(for best results, load into Notepad and activate Wordwrap)
RAROTONGA - COOK ISLANDS VERSION 6
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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 [and 2000]
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Copyright (c) : Frank Foreman, Carmarthen, UK
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16th January 2003
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This is my latest version of Rarotonga to replace and enhance the base scenery of FS2002 for the entire island. It is also compatible with FS2000, but any previous versions must first be removed from your system completely.
I have completely redesigned this version of Rarotonga mainly to enhance the basic scenery that comes with Microsoft Flight Simulator to show as far as possible a little more accurate detail. However, I have taken somewhat of a small liberty with the airport buildings and facilities etc., to make the area visibly a little more interesting for FlightSimmers, although quite a number of features are indeed correct. Scenery items are quite extensive at the airport and some further items can be found around the island.
Rarotonga is the main island in the group of Cook Islands in the South Pacific. It is situated at approximately Latitude 21 degrees 12 minutes South and Longitude 159 degrees 48 minutes West. This island, which is a dependent of New Zealand, is a convenient stop over on flights from New Zealand or Australia to Tahiti, Hawaii or the Americas. Many tourists choose this remote island because it is very peaceful and still relatively untouched by tourism.
This small scenery area is produced free for the enjoyment of all who fly with Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2002 or 2000. It can be freely distributed to anyone and can be unloaded to any BBS, FTP or Compuserve library in its zip form, which includes this file.
The correct navigation frequencies are the true values, available in FS2002 and FS2000 :
VOR : Rarotonga Airport 113.5
NDB (ADF) : Rarotonga Airport 352
ILS : Runway 8 (076) 109.9 Runway 26 (256) 110.3
Fuel available.
Outer markers sound at 6.8 nm from touchdown. No Middle or Inner markers.
The following files are included in this package :
GENERAL INFORMATION :
File_ID.diz The Basic identification file.
ReadMe.1st This information file in plain text, suitable for Notepad.
ReadMe.doc This information file in Microsoft WORD.
Raro.gif A pictorial view.
SCENERY FILES :
Raro_1.bgl The Airport scenery files.
Raro_2.bgl The Runway, Scenery objects outside the airport, Navigation and an additional menu access point.
Raro_3.bgl The necessary exclude files and levelling files for the basic Microsoft scenery.
Raro_4.bgl Complete perimeter fencing - these fences are not visually as good as I would have liked. [This file can safely be omitted if desired].
Raro_5.bgl Groups of trees. [This file can again be safely omitted if desired].
Raro_6.bgl Some additional tree clusters/copses. [This file can again be safely omitted if desired].
TEXTURE FILES :
All these files are necessary for the scenery to show up properly.
PROCEDURE : [details are for FS2002, but the equivalent applies to FS2000]
After reading this file, all that is necessary is to unzip RARO2002.ZIP and copy the files into your FltSim2002 directories or folders. Personally, I have added a subfolder PACIFIC, under Flight Simulator 2002\Scenery, with separate SCENERY and TEXTURE subfolders, and inserted them there, together with others I have for this area, eg Tahiti, using the Scenery Library Manager in the menu bar.
ALL the *.BGL files are then copied to : Flight Simulator 2002\SCENERY\PACIFIC\SCENERY.
[the first three files are necessary; the latter three are discretionary].
The texture files are copied to : Flight Simulator 2002\SCENERY\PACIFIC\TEXTURE.
[you may already have some for other sceneries in your MAIN TEXTURE Folder. Naturally, you will not need these twice].
ACCESS :
Access to the Airport is via the "World", "Go to Airport" main menu in FS2002 and FS2000, as normal. However, I have also included RAROTONGA Airport Apron which can be accessed from the "World", "Go to Airport" main menu and then choosing "Scenery from FS95" and before. This is mainly for FS2000 users since access to the apron area for FS2002 is already incorporated in the main menu.
*** CROWDED APRON :
Please note that if you are flying a 747 or a 777, you should set your Scenery Complexity [in Settings/Display] to VERY DENSE. This is because there is a static 747 on the apron which is not in the way of smaller planes, but for larger planes [747 and 777] there is NOT the room for your aircraft AND the static 747. Setting the Scenery Complexity to Very Dense will eliminate the static 747 and give you room to manoevre your larger aircraft. ***
SMALL ANOMALIES IN MICROSOFT SCENERY DESIGN :
Please note that the small dynamic aircraft which takes off at dusk only, is a Microsoft design in the basic FS2002. This aircraft takes off from Runway 8 satisfactorily, but occasionally goes to take off from Runway 26 and then proceeds to do it off the runway!! - Microsoft error, not mine.
Similarly with another Microsoft design anomaly, the apron and turning lights show as lit in the daytime in FS2000. This does not occur in FS2002, when the lights appear only in the hours of darkness. [I could have avoided this by doing separate files for FS2000, but decided it wasn't worth it since the FS2002 files are compatible with FS2000 in every other respect].
Pascal Meziat and Charles Lange for AIRPORT, an excellent scenery designer.
Martin Wright for BMP2000, CONV_R8 and his FS2K Design Whitepaper.
Manfred Moldenhauer for his SCASM compiler to generate the BGL files and also for his program FSOFFS designed to take the heartache out of plotting points.
Numerous authors of textures and Macro API files used in this scenery design, in particular :
Rafael Garcia Sanchez
Luis Viera de Sa
Yousuke Taga
Tim Dickens
Christian Friedrich
Jeremiah Broughton
John de Langristin
and apologies to any I have omitted.
Please enjoy flying this scenery as much as I had from visiting this very pleasant island and subsequently designing this package.
