We seem to be experiencing a growth spurt within our flight simulation community as I’m seeing more and more questions pop up within social media circles regarding multiplayer options for flight simulation. I wrote about this very subject many years ago, but like many things in life….things change and in our case, the change has been for the good of the hobby. Allow me take a short walk down memory lane and then I’ll explain all the online multiplayer options for flight simulation.
As some of my readers will know, I’ve been a part of the flight simulation community for a long, long time. A little over 34 years to be exact and my first experience with multiplayer dates back almost as long. Well….sort of. See, my friend and I both had Commodore 64 computers and we both enjoyed the subLogic Flight Simulator (which eventually became Microsoft Flight Simulator). Anyway, long before the internet and long before the online multiplayer networks we have today were even thought of, my friend and I would get together at either his house or my house and we would setup both of our C-64’s and we would fly together. Of course, the only way I could see his plane was to look at his TV set and the only way he could see mine was to glance over at mine. But we set them nearly side-by-side and we had hours and hours of fun.
Of course sometimes one of us would pretend to be a crude version of ATC and we would provide clearance instructions to each other. I’ll admit, neither one of us knew what we were doing and pretty much everything we based our experience on was what we had seen in the old Airport disaster movies (Airport, Airport 75, Airport 77 and Airport 79) with perhaps a mix of comedic fun from watching Airplane. No, I’ll neither confirm or deny I ever sniffed glue. LOL Anyway….neither of us could imagine that someday we could enjoy the hobby in a true networked multiplayer environment with real-live humans performing the knowledgeable and experienced role of ATC and we could fly our favorite aircraft all over the world. Enough of my old history, let’s get back on subject.
Setting the Stage
As the title suggests, the purpose of this writing is simply to share with those who care to read…the available online multiplayer options which are available for flight simulation. This includes the older FSX (boxed), FSX Steam Edition, all versions of Prepar3D and X-Plane flight simulation platforms. It has long been a desire of mine to write a definitive guide to multiplayer (specifically VATSIM) and one of these days I might just get around to it. But for now, I’ll share with you the options available and provide links where you can conduct your own research to determine how you can get started.
Finally, of the options I’m going to discuss in this writing…I feel I need to break them down into three different categories. The first being “free/no-cost full ATC simulation”, “paid full ATC simulation” and “No ATC simulation”. We’ll start with the later and work our way from there.
No ATC Multiplayer Environment
There really is only one in this category which I will discuss in this posting. If all you are really looking for is a solution where you and your friends can fly around, perform pattern work and essentially not have the need to worry about Air Traffic Control services, then FSCloud might be of interest to you. FSCloud works with FSX, P3D and XPlane 10/11. The cost is absolutely free and the process for registering an account, downloading and setting up the software and getting online is easy. The focus on realism isn’t as strong as you’ll find on VATSIM, IVAO or Pilot Edge. However, common courtesy of others should still be considered when using FSCloud. In other words, follow their rules and guidelines and you should be OK. I’ve often used FSCloud (and still do from time to time). Visit the FSCloud website for complete information on registering for an account, downloading the client software and please familiarize yourself with their rules and guidelines.
Paid Full ATC Simulation
As was the case with the previous category, currently there’s only one option available in the paid category of full ATC simulation and that is the PilotEdge Network. PilotEdge works with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, Flight Simulator X (including FSX Steam Edition), all versions of Prepar3D and X-Plane 10/11. One of the main advantages of PilotEdge (as compared to VATSIM/IVAO) is they provide Air Traffic Control on a guaranteed basis during specific hours, in a specific area. Their staffing hours are 8 AM – 11 PM Pacific, 7 days a week. At the time of this writing, PilotEdge offers ATC within the Seattle, Oakland, Los Angeles, Denver, Salt Lake City and Albuquerque ARTCC’s. This coverage is split into two different subscription options including ZLA (Los Angeles) and Western US. Subscription plans start at $19.95 per month for just the ZLA area. An additional $19.95 per month would be required for access into the Western expansion area. A two week free trial is available.
For full disclosure, I personally do not have any first hand experience with the PilotEdge network. I’ve been wanting to take advantage of their two week free trial, but for me personally…I really don’t think I would be interested in PilotEdge beyond the two week trial. My reason for this is I enjoy flying all over the world and the majority of my flying is jetliner routes of anywhere from 300 – 1000+ miles. While the vast majority of my flights originate out of Denver (within their coverage area), I don’t always fly west. Additionally, I’m a fan and supporter of the VATSIM network. I’ve been on the VATSIM network since it first began back in 2001 and I suppose it boils down to what one is used to. While the PilotEdge audio is wonderful (from what I’ve heard on YouTube and Twitch), I personally believe their pricing structure is just too expensive for the casual simmer. Don’t get me wrong…for real world pilots and students, PilotEdge is fantastic. But for a busy guy like me, I just can’t justify the expense at this time. Visit the PilotEdge website to learn more about their network, their coverage hours/area and sign up for the free two-week trial.
Free/No-Cost Full ATC Simulation
This category currently has two main contenders with a third to be launched sometime in the future. These are VATSIM, IVAO and the yet to be released network is POSCON. We’re really only just now beginning to understand all that POSCON will offer the flight sim community. However, I did write an extensive article about POSCON a few weeks ago. This article covers many of the planned features and let me just say, that I’m really excited about what I believe POSCON will bring to the flight sim community. You can read that article here.
Both VATSIM and IVAO offer a similar online experience. Both networks provide the software necessary to connect and experience the world of multiplayer flight operations.
VATSIM
Before I dive into the world of VATSIM, I would like to just briefly mention SATCO. Now SATCO has been history for a very long time. But all that we enjoy today with both VATSIM, IVAO and anything that may or may not come down the road, have roots back to SATCO. The first version of an online client was developed back in the late 90’s and as both the evolution of the internet and flight sims came along, this launched the ability for users to fly together in a multiplayer environment and so SATCO or the Simulated Air Traffic Controllers Organization was born. In July of 2001, it was announced that VATSIM would succeed SATCO and as a result a brand new organization was created and launched.
VATSIM or Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network is considered to be the largest online flight simulation network in the world with over 209,000 registered members and recently exceeded 80,000 active members for the first time. An active member is defined as any member of the VATSIM network who has connected to VATSIM at least once within the last six months. I’ve been a member of the VATSIM Network since it began back in July, 2001 and yes before VATSIM, I held a membership with SATCO.
IVAO
The IVAO or International Virtual Aviation Organization was formed in 1998 and currently has more than 170,000 registered members. The creation of IVAO occurred when a group of people left SATCO to form a new network after management conflicts developed. Like VATSIM, the purpose of IVAO is to provide an environment for a realistic flight and air traffic control simulation via the internet. Again, like VATSIM…IVAO provides the tools needed to connect to their network and offers training to both pilots and ATC based on real-world aviation regulations and procedures.
In Summary
Both IVAO and VATSIM networks came about as a result of management conflicts with the original SATCO network. Both VATSIM and IVAO are 100% free and provide all the necessary tools and training. Both VATSIM and IVAO host regularly scheduled events all around the world. As for which organization is the best? I recommend joining both experiencing what each network has to offer and making your own conclusion. As more information becomes available on the new and exciting POSCON network, I’ll certainly share it with everyone. At the time of this writing, POSCON is expected to go into an early beta stage sometime after the first of the year. Like VATSIM and IVAO, POSCON will be a 100% free service and available and open to all.
Until next time…
Enjoy the multiplayer experience! It’s As Real As It Gets!
If you’re new to the world of Prepar3D v4 or just new to flight sim in general, you might be wondering which add-ons I would recommend purchasing to enhance the flight sim. Yes, P3D is pretty awesome just by itself, out of the box. But after a while, you might want to take your flight sim experience to the next level. When that time comes, there are a few add-ons which I personally believe (my opinion) one should own to help give you that additional level of immersion we all seek from our flight simulation experience. Here’s my Top 5, Must Have Add-ons for Prepar3D v4 which I believe will enhance your flight sim experience.
FSUIPC
I’m really not sure when this wonderful little add-on was developed and released to the flight sim community. I’ve known about it and used it since the FS9 or FS2004 days. Considering FS9 was released way back in 2003, it’s one of the oldest, longest serving add-ons that I know of. When I build or rebuild my flight sim machine, FSUIPC is one of the very first add-ons I install.
What is FSUIPC? FSUIPC stands for Flight Simulator Universal Inter-Process Communication. In a nutshell, FSUIPC essentially allows various third party applications to communicate with and in some cases even control the flight sim platform (FS9, FSX, FSX : SE and all versions of P3D). I often just refer to it as the Swiss Army Knife of the flight sim world. In my opinion, FSUIPC is the hardest working, third party add-on EVERYONE truly needs and it’s why it ranks at the top of my list.
For the most part, much of what the casual flight simmer will need out of FSUIPC can be handled in the freeware or unlicensed version. However, if you want to truly open up all that FSUIPC can do including far better third party controller (yoke, pedals, throttles) support, flight auto-save functions, networking multiple PC’s together and much, much more…then you’ll want to purchase the license to open up this additional functionality. An FSUIPC license for P3D v4 is available at simMarket for 29.99 Euro. Trust me, it’ll be the best ($36.49 US based on current exchange rate) you’ll spend on P3D.
ActiveSky
A really huge part of my overall flight sim enjoyment comes from the enhanced immersion levels that add-on applications provide to P3D. Yes, while P3D (just like FSX) has built in weather functionality…most find it to be rather weak. I’ve been a user of ActiveSky for a very long time. While opinions may differ regarding what third party application is best for displaying cloud textures, there is rarely any argument that ActiveSky is the very best on the market for real-time depiction of weather in the simulator. I also love using it to recreate flights using historical weather. For example, let’s say it snows in Denver but I’m not home to fly in real time. I can fire up P3D and set ASP4 for a specific day and that will be the weather I see in the sim. Pretty cool. ActiveSky for P3D v4 (ASP4) is available from several online retailers for 49.99 Euro ($60.83 US based on current exchange rate).
Speaking of cloud textures etc. I’ve been very happy with ActiveSky Cloud Art. It works seamlessly with ASP4.
Orbx
There will come a point in time where you’ll want to further enhance your ground textures. Orbx (again my opinion) is the very best scenery add-on you can buy for P3D v4 and they offer a lot of awesome scenery. If you’re on a budget, I recommend starting with the Orbx FTX Global Base Pack. This add-on pack includes upgraded textures and autogen for the entire world. While the Orbx FTX Global Base Pack will set you back $99.95 AUD ($74.61 USD), you’ll find a couple of dozen freeware airport add-ons available from the Orbx website which work with FTX Global.
Then as you continue to build out your Orbx collection, I would recommend FTX Global Vector as this product will begin to introduce accurate coastlines, rivers, lakes and roads. Then as you begin to round out the collection, add the various regions such as Central Rockies, Northern Rockies, Southern Alaska etc.
A2A Cessna 172/PMDG 737-800
A brand new (out of the box) install of P3D will give you access to a few different general aviation aircraft including the Carenado Beechcraft Bonanza, Mooney Acclaim and Mooney Bravo just to name a few. However, if tubeliners (passenger airliners) are your thing, then you’ll need to seek these out as either third party freeware or payware add-ons. A few weeks ago I wrote about default/freeware aircraft options available for P3D v4. Please review that for details regarding freeware aircraft.
Most new virtual pilots will either be interested in general aviation or jetliner type flying. If both of these interest you, excellent. Unfortunately, I really don’t know enough about helicopter options to provide any level of detail as it’s just not something I’m really interested in. But I absolutely love both GA and jetliners as there are times I enjoy flying high and fast, and other times low and slow.
The A2A Cessna 172 and the PMDG 737-800/900 are two payware, study-level aircraft which are both extremely fun to fly…but at the same time fairly easy to learn. Both will provide hours and hours and even more hours of entertainment regardless of your primary fixed-wing interest.
The A2A Cessna 172 for P3D v4 (depending on P3D license level) will cost you $49.99 – $79.99 and is a professional level simulation of the real C172R. The feature list is quite extensive including an immersive pre-flight inspection system, maintenance hangar, visual real-time load manager and my favorite is it’s designed to be flown “By The Book” simulation.
The PMDG 737-800/900 for P3D v4 will cost you $89.99. The Boeing 737-800/900 base package will allow you to experience an airliner simulation unlike any in the history of simulation with this feature rich and magnificently detailed simulation of the Boeing 737NG.
Navigraph
While there are hundreds of different scenery, aircraft and utility add-ons to consider adding to P3D v4 to enhance your simulation experience, the last add-on I’m going to recommend is a Navigraph subscription. Navigraph provides the international flight simulation community with tools and software like those available to the real world aviation industry. I personally recommend the Navigraph Ultimate subscription which runs 75 Euro paid annually. While this may seem like a lot of money for an annual subscription, it provides unlimited access to BOTH their FMS data service and to their charts applications.
The Navigraph FMS data is available for all addons (including the above mentioned PMDG 737) during all AIRAC cycles in one year. An AIRAC cycle is 28 days, so you’ll receive 13 updates in the calendar year ensuring all your add-ons stay current based on real-world data.
Access to Navigraph Charts provides professional, worldwide and updated Jeppesen charts for the flight simulation community. These charts are accessible in their suite of Charts Apps including iPad, Android and their Charts Desktop client which works for both Windows and MacOS. All the charts, in one easy place.
In Summary
Like many other hobbies, the flight sim hobby can become a very expensive hobby very quickly. I often compare it to photography. It’s been proven many times that a beautiful photographic image can be made with just a pin hole camera, yet once the photography bug bites you, you soon find your camera bag stuffed full of accessories you just can’t live without. Flight Sim is pretty much the same way. Just pace yourself and enjoy. I hope this list helps you “take off”.
A question I’ve been pondering recently, Is the virtual airline concept dead in modern times? Back in the very late 1990’s and early 2000’s, VA’s or virtual airlines were all the rage. They continued to be a very popular addition to the virtual aviation hobby. Over the years, I’ve been a part of many different VA’s, served in various capacities from just a regular pilot, hub manager, executive management and even started my own fictional virtual airline a few years ago.
The Early Days
In the very early days of the virtual airline concept, the websites/communities were often (by today’s standards) crude, low-tech representations attempting to replicate their real world airline counterpart. The online presence generally consisted of a basic website (often built using free hosting, complete with pop-up ads) with a few pages to include a main/welcome page, pilot rosters, management structure, rules/SOP and often a forum. With time, more advanced websites were created complete with automated PIREP logging and tracking features. These automated features soon became the norm for most sites.
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Unfortunately, VA’s which mirror the operations of a real world airline (American, Southwest, Fedex, British Airways etc.) struggled long ago and still do to avoid getting into legal troubles with their real world counterparts. I’ve seen VA’s pop-up with a complete website, begin hiring pilots and management then close their doors after receiving a cease and desist letter from an attorney representing the real world airline. Even with disclaimers posted about this website is not affiliated with the real world airline, the letters kept coming and the VA’s kept closing. The primary issue here is the misuse of copyright and intellectual property which belong to the real world airline. I certainly can understand why this was done. Some of these sites were extremely crude in nature, but some, while having a professional appearance could actually become confusing to some who were seeking out the real world airline website. Bottom line, while the “freedom of speech” protects us in many ways…it doesn’t give us any rights to use property (including logos etc.) which belong to others any way we please.
Please and Thank You
Some VA’s actually managed to ask for and gain permission from their real world counterpart. One example is British Airways Virtual (BAVirtual). They were perhaps one of the first to actually accomplish this and to this day are one of the premier virtual airlines on the interwebz. For BAv, it all started back in the year 2000. While virtual airlines were popping up everywhere, many were based on fictional airlines and only a few actually existed in the UK. The folks behind BAv wanted to change this, so they set out to create not only a professional looking and fully functional website…but also gain the permission and cooperation of their real world counterpart, the real British Airways. As I’ve often stated, I’ve been a part of this hobby for a very long time. I was around it before the internet and I was around when BAv came onto the scene. I actually was serving as the VP of Operations for American virtual Airlines (the oldest VA on the VATSIM network) and remember speaking to the management of BAv as we established codeshare agreements between AvA and BAv to replicate the OneWorld Alliance. It was great times back then and there are plenty of times that I miss flying for and being a part of AvA.
A New Way
A number of years ago, I was perusing YouTube seeking out flight sim content and stumbled onto a YouTube content creator by the name of Matt Davies. Matt was running a very successful YouTube channel (also has a very successful Twitch channel) and I found his presentation style very enjoyable. Not to mention, he actually knows what he’s talking about. Matt has created content and selflessly shared his knowledge over the years and while there’s no way of knowing exactly how many new people he’s attracted into this hobby, his commitment to this hobby is truly second to none. As time passed, I watched more and more of his recorded content on YouTube and his livestreams on Twitch, I learned he (and a few others) were developing a new virtual aviation environment called ProjectFly.
What exactly is ProjectFly? Well…I’m going to just quote some info directly from their website. “In simple terms it is a versatile platform allowing you to give or take as much from your hobby as you would like. Whether you simply wish to fly from point A to point B in your Cessna without any realistic procedures, follow the path of a real pilot through their training and type rating ready to simulate that daily routine of a low cost captain or even if you simply want a community of like-minded individuals”
I love ProjectFly
For all the reasons in the above quoted and italicized comment above and a lot more. If asked what my number one favorite real world airline is, my answer without hesitation is American Airlines. But I also enjoy flying and replicating the flights of many other airlines such as Southwest, Frontier, Fedex, British Airways and the list goes on and on and on. But most VA’s really want their pilots only flying real world routes which they have setup in their systems and rightfully so. Also, I just simply don’t have the time to ensure I can keep up with the minimum number of flights when belonging to multiple virtual airlines.
ProjectFly allows me to fly for any airline I desire and there are no minimum commitments. I can fly every day for a month and I can skip a few months without any flights and no one is going to harass me to get my flights in. I can also fly any aircraft type I choose, regardless of the number of hours I have logged. The talented developers behind ProjectFly have developed an exceptional software client that is easy to install, configure and seamlessly just does what it’s suppose to. From that client I can setup new flights, add new aircraft, view my flight log and it tracks and logs my flights effortlessly. ProjectFly has also developed a “Passport” feature which tracks/stamps the countries you’ve landed in. The passport displays the nations flag once you successfully land and calculates the percentage of countries you’ve visited. In addition to the passport feature, all your flights are tracked on a map which is visible on the client documenting all the routes you’ve flown. As you can see from the image below, I’ve logged just under 100 flights in the ProjectFly system and have visited just 9% of the countries in the world. I better get busy huh?
A snapshot of my passport showing the nations of Australia, Austria and Belgium as visited.
ProjectFly also offers various achievements (similar to Steam achievements) to work towards. As you can see I’ve earned several including my first flight, long-haul, Challenging Approach Gibraltar and a few others.
I’ve only listed a few of the features available with ProjectFly and there’s a ton more in development. You can learn all about ProjectFly by visiting the ProjectFly website.
Answering The Question
Is the virtual airline concept dead in modern times? Absolutely NOT! Virtual Airlines are thriving in this day and age. However, they all suffer from the issues I’ve previously pointed out and if you’re a busy person like I am, you might just not have the time to commit to their rules and policy’s. Again, ProjectFly is a very relaxed and laid back environment where you can pretty much do whatever you wish. Some may argue that ProjectFly lacks the social aspects of a traditional airline. However, the ProjectFly team have setup both a forum and a discord channel, so my advice is jump right in, introduce yourself and get busy flying.
As always, thanks for taking the time to read my content. If you have a question regarding flight sim or needs some help, I’m always willing to lend a hand. The best method of contacting me is to join my Discord channel. You can post a message in the chat channel or private message me and I’ll do my best to help you any way possible.
Hello once again and thank you all so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my blog postings. I truly appreciate it. With each leg completed, we’re getting closer and closer to reaching our final destination and of course where it all started waaaaaaay back in early June. I’m still hoping to complete the tour either slightly before or around the same timeframe the official WorldFlight 2018 tour will be completed. Keep in mind that what has taken me, or should I say will take me five months will all be done in about a week. Let’s get started with this tour update.
History of City
Fairbanks is the largest city in the interior region of Alaska with a population of 32,751 within the city proper and over 100K in the greater Fairbanks region which makes it the second most populous metro area in Alaska after Anchorage.
History of Country
The United States of America, is a federal republic composed of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the US is the world’s third largest country by total area and just fractionally smaller than the entire continent of Europe. With a population of over 325 million, the US is the third most populous country.
History of Airport
Fairbanks International Airport is a state-owned airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of Fairbanks, Alaska. Fairbanks is the smallest city in the United States with non-stop service to Europe via Condor Airlines and their weekly flight to Frankfurt during the summer season.
History of Airline
Alaska Airlines is an American airline headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1932 as McGee Airways and offering flights from Anchorage. Today, Alaska Airlines has flights to more than 100 destinations in the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Our group spent a few extra days in Sitka (as planned) and are now ready to fly to Fairbanks. Our stay in Fairbanks will be flexible. We have a confirmed two full days for sure, but will be keeping an eye on the weather for our next destination due to a short runway and no ILS. Meaning, we’ll need good weather conditions for landing. However, no need to worry about all that now as we still need to fly from Sitka to Fairbanks.
We’re getting right into the action and have taxied our Boeing 737-800 in Alaska Airlines livery out to the active runway and are just awaiting take-off clearance.
With our take-off clearance granted, we’re off.
Making our turn to the northwest to resume the departure course out of Sitka.
Southern Alaska is mystical.
We’ve reached our cruising altitude and on our way to Fairbanks.
The weather is quickly changing as we’re descending into the Fairbanks area.
We have a mix of rain and light snow in the area.
On final with runway in sight.
We’ll be on the ground shortly.
Simulator Specifics
Prepar3d v4.3 ActiveSky Weather Engine ActiveSky Cloud Art Envtex & Envshade PMDG Boeing 737-800 (Alaska Airlines livery) FSDreamTeam GSX Level 2 Orbx Global Texture Orbx FTX Global openLC North America Orbx USA/Canada Pacific Northwest Orbx Southern Alaska VATSIM
My apologies as some how the screenshots taken on the ground in Fairbanks didn’t save. But we’re here and our travelers will soon be taken to the hotel. We’re monitoring the weather for our next destination which is Provideniya Bay, Russia. We’re fairly certain we will need to stay at least one extra day (perhaps two) in Fairbanks as we wait out better weather. But hey, our travelers will have plenty to do to keep them entertained. See you next time.
Happy Friday to all. This is the last Friday in the month of September which just brings us even closer to the 20 November release of Farming Simulator 19. Today I present to you the 4th installment of #FactSheetFriday and of course my overall opinions of what we’re seeing.
If you’re like me and found the #FactSheetFriday entries last week to be a bit boring, you’re not alone. Many of the folks I interact with felt the same way. I believe most will find this weeks version to most certainly be more exciting than last. Especially if you are as excited about harvesting cotton as I am. Let’s dive in.
We kick things off with a bit of the same old, same old with the Challenger MT800E Series tracked tractor. This was the tractor I was excited about in the early days of FS17. But simply due to the nature of how it handled with Courseplay, I eventually learned just not to even try. If you remember back to #FactSheetFriday week 1 (7 September) where we were introduced to the Fendt version of this tractor I once again felt hopeful. Time will tell…but at least we can say we’ll have a bit of variety for this type of tractor in FS19.
In addition, the Bednar cultivator shown attached to the Challenger is a 6m cultivator which will seed and fertilize and will require a tractor capable of 500HP. While I’m not sure if everything is purchased as one unit, according to the Bednar website the trailing unit is a Bednar Presspack which in the real world can either be used separately or combined with other equipment as shown in the photo.
Now we’re talking. The second photo released today by GIANTS in their #FridayFactSheet media promotion is the Case Cotton Harvester. Honestly, there’s a lot about FS19 which excites me….but this is at the very top of my list. The Case Cotton Harvester will feature a 6m working width and is capable of producing 20,000 liter cotton bales (or modules). While I realize we’ve had the ability to plant and harvest cotton since at least FS15 (with mods), this will be cotton done right and that excites me.
Finally we have the entry for the Case Maxxum Series tractor. But more importantly, we see the attached cotton bale (or module) trailer attached. While we have no specific information on this trailer, it would appear the large cotton bales are winched onto the trailer. As another virtual farmer posted on Twitter, this trailer may also be ideal for transporting a skid steer.
While this weeks #FactSheetFriday only contained three images and identified four pieces of equipment, simply because of the subject matter (cotton) I’m highly excited and like many, I’m counting down the days until the 20 November release of Farming Simulator 19.
Everything I’ve seen, everything I’ve read all indicate to me that GIANTS are moving the needles all in the right direction and doing their part to not only make their Farming Simulator franchise the best of all agricultural based simulations, but also keep it at the top for years to come. What more could we ask for?
I’m sorry…I’ve just been triggered by something. My friend Duckzorly spent some time during one of his recent Farming Simulator 17 Livestreams standing on his soapbox talking about the madness some in the FS community seem to be showing/exhibiting after it appears there will only be ONE (1) John Deere combine in FS19.
For the record, it wasn’t Duckzorly’s livestream video which triggered me to write this piece. Actually it was another video I stumbled on where the YouTube content creator just seems to be really upset, disappointed…but mostly upset with the fact that only one John Deere harvester has been announced for FS19. Really??? Geez dude….you really have your priorities out of whack and you need to take a chill pill STAT!
Patience Grasshopper
Let’s take a deep breath and try to put things into perspective. First, Farming Simulator 19 is the first of the long running agricultural based simulators by GIANTS to include John Deere in the base game. In other words, FS19 is the first to include an “officially licensed” John Deere piece of equipment in the base game. Something that many of us believed would never, ever happen.
Second to that point. We’re still two months away from the release of Farming Simulator 19. While I understand those who are studying the FS19 Fact Sheets are drawing conclusions that there will only be one JD combine in the game, we’re still two months away from release. So really…anything can happen.
Third, because this is the first time John Deere has been officially licensed into Farming Simulator, perhaps the John Deere company is taking a “wait and see” approach to determine what the next phase will be. Or perhaps it’s GIANTS who are taking the “wait and see” approach…or equal parts of both. Or…here’s an idea! Stop the presses…unfortunately I can’t say you heard it here first (as Duckzorly was the first I heard suggest this idea) that the usual DLC we see GIANTS release a few months down the road will be a John Deere themed DLC. From a marketing perspective…that right there ladies and gentlemen is a brilliant idea. Take my money now!!!
As it stands on Tuesday, 25 September…we’re getting six pieces of John Deere branded equipment. This includes one JD weight, one JD 7.6m grain header, one JD 6.0m corn header, one JD 8R series tractor and ONE JD T560 harvester. There appears to still be one (yet to be revealed) JD vehicle (believed to be the JD Gator) that has not been announced. If this is all the JD equipment we see on release day, then be thankful and shut up about it. In the days, weeks, months after release of FS19 the internet will be full of John Deere mods which may or may not work well for FS19.
Bottom Line
We all have opinions, complaints and plenty of hopes and dreams for what Farming Simulator will deliver to us on 20 November. Later this week (perhaps tomorrow) I’m going to share some of these with you and discuss whether or not GIANTS have lost the plot with the direction (or at least the perceived direction) they are taking FS19.
But until then, if you want to talk about Farming Simulator 19…join me as I say farewell to Farming Simulator 17 on an upcoming YouTube Livestream on the South Mountain Creamery map with Seasons. In the mean time, please consider also visiting my good friends and excellent YouTube content creators Duckzorly Gaming and Eustace Pharmer. If you’re not familiar with these two channels, you are missing out on some of the very best and family friendly Farming Simulator entertainment on the entire interwebz.
Remember! One John Deere combine is better than NO John Deere combine.
While vacation now seems like a distant memory, both my wife and I are officially back in our groove with regards to our normal sleep schedule and daily routines. Not sure why exactly, but the jetlag from this trip seemed stronger and lasted much longer than previous trips abroad. Perhaps it’s that age thing! Anyway…it’s good to be back.
As you can tell from our progress map below we’ve reached the final third of our long tour and will soon be turning west, then south as we head back to the starting point of Sydney, Australia. Let’s get started with this tour update.
History of City
Originally settled by the Russians in 1799, Sitka was the site of the transfer ceremony for the Alaska purchase on 18 October 1867 and served as the US Government Capital of the Department of Alaska between 1867 – 1906. Today, Sitka has an estimated population of just under 9,000.
History of Country
The United States of America, is a federal republic composed of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the US is the world’s third largest country by total area and just fractionally smaller than the entire continent of Europe. With a population of over 325 million, the US is the third most populous country.
History of Airport
Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport is a state owned, public use airport located west of the central business district of Sitka. The airport is named after Sitka’s former mayor Rocky Gutierrez. It features a single terminal with air service operated by Alaska Airlines and seasonally by Delta.
History of Airline
Air Canada Rouge is a low-cost subsidiary of Air Canada and is fully integrated into the Air Canada and Air Canada Express networks. The airline launched in 2012 with services beginning in 2013. Air Canada Rouge has a fleet of over 50 aircraft and serves 50 destinations.
After a few days in Vancouver, our travelers are now headed northwest to the small Alaskan town of Sitka. Once again we’ll stay here a full week to allow our travelers a bit more R&R in the area before we head to Fairbanks. For this flight we’re once again in the Airbus A319 as we shuttle and Air Canada Rouge flight to Sitka.
Myself along with our crew have arrived at the Vancouver airport.
As you can tell it’s a bit rainy in Raincouver today. The last of our cabin crew is about to step onto the aircraft. Our travelers are soon to follow.
Bags have arrived and are being loaded onto the aircraft.
And now for our passengers.
With the aircraft now fueled, loaded and ready to go. We’re also ready to blast out of Vancouver.
Goodbye Canada
A cloudy, wet and bumpy departure.
Things are starting to smooth out once we climb above the clouds.
Nothing but smooth skies at flight level 380.
A beautiful landscape as we descend towards Sitka, Alaska.
The Alaska region has some of the most spectacular scenery we’ve seen during our long journey.
The view from the flightdeck.
Nice and green down there.
The Sitka airport and runway in sight.
Cleared to land
Parked at the gate in Sitka, Alaska.
Simulator Specifics
Prepar3d v4.3
ActiveSky Weather Engine
ActiveSky Cloud Art
Envtex & Envshade
FlightSimLabs Airbus A319 (Air Canada Rouge livery)
FSDreamTeam GSX Level 2
Orbx Global Texture
Orbx FTX Global openLC North America
Orbx USA/Canada Pacific Northwest
Orbx Southern Alaska
VATSIM
Another leg down and we’re just that much closer to the completion of this tour. Once we leave Sikta, our stay in Fairbanks will be dependent on weather for the Provideniya Bay region of Russia. This airport has a gravel runway with no ILS system. We’ll need good weather conditions to safely land and as summer is quickly turning to fall, the weather is also becoming less predictable. Stay tuned…
Hello ladies, gentlemen and children of all ages…I’m back from vacation. At the time of me flying this particular segment and writing this article, we’ve been back for a week. We’ve been back to work for a week as well and boy did we both need this weekend to recuperate. Both my wife and I generally do pretty well getting back into our schedules once we get home from our two week stay in Europe, but this particular trip really seemed to take a much greater toll on us and as a result it took us slightly longer to get back into our normal schedule. As an example, we’ve been back for a week and I just had my first full nights sleep.
Our vacation was sheer joy and we both enjoyed it immensely. But equally, I think we are both really glad to be home. The saying “there’s no place like home” is so very true. Upon our return, it’s been a busy week for me. My long time YouTube viewers will know that I’ve published my first Farming Simulator 17 video in almost 90 days and I recorded another just last night. With regards to YouTube, I’m doing things much different and won’t place any added pressure on myself to adhere to any type of schedule. Things will just happen when they happen and I’m happy with that. But enough about all that…you’ve landed here to hear about leg 30 of our long worldwide tour. Let’s get started.
History of City
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city in western Canada, located in the province of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2016 census recorded a population of 631,486. Vancouver has the highest population density in Canada with over 5,400 people per square kilometer. Often referred to as Hollywood North, Vancouver has become one of the largest film production centers in North America.
History of Country
Canada is a country located in the northern part of North America. Canada is comprised of ten provinces and three territories which extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 3.85 million square miles, making it the world’s second-largest country by total area. Canada’s southern border with the United States is the world’s longest bi-national land border. The capital of Canada is Ottawa.
History of Airport
Vancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, BC (about 7.5 miles from downtown Vancouver. It is the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements and passengers, just behind Toronto Pearson.
History of Airline
United Airlines is a major United States airline headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It is the world’s third-largest airline when measured by revenue, after American and Delta. United operates a large domestic and international route network with a fleet size of 754 aircraft serving 342 destinations in 60 countries across Asia, the Americas, Europe and Oceania.
Our travelers have enjoyed their extended stay in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and enjoyed the daytrips exploring all the areas around this beautiful place. But it’s time to once again move on as many more interesting and exotic locations are waiting to be explored.
We’re back in the Boeing 737-800 flying a United jet over to Vancouver. The ground handling teams here in Jackson Hole have been most accommodating in helping get us going for an on-time departure.
While KJAC has several commercial airlines operating into and out of the airport, a lot of GA or general aviation aircraft also operate here. We’re holding short while a Cessna 172 is on final approach.
With take-off clearance received, we’re blasting out of JAC on our way back towards the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
The views of the beautiful Rocky Mountains just off the starboard wing.
I’m sure the early season snow is much appreciated.
Our United Boeing 738 at flight level 360 (36,000 ft).
It’s a bit of a grey day in the PNW region. We’ve begun our descent through the clouds and fog.
Ahhh, that’s a little better.
On final approach into YVR.
Runway in sight.
Our Boeing 738 parked up at the gate. Our passengers will clear customs and proceed to the busses. Our stay in Vancouver will be short, then we move on to our first of two stops in Alaska.
Simulator Specifics
Prepar3d v4.3 ActiveSky Weather Engine ActiveSky Cloud Art Envtex & Envshade PMDG Boeing 737-800 (United Airlines livery) FSDreamTeam GSX Level 2 Orbx Jackson Hole Airport (KJAC) Orbx Global Texture Orbx FTX Global openLC North America VATSIM
With this leg in the books, we’re down to the final 16 legs of this massive 46 leg journey. Over the next few weeks our travelers will make two stops in Alaska, then proceed towards Russia with three stops, then two stops in Japan and so on. It’s been a fun journey.
TGIF and welcome to another GIANTS #FactSheetFriday blog update from GrizzlyBearSims. Today is Friday, 21 September and we have four brand new fact sheets of equipment we can expect to see in Farming Simulator 19. FS19 is scheduled to release in less than two months. OK…if you are reading this on the day of release, it’s only one day less than two months. But hey….every day counts when we’re as excited as a child on Christmas morning right? Let’s get right into my review.
All the items featured in this #FactSheetFriday from GIANTS are all related to forestry. Before I dive in too deep, I must state for the record that forestry in Farming Simulator is not what keeps me coming back for more. Said in another way, while it does add other things to do…I wouldn’t be disappointed if at some stage GIANTS decided to remove it from the base game. And to be perfectly honest, one of the reasons I feel this way about the forestry concept is down to how poorly the timber handling characteristics have been in previous versions of Farming Simulator. Of course, my first experience came in FS15 and yes, things were a little better in FS17. I think time will tell just how much the game physics related to handling of logs, bales and pallets have improved in FS19. I’m just really thankful for auto-loading trailer mods which have really helped to improve my overall enjoyment.
Earlier this week we were treated to a video from GIANTS which featured the Komatsu Tree Harvester. It was a great video which compared real life footage and FS19 in game footage of this awesome tool. While I don’t do a lot of forestry, I’m looking forward to trying this piece of kit out on my virtual farm.
Next up is the Komatsu 875 Forestry Forwarder. I’m not real sure what’s up with those blue tracks as in looking at photos from the Komatsu website it appears the tracks are black. But never mind that.
Next up is the MAN TGX 26.640 Timber Truck.
Finally, the Steyr Profi CVT tractor and the Fliegl Long Neck Combi Plus timber handling attachment. I think we’ll just have to wait and see how beneficial this setup will be for our virtual logging efforts.
Final Thoughts
And perhaps a question to ponder. I’m as excited about FS19 just as much anyone else. But after viewing this #FactSheetFriday I’m somewhat left with a question. It appears the Komatsu equipment will be an addition to FS19 and the Ponssee equipment we’ve had in both FS15 and FS17 will stay. As the primary concept of the Farming Simulator franchise by GIANTS is about…FARMING! For no other reason than variety, I’m curious as to why the Komatsu equipment line is truly needed in the game?
Now this is what I’m talking about. I’ll leave you with a brand new video featuring gameplay footage of harvesting crops in FS19. Cotton…I can’t wait. Enjoy and thanks for reading.
While you’re reading this posting in mid to late September, I performed this flight just a few days prior to leaving on my European vacation. Hopefully, we’ve arrived safely back home and I’ve been back at work for almost two weeks and also hopefully have had some time to resume flying the tour legs. I promise I’ll provide you some of the details of our trip in the posting for leg 30 which you can read about in just a few days time.
While I can’t quite see the light at the end of the tunnel, we are halfway through the North America portion of the tour and upon resuming the flights will be down to the final 16 legs. During these final 16 legs we’ll visit Vancouver, two stops in Alaska, three stops in Russia before heading to Japan (two stops), Shanghai, Hong Kong, Brunei, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and finally the final legs of our 46 leg journey back in Australia. Or said in another way, we still have over 13,000 more miles to travel before we find ourselves back in Sydney sometime around early to mid November.
To be honest, when I began planning this tour and planning the articles…I wasn’t sure how popular they would be. In other words, I really wasn’t sure anyone would be interested in reading them. While I was committed to seeing the tour all the way to the end, I’m actually surprised they have become quite popular and it has me thinking and planning for the future.
A few weeks ago, during the blog update for leg 20 I mentioned a virtual airline which I had recently joined. I’ve been flying for various VA’s for over 20 years, but this is the first United Airlines VA I’ve been a member of. I’ve been having a lot of fun flying for virtual United Airlines. Anyway, vUAL has various awards which members can achieve. One of the awards I’m interested in is the 50 State Capital Tour. Of course this tour consists of flying to each of the United States capital cities. I’ve begun mapping out how I might do this and I’m considering doing a similar blog style to report progress of the route segments. Most likely I won’t start this until after the WorldFlight tour has been completed. I guess what I need to say next is, time will tell. Let’s get on with this update.
History of City
Jackson is a town in the Jackson Hole valley of Teton County, Wyoming. The population of Jackson is approx. 10,000. The area surrounding the town was originally populated by Native American tribes including the Shoshoni, Crow, Blackfeet, Bannock and Gros Ventre. John Colter entered Jackson Hole during the winter of 1807/1808 during the return journey of the Lewis & Clark expedition. Various points of interest make the Jackson area a popular year-round tourist destination.
History of Country
The United States of America, is a federal republic composed of 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the US is the world’s third largest country by total area and just fractionally smaller than the entire continent of Europe. With a population of over 325 million, the US is the third most populous country.
History of Airport
The Jackson Hole Airport is located seven miles north of Jackson, Wyoming. In 2015, it was the busiest airport in Wyoming by passenger traffic with 313,151 passengers. Jackson Hole is the only commercial airport in the US located inside a national park, in this case Grand Teton.
History of Airline
Delta Airlines, is a major United States airline with its headquarters and largest hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airline, along with its subsidiaries and regional affiliates, operates over 5,400 flights daily and serves an extensive domestic and international network that includes 319 destinations in 54 countries on six continents. Delta is one of the five remaining legacy carriers and is the 6th oldest operating airline by foundation date and the oldest airline to still be operating in the United States.
Another semi-early flight out of Minneapolis should have us arriving into Jackson Hole, Wyoming just about lunch time. Our travelers are anxious to arrive in Wyoming as that will once again mean a slightly longer break (much like we had in Madeira) and the hope of some cooler weather. The high temperature forecasted for Minneapolis today is in the low 90’s compared to Jackson Hole where the temp will struggle to break into the low 70’s.
Our flight today will be flown in a Delta Airlines Airbus A319. We’re loaded, the doors are closed and we’re just waiting for pushback.
We’re ready to blast out of KMSP.
Up, up and away and goodbye to the Twin Cities.
Our little Airbus quickly climbs to our cruising altitude of 36,000’ and we’re headed pretty much due west across Minnesota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
As we fly further west, the clouds are starting to build.
Beginning our descent. Hoping we’ll have a clear view of the approach into Jackson Hole as it’s really spectacular.
Ahhh…beautiful as we descend through the cloud layer.
See what I mean? The beautiful Grand Teton’s
Gear down with the Snake River in the background.
While our tourists are a bit early for the ski season, there’s plenty to do in the Jackson Hole area during the summer months.
On final approach into KJAC.
Short final view.
Quite a busy day today at the Jackson Hole airport. A company 757 along with an American and United Airlines flight are getting ready to push back and head to their destinations while a few small Cessna aircraft are doing some pattern work.
Simulator Specifics
Prepar3d v4.3
ActiveSky Weather Engine
ActiveSky Cloud Art
Envtex & Envshade
FSLabs Airbus A319 (Delta Airlines livery)
Flightbeam KMSP Scenery
Orbx Jackson Hole Airport (KJAC)
Orbx Global Texture
Orbx FTX Global openLC North America
VATSIM
As mentioned in the last update, our travelers will spend the next week exploring the Jackson Hole area of Wyoming including both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, the Shoshone National Forest and will take a trip over to Idaho to explore the Craters of the Moon National Monument. The weather forecast over the next several days will be a nice change and I’m sure will be enjoyed by all. We’ll soon depart Jackson Hole for Vancouver (or also known as Raincouver), British Columbia Canada.
