The Best Payware & Freeware addons

[EHM-1703 Philip]

Don't know whether this thread has been done before but I am new and couldn't find one skimming through the forums! Was just wondering if you could recommend  best Payware or freeware addons!

I have just taken delivery of Traffic 2005 and although I like it, there are still too many bugs in it, especially with the AI Smooth software addon. (It just keeps crashing on my machine)

I have been using Gary Summons Heathrow Pro Scenery for some time and thoroughly recommend it. I have also just installed his Manchester Scenery as well.

My Favourite freeware addon is Ken Mitchells A320 Panel.

Cheers,

Phil

[EHM-1712 Mihaly]

Hi Phil!

Visit the LAGO SIM page (www.lagosim.com), You'll find many of payware add-ons, including the "Budapest Scenery 2004"!!!!

[EHM-0541 Kjell]

May I suggest FS Passanger.  It`s an absolute outstanding addon that makes any flight way out more interesting.
It`s not freeware thou, yet well worth the few bucks....no doubt.
Dan, (the author) is very openminded to his customers opinions regarding his software, and takes every improvement suggestions to his mind for consideration.  Free updates regardly, whenever he has finished more functions or fixes to FSP.
It`s impossible for me to list all features it includes here, but it`s far more than simply adding "passangers" to ur flights.  Lotsa "failures" can be added to make flights more realistic, manage ur own flight company(EHM) for example and lotsa more.  There is a great "setup" included to make ur FS Pass siuteable for ur taste of realism.
Fly on "hard realism" and get penalty for mistakes u do, and collect point and dollars to build up ur company. Different modes eg, carieer, economic...etc.   Ooh, it`s way too much to explain here........but in my opinion it`s awesome...and improving.    Check it out here:  http://www.fspassengers.com/

[EHM-1343 Jonathan]

Anything PMDG!!! Awsome stuff. I am also very very fond of my FlyTampa series which is very good.

For a bit of novelty, and my company car, i like my ferrari Enzo....HERE

And other good freeware is the ISD LIRF scenery, Meljet and Project Opensky

[EHM-1001 Robert]

Hi Phil !

If you do not like your payware AI-traffic, you can download freeware stuff from 2 sources:

1. AI-Aardward www.ai-aardvark.com - they have made many beautiful frame-rate friendly aircraft models, but you have to manually install everything: models, repaints, flightplans...it is very nice but very time consuming.

2. ProjectAI www.projectai.com - they have installer packages per airlines, so it is much more user-friendly. They have about 200 now, which is well covering Europe. Graphics sometimes not so good as AI-aardvark guys do, but very easy to use.

Both AI updates require much more dense AFCAD files, than the default FS ones, so more airplanes can pop-up on the airports, and on the sky. AFCAD files are also freeware add-ons, and tells FS how much gates are available at the airports, so this controls basically the amount of available AI-traffic. AFCAD files comes per airports, and you can find many at some large free stores, like Avsim.com, or Flightsim.com, or FSPlanet.com ...

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Oh, you simple fools...

Think big Phil. You already know Gary Summons work (UK2000 scenery) so no point in recommending that to you, so how about the photographic VFR scenery and the VFR terrain vol.1 (got them both, and love them both...)

Then there's the weather addons for FS2004... I cannot recommend ActiveSky 5 (ASV) enough... the Active Sky team have managed to improve on what in my opinion was already the best weather engine out there (mostly thanks to the FS Sky World author)

Then there are the airplanes, as already mentioned PMDG do what is without doubt the best 737NG, 744 and B1900 models, and there are a number of other really accurate payware models (don't ask me about Airbus, I fly the 737-800 for preference...)

And finally, if you want to take your simming to wife-worrying levels, you could build yourself a sim-pit: Project Magenta GC/MCP/[M]CDU and overhead software, FDS hardware, Phidgets automation systems (mucho, mucho denaro, but

[EHM-1703 Philip]

Thanks Murray,

I would love to go for the sim pit, but i think that will have to be a work in progress over the next few years, of course, unless I win the lottery! I see from your screen shots that yours is coming on quite nicely.

I think I need to get to grips flying on IVAO before I start thinking about a wide system..... I have my new PC running FS2004 and I currently have a 17" widescreen sony A117 laptop running IVAE whilst I fly and I also use this for my charts. I have a little baby sony TR1mp (10.4 inch screen) Laptop that I will bring in to the fold at a later date when I have the money to go for the PM and WideFS setup. I have some reservations about using the latter as it is quite underpowered and graphically chalenged shall we say.

I'm not to sure about the networking for this setup either. My ADSL comes in downstairs and as its a new house, I have no phone socket in my study/cockpit so I use a wireless router for my internet. Do you think the PM and WideFS systems will work adequately over a wifi network?

cheers,
Phil

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Phil,

Easily. Think about it like this:-

PM talks to FS using FSUIPC/WideFS (all internal of your network) and will do so happily over an 802.11b (11mbps) network; I've done this myself (only got an 802.11g adapter for my laptop recently). None of that software wants or needs Internet access (other than to download updates to it, o' course...)

The only software (from the list in above posts) that will need Internet access is IVAP, IVAE/ServInfo and ActiveSky/FS-Meteo/<insert favourite METAR engine>, and again, all that lot should run happily over 802.11b.

If you intend to go to a big setup (and yes, I include my humble beginnings in that statement) I'd suggest you use wired networking for the FS half of things (FS, FSUIPC/WideFS, PM) as they generate a fair bit of network traffic, and "save" your wireless bandwidth for your Internet traffic.

[EHM-1703 Philip]

Thanks Murray,

Well I suppose I had better start saving, the wife will have to forget about the Audi TT I think...... Maybe she would be happy with a Hyundia Getz instead!

Cheers,

Phil

[EHM-1001 Robert]

Hehe, Hyundai Getz is a nice&easy car for women I am sure she will be satisfied.

[EHM-1703 Philip]

Looks like I lost this fight, the TT is on Order as of this afternoon! At least I will get my car back now, but no Sim Pit for me yet!

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Just a quick "heads-up" to all you other Heathrow Pro owners that haven't been by the LHR Pro website in a while. Gary has released v2.0 of this excellent scenery: has the starts of T5 and the new tower that is being built, and frankly it looks even better than the previous release.

[EHM-1670 Bill]

And much kinder frame rates as well. Make sure you have the up to date AFCADs.

For news of releases have you signed up for his news letter. Also a pop-in to the forum at http://www.fsnordic.net/discussion/index.php?board=32 usually produces interesting information.