x-plane 10 official guide

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EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT X-PLANE 10 AND MORE!

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THE OFFICIAL GUIDE

PLUS: Interviews, Reviews and Tutorials for X-Plane 10 - www.pcpilot.net

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ALL THIS INSIDE

• A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO X-PLANE• CONFIGURING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS• OPTIMISING FRAME RATES • X-PLANE VS FSX COMPARISON• AIRCRAFT AND SCENERY REVIEWS• EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH LAMINAR RESEARCH• INCLUDES ESSENTIAL BEST BUY GUIDE

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X-Plane 10 - The Official Guide | www.pcpilot.net 3

X-Plane 10 - The Official Guide | CONTENTS

Introduction

Interview with Austin Mayer ...........................................................................................................................4Laminar's founder shares his thoughts on X-Plane.

Reviews

X-Plane 10 Review ....................................................................................................................................................................10

X-Plane vs FSX ........................................................................................................................................................................................14We compare two of the main commercial simulators in use today - X-plane and FSX.

Flight Factor 757 Professional .............................................................................................................16The Flying Pencil.

Take Command Saab 340 ....................................................................................................................................20Sweden’s game changer.

Carenado Cessna Centurion ........................................................................................................................24A General Aviation classic.

EDITORIALEditor: Derek Davis ([email protected])

Assistant Editor: Jane Whittaker Technical Editor: Richard Benedikz

Contributors to this issue: Peter Wright, Chris Frishmuth and Jessica Bannister-Pearce

Production Editor: Sarah RobinsonDesigners: Matt Fuller & Debbie Walker

SUBSCRIPTIONSAnn Petrie, Liz Ward, Joan Harwin

Tel: +44 (0)1780 480404Fax: +44 (0)1780 757812

Email: [email protected]

EDITORIAL CONTACTPC Pilot, Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100,

Stamford, Lincs PE9 1XQEmail: [email protected]

Website: www.pcpilot.net

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENTCommercial Director: Ann Saundry

Group Advertisement Manager: Brodie BaxterAdvertisement Manager: Sean Leslie

Advertising Production Manager: Debi McGowan

MARKETINGMarketing Manager: Martin Steele

Production Manager: Janet WatkinsMarketing Executive: Shaun Binnington

MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PUBLISHERAdrian Cox

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMANRichard Cox

SUBMISSIONSWe will gladly accept and review for publication

any letters, articles, photographs or other contributions. We cannot guarantee publication

nor, regrettably, return items sent to us or be responsible for their loss. We will try and reply

where possible. Any letters are assumed suitable for publication unless we are otherwise notified. All items submitted for publication are subject

to our terms and conditions. These are regularly updated without prior notice and are freely

available from Key Publishing Ltd ordownloadable from www.keypublishing.com

Postmaster: Send address corrections to PC Pilot,Key Publishing Ltd, C/o Mail Right International

Inc. 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854

Printed by Warners (Midland) plc, Bourne, Lincs.Repro by Key Publishing Ltd and AT Graphics

(Peterborough)

PC Pilot is published by Key Publishing Ltd, POBox 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK.

Tel: 01780 755131.

The entire contents of X-Plane the Essential Guide is © 2014 and no part of it may be reproduced in any form or stored on any form of retrieval system

without the prior permission of the publisher.

Key Publishing Ltd takes considerable care toensure the accuracy of the information published

in PC Pilot, including the contents of all its covermounted CDs, however, we cannot be held

liable for any loss or damage resulting either directly or indirectly from any error or omission including any loss or damage arising out of the use of any cover-mounted CD. We are pleased

to recognise all trademark and copyright holders and try to where possible. If we have omitted this then please let us know and we will correct in the

next issue.

Readers in USA can place subscriptions by visitingwww.pcpilot.net or by calling toll free

800 676 4049 or fax 757 428 6253 or by writing to PC Pilot, Pacific Ave, Ste 404, Virginia Beach,

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We are unable to guarantee the bonafides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personnel information in response to any

advertisements within this publication.

B-25 Mitchell ..............................................................................................................................................................................................28Khamsin’s classic World War Two bomber.

Island of Oahu ..........................................................................................................................................................................................32A tropical paradise for X-Plane.

UK Photo Scenery .........................................................................................................................................................................34Exploring the British Isles.

Interviews

Flight Factor ...................................................................................................................................................................................................38In this exclusive interview, we speak with X-Plane developers Roman Berezin and Philipp Muenzell, the driving force behind Flight Factor.

Carenado ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................40Carenado was one of the first to simultaneously develop software for X-Plane and FSX. We interview Fernando Herrera, one of its founders, to find out more.

Tutorials

Overview .................................................................................................................................................................................................................42X-Plane 10 is the most significant release of this popular flight simulator. We find out what it is all about.

Aircraft ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................48We look at the aircraft in X-Plane along with the unique flight modelling properties of the simulation.

Scenery..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................54We explore the scenery in X-Plane, including how to add custom files and a guide to popular third party expansions.

Flight Controls ........................................................................................................................................................................................60Find out how to customise the flight controls to get the most out of the aircraft in X-Plane.

Weather .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................68Configure X-Plane to replicate all that Mother Nature can throw at us, with a detailed overview of the various weather options.

Scenery Add-ons..............................................................................................................................................................................72A comprehensive summary of third party scenery and how to bring the X-Plane world to life.

World Editor ..................................................................................................................................................................................................76A guide to improving X-Plane's default airports using Laminar’s World Editor tool.

World Editor Update ............................................................................................................................................................81Catch up with the latest changes, following the release of the World Editor Gateway.

Libraries and Plug-ins ......................................................................................................................................................82We profile a variety of third-party plug-ins that improve the parent simulation.

Optimising Frame Rates ..........................................................................................................................................88How to get the best performance out of X-Plane.

X-Aviation FAQ .......................................................................................................................................................................................92We interview Cameron Son, prolific X-Plane publisher and owner of X-Aviation.

Best Buy Guide ......................................................................................................................................................................................96Payware add-ons recommended by PC Pilot.

Essential Software and Libraries ..................................................................................................97We outline some of the must-have plug-ins and packages to enhance X-Plane.

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FEATURE | X-Plane 10 – An interview with Laminar Research

X-Plane 10 - The Official Guide | www.pcpilot.net4

X-PlaneAn interview with Laminar Research

10The creator of X-Plane and founder of Laminar Research, Austin Meyer

A new camera-control system allows you to customise your viewing angles

New atmospheric effects look stunning with subtle colours as

can be seen in this sunset image

The PC Pilot team is proud to bring you this complete guide to Laminar Research’s X-Plane 10, what it claims is the world’s most comprehensive and powerful fl ight simulator for personal computers. X-Plane 10 is one of the few products available on the market that off ers a viable alternative to Microsoft’s long-running Flight Simulator franchise. It has evolved signifi cantly since its release in 2011, through both Laminar Research’s own upgrades and those of an ever expanding third-party industry.

In this special, the team behind the world’s favourite fl ight simulator magazine, PC Pilot, provides a series of tutorials to help you get to grips with X-Plane 10. We also feature a selection of reviews on some of the leading aircraft and scenery packages currently avail-able, along with a best-buy guide covering a wide-range of commercial add-ons.

To kick off this special, we invited Laminar Research founder and X-Plane creator Austin Meyer to share his thoughts on X-Plane 10 and the future of this popular fl ight simulator.


X-Plane 10 – An interview with Laminar Research | FEATURE

10PC Pilot: Thank you for agreeing to

speak with us about X-Plane 10. Previous versions of X-Plane have been primarily designed on Apple Macs. Is this still the case or are you also giving equal importance to its development on the PC?

Austin Meyer: Although X-Plane will run on Apple, Windows and Linux systems, the development is done about 99% on an Apple computer.

PC Pilot: We understand that X-Plane 10 has been in development longer than any other version of X-Plane. Can you explain what makes it different from previous versions.

Austin Meyer:X-Plane 10 is by far the most ambitious and comprehensive release we have ever done. I started off by telling my artists that we had to build a plausible world, where every city was built up from the first blade of grass to a full 3D city, without a single ortho-texture. [An Orthographic texture is a method of projection or displaying a 3D object in 2D, as on a computer screen, so that it can be viewed from different directions. For example, if you are approaching a house from a 45 degree angle, you will see both the front and also one side of the house.]

My artists then told me that this was too simple a concept because not all cities are built on the same type of grass. We start off with grass or field textures for the entire world, including the cities, and then build up from there. Every building will be a real 3D object, planted by an algorithm. Although we do not know the location of every building on earth, we have an incredibly detailed road database, and we can place parking lots, pavements, buildings, etc, all alongside these roads. This means that our artificially-intelligent city-planning algorithm will build detailed cities in true 3D. There will be no discoloration, blurriness, satellite misalignment or 2D Escherlike illusions, which is the first step towards a really detailed and convincing virtual reality.

X-Plane 10 is also highly scalable. You are able to zoom down to ground level and also all the way into space and see earth from orbit. You can see the reflections and lighting of the land and sea, with smooth transitions all the way from space to sitting in someone’s front yard. There will be no sudden switch-over to a different rendering technology. The weather system

The new X-Plane world is built from the ground up and delivers highly detailed cities and airports

Cities are rendered in high detail right down to street level

It is possible to zoom to ground level and see moving traffic

Shipping has received a major face-lift

The X-Plane world consists of a large number of 3D objects

FEATURE | X-Plane 10 – An interview with Laminar Research


is detailed enough that you can see cloud wisps around your aircraft, but will go on for hundreds of miles in every direction without any repetition.

I do not know of any other game or simulation that has gone to this level of detail for a planet-wide simulation.

PC Pilot: What improvements have been made to the flight modelling in X-Plane 10?

Austin Meyer: The X-Plane engine is fully dynamic. For V-10, I have made it so that each flight model runs on its own CPU. This means that if you have 20 processors, you can run twenty AI aircraft with zero frame rate hit. That is

because all of those flight models are running on a CPU core, one after the other, so if you have 20 CPUs, running 20 aircraft is no slower than running one. We have also optimised the RAM usage of each aircraft to be considerably lower. So, X-Plane 10 uses less memory, and gives higher frame-rates compared to version 9 (all other settings being equal, of course). This will allow ATC to control all the aircraft in the sky, delivering an incredible level of realism. Using pre-recorded WAV files, you can hear the controller giving instructions to the other aircraft and see them following

those instructions on your TCAS and out the window. You are able to see AI aircraft takeoff, land, taxi, stop on the ramp, perform missed approaches and do touch and goes, while taking commands from ATC, all of which you can hear on your radio. Of course all of the other aircraft will use the same accurate flight model as your aircraft, so you will see them move realistically during all phases of flight, from take-off to landing.

PC Pilot: What changes have been made to the weather engine in X-Plane 10 compared with previous versions?

Austin Meyer: The new weather engine is stunning! It has no concept of ‘a cloud’ and only understands entire

3D systems. This will result in more variation and 3D wrap-around randomness that will confound anyone trying to get through IMC conditions while maintaining VFR. This is the trick to the cloudrendering in X-Plane 10; we draw a lot of small puffs up close, and a few huge puffs in the distance. This gives you a high level of detail up close, with more generic clouds visible in the distance. There is no need to draw tiny one metre-wide ‘puffs’ 100 miles away, as you will never even see them from that distance.

Each resolution contains all the cloud puffs around you including the ones behind you. We don’t want to tell the video card to draw the clouds that are behind you, which would slow your computer down for no reason, so we break each resolution down into 27

buckets (a grid, in 3D, measuring 3x3x3 exactly like a Rubik’s cube). Since maybe half of the buckets are in front of you, and half behind, we simply draw only the ones that are in front of you, only displaying cloud puffs that you can see. This doubles the frame-rate again. This is what makes it possible to run at 100 fps with one video card with clouds visible. This gives us the detail we want, with the long-range visibility we also require, at the frame-rate we need.

PC Pilot: X-Plane 10 has now been on the market since 2011. Looking back, what has gone well and what could have been improved?

Austin Meyer: Well the most amazing

The overhead panel for the Boeing 747 is highly detailed

The new version of X-Plane features improved default aircraft

Atmospheric conditions have been modelled in detail. You can even see the condensation on the top wing surface of this Boeing 777

The weather engine has been completely

rewritten and features realistic atmospheric

conditions


X-Plane 10 – An interview with Laminar Research | FEATURE

Austin Meyer: The mobile and desktop versions are different products and I don’t see them interacting or complementing each other in any way.

So, I view X-Plane for desktop as my ultimate creation as it has Plane-Maker, and the ability to enter the design of your own hypothetical or any real aircraft in the world, and fly it fairly realistically.

But, since a good part of our revenue comes from the mobile version of X-Plane, I continue to fund its development, and let’s just say we have some interesting surprises coming out in that arena soon, which will provide some game-changers in X-Plane Mobile.

PC Pilot: The user interface has been a major obstacle for flight simmers migrating from other platforms. Would you agree this is the case and if so, what is being done to address this?

Austin Meyer:Yes I would agree with them. I have spent thousands of hours

behind Xavion, an App for iPad and iPhone that backs up the instruments in the cockpit of a real aircraft. You can use Xavion to guide you to safety after a number of instrument or engine failures.

This means that I have spent a lot of time trying to fly a real aircraft while using Xavion on my iPad at the same time. As most of your attention is on flying the real aircraft when you are close to the ground, it is essential to build an interface that is clear and easy to use. Consequently, I have spent a lot of time getting the user interface (UI) in Xavion to be totally bullet-proof. So, yes, now I agree with the people that say the UI needs to be updated and we have some work going on behind the scenes now to make that happen in the future.

PC Pilot. What are your thoughts on Oculus Rift and do you have any plans to support this in future updates?

Austin Meyer: We have had in-house

support for Oculus Rift for the last 3 months. Using the Rift in a 3D cockpit in flight in X-Plane is stunning – it feels like being you are in the real aircraft. So, we are ready to release support the moment the consumer Rift is released.

PC Pilot: Finally, can we expect to see X-Plane 11 in the near future and is there anything you can tell us about it at this time?

Austin Meyer:Yes, we will surely see X-Plane 11 but it will not be in the near future. I still have all of my people focused on X-Plane 10. I want it to deliver on the promise made of a plausible virtual world, with such refinement and tuning and performance

PC Pilot: Thank you for taking the time to talk with us at PC Pilot. We wish you the best for the future! If you want to find out more about Laminar Research or X-Plane 10, visit http://www.x-plane.comBy Richard Benedikz

thing, I think, is the night city scenery. We have the ability to have literally thousands of lights at once, and see streams of cars and trucks being illuminated at night as they drive under the street-lights.

This has been fairly stable since version 10.00, so I would say that this part has gone pretty well. In early versions, the lighting wasn’t reliable but in 10.30, we have managed to iron out these issues and it is working perfectly as far as I can tell and the visual effect is simply amazing – you have to fly X-Plane with a bright monitor in a dark room to fully see and appreciate it, though.

Now, digital download has not gone so well; it is taking us forever to come up with a good in-house

solution, although you can get X-Plane on Steam.

PC Pilot: Can you explain the benefits of offering X-Plane on Steam?

Austin Meyer: The main benefit is you get X-Plane instantly. When we released on Steam, revenue from X-Plane for desktop went up almost 4 fold. So, the digital era is obviously here (and has been for some time!)

PC Pilot: Now that version 10.30 has been released, what will you be working on next and what features can we look forward to?

Austin Meyer: I recently hired someone to work on speeding up the load times. X-Plane runs at shockingly high frame-rates for the amount of scenery it is delivering… but the loading takes forever.

PC Pilot: Many consider X-Plane to be a platform for the serious flight simmer – how does the work you have done on mobile platforms such as Apple and Android fit in with this?

The northern lights are simulated in version 10 You can fly a selection of aircraft including the Space Shuttle

The water effects in X-Plane are stunning

The new X-Plane world delivers exceptional detail The airports include a number of detailed 3D objects

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An Alternative to FSX

The Boeing 747 has been updated and now includes a virtual cockpit and cabin

REVIEW | X-Plane 10



X -Plane 10 is the most ambitious release of the franchise we have seen to date. It was in

the making for longer than any other version, introducing a number of new and revolutionary features. Although it was first developed in the early ’90s as a basic IFR trainer, it has grown over the years into the complex flight simulation tool it is today, which has attracted a small but loyal following. Not only is it the only desktop flight simulator that works on PC, Apple and Linux systems, it also has a vibrant third-party community that regularly creates add-on aircraft and scenery areas. However it still remains true to its

origins as one of its major strengths is fluid instrumentation which makes it a superb IFR trainer – the purpose for which it was originally designed.Since version 10 was released in 2011, X-Plane 10 has undergone some major updates. The most significant is it is 64-bit compatible which means it doesn't suffer from the 4Gb memory limit sof 32-bit applications. Similarly, the latest 10.30 version includes important updates and new features such as improved autogen placement, performance optimisation and a new Garmin 530 GPS. We have also seen the third-party market grow and the quality of add-ons has increased significantly.

over its predecessor – X-Plane 9. For example, it accurately models wing flex based on the stiffness and weight of the wings. Condensation, due to lift has also been modelled which is based on wing-loading, lift coefficient, temperature and humidity. Spins are more realistic - including the possibility of flat-spins. The jet engine has also been redesigned and engine flame-outs are now achievable.

The failure model has been improved and now includes a more accurate

Flight modellingX-Plane’s key strength throughout its various releases has always been its flight modelling. It works on a principle called ‘Blade Element Theory’ which determines the flight characteristics of an aircraft based on its geometric shape. In essence, the aircraft is broken down into small elements and the forces acting on each element are calculated several times per second. As a result, the flight dynamics are highly realistic which makes X-Plane capable of simulating almost any type of aircraft from airliners to helicopters.

The flight model in version 10 has seen a number of improvements

Innsbruck Airport is one of the more detailed airports in X-Plane 10


Heathrow Airport includes detailed terminal buildings

The Stinton L5 has one of the better flight models


X-Plane 10 | REVIEW

hydraulic and electrical systems simulation. Almost any system can be failed either manually or randomly at any time, for example instruments, engines, flight controls, control cables and many other systems.

X-Plane can also simulate external stores including missiles, bombs or

drop tanks. Although the weapons do not inflict any

damage, as you release any ordnance the

aircraft will get lighter and the weight shift

of missiles or bombs is

modelled accurately.

show their age. Some aircraft have been removed altogether, such as the Piper Malibu, the Sea King and the Bell 47 which are no longer available. New aircraft introduced in this version include the Beech Baron that comes with a detailed 3D cockpit and the C-130 Hercules, although that doesn’t include a virtual cockpit.

SceneryThe scenery in X-Plane 10 has undergone a major upgrade from previous versions. Firstly, the scenery for Mars which was included in version 9 is not present in version 10. The Earth on the other hand is covered from 74 degrees north to 74

degrees south and is populated by default terrain textures. Included are cities, farmland and deserts as well as mountainous terrain and glaciers. The terrain textures have been significantly improved in X-Plane 10 and while they do not match the real world in detail, overall areas match the real world counterpart so you will see deserts in Africa and farmland in large agricultural areas. Similarly, elevation data has also been improved dramatically and you can now see jagged mountains rather than the gently curving landscape in the

The aircraftThe selection of aircraft is extensive and ranges from military aircraft to general aviation, gliders, commercial jets, helicopters and float planes. However, it should be noted that the quality of the default aircraft varies significantly. Some have been updated with more realistic flight dynamics, 3D cockpits and detailed interiors, two examples of which include the Boeing 747 and the Space Shuttle. The King Air has also been remodelled and includes a much better cockpit and external model. Unfortunately many of the default aircraft are unchanged since version 9 and these are starting to

Innsbruck Airport is one of the more detailed airports in X-Plane 10 The Beechcraft Baron is a new addition to the X-Plane fleet

The SR-22 Blackbird is a superb example of supersonic modelling in X-Plane The Saab Viggen is one of the legacy aircraft ported over from X-Plane 9

The Space Shuttle can be ferried on the back of the NASA 747

Mountains in X-Plane look very realistic in appearance

REVIEW | X-Plane 10


previous version. Coastlines are also far more accurate compared to those in X-Plane 9.

The scenery comes on eight DVDs, which can take up to 60GB of hard drive space if you install scenery for the entire planet; although it is possible to select which part of the world to load using a new installer that comes with a graphical user interface (GUI).

A ‘plausible world’A new concept introduced in X-Plane 10 is the ‘plausible world’. This means that although the scenery is not modelled accurately, objects are placed in a feasible or ‘plausible’ location using an artificially intelligent object-planning algorithm. X-Plane uses a detailed road network for the entire globe that is based on the real world. Objects such as car parks and buildings are then placed alongside roads, so areas with a high road density will have more objects compared to those in remote locations. Every building is modelled in 3-D and is placed in a location that is physically possible. In this ‘plausible world’ you will see traffic travelling along the roads and birds flying around and even experience bird strikes on occasion during take-off and landing. A new lighting model called HDR or ‘High Dynamic Range’ has also been implemented. Every light source is modelled individually which provides a very realistic night environment - although the downside

is that HDR lighting can be heavy on the frame rates if you dont have a modern graphics card. The water effects are similar to that in version 9. Ocean swells are modelled so you can see frigates and carriers pitch and roll in the waves. It is possible to turn on water reflections and see mountains and clouds reflected in the water which look impressive although this effect is much clearer than in the real world.

There are more than 33,000 airports in X-Plane, although most are lacking in detail and don’t include accurate taxiways and ramps. However, Laminar Research has recently started a new website called the X-Plane Scenery Gateway (http://gateway.x-plane.com/). The aim is to populate the airports in X-Plane with accurate runways/taxiways and buildings. Since the project was launched earlier this year, over 1000 new airport submissions have been made.

X-Plane comes with a variety of scenarios such as carrier take-off and landings, air-to-air refuelling, Space Shuttle re-entry and aerial tows for gliders to name a few. The X-Plane world can also be populated with frigates, carriers and oil platforms from which you can operate.

WeatherThe weather system is one of the more significant improvements in version 10. Clouds are rendered in 3D and are made up of individual puffs to create incredibly realistic cloud formations. They are drawn in detail when viewed up close and more generic clouds are visible further away to achieve reasonable frame rates. Clouds, in general, do however have a significant hit on frame rates at high detail settings.

It is possible to customise the weather and set conditions from clear skies to thunderstorms with zero visibility. Thermals are modelled, so when flying gliders, you can experience rising air due to thermals

or ridge lift. It is possible to customise wind layers and specify wind direction and speed as well as wind shear, gusts and turbulence. Weather trends can also be set for deteriorating or improving conditions or real weather can be downloaded from the internet.

Landing in thunderstorms can result in sudden wind shear, causing the aircraft to sink or loose speed without warning. As the temperature drops below freezing, rain will change to snow and in windy conditions snow will drift across the runways depending on wind strength. Wet runways are slippery requiring greater braking distance, hydroplaning has even been modelled, which is the loss of traction when a layer of water prevents direct contact between the tyres and the runway. Similarly you can see windsocks flapping in the wind as they do in real life.

The F-4 Phantom has been updated in version 10

X-Plane includes a number of challenging scenarios including taking-off from and landing on carriers

The cockpit in the Phantom has been remodelled and now includes a virtual rendition

The clouds in X-Plane 10 are one of its best features


DETAILS PUBLISHER & DEVELOPER: Laminar Research/AerosoftPRICE: From €49.99WEBSITE: www.x-plane.com and www.aerosoft.comAT A GLANCE: X-Plane 10 is the most ambitious release of the franchise to date.MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Windows XP / Vista / 7, LINUX, Mac; Processor (CPU): 2.0GHz minimum; 2GB RAM; 80GB Free Hard Disc Space; 128MB Graphics Card. RECOMMENDED REQUIREMENTS: Windows XP / Vista / 7, LINUX, Mac; Multi-core Processor (CPU): 2.6GHz minimum; 4GB RAM; 80GB Free Hard Disc Space; 512MB Graphics Card.

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X-Plane 10 | REVIEW

ATC and AI ATC is yet another area that has been completely redesigned. It is possible to communicate with ATC from start-up to shut-down. AI aircraft are also controlled by ATC and they will fly their own flight plans and interact with air traffic control. This is however one area where there are still some ‘bugs’ present. For example, you can sometimes see aircraft running off the end of runways or flying into terrain. Aircraft can also be placed on runways that are far too small for them, for example the 747 can be seen operating from small grass strips!

The InterfaceThe user interface in X-Plane 10 hasn’t changed much since version 9. Although it is flexible and it is possible to configure controllers using almost any key/button combination, the downside is it looks complicated and clunky which can be confusing for the beginner. For example, there is no search function for locating airports or for finding aircraft. On the positive side, a new camera feature has been included which has a number of different view options as well as a free camera that allows you to move

about in the X-Plane world without any limitations. It is also possible to use the mouse or a joystick to control the camera.

PerformanceX-Plane 10 has been upgraded to 64-bit and has been written to take advantage of modern-day multi-core processors. Each flight model runs on its own CPU, so if you have 20 processors, you can run 20 AI aircraft with virtually no hit on frame rates. Although X-Plane 10 runs at fairly good frame rates at moderately high detail settings, increasing the cloud detail has a significant impact on performance as they are generated on the fly. Enabling HDR lighting also has a similar affect. Load times are a bit on the long side and it can take between two and three minutes from clicking the icon to the aircraft appearing on the runway. However once in the air, frame rates vary between 20 FPS in busy built-up areas to approximately 50FPS in rural locations, although this depends on the level on the level of detail.

SummaryAlthough X-Plane is one of the more advanced desktop simulators on the market in terms of flight dynamics

and atmospheric modelling, it has a slightly ‘unfinished’ look. This is because it is under constant development as new features and improvements are continually being added. Many of the default aircraft have been improved and they now come with excellent flight dynamics and detailed 3D cockpits. The new scenery system for auto-generating the plausible scenery for the entire world is a novel concept, but at the moment there is no custom architecture for different continents, so cities look identical all over the world, although this can be rectified by using scenery libraries (see page 98). Similarly, the weather system is a huge improvement compared to the previous version, and we now have clouds that are highly detailed and realistic. The frame rates are generally fluid, particularly on a high-end system and even mid-range systems perform surprisingly well although this depends on the display settings. Although X-Plane can appear complicated to beginners, it lacks detailed tutorials and has a steep learning curve whenit comes to finding your way around the menu system. However the latest 10.30 update is the most significant to date and a step in the right direction to make it more acceptable to a wider audience. By Richard Benedikz

best features

The coastlines in have been improved significantly

Sunsets are highly picturesque

X-Plane includes fluid instruments which make it a great IFR trainer

X-PlaneFSX

X-PlaneFSX

vs.

REVIEW | X-Plane vs. FSX

The Two PlatformsThe FSX platform has been around since 2006. When it was first released, it was developed around the technology at the time but advances in computer hardware has meant it doesn’t take full advantage of new components such as graphics cards and multi core processors. This is further compounded by the fact that FSX is a 32-bit application so it can only access 4GB of memory. This is a major limiting factor – as add-ons become more complex, many of us are starting to experience 'out of memory' or 'virtual address space' (VAS) errors.X-Plane 10 on the other hand is under continuous development. It is a full 64-bit application which means it is not constrained by the


4GB memory limit and it has been made to take advantage of multi core processors and modern graphics cards, enabling it to run at a much higher level of detail than is possible with FSX.

Scenery & LightingFSX comes with scenery that covers entire globe and consists of airports with buildings and object. However, while global scenery in X-Plane is very detailed, the default airports tend to be unfinished. We are now starting to see the X-Plane world populated with realistic runways/taxiways and buildings thanks to the X-Plane Scenery Gateway (a collaborative effort by the X-Plane community to populate airports with object).Other features which make X-Plane

stand out is lighting – every light is modelled as an individual source so flying over towns and cities at night is spectacular.

WeatherCompared to FSX, X-Plane comes with a highly realistic weather engine that uses a complex algorithm to model the effects of wind, turbulence and icing as well as a built-in weather radar. It is, however, possible to purchase stand-alone weather engines for FSX such as Active Sky Next along with third party aircraft that take advantage of this such as the iFly 737NG and PMDG 777. Similarly in X-Plane it is possible to download add-on weather engines, such as SkyMaxPro which creates a stunning sky with better frame rates.

CameraFSX comes with a basic camera, although it is possible to purchase third party software such as EZdok. X-Plane in comparison comes with a built-in camera which allows you to program pre-defined views using the numeric keypad.

Flight ModellingX-Plane uses blade element theory to calculate the flight model and is capable of simulating different powerplants, allowing designers to make realistic turboprops, piston engines and low/hi bypass jets. FSX on the other hand uses look-up tables for the flight model. Whilst this has the benefit of allowing developers to create aircraft with accurate performance figures, they often feel like they are on rails.

For most of us, Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) is the simulator of choice. It has traditionally had more appeal to the mass market as the user interface is fairly intuitive, making it simple to set up and install add-ons. X-Plane on the other hand has adopted a more scientific or ‘nuts & bolts’ approach and is often perceived as being more complex and difficult to configure. The main criticism is the user interface that is considered cumbersome and can be a challenge for beginners, but conversely, it comes with almost unlimited customisation options. Here, we highlight the main differences between the two platforms.

FSX suffers from limitations such as excessive drag on the ground and poor turboprop engine modelling.

The turboprop engine model in X-Plane is more realistic compared to FSX, even on default aircraft such as the King Air.

Add-on aircraft such as the PMDG Boeing 777 have taken FSX to the limit of what is possible.

The Flight Factor Boeing 777 Professional is one of the better add-ons that is available for X-Plane.


X-Plane vs. FSX | REVIEW

Turboprops in FSX are not modelled accurately and ground friction is excessive which makes taxiing and braking unrealistic.

AircraftFSX comes with a good selection of default aircraft ranging from gliders to jetliners (all of which have 3D cockpits), though the quality of these models is average at best. The X-Plane 'virtual hangar' is slightly more varied and includes military aircraft, General Aviation, gliders, commercial jets, helicopters and float planes. However, it should be noted that the quality of the default aircraft varies significantly. Some have been updated with more realistic flight dynamics, 3D cockpits and detailed interiors, while others are carried over from version 9.

Missions and LessonsFSX comes with flying lessons ranging from basic aircraft handling to advanced instrument flying, while varied missions can give your virtual flying a purpose. X-Plane on the other hand assumes a certain level of prior knowledge and comes pre-loaded with situations that allow you to perform a variety of challenges. These include formation flying, carrier landings and putting out forest fires to name a few.

ATC and AI AircraftOne area where FSX stands out is with ATC and AI traffic. ATC is basic but functional and it is possible to file flight plans and interact with air traffic control using a menu system. ATC in X-Plane on the other hand is difficult and cumbersome to use

(and extremely unforgiving). It is also possible to auto-tune COM frequencies in FSX whereas X-Plane requires you to follow real world procedures and manually dial in radio frequencies. Similarly AI traffic in FSX is very basic, although it is possible to purchase packages that add real world airline traffic for the entire globe. The AI aircraft in X-Plane on the other hand behaves erratically and is very much a work in progress.One advantage that X-Plane has over FSX is the behaviour of Navaids, which perform like real world. For example DME (distance measuring equipment) gives accurate readings based on the distance from the ground station, whereas in FSX, it measures the distance from the centre of the runway. Similarly ILS

beacons in X-Plane are not omni-directional, as per the real thing.

SummaryDespite the limitations of the FSX platform credit has to be given to third party developers. Many have managed to push the boundaries of further than anyone would have believed possible, but regardless, the FSX platform is limiting. X-Plane is starting to come into maturity and recently the quality of add-ons has increased significantly. Laminar has focused on building a solid and stable platform that takes advantage of modern hardware. By the virtue that it is 64-bit, it allows developers to really push the boat out and we are now seeing products that rival those available for FSX.

It is possible to significantly enhance the default scenery in FSX with a variety of packages such as Orbx Global (pictured) and Ultimate Terrain X.

The scenery in X-Plane can be improved with packages such as the alpilot mesh v2.

The lighting in X-Plane is superb and includes dynamic shadows and independent light sources.

Although it is possible to enable features such as shadows and lens flare in FSX, the overhead on the computer can significantly reduce frame rates.

It is possible to populate FSX with realistic AI aircraft that follow real world schedules. The AI aircraft in X-Plane are still very basic and can behave erratically.

The Flying Pencil

The Boeing 757-200 was designed in the 1980s as a replacement for the ageing 727.

It entered service in 1983 and was commonly used on high-density routes in Europe and transcontinental US flights. When it was ETOPS (Extended Twin Engine Operations) certified in 1986, the aircraft became a popular choice on medium long-haul transoceanic routes. It quickly became known as one of the more versatile airliners made by Boeing as it was capable of long-haul flights whilst its single aisle configuration allowed it to operate out of airports that couldn't accommodate twin-aisle jets.

The 757 was developed concurrently with the 767 and in order to lower costs, Boeing designed a number of components

to fit both aircraft types such as the APU, air conditioning packs and electrical system components. Another key factor was the identical flight deck layout, allowing pilots to obtain a common type rating on both aircraft types.

The last 757 rolled off the production line on October 28, 2004, after a total of 1,050 had been built and operated by 54 airlines worldwide. The 200 series was the most popular model with a total of 913 aircraft built.

A new airliner for X-PlaneThe Boeing 757 Professional was developed by FlightFactor, the team behind the popular 777 Worldliner. This is its second high fidelity airliner

and is based on the 757-200 series that was one of the first Boeings to be fitted with a first-generation glass cockpit.

The external model is highly detailed and includes reflective surfaces, high definition textures and moving parts such as control surfaces, flaps, spoilers and the undercarriage. The engines are similarly very detailed with rotating fan blades and heat blur from the exhaust ducts.

The cabin is modelled to a high standard and includes galleys, lavatories and a detailed passenger compartment. The main exits are animated as well as the emergency exits, although the cargo

doors are not modelled. The aircraft also includes effects such as dynamic window reflections, rain effects and working windshield wipers.

The base package comes with four liveries, the Boeing house-style, British Airways (retro), Air France and

Boeing 757 ProfessionalBoeing 757 ProfessionalFlightFactor’s

The Flying Pencil

REVIEW | Expansion for X-Plane 10


The external model is highly detailed with animated moving partsThe Boeing 757 comes with four default liveries including the Boeing House Colours

The Flying Pencil

Boeing 757 ProfessionalFor X-Plane

Lufthansa. The livery selection is a bit on the lean side, but it is possible to purchase eight additional packs at

$10 each.The 757 comes with a

detailed 3D cockpit with a fully functional main instrument panel, overhead panel and centre console, as well as a pop-up window for the FMC. The attention to detail is superb; almost every knob and switch is functional and the custom-made gauges are fluid and sharp in true X-Plane fashion. The switches and buttons are clearly labelled and the CRT displays

authentically replicate those found in the real aircraft.

SystemsThe package comes with an external plug-in that simulates approximately 90% of the systems, including the electrical, hydraulic and fuel systems. According to FlightFactor, only the maintenance systems are not modelled. Other features include realistic triple IRS units with source switching, dual ADC (Air Data Computers) with custom failures and a triple channel autopilot allowing you to perform full auto-lands with flare and roll-out. The Captain and First Officer instruments work independently with separate analogue instruments, Primary Flight Displays (PFDs) and Navigational Displays (NDs),

an operational weather radar and two independent FMCS that can be programmed separately.

The aircraft comes with approximately 200MB of authentic sounds including a 3D stereo sound-set for the engines. You can hear the cockpit come to life as you go through the start-up checklist, for example, you

can hear the APU fire up and the airflow as air conditioning packs are turned on. The buttons and switches come with custom sounds, and authentic Boeing audio warnings and fire bells are included. You can even hear cabin announcements and background chatter from the passengers when you start loading the aircraft.


Expansion for X-Plane 10 | REVIEW

The first generation EICAS is a far cry from modern systems that are fitted in more modern aircraft like the Boeing 777

The flight deck is almost fully functional with every button and knob being clickable

The Boeing 757 is one of the most versatile airliners in the world

The overhead panel is crisp and clear with almost every system modelled in detail

The passenger cabin is rendered in detail, which includes galleys and lavatories

Ground servicesThe package includes a plug-in for loading and customising the aircraft. It is possible to specify a number of options such as setting realistic limits on the airframe and aircraft performance, as well as a ‘Real Time’ option that sets realistic times for loading fuel and passengers and IRS alignment. It also includes a first officer option that switches the viewpoint to the right-hand seat. Winglets can be toggled on or off although they are decorative and don’t have any effect on the flight model. It is possible to specify a ‘High Challenge’ option that sets the failures to ten times the normal rate if you are feeling courageous.

It is also possible to clip charts, such approach plates, to the control column. The aircraft comes with a small utility that allows you to generate these charts in the correct format from PDFs. Sample charts are provided for Brussels, Frankfurt Main and Kiev.

The plug-in can also be used to request ground services such as fuel and de-icing trucks and connect an external power source (GPU).

It is important to summon the correct services when loading the aircraft, for example, you need to call the fuel truck before refuelling the aircraft, and in order to load passengers you must open one of the front doors.It is also possible to request a pushback tug that can be controlled using the throttles and rudder pedals, although it is necessary to pressurise the hydraulic system in order to steer the aircraft.

Public address systemThe aircraft comes with a new innovative feature that allows you to use a menu-driven system to make passenger announcements during different phases of flight, for example if you experience an emergency situation. There is even an interactive cabin attendant who will inform you if you don’t do things by the book. The downside is he likes complaining, so, for example, if you don’t make the proper announcements, turn the smoking sign off or if the temperature

American Airlines operated 757s on transatlantic routes from the US to London

The attention to detail is superb and every aspect of the interior is modelled

The centre pedestal has been recreated in detail with almost every button and switch being functional

The first-gen ADI is simple compared to next generation systems

Lufthansa is included as a standard livery, although the real airline never operated the type

in the cabin isn’t just right, the flight attendant will be ‘on the horn’. There is however a quick and easy solution to dispose of him in a suitable manner: by clicking repeatedly on the intercom button in the overhead panel.

ChecklistsThe package includes interactive checklists for normal, operational and amplified procedures. The checklists can also be used in automatic mode where the actions are completed for you by a virtual first officer. It also includes tutorials on how to power up the various systems and you are given step-by-step instructions on operating the aircraft from start-up to shut-down and each step highlights the relevant area on the flight deck with a red circle. Both the tutorials and the interactive checklist are a great way to learn about this complex airliner, even for experienced users, and if you go through them a few times it is going to take a big chunk out of the learning curve.



American Airlines operated 757s on transatlantic routes from the US to London It is possible to customise the aircraft with winglets

FailuresThe 757 features a complex failure model that can cause systems to malfunction either randomly or because of mishandling the aircraft. For example, if you don’t turn off the GPU switch on the overhead panel before disconnecting the equipment on the ground, the connector will be damaged. Similarly if you don’t top up the hydraulic system, it will run dry and cause the pumps to overheat.

On that note, it is worth keeping an eye on the hydraulic fluid levels as consumption is on the high side compared to the real aircraft, but it was intentionally modelled to emphasise the importance of servicing the aircraft. The aircraft status will be carried over to the next flight including any failures, so it is worth keeping on top of maintenance.

Installation and documentationThe 757 is available as a 385MB download. Although it doesn’t include an automated installer, the set-up process is very straightforward. You simply unzip the package and copy the files to the aircraft folder in X-Plane. The first time you load the aircraft you are prompted for a serial number to activate it online, so an internet

although this is more due to the way X-Plane works.

The aircraft comes with a number of very innovative features. For example, if you forget to turn the packs on, the temperature will drop in the cabin and you will slowly freeze to death (you can even hear your teeth clatter as hypothermia sets in). If it is raining, you need to engage the wipers and you have to turn on the anti-ice or suffer the consequences. The aircraft even has a simulated oxygen mask and during the night you will see reflections from the instruments, while the VDUs flicker when the main engine generators come online.

Even the fuel cut-off switches have a ‘rich’ position like the real aircraft which should only be used in extremely cold weather, although I didn't see any effect on the engine temperatures during start-up when set to this position, so I don’t think this is simulated.

SummaryFollowing the release of its 777, FlightFactor continues to push the boundaries of desktop simulation with its 757 follow-up. As a result, it would be fair to say this is probably one of the best airliners currently available for X-Plane. The aircraft is superbly rendered and the systems are modelled in detail, with a fully functional virtual cockpit and a very reasonable price tag considering the complexity of the aircraft.

The interface that is used for the

checklists and the aircraft set-up could be more refined, but apart from that everything is first rate. The 757 is a great aircraft to fly and a firm favourite among its pilots and FlightFactor has managed to capture the spirit of this popular aircraft.

A full complement of ground vehicles including a pushback truck, custom failures, cabin announcements, all add to the immersion of this excellent aircraft. If you like flying complex airliners, but are inclined to a more hands-on approach rather than relying on the automations, then this one is for you. This is the most enjoyable aircraft simulation I have flown in a while, so I have no hesitation in giving it a Platinum award. By Richard Benedikz.

connection is useful, although it is also possible to activate the package using a manual registration process.

The aircraft comes with extensive documentation that consists of five PDF manuals, including three original Boeing manuals of more than 1400 pages. Other documentation includes instructions on how to display the FMC in a browser on a Tablet and a 14-page quick start PDF.

Flight testAlthough the 757 is a fairly complex aircraft, the cockpit layout is in typical Boeing style and should be familiar to seasoned virtual airline fliers.

The 757 is one of the first Boeings to be fitted with the first generation glass cockpits that are more basic than the systems in ‘NextGen’ jetliners we see today. The level of automation is far less, which means you have to be more hands-on, although you still have LNAV and VNAV modes and full auto-land functionality.

In terms of the flight modelling, the dynamics are excellent. The aircraft is very stable and the handling feels close to what you would expect in an aircraft in this category. The 757 has a few quirks, for example, the ILS box that is located at the rear of the centre console, can be hard to find if you are not familiar with the type. Similarly the spoilers automatically deploy when applying reverse thrust, which is apparently a feature of the 757-200. In addition, setting up the autopilot and auto-throttle disconnect buttons requires you go to the custom mappings section;



DETAILS DEVELOPER: FlightFactor PRICE: $59.95 (£36.00 approx)WEBSITE: www.flightfactor.aero/AT A GLANCE: The 757-200 Professional is packed full of innovative features and the systems modelling is first rate. This is probably one of the most enjoyable add-on aircraft for X-Plane I have come across.SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: 64-Bit X-Plane 10 and OS are required to run FlightFactor’s 757. Windows Vista/7/8 64-Bit or Mac OSX 10.7/10.8/10.9 or Linux Ubuntu 12.04LTS or compatible (older versions are not supported)X-Plane 10 fully updated. 64-Bit mode. (X-Plane 9 not supported. X-Plane 10 32-Bit not supported). 8GB RAM/1GBVRAM (2GB VRAM Recommended). 512MB available hard disk space (download size: 375MB).

The Boeing 757-200 has become the backbone of the Icelandair fleet since it took delivery of the first aircraft in 1990

A functional weather radar is just one of the many features that make this aircraft one of the best airliners currently available for X-Plane

The aircraft includes a custom failure model with over 150 possible failures including hot starts

The interactive checklists are a great way to learn how to fly this aircraft

of the best airliners currently available for X-Plane

It is possible to purchase eight additional livery packs for the FlightFactor Boeing 757. - Asia Pacific- Europe pack 1- Europe pack 2- Europe pack 3- Middle East / Africa- North America pack 1- North America pack 2- Russian pack

LIVERIES


20 X-Plane 10 - The Official Guide | www.pcpilot.net

It was way back in the May/June 2009 issue of PC Pilot that I first took a stab at reviewing

an X-Aviation offering for X-Plane: the MU-2B Marquise. At that time, X-Plane add-on developers were just getting their feet under them and the

technological strides that X-Plane was making were really ramping up. As a fan of X-Plane, I was very hopeful five years ago when I first started writing about the third-party add-ons for X-Plane. Over the years, X-Aviation has continued to deliver and push the

boundaries of X-Plane further and further. Just a few issues ago I raved about the new JRollon JetStream 32 distributed by X-Aviation, and now I’m having to come up with even more superlatives for the newly released Take Command!: Saab 340A.

Apparently, success is breeding further success for the developers under the X-Aviation banner.

The packageUsers of X-Plane would be hard pressed to find a more complete

The panel graphics are a refreshing change from the typical pristine and factory-fresh representations we have seen before. Instead, the Saab panels more realistically feature smudges and wear indicative of thousands of hours worth of use

The handy TQ Status Viewer pop-up is a handy tool that shows where the power and condition levers are set. With multiple gates for both sets of levers, proper positioning of the levers is important

The Saab 340A can operate comfortably at maximum take-off weights to airfields just shy of 5,000ft

Take Command!

Another superlative release for X-Plane 10

Take Command!

Saab 340A


21X-Plane 10 - The Official Guide | www.pcpilot.net

package than what the Saab 340A offers. The fantastic X-Aviation installer and activation scheme works well, downloading and decompressing the package into a substantial 2GB footprint. Included with the download are passenger, cargo and military variants of the aircraft with 29 stunning liveries. Artist Leen de Jager provided ten of the custom liveries that really showcase what high resolution texturing can do. Documentation is nothing short of perfection with five PDF files covering: Performance Charts, Tutorial Flight, Intro & Settings, Quick Start and a stellar 209-page Systems manual. With the level of systems functionality, the guides are essential reading.

A comprehensive flight experienceFrom the first impression, the Saab 340A will amaze and impress. The best place to start is with the Gizmo Tool Tray Menu System which allows users to configure preferences and settings for a vast array of aircraft specific items including joystick assignments, exterior objects and ground support equipment, virtual checklists and chart selection among others. The Virtual Walkaround Checklist is brilliantly done, allowing

you to select each item on the walkaround and then be taken to a preset external custom camera viewpoint. This functionality is also featured in the extensive, multi-page interior checklist that includes all of the normal operations checklists (Before Engine Start, Taxi, Take-off, etc). As each checklist item is ticked off, you can press the adjacent VIEW box and the interior camera will snap to the proper location in the cockpit to find that particular item. When first getting to know the aircraft, this feature is enormously helpful. For those daunted by the extensive pre-flight and start-up procedures, an excellent real-time automated start-up tool will run a script that hits all of the switches for you to bring the plane out of the cold and dark state to engines running. This is another useful way to learn how the aircraft operates. There is also the ability to place custom approach plates on the Captain’s yoke using the Chart Selector utility. Up to five charts can be displayed and are loaded by placing your own charts (cut to specific dimensions) into an aircraft subdirectory. Moving from the cockpit to the cabin, the main cabin entry door and airstairs can be operated with a multi-step process using manipulators to open and

close the door. The cabin features rows of seats, but is not modelled to an unnecessary level of detail. It would be nice if the cargo variant included an actual cargo interior.

Razor sharp panelsGiven the complexity of the Saab 340A systems modelling, you’ll spend a lot of time on the various instrument and systems panels flipping switches and pressing buttons. The 340A is a true pilot’s aircraft in the sense that it takes a fair amount of familiarity and study to become comfortable in it. It’s not enough to just hit the switches – it’s a good idea to know the ‘why’ behind how each system works. Fortunately the interior virtual cockpit is just about as good as they come in any simulator (FSX or X-Plane). Gauge update rates are fabulous, panel legibility is crisp and sharp throughout all zoom levels, and there is even a nice gritty feel to the cockpit with the included smudge marks and worn knobs. This isn’t a factory-fresh aircraft, it is a well used workhorse! The pop-up power and condition lever panel is useful for those with controllers without detents for idle or reverse. Night lighting in the form of flood and panel back lighting via

The Saab features one of the best Virtual Checklist implementations this reviewer has ever seen. Multiple pages cover each individual item and clicking on each takes you to a preset custom viewpoint to address each function. Simply brilliant!

Systems fans will rejoice at the complexity and functionality of the overhead panel with its crisp detailing and backlit lettering

A close-up view of the engine gauges shows how sharp and readable the cockpit markings appear even at high zoom levels

For those who don’t want to go through the full manual start-up procedure, an automated start-up option allows for a quick, yet still complete, start-up routine

The Virtual Checklist includes a section for the aircraft walk-around inspection. Clicking on each position will take you to a custom preset external camera location

The included manuals are professionally written and illustrated, complete and include performance charts and simulation-specific information



adjustable rheostats is perfectly implemented. I only have two small gripes. The first is that the EFIS displays might look a bit too sharp and computer-generated as opposed to the slight rastering you’d expect to see in a small tube-driven instrument. The second is that the use of manipulators for some in-cockpit functions such as spinning the altitude preselect knob is a bit laborious and time consuming. In other applications, such as moving switch guards, manipulators are very well implemented, but there is a bit of inconsistency with their usefulness. The aircraft is not equipped with a panel-mounted GPS which hints at the utility nature of

the 340A modelled. A Mini GPS is available from the Tool Tray that will project basic fix information overlaid on the screen with heading and distance information. There is an ability to put FROM and TO fixes in the Mini GPS which will allow you to fly off airway routes. The Mini GPS is not coupled to the autopilot however, so manual heading changes must be accomplished with the autopilot heading mode.

SoundsOften overlooked is the impact that good sounds contribute to the overall add-on package. The Saab 340A uses the soundXtreme 3D sound engine with 130 unique sound

samples to excellent effect. The clicks, rattles and whine of the engines and hydraulics are all very immersive and capture the character of the aircraft. The pitch change of the engine when going into and out of beta is excellent and serves as a good cue to power lever positions.

Ground and flight characteristicsWith engines running, a moderate bump on the power levers will get the aircraft rolling. Taxiing the Saab, as is the case for most aircraft in X-Plane, is a very agreeable and dynamic experience. The plane feels as though it has weight and inertia. Toying with differential power will

result in shallow turns without even needing to touch the rudder pedals. Take-off power should be applied evenly and the nicely modelled Constant Torque System (CTOT) will limit the torque to the preselected setting. The CTOT modelling is one of those fairly complex turbine systems that most users will fail to appreciate. Modelling turboprop engine dynamics can be difficult and the developers of the Saab did an exceptional job on it.

The flight director and autopilot function correctly in all modes and the aforementioned excellent gauge refresh update rates make flying the aircraft on instrument approaches a real pleasure. All of the advanced

The virtual cockpit gauges, annunciators and indicators are very nicely modelledCockpit backlighting, flood lighting and instrumentation lighting are all perfectly done with levels adjustable by rheostats

Smugglers beware! – the package includes the Saab 340 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) configuration



Cockpit backlighting, flood lighting and instrumentation lighting are all perfectly done with levels adjustable by rheostats

aircraft systems are modelled including the stick pusher, rudder limiter, anti-ice controls and hydraulics to name a few. A good working knowledge of how the systems interact will answer the questions that will inevitably come up. The flight model and systems were tested and endorsed by a group of former Saab 340A pilots, which gives a clue as to why the aircraft feels so authentic. I do feel that the aircraft is a bit docile in the Vmc regime. The stick pusher kicks in lowering the angle of attack, but the roll off tendency seems understated.

The included tutorial flight PDF is a very well written step-by-step guide to operating the 340A on a typical

route segment. Spending some time with the tutorial will help familiarise new users with the aircraft systems and some of the aircraft-specific features that you will not find on other aircraft.

ExternalsThe Saab 340A external model is yet another example of fantastic 3D artistry. While the aircraft itself is exceptional, it is nice to see details included such as the modeled ground power unit, chocks and the airstair operation. On close inspection, the bump mapping on the skins and their interaction with X-Plane’s lighting and atmospheric effects are impressive.

ConclusionIt’s hard to believe how far we’ve come with the complexity and depth of X-Plane add-on modules. The past few releases we’ve reviewed at PC Pilot seem to have reached parity with even the most advanced FSX offerings. With the Saab 340A, X-Aviation has continued to push development forward and it does bode well for the wider X-Plane audience that X-Plane and FSX are reaching an area of equal footing. At $54.95 the Take Command: Saab 340A is not cheap, but the amount of research and the correct implementation of such advanced systems suggest that the price point is warranted.

The Saab 340A isn’t an aircraft you’ll purchase and allow to sit idle; there is so much to explore that it is easy to find the value in the package.By Chris Frishmuth

A host of external options can be toggled via the Ground Support menu including: GPU, gear locking pins, pitot covers, chocks, and parking cones

With a 270 knot cruise speed and a max payload range of just shy of 800nm, the Saab 340A makes an excellent regional passenger and cargo hauler

Ground handling is exceptional owing to X-Plane’s excellent ground physics coupled with very good implementation of the power levers allowing for the use of differential power and reverse

X-Aviation brought aboard the skills of the talented Leen de Jager to spice up the livery selection with ten unique ‘LDJ’ detailed liveries among the more than 30 that are included in the package

DETAILS PUBLISHER: X-Aviation PRICE: $54.95WEBSITE: www.x-aviation.comDEVELOPER: Leading Edge SimulationsAT A GLANCE: A well-researched and implemented package with advanced systems functionality. It also has exceptional documentation and a wealth of bonus features.SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows or MAC OS, X-Plane 10.22+ (64-Bit), 2GB HD

The included livery package (31 liveries) spans the globe with representative airlines from North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia

While the Saab 340A exhibits perfect flying characteristics within 99% of the flight envelope, Vmc roll is still understated and the X-Plane-specific quirk of the slightly windmilling feathered propeller remains



Let’s play a little word association game. I say a word, and you respond with the word

you most associate with mine. Here we go: Carenado…

It doesn’t take a Vegas mind reader to predict that the majority of you will have said Cessna. It’s what

Carenado is perhaps most well known for – exquisitely detailed, high

fidelity simulations of Cessna aircraft

within Microsoft Flight Simulator. Recently though Carenado decided to lead the charge of mainstream publishers switching to ‘the other sim – X-Plane. The Cessnas remain of course, but within X-Plane they get a whole new lease on life.

The 210M Centurion II, let’s be honest, looks pretty much like any other Cessna and with good reason. The Centurion actually started out life as the Cessna 182B, albeit with a swept tail and retractable landing

gear. A redesign soon after launch though lead to more design changes to provide extra seating in the cabin, as well as greatly improved stability and low-speed handling.

As with most of Cessna’s line, the aircraft went through countless iterations. The 210M modelled here arriving in 1977 and bringing a turbo-charged 310HP TSIO-520-R engine into the 210L package which provided upgraded electrics and electrically powered hydraulics.

At the core, the 210M is still a trainer, with all the characteristics instructors and trainee pilots love in the 182, but with enough seating, power and reliability in which to take a well heeled family on weekend trips across the countryside. Carenado’s version also delivers modern avionics, including a KFC225 autopilot, and two Garmin 430 GPS units. But does it really offer anything extra - over and above the default trainer?

X-Plane’s lighting, reflections and atmosphere make the Centurion appear almost real Inbound for landing. Note the 3D recessed lights in the nose and the grime on the underside

CarenadoCarenadoCarenadoCarenadoCarenadoCarenadoCessna Cessna Cessna

CarenadoCarenadoCarenadoCessna



CarenadoCarenadoCarenado

CenturionCenturionCenturion

For X-Plane

C210MC210MC210MWhat happens when you combine a classic GA aircraft from Carenado with the X-Plane 10 aerodynamics engine? Heaven!


PURELY IN the interests of research I spent a few hours in the older FSX version of the Centurion II to draw a comparison, and was surprised to find there’s no clear-cut winner here. The texturing and detail of the GPS units in FSX is far superior to the ones in X-Plane, while X-Plane’s rendition of the flight model is light years beyond anything FSX could achieve.

On the flip side though, FSX has slightly better sounds than the X-Plane version, which in a fly-by view at least can at times sound like an angry bumblebee stuck in a drinks can. On the ground though, the X-Plane sound-set wins hands down with all the burbles and grumbles you’d expect to hear from this aircraft in the real world. X-Plane’s ground handling also wins, accurately conveying bumps and creaks as you taxi to the ramp.

But all of this is quite subtle. This is not the aircraft that will compel you to switch to X-Plane any time soon, but if you do have X-Plane and are looking for an incredibly detailed and highly accurate Cessna to train with, this has to be at the top of your shortlist.

X-PLANE VERSUS FSX


The packageI’ll openly admit I’m not a big fan of Carenado’s packaging. It makes great aircraft, but they invariably arrive with little more than a few short PDFs and a cheery pat on the back. In fact, the standard for X-Plane add-ons is to actually go even more basic than that, simply providing a directory of files that most developers expect you to manually move around to the right location on your hard drive. This one is not an exception.

After unzipping the small download you get a single directory that you need to manually drop into the X-Plane aircraft folder, and within it is a ‘Docs’ directory that includes the all

too familiar selection of Carenado PDFs. There’s one that covers the autopilot, there’s another single-page PDF with general performance information on the aircraft, and then another that provides checklists.

While I’m not a fan of this kind of terseness, it does have some strengths. It’s a: 'Just the facts Ma’am' approach that gives you precisely everything you need to get airborne with no added fluff. The checklists even go so far as to detail pretty much every emergency condition you’re likely to come across in flight. I’d love to be able to curl for an afternoon and read, but that’s not really what Carenado Cessnas are all about is it?

The aircraft In the simulation, this aircraft has a few surprises. Sure, it’s one of Carenado’s HD line, and that means high definition textures, lots of detail – all the usual stuff we all expect to see in commercial add-ons these days. But this one is different. This one raises the bar. I zoomed in on a rear panel on the fuselage wanting to see at what point the texture would drop in quality. I didn’t reach that point. No matter how close I got, the textures remained ludicrously sharp and detailed, even down to the slight ripples and imperfections where hand-crafted panels are shaped with soft hammers by skilled artisans in

Cessna’s factory. This isn’t a ‘detailed’ aircraft - it’s absolutely photo realistic and picture perfect.

In the cockpit, the slightly weathered interior confers a feeling of age and use, a warm fuzzy feeling that this is an aircraft that flies a lot. When the sun goes down and the lights come on, it’s bathed in trademark Carenado swathes of soft-edged light and diffusion. In short, it’s spectacular.

This C210M is however let down in one area and that’s the GPS units. While they are pretty good renditions of Garmin 430 units, the resolution of their screens is just wrong and that’s very surprising for Carenado. In fact, compared to the FSX version of

The lighting in the FSX version of the aircraft is beautiful

The dashboard in the Centurion II is wonderful, except for the blocky GPS displays

The cockpit as a whole is immaculate in this Centurion

Mood lighting and debris on the windscreen makes for a very atmospheric aircraft

The level of detail on the textures is unprecedented

For X-Plane

The longer cabin and slightly swept tail give the Centurion a ‘stretched’ feel



DETAILS PUBLISHER: CarenadoPRICE: $29.95AT A GLANCE: The Carenado Centurion combines a beautiful 3D model with an excellent flight model - one that really conveys the sensation of flight - making her a wonderful trainer.SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows Vista or Windows 7 (32- or 64-Bit) or MAC OS 10.6 (or higher) or Linux; X-Plane 9.6/9.7 or XPlane 10.11 (or higher - 64-Bit compatible); Pentium 2GHz - 4GB RAM/1GB VRAM; 308MB available hard disk space.

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this very aircraft, the screens appear blocky and awkward.

Getting to them though is not. As is becoming increasingly common, Carenado provides a floating menu system that pilots can click to instantly switch to another view within the cockpit. It doesn’t work too well if you have another view control device in use, like Track-IR, but for those who don’t it’s a handy way to quickly get at every finely detailed knob, switch, lever and button, and it works really well.

Everything works too – every moving door, lever, window and strut is animated perfectly. You can even grab the sun visors and move them precisely to the position you want them in just by clicking and dragging. That’s a nice touch.

In FlightCessnas are meant to be in the air though and thankfully the beauty and love poured into the visual modelling is equal to the attention that’s been paid to this aircraft’s flight model – it’s wonderful. The C210M performs almost exactly as the real one does according to the performance charts included, even down to being able to tune the correct mixture in the cockpit on sound alone (externally though, the sounds are weak). Stalls are smooth, slow and predictable, just like the real aircraft. She floats on to the runway and lands predictably, just like the real

aircraft. In fact, there’s not much more I can say other than this aircraft flies just like the real aircraft. Anyone who’s had a flying lesson should know pretty much how a Cessna feels, and while the FSX ones all get very close indeed, this one actually feels right. You really notice every bump in the airflow, feel the altitude dropping as you feed into a side slip and appreciate the smoothness and satisfaction that comes from a well coordinated turn,

as opposed to an awkward violent uncoordinated one.

I’ve said in previous articles that I believe X-Plane’s flight model to be the best there is on the desktop. I’ve got other Carenado products in my X-Plane hangar, but I’ll go so far as to say that the combination of the C210M with X-Plane’s flight dynamics makes this the single most realistic desktop simulated flight experience, without exception. If you’re learning to fly, or thinking about it, get the C210M.

ConclusionI’ll be frank. Carenado releasing another Cessna would appear on the surface to be about as exciting and surprising as summer rain in London. But, there’s something to be said for doing what you know, for tackling a

subject in which you are, without any doubt, the market leader.

I still never cease to be amazed by just how awesome each new Cessna from the ‘Cessna gods’ is. The Centurion is simply beautiful from every possible angle. X-Plane’s flight dynamics combined with an excellent flight model makes her a wonderful trainer and one of the very few simulated aircraft out there that really does convey the sensation of flight. The enhanced GPS units also make the Centurion a great cross-country navigator. The phenomenal texturing and the sublime lighting details make her a swoon-worthy addition to any virtual hanger.

All in all then, yet another classic Carenado rendition of a classic Cessna - and there’s nothing at all wrong with that! By Peter Wright

comes from a well coordinated turn,

A handy pop-out panel lets you jump between views instantly Should you need to chill out, just jump into one of the back seats. “Are we nearly there yet?”

All animated surfaces are modelled perfectly, including the awkward-looking landing gear

The FSX version of the C210M Centurion II

Even after zooming in, the textures remain crisp and super detailed

No matter what angle you look at, this is an amazingly detailed model

Chilliblast F_P.indd 1 30/09/2014 09:54

KHAMSIN'S B-25 includes the following liveries:• Bomber – Apache Princess• Bomber – Briefing Time• Bomber – MB11• Bomber – Miss Mitchell• Bomber – Pacific Prowler• Strafer – Devil Dog• Strafer – Hot Gen

B-25 LIVERIES



Named after General Billy Mitchell, the B-25 was probably the most versatile

medium-sized bomber of World War Two serving in every theatre of the conflict. The prototype XB-25 made its maiden flight in August 1940 and when production ended in 1945 almost 10,000 aircraft had been built by North American. Various air forces operated B-25s, and although the US Air Force (USAF) retired its last machine in 1959, the Indonesian Air Force kept its B-25s in service for another 20 years. Many different versions were produced and carried a

wide range of weapons, including up to 14 forward-firing 0.50 cal machine-guns, and even a 75mm cannon – one of the largest guns ever carried by an aircraft. After the war, surplus examples were often converted into trainers, VIP transports and fire bombers, which may explain why, of all the World War Two bombers, the Mitchell is easily the most numerous

(although the film Catch-22 also played a part, as 18 were used). There are still about 125 intact examples in existence and between 25 and 30 of those are airworthy.

Now, Khamsin Studios is to produce the iconic B-25 Mitchell for X-Plane. The company has released a number of add-on packages for X-Plane such as the superb freeware Boeing B-17

that can be downloaded from its website www.khamsin.org; the de Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk and the North American T-28 Trojan and the Pacific Islands Airfields – WW2 scenery package. Khamsin has also made objects that are included in the core X-Plane program such as the default oil platforms, frigates and aircraft carriers, including the USS Nimitz. Khamsin has opted to reproduce the ‘J’ variant of the B-25 which was the last model in the production series.

Walk-aroundThe package includes a bomber version with five HD liveries and also the ‘strafer’ version, a shorter solid nose variant containing fixed .50 cal machine guns, that comes with three liveries.

The aircraft is modelled to a high standard with high definition (HD) textures and reflective surfaces. Even detail such as rivets on the fuselage and carbon deposits around the

The B-25 Mitchell was immortalised by the Doolittle Raid when 16 B-25s were launched from the carrier USS Hornet to attack Tokyo.

Khamsin'sB-25 Bomber

Khamsin’s B-25 commences its take-off run

B-25 Bomber



engines is visible. Similarly, each livery comes with detailed nose art and the transparent Plexiglas is reflective, so you can see parts of the cabin mirrored from inside the aircraft.

Other features include moving parts such as control surfaces, flaps and a

retractable undercarriage that has various

hydraulic and electrical lines modelled. The engines are similarly very detailed with rotating props and exhaust smoke.

Other animations include operational bomb bays and sliding cockpit windows – even the crew has been modelled in period clothing.

Cockpit and systemsThe cockpit has been modelled to a high standard with period instruments and the controls have been recreated in detail. It includes a functional main instrument panel, and a centre pedestal consisting of animated throttles, prop and mixture levers as well as levers for the supercharger,

carb heat and controls for the undercarriage, flaps and cowl flaps. The trim wheels for the rudder and ailerons are located between the pilots’ seats. The instrumentation is clear and fluid and the switches are clearly labelled. A NavCom unit and an ADF are also included, allowing you to tune in VOR and NDB ground stations.

Other systems that are modelled are the auto-pilot, known as the gyro pilot, which is basic but functional and comprises heading and altitude hold. The B-25 has seven fuel tanks that are managed from the fuel tank panel to the right of the co-pilot.

ANOTHER INNOVATIVE feature is the pop-up checklist, which can be accessed from the checklist label on the left of the main instrument panel. The following checklists are included:

• Pre-flight• Starting engines• Before take-off• Run-up• Climb• Before landing• Approach• After landing• Shutdown

CHECKLIST

"The aircraft can be loaded with bombs that can be dropped and you will experience the weight shift as the aircraft becomes lighter."

rotating props and exhaust smoke. well as levers for the supercharger, carb heat and controls for the undercarriage, flaps and cowl flaps. The trim wheels for the rudder and ailerons are located between the pilots’ seats. The instrumentation is clear and fluid and the switches are clearly labelled. A NavCom unit and an ADF are also included, allowing you to tune in VOR and NDB ground stations.

the auto-pilot, known as the gyro pilot, which is basic but functional and comprises heading and altitude hold. The B-25 has seven fuel tanks that are managed from the fuel tank panel to the right of the co-pilot.

The engines come with working cowl flaps

The detailed cockpit comes with period instruments The B-25 comes with seven fuel tanks that are simulated

The bomb bay doors are fully animated



The aircraft can be loaded with bombs that can be dropped and you will experience the weight shift as the aircraft becomes lighter. It even comes with a ‘toggleable’ gun sight – the guns are modelled and can be fired although weapons are not active in X-Plane, so no damage is caused.

Crew stationsIt is possible to switch between different crew stations including the engineer / gunner station, the radio station that has additional guns mounted on each side of the fuselage, the fuselage nose gun section and the tail gunner. Khamsin has set up the numeric keypad to switch between the different stations and various views in the cockpit,

which is a nice touch.

Installation and documentationInstallation is very straightforward. Once you have purchased the aircraft, you simply download and unzip the file ‘North American B25J Mitchell V1.1.zip’ and copy and paste the contents to the aircraft folder within the X-Plane folder structure. The next time you load X-Plane the aircraft will be available in the ‘Plane’ selection menu.

The package includes a 20-page manual that includes a short description of the aircraft, detailed diagrams of the switches and levers and checklists and power settings for the engines as well as instructions on

how to set the aircraft up in X-Plane. Also included is a tutorial on how to operate the fuel system and autopilot unit and instructions are given on setting up the guns or arming and releasing the bombs by opening the bomb doors.

Flight testAlthough the B25J was designed with a ‘two crew’ cockpit, as with most machines of this era the panel isn’t fully duplicated left and right. Instead, the flight instruments are on the left side, with most of the engine, electrical and hydraulic systems’ gauges on the right. The centre of the panel houses the primary engine instruments – a tachometer and manifold pressure gauge. Both have

dual-pointers. As with most American aircraft of the 1940s the layout of the flight instruments is completely non-standard and difficult to scan. Conversely, the various temperature and pressure gauges are logically laid out. The autopilot is basic as in the real B-25 and is fairly easy to operate with basic pitch and heading hold functions.

The take-off is typical of aircraft of that era. Rather than rotating, you have to raise the nose a few degrees and let the aircraft fly off and accelerate to 126kts. Due to the torque from the engines, it has a strong tendency to pull to the left which can be counteracted with the rudder trim. In terms of handling, the aircraft is very stable and it is easy to keep in trim.

FORMER EDITOR of Today’s Pilot and aviation writer, Dave Unwin describes the start-up procedure he experienced during a flight test in the B-25 Tondelayo in the US:A large flat section called the ‘control pedestal switch panel’ extends out from the centre of the console to the throttle quadrant. This carries the magneto and master ignition selectors, toggle switches for the fuel pumps, primers and starters and the two large red guarded ‘prop feathering’ buttons. The fuel shut-off valves are on either side of the centre console adjacent to the associated engine’s prop feathering buttons. A plethora of levers sprout from the control pedestal. Along with the usual throttles/props/mixtures quadrant and their associated friction locks, there are also levers that control each engine’s carb heat and supercharger and a switch to select ‘carb air filter’. At the base of the control pedestal (on the floor between the seats) there’s a small box that carries levers for the flaps, cowl flaps and undercarriage. Also on the floor between the seats are large rotary knobs for the aileron and rudder trim, the emergency hydraulic hand pump and the emergency brake lever. A large wheel on the left side of the control pedestal operates the elevator trim.

Starting it is very much a ritual, with a great number of buttons, switches, knobs and levers to be pushed, pulled, twisted, turned and set:

“Slowly, the giant three-bladed propeller began to revolve and after six blades had scythed past my window, I pressed the primer switch with another finger of the same hand, counted three more blades and turned both magnetos on. From deep within the bowels of the cowls, the engine coughed and grunted as a couple of cylinders fired. Smoke streamed back from the exhaust as the huge propeller turned faster and faster. Almost like an orchestra approaching a crescendo, the remaining cylinders burst into life. "

“Three distinct blades of the propeller transformed into a giant, shimmering platinum disc with the airframe shuddering in sympathy. The smoke was torn instantly into shreds by the gale of wind blasting back from the ‘Twin Cyclone’ (what an apt name) and the engine settled down with that wonderfully liquid big radial rumble."

“The second engine started equally easily, and once both were stabilised at 1,000rpm, I had to wait for the oil temperature to reach 20°C and the cylinder head temperatures to rise above 100°C.”

"The pre-take off checks were pretty standard (there is a neat little pull-down checklist built into the glare shield) and included setting the mixtures to ‘auto-rich’ and turning on the fuel boost pumps, cycling the props and testing the feathering system. All the trimmers were set to neutral, the cowl flaps opened to 1/2 and the flaps lowered to 15°. When checking the mags on the right engine, I looked out of my side window to see if the engine shook on its mounts...”

STARTING UP THE REAL B-25 MITCHELL

The B-25 comes with five high definition bomber liveries

The aircraft is superbly modelled both inside and out


DETAILS PUBLISHER & DEVELOPER: X-Plane.Org / Khamsin StudiosPRICE: US$24.95WEBSITE: http://khamsin.org/AT A GLANCE: Khamsin Studios’ B-25 is an excellent simulation of this classic World War Two bomber.SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows Vista or Seven (32- or 64-Bit) / MAC OS X / Linux, X-Plane 10.20 or higher (64-Bit-compatible), Pentium 2GHz - 4GB RAM/1GB VRAM, 200MB available hard disk space.

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The approach and landing phase is also straightforward. The maximum permitted speed to extend the landing gear and flaps is 170kts and Vref is between 96-104kts with 30 degrees of flaps. It is possible to extend the flaps to 45 degrees, however this generates a large amount of drag and I found 30 degrees to be the best compromise.

SummaryVisually the Khamsin B-25J Mitchell is striking. The aircraft is modelled in detail with high definition textures and the 3D modelling is simply

superb. The cockpit is well rendered and functional with nice touches such as operational bomb doors. The flight model feels extremely realistic and frame rates were excellent with an average of 40 FPS in most areas. Overall the Khamsin’s B-25 is a superbly made aircraft, right down to the rumble of the twin Cyclone engines. Visually it is one the best aircraft that is available for X-Plane, so I am more than happy to award the Khamsin B-25 a score of 90%.By Richard Benedikz

KHAMSIN RECENTLY released version 1.1 of the B-25 Mitchell. The update contains the following additions:

Added a Strafer version of B-25J Mitchell (solid nose)

Three new liveries for Strafer version:• PBJ-1J Devil Dog # 44-86758• B-25J Betty’s Dream 0# 45-8835• B-25J Hot Gen # 45-88823

Included new liveries for Bomber version: • B-25J Mitchell “Miss Mitchell” 44-29869 • B-25J Mitchell “Apache Princess” 44-28059 • B-25J Mitchell “Pacific Prowler” 44-30823 • B-25J Mitchell “Briefing Time” 44-29939• B-25J Mitchell “Martha Jean” 44-86777 • PBJ-1J Mitchell VMB 611

ACF: minor changes

B-25 UPDATE

It is possible to load the B-25 with a full complement of bombs that will affect the weight and balance of the aircraft

It is possible to man the gunner stations

The package comes with two variants: the glass-nosed bomber version and the ‘hard-nosed’ strafer variant

The 12 forward-facing .50 cal machine guns can be fired although they don’t cause any damage

The external model is highly detailed; even the nose art is crystal clear

For X-Plane 9/10For X-Plane 9/10OahuOahuOahu

Island ofOahu

REVIEW | Scenery Expansion for X-Plane 10

W hat is it about the Hawaiian Islands

that make them so compelling to flight simulation enthusiasts? Reaching back in my admittedly diminishing memory banks, I can recall the excitement of flying over the virtual skies of Hawaii in Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 98. In every iteration of Flight Simulator since then, the Hawaiian Islands have been featured as default, freeware or payware scenery. The attraction of Hawaii is no doubt related to the picturesque real-life environments that are a staple of life in those jewels of the Pacific. With elevations soaring to snow-covered peaks above 13,000ft, to lush tropical ravines and turquoise waters, the islands of Hawaii offer a diverse flying environment for all types of armchair aviators. It is a testament to the allure of Hawaii that Microsoft Flight launched its new


Island ofReal Scenery Enhanced

simulator with Hawaii as the initial focal point. Now those of us who enjoy the change of pace that X-Plane provides can also ply the skies over the island of Oahu with the highest detail offering for X-Plane yet with the Real Scenery Enhanced Oahu package for X-Plane 9 and 10.

No coconut bra included

Available via direct download or DVD from the

distributor at X-Aviation, the scenery package includes the

island of Oahu and weighs in at 888MB. Purchasing from the site is straightforward and the download and installation are a simple matter of following the onscreen prompts to direct the scenery to the correct directory. To my surprise, there appears to be no

documentation provided other than a scan of the Hawaii sectional

chart. A description of the package, simulator graphics settings, reference

material about the creation of the scenery or even credits would be useful documents that should be included in any add-on package. Real Scenery Enhanced boasts ultra-high resolution imagery, improved colour, fewer artifacts and seamless integration of airports into the surrounding landclass. Additionally, this scenery utilises the texture paging this scenery utilises the texture paging that Microsoft Flight launched its new

Real Scenery’s detailed overlay coupled with X-Plane’s gorgeous weather and atmospheric modelling make for an awesome visual combination

If you have a house on Oahu, you can probably locate it thanks to Real Scenery’s use of real imagery

At everything but the lowest altitudes the overlay scenery is sharp, crisp and accurately placed

The excellent rendition of Oahu will have you longing for complete Real Scenery coverage of the entire Hawaiian Island chain

system within X-Plane to more efficiently call the scenery which results in faster scenery loading and better overall simulator performance. Indeed, I found the performance gains to be substantial - with overall greatly improved graphics versus the default X-Plane terrain. The reason for the performance gain, however, might be at the expense of other X-Plane features.


DETAILS PUBLISHER: X-Aviation (http://www.x-aviation.com) DOWNLOAD PRICE: $24.95 USD (download) / $29.95 USD (download + DVD)DEVELOPER: Real Scenery (http://www.realscenery.com)AT A GLANCE: Beautiful high resolution overlay scenery of Oahu with unprecedented accuracy, colour and continuity. The lack of 3D and exclusion of default scenery makes it best suited for viewing from altitude.SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: X-Plane 9.55 or higher (including X-Plane 10). Mac or PC compatible.

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Scenery Expansion for X-Plane 10 | REVIEW

A beautiful illusionThe high resolution imagery is simply stunning. Much care and attention has obviously been taken to provide a high level of accuracy and precision with regard to imagery placement. When the inevitable comparisons against the competition (Microsoft Flight) are made, Real Scenery Enhanced wins for what appears to be the most realistic rendition of what flying over Oahu really looks like. A subdued colour palette, sharp imagery of the landscape and a very detailed terrain mesh combine to impart an impressive feeling of authenticity when flying at anything but the lowest altitudes over the scenery. The only real problem is the lack of any 3D objects, custom or otherwise. Since the scenery package overlays the entirety of the island, it does not allow for the default ‘autogen’ scenery of X-Plane to show on top of the package. Therefore, while the scenery looks fantastic from nearly any altitude, as you get very close to the ground you realize that the illusion of 3D is just that – an illusion. There are no 3D buildings, objects, ships, terminals or anything. It is as if a beautifully painted sheet was laid over the entire island. This may explain the performance gains when using the Real Scenery package. While the overlay scenery is simply breathtaking from anything over a few hundred feet of altitude, down low it is a flat and barren world since you lose the perspective and the illusion of depth, as you approach the ground. The lack of 3D scenery is also readily apparent when viewed from a low altitude slant range perspective since cities and taller structures will not appear above your line of sight. The exclusion of 3D autogen scenery does prevent the frequently-seen problem in other simulators of having buildings pop up on top of imagery that doesn’t match the overlay. My main point of contention with no custom 3D scenery to augment the beautiful terrain overlay is that so much of the type of

flying done over the scenic Hawaiian Islands is low altitude VFR sightseeing, with aircraft appropriate to the task such as helicopters and small general aviation aircraft.

Tons of atmosphereWith low altitude considerations aside, the overall feeling of flight when Real Scenery is combined with the atmospheric effects of X-Plane is phenomenal. The lighting, clouds, haze and weather effects all come together with the scenery to give unprecedented visuals. Real Scenery utilizes a painstaking process of pulling imagery from many different sources to provide both continuous high resolution and colour continuity. The technique also results in flawless transitions and cloudless imagery that prevents any visual conflicts with X-Plane generated weather conditions. As daylight transitions to darkness the night lighting effects of the cities really stands out as matching what one really encounters during night flight. It is worth noting that with all imagery-based scenery packages, shadows for structures and terrains are static based on when the imagery was collected. Therefore, there are times when the sun position casts shadows on the terrain that are opposed to what the

scenery overlay is showing. The effect is barely noticeable, but it does exist. The package includes the six significant airports on Oahu, but there again you are given only overlay imagery and not actual 3D constructed airports.

Owing to the use of imagery, the water textures are simply phenomenal since they use the actual colours, wave and wind patterns. Coral reefs and inland waterways differ widely in appearance, which is a huge improvement over the single type of water pattern common to most simulators. The drawback, however, is that the Real Scenery water is modelled as a solid surface. If you try to land your seaplane next to the Arizona memorial you will crash unless you have your wheels deployed. It is both tantalizing and frustrating at the same time.

ConclusionsOn the whole Real Scenery Oahu represents a fantastic visual representation of Oahu from the perspective of overflying the terrain. The experience would be greatly improved by the inclusion of either custom 3D models or some form of merging autogen scenery into the stunning overlay. Real Scenery for X-Plane continues to evolve and we look forward to future packages to enhance the X-Plane environment from this developer. By Chris Frishmuth

As these comparative screens demonstrate, Real Scenery Enhanced has the most realistic airborne interpretation of Oahu (Diamond Head) even when compared to Microsoft’s latest rendition in Flight

Though it takes a sharp eye to notice, owing to the fact that the overlay is photo based, persistent shadows that are part of the imagery do not always align properly with the ambient lighting conditions produced by the terrain and sun position

Photographic quality overlays result in stunning water effects such as the appearance of small ripples and wind patterns near Ford Island. Unlike other simulators with cartoon-like colour palettes, Real Scenery provides accurate colour replication

Texture resolution is extremely fine allowing you to pick out individual houses, boats or cars

Major airports look gorgeous and detailed from above, but the lack of 3D scenery while operating from the surface makes them better to overfly rather than to land or take-off from

The primary drawback to overlay sceneries is their ‘painted on’ appearance, which breaks down at extreme low altitudes. The Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor serves to illustrate this point

The Real Scenery depiction of night lighting is fantastic


A s the quality of add-on scenery has continued to improve, we have become

accustomed to highly realistic and detailed scenery packages, particularly for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This has allowed us to fly over landscapes that replicate the real world in minute detail. However, with the demise of Aces Studios, X-Plane has started to become increasingly popular. The third party industry built around X-Plane is maturing and we are beginning to see high quality add-ons being developed. Leading designers in the Microsoft Flight Simulator industry have even started to expand into the X-Plane market, such as Carenado, which has been making quality general aviation add-ons for Flight Simulator for a number of years. In this issue we are going to have a look at a new photographic scenery package for England and Wales, designed to run on X-Plane version 9 and 10. It was developed by Bristol-based flight simulation specialist RC Simulations.

DescriptionThere are many factors that make X-Plane different from Microsoft Flight Simulator. For example, it takes better advantage of modern computing power and consequently there is the potential for running very detailed scenery at more fluid frame rates than we can ever hope to achieve with FSX. X-Plane is also capable of rendering incredible visual details including clouds shadows and water reflections with little impact on frame rates. Many


UK Photo SceneryExploring the British Isles

of the effects in X-Plane add significant realism and are not available in FSX – such as uneven runways and bird strikes. X-Plane is also multi-platform and works on both Windows and Macintosh as well as on Linux.

The UK Photo scenery comes in four separate volumes that cover the whole of England and Wales up to the border of Scotland. The four areas are:

Volume 1 - South East and Southern England

Volume 2 - South West England and South Wales

Volume 3 - North Wales, North West England and the West Midlands

Volume 4 - East Midlands and North-East England

Each volume consists of high resolution aerial photographs taken from 8000 feet at a resolution of one metre per pixel. The elevation data is based on a 10-metre mesh using data from GetMapping and Intermap.

InstallationThe scenery areas are supplied on DVD as each area is massive. Volume 1, 2 and 3 contain 3 DVDs each and Volume 4 has four DVDs. The full installation of all four volumes requires a total of 220GB so even though a large hard drive is essential, this really shouldn’t be an issue as large capacity drives are now common place. The setup is very straightforward. All the packages include an automatic installer that copies the files to your hard drive once you have pointed to the location of the X-Plane system folder. The process takes a relatively long time due to the large amounts of

data, so you may as well make a cup of something and relax.

Exploring the British Isles from the airThe landscape is a very accurate recreation of the real world and compared to the default X-Plane scenery it totally transforms the British Isles. In terms of realism it is a massive improvement as landmarks such as towns, rivers and road systems are accurately placed. The terrain looks clear from as low as 500 feet height AGL (above ground level). There is long time due to the large amounts of AGL (above ground level). There is

The white cliffs of Dover are an iconic view of Britain

UK Photo SceneryUK Photo SceneryX-Plane

The rugged terrain of Snowdonia has been faithfully captured Coastlines and rivers are accurately depicted in this scenery package


Scenery Expansion for X-Plane 10 | REVIEW

UK Photo Scenery

virtually an unlimited number of places to explore, such as London, the White Cliffs of Dover and the Lake District, which is recreated gorgeously. You can explore diverse and fascinating areas and spot landmarks across the UK, with seemingly endless possibilities. You can use it for sight seeing and real pilots may even want to use this to hone their VFR navigation skills or explore an area prior to flying there.

In addition, the X-Plane graphics engine features effects such as shadows and water reflections that further enhance the scenery. The colours are clear and sharp and it doesn’t get blurry – even when travelling fast at low-level.

I didn’t experience any performance hit using the VFR scenery compared

to using the default X-Plane scenery and frame rates remained fluid despite the high level of detail. Even in heavily populated areas, such as around London Heathrow where FSX struggles to cope, I still

experienced frame rates between 40 to 100 fps.explore an area prior to flying there. hit using the VFR scenery compared

The Lake District national park is recreated in detail

Carsington Water in Derbyshire is a popular tourist attraction

Landmarks such as the Cotswold Water Park can be used for VFR navigation

The North Yorkshire moors can be bleak and feature-less

Snowdonia national park is worth visiting on a clear day

You can even pick out iconic landmarks such as the White Horse in Uffington, Oxfordshire



DETAILS DEVELOPER: Horizon and RC Simulations PRICE: £35.69WEBSITE: www.rcsimulations.comAT A GLANCE: The UK Scenery for X-Plane will give you many hours of pleasure exploring the British Isles. It is highly detailed and will enable you to navigate from coast to coast in VFR. The price is very reasonable considering the amount of data that is included.SPECIFICATON: DVD DRIVE ROM REQUIRED, Windows XP/Vista, Processor: any 2GHz+SYSTEM MEMORY: 1GB Available Hard Drive: 60GB approx. (per package)Video Card: 64 MB VRAMRECOMMENDED: USB Joystick or yoke256 MB VRAM recommended

85

Some of the coast lines were slightly distorted, particularly around the cliffs of Dover, but this is more a limitation in X-Plane Version 9 – in X-Plane 10, the coastlines are more realistic, particularly where high cliffs meet with the sea.

Comparison to FSX UK SceneryCompared to equivalent UK VFR scenery for FSX, the first thing that is evident is how fluid the frame rates are in X-Plane.

This is particularly true around heavily populated areas such as London and Heathrow. The visibility and haze that is built into the X-Plane scenery engine is similar to what we get most of the time in the UK and is very realistic. The colours of the landscape are also quite subtle and similar to what you get in real life over the UK. However, overall I found the quality of the X-Plane scenery to be on par with what you find in FSX.

ConclusionIf you like to fly around the UK, the X-Plane UK Photo Scenery is a must have addition to your library and I have no hesitation in recommending it. The level of detail is easily good enough to allow us to use landmarks to navigate by so you can jump in an aircraft of your choice and start exploring. It is also an excellent learning tool to practice VFR navigation techniques or simply enjoy the view from your virtual cockpit.

Every landscape feature, road and

building is visible in photographic detail. The impact on frame rates is minimal, even on mid range systems at high detail settings. The terrain mesh enhances the terrain and gives better shape and clarity to mountains and geographic feature. Although the X-Plane photographic scenery comes in four parts, a bundle will be available to customers wishing to purchase the complete coverage of England and Wales. By Richard Benedikz

London is highly detailed and yet it has no adverse affect on frame rates

Heathrow airport on a quiet day!

Towns and cities are photorealistic and accurately placed

Rolling fields are typical of much of the landscape depicted in this scenery

When flying over cities, you can follow roads and use intersections as waypoints such as this M65/M6 intersection

Below: Bristol airport can easily be found as it is near the River Severn

Simflight F_P.indd 1 15/10/2014 10:10

INTERVIEW | Flight Factor


Flight Factor has established a reputation for creating highly realistic simulations of the Boeing 777 and 757. We interview Roman Berezin and Philipp Muenzel, the driving force behind the company.

Flight FactorAn Interview with

PC Pilot – Hi and thank you for speaking to us. Can you tell us who is on the team behind Flight Factor?

We've always been a collection of different people offering vastly different skills, with Roman being in the centre. Currently we are a team of seven people each dealing with different projects. Besides Philipp, who handles the navigation we have four programmers including one who deals with new technologies that we plan introduce to XP this year.

PC Pilot – Do you work with any other developers in the X-Plane community?

Of course! We have a very good relationship with Jack from FlyJSim, who makes simply

The Boeing 757 comes with five default liveries including the Boeing house colours

The flight deck of the Flight Factor Boeing 777 is modelled in detail including a fully functional flight management computer (FMC)

The flight deck is almost fully functional with every button and knob clickable

amazing aircraft and has a deep understanding of flight models and getting the ‘feel’ of an aircraft. If you have hand-flown our Boeing 757 you will know what I'm talking about because thanks to his dedication it is so much fun to fly manually. Bruno Gregoire from Khamsin is an amazing artist - he has made some fantastic vintage aircraft including the B-25 and the Pacific Islands scenery. It was great to have him make the 3D cockpit of the 757. We also have a very good relationship with Dan Klaue with whom we share new technologies and ideas.

Roman and Philipp have pushed the boundaries of X-Plane with their highly acclaimed Boeing 777 and 757 Professional


Flight Factor | INTERVIEW

From a developer's point of view, what do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of X-Plane?

The strength is clearly the easy SDK. It is very easy to program, the documentation is mostly concise and the community support is amazing. X-Plane always had a higher developer to consumer ratio in its user base compared with Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is easily explained by the fact that X-Plane ships with PlaneMaker and you can start doing your own designs out of the box. Many X-Plane users are tinkerers and love the open structure of X-Plane - the fact that you can modify almost everything, and getting in touch with the core developers of X-Plane is as easy. But what truly makes X-Plane stand out is it is under-active development. We are embracing new technologies like 64bit quickly, which others have trouble with. The pace of development might also be perceived as dangerous, which is why many of the big developers from the FS market are still having trouble. When X-Plane offers a new technology, it only takes about five seconds before users ask add-on makers to exploit it. For example, 64bit was introduced halfway into the X-Plane 10, so it does not have the predictable two or three-year cycle like FS had, but rather a constant evolution.

X-Plane is also a growing innovative environment. Its weakness is the same as its strength - it is not quite complete and always changing, which can make development more complicated.

Following on, what challenges are there in recreating the flight model in X-Plane?

There are two ways to recreate the performance of the aircraft. One is to imitate its behaviour by tables. This is an efficient method from the point of view of the end result, however, I feel it is more like cheating. X-Plane was built on the idea of creating the actual flight model and reproducing the performance from bottom up. This is challenging because XP is close but not quite like the real world so we employ tricks to get the aircraft to behave just right.

How close are your models to the real thing and how do you test this?

We rely on the real aircraft manuals - not only the flight crew manuals but also the maintenance manuals which offer an abundance of information about the inner workings of systems that pilots don't usually think about. So we mostly

approach aircraft systems from the tubes and wires rather than from the lights in the cockpit. But of course that still doesn't tell us how it 'feels' to fly the aircraft.

That's why we work with airline pilots who fly the real thing every day, and ask them for facts that are not in the manuals – little things they've become accustomed to and rely on in every-day operation without thinking about it. If those little things work in our model as well, we know we've accomplished something.

You make extensive use of plug-ins to simulate systems, can you tell us a bit more about how you use these plug-ins?

X-Plane is not made to replicate one particular aircraft but a wide range of machines with different systems. For example, if your goal is to simulate a three-spool RB211-535E4 engine with a patented IEPR measuring system, you cannot expect X-Plane to do this for you. Another example is the electrical busses are simulated to run with the same voltage as most general aviation aircraft but airliners usually have high-voltage AC (alternating current) and low-voltage DC (direct current) busses. Getting this to work is what puts you in the realm of plug-in territory, like the FMS, which is also all custom programming.

We also use plug-in to add special effects such as particle, reflections and custom sounds etc.

What are your most popular aircraft?

While the 757 is my personal favourite because I love the classic cockpit with all the mechanical gauges, the 777 is what is most popular with our users.

Are you planning to develop other aircraft?

We have just announced an Airbus A350 Advanced. In v1.0 this will be a less in-depth model than the Boeing but will still have custom systems and many effects, although some features will be introduced for the first time. The A350 is a very advanced plane with lots of unique things. Our model will have a very advanced fly-by-wire system (FBW), multi function displays (MFD), touch screens control system etc. We plan to release the A350 Professional in v2.0.

How do you see X-Plane developing in the future and what changes would you like to see?

X-Plane will continue to improve on the visuals. In the short term we will be getting a particle system,

which is nothing short of what you get in modern shooter games. In the longer term we're looking at OpenGL 4 and tessellation (dividing a polygon into smaller parts to create a more realistic shape), which will allow for really amazing landscapes. Also I think with embracing Steam

and the Oculus Rift and the new users coming to X-Plane, we will see more high-quality products in the general aviation, aerobatics or vintage aircraft category -aircraft that are simply fun to fly with stick and rudder and are perfect for virtual reality. ■

The Boeing 777 is their most popular aircraft

The Airbus A350 will include an advanced fly-by-wire system when it is released

The Airbus A350 Professional will be available in version 2

The overhead panel in the Boeng 757 is crisp and clear with almost every system modelled in detail

PC Pilot: Hi Fernando and thank you for speaking to us. Can you start by telling us how you became interested in flight simulation?My business partner, Mauricio and I were classmates at school. We played Microsoft Flight Simulator since version 2.0 and other related flight games on an Atari computer. Everything about aircraft and flight attracted both since we were children.

PC Pilot: Can you tell us a bit about Carenado and the team behind the company?Currently we have a team of about 15 people and about 30% of us are real pilots. More than half of our crew are based in Chile and the other half is spread around the globe. We are divided into two main areas. The graphics team is dedicated to 3D models, textures and promotional materials. This is primarily where designers, modellers and sound engineers work. The other is dedicated to programming including aircraft behaviour and developing the systems, gauges and avionics. This area mostly involves programmers supported by real pilots or people with aviation experience.

PC Pilot: How did you come up with the name Carenado and Alabeo?Carenado means ‘fairing’ in Spanish.


Alabeo means roll in Spanish. We wanted Spanish words related to aviation.

PC Pilot: What were your earliest projects?The Piper PA-28 Warrior I and Warrior II were our first projects and then we released PA-32 Saratoga TC / HP and the Cessna C-172 Skyhawk II. All of the aircraft are very popular, commonly found in any general aviation airport around the world.

PC Pilot: Can you tell us why you launched Alabeo and how it differs from Carenado?We saw that the low-end market was not well served. Cheap products were and still are very bad in terms of quality. We wanted to launch a brand in that niche providing simple, good quality and affordable aircraft.Over time, Carenado has been upgrading to a more sophisticated aircraft entering the regional and jet niche. Because of this, Alabeo has started to enter the niche where Carenado was some years ago.

PC Pilot: What is the difference between the HD line and the standard models?HD SERIES means all textures are in high definition quality providing a very detailed external model aircraft and virtual cockpit. Additionally, they

come with a number of effects, especially for the windows and props.

PC Pilot: What made you decide to produce aircraft for X-Plane?Because one of our core principles is creating high quality aircraft for a wide audience, we want to have a presence on all platforms that could become important at any time. This way, customers have to decide which platform they want to run - X-Plane or Microsoft Flight Simulator. We don't want to limit our customers to a specific flight simulator and will offer our products on all the most popular platforms.

Having said that, we have noticed that more flight simmers are migrating to X-Plane and as it is becoming increasingly popular, we decided to start developing there as well in our production line. The same happened with Prepar3D and the Jay.

PC Pilot: What challenges are there in recreating the flight model in X-Plane compared to FSX?Both FSX and X-Plane are not perfect simulations for recreating flight models. Even after entering all the numbers aircraft do not behave as the real ones do. That is why it is important to have pilots involved in

The PA-28 was one of the first models developed by Carenado. The aircraft has been updated over the years and is now available for X-Plane

As well as creating general aviation aircraft, Carenado has also branched into historic types, as is evident with the Beechcraft Staggerwing

The Beechcraft B-200 King Air HD series is one of the more complex aircraft that has been ported over to X-Plane

CarenadoINTERVIEW | Carenado

CarenadoInterview with

Carenado is known for producing high quality General Aviation aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator. PC Pilot had the chance to speak with one of its founders, Fernando Herrera to find out more about the company and why it decided to branch out into X-Plane.


the process. They ultimately adjust and calibrate the aircraft to make them behave as realistically as possible.

PC Pilot: From a developer's point of view, what do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of X-Plane?On the strengths side, the multi-platform feature is very important, allowing people using Apple and Linux to enjoy a first class simulator. The use of one model is very attractive from the developer's point of view, but it is also a weakness from the user's point of view because X-Plane needs to load everything, demanding higher spec hardware.Backward compatibility after small version changes is something that could be avoided in order to prolong the life of aircraft and give more stability to the platform. I think this is a weakness that Laminar could improve very easily.In terms of materials, X-Plane is limited, for example it is not possible to recreate chrome surfaces.

PC Pilot: How do you see X-Plane developing in the future and what changes would you like to see?Based on its current popularity and multi-platform support, I think X-Plane has great potential for the

future. I see it competing very closely with FSX/P3D or any derivative and gaining a strong foothold in the professional and certified simulation market. Some changes that I would like to see regarding X-Plane are a significant improvement in performance so it can be run on standard computers. I would also like Laminar to be more aware of the requirements of third party developers.

PC Pilot: What do you think will happen to flight simulation in general in the future, in particular taking into account the news that the Microsoft Flight Simulation franchise was acquired by Dovetail?Dovetail's acquisition is good news from our point of view. It has a proven track record in the train simulation market, growing and improving the platform and fostering the community. I think (and believe) it will do the same with Flight Simulation. But it will find a hard competitor in Lockheed Martin with P3D.As long as the platforms improve and allow backwards compatibility, it will generate a very strong product in term of capacities and customer base. I foresee two things here: a strong battle benefiting the end user and an extension of the old FSX platform for several years.

PC Pilot: Your FSX line has seen a move from the single engine GA aircraft to the more complex types such as the Phenom and the XP. Will the more complex aircraft be available for X-Plane?Yes, we have plans for porting all our fleet but because X-Plane engine works very differently to FSX, developing complex systems and avionics takes much more time.

PC Pilot: What are you most popular aircraft in the X-Plane product line?It is difficult to say but the Beechcraft C90 and B200 King Air, C172 Skyhawk, C208 Grand Caravan, Seneca II and Bonanza F33 are high on the list.

PC Pilot: What do you consider to be the best aircraft you have made for X-Plane?I would say that our last three aircraft, the Cessna CT206H Stationair, Beech B-200 King Air and Piper PA-46 Malibu Mirage are our best X-Plane aircraft. We have been adding more and more features along with increasing the quality of the models, textures and effects.

PC Pilot: Fernando, thank you very much for speaking to us and sharing your views on X-Plane and flight simulation in general. We wish you all the best for the future.

Richard Benedikz ■

The C208 Grand Caravan has been upgraded to a high definition (HD) model, giving us a detailed external model and virtual cockpit

The Malibu Mirage is one of Carenado’s best selling aircraft for X-Plane

The Piper PA-34 Seneca II is one of Carenado’s more recent releases and like many other aircraft includes features such as a toggle yoke, realistic lighting effects and accurately modelled systems

Airliner Flight Sim Training | TUTORIALCarenado | INTERVIEW

The Cessna C-172N Skyhawk II comes with a float and a ski variantCarenado has released the B1900 for X-Plane. It is one of their more complex aircraft to be ported over to X-Plane

Many of the default aircraft come with a selection of liveries. For example, this Cessna 172 Skyhawk comes with four different paint schemes

42

TUTORIAL | A Beginner's Guide to X-Plane

X-Plane 10 - The Official Guide | www.pcpilot.net

A Beginner's Guide toA Be inner's Guide toA Beginner's Guide toginner's Guide tog

X-Plane

Since its release, we have seen X-Plane 10 grow from strength to strength. The new version

includes a significantly improved flight model. The global scenery has also seen massive updates with more accurate terrain and mesh. The clouds are stunning and the new HDR (High Dynamic Range) provides superb night lighting effects as each light source is modelled individually.

X-Plane is constantly being updated with new features and performance improvements, for example in version 10.2, X-Plane was made into to a full 64-Bit application. This was a very

important step as it will enable X-Plane to access a theoretical maximum of 192GB of RAM rather than the 4GB memory limit of 32-Bit applications. This will make it possible to run X-Plane at a much higher level of detail without running out of memory, allowing developers to create far more complex and detailed add-ons - pushing the boundaries of realism.

However, there are still some issues that prevail. For example, X-Plane lacks detailed airports with complete taxiways and buildings. Admittedly this is work in progress

and Aerosoft has updated some airports such as Frankfurt, Heathrow and Cote d’Azur to name a few. But we certainly need more.

User interfaceThe user interface is probably one of the more criticised elements in X-Plane. One of its strengths is its is highly customisable and the flexibility needed to achieve this has resulted in a very complex user interface. The catch is that this can be extremely daunting for the beginner. One of the aims of the last major update was to make the interface easier to use.

For example, X-Plane now includes a start-up splash screen that allows you to quickly select the airport, aircraft type, time of day and the weather conditions. Similarly the aircraft selection screen has also been streamlined. However in reality there is still more work to be done.

The aircraftThe default aircraft have been improved significantly although they are not up to the same level as many of the third-party aircraft, particularly when it comes to complex airliners. However the simpler aircraft are

X-PlanePart One - An Introduction to X-Plane 10

The splash screen is a part of the user interface revamp. You can select the aircraft, airport and time of day. It also has a selection of different weather themes.


A Beginner's Guide to X-Plane | TUTORIAL

A Beginner's Guide toLeft: It is possible to accurately hover a helicopter in X-Plane. This AI pilot has achieved a stable hover in a 30kt wind gusting 45

Lead image: Here we see the Boeing 747-400 which is one of the default aircraft in X-Plane

modelled accurately and flight dynamics in many of them are superb. The instrumentation is very smooth which makes it a fantastic IFR trainer. The flight model has been taken to the next level and now you really get the feeling of flying through a live dynamic atmosphere. It is also possible to set the weight and balance from the aircraft menu and specify fuel and payload or load external stores if the aircraft is capable of carrying ordnance.

Failure scenarios can be customised in detail. Any system from engine or electrical to something as drastic as structural failures can be programmed. These can be set to be triggered at a specific altitude, airspeed or time frame. The failure options are very

comprehensive, for example a loss of oil pressure will cause the engine to overheat and the oil temperature to redline - eventually resulting in engine seizure.

The situations menu allows you to load challenges that come with X-Plane by default. These range from shuttle re-entry, landing helicopters on oil rigs, mid-air refuelling, carrier take-offs and landings.

ATC and AIThe AI traffic will follow specific flight plans and they will experience the same flight physics and limitations that you do. They follow fight plans and take off and land. However in terms of realism the AI traffic has some issues. For example, the aircraft

X-Plane weather can be very challenging, the eagle-eyed may notice the oil pressure and temperature warning lights

Aerosoft has released some high-fidelity airports for X-Plane such as Heathrow

The ‘Rendering Options’ is the X-Plane equivalent of ‘Display Settings’ in FSX



operate from very unsuitable airfields. It’s not unusual to see AI 747’s attempting a short-field take-off from small grass strips. FSX has add-ons packages such as MyTraffic X, Ultimate Traffic and Traffic 360 that provides real time traffic consisting of thousands of world flight plans criss-crossing the world. This is one area where X-Plane falls short. Like FSX, the ATC in X-Plane makes an attempt to simulate basic air traffic control. It has some options that have an advantage over FSX. For example, you need to manually tune in the correct radio frequencies. Taxi lines appear on the ground after receiving a taxi clearance which is useful, particularly at large airports. Also if you get the instructions wrong and violate ATC your flight plan will be cancelled so you have to take it more seriously. It is probably beyond the scope of a simulator to replicate real world ATC and perhaps it’s a job more suitable to a third-party developer that wants a challenge.

LocationThe location menu allows you to place your aircraft on any one of more than 25,000 airports around the world. You can choose any runway or start from the ramp or at a gate at some of the larger international airports.It is even possible to be placed on a 3NM or a 10-mile final to any runway. The location menu also includes a global map view and regional maps that display your flight paths on sectional charts.

WeatherThe weather system in X-Plane is very realistic and can be customised in detail. It is possible to set up wind layers, different cloud types, visibility and precipitation and level of turbulence. Alternatively, for more unpredictable weather, you can have random weather patterns or download real weather. The weather effects are excellent and you really get the sense of flying in bad weather.

Many of the default aircraft have very detailed panels such as this Columbia 400The water reflections in X-Plane are just stunning!

Setting up the flight controls is not as difficult as it looks

Getting the flight controls right is crucial

It is also possible to practice formation flying although it is a challenge that is quite hard to master

The AV8B Harrier has received a massive face-lift and now features a much improved flight model and external detailing

X-Plane includes a number of challenges that can be found in the Aircraft & Situations menu including air-to-air refuelling

Despite the improvements in the external modelling, the Harrier still has a very basic 2D cockpit



Rendering optionsSetting up the display options is critical in order to run X-Plane at acceptable frame rates. This will vary between systems and you will need to experiment. This includes specifying the amount of autogen objects, cloud detail, level of HDR and water reflections. You can also turn on birds and deer. It is a bit frustrating that Laminar Research has included both options on the same checkbox as the bird strikes are superb, but the deer are less so. A bird-strike can damage your aircraft quite severely. Rendering options is one of the more important screens in setting X-Plane up and I recommend you spend time getting this right for your requirements.

Setting up flight controlsThe joystick and equipment screen is used to set up up your controllers and key assignments. From this window it is possible to assign axis, map keys and configure professional hardware

that is supported by X-Plane. One area that is worth spending time on is setting the flight controls. X-Plane will make a ‘best guess’ of assigning axes but most of the time you need to step in and manually assign some controls. This is particularly true of joystick buttons.

The cameraThe camera in X-Plane is very flexible although the controls are slightly unusual. It is also very powerful and it is possible to move around inside and outside the aircraft and be used to look around the virtual cockpit. The keys used to move around are slightly unusual, so it is important to assign head movement to the HAT switch when in 3D cockpit view. The keys used to move around the cockpit are different from FSX and unlike FSX, you will need to manually set up the camera. It is essential you do this as it can be very frustrating to struggle with view keys while flying the aircraft.

This is just one screen that allows you to assign buttons on your joystick. The options are endless, but the flexibility is infinite

The Stibson is one of the better modelled aircraft in X-Plane. The level of detail in external view and the cockpit are on par with many payware aircraft

The system failures are imaginative

X-Plane also supports professional-level hardware

The default Baron in X-Plane has a simple cockpit, but it is one of my favourite IFR platforms. A nice feature is a removable yoke - more of those please!



The menu system may appear daunting at first glance but it will not take you long to learn

SummaryThe key to getting a good flying experience in X-Plane is to set it up correctly. FSX will work pretty much out of the box whereas you need to spend some time configuring X-Plane.

X-Plane has many good features. The global scenery is fairly accurate and the textures also give you a sense of being in different locations. The ‘plausible world’ is an interesting idea where roads are drawn using ‘open street’ map data. Areas with high road density will have a greater density of autogen objects than areas with a smaller road density, so you will see

reasonably accurate cities and towns. Similarly the water is stunning with fantastic reflections and dynamic shadows, and HDR lighting makes night flying unbelievably realistic.

The flight modelling has seen massive improvements in version 10 and the instruments are very fluid, which makes instrument flying an absolute joy. It is also possible to download a number of free and payware aircraft and I highly recommend you give them a go. Many commercial developers such as Aerosoft and Carenado are actively creating high quality add-ons for X-Plane.

For the end user X-Plane has one major problem: it does not feel like a finished product. It needs realistic AI traffic and more importantly airports need to be populated with 3D buildings. The flight physics and the global scenery is very good in my opinion but it is the little details that are not complete. Unfortunately this is what the end user sees.

The quality of third party add-ons for FSX has never been better and as they become more realistic and complex, for many end-users there is therefore a reluctance to switch to a new simulator. From a cost perspective, many of us have invested a significant amount of money in our FSX setup and starting

from scratch is an expensive venture and potentially giving up your favourite aircraft. In order for X-Plane to succeed FSX the developers need to have a competitive pricing option in place.

The success of X-Plane depends on creating an environment where the flight simmer will see airports with realistic air traffic - a world where aircraft such as Piper Cubs fly into small fields and airliners into international airports as they do in the real world and where there is a probability of a bird strike.

A time-limited demo of X-Plane can be downloaded for you to try, which I highly recommend.By Richard Benedikz

The rock of Gibraltar is easily identifiable, which is a good indication of the accuracy of the default scenery

Although the AI aircraft have realistic flight modelling and are affected by wind and turbulence, they sometimes display some very erratic behaviour

The weather engine in X-Plane is one of the best in flight simulation

Many of the default aircraft still come with the old X-Plane external modelling as seen on this C-130 Hercules

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Welcome to part two of our tutorial series. This time around we are going to

take a look at the aircraft featured in X-Plane and find out why its flight model differs from other simulators. We are also going to look at the systems and find out how X-Plane replicates those of real aircraft. Finally we will also look at the different default aircraft and find out about some of the add-on aircraft that are available and how to install them.

Blade element theoryX-Plane is based on a principle known as blade element theory. In basic terms, it is a mathematical model used to predict the behaviour of propellers. A blade is broken down into several components in order to work out the forces acting on each of these ‘blade elements’. These resulting forces are then added together along the blade to determine the aerodynamic properties of the propeller or rotor.

This is different from traditional simulators that use ‘look-up tables’ to simulate a flight model. While look-up tables do a good job of replicating the flight characteristics of an aircraft that is already flying, this method is not able to predict the performance of an aircraft that is still on the drawing board. In essence the Blade Element approach allows us to see how an aircraft might fly before it is actually built! There are some disadvantages to adopting this method. While blade element theory can be used to determine the

approximate characteristics of an aircraft, it is still difficult to design a virtual aircraft that flies exactly like its real world counterpart.

The flight modelX-Plane models the atmosphere up to an altitude of 600,000ft and can accurately simulate both subsonic and supersonic flight - including subsonic transitions.

It includes features such as wing-flex that is based on the actual weight of the wings and the G-Force acting on the wings, for example during turbulence. Condensation caused by lift is modelled which is based on wing-loading, lift coefficient, temperature and

humidity. Spins and flat spins can even be simulated which is very difficult to model accurately because of the complex forces involved. Helicopter dynamics are also modelled and effects such as translational lift and vortex ring are built into the core simulator. In fact developers for FSX have to go to great lengths to create features which are already built into X-Plane.

X-Plane simulates fluid dynamics including hydroplaning on wet runways and when floatplanes operate on water. It is also possible to experience realistic icing conditions such as airframe icing or blocked pitot tubes if you forget to turn the probe heat on.

X-Plane accurately simulates turboprops and their various features. Here we see the free-wheeling prop on this King Air’s Pratt & Whitney PT6 engine

48



A Beginner's Guide toA Be inner's Guide toA Beginner's Guide to

X-PlaneX-PlaneThe AircraftX-Plane

PART 2

how to install them.simulators that use ‘look-up tables’ to simulate a flight model. While

of an aircraft that is already flying, this method is not able to predict the performance of an aircraft that is still on the drawing board. In essence the Blade Element approach allows us to see how an aircraft

There are some disadvantages to adopting this method. While

THE AIRCRAFT are organised into a logical file structure:· Fighters· General Aviation· Gliders· Heavy Metal· Helicopters· Mega-Planes· Radio Control· Seaplanes· Space Ships· VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing)· X-Planes

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On the ground, friction between the tyres and runway is modelled. For example, grass runways will have more friction compared to concrete runways which will affect take-off distance. Aircraft will also be affected by gravity on inclines such as sloping runways.

Engines and systemsX-Plane models different powerplants including turbocharged and normally aspirated piston engines, fuel injections, fixed and free turbo props and low/high bypass jets. It even goes as far as accurately simulating rockets, vector thrust, helicopter engines (turbo-shaft) and electric engines.

The electrical systems are also accurately simulated, including how much current each system draws. Similarly the hydraulic system can simulate engine and electrically-driven hydraulic pumps and it is possible to use ram-air turbines to

drive hydraulic pumps. The viscosity of the hydraulic fluid will even affect how quickly the pressure builds or falls in the system. Hydraulically-driven flight controls are modelled; for example, hydraulic flaps and flight controls need a pressurised hydraulic system to operate.

Weight and balanceThe weight and balance is set in the ‘Fuel/Payload tab’ in the aircraft menu. It is possible to specify the payload and fuel and also set the centre-of-gravity which will affect the stability of the aircraft. Fuel burn is calculated in real-time which affects the weight distribution as the fuel is used up. Some aircraft can be loaded with slung loads or ordnance such as air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles, drop-tanks, guns, bombs and external fuel tanks. The weight of the aircraft will also vary when loading or releasing ordnance.

Aircraft failuresFailures can be accessed from the equipment failures window. The failure model in X-Plane is extremely comprehensive and it is possible to simulate hundreds of systems failures. A few examples include instruments, engines, flight controls, control cables, landing gear and electrical/hydraulic systems - all of which can fail at any moment.

Failures can be activated manually or randomly at an instructor’s command. Aircraft systems can also be set to fail at a certain speed, altitude or within a given time frame. External factors such as bird strikes and airport equipment failures can also be set here.

In addition, it is possible to enable structural failures due to over-speed or Over-G situations. For example, flying surfaces can separate from the airframe when exceeding the aircraft’s maximum speed or when over-

stretching the airframe. Similarly, flaps can be blown off if they are extended above Vfe (maximum flap extension speed) and gear doors will blow off if the landing gear is extended over-Vle, (maximum gear extension speed).

‘Mean Time Between Failures’ (MTBF) is a value used to determine how often, on average, each system will fail. For instance, if the MTBF is set to 1,000 hours, a system has about a one in 1,000 chance of failing each hour. This feature allows you to set a high or low probability of a system failing or replicate the probability of a system failure in the real world.

Default aircraftX-Plane comes with a number of default aircraft. These include general aviation aircraft, airliners, fighters, float planes, helicopters, gliders, helicopters and VTOLs. As well as common aircraft like the Beech Baron, King Air, Boeing 747, X-Plane

The Beech 1900 is just one of the many freeware aircraft that is available to download. It features an excellent 2D cockpit and flight model

The default Phantom F-4 has received a massive face-lift Instrument flying takes on a new level in X-Plane thanks to its fluid flight instruments



A Beginner's Guide to



also includes more exotic aircraft such the AV-8B Harrier, the X-15 and even the Space Shuttle.

These vary in quality: some include very good virtual cockpits while others only include a basic 2D cockpit. The default aircraft are updated as X-Plane goes through update cycles and Laminar Research regularly improves many of the default aircraft with

improved flight models and instrument panels.

By default, when X-Plane starts, the aircraft is placed on the active runway with the engines running. It is also possible to start from a ‘cold and dark’ cockpit or from the ramp by opening the ‘Settings’ menu and clicking ‘Operations & Warnings’. In the panel labelled ‘Start-up’ you can un-check

the box labelled ‘Start each flight with engines running’ or check the box labelled ‘Start each flight on ramp’.

Folder structureIt is very easy to add third-party add-ons to X-Plane. For example, add-on scenery is installed in a folder called ‘Custom Scenery’. Similarly aircraft can be found in a sub-folder called

‘Aircraft’.The aircraft flight model and

configuration data is in an ACF file format which is also the file that you click on to load an aircraft in X-Plane. Each aircraft also includes several sub-folders. Here’s a list of the other folders included in the folder structure:

· ‘Airfoils’ folder contains custom flying surfaces that are used to

The 777 cockpit from VMAX is close to PMDG in terms of functionality The 777 Professional is one of the best airliners available for X-Plane

Afterburners are modelled accurately in X-Plane

X-Plane 10 features some superb atmospheric effects Thermals and ridge lift is modelled in X-Plane making it possible to fly gliders realistically

The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is one of the better default aircraft The CRJ 200 from X-Aviation is a superb example of a regional airliner for X-Plane

The CRJ external model is built to a very high standard The ATR-72 is one of the first payware aircraft supported by Aerosoft

Water dynamics are modelled accurately in X-Plane. The default Bombardier 415 even replicates a water scoop found in the real aircraft



determine the aerodynamic characteristics of the flying surfaces and propeller.

· ‘Cockpit’ folder contains the data for the 2D cockpit.

· ‘Liveries’ folder stores different liveries.

· ‘Objects’ folder allows you to customise any 3D objects such as the landing gear and doors.

· ‘Sounds’ folder stores custom sounds for each aircraft.

· ‘Cockpit_3D’ folder contains the files for those aircraft with a 3D cockpit.

Installing third-party aircraftX-Plane is designed to be backwards compatible, so it is possible to run

X-Plane 9 aircraft in version 10 - although these aircraft will not be able to take advantage of certain features such as the updated engine modelling, HDR lighting and the improved X-Plane 10 flight dynamics.

In terms of freeware there are a number of add-ons available - the Beechcraft BE-1900C and the Handley Page Hampden are just two

examples. Due to the nature of X-Plane, there are also a number of experimental aircraft available as designers put their ideas into practice, giving you the opportunity to become a virtual test pilot.

Third-party aircraft can be downloaded from a number of sites dedicated to X-Plane, the largest of these is www.X-Plane.org,



although there are a number of other websites with excellent add-ons. Many aircraft are free, although there are also a number of commercial add-ons. Other sources of high-quality, payware aircraft includes X-Aviation, as well as AIR.C74.NET.

The aircraft in X-Plane are sorted by category which makes it easy to organise your hangar collection. Add-on aircraft are typically compressed as a zip file. Once the aircraft has been downloaded, it needs to be extracted from the zip file and copied to the aircraft folder in X-Plane. It is sensible to choose a folder that best matches the type of aircraft you have downloaded or alternatively you can create a new folder just for your own aircraft to keep them separate from the default X-Plane aircraft.

‘NOTAM: Before installing third-party aircraft, verify that the aircraft is compatible with your version of X-Plane’

It is worth noting that if you customise the default aircraft, the files are overwritten when you update X-Plane, so create copies of the default aircraft if you want to modify them.

An increasing number of Microsoft Flight Simulator developers have now started designing add-ons for X-Plane. For example Aerosoft and Carenado are now creating aircraft for X-Plane as well as FSX. Other developers include MacPhat studios that have created the ATR72 and the Boeing 777 Worldliner, designed by Philipp Roman and produced by VMAX. The

latter is one of the most comprehensive glass cockpit airliner add-ons available for X-Plane. The CRJ200 by X-Aviation is also a highly realistic regional jet.

ConclusionX-Plane is a highly complex simulation that models a lot of functionality that FSX lacks such as a detailed engines and systems simulation. Many features that FSX developers have had to go to extraordinary lengths to achieve are already built into X-Plane, such as accurate turboprop and helicopter flight modelling, detailed failures, realistic icing modelling and water operations.

The file system in X-Plane is structured in such a way to make it extremely customisable and easy to install add-ons, although there is an

initial learning curve to go through. This is important as there are no automated installers except for a few commercial add-ons.

The good news for fans of X-Plane is that both freeware and commercial developers appear to have stepped up a gear and we are now seeing an increase in high quality aircraft for this platform. For example, the 777 Worldliner and the 757 by Flight Factor have been approved by Boeing are as good as anything that has been designed for FSX.

X-Plane is not only a great platform for our hobby, it is also an excellent tool for pilots to maintain their IFR currency and for engineers to predict how a new aircraft will fly before leaving the drawing board.By Richard Benedikz

X-Plane is a good IFR training platform The default 747 looks very authentic, but the 3D cockpit is a bit rough around the edges

X-Plane comes with a Bell 206 helicopter as default It is possible to position aircraft on short-final to practice landings

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Welcome to part three of our tutorial series for X-Plane 10. This time

around we are going to look at the X-Plane world and find out how X-Plane manages the default and add-on scenery. We are also going to check out some popular add-ons and learn how to install and manage the third-party scenery.

Adding new sceneryAdding new scenery to X-Plane is very similar to installing aircraft. There are almost no automatic installers, except for a few payware packages, making it necessary to copy the files to the correct location. This may appear complicated to the beginner but

X-Plane can be configured from the file system, so it does not rely on the Windows registry. This makes it fairly easy to customise and install add-on scenery, and as long as you know where to look, you can make changes safely and easily.

A Beginner’s Guide to

54



A Beginner’s Guide toA Beginner’s Guide toX-PlaneX-PlaneThe World of SceneryX-Plane

PART 3

The last major update from Laminar Research made X-Plane a full 64-Bit application. This is a very significant setup in its development as it allows it to access memory beyond the 4GB limit of 32-Bit applications. What this means is we can expect to see more detailed scenery as developers will be able to take advantage of additional resources.

The plausible worldThe scenery in X-Plane 10 has undergone a number of changes. Although effects such as shadows and water reflections have been carried over from X-Plane 9, the biggest change in version 10 is the plausible world. This is a concept to

create a dynamic world that is not an exact replica of the real one,

objects are placed in a feasible or ‘plausible’

location using an artificially intelligent object planning algorithm.

For example, X-Plane uses a detailed road network to place auto-generated objects such as buildings and car parks. The number of objects create is based on road density, so a

greater number of buildings will be placed around a dense road network found in populated areas compared to those in remote locations. As a result we will see cities in real world locations although they will not be accurate; they will, however, be

TIP: When changing system files in the X-Plane folder, always make sure you make a back-up. This means that if you ‘break’ something unintentionally you can always go back to square one. It is also worth noting that when you run the X-Plane Updater, it will tell you if the X-Plane system file has been modified and gives you an option to keep or overwrite it. This can be a handy tool if you lose or modify a file that you then need to set back to default.



in the right place geographically. Similarly traffic flow will be greater on a dense road network compared to rural roads, creating realistic traffic flow. A new feature in X-Plane 10 is HDR lighting or ‘High Dynamic Range’. Every light source is modelled individually which provides superb night lighting effects – although the downside is that HDR lighting can be heavy on frame rates.

Global SceneryX-Plane consists of two types of scenery: ‘global’ that contains the default scenery and ‘custom scenery’ that consist of third-party add-ons.

The global scenery comes on eight DVDs that cover the entire globe. A full install takes around 60-70GB of disc space although it is possible to specify which geographic areas to install. The default scenery is stored in a folder called ‘Global Scenery’ which covers the Earth from 74

degrees north to 60 degrees south. It hosts over 33,000 airports as well as aircraft carriers and helipads, oil rigs and frigates.

Scenery in X-Plane is divided into 1x1 degree tiles that are bound by latitude and longitude coordinates. The tile’s naming convention is based on the latitude and longitude of the lower left corner of the tile. Positive numbers mean north or east, negative south or west. So, for example +43-34 defines an area or tile N43E034 to N44E35.

Scenery files are in a DSF file format that stores elevation data or mesh. Laminar Research introduced a new extended DSF format in X-Plane 10 that uses vectors which result in even more accurate elevations, coast lines and water bodies. X-Plane is split into two: global terrain and global overlays. The global terrain contains the base mesh, such as terrain elevation data and textures, while the

global overlay contains all the default objects used in X-Plane. These include roads, trees and buildings as well as navigation and airport database, stored in the resources folder. As well as the default scenery objects, the resources folder also contains artwork including terrain and runway textures as well as sky and clouds, cockpit artwork, templates for buttons and switches and aircraft gauges.

Add-on SceneryCustom scenery packages have a priority order which is similar to FSX. However, X-Plane prioritises custom scenery alphabetically following the ASCII rule. The Custom Scenery folder also has a higher priority than the default scenery folder. This means that your scenery can overrule any scenery listed further down the alphabet. When installing scenery, it is important to design a system for prioritising the order in

which it is installed. For example, large geographical areas should be further down the list than the more detailed local scenery such as airports. Several developers recommend sorting scenery by ICAO code so airports in the same country are grouped together.

As with third-party aircraft, add-on scenery packages are usually compressed in a zip archive that can be downloaded from various websites. Once the files have been extracted, you need to locate your X-Plane folder on your hard disk and place the package inside the ‘Custom Scenery’ folder inside your X-Plane folder.

Popular third-party sceneryThere is a huge selection of high quality freeware and payware add-on scenery including aircraft, custom scenery areas and objects available for X-Plane. X-Plane.org is the main

Scenery add-ons now come with high levels of detail One of the major criticisms of X-Plane is the lack of good quality default airports

One development we are starting to see is the introduction of more airports with default buildings such as Glasgow shown above

OpensceneryX is a massive effort by X-Plane.org to import Openstreet map objects into X-Plane

Landclasses, relating to the different 'types' of terrain, were increased in X-Plane 10 which improved the default scenery

It is possible to install objects from OpenSceneryX. In the example shown above, the whole of Scandinavia – for free!



file library for scenery, aircraft and utilities.

• Real Scenery (www.realscenery.com) produces photographic scenery for areas in the United States including Ohau Island in Hawaii.

• TruScenery (www.truscenery.com) is a community of Finnish developers. It has made some very high quality scenery for X-Plane 10. Although its focus has mostly been

on Finland, it has plans to expand to other parts of the world.

• XP Scenery (www.scenery4xp.com) has made excellent scenery such as the Inside Passage and the Final Frontier. Its latest package is called The Canadian Rockies.

• RC Simulations (www.rcsimulations.co.uk) teamed up with Horizon Simulation to produce photographic scenery expansions for England and Wales.

• Alpilotx (www.alpilotx.net) has created a replacement scenery package for New Zealand. It is freeware and covers both islands in an extremely high-resolution base mesh.

• Aerosoft (www.aerosoft.com) has begun actively promoting X-Plane and it has produced a number of high quality add-ons including airports such as Dusseldorf, Frankfurt-Hahn, Hamburg, Zurich, Toulouse and its latest airport Weeze.

OpensceneryA recent development is the OpenSceneryX project that is a free-to-use library of scenery objects. It is a collaborative effort by members of the X-Plane.org community to provide high quality scenery components for authors to use in its scenery packages. The library contains many pre-built 3D models including buildings, aircraft and vehicles as well as a large collection of ground markings and trees for both Europe and America.

AirportsIn X-Plane the airports are stored in a global airport and navigational database in two separate files called apt.dat and nav.dat. They define the airport runway and taxiway layout for each airport as well as the global radio beacons that are stored in the resources folder. However, like the add-on scenery it is also possible to

create airports and navaids for custom scenery and like custom scenery, the apt and nav data files in the custom scenery folder take priority over the global scenery.

The global airport and nav data is regularly updated in X-Plane updates as new data is submitted. Robin Peel maintains the file format and the master database of airports that form the ‘default’ scenery for X-Plane. Updates can be downloaded from his website (http://data.x-plane.com/) although the database is also revised automatically when X-Plane is updated.

World Editor (WED)While the default mesh (elevation data) and textures (landclass) such as farmland, forests, cities and deserts are very good quality, the airports in X-Plane are lacking in detail, particularly when it comes to airports populated with buildings.

One of the major criticisms of X-Plane is the lack of good quality default airports BIRK is a superb example of a high quality freeware airport made with custom objects Water bodies such as lakes and rivers can be placed more accurately in X-Plane 10

The DSF file format in X-Plane allows developers to create more accurate coastlines than ever before

The X-Plane world is populated with oil platforms and carriers from which you can take-off and land

Wales is one of the most scenic areas in the UK as illustrated here by the Horizon's VFR Photographic Scenery of the UK for X-Plane

Horizon's VFR Photographic Scenery is one of the more ambitious projects for X-Plane that allows you to accurately navigate in VFR



Although its focus has mostly been photographic scenery expansions for England and Wales.

created a replacement scenery package for New Zealand. It is freeware and covers both islands in an extremely high-resolution base mesh.

begun actively promoting X-Plane and it has produced a number of high quality add-ons including airports such as Dusseldorf, Frankfurt-Hahn, Hamburg, Zurich, Toulouse and its latest airport Weeze.

IF YOU like bird strikes in X-Plane, but not the deer, this is how to make them disappear. Locate a file called deer_tex.png in the ‘X-Plane/Resources/default scenery/sim objects/dynamic’ folder and make a back-up copy of it.

Next, find a convenient photo-editing package (such as Adobe Photoshop) and make deer_tex.png completely transparent. Then save it in its original format and dimension. The deer will still be there but they will be invisible. Just make sure you back-up the deer_tex.png file first in case something goes wrong.

TIP OF THE DAY

World Editor was introduced to address this shortcoming. This is an exciting project that is still in its infancy. It consists of a free open source editor that will allow users to add buildings to airports from a database of generic objects.

The aim is to enable the community to create airports with generic buildings and objects as well as custom air traffic flow at airports. Users will then be able to submit

airports they have created to be included in default X-Plane airports. In the future we will hopefully start to see more airports appear in X-Plane populated with buildings.

SummaryThe file system in X-Plane is structured in a way that makes it highly customisable and easy to install add-ons and once you have a basic understanding of how it is set up, it is

possible to install scenery or objects very quickly. However in order to achieve this you must be fairly competent at navigating the file system as, unlike Microsoft Flight Simulator, there are very few automated installers for third-party add-ons.

The separation of the Global and Custom scenery is very intuitive which makes it very easy to manage, even with a very complex

scenery library which can be a logistical nightmare in FSX. Furthermore, the X-Plane installation is very clean and doesn’t clutter up your hard drive as no files are added to the system folders and no registry is created. As long as you know how the file structure is organised you will be able to keep your installation clean and unlike FSX, regular reinstalls are not necessary. By Richard Benedikz

San Francisco is one of the better payware scenery packages available from X-Plane.org

Aerosoft has added other airports that use the default objects in X-Plane, for example Munich - seen in the example above

New Zealand Pro is a good example of many of the freeware packages that can be downloaded from the internet

Prolific flight sim publisher/developer Aerosoft regularly adds high quality airports to the default scenery in X-Plane such as Cote d’Azur

Truscenery is a new scenery developer for X-Plane which has released high quality airports for Finland



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X-PlaneX-PlaneConfiguring the Flight ControlsX-PlanePART 4

To get the most out of X-Plane, it is important not only to invest in good quality controllers, but

also ensure they are configured correctly to achieve a realistic flying experience. There are a large number of devices that are compatible with X-Plane, ranging from basic joysticks to more advanced controllers such as yokes, rudder pedals and throttle quadrants, or even professional hardware such as Precision Flight Controls (PFC) or

Garmin G1000 and Garmin GPS units. Whilst it is possible to use a budget joystick, in reality cheaper hardware does not give you the control feedback or reliability compared to better quality equipment.

This is also true in terms of functionality. Whilst a simple joystick will provide pitch, roll, and in some cases yaw control, by twisting the joystick handle, high-end controllers will usually include features such as throttle, prop and mixture levers as




well as multi-engine controls. In addition, most controllers come with a number of buttons and switches that can be programmed for operating the aircraft systems such as raising or lowering the undercarriage, the flaps, lights, etc.

Selecting a controller to suit your style of flying is also an important consideration. A joystick is the best choice if you prefer to fly fighters or some of the more recent airliners. Airbus airliners such as the A320/

A330/A340 and the A380 are, for example, fitted with a joystick rather than the more traditional yoke. Alternatively, the trusted yoke, found in most general aviation aircraft and airliners, is the controller of choice, obtainable from makers such as CH Products or Saitek, to name but two. Some yokes can also come with throttle quadrants which allow you to control the propeller, throttle, and mixture independently, which is invaluable if you want to fly multi-

In this shot we see the Space Shuttle deploying a parachute during its landing - a function which can be set to a button press

It is possible to assign a button to raising or lowering the floats on seaplanes as well as dropping an anchor

Before configuring the controls it is essential to perform the calibration process

engine aircraft realistically.For maximum realism I recommend

also using a set of rudder pedals for yaw control. Most rudder pedals also come with toe brakes which can be set up in X-Plane. Rudder pedals are essential to keep the aircraft on the centreline during take-off and landing and for making co-ordinated turns, crosswind landings or when recovering from stalls and spins. If no rudder pedals are present, then X-Plane automatically slews the



rudder, although its auto-rudder function is not intelligent for take off, landing in a crosswind, when side-slipping or performing aerobatic manoeuvres.

CalibrationX-Plane also automatically detects USB devices and any hardware controllers must first be connected before starting X-Plane or they will not be detected. Unlike Microsoft Flight Simulator, before configuring the controllers and assigning the respective axes, they must first be calibrated from the Joystick and Equipment menu. Whilst X-Plane is

cockpit needs to be set up manually in X-Plane, whereas in FSX the HAT switch works ‘out of the box’ on most controllers. Although this is a slightly time-consuming process, it is essential in order to be able to look around the virtual cockpit using the General Command -> up/down/left/right in the ‘Buttons Basic’ tab in the ‘Joystick and Equipment’ menu option. It is also possible to use the keyboard to move around the virtual cockpit with the arrow keys. Other keys on the keyboard also allow you to look left/right, up/down and zoom in and out. It is worth learning the key combination to move around the cabin effectively. The camera in X-Plane is incredibly powerful and we will look at this feature in more detail in a later tutorial

Null ZonesThe null zone determines how much you have to move the joystick before X-Plane registers a movement of the axis. It is possible to set the null zone for each joystick axis thus finely tuning how responsive the control surface inputs are. However, this function is typically used to prevent your hardware from ‘creeping’ in flight or to ignore ‘jittering’ that many older controllers may experience as any movement inside the ‘dead range’ will not affect the aircraft’s controls.

The tab in the ‘Joystick and Equipment’ screen, labelled ‘EQUIPMENT’, is used to setup any special equipment. This section allows you to specify equipment such as TrackIR and TripleHeadtoGo as well as setting up special controllers like the CH Throttle quadrant. Other options allow you to set more specialist hardware such as a real Garmin GPS system or G1000 units. There is also a dedicated section for precision flight controllers including yokes, throttle quadrants and centre consoles, etc.

compatible with most modern controllers, the scale of the input signals can vary significantly. For example, some devices may send a signal ranging from 0 to 10 when you move the controls from one extreme to the other and another device may, for example, send a signal from 10 to 1000. X-Plane overcomes this by determining the limits of each controller when you calibrate an axis, which is done via the ‘Calibrate Joystick Hardware’ button. It is important that when you calibrate your controllers in X-Plane, you will need to move all the sliders through their full range on each controller to set the limits. After the controllers have been calibrated, you can then map each axis from a drop-down box and assign roll, pitch and yaw as well as map the throttle quadrant levers to individual engines. One thing to bear in mind is that sometimes it is necessary to tick the reverse checkbox as some axes work in reverse.

AssignmentsThe buttons and switches on any input device can be assigned to a variety of functions within X-Plane. For example, when operating the flaps, landing gear, autopilot or trim switches. Compared to FSX, the buttons assignment is far more comprehensive and flexible in X-Plane. As the buttons and switches are depressed, you will see various indicators change from light gray to green. To change a button or switch assignment, you simply operate the applicable button or switch on your joystick and then select the desired function on the ‘Buttons Basic’ tab by clicking on the small circular button. This process can then be repeated for each of the buttons and switches.

The Camera viewOne area where X-Plane differs from FSX is that the HAT switch used to operate the camera view in the virtual

X-Plane is very flexible when it comes to assigning buttons and switches X-Plane supports a variety of professional hardware such as the real Garmin 430 GPS

The control response and stability augmentation sliders, shown above, allow you to fine-tune to the controls

It is also possible to reassign the default keyboard mapping

The advanced buttons tab allows you to assign almost any function in X-Plane



Joystick sensitivity and aircraft stabilityIt is possible to control joystick sensitivity and aircraft stability in great detail in the ‘Nullzone’ tab in the ‘Joystick and Equipment’ menu item. It contains two sets of sliders. The right-hand set of sliders controls the sensitivity curves, which in turn

controls the responsiveness of each axis. If these sliders are set all the way to the LEFT, then the response will be completely linear meaning, for example, that a 50% deflection of the joystick will deflect the flight controls 50% of their amount of travel. As the sliders are moved to the right, however, the response

becomes non-linear. For example, the first 50% deflection of your joystick or yoke may only deflect the aircraft’s controls by 10%. Whilst this will dampen any aircraft movements and desensitise the controls for the first 50% of their travel, the remaining 90% of the control surface deflection must therefore take place in the last 50% of your joystick’s travel. As a result the controls will be dampened for the first half of their travel and then become increasingly sensitive for the remainder of their throw. This gives you the ability to fine-tune

Default keys to move around the virtual cockpit.Enable virtual cockpit Shift + 9Arrow keys move left/right and up/downTilt up RTilt dow FLook left QLook right E Zoom in / Out <>

ROOM WITH A VIEW

becomes non-linear. For example, the

or yoke may only deflect the aircraft’s

90% of the control surface deflection

then become increasingly sensitive for

control near the centre of the flight-control envelope to hold altitude and roll precisely, but still let you achieve full control authority. The only way to adjust these settings is to experiment until you find the setting that works best for your setup, as it will vary between aircraft or even different controllers.

The left-hand set of sliders control the X-Plane’s stability augmentation mode by dampening the forces acting on the flight control surfaces. If these sliders are all the way to the LEFT, then there is no stability

It is possible to configure throttle quadrants for a variety of different power plants such as turboprops

It is important to set up the HAT switch on your controller in order to move your view around the virtual cockpit

The Thrustmaster T.16000 is fully supported in X-Plane

The axis on the throttle quadrant can be used to set up multi-engine aircraft

Rudder pedals will significantly increase your flight simulation experience

Below: General aviation aircraft like the Cessna 172 are fairly easy to set up



augmentation of your aircraft. As you drag the sliders to the right, X-Plane will gradually add more stability augmentation by adding elevator input to level the nose, aileron input to minimize the roll rate, and some rudder input to counter any aircraft yaw rates. In other words, the simulator will try to make the aircraft easier to fly by adding small control inputs. Consequently as you drag the sliders to the right, the aircraft also becomes less responsive and heavier on the controls. The ‘joystick sensitivity’ and ‘aircraft stability’

sliders can be adjusted together to customise the feel of X-Plane in detail.

It is possible tune the controls in X-Plane in even more detail by looking at the control surface deflections during flight. To enable this functionality, you can display the axis in the data output screen, which should vary between 1 to -1 for full scale deflection. By moving the stick and pedals, and monitoring these values on screen, you can see if X-Plane is receiving the correct input. This is very useful when troubleshooting your controllers,

because if you are not getting the correct values, then the issue is possibly with your device drivers, hardware calibration or the hardware is simply malfunctioning.

ConclusionIn order to achieve a realistic flying experience, it is important to spend time calibrating and setting the controls up correctly. For beginners the interface can appear a little ‘clunky’ and unfamiliar, so there is a learning curve to go through. However, unlike Microsoft Flight

Simulator, X-Plane is far more customisable and it is possible to program a large number of functions which makes X-Plane highly flexible, whereas in FSX you need to use a third-party program such as FSUIPC to achieve the same level of customisation, that is already built into X-Plane by default. The downside is that X-Plane, as a simulator, is more hands-on and complex, and fine-tuning the controls to get your aircraft to fly correctly can be time-consuming. By Richard Benedikz

Here we see a glider being towed up by a Cessna. Tow cables can be released by pressing the spacebar

Using the appropriate controls is important to the sense of realism, for example, the F4 Phantom should be controlled using a joystick rather than a yoke

CH Products are recommended by Laminar Reserch Helicopters can be a challenge to setup up correctly in X-Plane

Thrust-vectoring can be assigned to a slider which makes flying the Harrier AV8B an interesting experience

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Weather effects such as snow blowing across the runway are also modelled

66




X-PlaneX-PlaneWeather: Exploring the complexities of X-Plane's weather engineX-PlanePART 5

X-Plane comes with a sophisticated weather engine that is not only capable of

generating highly realistic atmospheric conditions, it also uses complex algorithms to calculate the forces acting on an aircraft, based on factors such as wind, turbulence, temperature and pressure.

Generating weatherThe weather, which is controlled from the Environment menu, can be set in

four ways. The simplest method is to set static weather for the entire globe by entering variables such as cloud type, wind, precipitation, thermals and water conditions. It is however possible to set randomly generated weather by either creating a basic weather system that changes over time or manually drawing weather patterns by the click of a mouse. Clicking and dragging on an area will randomly generate cloud coverage, while repeatedly clicking on the same

area increases the size and intensity of the weather system. It is also possible to click and drag an area and allow X-Plane to randomly generate clouds.

Randomly-generated weather has a number of variables that allow you to control how the weather system will develop over time, the extent of which can be additionally controlled using sliders that range from minimum to maximum:

• Coverage specifies the amount of clouds. It is possible to have anything

from clear skies to overcast skies.• Intensity controls the strength of

storms in a weather system. With the slider all the way to the left, there will be no storms, whereas with it all the way to the right, you can expect significant storms.

• Temperature will determine the probability of encountering icing or thunderstorms. In cold weather the probability of icing will be high, while high temperatures can result in thunderstorms.




• System size determines whether you will encounter many small or a few large weather systems.

• Randomness controls how closely the weather matches the parameters you set. It is possible to specify if you want fairly static weather or it is possible to set random weather that changes rapidly.

Real-world weatherAs an alternative to allowing X-Plane to generate the weather, it is also

possible to download real weather from the internet. X-Plane 10 reads the weather at each airport surrounding your aircraft from real-world weather stations and interpolates the weather between these airports, which prevents sudden jumps between different cloud layers or wind direction. Weather information is automatically downloaded at set time intervals. The default setting is one hour, but it is possible to force X-Plane to download

weather data immediately by pressing the ‘Download right now’ button.

CloudsWith the release of version 10, X-Plane’s weather system was given a massive overhaul. One of the more significant changes was the introduction of 3D clouds to give true volumetric effects. However, the new clouds can have a significant impact on frame rates, so it is important to adjust the cloud puffs slider

‘Rendering Options’ to a level your system can cope with. I found that around 30% for most mid-range systems works quite well.

It is also possible to specify cloud types and the amount of coverage as well as the tops and base levels for three different cloud layers.

The types of clouds that are supported in X-Plane include clear, cirrus, few cumulus, broken cumulus, scattered cumulus, overcast and stratus.

Cumulus clouds will affect how much turbulence you will experienceX-Plane comes with a highly complex weather engine that allows you to fly in clear skies or snow storms as can be seen in this image



Ceiling and visibilityIt is possible to manually set the ceiling and visibility or alternatively you can load pre-set weather conditions such as Cat-III, Cat-II, Cat-I, or CAVOK (Ceiling and Visibility OK) using quick-set buttons:

• Cat-I sets the weather up for a Category-I ILS approach, with a 200ft ceiling and 1200m visibility.

• Cat-II sets the weather up for a Category-II ILS approach, with 100ft ceiling and 600m visibility.

• Cat-III sets the weather up for a Category-III ILS approach. These are extremely low instrument conditions with almost zero ceiling and visibility. Although there are three Cat-III approaches (CAT-IIIa, Cat-IIIb and Cat-IIIc), X-Plane sets the visibility to approximately 200m RVR and 50ft ceiling.

• N-prec sets the weather for a non-precision approach with a three-mile visibility and a 400ft ceiling.

• MVFR sets the weather marginal VFR flying conditions, with seven miles of visibility and a 1,500ft ceiling.

• VFR sets the weather to good visual flight rule conditions – clear, sunny skies.

• CAVOK sets the weather to clear and visibility OK. Typically, pilots refer to this as ‘CAVU’ – Clear And Visibility Unlimited.

It is also possible to set the amount of precipitation, which is dependant on the outside air temperature surrounding the aircraft. In the right atmospheric conditions, rain, hail or snow will form.

The thunderstorms slider determines the storm density and the weather radar map in the lower right

of the window indicate where the cells are forming. X-Plane models the conditions in thunderstorms, so flying into thunderstorms will result in heavy precipitation and extreme turbulence. The turbulence slider automatically controls the turbulence. Finally the temperature and the barometric pressure or QNH at the nearest airport can be set.

IcingX-Plane also includes a very realistic icing model. This includes airframe icing as well as induced icing and icing effects on the pitot static system. For

It is possible to set a number of weather conditions such as low stratus and rain

Windsocks are affected by wind and will flap in gusty conditions

It is also possible to experience volumetric fog in X-Plane

The weather in X-Plane is highly dynamic and feels much less forgiving than it does in FSX

It is possible to control a number of parameters such as visibility and precipitation, as well as the level of turbulence in stormy weather

With the click of the mouse, you can affect the weather variables such as cloud coverage, storm intensity, while system size can also be specified



example, if your pitot tube is blocked, you will get incorrect airspeed readings which are similar to what you would get in the real world. In addition, flying into known icing conditions in aircraft that are not equipped with anti-ice becomes a real danger and in extreme cases will take an aircraft down. X-Plane also models windshield icing effects, so you will see ice build-up which will limit your forward visibility.

WindIt is possible to control three wind layers and specify the top of each

layer, wind speed, gust, wind shear direction and level of turbulence. Another feature modelled in X-Plane is thermals coverage and thermal rate of climb, which is invaluable when flying gliders. In addition to thermals, X-Plane also simulates ridge lift, which is modelled on wind direction and speed over terrain. So, as wind blows into mountains, you will experience an updraft on the windward side and downdraft on the leeward side.

The amount of lift is also

dependant on wind speed, so the stronger the wind, the greater the ridge lift. X-Plane even models wake turbulence which will depend on the weight of the aircraft. So, a 747 will generate significantly more turbulence than a gliding tug.

Surface conditionsThe runway conditions drop-down box allows you to set the surface to various conditions: clean and dry, damp or wet. In addition, conditions can be either patchy or uniform which is affected by the amount of

precipitation. At low temperatures, a wet runway will become icy.

Water dynamicsIt is also possible to adjust the wave height and wave direction for bodies of water. Changing the wave height, in feet, will also modify the wave length and speed. X-Plane also models water dynamics including buoyancy as well as pressure and skin friction drag, so it is necessary to bring a seaplane on to the ‘step’ during take-off in order to reduce the drag sufficiently enough to get the aircraft into the air.

Flying into icing conditions can result in failures like a blocked pitot tube X-Plane also models water dynamics like skin friction and buoyancy

Soaring and ridge-lift is fully modelled in X-Plane. You have a choice of becoming airborne using a winch launch or by aerotow

X-Plane comes with a built-in weather radar that can be used to navigate around potentially dangerous storm cells

Wave conditions can be set including wave height and speed



Setting the date and timeThe date and time in X-Plane can be set from the Environment menu. The top slider changes the time, which is given in both local and UTC time. Changing latitude will accurately track the position of the sun, which will in turn determine how long the days and nights will be. For example, as you go further north, you will see nearly 24 hour days in June, while in December the days will be very short – just like in the real world.

LightingX-Plane models the ‘Northern lights’ based on atmospheric conditions which can be disabled or enabled in ‘Rendering Options’ and similarly celestial bodies are also accurately mapped so the sky at night in X-Plane reflects the real sky maps.

HDR lighting was implemented in X-Plane 10, which models individual light sources. Although it is very graphics card-intensive, particularly on older graphics cards that pre-date DirectX10, it results in very realistic lighting. For example, street lights and car headlights switch on at dusk, so as you fly over cities and towns you see lights from a town and car headlights light up the road.

ConclusionThe weather in X-Plane is incredibly flexible and complex. You can fly in CAVOK conditions with no wind, or you can navigate through thunderstorms with wind shear, turbulence and micro bursts. Similarly, if you want to put your IFR skills to the test, you can fly through thick low lying stratus while shooting an instrument approach to minimums. It even

models thermals and ridge lift, so it is possible to fly gliders accurately and experience turbulence due to rising hot air.

X-Plane can generate its own weather system which results in a very realistic and dynamic atmosphere. For example, if it is raining and the temperature drops below zero, it will start to snow which in turn will reduce the traction on the runway, increasing landing distances. Similarly rain will make the clouds overcast and heavy rain will result in reduced visibility and

thunderstorms which can result in wind shear and you can see windsocks will flap in the wind as they do in real life.

It is also possible to set up static weather where you can pre-define wind layers and cloud types and set the visibility, precipitation and level of turbulence to what you want. Alternatively for more unpredictable weather you can experience random weather patterns or simply use real weather. In short, when it comes to weather, X-Plane has it all! By Richard Benedikz

UNLIKE FSX, X-Plane has a functioning weather radar and if the aircraft is equipped with one it is possible see where cells are forming and to fly around them to avoid the worst of the turbulence.

WEATHER RADAR

It is possible to experience microburst around storm cells

Flying ILS approaches down to minimums can be a challenging experience

X-Plane uses complex algorithms to interpolate between different wind layers

Thermal coverage, thermal tops and thermal climb rate can all be customised Main image X-Plane comes with superb lighting effects during sunrise and sunset

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A Beginner’s Guide toA Beginner’s Guide to


X-PlaneX-PlaneX-Plane Scenery add-ons - bringing the X-Plane World to life!X-Plane

PART 6


The X-Plane world has improved over the years with more accurate terrain elevation and

land-class data. As with FSX, while it looks good at high altitude, down on the deck it can look barren and unrealistic. Fortunately, there is a lot of add-on scenery available to enhance the default scenery in X-Plane ranging from airports and autogen, such as buildings, landmarks and trees, as well as better lighting and new clouds. In this issue we are going to have a look at some of those add-on software.

Add-on SceneryX-Plane has a folder dedicated for installing add-on scenery named ‘Custom Scenery’. As in FSX, add-on scenery is prioritised in layers. Where FSX uses a scenery library, X-Plane prioritises custom scenery alphabetically by folder name. Generally, when sorting out scenery layers, large geographical areas and photographic scenery is placed below more detailed local scenery such as airports or autogen objects. It is usually a good idea to develop some sort of a naming convention for add-on scenery, for example I use ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) codes to group scenery and airports by country.

X-Plane 10.20 introduced a new method for organising scenery. Rather than relying solely on folder names, the priority can now be set in a file called ‘scenery_packs.ini’, that resides in the Custom Scenery folder.

The first time you run X-Plane, it creates the scenery_packs.ini file that has a line-by-line listing of the contents of the custom scenery folder in alphabetical order. As you add scenery, new entries will be automatically created at the top of the scenery_packs.ini file. It is then possible to manually set the order of the add-on scenery by copying and pasting line entries in this file.

World Editor (WED)Historically X-Plane has lacked detailed airports. World Editor was introduced to address this shortcoming. It is a project that consists of a free editor that can be used to build airports from a library of generic objects such as hangars, terminal buildings, aircraft and vehicles that can be used to build simple airstrips or large international airports.

The idea behind WED is to enable the community to create airports with generic buildings and objects as well as custom air traffic flow that can be submitted to Laminar Research for inclusion in the default airport

It is possible to brighten up the default X-Plane world with custom lighting models, that enhance the effects of the ambient sunlight

X-Plane has lacked detailed airports, but things are changing with World Editor (WED)



England and Wales Custom Roads Overlay – adds many of the default roads, pylons, rail tracks, bridges, cars and trains to existing photoscenery, for example VFR England.

http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=19694

England and Wales Custom Autogen – adds default buildings for the whole of England and Wales. It even includes night lighting which makes a big improvement in dusk or dawn conditions.


Air Navigation Obstacles – lists

objects in the ‘Enroute air navigation obstacles’ bulletin that are a potential danger to aircraft. These are shown on the CAA charts in the UK and cover 307 locations, many of them with multiple objects. The list contains obstacles that are 300ft above ground level and over. The objects are also useful as a means of confirming one’s position on VFR cross-country flights and help provide a three-dimensional feel.


Back it up!Always make a back-up copy of files before overwriting in case you need toundo any changes.

As more airports are submitted to Laminar, we can expect to see more high quality default airports added to X-Plane

The VFR Scenery from Horizon and RC Simulations can be transformed with third-party objects

The default autogen can also be replaced to give a richer and more realistic appearance to towns and cities

BIIS is one of the airports that has been updated with default buildings

Many of the default airports now come with custom buildings and taxiways

It is possible to add autogen scenery that accurately represents its real world counterpart

database. The beta version saw the introduction of 250 user-submitted airports that have been approved by Laminar Research.

Openscenery XOpenSceneryX is a free-to-use library of scenery objects for X-Plane that provides a range of high quality scenery components for authors to use in their scenery packages. It is possible to add three-dimensional buildings, landmarks and trees to enhance the appearance of VFR Photographic scenery for X-Plane. This includes pre-built 3D models such as buildings, aircraft and vehicles, as well as a large collection of ground

markings and trees for both Europe and America.

The OpenSceneryX project is a collection of objects based on OSM (Open Street Maps) data that has been converted into a format that can be read by X-Plane and is one of the more important libraries you can add to your X-Plane installation. It comes with an automatic installer that copies the files to the correct location in the X-Plane file structure. It is available at http://www.opensceneryx.com

Openscenery X projectsThere are a number of scenery packages available that enhance areas all over the world, the following being a few available examples.



SimheavenSimHeaven has one of the largest scenery libraries for X-Plane 10. It is a free website that has photographic scenery, mesh and OSM data for large areas of the world including a detailed European library that adds European style object to X-Plane 10. For example, it changes US style buildings and signs to a more European look for signs, cars/trains, houses and vegetation. It also blends in very well with OSM Europe and photoscenery.

http://simheaven.com/

AlpilotXAlpilotx (www.alpilotx.net) is run by Andras Fabian and is a fantastic resource for X-Plane. He has created a replacement scenery for New Zealand that covers both Islands and

consists of extremely high resolution base mesh with detailed landclass data compared to default Global Scenery. In addition it has very detailed road / railroad / powerline vector, and highly accurate water data including rivers, streams, lakes and coastlines.

AlpilotX has released version 2 of its HD Mesh Scenery. It is a free donationware that covers many interesting regions of the planet. It is a massive download comprising over 55GB of data, covering Europe, the USA Hawaii, Canada and Alaska.

TreescapesIt is also possible to load treescapes that replicate real world forests in the USA and Europe. ALpilotx provides a free package called ‘Tree Lines and

Farms’ for X-Plane 10. The scenery is an overlay that adds tree lines and forests that follow many of the smaller roads and you will find farms dotted around which gives a more authentic feel to the default scenery.The package is derived from OpenStreetmap (OSM) data and it consists of tree lines and farms for Europe and USA. It is available from the website - http://www.alpilotx.net

Tree Lines and Farms work with other scenery packages, but should be placed above any HD Mesh Scenery or photographic scenery.

LightingNight lighting in X-Plane has been improved, particularly when using photographic scenery, with the roads and buildings lighting up, even

during dusk, while car headlights and street lights start to appear gradually during dusk and dawn. The lighting, however, can still be brightened up using Replacement Day and Night textures.

http://forums.x-pilot.com/files/file/435-replacement-day-and-night-lighting-lightstxt-for-x-plane-1020/

Replacement Day and Night Lighting (lights.txt) by Chris K and the ISDG Group makes the lights in X-Plane larger and more visible. This fixes issues with 4xSSAA which ends up squashing the light billboards so they can’t be seen at a distance. This also fixes viewing night-time runway lighting at off-angles, as well as PAPI/VASI visibility in the daytime.The file overwrites X-Plane’s built-in library of light-source definitions

The OpenSceneryX project populates the world with thousands of 3D objects VFR England and Wales is one of the better payware sceneries available for X-Plane

Treelines and farms make a lot of difference to the look and feel of X-Plane Custom clouds can be added for more realistic atmospheric effects

Third party clouds not only look better, you can also see an improvement in frame rates There are a number of high quality freeware airports available to download



THERE ARE a number of high quality freeware and payware add-on scenery available including aircraft, custom scenery areas and autogen objects:

Real Scenery (www.realscenery.com) produces photographic scenery for areas in the United States and Hawaii.

TruScenery http://www.truscenery.com/ is a community of Finnish developers who have made high quality scenery for X-Plane 10. Although their focus has mostly been on Finland, they have plans to expand to different parts of the world.

XP Scenery (www.scenery4xp.com) has developed excellent scenery for the Pacific North West such as the Inside Passage and the Final Frontier. Its latest package is called The Canadian Rockies.

RC Simulations (www.rcsimulations.co.uk) teamed up with Horizon Simulation to produce photographic scenery for England and Wales.

Aerosoft (www.aerosoft.com) has created a number of high quality add-ons including airports such as Dusseldorf, Frankfurt-Hahn, Hamburg, Zurich, Toulouse and its latest airport Weeze.

X-Plane.org is one of the largest resources of add-ons for X-Plane, consisting of a library of airports, aircraft and scenery.

SCENERY ADD-ONSand replaces the lights.txt definitions with a duplicate file which exactly doubles the size of many of the light billboards.

There are four variants included:

1. Lights.txt-normal-distance-bloom / lights.txt.

This file gives the best effect when using normal viewing modes, or in 2xSSAA HDR or less.

2. Lights.txt-high-distance-bloom” / lights.txt.This file gives the best effect if you wish larger light halos at distance. It is for normal viewing modes, or in 2xSSAA HDR or less.

3. Lights.txt-4XSSAA-normal-distance-bloom” / lights.txt.This file gives the best effect when using HDR 4xSSAA or higher (due to the ‘crush-the-bitmap’ way 4xSSAA/8xSSAA does billboarding)

4. Lights.txt-4XSSAA-high-distance-bloom” / lights.txt.

Similar to the previous file, this gives the best effect when using HDR 4xSSAA or higher, but includes large light halos at distance.

5. Clouds – It is also possible to change the default clouds in X-Plane. For example, Federico Casalini has created high definition (HD) clouds (version 2.0) that use a 1024 pixel texture size. The installation is very straightforward: you simply extract the contents of the package to \X-Plane 10\Resources\bitmaps\world\clouds and overwrite any existing files. The package can be downloaded from: http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=18213

Seeing objects further away in the distanceDownload ff_library_extended_LOD. This is an extended LOD version of FF Library. In comparison to the regular version it will let you see objects from a greater distance although this may impact frame rates. The download is

available from: http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=12836

ConclusionThere are a huge amount of free downloads that can be used to enhance the scenery in X-Plane. I have highlighted some which I think are the most important, but there are still many other fantastic scenery add-ons available. In order to get the most out of X-Plane it is important to spend some time installing add-ons. The introduction of World Editor is an important step as we can finally expect to see the default airports improve over time. There are a number of websites that are an important resource for photographic scenery, add-on airports and autogen objects – all of which improve the default X-Plane world. We can also customise atmospheric effects by using different lighting models. There is a whole world of X-Plane add-ons you can discover, so get out there and start exploring. By Richard Benedikz

alpilotX makes high quality scenery for New Zealand It is possible to download treescapes and farms for the whole of the UK

The often bland default lighting in

X-Plane can be brightened with

third-party lighting

TIP:

If things go pear-shaped when editing scenery_packs.ini, you can always go back to square one by renaming or deleting the scenery_packs.ini file. The next time you run X-Plane it will create a new file from scratch.




When it comes to X-Plane there are often complaints about airports.

X-Plane 10 offers more than 33,000 but most of them are little more than a runway and set of taxiways. Some of the smaller airports don’t even feature taxiways, and the ones that do don’t quite match the real world. So, while the runways are accurately placed, the rest is hit or miss. It may be easy to throw one’s hands in the air, curse to your almighty, decry X-Plane as an abomination and move on, or you could help fill in the blanks yourself. It’s probably easier than being angry anyway.

WEDX-Plane maker Laminar Research knows users like to see airport buildings when flying, but with a small team covering all 33,000 airports in X-Plane, it’s an impossible task. Microsoft had a team of more than 100 and a back catalogue of airports from previous versions to fill out FSX for example. Fortunately, Laminar has given the user a tool, World Editor (WED) to modify, flesh out and build an airport. It’s simple and free. I’m going to take you through the process of improving a simple airfield, so let’s begin.

Step 1 – Finding an airport First you’ll need to download WED from the X plane developer’s website.

I will be using WED 1.2.1 R3 for this tutorial. It’s a beta release but it’s very stable. With it installed, you can now decide which airport you want to modify.

With 33,000 to choose from pick your favourite to fill out. I’ve chosen Aeroflex Andover, a small field in upstate New York. It’s a little GA airfield owned by the Forestry Commission which once provided emergency fire cover. It’s also open to the public and makes a great base from which to explore the Eastern States. XP10 shows this airfield as a single runway and little else. Google Earth though, shows various taxiways, parked aircraft and large hangars at the field so Andover needs a bit of love.

Step 2 – Loading the data into WEDDouble-clicking on WED, the first screen will offer three choices. Firstly, you’ll need to tell it where your X-plane installation is, then you can click on ‘New Scenery Package’. This creates a new folder in your ‘Custom scenery’ folder of XP10. Rename it after your airport. Now you can click on ‘Open Scenery Package’ which will lead you to the main WED work screen. You’ll notice the words ‘No current airport’. WED needs to import the airport data file ‘apt.dat’ from XP10 to know where all the airports are. Go to ‘File’ and select ‘Import Apt.Dat’. The file is located in (Drive):\X-Plane 10\Resources\default

X-PlaneX-PlaneX-PlanePART 7X Plane’s World Editor (WED) - A Tutorial

First things first: tell WED where to find XP10

Next up, click ‘New Scenery Package’



The world is now your oyster

scenery\default apt dat\Earth Nav Data. With the data installed, you can call up your airport. A separate window will open where you type the airport’s name or ICAO identifier. Click Import and you’re done. Back on the main workspace, you’ll see your airport.

Step 3 – Getting a background image With just the airport on screen, it’s difficult to add taxiways accurately. We now need to get a background image to help us get the airport up to real life standards. There are several ways to do this, including taking a screen grab from Google earth. For the US you can use the USGS seamless server to download free satellite imagery. It’s a good option as the downloaded GeoTIFF file will contain the co-ordinates we took the picture from and WED will place the picture in the right place. For outside the US there are a few programs for X-Plane to get imagery and provide co-ordinates but they use Java to work via the web and could leave your PC vulnerable to infection from

malicious code. Personally, I use SBuilderx 3.13. Although it’s primarily an FSX scenery program, its ability to produce the background with co-ordinates is useful for all scenery design. The background image is used to help position objects at the airport and won’t feature in the finished scenery.

With the image downloaded, you can load it into WED by going to ‘View’ and ‘Pick Overlay Image’. Just select the image. Chances are it will be the wrong size and in the wrong position. This is where our little co-ordinates file comes in handy. Open the file and you’ll find four sets of numbers, North, South, East and West. In WED select just the top left-hand point of our image. In the selection area on the bottom-right of your workspace, you’ll see latitude and longitude co-ordinates. Copy the North number from your file and use Ctrl+v to paste it into the latitude box.

Next copy the West figure and paste it into the longwitude box. Now, our first point is in the correct spot on the planet. Next, do the same for the top-right, using the North and East

co-ordinates figure. Bottom-right uses South and East and the final bottom-left point uses South and West. With the four points now aligned, hopefully your runway matches the background. Sometimes it doesn’t, but for 12N, it’s a perfect match. Finally, go to your file structure window on the top-right and click on the lock symbol next to your background image. This will prevent accidental movement of the image.

Step 4 – Measuring upWith the background in place, the first

thing to check is the runway details. Selecting the runways tab on the bottom-left, we see all the details XP10 has for the airfield. Use Google to find a chart or directory of the same airfield and double-check the information. From the information I found, I see that 12N is fairly accurate to its real-world counterpart – things like the edge lighting match up. The runway though doesn’t quite fit the image. It’s a little too wide and a bit wonky compared to the background. Using the anchor

Load in the Apt.dat file and zoom in using your mouse wheel

And we’re in! 12N Aeroflex as XP10 sees it

With our background picture in place we can see what the simulation leaves out



The main taxiways now added and texture matched

Occasionally, taxiways will need adjusting to avoid gaps

The picture is in WED, but it needs positioning for accuracy Adding the first taxiway. Note the texture doesn’t suit our background

The default runway lines up pretty well with real life Better texture, but it doesn’t quite match the runway. Adjust the ‘Texture heading’ in the box on the bottom-right

Just by moving one node and we’re sorted

points we can rotate and pinch the runway to fit perfectly with the background. Once you’re happy, lock the runway in place.

Step 5 – Taxiway layingIt’s time to start adding the taxiways. Select the Taxiway tool from the toolbar on the left – it’s the third one down on the right. Pick a start point, preferably an end, then just trace the outline of your taxiway. It’s fairly easy except for curves, which take a bit of practice. To create a curve place a

point before the curve and place a second on after the curve, but keep the left mouse button pressed. This tells WED that you want to create a Bezier curve. Gently move the mouse away from the point keeping your mouse button pressed and you’ll see the curve begin to form. Adjust the mouse position until the curve fits the outline, and when you’re happy, let the mouse button go. That sets the point and leaves you free to move on to the next point. Keep following the taxiway around until you’re almost

where you started. I’ve chosen to make the Taxiways at 12N bit by bit, but you can if you wish, do the whole area in one go. It’s easier though to break them into more manageable chunks. With the last point placed, click on the first point to close the pattern and voila, our first taxiway. The surface is wrong though, offering concrete instead of asphalt. To change this, make sure the taxiway is selected and go to the ‘Selection’ section on the bottom-right. Where it says surface, click on the pull-down menu and select asphalt. Now we need to change the direction of the texture. I set the texture heading to 22, roughly the same as the runway, so it matches. I also set the texture roughness to match. Fill in the rest of the airfield the same way, using the taxiway tool to create the apron as well.

Step 6 – Lining Now it’s time to introduce the paint brush and get some lines down on the tarmac. Select the taxi line tool from the toolbar, fourth down on the left.

Next, hide your freshly laid tarmac by clicking the eye symbol next to your taxiways in the top right. Now we can see our lines. Like laying your taxiways, trace the lines using Bezier curves where needed. Select each line to change its attributes, in this case the line type and pick the line to match. In my case, taxi lines are simple solid yellow ones. You’ll notice an option for taxi lights. There does not appear to be any at 12N, so we can leave it empty. The Line tool is for more than just taxiway lines. It can be set to make our runway hold markings. Just make sure the marking is facing the right way. (Starting on the right and move left seems to work.)

Step 7 - Checking progressWith our taxiways placed, it’s a good idea to check out how the airport looks in the sim. Go to File and select ‘Export scenery pack’ to put your work into XP10, and then just start XP10 and head to your airfield. With the



Laying taxiway lines is simple – just remember to hide the taxiway firstLaying taxiway lines is simple – just remember to hide the taxiway first

1. Library window and object display. 2. Hierarchy plane. 3. Editing tab 4. Main work window. 5. Toolbar.1. Library window and object display. 2. Hierarchy plane. 3. Editing tab 4. Main work window.

Anatomy of our workspace

Adding objects is as simple as ‘drag and drop’

Sorting the runway stop markings

sim loaded, two things stand out. One is the lake near the end of 03. Its position in the sim is not quite correct, so the bottom-left taxiway is too close to the lake. The second thing is that there’s a road cutting right through the bottom taxiway. The lake is stuck there, but we can do something about the road. Close down XP10 and head back to WED. From the bottom-left of the tool bar, select the Exclusion tool and draw a box just over the bottom of the lower taxiway. Next, go to selection and click on the drop-down from the Exclusions menu. Select ‘Road’. Export the pack and reload XP10. Now you’ll see that the road has disappeared. Back in WED, use the taxiway tool to draw in the missing road. No cars will use this as currently

we can’t use WED to create new roads for XP10.

Step 8 – Object placementSo, we have taxiways, lines and we have sorted out a bit of annoying autogen. It’s now time to add aircraft and buildings. XP10 ships with a library of objects for just this purpose although it’s somewhat limited. To expand, you can download free libraries available on the internet. OpensceneryX and RUScenery are two options, offering a greater choice of buildings, aircraft and objects to flesh out your airport. The RUScenery library is little use at my field, but Opensceneryx will be great. The first objects I’m going to add are

Positioning the background image is as easy as ‘copy and paste’ into the latitude and longitude windows

Our default airport



XP10 offers several types of facade for use in airport design

The apron in position, note the annoying road to the bottom of our picture

Now we’re starting to look good. But the aircraft on the far left are almost in the water...

Helipads introduced to flesh-out the place

A simple example of a facade building

static aircraft. 12N has plenty of aircraft parked up, so adding them will really bring this field to life. To add an object, select the object tool or simply click on the object you want to add from the library window on the left, then just click over the spot where you want to add the object. Use the vertex tool to position the object and that’s it.

For buildings you have two choices. A building in the library is just the same as any other object, but your second option is to create a building using a facade. Facades are like texture files that can be drawn to any shape. They’re great for creating quick terminals or cargo hangars. I’m using a facade for the main airfield buildings. This is because 12N has some unique buildings and I can’t find an appropriate object to fit. Using facades is just as easy as objects. Select a *.FAC file from the library and then, as with your taxiways, trace the outline of the buildings. Click on the first point again and you’re done. Personally I don’t like facades. In the future I may use ‘Sketchup’ to create buildings to match the airfield, but that’s for another tutorial. By Jessica Bannister-Pearce.

Step 9 – Odds and endsMost of the work is complete on our airfield, but there are a few things left to deal with. Firstly, there are two helipads at this airfield that need adding. This is fairly simple. Using the Helipad tool, it’s simply a case of drag and drop, then use the selection section to adjust the size of the pads, type of lighting and direction of placement.

Next we need a fuelling area, which in this case is opposite the helipads. That’s a simple object drop. Defining ramp-start positions is next, so we need the ramp-start tool. This allows us to tell XP10 that we can start here, and gives the option of calling the ramp-start a Gate, Tie Down, Hangar or Misc. I chose Misc, as it should cover a multitude of things. Selecting ramp-start for this airfield in the sim will mean starting from here. Setting the tower viewpoint is next, and is fairly simple. With that we’re done. Bear in mind that this is a simple little airfield. I’ll be covering some of WED’s more advanced features in another article using a bigger airfield than Aeroflex Andover. See you then.

The airport selection window. It will pop-up behind the main WED window. So if you don’t see it, minimise WED


World Editor | UPDATE

World Editor and Airport Scenery Gateway update

World Editor enables users to create and populate the X-Plane world with detailed

3D airports. A key feature is the ability for users to create airport scenery and send it to the new Airport Scenery Gateway so it can be shared with the community. With the launch of the new gateway, it is now possible to automatically submit airport scenery, which is then error-checked by Laminar to ensure compatibility with a standard installation of X-Plane 10. Once accepted, it will appear in scheduled X-Plane updates, although it is possible to visit the gateway and search the database for new submissions that can be downloaded and installed manually.

Since its launch, the gateway has been highly popular and over several months, Laminar Research has

Laminar Research has announced the launch of the Airport Scenery Gateway along with an updated and improved version of its airport scenery tool – World Editor 1.3.

World Editor and the Airport Scenery Gateway enables users to design airports that can then be shared with the X-Plane community

It is possible to select a variety of custom texture to create highly detailed airports

These airports range from large hubs to small air strips

World Editor allows you to choose hundreds of objects from a library including hangars, terminal buildings, aircraft and vehicles

It is possible to quickly design small rural airports using World Editor

The gateway contains a dedicated artist page, where the work of individual World Editor designer’s is show-cased

received and approved over 1,000 airports, ranging from large hubs like Shanghai/Podong International and Boston’s Logan to small rural air strips.

World Editor adopts a CAD-like approach, with a drag-and-drop interface allowing potential designers to create airports using ‘assets’ or libraries, which consist of hundreds of objects including hangars, terminal buildings, aircraft and vehicles. In addition, thousands of objects can be downloaded from Openscenery X and other online sources.

To get started a set of video tutorials can be downloaded from the X-Plane developer website at http://developer.x-plane.com/videos.

World Editor 1.3 and the Airport Scenery Gateway are available at no charge. World Editor can be downloaded from:http://developer.x-plane.com/tools/worldeditor The website for the Airport Scenery Gateway is at: http://gateway.x-plane.com

By Marty Arant

A facade tool is included so users can add fencing and custom buildings using a variety of built-in textures



PART 8

Above: Many of the default airports have been updated with 3D objects

Libraries & Plug-ins - Bringing the X-Plane World to life!

We are going to have a closer look at installing the libraries and plug-ins

in X-Plane. These are important elements as they contain objects and animations that third-party developers can use for creating custom scenery, including airports. There are of course a variety of scenery packages available to download, but rather than looking at individual packages, I am going to highlight the main libraries and plug-ins needed to bring the X-Plane world to life.

OpenScenery XOpenScenery is a free package based on OSM (OpenStreetMaps) data that has been converted into a format that can be read by X-Plane. It is one of the

more important libraries you can add to your X-Plane installation.

In essence, it is a free-to-use library of scenery objects for X-Plane that provides a range of scenery components such as buildings, aircraft and vehicles as well as landmarks and trees from Europe and America that can be used by scenery developers.

Installing add-on packages will change some of the system files in X-Plane. Although it is unlikely you will damage your X-Plane installation, I would recommend you back up any files before overwriting. If you accidentally overwrite a file, you can restore it by running the X-Plane automatic updater, which will scan the X-Plane folder and restore any files that have been modified.

INSTALLING ADD-ONS

Below: It is possible to install third-party clouds for more realistic atmospheric effects and better frame rates




OpenScenery X comes with an automatic installer that copies the files to the ‘Custom Scenery’ folder in X-Plane. It also includes an updater that can be used to regularly check for new additions to the library. Simply download the installer from the OpenSceneryX website and run the automatic installer.Website - http://www.opensceneryx.com

R2 Objects LibraryThis project was started with the development of VFR scenery for the Czech Republic. Like OpenScenery, it consists of a library of objects that have been adapted by other scenery developers. To install the library, simply download it from www.x-plane.cz and copy the ‘R2_Library’ folder to the Custom Scenery folder.Website - http://xplane.cz/en/2011/04/01/r2-library-knihovna-3d-objektu/

The OpenSceneryX library populates the world with thousands of 3D objects

Flags and windsocks are affected by the weather in X-Plane

It is possible to install runway textures with four times more detail than the default X-Plane runways

Taxiway signs can be updated to replicate their real world counterpart

Treelines and farms make a lot of difference to the look and feel of X-Plane

FF LibraryThis is a scenery library from FranknFly with ‘German-looking’ buildings. It was initially created for use in the Nürnberg VFR scenery although many other scenery projects have adopted it. An extended LOD version of FF Library is now available that allows you to see objects from a greater distance, although it will have an impact on frame rates. The FF Library is available from X-Plane.org. To install, download the zip file from x-plane.org and extract the ‘ff_library_extended_LOD’ folder to the ‘Custom Scenery’ folder in X-Plane.Website - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=12836

RuSceneryThe RuScenery library was created for the Russian CIS scenery project and like the other libraries, it has also become a popular resource for other developers. It is one of the

trickier libraries to install as you must download it from a website that is in Russian. After several attempts at obtaining the library, I found the best way was to use the Google Chrome browser as it will translate the webpage on the fly.

Once you have downloaded the library, copy the ‘ruscenery’ folder to Custom Scenery in X-Plane.Website - http://www.x-plane.su/projects/ruscenery.html

SimHeavenSimHeaven has one of the largest scenery libraries for X-Plane 10. It is a free website that contains photographic scenery and OpenStreetMap (OSM) autogen data for large parts of the world including a detailed library that adds European-style objects to X-Plane 10, changing the US-style buildings and signs to a more continental look.Website - http://simheaven.com

AlpilotXAlpilotX is run by Andras Fabian and is a great resource for X-Plane that includes a high resolution mesh and a number autogen libraries. He has also created very detailed scenery for New Zealand.

AlpilotX USA and Europe trees and farms version 2These two packages created by Alpilot add treescapes that replicate real world forests in the USA and Europe. The packages are based on OSM data that adds forests and tree lines that follow many of the smaller roads. You will also will find farms dotted around the landscape, giving a more authentic feel to the default scenery.

Tree Lines and Farms work with other scenery packages, but should be placed above any mesh Scenery or photographic scenery in the ‘Custom Scenery’ folder.Website - http://www.alpilotx.net

84


HD Mesh Scenery v2 AlpilotX has recently released version 2 of its HD (High Definition) Mesh Scenery. It is a freeware/donationware package that covers many interesting regions of the planet. It is a massive download comprising over 55GB of data, covering Europe, the USA Hawaii, Canada and Alaska.

The HD Mesh scenery from Alpilot is a much higher resolution base mesh compared to the default Global Scenery and is based on new OSM data that adds a number of improvements such as more accurate lakes, rivers, coastline, roads, railroads, power lines and urban park areas.

To install, create a Subfolder called ‘zzz_hd_global_scenery2’ in your ‘Custom Scenery’ folder (using the zzz_ prefix to ensure the mesh is

loaded at the bottom of the scenery list). Create a Subfolder called ‘Earth nav data’ in the zzz_hd_global_scenery folder. After you have uncompressed the zip files, copy the resulting scenery folders (they should have names like +50-130,+30-120,+40+010 etc.) in the folder ‘zzz_hd_global_scenery/Earth nav data’.Website - http://www.alpilotx.net/2013/11/22/x-plane-10-hd-mesh-scenery-v2-release

AutogateAutogate is a plug-in made by Marginal that introduces animated jetways and docking guidance systems (DGS) to X-Plane. It is a nifty program as the DGS guides the pilot to the correct stopping position and animated jetways will dock with the

aircrafts’ main door when the engines are shut down within 0.5m of the correct stopping position.

It is worth noting that airports need to have this feature enabled by the developer. At the moment it is a bit hit and miss if an airport supports Autogate, although this can be checked by looking at a specific airport folder in ‘Custom Scenery’ and finding a sub folder called ‘autogate’.

To install the plug-in simply copy the AutoGate folder into the ‘X-Plane/Resources/plugins folder’.Website - http://marginal.org.uk/x-planescenery/plugins.html

Animated marine trafficThis is another plug-in made by Marginal that I recently discovered. I find it really good as it adds real

world shipping traffic to X-Plane, so now you can see ships and ferries sail the seven seas.

Copy or move the SeaTraffic folder from within this archive into the ‘X-Plane/Resources/plugins folder’.Website - http://marginal.org.uk/x-planescenery/plugins.html

Enhanced runways HD by FlyJSimThis package replaces the asphalt, concrete and grass runways with more realistic and detailed textures. The updated textures are four times the size of the default textures, so depending on your system, it is possible to experience slower load times and a loss of frame rates.

To install this update, download and copy the ‘asphalt’, concrete and

Autogate introduces animated jetways and docking guidance systems (DGS ) to X-Plane

AlpilotX has released new HD Mesh version 2 that covers a large part of the world

It is possible to add ships and ferries to the X-Plane oceans


There are a number of highly detailed and free airports available to download such as Ataturk (LTBA), notice the ships in the distance!

Madeira is one of the better freeware packages that takes advantage of sloped runways



goodgrass folders to X-Plane 10\Resources\bitmaps\runways.Website - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=16270

Wide taxiway markings libraryThis update modifies the default taxiways of X-Plane, making them wider so they better reflect the real world. Airport pavement markings also look much more like their real-life counterparts.

To install, unzip and copy ‘Wide Taxiway Markings Library

Replacement’ into the ‘Custom Scenery’ folder.Website - http://forums.x-pilot.com/files/file/406-wide-taxiway-markings-library-replacement.

Replacement day and night lightingThis modification makes many of the scenery related lights in X-Plane much larger and more visible. The runway and approach lighting at night has also been improved.To install, download and overwrite the lights.txt file in: X-Plane 10/Resources/bitmaps/world/lites.

Website - http://forums.x-pilot.com/files/file/435-replacement-day-and-night-lighting-lightstxt-for-x-plane-1020/

Flags of the World: Real Flag IIFlags of the World is a plug-in that allows developers to add flags to scenery packages. To install, replace the files in X-Plane/Resources/default scenery/Sim objects/landscape and X-Plane/OpensceneryX/objects/airport/furniture/windsockWebsite - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=17090

Flags of the USA States: Real Flag II This is a library of flags of all 50 States, the District of Columbia and the three territories in the USA.

Installation Copy the ‘flags_of_USA_states’ folder to the Custom Scenery folder.Website - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=17092

Windsock Real flag syncThis add-on synchronises the windsock

and the Real flag libraries, so when the wind changes direction, all flags and windsocks point in the same direction.

To install, replace the following two folders with the contents of the zip file;X-Plane/Resources/default scenery/Sim objects/landscape X-Plane/Custom Scenery/OpensceneryX/objects/airport/furniture/windsockWebsite - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=20863

No deer or balloons patch This patch makes hot air balloons and forest reindeer invisible. It is useful if you want to keep bird strikes, but want to get rid of the more unrealistic animations in X-Plane.

To install the update, simply execute the patch inside and point it to your X-Plane installation folder and overwrite all files.Website - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=13786

UK-specific Add-Ons

Air Navigation ObstaclesAir Navigation Obstacles lists objects in the ‘Enroute air navigation obstacles’

There are a number of high quality freeware airports available to download such as St Maarten

We can expect to see more high quality default airports added to X-Plane in the future The default autogen can be replaced to give a more realistic appearance to towns and cities

The VFR Photographic Scenery from Horizon and RC Simulations can be transformed with autogen objects



bulletin that are a potential danger to aircraft. These are shown on the CAA charts in the UK and cover 307 locations. The list contains obstacles that are 300ft above ground level and over.

The Air Navigation Obstacles database also provides a three-dimensional feel to the UK VFR Photographic scenery package for England and Wales.Website - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=17773

England and Wales Custom Autogen 1.1 England and Wales Custom Autogen adds many of the default roads, pylons, rail tracks, bridges, cars and trains to existing photographic

scenery for the whole of England and Wales. It even includes night lighting which improves the scenery in dusk or dawn conditions.

To install, simply download and unzip the file to your ‘Custom Scenery’ folder.Website - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=19694

World trafficWorld Traffic introduces AI traffic at airports, including both civilian and military air traffic. Flight paths can be created by specifying the aircraft and the steerpoints that the aircraft will follow. Similarly arrivals and departures controlled by World Traffic are based on wind and aircraft type, so they will land and take-off from

The version 2 Mesh from alpilotX is one of the essential downloads although it comes in at over 50GB

It is essential to install the object libraries when installing freeware airports

A number of third-party airports in X-Plane support Autogate

SkyMaxPro produces one of the best atmospheric textures for X-Plane

suitable runways. Alternatively it is possible to use a random flight plan generator to quickly generate hundreds of flight plans for specific airports.

User-defined flight plans can be used to specify the flight path of an aircraft or a formation of aircraft including helicopters, ground or sea traffic. Ground routes can be used to specify aircraft parking locations as well as aircraft type and tail number so you can have aircraft park in dedicated parking spots or gates.

CloudsIt is also possible to change the default clouds in X-Plane. For example, Federico Casalini has created high definition (HD) clouds (version 2.0) that use a 1024 pixel texture size. The installation is very straightforward: you simply extract the contents of the package to \X-Plane 10\Resources\bitmaps\world\clouds and overwrite any existing files. Website - http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=18213

Aerosoft Skytools Sky Tools is a collection of files that enhance the sky in X-Plane 10. It is a free package from Aerosoft and includes:

Ten sky themes that change the colour of the sky in relation to the time of day and six cloud themes with detailed 2048 pixel clouds or 512px for better performance. Skytools also includes three lighting themes and improved sun halo and moon lighting effects. To download the Skytools, you will need to create an account on the Aerosoft forum – http://forum.aerosoft.com.Website - http://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/77657-for-free-aerosoft-sky-tools-for-x-plane-10/

SkyMaxProSkyMaxPro doesn’t just replace cloud and sky textures, but it is a revolutionary new weather rendering engine for X-Plane 10 that. The program typically runs faster than X-Plane’s default clouds and looks better by adding crepuscular rays, clouds aloft with wind speed and truly 3D clouds.

The SkyMaxx Pro is a plug-in that disables X-Plane’s cloud and weather rendering engine, then replaces it with the SkyMaxx version of weather. It takes weather data from the already existing X-Plane weather menu and adds visual effects with almost no performance hit.

SkyMax is a commercial product, retailing at $39.95, but in terms of weather generation it is the best package available for X-Plane.Website - http://www.x-aviation.com/catalog/skymaxx-p-101.html

ConclusionEnhancing the scenery in X-Plane may look intimidating at first, but in reality a fresh install of FSX is more time-consuming.

To get X-Plane to a visually good standard, there are relatively few libraries and plug-ins that need to be installed. I have included the main plug-ins and libraries that I think you need to get going, but there are still many other fantastic scenery add-ons available. These can be found on a number of websites that contain photographic scenery, add-on airports and autogen objects, all of which serve to improve the default X-Plane world. We can even customise atmospheric effects by using different lighting models and clouds or generate AI traffic. So, what are you waiting for, there’s a whole world out there to discover! By Richard Benedikz

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X-PlaneX-PlaneOptimising frame rates

X-PlaneX-PlanePART 9

88 X-Plane 10 - The Official Guide | www.pcpilot.net88 X-Plane 10 - The Official Guide | www.pcpilot.net

Despite its complexity, X-Plane is designed to be highly customisable. It can run on a

variety of computers, taking advantage of the latest multi-core processors and high-end graphics cards or it can run on fairly modest computers. As part of the set-up process, it is important to set the level of detail that is right for your system. The key to running X-Plane at optimum frame rates lies in the ‘Rendering Options’. It is possible to specify how much graphics memory (VRAM) is used to display images on-screen and tailor the processor usage for running the physics in the X-Plane world, such as weather generation or AI traffic. As a guideline, X-Plane needs a minimum of 20 frames per second (FPS) to run fluidly. Below this value it will begin to stutter and the flight model will start to break down, although in order to maintain minimum FPS, X-Plane will automatically introduce

fog to reduce visibility, alleviating the load on the computer.

Resolutions and special effects‘Texture resolution’ determines how much graphics memory is used to display textures. Turning down the resolution will reduce VRAM usage, although on the negative side it will make the X-Plane world appear blurry. Modern graphics cards generally have enough VRAM to display high-resolution textures without impacting frame rates but if the amount of available VRAM is exceeded, the frame rate will be impacted as the computer will use system RAM for drawing graphics, which is significantly slower.

‘Anisotropic filter level’ in simple terms makes objects less blurry at a distance. It is possible to set it from 1x to a maximum of 16x. At low settings, it has a minimal effect on FPS on most graphics cards, but at high settings the

impact on frame rates is significant. As a rule, the default setting of 4x is the best compromise between visual effect and performance.

‘Run full-screen at this resolution’ will set the resolution in X-Plane to be the same as that of the operating system; alternatively it is possible to select a custom resolution. It is important to ensure the resolution matches the aspect ratio of your monitor or the image will appear stretched. The old 4:3 ratio monitors have been replaced with widescreen monitors with a ratio of 16:9, although rarely, some monitors have a 16:10 aspect ratio.

‘Gamma’ determines the overall brightness in X-Plane. It does not use any processing power or graphics memory so frame rates are not affected.

‘Framerate lock to monitor’ will lock the FPS in X-Plane to the refresh rate of the monitor, usually around 59Hz. Although X-Plane can usually

run at higher frame rates, locking it will help keep the frame rate constant and reduce stuttering.

‘Compress textures to save VRAM’ will compress textures loaded into memory, in effect allowing X-Plane to use about twice the amount of VRAM without overflowing the video card. On the negative side some of the sharpness will be lost compared to using uncompressed textures.

‘Screen anti-aliasing’ is used to smooth the edges of objects and prevent diagonal lines being drawn with jagged edges. Running with high levels of anti-aliasing will increase VRAM and graphics card processor (GPU) usage, resulting in reduced frame rates. As a rule, the faster the processor on the video card, the higher the level of anti-aliasing can be set. However X-Plane 10 was designed to use high dynamic range rendering (HDR) and HDR-specific anti-aliasing for DirectX 10-compatible graphics cards.

Clouds such as cirrus or stratus are much lighter on frame rates than cumulus



Optimising frame rates


HDR renderingTwo new rendering options are available in X-Plane 10: ‘atmospheric scattering’ and ‘HDR anti-aliasing’. Enabling atmospheric scattering causes objects that are far away to appear more washed-out, as in the real world. This option doesn’t have a massive impact on frame rates as long as the graphics card is DirectX 10-compatible. HDR anti-aliasing is a much more efficient method of smoothing jagged lines than the older anti-alias, as it uses fewer resources on the graphics card. The two primary

methods of HDR anti-aliasing are ‘FXAA’ (Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing) setting which places less load on the GPU, whereas SSAA + FXAA’ (Super-Sampling Anti-Aliasing) option has a much greater impact on frame rates.

Objects‘Field of View’ – older monitors typically had a 4:3 aspect ratio with a 45° field-of-view. Widescreen monitors on the other hand can benefit from a wider 60° field of view of view.

‘Draw hi-res planet textures from orbit’ – will display high-resolution images of the earth when simulating space flight. These high-resolution images will be displayed at altitudes of 100,000ft or higher and will not affect frame rates below that altitude.

‘Runways follow terrain contours’ – will make runways and taxiways follow the terrain elevation. In some

cases, changes in elevation may be very abrupt, which can make runways unrealistically bumpy or cause buildings to float above the tarmac, particularly with some third-party airports. Unchecking this option will cause X-Plane to flatten the terrain under runways and eliminate the floating building syndrome. This setting has no effect on frame rates.

The following settings will have a small impact on frame rates:

‘Draw forest fires and balloons’ will randomly generate forest fires and hot air balloons when the weather is clear.

‘Draw birds and deer in nice weather’ will place randomly generated deer near the airport. Colliding with the birds (bird strike) will cause damage to the aircraft and can cause engine failures.

‘Draw aircraft carriers and frigates’ will populate

water bodies with frigates and aircraft carriers.

‘Draw Aurora Borealis’ will make X-Plane display the

northern lights at night. While they should only appear at northern latitudes, they can be seen as far south as Rome, which is unrealistic.

On most computers, the number of autogen objects such as buildings, trees and cars, as well as the number of roads can have a significant impact on performance, as these are CPU-dependant rather than GPU-limited. On most systems the default option gives the best compromise between frame rates and performance unless you have a fast, multi-core CPU.

‘Draw aircraft carriers and frigates’

water bodies with frigates and aircraft

frigates’

Top Tip!It is possible to determine the amount of VRAM used by X-Plane in the ‘Rendering Options’ dialog box at the bottom of the window.Cumulus clouds can have a major hit on frame rates

Increasing the visibility will allow you to see objects in the distance, but it can affect frame rates

Water reflections – The shadows in X-Plane are stunning although frame rates will be impacted

HDR Lighting was introduced in X-Plane 10 which improves visual detail, and makes the simulator run more smoothly, as long as the graphics card supports DirectX 10

X-Plane can run on a variety of hardware including cutting-edge computers or the slightly aged



FROM THE menu, go to Settings > Data Input and Output.

Check the far right box next to frame rate (item 0, in the upper left corner of the window). This will cause X-Plane to display the current frame rate in the upper left of the screen.

Close the Data Input and Output window. The frame rate, given in frames per second (fps) should now be visible on the far left.

19fps the absolute minimum needed to run X-Plane.

25 to 35fps is the ideal range.50fps is very high and indicates that the

system could probably draw more buildings, clouds and other objects.

MEASURING FRAME RATES

‘World detail distance’ determines how far objects on the horizon can be seen. Doubling the detail distance will draw four times as many objects. Powerful graphics cards can usually cope with the ‘high’ or even ‘very high’ setting, although it can be frame rate-intensive on mid-range cards. In most cases the ‘default’ setting should be used although on slow computers. Reducing this setting may improve frame rates.

‘Airport detail’ controls the level of detail at airports. While higher settings will increase the level of detail at airports and introduce authentic 3D runway lighting which looks great visually, this setting can have a significant impact on frame rates, particularly when flying near large airports and in most cases it should be left on ‘default’.

ShadowsThe X-Plane world can be populated with dynamic and realistic shadows. ‘Static’ shadows simply draws flat shadows of the aircraft on the ground while ‘Overlay shadows’ is dependent on the position of the sun. X-Plane’s new rendering engine allows an aircraft to cast shadows on itself as well as on the ground. Finally, ‘Global shadows’ draws shadows for all objects such as buildings and trees. This setting has the biggest impact on frame rates as it is both CPU- and GPU-intensive, although frame rates are affected by the number of objects that cast shadows.

ReflectionsIncreasing the water reflection setting can have a significant impact on the CPU as reflections are calculated using pixel shaders and the processor must perform calculations based on each pixel in the water, which can have a significant impact on performance near water. As a rule, reflections should be kept at the default setting unless your system has a powerful graphics card.

Expert rendering optionsThe 3D bump-maps and gritty detail textures setting will make surfaces in X-Plane appear more realistic. This setting will have some impact on frame rates on older systems as they use both the CPU and some VRAM but

for most modern DirectX 10 graphics cards the benefits will outweigh the small hit on FPS.

FogEnabling the draw volumetric fog generates small, localized fog effects. The result is that objects and scenery fade into the distance in a more gradual and realistic way. On older computers this can have a significant effect on frame rates but for newer systems the benefits significantly outweigh the costs.

WeatherThe clouds in X-Plane are generated from many smaller cloud sprites, or ‘puffs’, giving the appearance of true volumetric clouds. These develop over time, just as in real life, depending on weather conditions. Although the clouds are highly detailed, they can

have a significant effect on performance, so reducing the level of detail, ie the number of ‘cloud puffs’, can improve frame rates.

Drawing a few simple clouds and reducing low visibility can further increase frame rates. Setting the clouds to ‘clear’ or ‘cumulus overcast’ has the least impact on performance, although ‘thin cirrus’ or ‘stratus’ also produces good frame rates. ‘Cumulus scattered’ or ‘cumulus broken’ have the biggest impact on frame rates.

The ‘number of cloud puffs’ slider sets the level of detail of each cloud, so increasing this setting will have a significant impact on frame rates. Similarly, you can set the size of each cloud puff. The larger the size of cloud puffs, the slower X-Plane will perform, although this may not be very noticeable on modern video cards.

Visibility will also affect frame rates.

Populated airports may look great, but the hit on frame rates is significant Dynamic shadows are one of the many features of X-Plane 10

The level of detail in X-Plane is accurate down to street level The lighting effects in X-Plane are spectacular

Running photoscenery at ‘Extreme’ resolution improves the visual detail although you will need to watch VRAM usage



For example when the visibility is 20 miles more objects will be displayed, using more computing power compared to when the visibility is only five miles. Consequently, lowering the visibility can improve frame rates.

Finally, the last culprit that can have a significant effect on the frame rates is AI aircraft. Reducing the number of aircraft you share the sky with will improve frame rates as X-Plane will

only have to calculate physics on your aircraft.

SummaryThe key to achieving acceptable frame rates in X-Plane is managing resources. One of the main bottlenecks in the simulator is the amount of VRAM used for drawing textures. If the graphics card has enough memory it is possible to set it to maximum (extreme) resolution improve frame rates as X-Plane will it to maximum (extreme) resolution

with no loss in frame rates. However as soon as the texture resolution uses more VRAM than is available on the graphics card, frame rates will nose dive.

The latest rendering features in X-Plane 10, including HDR rendering, global shadows and water reflection can have a massive

impact on older systems as these are both CPU- and GPU-intensive. Disabling HDR rendering in the special effects section and setting the shadow detail to either ‘overlay’ or ‘3-D on aircraft’ will drastically improve frame rates as will turning off ‘water reflection detail’. By Richard Benedikz

Top Tip!After changing the rendering options, it is often necessary to restart X-Plane to apply the changes.

A dense road network can put a significant load on the CPUDynamic shadows look superb but the hit on frame rates is massive

HDR treats each light source as an individual object which gives you spectacular night lighting effects

Increasing the number of objects increases the load on the CPU rather than the graphics card

It is possible to see how much VRAM X-Plane is using at the current settings

It is possible to populate the world’s oceans with frigates, aircraft carriers and oil platforms with very little hit on frame rates


X-PlaneAn interview with X-AviationX-Plane

PART 10X-PlaneA Beginner's Guide to

In this, the last in our series of tutorials for X-Plane 10, we speak to the founder of X-Aviation,

Cameron Son who heads the company which is one of the major in distributors of X-Plane add-ons. Cameron tells us about his company and shares his thoughts on the X-Plane platform and the industry as a whole.

PC Pilot: Hi Cameron and thank you for agreeing to speak with us about X-Plane. Can you start by telling us how you became interested in flight simulation?

Cameron Son: My interest in flight simulation started when I was essentially a young kid. My father had purchased Flight Simulator II for the Apple II and I can remember flying around Meigs Field thinking it was the coolest thing since sliced bread… but look how far we’ve come now!

PC Pilot: What is X-Aviation and who is the team behind the company?

Cameron Son: X-Aviation is a publishing and distribution company

for X-Plane add-ons. I am the owner and operator, and I contract out some of the work to a guy named Ben Russell (founder of the Gizmo X-Plane plug-in) to assist in workload and keeping the back end of the web server going day in and day out. He has proven to be a huge asset to the operation! Aside from this, we have teams of developers producing add-ons who have been around since near the inception of the company itself in 2008.

PC Pilot: What made you decide to produce add-ons for X-Plane rather than Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS)?

Cameron Son: Good question! I actually began developing freeware add-ons for X-Plane in 1999 with the opening of a site called the X-Plane Freeware Project (XPFW). In short, XPFW was created to be to X-Plane, what Project Opensky was for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This, coupled with the fact that I only had a Mac computer at the time pretty much sealed my fate in the X-Plane world. I will say, however, that a few


Above: The CRJ-200 is one of the most comprehensive airliner simulations for X-PlaneBelow: The Bombardier CRJ-200 was the first aircraft for X-Plane that came with a fully functional custom FMC

years later I did purchase a Windows machine along with FS9 and began creating add-ons for that platform (payware and freeware). I ultimately went back to X-Plane because I enjoyed the people in the community who I had developed good friendships with and I loved how open the platform itself was to modification. Being able to ring up Austin Meyer, the creator of X-Plane, at any moment, no matter who you were, was also a

plus that made things feel a bit more personal!

PC Pilot: You also run X-Pilot. Can you explain to our readers what this is and why you decided to set it up?

Cameron Son: X-Pilot (http://www.x-pilot.com) is a community website for X-Plane. It features news, forums and a free download library for those who register a free account. It is also used



developers. But our approach to accepting add-ons in our shop is that we focus primarily on the quality of the products we sell. As such, any product that comes our way goes through a lengthy ‘inspection’ process to ensure that what we’re about to sell will make our customers happy. We don’t want people buying products and later wishing they hadn’t invested their hard earned cash on what we’re selling, so this point is key to the success of X-Aviation. This does limit the amount of add-ons or products we ultimately publish, but I’ve found that it’s for the better and has allowed the X-Aviation name to be held in high regard.

PC Pilot: Do you develop your own add-ons in-house or are they made by external developers?

Cameron Son: Most of our developers only release exclusively through X-Aviation, and as such we are somewhat ‘in-house’. By this I mean that while the developers are technically contractors, X-Aviation maintains a very close relationship during the production of any product. This makes it easier to ensure that the quality levels we want at X-Aviation are maintained, and it also allows us to provide exceptional customer support. We’re able to know the ins and outs of a product prior to its release, which ultimately allows us to answer our customers’ questions at a rather rapid rate.

PC Pilot: What are your most popular products?

Cameron Son: Right now our number

one selling product of all time is SkyMaxx Pro. It’s a 3D cloud rendering engine which not only offers faster performance for X-Plane with weather present, thanks to the faster rendering engine in the plug-in but it also looks more realistic. This one moved up the charts really fast and has proved to be a customer favourite in a very short period of time!

For aircraft, our customers seem to really love the CRJ-200 for its airliner-like simulation. It was essentially the first aircraft for X-Plane that came with a truly custom-built FMC, so this was a big deal not only for the community, but also for us as developers. Second to that is the Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, which is a really amazing simulation of the real aircraft featuring all the bells and whistles you’d expect in a

as the official support and work-in-progress forum for a number of the top commercial X-Plane add-on developers. X-Pilot was the brain child of myself, Tom Kyler and Ben Russell. We wanted a place where users could freely and actively communicate about all things X-Plane, and while there was already a thriving X-Plane website available, diversity is always good! It’s a very active community with lots of helpful members, so if anyone hasn’t yet checked it out and they own X-Plane, they really should!

PC Pilot: How are products selected on your shop - do you approach developers or do they approach you, or is it a combination of the two? Cameron Son: It’s a mix of both. More often these days we get contacted by

The island of Oahu, Hawaii by RealScenery features highly detailed photographic scenery with realistic airports including Dillingham, Ford Island Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, Honolulu International, Kalaeloa and Wheeler Army Airfield

The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft is one of the best simulations of the real aircraft available in X-Plane. It really is an amazing simulation of the its full size counterpart, featuring all the bells and whistles you’d expect in a turboprop

Below: Reno is the first enhanced scenery package from RealScenery


turboprop. And, lastly in the aircraft department we have been getting a lot of rave reviews about the Saab 340A release. This aircraft is extremely detailed not only in 3D, but also in its true-to-life systems simulation. The development took more than three years and the product incorporates a lot of new features never before seen in any simulator product. If anyone out there is a regional airliner fan, I strongly suggest taking a look at this aircraft.

For scenery, our customers seem to really love the Island of Oahu and Reno scenery packages. Both of these are released under the RealScenery ‘Enhanced’ product line, which means they have hi-res imagery and 3D mesh detail. Definitely worth checking out.

PC Pilot: Do you have any freeware add-ons that X-Plane users can access?

Cameron Son: X-Aviation only distributes payware products, but if folks head over to the X-Pilot community they’ll find an entire

download library of freeware add-ons for X-Plane.

PC Pilot: Have you seen any difference in the number of people using X-Plane after development of MSFS stopped?

Cameron Son: Yes, this has actually been really


interesting to watch, especially over the last two years. This summer we have sold more copies of X-Plane 10 than last by a pretty large margin and the numbers continue to grow. It’s also very evident in the sales figures of our add-ons. I think between Microsoft discontinuing development for the MSFS franchise and the introduction of 64-Bit X-Plane, people have taken a second look at what X-Plane 10 has to offer and are finally making the jump.

PC Pilot: How many enthusiasts

do you think use X-Plane compared to Microsoft

Flight Simulator and do you see this changing

in the future and to what extent?

Cameron Son: This is a really tough question to answer. I don’t know tangible numbers, but the MSFS add-on market is still very alive and thriving, and I know without doubt that there are more enthusiasts there than there are for X-Plane. That said, with as much movement as has been made between Laminar Research and even add-on developers over the last couple of years, there is no doubt that X-Plane doesn’t feel nearly as ‘niche’ as it used to and that will continue to change for the positive. In the 16 years that I’ve been around X-Plane, the last year has definitely been the most exciting. If there was ever a time to get your feet wet and try out X-Plane, I think it’s certainly safe to say that now is the time.

The Saab 340A features a highly detailed 3D model and a realistic systems simulation. It was over three years in development and incorporates new features never before seen in any simulator product

The British Aerospace Jetstream 32 was developed by the same creator of the CRJ-200 and features an accurately rendered 3D cockpit and exterior model, as well as simulating a suite of numerous systems and failures



PC Pilot: What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of X-Plane?

Cameron Son: Well, without a doubt the open communication the team behind X-Plane has with add-on developers in the community is a huge strength. I also believe that this platform has become almost limitless in the type of add-ons can be produced thanks to the plug-in SDK.

and the AI traffic is in the same boat. Additionally, I think something that has hurt X-Plane over the years is the lack of buildings (even if auto-generated like in MSFS) at airports. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about this, but I think with the introduction of the new ‘Lego brick’ scenery system [a term used to describe where a developer builds a series of useful art components for airports ('building bricks'), for example, hangars, terminal buildings, light fixtures, vehicles, etc – Ed] things will start to change rather quickly over the next year or so.

PC Pilot: We have seen increasingly sophisticated add-ons released over the past year. Do you think this is a growing trend and are there any developers that stand out from the crowd?

Cameron Son: Yes, this is definitely a growing trend and one I expect to continue to be the status quo. For the longest time add-on developers were not leveraging the X-Plane plug-in SDK, but times have changed. My take on the situation at this point is that if you cannot produce a commercial product with more sophisticated functionality via the plug-in SDK, then the chances are that your product will not be very successful. Customers are beginning to expect this from add-ons and they really should. This has been the norm in the MSFS world for quite some time, so to see it happening in X-Plane as well is a good sign of forward progression.

PC Pilot: A number of Microsoft Flight Simulator developers have started branching into X-Plane, Aerosoft and Carenado being two cases in point. Do you see other developers going down the same route?

Cameron Son: I believe other developers will branch out over to the X-Plane platform. I actually know of a few right now who have not gone public about this but are in the middle of porting their products. Aside from

the list you have already provided and the developers that I know currently working, PMDG and Just Flight have also announced their intentions to develop for the platform as well.

PC Pilot: If a user is considering changing from Microsoft Flight Simulator to X-Plane, what advice would you give and are there any tutorials you have available to get them started?

Cameron Son: The first bit of advice I would give is to embrace change and allow yourself the time to get used to the new interface. This is no different to switching from an iPhone to Android device, or Mac to Windows.

At first you may be appalled, confused or even disgruntled at what you see, but if you give yourself time to learn and adapt it will certainly pay off. There are a number of tutorials out there for X-Plane, and of course, X-Pilot is also a great resource to get help and find links from the community.

PC Pilot: How do you see X-Plane develop in the future and what are the main changes you would like to see?

Cameron Son: The team behind X-Plane is very dedicated, and because of that I’m extremely excited about the future of this platform. I know that X-Plane will continue to get better, and more importantly, that voices will be heard to help shape the sim into something almost everyone wants.

One of the main changes I’d like to see is finality to the ATC system and better AI traffic to fill the skies and airports. Right now I find it rather lacking, but I know this will change in time.

PC Pilot: The future certainly looks bright for X-Plane and those who support the platform. Thank you for sharing your views on of X-Plane. We wish you all the best for the future.By Richard Benedikz

So from a community standpoint this opens the door to a lot of positive contributions going forward. Of course, it goes without saying that the flight model simulation is really stellar when applied correctly by a developer. I also believe the autogen scenery has reached a point where many are satisfied.

On the weak side, there’s no doubt that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system in X-Plane needs a lot of work,

The Beechcraft Mentor T34c by JRollon includes features such as rain effects, metal reflections, a custom 3D cockpit and a modelled cabin interior

Carenado, well-known for its superb range of GA aircraft, was one of the first developers to start making add-ons for both MSFS and X-Plane. The B200 King Air is one of its best sellers

Real Scenery State Washington includes the northern Oregon Cascade Mountains and Mt Hood, Oregon's highest peak. The package also includes the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, including its main airports

Best Buy Guide & Essential Libraries


The following table summarises some of the outstanding add-on’s for X-Plane 10 that PC Pilot has reviewed. The scores of some have been adjusted to more accurately reflect current standards and quality. The Platinum award is reserved for those products that demonstrate exceptional features, show innovation and raise the bar for others to follow. Prices and details change over time so please check each product’s website for the most up-to-date information

Product Category Developer/website Price Score At a Glance

Piper PA-32-301 Saratoga

General Aviation

Carenado/www.carenado.com $26.95 90% Another step forward for X-Plane with a beautifully recreated high performance single-engine aircraft. The documentation is the only real weak point.

Cessna 210 Centurion General Aviation

Carenado/www.carenado.com $29.95 90% The Carenado Centurion combines a beautiful 3D model with excellent fl ight dynamics – one that really conveys the sensation of fl ight – making it a wonderful trainer.

Cessna 337 Skymaster General Aviation

Carenado/www.carenado.com $29.95 80% An excellent all-round performer that looks great and is heaps of fun to fl y in all conditions and environments.

Airbus A320neo Airliner JARDesign/www.jardesign.aero $59.95 90% The A320neo is a highly realistic simulation of one of the mainstream jetliners in operation today.

FlyJSim732 Twinjet Airliner FlyJSim/www.fl yjsim.com $47 90% Excellent cockpit modelling and lighting. Great functionality of a steam gauge era jetliner with focus primarily on the fl ight deck experience.

Boeing 757 Professional

Airliner Flight Factor/www.fl ightfactor.aero $59.95 Platinum The 757-200 Professional is packed full of innovative features and the systems modelling is fi rst rate. This is one of the most comprehensive add-on aircraft for X-Plane.

Boeing 777 Worldliner Professional

Airliner Flight Factor/www.fl ightfactor.aero $59.95 Platinum If you love jetliners and you have X-Plane, this is an absolute must buy.

Take Command! Saab 340A

Regional Turboprop

Leading Edge Simulations/www.x-aviation.com

$54.95 Platinum A well-researched and implemented package with advanced systems functionality. It also has exceptional documentation and a wealth of bonus features.

BAe Jetstream 32 Regional Turboprop

JRollon/X-Aviation.com $34.95 90% An exceptionally accurate and detailed aircraft with a cockpit second-to-none. Documentation, however could be expanded and refi ned.

ATR 72-500 Regional Turboprop

McPhat Studios/www.aerosoft.com €29.99 box/ €29.95 download

80% Aerosoft’s ATR 72-500 comes with an unusually highly detailed external model, mid-level systems modelling and an excellent fl ight model, but with room for improvement in the cockpit area.

Bombardier CRJ 200 Regional Jet JRollon/http://www.x-aviation.com $49.95 90% The highly detailed model, combined with the realistic fl ight characteristics and systems makes this CRJ one of the best regional jet you can buy for X-Plane.

Bombardier 300 Challenger

Business Jet Ddenn Design/www.aerosoft.com €27.99 box/ €27.95 DVD

85% A well designed aircraft with authentic fl ight handling, a fantastic cockpit and innovative extra features. Documentation could be better.

The Cessna C-337 Skymaster by Carenado is an unusual aircraft with a ‘Push-Pull’ engine configuration and

retractable undercarriage

The Airbus A320neo from JARDesign is built to a high standard with accurately modelled systems and an operational weather radar

The analogue cockpit of the Boeing 737-200 is one of the finest examples in X-Plane with sharp textures, fluid gauge update rates and detailed 3D modelling

Best buy guide



Product Type URL Description

Openscenery X Library http://www.opensceneryx.com/ OpenScenery is based on OSM (OpenStreetMaps) data that has been converted to a format that can be used by X-Plane. It is a free-to-use library of objects including buildings, aircraft and vehicles as well as landmarks and trees from Europe and America.

Russcenery Library http://www.x-plane.su/projects/ruscenery.html RuScenery was created for the CIS project but has become a popular resource for other developers. The website is in Rus-sian so it can be diffi cult to download – the best way is to use Google Chrome as it translates the webpage on the fl y.

Flags of the World Library http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfi le=17090

Flags of the World is a plug-in that allows developers to add fl ags to scenery packages.

Flags of the US Library http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfi le=17092

This is a library of fl ags of all 50 States, the District of Columbia and the three territories in the USA.

Windsock Real Flag II Sync Library http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfi le=20863

This add-on synchronises the windsock and the fl ag libraries, so when the wind changes direction, all fl ags and windsocks point in the same direction.

No deer or balloons patch Patch http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfi le=13786

This patch makes hot air balloons and forest deer invisible. It is useful if you want to keep bird strikes, but want to get rid of the more unrealistic default animations in X-Plane.

alpilot Mesh V2 Scenery http://www.alpilotx.net/2013/11/22/x-plane-10-hd-mesh-scenery-v2-release

alpilotX has released v2 of its HD (high defi nition) mesh scen-ery. It is freeware/donationware, comprising over 55GB of data, covering Europe, the USA Hawaii, Canada and Alaska.

Mesh V2 Japan Scenery http://www.alpilotx.net/2014/07/23/japan-hd-mesh-scenery-v2-tree-lines-released/

The HD Mesh Scenery v2 and Tree Lines project covers Japan with updated OSM data, improved landclass data and additional tree lines.

Alpilot USA and Europe treelines and farms v2

Library http://www.alpilotx.net These two packages created by Alpilot add treescapes that replicate real world forests in the USA and Europe.

Air navigation obstacles Library http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfi le=17773

Air Navigation Obstacles lists objects in the ‘Enroute air naviga-tion obstacles’ bulletin that are a potential danger to aircraft. These are shown on the CAA charts in the UK and cover 307 locations. The list contains obstacles that are 300ft above ground level and over.

Douglas DC-3 Classic prop Leading Edge Design/http://www.x-aviation.com

$39.95 85% A beautiful rendition of a fl ying icon, let down a little by the lack of a variant with a modernised cockpit.

Khamsin B-25 Mitchell Classic Prop Khamsin/ http://www.khamsin.org/ $24.95 90% Khamsin Studios’ B-25 is an excellent simulation of this classic World War Two bomber.

Virtavia C-17A Globemaster III

Military Transport

Virtavia/www.virtavia.com/ $34.95 85% An impressive aircraft with a very nice panel and fl ight dynamics. Good, but not exhaustive documentation and an adequate level of systems detail.

Island of Oahu Scenery Real Scenery/http://www.x-aviation.com

$24.95 80% Beautiful high resolution overlay scenery of Oahu with unprecedented accuracy, colour and continuity. The lack of 3D and exclusion of default scenery ma it best suited for viewing from altitude.

UK Photo VFR Scenery Scenery Horizon and RC Simulations/ http://www.rcsimulations.com/

£35.95/area 85% The UK Photo VFR Scenery for X-Plane will give you many hours of pleasure exploring the British Isles. It is highly detailed and will enable you to navigate from coast to coast in VFR. The price is very reasonable considering the amount of data included.

Libraries and plug-ins are an important element as they contain objects and animations that third-party developers use for creating custom scenery. We have highlighted the main ones below.

Essential Libraries

New Zealand Professional by alpilotX features high resolution base mesh with detailed landclass data. It also includes an overlay, which adds treelines and objects such as buildings and landmarks



England and Wales Cus-tom Autogen

Library http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfi le=19694)

England and Wales Custom Autogen adds many of the default roads, pylons, rail tracks, bridges, cars and trains to existing photographic scenery for the whole of England and Wales.

New Zealand Pro Scenery http://www.alpilotx.net/downloads/x-plane-10-new-zealand-pro/

X-Plane 10 New Zealand Pro is a replacement scenery package for the North and South islands. It includes an extremely high resolution base mesh with updated landclass data. It also comes with an additional overlay, which adds treelines and objects.

Autogate Plug-in http://marginal.org.uk/x-planescenery/plugins.html Autogate is a plug-in made by Marginal that introduces animate jetways and docking guidance systems (DGS) to X-Plane. It is a nifty program as the DGS guides the pilot to the correct stop-ping position and animated jetways dock with the aircrafts’ main door when the engines are shut down

Sea Traffi c Plug-in http://marginal.org.uk/x-planescenery/plugins.html This is another plug-in made by Marginal that adds real world shipping traffi c to X-Plane.

Aerosoft Skytools Weather http://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic/77657-for-free-aerosoft-sky-tools-for-x-plane-10/

Sky Tools is a collection of fi les that enhance the sky in X-Plane 10. It is a free package from Aerosoft.

Skymax Pro v2.0 Weather http://www.x-aviation.com/catalog/skymaxx-p-101.html

SkyMaxPro replaces cloud and sky textures with a revolution-ary new weather rendering engine. It runs faster than X-Plane's default weather and looks better by adding crepuscular rays, clouds aloft with wind speed and true 3D clouds.

FF Library - extended LOD Library http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfi le=12836

This library consists of German looking buildings, which was initially created for the Nurnberg VFR scenery although other developers have adopted it. The extended LOD version allows you to see objects at a greater distance, although it will have an impact on frame rates.

R2 Library Library http://xplane.cz/en/r2-library/ Like the FF Library, the R2 library was initially made for the Czech VFR project, although it has now been adopted by other scenery developers.

SimHeaven Scenery http://simheaven.com SimHeaven has one of the largest scenery libraries for X-Plane 10. It is a free website that contains photographic scenery and OpenStreetMap (OSM) autogen data for large parts of the world including European-style objects.

Enhanced runways HD by FlyJSim 1.20

Modifi cation http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfi le=16270)

This package replaces the asphalt, concrete and grass runways with more realistic and detailed textures.

Wide Taxiway Markings Library Replacement 2.0

Modifi cation http://forums.x-pilot.com/fi les/fi le/406-wide-taxi-way-markings-library-replacement.

This update modifi es the default taxiways, making them wider, better refl ecting the real world. Airport pavement markings also look more like their real-life counterpart.

Replacement Day and Night Lighting

Modifi cation http://forums.x-pilot.com/fi les/fi le/435-replacement-day-and-night-lighting-lightstxt-for-x-plane-1020/

This modifi cation makes many of the scenery related lights in X-Plane, making them larger and more visible.

Left: The Bombardier CRJ-200 by JRollon was one of the first aircraft to take advantage of some of the special effects in X-Plane 10 including wing-flex and condensation trails

Below: Many of the freeware airports available for download have been made using objects from OpenScenery X

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