Game Commander And Pro Flight 2000 Bundle

By Eric Marenyi (16 March 2001)

As time went on, and the infatuation grew (I think there should be a new club, FSA, FlightSim Anonymous!) to the point of addiction, so did my knowledge, and requirements. I was thinking of purchasing an ATC program but I couldn't decide between Radar Contact, and Pro Flight 2000. I eventually decided to get both (though I am still waiting on my CD version to arrive for Radar Contact).

The day I received this combo pack, purchased from Flightsim Central I immediately opened the box, popped in Pro Flight 2000, and installed every possible thing it would let me. Installation was very easy, although it was very long (it took almost an hour). After installation I couldn't wait to install Game Commander, so I fired up PF2000, and created my first adventure, with the help of their cool little voice help system. I made a flight from KBOS to KLGA, and tried to compile it, but I kept getting a compile error, so I went online to their Web site, and it recommended I change the settings in APLC32. I did, and tried to compile again, this time SUCCESS!.

I closed out PF2000, and fired up FS2000. I had chosen the default C182 and fair weather. I found myself a little disoriented at first but used the supplied command card to help me along. After some fiddling with the different frequencies, ground, tower, etc. I finally get to the point where I can taxi to the runway. I taxied to the runway, lined up, contacted ATC, and after a brief pause, I was cleared to fly runway heading and climb to 3000 feet. I applied the throttle and starting rolling down the runway.

After taking off I soon realized the disadvantages to using the keyboard for ATC commands, so I decided to end my flight (my wife was bugging me anyway). The next day I looked forward to coming home from work, and installing Game Commander. When I got home I fired up the Mean Machine (my computer), and installed Game Commander. Installation was a breeze, and very fast. I had to reboot to finish installation so I did. When the computer came back on, I started it up, and was messing around with the included headset, and just talking to the computer to see how accurate it was, and to my surprise it was very accurate. After playing around I started FS2000, used FSNavigator to create a flight plan from KLGA (LaGuardia), to KIAD (Washington Dulles Int'l). I chose the auto route option, saved my flight plan, and exited FS, although I didn't really need to. I started up PF2000, and started by choosing a flight plan. After that it was time to create weather, so I created changing weather, starting from clear, to moderate, then back to clear. After creating weather, it was time to go to the settings tab, where I verified all the paths were correct, and then went on to select my aircraft type, and airline (since I fly for VA Canada, I used Air Canada). I chose the CRJ for my flight, then it was back to the main screen to adjust my call sign, choose to use Game Commander, and cruise altitude. This time compiling was no problem. I finished everything, exited, and Started FS.

After first contacting Clearance, just by saying "checking in", the adventure replied to me. I was grinning, so after that I was handed over to departure, after a few more spoken "Rogers", and some other simple commands I was on the runway waiting for clearance from the tower. I contacted tower by saying "request takeoff clearance" and a few seconds later I was directed to climb to 3000 feet on runway heading.

I applied full throttle, and the next thing I know I was at 3000 feet on runway heading. I receive the directions to climb to 4000 feet, and turn to heading 354. I simply reply with a "roger", and ATC leaves me alone to follow orders. Soon after I was up to cruising altitude, and was being handed off to center. After being with one center for about 10 minutes, I was handed off to another, so I change frequencies, and say "checking in", and they acknowledged my position. I come to the descent, and I am vectored on every leg of my flight plan, but I was vectored in for the visual. I was felling froggy, so I said "Declining the visual", I heard a reply of "stand by", after a brief pause I was being vectored in for an ILS approach on runway 19R at Dulles.

Having had previous bad experiences with other programs that attempted vectoring I was a little unsure of this. I followed all commands from approach flawlessly, and before I knew it I was directed to intercept localizer, and contact tower, after established. I contacted tower saying "request landing clearance", and I was cleared for landing runway 19R, I touched down and taxied off the active, and called tower "request taxi to parking", and they told me to taxi to the terminal.

WOW!, that's all I was thinking. It's hardly possible to express in words the ability of this program, and the invaluableness to FS. Overall I rate this COMBO a 95 out of 100, because Game Commander sometimes hears you say something different than what you mean; for instance I said brakes, and the lights came on (I should have said wheel brakes anyway so it was my fault too). Together these two are insanely real, and worth every penny.

Eric Marenyi
eric@okinawalocal.com

Read Gary Evans' review on just Game Commander.

Read Andrew Herd's review on just ProFlight 2000.