FlightFactor chief Roman - better know as 'Ramzzess' - has taken to the X-Plane.org Forum to share the news that a new 'pro' level aircraft is in development, as well as further plans for the future now that the group have reached a stage at which 'most' updates for their currently fleet are now complete.

Boeing 777 Worldliner Professional v1.6.1. Extended Pack (Ramzzess).rar. It is the 777 by Ramzzess & Philipp for x-plane. It is really impressive. High quality graphics and I thing 95% accurate to the real thing. The manual, like I mentioned is the actual boeing manual with side notes on what is not simulated or different than the real 777 (and there are not many).

He explains the above statement by making a point of the 757 and 767 being feature-complete and stable, alongside the A350v1, which has seen SID/STAR compatibility as well as new textures and a whole host of other additions in an update released in July.

Roman makes mention of the A320 Ultimate too - an aircraft which is still in beta - in saying that all of their current aircraft are Vulkan/Metal compatible.

'While work on all current models will continue, and not withstanding our plans for the v2s (you all know what I am talking about), it is the first time in 4 years when FlightFactor is not working on an “upcoming” update of some sort,' he says.

'It is time for a radical shift in technology, for a refactoring of the basic level at which we make models. That means, that our next project will be of a new generation, totally new, using totally new methods and will have more new features than anything we have made from the start.'

The FlightFactor co-founder compared today's shift in quality to the 2012 switch from Ramzzess Aviation Design to the now-familiar FF brand.

'This will mean that our new projects will more immersive, closer to life, will have more in-depth features and will be more complex.'

Next on the agenda at FlightFactor appears to be a brand new model, their first since the release of the A320 Ultimate in 2018, under the 'pro' series tagline. Roman clarifies that by 'new model', he means to say it is something that FlightFactor have never done before - a brand new aircraft type.

'We are building it from scratch and combining all the knowledge and technology we have accumulated over the years. We are aiming, as usual, to beat the industry standard for in-depth simulation of an aircraft and to bring new ideas into the sim.'

The group are still too early in the development process to share any further information or previews.

Boeing 777 Ramzzess

The developer finished with a short piece on how, through real-world aviation, the team plans on making their aircraft more realistic. Both FlightFactor co-founders - Roman and Philipp - hold their PPLs and Philipp is working towards an ATPL.

See the source post for this article on the X-Plane.org Forum.

After not using X-Plane for several years, I’m back trying to re-learn and learn more. My focus when I last used it was on the Ramzzess Boeing 777. I started off with that again but now have diverged to the Cessna 172 (the X-Plane supplied one, not a purchased one) and using a service called PilotEdge which provides radio communications within a limited area of southern California and Nevada. There is a map here, showing the area. There is also an expanded area that you can see on the same map. The basic service area is a hefty $20 a month. The expanded area which they call the Western Expansion Area goes as far north as Spokane, Washington and as far east as Denver, Colorado.

Ramzzess Boeing 777 Jet

Flying the Cessna 172 has been a lot of fun and I’m trying to re-learn and hone my skills. When I went out to Ann Arbor last August for my brother Pusstoe’s memorial service, Susan offered me any of his flight sim stuff. I took a CH Flight Sim Yoke and a Mad Catz F.L.Y.5 Flight Stick (joystick). I think there was a throttle console too and now I’m sorry I didn’t bring that back with me too. I’ve been making use of the yoke to fly the Cessna and I’ll try it on the Boeing 777 when I go back to it. Overall, it seems easier for flying a powered plane but my old Saitek AV8R is superior for flying gliders in Condor.

I’ve been doing a lot of touch and go landings and am trying to make them more precise, keeping my pattern withing a half mile of the runway. This is what is recommended for a light, slow moving aircraft. The faster the plane, the further you need your pattern from the runway.

I’ve been using an app called FltPlan Go on the ipad to help me keep my pattern with those parameters. I find the trim, which I have linked to one of the levers on the yoke, much too sensitive so I’m going to work on ameliorating that. Another thing that I’m working on ameliorating are the views that are very important for visual landings. As it is, I can only see the end of the runway flying base with great difficulty. By the time I see the runway end, I’ve almost always flown too far!

Here are some helpful resources I’ve found for the C-172.

• A quick reference for the GNS 430, the GPS navigation system found in the Cessna 172.
• This article was very helpful for learning to use the GNS 430, although the author doesn’t know very much about real world aviation. It’s still a very helpful article though.
• An AOPA Safety Advisory for Operations at Non-Towered Airports. This is important information for flying from many small airports with emphasis on communicating with CTAF to alert other pilots using the facility to your position and proper language for reporting your position and intentions.
• SkyVector online charts and maps are really nice!
• This Cessna Trim Wheel would be a great addition!