Specially selected freeware and videos of flight sims reviewed in the March/April 2021 issue.
Issue 132 Online Contents Full Download
As requested by our readers, the complete file set accompanying Issue 132 can now be downloaded as a single zip file. If you are on a low-bandwidth connection, we recommend you download the files individually in the sections below.
Tutorials
Flight Adventure - The DH.82A Tiger Moth
This issue, we are flying the DH.82 Tiger Moth Pro from Ant’s Airplanes using P3Dv4.4 with Orbx Simulations’ Australian AU and Pacific North West PNW scenery products. As usual, you can obtain details of these and alternatives for other flight simulation platforms in the downloadable Pilot’s Notes via the link below.
Today we might call it ‘IFR’ with tongue-in-cheek – ‘I Follow Roads, Rivers and Railways’! So while some basic charts have been included in the downloadable Pilots Notes, you will be following natural and man-made features as you satisfy your instructor that you can safely navigate by using a variety of these features.
Freeware Files
Once again, we have a collection of high-quality freeware files for you to enjoy. These aircraft, scenery and utilities easily compare with many commercial products but don’t forget, if you’ve enjoyed a particular file, please let the author know, it’s their only payback. By the same token, we’re always interested to hear from you if you’ve downloaded or designed a file that you think is worth sharing.
By Joe Lavery
Permission
Although the authors of these files have very kindly given us their permission to include them on our website, they still remain the property and copyright of the authors. You are free to enjoy them for your own use but they must not in any circumstances be distributed, copied, uploaded to any other websites or disassembled in any way whatsoever.
Library files
Most X-Plane users will know that many freeware airport designers make use of Library files to enhance their creations. Consequently, it’s important to read the documentation within each airport to find out which libraries have been used. These libraries need to be installed in order to experience these airports as the authors intended.
Star Performers from the Internet
Bolzano Airport
In this issue, we feature another stunning regional airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator, located near the town of Bolzano in the province of South Tyrol, northern Italy. Bolzano is the capital city of the province with a population of 108,245. It’s also by far the largest city in the area and the third-largest in Tyrol. The greater metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants and is one of the urban centres located within the Alps.
The airport was created in October 1926 with a 1,300m runway but in June 2016, a public opinion poll decided to no longer support the highly deficient airport with money from the government. It was therefore decided that the airport’s operating company would be liquidated and the licence given back to the Italian authorities, which effectively meant that the airport would be shut down entirely if no other operator were found. Happily, a start-up company named SkyAlps is planning to start operations from Bolzano to several Italian destinations flying the de Havilland Dash 8-Q400.
Alexey Unishkov is the designer of this commercial-quality product, which includes lots of highly detailed and unique elements.
Author: Alexey Unishkov
Platform: Microsoft Flight Simulator
Bolzano Airport Download
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is an all-metal, single-engine, four-seat, high-wing light utility aircraft, produced by Cessna Aircraft Company between 1958 and 1962. They are still very popular to this day. This model was designed for FSX/P3D by the prolific A F Scrub.
Author: A F Scrub
Platform: FSX/P3D
Cessna 172 Skyhawk Download
Bristol T188
Generally known as the ‘Flaming Pencil’, the Bristol Type 188 was a British high-speed research aircraft, designed to meet operational requirement ER.134T for a testbed capable of speeds greater than Mach 2. This model was designed by Tyler Gladman.
Author: Tyler Gladman
Platform: P3D
Bristol T188 Download
CYQR - Regina International Airport
CYQR is a regional airport located in the city of Regina, which is the capital city of the Province of Saskatchewan, in the western part of Canada. This scenery provides an accurate rendering of CYQR for Flight Simulator FSX/FS2004 and was designed by Greg Putz.
Author: Greg Putz
Platform: FSX/FS2004
CYQR - Regina International Airport Download
CYQR - Regina International Airport
This is an updated version of Regina Airport but designed for X-Plane 11 by Canada4XPlane, with permission from the original designer Greg Putz.
Author: Greg Putz and Canada4XPlane
Platform: X-Plane 11
CYQR - Regina International Airport Download
KBBG Branson, Missouri
Branson is a towered airport located about 130 miles east of Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is served by Frontier Airlines. This scenery has been completely redone by Sidney Schwartz and is accurate as per the current charts and satellite images.
Author: Sidney Schwartz
Platform: X-Plane 11
KBBG Branson, Missouri Download
Saint Moritz - Samedan Airport
Samedan Airport (IATA: SMV, ICAO: LSZS), also known as Engadin Airport, is a regional airport in Samedan within the Engadin valley of Switzerland, 5km from St Moritz. This highly detailed version was designed by Sergio Del Rosso.
Author: Sergio Del Rosso
Platform: Microsoft Flight Simulator
Saint Moritz - Samedan Airport Download
City of Landshut / Passau VFR scenery
VFR Germany is a series of VFR landmark scenery add-ons for X-Plane. This product covers the City of Landshut / Passau and the surrounding area, adding many unique and nicely detailed points of interest to the landscape. It is produced by Günther Kremp.
Author: Günther Kremp
Platform: X-Plane 11
City of Landshut / Passau VFR Scenery Download
Messerschmitt Bf-108 Taifun
The Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun was a German single-engine sport and touring aircraft, developed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke. This model was originally designed by Paolo Matricardi, then converted for X-Plane 11 by Alex Delgado.
Author: Alex Delgado and Paolo Matricardi
Platform: X-Plane 11
Messerschmitt Bf-108 Taifun Download
Reviews - Screenshot Galleries
To help give our readers a better appreciation of the products reviewed in this issue, we have compiled the screenshots accompanying some of the articles into a series of galleries.
Microsoft's US Update - An American Odyssey
Publisher and Distributor: Microsoft
Developer: Microsoft Asobo and other nonspecified contributors.
Price: Free with latest update
Website: www.flightsimulator.com
Just Flight's 146 Professional - The ultimate STOL airliner
Developer and Publisher: Just Flight
Price: £42.99
Website: www.justflight.com
Carenado's PA44 Seminole
Developer and Distributor: Carenado
Download Price: $29.99 (£22 approx)
Website: https://www.carenado.com
Drzewiecki Design's Seattle Landmarks – The home of Boeing
Developer and Publisher: Drzewiecki Design
Distributor: Orbx
Price: £16.60 by direct download
Website: https://orbxdirect.com/product/drzewiecki-seattle
LatinVFR's Barcelona El-Prat and City Landmarks
Publisher, developer and distributor: LatinVFR
Price: £13.85 by direct download
Website: https://latinvfr.com/products/latinvfrbarcelona-lebl
Orbx/FSim Studios' CYVR Vancouver International Airport - More than just an airport add-on
Developer/Publisher: FSim Studios and Orbx Simulations
Price: $25.00/€21.50 (£18 approx)
Website: orbxdirect.com or fsimstudios.com
Aerofly FS 2's Airbus A320
Aerofly FS 2 is available from: Aerosoft: www.aerosoft.com.
Price: £44 approx (boxed or download)
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com.
Price: £44.99
Orbx's Newcastle International Airport
Developer: Orbx
Website: www.orbxdirect.com
Price: AUD $24.99 (£14 approx)
VSKYLABS' Robinson R44 Raven II - The world's best-selling general aviation helicopter
Developer and Publisher: VSKYLABS Aerospace Simulations
Price: $33.95 (£25 approx) by direct download
Website: www.vskylabs.com
Heatblur Simulation's DCS: F-14A - A new update for the DCS Tomcat
Download Price: $79.99 (£58 approx)
Website: https://store.heatblur.com
PC Pilot Article Index
Looking for a review on a particular product, feature or tutorial? Our regularly updated PC Pilot index includes references (with accompanying issue and page numbers) to all our past reviews of software and hardware as well as features, tutorials and more. Now you can find that elusive article you’ve been looking for.
Virtual Airline Listing
We have some interesting new additions to our virtual airline and flying club listing. Take a look to see if there is one to suit your taste. The experience and fun of being part of a virtual club or airline is second to none.
