aircraft

Wingsware have released their North American XB-70 Valkyrie for Flight Simulator X.

Six engined delta-wing nuclear bomber designed to fly at Mach 3 at altitudes above 70.000 ft, where it would have been out of the range of all existing interceptors at that times (1960s). Only two prototype XB-70s flew in flight tests in the 1960s, but the Valkyrie remains one of the most impressive supersonic aircraft ever built.

Features

• Full set of animated parts, including hinged wing tips, complex gear retraction sequence, variable nose ramp, etc.
• Detailed interactive virtual cockpit with real 3D gauges and custom instruments and devices.
• Designed according to FSX standards
• DirectX 9/10 compatible with real time VC shadowing (DX10 only)

It’s time for another excellent free aircraft model for PRE-Flight - the Ford Trimotor.

The design of the Ford Trimotor certainly proves that they didn’t think much of aerodynamics in 1925. Its all-metal corrugated skin was all about strength and low weight, resulting in a rugged design able to carry up to nine passengers plus pilot, co-pilot and stewardess.

Ford’s aircraft, like his autos and tractors, was inexpensive and reliable and formed the basis for the early transcontinental airliners. It was part of many exploratory and pioneering flights - even appearing in an Indiana Jones movie.

This hugely detailed, super scale PRE-Flight model of the Trimotor has operating control surfaces, period external control wires, and unique corrugated aluminum skin.

This model is for PRE-Flight version 2.10 and higher.

Suprunov Design has released something a little different in the business jet arena - the Yakovlev 40 for Flight Simulator 9.

The YAK-40 project consumed 2 years of intensive development. It has several unique features:

• It is one of a very few aircraft on the market which incorporates the state-of-the-art technology of smooth moving needles in virtual cockpit (they are 3D modeled, not gauge bitmaps), therefore they move smoother then in 2D.
• It doesn’t matter that this is “Russian Metal”. You can easily switch entire VC flight deck to international layout with single click. This will change not only texts on labels, but also control panels of different systems, scales in appropriate gauges and logics of airspeed, altitude, vertical speed indicators etc.
• It has a very handy module “Deck Navigator” which is actually a custom programmed tool which acts similarly as active camera and lets you easily jump to different seats in VC (i.e. changes view position). It works in 2D cockpit also and changes views, recalls subpanels etc.
• It has smart loader/refueller/ground service tool which can change load configuration, fuel, changes weight/balance characteristics in real time (i.e. - fill on of the tanks with fuel and machine will experience bank immediately). Loader configures passengers and cargo load also and shows up CoG position (for operating movable stabilizer). Ground service module permits requesting and connecting of external air for startup without APU and external electrical power.
• It has custom programmed thrust reverser of engine No.2 which can be operated in flight like in real thing for correct landing procedure.
• Flight dynamics were fully refined, tested/tuned and approved with 5 real life pilots currently flying Yak-40. Even handling in icing conditions (changing of flight dynamics) and movable stabilizer were incorporated into model’s logics and dynamics.

SibWings have updated their SAAB91 Safir X for Flight Simulator X which includes fixes to most bugs (refreshingly honest!).

You can grab the update from their site.