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Aircraft Review : CowanSim 206 B3 The Cowan Simulations 206 B3 is the Bell 206, a two-bladed, single and twin-engined (TwinRanger) helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec, Canadian plant. The 206 is also known by it's more common name of the "JetRanger". Bell had developed the D-250 design into the Bell 206 aircraft, redesignated as YOH-4A in 1962. Proceeded to produce five prototype aircraft for the Army's test and evaluation phase Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) proposal. The first prototype flew on December 8, 1962. The YOH-4A also came to be known as "The Ugly Duckling" in comparison to the other contending aircraft. Following a fly-off of the Bell, Hughes and Fairchild-Hiller prototypes, the Hughes OH-6 was the selected LOH in May 1965. When the YOH-4A was eliminated by the Army, Bell went about solving the problem of marketing the aircraft. In addition to the image problem, the prototype helicopter lacked cargo space and provided only cramped seating for the planned three passengers. The solution was a redesigned fuselage, sleeker and more aesthetically appealing, and adding in 16 ft3 (0.45 m3) of cargo space in the process. A Bell executive contributed to this redesign by drawing on a sketch two lines extending the fuselage to where it meets the tail. The redesign was designated Bell 206A, and Bell President Edwin J. Ducayet named it the "JetRanger", denoting an evolution from the popular Model 47J Ranger. The Army then reordered the revised aircraft as the Bell OH-58 Kiowa, that went on to used in the Vietnam War. Bell Helicopter ended production of the Bell 206B-3 version finally in 2010, after 7,300 production aircraft were built. Of all the helicopters of the last half century, the JetRanger is probably the most visually famous, it is the one aircraft that seems to be everywhere, and mostly because it is the main go-to aircraft for any Hollywood or American television production, News gathering, light Med-Evac, Lifesaving and also it is very economical for Sightseeing and Business charter work. versatility is the number one criteria of the Bell 206B. When you live with such a prominent aircraft in your life for so long, it becomes a personal favorite. Made easier as the aircraft is also very accessible, I have probably flown on a Bell 206B more than any other helicopter, and have easily lost count of how many flights. Plus you simply couldn't avoid the machine in the hundreds of American car chases that dominated most of the 70's and 80's Film and Crime television shows. The aircraft also became the face of Bell Helicopters, the iconic nose was a streamlined version of the stubby-nosed Bell's of the post-war period, but smooth nose and high boom tail set out the layout for most of the Bell aircraft that followed it, if later versions had retractable wheeled landing gear. The CowanSim 206 is not the first Bell JetRanger for the X-Plane Simulator. There is the now quite old but well done DreamFoil 206 Ranger III, and a freeware Joe Rowe Bell 206 that is still in a beta phase after now two years (but still a highly flyable machine). But the CowanSim release is a full payware and featured machine, so you here you have a more modern updated Bell 206B than the both of the other released aircraft. CowanSim has been around now for a few years. First up was the Bell 222B + UT, and then the exceptional CowanSim 500E or Hughes 500 of P.I. Magnum television fame. More enthusiastically American than the cold calculating European sort of developer, they have very quickly created a fan base around their aircraft, so you could say that any CowanSim aircraft are very popular aircraft. CowanSim 206 B3 There are two 206 B3 versions to choose from in the download package. One is the lighter 2K, and the other is the standard 4K. I like the idea you can choose which version to load into your X-Plane aircraft folder, better than having double aircraft folders of which one you will never use... note the Paintkit that also provided in the package. Noted here is this review version is Version 1.1 (January 8th 2022) Menus The CowanSim Menu (CowanSim-206B3) is selected as part of the main X-Plane menu top left of your screen like on the earlier B222B and 500. There are two selections with top one the 206B3 OPTIONS, and a secondary "Configuration Manager" which is another word for a VR (Virtual Reality) popup menu. Both versions basically show the same OPTIONS, but the Configuration's Manager is easier to use because it will stay on screen while you do your selections. Notable is that if you select any of the options, the Configuration's Manager will also show you (in red) the extra weight of that applied option on the aircraft, but there is no all up Gross Weight shown. The VR Configuration Manager is split between two pages and interesting is the "VR HEAD CONFIG" option in that it allows you to set your best head position in the aircraft and save it... as noted in the manual. "(You) Change your VR position using the up, down, left, right, forward and backward arrows. When in the perfect spot then hit the Save Position button. This writes directly to the vrconfig file... Your selected spot will then be save(d) for future flights.". The list of menu OPTIONS is quite extensive with 27 choices: AUTOMATED START, REMOVE ALL DOORS, RXP GTN750 OWNER (optional RealityXP GTN750 avionics), HIDE FLYING HANDBOOK, HIDE AVITAB, ROTATE AVITAB, ENABLE WINDOW RAIN, SKID STEPS, CONVEX SKID MIRROR, REMOVE DUAL CONTROLS, RADIO STACK, DUEL WIRE CUTTERS, UTILITY FLOATS, SHOW PILOT, SHOW COPILOT< SHOW PASSENGERS, CINEFLEX CAMERA, SPRAY KIT, SEARCH LIGHT, LOW SKID VERSION, AUTO HOLD START BUTTON, PARK AND SECURE ROTOR, BLOW FLOATS, TURN ON GROUND POWER, TURN VIBRATIONS OFF, TURN HEAD FORCE OFF and SET VR HEAD POSITION to CURRENT POSITION. We will look at the aircraft and the options available together. But first a scale note... the CowanSim aircraft designed here is slightly larger in scale to a real B206B-3. Odd yes, but it has been created this way to get the right VR (Virtual Reality) perspective. The point is debatable. But personally I would rather have a true to scale aircraft or a realistic interpretation of the aircraft than a blown up machine to match a marginal feature, so yes the aircraft in every perspective looks and feels bigger than the really cramped B206B in real life. Detailing is very good, certainly the rivets and window frame sections, vents are highly realistic and so overall the construction elements are all presented perfectly. Glass (important on the distinctive profile of the 206) is really good as well and gets the Bell's shape really well, and the glass has nice depth and tint... so the details are numerous. Highlights are the lovely door latches (that work), and the opening side window runners. All four doors are opened by their (inner/outer) latches, or you can remove the doors completely, and in closing they "Clunk" nicely. There is a load of "Skid" options. You can have "High" or "Low" skids... .... "Utility Floats" that can be "Blown" or Floats (note the gas bottle attached to the underside of the fuselage). Other skid options include a "Convex Mirror" front right skid, a right rear "Search Light' that can be manoeuvred via COMMAND keys. Two upper/lower Wire Cutters and "Skid Steps". Also optional is a huge "Spray Kit" that is "Cowan Spray Systems" branded. The spray unit also works via key COMMANDS in "Spray On" and "Spray Off". The rear fuselage is really nicely shaped and modeled, as is the excellent engine/gearbox bay mesh vents with latches... very impressive. You can see the Allison 250-C20J (this is the B-3 version of the 206) and also known as the "Rolls-Royce M250" at 420 hp (310 kW) turboshaft engine through the mesh grill (well the auxiliary piping anyway). But in a few areas the upper cowling needed more detail. The exhausts at the point they come through the cowling is not at all very realistic, as is the high curve on the rotor post cowling in being more in lines than actually round, the internal rotor post area is blank as well and doesn't look like a used working area. The rotor head detail however is really good, and all the assemblies (and control rods) are nicely visible.... .... and I like the way the blades will move up or down realistically in the wind. Like the 500, the rotor head is only semi-animated... the roll action works and so does the collective action (bite). But the pitch action is contained to only to the animated lower base plate. The striking distinctive JetRanger tail is perfectly realised here, as are the mid-tail winglets... the rear tail assembly is also well constructed with the animated yaw (rudder) blades. There are the options to "STOW ROTORS" and add on "TIE DOWNS'. Provided for selection is a Pilot, CoPilot and two rear Passengers... the pilot is also animated hands and feet to the controls. So overall externally it is a very nice version of the JetRanger 206B, and very CowanSim in detail and quality. Internal detail Open the wide doors to revel a really nice cabin... there is the dreaded three-seater bench in the rear. You never wanted the middle seat as it is cramped and comes with no vision forward because of the bulkhead post, so you always rallied (okay, threw a tantrum) for one of the outside seats. Note the three front seat lifejackets. Seats are a lovey black leather with light grey trim inserts, and the rear cabin as a whole is a few levels higher in detail and quality including detailed trim materials and screws than with the past CowanSim aircraft, certainly a marked improvement. Oddly the side sliding windows don't work in the rear like they do on the front doors? but the inner door panel detail in the same light grey comes with really nice internal door latches that are very authentic and work correctly. CineFlex Camera Although attached externally, the great feature with the CowanSim 206 B3 is the CineFlex Camera option. Beautifully modeled and detailed the CineFlex system looks sensational. This is the stored flying position to protect the lens. You also need the power to be on before using the camera, then you can control the camera from the left rear camera station in the cabin... ... the camera is fully animated with the right controller doing the UP/DOWN and LEFT/RIGHT movements, and the left knob adjusts the ZOOM. You can map the camera controls to a separate joystick or hardware. And it is noted to "scroll all the way to the bottom to find the camera options?" But I couldn't find them? More detailed information is required there... because flying manually and also using the rear cabin mouse controls is a real non-possibility. The reality is the B206B is quite a very basic helicopter. There is not a lot of panels or features on the machine to highlight, for instance there is no autopilot (they come in either in two-axis or four-axis systems), so everything in here is all manual flying. But you do however get basic twin-controls... i.e. Rudder, Cyclic and Collective controls. The design in the front is the same as the rear, twin seats are again in that nice black leather with light-grey inserts, and note the really nicely crafted headsets, in two rear and two front (the two front headsets are animated and reduce the volume when used), the detail up close is excellent. Note the nice and handy red fire extinguisher. Instrument Panel Oddly for such a small helicopter, the distinctive 206B hooded Instrument Panel is huge.... but most of the rest is intimate. The panel facia and instrument layout can be split into two areas. Nine Instruments grouped right are the Flying Instruments, then the two left rows of Eight are the Engine (aircraft) readouts and gauges. The Standard Six Flying Instruments are (Top Row Right); Airspeed (Knots), Artificial Horizon, Altimeter. (Mid Row Right); RPM, Heading Dial and V/S Vertical Speed. (Lower Row Right); Radar Altitude, ADF Pointers and Rate of Turn Indicator... Fuel Valve is bottom right. Left engine parameter instruments and gauges are (LtoR Top) Engine Oil Temp - Engine Oil Pressure, Engine Torque dial. (2nd Row); XMSN (Gearbox) Oil Temp - Oil Pressure, TOT (Turbine Outlet Temperature), (3rd Row); Fuel Gauge (GAL), Gas Producer (%RPM). (4th Row); Fuel Pressure, DAVTRON LCD Display (Chronometer/OAT/Volts). Far left panel is the ELT and DME (VOR2) readout. Far right on the cabin wall is a Compass. Top Instrument panel is a huge excellent (testable) annunciator/warning panel. LED lights for the panel can adjusted. Set to the right of the Instrument binnacle is an "AVITAB" optional feature (Menu). The Avitab can be rotated from the landscape horizontal into the Portrait vertical position... it is however anything displayed is quite squashed in detail in the portrait mode and not very if at all usable? On the roof is a 29 alive or active Circuit Breaker (Fuse) panel, with a forward panel for Lighting and Power (AVIONICS/BAT/GEN), the Rotor brake is positioned right of the OVD Panel. Avionics are in the centre lower facia and console... Garmin GMA 340 Audio Panel (split for Pilot/CoPilot) is top. Followed by a GNS530/GNS430 combo below, that unit can both be replaced with a Reality XP GTN 750/650 Touch avionics unit if you have that optional product. Lower (console) is a Garmin GTX 327 Transponder and a Bendix King KR 87 ADF tuner . You have the option to switch over the top GNS530 unit for two COMM/NAV 1- COMM/NAV 2 older Bendix/King KX 165 units. Far bottom are switches for the Air Conditioning... Caution Lights, Engine De-Icing and turn the Hydraulic System on or off. On the collective it is quite basic as well... Landing Lights, and GOV/RPM selections, Starter Button and the Idle Release (IDLE REL), this is so you don't go past the idle position (or shutdown the twirly bits over your head). Rear is a really nicely done cork throttle grip... Note the CowanSim 206 model uses the “Wing Sweep” slider and not the “Throttle” slider for the twist grip throttle control, you usually reverse the axis (as I do for the Collective as well). There are a few selections on the Cyclic noted as a " B8 style flight grip", and this is a very good one in a replica of the real grip.. you can set the COMMAND settings for both the all the "Trim Hat Switch" movements (recommended), and a secondly for the "Force Trim" button. Rudder pedals are beautifully recreated in detail and design. __________________ Flying the CowanSim 206 B3 Like the B206 overall the startup procedure is very simple... Battery on, Avionics on Position and Anti-Collison lights on (but not the GEN switch). Fuel pumps on, which are hard to find (or miss) as they are grouped in the Circuit Breaker (fuses) packs... and rotor brake up (or Off). Then open the Fuel Valve and lock it in place via the Red cover guard. The throttle grip should be in the shutoff/cutoff position below the IDLE Release... if correct then press the STARTER button until the N1 (Gas Producer) gets to 20%, then twist in the throttle grip until the IDLE Release button pops up, then keep on holding the starter button until the engine start up procedure settles down around N1 60%... easy. Now switch on the GEN Switch... and you are now ready to fly! So how familiar is that startup sound... CowanSim redid the sounds at the very last minute and that was the reason for a very quick update v1.1, it was well worth the effort though because they sound as perfectly as I remember them. I found testing in the replay mode that if you went very fast forward or in reverse the "Visual Offsets" went crazy and off view? No doubt caused by the "Head Force" feature, but I had also turned the "Head Force" feature off as I don't like controlled head movements when I'm flying, I use my eyes or view angle to change my view focus, not my whole head. Ready to go, I increased the throttle RPM (the grip on the collective) from Idle to the green zone 100%. As noted you use the "Wing Sweep" setting to control the throttle RPM. On a slight hover I found the controls light and easy to manoeuvre, with not a lot of yaw force needed to keep the aircraft straight. So just a slight touch of the right rudder, or to bring it back to centre was all that was required to turn the 206B on it's axis to the right... ... I wanted to try that standard steep nose pitch down and accelerate out of shot scene like you see all the time in the American Cop shows, but failed dismally to get it right. But the B206 did fly extremely nicely. You need a little left rudder all the time, but actually not that much yaw is required to keep the machine in a straight line, so unlike a lot of machines you are not fighting it, but simply coaxing it... the JetRanger is extremely easy aircraft to fly and the real aircraft are also noted for it's mild handling and forgiving nature, and that aspect comes across well here. However there is not much difference between the IGE power (In Ground Effect) to OGE (Out Of Ground Effect) in which you use different power outputs for different aspects of the flight, IGE is obviously lower thrust in the hover (because of the up-wash ground effect), were as OGE, is where more power is required in free air. The JetRanger will climb and accelerate quick quickly... "agile" is the word that comes to mind, certainly not twitchy like a lot of these light-helicopters, so it is a very calm but athletic machine to fly... which is perfectly great for chasing bad guys in swashbuckling action packed stunts. Rate of Climb is 1,350 ft/min (6.9 m/s), and you feel all of it, and you are easily at a 100 knts going forward... Max speed is 120 kn (140 mph, 220 km/h) and the never exceed speed is 130 kn (150 mph, 240 km/h), so you get a lot of performance out of a twin-blade, single turbine arrangement. Trimming the B206B is sweet, you can easily find that perfect balance via the Hat-Switch, notable is the faster you go, the less left-rudder you require, but I found it still needed a smidge of movement to keep the JetRanger perfectly on track, that is nice with no servo helpers in here, so you can easily cross-country without getting overworked and tired. My comfort zone was 110 knts at 2500 ft, and I was now smoothly cruising along over the English landscape towards Manchester (EGCC). The Range is 374 nmi (430 mi, 693 km), with a Service ceiling of 13,500 ft (4,100 m), but you would never use that altitude. Lighting Overall the internal lighting is very basic... there is only the Instrument (brightness) and the LED drop-down lighting on the Instrument panel... The LED effect however looks brilliant. Turn the LEDs down and the instruments are still very highly readable, very nice. But there is no overhead or cabin lighting at all... nothing, which is rather odd, unless real... so overall the cabin lighting is not very usable. External lighting has those two landing lights in the nose, in one angled and one vertical. There is standard navigation lights on the rear stabiliser wing and rear tail, and a beacon top tail. A lot of users bemoaned the fact the CowanSim 206 B3 had no cargo hook? Which seems to be a bit of an oversight. Granted the Bell 206 is not known as a lifting helicopter like say the Bell 512... but it does have carry up to 600kg on the hook, with a max lift of 909 Kg, not that unreasonable. Internal views in flight are extremely realistic, and I have been in here very often, the rear always felt a bit cramped with the heavy divider from the front, but the views out were always very good with the biggish windows. Approaching Manchester and it is time to lower the altitude as there is a lot of low hanging cloud around, backing off the speed was also easy with just a slight pitch up with a slight touch of collective.... control was so docile and forgiving, the B206 B3 is so very impressively easy to fly. Moving into the hover or transitioning from fast forward flight known as Effectively Translational Lift (ETL), the JetRanger was very, very smooth, and no severe power changes were necessary. Approach to EGCC was a 1,000ft and 70 knts, then reducing to 500 ft and 45 knts when going over the airport boundary. if the IGE power is a factor or not I don't know, but I found the transition seemless... .... into the hover and there was no nasties to trick you up, the JetRanger is perfectly composed and easily controllable, helpful is the light yaw (tailrotor) in that you don't have to fight it, but just feed in the amount of movement you require lightly... I am not the absolute Helicopter professional I admit, but even I found it easy to control the machine with confidence. I got special clearance to do a bit of a PR exercise in landing on the "I ❤️ MCR" logo, so I wasn't going to mess up my moment. In I came with a perfectly considered judgement of were I wanted to place the aircraft, and did a nice rolling on to the spot landing. So the CowanSim B206 is impressive and can be flown by users with not the extreme skills that is sometimes required with these machines, and surprisingly even for a Helicopter in this Light-Heli category... as most in this classification can be very nervy and challenging machines to fly, but JetRanger finds that sweet spot in handling, control for great and easy (even enjoyable) flying. __________________ Liveries There are 58 Liveries included, yes FIFTY EIGHT. So they cover virtually most active countries that the B206B's operate in with 20 selections for the United States. Julien Lebrun and Marc Hamilton both made significant contributions to the list. As noted there is a PaintKit also provided if you want to personalise your own private JetRanger. I have picked a collection of 17 of the best liveries for your consideration. Including two N-XPLNs in "Gloss" and "Metallic", Two KPRC TV, Australian Army, Red Bull, Skyforce 10, Dick Smith's Aussie Explorer and Burswood Casino Australia... N206NU is default. __________________ Summary The Bell 206B is one of the most famed light-twin bladed Helicopter of the last half century. Seen everywhere (mostly in Films and on American Television), the machine is also the most familiar in almost every aspect of local flying, from Medi-Vac, Television Reporting, Sightseeing and Personal or Business transport, chances are if you are of a certain age you would have flown on a B206. Again the aircraft is a reject of an American Army's Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) proposal, that order went to the Hughes OH-6. Bell. Then Bell redesigned in the fuselage (making it far longer and more sleeker), more powerful and the JetRanger was born, and then the Army ordered hundreds as the Bell OH-58 Kiowa. This B206-B3 is CowanSim's third helicopter for the X-Plane Simulator, after the Bell 222B + UT, and then the exceptional CowanSim 500E or Hughes 500 of P.I. Magnum television fame. With all CowanSim aircraft is that they come with their own style and shall we say American bravado, but hasn't stopped the aircraft being very, very popular and well regarded. And the B206-B3 is another in the line of aircraft, but has a more slightly better quality and detailing. One early aspect is however of significance. The Aircraft is designed not to absolute scale, but is scaled slightly larger for VR (Virtual Reality) considerations. The B206 is a small aircraft, even of very tight proportions, but here it is almost in the Bell 512 size category... so if you want an exact replica of the B206, then this is not that aircraft... that is a very odd thing to do in a simulator. The feature list is long and extensive, with loads of tools (spotlights, wire cutters, high/low skids, working spray booms, blow floats) and an interesting working CineFlex camera, a notable missing feature is a cargo hook. You also get a (animated) Pilot, CoPilot and Passengers, opening windows (front only), RXP GTN750 option and a rotating AviTab. A huge collection of 58 liveries are also a nice addition. CowanSim's aircraft are always interesting machines to fly, as is this JetRanger. The point could be made in that is it too docile in it's flight parameters? That aspect certainly helps wannabe Helicopter pilot's and this is certainly a great and simple aircraft to be introduced to vertical flight, I think it is slightly both ways, both in that the flight envelope is a not as highly technical as it should be, but the JetRanger is also known to be also very easy if athletic aircraft to fly, but certainly it is not in the poorly developed capacity, as overall the machine in all aspects and certainly performance is very good. It's a CowanSim... overall you know what you buy when you purchase a CowanSim aircraft, and this Bell 206B-3 is certainly the best designed and detailed CowanSim yet... Nice. _______________________________ Yes! the CowanSim 206 B3 is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: CowanSim 206 B3 Price is US$32.95 Features: Free Future Updates Tested and Zeroed in by Real Pilots Several Commands for Mapping Hardware Remove Before Flight Accessories Pilots & Passengers Working Floats System Low & High Skid Versions Dynamic Weight Options Functional Spot Light Functional Spray Kit Functional Cineflex Camera 2K & 4K Versions FMOD Fully Dynamic Sound Pack Window Rain Effects Compatible with Vulkan API Virtual Reality Ready AviTab Integration RXP GTN 750 Integration Realistic Flight Dynamics 4K & 2K PBR Custom 3D instruments Detailed Night Lighting xLua for Systems and Animation SASL v3.12.1 for Custom Plugins Realistic Flight Dynamics This model has an authentic feeling while exploring the virtual world thanks to Laminar Research for developing a fantastic flight sim. 4k Physically Based Rendering Textures 4k PBR textures, or physically based rendering, provides the ability for very realistic lighting that mimics the flow of light in the real world. This model takes full advantage of X-Plane’s lighting with dynamic reflections and materials. Custom 3D Modeled Instruments Everyone loves a detailed and realistic looking cockpit. After all, that is where we spend most of our time in the sim, flying! The 3D instruments were developed to a high standard and are fully functional, with extensive custom coding to make it as realistic as possible. A Nice Cozy Cabin Sit back and relax in the cozy rear cabin and enjoy replays of your flight from a passenger’s perspective! Was it as comfortable and smooth as you thought it was from the pilot seat? This is especially interesting in VR and landing replays are the best. Paint Kit & Liveries Comes with several liveries and we also included a detailed paint kit. The kit is provided in both GIMP and Adobe® Photoshop® formats. A UV map layer included in each file allows for easy and accurate repaints. Vibrant and Detailed Night Lighting X-Plane has wonderful night lighting. The 206B3 project aimed to have plenty of lights, inside and out, making night flights possible. From the landing light to the cabin lighting, this helicopter really stands out at night. Animation & Sound Thousands of lines of custom code make up animations and systems. The fully immersive sound set was developed with FMOD. Sounds and animations work together with visual rotor-speed vibrational feedback, dynamic blade slap, rain effects and more. Reality XP GTN 750 Integration The Reality XP GTN 750 can be fully integrated into the cockpit. Reality XP GTN 750 Touch is the genuine simulated device used by flight simulation enthusiasts navigating the virtual skies as well as real world pilots for familiarization with the device. This add-on is a payware add-on and you can purchase it here: https://reality-xp.com/ Requirements X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 2.1 GB Current and Review Version: 1.1 (January 8th 2022) ___________________________________ Installation and documents: download for the 206 B3 is 1.96Gb and the aircraft is deposited in the "Helicopter" X-Plane folder. Full Installation is 1.44Gb Documents supplied are: CHECKLISTS - START-UP - 206B3.pdf MANUAL-206B3.pdf Manual is half completed with no instrument references or just basic system references, but settings are well documented with a very good checklist that shows well intergrated startup and shutdown procedures. Support forum for all helicopters by CowanSim _____________________ Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton 14th January 2022 Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews Review System Specifications:  Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.55 Plugins: Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99 Scenery or Aircraft - EGCN - Doncaster Sheffield by Fly X (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$17.99 - EGCC - Airport Manchester by Aerosoft (Currently not Available) - not to be confused with the current Aerosoft Manchester XP11 (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

Aircraft Review : Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 DBS-4 by JRX Design It has been a very strange few months. Aircraft that were very significant in past milestones for the X-Plane Simulator have been recently replaced with more modern versions. First it was the FlyJsim Q400 in it's new Q4XP guise, then along came the CRJ-700 from AD Simulations that echoed the very landmark CRJ-200 from JRollon and now here is another machine in the Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 DBS-4 by JRX Design. This one echoed another very significant aircraft in the ND Art & Technology's BK-117. Tired now, but the BK-117 was simply sensational back in it's day, and the one machine that drew me to helicopters and wanting to fly them... Sitting now in the JRX MBB Bo 105 brought all those recessed BK-117 memories back to life with a bang! The BK-117 is a later evolution of the MBB Bo 105, the machine reviewed here. But the similarities are quite impactful when comparing the aircraft. The Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 is a light, twin-engine, multi-purpose helicopter developed by Bölkow of Ottobrunn, West Germany. It was the first light twin-engine helicopter in the world, and the first rotorcraft that could perform aerobatic maneuvers such as inverted loops. However aerobatics are verboten, and aerobatics are actually prohibited in the Rotorcraft Flight Manual. While not being considered a visually attractive helicopter by some pilots. The Bo 105 was known for possessing steady, responsive controls and a good flight attitude. Most models could also perform steep dives, rolls, loops, turnovers, and various aerobatic maneuvers; according to MBB the Bo 105 is cleared for up to 3.5 positive G force and one negative. One benefit of the Bo 105's handling and control style is it's superior takeoff performance, including significant resistance to catastrophic dynamic rollover; this is a combination of light weight and the twin-engined configuration that enables a rapid ascent in a performance takeoff. Perhaps the most significant feature of the Bo 105 are its rotor blades and rotor head. The rotor system is entirely "Hingeless", in the rotor head consisting of a solid titanium block to which the four blades are bolted; the flexibility of the rotor blades works to absorb movements typically requiring hinges in most helicopter rotor designs. The rotor blades are also made from reinforced-plastic glass-fiber composite material; the flexibility of the main rotor allows for active elements other than rotor pitch changes to be removed, greatly simplifying maintenance and extending blade lifespan. The reliability of the advanced rotor system is such that, in over six million operating hours across the fleet, there was a total of zero failures (as of 1991). The rigid rotor blade design adopted on the Bo 105 has been partially responsible for the type's agility and responsiveness; and it remained an uncommon feature on competing helicopters throughout the Bo 105's production life. The aircraft unusually was also not designed or created in a proposal by the military, but was very quickly procured by the German Army when they decided to create a specialist anti-tank version armed with up to six Euromissile HOT missiles, designated as the Bo 105 PAH-1. A total of 212 Bo 105 PAH-1s were delivered between 1979 and 1984. The Bo 105 is however far more famous for it's significant (EMS) Medevac, and Police surveillance work, MBB at one point held 35% of the total EMS market share, which the cabin can be configured to accommodate up to three passengers on a single rear bench, which can be removed to make room for cargo or a stretcher, which can be loaded and unloaded via the large clamshell doors located at the rear of the fuselage. Totally 1500+ aircraft have been built built between 1967 and 2001. Notable is the DBS4, which is a version of the CBS4 that was certified in the UK for the offshore oil and gas market. The aircraft features a full IFR kit, dual inverters, provisions for pop-out floats and a fuel dump system, radar alt, and a number of other small features and systems that make it different from other 105s. MBB Bo 105 DBS-4 by JRX Design First impressions of the Bo 105 are striking, but not surprising, as the earlier JRX SA 341B and SA 342J Gazelle was also excellent in it's design and quality fit-out. The same totally applies here as expected. The paneling and the general shape of the fuselage is excellent... ... but the riveting is painted on and not mapped, it passes the test as you have to get close to be aware of the non-mapping, however that level of 3-dimensional detail is now quite common in any high-quality aircraft. Were required however the raised mapping is actually done, and the detail delivers in great louvre detail and surface appendages. You have four nice engine exhausts with two per two 313 kW (420 shp) Allison 250-C20B engine. And note the internal cones on the inner two exhausts. Tail-boom, horizontal stabiliser and upright support are also very good as is the required aerials and tail-skid. Notable are these small wings at the rear... they are stabilators when they have a degree of movement, and stabilisers when they are fixed. They are “upside down” airfoils that provide downforce instead of lift, just like on race cars. One of their functions is to reduce the nose-down attitude in cruise which makes the fuselage fly more level and reducing drag by exerting a downward force on the tail-boom, which raises the nose. Here on the MBB 105 they are quite notably big aerofoils Glass is excellent. Nice shape and depth and feels very realistic. Glass has to perfect on helicopters so you get the right perspective vision, perfection makes it also authentic. The green overhead tinted-windows are also perfect (in opacity) but clear internally... ... Highlights are the excellent twin-wipers with worn-wear arms and the perfectly set blades. I'm not crazy about the inner window frame, just a plain coloured frame, here it doesn't feel very realistic, however the inner window opens though via a "Hotspot" middle window, but the same arrangement on the rear windows are not animated. The unique fixed-head rotor is perfectly realised and recreated. Detail is as expected in all in the required components, bolts and assemblies. The mast is quite short but the plates and their rod link assemblies are colour coded and well done. Nice details are the balance weights on the inner blades and notable the very nicely aerofoil shaped blades with great realistic wear on the ends. Exactly like the Gazelle, the rotor system is also only semi-animated... the Collective (bite) is nicely animated, but the rotor head (pitch/sideways) movements are again not active. Rear tail-rotor assembly is also very good, links and rubber covers that are all very realistic, note the short rear almost square blades. There is a full yaw animated movement on the blades, and all the linkages work perfectly. Doors... have both the front and sliding rears open by direct "Hotspots", and so do open are the twin-cam opening rear doors. There is a cavernous open space inside, with the option of filling it with cargo. The two forward cabin doors can also be removed via the menu. Cabin Yours eyes are immediately drawn to the full bulkhead padded rear seating for three people. Both cushion support and soundproofing in one, it covers the full huge rear bulkhead. Seat material is black leather with white stitching, gives off a very nice comfortable feeling, and very well done here, the 70's style foam covered headrests are also extremely well authentic to the period (70's Ford cars anyone, Escort, Capri). Front seat assemblies are excellent, with military style tracks and metal drilled frames. Shame the seats are not animated, that would have been a real treat. The feeling in the cabin is however dated, not by a poor application, but by design. It has that clamshell dark cream molding technique and again from the period. This is also very evident from the restricted view from the pilot's seat. The frame curves into your forward view, and the sides feel thick and chunky, the huge instrument panel also takes up a lot of the forward view, most choppers feel airy, but not in here as it feels enclosed. Menu Top Instrument panel are two options. Left is a folded map, that when selected, then selects the X-Plane Local map. The right selection is the "Flight Manual", which pops out VR (Virtual Reality) style. The manual both inserted and expanded is quite old fashioned in layout and design (another throwback to the BK-115). The top section is the "Aircraft Configuration" or options and settings. The "Set Fuel Load" in 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% filling percentages, and below "Weights". Important in that any selection of the options must be made before flight... once in the air you can't then change anything on the menu! The lower section is a "Checklist style" area... there are 10 Tabs in the "Checklist" that cover everything from PreFlight to Aircraft Limitations. You go through the checklist via two hotspots set on the top (Go Backwards) and the bottom (Go Forwards) of the VR "Flight Manual". Checklist detail is extremely good, but difficult to read in the set position and small font text. Aircraft Configuration The Aircraft Configuration list (of options) are all colour coded. Top to Bottom, you have in red; "Remove Before Flight" and "External Power Unit"... the first puts tie-downs, rotor covers and flags on the aircraft, the second option puts a connected to the aircraft, a trolley GPU and even a very nice operator positioned to monitor the unit. White options include, "Fly With Co-Pilot" and "Duel Flight Controls". The Bo 105 already comes with a very nice and head animated pilot, the option here also gives you a Female Co-Pilot with strange hair but lovely "Mechanix" gloves who is also head animated, but not to the controls like the pilot's. I heard that rear passengers are coming. "Duel Flight Controls" gives you the option to have a second set of controls on the left side (Cyclic and Collective). Seagrass Green options include; "Remove Doors", "Flight Steps", Search Light", "Internal Cargo Load", Missile Rails, "Cargo Hook" and Emergency Floats. All the options here are excellent and of high quality detailing. The "Remove Doors" option will take away the front doors, and lock the rear doors open. Cargo option fills that huge vacant rear area with nice crates, but they add a lot of weight to the aircraft with no adjustment to the weight. I don't know if the Cargo Hook works, as it is not mentioned in the manual? The side steps are nice as is the forward Search Light. The Emergency Floats are also highly detailed with a fuselage attached airpump (but again I don't think the floats inflate?). Super nice are the six Euromissile HOT missiles. The HOT (French: Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) missile is a second-generation long-range anti-tank missile system developed originally as an effort to meet a joint German-French Army requirement. The HOT missile is tube-launched and optically tracked using the SACLOS guidance system with command link through trailing wires which steers the missile using thrust vector controls on the sustainer motor during the missile's flight. When the gunner fires the HOT missile, the missile activates a thermal battery, flares and a small gas generator spins up the gyro. The same gases for the gyro pop the covers off both ends of the cylindrical container the HOT missile comes packed in. Moments later, both the sustainer motor and the booster are fired, ejecting the missile from the container. Unlike most antitank missiles, in which the booster burns completely before leaving the container and then the missile coasts a safe distance before the sustainer motor ignites, HOT's booster burns both inside the container and outside the container for approximately one second giving the missile a high speed. The sustainer motor burns for 17 seconds, a flight time whose path exceeds the length of the trailing wires which dictate the maximum range of the missile. Note the changed olive-green seating for the military (German) livery. Green options include; AviTab (Plugin Required), RealityXP GTN 750/650 Touch avionics unit if you have that optional product and bottom is the option for the Dittel AutoPilot Unit. I found the AviTab would only display with the engines running, slightly annoying if you want to study charts on the ground. This is a nice Autopilot module by Dittel (now TQ Avionics), but oddly it is set (or feels) to the left of the top of the instrument panel than the centre (of which it actually is) or even to the right of the sided pilot's reach, it feels far away? but it is well done. Weights; In Yellow are the aircraft weights. Both the MTW (Maximum Takeoff Weight) is noted (2500kg) and the current TW (Total Weight) is displayed. The TW will change with any options and fuel weights, and you can add in extra Kgs in 10kg increments (up or down), or reset the aircraft's weight. The current version (B1.40) is also shown here for reference. Instrument Panel The Instrument Panel has a huge (massive) hood over the instruments, making it look far larger than it actually is, even so it is still a big unit. The centre pedestal (console) is also very long and detailed as well. The main flying instruments are grouped down on the right in two columns... Top row is (left) the Artificial Horizon and the Altitude Meter, Second row is the HSI (Horizontal Situation Indicator) and Vertical Speed Indicator, Third Row is the ADF Pointer and Radio Altimeter, slung below is a Clock. The instruments are all very clear and readable. The centre section has mostly top in the Backup Instruments (for the Co-Pilot). Airspeed Indicator, Artificial Horizon and main (pilot) Airspeed Indicator top row, Altimeter and Directional Gyro, that looks more like a CDI or Course Deviation Indicator. Installed is the AVAD (Audio Voice Alerting Device) that can be turned off here. And a testable is the specific MBB "Mast Moment" MMI indicator.. "A rigid (or sometimes called hinge-less) rotor system is capable of transmitting high bending forces to the main rotor shaft. When a pilot makes a cyclic movement causing the main rotor disc to tilt, the fuselage wants to follow. In flight, with a rigid rotor the mast bending moment is low. However, when the fuselage is in contact with the ground and cannot follow the main rotor disc the bending moment can be very high. Because large cyclic displacements on the ground have the potential to damage the mast assembly, a mast moment indicator (MMI) is installed. The gauge is a single dimension indicator that shows the total moment being applied to the mast. When the gauge reads high, the pilot has to figure out what direction to move the cyclic to reduce the mast moment." Next row is a Torque Indicator... The Torque Indicator is interesting as it is set on a 90º angle, and not positioned directly upwards? It is noted this way for Slinging (loads), but it looks very odd?. Next to the Torque Indicator is the RPM in N2 (Engine #1 and Engine #2). Then there is right a group of six dials that cover engine TOT (Turbine Outlet Temperature) for engine #1 and #2, and below N1 (Engine #1 and Engine #2)... bottom row right covers Fuel Gauge and Fuel Pressure. Two groups of three gauges bottom left cover (top) Oil Temperature, and lower Oil Pressure. Far left is the DME readout. Forward Pedestal (console) are the electrics (Buses) and working Circuit Breakers (Fuses). Gauges right cover Volts and Amperes. Between is the Hydraulics Test. The red cover left is the Fuel Jettison, the two right red covers the "Emergency Fuel" cutoffs. Between are the Instrument lights (switch), Emergency Floats, Inverters (1&2), Engine Anti-Icing (1&2) and wipers... bottom are the two VHF-COM 1 and 2 Radios, Starter switches (pink covers) and Main Battery and Generator (Eng 1&2) switches. Centre Pedestal is the Fire Extinguisher Panel. Below are Collins CTL23 NAV 1/2 radios, with a CTL62G ADF unit. Unusual is a "Funkwerk" Transponder. Bottom is a Garmin GNS 350, or if available the RealityXP GTN 750/650 avionics unit. Note the usable Collective Lock . Lower pedestal are two NAT N301A Audio Panels. There is a nice feature on the lower NAT audio panel. You can select 1 hour of "Radio Chatter" by selecting AUX and the chatter comes in three languages; American, French and Italian via the flag icons... but no British ATC? Actually British law prohibits the use of ATC broadcasts, as per "LiveATC", but still it would have been nice. The collective has two light switches (Search and Landing) and engine regulator. Cyclic has a HAT switch trim and RPM WARNING (cancel) button. Both controls are very well modeled and highly realistic with the Cyclic a B8 style handle. There is a small overhead switch panel with the twin-engine throttle levers (the rotor brake is down floor right of the pilot). Switch gear up here covers Pitot Heats (#1 and #2), Continuous Ignition Eng (#1 and #2), Fire Test, Floats Test, Fuel Pumps, Generator Fields (#1 and #2), Interior lights, External lights, Temperature Controls and an electronic HOBBS Hour meter. Overall it is a complicated cabin, that requires a little study before flight to workout where all the switch gear and items are located, once used you will work the aircraft well and correctly, but it is not all set out very ergonomically, as it is all very 70's in style and usability. ____________________ Flying the MBB Bo 105 First is the setting for those twin throttles. JRX originally set the throttle movement to the "Wing Sweep" setting, but reverted back to the standard "Throttle" setting. You can set each throttle to a slider (Throttle 1/Throttle2) to work independently, but I use the second throttle lever (Saitek X56) as my collective, so here a single "Throttle' setting works just as well. The Bo 105 startup procedure is quite easy. The Main Battery switch is under your left hand, and the two Bus Avionics switches far left upper pedestal. Each bus does a certain circuit, so you only get the VHF1 radio with only one switch on. The Collins CTL23s and the ADF CTL62G have to be switched all on manually. You can adjust the panel lighting (when switched on) via the top knob left centre panel, and very good it is. Next all the Auxiliary options are switched on via the OHP; Fuel Pumps, Pitot Heat, External lights/Anti-Col... then you are ready to start. Make sure your throttle is set in the IDLE position, then flip up the STARTER cover (pink) for the engine you want to start... then press the inner switch. Straight away the N1 will rise and then you go straight to the required overhead engine throttle lock switch (Fuel Cutoff) and press it. You don't have to touch the throttle at all, if the throttle lock does not work then the lever is still not set at the IDLE position. Once the RPM for that engine is at 50% then you switch off the start switch... pretty easy. Now you do exactly the same for the second engine start. One note is the dreaded "RPM Needle Split Horn" alarm. Mostly here to warn the pilot if the engine outputs or the RPM are not in the same performance parameters, or an engine out scenario... It is LOUD, and can be annoying if you can't shut it up. On the second engine start until it reaches within 12 points of other running engine's RPM it will go off "its trotter" as it should do, to kill the alert there is a kill switch left on the Cyclic, or you can set a button COMMAND to do the same thing (RPM Needle Split Horn). But I found sometimes I couldn't shut the damn thing up, even when the engines were shutdown? (found to be a aircraft reload or location move reset). Once running you also have to provide separate power (unlock) both to the Main and Backup Artificial Horizons is they are powered directly off the battery, this is done via the second switch under the glareshield right. There is a full video available on the startup (and Shutdown) procedures that is well worth studying. I do like the flickering of the N1 dials to show the power is running through the engines. Throttle up to 100% RPM and we are ready to go. I was not perfectly attuned to the JRX SA 341B Gazelle, it is known as difficult aircraft to fly, and very fine movements were minutely required. I mastered it, but was not what you could say very proficiently. The Bo 105 is known as a more steady and responsive machine, and I felt that straight away. It feels also like a weighty aircraft, so you have confidence in balancing it easy and the very light push required by the tailrotor helps the cause as well. That came to pass... I easily found I could hover in the same position and only required slight stick movements keeping myself in a perfect hovering position. Any drift was also easily corrected, so the more I sat here in the hover the more confident I got by the minute. Touch of collective and touch of forward stick, and I was moving upwards and forwards easily... .... placid it may be, but you have a lot of power available via those two Allison 250-C20B turboshaft engines, too much collective and you will literally takeoff and go straight up (official Rate of Climb is 8.00 m/s (1,575 ft/min)), and with this extreme climb power the Bo 105's also have a tendency to roll right when in a high-power right turn which has been documented with a MBB test pilot in Siegfried Hoffmann crashing and killing himself. So the trick is not to showoff in here, just keep everything smooth and contained and the aircraft will follow along quite nicely, you can see why the Bo 105 was so good for EMS work, in fact perfect as it is a steady easily controlled and flyable aircraft. One of my favorite pastimes with the ND BK-115, was to track down motorways or highways at low but fast speeds. So I just couldn't resist the temptation again in the Bo 105... the thrills came back with vengeance, it is fun and exciting to fly low level at speed, but you have to watch out for all those cross highway powerlines. Maximum Bo 105 speed is 242 km/h (150 mph, 131 kn), with a never exceed speed of 270 km/h (170 mph, 150 kn), usually you cruise around 204 km/h (127 mph, 110 kn) (best range cruise), so the Bo 105 is not the fastest aircraft out there. Range is 657 km (408 mi, 355 nmi) at 1,525 m (5,000 ft) (standard fuel, maximum payload) with a ferry range: 1,112 km (691 mi, 600 nmi) at 1,525 m (5,000 ft) (with auxiliary tanks). Overall you get an endurance 3 hr 30 min (standard fuel, maximum payload) and a service ceiling of 5,200 m (17,000 ft). The aircraft has a fuel capacity of 160 Gal (570 l), and the fuel is stored in only one main tank which is connected to a single supply tank at the front of the aircraft and the engines then draw their fuel by the engine-driven pump(s) from the supply tank. The supply tank only holds 74Kg (around 93 liters or 205 pounds) as a backup supply. I could do this all day... Sounds of real Bo 105's are very hard to come by... what we have here is a collection of community based recordings, but they are actually very good right through the range with only a few loops here and there, blade slap is present, but were over-rode in my case with the XPRealistic blade slap being more prominent, overall I have heard a lot worse than we have here. Not entirely happy with the trim... a single movement of the trim or HAT switch made the aircraft surge up or down violently, in that the trim increments were extremely wide. So there was no adjusting but you got these large changes to the angle of the controls. The only way to get control back was to use the Trim Centre command to reset the trim back to neutral. The Dittel AutoPilot also feels still too far away, although it is centred on the windshield (the map/manual storage is offset). The unit is a very basic 2-Axis unit, which means you centre the aircraft at the right speed, heading and altitude and turn on the AP to the corresponding servos, and it will hold those alignments.... but it is not a solid feel or use, as any slight movement or knock of the cyclic and it loses the alignment, so you have to monitor the systems continuously. It works but don't at all rely on it. Lighting Overall the JRX Bo 105's lighting is excellent. We already know you can adjust the instrument brightness, which is already very good. But there is another option via the second knob set below the instrument brightness knob... this is the green tint option, that gives you a military look and feel. You can blend the two together if you wish, but one or the other is preferable. Not finished there with colours, there is also the overhead red cabin light. This effect with the green tint looks a bit like a traffic light reflection... but it is very realistic, and looks sensational externally. Externally the lighting is also very good... There is a single landing light in the nose that can be adjusted brighter and darker (OHP), but it still comes on too strong as a lot of users have noted, the light source can be seen through the body work as well (X-Plane issue). Here I have the Search Light on as well. Navigation lights are on the outboard of the stabilisers, as are the strobe lights, and single white navigation is rear. Top tail beacon is very effective and so are the near perfect strobes. Arriving back at the field the Bo 105. I found it was easy to lower the speed in a slight centering of the cyclic, while reducing height with the collective... you can find the collective lift does need a reduced amount of bite, and that can send you into a false sense security in recovering the lift power (or too late in dropping out of the air). Point the nose down slightly is a better way of descending, but that obviously comes with more speed... the trick is somewhere in the middle to get the best approach descent and control the speed. I had to do a few approaches to get the procedure right. Nice is that you are not fighting the tail or yaw, slight rudder movements will control that aspect, again you can see why this machine is so very good in it's EMS and S&R roles, the workload on the pilot is quite light at those really critical aspects of the flight. As noted the JRX Gazelle is highly (if extremely) challenging of your skills, certainly in the approach, transition and hover phases, but that it is not the same case here with the Bo 105.... if in fact the opposite. The ETL or Effectively Translational Lift boundary is noted on the Airspeed Indicator at the line between the Green and Yellow bands, about 50 knts, which is also a nice approach speed... but watch you don't drop the collective too far or lose the lift, it is very disguised in the feel... ... once though the ETL boundary and you reset the approach to around 20 knts (not the usual 30/30), and this feels nice with great control. Into the hover and a 90º yaw is need to line up with the markings, that aspect is also done with ease... ... aligned, a slight slip to the left is now needed... I'm showing off now, the Bo 105 responds perfectly to my movements while controlling the hover status... ... I can see the marking line to judge my position and a slight let down of the collective and that landing was as good as it gets. "Sweet as" There is nothing to give you that buzz when it all goes right. But this is certainly an aircraft is one you can easily parallel with. Helicopter flying not easy and will never be, but an aircraft like this can meet you say... halfway in your limited skills. _________________ Liveries There are 26 liveries and all are excellent. They vary from Civil to Air Ambulances, Coast Guards, Police, Red Bull (2), Rescue and Military versions... hell even the Northern Lighthouse Board aircraft is in there! ADAC (German) is the default. A PaintKit is also provided. _________________ Summary For a decade "Mr Helicopter" in the X-Plane Simulator was DreamFoil Creations, but now there is another "Mr Helicopter" in the form of Joe Rowe of JRX Designs. First it was the spectacular debut of the SA 341B and SA 342J Gazelle in 2020. Now here is JRX Design's second release in the Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 DBS-4, a general purpose helicopter favoured by EMS and Policing departments around the world. Not initially created as a military aircraft, the platform was still successful as a German specialist anti-tank version armed with up to six Euromissile HOT missiles, designated as the Bo 105 PAH-1. The aircraft is also reminiscent of another X-Plane MBB classic the ND Art & Technology's BK-117 from a decade ago. The Bo 105 is notable for being the first "Hingeless" rotor head aircraft, which consisted of a solid titanium block to which the four blades are directly bolted; the flexibility of the rotor blades works to absorb movements typically requiring hinges in most helicopter rotor designs. The rotor blades are also unique in being made from reinforced-plastic glass-fiber composite material. Most helicopter releases for X-Plane are usually extremely highly detailed and feature laden. And that is also the case here with this excellent Bo 105. Modeling and detail quality is of the highest order (and the JRX Gazelle had already set the benchmark high). Externally and internally the Bo 105 is exceedingly good, with very if excellent good lighting effects. Sounds are community sourced, but also very good in context. The VR Menu (manual) is cleverly done with built in Checklist, with the usual features of remove (front) doors, Cargo Hook, Searchlight, Emergency Floats, Flight Steps, Internal Cargo, Twin Controls, Pilot/Co-Pilot, and very well done Euromissile HOT Missile Rails. Other extras incude AviTab, RealityXP GTN 750/650 avionics unit option, and a basic Dittel Autopilot. Both "Radio Chatter", specific MBB "Mast Moment" MMI indicator and AVAD (Audio Voice Alerting Device) are also represented. Huge set of 26 liveries are provided with the package, as is a PaintKit. Flight dynamics and performance is also very good, as the MBB Bo 105 is a sweet flying machine. But a few areas can still be refined, as I am not crazy about the current trim actions, and aircraft has an odd issue loading pattern when reloading in Sim. (Starting from the Desktop or doing a Developer reload is fine). A few "wishlist" items would be nice... certainly a EMS variant, rear passengers (noted as already coming), winch (working would be even better) and adjustable cargo weights... not asking too much! And YES it will be X-Plane12 compatible. Another superb release from JRX Design's, can it get better than this? Yes just more of the same from the new "Mr Helicopter" Joe Rowe. The Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 DBS-4 is now available for purchase from the X-Plane.OrgStore. __________________ Yes!... Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 DBS-4 by JRX Design is now Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105 DBS-4 Price is US$34.95 Requirements X-Plane 11 XP12 Support when Available Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 1 GB Current and Review Version: 1.40 (January 15th 2021) ___________________________ Features High detail, fully animated 3D-model with PBR textures up to 4k resolution. Fully VR compatible, configured by SimVRLabs. Accurate flight model tested, developed and approved by a current MBB Bo 105 pilot. Complete and accurate start up and shut down functionality. Dynamic weights for optional fuel and part configuration. Bespoke custom made and accurate instrumentation sourced direct from a 105 DBS-4. Optional autopilot unit and a full IFR navigation instrumentation suite. Fully functional circuit breakers and electrical system including AC / DC buses. Working fire warning and extinguishing system. Custom instrument HDR spill lighting. HDR internal and external lighting. Dynamic vibration model with speed increase / decrease, including entering and exiting translational lift. RXP GTN integrated on a custom tablet. AviTab with custom tablet. Highly detailed pilot and co-pilot, with optional dual controls. Optional body decals including HOT3 missiles, working floats, flight steps and cargo hook. Complete FMOD sound package with 113 individual sounds sampled from a real 105. Headset attenuation, with optional ATC radio chatter (US, FR and IE) for better immersion. Particle system for heat blur animations. 26 liveries including civil, service and military variants. Included paint kit for body, seats, ID plates, interior trims and pilots’ uniforms. Flight configuration and options, all done in cockpit either in 2D or VR. Full documentation, including all flight reference cards in cockpit. Real-life reference documentation and video tutorials including the start-up / shutdown procedure: https://youtu.be/BLxWiC1FnOs https://youtu.be/bz9NmdjchDM https://youtu.be/qGsdB9Jmk-c Full lifetime support at the forum, product updates and development as required: JRX MBB Bo 105 - X-Plane.Org Forum Windows, Mac and Linux compatible. Requirements X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 4 GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 2.1 GB Current and Review Version: 1.1 (January 8th 2022) ___________________________________ Installation and documents: download for the 206 B3 is 993Mb and the aircraft is deposited in the "Helicopter" X-Plane folder. Full Installation is 2.63Gb Documents supplied are: BO 105 Real Life Documentation JRX Design MBB Bo 105 USER GUIDE V1.01.pdf Manual is quite basic but does come with very good instrument references, X-Plane basic system references... Checklist is built into the VR menu, and the provided video tutorials are excellent. The Eurocopter sourced documentation is excellent, enough detail here to build your own MBB Bo 105 from the ground up! Required is the AviTab (Plugin) Support forum for the MBB BO 105 _____________________ Aircraft Review by Stephen Dutton 21st January 2022 Copyright©2022: X-Plane Reviews Review System Specifications:  Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo M2 2TB SSD - Sound : Yamaha Speakers YST-M200SP Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.55 Plugins: Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : RK Apps XPRealistic v2 - US$34.99 Scenery or Aircraft - EDDP - Leipzig/Halle International Airport by JustSim/Digital Design (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$20.00 (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