FLIGHT SIMULATION
98 // Extreme AirportsHong Kong Island at 8,000ft. It continues
on a heading 270o at 6,000ft, which
is followed by a right turn onto a 045o
heading while descending to 4,500ft.
Another turn onto the 088o aligns inbound
aircraft with the IGS, which is flown down
to around 2nm. After that, there is just
the right turn onto final separating a good
approach from a great landing.
All the simulators have default aircraft
that are suitable for realistic operations
into Kai Tak. True enthusiasts may want
to go a step further and explore some of
the extremely detailed aircraft add-ons
produced by companies such as PMDG
(Precision Manuals Development Group).
These include intricate replication of
aircraft systems and functionality for
nearly every button, switch, and control for
aircraft such as the Boeing 747-400. They
require investment in time, but the rewards
of learning how to operate a fully simulated
heavy aircraft are worth it. Other users
may just want to load up the program and
use a simplified aircraft to fly the approach
in a more laid-back style. The choices just
add to the level of interest and variety.Improving the experience
Each piece of software has internal
weather generation capabilities that
enable users to seamlessly download real-
time conditions that add to the authenticity
of the experience – a typhoon descendingon Kai Tak, or a snowstorm in Courchevel.
Manual adjustments are also possible
and third-party vendors have created
add-ons that build on or replace the default
weather-generation routines and provide
immersive environmental conditions.
The better the computer, the better
these simulators will run. Processors,
graphics cards and memory are all
important when trying to squeeze the
maximum performance out of PC-based
flight simulators. While all of them can run
on mid-range systems, turning on every
setting will need substantial horsepower.
At the bare minimum a controller, such as a
joystick with a throttle, will also be required
to help manage the delicate manoeuvresnecessary to land at Courchevel or Kai
Tak. There are many affordable all-in-one
devices that combine a stick (ailerons
and elevators) with rotation for rudder
input, and a slider mounted on the base to
control throttles.
Finally, if you haven’t had the
opportunity to try a virtual reality (VR)
headset with flight simulation software- beg or borrow a headset or find a
friend and try VR flight. As someone
who has been using PC flight simulators
for nearly four decades, I’ve found the
advent of consumer-level virtual reality
devices to be the biggest leap forward
in realism and immersion I have ever
experienced. The coming generations of
this technology are going to revolutionize
PC flight simulation even more.
Extreme airports
To date, PC Pilot has covered more than
40 unique airports around the globe that
have special circumstances or challenges
that appeal to a flight simmer’s sense of
adventure. I tried to utilise both obvious
and abstract criteria to generate ideas for
content we should cover. The former is
relatively easy. Is the runway short? Does
it have obstacles? Is elevation a factor?
Are the prevailing weather conditions
miserable? Airfields meeting these
criteria were easy to identify – places such
as Lukla, St Barthélemy and Saba. We
then included others with the additional
challenge of complex or non-traditional
instrument approaches, such as Aspen,
Queenstown and London City.
The assignments I look forward to most
are the challenging airports, since each
requires diving down a rabbit hole of
history and learning all I can about these
unique locations. I’ve briefly touched
on two here and we’ve only scratched
the surface of what is out there. PC
simulation lets us embark on flights of
fancy and each of us can indulge from the
safety of our own homes. Should we meet
in the virtual skies of the simulated world,
we’ll waggle our wings and flash our
landing lights.KAI TA K
Add-on scenery for FSX/P3D http://www.flytampa.org/vhhx.html
Add-on scenery for X-Plane https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/27728-vhxx-
kai-tak-airport/
Suggested aircraft Boeing 707, 727, 737, 747, 767, 777; Airbus A300, A330, A340;
Douglas DC-8, DC-10, MD-11; Lockheed L-1011; ConcordeLEFT: A Boeing 747
makes the famous
turn from the IGS
onto short final
over Kowloon's
busy streets.
BELOW LEFT: The
add-ons feature a
nice selection of
period aircraft on
the aprons.
BOTTOM: A gentle
turn puts the
aircraft right in
the slot.94-98_Flight Sim.indd 98 11/05/2018 15:54