NEWS! - Aircraft Announcement : FlyJSim Q4XP (Dash Q400) Coming Soon!     FlyJsim have announced that their second total revision of the De Havilland Canada (DHC) DHC-8 Q400 series is on final for release. Their first Q400 for the X-Plane Simulator, now renamed the Q400 Legacy, was finalised over two years ago..  this the complete revisualization of the aircraft called the Q4XP is a masterwork in the wanting for regional propeller aircraft. Make no doubt, we expect a lot from this new development, but I am very sure that FlyJSim can deliver on it's promises...  the highlight of course will be the unique and the first for X-Plane, the Universal UNS-1Ew FMC unit, but expect also the depth of systems and cabin details as the FlyJSim 737 - Twin Jet that took features and detail to another level only a few years ago...  Details released are listed below; .    .    .   . Let’s start with the outside and work our way inwards. The Q400 Legacy has a reasonably well made exterior model when it was released, however as time has marched on its age has shown through. Working from this, it quickly became apparent that a completely new aircraft was in order. In fact, the only thing we kept in the end is the propellers model. The Q4XP that we will present soon is not a v2, but an entirely new aircraft, rebuilt and redesigned in totality. Briefly, here are some of the most important features in this aircraft:   External Details   The texturing takes advantage of X-Plane 11’s lighting model, using plenty of 4k texture maps to fill in a lot of details.     The propeller and spinner have been retextured, and additionally we have included engine intake covers and prop tie downs for those extended stays.     We have modeled the wing details to the extreme, flaps extend and retract, and there is even a jack screw moving if you care to look that close. Also included are inflating de-ice boots and, of course, wingflex.     The landing gear has about as much detail modeled as the rest of the exterior, giving it a strikingly sharp look.     The tail is included with its million and one rivets, and a shiny APU exhaust port.     We have included all the exterior lighting, this includes all your normal lighting, plus the logo light and wing inspection lights.     You may open all the doors, main cabin door, L2, R1, R2, and main cargo door. Following the airstair theme from the 732 we have included the airstairs for the rear boarding door, which is optional in real Q400.     A ground scene included that reveals the chocks, cones, and other items present when the aircraft is parked on the ramp. Also a GPU will appear for you.   10 liveries will be provided with the default aircraft, they are Air Baltic Air Canada Air Iceland Alaska Austrian Eurowings FlyBe Purple FlyBe White Horizon Porter Qantas WestJet Wideroe   We have teamed up with the most talented painters in the community to help bring to you a whole set of liveries to choose from come release time. We have already added over 20 additional liveries that will be available for download on release, with more being worked on every day.   Cabin On the Q400 Legacy, the cabin was more of an afterthought than a plan executed. This time we wanted to fully realize it so let's show you what we had executed for the Q4XP.     We now have a fully realized cabin interior complete with 78 seats and each overhead bin fully animated. You will note the inclusion of passenger signage over each seat.     The main cabin door can be opened from the inside as well as through the menu, with a fancy falling animation.     The Flight Attendant control panel allows you to adjust the cabin lighting as well as temperature settings     The cabin lighting includes fluorescent panels running along the windows and ceiling. Each cabin shade is adjustable and randomly positioned.     The forward cargo bay is included, with entry from inside the cabin or from the exterior.     The main cargo bay is fully modeled as well with its massive door.     And to top if off, you can forget to put the seat down.   Cockpit   The place you will spend most of your time is of course the cockpit, and we have given it the attention that it deserves. Just as with the exterior, we built the cockpit from scratch, using the most accurate dimension information available, as well as all our knowledge from previous developments poured in. What came out is a pure work of art; all textures are PBR, much of the surface detail hand crafted by our amazing texture artist. One major change over our previous work is how we implement our animations. You will see fluid movements throughout the cockpit and the rest of the plane. Just about everything and anything that can be animated, was animated. To highlight for you some major features:     The cockpit seats are just as detailed as in the original, but this time we added a few things extra, as well as moving arm rests.     Each EFIS display operates and is configurable like the real aircraft. We have the real fonts, and a better color palette. Even the correct bevel on the displays has been painstakingly modeled.     You will have a jumpseat, along with its own radio panel just in case your invisible friend shows up and wants to tag along.     We also saw fit to model the escape hatch, which can be opened up either just slightly, or all the way so you can get out.     The Q400 legacy had few lighting options, so this time we included all the lighting options. Everything from dome to storm and pane lighting, to reading lights, to map lights, to ice detection lights, and even breaker lights. We hope we can give you as good of a night flying experience as we have given you in the 732 and 727.   Wiper animations used to be the staple of what made a good flight sim product, so of course we had to add them in. They include a three speed switch, and we included the alternate wiper switch which turns on the pilot’s wiper independently of the knob on the overhead.     Sometimes we get feedback saying users couldn’t read the placards in the cockpits, due to low resolution. This time we have given each placard a texture just for them, so they are high resolution and readable at all times. Isn't technological advancement amazing!     The Breaker panels are modeled with all 360 breakers included, each with readable text.     Under the breaker panels are the avionics equipment bays, which house most of the avionics and electrical equipment and are fully modeled.     We also include items like the hatchet and fire extinguisher, which are modeled in detail. You will feel right at home here.   Systems We believe we have created one of the most detailed cockpits to come to flight sim. What really makes the cockpit and aircraft complete are the systems. We rebuilt the systems from scratch, continuing the high level of systems accuracy you have come to expect from our 727 and 737. Truly, the meat of the Q4XP is here, and we’d love to show it off to you.     The first step in modeling any aircraft’s systems correctly is the electrical system, and we have surely taken it to a new level. We have created a system that accounts for each battery, bus, bus connector, transformer, generator, and other electrical components. Each is connected and relays power as they should, and obviously not when they shouldn’t. This takes into account feeders vs distribution busses, and the breakers on them. The result is a system that properly simulates at any time various states the electrical system may be in, nominal or otherwise.     Similar in execution and just as important to the foundation of the plane is the hydraulics simulation. This as well was built from the ground up, accounting for all three hydraulic reservoirs, and all 4 hydraulic pumps, plus the PTU. Our hydraulic system faithfully and accurately simulates the Q400s hydraulics. You will also be able to operate the alternate landing gear extension, so get ready to pump.   Closely related to the hydraulic system are the flight controls. The Q400 has a hydraulic rudder, elevator, flaps, and spoilers, but the ailerons are good old fashioned cables. Naturally, the entire flight control system is faithfully and accurately modeled in the Q4XP. As a cable system, the ailerons have their own gust lock. Of special note, you will be able to use the pitch and roll disconnect, and the side of the cockpit you are flying from will change which yoke you are using. Everything is working just as you would expect.     As a propeller driven aircraft, the Q has its own unique power management settings that may not always translate well to your hardware. To this end, we have created an on screen visualization that appears on the bottom right of the screen to show you the positions of your engine and propeller levers when a control input is made. This will help guide you as the power and prop controls are linear, however, you must get the power lever into just the right spot for the FADEC to take over. We hope you will find this feature very helpful. This was described in more detail in development update #6     The ARCDU radio system that the Q400 uses is fully simulated here with dual and separate interfaces, and all buttons and volume selectors workings, all sub pages and their functions there-in. It really is a neat little radio that stands out as something wholly unique to the Q400.     Certainly the most unique and highly visible system in our Q4XP is the FMS, the UNS-1Ew . A significant amount of development time has been spent working to make the most accurate representation of the real unit in the aircraft.   Price? The 737 - TwinJet is priced around the US$70, mark, so I would expect the Q4XP to be around the same price point, even at that price for a regional airliner it is great value for what the aircraft will deliver...  Release, FlyJSim have mostly always released aircraft mid-to-late August on record, and I think that is the same timetable set out here...   so start saving up those pennies right now!   All images and feature text are courtesy of FlyJSim   FlyJSim are here; Home l FlyJSim   On release the FlyJSim Q4XP Dash 8 will be available from the ___________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 26th July 2021 Copyright©2021: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved    

NEWS! - Aircraft Update : X-Crafts updates the E175 and E195 to v2.5     X-Crafts have updated their E-Jets in the E175 and larger E195 to v2.5. The main focus of this update is on Performance optimization, and for users with lower-end machines that are most likely here to notice a performance increase. These two aircraft should not to be confused with the upcoming E-Jet Family aircraft that are now in development at X-Crafts.   X-Crafts also note this v2.5 will be the final concluded update for these aircraft in the foreseeable future, to concentrate on the all new E-Jet Family series. And the update also covers the final change over to the full X-Plane Vulkan/Metal support.   V2.5 Update notes Converted textures from PNG format to DDS format. This finalizes full Vulkan/Metal compatibility. Cockpit and Fuselage textures now also allow Resolution change. This depends on the "Texture Quality" slider in your X-Plane settings. Fixed a bug where the shadows of the exterior of the plane were not rendered properly in the 3D cockpit view. Included Better Pushback in the package   X-Crafts also recommend a full clean download of the aircraft from the X-Plane.OrgStore (not a Skunkcrafts update) for a good installation.     Currently the twin E-Jet (E175/E195) package and the single separate variants have a 30% off deal, see details below.   All images are courtesy of X-Crafts ______________________________________________________________________     Yes! the Embraer E175/E195 v2.5 by X-Crafts is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   Embraer E-175 v2.5 Price is US$27.95 (30% OFF)   Embraer E-195 v2.5 Price is US$27.95 (30% OFF)   The Twin Embraer E-175 and E-195 v2.5 Package is also Currently available for only US$37.95 (30% OFF) Embraer E-175 and E-195 Package   Features of both models: NEW: Load Manager NEW: Fully integrated 3D sound system! Accurate dimensions based on drawings and documentation provided by Embraer © Windows, Mac and Linux compatible Custom TEKTON FMS© by Steve Wilson Custom improved pushback plugin with animated tug. A white silhouette will show the final position after the pushback! On-screen checklist plugin  Plugin menu for door control, ground objects or GPU Suitable for beginners - Just load and fly within seconds! Great for advanced users  -Enjoy the complexity of the Custom FMS! Mouse scroll wheel support (E195) This add-on comes with the NavDataPro dataset by Aerosoft CUSTOM FMS Both the custom and stock FMS are available on the pedestal or as popup panels More details about the TEKTON FMS© below INTERIOR Amazing 3D modeling of cockpit and cabin – now more than ever, I have spent months working on the cabin of the airplane! High resolution textures High resolution Embraer style PFD, MFD, EICAS displays Pop-up screens, pop-up radios and FMS panels MFD with 8 synoptic pages High resolution textures on panels - Text is crisp and clear with any rendering options Intuitive cockpit manipulation - I have always taken great care to make the cockpit as easy to use as possible. This means all clickable areas in the cockpit are very big so that you can easily click on any button, knob or lever in the cockpit Each switch, lever, knob, and handle is animated Detailed cockpit lighting - All cockpit lights are controllable Cargo area modeled HUD equipped in forward view EXTERIOR 4K High resolution textures (fuselage 10000px/meter squared) Highly detailed landing gears, Flap and speedbrake mechanisms Realistic Wingflex animation Pilots in external view All doors are animated and can be controlled via the plugin menu OTHER FEATURES Compatible with UFMC Awesome exterior night lighting. You can operate any of the following lights: NAV, Strobe, Beacon, Left/Nose/Right landing lights, Side/Nose taxi lights, Inspection lights, Logo lights. All lights including Nav and Strobe lights cast light on the surroundings. Audible Alert System Set of custom sounds TEKTON FMS© Features  Custom MCDU Interface SID, ROUTE and STAR waypoint lists are treated as separate editable items Color keyed data presentation Scratchpad data entry Interactive feedback Direct Keyboard Entry (DKE) Procedures Enhanced for V2.x: SIDS and STARS from X-Plane stock or third party custom data New:  Altitude constraints for procedures New:  Refined procedures leg routing New:  More flexible STAR element selection New:  Default visual departure and approach New : Edit and reload STAR while enroute while in autopilot Ability to easily edit SIDs, Routes, STARS and the loaded FLT PLAN New AIRWAYS options New Progress Monitoring on two new pages New Performance Flight Planning: New PERF 1 page providing preflight and takeoff data New PERF 2 page allowing route fuel planning  New PERF 3 page for approach data New Audible Alert System Additional Features: NEW: Trust Rating Select page (TRS) added to the FMS New FMS reset function New:  Simplified manual waypoint altitude entry File Load and Save for ROUTE waypoints New:  FLT PLAN page now automatically advances with destination waypoint 8.33mhz tunable radios Comprehensive Status Page Easy to navigate paging system from a master index. The stock X-Plane MCDU is also provided as a backup for less experienced users.   Requirements: X-Plane 11 Windows, MAC or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum. 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Current version: 2.5 (July 22nd 2021)   X-Crafts Support Forum : Support forum for the E-195 ______________________________________________________________________   News! by Stephen Dutton  23rd August 2021 Copyright©2021: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)     

NEWS! - Aircraft Release : Legendary Ford Tri-Motor Model 4-AT by Ted Cook     One of the true first pioneers of passenger aviation was actually built by a car company, it is the legendary Ford Tri-Motor Model 4-AT. Ford Trimotor (also called the "Tri-Motor", and nicknamed the "Tin Goose") it is an American three-engined transport aircraft. Production started in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and ended on June 7, 1933. A total of 199 Ford Trimotors were made. It was designed for the civil aviation market, but also saw service with military units. The 4-AT is the smaller but more powerful of the Tri-Motors as the 5-AT was larger.   This package from Ted Cook contains several (three) versions of the 4-AT. The basic 4-AT model comes in both wheel and float versions and includes 11 liveries (Ford, Stout Aerial Tours, Standard Oil, Ford NC1077, Miss Niagara, United Air Transport (Canada), Northern Airways (Yukon), Maddux, Curtiss-Wright, NYRBA (South America), and the Tri-Ford).   Making headlines became a Trimotor trademark. On November 27th and 28th, 1929, Commander Richard E. Byrd (navigator), chief pilot Bernt Balchen, and two other crewmen, the copilot and the photographer, made the first flight above the geographic South Pole in a Ford Trimotor that Byrd named the Floyd Bennett. This was one of three aircraft taken on this polar expedition, with the other two being named The Stars and Stripes and The Virginian, replacing the Fokker Trimotors that Byrd had previously used.   All models feature: FMOD custom sounds Highly detailed PBR textures A pop-up to control co-pilot functions such as the fuel controls located behind the pilot and for quick readout of engine-mounted gauges The Garmin 430 can be displayed if modern flying is desired POH flight manual           The Tri-Motor was powered by three 220-hp (165-kW) Wright J-5 Whirlwind radial piston engines, accommodation for two pilots and 12 passengers. This classic design is now available from the X-Plane.OrgStore.   Images are courtesy of Ted Cook Productions _____________________________________     Yes! - Ford Tri-Motor Model 4-AT by Ted Cook Productions is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   Ford Tri-Motor Model 4-AT Price is Currently US$19.95 (You Save:$6.00(23%)   Requirements X-Plane 11  Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Video Card Minimum. 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Current Version: 1.0 (July 20th 2021) ___________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 23rd July 2021 Copyright©2021: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved    

Visually, it's a beauty but the lack of detailed how to instructions is a deterrent for me.  When they amplify their manual, I'll take another look.

NEWS! - Scenery Releases : Boundless releases EGPB Cotswold - EGHH Bournemouth - EGNV - Teesside Airports     For regional airports around the United Kingdom, then now available at the X-Plane.OrgStore there is the choice of three new locations by Boundlesss Simulations.   EGNV - Teesside Airport Located in the North East of England, Teesside is an important hub for the area. Airlines including KLM, Loganair, TUI, Eastern and Ryanair fly a range of domestic and international routes from the airport. As well as the standard airline traffic, Teesside is also a base for Draken Europe, who operate their fleet of Falcon 20 aircraft from the airport. The airport has also handled military traffic, as well as visits from Air Force One.      EGHH Bournemouth Bournemouth Airport is yet another interesting and diverse UK location. Originally opened as an RAF base in the 1940s, it was transferred to civilian control and briefly served as London's International Airport and was also major aircraft manufacturing facility in WW2. In more recent times, the airport has expanded into low cost passenger operations and is frequently visited by both TUI and Ryanair who operate to various short and medium haul destinations.      EGPB Cotswold Cotswold Airport (Kemble) is known primarily as the base of ASI (Air Salvage International) who handle the decommissioning and scrapping of various airliners - most notably the famous Boeing 747. This gives Cotswold Airport the unusual position of being home to both GA aircraft, as well as some of the world's largest airliners.     All three of these sceneries in EGNV, EGHH and EGPB are all priced at US$18.95   All images are courtesy of Boundless Simulations ___________________________     EGNV - Boundless - Teesside Airport Price is US$18.95 Requirements X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 430 MB Current version: 1.0 (July 20th 2021) ___________________________ EGHH - Boundless - Bournemouth Airport Price is US$18.95 Requirements X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1 GB Current version: 1.0 (July 20th 2021) ___________________________ EGBP - Boundless - Cotswold Airport Price is US$18.95 Requirements X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 570 MB Current version: 1.0 (July 20th 2021)   News by Stephen Dutton 21st July 2021 Copyright©2021: X-Plane Reviews   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved    

Great review and I have already secured the latest version...BUT I have a twin CPU set up as per XP Master/Slave set up. Unless I've not configured it correctly..  this app does not work in this config. I.e. yes sound works from the master...but shaking  turning etc does not replicate on slave (that is set for External Views). I would have expected this to work..... Can this be confirmed ?   Cheers Nik

This software no longer runs on Mac since the update to iOS 11.4. The clickable features have been disabled, including grabbing and putting the magneto key into the keyhole.

Classic Aircraft Review : Let L-200D Morava by PWDT&NHAdrian   Lots of time you wander around an airfield or museum and you see an aircraft...  It sorta looks familiar, but at the same time it doesn't look like anything you know about all the certain types of aircraft, it is an oddity and In most cases it is usually an Eastern-Bloc or Russian in design. The Ruskies had looked at a western aircraft design, took the basics and then built it into their own design paradigm. So the design looks the same but in reality it is a copy of the real thing. Some Eastern-Bloc designers take another angle, as they look at current aircraft designs and mesh them together to create a sort of hybrid aircraft, and one that looks like one aircraft design but is in reality many aircraft in cohesion, again it is an oddity.   So your first view of the Let L-200D Morava reminds you of all of these sort of elements at work... It certainly does not look like a western design, and areas like the spread twin-tail arrangement, there  is even a bit of World War Two look about it or even an early Lockheed aircraft.  But the lovely smooth shaped cabin is from another era, the jet aircraft era...   Twin-engined, tri-cycle landing gear, and large wing-tip fuel tanks, lovely machine, but it all looks a bit odd with all these different elements at play.     The Let L-200 Morava is a retractable four seat light twin, that was one of the few light aircraft to be exported to the west from behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War era, albeit in small numbers. Ladislav Smrek of the Czechoslovakian State Aircraft Factory (Let) designed the L-200 in the mid 1950s to develop a replacement for the very successful early postwar vintage Aero 45 and 145 light twins. His resulting design is similar in many ways to its contemporary western twins, with a four or five seater cabin, a low wing, wingtip tanks, metal construction and retractable undercarriage. However the Morava is highly distinguishable by its twin tails, standard thermal wing deicing equipment and inverted inline engines.   This excellent Let L-200 Morava aircraft for the X-Plane Simulator is by developers Pannon Wings Design Team (PWDT) and NH Adrian,  in having already developed a Zlin Z-142, a Yak 18T, also done a C152 Mod and also created the ASK21 in freeware, their latest is probably their most ambitious project yet with the iconic Let L-200D Morava which is their first payware aircraft.   First impressions count a lot, the look and feel of the aircraft (certainly a vintage or classic aircraft) can set the tone not only for the way you like the aircraft but how it also comes through in the review...  In this case it is exceptional, not totally perfect as nothing ever is, but you know there has been a lot of love and time spent on creating and bringing this particular machine to life.   Realism is the key...  I know, the two words I write consistently in reviews are usually "realism" and "authentic", sometimes these comments are even overused, but that is ultimate goal we are all aiming for, in that real world look and authenticity. We will take the excellent canvas cover off and look at the aircraft under it.     Lovely cabin shape isn't it, there is some great modeling work here, and look at those unusual blue side windows, and yes they are real, and I am showing my age in remembering them. The intricate work is a nice feast on the eyes everywhere you look as there is some great detailed elements...   Overall many designs can look very good, but the differential in the higher quality stakes goes into the intimate details, any developer can do a nice fuselage and wings, but it is in the details that really count.   Detailed instances around the engines are quite spectacular, note the propeller installation with detailed filament, noted highly shaped engine inlet(s) and excellent detailed exhaust with securing circlip...     ...   propellers are fully animated in pitch and feather modes, panel screws are nice work, with slight wear rust. Aileron control rods are also animated and are beautifully recreated. All the wing construction is perfectly realised, gaps between the panels and perfect rows of rivets to hold them all in place, you totally feel this aircraft and not just look at the details.     Aerodynamic wingtip tanks are also beautiful to the eyes, note the detailed lower drain panel, excellent modeling. As a throwback to another era, those twin-tails are simply gorgeous, with its built in fine lateral trim tabs and left horizontal trim tab on that wide elevator.      All mapping is excellent to bring out the surfaces and the strengthening ribbing down and around the fuselage, lovely stuff to feast on.   I really love the shape of this cabin, so teardrop and even 50's jet in shape and design...   Intimate design is very evident, with lovely handholds and the flush door latch..  that actually works.      Highly visual is the inserted left screen access window (yes it opens as well). Single (left) wiper and right side gauge are again highly visible, GA 35 GPS Antenna for the Garmin avionics is also very authentic, and again beautifully done.   All the cockpit glass is excellent, thick and reflective...  there is also a glass feature that builds up dirt and bugs on the screen, from clear to dirty (adjustable) The flies and dirt also collects on the engine intakes and the wings leading edges. There is another detailed "King" antenna on the lower fuselage, and the tail skid and higher rear wing brackets are all again excellent detail.     The main trailing link landing gear sits (very) very close to the ground underside of each of the engine pods, so it is quite hard to see them, but the link and strut detail is again first rate, worn and and very realistic, the correct era tyres are also very, very good, inside gear bay door looks modeled, but it is an image, but a very good and realistic one at that...     ....   the gear highlight is that extraordinary single nose wheel structure and assembly, incredibly realistic and expertly recreated, yes it is worth a few moments of your attention to take in all the excellent work done here. Nose wheel tyre is unusual in that it has a concave tread structure.   There is so much detail to absorb on this aircraft, fair and good kudos to the developers on their attention to absolute detail.   Before for we inspect the cabin, lets see the features presented externally. Only a few of these features are accessed by the menu, as most of the items (or actions) are accessed directly by touch, but notably only from the internal view and not from the external view, so if you want a closer look you have to move internally to the external view manually....   Touch the rear mains tyres for wheel chocks (very nice) and the pitot left wing for a pitot cover...  touching the rear right side engine will give you a Battery pack ground power unit.       The most exciting feature is in touching the engine panels...  they open to reveal an extremely detailed Walter M337 (Avia M 337) air-cooled six-cylinder straight engine of 160 kW (210 hp) each.     Opening the engine cowls will also make a beta work trolley and cones appear....  sensational work, no doubt.   Another access point are the fuel tanks...   Open the tank flap on the wing (each wing) and turn off the fuel cap, and it springs up to reveal a fuel gauge.     You can set the amount of fuel you want into each tank by moving a pair of arrows up or down the gauge (There is the choice of Imperial or Metric quantities), the same can be done on each of the wing tanks and the cap (filler), the detail is again extraordinary.     More features include a propeller spinner (required to start the engines)...   touch the prop and it will turn (cold turn) to remove the accumulated oil known as "Hydrolock" or hydraulic lock, you have to turn each prop 10 times, it can be done via the pilot's seat.     You can also move the aircraft around engines off on the ground...  select the puller via touching the nosewheel, then move the aircraft via moving your mouse in the direction you want to go.   Both cabin doors can be opened by the external latches or internal door levers...     The extremely realistic cabin cover is toggled via the second screw on the inner door (that was not mentioned in the manual, and yes I lost a precious whole 15 minutes of my valuable life looking for the damn hot spot!)   First view of the cabin shows the aircraft's age, it has a sort of Carenado heavy detailed heavy feel about the space, the same sort of materials and details, but done very well here...  A nice blue and tan trim is expertly done, with great seat patterns and lovely well shaped seats, with a sort of huge lounge room couch for the rear, the seatbelt detail is also expertly and casually done...     The main switchgear is mounted on the roof, with two headsets for both the pilot and co-pilot. It is the feel of the space that is interesting to convey here, great authenticity to the eastern-bloc feel but also to the western influences injected in there... two worlds in one, that it works so well in feel is a credit to the developers and their extreme focus on the detailing.     The quality of the era fittings is really outstanding, like mentioned you don't just look at the items but feel the era around you, it must be amazing in VR.     Pressing/selecting the map in the left door lower pocket will bring up the X-Plane Local Map.   Menu The menu book is positioned under the instrument panel on the left side...  hard to again find and only noted as the "setup-sheet" in the manual...   it pops up VR-Virtual Reality style in front of you to the right.     Left page is your setup (options) and on the right side is the checklist...     Top left is the "Aircraft Properties", with Fuel "Metric" or "Imperial", AviTab, Instrument reflections, Static Elements (chocks and pitot cover), then the interesting "Dirtyness" slider. You get dirty speckles on the windscreen and the leading wing edges, very nice, but I expected more "Dirtyness" dirty than this to be honest? but still a nice to have feature.     Then a choice of Cockpit Language with; Hungarian, English and Czech available (changes text details). Here is English and Czech.     Like the non-direction of the aircraft canvas cover hot-spot...  the menu has another quirk as well?  There are the Master Volume and Field of View sliders, but they appear blank with no adjustment knobs? As is also the lower small Weight & Balance setup sliders...  top includes Pilot, Co-Pilot, and a Passenger (child)...  finally is baggage weight and all of these sliders are blanked out as well?   The trick is to select the Pilot, tickbox...  then all the sliders appear for use. A great feature to close up the aircraft to allow the aircraft to be nicely completely empty and parked up, but annoying as well if you don't how it works? (and no it is not mentioned in the manual... again).     Selecting the Pilots and passenger puts very nicely created people in the aircraft, the Co-Pilot is animated as is the girl in the rear seat...     ...  weights of each are shown with two bags put in the baggage locker rear left side...  again the hot-spot can be hard to find to open the locker door (Baggage weight is restricted if you have a passenger in the rear selected). Finally are the fuel tanks were you can set (as well as the external way) the fuel quantities of the inner and wingtip tanks, full capacity is 103 Gal (389 lt). The CG (Centre of Gravity) is shown (MAC), and the total weight (Gross) of the aircraft loaded.   Left side is a basic but an easy to use checklist.   Instrument Panel The instrument panel is not the most ergonomic layout for the ease of use, but then what was 60 years ago...  The main upper panel is generally well laid out, but the lower area resembles a WW2 era twin-engined bomber layout with all the multiple levers. The really nice styled yokes are again beautifully rendered and feel authentic to the era, and both (not individually) can be hidden by pressing the centre button brings up the X-Plane ATC panel!     Sitting left in front of the panel there a bit of claustrophobia with the very large LUN 1222 Whiskey Compass jutting out above the panel, and the restricting view of the access window (again the internal access window detailing and animation is excellent). The panel is mostly flying instruments left and aircraft operating dials and gauges right, there are no flying instruments for the Co-Pilot...   except an odd altitude dial.     Dead centre in front of the Pilot is an LUN 1202 Artificial Horizon (noted incorrectly in the manual as a Attitude Indicator?) It has two knobs for (left) an horizon marker of which can be adjusted, and right a Cage knob noted A and brings up a red flag A in the instrument. Also note the Sky and Ground colours are reversed here or upside down on the AH. Below is the Bendix-King KL-525A HSI (Horizontal Situation Indicator), the HSI has a built-in ILS indicator, but to note as it is a guide only, as there is no Autopilot or APP function on the aircraft.   To the left of AH is a Variometer or Vertical Speed indicator, far left is a Airspeed indicator in both metric and Imperial speeds, still on the far left lower is an Altimeter (ft), and to it's right is a LUN 1213-8 Slip indicator. Right of the centre is top a Bendix-King KI203 Course Deviation Indicator (CDI). Below the CDI is a Bendix-King KI 229 ADF pointer, and that pretty well covers the main flight instruments.   Top of the panel is a LUN 1694 landing gear indicator (very nice) and next to it is a Bendix-King KDI-574 DME panel, then a LUN 1685 Flap Indicator dial 0º-15º-30º degree settings, but the flap setting is actually variable...  Two more instruments make up the rest of the left side panel with top right a really lovely ACS-Stopwatch (timer) and clock, and it is fully workable, and below LUN 1315 RPM Twin-engine indicator.   Centre panel lower is the standard Garmin GNS 430 GPS unit. The RealityXP GNS430 v2 is also supported in the same slot if you have that payware addon.       Right side of the instrument panel covers the aircraft's systems in gauges and dials. Starting top is a LUN 2741 Volt/Amper indicator, then a row of four gauges covers (LtoR); a MV 18M Manifold Pressure gauge (both engines), then a LUN 1394 Cylinder Head Temperature gauges unit, then a Fuel Quantity left side (inner-top and wingtip-lower), and finally the same Fuel Quantity setup on the right side.   Lower row is the both left the engines parameters in Temperatures ºC and Pressure. Right two gauges cover left the (Engine) Heating ºC temps and far right is another Altimeter, but oddly in km. I do like the layout, but you need to study it to know which gauge is which, in that most detailed text is in Czech.   The lower left panel is a busy place. First to note the way that the button switches work in here, larger bottom button is the activate button, and the smaller button above it then deactivates the button by clicking it out again, yes I have used this style of switchgear, but again showing my age, but the system is really well done here for authenticity.   Far left are the two ignition switches (buttons), then a standard Bendix-King KMA 24 Audio panel, and below is a Bendix-King KX-155 radio (NAV2/VOR2). Next centre is a really nice authentic Landing Gear and Flap lever panel and below is a six pack of switch buttons... A note currently on the six-pack buttons, as they are set the WRONG way around? OUT for active and IN for off, very confusing? They will be fixed in the first update.       Next is the Feather/Propeller indicator (green light is feathered). Two dials now cover; MA-100 Hydraulic Pressure top and the MG-60 Brake Pressure bottom, note the nice three diamond warning lights for the left and right Generators.   The left lower panel is more simple, with centre top a Bendix-King KT 76A Transponder, and below a Bendix-King KR 87TSO ADF receiver, there are a few circuit breakers (fuses) far right but they are not active.     The monster mash of levers on the centre console can be at first a bit confusing, but in reality it is simply to operate. Blue levers are the two Propeller (Prop) levers (LandR), and the tall black ones are the twin throttle levers, and the right twin light tan levers are the Mixture levers.   The outer red levers are the Fuel selection and closed valves levers, the rest are engine cooling and air vent levers.     Between the front seats is another collection of levers and knobs...  dominating is the large Hydraulic pump lever, then the Parking Brake lever and Emergency Release lever for the landing gear and flaps.     Rear right is the propeller de-ice regulator knob with the rudder trim on the left, forward is the lovely Elevator Trim wheel with the amazing green trim diamond lights for noting the neutral position...  rear are left and right engine fire extinguisher levers.     There are two headsets hanging from the overhead switchgear panel. One is clickable to dilute the sounds, the other moves to the Co-Pilot when he is selected....   The switches are really well modeled and are nice to use, top row covers cockpit and external lighting, comm and XPDR (Transponder) and De-Icing. Centre row are the engine switches and the bottom row are the main electrical switches.     Forward are two dropdown instrument panel lights.   The AviTab Plugin is available in Morava. It is installed very nicely on the centre of the left Yoke, handy and easily used, and a bit of modernity in a classic aircraft.     Flying the Let 200D Morava The Morava is basically a ritual aircraft, as you have to do certain procedures repeatably to get the aircraft into the air and keep it there. First is the interesting hydraulic pressure system..  it is manual. To do even simple things like setting the parking brake or using the landing gear, then you have to build up hydraulic pressure in the lines. This is done via the lever between the seats, and the pressure is shown on the lower mid-panel gauge.   First you have to set the parking brake lever to "Parking" or the centre position (if not the hydraulic pressure in the system won't work, then click the centre handle to pump up the pressure as shown on the centre lower gauge...     You will need to pump above the 40 kgs/sm2 line and then switch the packing brake lever to "Fixed" (or Park) to contain the pressure in the system...     ...  if not the hydraulic pressure will fall back to zero, if correct it should hold the hydraulic pressure at the 40 kgs/sm2 point, easy...  no.   Next is starting the twin Walter M337's. Setting the levers correctly is important, and note the turn bar (arrowed below left) on the Prop levers, so you can't feather the props by mistake, a nice touch.     Turn the prop x 10, which can be done via the internal view, then prime the pumps (turn them on) and hit the the starter... The M337's are not the easiest engines to start, but finally the engine will blaze into life...  then start the procedure all over again to start engine 2.     Although the manual is very nicely detailed, it is a bit lukewarm as well...  aircraft like this Let need very detailed instructions on how to do these complex procedures correctly, some bits are there, but a lot of the needed required detail here is seriously missing? which can be very frustrating if you are new to the aircraft. Once the engines are running, you need to wait while the fluids hot up and the systems settle down, but the Let L-200D feels extremely Alive, it is an excellent place to be in control in here. Note the red diamond warning lights for the generators (arrowed above), they will stay on until the engines get more power.   Sounds are excellent, the external engine noise is extremely high compared to the internal, but note if you have the pilot's headset hung up on it's bracket, if not it is almost impossible to hear the internal sounds...  by default the headset is on the pilot's head!   There is a really low vibration grunt from these gutsy engines, and they sound brilliantly from the pilot's seat.     A bit of throttle and the L-200D will pull away with a nice weighty feel. Taxiing is slightly tricky as the protruding front nosewheel will weave around quite easily, the trick is to keep your taxi speed low and steady... god I really love those mechanical piston throbbing engine sounds     Like most things you can set the flap postion anywhere you want it, but it is a bit of a trick to do so, in one click down and a quick click up again to hold the degree position you want, here I have set a 9º flap. If you want to again use the parking brake, yes you have to pump up the pressure and click the parking brake lever twice just to hold your position.     Throttles up and your moving...  it is best to give far, far more throttle to the right engine than the left to keep the L-200D in a straight line down the centre of the runway and avoid the massive asymmetrical thrust to the left... it can be seen here on the RPM gauge (both indicators are on the same dial), however you can easily find the right RPM feel to go straight.     Takeoff sounds are fantastic...  noisy ground vibrations, wind and high engine sounds create a cacophony of realism, then around 90 knts you can pull back on the yoke and leave the runway, quickly pushing up the left throttle to match out the right for more thrust.   Can something as simple as putting up the gear become a massive headache...  well in my early case yes? The Let uses the same systems as most Eastern-Bloc aircraft in that engine pumps keep the pressure solid in the lines to operate the gear and the flaps, so when you use one system or the other you have to seal the valves again by putting the lever back mid-way to the centre, easy yes...  no     The problem can be caused by your angle of view... what is the actual centre point for the levers? The left image below looks like the levers are correct and centred, but the valve centre right (arrowed) is actually open...     So the levers look in the down position, even if they are actually centred as there are no centering markings on the panel, however set here the valve is now closed. A trick is to use the set gear (toggle) G command to centre the gear handle, the flaps can be centred by using the opposite selection to reset the lever (meaning if you switch down the flaps, then switch up directly again to centre, and vise-versa via key commands).   The rate of climb is 6.4 m/s (1,260 ft/min), and so climbing around 1,000 ft/min is about perfect.     The Morava is simply a sensational aircraft to fly...  but you will need your expert flying skills in setting up the aircraft trims perfectly, as once leveled out you need to find that sweet central balance between both the pitch and rudder trims to set the aircraft up naturally, it needs to be perfect as there is no autopilot to take over the reins. So the trick is to find that perfect neutral balance and use your yoke for just the minor corrections to keep a straight flight line, this is essential over a long distance, if not the L-200D will tire you out with it's consistent corrections to both the rudder and the yoke....  basic flying stuff, but really essential here.         Maximum speed of the Let is 290 km/h (180 mph, 160 kn) at sea level, Cruise speed is around 256 km/h (159 mph, 138 kn) at 2,500 m (8,200 ft) (known as econ cruise), the Range is a respectable 1,710 km (1,060 mi, 920 nmi) and the Service ceiling: 5,700 m (18,700 ft)   Up to now the sounds have been exemplary, but in a stable cruise... you only get an odd rushing wind noise in the cockpit? (the pilot's headset is hung up on the bracket, so it is not the hiding any of those sounds?) to be honest it is really annoying in that it disconnects you from the aircraft, from the reality and no engine noises...  and I don't like it at all?   On trying the gear lever (down) and the gear extended, I was not going to throw a gift landing away, so I turned straight around and headed back to Bristol Airport, I also put on full flap to slow the speed and headed straight for Rwy 27...     The L-200D will easily fly very nicely at around 80 knts full 30º flap (note the variable adjustment). The double twin-rudders and the huge whale tail of elevator gives the L-200D a tail control feel, you love the flying and amazing control you have over the aircraft, and even a strong cross-wind can be controlled and focused more here, as any other aircraft would be crabbing far more right in this stiff breeze.     70 knts is your descending approach speed, throttle control is excellent in height and descent adjustment, but to note the X-Plane "Experimental flight model" has to be OFF here.     Gradually reduce the throttle, but be careful not to pitch the nose too high... speed is critical on approach, come in too fast and the Morava will weave when down, but fly in too slow and you get a nasty nose up approach, so you have to find that small sweet spot in the middle and closer to the 65 knt mark...     ... down and speed rubs off nicely, but you will need to get the power down quickly and evenly.     There is no doubt about the exceptional feel of this aircraft, every limb is working to feel the controls and fly the aircraft the best way possible, and the feedback is excellent, one thing the developers really got right here was the feel and control of the aircraft... it is quite outstanding in that respect.     oh... and the internal engine sounds came back on approach?   Lighting Like the aircraft the lighting is quirky? The main panel lighting is great, but the main flying instruments are actually completely dark...  very odd?  for as old Russian instruments have illuminescence paint that glows in the dark, but only lighting the actual needles and not the whole dials...  so it is authentic but very hard to read in the dark. There are however two above vivid bright red drop down spot-lights, but they overwhelm the instrument panel so completely it would be hard to fly the aircraft in this state, but this what you have to use on approach if you want to read the main flying instruments?...  In the rear there is a single overhead light.     External lighting has an upper landing light in the nose globe housing, and a lower strut light that shines through the undercarriage front panel...  very nice. The rest are the standard navigation lights and a beacon under the cabin and set to the left.     Liveries There are four liveries and blank white. All are very good, but you feel there should be a couple more at least. G-ARYJ is default.     Summary The Let L-200D Morava was one of the few light aircraft to be exported to the west from behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War era, albeit in small numbers and was built in the Czechoslovakian State Aircraft Factory LET in the late 60's. The L-200D is a Twin-Engined four or five seater cabin aircraft, in a low wing with wingtip tanks complete with a metal construction and retractable undercarriage. However the Morava is highly distinguishable by its twin tail configuration.   The developers are the Pannon Wings Design Team (PWDT) and NH Adrian,  in having both parties already developed a Zlin Z-142, a Yak 18T, also done a C152 Mod and also created the ASK21 in freeware, so they are Eastern-Bloc aircraft specialists, this is their first payware.   The quality and detail in the L-200D is extraordinary, it is no doubt a labour of love attention to detail of the era. Quirky sums it up in the way the aircraft is and also in the way you access and fly the machine. Modeling is excellent, with great detailing and attention to even the smallest details, it feels and it is a vintage aircraft, but in a modern sense as well, if that makes sense.   Features are outstanding, but again all are very much hands on to activate. Opening doors and baggage locker, opening engine cowls with detailed Walter M337 (Avia M 337) engines, Beta trolleys, opening fuel caps and fuel settings, turning propellers, push/pull bar, opening access window and a lovely cover over it all. Internally it is simply gorgeous in an Eastern-Bloc 60's way, lovely trimmed cabin, with authentic LUN instruments that can be noted in either Hungarian, English or Czech, dirty windscreens and wings, Pilot, Co-Pilot and passenger with all fuel and passenger weights adjustable, and a nice if brief checklist. Both Avitab and RealityXP GNS430 v2 are also suppported.   Sounds are very, very good, but notably in cruise, were they switch and just become some weird wind noises, and some switchgear is currently set the wrong way around (confusing if you don't know). Undercarriage can be troublesome if you don't know how it works and can stop working altogether if the lever settings are wrong, the Russian/Czech detail is very good, but can be also confusing until you work out the quirky methods, and that can in many ways sum up the aircraft... the Let certainly needs time and attention to understand it's quirks and oddities. The manual although very authentic, is just a bit too light for the require details wanted here in the complex systems and the ways of the machine, it needs far more explaining and more diagrams to help out the new and inexperienced on these sort of exotic aircraft (even I struggled as an expert reviewer).   To sum up, exceptional! Yes there are a few real oddities to be refined, and also even a few bugs in there to be rectified, but there is no doubt of the quality and authenticity of this amazing machine in the X-Plane Simulator. The developers have done a very decent and though job, even a bit too though in some aspects.   The price of this aircraft is also a major bonus, US$25.99 is a shockingly low price for the detail and quality of an aircraft you get here.. but overall it is in the sheer involvement that you get in every aspect with this aircraft, is why I love it so much and in the authenticity it delivers, just watch out for it's odd quirks, and you will love it as well....   Highly Recommended! ___________________     Yes! the Let L-200D Morava by PWDT&NHAdrian is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   Let L-200D Morava Price is US$25.99   Amazing Details Full PBR materials in 4K resolution Blank livery for talented painters Amazing Night Illumination with dynamic lighting system. Incredible amount of detail on internal and external model Lot of custom animations Accurate flight dynamics tested by real L-200 pilots and instructors Accurate system modelling Incredible VFR sensations Virtual Reality (VR) compatibility 4 Liveries Custom FMOD Sounds Immersive Virtual Cockpit Seats (pilot / copilot / passenger) are modeled Use of manipulators throughout Easy to read high quality panel AviTab support RealityXP GNS430 v2 support Full 3D instruments with real 3D lights All switches, arms, levers, knobs are functional 3 different cockpit language (English / Hungarian / Czech) Checklists Requirements: X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1GB Current and Review version: 1.0 (July 13th 2021)   The AviTab Plugin is required for this aircraft RealityXP GNS430 v2 install available   Installation and documents: Download is exactly 1Gb. Installation size in your Aircraft folder is 1.6Gb.   Documents A very pretty and authentic manual, but not much on real detail considering the unusual systems installed on the L-200D (13 Pages) Readme_PWDTL200DXPL   Design by Pannon Wings Design Team and NH Adrian (authors of the top-rated freeware Z Lin Z-142) Support forum for the L-200D _____________________   Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton 22nd July 2021 Copyright©2021: X-Plane Reviews   Review System Specifications:  Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.55 Plugins: Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99 Scenery or Aircraft - EGGD - Bristol International Definitive  by Pilot+Plus (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$25.95   (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved    

I believe that users should talk to the very available developers before shouting to the masses... I am very sure they will address your concerns, sometimes it is not the product that is the problem...