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A WORLD OF FLIGHT SIMULATION INSIDE!Volu

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all this anD MoRe in the woRlD’s #1 Flight siMulation Magazine

new Review Rating systeM: CoMing soonPRePaR3D uPDates: veRsion 1.3 eXPlaineDFlying the B-25: CoMMeMoRate Doolittle’s RaiDMiKe Ray: eMeRgenCy DesCent (RePRint)anD MuCh MoRe... CheCK ouR weBsite also!

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a MeRgeR FoR the ReaDeRa strong base of loyal readers. The new joint publication will reach more than two-thirds of all flight simulator fans worldwide, both in print and on the Internet. Both magazines will also be expanding their online content. There are currently more than 15,000 visitors to the Flight! website every day, a goal Computer Pilot has adopted for its new website. Why not take a look yourself! You can find daily reports, interesting downloads, background information from the flight simulations scene, personal interviews and a forum for Computer Pilot fans.

As with any merger, we have been experiencing a few hiccups at the start. The launch of the subscription service was delayed due to difficulties in transferring data. We place a strong emphasis on excellent quality service. This is why we have Pam Jakubowski as in-country contact partner in the US in order to be able to quickly react to any of our subscribers needs. But in all honesty we have to admit that it will take a few issues before all the processes have been ironed out. A merger of this size in the world of flight simulation is and continues to be a challenge. We are determined to meet this challenge in the best interests of our customers.

Our entire team, which is made up members from all over the world, hopes you enjoy the first joint issue of Computer Pilot. We look forward to receiving your feedback and responses so that we can continue to improve our magazine for you.

Marc Goergen: Publisher

The two oldest magazines for flight simulation joined forces this spring for the benefit of all those who have been reading these two magazines for many years.

Together the two publications are able to offer you an even broader variety of topics, product tests, interviews and events, as well as more exclusive information. And now the well-known and popular authors that our readers have come to know and appreciate will be featured in both magazines, together with a whole group of new authors!

The merger of the two magazines is also a challenge. Robert Ferraro, who has been the publishing director at Computer Pilot for many years, and I held talks that led to the new publication with a worldwide presence. Computer Pilot is now the only flight simulation magazine available worldwide – independent, critical and unique. The editorial team includes the popular experts from past years, as well as new, highly motivated authors. The team will be directed by François A. Dumas who has a high level of patience, experience and the necessary perspective for the future.

The layout of Computer Pilot will continue to be produced in Australia. The majority of the articles still originates in the USA. Computer Pilot was already the market leader and the strongest, most popular magazine for the hobby of flight simulation before the merger. The merger with the German-language Flight! Magazin (formerly FlightXPress) further strengthens this position. Flight! can look back at 130 printed issues, a colorful history since 1999 and

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http://www.computerpilot.com

The brand new website provides lots of information to new subscribers and also provides existing subscribers with additional services

For subscribers• Renew your subscriptions on-line

• Notify us of address changes• Get your electronic copy (pdf) for FREE

• Additional content NOT printed in the magazine

General services include:• Easy on-line subscription service

• Access to the editorials• Access to our free support forums• Regular news flashes on FS topics

• Other community services, such as events lists...and much more !

Bookmark our web site and visit it frequently. It will enhance your reading of Computer Pilot Magazine.

Supplement your reading in Computer Pilot Magazineby visiting the Computer Pilot web site at www.computerpilot.com

Welcome to the very first computer Pilot magazine issue ‘new style’, new owner and new editors.

‘New many things’ actually, as you will soon notice. You have already read the introduction from Marc Goergen, the new owner, publisher and managing editor, so let me just add my ‘2 cents editor story’ to that.

Many of you will know me from the past 35 years ‘on-line’ and ‘in print’ as reviewer, writer, forum manager, blogger and publisher of add-ons for MSFS. Self-employed since 2005 and extremely busy making ends meet ever since, I really wasn’t waiting to accept yet another job. BUT, when Marc asked me to pick up the Editor-in-Chief role for Computer Pilot Magazine, and made it a prerequisite for the take-over, how could I possibly refuse?

After all I had been writing for over 8 years for CPM, am a total flight simulator nut and make most of my money nowadays with writing. AND like all of you I would just hate to see

CPM disappear altogether! I am certain that 99% of the subscribers agree with me that whatever the problems in the past, CPM always has published wonderful articles about the hobby and has some great contributors writing for it.

Well, THAT will not change! We are fortunate to retain most of the existing writers and their incredible knowledge and experience. We also retain the 84 pages filled with great information, and the bi-monthly publishing sequence - for now. And yes, the digital version for subscribers will still be there too.

BUT... quite a few other things WILL change! For the good.

We already have DOUBLED the number of contributors and will be adding a lot of new talent. We are also changing the order of content. You’ll get to the IMPORTANT articles a lot quicker in future and will no longer have to leaf through many pages of ads first. In our next issue we will introduce the same Review Rating System as in our sister publication, the German Flight! Magazin. We will use other printers, cutting some of the cost that were way too high, while maintaining a sufficiently high quality level. We’re set on having more content over a BROADER range of products, and aspects of the hobby. We feel some areas are currently not sufficiently covered, like home cockpit building, Prepar3D, X-Plane and other non-MS simulators, add-on development and freeware products.

AND maybe most important of all, especially in this re-launch period, we will change the way we COMMUNICATE with you, our loyal readers. Computer Pilot will be much more INTERACTIVE from now on. We have set up a new WEBSITE with the main intent to be able to provide you with timely news about the magazine. We have also opened a FORUM where you can read the latest announcements regarding the organization, the magazine and its contributors AND where we invite you to provide us with ideas and tell us what you like and heck, even what you don’t like if it so happens !

Last but not least we are also committed to REPLY all of your emails promptly. One of my main tasks these past 3 months has been just that; answering mails about subscriptions, delivery, subjects and other questions and remarks. From now on you not only have an Editor-in-Chief, but also a Community Manager.

Both Marc and I are intent on making this re-launch of Computer Pilot Magazine a success, although we full well know it will not be easy. It is a very expensive undertaking in a shrinking niche market, with a lot of competition from the Internet. But we KNOW there is still a MAJOR community out there of people LOVING their hobby just like we do ourselves. And we also KNOW that a lot of those people really love to have a freshly printed and heavenly smelling glossy in their hands every two months.

Don’t worry, I won’t take up this much space in future ‘From the Editor’ articles, but I just wanted you to know that we’re here for you with new ideas, new plans, new focus and new ‘elan’.Happy Reading!

FRoM the eDitoR

computer Pilot Volume 16 Issue 2, June/July 2012 (ISSN 1324-7336) is published bi-monthly by maui artwork S.A., 30 route de longwy, 4750 Pétange, luxembourg. PoSTmASTeR: Send address changes to mZVdirekt GmbH, Sternstr. 9-11, 40479 Düsseldorf, Germany. V1

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François A. ‘Navman’ DumasEditor-in-Chief and Community ManagerComputer Pilot Magazine

Publisher: Marc Goergen (maui artwork – Luxembourg)

Editor: Francois A. ‘Navman’ Dumas

Layout & Design: Tony Liatos - rectifiergraphics.com.au

Contributors In This Issue: Joseph Thompson, Doug Horton, Mark Avey, Daniel Lopez, Rob Scott, Bill Stack, Francois A. Dumas, Bernd Schulzkoehling, David Smith, Urs Wildermuth, Mike Ray, ‘Old Codger’, Brandon Howell, Chuck Bodeen

Subscriptions: Computer Pilotc/o MZVdirekt GmbH & Co. KGSternstr. 9 - 1140479 DüsseldorfGermany

service@computerpilot.comFor Europe: Rene SiepenFor USA: Pam Jakubowski

Editorial Submissions: news@computerpilot.com

Advertising Inquiries:Stefan Widdaumaui artworkadvert@computerpilot.com

Website: www.computerpilot.com

General E-Mail: editor@computerpilot.com

Disclaimer: Any information, advice, maps, charts, tables and other information published in this magazine is exclu-sively for use with PC flight simulations. The publisher does not accept any liability for any accident or incident arising from any information conveyed or implied in this publication.

Copyright: © Copyright 2012 Computer Pilot / maui artwork LuxembourgIncorporating maui artwork. All rights reserved. None of the information in this magazine may be reproduced in any form or stored via any electronic means without the express permis-sion of the publisher.

Cover Price: USA: $9.95*.

Subscriptions: Computer Pilot is published bi-monthly• Australian Annual Subscriptions: USD$ 49.95• US Annual Subscriptions: USD$ 39.95• Other International Subscriptions: USD$ 49.95 or visit www.computerpilot.com

Published by: maui artwork – Luxembourg30 route de Longwy4750 PétangeLuxembourgwww.maui.lu

Editorial offices: Zuiderhout 551695 AT BlokkerThe Netherlands

* Recommended Retail Price only

Computer Pilot is an international magazine, produced in Europe and distributed worldwide.

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10 MajesticSweetness-DC-6ReVIeWJOSEPH THOMPSON, ONE OF OUR NEW WRITERS, HAS TAKEN A LONG LOOK AT THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED DC-6B FROM JUSTFLIGHT IN THE UK. JOSEPH THINKS THAT YOU GET THIS WONDERFUL OLD LADY AT A BARGAIN PRICE AND WAS REAL PLEASED WITH IT. JUDGE FOR YOURSELF FROM THIS FEATURE ARTICLE.16MutleysHangar-communityReVIeWMUTLEYS HANGAR IS A WEBSITE, FOUNDED AND MAINTAINED BY JOE LAWFORD IN THE UK AND CATERING FOR A THRIVING ON-LINE COMMUNITY. ROB SCOTT HAS WRITTEN A REPORT ON THIS SITE, EXPLAINING WHAT IT IS, HOW IT CAME TO BE, AND WHAT IT’S FUTURE IS. YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN!

19“Commercial”VersionofX-Plane22AeroflyFS-featurearticleFRANCOIS RECEIVED A COPY OF THE NEW AEROFLYFS SIMULATOR AND TOOK SOME OF ITS AIRCRAFT FOR A SPIN OVER SWITzERLAND. SINCE HE’S A FAN OF THE MOUNTAINS (AND LIVES IN THE ALPS FOR PART OF THE YEAR) HE MAY BE A TAD BIASED, BUT HE ALSO KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK FOR ! AEROFLYFS SEEMS TO BE AN INTERESTING NEW CONTENDER ON THE FLIGHTSIM MARKET.

27ManagingRisk-BillStackBIll WRoTe A SToRy ABouT Some of THe DANGeRouS AIRfIelDS THAT cAN Be fouND All oVeR THe WoRlD. mANy of THeSe cAN Be fouND AS ADD-oN SceNeRy foR fSX NoWADAyS, AlloWING you To TRy youR HAND AT lANDING SAfely IN Some of THeSe RemoTe AND STRANGe PlAceS.30Prepar3D-1.2and1.3UpdatesDOUG HORTON HAS BEEN FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOCKHEED MARTIN PREPAR3D PROJECT AND REPORTS ON THE RECENT UPDATES. PREPAR3D AS YOU MAY KNOW IS THE LOCKHEED IMPROVED VERSION OF FSX/ESP AND SEEMS TO BE THE WAY FORWARD FOR MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR CUSTOMERS AND DEVELOPERS.34InfiniteFlight-ReviewofiPadsimulatorMARK AVEY HAS LOADED INFINITE FLIGHT ONTO HIS IPAD AND KINDLY MADE US A REPORT ON HIS FINDINGS. A ‘SIMULATOR’ ON AN IPAD (AND IPHONE) MAY NOT SOUND VERY SERIOUS FROM THE OUTSET, BUT MARK WAS SURPRISED BY THE PROGRAM AND ITS qUALITY. READ HIS FINDINGS IN THIS REPORT!

38LuganoX-AirportReVIeWYET ANOTHER REVIEW, THIS ONE OF A NICE LITTLE AIRPORT FOR FSX, SITUATED IN THE WONDERFUL COUNTRY OF SWITzERLAND. URS WILDERMUTH, OUR SWISS EDITOR OF FLIGHT! MAGAzIN, IS A PILOT HIMSELF AND HAS WRITTEN A DETAILED REPORT ON THIS FLYLOGIC PRODUCT.

44OldBoldPilot-by‘OldCodger’‘olD coDGeR’ IS THe PSeuDoNym of A PIloT AND oN-lINe fRIeND of THe eDIToR. He HAS ToNS of eXPeRIeNce IN BoTH ReAl AVIATIoN AND flIGHT SImulATIoN AND SomeTImeS WRITeS ABouT IT. HeRe IS oNe of HIS SToRIeS THAT mAy AmuSe you, AS IT DID uS.45FlyingonVATSIM46HelicoptersinNorthQueenslandA STORY BY DAVID SMITH WHO MADE A REAL HELICOPTER FLIGHT SOME TIME AGO AND SET OUT TO COMPARE HIS EXPERIENCE AND PHOTOS WITH THE FLIGHT SIMULATOR. HE EVEN REPAINTED THE ROBINSON 44 TO MAKE IT LOOK EVEN MORE REAL WHEN COPYING THE FLIGHT AT HIS DESK!50Horton’sHints

CONTINUATION OF DOUG’S TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE BEST USE OF YOUR FLIGHT SIMULATOR PROGRAM AND ADD-ONS.53Interview-LefterisKalamarasofFSLabsAN INTERVIEW WITH THE FOUNDER AND OWNER OF FLIGHT SIM LABS, OR FSLABS FOR SHORT. THE COMPANY IS BASED IN GREECE AND LEFTERIS WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF PMDG BEFORE HE STARTED HIS OWN COMPANY. AFTER THE SUCCESS OF THEIR MUCH APPLAUDED CONCORDE FOR FSX THEY ARE NOW WORKING ON A WONDERFUL MODEL OF AN AIRBUS A320. LEFTERIS TELLS US WHAT WE CAN EXPECT THIS YEAR!56FlyingtheB-25

A STORY BY BERND SCHULzKOEHLING ABOUT FLYING THE (MAAM) B-25 IN FSX BERND IS YET ANOTHER MEMBER OF OUR EXPANDING GROUP OF NEW WRITERS AND HAS WRITTEN A VERY NICE ARTICLE ABOUT THIS GREAT AIRCRAFT. FITS IN NICELY WITH THE RECENT COMMEMORATION OF THE FAMOUS DOOLITTLE RAID !60LianLiTestBench-HardwareReVIeWDOUG HORTON HAD BEEN BUSY LAST YEAR WITH TESTING A WHOLE RANGE OF HARDWARE PRODUCTS, JUST BEFORE COMPUTER PILOT ‘CLOSED DOWN’. SO WE’RE TRYING TO CATCH UP NOW WITH ALL HIS ARTICLES. HERE’S ONE ABOUT A SETUP HE USES TO TEST OTHER HARDWARE.64CorsairHeadphones-ReVIeWbyDougHorton68SolidStateCaching-HardwareReVIeW72MikeRay-EmergencyDescentMIKE ALREADY PUBLISHED THIS IN THE JANUARY/FEBRUARY ISSUE OF COMPUTER PILOT MAGAzINE, BUT SINCE THAT ISSUE NEVER GOT PRINTED WE THOUGHT TO REPEAT IT HERE FOR THOSE OF YOU COLLECTING MIKE’S WONDERFUL SERIES. LIKE MANY OF THE ‘OLD CREW’ MIKE HAS AGREED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH CPM, SO EXPECT NEW MATERIAL FROM HIM GOING FORWARD.80BestofAircraft

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Contents

notamsnotamsHELSINKI-VANTAAAIRPORTByA-FLIgHTWhile at the Captain’s Dinner at the Aerosoft flight simulator conference in Munich earlier this year, I met with a young man from Finland, Aleksi Lindén. He told me he was working on a model of Vantaa Airport (Helsinki, Finland). Since he was the guest of Aerosoft, I figured he’d be working for them and sure enough, Vantaa Airport is going to be released in their series of Mega Airport X.

Aleksi told me they were working on making it the BEST textured scenery on the planet. Now, young people tell me lots of things and after almost 60 years I’ve seen and heard a lot, so pinches of salt are in order. But... truth be told they ARE showing some VERY nice pictures of the upcoming airport and are certainly in the league of the Bill Womacks of this earth.

A-Flight team consist of three people at the moment. Antti Haka and Aleksi Lindén from Finland, and Daniel Scherer from Germany. Antti is the founder of A-Flight and as a professional 3D graphics designer and a long time flight simulator user starting from the days of FS 5.1, he is responsible for all 3D modeling and texture work. Few years back he started learning the FSX SDK, first to just extend his hobby, but in 2011 he decided to start creating his first full scenery, and decided to go all the way instead of just doing some small improvements to the default FSX airports.

That’s how A-Flight was formed. Daniel is creating the AFCAD, including all the approaches, for the scenery and Aleksi is the lead tester and technical advisor for the product, as well as taking care of a big part of the communications work. As a private pilot who often flies to the airport in real life, Aleksi has brought a lot of valuable advice to bring the scenery very close to its real-world counterpart.

Here’s some data about the upcoming title: Mega Airport Helsinki X is a product made by A-Flight, which is a new company in the business. Mega Airport Helsinki X will be released later this year for Microsoft Flight Simulator X by Aerosoft.

The scenery includes many fantastic features, such as:

• Accurate photo scenery of the Helsinki-Vantaa airport area• Custom made, extremely high-detail ground/pavement textures

for accurate representation of the real airport• Built in shadowing techniques that does not hurt your performance

like the default shadowing engine does• Accurately modeled buildings after hundreds of hours research

and photographing• Realistic night texturing and lighting• Seasonal ground textures

A-Flight can be found on the Internet here: www.a-flight.com