Global Vectors, and Global openLC North America. I will explain the pros and cons and the price. Let’ s start with Global Base, the engine that drives them all. FTX Global base is a total upgrade of the stock textures in FSX and P3D. In addition to ground textures, you get new autogen buildings, meaning that you get 3D buildings that are varied and somewhat match what you would see in the real world. You get 3D night lighting with low to no FPS Impact, and you get textures for all 4 seasons and a hard winter texture set. FTX Global Base does not significantly impact FPS or VAS, but it comes in at a hefty $ 75 US. The next step up is ORBX FTX Global Vectors. You must already have purchased Global Base to use this product($ 75) prior to installing Vectors. With FTX Global Vectors you will get a further upgrade including: accurate coastlines, rivers, and lakes; motorways, freeways, with moving traffic; golf courses, city parks, and forest, as well as power lines, corrected airport elevations for all default airports, and port and dock concrete textures. For rural and midsized cities, the FPS hits is small, but in big cities like New York and D. C., the FPS hit can bring you to a literal standstill, unless you do some fancy adjustments to the settings. Add an additional $ 60 US for this little beauty. The Latest product is FTX Global openLC Europe and North America. I will be reviewing the openLC North America here. Again you must already have Global Base($ 75) and it helps to have Vectors as well($ 60). With openLC, you get a hand crafted land class for 24 million sq. km, to include all of the US, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Greenland and Hawaii. Improved 5 seasons support, new night lighting for major cities( FPS Killer), accurate cities and towns, and some photoreal volcanoes in Mexico and Nicaragua. This product weighs

12 | FlyUAA | www. FlyUAA. org | September Issue