I purchase Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 for a Christmas present and was shocked by its potential real world application for IFR simulation training. Of course I expected the graphics, sound, etc to be good (especially if you can remember the old jerky original flight simulator). However, the real world features were fantastic, especially considering the $30 price. I have recently moved to London and I am starting to fly IFR in Europe. I also upgraded my LNC2 panel and now have dual GRT EFIS, Sandel EHSI 3308, and GNS 530. Therefore, I am finding FS 2004 very useful in both practicing the transition to IFR glass and learning new instrument approaches.
Some features I was quite impressed with on FS 2004:
-"Artificial Intellegence" ATC that uses good terminology with relevant frequencies, instructions, approaches, etc. Not perfect, but very impressive.
-Functioning Garmin GNS500 GPS with basic controls and full database.
-Very impressive customizable weather. You can set vis, precip, cloud cover/heights, ceilings, time/date, etc
-Flight planning
-Decent selection of aircraft, including a Mooney Bravo, which is not too bad of a platform to simulate the LNC2 for IFR. There are some Lancair add ins available to download, but I have not found one yet that seems to have reasonable flying qualities or doesn't suffers from other meaningful problems. I would love to find a high quality LNC2 profile.
Furthermore, there are some add ins out there that make FS 2004 even more stunning. Here are a few I have tried and found quite good and relatively user friendly.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 (main program)
GARMIN GNS 530/430, 340, 327 106 102.
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The new offering provide an ultra-realistic simulation of the Garmin Ltd. fine avionics and includes all of the following devices in a single comprehensive package: |
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Garmin GNS 430 and GNS 530 GPSs (offered as two different products) |
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Garmin GMA 340 Audio Panel |
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Garmin GTX 327 Transponder |
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Garmin GI 106A and GI 102A VOR |
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Gns Config designed to configure and manage your 430XP and 530XP gauges in any panel. |
I tested this and it was relatively easy to use and seemed super functional. It uses the Garmin factory GNS simulator as a base and seems to have ALL the functionality of the real thing, plus full (and international) database. It also includes additional features to customize it more fully with FS 2004. Very impressive!
Sandel SN3308 EHSI add in
http://www.reality-xp.com/products/SN3308/index.htm
"Flying the Reality XP Sandel SN3308 is virtually indistinguishable from flying the actual Sandel SN3308. The features are accurate, the colors are true, and all the functions work! Who needs a real plane with this kind of quality?"
I would agree with the above from my brief testing. Same company as the Garmin product above and likewise very impressive.
DYNON EFIS/EMS Add in
Our Dynon EFIS-D10A is made for any flightsim add-on. You can easily implement this gauge into any aircraft panel with our custom configuration application. The application will allow users to set color define limits (green, yellow, and red) to each aircraft the gauge is installed in.
I tested this briefly and it worked quite well and seemed fully functional.
Mooney Bravo EFIS & Std Panels
http://www.friendlypanels.arrakis.es/
The panels' layout has been carefully designed to include all readable gauges in a window, saving you the boring task of being opening and closing windows continuously to access gauges or functions, and also maintaining the gauges layout in the panel as close to the real one as possible. That simple!, that easy to flight with these panels!, no need of complementary windows spoiling your views and keeping your hands so much busy with keyboard, joystick and mouse. See the screenshots below to have a look of every panel.
Three different GPS with most of their functions working: Bendix KLN90B and KLN94 and Garmin GNS530.
These are the some of the main gauges you can find in these panels:
BENDIX KLN 94 GPS, BENDIX
KLN 90B GPS, GARMIN GNS530 GPS ,
BENDIX KX 165A NAV - COM RADIO, BENDIX
KR 87 ADF, BENDIX KN 62 A DME, BENDIX KFC 225 AUTOPILOT, BENDIX
KT 70, KT 76C and GARMIN GTX 330 TRANSPONDERS,
DAVTRON DIGITAL CLOCK MB800, Autopilot Meggitt MAGIC 2100, Meggitt MAGIC Electronic Flight Instrument System (
PFD and ND), Meggit MAGIC Engine Instrument Display System
EIDS and different realistic Audio panels. etc...
Also seemed to work quite well in my testing, although the doesn't have the full functionality GNS 530 of the Reality product above. |
EditVoicepack
EditVoicepack offers a simple interface to edit the file containing the ATC communication used in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight. It is possible to change the phraseology as well as add airline callsigns, airports, and aircraft types. EditVoicepack already contains thousands of ready made entries; and is able to download new entries from a central server. It also allows you to accelerate the existing voices for a more realistic experience and better handling of traffic dense environments.
After installing, go to the menu and select:
File, Update Voicepack
(this will add the files to FS 2004, including "Lancair" callsign). I did not mess with any of the customizing. Gives me the ability to have ATC call my Mooney Bravo "Lancair N250JF". (change the atc-type in the Mooney Aircraft profile to Lancair)
Radar Contact
Radar Contact is the most complete Air Traffic Control (ATC) add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Previous versions of Radar Contact (RC) were based on adventures, which provided a realistic ATC environment. We believe that Radar Contact Version 4 will take Air Traffic Control to the next level. By implementing current
7110.65 FAA Rules, with more in-depth implementation of real world procedures, and many of the ICAO rules, Radar Contact puts you in the left seat where you will fly under today's current ATC jurisdiction.
Whether you like flying the heavies, such as the 747 or the Airbus 340, turboprops, or general aircraft, RC is ready for you. RC provides the appropriate controllers who give you the current weather, clearances, taxi instructions, takeoff clearances, ascent and descent clearances, vectors to the active runway, clearances to land, ground clearances, and traffic calls for any aircraft in your flight path.
RC allows you to fly Departure Procedures, will accurately handle emergencies, give you the option to file and fly specific approaches, allow you to practice those approaches, and allow you to fly to your alternate airport when the weather is below minimums. RC also supports an in-flight change of destination to any airport in the world.
I have ordered this program, but have not receive it yet.
I am still looking for:
- An add in for my Grand Rapids EFIS
- A very high quality LNC2 profile (would settle for Legacy)
Regards,
Clark Baker
N250JF
LNC2 360 - 660 hrs tt
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