Dan Perrone

But I can't use tables...?

Again, I'd like to thank everyone for their patience. We have just uploaded a new installer to the server. You can re-start your downloads and obtain new copies of the scenery. Simply re-install the scenery to begin seeing the changes. You can download the new installer HERE. We believe we have successfully patched the crash issue and through testing with some of those reporting the issue, have since been unable to replicate it. If anyone experiences the crash again with NEW buildings at Boston, shoot us an email, [email protected]. A few patch notes: Re-compiled Terminal A, South Cargo, and Fire Station with NoCrash attachments and re-exported. (Should fix the issue all around). Removed South FBO elements from Cargo Group (we experienced some issues in crash testing and have removed these elements on a temporary basis) Added South boundary concrete barriers. Added Boston Tower with day/night textures. Please continue to let us know if further issues are experienced.

A quick update: We have successfully patched the terminal crash issue, and are working to include a few gift elements as an apology for the inconvenience. We are also taking the opportunity to address some small tweaks reported to us as well, and as such will be releasing a patch for all users tomorrow evening. In the mean time, we continue to ask that those few experiencing issues with crashes at the terminals continue to leave crash detection off as a temporary solution to the issue. A note on the reported tower altitude being too low. This is a known bug, and not one we can directly alter at the current time. While complicated to answer, it simply boils down to the way the sim processes the code for the tower cab viewpoint, and how these values are read from the BGL files. While the new tower model is present in the upcoming patch, the underlying view code remains the same and the tower viewpoint will continue to display incorrectly. This does NOT affect pilots in the server, only air traffic controllers. The temporary solution is to use the map feature to reset your altitude in the tower cab to 320 feet, which will place you at correct cab height.

I'll address these latest questions in series: 1. Crash in Sim -- This was not a known issue. We have been able to track down why some users are reporting a crash detection in the simulator and also why such an issue would have been intermittent or even non-existent in testing. We believe this issue, affecting some users, could involve all new buildings at Boston. We are already working on compiling a patched file for this. In the mean time, we ask users turn off crash detection for the time being. We expect to have a new installer with patched files up within the next 24-48 hours at most. 2. Disappearing Terminals -- This is something outside of our control. The few reports we have received have not been consistent nor have they indicated an issue with the package. We will of course continue to welcome feedback on similar issues, but at this time, cannot identify anything in the package causing the aforementioned problem. 3. Missing Tower -- This was a planned change while we designed new and improved areas of the airport. However, in light of the troubles experienced by some users thus far, we are planning to release a new tower model with day/night textures early, for all users. It will be available with the patched installer once it is released. 4. Missing Cranes -- This is another known issue, but one we feel should be called a triumph. Lets face it, the old cranes that were there were completely unrealistic, and flying a proper approach to Boston often meant lifting the wing on short final to avoid these obstructions. New harbor cranes are coming in a future release (see: before SimCon!). In the mean time, we have removed the errenous, old, and completely useless default cranes for the time being. We felt that users would not have been..inconvenienced by this small, temporary change. We apologize for these issues. Unfortunately, testing cannot eliminate the variable of end user machine. Each person's setup, hardware, and software are different. We are working with affected parties to ensure patches conform to their machines and do not negatively affect the group as a whole. We appreciate you patience!

Thanks for asking, Shawn. A fix ffor the tower height will come with a future update to the airport when we move to that section of the field. Cody: This update does not touch any default structures other than the old Terminal A and South Cargo structures, which are obviously "hidden" now in favor of the new models. Your texture issue likely is something related to your sim/system itself rather than the update, as all structures on the field other than South Cargo and Terminal A are still default using FSX-original textures. As Evan stated, neither him, I, nor our other tester have reported any issues related to textures with this release. Please ensure there are no other files related to Boston (BVA-provided or otherwise) in your FSX scenery folders, and then re-install the scenery. Ensure your sim is completely shut down during this process.

Since 2011, I have had the privilege of assisting the Boston Virtual ATC as a member of its Administration Team. Three years on, we have expanded the scope and scale of the Administration Team and its members, but the commitment of the group to improving the community continues. As the community improves, so do the members of the community. I myself have been seeking avenues of personal improvement for the past two years, and it is for this reason I announce my resignation from BVA’s Administrative Team, effective immediately. My life now has taken a drastic turn since I joined the team in 2011. I have gone from a full-time college student perusing a degree in teaching to a full-time aviation employee with a new pilot’s license, pursuing a career in Air Traffic Control. My changes in availability spurred me in 2014 to temporarily step down from my position as the community’s ATC Director to focus on other projects, and as of today this action becomes permanent. Matt has been a valued contributor to the ATC program and the community at large for some time, and over the past year, has compiled and begun rollout of a multitude of changes for our ATC program geared at making our controllers more competent, increasing retention, and increasing reliability. My time schedule and list of community projects would not have allowed me to attach the same level of detail and attention to the controller program as Matt has been able to bring. I feel Matt is best poised to lead the controller community and effect positive change for the program now and into the future. While I am stepping down from my administrative position, I am by no means retiring from the community. The extra time afforded to me with a reduction in professional responsibility will allow me to focus on community projects which first got me involved with Boston Virtual in scenery. Critical projects such as KBOS v5, a new AFCAD Development, and special projects coinciding with BVA’s commitments to new gatherings will now receive the bulk of my attention. Day-to-day scenery design and implementation will largely now be handled by Pierre, our good friend on the continent who has over the past two years churned out nearly as many scenery updates as I have for BVA over the years. My sole focus for the community will be on these large and special projects. As I improve professionally and my availability changes in the future, I hope to continue working with Boston Virtual ATC to ensure the continued success of the community and its members. I will continue to be as active as possible with the community and will be working closely, as I always have, supporting our efforts locally in the Connecticut area and acting as "boots on the ground." It has been, and will continue to be, a pleasure to work and play with some of the finest this hobby has to offer. With Warmest Wishes,

Who the heck picks these aircraft for use? DC-3? Is that even USED anymore in single player?

Because of some problems with interview scheduling, we have extended applications until March 15th.

BVA is a unique community in that we have the a dedicated Airport Update Team that provides customized and accurate airport scenery for almost all of our operations. We also hold the distinction of having the most in-house scenery packages for a single community. Since the formation of BVA’s Scenery Design Team nearly 4 years ago, we have produced almost 130 individual airport updates, each of which is freely available to all members of BVA. No other flight simulation community, anywhere, can boast that fact. I have been leading the Scenery Design Team since the fall of 2009, and in that time, we have produced some incredibly beautiful renditions in all corners of the United States, Canada, and even a few unique locations worldwide. We’re now looking for 3-5 qualified individuals to join the team and take up the responsibility for BVA’s scenery needs. Job Description As a scenery designer for BVA, you have to be well versed in the file structure of FSX and in how to use the FSX SDK. A solid understanding of file types, hierarchy, specialized software, attention to detail, and an abundance of patience are all must-haves for successful scenery designers. You can expect to be working on scenery design projects regularly and to spend 2-3 hours per week when you have been assigned an airport to update. Community events wait for no one, and this means that every scenery design project you work on for BVA has a deadline attached to it. Designers spend long hours rendering, testing, and validating their work before packaging the files into automatic installers and writing the associated install documentation. And after that is all done and the new release has been posted to the BVA servers, it’s on to the next project. This role is fast-paced, on tight deadlines, and with a pedigree of very high quality. If you think you have the passion, patience, and desire to provide an essential and unique service to BVA, then this is the role for you. If you would like to apply to become one of BVA’s scenery designers, we would love to see your application. There is no experience necessary. I will be training all successful applicants in the use of scenery design programs. All necessary software for the formal training will be provided free of charge to those accepted. While those without experience with scenery design are welcome, strong candidates will have prior experience designing scenery for FSX and meeting deadlines. Be aware that one of the major factors in selecting candidates will be the availability and reliability of the candidate. We are looking for dedicated, self-motivated individuals who are willing to give back to their community in a meaningful manner for the mid to long term. If you would like to apply, submit an application via email for review at the address below. Applications will close on January 22. We will conduct interviews as applications are submitted and will close interviews if we believe we have found the necessary and qualified candidates. Applications should include the following information: Name and age Outline of prior experience that has prepared the candidate to meet the requirements of the Scenery Design Team Outline of prior experience with software related to scenery design for FSX A blurb about yourself, how you came to BVA, why you would like to give back to the community, and what aviation means to you Your time and availability on a week-to-week basis (we expect that such schedules will change with school and work, and we will work with you at those times to accommodate that) A sample of your previous scenery work, packaged in a ZIP file and attached to the email (optional) Send all applications to danp@bostonvirtualatc (dot) com with the subject line “Scenery Design Application.” Please take this application seriously! You do not have to, but if you wish, you may submit a formalized resume-styled response. Doing so will get you style points, but won’t get you ahead, sorry. We are looking for serious candidates, so if this is just a passing interest for you, please look into contributing to the community in another manner. Thanks! I'm looking forward to the applications!

ANd a further reminder: Tomorrow, we will be releasing a scenery package to compliment this event! Select airports from the route have been updated for BVA's enjoyment. Look forward to a release in the mid afternoon!

Aerial photos of...what?

For those of you who use Pete Dowson's popular plugin, FSUIPC, whether it be for scenery or aircraft related reasons, there has been a security issue discovered with the code signing contained within the program. This has necessitated that Mr. Dawson invalidate the security certificate for FSUIPC effective immediately. An update which removes the security certificate requirements is available directly from Pete Dowson. It is required that this update be installed, else FSUIPC will not function. For more information (Pete's Post), see here: http://forum.simflight.com/topic/74354- ... r-systems/ To download the update, click here: http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html

An addition to Evan's posting above, it has been recognized by a few that listen to Denver Center on LiveATC, that there are unpublished procedures at KASE that are used by airlines which have properly certificated aircraft and aircrews to arrive at Aspen after dark. This is true, there are a number of instrument procedures at KASE which the general public under Part 91 are not allowed to view. Here's a list of the procedures (hold onto your hats, boys and girls): GPS 15 Approach GPS 15C Approach LOC/DME 15 Approach RNAV 15R Approach RNAV 15-Z Approach GLENO1 Departure You read that right. A straight up Localizer/DME Runway 15 approach, no circling. A handful of other direct to runway approaches, and even a special departure procedure. Why are these not publicly available? I had a discussion on the phone with Mr. Larry Artman, Acting Manager off the FAA Northwest Mountain Region Flight Standards Division. It all comes down to safety. The approaches above are not created under Part 91, and are therefore not public information. Their release is controlled heavily by the FAA only to properly certificated aircraft and aircrews. When I asked about getting versions of these for the multiplayer simulator environment, the answer was unequivocally, no. Do night operations occur at KASE? All the time. Can pilots flying on VFR rules operate into and out of KASE at night? To an extent, yes, with many more restrictions. BVA and its members simply do not have access to these charts and procedures, under regulation, that might make a difference in the perceived safety of operating into and out of KASE during the hours of night. The reason for this, as Mr. Artman and I explored, is strictly to preserve the safety of aviation. The glimpse I was given by Mr. Artman has shown that these procedures are created such that many of the normal "rules of IFR flight," if followed, could lead to injury or death. In some cases these special approaches break the rules in essence, and so they cannot be flown safely by those not properly trained to deal with them. Evan and I agree, that if it is a question between making our sim experience more enjoyable, and preserving the safety of real world flight, our decisions on these matters will always lie with safety. We on the A-Team and at the ATC level take these and other factors into heavy consideration whenever we plan events like this. We believe that as a balance to realism, we make all necessary preparations, including increased training and documentation, to ensure these events go off without a hitch. Do I think we can do some things differently? of course, and I will be exploring them with the Instructors and the A-Team in the coming months for our next Aspen Getaway. But in the mean time, rest assured that we are providing the most realistic experience possible within the confines of our mission here at BVA and in keeping with the current rulings of the A-Team and the ATC Instructors.

#2 for the mil work.

That's supposed to be there. See the screenshot above.

Gilles, try this: 1. Navigate to C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XAddon SceneryScenery 2. Delete ALL files in this folder with "KBIL" in the file name. 3. Start up your simulator, and load KBIL default. 4. Close the sim. 5. Manually copy the two airport files from the download link above into the Addon SceneryScenery folder. 6. Restart the sim. This should force any old scenery out, and the new scenery in. If you are still having issues getting the airport installed after that, email me. I just confirmed that the download above gives you the right files.

The scenery installs the same way all manual updates have in the past. There is an automatic installer included for those less inclined to install scenery the way the SDK intended.

Hey All, Just wanted to post and let everyone know that there IS a brand new scenery update for Billings Logan International Airport (KBIL) for our Pack-The-Pattern event tonight. I know this truly is a release down to the wire, but due to a combination of my job and a mis-marked scenery update calendar over here, the scenery was not completed till early this morning (2:15a EST early). This is a necessary update, as the old v1 KBIL scenery previously available had many old taxiways and connections present when, now, the airport has completed a major overhaul of it's taxiways, resulting in the elimination of three, and the creation of two others. The new v2 update, now available on the Event Scenery page, reflects these updates. Also corrected is the size of the terminal. Additional parking has been added to support the Pack-The-Pattern. You can grab Billings-Logan International Airport (KBIL) v2 from RIGHT HERE. You can also visit the Event Scenery page to grab a copy, though the link above goes right to the same file. I've sent the email to Phil, and when he has the free moment, the scenery will be available in triplicate on the PtP event page itself. I'll update here when that happens. PLEASE NOTE: As of this posting, only v1.2 is available from the PtP event page itself page. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. If the scenery on the PtP Event page says "Previous Release Version 1.2," then you are NOT getting the right scenery. I'll be controlling approach for the event, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone there! I know I'm the late one this time, but please take a moment to download and install the scenery! It only takes less than 2 minutes, and it makes the workload for controllers and pilots alike much, much simpler. THANKS!

Absolutely not! The best part of this community, is that it is filled with others in your situation. We pride ourselves on being one of the best learning communities, and as such, help is always there for those who need it. Check out my post above here: viewtopic.php?p=21747#p21747 The event page HERE is also a great resource. We have a Pilot's PDF available for download which will walk you though all of the requirements needed to fly for the event. As for reading the VFR Charts, yes, it looks like a mess to those not accustomed to reading the stuff. If you have any specific questions, either I or any of the others here would be glad to help. Just give us a heads up! If flying the SFRA is truly uncomfortable, we have listed on the event page a few routes which keep you clear of the SFRA for much of the flight. Feel free to try one of those routes!

The zones shall be in effect for all upcoming events. Incorrect, GA aircraft are not banned from the FRZ. The "Maryland 3" airports within the FRZ are all general aviation airports. What sets the FRZ apart from the SFRA, is the numerous additional restrictions on the types of flights which may be conducted within that airspace. The restrictions include: Flight Training (incl. practice instrument approaches) Aerobatic Flight Glider Operations Parachute Operations Ultralight, hang gliding, and all ballooning operations Agricultural/crop dusting Banner towing Maintenance test flights R/C Aircraft Unmanned aircraft Any aircraft operations from a ship or private yacht VFR Traffic Patterns In essence, the FRZ is a "VFR No-Fly" area unless you have a waiver from the FAA for otherwise illegal flight operations. The Maryland 3: College Park, Potomac Airfield, and Washington Executive are all accessible to VFR flights, provided these flights are direct to or from these fields. I.e., all VFR general aviation flights into or out of the FRZ may only be direct entry or egress. There is no loitering within the airspace. There are a number of TSA and FAA restrictions and regulations which must be passed in order to fly VFR within the FRZ, but for BVA purposes, here's what you need: A valid FRZ VFR flight plan which has been appropriately filed, and opened, prior to entering the FRZ. VFR flight plans for the FRZ or the SFRA CANNOT be filed while you are already in the air! This means that you cannot depart these uncontrolled fields or enter the FRZ without first opening your previously filed flight plan and obtaining a discrete squawk code from ATC, and be squawking this code prior to liftoff, or entry to the FRZ. You must also establish two-way radio communication with ATC prior to entry. You must be able to accept ATC routing instructions. Aircraft inbound to either Hyde (W32) or Potomac (VKX) will be routed into the FRZ via either the Nottingham VOR or the Maryland Airport. College Park in-bounds will be routed via Freeway Airport. Outbound aircraft will comply with ATC routings till clear of the FRZ and SFRA, while continuing to squawk their assigned code. All IFR aircraft departing one of the Maryland 3 must obtain ATC clearance prior to departure, comply with departure instructions, and stick to their assigned course. NOTE: Squawking 1200 at any time WILL result in an intercept by units acting on behalf of Homeland Security. In our case, BVA military members. If you want more information on FRZ and SFRA operations, stay tuned. We're working up a pilot and ATC briefing package to give you all the details.

That's just the thing. Extending the runway has nothing to do with allowing larger planes into or out of Aspen, nor does it change the runway configuration we have been using. Aspen is still a one way in, and one way out airport. Also, per county regulations, there are no larger aircraft flying into or out of the airport. The extra 1000' for takeoffs is only to allow current commercial traffic to operate more efficiently with heavier loads, carry more passengers and baggage, and reduce the number of overall flights into and out of the airport. Specifically, per the Jepp chart snippet above, departures on Runway 15 (those pilots with expressed ATC permission, never commercial jets), cannot use the 1,000 foot extension as part of their takeoff roll.

Just because you're a "real life pilot" doesn't mean anything. That's a personal preference then. I fly in real life myself, as a student granted, but I prefer the VC to 2D. 2D looks like crap.

Aerosoft's Twin Otter has a VC, yes. Source: Aerosoft Twin Otter owner.

Challenge Not Accepted. Srsly guys, I'm overworked as it is!

And I shall be there to orchestrate it all. AH HAHAHAHA.