FSX Mods

[Camaero]

Would you all care to post up some of your favorite freeware or payware mods for FSX?

I have had the game since it came out but only recently got the joystick and then graphics card to handle it.

I have been flying MS flight sims since FS9 came out and I still can not grasp how that damned VOR works. Gone through all the tutorials and reading but i r stoopid n steel dunt quiet git it. Anyone got some extra reading or tips on that as well? I know I can just use GPS but I feel like that is cheating! I like doing things the old ways.

[Stryker412]

I use Ultimate Terrain X, X Graphics, and Active Sky X.

[Chock]

Flight Simulator is one of those things where you get more out of it, when you put more in, both in terms of what you know as well as add-on software. FSX is a good base package, and one which I'm currently working on a huge review of, for avsim (look out for that soon), but it really comes into its own with some decent bits tacked on.

Depending on which aircraft you are flying, the display to read the VOR will work differently, so it's kind of hard to take you through it in a quick explanation, as there are lots of instruments and displays that can read and show VOR signals. However, all is not lost, because here are some good recommendations...

FS contains a lot of lessons and missions which can teach you a lot, and it has a good knowledge base in the help files, but some of this can be a little dry and the lessons are not always free of mistakes. So, it's an option, but maybe not the best.

I would certainly recommend this little program: http://www.rcsimulations.com/precision.htm for learning about instrument navigation and procedures. It is a slightly chopped down version of the real-world navigation trainer, R.A.N.T. (Radio Aid Navigation Trainer): http://www.transair.co.uk/product4.a...roduct_ID=1211 but less than half the price you will notice. RANT is what the R.A.F. uses to train its navigators and pilots, and the chopped down version is only lacking the ability to to link to a GPS, which is not a great loss if you are using it for FS, so in effect, the cheap version is just as good. This program will set you back about 30 quid, but there is nothing better to give you a good understanding of IFR procedures, and it will be money well spent if you want to enjoy Flight Simulator, as there will be nothing in FS that you do not fully understand and feel confident in using with a few hours spent learning via this great little program. ILS approaches, holding patterns, NDB approaches, VOR tracking, ADFs, it's all in there and dead easy to follow and understand with this absolutely bloody brilliant little bit of software. The best thirty quid you'll ever spend if you like realistic flight sims.

A cheaper and more entertaining option to learn a lot of stuff, would be the series of books by ex United airlines Captain, Mike Ray. The books are bloody brilliant for people who want to learn more about flight simulator. Do a search on amazon and you will come across these, and they are all great. Here is an example of one of them: http://www.amazon.com/Flying-Boeing-...6932556&sr=1-1

Also on your shopping list should be some decent add-on aircraft for FSX, and I can certainly recommend these guys for all that stuff: www.flight1.com
The good thing being that most of their stuff will work in FSX and FS9 too. They are certainly not the only ones available, but Flight 1 seem to be ahead of the competition in making stuff work in FSX at the moment. Also check out these people: www.fsd-international.com and of course, these: www.precisionmanuals.com

Also recommended are these guys: www.fs2crew.com If you want to do all the proper 'pilot stuff' with correct checklists and the like, FS2Crew's stuff will be right up your street. Also note that they do some of their add-ons for the default FSX stuff too, and the one for the Default Boeing 747 is very cheap (about a tenner I think), so you could try that one first to see if it appeals to you before splashing out on one for an FSX add-on aircraft.

Another add-on which makes things vastly more realistic in FS is this: www.voxatc.com Good fun and very immersive, it will also teach you correct air traffic control procedures. Note that if you buy this from here: www.avsim.com you'll get quite a big discount, as they currently have an offer on it. Using this will also set you up well for stuff like VATSIM if you want to fly online using real-life ATC people.

The VFR series of photo-realistic terrains available for FSX are well worth checking out, they improve the look of things a lot for no change in frame-rates and make VFR navigation and sightseeing flights a real possibility, FSX has a much higher terrain elevation capability than its predecessors, too, so these complement that FSX feature well.

Here's another great add-on for FSX and FS9 (works with both): www.weather-maker.com This little utility makes flight planning with downloaded real-world weather much simpler, and it enhances the look of the clouds in FS9 and FSX, a real bargain considering what it does, and much more useful than the 'eye-candy' cloud enhancement programs for FS which mainly concentrate on getting things to look pretty, rather than adding functionality as WMRX does.

I would also recommend joining some sort of virtual flying organisation, as there is a wealth of information available from these kind of groups. I have been involved with one of the oldest of these for about ten years (WestWind Airlines - www.flywestwind.com ) There are many people in these organisations who fly for real (me included) As an example, WestWind numbers among it many members, current airline pilots, current military pilots and a huge swathe of sport flyers, from all around the world, you can talk to them on TS and they are a friendly bunch who are willing to answer any questions you have on the WW forums too. If flying airliners is not your thing however, there are many virtual air forces and display teams too, these vary in scope and quality, but most of them are very friendly and not as intimidating as you might suppose.

also check out these sites for lots of add-ons (both free and payware):

www.avsim.com

www.alphasim.co.uk

www.secure.simmarket.com

www.shockwaveproductions.net



Chock

[Camaero]

Well damn, that was informative!

Thanks!

[Camaero]

By the way Chock, is this the same thing you mentioned in your post?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Flight-...6950666&sr=8-1

It says it's from Just Flight but I couldn't find it on their website. Just shopping around a little for the program. I hope to get my private pilots license in the next year or two so this sounds like a good investment to me.

[Chock]

Yup, that is exactly the same as the version I have. Well worth it as a learning tool if you take flying seriously, good price too I notice!

You get up to speed with that, and it will save you a sh*tload of money when you do your PPL, because the instructor will start explaning stuff, and you can just say: 'yup, know all that, let's go!' He won't believe you, but of course you'll be able to prove otherwise if you study that, and it will make you much better than the average PPL in terms of knowledge, because it's really aimed at an IFR rating that you would go for after the bog standard PPL.

The less time you spend talking about stuff and having it explained to you while paying for flying lessons, the more time you'll spend actually handling the aircraft, and the quicker you'll get to that scary first solo!
I recommend singing to yourself while doing your first solo, it stops you from crapping yourself LOL!

Chock

[Camaero]

Originally Posted by Chock

Yup, that is exactly the same as the version I have. Well worth it as a learning tool if you take flying seriously, good price too I notice!

You get up to speed with that, and it will save you a sh*tload of money when you do your PPL, because the instructor will start explaning stuff, and you can just say: 'yup, know all that, let's go!' He won't believe you, but of course you'll be able to prove otherwise if you study that, and it will make you much better than the average PPL in terms of knowledge, because it's really aimed at an IFR rating that you would go for after the bog standard PPL.

The less time you spend talking about stuff and having it explained to you while paying for flying lessons, the more time you'll spend actually handling the aircraft, and the quicker you'll get to that scary first solo!
I recommend singing to yourself while doing your first solo, it stops you from crapping yourself LOL!

Chock

I will be sure to remember that! Who knows, I might take it further than just a PPL and try to make a career out of flying as well. I am 19 right now and it is a toss up between that and building custom hot rods. By the way, what song would you recommend?

[Chock]

There's probably more money in building hot rods, but if the tree-huggers get their way, they'll probably be illegal in ten year's time.

LOL, if I told you what song I was singing on my first ever solo flight, I would never live it down! It was from quite an old musical (God knows why it came into my head at the time), and that is all I will say.

Chock

[Camaero]

Originally Posted by Chock

There's probably more money in building hot rods, but if the tree-huggers get their way, they'll probably be illegal in ten year's time.

LOL, if I told you what song I was singing on my first ever solo flight, I would never live it down! It was from quite an old musical (God knows why it came into my head at the time), and that is all I will say.

Chock

Everything I like to do in life is trying to be shut down by some group or another. Hot rods, Off Roading, Paintballing, even general aviation. What will I do after all of those are gone? I will have to stay home and play simulators of what you used to be able to do in real life!

Anyway, which terrain add ons do you like best? The ones where they focus on just on area or country, or the ones that cover most of the world? I would assume the smaller ones must have more detail. Is that true?

[Chock]

The only terrain mods I have are these:

Just Flight's FS Terrain for FS9 (which takes FS9's terrain grid up to something similar to that of FSX, because it uses that same Space Shuttle radar surface mapping data that is used for FSX).

And...

The Just Flight (Get Mapping) VFR Photographic Scenery for the UK for FS9 and FSX. This is useful for practising flying around the UK, where I live. It's pricey though, at 30 quid for about a quarter of the UK, but you can see my car (or at least the one I used to have) parked outside my house on it.

More importantly, here is a mod I've just done for my Cessna 152, check this out, forget all that fancy Bendix-King avionics bollox, my Cessna has a 1970s Eight-Track player!



Chock

[Camaero]

Now that is one cool Cessna!

That is also really cool that you can see your old car!