Microsoft Flight Simulator Handbook

by Jonathan M. Stern

Using Real Weather Pilot

On the other hand, if you want to enhance the realism of the Flight Simulator experience, consider Real Weather Pilot, a recent release from TekMate, Inc., that interfaces with computer-based weather reporting systems to provide you with a briefing of actual, real-time weather conditions and then programs these actual conditions into Flight Simulator. When first introduced. Real Weather Pilot worked with the FAA's DUATS computer, which is used by real pilots to obtain real time weather information. The FAA subsequently decided that it was not going to pay for non-pilots to use this system. Nonetheless, there are alternatives available for Flight Simulator pilots, including weather reporting capabilities through CompuServe. A program to automatically convert this CompuServe aviation weather report for use with RWP is available for downloading on CompuServe.

Figure 16.1 shows weather information obtained using Real Weather Pilot. The conditions can then be automatically loaded into Flight Simulator with one push of the Go Flying button.

Figure 16.1. Real Weather Pilot retrieves the actual weather from the computer, prepares written weather reports and forecasts like that shown here, and programs these actual weather conditions into Flight Simulator.

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