Aircraft update : Embraer ERJ 195LR v1.3 by X-Crafts

[Stephen]

Aircraft update : Embraer ERJ 195LR v1.3 by X-Crafts

 

This is the second update to the ERJ 195LR to v1.3 with the earlier v1.2 () that was done in late Nov 2014. So first here is the update list.

 

v1.3 update changelog

 

- New SASL integrated plug-in

- New GPU with cutom sound (Brakes must be set for the GPU to work!)

- This plane is now X-FMC, UFMC compatible

- New Pop-up menu for controlling the doors, ground objects and GPU

- New MUCH more realistic wingflex

- Static objects now disappear immediately after releasing the brakes - No more pushback with static objects 

- When loading the plane APU, landing and taxi lights are off now

- Push HDG knob to sync heading

- EFIS DME added to PFD

- Wind indicator added to MFD

- Snap sound caused by looping of the engine sound removed

- APU sound is not so loud anymore 

- TOGA added to the throttle lever

- Minus added to V/S dial

- Plane now loads with APU, landing and taxi lights off

- Cockpit objects is dim LIT

- Strobe light intensity increased

- Nav lights intensity increased

- New OBS indicator

- Transition speed between slow and fast nosewheel steering changed to 25kts

- Flight director cues added to PFD

- Seatbelt and no smoking sound working again in 3D cokcpit

- Anti-Ice synoptic is working

- Electric synoptic page showing the GPU now

- GPU annunciator added to overhead panel

 

There is a lot of updates in v1.3 and all of them are very good. So I flew the ERJ 195LR on my usual VA (Virgin Australia) Queensland coast route from YBBN (Brisbane) to Townsville (YBTL) to feel out the new changes.

 

 

Biggest change here is the addition of a side window tab menu for opening doors and adding static elements. There is also a great GPU (Ground Power Unit) that can now be placed on the same menu.

 

 

It shows the connection on the "electrics" MFD menu, but it is not lit when not used nor can be switched off on the overhead panel?  But the GPU sounds very good when running.

 

When you load the aircraft now the aircraft's lights in the landing and taxi lights are off, as is the internal APU. But move the aircraft to the gate and you are back where you started?  This may work for you or against you.

 

 

The FMC is the standard X-Plane basic with a fancy screen. It pops up via pressing the pop up menu on the left of the panel or by pressing the face of the 3d version.

 

 

The 3d cockpit FMS can't be interacted with either so it is blank to use...  However now you can now use X-FMC or UFMC to get around using a decent FMC on the aircraft. A welcome addition there.

 

 

There is no doubt about the modeling here as the X-Craft ERJ195LR looks great in any light, expertly modelled it looks impressive in any light or viewpoint.  You have to watch your speeding when taxiing as the front wheels now will adjust at 25knt for fast or slow movement. I found that fine but found when taxiing you had to power up and then power down the throttle all the time to keep a consistent speed. However it does sound great at the different power levels when you do this.

 

 

Powerup down the runway and you tightly keep the aircraft centered, once climbing and turning away from the runway you will need a (very) steady hand and very smooth transitions to keep the correct turn radius and vertical speed. Make no doubt the aircraft is very good when hand flying and with pure airmanship...  but it doesn't like anything in the slightest in quick changes or to note it is very sensitive out of its defined tight parameters. let the joystick/yoke in the slightest a given movement and the vertical speed will drop significantly and so will the speed sometimes. Click on the Autopitot (AP) and it comes on in bad "thunk" and no A/P actions (heading, altitude or speed) are yet selected, and the transition from manual to AP settings has to be very smooth to not get any -/+ in the vertical speed.

 

 

Wingflex has been updated and is very good now and the whole aircraft has now a new SASL plug-in for better functionality.

 

 

Nice touches include HDG knob will now sync to the heading, and flight director cues are in the PRD. The wind indicator has been added as well.

 

 

Internal lighting has been tweaked and looks great. I found just the right combination of lighting settings to get the best view outside and the right amount of non-panel glare and still have good functionality behind the controls and a clear view out of the aircraft.

 

 

One thing I found even more annoying this flight was the "altitude" ALT manipulator!  It drove me to distraction...  in just wanting to change different altitudes.

 

 

You have scroll it literally all over the screen to get the altitude to your new setting, and I have a 27" screen! So going from 7500ft transition altitude to cruise altitude at FL320 and you can take ages and ages scrolling around your monitor screen, doing only 2000ft changes at one loooong scroll? Changing height from 9000ft to 5500ft at my insertion point was crazy in that to get the aircraft to lose altitude I had to start by scrolling a few thousand feet and then go setting the V/S to start the loss of altitude...  then go back to the scrolling to finally set the correct altitude to meet my next altitude fix in time, this was for only 3500ft in altitude change? The Speed manipulator works fine in a half-moon -/+ without moving anywhere but just needing in keeping your finger down on the mouse button, to easy? The heading uses the same manipulator as the altitude, fine to a point as you don't have to move the heading to far, but it is a bit too loose and you always find yourself over correcting the heading?  In a busy cockpit the ALT selection it is just simply a pain...

 

Approach to Runway 01 at Townsville (YBTL) is a bit of a challenge. In the day it is as hard as it needs to be because you have to thread the aircraft between two mountain ranges (In an Australian way it is called "Going in by the backdoor!") You have almost a long curve in a RNAV approach around both the huge Mt Elliot and the smaller Mt Stuart on your right side to get down to the Townsville basin and then head back out to the coast for the airport...  on your left however is another range that includes Frederick Peak and you are going to do this approach at dusk.

 

All the lighting has been improved on the 1.3 version and it shows. Every lighting component looks pretty well perfect from the Nav, Beacon and excellent double lit Strobe lighting.

 

Landing and taxi lighting has also been improved and it is all far better than the small dot lighting that usually comes with most X-Plane aircraft these days. The aircraft is however very speed sensitive...

 

If you don't get your speed exactly right the aircraft will give you a - minus deflection of altitude or a + positive change of altitude. This is very critical at flap (speed) changes, you need to know your numbers (speed) perfectly and hit them just right and at the right time. Hit the money and you get that perfect transition from altitude to the runway. Get it wrong and you will mess it right up and the aircraft will be pitching up and down like a horse bowing its head wanting a good feed. maybe the aircraft is just a little too sensitive for these changes? because as noted in the climb in a manual takeoff, you have to be a little bit too perfect with no room for error?

 

 

Final approach and you can enjoy the moment of control at touch down. I found that I could not "arm" the spoilers? but frantically clicked them up manually on touchdown, the reversers work well with a click to open the doors and full throttle to slow the aircraft. Touchdown speed was a low 143knts at a "full" Flap.

 

A note in that version 1.3 will not be available for X-Plane9 users and there will be no future updates for that platform from now on either. The X-Crafts ERJ 195LR 1.2 for X-Plane9 is still available from the X-Plane.orgStore on demand.

 

Summary

Before this update the ERJ 195LR was a great aircraft. Version 1.3 does add in more features and many new refinements. So yes this is a significant upgrade. But there are a few items that need a bit more refining and as the aircraft gets better and higher in quality they stand out more than before. Overall the aircraft's handling is very good. But a little too sensitive, and get it wrong and you will easily lose 1000ft or so in altitude and then a quick positive pitch up to correct it? It can do this same behaviour in tight turns as well.

 

This flight showed up the ALT manipulator as a problem for me (In a former flight I was scrolling so hard I was setting off buttons all over the cockpit and popping out panels!) and the FMC needs a bit more work, and if you could even make the 3d cockpit version more accessible, it would still be far better even if you can't have the real thing.

 

But the positives are really good, great lighting, excellent sounds, great features, great new menu, far more functionality and you still have have access to all those great liveries. So this Embraer does just get better and better. I really love the aircraft and it is one of the best in this category of this type and overall it is brilliant value as well.

 

Yes! the Embraer ERJ 195 LR by X-Crafts is now available from the NEW! X-Plane.Org Store here : Embraer ERJ-195LR

 

Price is US$19.95

 

Installation : Download is 395.30 mb which is unzipped to your X-Plane in your regional Jet folder (if you have one or "Heavy Aircraft") at 839.10mb with the extra liveries loaded.

If you have already purchased the ERJ 195LR from X-Crafts then go to your X-Plane.orgStore account and sign in to upgrade to v1.3.

 

Support Thread : ERJ-195 by X-Crafts

 

Requirements:

Windows, MAC or Linux. 

X-Plane 10.30 or higher - 32 and 64 bit compatible.  X-Plane 9.70 or higher

4Gb RAM - 1Gb VRAM

Current version: 1.3 (last updated February 20th 2015). For X-Plane 9, the version is 1.2 and will no longer be updated.

Update Review by Stephen Dutton

 

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