FSX flying online

FSX - Flight Simulator X, users can fly online together with pilots around the world directly connecting to one of many servers via multi-players module already equipped in the game.

OR VATSIM (Visual Air Traffic Flight Simulation Network)

There are something users should follow just not to annoy other players and fly just like in the real world with navigation as all airplanes should follow the ATC navigation flying on route. SID (Standard Instrument Departure) or STAR and Aeronautical Charts.

Some useful sites

Route Finger (free)

What all you need is to type the departure and the destination airport codes and the result page tells you the route for any flight which you can use the WP (Way Point) for setting up the FMC (Flight Management Computer) - note: this site provides WP NOT for real flight (limited to online flight only). If you seek for real aviation world, read the chapter "AeroPlanner"

squawkbox (free)

Communication program for online pilots which is designed for online chat tool - very important for communicating with the ATC.

AeroPlanner (recommended payment service)

Online Flight Planning site which can be used free for EAA members. This site is basically for professional pilots, but also for some advanced FSX pilots.

The following video is the perfect tutorial of SID and STAR

How to make FSX video for Youtube

Many FSX fans make many fsx videos just like myself, I would like to suggest for anybody interested in making fsx video.

What do you need?

1: Flight Simulator X (game soft). It is a MUST requirement.

2: Video capture software: FSX itself has photo capture feature integrated, but for making video, video capture soft is required.

GameCam (payware or freeware), payware covers sound, but if you plan to make a video without original sound but with other music file, freeware version is just perfect. From my personal experience, GameCam running on Windows Vista with DX10 not working properly (should be fixed), otherwise it is just too good.

Fraps is DX / OPEN GL "screen" capture soft. It can capture practically anything running on the PC screen. It is also free but I have no idea how to capture sound.

3: Windows Movie Maker: video editor, adding information and music. It is inevitable for the edit purpose alone.

For Windows XP: Windows Movie Maker 2.1 Download site

For Windows Vista: Windows Movie Maker 2.6 for Vista

The difference between XP and Vista version is HD support which is very little to do with game capture.

ADVICE:

When you make any video for YouTube in particular, the best quality of Video can be watched on YouTube site is 3.0mb/s DVD quality. YouTube prefers 4:3 video.

There are many Tutorial videos on Video Capture software or Windows Movie Maker on YouTube.

Tiger Airways

Tiger Airways is probably the most suited for short-medium range LOC (Low Cost Carrier) which was created by Singapore Airlines based in Singapore Changi Airport just like the mother company.

Most of national flag airlines today face the competition specially in Western nations, however Asia is still not completely open market for aviation. Tiger Airways management is similar to European budget airlines which have been successful in Europe.

Currently all of Tiger Airways fleet which is dominated by Airbus A320-200, if they will ever expand medium range (like destinations to Japan) then will be more likely use A330, both are cheap for operating and the fly-by-wire system makes easier for pilots.

How does this Low cost carrier work, despite the mother company Singapore Airlines also flight to similar destinations? For instance, Tiger Airways fly to Melbourne, not to Sydney. This is the way not to fly the same destinations but Singapore - Melbourne was previously dominated by Qantas. So that the creation of any LOC under bigger airlines works. There are many airports in Japan, but only just a few big ones currently used, even the capacity is not that huge. Smaller regional airports will invite LOCs such as Tiger Airways.

POSKY the best FSX freeware add-ons

Project Open Sky (or POSKY) is the most well known and the best freeware add-ons for FSX airplanes. There are decent payware around but POSKY is free to use, free to enjoy more than default FSX airplanes.

POSKY download

Airbus A330-200, 300

Airbus A340-200,300

Boeing 737-600,700,800,900,BBJ

Boeing 747SP, -100,200,300,400

Boeing 757-200,300

Boeing 767-200.300,400

Boeing 777-200,300

Bombardier CRJ-200,700,900

Embraer ERJ-135,140,145, Legacy 600

 

Personally I like B777., I will start playing and making some videos with POSKY.

Folding@home

As the most of Flight Simulator fans have very powerful GPU or even game console such as PS3, I would like to promote Folding@home probably many people already knew about this Stanford University research program which does try to discover how protein works to related diseases.

FSX Add-ons and useful online flight sites

FSX, FS2004 Aircraft, Textures, Scenery Add-ons

fsdownload (freeware)

http://www.fsdownload.com/

Project Open Sky or POSKY (freeware - highly recommended)

http://www.projectopensky.com/

Simviation (free and payware)

http://simviation.com/menu.html

Wilco Publishing (payware aircraft)

http://www.wilcopub.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home

PMDG (payware aircraft)

http://www.precisionmanuals.com/index_css.html

Online flight useful sites (reality flight)

VATSIM (Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network)

http://www.vatsim.net/

Flight Aware (online flight tracking)

http://flightaware.com/

Aero Planner (flight planner, professional use - pay service)

http://www.aeroplanner.com/

I will update this list with more details

Airliners.net

Airliners.net is the most well-known commercial airplane photos and news site mainly too many photos.  I am not plane spotter (more tech, commercial airplane savvy) but the site is really full of airline maniacs and the news posted there is very quick.