ImagineSim ZSPD Shanghai Pudong Intl

ImagineSim have just released their latest airport, ZSPD Shanghai Pudong Intl, China.

Shanghai is China’s economic powerhouse and its enormous 4 runway and 2 terminal airport is the 3rd busiest airport in China, 20th in the world, handling 40 million passengers to and from 194 destinations each year.

ZSPD is also China’s most important air cargo hub.

This release has been 11 months in the making and marks a new standard for ImagineSim, drastically improving both visually and technically over their previous products.

FS Video Marshaller – Simulate Hand Signals Used by Real-World Pilots

This add-on accurately models the real-world hand signals. It is usable on any aircraft and it significantly enhances the realism of ground operations.

Features

• Realistic hand-signals
• Compatible with all FS9/FSX aircraft
• Can be used at every airport
• Custom integration for third party aircraft
• A real-world marshaller is used in the video
• Night, dusk and day versions included in the video
• Video plays in the FS window, and can be moved to another monitor

Requirements

• Microsoft Flight Simulator X or FS9/FS2004
• Win XP, Vista or Windows7
• Windows Media Player
• FSX and FS9 must be run in Windowed Mode

FS Widgets Releases iGMap

FSWidgets has released a new application, iGMap, which converts your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch into a mobile map for your favorite desktop flight simulator.

IGMap connects to all the most popular desktop simulators, namely FS2004, FSX, X-Plane 9 and X-Plane 10 – the product gives you a wireless hand-held moving map that helps navigation. This utility tool is particularly useful for simulated VFR flights.

As a flight simulation enthusiast, you acquire many add-ons and programs over time, which can take up a lot of space on your computer. By using your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch as a moving map to display the current position of your aircraft; you will save precious screen space on your desktop.

How does iGMap work? Easy – it simply connects to your favorite flight simulator through an FSWidgets Network Pack – which you download free at FS Widgets website as part of the product. The product comes with six custom map styles.

Features

• World-wide custom map data with 6 styles
• Comes with 19 custom and aero map types
• Links to FSX, FS2004 & X-Plane 9/10
• Flight Plan Display - supports native FSX, FS2004 & X-Plane flight plans
• Import or Export Flight Plan file through iTunes
• Tap waypoints to show the related data
• Powered by CloudMade map rendering API
• Ability to connect and disconnect from the flight simulator when required
• Can be used as a chart viewer when disconnected
• Ability to save previously used map type, zoom and position
• Comes with helicopter icon option for moving map versus a fixed wing icon
• Comes with navigation Data icon display
• Comes with a free FSWidgets Network Pack

User Reviews

Reviews posted on the product’s web page indicate that this product is very easy to install and use, and does a great job as a moving map for a desktop flight simulator:

“Amazing little utility! I love using it with FSX. Sometimes, when randomly flying about, you just want to check where u are instead of having to stop the sim and open the map. This is great for that.”  - EricB

The best 5 pounds you will spend on you Flight Sim experience! Try night flying with GEX Europe / UTX addons. It's incredibly realistic and this app with tell you which village town or city lights you can see. Also by fixing your position and info such as names of rivers, lakes and mountains will all enrich your navigation experience. I can't wait for other UK charts to be added. The detailed aviation charts included are for USA, but the many coloured displays included are fantastic value for money and works anywhere around the globe. You will never fly without it again!” – Fsx nutter

"I have recommended FSWidgets' iGMap an AVSIM Gold Star Award for its quality, usefulness and addiction to the simulation world. I can say without reservation that this is a must have for any simmer who uses FS9, FSX or X-Plane with an iOS Device." - Aidan Sandri

iGMap Requirements

• Flight Simulator X, Flight Simulator 2004 or X-Plane 9/10
• iPod touch or iPhone with iOS 3.0 or later
• File-Sharing requires iTunes 9.1.1 or later, İOS 4.0 or later
• Free FSWidgets Network Pack must be installed to connect to simulator
• Internet access to download map data
• Wi-Fi network

Multi Crew Experience 2.5.98 Released

Multi Crew Experience (a.k.a. MCE) purpose is to provide a virtual co-pilot so that you can fly the heavies in a realistic manner. All using voice input.

To provide the ultimate flight deck experience, it also allows you talk to native ATC controllers, Radar Contact controllers or Pro Flight ATC controllers.

There is a seamless integration with GSX and AES, whereby instead of clicking menus or remembering keyboard combos to press, you just talk to the ramp manager and ground services get delivered to you.

Now supports many complex aircraft, including:

• PMDG 737 NGX, MD-11, 747, J41
• Aerosoft Airbus X Extended (this has been licensed by Aerosoft)
• Majestic Q400
• Quality Wings 757 & 146
• Feelthere ERJ 145, 135
• Captain Sim 777, 767, 757, 707, 727
• CoolSky DC9, MD 80
• iFly 737
• Milviz 737
• Level-D 767
• Simcheck A300-B4

FLIGHT OF THE NIGHT & ORBX GLOBAL NIGHT LIGHTING

    Today I'm late to catch sunlight, so I made a short night flight around Stuttgart Airport. I also wanted to show how good is ORBX Global night lighting environment too. With default monitor color settings, u won't achieve that color tones. It will be more yellowish and far from realism compare to this version. Also in reality, it's more close to red which I try to set in my simulator. So I made some changes on monitor color settings to get more realistic night environment. In pictures I used PMDG 737 addon with different interior lights then default. It can be found on Avsim Forum. (PMDG 737 Orange Cockpit Lights). I put some screenshots from flight below. Hope to share more pictures and start making videos soon. Enjoy! 

Flight of the Day

 Today, I made a short flight around Geneva Airport in dusk which is my favourite moment of the day. It was very nice atmosphere as seen on picture. Even it looks calm on picture, it was little turbulent during climb out which wasn't  problem since autopilot handled it. So far it was very enjoyable flight and to watch sunset. I was planning to fly till sun disappear but I've encountered a problem. I also put few screenshots from this flight. It gave me good inspiration that I should share pictures daily. I hope I can manage it. Enjoy!

FSCLOUD MULTIPLAYER SYSTEM FOR FSX, PREPAR3D AND XPLANE

As many people flying in IVAO and VATSIM Platform, there is also an alternative for others too called FSCLOUD. Even though it's still in development stage, it has very enjoyable environment with a lot of daily active user. It's working with an application in free flight mode. It has many features including point system, virtual airlines, live map, bot and live atc(sometimes) and more. It's really good alternative for peoples who willing to take first step into online simulation world. I highly recommend it as I'm using too. 

More information can be found Here 

PREPAR3D TWEAKS

Even we describe P3D as optimized form of  FSX, there is also few tweaks to apply in P3D too. Before reading, as i have mid-range system, it will mostly help simmers who have similar systems. 

Firstly, we can start with famous "Affinity Mask" tweak. As i have I3 processor on my system, I don't recommend to use that tweak for peoples who has similar specs like mine. Probably most of simmers knows about it but we can describe this tweak as a way to improve CPU Core handling efficiency. With that way it simply rids of stutters and blurriness as many users stated who applied this tweak. 

For peoples who don't have idea how to calculate correct affinity mask i recommend using that website. LINK

There is also another tweak called "Fiber Frame Time Fraction". In my config i use it with default value which is 0.33 but its an experimental tweak really. It gives balance between texture loading and Fps. Higher values will give better texture loading but may also reduce Fps. So better to apply values between 0.1-0.33 and see which fits your system best. This tweak can be applied in (Main) section is Fsx/P3d.cfg settings.


Another tweak is (Poolsize) tweak. To be honest in my system i didn't notice any good or bad changes with this tweak. But as i have a mid-range system and 1gb Graphic Card, results may vary for others. It's also an experimental tweak like the most of tweaks. But it's not recommended peoples who has graphics card less then 1GB. To apply that tweak simply put that entry;

[BUFFERPOOLS]
Usepools=0


LOD_RADIUS

Now there is a tweak which is closely related VAS usage. It's known as reason of crash to desktop issues. Even it reduced in P3D mostly it still can cause problem with complex addons. I recommend using "Level of Radius=Small" with in game settings. It allows to reduce VAS usage and using complex addons if you have RAM problem. In these pictures below I've used small radius settings. It still provides a realistic environment and with using a weather engine addon it will be more realistic with haze and reduced visibility. 

That settings below will help to set realistic size for runway lights and environment.


[Display]
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_VASI_SCALAR=0.5
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_SURFACE_SCALAR=0.6
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_STROBE_SCALAR=0.7

RUNWAY_LIGHTS_APPROACH_SCALAR=0.5

I'm using WideViewAspect=True and 0.7 cockpit zoom.


Hope that settings will be helpful. I believe more tweaking creates obsession and placebo effects sometimes :)