PC Pilot Issue 120 Downloads

Specially selected freeware and videos of flight sims reviewed in the March - April 2019 issue.

Issue 120 Online Contents Full Download

As requested by our readers, the complete file set accompanying Issue 120 can now be downloaded as a single zip file.

The videos are supplied as links to YouTube links, we are unable to include them in the file due to limitations with file size.

If you are on a low-bandwidth connection, we recommend you download the files individually in the sections below.

Videos

Infinite Flight

Since we first reviewed Infinite Flight six years ago, this mobile app flight simulator has been further developed and grown remarkably quickly and now boasts a massive community driving both content and innovation. This short video showcases some of those features and developments. We also have a special feature on Infinite Flight starting on page 52.

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Just Flight‘s Duchess Model 76

Reviewed on pages 28-30, this presentation of Just Flight’s Duchess highlights some of the product’s main features, such as the 11 included paint schemes, the 3D virtual cockpit and instrumentation, the fully functional IFRcapable avionics, the interactive engine start-up checklist, the aircraft’s handling characteristics and the authentic soundset.

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JRollon Planes and Simcoders.com‘s SIAI-Marchetti SF-260D

This haunting and atmospheric presentation of JRollon’s and Simcoder’s SF-260D, highlights the extreme attention to detail that has been lavished on this exquisite-looking simulation of this popular aircraft, both from an internal as well as external perspective. Showcased in this video are the product es fine detailing, 4K PBR external textures, the authentic 3D sounds, the realistic 3D cockpit, the maintenance modelling and the ability to do a walk around, to name a few. Our review of this stunning simulation starts on page 44.

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Heatblur Simulations’ DCS: F-14 Tomcat

This jaw-dropping video of Heatblur Simulations’ DCS: F-14 Tomcat will make you question whether you are watching real-life footage or a simulation. In this presentation, the developers give an overview of the product and notably explain, among other things, that their main goal was to create the most realistic and immersive depiction of a combat aircraft ever made for a flight simulator. If this video is anything to go by, I think they have already achieved that goal. Chris Frishmuth‘s preview of this truly groundbreaking product starts on page 32.

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Orbx’s TrueEarth GB Central

This video of the latest release in Orbx’s TrueEarth GB series for X-Plane 11, shows off this package to good effect in terms of its breadth and depth of detail and sheer realism. Some scenes are difficult to distinguish from the real thing. Read our full review starting on page 20.

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Old Brown Dog’s Wings Over The Reich

Developer Old Brown Dog (OBD) recently released Wings Over the Reich (their World War Two follow-up to Wings Over Flanders Fields), which is set during the Battle of Britain. This video conveys the unique and immersive atmosphere of this simulation, which has become a hallmark of this series, and shows a Hurricane attacking a flight of Heinkel He 111s. We have an interview with OBD starting on page 40.

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Tutorials

Back to Basics

Download the updated flight planning spreadsheet, charts and flight plans using the link below.

Flight Adventure

The Pilot’s Notes contain some optional additional flights in the area which will test the STOL capabilities of the Twotter. They also list some excellent alternatives for X-Plane 11.

Downloads

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 already know that many freeware airport designers make use of the freeware library files to enhance their creations. Consequently, it’s important to read the documentation within each file to find out which libraries have been used. These library files need to be installed in order to experience these airports as the authors intended.

Featured Download

Grob Tutor 115E

In this issue we feature a German-built aircraft that I understand took over the Elementary Flying Training (EFT) role for the various RAF and Royal Navy Training Squadrons, when the Scottish Aviation Bulldog was retired.

The Grob is licensed for aerobatics, so let’s see if the co-pilot can keep hold of his lunch!

The aircraft is the Grob Tutor 115E, a beautifully designed and stylish fixed-wing aircraft, built from carbon composite materials. It has a fixed (sprung steel) tricycle undercarriage with smart spats on the wheels. Propulsion is provided by a 150hp Wyoming engine, driving a three-blade variable pitched propeller. It has a well-equipped panel, with modern avionics and the airframe design offers good all-round vision.

It’s a modern-looking aircraft that Keith Walton has captured perfectly.

The aircraft presented here for X-Plane 11 was designed by Keith Walton and is a good representation of the real aircraft. This is true of the external modelling, the textures and within the cockpit itself. Here, instrumentation, although not fully operational, is perfectly fine for touring or, as it was intended, for flight training.

Although not fully functional, the avionics are certainly adequate.

I have to add that Keith has done a particularly fine job with the manual, which would put many a commercial company to shame. It’s fully illustrated, with run-downs of every instrument, switch and lever in the cockpit. There’s also a fully indexed image of the main panel, again detailing where everything is and its function. Altogether it’s a commendable aircraft that looks good, performs well and is great fun to fly.

The modelling inside and out is first-class.

Author: Keith Walton

Platform: X-Plane 11

Star Performers from the Internet

Air Canada Boeing 787-8 AGS V6

This Camsim Boeing 787-8 includes new animations, static displays and multiple animation effects. The cockpit features a new 2D panel. As usual, it’s accurately modelled and painted by Camil Valiquette.

Author: Camil Valiquette

Platform: FSX/Prepar3D

Rocky Mountain House Airport ICAO: CYRM

Rocky Mountain House is a town in westcentral Alberta Canada, approximately 77km west of Red Deer. It was once a fur trading post for the Hudson Bay Company. This superbly detailed airport was designed for X-Plane by Charles Macelli.

Author: Charles Macelli

Platform: X-Plane 11

Dassault Falcon 20E Version 1.1

The Dassault Falcon 20E is a French business jet, which was the first of a family of aircraft to be produced under the same name. It’s a sleek and luxurious design, produced in great detail for FSX/P3D by Arild Elverum.

Author: Arild Elverum

Platform: FSX/Prepar3D

De Havilland Vampire Italian Air Force

Surprisingly the de Havilland Vampire was used by the post-war Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana), who obtained an initial batch of 5 FB.5s in 1950. This version for FS2004 was designed by Francesco Giuli.

Author: Francesco Giuli

Platform: FS2004

Skellefteå ESNS Sweden

Skellefteå is a small flygplats (this means ‘airport’ in Swedish) located in the northeast of Sweden, almost at the coast of the Baltic Sea. It’s served by SAS and Norwegian Air, flying mostly to Stockholm. This very nice design is by Dmitriy Kozyrev.

Author: Dmitriy Kozyrev

Platform: FSX/Prepar3D

Kawanishi N1K-J Shiden

Assigned the reporting name ‘George’, the Kawanishi N1K-J Shiden was an Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service landbased version of the N1K floatplane. This is a native FSX/P3D model and was designed by the prolific A.F. Scrub.

Author: A.F. Scrub

Platform: FSX/Prepar3D v3-4

Little Navmap

Here we have the latest update for Little Navmap, a free open source flight planner, navigation tool, moving map, airport and navaid search and information system for Flight Simulator X and Prepar3D; designed by Alexander Barthel.

Author: Alexander Barthel

Platform: FSX

SGES Paraguay Airport

Guarani International Airport is located in Minga Guazú, a city of Gran Ciudad del Este in the Alto Paraná Department of Paraguay. This version for X-Plane 11 was designed by Otavio Bonomi.

Author: Otavio Bonomi

Platform: X-Plane 11

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.

X-Plane 11.30 - The biggest update so far…

PC Pilot Verdict

At a glance: The X-Plane 11.30 release is a massive update to the platform that not only adds new features to the core simulator, but also gives developers the tools to take add-ons to the next level.

Manufacturer: Laminar Research
Price: $59.99 (£46 approx)
Website: www.x-plane.com
Flight Model: Good
Graphics: Good
Documentation: Good
Systems: Excellent
PC Pilot Score: 90%

Just Flight’s Avro Vulcan B Mk.2 - The iconic V-bomber

PC Pilot Verdict

At a glance: The Just Flight team has done a brilliant job with this Vulcan package capturing the real essence of this wonderful aircraft.

Developer: Just Flight in-house team
Distributor: Just Flight
Price: Vulcan - £39.99 by direct download,
Vulcan K.2 & MRR Expansion Pack - £9.99 by direct download
Website: www.justflight.com
3D Modelling: Excellent
Graphics: ExcellentDocumentation: Excellent
Performance: Very good but as always this is hardware-dependant.
PC Pilot Score: 96%

Orbx’s TrueEarth GB Central - Orbx continues to improve the British landscape

PC Pilot Verdict
At a glance: Orbx continues its transformation of the UK with True Earth GB Central. There’s still more to come…

Developers: Orbx Simulations
Publisher: Orbx
Price: Download via Orbx FTX Central (at time of writing 10% off) £27.48
Website: https://orbxdirect.com/product/gbr-central-xp11
3D Modelling: Excellent
Graphics: Very good
Documentation: Very good
Performance: Good but as always this is hardware-dependent.
PC Pilot Score: 95%

Just Flight’s Duchess Model 76 - A light twin with some unique system features

PC Pilot Verdict
At a Glance: A well-made light twin with some unique system features that will suit those looking for a step up from basic aircraft. It is equally at home as a tourer or IFR trainer.

Developer: Just Flight
Price: $41.99 (£33 approx)
Website: www.justflight.com
Flight Model: Good
Graphics: Very good
Documentation: Very good
Systems: Very good
PC Pilot Score: 80%

SIAI-Marchetti SF-260 - Raising the bar for X-Plane add-ons

PC Pilot Verdict
At a Glance:
A high quality superb all-rounder at a very good price that performs incredibly realistically and is simply so much fun to fly.

Developer: JRollon Planes and Simcoders.com
Price: $44.95 (£35 approx).
Website: https://store.x-plane.org
Flight Model: Excellent
Graphics: Excellent
Documentation: Excellent
Systems: Excellent
PC Pilot Score: 95%

Heatblur Simulations’ DCS: F-14A/B Tomcat - “I feel the need – the need for speed!”

Information
Developer website: https://store.heatblur.com
Also available at: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/products/planes/tomcat

Early Access pricing: $69.99 (£54 approx)
Release pricing: $79.99 (£62 approx)

Note: Steam incompatible!

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 Airlines

We have some interesting newcomers to our VA and flying club listing for you. 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 are second to none.