VOLUME 12 ISSUE 6

JUNE 2008
USA $7.95
CANADA $9.95
AUSTRALIA $9.85 (INC. GST)
A PC AVIATOR PUBLICATION

FLIGHT SIM CARRIER OPERATIONS

What You Need to be Top Gun!

HOW TO FLY LIKE A THUNDERBIRD

Completing the Display
MADAGASCAR…
A Land of Many Flying Surprises

INCREDIBLE INDIA!
Tour Guide for Virtual Pilots

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 2 CPM. V12I6

cpm1206a.indd 2 5/23/2008 3:04:19 PM

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 Your Flight Simulator Scenery World Is Now

Y FOR MIC ROSOFT

T OSC E N ER
IAL P HO
A L A ER
R -R E
HYPE

MAKE HAWAII YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY DESTINATION NEAR PALM SPRINGS. MT SAN JACINTO RENDERED IN
AND SOAR ABOVE THE ISLAND OF OAHU. “DOWN-TO-THE ROCK” DETAIL.

S
ay goodbye to boring default scenery • Hyper-realistic scenery at 1.19 meters per • Faster Framerates! Yes, your Flight Simulator,
forever! MegaSceneryX transforms your pixel recreated from 1 and 2 feet per pixel with hyper-realistic MegaScenery, will
Microsoft Flight Simulator X Scenery World aerial photos. It’s the real world teleported run smoother and faster than the default
from artificial… to REAL! MegaSceneryX is into Flight Simulator Scenery. 1.19 meters artificial scenery.
created from high resolution aerial photos. What meters per pixel means that you can even
you get is not just a recreation of the real world see the rooftop on your own house and sand • Developed specifically for Microsoft Flight
but instead the actual real world ported into traps on golf courses. Fly VFR like you’ve Simulator X
Microsoft Flight Simulator X for simulated flight never flown it before on a PC simulator.
over a world that’s so real you’ll be amazed! • Printed full color aeronautical charts,
• Day and Night Scenery. Soar and explore the bound printed instrument charts and a
MegaSceneryX lets you experience all the real world - during the day and at night! sizeable manual
landmarks and features of the area covered and
enables you to fly real VFR – Day and Night. • Hi-resolution DEM (mesh). While MegaScenery • A total value packed, realism transforming
is so realistic that you don’t need hi-res mesh scenery product For Microsoft Flight
Here’s what you get when you’re flying - our recent releases incorporate hi-res mesh at Simulator X that you wouldn’t think was
MegaSceneryX…. 10 meters per pixel. possible for such a low price!

COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AT WWW.MEGASCENERY.COM

4 CPM. V12I6
© 2007 PC Aviator Inc. Aerosoft Australia Pty Ltd. Aerial photography for these products is © AirphotoUSA

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 MEGASCENERY MAIL ORDER FORM
“Hyper-Real”! BILL TO...

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SHIP TO (if different from Bill To)...

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Please Check ( ) Each Title You Wish To Purchase

MEGASCENERY TITLES
OR X
FLIGHT SIMULAT
MEGASCENERYX SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - $39.95 DVD Media
MEGASCENERYX DALLAS/FORT WORTH - $29.95 DVD Media
MEGASCENERYX PHOENIX - $29.95 DVD Media
MEGASCENERYX HAWAII - $14.95 CD Media
MEGASCENERYX LAS VEGAS - $14.95 DVD Media

MEGASCENERY X CALCULATING SHIPPING CHARGES: For shipping please add $3.95

TITLES AVAILABLE for first title and 50 cents for each additional title.
e.g. 3 titles add $4.95 for shipping. Shipping is by Priority Mail.

SUBTOTAL: Less 5% for Computer Pilot Subscribers: ...........................

SHIPPING: .................... ORDER TOTAL:........................

PAYMENT METHOD: CHECK MONEY ORDER VISA

MASTERCARD AMERICAN EXPRESS DISCOVER
Please note that these prices are in $USD. If you are ordering from our Australian office,
please call for pricing or visit www.pcaviator.com for Australian dollar pricing. If paying by
check or money order please make them payable to PC Aviator Inc

CREDIT CARD NUMBER:

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MEGASCENERYX SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Name On Card: ......................................................................................

18,000 square miles of SoCal including Los Angeles and San Diego and
surrounding area. Includes Color Los Angeles and San Diego Visual Terminal
Charts and 230 Instrument Charts.
$39.95 DVD Media. SENDING YOUR ORDER: If you are ordering by mail,
please mail to... PC Aviator Inc. 839 Surfside Drive,
MEGASCENERYX DALLAS/FORT WORTH Surfside Beach, SC, 29575.
8,000 square miles of Dallas/Fort Worth & Surrounding Area. Includes Dallas/
Fort Worth Visual Terminal Charts and 110 Instrument Charts. TO ORDER BY PHONE:
$29.95 DVD Media. Please have your order details ready and
CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-664-0033
MEGASCENERYX PHOENIX between 9am and 5pm Mon – Fri. Outside North
7,000 square miles of Phoenix Arizona and Surrounding Area. Includes America CALL +1-843-232-1160
Phoenix Visual Terminal Charts and 100 Instrument Charts.
$29.95 DVD Media. TO ORDER BY FAX: Please fax to: 843-232-1166

MEGASCENERYX HAWAII TO ORDER ONLINE: WWW.MEGASCENERY.COM

The Hawaiian island of Oahu, spectacularly recreated.
$14.95 CD Media.

MEGASCENERYX LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas and Surrounding Area.
$14.95 DVD Media.

FS2004 TITLES ARE STILL AVAILABLE.

PLEASE VISIT WWW.MEGASCENERY.COM FOR DETAILS 5

cpm1206a.indd 5 5/23/2008 3:04:29 PM

 NEW RELEASE PRODUCTS
The latest flight simulator products in stock!
X-Plane Version 9 Rescue Pilot
Fly Anything! Ultimate Realism,
Ultimate Versatility... Mission Pack
Now You Can Be The Hero!
X-Plane is the most comprehensive and
powerful flight simulator available for the You are a pilot of an air rescue medical
personal computer. X-Plane simulates anything service based in the UK and have to respond
that flies: from single-engine fixed wing props to to emergency calls to your home base. You
multi-engine jets; gliders to dirigibles; might need to airlift a injured person from a
helicopters to spacecraft to VTOLs such as car accident, pick up a stranded mountaineer,
the V-22 Osprey and AV8-B Harrier. provide a high-speed courier service for a vital organ transplant -
and more besides! Your duties will always be a challenge!
X-Plane includes scenery for the entire continental U.S.* You can land
at any of thousands of airports, as well as test your mettle on aircraft You will be called to display your piloting skills to the maximum in a
carriers, helipads on building tops, frigates that pitch and roll in the variety of fixed wing and rotary aircraft but Rescue Pilot also offers
waves, and oil rigs. Weather is variable from clear skies and high you a choice of settings to match your skill levels.
visibility to thunderstorms with controllable wind, wind shear,
turbulence, and microbursts. Rain, snow and clouds are available for The 12 authentic missions - with realistic ATC and convincing scenarios
an instrument flying challenge, and thermals are available for the - create a great atmosphere to fly in, along with a custom set of rescue
gliders! X-Plane can download real weather data from the internet, aircraft liveries. This title has been delayed for many months but is now
allowing you to fly in actual current conditions! finally available in boxed version through PC Aviator Direct!

CODE: Price: US$49.95 // AUD$64.95 CODE: Price: US$39.95 // AUD$54.95

XPL9 *SUB PRICE: US$47.45 // AUD$61.70 RESCPILMP *SUB PRICE: US$37.95 // AUD$52.20

Mission: WWI Dogfight A400M

10 Missions That Bring Back WWI Flying! The New Generation Airlifter!
Early 2007 Abacus launched the first titles in A400M offers to the air transport world a
their new Mission: Series to take advantage of modern, multi-role airlifter which will replace
many of the new and exciting features of FSX. the ageing fleets of C-130 Hercules and C-160
Now, both Mission: Blackhawk and Mission: Transall in service with the air forces around
Combat Force remain among the most popular the world.
mission add-ons for FSX.
Wilco’s latest boxed version of the A400M is
This new title is Mission: WWI Dogfight and as its name suggests, compatible with both FSX and FS2004 and offers a quality A400M
takes you to a by-gone era of aerial battles. Designers Daniel Dunn model that can be flown by most simmers without the need to study
and David Chester have recreated a set of classic planes from the complex manuals, although the realism factor remains quite high!
early 1900s in which the flyers felt the blast of the air against their Some of the main features of this package include:
faces and smelled the hot engine fumes.
• GMax exterior/interior models
Ron Jeffers, well-known for his special effects, scenery design and • Flight Simulator X Viewpoints : Gear, Wing, Cargo.
audio skills has discovered and implemented new techniques to • Complete and detailed 2D & 3D Interactive Virtual Cockpit
simulate the legendary dogfights that take advantage of FSX’s new • Fully textured 3D Cargo Bay with detailed interior
mission capabilities. While the missions are for FSX users, the aircraft • Frame-rate friendly
are all FS2004 compatible. • Easy-to-use Paint Kit to create your own liveries and paint
schemes (Photoshop required)

CODE: Price: US$29.95 // AUD$42.95 CODE: Price: US$39.95 // AUD$59.95

WWDOGF *SUB PRICE: US$28.45 // AUD$40.80 A400MFSX *SUB PRICE: US$37.95 // AUD$56.95
*Denotes special price for current Computer Pilot Magazine subscribers and reflects a 5% discount off the regular retail price.
 NEW RELEASEThePRODUCTS
latest flight simulator titles in stock!
FS Altitude - MegaSceneryX
Western Europe Cameo: Reno/Tahoe
World Photo Scenery For High Altitude True To Life Detail For FSX
And IFR Flight!
This “cameo” MegaSceneryX title takes you out west to Reno Nevada
and lets you fly VFR, both day and night, Reno/Tahoe, Nevada and
Imagine flying your favorite jetliner at Flight
surrounding area.
Level 350 and seeing the real world as far as
the eye can see.... right to the horizon!
This 1,400 square mile area is designed for light aircraft VFR flying
Well now you can with this groundbreaking
and seeing the sites of the area surrounding Reno including the
scenery title - FSAltitude.
mountainous eastern shores of Lake Tahoe at a high resolution of
1.19 meters per pixel. What you’ll see while flying this scenery is
Now your high altitude flying in your favorite jetliner is no longer over
exactly what you’ll see in real life!
an artificial world... it’s now over a photoreal world recreated from
sateliite imagery.... and it’s photo-real as far as the eye can see!
Airports included in the area:
• Reno/Tahoe International
FSAltitude is fully compatible with FSX default and add-on sceneries.
• Reno/Stead
Due to a multi-resolution display mechanism, as you descend your
• Minden-Tahoe
favorite low altitude scenery (default or photoscenery) automatically
• Carson City
kicks in. Now, thanks to FS Altitude, you truly get the best in low and
• South Lake Tahoe
high altitude flying.

CODE: Price: US$79.95 // AUD$104.95 CODE: Price: US$9.99 // AUD$14.99

FSALTWEUR *SUB PRICE: US$75.95 // AUD$99.70 MSX-RNO *SUB PRICE: US$9.49 // AUD$14.24

Glass Simming: Regional Jet Vol. 1 - CRJ

Garmin 1000 Fly 3 Models Of The Most Successful
Regional Airliner Ever - The CRJ-200,
Learn To use The Garmin 1000 Glass CRJ-700 and CRJ-900.
Cockpit With This Reference Text!
If you’re a frequent traveller and have flown from
Glass Simming tells you everything you need a major hub to a smaller satellite airport, you’ve
for simulating flight with the latest technology. most likely been a passenger in the CRJ. Now
It’s much more expansive and detailed than the here’s your chance to finally get behind the
short guideline included with FSX, and it omits actual controls of this exciting-to-fly regional jet with
information in the real-world Garmin 1000 manual that’s useless Flight Simulator X (and FS2004).
for flight simulation.
General Features:
Learn from: • 3 aircraft: CRJ-200, CRJ-700 and CRJ-900
• Complete explanation of knobs, switches, buttons, and softkeys! • International liveries including Delta Airlines, United & America
• Thorough description of screens, pages, and popup windows West Express
• Step-by-step guide for every function! • Fully featured 2D panels
• Easy-to-follow text. • 3D Virtual cockpit and cabin
• Clear graphical depictions. • Comprehensive manuals, Quick Flight, Check Lists etc
• Focused chapters. • 2 Exclusive Bonus On-Disc videos included of the CRJ!
• Quick-reference tables, and more!

CODE: Price: US$14.95 // AUD$24.95 CODE: Price: US$39.95 // AUD$59.95

BKG1000 *SUB PRICE: US$14.20 // AUD$23.70 CRJX *SUB PRICE: US$37.95 // AUD$56.95
*Denotes special price for current Computer Pilot Magazine subscribers and reflects a 5% discount off the regular retail price.
 SCHEDULED ARRIVALS...
Titles just arrived or due for release shortly!
Just Planes DVD: Tower Simulator
CorsairFly B747-400 Experience The Thrill Of Being An Air
Traffic Controller!
Includes Incredible St. Maarten Approach
Tower Simulator puts you in the controller’s
This program takes you on the airline’s latest chair high atop a major or complex airport to
aircraft in its fleet, the Boeing 747-400 on a flight choreograph the movements of incoming and
from Paris Orly Airport to St Maarten and Fort outgoing air traffic.
De France before returning to Paris.
Tower Sim takes you into a world of authority
You will follow the pilots as they prepare the aircraft for departure and responsibility in which the lives of thousands
including checklists, briefings, walkaround. Once in the air you will see of passengers depend on your ability to make split-second decisions.
how they request their oceanic clearance via computer.
As a tower controller, you handle realistic aircraft take-offs and
Witness the spectacular landing and takeoff at St Maarten airport from landings, as well as aircraft ground movements through breathtaking
two angles and much more... out-the-window and radar views. Runways, taxiways, aprons, flight
paths, obstructions and airport structures are all under your control!
Corsairfly started operations on 17 May 1981. The airline provides
international services to more than 60 destinations around the world on Tower Simulator meets the two most important training criteria for a
a regular basis using a fleet of Airbus A330s and Boeing 747s. high-fidelity ATC tower training environment: Highly realistic scenario
Don’t miss this one! generation; Adjustable time of day, weather and seasonal conditions.

CODE: Price: US$24.95 // AUD$34.95 CODE: Price: US$79.95 // AUD$99.95

DVDCORFLY *SUB PRICE: US$23.70 // AUD$33.20 TWRSIMC *SUB PRICE: US$75.95 // AUD$94.95

PMDG 747-400 & 400F DHC-6 Twin Otter X

Award Winning Jumbo Add-on, Now The Classic Twin Otter -
Available For FSX! Now Available for FSX!
Fly your favorite heavy airliner on the new Flight The high end model presented by Aerosoft
Sim Platform - the PMDG 747-400/747-400F and partly designed by SibWings includes all
Version X for FSX! versions, and advanced avionics set. It will fly
everywhere using wheels, floats or skis.
This add-on package is widely regarded as the It’s a legend!
best jumbo add-on currently available, and is
the ultimate challenge in captaining a classic heavy jet airplane! Aircraft Features:
• Both -100 and -300 models included
Features include: • Wheeled, ski and floater version
• 3D Studio Max 747-400 & 747-400F Models - Accurately modeled • Nine liveries plus simple to use paint kit included
down to the smallest detail complete with high resolution textures • Original panel and updated panel (with high end coms and
and three different engine variants. GPS included)
• Dynamic Virtual Cockpit - Accurate within inches of the real flight • Fully functional VC (no 2d panels provided)
deck, complete with photo-real textures, animated switches and • Extended manual (additional manuals for Bendix King gauges)
knobs and beautiful night lighting. • Accurate flight model with the correct STOL characteristics
• Sound Set - Recorded from the real flight deck. • Full FSX design with bumpmaps, speculars, texture fall
• Interactive FMC operating to real world standards, and more! back structures

CODE: Price: US$59.95 // AUD$89.95 CODE: Price: US$29.95 // AUD$47.95

PMDG747FSX *SUB PRICE: US$56.95 // AUD$85.45 DHC6TOX *SUB PRICE: US$28.45 // AUD$45.55
*Denotes special price for current Computer Pilot Magazine subscribers and reflects a 5% discount off the regular retail price.
 BEST SELLERS
The best selling flight simulation products now available...
The Flight 1 ATR 72-500 Microsoft Flight
Jump Into The Captain’s Seat Of The ATR
72-500 in FSX or FS2004!
Simulator X For Pilots:
Developed with the cooperation of Avions de
Real World Training
Transport Regional (ATR) in Toulouse, France, Master The Skills Of Flight With This
this has been one of Flight One Software’s most “Real World” Training Guide
exhausting development efforts.
Aspiring pilots will learn the skills of flight, how to master Flight
Select to fly from the Captain’s or First Officer’s panel in either
Simulator, and how to utilize the software as a learning tool towards
of the standard brown or newly available blue/grey cockpit
their pilot’s licenses. Those who already have their real-world wings
configuration.Experience the fully functional and highly
will benefit from guidance on how Flight Simulator X can be used as a
detailed virtual cockpit with many never before features, such
continuing learning tool, how to simulate real-world emergencies, and
as truly working windshield wipers that remove the rain from
how to use it for training towards advanced certifications.
the windows.
And those who favor simulation to real-world flying will find tips for
Take a stroll through the virtual cabin, checking out the detailed 3D
making their sim experience as real as possible.
interior including 2 different seating configurations, available in 4
different color schemes. Explore the 3D exterior model and listen to the
These 725 pages are packed with detailed information on using Flight
real cockpit and engine sounds recorded from the real ATR in a runup
Simulator X for training. Written by certified flight instructors Kevin
in Toulouse.
Lane-Cummings and Jeff Van West.

CODE: Price: US$34.95 // AUD$54.95 CODE: Price: US$29.95 // AUD$44.95

ATR72 *SUB PRICE: US$33.20 // AUD$52.20 BKFSXRWT *SUB PRICE: US$28.45 // AUD$42.70

Ultimate Terrain X: USA Microsoft Flight

The Texture Enhancement With A
Whole Lot More!
Simulator X:
Ultimate Terrain X - USA Edition has been
Deluxe Edition
designed from the ground up to take advantage
Latest Generation Flight Simulator
of the new technologies in FSX, and provide With Added Deluxe Edition Bonuses!
you with the most superior and complete large
terrain environment to date. As always, we use
only the highest quality commercial source data “Flight Simulator X” is the culmination of nearly
in our products. 25 years of the landmark “Flight Simulator” franchise and the most
significant addition to date. “Flight Simulator X” presents players with a
Ultimate Terrain X will take your FSX terrain environment to wide array of new aircraft to fly in a beautifully rich and believable world
new levels not seen before in a PC Flight Simulator. Roads, Rivers, which contains greater detail than past entries in the franchise. Players
Streams, Bridges, Landclass, Waterclass, and more is packed into will be able to experience what it is like to be a pilot and have real
Ultimate Terrain X. distractions, to shade their eyes from the glare of reflective paint and
the glint from glass and chrome.
Advanced users will marvel at the fact that they can have different
textures assigned to nearly every Ultimate Terrain feature. For example, Players will enjoy the opportunity to fly their dream aircraft, from
you can change the sizes of things like stream widths, road widths and classic seaplanes like the de Havilland Beaver and Grumman Goose to
coastline widths using the new Ultimate Terrain X Setup Tool. the Cessna 172 there is a plane for every terrain and every player.

CODE: Price: US$39.95 // AUD$54.95 CODE: Price: US$54.95 // AUD$89.95

ULTERUSAX *SUB PRICE: US$37.95 // AUD$52.20 FSXDLX *SUB PRICE: US$52.20 // AUD$85.45
*Denotes special price for current Computer Pilot Magazine subscribers and reflects a 5% discount off the regular retail price.
 NEW AVIATION DVDs!
Quality aviation DVDs that “Take You There!”
Just Planes DVD: Just Planes DVD:
GOL Transporters South African Airways
With the B737-700 and B737-800 Featuring the Airbus A300, B737-800,
Boeing 747SP, and B747-400
NEW PRODUCTION RUN!
GOL Transportes Aereos, launched in January
South African Airways, Africa’s leading airline,
2001 as the first low-fare airline in Brazil, is the
operates a fleet of more than 50 modern
fastest growing airline in South America. GOL
aircraft including the A320, A340, B737 and
is also the largest operator of the Next Generation Boeing 737 in Latin
B747. SAA, created in 1934, operates more than 1000 flights a week
America. The airline operates both the 700 and 800 version of the
around the world has won many awards for its outstanding service!
aircraft on routes across Brazil.
This dvd, previously released on video, features the A300 on a
typical regional African flight to Zimbabwe. This is followed by
After an introduction to the company and a look “behind the scenes”
several domestic flights on its most important route between
we follow a crew on a 4-day trip across Brazil in the cockpit of the
Johannesburg and Cape town. During the arrival into Cape town on
B737-700 including several approaches and landings at the very scenic
the 747SP we are allowed to make a scenic tour of this beautiful city.
Santos Dumont Airport located in Rio de Janeiro. We complete the
Last but not least we fly the 747-400 from Cape town on its busiest
program with a day on the B737-800 from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre
European route to London.
with stopovers in Florianopolis.
Running Time: 121 Minutes
Running Time: 186 Minutes

CODE: Price: US$29.95 // AUD$49.95 CODE: Price: US$29.95 // AUD$49.95

DVDGOL *SUB PRICE: US$28.45 // AUD$47.45 DVDSAFRICAN *SUB PRICE: US$28.45 // AUD$47.45

Just Planes DVD: Just Planes DVD:

Air Namibia Air Dolomiti
737-200 / 747-400 ATR42 - ATR72 - BAe146
This program was first released on VHS Air Dolomiti, founded in 1989, started
in the year 2000 and now makes its way operations in 1991 and is now part of the
to DVD in 2008! Lufthansa Group. The airline now operates
more than 750 flights a week with a fleet of
First you are in for a bit of history flying the B747-400, which no ATR42s, AT72s and BAe146s.
longer operates with Air Namibia, from WIndhoek to London
Heathrow via Lusaka and back from Frankfurt to Windhoek. The airline’s Head of Flight Operations takes you in the cockpit of
the BAe146 for 3 flights to Milan and Naples from Munich. He
That is followed by a series of flights on the B737-200 from Windhoek introduces Air Dolomiti, explains how pilot duties are and gives a
to Cape Town via Walvis Bay. On the way back the weather into detailed presentation of the 146. Also included is some in the
Windhoek is very bad forcing the aircraft to miss the approach twice cabin action.
and go-around. A diversion is made to Eros where the 737 will make its
first ever landing. You then take a seat in the cockpit of the ATR-72 for 10 flights from
the Munich hub to Basel and 4 destinations in Italy.

Running Time: 122 Minutes Running Time: 186 Minutes

CODE: Price: US$24.95 // AUD$44.95 CODE: Price: US$29.95 // AUD$49.95

DVDNAMIB *SUB PRICE: US$23.70 // AUD$42.70 DVDDOL *SUB PRICE: US$28.45 // AUD$47.45
*Denotes special price for current Computer Pilot Magazine subscribers and reflects a 5% discount off the regular retail price.
 UTILITIES & PERIPHERALS
Get the most from the sim experience with these quality products
CH Products Flight Saitek Pro Flight
Sim Yoke USB Yoke System
Our Best-Selling Flight Flight Yoke And Quadrant Combo
Controller! At A Great Price!
The CH Flight Sim Yoke USB gives The Saitek Pro Flight Yoke System is
you a flight yoke that’s as close as highly engineered to meet the exacting
you can get to the real thing without needs of the true flight simulation enthusiast. Stainless steel shaft,
spending the many hundreds of ergonomic controls, integrated chronograph and separate throttle
dollars that you would on high end quadrant ensure a smooth, accurate and totally realistic flying
yokes. Now you can control your aircraft like a real pilot would with experience.
left hand on the yoke and right hand controlling your throttle, prop and
mixture and managing the rest of your cockpit. Unique, 2-position desk clamp keeps your yoke and quadrant securely
fixed no matter how extreme the flying conditions. Use the integrated
20 function buttons on your yoke support such functions as “electric” USB Hub to easily connect other parts of the Saitek Pro Flight
trim, views, gear, flaps and more! range of products. Saitek’s powerful Saitek Smart Technology (SST)
programming software allows gamers to configure their controls to suit
Fully compatible with Flight Simulator X, Flight Simulator 2004, Flight their preferred gaming style, and to save the configurations as personal
Simulator 2002, X-Plane and other sims that use Windows interface profiles.
control software.

CODE: Price: US$129.95 // AUD$234.95 CODE: Price: US$149.95 // AUD$284.95

CHFSYOKEUSB *SUB PRICE: US$123.45 // AUD$223.20 STKPFYKUSB *SUB PRICE: US$142.45 // AUD$270.70

Matrox TripleHead2Go CH Products Pro

Digital Edition Pedals USB
Experience Surround Graphics! Complete Your Flight Control
Setup And Master Those
Bridge the gap between virtual reality and reality. Crosswind Landings!
Matrox TripleHead2Go is a small, black box that adds three monitors
to your system and delivers the most immersive
flight sim experience ever by Your ailerons are only half of the
offering a wider field of picture. Complete your authentic
view. This panoramic view flight control set-up with CH
of the sim fully engages Pro Pedals USB, the ultimate choice in realistic rudder pedals! CH
your peripheral vision on the ProPedals give you realistic fully articulating (back/forth) rudder motion
side displays with the main and also pivot on the toes for differential toe brakes (just like a real
point of focus on the center aircraft) where supported by the simulator and hardware interface.
display for a more realistic
flight experience. CH ProPedals USB also feature smooth gliding motion for precision
rudder control input. With your feet sitting on a set of CH Pro Pedals
TripleHead2Go Digital Edition delivers the ultimate surround you’ll be able to master crosswind landings, make properly balanced
graphics experience! turns and control your aircraft during taxiing, the way it is done in
real life…

CODE: Price: US$329.00 // AUD$499.00 CODE: Price: US$129.95 // AUD$204.95

MTH2DG *SUB PRICE: US$312.55 // AUD$474.50 CHPROPEDUSB *SUB PRICE: US$123.45 // AUD$194.70
*Denotes special price for current Computer Pilot Magazine subscribers and reflects a 5% discount off the regular retail price.
 PC AVIATOR’SInstant
DOWNLOAD STORE
access to quality flight sim downloads!
Welcome to... Lord Howe Island X
PC Aviator’s Download Out Here, There Is No Alternate!
Store! Take off from the local airport and enjoy
this beautiful Island in the Tasman Sea
Buy... Download... Fly! close to Australia. Recreated with the latest FSX technologies and done
right to the smallest detail (you will learn how to read a newspaper in
FSX!) it is just a stunning place to fly to.
Our download store is now
open and was established to
Lord How Island is a small bit of paradise on earth and its only problem
provide you with the option
is that it is incredibly far from where most people live. The Australians
to download a number of
are lucky to be able to spend time there without having to fly half the
software titles and electronic
globe! For Aerosoft it was easy to decide to do this project when Mat
products. Products are
Dalton proposed it to us. His work is excellent quality and fits perfectly
available by instant download
in our idea to cover the more special airports with dense scenery.
upon successful completion of
your credit card, debit card or
Although far from our main customer base this was a scenery project
Paypal payment.
we really liked as it is a prime example of what we like in FSX, a high
detail environment, difficult short runway and with an additional danger
Plus, we offer an exclusive CD-backup service, so if the product
as there is no alternate airport in the region!
download you want is not available in a boxed version, we will put it on
a CD for you (at a small additional charge) to save you the download!
This is a great little scenery package for the pilot that likes a challenge!

SKU: Price: US$19.75

WWW.PCAVIATOR.COM/DLSTORE DL-ASLHI FILESIZE: 180Mb

Fokker 50 The Unofficial A320

Fly The Reliable Fokker 50 In FSX/FS2004 Simulator Manual
Virtualcol presents this model of the FOKKER Essential Reading For Any Virtual Airbus Pilot
50. This airplane still flies in Europe and some
countries of Latin America, with a high record of Mike Ray has written another wonderful book, this
air safety. Available for FS2004 and FSX. Both time about the fabulous Airbus A320 airplane. He is
installers included with this package! releasing this download version for those who
prefer the electronic images.
It includes 8 airline liveries:
• AIR BALTIC While the material is specifically intended for the professional Airbus
• ALBANIAN AIRLINES pilot community, it is something that should be in every serious
• AVIANCA Airbus Flight Simmers library.
• ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES
• KLM CITYHOPPER It is fascinating to read, and written in a style that can be characterized
• SCANDINAVIAN COMMUTER as humorous and yet technically challenging. The document is filled
• OCEANAIR with hundreds of pages in glorious color, each choked with a treasure
• VLM trove of information.

It also includes 3 versions of the model, adaptable to the taste and The beautiful document has been called a work of art by those
to the performance of the user’s computer: Full virtual cockpit, virtual professional pilots that have read it.
cockpit lite, and model without virtual cockpit for best performance.

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 PC AVIATOR’SInstant
DOWNLOAD STORE
access to quality flight sim downloads!
Wings of Power II: Waco F / F-2 Package
The P-40 For Flight Simulator 9 And FSX
The Legendary Warbird Is Now Yours! Golden Age Simulations is proud to present
the WACO F and F-2 for FS9 and FSX*.
Wings of Power sets new standards in many Our simulations brings to the simulator
areas, probably the most notable are the 3D community three distinct models representing one of the most popular
cockpit environments. While they are beautiful to look at, they aircraft designs of the Golden Age: the Kinner B-5 powered INF, the
represent the top layer of an amazing world that lies beneath. sporty Warner Scarab RNF and the
The more you fly these aircraft, the more you discover! Continental powered GCF-2.

• Unsurpassed attention to detail Our package although designed

• Can be flown “by the book” for FS9 is fully compatible with
• Gorgeously constructed, inside and out, down to the last rivet! FSX* and has been extensively
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• The latest wind-tunnel technology helps to create the most Acceleration. Installers for both FS9
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• NEW! 3D Lighting System built in
• Bent-prop damage This model is not intended for use DirectX 10 The model is designed to
• Finest engine sound recordings available flown from the VC Cockpit. Exploring the VC with the mouse will reveal
• Realistic startup procedures the various hot points. All controls are animated, including toe brakes.

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DL-SWP40 FILESIZE: 79Mb FILESIZE: 30Mb
DL-WACO

Sydney International Computer Pilot Mag -

Airport - YSSY Special 100th Issue!
Charles Kingsford Smith In High Detail! January 2008 - Volume 12 Issue 1
Sydney (Kingsford Smith) International Airport, or Sydney, is located Grab this special celebratory issue at the
in the Sydney suburb of Mascot. It is the major airport serving Sydney, special price of just US$2.49!
and is a major hub for Qantas. Sydney Airport is the world’s oldest
continually operated commercial airport, and the busiest commercial Issue contents include: Computer Pilot
airport in Australia, handling in excess of 30 million passengers per year Magazine – A “Century” of Flight Sim Coverage; Flight Terrain X
(2006). It was the 28th busiest airport in the world in 2003. Preview; Flight Sim Affairs and Crimes of Passion – Part 1;
OzFlightSim Expo 2007 Report; Meet Your Makers – Laurent Dupoeuy;
Commercial Level Simulations is proud to present Sydney Professional Operation Sinterklaas; Flying Green with Farmboyzim – Bolivia; Round
for both FS2004 and FSX. The project has been more than 2 years in Robin Adventures – QantasLink Scheduled Route.
the making, made from extensive amounts of photographs taken on
multiple visits to the airport. Sydney Professional has been made as We have full product reviews of: Flight Simulator X: Acceleration;
accurate as possible to the real airport. IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946; MegaAirport Brussels and the Sim Cockpit Seat.

Sydney Airport is currently undergoing some significant changes; the Plus! An interesting lesson on great circle navigation, as well as the
scenery will be updated as these features are finished in real life. latest news fromt he flight sim world, regular columns, pullout poster,
Check it out today! freeware reviews, hints, tips, tricks and much more!

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*Denotes special price for current Computer Pilot Magazine subscribers and reflects a 5% discount off the regular retail price.
 C
From the EDITOR
Welcome to the half-way point of the year, and hence, the June 2008 issue.

It is with great sadness that I must deliver some bad news this month. Many of you will know of
Dr Hans V.D. Biggelaar who had contributed many articles to Computer Pilot magazine over the
past few years. He was a good writer who always met deadlines and produced excellent work.
Unfortunately Hans passed away recently after battling a long illness. He left part of an article
behind that his partner has requested us to complete and publish in Hans’ honor, which we will
gladly finish and feature in an upcoming issue.

I therefore would like to dedicate this issue to Hans. I hope you are flying high amongst the clouds.

Dean Bielanowski
Editor

Publisher: Robert Ferraro

Editor: Dean Bielanowski
Layout & Design: Tony Liatos
Contributors In This Issue: Dean Bielanowski, Tom
Kurtz, Gene Davis, John Lattanzio, Doug Horton, Bill
Smith, Mike Glynn, John Achor, Francois Dumas, Roger
Curtiss, Chuck Bodeen.
Subscription Managers: Australia: Adrian Lazzarotto
USA: Mark Jakubowski
Editorial Submissions: Please address editorial matter
to The Editor at [email protected] or to the office
closest to you listed at the bottom of this page.
Advertising Inquiries: PC Aviator Inc.
(CPM V12 I6) Dedicated to Dr Hans V.D. Biggelaar Phone: 843-232-1160. Email: [email protected]
Website: www.computerpilot.com
General E-Mail: [email protected]

Supplement
your reading in Computer Pilot Magazine
US Distribution: Ingram Periodicals, International
Periodical Distributors, Media Solutions
by visiting the Computer Pilot web site at www.computerpilot.com Printed By: The RL Bryan Company (USA).

As well as features for first time visitors, the web site is Disclaimer: Any information, advice, maps, charts, tables
and other information published in this magazine is exclusively
designed with our readers in mind.
for use with PC flight simulations. The publisher does not
accept any liability for any accident or incident arising from any
For subscribers information conveyed or implied in this publication.
• Renew your subscriptions on-line
• Notify us of address changes Copyright: © Copyright 2008 The PC Aviator Pty Ltd
• Join our electronic mailinglist – SubscriberNews Incorporating PC Aviator Inc. All rights reserved. None of
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General services include:
permission of the publisher.
• Direct links to web sites mentioned in our on-line article
• Free monthly desktop calendar wallpapers featuring both quality Cover Price: USA.: $7.95. Australia: $9.85*. Canada: $9.95.
flight sim screenshots and real world aviation photographs! Subscriptions:
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Australian Office: The PC Aviator Pty Ltd
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V12I6

PC Aviator, inc., PO Box 15907, Surfside Beach, SC 29587, U.S.A.

Computer Pilot is an international magazine, proudly
Computer Pilot Volume 12 Issue 6, June 2008 (ISSN 1324-7336) is published monthly by published in Australia. Printed in the United States
PC Aviator, inc., 839 Surfside Drive, SC 29575. of America.
Periodicals postage is paid at Myrtle Beach, SC and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to P.O. Box 15907, Surfside Beach, SC 29587.

cpm1206a.indd 6 5/23/2008 3:05:04 PM

C 8. NEWS AND NEW RELEASES
All the latest news and new releases since our last issue.

REVIEWS
20. Regional Jet Vol.1 – CRJ X
24. Venice X
28. FTX Au Blue
34. Chicago O’Hare International

12. EXPLORING MADAGASCAR - PART I

“Just recently I finally got around to watching the movie “Madagascar” made
in 2005 by DreamWorks Animation LLC and associates. I know it’s a movie for
kids, but I enjoyed it very much. Then I thought it would be fun to fly VFR and
explore the island in Flight Simulator!”

42. REGINALD’S SECRET FS ADVENTURES - PART 1

‘The things you see in these magazines are completely unrealistic!’ she screamed.
My mother had discovered my stash of Computer Pilot magazines and was
urging me to take what my American friends would call a “reality check”. She
opened a page at random and yelled...
‘Look at the size of this pair of speakers! It’s just not normal!’

44. FLIGHT SIMULATOR CARRIER OPERATIONS

“I hadn’t tried carrier landings for years, until I read Mike Ray’s great article
in the July 2007 issue of Computer Pilot magazine and was hooked again. I
bought a copy of Wings Over Vietnam and went to work. Let’s get busy and
see if we can pass our CarQuals (carrier qualifications).”

50. INCREDIBLE INDIA!

“When I took the assignment to fly VFR in India and write about it, I didn’t
realize what a task it would be. Where do you start flying in the geographically
seventh largest country in the world? Not to mention the second most
populous in the world. I thought of all the wonderful places and things to see.
It took a while to come up with an interesting aerial tour.”

58. MEET YOUR MAKERS!

- RONALD ZAMBRANO MIELES
“As part of our continuing series of interviews of FS designers I am going to
introduce you to Ronald C. Zambrano Mieles (aka RAZBAM). Ron has been
around the FS ‘scene’ for some good number of years now and is one of the
many interesting people in this industry. I posed our usual set of questions to
Ronald for his response…”

cpm1206a.indd 7
62. BUILDING THE ULTIMATE – PART III
There was a time when a determined home cockpit builder wannabe could
happen upon the holy grail of cockpit building- an abandoned hulk of an
airplane sitting in a field collecting weeds, mold and insect nests. The hobbyist
would find the junk’s owner and for a small sum be able to take the wreckage
off of his hands and cart it away to a new home…

67. HOW TO FLY LIKE A THUNDERBIRD – PART IV

In part 3 of this series we began to fly the Thunderbirds show with hints and
comments from the 2008 Virtual Thunderbird team. This month we will be
completing the demanding second half of the show, and seeing how the team
is supported in the much the same way as the real Thunderbirds.

72. THE ART OF INSTRUMENT FLYING

– ADF-NDB NAVIGATION
The Radio Direction Finder (RDF) used a loop antenna which could be rotated
by the pilot or navigator to point to one or more radio stations on the ground.
Finally an electro-mechanical device was invented which would aim the antenna
automatically. Thus we have the ADF.

78. FLYING THE HEAVIES – KNOW YOUR STUFF!

After the Air Florida Flight from Miami had arrived in Washington, the airport
was closed for operations for almost two hours due to a severe snowfall,
and allowed ground-staff time to remove snow from the runway. After some
hours, the airport was re-opened, and this Air Florida Boeing 737 took-off
from Washington for Florida. But, this flight did not last for even one minute!
Do not let your aircraft end up like this one!

REGULAR COLUMNS:
38. PULLOUT POSTER
“Pfalz D111”

5/23/2008 3:05:11 PM
 8 NEWS & NEW FLIGHT SIM RELEASES

Flight 1 Release Avidyne Student for FSX

FOR THOSE GA PILOTS looking for themselves with the system. The Student time fee equal to an hour and a half in the real
some assistance with understanding and version is designed to be used on a single PC aircraft.
using the Avidyne navigation systems, Flight setup or can be networked with the upcoming
1’s Avidyne Student package may just be VIS (Visual Instructor Station) making it This is an interactive multimedia training
what the instructor ordered. This software is an excellent student/instructor platform that course. It teaches you how the PFD works,
now available for Flight Simulator X too. is ideal for flight schools, universities and and tests your knowledge through both tests
individualized training. and interactive flight scenarios. If you are
“Both the FS2004 and FSX versions are using an Avidyne equipped aircraft or if you
now included in the product. For more The Avidyne Student Simulator is an plan to do so in the future, this software will
information, including upgrade details for effective platform when transitioning teach you how to use the unit properly and
existing users, please visit the Avidyne from analog to the Avidyne glass cockpit familiarize you with the operational features.”
Student Simulator product page. The environment. Avidyne Student requires a
Avidyne Student Simulator emulates the PC and Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2004 The package retails for US$129.95 and is
Avidyne Entegra series flight deck system or Flight Simulator X. This software allows available from good flight sim retailers. For
in great detail and allows students and you to maintain proficiency in the privacy of more information, check out the product website
pilots to practice procedures and familiarize your home or at the flight school for a one at http://www.flight1tech.com/studentpa.html

Fly the MD-11 X with Perfect Flight

FROM THE HANGAR of Perfect Flight • External views include: Right and left
comes an aircraft and mission/adventure add- side, landing gear, tail, right and left wing.
on based around the McDonnell-Douglas • 35 Liveries included.
MD-11. • Missions / Adventures - Product also
includes 12 Missions / Adventures (for
The product is now available for both FSX both FSX and FS2004 version). Missions
and FS2004, so you have an option during give you more realistic flight experience
the installation process to install the desired recreating a real word ambience.
version. • Charts Book - Printable chart book has
been included in the package with all
Product Features: approach and airport charts to use in
• 2 Gmax models (Passengers and Cargo). the missions (also available in the Start
• Detailed 3D textures. Menu).
• Full moving parts including: Flaps, rudder, • Printed User Guide - Boxed version also
ailerons, spoilers, gear, passenger doors, includes printed user guide that gives you
cargo hatches, reversers, virtual cockpit instruction on how to use the product. User
controls. guide is also available in the Start Menu in
• Full night lighting inside and out. both versions.
• Strobes and beacons set to Boeing
specifications. To take the captain’s seat in the MD-11 in
• MD-11 panel 3D Virtual Cockpit FSX or FS2004, swing by your favorite sim
(passenger cabin included). retailer or check out Perfect Flight’s website
• Very realistic engine stereo sounds. at http://www.fs2000.org/

cpm1206a.indd 8 5/23/2008 3:05:21 PM

 NEWS & NEW FLIGHT SIM RELEASES 9

Just Flight’s RAF Vulcan Rockets to FSX

ANOTHER OLDER ADD-ON that has as used in the Falklands, and the ‘project
now been upgraded for FSX compatibility is cancelled’ Skybolt missiles.
Just Flight’s RAF Vulcan add-on.
“This new download version of RAF While we have made every effort to update
Vulcan for FSX/FS2004 is also compatible RAF Vulcan as completely as possible,
with Windows Vista and (with some unfortunately a few features of RAF Vulcan
minor limitations outlined below) the do not function in all the host sims:
Flight Simulator SP2 service pack and
Acceleration expansion. Now updated for • RAF Cottesmore scenery is only available
FSX compatibility, RAF Vulcan includes a in FS2002 and FS2004.
faithful model from acclaimed developers • The one-button ‘quick start’ function only
PSS of XH558 as it appears currently, an operates in FS2002 and FS2004.
additional eight all-new liveries from some • Autopilot is only available in FS2002,
of the aircraft involved in the Falklands FS2004 and FSX (but not FSX with
conflict of 1982, and some of the preserved Acceleration and/or Service Pack 2
aircraft in the UK. installed).”

RAF Vulcan contains a total of eighteen The RAF Vulcan is a unique add-on that
examples in different Squadron liveries and provides a challenge for even experienced
with different model variations, including pilots. It is available for download purchase
the 2K air-to-air refuelling tanker variant and or on boxed DVD from Just Flight or
those carrying the Blue Steel British nuclear authorized resellers for US$39.99. Just Flight
cruise missile, the Shrike anti-radar missile can be found at www.justflight.com

X-Plane 9 Hits Stores

THE NEWEST major version release of X- mettle on aircraft carriers, helipads on X-Plane includes Plane-Maker which allows
Plane has hit store shelves in boxed edition. building tops, frigates that pitch and roll in the you to create your own airplanes, and World-
X-Plane version 9 offers a lot of new features waves, and oil rigs. Weather is variable from Maker which lets you create your own scenery.
and appears to have been greatly enhanced in clear skies and high visibility to thunderstorms Also included is Weather Briefer which
the graphics department. with controllable wind, wind shear, produces a weather briefing based on actual
turbulence, and microbursts. Rain, snow and weather conditions downloaded from the net.
“X-Plane is the most comprehensive and clouds are available for an instrument flying
powerful flight simulator available for the challenge, and thermals are available for the X-Plane is extremely customizable, allowing
personal computer. X-Plane simulates gliders! X-Plane can download real weather you to easily create textures, sounds, and
anything that flies: from single-engine data from the internet, allowing you to fly in instrument panels for your own airplanes that
fixed wing props to multi-engine jets; actual current conditions! you design.”
gliders to dirigibles; helicopters to
spacecraft to VTOLs such as the V-22 X-Plane also has detailed failure-modeling, X-Plane 9 is available for both PC and Mac
Osprey and AV8-B Harrier. with 35 systems that can be failed manually, and retails for US$49.95. Check your favorite
or randomly when you least expect it! You flight sim retailer for availability.
X-Plane has the most realistic flight can fail instruments, engines, flight controls,
model available for personal computers. It and landing gear at any moment.
comes with subsonic and supersonic flight
dynamics, simulating aircraft from the Bell
206 Jet-Ranger helicopter and Cessna 172
light plane to the supersonic SR-71 and
Mach-3 XB-70 Valkyrie.

X-Plane comes with 29 aircraft spanning the

aviation industry (and history), and several
hundred more are freely downloadable from
the internet.

X-Plane includes scenery for the entire

continental U.S.* You can land at any of
thousands of airports, as well as test your

cpm1206a.indd 9 5/23/2008 3:05:23 PM

 10 NEWS & NEW FLIGHT SIM RELEASES

Live ATC Chatter for FSX and FS2004

IF YOU ARE BORED of the regular pre- or Wave sound chatter files. So whether you freely from many websites on the internet.
recorded ATC chatter in FSX/FS2004, perhaps are online or offline you will be able to listen After they have been downloaded, you
Cielosim’s latest software add-on, Live ATC to Real ATC chatter in Flight Simulator. add them to Live ATC. There, you can
Chatter, will relieve the boredom. organize their order and frequency. The
“Live ATC Chatter is program for Flight Features: stream frequency is the frequency you
Simulator that allows you to listen to live • Easy and clean interface will tune in your Flight Simulator radio.
real-time Air Traffic Control streams within • Ability to store favorites Each stream will have a unique frequency
the simulator. It connects via the internet to • Stream internet connection scanner that is auto-added by Live ATC but can be
the ATC streams and then projects the audio • Ability to play MP3 and Wave files changed to your liking. Once your streams
in Flight Simulator. Although Live ATC • Ability to print stream names and are added and organized, you can start
does not come with any ATC streams, you frequencies Flight Simulator and then tune to one of the
can download them freely from numerous • FS2004 and FSX support stream frequencies via the Com2 or Com1
websites on the internet. Live ATC enhances • Detailed 23-page PDF manual with step by radio and you will hear the ATC Chatter for
your Flight Simulator environment by adding step tutorial that frequency.
real-time live ATC audio for the selected • No frame rate impact
airports you fly at. If you don’t always have Live ATC Chatter is available for US$19.99
an active internet connection or you don’t In order for Live ATC to play ATC audio, from the Cielosim website at
want to connect to a stream while flying, Live you must have ATC streams or MP3/Wave http://www.cielosim.com/liveatc.htm
ATC also offers the option to play either MP3 sound files which can be downloaded

New CorsairFly DVDs from Just Planes

FLIGHT DECK DVD producer, Just out. CorsairFly A330, B737, B747 features
Planes, have released two video titles several model aircraft on multiple routes.
featuring the CorsairFly airline. The first, “The 1st part of the program features the
CorsairFly B747-400 is a new release that latest addition to the fleet, the Airbus A330,
offers a flight deck view from the jumbo jet. with a transatlantic roundtrip flight to
Montreal’s rarely used Mirabel Airport. The
“This program takes you on the airline’s 2nd part is on the Boeing 737-400 and a
latest aircraft in its fleet, the Boeing 747- roundtrip flight from Paris to the very scenic
400 on a flight from Paris Orly Airport to St island of Sicily. The 3rd part of the program,
Maarten and Fort De France before returning previously released on video, shows a round
to Paris. You will follow the pilots as they trip flight to Reunion Island in the Indian
prepare the aircraft for departure including Ocean Southbound on the Boeing 747-300
checklists, briefings, and walk around. Once and Northbound on the only European
in the air you will see how they request their Boeing 747SP which has since been retired.”
oceanic clearance via computer. Witness the
spectacular landing and takeoff at St Maarten CorsairFly B747-400 retails for US$25,
airport from two angles and much more...” and the A330/B737/B747 title for US$30.
The Flight Deck DVDs are available from
The second title is a new production run Just Planes at www.justplanes.com or PC
of an older title that was previously sold Aviator at www.pcaviator.com

cpm1206a.indd 10 5/23/2008 3:05:24 PM

 NEWS & NEW FLIGHT SIM RELEASES 11

cpm1206a.indd 11 5/23/2008 3:05:26 PM

 4

Exploring Madagascar
Part I
BY TOM KURTZ

M
adagascar! Even the name sounds
mysterious. The old name was The
Malagasy Republic. I have been
fascinated by Madagascar since I was a boy. Just
recently I finally got around to watching the movie
“Madagascar” made in 2005 by DreamWorks
Animation LLC and associates. I know it’s a movie
for kids, but I enjoyed it very much. Then I thought it
would be fun to fly VFR and explore the island.
I usually fly my VFR trips using FS9 or FSX. This time I decided to
use the new X-Plane 9 Beta. The scenery is beautiful and X-Plane features
airports on Madagascar that aren’t available in the Microsoft simulations.

I was in touch with Jim McNeill at Shade Tree Micro Aviation

when I downloaded some aircraft to use in the story. I was going to
use an old Canadian bush plane, the Norseman, for the flight. Jim
became interested and donated the DHC-2 Beaver for me to fly
VFR. He said that the DHC-2 Beaver was a better representation
of what Shade Tree Micro Aviation could produce. He gave me all
three versions; amphibian, wheeled, and ski equipped aircraft. The
planes come with a “Livery Selector” and three choices of livery. I
will change livery as we fly this VFR to give you an idea what the
different paint jobs look like. However, take a look right now:

12 CPM. V12I6

cpm1206a.indd 12 5/23/2008 3:05:28 PM

 Shade Tree produces some of the finest aircraft for X-Plane that are The population is about 4.5 million (give or take a few thousand)
available in the simulation market. Jim McNeill and others at Shade and are of Austronesian and African origin. The predominate
Tree are willing to help in any way they can to make sure you are language is Malagasy, however, you can always find someone to
satisfied with whatever you buy. Thank you Jim. Also, I was also able speak your language.
to use Peter Fischer’s very good Madagascar scenery for free. Thank
you very much Peter. The economy of the country is based on exporting coffee, sugar
cane, cloves, rice, tapioca, bananas, peanuts, live stock products,
Let’s take a look at the DHC-2 Beaver before we start exploring and last but not least, vanilla. Vanilla was the most important export.
the island. Coca-Cola was the biggest user of the vanilla. When Coke went to the
new “taste” in 1985 they stopped buying much of the vanilla and the
I flew in the wheeled military version of the Beaver (L20A) twice economy took a downward plunge. However, when Coke returned to
when I was still in the Army; once in training in the USA and once in making the “Classic Coke” which required the vanilla the economy
Vietnam. The rest of my flying in Vietnam was in the UH-1 “Huey”, returned to previous levels.
but that is another story.
Eighty percent of the plants and animals endemic (a five dollar
The Beaver was designed in Canada to meet the needs of Canadian word for native) to the island are not found anywhere else in the
bush pilots. The Beaver has been around for over 50 years. No other world. The Ring-tailed Lemur is the most unusual animal and the
plane is better suited for bush flying, although the Norseman (also a cutest. The Lemurs played a big part in the movie I mentioned above.
Canadian aircraft) is a close second. The Beaver is just the plane you Oh, there are also native Nile Crocodiles on the island, so watch it if
need for Madagascar. If you do not fly X-Plane for this exploration you land and get out of the plane to stretch your legs... you may leave
you have the Beaver float to use in FSX and the Caravan 208 wheeled without one!
version that you may also use. I don’t think anyone will need the ski
version in Madagascar unless you want to try landing on a snowfield There are two groups of islands associated with the Madagascar,
on Maromokotro - the highest mountain. I think I’ll pass on landing the Mascarene Islands about 620 miles off the east coast, and the
there. Anyway, you can probably download the different versions of the Comoros about 375 miles off the northwest coast. We will start our
Beaver from one of the simulation sites like Avsim.com for use in FS9. flight from Reunion Island at Saint Pierre at the Pierre Fonds Airport
(FMEP) in the Mascarenes and end on Njazidja Island at Moroni
Airport (FMCN) in the Comoros. We will visit 25 airports on the tour.
Here’s a few of the specifications of the Beaver: The flight will be divided this way:

• Cruise speed: 124kts. Part One: St.Pierre (FMEP), St. Denis (FMEE), St.Marie (FMMS),
• Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 450 HP Radial. Tomasina (FMMT), Antananarivo the capital (FMMI), Mahanoro
• Propeller: Hartzell 3 Blade Constant Speed. (FMMH), Mananjary (FMSM), Fianarantsoa (FMSF), Bandaressalam
• Max-Range: 395 nm. (FMCI).
• Service ceiling: 18,000 ft.
• Fuel Capacity: 95 US Gallons. Part Two: Farafangana (FMSG), Tolagnaro (FMSD), Ampanihy
• Empty Weight: 2,850 lbs. (FMSY), Toliara (FMST), Morombe (FMSR), Manja (FMSJ),
• Max-Gross weight: 5,100 lbs. Morondava (FMMV), Maintirano (FMMO), Mahajanga (FMNM).
• Length: 30 ft, 3 inches.
• Wingspan: 48 ft. Part Three: Tsaratanana (FMNT), Antsohihy (FMNW), Antalaha
• Height: 9 ft. (FMNH), Sambava (FMNS), Antsirana (FMNA), Nosy-Be (FMNN),
• Seating capacity: 7. Mamoutzou (FMCZ), Iconi (FMCN).
• Useful load: 1,874 lbs.

The plane handles beautifully due to the aerodynamics that Shade

Tree reproduced so faithfully. I really enjoyed the “real feel” of the
controls. I use the CH Yoke and Rudders pedals.

Let’s take a look at some of the facts about Madagascar before we

take off. Madagascar is the fourth largest island and the 46th largest
country in the world. The capital city is Antananarivo.

It is just slightly smaller than the state of Texas. The island is

226,642 square miles in area. There are rain forests and the central
highlands are terraced with rice growing valleys in the lowlands. The
island has two seasons, the hot rainy season from November to April
and the dry cooler season from May until October.

According to scientists who study these things the island broke

off of the African continent some 80 million years ago forming the
Mozambique Channel. The island is east of Mozambique. I don’t
know how scientists determine those happenings, so I’ll take their
word for it. ROUTE MAP

13

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 This map may be helpful in locating the airports, but it is not that
accurate. For example the Bandaressalam airport (FMCI) is shown
in the south east on the map. The airport is actually located in the
Comoros Islands on the small island of Mohe’li in the Indian Ocean,
northwest of Madagascar.

Those are some very exotic names. Well, Madagascar is an exotic

country. One or two of the airports named above are not in the
Microsoft simulations. They are all in X-Plane 9.

Ok, now that you have your history and geography lesson let’s do
some flying.

OVER PIERRE FONDS AIRPORT

There is a shell volcano, Piton de la Fournaise, on Reunion Island.

It last erupted April 4, 2007.

We aren’t in a hurry so let’s fly over the crater to see if it is

smoking today.

CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF AT ST. PIERRE FONDS

We are flying to St. Denis so program your GPS for St. Denis
Gillot airport (FMEE). The GPS installed in the DHC-2 may be set
for only one destination at a time. You may also tune your Nav 1
radio to the St. Denis VOR-DME 112.90 and intercept radial 212
FROM the VOR or the TO radial 032 and navigate to St. Denis.
I just tuned the ADF to the St. Denis FXR frequency 382 (it is an
NDB) and kept the yellow indicator arrow pointed straight up on
032 degrees. Navigate as you prefer.

OVER THE VOLCANO CRATER

It looks quiet today, I see some smoke off to the right. Let’s take a
look. Well, look at that, a forest fire on the mountain! Probably started
by lightning during the storm last night.

GPS PROGRAMMED FOR FMEE ST. DENIS GILLOT

We will be flying rather low over some of the most rugged and
beautiful scenery on Reunion Island. FOREST FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

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 Ok, let’s head for St. Denis, the capital of Reunion. It is about a 32 St. Marie (FMMS) is our first stop after we cross a long stretch of
mile hop. Check out the scenery as we fly. I have never seen anything the Indian Ocean. St.Marie is actually on a small island. One of the
like it before. Let’s get on course. Paradise Islands close to the main island of Madagascar. This is a
long hop over water and is why I chose to fly the DHC-2 amphibian.
I don’t think we will have to ditch in the ocean, but you never know.
You can set a random failure in you aircraft if you like just to put a
little excitement in the flight! I think I’ll skip doing that this time. So
let’s gas up the plane and take-off. I want to take a look at that off-
shore oil rig not far from St.Denis. Ok, we are cleared for take-off.

FOREST NORTH OF ST. PIERRE AIRPORT

This is probably the flattest land you will see as we fly north.

The valley looks really nice from up here, but I’d hate to be on foot
down there. No telling what you might run into or step on. We are
now about halfway to St. Denis.

Let’s tuned to St. Denis approach on 119.40 and get permission to

land. Rwy 14 has an ILS, frequency 110.30, if you prefer to land in OFF-SHORE OIL RIG NEAR ST. DENIS
that direction. Ok we have permission to land.

St. Marie is on the small island just ahead. Let’s land, take a break
and gas up this bird. St. Marie is a resort area and is now an official
port of entry into Madagascar. So when you are here you are in
Madagascar; much the same as when you are in Key West, Florida,
you are in the USA. Once we leave St. Marie I am switching to the
wheeled version of the DHC-2 and flying south along the east coast
to the tip of Madagascar then when around the tip swinging north and
flying along the west coast.

TURNING ON FINAL AT ST. DENIS

LANDING AT ST. MARIE

Our next stop will be in Tomasina. Tomasina is a port city south of

St. Marie. Tomasina is the capital of Tomasina province. Ok, there’s
the city just ahead. Let’s swing over to the airport and land.

MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF ST. DENIS I see Runway 01 just ahead and we are cleared to land straight in.

15

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 HEADING INLAND TO ANTANANARIVO
ON SHORT FINAL AT TOMASINA

We will stop at Antananarivo and grab a bite to eat in town while

they refuel the plane. Probably no hamburgers, but I hear the lamb
kabob is pretty good. We should stay the night in one of the fabulous
hotels. I hear there is one with 170 rooms.

Ok, let’s get going. We want to get to Ivato before dark.

LANDED AT TOMASINA

Let’s take off and head for our next stop, Antananarivo, the capital
of Madagascar. The airport is Ivato. You may navigate by VOR-DME
frequency 114.50MHZ (TNV). I am just going to be lazy and use the
GPS. Looks like we have about 116.5 nm to fly.
ON FINAL AT IVATO

DEPARTING TOMASINA PARKED AT ANTANANARIVO GATE 1

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 Well, staying the night in the capital wasn’t bad at all, the food was
good and the prices were reasonable. We still have four more cities to
visit so let’s get going. Next stop, Mahanoro (FMMH).

Mahanoro is near the coast. In 2000 it was hit hard by a storm.

There was loss of life and much property. We will make a short
stop and stretch our legs. The airport is small, but well equipped.
Mahanoro is a resort town like many of these little towns along the
coast of Madagascar. Tourists from all over the world come here for
vacations. Ok, there’s the airport, the bush pilots would like this one.

DEPARTING MAHANORO

That was a refreshing pit stop, so on to our next town Mananjary.

This is another small town, but worth the trip.

ON FINAL AT MAHANORO

ON FINAL AT MANANJARY

LANDED AT MAHANORO

ON SHORT FINAL AT MANANJARY

PARKED AT MAHANORO Now you can see why you have to fly like a bush pilot in this country.

17

cpm1206a.indd 17 5/23/2008 3:05:36 PM

 LANDED AT MANAJARY SWITCHING TO A FLOAT PLANE AT FINANARANTSOA

I guess this stop could be thought of as a touch and go. There isn’t
much of the day left so let’s get to Bandaressalam (FMCI) before
nightfall in case of trouble. I don’t want to set this plane down in the
Indian Ocean in the dark.

PARKED AT MANANJARY

Two more stops and we can rest for a while. Next stop is
Fianarantsoa (FMSF) about 71.4 nm from here. Fianarantsoa is
the capital of the Haute Matsiatra region and the also the capital of
Fianarantsoa Province. It has a population of more than 144,000. ON FINAL AT BANDARESSALAM
Fianarantsoa means “Good Education” in the Malagasy language. The
city has a university, maybe why it is called Good Education. It is also
the wine capital of Madagascar.

LANDED AT BANDARESSALAM

LANDED AT FIANARANTSOA I hope you enjoyed the flight as much as I did.

Happy Landings,
Our next leg will be over water again. It is 581.2 nm to the Tom Kurtz
Comoros Islands. We will be landing on the smallest island,
Mohe’li. That’s the airport of Bandaressalam (FMCI), it is our last Thanks to Wikipedia for the historical facts and pictures. Thanks
stop on this part of the exploration. again to the crew at Shade Tree Micro Aviation. 4

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cpm1206a.indd 18 5/23/2008 3:05:38 PM

 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR

19

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 4

Regional Jet Volume 1

CRJ Review
BY GENE DAVIS

T
he CRJ from Wilco and Feelthere has been
around since the days of Flight Simulator
9 and now it is available for FSX. Bringing The product comes on a beautifully decorated disc that shows
this plane into the FSX world opens up the world an actual picture of a real CRJ, though this was of little importance
for the commuter airline pilot within FSX, and with really. I just wanted to mention it as I thought it was kind of pretty!
Inside the box you will find the disc along with an insert on how to
a complex avionics suite and relatively good flight install the product. I was quite surprised to not see a printed manual
model the CRJ is an excellent contender to replace as the ERJ and the Legacy from the same publisher both came with
some of those default Flight Simulator aircraft. one. This actually scared me a little as I came to really depend on the
manual from the ERJ as shown by its current worn appearance!
I am not saying the default CRJ in FSX is bad. I am just saying
that when you fly an aircraft of that type, you just find yourself Installation is simple, insert the disc and type in the registration
wanting more, and the default CRJ just doesn’t deliver as a fully- code and you are off. The install program will ask what version you
functional simulation of the CRJ. This is where Wilco’s offering want to install, either FS9 or FSX – both are included. This is nice if
steps up to the plate. you are running both simulations and want to give the CRJ a try in
both sims.
What You Get
The CRJ for FSX comes either via download or on disc. If you The directions that are included on the disc cover the FS9 version
owned the original version for FS9 there is an update that will allow and although this is adequate, it doesn’t tell you what isn’t going to
you to port over that version of the plane into FSX. For the sake of work in FSX that did work in FS9. Overall I found the directions,
this review we will be looking at the CD version of the CRJ running even pertaining to FS9, incredibly vague and walked away from the
under FSX with the Acceleration expansion. tutorial knowing almost less then what I knew before.

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 REVIEW

It is important to tell you that this is the first time I have used this
particular product. Although I am relatively familiar with the ERJ and
the Legacy the CRJ proved to be a little more difficult and required that
I go back and get re-acquainted with its type of flying, as I have grown
quite accustomed to VFR flying.

The Aircraft
The CRJ has been available for some time and was originally released
for FS9. Though I have never tried the CRJ I am familiar with its sister
products, the ERJ and the Legacy. Once installed you will find 3 models
of the CRJ in your aircraft hangar; these are the CRJ-200, -700, and the
-900. Surprisingly, the package only ships with one livery and that is
the Wilco livery. Now, I would have thought for the disc version that PUSHBACK
the liveries would be included and installed with the package. It would
probably make life easier for the end user and those who do not have net
access to download all the other liveries from the Wilco website. Perhaps
a little disappointing in this regard.

The exterior model of the CRJ looks good as it incorporates all of the
traditional moving parts and opening doors. Panning around the exterior
model also revealed that it has a dynamic shine giving the aircraft a
realistic look when in a lighted condition. Moving from the outside to
the inside reveals a well modeled interior that includes not only the
cockpit but also the cabin. Even though the cabin is modeled it doesn’t
seem to affect the aircraft’s overall performance.

Breaking the add-on down into the 3 different models revealed a

significant difference between the 200 and the 900 model. Cockpit
layout and overall design is completely different and not all of the
different systems are located in the same place as the 200 model, as BOARDING PASSENGERS
you might expect with real-world variations across models.

The night lighting for the exterior of the plane is nicely done and
everything seems to work well. This has been a common problem
(lighting not working) with FS9 crossovers, but I was really
surprised that the aircraft model actually showed lighting from
inside the aircraft.

Climbing into the virtual cockpit was a bit of a let-down as I

found that although much of the virtual cockpit is workable, there
are little bugs here and there, like a lot of the buttons don’t show
any kind of animation when pushing them. This is the way it is for
the APU buttons and pushing them reveals nothing until you go
back to the system readout screen to find out if they are off or on.
This little problem carried over to things like the throttles and other
aircraft functions giving it an almost unfinished feel. The overall
design of the virtual cockpit seems old. It doesn’t have the flair that
the ERJ or the Legacy had and does really show the overall age THE VIRTUAL CABIN
of this add-on. It would have been nice to have seen a complete
rework for the FSX model. I found that I spent most of my time
flying the CRJ from the 2D panel rather than the virtual because
of the slow update of the gauges and inconsistencies with some of
the other buttons and switches. The night lighting on the inside of
the aircraft was also disappointing. Take for instance the overhead
panel. It doesn’t blend in with the cockpit lighting at all and shows
up as it would during the day in a bright grey color.

Working the Flight Deck

As with the ERJ and Legacy this is where this product shines as it
offers a realistic representation of the CRJ’s actual flight systems and
cockpit layout. As with the ERJ and the Legacy much of the aircraft’s
navigation and flying is done through the FMS (Flight Management
System) and does require a good deal of learning before using it.

“WELCOME ABOARD!” 21

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 TAXI TO THE ACTIVE

MAIN PILOT DISPLAYS THE CO-PILOT’S SIDE OF THINGS

THE OFFICE! THE 2D PANEL

22 CPM. V12I6
CRJ PARKED AT TNCM

cpm1206a.indd 22 5/23/2008 3:05:48 PM

 REVIEW

I found that this particular FMS was a little more forgiving than the
ERJ FMC, but it was still a challenge to learn.

The cockpit itself is broken down into multiple displays; two

displays for both the pilot and copilot that show critical flight
information such as altitude and speed as well as a flight following
map display that shows present course and each leg of the flight;
and in the center of the cockpit is the one screen that displays
engine status and any warnings that might arise during the course of
your flight as well as fuel levels and oil temperatures; and another
showing aircraft status, APU readouts, brake temps, trim positions
THE CRJ -200 and other misc information.

It is extremely important to make sure you set the fuel levels

properly in the FMS before your flight or they will not display
properly and the FMS will not be configured correctly for your flight.
The Flight Management System is the heart of the CRJ and properly
configuring this computer is critical to any flight that you may want to
make. The quickest and easiest way to get a flight plan loaded into the
FMS is to just create a flight plan with FSX and then incorporate it
into the FMS. This will negate having you to enter each leg manually
as well as all critical airport information.

When you start up the aircraft’s systems you will need to configure
the FMS first setting position, passenger/cargo load, and fuel etc,
making sure what you set for fuel in the FMS matches what you are
actually carrying according to FSX’s fuel load screens.

THE CRJ -700

The Sound
The sound is good both inside and outside the aircraft. Overall
I found the sound better in FS9, as it didn’t blow me out of my
seat like the sound did in FSX. The sound is almost overwhelming
when switching to the external mode in FSX which leads me to
believe that it hasn’t been properly set up for FSX yet.

The cockpit sounds are good and do have some call-out

features, however, I was amazed that there were no V1, V2
callouts during the takeoff roll. Warning sounds and the GPWS
(Ground Proximity Warning System) are all nicely done and the
CRJ refrains from using the default voices and has its own set.

FS9 vs FSX
This aircraft was written originally for FS9 and it shows
in FSX that it is a crossover product. What this plane really
needs is a total makeover! Is it bad in FSX? No, by all means
it isn’t! With its VNAV features and complex FMS it makes
for a good aircraft and though it does need some work I think
MORE 2D PANELS
you will come away from it experiencing a resepctable level
of enjoyment.

The best way to look at it is this… If you bought it for FS9

you now get the FSX version as a bonus! Or if you are buying
this aircraft for FSX, you are getting the FS9 version as a
bonus. Either way it is a win-win situation. The CRJ in FS9
performs great and is well worth the price for the complexity
and detail on offer.

In The End
Do I like the CRJ? Yes, I like it a lot in FS9! Do I like the FSX
version? It needs some work, but it does offer a complex avionics
suite that isn’t readily available in this type of aircraft for FSX, at
least not yet, and it certainly eclipses any of the default offerings!
Regional Jet Volume 1 – CRJ retails for around US$39.95 and is
available in boxed version from most major flight sim retailers. 4

THE CRJ -900

23

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 Venice X Review 4

BY GENE DAVIS What’s Included in Venice X?

Venice comes either on disc in boxed format or as a download
purchase. For this review I received the disc version. I was impressed
with the ease of installation. Simply input the registration code and
you are off. It is important to note that this product is strictly for FSX
and works wonderfully with it and the FSX: Acceleration expansion.

T
here are many places in the world that have
a certain romantic draw to them and I think
Setting the product up to work most efficiently within FSX is also
the one that stands out the most is probably covered in the manual, though I recommend just trying it first and
Venice, Italy. The city built upon the sea has a certain then seeing where your system stands with this add-on rather than
old world feel to it even in this modern day and age. adjusting display settings and messing up your initial configuration.
Although technology and the advent of our modern I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the overall performance
world has caught up, Venice still holds that look and and you shouldn’t have to change much to get it to run well.
feel of its old world origins and that is what makes it Venice from Aerosoft also comes with an informative manual,
one of the most romantic places on earth. printed if you have the boxed disc version, that includes all of the
charts for the airports that are featured in this scenery’s region, as well
Surprisingly, I have never really gone and looked at Venice in as an informative section on where to go and what to do and, most
Flight Simulator until now. Why I couldn’t tell you, but rest assured importantly, how to get the most out of the Venice scenery on your
that with the Venice add-on from Aerosoft I will spend a good deal of computer. The manual covers a great deal of information and even
time exploring this beautiful region and wonder what it might actually includes the SIDs for Tessera and comprehensive airport diagrams of
be like to visit some day! both Tessera and San Nicolo airports.

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 REVIEW

Venice, The Aerosoft Version!

Viewing the pre-release screenshots for this title ultimately led me
to one line of thought, and that was that the product would be a frame
rate hog. And that led me to my first question, which was; how well is
Flight Simulator X going to run this product? Surprisingly Venice runs
wonderfully in Flight Simulator X. Although there is a slight frame
rate impact you can work around it by removing AI traffic such as
boats and aircraft.

Ultimately I do recommend leaving your sliders alone until you

figure out how both Flight Simulator and Venice are going to run and
then changing it as you go to configure it to your liking and how you THE VIKING AT SAN NICOLO
want the scenery to appear. The performance issues are negligible and
tolerable on decent systems, so if you have a slower computer you
may have to tinker a little with settings, but with this much detail I was
expecting the performance hit to be much more than it was.

Now that we have the performance issues out of the way let’s go
ahead and take a look at the scenery package. The Venice add-on not
only includes the city of Venice but it also includes two fully modeled
airports, these are Tessera International and San Nicolo Airfield. Both
are within eye shot of the city of Venice and make for some very
interesting visual approaches over the city itself.

Tessara is, of course, the International airport and services a

wide array of airlines and commuter aircraft and sits to the north of
Venice. San Nicolo is a small dirt airfield that sits to the south east of
Venice in the island community of Lido de Venenzia and proves an
exciting location for the sightseeing flyer as you don’t have to put up
THE ARRIVAL HUB, CRUISE SHIPS, CARS , BOATS… OH MY!
with the busy airspace around Tessara to get your plane either in the
air or back on the ground.

Venice itself has been designed from the ground up to give it an

ultra-realistic look from within Flight Simulator. The buildings
and ground textures have been done to match the real city and
when you compare the Venice package from Aerosoft to the photo
scenery in Google Earth they match almost 100% giving the flight
sim user a true virtual model of the city of Venice. No matter what
airport you choose to fly out of, the city of Venice is nearby and
can be found simply by adjusting your view only.

The city has been created using custom scenery objects and
buildings that match their real world counterparts. In fact, some
of the buildings have photo-real textures giving them a very
realistic look. One of the first things you will want to do is
look at the landmarks. The first place I managed to find was S.
Maria della Salute. It sits right on the canal and is beautifully S. MARIA DELLA SALUTE
rendered in Flight Simulator. The first thing I wanted to do was
compare the Aerosoft Venice S. Maria della Salute to that of the
real one. To do this I found myself on Google Maps and I was
able to bring up several still photos of the real thing and I was
quite amazed at how close the FS version actually came to the
real thing.

I could sit here all day and talk about all of the different
landmarks, hotels, motels, homes, and apartments that litter the
small city of Venice, but seeing is believing and I hope that I have
expressed that in my screenshots. There is a lot to cover in such a
small area and I found myself with about 20 different pictures of
buildings throughout the city and ultimately had to delete most of
them because of space.

ONE OF MANY WALK WAYS OVER THE CANALS 25

cpm1206a.indd 25 5/23/2008 3:05:58 PM

 SO MUCH TO SEE!

WHAT A NICE LITTLE PARK VENICE

PARKED AT TESSERA CLIMBING OUT OF TESSERA

26 CPM. V12I6
CLIMBING OUT OF SAN NICOLO IN THE RUTAN! THE MAIN TERMINAL AND TOWER

cpm1206a.indd 26 5/23/2008 3:06:01 PM

 REVIEW

Touring Venice!
The box says that you can see Venice either by air or by boat. By boat
was my first choice but I couldn’t find anything small enough in the boat
department to navigate through the canals within the city of Venice so I
opted for the flying experience instead.

The first aircraft of choice was Lionheart’s newest re-release of the

Viking for FSX. It’s quick and fast and makes for a nice all around general
aviation aircraft to do some sightseeing in. I started my flight at San Nicolo
and flew out over the ocean before turning around to get a good look at
ANOTHER SHOT OF THE TESSERA TERMINAL Lido de Venenzia and then onto Venice.

With its many hotels and motels Lido de Venenzia is a major draw for
tourists. Its close proximity to the ocean and even closer proximity to the
historical city of Venice makes this the ideal vacation spot, but you can’t
help but wonder what they do with all of the people as it is a relatively
small area with a lot of homes and motels all in one spot. Put that together
with thousands of tourists and you can’t help but wonder where they all go?

As you continue to tour overhead make special note of the historical

buildings and churches, like the S. Maria della Salute as it has been fully
rendered in the Aerosoft scenery, as is Arsenale. Flying overhead also
reveals the romantic draw that is the City of Venice, the open markets and
restaurants are only a heart beat away as you follow the waterways and
canals throughout this small city. Watch as the gondola’s take tourists
from one side of the city to the other and watch as vehicles make their
way across SR11.
VENICE FROM AFAR!
There is also a mainline road system that comes from the mainland
via SR11, or Ponte della Liberta, as well as complex rail systems that
brings goods from the mainland. One of things you will notice as you
fly overhead is how compact everything is. There isn’t a whole lot of
room for roads in the city of Venice and I had to laugh when I saw the
huge parking garage next to the docks at the entrance to the city as this
must be where the cars sit for a good portion of one’s visit to Venice.
Cruise ships and other shipping vessels are also a predominant fixture
in this region of the world, as the cruise liners that visit there are
responsible for a big part of the local tourism scheme.

As you fly out over Venice and start heading inland you will see the
city of Mestre off in the distance. Although this part of the scenery is
not covered in the Aerosoft product it is done remarkably well in the
default FSX scenery. As you near the coastline you will see Tessera
International off to the right of your plane. This area is covered in the
scenery package and offers some nice custom ground textures as well
as a fully detailed airport with custom buildings and objects.
OVER VENICE

I guess the best way to actually experience this scenery would be

to do it in a low and slow flying aircraft. The Viking I used is a faster
general aviation plane. Perhaps a helicopter would be well suited for
this scenery package as there are several islands in and around Venice
that would allow for some interesting helicopter training and landings.

In The End
Venice from Aerosoft is a well crafted scenery package and if you
have any desire to fly in this region of the world than it is worth the
price to be paid. The Venice package offers a historically accurate city
to fly around, mixed in with today’s newer landmarks. Pick out these
landmarks and see if you can learn them by name! Flying low and
slow with this product is definitely the way to go. Venice X is available
in both download and boxed versions. The boxed edition retails for
US$34.95. Check your favorite sim retailer for availability. 4

TAKE A BOAT TOUR 27

cpm1206a.indd 27 5/23/2008 3:06:09 PM

 FTX Au Blue Review
BY DR JOHN LATTANZIO
4
Brief History
One of the advantages of FS is that it covers the whole world.
But one of the disadvantages is that it covers the whole world. The
textures used in Europe just do not work in Australia, to take an

S
cenery or planes? That is the usual decision
extreme example. Some variation is included in the default but its just
we have to make. A few spare dollars appear not realistic for many areas. Australia, in particular, has colors (and
somehow and we are certain to spend them on flora) that are quite unlike the rest of the world, and flying the default
our hobby. But is it to be spent on a new plane? Or on scenery has never been very convincing for us southerners. A group
new scenery? There are advantages to both of course. of dedicated simmers (as they like to be called, or “butters” as most
would call them!) decided to provide better textures for Australia.
The latest competitor for your scenery dollars is FTX Hence “Vista Australis” was born, know affectionately as VOZ. This
– Full Terrain Experience from Orbx Simulation was a hugely successful freeware program covering all of Australia
Systems. These are the people (headed by John with beautifully crafted textures. In fact, it even had different textures
“Koorby” Venema) who brought you Vista Australis, for different regions, such was the geographic diversity of Australia.
better known perhaps as VOZ, so they have a high Holger Sandmann even provided freeware terrain mesh for Australia
of 76m resolution (more on this later). So one could get excellent
reputation to live up to! Having conquered Australia, scenery for all of Australia, for free. Many airports and cities were
they now have the rest of the world in their sights! added in the VOZ project, including some lovely photoreal areas

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 REVIEW
(Canberra and Tamworth spring to mind). All sorts of details were
added, and I remember seeing some animations of bushfires in
some places! To see what they achieved, I direct you to my series of
articles on VFR in Australia using VOZ as the scenery background, in
Computer Pilot Issues for June, July and August 2007.

With the release of FSX the team set to work on updating things.
There was a (now retired) freeware VSX project which provides some
freeware airports for FSX. But the real FSX product is FTX – Full
Terrain Experience, and freeware airports for FTX are also being
prepared by the same team. FTX is initially available for Australia,
but then region packs for other countries will be added in the future. FIGURE 3 - LARGE VIEWS ARE VERY COMPELLING
At present two Australian regions are available, FTX-Blue and FTX-
Gold. The Blue region, which I will be reviewing here, covers the
temperate southern parts of Australia – most of New South Wales, all
of Victoria and Tasmania, and the southern parts of South Australia
and Western Australia.

How Does It Look?

That’s enough background – let’s see what it looks like! After this,
we will discuss how it looks like this, and how you go about setting
things up for the best effects. But for now… feast your eyes on the
screenshots. Figures 1-3 show some shots taken in country Victoria
and New South Wales. With FTX you want to head away from the big
FIGURE 4 - A MISTY APPROACH TO A COUNTRY AIRSTRIP
cities and get into the rural areas. The whole thing is so natural that it
looks photoreal. Figures 4-6 show how the airports fit into the scenery
so beautifully. In fact, sometimes they are very hard to see just like
in real life. Figure 6 shows how well the airfields are blended into the
scenery, in most cases. I spent hours searching for some of the smaller
airports, despite instructions being included on how to find them.
There are also some unusual inclusions, like the curved airfield at
Ceres near Geelong (Figure 7). And if Figs 8 and 9 do not ignite your
passion for searching out these smaller airfields while flying VFR,
then nothing will. It’s so real!

FIGURE 5 - OVER 60 ADDITIONAL AIRFIELDS ARE INCLUDED IN DETAIL

FIGURE 1 - FTX REALLY COMES TO LIFE OUTSIDE CITIES

FIGURE 6 - AS IN REAL LIFE, SOME FIELDS ARE HARD TO SPOT

FIGURE 2 - THE NEW TEXTURES ARE JUST PERFECT! FIGURE 7 - THE CURVED RUNWAY YCES IN VICTORIA, NEAR GEELONG

29

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 Note that the autogen trees are placed along the roads. This is what
happens in reality, but it’s not what the autogen does by itself. It
needs help. And that is one of the things that FTX does. Of course, it
also provides fine textures! That is a significant part, but the care to
the placement of autogen features is a significant part of the overall
effect. For example, have a look at Figure 12.

FIGURE 8 - VERY IMMERSIVE!

FIGURE 12 - YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE FARMERS WAVING AT YOU

Have you ever seen a more realistic looking country shot? There
is the farmhouse and the driveway leading to the road. The crops,
the rolling hills and the tree-lined roads and rivers, again. But note
how the autogen buildings are in the correct places! See a close-up of
FIGURE 9 - SUCH A NATURAL LOOKING VIEW another example in Figure 13.

A closer examination is required to see how this realism is

achieved. The scenery looks photoreal. But it’s not. It’s generic, but
it’s almost hand-made. Let me explain. Take a look at Figures 10 and
11, and note the roads.

FIGURE 13 - AUTOGEN BUILDINGS ARE PLACED BEAUTIFULLY

This sort of placement makes the scenes seem vivid and truly 3D as
you get closer to them, in a way that simple photoreal scenery (or any
simple textures) do not. (Note – away from the cities, turn the autogen
up to MAXIMUM!). More on this below.
FIGURE 10 - NOTE THE TREE-LINED ROADS

FIGURE 11 - CLEVER PLACEMENT OF AUTOGEN TREES FIGURE 14 - REALISTIC COASTLINES AT LAST!

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 REVIEW

FIGURE 18 - THE COMBINED EFFECT IS STUNNING

FIGURE 15 - A CONVINCING VIEW FROM THE CUB

The coastlines have been totally reworked to look much more

realistic, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. This is the first time that I
thought that the coastlines looked convincing, although there were
still some places where the sand looked not quite right. But overall,
it’s a dramatic improvement.

There are real roads in this scenery – not just major highways but
also some lesser roads. And they are occupied with vehicles. It really
adds to the immersion when you see a little car on a country road, or a
truck on a highway out in the country (Figure 16). Some of the other
FIGURE 19 - ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL VISTA
nice touches are the large number of vertical obstructions, be they
towers or power lines or beacons (e.g. Figure 17). These truly add to
the overall experience. And there is wildlife included! I have not yet
seen any kangaroos but I have seen birds in a few places!

FIGURE 20 - FARMS, ROADS, HOUSES ALL COMBINED REALISTICALLY

FIGURE 16 - TRAFFIC POPULATES ROADS, INCLUDING

SOME MINOR COUNTRY ROADS

FIGURE 21 - CITIES LOOK GREAT TOO

FIGURE 17 - UNEXPECTED STRUCTURES ABOUND,

ADDING TO THE REALISM

The new textures themselves are excellent, of course. Figures 18-20

show some examples. The vistas are genuinely remarkable. But with
all these rural examples, do not think that FTX does not improve the
cities and urban areas – see Fig 21. You will get real improvements
everywhere, it’s just that there are some real gems hiding away from FIGURE 22 - ALL MAJOR ROADS ARE INCLUDED
the cities (Figs 22-24).

31

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 You get seasonal variations included, of course. But they are very
realistic, and not the gross changes that you see in the default FSX
scenery for Australia. Figure 26 shows what I mean. The top two
pictures are the FSX default for summer (left) and winter (right). The
difference is just too dramatic. And the textures are not so realistic
for Australia anyway, although a dramatic improvement on FS2004,
it has to be said. The bottom two pictures are the FTX versions of the
same things – summer on the left, winter on the right. The variation
is much more realistic and the textures just much more believable to
start with. (The shot was taken over southern West Australia.)

FIGURE 23 - WATCH THE CROPS CHANGE WITH THE SEASONS

Overall, I think that the improvement seen is dramatic and at about
$30 it is well worth the price. Very highly recommended. Of course, the
$30 does not buy you all of Australia, but just the “AU-BLUE” region.
The recently released AU-Gold (covering the sub-tropical Queensland
area) is another $30, and there are 2 more regions planned (see Fig 27).
There is a promise of discounts for people buying large amounts of
FTX, but no details as of yet. Of course, one must balance this against
the cost of other scenery. The main competitor to FTX is probably the
various photo-realistic sceneries. These are also not cheap and rarely
cover areas as large as FTX, so make your choice based on where
you will fly and how often. I can assure you that I found FTX to be
excellent, as I hope the pictures illustrate. Go to their website for some
larger shots, and movies.

FIGURE 24 - JUST OUTSIDE HOBART

With any automated system, it is not 100% foolproof. I did get one
jarring juxtaposition of textures and scenery – Fig 25. But this was
the only one I saw in many hours of flying!

FIGURE 27 - THE FOUR PLANNED FTX REGIONS FOR AUSTRALIA

How Does It Work?

So how does it all work? Firstly some basics of how FS works. The
land is first placed over a “wire terrain mesh” which includes heights
FIGURE 25 - WELL, IT DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK FLAWLESSLY at specific points. The default terrain mesh for Australia is not too bad,
but has some problems with slopes around the shorelines. If you have
something like FSGlobal then you have a more refined resolution mesh
available. There are payware add-ons that are even finer, but for smaller
regions of Australia. Also, you can get a free download of 76m terrain
mesh from Holger Sandmann from the FTX website.

The next task is to cover the terrain mesh with something! The kind
of texture to be used is defined by a landclass which might be “forest” or
“suburbs” or “city” etc. These are on 1.2 square km slabs. Once you have
the class the next thing is to select a specific texture for that class, known
as a “tile”. If all the tiles for a specific class were the same then the scenery
would be very boring. There are typically 5-16 different tiles within a
given class, so that there is some variation. These tiles can, in principle, be
placed next to each other and it should all look good. In principle.

Now we get to some of the advances made by FTX. They have paid
particular attention to the interaction of tiles with the mesh, so that
FIGURE 26 - SEASONAL VARIATION IS MUCH BETTER IN FTX
discontinuities are removed. They use specially designed tiles to merge one
(BOTTOM) THAN IN THE DEFAULT (UPPER). SUMMER IS ON THE landclass with another so that the edges of a suburban and rural area are not
LEFT, WINTER ON THE RIGHT jarring to the eye, and are much more likely to look like the real world.

32 CPM. V12I6

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 REVIEW
On top of this they have designed the coastlines by hand, using driveways even!) and then FTX mode ON populates this work with
vector polygons so that they look good at all heights and with autogen in the right places. Note that on the right we have a road now
beaches, which do not appear in the default. This is why I called this running from the middle of the right edge of the picture to the middle
“hand-made generic” scenery, even though the name is an oxy-moron. of the top edge. This is totally absent from the frame on the left, but it
It is a clever combination of both techniques. makes it all look so much more realistic.

Everything up to here is included in the new textures that you get Further, on the left you can see many positions for buildings, as
when you buy FTX. But you also get a program that will turn on or identified by their roofs. This looks fine from fairly high. But as you
off a thing called “FTX Mode”. This is the clever arrangement of get closer it looks flat. On the right, FTX has populated those spots
real roads, buildings that are placed in the correct positions for the with 3D autogen, so that the scenery jumps out at you. Note also the
textures, and trees that follow roads and rivers etc. You can turn this intelligent placement of trees in the right image. In fact, there are none
off or on, independent of the textures. You can disable the textures in in the left image, although both had autogen set to maximum.
the scenery library in the normal way.
That should convince you of the detail that is available in FTX.
It’s not photoreal, but it seems to have the best features of photoreal
(most of the time – see Figure 25 for a rare counter example). It also
has intelligent placement of autogen objects, which I think is worth
the price of admission. Come to think of it, so are the textures. It’s a
compelling combination!

Installation and Details

Installation of FTX was trivial, as you may expect. However, there
FIGURE 28 - FTX MODE ON (RIGHT) PLACES TREES AND BUILDING MORE have been many updates since the release. These are on the forum and
REALISTICALLY THAN THE DEFAULT (LEFT) are known as “hotfixes”. There are 16 of these at the time of writing.
They will soon be compiled into one service pack, but in the meantime
As an example of the effect of FTX mode have a look at Figure 28. On you download each one and install them. It’s tedious but trivial, but also
the left is the result with FTX textures and autogen at max, but with FTX a must! You get lots of fascinating improvements and additions such as
mode OFF. On the right is the same but with FTX mode ON. Firstly, lots of power lines, beacons, improved coastlines, and lighthouses.
notice that to the left I have marked in red some random placements
of trees. It just looks wrong. It’s not dramatically wrong. But it’s not There is also a commitment to provide many free airfields for FTX
convincing. On the right, they are gone, replaced instead by a road and at the moment there are over 60 available for AU-BLUE. These
(underlined in red) which has trees alongside it. It’s much more natural are often photoreal themselves, and include associated buildings. Many
and realistic. Also look at the region circled in blue. On the left there thanks to the team who have melded them so expertly to the scenery that
is a road and you can see the tops of some buildings. On the right, the you cannot find the smaller ones! The manual includes direction and
autogen has placed buildings on these spots, generating a really nice 3D distance from the nearest airfield, but even so, finding some of these is an
effect which adds dramatically to the realism. It’s worth comparing these adventure in itself. And one I strongly recommend.
two shots carefully, as it reveals much of what is special about FTX and
how it achieves its great results. The trees in the bottom left corner are Summary
placed so much more convincingly in the right hand frame than the left. I Overall, FTX is excellent. I am not sure it’s the revolution the
don’t know why, but it certainly looks much more real to me. advertisements say it is, but certainly their approach to autogen is
raising the bar for other developers. For those wanting to fly around
Australia as it really appears then this is a no-brainer: you need this.
I also look forward to additions for other countries. This will be an
interesting development!

Finally, all of these improvements are going to make your default

sky, cloud and water textures look pretty lame. So spend the rest of
your money on a good add-on for those – Active Sky X, X-Graphics,
Flight Environment X and the soon-to-be-released Real Environment
Extreme are candidates. FEX already has some textures designed
to enhance FTX. So go get one of these additions, and then all that
FIGURE 29 - FTX MODE ON (RIGHT) PLACES BUILDINGS SO THAT
remains is to make the final flight home (Figure 30). 4
THEY LINE UP WITH THE TEXTURES! IT HAS ADDED A ROAD AND
INTELLIGENTLY PLACED TREES

One final example is shown in Figure 29. Here we are up close

and personal with a little community in northern Victoria. Both shots
use FTX textures and have autogen scenery set to the maximum. On
the left FTX mode is OFF and on the right it is ON. Note that in the
foreground on the left we see the roofs of three buildings, and the
top of a tree. On the right, the autogen has placed the buildings in
the correct places, and even stuck the tree in! So suddenly the scene
FIGURE 30 - HOMEWARD BOUND AT LAST! TREAT YOURSELF TO SOME
is three dimensional. It’s real. It’s much more convincing. The FTX
GOOD SKY AND CLOUD TEXTURES FOR THE BEST RESULTS
textures give you the great looks and the location of buildings (and

33

cpm1206a.indd 33 5/23/2008 3:06:26 PM

 FSDreamTeam’s 4
Chicago O’Hare Airport Scenery Review

BY DOUG HORTON

I
live in the Chicago area, and as a frequent
airline passenger for personal and business
travel, I pass through O’Hare airport at least
monthly and sometimes more often. Though O’Hare
is highly detailed in FS9 and FSX, there are many
details that are not as realistic as they might be, and
FSDreamTeam (FSDT) has provided replacement
scenery that significantly increases the “look and feel”
of O’Hare. The scenery package includes versions for
both FS9 and FSX, though this review pertains to my
experiences with the FSX version only. Note also that
I’m running Ultimate Traffic X, with all traffic sliders
at 100%, to illustrate airline parking at terminals.
Version Compatibility
According to FSDreamTeam, the FS9 version scenery is compatible
with FS9 with the 9.1 upgrade installed, and it runs under Windows
XP or Vista 32 bit edition. The FSX version is compatible with
FSX+SP2 minimum, or FSX+Acceleration Pack, under Windows XP
or Vista 32 and 64 bit editions. OFFICIAL DIAGRAM OF O’HARE TERMINAL 1

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 REVIEW

Scenery and Realism FSDT’s modeling of O’Hare is so accurate and up to date that the
At a glance, the FSDT scenery is much more realistic than the designers have even included the new north control tower that’s under
default scenery, including terminals, cargo buildings, maintenance construction as part of the current expansion project. The number of
buildings, and other details. Using terminal 1 as an example of the added airport vehicles is somewhat overwhelming and the density of
gate details, here’s the official diagram from http://www.flychicago. these vehicles appears to be unrelated to the airport vehicle density
com/ohare/concessionsohare/pdf/T1B.pdf slider on the traffic tab of the display – settings UI. With the slider
at zero, the large number of vehicles is still present. In both FSDT
Comparing views in FSX of terminal 1 concourse C from FSDT and and default scenery, many of the vehicles seem to be very large in
default scenery, FSDT has remedied the architectural design mismatch comparison to nearby aircraft, though which scenery is more correct
in the default scenery of the B and C concourses. In reality, the design in scale isn’t clear. As a design choice in favor of better performance,
of these concourses is identical, though they look very different in the FSDT has omitted some default vehicles, so using the Shift+F
default scenery. The strange slanted angles of some exterior surfaces keystroke reports that fuel trucks are not available, and baggage
of the C concourse building in the default scenery are also fixed in vehicles don’t service the user aircraft as they do with the default
the FSDT scenery, and the terminal buildings are provided in a more scenery when you open cargo doors with Shift+E+2.
realistic scale than the default buildings, which appear much too tall.
Finally, see the bird’s eye view from MS Virtual Earth, which shows
how faithful the FSDT scenery is to the real concourse C.

NEW NORTH CONTROL TOWER UNDER CONSTRUCTION

VIEW OF TERMINAL 1 CONCOURSE C IN DEFAULT SCENERY

ASSORTED SERVICE VEHICLES AT INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL GATE

VIEW OF TERMINAL 1 CONCOURSE C IN FSDT SCENERY

Comparing FSDT and default scenery, with scenery density set to
Extreme, there are buildings and a water tower visible in the upper
center of the default scenery, while these objects are not visible in the
FSDT scenery, though they are visible in the top-down view. At the
real O’Hare, there are many buildings in this area for various U.S.
military and government facilities. Additionally, the FSDT scenery
displays yellow taxiway lines with brown borders, so the lines look
brown unless you’re close. Similarly, the concrete apron surfaces look
light brown instead of the usual grey color. Perhaps this represents
“artistic license,” but from a pilot’s point of view, it looks unrealistic.

Airport and Facilities Data

The scenery includes an “AFCAD” airport and facilities data file
BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF CONCOURSE C IN MICROSOFT VIRTUAL EARTH
that modifies the default data for aircraft parking and other features.
Gates that are missing in the default scenery have been added,

35

cpm1206a.indd 35 5/23/2008 3:06:28 PM

 and the two east-west runways have been renamed to match their suggests they are trying to set a standard for other add-on scenery
updated designations, though the corresponding terminal approach developers “to really develop for FSX, not simply update an FS9
procedure designations (selectable on the default GPS instruments) scenery for FSX so it looks like it did in FS9.”
have unfortunately not been updated to match the runways, nor
for which procedures are currently effective. In the our terminal 1
example, gates and jetways match the official airport diagram exactly
– in location and numbers, but airline and cargo parking assignments
could be more realistic at all terminals and cargo facilities.

With the furnished AFCAD file, there’s also an issue related

to parking locations when add-on regional jets are included with
AI traffic. Parking spots for these aircraft are located so far from
terminals that many jetways extend too far and show gaps between
sections. FSDT says that the scenery will be updated before this
article is published, including the AFCAD file, and I’m hopeful some
of these issues will be improved.

SPECULAR EFFECT OF SUN REFLECTION ON ROOF OF CONCOURSE B

Fully 3D taxiway lighting. The taxiway lights do not simply have

the image of a light in space, like the default scenery. Instead, they
show the 3D structure of the light when the user is close enough.
Because these objects could be quite costly on performance, FSDT
precisely controls drawing these and other objects, depending on
viewpoint distance.

PARKING SPOTS TOO FAR FROM TERMINALS CAUSE

JETWAYS TO OVEREXTEND.

Other Features
FSDT on their website page for this scenery, http://www.
fsdreamteam.com/products_oharex.html, lists several features
that seem particularly interesting, and the developers have provided
additional explanations that I’ve paraphrased for readers:

Native animated inverse-kinematics based jetways in FSX.

According to FSDT, the inverse-kinematics method is the correct
way to make animated jetways in FSX, and nearly all custom FSDT
jetways at O’Hare are animated this way. Like the default jetways,
they move by recognizing airplane door position for FSX airplanes, 3D TAXIWAY LIGHT THAT INCLUDES THE FOUNDATION,
and they react to the CTRL+J keystroke to position the jetway for the POLE, AND LAMP STRUCTURE
user aircraft. Additionally, you’ll see extended and double jetways at
several gates, to match the real airport configuration, though only one
jetway is animated for each gate.
Intensive use of LOD techniques in order to offer the best possible
Use of the advanced material properties in FSX, like bump and performance. LOD (Level of Detail) is a technique to improve
specular mapping. According to FSDT, bump mapping simulates the framerate performance. A simple model is loaded when the user
roughness of surfaces and sometimes can be used to give a better 3D viewpoint is relatively distant, and then more details are added as the
appearance to a building, without increasing the number of polygons, user and object become closer. According to FSDT, their jetways have
and without having the “flat” appearance of a simple texture. Specular three different levels of detail, and most of the terminals have details
mapping can be usually seen on glass or metal surfaces, when that appear only when going closer. FSDT uses the FSX Simconnect
light strikes at certain angles, as shown in the yellow circle on the feature, which is not constrained by any of the default BGLCOMP
accompanying image. According to FSDT, this effect is more realistic limitations, so they can freely specify a visual distance for every
when Light Bloom is enabled, and the effect is better used with object. Also, they can specify other conditions for an object to appear,
DX10, since DX9 is simply too costly on framerate. Further, FSDT such as nighttime or user aircraft altitude, for example.

36 CPM. V12I6

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 REVIEW

In my opinion, the FSDT scenery object LOD properties take

getting used to if you’re slewing around the scenery. For example,
if slewing near one end of concourse C, for example, you’ll see
all jetways, light poles, and vehicles near that end, but you won’t
see these objects at the other end of the terminal. The number of
objects appearing and disappearing is quite large as you move
around the airport, and I wish the LOD effect was less noticeable.
Perhaps in a future version of FSX, or by some other means, it
will be possible to have objects fade in and out instead of suddenly
appearing and disappearing.

Vegetation that reacts to seasonal changes, with customized

snow-covered trees in winter. Yes, we often have lots of snow in
the Chicago area, and the past winter was no exception. With FSX
season and date set accordingly, a screenshot captures the seasonal
comparison very well.

SUMMER SEASON AT O’HARE

WINTER SEASON AT O’HARE

Overall Impression
Except for the issues mentioned above, I highly recommend this
add-on scenery. Clearly the authors have done a great deal of fine
work to improve the scenery over the default, and it’s amazingly
realistic in relation to my personal knowledge of the airport and
available aerial photos. For FS users who enjoy flying in and out of
O’Hare, the scenery is a joy to see. In terms of performance, I saw
no frame rate issues with the FSDT scenery relative to the default
O’Hare scenery; frame rate issues I’ve experienced near O’Hare are
caused by the high density and modeling of my AI aircraft traffic.
Chicago O’Hare is available from the FSDreamTeam website and
retails for around US$34. 4

37

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 38 CPM. V12I6

cpm1206a.indd 38 5/23/2008 3:06:34 PM

 REVIEW

“Pfalz D111”
Photograph by Rick Bryan

39

cpm1206a.indd 39 5/23/2008 3:06:40 PM

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 4

Reginald’s Secret FS Adventures:

Chapter 1
SIM FICTION BY BILL SMITH

enthusiasts on the internet and, via email, sharing tips in the complex

I
felt so ashamed. I sat on my bed with my head
down while my mother brandished the rolled up science of flight sim. But I could keep my guilty pleasure a secret from
her no longer. My name is Reginald Squires and I am a registered flight
magazines in my face. Her shrill verbal assault sim addict. This is my story.
made me feel like a dog that had been caught out
peeing on the carpet. Part 1: First Solo.
I celebrated my 29th birthday in the typically wet English autumn of
‘The things you see in these magazines are completely unrealistic!’ 1997. For many years prior to that day, I had heard of something called
she screamed. “FS”, which sounded very exciting to me. Indeed, some of the aircraft
enthusiasts that I’d become friendly with at London’s Heathrow Airport
My mother had discovered my stash of Computer Pilot magazines and claimed to have already occasionally experimented with FS. They had
was urging me to take what my American friends would call a “reality all apparently been thrilled by the experience. It was at my birthday
check”. She opened a page at random and yelled, party, attended by a small group of relatives, that a mysterious “Uncle
Jet” took me aside and quietly handed me a package.
‘Look at the size of this pair of speakers! It’s just not normal! And look
at these specifications… 2Gb of RAM, and frame rates in the high ‘This is the latest flight sim package from the USA,’ he whispered. ‘It’s
sixties? It’s ridiculous! You are in for a rude awakening young man!’ called FS 98’.
she said.
He assured me that my personal computer should “just about” be able to
I was hardly a young man any more. I was 36 years old and had long run the software. So later, after my relatives had all left, I locked myself
since given up suppressing my natural urge for flight simulation. My in my bedroom and excitedly loaded up the software into my PC. When
mum comes from another era entirely and I suppose that they just didn’t the program started, I found myself in the cockpit of a small Cessna,
have FS in her day. She did not know that I had already been active parked at the end of a runway with the motor running. I marveled at
in the FS community for seven years, secretly seeking out other FS all the instruments, which I recognized and understood after years of

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 extensive reading about aviation. It all looked very impressive but 3, number 100 or unit 100, number 3? By the time I found the correct
unfortunately, I had no idea what to do with it. How could I operate building, I was so nervous I couldn’t think straight. In the lobby of her
the ailerons and the rudder, or adjust the throttle? It was completely run-down terraced apartment, I pulled myself together and pressed the
frustrating! Suddenly I heard my mum trying to open my door. buzzer next to her name. “Betzy Wong”. She called me up to her tiny
“studio”. After the briefest exchange of pleasantries, she showed me her
‘Reginald! What are you doing in there? equipment and I was immediately disappointed. Her system was quite
old and she was running FS5. It was apparent that the reason she was
‘Nothing!’ a Learjet “specialist” was because that was the only jet in her program.
But at least she had a joystick, which was more than I had at home
‘Why is this door locked? Are you pretending to fly an aeroplane?’ where I chose to use a mouse, so that my mum would not find any
evidence that I was experimenting with FS in my room.
‘No!’ I replied as I hurriedly shut down the program and went to open
the door. ‘I always like to get payment first,’ she said, ‘so we can just relax and
enjoy the lesson.’
I convinced her that I was just using my computer to look at pictures of
young ladies, which seemed to make her happy. I paid her in cash, which she placed on her dresser. Then she took my
hand and asked,
‘Goodnight Reginald, don’t stay up too late. You’ve got work in the
morning’. ‘Are you nervous?’

Yes, I had work in the morning, but this flight sim thing looked far I nodded in silent confirmation of her question.
more interesting. I’d just wished that my father were alive because he
surely would have had a better understanding of my fascination for ‘Just relax Reginald. Can I call you Reg?’.
simulated flight than my mother. After all, it really is a “boy thing”!
The next hour raced by very quickly. Betzy sat very close to me and
The following weekend I met up again with my plane-spotting friends at times put her hand over mine as I moved the joystick around. She
at Heathrow. John the photographer was also there which was a bonus! urged me to use only gentle movements, and to always try to anticipate
He had recently become smitten with a Canadian girl so I didn’t see what the plane was going to do next. I felt clumsy and it must have
very much of him any more. A small group of us had lunch together been obvious to her that this was my first time. Her voice was soft and
and I told them about my birthday gift from uncle Jet. John was encouraging, but it was difficult to remain completely immersed in
especially keen to come and see FS98 for himself but I told him that what I was doing because of the noise of someone else flight simming
it would be better to wait until I had some instruction so that I could in the very next room. The paper-thin walls were allowing someone
properly demonstrate it to him. One of the other chaps handed me a else’s fun to intrude on what was supposed to be our “special moment”.
business card and said, My first touchdown resulted in a huge bounce, but Betzy assured me
that I had done really well for a novice.
‘Perhaps you should contact this young lady?’
After the session, Betzy persuaded me to make another appointment
I looked closely at the card. to coincide with my mum’s next bingo night. In order to facilitate my
swift departure, she made it clear that she was keen to keep small talk
“For FS fun! Come see Betzy. Experienced Oriental beauty with own to the minimum. (About the only thing I learned about Betzy was that
Joystick. “Learjet Specialist.” First –timers welcome!” she was originally from Hong Kong.)

John urged me to go and see her, and all of the chaps agreed that she While looking forward to our next secret FS session, I bought a set of
would at least get me started in the right direction. I kept her card in my headphones so that my mother would not hear the sound of aircraft
wallet for the next three weeks while I experimented with the keyboard coming from my room. I practiced as often as I could and over time,
controls for FS98. I found that the page up/page down keys controlled slowly started to build on the knowledge I gained during each FS session
the throttle and the F5-F7 keys extended or retracted the flaps. At least with Betzy. She always took the trouble to compliment me on my
I could get the Cessna off the runway and steer it around in the air with performance and even though I was fully aware that I was paying her to
the mouse, but I had to keep one ear cocked for the sound of my mother be nice to me, I drank in her flattery and drew great comfort from it.
approaching my room. Finally, I could bear the frustration no longer.
On the way home from work one evening I stopped at a phone booth, It was towards the end of one of our FS sessions in the spring of 1998
pulled out Betzy’s card and made the call that marked the beginning of that we were violently interrupted by what sounded like of a team of
a major change in my life. people crashing through the door into the hallway of the terrace house.
I noticed that Betzy’s usually relaxed body stiffened suddenly to reveal
Having finally found the courage to make an appointment with this a genuine sense of panic.
“experienced oriental beauty” at her studio, I was soon to discover that
my first actual FS experience fell somewhat short of my expectations. ‘What is it?’ I asked her anxiously.
The situation wasn’t helped by the fact that I was unnecessarily stressed
even before I arrived for my secret appointment at 7.30 pm. Earlier, My question was answered by the sound of furious knocking of the
I had been forced to appear nonchalant while I waited impatiently at locked door of her studio and the cry of ,
home for my mum to leave the house for her bingo night. As soon
as she’d gone, I also departed and began a brisk 33-minute walk ‘British Department of Immigration, open the door!’
to Betzy’s place. I became more and more anxious as I neared her
street. The address on her card was 3/100 Lawn Road. Was that unit To be continued… 4

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 4

Flight Simulator
Carrier Operations
BY JOHN ACHOR
Wings Over Vietnam
I won’t duplicate the points Mike Ray detailed. He covered the flight
from the catapult (cat shot or stroke), around the pattern and down to
catching a wire on landing (trap). I will drop in some screen shots from

I
think the first carrier landing I attempted was in the original
edition of Flight Deck — the one without a number tacked onto my experiences in this simulator.
the end — by Abacus back in 1998. The graphics and aircraft
in those days left much to be desired. The sims have improved since
then, and the availability of aircraft carriers has spread across a
number of flight simulators and as add-ons. Let’s take a look at
some of the ones available today. They span history from WW II
(IL-2 Sturmovik) to Vietnam (Wings Over Vietnam) to modern
days. Somewhere in the dark recesses of my brain, I seem to recall
a Korean era sim with carrier capabilities. I can picture flying a
F9F Panther, but a search of the web was not fruitful.

I hadn’t tried carrier landings for years, until I read Mike Ray’s
great article in the July 2007 issue of Computer Pilot magazine and
was hooked again. I bought a copy of Wings Over Vietnam and went
to work. Let’s get busy and see if we can pass our CarQuals (carrier
FIGURE 1 - WINGS OVER VIETNAM, F-4 LAUNCH
qualifications).

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 The aircraft carrier looks like a dot, even from short final. Figure 2 is
the view through the windscreen of an F-4 Phantom.

FIGURE 4 - F/A-18C COCKPIT FROM FLIGHT DECK 5

FIGURE 2 - WINGS OVER VIETNAM, F-4 ON FINAL Figure 4 Description

Reference

1. IFOLS - Improved Fresnel Optical Landing System

Put your plane on the deck of the carrier in the area of the wires and
(FD5, FS9 only) – Fly the yellow rectangle to the
your mission comes to a satisfactory conclusion with a successful trap.
center of the vertical bar. Activate the gauge with
Hold the proper airspeed and attitude to touchdown and don’t flare.
SHIFT + 5
As soon as you hit the deck, go to full throttle in case you miss all the
2. AoA – Angle of Attack Indicator – Adjust power by
wires and become a “bolter” and need to make a go-around.
moving the throttle toward the arrowhead which is
lit: Top (Green) - advance power; Bottom (Red) -
reduce power.
3. The vertical and horizontal ILS bars are displayed in
the HUD and the MFD (Multi Function Panel).
4. The correct ILS frequency must be set here for the
ILS bars to display in either location and to engage
the IFOLS.

FIGURE 3 - WINGS OVER VIETNAM, GOOD TRAP FIGURE 5 - IFOLS “GAUGE”

Modern Days – Airspeed and Glide Slope Cues The IFOLS (Improved Fresnel Optical Landing System) image
Microsoft Flight Simulator does have at least one built-in carrier (Figure 5) and the horizontal ILS bar show I’m low on the glide slope.
(off the coast near San Francisco, CA, USA) and there are free add- The vertical ILS bar also indicates I’m right of centerline.
ons available from internet sites. I’ve not been able to successfully
accomplish a trap on these ships. If you use add-ons such as FSX Adjust the angle of attack with the throttle, and the AoA indicator
Acceleration Expansion Pack and Flight Deck 5, there is plenty of will only show one or two symbols at the same time — check the five
excitement to go around. I’m using both of these and I’ll point out images — from left to right, your airspeed is:
some of the fine points and pitfalls. This first screen shot (Figure 4) is
from Flight Deck 5 (FD5) in Flight Simulator 2004 (FS9). Not all these
features are built into the FSX version. In fact, not all aircraft in FD5
have everything shown in the image. I prefer the F/A-18C Hornet for
carrier work. In some cases, the F/A-18E Super Hornet model does not
work well. I’ve never been able to lower the tail hook on this plane and
in FS2004 it gives an “aircraft initialization failure” message, which
defaults to the Cessna panel. FIGURE 6 – FIVE VERSIONS OF THE AOA INDICATOR

Here are the ways you control airspeed and stay on the glide slope. Very Low – Low – On Speed – High – Very High

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 In addition to these glide slope cues, the HUD (Heads Up Display) cockpit features. The problem I encountered with the FS2004 S3 Viking
also contains the Flight Path Marker (FPM) and the AoA Bracket, did not crop up in FSX. The cockpit graphics in FD5 are far better than
which display in the center of the HUD as shown in this small section those in the FSX Acceleration pack. Having said that, there are several
of the HUD (Figure 7). The AoA Bracket, a large “E” to the left of the FD5 aircraft in both FS2004 and FSX whose 2D and 3D cockpits are in
FPM, helps you maintain a proper airspeed. Use the throttle to move serious need of some tweaking.
the AoA Bracket to center on the FPM. If it’s high, reduce power, etc.
Note that my airspeed is right on target according to both the AoA FSX Acceleration Expansion Pack
Bracket and the AoA Indicator (to the left). All carrier operations are restricted to the Missions section of the
sim and the F/A-18 is the only available plane to fly. Flight Deck 5
aircraft can be loaded outside FSX Missions and the FD5 parameters,
but carrier traps are not possible. There are also six separate FD5 flights
listed under the Flight | Load command. Unfortunately, activating the
tail hook is questionable. Problems like: “aircraft model not defined,”
AI aircraft popping up in front of you on landing, and the carrier not
being visible during flight replays, are common.
FIGURE 7 - FLIGHT PATH MARKER & AOA BRACKET

There are a lot of cues to master. It takes practice to coordinate

them all and hit the deck in the area of the wires. As with any
precision instrument approach, make small corrections and don’t
chase the needles.

Abacus Flight Deck 5 – FS2004 (FS9)

I installed this add-on in FS9 as well as FSX. Truth be told, I prefer
the FS9 features. There are a couple of defaults I don’t care for. The
default HUD color is green (for night flying) and canned missions in
FS9 start with flight path boxes turned on. To correct the first item, look
for the top right toggle switch on the panel just left of the radio stack
(refer back to Figure 4); a single click resets the color to black. I dislike
those red boxes with a passion, they make me feel like I’m jumping FIGURE 9 - TAXI TO THE CAT IN FSX ACCELERATION
through square hoops. If you don’t want them either, use the menu to
access Aircraft | Visual Flight Path, then remove check mark (tick) on
For canned FSX flights, taxi toward the catapult hookup rectangle
the “Enable Visual Flight Path” command and click OK. Now, all is
and put your nose gear inside that outline. There are new key
right with the world.
commands for carrier ops and they may be hard to find. SHIFT + U
[Launch bar (extend/retract)] will extend the launch bar and you must
also engage that bar to the catapult system with the SHIFT + I [Takeoff
assist (arm/disarm)] command. These commands as well as the
“Takeoff assist (trigger)” command did not work after I installed FSX
Acceleration. I had to reset them in the Settings | Controls section.

FIGURE 8 – NIGHT TRAP, FLIGHT DECK 5 IN FS9

Figure 8 shows a successful night trap in Flight Deck 5 installed

in Flight Simulator 2004. One last word about this version; in my FIGURE 10 - LAUNCH BAR FIGURE 11 - LAUNCH BAR
RETRACTED EXTENDED & ENGAGED
installation the S3 Viking causes problems. When looking around the
2D cockpit with either my joystick hat switch or using the keypad
numbers, e.g., the 4 or 6 key, it crashes the sim — no recovery
available. Still, the F/A-18C cockpit outshines FSX Acceleration. Run the power up and hit SHIFT + Spacebar [Takeoff assist (trigger)]
when you’re ready to launch. Fly a typical pattern to final. Here are
Abacus Flight Deck 5 – FSX three screen captures from the same point on final approach. From left
Most of the FS9 features are here also, except for the IFOLS — in its to right are: 2D Cockpit — 3D Cockpit — External View.
place are voice commands from the LSO (Landing Signal Officer). All
flights are tied to the Mission section of the simulator. I prefer the F/A- The 2D cockpit shown in Figure 12 is the only 2D view available
18C model here as well. Others are interesting, but the Hornet has more — no full panel image exists using the “W” key.

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 FIGURE 15 - FSX ACCELERATION TRAP

IL-2 Sturmovik, 1946

Aircraft carrier flights are available from the Single Mission menu.
Under “Air Force,” select “USN” and choose from two takeoff and two
FIGURE 12 - 2D COCKPIT landing missions. Try a takeoff first. You find yourself on the flight deck
and need to start the engine (the “I” key). You also will have to remove
the chocks. They won’t show in an external view and there is no default
key command to achieve this, so go to the Controls page and look for
Aircraft Controls. From there, scroll down to “Toggle Chocks” and pick
a command — I used CONTROL + C. While you’re there, check the
item immediately above it, “Toggle Arresting Hook” to be sure it is set.
I’ve added so many commands; I don’t recall all the defaults, so this
might be a default command. If it’s not set, I suggest using the “H” key.

That “Chocks” command nearly drove me nuts. I flew the Single

Mission and created a Carrier Ops flight in Full Mission Planner (FMP)
and couldn’t figure out why the bird wouldn’t move down the deck
at full power. I’d like to claim I solved the problem on my own, but
I didn’t. However, there are a dedicated group of folks online who
helped. There are others, but try the Ubisoft forums related to IL-2 at:
http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/23110283/m/9121094645

Bearcat99 presents a great tutorial for IL-2. People like Bearcat99

have expended the time and make it easier for newbies — read the post
to get a handle on some of the items that are driving you crazy.

With the engine started and chocks removed, set takeoff flaps and
advance power smoothly. No steam catapults here. On downwind,
opposite the carrier, drop the gear, lower the tail hook and set partial
FIGURE 13 - 3D COCKPIT flaps. When you turn onto final approach, set landing flaps.

Figure 17 shows you coming over the threshold — raise the nose to
bleed off airspeed and when over the wires, chop the power.

FIGURE 14 - EXTERNAL VIEW ON FINAL FIGURE 16 - F6F HELLCAT CLEARS THE DECK

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 In the menu, select View | Objects, and in the top drop-down
window, pick “Ships,” select a carrier from the bottom list and place
it on the map. To put the object on the map, point to the desired place,
hold CONTROL and left click your mouse. Put a second spot on the
map to establish a line of travel for the carrier. These two icons will
be blinking; to proceed, right click one of them and click “Unselect.”
Next, select a destroyer and place it on the screen astern and to the
left of the carrier; place a second spot on the map for the destroyer,
paralleling the one for the carrier.

FIGURE 17 - CLOSE TO TOUCHDOWN

FIGURE 18 - GOT THE WIRE

FIGURE 20 - CARRIER PATTERN

That should lead to a good trap.

If you want to create you own carrier flights, you have two choices.
For the easy way visit the “Mission 4 Today” web site at: http://
mission4today.com/index.php?name=Downloads&c=50

Scroll down to “IL2_CTMG” and download the Carrier Training

Mission Generator by LSA_.

He includes fine instructions, so I won’t repeat them here. Even if

you want to create your own from scratch, this program is worth a look.

The second method, using the Full Mission Planner (FMP) built into
the IL-2 simulator, requires a bit more effort. Check the installation
folder for a file named “manual.pdf” — it has a fairly good set of
instructions for FMP. From the Main Menu page, select FMP and under
the File | Load menu item, pick the desired part of the world you want FIGURE 21 - CLICK SET, MOVE CURSOR TOWARD CARRIER
to work with. When the window opens, you will see a slider bar on the
left side of the screen. Dragging the slider down will zoom the image.
To selectively zoom, pick a spot on the map, hold the SHIFT key down
and left click and drag a rectangle around the desired spot. To move the
map, left click and drag the map.

FIGURE 19 – FMP VIEW OBJECTS FIGURE 22 - MOVE CURSOR OVER CARRIER ICON

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 “Difficulty” pages (second page) to be sure that “Takeoff & Land”
is turned on — if you miss this step the mission starts at altitude over
the carrier. Click the Back, Back and Fly buttons. Fly the mission
to confirm the position of the pattern icons. The placement of the
destroyer should allow you to line up on it for downwind and key your
turn to base leg. If they aren’t where you want them, end the flight and
make the needed modifications to the mission.

Did you notice in Figure 17 that IL-2 is the only simulator that
models catching a wire? The others allow for a good trap, but don’t
show the tail hook actually dragging a wire.

FIG. 23 – LEFT CLICK MOUSE BUTTON AND TARGET IS SET TO CARRIER I hope this last one counts as a three point landing. 4

Now select “Aircraft” in the top window and pick your plane.
Create a traffic pattern around the carrier with seven placements of the
aircraft icon. The first one should be just in front of the carrier and the
last one immediately astern of the carrier. On the “Waypoint” tab, set
the first airplane icon to “Takeoff” and the last to “Landing.” Use the
“Set” button to “Target” the carrier icon for the Landing and Takeoff
waypoints. When the target cursor is on the carrier icon, left click the
mouse button (Figures 21, 22 and 23).

One final item; on the “Plane 1” tab, place a check mark (tick) next
to “Player”. Save the results. Now you’re ready to test fly the mission
FIGURE 24 - OOPS ...
(File | Play), don’t forget those pesky chocks. Check the

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 4

Incredible India!
BY TOM KURTZ

It was a very smooth flight, the food was

W
hen I took the OK, and I hadn’t seen the movie before. Later
assignment to fly VFR I fell asleep. The flight attendant woke us
when we were getting ready to land. Hey, and
in India and write I was sure he didn’t believe me. We were we were just about on time too.
about it, I didn’t realize what a directed to the first class section by a lovely
task it would be. flight attendant and settled down for a long By the way my crew consists of “Andy”
flight. I saw the Captain whisper to her and another pilot, and “Gene” a photographer.
Where do you start flying in the laugh. She looked back at me with that look Yes, a photographer. Did you think I have
geographically seventh largest country in on her face that said, “Is this guy a nut case?” time to take pictures and fly too?
the world? Not to mention the second most
populous in the world. I thought of all the
wonderful places and things to see. It took a
while to come up with an interesting aerial
tour. I decided to fly around the most popular
cities and interesting areas. So where to
begin this adventure? At KJFK in New York,
of course. I got the tickets for the World
Travel Airlines flight to Delhi, India. I was
promised the flight would be non-stop and
on time. I warned the Captain when myself
and my crew boarded the plane that I could
fly a Boeing 747 and would take over if he
couldn’t get us there on time. He just smiled. BOARDING FOR THE FLIGHT TO INDIA AT KJFK LANDED AT NEW DELHI, INDIA

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 First thing we did after clearing customs
was rent a Cessna 172 to take a look around
the city. The official language here is Hindi.
The subsidiary unofficial language is
English. Well, I speak English (not too well),
and no Hindi, so I hired “Sabu” a bi-lingual
guide to accompany us on the tour. Sabu
insisted that we must see the Taj Mahal. He
said not visiting the Taj Mahal while you
are in India is like visiting the United States
and not going to see The Statue of Liberty.
He said the “Taj” was about 204 kilometers
southwest of New Delhi in the city of Agra. CITY OF AGRA SEARCHING FOR THE TAJ MAHAL
It is on a site overlooking the Yamuna River.
In the Army we referred to Kilometers as
Gene was the first to spot the dome of
“Klicks”. So let me figure how far it is in
the Taj. “There it is!” he yelled and started
something I understand...Ok if I remember
taking pictures.
correctly 100 Klicks is about 60 miles, so
we are a little over 120 miles from the “Taj”.
The Cessna had a full tank so after a flight
over New Delhi we headed for Agra.

PARKED AT AGRA AIRPORT

I decided to rent a helicopter to explore

OVER THE TAJ MAHAL
Agra and locate the Taj Mahal. The
“Chopper” would allow us to fly low and
slow in order to see the sights. Lucky enough Andy flew around to the west side of the
EXPLORING NEW DELHI there was a Bell 206 Jet Ranger available. Taj. The west side is Mosque.
Although I am a licensed helicopter pilot and
with many hours combat flying in Vietnam,
As we flew to Agra Sabu gave us a short I gave the keys to Andy. I was having a little
history of the Taj Mahal. It was built by the “Jet Lag” and tired from flying the Cessna
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between the for the last couple of hours. Andy was a great
years 1631-1653. The grounds of the Taj helicopter pilot. He too was trained by the
Mahal spread over 42 acres. It is one of the U.S. Army.
Seven Wonders of the World. It is “the epitome
of love” a monument of immeasurable beauty.
It is not just the beauty of the building, but the
immense love which was the reason for its
construction. It was constructed in the memory
of the Emperor’s young and beautiful wife
Mumtaz Mahal. She died at a young age. The
WEST SIDE OF THE TAJ MAHAL
name Taj Mahal was derived from her name.
Taj Mahal means “Crown Palace”. There is a
legend that when the construction was finished
the Emperor had the workmen’s hands cut
off so that they would never be able to build
anything like it again. Another story says he
had the workmen’s eyes put out so that they
could never see anything more beautiful than
the Taj Mahal. Sabu thought it was just legend BELL 206 JETRANGER WE WILL FLY TO LOOK
FOR THE TAJ MAHAL
because no one could be that cruel. He was
about to go on with the story, but stopped in
mid-sentence and pointed out the window, We flew toward the Yamuna River then
“There’s the Agra airport!” I requested followed it southwest keeping our eyes
permission to land, entered the traffic pattern peeled for a glimpse of the white dome of
and landed. the Taj. LANDED ON THE MALL OF THE TAJ MAHAL

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 The Taj Mahal was absolutely beautiful.
Sabu was so proud of it you’d have
thought he was one of the builders. We
flew back to the Agra airport and took the
Cessna 172 back to New Delhi. I told Sabu
that we needed a suggestion about what
to see next. I said it had to be something
famous and interesting. Sabu flashed
his pearly white smile, rolled his eyes
toward heaven, “Then I must show you
the Ganges River. Not just the river itself,
but its source high in the foothills of the
CLIMBING OUT OF NEW DELHI THE GANGOTRI JUST AHEAD
Himalayas at a place called the Gangotri
which is sacred to the Indian people. Few
westerners have ever seen it” he said.
Dehradun airport (VIDN) is about 210
The Ganga, the Indian word for the Klicks from New Delhi. You may use the
Ganges, is a major river of the Indian flight planner to set up the flight and let the
subcontinent associated with myth, autopilot and the GPS fly the plane or dial in
religion and reality. Hindu believers say 375 KHZ on your ADF and head for the NDB
the Ganges will wash away your sins when Dehradun. I flew manually using the ADF.
you bathe in its healing waters. The Ganga
is also important to neighboring countries
like Bangladesh.

The Gangotri Glacier (the source of

the Ganga) is high in the foothills of THE GANGOTRI GLACIER - SOURCE OF THE
the Himalayas northeast of the city of GANGES RIVER
Dehradun. The glacier is a vast expanse
of ice five miles wide and fifteen miles
in length at an altitude of 14,000ft. in the The glacier was beautiful. It looked like
state of North Ultar Pradesh. Two of the a field of glittering diamonds in the bright
tributaries of the Ganga are the Bhagirathi sunlight. We circled the glacier several times
and the Alaknanda rivers. These rivers to get pictures from all angles then headed
THE VILLAGE OF DEHRADUN
join to form the Ganga. The Yamuna back to Dehradun.
River which flows by the Taj Mahal flows
parallel to the Ganga and later merges We refueled the plane and filed a flight “Ok, Sabu, where to next?” Sabu got
with it at the Holy City of Allahabad. plan and got take-off clearance in just a little that wistful look on his face like a child
There is also a mystical underground over an hour. Sabu couldn’t wait to see the getting ready to pick something from
river, the Saraswati (sorry no picture). The Gangotri Glacier. He had heard about it all a candy counter, “I think you should
delta of the Ganga is a vast swampy forest his life, but never had a way to go there. see Mumbai. The city’s old name was
called the Sunderbans by the Indians. The Bombay.” I thought, “Bombay? Why not?
Sunderbans is home to the Royal Bengal I remember seeing movies about Bombay
Tiger who still kills more than thirty during World War II. The city was always
people a year in the area. crawling with spies. Now I had a chance
to see it for real. OK, let’s take a break
Ok, now that we have had our at Dehradun, refuel the plane and head to
geography lesson let’s do some more Bombay,” I said. The rest of the crew was
flying. After landing at New Delhi we OK with the choice of Bombay.
planned our trip to the Gangotri Glacier.
Figuring the distance and the amount of It is 835 nm from Dehradun to Bombay,
survival gear we would need in case we that’s about 5.5 hours enroute barring any
went down, our baggage and other stuff change in the weather that would result
I decided to rent a bigger plane. There in bucking headwinds. I set the flight
was Cessna Caravan 208B available. This CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF AT DEHRADUN planner destination for the Chhatrapati
plane is just what we needed. The 208B Shivaji International airport (VABB) at
is made for heavy duty bush flying, It is Mumbai (Bombay). I was going to let
rugged, fast, easy to fly, and with plenty of We kept climbing to a cruise altitude of the GPS and the autopilot do the work
room for passengers and cargo. The 208B 18,500 ft. I wanted to make sure we would this time. I tuned the Nav 1 radio to the
has a service ceiling of 22,800 ft and we clear the mountains and be just above the Mumbai VOR 116.60 and selected radial
would need that capability to get up to the glacier at the 14,000 ft level. Of course we 135. I wanted to land on RWY 14 when
glacier. The expense was not a problem would only be about 3,500 ft AGL. Gene was we got there so I tuned the Nav 2 radio to
because my company boss was paying the taking pictures all the way. Suddenly Sabu 110.10 ILS frequency. Once we attained
bills. yelled, “There’s the glacier!” cruising altitude of 12,500 ft on the

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 assigned airway I turned the controls over “I’d like to get some pictures of the
the Andy and took a nap. I must have slept confluence of those rivers,” said Gene.
a long time because I heard somebody say
we are on approach to the airport. Andy Andy already had the maps out and
hollered at me, “Ok, sleeping beauty. Are checked the flight path to Allahabad. “It
you awake enough to make the landing?” I looks like about 622 nm from Mumbai on a
came forward and flopped into the left seat course of 051. I figure about 4 hours enroute”
and took the yoke. “That 5.5 hours seemed he said.
like 5.5 minutes” I thought.
“OK, let’s get a good night’s sleep and
take-off in the morning,” I said.

MUMBAI WATERFRONT
The next morning we filed our flight plan.
Andy programmed the flight planner for
Mumbai (VABB) to Allahabad (VIAL). The
Then Sabu said we should take a look at the
weather promised to be very good all the
beautiful suburb of Juhu and its beaches before
way to Allahabad. The time passed quickly
returning to the airport. He said if he ever gets
with listening to Sabu tell stories about his
enough money he would like to live in Juhu.
boyhood in this great country. It was Gene
who first spotted the city and the rivers,
“There’s the rivers just ahead and you can
really see the confluence from this altitude”
PARKED AT MUMBAI AIRPORT he said and began shooting pictures.

We rented another Bell 206 helicopter

to tour Bombay. I took the controls and we
flew all around the city and let Sabu point
out the sights.

JUHU A SUBURB OF MUMBAI

THE CONFLUENCE OF THE GANGA AND

YAMUNA RIVERS

CITY OF MUMBAI AND AIRPORT

BEACHES OF JUHU

On the way back to the airport I asked

Sabu where he suggested we go next. He
thought for a moment, “I think we should go
OVER THE HOLY CITY OF ALLAHABAD
to Kolkata which used to be called Calcutta”
he said. I thought about the intrigue of the
mysterious city of Calcutta that was always
brought out in movies. “OK, next stop
Kolkata or Calcutta, whatever” I said. Sabu
held up his hand for attention.

OVER THE CITY OF MUMBAI “What?”

“On our way to Kolkata we should stop at

Sabu said the waterfront and beautiful the Holy City of Allahabad where the sacred
beaches were a big attraction for tourists waters of the Ganga and Yamuna join together
from all over the world. So we flew over the and become the great Ganges River. There is an
waterfront and beaches. airport in the city where we may land” he said. LANDED AT ALLAHABAD AIRPORT

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 4.5 million and another 14 million people
in the extended metro area. It is the fourth
largest city in India. I asked Sabu if there
was any special place we should see.

He flashed that million dollar smile again,

“Yes, you should see the Victoria Memorial.
You must remember that England ruled
India for many years. Queen Victoria
was also known as the Empress of India.
A memorial was built to honor her. The
memorial resembles the Taj Mahal, but it is
not as beautiful.”

We got out the tourist map, which was

not easy to read, I could hardly pronounce
the names of the streets. Sabu touched my
shoulder, “Not to worry I think I know
where the memorial is located. It is slightly
southeast of the airport. Just follow the
river southwest and when it begins to turn
west, turn slightly to the southeast and
look for the towers of the memorial. I once
made a school trip with my class when I
PARKED AT ALLAHABAD AIRPORT was a boy. I believe the memorial is on
the Jawaharlal Nehru Road” he said. I was
amazed at Sabu’s memory. We took off and
We spent the night in Allahabad. We flew as he directed.
rented a car and toured the city. Sabu knew
all the good places to see and restaurants It wasn’t far before we turned and saw the
that served the best food. Some Indian food towers of the memorial in the distance.
is OK, but I really don’t like rice and curry
mixed together. I first tried the dish at an
Indian friend’s home in Asmara, Eritrea more
than 50 years ago... and I still don’t like it.
I was hoping to find a McDonald’s but no
such luck. The next morning we took off for
Kolkata (Calcutta).
OVER THE CITY OF KOLKATA

APPROACHING THE VICTORIA MEMORIAL

TAKE-OFF FROM ALLAHABAD AIRPORT (VIAL) THE HUGLI RIVER

It’s another 450 nm flight. Sabu We landed at Netaji Subhash Chandra

entertained us with Indian myths and poetry Bose International airport (VECC) and
so the time passed quickly. This guy Sabu rented another Bell 206 JetRanger. We
was worth every dollar we were paying him. found a helicopter was the best aircraft for
sightseeing.
The Hugli River runs by the city of
Kolkata and empties into the Bay of Bengal The city of Kolkata is the capital of the
as does the Ganges. state of West Bengal. It has a population of OVER THE VICTORIA MEMORIAL

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 Special Note: War Correspondent Eric I had a lot of experience flying a DC-3 and
Severeid reporting from Chabua in the the C-47 is the same plane. It was fun getting
Assam Valley told about the miserable living behind the yoke of this old bird.
conditions on these airbases. Here is a quote
from his report: “There are no amenities of
life. No lounging places, nothing cool and
refreshing to eat or drink, no nearby rest
resort to visit on leave. It is a dread and
dismal place.”

The flight to Imphal from Kolkata is 400 nm.

You fly across the country of Bangladesh
HOVERING OVER THE VICTORIA MEMORIAL
and again over the Ganges River. The
scenery is beautiful. Bangladesh is mostly
undeveloped and one of the poorest nations
in the world.
CLIMBING OUT OF IMPHAL
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of
Manipur and is located on the eastern most
border of India next to Burma. The airport
is Tulihal with an elevation of 2,536 ft. I
suggest landing on RWY 4 ILS 110.300. The
flight didn’t seem to take long at all with
Sabu giving us a running commentary on
Bangladesh and Imphal.

When we got to the airport we discovered

that there were two refurbished C-47s for
visiting pilots to fly. I thought it would be fun
to fly them and get the feel of what it must
have been like during the war. THE CITY OF IMPHAL TODAY

We flew for a while then returned to the

LANDED AT THE VICTORIA MEMORIAL airport and got permission to fly one of the
actual planes used during WWII. I was a
little leery of flying such an old airplane, but
I was impressed by the Victoria Memorial. I was assured it was airworthy. I decided that
It was a very grand tribute to the queen. once we were airborne we could fly a little
We flew back to the airport. On our way to ways over the same route that the pilots of
a hotel to spend the night I told Sabu we WWII did over the “Hump”. Gene wanted
only had about three days left to finish our to get some pictures inside the old plane and
tour. I asked him where we could best spend here are a few of them:
those days. He was silent for a few minutes GASSING UP AT IMPHAL
(something unusual for Sabu) then he smiled,
“I think you should visit Imphal. It is the city
where many of your countrymen and mine
fought our common enemy.” It was from a
remote airbases in Imphal and the Assam
valley that the men of the U.S. Army Air
Force flew unarmed transport planes over
the Himalayas to supply the Chinese army
at Kunming, China. They were fighting the
Japanese invaders.

These brave fliers became known as

“Heroes of the Hump”. “You as Americans
should honor their service by paying a visit
to Imphal,” he said.

“I whole heartedly agree” I said.

The next morning we planned the flight to

Imphal. WAITING FOR TAKE-OFF CLEARANCE AT IMPHAL

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cpm1206a.indd 55 5/23/2008 4:21:38 PM

 OVER THE HUMP

C-47 CENTER CONSOLE CONTROLS I decided that we had went far enough in
this old bird and turned back to the airport.
By the way, the cargo was just empty
simulated crates to give the effect of what it
may have looked like during the war.

Well, our tour of India was over so we

made our way back to New Delhi. I got first
class tickets on Pacific Airlines for the crew
(why not I wasn’t paying for them) and we
said our goodbyes to Sabu. I gave him a huge
tip and thanked him for his good service. He
looked like he was losing his best friends.
C-47 VIRTUAL CENTER CONSOLE CONTROLS C-47 RADIO PANEL

C-47 VIRTUAL COCKPIT

C-47 ELECTRICAL PANEL FLYING OVER THE HIMALAYAS

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 LANDING AT IMPHAL

“I will miss you very much,” he said.

I didn’t want to get into his personal life, but I had a question.

“Sabu how old are you?” I asked. He flashed that pearly white smile, “ I will be
19 years old on June 29th,” he said. I thought, “How did this kid learn so much
about his country?”

“Well, let me wish you an early happy birthday,” I said. We went through
security and boarded the plane. Andy looked at me and said, “Sabu is only going to
be 19. Who woulda thought?”

Gene said, “I got a lot of pictures of him on our trip. I also have his address and
I’ll send him copies.”

As the 747 pushed back I saw Sabu waving goodbye.

“What a kid,” I thought then settled down for a much needed nap.

DEPARTING DELHI, INDIA - DESTINATION NEW YORK, USA

My thanks to Wikipedia for the geographical reference, the pictures, and history facts.

Happy Landings,
Tom Kurtz 4

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 4

Meet Your Makers!

Ronald Zambrano Mieles
BY FRANCOIS A. ‘NAVMAN’ DUMAS

Ron: Sure, my full name is Ron C. Zambrano Mieles and I was born

A
in San Diego, CA, USA, in 1972. I have Latin roots (both kinds,
s part of our continuing series of interviews South American and Italian) and I currently live in South America in
of FS designers I am going to introduce a country called Ecuador, which is, by the way, a rather quiet place to
you to Ronald C. Zambrano Mieles, a.k.a. live in no matter what you have heard! I have 2 kids (Chris 5 years and
RAZBAM. Ron has been around the FS ‘scene’ for Gaby 10 months old), a loving wife and a beagle.
some good number of years now and is one of the As a kid I went to private schools, and once it was time for me to get into
many interesting people in this industry. I posed our higher studies, I decided to go to business school. I graduated in 1997
usual set of questions to Ronald for his response… and almost immediately went into the business “grinder”. By 1999 I had
my own company in the tuna canning industry, which is pretty strong
Question: Our readers are very interested in knowing a bit more here. I had already met my wife (girlfriend back then) in the USA and
about the person behind the ‘FS developer’. Everyone with a more we eventually got married and started a new life down here.
than superficial interest in flight simming knows RAZBAM products,
but not many know who actually made those! Perhaps you could I´m absolutely a “sea person”. I love the ocean and anything related
fill us in on who you are, where you live, where were you born, to it, I do water sports (water skiing and now surfing) and I´m also a
education, career? tennis player (not as good as I would like to, but I hold my own).

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 Question: I know you did something totally different before (and thingie. Commercial development was pretty new back then and for
perhaps still do). Could you tell us a bit about that? And is FS many people it wasn´t accepted. I browsed through all the Gmax
development now your sole means of income? No, I’m not asking tutorials that were available on the Internet back then, until I found
how much you make *grin*… what became my bible: “The Stupid Idiot´s guide to Gmax”. I then
started my own project.
Ron: Yes, like I said I went into the seafood industry. But by 2001
I was out of it, and decided to move into less risky investments and It was during that period I met a person that changed my life, FS
went into industrial salt distribution for the tuna canning industry. development-wise: Mr. Milton Shupe. He had the patience of a tree
Currently it´s my “real life” job, but I´m planning to move over and the wisdom of those that have been there and know what it takes.
to 3D development as my sole income source (note that I said 3D He also has an outstanding talent. He taught me all the tricks, what to
development rather than FS development). Since both of us work (my do, what NOT to do and most important… where to look. Almost a
wife and I) we both make ends meet each month. year went by before my first product was ready. It was “Douglas A-4
Skyhawk, Volume 1”.
Question: I think you are relatively ‘young’ compared to many of
your colleagues... how does that fit in to a ‘normal life’ (as if any of
us has one!).

Ron: Well, it was not easy. I started “young” (31) when I went
“payware”, but I really started around my late 20´s, and I´m surely
not the type of person that likes to be glued to a monitor and a PC. It
most certainly made a dent in my marriage (my wife began calling
herself a ‘PC widow’), so adjusting my life became a priority. There
was a recurring joke around my home regarding what I do. My wife
kept telling me that my only gains were 30 pounds of fat!

I´m a family guy, I truly believe in family ties and bonds. I absolutely
love my kids and I´m deeply in love with my wife. When FS
development started to be a serious business, the family got hurt
immediately. I hardly could spend any time with my (then) pregnant
wife and when our son was born it was difficult to spend time
together.

Question: Apart from WHAT you make and where we can find it
(more on that later), readers will be interested to hear how all this
started? Did you ‘play’ FS for years and then got the idea of building
something? Were there any people that served as an example for you?
When did you start designing for it? And WHY?

Ron: OK, my true beginnings were when I got a copy of FS98 as a

birthday present. This was in 1998 and I was hooked immediately.
I’ve always been a simulator fan, I was “in deep” in Microprose’s
Falcon (all the iterations) but the closed structure of it was very
disappointing. FS98 gave a completely different angle. Now I could
do textures (3D development was ancient Chinese for me back then)
and tweak things here and there. Then I got “Airport” which allowed
me to create airports, runways and add stuff as I liked. I remember
trying to post some of them to Flightsim.com, but these were dial-up
days and it took ages, so I stopped that. I had a local fan base (close
friends) that enjoyed such creations. But then real life and business
got in the way (I never purchased FS2000, I didn´t have time to
play with it) and my next purchase was CFS2, which was for me,
back then, the absolute best simulator out there (and to some extent
I still think it is) regardless of its limitations. 2002 came around and
I had already switched businesses. I started to have more time for
myself, but also had huge financial problems, which didn´t matter
to my (then) fiancée who said ‘yes’ to my marriage proposal and on
November 16, 2002, we got married.

A friend of mine gave us (well, gave ME) a copy of FS2002 Deluxe.

There was no time or money for a honeymoon, so as I battled life
during daylight, at night I relaxed with FS2002. As you may know
FS2002 Deluxe came with Gmax in it. So out of curiosity I installed
it and played with it. Then we got pregnant and life became more
difficult by the day, so one night I decided I will try this Gmax

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 Question: Since making ‘anything’ for FS these days is pretty
complex, how did you find the tools and the knowledge to learn to do
this? Was it part of your education at all, or just self-taught because of
an interest?

Ron: I self taught most of what I know, read books, bought manuals,
watched video tutorials and followed other developer’s leads and
advice. I never thought I was going to get into this line of work, but
now I really can´t think of anything else in my life. I absolutely love
what I do and I think it shows on my products.

Regarding tools, well, they most definitely are not for the casual
developer, but once you make the decision to get into this line of
work and/or hobby, you have to realize there is a serious commitment
to make and it involves a lot of learning and study. Once you get the
hang of it, it comes as second nature. One rule of thumb: never, ever
hesitate to ask questions. The most stupid question is the one never
asked and it applies to FS development like it´s carved in stone.

Question: The ‘insiders’ (and your customers) know that you are
mainly focused on military aircraft models. WHY did you start
developing these instead of civilian aircraft? Did it have anything to
do with your real-world interests or job?

Ron: I was a “tubeliner” pilot (virtual, obviously) but I always liked

military aviation and I´m sure it goes back to 1984 when I got a book
named “Modern military aircraft” by Bill Gunston and Mike Spick.
I was hooked! And being myself an ocean lover it´s only natural
that I love naval aviation (as most RAZBAM fans have figured out
already).

Question: On to the products. What other products have you made

over time?

Ron: The A-4 series were the first to get into the market and it was
followed by the North American T-2 Buckeye, the Breguet 1050
Alize, The Skyraider Volumes 1 and 2 and beginning from these 2
products I began to develop for the ThirdWire series of sims, the
Strike Fighter series. By this time FSX already hit the shelves, so I
developed my first true FSX-native model, the McDonell F2 Banshee
series, and now our latest release the Grumman A-6 Intruder. They
are all available at the PCAviator.com online shop, simMarket.com,
FSpilot shop and our own online store.

Question: Since I know you are no longer doing this all on your own,
can you tell us something about the people working with you?

Ron: I´m very honored by the people who work with me in all my
projects and we have become true friends. The first person that got
involved was Phill Thompson, RAN, former A-4G pilot. He showed
me all the obvious errors on the A-4s and provided me first hand
information on NATOPS, flight model info and experience. He is a
very close friend of mine and thanks to him I decided I never do any
other project WITHOUT the proper NATOPS.

But then another problem arose. Nobody wanted to publish it (in Then, one customer complained about the flight modeling and he
fact I was turned down by a well-known military FS development showed me his credentials. We became close friends as well. It is
company). So once again, Milton helped me. Through Milton I Phineas Henshaw, former USMC TA-4J pilot, now our flight model
got in contact with Francois Dumas (yes, the same) who helped designer. In my opinion the best around for military aircraft. He
me hit the market and come May 1st, 2003, the “Skyhawks Vol.1“ believes in realism and in some way he needs to tone down flight
was released. There is a funny story about this: the original name characteristics in order to make them flyable for casual simmers.
was RADZAMB, which is my full name acronym, but somehow
it got all mixed up and became RAZBAM. The name grew on Another important member is Peter C. Ward, USN CPO (ret). We
customers, so I never changed it. became friends immediately and he is responsible for getting all the

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 pertinent info on any project we do, even if it takes months or years.
What is needed, he gets. During 2005 he managed to get RAZBAM
products in the National Museum of Naval Aviation, at Pensacola, FL,
USA, in the simpit.

There is also Robert Baur who is also a 3D developer and you

will soon see his creation at our site. The ThirdWire team is also
a talented one. I will name them by their online nicknames, but
there is C5, Sagunay, USAFTML, PALADRIAN, and of course,
Tsuyoshi Kawahito, the Strike Fighter series creator who gave me the
permission to release commercial products for them.

There are also re-painters, beta testers, etc. They all like to feel
like aircraft restorers since that´s what we actually do, even if it is
in a simulator.

Question: What would you say are the biggest challenges for a
commercial FS designer, both from a technical perspective and
from a business point of view? And what do you think of the
changes of FSX?

Ron: I think the biggest challenge is to realize what you are and
what your goals are. RAZBAM is all about bringing back memories
to those that were involved with the real aircraft we try to portrait,
so it´s a niche market in a niche market. That is where we are
evolving and growing and all of that means commitment to what you
do. Technically speaking it means you never stop learning and/or
studying, push your knowledge limits to a point where new limits
will be established. From a business perspective, the challenge is to
offer products that will stand the test of time, new iterations of the
same sim platforms and, in our case, other options like the Third Wire
series where we are the sole payware aircraft developer in a market
dominated by freeware (some outstanding freeware at that!).

As for changes, I believe FSX is becoming more and more what

I believe a flight simulator should be. It is so open to options and
enhancements that I think we are just scratching the surface. It surely
is a tremendous change for all FS developers, as more things can be
applied and created, provided you have some xml coding knowledge.

Question: Last but not least... Readers are of course curious as to

what you are working on now... and when it will be available?

Ron: Sure, I never keep my future products under the table, hehe.
Currently we´re getting the EA-6B Prowler package ready, which
will be followed by the A-7 Sluff. And there are other products
under development. You can find about them at our site and forums
at www.razbam.org 4

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 4

Building the UltimatePart 3

BY ROGER CURTISS
As a result, those former aircraft that get a second life are now
pretty much the ones that are in the worst shape initially…and that
means the restoration of the structure to a workable condition will

T
be every bit as much of the project as will be the installation of the
here was a time when a determined home
cockpit parts themselves.
cockpit builder wannabe could happen
upon the holy grail of cockpit building- an One builder who was undaunted by the challenge is Buzz Hohman
abandoned hulk of an airplane sitting in a field of Miami, Florida. Hohman owns a Piper Arrow airplane and wanted
collecting weeds, mold and insect nests. The hobbyist to build a simulator that would be type-specific to that model.
would find the junk’s owner and for a small sum be He located an abandoned, damaged fuselage cockpit section and
able to take the wreckage off of his hands and cart it once he had removed all the snakes residing in it began a stripping
away to a new home. and rebuilding effort to render it useable. The common thinking about
any project of this nature is that it requires considerable sacrifice and
While such Cinderella stories may still be found the unfortunate Hohman’s motor vehicles paid the price early on- losing their garage
truth is that it is becoming rare for us to be doing someone a favor space to the invalid cockpit.
by removing that blighted cockpit from their land. Instead, scrap
and salvage dealers have become aware of the growing trend for Hohman proceeded to strip the cockpit and install new structural
homebuilt cockpit construction and recognize that they have a reinforcement while also rebuilding the instrument panel. His goal
valuable commodity for which they can command a price that will was an accurate re-creation of the Piper Arrow cockpit so that a pilot
make it a profitable sale for them. would find no difference between the flying Arrow and its earthbound

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 cousin including flight characteristics. For the panel, Buzz made Gaming - (assembled)
extensive use of Simkits gauges that were perfect for his general w/Alienware Aurora 7500 PC system
aviation application. • Dell 22” wide flatscreen monitor
• Logitech Z-4 40w speakers
It didn’t hurt that Buzz is a professional employed by a major • Recaro seat
simulator company to install and troubleshoot high-fidelity • Logitech or CH Products controllers
simulators for the military and commercial customers. He parlayed 15/30------$14,995.00
some of that knowledge and created a motion platform powered by 15/30/30----$16,995.00
high-pressure air, which was less complex than a hydraulic system.
His efforts paid off and now he has a Piper Arrow in his garage that Sim Class
flies like the real thing. w/Alienware Area-51 7500 PC
• Viewsonic 27” flatscreen monitor
For those who may be a bit, shall we say; mechanically • Headphones and 280w speakers
challenged, building a simulator in that manner might prove to • Recaro seat
be too ambitious an undertaking. But there are some commercial • Controllers
alternatives worthy of consideration. 30/50------$19,995.00
30/50/50----$21,995.00
SimCraft
SimCraft is associated with the Advanced Technology Motion Class
Development Center at Georgia Institute of Technology and has only w/Alienware Area-51 PC
recently begun offering their products. They presently are geared to • Dell 27” monitor
commercial and corporate applications related to flight and driving • Headphone and 505w speakers
simulators but their research has led them to recognize that there is • Recaro seat
a growing market in the hobbyist area as well and they would like • ECCI GTS wheel and CH controllers
to provide options for those users. SimCraft’s managers have found 30/50-----$24,995.00
that the flight simulation enthusiasts are inclined to make an effort to 30/50/50----$26,995.00
enhance their experience by creating home cockpits and many wish to
add motion platforms to their setups. Compatible Software: FSX, X-Plane, Lock On, Falcon 4, IL-2, CFS.
Requires: 7’ x 5’ area.
Realizing that their finished products may be a bit of a reach for Accommodates Occupant up to 6’5”/250lb.
the hobbyist, SimCraft is prepared to assist them by offering parts in
lieu of a complete system for those with the mechanical aptitude to PIII 500Mhz 256 MB RAM- minimum.
construct their own motion device. P4 2 GHz 512 MB RAM – recommended.

Motion devices normally utilize actuators, usually cylinders powered

by compressed air, hydraulics or electronically to impart movement to a Flyit Simulators
fixed platform upon which the simulation cockpit is mounted. This Carlsbad, CA company used to market a variety of
commercial motion, personal motion and military fighter simulators
The SimCraft solution is to eliminate the fixed platform and designed to operate in the virtual reality genre. However, this much-
leverage the center of mass of a chassis by a physics-based, electro- hyped realm has not yet developed into a mass market and those
mechanical system. This results in imparting less force to the motion products were eliminated.
unit and a higher fidelity output of movement.
Now Flyit specializes in professional cockpit simulators for
SimCraft products are grouped in four categories with added the flight training industry. Their goal has been to manufacture a
features and complexity: full simulator package that serves as an accurate representation
to allow cockpit procedures training without incurring the added
expense of utilizing aircraft in flight to achieve this familiarity.
Plug n Play Chassis To that end they offer the Professional Helicopter Sim and the
Requires assembly- 4 hrs estimated Professional Airplane Sim. These are available for approximately
$110,000.00 to $115,000.00 and for that price you receive
2 Degrees of Freedom (DoF) (Pitch/Roll) (all price references a simulator that has been fully assembled, tested and then
are in US dollars) disassembled for shipment and re-assembly on site.
5/10----$8995.00
10/20----$9495.00 For those who do not bat an eye at the price but may not have space
15/30----$9995.00 in the house for a full cockpit enclosure, Flyit has the solution. The
20/36---$10,495.00 same price will get you the simulator, fully assembled and housed in
25/42---$10,995.00 its own dedicated trailer! Simply arrange to have it delivered to your
location, plug it in, and away you go.
3 DoF (Pitch/Yaw/Roll)
5/15/10—$10,995.00 They have obtained FAA approval of cockpit simulators for:
10/15/20—$11,745.00
15/30/30---$12,495.00 • B1900
20/30/36---$13,245.00 • DHC-6 Twin Otter
25/40/42---$13,995.00 • Eurostar A350 B2 helicopter

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 LOOKING GOOD PICH UP

PITCH DOWN THE PAYOFF

THIS PART'S ALMOST DONE CAE SIMULATORS

64 CPM. V12I6
INSIDE A CAE SIM, WHO WOULDN’T WANT ONE! FLYIT’S TRAILER INSTALLATION

cpm1206a.indd 64 5/23/2008 4:21:55 PM

 IN THE FLYIT COCKPIT PHYSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS YOU CAN
TOUCH AND USE

FLYIT GA SIMULATOR FLYIT’S HELO SIMULATOR SHELL

MATTHEW SHIEL’S IMPRESSIVE 747 SIMULATOR SIMCRAFT HARDWARE

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 These simulators are equipped with controls that are identical to And a masterpiece it is because Matthew has created a true work
those in the aircraft cockpits in location and design. They also include of art. The interior is a true to life representation of the flight deck
an instructor station with full displays and the ability to introduce of a 747 with two complete pilot stations. The simulator structural
instrument and control failures for realistic (and sadistic if the skeleton consists of welded steel square tubing and angle iron covered
instructor is so inclined) scenarios. The price tag for that accuracy- a by marine ply and steel Matthew even traveled to the USA in pursuit
mere $450,000.00. of his dream to visit an airplane graveyard in California’s Mojave
Desert where he was able to obtain parts from a 747 cockpit section
All of these Flyit simulators are equipped with a 93” wide x 78” that was destined to be cut up for scrap metal.
high rear projection visual system providing a 110 degree field of
view with an option to increase to 210 degrees. Once the flight deck was constructed and operational Matthew was
still not satisfied so he elected to extend the project by making the
Granted, convincing your wife that instead of buying a new simulator a full-motion platform.
house your family would be better served by a flight simulator
may be a hard sell. But if she is VERY understanding, or you have The motion system is hydraulically actuated utilizing a 20hp pump
been extremely good or you win the lottery there is of course one that pressurizes the system to 1500 PSI. The simulator brain is 14
other option. How about a full-motion simulator certified to FAA networked PCs running 45 separate programs to make it all work. As
Level-D standards meaning that the simulator cockpit and its visual previously mentioned, all of this complexity was brought to fruition
representation of the outside environment are so accurate that full with the volunteered expertise of software developers and hydraulics
aircraft type certification can be achieved through its use? This is and electronic engineers. Matthew acknowledges that the motion
state of the art and what airline training departments for initial and system would not have been possible without such expert assistance.
recurrent training use.
In the end, Matthew was the proud father of a 7 1/2’ tall (12
1/2’ with the motion base) and 10’ length by 7 1/2’ width, 5500 lb
CAE creation occupying an entire dedicated garage bay at his company’s
737 NG Full-Motion Simulator - $9,000,000.00 to $16,000,000.00 warehouse.

Anyone who sees the simulator or flies in it naturally feels that

• Level-D they want to have one of their own. Sheil’s advice is to plan every
• IBM Computer detail, map out how they will be executed and then simply triple your
• 6 DOF 54” stroke hydrostatic actuators with digital hydraulics estimates of every aspect; the time needed to complete the project, the
control loading system difficulty level and most definitely, the cost.
• Instructor station w/dual monitors and touch screen
• Visual System Problems can arise where least expected. Sheil knew that the
• Maxvue + Image generator IBM 6000 model 45P computer motion system would be a monster but had not anticipated how
• 3 channel Barco projectors w/180x40 field of view challenging it would be to install the rudder pedals and their linkages.
• Day/Dusk/Night scenery He was also surprised when it took a full week just to fabricate the
back door to the simulator.

But all of the effort was worth it and Matthew tries to give
I have to admit that despite numerous requests I was unable something back by proudly using his simulator to host an annual
to obtain a response from anyone at CAE to determine the exact charity event called Worldflight. The event raises money for the Royal
requirements of a support system to make a simulator such as Flying Doctors Service with volunteer pilots doing what they love,
this fully operational. However, I was in contact with an industry 24 hours a day for 7 days straight not leaving the premises until they
representative and was assured that if I handed CAE a check for circumnavigate around the world to 45 airports. Qantas provides the
the purchase price they would deliver a system. There would have meals and refreshments and all the flying is done online connected to
to be some site prep done- such as hardened concrete floor and the VATSIM network.
electrical upgrades to feed this monster, but owning one of these
simulators IS possible. The point of this exercise over the past 3 months has been to show
that the serious flight simmer has a great variety of options to enhance
If $9,000,000.00 + strikes you as being a tad pricey it may be the experience and increase the realism. Those individuals with
possible to appease your desire and your wallet with a slightly less mechanical savvy and ingenuity can find ways to create their own
capable but yet nonetheless extremely impressive alternative. flight decks. But the rest of us are also able to customize our setups,
as there exists a strong and vibrant network of commercial suppliers
No greater example of this exists than the 747-400 simulator striving to cater to our needs.
constructed by Matthew Sheil of Australia. As a child Matthew began
creating cockpits out of cardboard boxes and that desire never abated. The future of this industry is very strong and the debut of new
In 1998 he decided to embark upon a project to build a 747-400 products and new manufacturers is quite encouraging. 4
simulator with the goal of having it completed in ten years. Wisely,
he first spent a year conducting research and planning the project CAE - www.cae.com
eventually invoking the assistance of at least 40 people worldwide in Fly It Simulators - www.flyit.com
furtherance of completing his masterpiece. SimCraft - [email protected]

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 4
How to Fly like a ThunderbirdPart 4
BY MIKE GLYNN, VTB-9

I
n part 3 of this series we began to fly the
Thunderbirds show with hints and comments
from the 2008 Virtual Thunderbird team. This Ground Support: Thunderbird Eight
Virtual Thunderbird Eight is the voice of the team. In the never-
month we will be completing the demanding second ending quest to re-create the feel of the real show, Allan “Thumper”
half of the show, and seeing how the team is supported Hartford from Weslaco, Texas, now narrates each virtual performance
in the much the same way as the real Thunderbirds. as well as playing the same music that the real team uses to
accompany its show. It means he is a busy boy during a performance.
Ground Support: Thunderbird Seven
In the USAF team, Thunderbird Seven is the Operations Officer and Eight: The music and narration portion of the show requires lots
the second in command of the squadron. In the Virtual Thunderbirds, of practice and three computers running two instances of LockOn:
Seven also has an all-important job. Marc “Convertible” Muhlestein Flaming Cliffs, two instances of Ventrilo and three instances of
from Phoenix, Arizona is the incumbent and while he does not fly in WinAmp. Unlike the real team, I am the only person involved in this
the demonstration, the team could not operate effectively without his particular aspect of the show. My job consists of a constant finger-
input. Marc’s job is to watch every practice and show, and evaluate ballet of mouse clicking on two different systems, monitoring the
the performance of each team member in how they fly their various team with one ear and music with the other, and spitting out narration
profiles. He must have an intimate knowledge of the entire show verbiage at the appropriate time. Our show has become so tight in
and the individual profiles of each pilot. He also provides a running terms of timing that the only time in the show that I am not going
critique to the Lead after each pass as to it how it was performed in crazy trying to keep up is during the Delta Sequence where I have
relation to “show center”. “Convertible” can be heard on VTB films three or four narration lines and only one music track to worry about!
giving his laconic calls, such as “200 left” or “Show center” after
every pass. The Second Half
After the Hi-Lo Hit, the Virtual Thunderbird show starts to subtly
At the end of a practice flight the team reviews the practice “track” change. The Diamond now becomes a five ship formation for several
to a critique from Marc. There is no sugar-coating and every team passes and then builds to the six-ship Delta. The Virtual Thunderbirds
member expects, and gets, an honest appraisal of his performance will again take us through the second half of the show. Once again we
from its hardworking “Seven”. will use their numbers but first, let’s reintroduce the team.

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 • Lead: Reid “Rock” Martin Four: The five card leaves me very little room for error as I am in
• Two (left wing): Steve “Gunner” Watts the center of the formation. I transition from Stinger to Five Card as
• Three (Right Wing): Tab “Redeye” Harris smoothly as possible to allow #5, flying behind and to my right, to
• Four (Slot): Ian “Burner” Roberts track out and into position simultaneously. If the transition goes well
• Five (Lead Solo): Kris “Lawndart” Langdell the rest of the maneuver usually takes care of itself.
• Six (Opposing solo): Todd “Whack” Macleod
As the Five ship clears left, the opposing solo screams in to pull
into the vertical at show center and performs a series of vertical rolls.
The first five ship formation is the five card loop. Lead solo comes
off his pass through the hi-lo pass, completes a Cuban eight in front Six: (600 Kts, 100’). I’m looking for my visual cue to begin the
of crowd and proceeds to rejoin with the Diamond in a formation pull to vertical once I cross the runway threshold. I begin a 6 G
known as the Stinger. pull to vertical and use my left and right views to ensure I hit the 90
degree point. When I’m vertical, I begin a max-deflection roll to
the left. I’m trying to increase the back pressure as I roll to give the
smoke a pigtail look from show center. It’s taken a lot of practice to
develop the muscle memory to stay vertical with the right amount of
pull to create the pigtail

The Stinger formation now comes in from the left to execute a

pass that took months of diligent practice to perfect; the line-break
loop. Holding five virtual jets in a line abreast formation is one of the
achievements the VTB are most proud of. It is no mean feat.

STINGER FORMATION

The five aircraft approach from stage right and on command from
Lead, smoothly move to their five card positions. All of the aircraft
are in a position now that is unique to their particular profile. Three
for example, must fly the entire loop in line-abreast whilst four flies
the hybrid central position that is critical to the symmetry of the
formation.

LINE BREAK LOOP

The Line-break loop commences with the five aircraft in line

abreast and pulling into the vertical. When the F-16’s are pointing
straight up, Five executes a half roll to position for an opposing loop.
The four remaining aircraft transition to the Diamond as they go over
the top. With smoke on, the two elements of the pass meet at show
center and paint a two mile high heart in the sky.

Two: One of our toughest for sure – as we transition to line abreast,

I have to keep in mind that Burner is moving over just below me, so I
can’t drop at all. Once in position, I’m using Boss’s canopy rails and
the intake to make sure I’m lined up, and a couple tiny lights for lateral
spacing. As we transition back to diamond when the solo breaks away,
FIVE CARD FORMATION I again must be very careful as Burner moves back again just below me.

Five: One of my favorite maneuvers and also one of the harder ones.
We start off in line abreast, which is always a challenge. I stare at #3’s
Three: Rolling out on the line Boss calls “5 card ready now”. I intake for proper lineup until the Boss calls: “Standby Five - Five Out
move right and forward to line abreast of the boss. My sight picture Ready Now” at which point I roll away from the rest of the formation
is one of the more difficult to hold as boss is over my left shoulder and power up. It’s very important that I line up on the show line before
and from the crowds’ point of view it looks like both of us are leading pulling back down. I listen a lot to the Boss’ calls to gauge where the
the formation. Throughout the loop I concentrate on spacing and a Diamond is, but the most important one is the “line” call which allows
smooth pull for the solo directly behind me. me to tally the formation and fix any misalignment early in the pull.

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 A good optical “hit” has me flying level to slightly higher than the closely watch your flight path indicator, pull a significant amount of
Diamond on the Boss’ left side. This makes it appear as if I nearly averted Gs and to maintain your speed throughout the entire maneuver while
disaster by crossing head on with the formation as seen from the crowd. being extremely smooth for the wingmen.

The solos now race to rejoin the formation. With the call of “Blues
aboard” the six ship Thunderbird Delta is now formed. The USAF team
loves forming the Delta and their virtual counterparts are no different.

A VARIATION OF LINE ABREAST FLYING - THE LINE ABREAST FLAT PASS

Six has repositioned to the left for his next pass which involves a 9 THE THUNDERBIRD DELTA
G turn at 100 feet in front of show center followed by a Cuban eight.

Six: Approaching show center, I select Full AB and begin a left roll
with about 1.5 degrees of pitch. The trick is to hit 9 G’s, and if you pull
too hard up front, you’ll run out of energy quickly. It’s a smooth, but The VTB use a slightly bigger spacing now between aircraft. This
fast pull to hit 9 G’s, and I continue that all the way back around to the is done to ensure the formation looks symmetrical and also to give
line. Once wings level on the show line again, I’ll pull immediately into the pilots more breathing room for the difficult Delta passes. The
the half-Cuban. I’m looking to begin that pull no slower than 350 Kts. challenges are many, particularly for Lead who needs to be ultra-
Once over the top I try to maintain inverted as long as possible before smooth, and the inner wingmen that are highly aware of Five and Six
rolling wings level. I pull back into the flip turn out of the bottom, still outside of them. The Solos are now at the outside of a big arc during
in Full AB, and start looking for 5 for the Delta Rejoin. any loops or rolls and need to use all their skills to avoid being spat out.

The Diamond approaches from the right to perform the Diamond 360.
This pass involves a tight turn at low altitude in front of show center.

THE DELTA WINGMAN POSITION

THE DIAMOND 360

Lead: When flying with the entire Delta I am constantly aware of
the fact that #5 and #6 really have their hands full. It’s no easy task to
fly formation off of a pilot who is flying off of another pilot (in this
Lead: .. with the Diamond 360 it is easy to think of this as a very case the Boss) and therefore any mistake made by me is amplified by
simple maneuver but it is a deceptively hard to fly. It requires the the time it reaches the outer wingmen.
Diamond to execute a steep right turn at 300 feet and to maintain
this turn while slightly climbing and then descending in a 360 degree The first Delta maneuver is the Bottom up Pass, a repeat of the
clockwise circle in front of the crowd. The key to this maneuver is to Diamond 360.

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 Lead now takes the Delta out and back in from the right. The stage
is being set for the final Delta pass then the finale. The Delta loop is
fairly straightforward yet easily messed up. At the end of the loop the
two solo pilots will simultaneously leave the formation to set up for
the High Bomb burst.

Three: The delta maneuvers create some added pressure as I have

#5 flying off my right wing. I can hear his engine as he pulls into
position beside me. With my eyes padlocked on the boss, this added
jet noise makes me feel like he’s right on top of me. This is a constant
reminder to hold proper spacing with the boss.
THE DELTA BOTTOM UP PASS

Two: Another big right turn, and then it’s time for me to have the
pressure turned up a notch. Now I have Whack on my left wing, and
he’s depending on me to be rock solid between him and Boss. The
BUP is just a sweeping right turn with our bellies to the crowd, but
I’m starting to really sweat by now, my right shoulder is cramping
and tired from the 24lb pull on my modded Cougar, and my fingers
feel like they are being pulled from my knuckles… I love it!

Rock then takes the formation to stage left and turns back for one of
the VTB’s marquee maneuvers; the Delta Roll. Another of the passes
that took months to perfect, rolling six aircraft on a computer network
is plain hard work. The most difficult positions? Five and Six. THE DELTA LOOP

Boss calls “Blue Out” at the completion of the loop and the solos
depart in unison.

The Finale
The High Bomb burst crossover is a signature maneuver of the
USAF team. Performed correctly, it looks breathtaking, is awesome to
fly and every VTB also looks forward to it.

Rock brings the Diamond in from the left via a Split-S and pulls
into the vertical. On his call the elements of the Diamond peel off to
their respective cardinal points of the compass as Six rockets through
the space they have just vacated. The second half of the pass involves
COMING OUT OF THE DELTA ROLL each of the four members of the Diamond performing a roll and pull
through and then heading toward each other at 450 knots at 200-300
feet to perform a heart stopping four ship cross-over at show center. It
involves sublime timing and trust.
Six: Dang this is hard. I’m watching both Boss and #2 making
very small corrections to stay in position for this maneuver. Lead: As we reach the correct parameters I begin the Split S by rolling
Geometrically, I’ve got the shortest distance to roll during the first the Diamond over 180 degrees to the left, decreasing power and pulling
half. That means a large power reduction as we begin the roll, a lot back on the stick. As we begin to level out I call for smoke off, ease
of forward push, and coordinated left roll. I’ll start in with the right forward and power up in preparation for the High BB. At 7000 feet left of
rudder as Boss begins the roll to stay in. As we approach the back show center we begin our climb for the High BB and at 70 degrees nose
side, it’s a substantial power increase, almost Full Mil. I’ll take out high I call “Standby the Break… let’s break ready now, Smoke!”
the rudder and maintain the roll rate. Piece of cake huh?
At this point I release a little back pressure but continue my pull back
Five: As we begin to roll, I immediately anticipate and start through to level flight. Meanwhile each of the other respective pilots
bleeding in right rudder, more pull and power needed before visually take up headings that are 90 degrees in relation to each other with our
seeing many of the cues. It takes a boot full of rudder into the #6 Solo Whack making the “hit” in the middle of the High BB.
formation to remain flat, and a good amount of pull with lots of power
except in the float where I have to feather the throttle back for a short Once I come level I roll to level and call my on top altitude and
period of time. The Delta Roll is one of those maneuvers that is so airspeed. This is where the real fun begins because now everyone is
rewarding when done well, yet it can bite you at any time and I must setting up for the four way cross at show center and once again timing
rely on #3 to pull with the Boss and remain flat the entire time too. is critical. As I cross over the 12,000 foot mark from show center I
Definitely ranks up there as one of the most challenging. call “4,3,2,1 Hack” and begin a slow roll to inverted, pull down and

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 aim to be at 450 knots at 300 feet at the 12,000 foot mark. All of
the other Diamond pilots are listening closely to my calls for timing
purposes as we are all aiming to be at show center at exactly the same
time but stacked slightly above one another.

Two: It’s just like we’re going up into a loop, but Boss calls for the
break as we reach vertical – I hit smoke, roll smoothly to the left 90
degrees, and continue my pull as if we were still in a loop. As I come
level with the horizon, I roll out, check my heading, airspeed, level off,
and make any adjustments necessary to be at the proper spot for the
split S back to the crossover point. Boss makes his calls – and I match
his cadence rolling inverted, then pulling to 45 degrees nose down
and then pulling straight down. Then it’s all about picking up Redeye
coming directly at me, I match his altitude and adjust to pass him just
above his wing and to the left. My speed is adjusted watching Boss
come in from the right.

After the “hit”, the Diamond pilots perform a complex series of

maneuvers to reform. The challenge is to get back as a four ship
as quickly as possible. Lead continues through the crossover and
proceeds to a point on the extended centerline of the runway where he
performs a half Cuban eight in order to head back to show center.

Four: After the cross is complete the real challenge starts; getting
back into formation with the Boss as he is executing a half-Cuban
eight off the end of the show line. I light the burners and pull into a
max performance Immelman staying inverted on top to look down on
the three other diamond pilots. As Boss executes his half-cuban eight,
I split-S down behind him and quickly tally #2 and #3 to give Boss
the call when we’re ready to ‘Go Diamond’. For those pilots in the
Diamond, who spend the entire show glued to the Boss’s wing, it’s a
challenging change of pace.

The solo pilots then perform one of their signature moves, the
reflection pass.

THE REFLECTION PASS

With Five rolling level the solos catch up with the Diamond to
make the final pass of the show, the Pitch. The Pitch can have several
variations but the idea is to have all six aircraft coming in to land at a
tight interval for a synchronized shutdown on the runway.

As the engines cool down we can now reflect on the dedication and
skill needed to recreate the Thunderbirds performance. As with the
real team, there is no room for second-best. I hope you have enjoyed
this insight into how the Virtual Thunderbirds do what they do. The
Virtual Thunderbirds can be found at www.virtualthunderbirds.com
where all visitors are welcome.

The Virtual Thunderbirds are sponsored by Thrustmaster-

THE DELTA PITCH
Guillemot, makers of the Cougar Flight Control System. 4

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 THE ART OF DESKTOP
INSTRUMENTFLYING
ADF-NDB Navigation

Skill Level: Intermediate Instructor....Chuck Bodeen

W
hen the airmail system began in the United
States in 1918, all of the flying was done
strictly VFR and was done only in daylight
hours. Even when the mail was transferred to trains
at night, there was almost no advantage in speed over
the existing railway transportation. The 1920’s saw the Radio methods were introduced by a couple of steps in the right
establishment of a system of revolving, flashing beacon direction. Although sources differ as to which came first, as early as
lights spaced about 10 miles apart along airways which the 1920’s the U.S. Navy was testing radio compasses for ship and
eventually covered almost 18,000 miles. Secondary airplane navigation. Then in 1929 the “four-course” system based
lights on the towers flashed codes so that pilots could upon four towers set in a square and transmitting Morse code for “A”
( dot dash ) and “N” ( dash dot ). On one side of a course, the pilot
recognize where they were. The navigation light would hear “A” and on the other side “N”. When he was “on course”
beacons worked best on clear nights, but when there both signals would be heard and would cancel each other producing
was fog or low overcast they were virtually useless and a steady tone. These were placed along the airways, but it was found
they were not even lit during daytime. that mountains and even railroad tracks distorted the signals.

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 THE ART OF DESKTOP INSTRUMENT FLYING

WEST EAST
NORTH 2875 2920
SOUTH 537 834

NUMBER OF NDBs IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD

Robin Peel keeps the data for all of the world’s airports and
navigational radios at www.x-plane.org/home/robinp/ and you do not
THE OLD A-N SYSTEM HAD FOUR ANTENNAS – TWO BROADCASTING
“A” AND TWO “N” IN MORSE CODE. THE IDEA WAS TO STAY IN ONE OF
need to be an X-Plane customer to download the “nav.dat” file. Here is a
THE PINK AREAS WHERE THE TWO SIGNALS CANCELLED EACH OTHER. line from that file. The “2” indicates that this is an NDB. Elevation is in
THEN YOU KNEW YOU WERE NEAR ONE OF THE FOUR HEADINGS TO feet MDL and Range is in nautical miles. The “0.000” field is used for
THE STATION. JUST WHICH ONE DEPENDED UPON THE USE OF DEAD-
different reasons depending upon the type of radio station.
RECKONING

Latitude Longitude Elev. Freq. Range ??? Code Name

The Radio Direction Finder (RDF) used a loop antenna which could 2 34.987022 -106.620384 5304 247 50 0.000 ILT Isleta NDB
be rotated by the pilot or navigator to point to one or more radio stations
on the ground. Finally an electro-mechanical device was invented which TYPE WATTS MAX DISTANCE
would aim the antenna automatically. Thus we have the ADF.
Compass Locator Under 25 15 miles
Non-Directional Beacons MH Under 50 25 miles
H 50-1999 50 miles
HH 2000 or more 75 miles

NDBs ARE CLASSIFIED BY THE FAA ACCORDING TO THEIR POWER AND

USABLE RADIAL DISTANCES FOR ALL ALTITUDES

When a radio beacon is used in conjunction with the Instrument

Landing System markers, it is called a Compass Locator. In some
places, outer markers are being replaced by NDBs. These are called
Locator Outer Markers (LOM). There are also some middle markers
that have been replaced creating the Locator Middle Marker such as
the one for Oakland, KOAK 27R.

ON THE LEFT IS AN NDB AS RENDERED BY X-PLANE. THE ONE ON THE

RIGHT IS FOR REAL

All around the world there are more than 26,000 navigation radio
stations on the ground. Of these, almost 7200 are low frequency (200 to
415 kHz just slightly below the commercial AM stations) non-directional
beacons or NDBs. The remainder are the higher frequency VORs, DMEs,
VORTACs, ILS, GS, LOC, and combinations of these. Outer, middle, and
inner markers make up the remainder of the list. Each NDB has a two- or
three-letter name which is transmitted in Morse code that can be heard by THIS IS AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE NDB APPROACH PLATE FOR
ADF receivers in airplanes. So that you do not need to memorize Morse KOAK 27R. THE AIRPORT IS AT OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. THE GRAY AREA
IS SAN FRANCISCO BAY AND THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO IS ON THE
code, the dots and dashes are shown on the navigation charts. The codes SIDE OPPOSITE FROM OAKLAND
and frequencies are not unique, but are not repeated for stations that are
close enough to cause confusion. The beacons themselves may be non-
directional, but the ADF antennas can be pointed at them so that you can The ADF
use them for navigation as described below. An ADF consists of a receiver, a data display, and, usually, two
antennas: a long wire to detect station ID and loop to find direction.
If you divide the earth into quarters based on positive and negative Sometimes the antennas are combined. The general definition of an
longitudes and latitudes, the majority are in the northern hemisphere ADF receiver is any device that has an automatically rotated direction
nearly equally divided between east and west. The southern finding antenna. There are “fixed card” ADFs where the compass
hemisphere has only 24% as many NDBs as does the northern half card on the display always has zero at the top and cannot be rotated.
of the world. At one time there were many more of these navigation “Rotating card” ADFs have a knob that can be used to manually move
radios but they are being phased out – especially in the U.S. and the compass card to point in the direction of the airplane’s magnetic
Western Europe – in favor of GPS overlays. heading. The best instruments automatically rotate the compass card

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 of the instrument to agree with the magnetic heading of the aircraft. The The easiest application is homing on an NDB. Look at a chart, find
X-Plane simulator calls these “Slaved ADFs” because the heading on an NDB which may be within range, set the frequency on the receiver,
the ADF card is “slaved” to a directional gyro. Other people call these listen for a signal, check the Morse code to make sure you have the
Radio Magnetic Indicators. X-Plane uses the term RMI to be what correct station, bank in the direction of the head of the ADF needle until it
some others call “Two Needle ADFs” where the second needle points comes up to the top, and try to keep it there. This sounds easy, but there’s
to a selected VOR, but also includes RMIs with no ADF. a kicker. If there is a crosswind and you do not correct for it you will be
blown off of the straight line path. Keeping the heading toward the NDB
The most important thing to remember about the ADF is that the will, however, eventually lead you to that radio station.
needle always points at the NDB to which it is tuned… ALMOST
always – see “Disadvantages” below. One thing you can do about the crosswinds is to get a weather briefing
and, if you think that the winds will be relatively steady, you can use your
E6-B flight computer to determine the crab angle. In lieu of an E6-B you
can download Gary Darby’s Wind Triangle program. Inputs are airspeed,
desired course, wind speed, and wind direction. Outputs include wind
correction angle, suggested heading, and the resulting ground speed.

DON’T HAVE A MANUAL OF ELECTRONIC E6-B? HERE’S A LINK TO A

PROGRAM BY GARY DARBY THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO DO FLIGHT
PLANNING ON YOUR HOME COMPUTER. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD
THE TOP OF THE SLAVED ADF AND RMI INDICATORS ALWAYS SHOW THE A FLIGHT PLANNING WORKSHEET. HTTP://DELPHIFORFUN.ORG/
MAGNETIC DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. THE YELLOW ADF ARROW ALWAYS PROGRAMS/MATH_TOPICS/WINDTRIANGLE.HTM
POINTS DIRECTLY TO THE SELECTED NDB. IF THE ROTATING CARD IS
LEFT WITH ZERO DEGREES AT THE TOP, THE ADF NEEDLE SHOWS THE
RELATIVE BEARING TO THE NDB – 103 DEGREES IN THIS CASE

How to use it
In spite of the fact that there are more sophisticated navigation
methods available in most airplanes, there are still some good reasons
for learning about the ADF-NDB system. In the first place, there are
questions on the instrument written examination and if your airplane has
an ADF, your pilot examiner is required to see that you know how to use
it. Also, ADF equipment may be a useful backup for the other radios. So
let’s now investigate the several things you can do with this device.

BRACKETING INVOLVES CROSSING THE NDB MAGNETIC BEARING

SEVERAL TIMES AND REDUCING THE CORRECTION ANGLE ON EACH PASS

Another thing you can try is called “bracketing” which is a trial and
error method that is also used to track to VORs. The recommended
procedure is to fly at 30 degrees to the desired NDB heading. As you
cross that bearing the ADF needle will point straight to the station.
However, the unknown wind will take you off course which will
require a correction in the opposite direction. This takes a bit of
practice, but the technique becomes almost second nature after a while.

There is a “trick” you can use to get a rough idea of the time it
would take you to fly to an NDB which may be several miles off to
WITH NO WIND, THE PATH TO THE NDB WOULD BE THE STRAIGHT
BLACK LINE. WITH THE WIND, THE PILOT KEEPS AIMING AT THE NDB the left or right of your ground track. This is an approximation, but
(BLUE LINES) RESULTING IN THE CURVED (RED) PATH here’s what you do. Point A is when the ADF needle points directly

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 THE ART OF DESKTOP INSTRUMENT FLYING
to the left or right – that is 90 degrees from your heading. Point B is Advantages
when the needle has moved exactly 10 degrees. Measure the time it In spite of the fact that many NDBs are being phased out, there are
takes to fly from A to B. Then the flying time to the NDB is given by: still some advantages to their use:

Time to fly from A to B in seconds / 10

The answer is in minutes. I’ll leave it as an exercise for you • The costs of both initial installation and maintenance make
who are mathematically minded to show that this is true. Hint: the NDBs the lowest cost way for small airports to have radio aids.
tangent of 10 degrees times 60 is 10.58 and the formula is more • There are still some NDBs close enough together to permit
accurate if you use the time for a 9.5 degree swing of the needle cross country navigation.
instead of 10 degrees. • Knowledge of ADF-NDB use will help you pass the written
licensing examinations.
• If there is an ADF in your plane, your examiner is required to
test you on its use.
• Finally, you can use your ADF to listen to your favorite music
or sports broadcasts while you are flying. It is suspected – and
“documented” in movies like “Pearl Harbor” and “Tora, Tora,
Tora”- that the Japanese planes which attacked Hawaii on
December 7, 1941, used at least one commercial station to find
their way from their aircraft carriers to Honolulu.
BY MEASURING THE TIME FROM A TO B YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW FAR
YOU ARE FROM THE NDB

In this example it is assumed that you are willing to wait until you
Disadvantages
Transmission from NDBs is subject to errors caused by the
are abeam of the NDB. At any time other than that you may turn away
following:
from your course until you are at the 90 degree position. Of course
this would delay your arrival at your intended destination.

Once you have the time to fly to the NDB you can estimate the
• Electrical interference from the aircraft alternator and
distance in nautical miles by:
magnetos.
• Thunderstorms.
Airspeed (knots) times time to fly (minutes) / 10
• Reflected waves from the ionosphere.
• Waves reflected from mountains and the ocean.
If you get serious about ADF-NDB flying you will learn about
• Banking the airplane.
NDB approaches. Each airport with an NDB has a unique flight
pattern for the approach to the runway. The NDB is used initially just
to track to the area and then as a direction reference while you are in
the prescribed pattern. There are not many airports in the U.S. which
have just a simple NDB. Some have two of these stations – one on the
Practice You Can Do
You can practice using ADF with the C-172 Skyhawk that comes
field and another out a few miles allowing alignment with the runway.
with FSX or use any of about a dozen planes that come with X-Plane:
Most airports with NDBs have the outer or middle marker combined
to create LOMs and LMMs.

When there are at least two NDBs within range you may use them
• Bell 206 Helicopter.
for a position fix – just as if they were VORs. You know the directions
• The Van’s RV Series.
to each NDB and there is no ambiguity as there would be if you were
• Cessna Skyhawk.
using two DMEs. Of course, if you have only one ADF on the plane
• Piper Malibu.
you will need to change frequencies rather quickly.
• King Air B200.
• B-52G.

The state of Alaska and an area north of Seattle, Washington, are

two places where cross country trips may be simulated using ADF-
NDB navigation. Put yourself in the neighborhood of Ryan, Arizona,
(KRYN) and you can practice using the two NDBs there. You can
fly from YBNN (Brisbane) to YBCG (Gold Coast) using a string of
NDBs in Australia.

Start practicing with clear, calm weather and then, as you gain
in proficiency, add wind, turbulence, and limited visibility. In any
case, be happy that your simulation does not require the purchase of
A FIX USING TWO NDBS LEAVES NO DOUBT AS TO THE POSITION aviation gas.

75

cpm1206a.indd 75 5/23/2008 4:22:50 PM

 THE STATE OF ALASKA HAS ABOUT 70 NDBs AND MANY OF THEM ARE HERE IS THE ADF FLIGHT FROM BRISBANE TO GOLD COAST SHOWING
SPACED CLOSE ENOUGH TOGETHER TO PERMIT ADF NAVIGATION. HERE THE NDB CALL LETTERS AND FREQUENCIES. INTER-STATION DISTANCES
ARE THE THREE LETTER NAMES OF SEVEN AND THE DISTANCES BETWEEN ARE IN NAUTICAL MILES. THE PICTURE IS FROM GOOGLE EARTH
THEM IN MILES. THE PICTURE IS FROM GOOGLE EARTH

THIS IS A FAIRLY UNUSUAL CLUSTER OF NDBs WITH FIVE BEING

LOCATED WITHIN 50 MILES OF EACH OTHER ON THE SEATTLE
SECTIONAL, AND CLOSE TO FRIDAY ISLAND, WASHINGTON, AND
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA. FRIDAY HARBOR IS THE DEFAULT
STARTING POINT FOR FSX

TWO NDBs ARE LOCATED AT RYAN (RYN) AIRPORT NEAR TUCSON,

ARIZONA. SWITCHING FREQUENCIES FROM RBJ TO RYN COULD BE PART
OF AN APPROACH TO KRYN 6L OR 6R. THIS AREA IS LOCATED ON THE
PHOENIX SECTIONAL. NOTICE THE DOTS AND DASHES FOR THE MORSE A Few Good Links
CODE OF THE STATION CALL LETTERS http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/ Flight Simulator Navigation by Charles Wood
http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/ADF.htm Automatic Direction Finder by Dr.
Claudius Carnegie
http://www.visi.com/~mim/nav/ Tim’s Air Navigation Simulator by Tim Carlson
http://virtualskies.arc.nasa.gov/
http://www.experimentalaircraft.info/flight-planning/avionics-ndb.php
http://www.avsim.com/geoffschool/combined/radio_navigation.htm Radio Navigation
by Geoff Butler
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/ (Pilot’s Handbook of
Aeronautical Knowledge. Chapter 14)
http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim/Chap1/
aim0101.html#1-1-2 (Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Chapter 1. Air
Navigation Section 1. Navigation Aids, FAA.)
http://www.flightsimbooks.com/foi/chapter6.php (Flight Sim Books Online, Flying on
Instruments with Flight Simulator by Jonathan M. Stern)
http://www.flightsimbooks.com/flightsimhandbook/CHAPTER_18_13_Terminal_
NDB_Approach.php (Flight Sim Books Online, Microsoft Flight Simulator Handbook
by Jonathan M. Stern)
http://stoenworks.com/Tutorials/IFR,%20NDB%20(ADF)%20Approaches.html
(NDB-ADF Approaches by Hal Stoen)

A Few Good Books

“Microsoft Flight Simulator X for Pilots: Real World Training” by Jeff Van West and
Kevin Lane-Cummings, 2007 Wiley
“Rod Machado’s Private Pilot Handbook: The Ultimate Pilot Book” by Rod Machado,
HERE IS THE SAME ROUTE IN AUSTRALIA AS SEEN IN THE X-PLANE 1996 The Aviation Speakers Bureau
“LOCAL MAP” MODE. THE NDBs ARE CIRCLED IN RED. NONE OF THESE “Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge”,2003 U.S. Department of Transportation,
IS TO BE USED AS A DIRECT LINE TO A RUNWAY. BML STANDS WELL Federal Aviation Administration, Flight Standards Service
AWAY FROM THE NEAREST AIRPORT AND WOULD BE PRIMARILY USEFUL “Aeronautical Information Manual” (AIM) Chapter 1. Air Navigation Section 1.
FOR CROSS COUNTRY FLYING Navigation Aids, FAA 4

76 CPM. V12I6

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 THE ART OF DESKTOP INSTRUMENT FLYING

77

cpm1206a.indd 77 5/23/2008 4:22:55 PM

 FLY I N G T H E H E A V I E S !
KNOW YOUR STUFF!
BY CAPTAIN CHARLIE VICTORIA

O
ne winter’s day in 1982, there was a very
severe snowstorm in Washington, D.C.
covering the area near the White House,
DO NOT LET YOUR AIRCRAFT END UP LIKE THIS!
the Smithsonian Museum, the Pentagon, the
Jefferson Memorial, and the nearby Washington
Pilots need to know their stuff! To see some mistakes, you can
National Airport next to the Potomac River. The
replay this event on your Flight Simulator at home. Even better,
airport has now been renamed to Ronald Reagan use your Flight Simulator to make sure you know your stuff - as a
National Airport. Computer Pilot and/or as a real pilot.

After the Air Florida Flight from Miami had arrived in Washington, The planned flight
the airport was closed for operations for almost two hours due to a On Jan 13th, 1982, the airline Air Florida was about to operate one of its
severe snowfall, and allowed ground-staff time to remove snow from Boeing 737s departing from Washington National Airport (DCA/KDCA),
the runway. After some hours, the airport was re-opened, and this Air which is located beside the Potomac River near the White House and the
Florida Boeing 737 took-off from Washington for Florida. But, this Pentagon in Washington, DC. The planned route was from Washington
flight did not last for even one minute! Do not let your aircraft end up National Airport, via an intermediate landing at Tampa, Florida, and
like this one! ending at Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL), Florida.

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 FLYING THE HEAVIES
You can also learn from others and from books and magazines.

WASHINGTON D.C. And you can, of course, practice on your Flight Simulator at home
NEW YORK using many different weather conditions. Snow, ice, thunderstorms,
severe turbulence, heavy rain, flooded runways, etc. are waiting for you!

The actual flight

At the airport where there has been a snowstorm, the Boeing 737
crew for the Air Florida Flight 90 (from Washington D.C. to Florida)
decided to take-off when the airport finally opened and depart
Washington for Florida. They had delayed the flight for some time,
almost two hours, but did not want to stay any longer! They started
the two jet engines and (with some problems) taxied their B737 to the
take-off position on Runway 36.

TAMPA FORT LAUDERDALE

MIAMI
PLANNED ROUTE

The month of January is in the middle of the Northern Winter, with

the northern States and Canada and Norway and northern Russia
often experiencing freezing temperatures with ice and snow. Florida
is more southerly than Washington, towards the equator and normally
with warmer temperatures.

Pilots who are based in cities which experience severe winter

conditions each year become used to operating in ice and snow
conditions, and become winter-weather experts. TAXIING THE AIR FLORIDA BOEING 737
IN ICE AND SNOW
However, pilots based in warmer areas (e.g. Florida, North Africa,
Kenya, Australia, Malta, Mexico, where ice and snow conditions
are rare) normally do NOT experience severe winter conditions! Then they moved the thrust-lever forwards to increase the thrust
Before leaving home-base for a flight to a place experiencing severe and accelerated along the runway to reach the takeoff speed. At a
winter conditions these pilots should, therefore, prepare themselves suitable speed, they raised the nose (by pulling the yoke gently) to lift
extremely well, just in case! off and try to climb away. After only 30 seconds in flight just above
the ground and river, however, the B737 fell on to a bridge on the
Hope for the best, but plan for the worst! river, hit a few occupied cars there, damaged some of the bridge’s
Personally, I was based in a temperate zone for years where ice wall and fence, damaged the aircraft, and finally ended in the frozen
and snow was never seen (almost). However, the one day when I Potomac River, where it sank.
experienced heavy snow and ice I was able to handle it safely using
what I had learned from flying-friends from Norway and Russia.

THE ACTUAL FLIGHT FROM TAKE-OFF TO SWIMMING WASHINGTON, D. C.

PRACTICE AT HOME DIAGRAM BY THE U.S. NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

79

cpm1206a.indd 79 5/23/2008 4:22:59 PM

 The aircraft broke into pieces. Many people died (in the aircraft, 7. The pilots decided to help the push-back by using reverse-thrust
and also on the bridge). Some brave people (who saw the accident from the two engines (not an approved procedure for moving a
from the ground) dived into the frozen river in an attempt to rescue B737 backwards). The pilots deployed the reversers, and used
some of the surviving passengers. Rescue staff also used helicopters idle-thrust for about one minute, trying to move the aircraft back.
and ropes to lift a few survivors. Only five people survived. The sixth Airflow from the back of the engines’ exhaust moved around the
person, a passenger who survived the accident, drowned in the river engines and fuselage, on the way picking up snow and ice and
when trying to rescue other passengers. The only surviving Flight rubbish, and entered the engine-inlets as normal from the front.
Attendant was also very brave, and gave the only life-vest she could This air is processed through the engine, and then the deployed-
find to another person in the river. reversers forced the airflow from the engines-exhaust out of the
engines toward the front of the aircraft again and again.
What caused this tragic accident? 8. This airflow around the engines blew snow and slush and melted-
Weather? Mechanical problems with the aircraft? Fuel? Bad luck? Air snow toward the front of the aircraft, and the engine-inlets sucked
Traffic Control problems? Human error? Did the crew know their stuff? this in with the contamination in this airflow. Contaminated airflow
is not good for a jet engine!
Maybe we should run through the whole flight from start to finish.
Maybe there is an unexpected reason – or many – or maybe just one
obvious cause. This is the logical manner in which the U.S.A. National FORWARD THRUST
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and other aviation authorities in EXHAUST STRAIGHT-OUT
other countries try to determine the cause of any accident. AIRCRAFT MOVES FORWARDS

The NTSB’s conclusion was basically HUMAN ERROR

(especially PILOT ERROR)! REAR OF
JET ENGINE
This included:

1. The pilots (from Florida) had little experience of jet-transport in

winter-operations.
2. There was a snowstorm in Washington. Snow and ice accumulated
on the surfaces of the aircraft and engines, and on the ramp
(tarmac, apron) and runway.
3. When parked at the Gate, DE-ICING operations of the B737 were
started by ground-maintenance-personnel, but was stopped and
started a few times. REAR OF
4. A Tug was positioned on the Towbar, ready to push-back the JET ENGINE
aircraft when asked for by the pilots.

REVERSE THRUST
REVERSER CLAMSHELLS
DIVERTS EXHAUST FORWARD
AIRCRAFT SLOWS, OR MOVES BACKWARDS

A BAD MISTAKE IN THIS SITUATION

9. Using reverse-thrust did not move the aircraft, so the pilots
stopped the engines.
10. A new and better Tug was connected to the towbar, and this new
push-back was successful.
11. Then parking-brakes were applied. The tug and towbar were
disconnected.
POSITIONING A TUG & TOWBAR 12. The pilots started the two engines again.
13. The pilots discussed the very long time the aircraft was on the
ground between de-icing and the tower’s take-off clearance (with
5. Later, the pilots got a clearance from the tower to push-back from continuous precipitation continuing, which allowed ice and snow
the gate, and get in sequence for take-off with other aircraft. to build up on the wings and engines), but no action was taken.
6. But the first tug was not well-equipped (it had no tire-chains), and 14. The crew did not visually identify the ice and snow buildup which
could not move the B737 on the ramp for the push-back. The ramp had formed on the wings, and no action was taken.
surface was inclined and covered by ice and snow and de-icing 15. When accomplishing the after-start checklist, the first officer (co-
fluid. (A ramp is a paved-area on the airport where the aircraft can pilot) called out (as required for using, or not using, the internal
be parked, normally near the hangars or the terminal. Ramps are anti-ice system) “anti-ice?”, and the captain in this case responded
also called tarmacs or the aprons. Passengers normally enter an “off!”. (This was a very bad mistake, because ice had formed in
aircraft at a gate on the terminal.) the engines, and anti-ice “on” was certainly needed!)

80 CPM. V12I6

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 FLYING THE HEAVIES

FIG. CALL FROM THE FIRST OFFICER: “ANTI-ICE?”

RESPONSE FROM THE CAPTAIN: “OFF!”
SELECTING “OFF” WAS A BAD MISTAKE IN THIS SITUATION
(USING ANTI-ICE WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER!)

16. In the pre-takeoff checklist, the engine-instruments were checked

for the correct engine-pressure-ratios (EPR), and the airspeed-
indicator had its bugs set correctly: V1-138 knots; VR-140 knots;
V2-144 knots.
17. The take-off was started, and thrust applied to the stated EPR
shown on the gauges.
18. Early in the takeoff-run the pilots discussed that ”things do not
look right!”, but no action was taken! The acceleration on the
runway was slow, airspeed was slow to increase, and much more
runway was required to reach lift-off speed. Again, no action
was taken!
19. Comment: the take-off could have been rejected, i.e. the take-off
aborted! The aircraft could have stayed on the ground, and there
would have been no accident, and no deaths.
20. Even though the required EPR indications were shown on the
gauges to the pilots in the cockpit, the actual EPRs of the engines
were much less because of contamination of a small pitot-tube in
the engine EPR instrument system. The pilots did not notice these
21. The pilot-flying (PF) raised the nose in an attempt to improve the
faulty EPR indications so the aircraft accelerated very slowly due
climb-rate to increase its altitude and stay airborne but airspeed
to the unknown low thrust, therefore used more runway, and (after
decreased, and the stick-shaker sounded in the cockpit to warn the
lift-off) the climb-rate was very poor. The B737 could not even
pilot of the increasing risk of a stall! The warning sound unsettled
reach 500 feet above the ground. The pilots had much less thrust
the pilots.
than what they thought.
22. The inexperienced pilots were not aware of the B737’s pitch-up
characteristics when its wings’ leading-edges are contaminated
with even a little bit of ice or snow. The high-nose attitude was
COMPRESSOR INLET unsettling.
TOTAL PRESSURE 23. Again, no action was taken! The B737’s altitude decreased - with
a high-nose-attitude and tail-down.
24. The aircraft hit the bridge, and fell into the frozen river!
People died!

Conclusion
Pilots need to know their stuff, and take appropriate action in a
timely manner!
TURBINE DISCHARGE We pilots are not always perfect, but we should train ourselves
TOTAL PRESSURE to do our best at all times – in the real aircraft, and also in the
Flight Simulator.
EPR = COMPRESSOR INLET TOTAL PRESSURE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TURBINE DISCHARGE TOTAL PRESSURE Capt. Charlie VICTORIA 4

81

cpm1206a.indd 81 5/23/2008 4:23:05 PM

 COMING UP
...in the July 2008 Issue
... FlightSim Manager Version 2.8.0
FS2002/FS2004 Utility
Filename: fsm280.zip
Author: Rana Hossain
Available From: www.ranainside.com or www.flightsim.com

WIN!
FlightSim Manager is a tool that provides many housekeeping features
for your flight simulator installations. It will work with both FS2002 and
FS2004. The feature set in this software provides important tools for both
new and experienced flight simulator pilots. For those new to the hobby,
this utility can help you to add new aircraft and scenery files to your
simulation, without the need to manually edit configuration files. More
experienced pilots may wish to take advantage of the interface to per-
form tweaks to some of the basic WIN flight simulator parameters. In addition
A SUBSCRIPTION
to these features, the programtoprovides several diagnostic
Computer Pilot Magazine tools to check
the status of yourHave installed aircraft
something and
to say scenery
about files,simulation
the flight and makehobby?
repairs The flight
if necessary. These are only
simulation a few of the
community, many
or just available
a rant features
or rave about in this
anything simulation
More from Madagascar utility. FlightSim Manager is the winnerorofaviation a FlightSim.com
related? Developer’s
There was simply too much to see and do flying around Madagascar Award - check it out and you’ll see why!
Send your letters of 400 words or less to [email protected]
for just one issue, so next month we continue the journey around the for your chance to win a free 12 month (12 issue) subscription – or
island whose wildlife inspired an animated Hollywood movie! extension if you already subscribe – to Computer Pilot. Each month, we
Stearman Kaydet
FSX Easter Eggs will choose the best letters with the best angle/take on a flight simula-
FS2002/FS2004 Aircraft/Panel/Scenery
One of the most enjoyable tasks in Flight Simulator may well just be tion topic and publish them in our Inbox column.
finding all those undocumented hidden treasures the development
Filenames: davstea1.zip (FS2002), stear04.zip (FS2004)
team have thrown into the sim for you to find. Whether it is a chicken, Have Your Say!
Authors: David Eckert, Mark Smith, Dennis Seeley, Louis Sinclair
a monument or an aircraft carrier in some strange place, these “Easter Many articles appearing in Computer Pilot magazine are a direct result
Available From: www.flightsim.com
Eggs” have encouraged groups of egg hunters to seek out new flight of your emails and feedback. If you have a topic you would like us to
paths in attempts to discover them! We will show you just some of cover, or just have some general constructive magazine feedback, let us
The next time you feel like flying low and slow with reference to the bare
them found in FSX next month. know and we will do our best to address your request/feedback. Send
minimum of flight instruments, I highly recommend you consider David
Flight Adventure Across the Pacific Eckert’s Stearman Kaydet.your comments, article ideas or suggestions to...
I am showing the Kaydet in Army Air Corp
John Shankland takes you on the more unusual route of crossing the and there are five other liveries
colors, [email protected]
included in the FS2004 version.
Pacific. Forget Midway and the Hawaiian Islands. We are heading The military trainer versions include little in the way of avionics - true to
south and criss-crossing our way across the greater span of the era, while theWhile
thevast we may
civilian not be
version able tomodern
includes personally answer
radios andthem all, we
a GPS. Thedo read
Pacific Ocean. This is Island Hopping at its finest! Stearman for FS2004 everyisemail and take
packaged your
with feedback
Mark Smith’sonboard for for
scenery planning
Eagleof future
issues. It’sKansas.
Field (7KS9) in Bentley, your way to make
The an impact
old hangars andongrass
the content
strip fiand direction of
t the
Seeking Thrills… the magazine!
Stearman nicely. Flight dynamics for the Kaydet are by Dennis Seeley.
Some simmer’s suffer from a lack of ongoing interest in their sims
Since I’ve never flown a real Stearman, I can’t say if the dynamics are
once they have explored the basics and advertised features in their sim
like the real aircraft or not - but I can tell you the airplane is well-man-
software. What do you do next once you have explored all the menus
nered and a lot of fun to fly, even with a yoke. Flown with a joystick, I’m
in FS9 or FSX, flown a circuit in every aircraft in the hangar and visited
sure you could perform some of the same maneuvers taught to aspiring
your favorite airport? Gabe Logan offers suggestions to bring the spark
WWII pilots. There is a FS2002 version available as well - it comes with a
back into your simming hobby!
single livery and does not include the scenery for Eagle Field. David and
Reginald’s Secret FS Adventures – Chapter his2team have created a very high quality freeware package - if you’re
Bill Smith is back again more from the latest in a new series oflooking
flight for an airplane to fly just for the joy of flying, please consider the
sim fiction, that loosely ties in with other stories that have already
Stearman.
appeared in CP magazine. Join Reginald on more adventures of flight
sim folly!
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