Stephen

Interview : X-Plane.Org - Stephen Dutton the Man behind X-PlaneReviews
 
Conducted by Dominic Smith
 

 
Introduction
Stephen Dutton is the man behind X-PlaneReviews, one of the Org's most trusted review sites. Over the years, Stephen’s passion for X-Plane, combined with his eye for detail and extensive experience, has made him a key figure in the world of flight simulation.
In this interview, we learn more about Stephen’s fascinating journey, the origins of X-PlaneReviews, and the challenges of running a review site. We also explore how his work, as part of the X-Plane.Org team, has contributed to the growth of the community and its developers.
 
Stephen, to start, could you tell us about your history with aviation and your background in business?
 
I was born about two miles from the now Airbus Hawarden complex outside Chester UK, so I’m Welsh, and most of my family have or are still working at Airbus, but back then it was Hawker Siddeley Aviation building the HS 125, so you were aware of the industry, and family were always talking about their work. I would have probably gone there, but my father had a serious accident, and we moved to Blackpool.
 
My best friend at school was the first aviation nut I encountered, I visited his home and there was literally hundreds of model aircraft hanging from the ceiling and covering every space in the front living room, so we went spotting, Speke in Liverpool and Ringway at Manchester, watching turboprops (Viscounts, HS 748) and early jets (BAC one-eleven, Tridents). Martin wanted to go into the RAF, but was not accepted, and actually he later ended up working for Airbus at Hawarden!
 
At the same time my father became a chef at Heathrow in the hotel off season, so I would spend the winter holidays at the London airport, this was the late sixties, early 70’s, the B747 services had just started and Concorde was doing service trials, but my eyes were always on the Vickers VC10’s, the most beautiful machine ever flown, but you still had the dozens of 707’s, DC-8’s, Caravelle’s, more Tridents, all trafficking around you, and you had a lot of airport access back then, until the Middle East high-jackings.
 
But I was never going to be a pilot. I had a tonsil operation at six that went wrong by pulling a nerve in my neck, I was left deaf and slightly blind on the left side, so I would never pass a medical, certainly not back then, but maybe I would actually pass today. So, an aviation or Service career was never possible.
 
My father then moved to Australia in the early seventies, so my career was riding the technological waves from the late 70’s to mid-2000’s.
So I never worked for anyone else, but ran businesses that started with renting Video Recorders, opening the first Video Store, Video Cameras, then went pro into AV (Audio Visual) in supplying conventions and tradeshows with video projectors and pro monitors stacked together. I then moved into the first computer Video editing work with the just opened Qld Film Studios at Coomera, then moved into creating and developing DVDs for distribution. This aspect required a lot of graphic work, so anything visual, imaginative was my forte, then streaming came along…  so, I was then looking at Digital Signage (my email is still dirdigital when I registered it), or the big video display signage that are very common now, anyway my doctor told me that if I didn’t stop working 15-hour days I would be dead in a year, today it’s what you would call a career change.
 
What was the first flight sim you used, and when did you start using it?
 
Microsoft put out an Apple Mac version of Flight Simulator in eighty-six, so I suppose I used it around eighty-eight. I was confronted with VOR’s, ILS, NDB’s, Waypoints, it was 2d (or even 1d if you think back) just a horizon and sky, very basic but it taught me the basics with a little desktop joystick. Then later I tried Fly2 in the early 2000’s, which was far better, still got it somewhere.
 
So, around 2008, I went to a RAAF Open day at Amberley, by Brisbane, and there was a group of Simulation pilots flying F16’s in frames with keyboards strapped to the top and bottom, joysticks and rudder pedals, it was totally brilliant, and I thought “Yeah I want to do that”.
 
When was the first time you tried X-Plane, and what drew you to it?
 
Again, it was because X-Plane was an Apple Mac Flight Simulator, I had never used Windows at that point in 2009, as I hated Bill Gates for stealing the idea from Steve Jobs (who stole it from Xerox). Being in graphics the Mac was always far superior for graphic manipulation and video editing, I went to study art and had to use the Windows in a classroom, hated it even more, usually took the assignments home and redid them in a fraction of the time on the Mac, they printed out better as well with a colour-laser printer.
Now I use Windows as my main X-Plane computer, for one Windows 10 went towards the Apple graphic model, secondly Windows are far more easily updated internally and is essential for running plugins, but the site and graphic work is still completed on a Mac, connected to the Windows. So, I had a new Mac Mini at the time and X-Plane would run quite well on that in X-Plane 9, and it was a load of fun.
 
And why did you choose X-Plane over MSFS or other flight simulators?
 
I quickly realised that MSFS was not great at the aerodynamics, plus the old, dated code restrictions that came with it like with 3gb file sizes. Whereas as X-Plane felt and acted more like in what a real aircraft would fly (The famous blade element theory) as I am big on authenticity, I wasn’t interested in MSFS.
 
What inspired you to start X-PlaneReviews.com, and how has being part of the Org team helped you in running the site?
 
Starting X-PlaneReviews wasn’t my idea. Like anything, when I do something I’m all in, and at the time around 2009 review sites were pretty average. I quickly became the third person in with Chip and Simon W at X+Sim+Reviews as it was the best one around at the time, mostly at first to clean it up graphic wise, make the site look more modern, then I was soon doing reviews. And I found I was very good at it, and learning fastIt was a crazy, mad place and a lot of fun. Then, life took its toll as Simon left and Chip faced significant challenges, and the site eventually fell apart. But it was a very good and entertaining site.
 
I was then recruited by Aerosoft for their own new ASN Review Site, it was badly put together and badly run, very restricting creatively, not very innovative, so I left well before Aerosoft also gave up ASN and shut it down. I went on to what you would now call “Gardening Leave” for six months in the wilderness, but I really missed being part of that side of the X-Plane world, then I got an email from Nicolas Taureau, of the X-Plane.Org.
 
He asked me if I wanted to run a review site and helped me set it up by allowing me access to the Org Store product and setting up the IPB site format, so basically X-PlaneReviews is his idea. Like everything, most X-Plane users don’t see the background work and the help the .Org does for the Simulator and in attracting new talent, but this massive support should be acknowledged in the history and growth of X-Plane, it also gave me a new career, and it’s nearly twelve years since that initial August start that X-PlaneReviews have been active.
 
Running a review site sounds like a lot of work. What’s been the biggest challenge for you in keeping X-PlaneReviews going, and how has being part of the Org supported your efforts?
 
If you want a successful site on the internet, then consistency is the most important aspect in achieving that goal, always being there and posting regularly is important, it can also mean a lot of work and effort, mostly time, and time is your enemy in reviewing. So, running a site is very demanding, it takes up a lot of your time, even personal time, and so you must be very careful in not to burn out.
 
You’ve reviewed countless products over the years. What’s your process when putting a review together, and are there specific things you always look out for?
 
The other issue is trying to keep content interesting, as in most cases you are in reality doing the same review over and over again. Thankfully a lot of the content has a new feature or highlights, say a new FMS system or something to focus the review on, or the feature list. Another point is to teach users on in how to use these complicated new features, so I combine the review with a tutorial as part of the process, again study and actually in mostly working it all out to simplify the transition for new users or even people not associated with aviation, in a format they can understand and can then easily use the technical information. This aspect is important, as when I started in X-Plane I found a lot of the systems confusing or finding it hard to find the information in on how to use it. I never forgot this aspect, so I see myself as a teacher as well as a reviewer.
 
What’s something you wish more people knew about X-PlaneReviews or the Org team’s efforts in keeping the community engaged?
 
It is the behind-the-scenes efforts. Feedback and testing of the new products, now more so as a lot of developers have dropped alpha testing, throwing betas out there, now the later fixing is the opposite of refining the product before it goes on sale. I tend to drive developers mad in finding things early, then, them saying “oh I don’t see that issue”, then three weeks after the release saying, “Okay I found that and fixed it”. The Org is a huge support system for developers, and that aspect is critically important, as the developers are at the heart of the Simulator, a lot of users contribute to X-Plane, but quality developers are the soul of the Simulator, they move it forward and keep us wanting the clever products they deliver. 
Again X-PlaneReviews I will note is the central balance, our aim is to deliver the best product for users and at a value price so the feedback going both ways is critical in achieving this. But it is very important that the developers are rewarded for the huge amount of work they put in, it is an important balance, if developers are found wanting in loss for their work, they will move on or leave to do something that rewards their skills better.
 
As part of the Org team, how do you see the community’s role in helping platforms like ours continue to thrive, especially with the flight sim market becoming more competitive?
 
The core and heart of X-Plane is the experimental aspect, and the Org is the engine room that allows users to say tinker, adjust, try ideas and create great tools for other users, it is a share environment, and a community project that we all do together, and we must continue to attract such people and their talents. 
Allow them to thrive in a good accommodating atmosphere, at the heart it is great community that I have been very proud to have been associated with as we all share the same spirit.
 
Was there a particular moment in X-Plane’s history or development where you felt it picked up a gear? Maybe something that had a direct impact on how you saw the sim or how you approached writing your reviews?
 
You basically react to the X-Plane Simulator itself, as it goes through its version changes. X-Plane 10 was the most significant release, it brought in big ground texture changes, 3d cockpits, FMS Systems and the most significant was the introduction of plugins to give aircraft developers freedom from the restricting Plane Maker system, X-Plane 11 built on that foundation, refining it, also bringing in the Vulkan/Metal changes. X-Plane 12 is certainly another huge breakthrough, but those original ground textures are now feeling their age.
 
The flight sim world has changed a lot over the years. How do you think X-Plane has evolved, and what excites you most about where it’s headed?
 
X-Plane has always been an innovator in Simulation, it is a very wide platform as well covering the Windows, Apple and Unix systems, so you are not restricted only to Windows, like with MSFS. That allows for a much wider scope and a vastly different user base. But it is in its consistent forward innovation that has been keeping the Simulator relevant, it is also very adaptable to new ideas, and can implement those ideas quicker, can adjust to those changes better. The Vulkan/Metal changes were extremely important to move X-Plane forward into the future, as everything new will be built on and supported by that APL platform. But it was a deep surgical operation to install it, one we can only now move on from, so I do expect X-Plane to move forward, as it lost a lot of its pace with that coding transformation, but you can now see that quicker forward building momentum returning.
 
With Laminar Research starting their own store and forum, how do you think the X-Plane community can continue to thrive in the future?
 
This is a tricky situation. As we have seen, the X-Plane.Org is a huge support network for users and developers, it also supports itself financially by the Org Store. I don’t think that on the surface Laminar Research has thought through the situation enough by just following the Microsoft model in using a built-in store. Even to damage a very successful central support hub could even be seen as even careless, I can understand it, and why, but X-Plane’s foundation is built on Laminar managing the Simulator’s technical side, and the Org supporting the big user base. 
 
That said, the one biggest challenge facing X-Plane at this point is growth. If anything, MSFS 2020 has shown that there is a very big user base out there that is interested in Simulation, and X-Plane will need to tap into that huge market to grow, as its user base has been flatlined for a few years. So, the future should all be about growth, building, even doubling that user base and welcoming new pilots to the platform, this aspect will benefit everyone and the Simulator itself.
 
What advice would you give to new users looking to get more involved in the X-Plane.Org community and become a true part of it?
 
I was like most new users when I started in X-Plane, I devoured hard drives and hard drives of free content, most of that content is still all loaded on platters in the cupboard, and I rarely use it. I was even blocked on my first day for over downloading, so the Org shut me down quick smart.
 
What I found is there are two tiers of X-Plane, the what I call the “Low Res” X-Plane built on default aircraft and tons of free downloads, and “Hi Res”. This is a simpler X-Plane built on Quality Aircraft+Quality Scenery+ and a few clever Plugins. My X-Plane folder is a fraction of the size of what I used in the first two or so years of the Simulator. But my quality of Simulation is very high, I have invested to have the best and rarely now download free stuff unless required for a review.
 
So yes, I invest a lot back into my Simulation, or as I see it in returning benefits to the developers in what they deliver in quality product. This aspect helps everyone. (note, reviewing aircraft is earning it, in testing and refining the product, so it is not actually free).
 
When you’re not reviewing, what other hobbies or interests keep you busy?
 
Most hobbies have usually turned into my main life’s work, X-Plane is a good example of that. I’m older now, so time off is usually resting, I have always loved Film, and the production of Film, and had the experience of being a part of that process for a few years, but I feel film as a medium is struggling, lost its narrative in Special Effects, so I rarely go to the cinema now, note I say Film not Movie, as it is now more an entertainment medium, not an ideas or creative medium anymore, but I do have a big DVD collection to watch none-streaming films. Travel of course, anything that will get me on a seat on an aircraft or a berth on a ship and I am happy, I’m also a trained Travel Consultant, so I am very good at building up travel arrangements and ideas. In my off time, I’m also still flying my Boeing 747’s from London to Singapore, but in vastly different conditions and circumstances than in X-Plane 9, the tools and detail you have available today in X-Plane 12 is sensational.
 
Finally what advice would you give to someone looking to get more involved in the X-Plane.Org community and become a true part of it, and what do you think makes the Org community stand out in this often-crowded environment?
 
The beauty of the X-Plane.Org community is that anyone, from a 10-year-old to a 90-year-old can be a part of it, help each other, and we all grow together as basically a big family. The advice is also there as Simulation is also very complex, the Community admin, and experienced users (old timers) will help you with your problems, and mostly sort out your issues, and the support base is massive as is the huge amount of content available. But overall, it is the respect we give each other, treat each other for the support of one another that has made it one of the best online communities, and one we are proud to say the one we are also committed to.
 
Now you know the man behind the reviews and the incredible dedication he brings to the X-Plane community. Stephen, I know firsthand how busy you are, so thank you for taking the time to do this.
 
Yeah, it was a lot of fun!
 

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Scenery Review : LZTT – Poprad-Tatry Airport, Slovakia by Chudoba Designs and Flying Partners
 
In the hub and spoke system, were as a "Hub" is a major airport, usually associated with a city, to the "Spoke" or a small regional Airport that is an interesting destination. Most Simulation users usually stay on the "Hub to Hub" main line of the connections of the airline system, but I like the differences that a large Hub to a small Spoke destination, mainly to explore places you would never usually go to, or to "go off the beaten path" so to speak. Chudoba do a lot of these excellent Hub & Spoke sceneries. This is such a spoke regional airport, or destination in LZTT - Poprad-Tatry Airport that is in Slovakia.
 
Poprad  is a city in northern Slovakia at the foot of the High Tatra Mountains, famous for its picturesque historic centre and as a holiday resort. The largest town of the Spiš region and the largest of all towns in the vicinity of the High Tatra Mountains in both Slovakia and Poland, Poprad is the tenth largest city in Slovakia, with a population of approximately 50,000.
 
The Poprad-Tatry Airport is interesting because of it is one of the highest elevations in Central Europe, at 718 m, which is 150 m higher than Innsbruck Airport in Austria, but 989 m lower than Samedan Airport in Switzerland. So you will have to calculate carefully your landing altitude and not to create a large hole in the ground.
 
This is a destination more popular than you would think, as even Wizz Air and Ryanair connect out here to bring in the holiday makers to these excellent resorts, it is cheap skiing compared to the heavily used French and Swiss resorts.
 
As noted Chudoba Designs does a lot of these interesting sort of niche sceneries like; Göteborg Landvetter Sweden, Brno-Tuřany in the Czech Republic, Bratislava Airport and even Marsa Alam, which is one of the most visited tourist airports in Egypt. Here with Poprad there is local connection with another another developer in Flying Partners Slovakia, an established MSFS 2020 developer.
 
It is only a short hop from Vienna to Poprad, so there is no need to climb any higher that 26,000ft, before descending down to the resort town, as it is only 170 nautical miles between the two Airports (You could drive there really). Equipment? the A319 from ToLiss, the baby bus, perfect for the short route.
 

 
Arrival is via EPEDA3D, into runway 27 (ILS- 110.1 TT), there is no ILS on the other end of the 8,530 ft (2,600m) runway (09)...
 
Poprad–Tatry Airport
Letisko Poprad-Tatry

09/27 - 8,530ft (2,600m) - Concrete
07R/25L- 2,493ft (760m) - Grass
07L/25R - 2,493ft (760m) - Grass
Elevation AMSL2,356 ft / 718 m
 
First view is just of a single runway, and with no airport infrastructure to be seen, "did I load in the scenery folder right?" yes I did, but all the way down there, the landscape looks oddly empty from your height. On final approach it is still the same dilemma, just a runway, nothing else?
 

 
In the 27 approach your in a valley, the High Tatra Mountains to the East, and the Low Tatras to the West. Poprad township is to your left as you approach the 27 threshold...
 

 
...   09/27 is a long, looong runway, you feel the length, but I still missed the first turn cutout to the left.
 

 
There are four turnaround cuts on the left side of the runway, I snag the second from the top, but it is still a long taxi back.
 

 
Once rotated into the southern direction, finally you can see the terminal area, set deep into the trees to your right. The single long taxiway A is a tight turn into, you have to get it right, even with this small Baby Bus.
 

 
Once on the apron, there are four parking slots, all twist the aircraft around to be mostly parallel with the terminal.
 

 
The Poprad-Tatry Airport was originally built in 1938, and it's age is still reflected in the buildings, certainly Poprad-Tatry has been modernised, well several times with terminal additions, but the original airport layout feel is still here.
 

 
That long 8,500 ft 09/27 runway dominates any view, and the intergration of the scenery to the surrounding X-Plane default is very good, using the fence line as the boundary. The two grass runways 07R/27L and 07L/27R are well intergrated as well, if hard to see when in use.
 

 
As noted the original terminal still stands as built for the World Championships in classic skiing at Štrbské Pleso in February 1970, the administration and built in control tower, built at the same time as the terminal is still also represented at the airport.
 

 
The central terminal is well done, but there is a sort of FlightSim feel about the building. In the modeling and graphics, but it works really well in context despite it's origins. There are no internal details.
 

 
There has been two terminal upgrades, in 2008, Poprad–Tatry Airport extended its arrival terminal and (also, upgraded the lighting approach system for runway 27), Then later, on January 31, 2014, a new departure hall was inaugurated, meeting all Schengen requirements, with construction costs totaling nearly €2.62 million. Both are well defined in the scenery.
 

 
Both sections are separated, and fully detailed internally...  first Arrivals. There are two arrival zones, Red and Black. Separated for International and Schengen.
 

 
Departures is twice the size and more detailed.
 

 
So the newer extension terminal is highly detailed and with great quality detail at that.
 
The 70's Control Tower and Administration building is very authentic, there is also a built in Fire Station and an original hangar as part of the complex. You also have excellent quality X-Plane 12 active trees as part of the fauna.
 

 
Tower detail is excellent, with a basic internal control layout.
 

Air Transport Europe (ATE), established in 1991, is a Slovakian aviation company that has a big presence at Poprad. The company specializes in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), particularly in the High Tatras region, and offers various aerial work services, including logging, liming, construction, and agricultural operations. ATE use the biggest hangar here and have an administration building set behind.

Modeling and textures also have that FlightSim look and feel, but it is well done and feels nicely authentic. ATE operates a flight school offering specialized helicopter training programs. Their courses include type rating for Agusta A109 K2 and Bell 429 helicopters, as well as a Type Rating Instructor (TRI(H)) course. There is a secondary Flight School on the north apron called JetAge, and a secondary hangar opposite. Note the BMW X5, it is the only animated vehicle in the scenery, but it is well done, in doing rounds of the facilities.

  If you look very carefully, a few of the buildings are not quite properly connected to the ground (Floating), it is not a distraction, but it is visible, like with the ATE Admin building.
Landside is small, and basically just one carparking area, but it well designed and filled with nice detail, highlight is the great signage.
 

Ground textures are good, very good. Great variations in textures, from the stoney asphalt (correct scale), rubber touch marks, to concrete and other hard surfaces. Cracks, oil repair or asphalt cement mixed with petroleum solvents to fix cracks and wear and tear damage is really well done...  as is the wear and tear surfaces, only slight is the very straight lines on the surfaces edges, a shame as everything else here is so very good. Lineage wear and tear is top notch as well, very realistic.
 


 
The grass runways are well done, but the wild tuffs of grass, don't quite work in context.
 

 
X-Plane 12 dynamics are of course developed into the textures. PBR reflections and normal maps are dynamic with burnt-in ambient occlusion which are all active... snow conditions are very good being this high in altitude.
 

 
Lighting is very good, but again a mixture of the old and new, or with antiquated FlightSim or X-Plane 12 effects. Runway approach lighting is top rate with RAIL on the 27 approach, but be aware there is no centreline lighting, neither on the Runway or the Taxiway A.
 

 
Outwardly Poprad-Tatry looks great...
 

 
...  but the older modeling has the dreaded FS greyed out windows, the newer modeling is modern and fine, unfortunately the old overwhelms the new.
 

 
The ramps are however excellent for night operations, great beam throw and nicely well lit.
 

 
Notable is that in downloading Chudoba scenery, they use a third party system to Authorise and Download the scenery. When you purchase the scenery you are given a Authorisation key and then are directed to the Chudorba Design (Antileak) website. You paste in the authorisation code, then select the "LZTT – Poprad-Tatry Airport" scenery, then the site will check your credentials and verify your purchase...  then to install you then press "Download" to do the installation of the product.
 
Summary
This is another (hub &) spoke airport by Chudoba Designs in association with Flying Partners Slovakia. Set deep in the Slovakian Tatra Mountains is LZTT – Poprad-Tatry Airport, positioned by Poprad, a city in northern Slovakia. A single runway airport that services the ski fields of this exclusive area.
 
Modeling is a mixture of old FlightSim and new X-Plane 12, and the combination works very well to create an original authentic scenery. There is both old (70's) terminals and administration/control tower and new terminal (2008). Excellent lighting though is offset by older  buildings ex FlightSim windows, that look very dated and now misplaced. Great textures and X-Plane 12 trees and fauna create dynamic seasons and weather, signage is very good, but only a single animated BMW X5, that rides around the airport.
 
Overall Poprad-Tatry is great experience, a great high altitude destination that is authentic, Ryanair and Wizz Airlines service the airport, and at a value price of only a below US$20 price, even currently discounted to US$12.95, so a winner for your Eastern European collection, verdict, far better than I thought it would be!
 
👍 Great eastern European authentic scenery, great combination of old and new styles, excellent lighting and textures/signage
👎 Old fashioned FlightSim night windows
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Yes! - the LZTT – Poprad-Tatry Airport, Slovakia by Chudoba Designs and  is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
LZTT – Poprad-Tatry Airport
Price is US$12.49 You Save:$7.50(38%)
Retail Price:$19.99
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 Only  (not for XP11)
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB VRAM Recommended
Current Version : 1.0 (January 9th 2025)
 
Download for LZTT – Poprad-Tatry Airport is 3.24Gb. The download and Authorisation is done via Chudoba Designs own application, called Antileak, you get an automatic referral to the site. Install is different for X-Plane 11 (STEP 2) as you have to install a different "Earth nav data" (Provided) file...  You install only one folder;
LZTT_ChudobaDesign-FlyingPartners
Provided is both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11 versions of the scenery, plus the Chudoba "Library", not required if you already own a Chudoba Scenery.
 
Full Installation is 1.05Gb in your Custom Scenery Folder. (only X-Plane 12 was installed)
 
Documentation:
no documentation
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Scenery Review by Stephen Dutton
27th January 2025
Copyright©2025: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.3
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- Airbus A319 XP12 by Toliss (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$89.99
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

NEWS! - Laminar Research releases X-Plane 12.1.4 beta
 

 
Laminar Research have released a new version of X-Plane in v12.1.4 in Beta form. It quite a visual based update, with a load of new ideas, new objects and features.
 
The headline feature is "FlightLessons", with Austin Meyer. Personally I don't know if Austin Meyer is the best person to be shouting at you while learning to fly, but there you go. There are four beginner flight lessons in the Cirrus SR22...
 

 
The four lessons consist of; Lesson 01 - Cirrus Intro, Lesson 02 - Basic Handling, Lesson 03 - Advanced Handling and Lesson 04 - Cirrus Landing.
 

 
Survive that, and you can uprate to the bigger Lancair Evolution, with another three lessons, including; Lesson 5 - Evolution Intro, Lesson 06 - Emergencies and finally Lesson 07 - Cross Country
 

 
Give it a try!
 
Second feature is a really interesting one...  a Physics-Based Camera
 
It has two modes;
Physics-based camera for internal views (optional)
Hand-held camera for external views (optional)
 

 
The internal called "G-Loaded Camera" is basically a "shake" camera to add in movement in the cockpit, there are of course a few of those reality plugins, but this one looks and feels very much smoother in operation, creating Turbulence, Shaking, and Ground Movements in G effects. The External "Hand Held Camera" is not a walkaround mode, but rather a shaking of the aircraft externally (Shift -C). There was another addition not mentioned in the notes of a "Lock geographically" this freezes the view to the location. All three new modes are in the X-Plane/Banner/View Menu.
 

 
There has also been a "Safe Mode" added. For situations where X-Plane crashes due of a plugin. This can also be activated manually by holding the CTRL key during startup, or by using a new startup scripts located in (X-Plane/Support) folder. Now you won’t have to go through the tedious process of removing addons one at a time to isolate crashes.
 

 
X-Plane has returned to the parts of Southern Germany, Northern Italy, and Austria, which is now (again) the demo area from Portland, with Salzburg being the location for the new flight lessons.
 

 

 
With the returned demo area, then Salzburg LOWS Airport scenery is also in having a significant update, with the Red Bull hangars and Salzburg Castle now available.
 
 
 
Second Scenery update is for Barra Airport (Port-adhair Bharraigh).
 

 
Barra Airport is a short-runway airport (or STOLport) situated in the wide shallow bay of Traigh Mhòr at the northern tip of the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The airport is unique, believed to be the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a tidal beach as the runway.
 

 
The correct runway choice is critical, with delicate wind and tidal conditions...
 

 
Laminar have made the Tide indicator and Windsock fully active to help with your takeoff or landing choices.
 

 
The Garmin G1000 has had more attention, with a Search and Rescue (SAR function to allow specialised flight paths when being involved in search and rescue operation).
 

 
There has been added a huge amount of New Library Objects, there are a fair few additions, including Snow and De-Icing Equipment...
 

 
Firefighting Scenarios and Ambulances
 

 
Trucks

 
All vehicle styles are however very biased to American vehicles, not much in worldly variations?
 
Airside and Airport Operations
 

 
But overall it is all very good visual quality stock for the Simulator.
 
Gateway Airports and since the last update in v12.1.3, with this update 1,481 Gateway airports have been refreshed.
 

 
Fixes and Enhancements
General
New Joystick profiles for the VKB S-TECS Throttle Mini
Adjusted magnetic pole in X-Plane to match real world data
Fixed an error when resizing the windows using a Wayland session on Linux
AI aircraft will obey STAR altitude restrictions when on final (XPD-16285)
Fixed an error when changing audio devices in the sound settings page (XPD-16365)
Glider Tow crashes when activating TCAS Override (XPD-16422)
Aircraft
Cessna 172 SP - Improved the climb and idle performance to better match those of the real airplane
Grumman F-14 Tomcat
New manual on how to operate the F-14 Tomcat
ATC
Entering an airport in the flight-plan as waypoint will no longer override the destination airport
We’ve updated the voice pack to include additional aircraft manufacturers and models
Don’t allow read-back before the message has been fully heard (XPD-163479)
Pilot voice says “Ukraine International” instead of “international” at ENGM (XPD-16405)
Many additional fixes and smaller enhancements
Scenery
Added some “Warning Jet Blast Signs” at Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM) 
Systems
General
Fixed KDAB ILS7L.HANAV when flying a slow aircraft, such as the Cessna 172
Boeing 737 autopilot turns to north upon capturing LOC instead of inbound course when flying the ILS32R at EDDK (XPD-16462)
Garmin G1000
Pressing the small FMS knob on the MFD will no longer have an effect while being on the map display (XPD-16433)
FMS
Fixed stutters when calculation the mach change-over altitude
Weather
Improved the display of wind directions in the weather map
Many improvements around the METAR reader, especially the handling of GRIB data:
Sea-state group is recognised and ignored in METAR
‘M’ for ‘Missing’ is recognised and ignored in automated METAR
More robust parsing of QFE
No-data groups are handled fully. This should fix many cases of incorrect temperatures/wind/vis/QNH etc. where the METAR contains slashes. Previously these would leave the default – ISA – settings in place.
Many more METARs should be read fully, instead of partially or not at all
Zulu time is read and used to affect how much influence each METAR has on the current weather. This means you can no longer simply read the current/prior METARs and assume they will be equally weighted.
Tops on CU/CB should no longer have a chance of being several thousand feet higher than reported in the GRIB
METAR reporting CB no longer sets all cloud layers to CB
CB chance is read from GRIB files and used to affect CU/CB classification
Cloud layer blending over time for the same station changed to use the same method as elsewhere
Cell blending changed to have smoother transitions
Web API
Added support for calling commands using the Web API
 
As noted the Weather has had more attention, Those GRIB files are still not perfected. I had a bad stutter or framerate cycling on the "real" weather download, I am hoping this aspect has been fixed in this v12.1.4b update.
 
Overall it is a another significant update from Laminar Research, the first for 2025.
 
Enjoy!
 
You can update to X-Plane v12.1.4 beta now via the built in X-Plane Installer application, just select "Update X-Plane" and make sure the "beta" selection box is ticked. It is a 5.2 Gb Installation.
 

___________________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
25th January 2025
Copyright©2025: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Scenery Review : KSFB - Orlando Sanford Intl Airport, USA by Taimodels
 
In central Florida USA, Orlando is a tourist mecca. The focus is of course the mega complexes of Disney World, but also situated here are Universal's Studios, Seaworld and Legoland, if you want more, there is also Fun Spot America, Icon Park and my favorite Gatorland.
 
The central hub for Orlando is MCO or Orlando International Airport set south of the city, central is ORL or Orlando Executive, a great base for General Aviation and Biz Jets...  but there is one more airport, basically little known and positioned 27 miles north of Orlando City in SFB Orlando Sanford International Airport.
 
Orlando Sanford was originally built as Naval Air Station Sanford and was opened November 3, 1942, now 82 years ago . It was a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance aircraft, and was used by the U.S. Navy until 1969. The airport is currently owned and operated by the Sanford Airport Authority.
 
The majority of SFB's passenger traffic has been domestic; this is mostly attributable to the entrance of Las Vegas–based Allegiant Air, for which Sanford is a focus city. But it was also popular with Thomson Airways (now TUI Airways), that began operating routes from UK airports. This was the largest international airline at the airport having served eight destinations around the UK. However, in November 2019, TUI Airways announced that from 2022, it would switch their Orlando operations from Sanford to Melbourne Orlando International Airport including the daily flights to/from those 8 British airports. This will bring their operations nearer to Port Canaveral where TUI Cruises will operate from in coming years. As a package holiday company this brings passengers closer to their cruises, although it has angered many TUI passengers who fly with the company to visit Orlando for Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort.
 
This is another scenery release by Taimodels, an odd choice, but Taimodels have done these small regional based sceneries in the past, mainly YBCS Cairns and EGCC Manchester, so Sanford fits right in there between the usual mega airports from this prolific developer.
 
Orlando Sanford International Airport
IATA: SFB - ICAO: KSFB - FAA LID: SFB
 
9C/27C - 3,578ft (1,091m) - Asphalt
9L/27R - 11,002ft (3,353m) - Asphalt
9R/27L - 5,839ft (1,780m) - Asphalt
18/36 - 6,002ft (1,829m) - Asphalt/concrete
Elevation AMSL55 ft / 17 m


 
Taimodels Sanford intergration with the X-Plane scenery is relatively very good, the custom textures are slightly noticeable, but not glaringly so, they could have however been better matched (more darker/greener) but overall you wouldn't notice the differences. Because of the multiple runway setup, the taxiway system is a bit complicated, yes 9L/27R is relatively straight forward, but otherwise charts are required for the complex navigation.
 
Sanford's runway layout is relative to it's Military origins. Four runways that allow independent operations on each. The 9L/27R Main 11,000 ft runway north, the 9R/27L 5,800 ft medium strip south...
 

 
...   18/36 6,000ft Cross, and the tiny in the front of the terminal area 5,800 ft 9C/27C strip.
 

 
So you have a great choice of runway here depending on the equipment you are flying, from very light aircraft, standard GA, twins, commuter, regional and of course main line services.
 

 
Terminals
There are two Terminals at SFB, the older Terminal A and the newer Terminal B, the terminals are defined by the three concourses.
 

 
Terminal A
Terminal A was built as part of the airport’s efforts to support growing passenger traffic in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It primarily served domestic charter and leisure travelers. In the 1990 with the rise of charter and budget airlines, Sanford Airport grew in popularity as an alternative to Orlando International Airport (MCO). Terminal A was expanded to accommodate this increased demand especially with the arrival of Allegiant Air with an additional concourse and gates, and improved passenger facilities, later the second concourse was absorbed by Terminal B.
The original terminal became a hub for international charter flights, particularly from the UK and Europe, operated by airlines like TUI Airways and Icelandair. Gates 10 to 16 are set on the single west concourse.
 
Externally all the terminal buildings here are a bit nondescript, or even plain, but the excellent panel detail is there if you get in close enough, and nicely done it is, the ground clutter is also well done, but only generic, and not airline or airport branded.
 
 
 
I couldn't activate the Airbridges, neither by X-Plane's Ground Handling, or OpenSAM, and no animated traffic is highly noticeable.
 
Terminal A Landside however is highly detailed, the arrival drop-off zones are really well done. But like Taimodels HEAC Cairo, the bolder colours don't work (SFB in reality is more of a softer blue). The heavy blue and white brings out the model side, more than a realism feel.
 

 
But you can't say it not well done because it is...  the detail continues inside, as all the internal areas are well detailed and modeled.
 

 
Highlight here is the NAS Sanford Memorial, that is located in the terminal, it comes with restored PV-1 Ventura Bomber sitting on the roof of the museum. Basically you can walk in all the interior areas and move out to all the three concourses. All check-in and waiting areas are extensively detailed, and shows the high standard required today in detail for Simulation Airport Scenery.
 

 
Again missing are animations and people, so as it is really well done by Taimodels, it also feels a bit empty of life.
 
Terminal B
Terminal B was constructed in the early 90's for more expansion of the International charter capacity. And over time Terminal B underwent several more expansions and renovations to keep up with demand. This included adding the additional gates, improving baggage handling systems, and upgrading passenger facilities. In 2010, SFB Terminal B underwent several more modernization efforts to update and expand, with more new gates (four) with a newly constructed concourse that was added to the east. This improved passenger waiting areas, better baggage handling systems, and enhanced retail and more food options were also added. Gates 1 to 4 are on the new (east) concourse, and gates 5 to 9 are on the central concourse.
 

 

 
As with Terminal A, Terminal B has the same excellent Landside Arrivals and internal terminal detail...
 

 
The new eastern Terminal B extension is also well and nicely detailed, although oddly the airbridges are all set very low on the building, and don't actually connect correctly to the concourse floor? this low airbridge aspect is relevant to all the concourses?
 

________________
 
Landside
There are loads of carparks, rental zones, and one large multi-story carpark at SFB. loads of 3d cars are set on asphalt that is in areas a little to large in scale, but overall the vista works very well. Also the terminal and road signage is excellent.
 

 
The ex-Military base creates a problem for developers in the vast areas you have to cover. Away from the terminals, it is a huge swathes of open aprons to be filled only by General Aviation and Business Jet facilities. This can also create a emptiness to the scenery. Part solution is that if you are running Traffic Global is to put all the sliders to full, and even the GA sections. And it does help in creating a more working environment. Annoying missing though are GA refueling points, I can't find one if I wanted to drop in to SFB to refuel the aircraft, so a big omission there.
 

 
Overall Taimodels have made a good fist of filling in this huge area, in there are hundreds of small buildings and hangars, and a fuel depot mid-western section. Another help is the business signage from Million Air, CE Avionics, L3Harris Flight School which all does a great job.
 

 
There are no specalised cargo facilities here at KSFB, but a few of the larger hangars are used for freight operations. Around the field are pockets of infrastructure. North of 9L/27R are Allegiant Air maintenance facilities, and Constant Aviation. To the far west is the IAA Orlando North auto auction facility.
 

 
South of 9L/27R eastern section is an excellent aircraft breakers yard, the Fire Station and a Helicopter facility with 5 pads. South on 9R/27L is a large GA storage area, with the various aircraft lockups.
 

 
Control Tower
The Sanford Control Tower is a basic field tower, it operates daily from 6:30 AM to 11:00 PM local time. During these hours, air traffic controllers manage airport operations including takeoffs and landings. When the tower is closed, the airspace reverts to Class G, and pilots should use the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) on 120.3 MHz for communications. Modeling and detail of the tower is excellent, including the internal detail.
 

There is the NAS Sanford Memorial Park, which is located at the entrance of Orlando Sanford International Airport on Red Cleveland Boulevard, which commemorates the history of Naval Air Station (NAS) Sanford. Established in 1942, the restored RA-5C Vigilante aircraft, the last type of aircraft to operate from NAS Sanford is on display, and the memorial is represented here in the scenery.

________________
 
Ground Textures
There is a very wide variety of textures to represent the 82 year airbase, and all the variations are well covered here by Taimodels.
 

 
The lineage is a bit too new and bold, but the complex signage layouts are all represented. Ramp areas are really well done as well, with the various concrete variations, but in the GA areas (old base aprons) from a distance however, the repeat patterns come out strongly.
 

 
X-Plane 12 dynamics are of course developed into the textures. PBR reflections and normal maps are dynamic with burnt-in ambient occlusion which are all active...  I don't really expect Chicago whiteout conditions this far down in Florida, but I do expect tropical thunder storms effects to be really good.
 
Field textures are the custom photo scaled but again work well in context, bushes on these stoney textures can come off worse in this instance, not really a fan of this idea.
 

 
There is fencing, but they are oddly missing around 9L/27R, the burnt in lines are there, but no actual fences?
________________
Lighting
All runway lighting is standard X-Plane 12 ICAO definition, so you can't fault that, and all runways are well lit on any approach.
 

 
Apron terminal area parking has an yellowish glow, very different? but it works in the darkness down on the ramps.
 

 
Landside arrivals is well lit in contrast to the airside, it's quite bright and oddly it all works.
 

 
Internally it is a bit hit or miss, some areas are well lit, other areas are half bright...
 

 
In the GA areas, the overhead lighting is again yellowish, but there is a lot of down-lighting and fill lights with lit signage, some open hangars are lit inside, and are useful for night parking.
 

 
To sum up, the lighting like the Sanford Airport scenery is far better than it all seems at a first impression...  as the slogan says;
 
We Are SFB
Simple Faster Better
 
Summary
Orlando in Florida, southern USA has three supporting airports in, MCO or Orlando International Airport set south of the city, central is ORL or Orlando Executive, a great base for General Aviation and Biz Jets...  but there is one more airport, basically little known and positioned 27 miles north of Orlando City in SFB Orlando Sanford International Airport. Formally Naval Air Station Sanford and was opened November 3, 1942, now 82 years ago . It was a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance aircraft, and was used by the U.S. Navy until 1969.
 
Again this is another regional airport from Taimodels, also known for their mega sceneries like OMDB Dubai and HECS Cairo. Note this is an X-Plane 12 scenery only.
 
Taimodels have become a force in creating X-Plane Simulator sceneries, and KSFB Sanford is no exception. outwardly SFB looks spread out and empty, but this is a scenery to explore, and at the more intimate level the terminal detail and fixtures are very good, certainly the fully recreated internal areas with the NAS Museum, although the colouring is a bit brash. In landside and very wide areas of the airport's spread out infrastructure, it is all very well reproduced, the highlight however is the selection of various independent runways, that cover all types of aircraft, from commercial, regional, commuter, Biz Jets, General Aviation and even very light aircraft. Sanford was a former NAS Station, with all the relative elements here that are still intact.
 
But there are no animated vehicles and traffic or people to bring the scenery alive, so it can come across as a little empty and cold, the airbridges are also placed wrong and don't work either, and the missing GA Fuel refueling points are a waste of in the way you could use the scenery in VOR cross-country flying...   and that is a shame because there is a huge amount to like here, even the lighting surprises you on how effective it is at night...  at this sub US$20 price, is SFB Orlando Sanford International Airport a hidden gem?
 
👍 Great selection of various runways, well modeled with excellent interiors, versatile uses for all different equipment, great signage and runway/taxiway textures.
👎 No ground or traffic animations makes the airport a bit lifeless, non-working and badly placed airbridges, missing fence work and GA refueling points.
__________________________
 

 
The KSFB - Orlando Sanford Intl Airport, USA by Taimodels is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store
 
KSFB - Orlando Sanford Intl Airport, USA
Priced at US$19.50
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12  (not for XP11)
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 875 MB
Current version : 1.0 (December 31st 2024)
 
Installation
Installation of KSFB - Orlando Sanford Intl Airport, USA is done via download of 871 Mb...

 
There is just one folder to install
Taimodels-KSFB-Orlando-Sanford
With a total installation size of 1.78 Gb.
 
There are no Documents provided by Taimodels
____________________________
 
Review System Specifications
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.3
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- None -
____________________________
 
Scenery Review by Stephen Dutton
17th January 2025
Copyright©2025: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

NEWS! - Plugin Updated : AviTab 0.0.5 Browser by TheRamon
 

 
One of the greatest tools in X-Plane is the AviTab Tablet. It is universally accepted, and wildly used throughout the Simulator. Here is an extra addon that gives the AviTab more functionality by inserting a "Browser" in the tablet, it has also been updated to v0.0.5.
 
You simply download and insert the avitab-browser-0.0.5-XP12 file and add it into your X-Plane/Resources/Plugins folder (The original AviTab Plugin must also be present).
 
On startup you now have in AviTab an extra icon called "Browser", just click on it, and yes you have instant access to the World-Wide-Web.
 

 
It really works fine, but a couple of notes. You need to adjust the tablets screen a little darker, as the browser is brighter than the other AviTab options, second, is that scrolling around the pages is a little slow, either by the navigation bars or by the scroll wheel, otherwise it is very good and very handy if you require information in flight, well worth added into your toolbox.
 
This is an update to v0.0.5, the update includes new features;
A few features of the plugin:
Configurable using .ini file Custom homepage A statusbar integration with up to five handy 'hotkey' websites Flightplan downloading from SimBrief directly to Output/FMS Plans Local browser cache (for login credentials, cookies and stuff) Geolocation support (your location comes from the sim, of course) Works with EVERY AviTab airplane or helicopter  
Handy here is that you can now download flightplans plans directly from SimBrief to your Output/FMS folder via the tablet.
 

 
What's New in Version 0.0.5
Released 8 hours ago
The plugin is now available on Linux (XP12), Mac and Windows. Added a new configuration value: scroll_speed Added a new configuration value: user_agent The tablet will now dim automatically with AviTab's brightness controls Improved the browser's start-up time and responsiveness Fixed an issue where certain artifacts would occur when drawing shapes Fixed an issue where Simbrief (or any Cloudflare protected site) was bringing the browser into an infinite loop  
It is all very good, and a great addition to your cockpit toolkit. Just download from the X-Plane.Org
 

 
The AviTab Browser by TheRamon is now available for download from the X-Plane.Org here.

AviTab Browser: A web browser addon for the AviTab plugin 0.0.5
Free of course
 
Minimum requirements:
AviTab plugin X-Plane 11.50+ or X-Plane 12 Linux (X-Plane 12 only), Mac, Windows Texture settings must be set to High or Maximum for the best results. The browser may otherwise appear pixelated. ______________________
  NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
10th January 2025
Copyright©2025: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)
 

NEWS! - AirfoilLabs announces development of the Boeing 737 MAX
 

 
The one thing about X-Plane development is that you have to expect surprises. This is a very big surprise in that AirFoilLabs have announced the development of the Boeing 737 MAX for the X-Plane Simulator.
 
The Boeing 737 MAX is the fourth generation of the Boeing 737, a narrow-body airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It succeeds the Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) and competes with the Airbus A320neo family. The series was announced in August 2011, first flown in January 2016, and certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in March 2017. The first 737 MAX delivered to a customer was a MAX 8 to Malindo Air, which accepted and began operating the aircraft in May 2017.
 
The last announcement was that the developer was creating a Douglas DC-3, but that project has now been put on ice. And the change to the higher prime category of airliners is another big step for this usually General Aviation focused developer, with the Cessna 172NG Analog and Digital versions and the King Air 350, the Skyhawk 172SP is also available for X-Plane 11.
 
Details that there is a separate dedicated 3D design house in creating the 3D modeling (AirFoilLabs are pretty good anyway), and the systems and technical side is very detailed, in other words the 737 MAX will be very deep, but will probably also use the AirFoilLab JET plugin system. Note the new "AirFoilLabs" logo.
 
There is a lot of commitment being floating around with statements of:

 
And...
 

 
And notable frequent updates of the 737 MAX development's progress has already started...
 

 
Early modeling has already progressed to texturing....  mostly here on the Overhead Panel.
 

 
And there is a video of the early flight tests...
 

 
Notes include:
Flight Model Development: In parallel with our 3D work, we've successfully implemented the base X-Plane flight model for the 737 MAX. This foundation will allow us to:
Fine-tune basic flight characteristics
Test preliminary ground handling behavior
Verify weight and balance configurations
Begin initial performance correlations
 
Obviously it is a very exciting development, but there is still a long way to go. And no notes on if the release aircraft will be a 8 or 9 variant.
 
X-PlaneReviews will of course follow the 737 MAX development and report on any significant updates...  overall though the news is very exciting for X-Plane users, and...
 
"Why should FlightSimulator get all the fun!"
 
X-Plane will soon have it's very own Boeing 737 MAX
_____________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
9th November 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Aircraft Review : Diamond DA20 SV by Aerobask
 
I don't think you would do this in real life? however in a Simulator you can get away with this sort of scenario, it allows you to do things that would put yourself and any passengers in mortal danger. Downloading "real" weather for the south of England created a vortex of horrible winter low cloud and freezing weather, but I was willing to give it a go, it was "real" in an artificial way, if that comment makes sense. Your taking off (blind here), then bouncing, shaking your way though a very low cloud base with layers of thick and icy fog, 23 knt winds, and your not in a safe heavy aircraft either with the power to pierce your way through the murk... stupid is, is that your flying a very light, low powered, very thin skinned, single-engine aircraft designed primarily for training and recreational flying...  the Diamond DA20 SV.



 
Strange way to start a review you would think? well this DA20 has two letters after it's name in SV. Now SV stands for "Synthetic Vision" or in this case Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS), so your up here trying to stay alive for a reason...  or to give it a go!
 
The Aerobask Diamond DA20 SV has in it's biggest feature the Synthetic Vision SkyView Touch, this Dynon Avionics tool can allow you to use the avionics to see through such murk and fly more safely, the layout is very similar to the Garmin G1000 avionics in a two display panel arrangement.
 

 
Both of the display panels pop-out for ease of use, or if you want to insert them in a home-built setup, both displays can be scaled, and moved anywhere on your screen for convenience. (press SkyView Touch logo to pop-out, but have to press the same again to close, or use your right click mouse option)
 
Both displays will mirror each other, or you can switch left for right or vice-versa. Separate panels will show PFD (Primary Flight Display), EMS (Engine Monitoring System) and/or MAP/Navigation. You can switch each panel around the display screen to suit your personal preferences.
 

 
You can also have either the standard lower EHSI (Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator), or a G-Meter.
 

 
The SVS system can provide a clear virtual image of terrain, obstacles, and the runway environment, helping pilots navigate safely, in this case through the murk outside.
 

 
Overlaid over the Synthetic Vision are the usual flight instruments, Speed and Altitude tapes, V/S (Vertical Speed) tape, Bank Angle and Slip Angle, Turn Coordinator and FD (Flight Director), Pitch as part of the Artificial Horizon. Notable is the in-built AOA (Angle of Attack) indicator, wind strength and direction is lower left display. EHSI has two background points for NAV 1 and GPS, and built in Compass, Heading and Course.  You can directly interact with the NAV/GPS, HDG and CRS and BARO settings via your scroll wheel.
 
You can turn off the Synthetic Vision if required, and you also have a built in TAWS (Terrain Awareness and Warning System). It is an advanced avionics system designed to use a enhancement mode that Includes both predictive terrain warnings and additional situational awareness features.
 

 
Also available is a SIX-PACK instrument pack, covering the essential; AIRSPEED, ARTIFICIAL HORIZON, ALTITUDE, TURN COORDINATOR, HEADING (EHSI) and V/S VERTICAL SPEED, and you can give the SIX-PACK a blank grey background if required.
 

 
MAP/NAV
The Dynon Avionics are very similar to Garmin's G1000 setup, differences are quite small, only the navigation is slightly (slightly) different.
 

 
But a full suite of tools you have here. MAP position can be HDG UP, TRK (Track) and NTH (North), and you can centre the aircraft in the MAP. Other options include; scrollable moving map, and you can select your navaid/fix/airport directly from click on map.
 


 
You can have three backgrounds, TERRAIN (default), SLATE and GREEN
 

 
There is an AviTab provided with the DA20, but you can also access Navigrapth charts directly in the Dynon as well (Subscription Required). Select your Airport, then select CHARTS from the menu...  and all your APT, DEP, ARR, APP and REF (Reference) charts will load directly into the display.
 

 
You can ZOOM IN/OUT, ROTATE, FIT and even FILL the display with the selected charts, it's all very good.
 

 
It's all a nice bit of kit, really well done by Aerobask, and to their usual high-class standard of intergration. This SV system was first introduced on the Aerobask Shark UL, but now available here in the new X-Plane 12 only DA20
 
Still climbing! now passing through 4,000 ft, looking for the cloud tops...
 

 
Then finally (5,000ft) there is a bit of blue sky...   finally we are up there in the fresher air.
 

 
The Diamond DV20/DA20 Katana is an Austrian-designed two-seat general aviation light aircraft. Developed and manufactured by Diamond Aircraft, it was originally produced in Austria as the DV20.
 
The DV20 shares many features from the earlier Diamond HK36 Super Dimona. It was introduced to service during 1993. During the 1990s, production of the type was commenced at a new facility in Canada in order to meet demand for the type within the North American market. The Canadian-produced aircraft are designated as the DA20. It has been a relative success on the market, having sold in excess of 1,000 aircraft by 2008 and multiple improved variants of the DA20 have been developed. Additionally, it has been further developed into the four-seat Diamond DA40 Diamond Star.
 
The DV20, while owing much of its design and sharing many features of the Dimona, had several major differences as well. In particular, it has a reduced wingspan, was equipped with flaps, and made use of a tricycle landing gear arrangement. The Katana has also been developed with a philosophy of offering aircraft that weren't equivalent in terms of performance to any major existing product from competing manufacturers, consciously avoiding instances of direct head-to-head competition. In 1991, the Katana conducted its maiden flight; during May 1993, the type received certification in 1993, the Katana was first displayed to the general public at the Paris Air Show that year.
 

 
The Katana has several distinctive features, including its all-composite construction, low-mounted wing, T-tail arrangement, and a castoring nosewheel. All models make use of a composite airframe which is constructed of glass and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. The one-piece fuselage has removable wings, which assists with transportation and servicing activities. The wings themselves have transparent plexiglas panels present so that key control elements can be readily inspected without disassembly. The airframe is complete with a sleek finish across the entirety of its exterior, which serves to eliminate corrosion and rivets in order to lower maintenance requirements.
 
The DA-20 Katana is as noted a variation of the earlier two-seater Diamond HK36 Super Dimona, but that aircraft is a motor-glider, longer wings, less power and not a general use everyday aircraft of which the DA-20 is. The Eclipse version of the Katana comes with rear windows for better visibility, and is powered by a 125 hp (93 kW) Continental IO-240-B engine.
 

 
Being a very small light Sporty aircraft it is all feet and light touch stick. The DA-20 is VERY responsive, but clean in its manoeuvres, almost aerobatic in feel. Flying notes include...
 

 
"The wings have washout, which causes the wing roots to stall in advance of the wingtips, which has the effect of the ailerons being fully effective well after the onset of a primary stall condition. Other unfavourable flight conditions are often guarded against, such as a wing drop, which may be produced only as a consequence of prolonged and excessive elevator application during a steep climbing turn, and can be rectified by the relaxation of back pressure. The control forces across all regimes are however very well-balanced, which reportedly reduces the frequency to which trimming of the control surfaces may need to be performed." The aspect of having basically glider wings on a General Aviation aircraft is felt, so sitting reclining, the Eclipse/SV has a sort of glider aspect feel about it.
 

 
So basically you use those long thin wings to your advantage, feel the currents and use the fine stick inputs to ride the waves of the air, smooth turns and curves to change direction, then just go with the flow of the aircraft, it's fun, lots of fun, pure airmanship.
 

 
The aerodynamics have been done here by the very experienced X-Aerodynamics, so their very good and up to the current X-Plane 12 standards, so the Diamond DA20 will just fly like being in a beautiful summer's afternoon, you can stay up here for ever, well until you run low on fuel, even then you could sort of glide down.
 
Looking around the cockpit for the AUTOPILOT, and you won't find it on the display panel...  it's built into the Dynon Avionics avionics. 
 

 
It's very menu driven though, a bit complex to use at first, but once sorted and worked out the AP is actually quite easy to use and navigate, just spend a little time first before to study the (Menu) layouts.
 
You can activate the AP (Autopilot) and the FD (Flight Director) from the AUTOPILOT menu button...   more options include ROLL and PITCH.
 
ROLL gives you the basically the Heading (HDG), or TRK, NAV (Flightplan) and APPROACH options...
 

 
PITCH gives you the vertical options in; VS (vertical Speed), IAS (Speed), ALT HOLD, VNAV, and NOSE DN (Down) or NOSE UP selections.
 
Secondary controls are upper Mid-Panel, with left HDG/TRK, BARO (adjustment) and ALT (Altitude). Right is the AP/FD selection, HDG, TRK, ALT, VS top row, and SRC, NAV, VNAV and IAS lower row, UP, DN and LEVEL selection is to the far right. So there are loads of different ways you can adjust the AP functions, via the panel or directly on the displays.
 

 
The instrument panel itself is quite straight forward. The Dynon System dominates, with set in between a GMA 345 Radio and Garmin GNS 530 (the GNS 530 pops-out for convenience), and all the upper and lower Circuit Breakers/Fuses are active. Left is an electronic trim, and a ESI-500 or Electronic Standby Instrument unit, that consolidates multiple readings into a single compact display, it also pops out for ease of use.
 

 
Autopilot and lighting switchgear is left, Ignition switch, Fuel Primer Pitot Heat, GEN/BAT, Avionics Master and Fuel Pump right, then the three stage flaps (UP 0º - Takeoff 15º - Landing 30º). Lower are six levers; Heating Controls (two), PARK BRAKE, ALTERNATE, POWER (Throttle) and MIXTURE.
 

 
Control columns sit between your legs (well done here as the base is lovely and flexible), basic rudder pedals, top off with a red FUEL cock.
 
In the side pocket (left side) is the stored AviTab that sits on the right hand side window, click to open. It is a full AviTab tool (Plugin required), with the same Navigraph Charts if you have the subscription. The Aerobask general menu is also available on the tablet. Other options can include; Third party integration:
default Laminar GNS530 integration
automatic integration of RXP GNT750 (Windows only, needs separate license)
automatic integration of TDS GTNXi Pro (Windows only, needs separate license)
 

 
Interior fit-out is the usual Aerobask high-quality. Twin Seats with Orange (that colour again!) inserts and Tan surrounds, seat stitching is a glorious bright blue, perfect seatbelts. The rest of the cabin is all very nicely trimmed, with great quality materials.
 

 
Note if you click on the lovely headphones, the sounds will be more muffled, and there is a very nice overnight bag in the baggage area behind the seats. Overall internally the DA20 it is as good as you ever expected.
 
Sounds you ask? well they come from the best, Daniela Rodriguez Careri, and a great range and quality they are with doppler, distance attenuation and flyby effects in a FMOD2 environment, and yes the Continental IO-240-B engine buzzes and rattles under idle, if that annoys you with the great wind effects, then put on the headphones to lessen the din.
 
Lighting on and in the Diamond is very basic...  inside there are only two selections, a knob to adjust the brightness of the Dynon Displays, and a single overhead light, centre roof above your head to illuminate the instruments. Note the lovely canopy reflections (can be turned off).
 

 
Externally there are the left wing Landing and Taxi lights, Position (Navigation) and Strobe wing tips, no tail or beacon here. There is the "Pulse" feature, that pulses the landing and taxi lights in sequence.
 

 
As the weather has cleared a little, so it is time to head home...
 

 
...  first is to drop down to 1,500 ft as I home in on Southampton's (EGHI) Rwy 02, there is no ILS on this southern approach, so you use the RNP ((Required Navigation Performance) approach chart. The wind has thankfully dropped to 4 knts, but the DA20 still bounces around, it shows the frame's lightness, it's a tough construction, but very light weight never the less, with a max 760 kg (1,676 lbs) for Takeoff, and an Empty Weight of 470 kg (1,035 lbs).
 

 
Cruise speed is around 256 km/h (159 mph, 138 kn), with a Range of 1,013 km (629 mi, 547 nmi) with a 30 minute reserve, and quite a high Service Ceiling at 4,000 m (13,120 ft). In reality you would never fly that high, but using the glider capabilities, it is however allowable to climb and slightly soar back down.
 
I drop again quickly to 600 ft (no overspeed with the correct throttle reduced!) now at 77 knts for my approach...
 

 
Flaps full down for landing (30º), I didn't get a lot of flap lift as I dropped each stage straight to Full, that does depend on your speed of course, but at just under 60 knts was fine. Flaps and hinge detail is excellent from Aerobask.
 

 
The DA20 is a high T-Tail aircraft, so you have to watch a loss of lift as the main wings cover the tail from certain angles (you drop quickly), but there is also a secondary effect of those long thin wings. I have only a 4 knt crosswind, and still the Diamond shakes to the effects of that wide wing, great for gliders, but difficult with too much variable lift for a powered aircraft.
 

 
As I go over the boundary fence, the Diamond is jigging around, speed is now 55 knts, but I am still well under control of the aircraft, it's moving around under me, but I can counteract the forces easily, it's not in control of me, but the other way around.
 
Note the runway graphic in the Synthetic Vision, to help during poor opacity vision. By the way, notice the Dynon MAP going red when landing, it is the TAWS in noting the landmass is becoming closer, of which it is, it goes green/normal again on landing.
 


 
It was never going to be an easy clean landing, I found a lot of last minute ground effect didn't help either, you need to stay calm and collected and to use your experience and skills to get to the moment of the flare...
 

 
...  then only a slight flare will do it, then drop the speed to 54 knts at touch, stall speed is a smidge lower at 48 knts...
 

 
Landing is the easy part, stopping is a lot harder? your nose wheel is a castor, free! so you have to be very deft on the toe-brakes to keep the Diamond straight on the centreline, it can be done with a bit of practise, but you have to be careful, and controlling right down to a slow taxi speed in not losing the DA20. I did it all nicely, yes, so I'm pretty happy with that landing.
 

 
That was the easy bit? now the tricky bit... getting to the GA area?
 
As you well read readers know that I am not a big fan of taildraggers, worse I'm terrified of castoring nose wheels, tricky buggers as they are.
 
The pro's say it's all in the light touch of the toe-brakes to bring the rear into line, that does work with a long tail behind you, but what of a loose wheel sitting just right there in front of you? Aerobask do provide assistance in a lock to the yaw, or "Free castor(ing) nose wheel", that said it is still a little tricky to use. You tend to use the joystick yaw as you would a Boeing 737, that aspect does not work here? in this case just very slight nudges left or right is all that is required...
 

 
...  my return to the hard stand was this time very different from the Jackrabbiting of my first attempt, a calm approach to the tiller and only those miniscule touches left or right, it works, although you are never going to get a perfect straight line, oh, and keep the taxi speed right down to slow...  and you will be fine.
 

 
It is a single canopy that opens upwards, turn the handle, then push it open from the top...  There are two pilots and a passenger.
 
You can choose between a male pilot and female passenger, two females with a female pilot, or a single male or female pilot. Only the male pilot's head moving left/right is animated. But the quality people are very lifelike and realistic.
 

 
Canopy design and glass is first rate, smooooooth and comes with great reflections.
 

 
You will find nothing to fault at all here. Aerobask have being doing this exceptional modeling and design for nearly a decade, it's about as close to perfection as you could imagine, everything is perfect, and yes all very smooooooth with this composite modern construction.
 

 
Menu
The Aerobask Menu is on the X-Plane banner menu "Diamond DA20 SV by Aerobask". It can also be accessed by the AviTab tablet.
 

 
The Menu is the standard Aerobask menu layout, with four tabs; Ground, Options, Sounds and About.
 
Ground: the first tab "Ground" gives you your FOB (Fuel on Board), and you can select kgs/Lbs and Gal in the single tank (25 gallons (95 liters)), lower is your Livery selection (we will cover the liveries soon). A StartStick 15Ah External Power Unit (EPU) plugs in lower left.
 
Right panel covers a few basic static elements (engine inlet covers, pitot cover, chocks left rear wheel and a single cone) and the operation of the rear pilot in; Male Pilot - Always Visible, Installed Outside only or Not Installed.
 

 
Options: Covers the MAIN, in Instrument Pop-ups, Reflections, Aircraft (Free Castor nose wheel), Navigraph Charts (subscription and switching to either Day or Night charts) and Breaker Reliability. There is the added option for Systems, with the "enable lua.JIT complier (default is ON).
 

 
All main instruments options are covered, for both the; MAIN and ESI-500, SKYVIEW #1 and SKYVIEW #2
 

 
Almost all options cover the instruments PopUp options, and background choices.
 
Sounds: This tab covers all your sound options in eight sliders, Master, External, Internal, Pilot, CoPilot, Radios, Environmental and User Interface. There is the global options to Enable Sounds and Enable Speech.
 

 
Liveries
There are seven liveries with varied world registrations, and a base white for the painters.
 

 
____________________
Summary
This is an all new X-Plane 12 only aircraft release from Aerobask in the  Diamond DA20 SV...  
 
A typical Aerobask modern composite design, the DA 20 is a beautiful if very light handling aircraft with the authentic representation of the SV "Synthetic Vision" or Dynon "SkyView Touch" avionics package, a sort of mega Garmin G1000 styled display. Other represented custom instruments is the ESI-500 backup instruments.
 
Focus here is on the"SkyView Touch", this is a comprehensive version with full authentic details that replicates the real Dynon package, there is also a  built in Navigraph charts feature, full hard point Dynon switchgear panels (two), and the side canopy AviTab with built in menus, the four tab menu is also available via clickpoints. Exterior modeling is to perfection, and the Interior is perfectly designed with full carbon-composites and materials.
 
The Diamond DA20 also known as the Katana /Eclipse comes with rear windows for better visibility, and is powered by a 125 hp (93 kW) Continental IO-240-B engine. It is based on the powered glider Diamond HK36 Super Dimona, supped up here, with a lot more power, but still retains those long thin wings and aerodynamics. It is very light, tricky on the ground with a castor front wheel, but great to fly.
 
Overall another seriously nice package that Aerobask do so well, and yes a great quality and a value investment for hours of enjoyable flying with all the mod-cons....  brilliant!
 
👍 That excellent Aerobask quality in design, modeling and aerodynamics, excellent Dynon Avionics, quality sounds, great to fly, loads of fun.
👎 Tricky castor wheel needs patience, requires skills for takeoffs and landings
__________________
 

 
Yes! the Diamond DA20 SV by Aerobask is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : 
 
Diamond DA20 SV by Aerobask
Price is US$34.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not for XP11)
Windows, Mac (even native M1, M2 Macs) or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM recommended
Current version:  12.0r1 (January 7th 2024)
________________
 
Installation and documents:  the download for the DA20 SV is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
 
Full Installation is 700Mb
Authorisation is required, and a restart. Updates are via Skunkcraft Updater.
 
AviTab Plugin is required for this aircraft
 
Documents supplied are:
Aerobask DA20 SV POH.pdf
DA20 SV - Checklist Normal.pdf
DA20 SV - Emergency Procedures.pdf
README - XP12 aircraft installation.pdf

There are a huge amount of Documentation provided here, with a complete POH, Checklist, Emergency Procedures and a guide for installation.
 
All updates are via the new Skunkcrafts 3.0 Updater
 
Designed by Aerobask
Support forum for the Diamond DA20 SV
_____________________
 
Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
8th January 2025
Copyright©2025: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.3
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- EGHI - Southampton Airport by PilotPlus+(X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.95
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

X-Plane v12.1.3 goes Final!
 
Hello and welcome to a New Year 2025!
 

 
To start off the year Laminar has gone final with the latest X-Plane release of v12.1.3... and it comes with a fresh new intro image, hands up all those who hated the Cirrus SR22 brooding horrible start to your X-Plane Application, we are now back to the Boeing 737-800, cheers to all that.
 

 
The focus of the v12.1.3 update is on the ATC (Airtraffic Control) with a load of ATC fixes and the important SID/STAR routing. A great change is the Separate Sound devices for aircraft AUDIO and ATC audio, as it now allows you to have aircraft sounds on the desk speakers, and also the ATC on your headphones!

Loads of Weather improvements (NEXRAD recalibration, METAR/GRIB rework, altitude jump fix) and new small scenery addition in KJRB Downtown Manhattan Heliport. The inclusion now of a X-Plane Identity (which a new login system for X-Plane and a stepping stone to the XP Store), some A330 Autopilot improvements and UI (User Interface) changes.
 
Issues with sudden altitude and pressure changes during mid flight have also been resolved. Additionally, improvements have been made to cloud visualization and interpreting METAR information and wind data. Errors related to the NEXRAD display for document number G1000 have also been addressed.
 
The User Interface also got attention...
 


 
Active runways are now shown in green (grey are non-active), embedded Taxi-routes can now also be toggled ON/OFF
 

 
Parking ramp selections now have stand data in, name, type, purpose, size class and equipment.
 
New was the X-Plane Identity
    it added an option to create an account and to link your current license to it  

 
The account is shown on the top right of your "Main Menu" page. I will note that if you update your X-Plane Application, you have to also update the X-Plane Identity as well, it is just a resign-in to make the account active. 
 
The full list of changes can be found on X-Plane.com. or X-PlaneReviews full v12.1.3 details are here.
 
I didn't expect v12.1.3 to be a long beta, since it's release mid-November 24, in running only a few weeks before going to RC (Release Candidate) releases, I was pretty correct here, but there was also AMD graphic cards and Improved stability for NVIDIA Graphic Cards (Device Loss Errors) added in as well, and both were consistently addressed through the v12.1.3 beta and RC periods for future stability.
 
Linux dependency issues had to be dropped in support for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Please consider updating to a newer release of Ubuntu if you are still on version 20.04 LTS, as it ships with quite a few outdated libraries.
 
Notable is that X-Plane is celebrating a "30 Years" anniversary in 2025 (1995), and obviously Laminar are going to shout about it a lot in 2025, which is a great thing in the long history of the X-Plane Simulator.
 

 
Laminar Research comments of the year...   "New updates crammed full of content, new faces to the Laminar Research team and more friends in our community. Some interesting announcements from Montreal and Vegas, and a few secrets we have not yet revealed..."
 
I don't know if to be excited or scared about that last comment?
 
Laminar also noted that next coming...  "12.1.4 will be a minor release called 'The Flightlessons Update.'
 
Welcome to the New Year 2025, X-Plane style!
___________________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
2nd January 2025
Copyright©2025: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

Aircraft Review : Pilatus PC-12 DGS by Thranda Design
 
The most successful General Aviation aircraft in the X-Plane Simulator has been the Cessna Caravan, in two forms, first by Carenado, then by Thranda Design. The second most successful aircraft, again by Carenado was the Pilatus PC-12, and there is a link between the two aircraft.
 
Both aircraft use the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine, a small gas turbine engine for Turboprops, that drives the propeller through a reduction gearbox. So it is a very smooth engine with a high power output of 1,200 shp. A bit of trivia, the PT6A engine is actually installed in reverse, with the output connected to the reduction gearbox, then directly to the five-blade, constant-speed, full-feathering, reversible-pitch propeller. So basically you are facing the front of the Turboprop engine.
 
The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine, turboprop aircraft known for its versatility, reliability, and performance. Manufactured by the Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, the PC-12 is widely used for business aviation, medical evacuation, cargo transport, and special missions. It is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft in its class.
 
Like the Cessna Caravan before it, here now is the Pilatus PC-12 from Thranda Design, an aircraft that is always at the top of any serious users Simulation wishlist. The Carenado offering was very good, but honestly I never bonded with it, it was a small thing in the instrument lighting, clunky to fly and it didn't look very realistic, and a couple of other peculiarities. Also X-Plane has come a long way since that Carenado release in April 2015, so here is the PC-12 reimagined by Thranda Design in it's DGS ((Dynamic Generation Series) form.
 

 
The concept for the PC-12 was initiated in the 1980s, following the success of Pilatus’s PC-6 Porter and PC-7/PC-9 trainer aircraft. This was to be a slightly larger aircraft, and Pilatus aimed to create a pressurized, single-engine turboprop aircraft capable of combining passenger, cargo, and utility roles into a single platform. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine was chosen for its reliability and efficiency, and the maiden flight was achieved on May 31, 1991. Its nickname, the “Swiss Army Knife of Aviation.”
The prototype was technically closer in design to the PC-12/41, which was the initial production variant. In 1996, Pilatus upgraded the PC-12 to the PC-12/45 model, increasing the MTOW to 9,920 pounds (4,500 kilograms) without any major structural changes. This version became the standard production model and replaced the PC-12/41, and became known as the PC-12 Standard. This Thranda aircraft is based on the PC-12/47, another slight gain in takeoff weight of 10,450 pounds (4,740 kgs), the performance stays the same even with the higher MTOW.
Thranda Design are already known for their quality and extensive list of features, so you are already expecting a very good looking Pilatus PC-12, but what was not expected...  was how really good this PC-12 really is in the flesh. Maybe we just remember the older aged Careando PC-12, anyway this aircraft just leaps off the screen in quality and detail.... it is without doubt the best looking Thranda aircraft yet.

Modeling is absolutely first rate, nothing even to nit-pick over here, as all the essential detailing is masterly covered. Every detail from vents, latches, aerials and beacons are all covered. Note the beautiful exhaust horns and lovely chrome spinner.

The wings have a straight leading edge with a slightly tapered shape towards the wingtip, and the trailing edge is also tapered, giving the wing a sleek appearance and delivering improving aerodynamics. Then they also only have a moderate sweep angle, the wings are not highly swept back, but angled enough to help with high-speed stability and fuel efficiency. You could call it a modern clean wing.
 

Notable is the right wing bulge, which contains a radar antenna, part of the onboard weather detection system. The system is used to detect precipitation, turbulence, and other weather-related hazards. The curved winglets are really nicely done, the earlier PC-12s had the more squared off wingtips.
Flaps are four positions (0º - 15º - 20º - 40º)...  15º is used for takeoff, and the PC-12 is considered as a STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft, as the 40º setting allows steeper approaches and shorter landings. Flap detail internally is excellent, as the flap tracks are all very aerodynamically pronounced.

Nosewheel is a simple strut leg, fitted with durable, multi-ply tires. Rear gear is trailing-link, and the landing gear is specially designed to handle operations on unpaved, gravel, or grass strips, also reduce debris damage during takeoff and landing. The Landing gear and airframe components are also upgraded for durability under heavier loads in the heavier 12/47 we have here.
 

Quality and detail of the wheel and strut assembly is expertly done, and all three wheels have built in taxi and landing lights.
Glass is very good, tinted on the main cockpit windows, and all the glass comes with nice reflections (that can be turned off).

External Static Elements
The Thranda PC-12 has a nice selection of external Static Elements, including; Chocks (rear wheels), Engine inlet and exhaust covers, Tags, Pitot covers, Tiedowns and a support stand. GPU (Ground Power Unit), and both opening doors (forward and large rear left cargo door).
 

 
Cabin
Up into the aircraft....
 

....  the cabin layout is in an "Executive" style of only six seats, with the forward seats set in a "Club" style. In a commuter or charter cabin configuration, you can have installed in here 10 seats (single-pilot). Forward area has a very nice mahogany wood grain on the wardrobe and small buffet.

The passenger seats are excellent, HUGE, cushy, with lovely ripples showing off the leather, the orange headrests are a nice touch as well (in Executive cabins Orange seems to be the current trend lately), the rear of the seat also can be laid back. There are two (animated) tables, one with the set of left club seats, and another on the single left rear seat.

Fine (lovely) window shades are also all individually animated...

...   Lighting and Air-Vent fixtures are exquisite, animated as well for movement, to turn on you press the centre of the lamp. Rear cargo hold is covered by a lovely blue netting with chrome rings, everything is done in here with a fine eye for detail.
Cockpit
Through the slight gap and your in the very tight cockpit, it looks small and it feels very intimate.
 

Although not a full glass cockpit with big display panels, it still feels very modern by it's layout and instruments. Extremely well done here, it has a great look and comes with a realistic avionic feel by Thranda Design.
The seats are set right up against the bulkhead highlighting the small space, they are very nice with their sheepskin covers, and the armrests can all be lifted and hidden away behind the seat.

Control yokes are excellent and realistically worn, and come with Electric Trim, PTT (working Push-To-Talk) button, and also a disconnect AP (Autopilot) button, you can hide the yokes individually, via the hot-spot on the rear.

Main electrical and lighting overhead panel (OHP) is still marginally obstructed by the pull down shades, so you have to move them to access certain parts of the switchgear, I found to move the shades right out of the way to the side, because they became quite annoying every time you wanted to access the lighting switch gear.

The armrests hide the throttle which in turn hides the condition/feather lever (in one) of which you use a lot, thankfully the armrests can be moved up here to get access. There are more rocker lighting switches for panel, cockpit and cabin lighting on the rear of the pedestal with four extra adjustment knobs, The flap selection lever is of 0º - 15º - 30º and 40º of flap, and the flap indicator is positioned in the very top left of the pilots panel.
 
Honestly you won't find this layout much different from the Carenado PC-12 version, you even have the same rudder pedal adjustment, via the nice winder.
 

 
Power on...   and voltages will change with any power selections! On the OHP many of the switches have a double function as in the first right switch turns the item on and you then select the choice by the second switch for two selections. It is very easy to use once you understand the functionality.
 

 
Earlier generation PC-12s had either the Honeywell Primus Apex or Bendix/King Avionics. Here it is the Bendix/King KFC 325 Digital/Electronic Flight Control System panel (EFIS). The EFIS takes in two of the six standard flight instruments in the upper "EADI" ((Electronic Attitude Director Indicator) and the lower "EHSI" (Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator).
 
The others are the Airspeed, Altitude, Vertical Speed  (V/S) and RMI (Radio Magnetic Indicator). There is a backup CDI (Course deviation indicator) but that is also built into the EFIS and two other backup instruments in another Artificial Horizon and Altitude dials and AFD direction finder. Co-Pilot's side is the same EFIS standard six layout without the backup dials.
 
Center panel top under the extensive deep glareshield is the excellent Benedix/King KFC 325 Digital/Electronic Flight Control System (EFIS) and the autopilot panel pops out. Next to the autopilot is the GARMIN GMA 340 Radio Comms Panel. Your ADF unit is the standard KR 87T50 Bendex/King ADF receiver. Note the large Radar Altimeter far right lower.
 
The KFC 325 is in four sections, EADI/EHSI, VVI (KAS297C), Autopilot Panel (KMC 321) and EFSI Select Panel. The centrally positioned EFIS Select Panel has a lot of features, with Course, DH (Decision Height) and ADF (1-2) / VOR (1-2) pointers built into the EFIS display. You can also switch from the HSI to ARC mode view as well.
 

 
The focal point of any PC-12 is the central EIS (Engine Indication System) which complements the EHSI by offering an integrated view of flight data and engine performance on the MFD. It displays; Torque, ITT (Inter-Turbine Temperature), Ng (Gas Generator Speed), Np (Propeller RPM), OAT, Fuel - Quantity x 2, FL(ow) H(our), Used and ENDUR (Endurance). GEN 1/GEN 2  Voltage and Current (Amperage), Date and Time. Engine Oil Temperature and Pressure. The EIS can also be tested. It pops out here as a window, can be scaled and moved anywhere on the screen.
 

 
In fact any instrument can be popped out, scaled and moved under the DGS system.
 
48 visible Annunciator lights cover Caution and Warning alerts, the panel pops out and you can test the system and the OHP annunciator lights via the button far left top on the OHP.
 

 
This Instrument layout does not cover all of the DGS options, that aspect is covered in the menus. But this layout would be considered the PC-12 default setup.
 
There are banks of Fuses/Circuit Beakers on each side wall panel, and every one is active and can be used.
 

 
Menu/Tablet
Since the last Thranda release of the PC-6 Turbo Porter, included was a new feature of built in EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) or Tablet and combined also with the menu.
 
The iPad/Tablet can be used in the aircraft. There is a brown circular patch on the window, if you press the hot-spot, then the IPad/Tablet will appear, if you press the rear sucker cup, then it will also disappear...   and the same tablet is also attached to the right hand side window.
 

 
The iPad/Tablet can be tilt adjusted via the top edge, but not too far in movement as the window's glass gets in the way, but there is also far more movement in here than with the PC-6 installation.
 

 
Menu layout is the same as the PC-6 with 13 icons to choose from; Aircraft Options, Weight & Balance, INSTR Options, Panel Editor, Static Liveries, DYNAFEEL, Log Book, Checklist, Ground Handling, Dynamic Liveries, Flight Computer, Equipment and AviTab...   at the bottom is a "Brightness" slider 0% to 100%.
 

 
The side Arrow window tab is still there, and so it still does have the same pop-up menu for external use.
 

 
Aircraft Options
This page menu is also changed from the earlier Thranda "General" selection, but the options and the layout stays the same, the layout is still as highly detailed and as very comprehensive as before in the General tab.
 

 
Three selections cover group items, but any one item via "Click Spots" can be individually selected or hidden via the aircraft graphic.
 
"ALL COVERS" will select engine inlet/outlet covers and pitot cover, "ALL TIE-DOWNS" for propeller and wing tie-downs and "ALL DOORS" for the main cabin door and the rear Cargo  door, sadly there is no PT6A engine reveal like on the PC-6, however the engine can be set into two modes...  SIMPLIFIED or REALISTIC
 
In Simplified mode the engine will automatically limit the engine to remain below the maximum torque of 47.3 psi. In Realistic mode it will be up to the pilot to avoid exceeding the engine limitations. The propeller gearbox or propeller shaft can break if the torque limit is exceeded by a certain margin, resulting in engine failure and smoke in the cabin (the smoke can be cleared by pulling the firewall air shutoff control closed).
 
Other Aircraft Options menu selections cover; Window and Instrument Panel Reflections on/off, Startup Running on/off, GPU (Ground Power Unit), Chocks and Brakes on/off. There is a Steering SIMPIFIED or REALISTIC, but the PC-12 is not a taildragger, (this option locks the tailwheel) so an odd addition? All EXT - External Lights can be switched on and off as can ALL INT - Internal lights. The individual lights can also be accessed on the aircraft graphic.
 
The Electric Tug on the nosewheel, movement is controlled via your joystick and rudder pedals (yaw).
 

 
Weight & Balance
The PC-12 has the same intricate great "Weight and Balance" menu as earlier Thanda aircraft. Weights are in both Lbs and Kgs, which can be selected via the toggle...
 

 
Pilot, passengers and cargo can all be set for their individual weights (scroll), and the CofG (Centre of Gravity) parameters are all shown on a graph and with a marker on the aircraft of it's physical CofG, when done you can SAVE the configuration and later reload it.
 

 
INSTR Options
Next menu item is your "Instrument Option" menu page. There are four options available; GPS #1 Popup (GNS 530), GPS #2 Popup (GNS 430), KFC 325 Autopilot Popup, all again are scalable. And there is also the option to change the Baro Units from mb to inhg.
 

 
Panel Editor
"Panel Editor"...  is part of the Thranda featured "Dynamic Generation Series", More about the DGS Series
 

 
The Thranda PC-12 can be highly customised in two areas to suit your taste. First in Dynamic Panel, as there is no default instrument setup, in the Pilatus as you can customise the panel to suit your own flying preferences. In the iPad/Tablet configuration the screen space is now far larger than the old "Panel" Menu. This is good, because as some of the small access zones in the menu before tended to overlap each over, so you always found yourself adjusting (scrolling) the wrong item.
 
Top row of options are 2 different panel backgrounds, here in KFC 325 or G1000 with three display screens. (Note all options can be mouse scrolled). There are other panel options of which we can see later.
 

 
The "Dynamic" in the panel is another featured DGS. Besides having different custom panel configurations, you can also customise the instrument panel by selecting "ENABLE 3D PANEL EDIT MODE". This will highlight the available instruments you can change in green.
 

 
Selecting an instrument via the "INDIV INST" (Individual Instrument) and "ACTIVE INSTRUMENT", it will highlight the instrument you want to say, move to another place or to adjust items position on the Instrument Panel...  There is however a slightly different adjustment system now in being used here, arrows in a cross.
They will now allow you to adjust the depth (in/out), angle up/down or left/right, besides using the smaller white arrows to move the item around the panel in again up/down or left/right.
 

 
You can also add in tools and instrument features of 52 different items, and these items also includes the Aspen EFD 1000 avionics.
 

 
Alpine Avionics Evolution
Part of the options available is the EFD 1000 which is a self-contained multifunction digital display that is divided into a Primary Flight Display (PFD) in the top half, and an Electric Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI) in the lower half. As EDF 1000 systems go it is not a highly featured system, with the GPSS, MAP,  360 and Menu functions all not simulated, but the display does pop-out...  It works of course with the KFC 325 Autopilot.
 
Basically you can also start with a completely blank panel and then create your own unique or personal instrument layout...   and can have up to, or can save 14 different panel layouts (presets), and with the Reality GTN 750 as shown here.
 

 
Static Liveries
There are nine provided liveries, one extra is noted as "DYNAMICLIVERYRESOURCES", this is the space on the menu for the custom DGS livery for ease of selection. A dedicated NGX and Pilatus House is also included.
"ZZTEMPLATELIVERY" liveries is now missing as the DGS system has been more refined, it is now more smoother and the long wait pause times have been reduced.
 

 
You can adjust the "Dirt" 0% to 100% by scrolling the number...  for a clean or dirty aircraft.
 

 
DYNAFEEL
 

 
"DynaFeel" is a system that dynamically adjusts the rate at which the controls deflect, in Pitch, Roll and Yaw. It is based on airspeed and how much the control's are deflected. This means the controls will feel light and responsive at low speeds and with some small deflections, but will get progressively heavier as the airspeed increases.
 
Logbook
This is one feature adopted from the JustFlight Menu. This Icon will just show the X-Plane Logbook window.
 

 
Checklist
A 35 page checklist is very comprehensive set in the iPad/Tablet. Navigation is via the lower left/right arrows, or you can scroll the pages via the centre box bottom. The Checklist will also pop-out into a scalable window, to make the list available anywhere in the cockpit....  You tick off the list one-by-one (green), but there is no default to clear the list in one click?
 

 
Ground Handling
This option just views the X-Plane default "Ground Handling" window. if you prefer that tool over the Thranda electric tug.
 

 
Dynamic Liveries
Earlier we saw the available "Static Liveries". Here you can actually design your own livery and save the livery.
 

 
You have a menu to select on the right that can colour a certain part of the aircraft, like the Roof, Wing, Tail or Wing tips. Select which one you want and then adjust (scroll) the RGB colours for that area. Other options include changing the Registration of the aircraft and putting the "Pilatus" logo under the cockpit window. It looks hard but you can easily design a very nice livery in about twenty minutes...
 

 
...  when done you can "Save" (Add) the livery and then "APPLY" it to the aircraft. When you apply the livery the screen will then freeze for a few minutes, and then go a bit weird? as the DGS processes the livery. The results are however excellent.
 

 
A note...  if the created livery does not appear correctly? Then go to the Static Liveries and select "Apply", then go back to the created Dynamic Livery and do it again, this time it should create the livery you wanted.
 

 
A feature is the (Quick) selection of Dirt via percentage selections you can adjust the amount of Dirt, Scratches and Dirt Int on the aircraft (0%-255%) and apply it instantly. So you can have either a pristine or a very grubby aircraft with just a twirl of the numbers. Also changes can can be made to the Metal or Rough surfaces, this can be applied to any of the liveries. Note you can apply the same Dirt and Scratches onto any of the Static Liveries directly via that particular menu.
 
There are 31 pre-installed Dynamic liveries to choose from, and you can save as many custom ideas as you want (within reason).
 
Flight Computer
Another new feature from the JustFlight menu. This shows you your current aircraft data including; OAT, GS (Ground Speed), Endurance, Range, NMPG/SMPG, Altitude, TAS (speed), Fuel Flow, Fuel Used, Headwind (knts) and Crosswind (Knts). Both units in Metric or Imperial are also available.... and you can reset the fuel burn.
 

 
Equipment
Under the "Equipment" Icon you have several items as external options, these items were originally under the MISC tab. There are two "Equipment" options, Recog (Recognition) Lights. This option makes the outer under wing lights "pulse" or not.
 

 
You can select either a "Female" Pilot (Mrs Klaue) or a "Male" Pilot (Mr Klaue)
 
 

AviTab
AviTab is a PDF viewer, Airport info, METAR info and ILS frequencies information tool, it also has a moving map that supports online maps and offline maps, Navigraph integration in that you can link your Navigraph account and see the charts right in the cockpit. In the PC-12 the Avitab is available in both the 3D tablet and a scalable pop-out window.
 

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Internal Lighting
I was not very taken with the PC-12 Carenado lighting, it looked over saturated and not very realistic, it was the X-Plane 10/11 era as well, and in not having any of the the X-Plane 12 dynamics. So I was expecting a big leap forward by Thranda, and I wasn't disappointed.
 

 
It looks amazing...  the X-Plane 12 dynamics really shine in here (pun intended). Everything is controlled via the lighting panel rear console.
 

 
Four Rocker switches have double selections, two have three selections (DOME & Cabin FLOOD). Advisory has DIM and NORM. The four lighting knobs of which three are for the panel lighting work nicely as well. PHL (Panel) has three knob options to reduce the text lighting for either side pilot and the centre console.
 


 
Fourth knob adjusts the lower flood lighting, including the nicely lit side panels and glareshield lighting. All can be turned off for takeoff and landing minimum glare lighting.
 

 
Three way DOME (OFF-50%-100%) switch activates the twin overhead cockpit spots.
 

 
Overall the internal cockpit lighting is a nice bit of kit and very flexible to your tastes.
 
In the cabin, you again have the FLOOD (OFF-50%-100%) selection via the main two lighting strips, and 12 clickable individual READING spot lights that can be focused around. The Reading lights are tricky to switch on via their small central hotspots, but the ALL ON internal lights option is on the menu.
 

 
External Lighting
There are five forward lights in; Taxi and Landing lights on each wheel, and two RECOG (Recognition) lights that can be set to PULSE. WING/ICE light (left side), Strobe, Beacon, Tail Lights and Navigation lights make up an impressive external lighting.
 

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Flying the PC-12/47
This is a three airport flight, Wrangell PAWG to Petersburg PAPG then on to Sitka Rocky Gutierrez PASI, all three airport sceneries are by NorthernSky Studios Scenery, and they with others also cover this whole "Inside Passage" area of Alaska.
 

 
I did the same flight way back when with the Carenado PC-12, so I wanted to revisit the flight in X-Plane 12. So after setting up the aircraft, power on, Baro done, Fuel pumps on, lights set, blinds moved out of the way...  it was time to start the P&W PT6A powerplant...  SimpleSimon, Just put the CONDITION lever to "Flight Idle" (once started you bring it back to "Ground Idle"), "Starter" on, then just press the IGNITION button...
 

 
...  then the Engine Management System (EMS) does all the work, this aircraft also has the Electronic Propeller and Engine Control System (EPECS). EPECS is an advanced engine management system integrated into the PC-12/47’s Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67P engine very similar to FADAC, offering several benefits to simplify engine and propeller management while improving performance and reliability. It uses a single-lever power control that simplifies pilot workload by integrating propeller RPM and engine power into the one control lever.
 
It takes a fair while for the engine to whine (that wonderful familiar PT6A start), and then the turbine speeds up to ignition, then the aircraft comes to life. It's a procedure I love every time I start the PC-12, the startup sounds are quite brilliant as well as Thranda are excellent in sound management. When all the engine parameters are settled, off goes the park brake...
 

 
...  like the Carenado PC-12 it taxis fast, so you need a bit of footwork to keep to a slower taxi speed, bringing back the CONDITION lever to "Ground Idle" helps a little, but it's still a little too fast for me.
 

 
Steers nice, but the high cowling makes the centreline of the runway hard to see, so you taxi a bit to the right to follow it.
 

 
No flightplan here, it's only 31 nautical miles (NM) straight north from Wrangell Airport (PAWG) to Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport (PAPG), I have done it 50 times or more, so no guidance is required.
 

 
This is my second time in the Thranda PC-12/47 from PAWG to PAPG. The first was a very messy flight test flight, the PC-12 was impossible to fly cleanly? Because there is a "Trick" to flying the PC-12...  As the PT6A puts out 1,200 SHP through a single-prop, it produces horrible asymmetric thrust, a pain on takeoff, hell on landing. The trick is to set the rudder trim to the far right (green zone) to counteract the forces, you may need to set an X-Plane key COMMAND to adjust the rudder trim this far right or use the Autotrim.
 

 
It looks odd this far an angle, but it works beautifully were it counts. Flap selection can be either 15º for a Normal Takeoff, or 30º for a Short/Soft Field Takeoff... I select 30º to test the STOL effect.
 

 
Power up with the single throttle T-Bar lever, and the PC-12 pulls quickly away at a 3995 Kg TOW, 4740 Kg is MTOW...   speed builds quickly, but Wrangell's RWY 28 is seriously bumpy, so the trailing link gear and your rudder control are both working overtime...
 

 
At just under 100 kts I hit a massive bump mid-way down the runway, and the PC-12 literally bounces straight into the air without moving the stick? I'm now flying...
 

 
It is the STOL effect at work, but I catch the moment, and pull the PC-12 into a climb of just over 1,200 fpm, Max Climb is 1,920 fpm, and the average is climb out is usually around 1,500 fpm, but I'm not going very high with the short distance to PAPG.
 

 
Kadin Island is directly ahead of you, so you do a slight roll to the right as you climb out out of RWY 28 PAPG, this Thranda PC-12 is excellent for feel and feedback, you are instantly in touch with the machine, be as one from the start.
 

 
I top out at 3,400 ft, to pass both Kadin Island (left) and then Dry Island (right), then reset my altitude to 3,000ft.
 

 
The PC-12 looks sublime in the fading light of the day, this is only a short hop between PAWG and PAPG, but I'm enjoying it immensely, if you feel this good, it must be good. I am now seeing why this aircraft is so revered.
 
PC-12 Service ceiling is around 9,150 m (30,000 ft), with a Power/mass of 3.7 kg/shp (8.2 lb/shp), you have big Range with 0 passengers (Ferry) it's 3,389 km (1,830 nm), full Range with 9 passengers is 2,804 km (1,753 mi) (1,513 nm). From now on it will be a long slow descent into Petersburg.
 

 
You head directly towards the right hand coastline, before angling slowly around Frederick's Point and into PAPG, but this is not the official route into RWY 23, as both LDA (Landing Distance Available) and the RNV approaches demand you arrive only from the Northeast. It is also a tight twist in the final moments into RWY 23.
 
I'm loving this long wide sweeping curve into Petersburg, losing 300 fpm in height, flaps already at 30º, with a speed of 80 kts, it is a slow and graceful approach.
 

 
Gear down and the focus is totally on finding the hidden threshold of RWY 23. Gear sounds are excellent, a very slight "thump", "thump" and "thump"...
 

 
...  from the 700 ft approach down to 500 ft, I'm ready for finals, grinning from ear to ear with a quick glace at the moving shiny water, loving this.
 

 
I was as low a speed as 72 kts as I flared the nose, almost stall speed (67 knts), but I felt a lot of wing support, and only a small drift down, yes I am feeling totally in control, again be aware of the offset rudder trim, and it is again to be set in the green zone, if not you will pull badly to the left on landing, it's nasty believe me. Touch was right on stall...  70 kts. Yes the PT6A will do an extremely powerful reverse thrust (reversible-pitch propeller) here and has that amazing Cessna Caravan howl, but PAPG 05/23 has a long 6400 ft runway, so the RT was not needed here.
 

 
Clean up the PC-12 and head to the terminal area, I'm getting more used to the taxi, but it still feels a little fast, most Thranda's are, fast in the taxi.
 

 
Move into the parking place, and turn off the PT6A-67P by the CONDITION lever, and the wail, like the Cessna Caravan wail, while the engine winds down is so familiar... yes I love it all.
 

 
Early the next morning it was a longer and higher flight out to Sitka. 10,000 ft is only nearly a third the altitude PC-12 can fly high to, at 30,000 ft with pressurization, but FL010 is a nice if perfect altitude to take in one of the greatest flying areas in the world, Alaska's "Inside Passage".
 

 
The trick of the PC-12 is that it is a Turboprop that thinks it is a Light Jet, it flies smooth like a jet, has loads of power, and as noted can even fly higher than most small jets, this executive cabin arrangement adds in to the same role. 
 
The KFC 325 autopilot panel pops out and can be scaled, moved, which is very handy...
 

 
...  but the EFSI Select Panel is awkward to use in the centre of the instrument panel, with the heading knob the furthest away from you, a pop-up panel for this Select panel would be really handy.
 

 
The VVI (KAS297C) is tricky to use if your not familiar with it, the tuning button will switch between Altitude (setting) and V/S (Vertical Speed).
So you set the altitude, then ARM it via the lower button, but where it is odd is that the indicator ARM light goes out and not on when you arm the altitude, which makes it confusing? The V/S is activated by the top button, when you have selected the vertical speed + or -
 

 
The PC-12 is excellent in this cruise mode, just a smudge over 200 kts is fast enough. The ride in the back is not bad either.
 

 
BIORKA ISLAND VORTAC (113.80 BKA) (SITKA) is the official way into PASI from the south, east or west, via a long circuit track.
 

 
You pass waypoints KOYEG, then JETUT, a hard 90º turn to HEXAP situated on the start of the ILS 108.90 ISIT, which takes you into Sitka's SIT Rwy 11.
 

 
I align the aircraft with the ILS beam to find the runway, hidden in the bright low morning light...  the PC-12 is now configured for landing, flaps a full 40º, gear down, trim set (don't forget the rudder trim?), so my approach speed is again a very low 72 knts.
 


 
You forget how good X-Plane 12 is now, brilliant water, bright cascading sunlight... love it.
 

 
I am also now very familiar on the how to do approaches in the PC-12, as slow as you dare go, adjust the throttle to finely keep you airborne, just like landing in slow motion.
 

 
You always need that high flare to rub off the final speed to almost a stall, then glide your way in...   this time I used the powerful reverse thrust, the sounds go up! noisy, but brilliant, and the speed drops off very quickly. Note the CONDITION lever to "Ground Idle"), you have to look at the lever being set correctly from the side, looking straight down it is not aligned correctly.
 


 
And I am now back in Sitka again, and it is so different to the old Carenado days, a far, far better PC-12, and a far better scenery around me....  X-Plane 12 delivers as well, so a great combo all round...
 

 
...  it brings back big memories, but more so this flight has created new one, better ones, than those days that behind us that should now be forgotten, via X-Plane 12, and the excellent Pilatus PC-12.
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Summary
The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine, turboprop aircraft known for its versatility, reliability, and performance. Manufactured by the Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, the PC-12 is widely used for business aviation, medical evacuation, cargo transport, and special missions. It is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft in its class.
 
The Carenado Cessna Caravan was one of the biggest X-Plane GA sellers, the Carenado PC-12 was not far behind, mostly because of that unique and powerful PT6A turbine engine. Thranda's PC-12 now follows their earlier released Cessna Caravan for X-Plane 12,.
 
Daniel Klaue needs no introduction if you have been in X-Plane for a period of time, he is certainly one of the most innovative, and one of the most talented developers out there that, a person that is very highly regarded within the X-Plane Simulator.
 
This PC-12 is a Dan Klaue aircraft, and so you expect tons of ideas and clever features, and certainly the Thanda designs PC-12 does not disappoint in that department. Modeling and detail is absolutely first rate, this is an excellent Pilatus aircraft with a lovely design and high quality. This is a first release in X-Plane 12, and not a conversion from X-Plane 11, it's all new, new.
 
X-Plane 12 textures in 8k (four times the higher resolution than before) it shows of course, but without the framerate hit. The EFB...  Electronic Flight Bag, or the Thranda Tablet is still basically all new as introduced on the PC6, with now with 13 options, and all the pop-out windows are scalable. Flying Dynamics are also completely dynamic for XP12, as is the better LED lighting. Advanced FMOD (2)-based sound system is extensive for XP12, and all of course recorded from a real PC-12 and it's PT6 engine,
 
The innovative menu system "Dynamic Generation Series", in you can create your own instrument panel layout or layouts as up to 14 different layouts of 44 instruments and avionics can be saved with 6 default layouts including a Aspen EFD 1000 with here the KFC 325 autopilot, and the panel is also RealityXP GNS 530W/430W or GTN 750/650 Touch with 3D bezels ready. A huge selection of 32 liveries is still complimented with a feature to create your own colour scheme and livery, then you can save them as well. This aircraft is X-Plane 12 only.
 
Overall you get a huge feature list with a great value price for X-Plane 12, so this is absolutely the perfect PC-12 you always dreamed of. The PC-12 was very much requested, and here it is now available in this very high quality package...    so what more can you ask for!
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Yes! the Pilatus PC-12 DGS Series XP12 by Thranda Design is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Pilatus PC-12 DGS Series XP12
Price is US$44.95
 
Requirements
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 4.1 GB - Download via the Skunkcraft Updater
Current version  1.0 (December 19th 2024)
 
Limited Time Offer: If you own the Carenado PC12 XP11, you can get $10 off this model. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout. Offer ends January 15th 2025 or sooner. We  reserve the right to terminate this offer at any time
_____________________
 
Installation and documents: Download is 4.05Gb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
Installation key is required on start up and is supplied with the purchased download file. Full installation is 7.46Gb (heavy)
 
SkunkCrafts Updater works with the Thranda PC-12, so instant updates are always available.
 
Documents supplied are:
Thranda Pilatus PC12 Manual XP12.pdf
PILATUS PC12 PERFORMANCE.pdf
X-Plane G430 Manual.pdf
X-Plane G530 Manual.pdf
 
A Blank Livery (PNG) of four files are provided for painting. Checklists, setting and loads of Performance graphs are provided in the various manuals
_____________________
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD - Bose Quiet Comfort QC35 Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane Version 12.0.1.3
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- PAWG - Wrangell Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$16.95
- PAPG - Petersburg James Johnson Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$12.00
- PASI - Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$15.00
_____________________
 
Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton 
21st December 2024
Copyright©2024 : X-Plane Reviews 
  
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)
 

Aircraft Review : Pilatus PC-12 DGS by Thranda Design
 
The most successful General Aviation aircraft in the X-Plane Simulator has been the Cessna Caravan, in two forms, first by Carenado, then by Thranda Design. The second most successful aircraft, again by Carenado was the Pilatus PC-12, and there is a link between the two aircraft.
 
Both aircraft use the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine, a small gas turbine engine for Turboprops, that drives the propeller through a reduction gearbox. So it is a very smooth engine with a high power output of 1,200 shp. A bit of trivia, the PT6A engine is actually installed in reverse, with the output connected to the reduction gearbox, then directly to the five-blade, constant-speed, full-feathering, reversible-pitch propeller. So basically you are facing the front of the Turboprop engine.
 
The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine, turboprop aircraft known for its versatility, reliability, and performance. Manufactured by the Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, the PC-12 is widely used for business aviation, medical evacuation, cargo transport, and special missions. It is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft in its class.
 
Like the Cessna Caravan before it, here now is the Pilatus PC-12 from Thranda Design, an aircraft that is always at the top of any serious users Simulation wishlist. The Carenado offering was very good, but honestly I never bonded with it, it was a small thing in the instrument lighting, clunky to fly and it didn't look very realistic, and a couple of other peculiarities. Also X-Plane has come a long way since that Carenado release in April 2015, so here is the PC-12 reimagined by Thranda Design in it's DGS ((Dynamic Generation Series) form.
 

 
The concept for the PC-12 was initiated in the 1980s, following the success of Pilatus’s PC-6 Porter and PC-7/PC-9 trainer aircraft. This was to be a slightly larger aircraft, and Pilatus aimed to create a pressurized, single-engine turboprop aircraft capable of combining passenger, cargo, and utility roles into a single platform. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine was chosen for its reliability and efficiency, and the maiden flight was achieved on May 31, 1991. Its nickname, the “Swiss Army Knife of Aviation.”
The prototype was technically closer in design to the PC-12/41, which was the initial production variant. In 1996, Pilatus upgraded the PC-12 to the PC-12/45 model, increasing the MTOW to 9,920 pounds (4,500 kilograms) without any major structural changes. This version became the standard production model and replaced the PC-12/41, and became known as the PC-12 Standard. This Thranda aircraft is based on the PC-12/47, another slight gain in takeoff weight of 10,450 pounds (4,740 kgs), the performance stays the same even with the higher MTOW.
Thranda Design are already known for their quality and extensive list of features, so you are already expecting a very good looking Pilatus PC-12, but what was not expected...  was how really good this PC-12 really is in the flesh. Maybe we just remember the older aged Careando PC-12, anyway this aircraft just leaps off the screen in quality and detail.... it is without doubt the best looking Thranda aircraft yet.

Modeling is absolutely first rate, nothing even to nit-pick over here, as all the essential detailing is masterly covered. Every detail from vents, latches, aerials and beacons are all covered. Note the beautiful exhaust horns and lovely chrome spinner.

The wings have a straight leading edge with a slightly tapered shape towards the wingtip, and the trailing edge is also tapered, giving the wing a sleek appearance and delivering improving aerodynamics. Then they also only have a moderate sweep angle, the wings are not highly swept back, but angled enough to help with high-speed stability and fuel efficiency. You could call it a modern clean wing.
 

Notable is the right wing bulge, which contains a radar antenna, part of the onboard weather detection system. The system is used to detect precipitation, turbulence, and other weather-related hazards. The curved winglets are really nicely done, the earlier PC-12s had the more squared off wingtips.
Flaps are four positions (0º - 15º - 20º - 40º)...  15º is used for takeoff, and the PC-12 is considered as a STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft, as the 40º setting allows steeper approaches and shorter landings. Flap detail internally is excellent, as the flap tracks are all very aerodynamically pronounced.

Nosewheel is a simple strut leg, fitted with durable, multi-ply tires. Rear gear is trailing-link, and the landing gear is specially designed to handle operations on unpaved, gravel, or grass strips, also reduce debris damage during takeoff and landing. The Landing gear and airframe components are also upgraded for durability under heavier loads in the heavier 12/47 we have here.
 

Quality and detail of the wheel and strut assembly is expertly done, and all three wheels have built in taxi and landing lights.
Glass is very good, tinted on the main cockpit windows, and all the glass comes with nice reflections (that can be turned off).

External Static Elements
The Thranda PC-12 has a nice selection of external Static Elements, including; Chocks (rear wheels), Engine inlet and exhaust covers, Tags, Pitot covers, Tiedowns and a support stand. GPU (Ground Power Unit), and both opening doors (forward and large rear left cargo door).
 

 
Cabin
Up into the aircraft....
 

....  the cabin layout is in an "Executive" style of only six seats, with the forward seats set in a "Club" style. In a commuter or charter cabin configuration, you can have installed in here 10 seats (single-pilot). Forward area has a very nice mahogany wood grain on the wardrobe and small buffet.

The passenger seats are excellent, HUGE, cushy, with lovely ripples showing off the leather, the orange headrests are a nice touch as well (in Executive cabins Orange seems to be the current trend lately), the rear of the seat also can be laid back. There are two (animated) tables, one with the set of left club seats, and another on the single left rear seat.

Fine (lovely) window shades are also all individually animated...

...   Lighting and Air-Vent fixtures are exquisite, animated as well for movement, to turn on you press the centre of the lamp. Rear cargo hold is covered by a lovely blue netting with chrome rings, everything is done in here with a fine eye for detail.
Cockpit
Through the slight gap and your in the very tight cockpit, it looks small and it feels very intimate.
 

Although not a full glass cockpit with big display panels, it still feels very modern by it's layout and instruments. Extremely well done here, it has a great look and comes with a realistic avionic feel by Thranda Design.
The seats are set right up against the bulkhead highlighting the small space, they are very nice with their sheepskin covers, and the armrests can all be lifted and hidden away behind the seat.

Control yokes are excellent and realistically worn, and come with Electric Trim, PTT (working Push-To-Talk) button, and also a disconnect AP (Autopilot) button, you can hide the yokes individually, via the hot-spot on the rear.

Main electrical and lighting overhead panel (OHP) is still marginally obstructed by the pull down shades, so you have to move them to access certain parts of the switchgear, I found to move the shades right out of the way to the side, because they became quite annoying every time you wanted to access the lighting switch gear.

The armrests hide the throttle which in turn hides the condition/feather lever (in one) of which you use a lot, thankfully the armrests can be moved up here to get access. There are more rocker lighting switches for panel, cockpit and cabin lighting on the rear of the pedestal with four extra adjustment knobs, The flap selection lever is of 0º - 15º - 30º and 40º of flap, and the flap indicator is positioned in the very top left of the pilots panel.
 
Honestly you won't find this layout much different from the Carenado PC-12 version, you even have the same rudder pedal adjustment, via the nice winder.
 

 
Power on...   and voltages will change with any power selections! On the OHP many of the switches have a double function as in the first right switch turns the item on and you then select the choice by the second switch for two selections. It is very easy to use once you understand the functionality.
 

 
Earlier generation PC-12s had either the Honeywell Primus Apex or Bendix/King Avionics. Here it is the Bendix/King KFC 325 Digital/Electronic Flight Control System panel (EFIS). The EFIS takes in two of the six standard flight instruments in the upper "EADI" ((Electronic Attitude Director Indicator) and the lower "EHSI" (Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator).
 
The others are the Airspeed, Altitude, Vertical Speed  (V/S) and RMI (Radio Magnetic Indicator). There is a backup CDI (Course deviation indicator) but that is also built into the EFIS and two other backup instruments in another Artificial Horizon and Altitude dials and AFD direction finder. Co-Pilot's side is the same EFIS standard six layout without the backup dials.
 
Center panel top under the extensive deep glareshield is the excellent Benedix/King KFC 325 Digital/Electronic Flight Control System (EFIS) and the autopilot panel pops out. Next to the autopilot is the GARMIN GMA 340 Radio Comms Panel. Your ADF unit is the standard KR 87T50 Bendex/King ADF receiver. Note the large Radar Altimeter far right lower.
 
The KFC 325 is in four sections, EADI/EHSI, VVI (KAS297C), Autopilot Panel (KMC 321) and EFSI Select Panel. The centrally positioned EFIS Select Panel has a lot of features, with Course, DH (Decision Height) and ADF (1-2) / VOR (1-2) pointers built into the EFIS display. You can also switch from the HSI to ARC mode view as well.
 

 
The focal point of any PC-12 is the central EIS (Engine Indication System) which complements the EHSI by offering an integrated view of flight data and engine performance on the MFD. It displays; Torque, ITT (Inter-Turbine Temperature), Ng (Gas Generator Speed), Np (Propeller RPM), OAT, Fuel - Quantity x 2, FL(ow) H(our), Used and ENDUR (Endurance). GEN 1/GEN 2  Voltage and Current (Amperage), Date and Time. Engine Oil Temperature and Pressure. The EIS can also be tested. It pops out here as a window, can be scaled and moved anywhere on the screen.
 

 
In fact any instrument can be popped out, scaled and moved under the DGS system.
 
48 visible Annunciator lights cover Caution and Warning alerts, the panel pops out and you can test the system and the OHP annunciator lights via the button far left top on the OHP.
 

 
This Instrument layout does not cover all of the DGS options, that aspect is covered in the menus. But this layout would be considered the PC-12 default setup.
 
There are banks of Fuses/Circuit Beakers on each side wall panel, and every one is active and can be used.
 

 
Menu/Tablet
Since the last Thranda release of the PC-6 Turbo Porter, included was a new feature of built in EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) or Tablet and combined also with the menu.
 
The iPad/Tablet can be used in the aircraft. There is a brown circular patch on the window, if you press the hot-spot, then the IPad/Tablet will appear, if you press the rear sucker cup, then it will also disappear...   and the same tablet is also attached to the right hand side window.
 

 
The iPad/Tablet can be tilt adjusted via the top edge, but not too far in movement as the window's glass gets in the way, but there is also far more movement in here than with the PC-6 installation.
 

 
Menu layout is the same as the PC-6 with 13 icons to choose from; Aircraft Options, Weight & Balance, INSTR Options, Panel Editor, Static Liveries, DYNAFEEL, Log Book, Checklist, Ground Handling, Dynamic Liveries, Flight Computer, Equipment and AviTab...   at the bottom is a "Brightness" slider 0% to 100%.
 

 
The side Arrow window tab is still there, and so it still does have the same pop-up menu for external use.
 

 
Aircraft Options
This page menu is also changed from the earlier Thranda "General" selection, but the options and the layout stays the same, the layout is still as highly detailed and as very comprehensive as before in the General tab.
 

 
Three selections cover group items, but any one item via "Click Spots" can be individually selected or hidden via the aircraft graphic.
 
"ALL COVERS" will select engine inlet/outlet covers and pitot cover, "ALL TIE-DOWNS" for propeller and wing tie-downs and "ALL DOORS" for the main cabin door and the rear Cargo  door, sadly there is no PT6A engine reveal like on the PC-6, however the engine can be set into two modes...  SIMPLIFIED or REALISTIC
 
In Simplified mode the engine will automatically limit the engine to remain below the maximum torque of 47.3 psi. In Realistic mode it will be up to the pilot to avoid exceeding the engine limitations. The propeller gearbox or propeller shaft can break if the torque limit is exceeded by a certain margin, resulting in engine failure and smoke in the cabin (the smoke can be cleared by pulling the firewall air shutoff control closed).
 
Other Aircraft Options menu selections cover; Window and Instrument Panel Reflections on/off, Startup Running on/off, GPU (Ground Power Unit), Chocks and Brakes on/off. There is a Steering SIMPIFIED or REALISTIC, but the PC-12 is not a taildragger, (this option locks the tailwheel) so an odd addition? All EXT - External Lights can be switched on and off as can ALL INT - Internal lights. The individual lights can also be accessed on the aircraft graphic.
 
The Electric Tug on the nosewheel, movement is controlled via your joystick and rudder pedals (yaw).
 

 
Weight & Balance
The PC-12 has the same intricate great "Weight and Balance" menu as earlier Thanda aircraft. Weights are in both Lbs and Kgs, which can be selected via the toggle...
 

 
Pilot, passengers and cargo can all be set for their individual weights (scroll), and the CofG (Centre of Gravity) parameters are all shown on a graph and with a marker on the aircraft of it's physical CofG, when done you can SAVE the configuration and later reload it.
 

 
INSTR Options
Next menu item is your "Instrument Option" menu page. There are four options available; GPS #1 Popup (GNS 530), GPS #2 Popup (GNS 430), KFC 325 Autopilot Popup, all again are scalable. And there is also the option to change the Baro Units from mb to inhg.
 

 
Panel Editor
"Panel Editor"...  is part of the Thranda featured "Dynamic Generation Series", More about the DGS Series
 

 
The Thranda PC-12 can be highly customised in two areas to suit your taste. First in Dynamic Panel, as there is no default instrument setup, in the Pilatus as you can customise the panel to suit your own flying preferences. In the iPad/Tablet configuration the screen space is now far larger than the old "Panel" Menu. This is good, because as some of the small access zones in the menu before tended to overlap each over, so you always found yourself adjusting (scrolling) the wrong item.
 
Top row of options are 2 different panel backgrounds, here in KFC 325 or G1000 with three display screens. (Note all options can be mouse scrolled). There are other panel options of which we can see later.
 

 
The "Dynamic" in the panel is another featured DGS. Besides having different custom panel configurations, you can also customise the instrument panel by selecting "ENABLE 3D PANEL EDIT MODE". This will highlight the available instruments you can change in green.
 

 
Selecting an instrument via the "INDIV INST" (Individual Instrument) and "ACTIVE INSTRUMENT", it will highlight the instrument you want to say, move to another place or to adjust items position on the Instrument Panel...  There is however a slightly different adjustment system now in being used here, arrows in a cross.
They will now allow you to adjust the depth (in/out), angle up/down or left/right, besides using the smaller white arrows to move the item around the panel in again up/down or left/right.
 

 
You can also add in tools and instrument features of 52 different items, and these items also includes the Aspen EFD 1000 avionics.
 

 
Alpine Avionics Evolution
Part of the options available is the EFD 1000 which is a self-contained multifunction digital display that is divided into a Primary Flight Display (PFD) in the top half, and an Electric Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI) in the lower half. As EDF 1000 systems go it is not a highly featured system, with the GPSS, MAP,  360 and Menu functions all not simulated, but the display does pop-out...  It works of course with the KFC 325 Autopilot.
 
Basically you can also start with a completely blank panel and then create your own unique or personal instrument layout...   and can have up to, or can save 14 different panel layouts (presets), and with the Reality GTN 750 as shown here.
 

 
Static Liveries
There are nine provided liveries, one extra is noted as "DYNAMICLIVERYRESOURCES", this is the space on the menu for the custom DGS livery for ease of selection. A dedicated NGX and Pilatus House is also included.
"ZZTEMPLATELIVERY" liveries is now missing as the DGS system has been more refined, it is now more smoother and the long wait pause times have been reduced.
 

 
You can adjust the "Dirt" 0% to 100% by scrolling the number...  for a clean or dirty aircraft.
 

 
DYNAFEEL
 

 
"DynaFeel" is a system that dynamically adjusts the rate at which the controls deflect, in Pitch, Roll and Yaw. It is based on airspeed and how much the control's are deflected. This means the controls will feel light and responsive at low speeds and with some small deflections, but will get progressively heavier as the airspeed increases.
 
Logbook
This is one feature adopted from the JustFlight Menu. This Icon will just show the X-Plane Logbook window.
 

 
Checklist
A 35 page checklist is very comprehensive set in the iPad/Tablet. Navigation is via the lower left/right arrows, or you can scroll the pages via the centre box bottom. The Checklist will also pop-out into a scalable window, to make the list available anywhere in the cockpit....  You tick off the list one-by-one (green), but there is no default to clear the list in one click?
 

 
Ground Handling
This option just views the X-Plane default "Ground Handling" window. if you prefer that tool over the Thranda electric tug.
 

 
Dynamic Liveries
Earlier we saw the available "Static Liveries". Here you can actually design your own livery and save the livery.
 

 
You have a menu to select on the right that can colour a certain part of the aircraft, like the Roof, Wing, Tail or Wing tips. Select which one you want and then adjust (scroll) the RGB colours for that area. Other options include changing the Registration of the aircraft and putting the "Pilatus" logo under the cockpit window. It looks hard but you can easily design a very nice livery in about twenty minutes...
 

 
...  when done you can "Save" (Add) the livery and then "APPLY" it to the aircraft. When you apply the livery the screen will then freeze for a few minutes, and then go a bit weird? as the DGS processes the livery. The results are however excellent.
 

 
A note...  if the created livery does not appear correctly? Then go to the Static Liveries and select "Apply", then go back to the created Dynamic Livery and do it again, this time it should create the livery you wanted.
 

 
A feature is the (Quick) selection of Dirt via percentage selections you can adjust the amount of Dirt, Scratches and Dirt Int on the aircraft (0%-255%) and apply it instantly. So you can have either a pristine or a very grubby aircraft with just a twirl of the numbers. Also changes can can be made to the Metal or Rough surfaces, this can be applied to any of the liveries. Note you can apply the same Dirt and Scratches onto any of the Static Liveries directly via that particular menu.
 
There are 31 pre-installed Dynamic liveries to choose from, and you can save as many custom ideas as you want (within reason).
 
Flight Computer
Another new feature from the JustFlight menu. This shows you your current aircraft data including; OAT, GS (Ground Speed), Endurance, Range, NMPG/SMPG, Altitude, TAS (speed), Fuel Flow, Fuel Used, Headwind (knts) and Crosswind (Knts). Both units in Metric or Imperial are also available.... and you can reset the fuel burn.
 

 
Equipment
Under the "Equipment" Icon you have several items as external options, these items were originally under the MISC tab. There are two "Equipment" options, Recog (Recognition) Lights. This option makes the outer under wing lights "pulse" or not.
 

 
You can select either a "Female" Pilot (Mrs Klaue) or a "Male" Pilot (Mr Klaue)
 
 

AviTab
AviTab is a PDF viewer, Airport info, METAR info and ILS frequencies information tool, it also has a moving map that supports online maps and offline maps, Navigraph integration in that you can link your Navigraph account and see the charts right in the cockpit. In the PC-12 the Avitab is available in both the 3D tablet and a scalable pop-out window.
 

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Internal Lighting
I was not very taken with the PC-12 Carenado lighting, it looked over saturated and not very realistic, it was the X-Plane 10/11 era as well, and in not having any of the the X-Plane 12 dynamics. So I was expecting a big leap forward by Thranda, and I wasn't disappointed.
 

 
It looks amazing...  the X-Plane 12 dynamics really shine in here (pun intended). Everything is controlled via the lighting panel rear console.
 

 
Four Rocker switches have double selections, two have three selections (DOME & Cabin FLOOD). Advisory has DIM and NORM. The four lighting knobs of which three are for the panel lighting work nicely as well. PHL (Panel) has three knob options to reduce the text lighting for either side pilot and the centre console.
 


 
Fourth knob adjusts the lower flood lighting, including the nicely lit side panels and glareshield lighting. All can be turned off for takeoff and landing minimum glare lighting.
 

 
Three way DOME (OFF-50%-100%) switch activates the twin overhead cockpit spots.
 

 
Overall the internal cockpit lighting is a nice bit of kit and very flexible to your tastes.
 
In the cabin, you again have the FLOOD (OFF-50%-100%) selection via the main two lighting strips, and 12 clickable individual READING spot lights that can be focused around. The Reading lights are tricky to switch on via their small central hotspots, but the ALL ON internal lights option is on the menu.
 

 
External Lighting
There are five forward lights in; Taxi and Landing lights on each wheel, and two RECOG (Recognition) lights that can be set to PULSE. WING/ICE light (left side), Strobe, Beacon, Tail Lights and Navigation lights make up an impressive external lighting.
 

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Flying the PC-12/47
This is a three airport flight, Wrangell PAWG to Petersburg PAPG then on to Sitka Rocky Gutierrez PASI, all three airport sceneries are by NorthernSky Studios Scenery, and they with others also cover this whole "Inside Passage" area of Alaska.
 

 
I did the same flight way back when with the Carenado PC-12, so I wanted to revisit the flight in X-Plane 12. So after setting up the aircraft, power on, Baro done, Fuel pumps on, lights set, blinds moved out of the way...  it was time to start the P&W PT6A powerplant...  SimpleSimon, Just put the CONDITION lever to "Flight Idle" (once started you bring it back to "Ground Idle"), "Starter" on, then just press the IGNITION button...
 

 
...  then the Engine Management System (EMS) does all the work, this aircraft also has the Electronic Propeller and Engine Control System (EPECS). EPECS is an advanced engine management system integrated into the PC-12/47’s Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67P engine very similar to FADAC, offering several benefits to simplify engine and propeller management while improving performance and reliability. It uses a single-lever power control that simplifies pilot workload by integrating propeller RPM and engine power into the one control lever.
 
It takes a fair while for the engine to whine (that wonderful familiar PT6A start), and then the turbine speeds up to ignition, then the aircraft comes to life. It's a procedure I love every time I start the PC-12, the startup sounds are quite brilliant as well as Thranda are excellent in sound management. When all the engine parameters are settled, off goes the park brake...
 

 
...  like the Carenado PC-12 it taxis fast, so you need a bit of footwork to keep to a slower taxi speed, bringing back the CONDITION lever to "Ground Idle" helps a little, but it's still a little too fast for me.
 

 
Steers nice, but the high cowling makes the centreline of the runway hard to see, so you taxi a bit to the right to follow it.
 

 
No flightplan here, it's only 31 nautical miles (NM) straight north from Wrangell Airport (PAWG) to Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport (PAPG), I have done it 50 times or more, so no guidance is required.
 

 
This is my second time in the Thranda PC-12/47 from PAWG to PAPG. The first was a very messy flight test flight, the PC-12 was impossible to fly cleanly? Because there is a "Trick" to flying the PC-12...  As the PT6A puts out 1,200 SHP through a single-prop, it produces horrible asymmetric thrust, a pain on takeoff, hell on landing. The trick is to set the rudder trim to the far right (green zone) to counteract the forces, you may need to set an X-Plane key COMMAND to adjust the rudder trim this far right or use the Autotrim.
 

 
It looks odd this far an angle, but it works beautifully were it counts. Flap selection can be either 15º for a Normal Takeoff, or 30º for a Short/Soft Field Takeoff... I select 30º to test the STOL effect.
 

 
Power up with the single throttle T-Bar lever, and the PC-12 pulls quickly away at a 3995 Kg TOW, 4740 Kg is MTOW...   speed builds quickly, but Wrangell's RWY 28 is seriously bumpy, so the trailing link gear and your rudder control are both working overtime...
 

 
At just under 100 kts I hit a massive bump mid-way down the runway, and the PC-12 literally bounces straight into the air without moving the stick? I'm now flying...
 

 
It is the STOL effect at work, but I catch the moment, and pull the PC-12 into a climb of just over 1,200 fpm, Max Climb is 1,920 fpm, and the average is climb out is usually around 1,500 fpm, but I'm not going very high with the short distance to PAPG.
 

 
Kadin Island is directly ahead of you, so you do a slight roll to the right as you climb out out of RWY 28 PAPG, this Thranda PC-12 is excellent for feel and feedback, you are instantly in touch with the machine, be as one from the start.
 

 
I top out at 3,400 ft, to pass both Kadin Island (left) and then Dry Island (right), then reset my altitude to 3,000ft.
 

 
The PC-12 looks sublime in the fading light of the day, this is only a short hop between PAWG and PAPG, but I'm enjoying it immensely, if you feel this good, it must be good. I am now seeing why this aircraft is so revered.
 
PC-12 Service ceiling is around 9,150 m (30,000 ft), with a Power/mass of 3.7 kg/shp (8.2 lb/shp), you have big Range with 0 passengers (Ferry) it's 3,389 km (1,830 nm), full Range with 9 passengers is 2,804 km (1,753 mi) (1,513 nm). From now on it will be a long slow descent into Petersburg.
 

 
You head directly towards the right hand coastline, before angling slowly around Frederick's Point and into PAPG, but this is not the official route into RWY 23, as both LDA (Landing Distance Available) and the RNV approaches demand you arrive only from the Northeast. It is also a tight twist in the final moments into RWY 23.
 
I'm loving this long wide sweeping curve into Petersburg, losing 300 fpm in height, flaps already at 30º, with a speed of 80 kts, it is a slow and graceful approach.
 

 
Gear down and the focus is totally on finding the hidden threshold of RWY 23. Gear sounds are excellent, a very slight "thump", "thump" and "thump"...
 

 
...  from the 700 ft approach down to 500 ft, I'm ready for finals, grinning from ear to ear with a quick glace at the moving shiny water, loving this.
 

 
I was as low a speed as 72 kts as I flared the nose, almost stall speed (67 knts), but I felt a lot of wing support, and only a small drift down, yes I am feeling totally in control, again be aware of the offset rudder trim, and it is again to be set in the green zone, if not you will pull badly to the left on landing, it's nasty believe me. Touch was right on stall...  70 kts. Yes the PT6A will do an extremely powerful reverse thrust (reversible-pitch propeller) here and has that amazing Cessna Caravan howl, but PAPG 05/23 has a long 6400 ft runway, so the RT was not needed here.
 

 
Clean up the PC-12 and head to the terminal area, I'm getting more used to the taxi, but it still feels a little fast, most Thranda's are, fast in the taxi.
 

 
Move into the parking place, and turn off the PT6A-67P by the CONDITION lever, and the wail, like the Cessna Caravan wail, while the engine winds down is so familiar... yes I love it all.
 

 
Early the next morning it was a longer and higher flight out to Sitka. 10,000 ft is only nearly a third the altitude PC-12 can fly high to, at 30,000 ft with pressurization, but FL010 is a nice if perfect altitude to take in one of the greatest flying areas in the world, Alaska's "Inside Passage".
 

 
The trick of the PC-12 is that it is a Turboprop that thinks it is a Light Jet, it flies smooth like a jet, has loads of power, and as noted can even fly higher than most small jets, this executive cabin arrangement adds in to the same role. 
 
The KFC 325 autopilot panel pops out and can be scaled, moved, which is very handy...
 

 
...  but the EFSI Select Panel is awkward to use in the centre of the instrument panel, with the heading knob the furthest away from you, a pop-up panel for this Select panel would be really handy.
 

 
The VVI (KAS297C) is tricky to use if your not familiar with it, the tuning button will switch between Altitude (setting) and V/S (Vertical Speed).
So you set the altitude, then ARM it via the lower button, but where it is odd is that the indicator ARM light goes out and not on when you arm the altitude, which makes it confusing? The V/S is activated by the top button, when you have selected the vertical speed + or -
 

 
The PC-12 is excellent in this cruise mode, just a smudge over 200 kts is fast enough. The ride in the back is not bad either.
 

 
BIORKA ISLAND VORTAC (113.80 BKA) (SITKA) is the official way into PASI from the south, east or west, via a long circuit track.
 

 
You pass waypoints KOYEG, then JETUT, a hard 90º turn to HEXAP situated on the start of the ILS 108.90 ISIT, which takes you into Sitka's SIT Rwy 11.
 

 
I align the aircraft with the ILS beam to find the runway, hidden in the bright low morning light...  the PC-12 is now configured for landing, flaps a full 40º, gear down, trim set (don't forget the rudder trim?), so my approach speed is again a very low 72 knts.
 


 
You forget how good X-Plane 12 is now, brilliant water, bright cascading sunlight... love it.
 

 
I am also now very familiar on the how to do approaches in the PC-12, as slow as you dare go, adjust the throttle to finely keep you airborne, just like landing in slow motion.
 

 
You always need that high flare to rub off the final speed to almost a stall, then glide your way in...   this time I used the powerful reverse thrust, the sounds go up! noisy, but brilliant, and the speed drops off very quickly. Note the CONDITION lever to "Ground Idle"), you have to look at the lever being set correctly from the side, looking straight down it is not aligned correctly.
 


 
And I am now back in Sitka again, and it is so different to the old Carenado days, a far, far better PC-12, and a far better scenery around me....  X-Plane 12 delivers as well, so a great combo all round...
 

 
...  it brings back big memories, but more so this flight has created new one, better ones, than those days that behind us that should now be forgotten, via X-Plane 12, and the excellent Pilatus PC-12.
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Summary
The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine, turboprop aircraft known for its versatility, reliability, and performance. Manufactured by the Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, the PC-12 is widely used for business aviation, medical evacuation, cargo transport, and special missions. It is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft in its class.
 
The Carenado Cessna Caravan was one of the biggest X-Plane GA sellers, the Carenado PC-12 was not far behind, mostly because of that unique and powerful PT6A turbine engine. Thranda's PC-12 now follows their earlier released Cessna Caravan for X-Plane 12,.
 
Daniel Klaue needs no introduction if you have been in X-Plane for a period of time, he is certainly one of the most innovative, and one of the most talented developers out there that, a person that is very highly regarded within the X-Plane Simulator.
 
This PC-12 is a Dan Klaue aircraft, and so you expect tons of ideas and clever features, and certainly the Thanda designs PC-12 does not disappoint in that department. Modeling and detail is absolutely first rate, this is an excellent Pilatus aircraft with a lovely design and high quality. This is a first release in X-Plane 12, and not a conversion from X-Plane 11, it's all new, new.
 
X-Plane 12 textures in 8k (four times the higher resolution than before) it shows of course, but without the framerate hit. The EFB...  Electronic Flight Bag, or the Thranda Tablet is still basically all new as introduced on the PC6, with now with 13 options, and all the pop-out windows are scalable. Flying Dynamics are also completely dynamic for XP12, as is the better LED lighting. Advanced FMOD (2)-based sound system is extensive for XP12, and all of course recorded from a real PC-12 and it's PT6 engine,
 
The innovative menu system "Dynamic Generation Series", in you can create your own instrument panel layout or layouts as up to 14 different layouts of 44 instruments and avionics can be saved with 6 default layouts including a Aspen EFD 1000 with here the KFC 325 autopilot, and the panel is also RealityXP GNS 530W/430W or GTN 750/650 Touch with 3D bezels ready. A huge selection of 32 liveries is still complimented with a feature to create your own colour scheme and livery, then you can save them as well. This aircraft is X-Plane 12 only.
 
Overall you get a huge feature list with a great value price for X-Plane 12, so this is absolutely the perfect PC-12 you always dreamed of. The PC-12 was very much requested, and here it is now available in this very high quality package...    so what more can you ask for!
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Yes! the Pilatus PC-12 DGS Series XP12 by Thranda Design is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Pilatus PC-12 DGS Series XP12
Price is US$44.95
 
Requirements
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 4.1 GB - Download via the Skunkcraft Updater
Current version  1.0 (December 19th 2024)
 
Limited Time Offer: If you own the Carenado PC12 XP11, you can get $10 off this model. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout. Offer ends January 15th 2025 or sooner. We  reserve the right to terminate this offer at any time
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Installation and documents: Download is 4.05Gb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
Installation key is required on start up and is supplied with the purchased download file. Full installation is 7.46Gb (heavy)
 
SkunkCrafts Updater works with the Thranda PC-12, so instant updates are always available.
 
Documents supplied are:
Thranda Pilatus PC12 Manual XP12.pdf
PILATUS PC12 PERFORMANCE.pdf
X-Plane G430 Manual.pdf
X-Plane G530 Manual.pdf
 
A Blank Livery (PNG) of four files are provided for painting. Checklists, setting and loads of Performance graphs are provided in the various manuals
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Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD - Bose Quiet Comfort QC35 Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane Version 12.0.1.3
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- PAWG - Wrangell Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$16.95
- PAPG - Petersburg James Johnson Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$12.00
- PASI - Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$15.00
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Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton 
21st December 2024
Copyright©2024 : X-Plane Reviews 
  
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)
 

Aircraft Review : Pilatus PC-12 DGS by Thranda Design
 
The most successful General Aviation aircraft in the X-Plane Simulator has been the Cessna Caravan, in two forms, first by Carenado, then by Thranda Design. The second most successful aircraft, again by Carenado was the Pilatus PC-12, and there is a link between the two aircraft.
 
Both aircraft use the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine, a small gas turbine engine for Turboprops, that drives the propeller through a reduction gearbox. So it is a very smooth engine with a high power output of 1,200 shp. A bit of trivia, the PT6A engine is actually installed in reverse, with the output connected to the reduction gearbox, then directly to the five-blade, constant-speed, full-feathering, reversible-pitch propeller. So basically you are facing the front of the Turboprop engine.
 
The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine, turboprop aircraft known for its versatility, reliability, and performance. Manufactured by the Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, the PC-12 is widely used for business aviation, medical evacuation, cargo transport, and special missions. It is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft in its class.
 
Like the Cessna Caravan before it, here now is the Pilatus PC-12 from Thranda Design, an aircraft that is always at the top of any serious users Simulation wishlist. The Carenado offering was very good, but honestly I never bonded with it, it was a small thing in the instrument lighting, clunky to fly and it didn't look very realistic, and a couple of other peculiarities. Also X-Plane has come a long way since that Carenado release in April 2015, so here is the PC-12 reimagined by Thranda Design in it's DGS ((Dynamic Generation Series) form.
 

 
The concept for the PC-12 was initiated in the 1980s, following the success of Pilatus’s PC-6 Porter and PC-7/PC-9 trainer aircraft. This was to be a slightly larger aircraft, and Pilatus aimed to create a pressurized, single-engine turboprop aircraft capable of combining passenger, cargo, and utility roles into a single platform. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine was chosen for its reliability and efficiency, and the maiden flight was achieved on May 31, 1991. Its nickname, the “Swiss Army Knife of Aviation.”
The prototype was technically closer in design to the PC-12/41, which was the initial production variant. In 1996, Pilatus upgraded the PC-12 to the PC-12/45 model, increasing the MTOW to 9,920 pounds (4,500 kilograms) without any major structural changes. This version became the standard production model and replaced the PC-12/41, and became known as the PC-12 Standard. This Thranda aircraft is based on the PC-12/47, another slight gain in takeoff weight of 10,450 pounds (4,740 kgs), the performance stays the same even with the higher MTOW.
Thranda Design are already known for their quality and extensive list of features, so you are already expecting a very good looking Pilatus PC-12, but what was not expected...  was how really good this PC-12 really is in the flesh. Maybe we just remember the older aged Careando PC-12, anyway this aircraft just leaps off the screen in quality and detail.... it is without doubt the best looking Thranda aircraft yet.

Modeling is absolutely first rate, nothing even to nit-pick over here, as all the essential detailing is masterly covered. Every detail from vents, latches, aerials and beacons are all covered. Note the beautiful exhaust horns and lovely chrome spinner.

The wings have a straight leading edge with a slightly tapered shape towards the wingtip, and the trailing edge is also tapered, giving the wing a sleek appearance and delivering improving aerodynamics. Then they also only have a moderate sweep angle, the wings are not highly swept back, but angled enough to help with high-speed stability and fuel efficiency. You could call it a modern clean wing.
 

Notable is the right wing bulge, which contains a radar antenna, part of the onboard weather detection system. The system is used to detect precipitation, turbulence, and other weather-related hazards. The curved winglets are really nicely done, the earlier PC-12s had the more squared off wingtips.
Flaps are four positions (0º - 15º - 20º - 40º)...  15º is used for takeoff, and the PC-12 is considered as a STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft, as the 40º setting allows steeper approaches and shorter landings. Flap detail internally is excellent, as the flap tracks are all very aerodynamically pronounced.

Nosewheel is a simple strut leg, fitted with durable, multi-ply tires. Rear gear is trailing-link, and the landing gear is specially designed to handle operations on unpaved, gravel, or grass strips, also reduce debris damage during takeoff and landing. The Landing gear and airframe components are also upgraded for durability under heavier loads in the heavier 12/47 we have here.
 

Quality and detail of the wheel and strut assembly is expertly done, and all three wheels have built in taxi and landing lights.
Glass is very good, tinted on the main cockpit windows, and all the glass comes with nice reflections (that can be turned off).

External Static Elements
The Thranda PC-12 has a nice selection of external Static Elements, including; Chocks (rear wheels), Engine inlet and exhaust covers, Tags, Pitot covers, Tiedowns and a support stand. GPU (Ground Power Unit), and both opening doors (forward and large rear left cargo door).
 

 
Cabin
Up into the aircraft....
 

....  the cabin layout is in an "Executive" style of only six seats, with the forward seats set in a "Club" style. In a commuter or charter cabin configuration, you can have installed in here 10 seats (single-pilot). Forward area has a very nice mahogany wood grain on the wardrobe and small buffet.

The passenger seats are excellent, HUGE, cushy, with lovely ripples showing off the leather, the orange headrests are a nice touch as well (in Executive cabins Orange seems to be the current trend lately), the rear of the seat also can be laid back. There are two (animated) tables, one with the set of left club seats, and another on the single left rear seat.

Fine (lovely) window shades are also all individually animated...

...   Lighting and Air-Vent fixtures are exquisite, animated as well for movement, to turn on you press the centre of the lamp. Rear cargo hold is covered by a lovely blue netting with chrome rings, everything is done in here with a fine eye for detail.
Cockpit
Through the slight gap and your in the very tight cockpit, it looks small and it feels very intimate.
 

Although not a full glass cockpit with big display panels, it still feels very modern by it's layout and instruments. Extremely well done here, it has a great look and comes with a realistic avionic feel by Thranda Design.
The seats are set right up against the bulkhead highlighting the small space, they are very nice with their sheepskin covers, and the armrests can all be lifted and hidden away behind the seat.

Control yokes are excellent and realistically worn, and come with Electric Trim, PTT (working Push-To-Talk) button, and also a disconnect AP (Autopilot) button, you can hide the yokes individually, via the hot-spot on the rear.

Main electrical and lighting overhead panel (OHP) is still marginally obstructed by the pull down shades, so you have to move them to access certain parts of the switchgear, I found to move the shades right out of the way to the side, because they became quite annoying every time you wanted to access the lighting switch gear.

The armrests hide the throttle which in turn hides the condition/feather lever (in one) of which you use a lot, thankfully the armrests can be moved up here to get access. There are more rocker lighting switches for panel, cockpit and cabin lighting on the rear of the pedestal with four extra adjustment knobs, The flap selection lever is of 0º - 15º - 30º and 40º of flap, and the flap indicator is positioned in the very top left of the pilots panel.
 
Honestly you won't find this layout much different from the Carenado PC-12 version, you even have the same rudder pedal adjustment, via the nice winder.
 

 
Power on...   and voltages will change with any power selections! On the OHP many of the switches have a double function as in the first right switch turns the item on and you then select the choice by the second switch for two selections. It is very easy to use once you understand the functionality.
 

 
Earlier generation PC-12s had either the Honeywell Primus Apex or Bendix/King Avionics. Here it is the Bendix/King KFC 325 Digital/Electronic Flight Control System panel (EFIS). The EFIS takes in two of the six standard flight instruments in the upper "EADI" ((Electronic Attitude Director Indicator) and the lower "EHSI" (Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator).
 
The others are the Airspeed, Altitude, Vertical Speed  (V/S) and RMI (Radio Magnetic Indicator). There is a backup CDI (Course deviation indicator) but that is also built into the EFIS and two other backup instruments in another Artificial Horizon and Altitude dials and AFD direction finder. Co-Pilot's side is the same EFIS standard six layout without the backup dials.
 
Center panel top under the extensive deep glareshield is the excellent Benedix/King KFC 325 Digital/Electronic Flight Control System (EFIS) and the autopilot panel pops out. Next to the autopilot is the GARMIN GMA 340 Radio Comms Panel. Your ADF unit is the standard KR 87T50 Bendex/King ADF receiver. Note the large Radar Altimeter far right lower.
 
The KFC 325 is in four sections, EADI/EHSI, VVI (KAS297C), Autopilot Panel (KMC 321) and EFSI Select Panel. The centrally positioned EFIS Select Panel has a lot of features, with Course, DH (Decision Height) and ADF (1-2) / VOR (1-2) pointers built into the EFIS display. You can also switch from the HSI to ARC mode view as well.
 

 
The focal point of any PC-12 is the central EIS (Engine Indication System) which complements the EHSI by offering an integrated view of flight data and engine performance on the MFD. It displays; Torque, ITT (Inter-Turbine Temperature), Ng (Gas Generator Speed), Np (Propeller RPM), OAT, Fuel - Quantity x 2, FL(ow) H(our), Used and ENDUR (Endurance). GEN 1/GEN 2  Voltage and Current (Amperage), Date and Time. Engine Oil Temperature and Pressure. The EIS can also be tested. It pops out here as a window, can be scaled and moved anywhere on the screen.
 

 
In fact any instrument can be popped out, scaled and moved under the DGS system.
 
48 visible Annunciator lights cover Caution and Warning alerts, the panel pops out and you can test the system and the OHP annunciator lights via the button far left top on the OHP.
 

 
This Instrument layout does not cover all of the DGS options, that aspect is covered in the menus. But this layout would be considered the PC-12 default setup.
 
There are banks of Fuses/Circuit Beakers on each side wall panel, and every one is active and can be used.
 

 
Menu/Tablet
Since the last Thranda release of the PC-6 Turbo Porter, included was a new feature of built in EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) or Tablet and combined also with the menu.
 
The iPad/Tablet can be used in the aircraft. There is a brown circular patch on the window, if you press the hot-spot, then the IPad/Tablet will appear, if you press the rear sucker cup, then it will also disappear...   and the same tablet is also attached to the right hand side window.
 

 
The iPad/Tablet can be tilt adjusted via the top edge, but not too far in movement as the window's glass gets in the way, but there is also far more movement in here than with the PC-6 installation.
 

 
Menu layout is the same as the PC-6 with 13 icons to choose from; Aircraft Options, Weight & Balance, INSTR Options, Panel Editor, Static Liveries, DYNAFEEL, Log Book, Checklist, Ground Handling, Dynamic Liveries, Flight Computer, Equipment and AviTab...   at the bottom is a "Brightness" slider 0% to 100%.
 

 
The side Arrow window tab is still there, and so it still does have the same pop-up menu for external use.
 

 
Aircraft Options
This page menu is also changed from the earlier Thranda "General" selection, but the options and the layout stays the same, the layout is still as highly detailed and as very comprehensive as before in the General tab.
 

 
Three selections cover group items, but any one item via "Click Spots" can be individually selected or hidden via the aircraft graphic.
 
"ALL COVERS" will select engine inlet/outlet covers and pitot cover, "ALL TIE-DOWNS" for propeller and wing tie-downs and "ALL DOORS" for the main cabin door and the rear Cargo  door, sadly there is no PT6A engine reveal like on the PC-6, however the engine can be set into two modes...  SIMPLIFIED or REALISTIC
 
In Simplified mode the engine will automatically limit the engine to remain below the maximum torque of 47.3 psi. In Realistic mode it will be up to the pilot to avoid exceeding the engine limitations. The propeller gearbox or propeller shaft can break if the torque limit is exceeded by a certain margin, resulting in engine failure and smoke in the cabin (the smoke can be cleared by pulling the firewall air shutoff control closed).
 
Other Aircraft Options menu selections cover; Window and Instrument Panel Reflections on/off, Startup Running on/off, GPU (Ground Power Unit), Chocks and Brakes on/off. There is a Steering SIMPIFIED or REALISTIC, but the PC-12 is not a taildragger, (this option locks the tailwheel) so an odd addition? All EXT - External Lights can be switched on and off as can ALL INT - Internal lights. The individual lights can also be accessed on the aircraft graphic.
 
The Electric Tug on the nosewheel, movement is controlled via your joystick and rudder pedals (yaw).
 

 
Weight & Balance
The PC-12 has the same intricate great "Weight and Balance" menu as earlier Thanda aircraft. Weights are in both Lbs and Kgs, which can be selected via the toggle...
 

 
Pilot, passengers and cargo can all be set for their individual weights (scroll), and the CofG (Centre of Gravity) parameters are all shown on a graph and with a marker on the aircraft of it's physical CofG, when done you can SAVE the configuration and later reload it.
 

 
INSTR Options
Next menu item is your "Instrument Option" menu page. There are four options available; GPS #1 Popup (GNS 530), GPS #2 Popup (GNS 430), KFC 325 Autopilot Popup, all again are scalable. And there is also the option to change the Baro Units from mb to inhg.
 

 
Panel Editor
"Panel Editor"...  is part of the Thranda featured "Dynamic Generation Series", More about the DGS Series
 

 
The Thranda PC-12 can be highly customised in two areas to suit your taste. First in Dynamic Panel, as there is no default instrument setup, in the Pilatus as you can customise the panel to suit your own flying preferences. In the iPad/Tablet configuration the screen space is now far larger than the old "Panel" Menu. This is good, because as some of the small access zones in the menu before tended to overlap each over, so you always found yourself adjusting (scrolling) the wrong item.
 
Top row of options are 2 different panel backgrounds, here in KFC 325 or G1000 with three display screens. (Note all options can be mouse scrolled). There are other panel options of which we can see later.
 

 
The "Dynamic" in the panel is another featured DGS. Besides having different custom panel configurations, you can also customise the instrument panel by selecting "ENABLE 3D PANEL EDIT MODE". This will highlight the available instruments you can change in green.
 

 
Selecting an instrument via the "INDIV INST" (Individual Instrument) and "ACTIVE INSTRUMENT", it will highlight the instrument you want to say, move to another place or to adjust items position on the Instrument Panel...  There is however a slightly different adjustment system now in being used here, arrows in a cross.
They will now allow you to adjust the depth (in/out), angle up/down or left/right, besides using the smaller white arrows to move the item around the panel in again up/down or left/right.
 

 
You can also add in tools and instrument features of 52 different items, and these items also includes the Aspen EFD 1000 avionics.
 

 
Alpine Avionics Evolution
Part of the options available is the EFD 1000 which is a self-contained multifunction digital display that is divided into a Primary Flight Display (PFD) in the top half, and an Electric Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI) in the lower half. As EDF 1000 systems go it is not a highly featured system, with the GPSS, MAP,  360 and Menu functions all not simulated, but the display does pop-out...  It works of course with the KFC 325 Autopilot.
 
Basically you can also start with a completely blank panel and then create your own unique or personal instrument layout...   and can have up to, or can save 14 different panel layouts (presets), and with the Reality GTN 750 as shown here.
 

 
Static Liveries
There are nine provided liveries, one extra is noted as "DYNAMICLIVERYRESOURCES", this is the space on the menu for the custom DGS livery for ease of selection. A dedicated NGX and Pilatus House is also included.
"ZZTEMPLATELIVERY" liveries is now missing as the DGS system has been more refined, it is now more smoother and the long wait pause times have been reduced.
 

 
You can adjust the "Dirt" 0% to 100% by scrolling the number...  for a clean or dirty aircraft.
 

 
DYNAFEEL
 

 
"DynaFeel" is a system that dynamically adjusts the rate at which the controls deflect, in Pitch, Roll and Yaw. It is based on airspeed and how much the control's are deflected. This means the controls will feel light and responsive at low speeds and with some small deflections, but will get progressively heavier as the airspeed increases.
 
Logbook
This is one feature adopted from the JustFlight Menu. This Icon will just show the X-Plane Logbook window.
 

 
Checklist
A 35 page checklist is very comprehensive set in the iPad/Tablet. Navigation is via the lower left/right arrows, or you can scroll the pages via the centre box bottom. The Checklist will also pop-out into a scalable window, to make the list available anywhere in the cockpit....  You tick off the list one-by-one (green), but there is no default to clear the list in one click?
 

 
Ground Handling
This option just views the X-Plane default "Ground Handling" window. if you prefer that tool over the Thranda electric tug.
 

 
Dynamic Liveries
Earlier we saw the available "Static Liveries". Here you can actually design your own livery and save the livery.
 

 
You have a menu to select on the right that can colour a certain part of the aircraft, like the Roof, Wing, Tail or Wing tips. Select which one you want and then adjust (scroll) the RGB colours for that area. Other options include changing the Registration of the aircraft and putting the "Pilatus" logo under the cockpit window. It looks hard but you can easily design a very nice livery in about twenty minutes...
 

 
...  when done you can "Save" (Add) the livery and then "APPLY" it to the aircraft. When you apply the livery the screen will then freeze for a few minutes, and then go a bit weird? as the DGS processes the livery. The results are however excellent.
 

 
A note...  if the created livery does not appear correctly? Then go to the Static Liveries and select "Apply", then go back to the created Dynamic Livery and do it again, this time it should create the livery you wanted.
 

 
A feature is the (Quick) selection of Dirt via percentage selections you can adjust the amount of Dirt, Scratches and Dirt Int on the aircraft (0%-255%) and apply it instantly. So you can have either a pristine or a very grubby aircraft with just a twirl of the numbers. Also changes can can be made to the Metal or Rough surfaces, this can be applied to any of the liveries. Note you can apply the same Dirt and Scratches onto any of the Static Liveries directly via that particular menu.
 
There are 31 pre-installed Dynamic liveries to choose from, and you can save as many custom ideas as you want (within reason).
 
Flight Computer
Another new feature from the JustFlight menu. This shows you your current aircraft data including; OAT, GS (Ground Speed), Endurance, Range, NMPG/SMPG, Altitude, TAS (speed), Fuel Flow, Fuel Used, Headwind (knts) and Crosswind (Knts). Both units in Metric or Imperial are also available.... and you can reset the fuel burn.
 

 
Equipment
Under the "Equipment" Icon you have several items as external options, these items were originally under the MISC tab. There are two "Equipment" options, Recog (Recognition) Lights. This option makes the outer under wing lights "pulse" or not.
 

 
You can select either a "Female" Pilot (Mrs Klaue) or a "Male" Pilot (Mr Klaue)
 
 

AviTab
AviTab is a PDF viewer, Airport info, METAR info and ILS frequencies information tool, it also has a moving map that supports online maps and offline maps, Navigraph integration in that you can link your Navigraph account and see the charts right in the cockpit. In the PC-12 the Avitab is available in both the 3D tablet and a scalable pop-out window.
 

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Internal Lighting
I was not very taken with the PC-12 Carenado lighting, it looked over saturated and not very realistic, it was the X-Plane 10/11 era as well, and in not having any of the the X-Plane 12 dynamics. So I was expecting a big leap forward by Thranda, and I wasn't disappointed.
 

 
It looks amazing...  the X-Plane 12 dynamics really shine in here (pun intended). Everything is controlled via the lighting panel rear console.
 

 
Four Rocker switches have double selections, two have three selections (DOME & Cabin FLOOD). Advisory has DIM and NORM. The four lighting knobs of which three are for the panel lighting work nicely as well. PHL (Panel) has three knob options to reduce the text lighting for either side pilot and the centre console.
 


 
Fourth knob adjusts the lower flood lighting, including the nicely lit side panels and glareshield lighting. All can be turned off for takeoff and landing minimum glare lighting.
 

 
Three way DOME (OFF-50%-100%) switch activates the twin overhead cockpit spots.
 

 
Overall the internal cockpit lighting is a nice bit of kit and very flexible to your tastes.
 
In the cabin, you again have the FLOOD (OFF-50%-100%) selection via the main two lighting strips, and 12 clickable individual READING spot lights that can be focused around. The Reading lights are tricky to switch on via their small central hotspots, but the ALL ON internal lights option is on the menu.
 

 
External Lighting
There are five forward lights in; Taxi and Landing lights on each wheel, and two RECOG (Recognition) lights that can be set to PULSE. WING/ICE light (left side), Strobe, Beacon, Tail Lights and Navigation lights make up an impressive external lighting.
 

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Flying the PC-12/47
This is a three airport flight, Wrangell PAWG to Petersburg PAPG then on to Sitka Rocky Gutierrez PASI, all three airport sceneries are by NorthernSky Studios Scenery, and they with others also cover this whole "Inside Passage" area of Alaska.
 

 
I did the same flight way back when with the Carenado PC-12, so I wanted to revisit the flight in X-Plane 12. So after setting up the aircraft, power on, Baro done, Fuel pumps on, lights set, blinds moved out of the way...  it was time to start the P&W PT6A powerplant...  SimpleSimon, Just put the CONDITION lever to "Flight Idle" (once started you bring it back to "Ground Idle"), "Starter" on, then just press the IGNITION button...
 

 
...  then the Engine Management System (EMS) does all the work, this aircraft also has the Electronic Propeller and Engine Control System (EPECS). EPECS is an advanced engine management system integrated into the PC-12/47’s Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67P engine very similar to FADAC, offering several benefits to simplify engine and propeller management while improving performance and reliability. It uses a single-lever power control that simplifies pilot workload by integrating propeller RPM and engine power into the one control lever.
 
It takes a fair while for the engine to whine (that wonderful familiar PT6A start), and then the turbine speeds up to ignition, then the aircraft comes to life. It's a procedure I love every time I start the PC-12, the startup sounds are quite brilliant as well as Thranda are excellent in sound management. When all the engine parameters are settled, off goes the park brake...
 

 
...  like the Carenado PC-12 it taxis fast, so you need a bit of footwork to keep to a slower taxi speed, bringing back the CONDITION lever to "Ground Idle" helps a little, but it's still a little too fast for me.
 

 
Steers nice, but the high cowling makes the centreline of the runway hard to see, so you taxi a bit to the right to follow it.
 

 
No flightplan here, it's only 31 nautical miles (NM) straight north from Wrangell Airport (PAWG) to Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport (PAPG), I have done it 50 times or more, so no guidance is required.
 

 
This is my second time in the Thranda PC-12/47 from PAWG to PAPG. The first was a very messy flight test flight, the PC-12 was impossible to fly cleanly? Because there is a "Trick" to flying the PC-12...  As the PT6A puts out 1,200 SHP through a single-prop, it produces horrible asymmetric thrust, a pain on takeoff, hell on landing. The trick is to set the rudder trim to the far right (green zone) to counteract the forces, you may need to set an X-Plane key COMMAND to adjust the rudder trim this far right or use the Autotrim.
 

 
It looks odd this far an angle, but it works beautifully were it counts. Flap selection can be either 15º for a Normal Takeoff, or 30º for a Short/Soft Field Takeoff... I select 30º to test the STOL effect.
 

 
Power up with the single throttle T-Bar lever, and the PC-12 pulls quickly away at a 3995 Kg TOW, 4740 Kg is MTOW...   speed builds quickly, but Wrangell's RWY 28 is seriously bumpy, so the trailing link gear and your rudder control are both working overtime...
 

 
At just under 100 kts I hit a massive bump mid-way down the runway, and the PC-12 literally bounces straight into the air without moving the stick? I'm now flying...
 

 
It is the STOL effect at work, but I catch the moment, and pull the PC-12 into a climb of just over 1,200 fpm, Max Climb is 1,920 fpm, and the average is climb out is usually around 1,500 fpm, but I'm not going very high with the short distance to PAPG.
 

 
Kadin Island is directly ahead of you, so you do a slight roll to the right as you climb out out of RWY 28 PAPG, this Thranda PC-12 is excellent for feel and feedback, you are instantly in touch with the machine, be as one from the start.
 

 
I top out at 3,400 ft, to pass both Kadin Island (left) and then Dry Island (right), then reset my altitude to 3,000ft.
 

 
The PC-12 looks sublime in the fading light of the day, this is only a short hop between PAWG and PAPG, but I'm enjoying it immensely, if you feel this good, it must be good. I am now seeing why this aircraft is so revered.
 
PC-12 Service ceiling is around 9,150 m (30,000 ft), with a Power/mass of 3.7 kg/shp (8.2 lb/shp), you have big Range with 0 passengers (Ferry) it's 3,389 km (1,830 nm), full Range with 9 passengers is 2,804 km (1,753 mi) (1,513 nm). From now on it will be a long slow descent into Petersburg.
 

 
You head directly towards the right hand coastline, before angling slowly around Frederick's Point and into PAPG, but this is not the official route into RWY 23, as both LDA (Landing Distance Available) and the RNV approaches demand you arrive only from the Northeast. It is also a tight twist in the final moments into RWY 23.
 
I'm loving this long wide sweeping curve into Petersburg, losing 300 fpm in height, flaps already at 30º, with a speed of 80 kts, it is a slow and graceful approach.
 

 
Gear down and the focus is totally on finding the hidden threshold of RWY 23. Gear sounds are excellent, a very slight "thump", "thump" and "thump"...
 

 
...  from the 700 ft approach down to 500 ft, I'm ready for finals, grinning from ear to ear with a quick glace at the moving shiny water, loving this.
 

 
I was as low a speed as 72 kts as I flared the nose, almost stall speed (67 knts), but I felt a lot of wing support, and only a small drift down, yes I am feeling totally in control, again be aware of the offset rudder trim, and it is again to be set in the green zone, if not you will pull badly to the left on landing, it's nasty believe me. Touch was right on stall...  70 kts. Yes the PT6A will do an extremely powerful reverse thrust (reversible-pitch propeller) here and has that amazing Cessna Caravan howl, but PAPG 05/23 has a long 6400 ft runway, so the RT was not needed here.
 

 
Clean up the PC-12 and head to the terminal area, I'm getting more used to the taxi, but it still feels a little fast, most Thranda's are, fast in the taxi.
 

 
Move into the parking place, and turn off the PT6A-67P by the CONDITION lever, and the wail, like the Cessna Caravan wail, while the engine winds down is so familiar... yes I love it all.
 

 
Early the next morning it was a longer and higher flight out to Sitka. 10,000 ft is only nearly a third the altitude PC-12 can fly high to, at 30,000 ft with pressurization, but FL010 is a nice if perfect altitude to take in one of the greatest flying areas in the world, Alaska's "Inside Passage".
 

 
The trick of the PC-12 is that it is a Turboprop that thinks it is a Light Jet, it flies smooth like a jet, has loads of power, and as noted can even fly higher than most small jets, this executive cabin arrangement adds in to the same role. 
 
The KFC 325 autopilot panel pops out and can be scaled, moved, which is very handy...
 

 
...  but the EFSI Select Panel is awkward to use in the centre of the instrument panel, with the heading knob the furthest away from you, a pop-up panel for this Select panel would be really handy.
 

 
The VVI (KAS297C) is tricky to use if your not familiar with it, the tuning button will switch between Altitude (setting) and V/S (Vertical Speed).
So you set the altitude, then ARM it via the lower button, but where it is odd is that the indicator ARM light goes out and not on when you arm the altitude, which makes it confusing? The V/S is activated by the top button, when you have selected the vertical speed + or -
 

 
The PC-12 is excellent in this cruise mode, just a smudge over 200 kts is fast enough. The ride in the back is not bad either.
 

 
BIORKA ISLAND VORTAC (113.80 BKA) (SITKA) is the official way into PASI from the south, east or west, via a long circuit track.
 

 
You pass waypoints KOYEG, then JETUT, a hard 90º turn to HEXAP situated on the start of the ILS 108.90 ISIT, which takes you into Sitka's SIT Rwy 11.
 

 
I align the aircraft with the ILS beam to find the runway, hidden in the bright low morning light...  the PC-12 is now configured for landing, flaps a full 40º, gear down, trim set (don't forget the rudder trim?), so my approach speed is again a very low 72 knts.
 


 
You forget how good X-Plane 12 is now, brilliant water, bright cascading sunlight... love it.
 

 
I am also now very familiar on the how to do approaches in the PC-12, as slow as you dare go, adjust the throttle to finely keep you airborne, just like landing in slow motion.
 

 
You always need that high flare to rub off the final speed to almost a stall, then glide your way in...   this time I used the powerful reverse thrust, the sounds go up! noisy, but brilliant, and the speed drops off very quickly. Note the CONDITION lever to "Ground Idle"), you have to look at the lever being set correctly from the side, looking straight down it is not aligned correctly.
 


 
And I am now back in Sitka again, and it is so different to the old Carenado days, a far, far better PC-12, and a far better scenery around me....  X-Plane 12 delivers as well, so a great combo all round...
 

 
...  it brings back big memories, but more so this flight has created new one, better ones, than those days that behind us that should now be forgotten, via X-Plane 12, and the excellent Pilatus PC-12.
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Summary
The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine, turboprop aircraft known for its versatility, reliability, and performance. Manufactured by the Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, the PC-12 is widely used for business aviation, medical evacuation, cargo transport, and special missions. It is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft in its class.
 
The Carenado Cessna Caravan was one of the biggest X-Plane GA sellers, the Carenado PC-12 was not far behind, mostly because of that unique and powerful PT6A turbine engine. Thranda's PC-12 now follows their earlier released Cessna Caravan for X-Plane 12,.
 
Daniel Klaue needs no introduction if you have been in X-Plane for a period of time, he is certainly one of the most innovative, and one of the most talented developers out there that, a person that is very highly regarded within the X-Plane Simulator.
 
This PC-12 is a Dan Klaue aircraft, and so you expect tons of ideas and clever features, and certainly the Thanda designs PC-12 does not disappoint in that department. Modeling and detail is absolutely first rate, this is an excellent Pilatus aircraft with a lovely design and high quality. This is a first release in X-Plane 12, and not a conversion from X-Plane 11, it's all new, new.
 
X-Plane 12 textures in 8k (four times the higher resolution than before) it shows of course, but without the framerate hit. The EFB...  Electronic Flight Bag, or the Thranda Tablet is still basically all new as introduced on the PC6, with now with 13 options, and all the pop-out windows are scalable. Flying Dynamics are also completely dynamic for XP12, as is the better LED lighting. Advanced FMOD (2)-based sound system is extensive for XP12, and all of course recorded from a real PC-12 and it's PT6 engine,
 
The innovative menu system "Dynamic Generation Series", in you can create your own instrument panel layout or layouts as up to 14 different layouts of 44 instruments and avionics can be saved with 6 default layouts including a Aspen EFD 1000 with here the KFC 325 autopilot, and the panel is also RealityXP GNS 530W/430W or GTN 750/650 Touch with 3D bezels ready. A huge selection of 32 liveries is still complimented with a feature to create your own colour scheme and livery, then you can save them as well. This aircraft is X-Plane 12 only.
 
Overall you get a huge feature list with a great value price for X-Plane 12, so this is absolutely the perfect PC-12 you always dreamed of. The PC-12 was very much requested, and here it is now available in this very high quality package...    so what more can you ask for!
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Yes! the Pilatus PC-12 DGS Series XP12 by Thranda Design is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
Pilatus PC-12 DGS Series XP12
Price is US$44.95
 
Requirements
Windows, Mac or Linux
8 GB VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 4.1 GB - Download via the Skunkcraft Updater
Current version  1.0 (December 19th 2024)
 
Limited Time Offer: If you own the Carenado PC12 XP11, you can get $10 off this model. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout. Offer ends January 15th 2025 or sooner. We  reserve the right to terminate this offer at any time
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Installation and documents: Download is 4.05Gb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.
Installation key is required on start up and is supplied with the purchased download file. Full installation is 7.46Gb (heavy)
 
SkunkCrafts Updater works with the Thranda PC-12, so instant updates are always available.
 
Documents supplied are:
Thranda Pilatus PC12 Manual XP12.pdf
PILATUS PC12 PERFORMANCE.pdf
X-Plane G430 Manual.pdf
X-Plane G530 Manual.pdf
 
A Blank Livery (PNG) of four files are provided for painting. Checklists, setting and loads of Performance graphs are provided in the various manuals
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Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD - Bose Quiet Comfort QC35 Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane Version 12.0.1.3
Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99
Scenery or Aircraft
- PAWG - Wrangell Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$16.95
- PAPG - Petersburg James Johnson Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$12.00
- PASI - Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Alaska by NorthernSkyStudio (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$15.00
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Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton 
21st December 2024
Copyright©2024 : X-Plane Reviews 
  
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)
 

Behind the Screen : Year in Review 2024
 
Rereading back through my Behind the Screen edition in November 2023, I was obviously not a happy bunny. Frustrated after a long development year, that had gone backwards AND forwards, and at even one point the simulator hadn't even worked at all...  I was a bit of all over it. Someone suggested I go on holiday, so I did, for two weeks around the Pacific on a very nice cruise ship in February. It summed up the year I wanted to forget.
 
Laminar Research had also reached the same conclusion in 2023, with the Vulkan/Metal API transition also causing their own long term frustration, it coincided with the climbing high pressure outside from the MSFS 2020 juggernaut, the powers that be in South Carolina knew that something had to change and quickly, the price of X-Plane changed first, then later came a complete reset.
 
Laminar Research
The first X-Plane release came very, very early in 2024, 4th January in fact, with the release v12.09. This was a small global scenery update. In that the scenery had been re-rendered with slight improvements, but for the users it was a 86Gb download. Although Laminar had already announced that there would be a new X-Plane release numbering system for 2024. Then there was also the major shock at the X-Plane Simulator Developer's conference in Montreal 4th of February 2024, that the Simulator was getting built in Store like with Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2020/24.
 
The sudden announcement did not at all unite the developers to the Laminar cause, in fact it totally divided the conference, and in itself created a rolling discontent amongst the attendees, certainly when the news hit the forums, then all sorts of comments came out. The problem stems from the fact that the X-Plane.OrgStore provides the support for the X-Plane.Org, this X-PlaneReviews site depends on the .OrgStore for review product as well, so moving the monetary support from the .Org to Laminar's store would seriously upset the current delicate balance in the Simulator. Obviously a reaction to MSFS, but could the change do more damage to X-Plane than do actual good? like they say, "don't takeaway the hands that feeds you". To date the Laminar Store has currently still not gone live, and is still in development, so that aspect will have a big bearing on 2025.
 
The X-Plane's reset came with the release of the new numbering system release of v12.1.0 in mid-May. It also came with a fancy introduction page of new features, including a focus on Graphics with; Cloud shadows on water, Bloom lighting effects and finally RCAS (Robust Contrast Adaptive Sharpening), more changes included Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA) Improvements for the badly needed anti-aliasing improvements, and the MSAA resolution is now photometrically correct. The results were sensational, and it was the reset that X-Plane had badly needed.
 
The June 21-23, FlightExpo 2024 in Las Vegas was only a few weeks later...  there was a spring in the Laminar Research step, but the seminar was only 14 min long, not the usual hour or so. But they did produce a worthy presentation with both Austin and Ben (Supnik) both in attendance this year. Although MSFS had already announced FS2024 a year before, they again paraded out a long list of features that started to feel implausible, a lot again stolen from X-Plane. But the conference was a great success for Laminar, and in fact over 80% of the attendees were running X-Plane from boxes, as Microsoft couldn't stream well from the conference center.
 
Websockets was installed, and also announced as coming is "Synthetic Vision" for the G1000, with features of Terrain/Water, Obstacles, Navigation Aids and better performance. It all looks very comprehensive, plus weather radar is also coming. But the default G1000 was the main avionic focus for upgrades this year in avionics.
 
The next X-Plane update released 18th July was a minor one in v12.1.1. Basically it was a revision of the Graphics Core Engine to improve stability, this was then followed by v12.1.2 or the "Caribbean Update"...  which almost a direct ripoff of MSFS "World Updates", which showed us again of where now the mindset of Laminar Research is going, and to what market the X-Plane Simulator is in wanting to in being pitched to. But it was again a very successful update with heavy ships, five leisure watercraft, including Austin Meyer being chased by sharks...  to highlight the Caribbean release, three airports and destinations were also included; Princess Juliana International Airport at Sint Maarten, Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport on the island of Saba and the famous short sloping runway at Gustaf II Airport on the island of Saint Barthélemy, or St. Barth’s. At this point you really felt the X-Plane 12 v2.0 reset feeling, X-Plane was very smooth and reliable, with great features and refinements being added consistently.
 
November 15, 2024 saw the release of v12.1.3, currently the last for the year with a massive update for the ATC (Air Traffic Control), Sounds, more weather improvements, A.I. Aircraft, MAP changes and the introduction of an X-Plane Identity (relating to the store). On the Oct 31, 2024, Ben Supnik (X-Plane head developer) gave an excellent idea of the future X-Plane roadmap, mostly set around the NGS (New Generation Scenery) that is currently in development, and it is the most important factor if Laminar want to compete with Microsoft in Flight Simulation. The results should be excellent, but a release date is still not announced, but it really did end the year of a major high for Laminar Research after the disastrous 2023, it was a truly excellent return to form, and a solid and reliable Simulator to boot...   they really did good this 2024 year, but that Store announcement looms over the Simulator like a black cloud?
 
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2022/2024
First is "Why is this here in an X-Plane site?". Because it is a reference between the Simulators, and the gap between them still grew immensely wide over the year 2024. As the barrage continued, and the anticipation grew over the release of MSFS 2024, it started to get all a bit frantic, in hype and expectations.
 
Obviously there were gazillions of weekly and monthly Development Updates from Asobo Studios, and aircraft and scenery releases were piling on to the platform everyday...  is it sustainable? MSFS 2020 started the year with World Update XVI of the Caribbean (Surely not!), followed by Southwest Germany in April, City Update VII European Cities II came in late May. On June 9th Microsoft announced the "Take to the Skies" on November 19th 2024 as the release date of MSFS2024, that was reinforced by a 95 minutes talkathon and Q&A comment period at the Las Vegas Expo late June, again a lot of more expanded features were announced for the MSFS 2024 release, would all this actually work? To coincide with the Vegas Expo, Asobo released City update Vlll Las Vegas (Laminar put their name on the Las Vegas strip!).
 
City Update lX Northeastern United States came late July, also in July came the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, so another World Update XVII for the United Kingdom and Ireland regions to coincide was released. World update XVIII came in the middle of August for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There was an Aircraft and Avionics Update 3 released 1st October...  but from then on the focus for Microsoft/Asobo was on the release of MSFS 2024.
 
Default Aircraft released for FS2020 in 2024, were the Bell 47J Ranger, Dornier Do 31, C.7 Skyvan, Douglas C-47D Skytrain & Waco CG-4A, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Westland Scout & Wasp, Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor and the Boeing 707-320C.
 
The release on November 19th 2024 of the new wonderkind Microsoft version 2024, was probably one of the worst releases of any Simulator platform, and that even includes X-Plane. To say it was a huge is debacle is an understatement. Millions tried to log on and stream, mostly for everyone it didn't work, then the servers crashed. After a few days you could get access, but users were then finding then that most areas were not either loading or working at all to their satisfaction, plus the huge restrictions on actually getting access. FS 2024 is now working, but MSFS 2024 will take well into the New Year to be anything if a reliable Simulator, I noted the MSFS year as an "Overreach" and called that statement out mid-year.
 
Trends of the year
The X-Plane 11 to 12 transitions petered out about mid-year. These aircraft are a blessing and curse. A blessing is in that you get your favorite aircraft upgraded for X-Plane 12. But also a curse in that they take developers away from new projects, so there isn't really a lot of new aircraft coming to market (2023 was horrible for new releases). At this point most if all of the transitions are now done, including the huge vSkyLabs catalogue. The scenery transitions still have a longer way to go, but Aerosoft have been finally busy also in getting through the long list. Nice has been the introduction of lately new developers in both aircraft and scenery to the scene.
The other trend of converting old X-Plane 11 aircraft (mostly Carenado) to X-Plane 12 has been vibrant as well, so a lot of loved Simulations should survive to X-Plane 12, as was the Ortho4XP crowd. As noted above, Laminar Research reset their year in a more modern Flight Sim feel and look, and overall that experience has delivered great benefits, also quicker and faster updates saw changes to the X-Plane face, these aspects were long overdue.
 
Aircraft
We knew coming into 2024 that FlightFactor Aero would dominate the year with their colossal Boeing 777-200 V2 Ultimate, and deep and massive it was. But the release was slightly dulled by the launch process. First with long and an invitation only Alpha access, then and still currently the B777V2 it is still in a public release Beta access. It is a standard bearer machine for the X-Plane Simulator, even for Simulation itself. But dense it is, actually not in the flying aspect, which is sensational, but in the long list of features and the biggest EFB Tablet you could struggle to manage. So it is study aircraft of deep immersion...  I am expecting the B777F Freighter to be the next variant from FlightFactor.
 
Flight Procedures Simulation released the Embraer E-190 as a follow on from the excellent E-195 of 2023, again a great price to feature ratio.
In July Peters Aircraft upgraded the Airbus A380-842 to X-Plane12, a hybrid of old planemaker and a new fuselage. it was nice to have the A380 back, but it's age factor is still built in there, restricting the Airbus for what it could be. Later in the year the other A380 engine versions were released for free as part of the same package.
 
The sensational E-Jet Family was updated to v1.1.0 by X-Crafts (the older E-Jets are now available for free). v1.1.0 was an excellent update with a focus on the VNAV aspects, with a clever "Autotune" system that detects and automates the systems for a ILS landing. So the Auto Speeds and Altitude (VNAV) are now all fully functional. Still one of the very best X-Plane 12 releases. But the X-Crafts ERJ Series didn't arrive in 2024, but X-Crafts did note recently the Lineage 1000 was coming very, very soon.
 
We thought the Rotate Passenger version of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F Freighter would be just another added variant, how wrong could you be? It was (still is) one of the most sensational releases of the year, and highlighted the huge amount of changes done to both the MD-11F and the newer MD-11P over the years since the X-Plane 11 MD-11 release, certainly a highlight of the year, and actually my favorite release 2024!
 
Concorde FXP by Colimata went to v3.50, with an upgraded CIVA V2, created especially for the aircraft, there was some nice updates as well, including the dynamics to X-Plane 12. FlyJSim were very quiet during the year with just one small update for the DashQ, and still no sign of the Boeing 732 Twinjet or B727 Series for X-Plane 12?
 
I was actually disappointed that ToLiss chose the A330neo as their next project, but the results was a sensational aircraft with a huge amount of features. Once you got in there, it was very hard to move on, as you wanted more and more of this exceptionally high standard Simulation. Late in the year (Dec) ToLiss did a very nice set of updates for the A319, A320neo, A321 and A340-600 of a few features in the A330neo.
 
At the end of the year it was a solid one for airliners, and the outlook for 2025 is already exciting, There is a Boeing 707 coming from Nimbus, A Boeing 737 MAX from AirfoilLabs, and a cargo aircraft from Felis with the B747-200F, and Flight Procedures made a note of a new B748 (V3) and even (maybe) a B747-400, ERJ Series, and Flightfactor could even deliver a Dreamliner, so there is a big year coming up. 
 
General Aviation
Once the thriving heat of X-Plane, the General Aviation sector is still feeling the loss of Carenado. A few of the usual suspects were notably absent this year like vFlyAir with only one small update. Most releases were still basically transition aircraft from X-Plane 11, in so again slowing down any new releases as well.
 
The Beechcraft Duchess Model 76 by JustFlight/Thranda brought the aircraft back to X-Plane 12, as usual a thoroughly nice upgrade, the PA28R Piper Arrow III followed in July, and the Cessna 152 came out later in the year as did the PA-28R Turbo Arrow III / IV all from the JustFlight stable. The Beechcraft Bonanza G36, the G1000 variant, was released after Easter by PAE Addons, again a new developer for the X-Plane Simulator.
 
In early April vSkyLabs released a most unusual machine, the Junkers A50 Junior S-LSA, a 1920's inspired modern take on this iconic aircraft, it was far more fun that it had any right to be. Another revision to X-Plane 12 was the Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter from Thranda Design in May, it came with a new menu and large 8K textures. vFlyAir's only contribution to the year was the transition Cherokee 140, their original design updated for X-Plane 12.
 
A new developer entrant was with a PA24-250 Comanche by InDepthSimulations. It was basic, but has loads of potential for future designs. SimSolutions did an updates to their Diamond DA-40NG updated to v1.2.2 in April, with X-Hangar updating the Diamond Katana DA20 C1 and Cessna 404 Titan.
 
vSkyLabs were moving their way through their very large collection and updating the aircraft to X-Plane 12, there were loads of updates from mid-year, first the boat like Polaris AM-FIB, the Aeros-2 Ultralight Trike, then the sensational CT/4E Airtrainer from New Zealand, the Phoenix Air U15 S-LSA , ICON - A5, Tensor 60 and the Tecnam P2006T v9.1 a twin-engined Italian machine and finally the Aeroprakt A22-LS in October.
 
PA44-180 Piper Seminole for X-Plane 12 by AeroSphere came out in August, and later in the year Ted Cook released the Stinson 108 Package for XP12. STMA also upgraded their Sherpa K650T Turbine Bush Plane to X-Plane 12.
 
The GA year wrapped up with Thranda Design releasing their best yet, and a totally new aircraft in the Pilatus PC-12, a highlight of the year and Aerobask released their DA-20NG.
 
Business Aircraft
AKD Studios had done a nice up date to the GulfStream 550 very early in the year, but then released the bigger G650/650ER GulfStream in early November, both aircraft are now parallel in design and features. X-Hangar updated their G550 in November as well. AirSim3D did two updates for the Citation C-560XL in July and October, but is now moving on to a new project.
 
Classic Aircraft
X-Hangar did several updates to the DHC-5 Buffalo, early and late in the year, the DHC4 C-7A Caribou had the same, two updates early and late, and both aircraft benefited from the attention. In February we had one of the most unusual releases with another new developer entrant for the Aircruiser 66-75 by Hangar 23, a shed of an aircraft, it quickly had the Float version added only weeks after, a strange machine that was impossible not to dislike, you were captivated by the design and on how you flew it. The North American T-6G Texan by Khamsin & Philip Ubben was another gem, if hard to land, but X-Plane 12 shined through. vSkylabs did X-Plane 12 an update to the SR-71 "Thunderbird" to version v2.0, it is a bullet of an aircraft, and the weird He-162 Project also had an update to v3.0.5.
 
Helicopters
Overall after the previous years, Helicopters were basically quiet in 2024, but in there were two exceptional releases. The first early in February was the JRX Design Bell 407 v1.30 now with CINEFLEX, a quality machine. The second was even more exceptional from X-Trident, in the AgustaWestland AW109SP in May, overwhelmingly brilliant the AW109SP set a higher standard for any new designs in X-Plane 12. vSkylabs updated four aircraft in 2024, the Guimbal Cabri G2, Robinson R66 Turbine and the Revolution Mini-500 and even a “Gyroplane”. The HSF Eurocopter EC130 B4 v1.4 had only one small update, as did the K-1200 K-MAX XP12 by STMA. Dreamfoil Creations were very quiet all year?
 
Military
X-Hangar updated their C-130 Hercules to X-Plane 12, but it is still a bit too basic for me, the "Herk" deserves better. One of the most outstanding releases of the year for the military was the excellent Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 AJT by Deltawing Simulations, this aircraft just ooozed X-Plane 12 in all of it's glory, a review that is still not forgotten.
AoA (Angle of Attack) had a very busy year, the T-7A Red Hawk, T-6A Texan II and the F-22A Raptor all had big updates, but the highlight from AoA was the amazing V-22 Osprey Tilitrotor, now a very mature Simulation, and a very versatile machine.
 
Scenery
2024 in scenery followed on from 2023, the biggest scenery story of the year was still AutoOrtho (Ortho4XP) or streaming ortho imagery. Some bright spark wanted to recreate the Microsoft ortho steaming system in X-Plane. To a point it is still very successful, but a fast internet connection and a powerful computer is required. The trick is downloading the tiles as you need them, not storing the tiles on your computer, but I'm not a fan of flat photo images, or certainly not jerky simulations. To add on top, another success this year still has been SIM HEAVENS X-World scenery Series. It will be interesting on how the coming NGS from Laminar will change this factor, not much I think as most are welded tightly into this very inefficient way of doing visual textures. Notable is that NGS will use DSS "Direct Scene Snapshot", to replace DSF, but both will run in parallel for a while, as DSS scenery won't work with DSF.
 
Again MSFS 2020, delivered a gazillion of scenery that nobody wants, but they did a very clever idea of Vertical Obstacles, that X-Plane in some form should adopt, the idea is to fill in real world obstacles in the landscapes. Obviously MSFS 2024 takes the scenery idea to almost insanity, the only issue is you can't stream it all through a tight internet straw.
 
For X-Plane the scenery developers had a very tough year, income was almost next to nothing and few dropped out, that said, the scenery releases were very good, to excellent considering the conditions, did we get a lot of cross-platform conversions from FS to XP? not really, but a few crossed over.

Aerosoft kicked off the year with Airport Zürich XP12 on the 4th Jan, as with barely no updates since X-Plane 12 was released 14 months earlier, most Aerosoft stock was looking old in X-Plane 12, but as the we moved through the year they finally got into gear... Dortmund XP,  Society Islands XPTahiti & Windward Islands was next to compliment the earlier Leeward Island package, and that was just the thing for a South Pacific cruise. Next was Airport Newcastle XP, then a double update in June with Airport Stuttgart XP and Airport Istanbul XP, then Helgoland, XP Kassel XP in August, and Vitoria-Foronda XP and Greater Moncton International XP in November, so it was a big year of updates, missing still though is Norway's Bergen XP, a badly needed new scenery from Aerosoft?
 
VerticalSim had a busy year updating as well, first was KONT Ontario, then KMYR Myrtle Beach, KBOI Boise Air Terminal and finally KSRQ  Sarasota Bradenton International. FS Designs kicked off the year with KJAX Jacksonville, KPNS Pensacola, and KPAO Palo Alto Intl
 
Skytitude delivered a lot of scenery this year with KGNV Gainesville, Everglades Airpark, KTLH Tallahassee and an excellent RSW Southwest Florida International Airport to replace the dated Aerosoft version.
 
LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island, Italy by Cami de Bellis was released in January, and a couple of updates followed. LIMJ - Ligurian COAST Totally Insane", was an amalgamated package of LIMJ - Genova COMPLETE 5 - The Revolution" from BCSceneries, same scenery, but updated to X-Plane 12.
 
Nimbus Studios released a very, very impressive New York JFK, then followed that up with another impressive KCLT Charlotte Douglas in June with another update for KCLT later in the year. FunnerFlight also released an updated XP12 JFK, plus another massive update to the KSAN - San Diego - Naval scenery, huge is not an underestimation of this scenery.
 
By Taimodels standards they had a quiet year in only two releases, first was a lukewarm EGCC- Manchester International, but the second scenery was a big missing element finally in X-Plane...  HECA Cairo International, Egypt XP12! and yes I love it. Fly Tampa pop-in to X-Plane every once a while, but when they do, they blow you totally away, this time it was FlyTampa Sydney, just brilliant. Another Australian scenery came from Orbx, with another long wanted scenery for X-Plane in YSSY Melbourne.
 
X-Codr Design was not really visible in X-Plane in 2024 except for a small update to KDEN (v2.1), instead he was now doing MSFS sceneries, one we have lost to the other? Another big X-Plane Scenery developer MIA is Short Final Designs, he delivered with only KSJC San Jose International Airport as a release for the year, he has now gone to Laminar Research, so it will be interesting for 2025 in what the maestro will deliver there.
 
Chudoba Designs released Bratislava International Airport for X-Plane 12, an interesting Chudoba scenery is RKPC Jeju International Airport in Korea, a review I couldn't get around to, maybe 2025? ESGG Göteborg Landvetter Airport was released in April, and last but not least was LKTB Brno-Turany Airport in the Czech Republic, all solid sceneries at great prices.
 
Drzewiecki Design have upgraded their renamed "Washington DC" scenery to "KDCA Washington Airport & City XP12", but otherwise they were another that have moved on to MSFS for scenery, and a lot of old DD scenery is feeling their age. An odd scenery was vSkyLabs Airbases: Base-8, a testing ground for your flying abilities.
 
New developers to the X-Plane scenery mostly focused on small airport sceneries, like crossover FX3D with a load of French sceneries, including LFKF Figari, LFKC Calvi, LFKT Corte, LFMQ Castellet, LFMR Barcelonnette, LFNS GAP-Tallard, LFNC Mont-Dauphin Saint-Crépin Airport and LFNS Sisteron, an impressive list...  KXNA Northwest Arkansas National Airport by TearWear Designs was another new face. There was a neat three Venezuelan Airports package for X-Plane 12 by Positive Climb Design. DarkBlue Scenery released RJGG Chubu, and RJBB, both in Japan.
 
NorthernSky were also a little slower this year, but still delivered outstanding scenery at a budget price, including; PAPG Petersburg - Alaska, PHOG  Kahului Airport and PHHN Hana, PHNY Lanai, PHJH Kapalua all in Hawaii, and last the sensational PASI Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Alaska.
 
There were no landscape sceneries released in 2024, except maybe for St. Vincent and the Grenadines by 3DReal...  Maps2XP and Frank Dainese and Fabio Bellini didn't release any landscapes in 2024.
 
In context, although a fair few of the above sceneries were transitions from X-Plane 11, overall for scenery releases it was a very good year, actually unexpected in the volume delivered.
 
Sound Packs
A mention...  BSS BlueStarSky released the BSS A321 Reloaded CFM pack, but that was about it, but Mango Studios had a great year, there was a lot to choose from, not only the great sound packages for; ToLiss A319 Sound Pack, IXEG 737 Sound Pack, GLF 550/650 Sound Pack, Toliss A330 sound pack, but the neat little engine mod conversions as well; PW2000 Engine - FF 757, PW4000 Engine - FF B767, ToLiss A340 Trent 556 Engine Mod, but my favorite was the excellent MD80 Series IAE V2500 Engine mod, with later added the P&W JT8D-200 + IAE V2500 engine sound package. There were a few new REP "Reality Expansion packages", including the Thranda DH2 Beaver, PT-6 Porter and the PA28 Arrow lll.
 
Plugins
I will state upfront that I am not a huge plugin connoisseur, so I only run what I call essential plugins in my simulator, running the VRAM profiler (Menu/Developer) can give you the horrors of on how much these little monstrous tools can gobble up your framerate and their overall efficiency, I take out as many of these laggards as possible.
 
The Skunkcrafts Standalone Updater Client v3.0. became the standalone tool for updating X-Plane aircraft in 2023, efficient, clever and fast, and it still rules big in 2024 as every developer bar FlightFactor now uses it. openSAM replaced the nasty SAM 3, it is a basic tool, but gets around the issue. There was a few organiser tools released, one just for X-Plane's scenery, and xOrganizer that covered the whole simulator.
 
WebFMC had a few updates through the year to cater for new releases, but really not many other changes, BetterPushBack had the same, but overall needs a revision (adjustable volume anyone). Traffic Global had a few updates (0199 and 0217), but not much new was really done except to make it reliable, the clever tool was the "Regent Traffic" updates, complicated to install, but it brought a huge amount of new airlines and services to TG, it is well worth checking out.
 
Stick and Rudder updated both X-Camera and X-Keypad, but the maturing X-ATC Chatter v1.7.2 became my cockpit friend this year.
 
Navigraph was again the king of the tools, now highly intergrated with SimBrief, they are now simply essential tools for the Simulator, SimBrief became the defacto (auto) flightplanning tool inside the cockpit. Navigraph added in Annotations, ATC Sectors and Expanded Airport Data to Charts 8 in 2024.
 
X-PlaneReviews
X-PlaneReviews passed eleven years of providing quality and detailed reviews for the X-Plane Simulator. And in this year 2024 we have delivered even more consistent reviews and NEWS! than any year before.
 
The team has grown as well...  besides the dynamic Dominic Smith and his lovely wife Felicity, who also contributes immensely to the X-Plane.Org Weekly Roundups and Developer Interviews, is a major contributor in X-PlaneReviews as well, plus the extra talented reviewers of Alan Ashforth (alpeggio), Peter Allnutt, Dennis Powell, Nick Garlick, Stéphane Tolédo-Paul (Tieman68), David York (datadave), Stuart McGregor (Scottish Wings), DrishalMAC2, Michael Hayward, Jack Thompson and Joshua Moore, all genuine talented and contributors to not only X-PlaneReviews, but to X-Plane in general. I am personally signing off a little earlier this year to have a family Christmas in another Australian State, but Dominic will do some more reviews right up to the festive season, and a big new Christmas release review is still yet to be released from me.
 
Always a thank you to the exciting work by the tireless developers that give us all this incredible product to fly and use, as they and X-Plane has come a long way and created leaps in quality and complexity in the last few years, certainly with the jump to X-Plane 12, and to a point I was always very proud of the work they have produced, it is world class if not the very best in simulation product ever produced, and this year better than ever in systems and quality detail, and they are all top notch and very clever. To the X-Plane.OrgStore who supports this site with review products, service and updates, a really big thanks to Nicolas Taureau, as this site just also would not function without that outstanding support.
 
This aspect shows that X-Plane as a Simulator is alive and well after a fair few years of disruptive development, X-Plane 12 is now (thankfully) maturing towards the central part of its evolution cycle, and as well noted throughout this "End of the Year" edition it has had a transformation (or would you call it a reset?) this year in 2024. My outlook optimism for 2025 is at an all time high, my gut says X-Plane as a Simulator has turned a corner, and it can only get better from here, but X-Plane as a Simulator also has to now grow as well, expand vigorously in 2025.
 
Certainly the central community is very active and very collaborative in creating dynamics that is expanding the Simulator, but growing in all the different areas is just as important, not just the core, numbers must grow in 2025, new additions in not only the software and hardware, but developers and active users, it is people, the time to grow... and move forward.
_________________________
 
We will finish off with the X-PlaneReviews famous best of the year awards…   So I will now list my Best of the Year 2024🏅
(note the awards are given to only products I have seen and tested and so the only ones I can vouch for)
 
Overall Best of the Year : A very hard choice this year, as there are four outstanding entrants, FlightFactor Boeing 777v2, X-Tridents AW109SP, Rotate's MD-11 Passenger and the TolIss A330neo , all deserving 🏅 🏅🏅
 
Best Aircraft : FlightFactor B777v2.🏅🏅
A look into the future of X-Plane 12 quality and design, it delivers on a huge scale.
Honorable Mention : Rotate's MD-11 Passenger is just brilliant, as is the ToLiss A330neo
 
Best General Aviation Aircraft : Pilatus PC-12 by Thranda Design
Thranda Design are behind a lot of X-Plane aircraft besides their own creations, but the PC-12 brings back to the X-Plane Simulator a brilliant aircraft done well.
Honorable Mentions : vSkyLabs, for their huge and unique catalogue of aircraft and machines, they just keep on coming.
 
Best Classic Aircraft : North American T-6G Texan by Khamsin & Philip Ubben
This is what happens when you put two extremely talented developers together, Khamsin & Philip Ubben create history, or at least a part of it in the T-6G Texan.
Honorable Mention : What can you say about flying a shed, the Aircruiser 66-75 by Hangar 23 was certainly unique, fun as well.
 
Best Business Aircraft : AKD Studios G650/650ER GulfStream
Not perfect, but development this whole year has been very steady and consistent from this talented Polish developer, next year 2025 this category will be tighter with the promised X-Crafts Lineage 1000 and maybe even the Aerobask Falcon 6X anyone, now years late.
 
Best Military : Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 AJT by Deltawing Simulations 🏅
With some releases you see the future, the amazing M-346 AJT showed off the wonders of X-Plane 12, nice aircraft to fly as well.
Honorable Mention : AoA again with another huge improvement over the original, the V-22 Osprey was great to fly, also a very versatile dynamic Simulation as well, I loved it.
 
Best Helicopter : AgustaWestland AW109SP by X-Trident 🏅🏅🏅
A no brainer on choice for the best helicopter of the year, again a projection into the future of Simulation, brilliant avionics are well worth mastering.
Honorable Mentions : JRX Designs Bell 407 was very good as well, the best of the bunch currently, except for the above AW.
 
Best Landscape Scenery : Society Islands XPTahiti & Windward Islands by Maps2XP (Aerosoft)
Does this broad scenery count as a Landscape scenery? It sort's of covers a large area of the South Pacific, well detailed as well, so yes.
 
Best Airport Scenery : YSSY Sydney Fly Tampa  🏅🏅 
A study on how to do perfect scenery, Fly Tampa always deliver, but more so here, a giant.
Honorable Mention : Taimodels on delivering HECA Cairo, and Nimbus had a great year with JFK and Charlotte.
 
Best Plugin(s) : Skunkcrafts Standalone Updater Client 🏅
A plugin... it was, but also still the biggest standout tool of the year, now for the second year in a row and grown, it's so fast!
Special Mention(s) : Navigraph for their excellent navigation tools, and seriously clever new additions, and for openSAM, fixing a major problem.
 
Person(s) of the Year : Marko Mamula
The developer that just seemed to be everywhere in 2024, but in delivering the X-Plane 12 future we deserve, talented, and tons more to come in 2025.
 
Best Moment of the year 2024 : Leaving Schiphol (EHAM) in a heavy morning weather to arrive at a sandstorm dusk in Cairo (HECA), Simulation at it's very, very best.
 
Worst Moment(s) of the Year 2024 : Laminar Research is doing their own store, the ramifications are dangerous, and will it cost jobs in X-Plane, you could even lose  the X-Plane.Org...   forever!

Biggest distraction of 2024 : ...  The dark cloud of the X-Plane Store.
 
Biggest overall feeling of 2024 : Another tough hard year, but the outlook at the end of this brutal year was a revolution of a new and better X-Plane Simulator, shame the Laminar store will ruin all the good work.
 
Personal Favorites of 2024 : Any ToLiSS (the save system allows ultimate flexibility) again, but my standout aircraft of the year is the amazing Rotate MD-11 Passenger, unbelievable Simulation, seriously addictive was that wide-body aircraft...  I just loved it.
 
Routes...   Barcelona, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Dublin, Dusseldorf,  Roma, Cairo, Helsinki, Oslo, Munich, Tel Aviv, London Heathrow and Dulles, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Notable is that with the newer scenery, Cairo, Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore finally came on-line in 2024.
 
That is X-PlaneReviews for 2024, and we will be back after a very much needed recovery and the review site returns again early into the New Year on the 7th January 2025.
 
So Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2025
 
Stephen Dutton
14th December 2024
Copyright:X-PlaneReviews 2024
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)  

Behind the Screen : Year in Review 2024
 
Rereading back through my Behind the Screen edition in November 2023, I was obviously not a happy bunny. Frustrated after a long development year, that had gone backwards AND forwards, and at even one point the simulator hadn't even worked at all...  I was a bit of all over it. Someone suggested I go on holiday, so I did, for two weeks around the Pacific on a very nice cruise ship in February. It summed up the year I wanted to forget.
 
Laminar Research had also reached the same conclusion in 2023, with the Vulkan/Metal API transition also causing their own long term frustration, it coincided with the climbing high pressure outside from the MSFS 2020 juggernaut, the powers that be in South Carolina knew that something had to change and quickly, the price of X-Plane changed first, then later came a complete reset.
 
Laminar Research
The first X-Plane release came very, very early in 2024, 4th January in fact, with the release v12.09. This was a small global scenery update. In that the scenery had been re-rendered with slight improvements, but for the users it was a 86Gb download. Although Laminar had already announced that there would be a new X-Plane release numbering system for 2024. Then there was also the major shock at the X-Plane Simulator Developer's conference in Montreal 4th of February 2024, that the Simulator was getting built in Store like with Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2020/24.
 
The sudden announcement did not at all unite the developers to the Laminar cause, in fact it totally divided the conference, and in itself created a rolling discontent amongst the attendees, certainly when the news hit the forums, then all sorts of comments came out. The problem stems from the fact that the X-Plane.OrgStore provides the support for the X-Plane.Org, this X-PlaneReviews site depends on the .OrgStore for review product as well, so moving the monetary support from the .Org to Laminar's store would seriously upset the current delicate balance in the Simulator. Obviously a reaction to MSFS, but could the change do more damage to X-Plane than do actual good? like they say, "don't takeaway the hands that feeds you". To date the Laminar Store has currently still not gone live, and is still in development, so that aspect will have a big bearing on 2025.
 
The X-Plane's reset came with the release of the new numbering system release of v12.1.0 in mid-May. It also came with a fancy introduction page of new features, including a focus on Graphics with; Cloud shadows on water, Bloom lighting effects and finally RCAS (Robust Contrast Adaptive Sharpening), more changes included Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA) Improvements for the badly needed anti-aliasing improvements, and the MSAA resolution is now photometrically correct. The results were sensational, and it was the reset that X-Plane had badly needed.
 
The June 21-23, FlightExpo 2024 in Las Vegas was only a few weeks later...  there was a spring in the Laminar Research step, but the seminar was only 14 min long, not the usual hour or so. But they did produce a worthy presentation with both Austin and Ben (Supnik) both in attendance this year. Although MSFS had already announced FS2024 a year before, they again paraded out a long list of features that started to feel implausible, a lot again stolen from X-Plane. But the conference was a great success for Laminar, and in fact over 80% of the attendees were running X-Plane from boxes, as Microsoft couldn't stream well from the conference center.
 
Websockets was installed, and also announced as coming is "Synthetic Vision" for the G1000, with features of Terrain/Water, Obstacles, Navigation Aids and better performance. It all looks very comprehensive, plus weather radar is also coming. But the default G1000 was the main avionic focus for upgrades this year in avionics.
 
The next X-Plane update released 18th July was a minor one in v12.1.1. Basically it was a revision of the Graphics Core Engine to improve stability, this was then followed by v12.1.2 or the "Caribbean Update"...  which almost a direct ripoff of MSFS "World Updates", which showed us again of where now the mindset of Laminar Research is going, and to what market the X-Plane Simulator is in wanting to in being pitched to. But it was again a very successful update with heavy ships, five leisure watercraft, including Austin Meyer being chased by sharks...  to highlight the Caribbean release, three airports and destinations were also included; Princess Juliana International Airport at Sint Maarten, Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport on the island of Saba and the famous short sloping runway at Gustaf II Airport on the island of Saint Barthélemy, or St. Barth’s. At this point you really felt the X-Plane 12 v2.0 reset feeling, X-Plane was very smooth and reliable, with great features and refinements being added consistently.
 
November 15, 2024 saw the release of v12.1.3, currently the last for the year with a massive update for the ATC (Air Traffic Control), Sounds, more weather improvements, A.I. Aircraft, MAP changes and the introduction of an X-Plane Identity (relating to the store). On the Oct 31, 2024, Ben Supnik (X-Plane head developer) gave an excellent idea of the future X-Plane roadmap, mostly set around the NGS (New Generation Scenery) that is currently in development, and it is the most important factor if Laminar want to compete with Microsoft in Flight Simulation. The results should be excellent, but a release date is still not announced, but it really did end the year of a major high for Laminar Research after the disastrous 2023, it was a truly excellent return to form, and a solid and reliable Simulator to boot...   they really did good this 2024 year, but that Store announcement looms over the Simulator like a black cloud?
 
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2022/2024
First is "Why is this here in an X-Plane site?". Because it is a reference between the Simulators, and the gap between them still grew immensely wide over the year 2024. As the barrage continued, and the anticipation grew over the release of MSFS 2024, it started to get all a bit frantic, in hype and expectations.
 
Obviously there were gazillions of weekly and monthly Development Updates from Asobo Studios, and aircraft and scenery releases were piling on to the platform everyday...  is it sustainable? MSFS 2020 started the year with World Update XVI of the Caribbean (Surely not!), followed by Southwest Germany in April, City Update VII European Cities II came in late May. On June 9th Microsoft announced the "Take to the Skies" on November 19th 2024 as the release date of MSFS2024, that was reinforced by a 95 minutes talkathon and Q&A comment period at the Las Vegas Expo late June, again a lot of more expanded features were announced for the MSFS 2024 release, would all this actually work? To coincide with the Vegas Expo, Asobo released City update Vlll Las Vegas (Laminar put their name on the Las Vegas strip!).
 
City Update lX Northeastern United States came late July, also in July came the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, so another World Update XVII for the United Kingdom and Ireland regions to coincide was released. World update XVIII came in the middle of August for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There was an Aircraft and Avionics Update 3 released 1st October...  but from then on the focus for Microsoft/Asobo was on the release of MSFS 2024.
 
Default Aircraft released for FS2020 in 2024, were the Bell 47J Ranger, Dornier Do 31, C.7 Skyvan, Douglas C-47D Skytrain & Waco CG-4A, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Westland Scout & Wasp, Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor and the Boeing 707-320C.
 
The release on November 19th 2024 of the new wonderkind Microsoft version 2024, was probably one of the worst releases of any Simulator platform, and that even includes X-Plane. To say it was a huge is debacle is an understatement. Millions tried to log on and stream, mostly for everyone it didn't work, then the servers crashed. After a few days you could get access, but users were then finding then that most areas were not either loading or working at all to their satisfaction, plus the huge restrictions on actually getting access. FS 2024 is now working, but MSFS 2024 will take well into the New Year to be anything if a reliable Simulator, I noted the MSFS year as an "Overreach" and called that statement out mid-year.
 
Trends of the year
The X-Plane 11 to 12 transitions petered out about mid-year. These aircraft are a blessing and curse. A blessing is in that you get your favorite aircraft upgraded for X-Plane 12. But also a curse in that they take developers away from new projects, so there isn't really a lot of new aircraft coming to market (2023 was horrible for new releases). At this point most if all of the transitions are now done, including the huge vSkyLabs catalogue. The scenery transitions still have a longer way to go, but Aerosoft have been finally busy also in getting through the long list. Nice has been the introduction of lately new developers in both aircraft and scenery to the scene.
The other trend of converting old X-Plane 11 aircraft (mostly Carenado) to X-Plane 12 has been vibrant as well, so a lot of loved Simulations should survive to X-Plane 12, as was the Ortho4XP crowd. As noted above, Laminar Research reset their year in a more modern Flight Sim feel and look, and overall that experience has delivered great benefits, also quicker and faster updates saw changes to the X-Plane face, these aspects were long overdue.
 
Aircraft
We knew coming into 2024 that FlightFactor Aero would dominate the year with their colossal Boeing 777-200 V2 Ultimate, and deep and massive it was. But the release was slightly dulled by the launch process. First with long and an invitation only Alpha access, then and still currently the B777V2 it is still in a public release Beta access. It is a standard bearer machine for the X-Plane Simulator, even for Simulation itself. But dense it is, actually not in the flying aspect, which is sensational, but in the long list of features and the biggest EFB Tablet you could struggle to manage. So it is study aircraft of deep immersion...  I am expecting the B777F Freighter to be the next variant from FlightFactor.
 
Flight Procedures Simulation released the Embraer E-190 as a follow on from the excellent E-195 of 2023, again a great price to feature ratio.
In July Peters Aircraft upgraded the Airbus A380-842 to X-Plane12, a hybrid of old planemaker and a new fuselage. it was nice to have the A380 back, but it's age factor is still built in there, restricting the Airbus for what it could be. Later in the year the other A380 engine versions were released for free as part of the same package.
 
The sensational E-Jet Family was updated to v1.1.0 by X-Crafts (the older E-Jets are now available for free). v1.1.0 was an excellent update with a focus on the VNAV aspects, with a clever "Autotune" system that detects and automates the systems for a ILS landing. So the Auto Speeds and Altitude (VNAV) are now all fully functional. Still one of the very best X-Plane 12 releases. But the X-Crafts ERJ Series didn't arrive in 2024, but X-Crafts did note recently the Lineage 1000 was coming very, very soon.
 
We thought the Rotate Passenger version of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F Freighter would be just another added variant, how wrong could you be? It was (still is) one of the most sensational releases of the year, and highlighted the huge amount of changes done to both the MD-11F and the newer MD-11P over the years since the X-Plane 11 MD-11 release, certainly a highlight of the year, and actually my favorite release 2024!
 
Concorde FXP by Colimata went to v3.50, with an upgraded CIVA V2, created especially for the aircraft, there was some nice updates as well, including the dynamics to X-Plane 12. FlyJSim were very quiet during the year with just one small update for the DashQ, and still no sign of the Boeing 732 Twinjet or B727 Series for X-Plane 12?
 
I was actually disappointed that ToLiss chose the A330neo as their next project, but the results was a sensational aircraft with a huge amount of features. Once you got in there, it was very hard to move on, as you wanted more and more of this exceptionally high standard Simulation. Late in the year (Dec) ToLiss did a very nice set of updates for the A319, A320neo, A321 and A340-600 of a few features in the A330neo.
 
At the end of the year it was a solid one for airliners, and the outlook for 2025 is already exciting, There is a Boeing 707 coming from Nimbus, A Boeing 737 MAX from AirfoilLabs, and a cargo aircraft from Felis with the B747-200F, and Flight Procedures made a note of a new B748 (V3) and even (maybe) a B747-400, ERJ Series, and Flightfactor could even deliver a Dreamliner, so there is a big year coming up. 
 
General Aviation
Once the thriving heat of X-Plane, the General Aviation sector is still feeling the loss of Carenado. A few of the usual suspects were notably absent this year like vFlyAir with only one small update. Most releases were still basically transition aircraft from X-Plane 11, in so again slowing down any new releases as well.
 
The Beechcraft Duchess Model 76 by JustFlight/Thranda brought the aircraft back to X-Plane 12, as usual a thoroughly nice upgrade, the PA28R Piper Arrow III followed in July, and the Cessna 152 came out later in the year as did the PA-28R Turbo Arrow III / IV all from the JustFlight stable. The Beechcraft Bonanza G36, the G1000 variant, was released after Easter by PAE Addons, again a new developer for the X-Plane Simulator.
 
In early April vSkyLabs released a most unusual machine, the Junkers A50 Junior S-LSA, a 1920's inspired modern take on this iconic aircraft, it was far more fun that it had any right to be. Another revision to X-Plane 12 was the Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter from Thranda Design in May, it came with a new menu and large 8K textures. vFlyAir's only contribution to the year was the transition Cherokee 140, their original design updated for X-Plane 12.
 
A new developer entrant was with a PA24-250 Comanche by InDepthSimulations. It was basic, but has loads of potential for future designs. SimSolutions did an updates to their Diamond DA-40NG updated to v1.2.2 in April, with X-Hangar updating the Diamond Katana DA20 C1 and Cessna 404 Titan.
 
vSkyLabs were moving their way through their very large collection and updating the aircraft to X-Plane 12, there were loads of updates from mid-year, first the boat like Polaris AM-FIB, the Aeros-2 Ultralight Trike, then the sensational CT/4E Airtrainer from New Zealand, the Phoenix Air U15 S-LSA , ICON - A5, Tensor 60 and the Tecnam P2006T v9.1 a twin-engined Italian machine and finally the Aeroprakt A22-LS in October.
 
PA44-180 Piper Seminole for X-Plane 12 by AeroSphere came out in August, and later in the year Ted Cook released the Stinson 108 Package for XP12. STMA also upgraded their Sherpa K650T Turbine Bush Plane to X-Plane 12.
 
The GA year wrapped up with Thranda Design releasing their best yet, and a totally new aircraft in the Pilatus PC-12, a highlight of the year and Aerobask released their DA-20NG.
 
Business Aircraft
AKD Studios had done a nice up date to the GulfStream 550 very early in the year, but then released the bigger G650/650ER GulfStream in early November, both aircraft are now parallel in design and features. X-Hangar updated their G550 in November as well. AirSim3D did two updates for the Citation C-560XL in July and October, but is now moving on to a new project.
 
Classic Aircraft
X-Hangar did several updates to the DHC-5 Buffalo, early and late in the year, the DHC4 C-7A Caribou had the same, two updates early and late, and both aircraft benefited from the attention. In February we had one of the most unusual releases with another new developer entrant for the Aircruiser 66-75 by Hangar 23, a shed of an aircraft, it quickly had the Float version added only weeks after, a strange machine that was impossible not to dislike, you were captivated by the design and on how you flew it. The North American T-6G Texan by Khamsin & Philip Ubben was another gem, if hard to land, but X-Plane 12 shined through. vSkylabs did X-Plane 12 an update to the SR-71 "Thunderbird" to version v2.0, it is a bullet of an aircraft, and the weird He-162 Project also had an update to v3.0.5.
 
Helicopters
Overall after the previous years, Helicopters were basically quiet in 2024, but in there were two exceptional releases. The first early in February was the JRX Design Bell 407 v1.30 now with CINEFLEX, a quality machine. The second was even more exceptional from X-Trident, in the AgustaWestland AW109SP in May, overwhelmingly brilliant the AW109SP set a higher standard for any new designs in X-Plane 12. vSkylabs updated four aircraft in 2024, the Guimbal Cabri G2, Robinson R66 Turbine and the Revolution Mini-500 and even a “Gyroplane”. The HSF Eurocopter EC130 B4 v1.4 had only one small update, as did the K-1200 K-MAX XP12 by STMA. Dreamfoil Creations were very quiet all year?
 
Military
X-Hangar updated their C-130 Hercules to X-Plane 12, but it is still a bit too basic for me, the "Herk" deserves better. One of the most outstanding releases of the year for the military was the excellent Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 AJT by Deltawing Simulations, this aircraft just ooozed X-Plane 12 in all of it's glory, a review that is still not forgotten.
AoA (Angle of Attack) had a very busy year, the T-7A Red Hawk, T-6A Texan II and the F-22A Raptor all had big updates, but the highlight from AoA was the amazing V-22 Osprey Tilitrotor, now a very mature Simulation, and a very versatile machine.
 
Scenery
2024 in scenery followed on from 2023, the biggest scenery story of the year was still AutoOrtho (Ortho4XP) or streaming ortho imagery. Some bright spark wanted to recreate the Microsoft ortho steaming system in X-Plane. To a point it is still very successful, but a fast internet connection and a powerful computer is required. The trick is downloading the tiles as you need them, not storing the tiles on your computer, but I'm not a fan of flat photo images, or certainly not jerky simulations. To add on top, another success this year still has been SIM HEAVENS X-World scenery Series. It will be interesting on how the coming NGS from Laminar will change this factor, not much I think as most are welded tightly into this very inefficient way of doing visual textures. Notable is that NGS will use DSS "Direct Scene Snapshot", to replace DSF, but both will run in parallel for a while, as DSS scenery won't work with DSF.
 
Again MSFS 2020, delivered a gazillion of scenery that nobody wants, but they did a very clever idea of Vertical Obstacles, that X-Plane in some form should adopt, the idea is to fill in real world obstacles in the landscapes. Obviously MSFS 2024 takes the scenery idea to almost insanity, the only issue is you can't stream it all through a tight internet straw.
 
For X-Plane the scenery developers had a very tough year, income was almost next to nothing and few dropped out, that said, the scenery releases were very good, to excellent considering the conditions, did we get a lot of cross-platform conversions from FS to XP? not really, but a few crossed over.

Aerosoft kicked off the year with Airport Zürich XP12 on the 4th Jan, as with barely no updates since X-Plane 12 was released 14 months earlier, most Aerosoft stock was looking old in X-Plane 12, but as the we moved through the year they finally got into gear... Dortmund XP,  Society Islands XPTahiti & Windward Islands was next to compliment the earlier Leeward Island package, and that was just the thing for a South Pacific cruise. Next was Airport Newcastle XP, then a double update in June with Airport Stuttgart XP and Airport Istanbul XP, then Helgoland, XP Kassel XP in August, and Vitoria-Foronda XP and Greater Moncton International XP in November, so it was a big year of updates, missing still though is Norway's Bergen XP, a badly needed new scenery from Aerosoft?
 
VerticalSim had a busy year updating as well, first was KONT Ontario, then KMYR Myrtle Beach, KBOI Boise Air Terminal and finally KSRQ  Sarasota Bradenton International. FS Designs kicked off the year with KJAX Jacksonville, KPNS Pensacola, and KPAO Palo Alto Intl
 
Skytitude delivered a lot of scenery this year with KGNV Gainesville, Everglades Airpark, KTLH Tallahassee and an excellent RSW Southwest Florida International Airport to replace the dated Aerosoft version.
 
LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island, Italy by Cami de Bellis was released in January, and a couple of updates followed. LIMJ - Ligurian COAST Totally Insane", was an amalgamated package of LIMJ - Genova COMPLETE 5 - The Revolution" from BCSceneries, same scenery, but updated to X-Plane 12.
 
Nimbus Studios released a very, very impressive New York JFK, then followed that up with another impressive KCLT Charlotte Douglas in June with another update for KCLT later in the year. FunnerFlight also released an updated XP12 JFK, plus another massive update to the KSAN - San Diego - Naval scenery, huge is not an underestimation of this scenery.
 
By Taimodels standards they had a quiet year in only two releases, first was a lukewarm EGCC- Manchester International, but the second scenery was a big missing element finally in X-Plane...  HECA Cairo International, Egypt XP12! and yes I love it. Fly Tampa pop-in to X-Plane every once a while, but when they do, they blow you totally away, this time it was FlyTampa Sydney, just brilliant. Another Australian scenery came from Orbx, with another long wanted scenery for X-Plane in YSSY Melbourne.
 
X-Codr Design was not really visible in X-Plane in 2024 except for a small update to KDEN (v2.1), instead he was now doing MSFS sceneries, one we have lost to the other? Another big X-Plane Scenery developer MIA is Short Final Designs, he delivered with only KSJC San Jose International Airport as a release for the year, he has now gone to Laminar Research, so it will be interesting for 2025 in what the maestro will deliver there.
 
Chudoba Designs released Bratislava International Airport for X-Plane 12, an interesting Chudoba scenery is RKPC Jeju International Airport in Korea, a review I couldn't get around to, maybe 2025? ESGG Göteborg Landvetter Airport was released in April, and last but not least was LKTB Brno-Turany Airport in the Czech Republic, all solid sceneries at great prices.
 
Drzewiecki Design have upgraded their renamed "Washington DC" scenery to "KDCA Washington Airport & City XP12", but otherwise they were another that have moved on to MSFS for scenery, and a lot of old DD scenery is feeling their age. An odd scenery was vSkyLabs Airbases: Base-8, a testing ground for your flying abilities.
 
New developers to the X-Plane scenery mostly focused on small airport sceneries, like crossover FX3D with a load of French sceneries, including LFKF Figari, LFKC Calvi, LFKT Corte, LFMQ Castellet, LFMR Barcelonnette, LFNS GAP-Tallard, LFNC Mont-Dauphin Saint-Crépin Airport and LFNS Sisteron, an impressive list...  KXNA Northwest Arkansas National Airport by TearWear Designs was another new face. There was a neat three Venezuelan Airports package for X-Plane 12 by Positive Climb Design. DarkBlue Scenery released RJGG Chubu, and RJBB, both in Japan.
 
NorthernSky were also a little slower this year, but still delivered outstanding scenery at a budget price, including; PAPG Petersburg - Alaska, PHOG  Kahului Airport and PHHN Hana, PHNY Lanai, PHJH Kapalua all in Hawaii, and last the sensational PASI Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Alaska.
 
There were no landscape sceneries released in 2024, except maybe for St. Vincent and the Grenadines by 3DReal...  Maps2XP and Frank Dainese and Fabio Bellini didn't release any landscapes in 2024.
 
In context, although a fair few of the above sceneries were transitions from X-Plane 11, overall for scenery releases it was a very good year, actually unexpected in the volume delivered.
 
Sound Packs
A mention...  BSS BlueStarSky released the BSS A321 Reloaded CFM pack, but that was about it, but Mango Studios had a great year, there was a lot to choose from, not only the great sound packages for; ToLiss A319 Sound Pack, IXEG 737 Sound Pack, GLF 550/650 Sound Pack, Toliss A330 sound pack, but the neat little engine mod conversions as well; PW2000 Engine - FF 757, PW4000 Engine - FF B767, ToLiss A340 Trent 556 Engine Mod, but my favorite was the excellent MD80 Series IAE V2500 Engine mod, with later added the P&W JT8D-200 + IAE V2500 engine sound package. There were a few new REP "Reality Expansion packages", including the Thranda DH2 Beaver, PT-6 Porter and the PA28 Arrow lll.
 
Plugins
I will state upfront that I am not a huge plugin connoisseur, so I only run what I call essential plugins in my simulator, running the VRAM profiler (Menu/Developer) can give you the horrors of on how much these little monstrous tools can gobble up your framerate and their overall efficiency, I take out as many of these laggards as possible.
 
The Skunkcrafts Standalone Updater Client v3.0. became the standalone tool for updating X-Plane aircraft in 2023, efficient, clever and fast, and it still rules big in 2024 as every developer bar FlightFactor now uses it. openSAM replaced the nasty SAM 3, it is a basic tool, but gets around the issue. There was a few organiser tools released, one just for X-Plane's scenery, and xOrganizer that covered the whole simulator.
 
WebFMC had a few updates through the year to cater for new releases, but really not many other changes, BetterPushBack had the same, but overall needs a revision (adjustable volume anyone). Traffic Global had a few updates (0199 and 0217), but not much new was really done except to make it reliable, the clever tool was the "Regent Traffic" updates, complicated to install, but it brought a huge amount of new airlines and services to TG, it is well worth checking out.
 
Stick and Rudder updated both X-Camera and X-Keypad, but the maturing X-ATC Chatter v1.7.2 became my cockpit friend this year.
 
Navigraph was again the king of the tools, now highly intergrated with SimBrief, they are now simply essential tools for the Simulator, SimBrief became the defacto (auto) flightplanning tool inside the cockpit. Navigraph added in Annotations, ATC Sectors and Expanded Airport Data to Charts 8 in 2024.
 
X-PlaneReviews
X-PlaneReviews passed eleven years of providing quality and detailed reviews for the X-Plane Simulator. And in this year 2024 we have delivered even more consistent reviews and NEWS! than any year before.
 
The team has grown as well...  besides the dynamic Dominic Smith and his lovely wife Felicity, who also contributes immensely to the X-Plane.Org Weekly Roundups and Developer Interviews, is a major contributor in X-PlaneReviews as well, plus the extra talented reviewers of Alan Ashforth (alpeggio), Peter Allnutt, Dennis Powell, Nick Garlick, Stéphane Tolédo-Paul (Tieman68), David York (datadave), Stuart McGregor (Scottish Wings), DrishalMAC2, Michael Hayward, Jack Thompson and Joshua Moore, all genuine talented and contributors to not only X-PlaneReviews, but to X-Plane in general. I am personally signing off a little earlier this year to have a family Christmas in another Australian State, but Dominic will do some more reviews right up to the festive season, and a big new Christmas release review is still yet to be released from me.
 
Always a thank you to the exciting work by the tireless developers that give us all this incredible product to fly and use, as they and X-Plane has come a long way and created leaps in quality and complexity in the last few years, certainly with the jump to X-Plane 12, and to a point I was always very proud of the work they have produced, it is world class if not the very best in simulation product ever produced, and this year better than ever in systems and quality detail, and they are all top notch and very clever. To the X-Plane.OrgStore who supports this site with review products, service and updates, a really big thanks to Nicolas Taureau, as this site just also would not function without that outstanding support.
 
This aspect shows that X-Plane as a Simulator is alive and well after a fair few years of disruptive development, X-Plane 12 is now (thankfully) maturing towards the central part of its evolution cycle, and as well noted throughout this "End of the Year" edition it has had a transformation (or would you call it a reset?) this year in 2024. My outlook optimism for 2025 is at an all time high, my gut says X-Plane as a Simulator has turned a corner, and it can only get better from here, but X-Plane as a Simulator also has to now grow as well, expand vigorously in 2025.
 
Certainly the central community is very active and very collaborative in creating dynamics that is expanding the Simulator, but growing in all the different areas is just as important, not just the core, numbers must grow in 2025, new additions in not only the software and hardware, but developers and active users, it is people, the time to grow... and move forward.
_________________________
 
We will finish off with the X-PlaneReviews famous best of the year awards…   So I will now list my Best of the Year 2024🏅
(note the awards are given to only products I have seen and tested and so the only ones I can vouch for)
 
Overall Best of the Year : A very hard choice this year, as there are four outstanding entrants, FlightFactor Boeing 777v2, X-Tridents AW109SP, Rotate's MD-11 Passenger and the TolIss A330neo , all deserving 🏅 🏅🏅
 
Best Aircraft : FlightFactor B777v2.🏅🏅
A look into the future of X-Plane 12 quality and design, it delivers on a huge scale.
Honorable Mention : Rotate's MD-11 Passenger is just brilliant, as is the ToLiss A330neo
 
Best General Aviation Aircraft : Pilatus PC-12 by Thranda Design
Thranda Design are behind a lot of X-Plane aircraft besides their own creations, but the PC-12 brings back to the X-Plane Simulator a brilliant aircraft done well.
Honorable Mentions : vSkyLabs, for their huge and unique catalogue of aircraft and machines, they just keep on coming.
 
Best Classic Aircraft : North American T-6G Texan by Khamsin & Philip Ubben
This is what happens when you put two extremely talented developers together, Khamsin & Philip Ubben create history, or at least a part of it in the T-6G Texan.
Honorable Mention : What can you say about flying a shed, the Aircruiser 66-75 by Hangar 23 was certainly unique, fun as well.
 
Best Business Aircraft : AKD Studios G650/650ER GulfStream
Not perfect, but development this whole year has been very steady and consistent from this talented Polish developer, next year 2025 this category will be tighter with the promised X-Crafts Lineage 1000 and maybe even the Aerobask Falcon 6X anyone, now years late.
 
Best Military : Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 AJT by Deltawing Simulations 🏅
With some releases you see the future, the amazing M-346 AJT showed off the wonders of X-Plane 12, nice aircraft to fly as well.
Honorable Mention : AoA again with another huge improvement over the original, the V-22 Osprey was great to fly, also a very versatile dynamic Simulation as well, I loved it.
 
Best Helicopter : AgustaWestland AW109SP by X-Trident 🏅🏅🏅
A no brainer on choice for the best helicopter of the year, again a projection into the future of Simulation, brilliant avionics are well worth mastering.
Honorable Mentions : JRX Designs Bell 407 was very good as well, the best of the bunch currently, except for the above AW.
 
Best Landscape Scenery : Society Islands XPTahiti & Windward Islands by Maps2XP (Aerosoft)
Does this broad scenery count as a Landscape scenery? It sort's of covers a large area of the South Pacific, well detailed as well, so yes.
 
Best Airport Scenery : YSSY Sydney Fly Tampa  🏅🏅 
A study on how to do perfect scenery, Fly Tampa always deliver, but more so here, a giant.
Honorable Mention : Taimodels on delivering HECA Cairo, and Nimbus had a great year with JFK and Charlotte.
 
Best Plugin(s) : Skunkcrafts Standalone Updater Client 🏅
A plugin... it was, but also still the biggest standout tool of the year, now for the second year in a row and grown, it's so fast!
Special Mention(s) : Navigraph for their excellent navigation tools, and seriously clever new additions, and for openSAM, fixing a major problem.
 
Person(s) of the Year : Marko Mamula
The developer that just seemed to be everywhere in 2024, but in delivering the X-Plane 12 future we deserve, talented, and tons more to come in 2025.
 
Best Moment of the year 2024 : Leaving Schiphol (EHAM) in a heavy morning weather to arrive at a sandstorm dusk in Cairo (HECA), Simulation at it's very, very best.
 
Worst Moment(s) of the Year 2024 : Laminar Research is doing their own store, the ramifications are dangerous, and will it cost jobs in X-Plane, you could even lose  the X-Plane.Org...   forever!

Biggest distraction of 2024 : ...  The dark cloud of the X-Plane Store.
 
Biggest overall feeling of 2024 : Another tough hard year, but the outlook at the end of this brutal year was a revolution of a new and better X-Plane Simulator, shame the Laminar store will ruin all the good work.
 
Personal Favorites of 2024 : Any ToLiSS (the save system allows ultimate flexibility) again, but my standout aircraft of the year is the amazing Rotate MD-11 Passenger, unbelievable Simulation, seriously addictive was that wide-body aircraft...  I just loved it.
 
Routes...   Barcelona, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Dublin, Dusseldorf,  Roma, Cairo, Helsinki, Oslo, Munich, Tel Aviv, London Heathrow and Dulles, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Notable is that with the newer scenery, Cairo, Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore finally came on-line in 2024.
 
That is X-PlaneReviews for 2024, and we will be back after a very much needed recovery and the review site returns again early into the New Year on the 7th January 2025.
 
So Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2025
 
Stephen Dutton
14th December 2024
Copyright:X-PlaneReviews 2024
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)  

Aircraft Review - V-22 Osprey Tiltrotor XP12
 
Is it a helicopter or an aircraft? that is usually the first question asked about the V-22 Osprey. It's formal title is "Tiltrotor", so you would say helicopter with those massive three blades per side, but the machine can also convert to a forward flying aerodynamic winged aircraft, and then flies in that same configuration as a normal aircraft. It doesn't fly like a helicopter either with no collective to bite the air or cyclic...  it is a strange machine.
 
The failure of Operation Eagle Claw in 1980 during the Iran hostage crisis underscored that there were military roles for which neither conventional helicopters nor fixed-wing transport aircraft were well-suited. The United States Department of Defense (DoD) initiated a program to develop an innovative transport aircraft with long-range, high-speed, and vertical-takeoff capabilities, and the Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing Experimental (JVX) program officially began in 1981. A partnership between Bell Helicopter and Boeing Helicopters was awarded a development contract in 1983 for the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft.
 
The story starts with the Bell XV-3 (Bell 200), an American tiltrotor aircraft developed by Bell Helicopter for a joint research program between the United States Air Force and the United States Army in order to explore convertiplane technologies in the middle 1950's. The XV-3 featured an engine mounted in the fuselage with driveshafts transferring power outwards to two-bladed rotor assemblies mounted on the wingtips. But flutter and that the driveshafts was carrying power from the fuselage out to the wingtip rotors, along with the gearbox and tilting mechanisms at the wingtips, they found that the concept had substantial loads placed upon them and were very heavy, as they were transferring large amounts of power and torque long distances for an aircraft power transmission system.
 
Another XV-15 experimental aircraft introduced a major design concept advance. instead of engines in the fuselage, the XV-15 moved the engines out to the rotating wingtip pods, directly coupled to the rotors. The normal path for power was now directly from the engine into a speed-reduction gearbox and into the rotor/propeller without any long shafts being involved. There was still a driveshaft along the wings for emergency use to transfer power to the opposite rotor in case of engine failure, but that shaft did not normally carry any power loads, allowing the overall system to be lighter.
 
The success of the XV-15 created the concept of an American multi-use, tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. The V-22 is operated by the United States and Japan, and is not only a new aircraft design, but a new type of aircraft that entered service in the 2000s.
 
The first of six prototypes first flew on 19 March 1989 in the helicopter mode and on 14 September 1989 in a fixed-wing mode. The third and fourth prototypes successfully completed the first sea trials on USS Wasp in December 1990.
The V-22 however has had a mixed safety record, marked by several high-profile accidents, especially in its early years of testing and deployment. While the aircraft has since become an integral part of military operations, its development and operational use have been frequently marred by crashes that has raised always questions about its safety and design. 
This X-Plane 12 version of the V-22 Osprey is from Angle of Attack (AoA) Simulations, mostly AoA aircraft are military designs like the F-22A Raptor and F-35B Lightning ll and T-7A Red Hawk. The original V-22 Osprey for X-Plane 11 was released March 2018.

Honestly X-PlaneReviews never reviewed the AOA XP11 version of the V-22. We looked at it at the time and followed it's development, but it was a very quirky aircraft with a few quibbles that needed more development (okay a lot more), these aspects now have been all done, and this is the X-Plane 12 release of the Osprey, it's an aircraft now presented in a far more completed mature form.
It certainly looks the part. If anything else the V-22 Osprey is a very dramatic looking aircraft, feels odd, with those huge rotors suspended in the air, and not at all like most helicopters (okay maybe a Chinook). Its a transport machine, so more in the C-130 Hercules vein, with a couple engines lopped off, and the inner engines turned skywards.
Modeling and design by AoA is very good, certainly not in the ultra X-Trident category of their high standard of finesse quality department, but the V-22 still looks very well done even impressive in X-Plane 12.

Fuselage is very modern military, with nice normal raised rivets to show the construction. Panels are mostly drawn on here, but it's still well done.
A lot of the developer's attention has gone towards those two Rolls-Royce AE 1107C-Liberty turboshaft engines, specially designed for the Osprey, and their complex nacelles. Blades are 38 feet (11.58 meters) long per rotor, they are are a carbon fiber and epoxy resin composite blade, built for strength, durability, and weight reduction.

Detail of the exposed areas of the pod and wing are really very well done, with all the inner tilt hydraulics and mechanism are well detailed.

The wing is also really well detailed with ribbing and laminar flow aerodynamics.

Cockpit glass is a bit thin, the (light) reflections are there, but not pronounced, and there are no scratches or rainbow glass effects.

The undercarriage is a bit basic, just the piston and extension guide, no plumbing or hydraulics to be seen.

There are animations on the V-22, manually they are accessed by ↕︎ arrows...  the front right door opens, first in an observer top door open position, the secondly the lower drop down walk up stairs.

Also the main rear ramp, again two positions, half (for dropping loads), and also a full down ramp.

There is also separate pop-out menu found on the X-Plane banner/Plugins Menu called "Options". (Support tab is the AoA email address)

All the external door animations are on the graphic top, plus engine/pitot covers and tags (very nice), refueling probe, and under belly load hooks.

Also on the pop-out menu is the selection of the four different variants, and each version has its own unique internal (fuel) configuration and external distinguishing elements.
US Marine Corp MV-22B (default)
USAF SOCOM (Special Operations Command) CV-22B
US Navy CMV-22B COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery)
Japan Self Defense Force MV-22J

 
Inside the V-22 it is quite cavernous at 20ft long, 5 feet wide and 6 ft high, and has a workable 430 cubic feet.

The V-22 internal cargo area detail is impressive from AoA, really well done, there is also the option to add in four Marines from the menu, two forward right and two rear left...  however another option for a full load of Marines would have been nice though.

The internal door to the cockpit can also be opened with the top or lower sections moved separately.

Into the cockpit...   the instrument layout is very jet fighter military, with four Multi-Functional Displays (MFD) and one large Control Display Unit (CDU) center.
 

 
There are some really nice Marine pilots, and they will swap seat positions depending on which seat you use, if you don't want one or both, then just click their helmets, and they will disappear, and the helmet(s) are hung on the side of the OHP (Overhead Panel)
 

 
There is the third crew member in the Flight Engineer in the rear center seat, selected via the Menu, all crew members are very realistic and relatable to their roles.
 

 
Although this a menu driven aircraft, overall there is mostly also automated processes to relieve the pilots of high workloads, so both the upper OHP and lower center console are both quite sparse in their layouts and are easy to use. hint the wipers are noted as W/W on the console keyboards.
 

 
On power up, the backup instruments are activated first, then the primary instruments via the OHP "Avionics" switch.
 

 
Each MFD display has 22 soft keys. The five across the top are “T” keys. The two at the bottom are Caution/Advisory and Acknowledge keys. The remaining 14; seven on the left (L1-7) and seven on the right (R1-7) are all page dependent.
 
"T" keys include HVR (Hover Trim Key) or VSD (Vertical Situation Display) and Rotor Position Indicator (RPI) are to the left , NAV, FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared), STAT (Status) and SYST (System)
 

 
Blue-sky Attitude Direction Indicator (ADI) on the upper half of the display and a 170 degree HSI style compass card is shown on the lower half. The Blue-sky can be turned off, mostly with the VID (Camera) Function. TACAN, Nav2 VOR/ILS or GPS are selectable on the NAV
 

 
HVR shows you your vertical position to the ground (In the hover mode).
 

 
NAV will also show the standard X-Plane map, but you can also use the pop-out the G1000 MAP panel and it's tools besides the HSI.
 

 
VSD (Vertical Situation Display), is a version of the PFD without the compass card. FLIR is a camera (view) that does not have any flight information on it.
 

 
STAT shows you the various system status in; FUEL, FCS (Flight Control System), ENG (Engine), ICE and ELEC (Electrical)
 

 
SYST (System) has engine parameters and a full menu of options.
 

 
There is also a built in PREFLIGHT "Checklist" and Flightplan Planner.
 

 
As with most military aircraft there a load of various menus and options, far too many to list here, however AoA do provide two very good comprehensive manuals in a detailed User Guide and 68 page Cockpit Display Guide.
 
The Control Display Unit’s (CDU) primary display mode is the Engine Instrument Crew Alerting System page, with dedicated Copilot and Pilot keyboards which are located below the CDU. Above are the backup Instruments that generalise the V-22s systems and PFD (Primary Flight Display). Traffic Collision Advisory System display and the CDU menus can be swapped LtoR for both pilots.
 

 
The glareshield holds the  Flight Control System (FCS) Autopilot, and the NAC (Nacelle) control from AUTO to MAN modes, both glareshield ends has the Remote (Radio) Frequency Indicators (RFI) that display Com1 radio Active and Standby frequencies. The SEL key will flip the active and standby frequencies around each other.
 

 
Maintenance Mode
One great feature is the folding of the Rotors and Wing for Carrier operations. To use the feature however is a bit of a trick to get access to the "BLADE FOLD/WING STOW selections on the pop-out Menu. The way to switch it on however requires a specific set of settings...
 
Flaps have to be up (stowed), Power and APU has to be on for the hydraulics to do the operation...  Then you go to the SYST and the MAINT MODE (R-7). The AUTO NAC (FCS) has to be set in MAN Mode and finally selecting BFWS or "Blade Fold and Wing Stow system" (R-4)...  then wallah, the BFWS popup Menu should now be active.
 

 
First operation is to FEATHER / UNFEATHER the blades...
 

 
...  Then FOLD / UNFOLD the Blades, then you TILT / UNTILT the Nacelles to the forward position...
 

 
...   Finally you can then rotate the wing assembly to the STOW / UNSTOW position.
 

 
Yes it is a great feature and done really well here by AoA, in it being very authentic to the real BFWS system.
 
On the OHP the Radio Panel is available in flight, but the panel itself is inert, in Engine shutdown mode or the Rotor Brake on, it coverts into systems situation panel, noting which systems are active.
 

 
AviTab is available on the Menu...  (Note: Plugin is required and the latest v0.7.1 version). It is positioned only on the right side of the cockpit, as in the V-22 the Primary Pilot is in the right hand seat, like with a Helicopter pilot, not like a fixed-wing left seat position.
 

 
Both side windows can be opened (Animated) via hot-spots.
 

 
Internal Lighting
I hope you like GREEN? as it is very green in here, as everything is bathed in the Military night mode colour. Looks brilliant though.
 

 
You can adjust the CKPT DOME main lighting as well as the SECONDARY lighting, on the Secondary switch their are two more options for NVG NORMAL, and DAY/NIGHT. Primary Lighting (Three knobs) will adjust the instrument panel and each pilot side lighting. The essential backup CDU goes white instead of green, and this is particularly well done.
 

 
External Lighting
There are two Landing lights built into the nose, also Navigation lights (known here as "Position") each nacelle and white rear. Two Beacon lights are set under fuselage and left upper tail light.
 

 
There are two sets of "Formation" lights, also call SLIME lights, used to help identify friendly aircraft, particularly during formation flying or carrier operations at night, usually made of phosphorescent or electroluminescent materials, which emit a soft greenish-yellow glow. The main body strips are on the nacelles, upper wing and tail, but there is also the exciting option of also the separate selection of "Prop Tips" Slime lights, which looks amazing in flight with those massive rotors.
 

 
Flying the V-22 Osprey
Starting the Osprey is quite easy, as most of the start procedures are automated. Power (Battery) on and APU started, then set to RUN/ENGAGE to provide system power...   to start the engines, then you just move the Fuel Levers to CRANK, Then START/LEFT ENGINE then finally FLY....  simple!
 
Both rotors will turn together as they are cross-frame connected, but only the left engine is actually running...
 

 
There is a second start option for an "AUTO START". This is on the pop-up Menu (top) and the aircraft has to be in the Cold/Dark state to activate the feature. Press the button "AUTO START ENGINES" and start the sequence that will go though the full start up procedures, showing you the checklist phases by text boxes lower screen. It is fully automated including the view movements.
 

 
Once the "AUTO START sequence is finished, you go out of the mode via switching the "Timer" back to time (ACK) on any MFD as noted on the last text message.
 

 
The last Pop-Up menu option is the "WEIGHT & BALANCE", this brings up the standard X-Plane "Weight & Balance" Menu to set up your aircraft preferences.
 

 
To control the angle of the nacelles, you need to set keyboard command key or a throttle hardware switch to tilt the nacelles DOWN and back UP again. (see X-Plane in sim Settings drop down menu, Joystick or Keyboard tab, locate and assign “vector or sweep forward” and “vector or sweep aft”), I used the F11 and F12 keys. There is a manual nacelle adjuster wheel, it is on the TCL or "Throttle Control Lever", but it is a little tricky to use looking forward while flying.
 

 
The Nacelle Tilt Angle Indicator (NTAI) angle display is set upper left on the PFD...  90º is straight up, 97º is backwards, and on the ground you are restricted to the (red) boundary of 60º because of those huge rotors.
 

 
So is flying the V-22 Osprey the same as taking off in a Helicopter, well no, as for one there is no collective, just a throttle lever (TCL) to create the downward thrust. It is a heavy machine as well, here set at 21260 kg at Takeoff. So the V-22 does not react like a light Helicopter, or a drone for that matter, but it is closer to takeoff like a (very heavy) drone, more than a Heli. Flaps are totally automated, and move to the correct position for that phase of the flight, so there is no need to mess with the flap lever.
 
TCL up (slowly) 90º nacelle position and the V-22 rises off the ground...  any joystick inputs forward, backwards, left or right, even very small movements will take you in that direction, this HOVER mode.
 

 
Press the rudder pedal down left or right and the Osprey will rotate in that direction, so low flight manoeuvres are quite easy, Helicopterish without that massive tailrotor pressure thrust.
 
You can move forwards just by moving the stick slightly forward, but remember to keep the power on so the V-22 doesn't lose height as you start to gain speed, it's not going to be fast in this mode, so you move the nacelles now forward to 60º...
 

 
You require more TCL, but your also moving forwards into a transition phase very quickly, and already moving at a speed of 100 kts+
 

 
The Osprey is extremely nice to fly, being heavy, it feels solid unlike a shaking Helicopter... 
 
There is another if quicker way to get airborne. “Jumps” are short rolling takeoffs with the nacelles rotated down just forward of the vertical. With the nacelles at 85, 80 or 75 degrees these takeoffs are called “Jump 85”, “Jump 80” or “Jump 75”. The aircraft rolls forward only a few tens of feet before getting airborne.
 
In practise you let the park brake off and increase the TCL power...
 

 
As you increase the power, you move forward only a short distance before literally "Jumping" bouncing quickly into the air, this could easily be done on a carrier, no problems...  and your now flying.
 

 
The technique to accelerate the aircraft into forward flight is to “bump” the nacelles forward and down using the “thumb wheel” on the inside of the TCL. (or keyboard command), as expected the ground limitation boundary is now gone in the air.
 
The transition to forward flight is to configure the aircraft to the wings without losing height, so you move the nacelles slowly forward, but you have to be careful, as when past 30º, the nacelles will quickly rotate to 0º. You need to quickly give a little backstick and add in more power, if not the V-22 will lose height or dip very quickly, but once transitioned, you can reduce the TCL a little and you are now at around 240 kts forward speed.
 

 
Notice the nose dip? you soon recover from it, the trick is to do transition more slowly and explore this change of flight parameters.
 

 
But boy, the Osprey really accelerates forward once configured. The V-22 has a maximum speed 316 knots (363 mph or 584 km/h) in Airplane mode, and a Cruise Speed of 241 knots (277 mph or 446 km/h) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m). Typically your speed is in the 110-120 knots range in the hover or transition phase.
 
Combat Radius is around 390 nautical miles (450 miles or 720 km) with internal fuel and a standard payload. And the Ferry Range is 2,100 nautical miles (2,400 miles or 3,889 km) with auxiliary fuel tanks. Service Ceiling is 25,000 ft (7,620 m) with a standard load.
 

 
And you cover ground very quickly, very different from a Helicopter.
 

 
And you are very aware of those massive blades only feet away from the cockpit.
 

 
Autopilot is very simple to use. Select the Heading (HDG), and Altitude and just press the activation button below your selection, to go climb or descend, deactivate the ALT (Altitude) and adjust the V/S (Vertical Speed), it will reset the ALT when it achieves the set new altitude.
 

 
One thing I did find in the HDG and set ALT. that the V-22 tended to slightly roll left and right? a slight touch of the joystick to counter the movement usually centered it, but it would get slightly annoying if going a distance. Another factor is that in airplane mode the V-22 doesn't turn very well, on the AP or manually, even with a fair bit of rudder to push the nose around, yes you can do a crazy 45º turn, but it still takes a fair circle to achieve the full turn manoeuvre, so you have to forward plan out any tight (wide) turns to accommodate the Osprey.
 

 
The "VID" Video or “Synthetic Vision” is excellent, with a great visual of the landscape outside, you can easily fly by the instruments or in a head down mode with the amount of detail shown here.
 

 
Other AoA features include "Roll to See" where in the mode, the view is rolled to the angle of the aircraft.
 

 
The second is "Target Track", were as the plug-in code takes command of the pilot point of view camera in order to point the camera at a selected AI plane and follow it, keeping it in view at all times while it is in your aircraft’s forward hemisphere.
 
Other features include Air-to Air Refuelling, 2D or 3D cockpit modes, one is a locked view, the other free. And the V-22 supports the default X-Plane slung load system. You just choose a slung load object and weight in the weight and balance menu. Navigate to the payloads folder and select one of the available OBJ files.
 

 
Now is the transition phase in reverse...  The Osprey loves it's speed, so you have to pull the TCL quite a way back before you lose speed. Tricky is that the NTAI does not show until you go under 220 kts, then you still have rub off speed before it will allow you rotate the nacelles at around 198 kts.
 

 
A slight nose up atitude will slightly rub off the speed, but when you reach 50º up angle then the speed passes away a lot quicker.
 

 
So you are now losing height and losing speed...  75º is a very nice approach speed of around 55 knts, but be aware of like in a Helicopter there is that very ineffective "Transitional Lift" zone, so you have to be very, very aware of your thrust, as the point of aerodynamic lift is replaced by thrust lift, yes you can sink, and quite quickly, but the slight annoyance is as you move the nacelles to 80º the upward thrust comes in with a bang, the trick is finding a perfect transitional balance (thrust) between the two phases.
 

 
But that 80º position is a sweet spot, the nacelles are far enough forward to keep you moving in the approach...  a creeping forward momentum.
 

 
... any moment you go to the straight up (90º) the Tiltrotor stops in it's tracks...
 
I tried the MFD HVR feature...  but to a point it didn't work as I expected? one was the VID was still a forward view, I expected it to be pointing downwards to show you underneath the Osprey, second, although you had a movement counter 1.2.3 - -1. -2. -3 if you went backwards or forwards, the crosshairs didn't move as much as it did on the AW-109... so it's not much help in that repect.
 

 
Time to go down, unlike a Helicopter the V-22 is quite easy to hold in the hover, just gentle stick movements will correct your position...
 

 
...   one great bonus you have, is that if the nacelles are put to 97º the Osprey will fly in reverse, or act like an airbrake on approach...
 

 
These adjustable powerplants give you an amazing amount of control, and it is far easier than your Helicopter control, if done in a different way. So low hovers and a quiet touch landing is very easily done, no twitching or fighting the tail yaw like with a Helicopter. On the ground there is the there is an option on the menu pop-up to "Brake with Stick", or pull back on the stick to brake the aircraft (you can release the brakes as well) when taxiing or slowing down with a rolling landing, I never used this, as I use the foot pedals, but you can use in on say a vertical landing to stop the aircraft moving, handy on a Carrier ship.
 

 
The V-22 Osprey is an amazing machine, but challenging to fly? no not really like in a Helicopter sense, but unique to itself is the best statement you could make...  overall I love it immensely.
 

 
There are no liveries with the package, but there are few you can download...  CV-22B SOCOM and VMX-22 "Metallic", and the latest is the CMV-22B "Titans" livery, which is very nice.
 

________________
Summary
Is it a helicopter or an aircraft is usually the first question asked about the V-22 Osprey. It's formal title is "Tiltrotor", so you would say helicopter with those massive three blades per side, but the machine can also convert to a forward flying aerodynamic winged aircraft, and then flies in that same forward configuration as a normal aircraft. So a bit of both.
 
The success of the XV-15 created the concept of an American multi-use, tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft
 
This X-Plane 12 only version of the V-22 Osprey is from Angle of Attack (AoA) Simulations, mostly AoA aircraft are military designs like the F-22A Raptor and F-35B Lightning ll and T-7A Red Hawk. The original V-22 Osprey for X-Plane 11 was released March 2018.
 
The original AoA for X-Plane 11 felt a little under developed, but that was a long time ago (in X-Plane sense) and here it has been completely reworked and upgraded to X-Plane 12, basically it is a different aircraft in now being very matured and far more wholesome.
 
It needs to be because the V-22 role requires really good handing and dynamics to experience the "Tiltrotor" actions, thankfully that aspect is very well delivered here, it is a very unique flying experience and comes with excellent simulator pilot intergration.
 
Modeling, design and detail is really good, certainly in the cargo and highly detailed cockpit, and looks far better in X-Plane 12 than XP11, and not for the obvious reasons, it just feels overall far more complete and refined. Great animations for doors external and internal, pilots including Flight Engineer and Marines in the rear, carry hooks (yes you can sling loads), refueling probe, a clever realistic Blade Fold/Wing Stow animation, and Autostart feature, standard (XP) Weight and Balance menu. Standard AoA features like Roll to See and Target Track are also included, there are also four menu selectable V-22 variants. Lighting and Sounds are also top notch.
 
The V-22 Osprey Tiltrotor is unique, and the Angle of Attack X-Plane 12 version gives an excellent immersion into this incredible aircraft. The V-22 is unique to fly as well, and more accessible than a Helicopter, so you can fly vertical flight, and fast horizontal flight, so the Osprey combines the two skills.
 
The V-22 becomes very, very addictive, mainly because it's flight envelope is so wide, takeoff vertically, "Jump" into the air, and still do carrier operations, the Osprey has it all, I loved it, addictive...  Highly Recommended!
______________________
 

 
The  V-22 Osprey XP12 by AOA Simulations is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store:
 
V-22 Osprey XP12
Priced at US$55.00
Currently US$44.00 You Save:$11.00(20%)
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 (not for XP11)
Windows , Mac (M1/M2 Supported), Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 495 MB
Current version: 1.03 (December 3rd 2024)  
 
This aircraft is noted as a new version, to date there are no upgrade deals from the X-Plane 11 version, but that may change.
________________
 
Installation and documents:  download for the V-22 Osprey is 446Mb and the aircraft is deposited in the "Military" X-Plane folder.
 
Full Installation is 645MBb
 
AviTab Plugin is required for this aircraft (latest v0.7.1 version)
 
Documents supplied are:
1-V-22 User Guide.pdf (41 Pages)
2-V-22 Cockpit Display Reference.pdf (68 Pages)
3-Enter GPS Waypoint.pdf
4-Osprey Start Checklist.pdf
V-22 1.0 notes.pdf
V-22 copyright.txt
 

 
Documentation consists of a User guide (41 Pages), and the excellent Cockpit Reference guide (61 Pages), also provided is a Checklist (pdf) and Notes
 
Designed by  Fabrice Kauffmann and David Austin of AOA Simulations
Support forum for the V-22 Osprey Tiltrotor
_____________________
 
Update Review by Stephen Dutton
6th December 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD. Bose Quietcomfort Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.2
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- KTCM - McChord AFB  - Seattle - Boeing Country 10.5 by Tom Curtis (Sorry not now available)
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

Behind the Screen : November 2024
 
To most Simulator users it is the flying dynamics and the reproduction of iconic aircraft that is their general focus. To relive, train or learn on how to fly a broad spectrum of aviation's greatest developments. From airliners past and present, General Aviation aircraft, Military, Helicopters and even the weird and wonderful contraptions that can fly through the air. But the environment that you fly in is important as well, and yes "I'm Talking about scenery again".
 
"Oh god I really wish this guy would move on from this", I can hear the groans from here, the foreheads banging on the desktops.
 
But it is important as X-Plane is in a critical stage of it's development, it is the biggest issue right now, and an important one to get right. There are other areas that need development in X-Plane, certainly Multi-player functionality and Multi-Threading are major priorities, but even Laminar Research are focusing very heavily on what they call "New Generation Scenery", and over the last few months, trickles of what NGS is now coming out.
 
And it is an interesting debate, and one that could make X-Plane a prime simulator. There is no doubt that the environment is the Microsoft Flight Simulator's 2020, and now 2024 is a main focus, you can't really call it a flying simulator, it just has planes and helicopters in it, but this is a gaming platform, full of experiences...  even now a career if you want one. That is fine, but the biggest attraction and one of which Microsoft promotes is this significant aspect of the environment...  and this is where it does get interesting.
 
If you want X-Plane to grow as a Simulator, then you have to embrace the fact that the environment around your aircraft is a major attraction to people who want to use a Simulator. But this aspect always has been X-Plane's biggest imperfection. Since the start of my Simulation involvement, the default scenery has been, well mostly....  crap.
 
I'm not talking about some of the excellent add-on scenery produced for the X-Plane Simulator, I'm talking about the basics here, and why X-Plane does not have a bigger audience, and some, if most will say, "Well we like it that way", fine, but that way will mean the decrease of investment, not only by user participation, but by the essential developers moving on to better conditions. I'm not going to go all depressed on you again, because actually X-Plane in development has had a very successful year, but the simulator has also lost a lot of talented talent that we couldn't afford to lose, worse it's not attracting talent either, whether you like it or not X-Plane has reached a milestone, that could flip it simply one way or the other. From one perspective it looks absolutely fine if you keep to the basics and use default Global Airports, and yes things at this point are far better than it was 12 months ago. But that crucial line is now more in important than ever, if X-Plane does not grow, and quite significantly over the next few years it will become only a marginal player in Simulation.
 
And we have to be realistic, in that the default Global scenery has always been a hindrance, limiting the expansion of the simulator. The change from X-Plane 9 to X-Plane 10 was a significant step forward, but except for the new excellent trees in X-Plane 12 there has been no progress for over a decade, were as every other component of the Simulator has had significant upgrades, all the way throughout X-Plane 11 and to XP12. Basically we still have the same two tier autogen and tile mapping, and although the mountainous frameworks are very good, at a ground level the basic low-res ground textures are basically the same as they have been for years. Add in the poor insertion of custom scenery, and those horrible wide green spaces between the default and custom elements on the mesh, and I still cringe every time I land at Tampa, Florida, with those wide green spaces were buildings should be, so I never ever really liked it for realism.
 
Worse is if you are flying over empty spaces, say the American Kansas west, plains or worse African Sahara, or in my case over Australia, the repetitive patterns (landclass) were all there to see, for hours on end, and those Saharan landscapes are horrible and actually won't fit into any custom scenery, yes there are always options, but this default aspect is not at all good.
 
I did a demonstration flight in a helicopter hardware simulator with a particularly large audience, it all looked totally brilliant until I landed on those washed out lo-res chunks of textures, I was actually embarrassed of the scene, this was supposed to be a professional simulator, here broadcasting to a crowd that were interested in buying pro hardware, but I could see the reality of X-Plane's weaknesses, and maybe at that moment it has been my overwhelming focus of being on a sort of crusade to fix the "Scenery Problem".
 
Ben Supnik joined Laminar Research to do the very original scenery for X-Plane 6 with the introduction of DSF (Direct Scenery Format) in XP8, and which also introduced global terrain data. Then Supnik created what you could call the 2nd Gen Scenery for X-Plane 10, this version introduced two other clever elements in using both Autogen to place buildings to the modeling of global terrain data and the OpenStreetMap (OSM) data to provide immersive and realistic landscapes. Remember this was 2011, and at that time is was an extremely big step forward. But OSM had limitations, as you were restricted to it's coverage, so in areas like Africa, South America, and certainly in non-western zones like China, suddenly the lights went out and all the buildings disappeared. Yes Laminar added in more autogen, taller buildings and small industrial areas, but overall it stayed very limited for over a decade, with only a few icons added in extra. alpilotx did do a more Hi-Res version of the original XP10 texture tiles, but he left X-Plane in 2016, since then there has been nothing.
 
These two areas are currently expanded in X-Plane by replacing the default autogen by using 3d buildings like in SimHeaven's X-World series, again the limitation is that it relies on the same OSM data as the default scenery. Secondly is the addon to use photorealistic terrain using satellite imagery, known as "Ortho" and the Ortho4XP tool. Believers standby these two tools to replace what X-Plane does not provide, but they do take a huge amount of your processing power and storage, overall they are not a perfect solution to the worldwide scenery issues.
 
Now Supnik is faced with his biggest challenge yet, to recreate the scenery system for a modern Simulator, and that aspect is harder than what you think. It's the "World" and not just the small play area that is recreated in Games of say around 30nm. In that small game area, it is quite easy to recreate sensational scenery for the characters, but when you have the massive expansive world to recreate, then this huge scale has so many different aspects to recreate. Okay I may be over hard on X-Plane scenery for what it currently does, as to a point it does recreate the world quite well, but a decade on the game has now shifted (no pun intended).
 
Although lauded, Microsoft's approach to scenery has it's limitations as well. For landclass it is very good, shapeshifting the world in all it's elements, but it has one massive deficiency, it is when you get close to the ground. The major issue is ground distortion, plus any buildings, but mostly bridges that have space below that are sheared in physically into the ground. If you are flying at a 1,000ft it is not a very realistic scenario, and this is an important aspect of VFR flying, yes the correct buildings are there, but basically they are all generated shapes.
 
X-Plane's approach in this case for VFR is actually better, but not expanded out to cover major detailed areas. So how do you fix this. The Ortho believers think their approach is the best, but Ortho is not great either, as in many areas the buildings are only burnt in, leaving flat photographic images. But at the same 1,000ft point of view the Ortho works best, as it looks photographically realistic, the problem here though is when you get close to the ground, because the flat photo plate and the island looking 3d buildings, again doesn't look realistic.
 
Like myself Ben Supnik does not like Ortho, his argument like mine is the burn effects, trees, buildings will always have shadows, cars are burnt into the roads and so on, so with the daily time scale of moving light it doesn't work. His work is to try to find a compromise between the Ortho detail, but with not the absolute photo effects errors, so like with our current ground textures it is the best compromise in realism.
 
So what new scenery aspects are coming? well better ground textures means new "Terrain Rendering". Laminar wants to cram in more and more stuff on a tile, make it more dense with data. So overall it looks like what Laminar are working on is a completely new and different approach in creating better ground detail, as at the moment the current DSF is not scalable, but NGS or also known as "Direct Scene Snapshot" (DSS) is highly scalable, also highly streamable, plus has better and faster loading properties.
 
But DSS will at first only be an alternative to DSF, as if it replaced DSF, it would render most of the current Custom Scenery library obsolete. One other feature of DSS is that it will allow for Ortho images to be streamed directly into the Simulator if users still want to use that point of view, The interesting aspect of this "Tile Streaming", is the "streaming" is currently a reference in how the data gets into the sim engine. But will that "Streaming" be local (in the computer), or externally like Microsoft does?
 
Well a bit of both. X-Plane Mobile is actually already a streaming Simulator, so X-Plane desktop is probably going to go the same way with cloud streaming (Amazon's AWS), but with the cache to download the areas that you want to fly in off-line. Instead of downloading the current large DSF tiles with data, the streaming DSS files will be far smaller, but broken up into immediate high data quality visuals, but lower res (data) for far distance visuals.
 
The trick is that Laminar are trying to do is have the best of both worlds, the photo aspect of Orthos, but without the problems of the format (flat and burn ins), so the idea is with these smaller DSS tiles is that they will also be non-repeating, or have no Landclass category, meaning that a single image will be in the future just not repeated over and over to represent the area (my pet hate), but to represent the photo aspects without the photograph, so you will get the best of both worlds, great ground detailing, without the shadows and minute that affects Ortho images, plus the tiles will perfectly reflect the area they represent. Is this the mythical solution?
 
The biggest challenge however is filling the world in. X-Plane will still use the autogen model, but probably expanded. The biggest success over the decade was SFD's (ShortFinal Designs) excellent SFD Global, that took the current duel (USA/European) autogen modeling and added in more regions to it around the world, so yes you can currently see Middle-eastern housing in Dubai, and Japanese housing in Japan, and Australia housing in Australia. 
 
Justin Kissling (mister-x, SFD) was already working on an expanded v2 of SFD Global, but has since been recruited by Laminar Research, this certainly means that SFD Global v2 will now be the default in X-Plane, plus in a far more expanded form, but what of those towns and cities?
 
This is still the biggest challenge facing X-Plane as a realistic VFR Simulator. I always like the autogen spread, with central custom city objects as a great way of doing this in a realistic scenario. In payware efforts were cities have been reproduced; New York, Washington, Seattle, London, Paris, even the excellent Orbx Brisbane and Detroit are excellent examples, the idea works well, the trick is to expand it worldwide to cover most if not if all major population centers. The problem is with custom city scenery is that it is very time-consuming to recreate, building by unique building, and annoyingly these city packages don't repay well for the developer's time consuming task. This is an area that could be redefined, could the new tools of A.I. build our custom cities for us? takeaway the overwhelming task of creating custom scenery... ten years ago this aspect was not possible, but it now may be realistic.
 
Ben Supnik notes that the new NGS scenery will be released is stages, and not completely all at once, so access will be available sooner than later, then the development will stretch out over time like with the Vulkan/Metal roadmap, so this a long term project more than the next X-Plane version journey, but certainly the NGS is coming more sooner than later, hopefully in 2025.
 
If done right, the above NGS development has the potential to revolutionise X-Plane as a Prime Simulator, it's an interesting take in that it is using all the best elements, and is discarding the negative ones, it will also make the Simulator even more efficient, but also in delivering an excess of a more visual detailing and a realistic environment for us to fly in. If you understand the concept, you will find it very exciting on what it can achieve... it is a vision of the future of realism in Simulation.
 
As usual there will be no December "Behind the Screen" 2024 issue, but our full yearly round up of the year 2024 review is to be published on 13th December 2024, so watch out for that.
 
Stephen Dutton
4th December 2024
Copyright©2023 X-Plane Reviews
 

 

Behind the Screen : November 2024
 
To most Simulator users it is the flying dynamics and the reproduction of iconic aircraft that is their general focus. To relive, train or learn on how to fly a broad spectrum of aviation's greatest developments. From airliners past and present, General Aviation aircraft, Military, Helicopters and even the weird and wonderful contraptions that can fly through the air. But the environment that you fly in is important as well, and yes "I'm Talking about scenery again".
 
"Oh god I really wish this guy would move on from this", I can hear the groans from here, the foreheads banging on the desktops.
 
But it is important as X-Plane is in a critical stage of it's development, it is the biggest issue right now, and an important one to get right. There are other areas that need development in X-Plane, certainly Multi-player functionality and Multi-Threading are major priorities, but even Laminar Research are focusing very heavily on what they call "New Generation Scenery", and over the last few months, trickles of what NGS is now coming out.
 
And it is an interesting debate, and one that could make X-Plane a prime simulator. There is no doubt that the environment is the Microsoft Flight Simulator's 2020, and now 2024 is a main focus, you can't really call it a flying simulator, it just has planes and helicopters in it, but this is a gaming platform, full of experiences...  even now a career if you want one. That is fine, but the biggest attraction and one of which Microsoft promotes is this significant aspect of the environment...  and this is where it does get interesting.
 
If you want X-Plane to grow as a Simulator, then you have to embrace the fact that the environment around your aircraft is a major attraction to people who want to use a Simulator. But this aspect always has been X-Plane's biggest imperfection. Since the start of my Simulation involvement, the default scenery has been, well mostly....  crap.
 
I'm not talking about some of the excellent add-on scenery produced for the X-Plane Simulator, I'm talking about the basics here, and why X-Plane does not have a bigger audience, and some, if most will say, "Well we like it that way", fine, but that way will mean the decrease of investment, not only by user participation, but by the essential developers moving on to better conditions. I'm not going to go all depressed on you again, because actually X-Plane in development has had a very successful year, but the simulator has also lost a lot of talented talent that we couldn't afford to lose, worse it's not attracting talent either, whether you like it or not X-Plane has reached a milestone, that could flip it simply one way or the other. From one perspective it looks absolutely fine if you keep to the basics and use default Global Airports, and yes things at this point are far better than it was 12 months ago. But that crucial line is now more in important than ever, if X-Plane does not grow, and quite significantly over the next few years it will become only a marginal player in Simulation.
 
And we have to be realistic, in that the default Global scenery has always been a hindrance, limiting the expansion of the simulator. The change from X-Plane 9 to X-Plane 10 was a significant step forward, but except for the new excellent trees in X-Plane 12 there has been no progress for over a decade, were as every other component of the Simulator has had significant upgrades, all the way throughout X-Plane 11 and to XP12. Basically we still have the same two tier autogen and tile mapping, and although the mountainous frameworks are very good, at a ground level the basic low-res ground textures are basically the same as they have been for years. Add in the poor insertion of custom scenery, and those horrible wide green spaces between the default and custom elements on the mesh, and I still cringe every time I land at Tampa, Florida, with those wide green spaces were buildings should be, so I never ever really liked it for realism.
 
Worse is if you are flying over empty spaces, say the American Kansas west, plains or worse African Sahara, or in my case over Australia, the repetitive patterns (landclass) were all there to see, for hours on end, and those Saharan landscapes are horrible and actually won't fit into any custom scenery, yes there are always options, but this default aspect is not at all good.
 
I did a demonstration flight in a helicopter hardware simulator with a particularly large audience, it all looked totally brilliant until I landed on those washed out lo-res chunks of textures, I was actually embarrassed of the scene, this was supposed to be a professional simulator, here broadcasting to a crowd that were interested in buying pro hardware, but I could see the reality of X-Plane's weaknesses, and maybe at that moment it has been my overwhelming focus of being on a sort of crusade to fix the "Scenery Problem".
 
Ben Supnik joined Laminar Research to do the very original scenery for X-Plane 6 with the introduction of DSF (Direct Scenery Format) in XP8, and which also introduced global terrain data. Then Supnik created what you could call the 2nd Gen Scenery for X-Plane 10, this version introduced two other clever elements in using both Autogen to place buildings to the modeling of global terrain data and the OpenStreetMap (OSM) data to provide immersive and realistic landscapes. Remember this was 2011, and at that time is was an extremely big step forward. But OSM had limitations, as you were restricted to it's coverage, so in areas like Africa, South America, and certainly in non-western zones like China, suddenly the lights went out and all the buildings disappeared. Yes Laminar added in more autogen, taller buildings and small industrial areas, but overall it stayed very limited for over a decade, with only a few icons added in extra. alpilotx did do a more Hi-Res version of the original XP10 texture tiles, but he left X-Plane in 2016, since then there has been nothing.
 
These two areas are currently expanded in X-Plane by replacing the default autogen by using 3d buildings like in SimHeaven's X-World series, again the limitation is that it relies on the same OSM data as the default scenery. Secondly is the addon to use photorealistic terrain using satellite imagery, known as "Ortho" and the Ortho4XP tool. Believers standby these two tools to replace what X-Plane does not provide, but they do take a huge amount of your processing power and storage, overall they are not a perfect solution to the worldwide scenery issues.
 
Now Supnik is faced with his biggest challenge yet, to recreate the scenery system for a modern Simulator, and that aspect is harder than what you think. It's the "World" and not just the small play area that is recreated in Games of say around 30nm. In that small game area, it is quite easy to recreate sensational scenery for the characters, but when you have the massive expansive world to recreate, then this huge scale has so many different aspects to recreate. Okay I may be over hard on X-Plane scenery for what it currently does, as to a point it does recreate the world quite well, but a decade on the game has now shifted (no pun intended).
 
Although lauded, Microsoft's approach to scenery has it's limitations as well. For landclass it is very good, shapeshifting the world in all it's elements, but it has one massive deficiency, it is when you get close to the ground. The major issue is ground distortion, plus any buildings, but mostly bridges that have space below that are sheared in physically into the ground. If you are flying at a 1,000ft it is not a very realistic scenario, and this is an important aspect of VFR flying, yes the correct buildings are there, but basically they are all generated shapes.
 
X-Plane's approach in this case for VFR is actually better, but not expanded out to cover major detailed areas. So how do you fix this. The Ortho believers think their approach is the best, but Ortho is not great either, as in many areas the buildings are only burnt in, leaving flat photographic images. But at the same 1,000ft point of view the Ortho works best, as it looks photographically realistic, the problem here though is when you get close to the ground, because the flat photo plate and the island looking 3d buildings, again doesn't look realistic.
 
Like myself Ben Supnik does not like Ortho, his argument like mine is the burn effects, trees, buildings will always have shadows, cars are burnt into the roads and so on, so with the daily time scale of moving light it doesn't work. His work is to try to find a compromise between the Ortho detail, but with not the absolute photo effects errors, so like with our current ground textures it is the best compromise in realism.
 
So what new scenery aspects are coming? well better ground textures means new "Terrain Rendering". Laminar wants to cram in more and more stuff on a tile, make it more dense with data. So overall it looks like what Laminar are working on is a completely new and different approach in creating better ground detail, as at the moment the current DSF is not scalable, but NGS or also known as "Direct Scene Snapshot" (DSS) is highly scalable, also highly streamable, plus has better and faster loading properties.
 
But DSS will at first only be an alternative to DSF, as if it replaced DSF, it would render most of the current Custom Scenery library obsolete. One other feature of DSS is that it will allow for Ortho images to be streamed directly into the Simulator if users still want to use that point of view, The interesting aspect of this "Tile Streaming", is the "streaming" is currently a reference in how the data gets into the sim engine. But will that "Streaming" be local (in the computer), or externally like Microsoft does?
 
Well a bit of both. X-Plane Mobile is actually already a streaming Simulator, so X-Plane desktop is probably going to go the same way with cloud streaming (Amazon's AWS), but with the cache to download the areas that you want to fly in off-line. Instead of downloading the current large DSF tiles with data, the streaming DSS files will be far smaller, but broken up into immediate high data quality visuals, but lower res (data) for far distance visuals.
 
The trick is that Laminar are trying to do is have the best of both worlds, the photo aspect of Orthos, but without the problems of the format (flat and burn ins), so the idea is with these smaller DSS tiles is that they will also be non-repeating, or have no Landclass category, meaning that a single image will be in the future just not repeated over and over to represent the area (my pet hate), but to represent the photo aspects without the photograph, so you will get the best of both worlds, great ground detailing, without the shadows and minute that affects Ortho images, plus the tiles will perfectly reflect the area they represent. Is this the mythical solution?
 
The biggest challenge however is filling the world in. X-Plane will still use the autogen model, but probably expanded. The biggest success over the decade was SFD's (ShortFinal Designs) excellent SFD Global, that took the current duel (USA/European) autogen modeling and added in more regions to it around the world, so yes you can currently see Middle-eastern housing in Dubai, and Japanese housing in Japan, and Australia housing in Australia. 
 
Justin Kissling (mister-x, SFD) was already working on an expanded v2 of SFD Global, but has since been recruited by Laminar Research, this certainly means that SFD Global v2 will now be the default in X-Plane, plus in a far more expanded form, but what of those towns and cities?
 
This is still the biggest challenge facing X-Plane as a realistic VFR Simulator. I always like the autogen spread, with central custom city objects as a great way of doing this in a realistic scenario. In payware efforts were cities have been reproduced; New York, Washington, Seattle, London, Paris, even the excellent Orbx Brisbane and Detroit are excellent examples, the idea works well, the trick is to expand it worldwide to cover most if not if all major population centers. The problem is with custom city scenery is that it is very time-consuming to recreate, building by unique building, and annoyingly these city packages don't repay well for the developer's time consuming task. This is an area that could be redefined, could the new tools of A.I. build our custom cities for us? takeaway the overwhelming task of creating custom scenery... ten years ago this aspect was not possible, but it now may be realistic.
 
Ben Supnik notes that the new NGS scenery will be released is stages, and not completely all at once, so access will be available sooner than later, then the development will stretch out over time like with the Vulkan/Metal roadmap, so this a long term project more than the next X-Plane version journey, but certainly the NGS is coming more sooner than later, hopefully in 2025.
 
If done right, the above NGS development has the potential to revolutionise X-Plane as a Prime Simulator, it's an interesting take in that it is using all the best elements, and is discarding the negative ones, it will also make the Simulator even more efficient, but also in delivering an excess of a more visual detailing and a realistic environment for us to fly in. If you understand the concept, you will find it very exciting on what it can achieve... it is a vision of the future of realism in Simulation.
 
As usual there will be no December "Behind the Screen" 2024 issue, but our full yearly round up of the year 2024 review is to be published on 13th December 2024, so watch out for that.
 
Stephen Dutton
4th December 2024
Copyright©2023 X-Plane Reviews
 

 

NEWS! - Scenery Released : KPAO - Palo Alto Intl Airport by FSDesigns
 

 
FSDesigns have released the Northern Californian airport of Palo Alto International Airport in collaboration with CieloSim.
 
Palo Alto Airport is a general aviation airport in the city of Palo Alto in Santa Clara County, California, United States, near the southern end of San Francisco Bay on the western shore. Facilities at this busy towered airport include a staffed terminal and multiple repair shops with, Advantage Aviation (Cessna & Beechcraft Authorized Service Center), WVAS Inc. dba Aero Works (Diamond Authorized Service Center), Rossi Aircraft, and Peninsula Avionics.
The airport is also home to a number of flying clubs (in order of establishment): Stanford Flying Club (est. 1930),[3] West Valley Flying Club (est. 1973), Sundance Flying Club (est. 2006), and Advantage Aviation Flying Club. The airport is located within one-half mile of U.S. Route 101.
 
Note... If the airport has a customs office or is designated as a port of entry, it can accommodate international arrivals for private or charter flights, making it technically international or noted having as Customs and Border Protection Facilities, but in reality Palo Alto does not have International Airline services.
 
Key Features
    3D Vegetation     Accurate up-to-date ground textures     Realistic PBR textures     Weather maps for 12 features     Realistic hand-placed night lighting     High resolution orthoimagery     Highly optimized for FPS     Added dirt, grime, and details  

 
So just how do you fly "quietly"?
 
Palo Alto Airport has one approach to runway 31. The RNAV (GPS) approach to runway 31 has 460' MDA/1-mi visibility minimum for category A approaches. The VOR approach has been decommissioned.
 
Images are courtesy of FS Designs...
 
KPAO is priced at an extremely low price at US$8.99, and now available at the X-Plane.OrgStore.
_____________________________________
 

 
Yes! - KPAO - Palo Alto Intl Airport by FS Designs is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
KPAO - Palo Alto Intl Airport
Price is US$8.99
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12   Windows, Mac or Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 200MB Current version: 1.0 (Dec 2nd  2024) ___________________________
 
News by Stephen Dutton
3rd December 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

Behind the Screen : November 2024
 
To most Simulator users it is the flying dynamics and the reproduction of iconic aircraft that is their general focus. To relive, train or learn on how to fly a broad spectrum of aviation's greatest developments. From airliners past and present, General Aviation aircraft, Military, Helicopters and even the weird and wonderful contraptions that can fly through the air. But the environment that you fly in is important as well, and yes "I'm Talking about scenery again".
 
"Oh god I really wish this guy would move on from this", I can hear the groans from here, the foreheads banging on the desktops.
 
But it is important as X-Plane is in a critical stage of it's development, it is the biggest issue right now, and an important one to get right. There are other areas that need development in X-Plane, certainly Multi-player functionality and Multi-Threading are major priorities, but even Laminar Research are focusing very heavily on what they call "New Generation Scenery", and over the last few months, trickles of what NGS is now coming out.
 
And it is an interesting debate, and one that could make X-Plane a prime simulator. There is no doubt that the environment is the Microsoft Flight Simulator's 2020, and now 2024 is a main focus, you can't really call it a flying simulator, it just has planes and helicopters in it, but this is a gaming platform, full of experiences...  even now a career if you want one. That is fine, but the biggest attraction and one of which Microsoft promotes is this significant aspect of the environment...  and this is where it does get interesting.
 
If you want X-Plane to grow as a Simulator, then you have to embrace the fact that the environment around your aircraft is a major attraction to people who want to use a Simulator. But this aspect always has been X-Plane's biggest imperfection. Since the start of my Simulation involvement, the default scenery has been, well mostly....  crap.
 
I'm not talking about some of the excellent add-on scenery produced for the X-Plane Simulator, I'm talking about the basics here, and why X-Plane does not have a bigger audience, and some, if most will say, "Well we like it that way", fine, but that way will mean the decrease of investment, not only by user participation, but by the essential developers moving on to better conditions. I'm not going to go all depressed on you again, because actually X-Plane in development has had a very successful year, but the simulator has also lost a lot of talented talent that we couldn't afford to lose, worse it's not attracting talent either, whether you like it or not X-Plane has reached a milestone, that could flip it simply one way or the other. From one perspective it looks absolutely fine if you keep to the basics and use default Global Airports, and yes things at this point are far better than it was 12 months ago. But that crucial line is now more in important than ever, if X-Plane does not grow, and quite significantly over the next few years it will become only a marginal player in Simulation.
 
And we have to be realistic, in that the default Global scenery has always been a hindrance, limiting the expansion of the simulator. The change from X-Plane 9 to X-Plane 10 was a significant step forward, but except for the new excellent trees in X-Plane 12 there has been no progress for over a decade, were as every other component of the Simulator has had significant upgrades, all the way throughout X-Plane 11 and to XP12. Basically we still have the same two tier autogen and tile mapping, and although the mountainous frameworks are very good, at a ground level the basic low-res ground textures are basically the same as they have been for years. Add in the poor insertion of custom scenery, and those horrible wide green spaces between the default and custom elements on the mesh, and I still cringe every time I land at Tampa, Florida, with those wide green spaces were buildings should be, so I never ever really liked it for realism.
 
Worse is if you are flying over empty spaces, say the American Kansas west, plains or worse African Sahara, or in my case over Australia, the repetitive patterns (landclass) were all there to see, for hours on end, and those Saharan landscapes are horrible and actually won't fit into any custom scenery, yes there are always options, but this default aspect is not at all good.
 
I did a demonstration flight in a helicopter hardware simulator with a particularly large audience, it all looked totally brilliant until I landed on those washed out lo-res chunks of textures, I was actually embarrassed of the scene, this was supposed to be a professional simulator, here broadcasting to a crowd that were interested in buying pro hardware, but I could see the reality of X-Plane's weaknesses, and maybe at that moment it has been my overwhelming focus of being on a sort of crusade to fix the "Scenery Problem".
 
Ben Supnik joined Laminar Research to do the very original scenery for X-Plane 6 with the introduction of DSF (Direct Scenery Format) in XP8, and which also introduced global terrain data. Then Supnik created what you could call the 2nd Gen Scenery for X-Plane 10, this version introduced two other clever elements in using both Autogen to place buildings to the modeling of global terrain data and the OpenStreetMap (OSM) data to provide immersive and realistic landscapes. Remember this was 2011, and at that time is was an extremely big step forward. But OSM had limitations, as you were restricted to it's coverage, so in areas like Africa, South America, and certainly in non-western zones like China, suddenly the lights went out and all the buildings disappeared. Yes Laminar added in more autogen, taller buildings and small industrial areas, but overall it stayed very limited for over a decade, with only a few icons added in extra. alpilotx did do a more Hi-Res version of the original XP10 texture tiles, but he left X-Plane in 2016, since then there has been nothing.
 
These two areas are currently expanded in X-Plane by replacing the default autogen by using 3d buildings like in SimHeaven's X-World series, again the limitation is that it relies on the same OSM data as the default scenery. Secondly is the addon to use photorealistic terrain using satellite imagery, known as "Ortho" and the Ortho4XP tool. Believers standby these two tools to replace what X-Plane does not provide, but they do take a huge amount of your processing power and storage, overall they are not a perfect solution to the worldwide scenery issues.
 
Now Supnik is faced with his biggest challenge yet, to recreate the scenery system for a modern Simulator, and that aspect is harder than what you think. It's the "World" and not just the small play area that is recreated in Games of say around 30nm. In that small game area, it is quite easy to recreate sensational scenery for the characters, but when you have the massive expansive world to recreate, then this huge scale has so many different aspects to recreate. Okay I may be over hard on X-Plane scenery for what it currently does, as to a point it does recreate the world quite well, but a decade on the game has now shifted (no pun intended).
 
Although lauded, Microsoft's approach to scenery has it's limitations as well. For landclass it is very good, shapeshifting the world in all it's elements, but it has one massive deficiency, it is when you get close to the ground. The major issue is ground distortion, plus any buildings, but mostly bridges that have space below that are sheared in physically into the ground. If you are flying at a 1,000ft it is not a very realistic scenario, and this is an important aspect of VFR flying, yes the correct buildings are there, but basically they are all generated shapes.
 
X-Plane's approach in this case for VFR is actually better, but not expanded out to cover major detailed areas. So how do you fix this. The Ortho believers think their approach is the best, but Ortho is not great either, as in many areas the buildings are only burnt in, leaving flat photographic images. But at the same 1,000ft point of view the Ortho works best, as it looks photographically realistic, the problem here though is when you get close to the ground, because the flat photo plate and the island looking 3d buildings, again doesn't look realistic.
 
Like myself Ben Supnik does not like Ortho, his argument like mine is the burn effects, trees, buildings will always have shadows, cars are burnt into the roads and so on, so with the daily time scale of moving light it doesn't work. His work is to try to find a compromise between the Ortho detail, but with not the absolute photo effects errors, so like with our current ground textures it is the best compromise in realism.
 
So what new scenery aspects are coming? well better ground textures means new "Terrain Rendering". Laminar wants to cram in more and more stuff on a tile, make it more dense with data. So overall it looks like what Laminar are working on is a completely new and different approach in creating better ground detail, as at the moment the current DSF is not scalable, but NGS or also known as "Direct Scene Snapshot" (DSS) is highly scalable, also highly streamable, plus has better and faster loading properties.
 
But DSS will at first only be an alternative to DSF, as if it replaced DSF, it would render most of the current Custom Scenery library obsolete. One other feature of DSS is that it will allow for Ortho images to be streamed directly into the Simulator if users still want to use that point of view, The interesting aspect of this "Tile Streaming", is the "streaming" is currently a reference in how the data gets into the sim engine. But will that "Streaming" be local (in the computer), or externally like Microsoft does?
 
Well a bit of both. X-Plane Mobile is actually already a streaming Simulator, so X-Plane desktop is probably going to go the same way with cloud streaming (Amazon's AWS), but with the cache to download the areas that you want to fly in off-line. Instead of downloading the current large DSF tiles with data, the streaming DSS files will be far smaller, but broken up into immediate high data quality visuals, but lower res (data) for far distance visuals.
 
The trick is that Laminar are trying to do is have the best of both worlds, the photo aspect of Orthos, but without the problems of the format (flat and burn ins), so the idea is with these smaller DSS tiles is that they will also be non-repeating, or have no Landclass category, meaning that a single image will be in the future just not repeated over and over to represent the area (my pet hate), but to represent the photo aspects without the photograph, so you will get the best of both worlds, great ground detailing, without the shadows and minute that affects Ortho images, plus the tiles will perfectly reflect the area they represent. Is this the mythical solution?
 
The biggest challenge however is filling the world in. X-Plane will still use the autogen model, but probably expanded. The biggest success over the decade was SFD's (ShortFinal Designs) excellent SFD Global, that took the current duel (USA/European) autogen modeling and added in more regions to it around the world, so yes you can currently see Middle-eastern housing in Dubai, and Japanese housing in Japan, and Australia housing in Australia. 
 
Justin Kissling (mister-x, SFD) was already working on an expanded v2 of SFD Global, but has since been recruited by Laminar Research, this certainly means that SFD Global v2 will now be the default in X-Plane, plus in a far more expanded form, but what of those towns and cities?
 
This is still the biggest challenge facing X-Plane as a realistic VFR Simulator. I always like the autogen spread, with central custom city objects as a great way of doing this in a realistic scenario. In payware efforts were cities have been reproduced; New York, Washington, Seattle, London, Paris, even the excellent Orbx Brisbane and Detroit are excellent examples, the idea works well, the trick is to expand it worldwide to cover most if not if all major population centers. The problem is with custom city scenery is that it is very time-consuming to recreate, building by unique building, and annoyingly these city packages don't repay well for the developer's time consuming task. This is an area that could be redefined, could the new tools of A.I. build our custom cities for us? takeaway the overwhelming task of creating custom scenery... ten years ago this aspect was not possible, but it now may be realistic.
 
Ben Supnik notes that the new NGS scenery will be released is stages, and not completely all at once, so access will be available sooner than later, then the development will stretch out over time like with the Vulkan/Metal roadmap, so this a long term project more than the next X-Plane version journey, but certainly the NGS is coming more sooner than later, hopefully in 2025.
 
If done right, the above NGS development has the potential to revolutionise X-Plane as a Prime Simulator, it's an interesting take in that it is using all the best elements, and is discarding the negative ones, it will also make the Simulator even more efficient, but also in delivering an excess of a more visual detailing and a realistic environment for us to fly in. If you understand the concept, you will find it very exciting on what it can achieve... it is a vision of the future of realism in Simulation.
 
As usual there will be no December "Behind the Screen" 2024 issue, but our full yearly round up of the year 2024 review is to be published on 13th December 2024, so watch out for that.
 
Stephen Dutton
4th December 2024
Copyright©2023 X-Plane Reviews
 

 

Aircraft Review : Gulfstream 650/650ER by AKD Studios
 
In the world of privilege, those whom are superior to us mere mortals, then the word "Gulfstream" is their daily transport. These private jets are the upper echelon of status, and the bigger, faster and the longer range of these niche machines, then the higher the status.
 
AKD Design released X-Plane's Gulfstream G550 a couple of years ago in late 2022, the best dedicated Gulfstream for the X-Plane Simulator. Here is the release of the GLF 650, with including the GLF 650ER - Extended Range variant. The Gulfstream series is a complicated one, as the G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series, and those aircraft evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.
 
So is the GLF 650 the biggest and fastest? not quite, as I said Gulfstreams are complicated and don't follow in order. The GLF 650 has a 7,000 nm range and a maximum speed of Mach 0.925 with 18 passengers, The GLF 700 Series has a 7,500 mn Range for 19 passengers in a longer cabin of 56ft. The GLF 800 is a hybrid of the two, it has the shorter (GLF 650) cabin at 46ft, but the more modern engines and the newer wing to cover a 8,000mn range, carrying 15-19 passengers.
 
So the GLF 800 is best suited for the longest routes, while the GLF 700 maximizes cabin space for ultra-luxurious travel. The GLF 650 remains an excellent option for those who need luxury with substantial, but slightly less, range.
 
But then the GLF 650ER spices it all up a little with the GLF 700, as it can cover the same 7,500nm range, so you can connect even more distant city pairs, such as Los Angeles to Melbourne or Hong Kong to New York nonstop. Otherwise the G650 and G650ER are basically the same aircraft except in one area, in that the G650ER holds more fuel and has a higher MTOW to support the extended range.
 

 
But first just a couple of more statistics. If you have invested in the AKD GLF 550, then what is the difference between GLF 650? (noted here is the original G550 release).
 
Unexpectedly the cabin is actually smaller in 46ft 10 inch (G550 50ft 1 inch), height is only one single inch higher. The range between them is 7,000nm to the G550 6,750nm, but speed is the same at Mach 0.85, the engine is different with the Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, with a maximum thrust of 16,900 lbf (75.2 kN). The BR725 50 inch (130 cm) fan with 24 swept blades is 2 in (5.1 cm) larger, and 4 dB quieter than the BR710 on the GLF 550.
 
Overall the GLF 650 offers more cabin space, larger panoramic windows, and a lower cabin altitude (4,100 feet at high altitude) for enhanced comfort and reduced jet lag, so it is a step up in luxury, speed, and comfort from the GLF550.
 

 
Both the G550 and G650 fly the same, feel the same actually, but the G650 does have a better initial climb rate of 4,000 fpm, compared to the G550 3,600 fpm, then both can climb easily at 2,000-3,000 fpm over 30,000ft to a ceiling of 51,000ft. They are impressive machines.
 
The G650 cabin fit-out is different, more beige than the earlier G550 cream, the wood is changed from Teak to Walnut (a bit of a lighter wood). Chairs are actually smaller and more squarer than the wide G550 seating, but were as the G550 has abundant space, here the layout is far more better conceived, more realistic by design. With four forward club, twin club seats around a table, single club behind and only one sofa on the right rear.
 

 
The lovely buffet with popup (animated) monitor, that shows the in-flight map is also better positioned mid-cabin. walnut highlights show the non-smoking/Seatbelt signs, and the front galley is very nice, with a marble worktop.
 

 
There are two areas rear, first door is the washroom/toilet, rear is the large baggage area, with nets, a case, and the lower cargo hatch works for loading in the bags externally.
 

 
I wasn't crazy about the G550 windows, they are better(ish) here, but not in an advanced way, still don't have any animated blinds either, I expected a step up here?
 

 
From the X-Plane "Flight Configuration" menu you have the choice of both the GLF 650, and the GLF 650ER (Extended Range). So they are presented as separate aircraft.
 

 
Externally the two G550 and G650 aircraft are not much if anything different, you would be pushed to separate them. Modeling wise they are very good, but certainly not in that high ultra realism factor we can now expect from X-Plane 12.
 

 
The small issues are just that in being small, like the nosewheel lights (when off) and landing lights are not textured, or are blank. Not a good look at this level, and after two years, both G550 and G650 lighting should have been textured by now.
 

 
Window surrounds are Lo-Res, but nice tinted glass. Problematic cabin windows does actually have glass, but it is extremely thin and not really reflective, so it all looks a bit holey...  required is say a window tint or scratches to highlight the glass? There are two (male and female) pilots flying the aircraft, and quality pilots they are, but they are not animated.
 

 
G650 has a highly swept high aspect ratio wing with a 36-degree sweep angle, which reduces drag and enables high-speed, gives you an efficient cruise, the wing incorporates composite materials for strength and to reduce weight. Lean and mean here, lovely curve is right up to the well done blended winglets.
 

 
The G650 uses a Honeywell RE220(G) Auxiliary Power Unit, it provides high electrical power output and bleed air to the aircraft. The RE220(G) is hidden away in the lower tail, but you can hear it running. Distinctive Gulfstream tail (high bulky forward) is well done, and looks realistic. The G650 rear section and tail is quite different from the G550, cleaner and without air vents, but well done here.
 

 
BR725 engine pods are better than the AKD average G550 versions. Better fan detail is also all new, as is the rear exhaust detail. But I wasn't impressed by the poor internal fit, that showed in the surrounds of too much daylight?
 

 
Reverser action is very basic, just a set of cans and no real detail.
 

 
The nosewheel is exquisitely crafted, an amazing amount of small detail, down to strut, hydraulics, links and nuts, but the noted missing lighting glass still makes it feel all slightly unfinished?
 

 
Twin rear assemblies are trailing link, a normal gear arrangement on these executive jets. Again all the modeling and detail is first rate. Here better than the G550, that was quite bland/unfinished. Inner gear doors however are wafer thin, and not very realistic, but the animation is excellent. As are the nice rubber tyres and quality inner wheel rims.
 

 
Static Elements
Externally you have a set of Static Elements, including pitot tags, chocks (all wheels) and two AKD logoed GPUs (Ground Power Units). Both the main entrance forward door and baggage hatch are nicely animated to open and close.
 

 
Cockpit
The cockpit (no seperation doors on Gulfstreams) makes it feel very exposed to the passengers.
 

 
Inside the layout and feel is the Gulstream same, but different...  if that makes sense? You quickly understand the Gulfstream layout, but the feel in here is far lighter in beige, than the overall dark grey of the G550, it is helped by the very nice orange head and armrests on the seats.
 

 
Wall panels have the diamond patterned luxury feel as on the G650, but the "GulfStream" logo on the rear of the centre console is missing?
 
Seats are the same, but slightly modified in they now have armrests, but oddly only the inner rests are animated? Outwardly they look great, but on closer inspection they are quite lumpy and hard in detail, seats are locked into place as well. Note the hanging rear jumpseat, shame it is not animated....
 

 
Yokes are slightly different from the G550, in the centre paper clip holder is missing, but look better. PTT (Push To Talk) works, but not the electric trim? You can hide both yokes via pressing the instrument panel behind. Note the nice rudder pedals.
 

 
Throttle quadrant is also the same, but again different...  the handles on the G550 were chrome, here they are anodised, and note the "very" small AutoThrust (working) disconnect button.
 

 
Power on...  and you get a startup/alignment sequence. There are three options here; Real, Short or Instant alignment, but the full procedure is worth watching.
 

 
Flight Deck
The Gulfstream integrated flight deck is based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system. There are four huge 14-inch 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). Note, this is NOT the "Symmetry Flight Deck", that has Touchscreens and Side-Stick controllers.
 
The G550 uses the "PlaneView" Cockpit series, were as the G650 uses the upgraded "PlaneView II" system with the Cursor Control Devices (CCD), Predictive Landing Performance System (PLPS) and HUD "Dual Head-Up Display Option"...  not included here on the PlaneView ll are the Synthetic Vision System (SVS), Enhanced Vision System (EVS) and Automatic Emergency Descent Mode (EDM).
 
But provided however is a single pilot HUD, it works, but looks very dated to the latest Laminar Research default HUD, I expect it will be updated in an update.
 
 
 
The panel layout is basically the same as the G550, but there is a slight difference with the Gulfstream specific glareshield "Switch Panel Unit" (SPU) on the G650 and G700 series. There is an added element of the SMC or "Standby Multifunction Controller" that shows the backup instruments in the SPU, it is activated by the "STANDBY" button under the SPU selection buttons...
 

 
...    if the SMC is switched off you get the Aircraft's registration number (a nice handy touch), and the usual SPU menu selections.
 
The SPU is basically a simple push-button controller and it is easy to access and set, the menus are shown on the SPU Display.
 

 
Selections include; PFD, MAP, SENSOR, FLT REF, TEST, CHKLIST - SYSTEM, 1/6 - 2/3, TRS, NAV, HUD. By my estimation about 70% of the SPU system is currently only working? but this is a very deep system.
 
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 simple 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 Switch Panel Unit, in DU 1 "Upper" and "Lower".
 

 
These selections 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. NEXT gives you more options; <Cameras, CAS (Crew Alerting System), Checklist, Comp (Comprehensive) Eng, Pri (Primary) Eng, Sec (Secondary) Eng and Waypoint List...  RETURN takes you back to the first menu order.
 

 
These menu options are available on all four DU units. The other two DUs are set in the two centre displays DU 2 (Lower) and DU3 (Lower).
 

 
You have also in the central DU 3 and DU 4 displays, both have built in menus for MAP/Navigation. Provided are; Map Data, Aircraft Centre (Heading or Plan modes), Hdg, Prev, Next (waypoints), World and Map which is also on the systems menu
 

 
Left menu allows you to show Map data (Airports, VORs, NDBs...). The right menu shows aircraft diagrams for; AC Power, DC Power, Doors, Fuel, Hydraulic, MAP, CMC, ECS/Press, FLT Controls, Summary. And either DU 3 or 4 displays can be used via both menus.
 

 
The diagram layouts are more detailed than the G550, plus the camera is now in colour.
 
DU 3 upper right has an Engine Readout panel including N1 (Fan Speed), N2 (Core Speed) EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature), Fuel Flow, ITT (Interstage Turbine Temperature), Oil Pressure and Temperature, hydraulic Pressure, Fuel Temps and Fuel Quantity. DU 4 has an upper left panel for the Crew Alerting System (CAS), and lower left is the excellent built in checklist with navigation selections.
 

 
True to the G650 system, menu navigation is via a three pronged PlaneView II CCD cursor (arrowed)
 

 
All four DUs (Display Units) will pop-out via the X-Plane Banner Menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12".
 

 
The G650 CAS or "Crew Alerting System" is excellent as it categorises alerts into four levels: Warning (red), Caution (Yellow), Advisory (Blue), and Status (White). Can also be labeled as the Centralised Warning Panel (CWP) on the DU4.
    •    Warnings represent immediate action items (e.g., engine fire) and are often associated with aural alerts.
    •    Cautions indicate conditions that require attention but aren’t immediately critical.
    •    Advisories provide information that may affect the flight but generally do not require immediate action.
    •    Status messages give general information or notifications on system states.
 

 
Flight Management System (FMS), originally in the AKD GLF 550 it had the standard Laminar default FMS, and very basic it was...  But here in the G650 we have a more dedicated FMS, it's still a sort of hybrid, so it is not totally authentic to the Honeywell Primus Epic installed in a G650, it however is quite good and far, far better in detail and data than the default installation. All three MCDU units pop-out via the banner menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12".
 

 
The IDENT and NAV INDEX are very authentic, but you can still insert a standard X-Plane .fms route from X-Plane. Manual entry of the flightplan is also possible, even with Co-Ords
 

 
DEPARTURE (SID) and ARRIVAL (STAR) are also available and can be tuned and ACTIVATED to your preferences.
 

 
So Flightplan creation and editing is very quick and easy, basically you load in your .fms flightplan, add in the DEP and ARR procedures and your done!
 

 
You can check the Flightplan (PLAN) by going to the Switch Panel Unit and selecting MAP, then NORTH to activate the PLAN mode.
 

 
Then press PREV or NEXT to navigate the Flightplan...
 

 
If the need be, you can also finely adjust the MAP screen via tabs, top, bottom and both sides via the CCD cursor directly on the DU Display.
 

 
There are also three PROG (Progress) pages with a significant amount of route and flight data.
 

 
The Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) is positioned in the glareshield contained each end by each Switch Panel Unit (SPU) system, and the WARNING panel is far left and right.
 

 
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. Layout and use is identical to the GLF 550.
 
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.
 

 
The main twin-throttles and rear reverser levers are as noted now an anodised, design, look nice, nice to use. Set each side are the standard Air-brake and Flap levers UP-10-20 (T/O and APP) - 39º (Down). Rear pedestal is all electric trims and MCDU 3, nicely done is the use of a FMS frame to hold the Radio settings, a simple but clever way of doing it.
 

 
Although the MCDU 3 holds the RADIO frequencies, the Radio controls are on both side panels with the lighting controls.
 

 
There are EFB/Tablets available for both the Pilot and First Officer, both can be separately accessed via the Banner Menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12". As a note there is one other Menu option on the Banner Menu, this is the "IRS instant Align", to do a quick system alignment.
 

 
There are nine menu tabs; Fuel Payload, GND (Ground), AviTab, Flight Plan, PERF (Performance) Calculator, Settings, Checklists and Audio Volume and Cabin Lights. Most of the EFB layout is the same as the earlier G550, but there are a few differences.
 

 
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. Three options are also available; Reset Data, Set, and Insert Simbrief Data. You can now load in your Simbrief data directly into the Fuel/Weight page, but have to press SET to align the Fuel and Payload weights (which is a little slow?) an instant load would be nice. You can scroll or Add + or Minus - any number to your liking (like extra fuel)
 

 
When loaded you can then load your passengers by pressing "Boarding". Pressing "bring Passengers from terminal" will activate a very nice Mercedes bus, then load the passengers into the aircraft, when the bus will drive away, the opposite to deplane, or "Take passengers to terminal" is the reverse operation.
 

 
This activity has had a lot of refinement over the last two years, earlier it was a Tesla 3 car, a scale too big, and the process was chunky, but this is now really well done, if waiting for the bus to arrive is a bit (okay a lot) slow.
 
GND : There are a few options on the "Ground Handling Page" which are the Static Elements. Of which there is the GPU (Ground Power Unit) AC, but also noted a DC Unit, Main door and Main Door Lights, Chocks, Cargo Door...   on the Static Elements Page there is; front L/G covers, Captain and F/O pitot covers, and Main L/G covers. Open ALL Doors and Close ALL Doors options are also available
 

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

 
Flight Plan : This tab option is new from the G550, but the former METAR tab is now merged with the Flight Planning.
 

 
Again you can "Inport Data from Simbrief" (Import Simbrief) to load in the current generated Brief, Flightplan and Fuel/Weights, then you can SET FUEL/PAYLOAD directly into the MCDU. This will set up the Departure and Approach speeds.
 
NOTE: I couldn't find the Simbrief Profiles for the GLF 650? So the developer has provided two, one for each variant G650 and the G650ER, both are listed below, and are required as a custom G550 version won't work or be correct to the G650 performance.
 

 
And four PERFORMANCE INIT pages... parts of the PREF are not yet completed, it looks like the VNAV section.
 

 
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) - Real/Short/Instant, Refuel (Time) Real/Short/Instant, Simbrief User ID, 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) and EFB Brightness. Second page includes (advanced); Tail Rego, Use Kill Objects, Disable LuaJIT, Static Elements on Startup and Main Door open on Startup.
 

 
CHECKLIST : The checklist has been simplified, in that you now can't check off (green) items, otherwise navigation is still easy and the lists are through.
 

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

 
CABIN LIGHTS : There are two pages of "Cabin Lighting" settings, the overhead lights, and diverse lighting. All can be either selected individually, or use the "Turn ON All lights' (Turn OFF also) to shortcut the cabin lighting, all can be adjusted for BRIGHTNESS via the sliders.
 

___________
 
Lighting
The AKD G550 when released in lighting was a bit hit and miss, but a lot of development has completely changed this aspect. The Cockpit lighting has about 12 adjustment knobs, and now all of them work, and they cover basically every area. From Instrument dropdown, OHP, Centre Console, pilots side panels, yoke lights and overall cockpit lights. The vestibule area behind the cockpit is especially well done.
 

 
As you know I like a certain cockpit sterile low lighting feel for takeoff and and landing, it is perfectly available here, but I will note was quite fiddly to get it right, not something you can adjust quickly? A neat feature is the text lighting on the yokes, high adjustment gives you white text, low adjustment the same orange text as the OHD and side panels.
 

 
Cabin
Cabin lighting is just sensational. We have seen the options, and the selections are upper and lower downlights, and the separate seat lighting. Again with all the adjustments, there are load of different cabin variations you can create. Bathroom and Baggage areas are excellent. Even with the cabin lighting off, and the vestibule lighting on, it looks and feels nice and comfy.
 

 
External lighting
The external lighting has been refined as well. It covers both landing lights with a "Pulse" option, nosewheel taxi lights, Navigation and Beacon/Strobe, tail lights, ICE/Wing and gear bay lights...
 

 
Landing lights are still a bit over bright for my tastes, but otherwise very good... the forward cabin door also has built in lighting, looks excellent.
 

 
A few GLF 650 flight notes
I'm not crazy about the tight tiller, jiggly is more like it, and it is hard to taxi straight, the rudder pedals don't give you a lot of turning movement either, so the GLF 650 is a bit of a beast to taxi.
 

 
You need to "Arm" the ground spoilers when you get to the runway, if not they stickup, but this will also give you a "Ground Spolier Unarmed" Caution until you get there.
It is very easy to not to set the A/T (AutoThrust) were you get the "A/T not in Hold" Caution. The "Arm" selector is hidden on the left of the AFCS, the best way to find the hot-spot is to switch on the "View/Show Instrument Click Regions"
 

 
Power up and your gone...  with a combined thrust of 33,800 lbf from the BR725s.
 

 
.... T/O flap is set at a high 20º, so you need to retract the flap to 10º almost immediately on leaving the runway, same with the retracting the gear to get yourself cleaned up as soon as possible.
 

 
Then the Gulfstream will climb like no tomorrow at a 4000 fpm climbout, but 3,500 fpm is far more realistic.
 

 
Remember the FMS selection is selected via the NAV button on the SPU... There is custom LNAV and VNAV. Climb, cruise and descend management with altitude and speed restrictions, and even RNAV Approaches are available.
 

 
You have a massive, almost Concorde ceiling at 51,000ft with this Gulfstream, so those impressive climb numbers are required, and you can reach that FL510 altitude at around 25 minutes under optimal conditions. At the really short 309nm distance between Luxembourg and Biggin Hill, FL320 is also still available, so we are not certainly pushing the GLF 650 anywhere near it's impressive credentials...
 
You have to love this...  a Gulfstream and X-Plane 12, Heaven.
 

 
Sounds are particularly good, with a 3D sound engine with stereo dynamics, lovely wind and control surfaces sounds that are different in the cabin than the flightdeck, the cockpit ambient sounds are excellent with no loops or repetitive droning and the systems have custom alerts. There are custom PA Sounds in Polish and English, but I couldn't find were you activated them...  overall the aural package is very good.
 
There are only two liveries in the package, N650GY and SP-TOP, but there is a paint-kit included. There is also a dedicated AKD GLF650 liveries page here: Liveries for the GLF650, with loads of choices.
 

 
Other features include a custom GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System), TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) and a very good custom Pressurization, Oxygen and Air Conditioning system, again required for that high altitude. You can go down as fast as you can go up!
 
You can descend at 3,000 to 4,000 feet per minute (fpm) during normal descent phases, but even 5,000 fpm is possible, though this is generally reserved for emergency situations. The passengers get quite a ride...
 

 
The aircraft has a very good "Autotune" for both the ILS and local VOR frequencies (115.10 BIG), so if you need to do a manual ILS or VOR tuning, then it must be turned off via the Radio page, if not the frequencies are locked in.
 

 
There is a bit of a trick to landing the G650, it is to get the most minimal speed you can for landing, if not it is a bit of a handful on the tarmac.
 

 
Whatever you can get away with you will accept, here it is a noted 136 knts approach, but closer to the runway I am down as low as 127 knts, and still airborne....  you just keep lowering and nudging the throttle rearwards as you get closer and closer to the threshold.
 

 
Then hold that final flare and let the Gulfstream sink as smoothly as you can... 
 

 
...  and touch!
 

 
Then hit the "Cans" and you will find the reverse thrust is very effective, thankfully as you require a runway landing distance of approximately 3,000 feet (914 meters) under ideal conditions (at sea level, standard temperature, and no wind) when fully loaded.
 

 
Biggin Hill 03/21 is only 5925ft (1806m) so it is quite tight if you leave the landing too late. And the G650 can be a bit tricky on those final moments and when down on the hard-stuff, hence that slow landing speed....  so it requires skill, in the takeoff and landing phases.
 

 
But this is a very nice genuine Gulfstream dream machine.
_____________
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 650 has a 7,000 nm range and a maximum speed of Mach 0.925 with 18 passengers, Gulfstream 650ER however spices it all up a little with the GLF 700, as it can cover the same 7,500nm range, so you can connect even more distant city pairs. G650ER holds more fuel and has a higher MTOW to support the extended range. This aircraft is 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.
 
AKD Design released X-Plane's Gulfstream G550 a couple of years ago in late 2022, the best dedicated Gulfstream for the X-Plane Simulator. Here is the release of the GLF 650, with also includes the GLF 650ER - Extended Range variant in this package.
 
The Gulfstream G550 was a first time project by AKD Studios and obviously they had to pick an extremely complex aircraft to start with. So we found at the time the G550 was a bit underdeveloped, but to be fair, AKD has been one of the most prolific developers, with delivering almost monthly, even weekly sometimes in updates. So the development of the not only the original G550, but also the features of the G650 are now all excellent.
 
Impressive in Gulfstream systems, the GLF 550 and this G650 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 based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system, notable is that this is not the Symmetry Flight Deck in the GLF 650, but the "PlaneView II" system with the Cursor Control Devices, and that aspect is well done here. Also custom CAS (warnings), Ice and rain protection system (X-Plane 12), IRS system and a full (menu) Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), also notable is the FMS (Flight Management System) is now also custom, GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System), TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System and a custom Pressurization, Oxygen and Air Conditioning system... it's an impressive list.
 
Modeling is now very good but your not going to get the extreme X-Plane 12 Ultra quality here, a lot has been refined and updated over the two years, but a few niggles still remain...  those cabin windows are still average and still have no blinds, the non-texturing of the main and taxi lighting is actually now becoming bewildering, and internal engine detail has too much light gaps from certain angles.
 
But the cockpit and cabin lighting is excellent and highly adjustable, sounds are very good as well, the cabin layout is better here than the G550, and cockpit seats have very nice orange highlights.
 
Personally I absolutely love these Gulfstreams from AKD Studios. X-Plane has always wanted really excellent transoceanic Private Jets for decades, and here they are available to X-Plane users, the G650 is also available in X-Plane 11. The price for the G560 is a little higher than the earlier released G550, but you get a lot for your investment, however if you own the GLF550 by AKD, you can get this GLF650 for a 25% off the price. Either way for your money you get a lot of aircraft with it's Gulfstream related systems and extensive list of features...  Highly recommended.
X-PlaneReviews has also published the AKD Designs interview by Dominic Smith (Also on the X-Plane.Org) to get a background on this interesting developer.
________________________________  

 
The Gulfstream 650/650ER by AKD Studio is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore
 
GLF650 - Ultimate Business Jet by AKD Studio
Price is US$44.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac (even native M1, M2,etc Macs) or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 1 GB
Current version : 1.01  (November 4th 2024)
 
PS: If you own the GLF550 by AKD, you can get this GLF650 for a 25%. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout as long as you use the same account.
 
Download for the Gulfstream 650 by AKD Studio is 1.03GB
 
And the final install in X-Plane Aircraft folder with the above loaded liveries is; 1.82gb. Authorisation is required.
The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder.
 
Simbrief Profiles: 
 GLF650ER: https://dispatch.simbrief.com/airframes/share/256234_1726736252301 
 GLF650: https://dispatch.simbrief.com/airframes/share/256234_1722423236448
 
Documents
GLF650 by AKD Studio - MCDU Manual.pdf
GLF650 by AKD Studio Introduction.pdf
GLF650_AKD_Checklist.pdf
Support.txt

Designed by AKD Studios
Support forum for the GLF650
Liveries for the GLF650
_____________________
 
Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
15th November 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD. Bose Quietcomfort Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.2
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- ELLX - Luxembourg Findel Airport v2.1  by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.95
- EGKB - Biggin Hill (XP10) 1.3 by Chars (X-Plane.Org) - Free
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Aircraft Review : Gulfstream 650/650ER by AKD Studios
 
In the world of privilege, those whom are superior to us mere mortals, then the word "Gulfstream" is their daily transport. These private jets are the upper echelon of status, and the bigger, faster and the longer range of these niche machines, then the higher the status.
 
AKD Design released X-Plane's Gulfstream G550 a couple of years ago in late 2022, the best dedicated Gulfstream for the X-Plane Simulator. Here is the release of the GLF 650, with including the GLF 650ER - Extended Range variant. The Gulfstream series is a complicated one, as the G600/G700/G800 Series was built upon the last series of G500/G550 Series, and those aircraft evolved out of the Gulfstream V as the GV-SP.
 
So is the GLF 650 the biggest and fastest? not quite, as I said Gulfstreams are complicated and don't follow in order. The GLF 650 has a 7,000 nm range and a maximum speed of Mach 0.925 with 18 passengers, The GLF 700 Series has a 7,500 mn Range for 19 passengers in a longer cabin of 56ft. The GLF 800 is a hybrid of the two, it has the shorter (GLF 650) cabin at 46ft, but the more modern engines and the newer wing to cover a 8,000mn range, carrying 15-19 passengers.
 
So the GLF 800 is best suited for the longest routes, while the GLF 700 maximizes cabin space for ultra-luxurious travel. The GLF 650 remains an excellent option for those who need luxury with substantial, but slightly less, range.
 
But then the GLF 650ER spices it all up a little with the GLF 700, as it can cover the same 7,500nm range, so you can connect even more distant city pairs, such as Los Angeles to Melbourne or Hong Kong to New York nonstop. Otherwise the G650 and G650ER are basically the same aircraft except in one area, in that the G650ER holds more fuel and has a higher MTOW to support the extended range.
 

 
But first just a couple of more statistics. If you have invested in the AKD GLF 550, then what is the difference between GLF 650? (noted here is the original G550 release).
 
Unexpectedly the cabin is actually smaller in 46ft 10 inch (G550 50ft 1 inch), height is only one single inch higher. The range between them is 7,000nm to the G550 6,750nm, but speed is the same at Mach 0.85, the engine is different with the Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, with a maximum thrust of 16,900 lbf (75.2 kN). The BR725 50 inch (130 cm) fan with 24 swept blades is 2 in (5.1 cm) larger, and 4 dB quieter than the BR710 on the GLF 550.
 
Overall the GLF 650 offers more cabin space, larger panoramic windows, and a lower cabin altitude (4,100 feet at high altitude) for enhanced comfort and reduced jet lag, so it is a step up in luxury, speed, and comfort from the GLF550.
 

 
Both the G550 and G650 fly the same, feel the same actually, but the G650 does have a better initial climb rate of 4,000 fpm, compared to the G550 3,600 fpm, then both can climb easily at 2,000-3,000 fpm over 30,000ft to a ceiling of 51,000ft. They are impressive machines.
 
The G650 cabin fit-out is different, more beige than the earlier G550 cream, the wood is changed from Teak to Walnut (a bit of a lighter wood). Chairs are actually smaller and more squarer than the wide G550 seating, but were as the G550 has abundant space, here the layout is far more better conceived, more realistic by design. With four forward club, twin club seats around a table, single club behind and only one sofa on the right rear.
 

 
The lovely buffet with popup (animated) monitor, that shows the in-flight map is also better positioned mid-cabin. walnut highlights show the non-smoking/Seatbelt signs, and the front galley is very nice, with a marble worktop.
 

 
There are two areas rear, first door is the washroom/toilet, rear is the large baggage area, with nets, a case, and the lower cargo hatch works for loading in the bags externally.
 

 
I wasn't crazy about the G550 windows, they are better(ish) here, but not in an advanced way, still don't have any animated blinds either, I expected a step up here?
 

 
From the X-Plane "Flight Configuration" menu you have the choice of both the GLF 650, and the GLF 650ER (Extended Range). So they are presented as separate aircraft.
 

 
Externally the two G550 and G650 aircraft are not much if anything different, you would be pushed to separate them. Modeling wise they are very good, but certainly not in that high ultra realism factor we can now expect from X-Plane 12.
 

 
The small issues are just that in being small, like the nosewheel lights (when off) and landing lights are not textured, or are blank. Not a good look at this level, and after two years, both G550 and G650 lighting should have been textured by now.
 

 
Window surrounds are Lo-Res, but nice tinted glass. Problematic cabin windows does actually have glass, but it is extremely thin and not really reflective, so it all looks a bit holey...  required is say a window tint or scratches to highlight the glass? There are two (male and female) pilots flying the aircraft, and quality pilots they are, but they are not animated.
 

 
G650 has a highly swept high aspect ratio wing with a 36-degree sweep angle, which reduces drag and enables high-speed, gives you an efficient cruise, the wing incorporates composite materials for strength and to reduce weight. Lean and mean here, lovely curve is right up to the well done blended winglets.
 

 
The G650 uses a Honeywell RE220(G) Auxiliary Power Unit, it provides high electrical power output and bleed air to the aircraft. The RE220(G) is hidden away in the lower tail, but you can hear it running. Distinctive Gulfstream tail (high bulky forward) is well done, and looks realistic. The G650 rear section and tail is quite different from the G550, cleaner and without air vents, but well done here.
 

 
BR725 engine pods are better than the AKD average G550 versions. Better fan detail is also all new, as is the rear exhaust detail. But I wasn't impressed by the poor internal fit, that showed in the surrounds of too much daylight?
 

 
Reverser action is very basic, just a set of cans and no real detail.
 

 
The nosewheel is exquisitely crafted, an amazing amount of small detail, down to strut, hydraulics, links and nuts, but the noted missing lighting glass still makes it feel all slightly unfinished?
 

 
Twin rear assemblies are trailing link, a normal gear arrangement on these executive jets. Again all the modeling and detail is first rate. Here better than the G550, that was quite bland/unfinished. Inner gear doors however are wafer thin, and not very realistic, but the animation is excellent. As are the nice rubber tyres and quality inner wheel rims.
 

 
Static Elements
Externally you have a set of Static Elements, including pitot tags, chocks (all wheels) and two AKD logoed GPUs (Ground Power Units). Both the main entrance forward door and baggage hatch are nicely animated to open and close.
 

 
Cockpit
The cockpit (no seperation doors on Gulfstreams) makes it feel very exposed to the passengers.
 

 
Inside the layout and feel is the Gulstream same, but different...  if that makes sense? You quickly understand the Gulfstream layout, but the feel in here is far lighter in beige, than the overall dark grey of the G550, it is helped by the very nice orange head and armrests on the seats.
 

 
Wall panels have the diamond patterned luxury feel as on the G650, but the "GulfStream" logo on the rear of the centre console is missing?
 
Seats are the same, but slightly modified in they now have armrests, but oddly only the inner rests are animated? Outwardly they look great, but on closer inspection they are quite lumpy and hard in detail, seats are locked into place as well. Note the hanging rear jumpseat, shame it is not animated....
 

 
Yokes are slightly different from the G550, in the centre paper clip holder is missing, but look better. PTT (Push To Talk) works, but not the electric trim? You can hide both yokes via pressing the instrument panel behind. Note the nice rudder pedals.
 

 
Throttle quadrant is also the same, but again different...  the handles on the G550 were chrome, here they are anodised, and note the "very" small AutoThrust (working) disconnect button.
 

 
Power on...  and you get a startup/alignment sequence. There are three options here; Real, Short or Instant alignment, but the full procedure is worth watching.
 

 
Flight Deck
The Gulfstream integrated flight deck is based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system. There are four huge 14-inch 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). Note, this is NOT the "Symmetry Flight Deck", that has Touchscreens and Side-Stick controllers.
 
The G550 uses the "PlaneView" Cockpit series, were as the G650 uses the upgraded "PlaneView II" system with the Cursor Control Devices (CCD), Predictive Landing Performance System (PLPS) and HUD "Dual Head-Up Display Option"...  not included here on the PlaneView ll are the Synthetic Vision System (SVS), Enhanced Vision System (EVS) and Automatic Emergency Descent Mode (EDM).
 
But provided however is a single pilot HUD, it works, but looks very dated to the latest Laminar Research default HUD, I expect it will be updated in an update.
 
 
 
The panel layout is basically the same as the G550, but there is a slight difference with the Gulfstream specific glareshield "Switch Panel Unit" (SPU) on the G650 and G700 series. There is an added element of the SMC or "Standby Multifunction Controller" that shows the backup instruments in the SPU, it is activated by the "STANDBY" button under the SPU selection buttons...
 

 
...    if the SMC is switched off you get the Aircraft's registration number (a nice handy touch), and the usual SPU menu selections.
 
The SPU is basically a simple push-button controller and it is easy to access and set, the menus are shown on the SPU Display.
 

 
Selections include; PFD, MAP, SENSOR, FLT REF, TEST, CHKLIST - SYSTEM, 1/6 - 2/3, TRS, NAV, HUD. By my estimation about 70% of the SPU system is currently only working? but this is a very deep system.
 
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 simple 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 Switch Panel Unit, in DU 1 "Upper" and "Lower".
 

 
These selections 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. NEXT gives you more options; <Cameras, CAS (Crew Alerting System), Checklist, Comp (Comprehensive) Eng, Pri (Primary) Eng, Sec (Secondary) Eng and Waypoint List...  RETURN takes you back to the first menu order.
 

 
These menu options are available on all four DU units. The other two DUs are set in the two centre displays DU 2 (Lower) and DU3 (Lower).
 

 
You have also in the central DU 3 and DU 4 displays, both have built in menus for MAP/Navigation. Provided are; Map Data, Aircraft Centre (Heading or Plan modes), Hdg, Prev, Next (waypoints), World and Map which is also on the systems menu
 

 
Left menu allows you to show Map data (Airports, VORs, NDBs...). The right menu shows aircraft diagrams for; AC Power, DC Power, Doors, Fuel, Hydraulic, MAP, CMC, ECS/Press, FLT Controls, Summary. And either DU 3 or 4 displays can be used via both menus.
 

 
The diagram layouts are more detailed than the G550, plus the camera is now in colour.
 
DU 3 upper right has an Engine Readout panel including N1 (Fan Speed), N2 (Core Speed) EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature), Fuel Flow, ITT (Interstage Turbine Temperature), Oil Pressure and Temperature, hydraulic Pressure, Fuel Temps and Fuel Quantity. DU 4 has an upper left panel for the Crew Alerting System (CAS), and lower left is the excellent built in checklist with navigation selections.
 

 
True to the G650 system, menu navigation is via a three pronged PlaneView II CCD cursor (arrowed)
 

 
All four DUs (Display Units) will pop-out via the X-Plane Banner Menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12".
 

 
The G650 CAS or "Crew Alerting System" is excellent as it categorises alerts into four levels: Warning (red), Caution (Yellow), Advisory (Blue), and Status (White). Can also be labeled as the Centralised Warning Panel (CWP) on the DU4.
    •    Warnings represent immediate action items (e.g., engine fire) and are often associated with aural alerts.
    •    Cautions indicate conditions that require attention but aren’t immediately critical.
    •    Advisories provide information that may affect the flight but generally do not require immediate action.
    •    Status messages give general information or notifications on system states.
 

 
Flight Management System (FMS), originally in the AKD GLF 550 it had the standard Laminar default FMS, and very basic it was...  But here in the G650 we have a more dedicated FMS, it's still a sort of hybrid, so it is not totally authentic to the Honeywell Primus Epic installed in a G650, it however is quite good and far, far better in detail and data than the default installation. All three MCDU units pop-out via the banner menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12".
 

 
The IDENT and NAV INDEX are very authentic, but you can still insert a standard X-Plane .fms route from X-Plane. Manual entry of the flightplan is also possible, even with Co-Ords
 

 
DEPARTURE (SID) and ARRIVAL (STAR) are also available and can be tuned and ACTIVATED to your preferences.
 

 
So Flightplan creation and editing is very quick and easy, basically you load in your .fms flightplan, add in the DEP and ARR procedures and your done!
 

 
You can check the Flightplan (PLAN) by going to the Switch Panel Unit and selecting MAP, then NORTH to activate the PLAN mode.
 

 
Then press PREV or NEXT to navigate the Flightplan...
 

 
If the need be, you can also finely adjust the MAP screen via tabs, top, bottom and both sides via the CCD cursor directly on the DU Display.
 

 
There are also three PROG (Progress) pages with a significant amount of route and flight data.
 

 
The Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) is positioned in the glareshield contained each end by each Switch Panel Unit (SPU) system, and the WARNING panel is far left and right.
 

 
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. Layout and use is identical to the GLF 550.
 
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.
 

 
The main twin-throttles and rear reverser levers are as noted now an anodised, design, look nice, nice to use. Set each side are the standard Air-brake and Flap levers UP-10-20 (T/O and APP) - 39º (Down). Rear pedestal is all electric trims and MCDU 3, nicely done is the use of a FMS frame to hold the Radio settings, a simple but clever way of doing it.
 

 
Although the MCDU 3 holds the RADIO frequencies, the Radio controls are on both side panels with the lighting controls.
 

 
There are EFB/Tablets available for both the Pilot and First Officer, both can be separately accessed via the Banner Menu "GLF 650ER AKD XP12". As a note there is one other Menu option on the Banner Menu, this is the "IRS instant Align", to do a quick system alignment.
 

 
There are nine menu tabs; Fuel Payload, GND (Ground), AviTab, Flight Plan, PERF (Performance) Calculator, Settings, Checklists and Audio Volume and Cabin Lights. Most of the EFB layout is the same as the earlier G550, but there are a few differences.
 

 
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. Three options are also available; Reset Data, Set, and Insert Simbrief Data. You can now load in your Simbrief data directly into the Fuel/Weight page, but have to press SET to align the Fuel and Payload weights (which is a little slow?) an instant load would be nice. You can scroll or Add + or Minus - any number to your liking (like extra fuel)
 

 
When loaded you can then load your passengers by pressing "Boarding". Pressing "bring Passengers from terminal" will activate a very nice Mercedes bus, then load the passengers into the aircraft, when the bus will drive away, the opposite to deplane, or "Take passengers to terminal" is the reverse operation.
 

 
This activity has had a lot of refinement over the last two years, earlier it was a Tesla 3 car, a scale too big, and the process was chunky, but this is now really well done, if waiting for the bus to arrive is a bit (okay a lot) slow.
 
GND : There are a few options on the "Ground Handling Page" which are the Static Elements. Of which there is the GPU (Ground Power Unit) AC, but also noted a DC Unit, Main door and Main Door Lights, Chocks, Cargo Door...   on the Static Elements Page there is; front L/G covers, Captain and F/O pitot covers, and Main L/G covers. Open ALL Doors and Close ALL Doors options are also available
 

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

 
Flight Plan : This tab option is new from the G550, but the former METAR tab is now merged with the Flight Planning.
 

 
Again you can "Inport Data from Simbrief" (Import Simbrief) to load in the current generated Brief, Flightplan and Fuel/Weights, then you can SET FUEL/PAYLOAD directly into the MCDU. This will set up the Departure and Approach speeds.
 
NOTE: I couldn't find the Simbrief Profiles for the GLF 650? So the developer has provided two, one for each variant G650 and the G650ER, both are listed below, and are required as a custom G550 version won't work or be correct to the G650 performance.
 

 
And four PERFORMANCE INIT pages... parts of the PREF are not yet completed, it looks like the VNAV section.
 

 
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) - Real/Short/Instant, Refuel (Time) Real/Short/Instant, Simbrief User ID, 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) and EFB Brightness. Second page includes (advanced); Tail Rego, Use Kill Objects, Disable LuaJIT, Static Elements on Startup and Main Door open on Startup.
 

 
CHECKLIST : The checklist has been simplified, in that you now can't check off (green) items, otherwise navigation is still easy and the lists are through.
 

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

 
CABIN LIGHTS : There are two pages of "Cabin Lighting" settings, the overhead lights, and diverse lighting. All can be either selected individually, or use the "Turn ON All lights' (Turn OFF also) to shortcut the cabin lighting, all can be adjusted for BRIGHTNESS via the sliders.
 

___________
 
Lighting
The AKD G550 when released in lighting was a bit hit and miss, but a lot of development has completely changed this aspect. The Cockpit lighting has about 12 adjustment knobs, and now all of them work, and they cover basically every area. From Instrument dropdown, OHP, Centre Console, pilots side panels, yoke lights and overall cockpit lights. The vestibule area behind the cockpit is especially well done.
 

 
As you know I like a certain cockpit sterile low lighting feel for takeoff and and landing, it is perfectly available here, but I will note was quite fiddly to get it right, not something you can adjust quickly? A neat feature is the text lighting on the yokes, high adjustment gives you white text, low adjustment the same orange text as the OHD and side panels.
 

 
Cabin
Cabin lighting is just sensational. We have seen the options, and the selections are upper and lower downlights, and the separate seat lighting. Again with all the adjustments, there are load of different cabin variations you can create. Bathroom and Baggage areas are excellent. Even with the cabin lighting off, and the vestibule lighting on, it looks and feels nice and comfy.
 

 
External lighting
The external lighting has been refined as well. It covers both landing lights with a "Pulse" option, nosewheel taxi lights, Navigation and Beacon/Strobe, tail lights, ICE/Wing and gear bay lights...
 

 
Landing lights are still a bit over bright for my tastes, but otherwise very good... the forward cabin door also has built in lighting, looks excellent.
 

 
A few GLF 650 flight notes
I'm not crazy about the tight tiller, jiggly is more like it, and it is hard to taxi straight, the rudder pedals don't give you a lot of turning movement either, so the GLF 650 is a bit of a beast to taxi.
 

 
You need to "Arm" the ground spoilers when you get to the runway, if not they stickup, but this will also give you a "Ground Spolier Unarmed" Caution until you get there.
It is very easy to not to set the A/T (AutoThrust) were you get the "A/T not in Hold" Caution. The "Arm" selector is hidden on the left of the AFCS, the best way to find the hot-spot is to switch on the "View/Show Instrument Click Regions"
 

 
Power up and your gone...  with a combined thrust of 33,800 lbf from the BR725s.
 

 
.... T/O flap is set at a high 20º, so you need to retract the flap to 10º almost immediately on leaving the runway, same with the retracting the gear to get yourself cleaned up as soon as possible.
 

 
Then the Gulfstream will climb like no tomorrow at a 4000 fpm climbout, but 3,500 fpm is far more realistic.
 

 
Remember the FMS selection is selected via the NAV button on the SPU... There is custom LNAV and VNAV. Climb, cruise and descend management with altitude and speed restrictions, and even RNAV Approaches are available.
 

 
You have a massive, almost Concorde ceiling at 51,000ft with this Gulfstream, so those impressive climb numbers are required, and you can reach that FL510 altitude at around 25 minutes under optimal conditions. At the really short 309nm distance between Luxembourg and Biggin Hill, FL320 is also still available, so we are not certainly pushing the GLF 650 anywhere near it's impressive credentials...
 
You have to love this...  a Gulfstream and X-Plane 12, Heaven.
 

 
Sounds are particularly good, with a 3D sound engine with stereo dynamics, lovely wind and control surfaces sounds that are different in the cabin than the flightdeck, the cockpit ambient sounds are excellent with no loops or repetitive droning and the systems have custom alerts. There are custom PA Sounds in Polish and English, but I couldn't find were you activated them...  overall the aural package is very good.
 
There are only two liveries in the package, N650GY and SP-TOP, but there is a paint-kit included. There is also a dedicated AKD GLF650 liveries page here: Liveries for the GLF650, with loads of choices.
 

 
Other features include a custom GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System), TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) and a very good custom Pressurization, Oxygen and Air Conditioning system, again required for that high altitude. You can go down as fast as you can go up!
 
You can descend at 3,000 to 4,000 feet per minute (fpm) during normal descent phases, but even 5,000 fpm is possible, though this is generally reserved for emergency situations. The passengers get quite a ride...
 

 
The aircraft has a very good "Autotune" for both the ILS and local VOR frequencies (115.10 BIG), so if you need to do a manual ILS or VOR tuning, then it must be turned off via the Radio page, if not the frequencies are locked in.
 

 
There is a bit of a trick to landing the G650, it is to get the most minimal speed you can for landing, if not it is a bit of a handful on the tarmac.
 

 
Whatever you can get away with you will accept, here it is a noted 136 knts approach, but closer to the runway I am down as low as 127 knts, and still airborne....  you just keep lowering and nudging the throttle rearwards as you get closer and closer to the threshold.
 

 
Then hold that final flare and let the Gulfstream sink as smoothly as you can... 
 

 
...  and touch!
 

 
Then hit the "Cans" and you will find the reverse thrust is very effective, thankfully as you require a runway landing distance of approximately 3,000 feet (914 meters) under ideal conditions (at sea level, standard temperature, and no wind) when fully loaded.
 

 
Biggin Hill 03/21 is only 5925ft (1806m) so it is quite tight if you leave the landing too late. And the G650 can be a bit tricky on those final moments and when down on the hard-stuff, hence that slow landing speed....  so it requires skill, in the takeoff and landing phases.
 

 
But this is a very nice genuine Gulfstream dream machine.
_____________
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 650 has a 7,000 nm range and a maximum speed of Mach 0.925 with 18 passengers, Gulfstream 650ER however spices it all up a little with the GLF 700, as it can cover the same 7,500nm range, so you can connect even more distant city pairs. G650ER holds more fuel and has a higher MTOW to support the extended range. This aircraft is 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.
 
AKD Design released X-Plane's Gulfstream G550 a couple of years ago in late 2022, the best dedicated Gulfstream for the X-Plane Simulator. Here is the release of the GLF 650, with also includes the GLF 650ER - Extended Range variant in this package.
 
The Gulfstream G550 was a first time project by AKD Studios and obviously they had to pick an extremely complex aircraft to start with. So we found at the time the G550 was a bit underdeveloped, but to be fair, AKD has been one of the most prolific developers, with delivering almost monthly, even weekly sometimes in updates. So the development of the not only the original G550, but also the features of the G650 are now all excellent.
 
Impressive in Gulfstream systems, the GLF 550 and this G650 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 based on the Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system, notable is that this is not the Symmetry Flight Deck in the GLF 650, but the "PlaneView II" system with the Cursor Control Devices, and that aspect is well done here. Also custom CAS (warnings), Ice and rain protection system (X-Plane 12), IRS system and a full (menu) Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), also notable is the FMS (Flight Management System) is now also custom, GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System), TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System and a custom Pressurization, Oxygen and Air Conditioning system... it's an impressive list.
 
Modeling is now very good but your not going to get the extreme X-Plane 12 Ultra quality here, a lot has been refined and updated over the two years, but a few niggles still remain...  those cabin windows are still average and still have no blinds, the non-texturing of the main and taxi lighting is actually now becoming bewildering, and internal engine detail has too much light gaps from certain angles.
 
But the cockpit and cabin lighting is excellent and highly adjustable, sounds are very good as well, the cabin layout is better here than the G550, and cockpit seats have very nice orange highlights.
 
Personally I absolutely love these Gulfstreams from AKD Studios. X-Plane has always wanted really excellent transoceanic Private Jets for decades, and here they are available to X-Plane users, the G650 is also available in X-Plane 11. The price for the G560 is a little higher than the earlier released G550, but you get a lot for your investment, however if you own the GLF550 by AKD, you can get this GLF650 for a 25% off the price. Either way for your money you get a lot of aircraft with it's Gulfstream related systems and extensive list of features...  Highly recommended.
X-PlaneReviews has also published the AKD Designs interview by Dominic Smith (Also on the X-Plane.Org) to get a background on this interesting developer.
________________________________  

 
The Gulfstream 650/650ER by AKD Studio is NOW available here at the X-Plane.OrgStore
 
GLF650 - Ultimate Business Jet by AKD Studio
Price is US$44.95
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac (even native M1, M2,etc Macs) or Linux
8 GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 1 GB
Current version : 1.01  (November 4th 2024)
 
PS: If you own the GLF550 by AKD, you can get this GLF650 for a 25%. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout as long as you use the same account.
 
Download for the Gulfstream 650 by AKD Studio is 1.03GB
 
And the final install in X-Plane Aircraft folder with the above loaded liveries is; 1.82gb. Authorisation is required.
The AviTab plugin is also required to use this aircraft, and it is deposited in your X-Plane Plugins folder.
 
Simbrief Profiles: 
 GLF650ER: https://dispatch.simbrief.com/airframes/share/256234_1726736252301 
 GLF650: https://dispatch.simbrief.com/airframes/share/256234_1722423236448
 
Documents
GLF650 by AKD Studio - MCDU Manual.pdf
GLF650 by AKD Studio Introduction.pdf
GLF650_AKD_Checklist.pdf
Support.txt

Designed by AKD Studios
Support forum for the GLF650
Liveries for the GLF650
_____________________
 
Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton
15th November 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
Review System Specifications: 
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD. Bose Quietcomfort Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.2
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- ELLX - Luxembourg Findel Airport v2.1  by JustSim (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.95
- EGKB - Biggin Hill (XP10) 1.3 by Chars (X-Plane.Org) - Free
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Behind the Screen : October 2024
 
Go back a few years and X-Plane users were very rarely part of the aircraft development process, there was the very rare access to a final beta, but overall it was an exclusive club.
 
Most developers used a very tight group of testers, very experienced, but mostly very good at identifying and resolving issues. They were capable of doing exactly the same thing over and mind-numbingly over and making notes on the various changes and options required. These notes were passed on to the developer to rectify, then when done these testers then ran the same tests again to see if the issues had been resolved. The only problem was, was that these very specialist personalities were and are still quite a rare species. So the developers groups were very loyal in the context of each other requiring the others specialist services.
 
But as aircraft became much more seriously complex, and with the huge diversity of platforms and the different types of users. When releasing the aircraft, there was usually a huge inundation of issues and problems to fix. It created "Nightmare Fortnight", as it became, for there were loads of needed quick fixes, and the many instant updates required to cover and repair the outstanding issues. 
 
So developers and even Laminar Research with X-Plane itself, opened up the process a little earlier to resolve the majority of these issues before the final release, mostly from the start of the "beta" phase. In context the idea is a good one. As basically the significant user base was now involved in resolving the issues as part of the development program, but it was still mostly constrained to the "beta" process.
 
But in this last year, a few developers have now opened up the earlier "Alpha" development cycle, mostly with FlightFactor's Boeing 777-200ER v2 Ultimate. Granted it was still an exclusive (and paid) invitation to get into this very private domain. FlightFactor ran a development site (again exclusive) for these restricted few privileged assignees. Only a 1,000 ballots at every release were allowed in, but in context the idea worked well in that this very extremely complex aircraft was then able to have the wide range of aspects to cover the massive amount of issues that needed attention. You were under a very strict NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) in not releasing any images or videos, or even publicly announcing any of the aircraft's features and highlights, unless it came from the official sources.
 
Let us be very specific. "Alpha" aircraft are very, very raw, a lot of the development is still missing, details are not only missing, but sometimes not even finished. In reality they are at this stage a very unfinished product. They are not great to use or to even fly as most or even the very crucial areas like VNAV are not either included, or even working correctly, honestly they are horrible...  and so you don't want to go there.
 
They are a nightmare to review? even later "Beta" aircraft are hard to review, because basically they are incomplete. The general idea is to review any aircraft after the release, to summarise it's features and to highlight the best parts of the aircraft, then give a verdict on what has been presented, to to finally note the price and value context of the product. All to help you in making a fair investment that suits your Simulation needs.
 
But the requirements to present a review on the release day can muddle the picture. There is that limited time from release to a point the next "big shiny thing" that will take the purchasers focus away, everyone will usually buy on release, as the "I want it NOW" with FOMO also kicks in, so any review even a week late is just too late? but it's also impossible to present the correct product on release, as changes can go right up to the day of release, sometimes huge changes. That happened with the ToLiss A330neo, as on the very last day all the cockpit textures were completely refined and updated. In this case it meant a night's work (3am) to redo all the review images to mirror the release product. Then there is still the fix up period a few weeks after release that can create even more changes to the original review.
 
The best reviews are done about a month or so after the release and fix window has finished, as you can then assess the product fully and in it's mostly completed state. But in a market driven world we don't get that luxury. To a point the wise purchaser will wait, and get a better assessment of the product, sometimes also at a lower price, as many developers will go within weeks to a "Sale" mode to get extra sales.
 
I am not a fan of this culture, as it first, devalues the product, and secondly it creates a mindset of "if I wait" I will get a "cheaper" product.  Good for you of course, but developers can spend a year to two years to create the aircraft from scratch, it deserves to hold it's value price for longer, sales should be or only come after a period of time, and after the product has created a return for the developers time and expertise.
 
This would be to the horror of the culture, obviously, "I want it cheaper, and less I have to pay, then the better it is for me". But the problem is it devalues the work and returns that lower return that usually ends up with the developer saying "I'm not making anything out of this anymore?" then disappears off the scene taking their expert skills and taking any future products with them. Now they have a bigger excuse in going to MSFS2020/2024 to make some return for their work and skills, so X-Plane loses all round. It is a race to the bottom, and X-Plane has seen the dire effects of such machinations this year.
 
But is opening up these early "Alpha" and "Beta" releases to all recipients a good idea? as noted it is a double-edged sword, specialist testers can't cover all the bases, that the swarm of different users can. Many users are actually very good at this early testing caper, it is gratifying to see on how very well they did these testing protocols, and to give great returns with great intelligence and covering the details, which are given back to the developer. But there is a danger side to this aspect as well. As not everyone is created equally.
 
Streaming is free, and anyone can do it and create online streams, Streamers, Vlogs, Vloggers, they all basically do the same thing in streaming live content. Obviously Simulation is incredibly popular, certainly when a new and exciting product is being released. This creates a bun-fight to get out the first video of the new product, not only for the "likes", but mostly for the money it generates.
 
Disclaimer here, I am not jealous of this because I don't stream reviews, oddly I am a professional video editor that worked in the film industry, but I feel that content should be created with care and detail and doing a lot of research. Now there are some very good Streamers out there, Drishal is one, Q8Pilot is another quality reviewer, and a few real world pilots make good videos on aircraft comparisons, again oddly they can also be the worse reviewers of Simulation aircraft. If you want to learn aircraft systems and procedures then watch real world cockpit videos, not the online wannabes.
 
And here we get down to the problem. The earlier you get the new product, and then get it out there, the more money you make. Then you now have developers letting these streamers in at a very early level of development, it is a culture that is going to clash and end badly.
 
The moment FightFactor lifted it's NDA, it all went shit-faced, with an "Alpha" aircraft at that, but got it worse with the release of the ToLiss A330neo.
 
Let us be clear, I'm not a fan of the sort of streaming that tries to land a Boeing 747 on an aircraft carrier, or in trying to fly a Cessna 172 to 50,000ft, to a point I have a serious personality. And I know that the comments will come, "Oh just lighten up a little", "It's just a bit of fun Stephen". But my take is that in the real world cockpit there is no room for these antics, I want to mirror the professionals, run a clockwork cockpit. My take is that X-Plane or any really good Simulator is an education tool, but also a training tool, for both real world and online pilots.
 
Our job is to teach as well as do reviews, we do all the hard work so you don't have to, there are explanations and tips to shortcut you, and to get you flying quicker. But Streamers don't adhere to those standards, "They are the "Quick Buck guys", worse are their flying standards and in not following the correct procedures, as teachers they are dismally awful, not all as I have mentioned, and obviously it makes great entertainment, but not much else.
 
But to note that "Alpha" aircraft, and "beta" aircraft are not finished, and pointing out the missing aspects of development is a new low, it hurts everyone, the developers and any future sales, and don't get me started on the wails of the missing VNAV (B777v2) and the bad cockpit textures (ToLiss A339), both were either included or fixed before the official release. It is the loss of the basic understanding of the development process, and it shows in how immature they are, but hey, they only want the available money. Yes bad streamers have been around for years, so it's nothing new to Simulation, but don't feed the monster by giving them what they want, cheap easy money.
 
See you all next month
 
Stephen Dutton
5th November 2024
Copyright©2024 X-Plane Reviews
 

Plugin Review : X-ATC Chatter v1.7.2 by Stick and Rudder Studios
 
Back in October 2018 I reviewed X-ATC Chatter by Stick and Rudder Studios, or Mark Cellis, a prolific plugin developer (X-Camera, X-Keypad). And to believe it has been over six years since that Chatter review. So I thought I should catch up and see where we are all at, as we are now well into X-Plane 12.
This was not a download and try it out exercise. But I installed the plugin actually over two months ago, so it has been in constant use over that past lengthy period to get a better evaluation of the tool.
 
First let us recap of what X-ATC Chatter is. It is basically a background tool, an aural space filler of Air Traffic Control (ATC) chatter, it doesn't interact directly with your flying or is it an actual connection to the X-Plane ATC or directly with any online ATC systems like "Pilot2ATC" and VATSIM.
Interaction however is a fine word here because it does sort of interacts with the aircraft's radios, and even by giving background chatter to online services like the X-Plane ATC and Pilot2ATC online and 124th ATC. It sort of creates a 4th dimension to the simulator experience, but you could call it "hands off".
 
Installation
First the Installation...  the X-ATC - Chatter download is now a hefty 2.88Gb for the "Full_Clip_Set" and you may add in even more files once downloaded, as Stick and Rudder publishes new sound file updates quite often. My full installation is already 3.25Gb.
 
You drag the X-ATC folder to the X-Plane/resources/plugins folder....
 

 
Installation can be different for each application... for Pilot2ATC for example you have to install the region (sound) files directly into the Pilot2ATC application and for each of the different regions sound folder, and there is an excellent video covering the slightly complex installation.
 

 
Here above is how it is directly intergrated into Pilot2ATC for the background chatter while you are online and conversing with the ATC controllers (the Chatter does go quiet when you are in contact with the controller!) and integration is also available for X-Life 2.1, ATC (X-Plane) and 124th ATC and a few more.
 
There is also direct intergration in X-ATC Chatter with "Simple ATC" that is a built in (Simple) ATC system. This is an immersive ATC communications experience by using the text to speech capabilities of the operating system to synthesize communication between your aircraft and ATC. This capability is built into X-Plane but the voices tend to be very robotic and it does not handle the various flight plans such as VFR and VFR with flight following, but it does support integration to Amazon Polly voices.
 
In the Regions folder, there are the seven regions in: Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, Oceania, South America and United States, these zones are then broken down to controllers in those specific regions...
 

 
 
....   then there is the different types of radio communications in; App (Approach), Clr (Clearance), Ctr (Control), Dep (Departure), Dep_Gnd (Departure ground), Dep_Twr (Departure Tower), Dep_Uni (Departure Universal), Dest_Gnd (Destination ground), Dest_Twr (Destination Tower) and Dest_Uni (Destination  Universal). Note the Universal frequencies are the standard Automatic terminal information service, or ATIS frequencies. Then finally are the actual sound files for that specific controller.
 

 
Most of the sound files are edited for generalisation, and are sourced from LiveATC, but a fair few are locally sourced to cover areas that are not in the LiveATC broadcast areas. There are areas not covered by LiveATC, like the UK, Germany and Spain, but Russia is? these files have been sourced to cover the gaps.
 
This review is based on version X-ATC Chatter v1.7.2. But Stick and Rudder have released v1.7.3 in a "beta" form, you can find it here... X-ATC Chatter v1.7.3beta
There are some new features still to be implemented with the beta, including Skunkcrafts updating and SimBrief intergration, and "unpredictability, the initial cleared altitude in IFR flight plans can be randomised" options, and the usual bug and issue fixes. A small view of the future roadmap for the plugin.
 
Menus
There is a drop down X-ATC Chatter Menu available in the X-Plane banner Menu, Plugins.
 

 
There are SIX Menu options:
Settings Toggle Control Panel Toggle Nearest Facility Panel Toggle Simple ATC Panel Check for Updates Reset Window Positions. This is an expanded menu from the only two original 2018 menu options ("Control Panel" and "Nearby Facilities").
 
Check for Updates
We will look at menu option 5 first with "Check for Updates". This option allows you to update your sound files from within the plugin, it will check what files you have, and indicate any newly released files available to download. You then can check (tick) the regions you want to download and "Update Chatter Files".
It is a little slow depending on your bandwidth, but still saves you ages of time in searching for new files. Any old files are also removed, and you may get the odd failed upload file, in this case I just restarted the Updater. When processed, the updater tool asks you to restart X-Plane to make the new installed files active.
 

 
The X-ATC Chatter version (v1.7.2) is also shown here, with the option to update the plugin. On this check I received an extra 8552 new files, and I had only checked for new files a few months ago, so winner, winner.
 
Settings
The "Settings" Menu has SIX tab options; Radios, Region Map, Audio, Appearance, Intergrations and Miscellaneous.
 

 
Radios: has SIX options including...
Refresh facility frequency database on start Automatically select controller based on COM1/COM2 radio frequency Select Center Controller when tuned to 123.275 Only play Chatter when your COM1/COM2 radio is powered up Only play Chatter when your COM1/COM2 radio audio is monitored Pause Chatter if any monitored radio is tuned to ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service)  

 
Region Map: The region selection works as it looks at the first letter in the starting airport's ICAO code and then selects the Region based on the Regions Map settings. For example, if I load HKNW, Wilson Airport in Nairobi, It should select the Africa region as the letter H is in the string GDFHF. If selections by Country, X-ATC looks the ICAO code up in the file "X-ATC-Chatter\IdentToCountry.csv". You can also turn off the X-ATC Chatter "Auto Select" option.
 

 
Audio: This TAB is for your AUDIO settings, Device selection, Chatter Volume, Engine Volume, Interior Sound Only (checkbox) and Minimum Delay (sec) and Maximum Delay (sec). Interior sound, will only broadcast in the cockpit, not externally.
 

 
Appearance: This TAB will adjust the Panel Window's appearance in four options, the first one is the default panel, then a "Translucent" Panel, a "Popped Out" (Window Panel) and all can be set to "Open on start".
 
These settings are for three panels...  "Control Panel", "Nearest Facilities Panel" and the "Simple ATC Panel"  
 

 

 
Intergrations: This TAB is for selecting either the default X-Plane ATC or any other "External" intergrations (ATC). X-ATC-Chatter also exposes a writable integer dataref that can be used to control chatter playback if the “External Integrations” option is checked in the control panel
 

 
Miscellaneous: The Debug Output option will log more information to the X-Plane log.txt file. This may be helpful when debugging problems with X-ATC-Chatter.
 
Control Panel
The "Control Panel" is the heart of the system. It allows you to select "Play Chatter", or switching the Chatter ON/OFF, Select the COM Frequency in COM1 or COM2. The "Volume" is the Chatter Volume. A box area below shows you current active playing file and it's Controller.
Lower are three tabs to "Expand" the Control Panel, or to open the "Settings" or Nearest Facilities" Panels.
 

 
In the "Expanded" Control Panel you have more options. First you can select so the X-ATC Chatter will "Auto Select" the correct Frequency that you need (or need next). To the right are the "Controller" options, below are the four File (clips) options in "Countries", "ICAO", "Regions" and "User Defined". Each option then shows the available clips for that particular...   Country, ICAO and Region, and you can select any of the options.
 

 
In addition to the Custom Regions you can also create "User Defined" clip collections. User Defined collections are stored under the X-ATC-Chatter\UserDefined folder. The name of each sub-folder will result in a unique collection entry name when the User Defined collection type is selected in the drop-down. So you can create your own audio (mp2) clips if you want to do that.
 
Facilities Panel
The "Facilities Panel" allows you to select and use a certain Frequency to tune into. All Frequencies shown are within the circular 100nm range of the aircraft. There are eight categories to use;
 
ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service), Clearance, Ground, Tower, Departure, Center, Approach and CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency), ALL can be selected or CLEARED.
 

 
There are up to 40 Frequencies shown, so it is a good idea to minimise the categories to get the selection you require.
 
Simple ATC
Simple ATC is not intended to be a full blown ATC add-on. For that we would recommend either Pilot2ATC, 124th ATC, or flying on virtual networks like Pilot Edge, POSCON, and Vatsim. It is what it says on the box, a "Simple" ATC intergrated system.
 
I didn't use it here, so it's capabilities are not totally applicable to this review.
 

 
To create an ATC flightplan is actually very easy, Airport Departure and Destination, Runways, Airline and Flight No#, and the type of flight you are doing in; IFR, VFR and VFR with Flight Following. Four TABS include; Communications, Voices, Options and Parameters.
 

 
The provided X-ATC Chatter Manual (50 Pages) is very comprehensive with a large section (21 Pages) devoted just to Simple ATC.
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Flying with X-ATC Chatter
First thing you need to do is set a few keyboard Commands for ease of X-ATC use. Three Commands will do to cover toggles for the "Control Panel", "Facilities Panel" and "Play Chatter" on/off. I usually set the Panels to be "Translucent", however here first for clarity I have turned that feature off.
 
Second note is that at first I found that X-ATC Chatter would only play through my desk speakers, and not through my (Bose) headphones, no matter what I did they refused to work...  frustrating? I am always at war with my bluetooth selections anyway in getting them to work.
 
But later I found there is a dropdown "Setting" in the Settings/Audio/Audio Device, to select the audio output...  so these selections are found via the hidden dropdown menu, and "volia!" my Bose headphones now work.
 

 
In the same you need to find the best volume adjustment to be comfortable (certainly if wearing headphones), to find the right background (aircraft sounds) or the cockpit environment feel with the chatter working away. It is more tricky that it sounds (no pun intended), and it took me a flight of two to get the best balance while fiddling with Control Panel Volume knob (slider). There is a selection to turn the chatter off if you are in the external view, clever, but I didn't use that option, as it oddly felt weird.
 

 
The default panel positions are set to the left of your screen, and I find this the right place for placement, however they are quite large and unless you are selecting frequencies, you don't need them always on the screen, hence the (Command) panel toggle function.
 
There are three ways you can select frequencies...  First the authentic way (real world) by inserting the frequency directly into your COM1 Radio, but you will have to know the required frequency, so that requires a little research and notes before the flight. But very authentic to the role it is.
 
Second and third options are with X-ATC Chatter. You use "Nearest ATC Facilities" or the "Facilities Panel" to select the required frequency from the list, last option is for X-ATC Chatter to do the work in automatically selecting the best frequency required from the available list, a pretty well select "auto" and let the system do all the work...  it does work fine, but it sort of also takes away the fun of working in the cockpit and working the communications.
 

 
So my choice is the mid-way selection, from the "Facilites Panel". Here I can see what Frequencies are available and select the one I want to use, and in the order I want to use them. A small note...  I found it hard at first in working out if I had control, or the X-ATC Chatter was selecting the frequences, the settings option "Automatically select controller based on COM1/COM2 radio frequency" is the toggle selection.
 
There are up to 40 listed (if available) Frequencies to choose from, so that list can be long and complex, even confusing in heavy workload periods?
 

 
So the trick is to use the Selection Menu to filter out the Frequencies you just only want to use. As noted there are eight categories to use; ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service), Clearance, Ground, Tower, Departure, Center, Approach and CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency)...   as a rule you follow these sections in this order...  
 
First selection is "ATIS" or Automatic Terminal Information Service. It is for pilot information like, Current weather, Active Runways, Runway Conditions, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS) and any other special instructions. But here at VHHH (Hong Kong) it is not available (or Chatter goes into pause mode).
 

 
Second selection is "Clearance" (CLNC DEL)
 
“CLNC DEL” stands for Clearance Delivery in air traffic control (ATC). It is the ATC position responsible for issuing IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) clearances to pilots before departure. Clearance also provide critical details, such as the assigned Standard Instrument Departure (SID), transponder code (squawk code), and initial altitude restrictions. This ensures that all aircraft are correctly configured for their departure.
By handling initial clearances, Clearance Delivery reduces congestion on Ground Control frequencies. Back in 2018 the CLNC DEL Chatter was very sparse, with long open pauses, but at Chek Lap Kok it is... quite and very busy chatty.
 
Third Selection is "Ground" (Gnd)
 

 
Ground is probably the most chatty of the chatters...  ATC Ground is not what you think it is, in being the connection of the activity around the aircraft at the gate, that aspect is "Ramp Control", not seen here sadly.
 
ATC Ground is there to minimize congestion and potential conflicts on the ground, significantly having a major impact the overall airport efficiency and safety. This is done by organizing ground traffic efficiently, as the Ground controllers handle the taxiing of aircraft between the terminal gates, runways, and other parts of the airport. They help to prevent delays and reduce the risk of accidents in busy airport environments. They take over a lot of the load that would have been the tasks of the tower. Ground controllers are also responsible for managing the movement of other vehicles (like fuel trucks, maintenance vehicles, and emergency vehicles) within the airport’s movement areas, ensuring they don’t interfere with taxiing aircraft.
 
At a very busy airport of say Hong Kong the chatter is very consistent, mostly taxiway directions and aircraft awareness. BetterPushBack will overtalk X-ATC Chatter, but the combination of both in the headset is very good for realism.
 

 
Because the recordings are local, at Chek Lap Kok you get a huge mixture of Asian dialects, Malay, Javanese, Thai and Chinese (all in English) but with their own regional accent. Obviously as you arrive or depart from different countries and continents around the world, then the feel and accents are significantly varied and different, it's not like that robot voice that you get with some ATC tools, this is real world local ATC chatter from the source.
 

 
As you taxi (certainly with headphones on) it very immersive with the chatter and consistent communications going on in your ears, you pick up coincidences, like your taxiway or similar aircraft details...  Once at the runway holding point, you switch from Ground to Tower.
 

 
Fourth Selection is "Tower" (Twr)
 

 
ATC Tower (Air Traffic Control Tower) is the division of air traffic control that manages the aircraft within an airport’s immediate airspace, focusing primarily on the takeoff, landing, and movement of aircraft on active runways and in the immediate vicinity of the airport. Tower controllers are responsible for the safe, orderly, and efficient flow of air traffic on the ground (runways) and in the airspace directly surrounding the airport, generally extending up to about 5 nautical miles and up to a specific altitude (often around 2,500 to 3,000 feet).
 
There is a secondary Tower frequency available called "Flight Service"...  or Flight Information Services (FIS)
This is a service that provides pilots with essential information about flight routes, weather conditions, airspace changes, and any other pertinent information required for safe flight. And both are available in X-ATC Chatter, the Twr frequency is usually busy, but the FLIGHT SERVICE not so much, but it is interesting to tune in to if you have a fair wait in line to takeoff .
Notable is that when switching frequencies, there maybe a delay on that frequency change, sometimes even a minute or so, so don't go and press another frequency to get immediate chatter, it doesn't work like that, and you will just delay the chatter for longer.
 

 
"Translucent" is certainly better if you need the Control and Facilities panels on the screen, it gives you more visible vision in the cockpit.
 

 
Departure is HGK 07R via PICA2X, and as I climb out the Tower Chatter is in my ears, filling my head. Climbing out of VHHH, and turning south I am already passed over to the next ATC frequency, this is DEP, or Departure.
 

 
Fifth Selection is "Departure" (Dep)
 
After takeoff, "Departure" controllers use radar to monitor the aircraft’s position. They then provide vector instructions (directional headings) to ensure safe separation from other aircraft, assist in navigating complex airspace, or guide the aircraft to join its assigned SID route.
Departure Control is responsible for managing aircraft altitude during the initial climb phase. They also ensure aircraft maintain safe separation by assigning altitudes that won’t conflict with other aircraft, considering both departing and arriving traffic and give "Speed Control" or speed restrictions to maintain separation or to streamline the flow of departing traffic.
 
The SID (PICA2X) here is very short to waypoint PECAN, so I'm already there at that point of when climbing through FL220, so now I am directed to call CENTER.
 

 
Sixth Selection is "Center" (Ctr)
 
"CENTER" is the most interesting of the Chatters here, and the main reason to use the X-ATC Chatter tool...
 
Over the flight route you cover a lot of ground, but also a lot of airspace regions, of which are called FIR's or "Flight Information Regions". These FIR's mostly cover a single country or the different regions of bigger countries, as the UK has three in England, Scotland and Ireland, notably the USA has a lot (loads) of CAN/FIR regions...  FIR's cover the whole globe and the full list (worth printing out) is here. Flight Information Regions (wikipedia). Navigraph Charts is the best tool here for finding the FIRs and the boundaries, zoom in to get the correct detail of the Control Area.
 

 
All FIR's have the built in ALRS "Alerting Service (aviation)" and are divided into upper and lower zones (noted on the X-Plane local map the upper and lower routes). Both Lower and Upper are noted as "UIR".
 
So as you fly across several Countries or States you will be "handed" over to the next FIR or control zone, as you reach the boundary of the current one, Europe FIR's are split between countries, but are still overall covered by the central ECAC member states, so that effectively that puts it all under one control authority called "Euro Control" based in Brussels.
 

 
Here I am under VHHK Hong Kong Control and close to ZGZU Guangzhiou Center...  Chinese Frequencies can be very unreliable, so I am not expecting to pick up ZJSA SANYA on the list? But Guangzhiou is available for some chatter. You can try to find the FIR frequency and directly tune it in via the radio, the idea works sometimes, but finding the correct frequency can be hard, even tricky.
 

 
But then ZJSA SANYA Center did pop up...  as I got closer to the FIR boundary, so I was happy to be passed over to the next FIR. In most cases the "Transfer" starts well before the aircraft reaches the FIR boundary, the current ATC controller will coordinate with the next FIR’s ATC unit. This is usually done when the aircraft is about 20-30 minutes or around 50-100 nautical miles from the FIR boundary. As the aircraft nears the boundary, the pilot receives instructions to switch to the radio frequency of the next FIR’s ATC. The exact handover point is typically predetermined, such as at specific waypoints or coordinates.
 

 
The FIR can also be found in SimBrief, that notes in the flight brief the point (or boundary) of the FIR controller change.
 

 
 
It was not the most chatty of regions, but I liked the idea of actually being connected to the correct control area. Soon I have another  handover...  This is from ZJSA SAYNA to VVHM HO CHI MINH (Vietnam).
 

 
There is the (slight) limitation in the X-ATC Chatter in that it is in range limited to 100 nm, my guess it is the same X-Plane Map restriction of the same radius, so it can go out of range, and sometimes quickly. So land coverage is better for consistent FIR receptions than over water or Oceanic, in this case there is a big break between EGGX SHANWICK OCEANIC off Ireland to CZQX GANDER OCEANIC on the Canadian side, which is a shame as it is here you want or even need the Chatter working to while away the Oceanic sectors (hours) of the flight, if coverage could be found in the X-ATC Chatter application for these remoter regions it would fill in a larger segment of your flying?
 
Suddenly the Frequencies stacked up and I had a choice, in reality you only needed the same one (120.100 MHz) to the VVHM HO CHI MINH Center, but my headset was suddenly alive with loads of (Vietmanese) Chatter.
 

 
Your not restricted just to the "Center" frequencies, but switch on the "Tower" and even "Approach" selections to drop (hear) into those communications of the airports you are passing over...  they are interesting enough to pass the time.
 

 
If flying a long haul, then the change of dialects and accents over the flight creates a great immersion of the area, and the more closer I get to Ho Chi Minh city, then the more chatter and choices I have to listen too, and the busier it gets as well. So the major population centers will give you more choice and a lot more aural traffic.
 

 
Now clear of Vietnam, the chatter slowly dissipates, next FIR boundary is from VVHM to WSJC or Singapore FIR.
 

 
If you are entering WSJC SINGAPORE from the east then it is solely in that FIR. But if you are entering the WSJC FIR from the northeast or north, then the Control centre is different in that WMFC and Kuala Lumpur is responsible for the ATC for this area. So Kuala Lumpur will come up first. So then you are now listening to a Center on the other side of Malaysia. It is a good idea to study the FIRs you are using in case there are crossovers regions like this.
 

 
I selected both "Center" and "Approach" to pick up the coming (required) frequencies, nothing yet, then the full list loaded...    I still went to Singapore Center (124.300MHz) to tune in to the WSJC area, before moving quickly onto WSSS ARR (119.300 MHz) as I was now well into my descent phase, in reality you would pass over to "Arrival" before the STAR, but the corridor here is very tight between the Control Areas.
 

 
As I am now out of Center Control areas, I select only the "Approach" selection, to fine tune my choices. This area is still noted as "APP" or Approach, and some ATC choices can be both the APP and DEP together on the same frequency.
 

 
Seventh Selection is "Arrival" (App)
 
“ATC Arrival” refers to the procedures and communication managed by Air Traffic Control (ATC) as an aircraft approaches and lands at an airport. These steps typically involve coordination between the pilot and ATC to ensure a safe and orderly approach, especially in congested airspace or with complex weather conditions.
 
First is the "Initial Approach Fix" (IAF) as the designated ATC that directs the aircraft to an entry point into the arrival sequence. Initial Approach Fix (IAF) can be the start of a Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR) in certain cases, but mostly or at certain airports, then the STAR ends precisely at an IAF, allowing for a smooth transition into the instrument approach procedure.
 
I did find when wanting "Approach", that X-ATC Chatter directed me to WSSL (124.600MHz Seletar), and not in selecting WSSS (Singapore). It is that ATC Seletar, is responsible for most the WSSS Approaches from the east. I now reselect the "Tower" Frequencies so I am ready for the Approach handover for the landing phase.
 

 
When I first used X-ATC Chatter I had all the selection boxes ticked, but that was extremely confusing with the long list of options (40), so like here in the review, I now only tick the ATC procedure I need, but when arriving, I found selecting the next ATC selection "Twr" together with my current "App" option, I was ready and ahead for the handover to that phase of the ATC communications. Then when handed over, I deleted the non-required ATC selection.
 
Then I was able to switch from WSSL to WSSS (Singapore) Approach. ATC approach control issues clearances for the final approach, usually at around 10-15 nautical miles from the runway. Here I can now see WSSS Singapore at that transition point.
 

 
The Approach controller usually instructs the pilot to switch to the airport’s tower frequency, around 5-10 NM from the runway. The Tower controller now takes responsibility for guiding the aircraft’s landing, so you select the "Tower" Frequency (118.600 MHz).
 

 
There is a lot of communication noise going on in your headset, a few times I looked out for other aircraft, thinking they were in the Approach phase as well, it is that authentic. Plus your on Finals, working the aircraft into a landing and with the heavy chatter in your ears, so X-ATC Chatter creates a busy, busy feeling.
 

 
Now your selecting the reverse pattern of "Tower" and "Ground" selections, ready for the next handover...
 

 
...   there is the temptation to turn the Chatter off, to focus on the landing...  but now I am fine with it, as it is becoming all part of the sensory experience.
 

 
The moment I leave the 20R runway (Taxiway W7) I switch back to "Ground", to again feel and hear the taxiway and ground operation Chatter, it is very, very busy at SIN today, the headset is chirping away to the consistent communications...   I love it.
 

 
Taxi and into the bay C1...  and park, shutdown. You not done if you don't want to shut down X-Plane immediately, as the chatter will keep on playing, showing the activity going on around you, and you can listen to the constant communications for ages if you want to...
 

 
...  the biggest difference between X-PlaneReviews 2019 X-ATC Chatter review and this later 2024 version is how much is the difference of fill (of communications) in all areas. X-ATC Chatter has gone from 6600 files to the currently 54448 files, and it makes a MASSIVE difference in the experience, as mostly all the selected channels are now active, you rarely hear repeated sound files either, so it always feels fresh and alive.
 
Eighth Selection is "CTAF" (App)
 
Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) is a radio frequency used in aviation, particularly at uncontrolled airports or airfields where there is no active air traffic control (ATC) tower. Pilots use CTAF to communicate with each other directly, broadcasting their positions and intentions to enhance situational awareness and to avoid collisions. CTAF is also commonly used for announcing actions like taxiing, taking off, landing, or entering and exiting the airport traffic pattern. It’s also used when performing maneuvers near the airport to help others maintain a safe distance. So basically it is an open channel.
 
I will reinstate that X-ATC Chatter is just a background broadcast of ATC communications. There is no actual ATC communications that will give you directions or clearances, although the built in "Simple" ATC does combine a basic text approach between your flying and the background chatter, it is basically just a aural environment filler. But it does work very well in this role.
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Summary
X-ATC Chatter is basically a background tool, an aural space filler of Air Traffic Control (ATC) chatter, it doesn't interact directly with your flying or is it an actual connection to the X-Plane ATC or directly with any online ATC systems. That said, included in the package is "Simple" ATC, that is a basic text based ATC system, and the "Chatter" aspect works in the background to give you a real world ATC environment.
 
Created by Stick and Rudder Studios, or Mark Cellis, a prolific plugin developer (X-Camera, X-Keypad). The original version was released in October 2018. Since that release, it has had numerous updates and features added, but the biggest addition is the background files have grown from 6600 files to the current astounding 54448, with more being added every month via the built in "Updater", which is easy and excellent to use. And X-ATC Chatter can be intergrated into X-Life 2.1, ATC (X-Plane) and 124th ATC and a few more.
 
There are three options to use the Chatter, directly via the aircraft's radios, a "Nearby Facilities" panel or the system automatically selects the required frequency that you require. My choice is a manual input "Nearby Facilities" to choose the ATC channel I want to hear.
 
Quality of the sound files are excellent, as they are all edited for generalization and volume, as for also covering the wide range of dialects and regional accents that sustain the worldwide ATC system.
 
Since the original release there has been a lot of new features added to X-ATC Chatter (besides the growing file library), Simple ATC, more Settings options, more Audio settings including device selection, and this makes it an all the more rounded tool and for the far better immersion of the ATC Chatter traffic.
 
Minuses, well the ATC range is restricted to only 100 nm, so over water or Oceanic zones can go quiet (for long periods), then there is the far too many duplicated frequencies to choose from, so to fill in those open quiet zones would bring in a far more overwhelming ATC experience.
 
I have been using the X-ATC Chatter plugin for over two months, I loved it so much I wanted to tell you all about it. I accept it is not a authentic ATC tool, but it does create a very immersive experience and even an aviation learning tool of how the ATC works, its FIR regions and how to interact correctly with the system.
 
Above all, X-ATC Chatter creates an authentic sound working cockpit without the ATC stress of actually talking to someone, but I love it immensely, and enjoy the different accents and personalities it delivers, and I am learning from it allat the same time... it is very clever!
 
Highly Recommended!
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Yes! X-ATC-Chatter by Stick and Rudder Studios is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

X-ATC-Chatter
Price is US$18.00
 
Features
Clips are broken down into separate files each of which represents a single exchange between a pilot and an ATC facility such as Clearance, Ground, Tower, Departure, Center, Approach, and for VFR CTAF. The clips are categorized by world region so you can select the area of the world you are flying in. Here are the current clip counts: United States: 14,931 Europe: 13,458 Canada: 6,660 South America: 656 Asia: 6,514 Africa: 644 Oceania: 3,068 Clips are edited to remove any glaring location specific information. As an example the exchange “United 6626, Boston Tower, Line up and Wait” will have been edited to say “United 6626, Tower, Line up and Wait. References to specific SIDS, STARS, Ramps, Taxiways, Runways, and way-points are not changed. Clips are organized by controller so when you are tuned to a specific controller you will hear clips associated with that controller. Each clip has its audio volume adjusted so that all clips have roughly the same volume level. Includes an intelligent player for X-Plane 11 and 12 Runs on all three OS platforms, Windows, OSX, and Linux Automatically selects the right chatter files based on the ATC facility you are tuned to on your COM1 or COM2 radio Will automatically pause playback when tuned to an ATIS facility Includes a nearby facility display showing the frequencies, icao code, distance, and name of up to 40 ATC facilities within a 75 NM range Radios can optionally be tuned from the facility display Knows when you are out of range of a facility and stops playback Can play chatter on alternate audio devices on Windows and Linux Includes an integration with X-Life 2.1 ATC and 124th ATC Includes an integration with X-Plane 11.3 and higher ATC system Includes an optional  Simple ATC feature using SAPI-5 voices for a more immersive flying experience Supports VFR, VFR with Flight-Following, and IFR flight plans Support for SIDS, STARS, and Arrivals Supports vectors to final Traffic Alerts Supports an integration to Amazon Polly voices Installation
X-ATC-Chatter is installed two ways with one way for Pilot2ATC, and the second a straight plugin install for the standalone panel version into your X-Plane/resources/plugins folder.
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac or Linux Version 1.7.2 (April 27th 2023)  
Download and Documentation
Full current install, not the demo with sound files is 3.48Gb (Install size will grow with updated files)
 
Comes with full install and how to use video, and manual (20 pages)
X-ATC-Chatter_User_Guide Designed by StickandRudder Studios
Support Forum Reward Program to Expand the Clip Collection FAQ Tutorial Videos __________________
 
Review System Specifications
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD. Bose Quietcomfort Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.2
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- VHHH - Hong Kong International Airport by Taimodels (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$28.50
- WSSS - Singapore Changi International Airport by CloudSurf Asia - Xplane 12
- Airbus A330neo by ToLiss (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$89.99
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Plugin Review by Stephen Dutton
31st October 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

NEWS! - Rotate MD-11P is now released
 

 
The Rotate McDonnell Douglas MD-11P for "Passenger" is now announced as "Released" and now out of the "Beta" program. Probably the surprise release of the year was this superb aircraft, certainly my favorite, and the X-PlaneReview's mega review is here: Aircraft Review : McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Passenger by Rotate   
 
Notable is to make sure to use the Skunkcrafts Updater to configure the Release version to v1.10.10, links are here:
 

- Check the SkunkCrafts Updater documentation to find out how it works:
 
The above is important to separate the two MD-11F and MD11P variants for future updates...  to note there is a small (243mb) update to do to bring the aircraft to the v1.10.10 release status.
 

 

 
Notable if you buy the MD-11P first, you can get the MD-11F Freighter variant for a discount. You will get the purchase at the reduced price at checkout, associated with your store account, no coupons.
 
This Rotate aircraft shows the X-Plane 12 Simulator at it's very, very best, a very worthwhile investment.
___________________________
 

 
Yes! - the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Passenger by Rotate is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :
 
MD-11 Passenger
Price is US$83.95
Customers who own the MD11F can get it for only $34.95 (or vice versa)
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows 8 or  Mac OSX 10.12 or newer (M Processors supported) , Linux Ubuntu 64b 18.04 or newer
8 GB+ VRAM recommended
Current version: 1.10.10 (September 24th 2024)
 
If you own the Rotate MD-11 Freighter, you can buy the MD-11 Passenger version for only $34.95. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout (as long as you use the same account).
___________________________
 
NEWS! by Stephen Dutton
26th October 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

Aircraft Review : Airbus A330-941neo by ToLiss
 
The story of the Airbus A330 Series is an odd airline history of being not what the Airlines actually wanted, but always came back to the aircraft to be used as a mainstay of their fleets. Created in tandem with the Airbus A340, it shares the same fuselage and flight deck layout, with the A340 being four engines, wereas the A330 has only two . The standard A340-500 had a range of 9,000nm, the A330-300 a range of 6,350nm. But the A340 went into service on the cusp of ETOPs (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards) that favoured the Twin-Engine aircraft like the Boeing 777, later A350 and Boeing 787. So the four-engines became too expensive to run, so didn't sell well of the only 377 aircraft delivered. The A330 Series however has 1,600 aircraft delivered. A330 family found success with full-service airlines, low-cost carriers and even cargo operators, thanks to its versatility...  but it was still a bumpy road in getting there.
 
Then suddenly the A330 series found fame. With the long entry into service of the Boeing Dreamliner 787, then you couldn't buy a A330 for the love or money, as bigger Full Service Airlines were now paying above cost to acquire them to fill in with their fleet requirements. It is that sort of aircraft.
 
The Airbus A330neo or "New Engine Option" was a reaction to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which offered airlines superior fuel efficiency and range, making it a strong competitor in the long-haul twin-engine market. The A330neo program was launched in July 2014. The A330neo achieves a 14% reduction in fuel consumption per seat on a typical long-haul flight compared to the A330ceo (current engine option) models, with the 25% improvement achieved when considering fuel per seat in specific configurations and high-density seating. This helps airlines also reduce operating costs and emissions. Besides the new highly efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines the A330neo incorporates sharklet wing extensions which reduce drag and enhance the overall aerodynamic efficiency, like with the A350 XWB to achieve it's efficiency goals. Again it has been the odd operators rather than the Full Service Airlines that are currently buying the A330neo, only Delta and TAP and Virgin Atlantic that have been the major Full Service players. Again with the unreliability of the Dreamliner 787, it again has customers now looking at this not only in the long range aspect, but also very versatile in the domestic operations services.
 
Toliss has no peers with Airbus Aircraft in the X-Plane Simulator. The Journey started as the QPAC A320, then under the Toliss brand, came the A319, A321, the large A340-600 then lately the A320neo. To release the A330-941 in a "neo" guise was no really no surprise after the A340 and A320neo products. 
 

 
First impressions of the A339 are extremely good. Airbus aircraft are pretty modern and therefore doesn't have a lot of the external character like a 60's or 70's design, it is all very clean and polished in design. And that can be hard without slipping into bland for a modeller, but here it is the right balance, as ToLiss has come a long way in this area, and their products are now more refined and better put together.
 

 
You can certainly see the maturity and experience coming in, the rear window upline is really well done, as is the aluminum alloys in the fuselage construction, held together with a very substantial littering of rivets...  so the detail is excellent. The A330neo uses the same construction techniques as the A350, with aluminum alloys which provides the strength and rigidity while keeping the aircraft lightweight in the main fuselage. And also uses composites in certain sections, such as the fairings, wingtips and some parts of the empennage (tail section), it's a balanced approach rather than the Boeing B787 fully composite design.
 

 
Antennas shown here cover both Gogo’s 2Ku technology, which is a dual-antenna system that enhances the signal strength, ensuring better speed and consistency for passengers. Internally Gogo is connected to Panasonic Avionics for the best inflight Wi-Fi connectivity
 

 
Cockpit windows come with the raccoon mask style are very good, and have nice tinted glass. Wipers are good as well, far better than the clunky earlier ToLiSS ideas. There are two fully dressed pilots shown in the external view, and quality looking pilots they both are.
 



 
Door detail is also very good and the text detail is all readable, the side widows are also nicely done, and the glass is in there, but looks holey from a few angles. The Cargo doors are all animated (lock levers as well) and internally the cargo holds are all well detailed.

 


 
You can see the far better aerodynamic design than the A330ceo, smoother in the inboard and a thinner wing. The wingspan of the A330neo is 64 meters (210 feet), which is an increase over the older model’s 60.3 meters. This larger wingspan helps generate more lift and contributes to the improved efficiency of the aircraft. Wing detail here in replicating the newer design is very good and highly realistic, with the nice wing lighting assembly which are also well done.
 

 
The Airbus A330neo uses the fowler flap design, and extended it is well done in the detail, more so is the inner detailing of the hydraulic and pneumatic systems, again showing the extra detailing now associated with ToLiss designs.
 

 
The refined  sharklets on the A330neo contributes to up to 14% better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the previous generation A330ceo, and nicely intergated the sharklets are skillfully done here.
 

 
Highlight here is the ginormous Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine, which is 112-inch (2.85 meters) in fan diameter. Making it significantly larger than the fan on the previous-generation Trent 700 engine. It has a bypass ratio of 10:1, meaning that for every unit of air passing through the engine core (where combustion happens), 10 units of air pass around the engine core. So the 7000 is significantly quieter in operations, and has lower CO2 and NOx emissions, so you get a 4% reduction in fuel burn per seat with an Increased thrust and power for the A330neo’s larger size and higher takeoff weight. The ToLiss RR Trent 7000 is excellent, nicely modeled and love the rear copper exhaust cone and the burnt nacelle. Note the RR Logo is branded as "Gliding Kiwi", to offset any legal affairs and patent licensing.
 
 
 
Thrust reverser action and internal detail is excellent, and a big shout-out to Emma Bentley for the excellent A339 Virgin Atlantic livery seen here.
 
The A339 has a tricycle-Type Landing Gear with a one nose landing gear (NLG) twin-wheel bogie, and the two main landing gears (MLG) in a dual-bogie configuration. They are constructed using high-strength materials like steel and titanium, with carbon brakes, which offer excellent heat dissipation and wear resistance. The design here is very very good, as the Oleo cylinder and Oleo piston which are really well designed, as is the downlock and drag brace.
 

 
The Axle-beam assembly is also excellent...   but there is something overall missing? the strut hydraulic piping is not on either the nose-gear or the mains? the piping can be seen in the wheel wells, but it doesn't come any further down the assembly. Tyres are good, but come with a few shapely lines, but the wheel hubs are authentic to the A330 Series.
 

 
The A339 uniquely uses a sophisticated shock absorption system, which has oleo-pneumatic struts (a combination of gas and hydraulic fluid) to absorb the impact of landings and to absorb the extra weight of the A330neo.
 
All doors are animated in the three ToLiss modes, AUTO, OPEN and CLOSED, with still the AUTO as default. Not my favorite ToLiss feature as they open when you want closed, or closed when you want open, so you have to go around the menu to reset every door to manual (that is ELEVEN doors folks), but there is now a door option...   you can assign a command to OPEN all doors, set doors to AUTO, or to CLOSE all doors, all by your key commands, hallelujah to all that.
 

 
Stairs are available on passenger doors 1L, 2L and 4L...  on passenger doors 1R, 2R and 4R are the catering service vehicles, and there are baggage loaders on the Fwd and Aft Cargo doors, Chocks are available on all bogies.
 

 
The De-Icing trucks introduced on the ToLiss A320neo are here as well. They come and de-ice the wings and engine, then move to de-ice the rear elevators and rudder, it's still all very clever in operation, but the operations has been reduced a little, now it only takes around ten minutes, rather than the long slog of 23 minutes on the A320neo...  there is an instant de-ice option available as well.
 

 
Cabin

 
ToLiss cabins have usually been very functional, but modeling wise a bit standard. But there has also been a growing confidence in the detailing. This A330neo is the best ToLiss cabin to date. It is the mooted "Airspace by Airbus” which is designed to offer a modern and comfortable experience for passengers while also providing airlines with flexibility in cabin configurations.
 

 
It is a very nice cabin layout, if slightly "Greyish" in tone, but the detailing is nice and the signage readable.
 
There are two cabin configurations. Forward is a First/Business cabin layout. Certainly the best ToLiss cabin in quality, it is all very nicely designed. Screens show two A330neo images or the nose camera, switchable from the cockpit. There are 6 rows of 4 abreast cabins.
 

 
Mid-deck and rear cabin is all economy seating, they are BIG cabins...   with some nice detail were the rear cabin tapers into the tail.
 

 
Seat frames and certainly the seat materials are again a step up for ToLiSS, more quality and detail, head rests are now inprinted with "ToLiSS" and it looks very nice. Centre sections are well detailed, so overall a nice modern cabin. Notable is there is a lot of "ToLiSS" branding in here, signs on the wall, images and even more branding on the seat back screens...   showing confidence!
 

 
There are three galleys. Forward for the A Listers, then Mid-Deck and a large Economy galley layout at the rear.
 

 

 
Cockpit-Cold
There is no shock when entering the A330neo flightdeck. It looks just like a normal A330, so not much change in here from the ceo to the neo versions.
 

 
If you expecting dramatic changes then they are not visible in here. That is good, really good as there is nothing new here to translate to, so you will feel very familiar very quickly with everything. But there are however a few things that are different, or presented as clever new features as we shall see. Rear has a third seat and a jumpseat to the right rear. Detail is very good, with a wardrobe (and hangars) portable oxygen and avionics bay.
 

 
Overhead panel (OHP) and Console wouldn't feel out of place on an A320, Airbus layouts are all so familiar.
 

 
Cockpit - Powered (Hot)
Switch on the power, and you get the full Airbus system start up procedure, all the systems will "self-test" for 40sec, and even the MCDUs (Multi-function Control and Display Unit) and CPDLC displays will also flash on and off as they also self-test, it is all very good...
 

 
The system will settle down to the active mode, but with no navigation alignment. The quality of ToLiss aircraft are their deep systems and procedures, this is what you pay for, and they really deliver that Airbus system study intergration.
 

 
ADIRU (Air Data Inertial Reference Unit) alignment is 7min, again a very exact procedure of the navigation setup of the system (you can do an instant Nav alignment if you want to).
 


 
X-Plane 12 does make the display text look a little blobby, so you need to lower the display lighting to minimise the effect, but there a lot of panel lighting adjustments to do, plus you can also adjust the screen background glow effect, this also includes the MCDUs.
 
All the displays pop-out, including the Integrated Standby Instrument System (ISIS) and both MCDUs.
 

 
Early ToLiss aircraft were not really known for their animations (toys!). But there are quite a few now included to enjoy. There is the slide-out table for both pilots, and the forward window blinds can be dropped down.
 

 
The side windows can be opened...
 

 
...   and the seats are power animated to move forwards and backwards for entry, all the seat armrests can also be folded.
 

 
Seat design, materials are also far better than in the early days, it is a nice quality detailed cockpit now.
 

 
Any new ToLiss release comes with some really nice new features, and almost everything noted here will usually flow over on to the other ToLiss aircraft over the next period of updates, but you get them here first.
 
HUD (Head Up Display)
The biggest new feature (X-Plane 12 only) is the Head Up Display. I'm not overall a big user of HUDs, but this one is based on the new Laminar feature, and very, very good it is. We won't see the full potential at this point, but will see that later in use. One note is that you can't adjust the HUD, meaning you have to adjust your visual distance to the HUD, and not the other way around.
 

 
Visual Primary Flight Display detail is excellent, and you can adjust the brightness and DECLUTTER the data via the panel on the glareshield.
 

 
Only tricky issue is finding the HUD lever to lower or raise it, as it is black on black, not so much when activating it, but in say after landing, and your hunting around for the lever to hide it? Don't want the HUD option, then you can remove it with a blank panel in front of you.
 
D-RAIMS -Digital Radio and Audio Integrating management system
Another new feature is D-RAIMS. This is a console panel that is a new introduction feature on Airbus Aircraft. It replaces the twin Radio Panel on the centre console.
 

 
The object of the new D-RAIMS panel is to intergrate three other separate panels into the one unit. That is the Radio, TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) and the Transponder.
 

 
The D-RAIMS is really well replicated here as all the buttons are functional, but you will have to learn the new layout operations.
 
ROPS (Runway overrun protection System)
ROPS is an Airbus system designed to continuously calculate whether the aircraft can safely stop in the runway length remaining ahead of the aircraft. If at any point the system detects there is a risk of a runway overrun, flight deck alerts are generated to help the crew in their decision making.
It has four active elements...  "Landing Approach" as the aircraft approaches the runway, ROPS assesses the current speed, descent rate, and runway conditions. "Runway Monitoring" after touchdown (also Rejected Takeoff), the system continues to evaluate the aircraft’s deceleration and whether the remaining runway distance is sufficient to stop safely. "Pilot Alerts" if the system detects any risk of an overrun, it provides escalating alerts, prompting the pilots to take action, and "Feedback Loop" were the system updates continuously in real time, providing feedback based on the aircraft’s progress down the runway. The ROPS is shown on the PFD.
 

 
ATSAW (Air Traffic Situational Awareness)
Basically ATSAW is an expanded TCAS - Traffic Collision Avoidance System. ATSAW data is typically displayed on the Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) or in the Airbus on the MAP/Navigation display, which shows the position of surrounding aircraft, their speed, and relative distance. Current In-Trail Procedures now also allow aircraft to safely follow each other at closer distances in cruise conditions.
 

 
Portable Devices
New (never seen before) is the signage change from "No Smoking" to "No Portable Devices". Yes it is an "about time" change. The signs here are on the cabin signs, the panel change of the old "No Smoking" Switch, and an alert display on the upper ECAM. It all looks very modern in asking you (politely) to "Please Turn Off Electronic Devices".
 

 
Avitab- EFB (Electronic Flight Bag)
Introduced on the A320neo are the two Avitabs situated on the sills of both sides of the cockpit...   if you have a Navigraph account, you can access the Navigraph Charts, tools and other features on the A339neo.
 

 
Besides the AviTab EFB there are now five tab options...   WGT-BALANCE, TO PERF, LDG (Landing), PERF, CHECKLIST and ISCS
 
W + B is your Weight and Balance sheet, it shows you your Weights, Centre of Gravity, Payload and Fuel with a load graph. TO PERF (TakeOff Performance) covers your takeoff configuration of which you can "COMPUTE" to create the TO data.
 

 
 
LDG  PERF (Landing Performance). Very similar to the TO PERF, but here you can "COMPUTE" your landing configuration and shown margins. (Ignore "OVERWEIGHT" as the LDG Prefs were computed at TO, not closer to the landing phase, so you are still full of fuel)
PRELIM CKPT PREP (Preliminary Cockpit Preparation) or a big set of words for Checklist. The Checklist is very good, green ticks are easy to use over 22 categories, easy to clear or reset as well via the lower "RESET" button.
 

 
ToLiss ISCS - Interactive Simulation Control System
A new TAB on the Tablet is the ISCS or "Interactive Simulation Control System", or putting the Menu also on the tablet.
 

 
The ToLiss Menu system is a bit more in depth than for just selecting SETTINGS, it is the heart of the ToLiss way of flying and using the aircraft. You can still access the ISCS via the banner "Plugins", menu, the other setting option is "Resume from last flight", we will look at that soon.
I usually also set the ISCS menu on a key command (key S), this makes the ISCS far more accessible and quick, plus the same set command works on any ToLiss aircraft.
 

 
If you fly ToLiss aircraft, you will be very familiar with the ISCS Menu system, however there are a few different changes in here, so again it could be noted as "the same, but different".
 
There are the eight ISCS tabs available covering: Startup Situations, A/C + Sim Config, Loading Perfo, Ground Services, Faults Scenerios, Addons, Sound/Actions, Joystick and the General Settings Actions. The TAB layout is now however slightly different, as the former first TAB has been split into two separate TABs of STARTUP SITUATIONS and A/C + SIM CONFIG.
 

 
STARTUP SITUATIONS
LOAD/SAVE SITUATIONS is an absolute gem of a tool, basically it is "Save" tool, but it saves EVERYTHING including the important FMS settings and your route, and better still it gives you a backup "Auto-Saving" feature in case X-PLANE does a nasty CTD (Crash to Desktop) or a freeze on you, all the saves are held in the X-Plane Plugin's Folder and not in the A339neo Aircraft folder...  
 
Simply years better than any other save tool in X-Plane, it is simply golden to set up or to have your aircraft ready at a certain state of "ready for Flight" mode, and so very helpful if you just want to come back and just fly, then you can save the aircraft situation ready that way...  it is just simply brilliant. The saved situations can be "Filtered" to find certain saved situations if the list is long (delete older saved situations as well). AUTO-SAVING time can be set from 1 Min to 30 Min, but every 5 Min is the best compromise, or reset your CURRENT_SITUATION if you again have a system or computer crash... Certainly ONE of the biggest features on the aircraft, if not the main feature overall.
 
STARTUP this TAB section is all new, and is split between "Quick" and "States". Quick is instant actions on Engine 1 Start, Engine 2 Start, APU Start and ADIRU Alignment. States are Engines Running, ADIRU + APU ON, External Power on, Cold + Dark and F/CTL Law Overide, you can set as a DEFAULT three items in ADIRU+APU, Ext Power and Cold+Dark, F/CTL can also be set as "Direct".
 

 
A/C + SIM CONFIG
Another new TAB selection, but you will find other actions from other previous TABS on this page, but mostly the settings here are all new.
 
SIMULATOR CONFIGURATION These settings are general settings, including the choice of seeing the ISCS in the Tablet, Sync Baro Sttings and Use FCU Mouse Gestures.
 
VISUAL SETTINGS include; Wing Flex Strength (Slider), Wing Flex from gear bumps (Slider), and (Instrument) Background Glow (Slider). Other options include; Remove Glass Reflections, Use LIT Tex (Textures) for Cabin Lighting, Show XP (X-Plane) Partical Effects, Inhibit Cabin Object (Hides cabin), and Inhibit Inseat Screens (Hides seat video screens). You can also set to refresh the PFD (Primary Flight Display) so many (X) cycles.
 
AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION Here you can set up the aircraft configuration to your needs, options include; Use "Brake Fan", Has "D-RAIMS" system on the PFD, Imperial or Metric Units, Use the "HUD" (Head Up Display), HUD uses perfect data, and the ROW/ROPS (Runway overrun protection System) ON/OFF or AUTO
 
PERFORMANCE ADJUSTMENTS Three items (Sliders) cover Aircraft Age, Engine Age, and if the Aircraft is NEW or OLD, you can save all the configurations and options on the page at the bottom.
 

 
LOADING PERFO
This tab covers the "Aircraft Loading" and "CG-CW", Payload, Passenger, Cargo and Fuel (Block Fuel) which all can be set, then added to the MCDU INIT B page values. Fuel loading can be "Quick" or "Slow" (Real Time). CG-GW Diagram gives you your Centre of Gravity and Gross Weight limits on a graph. TO PERFORMANCE settings can also be set here with vSpeeds, Centre of Gravity and Trim, Flex Temp and (Airconditioning) PACKS on.
 

 
GROUND SERVICES
This tab covers the external factors on the aircraft. Ground Supplies provides options for "External Power" (GPU) Power A - Power B and "High and Low pressure air" to start the engines and provide ventilation/air-conditioning while on the ground. But as noted there are no external physical GPU units, Chocks however are shown.
 
But there is a built in PUSHBACK feature...  The pushback is quite basic in look and to use in auto or manual modes. However I always use the excellent BetterPushBack Truck as an alternative. The Toliss A339neo has been configured correctly for the BetterPushBack use, so it works extremely well here. Note in watching the pushback operation on the ECAM!
 
DEICING...  You can do a "Quick" De-Ice, or use the "Animated" De-Ice Trucks for the full around the aircraft service
 
AIRCRAFT DOORS  have three selections with AUTO (default) CLOSE and OPEN. The auto will open the doors when the park brake is set and the engines are off. But they do have a tendency to be a bit uncontrollable in opening/closing at the wrong times or not opening when you need them to be open. So the manual "Close" is my preference to control them. There is no save selection either and so every time you open (or move) the aircraft you have to then (constantly and annoyingly) reset all the doors back to your AUTO preference state, as the default auto setting will always switch on command, that said you can now assign a command to OPEN all doors, set doors to AUTO, or to CLOSE all doors, all by your key commands, and yes I'm very happy!
 
Their are PAX STAIRS on 1L, 2L and 4L Doors, CATERING TRUCKS on 1R, 2R and 4R, and animated "Baggage Loaders" on both FWD and AFT Cargo hatches.
 

 
FAULT SCENARIOS
The A339neo has a great failure system, or Fault Scenarios. These failures can be set up on the ISCS Panel. This feature is listed under the "FAULT SCENERIOS" tab.
 
You can have a total random setting that covers a wide range of 90 faults over eighteen systems in "less" or "more" than "100 Flights", or you can set your own failure with the options including: NOW, AT Time, AT IAS (Speed), AT ALT (set altitude) or RANDOM, Also is the point of failure in Take-Off, Climb, Cruise, Descent, Landing and Flight...    and you can set as many failures as you like.
 

 
SOUNDS ADDONS
Turbine Sound Studios (TSS) provides the sounds for ToLiss aircraft, but you can default back to the X-Plane default sound volumes if you wish in controlling a MASTER, INTERNAL and EXTERNAL volume. You can also set the COMPONENT VOLUME in; Engine Vol, System Vol, Cockpit Sounds, Environment, Ground Contact (CNTCT) and Aural Alerts, 3D Sound Fading will silence the PTU and Flap sounds in the cockpit.
 
If you ADD ON any third party ADDONs then they will be shown here. This Sound TAB used to be part of the "General Settings" TAB, but now a dedicated page for these options.
 

 
JOYSTICK ACTIONS
Joystick Configuration selections options cover the "Primary Joystick" with Deadband adjustment, Joystick Roll For NWS (No/Auto/Yes), that replaces the earlier NWS (NoseWheel Steering) on/off, "Rudder To Tiller IN VR", Enable "Second Joystick" with Deadband Adjustment for custom setups like home built panels or training as it supports the use of two sidesticks (pilot and co-pilot side), A dual input and priority logic are also available as on the real aircraft),
 
"Tiller Assigned" (with Tiller centre setting). "Pedal Brakes Assignment" with brake strength (slider), Smart Park Brake, Allow Brake on One Pedal.
 
Throttle Configuration can use keys "F1/F2 Toggle reversers" (I use the joystick trigger!), "Smart THR Idle Lock" and "Rev on Same Axis".
You can set (via sliders) both the "CL Detent Location" (Climb) and "MCT Detent Location" (Maximum Continuous Thrust).
Under ACTIONS there are two options of "Jump To Next WP" (Waypoint, and an "Auto-Pause" with four choices; OFF, ON WARNINGS, ON WARN + CAUT, and ON WARN/CAUT/TOD.
 
The "Auto-Pause feature allows automatic pausing of the simulation, if:
A master warning is triggered (e.g. due to AP disconnect)
A master warning or a master caution are triggered. (Any system fault)
A master warning or caution is triggered, or the aircraft has passed the T/D, i.e. has entered the DESCENT phase.
 
You can SAVE all the TAB page choices at the bottom.
 

 
ACCOUNT SETTING
As noted this was the earlier "General Settings" TAB, but the Sounds section has been moved to TAB 5, and the "Account Ids" has been added from the old "Sound/Addon/Accounts" TAB. The (New) "Account Settings" TAB has five sections in: "Product Info", "Account Ids", "Startup Behaviour", "User Interface" and "Miscellaneous".
 
Product Info (Information) covers the current build number and version (very Airbus), and License ID
 
Accounts Ids; if you want to use the ACARS function for flight plan download, you can put your SimBrief pilot ID into the field “SimBrief ID”. Important note: This is a pure number, not your SimBrief Email address. You can find this number on the Simbrief Website, under “Dispatch / Account settings” and then in the Simbrief data tab under “Pilot ID”. Simbrief options incude;
Ignore AIRAC/AC Type mismatch: If this option is OFF, the flight plan download will fail if the active AIRAC cycle in the FMGS does not match the AIRAC cycle used by Simbrief for planning.
Set Payload + Fuel to Simbrief: If you select this option, the cargo, payload and fuel on board in the ISCS will be set immediately to the Simbrief values.
Always use SimBrief winds: If this option is selected, any wind request in the FMGS will take the wind data from the Simbrief plan
HOPPIE CPDLC LOGON option
The option “Auto Execute handovers” allows to switch to the next ATC station automatically upon receiving the “handover” command from your current ATC station without having to notify the new ATC station.
ATIS Source; VATSIM of PILOTEDGE
 
Startup Behaviour sets the aircraft to a certain startup situation; "Default Baro" in either HPA or InHG (note you can also have the choice to SYNC or adjust manually the separate PFD Baros). Set your own default "Transition Altitude" (Slider). You can "Start with Bright Displays" (ON/OFF).
 
User Interface is options on how you interact with the aircraft. Options include: "Pop-out windows for Pop-ups" and you can save your setup "Pop-Up configuration on Quit" (Cockpit builders).
 
Miscellaneous The "ILS auto align" is a feature that if the custom scenery that rotates the runway; for these cases the ILS and the runway are not aligned anymore. The ToLiSs A339 plugin thereby contains a feature that detects if there is such custom scenery installed and then realigns the ILS in the internal database with the new runway heading.
 
"XPDR Compatiblility Mode", is the use of different transponder modes. "Cache Routes only on Startup" prevents the plugin from checking for changes to your fms flight plan files during the flight. The "Enable AviTab Tablet" option has been removed, making the tablets now part of the cockpit furniture. You can again save all "Preferences and Default Values"
 
Interactive Audio Control Panel (IACP)
There is another menu access system situated on the Radio Panel, called the "Interactive Audio Control Panel" (IACP). This feature gives you finger access to an item in a more pop-up accessible form...  two options available are INT and CAB or INT which has five ground communication tabs; SERVICES, PUSHBACK, FUEL/DEFUEL, CARGO HANDLING and DEICING...
 


 
...  second IACP option is CAB selection that covers Cabin interaction; DOORS, PASSENGERS and CABIN LIGHTING...
 

 
ACARS - Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System
ToLiss aircraft comes with the ACARS function, used as noted earlier with the CPDLC. But it has another function here in the ability to download the FlightPlan from Navigraph's Simbrief. The tool was introduced on the ToLiss Airbus A340-600 v1.1, since then also updated to the rest of the ToLiss fleet (A319/A321/A32N) and so it is a big feature in the A323neo as well. A full tutorial in how to use it was covered in Airbus A340-600 v1.1 by ToLiss...
 
SimBrief
Remember that you have to complete your SimBrief Pilot ID in the ISCS (SOUND/ADDON/ACCOUNTS). Then the "Data" link has to be opened by pressing the COMMS VHF 3 button the Radio panel. Also important is to set the "Set Payload + Fuel to Simbrief", option ON, if not you will have to set up the aircraft fuel and weight options separately.
 

 
Then complete and generate your SimBrief flight profile, note you use the Aircraft Type A339, for NEO, not the A330. Our route today is VS - Virgin Atlantic VS338 from EGLL (Heathrow Lon) to KCTL (Charlotte US).
 
Lighting-Interior
Again ToLiss has come a long way in designing the interior lighting since the early days. The lighting setup is now all comprehensive to the standard Airbus system. Panel downlights are far better, brighter, but still non-visible in the daylight. But the individual instrument displays and INTEG lighting is now very good and on class for this price range.
 

 
There are three overhead spotlights for centre console, and two reading lights, but the reading lights (although adjustable) are not that strong in lighting the pilots seats. You can darken down the instrument panel nicely for dark takeoffs and landings, to which I am grateful. There is even a separate lighting switch for the compass, very nice touch.
 

 
There are three DOME states (DIM-BRT-STORM), but they won't work unless to switch on the CTL switch to the left.
 

 
Lighting-Interior
Cabin lighting is bright, but thankfully adjustable on the IACP panel, but there is no separated lighting for the galleys. The cabin lighting is set in a percentage % shown here is OFF, 8%, 16% and 30%....  above 40% is too bright.
 


 
But there is also a cabin lighting option on the A/C + SIM CONFIG page with the selection of "USE LIT TEX FOR CABIN LIGHTING", this option creates the current "Airspace by Airbus” mood lighting with blur textures on the ceiling and just down-lighting, very nice it is, the rear Galley thankfully stays full bright in this "TEX" mode, so it all works very well.
 

 
Exterior - Lighting
External lighting is excellent. Navigation, Beacon and Strobes are perfect, twin wing(Ice) lights are also well done. Tail light works, but only when the flaps are not set to zero as per Airbus rules. Internal view on the Ice/wing lights are excellent, and keep the cabin lights down to avoid the liner effect.
 

 
There are Taxi, RWY Turnoff lights and the Main Landing lights
 

___________________
 
Flying the A330neo
Typical moody muggy London day...  I set up the A339 the night before, so when ready to go (or if I wanted to do the same LON - CTL route again it is already saved and ready) with the excellent "SAVE SITUATION" feature. So all I have to do is call pushback. There is a choice, the built in Pushback tool, or BetterPushBack which I prefer.
 

 
Now in the pushbacked position it is time to start the "Trents". Engine No.1 is first, notable is that the A330neo start procedure is opposite of the A320 (No.2 start), the No.1 engine is usually started first because its EDP (Engine Driven Pump) drives the blue system, which in turn powers the parking brake (and alternate). BLEED ON (APU running), and select ING/START, both packs (air conditioning) are AUTO in these latest Airbus aircraft, so the switching of the PACKS is done for you unlike the Boeing manual system.
 
Then it is the simple operation to flick up the No.1 Engine switch under the throttle quadrant. The full start procedure is shown on the (ECAM) which will display the engine start indications. You get the full timed parameters, N2 (core speed) increases to around 20%–25% N2. Then the engine fuel flow will begin, and the Ignition will engage automatically, N1 (fan speed) will start to increase as the engine spools up, and you will wait for stable idle...   this typically happens around 58% N2 and 20% N1. When Engine No.1 is done then the same startup procedure is then with Engine No.2. Both engines running to parameters, then turn off the IGN/START and shutdown the APU
 

 
Set Flaps (1+F), timer, and SPLRS (Spoilers) ARMED, you can check if the TO CONFIGURATION is correct by pressing the TO CONFIG button lower console menu, any errors are then shown.
 

 
Sounds...   very good, if you get really close? the Trent 7000 is super quiet, and nothing, not a sound of it in the cockpit. But they are good quality sounds, right from the engine startup procedure to the running of the engines and APU, you can adjust the aural balances in the ISCS.
 

 
Power up, brakes off and your moving...  The ToLiss Tiller Steering is very authentic to the aircraft, but tricky to master. It is far slower to turn than your inputs, so there is delay between moving the tiller and the turning action, it can make you over reach thinking it is not turning below, it is "really slow" so you have to adapt to it. The trick is to not taxi too fast, the slower you go, the easier it is to turn, go too fast and you will lose control and slide with the front wheels at the wrong angle burning friction...
 

 
But I love the heavy 220,706 kg TO weight of the A339, you feel it and respond to the mass around you, a good sign of a great simulation.
 

 
A standard departure, but this one is with a difference...  I now have a HUD feature to help with the takeoff!
 

 
There is now no need to half your screen, bottom the instruments, upper the window. Instead you have everything you need right in the middle of the window without looking down. At first you will think it would be just the basic PFD instruments, Speed and Altitude Tapes, Artificial Horizon, V/S (Vertical Speed), Rate of Turn, Baro, Wind, and Compass. They are all there obviously.
 

 
But as you initiate items, like Throttle modes (Including FLEX), SRS (Speed Reference System), NAV, FD (Flight Director) and A/THR, then they all show up, obviously the speed bugs are on there as well...  162 + 10 Knots and rotate, "Positive Climb"
 

 
The Flight Director indicators of inputs for pitch and roll are shown, with your FD target position to aim for, it is all very comprehensive.
 

 
  Gear up. You don't have to look at the Gear indicators either as there is a definite "thump, thump, thump" of the gear locking into place.
 

 
Gear retraction (and extraction) is first rate. Typically the A339 climbs at a rate of around 2,000 to 3,000 feet per minute (fpm), depending on the weight of the aircraft, weather conditions, and engine thrust settings. It is a bit of a bumpy ride through the low cloud base, but then you are free.
 

 
Without doubt the HUD is very dramatic, obviously not the first HUD arrangement in X-Plane, but unique for the ToLiss, the trick here is the amount of quality data detail provided on the screen, it looks and feels very professional in operation on a Airliner.
 

 
The maximum altitude for the A330-941 is around 41,000 feet (FL410), but the typical cruise altitude for long-haul flights is between 33,000 and 39,000 feet. With a maximum range of the A330-941 of approximately 7,200 nautical miles (13,334 kilometers). The Airbus A330-800 has a slighter longer range of approximately 8,150 nautical miles (15,094 kilometers). But the loss of range is made up by the extra capacity of seats 406 passengers for the A338 to the 440 passengers for the A339 depending on the cabin configuration.
 

 
We are coming up on the "North Atlantic Track" (NAT) a network of predefined routes that change daily based on weather patterns, jet streams, and traffic demand. The tracks are updated daily by the Shanwick (UK) and Gander (Canada) Oceanic Control Areas (OCAs). Pilots file flight plans based on these routes. There is an entry point (RESNO) and an exit point (JANJO) on this track, in-between are a sets of co-ordinates defined by latitude and longitude, but they have there own special input code or setting to program the Co-Ords into the MCDU system. The Co-Ordinates 56°0'0.0"N 020°0'0.0"W is converted to 56N040W for input (Simbrief does it automatically).
 

 
There is also the "Organized Track System" (OTS) another series of tracks connecting different oceanic waypoints across the North Atlantic. It helps manage the flow of aircraft flying between Europe and North America. These tracks are designated as “Track A,” “Track B,” etc., depending on the day’s configuration. There is also "Random Route Navigation, outside the NAT system, for some aircraft who may use “random routes” based on their specific flight plans and preferred wind patterns. These random routes also follow oceanic waypoints and require frequent reports to the Oceanic Centres.
 

 
As noted you can insert your SimBrief route and data directly into the MCDU, you just have to fill in your TO Prefs (TakeOff Preferences) on the TO PERF page to complete the setup from the ISCS. FUEL PRED (Prediction) is excellent and found under FUEL PRED button. I rarely use the Airbus Style PROG (Progress) as it is not at all as good as the Boeing tool, so I mostly rely on the PERF selections for each phase of the flight.
 

 
EQUI - TIME POINT is also available, found under DATA lower RK6. ETP (Equal Time Point), which is basically the point at which it'll take a shorter time to continue to the next suitable diversion airfield than to turn back to the last one. Mostly used on ETOPS routes and over oceans for diversion actions.
 
The A330-941 being a Twin-Engined aircraft is governed by ETOPS or "Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards", so we are using a very Northern NAT Track. ETOPS is a certification and regulatory term used in aviation that allows twin-engine aircraft to fly on routes that are farther from a diversion airport than what would be allowed under standard regulations. ETOPS regulations allow twin-engine aircraft to operate over remote areas, such as oceans or polar regions, where a suitable alternate airport might be more than 60 minutes away under normal twin-engine rules. The A339 is certified for ETOPS-180 as a standard, which allows it to fly up to 180 minutes (3 hours) from the nearest suitable diversion airport in the event of a single-engine failure. The A330neo can also be certified for ETOPS 285, which extends the range to 285 minutes (4 hours and 45 minutes). And there is (Potential Certification) for ETOPS 330 by some airlines, which would allow the aircraft to operate up to 330 minutes (5 hours and 30 minutes) away from a diversion airport. This is beneficial for ultra-long-haul routes where alternative airports may be sparse, such as over polar regions or the southern Pacific Ocean.
 

 
Atlantic route crossings are always a great scrutiny of the X-Plane weather (besides looking out of the window). For years the view up here at altitude was not great even noted as dismal, but with X-Plane 12 we have had a focus on this important role in Simulation... X-Plane 12.1.0 delivered the final piece of the jigsaw in delivering those higher Cirrus cloud formations, storms as well. But I have done a few tracks over the Atlantic over the year, it was good before, but there seems to be a little more backroom tinkering over the last few XP12 updates, the view out now is quite spectacular, Cumulonimbus is all in their glory.
 

 
Sitting in the rear is very nice, the sounds are very good, with a differential difference between sitting behind the engine or in front of it, sounds are of course 360º dynamic, but the cockpit is a far quieter place. The Camera backseat screens are not really useful, maybe on takeoff or landing, but other wise blank(ish), the live front video also uses up framerate? so be glad you can turn the feature off.
 

 
But it's nice and serene on the flightdeck, with only the "Trim Tank" flashing away now and again in telling you it is doing it's job
 

 
You may be thinking? why London to Charlotte, North Carolina. It's an odd route? But you have to understand the routes that the A330neo is built for, not the mainline point to point like London to New York, Boston or Washington in this context. But for those long thin routes, making connections outside of the major hubs, it varies your flying as well, gives you a more interesting palette of destinations to chose from, and so you are also thinking outside the usual box.
 

 
The remnants of Hurricane Milton are still hanging around North Carolina, dirty, black and low. Approach into Charlotte-Douglas KCTL is via STAR MAJIC4 into Rwy 18L. It is an easy approach from the north, but the weather is a bit tricky.
 

 
The Tablet LDG PREFs are now reset (Compute) as we have burnt off the fuel, and shown are the new calculated landing differences, The Rwy ILS (IVKQ 110.35mHz) is now also active, you can't insert the frequency until you are within the 100nm area, the ILS ICAO code will show when you select the PFD "LS" ILS ribbons to say that approach is now active. Approach Phase is also now activated in the MCDU.
 

 
At GIZMO you track right to CAVVI on the chart for the turn into 183º directly into CTL (Charlotte). HUD is back in operation, so no look downs are now required, you can just focus ahead...
 

 
...   CAVVI and it is a hard bank left.
 

 
The ToLiss A339 looks and feels great, the approach flying can be as automated or as manual as you want, both aspects work extremely well here, but mostly the auto modes are excellent. Once you select APP then the data shows up on the HUD, both AP1 and AP2 can be selected here for a DUAL CAT 3 Approach.
 

 
Gear down, and an increase of wind noise as it lowers, and the same satisfying "thunk, thunk,thunk" of the Tri-Gear locking into place.
 

 
Glideslope data (G/S and LOC) are now displayed in the HUD, note the target runway outlined centre.
 

 
The runway target increases as you approach...
 

 
...  then disappears when you go into the LAND phase, giving you a clear view of the threshold.
 

 
After LAND mode you go into FLARE mode...  "Retard, Retard"
 

 
Nice "touch", then the full reverser and airbrakes to slow you down, reverser power sounds are excellently loud, so was the gear touch feel (you can adjust this aspect)... 
 

 
...  you have to skillful on the rudder pedals and tip-toe brakes to get a clean centre line roll-out, certainly on a damp runway...  but that is were the piloting skills come in.
 

 
A tight runway exit around taxiway C2, I have sort of mastered the slow tiller...  sort of?
 

 
With the A330-941neo now cleaned up (even the HUD put away), it is a long taxi to Concourse D (International) along taxiway C. Bay D10 is waiting, and I am ready to shutdown, 8h55m is a long flight, but the ToLiss A339 is a dream to fly for these long -haul thin routes, brilliant Simulation, great investment.
 

 
Liveries
You get four liveries with the package; ToLiss House, and three Airbus branded in; First Flight, "Airspace" and "Foundation (10 Years)"
 

 
Again to note the RR Logo is branded as "Gliding Kiwi", to offset any legal affairs and patent licensing.
 
There is a Paintkit available, and already the painters are churning out quality liveries, I'll note a few early ones here including the Condor Package, Cebu Pacific, Garunda, and Virgin Atlantic.
 

____________________
Summary
ToLiss was the part of the 2009 original collaboration with QPAC to create the first X-Plane A320 simulation with realistic Airbus Flight Control Laws, and automated cockpits. Since then the developer has gone on to creating the very best Airbus aircraft for the X-Plane Simulator, with the A319-112, the A321-231, A340-600 and the Airbus A320neo. The choice here of the Airbus A330neo (New Engine Option) is not really a big surprise, but on how good this A339 is the surprise.
 
Modeling and design is very good, but early ToLiss didn't have the extensive extreme quality you can now expect in this category, but with a change of a modeller a few years back, now in every area the detail and quality is highly improved, better again here and now showing a maturity that wasn't there earlier, that said, the missing hydraulic lines on the undercarriage are a bit of an oversight, but the excellent Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines makes up for that aspect...  add in then matching the high quality Airbus Official systems and for the excellent flying feedback of the aircraft. This ToLiss is absolutely the best, or better of it's category and class.
 
System wise the ToLiss A339 is the best in X-Plane (all ToLiss Airbus aircraft are), with all the Airbus Flight Laws and Protections highly intergrated, with the authentic engine control laws. If you want to fly the automated Airbus you can, but if you want to dig deeper into the "Study" aspect of Airbus Philosophy. Then that aspect is also very highly available here, so both Pro's and Newcomers to the Airbus way of aviation can be easily satisfied here.
 
Both cockpit and cabin are excellent, new textures are in the cockpit and the cabin look and feel is a step up from the earlier releases. The A33-941 comes with a few new features. Head of the feature list is the HUD (Head Up Display), fully intergrated with full data graphics, it is a bonus to landing and takeoff procedures. D-RAIMS -Digital Radio and Audio Integrating management system, ROPS (Runway overrun protection System) and ATSAW (Air Traffic Situational Awareness) are all new to ToLiss, with the No Smoking sign changed to Portable Devices. Sounds are by Turbine Sound Studios, very good but not that extreme BSS quality.
 
The ACARS function is fully intergrated with the CPDLC system , but really only available to on-line fliers with the HOPPIE network, but very good it is.
 
The ToLiss ISCS - "Interactive Simulation Control System" is far more than a menu, it provides tools and options that are truly remarkable. The LOAD/SAVE Situation tool is a godsend for any Simmer... saving perfect situations to return ready for flight or even an unexpected simulator crash, I was back up and flying perfectly in minutes after a bad scenery crash, this shows the tool's peerless power.
 
SimBrief intergration can load in the "Full" data brief into the aircraft's systems, another huge time saver. Fault Scenerios are also excellent as are aircraft configurations. AUTO-PAUSE, this feature allows the user to leave the computer during a flight to do a pause in three alert scenerios. The ISCS is also now available on the side Tablets with AviTab. Notable is that all the above new features will gradually transfer to other ToLiss aircraft, but you can now use them here first.
 
New to ToLiss on the A320neo were the ground equipment, here also on the A330neo are the Baggage Loaders and Catering Trucks, and the sensational animated De-Icing Trucks and here we have stairs on all left doors. Opening Side Windows and the Electronic Flight Bag EFB tools for WGT-BAL, TO PERF, LDG PERF, and extensive built in CHECKLIST and as noted now the ISCS are all on the tablet. The "Interactive Audio Control Panel" (IACP) has also been extended to include both Ground and Cabin tabs with excellent cabin lighting adjustment.
 
Commands for the AUTO doors has made me happy, the difficult tiller steering is however a learning curve, and there is still no physical ground GPUs? but the niggles are very few.
 
The list can obviously go on, and on...  but notable is the X-Plane 12 version in using the X-Plane features, an X-Plane 11 version is included in the package, but that would takeaway a lot of the dynamics and the immense fun this aircraft has to offer by using the X-Plane 12 environment.
 
"Peerless" is the word I would use here, "Transcendent" is another. If you want Airbus Aircraft in the X-Plane Simulator, then there is only one place to go to...  ToLiss, and again they deliver another excellent aircraft with tons of real useful features in the Airbus A330neo. Certainly a great if brilliant investment, the features alone are worth the money, but with everything else... 
 
...  It's unparalleled simulation, and Highly Recommended!
________________
 

 
Yes! - the Airbus A330-941 neo by Toliss is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org :
 
Airbus A330-900neo
Price is US$89.99
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows , Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended for XP12
Not for commercial use. For any commercial use enquiries, please contact *****@*****.tld
Download Size: 1.2 GB
Version 1.0. (October 19th 2024)
 
Fully Featured
Detailed FMGS:
3 independent MCDUs providing real life FMGS programming capability
2 independent autopilots
SID/STAR and airways support in a fully custom FMGS backbone supporting all A424 leg types (Arc, course or heading to intercept, Radius to Fix, Holdings, etc.)
Support for all approach types present in real life A340-600s, including GLS, ILS, LOC backcourse, etc.
Full VNAV guidance with TOC, TOD, Deceleration point, speed limits, fuel prediction, etc.
Altitude and speed constraints as the real aircraft deals with them
Support for Go-Arounds and diversions
Nav Aid autotuning
Pilot item database, such as pilot fixes, pilot navaids etc.
Flight plan saving via the Pilot routes page
Equitime point computation and nearest airports page
Accurate systems:
Fly-by-wire system with reversion between normal law and alternate law 1, alternate law 2 and direct law as per real life logics.
Hydraulic model for flight control actuators computing hydraulic flow through the actuators, the control surface hinge moment, maximum feasible deflection etc. This gives realistic surface floating angles if a control surface is lost due to combinations of hydraulic and computer faults.
Quantitative hydraulic model considering the maximum hydraulic flows of the different pumps as a function of engine speed. This is most noticeable when flying on RAT or with wind milling engines
Quantitative bleed model considering the bleed mass flow for engine start, wing anti-ice air conditioning packs etc.
High fidelity fuel system including inflight CG control by pumping fuel to and from the tail tank, fuel jettison, manual and automatic transfers between the different tanks
Detailled model of each ADIRU including alignment, small pressure sensor differences between the units, switching of sources for PFDs
Fault injection system allowing to trigger over 140 system faults either at a specific point in flight or randomly during a flight phase
Cockpit display system simulating the dependency of the displays on the Display management computers resulting in real life display limitations
ECAM system with over 30 warning and over 200 caution messages including associated ECAM actions.
3d modelling
Detailed 3d cockpit with animated switches
Mouse gesture system for interaction with push-pull knobs emulating the motion on the knob with the mouse
Detailed cockpit lighting with reading lights, console light, tray table lights etc.
4 class passenger cabin with underfloor lavatories and crew rest
Custom particle effects for engine heat trail, Fuel jettison etc.
Custom landing gear model for bogey touch down.
Usability features
Situation loading and saving. It is possible to save the flight at any point in time and resume it another day. This can also be used, e.g., to save the position just before approach and practice just the approach many times
Autosaving allows recovering where you left off, should the X-Plane session end unexpectedly
Jumping waypoint-to-waypoint through the cruise phase: Shorten your flight to focus on the more interesting parts as you like
4 different startup configuration from Cold and Dark to engines running and ready to go
In-screen popup displays or use of x-plane windows for popups
Adjustable Wingflex via a slider in the ISCS
Possibility to turn the screen reflections on and off
Auto-updater by Skunkcraft Included
 
Installation
Download of the Airbus A339 is 1.08Gb and it is installed in your Airliner Folder as a 1.85Gb folder. On start up you will have an activation screen presented to enter your Serial Number (Key), and then press the "Activate" bar to authorise the aircraft. I recommend to totally restart the aircraft from your desktop to realign all your plugins and load the aircraft cleanly.
 

 
AviTab Plugin is required for this aircraft
The Skunkcraft Updater is provided for updates
 
Documents
There are Three Manuals Included with the package. All are extensive and well laid out with great details
 
Aircraft manual, which is primarily intended as a reference after the tutorial has been completed. It provides a reference for standard operating procedures, as well as a more in- depth look into the different systems of the aircraft.
Simulation manual : Describes installation, and setup of the model as well as usage of the “Interactive Simulation Control System”.
Tutorial flight, which provides a step-by-step description of a complete flight from cold & dark to aircraft shut-down after landing. This is the best manual to learn flying the aircraft.
 
ToLiss_AirbusA330-900_AircraftManual.pdf
ToLiss_AirbusA330-900_SimulationManual.pdf
ToLiss_AirbusA330-900_Tutorial
____________________________
 
Review System Specifications
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD. Sound-Bose Quietcomfort Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.2rc4
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- EGLL - London Heathrow International Airport by Taimodels (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$28.00
- KCLT- Charlotte Douglas International Airport UHD by Nimbus Studios (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$26.95
____________________________
 
Review by Stephen Dutton
18th October 2024
Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
 

 

Aircraft Review : Airbus A330-941neo by ToLiss
 
The story of the Airbus A330 Series is an odd airline history of being not what the Airlines actually wanted, but always came back to the aircraft to be used as a mainstay of their fleets. Created in tandem with the Airbus A340, it shares the same fuselage and flight deck layout, with the A340 being four engines, wereas the A330 has only two . The standard A340-500 had a range of 9,000nm, the A330-300 a range of 6,350nm. But the A340 went into service on the cusp of ETOPs (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards) that favoured the Twin-Engine aircraft like the Boeing 777, later A350 and Boeing 787. So the four-engines became too expensive to run, so didn't sell well of the only 377 aircraft delivered. The A330 Series however has 1,600 aircraft delivered. A330 family found success with full-service airlines, low-cost carriers and even cargo operators, thanks to its versatility...  but it was still a bumpy road in getting there.
 
Then suddenly the A330 series found fame. With the long entry into service of the Boeing Dreamliner 787, then you couldn't buy a A330 for the love or money, as bigger Full Service Airlines were now paying above cost to acquire them to fill in with their fleet requirements. It is that sort of aircraft.
 
The Airbus A330neo or "New Engine Option" was a reaction to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which offered airlines superior fuel efficiency and range, making it a strong competitor in the long-haul twin-engine market. The A330neo program was launched in July 2014. The A330neo achieves a 14% reduction in fuel consumption per seat on a typical long-haul flight compared to the A330ceo (current engine option) models, with the 25% improvement achieved when considering fuel per seat in specific configurations and high-density seating. This helps airlines also reduce operating costs and emissions. Besides the new highly efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines the A330neo incorporates sharklet wing extensions which reduce drag and enhance the overall aerodynamic efficiency, like with the A350 XWB to achieve it's efficiency goals. Again it has been the odd operators rather than the Full Service Airlines that are currently buying the A330neo, only Delta and TAP and Virgin Atlantic that have been the major Full Service players. Again with the unreliability of the Dreamliner 787, it again has customers now looking at this not only in the long range aspect, but also very versatile in the domestic operations services.
 
Toliss has no peers with Airbus Aircraft in the X-Plane Simulator. The Journey started as the QPAC A320, then under the Toliss brand, came the A319, A321, the large A340-600 then lately the A320neo. To release the A330-941 in a "neo" guise was no really no surprise after the A340 and A320neo products. 
 

 
First impressions of the A339 are extremely good. Airbus aircraft are pretty modern and therefore doesn't have a lot of the external character like a 60's or 70's design, it is all very clean and polished in design. And that can be hard without slipping into bland for a modeller, but here it is the right balance, as ToLiss has come a long way in this area, and their products are now more refined and better put together.
 

 
You can certainly see the maturity and experience coming in, the rear window upline is really well done, as is the aluminum alloys in the fuselage construction, held together with a very substantial littering of rivets...  so the detail is excellent. The A330neo uses the same construction techniques as the A350, with aluminum alloys which provides the strength and rigidity while keeping the aircraft lightweight in the main fuselage. And also uses composites in certain sections, such as the fairings, wingtips and some parts of the empennage (tail section), it's a balanced approach rather than the Boeing B787 fully composite design.
 

 
Antennas shown here cover both Gogo’s 2Ku technology, which is a dual-antenna system that enhances the signal strength, ensuring better speed and consistency for passengers. Internally Gogo is connected to Panasonic Avionics for the best inflight Wi-Fi connectivity
 

 
Cockpit windows come with the raccoon mask style are very good, and have nice tinted glass. Wipers are good as well, far better than the clunky earlier ToLiSS ideas. There are two fully dressed pilots shown in the external view, and quality looking pilots they both are.
 



 
Door detail is also very good and the text detail is all readable, the side widows are also nicely done, and the glass is in there, but looks holey from a few angles. The Cargo doors are all animated (lock levers as well) and internally the cargo holds are all well detailed.

 


 
You can see the far better aerodynamic design than the A330ceo, smoother in the inboard and a thinner wing. The wingspan of the A330neo is 64 meters (210 feet), which is an increase over the older model’s 60.3 meters. This larger wingspan helps generate more lift and contributes to the improved efficiency of the aircraft. Wing detail here in replicating the newer design is very good and highly realistic, with the nice wing lighting assembly which are also well done.
 

 
The Airbus A330neo uses the fowler flap design, and extended it is well done in the detail, more so is the inner detailing of the hydraulic and pneumatic systems, again showing the extra detailing now associated with ToLiss designs.
 

 
The refined  sharklets on the A330neo contributes to up to 14% better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the previous generation A330ceo, and nicely intergated the sharklets are skillfully done here.
 

 
Highlight here is the ginormous Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine, which is 112-inch (2.85 meters) in fan diameter. Making it significantly larger than the fan on the previous-generation Trent 700 engine. It has a bypass ratio of 10:1, meaning that for every unit of air passing through the engine core (where combustion happens), 10 units of air pass around the engine core. So the 7000 is significantly quieter in operations, and has lower CO2 and NOx emissions, so you get a 4% reduction in fuel burn per seat with an Increased thrust and power for the A330neo’s larger size and higher takeoff weight. The ToLiss RR Trent 7000 is excellent, nicely modeled and love the rear copper exhaust cone and the burnt nacelle. Note the RR Logo is branded as "Gliding Kiwi", to offset any legal affairs and patent licensing.
 
 
 
Thrust reverser action and internal detail is excellent, and a big shout-out to Emma Bentley for the excellent A339 Virgin Atlantic livery seen here.
 
The A339 has a tricycle-Type Landing Gear with a one nose landing gear (NLG) twin-wheel bogie, and the two main landing gears (MLG) in a dual-bogie configuration. They are constructed using high-strength materials like steel and titanium, with carbon brakes, which offer excellent heat dissipation and wear resistance. The design here is very very good, as the Oleo cylinder and Oleo piston which are really well designed, as is the downlock and drag brace.
 

 
The Axle-beam assembly is also excellent...   but there is something overall missing? the strut hydraulic piping is not on either the nose-gear or the mains? the piping can be seen in the wheel wells, but it doesn't come any further down the assembly. Tyres are good, but come with a few shapely lines, but the wheel hubs are authentic to the A330 Series.
 

 
The A339 uniquely uses a sophisticated shock absorption system, which has oleo-pneumatic struts (a combination of gas and hydraulic fluid) to absorb the impact of landings and to absorb the extra weight of the A330neo.
 
All doors are animated in the three ToLiss modes, AUTO, OPEN and CLOSED, with still the AUTO as default. Not my favorite ToLiss feature as they open when you want closed, or closed when you want open, so you have to go around the menu to reset every door to manual (that is ELEVEN doors folks), but there is now a door option...   you can assign a command to OPEN all doors, set doors to AUTO, or to CLOSE all doors, all by your key commands, hallelujah to all that.
 

 
Stairs are available on passenger doors 1L, 2L and 4L...  on passenger doors 1R, 2R and 4R are the catering service vehicles, and there are baggage loaders on the Fwd and Aft Cargo doors, Chocks are available on all bogies.
 

 
The De-Icing trucks introduced on the ToLiss A320neo are here as well. They come and de-ice the wings and engine, then move to de-ice the rear elevators and rudder, it's still all very clever in operation, but the operations has been reduced a little, now it only takes around ten minutes, rather than the long slog of 23 minutes on the A320neo...  there is an instant de-ice option available as well.
 

 
Cabin

 
ToLiss cabins have usually been very functional, but modeling wise a bit standard. But there has also been a growing confidence in the detailing. This A330neo is the best ToLiss cabin to date. It is the mooted "Airspace by Airbus” which is designed to offer a modern and comfortable experience for passengers while also providing airlines with flexibility in cabin configurations.
 

 
It is a very nice cabin layout, if slightly "Greyish" in tone, but the detailing is nice and the signage readable.
 
There are two cabin configurations. Forward is a First/Business cabin layout. Certainly the best ToLiss cabin in quality, it is all very nicely designed. Screens show two A330neo images or the nose camera, switchable from the cockpit. There are 6 rows of 4 abreast cabins.
 

 
Mid-deck and rear cabin is all economy seating, they are BIG cabins...   with some nice detail were the rear cabin tapers into the tail.
 

 
Seat frames and certainly the seat materials are again a step up for ToLiSS, more quality and detail, head rests are now inprinted with "ToLiSS" and it looks very nice. Centre sections are well detailed, so overall a nice modern cabin. Notable is there is a lot of "ToLiSS" branding in here, signs on the wall, images and even more branding on the seat back screens...   showing confidence!
 

 
There are three galleys. Forward for the A Listers, then Mid-Deck and a large Economy galley layout at the rear.
 

 

 
Cockpit-Cold
There is no shock when entering the A330neo flightdeck. It looks just like a normal A330, so not much change in here from the ceo to the neo versions.
 

 
If you expecting dramatic changes then they are not visible in here. That is good, really good as there is nothing new here to translate to, so you will feel very familiar very quickly with everything. But there are however a few things that are different, or presented as clever new features as we shall see. Rear has a third seat and a jumpseat to the right rear. Detail is very good, with a wardrobe (and hangars) portable oxygen and avionics bay.
 

 
Overhead panel (OHP) and Console wouldn't feel out of place on an A320, Airbus layouts are all so familiar.
 

 
Cockpit - Powered (Hot)
Switch on the power, and you get the full Airbus system start up procedure, all the systems will "self-test" for 40sec, and even the MCDUs (Multi-function Control and Display Unit) and CPDLC displays will also flash on and off as they also self-test, it is all very good...
 

 
The system will settle down to the active mode, but with no navigation alignment. The quality of ToLiss aircraft are their deep systems and procedures, this is what you pay for, and they really deliver that Airbus system study intergration.
 

 
ADIRU (Air Data Inertial Reference Unit) alignment is 7min, again a very exact procedure of the navigation setup of the system (you can do an instant Nav alignment if you want to).
 


 
X-Plane 12 does make the display text look a little blobby, so you need to lower the display lighting to minimise the effect, but there a lot of panel lighting adjustments to do, plus you can also adjust the screen background glow effect, this also includes the MCDUs.
 
All the displays pop-out, including the Integrated Standby Instrument System (ISIS) and both MCDUs.
 

 
Early ToLiss aircraft were not really known for their animations (toys!). But there are quite a few now included to enjoy. There is the slide-out table for both pilots, and the forward window blinds can be dropped down.
 

 
The side windows can be opened...
 

 
...   and the seats are power animated to move forwards and backwards for entry, all the seat armrests can also be folded.
 

 
Seat design, materials are also far better than in the early days, it is a nice quality detailed cockpit now.
 

 
Any new ToLiss release comes with some really nice new features, and almost everything noted here will usually flow over on to the other ToLiss aircraft over the next period of updates, but you get them here first.
 
HUD (Head Up Display)
The biggest new feature (X-Plane 12 only) is the Head Up Display. I'm not overall a big user of HUDs, but this one is based on the new Laminar feature, and very, very good it is. We won't see the full potential at this point, but will see that later in use. One note is that you can't adjust the HUD, meaning you have to adjust your visual distance to the HUD, and not the other way around.
 

 
Visual Primary Flight Display detail is excellent, and you can adjust the brightness and DECLUTTER the data via the panel on the glareshield.
 

 
Only tricky issue is finding the HUD lever to lower or raise it, as it is black on black, not so much when activating it, but in say after landing, and your hunting around for the lever to hide it? Don't want the HUD option, then you can remove it with a blank panel in front of you.
 
D-RAIMS -Digital Radio and Audio Integrating management system
Another new feature is D-RAIMS. This is a console panel that is a new introduction feature on Airbus Aircraft. It replaces the twin Radio Panel on the centre console.
 

 
The object of the new D-RAIMS panel is to intergrate three other separate panels into the one unit. That is the Radio, TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) and the Transponder.
 

 
The D-RAIMS is really well replicated here as all the buttons are functional, but you will have to learn the new layout operations.
 
ROPS (Runway overrun protection System)
ROPS is an Airbus system designed to continuously calculate whether the aircraft can safely stop in the runway length remaining ahead of the aircraft. If at any point the system detects there is a risk of a runway overrun, flight deck alerts are generated to help the crew in their decision making.
It has four active elements...  "Landing Approach" as the aircraft approaches the runway, ROPS assesses the current speed, descent rate, and runway conditions. "Runway Monitoring" after touchdown (also Rejected Takeoff), the system continues to evaluate the aircraft’s deceleration and whether the remaining runway distance is sufficient to stop safely. "Pilot Alerts" if the system detects any risk of an overrun, it provides escalating alerts, prompting the pilots to take action, and "Feedback Loop" were the system updates continuously in real time, providing feedback based on the aircraft’s progress down the runway. The ROPS is shown on the PFD.
 

 
ATSAW (Air Traffic Situational Awareness)
Basically ATSAW is an expanded TCAS - Traffic Collision Avoidance System. ATSAW data is typically displayed on the Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) or in the Airbus on the MAP/Navigation display, which shows the position of surrounding aircraft, their speed, and relative distance. Current In-Trail Procedures now also allow aircraft to safely follow each other at closer distances in cruise conditions.
 

 
Portable Devices
New (never seen before) is the signage change from "No Smoking" to "No Portable Devices". Yes it is an "about time" change. The signs here are on the cabin signs, the panel change of the old "No Smoking" Switch, and an alert display on the upper ECAM. It all looks very modern in asking you (politely) to "Please Turn Off Electronic Devices".
 

 
Avitab- EFB (Electronic Flight Bag)
Introduced on the A320neo are the two Avitabs situated on the sills of both sides of the cockpit...   if you have a Navigraph account, you can access the Navigraph Charts, tools and other features on the A339neo.
 

 
Besides the AviTab EFB there are now five tab options...   WGT-BALANCE, TO PERF, LDG (Landing), PERF, CHECKLIST and ISCS
 
W + B is your Weight and Balance sheet, it shows you your Weights, Centre of Gravity, Payload and Fuel with a load graph. TO PERF (TakeOff Performance) covers your takeoff configuration of which you can "COMPUTE" to create the TO data.
 

 
 
LDG  PERF (Landing Performance). Very similar to the TO PERF, but here you can "COMPUTE" your landing configuration and shown margins. (Ignore "OVERWEIGHT" as the LDG Prefs were computed at TO, not closer to the landing phase, so you are still full of fuel)
PRELIM CKPT PREP (Preliminary Cockpit Preparation) or a big set of words for Checklist. The Checklist is very good, green ticks are easy to use over 22 categories, easy to clear or reset as well via the lower "RESET" button.
 

 
ToLiss ISCS - Interactive Simulation Control System
A new TAB on the Tablet is the ISCS or "Interactive Simulation Control System", or putting the Menu also on the tablet.
 

 
The ToLiss Menu system is a bit more in depth than for just selecting SETTINGS, it is the heart of the ToLiss way of flying and using the aircraft. You can still access the ISCS via the banner "Plugins", menu, the other setting option is "Resume from last flight", we will look at that soon.
I usually also set the ISCS menu on a key command (key S), this makes the ISCS far more accessible and quick, plus the same set command works on any ToLiss aircraft.
 

 
If you fly ToLiss aircraft, you will be very familiar with the ISCS Menu system, however there are a few different changes in here, so again it could be noted as "the same, but different".
 
There are the eight ISCS tabs available covering: Startup Situations, A/C + Sim Config, Loading Perfo, Ground Services, Faults Scenerios, Addons, Sound/Actions, Joystick and the General Settings Actions. The TAB layout is now however slightly different, as the former first TAB has been split into two separate TABs of STARTUP SITUATIONS and A/C + SIM CONFIG.
 

 
STARTUP SITUATIONS
LOAD/SAVE SITUATIONS is an absolute gem of a tool, basically it is "Save" tool, but it saves EVERYTHING including the important FMS settings and your route, and better still it gives you a backup "Auto-Saving" feature in case X-PLANE does a nasty CTD (Crash to Desktop) or a freeze on you, all the saves are held in the X-Plane Plugin's Folder and not in the A339neo Aircraft folder...  
 
Simply years better than any other save tool in X-Plane, it is simply golden to set up or to have your aircraft ready at a certain state of "ready for Flight" mode, and so very helpful if you just want to come back and just fly, then you can save the aircraft situation ready that way...  it is just simply brilliant. The saved situations can be "Filtered" to find certain saved situations if the list is long (delete older saved situations as well). AUTO-SAVING time can be set from 1 Min to 30 Min, but every 5 Min is the best compromise, or reset your CURRENT_SITUATION if you again have a system or computer crash... Certainly ONE of the biggest features on the aircraft, if not the main feature overall.
 
STARTUP this TAB section is all new, and is split between "Quick" and "States". Quick is instant actions on Engine 1 Start, Engine 2 Start, APU Start and ADIRU Alignment. States are Engines Running, ADIRU + APU ON, External Power on, Cold + Dark and F/CTL Law Overide, you can set as a DEFAULT three items in ADIRU+APU, Ext Power and Cold+Dark, F/CTL can also be set as "Direct".
 

 
A/C + SIM CONFIG
Another new TAB selection, but you will find other actions from other previous TABS on this page, but mostly the settings here are all new.
 
SIMULATOR CONFIGURATION These settings are general settings, including the choice of seeing the ISCS in the Tablet, Sync Baro Sttings and Use FCU Mouse Gestures.
 
VISUAL SETTINGS include; Wing Flex Strength (Slider), Wing Flex from gear bumps (Slider), and (Instrument) Background Glow (Slider). Other options include; Remove Glass Reflections, Use LIT Tex (Textures) for Cabin Lighting, Show XP (X-Plane) Partical Effects, Inhibit Cabin Object (Hides cabin), and Inhibit Inseat Screens (Hides seat video screens). You can also set to refresh the PFD (Primary Flight Display) so many (X) cycles.
 
AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION Here you can set up the aircraft configuration to your needs, options include; Use "Brake Fan", Has "D-RAIMS" system on the PFD, Imperial or Metric Units, Use the "HUD" (Head Up Display), HUD uses perfect data, and the ROW/ROPS (Runway overrun protection System) ON/OFF or AUTO
 
PERFORMANCE ADJUSTMENTS Three items (Sliders) cover Aircraft Age, Engine Age, and if the Aircraft is NEW or OLD, you can save all the configurations and options on the page at the bottom.
 

 
LOADING PERFO
This tab covers the "Aircraft Loading" and "CG-CW", Payload, Passenger, Cargo and Fuel (Block Fuel) which all can be set, then added to the MCDU INIT B page values. Fuel loading can be "Quick" or "Slow" (Real Time). CG-GW Diagram gives you your Centre of Gravity and Gross Weight limits on a graph. TO PERFORMANCE settings can also be set here with vSpeeds, Centre of Gravity and Trim, Flex Temp and (Airconditioning) PACKS on.
 

 
GROUND SERVICES
This tab covers the external factors on the aircraft. Ground Supplies provides options for "External Power" (GPU) Power A - Power B and "High and Low pressure air" to start the engines and provide ventilation/air-conditioning while on the ground. But as noted there are no external physical GPU units, Chocks however are shown.
 
But there is a built in PUSHBACK feature...  The pushback is quite basic in look and to use in auto or manual modes. However I always use the excellent BetterPushBack Truck as an alternative. The Toliss A339neo has been configured correctly for the BetterPushBack use, so it works extremely well here. Note in watching the pushback operation on the ECAM!
 
DEICING...  You can do a "Quick" De-Ice, or use the "Animated" De-Ice Trucks for the full around the aircraft service
 
AIRCRAFT DOORS  have three selections with AUTO (default) CLOSE and OPEN. The auto will open the doors when the park brake is set and the engines are off. But they do have a tendency to be a bit uncontrollable in opening/closing at the wrong times or not opening when you need them to be open. So the manual "Close" is my preference to control them. There is no save selection either and so every time you open (or move) the aircraft you have to then (constantly and annoyingly) reset all the doors back to your AUTO preference state, as the default auto setting will always switch on command, that said you can now assign a command to OPEN all doors, set doors to AUTO, or to CLOSE all doors, all by your key commands, and yes I'm very happy!
 
Their are PAX STAIRS on 1L, 2L and 4L Doors, CATERING TRUCKS on 1R, 2R and 4R, and animated "Baggage Loaders" on both FWD and AFT Cargo hatches.
 

 
FAULT SCENARIOS
The A339neo has a great failure system, or Fault Scenarios. These failures can be set up on the ISCS Panel. This feature is listed under the "FAULT SCENERIOS" tab.
 
You can have a total random setting that covers a wide range of 90 faults over eighteen systems in "less" or "more" than "100 Flights", or you can set your own failure with the options including: NOW, AT Time, AT IAS (Speed), AT ALT (set altitude) or RANDOM, Also is the point of failure in Take-Off, Climb, Cruise, Descent, Landing and Flight...    and you can set as many failures as you like.
 

 
SOUNDS ADDONS
Turbine Sound Studios (TSS) provides the sounds for ToLiss aircraft, but you can default back to the X-Plane default sound volumes if you wish in controlling a MASTER, INTERNAL and EXTERNAL volume. You can also set the COMPONENT VOLUME in; Engine Vol, System Vol, Cockpit Sounds, Environment, Ground Contact (CNTCT) and Aural Alerts, 3D Sound Fading will silence the PTU and Flap sounds in the cockpit.
 
If you ADD ON any third party ADDONs then they will be shown here. This Sound TAB used to be part of the "General Settings" TAB, but now a dedicated page for these options.
 

 
JOYSTICK ACTIONS
Joystick Configuration selections options cover the "Primary Joystick" with Deadband adjustment, Joystick Roll For NWS (No/Auto/Yes), that replaces the earlier NWS (NoseWheel Steering) on/off, "Rudder To Tiller IN VR", Enable "Second Joystick" with Deadband Adjustment for custom setups like home built panels or training as it supports the use of two sidesticks (pilot and co-pilot side), A dual input and priority logic are also available as on the real aircraft),
 
"Tiller Assigned" (with Tiller centre setting). "Pedal Brakes Assignment" with brake strength (slider), Smart Park Brake, Allow Brake on One Pedal.
 
Throttle Configuration can use keys "F1/F2 Toggle reversers" (I use the joystick trigger!), "Smart THR Idle Lock" and "Rev on Same Axis".
You can set (via sliders) both the "CL Detent Location" (Climb) and "MCT Detent Location" (Maximum Continuous Thrust).
Under ACTIONS there are two options of "Jump To Next WP" (Waypoint, and an "Auto-Pause" with four choices; OFF, ON WARNINGS, ON WARN + CAUT, and ON WARN/CAUT/TOD.
 
The "Auto-Pause feature allows automatic pausing of the simulation, if:
A master warning is triggered (e.g. due to AP disconnect)
A master warning or a master caution are triggered. (Any system fault)
A master warning or caution is triggered, or the aircraft has passed the T/D, i.e. has entered the DESCENT phase.
 
You can SAVE all the TAB page choices at the bottom.
 

 
ACCOUNT SETTING
As noted this was the earlier "General Settings" TAB, but the Sounds section has been moved to TAB 5, and the "Account Ids" has been added from the old "Sound/Addon/Accounts" TAB. The (New) "Account Settings" TAB has five sections in: "Product Info", "Account Ids", "Startup Behaviour", "User Interface" and "Miscellaneous".
 
Product Info (Information) covers the current build number and version (very Airbus), and License ID
 
Accounts Ids; if you want to use the ACARS function for flight plan download, you can put your SimBrief pilot ID into the field “SimBrief ID”. Important note: This is a pure number, not your SimBrief Email address. You can find this number on the Simbrief Website, under “Dispatch / Account settings” and then in the Simbrief data tab under “Pilot ID”. Simbrief options incude;
Ignore AIRAC/AC Type mismatch: If this option is OFF, the flight plan download will fail if the active AIRAC cycle in the FMGS does not match the AIRAC cycle used by Simbrief for planning.
Set Payload + Fuel to Simbrief: If you select this option, the cargo, payload and fuel on board in the ISCS will be set immediately to the Simbrief values.
Always use SimBrief winds: If this option is selected, any wind request in the FMGS will take the wind data from the Simbrief plan
HOPPIE CPDLC LOGON option
The option “Auto Execute handovers” allows to switch to the next ATC station automatically upon receiving the “handover” command from your current ATC station without having to notify the new ATC station.
ATIS Source; VATSIM of PILOTEDGE
 
Startup Behaviour sets the aircraft to a certain startup situation; "Default Baro" in either HPA or InHG (note you can also have the choice to SYNC or adjust manually the separate PFD Baros). Set your own default "Transition Altitude" (Slider). You can "Start with Bright Displays" (ON/OFF).
 
User Interface is options on how you interact with the aircraft. Options include: "Pop-out windows for Pop-ups" and you can save your setup "Pop-Up configuration on Quit" (Cockpit builders).
 
Miscellaneous The "ILS auto align" is a feature that if the custom scenery that rotates the runway; for these cases the ILS and the runway are not aligned anymore. The ToLiSs A339 plugin thereby contains a feature that detects if there is such custom scenery installed and then realigns the ILS in the internal database with the new runway heading.
 
"XPDR Compatiblility Mode", is the use of different transponder modes. "Cache Routes only on Startup" prevents the plugin from checking for changes to your fms flight plan files during the flight. The "Enable AviTab Tablet" option has been removed, making the tablets now part of the cockpit furniture. You can again save all "Preferences and Default Values"
 
Interactive Audio Control Panel (IACP)
There is another menu access system situated on the Radio Panel, called the "Interactive Audio Control Panel" (IACP). This feature gives you finger access to an item in a more pop-up accessible form...  two options available are INT and CAB or INT which has five ground communication tabs; SERVICES, PUSHBACK, FUEL/DEFUEL, CARGO HANDLING and DEICING...
 


 
...  second IACP option is CAB selection that covers Cabin interaction; DOORS, PASSENGERS and CABIN LIGHTING...
 

 
ACARS - Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System
ToLiss aircraft comes with the ACARS function, used as noted earlier with the CPDLC. But it has another function here in the ability to download the FlightPlan from Navigraph's Simbrief. The tool was introduced on the ToLiss Airbus A340-600 v1.1, since then also updated to the rest of the ToLiss fleet (A319/A321/A32N) and so it is a big feature in the A323neo as well. A full tutorial in how to use it was covered in Airbus A340-600 v1.1 by ToLiss...
 
SimBrief
Remember that you have to complete your SimBrief Pilot ID in the ISCS (SOUND/ADDON/ACCOUNTS). Then the "Data" link has to be opened by pressing the COMMS VHF 3 button the Radio panel. Also important is to set the "Set Payload + Fuel to Simbrief", option ON, if not you will have to set up the aircraft fuel and weight options separately.
 

 
Then complete and generate your SimBrief flight profile, note you use the Aircraft Type A339, for NEO, not the A330. Our route today is VS - Virgin Atlantic VS338 from EGLL (Heathrow Lon) to KCTL (Charlotte US).
 
Lighting-Interior
Again ToLiss has come a long way in designing the interior lighting since the early days. The lighting setup is now all comprehensive to the standard Airbus system. Panel downlights are far better, brighter, but still non-visible in the daylight. But the individual instrument displays and INTEG lighting is now very good and on class for this price range.
 

 
There are three overhead spotlights for centre console, and two reading lights, but the reading lights (although adjustable) are not that strong in lighting the pilots seats. You can darken down the instrument panel nicely for dark takeoffs and landings, to which I am grateful. There is even a separate lighting switch for the compass, very nice touch.
 

 
There are three DOME states (DIM-BRT-STORM), but they won't work unless to switch on the CTL switch to the left.
 

 
Lighting-Interior
Cabin lighting is bright, but thankfully adjustable on the IACP panel, but there is no separated lighting for the galleys. The cabin lighting is set in a percentage % shown here is OFF, 8%, 16% and 30%....  above 40% is too bright.
 


 
But there is also a cabin lighting option on the A/C + SIM CONFIG page with the selection of "USE LIT TEX FOR CABIN LIGHTING", this option creates the current "Airspace by Airbus” mood lighting with blur textures on the ceiling and just down-lighting, very nice it is, the rear Galley thankfully stays full bright in this "TEX" mode, so it all works very well.
 

 
Exterior - Lighting
External lighting is excellent. Navigation, Beacon and Strobes are perfect, twin wing(Ice) lights are also well done. Tail light works, but only when the flaps are not set to zero as per Airbus rules. Internal view on the Ice/wing lights are excellent, and keep the cabin lights down to avoid the liner effect.
 

 
There are Taxi, RWY Turnoff lights and the Main Landing lights
 

___________________
 
Flying the A330neo
Typical moody muggy London day...  I set up the A339 the night before, so when ready to go (or if I wanted to do the same LON - CTL route again it is already saved and ready) with the excellent "SAVE SITUATION" feature. So all I have to do is call pushback. There is a choice, the built in Pushback tool, or BetterPushBack which I prefer.
 

 
Now in the pushbacked position it is time to start the "Trents". Engine No.1 is first, notable is that the A330neo start procedure is opposite of the A320 (No.2 start), the No.1 engine is usually started first because its EDP (Engine Driven Pump) drives the blue system, which in turn powers the parking brake (and alternate). BLEED ON (APU running), and select ING/START, both packs (air conditioning) are AUTO in these latest Airbus aircraft, so the switching of the PACKS is done for you unlike the Boeing manual system.
 
Then it is the simple operation to flick up the No.1 Engine switch under the throttle quadrant. The full start procedure is shown on the (ECAM) which will display the engine start indications. You get the full timed parameters, N2 (core speed) increases to around 20%–25% N2. Then the engine fuel flow will begin, and the Ignition will engage automatically, N1 (fan speed) will start to increase as the engine spools up, and you will wait for stable idle...   this typically happens around 58% N2 and 20% N1. When Engine No.1 is done then the same startup procedure is then with Engine No.2. Both engines running to parameters, then turn off the IGN/START and shutdown the APU
 

 
Set Flaps (1+F), timer, and SPLRS (Spoilers) ARMED, you can check if the TO CONFIGURATION is correct by pressing the TO CONFIG button lower console menu, any errors are then shown.
 

 
Sounds...   very good, if you get really close? the Trent 7000 is super quiet, and nothing, not a sound of it in the cockpit. But they are good quality sounds, right from the engine startup procedure to the running of the engines and APU, you can adjust the aural balances in the ISCS.
 

 
Power up, brakes off and your moving...  The ToLiss Tiller Steering is very authentic to the aircraft, but tricky to master. It is far slower to turn than your inputs, so there is delay between moving the tiller and the turning action, it can make you over reach thinking it is not turning below, it is "really slow" so you have to adapt to it. The trick is to not taxi too fast, the slower you go, the easier it is to turn, go too fast and you will lose control and slide with the front wheels at the wrong angle burning friction...
 

 
But I love the heavy 220,706 kg TO weight of the A339, you feel it and respond to the mass around you, a good sign of a great simulation.
 

 
A standard departure, but this one is with a difference...  I now have a HUD feature to help with the takeoff!
 

 
There is now no need to half your screen, bottom the instruments, upper the window. Instead you have everything you need right in the middle of the window without looking down. At first you will think it would be just the basic PFD instruments, Speed and Altitude Tapes, Artificial Horizon, V/S (Vertical Speed), Rate of Turn, Baro, Wind, and Compass. They are all there obviously.
 

 
But as you initiate items, like Throttle modes (Including FLEX), SRS (Speed Reference System), NAV, FD (Flight Director) and A/THR, then they all show up, obviously the speed bugs are on there as well...  162 + 10 Knots and rotate, "Positive Climb"
 

 
The Flight Director indicators of inputs for pitch and roll are shown, with your FD target position to aim for, it is all very comprehensive.
 

 
  Gear up. You don't have to look at the Gear indicators either as there is a definite "thump, thump, thump" of the gear locking into place.
 

 
Gear retraction (and extraction) is first rate. Typically the A339 climbs at a rate of around 2,000 to 3,000 feet per minute (fpm), depending on the weight of the aircraft, weather conditions, and engine thrust settings. It is a bit of a bumpy ride through the low cloud base, but then you are free.
 

 
Without doubt the HUD is very dramatic, obviously not the first HUD arrangement in X-Plane, but unique for the ToLiss, the trick here is the amount of quality data detail provided on the screen, it looks and feels very professional in operation on a Airliner.
 

 
The maximum altitude for the A330-941 is around 41,000 feet (FL410), but the typical cruise altitude for long-haul flights is between 33,000 and 39,000 feet. With a maximum range of the A330-941 of approximately 7,200 nautical miles (13,334 kilometers). The Airbus A330-800 has a slighter longer range of approximately 8,150 nautical miles (15,094 kilometers). But the loss of range is made up by the extra capacity of seats 406 passengers for the A338 to the 440 passengers for the A339 depending on the cabin configuration.
 

 
We are coming up on the "North Atlantic Track" (NAT) a network of predefined routes that change daily based on weather patterns, jet streams, and traffic demand. The tracks are updated daily by the Shanwick (UK) and Gander (Canada) Oceanic Control Areas (OCAs). Pilots file flight plans based on these routes. There is an entry point (RESNO) and an exit point (JANJO) on this track, in-between are a sets of co-ordinates defined by latitude and longitude, but they have there own special input code or setting to program the Co-Ords into the MCDU system. The Co-Ordinates 56°0'0.0"N 020°0'0.0"W is converted to 56N040W for input (Simbrief does it automatically).
 

 
There is also the "Organized Track System" (OTS) another series of tracks connecting different oceanic waypoints across the North Atlantic. It helps manage the flow of aircraft flying between Europe and North America. These tracks are designated as “Track A,” “Track B,” etc., depending on the day’s configuration. There is also "Random Route Navigation, outside the NAT system, for some aircraft who may use “random routes” based on their specific flight plans and preferred wind patterns. These random routes also follow oceanic waypoints and require frequent reports to the Oceanic Centres.
 

 
As noted you can insert your SimBrief route and data directly into the MCDU, you just have to fill in your TO Prefs (TakeOff Preferences) on the TO PERF page to complete the setup from the ISCS. FUEL PRED (Prediction) is excellent and found under FUEL PRED button. I rarely use the Airbus Style PROG (Progress) as it is not at all as good as the Boeing tool, so I mostly rely on the PERF selections for each phase of the flight.
 

 
EQUI - TIME POINT is also available, found under DATA lower RK6. ETP (Equal Time Point), which is basically the point at which it'll take a shorter time to continue to the next suitable diversion airfield than to turn back to the last one. Mostly used on ETOPS routes and over oceans for diversion actions.
 
The A330-941 being a Twin-Engined aircraft is governed by ETOPS or "Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards", so we are using a very Northern NAT Track. ETOPS is a certification and regulatory term used in aviation that allows twin-engine aircraft to fly on routes that are farther from a diversion airport than what would be allowed under standard regulations. ETOPS regulations allow twin-engine aircraft to operate over remote areas, such as oceans or polar regions, where a suitable alternate airport might be more than 60 minutes away under normal twin-engine rules. The A339 is certified for ETOPS-180 as a standard, which allows it to fly up to 180 minutes (3 hours) from the nearest suitable diversion airport in the event of a single-engine failure. The A330neo can also be certified for ETOPS 285, which extends the range to 285 minutes (4 hours and 45 minutes). And there is (Potential Certification) for ETOPS 330 by some airlines, which would allow the aircraft to operate up to 330 minutes (5 hours and 30 minutes) away from a diversion airport. This is beneficial for ultra-long-haul routes where alternative airports may be sparse, such as over polar regions or the southern Pacific Ocean.
 

 
Atlantic route crossings are always a great scrutiny of the X-Plane weather (besides looking out of the window). For years the view up here at altitude was not great even noted as dismal, but with X-Plane 12 we have had a focus on this important role in Simulation... X-Plane 12.1.0 delivered the final piece of the jigsaw in delivering those higher Cirrus cloud formations, storms as well. But I have done a few tracks over the Atlantic over the year, it was good before, but there seems to be a little more backroom tinkering over the last few XP12 updates, the view out now is quite spectacular, Cumulonimbus is all in their glory.
 

 
Sitting in the rear is very nice, the sounds are very good, with a differential difference between sitting behind the engine or in front of it, sounds are of course 360º dynamic, but the cockpit is a far quieter place. The Camera backseat screens are not really useful, maybe on takeoff or landing, but other wise blank(ish), the live front video also uses up framerate? so be glad you can turn the feature off.
 

 
But it's nice and serene on the flightdeck, with only the "Trim Tank" flashing away now and again in telling you it is doing it's job
 

 
You may be thinking? why London to Charlotte, North Carolina. It's an odd route? But you have to understand the routes that the A330neo is built for, not the mainline point to point like London to New York, Boston or Washington in this context. But for those long thin routes, making connections outside of the major hubs, it varies your flying as well, gives you a more interesting palette of destinations to chose from, and so you are also thinking outside the usual box.
 

 
The remnants of Hurricane Milton are still hanging around North Carolina, dirty, black and low. Approach into Charlotte-Douglas KCTL is via STAR MAJIC4 into Rwy 18L. It is an easy approach from the north, but the weather is a bit tricky.
 

 
The Tablet LDG PREFs are now reset (Compute) as we have burnt off the fuel, and shown are the new calculated landing differences, The Rwy ILS (IVKQ 110.35mHz) is now also active, you can't insert the frequency until you are within the 100nm area, the ILS ICAO code will show when you select the PFD "LS" ILS ribbons to say that approach is now active. Approach Phase is also now activated in the MCDU.
 

 
At GIZMO you track right to CAVVI on the chart for the turn into 183º directly into CTL (Charlotte). HUD is back in operation, so no look downs are now required, you can just focus ahead...
 

 
...   CAVVI and it is a hard bank left.
 

 
The ToLiss A339 looks and feels great, the approach flying can be as automated or as manual as you want, both aspects work extremely well here, but mostly the auto modes are excellent. Once you select APP then the data shows up on the HUD, both AP1 and AP2 can be selected here for a DUAL CAT 3 Approach.
 

 
Gear down, and an increase of wind noise as it lowers, and the same satisfying "thunk, thunk,thunk" of the Tri-Gear locking into place.
 

 
Glideslope data (G/S and LOC) are now displayed in the HUD, note the target runway outlined centre.
 

 
The runway target increases as you approach...
 

 
...  then disappears when you go into the LAND phase, giving you a clear view of the threshold.
 

 
After LAND mode you go into FLARE mode...  "Retard, Retard"
 

 
Nice "touch", then the full reverser and airbrakes to slow you down, reverser power sounds are excellently loud, so was the gear touch feel (you can adjust this aspect)... 
 

 
...  you have to skillful on the rudder pedals and tip-toe brakes to get a clean centre line roll-out, certainly on a damp runway...  but that is were the piloting skills come in.
 

 
A tight runway exit around taxiway C2, I have sort of mastered the slow tiller...  sort of?
 

 
With the A330-941neo now cleaned up (even the HUD put away), it is a long taxi to Concourse D (International) along taxiway C. Bay D10 is waiting, and I am ready to shutdown, 8h55m is a long flight, but the ToLiss A339 is a dream to fly for these long -haul thin routes, brilliant Simulation, great investment.
 

 
Liveries
You get four liveries with the package; ToLiss House, and three Airbus branded in; First Flight, "Airspace" and "Foundation (10 Years)"
 

 
Again to note the RR Logo is branded as "Gliding Kiwi", to offset any legal affairs and patent licensing.
 
There is a Paintkit available, and already the painters are churning out quality liveries, I'll note a few early ones here including the Condor Package, Cebu Pacific, Garunda, and Virgin Atlantic.
 

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Summary
ToLiss was the part of the 2009 original collaboration with QPAC to create the first X-Plane A320 simulation with realistic Airbus Flight Control Laws, and automated cockpits. Since then the developer has gone on to creating the very best Airbus aircraft for the X-Plane Simulator, with the A319-112, the A321-231, A340-600 and the Airbus A320neo. The choice here of the Airbus A330neo (New Engine Option) is not really a big surprise, but on how good this A339 is the surprise.
 
Modeling and design is very good, but early ToLiss didn't have the extensive extreme quality you can now expect in this category, but with a change of a modeller a few years back, now in every area the detail and quality is highly improved, better again here and now showing a maturity that wasn't there earlier, that said, the missing hydraulic lines on the undercarriage are a bit of an oversight, but the excellent Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines makes up for that aspect...  add in then matching the high quality Airbus Official systems and for the excellent flying feedback of the aircraft. This ToLiss is absolutely the best, or better of it's category and class.
 
System wise the ToLiss A339 is the best in X-Plane (all ToLiss Airbus aircraft are), with all the Airbus Flight Laws and Protections highly intergrated, with the authentic engine control laws. If you want to fly the automated Airbus you can, but if you want to dig deeper into the "Study" aspect of Airbus Philosophy. Then that aspect is also very highly available here, so both Pro's and Newcomers to the Airbus way of aviation can be easily satisfied here.
 
Both cockpit and cabin are excellent, new textures are in the cockpit and the cabin look and feel is a step up from the earlier releases. The A33-941 comes with a few new features. Head of the feature list is the HUD (Head Up Display), fully intergrated with full data graphics, it is a bonus to landing and takeoff procedures. D-RAIMS -Digital Radio and Audio Integrating management system, ROPS (Runway overrun protection System) and ATSAW (Air Traffic Situational Awareness) are all new to ToLiss, with the No Smoking sign changed to Portable Devices. Sounds are by Turbine Sound Studios, very good but not that extreme BSS quality.
 
The ACARS function is fully intergrated with the CPDLC system , but really only available to on-line fliers with the HOPPIE network, but very good it is.
 
The ToLiss ISCS - "Interactive Simulation Control System" is far more than a menu, it provides tools and options that are truly remarkable. The LOAD/SAVE Situation tool is a godsend for any Simmer... saving perfect situations to return ready for flight or even an unexpected simulator crash, I was back up and flying perfectly in minutes after a bad scenery crash, this shows the tool's peerless power.
 
SimBrief intergration can load in the "Full" data brief into the aircraft's systems, another huge time saver. Fault Scenerios are also excellent as are aircraft configurations. AUTO-PAUSE, this feature allows the user to leave the computer during a flight to do a pause in three alert scenerios. The ISCS is also now available on the side Tablets with AviTab. Notable is that all the above new features will gradually transfer to other ToLiss aircraft, but you can now use them here first.
 
New to ToLiss on the A320neo were the ground equipment, here also on the A330neo are the Baggage Loaders and Catering Trucks, and the sensational animated De-Icing Trucks and here we have stairs on all left doors. Opening Side Windows and the Electronic Flight Bag EFB tools for WGT-BAL, TO PERF, LDG PERF, and extensive built in CHECKLIST and as noted now the ISCS are all on the tablet. The "Interactive Audio Control Panel" (IACP) has also been extended to include both Ground and Cabin tabs with excellent cabin lighting adjustment.
 
Commands for the AUTO doors has made me happy, the difficult tiller steering is however a learning curve, and there is still no physical ground GPUs? but the niggles are very few.
 
The list can obviously go on, and on...  but notable is the X-Plane 12 version in using the X-Plane features, an X-Plane 11 version is included in the package, but that would takeaway a lot of the dynamics and the immense fun this aircraft has to offer by using the X-Plane 12 environment.
 
"Peerless" is the word I would use here, "Transcendent" is another. If you want Airbus Aircraft in the X-Plane Simulator, then there is only one place to go to...  ToLiss, and again they deliver another excellent aircraft with tons of real useful features in the Airbus A330neo. Certainly a great if brilliant investment, the features alone are worth the money, but with everything else... 
 
...  It's unparalleled simulation, and Highly Recommended!
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Yes! - the Airbus A330-941 neo by Toliss is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org :
 
Airbus A330-900neo
Price is US$89.99
 
Requirements
X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11
Windows , Mac or Linux
4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended for XP12
Not for commercial use. For any commercial use enquiries, please contact *****@*****.tld
Download Size: 1.2 GB
Version 1.0. (October 19th 2024)
 
Fully Featured
Detailed FMGS:
3 independent MCDUs providing real life FMGS programming capability
2 independent autopilots
SID/STAR and airways support in a fully custom FMGS backbone supporting all A424 leg types (Arc, course or heading to intercept, Radius to Fix, Holdings, etc.)
Support for all approach types present in real life A340-600s, including GLS, ILS, LOC backcourse, etc.
Full VNAV guidance with TOC, TOD, Deceleration point, speed limits, fuel prediction, etc.
Altitude and speed constraints as the real aircraft deals with them
Support for Go-Arounds and diversions
Nav Aid autotuning
Pilot item database, such as pilot fixes, pilot navaids etc.
Flight plan saving via the Pilot routes page
Equitime point computation and nearest airports page
Accurate systems:
Fly-by-wire system with reversion between normal law and alternate law 1, alternate law 2 and direct law as per real life logics.
Hydraulic model for flight control actuators computing hydraulic flow through the actuators, the control surface hinge moment, maximum feasible deflection etc. This gives realistic surface floating angles if a control surface is lost due to combinations of hydraulic and computer faults.
Quantitative hydraulic model considering the maximum hydraulic flows of the different pumps as a function of engine speed. This is most noticeable when flying on RAT or with wind milling engines
Quantitative bleed model considering the bleed mass flow for engine start, wing anti-ice air conditioning packs etc.
High fidelity fuel system including inflight CG control by pumping fuel to and from the tail tank, fuel jettison, manual and automatic transfers between the different tanks
Detailled model of each ADIRU including alignment, small pressure sensor differences between the units, switching of sources for PFDs
Fault injection system allowing to trigger over 140 system faults either at a specific point in flight or randomly during a flight phase
Cockpit display system simulating the dependency of the displays on the Display management computers resulting in real life display limitations
ECAM system with over 30 warning and over 200 caution messages including associated ECAM actions.
3d modelling
Detailed 3d cockpit with animated switches
Mouse gesture system for interaction with push-pull knobs emulating the motion on the knob with the mouse
Detailed cockpit lighting with reading lights, console light, tray table lights etc.
4 class passenger cabin with underfloor lavatories and crew rest
Custom particle effects for engine heat trail, Fuel jettison etc.
Custom landing gear model for bogey touch down.
Usability features
Situation loading and saving. It is possible to save the flight at any point in time and resume it another day. This can also be used, e.g., to save the position just before approach and practice just the approach many times
Autosaving allows recovering where you left off, should the X-Plane session end unexpectedly
Jumping waypoint-to-waypoint through the cruise phase: Shorten your flight to focus on the more interesting parts as you like
4 different startup configuration from Cold and Dark to engines running and ready to go
In-screen popup displays or use of x-plane windows for popups
Adjustable Wingflex via a slider in the ISCS
Possibility to turn the screen reflections on and off
Auto-updater by Skunkcraft Included
 
Installation
Download of the Airbus A339 is 1.08Gb and it is installed in your Airliner Folder as a 1.85Gb folder. On start up you will have an activation screen presented to enter your Serial Number (Key), and then press the "Activate" bar to authorise the aircraft. I recommend to totally restart the aircraft from your desktop to realign all your plugins and load the aircraft cleanly.
 

 
AviTab Plugin is required for this aircraft
The Skunkcraft Updater is provided for updates
 
Documents
There are Three Manuals Included with the package. All are extensive and well laid out with great details
 
Aircraft manual, which is primarily intended as a reference after the tutorial has been completed. It provides a reference for standard operating procedures, as well as a more in- depth look into the different systems of the aircraft.
Simulation manual : Describes installation, and setup of the model as well as usage of the “Interactive Simulation Control System”.
Tutorial flight, which provides a step-by-step description of a complete flight from cold & dark to aircraft shut-down after landing. This is the best manual to learn flying the aircraft.
 
ToLiss_AirbusA330-900_AircraftManual.pdf
ToLiss_AirbusA330-900_SimulationManual.pdf
ToLiss_AirbusA330-900_Tutorial
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Review System Specifications
Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD. Sound-Bose Quietcomfort Headphones
Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.2rc4
Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00
Scenery or Aircraft
- EGLL - London Heathrow International Airport by Taimodels (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$28.00
- KCLT- Charlotte Douglas International Airport UHD by Nimbus Studios (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$26.95
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Review by Stephen Dutton
18th October 2024
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