HiFi SimTech has today released their highly anticipated Active Sky XP. The new edition of the popular weather engine is the first from the company for the X-Plane platform. HiFi have taken all the best bits from their weather engine for Prepar3D and designed a feature rich add-on for X-Plane users. This includes their active air effects, high-performance weather depiction and surface crosswind attenuation.
If you’re not familiar with what Active Sky is, it’s the platform used by HiFi SimTech to deliver realistic and powerful weather data to flight simulators. The same technology found in the FSX/Prepar3D version is also found in the X-Plane, but it has been designed and built for the Laminar Research simulator. The technology allows for advanced weather synthesis and interpolation, high-resolution global winds aloft, realistic air and atmosphere effects and much more.
Despite the range of features, HiFi SimTech has been open about some of the limitations the product currently has. For example, there will be no complete visual replacement for cloud rendering. This is expected in Q4 2019, but subject to change. However, ASPX will feature an optional high-performance cloud texture replacement from a simple installation wizard. It’s also important to note that Mac, Linux and 32-bit X-Plane/Windows versions are not supported.
If you’re keen to buy Active Sky XP (ASXP), then you can from a range of official resellers such as SimMarket and Just Flight. More to be added soon.
Features
Active Air Effects
Replaces internal X-Plane turbulence and air effects, providing enhanced turbulence, drafts, thermals, terrain-based wind effects, surface friction, gusts, variability, wake turbulence, microbursts and more
High-Performance Weather Depiction
Uses internal X-Plane 11.2x/11.3x cloud depiction for maximum performance and smoothness, with multiple weather depiction modes including theme cell “real weather” mode and global static mode – VR compatible and optimized!
Active Sky Weather Engine
An evolved version of the Active Sky platform brings the core features that made Active Sky the leading weather engine for other platforms: Advanced weather synthesis and interpolation, high-resolution global winds aloft, realistic air and atmosphere effects, a comprehensive weather data network, integrated visual mapping and planning, and much, much more
Voice Weather Delivery
Active Sky ATIS and Flightwatch are available at any time by listening on 122.00, 122.02 or 122.03 for closest station, actual/current interpolated conditions and destination weather reports, respectively
Surface Crosswind Attenuation
Optional, for better ground handling in crosswind conditions while preserving headwind/tailwind component for performance accuracy
Mobile Companion App
Use any device/browser to connect with Active Sky over your network and view and control the weather
