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Traffic X - The European Tour

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freddy View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2008
Location: Melbourne, Aust
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    Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 8:49am
... or, perhaps the subject should really read:
"Here's a novel and cool way to enjoy FSX - and a bit of a pat on the back for Just Flight and Traffic X".
 
Regular visitors to this forum will probably be aware that, as an Aussie, I predominately do my FSX flying in Australia.  Many of you will also be aware that, over time, I have extensively used Traffic X to add and edit flight plans for my FSX Australian skies in an effort to make my FSX Australian experience feel as close to home as possible.  It may not be 100% correct, and might not necessarily use real-world schedules for a majority of the flights, but at least the correct airlines are flying in the skies and travelling more or less to the correct destinations.  Add and edit the appropriate international flights to the relevant airports, and my entire Australian experience has become quite immersive indeed.  I've even added liveries which the original Traffic X did not include such as "V-Australia", "Regional Express" (REX) and recently Australia's newest airline, "Strategic Airlines" to name a few.
 
The problem with this is that one can become too entrenched in one's own world.  In Australia, there are only a handful of main carriers ... "Qantas", "Virgin Blue" and "Jetstar" being probably the main ones.  Not to leave out "Tiger".  So, flying in Australia all the time, one pretty much only sees the planes belonging to those handful of carriers.  And, of course, one sees the same main airports, and the same regional airports all the time, over and over.
 
Some time ago I did what I called the "American Tour".  I flew from Sydney to Los Angeles in the FSX 747 (yes, all 14-15 hours of it in real-time) and then spent a good month or so "touring" the virtual US skies.  Wow, what an eye-opener that was.  Big airports, many different airlines, different countryside, and a range of new experiences.  On a tour such as this I like to plan a flight, fly the flight, land, and then usually do a virtual tour of the location using Wiki and Google to provide "tourist information" and pictures.  The "tour" is also supplemented by me using the FSX helicopter to visit and do some "sight-seeing".  Places like Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Washington, etc.  It might sound a bit crazy, but it kind of gives me the sense of having actually been there.  As if I did go there for real.  It's not perfect ... but you can be surprised by what you learn and I often found myself amazed to discover new things.  It's a lot of fun.  Add to this, the VARIETY of Traffic X liveries and the many different airports and landing strips.  Very different from constantly flying only in Australia all the time.
 
I am currently in the middle of a "European Tour".  Whilst I have flown to Heathrow before in FSX, this time I wasn't planning the usual, single, overnight stay.  This time, I'm "on tour" again.  I've been to Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm.  Whilst not strictly Europe, I've also flown to Moscow.  I'm in the middle of the tour right now with planned visits to places like Paris, Oslo, Istanbul, Munich, Berlin, and who knows where else ...
 
I must say it is a great joy and heaps of fun to see so many wonderful airports modelled so well in FSX.  I believe Just Flight would have probably done work on many (most) of them with the Traffic X product.  I must also compliment Just Flight for the Traffic X product as it is absolutely awesome to see all the colourful liveries of all the various airlines.  Not to mention that these airlines are all at the correct and appropriate airports, and parked, and grouped, mostly, at the correct gates.  Occasionally one gets a little let-down, seeing a now defunct airline at an airport when one knows that airline is no longer operating in the real-world.  And the Concorde is still flying in Traffic X skies as well.  Those little let-downs can detract a bit form the joy.  But, largely, you can forgive these things and dismiss them.  Besides, if I could be bothered, I could just use Traffic X's tools to correct them.  But, why bother, I'm having so much fun!
 
So, whilst Australia in FSX, to me, might get a bit boring every now and then, it is only that way because I live there and fly in its virtual skies all the time.  But, on a trip such as this one to Europe, I see airlines such as Aeroflot, Baltic, Finnair, Austrian, LOT, Lufthansa, Luxair, etc ... and all the new and different airports ... and choices of different places to visit.  Add Wiki and Google to create the sight-seeing experience, and everything suddenly seems new and exciting!  Of course, what's exciting now for me, on "tour", may be boring for you ... always seeing your same Aeroflot, Baltic, Finnair, etc airlines and the same airports and places.  But that's the very point.  Perhaps you too should consider a "tour" like this.  Hehe, perhaps some of you may wish to consider a "tour" Downunder?  Boring for me, but no doubt exciting for you!?
 
Anyway, I hope by writing this thread that I might inspire others to do something similar to what I am doing (if they are not doing so already).  The "virtual tour".  I am enjoying it a lot.  And, it is giving me, in real-life, a new outlook on parts of the world that I would not probably ever get a chance to visit in real-life.  Not to mention the fact that I am learning heaps from the virtual Wiki and Google sight-seeing that I undertake at each destination.
 
Mostly though, this post is really to congratulate Just Flight on the Traffic X product with all the colourful airline liveries and the work done on the airports.  Whilst Traffic X does have a few flaws here and there, one can always work around those.  But doing something like one of these tours really shows Traffic X off well and in a whole different light.  It's just great stuff!  Well done Just Flight.
 
A final point to note ... if one does want to do such a tour, it MUST be done in real-time.  No setting FSX to 2x or 4x speed.  The tour is far more real if you plan the flight and actually fly the flight, in real-time.  And that includes the initial flight to the initial starting destination.  If that means a long flight, then so be it.  It is far more satisfying and adds to the sense of actually being there, if the initial journey, and the subsequent visits to all the planned destinations, takes the actual and correct amount of time to get there.  For me, the trip to Heathrow from Sydney meant an overnight stay in Singapore.  And then the 12 hour flight the next day.  It just feels so much more "real" if you do it properly.
 
And, for those of you with partners/wives/husbands, why not "bring them along"?  Get them to help you with the tour planning, "where are we going to go today?", get them involved with the Wiki and Google sight-seeing, etc etc.  You will be surprised at how much fun THEY will have as well, not to mention them gaining a whole new appreciation of FSX.
 
I've got to end it here.  I'm off to Paris tomorrow, with a 10:00am takeoff, and I've got to get some sleep.  I better not forget to pack my toothbrush.  Smile
 
Enjoy!
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