Stephen

NEWS! - Aerobask updates EMB-505 Phenom 300 to X-Plane 12

 

 

One developer has been active with updates to X-Plane 12, and that developer is Aerobask. First it was the DA-50RG followed by ViperJet eX and then the DA-62. Now here comes the successful EMB-505 Phenom 300, a truly very nice aircraft to own and fly.

 

Full release review is here; Aircraft Review : Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 by Aerobask

 

If you have read the review, then yes I seriously loved this aircraft as it was one of the best from Aerobask. But the Embraer private jet is now also available in X-Plane 12...  that has to be only a good thing.

 

The New X-Plane 12 Version (XP11 version still also available) has significant changes and the X-Plane 12 new features in it's transition to the new version of X-Plane including:

Then it will be a "Half Baked" Christmas Present

 

Aircraft Update : Maule M-7-235B Project XP12 v1.15 by vSkylabs

 

Weeks, well only two months actually. The Maule M-235B Project from vSkylabs was the first third party aircraft created just for X-Plane 12, a significant moment. The Aircraft came in two variants of a Tundra tyred machine, and the second is the Amphibian or Float option.

 

X-PlaneReviews full review of the original release aircraft is here; Aircraft Review : Maule M-7-235B Project XP12 by vSkylabs

 

The vSkylab philosophy is that you are purchasing an ongoing project, so any aircraft you purchase is not fully completed or is completed to 100%, that is the deal you sign up for to get access to the aircraft and all the development is free and ongoing throughout the X-Plane 12 version. These projects are under constant development: the development road-map is including flight model refinements, enhanced systems depth, additional liveries and other improvements.

 

There has been already two updates for the Maule M-7, the first Version v1.1 (October 24th 2022), and now this version Version v1.15 (November 7th 2022). The October version (v1.1) focused mostly on the Flight Dynamics, personally needed as I found the aircraft far too touchy to fly, landing was also a bit hit and miss.

 

Version v1.15

First change is on your X-Plane Flight Configuration menu. Now there is another aircraft (acf) to choose from. Before there was the M-7-235 Aircraft and the M-7 Floats variants, now added is the G1000 variant. The original M-7 has been renamed "Analog".

 

 

So here is the "G1000", variant.

 

 

If you have read my release review, then you would know I complained longingly and loudly about one element of the aircraft, the "Bouncy Wouncy" Tundra tyres, great for that odd wilderness adventure, but horrible for any regular flying. So you just couldn't see the objective of fitting them on the aircraft as standard. But now in v1.15 you are (thankfully) now given the choice of standard wheels (noted as "classic") or the 35" balloon tyres, that also gives the aircraft a more realistic stance (you touch them to change them over). The contrast of the different type of wheels is also adjusted to the flight dynamics (affecting the ground handling and aircraft performance).

 

 

The three variants together, Standard, Tundra and Floats. If the Tundra wheels 35" are used, it is noted on the top of the instrument panel.

 

 

Second big change is the option for G1000 (Laminar default) Avionics, in the standard two panel PFD and MFD display arrangement.

 

 

The system is all totally Laminar default in features, pop-out PFD and MFD panels, built in Autopilot, Radio set in the centre, nothing here to relearn or study. Nice is the surrounding bezels, they have a great realistic texture that looks extremely realistic in the light. It is one of the best G1000 installations I have seen.

 

 

 

Another instrument change is the addition of IFR instrumentation (Arrowed - RMI/CDI), missing from the earlier version (top).

 

 

It feels very different inside the cabin as well? Overhead there has been installed a Sunroof and it makes a huge difference inside and externally to the aircraft in creating light and space. The glass window tint and the reflections has also been adjusted.

 

 

Flying the updated M-7

Power up and we are away, definitely differences between the two versions if only separated by a couple of months. Sounds have been redone, and are now quite magnificent and have a bigger range. Yes I like them a lot. Taxiing is far easier as well...  but you have to watch the mixture cutoff point, as it is now about mid-way between closed to full open, so you can easily shut off the fuel supply to early by wanting a leaner engine.

 

 

Taildraggers are a handful, but I am finding a lot of differences here. Without those large balloon tyres the aircraft is not bouncing around as much on the takeoff, staying more controlled and far more in line. I hated them, now I can see why and now I feel why as well...  this is much more better. There has been extensive flight model updates to refine STOL performance and ground handling, that also includes landing gears modifications physics (in other words the gear is more giving), It was a wonder I could fly it at all before?

 

 

Climb rate is the same 1,650 fpm, but you keep it under 1,000 fpm to keep the climb in check and to get some forward speed, but that huge wheel drag is missing (unless you use the Tundra tyres), so you feel your not dragging the planet with you in climbing out now.

 

This is a very different aircraft dynamically. You still have to however brake the wheels to stop them revolving though.

 

 

I am enjoying the Maule a lot more in this version. Originally it was good, but this update makes it far, far better all round. 

 

The G1000 installation is in my mind better as well. We like the clockwork feel authenticity, but the G1000 gives you far more options including an automatic pilot option, easier flight planning and those far bigger displays.

 

 

The extra light doesn't make the cockpit feel so cramped either, it has now a nice lighter and more airy feel in here...  all to the good.

 

 

Performance and flying dynamics are more refined and the plane feels far better, yes I'm smiling this time around. The better FMOD sounds, here are far more aurally realistic, certainly with the powered 0-540-B4B5, 235 HP Carbureted engine. Throttle up or down or lean the mixture and the sounds instantly respond in feel and tone, very nice. I do recommend the RK Apps XPRealistic v2 for the visual movements, in making the M-7 relate to the engine vibrations and again that syncs back in with the sounds, all round in creating a very authentic flying experience.

 

The five liveries are the same...  (also the same for both Wheeled and Amphibian) Gull-Grey-Black is default. the other four are; Big Sky-Blue-Red, Dune-White-Brown, Glacier-White-Brown and Solar-Yellow-Black.

 

 

Then there is X-Plane 12...  brilliant.

 

 

The issue comes back when wanting to return to land, only worse. Before the huge wheels gave you a lot of drag, but that drag effect is not there anymore, so the aircraft is even now worse at floating with full flap and low speeds...  you start to get a bit frantic as the aircraft WILL NOT GO DOWN, even at a stall speed which is 49 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn) full flaps down. So your sitting high, and not going down there...

 

 

...   so if there is a heavy headwind then that wind just gives you a ton of lift, so your flying like on a pin, low speed, ballooning lift, and trying to keep the aircraft level, its fun...  sort of nerve-racking fun if you like that bush pilot feel.

 

 

Finally I lose height, at 58 knts I feel the aircraft sinking, so I focus on the runway...  this is essentially a STOL aircraft, and those performance figures were tuned up in v1.15, you can feel that, but it would need a few flights to see if it is to the positive or the negative.

 

 

A bit of flare and 48 knts and I'm touching the asphalt, that is the easy part, it gets tricky on the ground...

 

 

...  it is very, very easy to lose the M-7, as it will twist on you in a second, and so it needs (a lot of) skill to align it back forwards while slowing down the aircraft, hard, but not impossible. But I will rally for the standard wheel configuration, it does help in this case again... a lot.

 

 

Overall the Maule M-7 a nice modern bush pilot's aircraft.

 

Two notes to wrap up, there is an annoying STMA auto updater that keeps coming onto the left of your screen, but handy for updating the aircraft. And the Maule is not compatible with X-Plane 11. Or can not be purchased for XP11, as this aircraft is for X-Plane 12 Only.

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Summary

Less that two months ago the Maule M-7 from vSkylabs was the very first aircraft released for X-Plane 12. Since that release there has been two updates v1.1/v1.15.

 

The earlier update focused on the performance and bugs, but the second update is far more significant with more features and a lot more tuning to the aircraft.

 

Added in v1.15 is the G1000 Avionics package with pop-out screens, more importantly you now also have the option of classic or 35" Tundra Bushwheels, the original Tundra wheels were just too unwieldy for just a light bush plane here. Nice new Sunroof also makes the cabin a far more brighter and open place to be. The analog cockpit also received IFR instrumentation (RMI/CDI), and the FMOD sounds have been totally redone to great effect. Noted the dynamic and performance tuning has greatly enhanced the flying, but the M-7 is still tricky to land and needs a lot of taildragger experience. So overall a great step forward.

 

In the first review I asked for more options and features, that aspect to a point has been covered here, this Maule is now all round a more pleasant flying experience, not only in the dynamics but also in the new features and the better sound package. Most fliers that purchase vSkylabs aircraft know what they are purchasing, and the ongoing commitment to the project. This time around I had more fun and enjoyed the experience a lot more...   it's overall a fun sweet little aircraft.

 

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Yes! the Maule M-7-235B Project XP12 v1.15 by vSkylabs is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: 

 

Maule M-7-235B Project XP12

Price is US$32.95

 

NEWS! - Laminar Research announces full X-Plane 12 release in December 2022?

 

 

At the FSWeekend in Lelystad, Netherlands it was announced that Laminar Research expect to release the "Full" version of the X-Plane 12 in December. That will allow the distribution DVD disks and keys for the Pro version of the new version simulator. It also allows developers in 2023 to release fully X-Plane compatible aircraft, scenery and plugins.

 

The Beta release known as "Early Access" (download only), was released on September 6th 2022, we are currently in b11.

 

Obviously I'm as you are very happy about that announcement...  but.

 

I don't know however if to take the announcement as realistic? We have been in beta for only a few months, and yes a lot of elements have been addressed, but I'm not feeling or seeing how X-Plane 12 could go fully X-Plane 12 in four weeks? It just not seem feasible from this point in time?

 

However Laminar Research did note the improved Airbus A330 with a custom MCDU instead of the default XP FMS was shown at the Flight Sim show.

 

Known bugs include...

• Incomplete or missing features in Alpha/Early Access:
  • Master-external visual networking
  • New XPLM APIs
  • Airbus A330 FMC
• In progress features:
  • Tuning lighting & fog
  • LIT textures
  • VR holodeck lighting
  • Far trees don’t look great
  • Better cloud shapes, especially cirrus
  • Performance tuning
• XPD-12879 Wake turbulence broken for 3rd party integrations.

 

But I am not at all happy with the weather conditions (Winds), lighting (internal), Sun, Night lighting and much, much more... the improvements are not coming fast enough to warrant such an announcement. After transitioning three betas in the past (X-Plane 9, X-Plane 10 and X-Plane 11) I know the routine enough by now.

 

My roadmap or guts says more mid-January 2023, even late January at the current pace.... do I hear the words "half baked".

 

Laminar Research have released a formal X-Plane 12 Official Trailer

 

_____________________

 

X-Plane 12 (Beta) Early Access is purchased directly from Laminar Research for US$59.95

 

X-Plane 12

Price is US$59.95

 

A detailed release summary is coming very soon, so check back on the site regularly for coming X-Plane 12 updates as we delve into the exciting new chapter of the X-Plane Simulator.

____________

NEWS! by Stephen Dutton

9th November 2022

Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews

 

NEWS! - Aircraft Update X-Plane 12 : Airbus A330 by JARDesign

 

 

The first aircraft to be updated to X-Plane 12 by JARDesign is the Airbus A330-243. Notable this is noted as a Beta release as X-Plane 12 has not yet gone final, so issues and bugs relating to both could be active in the simulation.

 

There are no new features in the update either, except for the required X-Plane 12 compatibility, noted is;

 

v.12.0.1 (beta 1)
+ XP12 compatible
+ flight model reworked
+ load&weight system reworked
+ lights reworked
+ sounds reworked

 

X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11 features include;

 

 

 

 

 

 

JARDesign GHD (GroundHandling Deluxe), plugin is also available and built-in on this aircraft.

 

The A330 update can be downloaded from directly the JARDesign site (JARDesign Group Board) or the X-PLane.Org Store, just go to your account to download vXP1200.

 

Support forum JARDesign A330

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Yes! the JARDesign 330 Airliner by JARDesign is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

 

JARDesign 330 Airliner

Price is US$49.95

 

Requirements

X-Plane 11 or X-Plane 12

 

Aircraft Update X-Plane 12 : Diamond DA-62 by Aerobask

 

Released in March 2019, the Diamond DA-62 followed on from a long line of Diamond composite aircraft from Aerobask. The DA-42 Twin Star and the Diamond DA-50RG. The differences were that the DA-42 was a Twin-Engined aircraft and the DA-50RG is a Single-Engined aircraft. Sadly the Twin-Star has been retired, so the replacement Twin-Engined machine has been this more later and larger DA-62.

 

The larger DA-42 was built as the DA-50, but only one prototype was built and the DA-50 was also only a single-engine aircraft as well. The DA-50 soon morphed into the DA-62 which kept the larger fuselage of the DA-50, but added the Twin-Engined design of the DA-42, and comes also with the more powerful Austro Engine E4 (marketed as the AE 300) which is a liquid-cooled, inline, four-cylinder, four-stroke, diesel piston aircraft engine of which the DA-62 has the 180hp AE330 version.

 

There was a large update (v2.0r) to the original DA-62 just under a year ago in late November 2021, so it is very up to date in systems and detail. So here is the transition aircraft of the same to X-Plane 12. It doesn't have any changes from the 2.0r version, but does have all the X-Plane 12 features added, in the Flight Model by X-Aerodynamics, lighting, texture adjustments (Internal/External) and weather effects.

 

The DA-62 looked very good originally in X-Plane 11, but now the refined X-Plane 12 effect gives the Diamond a more serious "WOW" feel.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

EDDB (Berlin) to EDDP (Liepzig - Halle)

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

 

 

Although the DA-62 is not newly released. I love the fact that all Aerobask aircraft are so fully resolved when being used, virtually no bugs and issues to contend with, it is all a nice clean operation and flying.

 

Notable as usual that we are still in the X-Plane 12 Beta phase, so (I can't find anything wrong with the DA-62) the external beta issues are still there including the odd wind and weather behavior...  but thankfully also none of the wild wing behaviour I saw on the DA-50RG.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Lighting

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

 

 

Attention to detail shows with the MD302 SAM being on a different power source and shuts down in its own time and speed, you can also shut it down quicker if you wish.

 

There is twist adjustable lighting for the pilots and switchable lighting for the seats. The lighting switches are on the bottom, but two are hidden at the back of the roof assembly, but can still be switched from the front view. The detail of the switchware and lights is phenomenal.

 

 

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

 

 

And one for each wing Ice lights and that lighting switch is on the de-icing panel and not with the main lighting switches. Position or Navigation lights are on each wing, but none on the tail and wing double flash strobes covers all the external lighting.

 

Sounds are modern FMOD and with Enhanced 3D system sounds, including Doppler and Flanger effects. They do sound a little different from the normal, but the engines are very different as well in being diesels, but at the cruise speed they have this lovely thrumm that passes the flying time nicely. Start up is almost instantaneous with a slight cranking, so they are almost electric in that aspect.

 

The Oxygen system is very active. It is activated by the knob under the panel far left of the pilot. When the juice is flowing all the occupants on board get oxygen masks, but you have to use it sparingly and only for short periods of flight as it soon used up. You can replenish the oxygen from the menu but only on the ground.

 

All Circuit Breakers (Fuses) work, here I have pulled the MFD fuse...

 

 

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

 

 

Here I settled into a 150knt cruise, with 325 km/h (202 mph; 175 kn) (TAS) the official cruise speed and a Max speed of 367 km/h (228 mph; 198 kn) and the Range is outstanding at 2,380 km (1,479 mi; 1,285 nmi).

 

Now approaching EDDP EDDP (Liepzig - Halle), it's time to get ready for landing. 1,500 ft is my goal on approach (from 5,000 ft) and 100 knts...

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

Liveries

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

 

 

Summary

Released in March 2019, the Diamond DA-62 followed on from a long line of Diamond composite aircraft from Aerobask. Here is the X-Plane 12 version, not a full X-Plane 12 release, but a compatible aircraft as we are still in the Beta (11) phase of X-Plane 12.

 

There are no actual new features or changes since the last DA-62 v2.0r (November 25th 2021) release. But you do get the full package of X-Plane 12 Flight Model, lighting, texture adjustments (Internal/External) and weather effects. Liveries have dropped to eight (from ten), but overall better quality.

 

Notable as usual that we are still in the X-Plane 12 Beta phase, so (I can't find anything wrong with the DA-62) the external beta issues are still there including the odd wind and weather behavior...  but thankfully also none of the wild wing behaviour I saw on the DA-50RG.

 

All the huge feature list are still there, including; "Synthetic Vision", active Circuit Breaker Panel, Icing and rain systems, Oxygen System, MD302 SAM Backup instrument, power rudder adjustment and top level FMOD sound. G1000 system is still native X-Plane, but customised and well intergrated and excellent to use.

 

Aerobask would be on anyone's "Must Buy list", on just their name alone, that is the solid reputation the developers already have, and I have absolutely no reason to discount that aspect.

Aerobask make brilliant modern composite aircraft, excellent modeling and extraordinary interior design...  they fly pretty good as well, and are very good value with excellent back up service...  now all available in X-Plane 12, basically how much more do you want? Highly Recommended of course. 

______________________

 

 

 

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

Diamond DA62

Price is US$39.95

 

Features

 

Requirements:

X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11

 

 

 

NEWS! - Aircraft Update : Q4XP now Supports X-Plane 12

 

 

"Get it out of your hanger!".... 

 

FlyJSim have updated the Q4XP - De Havilland Canada DHC-8 to be compatible with X-Plane 12. There are now 2 separate aircraft files for both X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12.

 

 

FlyJSim notes: Our initial XP12 release for the Q4XP. This will be first of several patches that will come to bring more xp12 features and fixes.

 

Changelog for v1.24

 

v1.24
Date: November 1st 2022
### Initial XP12 build. Now supports xp11 and 12

- There are now two ACF files, one for XP11 and one for XP12. please load the correct one when loading the plane.
- Updated Exterior and Cabin lighting to Photometric lighting.
- Added rain effects. ( wiper effects coming in the future)
- Steering works in both XP11 and XP12 now.
- Fixed GPWS callout stuh-stuh-stutter

 

 

Is the FlyJSim any good, well I said this only one year ago:

 

'Expectation was extremely high for the FlyJSim Q4XP, so does it deliver? Certainly yes, and in every single area and category.' ..'Obviously Highly Recommended.'

 

Now you can fly the Dash-8 in X-Plane 12, certainly a win, win situation...

 

The Q400 is a Canadian-built medium-range turboprop regional airliner. The Q400 has a high cruise speed to make it competitive, with travel times similar to jets like the CRJ and ERJ in segments under 500nm, but is much more fuel-efficient. Enjoy the speed at your fingertips as you zip in and out between the big jets. The max range of the Q400 is 1100miles at MTOW, so you can count on operating segments under three hours. Operating from regional airports to larger hubs, the Q400 can take off in as little as 4000 feet of runway, making the most out of all of your add-on scenery. This versatile aircraft can operate in challenging areas such as mountainous terrain, steep approaches, gravel runways, and in all weather conditions. The Q400 is currently operated by airlines all over the world, from the northern regions of Canada and Europe, to the Australian outback, and everywhere in between, so expect to find liveries and routes for an area near you.

 

The full original comprehensive X-PlaneReviews review is here: Aircraft Review : Q4XP by FlyJSim

 

 

 

Update download v1.24 is now available via the X-Plane.OrgStore (Account) or use the Skunkcraft Updater. Re-authorisation is required (A full restart is also recommended).

 

Support forum for the Q4XP

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Yes! the Q4XP v1.24 by FlyJSim is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

Q4XP by FlyJSim

Price is US$79.95

 

Requirements

X-Plane 11 or X-Plane 12 (XP12 Supported since version 1.24)

 

Behind the Screen : October 2022

 

Back in the June 2022 issue of BtheS I noted the story of INI-Builds. Basically as developers INI-Builds are quite new to the X-Plane Simulator universe. They came in with a flourish about three years ago expounding a lot of noise on how they were going to change Simulation, usual stuff.  In this case they did make an impact with their excellent A300-600R (F). It was extremely expensive, but actually lived up to all the hype.

 

It was at the time the most popular aircraft in the X-Plane simulator, so kudos to them. The point here is that price point. Above US$80 in price, then any product moves into an investment category. At that price you expect, or even demand service being at least as long of a simulator version life of flying for your hard earned money, this is a silent deal between the developer and the purchaser.

 

Yes developers come and go, that is also a given in Simulation. But again rarely not in this upper category as we still expect extended service for their expensive products. The worse thing about this whole situation is not just the investment financially in the product, but for most with their hearts as well, most users became very attached to the A300, and two other INI-Builds aircraft in the A300 Beluga and the A310-300.

 

But the A300 was the significant aircraft here.

 

Then came the announcement back in June that basically INI-Build's were going to close up their X-Plane shop, and move everything "Lock , Stock and complete Barrel", in a foundation deal with the Microsoft's Flight Simulator (MSFS).

 

As noted in the June article this was more than a developer just swapping Simulation platforms. One was the point that all X-Plane development was being discontinued, worse and only a few months out from release was that the A300 was not going to be upgraded to X-Plane 12, for some who had just invested (abet many at a heavily discounted price), basically in a few months your expensive purchase was worthless. That was a slap in face for the many devoted users of INI-Builds products.

 

As again I noted back then that INI-Build's in all their wisdom, did they really expect that users were so platform dedicated that they don't use MSFS and other Simulation platforms. In that if they are going forward to totally not be then trustworthy of not only their money, but their commitment to INI-Builds and their products in the future, being slapped in the face this hard is not going to wash and no matter how much they jingle on about how great MSFS is going to be, this is a PR exercise that would be surely not going to win them any faith back. X-Plane has it's devotes as well, and a lot of it is the old guard.

 

Over the next few months INI-Build's were steadfast, no X-Plane 12 development was ever going to be forthcoming.

 

Funny how things turn out doesn't it. Because on the 29th October 2022 INI-Builds announced that, yes the A300v2 will NOW be updated to X-Plane 12.

 

"confirm that the A300V2 compatibility will be coming to XP12 for free. What does this mean? If you own the XP11 version, you get the XP12 compatible version for free.",

 

Or finally they have seen common sense, and I am sure there will be a lot of relieved users out there. The point is why did it get to all this, and it really shows on how delicate the relationship between a developer and a user is. But ultimately it comes down to the aircraft being an investment here more than just a purchase...  developers need to aware of that aspect when pricing their products in these higher categories.

 

The timing here didn't help, INI-Builds aircraft were only first released over halfway through the X-Plane 11 run, the "Knock down" sale only accelerated that aspect of how short a time you had with the aircraft. You would say, "well it flies in X-Plane 11", seriously, I haven't used XP11 in weeks, and even then it took me twenty minutes to reconfigure it to make it all work again, once moved on, I rarely do I go back to the old.

 

I admit as I did then that X-PlaneReviews never had a decent relationship with INI-Builds and their curt replies, so I was never encouraged to promote them or their products on this site. This article is not about that aspect, but users getting a fair deal for their money, as many, users did really love their products, those same users are also valuable customers no matter which platform you use, and at least last Saturdays announcement will help in the matter, but it is still a warning of how you deal with these situations that counts as well, as you will never know if you may need to count on their loyalty again in the future.

 

 

 

I think in October I reached a critical point in my life as a Simulation user. The balance between flying aircraft, was tippled over more into the time and effort required to just keep X-Plane updated and tuned.

 

Spending days just reconfiguring, updating, downloading, emptying, shifting, fixing, refining everything and not just the internal software, but X-Plane external software, aircraft, scenery, plugins, Beta updates, OS updates (both Microsoft, and don't get me started on Apple).

 

Flying! seriously I don't have any time at all to ACTUALLY fly aircraft anymore...   it's not funny either.

 

I was worried about this a few years ago, but now it is a reality, I'm now a sub-servant to the machines, and not the other way around, they tell me what to do now all day and it is me not telling them what I want to do. Then don't add in the external data attacks on your personal personality data for to be sold to highest bidder in Russia (Optus data breach), actually it was a local hacker that did the damage this time. But the damage was massive in having to replace all my important personal documentation, running around after computers.

 

I am seriously getting withdrawal symptoms approaching September now every year which I was already calling "Sept Update month", but it's now September AND October, the total relief when the calendar clicked over and into November was palpable.

 

But you also have to take stock. After a review I looked at a view of an airport, not noting the actual aircraft behind me, and the visual aspect that built up the scene in front of me was actually confronting. When you stop and really look at the visual diorama, you can see how really complex it all really is. There are millions of objects and shaders creating all of this, looking hard at recreating the real world around us on computers, it is a serious miracle it does work as well as it all does as this machine has to do billions of computations alone to recreate the complex scenes.

 

Do we expect too much from our simulations? We complain about any small little fault, but fail to see the incredible big picture we are seeing consistently. We always want more and more, but I think finally with X-Plane 12 and when it is finally sorted and refined is going to be something special. Not withstanding the MSFS and it's over the top expectations, I think that X-Plane 12 is truly revolutionary in the way we do or will do our simulation flying, it's not perfect and even I admit that, but the realism before you is quite exceptional if you look at it closely.

 

Which brings us to the thread lately of someone trying, and trying is the word here to use a 900 Series Graphic Card with X-Plane 12 and complaining it won't work completely, it (shaking my head) won't work mate... just look at what it has to compute, but they will still try and still complain that it is not good enough effort from Laminar Research.  

 

See you all next month

 

Stephen Dutton

1st November 2022

Copyright©2022 X-Plane Reviews

 

 

 

NEWS! - Aerobask updates Diamond DA-62 to X-Plane 12

 

 

They have been busy over at Aerobask. Already they have developed for current X-Plane 12 compliance has been the Diamond DA-50RG and just lately the Viperjet. Now here is the Twin-Diesel engined Diamond DA-62, a cracker of an aircraft that now has the X-Plane 12 features as well . The original X-Plane 11 review is here; Aircraft Review : Diamond DA-62 by Aerobask

 

The Diamond DA62 is a five- to seven-seat, twin-engine light aircraft produced by Diamond Aircraft Industries and was first announced in March 2012.

 

After the success of the Diamond DA-50, it was soon morphed into the DA-62 which kept the larger fuselage of the DA-50, but added the Twin-Engined design of the DA-42, and comes also with the more powerful Austro Engine E4 (marketed as the AE 300) which is a liquid-cooled, inline, four-cylinder, four-stroke, diesel piston aircraft engine of which the DA-62 has the 180hp AE330 version.

 

This is still Beta patch version, not a full X-Plane 12 aircraft file. So changes can still happen as can you find bugs in the new simulator beta run.

 

DA-62 Features include

 

NEWS! - X-Codr updates KSEZ - Sedona to X-Plane 12

 

 

X-Codr of KDEN-Denver fame has updated his Sedona scenery to X-Plane 12. There is no version number, just the X-Plane 12 moniker. Sedona is noted as America's most "Scenic" airport. In being located atop a bluff in the center of the stunning Red Rocks State Park.

 

Sedona Airport is a non-towered airport located 2 miles (1.7 nmi; 3.2 km) southwest of the central business district of Sedona, a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. The airport covers 220 acres (89 ha) and has one runway and one helipad.

 

The airport SDX is located on top of a high mesa overlooking a major portion of the city; it has been termed a tabletop runway. It is not uncommon for tourists or locals driving around downtown Sedona to see an approaching airplane fly overhead and then suddenly disappear into the mountains without ever appearing to land. The airport is also located very close to the Red Rocks of Sedona.

 

Features include...

Ultra detailed rendition of KSEZ - Sedona

• Buildings are detailed down to door handles and gutters
• Most "feature buildings" have full 3d interiors, including food on the restaurant table
• High quality normal maps utilize X-Plane 12's gorgeous photometric PBR rendering engine
• High quality realistic ground textures
• Hand crafted detail textures and detail normals add unparalleled detail with virtually indistinguishable tiling
• Hand painted, subtle grunge overlays for the whole airport make the airport feel life like and natural.
• Up to date layout as of 2021 including significant changes to the center-north ramp

Living Airport

• Cars will randomly wander the airport roads, and occasionally drive up to the gate, open it, and drive to a spot on the apron.
• 3D animated people
• 3D animated trees using X-Plane 12's new forest system
• 3D animated grass and shrubs

Custom surroundings

• Generic, regionally appropriate autogen for the surrounding valley
• Stunning hand crafted rock formations for most of the Sedona Valley
• Low poly landmarks (schools, old stadium, etc)
• Custom Ortho4XP Mesh
• Custom UHD Mesh V4 overlays (courtesy AlpilotX, used with his permission)
• Optimizer for excellent performance. VR ready, constant 60 fps with near max settings on high end systems.

 

The images shown here are X-Plane 12, the X-Plane 11 version (also available) is now called the "Legacy" Package.

 

 

 

 

 

If you own the original (X-Plane 11) Sedona, then this X-Plane 12 update is free, just go to your X-Plane.OrgStore account and download. You will need to update your X-Codr Designs Library Package as well to use this scenery.

 

All images are courtesy of X-Codr.

__________

That price is really good value for what you get with the G550, it is a great simulation, another month of development and it will get there, so well worth the investment

 

Aircraft Review : Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio

 

In the utopia world of elitism, then a 110 ft Mega yacht is high up on the scale. But there is still another level again that says I'm far richer and more powerful than you. Welcome to the world of business jets and in reality only one word here fits in with cache. That word is "Gulfstream".

 

The Gulfstream world of this upper exclusive club is again segregated with the latest G800 being the current Blue Ribbon holder. But the G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series, that series evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.

 

Complicated? well these business class aircraft do have a complex heredity. Niches, mostly at the whims of their exclusive customers creates variants of variants to satisfy their exclusive needs, but one thing that will always win out is range and speed. But let us not forget the real reason you have a Gulstream in this upper echelon of society, money and wealth.

 

A variant of the Gulfstream V or GV-SP with a new flightdeck display system, airframe aerodynamic and engine improvements and the main entry door is moved forward, this aircraft is marketed as the G-550.

 

Presented here is a Gulfstream G550 version for the X-Plane Simulator and the price is US$31.95, but in that you will get both an X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 versions. Oddly there are very few Gulfsteams in X-Plane, a few but not one really worthy of our talents, so obviously we welcome a quality aircraft to fill in that empty void from first time developer AKD Studios

 

Compared to the Gulfstream V, drag reduction details boost range by 250 nmi (460 km) and increase fuel efficiency. Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is increased by 500 lb (230 kg) and takeoff performance is enhanced. A seventh pair of windows is added and the entry door is moved 2 ft (0.61 m) forward to increase usable cabin length. The PlaneView flight deck features cursor control devices, Honeywell Primus Epic avionics, standard head-up guidance system by Rockwell Collins and enhanced vision system by Elbit, improving situational awareness in reduced visibility conditions.

 

Initial long-range cruise altitude is FL 400-410, first hour fuel burn is 4,500–5,000 lb (2,000–2,300 kg) decreasing for the second hour to 3,000 and 2,400 lb (1,400 and 1,100 kg) for the last hour. Flight hourly budget is $700-950 for engine reserves, $250 for parts and 2.5 maintenance hours. It competes against the Bombardier Global 6000, which has higher direct operating costs and less range but a more spacious cross section, and the Dassault Falcon 7X with fly-by-wire flight controls, better fuel efficiency and a wider but shorter cabin. More importantly Range is an astounding 6,750 nmi (7,770 mi, 12,500 km), the aircraft is a transcontinental, trans oceanic capable aircraft.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Twin rear assemblies are trailing link, a normal gear arrangement on these executive jets. Again all the modeling and detail is first rate, but the unfinished look and it looks even more pronounced here on the main gear, is it just needs that something more to perfect.

 

Cabin

The entrance is via a tunnel like area, into a world of teak wood and gold highlights.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

The cabin is very good and even very nice, but in this jet category the competition in this area is extremely high, as noted you feel that more seating is required and a bit more functionality to compete at this level, but for a first development it is very good overall.

 

One odd thing is that there are no cockpit doors to separate the office from the cabin, a poor oversight? Another oddity is that there is a significant step up into the cockpit, so you feel there is a small step missing.

 

 

Cockpit

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Symmetry Flight Deck

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

 

 

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

 

 

It is basically a simple push-button controller and easy to access and set. Selections include; PFD, MAP, SENSOR, FLT REF, TEST, CHKLIST - SYSTEM, 1/6 - 2/3, TRS, NAV, HUD. By my estimation about 60% of the system is currently working? But this is a very deep system, I suppose more detail will come with updates.

 

Upper left buttons select the system area you want to access, and the right display has selection buttons to access the item, it is complex, but easy to use in the same instance. Once you work out where each selection is (or have a printed guide) then the system is easy to use.

 

Here you can select 2/3 of the PFD (or have the engine or data readouts left 3rd of the screen) or use FULL which gives you the full basic flight instruments Artificial Horizon top and the Horizontal Situation Indicator lower. Artificial Horizon, Speed and Altitude tapes, Bank roll scale and roll pointer, Vertical Speed markers, Pitch markers, ILS bars and AOA (Angle of Attack) guide.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

You have also a main panel have the same menus, you can change them from the DC, but also directly by the in-built menus.

 

Provided are; Map Data, Aircraft Centre (Heading or Plan modes), Hdg, Prev, Next, World and Map which is also a systems menu?

 

 

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

 

 

It is very complex set of menus and required a fair bit of study, but it quite comprehensive as well that covers all the G550's systems. Notable is that currently none of the displays pop-out, but they are quite complicated with an interactive interface that created to mimic a pointer.

 

Overhead Panel (OHP) is really well set out and easy to use. Digital numbers are all used in the readouts. Systems covered are; the Electrical system with all its buses, Full Fire Protection system, the full Hydraulic system, Gulfstream Fuel system and APU system and start up timing.

 

 

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

 

 

Pedestal is excellent. Top are the backup instruments in a G5 Tape/Artificial Horizon and centre heading instrument, the Gear lever and gear position panel is far right.

 

The main twin-throttles and rear reverser levers are a lovely chrome design, look nice, nice to use. Set each side are the standard Air-brake and Flap levers (UP-10-20-? but could be 30º). Rear pedestal is all radar and radio panels, nicely done is the use of a FMS frame to hold the Radio settings, a simple but clever way of doing it.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

Menu/Tablet

ADK uses the interaction with a tablet for menus. There are two, both placed for each pilot on the window frame.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

GND : There are a few options "Ground Handling Page". On the Static Elements there  is a GPU (Ground Power Unit) AC, but also noted a DC Unit and a ASU, but these last two are not currently working in the menu?

 

And there are Chocks and a passenger car. You can open the main door, again a WIP progress Cargo door. Open ALL Doors and Close ALL Doors. Both the static elements Passenger car have separate menus.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

__________________

 

Flying the Gulfstream G550

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Start up engine sounds are also absolutely excellent, very impressive, you really feel those RR engine at your back and externally by the aircraft which are both very forceful, throaty and purposeful... impressed. Once the engines are running, you clean up the OHP (Bleeds, Start, Crank and APU), and then you are ready to go.

 

Warnings in C-Caution and W-Warning are related to the Centralised Warning Panel (CWP), and a really big feature is in testing the controls and seeing your actions on the FLT Controls panels.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Lighting

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Ice (wing lighting) is basic, the wheel-well lights work but the tail lighting doesn't. There is also a "Pulse" effect on the main landing lights? Overall again the external lighting is all a bit hit and miss.

 

 

 

There is a CAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) that works with (in my case) Traffic Global, I never got the A/T (Auto Throttle) to work? and a note from the developer says it's coming in an update, doesn't matter here anyway as most Private Jets flying is usually using the manual throttle. Cruising at FL400 (40,000ft) is the only way to fly halfway round the globe.

 

    

 

TOD (Top of Descent) and it is time to go down. The G550 can climb high, very high. So you tend to be a bit more excessive in the rate of descent. Here I'm using a rate of 2,700 fpm to go down, and in doing that steep rate the aircraft will protect itself by deploying the airbrakes automatically, but be aware also to retract them later as they don't auto close.

 

 

I pass EVRA-Rika, Lativa while still screaming down at 2,500 fpm, but you need not worry as everything rubs off very quickly in both speed and altitude. The one thing you realise are that these Gulfstreams are incredibly versatile thoughout all their performance profiles.

 

Sounds I am liking. Audio here is not overly excessive or even brilliant, but with the long distance cruise you can do with this machine that you can arrive without a headache, so no repeatable loops or droning (thank god). Being a long distance hauler that is important. In time I would expect more and better sound detail, but for now they are fine. X-Plane 12 is quite spectacular when it wants to be...  a far, far cry from X-Plane 11.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

_____________

 

Liveries

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

 

_____________

Summary

In world of the elite, then the word of Gulfstream is the biggest token you can play in this upper exclusive club. The Gulfstream G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series and that series evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.

 

Here we have the previous generation in the G550 which was discontinued in July 2021, but this aircraft is still a major global trotting machine with both oceanic and transcontinental in range, it can fly high as well to an almost sub-orbital 51,000ft.

 

First an almost disclaimer on the review and the aircraft. The Gulfstream G550 is a first time project by AKD Studios and obviously they have to pick an extremely complex aircraft to start with, add in a release in the middle of a new X-Plane 12 Beta run (B9) and you can expect a lot of bugs and weird things with the aircraft. It's not like that at all in context, in fact it flies very well.

But there are many areas here also not finished or refined, that includes also the missing manual with the aircraft that reflects here in less technical detail to be covered and features that can be missed. 

 

Impressive however the G550 still is. Systems are comprehensive and are excellent in operation, including the excellent Gulfstream "Display controllers" (menus) and all DUIs are covered by a four display screen arrangement that has the built in Gulfstream Symmetry integrated flight deck is based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system. Custom CAS (warnings), Ice and rain protection system (X-Plane 12), IRS system and a full (menu) Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)... it's an impressive list.

 

Modeling is very good but your not going to get extreme Aerobask quality here, but many of the areas are really just not only refined or even completed, annoying are the cabin window frames that are badly (or rushed) designed, the missing external cargo door and all the lighting inside and out feels again only half finished. But I'm looking more and far down the road here as the basics are very good, if excellent in areas, it is the old adage of what a difference a month could make to the project.

 

Personally I absolutely love the Gulfstream G550. X-Plane has wanted a really excellent transoceanic Private Jet for decades and here it is, it is also available in X-Plane 11 and more importantly in X-Plane 12 in the same value package of just over US$30. For your money you get a lot of aircraft with it's Gulfstream related systems. in 2023 it will be certainly the power jet you need in the X-Plane 12 Simulator, like I said I love it, and now I just want a lot more of flying the machine to every corner of the Globe.

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The Gulfstream 550 by AKD Studio is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore

 

GLF550 - Ultimate Business Jet by AKD Studio

Price is US$31.95

 

This aircraft is X-Plane12 supported, but to note it is in Beta form.

 

Requirements

X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 - both versions included

NEWS! - The Reality Expansion Pack v4.7 with X-Plane 12 support

 

Simcoders have released the REP-Reality Expansion Pack v4.7 that comes with X-Plane 12 support. This update is freely available for current customers via the SkunkCrafts Updater or by downloading the full package from the X-Plane.OrgStore.

 

Reality Expansion Pack REP packs are to bring a bit more of the everyday running of a GA light aircraft to life, and to also add in more functionality and extra features not found in the original package. Basically if you have used one REP pack then they are all the same with just the aircraft they are attached to in being different.

 

Notes on the v4.7 version as per aircraft are noted by SimCoders;

 

Default Cessna 172SP and Beech Baron 58

The default planes are supported just like in X-Plane 11. Just install REP as described in the manual and you can enjoy the new improved flight dynamics and 3D models Laminar provided with X-Plane 12.

JRollon SF.260

The flight model has been updated to match X-Plane 12 requirements and the 3D rain effect has been added.

Carenado Cessna 210 Centurion v1.x, Beech Bonanza F33 v1.x, Beech Baron v1.x, Piper PA-31 Navajo v1.x

These planes, without REP, do not work properly in X-Plane 12. They miss some animations, have broken sounds, etc.

REP takes care of all of this so the animations are restored, the sounds are fixed, the flight model is updated, and as a bonus, the new 3D rain effect is provided.

Carenado C210 in a cold winter X-Plane 12
Carenado PC12 and all other XP10 planes

These packages just do not work anymore in XP12. We tried to fix them as we did for the others listed above but they are just too old (and some even encrypted) to stand a chance. REP for them will still be updated though, and they will continue work on X-Plane 10 and 11.

Thranda Beaver and Kodiak, and JustFlight DR400

All these packages get the updated flight model. They do not receive the 3D rain yet as the author stated an update is coming for them so there’s no point in doing the same work twice. As soon as the updates will be available, they will be distributed via REP’s Skunkcrafts Updater configuration.

JustFlight Piper Arrows

The Arrows underx X-Plane 12 throw errors that REP cannot fix at this very moment. They will be updated by the author so we’re basically waiting for the fix to be published and then update REP as necessary.

ASDG Piper Cub

This plane is unfortunately abandoned as ASDG disappeared on us few years back. REP for this plane is still updated but the plane won’t be ported to X-Plane 12.

 

By the way, X-Plane 12 features a beautiful Piper Cub and we’re already working on a REP for it. That’s not a secret anymore.

 

-Plane 12 is still beta and we do not exclude further updates of v4.7. We continue our work on REP for more X-Plane 12 planes (mostly default planes, as they look gorgous!)

 

Being desperate I checked out the Bonanza A33A REP, and it does thankfully make the aircraft flyable in X-Plane 12, but the instrument lighting need more illumination, that said I fly my beloved aircraft...  thanks to SimCoders.

 

All the REP-Reality Expansion Packs can be found here at the X-Plane.OrgStore, and of course you will need the host aircraft to apply the Expansion Pack.

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The Reality Expansion Pack are now available from the X-Plane.OrgStore!... Here:

 

Reality Expansion Packs

All packages are price at US$19.99

NEWS! - FlightFactor update Boeing 757/767 twins v1.6.3 to X-Plane 12 Beta 8

 

 

FlightFactor have updated both their Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 Professional Series to X-Plane Beta 8. The v1.6.3 update is available via the X-Updater application and the "Beta" box needs to be ticked. Notable that this update comes with a big sticker "Beta" warning, as the beta program is in flux then so are the aircraft, but at least you can enjoy and currently them in X-Plane 12, Beta period or not.

 

In this v1.6.3 (v2.6.3 Boeing 757) update there is an almost total focus on X-Plane 12 for the FlightFactor Boeing Twins

v1.6.3 Boeing 767 Pro
- note: please ignore possible sim warning about the deprecated dataref (cgz_ref_to_default)
- fixed avionics issue for xp12 beta 8
- fixed some lamps in cockpit that were broken
- fixed wingflex  (xp12)
- fixed standby altimeter  (xp12)
- fixed some visual bugs in the cockpit
- fixed captains chair (xp12)
- fixed landing and taxi lamps (xp12)
- fixed door lighting at night (xp12)
- fixed the ALTN lights on some FPDS buttons
- fixed engine start sound looping on outside view bug
- fixed 764 compact engine display option
- fixed some tutorial issues for 764
- fixed wing light position for 764 (xp11)
- changed apu lamp behaviour

Boeing 767 Professional Series

v2.6.3 Boeing 757 Pro
- note: please ignore possible sim warning about the deprecated dataref (cgz_ref_to_default)
- fixed avionics issue for xp12 beta 8
- fixed cockpit floor issue in 757RF (xp12)
- fixed some lamps in cockpit that were broken (xp12)
- fixed wingflex (xp12)
- fixed standby altimeter  (xp12)
- fixed some visual bugs in the cockpit
- fixed captains chair (xp12)
- fixed landing and taxi lamps (xp12)
- fixed door lighting at night (xp12)
- fixed the ALTN lights on some FPDS buttons
- fixed engine start sound looping on outside view bug
- fixed 757 RF empty weight (xp12)
- changed apu lamp behaviour

Boeing 757 Professional Series

 

The updates are available now to use with the current standing Series Boeing fleet of 767 and 757 aircraft. This update is free to the current owners of the 757 V2 Professional and 767 ER Professional aircraft via the X-Updater Application

 

Extensive packages on both aircraft does create a bit of a complex buyers choice...

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Yes! the Boeing 757-200ER - Boeing 767-300ER Professional & Extended versions and the EPDS extension by FlightFactor Aero/SteptoSky...    is NOW! Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

 

One (which I will call the Avionics upgrade) is the Standard Single aircraft PRO that can be upgraded with this FPDS package to Modern Avionics

Two (Extended and Global) you can also update to first from the Standard Single Aircraft to the "Extended" version that includes three versions of the B757/767 in the -200, -300 and the Freighter, and then update again to the GLOBAL version of everything in the Extended and plus the FPDS package. B767 Global Plus+ is everything in the B767 Pro Series.

 

Boeing 757-200ER v2 Professional

Price is US$72.00 (C-32 addon not available)

 

Boeing 757-200ER v2 Professional Extended

Price is US$92.00

 

Boeing 757-200ER v2 Professional Extended Upgrade

Price is US$72.00 + US$20

 

Boeing 757-200ER v2 Professional Modern Avionics

Price is US$72.00 + US$20 (C-32 addon not available)

 

Boeing 757-200ER v2 Professional Global Upgrade

Price is US$92.00 + US$20

 

Boeing 757-200ER v2 Professional Global

Price is US$112.00

 

You must already have purchased and own the current Boeing 757-200 v2 version for any upgrades (Extended/Avionics) to the aircraft

Requirements

X-Plane 11.50+, A BETA version is available for X-Plane 12

Windows 7+, Mac OS 10.10+ or Linux 14.04 LTS or compatible

64 bit mode 8Gb RAM / 3Gb VRAM Minimum

16-24Gb+ RAM / 6Gb+ VRAM Recommended

 

Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional

Price is US$72.00

 

Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Extended

Price is US$92.00

 

Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Extended Upgrade

Price is US$72.00 + US$20

 

Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Modern Avionics (EPDS)

Price is US$72.00 + US$20

 

Boeing 767-200ER v2 Professional Global

Price is US$112.00

 

Boeing 767 Global Plus

Price is US$145.00

 

You must already have purchased and own the current Boeing 767-200 v2 version for any upgrades (Extended/Avionics) to the aircraft

Requirements

X-Plane 11.50+, A BETA version is available for X-Plane 12

Windows 7+, Mac OS 10.10+ or Linux 14.04 LTS or compatible,

64 bit mode 8Gb RAM / 3Gb VRAM Minimum,

16-24Gb+ RAM / 6Gb+ VRAM

Recommended Last version: 2.5.4 (29.10.2021)

 

NEWS! - Released : VSKYLABS F-19 Stealth Fighter

 

 

The what!

 

We know all about the F-Fighter definition of American Fighter Jets, and there are some extremely famous ones in there, notably; F4 Phantom, F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, F16 Fighting Falcon, F22 Raptor...  and maybe even a few favourites I have missed out. The F-19?

 

Nah, don't know that one?

 

F-19 is the designation for a hypothetical US fighter aircraft that has never been officially acknowledged, and has engendered much speculation that it might refer to a type of aircraft whose existence is still classified. In other words it is an experimental aircraft that keeps getting recognised as a UFO or foreign invader, it looks like a blend of an early lifting body (Lifting bodies were a major area of research in the 1960s and 70s as a means to build a small and lightweight crewed spacecraft), and a stealth fighter.

 

So here is the hypothetical 80's Testor's F-19 concept in the most advanced flight simulation environment up to date and it can fly in X-Plane 12.

 

Following thorough analysis made by experienced/professional pilots with deep relevant background, the VSKYLABS F-19 was designed from scratch and was engineered as close as possible to an actual, plausible jet-fighter aircraft. The 80's concept did include some general specifications, however the hypothetical aircraft was never fully realized with the use of high fidelity or levels of comprehensive propulsion, control and stability, electrical, hydraulics, pneumatic, aerodynamics, avionics and all the required mission related/peripheral systems that forms together a plausible jet-fighter aircraft simulation.
 

Project Highlights (Early Access Version):

• Early access version! A new aircraft for X-Plane v12.00 beta.
• Advanced concept aircraft simulation, including detailed, fully functional 3-d cockpit environment with realistic, working systems.
• Extensive, professional real-world experience and knowledge of jet-fighters design, systems, performance, handling and operation were involved in the making of the VSKYLABS F-19.
• Designed for X-Plane 12 cutting edge flight model environment and presents superb flight dynamics with presumably authentic performance and flight handling characteristics for the hypothetical F-19 aircraft.
• Developed for VR: Development was tailored specifically for VR, and optimized for 2D usage.
• Engineered and designed as a genuine, default X-Plane 12 aircraft. The VSKYLABS projects are practically show-casing X-Plane, as they are stretching X-Plane default features, systems and flight model to its limits without any dependencies on complementary plugins or software...delivering a very robust simulation model, having maximum compatibility with the ever evolving X-Plane flight simulator.
• Comprehensive FMOD sounds for 'As Real As It Gets' experience!
• Perfect challenge for beginner and expert pilots: Provides a very wide flight envelope with comfortable control from ~140 knots to Mach 1.1.
• Autoupdater based on the SkunkCrafts autoupdater - all updates are being pushed smoothly without the need to re-download the entire base package (base package will be updated every once in a while to minimize the gap).
• Highly responsive VSKYLABS support forums: VSKYLABS offers continuous professional support, from all aircraft related aspects (operating and flying) to X-Plane technical support.
• The project is under constant maintenance and development.
•  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X-Plane 12 - Beta 8

 

It is hard to believe we are already up to X-Plane 12 Beta 8, yes version eight of the beta run. Are you enjoying X-Plane 12 yet?

 

Personally I think it is incredible, loads of bugs, but the dynamics and certainly the realism in feel is extraordinary. X-PlaneReviews images are a great way to see the differences between X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12.

 

First note for X-Plane 12b8 is that it screws up the "BetterPushBack" plugin, a fix can be found here; Github

 

Let us start with a nice addition in Beta 8...  Pilots. In both the Boeing 738 and the Airbus A332 there are now animated pilots, a male and a female, they are extremely good (meaning realistic) and as noted they move around in the cockpit.

 

 

Secondly is the addition of another default aircraft, this a promised machine, but not your usual flying machine as this one is drone.

 

ALIA-250

Beta Technologies (stylized as BETA Technologies), is a Burlington, Vermont-based aerospace manufacturer developing electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for the cargo and logistics industry. The company is headquartered at Burlington International Airport in South Burlington, Vermont, and were they store and test their EVA (Electrical Vertical Aircraft) aircraft. With securing in March 2021, BETA Technologies raised $143 million in venture funding from undisclosed sources.

 

On May 23, 2018, the company made the first tethered flight of its original 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) Ava XC eight motor, eight propeller battery-operated proof of concept aircraft and that year, the Ava XC became the world’s heaviest eVTOL aircraft to fly.

 

In February 2020, the company began participating in the United States Air Force Agility Prime program that seeks to advance electric air mobility. In May, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center announced that the company, along with Joby Aviation, would progress to the third phase of the program. In June, the company unveiled its second aircraft prototype, ALIA-250.

 

Our own Laminar Research Austin Meyers has had a personally involvement in the development of the ALIA-250, some say in spending too much time as a distraction from working on X-Plane 12. But I don't think that in reality

 

The design of Alia-250 is inspired by the Arctic tern, the longest-migrating bird in the world. It takes cues from the bird’s tail configuration and wing stance, which enable Arctic terns to take long-range flights, to deliver a similar performance.

With a wingspan of 50ft, the aircraft has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 6,000lb (2,721kg). The passenger variant of the aircraft can carry six passengers including a pilot, while the cargo variant will have 200ft³ of space.

 

The efficient aerodynamic features of the eVTOL aircraft include arched wings, tapered wing-tips and angled trusses. The V-shaped tail is expected to reduce drag and improve stability at low speeds. In March 2021, the ALIA-250 made a test flight from Plattsburgh, New York, across Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vermont. But not as a eVOTL aircraft, but with just it's normal wings and a pusher engine, but the aircraft has since done a test untethered eVOTL flight.

 

So what has all this got to do with X-Plane 12 you ask? Well Laminar promised a eVOTL aircraft for the release of X-Plane 12, and now here it is and it is the ALIA-250. It also comes with a personal introduction from Austin Meyers on how to set up and fly the aircraft.

 

 

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

 

 

The race to complete a working (and realistic) eVOTL has been going on for a few years now, and a few ideas have already fallen by the wayside. Only really two with the Joby Aviation S4, with the ALIA-250 here are feasible working concepts. I personally never took any eVOTL aircraft with only a single or even a double seat or with no cargo space as anything but wishful thinking in a commercial operation, but these two aircraft do fill the commercial criteria.

 

Being X-Plane we get the full package as well (in X-Plane 12). At KBTV-Burlington International Airport, you will find a BETA developed and prototyped charging stations for eVTOL aircraft made from recycled shipping containers and reused airplane batteries.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Each upper rotor and rear pusher have RPM and TEMP readouts, but the only power readout is the Bus V number bottom left? You would expect at least a charge line readout(s) or display? You expected far more here in this aspect. So it is pretty basic, recharging is done and is again very basic.

 

Flying the ALIA-250

There are a few things to set up to fly the ALIA-250. First to switch on ALL the batteries (toggle) to use for the flight via a keyboard selection, if not you will use only battery one (there are five) and that will only give you a short ten min flight (Battery one is a separate setting than the ALL batteries), to recharge you again set a keyboard selection for "Re-charge batteries".

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

And off you go.... my thoughts are that you need far more readouts (power usage) and better ideas for switching on the power and selections (recharging)...  it's just a little "too" basic in this form. Even the "Searchlight" option wasn't finished....

 

Flying the "copter" was dirt easy, switch-on, and pull up the collective. There are no Rudder Pedals (but they do still work?), so you use the stick in all three axis; Pitch, Roll and to turn...  Yaw.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

It flies like an aircraft, but the ALIA can also hover like a helicopter, also like a helicopter it has to go from a flight mode to a hover mode which is called effective translational lift (ETL) at around about 16 to 24 knots. We have done the to flight mode, but what of coming back out of forward flight. Oddly the sequence is slightly different than flying a helicopter through the ETL. You have wings here giving you aerodynamic support that a helicopter doesn't have. 

 

"Translational" is the word here, pulling back on the pusher does drop away the forward speed (drag), which unlike in a Helio you just don't get. So you bring in the lifters at first slowly. Working the collective you bring up the power while reducing the forward push, the trick is that you also need to lose height in the same transition period hence the correct lifter feel in getting to the right position in power flow...

 

 

 

As your forward speed decreases you feel your lift decreasing as well, so you adjust the lifters to compensate, get it wrong and you will drop (literally) out of the sky, but get it right and transition from one flight mode to the other can be quite fluid. Helicopters are seriously difficult at this phase, the ALIA is totally not...  I'm not saying it is totally easy either, you still have to use your cognitive skills to find the supple balance between flight and lift, it is there and you have to feel it. You can at lower speeds use the usual pitch up (nose up) to slow down. The power outputs show you were the power is going too.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Last thoughts are in that. This is in no doubt a brilliant concept, the ALIA is really the first step to a personal transport and certainly the dream of a flying taxi service. That said you just wish for a little more here. Certainly better intergration of the electrical displays and visual power guides (say like a Tesla), better internal fitouts in seat or visual cargo, and also the operation to recharge the aircraft realistically...  but overall it is brilliant.

 

There are one blank and three liveries provided. its first customer is United Therapeutics, Blade Urban Air Mobility has ordered 20 ALIA aircraft, becoming BETA's first passenger service company and Bristow has placed firm order for five ALIA-250 aircraft with an option for an additional 50 aircraft. Already there are painters liveries on the forums, some are already really good.

 

 

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

 

 

Here are the rest of the Beta 8 changelog.

• XPD-13113 – Still having “Approach has gone backwards” and VFR approaches going missed.
• XPD-13020 – Legacy Dataref CG Z Maps to Wrong Unit.
• XPD-12077 – Bug report: light_attenuation dataref alway 1.0.
• XPD-13228 – Art: Pilots for A330 and 737.
• XPD-13223 – Update Scenery Gateway missing runway autoreporter URL.
• XPD-13218 – Handle contact point fails a dev assert when checking for collisions.
• XPD-13170 – sim/graphics/animation/carrier_catapult_station_rat not working for XCAR3 and XCAR4.
• XPD-13152 – Hiding the ground-ops window in VR also hides the ATC window.
• XPD-13149 – XPLMSaveDataFile / XPLMLoadDataFile – save/load inccorect data.
• XPD-13125 – Erroneous dataref values in sim/world/boat/{x,z}_mtr[0,1].
• XPD-13102 – Potential crash after departure.
• XPD-13093 – Hold-short messages may refer to the wrong end of active runways to cross.
• XPD-13092 – MIssing sim/world/boat/carrier_catshot_status?
• XPD-13091 – set radio nav freq by dataref does not work correctly.
• XPD-13089 – sim/ice/anti_ice_toggle command is not working.
• XPD-13077 – Wings dont droop under fuel load.
• XPD-13071 – CTD when using CDU815 in custom A/C in PM.
• XPD-12831 – Datarefs overwritten during merge.
• XPD-12797 – Request to allow VFR landing after a zone transit.
• XPD-11427 – Bug report: XPLMCanWriteDataRef always returns true for DataRefs.txt.
• XPD-11400 – Horizon tilts when panning tower view.
• XPD-13214 – From Bug Report: Panel maker interface for 3D panel shifted and unreadable.
• XPD-13172 – Citation X has brakes still set to hydraulic system B, should be A.
• XPD-13154 – Zone transit should use actual airspace boundary if it’s not ridiculously large.
• XPD-13153 – IFR clearance should include a squawk code even for relayed clearance.
• XPD-13138 – Unable to change aircraft basic information if departure ICAO is populated.
• XPD-13114 – LSO is calling “drop your hook” for aircraft with no tailhook.
• XPD-13095 – Taxiway names with spaces were not loaded correctly.
• XPD-12087 – Request for a dataref that shows the state of the UI selected scaling.
• XPD-13217 – Pronounce name of Ethiopia’s Bole airport (HAAB) correctly.
• XPD-13141 – F14 F-14 Tomcat Right and Left Engine Fuel Shutoff Handle INOP.
• XPD-13132 – Ground Attitude in Plane Maker acts crazy.
• XPD-13122 – Slow speed taxing of the MD82 excessively rolls the aircraft.

 

X-Plane 12 Minimum Requirements

• CPU: Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 CPU with 4 or more cores, or AMD Ryzen 3, 5, 7 or 9. (Those with other CPUs should try the demo before purchasing.)
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Video Card: a Vulkan 1.3-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 2 GB VRAM
• If your system is borderline, we encourage you to try the demo first. The full version of the simulator will perform exactly the same as the demo—neither better nor worse.

X-Plane 12 Recommended Requirements

• CPU: Intel Core i5 8600k or Ryzen 5 3500 or better, or Apple Silicon
• Memory: 16-24 GB RAM or more
• Video Card: a DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA or AMD with at least 4 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 1070 or better, or similar from AMD)

Supported Video Cards:

•     NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce 900 or newer, driver version 510 or newer
•     AMD: AMD Radeon RX 500 or newer, driver version Adrenaline 22.2.1or newer

Supported Operating Systems:

•     OS X: OS X 10.15 or newer (e.g. Catalina, Big Sur, or Monterey)
•     Windows: Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit
•     Linux: Varies
•         If you want to run on Linux, you will need to try X-Plane on your distribution to see if it is compatible. We have developers using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and newer successfully, however we don’t provide support for specific distributions.
•         We require the proprietary driver from NVIDIA to run X-Plane. We require the Mesa drivers, version 22.0 or newer, for AMD to run X-Plane.

 

X-Plane 12 (Beta) is purchased directly from Laminar Research for US$59.95 and the download file size is 82 GB

 

X-Plane 12

Price is US$59.95

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X-Plane 12 Beta release overview by Stephen Dutton

25th October 2022

Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews

 

Review System Specifications: 

Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP

Software:   - Windows 11 - X-Plane b12.00

 

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

 

All aircraft FF A350, Toliss A321 and ZIBO are covered by the main xplane_12-native-2209 custom scenery data, not individually, update the main one (as above) and you will cover them all 😊

NEWS! - Announcement incoming Gulfstream G550 by AKD Studio

 

 

Everyone wants a private Gulfstream Jet, as they are top of the tree in egomania (Elon Musk has one). Oddly there are very few Gulfsteams in X-Plane, a few but not one really worthy of our talents.

A new developer in AKD Studio's has announced a G550 version to be released on October 28th 2022, the price will be US$31.95, but in that you will get both an X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 versions.

 

A variant of the Gulfstream V or GV -SP with a new flightdeck display system, airframe aerodynamic and engine improvements and the main entry door is moved forward, the aircraft is marketed as the G-550.

 

Compared to the Gulfstream V, drag reduction details boost range by 250 nmi (460 km) and increase fuel efficiency. Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is increased by 500 lb (230 kg) and takeoff performance is enhanced. A seventh pair of windows is added and the entry door is moved 2 ft (0.61 m) forward to increase usable cabin length. The PlaneView flight deck features cursor control devices, Honeywell Primus Epic avionics, standard head-up guidance system by Rockwell Collins and enhanced vision system by Elbit, improving situational awareness in reduced visibility conditions.

 

Initial long-range cruise altitude is FL 400-410, first hour fuel burn is 4,500–5,000 lb (2,000–2,300 kg) decreasing for the second hour to 3,000 and 2,400 lb (1,400 and 1,100 kg) for the last hour. Flight hourly budget is $700-950 for engine reserves, $250 for parts and 2.5 maintenance hours. It competes against the Bombardier Global 6000, which has higher direct operating costs and less range but a more spacious cross section, and the Dassault Falcon 7X with fly-by-wire flight controls, better fuel efficiency and a wider but shorter cabin.

 

 

There has to date not much been announced in features by AKD, but there is a nice tablet with built-in AviTab, Fuel Page, Static Elements, GPU, Performance Calculator, Checklists, X-Plane 12 effects and more. The AKD G550 will be available from the X-Plane.OrgStore...

 

Top of the tree!

 

 

Scenery Review : OOMS - Muscat International  by Taimodels

 

Formerly Seeb International Airport, OOMS - Muscat International is the main international airport in Oman and is located in Seeb, 32 km from the old city and capital Muscat within the Muscat metropolitan area. The airport serves as the hub for flag carrier Oman Air and Oman's first budget airline Salam Air, and features flights to several regional destinations as well as some intercontinental services to Asia, Africa and Europe. The airport opened as Seeb International Airport in 1973, replacing a smaller airfield located in Bayt al Falaj. 

 

This OOMS scenery has the distinction of being the first scenery to be released for X-Plane 12. Overall the release schedule of projects this year from TaiModels has been already extensive with both YSSY-Sydney International and OMDB-Dubai International, already released. With the release of such very big complex mega sceneries, you would expect a drop in standards and quality. But both reviews show that was not actually the case, in fact both sceneries had a significant jump in quality far relative to their size. So here is another large airport, not mega this time though, but the standards of the earlier scenery is well in vogue again here.

 

First view of OOMS...  extremely good. But you have to take into account here the X-Plane global textures even in X-Plane 12, as they are not the very best in desert conditions with no updates for over a decade. The X-Plane 12 hue is also significantly different, slightly darker but more well detailed.

 

 

Muscat International Airport

مطار مسقط الدولي

IATA: MCT - ICAO: OOMS

08R/26L 11,758ft (3,584m) - Asphalt

08L/26R 13,123ft (4000m) - Asphalt

Elevation: 48ft (15m)

 

Focusing on the central area, it is dominated by the new Terminal 1 complex of a simple cross +

 

 

But we won't start in the newer section, but in the older Seeb area on the south boundary called South Civil.

 

Terminal 2 is a single-building, two-story, T-shaped passenger terminal. It opened in the 1970s as a replacement of the Bait al-Falaj airport and has been expanded several times during the last years to cater for growing passenger numbers.

This terminal originally featured 58 check-in counters, 23 departure gates, 4 baggage reclaim belts and several service counters and shops. During its years of operation, passengers and crew were transported to and from the aircraft using shuttle buses as the terminal lacks jet bridges.

 

 

I'm a huge fan of older airport infrastructure. It give a time-traveler look into the past of what it used to be, and usually the buildings are far more intricate and relative to the culture and the area. Certainly in this case, as the old MCT terminal has a very Arabian feel and design to it. It is very well done as well by TaiModels with a lot of detailing and texture. Notable are the ground textures, here they are a scale too large, and making them larger than they ought to be, the reflective nature of the texture reflection effects don't help the visual appeal either. 

 

 

Overall T2 is very good, if quite now deserted... the old facility was planned to be redeveloped into a low-cost carrier terminal, but was instead turned into a field hospital and COVID-19 vaccination site ever since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.

 

Terminal 1; The airport's newer and significantly larger terminal located north of the existing terminal and with first the runway which opened earlier in 2018. This new building initially brought the airport's capacity up to 20 million passengers a year upon completion of the first phase.

 

Subsequent enlargements under second and third phases will increase the airport capacity to 24 and 48 million annual passengers respectively. The terminal covers 580,000 sqm and features 118 check-in counters, 10 baggage reclaim belts, 82 immigration counters, 45 gates and a new, 97-meter control tower. The new terminal is centrally located between the old and new runways and is capable of handling large aircraft such as Airbus A380s and Boeing 747s. The Terminal 1 was opened on 18 March 2018, with the first flight, an Oman Air flight from Najaf, arriving at 6:30 p.m.

 

 

The Terminal 1 is as noted in a Christian Cross, with three separate piers in C (green) the longest, Then each side A (Blue) and B (Brown). Notable are the two side Piers are on a slight curve.

 

You have to admit, TaiModels do certainly create extremely good modeling. Their design and reproduction of the terminal and piers is excellent, very impressive. The external terminal detail and construction webbing is first rate. Roof paneling is reflective glourious and nicely detailed with skylights and air-con units.

 

 

Pier detail is again beyond excellent, with a breaking star motif, like with the excellent external design at both YSSY and certainly at OMDB it is all again intricate and highly stylised work at OOMS from TaiModels, you have to admire the work created here.

 

 

All gates are SAM powered/animated and are "Bank Dhofar" branded, all airbridges are very well detailed and feel Arabic authentic. You have both working single and double bridges to the aircraft and one stand for an A380 category (305).

 

 

The Control Tower is impressive as well. The tower being 97.6 metres high and comes with 100 square metres of floor space within the VCR.

 

The visual control room comprises 20 facets of TEX ATC ‘Maxi-View’ laminated glass, providing the controllers with a 360 degree uninterrupted view. Each panel measures over 4 metres high and is over 55 mm thick and weighs in at over 1200 kg.

 

 

The Control Tower is part of the Pier C concourse. Sadly the X-Plane "Tower View" is not set? an oversight, maybe, but not a good one. But again the detail and shape of the tower is absolutely first rate.

 

The clutter around the terminal and piers is good, but not overwhelming, also it is all X-Plane (Laminar) and not local Oman branded...

 

 

.... same story with the animated traffic. They are here only the Laminar branded vehicles, and they keep mostly to just to the ring around the terminals...  at least they are the more better quality X-Plane 12 vehicle traffic, but I would rather have them all be locally branded.

 

As with most TaiModel sceneries, as you move away from the central focus of the terminals, everything sort of dies a little...  it is well done, but also very flat and sterile in feel, with no vehicles or animated traffic?

 

 

Cargo

East of the Terminal 1 is the twin areas of the cargo facilities, first is the "Transom Handling" building is well done, but the significant large "Transom" signage is missing?

 

 

The large Oman SATS Cargo building is well represented and there are three large cargo stands, 901-903.

 

 

South boundary (South Civil) has a lot of infrastructure on both sides of the old Terminal 2 complex, The Royal Flight of Oman and Royal Air Force of Oman are based at the airport and the RAFO also shares its facilities with the airport. A Royal Terminal and Royal Flight hangars are located adjacent to the old terminal.

There is also faded remnants of the old United Kingdom which has hosted Royal Air Force BAe Nimrods in the past, including for the 1991 Gulf War. These aircraft cooperated with the Royal Navy of Oman in the 'Magic Roundabout' exercise series. The base was used by a detachment of Vickers VC10 tankers from No. 101 Squadron RAF during the Gulf War training with Royal Air Force SEPECAT Jaguars.

 

 

There are two (each end) large engineering hangers, nicely reproduced here. A mosque with great detail is also positioned central.

 

 

There is some infrastructure east of the Terminal 2, but mostly it is a photo layer with objects on the top, and then every object isn't covered but the Flight Catering building is represented. To the west is Al Mawaleh South, and there are some custom objects representing the area, but again it peters out with just a few objects on the photo layer...  highly recommended is the SFD (ShortFinal) Global object addon. It creates (in this case) Middle-Eastern bright white autogen to replace the American/European default autogen...   and here again it works absolutely brilliantly.

 

 

Textures

As we have found in the past, the central areas of TaiModel sceneries are excellent, but surrounding areas and certainly on the points of the custom scenery meeting the X-Plane default textures it can go to be all a bit sparse, as I noted the X-Plane textures are very old, but still an experienced developer should be able to blend in the two together. Here in TaiModel's Muscat, you have roads not joined up, or over well done roads that look a little fake and devoid of traffic, either don't work? The internal custom scenery photo textures, don't match up either with the external X-Plane textures in creating an island custom scenery feel... 

 

 

On the surface or close up the runway, taxiway and ramp textures look very good... I certainly like the different old and new runway compositions that separates the two airport sections...  but there is no 3d grass and an over reliance on photo textures to create visual objects, including the odd burnt in ground aircraft...

 

 

...   as I mentioned, close up the textures look good, but dig down and there is a visually nasty repeated pattern in all the textures.

 

 

The textures do have the usual PBR, built in Burnt-in ambient occlusion effects and their reflections are all in there. But this is the first scenery as mentioned that is also configured for the state of the art X-Plane 12 effects.

 

 

And they are quite sensational and highly realistic. Does it snow in Oman? probably not as this is a desert country. However turn on the snow machine and you can instantly see a problem with these heavily patterned textures, as they don't absorb, but even react badly to the repeatable pattern. Close up it's again not too bad, but scenery developers are going to have to be aware of theses special problems going forward in X-Plane 12 development. This is obviously the beta version (b7) of X-Plane 12, so it might be refined before going final.

 

 

A scenery in the hot desert region means you would never see them, but what of a northern clime?

 

Lighting

Airport lighting was never a TaiModel strong point, and here again a OOMS-Muscat it is a mixed bag...  First again is the X-Plane 12 feature of better runway lighting and now set technically to the FAA approved brightness levels. The difference seen here is excellent. It looks and feels as it is so very different from X-Plane 11 and earlier.

 

 

OOMS-Muscat lighting is all a bit fun-fair gaudy as the Blackpool Illuminations, even as in earlier Flight Simulator production. But in areas where it is done right, like the arrivals awning it looks really quite good, and the ramps are nicely lit, but there are no exquisite lighting skills presented here...

 

 

The water feature at the Terminal 1 entrance is all very Las Vegas, but it is probably like that anyway.The Control Tower lighting is horrible, again more like the Blackpool Tower.

 

Terminal 2 area is fine, but again not very discrete, the Mosque is.. well pretty, but there is also a badly place lamp set directly on the taxiway at the A & C intersection? nasty.

 

 

Navigational signage is one-dimensional and non-ground reflective.

 

___________________

 

Summary

This OOMS-Muscat from TaiModels is the first airport scenery for X-Plane 12, so it is the first glance we get to see the exciting features in action and feel.

 

Over the last year with both YSSY-Sydney International and OMDB-Dubai International already released from TaiModels, we found the quality and detail has been of a far more higher level and even a quite impressive elevation in the modeling and the quality of the TaiModels airports overall.

 

There are even in areas that you will find the internal and the important terminal and piers (Concourses) expertly done and very nice to use and to look at, even the word impressive comes to mind.

 

Both the older Seeb Terminal 2 and the far more modern Terminal 1 are all very well recreated and decorated here in detail and feel. T1 comes with the SAM intergration for aircraft bays, including both single-double airbridges. Animated traffic (X-Plane default and non-branded) are active, and good, but not brilliant clutter (again default) could have been better.

 

All the new X-Plane 12 features are also active here, with seasons, wet areas and the excellent modern well lit approach and ground lighting. The overall feel, ambience and environment of the airport is the far more distinctive X-Plane 12, making the scenery more realistic.

 

Like all TaiModels sceneries, once you move away from the highly and even extremely detailed central area, the detail falls away, the boundaries are all covered with objects, but immersion into the surrounding (if now very old) X-Plane default scenery is average, roads are not connected and devoid of traffic, and even look unrealistic. There is a bit of a sterile feel to the whole airport, with areas not covered in objects and traffic, and relying heavily on the photo ground textures to provide visual stimulation. Textures are good, but have bad repeatable patterns that are again visually noticeable and react with the seasonal elements of X-Plane 12. Night lighting is sadly quite FS in style and gaudy in taste, and not mine.

 

First of all let me state I love far away destination exotic airports. Better now with seasonal X-Plane 12. So Oman in Arabia is always going to be a very attractive destination for me, and this TaiModels scenery of OOMS-Muscat is always going to be on my departure board.

 

Overall the excellent modeling, inner detail and nice working ramps will be the big attraction here along with the X-Plane 12 features. And you get both X-Plane 11 (without the features) and X-Plane 12 which are included in the one package.

 

If TaiModels would take more or as much time on the more external areas as they do on the inner, OOMS-Muscat would easily rate as a 5 Star scenery, but in this case it is more a 3 Star...  Still very good though and certainly very worthy of being in your long haul collection as a destination worth using regularly, certainly a buy and as a very good value investment from me.

_______________________________

 

 

The OOMS - Muscat International  by Taimodels is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store

 

OOMS - Muscat International

Priced at US$21.00

 

 

Requirements

In this day and age of a labyrinthine internet, then tiny things can go wrong, but give the guys a break, it's fixed.

 

Dear Users,

There has been a problem mainly for users without 3d party Antivirus and using Windows Defender, which detected a potential virus. The problem we had was that no other antivirus software detected any issue. Even after ignoring the issue with windows defender, it could not detect it again.

Nevertheless, we have investigated a lot of what could cause this issue, and after hours we found it was caused by the attachment of the icon to the exe file.

 

So now there is no virus detection in Windows Defender. And no icon present. All links were updated, it should be OK.

 

You can download the updated repacked installer from .org store or here:
https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/67109-product-manager-xjet/
 

We are sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you for your patience.

Airfoillabs Team

 

Aircraft Update - C172 NG Digital X-Plane 12 by AirfoilLabs

 

This is Version 1.4.0-Beta of AirfoilLabs Cessna NG 172SP, and an aircraft with X-Plane 12 elements as part of the package. It is signed as a "Beta" version and not as a X-Plane 12 compliant aircraft, it works and flies (actually very well) in X-Plane 12, but as the development Beta goes on, this is not the final form of the aircraft for X-Plane 12.

 

The C172SP NG Digital was introduced into X-Plane 11, early December 2021, so it is basically only 10 months old. It comes with a very extensive package of features (yes the feature list is one of the longest in X-Plane), but also brilliant modelling and quality detail.

 

A full comprehensive review of the X-Plane 11 aircraft release is here: Aircraft Review : C172SP NG DIGITAL by AirfoilLabs

 

With the introduction of the KingAir 350. AirfoilLabs also introduced their own plugin system called XJet. (most developers use the SASL System). Which can be a tricky thing to do and that proved to be just so as the Plugin on release was quite buggy in the KA 350 aircraft. But this is now a few years on, I found this time around that the XJet Plugin is now very refined (now up to version v2.0.0)  To use the XJet System you have to download the "Product Manager" program and install it on your computer: Product Manager / Xjet 2..0.0)

 

The installer can be downloaded in all Windows (.exe), Mac OS (.app) and Linux (.Jar) forms for your own type of operating System.

 

Notable is that for X-Plane 12, is that you have to download a new "Product Manger" for X-Plane 12...  which can be done when you update or purchase the C172 SP aircraft. So it is a completely new install for X-Plane 12.

 

The "Product Manger" is installed in your X-Plane/Plugins folder, and is accessible via the Banner/Plugins Menu. If the aircraft is available it will show up in the Product Manager, the initial release version is v1.4.0-Beta, just select to load...   First you must find the X-Plane 12 "Aircraft" install address, then insert your authorisation number (key), if correct you will get a "Activated" signal. Then you install the aircraft remotely which is around a download of 1.2Gb in size...  to wrap up the installation, you have to agree to the "License Agreement".

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Great morning for a flight!

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

Just look at that centre image, the realism is now utterly simply unbelievable, "Viva X-Plane 12"...

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Internally you get movement to the G-Forces, and they are very similar to the XPRealistic Effects.

 

We have complained about X-Plane's weak weather for as long as I can remember, but you have to admit X-Plane 12's weather engine here is bloody impressive! Real clouds with real immersion, I'm totally in love.

 

 

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

 

 

The modern FMOD system is now better in FMOD2, but still with the 320 sounds plus all the detailed layered engine samples and full audible failures. 360º dynamic sounds are also still spectacular, if the best in the business, so yes of course I really like them.

 

G1000 custom features compatibility for XP12, including the new ATC boundaries, and I like the "GARMIN" titles as well for authenticity.

 

 

Both PFD and MFD displays can not only pop-up (out), but can be separated and lose their bevels for Home Builders.

 

We mentioned the new "Flight Model" before and basically I think it is excellent, but currently overshadowed by the Beta issues, as I find excessive wind (at all levels) is not currently realistic, so it is pretty hard to make judgements while being thrown around the cabin, ditto the internal lighting, which still feels too dark. Lighting fully adjusted it doesn't really affect the cabin much? But this is not a developers issue(s) but Laminar Beta issues, so ignore them.

 

The cabin textures have been tweaked for X-Plane 12, and they feel basic compared to say Aerobask, but still in tune with a basic C172SP in trim. Overall the cabin fitout and detail is impressive.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

"Steady, Steady",

 

 

The AirfoilLabs C172SP is incredible to fly, you have complete control and a perfect balance to show off your flying skills, realism 101.

 

It is why you do simulation. You want that totally realistic experience and the level of immersion goes up every year, but with X-Plane 12, you have jumped a graded few years into the future, but that futuristic realism is available here to you now. VR compatibility is now also initiated on the AirFoilLabs C172SP for X-Plane 12, so you can go even deeper if you have a Vertical Reality setup.

 

Landing is tricky with the crosswind, but the revised Landing Gear forces have been given a tune-up in X-Plane 12 to give you more feel on the touch. Note the realistic exhaust effects, I like the way the effect changes to the power outputs.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

"It's love at first flight"...

 

_____________________

Summary

Only ten months since it's X-Plane 11 release in December 2021, and here is the AirFoilLabs Cessna 172SP update version for X-Plane 12.

 

Notable that this version (v1.4.0-Beta) is the X-Plane 12 Beta configuration, and not the full compatible version for X-Plane 12. The C172SP comes with a very extensive package of features (yes the feature list is one of the longest in X-Plane), but also brilliant modelling and high quality in detail.

 

This X-Plane 12 update is free for current X-Plane 11 purchasers, but you have to download a new version of the "Product Manager" to install the aircraft for X-Plane 12.

 

New features include; External Camera Enhancements and Internal Camera Enhancements (G-Forces), VR Capability, Toe Brake refinement, better internal textures, and no bezels on the G-100 avionics package.

 

X-Plane 12 revisions include; New Flight Model (very good), New Airfoils, better Wear and Tear simulations, Rain, Fog and Ice, Landing Gear forces retuned and G-1000 X-Plane 12 capability.

 

Although already a very highly featured package with a huge amount of detail, the AirFoilLabs C172SP delivers now even more in X-Plane 12.

The Cessna looks sensational in the new X-Plane version, and flies far better as well.

 

This was the most immersive and hugely realistic flight I have done yet in X-Plane 12. It was simply really overwhelmingly brilliant, those cloud and skyscapes bring home the real 3d effect of flying an aircraft in a simulator. I'm not going to shy away from the niggles of the Beta v12B7 here. They create over strong winds, dark interiors and shakes to the aircraft that are not realistic.

 

But the brilliant totally overwhelms the niggles, this is the future of X-Plane Simulation, and the AirFoilLabs C172SP is a really big part of that overall experience, this possibly the very best Cessna 172SP for X-Plane, maybe even in Simulation. So what more could you ask for....

 

Highly Recommended!

________________________________  

 

The C172SP NG DIGITAL v1.4.0 by AirfoilLabs is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore

 

172SP NG DIGITAL

Price is US$49.95

 

This aircraft is X-Plane12 supported, but to note it is in Beta form.

 

Requirements

X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 - both versions included

NEWS! - SSG 747-8 Anniversary Edition v2.6 beta for XP12 is now available

 

 

Flight Procedures Simulation (formally SSG) have released their Mega Boeing 747-800 Anniversary Edition aircraft with now the compatibility to be used and fly in Laminar Research's X-Plane 12. Notable is that it says compatible, this is not a full X-Plane 12 version of the aircraft.

 

So this is only a Beta patch, not a full X-Plane 12 aircraft file. So changes can still happen as can you find bugs in the new simulator beta run.

 

I was looking forward to seeing the Boeing 748I in X-Plane 12. It always looked very good in X-Plane 11, and the "Wow" factor is certainly very strong here. Top is the International (Passenger), lower is the Freighter. You get both variants in the one package.

 

 

 

Then there is that aperture, it is huge!

 

 

NEWS! - xEnviro updates to v1.17

 

 

After another very long development cycle (v1.16-January 2021) Dark Space has released v1.17. Project leader Magnus Lorvik sites personal reasons, the same as in the earlier very long development cycles.

 

Biggest note was that xEnviro will not be compatible with X-Plane 12, Enhanced Skyskapes, SkyMaxx are also not getting access either from Laminar Research... so any future updates will be X-Plane 11 only. Dark Star note;

 

" We have decided to support xEnviro for X-Plane 11 for as long as it seems reasonable. We will refine the existing base we now are confident with and add features as we go along. We will update the roadmap soon.", but also say,

 

" We are not saying that we won’t develop for X-Plane 12! As I said we know how we can do that, but both time wise and feature wise we are in the dark. It’s an effort we will pursue when X-Plane 12 is out of beta. (As usual)". 

 

This v1.17 version has

• Spherical buffer
• Full volume rendering

 

"Spherical buffering is a method of generation of computer images of a three-dimensional scene constituted by a set of facets, viewed from a point of observation along a viewing axis. The facets are projected on the surface of a sphere whose center is the point of observation of the scene and wherein the surface of the sphere is divided in a special way into elementary surfaces, each corresponding to a pixel on the spherical surface, in such a manner that the orthogonal projections of the elementary surfaces on a reference plane passing through the point of observation and perpendicular to the viewing axis of the scene all have same value".

 

Other v1.17 features include:

• Spherical buffer
• Full volume rendering implemented. No more separate layer rendering
• New cloud light scattering math
• New cloud formation logic. Now we can create clouds of any shape
• Smooth transition between stratus and cumulus clouds
• Thunderstorm clouds are back
• Incloud lightning
• Clouds screen edge quality slider added
• Draw high-level clouds checkbox added
• Updrafts added below cumulus clouds with vertical development
• Tropopause temperature control
• Basic VR support
• Weather search accepts Enter key
• Added X-Plane rain sound checkbox
• You can type several icao codes in the weather search window using virtually any separator and then hit Enter to get the list of metar report
• Added hotkeys via X-Plane key assignment menu to open xEnviro Weather Briefing or Settings window or call for CAVOK conditions. 
• Passive cloud sync. Clouds look the same for all the xEnviro 1.17 users at a given time and a given location. This feature is important for online flights and shared cockpit sessions. This includes thunderstorms

 

Other items in v1.17 include;

Changed

• Atmosphere light scattering revised
• Visibility maths changed
• General scene light energy adjusted to match atmosphere conditions
• Clouds blur level slider changed to clouds dynamic blur
• Cloud base adjusted to better match reported values
• The turbulence model is changed to match long-term forces better
• Wind distribution changed to avail fake forecast reports for aircraft devs
• Post-processing maths and application order adjusted
• Increased distance for the city lights reflected by haze
• Server timeout reduced to 5 seconds
• New method to hide X-Plane DSF edge implemented
• Full control over aircraft icing. No more random icing in snowfall

Removed

• Banding lines on distant clouds removed
• Clouds static quality slider removed.

 

Noted issues include;

 

"The 1:1 scale has its demands on performance. The main compromising issue in 1.17 is obvious when you load into the sim. Movement shimmer. This is not a huge problem when you fly slow and are gone when standing still. The artefacts are especially noticeable around the edges of the clouds. We have added a quality slider to reduce that shimmer - but at the cost of performance. This will be a continuous target to refine and improve for us going forward". 

 

At least v1.17 it should be far better than the block type clouds, and constant cloud redrawing that drove me mad at times. My heart dropped out of xEnviro for one major reason. Their so called "History" feature that never happened (so much for listening to feedback). In doing reviews to be able to recreate or manually set a certain weather condition is important for a consistent feel during the review. or to recreate a certain aspect (say snow or sunshine) to highlight the review. That feature has languished down the roadmap list for years and years (despite consistent complaints to Dark Star). It's a small thing, but in my case a deal breaker.

 

However, if you continue to use X-Plane 11 then xEnviro is an essential tool that I would recommend, it does at least give a lot of atmospheric feel to the simulator.

 

v1.17 certainly looks far better...

 

 

The updated v1.17 xEnviro is free to current purchasers of the plugin... just go to the xEnviro site and download the updater application, serial number is required for activation.

____________________________________

 

Yes! the xEnviro Environment Engine v1.17 by Dark Space FZE is Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

xEnviro

Price is US$69.90

Sorry this plugin is Windows only at this point, But Mac will come eventually!

Requirements

____________________________________   NEWS! update by Stephen Dutton 

11th October 2022

Copyright©2022: X-PlaneReviews

 

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

 

Yes I noticed that extreme wingflex, terrified the passengers? The real weather download looked a little unrealistic to me at 32 knts at ground level up to 52 knts at FL320 (Dublin, Ireland), I couldn't land in those extreme conditions? so had to cheat to get the aircraft down, wingflex is very realistic though 🤔

 

 

NEWS! - Diamond DA50 RG by Aerobask now X-Plane 12

 

 

Aerobask have released the X-Plane 12 version of their sensational Diamond DA50 RG. 

 

The Diamond DA50 RG is a five-place, single-engine light aircraft produced by Diamond Aircraft Industries. The DA50 RG is powered by a Continental CD-300 diesel turbocharged, FADEC controlled jet fuel engine, 300 hp.

 

X-PlaneReviews full review of the X-Plane 11 DA50 RG version is here: Aircraft Review : Diamond DA-50RG by Aerobask

 

There are now two different download files for the DA50, make sure that you download the X-Plane 12 version for the new simulator version.

 

Features include: