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FlightZone is a new breed of Microsoft Flight Simulator add-on. It is a photoscenery product and it is also a detailed multiple airports scenery.
Along with 3 highly detailed photorealistic airports and broad photoscenery coverage, this product includes a high resolution 18m. mesh, reworked coastlines and a custom landclass/waterclass. FlightZone 01: Rhode Island is an integrated approach, recreating a complete flying environment in which both GA and commercial pilots can enjoy flying. The scenery is built in concentric areas, each one adjusted to a level of detail that is in relation with the flying experience.
Created entirely with GMax and the latest Microsoft compilers, this scenery was made by a real life pilot and is totally aimed at recreating the feeling of being there. It has been optimized to keep very high framerates while giving maximum visual impact. FlightScenery products are all about balancing visual cues and details with framerate to make it “as real as it gets”.
The "outer" area is made of a reworked coastline, mesh, landclass and waterclass. This area covers all of Rhode Island state and gives a satisfying visual cue for higher flight altitudes. This outer area then merges with the "middle" area, the photoscenery.
This photoscenery was made from very high resolution USGS aerial photographs (not satellite), which have been extensively reworked to "blend" seamlessly in the Flight Simulator environment. All six variations are represented: spring, summer, fall, winter, harsh winter and night.
In winter you'll have (landable) frozen lakes and in harsh winter, the northern part of Narragansett bay is frozen over. Furthermore, custom autogen is fully implemented for the whole photoscenery. That’s almost 700,000 carefully-placed houses and trees, added one by one. Major VFR references are represented also. This area is quite large and sets the environment for the third area, the airports.
Enter the "inner" area: the airports as seen on approach and in traffic pattern. Each of the main 3 airports (KPVD, KOQU and KSFZ) are seamlessly and completely integrated with the surrounding photoscenery. Ground is made from USGS very high resolution aerial photographs. There are no repeating textures, the whole field is there, in photographic precision, as seen in real life. The airport ground textures also change with the seasons and look radically different as time goes by, just like the photoscenery.
As one gets closer to the airport, even more detailed visual cues start to come in view. Again, in the spirit of providing visuals that are aimed at augmenting the flying experience, the runways are made from high resolution photographs and are also surrounded by grass. Why? The pilot's goal on short final is to integrate the speed and attitude of his aircraft while maintaining visual on the fast approaching runway.
In real life, in the last seconds before touchdown, the pilots don't integrate these variables by looking at the instruments, the scenery "becomes" the VSI and Airspeed indicator. Because of the way default scenery is made on FS, and also because of the inherent shortcomings of looking at a screen instead of being in a plane, that "feeling" of speed is something we have always felt was missing. These few seconds before landing are what gets us ticking, hence the grass and a multitude of little details (taxi poles, sticks, etc.), all there to bring back a bit of that sense of speed into Flight Simulator.
Once landed, you'll find a good amount of details on and around the taxiways, including whatever hangar/building/terminal you are going to. Gates have accurate parking codes, allowing AI aircraft to park properly. There are different levels of complexity at the airports, controlled by the complexity setting of Flight Simulator.
Features:
- Airports included: KPVD, KSFZ, KOQU (fully detailed), plus RI20, a sloped grass strip.
- Photoscenery included: From North Central to Quonset point and from the Scituate reservoir to Bristol. All "5" seasons and night, full autogen. Summer photorealistic coverage of Block Island is also included as a "bonus".
- LWM/VTP Coastlines: all of Rhode Island (including Block Island), and the western part of Massachusetts.
- Landclass/Waterclass: all of Rhode Island.
- Mesh: ultra hires 18meters mesh (the best FS can display)
- Extra: A complete web page for FlightZone 01: Rhode Island with links to flying schools and clubs of the area, AI resources, region specific aircraft models and repaints, local flightplans, up to date maps and plates, a FlightClub forum, etc.
- Fully compatible with any 'road', mesh, LWM/VTP and landclass 3rd party products, provided they are accurately positionned.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Preferred system reqs: a good vid card with 128/256 mb memory, processor to suit, 512mb ram, preferably 1024
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