Setting The Standard

Then gradually I became more experienced in the "Art of Flying". It was on my twelve birthday that my Mum & Dad bought me Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 Professional Edition. With one exception, the computer was far too slow.

Anyway, I wrote that review on a DC-8-62F, for FS2000. And as many of you may know, I tried sparking some enthusiasm in the aircraft and panel forums. And many of you told me it would never work. I reluctantly accepted this and now I am trying to set a fine line for me on which is acceptable, and which is not. I am not trying to put people off this hobby, but there has to be some sort of guideline.

There are many push/pull factors involved in the making of panel, aircraft and sound packages, such as...

But I download aircraft, panels and sound packages based upon two things.

I have concluded some things I believe should be in an aircraft...

Grade A:

• Fully animated (flaps, spoilers, rudder, elevators)
• Accurately scaled
• Rotating fan blades
• Excellent day/night textures
• All lights
• Textured gear bay walls
• Transparent cockpit glass
• Well researched
• Well documented manual
• Recommended system to run on

Grade B:

• Semi-automated
• Landing, strobe, and beacon lights
• Good day/night textures
• Documented

Grade C:

• Not animated
• Some lights
• Day textures
• Slightly documented

I like to see control surfaces moving, landing lights coming on, etc.

But what do I expect from a panel? I expect at lot more from a panel. I would download a 20MB panel, if it was quality work. When designers start pushing the limits of previous panel design, people naturally expect more from all designers. When Dai Griffiths came out with his superb Shorts panel, I was very impressed. I then expected panels of the same or similar quality.

However, there are some panels which do not need complex gauges and cramped lay-outs. For instance, panels for gliders cover very little screen area at all, in fact a maximum of 1/3 of the screen is adequate for a glider.

Again I have classed these into two groups. In each group I have listed what I personally expect from a panel.

Heavy Jets

• Average frame rate
• Multifunction screens
• Correct scale
• Gauges designed specifically for that panel
• Night lighting
• Overhead panel
• Pedestal
• Some sort of flight management system
• Yoke
• Different navigation displays type (ARC, NAV, PLAN)
• Autopilot exact to that aircraft
• Well documented

Propeller Aircraft

• Clear gauges
• Little scuff marks on the panel
• Exact radios
• At least 800x600 resolution
• Well documented

You can't really go wrong with sound. Although I would say, there needs to be more of the stuff. When downloading an aircraft get the sound, and panel to go with that aircraft.

This is what I have come to expect from a panel, aircraft and sound packages. Like I say, if possible always go for the larger file size. Although many designers produce many versions of an aircraft, panel and and sound packages, you should always try to develop the highest quality/performance package you can.

Gauges designers should look at the problem of vectoral gauges, why Microsoft's gauges work better. You have good examples of gauges in flight simulator. Always try a see if you can make it that little bit better, you never know it might just make that panel faster.

And a special thanks to all those at FlightSim.Com for their hard work and effort.

Matthew Murray
AirtoursVA@yahoo.co.uk