Aircraft Review : Cessna Citation ll S550 by Carenado

[Stephen]

 

Aircraft Review : Cessna Citation ll S550 by Carenado

 

When a new personal/private jet is released for X-Plane11, you now want to go off and have a little party for yourself, as they are usually quite rare and it is well worth celebrating the event. And so it is with Carenado's latest release with the extraordinary Citation ll S550. The Citation family has quite very a wide variation of business jets in the straight wing (early models) and swept wing (later models), low, mid and T-Tail tailplane configurations, forward mounted engines, mid high mounted engines, rear high mounted engines and the aircraft has grown from the early 42ft 7in to the latest 700 Citation's length of 73ft 2in... so take your choice as there is a Citation that will cover every marketeer's dream as Citation family consists of around 6 or 7 families of aircraft, as so they say as for no one really actually knows the real variant count, including Cessna themselves.

 

This aircraft is the Citation ll S550, the second version released from Cessna and a stretch over the Citation l in 42ft 7in to 51ft 2in of the ll, mostly for the more cabin legroom than anything else. The first two early 1970's versions were the most popular because the  S550 or S/II can be certified for single pilot operation, but this version also pushed the upper MGTW limit of 12,500 pounds for single pilot operations. So just about anyone with a private pilot’s license and a multi-engine endorsement could purchase and operate these Citations until a later IFR rating changed the ruling to two man operations.

 

The Citation S/II is the faster, heavier, longer-range version of the Citation II with improved JT15D-4B engines and the aerodynamically enhanced wings.  The -4B engines provide greater thrust at higher altitudes than the Citation II -4 engines.  Although the same length as the Citation II wing, the S/II wing is aerodynamically superior with the same Super Critical drag reducing technology used on the swept wing Citation III and has longer flaps and ailerons.

 

The difference between the S/II and the original II is the extended wing root of the S/II.  The S/II also has larger Fowler flaps and they are positioned closer to the fuselage than on the II. Closer up one would also notice the TKP anti-icing system along the leading edge of the wings. This is the one and only Citation model to feature the TKS system.

 

The Citation was never expected to perform as good as it should have done with a straight-wing layout for short field performance, but perform it did and in the 400 kt – 430 kt speed range and still with quiet fan jet engines. This performance has required a combination of very smart aerodynamic designs and innovative high-thrust light-weight fan jet engines from Cessna. So you can see why it is a very popular aircraft with over 7000 Citations being built.

 

Carenado Citation ll S550

The aircraft released here is a converted version of the original FSX/P3D 2015 aircraft, that version was also updated to v2.0 only last year, but it usually very hard to compare the two platforms as the X-Plane11 dynamics in performance and effects for they are altogether quite different, but you do feel and to a point see the original FSX design in the X-Plane version, that said it is excellent in the overall design and modelling... this is Carenado after all.

 

(Disclaimer) in this review there is a switch as I checked the out the new X-Plane beta 11.30 from v11.25, so some of the images show the new features of the beta... the review itself is not compromised as I flew the aircraft extensively in v11.25, before switching over, but it was very interesting to compare the two and I will note this in the review itself.

 

 

Walkaround

Checking out my contract for the day, I give the S550 a walkaround...  I am constantly now being reminded now that I am spoilt, and aircraft lately in X-Plane11 are very, very good in design and we have come to almost expect this high quality design and work from developers. First of all is I like being spoilt, but the aircraft is priced at just under the US$40 mark, so you are expecting a certain amount of quality and development for your cash, and that is very evident here.

 

 

Glass and chrome have also been perfected and are both highly realistic, it is harder to create realistic glass than you think it is, as it is a horrible surface to work with, but the X-Plane PBR effects can work for you as much as working against you if you don't know how to get the glass feel right from the start.  All areas are highly reflective by the pro process that Carenado use, but I will talk more about this later...  Note the iconic Citation airflow and de-ice panels in front of the windscreen

 

Modelling is first rate, high quality. The hard part is getting very smooth reflective curves and reducing angular lines, they can show. More importantly is that these highly reflective surfaces can show up any poor workmanship, of course they don't here, as everything is really well done and the panel fit and highlighted riveting is excellent. All the undercarriage is well developed from the stubby nosewheel to the wide-set main gear single wheel layout.

 

 

Active gear animation is perfection, but Thranda have been doing these animations for years now, so you expect them to be good, as the nosewheel does still tend to vibrate a little on slow speeds or even when stationary until you get the full steering effect working.

 

The early straight almost square agricultural design of the wing is beautifully modeled, as are the lighting fittings on the leading/side edge of that highly defined wing shape.

 

 

  The JT15D-4B engines and their housings are excellent and beautifully crafted, and I like the lovely red Citation ll engine covers as well..

 

 

The huge shiny chrome clamshell reverser doors are also perfect, with a great operation of the clam and slam actions. Fan blade detail is also excellent will brilliant animations.

 

All flying surfaces are expertly created, in shape and detail... and the tail with it's multitude of RF and VHF aerials including a cable line that shows the aircraft's real heritage and late 60"s in age.

 

 

In detail and even in the minute you are not missing anything, this is a through design and is very well developed in every area.

 

Menus

Standard three Carenado menu tabs are on the left lower screen. A ) is for the lovely authentic Citation Sperry SPZ-500 pop-up Autopilot panel, that can be moved and scaled to size. C ) Is the standard Carenado ten preselected Views, Field of View, livery Selector and Volume panel. And O ) is the Options panel. 

 

 

Options include Window and Instrument reflections. The Static elements provided here are still very basic with only two cones, NO wheel chocks? and flag pitot covers. The highly realistic pilot and co-pilot (and new) animated pilots in flight uniforms do disappear when you activate the static elements. 

 

 

Doors opening include the main front left passenger door with a lovely designed built-in steps and a separate left and right nose front baggage lockers with no internal baggage. There is another option of the rear left wing GPU (Ground Power Unit). GPU's are very rare in Carenado aircraft, so savour this lovely chrome version...  the power connection from most angles looks like it is connect to the left engine, but it is not, but slots into the fuselage.

 

 

Cabin

The Citations cabin fit-out is excellent and luxurious in a four seat club-style, and two extra executive seats.

 

 

Don't be mistaken, it is very tight in there in this class of personal jet. Just like the similar Lear Jets in that you have to bend down to do a lot of manoeuvres into those not so wide tight seats. But once in and seated it is not too bad. These are not a walk in headroom high sized cabin aircraft.

 

 

You get animated flip-out tables both sides of the club seats, and the window blinds are also all animated and can be moved to that perfect position you want. These cabins are however quite long in length as many of these types of Citations are used and are perfect for Medi-Vac work.

 

You can squeeze in three more passengers or crew. Two can sit on the front right bench, and that requires that you like the person a lot, I mean a lot!

 

 

...  and a third seat is set opposite a small baggage area in the rear, but this feels more like the naughty corner than a executive ride.

 

Cockpit

Forward is the lovely dark grain redwood wardrobe cabinet and animated door divider...

 

 

If you thought the cabin was tight, then the cockpit will really test your body's dimensions.

 

 

Some how you have to manoeuvre in your legs.. then the rest of you into that small space, and god help you if you are really tall and lanky?

 

 

Cockpit detail in incredible, but complex... worse is that Carenado don't provide an instrument panel manual, so you are on your own in trying to work it all out...

 

 

...  seats are excellent, and look very comfortable and the armrests are animated.

 

 

Side panels cover personal side radio switches and connections, and breaker panels... the fuse panels are not active, which is now common on aircraft in this price range?  Pilot's paperwork window open's and then when open the outside noise will increase.

 

Authentic Citation S/ll yokes (can be hidden) with the lovely logo centre. Electric trim switches and AP Disconnect do work (arrowed).

 

 

Highlight is the excellent centre console. The Sperry SPZ-500 is rear with the bank trim and the very hidden rudder trim is on the rear panel. The X-Plane default FMC is centre with the throttles and flap settings are set forward console.

 

 

The throttles are exquisite, but the best parts are on the rear of the levers and out of view...

 

The throttle has two settings, and they are switched with the two catches hidden in the rear (yes they took a good 45 minutes out of my life in finding them?)

 

The two hook catches (arrowed) allow the throttles to go full backward to the fuel cutoff position, or just to the idle throttle position, you move them (catch up) to allow you to transition to each position both ways....

 

 

....  the really lovely metal chrome thrust reverser levers are a work of art, with the full linkages as part of the assembly, I do recommend to have them set on a key input (I use my joystick trigger) as they can be awkward to use in that high workload point of the runway touch down. Upper console is the environment panel that controls the aircraft's pressurisation system, and I recommend to study the system on the ground before flight, as it is not actually hard to use, but the text and detail is quite small, and you need to understand where everything is.

 

Instrument Panel

Like all complex things, you need to break the instrument panel down into sections to understand it. In aircraft there is in reality that most layouts are actually all very much the same, so it is just in the way instruments that are laid out and in here that is no different. The Citation's instrument layout would be familiar to any pilot that flew a medium to large twin-engined propeller aircraft. It also a semi-glass panel, or the mid-way point from the older clockwork instruments to the full glass cockpits of today, and in many ways the you have the best of both worlds and in the fact that pilots really love these sorts of mixed era layouts.

 

 

The aircraft comes with the EFI-500 "Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS)" of which is the jargon title for a standard Artificial Horizon or called here the "Electronic Attitude Director Indicator (EADI)" and Heading/Map instrument which is the "Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI)" And of course both displays placed on top of each other dominate the panel on both sides and these displays are attached to the Sperry SPZ-500 Flight Director and Autopilot system. A secondary heading EHSI display is also part of the system and that is the weather radar mid-panel, but more about that and the EHSI in a moment.

 

Far left covers from the top down: a DAVTRON M877 Chronometer, OAT (Outside Air Temperature), angle of attack instruments and anti-ice fluid. Different positioning of the Radio/Com panel is repeated on the right side. lower are three dials that cover voltage (Battery and each engine) and all lower switchgear is the electrics panel. A nice feature is the working aural test switch (arrowed) for various systems. Left of the EADI is top the Airspeed Indicator, ADF/VOR direction pointers...  Right is Attitude Indicator (Digital) positioned top, Vertical Speed Indicator is middle and the backup Attitude Indicator bottom.

 

 

Right panel in the layout around the EADI is the same, the only change is that there is a backup Turn Indicator that replaces the backup Attitude Indicator on the left side. The right side has all the odd set dials including the HOBBS/Quartz meter (hour), Battery Temp, another M877 Chronometer (Radio/Com panel), Cabin Temperature, Oxygen Pressure and Gyro Pressure. There is a replica CMS400 Cockpit Checklist System, but it is a blank non-working panel.

 

Centre panel top are the engine gauge readouts that covers left to right: RPM %, ITT (Interstage Turbine Temperature), Fuel Flow (L&R), Fuel Quantity (6000lbs), Oil Temperature and Oil Pressure. There is an adjustable counter above the RPM readout, but I don't know what is for (no manual)?

 

 

Mid-Panel there is a very nice Annunciator panel, backup Artificial Horizon and Altitude hold select panel (arrowed), and it is an interesting one because it is set in 100ft increments where as 10 is 1000ft or as here 026 is 2600ft, so make sure you set it correctly?

 

Radio tuning panels are the old, old generation radio units (you can also set the frequencies in the FMC), they cover COM (1&2), NAV (1&2), ADF (1&2) and two other units cover ATC and TCAS, but work together as one setting to cover the Transponder frequency.

 

Environmental Panel is really good, with Cabin - Differential Pressure and Cabin Altitude gauges, the Cabin Controller below changes the altitude for the cabin pressure.

 

 

 

Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS)

There is a very wide section of choices when using the EFIS. First of all the lower EHSI operations panel will pop-out for use with the autopilot, as will the upper EADI and EHSI displays (all pilot side only?)...

 

 

...  and there are four menu selections: NAV SCR (Nav selection), BRG (Background), HSI (Panel info) and MAP/GFX. All selections are done via the up and down arrows in the centre, if no menu selections then the arrows change the range distance.

 

NAV SCR covers your navigation selection of GPS (autopilot), VOR1 and VOR2.

 

 

BRG covers the background items on the EHSI, these are the VOR (1&2) pointers and GPS.

 

HSI displays information including wind speed and direction, heading and TTG - Time-To-Go (arrowed left).

 

 

MAP/WFX will display TCAS, WX (weather), TERR (Terrain), NavAids and Airport information... note if the asterix is on then it is selected, and then select "None" to clear.

 

 

The centre WX Weather display has mostly the same features as the EHSI and the again the display pops out, it is however more focused as a weather radar, but the TERR (Terrain) feature is excellent with three selections in; normal (black), Green and Yellow/Red.

 

 

There is one menu selection (the rest are buttons around the the display) that sets the VOR 1 and 2 background pointers, but note you have to select the "NAV" button on the bottom of the screen first to get access to the menu. The display also shows your flightplan route. Another note is that to select or deselect the NavAids or Airports, you have to do this on the EHSI control panel and not the WX panel. TCAS 1 and TCAS 2 are also available.

 

In the manual it states there is an ARC/360 mode for the EHSI, but there isn't? There is one on the WX Display, but it also shows in the upper (digital) altitude dial? All displays also have test modes... very nice.

 

 

The EHSI all a little complex and fiddly, so it is best to set your preferences on these displays either on the ground or if you are in the flight cruise phase, and the pop-out panels certainly do help in making the menus far larger to read, but like everything you soon learn and navigate the menus and buttons quite easily. Carenado do supply a pdf on the system for more information, but the details included are still basic.

 

Lighting

Lighting in the Citation is excellent. There are five adjustable knobs that cover; Flood, Left, Right and Centre panel lighting and one to highlight the panel text and switchgear, EADI and EHSI display lighting is directly adjusted on the actual screens with the -/+ buttons.

With all the instrument knobs set to maximum (below left) and the panel is quite bright, even in the sunlight as they try to overcome the heavy reflections on the instruments...   so you need adjust the knobs to your liking (about 70% full) and the visual feel is then simply very, very good (below right) ...

 

 

Above there are two spotlights that are fully adjustable, and a blue cockpit overhead light...  there is no switch, just touch the blue light to turn it out.

 

 

The cockpit and entrance door lighting looks great from the outside, as much as it does internally.

 

 

Cabin

Cabin lighting is all overhead spot lighting, eight adjustable spots in all, and they all take time to adjust. Even when all on it is still a little dark, but effective, the rear baggage compartment with the naughty seat is very dark, so you wouldn't want to fly in there in the dark, a small overhead light in the rear (like the blur cockpit overhead light would have been nice. Note the lovely "Exit" signs, but they go out on the seatbelt selection, as both "No Smoking" and "Seatbelt" signs are illuminated.

 

 

Adjust the front cabin spots to illuminate the entrance to help boarding/disembarking.

 

External

There is a huge choice of external lighting. Main inboard landing lights are complimented by two outboard Recog (Recognition) lights. Wing/Ice lights are very effective. There is also a high red Tail Beacon, Navigation lights with a white tail light, and new Hi-Flash strobes. Note the landing lights do shine through the gear doors from some angles, but this is more an X-Plane quirk than a Carenado one.

 

 

Another quirk is that the inner landing lights light up the sides of the forward fuselage, but more so light up the airflow and de-ice panels in front of the windscreen? It is quite bright (arrowed below) and can actually get in the way in a night landing, I switch off the landing lights (below right) to navigate around the airport... even a very dark one. But I would guess it is very authentic.

 

 

Overall the lighting is pretty well excellent.

 

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Flying the Citation ll S550

Setting the aircraft up is not too hard, but there are a lot of small checklist details to cover. Carenado do provide a pretty quality checklist (called "Normal Procedures") but otherwise you are now ready to start the JT15D-4B 2,200 lbf (9,800 N) thrust engines...

 

Just release the throttles from the fuel shutoff position by clicking the hidden catches...  (you get a nice click!) then put the fuel pump boost switches to ON, and finally turn both of the Ignition switches on. It is best at this point to disconnect the external GPU, you can start the engines with it attached, but it is best to shut it down now.

 

 

All there is to do now is to hit the starter button for each engine....  and the start whine comes into the cockpit. First the ITT will climb up to just above 600 ºc and then Turbine RPM hits in around 35%, next the FAN RPM will kick in around 10% and all settle down around 31.4% (FAN) RPM and then everything including the temps should slowly all settle back down to this idle speed, then just do it all again for the other engine, I always start engine No.2 first then No.1...  when at idle turn off the ignition switches and set the fuel pump boost switches to normal, and finally you have to "Reset" both Left and Right Generator switches to switch on the engine electrical power.

 

 

Yes you will find that the hairs on the back of your neck will stand up...  as this Citation sounds and feels amazing, more so is that the best is yet to come.

 

 

The S550 will taxi really nicely with a bit of thrust to get the aircraft moving, note the Carenado style nosewheel that needs a bit of speed before it will turn. Flaps are set to Takeoff and check the takeoff trim setting.

 

Power up to just under 80% then as you are a third down the runway then give the throttles 98% of thrust and you a seriously now moving forward...

 

 

....  there is a marker (arrowed above) on the airspeed indicator which is set around 100 knts, and just pass that and you can then rotate. Its all too easy, to climb out and then turn away to your heading...

 

 

....  and the Citation is a seriously nice aircraft to fly. Very smooth and the aircraft has a nice response to your inputs, yes you are grinning, this is great flying.

 

 

The heading rose clicks around as it turns, but some users have complained, but I love it...  leave it alone! It is different and makes you turn more exactly to the heading. A note here on the difference between 11.25 and the new beta 11.30. The new beta certainly feels far better in the takeoff roll (It actually stays straight) and in flight, this aircraft is soooo  smooooth, if performance was made for the Citation then beta 11.30 just highlights that aspect, I noted both engine performance now does not mirror each engine either, as they feel and act differently, and so your throttle inputs and lever positions have to reflect that slightly different engine output...  nice.

 

 

Rate of climb officially is 3040 fpm, and 930 fpm on a one engine climb out, but set the V/S (Vertical Speed) to around 2000 fpm and it will perform well there, the V/S scroll wheel on the pop-up panel sets the marker on the V/S dial (arrowed).

 

 

The pop-out Sperry SPZ-500 autopilot is a nice bit of kit, I love it, but I found in this early review (v1.1) version that the heading knob was erratic, but not so on the same knob on the centre console? Note the "320" for 32,000ft on the altitude hold.

 

Make sure you check the cabin pressure panel...  you adjust the cabin pressure altitude via the big knob, but it is the smaller almost hidden knob that will adjust the pressure flow to balance the air pressure...

 

 

1500 fpm, will cover 15,000ft to 28, 000ft, then 1000fpm to your full altitude noted at a heavenly 43,000 ft (13,100 m), follow the numbers and you will not lose speed during the climb. Throttle control is very important to get the right % of thrust to the climb rate, movements only need to be almost slight to adjust the thrust to keep it all happy, leave it or take your attention away and you could find yourself in trouble in losing speed and in going to low or going too fast, in both cases the aural (loud) stall trigger will activate if to slow and another alarm will frighten you if you are going too fast, this aircraft is all about thrust management...  so yes the Citation is really easy and nice to fly, but there is a bit of micro management to do to keep the aircraft happy.

 

Once at altitude then again speed management is the key... watch the speed numbers rising or falling in the EADI (arrowed) to adjust the finer throttle positions.

 

 

X-Plane default FMS is well intergrated into the centre console, but I am now finding it a bit bland in details compared to many others. I admit it is a generic design, but in reality it does not have a lot of important features like vertical speed altitude markers, fuel consumption and distance to destination, it just feels a bit bland and this aircraft deserves a far more quality unit. There is however a "Fuel Used" meter on the panel.

 

But at altitude and speed, this S550 is certainly the life. Even the most jaded simmer would love this aircraft with it's excellent cockpit and external sounds (note I found the external sounds a bit high until adjusted). it sounds so unreal, of course all sounds are FMOD and are highly dynamic.

 

 

It is pretty good in the rear as well, again "This is certainly the life!"

 

 

I will however comment on the reflections... nobody more than me celebrated the introduction of realistic reflections and of course those amazing PBR effects, but where is the line of too much reflection is simply too much. The Citation does bring that question up, and as very, very good as it is, there is the feeling here that the reflections are now getting a little bit overdone, this is highlighted on the window blinds, glareshield and the yokes, and the instruments at some lighting angles can be a bit over the top as well, as so does the external body of the aircraft from some angles. And you can't adjust them either (you can turn off the instrument and heavy window reflections) but I think this is now about the limit before it all starts getting a bit silly, and a few glossy tones down would bring the Citation a bit back to the more realistic and real.

 

 

Arrival in the UK, and Southampton is our destination. Range is just under 2000nm at 1,998nm (2,300 mi, 3,701 km) at a cruise speed of 403 knots (464 mph, 746 km/h, 0.7 Mach) at 35,000 ft (10,670 m), so you cover ground very quickly and easily.

 

As v11.30 beta was released mid-review, then my first beta flight was in the S550...  stunning it is, with the now superb contrails flowing off the wingtips.

 

 

Descending you can easily build up excessive speed with a steep descent, but he Citation is not as bad as many others in this category, so if you need them then there are some nice airbrakes that flip up in two selections out of the centre of the wing. They are operated by a switch and not a lever and the switch is covered by a metal bar below the left throttle lever.

 

 

 

Flaps give you four settings at UP 0º - T.O 7º - T.O & APPR 20º - LAND 35º, and you can control the early approach phase with 20º Flap and sit directly on the same 100knt marker point as you did at rotation...

 

 

...  There is a speed "Fast/Slow" helper in the EADI (arrowed below) and it is important to use it! There is a trick as your approach speed is still the 100knts as noted, but when you go into the 3º ILS slope then naturally your speed increases, so you need reduce the speed again by selecting the FULL 35º flap setting and control your approach speed down again and still stay on that 100knt marker as the stall is noted only at a bit lower at 82 knots (94 mph, 152 km/h), but the aircraft is still and very fully controllable in this zone, lovely actually...

 

 

Decision Height is set via the arrows on the top of the EADI right (DH SET) and you get callouts at 2500ft.

 

 

Remember the gear is very wide-spaced, so you have to land the wheels together very much in the perfect level attitude, if not the aircraft will hop from one side to the other, animation of the undercarriage is excellent, as is the absorption of ground movement.

 

Those fine but straight wings deliver exceptional field performance, you get that amazing slow approach speed (for a jet) and the aircraft is very stable, and thrust control is very critical as movements in speed changes have to be small, but effective.

 

 

The S550 is very nice in the flare, and highly controllable, and you can place the jet down quite easily...

 

 

...  but you have to do it early?  The thrust reversers are very powerful, but they do take a fair time to spool up to their full reverse thrust and you are using up runway fast as they do, but once the kick does come in the aircraft will then slow down quite quickly (so yes they are effective) but you also need to know when to close the cams again as if you reduce the speed too much it will bring the aircraft to a complete stop before you can get the thrust back up again to taxi, so it is a bit of a performance to get it all right and be in the correct runway exit departure taxi speed zone without stalling it all.

 

 

Liveries

All six liveries are very good, very high quality, but all are basically a variation of the same stripe theme, except for the "General Logistics System" livery. The White/Blank is the default. Maybe the painters can bring in some more service liveries like "coastguards".

 

 

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Summary

The FSX/P3D version of Carenado's Citation ll S550 has been one of Carenado's most successful aircraft, and it is not hard to see why it was so well liked and why it has such a big reputation on those simulator platforms.

 

Some features on the FSX version have been dropped for X-Plane, like the more intergrated Flight Management System (FMS). But what few features X-Plane users lose in the conversion they gain far more in the better dynamics and the effects that X-Plane11 delivers, and boy does it deliver.

 

On modeling and design of the Citation there is very little to fault, it is a beautiful aircraft and extremely well crafted and extremely highly detailed inside and out. My personal feel is that it is in areas that the S550 is a bit over reflective, a bit too shiny, and a bit too glossy, but it is an area others might disagree.

 

Full EFIS systems with the Sperry SPZ-500 autopilot avionics are all very well done with a lot of detailed features, there is a lot to learn on this EFIS system and to use with a lot of built in menus, and to a point it can get a little confusing as some functions do overlap each over, but it is authentic. You can use RealityXP's GTN750 FMC instead if you have that option.

 

It is an amazing experience to fly, as the Citation is excellent in your hands and feet, in many ways it is an easy aircraft to fly and comes with a great feel. But the aircraft also needs a lot of minute attention in flying it well in the details, and throttle inputs are in need of skill in all climb, cruise and approach phases to get the best performance out of the machine, but again boy, does the Citation ll reward you, if you are willing to put the extra work in.

 

Overall this Citation ll is an exciting aircraft in every area, at cruise you are certainly in X-Plane11 heaven, as this aircraft is about as good as it could get. The Citation is a personal/private jet transport, and so does it take the title of the very best Private jet in X-Plane11 now. The Dden Challenger 300 has ruled this category for years and years and rightly so, but I now think the Careando Citation ll is marginally if just better to put it now top of the heap, certainly worth owning if you love these sort of exclusive transports and it is a very, very nice aircraft to reward yourself with, and it makes you feel you are finally in that upper uber rich class...  Highly Recommended.

 

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The Citation ll S550 by Carenado is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

 

Citation ll S550

 

Priced at US$39.95

 

Special Features

• Version 1.2
• Only for X-Plane 11
• State-of-the-art configurable FPS-friendly logic system
• Fully VR compatible
• Full PBR (Superb material shines and reflections)

Features

• Specially designed engine dynamics for X-Plane 11
• Flight physics optimized for XP11 standards
• Ground handling adapted for XP11 ground physics
• Physically Based Rendering materials and textures throughout
• PBR materials authored with industry-standard software used by the film and gaming industries
• Support for RealityXP’s GTN750* (integrated into 3D cockpit, when available)
• Goodway Compatible
• Realistic behavior compared to the real airplane. Realistic weight and balance. Tested by several pilots for maximum accuracy

*RealityXP GTN 750 is sold separately

 

Included in the package

• 6 HD liveries + 1 HD blank texture
• S550 Normal and Emergency Procedures PDF
• S550 Performance tables PDF - 550 Reference table PDF
• Electronic Flight Information System PDF - Multi Function Display PDF
• Recommended Settings X-PLANE 11 PDF

 

Requirements:
Windows XP – Vista – 7 -10 or MAC OS 10.10 (or higher) or Linux
X-Plane 11
CPU: Intel Core i5 6600K at 3.5 ghz or faster.
Memory: 16-24 GB RAM or more.
Video Card: a DirectX 12-capable video card from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel with at least 4 GB VRAM (GeForce GTX 1070 or better or similar from AMD)
490MB available hard disk space

(Current and review version v1.2)

 

Installation and documents:

Download for the Citation ll S550 is 379.30mb and the unzipped file deposited in the aircraft "General Aviation" X-Plane folder at 499.50mb.

 

Documentation:

Overall Carenado provide a lot of documents, but for the important main manual with instrument details, it was really missed for this review.

 

• Carenado Copyright.pdf
• Carenado Recommended Joystick Settings XP11.pdf
• Credits.pdf
• Electronic Flight Information System.pdf
• Recommended settings XP11.pdf
• S550 Emergency Procedures.pdf
• S550 Normal Procedures.pdf
• S550 Performance tables.pdf
• S550 Reference.pdf
• X-Plane FMS Manual.pdf

 

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Aircraft review by Stephen Dutton

10th November 2018

Copyright©2018 : X-Plane Reviews

 

(Disclaimer. All images and text in this preview 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)

 

Review System Specifications:

Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD 

Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.25r2 (v11.30 beta was tested as well)

Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini

Plugins: Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 3.0 Plugin - US$29.95

Scenery or Aircraft

- ELLX - Luxembourg Findel Airport XP11 by JustSim  (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$19.80

- EGHI - Southampton Airport by Pilot+Plus (X-Plane.OrgStore)  - US$19.95

 

 

 

[ilankrt]

In my opinion, Carenado is suitable to make the upholstery of flight models. Everything else is recycling old instrument board plus some ads. Everything that Carenado brings out does not reflect the state of the art in the development of airplane models. It is time for this company to undergo training in modern flying technology.

[Stephen]

Are we flying the same aircraft? I don't think so! I respect opinions but Carenado are currently leading the pack and not following, In areas yes they could improve like with their still 2D menus, but on the flight performance areas they are class leaders...

[copacetic4]

Are we flying the same aircraft? I don't think so! I respect opinions but Carenado are currently leading the pack and not following, In areas yes they could improve like with their still 2D menus, but on the flight performance areas they are class leaders...

I see this is an older review Stephen, but Thank You for it. Looks like the Citation would be a good add to my 690B Carenado, which I really like. I look forward to seeing their next update to an already great looking and flying aircraft.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ilankrt]

I want to define it clearly again. Carenado is a recycling workshop. What I like in their models is just the seat upholstery. You should compare cockpit instruments with different models - it is a repeated recycling. You should compare the models with the real current edition and you would see that only older versions are displayed. For example, Carenado Citation II S550 (1978-2006) is now offered exclusively with the Garmin GTN 750! Even this system provided by X-Plane for developers (!) has not even been installed. I also deny the good dynamic flow characteristics of Carenado models (just remember the PC12 model)

[Stephen]

I still don't agree with you? I have covered a vast set of aircraft from Carenado, and the instrument layouts are vastly different with different instruments, the GTN 750 is available from Realistic for intergration with the XP Citation, that is why there is no default version, The FlightSim versions are very different from XP, from different suppliers so you can't compare the two platforms, performances are governed currently in aircraft that have been converted to XP11.30 dynamics and those that have not... the Citation is still a pre-11.30 aircraft and has not been yet currently updated to 11.30 performance.

[goldone7]

Just purchased from the org store. I appreciate you review it will help me in learning how to operate this plane.  

Thanks

[cleo hache]

will it be available for xp12 soon..

Cleo

 

[Stephen]

Debatable, not from Carenado that's for sure, but someone may do a conversion to XP12

P.S, don't show your email in forums if you don't want a load of trouble, I've deleted it.

[cleo hache]

When version for XP12 will be here , i can't wait to get it...

[Stephen]

5 hours ago, cleo hache said:

When version for XP12 will be here , i can't wait to get it...

You don't quite get it do you? There currently no plans to update the Carenado Citation ll S550 to X-Plane 12, Carenado are not updating their product to XP12, check here for updates Carenado and xp12

[cleo hache]

Will Citation S550 work on xplane12 , i love that plane.

Cleo

 

thank you