Good Russian stuff for FSX (or lack of)

[Splitpin]

Mustangs, Boeings, Acuu this and Acuu that ...... where are the Russians ?? Just tired old fs9 models or port overs with odd textures. Imagine an A2A Flanker or an Aerosoft Bear .


Change of subject ....i got the Flying stations Bucc S-1 . i wont bother posting any screens (enough said) .

[Ian Warren]

If you want to go back to the 1960s , the old Mig25 for FSX made its debut the other day , d/loaded it but have not install .

[AlisterC]

Unfortunately the biggest market in the world for just about anything, is the USA. Same will go for flightsim addons. Look at how few decent airbuses there are, let alone how few decent Russians. Americans we all know are generally fairly self centred (well, not so much our regular screenshot poster from Washington) but you get the idea. I am married to an American, got married in the US, and have spent plenty of time there. The biggest market is going to be more interested in flying US planes to US airports. I fly for one particular virtual airline with over 700 airlines to fly for. Do you think the American's even venture out of the US to go fly them? Not usually.

The biggest market thus isn't going to be interested in Russian planes, so not surprised there is little attention paid when addon developers know they won't turn a profit. Plus I bet most addon developers aren't Russians lol

But you are right SP, the potential for enjoyment is right up there, with so much to do in the Russian cockpits.

Everything in the cockpit in Russian might be another stopping block.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (AlisterC @ Oct 10 2012,10:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unfortunately the biggest market in the world for just about anything, is the USA. Same will go for flightsim addons. Look at how few decent airbuses there are, let alone how few decent Russians. Americans we all know are generally fairly self centred (well, not so much our regular screenshot poster from Washington) but you get the idea. I am married to an American, got married in the US

I got married to the USA When the BBC's 'World at War' series run on NZBC TV1 when i was 11/12 .. the word was Boeing .. Boeings B-17 Flying Fortress , .. around the same period watching my father build DC-3s and draw Grumman Avengers ... course the same era was famed with the Phantom in Vietnam ... from there i stretched out looked and learned on most all and every aircraft type ...

I think with many Russian types , you compare some to the 1960s TV show like the 'Thunderbirds' the models are so close to many that never got the ground or only as prototypes , course then in Avonhead Primary School .. the library with a book , middle or so a picture of the Lightning .. then just to finish me off the Vulcan overflying the school ...

since ... just been continous ... today other than the real thing .. the cheap way to explore course the home flight simulator .

[SeanTK]

American here that seems to rarely fly stuff from my own country.

*digs around for list* Ah ha...found it!



Project Tupolev Tu-154B-2
http://www.protu-154.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12512

This aircraft is one of the most complex addons available for FSX, and is a "systems simulation" of this three-engined airliner.
I have an entire unofficial "flight school" for it just due to the complexity involved:
http://aviationcafe.co.uk/Index/viewforum.php?f=59

Ivan Jurcaga's MiG-21MF
http://migsim.ic.cz/emefka.html
Less complex but still requires some reading. Very enjoyable and fast fighter jet!

Tim Conrad's An-32
(available on most websites)
Cargo/Passenger twin turboprop with nice VC. English language and not as complex as the others.

Kirill Konovalov's Il-86
http://avsimrus.com/f/fsx-aircrafts-79/ily...-fsx-34990.html
Not fully decked out systems-wise, but it looks great!

Tu-144
http://www.avsimrus.com/f/fsx-aircrafts-79...v3-5-44272.html
Very complex. I haven't checked it out yet.

Tim Conrad's Aviatika MAI-890
http://www.avsimrus.com/f/fsx-aircrafts-79...-890-30565.html
An often forgotten ultralight-style aircraft from the USSR.

Thomas Ruth's Antonov An-124 and An-225
http://www.avsimrus.com/f/fsx-aircrafts-79...-fsx-23256.html
http://www.avsimrus.com/f/fsx-aircrafts-79...n-vc-22847.html
They aren't there systems-wise, but they look nice!


The above are all freeware.
The following is payware:


Virtavia Ka-50 "Black Shark" attack helicopter.
(available at most flightsim stores)
Very nice VC but not complex systems-wise. Still looks good and is enjoyable. I've flown it quite a bit. There's a nice variety of fictional repaints out there for it too.

Virtavia Mi-28 "Havoc" attack helicopter.
(available at most flightsim stores)
I don't have this one and it's getting pretty old, but it seems like it would be nice. I've been considering buying it.

Virtavia Tu-22 Blinder strategic bomber
(available at most flightsim stores)
I have this one, and it's old, but still enjoyable. Flying it is quite a challenge (flight dynamics-wise, not systems-wise).

Lotus Simulations L-39 Albatros (not Russian per say, but close enough, and was/is used during the time of the USSR and currently in Russia).
(available at most flightsim stores)
I have this one too. It's one of the premier payware addons on the market, and has garnered praise from many who normally do not partake in aircraft of this nationality or style.

Virtavia Ka-27/32 Hokum
(available at most flightsim stores)
I do not have this one. The outside looks nice to me but images that I've seen of the interior leave a lot to be desired in my opinion.

Virtavia Yak-52
(available at most flightsim stores)
Seems pretty decent but I don't have this one myself.

Alabeo Su-26
http://www.alabeo.com/
Looks like a high quality model. I don't have this one either but I've heard decent things about it especially after the FDE update.

Bear Studios MiG-17 (and -15 but I'm not sure if the latter is native)
(available through Flight1)
They've been around for a while but it it sounds like a solid addon.

ALS Sim Su-27 Flanker
(available through Flight1)
I've heard good things about this one on SOH, especially in terms of how light it is on system resources. Looks pretty good too!


The above is all FSX-Native too.



UPCOMING:

Aerosoft's An-2 "Colt"
http://forum.aerosoft.com/index.php?/topic...-2/page__st__80

Project Tupolev "Ilyushin Il-62M"
http://www.protu-154.net/forum/viewtopic.p...88&start=30

Ivan Jurcaga's models (creator of the MiG-21MF)
http://www.migsim.ic.cz/

[Ian Warren]

Your really rushin away with that list Sean , so many in the list there to choose you may have missed out the recent Mig25 posted at SOH ? ..yet to try it myself

[SeanTK]

And I'll just make a separate note on my opinion of the situation to go along with the aircraft list I posted above.


There are a lot of factors that seem to be involved with the lack of Russian/Eastern European aircraft interest within the FS community. Some factors are understandable, and I can see the reasoning behind it. Others, less so...

From what I've seen, and based on my experiences with portions of the flight simulation community, the user base seem to be generally older (+35) compared to most other computer gaming groups. Based on the....I'll just say "interesting" private comments I've received at other locations (only a few luckily) when introducing some of the addons above like the Tu-154 or MiG-21, a Cold War mindset still persists in regard to Eastern European equipment. What this means is that some of our older, and sometimes more influential and/or vocal members of the community actively voice anything from bemusement to stark displeasure at the introduction and "waste of development resources" as one put it, of a Russian aircraft addon. To some in this community, and many outside of the FS community, the Russians are still very much the "bad guys", and as a result, an addon highlighting pieces of their technology can be met in unfortunate ways, no matter how good the actual product is.

This can be seen outside of the FS community in the mindset that all Russian aircraft are barely airworthy and are extremely dangerous. Maintenance and safety is a factor over there, and was especially notable around the time the USSR was collapsing (and shortly after it "officially" dissolved) due to the myraid economic factors that come with a national restructuring that the world hadn't seen since WWII. Is everything up to "Western standards" today, no, especially not in some of the more rural areas, but it's quite apparent that these things aren't falling out of the sky every time they take off. Also keep in mind both the geo-political stability of Russia, and that of Russia's allies. I know that a number of Tu-154 accidents specifically were caused by terrorism or some other outside force unrelated to the airframe or flight crew.

Of course, there are other more benign factors when it comes to Russian aircraft influence in the FS world as well.

Beyond the fact that many of the aircraft are relatively unknown to Western audiences, and people will gravitate to what they do know (as evidenced by the overabundance of 737s, P-51s, etc) many users are simply not going to be interested in an aircraft that they either had never heard of, or that was not part of their life in some way prior.

Additionally, the Russian FS community places a very high priority on addon realism. This includes aircraft systems in addition to a pretty interior/exterior model. This promotion (from those developers that are actually Russian) of very, very high level systems depth can of course put off many simulation users who don't have the desire to tackle another complex aircraft, especially if the addon does not have any systems shortcuts available, and if the sole piece of learning assistance comes in the traditional form of "reading the manual". (I've noticed many users of other complex addons today virtually requiring a fancy DVD series or something. If it helps you learn, great, but I hope that you at least stick your nose in the actual book rather than only watching videos.)

This coupled with the above statement regarding user awareness of the aircraft in the first place often results in the addon being passed by, and developers considering Russian aircraft will look towards products that more people will know. These addons require a willingness to learn and the ability to approach an addon with an open mind ... and determination!

As an American who has no connections to Russia at all, but who strives for a well rounded world view and enjoys learning about other cultures and world regions, I've obviously enjoyed mastering a few of the fine aircraft I mentioned above. They're very different than other addons that you've likely used, and this movement away from the usual culture and routine is what sparked my interest initially. Additionally, I enjoy the challenge of learning these complex airframes that many others in the FS community pass by!

EDIT: I have a lengthy article that I am writing on the Tu-154 that was originally going to be for a magazine but I've since decided to release for free somewhere online. (This also allows me to expand the article significantly)
When finished sometime in the future, I'll let you know. Hopefully it'll catch a few people's interest. The article is solely on the Tu-154, and is unrelated to my B.S. rant above except for a brief opening sentence.

[Ian Warren]

Was a little pity the IL-76 was not completed many years ago , Andre Resag was part of the design group and simply walked away i believe as he was also tied up with the SCFA Lockheed Constellation , pity on both ..... but one that would very interesting for FSX would have to be the AN-22 .

[Splitpin]

Sean ..... thanks for that effort Great read, and lots of stuff to grab.
Thanks again.

[AlisterC]

Sean, well said. Great to see another American getting out and seeing the world. You are a fairly rare commodity. But I'm sure you already realise that.

I am one of those simmers who doesn't feel like learning any new tricks (old dog?), and that certainly applies to the Russian planes (or even an airbus).
Thanks for your links - added to bucket list.

[J7G]

Great post, Sean. Great list, too, but you forgot Ivan Jurcaga's MiG-21F-13 at the same site

[SeanTK]

QUOTE (J7G @ Oct 12 2012,10:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great post, Sean. Great list, too, but you forgot Ivan Jurcaga's MiG-21F-13 at the same site

The MiG-21F-13 is not FSX native unless I missed an update recently, so that's why I didn't list it.
I'll post a Russian scenery list in a little while too.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (SeanTK @ Oct 14 2012,5:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll post a Russian scenery list in a little while too.

Now that would be interesting .. im into concrete .. the Russians loved the stuff , or so i was told by my Checz friend .... comes to my place - feels right at home

[J7G]

QUOTE (SeanTK @ Oct 14 2012,4:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The MiG-21F-13 is not FSX native unless I missed an update recently, so that's why I didn't list it.
I'll post a Russian scenery list in a little while too.

Oh I didn't realise it wasn't native. Still works excellently in FSX if anyone wants it

[SeanTK]

Debated about making a separate thread for this, but I suppose the original query involved Russian "stuff" so that could be anything.

Scenery.....

Keep in mind that many of these airports will likely be pretty sparse or even empty unless you have Russian AI traffic installed.

This list is not all inclusive. Just a selection of what I enjoy, and is all freeware:

Pulkovo Airport ULLI (St. Petersburg, Russia)
http://ulll.avsim.su/
This airport is in northwestern Russia, and provides easy access to Scandinavia and the Baltic states. When you go to the website, you'll see the word "Download" in English on the left. Then, in the first entry on that new page, hit "Download" again in the new link location. After you download the zip file, put the ULLL and ULLL.LC folders (located in the FS9 subfolder) into your FSX/Addon Scenery folder. Then, copy over the files from the addon's FSX subfolder into the ULLL folder that you just placed within FSX/Addon Scenery to apply the FSX changes. Then, go into FSX and activate both folder. ULLL being higher on the scenery listing than LC. It's a very detailed airport with an interesting layout that combines old and new. You'll see the newer terminal in the center of the airport with the satellite terminals a short distance away (just like in the picture on Wikipedia). The southwest quadrant of the airport grounds has the old (still active) part of the airport featuring more Soviet-style architecture. It's a big airport in a nice location, and one of my favorites in FSX!

Rostov-On-Don URRR (Rostov-On Don, Russia)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?action...ad&id=42342
This airport is in southwestern Russia on the Sea of Azov, which is directly north of the Black Sea. It provides easy access to Ukraine, and is a nice starting point to exploring the countries surrounding the Black Sea. It's a regular destination for me, with very detailed scenery of this smaller regional airport.

Krasnodar Pashkovsky URKK (Krasnodar, Russia)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?action...ad&id=46678
This airport is just a short hop south from Rostov-On-Don, and was just released a couple weeks ago at the time of this writing. I have not had time quite yet to try this scenery out, but if it's anything like its FS2004 predecessor, it's very detailed, and provides for another nice jumping off point for exploring the Black Sea area. Fans of the DCS combat flightsim series may recognize the area (especially south of here along the coast) as being represented in that program. A flight between here and Tbilisi, Georgia is probably the most scenic of this area, featuring high mountaintops on one side, and coastline on the other.

Tbilisi, Georgia UGTB (UGGG in FSX)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?action...ad&id=28921
This scenery was made strictly for FS2004, but works fine in FSX. Flights from Krasnodar to here are more than reasonable, and the mountainous scenery makes for an interesting destination. Installation advisory. Make a second copy of the included AFCAD (AF2) file, and place on in the scenery/world/scenery folder, along with maintaining the one in the addon's FSX/Addon Scenery directory. This will eliminate ground texture tearing, especially on the runway. A nice, very detailed airport in a different location!

Vnukovo Airport UUWW (Moscow, Russia)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?action...ad&id=44098
One of Moscow's three main airports, this location provides for mainly domestic flights using Russia's slightly smaller, or at least less well known airlines. It's a large airport on the outskirts of the city, and it quite simply looks nice, and can serve as a nice base for airliner flights, especially using Russian equipment. A light aircraft flight across Moscow from here to Sheremetyevo (listed below) serves as a nice sightseeing trip due to many custom buildings in Moscow city.

Sheremetyevo Airport UUEE (Moscow, Russia)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?action...ad&id=39031
Another of Russia's three main airports, this one mainly serves the international market, and is the home base of Aeroflot. It's large and pleasantly detailed, and perfectly suitable for many airline operations with any of your favorite "tubeliners"! Also note the light aircraft flight recommendation listed under the previous Vnukovo entry.

Novosibirk-Tolmachevo UNNT (Novosibirsk, Russia)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?fileid=45182
The major airport in Siberia, this highly detailed FSX adaptation of the famous FS2004 original is not FSX native, but works great and preserves many of the excellent details and craftsmanship of the original. It's a big airport in the middle of nowhere, and a flight into or out of here with winter weather can really make you feel like you're in Russia!

Krasnoyarsk UNKL (Krasnoyarsk, Russia)
http://unkl.info/index-eng.php
This airport, also in Siberia, is located a few hundred miles to the east of Novosibirsk. Luckily, a jetliner flight is more than tolerable between these two destinations and serves as a nice excuse to get both unless you enjoy flying over vast nothingness! This airport is smaller and pretty quiet, but is still capable of serving large jets.

Khanty-Mansiysk USHH (Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?action...ad&id=29882
Another one in Siberia, but this one's out there on its own quite a bit. The scenery is extremely detailed and is a "payware quality" representation, but the smaller size, quieter nature, and geographic isolation of this airport may make it less appealing. If you don't mind longer flights even from "nearby" Novosibirsk, or further afield, check it out.

Beloyarskiy USHQ (Beloyarskiy, Russia)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?action...ad&id=45183
A flight between Khanty-Mansiysk and this field makes this trip tolerable, as you'll be flying between two extremely detailed airports yet with nothing in between. Another isolated yet very detailed smaller Siberian airport. If you want to feel like you're in back-woods Russia, fly into this great representation of this unknown destination!

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk UHSS (Sakhalinsk, Russia)
http://www.avsimrus.com/files.phtml?action...ad&id=42915
Russia is a huge country, and this is your connection to Japan, which is not that far way! This region of Russia came about during the closing weeks of WWII, as the Russian military undertook major operations against the Japanese. This airport may seem isolated, but northern Japan isn't that far away if you are heading south and which to check out the area.

Bonus recommendations:

Talinn, Estonia EETN
tallinneetnforfsxv22.zip @Avsim.com
A very short distance from St. Petersburg, Russia and Helsinki, Finland! (There is an established helicopter route between Helsinki and Talinn due to such short distances).

Ruzyne LKPR (Prague, Czech Republic)
http://lkpr-scenery.wz.cz/en/index.php
The major international airport of the Czech Republic, and a very good international destination with quite a variety.

Frederic Chopin EPWA (Warsaw, Poland)
epwax2011v1.1.zip @Avsim.com
One of the largest and most significant airports in Poland. Strong Russian influence before and during the Cold War.



Try out a few and let me know what you think!

[hasegawa]

In FS 2004 Russia was nearly komplete. Freeware. In FSX it. is not.
In FSX the things are going wrong because the FSX is not really popular there. It is not only so in Russia, also in the Baltic Republics.... Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. What I must tell is, that in Riga (my second hometown) you have no chance, to buy the Flight Simulator X. He simply is not there... no chance and you must buy your copy via foreign countrys or via internet and not in national curency in and in english language. The young people have no problems with English like me... Most of them are going to the UK and Ireland because of unimployment in Latvia. We have a curency namend Lat.
In Russia, the situation is different. Yes, they have their own Version in the correct language. But... in Russia not many people have computers, capable enough for FSX. In Russia a computer must work more years as in Germany for example. And the people buy the software for the hardware and not like in the west the other way. The interest in aviation is huge. Russia has a long tradition in aviation. In the last days the russian Air Force celebreted it´s 100. anniversary.

As a freelance writer for FS-Magazin i write over Russia and the other former russian countries. Last work was the ProTu Tu 154B-2.

http://files.protu-154.net/pt-154b2_fsx.html

But it is not much to report...

http://www.fs-magazin.de/

From the baltic countries, we are in NATO and EU... only Vilnius, the airport of Lithuania´s capital is for FSX available. The copy of the town itself in this package is not amazing for me. We have Talinn as freeware, no Riga, no Kaunas, no Liepaja (former german Libau) no Daugavpils, nothing... Yes, I know nobody from yor guys know Latvia, its is to small. 3.1 Million people, smaler then the Netherlands but Latvia has something to offer for tourists.

In Russia you have no Moscow, no St. Petersburg, no Sochi, no .... we have only Ekaterinburg, ex. Swerdlowsk in the USSR, the airport of the town, in wich the Zsar and the complete Romanov-family are killed... and the hometown of Boris Yelzin. Well, this is not enough. If you have some airports in the freeware, but not Moscow, the biggest city in Europe! Bigger as London... and not St. Petersburg...
The statement from Aerosoft was typical for the comlete branch... "We have not enough material, the russians want to much money for ior it and a lot of things are secret up today."
This is of course nonsense. In western europa are more than enough potential customers for russian, ukrainian and baltic stuff. We have strong affinitys to Russia in Germany, not because of Gasprom....

Sorry, I have so much to tell you my friends about this, but ... I have not enough words to talk with You about it. I am angry about the fact, that Aerosoft and the other "Big player" in this business are not really intrested in Eastern Europe.

The central point for in Russia is

www.avsimrus.com

This is the english version of avsim.ru. Scenerys you can find here. Look at the rating. "5" is the best!

http://www.avsimrus.com/f/fsx-sceneries-83/

Also a good reference

http://www.freewarescenery.com/fsx/russia.html

And

this one is also very good. It can help you over the language barrier and you can find all the links you need to avsim.ru

http://www.rossiya-virtual.com/index.php?lang=en

[Ian Warren]

Thanx Andreas , this is one area of the world i have not explored , with Sean's beloved Tu154 i'm sure i'd fit in

[SeanTK]

Hasegawa,

Look at the links I have posted both directly above your post, and on the previous page. There are more scenery and aircraft addons out there than you think, including scenery for two of Moscow's major airports, along with St. Petersburg, and many others. (Yes, still hoping for Sochi) Additionally, if you go to the links on the FS2004 freeware scenery directory, you'll see that some virtual organizations have now released projects for the Baltic states that are compatible with FSX.

I agree that things are lacking on the payware side of things, but freeware does not equal poor quality, especially with our Russian developers. I could understand some frustration from users that refuse to use freeware addons, but if you branch out and know where to look, you'll find that Russia and parts of eastern Europe are surprisingly covered (though yes, it still is not enough).

Best wishes,

[hasegawa]

Sean, I agree with you... and I have a fully working FS 2004 here with around 160 + scenerys from Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and so on. I use primarly the FS 2004 to fly in Russia. In FS X we have a lot of issues...

First,
Look at the Mesh and landclass. I have Sirtech Europe and Asia in use and Russia and the other countries are blended... but it is not very acurate. Look at the Mesh... if you have some global Mesh like Pilots Global 2010 or the new... it is o.k. But.. one critical point are Coastlines and Rivers... often enough... forget it. For example the bay of Riga and the River Daugava has not much to do with the reality. Another most critical point is the coastline of the Black Sea... another point I must say forget it. The Crimea is not real represented and also the coastline between Sotchi and Batumi. But more critical is the coast at the Far East. Look at Sakahlin and Kamchatka. It is ill represented.
What we need to give a more real Look for the Physics and Geographics in eastern Europa is a thing like a version of Ultimate Terrain as a usable basis. In the Europe Edition these Zones like Russia . the Baltics and the Ukraine seemed to bee not present. In reality Europe ended at the Ural...
Second
From Moscow I have Vnukovo and Ostavjevo from Alfafly in use. Yes I have seen this Cheremetjevo... in the freeware. I know the original and Domodedovo to. There is much to do for a more akurate representation. Pulkovo (St. Petersburg) let me see. And, only fly in an airport and not to have anything from the the City itself is not acceptable for me. Here I find more from Moscow and St. Petersburg in FS 2004. The ULLI-Project i must see. The old Version for FS 2004 was good. In a new representation we must correct the River Neva. The historical city Center must be repositioned.

Interesting new airports are in FSX

Kiev Borispol, Cherkassy and a few other airports in the Ukraine. They are good enough to match some Payware we have at Simmarket. Also good represented are Minsk 1 and 2, Gomel and Witebsk in Belarus. You find them all in avsim.su

Sorry, only for information. I write and speak the russian language good enough to use the russian sites. And my girlfriend is russian... with latvian passport. A little bit I know about eastern europe.

Aircraft. I have at the moment only the Tu 154B-2, the Antonov An 12 and the An 2 in use. One problem is navigation with RSBN. радиотехническая система ближней навигации, radiotechnitscheskaja sistema blischnej nawigazii... In the Tu 154B-2 you have the NVU to use it. ... It is typical for aircraft of soviet times, has something like ADF... but is not identical.
It is a system meanwhile only in use in Russia and its neighbors of the former USSR. In FS 2004 all things nessesary to use it in the Samborski An 24 or in the PT Tu 154 are there.
In FS X to? I have asked for at avsim.su ...

I have a smal thread in Austria with screens about flying in Russia...

http://www.friendlyflusi.at/index.php?page...;threadID=18622

[hasegawa]

Annex....


The flight1.com ( Mark Harper- ALsim) Suchoi Su 27 is good.... but the cockpit is like in the 80´s. The other cockpit is more for playing. I have written a review about this aircraft, but sorry, in german.

http://www.fs-magazin.de/download.html

6/2011