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First Class Simulations publishes CoPilot V3

Oxfordshire, May 3rd 2006

Product: CoPilot V3
Developer: Abacus
Genre: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 Add-on
Format: PC CD
Release May 26th 2006
SRP: £19.99
Territory: UK, Scandinavia & Germany
Barcode: 5060020472282

Developed by Abacus in the US, CoPilot V3 has been distilled from ten years worth of development, sales in excess of 60,000 units plus the accolade of being considered a Microsoft Flight Simulator "must-have" add-on.

First developed for Flight Simulator 95, the product presented a simple way for flight sim enthusiasts to create flight plans and produce airport diagrams and instrument approach plates. Later on, the development team added one of the first flight sim GPS instruments, a clever device which follows CoPilot's flight plan, locks onto the autopilot and provides the flyer with a new and easy way to navigate to his destination.

2006 sees a completely revamped and updated version of this flight simmers' classic. Being fully compatible with FS2004's large database of airports and navaids, CoPilot V3 sports a fantastic point-and-click flight planner, a much simplified GPS with enhanced autopilot control, a convenient moving map plus it prints complete airport diagrams and instrument approach plates.

The following list of features further endorses just why the CoPilot franchise has been one of the world's best-selling Flight Simulator add-ons:

Point and Click Flight Planning

CoPilot V3 automates your planning. Use point and click to choose your destination. CoPilot V3 finds the waypoints, specifies compass headings, calculates the distances. It's also ready to be used with CoPilot V3's new GPS Instrument.

Works with most add-on sceneries

CoPilot V3 uses the information from your Microsoft Flight Simulator scenery files. This means that your planning is customized for your particular setup for virtually all of the scenery add-on packages you may install. If you install another scenery, you can quickly include the new areas and CoPilot V3 will recognize the new airports, runways, navigation aids and frequencies.

Printed Maps, Charts and Approach Plates

CoPilot V3 allows you to print your own tailor made "Airman's Guide" through its chart printing facility. You can print your entire flight plan and aeronautical maps for your reference. For arrival, CoPilot V3 prints full-page airport diagrams. And for flying in the clouds or in bad weather, CoPilot V3 prints the instrument approach plates and other pertinent airport data including glide slopes and ILS frequencies. CoPilot V3's flexible and convenient printing capabilities are equivalent to hundreds of dollars worth of flight charts and because CoPilot V3 works with all of your add-on scenery, your charts will reflect your exact Flight Simulator setup.

Airport Diagrams

With CoPilot V3, you'll know ahead of time how your destination airport is laid out. No longer will you have to guess about the orientation of the runways. After all, a missed approach burns up expensive fuel. CoPilot V3 lets you publish your own personalized "Airport Guide" customized for your Flight Simulator setup and scenery add-ons.

Instrument Approach Plates


For making those ILS landings, you'll want to have all of the approach information ahead of time - before you have to use it. CoPilot V3 prints high quality instrument approach plates for any ILS approach in your scenery files - complete with glide slope, frequencies and more.

GPS and Moving Map


CoPilot V3 also features a Global Positioning System (GPS) instrument. The GPS receiver "talks" to Flight Simulator and lets you navigate effortlessly no matter where you want to fly. Simply select your destination and the GPS tells you how to get there! This means no more cumbersome VOR frequencies to dial in and no more OBS settings to worry about. What's more, your CoPilot V3 flight plans are ready-to-use with the GPS. The GPS received also drives the moving map so you can see your track and position.
· The GPS is fully compatible with just about any 3D Video cards - even those that run in full-screen only mode.
· The GPS is completely resizable and movable and can be tucked into a small corner of your instrument panel.
· CoPilot V3 lets you use the airports and navaids from all of your add-on sceneries so you never have to update a separate database.
· The GPS connects to your aircraft's Autopilot. Clicking on the Autopilot on/off switch automatically sets the heading for any aircraft that uses the autopilot.

CoPilot V3 will be available from May 26th 2006.

First Class Simulations
PO Box 586
Banbury
Oxfordshire
OX16 6BY
United Kingdom

Tel: 01869 338428
Fax: 0870 132 1026

For box art, screen shots and product information, please go to:
http://www.contactsales.co.uk/CoPilotV3.htm

For press enquiries, contact Richard Barclay on 01869 338428 or richardb@firstclass-simulations.com

For publishing and distribution enquiries contact Robert Stallibrass on 01869 338428 or roberts@contact-sales.co.uk

About First Class Simulations

First Class Simulations is a dedicated publisher of add-ons for Microsoft Flight and Train simulation products. The company is a division of Contact Sales Limited.

About Abacus

Abacus is a publisher of quality software and computer books. The company has been developing and publishing software for the home consumer since 1978 making it one of the pioneers in the personal computer industry. The company is one of the world's leading developers of train and flight simulation add-ons. For more information, please go to: http://www.abacuspub.com

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