689: Adding Funs with DEMs

| Tom Tsui

Just in case you are not aware. There are some high-resolution DEMs, Digital Elevation Models, you can download from Flightsim.to, which can largely improve the rendering of terrains in their respective regions.

Not sure if you want it?  Here are two sets of photos comparing the terrain appearance of LSGR Reichenback Airport, which I randomly picked, in Switzerland with and without using the 20m DEM from Troglodytus.

In photo set 1, with DEM, the taxiway and runway intersection now has a gradient; the roads and other objects on the hill sides seem more rational; and the edges and shapes of the mountains in the background are more prominent as well. Continue reading →

688: The Hong Kong City Times is Pretty Good

| Tom Tsui

In my last post “Make Hong Kong More Lively”, John M. Helms in the Comment section asked if it is true that the roads in the Hong Kong City Times payware look like dirt roads.  I replied yes, in many areas.

After that, I sent a note to the developer asking the same question.  The developer replied: “Yes it is due to the satellite image being used from the default MSFS, they are yellowish, they are from the outdated Bing map. But our scenery includes some part of custom satellite image already, such as the central and west kowloon, more will be added in the next update.”

I guess many friends might be wondering what exactly the answer meant in his reply. So I captured a few pictures for those who are interested. Continue reading →

687: Make Hong Kong more Lively

| Tom Tsui

If you own the Hong Kong City Times from SamScene3D, note that it has just updated to version 1.3.1, in which many animated billboards plus various visual improvements are added.

To make it more lively, do supplement it with the Port of Hong Kong by superspud. 

The freeware blends with the Hong Kong City Times nicely and fills the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, the eighth busiest container port in the world, with many many many Continue reading →

686: More Just Flight PA28R Gauges Released

| Tom Tsui

Except the Engine Cluster, seven (7) more gauges for the Just Flight PA28R Arrow III were just released, including the ADF, ALT, ATT, HSI, TCR and the 2 VORs.
MSFS_PA28R-JF_Z_BundleS
And what’s more, from the previews of the company’s coming PA-28R Turbo Arrow III/IV and PA28-161 Warrior II, many of the gauges are very likely to be compatible with them as well.

An introductory discount Continue reading →

685: GPS Navigation Enforced

| Tom Tsui

Without a flight plan, the NAV needle (or CDI) on the VOR(s) will always stay in the center when the GPS Mode is selected:


Otherwise, when a flight plan is active, the needle will Continue reading →

Cockpit: Brian Goldsmith (KLNN, USA)

| Tom Tsui

Brian Goldsmith holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating and a CFI Certificate.  He recently decided to upgrade his flight simulator, which he uses for fun and to maintain his instrument skills in between real flying.

Builder: Brian Goldsmith
Location: Concord, Ohio USA
ICAO: KLNN, Lake County Executive Airport

21-0506-Brian_01
Project Notes: Continue reading →

684: Regain fps from Integrated Graphics

| Tom Tsui

FPS hit isn’t uncommon when a pop-out screen is moved to a second monitor, despite how small and low resolution of the monitor it might be.

IntegratedGraphics01In a “conversation” I had with Michael Basler in Germany earlier last month, he said that his fps were literally cut by 50% when he shifted a pop-out screen to a touch monitor connected to the main computer.

My reaction was: since I don’t see any performance hit from my GNS430 and GNS530 connecting to the motherboard’s integrated graphics ports, I suggested him to give it a try if his computer supports the feature.

Later he came back to me saying that he still couldn’t believe it but it works. Continue reading →

683: JF-PA28 VOR2 Left-deflection Fix

| Tom Tsui

Have you ever noticed when the Just Flight PA28 Arrow III for MSFS is loaded with engine JF-PA28-VOR2-Needlerunning (meaning the aircraft isn’t started from cold and dark), its VOR2 needle is always deflected to the left?

It’s a bug, I believe, since the needle won’t return to center when no NAV signals are present.

To correct this error, we’ll have to flip Continue reading →

682: A Correct Pattern Flight

| Tom Tsui

Albert Welledits, a pilot in Austria, sent me a video of a pattern flight at LOAN (Wiener Neustadt East Airport) on his flightsim cockpit simulating the Diamond DA20.  He says the Rwy 09 in Service is a very challenging final, and he hates it on windy days, in particular.


His skill is very good, no doubt.  And to me, Continue reading →