PC Pilot Magazine, November - December 2004 Issue

NEWS - Some exciting news from RC Simulations, whose forthcoming Vox ATC program for FS2004 will be the most realistic ATC expansion ever devised for the UK; additionally, this voice-activated module should be a huge improvement on the default system wherever you fly. Just Flight announce the release of their new training package which will include four of the world’s most popular GA trainers, all of which will have specially improved flight models. The new Custom Classic from Bill and Lynn Lyons is guaranteed to please and some spectacular new London scenery from Visual Flight is set to spice up the Capital. The only WW1 combat sim on the horizon is shot down in flames, Gary Summons’ UK airports reach Volume Seven and the MAAM-Sim R4D-6/DC-3 gets a free amphibian upgrade. A new virtual keyboard sounds like a useful space-saver and we go back to school with a couple of worthwhile online aviation tutorials. FS Global 2005 claims the prize for the world’s largest FS add-on to date!

REVIEWS - With his new Chipmunk trainer, Rick Piper shows that he can model light aircraft every bit as well as the propliner classics he’s better known for. Keeping our short arms out of our long pockets and staying with freeware releases, we enjoy Shigeru Tanaka’s three impressive models of the legendary P-51D Mustang fighter.

A South African design team has come up with an Avro Shackleton which provides a fitting FS tribute to this maritime marvel, and sales of the software will contribute to keeping the real aircraft in the air. Wilco’s CRJ 2004 package rounds up the well received FeelThere aircraft with glass cockpits we just didn’t want to climb out of.

We spend too many late nights taking control of UK air traffic in the addictive London Control ATC sim and argue over the benefits of the 30” Fresnel lens on offer from SimKits. Aerosoft’s Flight Calculator proves to be a handy desktop tool for the serious pilot and Wings of War, we discover, has much to recommend it as a WWI combat game.

HARDWARE - Thoughts of improving on a standard monitor view are never far from the mind of the average FS enthusiast and we wondered if SimKits’ 30” Fresnel lens might be an inexpensive and easy-to-install solution for a better display. Yes and no seems to be the inconclusive answer and the jury are still returning a split decision - the additional size was impressive, but the depth-of-field effect wasn’t so helpful in cockpit views. Well worth a look to see if it works for you, though…

FEATURES - We revel in some unashamed nostalgia with four of David Maltby’s classic jet airliners, relive the glory days of British passenger aviation on our PCs and ponder where it all went wrong. Mr Maltby and his ally in panel design, Dave Booker, get an invitation to RAF Brize Norton to try their hand on the RAF’s VC10 sim and end up getting a little more than they bargained for! Flight model specialist RealAir’s Rob Young passes on a few valuable tips about how to improve the flying experience in Flight Simulator without resorting to the dark art of tweaking the .air file.

TUTORIAL - It’s down to the south of France this issue for a short flight from Toulouse to Marseilles. We rely on ATC and our GPS for guidance, but things don’t work out quite as planned...