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Aircraft Review : Aero Boero AB-115 by Dreamfoil-Creations


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Aircraft Review : Aero Boero AB-115 by Dreamfoil-Creations

 

Route : KLAL - Lakeland Linden Regional : Circuits

 

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The Aero Boero AB-115 is a basic two seat trainer from Argentina and was exported to Brazil. It was developed and refined from the AB-95 with a more powerful engine and improved aerodynamics. Specific differences included wheel spats, a redesigned engine cowling molded of fiberglass, and aluminum ailerons and flaps. This is the trainer version, the most common variant and it contains two seats in a tandem configuration, with the pilot-flying/student pilot in the front seat, Both the instructor and the student are connected together by a very simple cable arrangement between the left side mounted throttles, rudder pedals and the control sticks. (The rear stick and the throttle lever can be disassembled when carrying passenger(s)).

 

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It is a simple but clever arrangement and Dreamfoil has done a very good job of replicating the system. In fact the whole design is very well done. This is a basic utility aircraft and nothing more than that. so instrument wise you are not going to get a very complicated aircraft. On the panel the flight instruments are an airspeed indicator, altimeter, VSI a turn coordinator, and a magnetic compass. With the engine instruments are a tachometer, oil pressure and oil temperature indicators, and an ammeter. The panel includes one Bendix/King VHF radio and one Bendix/King transponder. As noted the throttle handles sticking out of the side panel are very well done, as is the Flap handle located high on the left with four flap positions (neutral, 15°, 30° and 45°).

 

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Detailing is excellent as well, The two sets of headphones and the red fire extinguisher, I'm not sure about compass on the windshield though. 

 

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The AB-115 is powered by a Lycoming O-235-C2A air-cooled engine, which is rated at 115 hp (85.8 kW) and drives a Sensenich Propeller model 72 CK-050, metallic fixed-pitch twin-bladed propeller. The fuel system uses a FACET MA 3PA carburetor, equipped with carburetor heat. Electrical power is supplied by a Prestolite alternator. The ignition system is driven by dual Bendix Scintilla S5LN magnetos; the starter motor is also by Prestolite. The engine incorporates a wet crankcase, and the lubricant is cooled by an oil radiator in the front of the engine's air intake of which is triggered by a bi-metallic thermostatic valve.

 

Utlity aircraft are hard to do, no matter how good you are at modeling they can still look flat. Your best aim is to do the details very well and that is what Dreamfoil has done here. The AB-115 is a high-wing monoplane with strut-braced rectangular wings. The wing, the fuselage and empennage members are made of fabric-covered welded steel tubes. The ailerons and flaps are made of aluminum alloy, while the rudder and elevators are made of steel tubes and fabric. The aircraft detailing is excellent with great sets of wires and showing the tube based construction. main gear is fixed to the fuselage at three points - two articulated joints, plus one shock absorber. The wheels are made of aluminum alloy and magnesium, and are equipped with independent hydraulic-actuated brakes. In all areas these items are well covered and created by Dreamfoil. With excellent detailing around the rear wheel and the brake system on the front wheels. The maximum fuel capacity is 115 liters, with 110 liters usable. And you can fill the tanks (on the top of wing) by pressing Shift + 4. The aircraft comes with the Geforce head view simulation feature. This feature will follow the real characteristics of human head behavior.

 

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The AB-115 is a trainer...  period. If you can't fly this aircraft then give up your flying career and do something else. It is a very simple aircraft to fly and manoeuvre. Nothing is going surprise you here. It does everything in a very stable manner, and that makes it great for learning or practising the basics...  The Aero Boero is really in a sense a more modern metal Tiger Moth. In the air it will turn, slip, climb descend in an very orderly manner, the flaps give a bit of drag (45º is severe) on landing but nothing to worry you. In the flare it will glide or land on your whim. Just watch the brakes until you have lost enough speed and the rear wheel is firmly planted on the ground or you tip you forwards head over heels. On the ground the AB-115 is a tail-dragger, and that can mean it can be hard to steer. But I found it quite easy with the rudder if you control the speed correctly.

 

The aircraft was produced between July 1969 and January 1973 (First flight March 1969) and 45 were built.

 

Performance - Maximum speed: 220 km/h (119 knots, 137 mph) at sea level, Cruise speed: 145 km/h (75 knots, 90 mph) (normal cruise), Stall speed: 68 km/h (36 knots, 42 mph) (with full flaps - 45°), Range: 648 km (349 NM, 400 SM), Service ceiling: 2440 m (8000 ft), Rate of climb: 2.44 m/s (480 ft/min) (at 70 mph).

 

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There is a menu system available by pressing the centre of the top of the panel. Included is: An adjustment of the sound (Dreamfoil pioneered the DreamEngine sounds, and they are all very good here), FOV a point of view that allows you to change the angle (field) of your view and a smart view menu that gives you custom views.  At the top of the menu circle is an easy way to change the liveries.

 

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The seven Included liveries are with a paint white:

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Conclusions

The AB-115 is a basic trainer pure and simple. Great and very easy to fly, you can fly around all day and enjoy the scenery or practice your runway touch and goes with ease. Dreamfoil makes quality aircraft and the AB-115 is no exception. In every area it is very good (sounds are the stand out feature with 70 custom sounds). Mostly it is the best fun you can have in the rear seat of a tandem trainer (Leaving the front pilot in the seat as a feature, maybe a great idea?) and flying from this perspective is the best way to learn. Overall and all-round the Aero Boero AB-115 is very good.

 

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Yes! the Aero Boero AB-115 by Dreamfoil-Creations is now Available from the X-Plane.OrgStore : Aero Boero AB-115

 

Price is  US$19.95

 

Installation : Download is 170.80mb, and installation size in your aircraft folder is 234.50mb. Unzip and deposit in your General Aviation Folder

 

Documentation : Manual (10 Pages)

 

Developers Site :  dreamfoil-creations

Review By Stephen Dutton

 

8th February 2014

 

©copyright 2014 : X-Plane Reviews

 

Technical Requirements:

Windows , MAC OS 10.7 (or higher) or Linux

X-Plane 10.20+ - 32 and 64 bit compatible - Not compatible with X-Plane 9

4GB RAM/1GB VRAM - 250MB HD

Version 1 (last updated Feb 5th ,2014)

 

Review System Specifications:

Computer System:     

- 2.66 Ghz Intel Core i5 iMac 27”

- 6 Gb 1067 Mhz DDR3

- ATI Radeon HD 4850 512mb

Software:     

- Mac OS Mavericks 10.9

- X-Plane 10 Global ver 10.25 (final)

Addons

- Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle

Scenery

KLAL - Lakeland Linden Regional  - Drankum (KLAL - Lakeland Linder Regional Airport 1.3)

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