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First Impression Review : DHC-3T Turbo Otter by MilViz


Stephen

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First Impression Review : DHC-3T Turbo Otter by MilViz

 

MilViz that stands for "Military Visualizations" and that denotes the core of MilViz aircraft are military focused on the FSX / P3D platform, but in releasing for X-Plane they have currently released only a general aviation aircraft in the Cessna T310R and now this lovely DHC-3T Turbo Otter.

 

First impressions are very impressive, this is a very nice bush style aircraft with a lot of power, so you have a foot in both camps with a rugged well developed aircraft and a modern turbine powerplant in the 750 HP PT6A-34 turbine and it is based on the typical Viking or Vazar conversion.

 

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Yes I was very impressed by the detailing externally, it is excellent work, the landing gear and strut work is first class, glass and chrome is also very good, so there is a lot to absorb and like here in the extensive details...

 

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Cabin however feels a bit dated, but you could say olde world authentic, more FlightSim than X-Plane with flat internal textures (note the flat seatbelts) and a few gaps but overall it is a very accommodating cabin. all seats have animated passengers that vary from average to actually very nice, some again have light gaps (mostly in the eyes which is a bit unnerving). Baggage is provided as well.

 

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The cockpit is more of the same, but very well done...  certainly there has been more attention paid to the details in the cockpit as noted by the 3d seatbelts that are not in the cabin and overall it is more and totally authentic. the single yoke and its thick central support column is always a highlight on these DHC aircraft and you are not disappointed here (it can be hidden) and it is beautifully reproduced, ditto is the iconic DHC central throttle, propeller and mixture lever panel with it's metal facia plate, again perfect.

 

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Lower detail is again excellent with high detailing, trim wheels, oxygen bottle and (working) yoke lock are all highlights...

 

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...   lower panel switchgear is very good, but the switches feel a bit overchromed, nice touch is the rubber band over the emergency power lever to stop it's use. All the emergency power lever, power lever beta gate, safety guard on condition lever are active and usable.

 

Panel layout is basic, with the standard flying instruments only for the left seat pilot, and the engine readout instruments mid-panel...

 

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...  and all the instruments are slightly on the small side that requires a low field of view, but otherwise it is all very well done. Electrical is lower left panel with nothing situated in front of the right seat passenger.

 

Menu, Features and Options

Left lower screen is a pop-up menu tab, it shows you your current aircraft version and frame-rate.

 

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Top panel covers: Ground Equipment, Covers, Ski's, Tablet and Glass Objects.

 

Left Panel covers GPS Option so can have the choice of three avionics options (four and five if you use the RealityXP GNS GTN750 and GTN650)...

 

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Two configurations and three choices covers Dual GPS (GNS 530/430) and this layout is flat against the panel...   second is the Single GNS 530 and finally No GPS. Both the Single and No GPS stacks are set on a ‘kick-out’ panel for ease of use.

 

Avionics Stacks (top to bottom)

Dual GPS: KMA 30 Audio Audio, GNS 530, KT74 Transponder, KAP 140 Autopilot, KN 62A DME - KR87 ADF and GNS 430

Single GPS: Apollo (Garmin) SL15 Audio, GNS 530, KT74 Transponder, KY196A Com2/Nav2 Radio, KAP 140 Autopilot and KR87 ADF Radio

No GPS: KMA 30 Audio, KX165A Com1/Nav1 Radio, KX165A Com2/Nav2 Radio, KT74 Transponder, KN62A DME, KAP 140 Autopilot and KR87 ADF Radio

 

Four liveries can be set from the menu. All are of high quality, but you wish for far more of them...  Harbour Air is default.

 

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Options include Ski's (Floats are another aircraft selection) and the Avitab. The Avitab is small (thankfully), and it can be adjusted, but not by much.

 

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Load Manager: There is a basic load manager with passenger selection, and cargo (baggage) weight, or you can disable everything. But there is no detailed set weights or a loading graph (CofG) listed?

 

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Ground Equipment is basic chocks, pitot covers and a very nice red window cover...

 

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....  all the doors open but only directly or manually, but they are well done.

 

Librain: The Turbo Otter comes with the Librain water effects, where they are really, really good here, in the air the water streams down and up the windows...

 

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....  cabin windows are water active as well, then add in the float water spray and it goes simply all sensational!

 

Variants

Besides the Wheel Ski variants there are two versions for water operations. One is the Amphibious version and the other is the pure Float version.

 

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Both variants are excellent, and very realistic in the design of the floats, on water performance is really good and refined as well (Laminar Research has done a lot of updates relating to water born performance), but MilViz has refined again above that. Notes include that wave height setting is crucial to get the right feel and a lot of flap helps balance. Lowering or raising the gear can be either just a standard X-Plane key setting or cockpit pumping action!

 

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To lower or raise the twin float rudders is done via a lever down by the right of the pilot's seat.

 

Lighting

The DHC - 3T's lighting is pretty basic...  instrument lighting is adjustable and is very authentic in the glow of the dials. Two overhead lights provide cockpit (panel) lighting, but they are one fixed, and two not separate, so one on then all on...  Cabin is dark as I couldn't find any lighting switches.

 

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External lighting is fine, but again basic...  leading edge landing lights, Nav, high mounted beacon and strobes are all well done, but those two cockpit lights look like more external lights as they are quite bright?

 

Sounds: There is a FMOD beta range set of sound effects created by specialist SimAcoustics that include propeller wash effects, squealing brakes, stall buffeting, full audible cockpit controls (switches, levers, etc.) sounds and custom weather sound effects and all are 3D sound positioned, that PT6 engine sounds pretty good as well with an authentic high turbine whine, so overall the sounds are excellent.

 

Flight Model: This aircraft was developed in conjunction with vFlyteAir Simulations an X-Plane general aviation specialist and it shows in every aspect of the flight model, the actual flight dynamics are actually by Alan 'Rush' Shafto of AeroSim Gaming, but Walker Guthrie's hands are all over this aircraft.

Control response is excellent and remember this is a STOL aircraft, so slow or short take-off and landings are very easy and achievable. Flap position are different in the settings with - Cruise (zero) - Climb - Take Off and Landing and how easy can that be.

A single flight and I had full confidence in the aircraft to do pretty any manoeuvre, balance or positioning I wanted to with the trimming very easy with the fine adjustment on the pitch wheel (rudder adjustment is on the roof), so there are no hidden quirks here except the powerful pull left of that heavy turbine and the awareness of the same forward engine weight on landing...  hit the brakes early and the DHC-3T will tip nose first and break it's propeller, but otherwise this a really nicely balanced and lovely machine to fly and the words "like putty in my hands (and feet)" is very relatable to the flying experience, so even beginners or early flyers would find the aircraft a nice way to learn to fly in simulation, ditto the bushy pilot's who will really love the feel and touch of this modern version of the Otter.

 

Negatives, well niggles more like it. Window reflections are very strong and over realistic, so you have to turn them off, cockpit curtain doesn't fold away but just disappears (weird), low fuel light is on all time, and even if the tanks are half full, cockpit and cabin lighting needs more creativity, it's okay but we have seen far better, more or required weight and C0fG detail on the so called "Load Manager".

 

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First Impressions

Overwhelmingly good. This a great and versatile aircraft that can be flown with both land and water operations. I loved the ease of which you could set up and fly the aircraft, on flight the aircraft is very, very good, nicely balanced and a lovely machine to fly, and it is also easy for the novice flyer.

 

Obviously the aircraft has come from the FSX/P3D stable and it shows in the aircraft's detailing and interior, but the conversion has been masterly done and via our own vFlyteAir, so no stone or performance was missed. Sounds and flight model here is highly rated. Feature wise the Turbo Otter is very good as well, but not over featured in menu choices and menu's (one), but the various choice of variants are well done, water and water effects are sensational...   manual (one) is excellent in providing aircraft information, details and performance charts. Avionic package choices are another highlight with RealityXP GNS availablity as well

 

So yes, I totally loved MilViz's  DHC-3T Turbo Otter and highly recommend the aircraft

 

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Yes! DHC-3T Turbo Otter by MilViz is now Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

 

DHC-3T Turbo Otter

 

Price is US$39.95

 

Features
  •     Buttery smooth engine starts
  •     Highly authentic beta range sound effects
  •     Propeller wash sound effects
  •     Squealing brakes
  •     Stall buffeting
  •     Audible cockpit controls (switches, levers, etc.)
  •     3D sound positioning
  •     Realistic distance attenuation
  •     Custom weather sound effects
Rain & Ice effects:
Included is an implementation of Saso Kiselkov's rain & ice effects.
Special Features
  • Professionally created & tuned, high fidelity flight model including accurate characteristics specific to the DHC-3T.
  • Body Configurations - Standard Wheels, Floats, Amphibious Floats, each with individually tuned flight models. Skis can also be added as a visual option.
  • Multiple loadout configurations, with passengers and cargo. Selectable cargo includes an externally mounted canoe!
  • Custom electrical system with display of electrical load and operable circuit breakers.
  • Unique flap operation which simulates the usage of the manually operated hydraulic pump and selector on the DHC-3T.
  • Realistic locked / powered / free-castoring tailwheel simulation
  • Flight Dynamics by Alan 'Rush' Shafto of AeroSim Gaming
  • Custom menu systems by Cooper LeComp AFM Advanced Flight Modeling
  • Custom FMOD sound design by SimAcoustics
  • Richly detailed cabin with beautiful high resolution textures and smoothly animated gauges.
  • Realistic and fully adjustable cabin and instrument lighting.
  • Ability to completely hide yoke and column for ease of access to important switches and controls.
  • Professionally created liveries based on or inspired by real world aircraft.
  • Available layer-based paintkit for creating your own liveries.
  • Detailed & educational flight manual
  • Yoke Lock
  • Accurately modeled pump operated flaps
  • Power Lever with Beta Gate
  • Condition Lever with safety guard
  • Fuel Transfer Switch

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Requirements :

X-Plane 11
Windows, Mac (Not compatible with Linux, sorry)
4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended
Download Size: 507 MB
Current and Review version : 1.2 (November 11th 2019)

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First Impression Review by Stephen Dutton

12th November 2019

Copyright©2019: X-Plane Reviews

 

Review System Specifications:

Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - GeForce GTX 980/SSE2 - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD 

Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 10 Global ver 11.40

Addons: Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini : Headshake by SimCoders

Plugins:  Environment Engine v1.12 by xEnviro US$69.90

- KHAF - Half Moon Bay by Rising Dawn Studios (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.00

 

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