Pilot Products

Flight simulator

Microsoft's Flight Simulator just keeps getting better and better, or does it? The company sent us a copy of Flight Simulator for Windows 95 to play with. As soon as it was up and running, which took only minutes, a crowd gathered. Admittedly, it was a tough crowd, since it is easy to gather pilots of all experience levels in a short time at AOPA headquarters.

One pilot at AOPA thought that the realism could be improved but said that he would put a copy in every flight school to demonstrate basic concepts of aircraft control, such as how the airspeed varies with pitch attitude. "One of the nice features about the program is that you can view the aircraft from an outside perspective," the pilot said.

The majority opinion was that the program is very good entertainment, although too unrealistic to use for practice and improvement by other than student pilots. Ground representation tends to twinkle like a shimmering sea rather than terra firma. There are more aircraft than in previous versions, including a Boeing 737 and an Extra 300L high-performance aerobatic aircraft. None of the aircraft seem capable of entering a spin, although a good imitation can be done by flying a downward spiral.

The game has benefited greatly from Microsoft's partnership with FlightSafety International, which contributed flight training expertise. A very realistic instructor voice has been added to help first-timers through the maneuvers. That is a real advance in the Flight Simulator game, although the cyberinstructor seems a bit grouchy at times.

A nonpilot took her first flight lesson as provided for by the game. She was doing quite well until the little instructor inside the computer announced in a patronizing tone that, "Apparently you don't want to fly the pattern today." No one (in the computer) had told her what a pattern was. The flight was abruptly canceled by the software as her punishment. That did it: Our student wanted nothing further to do with Flight Simulator and relinquished the controls.

Pilots particularly liked to see if they could land on an aircraft carrier, and all of them enjoyed the realistic crash scenes, some of them grinning maniacally as they intentionally spiked a Learjet into the deck. But it has a long way to go before it lives up to the slogan printed in the press release: "As real as it gets!" System requirements include a 486DX/66 or higher processor, Windows 95, 8 megabytes of RAM, 40 megabytes of hard disk space, VGA or better monitor with 256 colors, a CD-ROM drive, a mouse, an audio board, and a joystick — either a SideWinder 3D or Flight Yoke is recommended. Available for $59.95 from most computer and software stores. — Alton K. Marsh

Phoenix data exchange

If you've ever shopped for an aircraft, you know that it can be tough to find exactly what you want. AOPA had a tough time last fall trying to find a Piper Arrow to refurbish into the Ultimate Arrow 1997 sweepstakes airplane. Had we known about Phoenix Data Exchange, it may have made life a little easier.

Phoenix Data Exchange is a fax-on-demand service that will help you to locate the desired aircraft based on information that you provide. Sellers can post an airplane for sale on PDE for a minimum of 15 days at a rate of $3 per day. According to PDE officials, about 10 to 20 percent of all aircraft for sale are registered into the database. For example, if you're looking for a fixed-gear, single-engine Cessna or Piper with four seats, PDE will quickly fax you a listing of available aircraft meeting those criteria. All you pay for is the long-distance phone call.

We set our sights on a rare model — a normally aspirated 1977 or 1978 Piper Arrow III. We had already purchased the airplane when we tried PDE, but we knew from experience that it would be a challenging one to find. We called 301/229-3600 and requested written instructions via our fax machine. After quickly jogging through the instructions that PDE faxed, we began the search for the Arrow. The system prompts you through its entry requirements and gives you opportunities to repeat selections in the event of information overload.

From a listing of more than 1,000 aircraft, PDE will gradually hack away at the list as you answer a series of questions. We went through the Custom listing, where the system asked us if we wanted: Piston power? Which manufacturer? Which model? Gear type? Turbocharging? Number of engines? Pressurization? And, finally, number of seats? After we entered each bit of information, the list was quickly chopped down to a workable number.

What did we end up with? In the first fax of nine airplanes, we didn't find what we wanted, but a fax that followed 20 minutes later contained one 1977 Arrow III. Our lists consisted of 20 Piper Arrows, ranging from a 1968 model to four 1996 versions that were going for around $230,000 each. What's important, though, is that the system works; it's easy, fast, and inexpensive. So if flipping through the pages of Trade-A-Plane doesn't turn you on, try calling PDE at 301/229-3600. — Peter A. Bedell

Pelican lights

Gulf Atlantic Aviation recently sent to AOPA Pilot a few clever flashlight offerings made by Pelican Products Inc., which has a rather extensive line of lighting products. We tried a few in the cockpit and around the aircraft and found them to be extremely powerful for small-battery flashlights.

In a crude head-to-head comparison between the Pelican SuperDuper MityLite and the venerable Mini-Maglite, we found the Pelican to be brighter and a little lighter in weight, although its case size was slightly larger. The Pelican beams are bright, focused, and concentrated on a small area. The Pelican light does not have a focusing beam like that of the Maglite, which can be a handy feature in the cockpit to provide a wider but dimmer beam of light.

The tiny MityLite, which is powered by two AAA batteries, is a good pocket-sized light but won't be much help in checking for ice out on the wingtips. For that task, Pelican's StealthLite, powered by four AA batteries, proved plenty powerful with new alkaline batteries that are included.

Pelican's VersaBrite and VersaBrite II are clever little lights that can clip onto a visor of a baseball cap or any thin part of a cockpit, such as a sun visor. With its fully articulating head, the VersaBrite can be aimed at just about anything for hands-free lighting. For in-cockpit purposes, Pelican includes a red lens to lessen the loss of night vision. Among other neat gizmos that increase the utility of the Pelican lights is the light bender, a periscope-like proboscis that attaches to the tiny MityLite and makes a great tool for a mechanic to use in probing inspection areas.

In our best imitation of the television commercial with the gorilla roughing up American Tourister luggage, we were unable to break the Pelican SuperDuper MityLite. Simple drop tests were followed by all-out throws into the ground, followed by running over it with a car. Aside from some cosmetic scratches, the light still functioned perfectly. All Pelican lights come with a lifetime guarantee that covers most day-to-day disasters but "does not cover sharkbite, bear attack, or children under 5." Pelican lights come in many colors, and the fluorescent ones allow for easy retrieval in low-light conditions, unlike all-black flashlights. Prices range from $13 to $79. For more information, contact Pelican Products at 23215 Early Avenue, Torrance, California 90505; telephone 800/473-5422 or, in California, call 310/326-4700. — PAB

Secure wings

A new security system designed to protect both an aircraft and the expensive avionics that it contains is now available from Secure Wings, Inc. of Kennesaw, Georgia. Using what Secure Wings calls supervised wireless technology, a battery-operated transmitter mounted in the aircraft sends signals to a base station on the airport. If the aircraft (or your hangar, depending upon the installation) is disturbed, the base station will activate an alarm on the field and inform Secure Wings' central monitoring station. A dispatcher there will call the police and airport authorities.

The basic aircraft kit — which consists of door switches wired into the aircraft — costs $295 and adds less than one pound to the aircraft's weight. Another kit, costing $395, adds a motion detector utilizing both microwave and passive infrared sensors; this kit could be wired into an individual aircraft or a community hangar. Both kits use handheld wireless keys for entry, just as in many automobiles, and are FAA approved (no STC is required). The monthly service fee for either kit is $25.

Secure Wings will provide a base station when a minimum of 40 aircraft at a location subscribe to the service. In many cases, one base station could cover several FBOs, or even an entire airport. A base station can monitor up to 250 aircraft.

For more information, write Secure Wings, Inc. at 1723 McCollum Parkway, Kennesaw, Georgia 30144; telephone 800/929-4647 or 770/437-1219. — Michael P. Collins

Briefly Noted

FlyWrite Systems of Eugene, Oregon, has introduced the Pilot Logbook and Journal, a logbook that looks more like a diary than a logbook and might be just the ticket for the nostalgic flyer. There is plenty of room to write a journal of the trip, record expenses, and make a note of the weather at the destination and en route. The idea is to preserve flying memories with a logbook that tells the story rather than simply recording the numbers. The price is $24.95 plus $3.75 for shipping. Write to FlyWrite Systems, Post Office Box 5765, Eugene, Oregon 97405 or telephone 541/687-0907. — AKM

Boundary Layer Research has received certification of its aft body strakes for the Beech Duke. The strakes are designed to improve directional stability, reduce aft body drag, and reduce Dutch roll oscillations. BLR's Bob Desroche says that the strakes "improve ride comfort at cruise speed and provide a more solid feel at low speed." He also notes that the addition of the strakes reduced VMC by 2 knots. The $2,750 kit is among a series of mods available for the Duke. Vortex generators and winglets are currently available while BLR's speed cowls, and wet wingtip tanks are in the development stages. The wet tips will also be available for Beech Barons and will add an extra 30 gallons of fuel. For information, call BLR at 800/257-4847. — PAB

Sporty's Pilot Shop has developed the JD-100, a handheld receiver/scanner that receives civil aviation and communication frequencies, as well as 7,200 UHF military communication frequencies. It can store 20 frequencies in memory for scanning. The radio will be available in May 1997 for $150. For more information, call 800/543-8633 or 513/735-9000. — AKM

Unless otherwise stated, products listed herein have not been evaluated by AOPA Pilot editors. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors. However, members unable to get satisfaction regarding products listed should advise AOPA. To submit products for evaluation, contact: New Products Editor, AOPA Pilot, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701; telephone 301/695-2350.