Featured Addon History - 2001

Aircraft and Panel

A Piaggio P180 Avanti "Ferrari" aircraft and panel is this month's Featured Addon. This model sports the colors of the Ferarri racing team. The Piaggio P180 Avanti is the only modern transport aircraft designed, developed and certified with a unique three lifting surface configuration. Design activities started in 1980 at the Engineering Department of I.A.M Rinaldo Piaggio, Finale Ligure, Italy, after many years of investigations with computer codes and wind tunnel tests. The first prototype flight took place on August 20, 1986. FAA Type Certificate was released on May 7, 1990. The Piaggio P180 is the fastest FAR 23 certified turboprop aircraft now in production.

The aircraft model was created using Abacus' Flight Shop Design Studio Pro Version 1.5b and moving parts were animated with Aircraft Animator Version 1.2e. The panel has been made with the freeware program CfgEdit by Ed Struzynski. The panel uses the most default gauges except for only one file.

The model has the maximum of moving parts and has landing lights on the nose landing gear leg. Landing lights are activated with the carriage down and during night hours. The model contained in the zip file represent I-FXRB one of the two example owned by the famous Italian FERRARI racing car firm. Aircrafts are operated from Bologna Borgo Panigale airport by FOX AIR.

Filename: p180af.zip, Size: 2.3 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Massimo Taccoli, Marco Spada, Stefano Caputo, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:  File_id.diz, Piaggio p180_en.doc, Piaggio p180_it.doc, P180 ferrari_notes.txt, Note sull'uso del p180.txt, P180 avanti_ref.txt, Panel p180 readme.txt, New_sound.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft and Panel

This month we feature something very different -- a Boeing 575-200 Concept Aircraft by Nick Pike. This fictional aircraft looks quite unique but is also very stylish. This package includes Nick's latest V2.1 and V2.2 updates.

Features of this concept aircraft include: pilot's arms, legs and head move with flight controls, spoilers, slats, lift dumpers and thrust reversers. Full lights include logo 'splashes'. New cockpit views including wings and engines with rotating fans. Much improved Dawn and Dusk textures and lighting. Navigation light lens illumination and other improvements.

Includes features from the military version, namely, opening canopy, chocks and steps. Steerable wingtip landing lights and force feedback levels. Improved panel more like the military version, with corrections and some loose ends tidied.

Also included is a detailed flight instruction manual and great documentation.
Filename: b575a.zip, Size: 5.0 MB, Version: 2.2, Author: Nick Pike, Mark Hubbard, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:  Boeing 575 aircraft manual.doc, C2upd22.txt, C2update.txt, Concept2.txt, File_id.diz, File_id_2.diz, File_id_3.diz, File_id_4.diz, Fuelstatus.txt, Readme.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft

This month we feature an Open Sky Boeing 767-300 reworked by David Randolph in American Airlines form-factor. This aircraft model is an improvement to the current American Airlines livery. It has better, smoother night lighting and sharper logos and chrome metal appearance. Includes full moving parts with double slotted-flaps and ailerons, spinning engine fans and night lighted textures. Also optimized for best frame rates. 
Filename: b767300a.zip, Size: 1.8 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Project Opensky, David Randolph, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:  File_id.diz, Read me first!.txt

Panel

Mated to the fine 767-300 above is Vanessa Leightower's Boeing 767 panel. This panel uses modified generic gauges to simulate
an intermediate flight experience for the 767. All necessary functions are available for flight and navigation. Includes pushback operations, a callback gauge, GPS and more.
Filename: b767300p.zip, Size: 3.2 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Vanessa Leightower, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:  File_id.diz, Readme.txt, Readme_2.txt, Wind_readme.txt, Fpda_pushback.txt, Fpda_switches_readme.txt, Gps_readme.txt, Rmi_readme.txt, Togglepanel_readme.txt, Unitank_readme.txt, Fpda_altcall_readme.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft

A matching Twin Comanche aircraft was nowhere to be found. In fact, Piper twins are not well represented at all online. Therefore a great Piper PA31-350 Chieftain will serve as substitute. The stretched Navajo was first designed in 1971 and was first seen in 1973. The Piper Chieftain was created specifically to challenge the Cessna 402. The main difference from the Navajo was the fact that this aircraft was longer on the fuselage by an extra two feet (approximately), allowing extra room for passenger seats or storage. This model has 32-bit textures, maximum moving parts, virtual cockpit, transparent cockpit windows with glass reflections, instrument panel and sounds.

The documentation is excellent. You get detailed technical information, a nice reference list and a PDF file of a Chieftain certificate.
Filename: pprcftn.zip, Size: 5.4 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Mikko Maliniemi, Steve Baugh, Marcelo Canovas, Aaron R. Swindle,
Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:   Chieftain_check.txt, Chieftain_data.txt, Chieftain_notes.txt, Chieftain_ref.txt, Copyrights and thanks.txt, File_id.diz, Piper_cert.pdf

Panel (Chieftain)

This addon includes a very slick panel. Gauges are very readable, there's a radar altimeter and backlit gauges and a bank of warning indicators.

Panel (Comanche)

Featured this month is a rare Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche panel. This panel comes very close to the real thing making only a few concessions for familiarity's sake (for instance, the radio stack is arranged like most FS 2000 stacks). Panel configurations for the default GPS and for Alain Capt's GPS are included.

Detailed cockpit bitmaps also come with this package. Based on actual photos from inside a real Comanche, these cabin views really pull you into the Twin Comanche experience. All view angles (N, S, E, W, etc.) are nicely rendered. Other features include a togglable steering yoke, backlit gauges for those night efforts and secondary copilot instruments.
Filename: pitwcpan.zip, Size: 4.8 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Brendan J Dempsey, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:   File_id.diz, Piper pa-30.doc, Piper pa-30.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft

This month we feature a Liat DeHavilland Dash 8-100 by Chris Bawden and Hans van Beilen.  Liat is a regional airline in the Caribbean with its headquarters in Antigua.  The Dash 8 is a medium-haul twin turboprop.  It accommodates two pilots, cabin attendant and up to 37 passengers. 

This model has full moving parts including gear, gear doors, ailerons, elevator, spoilers, flaps and a steerable nose wheel.  Texture features include separate textures for gear up/down and full night lighting including strobe effect on upper tail surface and additional night lighting effects with gear down.

Note: As there are separate textures for gear up/down for the engines and the front 2/3s of the fuselage the textures may redraw on gear extension/retraction.
Filename: dash8air.zip, Size: 2.2 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Chris Bawden, Hans van Beilen, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:   Dash8.txt, File_id.txt

Panel

Designed by John Schumacher, Alex Lawrence, Moses Divaker this Dash 8-100 Series panel mates nicely with the Liat. It features night lighted gauges, FPDA's animated wipers plus a fully integrated Mark 11 GPWS, gear warning test, realistic analog gauges to fit the Dash 8 and mock weather radar with multiple ranges.
Filename: dash8pnl.zip, Size: 5.9 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: John Schumacher, Alex Lawrence, Moses Divaker, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:  file_id.diz, readme.txt

Sound

Norman R. Olsen has reworked Aaron R. Swindle's originals. This sound file is most suited for turboprop aircraft such as the Dash8, Saab340 and 2000, Fokker50, Jetstream and many others.
Filename: dash8snd.zip, Size: 5.7 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Aaron R. Swindle, Norman R. Olsen, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation:   file_id.diz, readme.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft/Panel/Sound

Return with us to the stick and rudder days of yester-year with Manuel Medel's impressive Piper J3 Cub, our Featured Addon this month. Here's an excerpt from the documentation:

Without any doubt this plane has been (and still is..) one of the most successful and versatile light aircraft never produced, and it is the best-known light plane of all time. It has been used as trainer for many of today pilots who found it’s pleasant handling characteristics made it a safe plane in almost any situation.

For the era in which it was built, it featured some advanced features for an airplane of its type, refinements such as a tail wheel, brakes, a simple (but still effective..) starter shock chord made of rubber, features that are absolutely normal today but which were certainly not so in 1938.

Forget about your GPS, moving map and other modern advances. Just fire up this J3 and experience the true joy of original flight!
Filename: piperj-3.zip, Size: 8.9 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Manuel Medel, Steve Small, Yannick Lavigne, Fred Banting, Aaron Swindle, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: piprj3mm.doc, File_id.diz.txt, Installit.txt, piprj3mm.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft/Panel/Sound

It's been a while since we featured a whirly bird.  This month we have a truly outstanding helicopter for you -- Dwight Booth's Sikorsky HH-60 JayHawk. The HH-60 is used to support naval special forces and carry out combat search and rescue operations.  The JayHawk has nose radar and is used for drug interdiction and rescue duties. 

Compare this JayHawk's visual model to the included photograph.  You will easily see Dwight absolutely nailed this one!  Notice the dynamic, rear stabilator, a deployable rescue carriage and even a 3D cockpit with working instrumentation.  This helo features navigation lights, strobe lights, forward flood lights, formation lights, search lights, animated pilots, animated foot pedals and cyclic, animated rotors, dynamic stabilator, animated wheel struts and a suspension systems that moves realistically during landings and deployable rescue carriage.
Filename: sikohh60.zip, Size: 6.4 MB, Version: 1.3, Author: Dwight Booth, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: ReadMe.doc, CheckList_HH-60_Jayhawk.txt, README.txt, Sikorsky HH-60 JayHawk_notes.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft

The Aermacchi MB339, an advanced trainer used by the Italian Air Force, is the subject of this month's Featured Addon. This wonderful aircraft was created by Massimo Taccoli, Ross Yeatman and Paolo Zamparo. The 'Macchi' was introduced to RNZAF service in 1991. Eighteen aircraft were purchased to replace the BAC Strikemaster Mk88 which had been acquired in 1970.

This plane oozes with moving parts. This includes flaps, ailerons, rudder, elevator, steering nose wheel linked to the rudder, and airbrake which opens via the spoiler key. It has also a high detailed cockpit canopy with pilots inside. The canopy opens when the engine is stopped.
Filename: mb339a.zip, Size: 700 KB, Version: (none specified), Author: Massimo Taccoli, Ross Yeatman, Paolo Zamparo, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, Read1st.txt

Panel

Lai Giampiero's MB339 CD panel greatly enchances your flight experience.  This version includes two HUDs (same mode but different colors for day/night operation) and much graphical retooling.
Filename: mb339p.zip, Size: 4.1 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Lai Giampiero, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: mb339cd.diz, mb339cd.txt

Sounds

To put the finishing touches on this addon be sure to download Max Taccoli, Paolo Zamparo, and Aaron Swindle's Aermacchi MB339 sound package.
Filename: mb339s.zip (n/a), Size: 10 MB, Version: 2.0, Author: Aaron R. Swindle, Max Taccoli, Paolo Zamparo, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, File_id2.diz, Install_Mb339Sn1.txt, Install_Mb339Sn2.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft

This month we return to the sweet simplicity of single engine aircraft with John Cantwell and Steve Small's great Cessna 185 Skywagon.  Classified as a light sports aircraft, the 18x series accommodates one pilot and up to 5 passengers.  Over 1700 were built before the 18x production run ended in 1981.  This particular aircraft is based on a real 185 owned by Tom Rabourn of Arizona.

Release 2 features minor fixes to day textures, attractive new night lighting effects (including a glow from the instruments on the pilot), more realistic external view panel, wing-light reflections on the fuselage and nose lights.  The old landing light beams, which tended to "stick" even in daylight have been removed.  This package includes flight dynamics enhancements by Steve Small.

Real "bush heads" may wish to download the float-plane version.  It includes the same great features and the pontoons even sport moving rudders!
Filename: c185a.zip, Size: 900 KB; float version: c185af.zip, Size: 1 MB, Version: 2, Author: John Cantwell, Steve Small, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, Readme.txt

Panel

A basic panel for the Cessna 185 Skywagon, also made by John Cantwell is included.  The panel for the standard plane is the same as the one supplied with the float version.  It's based on the stock 182RG panel.  While it gets few points for accuracy and special features, it "gets the job done".

Sounds

For greater realism consider downloading the Turbo Floatplane Sound Package by Aaron R. Swindle.  It's a general enhancement package suitable for a variety of  turbo assisted float-plane aircraft (e.g. Cessna 185/Turbo Beaver/Cessna 172/DeHaviland series). Includes all new water-ski sounds for more realism.
Filename: c185s.zip, Size: 5.4 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Aaron R. Swindle, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, Mustreadme!.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft

This month's Featured Addon is a Beechcraft King Air C90A by Chris Lampard, Lee Hall, Michael Verlin and Steve Small.  The aircraft is based on N904HB, an actual Beechcraft King Air C90A manufactured in 1990.  The visual model is very accurate and was created using actual photographs -- just compare it to the included N904HB photo!  The flaps and elevators are animated but not ailerons or rudder.  This was due to limitations in the visual model design software.  Note that the rear door opens, and is operated by the spoiler key.  Complete internal views are also included and look great.
Filename: c90aair.zip, Size: 2.6 MB, Version: 2.1, Author: Chris Lampard, Lee Hall, Michael Verlin, Steve Small, Bill Walch, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, Readme.txt

Panel

A Beechcraft King Air C90A panel, made by Bill Walch and Michael Verlin is included with the aircraft.  All important instrumentation is located on the primary panel -- no need to manage several pop-ups.  ACS-GPS98 by Alain Capt is supported but not required. 

Sounds

To enhance the C90A's acoustics, just download Aaron Swindle's wonderful Beechcraft C90A sound package.  The readme file suggests copying over certain default King Air sound files but you need not do so -- they are included in this download for your convenience.
Filename: c90asnd.zip, Size: 5.8 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Aaron R. Swindle, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, Mustreadme!.txt

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft

To kick off the new year with a bang we bring you a Gulfstream V aircraft by OMC '99 and Roy Hahmann.  With more than 100 aircraft in service, the Gulfstream V is recognized as one of the safest, most reliable, most comfortable, high-performance, ultra-long range business aircraft in the world.  This is high quality model with 32 sided fuselage and engine nacelles.  It includes a transparent cockpit window, 3D engine intakes with rotating fans, moving ailerons, flaps, rudder, spoilers, retracting gear and steerable moving nosewheel.  For you night-birds, a full set of night textures kicks in during the evening hours.  The visual model also sports a rotating beacon, switchable strobe and landing lights.
Filename: gulfvair.zip, Size: 700 KB, Version: (none specified), Author: OMC '99, Roy Hahmann, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, Readme.txt

Panel

Robin Ritchie designed an excellent Gulfstream IV/V Panel and it's the perfect mate for our featured aircraft. This panel was designed from photos of the real Gulfstream IV panel (which is app. the same as the Gulf V panel) -- in fact you'll find a very nice cockpit photo inside the included instrument panel documentation.  An innovative ground proximity warning system informs you of altitude and windshear using human speech. 
Filename: gulfvpan.zip, Size: 2.9 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Robin Ritchie, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, Instrument manual.doc, Readme.doc

Sounds

The aircraft uses Flight Simulator's Lear 45 sound package.  The Audio ground proximity warning system (GPWS) includes its own set of audio files.  You'll hear speech queues during landings, warning klaxons, windshear alerts, bank angle alerts and more!

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.

Aircraft

This month we feature a 5th generation fighter aircraft, Ralph Pegram's marvelous Sukhoi S-37 Berkut. This bird features new 16 bit textures, improved fuselage construction giving a better visual model, new 3D undercarriage, new engine nozzles and afterburner effects, and many extra details, aerials, auxiliary air intakes etc. The cockpit has been redesigned and sports an animated canopy. The author also includes a very detailed and well written flight manual in Microsoft Word format.
Filename: s-37be.zip, Size: 7.0 MB, Version: (none specified), Author: Ralph Pegram, Designed For: Flight Simulator 2000, Documentation: File_id.diz, File_id_fix.diz, Readme.htm, Readme_fix.txt, Sukhoi s.doc

Panel

A great panel is also included. It was made using "guesstimates" of what an S-37 panel might resemble, given the all glass cockpit from the Su-37 Flanker.

Sounds

All new sound files have been recorded from Sukhoi Su27, 32, 37 series fighters performing at air displays in the UK, and have been specially tuned for this S-37 aircraft. All other sounds, undercarriage, flaps and so on, are also new and original and have been tuned using Goldwave.

Note: this file is no longer available. Visit the Addon Sites pages for alternate download locations.