172 in France. Click any image for larger version.

ProPilot99 takes on FS98, and does so by the horns.

I have gone through their new simulator with a fine tooth comb, and enlisted the help of a commercial pilot to fairly judge the product. 10 hours of flying later, I have come to a conclusion. Not only is ProPilot99 a better flight simulator than FS98, it just feels right, like that broken in pair of shoes. Dynamix has done their homework with ProPilot99. They have included everything into their simulator that Microsoft ignored with FS98.

Now you're asking, what does ProPilot99 have over FS98? Well, here's the short list…

• pop up operators handbook that includes performance data, and checklists, flight planning wizard
• built in GPS
• first flight assistance (Audio Co-Pilot assistance) - this is real neat
• thirty training videos
• translucent clouds with real thickness (good bye lego block clouds) - thick as pea soup too
• high fidelity instrument panels - every switch, know and button is fully interactive.
• Realistic interior views.
• Real engine sounds
• Air traffic control communications - ya baby! It's the real deal. He/she talks to you in the air.
• About $300 worth of add-ons just to bring FS98 on par to the standard functions of ProPilot99
• Actual geological terrain modeling

Ok, it wasn't that short of a list, but just enough to give you an idea of what this simulator contains - a lot for the money. I'm no beginner simulator pilot, but I am not a commercial pilot either. I recruited the assistance of my friend Brendan (who is a real pilot) to carefully evaluated all 6 aircraft and give the 'professional' opinion on modeled flight characteristics.

From the installation to the load, everything about ProPilot99 seemed refined. Even after installation, "Sierras Utilities" program checks for a newer version. The load time to start the application is quick, under 10 seconds (Microsoft, you listening?). All menus are clearly defined and simplistic to use. For example, you don't need to be a meteorologist as in FS98 to be able to set up your weather. Everything about the menus seems polished. Nothing overly complicated, no head scratching controls.

The simulator starts you off in a Cessna 172p Skyhawk. The engine isn't running, it's dead quiet, and you're on a long stretch of runway. The cockpit is an exact replica of the older 172p, except this model is loaded with the latest NAV and COMM equipment. Brendan went through his checklist for the 172p and compared them to the program. Except for a few order differences, all checklist items were there. Putting his checklists away, we started the aircraft with the built in checklists. A smirk appeared on our faces.

Rolling down the runway, we were able to rotate the aircraft at the proper speed. As we climbed out at 65 knots, Brendan noticed that the sounds coming from the Cessna engine were dead on. From the start, to the roll during takeoff, the wind passing by the canopy in the air, it was all there. We were smiling.

At 6000 feet, Brendan cut the throttle and pulled back on the yoke. As nose rose slightly, the stall horn came on at 45 knots (check). The aircraft's nose-dove as it stalled (check). Brendan mentioned that ailerons were actually sluggish prior and non-responsive during the stall. More smiles appeared.

A quick drop in altitude, and a hard turn, we were lining up for a landing. As we descended upon the runway at about 15 feet above it's surface he noticed something not in FS98 was occurring - the infamous ground effect. The aircraft gently rocked as the landing gear touched down with a little tire squeal. We picked up our jaws and turned the aircraft around. Turning was jerky and slow in the Cessna with rudder control, and using differential brakes (individual wheels) to turn was very sudden. This was something we could get used to.

Selecting the Twin Baron, a twin prop, we attempted to take off in heavy clouds and winds, but with one engine on. Our plane yawed to the right sharply when I powered up, requiring heavy rudder trim. As the aircraft slowly and painfully rolled down the runway, we finally reached 90 knots where Brendan pulled back gently on the yoke only to find he had little or no climb power.

Pulling the landing gear in, he struggled to keep the aircraft in the air… ultimately the aircraft lost air speed and began to descend from it's huge 20 feet altitude. Scrambling to make an emergency landing, I put down the wheels, while he engaged max flaps. As he landed the aircraft with only a little pavement left, we overshot the runway landing in the field behind the airport. The aircraft bumped all over the place as he brought the plane to a stop. More smiles.

After a simulator reset, we selected the Citation, a small twin engine executive jet. The start up procedures and sounds produced a 'Ouuuu…ahhhhh…oooooooh' crowd like sound from the both of us. A couple of quick looks around at the rear of our jet - Luxurious leather seats were part of this aircraft's appointments (oh my).

I placed a strong cross wind on the runway, and we took off with the left engine on. This time, lady luck was not so forgiving. As I was now on the controls, when I lifted off, the crosswind coupled with a single engine takeoff (simulating a flame out), caused the aircraft to bank sharply to the right. I was not able to recover in time resulting in the aircraft crashing on the runway….

Oops! Brendan smacked the back of my head, mentioning that in real life, I don't get any second chances - (and some rich executive wasn't too happy about his plane). Closing the program, we decided to sit down and discuss what we liked and didn't like about ProPilot99. Here are the likes and dislikes about ProPilot99.

What we liked

• ProPilot99 offers a refreshing feel to flying. The controls are smooth and responsive, unlike the jerky FS98 controls. During stalls, aircraft ailerons are sluggish and unresponsive to controls.
• Cockpit detail is amazing. All aircraft start-up procedures follow the same checklists as do their real counterpart. All visible switches work, providing the proper functionality.
• Air Traffic Communications AND a co-pilot. Your co-pilot can take care of most menial tasks while you concentrate on flying including talking to the air traffic controller (ATC), changing NAV aids, and setting up your frequencies.

• The ATC can also give you detailed vectoring information. And it's real, down from the weather information channel, right from ground control, air traffic control, departure control et al. You have communications with all flight service communication facilities during takeoff, cruising, and landing. And it's done well.
• Gauges respond accurately to the environment as you climb and dive.
• Sounds were realistic, except for one part. However, all other acoustics will put a smile on your face.
• You are actually able to maintain straight and level flight, unlike FS98 where you're constantly fighting with your trim to maintain altitude. Here is where ProPilot99 shines through. All available trim functions are visible and functioning.
• IFR and NAV flying are accurately done. Mapped terrain in ProPilot99 also contains all real life NAV and VOR beacons.
• ProPilot99 is more realistic to fly both internally and externally. The aircraft interacts with the outside environment in a more responsive nature. Turbulence actually looks like turbulence, it wobbles your plane around in the sky, not quick left and right jerks. Wind gusts moves your plane wings, requiring realistic aileron adjustment. Loose an engine in a twin, and your fighting to keep your plane in the sky, requiring immediate attention as your plane yaws towards the down engine. Rudder adjustments during this situation may correct your flight path, but your aircraft is suddenly sideways at an angle.
• Weather emulation of clouds is fantastic. Flying through clouds seems actually real compared to FS98 Lego blocks. This allows realistic IMC navigation with IFR navigation and landing. Cloud thickness is wonderfully simulated.
• External views at high altitude are done well. Graphics with 3D accelerated cards can take benefits of sun flares, wispy clouds, and maximum resolutions.

• Built in Flight Planner. This flight planner is neat. Plot all your waypoints. Where you want to fly. With what aircraft. Even generate weather for your flight for your departure and destination location. ATC will even vector you to your destination.
• Built in navigation aids. The program can help you set up for all types of navigation by auto tuning your NAV radios.

What we didn't like.

• Terrain is second rate. Up close, it lacks detail, detail, and detail.
• Cities look too much like copies of FS98. We were hoping for more realistic looking buildings and structures.
• Certain realistic flight characteristics were missing or just plain wrong. During a dive from high altitude, you can both pull back and climb out of the dive or your controls are ineffective. Neither was consistent which leads us to believe that it's all luck if you put your plane into a dive, you can pull out of it. In real life, try to pull out of a dive in a King Air at 300 knots and you'll either rip your wings or your tail off.
• Try flying upside down. Normally, you'll starve your engines of fuel but in ProPilot99, they don't cut out.
• The Overspeed horn was non-existent or just not working. We hope they fix this for the release.
• Stalls are modeled well, but spins are not. All the aircraft do not want to spin. Hopefully flight models are unfinished.

• Multiplayer has not been incorporated into this program. We'll find out if it's planned or not. If not, it should be, it's a hoot in FS 98.
• Damage modeling is non existent. There are no damage points on your aircraft. All crashes are simulated by a smashed and burnt cockpit view. With today's damage modeling being a high priority for most simulators, why can't the aircraft have break points on the surfaces?

Why can't I damage my landing gear if I land too hard? I should be able to damage my control surfaces if I fly too fast and my flaps if I try to extend them at high speeds. But unfortunately, there is no damage modeling in ProPilot99.

During long distance traveling, I found that for some reason, the aircraft had an unnatural desire to climb. This was most noticeable after using the autopilot. This was a beta release so I can only assume this is fixed on the release. I'm searching here folks, but you know what, I can't think of anything else that this game is missing.

Note from a reader: this is very accurate, as the plane burns off fuel, it becomes lighter and will climb on its own. For example, the Concorde will begin its cruise at around 50,000 feet, but by the end of its cruise it can be as high as 65,000 feet because it doesn't have tons of fuel weighing it down.

Know what this simulator needs? A full motion cockpit, 5 point harness, buttons above my head, and a stewardess tapping me on my shoulder asking me if I want the in-flight meal. Microsoft, be afraid, be very afraid.