FTX - where next?

[speedbird591]

I'm not going to be an apologist for FTX England. I don't have it and probably never will! But as you know, I have a big investment in some of their US sceneries and enjoy them immensely. But unfortunately, the dissatisfaction with the England scenery has obscured what FTX is superb at and that is airports. They specialise in GA airports and surrounding areas to an incredible degree of accuracy and detail. The detail is highest at the airport itself, drops a bit in the surrounding towns and then becomes more general as it blends into the larger scenery area.

The next airport to be released is Felts Field, Spokane, WA. I mentioned this elsewhere and linked to a preview in the FTX forum but it's now been moved to the public products page so you don't need to log in to see it. This scenery really is amazing and even if you are not interested in FTX products or US scenery you should have a look to see what is now possible in FS.

http://www.fullterrain.com/product_ksff.html

Ian

[DaveB]

Hi Ian

If I didn't know better, I'd begin to think you were in their employ

I agree with you to a very large extent and have tried to remain positive throughout my costly experience (and having spent the money, I feel able to comment). My experience with ORBX is only fleeting compared to yours but from seeing PNW and in particular, Bowerman at close quarters.. this does seem to be their forte. A small airfield done in great detail with surrounding areas brought up to a higher degree of realism (though not as great as the airfield itself as you say) would seem to be what they do best.

The other side of the coin though, if I may be so bold, is that without Bowerman.. the PNW 'Olympic' area demo is not a thousand miles away from the default and I've flown both. That little airfield made the demo.. without it, what else is there. Who can really tell the difference between mesh resolution at 72 or at 5m when the lot is covered with trees

This said, they do what they do, by and large, very well. Without their Bowerman field stuck out by the sea or something as good.. I'd not want to fly around the PNW The bloke who's forever cranking that Cessna with his idle mate looking on.. the couple sat/stood talking with their cases waiting for a flight.. the old boy on the step having a drink of beer.. what the 2 chaps are doing by that kiosk is anyones guess but they're all there and all animated. They make it a fun place to go and that's what it's all about.. having fun

Enjoy your future purchases and please keep posting shots cause we love 'em

ATB
DaveB

[Airspeed]

Hi Ian,
100% agreement there! The freeware and payware airports are truly something. The ground markings, signs on buildings and localised aircraft are top notch. Hats off to them!
My only complaint with the terrain, related to their claims of accuracy. I even warned them that IMHO, they were looking for trouble by talking about "every road" etc. when I know for a fact that this is an exaggeration. What would I know? Obviously, they did unduly raise expectations about UK too, hence all the "where is...?" etc etc etc
Anyway, I'm even happier now, as I've been able to add some visible display aircraft at the Moorabbin Air Museum. (see today's post under "Adding Static Aircraft FSX")

[TSR2]

If you want an superb GA airfield in the UK, have a look at the UK2000 Cumbernauld, admittedly its up in Scotland, but its superb

[Paul K]

Well I still haven't properly explored England as I'm waiting for the new migrator tool so as to use it in P3D. ( If that doesn't come, I'll just have to bite the bullet and install it directly ). Anyhow, yes, all this talk of more North America is whetting my appetite . But...I keep looking at Australia and keep thinking how little I've used that particular scenery. I even bought Alice Springs, and have yet to use it in a proper flight plan. I recently bought a copy of Warpaint # 59 ( Lockheed Hudson ) and I wonder if I might attempt an Adastra Aerial Survey repaint for the FS Add On Hudson Mk VI transport ... what a way to go and 'survey' Oz !

[speedbird591]

Yes, Cumbernauld has tempted me for a long time and if I flew frequently in the UK I'd probably have FTX England and a full set of UK2000. But while I'm still working there isn't enough time for everything. I'd feel obliged to go and visit everywhere now and again and spread myself too thinly. You could imagine all the little inhabitants of these destinations all slobbing around, smoking, playing cards and drinking. And then every couple of months they'd hear a different engine from the AI and somebody would kick over the crate and grab a broom. 'Quick - turn on the runway lights. It's the boss! Get this place cleaned up!'

I think that would be especially true of Cumbernauld

Anyway. While my spare time is limited I'm limiting myself to one quality area (even though it's a huge area and getting huger ) and exploring it properly. My Cessna trip is going well and having travelled up through Oregon and Washington and over the border into Canada, I've just flown from Campbell River (picking up Don Grovestine's lovely freeware airport during my stopover ) to Kyoquot SPB on the far NW of Vancouver Island in my amphibian. I'll moor up now for the night and clean the kitchen before the memsahib gets home

But don't you think that Felts Field scenery is outstanding? That's what this thread's really about. I just wanted to say 'wow, look at this!'

Ian

[TSR2]

It's very good Ian, certainly from the screenies it looks very impressive

[speedbird591]

It's very good Ian, certainly from the screenies it looks very impressive

That's the ticket! The old fart just needed humouring

[petermcleland]

Ian,

I got the Northern Rocky Mountains today and started with the Maule at Spokane Intl. for my first flight in the region...I just bumbled around, generally enjoying things and looked for a smallish airfield to try my first landing. I saw a nice looking little airport and decided that it was the sort of place I had in mind and went in to land...I had to drag it in a bit with a lot of power after I got too low on the approach but I managed to convert it into a nice landing.

I called ATC for taxy instructions and got the "pointers" to lead me in and parked. I thought it was a nice little airport and wondered where it was, so I called up "goto airport" and discovered it was Felts Field...I had good look round to remember how it looked before I get the super version from the screen shots. I am really looking forward to its release and thanks for pointing it out.

BTW...I am now using JF's Traffic 360 to populate the whole of my P3D, except for McLeland Field, and I'm very impressed with a lot of things I see and hear...Jetways extending and fitting over the doors of airliner traffic...Baggage holds of traffic opening and baggage I loaders moving up to them...real engine sounds being throttled up and down for speed adjustments on taxiing traffic, and loud roaring engines on take offs and reverse thrust on landings. It is all very impressive to watch and nicely replaces my AiBlast and AES that I had in FS9. The TCC (Traffic Control Centre) is not to easy to understand but I have managed to program the AI Float Version of Little Bandit to land, park and take-off in the Ravine and I will give it that nice pontoon from OG39 to park against

[speedbird591]

Hello Peter,

That's a good idea - I'll go and have a fly round today before the new buildings arrive. I believe there is an ILS at Felts Field and I'm hoping that I can get the 1-11 and 732 in. When it's released I'll meet you in the Skyway cafe

Traffic 360 sounds good but it looks like BA is still using the World Tails liveries I think I bought an earlier version of it because I started going through the flightplans and substituting Chatham dockyard aircraft for them but it was a lot of faffing about! Then I decided to restrict my flying to ORBX NA regions, so instead of global AI I'm using World of AI for the main airports in the region. Which works well for me but the traffic files have to be converted to FSX using AIFP.

Ian