Stephen

NEWS! - Scenery Update : SBGR- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport by Globallart

 

 

Last year 2022, São Paulo as a region has had a lot of X-Plane attention. Not only are there the two releases of the major airports in SBSP - Congonhas Airport and the main gateway of SBGR - Guarulhos International Airport. But also there is a great collaboration City scenery between Globallart and Paulo Ricardo to create a MEGA scenery package of São Paulo, extensive as a full package it all is, the review is here;

 

Scenery Review : São Paulo Mega Scenery

 

This update is for SBGR - Guarulhos International Airport v1.2. It is not noted as X-Plane 12 in the details, but it can be used in the requirements, so I'm going to note it here as an X-Plane 12 scenery. (So expect Congonhas to follow). An extensive v1.2 update list it is as well...

 

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

The Dreamfoil S300C is not an X-Plane 12 aircraft, but only designed for X-Plane 11? and it hasn't yet been upgraded? I can't understand either how the helicopter can actually work, and yet X-Plane 12 does not?

 

X-Plane is not actually my software either, but created by Laminar Research? A lot of odd questions here...  and not a lot of clear information.

 

Behind the Screen : January 2023

 

This monthly review of "Behind the Screen" was created to communicate what was going on in the X-Plane world. To give you the user information on the state of the simulator, that we use in a day to day capacity. What we process, in not only X-Plane products, but in the way we use the Simulator, can be explained here in giving information for other users to absorb. Since my early days of using X-Plane I have had the uncanny knack of seeing or having events happen to me before it happens to anyone else. That is good, but head bashing as well, as I have had to work through the problems in fixing it, hopefully in passing on that vital information, so you the user don't have to go through the same torment. Behind the Screen is also here to mirror the health of the X-Plane Simulator as well, a sort of grounding on the current reality.

 

In the forums, many can be a bit self-absorbed, but most of the X-Plane community thankfully believe in the old world style of helping others to get around the difficult problems of running an extremely complicated Simulator program. Pray they are there, and thank them for their generosity

 

So the old adage "You can never tell what is going on beneath the surface. Even the most regally calm swan is paddling furiously below the water", can and be also certainly adhered to X-Plane Simulation. Hence again Behind the Screen.

 

I was determined to have a good break over the Christmas/New Year period, resting (meaning no computer work), just the annual equipment cleaning (keyboards and dust) and filing away all of the last years completed content... clean ready computers all done, and also ready for the exciting new 2023 year ahead, I was fresh as well after the rest, all ready to go...   it lasted three days.

 

The one thing X-Plane is very good at, I have found over the years, is it that it has the uncanny knack of finding your weak spots, then throwing them directly or blowing them up into your face.

 

More confusion is created when I have easily used X-Plane 12 (beta) from it's introduction back in September 2022. Yes I had to adjust the graphic settings, but otherwise I was able to use the newer version Simulator overall perfectly fine.

 

Then things started going seriously wrong when I started an early in the year 2023 review. After the initial confusion, it came down to three areas. Crashing or the freezing of the simulator caused by the continuous Vulcan device loss errors, weird things happening to aircraft when flying, like the liveries would change every few minutes, the undercarriage had a mind of it's own, dropping then coming back up, ATC alerts popping up consistently, flaps changing position, and finally airbrakes deciding to also activate also on their own. Finally the screen was going dark and the saturation was going off the scale. Absolute madness... just ONE of these areas alone are hard to decipher, but three or four at the same time was simply overwhelming...

 

Biggest argument here is why? perfect before Christmas, then a total horror show after it, I hadn't done anything, or changed anything between the two events...  the only one I had done was to update X-Plane to v12.01r1...   nah really?

 

I will bring up that v12.01r1 update, did it start a chain of events that sent me bonkers? it is a big question... Laminar put out all the version changes in their X-Plane 12.00 Release Notes...  but what of the areas of changes you don't see, mostly in the core X-Plane.app. I am not going to blame Laminar Research or X-Plane, as it may even be just circumstances that things happen, but one thing is for sure. One area had certainly changed to create a cascade of other issues. My work and time went down the toilet as well.

 

The problems are a result actually of Hardware issues? HARDWARE? Thanks to user "Tom", I worked out that my Saitek Hardware was underpowered, the USB was not pulling enough power from the computer, the result is an area called "Ghosting", were the (in this case the switches on my Saitek throttle) decided to activate the set switches by themselves, or ghosting themselves. Honestly I had never heard of "Ghosting" before even though it is quite common with Saitek addons. So you learn something, even after over a decade in Simulation.

 

One down three to go...  Still I had the "Vulcan device loss errors", and they were becoming evidently worse, to the point the Simulator was crashing now consistently. I pared the simulator back to a fresh clean X-Plane 12 application install. No plugins, Only default Scenery, Only default aircraft... the result was still loads of Vulcan device errors, but not as consistent. A investigation of the forums said it was my Graphic Card a GTX 1080 8Gb that was not powerful enough to cope with the API, odd as it coped very well for four months last year, I don't or didn't over stress my Graphic Card either, but it was showing signs it was burning out (BTW, X-Plane burnt out my last Graphic Card as well in my Mac), hence all the Vulkan loss errors.

 

I was now looking at a new (expensive) Graphic Card. Hard to get at this time in Australia (Summer Holidays) and in very short in stock availability. I could throw 2K or AUS$1700 at one, but I don't have 2K to buy one, remember I have already spent 3K last year upgrading my Board and Processors...  for a game, sorry simulation X-Plane is an expensive business.

 

I found a card, a RTX 3080 10GB even on sale (if for only $50), but still far more than the 1K that I wanted to pay... remember when you could buy graphic cards for $600 and they felt expensive, today you can double that, or even treble that. Good news it was local so I got it the next day...

 

Yes it is a powerful RTX 3080 card (for it's price). But powering it is like hooking up Hoover Dam to Las Vegas, two heavy cables are required, some cards now need three. Lucky last year I also upgraded to a 1000w Corsair Power Supply, so I already had enough power to power this internal nuclear reactor... It works.

 

You can do anything with computers, but if you are into Simulation, then Graphic Card power is always the way to go. You can get very intoxicated by it all, jumping from below 30 frames to over 60 frames in an instant, nothing abruptly happens either, no CTD (Crash to Desktop), no flickers, no waiting, and absolutely no Vulkan device errors!

 

It just all works...  and smoothly.

 

Huge headroom, and the space to absorb the things that can drive you mad, do I recommend selling items of furniture or your car to get a magic graphic card, sadly yes if you are serious about Simulation.

 

But now with my system is now finally completed  or 100% overhauled, it is seriously frightening on how much power you really do just need to run X-Plane 12 efficiently. Seriously those who think they can get away with the basic specifications set out by Laminar Research are not going to make it, I wasn't even close to the absolute basic requirements, as I got burnt out, other users have simply got no chance.

 

I know, because I tried to beat the odds, and failed. So if you are in it for the long haul with X-Plane 12, you have to have the gear to run it as well.

 

That brings up another question? Does a simple simulator program expect or demand too much investment to just to run correctly, remember X-Plane 9, I ran that on a Mac-Mini at the time, and it flew very well, now I need Colossus and the power of the Hoover Dam just to get a decent framerate?

 

In other words, X-Plane 12 found my weaknesses, exploited them, and brought me crashing down. Did the hidden changes in v12.01r1 push my systems boundaries beyond what they are capable of? That is big question... Yes X-Plane 12 or as currently noted as officially released, it is however in reality still deep into a beta, and things are still changing, even under the hood...  you are starting to wish it would be all be over and sooner than later. I have been through beta's like this before, but never have they burnt out my computer?

 

I still have an issue, my Monitor looks perfect with the set Nvidia settings, (even with the default settings), but the images coming out of X-Plane 12 (screenshots) are anything but, dark and with very heavy shadows (yes I do have Ambient Occlusion set to zero), at night you can't see anything? Graphic Card or X-Plane 12, take your pick, as they say in Houston "Work the problem".

_______________

 

I mentioned in my end of the year review 2022 and roundup, that this year 2023 would be one of the most interesting and important years in the history of X-Plane. Basically it is a sink or swim year (the above situation does not help). But I did expect a load of upgrades that came to pass with X-Plane 12 going official, they came or are still coming and they are all very good, but it is the add on scenery aspect that is the most worrying. 

 

In the first month I was very uplifted by the release of a lot of cross platform scenery (MSFS and X-Plane12), basically the same scenery released for both platforms, and both of the same high quality. Thankfully not the glut over at MSFS and the few trinkets for X-Plane. Supporting both platform simultaneously is good business for both sides, the Simulators and the developer houses. In fact delivering more scenery products for X-Plane 12 will of course drive more business in users wanting to fill out their landscapes with decent product.

 

Better was shown with Orbx and their Brisbane City pack release and YBBN Brisbane International Airport packages (I give a small preview of both in the Thranda 337F Review). My argument (for years) was always to produce City packages or City Icons, with the connected Airports. Then let the X-Plane autogen do the rest. The Orbx dual package shows how well this aspect works for X-Plane and why I push for as many City Packages (and for you to buy them) to fill out the X-Plane world as possible and make it far more realistic. A lot will note that X-Plane still needs a far better photo based underlay, to which I totally agree, but flat photos are not the answer either for total realism.

 

Even though Austin Meyer as an aversion to photo textures, I still think X-Plane will still get a hybrid system during the X-Plane 12 run to counter the MSFS style of Simulation...  good city scenery also proves it can work for X-Plane and it is also well worth the users investment, as the Orbx combo shows...  that aspect alone makes it a brilliant, even relived start to the 2023 Simulation year, just hope the same quality and products are continued to be released as the year progresses. It will be an area I will comment on frequently, because it is vital to expanding landscape of the X-Plane 12 Simulator and it's future.

 

See you all next month (barring another computer meltdown)

 

Stephen Dutton

3rd February 2023

Copyright©2023 X-Plane Reviews

 

 

 

 

Aircraft Review : Cessna 337F Skymaster by Thranda Design

 

Thoughout the history of aviation there have been many different concepts...  fuselage shapes, wing designs, power sources. But in the one area of multiple engines, there is the Twin Engine mounted wing configuration, or commonly known as "Twins".

 

Several twins however use a very different concept, one was the wartime Do 335, another and another was far more famous aircraft the Cessna 337 Skymaster.

 

The concept is called push-pull configuration in that has a combination of forward-mounted tractor (pull) propeller, and backward-mounted (pusher) propeller. In the Cessna 377's case it was two Continental IO-360-C air-cooled flat-six piston engines, 210 hp (160 kW) each, producing a combined 420hp, plus the unique "Twin-Boom" tail arrangement to accommodate the rear (pusher) engine/propeller. Basically the 337 was a standard Cessna forward fuselage, but with a totally different concept at the rear.

 

 

The first Skymaster, Model 336 Skymaster, had fixed landing gear and initially flew on February 28, 1961. It went into production in May 1963 with 195 being produced through mid-1964.

 

In February 1965, Cessna introduced the Model 337 Super Skymaster. The new model was larger, and had more powerful engines, retractable landing gear, and a dorsal air scoop for the rear engine. (The "Super" prefix was subsequently dropped from the name.) In 1966, the turbocharged T337 was introduced, and in 1973, the pressurised P337G entered production. Cessna built altogether 2993 Skymasters of all variants, including 513 military O-2 versions.

 

Thranda Design are on a roll. Last year in 2022 they released two Cessna's, Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, then later a Cessna U206G Stationair. Now another Cessna joins the fleet in a Cessna 337F, the push/puller icon.

 

This C337 is not the first 337 in X-Plane, that distinction goes to Carenado's Cessna C337H Skymaster v2 HD Series, back in 2013, an iconic and much loved aircraft (by me anyway)...  I loved the thing, and you can see on how good it was even a decade ago in the review above.

 

Thranda Design also had a lot of input into that aircraft, as they also managed back then the Carenado fleet for the X-Plane Simulator, so they already know the aircraft intimately.

 

 

No matter how many aircraft you review, you are still amazed at the quality and detail you get today in simulation. Once you flew models (or modeled aircraft), but today they are realistically miniature aircraft in almost every perfect detail. Every panel, appendage, rivet, screw and the overall shaping is perfect, or perfection, inlets show a mock Continental IO-360-C, but the engine is not accessible (Unlike the U206G).

 

Glass is perfect, a green tint (more visible internally) with wear speckles embedded, it looks and feels nicely authentic.

 

 

The twin VHF roof mounted aerials are distinctive on the C337, as is the large cooling inlet for the buried rear engine. Note the top oil filler cap, nice detail.

 

 

 

The support strut for the tail booms is interesting. It is plastic or early form of glass-fibre to save weight, behind the strut in the boom structure is a sump tank.

 

 

 

Flaps are divided on to each side of the boom, so in essence there are four sections. Detail again is excellent, note the boom fairings around the flaps detail...  there are three flap degrees.

 

 

There is the beautiful cambered detailing of the wing tips, that defines the chord. And you have the choice between "Icing Boots", or a blank leading edge.

 

 

The rear twin booms, with the large central horizontal stabiliser is huge, with built in elevator and trim tab. Each boom has each internal left and right rudder cables and the right hand boom carries the trim cable, the left boom the elevator cable...

 

 

...  tailstrikes are common, rare that any C337 has no tail damage, both the upper and lower assemblies here are excellent detail. You can't just swap around a Continental IO-360-C engine either...  the rear has a very different load bearing (push) to the front's (Pull) bearing (again made tougher to absorb the higher loads). Note the rear engine cooling flaps (open).

 

 

The landing gear is basic in a complicated way....  the wheel assemblies quite basic, hub and arms, but complicated in that they have to fold up into the fuselage, the nose gear rotates sideways on retraction, the rear spindly legs also have to contort to fit in the rear bays. A lot of owners take the rear gear doors off, as maintenance wise they are a pain (an option here?).

 

Early 337 models used a manual hydraulic floor pump to raise and lower the gear from 65 to 73, then it was converted to two ECSs in the model, each with a 5.5-volt BEC. The front BEC powers a receiver in the fuselage (behind the front engine ) that operates the retracts, doors, nose wheel steering, right aileron and right elevator. The second receiver is in the wing and is powered from the rear ESC. The wing receiver operates the left aileron, left elevator half, both rudders and both flaps.

 

 

As noted the gear in detail is very well done by Thranda, all assemblies and tyres are first rate, even good enough to spend time and admire the work. Because of the type of undercarriage on this aircraft, there won't be any of the usual Thranda addon features like; Tundra Tyres, Ice-Skis and Float/Amphibian versions. There are a few 337 float conversions out there, but they are very rare.

 

If you want to call it the "Arse End" or "Rear Belly" of the aircraft, the lower rear fuselage is really well detailed with great well designed vortex generators, to create a smoother rear (breakaway) airflow from the aircraft with the powered propeller above.

 

 

From on-wards with the 337G Super Skymaster version, there was a split airstair entry door, like on the Carenado 337H, great for leaving the upper window open in flight. Here though on the "F" model with Thranda, it is the earlier single entry door, the only other opening door is the smaller cubby door for baggage rear lower right side.

 

 

Interior

Only a single door entry to a six-seater aircraft, so it is tight in there with this seating configuration. Usually you would only use the seats, and so where do you put the baggage? usually on your lap, so the six-seater configuration doesn't work.

 

In a real 337 your on top of each other, so it's small, really small. Note the excellent seating, the lower base and legs are really well designed... nice to look at as well.

 

 

Unlike most Cessna's, the rear of the cabin doesn't taper away, so it is really inside a tall box. The rear engine which is set just behind the rear bulkhead is close to the rearmost passengers, it is known to be noisy as well.

 

 

Cabin is tailored in a mixture of creams and browns, again reflecting it's pre-70's age...  the headlining has a zip to the rear, again nicely done, with the front high set Fuel tank opposite selectors, for the front and rear engines.

 

 

Cockpit

Forward and the instrument panel is dominated by the huge pedestal, with six levers (THROTTLE, PROP and MIXTURE) for the two engines...

 

 

...  front side windows are huge and past the front line of the wing leading edge...  and reason why most C377's are used for observation, e.g. the Cessna O-2 Skymaster (nicknamed "Oscar Deuce"), fire and maritime observation patrols. Front side window (sometimes known as the paperwork window) opens as does the ash tray (it was the 70's). The Pilot's window is fixed, but the door window can be opened.

 

 

There are two choices of yokes, "Slim" or "Beefy", the beefy version is the same large centred yoke from the Thranda U206G, but it works in here.

 

Looking at the instrument panel, there is one glaring omission between the Carenado 337H and this version...  that lovely green buttoned Autopilot panel...  disappointed, as it was a huge feature on the earlier aircraft.

 

 

Otherwise they are very much alike. As this aircraft has the "Dynamic Panel" system from Thranda, there are no set instrument arrangements, as we shall see that aspect later.

 

 

Two areas on the instrument panel are standard...  the excellent twin engine gauges with Manifold Pressure and RPM. A Fuel Flow (FF) and EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The highlight on this side is the engine dials that show (top row) fuel gauges (two tanks, 46 GAL each), OIL pressure. (lower row) CYL head temp, and OIL temperatures. Other dials cover SUCTION, Air Temperature and Volts (amperes).

 

Left lower panel has the VOLTS/BATtery (alternators), IGNITION/STARTERS , Instrument lighting (Flood/Post), Cowl Flaps (Front/Rear) and main electrical switchgear; MASTER, AUX PUMPS, ANTI-ICE, AVIONICS, (External) Lighting.

 

 

The (hydraulic) gear selector is by the excellent large and handy (pitch) trim wheel. Park brake is a simple push/pull knob lower.

 

The six lever; THROTTLE, PROP and MIXTURE pedestal is large and excellent, with a yaw (Rudder) trim wheel set below. Lower is a ADF Receiver panel.

 

 

Left side panel is a fully active "Circuit Breaker" (Fuses) panel. In the opening glove box are the happy faces of the "Thranda Team".

 

 

Menu

Thranda's Menus are very feature rich and highly detailed. There is a popout TAB under the arrow lower left, that can be (mouse) scrolled to hide it, that is if you don't like these sort of items crowding your screen (I don't). The Menu system includes the "Dynamic Generation Series" or DGS, a Thranda speciality feature that takes full advantage of X-Plane's flexibility for in-sim, real-time modifications.

 

 

As noted the "Menu" Tab (arrow) is far left middle of your screen, this will activate the Pop-Out Menu... The Menu has seven menu tabs in; GENERAL, LIVERY, WEIGHT/BAL, CAMERA, AUDIO/SLEW, PANEL and MISC (Miscellaneous)

 

Menu - General

The menu "General" sections covers quite a lot of options, the layout is highly detailed and very comprehensive.

 

 

General menu selections cover; Electric Tug, Window and Instrument Panel Reflections on/off, Startup Running on/off, GPU on/off, Cargo Pod on/off, Chocks and Brakes.

 

 

Three selections placed right cover group items, but any one item can be also accessed via "Click Spots" and can be individually selected or hidden via the aircraft graphic. "ALL COVERS" will select engine inlet/outlet covers and pitot cover, "ALL TIE-DOWNS" for rear fuselage and wing tie-downs and "ALL DOORS" for both the cockpit door and rear cabin doors. All EXT - External Lights can be switched on and off as can the ALL INT - Internal lights.

 

The "Electric Tug" that can be used to move the aircraft around on the ground via your joystick (left,right-forward,backwards). Static Items include Ground Power Unit, Engine Inlet covers, Pitot covers and Tie-Downs

 

Cargo pod is nicely detailed and comes with a single opening door, you can also add in the amount of baggage according to weight.

 

 

The excellent "Checklist", can also be found on this tab. Which is the same as the Thranda U206G system...  in the red, or the checked green choices you used on the other Thranda aircraft, and not the single white text on the Caravan. On some pages it notes performance and flying tips.

 

 

You can have checklist pop-up or in a window mode and thankfully you can move it, and scale it even from the very small to the very large size. The two lower arrows give navigation around the checklist pages. The action detail and hints in the lists are simply excellent and the checklist is fully detailed from Pre-Flight to Shutdown. And to reset, it is done at the end by switching all the green completed checklist back to red.

 

Menu - Liveries

Second Menu option is "Liveries", there are two options here with the first being "PAINTED LIVERIES". There are altogether 8 liveries or two blank (or DynamicLiveryResources/ZZTemplate) and six designs, and all are of extremely high quality and creative flare with the package. Thranda house is default.

 

 

Dynamic Liveries

Not happy with any of those designs, then why not create your own livery! 

 

 

With their earlier releases of their Caravan and U206G. Then Thranda introduced a clever feature of a way to design your own livery. This is done by switching from PAINTED LIVERIES to DYNAMIC LIVERIES (Arrowed).

 

Two liveries are "Dynamic" in resources (White)...  another New feature is the (Quick) selection of Dirt (Ext) Externally, Scratches and Dirt (Int) Internally. Via three percentage selections you can adjust the amount of Dirt, Scratches and Dirt Int on the aircraft (0%-255%) and apply it instantly.So you can have either a pristine or a very grubby aircraft with just a twirl of the numbers. This can be applied to any of the liveries.

 

 

You have a menu to select on the right that can colour a certain part of the aircraft, like the Roof, Wing, Tail or Wing tips. Select which one you want and then adjust the RGB colours for that certain area, it looks hard but you can easily design a very nice livery in about twenty minutes...  the selections of Dirt (Ext), Scratches and Dirt (Int). Metal(ness) and surface Rough(ness) can also be added or adjusted as seen earlier...

 

 

When done you can "SAVE" or ADD the livery and then "APPLY" it to the aircraft. The conversion takes a few minutes, but the results are excellent and in your own design...  There are already 30 preselected selections in their various designs, all which are very good, and like noted you can add in your own version to the list. New to the Dynamic Livery application is ERA options in "Modern' or "Classic". Of course taste is optional...

 

Here I changed the aircraft registration to an Australian Rego (VH-337), because I didn't like the Australian default aircraft...  cool.

 

 

Menu - Weight/Bal

 

 

The C337F also has a great Weight and Balance menu. Lbs and Kgs which can be selected and changed via the toggle Lbs/Kgs (arrowed).

 

 

Fuel can be added, and the amounts are then shown and are also adjustable as well in the menu (above). Pilot, passengers and cargo can all be set for individual weights and all selected via a scrollwheel...  and then all of the CofG (Centre of Gravity) parameters are shown on a graph. Go too far or too heavy and the CofG goes red (arrowed). When done you can Save the Configuration and then later re-load it, or press Load to add in the set weights. Overall it would be nice to have set of loading formats of different configurations, it is slow work setting them individually.

 

 

Once you go over a certain weight, you will then get two pilot's in the front seats, but no rear passengers. Pilots (Female/Male) are switchable. Note if you turn the aircraft power off, the pilots will again disappear.

 

More cabin options allows you to hide each of the four rear seats, via the small x tickboxes, if the weights for each seat is still set in place (or adjusted) then the area is replace by baggage. This makes for a very versatile cabin.

 

 

The Cargo Pod can be added or removed on the MISC Tab. This then adds in the Cargo Pod weight options on the right.

 

 

But obviously there is a compromise? If you want a full passenger and baggage load, then you can't have full fuel tanks, as the excess weight takes you over the weight and the CofG limits. For six (light) passengers (with maybe a bag thrown in) then can you have your full tanks and the range and not go into the red. You can also really pile a lot into the rear cabin two sections, and all the baggage is of very high quality.

 

Menu - Camera

 

 

There is a camera feature under the menu "Camera" selection. The left side of the panel is the "Walkaround" views, just pick the dot viewpoint you want to see to rotate around the aircraft. To the right is the default views can be selected via a menu, or press the keypad to select the view with most of these internal viewpoints. The FoV or Field of View is adjustable via a slider.

 

 

Menu - Audio/Slew

 

 

Sound can be adjusted via the sound menu. There are seven slider selections with: Master, Aircraft External, Aircraft Internal, CoPilot, Radios, Environmental and User Interface. One other sound setting is on the Flap panel...  As noted, on the right and left of the panel you get the audio simulation of an active noise canceling headset, which is seen as wearing a headset. Sound quality is beyond excellent as it is a built in audio mixer, so you can individually control the audio channels in real-time and you can adjust the volumes while hearing them play.

 

Slew mode allows you to manually move the aircraft around in a disconnected X-Plane space. It functions by temporarily overriding the various aerodynamic and physical forces on the X-Plane settings, it is to allow the user to reposition the plane as desired. This feature is however highly touchy and it is mostly used with the floats option (not really coming to the 337), but for use on the Caravan, Thranda Beaver and PC-6).

 

Menu - PANEL

The sixth "PANEL" Tab option allows you to adjust or change the instruments and dials.

 

 

Scroll the "Panel Preset" number (arrowed) to see the extra six preset layouts (seven choices in all). Sometimes to restart you have to click to "Apply the Settings" for the GPS units.

 

 

Panel features include; Bendix King KFC-225, and the noted Aspen EFD 1000, KR 87 ADF Radio, Garmin GMA 340, Garmin GTX325 Mode C Transponder, BendixKing IN-182A Weather Radar, S-Tec Fifty Five X Autopilot and the usual GNS 430/530 PS/Nav/Comm units. A EDM 780 Digital EGT (shown lower) is also available. And there is a special 3d bezels for the insertion  of RealityXp GTN 750/430 units if you own those two addons (arrowed above).

 

 

Here is featured the EDM 780 EGT display, a replacement for the twin EGT gauges, the instrument pops-out as well.

 

The Aspen EFD 1000 is a self-contained multifunction digital display that is divided into a Primary Flight Display (PFD) in the top half, and an Electric Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI) in the lower half. As EDF 1000 systems go it is not as highly featured with the GPSS, MAP,  360 and Menu functions all not simulated...  all the lower NAV1/NAV2/GPS selections are however available, as is the TPS (Tapes) see/hide option with the MIN (Minimums) selectable as well. and the PFD can be reversed with the EHSI. The EFD 1000 here can be used with the S-TEC Fifty Five X Autopilot.

 

 

Customising the panel to your own personal layout is just as easy. Just select the "3D EDIT PANEL MODE" (arrowed) that gives you access to all of the 53 individual instruments and avionic units...  There are some great options including Aspen EFD 1000, S-TEC 55x Autopilot, Angle of Attack gauge and so on...

 

 

For those that find instruments are not to their liking in say, "I wish I could move that altitude meter just a bit more to the left", then here you can simply adjust that instrument, or even swap the instruments around the panel to your liking. You can even adjust the brightness of the instrument. Optional is to select the type of GPS unit you want GNS 530/430 via the "INSTRUMENT" selection.

 

 

When done you can "ADD" (or Duplicate) a new "Preset", and then "SAVE" that new layout Preset (Preset /6).

 

So basically you can start off with a completely blank instrument panel and then create your own unique or personal instrument layout if you have the time and patience...  and you can have up to or save 14 different instrument layouts. It is however very important to restart X-Plane to lock in the new instrumentation layout before flying.

 

Currently the optional "Panel Background" choice (colour) is not available on the 337F, like it was on some other Thranda DGS systems.

 

Menu - MISC

The Misc (Miscellaneous) page has four panels that cover Yoke Type (Chunky or Slim) ,De-Ice (wing) Boots, Cargo Pod (Normal or Cargo), Pilots (Option 1 Female, Option Two Male) and DynaFeel.

 

 

"DynaFeel" on the right is a system that dynamically adjusts the rate at which the controls deflect. It is  based on airspeed and how much the control is deflected. This means the controls will feel light and responsive at low speeds and with small deflections, but will get progressively heavier as the airspeed increases.

_____________________

 

Flying the Cessna 337F Skymaster

The 377F is an odd aircraft because of it's push/pull configuration. The front is standard, the rear installation is everything but. In the cockpit it is bit like wearing a very heavy backpack, you know it's there but you can't see it. And that heavily enclosed rear installation causes problems as well....  mostly the heating.

 

So the aircraft is expensive to run, maintenance costs are notably high and so are the insurance premiums. This puts of a lot off buyers, which is a shame as the unique configuration is a very good flying machine.

 

You have to start the front engine first, to push cooling air into the upper vent to keep the rear engine cool...

 

 

...  even when you have started the rear IO-360-C air-cooled flat-six piston engine, you have to move forward quickly. More air is required by movement via the twin open cowls on the rear, the nose engine has the same cowls under the aircraft, but it also has the forward nose inlet.

 

Sit there for a period of time and it could get very expensive... quickly. And yet you need the "Temps" to come up before moving, my trick is once the needles are showing rear temps, then go...  the taxi to the runway will do the rest. And this highlights the biggest point in flying the C337, your eyes are never (ever) far from those Temp gauges, you can't see or feel that rear engine, so the gauges are your eyes and ears to what is happening back there.

 

 

Sounds when running are obviously different. Although both IO-360-C engines are the same, however they sound very different because of their different locations and installations. So you get Individual sounds for the front and back engines, with different sonic characteristics.

 

Combine that with 3D 360º audio effects, including "blade slapping" sound when view is perpendicular to prop, and you can even hear the turbulent air feeding into the rear prop. Also the "beats' are all there with the precise beat frequency for each section, to minimise "muddy" transition sounds, in other words the running "ticker, ticker", sounds at idle, the same as any Continental piston engine, but sonically coming at you from both ways...  it's all very good.

 

It is up to you if you want to taxi on one engine, or both...  personally you don't need the rear engine to taxi, as the front IO-360-C has more than enough power...

 

 

...  with no stress yet on the rear engine it helps in keeping it a bit cool(er). I use a Yaw setting on my Joystick to steer, but rudder inputs, in mostly the right rudder will fine tune the taxi line, even slight turns like this with the rudder input are easily available...  on the ground the 337 is excellent, nice power inputs, that slack off when you reduce the power, so all it's lovely on the ground.

 

 

Cockpit in detail in X-Plane 12 is realistic as it gets, Simulation 2023...  the silhouette is the iconic C337.

 

 

Because of the unique engine arrangement and rear fuselage configuration, the rear engine creates instant aerodynamic flow over the huge horizontal stabiliser and elevator, so the pitch feel is there from the word go...  so you have to be aware in the way you use the pitch earlier than usual. On the real 337, the pitch trim is motorised automatically to compensate for the extra elevator pressure loadings, and will work (trim) from the moment you leave the runway. The rear propeller is highly exposed as well... thrown up rocks from the rear wheels can cause grief (in other words expensive repairs), and you have to leave the runway cleanly, or not a too pitched up, in not catching the ground sort of skill... obviously you can't see it at all.

 

 

But the unique push/pull engine configuration also works for you in not creating any (depending on the power outputs) yaw, as the inline counter-rotating propellers give no directional thrust pull, so there is no asymmetrical thrust or yaw to the power output of the propeller, basically you go straight down the runway with no corrections or slight rudder corrections...  and fast you do go!

 

I usually bring the front (puller) up to 90% power, tracking right I then bring up the rear (pusher) to match it...

 

 

...  remember the rear engine operates in the disturbed air from the forward engine, which may reduce its efficiency to 85% of the forward engine.  Basically the 337 is a small aircraft with two engines on it, so it GOES...   well "like shit!".

 

 

At 100knts you break with the ground, slight pull back with the yoke, and once clear then a 10% pitch to climbout...  you have ton's of power behind you, so the 337 will climb-out very easily...

 

 

Rate of climb is 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s), but you can do a 1,000 fpm comfortably... now for the big theatrical production!

 

First the gear doors open, then the nosewheel will twist sideways to fit into the front wheel-well...

 

 

...  from the rear the fine limbed gear has to then contortion to fit in what is basically four rear bays.

 

 

The animation work here is difficult and very complex, but Thranda have done an excellent job, in getting it perfectly correct. Then you have a nice clean aircraft. Note... the gear lever will go up, then return to the centre position once the hydraulics have finished the procedure.

 

 

Once cleaned up, the one thing you realise very quickly, is that the 337F is one amazing aircraft to fly. Maybe it is huge wing arrangement, and twin boom tail, but it is steady as a rock and smooooth, easily trimmed, and can then bank to your will...  ohhh it's "so good".

 

 

You can bank to the extreme, say 80º/90º (See Redbull video), and the 337 will take it all in it's stride, but note the loss of height, if you are doing these sort of very angled manoeuvres.

 

 

The numbers... Maximum speed: 199 mph (173 kn, 320 km/h) at sea level : Cruise speed: 144 mph (125 knots, 232 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m) (econ cruise) : Range: 965 mi (839 nmi, 1,553 km) : Service ceiling: 19,500 ft (5,945 m)

 

 

A lot of operators use internal tanks on the 337 for on-station flying (fishing, fire, maritime patrols etc) so the range is expandable.

 

Lighting

Internal lighting is quite basic, but effective. There are only four adjustment knobs; POST (those little lights on the instruments), FLOOD, EL PANEL and ENG RADIO.

 

Between them you get a full lit panel with red highlights...

 

 

...   a Black&White panel, or a Red panel

 

 

Last adjustment is for the lower left instrument panel. In the rear you have four spot lights that you can adjust the beams, the roof Fuel Switches are also lit up...  but missing is a forward flood cockpit light, and you seriously notice the absence?

 

Externally it is pretty basic as well, Landing/Taxi lights in the wings, navigation and strobe lights on the wingtips, a right tail beacon and white navigation lights on the twin tails. There is also a nice left side Ice-light on the wing.

 

 

Notable is cooling as already noted. Once airborne you can close the cooling vents forward and rear, this nicely cleans up the aircraft. But there a need to keep all eyes on all the temperature gauges. It becomes a bit of a game on how long (or how far) you can go with the vents closed, once the needles are touching the red zones, you are out of there...  switches are lower pilot panel right.

 

 

Cruising you can easily see the 337F's main outstanding elements, as a stable observational platform. You can understand why the US Army grabbed a load of 337s for this purpose. I wouldn't use the aircraft so much in carrying fare paying passengers, it's too cramped and even too noisy to put into commercial service, but for two (Pilots) and a load of gear, it is perfect.

 

 

A quick look at the Orbx Brisbane City pack... Brisbane is 70 kms north of here and my local state capital. It comes back to my original argument, create the inner city and the autogen will do the rest, it works fabulously well here, as does the complimenting Orbx YBBN Brisbane international...

 

 

YBBN Runway 01L is all brand new, just completed only a year or so back...  time to check it out.

 

 

Two things are very apparent on the approach, first the 337F's lift is impressive, those wide wings and horizontal stabiliser (with added thrust on it, mind you) keeps you very steady, almost static in the air, which means manoeuvres can be easily controlled. So the old adage applies here, the Skymaster is a very "Sweet" aircraft to fly. Second is that once you reduce the speed on approach, even at 120 kts, off goes the gear alarm? it feels far to early, not even in the flap white zone, so you have to drop the gear early to just "shut it up".

 

 

I think the alarm is there and early (still a bit too early though), because it takes the gear a very (very) long time to unfurl and lock down, it feels ages from when you drop the lever to when the green light comes on...  notably I opened the cooling vents before landing, and instantly all the temp gauges drop.

 

 

Flaps are 4 phase 3 degree movements; UP - 1/2 - 2/3 - FULL, get the speed right and there is simply no ballooning, just slight drop of speed, even down to the FULL setting, the Skymaster will stay calm and collected with no fighting of the aircraft...  critical on approach.

 

 

Over the threshold and your in the 70 knts range, perfectly stable... 

 

 

...  60 knts in the flare. The flare has to be perfect, as you are very aware of that rear propeller hanging down. Slight 5º-6º degrees to keep the nosewheel slightly higher than the rears, then let it down.

 

 

When the rears touch you bring down the nose carefully, the slow landing speed and excellent lift really helps here to get it right.

 

 

Then back to taxiing with the rudder pedals.

 

It's a long taxi from YBBN runway 01L/19R to the GA area, and i'm watching those temp gauges like a hawk... but I get there. BNE needs to create a shorter taxi route to 01L/19R from the GA Area, which the area is actually close to?

 

 

I finally get there...  notable with the engines now shutdown is the active variable-pitch on the propellers (PROP levers) in being feathered, it is all very well done here by Thranda, authentic, realism... take your pick but still great.

 

 

 

Although a very different configuration from the usual, the 337F is actually a very nice aircraft for a pilot, you never oddly fight it, it is SO stable (that word again), a dream in all the aspects of manoeuvres in the air, trims nice, just "Bloody" feels nice as well.

 

All round this a great aircraft, different in most aspects, but that is also it's attraction for a really special simulation.

___________________

Summary

The Cessna 337 is a very unique aircraft in the history of aviation. It is only one of the few created and built in the Push/Pull configuration, or a forward PULL engine and a rear PUSH engine, to accommodate the rear push engine it has a two boom and twin tail arrangement, with a standard Cessna fuselage and forward engine layout. Yes it's totally unique, but it works.

 

Last year in 2022, Thranda Designs released the Cessna 208 Grand Caravan and the U206G Stationair, those aircraft in the series are now joined by the Cessna 337F, after Thranda's earlier more rugged utility aircraft Series. This aircraft is powered by two Continental IO-360-C air-cooled flat-six piston engines, 210 hp (160 kW) each, producing a combined 420hp.

 

Thranda Design are one of the best developers in X-Plane, their history and quality is legendary. So that quality build and detailing is always going to be significant from the start, and so it here... exceptional. In every area and detail, modeling, fine details, glass and the interior materials.

 

Menus are also excellent with menu tabs in; GENERAL, LIVERY, WEIGHT/BAL, CAMERA, AUDIO/SLEW, PANEL and MISC (Miscellaneous), that covers all the options and including sound, weights and balances also including graphs, walk-around and camera options and general static elements including GPU, chocks, pitot covers, two pilots (Male/Female) and tie-downs.

 

Sounds are excellent with High fidelity, multi-track sounds with smooth, finely tuned transitions, amazing atmospheric effects, different sonic characteristics (with the engine arrangement) and 3D audio effects, including the "blade slapping" sounds and the aerodynamic interaction effects between front and rear prop. Internal sounds are however a bit too low compared to the external.

 

Thranda always comes with a high range of clever and unique features to give the user a lot of personal options. Known as the "Dynamic Generation Series" or DGS, this is a Thranda speciality feature that takes full advantage of X-Plane's flexibility for in-sim, real-time modifications. Here you can change the actual livery to your own designs, but build the instrument panel to your own liking as well, including options of the Aspen EFD 1000 glass instrument and a special 3d bezel for the insert of a RealityXp GTN 750 and GNS 430 units if you own those add ons.

 

Comments include, Tricky to start, Tricky to keep cool, and the unusual undercarriage bans a lot extra features in Tundra Tyres, Ice-Skis and Float/Amphibian variants. Lighting is good, but there is no overhead cockpit flood light, four rear spots are also small, in making it a dull night cabin, instrument pane is however good, but you feel you need more adjustments. Missing also is that valued green buttoned Autopilot panel that was on the Carenado.

 

Notable that the 337 is a unique aircraft to fly. The in-line engine arrangement gives you almost no asymmetrical thrust, but this also a powerful, but brilliantly handing aircraft that has not only a very stable platform feel in the air, but also on departure and approach procedures, you can see why the US Army bought loads of O-2 Skymasters for observation patrols.

 

So it's a Thranda and that is a sale done right there. At a below US$40.00 price it is also exceptional value for what you get, including free updates for the run of the X-Plane 12 version and all that exceptional quality.  

 

A total winner in every department...  and positively recommended.

*Updates via the Skunkcrafts Updater

 

Special features:

•     FULLY configurable 3D instrument panel.
•     Fully VR Compatible
•     Interchangeable yoke styles
•     Over 50 instruments to choose from! (Including Aspen EFD 1000, and support for RealityXP 650 and GTN750)
•     Move any instrument to any location on the panel, or even between pilot and copilot's panel!
•     Comes with 4 panel presets, but can easily be expanded by moving instruments around, using a simple and intuitive interface.
•     Lighting is fully 3D, and dynamically move along with the instruments, as you configure the panel.
•     Ability to assign a lighting index to individual instruments, to allow different lighting knobs to be assigned on a per-instrument basis.
•     Save your own presets, and even share them with the community!
•     Almost every instrument can be popped up or popped out as a 2D floating window! They can be placed on other monitors as well.
•     Instruments can be moved in 3D directly, on a 2D pop-up preview window, or by numerical entry for precise placement.
•     GNS430 and 530 can be swapped out, but a restart of the plane is required, as 430s and 530s are mutually exclusive in terms of compatibility in X-Plane
•     Dynamic livery editor (like in the Kodiak, the Beaver, the Wilga, the Caravan, the C206, and the Pilatus PC-6)
•     Full PBR control! Create stunning metallic liveries, or matte, sand-blasted look in mere seconds!
•     Additional control over dirt/scratches, adjustable in real-time to dial in the exact desired amount of wear and tear.  
•     Create "virtual" liveries, based on two basic common design layouts (Modern and Classic), and assign any colour to any available paint segment.
•     Quickly create preview of livery in real-time, using intuitive controls.  Previews include visualization of metallic materials and dirt overlays.
•     Apply selected livery in real-time, right in the sim, without the need to even touch a 3rd party image editor!
•     Option to change the tail number in real-time, or disable it altogether. (Enter a "space" instead of a callsign number to create a blank tail number.)
•     Easily and quickly create dozens of paint schemes in-sim!
•     Also includes 9 traditionally painted liveries, all visible in a convenient pre-selection preview window.
•     Ability to swap pilot/co-pilot figures
•     Uses SkunkCrafts Updater.  Option to participate in Beta program, via checkbox in SkunkCrafts Updater.
•     Excellent hi-res PBR realistic materials, featuring true-to-life plate deformation and to-the-rivet precision.
•     Fully modelled Continental IO-320-F front engine.
•     Windshield ice and rain effects
•     Individual functional circuit breakers.

Feature-rich elegant fly-out menu with the following features:

•     Electric tug, with in-panel controls to move forward/backward at the desired speed, and steer proportionally
•     Control over chocks, individual tie-downs, covers, internal lights, external lights, etc.
•     Option to enable/disable Cargo Pod, with realistically simulated weight, momentum, rotational inertia, and drag characteristics.
•     Option to start up running (all systems ready), or cold-and-dark, for realistic startup procedures, directly from this fly-out menu.
•     Control landing lights, strobes, beacon, and nav lights via fly-out menu
•     Detailed weight and balance manager with visual chart, individual passenger seat weight control, Lbs/KG unit toggle, CG control, external tank control, and the option to save and load configuration.
•     Show or hide individual seats, to create a hybrid passenger/cargo version.
•     When seats are hidden, cargo fills the space when weight is added via the fly-out menu.
•     Multiple camera snap points, above and beyond what's available by default in X-Plane, so you can perform your walk around checks.
•     Adjust your camera's Field of View without having to go to an X-plane menu, allowing for real-time adjustments.
•     Audio mixer: individually control audio channels in real-time, so you can adjust volumes while hearing them play.
•     Slew control: move your plane around the world, temporarily bypassing flight physics.  Includes ground mode and air mode.
•     Dynamic panel control page, with a separate view for the entire panel layout preview, or a per-instrument view, allowing for fine-tuning of instrument position, as well as copy-paste function to quickly replace instruments.
•     Option to swap pilot and co-pilot
•     Option to select different yoke styles
•     DynaFeel panel: Dial in precisely how you wish for the controls to react as a function of speed.
•     Optional de-ice system

Flight dynamics and systems:

•     Detailed and accurate flight dynamics and weight and balance with the help of multiple real-world active Stationair pilots.  This not only gives this aircraft the proper "feel", but also accurate takeoff, climb, cruise, and landing performance.
•     The C337 is a well-behaved twin airplane, where the engines are in line, with props spinning in opposite directions, cancelling out torque on the airframe
•     A single engine failure doesn't radically affect flight behaviour, as the engines are in line, and don't produce a net yaw force on the plane, as other twins do.
•     Tie-downs and chocks actually keep the plane from moving, even in high winds.
•     DynaFeel: controls that simulate how strongly the control surfaces are affected by oncoming air, and how much strength would be needed to overcome these forces.  

Advanced FMOD-based sound system:

•     High fidelity, multi-track sounds with smooth, finely tuned transitions (actually having calculated the precise beat frequency for each section, to minimize "muddy" transition sounds), and amazing atmospheric effects.
•     Individual volume control over different aspects of the sound experience, adjustable in real-time (while listening to the sounds)
•     Individual sounds for front and back engine, with different sonic characteristics, as a result of their placement.
•     Different sounds for front of plane than for back of plane
•     Panning around the plane in exterior view yields awesome 3D audio effects, including "blade slapping" sound when view is perpendicular to prop
•     Far away sounds include aerodynamic interaction effects between front and rear prop.  At a distance, you hear overtones caused by turbulent air feeding into the rear prop.
•     Individual buttons and switches in the cockpit each have their own unique sound.
•     Engine has typical cool-down ticking sound, based on engine temperature.
•     Sounds actually give you clues as to what's happening under the hood.  
•     Outside wind intensity is affected by slip and AoA. (The more the surface area of the fuselage is hit by oncoming wind, the louder the sounds
•     Doors and windows opening, let outside sounds in

 

Installation and documents:  download for the Thranda_C337F. is 1.34Gb and the aircraft is deposited in the "General Aviation" X-Plane folder.

 

Full Installation is 1.71Gb

 

Documents supplied are:

• C337F Manual.pdf
• C337F Performance Charts
• Changelog
• Thranda Graphics Settings XP11
• Thranda Joystick Settings
• X-Plane G430 Manual
• X-Plane G530 Manual

 

There is a huge amount of Documentation provided here, not only for the Thranda C337F, but including performance charts, reference guides, but also X-Plane/hardware settings and custom and default avionics.

 

All updates are via built-in Skunkcrafts Updater

 

Support forum for the C337 Skymaster by Thranda

First Magknight don't do the usual update/upgrade cycles. It is a continuous build, but when they feel like it, it goes into a upgrade. Confused, well we all are. So they don't follow the norm. In other words when they feel like charging (that should be an Upgrade), they do.

NEWS! - Aircraft Upgrade : Piper Aerostar 700P by X-Hangar

 

 

Ted R. Smith was an aviation legend, this is the same person of whom also designed the famous Aero Commander, and bought the first small business jet aircraft to market, which was the Jet Commander which evolved into the Astra Jet....

 

Then there was his Aerostar/Sequoia the fastest Twin-Engined general aviation aircraft ever built...  just the right aircraft for drug running, right.  So another legend but in the infamous collection of bad people pretending to be really a good person to get rich is Barry Seal, who was a sort of Robin Hood in reverse, Seal was a pilot for the commercial airline TWA, and was contacted by a CIA case officer and asks Seal to fly clandestine reconnaissance missions for the CIA over Central America using a small plane with cameras installed. But the deal becomes a two sided affair with Seal running drugs into the United States one way for the cartels, and then also smuggling and trading guns back to the cartel in the other direction for the CIA.

 

So for operations like that you need a pretty good aircraft that was the fastest you get you hands on and could fly very high (or very low) when required... depending on who was actually shooting at you. This real life caper was recreated in a film called "American Made" with a certain Tom (Top Gun) Cruise as Barry Seal, but the real star of the film is certainly the Aerostar 600, which was the perfect tool for the dodgy business of doing clandestine CIA missions in moving drugs and running guns.

 

During the time of production, the Aerostar held the speed record for fastest twin piston General Aviation aircraft, capable of cruise speeds from 220 kt (408 km/h) for the earliest 600 models to 261 kt (483 km/h) for the later 700 models. Light construction, low drag and high powered engines also contribute to fast climb rates.

 

So here an upgrade of the Aerostar 700P aircraft by X-Hangar to X-Plane 12, and yes the X-Plane 11 version is also provided in the same package.

 

New Features Include update fixes and upgrades:

 

 

 

________________

 

 

Yes! the Piper Aerostar 700P by X-Hangar is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : 

 

Piper Aerostar 700P

Price is US$19.95

 

NEWS! - 337F Skymaster by Thranda Design released!

 

 

 

Thranda Design has released the Cessa 337F Skymaster on January 27th 2023, which is today American EST time.

 

Certainly one of my favorite aircraft, the push, puller Cessna 337F Skymaster is one of the greatest General Aviation aircraft. After the 208 Caravan, then the excellent U206G Stationair, here is another Cessna classic from Thranda Design, or a Carenado classic. Once the bastion of General Aviation aircraft in Simulation, then what has happened with the famous developer, missing now from X-Plane for a number of years. And how far will Thranda Design go in replacing classic aircraft with the same.

 

The Cessna Skymaster is an American twin-engine civil utility aircraft built in a push-pull configuration. Its engines are mounted in the nose and rear of its pod-style fuselage. Twin booms extend aft of the wings to the vertical stabilizers, with the rear engine between them. The horizontal stabilizer is aft of the pusher propeller, mounted between and connecting the two booms. The combined tractor and pusher engines produce centerline thrust and a unique sound. The Cessna O-2 Skymaster is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster.

 

The aircraft includes all the features of the Dynamic Generation Series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Requirements are:

X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11

 

Images are courtesy of Thranda Design

 

Support forum for the C337 Skymaster by Thranda

 

NEWS! - Aircraft Updated : Magni M-16 and M-22 Gyrocopters X-Plane 12 by 3DReal

 

 

Powered Gyro-copters are a cool flying machine... Just ask James Bond. "Little Nellie", in "You Only Live Twice", was a the star of the film, and was a real machine in a Wallis WA-116 Agile as flown by it's creator Ken Wallis. Gyro-Copters have no power to the main rotors (usually twin) with free autorotation to develop lift, the power is for forward thrust only.

 

Magni Gyro is an Italian gyrocopter manufacturer. It started its own gyro-copter production in 1996. Here there are provided two versions:

M-16 tandem trainer a two seats with dual control

M-22 voyager, based on M-16 but with a large storage space and more fuel capacity for up to 4 flying hours

Now both aircraft (or all four) are available for both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11.

X-PlaneReviews Paul Mort did a release review here: Aircraft Review: Magni M-16 and M-22 Gyrocopters

 

Included in the package are two distinctive bonus sceneries, or perfect for the flying Gyro's, in...

·        Chatelair airfield, close to Aosta, a perfect position to fly over the Matterhorn (Cervino) Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco), and Monterosa between France, Italy, and Switzerland.
The airfield is the Corrado Gex  aero club base, where to learn how to flying over the mountains. You can start to pilot the M16 with the texture of this aero club.

·         Cortina d’Ampezzo (LIDI) airport. In 2026 Cortina and Milano will host the Winter Olympic games and is planned to reopen the airport of Cortina d’Ampezzo. The scenery reproduces a detailed model of the new terminal according to an existent project.
This is the base of a M22 with a fictitious painting to celebrate the event and operating for the surveillance of the games area, aerial shots during the races…

Features:

• Support for X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11
• Two models included
• Very accurate 3d model and realistic flight
• Custom instruments as Rotax FLYdat, TRIG TY91 VHF radio, TRIG TT21 Transponder
• Super detailed Rotax 914UL engine
• Many detailed movable parts
• Real interactive preflight check
• PBR textures
• 2 different liveries per model

Images are courtesy of 3DReal

_____________________________________

 

 

Yes! - Magni M-16 and M-22 Gyrocopters X-Plane 12 by 3DReal is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

 

Magni M-16 and M-22 Gyrocopters

Price is Currently US$21.00

 

Requirements

I've never yet tested it, but the PM 2.0 should work for both, as it is independent of X-Plane, working with the X-Jet framework.

NEWS! - Aircraft Update : Lancair Legacy RG X-Plane 12 by Aerobask

 

 

Released in June 2020. Here is the official update for the single-engined Lancair Legacy RG to X-Plane 12 from Aerobask.

 

The Lancair Legacy is a two-seat single-engine light aircraft marketed in kit form, which is now out of production. It evolved from the Lancair 235/320 series, but with a larger fuselage and more powerful engine, and like them, is a low-winged monoplane of composite construction, with side-by-side seating in an enclosed cockpit. The aircraft are renowned for efficient in speed, space, and economy. RG is the Retractable Gear designated variant, compared to the earlier FG (Fixed Gear).

 

X-PlaneReviews full release overview is here:  Aircraft Review : Lancair Legacy RG by Aerobask

 

Besides the Implementation of X-Plane 12 features (Icing, Performance, Rain effects, Photometric night lightning for XP12) there are no other changes noted by Aerobask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircraft Update : Flightfactor A320-214 Ultimate v1.5.6 gets a serious update!

 

As developers progress, you can get ton's of updates, some even silly, in them mostly just being a tweak or only a change here and there. Problem is with so many coming out that are not really absolutely essential, you can easily miss the big important ones... dream for the days of quarterly or six monthly updates.

That is not to say frequent updates are not good, any update is a nice to have, but packaging them together better saves you a lot of work on your behalf. It is noted that the XP11 model here has been updated more than 200 times...  overkill.

 

Which brings us to the Flightfactor A320 Ultimate. It is an aircraft that divides users. Personally I'm very much on the "very like" side of the argument, mainly because I like the Airbus Philosophy, and the Flightfactor A320U has the prominence of being the only CEO or "Current Engine Option" aircraft available to X-Plane 12 users, a NEO or "New Engine Option A320 is coming soon from ToLiSS, but not the older engine versions.

 

Over the years the progress on changes (despite) the constant upgrades, never really fixed the things users wanted from the aircraft, then an almost lost or ignored update comes along and it is full of the things we have asked for, for years...  just don't shout about it.

 

In the Flightfactor philosophy of making things complex, this is the "FF A320 XP12 Extended Upgrade beta". Or a US$20 addon (Upgrade?) to use the X-Plane 11 Airbus A320 Ultimate in X-Plane 12, note the "Beta" moniker, as this v1.5.6 update is only available in the "Beta" settings.

 

Since X-Plane 12's release there has also been some significant changes to the aircraft starting with v1.5.0 or Extended Upgrade, including...

 

* A package with two acfs one for xp11 and one for xp12, so you can run it both in XP11 and in XP12
* full support and updates at least for the duration of xp12 run
* new cockpit and reworked exterior
* abnormals (list will follow) to the standard of pilot training.

 

For v1.5.0 you got a new 3D-cockpit model, Alternate Law implementation, updated Normal Law elevator controls, added inoperative systems according to FCOM when failure occurs, added drag effects from opened gear doors, autopilot yaw damper for single engine failure and an added tab for instant failure activation.

 

So here is now the new beta v1.5.6

X-Plane 12 can do wonderous things to aircraft. But some are affected better than others in the transition. The FF A320U is one of the really better ones, certainly in it's Silver coated JQ (Jetstar) livery. A hard one to get right, as most painters do it in a flat light grey, not the shiny metal look.

 

 

But here the aircraft stands out, highly real, even stunning in the late light. However there is a slight problem with the default livery on the FF A320U. Since v1.5.0 (X-Plane 12) Flightfactor have used their own new house livery, very nice and spirally it all is...  but it is also set as the default livery, that problem comes to light in if any livery uses the default engines as a base, like the JQ Airbus does?

 

 

No, I don't think that matches very well, it is even quite ugly...  so you have to change the default livery (eng320t.png) to a more benign generic engine design in the "objects" folder to fix it.

 

Sharklets

First gripe that Flightfactor have finally fixed is a sore one with users...  the hint is in the images above? Winglets or Sharklets in Airbus terminology, so they don't get sued again by Aviation Partners (it is a long drawn out story).

 

The FF A320U has to date only the smaller arrow style winglets...

 

 

...   but now you have the towering sharklets. Detail and design here are both excellent, the sharklet curve and shape is beautiful to behold.

 

 

Sharklet selection is via the EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) in the "Settings" tab. Annoyingly the same default livery problem strikes again?

 

 

I had to paint the JQ sharklets myself to make them realistic (or match). So if you want a generic design, again you have to swap a paint file (Sharklets.png or .dds) to the "objects" folder. It is well worth the effort. In both instances (engines and sharklets) the American livery is a good source.

 

Cabin Upgrade

Second major gripe was the cabin. The original cabin felt it was never really finished, a sort of half-hearted affair, and FlightFactor have promised for years to fix it, also it was not really a reflection of an aircraft of this price category.

 

But now you have a new cabin fitout...  there are two classes in, Business (four across), and Economy (six across) in a blue cloth material.

 

 

It is not overly adventurous in design, but light years better than the original layout. Business gets seatback monitors, and Economy get those magazine pockets we are all very familiar with. It will be interesting to see some airline brand interiors in here.

 

 

Side cabin panels and window surrounds are also remodeled, again far better than the originals, but still not as good as the JARDesign cabin with double windows and those air-holes, ditto the roof panels, basic, but far better...   and that pretty well sums it up.

 

 

The cabin lighting is changed as well. Control of the lighting is via the EFB, on the FAP tab (note the FAP only works if the power is on). Oddly FlightFactor haven't installed the same panel on the forward left entrance bulkhead, where it is also installed on the real aircraft?

 

 

The lighting is based on the latest liTeMood® system, it looks the part, but not exactly the way it is done in the new cabins, but using here only spot colour...

 

 

You also have three brightness settings; BRT, DIM 1 & DIM 2...

 

 

Problem is? you can't actually use it...  switching the lighting on, just completely absolutely destroys your framerate, or a 50fr drop to a border line 18fr, 18fr, seriously?

 

Simbrief Intergration

Last year ToLiSS introduced a great time saving feature. This was to load directly into the Multi-function Control Display Unit (MCDU) a generated "Simbrief" route profile. Here now in the A320U FlightFactor MCDU, you can do the same... 

 

First you have to tell the EFB your Simbrief account. This is done on the SimBrief Account Settings/Simbrief Data page. Your looking for your Pilot ID...  Second row down. Then type in your Pilot ID number into the EFB/SETTINGS "INIT REQUEST" Section, then press "Apply".

 

 

Annoyingly it will throw up a "Warning!", "Without an installed user and password, external connections will not be available", it looks like it is related to the Simbrief account, but it isn't, but the "Server Settings" above for external user use.

 

 

Skip Procedures setting is really a non-setting, as is the AUTOCOMPLETE ROUTE settings. Unlike the ToLiSS input from Simbrief, here it only imports certain data, route, weights and fuel...  Procedures (Departure and Arrival Data), and a few more areas are not implemented, so you have to still set those still manually via the EFB (as noted below).

 

 

Create your route (Flight), and generate the (SimBrief) Flightplan. Then you import it by pressing the RK2 Button "INIT REQUEST"...

 

 

...   and there there the Simbrief data is now in the MCDU. As noted the "Procedures" are not filled in, neither correctly is the Flight Number?

 

You also still have to "SET" or activate, FUEL, PAX (Passengers) and CARGO on the EFB...   also the PERF DATA! Doing these settings will then fill in the fuel, weight and payloads onto the aircraft. All the Simbrief data here ARE imported for you, basically you are just Okaying or Setting the imported parameters.

 

 

When the EFB settings are completed, the INIT FUEL PREDICTION will now be filled in...

 

 

...   but you still have to fill in the TAKE OFF Performance page with the important Flaps/Trim settings from the PERF DATA tab on the EFB.

 

Fill in your Departure and Arrival Procedures...  and your done.

 

 

So the Simbrief import is not an import and forget tool, there is a lot more still to cover and work through (Procedures, Performance, Payloads etc) as well, but the numbers are done, and so overall it is a Semi-loading rather than a full import setting, that said it saves you a lot of time in setting up the aircraft for flight, and you should be able to cover the setting up in minutes rather than the usual twenty, and you do get the same data that has been generated by SimBrief.

Obviously you need a SimBrief account, and if possible it is worth investing in with the full Navigraph account to keep the aircraft's nav data up to date..

 

FlightFactor note that with the above new feature, there has been a "significant improvement of Flightplan calculation performance".

 

Other notes for v1.5.6 include; Icing effects and working Anti-ice system, basically all the X-Plane 12 effects are now on the aircraft. Dual input and sidestick priority logic are also implemented.

 

Fixed also in the v1.5.6 update is mostly again MCDU input issues, like incorrect prebuilt holdings patterns, Go-Around procedure issues, Overspeed protection, incorrect prebuilt hold entries, go-around procedure activation and duplicate markers on the flight path when close to the MAP. In other words a fine tuning of MCDU settings and routines.

 

YBCG (Gold Coast) to YMML (Melbourne)

In most cases, you have to put the instrument lighting UP, but in here, you have to tune the instrument lighting DOWN. An odd affair, because if you don't the wording or the text is all very blobby and hard to read? Overall the internal cockpit is quite dark and needs another X-Plane 12 revision. Here is the instrument lighting before adjustment...

 

 

....  and after.

 

 

Departure to Melbourne is via RWY 32 (SID APAGI5) STIMP, MICKS...

 

 

Although I have flown this route (what feels like a million times) in simulation and in the real cabin. This is still a first time flight with X-Plane 12...    on the climb, the JQ A320U looks very impressive...   X-Plane 12 Impressive!

 

 

The new sharklets look quite brilliant as well, from the cabin or externally.

 

The office, very Airbus and the FlightFactor A320U has a lot of depth in systems and...  toys.

 

 

Again like ToLiSS there is a very good "Save" system , or "States". It will save a perfect representation of the aircraft, and recover that representation exactly like the save. Not easy to do, as there is usually something not put back as it was before. But I have tested a few Saves and they do all work (or worked) perfectly, a restore also works fine as well if you have a crash or freeze.

 

Melbourne (YMML), and final approach RWY 16 (STAR ARBEY 6A/APP ILS Y 16)...

 

 

...  note you do get Duel Flight Directors (CAT 3) AP1&AP2, nice to have, even for an Airbus. Autoland makes life easy. Cabin views are excellent, with great internal wing detail... 

 

 

 

On landing and activating the thrust reversers throws up a lot of runway dirt, maybe they should clean the runways more often, but highly realistic externally or from the cockpit.

 

 

A gripe complained about on-line is the current Manipulator active zones are not where they should be, you have to hunt around to activate knobs or buttons, the Chrono (select) or Master Main and Warnings zone are miles away (arrowed above) from the buttons, switching some switches will activate others? A fix is coming.

 

Turnaround and I am already loading my Simbrief route back to OOL (Glod Coast), quick and easy!

 

_______________

Summary

Joshua Moore did an overview review of the FlightFactor A320-214 Ultimate when it was released as an "Extended Beta in September 2022, including it's upgrade (US$20) to X-Plane 12. This is a followup review because in this update there are a load of new features (That in reality should have been part of the earlier upgrade)...  but they are important ones.

 

They are important because they are features users have wanted (or complained about) for years, and very good they are.

 

First are Sharklets (Boeing Winglets), here tall and tapered. Second is a completely newly designed cabin and third is SImBrief MCDU intergration. X-Plane 12 Icing effects and a working Anti-ice system, and Dual input and sidestick priority logic is also now implemented.

 

Quality of the Sharkets are excellent, the cabin is very good as well, but not absolutely top notch required in this price range, but a major step up from the half-completed original. Cabin lighting uses the liTeMood® system, but currently has a very heavy framerate drain on using it, makes it still a dark cabin. SimBrief intergration is very good and easy to use, but does not cover every data aspect required for flight, as data inputs from the EFB and Departure and Arrival Procedures are still required, and the Take Off data also needs to be filled in.

 

Yes there a few quirks outstanding in the FlightFactor A320U, but it is also a very comprehensive simulation of the most popular Airbus in the world. If you like to use the Airbus philosophy (Law logic), then this aircraft is for you.

 

The FlightFactor A320-214 Ulitmate comes very highly recommended, and both X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 versions are included in the package.

_______________

 

 

The A320 Ultimate XP12 Extended beta is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here:

 

A320 Ultimate XP12 Extended beta

Price at time of writing US$89.95

 

Requirements

X-Plane 11 or X-Plane 12 OS: Windows (64 bit) or Mac 10.14 (or higher)

Processor (x86-64 Intel or AMD): 4-cores Intel Core I5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2500X, Apple M1 and M2 not supported

Video Card: GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 580 with 4 GB

VRAM (8 GB recomended)

RAM: 8 GB (16 GB highly recommended) Disk Space: 2 GB

Last version: 1.5.6beta (18.05.2022) Download via X-Updater only.

 

Review System Specifications

Windows  - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD

__________________________________

 

Update Review by Stephen Dutton
25th January 2023
Copyright©2023: X-Plane Reviews

 

(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions.

 

 

NEWS! - Aircraft Update : C-130H Hercules X-Plane 12 by X-Hangar

 

 

Who doesn't love the "Herky Bird", or the Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. Well X-Hangar have updated their version now to X-Plane 12!

 

An aircraft capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medevac, and cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in a variety of other roles, including as a gunship, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and aerial firefighting. It is now the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. Over forty variants and versions of the Hercules, including a civilian one marketed as the Lockheed L-100, operate in more than 60 nations. It is the go-to aircraft for logistics.

 

Two versions are included for use in X-plane 12: C-130H, and L-100-30 (is a stretched version of the C-130 and has a glass instrument panel)

 

X-Plane Features Include:

2 Separate Versions To Fly for both v11 and v12

2 separate .zip files

Both a digital Instrument panel and analog

Working wipers in v12

Rain on the glass for v11 (limited to win vulcan) and v12

Much improved landing and taxi lights in v12

3d modeled Crew 

Working cargo door

Working crew door

X-plane FMS for v11 and v12 with pop up panel or press 3d buttons

X-plane Garmin 530 with pop up panel or press 3d buttons

Many interchangeable international liveries 

Both civil and military liveries

Easy to paint liveries with the blank included

Checklist in .txt format for use in the sim

.pdf manual to help familiarize yourself with the aircraft

Static elements

Cargo automatically loads with added weight to the aircraft

Animated parts

Option to use and display JATO rockets. Fun for shorter take off.

FSE file included

 

 

 

New X-Hangar support forum

_______________________________

 

 

Yes! the C-130H Hercules by X-Hangar is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : 

 

C-130H Hercules - X-Hangar

Price is US$24.95

NEWS! - Scenery Released : Antarctica Mega Scenery XP12 by HSimulators

 

 

Developed by HSimulators, Antarctica Mega Scenery XP12 is a hybrid scenario, mixed with objects reproduced in the appearance of the real and other 3D fictional objects. The mesh terrain provided covers more than 5 millions square mile (over 13 millions km2) of the Antarctica Continent. Notable is that HSimulators have been producing scenery for Flight Simulator for 25 Years, since 1997.

 

Covered also are 44 airports, heliports and localities. One aspect of the scenery is that it covers in a large area or located primarily south of the Antarctic Circle (60°S) of X-Plane (the bottom bit) that is not covered by the X-Plane default tiles, so it adds in to the completion of the X-Plane world view.

 

Provided areas and airports are:

3D Airports

Tnt Rodolfo Marsh Martin - SCRM - Chile
Amundsen - Scoth South Pole - NZSP _USA
Sanae IV - At22 - South Africa
Byrd Surface Skiway - BIRD - USA
Progress Station - PGRS -  Russia
Zhongshan Station - China - Served by Progress Station
Novolazarevskaya - AT17 - Russia
Mario Zuccelli Station - AT13 - Italy
Enigma Lake-  AT-09 Nova Zelandia
Browning Pass - AT02 - New Zealand
Palmer Station - NZ12 - USA
Concordia Skiway - AT03 - France / Italy
Dumont d'Urville Station - AT04 - France
Plough Island Skiway- PLGI - Australia
Kunlun - KULU - China
Davis Plateau - AT07 - Australia
Davis Sea Ice - ATAU - Australia
Druzhnaya 4- DRUZ - Russia
Fossil Buff - AT10 - UK
Halley Research Station - AT11(EGAH) - (discrepance in navdata - EGAH) -  UK
Rothera Research Station - EGAR - UK
McMurdo Station- NZIR - USA
Kohnen Station - AT12 - Germany
Marambion Base Station - SAWB - Argentina
Marble Point Station - GC07 - USA
Mawson Station - AT21 - Australia
Mid Point Skiway - AT14 - France / Italy
Molodezhnaya - AT15 - Russia
Neumayer Station - AT16 - Germany
Odel Glacier Skiway - AT18 - New Zealand
OHiggins Station - AT19 - Chile
Ohiggins Station HLPN - OGGN - Chile
Patriot Hills - SCPZ - USA
Willians Field - NZWD - USA
Pegasus Field - NZWD - USA
Phoenix Airfield - NZFX - USA
Plateau Station - NZFX - USA
Troll Station - AT27 - Norway

2D Airports (in development 3D)

Petrel Station - SA47 - Argentina
Perseu Temporary Airfield - PRSU
Rumdoodle Station - AT28 - Australia
S17 - JS17 - Japan

 

 

 

 

 

With such a large area to cover the requirements are a heavy 7.5 GB download, but you get a lot on continent for it.

 

Images are courtesy of HSimulators

__________________

 

 

Yes!...   Antarctica Mega Scenery XP12 by HSimulators is now Available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

 

Antarctica Mega Scenery XP12

Price is US$29.00

Requirements

NEWS! - Aerobask updates Epic Victory G1000 to X-Plane 12

 

 

The details released here are light, but noted is that the Epic Victory light jet has been now updated to X-Plane 12.

 

Noted by Aerobask is " This is first release of the Epic Victory G1000 Edition for X-Plane 12, a free update for owners of the XP11 version". No specs, but there is a pretty video...

 

 

Features

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS - Aircraft Update : Scheibe SF-25C Falke Project XP12 - v5.0 VskyLabs

 

 

VSky Labs have released two consecutive releases for their Scheibe SF-25C Falke glider. v4.3, then a day later v5.0, a bit odd, but we will go with it.

 

The Scheibe SF-25C Falke is a German touring motor-glider which flew for the first time in 1963. The two-place powered sailplane is featuring a low wing configuration, an 80 hp engine (Limbach 2000 L) and side by side seating. High performance in its operation range, easy handling, robust construction, reliability of both airframe and engine are the main features of the SF-25C Falke.

 

The VSKYLABS Scheibe SF-25 Project development for X-Plane was approved by Scheibe Aircraft GMBH (although it is an independent VSKYLABS project which is not endorsed and/or affiliated with/by Scheibe Aircraft GMBH). The project is featuring the SF-25 C variant (Falke 2000), which is equipped with a 80 hp engine, driving a two-blade wooden fixed pitch propeller (alternator and electric starter are included).

 

The vSkylab philosophy is that you are purchasing an ongoing project, so any aircraft you purchase is not fully completed or is completed to 100%, that is the deal you sign up for to get access to the aircraft and all the development is free and ongoing throughout the X-Plane 12 version. These projects are under constant development: the development road-map is including flight model refinements, enhanced systems depth, additional liveries and other improvements.

 

Features

NEWS! - Plugin Update : X-Camera v2.4.2 by StickandRudder

 

 

StickandRudder's Studios have updated their "Camera" tool to v2.4.2. This version also covers X-Plane 12 elements for X-Camera use.

 

Obviously the best camera option in X-Plane, and now for X-Plane 12. X-Camera is an advanced view plugin for X-Plane . It can be used to create hundreds of unique views for the cockpit, for external aircraft views, and for views at the airport or other world locations. It offers many configurable options on a per camera basis and features a very responsive TrackIR experience with head movement limits.

 

 

 

Scenery Upgrade : Dolomites UHD XP12 by Frank Dainese and Fabio Bellini

 

Over the last six years there has been a significant amount of work in the European Alp and Dolomite Mountain areas by Frank Dainese and Fabio Bellini for the X-Plane Simulator. The work in respect is Colossal, huge...  get my point.

 

But colossal also meant a bit unwieldy, with so many packed sceneries, and all were tightly inter-meshed together. So if you got the .INI order right it all worked fine, but it was to say all a bit messy.

 

With the release of "ALPS UHD XP12", in early Dec 2022, Frank and Fabio have changed the scenario a little bit (no pun intended). Of the four areas, Eiger Park, Matterhorn Park, Aosta and Mont Blanc and main peaks of the Alps, they were all repackaged together in the "ALPS" pack.

 

The Dolomites UHD XP12 does the same thing. It takes six areas, Brenta Dolomites, Western Dolomites - Val Gardena, Belluno - Southern Dolomites, Cortina - Cadore and Drei Zinnen Park and combines them all together into one package. Plus some extra areas are added in as well. It is a 9Gb scenery in size, so huge.

 

Compared to the Dolomites scenery packages for XP11, many details here have been improved and vast areas added such as LIENZ airport (Austria), Val di Fleres with Tribulaun in 3D, the whole area between Trento and Bolzano, Sappada and Sauris area, Asiago plateau with airport for a total area of over 11000 sq. km. The package now includes all the Dolomite groups, over 64 mountain groups all reconstructed with detailed 3D models with photographic textures.

 

Features:

• Included in the degree + 46+ 010, +46+011, +46+012, area Italy,Austria
• Mountains scenery with 3D models 64 groups Dolomites
• 7 airports , 15 airfields, 47 Heliport
• Reproduced towns and villages with typologies of buildings and customized houses
• Photographic polygons/ textures as covered of terrain typical zone of great mountains.
• Polygons/textures 4K - area covered more 11000 kmq.
• Complete scenery of about 9 GB, 51 folders, more than 40 valleys, more than 60000 placed objects.

Airports

• BOLZANO (LIPB)
• TRENTO (LIDT)
• LIDB (BELLUNO)
• LIDA (ASIAGO)
• LIDI (CORTINA)
• LIVD (DOBBIACO)
• LOKL (LIENZ)

 

 

 

For those purchasers who own any of the previous Dolomites XP11 packages, you can get 40% off this new package. Please check your original Dolomites Invoice for the Coupon code...

 

Packages that do qualify: Dolomites 3D - All 5 Packages ; Brenta Dolomites; Western Dolomites; Belluno Southern Dolomites; Cortina Cadore Dolomites; Drei Zinnen Dolomites

 

This is also X-Plane 12 scenery, so you get all the X-Plane 12 effects and environmental elements!

 

Highly Recommended!

 

NEWS! - Scenery updated : LEZL Sevilla, San Pablo, Spain ( Airport and City) to X-Plane 12 by Virtual Design

 

 

Released early September (3rd) 2022. Virtual Designs 3d have updated their comprehensive Spanish scenery of LEZl - Sevilla to v2.0 X-Plane 12. (X-Plane 11 is also still available). It comes with new stands, new ground signage and Sevillian static aircraft, the X-Plane 12 effects are also now available.

 

The airport has flight connections to 42 destinations around Europe and Northern Africa, and handled 7,544,473 passengers in 2019. It serves as a base for the low-cost carriers Vueling and Ryanair. It is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of central Seville, and some 110 kilometres (68 mi) north-east of Costa de la Luz.

 

The scenery package includes not only the airport, but the main city buildings of Sevilla as well. The package is also Orbx Spain South compatible as well.

 

Version 2.0 (January 14th 2023)

• Scenery for X-PLANE-12  and  X-PLANE-11.
• Added new stands with jetways (3-4-6-7-8-9).
• Added new ground sings and taxi marks.
• Added static aircraft usually seen in Seville.  
• Fixed other minor things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircraft Review : Diamond DA-42 NG by Aerobask

 

Here is the latest release from Aerobask, and yes it is another Diamond Aircraft. But this Diamond is a significant one for Aerobask, as it is not the first series release of the Diamond DA-42 for the developer.

 

That release, which is the original, was also the very first aircraft released by Aerobask, or then the Diamond DA-42 Twinstar by Harranssor. That was almost exactly a decade ago (29th August 2013), and to celebrate, Aerobask not only have released their latest newly minted, highly detailed DA-42 NG aircraft, but created also an anniversary livery as part of this package...

 

 

I totally recommend to read the original Diamond DA-42 Twinstar by Harranssor review, in that it shows not only the changes in the X-Plane Simulator itself, but the massive changes in detail and quality over the decade. It was for it's time astoundingly good, even incredible for a first time developer (Harranssor did release a Eclipse 550 earlier as freeware), but the DA-42 was in payware and it came with very high expectations....  and delivered.

 

That decade old DA-42 release was in X-Plane v10.22, here we are releasing the new DA-42 NG (New Generation) in the newly released X-Plane 12 (Sorry no X-Plane 11 aircraft will be made available). So this is the very first fully developed aircraft for the new X-Plane version from Aerobask, and the package (price) includes both updates and revisions for the length of the simulator (X-Plane 12) run.

 

The photographic quality of X-Plane 12 brings out the realism of the Diamond Aircraft. Certainly sleek to begin with, the composite smooth design shines (no pun intended) and curves to the natural lighting.

 

Noted as the "Twin Star", this aircraft originally used Thielert Aircraft Engines TAE 125-01 Centurion 1.7...   in the real aircraft Diamond has now switched to their 3rd Generation Austro Turbo Diesel Engine or the Lycoming IO-360 engine which is also available as an option, and installed here in the XP12 version is the Austro Turbo Diesel. Bit of trivia...  the DA42 Twin Star was the first diesel-powered fixed-wing aircraft to make a non-stop crossing of the North Atlantic in 12.5 hours, with an average fuel consumption of 5.74 gallons per hour (2.87 gallons per hour per engine), give it a try if you want to...

 

I would be explaining nothing to Aerobask converts. They will already know of the quality, forensic detail, superb modeling and the general exclusive experience of Aerobask aircraft... Top Notch, well whatever, it is again all brilliantly done here in the DA-42.

 

 

Composite aircraft don't have a lot of panels, so most parts of the aircraft are added on, not part of the structure..  say the nose, tail section, so on...   Looking hard you can see all this and more in all the sections that make up the aircraft's assembly, but most of the excellent detail is around the engines, cowling, shrouds, and the details and all fastening screws are all visible and checked...  if you want detail, then here it is.

 

 

Also the flying surfaces, tail assembly, high T-Tail elevators, lovely crisp wings with winglets. Notable are the excellent flap and aileron actuators, beautifully designed, ditto the elevator and adjoining trim tab (trailing edge).

 

 

Glass is supreme, nice curves, great reflection and the right tint. Note the beautifully designed instrument hud (cowling?), here the detail is excellent with window demisting vents.

 

 

Unlike the DA-62, which has two opening front doors, the DA-42 has a single forward opening canopy, and the rear single left door for rear passengers as is the same as the DA-62, but they all give you ease of access. You can open them via the latches or the menu.

 

 

Other external items include, opening twin forward storage lockers, chocks and a GPU (Ground Power Unit)

 

 

Menus

You can access the Aerobask Menu, via the Plugins Menu, or the internal tablet....

 

 

Since v2 of the Diamond DA-62 the Aerobask menus have been changed to this more cleaner, new style layout, there are four tabs; Ground, Options, Sounds and About.

 

Ground : Covers the standard Fuel loading of the aircraft (with a "Balance" fuel setting), 3d passengers (Pilot and Three passengers), Static Elements of Chocks, Bollards, Pitot covers, GPU (Ground Power Unit) and you can change the liveries via a "Previous" and "Next" selection. Door selections of Canopy, Pax door, right and left boots (storage), Also Remove Chocks, GPU options, Refill Oxygen bottle, Refill anti-ice fluid are all also options on this tab.

 

Options : The "Main" covers Instrument Popups, Reflections, G1000 Shared options and Breakers (Fuses) with a reliability scale. There are three other avionics sets of OPTIONS for the, G1000 PFD, G1000 MFD and the MD302 backup instrument. "Synthetic Vision" is included in the G1000 tab.

 

 

Sounds : There are seven sound sliders; Master, Aircraft Exterior, Aircraft Interior, Copilot, Radios, Environmental and User Interface. You can Enable (or disable) sounds, and Enable (the) speech.

 

About : Here is listed the Aerobask development team and beta testers, and the aircraft's version number is indicated in the popup menu title, or the changelog.txt in the main folder.

 

As noted there is a pilot and three passengers you can individually view or hide (the pilot hides when you select the Static Elements). The quality of the 3d people are all very good, and seen before in Aerobask aircraft.

 

 

Internal

The internal cabin of the decade old DA-42 was sensational (for it's time). So was the start of Aerobask's reputation for creating seminal interiors of aircraft...  and you won't be disappointed here either. It is important to note, that this cabin is of a few generations older than say the DA-50RG or the DA-62, so the materials used here then reflect that heritage, other than that it is all as usual for Aerobask, extremely well done.

 

The four seats are outer leather with a mottle grey pattern insert and red piping, note the lovely folds on the leather surfaces. Diamond logos are also nicely shown on the headrests....  it's all beautiful stuff to admire.

 

 

With the selection of different liveries, then two more different interiors in red and cream are available.

 

 

There are several different carpet threads (Grey), and a leather mustard side paneling, so is the centre console covering.  Main cabin colour is a slate to light grey... exquisite!

 

 

Instrument Panel

 

 

The decade old DA-42 had the same native Laminar Research G1000 twin panel avionics system (both PFD and MFD pop-out), but the X-Plane 12 version is customised far more here with custom EIS and annunciations. It is a very good panel layout, but not as really detailed as a real G1000 system actually is, but it does cover about 85% of the systems.

 

Start up process is excellent with Aerobask logos, and more CREDITS and AIRAC data. Note the great reflections on the G1000 screens.

 

 

Both PFD and MFD G1000 displays pop-out, as does the MD302 SAM

 

 

The system has a "reversionary" mode. This is all the primary instruments and engine parameters presented all on the single display, in this case the PFD. (If the PFD failed then the "reversionary" mode switches to the other MFD (Multi Functional Display). Also in the same mode, both displays will show the PFD (Primary Flight Display).

 

 

PFD (Primary Flight Display) is very good with the large Artificial Horizon dominating the screen with the Speed and Altitude (with built in Vertical Speed) tapes either side, Rate of turn and FD (Flight Director) are all present. Lower is the Heading rose with built in Heading, Wind (3 options), CRS (Course) DME, NAV 1, NAV 2 and OBS. All Radio, Autopilot (AP) settings and data are across the top banner of the panel. Note the inbuilt warnings panel centre right, and INSET MAP This is an option to put a small insert map on the PFD, but I never do (it makes the display too crowded).

 

 

There is a custom tool in a GCU476 2D keypad to input values directly by touching the screen (i.e. clicking the values or using the mouse scroll wheel to adjust them). For example, for changing a radio frequency or here the heading, you can use the mouse scroll wheel, which is much easier than turning the knobs in the 3D cockpit. it has a small slider or ++ / -- tool to say which items can be manipulated.

 

 

Synthetic Vision

There is the "Synthetic Vision" tool that we mentioned earlier by Oscar Pilote. There are three modes that can be selected from the "More Options" menu. The first is the standard default Laminar one with the blue top and dirty brown lower horizons. Then the "Topology Only", with a light blue (realistic) sky and green lower horizon, the final one is "Topology + Terrain" with the same light sky and brown lower horizon.

 

 

MAP/Navigation Display (MFD)

The secondary MFD in a MAP/Navigation panel covers also all the (EIS) engine outputs which are in two versions with one visual and one in data. This is another custom panel by Aerobask.

 

 

The colourful engine readouts cover are on page one; Manifold Pressure (Load) and RPM, Fuel Flow GPH (Gallons Per Hour), Oil Pressure and Temp, Coolant Temp, Fuel Temp and Fuel QTY (Quantity).

 

 

System switch (data) covers the same LOAD and RPM top, VOLTS and AMPS, Gearbox/Coolant Temp, Oil Pressure/Temp and De-Ice Fluid level.

 

Notably missing are the usual two items? FLAPS position (UP-20º-38º) and ELEV (UP-TO-DN) adjustment, rudder adjustment trim bottom, and the Fuel Calculations, GAL (Used), REM (Remain) system which are both on the DA-50RG and DA-62.

 

MD302 SAM®

Mid-Panel is the MD302 SAM® or the "Standby Altitude Module" Basically is a standby instrument which is very authentic to the real instrument, this avionic tool is interesting as it replaced the standard three (Airspeed, Artificial Horizon and Altitude) setup in the earlier DA-42, modern times for modern avionics. Other upper panel details include Lighting Switchgear (left), Whiskey Compass, ELT and authentic aerox Oxygen pressure gauge.

 

 

..   but if you hold the same knob down for two or three seconds then a menu appears that covers In-fight configurable items that are...

 

 

Altitude units in feet or meters, Barometer units either inHg or mbars, Attitude symbol in traditional or delta, Attitude mask on or off and Altitude trend bar in either on or off.

 

 

There is a Quick-Doc manual provided that covers the instruments features and their use. Note: The SAM has to be set separately (i.e. Baro) than the main PFD as one adjustment does not cover all the instruments.

 

Last note is the G1000 "Autopilot" buttons are placed normally in this DA-42, between the two displays (PFD/MFD), the original DA-42 used a separate GFC-700 Autopilot!

 

 

Left panel Electrical setting switches/Avionic Circuit Breakers. Right Panel the full Circuit Breaker (Fuses) panel that is active and De-Ice System.

 

 

Lower panel has (LtoR), Pitot Heat, Left Engine/Right Engine (Master/Start, Elec. Master, Avionic Master, Landing Gear, Fuel Pumps (L/R) , Flaps and Engine buses.

 

 

The central pedestal is really well designed as well...  Lovely Throttle and Fuel selector levers are very well crafted, the Fuel cutoff is full back with the red tabs clicking into place. Defrost is required as your cabin can go misty in the cold... a great special effect from Aerobask. Two Trims are "Rudder" upper centre panel, and "Pitch" in the large trim wheel centre console, rear are light switches and rear (Working Audio Panel)

 

 

There is a built in AviTab Tablet (Plugin Required)... it is stored in the left side pocket holder, press to mount on the right side of the instrument panel. You can also press the knob attachment (AviTab) holder on the instrument panel bracket to bring the AviTab up as well (plugin required).

 

 

As noted the Aerobask Menu is also built in for ease of use.

________________

 

Flying the X-Plane 12 Aerobask DA-42

There have been a few Diamond DA-42's in X-Plane. The Original Aerobask 2013 version as mentioned in the review, a Diamond DA40NG XP12 by SimSolutions, we reviewed last November 2022, and coming another DA-42 from a new developer group, CreatorOfWorldS (COWS). So you are not short of choice, but how could you go past the authenticity of Aerobask...  well you can't.

 

Let us put the numbers up front and center...

 

Maximum speed: 356 km/h (221 mph; 192 kn) - Range: 1,693 km (1,052 mi; 914 nmi)- Service ceiling: 5,486 m (17,999 ft) - Rate of climb: 6.5 m/s (1,280 ft/min)...   all pretty impressive.

 

Starting is easy. You have FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine (or electronics) Control ), so you just switch on the fuel flow (switches centre console), then and then turn the key towards the engine you want to start. The engine is an Austro Engine E4 (marketed as the AE 300), based on the Mercedes-Benz OM640 road Diesel engine. It supplies 168 hp (125 kW) (maximum takeoff and continuous power) at up to 2,300 propeller RPM for each engine.

 

 

Sounds are modern FMOD and with Enhanced 3D system sounds by Daniela Rodriguez Careri, including Doppler and Flanger effects. They do sound a little different from the normal, but the engines are very different as well in being diesels, but at the cruise speed they have this lovely thrumm that passes the flying time nicely. Start up is almost instantaneous with a slight cranking, so they are almost electric in that aspect. The DA-42, however sounds almost exactly like the DA-62, but then it does use the same engine installation with the same twin-diesel engines.

 

If we go back (again) to the original DA-42, there was one area I really didn't like. This was the stick like undercarriage, it was hard, stiff and very unforgiving (landings were horribly hard nose affairs).

 

The forward angled single nosewheel and trailing link main gear is the same arrangement here, but add on ten years and it is all a very different feel, a slight bounce, say even a cushioning to the gear, which is far, far better and more authentic to real suspension. You can't taxi too fast with that slim nosegear, but get the (low) taxi speed right and the aircraft is fine...

 

 

Heading on to PAJN's Runway 26, and the runway shows up in "Synthetic Vision" on the PFD, it is very well done..

 

 

Tons of low down torque from the Twin AE 300's, gives you push to Takeoff Speed around 100 knts, Rate of climb is noted at 6.5 m/s (1,280 ft/min) but I found that 800fpm gave me the best climb to altitude (5,000ft) without putting pressure on the power output and keeping out of the red zones...

 

 

 

This is a modern 4 seater aircraft, efficient, not a 18th Century Gallon Piper. So it handles and flies efficiently as well. Basically it's a cruiser of the air, a sort of GT or Grand Tourer...  the just under 1000 nautical mile range gives you the distance to cover a respectable area, and at a just sub 200 knt speed. So it's perfect for a point to point flight.

 

 

So the DA-42 is not a particularly demanding aircraft for the pilot, as all the mod-cons are in here, with the G1000 (Synthetic Vision) and the MD302 SAM. In flight modeling it is done by X-Aerodynamics who does all the Aerobask dynamics, he's good, so is the feel of the DA-42.

 

 

Lighting

Considering the other DA, Diamond offerings the internal lighting in here is quite basic. Two knobs adjusts the display and instrument brightness. Not very overly effective in the day, but fine at night.

 

 

Cabin lighting consists of one forward light and and one rear spot, both again very effective at night.

 

 

Externally, you have the usual Landing and Taxi twin lights under the mid-fuselage, but they interfere with the modeling in creating nasty ant marks around the nose. There is no beacon, but wing navigation, strobe lighting is excellent.

 

 

At this point in X-Plane 12's evolution (v12.01r1) then expect still more refinement in all the lighting.

 

Haines, Klukwan, Alaska is a double tight airport to get into from the east, PAHN although situated on the Chilkat River, is nestled between a mountain and forests on the Runway 26 approach. A testing airport of nerves and flight skills.

 

 

You can't even see the airport, never mind the runway on the approach? But it is there, hidden beyond the trees.

 

 

Even though a Twin, the DA-42 NG is very good for getting into tight slots like this, good visibility really helps, so does Full Flap (LDG) selection and the approach speed in 83 knts.

 

It's tight...  and do you see the runway yet, just.

 

 

Thankfully the Da-42 is wonderful to control and fly in these sort of circumstances, a great platform for tricky approaches.

 

 

There is not much room between you and the trees as you clear the boundary, then you dive for the runway, then quickly do a heavy nose up flare to arrest the speed and height, you touch around 73 knts

 

 

If you have a lot of confidence in the aircraft, then you can pull off these sort of manoeuvres, so the DA-42 delivers very well here.

 

 

Obviously I will be talking to the converted. Aerobask have a lot of admirers (Including myself), so it's not hard to understand what you will receive with these aircraft, that they are so modern in design, and it all gives you more of a conviction to fly one.

 

 

Liveries

There is one blank (white) and six liveries with the DA-42 NG. All high quality and including the 10 Year anniversary livery as we saw earlier.

 

_______________

Summary

Aerobask are no strangers to Diamond aircraft, their catalogue is full of them, including currently the DA-50 RG, the DA-62. But Aerobask have also done a version of this DA-42 before, a decade ago, as their very first payware aircraft, it was good if not even brilliant for it's time and era, but we are now in X-Plane 12, another era and another realm, a realm that demands a lot far more quality and detail...  the DA-42 NG 2023, delivers on that aspect, a lot.

 

Excellent modeling is a given with Aerobask, as are the curated interiors, both are well highlighted here. Avionics include a custom EIS and annunciations G1000 System, Synthetic Vision technology by OscarPilote, Optional GCU476 2D keypad, MD302 "Standby Attitude Module",  Simulated oxygen system, Simulated ice protection system and Fully functional breakers (configurable reliability).

 

The excellent menu is available on the screen, but also on a AviTab tablet internally... there is also a Detachable and VR-friendly 2D options panel. Sounds are excellent and by renowned Daniela Rodriguez Careri, 3d Pilot and passengers, static elements, and the DA-42 also comes with an Auto-Updater (Skunkcraft), all to keep the aircraft up-to-date on-line.

 

In a package, Aerobask delivers everything you want in a high quality aircraft with unique clever custom systems, and that is certainly the case here as well...  again, better still everything comes in a competitively priced package below US$40. Remember this aircraft is valid for updates and free changes for the life of X-Plane 12 (Note this is only an X-Plane 12 Aircraft, not compatible with X-Plane 11).

 

As a reviewer Aerobask aircraft are a dream to review, certainly there are a lot of custom options to cover, but in every other aspect they are some of the very best general aviation simulations available today...   and for tomorrow in that fact.

 

As a required simulation any Aerobask Diamond is a sensation to own and fly...   Highly Recommended.

_____________________

NEWS!- Aircraft Update : Citation C-560XL v1.5 by AirSim3D

 

 

Released late in 2022, and currently only for X-Plane 11. The Citation C-560XL by AirSim3D was our best of the year aircraft in the "Business Aircraft", category. It was well deserved, as it is not only a great simulation of a very interesting aircraft, but a very additive simulation as well.

 

The X-Plane 12 version is now coming along as well...  and the developer notes it looks "Great" in the new X-Plane version. I have no doubt about that and foresee easily the quality that shone in X-Plane 11, will make it absolutely shine in X-Plane 12. If you buy now (X-Plane 11), you will also get a free upgrade to X-Plane 12 when that version is released. There is a video showing the aircraft in X-Plane 12, below...

 

 

Currently focus in the v1.5 release is on the key functions like the hydraulics, adds pilot objects, adds fmod sounds, adds 4 more liveries and does some other general tuning to the lighting and handling just to make things better and even more smoother. Here is the full changelog;

 

Version 1.5 (January 12th 2023)

NEWS! - Toliss announces Airbus A320neo for March 2023

 

 

Airbus dreamaker developer ToLiSS has announced the Airbus A320neo (New Engine Option) is their next aircraft for the X-Plane Simulator.

 

 

The announcement is thus;

 

"It is with great pleasure that we want to let you know that our next project release is around the corner and it will be the A320 NEO.

What we can say at this stage is:

• As per ToLiss policy to always support two versions of XP at one time, the aircraft will work in XP11 & XP12
• The A320 NEO will include the PW1127 and the LEAP 1A-26 engines
• The release is planned for March 2023, no specific date yet".

Scenery Released : PAJN - Juneau International, Alaska by Northern Sky Studios

 

 

Hot off a very busy year in 2022, Northern Sky released PAWD - Seward Airport, Alaska and PATK Talkeetna Airport, Alaska, and a few Hawaiian Airports. Both the Alaskan sceneries were gems if you like good bush based airports for open wild area flying.

 

Here is the first release from Northern Sky for 2023 and also for X-Plane 12 (the X-Plane 11 version is also part of the package).

In PAJN - Juneau International, again in Alaska, but a more expansive airport with domestic services and sightseeing flights, as Juneau is a major tourist destination.

 

Juneau International Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport and seaplane base located seven nautical miles (8 mi, 13 km) northwest of the central business district of Juneau, a city and borough in the U.S. state of Alaska that has no direct road access to the outside world. 

 

The airport serves as a regional hub for all air travel, from bush carriers to major U.S. air carriers such as Alaska Airlines.

 

The airport is located at an elevation of 25 feet (7,6 m) above sea level. It has one runway designated 8/26 with an asphalt surface and one seaplane landing area designated 8W/26W.

 

Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Seaplanes, Ward Air, and Harris Air now all operate in the airport.

The busiest domestic routes from Juneau are to Seattle, Anchorage, Sitka, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Hoonah, Haines, Gustavus, Wrangell, and Yakutat. The main aircraft servicing these routes is a Boeing 737-700 passenger, cargo, and mixed modification by Alaska Airlines.

 

Also, helicopter tours are available at the airport. Temsco Helicopters, Coastal Helicopter, and NorthStar Helicopters all make tours on glaciers and scenic flights around Juneau borough.

 

Package include additional heliport 5Z2 North Douglas.

 

Features

Aircraft Released : Tecnam P2006T X-Plane 12 by vSkyLabs

 

 

vSkyLabs have released the X-Plane 12 version of their popular Tecnam P2006T. The Tecnam P2006T is an Italian high-winged, twin-engine all-metal light aircraft built by Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam, which is based in Italy. The P2006T is the lightest twin-engine certified aircraft available, and is a four-seat aircraft with fully retractable landing gear and liquid-cooled Rotax 912 engines.

 

Yes it is actually all new...  as the VSKYLABS P2006T Project was originally designed following the Tecnam 'MK-I' model which was commonly used at the time that VSKYLABS developed it for X-Plane (2016-2017). Tecnam introduced the production 'MK-II' models to the market in May 2017. The P2006T 'MK-II', which is not included in this product, includes several enhancements such as the G1000 Nxi (instead the G950), new seats design and improved lighting system.

 

Features

NEWS! - Aircraft update X-Plane 12 : Let L-200D Morava by PWDT&NHAdrian

 

 

This aircraft was one of the most interesting machines of 2021, it is a classic aircraft... it also won my best (Classic) category of the year 2020

 

Best Classic Aircraft : Let L-200D Morava by PWDT&NHAdrian 🏅

A really interesting aircraft with an extremely high quality design and... er, interesting features.

 

The quality was off the wall, but so were the interesting details and designs. Too far in some cases, in the aircraft was a bit tricky to fly, but since resolved and simplified. The full release review is here: Classic Aircraft Review : Let L-200D Morava by PWDT&NHAdrian.

 

So if the Let Morava was so very good in X-Plane 11, then this now refined machine should be exceptional in X-Plane 12. This is an update, not an upgrade to X-Plane 12, meaning free to current purchasers...  nice!

 

The update v1.4.0. basically covers the requirements of the aircraft to conform to the newer X-Plane 12 effects and features...

 

 

 

The Let L-200 Morava is a retractable landing gear four seat light twin which was one of the few light aircraft to be exported from behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War era, albeit in small numbers. The Morava is distinguishable by its twin tails, standard thermal wing deicing equipment and inverted inline engines. The prototype XL-200 Morava flew for the first time on April 8 1957. The XL-200 prototype and a series of preproduction. L-200s were powered by 120kW (160hp) Walter Minor 6-III inline sixes. The L-200D remained in production until 1969, and 5 aircraft were licence built in Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia) by Libis. Most L-200 production aircraft was sold to customers within the Soviet Bloc - Aeroflot for example operated a large number in a range of different roles. However small numbers were exported to western Europe, the USA and Australia. Please be aware, Morava is a multi engine aircraft without autopilot, so not an easy-to-fly aircraft!