The Ultimate Hong Kong Simulation
for FS2002
By Terblanche Jordaan (3 September 2002) from Simflight.com
t was with
great anticipation that I awaited my CD of the Hong Kong scenery for
FS2002. FlightSoft's The Ultimate Hong Kong Simulation
includes video realistic scenery of the city and Kai Tak Airport
with its famous checkerboard approach. Areas included are Hong Kong
Island, Kowloon Peninsula and New Territories. Hundreds of buildings
are included plus many ships in and around the harbor.
The scenery installs very easily and soon I was into the cockpit of an SAA 747-200 for a trip around the islands surrounding Hong Kong.
We
all know that the old Kai Tak (VHHH) with its conspicuous IGS
approach for runway 13 is not in use anymore because they have moved
to the new Chek Lap Kok Airport. Built in the sea, where there only
used to be water, 747s now land on Chek Lap Kok's two parallel
runways. I have to say the default of the latter airport is nicer
than the one that comes with the CD (a matter of personal choice)....
The
scenery is spectacular .....focus on the incredible buildings and
signs above roads and buildings, you are amazed with all the detail.
The Kai Tak IGS runway 13 approach is a highlight of the scenery. It is a real challenge to land any aircraft on this approach and do not think that it is so much easier with a Cessna. You have to plan that right turn very carefully and obviously when you fly a 747 steel monster with a breeze from the sea, you have to be even more vigilant with everything you do from the moment you intercept the glideslope.
Once
you have managed to land (on the runway) be aware not to take any
taxiway that leads over a bridge because you will sink right through
it into that 'blue' water. The bridges are only part of the look of
realism and not to be used.
One thing I did miss was some airport activity because it is for sure very lonely to land at a airport that looks like the opening scene from Vanilla Sky - not a soul in sight.
But--and this is a very big but--the beauty of this scenery is the night textures. Well - you approach Kai Tak with some low visibility over the city and I tell you - your eyes pop right out onto the screen of your monitor because it is quite breathtaking. It looks and feels so real that you could smell those familiar Hong Kong aromas all the way down to the ground....
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Terblanche Jordaan