Madrid 2000

By James Hermida (20 January 2001)

This is the old LEMD control tower.

The installation is very simple; just download the file and it self extracts to a directory of your choosing (usually FS2000/Scenery root directory). Then you have to go to the Scenery Library menu in order to add the scenery (in the Madrid 2000 file there is visual step by step tutorial so it very simple).

The first pleasant surprise is that two charts are included (LEMD runway 33 Approach Chart & LEMD Airport Chart). This scenery includes Barajas Airport (the default FS2000 Barajas Airport is terrible and doesn't include its beautiful new control tower nor the new runway 36L) that is practically the same as on his freeware scenery. So why pay for something that's free? Because Madrid 2000 is much more then just LEMD, It includes the whole Madrid Province and surroundings. This scenery is really made for VFR flight with a whole bunch of landmarks that should guide you to small aerodromes and allows you to do a flying sightseeing tour.

I live in a small village some 50 km north of Madrid so I know quite well how the real scenery looks. Therefore I decided to put this scenery to the test. I will take off on my virtual airline's trainer (Cessna 172) from Cuatro Vientos (a very important civilian aerodrome in southern Madrid) and I'll fly north over my house and land at Fuentemilanos in Segovia without the use of any navaid, just pure visual reckoning.

Just after taking off from the Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome

Three landmarks are visible shortly after takeoff heading north-northeast: the Spanish TV tower, Barajas Control Tower and the Royal Palace

Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome is fairly well built. One of the bad things about Pedro's scenery is that there is very little static and dynamic scenery in his airports (something easily fixed) and maybe he should include a little more detail. But the details of landmarks are well made. Over flying the Royal Palace you can almost see the bricks! The first thing that comes to my mind as I pass over the palace is that Madrid looks small. It is large city so maybe the urban textures should have been extended a bit more.

Magnificent view of the Palacio de Oriente. This landmark was built in the XVIII century.

Looking right I can see another three landmarks: the Alcala Gate, Retiro Park and the TVE Television tower

Flying north over the Castellana Avenue one recognizes the city immediately. All around you are landmarks that should allow you to fly wherever you want to go. Detail isn't exaggerated (only at the landmarks) so the flight is smooth without stutters. I think one of the good things about Pedro's scenery is that it is very frame rate friendly allowing a good flow of the action even with the lowest PIII machines.

Turning north over Madrid's main avenue. More landmarks in sight: Picasso Building, Real Madrid's football stadium and the twin KIO towers.

Over the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

I decide to turn east to fly over Barajas Airport at 3000 feet. (Do not attempt this yourself, you will get trashed out by LEMD ATC.) Approaching the airport one immediately sees that the airport is perfectly laid out with the new tower, new 36L runway, the three terminals, hangars, etc. Everything is where it should be. Once again, Barajas looks like part of a post nuclear war movie, everything is there but no one is in sight, no trucks, airplanes, service vehicles, etc.; nothing that a little static scenery add-on can't fix.

Another good shot of Barajas.

Overflying LEMD. Where did everyone go?

Now the real test begins. Is this scenery capable of taking me to the little airfield in Segovia just by flying visually with no map? One of the best ways of finding your way is to fly over known roads. I have to admit that many roads in this scenery are missing, but the ones that are there have the correct layout. They are not random roads but based on real maps. So I take a known northerly road and after a few minutes, I should see a big water reservoir at my 10 o'clock.

There it is! The Santillana Water Reservoir. I'm close to home.

Very good! The San Pedro Army Helicopter Base. From here fire fighting planes take off whenever there is a forest fire.

Now there should be a road to the right of the reservoir that should take me to Manzanares el Real, where a XV century castle overlooks the reservoir making it one most beautiful spots of the Madrid province. The is a road there, the village is there, but no castle! Oh well, I think Pedro overlooked this one. I can assure you that most of Madrid's landmarks and surroundings are included in this scenery. I follow the same road and I'm home.

OK, now on to Fuentemilanos airfield in Segovia. I have to climb to 7000 feet in order to fly over the mountains that are Madrid's northern border. Beyond lies Segovia and the Castilian plain. At Navacerrada there is a ski station and on a peak (called the World's Ball) there should be TV antennae that are seen from far away and are a major VFR landmark.

My house should be more or less where the red circle is.

Climbing to 7000 feet as I'm nearing Navacerrada with its characteristic TV antennae.

I'm not certain if Pedro has touched the textures of this northern region of Madrid, but it sure seems more green and fresh. You can almost smell the mountainous atmosphere. Just after Navacerrada the terrain drops down upon the Castilian plain and right in front of me should be Segovia with two known landmarks: The Alcazar (where Isabelle La Catolica lived) and the impressive Roman Aqueduct. Unfortunately Segovia is there but no noticeable landmarks. The Alcazar should be there at least because it is very important VFR reference point. Maybe I just can't see it. Turning west I should fly over another reservoir called Valsaín which will be my visual reference towards Fuentemilanos Airfield.

Here is Valsain. Fuentemilanos Airfield should be at my 2 o'clock.

Just passed "La Bola del Mundo".

Perfect, there it is. The little airfield of Fuentemilanos is waiting. Well, Madrid 2000 has passed the test. My flight experience has been smooth. I think Pedro has balanced the detail/frame rate issue. Of course this was an introductory flight to this scenery but there is so much more to see.

On my base leg for landing at Fuentemilanos.

Settling my little red bird on the runway. Look at the nice little airfield.

In conclusion I will grade this scenery as very good. It allowed me to do VFR flight with known landmarks always in view. The geographical layout is excellent with every major river, lake and mountain well placed. It is very frame rate friendly and the amount of "Easter eggs" is more then you usually find in add-on scenery. LEMD layout is great (with a little static & dynamic scenery I would call it superb). Another plus is the installation is simple and the file isn't that big (8 mb compared with some add-ons that are enormous and difficult to download).

Test System: Pentium III at 800 MHz 128 RAM TNT 32 mb video card

On the negative side, I find Madrid City a little bit small (extension of urban texture tiles would be appreciated). Some important roads are missing. The "sinking wheels on tarmac" effect is noticeable. One of major drawbacks is the price. I know we are all spoiled brats because of the high quality freeware out there, but I think $24.95 is a little bit expensive. If you consider that Alicante 2000 is only $11.95 maybe it's better to buy both packages (Alicante+Madrid 2000) for about $30. Remember that these sceneries are part of Spain Global Scenery 2000 with Seville 2000 coming out soon and totally compatible with each other. I'll be making another review this time with Big Iron flying from Alicante to Madrid to see what the feeling of night approach with this great scenery is like.

Madrid 2000	&	Alicante 2000
are available at: Avion Magazine.Com

James Hermida
jhermidav@ctv.es
Cardinal-Europe LEMD Station Manager