BR is correct, the GNS is set up to use the basic X-Plane GPS system and not a Garmin menu system. It works like this. You Delete and Save flightplans in the Menu (yellow arrow) roll down and select by pressing ENT. Item to be selected (by ENT) must be highlighted in white.

Media Format: Immediate Download; Compatibility: Microsoft Flight Simulator X inc. Steam Edition & Prepar3D including v4; File size: 153 MB. The Cessna 172RG Cutlass II is an aircraft that exudes comfort, class and confidence. Few aircraft models out there today can come with the same swagger and confidence that the. This tutorial is for X-plane newbies and users coming from FSX, Prepar3D or other simulation platforms. It will guide you through FPS Performance Tuning of Airfoillabs Cessna 172 SP 1.61 for X-plane. Facebook.com/airfoillabs twitter.com/airfoillabs Used software: Airfoillabs Cessna 172S Skyhawk.

To insert and use a created X-Plane Flightplan then do this. First you make sure your flightplan is empty by using delete in the menu. Delete by pressing ENT select a flightplan from the X-Plane menu (note the flightplans are the second page of flightplans - yellow arrow) scroll down and select by ENT Select the fix you want or the first one and press direct Press ENT to activate that leg When you get close to the waypoint you then select the next waypoint you want to use. It must be highlighted and the GPS will tell you (yellow arrow) when to press direct to select Again activate by pressing ENT. This waypoint is now top of the list and off you go to the new heading, keep on repeating new legs till the end of the flightplan SD • • •. Aircraft Announcement: Beechcraft 1900D from Carenado for X-Plane Carenado have announced their largest aircraft for X-Plane yet in the Beechcraft 1900D. And continue their King Air series by yet another variant.

Well yes the B1900D is actually a King Air, even if it is a little pulled this way and stretched that way. The B1900D's shape was the answer to have a standup headroom within the aircraft for easier passenger access and egress in this 19-passenger commuter airliner. Detailing again looks simply sensational as what is usually expected from Careando, but this is a big aircraft by their standards and quality. The great thing about the B1900D is that the instrumentation is still a basic King Air panel layout? So if you are already very familiar with the King Air aircraft you will find this a breeze to convert to. It also seems to come with the new 10.30 Garmin GNS 530 GPS system which will be very nice addition to have.

There is no doubt this a very dramatic aircraft and one which will be very desirable in your fleet. Carenado usually announce their new aircraft about a week or so from release.

Developer site: Carenado Stephen Dutton 8th Sepember 2014 Copyright©2014: X-Plane Reviews All images are courtesy of Carenado© • •. Beta Release: JARDesign A320NEO updated to beta v2.3 r1 JARDesign have updated their A320NEO to 10.30 ready. Even though 10.30 is still in RC at this point, the good news is that the popular Airbus has been updated to conform to the RC standard. It is just 64bit only now as well.

All the other fixes noted in the 2.2 r2 and 3r updates have also been rolled into this release as one upgrade package. Here are the full details: + X-Plane 10.30 ready + 64 bit only now (MAC and WIN). + New voice checklists algogritm. Upcoming: Aerosoft Airports.

EIDW Dublin and EGCC Manchester In the last twelve months there has not been much wind in the direction of X-Plane from Aerosoft. There was those nice skytools and the very nice Mykonos scenery but other than that very little else. But a small candle does still flicker for our simulator in that there are two sceneries coming (and one soon) for our part of the simulation universe. EIDW Dublin Now Released! Available from the X-Plane.Org Store at US$29.95 Airport Dublin On St Patrick's day 17th March 2014 Aerosoft released the FSX/FS.9 Mega Airport Dublin, The FS crowd have waited a long time for their Dublin scenery and so any X-Plane scenery of Dublin was going to be a poor chance of a free Guinness from an Irishman. There is a EIDW Dublin for X-Plane coming from Aerosoft and better still it will be released very soon. Even better is that the scenery is even very good, and looks excellent in that Aerosoft way and also as good as the FSX offering.

As I have got deeper into X-Plane and found my preferred routes, I also found that EIDW became a significant point in flying around the UK and European cites, Ireland as well is a great place to fly as covered in our review of the was the starting point to Cork. The current Irish Scenery by Cormac last updated February 2008 is great scenery but now becoming outdated with all the changes at EIDW, so the Aerosoft version will be very welcome. Very good the scenery is and to give you a better overview then take a look at this great video by Redpiper1. EGCC Manchester Another scenery coming from Aerosoft is EGCC Manchester which is still in its early development stages.

EGCC is already well represented in X-Plane with Captain Dij's version already available (don't forget to download the new tower for the Captain Dij scenery here. New Control Tower - EGCC) But with EGCC Manchester the biggest issue is with framerate in the fact there are a lot of sceneries set in the same area and they tend to overlap each over, like with Liverpool EGGP.

So the Aerosoft version might be very interesting in that area, and a much more heavily detailed version would be worth a look. Early work images of EGCC are very interesting, and are also very good. So Aerosoft may not be shouting its involvement in X-Plane as much in 2014, but the coming releases are still there. All images courtesy of Icarus Development Team and video courtesy of redpiper1 Stephen Dutton 27th August 2014 Copyright©X-Plane Reviews • • • • •.

Aircraft update: Messerschmitt 262 Schwalbe version 1.1 by MLADG The Messerschmitt 262 has been updated to version 1.1 by MLADG. The update consists of mostly nips and tucks, but the update has taken away most of those small annoyance factors. What is still there is this is a great aircraft to fly. There is also three versions of the aircraft that covers the new beta 10.30 and some of the features in the update.

The three versions included with the update is the standard 262.acf, but this is the 10.30 version (note in that MLADG will update this version when 10.30 goes final), The second aircraft available is the 262_10_25 version, this is for the current 10.25 X-Plane version and for Steam users. The final version is the 'C' aircraft and the C variant uses a castoring wheel. You need to apply rudder and brakes to initiate the steering. I still recommend to give the aircraft time and work your way through the manual to get to grips with the technology of the age. To really get to grips with the Me 262 you really have to understand its systems and a bit of German can go a long way. But MLADG has made a few changes that helps you fly the Me 262 without spending hours before you get the aircraft in the air and then keeping it there. First off there is now a 'I just want to fly' selection on the pop up menu (knee-board) that cuts through all the palaver of turning this or that on in that certain order.

The only thing to double check is that the 'remove pitot cover' is optioned because once you leave the ground it cannot be removed, and the maintenance/ failure overview screen has also been added to the knee-board. There is now a new full 'failure Overview page' and it shows what has been compromised and a one button press to fix them back to full active. But the annoying 'blown tyres' on takeoff has been fixed, now you can store the gear with confidence and not having to brake the wheels before cranking them up as like before, and the animation has been improved. The aircraft won't sit on its tail anymore either, which was quite odd. I though it was the period of the aircraft that caused the AoA limit indication to VSI, Altitude and Speed indications, but it was just not implemented, but it is now.

And also added in the systems is the battery discharge/ oil loss function, so depending on when you last used the plane, the oil and battery charge will have decreased. One item that you have to watch out for is opening the canopy. Pull the big red lever to your right and the canopy is blown away, it is the small black lever on the left that you open and close the glass canopy with to the side. There is a new livery as well which is called 'Yellow1', and that is the livery shown here on the Messerschmitt. But overall it is the flying of this aircraft that stays with you.

It is an amazing aircraft to fly, and very nimble it is too. You still have to watch yourself not overflying the Me 262 till you get some altitude below you from the airfield, as those engines will still blow themselves out or something will cause a failure.

But the shear speed of the aircraft has to be put into context for the period, It is so fast and so wonderful on the stick it is a real marvel to fly. As the speed runs off you will find the flaps are not stepped but one continuous slide for the degree you require.

However again the aircraft is so stable and so wonderfully manoeuvrable in its low speed that landings are a joy. Competition!: Winners! X-Plane Reviews have listed the winners below in no order, as per usual we had four that we just could not divide on and so we have given out a special commendation prize for the huge effort put into the entry. And so a huge congratulations to them for their entries. And a huge thanks to all who spent their time to note their views on X-Plane. If you are wondering if the competition was an exercise in feedback on the site, it was not planned that way but on how you use X-Plane and how it relates to you as a simulator and this is the aspect that X-Plane Reviews based its final decisions on.

The comments are interesting in hindsight because it does mean X-Plane Reviews are on the right insights on what you want to know and read in reviews, and the pros and cons of the releaes. We could easily post photocopy (or Xerox) style reviews on every new release in X-Plane (just the facts) but that would be boring.

In all scenery or aircraft there certain known items that would be boring to repeat ad nauseam in every review which would go for pages and pages. So our point is that the aim is to focus on the features and the things that make the aircraft different and attractive and the things that are not, and in doing the review process if we find something that should be explained to get yourself up to speed quickly (In other words, we have spent the time, spending days to get our heads around the issue or screaming at the computer in frustration) to fly and enjoy the best aspects of the release in X-Plane. Again to highlight the notes on frame-rate, if I don't mention it then it is fine, as my Mac is semi-powerful my point of difference is that if it works well for me then 95% of computers will have the same results.

And secondary aspect is to see how the release relates to being in the simulator itself. I want to put the release to work so to speak. If it is in service or has a job to do and how well it relates to that scenarios and then shows us its strengths and weaknesses, There is nothing more valuable that running a 'heavy' from one side of the world to another as it not only shows how it works in that environment, but also how the X-Plane simulator as a whole has progressed in relation to the release. In fact you are evaluating two aspects at the same time with one the release and then secondary the simulator as it progresses. Both results I will always pass on to the users. A final aspect is just to explore our X-Plane world, go to places you would never go and note the reasons we go there and the history of why it is significant, I was top every year in school for geography.

My guess is I am still exploring. So the selection of the winners are based on this aspect of you getting the very best out of the simulator. Investing in add-ons is money to be just that in investing in the simulator, and we all purchase for many different reasons. If I do occasionally (okay a lot) get over excited it is because of the simple fact that 'I love this so much, then you should to', a bit biased?

No not really because if it is that good then you will love it as well, and share the love. Not every time does it have to be totally perfect at release, if you are paying monies then should it be? The simple fact is that simulation does not work that way. All and even the very best will be updated over the next 12 months of their release, our position is that we need need to gaze a little and see the investment in six or twelve months time and where it will be and not where it is now, many would be confused when we have effused a lot over something that quite obviously has flaws. But we are looking at the things that are quality of the basic elements and not the usual in your face issues that are usually fixed in an update or two, The Boeing 748i from SSG is a good example of a poor release version to the excellent aircraft it is today. Above all else I am very proud of our track record in that area.

But the last thing to say on reviews is that the one thing that has become most important of the three years I have posted reviews is that the first impression is not always the right one. Quite a few have become firm favorites only after flying them after a period of time. Many a review has been late (even by weeks) because I have to scrap the original assessment of the aircraft (and scenery as well) and reassess it a different way, and unexpectedly many have wound their way into my heart in a way that was totally unexpected and many are not the ones that I expected to be part of my hangar collection or would have personally invested in them. So to the winners. Tsmercer - FlightFactor/Vmax Boeing 777 My favorite aircraft review was for the B200 King Air.

I had been eagerly awaiting the B200 having once flown a full motion B350 sim before. I was hoping that the file would be an accurate modeling of its flight dynamics and the details in the review gave a great impression of how it flies. I love how the details of the review are presented in the context of a multi-leg flight. It gets all the details in there, but gives I nice narrative to keep it interesting.

The thing that I loved most about the B200 review in particular was the not only the history of the development of the B200, but the history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. It was a neat bit of history that gave the aircraft a mission other than the executive hamburger run.

It was also great how that mission lead into the context of the review flights. Thanks to the descriptions of the review, I purchased the aircraft. The review accurately captured the nuances of the aircraft and it's my favorite turboprop in X-Plane.

The aircraft hits a great sweet spot in my hangar. I love that I can get in and out of nearly any airport with it, but still be fast enough that I don't get bored with long stretches of en route flight. It doesn't require nearly as much setup time as the CRJ that I also fly regularly, but still offers enough performance and complexity to be a handful and keep me engaged. On top of all that it's an absolutely gorgeous model with great cockpit ambiance. Congratulations on one year of great reviews! PJS37 - FlightFactor/Vmax Boeing 757 My favorite review is the Final Frontier Scenery review. The reason this is my favorite is because the reviewer understood my plight it felt like when he started off with Juneau (Juneau being where my wife is from an somewhere I am familiar with and enjoy flying around).

Every sim I have tried the default Juneau is usually way off. Heck half the time I couldn't even find mesh scenerey that didn't incorrectly render the Juneau area. So when I saw X-Plane had an nice Juneau scenery upgrade I began my migration to X-Plane 10 (Ever so slowly) I hadn't bought the scenery however because I was worried that there would be issues with it or it would look too dated in X-Plane 10. Then I found xplanereviews.com and boy was I glad I did. You guys have single handily reviewed everything I had the slightest interest in an helped me make clear and informed decisions.

The final frontier review was just what I needed to jump head first into X-Plane finally after many many month of waffling and retreating back into the safe comfortable arms of the familiar. So I reformatted my PC a week ago have only X-Plane installed as my civilian sim and started buying up add-ons. The Final Frontier review is an excellent example of the work you guys do so well. It is objective; it shows the clear issues (Such as the texture blurriness of the add-on) but also compares it across the spectrum to add-ons available elsewhere and explains to me as a consumer why this is the one I should spend my money on.

Darrick - SSG/Vmax Boeing 748i Happy 1st Anniversary X-Plane Reviews!!! I might be a new member here but i've reading your reviews since last year.

I really like all your reviews, so it was very hard just to pick one. But in the end i decided to go for your Aircraft review of FlightFactor Boeing 757RR-200, Cause It really is just mindblowing your review is 100% accurate describing this add-on.

The Details in the 757 is just gorgeous, I enjoy looking at every detail of this 757. I also like how it handles it is a very nice and fun aircraft to fly. I also like how its nit really complicated and very user friendly. I really think all the measurements in this add-on is perfect. As soon as the FlightFactor B757RR-200 I was really excited as it was one of my 4 Favourite Aircraft.

Since it was a new release I need to get reviews first before bought it, I could not find a very Detailed review till i found your review. As soon as I red the review over and over again I decided to go on and buy the add-on.

Your review is different. Its more reader Friendly, It made me easier to understand for I'm still a learner to Xplane. Your reviews are very 'light' but has very deep and detailed information users should know.

I like how you Divide the parts by sharing your first Impressions and share people who and what is FlightFactor. Your Pictures are top notch shows the detail of the aircraft form beginning to the end.

Your exterior and interior Pictures of the Aircraft is quite a lot so it gives the user lots of pictures to see before they buy the add-on. I also enjoy reading cause you tell us how the plane works so we sure know when we own the add-on. When I first tested my FlightFactor B757RR-200 I did not regret it at all thanks to your review I was sure to buy this add-on. I really like your Conclusion it gives the readers mind a confident and ready feeling when buying the add-on. X-Plane is a great game with your reviews its even better. Thank you for all your Reviews! Two Thumbs Up!

Wish you all the best for xplanereviews.com and Happy Birthday!!! Hope I can be one of the 3. Special commendation prize MadMckMax - Daniel Klaue Embraer ERJ 140 Choice of Review Although I'm very new to this website (I was introduced via forums.x-plane.org).

I've had a quick look at the content and I've chosen the since it is the review that I can most relate to. I've bought other products from this developer, and was considering this aircraft as a result. Motivation for Choice Speaking as a 13 year old wannabe pilot, one of the most exciting things about this article is how it links the simulation to the real world with historical references. The down to earth nature of the review raises its credibility and motivates me towards considering purchasing the 732. The fact that Stephen Dutton has conducted a full documented flight also adds value. His balance between opinion and fact is just right.

The chunky (and quite worn) Pilot and Co-Pilot yokes do take up a lot of the panel view, removed you can now see the instrumentation clearer.' Good terminology, paints the picture, combined with vital information, exactly like you'd want it! Note Due to the quality of add ons and reviews here, I will be visiting this site often as long as I still fly on X-Plane (likely a long time, as I am starting gliding training this year!). Also, the community here is just superb, so far I feel very at home here and I admire how much effort the managers of the site put into communicating with the brilliant community they've created. Summary Stephens review of the 732 offers an excellent balance of information, and personal opinion Immersive and thorough review Helpful when comparing products Adding confidence to the consumer Supplying advice/feedback to the seller/developer Overall positive contribution to the X-Plane Community. Thanks for taking the time to read this, Max His prize is the ERJ-140 by Daniel Klaue! Everyone else is a runner up.

A small note in some out worldly spelling mistakes that creep in, The system we use has a final click that switches the review to HTML before posting, In the process I have found it does strange odd things to the text (plus block text whole paragraphs), I fix most but some still creep on through. Odd business. Stephen Dutton Copyright©2014: X-Plane Reviews 15th August 2014 • • •.

Competition!: X-Plane Reviews first anniversary competition and win either a Boeing 748i, 777 or 757! To celebrate X-Plane Reviews first year anniversary we are holding brilliant competition to win either a: FlightFactor/Vmax Boeing 777 Worldliner Professional FlightFactor/Vmax Boeing Aircraft:757 Professional SSG/Vmax Boeing Aircraft:747-8i Advanced Great prizes and well worth a few minutes of your time to enter: Well what we want to know is - 'What is your favorite aircraft or add-on we have reviewed on X-Plane Reviews in the last twelve months and why?' Just write in the 'comments' below what your thoughts are. Conditions: Only one entry only, more than one will be deleted. So make it count. You must be a registered as a member with X-Plane Reviews to give a valid comment.

'Guest' comments will be deleted. Keep the comment to around 350 words, monologues will be deleted. (unless very funny!) The best three will of course win one of the prizes in no order, Judges decisions are final. The winners comments will be posted as a separate post on the X-Plane Reviews site.

Competition runs for 14 days till midnight 14th August 2014 (winners will be posted on the.Org) Have fun and lets us know on how really great the X-Plane Simulator really is. Stephen Dutton X-Plane Reviews Note! To sign up as a member then use the Account link: 1st August 2014 Copyright©2014:X-Plane Reviews • • •.

Aircraft Review: Boeing 732 TwinJet by FlyJSim Route: KDFW (Dallas Fort Worth) to MMUN (Cancun) The Boeing 732 TwinJet is the third major release from FlyJSim after the Bombardier Dash-8 and the Boeing 727 Series. Without doubt the Boeing 727 Series was the aircraft of the year for X-Plane in 2013 (It was released just before Christmas 2012) and this Baby Boeing is in a very similar if not a perfect compliment to the bigger Tri-Jet. The 8000th Boeing 737 has just been delivered and that makes it the most built Jetliner in history, But this Boeing 737-200 known as the B732 is very different and from another totally different era than the common -800NG series that dominates our skies today. First thing to note is which Boeing 737 is which.

The launch aircraft that was rolled out on January 17, 1967 was the -100 version of which only 30 737-100s were ordered and delivered. Then there was the -200 version rolled only months after the -100 version June 29, 1967, and entered service in 1968 of which was an extended fuselage version of the -100. This aircraft and this aircraft released here by FlyJSim was successful at 991 sales (C-Cargo 104), but not straightaway as in fact In 1970, Boeing received only 37 orders and facing financial difficulties. Then after the cancellation of the Boeing Supersonic Transport and the scaling back of 747 production, enough funds were freed up to continue the project. Next was the Boeing 737 Classic -300/-400/-500 Series built between 1984 to 2000, 1,988 aircraft were delivered.

The next version was the Boeing 737 Next Generation −600/-700/-800/-900 Series, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG. Which brings us up to the present day. 4,887 737NG aircraft have been delivered by the end of April 2014, with more than 6,700 ordered. In the future is the coming 737MAX and that aircraft is scheduled for first delivery in 2017. The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range twinjet narrow-body airliner.

Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engined airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 it has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers. The 737 is Boeing's only narrow-body airliner now in production.

The -200 seats 136 (maximum) and 97 (2-class, typical) and is powered by the Pratt & Whitney JT8D 14,500–17,400 lbf (64–77 kN) low-bypass (0.96 to 1) turbofan engine that is also in the Boeing 727. Performance: Maximum speed Mach 0.82 (544 mph, 876 km/h) - Cruising speed Mach 0.74 (485 mph, 780 km/h) - Maximum range, fully loaded 1,900–2,300 nmi (3,500–4,300 km; 2,200–2,600 mi) - Service Ceiling 35,000 ft (10,700 m) Weights: 69,800 lb (31,700 kg) empty: 128,100 lb (58,100 kg) Takeoff. FlyJSim Boeing 732 TwinJet This review has to be considered in if the user has flown the FlyJSim Boeing 727 series or not. If you have then the conversion to the B732 is quite straight forward and although the cockpits are arranged quite differently (The B727 has a third flight crew member in a Flight Engineer) the systems are organised and used is a similar way but for two engines on the B732 and not the three on the B727. If you are new to the FlyJSim Boeing aircraft then there is a bit of a learning curve to understand the various systems and procedures.

The aircraft handle very differently as well, in mostly their age and the era that they flew in. There are no mod-cons on offer here. However like with our Aircraft Profile: Boeing 727 Series by FlyJSim (Part Two) 'Flying the Boeing 727' we found a certain and if not more fulfilling and simplistic way to fly these aircraft and the B732 here is no exception. Looking into the cockpit of a cold (unpowered) B732 aircraft and the difference of the era compared to today's glass cockpit driven aircraft is quite a shock. How could you believe that these aircraft could and did transport millions of passengers with such naked little instrumentation, mostly from the navigation perspective. They did and they did the work very well and even today there are some aircraft still flying around up there still doing so. There are some great detailed cockpits in X-Plane today, but in both the B727 and here in the B732 the design is simply brilliant.

Big clunky switchgear and almost to the touch flick switches, you are in cockpit heaven. The cockpit panel is all dials and gauges (sometimes known as clockwork cockpits) and the detail is simply overwhelming. You really do get the feel of the sixties style cockpit in perfect perspective. The chunky (and quite worn) Pilot and Co-Pilot yokes do take up a lot of the panel view, removed you can now see the instrumentation clearer. The standard six aircraft instruments are as they should be are front and centre.

Very clear and easily readable. The Standard Six are - Artificial Horizon (sometimes known as the attitude indicator) with built in turn indicator, Heading with built in OBI, Compass, Vertical- Descent Speed, Altimeter and Speed (in knots and Mach speed). Then there are the back up instruments of Artificial Horizon, Altitude (spare), Radio Altitude, Clock (large) and the DME 2 - NAV 2 (distance) is also situated lower down. The compass allows for the VOR and NDB to be switched on two separate pointer needles, VOR 2 on the pilot's side and VOR1 on the Co-Pilot's side. The Co-Pilots set of instruments are very similar except they have the (outside) air-temperature, hydraulic Sys, Oil and Brake temperatures and the DME 1 - NAV 1 (distance) indicator. The landing gear lever is also on the right side of the panel.

Centre stage of the panel are the main engine instrument sets of two engine dials covering 'Engine Pressure Ratio' (EPR), N1, EXH (Exhaust) Temp, N2 (Percent RPM) and Fuel flow to each engine. Left of the main engine dials are the three fuel tank gauges, and to the right the twin Engine Oil - Pressure, Temp and tank quantity. Finally the Auto-brake selection switch is here as well. If you know the B727 panel you would feel right at home here as the differences are quite small, just twin dials instead of the three on the larger jet. The biggest difference of a few years of development between the Boeing 727 and the Boeing 737 is the 'Sperry SP-77 (option version)' auto-pilot (A/P).

In the B727 it was a very simplistic system set behind the pedestal. But here it is more of a modern version set out on the glareshield. Not quite the standard layout version we know today, as that A/P version was fitted to the later B737-200ADV. It is split between the F/D (Flight Director) on the left and the A/P (Auto Pilot) on the right.

Still simplistic in nature, it was and is very powerful in operation as we will see in flight. Besides the change of position of the A/P to the glareshield. The removal of the Flight Engineer's station on the B727 also moved the aircraft's systems and operations to the now more familiar place on the overhead panel (OHP). Looking over the panel quickly it hasn't really changed much since either on the subsequent B737's versions, and yet it would be very familiar to you as well as it was laid out on the B727 engineers station. Only now a few items have been made automated. They are however still grouped together in their various areas of systems (mostly in long tall sections) in hydraulics, boost fuel pump switches, electrical, APU, air-conditioning, de-ice, bleed and all the various lighting switches.

The engine start is now the familiar GND-OFF-LOW IGN -FLT switches. The pedestal is almost identical to the B727 version except it is now for two engines and not three. In craftsman like work the pedestal can not really be bettered. It is sublime in detail and so real in operation you can't really believe it is only a computer generated image.

In the cockpits 3d world it is realistic in every form. Besides the beautifully crafted throttle levers there is the speed-brakes (with auto), park brake, engine fuel flow idle/cutoff's levers, stab trim (electric) and flap indicators for the outbound and Inbound flaps (0º, 2º, 5º, 15º, 20º, 25º, 30º and 40º settings). The radio is set out behind the pedestal below the three red fire handles (two for engines and one for the APU) and is very easy in operation. Just set you frequencies and flick a switch to make one or the other active. How easy can that be. Comm's and (early digital!) transponder are set out here as well.

Above the pedestal is an early weather radar that just shows the standard X-Plane weather images. Detailing on the rudder pedal's is to be admired. Like everything else here in the B732 cockpit they are extremely well crafted and designed. Missing from the radio panel however are the ADF knobs.

They are both (one each side) situated high up besides the throttle part of the pedestal, and have a three way setting that is excellent and very easy to tune. Powering up the Boeing 732 TwinJet Nothing is more exciting than bringing a machine to life. Certainly with a flying machine, and the B732 is no exception.

But first we have to set up the aircraft. There are four menu options on the middle-lower left of your screen - V/Card - WnB (Weights and Balances) - OP (Options) and INS.

We will start with the 'Weights and Balances' menu (manager). Here you can set all the aircraft's weights and fuel and passenger/cargo loads. And as you do so the system will calculate for you the correct number relating to the aircraft's status and also show you your CofG (Centre of Gravity).

The important number is your 'Max landing' number shown in red. Here I have made the aircraft quite heavy at 117988lbs but I have a fair distance to go so I will certainly be under the landing weight. Cleverly if you open the Vref menu (or V/Card) the Vref's are calculated for you correctly and so are the landing vRef's, note that if you change the flap degree the vRef will change as well to compensate. A more clever idea again.

Another note is that the landing speed is incorrect at this point because the aircraft's weight is wrong, this will change as you burn off the fuel or the weight. The other Menu item is the 'Options' card. Here you can set all your options in: Cold and Dark startup or Engines running (hot) and set the time to Zulu. Hide the yokes and set weights to Kg's and finally select if required the Ground Power and Air Cart (to start the engines).

Views and sound adjustments can also be adjusted. Weights and fuel set we can now power up the aircraft.

Battery on via the 'battery switch', You know that this does give the aircraft power but not for very long. You do have the Ground Power and Air Cart in the options menu to use. I found that in many instances they don't work? Or connect up to the aircraft, which is slightly annoying. You don't get a power cart or air cart either outside the aircraft which are now usually de rigueur with aircraft of this price category. Here at KDFW it does connect and you can connect up the power via the switch and turn the AC switch to GND/PWR. Another option is the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit), start it up via the switch and wait, the unit takes it time to warm up.

And then switch it over to APU/GEN on the A/C bus. Now ready to start the engines we can switch on the fuel pumps and hydraulics and the outside anti-collision beacons. The panel is 'if it is lit, it is not active' so as you do the start up the OHP should clear until all the lights go out. Here FlyJSim has done a brilliant amount of work to make the panel so authentic, in most cases we take it for granted by using it all the time.

But this is great work in that how you interact with the panel now is so real. APU to bleed and make sure the L & R Packs (air-con) are off and you are ready to turn on the engine switches to GND (start) if you are flying you then re-start via the FLT (start). As the engines power up then add in the fuel via the levers on the pedestal, and the rest of the engine start up is automatic. The engine gauges in the centre panel will spiral and note the conditions of the engine to the idle position. Then all you have to do now is clean up the OHP with turning on the aircraft electrics (buses), pitot heaters and when running at idle turn off the APU bleed and the (air-con) packs on. As they say 'A clean panel is a good panel' and you are good to go.

One other option is the INS menu. You can purchase the Delco Carousel IV-A Inertial Navigation System. Nicknamed 'CIVA', CIVA Navigation System for $US10.00 that is a basic navigation system that can give automatic navigation of up to 9 waypoints. (you can load X-Plane.fms plans) and it can be used in the FlyJSim B727 as well as other aircraft of that era. Well worth the addition cost. The JT8D's are whining now outside, sounds are excellent and 3d in rotation of the aircraft and has the 'Realistic Sound' engine provided by DreamEngine & Turbine Sound Studio sounds.

These early engines are noisy and smoky, but you certainly miss today the futuristic missile look of those long engine pods, beautifully done here. They just were not what the future turned out to be. The original engine nacelles incorporated thrust reversers taken from the 727 outboard nacelles.

Unfortunately they proved to be relatively ineffective and apparently tended to lift the aircraft up off the runway when deployed. This reduced the downforce on the main wheels thereby reducing the effectiveness of the wheel brakes. In 1968, an improvement to the thrust reversal system was introduced. A 48-inch tailpipe extension was added and new, target-style, thrust reversers were incorporated.

The thrust reverser doors were set 35 degrees away from the vertical to allow the exhaust to be deflected inboard and over the wings and outboard and under the wings.[ The improvement became standard on all aircraft after March 1969, and a retrofit was provided for active aircraft. This accounts for the odd angle of the thrust reverser doors and the very long tail pipe, but the main reason was that in thrust reversal deployment the original B727 version would actually lift the aircraft off the runway on landing!

The undercarriage is excellent as well, great linkages, legs, tyres and animation. The engines hide most of the work, but it is worth checking out. The wings are very similar to the B727 in forward leading edge slats (inner and outer) and the seven position trailing edge flaps. Wing and flap detailing is overwhelming and work to be admired, certainly in the powering out of those flap extensions. The landing light pops out under the wing(s) as well on the flap runners, the lower the flap position then the lower and change of angle of the landing light. Great detailing. Flying The Boeing 732 On the options menu you have a pushback built in.

No truck outside but the aircraft will pushback when the brakes are off and you press the pushback tab. It moves a little to quickly for me, and turning is via the rudders. Brake to stop and disconnect the pushback. A final check of the takeoff vRef charts shows me my markers, note that vR (rotate) is vR (vRef) +15knts, the bugs will call out the vRef's as you pass them (you get the landing heights as well) which is very authentic. A last check of the gauges at the hold and when cleared the B732 is on the KDFW runway 17R. Power goes up but the JT8D's take a little while to build up the thrust, once there the push is long and quite powerful, the noise builds as well into that unmuffeted roar. Vr and you only need a light pull back of the stick to get airborne, once clear of the runway and you are heading slightly to the right and you can feel the great central balance of the aircraft in the yoke, the aircraft is just under MTW, but the B732 feels very good and turns and climbs without much drama.

Boeing pilots note it was always the best handling version of the B737 series, and here you can quickly feel why. In this era it was mostly VOR to VOR navigation, with a few NDB's thrown in for good measure.

If you have the mentioned CIVA then you have a flightplan to fly to, If not then the navigation come down to you. It is best to be well prepared with the correct headings and VOR/NDB frequencies at hand.

I found like with the B727 that the VOR's can be a little slow coming on line sometimes. NDB's seem to be slightly better for giving out the right direction.

It helps here that the NDB knobs are in a great place just down to your right (pilot's side, left Co-Pilot) so I found I used them more in the B732. You want to fly the B732 by hand all the way to your destination as the B732 is so easy on you. But the autopilot is very good as well, if not excellent. You do wonder if change does make system better. In this case the A/P is so simple but so powerful you wonder why they had to change it. The Sperry SP-77 (option version) is a brilliant bit of kit. As you are already pitching in your correct angle, you will notice the pitch knob is following you, engage the autopilot via the big switches and the aircraft just holds the pitch!

Select the altitude you want (8500ft transition) and click on the ALT HOLD on the top of the A/P panel. Make sure the IAS-OFF-ALT HOLD switch is in the off position (It should be already) and the aircraft will then climb and level out to the selected height. Want to hold any altitude then flick the switch to ALT HOLD. Note: that to change the pitch (climb or descend) you have to OFF the ALT HOLD first. The pitch is analog so you have to be aware that it won't go back to dead centre when leveling off, It seems to wander around, in that you set it correctly on the straight and level, you could however be descending down (or up) a little.

The pitch is also a little big in its click settings as well, A click up or down and you are going 400ft, a second click is nearer 2000ft in pitch, you really need more intermediate settings to get a finer pitch adjustment. But overall the pitch system is excellent in just turn the knob (ALT HOLD off) and up or down you go.

You have to click on a separate switch to activate the heading mode, and the Flight Director (FLT-DIR) switch as well, then the aircraft will turn to the heading bug. You can adjust the heading bug on the A/P panel and on the heading instrument as well for ease of use. In fact it is good to note that most adjustments have two sets of manipulators, arrows and curves and both work fine to what you like to use best. The VOR needle will note your direction and the distance is shown in the lower display. The aircraft will climb very easily but don't over stress the engines (they will burn out), keep everything well with in the green or with just a little yellow if required on the dials. As noted you don't need to stress the aircraft even while it is still quite heavy. I am flying quite high at FL350 and only 500ft under the service ceiling, That will cost me a little in a fuel penalty, but still better than the stronger winds just below.

At altitude the aircraft is nice and clean everywhere (OHP is nice and blank) and I only have to watch the navigation points. The route took me down the east coast of Mexico as far as Corpus Christi. The Boeing 737-200 could not operate over water as there was no ETOPS (Extended range Twin Operations) allowed in the 60's and 70's in fact only one B732 was made certifiable. Most 2-engined jets were restricted by the 60-minute rule. So I kept a visual sight to the coast all the way down before heading out to cross the coast at Campeche.

Liveries You get seven liveries with the aircraft and unlike the B727 there will be no livery packs for the B732. A paintkit is coming.

All liveries are excellent, but a few more American based liveries would have been nice. The Westjet is the best on the aircraft, the KLM is good as well. Also I checked and there was no hull fatigue cracks on the Aloha. So you are safe there.

Night-lighting The cockpit lighting in HDR is gorgeous and yet you only have two adjusters in behind the dials and a flood up high. But you can find that perfect lighting setting and just the dials for landing in the dark. There are two fully adjustable spot lights overhead either side of the OHP. Turn on at night with the switches by the captain left side you can illuminate almost anything, the lighting detailing and reflection is amazingly good. Beacon, navigation, tail (logo) and strobe lighting is very good, but the cabin windows are dark and not lit making the aircraft a black hole at night, FlyJSim says this will be fixed in the update.

Landing at Cancun You have to watch your speed on the descent. Pulling back the throttles means losing the power, but the aircraft will still gather speed as it descends. So allow for a period of space to get the speed corrected just under 200knts before your final approach. Yes you can use the speed-brakes but most pilot's pride themselves on not doing so, however sometimes you have no choice if you stay at the cruising altitude to long. The speed can be controlled though but don't expect it to recover until the aircraft is absolutely level again, and then the speed falls off quickly. You will again find the handling of the aircraft to your wishes while manoeuvring the aircraft though the turn to the heading of the airport and switch the A/P back on to use the near perfect VOR alignment to the runway for Cancun MMUN's runway 12R.

Be careful though as RWY12L is noted and displayed, but it does not exist in reality? So don't select that one unless you want to land on the grass. Be careful of the speedbrake arm as it doesn't click into a position, only a green light on the panel shows you it is armed. Autobrakes are set to MED.

Coming in close to the airport I recheck my land vRef card at 30º flap I can use 126knts, which is very slow. As the flaps go down each notch you need to work the throttles to keep the aircraft from not going into the stall while still losing off the speed. I settled at 130knts going into the ILS system and the really slow approach allows you the one thing you never get in big jets. One thing noticeable was that it was also in the daylight back at Dallas are the strong light reflections from the panel.

Here on approach with the setting sun behind me some parts of the panel were blanked out, it is authentic no doubt, but it makes you work just that a little bit harder. At 130knts your ride over the runway keys is very slow and the B732 giving you all the time in the world to position the aircraft down on the tarmac right where you want it. No autoland here either, so watch that float.

Those wonderful clamshell engine reverser doors bang into place and start the pushing out thrust to slow your speed, but they are not nowhere near as powerful as today's powerful reversers, so don't rely totally on them to slow you down. Power off and you are in the pace taxi mode and clean up the aircraft ready for the exit to the taxiway. X-Plane's HDR lighting is great on the ground. Strobes, strobe brightly and red and green nav lights illuminate the runway, you have four landing lights that can all be turn on with a flick of a small panel behind all the switches.

There are also taxiway turning lights and a turning front wheel position taxi light. All lights illuminate the areas around the aircraft to making taxiing at night one of the best and easiest yet. (hard to do in X-Plane) only the RWY turn taxi-lighting is a little dim at the source, the actual lighting is however fine. A taxi to the bay and the flight distance was 1114nm, Fuel was getting low as well with that high altitude at just over 5000lbs left. But a shutdown and connection to EXT Power and the aircraft was ready for the morning return to KDFW. Summary The Boeing 732 will be certainly compared to the FlyJSim Boeing 727 Series. If you liked the B727 then you will certainly want the B732 and you won't be disappointed.

In quality and detail they are exactly the same. The B727 was a bit of a drama queen, but then that is what you really loved about the aircraft. The B732 is a more neutral flying aircraft and is really more composed in balance compared to its bigger sibling. The B732 feels smaller than the B727 and in that context you may feel your not getting as much aircraft even though you are paying less (there was three variants as well for the B727 with the full series).

But that will be missing the point. There is really not much to slip between both aircraft, They would really depend on your mood in that if you want to wrestle an aircraft (B727) or if you would just want a good no-nonsense aircraft (B732) that is very nice to fly over a continental distance, and both have a time and a place and both aircraft hark back to an era in that when aircraft were in a period of a glorious adventure and breaking aviation records. If you have flown the B727 then you will easily slip into the left or right seat of the B732 and feel right at home. If you are new to these FlyJSim 60's era aircraft, then yes there is a bit of a system's and operation's learning curve, but the results are well worth the effort. All aircraft systems including: Air systems - Anti-Ice - Autopilot(SP77) - Com/Nav radios - Electrical - Fire protection - Hydraulics - Fuel - Weather radar - Warning systems and cockpit call outs are fully active.

There are a few more benefits with the B732, the Sperry Autopilot is a gem to use and not hidden away behind the throttles (B727) but right there where it should be on the glareshield. The lighting (except for no cabin lighting?) is excellent and the whole aircraft is so well put together in every area. You don't get a lot of extra features with FlyJSim aircraft, but you do get quality and great flying machines. And the Boeing is certainly a great if not a sensational aircraft to fly and great overall value. The Boeing 732 TwinJet from FlyJSim update is now available from the new X-Plane.Org Store here: Boeing 732 TwinJet - Price is US$47.00 _____________________________________________________________________________________ Installation and documents: Download is 294.40meg and the aircraft is deposited in the 'Heavy Aircraft' X-Plane folder at 381.80 meg and requires a key-code for activation. Note: If you have purchased the xCIVA navigation package it goes in the B732 aircraft 'plugin' folder and not in the X-Plane plugin folder. There are three documents covering the aircraft: - Designed by FlyJSim (Jack Skieczius and Joe Vermeulen) Developer Site: FlyJSim Dev Support: FlyJSim Support Review By Stephen Dutton 30th May 2014 Small note: in that the actual review was conducted in X-Plane version 10.25, I also flew the aircraft in the b10.30b1 to check for any differences (there was none and the frame-rate was excellent in both versions) a few of the images however were taken in b10.30b1 to check out the clouds.

In frame-rate it is worth noting that if you switch off the 'draw per pixel lighting' which highlights textures you will gain 30frames! The aircraft will look slightly plainer outside, but 30frames is still 30frames. And yes I know that Southwest Airlines fly from Dallas Love Field and not KDFW, but there is sadly no KDAL scenery in X-Plane? _____________________________________________________________________________________ Technical Requirements: Windows, MAC or Linux X-Plane 10.20 or higher - 32 and 64 bit compatible. X-Plane 9 is not supported Recommended: 1+ GB of VRAM, and 8+ GB of system memory Current version: 1.0 ( v1.1405.1025 ) - Last updated May 28th 2014 Review System Specifications: Computer System: - 2.66 Ghz Intel Core i5 iMac 27” - 6 Gb 1067 Mhz DDR3 - ATI Radeon HD 4850 512mb Software: - Mac OS Mavericks 10.9.2 - X-Plane 10 Global ver 10.25 (final) - Hi rez planet textures from ISDG - Hi-Res Runway textures by Jack Skieczius Addons - Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle Scenery - KDFW - Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport by Brian Godwin (X-Plane.org) - MMUN - Cancun International Airport Mexico by 5171 (X-Plane.org) • • •.

Happy Birthday!: X-Plane Reviews is One Year Old. X-Plane Reviews is now One Year old today and counting. This time just only a year ago we were sitting here facing a completely empty site. Nothing except the challenge ahead. And we have exceeded even our own expectations, but without X-Plane's constant evolution and expansion then we could not have reported and reviewed so much in such a short time. Without doubt the biggest surprise over the year was certainly the amount of releases and projects that have filled these posts.

We expected busy times but also the many quiet times and they never seemed to come to pass, as releases are now almost year round and average about one every two weeks, with a very large project release about every three months. Above that is simply the high quality of these releases, many are simply extraordinary in quality and features and there are very, very few that don't come up to mark. So every review was pushed higher and higher as the months went by in every area in features and quality that really any purchase today is not going to fail your expectations or live up to your investment into the simulator. The amount of releases can also push your own boundaries in that there is so much to absorb and then learn as the ideas and features are sometimes quite complex, but still need to be dissected and then explained so everyone can understand and get the very best from the project. In most cases what you see on the site posts is only a quarter that we do behind the scenes to post the very best information to you. I don't do all this by myself and I have a big thanks to Adrian, Wycliffe and Joe for their invaluable contribution and mostly giving their valuable time to post on this review site over the past year. More people to thank is Nicolas Taureau from the X-Plane.OrgStore that gives us the support and quick updates to bring you the latest reviews almost as they are released.

To Dan Klaue who can explain things that are simply unexplainable (To me anyway) and to the amazing developers that have created the amazing world we fly in and let us bring their efforts and skills to our reviews. So we start another year, and still there will be more and more great projects that will excite us and to be explored and reviewed. And X-Plane will continue to become one of the very best simulators ever released and we are living and enjoying the journey that will continue well into the future.

Its been an amazing ride to date and it won't slow down anytime soon. And most of all is our thanks to you the users for joining us and giving us the great feedback that is required to run sites like these, this is your site more than anything and the best place to get the best reviews in X-Plane. And to celebrate our first anniversary X-Plane Reviews is going to run a Competition! Prizes are in no order of a: FlightFactor/Vmax Boeing 777 Worldliner Professional FlightFactor/Vmax Boeing Aircraft:757 Professional SSG/Vmax Boeing Aircraft:747-8i Advanced Details and conditions will be posted on the Competition post, So get in and have a chance to win one of the most significant aircraft that has been released in X-Plane over the last two years.

Stephen Dutton 1st August 2014 • • •. The Dash is on sale now and again and certainly worth the purchase, I flew it only on the weekend and it is so good. No we have not reviewed it and yes we will do so.

When we started last year a big part of the plan was to go into the back catalogue and relove the best and bring them out to show why and how good they still are. In that list is the Dash Q400, C-17 and the CRJ200, and X-Plane Reviews will certainly cover them in the next few months.

The biggest surprise was that how little time we had to do this between current releases. We covered a few but we will try to move more very soon. Freeware Releases Roundup September 2013: Skyhawk A4 - Falcon7X - Airbus A380 In late August and September 2013 we had a really huge choice of quality “freeware” aircraft released. You could say be spoilt for choice in the range and high quality workmanship that became available on the.Org. Of the releases I have picked three of the best to have a fly around and comment on in the Skyhawk A4, Falcon 7X and Riviere’s Airbus A380. Douglas A-4 Skyhawk 1.7 This version was designed by Ben Harber, aka Mid7night and was for sale on the X-Plane.OrgShop site. But now the aircraft has been decommissioned by Nicolas Taureau and put up for freeware on the.Org downloads.

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later by McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D under the U.S. Navy’s pre-1962 designation system. The Skyhawk is a light-weight aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 24,500 pounds (11,100 kg) and has a top speed of more than 600 miles per hour (970 km/h). The aircraft’s five hard-points support a variety of missiles, bombs and other munitions and was capable of delivering nuclear weapons using a low altitude bombing system and a “loft” delivery technique.

The A-4 was originally powered by the Wright J65 turbojet engine; from the A-4E onwards, the Pratt & Whitney J52 was used. The Navy issued a contract for the type on 12 June 1952, and the first prototype first flew from Edwards Air Force Base, California on 22 June 1954. Deliveries to Navy and Marine Corps squadrons (to VA-72 and VMA-224 respectively) commenced in late 1956. The Skyhawk remained in production until 1979, with 2,960 aircraft built, including 555 two-seat trainers. The last production A-4, an A-4M of Marine squadron (VMA-223) had the flags of all nations that operated the A-4 painted on its fuselage sides. A-4 Skyhawks played key roles in the Vietnam War, the Yom Kippur War, and the Falklands War (Argentina).

There are four versions of the A-4 available in the 107.60mb download package. Blue Angels - flight demonstration squadron.

It was formed in 1946. And the A - 4F Skyhawk was the demonstrator aircraft between December 1974 – November 1986. The aircraft design is very good and well done but it is now showing its design age in the modeling and liveries department. The cockpit (on all versions) is 3d and very well created with an opening canopy and dropping tail hook. On the Blue Angels aircraft you can pick your own number on the tail by changing the liveries. A-4F Jester - The aircraft of “TOP GUN” fame. Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) training brought on with the establishment of the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) in 1969, the availability of A-4 Skyhawks in both the Instrument RAGs and Composite Squadrons at the master jet bases presented a ready resource of the nimble Skyhawks that had become the TOPGUN preferred surrogate for the MiG-17.

Here the air-brakes are activated with split wing and fuselage opening air-brakes. Lady Jessie - Recreation of historical aircraft. This is the Naval version of the Skyhawk, with the humpback blister and wing fuel tanks. The tanks were designed for a wheels up landing, and most Skyhawks carried them. Note - the excellent forward leading edge spoiler, and the air-brake/flap arrangement that drops down under the wing. BAE - Recreation of experimental model.

You can feel how agile this aircraft was to fly, you are just a finger and thumb on the stick and it will just maneuver by just your light touch and feel. No wonder pilots could feel part as one with the aircraft and the reason for its longevity and success. If you like killing things you can arm the cannons and fire away, but your supplies don’t last very long. Overall a great aircraft and one savor and now available for a free download: Douglas A-4 Skyhawk 1.7 Dassault Falcon7X The Falcon7X by after, Won the 'Best Aircraft of September' on the.Org monthly Poll. This is a great version of the Personal Jet that is almost payware quality. It is not a completely new file but an updated version for X-Plane10 from v9.510. The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, long range business jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation.

It is the first fully fly-by-wire business jet. It is also equipped with the same avionics suite, the Honeywell Primus EPIC “Enhanced Avionics System” (EASy), that was used on the Falcon 900EX and later on the Falcon 2000EX. The Falcon 7X is notable for its extensive use of computer-aided design, the manufacturer claiming it to be the “first aircraft to be designed entirely on a virtual platform” using Dassault Systemes’ CATIA and PLM products. It is also unusual in having an S-duct central engine, and is one of only two trijets currently in production, the other being the Dassault Falcon 900. It was also the first production Falcon jet to offer winglets.

First Flight was on the 5 May 2005, The first 7X, MSN05, entered service on June 15, 2007. Maximum speed: 953 km/h (515 knots, 593 mph), Cruise speed: 900 km/h (486 knots, 559 mph), Range: 11,000 km (5,940 nm)8 passengers, Service ceiling: 14935 m (51,000 ft) At first glance the Falcon 7X feels like a very good payware project. It was updated from the v9 aircraft and quite considerably so for X-Plane10. Outwardly the design work is excellent and the modeling is first-rate.

The cockpit (3d) is excellent and very functional, the centre console is as good as anything else and well detailed. Most of the upgrade work has centred on the displays and systems, and the central display is fully functional. Quite comprehensive in their detail are the center screens, the lower upper tabbed screen shows you your Nav, Trim, Engine, Electrical, Bleed, ECS and Failure options. The lower screens main layout is your FMS settings and Navigation Inputs. And then Fuel status and consumption.

The next two tabs are the same as the upper screen in Engine and Trim and finally there are three MAP/GPS positions in MAP, FR (France) and USA (Local). The systems are quite deep in operation and the aircraft is excellent just for these systems alone. The Cabin is well fitted out as well with club seating and tables (a, la, Challenger 300) and the front door opens back on Terra Firma. It flies very well as well.

Nice to the controls, fast with an enormous range of which you can cross any ocean or continent and in all counts it is an excellent aircraft. But the Falcon7X doesn’t reach payware quality yet, as it just falls short. But however this is a project still in progress and still bound for payware and to reach that goal then some issues will have to be reviewed.

Like the main cockpit panels are a mixture of sharp and fuzzy labeling that annoys after awhile. You would put up with this in XP8 or XP9 for payware, but you want to feel it needs to be better than it is, even now with such a lot of considerable detailing and screen functionality already completed. The outer aircraft design are parts beautifully done (like the leading edge and rear flaps systems), but let down by the poor tires that make the aircraft wobble as it taxi’s around the taxiways and the lighting shows through the panel work.

The Falcon7X displays the differences of quality that is needed to become payware, the gap is “oh so small” but it is still a gap to be crossed and as a lot of the work already completed by “after” does show the quality is in there to bridge that gap - It just needs that final polish and realism touches to be a really worthy contender. You can download the: Falcon 7X V9.510 for X-Plane V10.22 Here. Airbus A380 If you have been around X-Plane for a few or so years the name Christian Riviere will be well known to you. In fact Christian’s work is significant and varied throughout many versions of the X-Plane simulator.

So when he releases any aircraft it will certainly catch your attention as his skills are very well regarded. The surprise is that it is the Airbus A380, Yes Christian Riviere has done airliners before but they tended to be iconic aircraft and old propeller dogs from the 1950’s. But lately he has gone all modern Airbussy in the A350XWB and now the big daddy in the A380. The outside modeling on the A380 is superb, with a high 3d quality that is very well crafted and detailed. From this aspect it is payware quality and very well done.

Detailing in the engines (Wide chord fans are excellent) and well created and detailed landing gear. Flap arrangement is also very well done and so are the leading edge spoilers.

And comes with a great selection of liveries: Emirates, Air France, British airways, China southern, Korean air, Lufthansa, Malaysia airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Thai. The doors open and inside there is a first class section with chairs and fittings. And then we will get to the cockpit. I will admit I have had many hours on A380’s in X-Plane. The best at the start was the EOLE-CREATION & VALERIAN BAYLE version which was not half bad and quite well done. But you soon realised it was not configured correctly in the fact it would not fly over 33,000ft and a stopover for fuel was required (LON-SIN) in Chennai to fly the last leg to Changi did not look good on the copybook. Peter’s (Aircraft) A380-800 is the deal to have, but it is costly (cheaper now than when I purchased it), but you soon understood why you have to pay for quality.

If you follow Peter’s (extensive) guidelines, you soon become quite proficient because the basics are correct. And that is an important point to note, because if you hit the correct targets (height/weight/speeds) and the aircraft does what it is supposed to do, then you fly and learn much better. In other words “good data in” will produce “good data out” by your flying skills. If the aircraft tuning is not correct then you have “bad data in” and so “bad data out” in the fact the aircraft won’t do what it should do in the real world. Here Peter’s A380 excels because if you look at the real world data, the aircraft will hit those numbers perfectly (The low and approach speeds are simply outstanding) and flying these big A380’s is more an art form than a sum of total procedures, so if the numbers are right then you can fly them closer to the mark. The art in motion part is that this aircraft is very heavy, and flying long distances means getting the weight and climb performance right, 33,000ft is the go to number before losing weight to go higher.

Running the Riviere A380 version the same procedures as Peter’s A380 version out of London (to Frankfurt) and at first it feels the same, but then it does not. No doubt that flying Peter’s Aircraft demands very precise points in the changes in speeds (you can set it to auto/FBW, but that is missing the fun) and V/S, so you are very busy in there compared to the Riviere version. For a start Riviere’s version is really only the default X-Plane cockpit setup, no FBW (Fly-By-Wire) or Airbus Logic Law.

And the cockpit layout is very different from the real aircraft. Riviere's A380 Cockpit version Peter's Aircraft A380 Cockpit version If fact Riviere's cockpit feels really odd, the shape and the front windows is more Concorde with the visor down than an Airbus, The panel is crammed together and not very wide either? The basic controls are all there, but most of the detail is missing and the overhead panel is a standard Riviere item of a photo background with a few switches on it. Jumping over to Peter’s version and it feels like home again. All the switch gear is correctly placed and works.

The wide windows feels far more realistic, but the much needed wipers are still missing (they are on the 2d cockpit, but are very poor). The only really frustrating annoyance is the (mostly the Autopilot) manipulators are impossible to find, I have missed many an approach in just trying to adjust my speed? Drives me simply nuts. But there is a difference in style. The Riviere version is not bad in many aspects, from climb to the FL330 ceiling but it is in the subtle differences you notice the more tighter programming that makes the difference if you are doing a serious simulation profile. Leaving London (EGGL) I ran both versions at MTW over the same route. At VOR “CLN” moving into the serious point of the climb (I call it the “lift”) the Riviere version is struggling to keep it’s speed and the V/S (Vertical/Speed) is down to 1200fpm.

Peter’s version however is at the correct speed (285knts) and lifting at V/S 1600fpm with ease and with plenty of power in reserve (N1 is at 61%). Past 25,000ft I usually pull the A380 into a climb of 500fpm and reducing it down again to 300fpm as the climb goes past FL300. With a full load you have to adjust for wind strength with the V/S and watch for the limits before the nose starts to stall. Landing at EDDF (Frankfurt) I found Riviere’s A380 hard to perform at slow speeds and worse it wouldn’t turn past the 5º turn angle to align for runway (top). (odd because it would turn correctly at other points).

And I missed the approach by a (country) mile and then had to do a complete (slow) 180º turn to realign with the runway. The speed dropped away badly as well and the A380 came close to a stall. Flying into EDDF (from the opposite direction) Peter’s version (lower) was rock solid on 185knts, and the degree turn was directly in line to the correct approach alignment. And the aircraft was so much more precise on how it performed.

The question is “Is it fair to compare a Freeware aircraft with an expensive Payware Aircraft”? Well really “no” is the answer. But the point is this is simulation and the aim is recreate the aircraft’s systems and its flying abilities. There is no doubt that Christian Riviere has done a really great piece of work with his A380, but the constraints of just using the default X-Plane tools to build the aircraft shows in the performance, and you really miss those FBW systems.

And that is the interesting part because Airbus Aircraft are built around these complex logic systems and that at the end of the day is what you pay for when buying a payware version of an aircraft. You can download Rivere's A380: Airbus A380-800 for XP9.70 Here.

(43.31MB download) You can buy Peter's Aircraft A380: Airbus A380 X-Plane.OrgShop. Here - Price is US$59.95 Stephen Dutton 4th October 2013 • • •. Ibm Lexmark Wheel Writer 3500 Manual on this page. You have to log your IP address (computer) into the X-Plane Menu - NET Connections/iPhone/iPad Page. And be on your Wi-Fi network. Then open your browser and put the IP address into your browser address bar.

And it should work (you may get a warning 'Allow Access', so you will have to 'Okay' that) I made the page into a 'Add To Home Screen' so it is there all the time on my desktop. If you want the full details on how to install they are in the 'DOCS' with the B777 - 'Remote - CDU - How To' SD • • •. Aircraft Update: Boeing 748i Intercontinental Advanced v1.04 by Supercritical Simulations Group (SSG) Route: VHHH (Hong Kong) to WSSS (SIngapore) Supercritical Simulations Group (SSG) has updated the Boeing 748i Intercontinental Advanced to version 1.04. The big news though is that the sale price has been kept on as the new entry price for the aircraft, so you get a whole lot more for a whole lot less. The price is now set at US$45.00. So what do we have in the SP3 v1.04 update? Quite a lot with first the new cockpit textures that does give the aircraft a quality glow in the cockpit.

My first reaction to the initial release aircraft was 'I don't think I could spend hours and hours in here', were the textures that bad? Well no not that bad but certainly not good enough for an aircraft of that price range.

Flying long, long hauls means spending a lot of time looking at things to keep the interest up, but overall it is more the feeling of how it felt sitting in there in a realistic environment, and in reality the B748i just didn't deliver. But it does now. The cockpit is now as good as any high end payware environments, it is frame rate friendly as well.

As has the external textures that been given another once over to refine them even more. Systems have also had more refinements as well, a lot has done behind the scenes, but others include hydraulic system AUX pump behavior and indications, bleed/pressurization behavior at cold and dark startup, electronic checklist, custom autobrake and anti-skid system logic, Improved ADF display, Improved VNAV (A lot of work there), Improved fuel consumption calculations and a lot of work on the FMC by FJCC (Javier Corte).

The FMC is now very good, but you will require a knowledge on how FMC's work to the very best out of it, there is always a bit of cleaning up to do to get the clean route you need, STARs are the worse. But once done it works very well, There is a trick on reloading a flightplan as well, and you will need to reset the SID /STAR at each end of the imported route. The biggest feeling that comes through with the B748i now is how well it does its job through the whole service route. The systems and procedures are uncannily smooth, from the moment you pull back on the yoke to set your pitch up, to the wheels touching the destinations runway. All aspects of the flight are overwhelmingly realistic, with lovely turns and manoeuvres right throughout the whole flight profile. In short is a very nice rewarding aircraft to fly, certainly if you really like the 'heavies'.

To see what the new v1,04 update feels like I flew the B748i from VHHH (Hong Kong) to WSSS (SIngapore), which is a short three hour hop for an aircraft like this, but it will still give you a feeling of what the aircraft is like in service. You can tow the aircraft around the ramps with the tow-truck (2 speeds - forward or pushback) and with that it is easy to manoeuvre this huge aircraft into the right bay, but watch stopping as the brakes don't work on the aircraft if the power is off. So it keeps on going. A GPU is also provided for external power, which is a very nice addition. Cargo doors open, but I don't like the open one and open all main passenger doors, so I keep them closed.

These items are all controlled by the menu (Pad?) on the left of the pilot. It can also allow you to set up the weight and passenger loads and another menu is great for loading in the correct fuel loads, either from a manual setting or from the FMC. When loading a fuel truck is now positioned below the left wing.

Note: you have to have the park brake on to use the fuel truck, I found that my keyboard setting for the park brake would let off the brake but not activate it? (not the custom SSG park_brake setting).

You can either use the Fuel Truck with the brake on and the push-back truck with the brake off. But not together. Setting up the FMC is easier because it pops out by pressing the F8 key. But I found an issue in the past with that I could type into the FMC directly from my keyboard, but everything else including my screen was frozen? It was a problem when usually when reloading in a flightplan in that I then annoyingly lost control of the aircraft, but could only type into the FMC? I found that if you pressed the white button on the top of the (popout) FMC then the left pad would show 'KEYS' to denote that you can then type in with the keyboard, press the same pad on the right side of the FMC and you get control back. Problem solved.

You are restricted to just the two airport ICAO ARR/DEST points on saving the flight-plan (VHHHWSSS). Which means if like me you can't designate say the runway or approach direction in the wording of the flight-plan if you have more than one plan for that route. As noted you have to add in the SID/STAR onto the installed route to finish it off, and the STARS can still be very messy and in need of cleaning up. This does take a little time out of setting up the aircraft. But once done and all the preferences for takeoff, cruise and landing are completed the FMC works very well. THE 'PROG' (flight Progress) page on the FMC is excellent, with updates (fuel) and distances to the next waypoint and final destination.

Startup of each engine on push-back will fill in the time for the long distance needed here on the push and the airport map on the MAP display is simply excellent for knowing (or learning) your route to the active runway (25R), to activate the airport layout just set the MAP distance to 5nm. Flaps are set to 10º and the excellent forward edge slats (rear flaps) are very well designed and animated to the that very efficient wing of the B748i. The aircraft needs a little shove of power to get all that weight moving and more power is required in any turns, but it is very easy to find the right taxi speed and considering the size of the aircraft it is easy to steer and place correctly on the taxiways, again the airport map display really helps. Power up and the aircraft tracks very nicely even with a little crosswind.

At 185knts I rotate and the pitch is very clean at 30º. Many aircraft at this point tend to porpoise a little on the climb out, but the 748i is rock solid. I had the LNAV selected so at 400ft when I engage the autopilot the aircraft hits the track perfectly and then curves to the left away from VHHH, Hong Kong.

My transition altitude is 7500ft ASL, so my climb is 2500fpm at 225knts. I found that taking it slow is the route with heavy, heavies like the Boeing 747 (A380) and the B748i is simply wonderful in the turns and the climb to the trans altitude. When there I cleaned the aircraft up and set the speed a little higher to 280knts and start the climb to 30,000ft at 1700fpm. You do need to do a lot of homework in setting these aircraft up for routes and weight settings. SSG provide you will full sets of tables and performance data in their 'SSG 747-8 Advanced FCOM' manual and there is a 'SSG 747-8 Advanced Quick Start Guide' and 'SSG 748-i Normal Checklist' as well. There is a 'SSGCUSTOMLIST' for setting your keyboard input directly to the plug-in.

At FL300 I increased the speed to.82m and stepped up to my final altitude of FL350 over the next 400nm. You can see an excellent clock and timer on the menu display that also gives you an update on your fuel flow and gross weight. So how far have we come? Those images (above) were the original release images and the current aircraft cockpit (below) is certainly a far, far better place for flying in now. So much work has gone into this aircraft in the last six months and the credit goes to SSG in what has been overwhelmingly achieved. We have listed the liveries many times before in the updates and release reviews. So I will note the extra liveries now also available to the B748i.

The Delta is superb and I like the British Airways (BA flies the B748F Cargo version), The Air Force One replacement looks great as well and there is the German Lufthansa World Cup (Winners) livery. The Cathay Pacific 'Asia World City' livery I flew in this update is excellent as well, and SSG have released for all your oil rich top 1% in world monetary reserves a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) that you can play tennis in the sky on. Liveries supplied include: KLM, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Air China, Air Force One, Boeing Sunrise, Boeing Blue. Frame-rate now is very good considering the huge size of the aircraft in X-Plane, it will even on my machine run with the 10.30 clouds (tested here) and still have a bit of head room.

Only issue is that this big people mover flies mostly from huge mega city to huge mega city, and that means One very large custom scenery to another very large custom scenery. So adding one very large aircraft to a very large custom scenery is always going to really test your graphic chip. Dropping the textures will help a little, but you can get away with it. In the air the aircraft looks simply amazing. As noted it will do lovely sweeping turns at waypoints and click off the NM with ease. Closer to Singapore the weather deteriorated as I came down to 7500ft ASL, you have a great target line to give you the exact point you want to be at a certain height on the MAP display.

Note the excellent independent duel MAP displays for both Pilot and Co-Pilot, you can set one on the ILS - APP and the other still on the PLN (Flight-plan) display and a glance over will give you all the approach information you require. Rain started early and you have great water effects, but they come on at 250knts which is too high a speed. The aircraft is very good in low speeds, but you have to watch the drop in the speed zone between 20º flap and 25º flap position as the speed is to fall from well over 200knt to around 185knts and you have to cater for that, but even at that low speed the aircraft is as steady as a rock turn to the approach vector. On final's just before collecting the ILS you now have 30º flap and 175knt and reducing the speed down to a very handy 155knts when in the ILS. The aircraft was a very fast 180knts in the early days, but the adjustments now means that 155knt approach speed is acceptable. I collected the ILS at 1700ft, 'Too Low', well I always like a low collection to keep the speed in check.

On landing the reversers kick in well but the nose was very slow to come down on the tarmac. Directly ahead it might be, but it took too long for me. Again the airport layout of WSSS on the MAP display was excellent in finding the right gate to park the aircraft. Parked up and the power GPU attached I looked back at a successful fulfilling flight. Summary I evaluate my flying on how well I performed in every aspect of the flight, how I interact with the aircraft and how I handled it over the service. The issue is the situation that is it the aircraft that not quite perfect that makes you make slight mistakes.

Or did you make those minor mistakes that add up to a poor flight. The evaluation is not just your performance but also the aircraft's or the designers/developer of the aircraft you are flying. In other words you are looking for the perfect simulation, that perfect integration of you and the aircraft together. To get that perfection or as close to the real world in performance you practise and evaluate at every step on what or where you fly.

But the aircraft has to right as well for you to achieve both goals. You sit back as the aircraft winds down and evaluate your flight and you can have several answers, It was perfect, It was okay with a few minor mistakes or that was a 'Complete disaster'. In most cases it is the middle line that you achieve, but your aim is still 'perfect', and most times you do achieve some sort of perfection or professionalism in what you are doing, and remember these are very complicated machines to operate correctly and to the numbers.

Overall it comes down to 'That was really, really good, I am very happy with that' (Performance). So how does that relate to the SSG Boeing 748i? The aircraft is now extremely good and on par with the B777 and the B757 from FlightFactor and FlyJSim's twin 60's Boeings the B722/732. It flies extremely well, and does all the profiles right on the numbers, but more importantly it feels right, and it feels very good.

Nothing is totally perfect, but then neither is the B777/757 as well.So if you like heavies then the SSG B748i certainly should be part of your fleet, It is nothing like the release version from before Christmas 2013. And it is now stocked with features. Better still the price is lower as well so your buck now goes both ways. Great value and a great deal.

Yes it is and a great aircraft to master as well. Stephen Dutton Installation. Download is 191.40mb (expanding to 515.50mb on disk).

Just drop into your Aircraft folder and the activation (key) is required. The SSG Boeing 748i International Advanced is now Available from the X-Plane.OrgShop: Boeing 747-8 Inter Advanced The v1.4 update is free to all users that have already purchased the SSG - B748I Adv (check-in at your account at the X-Plane.OrgStore) Price is US$45.00 Developer Site: Supercritical Simulations Group (SSG) Support Forum: SSG Boeing 748i Advanced.org[ Update By Stephen Dutton 25 July 2014 ©copyright 2014: Stephen Dutton Technical Requirements: Windows XP or Windows Vista or Windows 7 / 8 (32 or 64 bits) or MAC OS 10.7. Sorry not compatible with Linux X-Plane 10 fully updated. 32 or 64 bit. (X-Plane 9 not supported) 4GB RAM/512 MB VRAM (8GB RAM and 1GB VRAM Highly Recommended) Current version: 1.04 (Service Pack 3) - last updated July 17th 2014 SP3 - Version 1.04 update details: - All-new cockpit textures - Enhanced external textures and normals - Fixed EEC in cold and dark start mode - Electrical drive disconnect capability added - Improved hydraulic system AUX pump behavior and indications.

- Fixed the bleed/pressurization behavior at cold and dark startup - Added advisory regarding the yaw dampers - Working electronic checklist - Enhanced custom autobrake and anti-skid system logic that works well with hardware pedals - Added “UP” indicator for flaps on the PFD speed tape - Added slip/skid indicator to PFD - Changed some light annunciator behavior. X-Plane 10: Japanese HD v2 scenery by AlpilotX Alpilotx has released the next area to be given the HD (High-Definition) treatment for ground mesh. The area that gets the full treatment is Japan. The coverage now of v2 HD scenery is getting quite comprehensive in X-Plane 10 as the download map now shows. HD scenery includes a lot of improvements in: Water features (lakes, rivers, coastline), roads, railroads, power lines, improved urban zoning and urban park areas, it also includes line rivers from OSM (not just polygons as before) tagged waterway/rivers. With some new classes added (in many regions), like: moraines, riverbeds, mining/dump sites and has added differentiation between ice (perennial) and snow (more temporal) to have an even more detailed representation of mountains. The Japanese scenery also has the updated OSM data (Japan received a very big update trough government sponsored data) and vastly improved landclass data (© JAXA) with additional tree lines.

You need to add in the new tree lines because it doesn't add in European/American farms that now dot our landscapes. So what does the Super Improved HD scenery look like. AlpilotX has supplied some before (default) and after (High-Definition) v2 images. Default v2 High-Definition The differences are quite significant, and well worth having, to note High-Definition will put more loads on your computer because of the detailing, they are also a much higher download. The whole series can now also be downloaded via DVD disks with a fee via fspilotshop.com, cost is at this point US$39.95 and alpilotX has noted the Japanese scenery will be added to the collection (Note: The price might go up slightly to cover the extra disks) You can download all the HD v2 scenery at Flightsim or via a file mirror from ISDG or if for the brave via BitTorrent (see AlpilotX site).

But don't forget to download the Japanese trees extension: (both files!) And alpilotX has done a tutorial on how to install the v2 scenery correctly: All HD scenery is well worth the (heavy) downloads and don't forget to donate to the cause on alpilotX site: www.alpilotx.net Stephen Dutton 24th July 2014 Copyright©2014: X-Plane Reviews • •. Aircraft Release: C195 Businessliner by Alabeo Alabeo has released the Cessna 195 that was manufactured by Cessna between 1947 and 1954.The 195 was the first Cessna airplane to be completely constructed of aluminum and features a cantilever wing, similar to the pre-war Cessna 165 from which it is derived.

The wing planform differs from later Cessna light aircraft in that it has a straight taper from root chord to tip chord and no dihedral. He 190/195 fuselages are large in comparison to other Cessna models because the 42' diameter radial engine had to be accommodated upfront. There are two rows of seats: two individual seats in the first row, with a comfortable space between them and up to three passengers can be accommodated on a bench seat in the second row. The C195 is powered by a Jacobs R-755-A2 engine of 300 hp (225 kW) and the engine was first certified on 12 June 1947 The aircraft come with a full feature list that includes: - HD Textures - Superb material shines and reflections. - Volumetric side view prop effect - Dynamic propeller shines effect.

- High quality 3D model and textures. - Blank texture for creating your own designs.

- Accurately flight characteristics - With/without fairings option Quality is as expected from Alabeo the aircraft is absolutely excellent. Included is: 4 hd liveries 1 Blank texture Normal Procedures PDF Performance tables PDF Quick Reference PDF NOTE: This aircraft is only for X-Plane 10.21 (or higher) Technical Requirements: Windows XP or Windows Vista or Windows 7 (32 or 64 bits) or MAC OS 10.6 (or higher) or Linux X-Plane 10.21 (or higher) Pentium 2 GHz - 4GB RAM/512 MB VRAM 104MB available hard disk space Price is noted as US$22.95 For more information then go to Alabeo: C195 Businessliner Stephen Dutton 16th July 2014 Copyright©2014: X-Plane Reviews All images supplied courtesy of Alabeo© • •.