October 2008 Editorial

Vybhava Srinivasan IVAO Public Relations Director [email protected]

Publisher: International Virtual IVAO Virtual Sky Aviation Organisation October 2008 Chief Editor: Vybhava Srinivasan

Dear Friends, Layout and Design: Marco Meerkerk Yigit Yildirim Thank you very much for downloading the October 2008 edition of IVAO Virtual Sky. Website: www.ivao.aero/publrelat/ At the outset, I apologise to all our readers for not being able to release the third edition in July 2008 as promised. We had a major setback with our As- General Mail: [email protected] sistant Editor not being available due to real life commitments. Therefore we had to redesign the entire magazine from scratch in terms of layout etc. But Cover Screenshot: Ricardo Andres Saras- thanks to Marco Meerkerk, Public Relations Advisor who took up the chal- lenge to re-create the magazine and make this edition a reality. ty Vasquez (Winner October screenshot contest) And now the success story of IVAO Virtual Sky.... Our previous edition did very well with over 19,800 downloads. We received encouraging feedback Logo Design: Robert Gottwald from our readers. Honestly, this is what inspires the Public Relations team to continue work on the magazine. This edition includes a heart to heart inter- view with none other than the Managing Director of Aerosoft, snippets from Disclaimer: Any information, Mike Singer (www.fsinsider.com) on Oshkosh Airshow and other useful and suggestions or illustrations published in appealing articles. We are sure this edition will incite interest amongst the this magazine are exclusively for use new flight simulation fans and kindle the curiosity of the old-timers. with computer flight simulation. In our constant endeavour to improve the quality of this magazine, we will All views expressed in this magazine are be publishing articles on the review of Latest Releases of Flight Simulation the views of the respective authors. Add-ons, the original story of IVAO and many more... We have pleasure in The publisher does not accept any announcing that the next issue of this very REAL magazine will be on it first responsibility for those views. birthday. So look forward to the next edition of IVAO Virtual Sky.

As always we look forward to articles that our readers would like to contribute Copyright to future issues of this magazine. None of the informat ion in this magazine may be reproduced in any We hope your journey through this issue will be as fun-filled as ever. form without prior permission from the Regards, publisher.

Vybhava Srinivasan Chief Editor

October 2008 After transforming a spot of concrete in a hangar into our glitzy Flight Simulator X trade show booth, Hal Bryan, Mike Lambert, Steve Wilson, and I drove out to Fisk (the town the “Fisk VFR Arrival Procedure” is named for) and spent an hour or so watching the air traffic controllers there at work. (You can read more about this, and listen to an audio clip, on my blog at http:// informationmike.spaces.live.com.)

There were a few other people watching the operations at Fisk, and we all started talking. When one guy heard how interested I was in the arrival procedure, he did what any pilot looking for an excuse to go flying would do: he offered to take me for a ride! Todd had flown the procedure once to get his plane Flying the VFR Arrival to AirVenture 2008 on the ground at KOSH after a flight from the Chicago Back in late July, a bunch of us from the Flight Simulator area, so I figured he was at least mildly familiar with the team headed to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the Experimen- arrival. I was very familiar with it on paper and in the tal Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture event. Billed sim. With his 800 hours in a variety of aircraft (including as “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration,” AirVen- his fairly-recently purchased 1979 Piper Warrior), I deci- ture is really a whole bunch of events in one, sort of like ded I’d be in good hands. courses in a meal. This year, AirVenture was quite a feast for me. I flew to the show via commercial airline, but the About an hour later we were in the Warrior at Oshkosh, day after I got there I was offered an unexpected thrill: ready to go flying. Todd sat in the left seat, me in the the opportunity to fly the famed “Fisk VFR Arrival.” right, and Steve Wilson in the back. Todd started the engine, and soon a flight line volunteer arrived to direct For one week each year, Wittman Regional Airport us toward the runway. Flight operations at AirVenture (KOSH) has the highest concentration of aircraft in the are largely without radio communication from the world. About 10,000 aircraft make an aerial pilgrimage pilots, so I held a paper “VFR” sign in the window to let to Oshkosh. Most of them do so flying under Visual Flight everyone know we wanted to depart visually. Rules (VFR). Getting all these small aircraft safely on the ground is a challenge that boggles the mind, and the To make a REALLY long story short, let’s just say that task is made simpler by requiring all VFR aircraft to fol- taxing from the camping area on the southwest side of low the same arrival procedure, as published in a special runway 9/27 to the departure area on the northeast side AirVenture Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). of runway 27 is a looooong journey. It involves being passed off from one Civil Air Patrol volunteer to ano- ther through a twisting course across the bumpy grass and through an obstacle course of cones. In retrospect, it seems like we spent as much time taxiing as we did fly- ing. All of it is, of course, part of the Oshkosh experience, and there are plenty of airplanes to look at along the way, so no complaints.

Eventually we got to the departure end of runway 27, monitored the tower on 121.75 as per the NOTAM, and Todd performed an engine run-up. After a few planes landed, a controller standing on the Mobile Operations/ Communication Workstation (MOOCOW) near the end of the runway cleared us to taxi into position and hold. When the planes ahead cleared the runway, she cleared us for takeoff.

The VFR departure procedure from runway 27 requires you to fly a heading between 270 and 360 degrees at or below 1,300 feet MSL (above sea level) until clear of the tower’s Class D airspace (5 miles out).

Page 4 October 2008 The VFR arrival starts at Ripon, so we needed to be level at 1,800 feet and slowed to 90 knots by the time we got there. We had hoped to follow someone in, but with nobody in sight, over Ripon we found the railroad tracks and followed them northeast toward Fisk on our own. Then, just as I relaxed a bit with the sense that now we were “safe,” I glanced up and saw an airplane directly overhead. He was flying the higher, faster arrival (2,300 feet and 135 knots), but it was still a little disconcerting to miss him completely until he was right above us. It reminded me of learning to scuba dive, and losing sight of my dive buddy only to realize she was directly above me. The air, like the water, is three dimensional.

Approaching Fisk it became clear that even though Todd climbed out, and I watched for traffic and we couldn’t see them, there were airplanes ahead of kept an eye on our altitude and our distance from us. When the, “Low-wing half a mile south of Fisk” was the airport. Once clear of the Class D, Todd handed asked to “rock your wings,” we wondered, “Is that us? I think that’s us....” the controls over to me. An hour earlier I had seen and heard the whole opera- Flying from the right seat is always a little strange tion from the ground, and I wondered at the time why if you’re not used to it. Not only does it feel back- the pilots all seemed so confused. Once I experienced the wards in your hands (left hand on the throttle, right arrival from the air all became clear: it’s confusing! The hand on the yoke), the “sight picture” is all wrong most difficult part is knowing if the controller is talking too. So I awkwardly turned us toward the north to you or to another airplane that looks similar. If you end of Rush Lake, climbed a bit, then leveled out. can’t see the other plane it’s hard to know. It’s an easier Straight and level ... that felt pretty easy. task I suspect if you know exactly where you are (a GPS helps), if you listen carefully to everything the controller Our plan was to fly around the north end of Rush says, and if you paint a mental image of all the aircraft on the approach in front and behind you. Pilots need lake to the town of Ripon where the VFR arrival to do this when flying in any busy traffic pattern, but begins. It was a hazy afternoon, so all three of us with 100 or more airplanes passing over Fisk every hour, had our heads on swivels, scanning for airplanes. the VFR arrival to Oshkosh is no ordinary pattern entry There weren’t many out there, but when you’re experience. headed for a point in the sky (over Ripon at 1,800 feet) that you know everyone flying VFR to Osh- Finally identified and over Fisk, Todd mentioned that kosh is heading for, you need to be vigilant. Throug- we were the Microsoft guys, and the controllers seemed hout the course of the flight all three of us spotted to enjoy knowing that. They told us to continue up the airplanes the others hadn’t seen. I really can’t ima- tracks, enter a right downwind for runway 27, and to gine flying the arrival as a single pilot during peak monitor the tower. We changed frequencies and con- flow without a whole lot of luck on my side, and tinued northeast. Soon the airport appeared, and we made our way onto the downwind leg just like it says to that’s never a good thing for a pilot to wish for. in the NOTAM. We listened to the arrival ATIS on 118.75, and tuned in Fisk Approach on 120.7. I gave control of the air- plane back to Todd, and after a clearing turn to get a good look at the sky all around us (which made me feel even more comfortable flying with him) we turned south toward Ripon, easily identifiable by a bulbous water tower that says (conveniently) “Ripon.” Pilots in the Midwest might not have easy landmarks like the mountains and coastlines we have out west, but these marked water towers in every town help to make up for it.

Page 5 October 2008 From there it was pretty simple. The controller told As we tied down the plane I smiled. I wasn’t cam- us to begin our descent and to follow the aircraft ping under the wing of my own plane at Oshkosh, I ahead turning base. Todd did a great job turning hadn’t flown all the way from Seattle, I hadn’t been inside the shoreline, and we touched down just after pilot-in- command or sat in the left seat, but I did the green dot halfway down the runway, just as the get to experience the arrival from the air. Twice. controller instructed us to. Once on the ground we exited to the left onto the grass. Todd cleaned up Given our taxiing adventures I had to wonder, does the airplane (flaps up, carburetor heat off), and I EAA encourage pilots to go flying once they’ve held up a sign that said “GAC” for “General Avia- parked in a camping area? Todd said he had asked tion Camping,” and Todd’s row number. someone just that, and the answer was something to the effect of, “Definitely. Flying is what AirVen- A series of hard-working Civil Air Patrol volunteers ture is all about!” guided us along the grass toward our row ... and then past it! It became clear that they thought Flying, yes. And becoming fast friends with total we were just arriving at the show, and they were strangers. When we climbed into his Warrior, Todd bringing us all the way around to the open spots on barely knew Steve and me. When we climbed out, the north side of 9/27. We tried to argue with hand we didn’t objectively know each other any better, signals, but to no avail. Finally, somewhere around yet something had changed. I saw it in his eyes. I taxiway B1 I think, a guy got it. He laughed and saw it in Steve’s. I don’t expect that we’ll necessarily gestured for us to hold while he figured out what to keep in touch, or ever go flying together again. But do with us. Meanwhile, the three of us had a little for those few hours on Sunday afternoon we sha- talk, and when the volunteer turned back to us, I red an experience in the air, and it’s the memories held up the “VFR” sign: we were going flying again. of those experiences that lie behind each logbook He laughed and threw his hands up, and we conti- entry a pilot makes, behind each tall tale told in the nued toward the departure end of the runway. We hangar for years to come. rationalized it might be faster to just go through the arrival again than to taxi all the way back on the Shared experiences are what AirVenture is all grass. Pilots will find any excuse to go flying…. about, and many years from now I’ll recount the story of my first flight to Oshkosh ... from Oshkosh. So off we went, and did the thing all over again. Or maybe by that time I’ll have a plane of my own, This time it was even quieter, and though we hoped and I’ll bring it all full circle by giving some other to land on runway 36, for some reason they were plane-less pilot I cross paths with his or her own first only using 27. We flew around Rush Lake, down to experience of arriving by air. Ripon, and up the tracks to the airport. Climbing out of the airplane a while later I felt like “Want to go flying?” It’s hard to imagine sweeter I really had a good grasp of the arrival. The proce- words than those, especially at Oshkosh. dure itself is not complicated. What makes it dif- ficult is all the traffic. It was weird to walk around the airport later that night and think about the fact Mike Singer that almost every GA plane there, and almost every pilot, flew that same arrival procedure over the past few days.

Mike Singer is an Enthusiast Evan- Try it Yourself! gelist in the Aces Studio at Microsoft. Getting there is half the fun! To expe- To read more about his experiences at rience the thrill of flying the Fisk VFR AirVenture 2008 (including his ride in Arrival to Oshkosh yourself in Flight a P-51 Mustang!), check out his blog at Simulator X, see: http://informationmike.spaces.live.com www.fsinsider.com/freeflight/Pages/ VirtualAirVenture.aspx

Page 6 October 2008 A Air Traffic Control “Taxi holding point C runway 28” “Runway 06, cleared for take-off”

Just two lines of ATC phraseology, as it is called. But two very different lines, each with a very different feeling and meaning. The first sounds like an “instruction”, a “command” and the second is like a “clearance”, a “permission”. What is the difference and how to understand that difference?

Let’s shortly look at the IVAO ACADEMY (http://academy.ivao.aero/node/37) and we will see that an instruction is an action to be execu- ted without delay… In other words, do it and do it now. A clearance is an authorisation that allows a pilot to do something… You are allowed to do it as it should be done, but take your time. Of course, that time is relative in the sense that you should not wait too long. Why otherwise would you ask to do something if thereafter you would not do it? Two more examples: “Descent to FL180” and “cleared FL180”. In the first example, you have to descent now. Don’t wait and do it. In the second one, you do it as convenient. Command against permission, order against approval. That’s the difference.

Now interesting to shortly review another example: “start-up and push back approved”. In fact as such this is not an ATC issue. Therefore it is neither an instruction, nor a clearance. The pilot asks something and ATC approves it. Actually one may say that “push-back” is an approval to enter the area controlled by ATC. On an airport there is the part that is controlled by ATC, the taxi ways and the runways, and there is the part where the aircraft are parked at the gate. Those parkings are not control- led by ATC but by the airport authorities. Have you ever noticed at airports that the surface could be differently coloured or that there are these red lines? That’s to differentiate what is ATC and what is airport authority.

Another point to mention in these examples. You don’t read or hear “you can”, you don’t read or hear “please”. Those words are not used by an air traffic controller. Why not? Is he not a friendly and polite person? Yes he is, but he is guiding you and he is telling you what you have to do, when you should do it and how to do it. That is in a fast, strict and imperso- nal way. There is no time for polite words like “please”. But there is more ...

Page 7 October 2008 The air traffic CONTROLLER is CONTROLLING. He has the situation in his hands and he is like a movie director turning the moment to the right picture. The controller keeps an eye on all the movements and all the actions. He is as to do and when. The controller gives the clea- rance, the permission and the controller gives the orders, like a general. He CONTROLS the whole scene. Therefore he cannot and will not Tbe using those polite words and he will not be excessive in his speech. His speech is short, precise and commanding. Still he is and he will always help the pilot, if so needed. He provides a service. He is there to serve the pilots. Still he speaks in a strict and commanding way. But if you meet him afterwards in the virtual bar at the airport flying club, you will see that it is a nice man, like you and me.

Now while we are on the subject of the air traffic ONTROL,C let’s have a look at some more facts.

Good communication. All the communication between the pilots and the controller is based on strict standard phraseology. All the conversation is in fact coded. For almost every situation there is a standard phrase. Only that standard phrase is correct and shall be used.

There is a good reason for this. To allow the controller to have full control of the traffic situation, communication between the pilots and ATC has to be absolutely clear and precise. There are many combinations of figures or ciphers used, each of them grouped and with a different meaning and understanding. An understanding that has to be clear.

An example: You maintain an altitude and you continue a heading. “Maintain two thousand five hundred feet” or “continue heading two five zero”. By doing this, you will know when you hear “maintain” it has to be altitude, if you hear “continue” than it should be a heading.

Always use the right word with the group of ciphers or figures to identify them. Speed is 250 knots, altitude is 2000 feet or flightlevel 200, heading 230. And please, speak at a normal not too fast speed, please. I quite often hear controllers trying to speak that fast, that they almost break there own tongue and… the ears of the pilot. Why? It does not say anything on the quality of the controller, if he can speak fast. In fact it is bad. Because in many cases the pilot does not immediately understand everything at the same time and he will ask: “Say again”. Thus you have to repeat it, which means you loose more time because you have to say it twice.

Talking about groups or fixed combinations of information, with clearance delivery comes the squawk, with start-up comes the QNH, with take-off clearance comes the wind, the first time you clear to an altitude (=in feet) you give the QNH, etc. Always standard combinations.

OK, did I mention QNH? Where does this Q-code comes from? It is very old and it comes from the time communication was not by voice, but by radio-telegraphy with the help of morse codes. To keep the messages short and clear (already then!), the so-called Q-codes were invented. Still nowadays we use many of them, quite often without realising where they did come from. QNH and QFE for the altimeter set- tings, QDM and QDR for a bearing and QAM for the Metar.

That’s it for this time. If you have questions or suggestions, drop me a mail.

For now, enjoy the virtual IVAO skies.

Bob (PATCO) van der Flier [email protected]

http://academy.ivao.aero

Page 8 October 2008 IVAO EXCLUSIVE

Interview with Winfried Diekmann Managing director, Aerosoft GmbH by Vybhava Srinivasan The Aerosoft GmbH(Ltd) was He is not a real world pilot, the into a separate company. At this founded in 1991 at Paderborn/ technical aspect in Aerosoft is mo- time Aerosoft started to become Lippstadt Airport, Germany. In the nitored by Günter Zehnel, a real a ‘Simulation-Company’. early years the main area above all world helicopter and PPL-A pilot. was the development of training Because of a good reputation as software and software for the exa- Outside Aerosoft he likes hiking, a publisher we attracted more mination preparation for pilots skiing, motorcycles, inline skates and more developers to join our as well as professional procedure and music. He also plays piano for team, like sim-wings, Burkhard training. As early as 1992 the first more than 30 years. Renk (MyTraffic), Digital Aviation additional software (Add-on ) for (Eurowings, Cheyenne..), Dave the then Microsoft Simulator 4.0 Aerosoft is now a well known March(FDC, PFE), Fly-Tampa, was introduced. In the 1990`s the brand in the flight simulation PMDG. focus turned to the development community. Can you please sha- and publishing of high-end add- re with us, how this dream story In 2002 we were asked by Micro- ons for the Microsoft Flight Simu- began? soft to develop add-ons for the lator. new Train Simulator. So we star- That’s a very long story. In 1991 ted a new product range with Today, we had the privilege to Aerosoft started with professional products like “High Speed trains”, meet the man in-charge of this training software and a few local “London-Brighton-Express”,” Ber- reputed organization. He is none sceneries for FS4. In 1993 a first lin Subway” and with the first TS other than Winfried Diekmann, hardware ‘ACP - Aircraft Control hardware “Raildriver-Cab Control- the managing director of Aero- Panel’ was developed and produ- ler”. Since 2002 Aerosoft became soft. ced. During the1990’s we always more and more an international had a professional department company, selling products all over In 1991 he founded Aerosoft with and a ‘hobby’ department, mainly Europe and in USA. In 2004 we his classmates Bernward Suer- working with freelance developers. founded a new department for mann and Ralf Hartmann. From Many of our present developers concept and development, ma- 1995 to 1999 he was the finance are now working for more than naged by Mathijs Kok. Within the director of Aerosoft. From 2000 till 10 years with us, like “German Air- last years, Aerosoft is known as a date he is the managing director. ports-Team”, Jan Bleiß (Berlin Sce- developer and publisher of high He is an ‘MBA’ diploma and has nery, TS1), Sascha Felix & Volker quality add-ons. Since 2007 Ae- also worked in a bank. Heine (FS Commander) In 2000 rosoft is also working for Airlines, Bernward Suermann moved with aircraft manufacturers and profes- the professional department sional simulation companies with

Page 9 October 2008 its ‘AVIATECH’ department, ma- naged by Gunter Zehnel. At present 25 people are working in the Aero- soft headquarter and more than 30 developers and teams all over the world. Aerosoft is also publishing Flight1, WILCO, Pilot’s and Mailsoft in many countries.

Winfried DiekmannWinfried Most of us purchase the add-ons and enjoy them; we may really not know what efforts go into the add-on. Can you throw some light on the efforts that actually go into making a quality product?

EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE IVAO Very large question! Mega Airport Frankfurt X. One of an arsenal of wonderful sceneries, With FSX the development of a high made by Aerosoft. end add-on is really long and dif- ficult work. A scenery like London- I expect that many users will move to FSX within the Heathrow or Frankfurt needs more than one year in next months to enjoy the new features and the new full-time work. High end aircraft development are just graphic. Sales data support that and products that are as difficult but also include a lot of programming, in- FSX really sell as well as FS2004 products did before. sight in software system, access to sound recordings etc. How has FSX changed the rules of the game? All in all, development of FSX addons is nearly com- pletely a professional affair while it was for previous The problems at the beginning (SP1, Vista, SP2) have versions also accessible for hobby developers. made the whole market uncertain, and all the FS com- panies had to decide between FS9 and FSX, which was Piracy! this is a big villain for most of the software not running at that time. But there are no new rules. A industry. What are your thoughts on how Compa- new flight sim will always bring more or less problems nies like yours need to protect the product and pro- at the beginning. fitability from this villain? How active are you in developing add-ons for X- The main thing about Piracy is that most of the peo- Plane, etc. ple don’t see it as an offense and the legal options for us are limited. Yet as many pirates can testify, we At present we don’t have add-ons for X-Plane on our DO hunt them (some of the staff see that as a hobby) schedule. It’s difficult to develop a high-end add-on and we make them pay. They get the option to either for a simulator which gets an updated version every buy a bunch of products or let us publish the details two weeks. But at present we are talking with some we found. Though pirates often shout really loud, no- companies and developers seriously about doing body has chosen the latter option. some things for X-Plane. But truth to be said, we need a very large stable market. We are not active for any But I think it’s not fair to punish customers who are other commercial flight simulator. paying for the products with highly complicate copy protections. We try to protect our products with nice From your perspective, where do you see the next printed manuals and charts and a good online service big change coming in the flight simulation? and update-service only for registered customers. With FSX the flight sim has got a new state of the art Is it time to say goodbye to FS9 add-ons or is there ‘game’ engine. I don’t expect major changes before more life left in them? FS12. But FS11 will be a very strong simulator with the FSX graphics, some improvements and a few new FS9 is running very well on today’s computers and FSX features. The major challenge will without doubt be was really difficult in the last two year. But at present creating products that make use of the new FSX fea- we have computers available that can run FSX well. tures so customers move with us. FS2004 products More and more new add-ons will be only compatible that work in FSX just is not doing that, we need pro- with FSX, because a FS9-version would double the de- gress. So we are grateful that FSX removes so much of velopment work. the limits we faced in FS2004.

Page 10 October 2008 Are you also a flight simulation Which is your favorite scenery I am very happy with our part- enthusiast? and airplane add-on? nership. It is a pleasure to work with the whole team of IVAO and To be honest, not really. I like to Austria professional or Helgoland to see the big interest in online- fly on trade shows in the Alps with with the DHC-2 Beaver. flying all over the world. We are nice GA aircraft, like the Beaver or happy to help to cover the costs the Katana for sight-seeing, but I What is your view on online behind this big amount of work am not very interested in flying an flight simulation community? (free of charge) for the communi- airliner. ty. As said, this is important for us

Winfried DiekmannWinfried I tell everybody that the online as it strengthens the market. In a Aerosoft has always been gi- community inside the virtual air way we do not sponsor IVAO but ving the community some ama- traffic organizations are the best the hobby this way. zing add-ons, what next do we pilot and flight-controller training expect? you can get. Hope you have had a chance to glance through the IVAO virtual The next outstanding aircraft add- I believe it will be one of the most sky. What are your thoughts on EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE IVAO ons will be the F-16 and the Cata- important aspects to keep flight this magazine? lina. Certainly the F-16 is special simulator alive for simmers who as it shows what FSX can do in are looking for a more interactive It is a really good looking and modeling, it is at least 6 times as experience and for simmers who very informative online-magazine complex as a FS2004 aircraft could want to progress to next level of which helps flight sim enthusiasts ever be. In scenery we are mostly skills. with information of all parts of pc- working on moving products from flight simulation and views behind FS2004 to FSX at this moment and What is your view on the part- the curtain. also covering France, Spain and nership between IVAO and Ae- Portugal better. These are impor- rosoft? How has the experience tant new markets for us. been so far?

aeroSOFT TM Mega Airport Heathrow X

Mega Airport Budapest X

Mega Airport Brussels X

For more information about FS2004 and FSX add-ons, surf to http://www.aerosoft.com. For more information about the partnership between IVAO and Aerosoft, click to our forums, http://forum.ivao.aero/index.php/topic,68571.0.html.

Page 11 October 2008 This time on 'Tribune':

- Long Haul addicts propose themselfs; - FS LAN-Party France report by Alexandre Balaguer.

Long Haul Addicts

Dear Ivao members, as you So, now there were around What we (Longhaulers) pro- might already have noticed, 10-15 people, who joined the vide: the Longhaul Addicts are flights, the group organized back alive. If you don’t know before. - A friendly environment for us, here is a little presentation They travelled from Brussels Long about to New York and then around Haul Pilots on the IVAO net- ourselves. the world. In the end of the work. first chapter of the Long Haul - A Website with important Addicts, the interests were so information about Aircrafts, low, that Mo and Matt deci- Airports, Weather and flights. ded to close down the LHA - A Forum to communicate for an unknown time. with other Long Haulers. - A Support Team, which will That’s over now ! answer your questions kindly asap. With new wakes interests of - A special members sec- How it began a Longhaul Community, Sam tion, where you can find cus- Bogaerts decided to bring this tomized downloads for your Everything started with a little wonderful group back to life. favourite Aircraft. group of crazy Long Haulers, Of course, Mo and Matt were - Share and enjoy pictures they wanted to become more informed directly, and support and movies of your flight with structured, so Ugo Cab- the resurrection of the Long others. rol and Mohammed Toumi Haul Addicts, now know as opened a Forum, where they Long Haulers. Sam, Mo and could meet, and talk about Matt started building a Web- the next flights. Their small site, and opened a Forum community grew slowly, but where we should be able to steadily. When I decided to talk with each other again. join the LHA ( Longhaul Ad- You can find us at www. dicts, that’s how they called forum.longhaulers.org . Feel themselves – previously free to register! Long Haul Freaks (LHF), they So, there we are! Are you already had around 25-30 ac- ready for takeoff? tive members. So, than Matt If yes, feel free to register Stansfield took over the com- with us at: mand from Ugo, who decided www.longhaulers.org or www. to take a little time off, from forum.longhaulers.org jetting around the world. Mathias Dratsdrummer

October 2008 Page 12 FS LAN-Party France by Alexandre Balaguer The French Lan Party is an annual event actively participated by flight simulation enthusiast from all over Europe. This year was the 4th edition of the French Lan party, held in Bondoufle (near Orly Airport). From the inception, the event is being spear- headed by a team consisting of Romain Pras, Sébastien Milliot and Sébastien Boutry and of course the IVAO French staff . In the Lan party, the pilots and air traffic control- ler are all connected to a LAN and fly or control traffic in a particular region of the world.

In 2008, the French Lan Party was held on May 17. The party witnessed around 100 enthusiastic participants who came in from France, Belgium, Netherlands and other surrounding areas of Europe.

This event also witnessed the participation of some senior staff members of IVAO, such as Alain (President IVAO, BOG member) , Sébastien (DIR of IVAO, BOG Member), Kenny (BOG Member) , Filip (BOG member), Bob (NPO and Training Department member), Julien (Logistic Department member, Alex (NPO and former Public Relations Department member), Jean Luc Courtois, (NPO and Training Department member ), Pierre Chemarin (Training As- sistant Director) etc.

The region selected for this year’s party was South Eastern Europe consisting of Italy, Serbia, Croatia and Greece. Party was declared open around 8am local time. It was a party time from the word ‘Go’. During the entire day pilots enjoyed full ATC coverage. There were various kinds of flights undertaken, VFR, IFR, special operation, etc. It was an amazing experience for all the participants.

The organisers kept the Pizza’s, Sandwiches, beer, etc flowing, which kept the participants glued to their computer screens throughout the day.

During the afternoon the Special Edition of IVAO’s Virtual Sky - French Version was launched and made available to the participants.

During the afternoon, number of visitors walked in to understand the exciting world of flight simulation. A few inquisitive questions about aviation, air traf- fic control, etc., was posted to the participants, which our they were excited to share

In the evening, a raffle was organised, where tons of gifts was given away to the participants, such as 3 - 22” Moni- tors, 15 - Aerosoft Titles, 20 - Micro-Sim Magazine subscriptions, etc.,

After an already exciting day it was time for the grand dinner where all the participants had an opportunity to interact with each other. After all the community is not only about flying but also making good friends.

Now it was time for the grand final fly-inn. All the pilots flew to Roma Fuimicino. It was an amazing experience, which can be best described in short as “Crowded sky!” Pilots had their TCAS buzzing and had the air traffic controllers on edge of their seats.

It was a perfect finish to the long exciting day. It was now time for all participants to pack up, awaiting for the next year’s LAN party.

Page 13 October 2008 Page 14 October 2008 Every issue in this section we will hunt down the hottest downloads available in the flight simulation community. We also take this opportunityto salute these freeware developers, who devote their time and efforts in creating some awesome add-ons, available to us for FREE.

Vybhava Srinivasan

Tegucigalpa Intl. v2 FS2004 Scenery Filenames: fly-tegucigalpa_v2.zip Authors: Henry Carcamo Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Sam Bogaerts This is the scenery of Tegucigalpa International airport at Honduras. It has quality textures combined with detailed buildings and a correct AFCAD. This 32mb pack will give you a reason to fly to Central-America.

Algiers Real Scenery FS2004 Scenery Filenames: DAAGRealScenery.rar and DAAGAlgiersCity.rar Authors: Riad Ghenim Source: http://riadg.free.fr/ Contributed by: Kenz The most accurate free scenery of the biggest airport in Algeria with realistic ground surface, photoreal textures, including the new terminal, moving jetways and docking system, also available Algiers City phototerrain scenery with autogen.

Page 15 October 2008 UK2000 Scenery FS2004 Scenery/FSX Scenery Filenames: Various Authors: Gary Summons & UK2000 Team Source: http://uk2000scenery.com/free Contributed by: Aidan Disney UK2000 Scenery for Stansted, Gatwick and Edinburgh, including: AFCAD taxiways and aprons, Dozens of Objects, Detailed airport buildings, Some Moving FSX Jet- ways and FSX version is 100% Pure FSX Coding, and fast frame rates.

Rome Fiumicino Airport (LIRF) FS2004 Scenery Filenames: isdproject-lirf2005.zip and lirf_stands2007.zip Authors: ISD (ITALIAN SCENERY DESIGN GROUP) Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Steffen Klein Scenery of Rome Fiumicino Airport by ITALIAN SCENERY DESIGN GROUP.

Cessna 150 FS2004 Scenery Filenames: Cessna_150_L_100P_FRA.zip Authors: François-Denis Guidée and Yves Franckart Source: http://www.fs-tutorials.com/en/down_plane_C150_01.php Contributed by: Steffen Klein An incredible freeware-paerl. It has everything you normally have to pay for: fantas- tic model, liveries, incredible virtual cockpit, a lot of gimicks, sounds, etc.

Birmingham International Airport, UK (EGBB) FS2004 Scenery/FSX Scenery Filenames: Filenames: various (see website) Authors: Phil Reynolds Source: http://www.egbbscenery.co.uk Contributed by: Phil Reynolds An accurate scenery for EGBB including an accurate ground layout of runways and taxiways, bespoke taxiway and apron markings/lighting, custom buildings made with GMax, custom built taxiway signs, night lighting, plus more. Designed to be frame rate friendly, striking a balance between detail and performance.

Page 16 October 2008 Super Flight Planner 4 FS2004/FSX Utilities Filenames: sfp404.zip Authors: Alessandro Antonini Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan This is a very advanced Flight Planner featuring Moving Map (drawn using either vector layers or a bitmapped texture, zoom-in, zoom-out, zoom-window, pan, rotation and globe projections), DP-STAR and Airways support plus a lot of import/ export options (can import and export from a lot of 3rd party tools such as Radar Contact, MS-GPS and supports data formats such as XML and CSV). May create simple Flight Plans using a Wizard or more advanced manual Plans.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport FS2004 Scenery Filenames: vtbs2006.zip Authors: siamavsim Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan A wonderful scenery of Thailand’s largest airport. Also stay tuned as the authors are now in the process of designing the 2008 version of scenery and more news is expected shortly.

Bristol Beaufighter FSX Aircrafts Filenames: beaufsx.zip Authors: Dave Garwood, CBFSim Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VIc, Mk.VIf and Mk.X. Native FSX SP2 aircraft. 9 paint schemes included VC only. Smooth modeled gauges. Droppable torpedo and rocket projectiles included for mission or edited save flight use

Socata TB10 Tobago GT FSX Aircrafts Filenames: tb10tobx.zip Authors: Premier Aircraft Design Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan 4/5 seat touring and training airplane. Full package for FSX includes Custom panel and VC. Full moving parts including gull wing doors and luggage compartment.

Page 17 October 2008 Eurocopter EC155 Full Pack FSX Aircrafts Filenames: eurocopter_ec155_full_pack.zip Authors: Sergio Kauffman Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan In this full pack, you’ll find 14 New repaints and 2 enhanced textures from original work by Brian Whitelegg. Includes a fully workable photorealistic 2D panel and VC, gauges and a New sound system from real sounds. This model, now shows the glasses with a smoked effect.

Handley-Page Halifax FS2004 Aircrafts Filenames: halifax.zip Authors: Alphasim Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan To celebrate AlphaSim’s 9th birthday Alphasim released their classic titles for free. Panel and gauges included. Uses default sounds. Six texture sets; military and civilian.

C-130 Hercules Set 2 FS2004 Aircrafts Filenames: c-130_pack_2.zip Authors: Alphasim Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan To celebrate AlphaSim’s 9th birthday Alphasim released their classic titles for free. Panel and gauges included.

Beijing Capital Airport FS2004 Scenery Filenames: zbaa2008.zip Authors: Aaron Seymour Source: http://www.flightsim.com Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan Beijing Capital Airport (ZBAA/PEK) v1.0. In preparation for this year’s Summer Olympics, Beijing Capital Int’l Airport has built both a huge new terminal and additional runway in anticipation of much needed extra capacity. These scenery includes many of the latest features to this growing airport.

Page 18 October 2008 Manila FS2004 Scenery/FSX Scenery Filenames: manila08.zip Authors: Nestor D’Angelo Source: http://www.flightsim.com Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan City Of Manila, Philippines. Includes lots of city landmarks. By Nestor D’Angelo

Zurich Airport FS2004 Scenery Filenames: freezv06.zip Authors: Remo Eugster and Marc Laderach Source: http://www.flightsim.com Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan FreeZ - Zurich Airport (LSZH), Switzerland, v0.6. Features complete new lighting, many new buildings, adjustments to the real airport, AES support.

Airbus A380 FSX Aircrafts Filenames: i380.zip Authors: Antonio Fernandes Source: http://www.flightsim.com Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan An A380 with textures of average quality, aids (PFD, AP, etc.) and a useful LandPa- nel.

Cessna T-50 FS2004 Aircrafts Filenames: t-50_bobcat.zip Authors: Alphasim Source: http://www.avsim.com/ Contributed by: Vybhava Srinivasan To celebrate AlphaSim’s 9th birthday Alphasim released their classic titles for free. Panel and gauges included. Uses default sounds. Wheeled and float plane versions included.

If you have download tips for the ‘Freeware zone’, feel free to contact the Public Relati- ons staff anytime or report your find on the IVAO forum.

Page 19 October 2008 With a total of over 8000 registered members and more than 2400 of them being active, IVAO-ES is IVAO’s Nbr. 2 division in active members and IVAO’s Nbr.1 division in Online Time per division. The ES division was the first to archive 1.000.000 Online Hours in our network (2006), now we are moving to the 2.000.000 hours mark. (1.638.000hrs 01/07/08). About our Tours About our Events

We offer a variety of nice tours around The division offers nearly every week an event, which attract a large Spain: number of members from all over the world and these events are fully staffed with ATC’s normally. - 2 IFR tours (1 for jet A/C & 1 for Turbo- prop A/C) The ES division hosts several Real Life Meetings every year like: Gra- - 1 VFR Tour nadilla (Tenerife), El Berriel (Gran Canaria), Campus Party (Valencia), - 1 SO Tour Aire06 (Murcia) etc.. (more info to be found at: - 1 Helicopter Tour http://www.ivao.es/rrpp/indexen.htm) - 1 ULM Tour - 1 Pilot skills Tour - 1 Historic Tour - 1 Pilots Events Tour - 1 ATC Events Tour

All these Tours are revised annually.

Some statistics about the Tours in 2007 & 2008:

In 2007 we have validated a total of 42,303 legs . The IFR 2007 Tour with 16,411 legs was the most flow Tour.

In 2008 (until 06/10/08) we have vali- dated a total of 32.141 legs with 13.873 legs of the IFR 2008 being the most flow Tour. (ES holds position 1, 2 & 5 in the MODA TOP 10 Tours).

Page 20 October 2008 Training For our division members, we offer variety of training possibilities:

- Individual practical training’s for pilots and controllers - Group training sessions for either IFR procedures, VFR procedures - Individual or Group training’s for our ATC’s (GND/TWR/APP/CTR) - Monthly ‘newbie day’, which is an opportunity for new members to ask our division staff anything they want to know on a dedicated Teamspeak channel. (In progress of implementation again) - Additionally, a lot of information is available for self-study on our training websites.

Our Staff In our Staff we have a variety of persons, some are Real ATC or Pilots and others are dedicated well trained mem- bers of our Virtual Aviation Community.

We have a very stable Staff Chart, f.e. the leader of the team Joan Freixas ES-DIR has been in his position since 2002. (For a full list of Spain staffmembers: http://www.ivao.aero/staff/division.asp?Id=ES)

The ES Members have always been very encouraged with IVAO some of them are founders of our network like Gustavo Hernandez who became IVAO-PRE after passing a lot of Staff positions.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank all our division members and all the IVAO members that support us in our Tours, Events, ATC Exams, etc... and hope to see you all flying in the SUNNY and FRIENDLY skies of our division.

All necessary information can be found on our division websites (http://es.ivao.aero/)

Any doubts or questions just ask any of our Staffmembers when you see them online. Regards from the sunny ES Division. Joan Freixas ES-DIR & Ralph Henschen, ES-ADIR

The IVAO Desktop Calendar is back!

Every month IVAO members can submit a screenshot to the Desktop Calendar system. One submission that fits the months theme is picked as the ‘screenshot of the month’ and will be eligible for the title of ‘the best screenshot of the year.

More Information: http://ivao.aero/publrelat/

Page 21 October 2008 Senegalese division has 3 years !

With 115 members, the young senegalese division has nothing to envy greater divisions.

All months, several events imagined by the event staff or created in the frame of current real events of Senegal (for example, African Cup on Nations of football), are organised in order to make known the sumptuous african landscapes to all the IVAO community.

The Senegalese division is also a VFR tour with fantastic views, like postcard, and an IFR tour. The division has initi- ated also the first african tour of french speaking areas. Recently, a Special Operation Tour with the topic of STOL operations (landing and take-off from short and difficult runways) is available. You understood it, take your handles!

The Senegalese division members could now, for a few months, follow basic flight trainings and ATC. The training staff, motivated and dynamic is fully available to help and give a lift at the “difficults” first hours in IVAO network, They also participated to the various pilot and ATC exams and to their evaluations with with values and an exemplary rigour.

As you understand, a desire of sun, splendid landscapes, flights abroad, the whole in an accessible and real friendship environment with quali- fied ATC, you could find all these in Senegalese division.

Do not hesitate to come and discover this western part of Africa on Friday, at online day, all the staff and the division members will welcome you.

Do you have any question? Every Friday from 19:00z, Senegal has his on-line day! Come and join the beautiful * For general questions mail Samer Bahsoon (SN-DIR) or scenery! Eddy Carpreau (SN-ADIR), [email protected]. * For event questions contact Julien Jeuniaux, [email protected]. For Senegalese Division * For Training and members assistance contact Lamine Ba- Julien Jeuniaux (SN-MC) dji, [email protected] or Julien Jeuniaux, [email protected].

Page 22 October 2008 Page 23 October 2008