X-Plane by Laminar Research

Flight Sim Index
X-Plane

Latest News (19 March 2000):

X-Plane 5.23 now comes with Martian scenery so you can experience flying in a fully simulated martian atmosphere with real NASA DEM data and textures. It is also currently being sold at $99 from the XP web site!

Brief Description:

I found this whilst looking for MSFS files and it knocks spots off the competion. This is another civil sim but it was developed on a Mac (though there is a PC version) by a dedicated flight sim fan and is now available commercially. You can design your own plane or fly anything from a heavy jet (ie, Boeing 747) to a helicopter. There is realistic weather generation, including haze and rain, even thunderstorms. There are over 9,000 airports (more are added regularly) with full nav data (radio beacons, etc) and real terrain elevation taken from USGS data of the whole world. I downloaded the demo and it knocked the socks of MSFS 4 (though it was a poor contender anyway). There is even an aircraft carrier for jets and a frigate for helicopters and VTOL planes (Harrier Jump Jet) for you to fly. You can also land on tower block helipads and oil rigs. Try taking off from the carrier using a Boeing 747, its very cool! The flying is very smooth using the mouse, and has realistic sounds with the talking computer voices found in modern cockpits saying "Pull Up!" I strongly suggest you download the demo, you will want to buy it, I did!! ". There are lots of X-Plane pilots with their own sites with various planes they have designed for you to download. You can download scenery X-Plane Registry and custom files from the ftp site on the main page. One drawback is that you can only order it from the USA or over the internet, or though R/C Simulations in Bristol who sell it in the UK. This is truly a program for flight sim fans. Eat your heart out Micro$oft!

No of Aircraft:

Hundreds of custom aircraft with custom paint jobs, cockpit panels and sounds, including:

Civil:

Boeing fleet

Airbus fleet

Citation Executive jet

BAe 146

Concorde

General Aviation:

Cessna 172

Piper Arrow

Islander

Miltary Jets:

F/A18 Hornet

Harrier Jump Jet

FA18

Experimental-Vintage-Misc:

Osprey (experimental)

Dakota DC3

Gliders/sailplanes

Grumman Goose (sea plane)

Helicopters:

Bell Jet Ranger

Sikorsky S-76

Robinson R22

These can all be downloaded from the X-Plane Registry at:

X-Plane Registry

Scenery Area:

Virtually the entire World is available for download, with the exception of Central Africa, Russia and parts of the Middle East. Many X-Planers have customised the scenery by adding lakes, rivers and even buildings. Try the Norwegian scenery as it is very detailed

Again there is a scenery registry at:

X-Plane Registry

Graphics/Sound:

There are 2 versions of X-Plane with different scenery types (though both use the same scenery files)

Classic

Designed for the older computers which don't have 3d cards. There are no textures, just flat green and brown colours, but they are still very effective at inducing the feel of flight. There are sounds for rain, landing gear and engine noises.

X-Plane 5

The latest incarnation has textures for the ground, runways and the aircraft and is far better than Classic. You can add your own textures and sounds as well, and even your own buildings and cockpit panels.

Special Features:

Designed as an instrument trainer rather than a VFR trainer it has a world database of navigation aids and airports so you can parctise holds and instrument approaches without seeing the ground.

Real weather (including lightning, rain, snow)

Plane maker (design your own plane)

Aircraft carriers

Oil rig and tower block helipads

Put out forest fires

Computer Requirements:

Available for both Mac and PC

Classic will run on just about any Power Mac, but XP5 requires a 3d card, such as those found in the G4 and iMacs. You will need around 40Mb+ disk space for the standard files (I think), check the XP web site for video card requirements.

Internet links:

X-Plane Home Page

X-Plane Registry Your one stop shop for all things X-Plane!!

Flight Sim Index	X-Plane
	Latest News (19 March 2000): X-Plane 5.23 now comes with Martian scenery so you can experience flying in a fully simulated martian atmosphere with real NASA DEM data and textures. It is also currently being sold at $99 from the XP web site! Brief Description: I found this whilst looking for MSFS files and it knocks spots off the competion. This is another civil sim but it was developed on a Mac (though there is a PC version) by a dedicated flight sim fan and is now available commercially. You can design your own plane or fly anything from a heavy jet (ie, Boeing 747) to a helicopter. There is realistic weather generation, including haze and rain, even thunderstorms. There are over 9,000 airports (more are added regularly) with full nav data (radio beacons, etc) and real terrain elevation taken from USGS data of the whole world. I downloaded the demo and it knocked the socks of MSFS 4 (though it was a poor contender anyway). There is even an aircraft carrier for jets and a frigate for helicopters and VTOL planes (Harrier Jump Jet) for you to fly. You can also land on tower block helipads and oil rigs. Try taking off from the carrier using a Boeing 747, its very cool! The flying is very smooth using the mouse, and has realistic sounds with the talking computer voices found in modern cockpits saying "Pull Up!" I strongly suggest you download the demo, you will want to buy it, I did!! ". There are lots of X-Plane pilots with their own sites with various planes they have designed for you to download. You can download scenery X-Plane Registry and custom files from the ftp site on the main page. One drawback is that you can only order it from the USA or over the internet, or though R/C Simulations in Bristol who sell it in the UK. This is truly a program for flight sim fans. Eat your heart out Micro$oft!
	No of Aircraft: Hundreds of custom aircraft with custom paint jobs, cockpit panels and sounds, including: Civil: Boeing fleet Airbus fleet Citation Executive jet BAe 146 Concorde General Aviation: Cessna 172 Piper Arrow Islander Miltary Jets: F/A18 Hornet Harrier Jump Jet FA18 Experimental-Vintage-Misc: Osprey (experimental) Dakota DC3 Gliders/sailplanes Grumman Goose (sea plane) Helicopters: Bell Jet Ranger Sikorsky S-76 Robinson R22 These can all be downloaded from the X-Plane Registry at: X-Plane Registry
	Scenery Area: Virtually the entire World is available for download, with the exception of Central Africa, Russia and parts of the Middle East. Many X-Planers have customised the scenery by adding lakes, rivers and even buildings. Try the Norwegian scenery as it is very detailed Again there is a scenery registry at: X-Plane Registry
	Graphics/Sound: There are 2 versions of X-Plane with different scenery types (though both use the same scenery files) Classic Designed for the older computers which don't have 3d cards. There are no textures, just flat green and brown colours, but they are still very effective at inducing the feel of flight. There are sounds for rain, landing gear and engine noises. X-Plane 5 The latest incarnation has textures for the ground, runways and the aircraft and is far better than Classic. You can add your own textures and sounds as well, and even your own buildings and cockpit panels.
	Special Features: Designed as an instrument trainer rather than a VFR trainer it has a world database of navigation aids and airports so you can parctise holds and instrument approaches without seeing the ground. Real weather (including lightning, rain, snow) Plane maker (design your own plane) Aircraft carriers Oil rig and tower block helipads Put out forest fires
	Computer Requirements: Available for both Mac and PC Classic will run on just about any Power Mac, but XP5 requires a 3d card, such as those found in the G4 and iMacs. You will need around 40Mb+ disk space for the standard files (I think), check the XP web site for video card requirements.
	Internet links: X-Plane Home Page X-Plane Registry Your one stop shop for all things X-Plane!!