FlightSim.Com Reviews: Azores & Madeira Scenery

Azores & Madeira Scenery
 From Apollo Software

Review by Chris Kilroy (22 Jun 2001)


The Azores Islands are a group of nine islands in the Atlantic ocean approximately 1000 miles off the coast of Europe. The islands are divided into three groups:

The Madeira Islands are also in the Atlantic, about 750 miles from the Azores. The Madeira Islands includes the isles of Madeira, Porto Santo, Desertas, and Salvagens. Madeira's international airport, Funchal, is known for its aircraft carrier-like approach.

USING THE SCENERY

This scenery uses an exciting new type of scenery design called "ProTerrain." With this new design technique, the pilot guides his aircraft through total 3-D terrain, not flat land with mountain objects, like the Flight Simulator default scenery. It also uses photo-realistic textures which match real world colors with exacting detail, and the water even looks realistic.

A Boeing 737 approaches Funchal airport on the challenging Runway 6 approach. A Boeing 747-300 approaches Funchal in FS5.1 on the same approach as the previous photo to show the difference the "Pro-terrain" texturing makes.

This design technique has one huge drawback though: frame rates. I was extremely disappointed with the frame rates exhibited with this scenery. On my Pentium 166MMX with 32MB RAM and 2MB Video RAM with Windows 95 running in 256 color 800 x 600, I only attained between 7 and 10 frames per second. To users of lower-end systems, this may sound great, but in the default FSFW95 scenery, I get over and above 25 frames per second. You can gain several frames by turning the Quality / Speed switch to Low Quality / High Speed, but you will notice that the scenery becomes way too pixelized in this mode.

Forgetting about frame rate troubles for a minute or two, the scenery really does give the impression of photo-realism. The water actually looks like water, and all of the 3D terrain is most impressive. If you have your Image Quality set to high, the scenery is even more impressive. This switch activates the "Image Smoothing" function of the old FS5.1, and you will notice that there is almost no pixelization in the scenery at all.

Probably the most interesting feature of the scenery is the International Airport at Funchal, Madeira. This airport's approach rivals the infamous Hong Kong IGS approach, and may actually be even more impressive. Runway 06 / 24 at Funchal is only 5085' in length, and is routinely used for the departures of Boeing 727s and 737s. At the 06 end of the runway, there is a 90 foot drop-off straight to the rocks below, and at the 24 end, the last 300' or so of the runway and displaced threshold are actually elevated above the ground on concrete support posts. The folks at Apollo did an excellent job in representing this neat feature.

A 737-400 makes the final turn to the Runway 6 approach at Funchal. A 737 approaching the other runway, 24, at Funchal. This view shows the great techniques used to elevate the west end of the runway.

The approach to runway 06 involves a low altitude right turn to runway heading, much like the Hong Kong approach. However, more is at stake on this approach as there is towering terrain about 500 feet to the left of the curved approach lights. Also, unlike the Hong Kong approach, there are no instrument approach procedures to this runway. The only aids to the pilot are the curved approach lights and a set of PAPI's at each end of the runway. There is also no parallel taxiway to this runway. This necessitates that the aircraft actually taxi down the runway to the end, make a turn, then perform the takeoff.

DOCUMENTATION AND OTHER FEATURES

The documentation included with this scenery is outstanding! It doesn't get too involved in the history of the islands, nor does it give useless information that can already be found in the Flight Simulator handbook. What you do get are 30 approach charts, more than one for every airport included. There are charts for visual, instrument, and low-visibility approach charts for almost every airport. The documentation is included in English, German, and French.

Also on the CD are three AVI files previewing upcoming and current products from Apollo. Screenshots are also available for these products in the back of the book. Although you might be tempted to avoid these videos at all costs, I do recommend them to you as you might see some products you just can't live without.

An exterior view shows the stock FSFW95 Boeing 737 turning at the end of Runway 24. A 737 on final for Runway 16 at Lajes Air Base in the Azores.

THE FINAL ANALYSIS

This scenery really gives the user the feeling of being around the actual islands. This type of photo-realistic scenery used to come only with high amounts of pixelization, but this new type of design has remedied that problem. I don't, however, recommend this scenery for anyone with a machine below a Pentium 166. To be honest, unless you can fly without being affected by somewhat severe framing, it probably doesn't belong on anything less than a Pentium 200.

Chris Kilroy
ChrisK747@aol.com

For more information, visit Apollo Software's Web site.


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