Releases SIMCharts v4.0 For MicroSoft's Flight Sim X
Jeppesen released v4.0
of its successful, long-running SIMCharts product line.
Designed exclusively for flight simulation enthusiasts, virtual
airline operators, and those pilots who use PC simulators to
develop or hone their skills, SIMCharts v4.0 plugs and plays with
Microsoft Flight Simulator X and contains a worldwide terminal
chart set that matches the Jeppesen NavData contained in Flight
Simulator X.
The product allows users to sort, view and print the same
Jeppesen arrival, departure, approach and airport charts that
thousands of pilots and airlines around the world use every
day.
New for v4.0, Jeppesen's armchair customers actually download
the requested charts online. That means no more pesky CDs for
customers to keep track of, or physical product for Jeppesen to
ship. You don't even have to go to an actual store to buy the
program, just call Jeppesen with a credit card.
Of course, that means you must have an internet connection to
use the program.
For $59.95, SIMCharts gives virtual pilots full, worldwide chart
coverage. The price includes unlimited access for one full
year to over 25,000 real Jeppesen terminal charts.
Just as with previous versions of SIMCharts, customers can print
charts to have on hand for quick and easy access. You can
also call up a chart during a Flight Sim X session and display it
in a separate window.
Another feature places your virtual aircraft's position on the
chart real-time. This gives the pilot added situational awareness,
and also makes for a great instrument flight training or
proficiency tool.
Jeppesen business programs manager Dan McGaw says, "Everyone
from seasoned instrument pilots, to serious gamers, to student
pilots find value in the added realism that SIMCharts brings to
Flight Simulator X. This latest release of SIMCharts offers all the
features and benefits our customers have come to expect, but now
with the added convenience of a web-based global data set that
contains over 25,000 charts. Now our customers can literally
fly just about anywhere in the Flight Simulator X virtual world and
be covered with charts for a nominal annual fee."
The new version provides improved search and filtering
capability, so you can quickly find and sort charts in the
database. The database no longer contains enroute charts however --
they're included with Flight Sim X so Jeppesen deleted them.
The company is very careful to remind everyone that SIMCharts do
not contain current navigation data. That means you can't print
them out and use them in your real airplane for actual navigation
use.