JetBlue

The one big thing we lack in the flight sim world is a proper Airbus. Most of the current payware ones have their own little nuances that make them not so much fun, if not impossible to fly. CTD with this one, erratic behavior with that one and so on.....

What to do if you need an Airbus fix? Enter the Aerosoft AirbusX.

I use FSX sparsely when airline flying. This is due to the fact FSX is crappy at rendering AI traffic in any amount. I use it mainly for VFR flights, but I got the AirbusX on sale last xmas at J&R.com and decided to give it a go tonight with the amazing Mega Scenery Earth for NYC.

Tonight's flight is one of the most traveled passenger routes in the world, KBOS (Boston) to KJFK (New York). Jet Blue JBU885 is an A320 evening flight along the east coast.

JBU885 at the gate KBOS

It is a great night for flying, weather at KBOS was wind 200/09kts and clouds 8'000 few with 9'500 scattered and a mild 21C. Using the LOGAN departure off runway 22R we headed for the PVD VOR and then to the DPK VOR on Long Island.

Ready to go 22R at KBOS

We got up to FL220 and then came right back down again. Weather at KJFK was wind 216/06kts with clouds 5'000 few and 22C. Using the ENE arrival (as best as I could with the limited FMGC) I vectored myself to the DPK VOR and flew to my IAF for 22L at KJFK.

Over Long Island

The landing was a no brainer and as much as I love the way FSX does photo scenery and other graphics (check out those landing lights!) I hate the way FSX does AI traffic. KJFK was dead as a door nail, in FS9 she is always jam packed.....

Short final 22L KJFK

It was a 43 minute flight gate to gate.

KJFK is almost empty!

Not to sound like a review here as this is not my intention. I only like to inform fellow simmers of what I think (my ego huh, as if anyone cares).

The Aerosoft bus is a beautiful bird inside and out. Amazing attention to detail as you really feel like you're sitting in an airbus cockpit (click here to see one). The night lighting is just awesome to boot. It is also easy on the frame rates. The systems model is also really well done, from pneumatics to electrical, such as the engine idle speed increase while the anti ice is on.

Saldy the FMGC is lacking. You can program an approach and departure manually (I used the default flight planner with an exported VRoute PLN) but you cannot select a SID/STAR as you can on a real deal bus (BOO!). Nor can you select a runway! What I did is enter the IAF for my runway at KJFK in the DIR/TO section and tuned the ILS, armed the approach to fly me down to 200ft and I hand flew the rest of it. You get the meat of the route ok with managed climb and so on. But the front and the end of the flight have you vectoring yourself. Sort of like eating a hot dog with no bun.....

With that the Aerosoft Bus will fill the gap when I need an airbus fix as I did enjoy flying it and it performed well on my system too. It also looks great and behaves in flight.

I understand too that Aerosoft is making a V2 with a more complete FMGC, I will be fist in line for that one.