kay,
how many of us have tried to download aircraft, started Flight
Sim with anticipation only to find that the aircraft you've
downloaded isn't there and thrown the PC out of the window (well
almost)? Well I know because it's happened to me more times than I
care to remember. My girlfriend can manage it okay so why can't I?
What am I doing wrong? Well, I haven't quite figured it out and my
girlfriend is getting too accustomed to me begging on my knees
"Please, please install a plane for me". Unfortunately, as a result
of this 'tradeoff' I've now got a backlog of washing and ironing.
This has got to change! I told myself.
Later that week I saw "The Planes of Airbus - Alpha Software" on 4CDs
web site and remembered what a good program their previous release
was (DC-3), so I ordered it, and immediately climbed into the
doghouse as I didn't ask 'The Boss' first. Too late to say no! I
thought to myself as I stared into my food bowl <grin>
Several days later she let me out when "The Planes of Airbus"
arrived. The box declared "44 different aircraft, 12 Airbus and 2
Concorde planes, navigate with photo-realistic working gauges,
panels and engine controls". Marvelous, the answer to my prayers,
well worth the days spent in the doghouse.
INSTALLATION
Installation is a piece of cake. Insert the CD and it will autorun.
It installs using MS install wizard. No problems, so far so good. On
loading FS, I went to 'create a flight' and saw loads of different
aircraft to play with. Not only that but it installs Toulouse Scenery
as well! Toulouse, France is the HQ of Airbus Industries, so you can
fly around the factory.
USING
To use simply go to 'create a flight'. There you select the plane,
and scenery etc. as usual. However this was where my heart dropped
dramatically. AAArrgggghh! It's the 737 default panel I see before
me! I then used the spot plane and yes, there was my shiny Cathay
Pacific A340. That can't be right, I said to myself, surely I should
be looking at a new panel. Unfortunately it is right, Alpha Software
have not seen fit to include new panels with the new aircraft. All of
the planes including Concorde load with the default 737 panel. What a
disappointment!
PROS & CONS
- Lots of aircraft with a variety of airlines
- Beautifully designed and modeled
- Accurate Toulouse scenery
- No new panels or sound
- Misleading cover box
SUMMARY
"The Planes of Airbus" installs 44 different Airbus and two Concorde
planes. It also installs the Toulouse scenery. You have plenty of
different global airlines to fly for. However they all use the same
default 737 panel. It would be unfair to grade in marks out of ten.
It would depend on whether, like me, you fly from the cockpit or from
the outside. If you fly from the inside then you will be extremely
disappointed. However if you like looking at the outside then "The
Planes of Airbus" lives up to its name. My final comment is, "Don't
believe everything you read on the box". It can be very misleading.
Martin Parker
Mart1969@aol.com
Alpha Software:
www.alphasoftware.com
