Features

Carenado is well known for creating great looking general aviation aircraft. Their Cessna 340 II has been around for years in different versions, but is now available for X-Plane 11 and brings new features like PBR materials that make the exterior really look like the metal on a real airplane. Reviewer Shawn Weigelt loved the look of plane and was satisfied with the accessible flight model.

Flight simmers enjoy making their sim cockpit more realistic, so companies like Cockpit phD are a great benefit in making this possible. Though founded only four years ago, the Cockpit phD team has created an expanding line of cockpit controls that make the home cockpit more real. Raymond Andersen interviews them about their passion for flight, how they got started, future plans and more.

If your idea of the American west is based on western movies, you're likely thinking of Monument Valley. Located on the Colorado plateau near the Arizona/Utah border, the rugged terrain makes for some scenic flying, which Orbx has captured with their usual style. This version is for X-Plane 11 and reviewer Sean McLeod enjoyed blasting over the desert and into the canyons.

Soaring is a type of flying many flight simulator pilots are not familiar with. The best way to experience it is with a dedicated simulator like Condor 2. The sim includes a good variety of gliders to try and a wide variety of features on how you launch, landscapes and more. There's also an extensive lessons system. Reviewer Nils Lips spent a considerable amount of time with the sim and highly recommends it.

REMEX Software has been working on a new flight simulator named Deadstick Bush Flight Simulator. Recently reviewer Michael Hayward had a chance to try a pre-release version of the sim and talk with the developers. He really enjoyed his time with the sim and has high hopes for it when released near the end of the year. The sim includes some interesting features like aircraft that wear and age, a career mode featuring cargo delivery and more to come.

Charles Macelli is a relatively new X-Plane scenery designer, but his passion for flight simulator has gotten him involved in a big way in a short time. In this interview he tells us about his philosophy on scenery design and what areas and airports interest him. We also learn about the tools he uses and what got him interested in aviation in the first place.

The Where In The World series challenge from Ron Blehm continues as readers have stepped up with a bunch of new destinations. Last month's stumped some but most figured out where Hans Christian Anderson was honored with a statue. The clues for this month look tough...how is your geography knowledge?

If you're an X-Plane pilot who enjoys exploring the beautiful Pacific northwest, you'll enjoy flying into Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport. Reviewer Patrick Putlend gave this scenery from Aerosoft a try and found it thoroughly enjoyable. He liked the detailed ground textures and buildings as well as the custom mesh and the inclusion of the city as well as the airport.

Little Navmap from Alexander Barthel is a freeware utility that makes navigating a breeze. According to reviewer Paul Mort, the flight planner is easy to use but has all the features you need. The maps have a great level of detail and are easy on the eye. In fact, he couldn't really find any negatives to the utility, making it a great addition to your flight simulator tools.