Aerofly Fs 2023 Release Date
Paul
First, let me make this crystal clear. This is NOT your typical introduction to a new add-on or product. This is a status report on the work-in-progress of a new up and coming flight simulator. Aerofly FS 2 is indeed a very exciting new Flight Simulator specifically targeted for the global market - well it will eventually cover the globe - but significant improvements are already completed. In fact, you can fly from the West Coast to the East Coast of the USA then on to Switzerland today.
Actually, you can start anyplace on earth and fly around the world if you like using the nav aids but, you will only find airports for take off and landing in three defined areas. Aerofly FS 2 calls these areas DLCs, DownLoad Content areas. Now, these DLCs are exceptionally large, superbly done and generally have lots of detailed airports.
As you read more and become familiar with Aerofly FS 2 hopefully you will see a very bright and entertaining future for our flight sim community. The final product is probably nowhere near completion or even totally defined, but what I have been using for the past 3 weeks is very encouraging. More than encouraging, I am absolutely excited as I learn more, and I hope to tell you why.
Everything is not rosy however and it is not necessarily better in every way as some of the OMG threads might state. But, when looking at startup time, memory management, airplane selections and texture levels, available detailed airports, and ease of use it will be at the top of the charts and actually puts FSX to shame in every one of these categories.
Let me go on record as saying since I downloaded Aerofly FS 2 from the Steam store, I have not had a single PC crash, blue screen, VAS problem, controller failure, nothing. On the positive side, this thing is blazingly fast, smoother by far than anything I have ever seen. Initial configuration and startup was super simple and easy, and I have only scratched the surface of many of the features.
I have mostly Saitek controllers, pedals, panels, etc. and Aerofly FS 2 found them, configured them, and then gave me a choice of running at 60 FPS using vsync or switching to the windowed mode at 120 or 240 FPS. No, that is not a typo.
Before you pause reading this review and rush over to the Steam store, you need to know how far along the development cycle is and what is still out there over the horizon and without a promised delivery date.
Even though the scenery is significantly higher grade than FSX default, for instance, and the airports are far superior to any default airport, and the 17 aircraft all appear to be from a payware shop, and it is indeed super-fast loading and buttery smooth - it is eerily quiet and lonely in the Aerofly FS 2 skies.
The intent is not to spend time, effort and frustration on setup, adding and configuring, running out of time, memory and money and such. But, to turn on the PC and go flying in a complex airplane with a high definition cockpit with autoflight capabilities and HD scenery out the window, or zip along at Mach 2 in a Hornet or Strike Eagle, or do loops and barrel rolls in the Pitts, or slip the surly bonds of earth, and dance the skies on laughter-silvered wings. Oops, sorry, sometimes I get carried away.
All the stuff that drives me crazy with FSX and P3D are now gone, but, should I feel the urge for deeper systems or the need to experience a mechanical breakdown or failure, or to walk around and preflight my airplane, I can always fall back on my existing flight sims.
Since 1998 IPACS, located in Tbingen just south of Stuttgart and IKARUS Modellsport, located in Schramberg-Waldmssingen in the black forest, have been developing these high-quality flight simulators in close cooperation. This newest flight simulator, Aerofly FS 2 is the result of that working history.
IPACS has a development team of 10 people working full time. This includes three main programmers, two with Doctor of Physics degrees, a 3D Artists and Design staff of 5, plus 2 Aircraft Setup coder/programmers. You can click on the About screen and read the credits and see the names of the team. There is also a large question mark on the About screen that will take you to the IPACS support website where you will find tabs for FAQs, an interactive Manual, and galleries for aircraft and screenshots.
Aerofly FS 2 flight simulator is being developed to appeal to beginners and experts alike. Dr. Torsten Hans frequently states their flight model, meaning the physical simulation of the flight dynamics, is considered one of the best on the market. He says they have many real world pilots that confirm this. Aerofly is even used by professional aerobatic pilots to prepare for tournaments.
This new 64 bit flight simulator has at its heart a newly developed in-house engine with outstanding flight physics. It has a generous supply of 3D flight models, 3 large high-resolution geographic areas with about 250 detailed airports and some are probably in your backyard.
One really exciting aspect is that the design team is heavy on education and technical experience and they are eager to respond to the posts in the forums. They sound extremely intelligent and give me the impression they are there to build us the perfect flight sim.
As a matter of fact, everything I see in Aerofly FS 2 seems to be based on original thinking and quite innovative. As an engineer and pilot, I realize that it is much harder to present a complex design or subject in a simple and uncluttered manner. Obviously, Aerofly FS 2 has succeeded, quite well.
You might want to read this more than once as there are some very impressive features included like VR support, replay system, and interactive flight school in addition to those features that most of us would expect to find in a newly designed flight simulator.
These are quite low-end PC specs to provide that expansive list of features that we just read and reread. Even more astonishing is the recommended low setting of 120 fps when limiting the frame rate.
That is not a typo, the default installation uses vsync and states if you are having problems, switch to the windowed mode and fix the frame rate at 120 fps. The only other setting for limiting the frame rate is 240 fps - Whoa, you have my attention.
Before you run off shouting hallelujah keep in mind there is much more yet to be added. Possibly FPS eating pieces like Weather, ATC, AI, night-lighting and possibly some sort of Autogen. But, even so, the bar has already been set at a tremendously higher level than many dreamed possible.
Keep in mind that Frame Counting, as in FPS, is only an indicator and a game or simulation can still have stutters and flashing or jagged edges that distract the user. This one is buttery smooth on my PC with the FPS set in the Windowed mode at the recommended 120 FPS or 60 FPS in vsync.
The keystroke Ctrl + F1 brings performance information up in super small text placed in the lower left corner of the screen. I usually just press F12 for an instant screen shot and then zoom up the image to confirm that I am indeed running on 64 bits and 120 FPS. Wow.
The PC desktop version is only available on Steam and requires that you have a Steam account. Unless you have a fiber optic cable terminating at your house, you are probably looking at an all-day or all night undertaking to download the initial install plus the optional content. You will also need something greater than 100 GB of free storage. The basic or initial install is around 35 GB, but then you will want to add the free Southwestern States DLC that is another 60 GB or so.
Aerofly FS 2 scenery comes only as downloadable content, DLC, with one large freeware high resolution Texture Pack for Southwestern USA and two additional high resolution Texture DLCs available for a small fee. This Early Access version is set at a discounted price of $49.99 with the understanding that once enough development is achieved this price will most likely increase. The scenery DLCs cost $9.99 each and are available as instant downloads.
Printed manuals are not offered, but, just last night a new website came alive with lots of new information and examples. The plan is to continue to populate this site in English to be followed shortly with a German edition.
The new SDK includes a full working model of the Robin DR400 so the user or developer can see how things come together and adjustments are made. This is a key step in opening the doors for 3rd party development.
At first glance, I thought this was a well-thought out collection of aircraft and surely most anyone would find one or more of their favorites in the virtual hangar. A closer look confirmed my initial thoughts - these are really impressive aircraft.
These stock or default aircraft include an Airbus A320-214 with CFM engines, a Boeing 747-400 Jumbo, a Boeing 737-500 flying Southwest Airline colors with the potential for an A380 and 777-300 at some future date. A great start for those high flyers and those that want to fly from the East or West coast to the other coast or commute from Sacramento to Phoenix, for instance.
They have 3 warbirds, a WWII single, a slick twin and a WWI bi-plane. These are the F4U Corsair with folding wings representing the Western Pacific theater, the P-38 Lightning with counter-rotating props from the European 8th Fighter Group and a British Sopwith F.1 Camel single-seat WWI fighter with a rotary engine and twin synchronized machine guns firing through the wooden prop. This one was notorious for holding more fuel than it could takeoff with and adding an aft CG to the poor RAF pilot problems. No guns on our sim model.
And for those that opt for the planes without propellers, they have a couple of high performance, super slick one-seat sailplanes. The Schleicher ASG 29 with the perfect T-tail and extra-long and skinny wings with so much flex it looks like a bird. I think this one has that little sustainer engine tucked away to stretch the glide just a little bit more. The winglets make the effective wingspan even longer.
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