FlightSim.Com Reviews: Kiribati Scenery

Kiribati Scenery

by John Haley (18 August 1998)

he first thing that strikes you about Kiribati scenery before you even set it up on your computer, is the significant amount of work that has gone into the documentation. There is an extremely detailed explanation about this tiny island chain in the mid-Pacific. There are even links to real-life tourism sites, including more information about AIR NAURU, hotel and travel information and a travel guide.

There's even a link to a Kiribati search engine for those who are ready to book tickets to what is likely one of the most beautiful group of islands in the world!

You won't have to hunt down flight information, NAV frequencies or that sort of thing because it's all included in the documentation. The greatest thrust of the scenery development is the Tarawa Atoll. It, by the authors own admission, is only a small part of the overall island chain, but they seem to feel it is the most important.

Installation of Scenery

The installation of Kiribati 98 was flawless. It was extremely easy to set up and I was flying within minutes of the download. The package includes an explorer connection with great detail about this island chain and its way of life.

Overall Scenery Impressions

The authors are quite keen on the quality of work in Kiribati. And for all intents and purposes they have good reason to make that claim. Detail is very impressive, and you really do feel like you're visiting the mid-Pacific while flying the skies over Kiribati. Lush Palm trees, quaint litle huts like you used to see on "Gilligan's Island", sunken sand dunes and marvelous golden beaches make this piece of work well worth the download. It's bright and colorful!

Call me crazy, but I have to say how impressed I was by the placement of automobiles around airports. While on take-off roll, I glanced right and spotted a small car. It was almost as if someone were stopped watching the plane leave. I have never seen this in scenery. Yes, there have been cars and such, but never so close to the runway. How many times have all pilots taxied from the terminal to the runway, and have lost the feel for the sheer size of the craft we are flying? The placement of smaller items around the runways and landing pads makes this scenery even more realistic. Check it out!

Downside

Is there one with this scenery? To be perfectly honest, you have to look hard to find it. Perhaps one could say a lot of the trees and huts look too much alike. If you fly high enough, everything loses its impressiveness. But that's a real stretch. There's only the one major airport here, so a float-plane or helicopter would do wonders.

About the only criticism I can level is one that is purely subjective. To me, island flight simming gets to be a little boring after a while. I still think island scenery developers have it pretty easy because they can work from scratch without nasty overlay problems. It would be enough for me to download this scenery, spend about a week doing some island hopping and then deleting it.

Conclusion

On final at Bonriki International rwy 8.

A definite must for anyone looking for detailed, unique scenery. A definite must for any flight sim fan who is lucky to have visited this bit of heaven on earth. A definite "not interested" from those who tire easily of island hopping.

John Haley
jhaley@Quetico.tbaytel.net

Download Kiribati Scenery.

Visit co-author Daniel Zenker's scenery support Web site.

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