NEWS! - Scenery Upgrade : Faroe Islands XP to X-Plane 12 by Aerosoft     The Faroe Islands XP scenery released in 2019 by Maps2XPlane (distributed under the Aerosoft banner) was a pronounced scenery that changed the quality of landscape scenery significantly in the X-Plane Simulator. It won X-PlaneReviews "Best Landscape Scenery" 2019 as well.   The scenery is unique in many ways. There is 1.400 km² of hi-quality HD terrain that covers the entire set of islands that makes up the Faroe Chain, and back then (X-Plane11) you could also change the seasons from the stark white of winter to the bright green of summer, besides the impressionable Vágar airfield, there are also eight helipads that are spread out all over the islands.   Positioned almost directly between Norway and Iceland, and 200 miles (320 km) north-northwest off the coast of Scotland are the Faroe Islands. This archipelago area of 18 islands is about 540 square miles (1,400 km2) with a general population of 50,322 and is part of the 1814 Treaty of Kiel that granted Denmark control over the islands, along with the two other Norwegian island possessions of Greenland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands have been a self-governing country within the Kingdom of Denmark since 1948.   I reviewed the scenery twice, the release review in 2019; Scenery Review : Faroe Islands XP by Aerosoft - Maps2XPlane, then the extensive update Faroe Islands XP v2.0. That was followed again by a smaller update a month later, a touch-up release if you want to v2.1.   Let me be clear, I love this scenery immensely. It is in the same visual scenic vista vein scenery, more of like the high-qualty detailed mountain scenery recreated by Frank Dainese & Fabio Bellini. But both Vágar airfield approaches, certainly in the winter season, are some of the most difficult and challenging as you can find... I have flown frequently both from Denmark and Scotland, and all the services to Vágar are my most favorite of simulations, and throw in some great island hopping as well.   Here with this update v2.2, you get added XP12 support (i.e. compatibility-patch for XP 12.01r3 and Hot fixes i.a. broken animations (caused CTD) and vegetation. Not a lot new in detail, but bringing in the X-Plane 12 elements are a big deal for this scenery.   Version 2.2 (Feb 3rd 2023) Added XP12 support (i.e. compatibility-patch for XP 12.01r3) Hot fixes i.a. broken animations (caused CTD) and vegetation   Note, images here are still X-Plane11, I will replace them when I get access to the scenery.         Notable is that you now have to use the "Aerosoft One" application to install (update) the scenery...    Important: If you ordered Faroe Islands XP  before it was on Aerosoft One and do not have a serial number, please contact sales@x-plane.org to get a serial number Installation of Faroe Islands XP  is done through Aerosoft one installer: Aerosoft One Universal After you have installed Aerosoft One, click on   ENTER PRODUCT KEY (under the Library Tab) enter the Serial Number provided in this order. This will give you the option to download the airport.   A brilliant investment that rewards you whenever you fly to the north of Scotland, well worth the challenge. And the Faroe Islands XP12 scenery now has also a lower entrance price of only US35.99 __________________________     Yes! Faroe Islands XP v2.2 by Aerosoft - Maps2XPlane is now Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   Faroe Islands XP Price Is US$35.99   Features: Compatible with both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11 Realistic recreation of the complete Faroe Islands with an area of about 1.400 km² High resolution terrain mesh with various texture sets for a seasonal representation Customized local terrain details, e.g. realistically sloped runway at the Vágar Airport Detailed rendition of the Vágar Airport and the eight helipads spread over the archipelago Faroese themed autogen, navigation obstacles and dynamic traffic on the islands Hundreds of custom objects with PBR materials, 3D vegetation, night lighting   Requirements: X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4Gb VRAM Minimum Download size: 1.3Gb Current version: 2.2 (Feb 3rd 2023) ___________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 6th February 2023 Copyright©2023: 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! - Scenery Update : SBGR- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport by Globallart     Last year 2022, São Paulo as a region has had a lot of X-Plane attention. Not only are there the two releases of the major airports in SBSP - Congonhas Airport and the main gateway of SBGR - Guarulhos International Airport. But also there is a great collaboration City scenery between Globallart and Paulo Ricardo to create a MEGA scenery package of São Paulo, extensive as a full package it all is, the review is here;   Scenery Review : São Paulo Mega Scenery   This update is for SBGR - Guarulhos International Airport v1.2. It is not noted as X-Plane 12 in the details, but it can be used in the requirements, so I'm going to note it here as an X-Plane 12 scenery. (So expect Congonhas to follow). An extensive v1.2 update list it is as well...   Version 1.2 (February 2nd 2023) 10-28 Runways Markings update 10-28 Taxiway Signs update 10-28 Taxiway Markings update New Runway Texture New Grass Texture Includes 9 missing Taxiway Signs DC-8 Beta Cargo near Apron 10 Apron 10 Lights and new objects Includes missing fences New American Airlines Hangar with interior. New Localizer antennas BASP NA-T6 & Xavante display Airplanes   Andrew Parish also did a SBGR scenery review last year; Scenery Review SBGR- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport         Scenery Features üAccurate replica São Paulo International Airport, Guarulhos, updated 2022. üPrecise modeling, based on original references, plans and other studies. üFully customized pavement, with ambient occlusion included in textures. üCustom Jetways compatible with SAM plugins. üAuto Gate Marginal Compatible Custom Jetways. üStandard VGDS system. ·        Controlled by Dataref Marginal Plugins. ·        Controlled by Dataref SAM Plugins üStatic objects, vehicles and aircraft are present in the scene. üAvenues and streets with custom and standard vehicle traffic. ·        Controlled by the Marginal Ground Traffic Plugin üHDR lighting with custom night textures. üCustom textures with ambient occlusion. üX-Plane standard animated traffic service. üStandard Approach Light Systems (ALS).  üIncluded taxi routes for aircraft, “taxi route". üCompatible taxi routes configured for World Traffic (WT3) and other plugins. üRamp Start set for airlines. üTerminal 2 and 3 with rendered interior. üCompatible with Mega São Paulo – Paulo Ricardo. üCompatible with SBSP Congonhas Globall Art.   If you have already purchased SBGR - Guarulhos International Airport for X-Plane 11, the free update is now on your X-Plane.OrgStore account, download is 0.98 GB   Mega São Paulo by Paulo Ricardo is highly recommended with this Guarulhos Airport scenery.   Images are courtesy of GloballArt. __________________     Yes!...   SBGR- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport v1.2 by GloballArt is now Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :   SBGR- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport Price is US$24.95   Requirements X-Plane 11 - X-Plane 12  Windows. Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum. 8 GB+  VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1 GB Current version: 1.2 (February 2nd 2023) ___________________________   News by Stephen Dutton 6th February 2023 Copyright©2023: 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    

Yep, I’m running on borrowed time and I know it!  Plus, I really want to go to a 3-monitor setup so I do look forward to my next major full system upgrade.  Fortunately prices seem to have come down a bit and hopefully later this year I’ll take the plunge.  Until then I’ll keep following your reviews.  Great stuff, it’s why I bought Aerobask’s excellent Phenom 300 and it’s been my “go to” ever since.  And happily they didn’t waste any time getting the Phenom updated for XP12, definitely one of XP’s premier 3d party developers.  

Nice reply thanks. Personally I lived in that bubble, pretty well over the last four years, I even thought I could have gotten away with it for XP12. But the problems starts once you update or upgrade one component, then you get a cascade of items in wanting to be upgraded, it is like a falling of the cards, same last year with my iMac, it was a 2009 series computer that ran all software from that period perfectly, but with the subscription model, they force you to upgrade the software. The photoshop software worked, or still does work fine, but Adobe canned it. So the machine is now redundant... I will say this, on the other side with faster computers and the up to date software, and that mega power card, it is a nice (if expensive) place to be S

Stephen, Thanks for the monthly behind the screen and the aircraft reviews, I always look forward to them!    With your litany of New Years issues just after an annual cleaning, my first thought was “hardware,” so glad you figured out that part.      FWIW, I’ve been running XP12 through the latest release on a GTX1070 and i7-7700, and as long as I don’t overclock the GPU I haven’t had any problems with Vulkan device loss errors. I don’t always run the latest NVIDIA driver either.  I am currently on several versions back, which has been stable, and unless I start running into a new issue I probably won’t update the video driver for a while as just updating the driver never seems to improve anything visually on my system, it just increases the chance of breaking something.     I run mid-range XP graphics settings locked at 30FPS with only a few basic add on/plugins, default scenery and I can’t do 4K, so it’s not as pretty as some of the screen shots I see posted.  But, it’s smooth, looks “good”, and flys well…all I can hope for with my investment.  Point being, a relatively low-end (these days) almost  6-year old system can work with XP12 if you aren’t an expecting to push the settings to the high end across the board and reach MSFS visual nirvana that so many posters want to tell us about…;-) 

Great interesting topics, Stephen

The Dreamfoil S300C is not an X-Plane 12 aircraft, but only designed for X-Plane 11? and it hasn't yet been upgraded? I can't understand either how the helicopter can actually work, and yet X-Plane 12 does not?   X-Plane is not actually my software either, but created by Laminar Research? A lot of odd questions here...  and not a lot of clear information.

After downloaded the software into my machine, I tried to install the SIM X-Plane 12 so can fly the helicopter I been working on my training to get my license approved. Unfortunately, I not been able to get the X-plane 12 to work The software Dreamfoil S300C does work fine, but the X-Plane 12 does not Can you please advise or send me a link how to resolve this issue since without this to work I do not have use for your software and will be able to need it;

Behind the Screen : January 2023   This monthly review of "Behind the Screen" was created to communicate what was going on in the X-Plane world. To give you the user information on the state of the simulator, that we use in a day to day capacity. What we process, in not only X-Plane products, but in the way we use the Simulator, can be explained here in giving information for other users to absorb. Since my early days of using X-Plane I have had the uncanny knack of seeing or having events happen to me before it happens to anyone else. That is good, but head bashing as well, as I have had to work through the problems in fixing it, hopefully in passing on that vital information, so you the user don't have to go through the same torment. Behind the Screen is also here to mirror the health of the X-Plane Simulator as well, a sort of grounding on the current reality.   In the forums, many can be a bit self-absorbed, but most of the X-Plane community thankfully believe in the old world style of helping others to get around the difficult problems of running an extremely complicated Simulator program. Pray they are there, and thank them for their generosity   So the old adage "You can never tell what is going on beneath the surface. Even the most regally calm swan is paddling furiously below the water", can and be also certainly adhered to X-Plane Simulation. Hence again Behind the Screen.   I was determined to have a good break over the Christmas/New Year period, resting (meaning no computer work), just the annual equipment cleaning (keyboards and dust) and filing away all of the last years completed content... clean ready computers all done, and also ready for the exciting new 2023 year ahead, I was fresh as well after the rest, all ready to go...   it lasted three days.   The one thing X-Plane is very good at, I have found over the years, is it that it has the uncanny knack of finding your weak spots, then throwing them directly or blowing them up into your face.   More confusion is created when I have easily used X-Plane 12 (beta) from it's introduction back in September 2022. Yes I had to adjust the graphic settings, but otherwise I was able to use the newer version Simulator overall perfectly fine.   Then things started going seriously wrong when I started an early in the year 2023 review. After the initial confusion, it came down to three areas. Crashing or the freezing of the simulator caused by the continuous Vulcan device loss errors, weird things happening to aircraft when flying, like the liveries would change every few minutes, the undercarriage had a mind of it's own, dropping then coming back up, ATC alerts popping up consistently, flaps changing position, and finally airbrakes deciding to also activate also on their own. Finally the screen was going dark and the saturation was going off the scale. Absolute madness... just ONE of these areas alone are hard to decipher, but three or four at the same time was simply overwhelming...   Biggest argument here is why? perfect before Christmas, then a total horror show after it, I hadn't done anything, or changed anything between the two events...  the only one I had done was to update X-Plane to v12.01r1...   nah really?   I will bring up that v12.01r1 update, did it start a chain of events that sent me bonkers? it is a big question... Laminar put out all the version changes in their X-Plane 12.00 Release Notes...  but what of the areas of changes you don't see, mostly in the core X-Plane.app. I am not going to blame Laminar Research or X-Plane, as it may even be just circumstances that things happen, but one thing is for sure. One area had certainly changed to create a cascade of other issues. My work and time went down the toilet as well.   The problems are a result actually of Hardware issues? HARDWARE? Thanks to user "Tom", I worked out that my Saitek Hardware was underpowered, the USB was not pulling enough power from the computer, the result is an area called "Ghosting", were the (in this case the switches on my Saitek throttle) decided to activate the set switches by themselves, or ghosting themselves. Honestly I had never heard of "Ghosting" before even though it is quite common with Saitek addons. So you learn something, even after over a decade in Simulation.   One down three to go...  Still I had the "Vulcan device loss errors", and they were becoming evidently worse, to the point the Simulator was crashing now consistently. I pared the simulator back to a fresh clean X-Plane 12 application install. No plugins, Only default Scenery, Only default aircraft... the result was still loads of Vulcan device errors, but not as consistent. A investigation of the forums said it was my Graphic Card a GTX 1080 8Gb that was not powerful enough to cope with the API, odd as it coped very well for four months last year, I don't or didn't over stress my Graphic Card either, but it was showing signs it was burning out (BTW, X-Plane burnt out my last Graphic Card as well in my Mac), hence all the Vulkan loss errors.   I was now looking at a new (expensive) Graphic Card. Hard to get at this time in Australia (Summer Holidays) and in very short in stock availability. I could throw 2K or AUS$1700 at one, but I don't have 2K to buy one, remember I have already spent 3K last year upgrading my Board and Processors...  for a game, sorry simulation X-Plane is an expensive business.   I found a card, a RTX 3080 10GB even on sale (if for only $50), but still far more than the 1K that I wanted to pay... remember when you could buy graphic cards for $600 and they felt expensive, today you can double that, or even treble that. Good news it was local so I got it the next day...   Yes it is a powerful RTX 3080 card (for it's price). But powering it is like hooking up Hoover Dam to Las Vegas, two heavy cables are required, some cards now need three. Lucky last year I also upgraded to a 1000w Corsair Power Supply, so I already had enough power to power this internal nuclear reactor... It works.   You can do anything with computers, but if you are into Simulation, then Graphic Card power is always the way to go. You can get very intoxicated by it all, jumping from below 30 frames to over 60 frames in an instant, nothing abruptly happens either, no CTD (Crash to Desktop), no flickers, no waiting, and absolutely no Vulkan device errors!   It just all works...  and smoothly.   Huge headroom, and the space to absorb the things that can drive you mad, do I recommend selling items of furniture or your car to get a magic graphic card, sadly yes if you are serious about Simulation.   But now with my system is now finally completed  or 100% overhauled, it is seriously frightening on how much power you really do just need to run X-Plane 12 efficiently. Seriously those who think they can get away with the basic specifications set out by Laminar Research are not going to make it, I wasn't even close to the absolute basic requirements, as I got burnt out, other users have simply got no chance.   I know, because I tried to beat the odds, and failed. So if you are in it for the long haul with X-Plane 12, you have to have the gear to run it as well.   That brings up another question? Does a simple simulator program expect or demand too much investment to just to run correctly, remember X-Plane 9, I ran that on a Mac-Mini at the time, and it flew very well, now I need Colossus and the power of the Hoover Dam just to get a decent framerate?   In other words, X-Plane 12 found my weaknesses, exploited them, and brought me crashing down. Did the hidden changes in v12.01r1 push my systems boundaries beyond what they are capable of? That is big question... Yes X-Plane 12 or as currently noted as officially released, it is however in reality still deep into a beta, and things are still changing, even under the hood...  you are starting to wish it would be all be over and sooner than later. I have been through beta's like this before, but never have they burnt out my computer?   I still have an issue, my Monitor looks perfect with the set Nvidia settings, (even with the default settings), but the images coming out of X-Plane 12 (screenshots) are anything but, dark and with very heavy shadows (yes I do have Ambient Occlusion set to zero), at night you can't see anything? Graphic Card or X-Plane 12, take your pick, as they say in Houston "Work the problem". _______________   I mentioned in my end of the year review 2022 and roundup, that this year 2023 would be one of the most interesting and important years in the history of X-Plane. Basically it is a sink or swim year (the above situation does not help). But I did expect a load of upgrades that came to pass with X-Plane 12 going official, they came or are still coming and they are all very good, but it is the add on scenery aspect that is the most worrying.    In the first month I was very uplifted by the release of a lot of cross platform scenery (MSFS and X-Plane12), basically the same scenery released for both platforms, and both of the same high quality. Thankfully not the glut over at MSFS and the few trinkets for X-Plane. Supporting both platform simultaneously is good business for both sides, the Simulators and the developer houses. In fact delivering more scenery products for X-Plane 12 will of course drive more business in users wanting to fill out their landscapes with decent product.   Better was shown with Orbx and their Brisbane City pack release and YBBN Brisbane International Airport packages (I give a small preview of both in the Thranda 337F Review). My argument (for years) was always to produce City packages or City Icons, with the connected Airports. Then let the X-Plane autogen do the rest. The Orbx dual package shows how well this aspect works for X-Plane and why I push for as many City Packages (and for you to buy them) to fill out the X-Plane world as possible and make it far more realistic. A lot will note that X-Plane still needs a far better photo based underlay, to which I totally agree, but flat photos are not the answer either for total realism.   Even though Austin Meyer as an aversion to photo textures, I still think X-Plane will still get a hybrid system during the X-Plane 12 run to counter the MSFS style of Simulation...  good city scenery also proves it can work for X-Plane and it is also well worth the users investment, as the Orbx combo shows...  that aspect alone makes it a brilliant, even relived start to the 2023 Simulation year, just hope the same quality and products are continued to be released as the year progresses. It will be an area I will comment on frequently, because it is vital to expanding landscape of the X-Plane 12 Simulator and it's future.   See you all next month (barring another computer meltdown)   Stephen Dutton 3rd February 2023 Copyright©2023 X-Plane Reviews      

I just downloaded, installed and tried X-Plane 12. I have to say that I quite like it, the visual engine has had a nice upgrade and performance wise I'm also quite happy with the fluid experience I got. My PC has a i7 9700k and a RTX 2080, so not new and fancy. I waited so long because I was reading many complaints about performance of former X-Plane 11 users who have made the switch, but I'm positively surprised.   If MSFS2020 would not exist, I think we would all be very happy with this new version, which is an upgrade in many regards, compared to the already good X-Plane 11. The scenery and the clouds could be better, but I like the atmopheric haze very much, it's quite realistic. The flight dynamics are as always real a pleasure, and I'm saying this as a former licensed private pilote. 

Aircraft Review : Cessna 337F Skymaster by Thranda Design   Thoughout the history of aviation there have been many different concepts...  fuselage shapes, wing designs, power sources. But in the one area of multiple engines, there is the Twin Engine mounted wing configuration, or commonly known as "Twins".   Several twins however use a very different concept, one was the wartime Do 335, another and another was far more famous aircraft the Cessna 337 Skymaster.   The concept is called push-pull configuration in that has a combination of forward-mounted tractor (pull) propeller, and backward-mounted (pusher) propeller. In the Cessna 377's case it was two Continental IO-360-C air-cooled flat-six piston engines, 210 hp (160 kW) each, producing a combined 420hp, plus the unique "Twin-Boom" tail arrangement to accommodate the rear (pusher) engine/propeller. Basically the 337 was a standard Cessna forward fuselage, but with a totally different concept at the rear.     The first Skymaster, Model 336 Skymaster, had fixed landing gear and initially flew on February 28, 1961. It went into production in May 1963 with 195 being produced through mid-1964.   In February 1965, Cessna introduced the Model 337 Super Skymaster. The new model was larger, and had more powerful engines, retractable landing gear, and a dorsal air scoop for the rear engine. (The "Super" prefix was subsequently dropped from the name.) In 1966, the turbocharged T337 was introduced, and in 1973, the pressurised P337G entered production. Cessna built altogether 2993 Skymasters of all variants, including 513 military O-2 versions.   Thranda Design are on a roll. Last year in 2022 they released two Cessna's, Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, then later a Cessna U206G Stationair. Now another Cessna joins the fleet in a Cessna 337F, the push/puller icon.   This C337 is not the first 337 in X-Plane, that distinction goes to Carenado's Cessna C337H Skymaster v2 HD Series, back in 2013, an iconic and much loved aircraft (by me anyway)...  I loved the thing, and you can see on how good it was even a decade ago in the review above.   Thranda Design also had a lot of input into that aircraft, as they also managed back then the Carenado fleet for the X-Plane Simulator, so they already know the aircraft intimately.     No matter how many aircraft you review, you are still amazed at the quality and detail you get today in simulation. Once you flew models (or modeled aircraft), but today they are realistically miniature aircraft in almost every perfect detail. Every panel, appendage, rivet, screw and the overall shaping is perfect, or perfection, inlets show a mock Continental IO-360-C, but the engine is not accessible (Unlike the U206G).   Glass is perfect, a green tint (more visible internally) with wear speckles embedded, it looks and feels nicely authentic.     The twin VHF roof mounted aerials are distinctive on the C337, as is the large cooling inlet for the buried rear engine. Note the top oil filler cap, nice detail.       The support strut for the tail booms is interesting. It is plastic or early form of glass-fibre to save weight, behind the strut in the boom structure is a sump tank.       Flaps are divided on to each side of the boom, so in essence there are four sections. Detail again is excellent, note the boom fairings around the flaps detail...  there are three flap degrees.     There is the beautiful cambered detailing of the wing tips, that defines the chord. And you have the choice between "Icing Boots", or a blank leading edge.     The rear twin booms, with the large central horizontal stabiliser is huge, with built in elevator and trim tab. Each boom has each internal left and right rudder cables and the right hand boom carries the trim cable, the left boom the elevator cable...     ...  tailstrikes are common, rare that any C337 has no tail damage, both the upper and lower assemblies here are excellent detail. You can't just swap around a Continental IO-360-C engine either...  the rear has a very different load bearing (push) to the front's (Pull) bearing (again made tougher to absorb the higher loads). Note the rear engine cooling flaps (open).     The landing gear is basic in a complicated way....  the wheel assemblies quite basic, hub and arms, but complicated in that they have to fold up into the fuselage, the nose gear rotates sideways on retraction, the rear spindly legs also have to contort to fit in the rear bays. A lot of owners take the rear gear doors off, as maintenance wise they are a pain (an option here?).   Early 337 models used a manual hydraulic floor pump to raise and lower the gear from 65 to 73, then it was converted to two ECSs in the model, each with a 5.5-volt BEC. The front BEC powers a receiver in the fuselage (behind the front engine ) that operates the retracts, doors, nose wheel steering, right aileron and right elevator. The second receiver is in the wing and is powered from the rear ESC. The wing receiver operates the left aileron, left elevator half, both rudders and both flaps.     As noted the gear in detail is very well done by Thranda, all assemblies and tyres are first rate, even good enough to spend time and admire the work. Because of the type of undercarriage on this aircraft, there won't be any of the usual Thranda addon features like; Tundra Tyres, Ice-Skis and Float/Amphibian versions. There are a few 337 float conversions out there, but they are very rare.   If you want to call it the "Arse End" or "Rear Belly" of the aircraft, the lower rear fuselage is really well detailed with great well designed vortex generators, to create a smoother rear (breakaway) airflow from the aircraft with the powered propeller above.     From on-wards with the 337G Super Skymaster version, there was a split airstair entry door, like on the Carenado 337H, great for leaving the upper window open in flight. Here though on the "F" model with Thranda, it is the earlier single entry door, the only other opening door is the smaller cubby door for baggage rear lower right side.     Interior Only a single door entry to a six-seater aircraft, so it is tight in there with this seating configuration. Usually you would only use the seats, and so where do you put the baggage? usually on your lap, so the six-seater configuration doesn't work.   In a real 337 your on top of each other, so it's small, really small. Note the excellent seating, the lower base and legs are really well designed... nice to look at as well.     Unlike most Cessna's, the rear of the cabin doesn't taper away, so it is really inside a tall box. The rear engine which is set just behind the rear bulkhead is close to the rearmost passengers, it is known to be noisy as well.     Cabin is tailored in a mixture of creams and browns, again reflecting it's pre-70's age...  the headlining has a zip to the rear, again nicely done, with the front high set Fuel tank opposite selectors, for the front and rear engines.     Cockpit Forward and the instrument panel is dominated by the huge pedestal, with six levers (THROTTLE, PROP and MIXTURE) for the two engines...     ...  front side windows are huge and past the front line of the wing leading edge...  and reason why most C377's are used for observation, e.g. the Cessna O-2 Skymaster (nicknamed "Oscar Deuce"), fire and maritime observation patrols. Front side window (sometimes known as the paperwork window) opens as does the ash tray (it was the 70's). The Pilot's window is fixed, but the door window can be opened.     There are two choices of yokes, "Slim" or "Beefy", the beefy version is the same large centred yoke from the Thranda U206G, but it works in here.   Looking at the instrument panel, there is one glaring omission between the Carenado 337H and this version...  that lovely green buttoned Autopilot panel...  disappointed, as it was a huge feature on the earlier aircraft.     Otherwise they are very much alike. As this aircraft has the "Dynamic Panel" system from Thranda, there are no set instrument arrangements, as we shall see that aspect later.     Two areas on the instrument panel are standard...  the excellent twin engine gauges with Manifold Pressure and RPM. A Fuel Flow (FF) and EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The highlight on this side is the engine dials that show (top row) fuel gauges (two tanks, 46 GAL each), OIL pressure. (lower row) CYL head temp, and OIL temperatures. Other dials cover SUCTION, Air Temperature and Volts (amperes).   Left lower panel has the VOLTS/BATtery (alternators), IGNITION/STARTERS , Instrument lighting (Flood/Post), Cowl Flaps (Front/Rear) and main electrical switchgear; MASTER, AUX PUMPS, ANTI-ICE, AVIONICS, (External) Lighting.     The (hydraulic) gear selector is by the excellent large and handy (pitch) trim wheel. Park brake is a simple push/pull knob lower.   The six lever; THROTTLE, PROP and MIXTURE pedestal is large and excellent, with a yaw (Rudder) trim wheel set below. Lower is a ADF Receiver panel.     Left side panel is a fully active "Circuit Breaker" (Fuses) panel. In the opening glove box are the happy faces of the "Thranda Team".     Menu Thranda's Menus are very feature rich and highly detailed. There is a popout TAB under the arrow lower left, that can be (mouse) scrolled to hide it, that is if you don't like these sort of items crowding your screen (I don't). The Menu system includes the "Dynamic Generation Series" or DGS, a Thranda speciality feature that takes full advantage of X-Plane's flexibility for in-sim, real-time modifications.     As noted the "Menu" Tab (arrow) is far left middle of your screen, this will activate the Pop-Out Menu... The Menu has seven menu tabs in; GENERAL, LIVERY, WEIGHT/BAL, CAMERA, AUDIO/SLEW, PANEL and MISC (Miscellaneous)   Menu - General The menu "General" sections covers quite a lot of options, the layout is highly detailed and very comprehensive.     General menu selections cover; Electric Tug, Window and Instrument Panel Reflections on/off, Startup Running on/off, GPU on/off, Cargo Pod on/off, Chocks and Brakes.     Three selections placed right cover group items, but any one item can be also accessed via "Click Spots" and can be individually selected or hidden via the aircraft graphic. "ALL COVERS" will select engine inlet/outlet covers and pitot cover, "ALL TIE-DOWNS" for rear fuselage and wing tie-downs and "ALL DOORS" for both the cockpit door and rear cabin doors. All EXT - External Lights can be switched on and off as can the ALL INT - Internal lights.   The "Electric Tug" that can be used to move the aircraft around on the ground via your joystick (left,right-forward,backwards). Static Items include Ground Power Unit, Engine Inlet covers, Pitot covers and Tie-Downs   Cargo pod is nicely detailed and comes with a single opening door, you can also add in the amount of baggage according to weight.     The excellent "Checklist", can also be found on this tab. Which is the same as the Thranda U206G system...  in the red, or the checked green choices you used on the other Thranda aircraft, and not the single white text on the Caravan. On some pages it notes performance and flying tips.     You can have checklist pop-up or in a window mode and thankfully you can move it, and scale it even from the very small to the very large size. The two lower arrows give navigation around the checklist pages. The action detail and hints in the lists are simply excellent and the checklist is fully detailed from Pre-Flight to Shutdown. And to reset, it is done at the end by switching all the green completed checklist back to red.   Menu - Liveries Second Menu option is "Liveries", there are two options here with the first being "PAINTED LIVERIES". There are altogether 8 liveries or two blank (or DynamicLiveryResources/ZZTemplate) and six designs, and all are of extremely high quality and creative flare with the package. Thranda house is default.     Dynamic Liveries Not happy with any of those designs, then why not create your own livery!      With their earlier releases of their Caravan and U206G. Then Thranda introduced a clever feature of a way to design your own livery. This is done by switching from PAINTED LIVERIES to DYNAMIC LIVERIES (Arrowed).   Two liveries are "Dynamic" in resources (White)...  another New feature is the (Quick) selection of Dirt (Ext) Externally, Scratches and Dirt (Int) Internally. Via three percentage selections you can adjust the amount of Dirt, Scratches and Dirt Int on the aircraft (0%-255%) and apply it instantly.So you can have either a pristine or a very grubby aircraft with just a twirl of the numbers. This can be applied to any of the liveries.     You have a menu to select on the right that can colour a certain part of the aircraft, like the Roof, Wing, Tail or Wing tips. Select which one you want and then adjust the RGB colours for that certain area, it looks hard but you can easily design a very nice livery in about twenty minutes...  the selections of Dirt (Ext), Scratches and Dirt (Int). Metal(ness) and surface Rough(ness) can also be added or adjusted as seen earlier...     When done you can "SAVE" or ADD the livery and then "APPLY" it to the aircraft. The conversion takes a few minutes, but the results are excellent and in your own design...  There are already 30 preselected selections in their various designs, all which are very good, and like noted you can add in your own version to the list. New to the Dynamic Livery application is ERA options in "Modern' or "Classic". Of course taste is optional...   Here I changed the aircraft registration to an Australian Rego (VH-337), because I didn't like the Australian default aircraft...  cool.     Menu - Weight/Bal     The C337F also has a great Weight and Balance menu. Lbs and Kgs which can be selected and changed via the toggle Lbs/Kgs (arrowed).     Fuel can be added, and the amounts are then shown and are also adjustable as well in the menu (above). Pilot, passengers and cargo can all be set for individual weights and all selected via a scrollwheel...  and then all of the CofG (Centre of Gravity) parameters are shown on a graph. Go too far or too heavy and the CofG goes red (arrowed). When done you can Save the Configuration and then later re-load it, or press Load to add in the set weights. Overall it would be nice to have set of loading formats of different configurations, it is slow work setting them individually.     Once you go over a certain weight, you will then get two pilot's in the front seats, but no rear passengers. Pilots (Female/Male) are switchable. Note if you turn the aircraft power off, the pilots will again disappear.   More cabin options allows you to hide each of the four rear seats, via the small x tickboxes, if the weights for each seat is still set in place (or adjusted) then the area is replace by baggage. This makes for a very versatile cabin.     The Cargo Pod can be added or removed on the MISC Tab. This then adds in the Cargo Pod weight options on the right.     But obviously there is a compromise? If you want a full passenger and baggage load, then you can't have full fuel tanks, as the excess weight takes you over the weight and the CofG limits. For six (light) passengers (with maybe a bag thrown in) then can you have your full tanks and the range and not go into the red. You can also really pile a lot into the rear cabin two sections, and all the baggage is of very high quality.   Menu - Camera     There is a camera feature under the menu "Camera" selection. The left side of the panel is the "Walkaround" views, just pick the dot viewpoint you want to see to rotate around the aircraft. To the right is the default views can be selected via a menu, or press the keypad to select the view with most of these internal viewpoints. The FoV or Field of View is adjustable via a slider.     Menu - Audio/Slew     Sound can be adjusted via the sound menu. There are seven slider selections with: Master, Aircraft External, Aircraft Internal, CoPilot, Radios, Environmental and User Interface. One other sound setting is on the Flap panel...  As noted, on the right and left of the panel you get the audio simulation of an active noise canceling headset, which is seen as wearing a headset. Sound quality is beyond excellent as it is a built in audio mixer, so you can individually control the audio channels in real-time and you can adjust the volumes while hearing them play.   Slew mode allows you to manually move the aircraft around in a disconnected X-Plane space. It functions by temporarily overriding the various aerodynamic and physical forces on the X-Plane settings, it is to allow the user to reposition the plane as desired. This feature is however highly touchy and it is mostly used with the floats option (not really coming to the 337), but for use on the Caravan, Thranda Beaver and PC-6).   Menu - PANEL The sixth "PANEL" Tab option allows you to adjust or change the instruments and dials.     Scroll the "Panel Preset" number (arrowed) to see the extra six preset layouts (seven choices in all). Sometimes to restart you have to click to "Apply the Settings" for the GPS units.     Panel features include; Bendix King KFC-225, and the noted Aspen EFD 1000, KR 87 ADF Radio, Garmin GMA 340, Garmin GTX325 Mode C Transponder, BendixKing IN-182A Weather Radar, S-Tec Fifty Five X Autopilot and the usual GNS 430/530 PS/Nav/Comm units. A EDM 780 Digital EGT (shown lower) is also available. And there is a special 3d bezels for the insertion  of RealityXp GTN 750/430 units if you own those two addons (arrowed above).     Here is featured the EDM 780 EGT display, a replacement for the twin EGT gauges, the instrument pops-out as well.   The Aspen EFD 1000 is a self-contained multifunction digital display that is divided into a Primary Flight Display (PFD) in the top half, and an Electric Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI) in the lower half. As EDF 1000 systems go it is not as highly featured with the GPSS, MAP,  360 and Menu functions all not simulated...  all the lower NAV1/NAV2/GPS selections are however available, as is the TPS (Tapes) see/hide option with the MIN (Minimums) selectable as well. and the PFD can be reversed with the EHSI. The EFD 1000 here can be used with the S-TEC Fifty Five X Autopilot.     Customising the panel to your own personal layout is just as easy. Just select the "3D EDIT PANEL MODE" (arrowed) that gives you access to all of the 53 individual instruments and avionic units...  There are some great options including Aspen EFD 1000, S-TEC 55x Autopilot, Angle of Attack gauge and so on...     For those that find instruments are not to their liking in say, "I wish I could move that altitude meter just a bit more to the left", then here you can simply adjust that instrument, or even swap the instruments around the panel to your liking. You can even adjust the brightness of the instrument. Optional is to select the type of GPS unit you want GNS 530/430 via the "INSTRUMENT" selection.     When done you can "ADD" (or Duplicate) a new "Preset", and then "SAVE" that new layout Preset (Preset /6).   So basically you can start off with a completely blank instrument panel and then create your own unique or personal instrument layout if you have the time and patience...  and you can have up to or save 14 different instrument layouts. It is however very important to restart X-Plane to lock in the new instrumentation layout before flying.   Currently the optional "Panel Background" choice (colour) is not available on the 337F, like it was on some other Thranda DGS systems.   Menu - MISC The Misc (Miscellaneous) page has four panels that cover Yoke Type (Chunky or Slim) ,De-Ice (wing) Boots, Cargo Pod (Normal or Cargo), Pilots (Option 1 Female, Option Two Male) and DynaFeel.     "DynaFeel" on the right is a system that dynamically adjusts the rate at which the controls deflect. It is  based on airspeed and how much the control is deflected. This means the controls will feel light and responsive at low speeds and with small deflections, but will get progressively heavier as the airspeed increases. _____________________   Flying the Cessna 337F Skymaster The 377F is an odd aircraft because of it's push/pull configuration. The front is standard, the rear installation is everything but. In the cockpit it is bit like wearing a very heavy backpack, you know it's there but you can't see it. And that heavily enclosed rear installation causes problems as well....  mostly the heating.   So the aircraft is expensive to run, maintenance costs are notably high and so are the insurance premiums. This puts of a lot off buyers, which is a shame as the unique configuration is a very good flying machine.   You have to start the front engine first, to push cooling air into the upper vent to keep the rear engine cool...     ...  even when you have started the rear IO-360-C air-cooled flat-six piston engine, you have to move forward quickly. More air is required by movement via the twin open cowls on the rear, the nose engine has the same cowls under the aircraft, but it also has the forward nose inlet.   Sit there for a period of time and it could get very expensive... quickly. And yet you need the "Temps" to come up before moving, my trick is once the needles are showing rear temps, then go...  the taxi to the runway will do the rest. And this highlights the biggest point in flying the C337, your eyes are never (ever) far from those Temp gauges, you can't see or feel that rear engine, so the gauges are your eyes and ears to what is happening back there.     Sounds when running are obviously different. Although both IO-360-C engines are the same, however they sound very different because of their different locations and installations. So you get Individual sounds for the front and back engines, with different sonic characteristics.   Combine that with 3D 360º audio effects, including "blade slapping" sound when view is perpendicular to prop, and you can even hear the turbulent air feeding into the rear prop. Also the "beats' are all there with the precise beat frequency for each section, to minimise "muddy" transition sounds, in other words the running "ticker, ticker", sounds at idle, the same as any Continental piston engine, but sonically coming at you from both ways...  it's all very good.   It is up to you if you want to taxi on one engine, or both...  personally you don't need the rear engine to taxi, as the front IO-360-C has more than enough power...     ...  with no stress yet on the rear engine it helps in keeping it a bit cool(er). I use a Yaw setting on my Joystick to steer, but rudder inputs, in mostly the right rudder will fine tune the taxi line, even slight turns like this with the rudder input are easily available...  on the ground the 337 is excellent, nice power inputs, that slack off when you reduce the power, so all it's lovely on the ground.     Cockpit in detail in X-Plane 12 is realistic as it gets, Simulation 2023...  the silhouette is the iconic C337.     Because of the unique engine arrangement and rear fuselage configuration, the rear engine creates instant aerodynamic flow over the huge horizontal stabiliser and elevator, so the pitch feel is there from the word go...  so you have to be aware in the way you use the pitch earlier than usual. On the real 337, the pitch trim is motorised automatically to compensate for the extra elevator pressure loadings, and will work (trim) from the moment you leave the runway. The rear propeller is highly exposed as well... thrown up rocks from the rear wheels can cause grief (in other words expensive repairs), and you have to leave the runway cleanly, or not a too pitched up, in not catching the ground sort of skill... obviously you can't see it at all.     But the unique push/pull engine configuration also works for you in not creating any (depending on the power outputs) yaw, as the inline counter-rotating propellers give no directional thrust pull, so there is no asymmetrical thrust or yaw to the power output of the propeller, basically you go straight down the runway with no corrections or slight rudder corrections...  and fast you do go!   I usually bring the front (puller) up to 90% power, tracking right I then bring up the rear (pusher) to match it...     ...  remember the rear engine operates in the disturbed air from the forward engine, which may reduce its efficiency to 85% of the forward engine.  Basically the 337 is a small aircraft with two engines on it, so it GOES...   well "like shit!".     At 100knts you break with the ground, slight pull back with the yoke, and once clear then a 10% pitch to climbout...  you have ton's of power behind you, so the 337 will climb-out very easily...     Rate of climb is 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s), but you can do a 1,000 fpm comfortably... now for the big theatrical production!   First the gear doors open, then the nosewheel will twist sideways to fit into the front wheel-well...     ...  from the rear the fine limbed gear has to then contortion to fit in what is basically four rear bays.     The animation work here is difficult and very complex, but Thranda have done an excellent job, in getting it perfectly correct. Then you have a nice clean aircraft. Note... the gear lever will go up, then return to the centre position once the hydraulics have finished the procedure.     Once cleaned up, the one thing you realise very quickly, is that the 337F is one amazing aircraft to fly. Maybe it is huge wing arrangement, and twin boom tail, but it is steady as a rock and smooooth, easily trimmed, and can then bank to your will...  ohhh it's "so good".     You can bank to the extreme, say 80º/90º (See Redbull video), and the 337 will take it all in it's stride, but note the loss of height, if you are doing these sort of very angled manoeuvres.     The numbers... Maximum speed: 199 mph (173 kn, 320 km/h) at sea level : Cruise speed: 144 mph (125 knots, 232 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m) (econ cruise) : Range: 965 mi (839 nmi, 1,553 km) : Service ceiling: 19,500 ft (5,945 m)     A lot of operators use internal tanks on the 337 for on-station flying (fishing, fire, maritime patrols etc) so the range is expandable.   Lighting Internal lighting is quite basic, but effective. There are only four adjustment knobs; POST (those little lights on the instruments), FLOOD, EL PANEL and ENG RADIO.   Between them you get a full lit panel with red highlights...     ...   a Black&White panel, or a Red panel     Last adjustment is for the lower left instrument panel. In the rear you have four spot lights that you can adjust the beams, the roof Fuel Switches are also lit up...  but missing is a forward flood cockpit light, and you seriously notice the absence?   Externally it is pretty basic as well, Landing/Taxi lights in the wings, navigation and strobe lights on the wingtips, a right tail beacon and white navigation lights on the twin tails. There is also a nice left side Ice-light on the wing.     Notable is cooling as already noted. Once airborne you can close the cooling vents forward and rear, this nicely cleans up the aircraft. But there a need to keep all eyes on all the temperature gauges. It becomes a bit of a game on how long (or how far) you can go with the vents closed, once the needles are touching the red zones, you are out of there...  switches are lower pilot panel right.     Cruising you can easily see the 337F's main outstanding elements, as a stable observational platform. You can understand why the US Army grabbed a load of 337s for this purpose. I wouldn't use the aircraft so much in carrying fare paying passengers, it's too cramped and even too noisy to put into commercial service, but for two (Pilots) and a load of gear, it is perfect.     A quick look at the Orbx Brisbane City pack... Brisbane is 70 kms north of here and my local state capital. It comes back to my original argument, create the inner city and the autogen will do the rest, it works fabulously well here, as does the complimenting Orbx YBBN Brisbane international...     YBBN Runway 01L is all brand new, just completed only a year or so back...  time to check it out.     Two things are very apparent on the approach, first the 337F's lift is impressive, those wide wings and horizontal stabiliser (with added thrust on it, mind you) keeps you very steady, almost static in the air, which means manoeuvres can be easily controlled. So the old adage applies here, the Skymaster is a very "Sweet" aircraft to fly. Second is that once you reduce the speed on approach, even at 120 kts, off goes the gear alarm? it feels far to early, not even in the flap white zone, so you have to drop the gear early to just "shut it up".     I think the alarm is there and early (still a bit too early though), because it takes the gear a very (very) long time to unfurl and lock down, it feels ages from when you drop the lever to when the green light comes on...  notably I opened the cooling vents before landing, and instantly all the temp gauges drop.     Flaps are 4 phase 3 degree movements; UP - 1/2 - 2/3 - FULL, get the speed right and there is simply no ballooning, just slight drop of speed, even down to the FULL setting, the Skymaster will stay calm and collected with no fighting of the aircraft...  critical on approach.     Over the threshold and your in the 70 knts range, perfectly stable...      ...  60 knts in the flare. The flare has to be perfect, as you are very aware of that rear propeller hanging down. Slight 5º-6º degrees to keep the nosewheel slightly higher than the rears, then let it down.     When the rears touch you bring down the nose carefully, the slow landing speed and excellent lift really helps here to get it right.     Then back to taxiing with the rudder pedals.   It's a long taxi from YBBN runway 01L/19R to the GA area, and i'm watching those temp gauges like a hawk... but I get there. BNE needs to create a shorter taxi route to 01L/19R from the GA Area, which the area is actually close to?     I finally get there...  notable with the engines now shutdown is the active variable-pitch on the propellers (PROP levers) in being feathered, it is all very well done here by Thranda, authentic, realism... take your pick but still great.       Although a very different configuration from the usual, the 337F is actually a very nice aircraft for a pilot, you never oddly fight it, it is SO stable (that word again), a dream in all the aspects of manoeuvres in the air, trims nice, just "Bloody" feels nice as well.   All round this a great aircraft, different in most aspects, but that is also it's attraction for a really special simulation. ___________________ Summary The Cessna 337 is a very unique aircraft in the history of aviation. It is only one of the few created and built in the Push/Pull configuration, or a forward PULL engine and a rear PUSH engine, to accommodate the rear push engine it has a two boom and twin tail arrangement, with a standard Cessna fuselage and forward engine layout. Yes it's totally unique, but it works.   Last year in 2022, Thranda Designs released the Cessna 208 Grand Caravan and the U206G Stationair, those aircraft in the series are now joined by the Cessna 337F, after Thranda's earlier more rugged utility aircraft Series. This aircraft is powered by two Continental IO-360-C air-cooled flat-six piston engines, 210 hp (160 kW) each, producing a combined 420hp.   Thranda Design are one of the best developers in X-Plane, their history and quality is legendary. So that quality build and detailing is always going to be significant from the start, and so it here... exceptional. In every area and detail, modeling, fine details, glass and the interior materials.   Menus are also excellent with menu tabs in; GENERAL, LIVERY, WEIGHT/BAL, CAMERA, AUDIO/SLEW, PANEL and MISC (Miscellaneous), that covers all the options and including sound, weights and balances also including graphs, walk-around and camera options and general static elements including GPU, chocks, pitot covers, two pilots (Male/Female) and tie-downs.   Sounds are excellent with High fidelity, multi-track sounds with smooth, finely tuned transitions, amazing atmospheric effects, different sonic characteristics (with the engine arrangement) and 3D audio effects, including the "blade slapping" sounds and the aerodynamic interaction effects between front and rear prop. Internal sounds are however a bit too low compared to the external.   Thranda always comes with a high range of clever and unique features to give the user a lot of personal options. Known as the "Dynamic Generation Series" or DGS, this is a Thranda speciality feature that takes full advantage of X-Plane's flexibility for in-sim, real-time modifications. Here you can change the actual livery to your own designs, but build the instrument panel to your own liking as well, including options of the Aspen EFD 1000 glass instrument and a special 3d bezel for the insert of a RealityXp GTN 750 and GNS 430 units if you own those add ons.   Comments include, Tricky to start, Tricky to keep cool, and the unusual undercarriage bans a lot extra features in Tundra Tyres, Ice-Skis and Float/Amphibian variants. Lighting is good, but there is no overhead cockpit flood light, four rear spots are also small, in making it a dull night cabin, instrument pane is however good, but you feel you need more adjustments. Missing also is that valued green buttoned Autopilot panel that was on the Carenado.   Notable that the 337 is a unique aircraft to fly. The in-line engine arrangement gives you almost no asymmetrical thrust, but this also a powerful, but brilliantly handing aircraft that has not only a very stable platform feel in the air, but also on departure and approach procedures, you can see why the US Army bought loads of O-2 Skymasters for observation patrols.   So it's a Thranda and that is a sale done right there. At a below US$40.00 price it is also exceptional value for what you get, including free updates for the run of the X-Plane 12 version and all that exceptional quality.     A total winner in every department...  and positively recommended. _______________________________     Yes! the Cessna 337F Skymaster DGS series by Thranda Design is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:    Cessna 337F Skymaster DGS series Price is US$39.95   Requirements X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum. 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1.4 GB Current version 1.0.3* (February 1st 2023) *Updates via the Skunkcrafts Updater   Special features:     FULLY configurable 3D instrument panel.     Fully VR Compatible     Interchangeable yoke styles     Over 50 instruments to choose from! (Including Aspen EFD 1000, and support for RealityXP 650 and GTN750)     Move any instrument to any location on the panel, or even between pilot and copilot's panel!     Comes with 4 panel presets, but can easily be expanded by moving instruments around, using a simple and intuitive interface.     Lighting is fully 3D, and dynamically move along with the instruments, as you configure the panel.     Ability to assign a lighting index to individual instruments, to allow different lighting knobs to be assigned on a per-instrument basis.     Save your own presets, and even share them with the community!     Almost every instrument can be popped up or popped out as a 2D floating window! They can be placed on other monitors as well.     Instruments can be moved in 3D directly, on a 2D pop-up preview window, or by numerical entry for precise placement.     GNS430 and 530 can be swapped out, but a restart of the plane is required, as 430s and 530s are mutually exclusive in terms of compatibility in X-Plane     Dynamic livery editor (like in the Kodiak, the Beaver, the Wilga, the Caravan, the C206, and the Pilatus PC-6)     Full PBR control! Create stunning metallic liveries, or matte, sand-blasted look in mere seconds!     Additional control over dirt/scratches, adjustable in real-time to dial in the exact desired amount of wear and tear.       Create "virtual" liveries, based on two basic common design layouts (Modern and Classic), and assign any colour to any available paint segment.     Quickly create preview of livery in real-time, using intuitive controls.  Previews include visualization of metallic materials and dirt overlays.     Apply selected livery in real-time, right in the sim, without the need to even touch a 3rd party image editor!     Option to change the tail number in real-time, or disable it altogether. (Enter a "space" instead of a callsign number to create a blank tail number.)     Easily and quickly create dozens of paint schemes in-sim!     Also includes 9 traditionally painted liveries, all visible in a convenient pre-selection preview window.     Ability to swap pilot/co-pilot figures     Uses SkunkCrafts Updater.  Option to participate in Beta program, via checkbox in SkunkCrafts Updater.     Excellent hi-res PBR realistic materials, featuring true-to-life plate deformation and to-the-rivet precision.     Fully modelled Continental IO-320-F front engine.     Windshield ice and rain effects     Individual functional circuit breakers. Feature-rich elegant fly-out menu with the following features:     Electric tug, with in-panel controls to move forward/backward at the desired speed, and steer proportionally     Control over chocks, individual tie-downs, covers, internal lights, external lights, etc.     Option to enable/disable Cargo Pod, with realistically simulated weight, momentum, rotational inertia, and drag characteristics.     Option to start up running (all systems ready), or cold-and-dark, for realistic startup procedures, directly from this fly-out menu.     Control landing lights, strobes, beacon, and nav lights via fly-out menu     Detailed weight and balance manager with visual chart, individual passenger seat weight control, Lbs/KG unit toggle, CG control, external tank control, and the option to save and load configuration.     Show or hide individual seats, to create a hybrid passenger/cargo version.     When seats are hidden, cargo fills the space when weight is added via the fly-out menu.     Multiple camera snap points, above and beyond what's available by default in X-Plane, so you can perform your walk around checks.     Adjust your camera's Field of View without having to go to an X-plane menu, allowing for real-time adjustments.     Audio mixer: individually control audio channels in real-time, so you can adjust volumes while hearing them play.     Slew control: move your plane around the world, temporarily bypassing flight physics.  Includes ground mode and air mode.     Dynamic panel control page, with a separate view for the entire panel layout preview, or a per-instrument view, allowing for fine-tuning of instrument position, as well as copy-paste function to quickly replace instruments.     Option to swap pilot and co-pilot     Option to select different yoke styles     DynaFeel panel: Dial in precisely how you wish for the controls to react as a function of speed.     Optional de-ice system Flight dynamics and systems:     Detailed and accurate flight dynamics and weight and balance with the help of multiple real-world active Stationair pilots.  This not only gives this aircraft the proper "feel", but also accurate takeoff, climb, cruise, and landing performance.     The C337 is a well-behaved twin airplane, where the engines are in line, with props spinning in opposite directions, cancelling out torque on the airframe     A single engine failure doesn't radically affect flight behaviour, as the engines are in line, and don't produce a net yaw force on the plane, as other twins do.     Tie-downs and chocks actually keep the plane from moving, even in high winds.     DynaFeel: controls that simulate how strongly the control surfaces are affected by oncoming air, and how much strength would be needed to overcome these forces.   Advanced FMOD-based sound system:     High fidelity, multi-track sounds with smooth, finely tuned transitions (actually having calculated the precise beat frequency for each section, to minimize "muddy" transition sounds), and amazing atmospheric effects.     Individual volume control over different aspects of the sound experience, adjustable in real-time (while listening to the sounds)     Individual sounds for front and back engine, with different sonic characteristics, as a result of their placement.     Different sounds for front of plane than for back of plane     Panning around the plane in exterior view yields awesome 3D audio effects, including "blade slapping" sound when view is perpendicular to prop     Far away sounds include aerodynamic interaction effects between front and rear prop.  At a distance, you hear overtones caused by turbulent air feeding into the rear prop.     Individual buttons and switches in the cockpit each have their own unique sound.     Engine has typical cool-down ticking sound, based on engine temperature.     Sounds actually give you clues as to what's happening under the hood.       Outside wind intensity is affected by slip and AoA. (The more the surface area of the fuselage is hit by oncoming wind, the louder the sounds     Doors and windows opening, let outside sounds in   Installation and documents:  download for the Thranda_C337F. is 1.34Gb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.   Full Installation is 1.71Gb   Documents supplied are: C337F Manual.pdf C337F Performance Charts Changelog Thranda Graphics Settings XP11 Thranda Joystick Settings X-Plane G430 Manual X-Plane G530 Manual   There is a huge amount of Documentation provided here, not only for the Thranda C337F, but including performance charts, reference guides, but also X-Plane/hardware settings and custom and default avionics.   All updates are via built-in Skunkcrafts Updater   Support forum for the C337 Skymaster by Thranda _____________________   Review System Specifications Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD Software:   - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.01r3 (This is a beta review). Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99 __________________________________   Review by Stephen Dutton 2nd February 2023 Copyright©2023: 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.