, as noted there is nothing here but nips and tucks and a lot is changed here to bring the aircraft up to the latest Airbus updates (remember that the ToLiss A319 is now an official product, so you get access to the current changes) There is better APU GEN representation on the APU SD page and Delta ISA temperature information to SD permanent data; TAT and SAT on SD now depend on data source availability. ECAM flap indication has been set with the same adjustments on the ECAM F/CTL + HYD page to match latest standard which are all just small but significant adjustments like with the Yaw trim reset that now goes all the way to zero, even if you release the push button and use any MCDU key interactions it will now all delay to be a constant 300ms, a small detail is this but one that gives you a more realistic feel with your interaction with the A319. There had been added new background lighting to displays, FCU digits, RMP frequencies, clock and so on, and yes the displays do look better, more sharper than I remember and sharper text and highlights, but overall even with all the significant lighting changes this year, you feel the PBR is not still doing as good as it should... in other words it is still darkish in here. MattDesigns have redone the "Official" Airbus A310 livery, but there is more going on here than just a new livery. The detail is far, far more realistic and dirty than the sometimes almost cartoonish feel to the original liveries, the normals (the bumps, raised lines, grooves) by Chris Tantow are now also far more pronounced and detailed. so it is really the next gen of quality liveries for the aircraft. There are SmartCopilot improvements by MaxWaldorf as well. FMGS initialization is now possible in flight using the DIRTO (Direct To) and subsequently noted "New Destination" choices. There is also an Improved Autopilot ALT* law, Alternate Law with no auto trim, means that you have to trim airplane manually or mostly keep the stick with a slight pushback pressure on the side-stick all the time until reaching desired altitude. ToLiSS has also added in Datarefs to set the door modes: AirbusFBW/PaxDoorModeArray and AirbusFBW/CargoDoorModeArray - 0: Closed, 1: Auto, 2: Open... I think this is for livery painters in setting the up the aircraft a certain way on loading, but anything that will switch off the auto as the default would certainly make me very happy. Flaps have had adjustments for a more realistic extension or retraction, just a fine tune, and on a RWY only approach, the FMGS adds a CF point 5NM before the runway as it should. Flare law has reworked based on new information, but it sort of floated more than what I am used to on the A319? better or worse... to be honest it caught me out, I will note that as a personal WIP, and a few more landings may prove the changes one way or the other? on landing you now get the maximum aileron deflection up when flaps/slats are fully extended. There is an improved landing gear ground contact noise... very nice it is, more so with the addon sound pack with more sounds for the spoiler lever, the brightness rheostats, avionics ventilation startup, electrical DC relays and the main engine sound volumes have all been reequalized. I personally really love now the inflight cruise hum, very realistic and makes routes far more pleasurable, and certainly a far cry from the earlier repetitive washing machine noises. Summary Another of the constant and quarterly updates from ToLiSS for their little Baby Bus the A319, all now of course Airbus official and a lot of the little changes here reflect the newly opened access to current Airbus standards. Those adjustments to the standards are all fine details, but like with the delay to be a constant 300ms interaction it makes the aircraft even more highly realistic, a new Airbus A319 livery and new normals show the way to a new era in a better external design and view. Better sounds and reequalized master sounds again lift the even the basic sounds towards a more better aural satisfaction. The only quirk are the new flare adjustments, in that has it took away a little of that perfect control in flare, that is still out there for debate for me. Yes it all just another nip and tuck, but over the year and already the changes for 2019 have been quite significant for this aircraft, smooth and sublime if you love Airbuses then this aircraft should be at your gate and ready to fly. ________________________________________________________ Yes! the ToLiSS319 (A319-122) v1.3.3 by ToLiSS is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : ToLiss A319 Price is US$69.00 Note make sure you have v1.3.3 when downloading, All previous purchasers can now update via your X-Plane.OrgStore Account Both the LIbrain rain effects and Avitab pdf viewer plugins are required to use the new features. Also available is the internal IAE Sound Pack that can be purchased here: IAE Sound Pack for Toliss A319 Price is US$9.95 TSS IAE Sound Pack is activated by inserting the key activation code in the "ADDON" tab on the ToLiSS Interactive Simulation Control System panel V1.3.3 Changlog A319_v1_3_3_Changelog.rtf ______________________________________________________________________ Update by Stephen Dutton 6th August 2019 Copyright©2019 : 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)

I found trying to work out which download was which on the dev site was simply nigh impossible, fine for coders, but absolutely confusing for everyone else, thanks for the link.

X-Plane11 is not good with eGPU's as they are not really powerful enough or large enough for the work they have to do, personally I doubt X-Plane will ever support eGPU's

Sounds like your "Runways follow Terrain Contours" are switched off? Menu/General... that aspect is noted in the review?

Behind the Screen : July 2019 First of all I will state my credentials. I do like ultimate realism in simulation. I do start many a simulation flight right at the start with a cold and dark set up although I do prefer the turnaround starting point. I go through every procedure, load in the route, the aircraft's preferences (fuel & weights) for the flight and then do the full palaver of using the airport vehicles to load in the luggage, fuel and passengers, the whole shebang... clearance, pushback and finally leave the departure airport. Enroute I follow SimBrief and Navigraph data to see how the aircraft is performing and cover the flight as professinally as possible... on landing I do the reverse in unloading the passengers and their luggage and then secure the aircraft, I even do a walk up and down the aisle to make sure the aircraft is empty (note a plugin is required to create after flight passenger mess for realism!), in other words I do the full monty of the flight, and now with my matured flying skills I will also do some simulation crisis management, with say an engine fire or environmental issue, it all is very well considered to get the full experience of flying an aircraft as close to the real environment as possible. In the GA environment I am still as considered in walking around the aircraft, setting up the correct fuel and passenger load where applicable and doing every nut and bolt of the flight, so I am the real deal, right... absolutely. But there are areas that was brought home to me lately and it happens often were as realism 101 is sometimes a step to far. If the developer goes too far in this realism do da it sometimes then turns more into extreme frustration, frustration to "agggghhhh" that buries the realism factor deep into a world of pain. If you can't access the aircraft or are not in control of important elements then there is the case that the quite honourable aims of the developer can get lost in the idea. So total absolute realism is great but only to a point. Some times this effect can be you. I have struggled with bleed systems that have left me exasperated to the point of throwing things, but that is okay if the systems are built like that as I have to figure that aspect out, delve into the manuals, work your way through the systems and get it right. So usually on complicated machines I make a diagram or take an image for next time (note... it would be good to have a plugin that remembers notes for in the cockpit of that aircraft, to bring up notes of the quirks of flying or starting the machine that you may forget?" to note the IXEG B732 and Rotate MD-88). Then there is Jack's beloved FJS Q400, lovely aircraft but an total absolute pain to start with the mixture lever do-dah, it never kicks in until I do and I start in throwing things around the room and it mostly requires a full aircraft restart with engines running which sort of spoils the whole realism 101 thing, I hope the v2.0 Dashy fixes this issue, if not I won't be happy as I won't put up with it all over again. The point is that if you want the full total immersion of changing spark plugs, oil and the full maintenance palaver then fine, good for you, and I know that these airworthy machines require a lot of attention, and so does my 28 year old car. But the issue is how many times do you actually change those spark plugs, and even on a tired, oily and battered machine... certainly not as often as the developers tend to confront you with, which is mostly every other flight or each flight. They then send you down a twisted long set of issues to get the machine airworthy, fine now and again, but when then with almost every flight can really start to get you seriously frustrated, and then they give you no reset or a quick fix way out of the maze... yes it is realism, and I GET that. So if I am pretty good at this simulation caper and I struggle, then god help the newly formed flier as they haven't got a hope in hell, worse is the fact with these aircraft are these non-accessible faults can create a large barrier in using and enjoying the aircraft, this factor is then to the disadvantage to the developer themselves, because if the aircraft is not accessible the you are not going to buy it, or worse buy it, and then throw it away and never fly it and swear never to buy another one of those developers products again. But when you do get say a fuel feed blockage FIVE times in two flights and you can't remove or adjust the realism factor then consider how many fuel blockages do you really get on an aircraft, yes it happens and maybe often in the wilds of Alaska with fuel taken from dirty drums, but not FIVE damn times in two flights... two times to change the oil, air filter, water in the fuel... la de da. in the end the aircraft got binned, enough was simply enough... to get to actually fly this wonderful even precious little aircraft was just simply too hard, the fun factor was totally ruined in frustration. I am not for a moment suggesting to make aircraft realism feature lite, but just accessible. If the user doesn't want the full on realism factor and just wants to fly the damn aircraft, then that should be an option... most developers do, do this but many don't. Again on mostly the study grade aircraft the faults are accessible and can be set according to your preferences, mostly in the fault activating in a period of time or situation like at a certain altitude, but more so if you want to use the "never" option it there for you. I always like the failure on the "hours" factor of breakdown. So the realism is a major factor, but if the aircraft is totally inaccessible to fly, then you are just defeating yourself. In the end it is the developer that actually loses here in less sales, and you try to tell them, but if they won't listen? In the month I also got a lot of comments from users noting that some aircraft and I will note the Magknight Boeing 787 as a case in point in that as a purchase it was and I quote "unfinished and missing items"... in reality you have to laugh, and yes I understand that paying $45 you would expect a pretty completed aircraft, is the Magknight aircraft current worth $45, no not really and you only have to look at that freeware low-res nose as a point in reference and so the developer is also being a bit cheeky here I think, but you are told that you are buying into the project as it is and have access to all the future upgrades, and as I have noted before that there will come to a point (unless the developer again increases the price) the value that is delivered should or will crossover the price point where you are getting the value to the money paid. That is the idea and the commitment, and as Magknight has delivered already a lot of updates then that is the case if going to be a fair deal. (if the developer moves the price-point far higher again it will be shit deal). The point is the developer is getting payments while still doing the work, where as usually you get paid after the work is completed with a few updates to clear up any last minute bugs, Colimata's Concorde is the same "pay now get later" deal, and to the "I want now" crowd it does sort of keep them happy in asking the same repetitive boring question "when will it be out?" but getting the half developed aircraft can also be very confronting as well, so you then get their "not worth the money" flagging so you can't win either way. Personally I don't like half developed product, especially when money is on the line (I wonder how many would be as glowing if they had to earlier actually pay for the Zibo B738) but it is certainly in payware territory now. The Concorde was a disappointment, it is absolutely nowhere close to being finished, but we are getting too many forward payment projects. You still need a certain line to be crossed in the development process for users to get value, but I find far to many projects again and again are released far too early in the process in the race to put some money in the bank, but they use the users "I want" factor to get around this aspect, then they have to face the "I'm disappointed" factor after. These signals are not good overall because as they say "shit sticks" and overall, the sales factor can be curtailed, so early release developers gain in early cash, but lose in overall long term sales as Seinfeld says "once it's out there, it is out there". X-Plane11 went final on version v11.35, which overall was quite painless and unless you get turned on by better fuel and bleed systems and a Collins 65 autopilot, but at least it won't be as devastating as the next coming v11.40 with all the life changing Vulkan/Metal deep throat, gut the system churn, obviously we are looking forward to that, not the gutting of the simulator, but the ongoing forward changes the new APIs will bring. Prepare for simulator meltdown around the end of the year. FlightFactor made their A320 Ultimate to v0.10.8 or final from the beta as well, but one look at the half rendered cabin shows this area is still a work in progress, and so is an added Flight Attendant Panel (FAP) to EFB, but not on the actual cabin wall which is still fake?, but please don't get the aircraft wrong, as with a now working weather radar, it is one of the best simulations in X-Plane11... immersion heaven. Surprisingly xEnviro put out an update in v1.11(very rare for them) and added in some new slider features, very good, but the update didn't fix the main cloud visual artifacts, and in heavy cloud formations your framerate plummets, but the blocky cloud formations felt better. Another bug is probably the biggest issue in that the METAR data keeps the X-Plane weather setting on "Damp" all the time and creates a mass of spray even in clear skies and 39º heat (Europe in the summer, who would have thought) when the engines are running, and I can't use that view for reviews, but I'm still persevering, but overall the unpredictability of the application is now making reviews hard work and somehow it is losing a bit of it's original feel to a more harsher environment that was so realistic at the start, it certainly feels better in many areas, but somehow also losing something in the process... if no more updates are forthcoming then my guess I will be again retreating and be back on v1.07 by the end of the month. This edition of "Behind the Screen" coincides with X-PlaneReviews 6th year of publications, We have been reviewing now since August 2013, and start into our 7th year of delivering quality reviews for the X-Plane simulator, time has flown by, but so have the enormous changes that have been under taken to X-Plane since that start date.... so again thank you for your support of the site and to all the people and their enormous contributions that make the world of X-Plane simulation possible. See you all next month Stephen Dutton 1st August 2019 Copyright©2019: X-Plane Reviews

Scenery Review : MMMX - Mexico City International by DreamFlight Studios There were areas in X-Plane that was seriously lacking in creating the "World Class" signature that is required for a really good simulator. X-Plane has everything in great aircraft, brilliant flying aerodynamics and excellent dynamic features. But even to a few years ago, even with the Global Airport initiative there was and still is to a point still some serious holes in the simulator wanting to be filled and mostly in scenery... airports for one and for any airport outside the US and Europe. X-Plane has done well lately in scenery releases, as now a few more FSX developers are now creating or converting their original scenery as well for X-Plane11, but as we have seen, many FSX success stories have not at all translated well to X-Plane, some work, but most are quite average to even horrible. So here comes DreamFlight and MMMX - Mexico City to X-Plane11, and will this conversion translate well to X-Plane, so we cross our fingers and hope it does work well, because to fill a large route hole in our American continents with the extremely high altitude positioned MEX it is a serious scenery we would all like use... first impressions are good... in fact they are very good. A good 90% of FSX sceneries fail badly in X-Plane because the developers try to enforce FSX details onto X-Plane dynamics, basic modeling is not the issue, as an object is still an object in any simulator, plus the X-Plane base layout (WED) is also very different from the way FSX is created. So the fundamental issues are how the developer can learn and use our tools in lighting, ATC routes, PBR reflections and ground effects in translation to the X-Plane simulator. Many FSX developers get around the issues by using X-Plane scenery developers, but the best can get snapped up by say Orbix and Aerosoft. However if you can master the X-Plane features then you can open up to a new and growing market and sell to users that are desperate for quality scenery. MMMX - Mexico City International Mexico City International Airport (Benito Juárez International Airport) is a bit of a challenge, as the airport with the surrounding city is positioned on a plateau at 7,316 ft / 2,230 m altitude. Think about that height for a moment, it is a small mountain in altitude, so aircraft engines and human bodies don't really work very well up this high, throw in smog and environmental issues and so fog (smog) and cloudy conditions are the normal, so it is no wonder it hosts in November of each year the festival of the Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead). If you want urban sprawl then Mexico city beats Los Angeles hands down. Mexico City spreads over the valley of Mexico, also called the valley of Anáhuac, a 9,560 km2 (3,691 sq mi) valley that lies at an average of 2,240 m (7,349 ft) above sea level. Originally it was a system of interconnected lakes occupied a large area of the valley, of which Lake Texcoco was the largest. Mexico City was built on the island of Tenochtitlan in the middle of the lake. And MMMX airport looks like a green lake in the middle of the huge urban sprawl. DreamFlight provides a lot of custom textures with two ZZ Orthos's and an overlay, this creates a custom and autogen spread that fills out this gigantic elevated valley from end to end, it is spectacular and it looks very realistic. Add in some Mexico City centre buildings and other business zones with custom tower buildings and it looks about the best Mexico City scene you will get. Yes you will have to adjust your render settings to fit it all in, but even at a texture quality setting of "High" you can still have all this and the airport come in under 4K or 3591mb as the textures are heavily but light framerate defined. But there is one quirk that we will need to sort out early on. Slightly north of the airport is a hill with a radar tower and building positioned on top... the problem is to make the hill not levitate above the ground you have to set the scenery (or X-Plane) to turn the setting off of ""Runways follow terrain contours" so the airport is positioned flat, and the airport then not to be able to adjust to the local contours of the ground. Now that is all very well, but I always keep my "follow terrain" contours switched on because you can't switch over contours mid-simulation. The issue makes for a big problem if you say fly from LAX, DFW even IAH (Houston). Because all of these and many more US airports require the "follow terrain" contours switched on because they use 3d bridges or the terrain as part of their features, in fact the MMMX scenery will be the odd one out in any simulation flying and for me that is a really big issue. UPDATED: A fix has been provided to stop the levitation with the the contours switched on. The details are provided in the attached text below and the fix is easy to cut & paste into the apt.dat file... the results are excellent. The review is still done in the context of the "follow terrain" contours switched off as the fix is a late adjustment. but the differences are negligible. As they say "back in business".. Mexico City International Airport Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México IATA: MEX - ICAO: MMMX - LID: ME1 05R/23L - 3,900m (12,795ft) Asphalt 05L/23R3 - 3,952m (12,966ft) Asphalt 13/31 - 2,3007,546Asphalt (decommissioned) 5 Auxiliar - 7592,490Asphalt (decommissioned) Elevation AMSL - 7,316 ft / 2,230 m MMMX is currently structured around two long parallel runways 05R/23L and 05L/23R, with the older Terminal One to the northwest and the newer International Terminal Two set out in the south corner. Terminal One On July 8, 1943, the Official Gazette of the Federation published a decree that acknowledged Mexico City's Central Airport as an international airport, capable of managing international arrivals and departures of passengers and aircraft. Its first international route was to Los Angeles International Airport operated by Mexicana. Construction of Runway 05R-23L started six years later, as well as new facilities such as a platform, a terminal building, a control tower and offices for the authorities. The runway started its operations in 1951. On November 19, 1952, President Miguel Alemán opened the passenger terminal, which later became Terminal 1. 1980, the terminal was expanded to double its capacity, using a single large terminal rather than multiple terminals as in other airports. Ten years later in 1990, the mixed domestic/international gates were separated to increase the terminal's functionality, along with the separation of domestic and international check-in halls. Another expansion in 1994, with a new International Terminal building was ready and operational with more changes in 2001 that was called Module XI. This Module permitted eight new contact positions in the Airport Terminal, capable of receiving eight regular airplanes, two wide-body, or four narrow-body aircraft. Outwardly you see what you think is average non-textured building modeling, but on closer inspection it isn't anything at all like that. All the various different eras of terminals have been wrapped in a tall mesh fencing to create one seemless terminal complex. Gates 1 to 36 cover the main terminal. It is all extraordinarily well done and very realistic in the gate. All terminal details are very good as well, and with great aged detail... Glass here is not PBR reflective, but the windows are fine in context, detail is very, very good. Landside feels a bit basic and empty, and comes with no or few vehicles or any animations that don't help, a lot of the road networks don't match up either... the train is not positioned on the tracks and the tracks even finish abruptly. But the advertising signage is first rate. Clutter and ramp detail is very good, vehicles are noted as MAM and not MEX, but it is an insignificant detail. There is no ramp animated activity. A big feature here is the use of SAM - Scenery Animation Manager plugin (Plugin Required). MMMX has a lot of odd stand parking angles, so the use of the SAM is a huge advantage. Pull into the gate... .... and the gate Marshaller will guide you in, the flexibility of SAM can get around non-VDGS guidence operations and replace it with a Marshaller instead. Once in you activate the required gate, perfection and note the HSBC airbridge branding on all airbridges. There are a lot of remote stand areas, starting with "South Remote" on the south end of Terminal One with stands S1 - S8. Note the nice Interjet head office. "North Remote" is in two sections, one the south section is still part of the main terminal building but it is allocated for code F category aircraft, this includes the A380 on allocated stands 33A and 35A, the A380, B748 and AN-124 which also have restricted taxi routes. The second section covers Stands 37 - 40 which is a separate parking ramp and cargo overflow. Slightly north is the old and battered cargo terminal with seven stands 41 - 47, but two 41A and 46A are for code 4F Cargo (B748F) Far north is the large Mexicana MRO maintenance facility, the area here is very well represented and laid out with some nice support detail. Terminal Two In November 15, 2007, Terminal 2 was opened to replace a very moderate older Terminal Two set of buildings now crunched in between two huge hangars... The new modern terminal was built to significantly increase the airport's limited capacity. All SkyTeam members moved their operations to the new terminal, except Air France and KLM It was officially inaugurated in March 2008 and once the new road accesses and taxiways were finished. Again the terminal has a very distinctive facade and detail, and again it is all very well done... gates 52 - 74 are all covered with remote stands 75 - 81 noted on the T-2 remote. All airbridges are also SAM and Marshaller controlled, but the airbridge design is different to the Terminal One versions with a clear green glass insert. Oddly though there is very little terminal ground clutter at T2, so it can feel a little empty at the gates, a strange oversight because it is so easy to do? Southeast The southeast section of the airport that is along taxiway E is a humble jumble of hangers and maintenance areas with another domestic cargo area for Aeromexico, Aeromar... of which all are very well represented. Stand area is known as "Tango" and stands are numbered T1 - T9 with TA and TB to the right. There is a big mixture of new and old here, with huge modern hangars to just basic metal hangar shades. With the AVIACSA section it is well done with complex layout of different hangars and details, nice touch are the placed AVICSA parked static aircraft (as per the ground textures reflections) but there are also a lot of quality static aircraft to fill in the right areas. Control tower is a little basic in design, but more than workable, the high positioned radar behind adds into the view.... Tower view is correct in the field position, but set extremely high above the tower itself. So you can see all the approaches very well, but not at the realistic height. There is a small MASAir Cargo area here as well. Another set of GA hangars is next, with the AeroUnion maintenance hangar dominating the area, it is well done and note the really well made branded jetblast fence, and the zone is known as "East Remote". There are quite a few of these blast fences set out and positioned all around the scenery, all are well done and effective visually. Last in line is a new (at the airport) maintenance facility for AeroMexico... ... of which the hangar and detail is very well done. Far east are a row of storage buildings, with the emergency platform area which is also represented. South Tango Southwest is the South Tango zone by the threshold of RWY 05R, with the dominant building for the Federal Police (POLICIA FEDERAL). The area looks older than the rest of the airport and the hangars look like the original AeroMexico maintenance base buildings with a nice authentic period detail. There are two sets of remote parking stands here called Tango 1 for stands 82 -85 (above) which is wide open area but also a well detailed area, the second is Tango 2 (large image above) are remote stands 87 - 90. Ground textures All ground textures are excellent and well detailed with PBR reflections, very gritty and detailed. All surfaces are as per the real MMMX, newly laid areas (most surfaces) and the older concrete are all about as good as you need. DreamFlight note "Puddles" but I couldn't recreate the wet effect, if I can I will add it into the review. The airport has a very complex taxiway system, but the signage and lineage is perfect, but I do recommend the airport chart to find your way around. There is no field 3d grass and you notice it visibly here because the textures have a lot of flat detail the grass would cover over, 3d grass is really a requirement for this airport. There are other areas that the flat photo textures show through as well, the worse parts are on approach to RWY23R and it is where the autogen boundaries finish early, the flat images are very visible while taxiing in the airport because all are set on the boundaries of the airport perimeter and they are quite ugly and empty in areas. There are a few water textures that are quite FSX false as well, and they again standout badly on RWY23R or departure from 05L which gets the worst of the uglyness. Lighting Overall it looks like DreamFlight have mastered the dynamics of X-Plane's PBR lighting, but there are a few missed areas... In consideration MMMX looks excellent.... .... one big missing item though is the green centreline lighting, and unfortunately it is very noticeable, and hard it is finding your way around many areas of the airport in total darkness unless the aircraft has good turnoff lighting, a bad mistake? Terminal ramp and aprons are however lit very well, it is nice down here and a night arrival would give you a great experience... .... terminal window lighting is very good as well but most are hidden behind the mesh facade, but the main T1 terminal windows are however a bit dull and bland and the name is only sparsely lit, but the south remote Interjet offices are lovely. Terminal Two is excellent, with a green shade to the central building... the pinhole design looks excellent at night, but it also highlights the empty missing clutter spaces, overall though it is very, very nice over here. All aprons and areas are well illuminated and with great lit detail... .... drop down and spot lighting is excellent in making the hangars feel very realistic. Even the bland control tower looks nice at night bathing in a green glow. There is a lot of advertising signage around the airport and it is all very Mexican and outrageous, good in the daylight, brilliant at night. Mexico City business central area nd other custom Hi-Rise buildings are very good, and do the job well in creating a full city night panorama. WT3 : The scenery has no provided WorldTraffic3 ground routes, but the ATC routes are done and the scenery will generate a very good active layout. The taxiway and runway layout is complex, and there are the odd things that aircraft do, do like cut corners and sprint across the grass... but overall WT3 works very well here and on the whole you get a very busy realistic running MMMX airport. Services MMMX is a base and hub for: Aeromar Aeroméxico Aeroméxico Connect Interjet Magnicharters Volaris AeroUnion (cargo) LATAM Cargo México (cargo) And you will get a lot connecting international carriers, all the US majors use MEX, plus Air France, All Nippon, British Airways, Avianca, Emirates, KLM LATAM, Iberia, Chinese Southern, Lufthansa and Air Canada which are all frequent daily services. Summary For a first time FSX/P3D transition to X-Plane11 by DreamFlight Studios then this is a very good Mexico City scenery, currently it is certainly far and the best rendition of MEX for the simulator, as there is seriously a lot to like here with great and in parts brilliant detail and well created terminals and the airport infrastructure. Highlights are the excellent building mesh on Terminal One and the distinctive design of Terminal Two, great clutter on Terminal One however is missing on Terminal Two. All ground textures (PBR as well), lineage and signage is excellent, and the use of the SAM - Scenery Animation Manager plugin on all airbridges is a brilliant bonus, airbridges are designed and branded to match correctly to MEX. Scenery covers the full valley of Mexico, and delivers a huge autogen spread and custom Mexico City buildings. WT3 can be generated for MMMX ground routes and the results are a very active and busy airport. As with all FSX developer transitions there are a few quirks, not enough to distract you from how good this scenery is, but still in there. The one big issue was for me is the setting of "Terrain Contours" off to a flat base to keep a hovering hill in it's correct ground position, fly out of MEX to any US major airport or European destination and you are trapped the other end with the opposite contours problem... as MEX is the odd one out, and of course vise-versa... the fix is noted below. No green centreline lighting makes it hard work taxiing at night on the far reaches of the airport, an oversight there, and Landside is a bit empty with some crazy road structure. Areas where as the autogen meets the airports boundaries can be blank and exposing the average flat ground photo images and on approaches can be very distracting from an otherwise excellent scenery, and no 3d grass has the same effect over the textures of the inner field. Overall I love this excellent MEX and to a point a really well created MMMX has been a long time coming to the X-Plane simulator, however the contours usability was a big issue for me and now fixed I can absolutely recommend this MMMX - Mexico City scenery, brilliant! ______________________________________________________________________ Yes! MMMX - Mexico City International by DreamFlight Studios is Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : MEXICO CITY AIRPORT XP11 Price is US$24.95 Features: Highly detailed objects and vehicles High quality ground textures Realistic Airport Surroundings Custom City Buildings Realistic runway/taxiway lights High resolution building textures Realistic night effects PBR textures Water puddles World Traffic 3 compatible Sam compatible (Plugin Required) FPS friendly ______________________________________________________________________ Installation The download package is huge at 3.68gb and there are four folders with three overlays in your "Custom Scenery" Folder. MMMX - Mexico City Dreamflight Studios (980mb) Y MMMX Overlay (14.4mb) ZZOrtho4XP_+19-100 (1.92gb) ZZOrtho4XP_+19-099 (1.78gb) Total scenery installation is a huge 4.76gb SAM - Scenery Animation Manager plugin is required and to be installed in your X-Plane Resources/Plugin folder This scenery can now be ONLY used in X-Plane11with this XP11 version MMMX Elevation fix, just cut & paste into the main MMMX apt.dat data via a text editor MMMX_Elevation fix.rtf Documents: One manual MMMX_Manual (4 pages) Requirements : X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac and Linux 4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 3.7GB Current and Review version : 1.0 (July 28th 2019) ______________________________________________________________________ Scenery Review by Stephen Dutton 2nd August 2019 Copyright©2019: X-Plane Reviews Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - GeForce GTX 980/SSE2 - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 10 Global ver 10.45 / Checked install in X-Plane11b6 Addons: Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose Soundlink Mini : Headshake by SimCoders Plugins: WorldTraffic3 US$29.95 : Environment Engine v1.07 by xEnviro US$69.90 : Scenery Animation Manager plugin - Free Scenery or Aircraft - Boeing 738 by Laminar Research - Default with X-Plane11

select the view you want, then hold Ctrl + Windows keys together and select the number key you want... 7 is external, 4 pilots view, 1 lower instrument pilots view... 5 OHP, 2 throttles or lower console, 6 is usually entrance door, 3 autopilot and 0 is usually cabin view out on the rear of the wing... that is my keyboard standard layout 😊

I checked that out and the B1900D menu views work perfectly for me? I do notice the selections you are making are directly below the ones you need to select, are you in VR? or is your viewpoint is of the wrong angle... As a note I never use the menu selections, in every new aircraft I always set up my own views via the keyboard (numbers) to be all the same in every aircraft for continuity and ease of use... nice aircraft is this 😀

Aircraft Plugin Review : REP for Carenado PC-12 XP11 by SimCoders Simcoders have changed their focus back now to Carenado aircraft for their next REP or Reality Expansion Pack, this is the Pilatus PC-12 in it's XP11 guise... and a very nice choice it is. Powered by the powerful single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine (the PT6A-67B, 1200 shp), and the PC12 is certified for single-pilot IFR operations, and a great aircraft to use as a base for the expansion pack. A full review of the XP11 version of the Carenado PC-12 is here: Aircraft Review : Pilatus PC12 HD Series XP11 by Carenado SimCoders REP - Reality Expansion Packs The idea of these packs are to bring a bit more of the everyday running of a GA light aircraft to life. Basically if you have used one REP pack then they are all the same with just the aircraft they are attached to different. Simcoders have an installation notice in the package, to read the manual? In reality it is not hard to install, one folder called "REP" is installed into the aircraft's Plugins folder (not the X-Plane/resources/plugin folder) and the other files are just positioned in the aircraft's root or main folder. The REP plugin does however still show in the main X-Plane/Plugin menu when you drop it down from the header bar... and asks you to "Enable Package". This "Enable" is really an authorisation process and the licence key provided with your download is inserted into the pop-up panel and you then activate (internet connection is required) the plugin via the "Ok" key. When verified then the pop-up panel will note for you top reload the aircraft. I will always note to do a complete desktop start of X-Plane in these sort of aircraft restarts, this makes sure the full systems are reloaded (inline) correctly. When activated the REP menu then changes to a different menu format and you now have twelve separate items in: Settings Wear out to Check Fuel Price at Airport Show Checklists Show weight & balance Toggle walkaround mode Toggle tow mode Show maintenance report Engine autostart toggle static elements disable package About I have coloured the sections so you can note the different area separations because I am not going to go down the list in order. About: They like themselves do SimCoders.... Disable Package: The "Disable Package" option allows you to uninstall the REP package on the PC-12. Settings: REP "Settings" shows all your options available on the PC-12 There has been a lot of changes since the earlier REP packages and this shows here in the settings menu which is different from the earlier version but easier to use. In the earlier settings panel there was only six settings were as now there are twelve settings (up from the usual 3) that you can choose from: Enable the plane damages* Show Failure messages* Show tips Show side menu on mouse hover only Save and restore aircraft status between (flying) sessions Save and restore the windows (sic) positions between sessions Enable hypoxia effect (blackout) Roll axis drives ground steering Use US Customary* (originally noted as "use imperial or metric units") Wind sound level 0-100 Advanced Settings Use advanced steering Smooth brakes Use Carenado panel to control the static elements Tab Menu: There are six tabs to use on the left side of your screen and they match the same menu selections on the drop down menu. The six tabs to use on the left side of your screen, you can have then slightly present, or hide them completely with the settings option. And they are in order: Kneeboard Mass & Balance Walkaround Tow Maintenance Report Automatic Engine Start Kneeboard The "Kneeboard" has three pages of references: Normal Operations, Emergency Procedures and (Speed v) References. The kneeboard pop-up does have a quirk in annoyingly popping up all the time when you press a tab on other menu items, once or twice is fine, but then it gets constantly annoying coming up in your face. Mass & Balance The aircraft setup menu is very good. You have "Load Stations" for pilot & passenger weights, baggage weights and fuel weight (Fill) and all the settings are reflected on a graph of Mass and C.G. (Centre of Gravity). Loading the aircraft is quite easy with the panel filled in, when done you just press the "Apply" button to lock the settings in. You get a "Landing C.G. prediction in flight time and fuel flow and an aircraft summary of your weights in Empty, Payload, Fuel, Takeoff, Minimum Takeoff and Takeoff Centre of Gravity arm (which I think is runway length aim?). You can select from either kgs to lbs on the lower left tab. "Fill Tanks" will fill both fuel tanks to full, but here with the full tanks it puts me over the aircraft's weight limits and hence the red warning. Walkaround The "Walkaround" feature is very good and to a point the heart of the REP package. There are actually three walkaround modes... one for "Lights Check" and one for "Pre-Flight" and another for the later "PostFlight", but to the usual users of REP packages you will notice the walkaround aircraft diagram has been dropped. You can toggle all the light switches on or off by pressing the "Toggle Lights" tab and then use the "next" to go around the aircraft to check the aircraft's lighting with the tail beacon, both leading edge (navigation/strobe), all wing Landing lights and front wheel strut taxi light. The "Lights Check" starts and finishes with the OHP (OverheadPanel). "Pre-Flight" is the main Walkaround of the aircraft. In reality it is same feature here of all the REP packages from the start, but it is very good. Here you move externally around the aircraft via the same (Next) tab and can go back to the previous check point by pressing the "Previous" tab. Some points are cleverly animated in that by pressing the tab you can move (or test) the rear tailplane and rudder... the same can be done with the ailerons and flap flight control surfaces. Static elements can be added or removed like with both wing and tail tiedowns, chocks and pitot covers as you move around the aircraft. There are display gauges on the walkaround to note Tire Wear, Oil quantity and Condition (the lighter the oil colour the better the oil is)... The slight odd anomaly with older REP packages has been fixed with the static elements? If you loaded the older REP with engines running the chocks and static elements are still in place? And to remove them you had to shutdown the aircraft, and then do the full walkaround to the chocks, and then restart the engines to fly? Now there there is the tickbox in the settings to "Toggle static elements" ON or OFF, a nice fix like I recommended. Fuel Contamination (again the lighter the better) and pitot probe temperature. Static elements cover all probes and engine inlets. It is overall a very good Walkaround system, and the walkaround works in with the later tab of "Maintenance Report". The "PostFlight" runs the Walkaround again but sort of in reverse to close up and shutdown the aircraft and add in the various static elements, you can see as well any wear and tear the flight has taken on the aircraft. Tow The "Tow" feature is quite basic but works really well. Selecting "Tow" will put you on the front of the aircraft and then you use your joystick to move the aircraft in forwards, backwards and left and right.... just don't forget to unlock the park brake? Maintenance Report Like the Walkaround you can maintain the PC-12 with this feature... The maintenance clipboard is set out slightly different here for the Turboprop than the piston aircraft... systems are now grouped in like: Electrical System, Avionics, Instruments, Pressurisation Systems, Landing Gear and Braking Systems and Economy System. Areas that need attention are noted in RED and a click will do the job. There are seven pages in the report and it is quite comprehensive Last page "Economy System" has the option to activate the "F SEconomy" or the standard "Standalone System". So the maintenance feature is a pretty comprehensive report and gives you high access to the aircraft's functionality. If you select the "Standalone System" you go to a different sized clipboard with the repairs required... then you will get the bill shock! You have options to accept the "Normal" price or the "Quick Fix" price, either way you will need money in your account to fix the broken PC-12? or you can opt out via the "Disable the Economy System" There is a big connection here to the FSEconomy system, and so you have to be a part of the virtual money earning application to fix the aircraft. Automatic Engine Start There is realism and there is also the "drive you up the wall factor" and starting the engine in a REP pack was certainly in the latter category. But here we now have an automatic engine start feature, and it goes through the process of starting the single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine (the PT6A-67B, 1200 shp) engine and tells you via the banner bar on what part of the process is happening. There is still that realism factor, and it can be realistic or a pain depending on your mood. If all your maintenance is up to date and your account is now empty the aircraft will do the full start up procedure for you, and if you have any maintenance issues outstanding then you are going nowhere until you fix them. Wear out to: you have four options of aircraft wear; Brand New, Privately Owned (New), Privately Owned (Old) and Flying Club. Settings set the aircraft into one of the categories set out, but the Flying Club setting has the most hours and a tired aircraft. Aircraft has to totally shutdown to adjust the Wear settings. Check Fuel Price at Airport: This selection is again connected to the FSEconomy system to pay for your fuel. Realism 101 It is just not the external aspects of the PC-12 that are effected, but also so are the dynamics... There is also in the package Realistic taxi behavior, realistic stall speeds & behaviors, realistic climb speeds, realistic cruise speeds and better flying characteristics with the more (set) realistic Weight & Balance. These earlier Carenado's have an urgency to have too much power to taxi smoothly (or slowly) it was one of the real annoyances of these otherwise perfect aircraft. The high taxi speed has been nulled a little here with the new enhancements, but with the mixture set at idle and the throttle at idle you still have to use the brakes now and then to contain the speed, it is however far better than the jack rabbit feel of the none REP PC-12. The PC-12 has a different throttle mixture and built in propeller arrangement, and this custom package adjusts to that, so on ground idle, the first 30% of throttle directly controls the propeller pitch and does not increase NG at all and the custom propeller governor recreating all supported prop modes, the electric auto-feather included all now use the newer X-Plane11.30 governor features. Sounds in the earlier REP Packages were an advantage, but that feel is slightly nulled now as Laminar Research now uses the excellent FMOD 180º sound effects to well "great effect". Simcoders notes that the custom system highlights and is better than the default Carenado sounds, areas covered are Engine ignition, Engine pins, Engine exhausts effects and Fuel pumps, Electric Gyros, Avionics effects, Dynamic touch down, Dynamic ground roll and Dynamic wind. The problem with these sounds that they are good, but you have no control over their volumes except for the wind noise, overall I feel they are yes an improvement, but not a highly noticeable improvement over the now very good Carenado sources. Ditto the featured fuselage wind, landing gear wind and Independent touch down sounds that is used with the SimCoders "Headshaker Plugin", as these again were a great early set of features. But most users now have or use the XPRealistic Plugin that does the same thing but also better and more effectively. But that is not saying it is not a good set of features because they still add in a better dimension to otherwise what is a basic aircraft. Aircraft roll and takeoff sounds with the more "arrrrh, thump, thump" of the retracting gear is far better than the Carenado sounds, as is the wind noise, but you will need to take a little of the wind noise to be more realistic. If you are hard on your aircraft then the REP won't be kind to you? damages are and can be triggered by the pilot actions or poor piloting skills which is based on real world data and can target every system in the aircraft and this is all meant to teach you how to correctly manage the aircraft. You get the more realistic stall speeds & behavior, realistic climb speeds, realistic cruise speeds and realistic weight & balance and in flight you feel and see the differences, the PC-12 feels more relaxed and immersive than what I remember it was before. On release users didn't warm to this Carenado PC-12 aircraft very much and it sold quite slowly, personally I couldn't understand that as I really liked it from the first flight... the non-adjustable and sometimes glaring instrument lighting aside, it is a great PC-12... I think now more are warming to it and understanding more what a nice aircraft this really is... There is secondary fuel flow behavior, realistic lag and custom ITT evolution, correct fuel consumption with better and more realistic engine temperatures, these items are more noticeable on the PC-12's engine displays if you compare to the default version, and the numbers don't lie. Be careful on those landings? the landing gear can be damaged by hard landings and with over-speed operations and the the brakes and tires are damaged if not managed correctly and will have to be replaced... it is an expensive exercise while using the REP pack. Even when your flying day is over the REP will still be working on items like if you leave the power on then the battery will discharge unless you turn it off and that is even if you leave it switched on and close X-Plane? Start X-Plane up again and you will have a dead battery to contend with, just sit and watch the numbers and the battery goes dead very quickly. And that is with also all your current persistent aircraft wear and tear that is recorded and every single switch and lever position is restored when you reload the aircraft as is the the engine and oil temperature which are also restored basing on the time passed. In other words the aircraft is in exactly the same condition (or worse) when you come back to the aircraft for another flight and you certainly don't get a newly set aircraft to fly in, and overtime those hours and the wear and tear will add up in the Maintenance Report and will require attention. Summary What the Simcoder's REP or Reality Expansion Pack does is take a standard aircraft and then supercharges it and gives it a load of features and actions that are not available on the standard aircraft, they also fine tune the aircraft as well to be far more exact on the real machine's performance numbers And the REP does a really good job in this case with the PC-12 and it covers a huge multitude of areas in performance, wear and tear, damages to the aircraft and fluid use. The effects on your systems are also covered in every aircraft area from the electrical systems, Oxygen and mechanical wear and tear on wheels and tires, overall the system coverage is quite extensive and you will need to look after and maintain the aircraft to a certain standard if you want to fly it regularly just like well really a "real" aircraft. The REP has come a long way as well since the earlier versions that were just a little too invasive and made the aircraft just a little too realistic in that it got in the way of actually flying it. The better current menu management really helps here now as does the "auto" engine start up that helps in simply starting the engines, but there is the need for more control interaction as well in menu's, like with the custom sounds FS Economy is now heavily intergrated with the REP package but can be enabled/disabled on the fly, earn your virtual money to keep the PC-12 in the air with payment earned for maintenance and fuel. This REP package is certainly very comprehensive and it goes a long, long way in bringing the PC-12 to life and with far more features and actions than what the aircraft actually has when it comes from Carenado (which was pretty good then). I wasn't a big fan of the earlier REP packages, but this one here is now actually very good on the PC-12, and Simcoders have made the REP's more user friendly and not as invasive as their earlier packs. So if you like an immersive and realistic feel of running of your Carenado PC-12 to a higher more realistic degree, and yes this package does go very deep, then you will love this plugin. The REP-Reality Expansion Package is better than ever and lifts the Carenado aircraft into a more far complex and detailed aircraft for you to intergrate with... ______________________________________________________________________ Yes! the SimCoders Reality Expansion Pack for Carenado PC-12 is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : Reality Expansion Pack for Carenado PC12 XP11 Price is US$19.99 The PC12 XP11 by Carenado is required for this add-on. It will not work on other aircraft Features: Ultra Realistic Flight & Ground Dynamics * Realistic stall speeds & behavior * Realistic climb speeds * Realistic cruise speeds * Realistic Weight & Balance * Realistic taxi behavior Complex Damages System * Triggered by the pilot actions * Based on real world data * Target every system in the aircraft * Meant to teach you how to correctly manage an airplane Economic System * Can be enabled/disabled on the fly * Earn virtual money when you fly * Use virtual money to buy fuel and do maintenance/repairs * Realistic fuel prices around the World * Fully compatible with FSEconomy. * More info at https://www.simcoders.com/reality-expansion-pack/economy Weight & Balance Tool * Load the airplane and check the C.G. and weight limits at takeoff and landing * The airplane behavior changes when the C.G. moves Popup Kneeboard * Complete normal operations checklist * Complete emergency operations checklist * Complete reference tables (speed, fuel consumption etc.) Simulation state saving * Every single switch and lever position is restored when you reload the aircraft * The battery may discharge if you leave it on and then close X-Plane * When X-Plane is launched, the engine and oil temperature are restored basing on the time passed Maintenance Hangar * Engine maintenance tab * Electrical systems maintenance tab * Landing gear, brakes & tires tab Interactive Walkaround * Cockpit checks * Lights checks * Aileron, rudder, elevator and flaps check * Tire check and choks removal * Pitot tube check * Engine cowl check Interactive towing * Push, pull and steer using the joystick * Towbar simulation Realistic PT-6 Engine Logic * Secondary fuel flow behavior * Realistic lag * Custom ITT evolution * Custom throttle dynamics (on ground idle, the first 30% of throttle directly controls the propeller pitch and does not increase NG at all) * Custom propeller governor recreating all supported prop modes, electric auto-feather included * Custom hot-start behavior (and damages) * Correct fuel consuption * Realistic startup procedure * Automatic startup procedure available to help newbies * Realistic engine temperatures * The engine parts are damaged if not managed correctly Stunning sounds * Fuselage wind sound * Landing gear wind * Independent touch down sounds Realistic Landing Gear * The landing gear is damaged by hard landings and overspeed operations * The brakes and tires are damaged if not managed correctly Electrical & Avionics System * Realistic Battery * The avionics are damaged if on when the engine starts/shuts down Native Virtual Reality Support * Complete support of new X-Plane SDK 3.0 * Menu visible in VR * Windows visible in VR Learn with the in-flight tips * A non invasive tip with a suggestion about the conduct of the flight is shown when you are not flying the airplane properly * A non invasive tip with a suggestion on how to recover the problem is shown when you damage the airplane Custom simulation of Hypoxia * Tunnel vision * Hard breathing Developed with love * Coded by real pilots * Very easy on FPS * Written in C++ with no compromises ______________________________________________________________________ Requirements : X-Plane 11 Important: The PC12 XP11 by Carenado is required for this add-on. It will not work on other aircraft Current and Review version: 4.21 (July 26th 2019) ______________________________________________________________________ Installation : Download is 16.3mb which is unzipped and is inserted to the Aircraft/Plugins folder and root folder. Key authorisation is required. Documentation : includes REP - User - Manual There is an Installation "read Me" but just notes to see the manual? ______________________________________________________________________ Plugin Review by Stephen Dutton 28th July 2019 Copyright©2019: 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) Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.20 Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : XPRealistic Pro v1.0.9 effects US$19.95 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 Scenery or Aircraft - LSZH - Airport Zürich v2 by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$27.99 - LEBL - Barcelona Airport XP11 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$21.00

The truth niky, I have absolutely no idea, I haven't flown the An-2 in years, don't have it in my set list either... you might have to ask on the .Org Forums

Aircraft Review : Falcon 50EX by Carenado The Dassault Falcon family goes back to the early sixties with the release of the twin-engined Mystère 20, but with early deliveries set to Pan American it was marketed as the "Fan Jet Falcon" and the name stuck with a rename of Falcon 20 and it is under this guise that Pan American Business Jets Division placed orders for a combined total of 160 Falcon 20s. It was for it's time the Falcon 20 an exceptional aircraft with a 750 km/h (405 knots, 466 mph) cruise speed at 12,200m (40,000 ft) and a range of 3,350 km (1,808 naut mi, 2,080 mi). Obviously you are going to build on success, so the next step was for a more larger faster and longer range aircraft. To achieve this the aircraft that became known as the "Falcon 50" was to add another engine, and to make it a TriJet, and it came for the time of the mid-seventies the first of the really global transcontinental business jets, it was fast at Mach 0.86 (1,015 kph) at full speed, with a cruise set at 488 kn; 903 km/h (Mach 0.85) and a longer range of 5,695 km (3,075 nmi), but remember the FA50 is still an old design and three dated turbofans were not the most fuel efficient compared to current engines like on the Falcon 6x which can do 10,186 km (6,329 mi; 5,500 nmi) 5,100 nmi at Mach 0.85. The FA50 can still do the distance from London to New York, but you will get there almost on dry tanks... The fuselage cross section and capacity is similar to the FA20, but the FA50 had a far more advanced wing design and this aircraft is the 50ex version with the updated TFE731-40 engines Carenado Falcon 50ex It would have been hard to follow up the Carenado Cessna Citation S550 for mid-sized private jets, it was and still is a stunner of a aircraft for X-Plane11. So to follow that exceptional act then Carenado has to deliver an aircraft of the same quality and detail to at least match that standard, and that is a tough high target to achieve, and so that is the question we are asking here in this review, is the Falcon 50 in the same league. Falcons are very distinctive and very French in design, sharp nose with an late fifties cockpit window layout, straight fuselage with a low cross Caravelle style tail, the trijets are even more iconic, but the three engines do make the aircraft look a little rear heavy. But you are not going to deny that Carenado have not done an exceptional modelling design here, as this is a beautifully represented Falcon 50. Complex shapes are dealt with ease, you will find no sharp modelling corners, or lazy quick circles here, it is a well defined design in the ultra category, and so it should be in this price range, you pay for it, but at least here the Carenado delivers, note the nice leading edge lighting assembly, wing mapping (raised rivets and lines) and flap track housings. All undercarriage components are all really well detailed, not only the usual hydraulic piping and struts (main gear is a simple leg support with an attached hydraulic ram) but with smaller detail with clips, bolts and steel foundry shaped assemblies. Front wheel strut is excellent with high detailing including chrome hydraulic ram components. Internal wheel bays are well kitted out and detailed as well, all round perfection. Cockpit windows are late fifties - sixties style five window designs, very Falcon and visibly different from the more standard four glass design of the later Falcon 7X series. Note the small hidden wiper assemblies. A glass is Carenado perfection, front and side designs in quality, reflection and shapes. Fuselage shaping is also high in detail and the excellent paint reflections are of a very high caliber and all this comes with Carenado's dynamic reflections, realistic metal and dielectric materials... in other words it is very good. The central engine is the only one with a thrust-reverser, it is a clamshell design and in action it looks excellent in animation Menus Menu system is standard Carenado lower left screen three tabs, the three tabs can be mouse scroll hidden The three tabs are noted as: A ) is for the lovely authentic Collins Proline21 pop-up Autopilot panel, that this is quite screen filling large panel, but can thankfully be moved and scaled to a smaller size. C ) Is the standard Carenado ten preselected Views, Field of View and Volume panel. And O ) is the Options panel.  The Proline21 Autopilot panel is different (larger) than the one on the Premier 1A, and it is quite large in default mode on your screen, it can of course be scaled HUGE, or very small, but scaling too small can make button actions hard to use. Options include Window and Instrument reflections. The static elements provided here are still very basic with only two cones, rear wheel chocks and flag/pitot covers and some nice "FA50ex" engine inlet covers, but you can only have all or nothing. The highly realistic pilot and co-pilot (and new) animated pilots in flight uniforms do disappear when you activate the static elements. left side is the main entrance door... there is also a nice well detailed "HOBART" GPU (Ground Power Unit). The livery Selector is now on the options panel than from usually the Carenado tab.  You have the option of the original wing tip (square) or the newfangled high curved winglets, the superb winglets are an obvious choice. Cabin and cockpit Entrance to the Falcon 50 is via a single left hand forward door with built in stairs, it is animated either via the menu, or the handle internally (arrowed below)... design with nice chrome rail-handles is excellent, in v1.1 the animation has been slowed down a little for more realism, the door looks and moves now like real. Cabin fit-out is all dark woods and heavy leather, it is a very cigar lounge feel, four club seating forward, one single seat aft and a three seater settee to the right side and so that is a passenger seating layout of eight. Cabin fittings and details are excellent, with chrome highlights and highly soft looking cushions to hug... ... a nice touch are the two passenger screen monitors, both fixed, but look great... all the blinds are animated, but I found them a bit in areas overtouchy to use, but still a very nice to have. Odd for Carenado is that the tables don't fold out, more odd is they look like they are created that way and the folded up panels are also there positioned inside, but I couldn't get them work if they do? so I am going to say that they do actually work. There is a folding door to open to access the cockpit... .... to the left as you go in there is a pilot's storage area for books, jackets and other bits and pieces, note the dangerous looking axe? Top is the entrance lighting knob, and an audio panel that has two working knobs. First look into the cockpit is breathtaking, with such overwhelming quality and detail. Armrests flip up to get in to the seats, but you know it will still be a very tight fit. In the left seat and the glareshield overhang is huge, and really well done but it is all very black and dark with no power connected. First look forward reminds me of Concorde with the shield in the full up position. Pressing the EXT Power button with toggle the external GPU, and flick the main battery switches and the effect is "oh wow, oh wow" this is one nice cockpit in lighting and detail. The instrument panel lighting highlights the built in glareshield grab handles and the huge centre mounted park brake handle, very nice and the overhead panel turns into a rainbow of ergonomics... excellent! Instrument Panel Twin authentic yokes have built in electric trim and can be hidden. Yokes hidden then that exposes the four display Proline21 avionics system introduced on the Carenado Premier 1A... ... There are for both pilots a PFD (Primary Flight Display) and a MAP/NAV MFD (Multifunctional Display), both can be popped out but only the PFD and MFD two from either side... other central display panels will also pop-out includes , three engine parameters, backup Artificial Horizon, Fuel/Temp and hydraulics/ VIB N1 - N2 (engine vibration indication). The PFD has the standard glass cockpit layout of Speed and Altitude strips, Artificial Horizon, Vertical Speed and Rate of Turn built into the upper section, lower section has a built in Navigation and Map and COM1/ATC/UTC/TAT/COM2 strip at the bottom. MFD has Engine readouts top, route information lower and the same Navigation and Map layout lower with a GS/TAS/SAT/ISA strip at the bottom. Several points since the debut release of the Proline21, the PLAN function (arrowed right) now works (Yeah!) to see and layout your flight plan, and the text does not overlap. Unlike the Premier where as the DCP (Display Control Panel) which was set vertical between the displays, here on the FA50 it is set both sides up on the glareshield next to the autopilot... BARO, MENU/DATA, TILT/RANGE knobs. The default screen shows: FORMAT (ROSE/ARC/MAP), TERR/RDR, TFC and a PRESET (quick switch) setting on the left, you can adjust on the DCP panel via the "MENU/DATA" knob for either PFD or MFD, switching can be separate with ROSE in say the PFD and ARC in the MFD or vice versa. Selecting the "NAV/BRG" button will bring up the NAV SOURCE (FMS1/VOR1/VOR2) and Background (BGD) pointers for FMS/VOR1/ADF1 top and FMS1/VOR2 lower, again just select the required selection button and the select blue box band.... adjustment is again via the DCP MENU knob There are altogether three (pages) settings of References that can be accessed by repeatably pushing the Menu REFS knob. Pressing the RADAR button will bring up the TERR/RDR setting the same as in the menu option, the TERRAIN feels far better but is quite bright (Red or Blue) and can make the flying and navigation details hard to read, I probably wouldn't use it, except in the RDR - Radar mode. Overall this latest version of Carenado's ProLine21 system is certainly far less buggy, and more functions work than with the release version and expect the same fixes to be translated back over to the Premier 1A. ProLine21 Autopilot panel is excellent, standard layout and easy to use, and note the comprehensive engine fire panel for the three engines. Lower centre panel has Alieron, Rudder and Stabliser positions panel left and SLAT/FLAP positions right, in the middle is a comprehensive annunciator lighting panel, with test and bright and low light settings. To note the speed knobs (arrowed) for adjustment in the PFD. Three lever throttle assembly is a work of art, and seriously detailed, and note the working springs on the stop selection (arrowed below left), lift the red levers to shutdown the engines (switch off fuel flow).... as there are three levers you lose the versatility of a two lever operation with a throttle system (Saitek X56), so you have to lock them all together, shame but it is what it is.... .... single central thrust-reverser lever is again a work of animated art, and you have to understand how it works. X-Plane key setting "Toggle Thrust Reversers" with activate it, but to use it you then use your throttles... the reverser lever moves but the throttle levers stay in position, do the opposite to store the clamshells.... it is a work of art to use. Centre console has top left Anti-Skid, right cabin pressure adjustment with pressure dump (nicely done). The standard Laminar FMS panels and radios... radios can be tricky to set (Transponder is really tricky), so get used to setting the two page (COMM1/NAV1 - COMM2/NAV2, ADF and Transponder) settings on the ground before flying, if not you will struggle later, the radio also pops-out for ease of use. Note a second set of DCP panels. Rear centre console trim Aileron, Rudder and Stab adjustment switches and a really lovely Air Brake lever (arrowed)... right is the Flap adjuster: CLEAN - SLATS - S+FLAP 20º - S+FLAPS 48º, and the flap knob is gate animated to lift and click (very nice). Rear console is the cabin pressure dial There is another cabin pressure dial low left on the pilot's side on the instrument panel, and a clock above on each side. Side consoles have Gyro Align, radio selections and tiller (left), right is oxygen controls and a little OPEN - CLOSE lever (arrowed)? This will move the right side window blind forward for use or stow it away, very nice, but there is not one on the pilot's side (boo... ) but the left blind is still animated and can be used, both rear cockpit windows have animated blinds. OverHead Panel (OHP) is excellent, areas including Electrical, Fuel System, Bleed Air, Engines, Conditioning, Anti-Ice APU, Heating, Exterior and Interior lights are all colour coded, lighting knobs are each side... .... huge circuit breaker field is also colour coded, but none of the breakers are active. Note the really lovely styled overhead DOME lights. Lighting You were expecting the lighting to be good in the Falcon 50, and "boy" you are not disappointed... it is amazing. You have the two overhead DOME lights in the cockpit and two map lights that are highly adjustable, all the panel lighting is breathtaking. If you able to restrain yourself and tone it all down a little, it looks even better and more realistic... note the side spot light. No problems in finding that right lighting for the best takeoff or landing ambience, lovely in here.... roof ergonomic rainbow panels are... UNBELIEVEABLE! Cabin lighting is also exquisite, it is all really nice lighting... ... with main overhead track lighting and eight adjustable spot lights for individual seating positions, there are two overhead entrance lights as well. But there is a quirk? The main cabin lighting will only work with the DOME lighting in the cockpit? so to have the cabin lit in flight means the cockpit is brightly lit as well (fine in the day but annoying at night), the switch position is wrong because there is a three way switch position on the "cabin" lighting for OFF- PAX - ALL, this could be used to move the lighting away from the dome lighting, the adjuster for the lighting doesn't work either, so there is a real missed opportunity here to have it all. From the exterior viewpoint it is about as great as you would want it to be, the entrance night view is excellent. note the nice tail lighting. Flying the Falcon 50 At Zurich the FA50ex is all primed up with block fuel of just a slight over 3000kgs with a TOW 13662 kgs, the luxury cabin awaits the passengers, the route to Barcelona is really quite short at 551nm, but you will fly high (32.000ft) and fast at mach m80. You have a built in APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) but except for the one (arrowed) electrical gauge it is hard to tell it is running... Starting the engines is very easy, fuel-shut off set to throttle lever idle, set all the bleeds to Auto and then just press the engine start of which engine you want to start, I am still going right to left or Engine 2, 3 and then 1, you may want to start the central engine first... a red light on the engine start says it is in start up operation, then just watch the engine gauges do the work, it is all very Auto. The systems in Starter Logic, Fuel System, Bleed Air System, Avionics busses, Hydraulic Logic are all custom designed and highly realistic, but overall this is a very automatic aircraft to use system wise, so that makes it easy for early simulation users, wanting system depth, but not with all the palaver of working through deep system networks. It is very quiet in the cockpit, so you are a bit removed from the engine start up aurally, but externally it is very good with those 180º dynamic sounds, and three Honeywell TFE 731-40 turbofan engines, poring out 3,700 lbf (16.46 kN) thrust each is going to sound good isn't it... well yes, really good. Don't forget that you have full oxygen tanks as the FA50 uses the new Laminar oxygen system, very realistic. Slat operation is excellent, and you can override if you want to. A light fuel load and only three passengers means I am quite light, so the Falcon will move quite easily with a slight push of the throttles, the aircraft is very nice and easy to move on around on the ground. Power up and all that three engine thrust kicks in, and so you move.... engine particle effects are very good, all very hazy and thrusty. Throttles T/OFF markings are noted on the engine outputs to show where to set the throttles for the best thrust ratio and that works fine. As noted you can set all the speed Ref's (arrowed) and they are spot on, rotate v2 is around 140knts, but you feel it earlier as the nose wants to lift... .... so you have to be careful not to over rotate, then secondly keep that pitch in check as you climb out, it is not you will be fighting against the aircraft, but just don't let the pitch runway from your control... official rate of climb is 2,053 fpm, so 2000fpm is easily acceptable, but "wow can she climb". The gear retracts with a thud... and I love the way the front gear retracts forward, the animations on all gear assembles are excellent. Those central mounted speed knobs are very easy to use, but they are only for showing the speed selection only, there is no auto-thrust here, so the idea is to set your speed target and aim for it with the throttles. The FA 50 is quite nice in the air once the wings are cleaned up, but my gut says the flap extension made the aircraft pitchy, and a little bit loose on the centre, but once you get full clean control it is quite nice.... It is very, very easy to get two PFD certain selections mixed up... you can select a preset "FMS/NAV1/NAV2" from the PFD, but you may think this buttom selects the FMS, but it doesn't as it "PreSelects" not selects, so you maybe actually switching it out, when you want to switch it in, it was a mistake I didn't make on the Premier 1A, but somehow kept on doing so here? Note the fuel detail in FF (Fuel Flow), QTY (Quantity) and Fuel. You can say what you want, but the FA50 is a super nice looking aircraft in the air. Over the Alps at FL320 and you are soon at the south french coast, which the Mediterranean Sea then shows up on the radar, standard ceiling is FL490 14,936 m (49,000 ft), so you have a lot of altitude flexibility. You have the ProLine21 autopilot panel that pops-up, but I didn't really need it as the glareshield panel is quite easy to use and handy... so I never used it? Your fingers are just twitching to use that exquisite air-brake lever... go on I know you do, so a 2000fpm descent into Barcelona was an excellent excuse to twiddle with the lever, the air-brakes are tiny but effective. Approch into LEBL - Barcelona's RWY 02 is via BISBA STAR - BISB4N, but it didn't compute the route well on the FMS, so I added in a go around route that followed the STAR close enough via SLL - BISIS - TOTKI - BL620 - Approach. 6000ft was now slowly reducing to 3500ft as I turned at BISIS... ... and you have to love those splendid Falcon wing shapes against the water. You can cruise clean at 250knts, but then it is quite a fall to Slat speed of 200 knts, then again to 190knts for approach and S+20... ... Gear down, thunk, thunk and you are going for the lower landing approach speed, the marker Vrefs are there (arrowed), but you have to find your own points to avoid that steep nose down approach angle most business jets like, I found 116 knts to be ideal and flying nice and slow, but in also keeping the pitch in check.... Flaps at full 48º are slightly draggy, but you have a lot of power to play with, again you have to keep that nose in check on finals. Approach external lighting is good... central twin mounted landing lights and nose-wheel taxi. Wing (ice) lights are good as well with twin red beacons on the belly and tail, standard nav and strobe lights and the nice tail lighting (see below). Over the fence and I am again very aware of not letting that nose get too high on me, my gut says it will just sit there high in the air as the wheels touch, so my flare is very highly controlled, a bit of pitch to slow the aircraft, but not enough to lose the nosewheel... stall speed is 95knts. Nose is a touch up on contact, but it is almost a three point landing, and it feels like a very good landing inside... I'm happy with that. The single thrust-reverser is not that powerful, compared to the usual twins, but the operation is great to use (note the "Green Deployed" light) and it does slow the aircraft of which you will need 658 m / 2,159 ft roll-out. Air-brakes have to be activated manually, but certainly help in slowing down the aircraft... note that using the air-brakes on the ground activates more spoilers than the air-brake function. I will note it took me a few maybe three flights to really get the full feel of the Falcon 50, yes it is easy to use, and yes it is easy to sort for a flight, but you do need to get into a sort of flying groove with it, the first flights maybe even messy, but the more you fly the FA50 then the more confident and together you are with the aircraft. Librain water effects work here as well, they look great internally, but are a bit odd in showing through the fuselage externally... with Librain it is still a refinement process that you have to accept. But to note the wipers are small, and you get only a very small gap to find that runway in the wet and dark... that will test your skills. FA 50 wing and night lighting IS amazing... Liveries You get the usual blank white and six liveries. Three are European and three are US registered including the display aircraft N502EX. Quality of all are very good, but except for the hard coloured red and black aircraft the style is all very similar of wavy stripes Summary Nobody does these large business jets better than Carenado, the Citation S550 was a killer machine and this great Falcon 50ex is certainly on par with the earlier aircraft so it would be now hard to choose between them. The design and detailing in this aircraft is some of the best out there, it is sublime in what you get now for your money, in every area including sound it is simply outstanding. The Carenado ProLine21 is also improved and has had a few bug fixes as well, it is still not totally absolutely perfect yet, but it is now at least in the very good category, and note you can use the RealityXP GTN750 support (with 3D panel display support) in this aircraft and it is VR refined as well. Lighting is excellent inside and out. Systems including Starter Logic, Fuel System, Bleed Air System, Avionics busses, Hydraulic Logic are deep and all custom made for the aircraft, but there is a lot of auto-procedures to help with the ease of flying the machine, however it is still an aircraft to learn and fly and requires a few to many flights to really get proficient on the Falcon 50. Negatives, not many and just a very few bugs, like the tables are not animated (missed and will be fixed) , ProLine21 in areas still in development and the librain is still in need of refinement, the oddly connected cockpit and cabin lighting, and I will note the now standard Carenado menus do now feel outdated, and all circuit breakers are all hard. The review is full of words like... outstanding, excellent, exquisite and so yes this Falcon 50ex from Carenado is an amazing aircraft, and it is very well priced for all the ultra detail and systems that you get here. There is a sort of proud ownership that you get with these outstanding aircraft, you stand or sit inside there wondering how far simulation has come in the ultra detailing and sheer quality you now have available in X-Plane11, but here is a business jet to certainly savour and to enjoy in for your personal use for years to come. _______________________________ The Falcon 50EX by Carenado is now Available at the X-Plane.Org Store, and is available from Carenado directly as well: FA50 EX XPLANE 11 Priced at US$39.95 Features: High-end 4k PBR (Physically-based Rendering) graphics throughout, with ultra-realistic materials rendition (Dynamic reflections, realistic metal and dielectric materials, etc.) Fully customized in-depth annunciator logic/aural warning logic/throttle logic with functioning latches. Optimized for VR. Custom Proline21 avionics system, all featuring detachable pop-up windows Integrated FMS with detachable pop-up window (Laminar default) Custom Autopilot with detachable pop-up window Rain effect support* In-depth FMOD sound design implementation, including distance effects, realistic turbine reversal effects, etc. RealityXP GTN750 support (with 3D panel display support) Custom electrical system/Starter Logic/Fuel System/Bleed Air System/Avionics busses/Hydraulic Logic Extensive VR support Extensive HDR lighting with gimballed 3D lights and dynamically illuminated ice lights for amazing night lighting effects Includes pressurization and oxygen system End-user customizable via Manifest.json file. Goodway compatible Engine design optimized for XP11.30’s jet engine model Support for “librain” plugin (Requires separate plugin install) Librain support also includes visual ice effects on windows. Requirements X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB VRAM+ Recommended Download Size: 580MB Current and Review Version : 1.1 (July 23rd 2019) Installation and documents: Download for the Falcon 50ex XP11 is 551 Mb and the unzipped file is deposited in the aircraft "General Aviation" X-Plane folder at 741.30 mb. Download the LIbrain rain effect plugin (add into the aircraft's plugin folder) Documentation: Huge amount of documentation, with ProLine21 introduction, Laminar FMS manual, Performance and reference tables. Carenado FA50EX Emergency Procedures.pdf Carenado FA50EX Normal Procedures.pdf Carenado FA50EX Performance Tables.pdf Carenado FA50EX References.pdf Carenado FA50EX Version History.rtf Carenado Proline 21_FA_50.pdf Carenado Recommended Joystick Settings XP11.pdf Carenado RTU Manual.pdf Credits.pdf Recommended settings XP11.pdf X-Plane FMS Manual.pdf Carenado Copyright.pdf ______________________________________________________________________  Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton  26th July 2019 Copyright©2019 : X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) Review System Specifications:  Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.31 (v11.30 is required for this aircraft) Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro v1.11 US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 : LIbrain rain effects - Free Scenery or Aircraft - LSZH - Airport Zürich v2 by Aerosoft (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$27.99 - LEBL - Barcelona Airport XP11 by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$21.00 

You will need the CARENADO G1000 DATABASE (which MUST BE INSTALLED) It is installed in the main root folder of X-Plane.

You have not ordered rudder pedals, but hopefully a YAW axis joystick. X-Plane will automatically adjust to default yaw on the joystick (which you should set when you add the stick to X-Plane) and fine tune, if you buy a rudder pedal set up later you can then add in the sequential braking feature... the rest is just practise

Aircraft Update : Spectr-Aero SP-30 v1.2 by Mad Flight Studios Sometimes what looks like a casual review can turn out to be something special, and so it was with Mad Flight Studio's Spectr-Aero SP-30, which is a design originally of Canada's Zenith STOL CH 701. It is a very cute if noisy critter of an aircraft, and it comes about as close as a dramatic flying experience that you can get in X-Plane11 with the major plus of a huge feature list and exceptional interaction with the actual aircraft, it is a great if brilliant simulation. The full release review is here: Aircraft Review : Spectr-Aero SP-30 by Mad Flight Studio v1.2 A small quick bug fix update went out straight after the release for the SP-30, so here in this v1.2 update is a more wider set of fixes and adjustments. Rear shelf and parts of the cabin has had new textures and a redesign, it was pretty good before, but these changes are to reflect the real aircraft more. Notable is the instrument panel, which seems to have a more 3d textured feel than before, and yes I really like it. There has been added a new livery called "Experimental Green", which does make the aircraft feel a bit more modern, but it is quite bright and not really to my traditional tastes. The paintkit has been improved and updated as well. Ground drag has been adjusted as there was a bug in there, but it always felt fine to me, the SP-30 feels no different on the takeoff roll either. The right vent animation of which I will note as heat effects has also been made more realistic, as the efects certainly seem to be more visible than before. Use those lovely headphones and you will now have co-pilot interaction sounds, which is a nice new feature. A note is in that you have to set the language before you load in the aircraft (with a new download). Both English and Russian text (clipboard) and sound files are provided, but you have to insert them (change them) yourself as Russian is the set default language . Fuel quantity save is another area addressed. If you have read the release review you will know that I found the Spectr Aero an extraordinary aircraft and it came with some highly realistic features. But I also found because of these very immersive and clever features the SP-30 could also be confined to a certain type of user and not be a completely accessible simulation to a lot of mainstream flyers. The biggest issue was simply a save. With this simulation you have to manually load in fuel and chemicals, do servicing and maintenance, of which are all very immersive and fun. However the SP-30 is a temperamental critter that can be very hard to start, get the procedures right and fine, and away you go... but if you make a slight mistake or if that aircraft refuses to start then you are in trouble, you can fix it of course, but not by a menu or desktop restart of the aircraft... because if you do, then your loading, filling and all your hard work is wiped out on a simple restart, as you are now back at the aircraft's default settings. Do that routine five or ten times and you will simply walk away from the aircraft. I will note however on my first restart in a few months it started first time if I followed the startup procedure closely that is explained in the release review. So has the issue been fixed... well yes and no. If you select on the clipboard selection "Save" then the remaining fuel will be saved, plus all the other aircraft conditions, including any maintenance issues, so now yes you can reload from the desktop bacxk to the aircraft as you last left it.... But here it gets a little tricky, as if you select the "Don't save" tickbox when you reload you go back to the default settings, that is okay, but you also lose all your hard fuel loading efforts, so if you want a full fuel load you have to stop the engine, and reload manually all the fuel again... yada, yada, yada... there is a however a workaround in loading the SP-30 at the default settings with the engine going and then adjusting the fuel load via the X-Plane "Weights, Balance, & fuel" menu to get back to where you were. But this is where it really gets complicated... also selecting the "Don't save" tickbox should revert to the full default settings right, but no. With the "Don't save" checkbox selected the maintenance issues are still present? shouldn't they be cleared if you have selected a default or all systems and set to restart... not here, so you can't clear them? From the developers point of view this is the right approach, in fix the aircraft no matter what to fly, but this is simulation not a real world aircraft and for that full experience you have that option with the "Save" command. Worse you have no control over the maintenance options, so the developers can throw them at you any time they like, but five fuel blockages in two short flights is seriously frustrating if you can't default them, so I crashed, five times? Even if you fix the fault, takeoff and there it is again... so you are put into a no-win situation every time you fly the SP-30. Here is the point... with the "Save" option set on, then everything goes from one flight to the next in realism, but if you set the "Don't save" option you should reset EVERYTHING including the faults to zero at every startup position, and be able to fly if you don't want these realism options switched on, this aspect would open up the aircraft to far more users, because they can't enjoy this amazing aircraft for any period of time because the faults will always destroy your simulation... sometimes folks we JUST WANT TO FLY with no special features and just enjoy the aircraft, and as it is it is extremely frustrating if you have no control over the faults that are hard wired into the aircraft no matter what selection you choose. Summary This is a very nice but small v1.2 update to the Spectr Aero SP-30, and the machine has a huge amount of features and details, but is lacking in ease of use for the casual flyer, so overall it is not a very accessible aircraft to fly and enjoy consistently and in most cases I find myself shutting it down and walking away with frustration with inconsistencies. In the original release review and this update review the results are the same, the SP-30 is frustrating to use consistently because of very simple strategies in letting you fly either fully with the faults and features, or to be able to simply turn them off, and when you can't disable or adjust over sensitive maintenance issues it will impede the simulation to the point of walking away from an otherwise excellent aircraft. Covered here in this v1.2 update is some new textures and some modeling adjustments, a new livery in Experimental Green, new co-pilot sounds and a new "save" function. The strive to make an aircraft in total realism I can believe in and applaud, but when the over realism here starts to interfere with your simple flying aspects then the fun goes out of the simulation, with no complete resets or when the simple start up and fly aspects are minimised you are not going to spent an hour or so to simply get a few minutes flying to only crash again with a blocked fuel filter at a supposed default (totally cleared) setting, the aircraft is either reset to the default or it isn't and many fliers will revel in that aspect and no doubt that is the developers aims, but I want fun and not the constant frustration created here in my flying.... overall though this is a brilliant aircraft if you can work your way though its realism firewall. _______________________________ The Spectr-Aero SP-30 v1.2 by Mad Flight Studio is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here : Spectr-Aero SP-30 Priced at US$39.95 Main features: Dynamic model, handing characteristics, systems controlled and tested by real world pilots and engineers. Full 3D manual ground service propeller covers Pitot cover parking ties parking chocks control surface check fueling (gasoline and chemicals) fuel drain check outside engine heater chemical works equipment Full 3D manual engine service propeller manual rotation oil level check oil change oil filter change air filter change fuel filter change spark plugs change prop pitch selection (from service menu) a lot of failure repairs (from service menu) IFR flying adaptation GNS transponder slip and turn indicator navigation lights landing light cockpit light Realistic gauge operation Custom radiostation FL-760 (with AUX connection simulation) Custom fuel system Custom oil system Custom engine operation A lot of custom failures Custom shake and G-effect (compatible with TrackIR and view-effect plug-ins) Custom 3D sounds (over 170 real sounds) Custom windshield effects (rain, ice, mist) Custom particle effects Fully VR compatible (without additional plug-ins) High Quality PBR textures High accuracy interior and exterior 3D models High accuracy fully animated aircraft 3D ground service and general options menu Two Language manuals and aircraft menus (Russian/English) Two cockpit languages (Russian/English) Two gauge options (Metric/Imperial) Layered paintkit included Requirements X-Plane 11.30 and higher Windows, Mac OSX, Linux 64bit 2Gb VRAM Video Card (4GB+ VRAM Recommended) Current version and Review Version : 1.2 (19th July 2019) Installation and documents: Download for the Spectr-Aero SP-30 is 749.35mb and the unzipped file deposited in the aircraft "General Aviation" X-Plane folder at 1.30gb. Documentation: Manual (26 pages) is excellent and covers all aspects of servicing and flying the aircraft. Manuals are in both English and Russian as is the instrument and clipboard languages (note the clipboard language has to be changed manually via a supplied image file) SP-30_manual_En.pdf SP-30_manual_Ru.pdf Paintkit and the language pack is also supplied. Changelog v1.2 SP-30 changelog v1.2.txt ______________________________________________________________________ Update review by Stephen Dutton 25th July 2019 Copyright©2019 : X-Plane Reviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.30 (v11.30 is required for this aircraft) Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro v1.10 US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 Scenery or Aircraft - YBNA - Ballina Byron Gateway Airport 1.0 by Stricko 101 (X-Plane.Org) - Free

News! - Announcement : Fokker 50 by Carenado Carenado have announced that the Fokker 50 is in development and next for release in X-Plane11. This is not a big surprise as we knew the aircraft was on the table, but the announcement is a very nice to know anyway. The F50 will certainly be very welcome and if as detailed and featured as Carenado's lovely Saab 340A XP11 it will be a very good simulation of this very iconic aircraft... some nice images have been released on Carenado's facebook page. No feature details have yet been released, but the FSX/P3D version does have Flight1 GTN 750* integration so I would expect that, price on the FSX/P3D version is US$44.95 and that feels about right for X-Plane. Release date? a few weeks or early August would be my bet Images are courtesy of Carenado Announcement via Carenado's Facebook page ________________________________________ News by Stephen Dutton 22nd July 2019 Copyright©2019: X-Plane Reviews

The point of this B787 of being an open development has been made very clear, and highlighted in every review, so in this respect it is not a completed project and we all expect as much, the development has been extremely good over the period the aircraft has been noted as an "Aviator" product and we all support the project as such, you have not wasted your money, just not understood the project's guidelines and in time you will get the features you have paid for, for the future in respect check out the product before you purchase if you want a fully formed aircraft.

Best (and quickest) way is via the Overlay Editor, I don't like them either, they are very poor quality... LSGG is overdue for an update.

Scenery Review : LGSR - Santorini Greece by Logo Projects If being perched on the edge of a volcano is your sort of holiday then this place is certainly for you. Several things are working in your favour, for one the volcano is extinct and has been for thousands of years, and all that remains now is this sunken remnant of an ancient volcanic caldera. Secondly this place is Santorini, which is the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands of Greece, with an area of approximately 73 km2 (28 sq mi) and has a 2011 census population of 15,550. Yes the same Santorini which is one of the most desirable locations of "that view" in the world, and many a selfie tourist has plunged to their deaths here. (navigraph) X-Plane has already a very good version of Santorini by uwespeed, but that version is now five years old and built for X-Plane10. Like anything you always want another step forward, better ortho textures, better buildings and more details, in other words you want something more current and more realistic and better realism, hence this new version from Logo Projects. First views of the Santorini caldera are quite impressive. There are great photo textures provided that give you a very realistic feel of the volcanic island, certainly the X-Plane11 dynamic lighting helps, but that is part of the experience. LGSR - Santorini airport is on the eastern side of the island (above). These volcanic islands are hard to represent, there isn't a lot of over growth or fauna to make them attractive and hide any faults, so that the textures look as good as they do is a major plus, and the photo textures however do also create nice and realistic shorelines right around the Islands. Orthophoto scenery is quality Z17 with a 3D effect on the ground textures or grooves representing the ground features, and in any shadow lighting it looks quite impressive and gives the mountain areas a bit of character and to a point hides that full flat surface look, I wouldn't say the textures are as brilliant as the Faroes as they are there classiclly good, but they are up there with the best. Officially the island is the municipality of Thera, Thera as the capitol is on the central western ridge, and is adjoined to Faro's and Santo. All the Greek buildings are custom to Santorini, there is a lot of replication of course but still enough variation to create a realistic representation of Thera, and of course the building coverage of the whole island(s). The highlight is of course the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral and that is nicely reproduced here, with the Atlantis Hotel to the north. There is a huge amount of churches and Orthodox buildings, but a lot of the dwellings here are actually caves set into the mountain side, but as for the visual aspect it works quite well. Santorini Harbour is set below, but it is not highly detailed, the cablecar however is there and animated, but there are no cables... there are only a few Donkeys now as Santorini has been pared back to in using them and weighing the overweight Americans that rode them up this steep cliff side. Ola is on the far north inner rim.... Famous are the "Three Blue Domes", two the Anastasi Church and Panagia Platsani are together and the third is up on the tip of the island. The textures are very low resolution at this ground level, so don't expect any street detail, but overall in a visual sense it works quite well. There are a few cruise ships represented in the central caldera and a ferry at the Athinios Port. Greek scenery has to have Greek windmills and so you have here at Ola with the Lioyerma Windmill. The Ola castle however is not represented. All the major villages and settlement areas on the island are represented including Emporeio, also known as Nimborios and the hilltop village of Pyrgos Kallistis. LGSR - Santorini Thira Airport Santorini International Airport Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Σαντορίνης IATA: JTR - ICAO: LGSR 16L/34R 6,972ft (2,125m) Asphalt Elevation AMSL127 ft / 39 m Outwardly LGSR looks like a twin parallel runway and officially it is with the main 16L-34R 6972 feet/2125m in length and the smaller parallel taxiway that is built to runway specification and is labeled 16R-34L. There are no ILS guidence instruments here, so you are going to have to fly the approaches manually. Ramp area is super small and comes with only four stands, with another four GA parking areas set north. Single terminal is the original 1972 building, all walk on/off and no shiny glass or metal structures... Terminal detail is good, but not exceptional, but the whitewash Greek white design doesn't help either in creating a dynamic texture environment, it is fine in context. The built in control tower is small, but I like the windows... the tower view is set, but not actually on the control tower itself and in fact you are positioned a fair distance away from the control tower view (below right). Roof detail however is very good. Some odd business puts the X-Plane airport rotating beacon inside the control tower? It is worse at night as we shall see. The landside has a lot of elevations, and they are all very well done here with the levels all being correct and highly detailed... .... the very low photo texture detail is quite poor, so no detail comes through, worse is the mess on the entrance road, mostly missing, but with no detail and a bus set in the fencing it is a distracting eyesore, horrible also are the decades old trees. Clutter is good, but most vehicles feel abandoned with the poor ground washed out texture detail. On the ramps it is pretty good, with a lot of detail to catch your eye, Fire Station is new at LGSR and Fuel depot is well done as is the GA area. I like the way the boarding of a Boeing 737 is set out, but Air Berlin are now long gone?.. maybe Aegean or EasyJet would have been a better choice, another oddity is the ramp workers set out in front of each parking stand.... they look good, but you have to run over them and the bollards to leave the stand on departure? There are some NATO style hangars on the southern Rwy 34 Approaches, they are authentic, but the one dimensional inserted images ruins the idea. I will always say yes to 3d grass, and it is good here with the matching brushy dried out grass that suits the surrounding dried ground textures... ... runway and taxi surfaces are a bit average, feel very flat with no real depth or grain or wet effects, they do the job, but that is all. Lighting First response to the Santorini lighting is "WOW" this is excellent, and it is really brilliant, second response is, "Why can't all of X-Plane night lighting be like this?" This is the best nightlighting coverage I have seen yet in X-Plane, very realistic. Close up it is not really a village type atmosphere, as is areas it is quite bright, but in context overall Santorini looks amazing... smaller areas like football (Soccer) fields and the small industrial areas also come alive at night Terminal and ramps are also excellent, LGSR would make for a great night arrival... only oddity is the rotating beacon set low in the control tower? Approaching Santorini at night is certainly almost a holy experience, the island just feels so realistic. WT3 : Santorini doesn't have any built in ATC ground routes? so WT3 - WorldTraffic3 does not generate any routes and so doesn't work here. You could debate with only four stands you are not going to get a lot of traffic activity here either, but this still payware scenery and what if you required ATC control... not really good enough at this level. Summary A highly desirable scenery and an interesting one with in the last year their has and with still lot more scenery coming of the current focus on the Greek and Turkish regions of the Mediterranean, and certainly this Santorini Scenery from Logo Projects would be a brilliant addition to the area. Overall the scenery is very good with a good representation of LGSR Santorini Airport and the local areas that cover the municipality of Thera. Buildings tumble down the mountain sides with realism, but most are generic with the odd customised iconic churches, windmills and infrastructure that do create a decent interpretation of the islands, the object coverage is also very high and well done as is the clutter. The Photo textures are very good and also give a decent interpretation of these volcanic islands, they have 3d ridge and groove effects as well, however in the required more detailed areas like landside LGSR they are found to be a bit wanting and too low a resolution to be realistic, the few trees are awful and dated as well. Other quirks include a badly placed airport beacon, wrongly placed tower view, Air Berlin aircraft, poor landside airport entrance and no ATC ground routes (or WT3) which is a sin and punishable for any payware airport and average runway and taxiway textures. Lighting here is a major surprise and a big highlight and feature of the scenery, a pure night approach experience that you wish was available thoughout all of the X-Plane Simulator, it is intensely beautiful and realistic. Santorini is certainly a scenery for the collection, a few quirks but overall a well presented scenery and a few big and positive steps up from the older uwespeed Santorini version... just make sure your first landing is a night landing, as it is excellent. ______________________________________________________________________ Yes! LGSR - Santorini Greece by Logo Projects is Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : LGSR - Santorini - Greece Price is US$22.49 Features: Highly detailed airport terminal High quality realization of houses on the island Custom airport lights Excellent night light effects on the whole island Orthophoto scenery Z17 3D effect on the ground textures Custom modeled vegetation, grass Optimized for excellent performance ______________________________________________________________________ Installation The download package is 785.80mb and is 1.03gb when installed as a single folder in your X-Plane "Custom Scenery" Folder. Install is two files Santorini 1 & 2 and the Santorini 2 is the mesh, so it has to be set lower than Santorini 1 LGSR - Santorini 1 - LogoProjects (1.03Gb) LGSR - Santorini 2 - LogoProjects (99mb) This scenery can now be ONLY used in X-Plane11with this XP11 version Documents: None Requirements : X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Current and Review Version v1.00 (12th July 2019) Download Size: 785MB ______________________________________________________________________ Upgrade Review by Stephen Dutton 19th July 2019 Copyright©2019: X-Plane Reviews Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - GeForce GTX 980/SSE2 - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 10 Global ver 10.45 / Checked install in X-Plane11b6 Addons: Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose Soundlink Mini : Headshake by SimCoders Plugins: JARDesign Ground Handling Deluxe US$14.95 : Environment Engine v1.10 by xEnviro US$69.90 Scenery or Aircraft - ToLiSS319 (A319) by ToLiSS (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$69.00

Thanks, I did check as noted in the review and I thought so as well, but that what was quoted. Stephen

Aircraft Update : Boeing 787-900 Aviator v1.3.0 by Magknight Magknight has put out another update for the Dreamliner Aviator Edition to v1.3.0. This is mostly a behind the scenes systems adjustment, more than a visual update, but a few visual aspects have actually been changed (but you can't see them yet). First to note that you will now have to update your Java to v11.0.3 to access the features on the aircraft, and again this is more to the future than what you will use in this update. I have a big list of installed Javas, but I still didn't have this one, so you will need to install it. Included in the update is a video on how to do this. This information is posted on a new startup pop-up window when you now load up the B787... .... besides the Java video it also notes the "Skunkcraft's Updater" and links to Discord and the development thread. On the Skunkcraft's updater I lost that feature on the last update, now it is back in again? so don't know what was going on there? EICAS Focus of this update is the EICAS - Engine-Indicating and Crew-Alerting System that is situated on the central left display. Most of the details are behind the scenes in the systems, but it is more set out visually, plus there is now the trim indicator added for the rudder. It may look the same but there are now more subtle differences pointed towards realism and you are seeing the aircraft slowly emerge from it's original basic form, like with the Navigation alignment (below left) the nice APU startup sequence (arrowed below right) We will come back to EICAS in a moment... in the last update with the introduction of the "Aviators Edition" we had the new feature of the EFB (Electronic Flight Bag" on the left. This EFB allowed you to access features and an setup the aircraft, the layouts are the same in this new version, but there are a few new addtions. Aircraft setup, and settings are the same except for the Baro that can now be linked together and not requiring individual settings, another option is for the choice of NWS (Nose Wheel Steering) to be selected to ROLL, and the NWS has also been refined better to work with the SimplePushBack plugin All EFB interaction is through the active keypad. All weights, fuel and performance are all added in, and a final adjustment page is used to set up and load everything into the aircraft's systems. (yes the fuel load is not set high here at 15,166 kgs as the route is only 698 nm, and a fraction the distance B789 can cover) When all the data is inputted, you can then "CALC" or set everything and get the aircraft's "Takeoff Weight and CoG (centre of gravity), the one thing I will note is that this Magknight B789 is very good for first timers in for a step introduction to setting up aircraft in this way, it is still quite basic compared to a full study grade aircraft, but it is a good start on how to work things out, but also don't take it either as gospel, as there are still a few blank areas like with the takeoff bug speeds. EICAS (part two) the Dreamliner has a fully independent engine start procedure (nothing like the old pumps and bleeds of the 60"s), and in reality all you do is switch on the chosen engines fuel flow and hit the start switch. v1.3.0 has now the full custom automatic engine start system following over 20 conditions, and it is well done and realistic, and 20 new EICAS messages that are also now part of the system. Again this is nothing like a fully graded B767 or Airbus, but it is certainly a big step forward in system realism. Overall the systems feel more plugin driven now than PlaneMaker automatic, switches here will effect systems there on the overhead panel like with the Hydraulics and Packs (Air-Con) and Pressurisation, Electrical also feels more realistic and all are loosing that snap click to the smooth button operations. The annoying loose sticking out FLCH button is now where it should be and flat to the panel. Externally It looks the same but it isn't. The fuselage is being slowly rebuilt, but it is still covered in the original textures, so you really can't tell. The NMLs (the bumps, grooves and lines) have been redone and all for the coming cabin of which there are early renders here: Excited!, yes... the crappy nose is still there and so is the wrongly raked front windows, but it is coming. Those nice RR Trent 1000 engines have now been aligned more slightly upwards and feel far much better. You can now select the LNAV/VNAV selections on the ground, I rarely use the VNAV as I have my own climb profiles. Many areas have had adjustment including the brakes, autobrakes, spoilers and gear operation system of which is all new...  .... with a low fuel load the B789 will climb easily like a banshee, 2,200fpm at full thrust can make short work of a climb to FL360... ... once there and the required m85 (mach) speed is no problems either, you feel the modernity in this latest of new generation aircraft. Spoilers now run in cycle from the "spoilers toggle" command. Dreamliner looks seriously spectacular in the air... Magknights B789 is still however very tricky to land, originally it was the thrust reversers, then the brakes. But it is now getting better. The B789 should disconnect the AT (Autothrottle) on the use of the reversers? but it seems it still doesn't work, but I don't like that system either as you have no control over the throttles until you are actually on the runway... odd, so I will always use the manual throttle input for landing. Landing notes are 155 knts at full flap is about right, but the aircraft still has a tendency to bounce (created by too much speed?) so landings are still very tricky, at 155 knts you should settle fine as it is slow enough... I will work on that one. Far better was the fuel consumption, I had a rant with the earlier "Aviator" upgrade that the fuel consumption was way, way off, but although this was a short haul, I was pretty please with the returned numbers. 15166 kgs was the fuel load at Dusseldorf and at the gate at Arlanda (ESSA) the return was 5.9 kgs and bang on the SimBrief numbers of 5.9 remaining and 9.3 used, pretty good, and happy with that, but I would like to do a long haul at full weights to see if it is correct and match the earlier review, but overall impressed. Summary A very nice update for one of the most popular aircraft in X-Plane in Magknight's Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner, this update is v1.3.0 Focus here is on the EICAS - Engine-Indicating and Crew-Alerting System and the requirement of the JAVA v1.3 plugin. Other items include a lot of fixes and changes with the Nose Wheel Steering and new fuselage NMLs as the highlights. There is now the full scale implimentation of EICAS with a fully custom automatic engine start system following over 20 conditions with 20 new EICAS (warning) messages, most is hidden within the systems, but you can now get a very realistic EICAS and startup simulation. Fuel consumption is highly improved. We will note that this aircraft is purchased under the situation that it is a WIP in progress, this a continuous development that gives you updates about about every three months, exciting is the coming new 3D cabin and better visuals. The aircraft is also great for fliers wanting to transition from basic to study grade aircraft, it is easy enough to follow in settings, but not deep enough to burn your brain in absolute study grade detail and the aircraft is progressing quickly, but it is also still is not fully formed... if you follow the process however you will learn a lot and transfer those new skills to heavier graded aircraft... it is seriously nice to have a greatly detailed Dreamliner in X-Plane as well.... on to the next upgrade. ______________________________________________________________________ Yes! the Boeing 787-900 Aviator Edition Dreamliner v1.3.0 by Magknight is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : B787-9 Aviator Edition Price is US$44.95 This version is X-Plane 11.35 only! Earlier XP10 or XP11 versions are now not supported. Upgrade cost to the "Aviator Edition" from the original payware release version is US$10, see your X-Plane.OrgStore account for the upgrade. Features General Brand new flight model built for X-Plane 11.30+ Improved wingflex Custom IRS simulation, with quick align Auto-update for the lifetime of X-Plane 11 LED exterior lights (exclusive) Revised font for cockpit textures New yoke model Revised cockpit textures Electronic flight bag Take-off calculator PDF chart loader Fuel, cargo and passenger loading Configuration Most settings saved globally Configurable units for weight, altimeter, minimums saved per-livery Support for metric altitude Optional custom cursor Custom electrical system Designed from the ground up for the 787 Ground power unit Custom anti-ice, simulating the resistance in each mat New: Custom fuel and hydraulics systems Brand new custom fuel system (1.2.0) including pump alternation and many other features New custom hydraulics system covering all flight controls, gear and more Updated timers and logic for flight controls based on the hydraulics and electrical systems HelpfulPointers (exclusive) Designed for online flying The aircraft advises you if you forget something important such as lights or transponder. Liveries 10 liveries are included by default; many more are available online: Air Canada, Air China, American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines (pre-merger livery), LOT Polish Airlines, United Airlines, Factory (white), Factory (standard) An additional blank livery is provided for livery painters, along with a full paint kit Auto-Updater Includes the Skunkcraft Updater for Auto-updates Requirements: X-Plane 11.30+ (Prior versions of X-Plane not supported) Windows, Mac or Linux 4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM recommended Current and Review version : 1.3.0 (July 13th 2019) Installation : Download is 231.14mb which is unzipped and is inserted in your Heavy Aircraft folder as a 321mb folder (with downloaded liveries) Liveries are downloaded and inserted into your B787 root folder separately as a 34.4mb Folder. Documentation : Manual Cabin images are courtesy of aeroniemi (magknight) v1.3.0 changelog (attached) Magknight Boeing 789 Dreamliner changelog v1.3.0.rtf ______________________________________________________________________ Review by Stephen Dutton 16th July 2019 Copyright©2019: 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) Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.30b2 (aircraft will only fly in 11.30) Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro v1.10 US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 : BetterPushBack - Free Scenery or Aircraft

News! - Released! : Dassault Falcon 50 EX by Carenado Another Biz-Jet, and this one is from Carenado and it is the Dassault Falcon 50. The FA50 could be categorised in with the Carenado Citation S550, in the the same Biz-Jet context, but the Citation was a seriously nice aircraft, so the FA50 will have to be really, really good to match it. The FA50 also comes with the same Collins ProLine 21 avionics system that was previewed here in the 390 Premier 1A XP11 Review Extensive Feature list Includes: High-end 4k PBR (Physically-based Rendering) graphics throughout, with ultra-realistic materials rendition (Dynamic reflections, realistic metal and dielectric materials, etc.) Fully customized in-depth annunciator logic/aural warning logic/throttle logic with functioning latches. Optimized for VR. Custom Proline21 avionics system, all featuring detachable pop-up windows Integrated FMS with detachable pop-up window (Laminar default) Custom Autopilot with detachable pop-up window Rain effect support* In-depth FMOD sound design implementation, including distance effects, realistic turbine reversal effects, etc. RealityXP GTN750 support (with 3D panel display support) Custom electrical system/Starter Logic/Fuel System/Bleed Air System/Avionics busses/Hydraulic Logic Extensive VR support Extensive HDR lighting with gimballed 3D lights and dynamically illuminated ice lights for amazing night lighting effects Includes pressurization and oxygen system End-user customizable via Manifest.json file. Goodway compatible Engine design optimized for XP11.30’s jet engine model Support for “librain” plugin (Requires separate plugin install) Librain support also includes visual ice effects on windows. Included in the package 6 HD liveries. 1 HD Blank livery FA50 Emergency Procedures PDF FA50 Normal Procedures PDF FA50 Performance Tables PDF FA50 Reference PDF RTU Manual PDF Carenado Proline 21 Manual PDF X-Plane FMS PDF Recommended Settings XP11 PDF Recommended System Requirements Windows XP – Vista – 7 -10 or MAC OS 10.10 (or higher) or Linux X-Plane 11 CPU: Intel Core i5 6600K at 3.5 ghz or faster. Memory: 16-24 GB RAM or more. Video Card: a DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel with at least 4 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 1070 or better or similar from AMD) 1.0GB available hard disk space ________________________________________ Priced at US$39.95 the Falcon 50 is now available from Carenado Now Available here from Carenado Images and details are courtesy of Carenado ________________________________________ News by Stephen Dutton 12th July 2019 Copyright©2019: X-Plane Reviews

Oh dear, I could laugh at this, but yes, we are all very much aware of this.. it can't be fixed with X-Plane in its current state, so we are stuck with the "ballet of the tails"!

Aircraft Review : Cessna Citation Mustang by RWDesigns It is a banner year for Business Jets in X-Plane this year 2019, and from a position of just a few a year or so ago, we now have already a nice choice of aircraft to choose from, with an extremely long list yet to come including the Aerobask Dassault Aviation's Falcon 8X as a leading contender and Carenado's Dassault Falcon 50 also coming to the party. Of the two original private jets it was DDEN's Challenger 300, and one from RWDesign in the form of the Hawker 4000 released in 2016. I actually liked the Hawker 4000, but updates have been slow in keeping the aircraft current (last was in 2017) Obviously the direct review competition to this Citation Mustang is Carenado's Citation S550 Citation ll, but in reality you can't compare them on any level at all, the S550 is a different aircraft size category altogether and price wise it is very different as well, the only area they share is the distinctive Citation's straight wing shape. Cessna Citation 510 Mustang by RWDesigns First impressions are very good and certainly up to the current X-Plane11 high standard, but this aircraft is not in the so called "Ultra" detailed class of deep feel textures and highly almost perfected created fittings, details and many curves have slight points, but it is very good for it's class. Highlights are the nice engine pods that hold the two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F turbofans, 1460 lb thrust (6.49 kN) each, they are well shaped and detailed, the chrome engine inlets are really nice and reflective... ... the other end with the engine exhausts are however a different story, as you can look right up the empty tailpipe as there is nothing in either internal engine pod? so no internal smaller turbofan exhaust components or any part of the engine is visible. Another visual aspect is there are also a few marching ants areas (worse area is lower rear fuselage), certainly not enough to spoil the simulation, but they do show from certain angles. Design of these early 2000 private jets are very clean, but it was still the era just before the total composite design came through, so panels and rivets with the construction basis of aluminum alloy were the main build methods but the detail is very good here. Tail is very well done, and looks authentic to the aircraft. Undercarriage design is also very good, with a single strut forward and trailing-link main, detail is high, even down to the authentic gear stickers... ... animation is very good as well with all components reacting and moving to the movement changes. Glass is also very good, with great reflections and curves to the fuselage, window surrounds are not as highly detailed, but fine in context. The Citation wing is ram-rod straight and quite narrow... it is a high-lift airfoil wing design, which enables low stall speeds and has low drag and pitching moments required for a high-speed cruise. The leading edges of its wings are swept at only 11 degrees. Pneumatic de-ice boots protect the leading edge. You can open the main cabin door by touch externally, and you get a set of metal drop down steps that fold neatly into the main cabin floor, the detail on the steps though are quite basic. Cabin Interior The cabin interior is very modern, even by the last decade's standards, this is the "High Serra" version of the Citation Mustang, that came with the higher quality cabin furnishings and enhanced avionics. The evidence is in here with the dark leather seating in contrast with the lighter corporate greys... ... it is all very swish and business like and it is a very nice fitted out cabin. Seating has really nice and well done folds and creases a la Aerobask to create a realistic feel to the leather but you have to look close, overhead switchable lighting and air vents are also really well done. There are animated flip out work tables are each side of the four seat club layout, non of the usual wood is used on the tables, as it is replaced by shiny polished more formica laminated material that is more in keeping of this cabin's design, overall this is a very nice modern cabin. Looking forward to the cockpit and you have a nice compartment separator, but no doors. The same minimalistic even scandi look continues into the cockpit as well, as it is all very orderly and tidy. Instrument panel is dominated by the three display Garmin G1000 avionics system, it is in here a slightly adjusted custom version of the Laminar Research G1000 default package. Down low sitting left of the centre console is a 3D manual/menu (arrowed above) Menu Main menu page covers options top and more page pop-up options lower. Top six options cover: Weather effects, Screen Vignetting, 3D Passengers, Toggle Yokes, Flashlight (X-Plane red) and GPU (Ground Power Unit). Most of these we will cover during the rest of the review. Pop-Up panels include: Exterior Doors, Weight/Balance Manager and Checklists. Exterior doors include the Main left side door, Left and Right front Baggage compartment doors, Rear left Baggage door and a Emergency Exit right centre cabin window. There are no static elements like chocks, flags or engine covers like there was on the Hawker 4000, and the noted GPU is a "Jetgo" 28V is situated under the right engine pod. The Emergency Exit panel has great animation as it is manoeuvred inside and plonked on the right cabin, seat, reattachment of the Exit window is also animated and great to watch, but in a fire it would be a little slow in removing the panel to get out. Weight/Balance Manager covers fuel, payload and passengers. It is quite simplistic, but works fine in context. Fuel is added to the wings, baggage in Payload is added into the front and rear baggage compartments and there are five adult passengers you can select with their set weights. There are no actual bags in the cavernous front or rear compartment, but the passengers are very well done and look very, very realistic. The pilot is weighted but not selectable. Full total weight and MAC% (Centre of Gravity) is shown. Checklist is shown like a spiral binder, easy to use and navigate, it can be moved around the screen, but not scaled, so it is quite big in use. Instrument Panel G1000 avionics are the fit-out here, but it is highly customised to suit the Mustang. Note the lovely "Mustang" startup MFD screen. Nicely created detailed yokes with "Mustang" logos can be hidden (per the menu) but only together and not individually. Three panel arrangement is unusual in that the centre MFD (Multi-Functional Display) is fixed? and only the two outer PFD (Primary Flight Displays) can pop-out. The MFD has no surrounding buttons or knobs on the bezels, so you adjust the display via the panel lower centre console (arrowed), to use in focus, when you click the display the MFD fills the whole screen with the adjustment panel situated now to the left. G1000 radio button placement changes as well with the pop-out. Usually the radio panel is located either between the PFD and MFD, or on a PFD or MFD bezel, here they are set completely left and right of each PFD, but on the pop-outs they revert back to their usual positions on the left bezel. confused? The idea is too make a cleaner panel layout to fit the Mustang's fitout, but the Laminar pop-out reverts back to the normal. PFD (Primary Flight Display) is standard Laminar with the large Artificial Horizon dominating the screen with the Speed and Altitude (with built in Vertical Speed) tapes either side, Rate of turn and FD (Flight Director) are all present. Lower is the Heading rose with built in Heading, Wind (3 options), CRS (Course) DME, NAV 1, NAV 2 and OBS pointers. All Radio and Autopilot (AP) readouts and data are across the top of the panel. Both PFD's have the built in MAP function that I rarely use (takes up too much of the artificial horizon). Slightly weird is that you can't load a flightplan from the FPL on the PFD?... ..... to load in a stored plan can only be done from the MFD and its own selection panel and the now available flightplan selection box, so any flightplans have to be loaded and adjusted via only the centre display. MFD has the twin engine readouts left panel that cover N1% and ITTºC (Interstage Turbine Temperature), Oil Temp and Pressure, N2%, DC VOLTS/AMPs and Battery, Fuel quantity is for both tanks in lbs and lower Fuel Flow (Pounds Per Hour), Cabin Pressure and altitude elevation, Trim Aileron/Rudder and bottom is the Flap position in UP - TO/APR - LAND MFD has full MAP and NAV functions as per normal Laminar G1000 features Top Instrument panel has the Autopilot panel, which is a very clean and simple modern interface, below are the three backup instruments to cover Speed (Knts), Artificial Horizon and Attitude Indicator.... a nice feature is the working aural test switch (arrowed) for various systems, and here we are testing the Fire Warnings. Left lower panel is all the switchgear that covers (Main) DC Power and left and right Generators, Avionics, Fuel, Engine Start (buttons), Engine Ignition, Fuel Transfer, and six green switches that cover the Ice-Protection, Landing gear selection is right. Centre lower panel is the external and internal lighting switches and knobs. Right lower panel covers Environmental, ELT and Hobbs hour meter. Lower console is again a very modern compact design. There are just two levers for throttles, and Flap selector, there are no thrust reverse levers... the Fuel cut-off levers are situated under the throttle handles like on the S550... ... they don't nicely click or clack like on the Carenado Citation, and you also have to get under the throttle handles to use them. The pitch trim wheel is left and very nicely modeled, lower console is the MFD panel. On the side of the throttle handle is the speedbrake switch, which notes the extension on the MFD (arrowed) but to note if you have your speedbrake selected like I do on my Saitek throttles, it doesn't work with the X-Plane key selection? front panel is the Rudder and Aileron Trim, switches and knob... and the lower Emergency Gear release does not work. Left and right sidewall panels have circuit breaker panels that don't work. Internal Lighting The cabin's lighting is absolutely terrific... ... six roof spot lights are all clickable to illuminate the cabin in either each person and over the tables, switch off the personal spots and it is a great work place for long flights... front cockpit is illuminated by a lovely set of adjustable soft feel roof lighting with a full dome forward and two map lights either side. Under glareshield lighting is again really well done, and lights up the three backup instruments. Adjustments cover the text and display brightness. Rain Effects The Citation Mustang comes with the Librain effects which work very well (download and install the LIbrain plugin into the Mustang's plugin folder if it is missing). You can turn them off if you wish via the menu option. STMA AutoUpdate The Citation comes with the STMA AutoUpdater which I totally loath! as any mouse movements over the left part of your screen will activate it, hate it, totally hate it... but it works in keeping the Mustang up to date.. Flying the Mustang As startups go the Mustang is extremely easy. Make sure the Fuel cut-offs are up and the throttles are set at idle, beacon and nav lights on, L & R ignition on, fuel pumps to normal and hit the Engine Start button of your choice (I always go for No.2)... ... when running then start the other engine, then check the vitals are running fine and turn off the ignition switches. One switch is important on the lower panel and that is on the "Avionics" selection and that is the "STBY INST" switch, if not switched on the standby instruments don't work. Startup sounds are fine, even good and directional, but certainly not the best in class, they are FMOD, but feel quite limited in their range. You will get the private jet feel, and the cabin is more higher volume wise than the cockpit, they are overall not bad for this category. You will need a bit of a push with the throttles to get the Mustang moving, depending on the weight? Full up at 3871 kg, just under MTOW (Maximum Takeoff Weight) and you really feel a heavy aircraft, and you also currently have to make a decision before takeoff, if range is required (1167 nmi (at max. takeoff weight) (1,343 mi, 2,161 km)) then you can't fill the aircraft to full tanks, the 510 would be too heavy, so 612 kgs is the max fuel you can load at full passenger weight capacity and so you are losing a good third of your range. You feel the MTOW weight again at throttle up, as the Mustang is slow on moving, and you will need a firm hand on the tiller to keep it central and tight to the centre line, lose it and you will be waving badly all the way down the runway, so you will need skill here. Many users noted earlier the Mustang felt over powered, after the update it feels like it has now gone slightly the other way. Take off distance is noted at 3,110 ft (948 m), but I struggled at KHAF's RWY12 5000ft (1524m) to get to the 138knts I needed to lift (at MTOW) so it suddenly became a "whoa!" moment as I crossed the end of runway line... ... but once airborne, you gathered speed quickly to the flap limit... this limit then tended to limit you, if you retracted the flap too early, you got a severe nose drop, so you needed the speed to overcome that, too far and you hit the flap drag limit, so timing is critical in retracting the flaps to zero. Rate of climb is high at 3,010 fpm (917 mpm), but I kept around the 2000fpm mark as to not hinder the speed building. I always gauge the aircraft from it's ability to climb and bank smoothly, it is in that holding the turn nicely while speed builds and here out of KHAF I have to do a full 180º to the north turn.... .... you still to be firm with the 510, but this sort of focus flying is fun, if you are good at it. I was not particularly thrilled of looking up the empty engine nacelles into a void, and I can't see any particle effects either to hide the blank holes. With that 3000fpm climb rate you can soon be up to altitude, in my case here 18,000ft. Service ceiling is a whopping 41,000 ft (12500 m) impressed! with a max speed of Mach 0.63 (483 mph, 777 km/h), or a cruise speed of 340 ktas (630 km/h). But many including myself have found the Mustang quite touchy at high speeds with bad porpoising with significant pitch movements (which is odd to the wing specifications), and yes I accounted for the high speed. Originally I couldn't find the flightplan line on the MAP/NAV setting, but it was there on the FPL selection? then later it appeared on the NAV setting... confusing? and it was hard to link up to the flightplan route so I got a bit lost and had to navigate my way around it. But there are niggles throughout the full MFD NAV Flightplan process, things change that you could just use, and then you can't... and then they were there again? I actually however like the layout a lot, but would certainly like the MFD control panel as a separate pop-up panel and not joined to the full screen layout, you miss this flexibility as if you want to do the adjustments from the pilot's seat as you have to have both the MFD and the adjustment panel situated on the rear console in the sole view. The Mustang certainly has that Citation feel, abet a mini version, but missing are those distinctive lower front window air deflectors, but this is a nice aircraft in the air. Dropping down into Portland I tested the speedbrakes, they pop-up above and below the wing and are very effective (switch is on the throttle handle) There have been several things on the flight up from KHAF, fuel consumption that doesn't feel right and neither does the performance, the 510 has a very fugal 95 gallons of fuel per hour consumption which is 792lbs, but I ran out after just around 237nm flying with as the PPH display said I was using 1043 lbs per hour and fuel was noted as set at a restricted 612 kgs (1,349 lbs) at takeoff, so there is a need for more tweaking of those areas, however I really enjoyed the flight, the Mustang is a nice little aircraft to cover distances in, but it is still currently in a need of a bit of refinement. Around 200knts is a nice approach speed to use before the final descent phase. Last 90º turn to Portland's KPDX RWY 10L... .... then down to 112knts for Flap 1 (TO/APP). Lighting is a bit unrefined, the main taxi and landing lighting is built into the belly of the aircraft, so are not very effective, the wing (Ice) lighting is fine in some view angles but larger in others and shines through the fuselage, the rest Nav, Beacon and Strobe are okayish. Full Flap (Land) and 94knts is a good final speed, stall is 82knts, but they say the wing is very stable at low speeds... one annoyance in the approach phase was the MAP kept changing "Terrain" settings, I don't know how or why, but it was distracting... throttle inputs? Finals and the Citation is very stable, you can place it and control your descent with authority... ... final flare is nice with a slight pitch up to touch down those wide spaced rear wheels... the passengers looked pretty impressed! It is just too hard to get to the throttle button to activate the spoilers as your focus is on keeping the aircraft straight on the centre line, no reverse thrust either, so you are dependent on just the friction overcoming the gravity roll. The Mustang looks nice on the flightline. Liveries There are six liveries (Paintkit available) with N510CM being the 510 launch livery, all are great in quality and detail (no HDR however), but you really want a few more. ___________________________________ Summary First we have to context the C510 Citation Mustang in it's category. You can't level it with say a Carenado or other high quality jet because this is not a US$45 dollar aircraft, it is a US$30 dollar release. So to expect the full range of features including extreme ultra details and features here is not going to give you a fair estimation of the Mustang, as it simply isn't in that category. However for what you pay you do get an extremely nice Private Jet. There are some really nice details here, a lovely cabin with nice looking (for a change) passengers, great details and a well set up cockpit, the aircraft looks really nice as well, and in areas it excels like with the cabin and cockpit lighting, but over all currently there is a slight uneveness about it all. More annoying is the fact that the Mustang has all the aspects in the basics to actually be the best of this class, but it overall feels slightly unrefined. The Custom G1000 feels buggy (just installing the standard Laminar G1000 fit-out may have been a better idea)... but things change as you use them, there one minute but gone the next and sometimes it just takes on a life of it's own? and all the panel manipulators are tricky to use smoothly. Missing inner engine detail and empty nacelles are a bit of a head-scratcher at this level, and no particle effects are in there either to hide it, missing chocks and static elements are also a mystery, menus however are simple but very nice to use and are acccessible. I'm not going there with the STMA updater, handy but seriously annoying. Performance does not seem right either, in power, speed and fuel consumption, there was no way I could even get close to the cruise speed and the fuel ran out mid-flight and it was well within the correct range? MTOW with fuel and a full load of passengers felt way off as well. Handling is improved from the release version, but still unstable at high speeds (of which these Citations are not as they run well under the limits of the straight wing configuration). So how do we sum up this Citation Mustang, in a pragmatic way. For the price it is excellent, and a great overall design with some great and nice features, lovely to be in and to use and this is a very nice little private jet aircraft... the details are the ones that need addressing, already there has been one large excellent update (this is v1.1) and in another a lot of the above could be addressed, if so then this Citation Mustang would be a very nice aircraft to fly and use, personally I like it but it needs refinement to live up to the higher standards it easily really could be. _______________________________ The Cessna Citation 510 Mustang by RWDesigns is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here : Cessna Mustang Priced at US$30.00 Features: High resolution 3D model 4K texture and normal maps for greater realism of materials Librain support (optional) VR support with large levels of VR configuration for greater VR ergonomics Aircraft sounds recorded from real C510s and powered by FMOD Superior interaction with the aircraft through scroll wheel support and popups (Multi Checklist, Weight and Balance Manager, MFD Controller, Menu) Highly accurate flight dynamics Customized G1000 powered by Laminar Custom electrical, fuel, warning, testing, and autopilot systems Interactive 3D passengers Highly customized night lighting Always fly with the latest version with the STMA Auto-updater Included in the package: C510 Mustang 5 paints + paintkit Aircraft Operating Manual Flight Tutorial Requirements: X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 410Mb (Current and Review version v1.1) Installation and documents: Download for the Citation Mustang is 412.20mb and the unzipped file deposited in the aircraft "General Aviation" X-Plane folder at 648.60mb. Documentation: RWDesigns provide a Flight Manual (48 Pages) and A Flight Tutorial (6 Pages), the route for the Tutorial is also provided. LFMNLSZH.fms Flight Manual.pdf Flight Tutorial.pdf ______________________________________________________________________ Aircraft review by Stephen Dutton 11th July 2019 Copyright©2019 : X-Plane Reviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.35 Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose Soundlink Mini Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95 : LIbrain plugin Scenery or Aircraft - KHAF - Half Moon Bay by Rising Dawn Studios (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.00 - KPDX - Portland International Airport 1.5 by mister x6 (X-Plane.Org) - free

Aircraft Update : ERJ Series v1.1 by X-Crafts X-PlaneReviews is following the development of one of the most interesting and now very popular aircraft with the ERJ Series from X-Crafts. This series can be purchased as the full package of all five variants of the Embraer ERJ Family in the E135, E140, E145 and the E145XR and.... also the ERJ private jet version of the Legacy 650. It is a comprehensive package, but you can also if you wish purchase just purchase the E135, both E145 & E145XR, E149 or the Legacy 650 separately. X-PlaneReviews covered the release with an overview article here: Aircraft Overview : Embraer ERJ Family by X-Crafts Although very good on release, there was areas of the ERJ Series that X-PlaneReviews thought was not totally up to the full complete standard of a full review, I have still no doubt in recommending the series at that point, but there was in our minds areas that still needed attention (all to common today). One month ahead and here comes the first update in v1.1 and it is a very comprehensive update at that, and mostly covers a lot of the areas that needed attention, so if you look at this version as the release version you will not be then to far off the mark. ERJ Series v1.1 The biggest area that was under developed was the internal lighting. And that thankfully this has had a lot of attention in this update. Working in the cockpit was a quite dark affair and the cabin felt dull as well. Now even from the external view the ERJ looks far more well lit... and the entrance is far more inviting. The cabin is certainly a more nicer place to be, and not so murky or even dull anymore.... The entrance door FA control panel now also works, with the left button switching the cabin lighting on/off and the right button doing a rise or fade of the cabin lighting, The lighting is excellent at night but still struggles more in the daytime to a sort of green tinge, it still however needs more adjustment, but the whole panel is still not completed yet either as also the side wall lighting is not yet adjustable or working separately, so put it down to a WIP at this point, but it is now far better lighting overall. The only other button that now works on the FA lighting panel is the door button, you still use the red lever to lower the door manually, but press the button now to close it... it is a great feature. The Legacy private jet variant was the darkest inside with the dark brown outfitting... it has now been highly improved, but as above you wish for just a bit more illumination in the daytime. In the cockpit originally you needed the flashlight to start up the aircraft as it was so dull in here. All lighting off and it is still quite dark, all on and it is now a workable area, again you feel in the daytime like you would still need more... ... two new lighting elements have changed the environment in here, one is the now working overhead "Dome" light, and the other one is the now better adjustable MAP lights over each pilot (each before were all fixed in together, but toned down) Put them all together now and the cockpit lighting at night is now very good. The contrast of lighting the between the daylight and nightime is still not really balanced, but it is a major step forward on all the lighting in the aircraft, the external taxi and landing lighting however still needs refinement, but X-Crafts have noted that is on the list. Those lovely Roll Royce AE 3007A1 engines have had attention as well... .... both engines now spool the correct way, and start up and shutdown of the engines is now more realistic (slower on both counts). Throttles are now less responsive and there has been a modified fuel consumption to closer match real life performance, I haven't done a full SimBrief route yet, but I will verify that aspect. Sounds Sounds were of the biggest negative noise at the official release, nobody liked the sounds... I didn't think the engine sounds were that bad, as I have heard a lot worse, but anyway most of all the sounds have been redone. Startup sequence is now far more realistic and the process takes a fair while to full idle. First the full set of sounds are now encoded in 5.1 surround, with the RR AE's now being based on new recordings, with increased bass in the interior (cabin) of the engines and I can approve of that including the better APU sounds, and the modified reverse engine sounds are now excellent, with the lower bass helping out of that effect (not as good as the CRJ-200, but not bad in retrospect), switches now click, packs are noisy, the avionic fans can also now be heard buzzing away. There is now a triple-chime to the gear horn and checks for gear horn, gear bangs more on retraction (cabin) and nose gear (cockpit) and some warnings have been reduced while others have been increased and that annoying trigger point for speed warning has been changed from 250/320 to 252/322. Another addition that was urged for was the "Landing Call" outs, that has been done with the 500ft, 100ft, 50ft, 10ft. calls now correct (can be a bit loud), and most of the cacophony of alerts or callouts have all had attention. So the sounds have had a pretty comprehensive upgrade all round both on the ground and in flight, and yes I like them a lot. FMS If you click between the two FMS units then they will now switch to the other position for ease of use... otherwise the FMS has had not much attention. Flight The odd peculiarities of flying the ERJ are still there, and did you worked out the Vertical Speed to the Speed palaver.... right, and it took me a few goes to master that operation but then it became just normal as the ERJ is all about automation and ease of flying, in that the ERJ is still a very physical aircraft to fly. There was no doubt the release version of the ERJ was not totally right performance and handling wise, I had a few routes with the aircraft and in fact really enjoyed it, but if you are looking for some perfection in simulation then it would have needed some more fine tuning. As noted there already has been the modified fuel consumption, but one of the first things you notice is the engine response to throttle inputs are a lot slower, so you have to judge those speeds more in your throttle movements. Less tire friction means now the aircraft need less thrust to start moving, so ERJ also felt more wiggly on the takeoff run and the flight model is adjusted to fly at M0.78 with CRZ TRS mode engaged. The flight model has also been adjusted to fly with nose up attitude (1-2 degrees up) on approach (around 120-115 knots), and it feels more natural... .... but unless you are well practiced in flying the ERJ then speed adjustment on approach is more of an art than a procedure, but that sums up the aircraft as well. Gear down wind sounds are greatly improved, you feel the wind pressure from the cockpit. A lot of attention has been put on to spoilers. The outer spoilers now deploy less than the inner ones and the speedbrake textures have been redone. The spoiler will now auto deploy on landing and wheels must be spinning at a groundspeed of at or over 50 KIAS, spoliers will also auto retract when throttle advanced past 50%. Speedbrake automation however will be disabled if the user has the speedbrakes assigned to a joystick axis. Like on takeoff, with the landing rollout you have watch that extra less friction gear lightness, it will catch you out... Other details cover a lot of modeling fixes (gaps), issues on the belly normal maps and some minor tweaks to the cockpit textures to make them blend in better. ICAO signs for E145 XR and Legacy and the better and shorter Aircraft Descriptions (for JAR Design Ground Handling Plugin compatibility). And finally there has been a magnitude of small fixes and adjustments which are all listed in the v1.1 changelog (attached below) Skunkcrafts Updater is required to update to v1.1... and there is also a need to reupdate Dr Glucks Terrain Radar plugin to v1.17 Summary You can look at this comprehensive update for X-Crafts excellent ERJ Series in one of two ways. A great updated that covers a lot of ground and fixes a lot of areas, including a big update to the internal lighting and sounds to 5.1 surround sound. Or you could say that this is what the release version should have been in the first place? But that is X-Plane today, in release and fix later, more than have the aircraft almost gold standard before releasing, either way it is a great update. The update log is quite comprehensive, so it makes this ERJ now quite a capable simulation, and no doubt is that this aircraft series is hugely popular with the X-Plane community and you can see easily why. If you want to nitpick then there is still a few areas that need another update or so, and the developers note that, but in this current state this ERJ is now already very comprehensive and well done. A final note in that you have to adjust to a point to the aircraft and not expect it to come to you, so time on the ERJ (and you have plenty of choice with the full series will pay off the more you fly it and practice it's slightly quirky behaviour, but that is all too the good. _______________________________ The Embraer ERJ Family v1.1 by X-Crafts is NOW available at the X-Plane.Org Store: Embraer ERJ Family - Package Includes ERJ 135/ERJ 140/ERJ 145/ERJ 145XR/Legacy 650 Priced at US$89.95 Embraer ERJ 135 - Includes: ERJ 135 Priced at US$49.95 Embraer ERJ 140 - Includes: ERJ 140 Priced at US$49.95 Embraer ERJ 145/ERJ 145XR - Includes: ERJ 145/ERJ 145XR Priced at US$49.95 Embraer ERJ Legacy 650 - Includes: Legacy 650 Priced at US$49.95 Features : UPDATER - You can easily check for new updates right inside of X-Plane and you will automatically get the latest version. It literally takes 3 clicks of a button! On-screen CHECKLIST plugin On-screen HELP SHEET with FAQ and useful info which will get you going real quick and will solve 90% of issues that users usually ask on the forums. On-Screen Control menu for door control, ground objects, GPU and engine covers. Pre-configured systems like on the real plane Realistic Avionics Startup Realistic flight dynamics based on real pilot input and feedback FMS There are two FMS units installed on the pedestal: Custom TEKTON FMS© by Steve Wilson (More details below) and the X-Plane FMS by Philipp J. Münzel Please note that these are not replicas of the FMS units usually installed on the jets. 3D MODELING AND TEXTURING I'm a VFX artist in real life, so I'm used to creating photo-real assets. Although I am limited by the XP rendering capabilities and your hardware, I tried to make it look and perform as good as I could EXTERIOR 4K High resolution textures (more important is the resolution of the actual fuselage which is 75000pixels per on meter squared) Highly detailed landing gears, Flaps, lights, gauges, antennas... everything Realistic wingflex animation Pilots in external view All doors are animated and controllable from the plugin menu. Main and service doors can also be opened by clicking on the levers. INTERIOR: You'll find that there is an amazing level of detail, for example dust particles on the screens visible when light shines on them, finger prints on buttons, and if you zoom in really close to the screens you will even see individual pixels on the actual screens. I tried to make sure that the cockpit looks realistically worn out and used as it would based on how much these jets are used! High resolution PFD, MFD, EICAS displays All text around the cockpit is crisp and clear with any rendering options Intuitive cockpit manipulation - I have always taken great care to make the cockpit as easy to use as possible. This means all clickable areas in the cockpit are very big so that you can easily click on any button, knob or lever in the cockpit Each switch, lever, knob, and handle is animated All cockpit lights are controllable exactly as on the real jets, even the screens shine light on their surroundings Includes baggage bay door light POP UP INSTRUMENTS 3D (not movable, ideal for VR) pop-up panels of the FMS, Radio panel and Thrust Rating Panel. The FMS also has a 2D pop up window mode that stays on the screen and you can move it around, so you can simply choose which one you want to be using based on your preference. Pop Up screens of the PFD MFD and EICAS OTHER FEATURES Realistic Exterior Lighting: NAV, Strobe, Beacon, Left/Nose/Right landing lights, Nose taxi lights, Inspection lights, Logo lights, Courtesy lights, Baggage door light. They all cast light on the surroundings. Audible Alert System Awesome 3D sounds, many of which have been recorded on the real jets! FULLY VR COMPATIBLE These jets have been made, fine-tuned and tested for a flawless VR experience! LIVERIES There are 5 liveries included compatible with the ERJs (White, American Airlines, American Airlines Old, United Express, ExpressJet,and 3 for the Legacy. There are dozens of other liveries available on the forums. TEKTON FMS© Features Custom MCDU Interface Initialization page on system startup Easy to navigate paging system SID, ROUTE and STAR waypoint lists are treated as separate editable items Color keyed data presentation Scratchpad data entry Interactive feedback messages MCDU PopUps Both 2D and 3D popups are available for easy access. Direct Keyboard Entry (DKE) Departure and Arrival Procedures SID and STAR procedures from X-Plane stock or third party custom data Zipped “Custom Data” folder provided Altitude and airspeed constraints for procedures Automatic procedure altitude calculation Flexible STAR element selection and re-selection and editing Default visual departure and approach waypoints Ability to easily edit SIDs, Routes, STARS and the loaded FLT PLAN AIRWAYS Selection Progress Monitoring Performance Flight Planning: PERF 1 page providing preflight and takeoff data PERF 2 page allowing route fuel planning PERF 3 page for approach data Additional Features: Thrust Rating Select page (TRS) accessed from PERF 1 FMS reset function Simplified manual waypoint altitude entry Company route load and save functions FLT PLAN page now automatically advances with destination waypoint 8.33mhz tunable radios Comprehensive Status Page The stock X-Plane MCDU is also provided as an alternative for users that prefer it. FMOD An amazing 3D sound package now withy 5.1 surround sound comes with the jets. Everything from different knob sounds, door sounds to realistic engine sounds. Many of the sounds have been recorder on the real jets which makes the experience extra immersive! Requirements X-Plane 11.30+ only Windows, MAC or Linux - 4GB VRAM Minimum. 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Current release and review version: 1.1 (last updated July 5th 2019) Update Log v1.1 Update log ERJ v1.1.txt ______________________________________________________________________  Aircraft Update by Stephen Dutton  6th July 2019 Copyright©2019 : X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)