Fly!
MiGMan flies the beta version
1998
In 1998 I got my hands on a beta version of this exciting looking civilian flight sim.
Ok, into the cockpit... wow! The cockpit is huge (about 2 screens wide in 800 x 600) and is photorealistic.
It seems to have every switch, latch, knob, dial, lamp that you see in the real aircraft. The mouse pointer changes shape indicating what actions you can perform... push, pull, turn etc, and labels pop-up to describe each item if you hover over them.
Pop-up labels on the instruments.
After poking around for a while, playing with the radio, watching the throttle/s move in response to my Saitek controller urgings I found the "autostart". Now this is nothing less than real time lesson in starting the aircraft, and by the book!
The display scrolls to each cockpit component and a label pops up describing the action being taken. Try this in a twin and enjoy!
Ready for takeoff
Once the auto start sequence has finished all you have to do is release the brakes and take off. There appear to be a range of window options, not all workng in this BETA version. The item "3D window" looked particularly interesting, conjuring up in my foetid imagination images of running separate windows on my 2 monitors.
Let's say one for the regular view and the left monitor for... left view? Don't laugh, this would be great for those left hand circuit patterns. An option I did get working was to turn the main cockpit display off and substitute a smaller display of the basic instruments. Very nice!
Virtual Cockpit
Here are some FLY! views using the smaller control panel option.
FLY! view using the smaller control panel option.
FLY! view using the smaller control panel option.
FLYable aircraft featured are:
- Beechcraft KingAir B200
- Cessna 172R
- Piper Malibu Mirage
- Piper Navajo Chieftain.
- Hawker 800XP Jet
Australian aiports and TACAN beacons are already in place.Aircraft featured are the Beechcraft KingAir B200 - Cessna 172R - Piper Malibu Mirage - Piper Navajo Chieftain.
Of particular interest to me is the inclusion of Australia.... a country long neglected in flight sims up till now I must say! All the Airports and TACAN beacons seem to be in place, whether an extra scenery pack will be required remains to be seen. I suspect it will.
(I was right!)
Regardless it's good to see that Terminal Reality have gone for the big picture. There are options for internet play, suggesting we will see world wide communities of FLY! pilots .
Grab the keys and FLY!
MiGMan thanks Jack of All Games for the sample product.