Good morning all. I hope all is going well for all of you.

There is nothing really to blog about today as far as flight simulator goes. In real world aviation, today is the second day of the EAA Airventure at Oshkosh! You can listen to radio feed HERE. You can listen and watch on a live streaming video feed HERE.

Tentative Mass Arrival Schedule
Friday, July 24, 10 a.m. - Cessna 150/152
Saturday, July 25, 1 p.m. - Beech Bonanzas
Saturday, July 25, 2:30 p.m. - Cessnas
Saturday, July 25, 4 p.m. - Mooneys
Sunday, July 26, 11:30 a.m. - Piper Comanche
Sunday, July 26, 1:30 p.m. - Van's RVs
Monday, July 27, 3:30 p.m. - T-6, T-28, T-34, Nanchang Red Star

Some good news comes today after being down for over 2 months the Avsim File Library is back online! Congrats Avsim, I hope this doesnt happen again. The amount of support they have received is unparalleled. The following is from Avsims front page:

AVSIM File Library Back!

Posted: Sunday, July 26, 2009 - 19:44
After over two months of hard work by our volunteers, we are pleased to announce that the file library is back online and providing downloads for the community. We are going to keep the upload function off for a while in order to assess the stability of the system and work out any bugs that may remain. We believe we recovered over 95% of the library system, and you may find some things missing. Please post any comments or questions you may have in the File Library Forum. Thank you for your patience during this period.

Sim Outhouse is down due to switching over to a newer server. Im not sure on the details but looks like the website will be down for quite a while. Even working on the new site the owner claims that it has already been tried to be hacked numerous times. Please give your support! The following is quoted from the front page of Sim Outhouse:

Here Comes My 19'Th Nervous Breakdown

What Ever Could Go Wrong ...... Did

: : Progress Report : :

After days of F***UPS, software glitches, and equipment failures, the files are now being transferred. posted @ Sat 9:30 am Eastern

Due to high server loads caused by files being transferred, I am not going to work on the data base until all files have been uploaded to the new server. posted @ Sat 10:30 am Eastern

This is going slow, but its going. posted @ Sat 1:30 pm Eastern

Still uploading the data base from old drive in slave machine posted @ Sat 6 PM Eastern

Personal Comment:
I have read a few posts this morning on other websites, I would just like to say I am a little disappointed. Unless you have walked a mile in my shoes, you have not walked anywhere.
This job I do alone is very stressful, heck I have smoked a carton of cigarettes in just 2 days. I also have the stress of all of you on my shoulders as well as the glitches of this current job.
Being in charge of a big web server is very hard, there is knowledge required that isn't taught, nothing comes with instructions. The server lives 1500 miles away from me and my arms are stretched out. I cannot help if hardware goes out, I just have to create another plan and not give up. I can assure you I have all the data just getting it uploaded to the new server without errors is like going to the moon, not impossible because it has been done before. I cannot stop hackers from trying to break the law, heck the new server has already been attacked 3 times, once from England, once from Russia and once from Korea, My scripts caught them, here is their IP's 222.122.81.220 , 195.58.7.217 , & 83.138.134.208 . Write your country's law makers and tell them about it, don't bitch at me. I work for free and my feeling gets hurt when I spend so much of my life looking after your interests. The progress reports I give are to keep you informed and not to be used against me. If you think you can do a better job, STAND UP!

Ickie

RAZBAM releases Convair F-102 Delta Dagger for FSX!

F-102 Delta Dagger $29.95



Designated Model 8-90, the first of four YF-102As (53-1787/1790) was rolled out at San Diego just 117 days after redesign had started. It was trucked out to Edwards AFB and took off on its maiden flight on December 20, 1954. On the next day, Mach 1 was easily exceeded, fully confirming the predictions of the area rule. It soon reached a top speed of Mach 1.2 in level flight. In addition, the aircraft could still keep on climbing after reaching 51,600 feet.

The first delivery to an operational Air Defense Command (ADC) unit (the 327th Fighter Interceptor Squadron based at George AFB in California) took place on May 1, 1956, three years later than originally expected. The 327th FIS was activated on August 18, 1955, initially equipped with F-86Ds.

The popular name Delta Dagger for the F-102A was chosen in 1957. Between 1952 and 1957, five production contracts were awarded for a total of 875 F-102As.

By the end of 1958, 26 ADC squadrons were flying F-102As, and the F-102A had replaced the North American F-86D Sabre as the most numerous interceptor with the ADC. F-102As in service numbered 627, or about half of the total number of interceptors operated by the Air Defense Command. At the height of its service, 32 ADC units flew the F-102A. The last of 873 F-102As produced (serial number 57-909) was delivered in September of 1958.

During the early 1960s, the F-102A was gradually replaced in the ADC by the McDonnell F-101B Voodoo and the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. By mid-1961, the number of F-102As in service with the ADC was down to 221. However, by the end of 1969, with the exception of a squadron maintained in Iceland, all ADC F-102As had been transferred to the Air National Guard. The F-102As stationed in the Pacific had been withdrawn in December of 1969

The only F-102As still in service with the USAF at the beginning of 1970 were all stationed overseas. At that time, the USAF still retained a few F-102A squadrons in Germany and the Netherlands. In the early 1970s, European-based F-102As were replaced by F-4 Phantoms. By the end of June 1973, the number of active F-102As had been reduced to ten.

The last ADC unit to operate the F-102A, the 57th FIS based at Keflavik in Iceland finally traded in its F-102As for McDonnell F-4C Phantoms in mid-1973.

RAZBAM Convair F-102 Delta Dagger for FSX:

2 Different models:

External tanks+ 6 AIM-4 Falcon missiles
Clean configuration + 6 AIM-4 Falcon missiles

2 Different models with our "weapon code" (fire missiles, change the aircraft visually and also affects the flight model)

External tanks+ 6 AIM-4 Falcon missiles
Clean configuration + 6 AIM-4 Falcon missiles

8 saved flights with aircraft "loaded" for action.These flights are saved in a RAZBAM folder, please paste them at your saved flights folder (Flight Simulator X files)

Extremely detailed virtual cockpit, includes all switches clickable, for a very busy flight
Paint Kit
Flight manual .pdf

Schemes included:

US Air Force 327th FIS, George AFB, 1958

US Air Force 16th FIS, Naha AB, 1959

US Air Force 32nd FIS, Soesterberg AB,The Netherlands,1961

US Air Force 57th FIS, Keflavik, Iceland, 1963

US Air Force 509th FIS, Udorn RTAFB,Thailand, 1968

US Air Force/ANG, 61188, 11FIS 147 FIG, Kely AFB, TX, 1972

US Air Force 146th TFS, 112th TFG, PA ANG, 1975

US Air Force 196th TFS, 163rd FIG, CA ANG, 1977

Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Air Force),182 Filo, 1970

Polemikí Aeroporía(Hellenic Air Force),114 Pterix, Tanagra AB,1972

Happy Friday all!!! I hope you all had a good week and have an even better weekend!

Man it has been pretty dead in Flight Sim this past week has it not? Hopefully someone is in the shadows whipping up a nice quality aircraft to deliver to the populous. Wishful thinking you ask? Well maybe but I do know that RealFlight Simulations is in the process of putting together a SBD Dauntless and a F8F Bearcat for us. Details of both are pretty slim at the moment but for those of you who have flown their F6F Hellcat know that these people mean business when it comes to accuracy and realism. If you love Naval Aviation and love old warbirds then may I suggest RealFlight Simulations to you. Their F6F is quoted by one customer to be "close to knocking the RealAir Spitfire off the shelf." I dont know about you but those are fighting words because we all know the RealAir Spitfire is just plain freaking awesome and continues to be one of my personal favorites. Theres nothing like flying a tight formation in the Spitfire at treetop level over Germany with some of your closest friends. Some of my best times in flight sim revolve around that aircraft! Personally I would put the Hellcat right up there with the Spitfire but it wouldnt knock it off the shelf, I would just scoot the box over to make room for the new addition. =) I cant wait to see the SBD Dauntless and F8F Bearcat released! Have an awesome weekend!


RealFlight F6F Hellcat



RealFlight SBD Dauntless




A REAL F8F Bearcat =)

Happy hump day everyone, the weekend is just around the corner.

Right now as I type this I am listening to FSBreak Podcast and they are interviewing scenery guru Bill Womack. Pretty interesting stuff, you can listen to it as well. LISTEN HERE!

There really isnt much in the flightsim world to blog about but there is a few things I would like to talk about.

Most of you who know me, know that I like to have a clean computer so I reinstall my operating system just about every other week. In the future I would like to be able to run my computer without having to reinstall all the time. My problem is downloading and installing stuff for flight sim and then not using the item I downloaded. I just reinstalled my OS 2 days ago with the intent to at least go a month or two without downloading a bunch of crap lol. We shall see how that goes. =)

Here is what I have installed and things I have done:

*Installed Windows 7 RC 7100
*Installed all Windows updates
*Installed IObit: IObit Security 360™, Advanced SystemCare™ Free, Game Booster™
*Installed O&O Defrag 11 Professional Edition free 30 day trial.
*Installed Avira Anti-Virus
*Installed FSX Gold

Then I went to Simviation Forums and followed Nick Needhams instructions:XP/Windows Setup, System Optimizing and Drivers and also Clean FSX, Acceleration, SP1 & SP2 Install! It is important you follow these instructions to the T. Dont Skip anything.
Right now I am on a complete/name defrag using the O&O Defrag. Its a little tedious I admit but its worth it I think.I hope to be back in the air by this weekend!
I hope this can help you are someone you know who is having issues. I also found on simviation a reduced autogen pack that takes some of the textures and autogen and reduces the texture size which in turn will increase you frames. I got about a 10fps boost, results may very for others so be forwarned. And as always when your messing with textures always make a backup first.

Good Monday morning all, grab a cup of joe sit down and read my blog =D

Well Dino Cattaneo has been hard at work in his little hangar fixing up his F-14D and working on his first payware project an F-35. Today he brings us a new version of his F-14D, v.0.99 which you can find HERE. The following come from Dino's blog which I erg you to bookmark and read:

I know that I should better be working on the F-35A (probably my first payware release) but still...here is another Tomcat update. As there are still few bugs, and as it is still missing proper checklists and manuals, I've labeled it 0.99 - but honestly I do not see any major change from my side anytime soon.

In this release I've tried to integrate some repaints, as there are some excellent ones out there...but they were somewhat different in style and did not mix as I hoped...so they were left out.

Other than that, major changes are in the visual department (with several fixes new engines and burner effects that I am sure someone will not like....), the dynamics (with a far less overpowered engine... as drawinback it is extremely difficulty to exceed Mach 1.6 now - should be 1.8 for the real F-14D) and a custom sound package courtesy of Aaron Swindle.
Previous version deleted. File has also been sent to Flightsim.com. List of changes as follows:

VERSION 0.99

- Fixed glitch in radar radome opening

- Afterburner effects redone (modeled 3d)

- Engine nozzle redone

- Tweaked engine dynamics (less powerful)

- Tweaked gears/flaps/spoilers aerodynamic coefficients

- Adjusted arrestor hook contact point (courtesy of James F. Chams)

- Added custom sounds courtesy of Aaron Swindle (I've pasted some stock F-18 sounds for full Acceleration compatibility)

- Changed canopy texture to allow crew names for repainters

- Fixed minor glitch in fuselage geometry


*Click Picture to Enlarge

I hope everybody is having a wonderful weekend.
I found in addition to the F-16D IRIS Simulations is in the process of making, they are also in the begining stages of making a DA-40 and are working on an F-35! Here are just a few pictures:

Diamond DA-40


Lockheed Martin F-35

I keep forgetting to add this to my blog and I apologize to "Jimi" for taking so long to post this. Our friends over at FSX Blue Angels is having one heck of a competition:

For all you artist out there, here's your chance! We are hosting a painting/artwork competition where we ask you to submit pictures of your best-looking F/A-18 Hornet textures (skins). The winner will receive a BRAND NEW TRACK IR FOR FREE!!! Here are the rules:

THE RULES...
1. MUST BE A REGISTERED FORUM MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE.
2. ONLY ONE SUBMISSION PER MEMBER.
3. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE YOUR ENTRY ONCE SUBMITTED.
4. ONLY TEXTURES MADE FOR THE FSX ACCELERATION F/A-18 HORNET WILL BE ACCEPTED.
5. BOTH EXISTING & FICTIONAL PAINT SCHEMES ARE ALLOWED. (Although creativity is encouraged!)
6. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE OF YOUR OWN WORK. (No stealing other's work)

HOW TO PLAY...
Simply reply to this post with three pictures (JPEG or GIF please) of your competition paint scheme. (See example post below)
Pictures can been taken from any angle or viewpoint to best showcase your artwork.

DATES TO REMEMBER...
-The Entry Deadline is AUGUST 15, 2009.
-Voting will take place from AUGUST 16, 2009 to AUGUST 21, 2009.
-Winner will be announced AUGUST 22, 2009.

OTHER NOTES...
-The winner will be asked to submit winning texture which will be made available for public download from our website for 30 days.
-The winner will be decided by popular vote from the forum members.

Q&A
Q: Can screenshots be altered?
A: You are allowed to change/alter your screenshots until the entry deadline (August 15th)

Well today is the 16th the staff over at ALPHASIM should be back from there well deserved vacations and ready to get back to work bringing us some quality aircraft for our sims.

Anyone looking to buy aircraft from Eaglesoft Development Group they are still having a Summer Savings Sell 10% off any FS9/FSX aircraft until July 31! Make sure you take advantage of this sell.



Speaking of Eaglesoft they are busy on 3 projects. A Diamond DA42 TwinStar for FS2004 or FSX, a Cessna Citation XLS for FS2004 or FSX, and there biggest jet yet the Dornier 328 Jet for FS2004 or FSX







My great friend over at Flight Sim Hangout, Dave is in the middle of moving to Dallas taking on a job with Bell Helicopters so the website and FSX server will be unmonitored for the unforseen future. I will do what I can on my end to keep things in check while Dave makes his transition. See you soon Dave!! =)

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Premier Aircraft Design has just released the DHC6-400 with glass cockpit.







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Just Flight Flying Club Duchess and SP - A demo (59.1Mb) of the Flying Club Duchess is now available for you to try. A Service Pack (13.4Mb) for the Duchess is also available, and should be installed by both FSX and FS2004 users.The SP makes several updates to the aircraft, mainly to the cockpit instruments.