There’s a lot going on in the image above. First, that new Airfrance livery on the LeadingEDGE DC3, but then you might note the waterline along the beach below, and even the sky colors are different. Last of all, with a keen eye you’d note that the ramps at LFMN Nice are even more clogged with ramp traffic. Well, that’s because four new files were involved in making this image, indeed all the images in today’s issue, so let’s get going and take a look at the news, then some files.
First, a word or three about Hurricane Isaac…and X-Plane’s real weather settings.
Because if you’d like to see what happened to an EADT x737/8Ng when it went flying into Isaac – in X-Plane, watch this short clip from Kevin Grimm:
And finally, another image from Kevin Grimm showing some promising cumulonimbus formations rendered by XP when weather was set to random weather generator:
Despite trying many times, I just can’t manually set weather and get results like this, and not being able to create towering cumulonimbus clouds at all remains a huge disappointment with this weather engine. Still, that’s a good set of clouds, Kevin! Time to experiment again. It’s been an idea of mine to go tornado hunting in XP and see if I can find those towering monsters. Anyone else care to try? Send in your images if you do!
- The Federal Aviation Administration is surveying owners and operators of general aviation aircraft, and blogger Scott Spangler encourages pilots and others to respond. “If we don’t care enough about general aviation to spend a few minutes filling out a survey, why should the FAA care any less than it does for the needs of GA?” he asks. Jetwhine.com
- A report from JetNet shows a slight improvement in the number of used business aircraft for sale. From July 2011 to July 2012, 13.5% of business aircraft were for sale. The percentage marks a slight decline from the 13.7% of business aircraft for sale in July 2011. AVweb
- Sikorsky Aircraft has signed on as a presenting sponsor of the Stuart Air Show in Florida for the second year in a row. “Sikorsky Aircraft prides itself on being the No. 1 helicopter company in the world, and the Stuart Air Show enables us to display our products and capabilities to the community along with assisting the airshow with presenting a first-class event,” said John Fischetti, general manager of the Development Flight Center at Sikorsky.TCPalm.com (Fort Pierce, Fla.)
- Angel Flight pilot Michael Lawless volunteers to fly patients in need of medical care aboard his Beechcraft Bonanza A36. “It’s really rewarding. Meeting these people, they teach me things. It gives you a certain perspective,” said Lawless, 34. JerseyMan Magazine online (New Jersey)
- Minn. pilot Dan Walker volunteers for Young Eagles events through the Experimental Aircraft Association to drum up interest in flying in the next generation. “We do fundraisers throughout the year, and our mission is to get kids involved in aviation,” Walker said. Walker estimates he has given more than 100 children free rides in general aviation aircraft through the program. Byron Review (Minn.)
- The Living Legends of Alaskan Aviation project seeks to shine the spotlight on pilots in Alaska. Pilots in the state create a lifeline to more than 80% of settlements that are accessible only by air year-round. The pilots nominated and selected for the project will be honored at a banquet on Oct. 12. AlaskaDispatch.com
+++++
There’s an informative forum post going about which MsFS scenery files convert well (and don’t) to XP here. This could become a very important place to discuss these issues, so don’t miss out of this is your thing.
(note: incorrect link updated now!)
+++++
John from UrbanMAXX is working on some ideas for the Grand Canyon and is asking for comments on the image you see just above. Well? Aside from”PULL UP, NOW!” coming to mind, I kinda like it. What about you? Large image, so click away.
+++++
A bunch of early gripes about the 777 surfaced in comments here and elsewhere concerning a “cartoonish” look to the 777. But there’s more to this story, really. The more time you spend in this file the more systems complexity becomes the big draw. It’s the immersive nature of the file that will win you over, assuming you give it a chance. Here’s a thought. Did these people complaining actually buy the file, or just look at some screens? Have they studied the manual? Tried to get involved with the systems? Believe you me…after a few hours in the 777 you won’t think it’s cartoonish anymore. Move beyond the “looks” issue and get into the FMS, work the problems presented, learn the systems, and I think the more you do the more you’ll grow fond of the file. Here’s a hint. If looks are THAT important to you, fly at night! This is a great night cockpit, with very good lighting…but y’all know me by now. I love flying at night, and that’s where I spent 90% of my time in the T7 beta. Another hint: this ACF works quite well at AeroSOFT’s BIKF with airport settings dialed up a bit, but other objects way down. Hang out there while learning your way around the ‘pit to enjoy better FPS.
+++++
Dan Klaue pointed out yesterday that the empty “innards” box I singled out on the glare shield of the new Alabeo Sukhoi Su26 is in fact a clip board that has been loaded down with popup activators, and you can see one of these below. This handy pop up features canopy controls and pilot’s visor up/down activator (among others), while another popup sets up some very nice camera angles. Sorry I missed these features, but I still think the “clipboard” looks kind of weird!
Regardless, the cockpit textures in this ACF are gorgeous, especially the tubular metal supports (very hard to get right in a 3D program and still have decent FPS). Even with all that Molly Ringwald pink, I love flying this ACF!
Because handling in v9 is fine, as mentioned, while v10 has hyper sensitive roll control and something is not quite right with the throttle controls. In v9 the ACF has no trouble accelerating easily to 300KIAS, while in v10 it’s difficult to get the aircraft past 150KIAS, and it barely climbs at all. Seems an easy fix, hope it is quickly. XP10.10b11 is supposed to offer a stable development platform for developers who have been slow to work in v10, so maybe it’s time to try?
Besides the Red Bull livery (seen top), there are two others included in a supplementary download. This red Honda version is a crisp, great looking affair:
While this blue CIAF version looks a screamer.
The Red Bull livery is really very, very well done.
If I left you with an impression I disliked this file, so sorry, but that’s just not the case. I enjoyed this one more than the Pitts in fact, and no, they don’t give us these files or pay us to say nice things about them! We buy ‘em, just like you do, and I’m glad I have this one, too! It’s a blast, just in v9 for now. Get it here.
+++++
KLM | AirFrance + LeadingEDGE DC3 + Leen de Jager
org: download link x-pilot: download link
Leen has done his usual bang-up job here, but this time out you get two for one – so to speak! Portside is KLM, and to starboard you’ll find France… AirFrance, that is! The arrangement may lead to a little case of split personality disorder, but you get used to it, and both sides are equally well done.
A good place to mention those sky colors, too. Note the very subtle (and I might add, very realistic) early morning sky in the image of the DC3 over the water (above) and with the Carenado Seneca (just below).
This is the new SkyCOLOR X file by OSM developer Tom Knudsen, and we most highly recommend this file. The colors rendered are very subtle, and lend a very nice feel to XP10.
SkyCOLOR X + Tom Knudsen
org: download link x-pilot: download link
+++++
revised: KHZR False River Louisiana + frede
It looks like frede has centralized his downloads at his own site, and that’s good news. Frankly, some of the off-putting comments at the Org were simply painful to read. I tend too often to look at the world through a very cynical prism, one formed I’m afraid by Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, where the world is divided between those who possess artistic/engineering genius and those who don’t. In this fictional world the talentless spend their lives tearing down the work of genius, and the talented learn to move on. A good book if haven’t read it, and not as politically charged as her later works.
Oh yes, frede’s KHZR is revised! Another must have file updated! A good day!
That CocaCola livery on the Carenado Seneca is a kick in the pants too, ain’t it? Give it a try!
+++++
Addon for AeroSOFT LFMN Nice 2.0 + letibo
More static aircraft and taxiway signage marks this revised package. This is a v10 only affair that adds tons of ground elements to the default AeroSOFT LFMN Nice | Cote de Azur.
We highly recommended this before. It’s simply better now.
+++++
And normal maps have been added to Matija Škerjanec’s Cassutt Racer, a WIP file we’ll be covering in more detail on release.
That’s all for now, and Hasta later – C






































































































































